Section: The Epoch Times (USA)
Rocket Fire Heard in East Ukraine Rebel Stronghold
DONETSK, Ukraine— Two volleys of Grad rocket fire rang out in Ukraine’s eastern, rebel-held city of Donetsk, underscoring the difficulties of enforcing a cease-fire almost a week after it was signed. The city council of Donetsk confirmed in a statement Thursday there had been multiple explosions during the morning, but reported no...
Russian Gas Supplies to Poland Drop Further
WARSAW, Poland— Poland’s gas monopoly says that Russian natural gas deliveries dropped by 45 percent on Wednesday, the third day of decreases amid concern Moscow is piling on political pressure over the crisis in Ukraine. The company, PGNiG, said Thursday it has received no notification of reductions from Russian supplier Gazprom. On...
EU Agrees to Introduce New Sanctions on Russia
BRUSSELS— Diplomats say the European Union has decided on new sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Three diplomats in Brussels say the ambassadors of the 28-nation bloc agreed Thursday that the sanctions would take effect Friday following their publication in the EU’s official journal. They told The Associated Press on...
Putin Says Russia Will Build New Strategic Nukes, Space Defenses
MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin says Russia has no intention to launch a new arms race, but will respond to all security challenges. Addressing a meeting in Moscow Wednesday on weapons modernization plans, Putin said Russia will focus on developing new strategic nuclear weapons, aerospace defenses and high-precision conventional weapons. He said...
Russia Gas Delivers to Poland Drop 24 Percent
WARSAW, Poland—Russian natural gas deliveries to Poland have dropped by some 24 percent this week, Poland’s gas monopoly said Wednesday, though the reason remained unclear. Spokesman Rafal Pazura told The Associated Press that the company, PGNiG, is asking Russian supplier Gazprom whether the drop is due to “technical or trade” issues....
Flight MH17 Wreckage Still Scattered in Ukraine as Report Released
HRABOVE, Ukraine—A child’s jump rope, its yellow handles blistered and charred. A burned book in Tagalog. Chunks of twisted fuselage. More than seven weeks after being shot from the sky, the wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 still lay strewn Tuesday across the fields of eastern Ukraine. As evidence of the July 17 aviation disaster...
French Weapons Sales Grow Amid Mideast Tensions
PARIS—France’s government says its arms exports grew sharply last year, notably amid violence and tensions in the Middle East. The Defense Ministry says in a report Tuesday that orders rose by 43 percent over the previous year to 6.87 billion euros ($8.9 billion). That is 30 percent higher than the annual average between 2002 and 2012. The...
Malaysia Air MH17 Wreckage Still Lying in Ukraine
HRABOVE, Ukraine—A child’s skipping rope, its yellow handles blistered and charred, lay Tuesday amid wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 that was still strewn across fields of Eastern Ukraine more than seven weeks after the jet was shot down. Chunks of fuselage carrying the Malaysian carrier’s logo were lined up alongside a...
EU Adopts New Russia Sanctions but Delays Action
BRUSSELS— The European Union on Monday shied away from slapping new economic sanctions on Russia right away over its actions in eastern Ukraine. Instead, the 28-nation bloc said the punitive measures will come into force “in the next few days” depending on how well the cease-fire agreement in eastern Ukraine will be upheld. European Council...
Ukraine’s Leader Visits Embattled City of Mariupol
MARIUPOL, Ukraine— Ukraine’s president made a surprise trip Monday to a key city in southeastern Ukraine as a cease-fire between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian troops appeared to be largely holding. President Petro Poroshenko came to address workers at a metal plant in the embattled coastal city of Mariupol — a symbolic show of...
