International
Russian army captures Stepove, key supply hub for Ukrainian forces, claims russian defense ministry
The Russian military has captured Stepove, a crucial municipality for Ukraine’s supply line in Avdiivka, a city seized 10 days ago by Russian troops. This was announced on Wednesday by the Ministry of Defense of Vladimir Putin’s government.
“On the Avdiivka front, units of the ‘Center’ group liberated the locality of Petróvskoe (Stepove for Ukrainians) and occupied more advantageous positions,” the military report states.
This municipality, located northwest of Avdiivka, allows control over the railway line that served as a supply route for Ukrainian troops in this stronghold.
Russian Government Asserts Continued Advance
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated yesterday that troops were continuing their advance after the capture of Avdiivka.
“After establishing control over the important enemy stronghold of Avdiivka, Russian forces continue to improve their positions in the Donetsk and Kupyansk sectors, seizing new heights and positions from the Ukrainian Army. Since the beginning of the year, 327 kilometers have been liberated from Nazi forces,” he said.
According to Shoigu, during the past week, the Russian Army has expelled Ukrainian forces from the towns of Pobeda, Lastochkine, and Severne in the Donetsk region, annexed by Russia in September 2022.
The spokesperson for the Ukrainian military group ‘Tavria,’ Dmytro Lijovi, previously confirmed the withdrawal of Kiev forces from the villages of Stepove and Severne, where, according to him, around a hundred people lived before the war.
Doubling Radar Production for the Year
On the same day, the Russian Defense Minister inspected several factories of the Russian military-industrial complex in the Tula region, 200 kilometers south of Moscow, specializing in the production of radars for the detection of artillery pieces, necessary for the war in Ukraine.
“The Strela company informed the Defense Minister that the order for 2023 for the production of Yastreb-AB and Zoopark-1M radar systems and Aistionok radars, used to detect artillery, was fully completed,” the Ministry reported on Telegram, where it also posted a video of the visit.
The company’s director, Viacheslav Chapkin, also stated in his report that the acquisition of new technical equipment and the implementation of 12-hour workdays allowed doubling the number of radars produced for 2024, with plans to quadruple production by 2025.
According to Defense, Shoigu also visited the SPLAV company, specializing in the production of missiles for various multiple launch systems, where he was shown the new facilities launched in 2023.
The renewal of this factory allowed quadrupling the volume of the main types of these missiles and even increasing the production of some models by seven times.
Zelensky: Urges Swift Arms Supply
From Tirana, where he met with governments from Southeast Europe on Wednesday, Ukrainian President urged his allies to make decisions to accelerate arms supply.
“We must survive. For that, we need concrete decisions, decisions about weapons. And those weapons must arrive on time,” he said before stressing, “We have no time or alternatives. We face a killer. With a second Hitler. Our initiative is for us to triumph over Putin.”
In recent weeks, Zelensky has traveled to various countries to seek more support and weapons amid fears that the capacity for support from allies in Europe, and especially the United States, may diminish.
In Washington, the new financial aid package for Ukraine, worth €55 billion, remains blocked due to resistance from Republicans in Congress.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
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