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‘Bucha Witches’ are keeping skies over Kyiv drone-free

They call themselves Bucha Witches – an all-female volunteer air defense unit near Kyiv targeting the Iranian Shahed drones that Russia fires at Ukraine. They operate 24/7 and are using unconventional but effective weapons to bring down the deadly aerial…

Ukraine summons Iran diplomat, protests possible Tehran missile shipments to Russia

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Monday it had summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires Shahriar Amouzegar to protest the possibility that Tehran is supplying Russia with ballistic missiles. The ministry said on Telegram that it gave Amouzegar a harsh warning that confirmation of…

Germany’s Scholz calls for faster progress ending Russia’s war on Ukraine

FRANKFURT, Germany —  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agree that Russia should be included in a future peace conference aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. He called for stepped up efforts to…

Russian troops take Ukrainian town in advance on Pokrovsk

Moscow —  Russia said on Sunday its forces had taken full control of a town in eastern Ukraine as Moscow’s forces advance on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk and seek to pierce the Ukrainian defensive front lines. Russian forces,…

Greece to tax cruise ships to protect popular islands from overtourism

Athens —  Greece plans to impose a 20-euro ($22) levy on cruise ship visitors to the islands of Santorini and Mykonos during the peak summer season, in a bid to avert overtourism, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Sunday. Greece relies…

Anxiety, uncertainty build in Ukraine as US election nears

Many Ukrainians are hoping the outcome of the U.S. elections will help bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. While some worry that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will take a softer approach on Moscow, others are concerned that…

As Volkswagen weighs its first closure of a German auto plant, workers aren’t the only ones worried

FRANKFURT, Germany —  Volkswagen is considering closing some factories in its home country for the first time in the German automaker’s 87-year history, saying it otherwise won’t meet the cost-cutting goals it needs to remain competitive. CEO Oliver Blume also…

NATO member Romania says Russian drone violated its airspace

Kyiv, Ukraine —  A Russian drone violated Romania’s airspace during nighttime attacks on neighboring Ukraine, the NATO member reported Sunday, urging Moscow to stop what it described as an escalation. The incident occurred as Russia carried out attacks on “civilian…

Ukraine mourns victims of Russian attack on military institute

As Ukraine buried the victims on Saturday of one of Russia’s deadliest airstrikes, the heads of the U.S. and British foreign intelligence agencies said that ongoing support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia is essential. Hundreds of Ukrainians, including…

White House warns Iran on missile transfers to Russia

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, responding to VOA’s request for comments on recent reports of the Islamic Republic’s delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia, warned that such actions would have consequences for the Iranian government. In…