Month: March 2023

South Korea should more explicitly support Ukraine’s fight against Russia, the Ukrainian ambassador to Seoul told VOA, renewing a push for South Korean weapons that could play a pivotal role in helping Ukraine regain lost territory.  In a written exchange with VOA, Ambassador Dmytro Ponomarenko expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid South Korea has provided but stressed that Ukraine remains in “dire need” of heavy weapons that Seoul could offer. “Regrettably, South Korea is still reluctant to provide our military with the weapons they need on the frontline,” Ponomarenko said.  Since Russia’s invasion a year ago, Ukraine has regularly made …

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Burned-out Russian tanks seized by Ukrainian forces last year have gone on display in recent days in the capitals of the three Baltics states, where Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians are turning out to view them and snap photos in sympathy with the Ukrainians defending their homeland. But among those visiting the tanks are also members of the countries’ sizeable ethnic Russian minorities, some of whom placed flowers and lit candles to commemorate the fallen Russian soldiers and express support for Moscow. The Russian gestures of support for Russia’s side in the war have set off some arguments, and at least …

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The second biggest city in Ukraine, Kharkiv, is just 30 kilometers from the Russian border. Under siege by Russian troops for more than six months, the city suffered major damage but never fell. Now Russians are amassing troops across the border once more. Ballistic missiles hit the city more often, and Kharkiv is reinforcing its defense lines. Everyone says they’re prepared for a new invasion, but the past haunts the future of its residents. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Yan Boechat in Kharkiv. …

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Russia said Wednesday it would only agree to extend the Black Sea grain deal, which allows grain to be safely exported from Ukrainian ports, if the interests of its own agricultural producers are considered. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last year, expires on March 18 and cannot be extended unless all parties agree. Russia has already signaled it is unhappy with aspects of the deal. Russia’s agricultural exports have not been explicitly targeted by Western sanctions, but Moscow says restrictions on its payments, logistics and insurance industries are a “barrier” to it being …

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President Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Wednesday that elections will be held on May 14, sticking to his previous plan for the vote with a date just over three months after a devastating earthquake killed more than 45,000 people in Turkey.  “This nation will do what is necessary on May 14, God willing,” Erdogan said in a speech to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in parliament.  There had been conflicting signals over the likely timing of the presidential and parliamentary elections since last month’s earthquake, with some suggesting they could be postponed until later in the year or could be …

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Iran Wednesday ordered two German diplomats to leave the country in response to a similar move by Germany last week. The German expulsion of two Iranian diplomats came in protest of Iran’s sentencing German national Jamshid Sharmahd to death. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said Wednesday that Germany was interfering in Iran’s “internal and judicial affairs.” Iran accused Sharmahd of leading the armed wing of a pro-monarchist group, which his family denied. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said after the sentencing last week that Sharmahd was arrested under “highly questionable circumstances” and that he “never had even the semblance …

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A head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train in northern Greece Tuesday left at least 32 people dead and 85 injured.  The two trains collided near the city of Tempe, about 380 kilometers north of the Greek capital of Athens.  The passenger train was headed north from Athens to the city of Thessaloniki, while the freight train was traveling south from Thessaloniki to the city of Larissa. At least three passenger cars derailed and burst into flames.   Authorities say about 250 passengers who survived the crash unarmed or with minor injuries were transported by bus to Thessaloniki.  The …

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Kosovo and Serbia have agreed to back a proposed European Union plan for normalization of relations, but, in a sign of persisting differences about its implementation, stopped short of signing it. The plan — revealed for the first time publicly Monday evening in Brussels — includes steps to bring the parties closer and resolve some issues such as mutual recognition of respective documents and national symbols, including passports, diplomas, license plates, and customs stamps. It also stipulates that Serbia “will not object to Kosovo’s membership in any international organization.” The document, however, does not call for Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo’s …

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A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing 16 people and injuring at least 85, Fire Service officials said.  Multiple train cars derailed and at least three caught fire after the crash near Tempe, some 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens.  Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 people had serious injuries.  “The evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains,” Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said.  Hospital units used to …

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