International

Russia announces the capture of the Ukrainian bastion of Kurákhove in the Donestsk region

The Russian Army took the Ukrainian bastion of Kurákhove, in the eastern region of Donestsk, after several months of intense fighting, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported today in a statement.

“As part of the offensive of the units of the South military grouping, the city of Kurákove, the most densely populated urban center of the southwestern region of the Donbas, was totally liberated,” the Russian command said on Telegram.

According to Defense, “for ten years the Kiev regime turned the city into a powerful defensive bastion with a wide network of fire positions and underground tunnels.”

Two months of siege

The city is protected from the north by the Kurákhove dam, “which substantially limited the maneuvering possibilities of Russian assault units,” said the military agency.

In order to defend the city, Ukraine sent a large number of troops, “which included nationalist units and foreign mercenaries, supported with artillery and tanks,” said Defense, according to which the Ukrainian Army concentrated in Kurákhove 26 battalions with more than 15,000 soldiers.

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“Thanks to the professional actions of the Russian forces, during the liberation of Kurákhove the enemy lost 80% of his living forces (more than 12,000 people), about 3,000 combat machines, including 40 tanks and other armored vehicles.

During the two months of war actions in Kurákhove, the average daily casualties of the Ukrainian Army ranged between 150 and 180 soldiers between dead and wounded,” according to the Russian report.

An important logistical knot

The capture of this city, an important logistical knot, “made it considerably difficult to supply the rearguard and the Ukrainian military in the Donetsk sector, so that the Kiev regime lost the possibility of bombing the civilian population of Donetsk with its artillery,” Defense explained.

The capture of Kurákhove allows the troops to enter operational space and “increase the speed of the liberation of the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” added the Russian military command.

The pace of the Russian offensive increased in the second half of last year and, especially from August, territorial losses were increasing month by month.

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In November, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 610 square kilometers of territory or 20.3 square kilometers a day in their clashes with Russian troops.

The greatest territorial losses are recorded in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv.

Explosions near the Zaporiya nuclear power plant

Meanwhile, observers of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) displaced in Ukraine reported last night that they have heard loud explosions near the Ukrainian nuclear power plant of Zaporiya.

In a statement posted on its website, the Vienna-based organization points out that the detonations coincide with reports of a drone attack against the plant’s training center.

This “is another threat to the nuclear safety of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant,” warned Director-General Rafael Grossi.

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According to international observers, the intensity of military activities in the vicinity of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, occupied by Russia since March 2022, increased over the weekend.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”