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Ukrainian Prisoners Report Torture and Abuse in Russian Detention

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Former Ukrainian prisoners and officials have accused Russian authorities of systematically torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees, alleging beatings, electric shocks, sexual abuse, starvation and inhumane detention conditions. Russia rejected the allegations at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting, calling them a “disinformation campaign” and making counter-allegations about the treatment of Russian prisoners in Ukraine.

Former detainee Khuan Alberto Levya Garsiya said he endured 1,183 days in captivity and experienced repeated physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, electrocution, forced exercises in freezing conditions and sexual abuse. He said two of his friends were beaten to death in detention, while overcrowding, illness and inadequate food were widespread among prisoners.

U.N. officials said their monitoring indicated that torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian POWs and civilian detainees remained widespread and systematic. The U.N. said more than 95% of Ukrainian POWs interviewed reported torture or mistreatment, while more than half reported sexual violence. Ukrainian authorities say thousands of people remain in Russian captivity, with Kyiv identifying more than 300 detention sites in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories.

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Fire at Russian Oil Refinery Extinguished After Drone Attack

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A fire at Russia’s Ilsky oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region was extinguished on Saturday after debris from a Ukrainian drone caused a blaze at the facility, local authorities said.

Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces had targeted both the Ilsky and Syzran oil refineries overnight, reporting fires at both sites. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences had destroyed 397 Ukrainian drones across several regions, while officials in the Samara region confirmed that drones had targeted an industrial facility without identifying it.

The attacks are part of Ukraine’s ongoing strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, which Kyiv says are aimed at disrupting resources used to finance Russia’s war effort. The Ilsky refinery has an annual processing capacity of more than 6 million tonnes of crude oil, while the Syzran refinery can process around 8.5 million tonnes. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims from either side.

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Ukrainian Drone Strikes Kill Seven in Russia, Ignite Fire at Moscow Region Oil Depot

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A series of Ukrainian drone attacks struck multiple locations in Russia, killing seven warehouse workers and injuring dozens more, according to Russian regional officials. One of the worst-hit sites was a warehouse owned by Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, in the Tambov region, where the victims were working the night shift when the drones struck.

Russian authorities said 25 people were injured in the Tambov attack, while another 24 people were hurt after a separate drone strike targeted a Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal, east of Moscow. In Noginsk, drone debris sparked a fire at an oil depot, injuring two people and forcing the evacuation of a nearby maternity hospital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes targeted logistics facilities used to supply components for Russian drone production as well as an oil facility. The attacks mark another escalation in the ongoing conflict, with both sides continuing to target strategic infrastructure far from the front lines.

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Ukrainian Drone Strike on Moscow Refinery Highlights War’s Growing Impact Inside Russia

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A major Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region has brought the realities of the war closer to Russia’s capital, striking an oil refinery and causing visible disruption across parts of the city. Thick black smoke rose over the skyline following the attack, while reports indicated that residential buildings and commercial properties were also affected. Local authorities said an eight-year-old girl was killed in a fire linked to the strikes.

The attack is being described as one of the largest aerial assaults on the Moscow region since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While many residents have grown accustomed to periodic drone attacks and security incidents, the strike underscored the increasing reach of the conflict into Russian territory. Some residents expressed shock at the scale of the attack, while others viewed it as part of a new normal created by the prolonged war.

Russian officials and state media sought to downplay the impact, emphasizing that Russia’s military operations in Ukraine remain more extensive and effective. However, repeated attacks on energy infrastructure, including oil facilities, have raised concerns about economic pressure, fuel shortages, and rising costs. Despite the growing frequency of such incidents, the Kremlin has signalled no change in its military strategy and remains committed to continuing the conflict.

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Ukraine Accepts Brazil’s Peace Initiative as Diplomatic Efforts to End War Gain Momentum

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accepted an offer from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to help advance diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia. The agreement came during a meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, where they discussed ways to revive stalled peace negotiations.

According to Ukrainian officials, Lula proposed several diplomatic initiatives, including increased engagement with the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Both leaders agreed to explore these ideas further and assess their effectiveness through future discussions and international contacts.

The renewed diplomatic push comes as previous U.S.-backed peace efforts have struggled to make progress, largely due to disagreements over territorial issues. Brazil has signalled its willingness to engage key global powers in search of a peaceful resolution, while Ukraine continues to seek broader international support to bring an end to the conflict.

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Pope Leo Slams Europe’s Military Build-Up, Calls It a Blow to Diplomacy

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Pope Leo XIV criticized Europe’s rising military spending, calling it a betrayal of diplomacy and warning that increased rearmament only fuels insecurity and conflict. Speaking to students at Rome’s Sapienza University, the pontiff said governments should not describe expanding arms budgets as “defence spending” when such investments reduce funding for education and healthcare while benefiting powerful elites.

The pope’s remarks come as European military expenditure reached its highest level since the Cold War, driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO members to increase defence budgets. Trump has pushed allies to raise military spending targets and recently prioritized U.S. weapons sales toward countries investing more heavily in defence.

Leo also warned against the growing use of artificial intelligence in warfare, pointing to conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran as examples of technology making wars more inhumane. Urging students to reject divisive ideologies and nationalism, he appealed for global unity and encouraged young people to become “artisans of true peace.”

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Russian Drone Strikes Kill Nine Across Ukraine After Ceasefire Ends

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At least nine people were killed and 28 injured in fresh Russian drone attacks across Ukraine following the expiration of a three-day US-brokered ceasefire. Ukrainian officials said the central Dnipropetrovsk region suffered the heaviest damage, with eight deaths reported, while another casualty occurred in the eastern Donetsk region. Authorities said a total of 14 Ukrainian regions came under attack during the latest wave of strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 100 Russian drones were active over the country on Wednesday morning and warned of continued attacks. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 139 drones within 24 hours, with 111 intercepted or destroyed, though several strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including railway facilities and residential areas. Regions including Kharkiv, Odesa, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Poltava also reported injuries and property damage.

Meanwhile, Russia said Ukrainian drones targeted industrial and energy facilities overnight in multiple Russian regions, including Astrakhan and Krasnodar. Russian officials claimed hundreds of Ukrainian drones were intercepted and confirmed damage to a gas processing plant and other industrial sites, though no casualties were reported. The renewed attacks highlight escalating tensions after the temporary ceasefire collapsed amid mutual accusations of violations from both sides.

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Russia, Ukraine Swap 300 Soldiers in Second Day of POW Exchange

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Ukraine and Russia exchanged 300 prisoners of war each on Friday during the second day of a two-day swap, with several of the released soldiers having been held since the early stages of the war in 2022. The exchange followed Thursday’s swap of 200 POWs from each side, marking the second such prisoner exchange between the two countries in 2026.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the returning soldiers had fought in key war zones including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mariupol, with many spending more than a year in captivity. He also confirmed that two Ukrainian civilians were returned as part of the exchange.

Russia’s defence ministry said the United States and the United Arab Emirates helped mediate the swap. The exchange came after recent peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, though a planned new round of negotiations was postponed amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

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Police Officer Killed, Dozens Injured in Suspected Terror Attack in Lviv

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A 23-year-old police officer, identified as Viktoria Shpylka, was killed and 25 others were injured after two homemade explosive devices detonated in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. According to the National Police of Ukraine, the explosives were hidden in waste bins and exploded shortly after officers responded to a reported overnight break-in at a shop in the city centre. Several officers were among the injured, with some reported to be in serious condition.

Ukrainian authorities described the incident as a terrorist attack and quickly detained a 33-year-old suspect from the Rivne region. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the arrest and said investigators believe the suspect acted on instructions from Russian special services. Officials are continuing efforts to identify possible accomplices, while prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation into the deadly attack.

The bombing comes amid ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as the country faces intensified missile and drone strikes ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian officials reported dozens of aerial attacks targeting infrastructure and residential areas, highlighting continued security threats as Russia maintains control over parts of Ukrainian territory, including the annexed region of Crimea.

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Nvidia Earnings Take Spotlight as Markets Brace for AI, Geopolitical and Policy Signals

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Nvidia is set to release its quarterly earnings next week, a highly anticipated event as investors assess the strength of artificial intelligence-driven growth and its impact on global markets. The chipmaker, currently the world’s most valuable company, has seen its shares surge since the rise of AI technologies, but momentum has slowed in 2026 amid concerns about returns on massive AI investments. Investors will also monitor results from major software firms like Salesforce and Intuit, as AI disruptions reshape the broader technology sector.

Beyond corporate earnings, geopolitical tensions continue to influence market sentiment, particularly as the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches. Ongoing conflict, uncertainty over ceasefire efforts, and rising tensions involving Iran have contributed to volatility in oil prices, defence stocks, and gold. Global investors are increasingly concerned about overlapping geopolitical risks, including conflicts in multiple regions and their potential economic consequences.

At the same time, key economic data and political developments are expected to shape central bank policies and investor outlooks worldwide. Inflation data in Australia and Tokyo will be closely watched for clues on future interest rate hikes, while leadership uncertainty in the European Central Bank and political pressure on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer could influence bond markets and currencies. Together, corporate earnings, economic indicators, and political events are set to play a decisive role in shaping global financial markets in the coming weeks.

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