Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive a 21-gun welcome salute and a state dinner on Thursday, the first time since becoming prime minister. This honor is typically reserved for the closest allies of the U.S., and is a reflection of the Biden administration's view that India is a vital ally for Washington's top foreign policy goal. Despite criticism from some U.S. lawmakers and advocates over human rights and India's reluctance to break with Russia, hundreds of activists are working to challenge the delicate choreography of the visit.
Posts tagged as “Eastern Ukraine”
Ukrainian forces have made a major breakthrough in their counteroffensive against Russian-occupied areas in the Zaporizhzhia region, with the settlement of Piatykhatky now under Ukrainian operational control. Despite "colossal losses" suffered by the Ukrainian forces, the offensive yielded a result, with U.K. military officials reporting that Russian losses are at their highest level since the peak of the battle for Bakhmut in March. Ukrainian forces have made small advances, but the counteroffensive is ongoing and it remains to be seen if they can continue to make gains.
Jack Teixeira, a former Air National Guardsman, has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. He allegedly shared highly classified military documents on a social media platform, despite having received training on the proper handling of classified information. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has announced that his country has started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, some of which are reportedly three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This move has raised concerns among European countries, with the United Nations calling on both Russia and Belarus to refrain from any actions that could increase tensions in the region. The deployment of nuclear weapons could have a significant impact on the security situation in the region.
At least six people have been killed and 25 wounded in an overnight attack in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, involving cruise missiles that hit a five-story residential building. The death toll has risen to a least six, and seven people are feared trapped under the rubble. The attack comes amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, and the Ukrainian government has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the attack.
Ukraine has made its first battlefield gains since the launch of its counteroffensive against Russian forces, claiming the liberation of several villages in the eastern Donetsk region. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukraine’s flag was again flying over the village of Storozhov, and she predicted the liberation of “all Ukrainian land” would be the final outcome. The United Nations has estimated that the conflict has caused the displacement of more than 1.5 million people and the death of over 13,000 since 2014.
Key takeaways: The last operating reactor at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, has been put into a “cold shutdown” as…
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus' counterpart Alexander Lukashenko met in Sochi to discuss the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which is set to begin in early July. This is the first time Russia has deployed nuclear weapons outside of its borders since the fall of the Soviet Union, and is seen as a warning to the U.S.-led NATO military alliance. The deployment of nuclear weapons is a way for Russia to demonstrate its commitment to its ally and to deter any potential aggression from the West.