Headlines

Ukraine Forces Reach Border Near Kharkiv as Russians Fall Back

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2022

By Derrick Bangura

Ukrainian troops counter-attacking against Russian forces in the country’s northeast have pushed them back from the city of Kharkiv and advanced as far as the border with Russia, Ukrainian officials said on Monday.

The developments, if confirmed, would signal a further shift in momentum in favour of Ukrainian forces nearly three months into a conflict that began when Russia sent tens of thousands of troops over the border into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Moscow meanwhile warned of “far-reaching consequences” should Finland and Sweden go ahead with plans to join the NATO military alliance – a change in the Nordic countries’ long-standing policy of neutrality brought on by concern about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wider ambitions.

Fighting was reported near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, on Monday in what interior ministry adviser Vadym Denisenko said was “our counter-offensive”.

“It can no longer be stopped…Thanks to this, we can go to the rear of the Russian group of forces,” he said.

Kharkiv, lying about 30 miles (50 km) from the border with Russia, had endured weeks of heavy bombardments from Russian artillery. The Russians’ routing from there follows their failure to capture the capital Kyiv in the early stages of the war.

However, thousands of people, including many civilians, have been killed across the country, towns and cities have been blasted into ruins, and more than six million people have fled their homes to seek refuge in neighbouring states in scenes not seen in Europe since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Russia denies targeting civilians.

Ukraine’s defence ministry said on Monday the 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade of Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces had reached the border with Russia.

“Together to victory!” it said.

Kharkiv region governor Oleh Sinegubov said the troops had restored a sign on the border.

“We thank everyone who, risking their lives, liberates Ukraine from Russian invaders,” Sinegubov said.

Reuters could not immediately verify Ukraine’s battlefield account and it was not clear how many troops had reached the Russian border or where.

If confirmed, it would suggest a Ukrainian counter-offensive is having increasing success in pushing back Russian forces in the northeast after Western military agencies said Moscow’s offensive in two eastern provinces known as the Donbas had stalled.

Nonetheless, the governor of the Luhansk region in Donbas, Serhiy Gaidai, said the situation “remains difficult”, with Russian forces trying to capture the town of Sieverodonetsk.

He said leaders of the Lugansk People’s Republic, the territory in Luhansk controlled by Russian-backed separatists, declared a general mobilisation, adding it was “either fight or get shot, there is no other choice”.

In the south, fighting was raging around the city of Kherson and Russian missiles struck residential areas of Mykolayiv, the presidential office in Kyiv said. Reuters was unable to verify the reports.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday Ukraine could win the war, an outcome few military analysts predicted when Russia invaded Ukraine.

EXPANDING NATO

In a blow for Russia, which has long opposed NATO expansion, Finland on Sunday confirmed it would apply to join the alliance.

Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats also backed NATO membership, paving the way for an application and abandoning decades of military nonalignment.

But Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said on Monday that Finland and Sweden were making a mistake that would have far-reaching consequences.

“They should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it,” Ryabkov said, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

“The general level of military tension will rise, predictability in this sphere will decrease,” Ryabkov said.

NATO and the United States said they were confident both countries would be accepted into the alliance and that reservations from Turkey, which wants the Nordic countries to halt support for Kurdish militant groups present on their territory, could be overcome.

Moscow calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation” to rid the country of fascists, an assertion Kyiv and its Western allies say is a baseless pretext for an unprovoked war.

Since mid-April, Russian forces have focused much of their firepower on trying to capture the Donbas. Moscow recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic in the Donbas days before it launched its invasion.

British military intelligence said Russia had lost about a third of the ground combat force deployed in February, and its Donbas offensive had fallen “significantly behind schedule”.

FIGHTING AROUND IZIUM

The most intense fighting appeared to be around the eastern Russian-held city of Izium, where Russia said it had struck Ukrainian positions with missiles. read more

Russia continued to target civilian areas along the entire frontline in Luhansk and Donetsk, firing at 23 villages and towns, Ukraine’s military task force said.

Ukraine’s military also acknowledged setbacks, saying Russian forces “continue to advance” in several areas in the Donbas region.

There was also no letup on Sunday in Russia’s bombardment of the steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, where a few hundred Ukrainian fighters are holding out weeks after the city fell into Russian hands, the Ukrainian military said.

Alexander Khodakovsky, a commander of separatist forces in Donetsk, said on his Telegram channel on Monday that 10 Ukrainian fighters emerged from a tunnel at the Azovstal steel plant holding white flags. Reuters could not verify the report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said “very difficult and delicate negotiations” were going on to save Ukrainians in Mariupol and Azovstal.

Ukrainian troops received a morale boost from the country’s win in the Eurovision song contest at the weekend, with some saying it was a sign of battlefield victories to come.

“We have shown that we can not only fight, but we can also sing very nice,” said Vitaliy, a soldier bunkered down north of Kyiv.

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Headlines

Akwa Ibom APC Gears Up to Receive President Tinubu as Governor Umo Eno Joins Party

Published

2 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced its readiness to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other top party leaders as it officially welcomes Governor Umo Eno into its ranks.

Speaking at a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, APC chieftain and former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed that the party was fully prepared to receive the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, and governors elected on the party’s platform for the historic reception.

Governor Umo Eno had on June 6 formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, in a move widely described as a political game-changer in Akwa Ibom.

Enang, a former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and Niger Delta Affairs, said the governor’s defection had effectively aligned the state with the central government.

He assured Governor Eno and his supporters that the APC would embrace them wholeheartedly and honour all agreements reached.

“As progressives, we shall work with the governor and his supporters to ensure that they fit into the party without hitches,” Enang stated. “We will also work with them to align programmes of the state government with the ideals and manifesto of the party.”

He further described the governor’s move as a “merger” that promises significant benefits for Akwa Ibom and its citizens.

The planned reception is expected to mark a major political event in the state, signaling a realignment of forces ahead of future elections.

Headlines

Ekiti Launches Aggressive Anti-Flood Campaign, Dredges Ofigba River

Published

2 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Ekiti State Government has intensified efforts to prevent flooding across the state with the launch of a comprehensive dredging campaign, targeting critical waterways in both rural and urban areas.

Chairman of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection visit to the ongoing dredging project at the Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti.

Oguntoyinbo, who was accompanied by EKSEPA board members, said the visit was to assess the progress of work being carried out to mitigate flood risks in the community. He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the dredging work.

“I and other board members of EKSEPA are delighted with the level of job done by the site engineer because he is actually working with the directives of three-kilometer dredging of waterways,” he said.

According to him, the dredging commenced on June 4, and so far, 1.8 kilometers of the river have been successfully cleared.

He applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the safety and welfare of residents by initiating the state-wide anti-flooding campaign.

“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for embarking on zero tolerance campaign against flooding in every community and town in Ekiti,” Oguntoyinbo stated.

He also praised the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, for his commitment to the project’s supervision and success.

In his remarks, Adunmo emphasized the urgent need to clear waterways choked by refuse, which impede water flow and contribute to flooding during the rainy season.

“Dredging of Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area is necessary because some of the waterways have been blocked by refuse,” he explained. “There is the need for us to remove every blockage to enhance free flow of water and avert flooding during heavy rainfall.”

Adunmo also commended Governor Oyebanji for taking proactive steps to protect lives and properties across the state.

Residents of Ise-Ekiti have welcomed the government’s intervention. Chief Godwin Ojo, a community leader, expressed gratitude to the governor for his timely action.

“We thank the governor for the move to avert flooding in our community,” Ojo said. “May God grant him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable height.”

The dredging campaign forms part of the Oyebanji administration’s broader commitment to environmental safety and disaster prevention.

Developmental

Tinubu to visit Kaduna Thursday to inaugurate key projects

Published

2 weeks ago

June 19, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Tinubu commiserates with Akwa Ibom governor over wife’s death

President Bola Tinubu is expected in Kaduna State Today Thursday for the inauguration of several key developmental projects executed by the administration of Gov. Uba Sani.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit forms part of activities marking Sani’s two years in office.

The projects lined up for inauguration include the 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City, Kaduna, built by the state government to bolster the provision of healthcare services.

Tinubu will also inaugurate the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, road projects in Soba, and Samaru Kataf LGA’S as well as the 24-kilometre Kafanchan Township Road.

Others are the Tudun Biri Road, the 22km road linking Kauru and Kubau LGAs as well as the Vocational and Skills Training Centre in Tudun Biri.

Tinubu is also expected to unveil 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as part of efforts to modernise the state’s public transportation system.

The projects are part of the administration’s focus on infrastructurde evelopment, healthcare delivery, youths empowerment, and economic growth.

The state government described the visit as a significant moment for the people of Kaduna and an opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts to transform the state through impactful governance.

Sani, who marked his second year in office this month, has prioritised human capital development, rural infrastructure, and jobs creation since taking office in 2023.

Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna State was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday.

He was initially supposed to visit Kaduna on Wednesday, but due to the recent attacks in Benue, he shifted his trip.

The president visited Benue on Wednesday to commiserate with the victims of the recent attacks and assess the humanitarian crisis.

During his visit to Benue, Tinubu met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.

He also condemned the ongoing violence and called on the residents to embrace peace and mutual understanding.

NAN recalls that the Benue Government had declared a work-free day for Tinubu’s visit, urging the residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome him.