Russia Says it Takes Control of 2 Villages in Eastern Ukraine

A man walks at the site of shelling, which local officials called a Ukrainian military strike, in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on January 10, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
A man walks at the site of shelling, which local officials called a Ukrainian military strike, in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on January 10, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
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Russia Says it Takes Control of 2 Villages in Eastern Ukraine

A man walks at the site of shelling, which local officials called a Ukrainian military strike, in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on January 10, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
A man walks at the site of shelling, which local officials called a Ukrainian military strike, in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on January 10, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)

Russian troops have taken control of the villages of Yantarne in the Donetsk region and Kalynove in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

Reuters could not immediately confirm battlefield reports.

Separately, the ministry said that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces have carried out strikes on Ukrainian military airfields, personnel and vehicles in 139 locations using its air force, drones, missiles and artillery.

Ukrainian air defenses downed 60 out of 94 drones launched by Russia overnight, the air force said on Sunday.

It said that 34 drones were "lost,” in reference to Ukraine's use of electronic warfare to redirect Russian drones.



Italian Minister Requests Revoking of Arrest of Detained Iranian Businessman

Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio looks on as he leaves at the end of the annual Confindustria assembly in Rome, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio looks on as he leaves at the end of the annual Confindustria assembly in Rome, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
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Italian Minister Requests Revoking of Arrest of Detained Iranian Businessman

Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio looks on as he leaves at the end of the annual Confindustria assembly in Rome, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio looks on as he leaves at the end of the annual Confindustria assembly in Rome, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

The Italian justice minister has filed a request to revoke the arrest of an Iranian businessman detained in Milan who was wanted by the United States on suspicion of involvement in a drone strike against its forces, the justice ministry said on Sunday.

Mohammad Abedini was arrested in Milan last month on a US warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2024 attack that killed three US service members in Jordan.

"Minister (Carlo) Nordio filed a request with the Milan Court of Appeal to revoke the arrest of Iranian citizen Abedininajafabadi Mohammad," a justice ministry statement said, Reuters reported.

Under Italian law, courts must abide by the minister's request.

In his statement, Nordio wrote that legal conditions were not in place to extradite Abedini as that could only be done for offences punishable both in Italy and in the United States.

The statement said violations of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) did not correspond to conduct recognizable as a crime under Italian law. It added there was no evidence corroborating the other charges of supporting a terrorist organization.

Earlier this week, Nordio said the US had not yet submitted a formal request to extradite Abedini.