The federal government has inaugurated a 10-member committee on the implementation of the recommendations of the Oronsaye report. 

On February 26, President Bola Tinubu directed the full implementation of the Oronsaye report to “enhance efficiency in the federal service, and reduce the cost of governance”.

According to a statement by Segun Imohiosen, director of information in the office of the secretary to the government of the federation, the committee was inaugurated by George Akume, the SGF, on behalf of the president.

Akume noted that the implementation of the White Papers on the Oronsaye report is aimed at reducing the cost of governance and streamlining efficiency across the governance value chain.

Members of the committee include Akume, Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation; Abubakar Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning; and Folashade Yemi Esan, head of civil service of the federation.

Others are Usman Hadiza Bala, special adviser to the president on policy and coordination; Dasuki Arabi, director-general of the bureau of public service reform; Abdullahi Gumel, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters (senate).

Others include Ibrahim Olarewaju, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters (house of representatives); Muri Okunola, principal secretary to the president: and Richard Pheelangwah, permanent secretary, cabinet affairs office.

Akume also highlighted the general guidelines of the committee to include the review of the current mandates to understand the existing functions, responsibilities, and objectives outlined in the mandates of the agencies.

“Identify redundancies and overlaps or conflicting objectives among the mandates of different organisational units,” Akume said.

“Define strategic objectives to ensure the revised mandates align with the strategic objectives and priorities of the government.

“Engage key stakeholders and gather input and feedback on the proposed revisions to the mandates.

“Draft clear, concise, and actionable revised mandates for the organisations involved in the restructuring.

“Ensure the revised mandates comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies governing government operations.

“Obtain necessary approvals from relevant authorities for the revised mandates, and effectively communicate the revised mandates to employees and stakeholders.

“Implement the revised mandates effectively and monitor their implementation to identify any issues or challenges.”

He added that the committee has a 12-week deadline to submit its report.

Here is a list of all agencies affected by the Oronsaye report.

The Cable

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has agreed to collaborate with a group of House of Representatives members pushing for a return to the parliamentary system.

The 60 federal lawmakers, led by Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, had met with the ACF on Thursday with the aim of garnering support for their proposed legislation transitioning from the current presidential system.

Chinda highlighted the need for support from regions and other important bodies for the smooth passage of the bill. He emphasized that the parliamentary system would enhance accountability among officeholders.

In response, ACF Board of Trustees Chairman, Bashir Dalhatu, expressed satisfaction with the initiative and pledged the ACF’s readiness to provide necessary support.

“We have agreed to constitute a committee that will work with the lawmakers to review the draft bill they have prepared and provide suggestions and input. We believe this change will be in the best interest of all Nigerians,” Dalhatu affirmed.

Dalhatu echoed the sentiment that the current presidential system is costly and ineffective, emphasizing the need for a change in governance style for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Daily Trust

Gaza ceasefire talks show no sign of progress, US says onus on Hamas

Hamas on Thursday left Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo where there was no sign of progress just days before the start of Ramadan, while the U.S. said the onus was on the Palestinian militant group to strike a deal on Israeli hostages.

Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the lack of agreement after four days of talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt about a 40-day ceasefire amid fears violence could escalate during the Muslim fasting month.

Egyptian security sources said talks, taking place without an Israeli delegation in Cairo, would resume on Sunday, the expected start of Ramadan.

Senior U.S. administration officials said the onus was on Hamas to complete a hostage deal and attributed the delay to what they described as Hamas so far not agreeing to release sick and elderly hostages.

A Hamas official told Reuters the United States was in partnership with Israel and that such comments were misleading. Hamas has insisted that a ceasefire deal include a process toward ending the war altogether.

Hamas said earlier in a statement the delegation left Cairo to speak to the movement's leaders, "with negotiations and efforts continuing to stop the aggression, return the displaced and bring in relief aid to our people."

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters Israel had been "thwarting" efforts to conclude a ceasefire deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention on Thursday of pressing on with the military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, in which Israel said 1,200 people were killed and 253 abducted.

Israel has previously said its aim is to destroy Hamas and that any ceasefire must be temporary. It has also pressed for a list of hostages still alive and held by Hamas in Gaza.

"Needless to say, Israel will do whatever it takes to release our hostages... unfortunately, it is Hamas who is the stumbling block right now by not telling us who is alive and who they have in their custody," Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said.

The deal presented to Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza would require it to free some of the hostages it still holds. Palestinian prisoners held in Israel would also be released.

'DESPAIR'

Hamas officials have said a ceasefire must be in place before the hostages are freed, Israeli forces must leave Gaza and all Gazans must be able to return to homes they have fled.

Hamas has said it can't provide a list of the hostages who are still alive without a ceasefire as the hostages are scattered across the war zone.

News that the Hamas delegation had left Cairo without an accord was met with despair in Gaza, which is in the grip of a deep humanitarian crisis after five months of war.

"I feel great disappointment and despair, fear too," said Abir, who along with her 12-member family has taken refuge in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than half of the enclave's 2.3 million people are now sheltering.

Hamas media said one Palestinian was killed and several wounded on Thursday by Israeli gunfire as people waited for aid trucks at the Al-Nabulsi roundabout in western Gaza City.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli fire killed 118 people last week at the same site when desperate civilians swarmed an aid convoy. Israel said most of those killed were trampled or run over.

U.S. officials said President Joe Biden would announce that the U.S. military will construct a port on Gaza's Mediterranean coast to receive humanitarian assistance by sea.

While it would take weeks to set up, the port will make it possible to bring in the equivalent of hundreds of truckloads of aid, a White House official said.

The U.S. Central Command and Royal Jordanian Air Force continued on Thursday with airdrops of food and other aid in the north of the enclave, where UN aid agencies say a large proportion of the population is on the brink of famine.

Netanyahu vowed to press on with Israel's offensive, including into Rafah.

"Whoever tells us not to act in Rafah is telling us to lose the war and that will not happen," he said.

HAMAS CALLS FOR VISITS TO MOSQUE

Health officials in Gaza said the number of people confirmed killed in Israel's offensive had now passed 30,800. It reported 83 deaths in the past 24 hours and witnesses said the Israeli bombardments continued in Khan Younis, Rafah and areas in central Gaza.

Hamas reiterated a call on Thursday for Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and inside Israel to step up visits to the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan to increase pressure on Israel to "agree to demands for a ceasefire".

Negotiators are pushing for an accord ahead of Ramadan partly due to concerns that the mosque complex in Jerusalem, the third holiest shrine in Islam, might become a flashpoint for violence during the fasting month.

Israel has said it will allow a similar level of access to the site as in previous years, without providing figures.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

No attack perpetrated on Zelensky's motorcade in Odessa — Medvedev

No one planned to mount an attack on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's motorcade in Odessa, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said.

"Everything here is obvious to everyone. Both that there was no attack on the motorcade in Odessa, and [moreover] that if a target had been set, they (Russian forces - TASS) would have hit it," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel, commenting on the explosion that occurred on March 6 in Odessa in close proximity to the motorcade of Zelensky and his guest, visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

"But it's still somehow a pity," the official said. "It's a pity that it (the missile - TASS) was precisely launched in a pre-planned place," he added.

Medvedev concluded his post with the Latin proverb: "Nullum malum sine aliquo bono" (There is, in fact, no evil without some good - TASS).

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian attacks kills three in north, northeastern Ukraine, officials say

Russian attacks on Thursday killed two civilians in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region and another man further west in Chernihiv region, local officials said.

Oleh Synehubov, governor of Kharkov region, said an attack by multiple rocket launchers killed two civilians in Kupiansk, am area recaptured by Ukrainian forces in late 2022 but where Russian forces are now active.

Synehubov, writing on Telegram, said a strike on the town of Chuhuiv, outside the regional centre of Kharkiv, injured two people. An apartment building and a shop suffered damage.

In Chernihiv region, north of Kyiv, mortar fire killed one person, regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said on Telegram.

RT/Reuters

I don’t know how it is in your part of town. But it’s been a nightmare in mine, a supposedly middle-class residential area in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital. Rolling blackouts do not begin to explain the depth of the misery. It’s been a dreadful time of rolling and erratic blackouts. Like surfing an angry wave, if you understand what I mean.

Generators and other alternative sources of power, mostly inverters, solar panels and repurposed domestic gas, have replaced public power supply. Private power supply has become the main source; while public supply, if you ever get it, has become the back up.

At 144 kwh per hour annually, Nigeria is grossly underpowered. It is 80 percent below expectations, with Ghana consuming twice as much, Tunisia over 10 times and South Africa, over 30 times as much power. 

The epileptic power supply has flooded my mind with memories of what I used to think of folks at the public power company (we used to call it NEPA) in my younger days. 

I still think the demons there do what they used to do – just messing around with light switches as if it was a game of tumbo, tumbo, bas kalaba... Out of shame, however, or perhaps incredulity, I’m not inclined to express my layman’s view of these malicious spoilsports at public power substations as openly as I used to in my younger days.

What I have witnessed in the last two or three weeks with public power supply has however exhumed the scarecrow from my past. I’ve been around a bit and visited such African countries as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique, among others. 

I cannot remember anywhere with the sort of maddening erratic supply that I have seen in my neighbourhood and workplace recently. I’m tempted to think that, like a number of things Nigerian, there is a peculiarity about the rolling blackouts that make them nearly impossible to replicate elsewhere. 

Dead bulbs tell tales

One day in the last week of February, for example, the light went off and came back, surging each time at different frequencies, four times in less than 10 minutes. It was as if someone somewhere was testing the supply or that in my confused state, I never quite saw the light come on before it went off again. That was late evening, after work. I’m not counting how many other times this erratic supply may have occurred after I went to bed that night. But the evidence was waiting the next day. 

By morning, I was left with the remains of five dead bulbs and a damaged changeover switch which was barely one year old. It will cost me more than twice the minimum wage of N30,000 to replace the switch alone. These are the only more recent casualties of erratic power supply in my house. I’m not counting the electric kettle or the power stabilisers. On top of that, I have bought more UPSs than I can count. I even use a few of the remnants damaged by erratic power supply as domestic props!

Neighbour from hell

I’m not going to discuss the trauma that comes from generator pollution and noise. I was so distraught by the noise from the generator on one side of my flat that I tinkered with the idea of buying a replacement for the owner, not out of love or abundance, but to preserve my sanity. 

Poor fellow! He can’t seem to wait for the light-switch flippers at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to turn off the lights before he powers on his contraption. And even when the alarm sounds that light is back, he still leaves the damn thing chugging! 

If you live around my neighbourhood or even elsewhere around many parts of the country from where I have also received similar complaints of insurgent blackouts, you may consider noise, the loss of five bulbs in one day or a few UPSs small potatoes. 

I imagine that folks may have lost more valuable appliances or suffered more severe emotional and material setbacks. There was a report last week that Nigeria’s Senate stood down proceedings and adjourned indefinitely amidst the power crisis. 

But Discos, being Discos, no one can file any legal claims.

Heatwave troubles

The current heatwave has further highlighted our collective misery. With diesel and petrol at over 106 percent higher than their prices one year ago, only those who have solar panels can hope to enjoy a measure of relief for now. 

Fossil-fuel powered generators are costlier to run as are inverters, which also depend on primary sources of power to charge. So, those who wish to use some form of cooling at home – especially at night – to keep their heads for the next day, have a difficult choice: spend more on alternative energy or just suffer and smile.  

I had a particularly interesting night the day before I wrote this article. I had gone to bed at about 11pm with the generator humming and left an instruction that it should be left on for another two hours. Apparently, less than one hour after I slept, the public power supply was restored and the generator turned off. But as usual, that didn’t last. This was on a day when daytime temperature was about 40 degrees. 

Somewhere, in the depths of slumber, I began to feel as if my mattress had been replaced with a cauldron and that the sheets were thermal fabrics. I was in that place between sleeping and waking up, where your spirit is dying to sleep but your body is wracked by discomfort. 

The body prevailed and I soon noticed I was sweating like a labourer! I crawled out of my bed and on this hot, airless night, I had to decide between opening only a few windows or opening all the windows with the mosquito nets drawn back. Who, for heaven’s sake, is toying with the lights at AEDC that I cannot even have two straight hours of electricity?

Misery source

Is it all inevitable? Is it all down to poor gas supply at the power stations; compromised grids and transmission lines. Is it, as some have suggested, a lack of competence among the Discos that have also been accused of feeding off the assets they inherited during the privatisation without investing one naira since? 

I called my cousin who works at an electricity company for possible answers. I’m still trying to digest his response. Erratic supply – the kind that imitates trafficators – he said, can be caused by several factors. He called the problem, “feeder tripping.” According to him, anything from a bird perching on the wire to a colony of ants at the feeder base or even an adventurous tree branch, can cause a feeder trip.

He said even though staff at the substation are supposed to pick up such signals and act on them, it’s hardly the case and therefore distressed customers like me are advised to call and complain. 

Customer service by phone in Nigeria when it’s not a bank teller calling you to ask why your account is inactive is hell. I hardly bother, and I’m unlikely going to start with electricity companies. I’m still trying to figure out how or why we cannot enjoy a minimum X-hour of electricity supply a day, at least under a load-shedding plan that allows consumers to keep their sanity. This story of stray birds, angry ants and stray tree branches don’t make sense to me. 

All I can think of, right now, especially in the furnace of our current existence, is to assume that there are some switch-trigger-happy fellows at that substation delighted to ruin as much of my domestic appliances as they can and keep me miserably uncomfortable night and day, just because they can!

I’m counting days until this heatwave is over and hopefully, I’ll once again get some deserved respite, especially at night, with or without “NEPA”!

** Ishiekwene is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP 

You don’t have to be a CEO, or even a manager, to be influential at the office.

Getting your coworkers to listen to and support your ideas boils down to just three emotional intelligence techniques, says Stanford University lecturer and communication expert Matt Abrahams. They can help you show your peers and bosses that you have strong ideas, form meaningful connections across your workplace, improve your job-related skills and maybe even land you a promotion, he says.

The advice is timely, Abrahams adds: Hybrid and remote work mean most entry- and mid-level Gen Z and millennial employees get less face time with their bosses.

“Careers are very different now ... things are more remote and virtual, so you’re not around people as much,” Abrahams tells CNBC Make It. “You really are forging your own way and need to get others to at least support, if not follow, the things you’re trying to do.”

His three recommendations are simple, and can be applied to in-office or remote roles:

Figure out how to be helpful

First: Observe your office’s dynamics. You can usually look online or check with HR to figure out what different teams work on and who reports to which manager.

Then, find a “leverage point” — a way to get noticed within that structure, Abrahams says. “If there are certain tasks people don’t like to do, stepping up to that can give you some access.”

You can volunteer to take notes during meetings, for example, which encourages the other people in the room to direct their attention to you. “They’ll want to make sure you capture things right, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions of others,” says Abrahams.

You could get involved with planning office events, or start a Google document that helps keep your team organized. If a single person is running the company’s social media, and you have relevant experience, volunteer to help with posts or produce videos.

“All of a sudden the role you have — a mundane role that many people don’t like — gives you access and influence,” Abrahams says.

Find allies

Whenever you find yourself in a room of people who don’t usually work with, you have an opportunity to form new relationships.

If you’re taking minutes in a meeting, for example, you can listen to how that group brainstorms, selects and executes on new ideas. You can identify people who think similarly to you, or can help you navigate your workplace’s dynamics and inner workings. You might even be able to connect with a higher-up who would be willing to grab a coffee can give you feedback.

Don’t treat your relationships as transactional, Abrahams advises. Seek out people you naturally connect with, and who your other coworkers respect.

“Check in with people and really listen when people say things to you,” says Abrahams. “I’m not saying be manipulative. Buy [and respond] to the things you care about. Those are the things that, I think, can make a difference.”

Support each other’s ideas

Once you’ve formed strong professional relationships, figure out how you can work together toward common goals. Abrahams calls it “aligning” with others.

The next step, he says, is to “amplify.” That can mean vocally supporting each other’s ideas: When someone has a good idea in a meeting, for example, say why you think it’s interesting or beneficial to the company’s mission.

You can also make your own ideas more influential by noting how your colleagues have helped shape it, says Abrahams: “Sally, Joe and I have been working on something we think could solve a problem” is often more impactful than saying the idea came from you alone. It shows that you’ve tested and garnered support for it, and you understand how to get things done within your company’s structure, he notes.

Consistently crediting your teammates helps get people to listen to you, and can make other coworkers more likely to ask for your input or include you on projects.

“There’s nothing more powerful,” Abrahams says.

CNBC

• Importation of devices drops by 45%, says player 
• Companies opt for fairly-used laptops as prices of new units rise by 300%
• Importers express frustrations, lament banks’ indifference to their pains
The protracted foreign exchange (FX) crisis has found expression in computer hardware and software, cutting consumer electronics importation by as much as 45 per cent.

Though there have been pockets of imports in the last four months, The Guardian learnt that the last time a container of computer and related devices were imported into the country was the last quarter of 2022.

A major importer and vendor at the Computer Village, Lagos, with offices spread across Nigeria, said it has been tough to import products, largely because of FX scarcity.

According to the major player, importation has reduced by as much as 45 per cent. He said players, who could fund sole importation previously, now must join forces with others.

The source, who preferred anonymity, said vendors are seriously battling a price crisis, which he said has negatively impacted importation.

With the country’s inflation at close to 30-year in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), major sectors are battling to survive. Prices of some essential commodities have gone up by over 200 per cent since last year.   

Consequently, people rather spend their lean incomes on essential consumption than on luxury items such as computers, smartphones and electronics.

While DataReportal puts smartphone penetration at about 18.9 per cent of the estimated 217 million population of Nigeria, prices have skyrocketed, making Nigerians either settle for fairly-used devices or feature phones. Airtel at a recent event said about 58 million Nigerians use feature phones.

Before the current crisis, the International Trade Centre (ITC) said $1.09 billion was spent on software acquisition and importation of computer services into Nigeria in five years.

Software and computer services worth $123.89 million were imported in 2016, the figure jumped to $216.57 million in 2017, $257.55 million in 2018 and dipped to $159.28 million in 2019, before skyrocketing to $336.43 million in 2020.

Last year, a report by Euromonitor International predicted that consumer electronics would suffer a seven-year low in Nigeria due to FX scarcity.

Consumer electronics are largely imported into Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy. They include computers, laptops, smartphones, TVs, virtual cameras, air conditioners, dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and microwave ovens.   

Euromonitor said the picture was to be bleak for consumer electronics in 2023 and going forward, with overall volume sales expected to fall, saying the government inherited a sluggish economy, record debt, and shrinking oil output, due to creaking infrastructure.

The report said that the volume of electronics in the formal market could fall for the fifth straight year to 19.8 million units in 2023 from 20.3 million in 2022. Its value was, however, expected to increase by 25.6 per cent (on the back of low naira value) to N1.57 trillion.

The Euromonitor report showed that portable consumer electronics, which contributed the largest share, would fall to 18.1 million from 18.6 million, in-home consumer electronics would reduce to 1.5 million from 1.53 million, in-car entertainment is projected to decline to 26,800 from 26,900 but computers and peripherals to stay at 186,000.

There has been a sharp rise in electronics prices. A 65-inch smart Hisense TV, which was sold for N700000 in December has increased to about N1,050,000. Double-door refrigerators have also moved from N800,000 to about N2.05 million within a month.

Computer and phone devices have seen similar rates of increase in the past few months. Corroborating Euromonitor’s claims, the President of the Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), Ahmed Ojikutu, said the FX crisis has reached the rooftop for major players in Computer Village,

Ojikutu, who said prices of computers have increased by as much as 300 per cent, said because of this hike, some corporate organizations are fast settling for used computers, among other things.

“For instance, a laptop previously sold for N500,000 has now gone above N1 million. In that regard, that has not been favourable to the business community. You know the economic principle: the higher the price, the lower the quantity demanded. The level of order has been badly affected to the extent that people are now resulting in buying used products, which is not good for the ecosystem. Nigerians need to use modern systems because of the digital transformation agenda we are enthroning. The ICT sector is not a luxury anymore, it has become a necessity, an enabler for so many things,” he stated.

The CAPDAN president said companies are forced to cut their budgets, “they have approval now to buy used computers. At least, two companies have approached us on that. The issue is how many companies can afford to buy Core i5, the basic one, which was sold for N320,000 but bow offered for N700,000. The Pavilion which was sold for N460,000 in January, is now sold for N1.05. A desktop that was sold for N520,000 now sells above N1 million. Core i4 is above N1.5 million.” Ojikutu, who called for urgent intervention, said smartphones that were sold for cheaper prices then, are now priced above the rooftop.  

According to him, the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, stabilise the FX market. He said the implication would be weighty on the sector and the economy if nothing is done to stem the tide.

He said if a market lands a system for N500,000, later sold for N520,000, “the moment you sell and there is a profit of N20,000. If you are to buy the same product back, you will be buying at N600,000. Meaning, you have lost N80,000. Your profit and capital sunk because of the devaluation of the naira. This has affected the traders badly.”

Ojikutu disclosed the jump in price affected all the sub-sectors of the industry including software. He said what is still saving the software sub-sector is because they are not entirely relying on foreign knowledge, but the locals, who are developing products.

“We need to develop the knowledge economy by birthing enough programmers, software engineers, and coders. This will help the local economy and reduce capital flights and foreign expertise. We just need to look inward, same for the hardware sub-sector. We cannot be paying for licenses in dollars yearly or monthly,” he added.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Machito Ebony and Sons Limited, Ikeja, Alaba Davis, said because of the economic situation, the firm delved into sale of used computers, first grades, brought in from UK and American markets used for about seven months to one year, stressing that most firms are not buying new products.

Davis said the forex crisis in the country has greatly impacted sales, where the dollar rose to about N1,800, while the pound sterling moved higher to about N2,300, limiting imports.  

While stressing the need to change the consuming nation tag culture of Nigeria, he said virtually everything done in Nigeria is through the dollar, making it for naira to widen. He said the challenge would linger for a long time because Nigeria cannot produce computers now. After all, no electricity to do that, describing the country as a generator economy.

Davis said before the market can stabilize, it could take another six to 12 months, saying: “The dollar-naira exchange has done more damage. Some of us bought goods when they were expensive. We even bought cash, buying dollars at a higher rate. Those who can enjoy it now are some, who bought on credit because they will be paying at a lower rate. If government can help stabilize the naira for at least the next three months, things will take shape, prices will come down because, we will have sold those we bought at higher rates and started bringing in at a reduced price, and by ending of the year into 2025, things would have been a bit better.”  

While not disputing a significant drop in the importation, the Machito Ebony and Sons Limited boss, said: “I did three imports this year and based on what we do, it could be different from others. We have dealers we buy things from in Nigeria. He imports and we just go and clear. They call it ‘back-to-back’. But there is another one, you can buy directly from wherever you get a good deal. The problem is that shipment is very expensive now. The two importations I did were from the UK. I was charged ‎£5 per kilo and other handling charges. So, if you are carrying goods of about 1000Kg, calculate the charges and then we are buying pounds for about N2,200. It makes everything go up.”

He called on the government to improve on security, especially around crude oil, stressing that most dollars come from that angle. He said Nigeria should secure the oil bases just like Saudi Arabia.

“While we pump about two million barrels per day, Saudi Arabia pumps over nine million barrels a day and they ensure they are not stolen. If we can secure that area, more dollars would come in,” he stated.

He said SMEs should also be helped, saying the players need single-digit loans, stressing that most times credits come from manufacturers and distributors, and they pay more when the economy is not stable.        

From his perspective, CAPDAN Public Relations Officer, Ademola Olaifa, said the importation of goods has been affected seriously by the depreciation of naira.

Olaifa said when we make an order at N1500/$ this week by next week that you planned to get the product, they will tell you it is now N1800/$, “it is that bad. We have faced these crises in the last four to six months. Not producing anything in Nigeria has become a major threat. To make matters worse, the banks are not giving out loans, if they give; it is usually at cutthroat. Government should shut down the black market or merge it with officials. We need a stable forex regime.”

Olaifa posited that the lingering forex scarcity and continuous depreciation of the Naira have left manufacturers bleeding and limited their capacity utilisation since the importation of non-locally produced critical input has become a nightmare.

The Guardian

The Senate, on Wednesday, said it would meet with President Bola Tinubu over the insecurity in Benue State and Nigeria at large.

The resolution of the Senate followed the report of a militia clash in Benue State, which left no fewer than 30 dead on Tuesday.

The Senate resolution followed a motion titled: “Motion On the Continuing Killings by Suspected Terrorists Parading as Herdsmen and Increasing Insecurity in Kwande, Ukum, Logo And Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas in the Benue North-East Senatorial District Of Benue State.”

The motion was brought by Emmanuel Udende, representing Benue North-East, under “Matters Of Urgent Public Importance Pursuant To Orders 41 And 51 of  the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended).”

Udende, in his lead debate, said that over 50 residents of the Logo and Katsina-Ala area of the state were killed by men who disguised as herders to unleash havoc on the communities.

A militia clash in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State on  Tuesday claimed no fewer than 30 lives, including a family of seven.

 The attack was said to have been perpetrated by rival militias led by the dreaded duo simply identified as ‘Full Fire’ and ‘Chain.’

One of the terrorist gang leaders was said to have hired the services of external bandits, invaded the Gbagir community in the Ukum LGA and engaged in a fight to oust another militia gang leader in the area.

It was gathered that most of the dead were members of the rival militia gangs, while about 12 innocent farmers were caught in the crossfire, which also left over 30 persons injured and many others declared missing.

A traditional ruler in the area, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday on the condition of anonymity, for fear of being a target, said the bloody fight started Tuesday morning after a Tiv militia leader in Ukum kidnapped another Fulani militia leader, identified as Alhaji Gana.

The monarch said, Gana was kidnapped alongside his family members, who were known for banditry and kidnappings by the rival gang from neighbouring Chinkai community in Wukari LGA of Taraba State.

He said, “After kidnapping them, he asked for N100m ransom but he was given N5m. After collecting the money, he killed the hostages.

“The murder of the hostages sparked outrage among his gang members in Taraba State. This happened over the weekend.

“What followed was that another militia gang leader in Ukum now went and joined forces with the Fulani militia gang in Taraba to help them eliminate the rival gang in Ukum that killed their leader, Gana.

“From what we gathered, over 40 persons who were mainly bandits have been killed, though we have a record of about 12 farmers who were caught in the crossfire. Over 30 others were injured while some are also missing.

“Sadly caught in the crossfire was a family of seven in Tse Adzandeh Mbasaa, Mbajiga, Ityuluv, Torov. They were all members of the Adzandeh family,” the monarch said.

The lawmaker representing Ukum State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Nyiyongo Ezra, said about 20 people were killed.

He said, “For now, I cannot tell you the cause of the attack but the information I got was that about 20 people were killed.”

The Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, Sunday Igbinomwanhia, a major general, confirmed that 30 people were killed in the clash.

Fielding questions from journalists during a press conference held at the old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, the force commander said, “It was a clash between two militia groups resulting in deaths. We went there and for whatever reason they had the clash, I don’t know.

“But our initial visit revealed that 30 people were killed.”

On his part, the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, said, “So far, we have recovered five corpses but a search for people is ongoing.”

At the Senate, the lawmaker representing Benue North-East lamented that the attack on the communities had gone unabated since Tuesday.

He said, “No fewer than 50 persons have been killed in fresh attacks on several communities in Kwande, Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State by terrorist parading as herdsmen;

 “The affected communities some of which were attacked as recently as yesterday, 5th March 2024 include Tyuluv, Borikyo, Kundav, Ugbaam, Uyam, Udedeku, Yaaiwa, Nyihemba, Tomatar, Menakwagh , Yiase and  Agura all in the Benue North-East Senatorial district of Benue State.

“Residents of the villages and communities now find themselves targeted daily by heavily-armed terrorist-herdsmen, and the toll continues to be staggering as they bear the brunt, with reports of marauders butchering several villagers, leaving many homes completely burnt down and numerous residents still missing while the perpetrators, however, remain elusive and have not been apprehended.”

The Senate, in its resolution, decided that its leadership will  “visit Mr president with all the resolutions on the motion towards ending the continued killings of farmers by armed herdsmen in Benue North-East and Nigeria at large.”

The resolution further read: “Convey condolence of the season to the people of Benue North-East Senatorial District. To lead a delegation to the Governor of Benue State to find out his efforts on the and challenges.”

The Red Chamber also added that “The Chief of Defence Staff,  Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police and heads of other security agencies to as a matter of urgency.

“Deploy security personnel to address the continuing and ongoing attacks by armed terrorists parading as herdsmen on communities in Kwande, Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State to flush out the herdsmen, stop the killings, and restore normalcy to the affected communities.

“Heighten surveillance and invest in surveillance technology and equipment to detect and prevent future attacks; review the security architecture in the area to forestall the continuous attacks.”

Punch

Pressure grows on Israel to open more aid routes into Gaza by land and sea as hunger spreads

Efforts to get desperately needed humanitarian aid to war-wracked northern Gaza gained momentum Wednesday with the European Union increasing pressure for the creation of a sea route from Cyprus to Gaza and British Foreign Minister David Cameron saying that Israel’s allies were losing patience.

While aid groups say all of Gaza is mired in a humanitarian crisis, the situation in the largely isolated north stands out. Many of the estimated 300,000 people still living there have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive. The U.N. says that one in six children under the age of 2 in the north suffers from acute malnutrition.

Amid the global pressure to alleviate the crisis, two Israeli officials said Wednesday the government will begin allowing aid to move directly from its territory into northern Gaza and will also cooperate with the creation of the sea route from Cyprus.

Israel would allow 20 to 30 aid trucks to enter northern Gaza from Israel on Friday, the start of more regular deliveries via that route, one of the officials said. It will also begin doing security checks Sunday on aid in Cyprus before it’s delivered via sea to Gaza, the official said. The ship will be part of a pilot project to test the feasibility of the sea route. The aid is UAE-funded and made possible with US involvement.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the upcoming shipments with the media.

Aid groups have said it has become nearly impossible to deliver supplies within most of Gaza because of the difficulty of coordinating with the Israeli military, the ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of public order. It is even more difficult to get aid to the north.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have to drive from the Rafah crossing with Egypt or the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, both on the southern edge of Gaza, through the conflict zone to reach the largely cut-off areas in the north.

Last week, an attempt by the Israeli military to facilitate the movement of aid ended in tragedy when more than 100 Palestinians were fatally shot by Israeli forces or trampled to death in a melee.

On Wednesday, hundreds of people ran along a seaside road on the outskirts of Gaza City to collect bags of flour and boxes of water and canned food donated by Turkey and Egypt and were part of a shipment trucked in from southern Gaza.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron met with Benny Gantz, a visiting member of Israel’s war Cabinet, and pressed him to increase the flow of aid into Gaza.

“We are still not seeing improvements on the ground. This must change,” Cameron said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

South Africa, which filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, asked the court Wednesday to order Israel to allow in aid “to address famine and starvation” in Gaza.

Meanwhile, European Union Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Cyprus on Friday to inspect installations at the port of Larnaca, from where aid would leave for Gaza if a sea route is established, Cypriot government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said.

EU spokesman Eric Mamer said the bloc is hopeful the corridor will open “very soon.”

Concerned by the lack of access to food, the United States, Jordan and other nations have begun making air drops of aid in recent days, but aid groups say only a fraction of the needed assistance can be delivered by air.

The war began with a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages. More than 100 of them were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

The attack sparked an Israeli invasion of the enclave of 2.3 million people. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Wednesday the Palestinian death toll from the war climbed to 30,717. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and maintains detailed casualty records. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tallies but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed.

Israel says it has killed over 13,000 Hamas fighters, without providing evidence.

Aid groups say the fighting has displaced most of the territory’s population and pushed a quarter of the population to the brink of famine.

Meanwhile, efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to start before the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a few days have so far borne no fruit. The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have worked on an agreement in which Hamas would release up to 40 hostages in return for a six-week cease-fire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and a major influx of aid to Gaza. Hamas has said it wants a full end to the war and Israeli forces’ withdrawal.

AP

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Zelensky’s convoy narrowly avoids Russian missile

A Russian missile nearly hit a convoy carrying Volodymyr Zelensky to a meeting with the Greek prime minister in Odesa.

The strike landed “very close” to the Ukrainian president’s motorcade in the southern port city, Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters.

A Greek official later said it exploded just 300 metres from the Ukrainian president.

“We saw this strike today,” Mr Zelensky told an open-air news conference outside the ruins of the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was partially reduced to rubble in a Russian missile attack last summer.

“You see who we’re dealing with. They don’t care where they strike. I know there were casualties today. I don’t know all the details yet, but I know there were casualties – dead and wounded.”

Neither leader nor any members of their entourages were injured in the attack, which local media reports suggested was carried out with Iskander or Onyx missiles.

The Ukrainian president added: “Please accept my condolences but you see that they don’t care if these are military, civilians or international guests.

“Whoever it is, these people don’t care. They’ve either lost their minds or they’re completely out of control of what their terrorist army is doing. That’s what we’re seeing.”

Mr Mitsotakis said: “When we heard some sirens and shortly afterwards when we were going to our cars we heard a big explosion.

“For us it is the best reminder that there is a real war going on here. Every day. Which does not only affect the front.

“We didn’t have time to go to a protected place, it’s a very impressive experience,” he added.

The sound of air raid sirens followed by the deafening blast were clearly audible from central Odesa on several video clips shared via social media of the impact of the missile.

In one clip, gasps could be heard from a church congregation as the blast interrupted their service.

A photograph showed a plume of smoke blocking out sunlight over the city.

Five people were killed in the Russian attack on port infrastructure, according to a report by Ukrainska Pravda, citing Dmitry Pletenchuk, a Ukrainian naval spokesman.

Sirens sounded across the wider Odesa region at 10.41am local time, with the explosion rocking the city shortly after. Ukraine’s air force declared a ballistic missile warning four minutes later.

It was not clear whether the attack was aimed at Mr Zelensky, who was visiting the port in Odesa at the time.

The Ukrainian president’s aides did not immediately respond to questions over the strike.

Mr Zelensky has been subjected to at least a dozen failed assassination attempts since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, according to Mikhail Podolyak, his senior adviser.

Russia has not shied away from attacking major Ukrainian cities while overseas dignitaries are visiting.

Notably, a barrage of Russian missiles were aimed at Kyiv as a delegation of African leaders arrived in the capital in the hope of brokering peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. 

Earlier this month, Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, cut her visit to the Ukrainian capital short after she was trailed by a Russian drone.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s president, condemned the latest strike as “vile”.

“No one is intimidated by this new attempt at terror – certainly not the two leaders on the ground nor the brave people of Ukraine,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Odesa is considered symbolic for Athens after waves of Greeks arrived in the city in the eighteenth century. The Society of Friends, a revolutionary movement, which aimed to free Greece from the Ottoman empire, was later founded there.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has pledged to help rebuild the city, described it as a “vital hub of Hellenism on the shores of the Black Sea”.

Russia later claimed it had hit a hangar housing Ukrainian naval drones. The defence ministry said in a statement: “The goal has been achieved. The target has been hit.” 

05:19 PM

That’s all for today

Thank you for tuning in to today’s live blog. We’ll be back tomorrow bringing you all the latest from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Key moments from today:

Germany has “no need to apologise” for the release of a video call that accidentally leaked details of British “troops on the ground” in Ukraine, the country’s ambassador to the UK has said.

Ukraine has unveiled a new sea drone capable of striking from a distance of more than 1,100km.

Britain is prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in the UK, Lord Cameron has said.

Russia is prepared to lose aircraft in order to continue its advance, a major think tank reported.

The West is “playing with fire” by discussing the idea of sending troops to Ukraine, Moscow has said.

A Russian Shahed drone attack on Sumy has left seven people injured, including a 10-year-old by, reports suggest.

A Ukrainian drone struck a Russian fuel and lubricants warehouse leaving it in flames.

Ukrainian shot down 38 out of 42 Russian drones launched overnight across eight regions of the country, the air force reported.

02:59 PM

Half of shells given to Russia by Kim Jong un are ‘duds’

Half of the 1.5 million artillery shells supplied to Russia by North Korea are duds, a Ukrainian intelligence chief has said.

The shells sent by Kim Jon-un to sustain Vladimir Putin’s war effort are more than half a century old and often do not work, Vadym Skibitsky, the deputy chief of Kyiv’s intelligence directorate, has said.

“As of today, taking into account the available statistics, Russia has already imported 1.5 million rounds of ammunition from the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea],” he told Ukrainian media. “However, these shells were made in the 70s and 80s. Half of them do not work and the rest need to be either repaired or checked before being used.

“[North Korea] gives away old stuff … ramps up the domestic production and asks for certain technologies in exchange, particularly missile and submarine technologies with the aim of developing its own defence industry. This proves once again that Russia lacks its own production capacity for a rapid and powerful increase in missile production. If it did not, why would it ask North Korea?”

South Korea’s defence minister warned last month that Pyongyang has sent millions of artillery shells to Russia since Kim Jong Un met with Putin at a summit last September.

02:15 PM

No apology needed for leaking British military secrets, says German ambassador

Germany has “no need to apologise” for the release of a video call that accidentally leaked details of British “troops on the ground” in Ukraine, the country’s ambassador to the UK has said. 

Miguel Berger said that the leak was “a Russian hybrid attack” that aimed to “destabilise the West”, and that some reactions helped to achieve Russia’s aims. 

“We have to be careful not to fall into the Russian trap of creating division and regrettably some media and some people have fallen into this trap,” he told the BBC’s Today programme. 

In the leaked video call, the head of the German air force said Britain has “a few people on the ground [operating] in reachback” – a military term that suggests units deployed deep into Ukraine.

Military experts warned that the revelations put British troops at risk, as their role on the ground was previously assumed to be limited.

Former British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has hit out at the leak, saying that the incident demonstrated Germany was “neither secure nor reliable”.

01:49 PM

Pictured: Ukraine unveils sea drones

Ukraine has unveiled a new sea drone capable of striking from a distance of more than 1,100km.

The Sea Baby drone, called “Avdiivka” was presented by Ukraine’s security service at an event in Kyiv.

“This is a drone with new, significantly improved seaworthiness and capabilities, which will definitely be able to deliver a payload of more than a ton,” Ukraine’s military counter-intelligence said.

Kyiv has gained the upper hand in the Black Sea in recent months, successfully deploying sea drones to wipe out Russia’s fleet. 

01:29 PM

Britain prepared to loan Ukraine frozen Russian assets, says Cameron

Britain is prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in the UK, Lord Cameron has said.

The British foreign secretary said the assets would be used as surety on the basis that Russia will be forced to pay reparations at the end of the war, the Guardian reported.

Lord Cameron’s comments go further than Europen Union proposals for Ukraine to be given windfall profits from Russian central bank assets held by the West – which are estimated at $4 billion.

“There is an opportunity to use something like a syndicated loan or a bond that effectively uses the frozen Russian assets as a surety to give that money to the Ukrianians knowing that we will recoup it when reparations are paid by Russia,” Lord Cameron told peers.

“That may be a better way of doing it. We are aiming for the maximum amount of G7 and EU unity on this but if we cannot get it I think we will have to move ahead with allies that want to take this action.”

It is the first time the foreign secretary has spoken open;y about details of the proposal, which may prove necessary to implement should US congress continue to delay extending vital aid to Ukraine.

12:55 PM

Russia willing to lose aircraft in order to advance, says think tank

Russia is prepared to lose aircraft in order to continue its advance, a major think tank reported.

Russia is continuing to conduct bombing raids despite having several aircraft shot down in recent weeks, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said.

Late last month, The Ukrainian military reported that Russia had lost a total of 11 jets in two weeks, worth nearly £1 billion. 

Russian Su-34 and Su-35 bombers are conducting more than a hundred raids per day in order to bomb Ukrainian positions, media reports suggest.

Meanwhile Russian forces have deployed “more aggressive” air support on the frontlines to aid their advances in eastern Ukraine, the New York Times reported.

“The Russian command may have decided that the positive effects generated by such air operations outweigh the costs associated with flying such missions,” the ISW said.

12:21 PM

Russia warns West is ‘playing with fire’

The West is “playing with fire” by discussing the idea of sending troops to Ukraine, Moscow has said.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said that Moscow is hearing “many contradictory statements” from the West about sending NATO troops to Ukraine and warned “they are all playing with fire.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said last month he could not rule out such a possibility, though other European NATO members and the United States said there were no such plans.

“The very fact of this discussion is dangerous,” said Mr Peskov, adding that a leaked recording of German officers discussing aid to Ukraine could lead to a “further degradation of the situation”, Russian state news agency Tass reported.

11:48 AM

Update: Seven injured in Russian drone strike, including 10-year-old boy

A Russian Shahed drone attack on Sumy has left seven people injured, including a 10-year-old by, reports suggest.

Three drone strikes across the city targeted apartments, a pre-school and 10 vehicles, leaving buildings in rubble.

“Seven people have sought medical assistance, including a 10-year-old boy,” regional officials said.

Elsewhere, a 63-year-old woman died as a result of shelling in Ocheretynsk, Donetsk.

The village came under fire at around 9.30am local time this morning, and the woman died on her way to hospital. 

11:36 AM

Moldova to sign security deal with France amid growing Russian threat

Moldova and France will sign a defence cooperation accord on Thursday as part of the West’s efforts to strengthen the former Soviet state’s capabilities amid increasing interference by Russia.

Moldova, a western neighbour of Ukraine, has a tiny defence budget and has long had tense relations with Moscow, which have worsened since Chisinau backed Ukraine in the war against Russia.

The French presidency said in a statement that defence and economic cooperation accords would be signed when President Emmanuel Macron meets his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu in Paris.

The agreement comes after Moldova’s intelligence agency warned that Russia will seek to destabilise the country as it prepares for a presidential election and a referendum on EU membership.

“The details point to strategies for 2024 and 2025 that involve supporting pro-Russian political actors with ties to intelligence services, organized crime groups, and Kremlin leadership,” Alexandru Musteata, the head of the Moldovan intelligence agency, said.

11:10 AM

Russia will destroy US jets in Ukraine, says Moscow

Russia will shoot down American plans in Ukraine, the Kremlin reported.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said that Russia will do everything to ensure that American plans that encroach on Russian territory “burn and crash”. This includes Ukraine, Reuters reported.

Mr Peskov added that that Russia is destroying and will continue to destroy American tanks in its special operations, and the same will happen with American aircraft.

10:49 AM

Nato threats ‘won’t go unanswered’, says Moscow

Russia has warned it will respond to threats made against it by Nato.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow had never wanted conflict with Nato, the US or Ukraine but that threats made against it “would not go unanswered”.

Her comments come after Emmanuel Macron, the French President, faced criticism from Nato and EU partners after he suggested it might be necessary to send ground troops to Ukraine.

Despite the looming threat of nuclear war should Russia continue its imperial expansion into Nato territory, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, poured cold water on the prospect today.

Mr Peskov described the “routinisation” of the topic of nuclear war in the West extremely dangerous, Tass, the Russian state news agency, reported.

10:14 AM

Ukrainian drones strikes Russian lubricant warehouse

A Ukrainian drone struck a Russian fuel and lubricants warehouse leaving it in flames on Wednesday morning.

The governor of Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, said that no one had been injured and that a fuel tank was on fire in the Kursk region, around 56 miles from the Ukrainian frontier.

Russian Telegram channels published video of a large fire and damage to a building at what they said was an ore refinery in the district, which is known for its iron mines.

Ukrainian attacks have repeatedly hit Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure in recent weeks, particularly in the Kursk region.

Ukrainian drones were also downed in Russia’s Belgorod and Voronezh regions, according to local authorities.

The drones downed over Voronezh had been trying to attack a military airbase and an oil depot, locals said.

09:33 AM

Kremlin dismisses ICC arrest warrants for officers

The Kremlin has said it does not recognise the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for two Russian officers over their actions in the Ukraine conflict.

“We are not participants” in the court’s founding treaty, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. “We don’t recognise this,” he added, referring to the arrest warrants issued on Tuesday.

09:18 AM

Ukraine in pictures

Here is a roundup of the latest photographs from the frontline Ukraine. 

08:51 AM

Power in Crimea cut off

Large areas of Crimea have had its power supply cut off after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks overnight. 

Locals reported hearing explosions and sounds of active air defence systems, according to the Odessa-based media outlet Dumskaya. 

The Moldavanka district and part of the city centre are without power.

08:26 AM

Putin’s spy chief scolds Macron for extremely dangerous remark on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign intelligence chief has said French President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to rule out sending European troops to fight Russian soldiers in Ukraine was extremely dangerous and irresponsible.

Mr Macron said last month that there was no consensus on sending European troops to fight in Ukraine but that nothing should be excluded, though the United States and other European members of the alliance have said there were no plans to do so.

Asked about Mr Macron’s remarks, Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the main successor to the KGB’s First Directorate foreign spying section, said they were deeply irresponsible.

“This shows the high degree of political irresponsibility of Europe’s leaders today, in this case, the president of France,” Naryshkin told state television in remarks on Tuesday. “These statements are extremely dangerous.”

“It is sad to see this, sad to observe and sad to understand that the ability of current elites in Europe and the North Atlantic to negotiate is at a very low level,” he said. “They more and more rarely demonstrate any common sense at all.”

08:00 AM

Ukrainian air defence downs 38 of 42 Russian drones

Ukrainian air defence shot down 38 out of 42 Russian drones launched overnight to target eight regions across the country, the air force said on Wednesday.

It is one of the largest Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian regions in the past several weeks.

The air force said the Shahed kamikaze drones were downed over the south, centre, west, and northeast of the country. Air alerts in some regions lasted for more than two hours.

Regional officials in Sumy in the northeast reported several drone hits in different parts of the city but gave no details on the damage or casualties.

In the Kharkiv region a school building was damaged in the attack and a power line was hit in the Dnipropetrovsk region, regional officials said.

Discover more from

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine plans new counteroffensive – ground forces commander

Ukraine plans to reorganize its troops and launch a new counteroffensive this year, the commander of the country’s ground forces has said.

Speaking to ICTV on Wednesday, Lieutenant General Aleksandr Pavlyuk said that the most pressing goal is to stop the Russian advances and to regroup Ukrainian units so that the battered forces could be pulled back from the front line and replenished. It would then allow to “create a strike group and carry out counter-strike actions.”

“I think we will stabilize the situation shortly,” Pavlyuk said, adding that the command is trying to “do everything possible to prepare the troops for more active actions, and to seize the initiative.”

The Ukrainian army has been losing ground in the Donbass where Russian forces seized the heavily fortified city of Avdeevka last month. The loss occurred amid Kiev’s worsening ammunition shortage and the delays in the deliveries of Western military aid.

Ukraine’s last major counteroffensive ended in a failure, resulting in heavy casualties and the destruction of many of the Western-supplies tanks and other hardware.

The much-anticipated operation began in June 2023 and effectively ground to a halt in the fall of that year, as Ukrainian armored units struggled to cross thick minefields and were ultimately not strong enough to break through Russian fortified positions. More than 166,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded during last year’s counteroffensive, according to the estimates by the Russian Defense Ministry.

Ukrainian war effort has been further hampered by the months of in-fighting in US Congress, with Republican legislators blocking the $61 billion worth of additional military aid.

The Telegraph/RT