KYIV: A drone struck a high-rise residential building in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, sparking a fire and damaging apartments on at least three floors, authorities said.
An AFP reporter on the scene saw what appeared to be a drone buzzing overhead before crashing into the building, erupting in a fireball.
There was no immediate information about casualties, but authorities said an emergency response was under way.
“In the Solomianskyi district, the upper floors of a high-rise building hit by an enemy drone are on fire. Emergency services are at the scene,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.
“Apartments on the 17th, 18th, 19th floors are damaged. All emergency services are at the scene,” he said.
The Solomianskyi district is in the west of the city.
Ukrainian cities including Kyiv have been subjected to drone and missile attacks throughout Russia’s two-and-a-half year invasion.
Kyiv has been asking for more air defenses from its allies ahead of what is likely to be its toughest winter yet, as Russia ramps up strikes on energy infrastructure.
Drone sparks fire on high-rise residential building in Kyiv
https://arab.news/pqt4z
Drone sparks fire on high-rise residential building in Kyiv
- There was no immediate information about casualties
- “In the Solomianskyi district, the upper floors of a high-rise building hit by an enemy drone are on fire,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said
Trump discussing how to acquire Greenland; US military always an option, White House says
- Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States
- Strong statements in support of Greenland from NATO leaders have not deterred Trump
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and his team are discussing options for acquiring Greenland and the use of the US military in furtherance of the goal is “always an option,” the White House said on Tuesday.
Trump’s ambition of acquiring Greenland as a strategic US hub in the Arctic, where there is growing interest from Russia and China, has been revived in recent days in the wake of the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States.
The White House said in a statement in response to queries from Reuters that Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a US national security priority necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region.”
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House said.
A senior US official said discussions about ways to acquire Greenland are active in the Oval Office and that advisers are discussing a variety of options.
Strong statements in support of Greenland from NATO leaders have not deterred Trump, the official said.
“It’s not going away,” the official said about the president’s drive to acquire Greenland during his remaining three years in office.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said options include the outright US purchase of Greenland or forming a Compact of Free Association with the territory. A COFA agreement would stop short of Trump’s ambition to make the island of 57,000 people a part of the US.
A potential purchase price was not provided.
“Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking. He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct,” the official said.
Administration officials argue the island is crucial to the US due to its deposits of minerals with important high-tech and military applications. These resources remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and other challenges.
Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind Greenland on Tuesday, saying the Arctic island belongs to its people.
