One year on, Zelensky says Russia will be held accountable for Mariupol theater bombing
From CNN’s Denis Lapin in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday vowed to hold Russia accountable for the bombing last year of a theater in the southeastern city of Mariupol that killed hundreds of people.
“A year ago, Russia deliberately and brutally dropped a powerful bomb on the Drama Theater in Mariupol downtown. Next to the building was the inscription ‘Children,’ which was impossible to overlook. Hundreds of people were hiding from the shelling there,” Zelensky said on the anniversary of the attack.
The bombing of the theater, where Ukrainian officials say up to 1,300 people had sought refuge, was among the most brazen of Russia’s attacks on civilians since its invasion began in late February last year.
Painted on the ground outside the building — in giant Russian letters — was the word “CHILDREN.” The message — large enough to be viewed from the sky — was scrawled near a public square. Russia has denied its forces hit the theater, claiming instead that the Azov battalion, the Ukrainian army’s main presence in Mariupol, blew it up.
“Step by step, we are moving towards ensuring that the terrorist state is fully held to account for what it has done to our country and our people. We will not forgive a single life ruined by the occupiers,” Zelensky said.
Exclusive: Chinese-made drone, retrofitted and weaponized, downed in eastern Ukraine
From CNN’s Rebecca Wright, Ivan Watson, Olha Konovalova and Tom Booth in eastern Ukraine
Driving deep into the forest, the hush between the towering pine trees and the clear blue skies was splintered every few seconds by the sound of distant explosions from the frontline battles for eastern Ukraine.
Guiding us through the woodland on foot, Ukrainian soldiers eventually brought us to a clearing where they showed us the wreckage of a weaponized drone which they said they shot down with their AK-47 automatic weapons over the weekend.
The drone was a Mugin-5, a commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made by a Chinese manufacturer based in the port city of Xiamen, on China’s eastern coast.
Some tech bloggers say the machines are known as “Alibaba drones” as they have been available for sale for up to $15,000 on Chinese marketplace websites including Alibaba and Taobao.
Mugin Limited confirmed to CNN that it was their airframe, calling the incident “deeply unfortunate.”
It’s the latest example of a civilian drone being retrofitted and weaponized since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a sign of the rapidly shifting patterns of warfare.
“Along the front lines, basically all the time we’re conducting aerial reconnaissance,” said Maksim, a 35-year-old territorial defense fighter who only wanted to go by his first name.
Read more here.
From a downed US drone to intense fighting in Bakhmut: Here’s what to know to get up to speed
From CNN staff
US officials say they likely will not be able to retrieve a drone forced down by Russian jets in the Black Sea. The incident is part of a pattern of “aggressive, risky and unsafe” behavior from Russia, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the incident is under investigation and that the US is in “close coordination” with allies.
Here’s everything to know to get up to speed:
- What to know about the drone intercept: While flying in international airspace over the Black Sea, a Russian Su-27 jet dumped fuel on a US MQ-9 Reaper drone several times, US military and defense officials said. One of the Russian jets then hit the drone, damaging it and forcing US officials to crash it into the water, Austin said. The US Air Force primarily uses the MQ-9 drone to collect intelligence, according to the service’s website.
- Recovery efforts: The Russians have reached the MQ-9 crash site in the Black Sea, according to two US officials, as the Kremlin promises to attempt to recover the US drone. The aircraft will likely not be recovered by the US, but sensitive software on the drone was remotely erased before it crashed to prevent Russia from collecting secret information, according to two US officials. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said the drone fell into very deep water and the Navy does not have any vessels in the area, making recovery efforts difficult.
- Russian response: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the US of “ignoring” the airspace restrictions that Russia imposed in the coastal regions of the Black Sea since the start of the war with Ukraine. The Kremlin said relations between Russia and the US are at their “lowest point” and in a “deplorable state,” following the drone’s downing. Moscow has also denied its fighter jets came “into contact” with the US drone. Milley said US officials have “absolute evidence” that the two aircraft came into contact, but said they e’s a level of approval, if not direction, from higher-ups in the chain of command.”
The incident occurred on Monday when two Russian fighter jets flew within 100 feet of a US drone over the Black Sea, according to a US defense official. The Russian pilots flew so close to the US drone that it caused the American aircraft to experience turbulence, the official said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that he was “concerned” about the incident and that he had spoken with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley about it.
“We’re not sure if it was intentional,” Austin said during a press conference in Ukraine. Milley, however, did reiterate that “the aggressive behavior was intentional.”
This latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine, with the US and its allies accusing Russia of amassing troops along the border and supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Why this matters:
The harassment of the US drone is just the latest in a series of incidents between the US and Russia, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two countries. The incident also underscores the risks involved in the increasingly crowded and contested airspace over the Black Sea, where Russian and NATO aircraft frequently encounter each other.
Related:
- US defense secretary visits Ukraine amid tensions with Russia
- Small number of Afghan fighters working with Russian private military company in Ukraine, Wagner chief says
- Fewer than 3,000 people remain in embattled Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, regional military administration says
Senior Russian Defense Officials Approved Harassment of US Drone, Sources Say
Senior officials at Russia’s Ministry of Defense gave the order for Russian fighter jets to harass a US drone over the Black Sea this week, according to two US officials familiar with the intelligence. The high-level military officials’ connection to the incident suggests the fighter jet pilots were not taking rogue action when they interfered with the US drone.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on Monday when two Russian fighter jets flew within 100 feet of a US drone over the Black Sea, according to a US defense official. The Russian pilots flew so close to the US drone that it caused the American aircraft to experience turbulence, the official said.
US Defense Secretary’s Response
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that he was “concerned” about the incident and that he had spoken with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley about it. “We’re not sure if it was intentional,” Austin said during a press conference in Ukraine. Milley, however, did reiterate that “the aggressive behavior was intentional.”
Why This Matters
The harassment of the US drone is just the latest in a series of incidents between the US and Russia, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two countries. The incident also underscores the risks involved in the increasingly crowded and contested airspace over the Black Sea, where Russian and NATO aircraft frequently encounter each other.
Related News
- US Defense Secretary Visits Ukraine Amid Tensions with Russia
- Small Number of Afghan Fighters Working with Russian Private Military Company in Ukraine, Wagner Chief Says
- Fewer Than 3,000 People Remain in Embattled Ukrainian City of Bakhmut, Regional Military Administration Says
otential conflicts” and “provocations” in the region.
The US has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the MQ-9 drone was flying in international airspace when it was intercepted by Russian fighter jets.
The incident has further strained the already tense relationship between the US and Russia, with both sides accusing the other of aggressive behavior.
It remains to be seen what, if any, repercussions will come from this incident. For now, both sides are calling for an investigation and urging calm.
Russian forces reach MQ-9 crash site
According to two US officials, Russian forces have reached the MQ-9 crash site in the Black Sea. The Kremlin has promised to attempt to recover the US surveillance drone, which came down in international waters approximately 70 miles southwest of Crimea after its encounter with Russian fighter jets on Tuesday.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby would not confirm that Russians were at the site, but reiterated that the US took steps to make it “impossible” for Russia to acquire any useful information from the drone’s remnants.
The drone landed in a part of the Black Sea that’s likely almost a mile deep, making any recovery effort extremely difficult. The US also has no Navy ships in the Black Sea, compounding the challenges in any US recovery attempt.
Russian foreign minister blames US for “ignoring” Black Sea airspace restrictions
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States on Wednesday of “ignoring” the airspace restrictions that Russia imposed in the coastal regions of the Black Sea since the start of the war with Ukraine. Lavrov also blamed the US for “constantly looking for potential conflicts” and “provocations” in the region.
The US has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the MQ-9 drone was flying in international airspace when it was intercepted by Russian fighter jets.
The incident has further strained the already tense relationship between the US and Russia, with both sides accusing the other of aggressive behavior.
It remains to be seen what, if any, repercussions will come from this incident. For now, both sides are calling for an investigation and urging calm.
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Call between US and Russian Officials Focused on “Causes and Consequences” of Drone Incident, Moscow Says
A telephone conversation between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on Wednesday focused on the “causes and consequences” of the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea, according to the Russian defense ministry. Shoigu told Austin that the incident was “caused by the US actions of non-compliance with the flight restriction zone declared by the Russian Federation” established in connection with the special military operation in the region. The readout also noted that the US flights of strategic unmanned aerial vehicles off the coast of Crimea are provocative in nature, which creates preconditions for the escalation of the situation in the Black Sea area.
Shoigu said Russia “will continue to respond to all provocations in a proportionate manner,” according to the readout of the call. The US said that while flying in international airspace over the Black Sea, a Russian Su-27 jet dumped fuel on a US MQ-9 Reaper drone several times. One of the Russian jets then hit the drone, damaging it and forcing US officials to crash it into the water.
Soldier Destroyed a Russian Su-25 Jet Over Bakhmut, Ukrainian Commander Says
A soldier from Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade destroyed a Russian Su-25 jet over Bakhmut, according to a commander. The announcement comes after the head of Ukraine’s President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, also said forces from the 93rd Mechanized Brigade had shot down a Russian military plane near Bakhmut. Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the Russian military “continues to unsuccessfully try to surround the city and advance.” “The soldiers of the 93rd Brigade, along with other defenders, are holding back the enemy’s fierce pressure there. Due to their work, enemy tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, MLRS and ammunition depots are blown up,” Syrskyi said in a Telegram post. “The occupiers are also putting pressure on the Kupiansk and Lyman directions,” he said, adding that soldiers from the 92nd Brigade have managed to destroy Russian radar systems and command centers in those directions. CNN has been unable to confirm the Ukrainian claims.
2 Killed in Russian Shelling in Dnipropetrovsk Region, Ukrainian Official Says
Russian shelling killed at least two people and injured five others in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday, according to Serhii Lysak, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration. Two women, ages 62 and 57, were killed in the city of Marhanets. According to preliminary information, a man and three women were hospitalized, and another injured woman will be treated on an outpatient basis. More than a dozen multistory buildings and several private houses in Marhanets were damaged in the shelling, the regional administration said.
Conclusion
The recent incidents between the US and Russia have caused tensions to rise. The telephone conversation between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, focused on the “causes and consequences” of the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea. Meanwhile, a soldier from Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade destroyed a Russian Su-25 jet over Bakhmut, and Russian shelling killed at least two people and injured five others in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. These incidents pose a great risk, and it is important for both sides to exercise caution and avoid provocations that could escalate the situation further.
FLD Magazine team of expert writers and contributors cover a wide range of topics, from startups and entrepreneurship to emerging technologies and global business trends. In this article, we will be discussing a recent incident that occurred in a region where a shop, cultural center, and dormitory were damaged due to a fire.
The Incident
According to the regional administration, one of the buildings caught fire, which was later extinguished by rescuers. The incident resulted in damage to a shop, cultural center, and dormitory. The cause of the fire is still unknown, and an investigation is underway.
The Aftermath
The incident has caused significant damage to the affected buildings, and the authorities are working to assess the extent of the damage. The shop, cultural center, and dormitory are essential facilities for the local community, and their loss will be felt deeply.
The Investigation
The cause of the fire is still unknown, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause. The authorities are working to gather evidence and interview witnesses to piece together what happened. The investigation is expected to take some time, and updates will be provided as they become available.
Conclusion
The incident is a reminder of the importance of fire safety and the need for proper precautions to be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring. Our thoughts are with the affected community, and we hope that the authorities can quickly determine the cause of the fire and take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
