War

by Mike Eckel / RFE-RL The flyer appeared earlier this month, pasted to the walls of apartment building entryways in the Moscow suburb of Odintsovo — and hard to miss above the announcement for when the building’s hot water would be shut off for maintenance. “Wanted: men between 20 and …

Dozens of troops from the Ivory Coast were arrested Monday in Mali for being “mercenaries,” officials in Bamako said.  “It has been established that the 49 Ivorian soldiers were illegally on the national territory of Mali,” government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga said while appearing on state TV, calling the men “mercenaries.” …

by Owen Thorne Editor’s note: Owen sent this quick note while on the move in Ukraine. More to come… Sergi was our military escort as I visited a forward unit in eastern Ukraine. In the Donbas salient the Ukrainians are fighting hard, and skillfully trying to hold back the Russian …

The United States will send more long-range multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine as Kyiv’s forces prepare for a slow Russian advance to grab more territory in the eastern Donbas region. The U.S. weapons package, announced on July 8, will include four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, bringing …

by Owen Thorne KRAMATORSK, UKRAINE – In the North side of Donbas salient, as the Russians regroup for the next push against Slovyansk, Kramatorsk comes under air and long range rocket fire.  Today, a precision guided aerial munition struck this Ukrainian position in the center of the small city, killing …

President Joe Biden has awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, to four U.S. Army soldiers for their actions during the Vietnam War. During a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, President Joe Biden presented the award to Specialist 5 Dwight Birdwell, Major John Duffy, …

by Chief Correspondent Owen Thorne As evening comes on July 4th here in the Donbas, the Russians have taken an operational pause.  Their commanders think they have earned it. In spite of the early disastrous setbacks in places like Kyiv and Karkiv, Phase II here in the east has seen …

by Owen Thorne, Chief Correspondent SLOVYANSK, UKRAINE – Slovyansk has now become the frontline, essentially, of the Russian offensive in the Donbas. The Russians have focused their main effort here in the Donbas over the past two months. They’re slowly pushing the Ukrainian forces back. They’re using the weight of …

Early morning Russian missile strikes in Ukraine’s Odesa region Friday killed at least 17 people. Dozens of people were injured in the strikes. At least one of the targeted sites was a residential building. Russia’s defense ministry said Thursday it had retreated from Ukraine’s Snake Island, which had become a …

by Owen Thorne Eastern Ukraine was hit with sustained artillery early Thursday on a scale that recalls the heavy bombardments of World War I and Korea. I witnessed the rare attack from a short distance away, for more than three hours during the pitch of night. The bombardment rained down …