Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed as U.S. Intelligence Chief Amid Fears of Being a 'Russian Asset'
Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) at the White House on Wednesday
As tensions escalate in Ukraine, a night of relentless Russian airstrikes leaves devastation and casualties in its wake, spanning over five hours across various regions of the country.
Alarms blared in multiple Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa, signaling the relentless assault carried out by Russian forces.
Reports from the ground indicate casualties in the Sumy region, while strikes in Odesa occurred in two waves, targeting a recreation center and a private residence, as per Ukrinform.
In Sumy, three separate strikes were recorded, prompting an immediate response from emergency and rescue services. Efforts are underway to provide essential medical assistance to the victims, according to UNIAN.
Military sources reveal that kamikaze drones launched from the Black Sea and Kursk Oblast have been conducting operations across Ukraine, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Meanwhile, in the face of the ongoing conflict, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders forecasts substantial profits for the EU, estimating EUR 50 billion from seized Russian assets by 2027. Belgium, holding a significant portion of these assets, pledges to allocate 1.7 billion euros to Ukraine this year, with a portion earmarked for ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.
The seized Russian assets within the EU comprise both private and central bank reserves, with potential avenues for seizing private funds under certain circumstances, as outlined by Belgian Minister of Justice Paul van Tichelt.
In a controversial statement, Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, echoes the Kremlin's official stance, asserting that opposition leader Alexei Navalny died of natural causes. This claim contradicts widespread suspicions surrounding Navalny's death, with Russian authorities yet to disclose the exact cause.
Furthermore, Naryshkin condemns French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks regarding the potential deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine, deeming it a perilous move that could escalate tensions to the brink of nuclear war.
The diplomatic talks between the United States and Russia, which began on 18 February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have seen the two countries proposing a three-stage peace plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has raised concerns about Zelensky's legitimacy
The United States attempted to pressure Ukraine into agreeing to a burdensome deal regarding its natural mineral resources
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine following discussions with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Sweden has not ruled out the possibility of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the future
US President Donald Trump dismissed claims that Russia would eventually go to war with NATO
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