Russia Says it Used Hypersonic Missiles in Ukraine

A view shows a residential building, which locals said was damaged by shelling, in Mariupol, Ukraine February 26, 2022. REUTERS/Nikolay Ryabchenko
A view shows a residential building, which locals said was damaged by shelling, in Mariupol, Ukraine February 26, 2022. REUTERS/Nikolay Ryabchenko
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Russia Says it Used Hypersonic Missiles in Ukraine

A view shows a residential building, which locals said was damaged by shelling, in Mariupol, Ukraine February 26, 2022. REUTERS/Nikolay Ryabchenko
A view shows a residential building, which locals said was damaged by shelling, in Mariupol, Ukraine February 26, 2022. REUTERS/Nikolay Ryabchenko

Russia's defense ministry said on Saturday it had destroyed a large underground depot for missiles and aircraft ammunition in Ukraine's Ivano-Frankivsk region using hypersonic missiles, the Interfax news agency reported.

The ministry said it had also destroyed Ukrainian military radio and reconnaissance centers near the port city of Odessa using a coastal missile system, Interfax reported.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the ministry's statements.

Meanwhile, Ukraine hopes to evacuate civilians on Saturday via ten humanitarian corridors from cities and towns on the front line of fighting with Russian forces.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said a corridor had been agreed for the besieged city of Mariupol, although the authorities' previous efforts to evacuate civilians there under a temporary ceasefire have mostly failed, with both sides trading blame.

Also Saturday, the Ukrainian military imposed a 38-hour curfew in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, starting at 1400 GMT, deputy mayor Anatoliy Kurtiev said.

"Do not go outside at this time!" he said in an online post.

The regional capital has become an important point of transit for some of the 35,000 people estimated to have Mariupol city in the southeast.



Türkiye’s FM Visits Athens to Help Mend Ties between the Regional Rivals

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, in Cairo on August 5, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, in Cairo on August 5, 2024. (AFP)
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Türkiye’s FM Visits Athens to Help Mend Ties between the Regional Rivals

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, in Cairo on August 5, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, in Cairo on August 5, 2024. (AFP)

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived Friday in Athens for meetings with his Greek counterpart as part of efforts to ease tension between the two neighbors and regional rivals.
Both NATO members, Greece and Türkiye have been at loggerheads for decades over a long series of issues, including volatile maritime boundary disputes that have twice led them to the brink of war. The two have renewed a diplomatic push for over a year to improve ties.
“Step by step, we have achieved a level of trust so that we can discuss issues with sincerity and prevent crises,” Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said in an interview with Türkiye’s Hurriyet newspaper published Thursday.
The meeting between the two foreign ministers follows a series of high-profile talks between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a relation-mending initiative launched in 2023.
Officials in Athens are expected to raise concerns about rising illegal migration, as Greece has seen an uptick in arrivals. And, despite deep disagreements on Israel and fighting in the Middle East, both foreign ministers are also expected to explore ways to improve regional stability.
The talks will help set the stage for a Greece-Türkiye high-level cooperation council planned for early 2025 in Ankara, Türkiye.