United News of Bangladesh

A Russian general was killed by a car bomb on Friday, Russia’s top criminal investigation agency said, in the second such attack on a top Russian military officer in four months. The Investigative Committee said that Lt Gen Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy head of the main operational department in the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, was killed by an explosive device placed in his car in Balashikha, just outside Moscow, reports AP. The committee's spokesperson, Svetlana Petrenko, said that the explosive device was rigged with shrapnel. She said that investigators were at the scene. Russian media ran videos of a vehicle burning in the courtyard of an apartment building. The committee did not mention possible suspects. Trump says Zelenskyy is prolonging war in Ukraine by resisting calls to cede Crimea to Russia Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described Moskalik's killing as a “terror attack.” The attack follows the killing of Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, who died on December 17 when a bomb hidden on an electric scooter parked outside his apartment building exploded as he left for his office. The Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for the killing of Kirillov, and Ukraine's security agency acknowledged that it was behind that attack. Kirillov was the chief of Russia’s Radiation, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces, the special troops tasked with protecting the military from the enemy’s use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and ensuring operations in a contaminated environment. Kirillov’s assistant also died in the attack. Friday's bombing came just as US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, was expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a US-brokered peace plan for Ukraine. The meeting is their fourth encounter since February.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of staging a false impression of an Easter ceasefire, despite continued military aggression across the front line. Speaking on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russian forces were still launching attacks even after President Vladimir Putin had publicly announced a unilateral truce for the holiday. "On Easter morning, it's clear the Russian army is trying to project an image of a ceasefire," Zelenskyy posted on X. "But in reality, they continue attempts to advance and inflict losses." Ukrainian forces recorded at least 59 shelling incidents and five assaults by Russian units, along with dozens of drone strikes, all taking place after Putin’s ceasefire declaration. Zelenskyy added that, although Ukraine reciprocated the ceasefire gesture, Russia has ramped up the use of heavy weaponry. He did, however, note that Easter morning passed without air raid sirens—an unusual and welcome pause. In one particularly deadly incident, several Ukrainian troops were killed in an ambush in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy vowed that the Russian soldiers responsible would be “eliminated.” Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed Ukrainian forces launched overnight attacks in the Donetsk area and flew 48 drones into Russian territory, causing civilian casualties. The ministry insisted Russian troops were fully observing the ceasefire. In Kherson, a Russian-occupied region in southern Ukraine, Moscow-installed officials also accused Ukraine of continuing attacks. Zelenskyy says Putin's vow on Ukraine's energy infrastructure unrealistic Zelenskyy called for Russia to honor the ceasefire in full and reiterated Ukraine’s offer to extend the truce for an additional 30 days beyond its scheduled end at midnight Sunday. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, there has been no response from Moscow. “Either Putin lacks control over his army, or Russia simply doesn’t intend to end the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This is just a PR stunt.” Just hours after announcing the ceasefire, President Putin attended an Easter service in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, led by Patriarch Kirill—a vocal supporter of the war. Putin gave no specifics on how the ceasefire would be enforced, nor whether it included airstrikes or ground operations. His announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump commented that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head,” and said both sides were taking negotiations seriously. The U.S. State Department on Sunday reaffirmed its support for “a full and comprehensive ceasefire.” Officials highlighted recent peace discussions in Paris and confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared encouraging developments in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.  

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin has said they remain committed to partnering with Dhaka in realising its vision of a prosperous nation by contributing to the country's food and energy security, as well as cooperating internationally on a range of essential issues. "Mutual affinity, respect and understanding define our multifaceted ties for the benefit of peoples of Russia and Bangladesh," he said in a message. The Ambassador said Bangladesh-Russia relations have a solid basis which goes back to the early 1970's. Warmly congratulating the friendly Bangladeshi people on Independence Day, the Russian Ambassador said the chequered history of Bangladesh is full of amasing acts of resilience and patriotism of the Bangladeshi people. "Over more than half a century, your country has gone through fundamental political, economic and social changes," he said. Putin eyes Dhaka-Moscow productive ties to strengthen regional security, stability Today, Ambassador Khozin said, Bangladesh has become a role model in the Global South in combating poverty reduction and climate change, promoting education and women’s empowerment, contributing to regional connectivity and respectful dialogue in the global arena.

A 50-tonne capacity bridge crane for the second unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is ready for shipment from the Russian port of Novorossiysk, said Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear agency. Earlier, modern electric gantry cranes with lifting capacities of 16 and 32 tonnes were delivered to the port. The equipment was manufactured in Russia and will be used for loading and unloading operations at the Rooppur project. Before shipment, the specialists of the Rosatom Engineering Division and VPO ZAES conducted a thorough inspection of all the components to ensure compliance with high quality and safety standards “We adhere to high quality and reliability standards. The supply of equipment to Rooppur NPP confirms the company's ability to perform complex tasks in the framework of international projects,” said Vladimir Popov, Deputy General Director of Atomenergoremont. Seventh batch of uranium for RNPP arrives in Rooppur amid tight security Atomenergoremont is a part of Rosenergoatom's management circuit, Electric Power Division of Rosatom State Corporation is the main specialized maintenance company of the Russian nuclear industry and acts as General Contractor for maintenance and repair of equipment of nuclear power plants and other industrial and energy enterprises. Bangladesh's first-ever nuclear power plant is being implemented at Rooppur with Russia's technical and financial support. Graft in RNPP project: HC issues rule over ACC’s inaction in probe The plant will host two units each of 1,200Mwe capacity with 3+ generation VVER 1200 reactors. The first unit is getting ready for fuel loading and subsequent start-up in the near future, said Rosatom.

The Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, and Kyiv signaled that it was open to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, pending Moscow’s agreement, American and Ukrainian officials said Tuesday following talks in Saudi Arabia. The administration's decision marked a sharp shift from only a week ago, when it imposed the measures in an apparent effort to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks to end the war with invading Russian forces. The suspension of U.S. assistance came days after Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump argued about the conflict in a tense White House meeting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the U.S. delegation to the talks in Jeddah, said Washington would present the ceasefire offer to the Kremlin, which has so far opposed anything short of a permanent end to the conflict without accepting any concessions. “We’re going to tell them this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no," Rubio told reporters after the talks. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.” Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, added: "The Ukrainian delegation today made something very clear, that they share President Trump’s vision for peace.” Tuesday's discussions, which lasted for nearly eight hours, appeared to put to rest — for the moment at least — the animosity between Trump and Zelenskyy that erupted during the Oval Office meeting last month. Ukraine-US talks begin in KSA amid ongoing conflict Waltz said the negotiators “got into substantive details on how this war is going to permanently end,” including long-term security guarantees. And, he said, Trump agreed to immediately lift the pause in the supply of billions of dollars of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing. Seeking a deal with Russia Trump said he hoped that an agreement could be solidified “over the next few days.” “I’ve been saying that Russia’s been easier to deal with so far than Ukraine, which is not supposed to be the way it is," Trump said later Tuesday. "But it is, and we hope to get Russia. But we have a full ceasefire from Ukraine. That’s good.” The Kremlin had no immediate comment on the U.S. and Ukrainian statements. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said only that negotiations with U.S. officials could take place this week. Trump 's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel later this week to Moscow, where he could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a person familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. The person cautioned that scheduling could change. Officials met in Saudi Arabia only hours after Russia shot down over 300 Ukrainian drones in Ukraine’s biggest attack since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion. Neither U.S. nor Ukrainian officials offered any comment on the barrage. Russia also launched 126 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said, as part of Moscow’s relentless pounding of civilian areas. Zelenskyy renews calls for lasting peace In an address posted shortly after Tuesday's talks ended, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to a lasting peace, emphasizing that the country has sought an end to the war since its outset. “Our position is absolutely clear: Ukraine has strived for peace from the very first second of this war, and we want to do everything possible to achieve it as soon as possible — securely and in a way that ensures war does not return,” Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak, who led the Ukrainian delegation, described the negotiations as positive. He said the two countries “share the same vision, and that we are moving in the same direction toward the just peace long awaited by all Ukrainians.” In Kyiv, Lena Herasymenko, a psychologist, accepts that compromises will be necessary to end the war, but she said they must be “reasonable.” Moscow faces ‘massive’ drone attack ahead of US-Ukraine peace talks “We had massive losses during this war, and we don’t know yet how much more we’ll have,” she told The Associated Press. “We are suffering every day. Our kids are suffering, and we don’t know how the future generation will be affected.” Oleksandr, a Ukrainian soldier who could give only his first name because of security restrictions, warned that Ukraine cannot let down its guard. “If there is a ceasefire, it would only give Russia time to increase its firepower, manpower, missiles and other arms. Then they would attack Ukraine again,” he said. Hawkish Russians push back against a ceasefire In Moscow, hawkish politicians and military bloggers spoke strongly against a prospective ceasefire, arguing that it would play into Kyiv’s hands and damage Moscow’s interests at a time when the Russian military has the advantage. “A ceasefire isn’t what we need,” wrote hardline ideologue Alexander Dugin. Viktor Sobolev, a retired general who is a member of the Russian parliament’s lower house, warned that a 30-day truce would allow Ukraine to beef up arms supplies and regroup its troops before resuming hostilities. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political commentator, suggested that Moscow could demand a halt on Western arms supplies to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire. “An embargo on arms supplies to Ukraine could be a condition for a truce,” he wrote. The Kremlin sticks to its conditions for peace Russia has not publicly offered any concessions. Putin has repeatedly declared that Moscow wants a comprehensive settlement, not a temporary truce. Russia has said it’s ready to cease hostilities on the condition that Ukraine drops its bid to join NATO and recognizes regions that Moscow occupies as Russian. Russia has captured nearly a fifth of Ukraine's territory. What to know ahead of the talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia Russian forces have held the battlefield momentum for more than a year, though at a high cost in infantry and armor, and are pushing at selected points along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, especially in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukraine has invested heavily in developing its arms industry, especially high-tech drones that have reached deep into Russia.

President Donald Trump on Friday called for an "immediate" ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and cautioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue peace or risk losing U.S. support. Trump stated that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the invasion of Ukraine three years ago, is prepared to negotiate a peace agreement. Why Trump administration may want Ukraine’s minerals His remarks follow a tense Oval Office meeting where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskyy for being "disrespectful" before unexpectedly canceling a planned minerals deal with Ukraine. In a Fox News interview, Zelenskyy maintained that Ukraine would not engage in peace talks with Russia until it receives security guarantees to prevent future attacks.

Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and military commanders, as the U.S. shifted its policy away from years of efforts to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kellogg's trip came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Kyiv was to blame for the war, which enters its fourth year next week, and talks between top American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia sidelined Ukraine and its European supporters. Trump’s comments are likely to vex Ukrainian officials, who have urged the world to help them fight Russia’s full-scale invasion that began Feb. 24, 2022. The battlefield has also brought grim news for Ukraine in recent months. A relentless onslaught in eastern areas by Russia's bigger army is grinding down Ukrainian forces, which are slowly but steadily being pushed backward at some points on the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. Trump told reporters at his Florida residence Tuesday that Ukraine “should have never started” the war and “could have made a deal” to prevent it. Kellogg said his visit was “a chance to have some good, substantial talks.” Zelenskyy canceled his planned Wednesday trip to Saudi Arabia in what some analysts saw as an attempt to deny legitimacy to the U.S.-Russia talks about the future of his country. American officials have signaled that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO in order to ward off Russian aggression after reaching a possible peace agreement won’t happen. Zelenskyy says any settlement will require U.S. security commitments to keep Russia at bay. “We understand the need for security guarantees,” Kellogg said in comments carried by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Novyny on his arrival at Kyiv train station. “It’s very clear to us the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the independence of this nation as well. ... Part of my mission is to sit and listen,” the retired three-star general said. Kellogg said he would convey what he learns on his visit to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “and ensure that we get this one right.”

US President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine may come under Russian control “someday” as he pushed for the war-ravaged country to offer its natural resources in exchange for continued US assistance. Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump claimed that he had proposed Kyiv hand over “$500 billion worth of rare earth” as a condition for US support. He further asserted that Ukrainian officials had “essentially agreed” to the proposal. “Ukraine has tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earth, in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things,” Trump said. “I want to have our money secured because we’re spending hundreds of billions of dollars.” Trump’s remarks have sparked fresh concerns over the future of US aid to Ukraine, especially as his return to the political arena casts uncertainty over billions of dollars in future military and economic assistance to the embattled nation. “They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday. But we are going to have all this money in there and I say I want it back,” Trump added. Russian drone and missile attacks kill 8 in Ukraine Diplomatic Developments Trump’s comments come just ahead of a planned meeting between Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting, reportedly scheduled to take place later this week, is expected to touch on US support for Ukraine and potential paths to ending the ongoing war with Russia. Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired General Keith Kellogg, has announced that he will discuss US diplomatic efforts at the upcoming Munich Security Conference, set for February 14-16. Following the conference, Kellogg is expected to visit Kyiv on February 20 for what would be his first trip to Ukraine in this capacity, according to Ukrainian state media. Hungary wants the EU to intervene in gas dispute with Ukraine Ukrainian Response There has been no official response from Kyiv regarding Trump’s claims that they had “essentially agreed” to a resource-sharing arrangement. However, Ukrainian leaders have previously maintained that international support should be based on shared democratic values and security interests rather than economic transactions. As Trump continues to voice skepticism over continued US aid, analysts warn that his stance could further complicate Ukraine’s ability to secure long-term military and economic support from Western allies. Starmer pledges 100-year partnership with Ukraine International Reactions Trump’s latest remarks are likely to fuel debates in Washington and among NATO allies over the US’s role in the conflict. While some of his supporters argue for a more transactional approach to foreign aid, critics contend that his statements could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position. With Kellogg’s upcoming visits to Munich and Kyiv, further clarity may emerge on the direction of US policy toward Ukraine, particularly if Trump secures a stronger foothold in shaping future diplomatic efforts. Source: Revised version of a CNN story

Russia will facilitate Vietnam's participation in the BRICS bloc of developing economies as a “partner country,” the countries said in a joint statement on Wednesday after Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s two-day visit to Hanoi. “The Russian side welcomed Vietnam’s active participation in BRICS events in 2024 and expressed its readiness to create favorable conditions if Vietnam joins BRICS as a partner country,” the statement said, AP reports. BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, with South Africa added in 2010, as a counterweight to the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations. Last year, the bloc added Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited to join. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied to become members, and a few others have expressed interest. Vietnam's Southeast Asian neighbor Indonesia was admitted as a full BRICS member this month. Russia forms an emergency task force over oil spill But Vietnam remains reticent to join the bloc, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow in the Vietnam Studies Program at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. “Hanoi is still cautious of what the Trump administration will think about BRICS and the potential consequences of becoming a full member in the worst-case scenario. Meanwhile, the benefits are not that substantial for Hanoi to take such a risk,” he said. Vietnam needs support from the US to advance its economic ambitions and diversify its defense ties. Russia has been trying to bolster ties in Asia to offset its growing international isolation over its war in Ukraine. NKorean troops in Ukraine gain battlefield experience, cementing alliance with Russia During Mishustin’s visit to Hanoi, the countries agreed to expand their cooperation on nuclear power. “Russia is ready to participate in building a national nuclear power industry in Vietnam,” the joint statement said.

An emergency task force arrived in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region on Sunday as an oil spill in the Kerch Strait from two storm-stricken tankers continues to spread a month after it was first detected, officials said. The task force, which includes Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, was set up after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on authorities to ramp up the response to the spill, calling it “one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years." Kurenkov said that “the most difficult situation” had developed near the port of Taman in the Krasnodar region, where fuel oil continues to leak into the sea from the damaged part of the Volgoneft-239 tanker. Kurenkov was quoted as saying by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the remaining oil will be pumped out of the tanker's stern. The Emergencies Ministry said Saturday that over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil had been collected since oil spilled out of two tankers during a storm four weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region. Russian-installed officials in Ukraine’s partially Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region said Saturday that the mazut — a heavy, low-quality oil product — had reached the Berdyansk Spit, some 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of the Kerch Strait. It contaminated an area 14 1/2-kilometer (9-mile) long, Moscow-installed Gov. Yevgeny Balitsky wrote on Telegram. Russian-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea announced a regional emergency last weekend after oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol, the peninsula’s largest city, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Kerch Strait. Read: Oil spill in Meghna river threatening environment, vessel still not recovered after 36 hours In response to Putin’s call for action, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi accused Russia of “beginning to demonstrate its alleged ‘concern’ only after the scale of the disaster became too obvious to conceal its terrible consequences.” “Russia’s practice of first ignoring the problem, then admitting its inability to solve it, and ultimately leaving the entire Black Sea region alone with the consequences is yet another proof of its international irresponsibility,” Tykhyi said Friday. The Kerch Strait is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months. Read more: Records show slow response to report of California oil spill Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, described the oil spill last month as a “large-scale environmental disaster” and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.