Russian Drones Knock out Ukrainian Power Facilities Near Kyiv 

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion patrols as he walks past an apartment building destroyed by artillery fire in the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, on July 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
A Ukrainian serviceman of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion patrols as he walks past an apartment building destroyed by artillery fire in the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, on July 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
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Russian Drones Knock out Ukrainian Power Facilities Near Kyiv 

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion patrols as he walks past an apartment building destroyed by artillery fire in the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, on July 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
A Ukrainian serviceman of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion patrols as he walks past an apartment building destroyed by artillery fire in the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, on July 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)

Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities in two regions between the capital Kyiv and the Russian border with drones overnight, leaving tens of thousands of people without power, Ukraine's national power grid operator said on Friday. 

The governor of one of the regions, Chernihiv, told national television at least 15 people were wounded and some infrastructure and a dormitory were damaged during an attack on the town of Nizhyn, without giving more details. 

More than 68,000 consumers in certain districts of Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions lost power, Ukrenergo said. In the morning, about 30,000 consumers were still without power after what were the latest of near daily Russian attacks on the power system since the spring. 

Overall, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 20 out of 22 Russian attack drones launched overnight, Ukraine's air force chief said. Most of the drones were shot down in the southern Kherson and northeastern Sumy regions, along with the two in the north. 

The emergency service said an overnight attack on Kherson had damaged six residential buildings and caused significant fires in open areas. 

Russia has attacked energy facilities across Ukraine with missiles and drones over the past few months, causing blackouts in many regions and forcing Kyiv to start large-scale electricity imports from the European Union.  



China’s Foreign Minister Warns Philippines over US Missile Deployment

 China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 14th EAST Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Center, in Vientiane, Laos July 27, 2024. (Reuters)
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 14th EAST Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Center, in Vientiane, Laos July 27, 2024. (Reuters)
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China’s Foreign Minister Warns Philippines over US Missile Deployment

 China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 14th EAST Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Center, in Vientiane, Laos July 27, 2024. (Reuters)
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 14th EAST Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Center, in Vientiane, Laos July 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned the Philippines over the US intermediate-range missile deployment, saying such a move could fuel regional tensions and spark an arms race.

The United States deployed its Typhon missile system to the Philippines as part of joint military drills earlier this year. It was not fired during the exercises, a Philippine military official later said, without giving details on how long it would stay in the country.

China-Philippines relations are now at a crossroads and dialogue and consultation are the right way, Wang told the Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo on Friday during a meeting in Vientiane, the capital of Laos where top diplomats of world powers have gathered ahead of two summits.

Wang said relations between the countries are facing challenges because the Philippines has "repeatedly violated the consensus of both sides and its own commitments", according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

"If the Philippines introduces the US intermediate-range missile system, it will create tension and confrontation in the region and trigger an arms race, which is completely not in line with the interests and wishes of the Filipino people," Wang said.

The Philippines' military and its foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wang's remarks.

China and the Philippines are locked in a confrontation in the South China Sea and their encounters have grown more tense as Beijing presses its claims to disputed shoals in waters within Manila's its exclusive economic zone.

Wang said China has recently reached a temporary arrangement with the Philippines on the transportation and replenishment of humanitarian supplies to Ren'ai Jiao in order to maintain the stability of the maritime situation, referring to the Second Thomas Shoal.

Philippine vessels on Saturday successfully completed their latest mission to the shoal unimpeded, its foreign ministry said in a statement.