MOSCOW: Two civilians were killed in Ukrainian attacks on Russian-controlled areas of eastern and southern Ukraine, Moscow-installed officials there said on Sunday.
One man was killed and a woman wounded by artillery fire that hit the town of Nova Maiachka in the southern Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, its pro-Russian governor, wrote on Telegram.
Another man was killed in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine by an explosive dropped from a drone, according to Alexei Kulemzin, the city’s Russian-installed mayor.
Reuters could not independently verify the incidents.
At least 25 civilians were killed on Friday in two separate attacks in the Russian-held part of the Kherson region and city of Luhansk — which Russian-installed officials blamed on Ukrainian forces.
Russia’s own attacks in Ukraine have killed many thousands of Ukrainian civilians since tens of thousands of Russian troops invaded the neighboring country in 2022. The war is now well into its third year.
Two killed by Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk and Kherson, Russia says
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Two killed by Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk and Kherson, Russia says
- Russia’s own attacks in Ukraine have killed many thousands of Ukrainian civilians
Australia’s US ambassador Rudd to step down early
SYDNEY: Australia’s ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd is stepping down, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday, a year earlier than expected following criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, is returning to head the Asia Society think tank and will finish his posting in March, Albanese told a news conference.
“Australia and the United States are the closest of friends and allies, and this will never change,” he said. “We will continue to take forward the important work that Kevin has done, some of it is, of course, ongoing work.”
Rudd had secured continued support for the AUKUS nuclear submarine program, Australia’s largest defense project, from the Trump administration, and negotiated a critical minerals agreement with the US, Albanese said.
Rudd made several comments criticizing Trump before he became ambassador, including calling him “the most destructive president in history.” He later deleted that comment from social media when he was appointed ambassador.
When asked during an October event at the White House during a visit by Albanese about Rudd’s past comments, Trump gestured to the ambassador across the table and said “I don’t like you either, and I probably never will.”
Following criticism from Australia’s opposition, who called for him to be sacked over his remarks about Trump, Albanese said in October that Rudd would serve out his four-year term.
Albanese said the decision to leave the role early was “entirely Kevin Rudd’s decision.” An announcement of Rudd’s replacement would be made at a later date, he said.
A White House official told Reuters when asked about Rudd’s departure: “Ambassador Rudd worked well with President Trump and the administration. We wish him well.”
Rudd wrote on social media platform X that he would remain in the United States, working on “the future of US-China relations, which I have always believed to be the core question for the future stability of our region and the world.”
He had hosted a dinner for Pentagon Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, who conducted a review of AUKUS last year, two days ago, Rudd wrote in an earlier post.
