Human rights plummet in Ukraine, Russian-occupied territories
Geneva — U.N. human rights monitors find that almost three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the human rights situation in the country and areas occupied by Russia is on a downward spiral, as military operations intensify, civilian casualties rise,…
‘It will take years to help people deal with the invisible consequences of war’: A UN Resident Coordinator blog
“I am continually inspired by the strength and courage of the Ukrainian people. As I have travelled to Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and most recently to Kramatorsk and Lyman, I have seen for myself how the disruption of essential…
Russian gas supplies through Ukraine end
Russian gas exports crossing through Ukraine were halted Wednesday with the expiration of a transit agreement. The development will force some European nations to find alternative sources of gas with the interruption of the decades-old route. Russia’s 2022 invasion of…
Russian drone attack kills 2 in Kyiv
Russia launched a New Year’s Day drone attack on Ukraine’s capital early Wednesday, killing at least two people, injuring at least six others, and damaging buildings in two districts, authorities said. Two floors of a residential building in central Kyiv…
Report details bleak human rights situation in Ukraine nearly three years into Russian invasion
Covering the period of September to November 2024, the report describes intensified Russian attacks on populated areas, deliberate strikes on energy infrastructure, and efforts to restrict fundamental rights. “Behind each of the facts and figures in this report are stories…
Losing your kids to doom scrolling? Greece is building government app for that
ATHENS, GREECE — Greece announced plans on Monday to enhance parental oversight of mobile devices in 2025 through a government-operated app that will help get digital age verification and browsing controls. Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister of digital governance, said the…
Scores of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners head back home after swap
KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine and Russia carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war on Monday, with the two sides bringing home a combined total of more than 300 former captives. Kyiv brought home 189 former captives, President Volodymyr…
VOA Russian: Kremlin could force Belarus to enter war in Ukraine or lose independence
As Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ally, Alexander Lukashenko, prepares to stage another presidential election in Belarus in January, the country continues to face a serious threat of being dragged by the Kremlin into full participation in the war in Ukraine…
US announces $2.5 billion in new Ukraine aid
The United States Monday announced nearly $2.5 billion in new aid for Ukraine as part of a surge of assistance in the waning days of the Biden administration. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the aid…
In Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, aid workers risk lives to keep residents warm
As harsh winter weather descends on Ukraine, UNICEF and other aid organizations are helping communities in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region prepare for the cold season. Many locals have lost jobs and reliable income sources because of the war and cannot…