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-Top News Afghanistan USA

US stresses necessity of direct talks with Taliban

Their history of human rights violations, particularly their treatment of women and girls, restrictions on education, and reintroduction of harsh punishments, has elicited widespread condemnation…reports Asian Lite News

The US State Department has defended its decision to engage in dialogue with the Taliban, asserting that such communication serves both Washington’s interests in Afghanistan and the broader regional context.

Vedant Patel, the department’s principal deputy spokesperson, emphasised that engaging with the Taliban not only advances US interests but also aligns with the welfare of the Afghan populace.

The Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces and the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government has prompted international scrutiny.

Their history of human rights violations, particularly their treatment of women and girls, restrictions on education, and reintroduction of harsh punishments, has elicited widespread condemnation.

Despite concerns that dialogue with the Taliban might confer legitimacy upon them, Patel underscored the necessity of direct communication.

He highlighted that engaging with the group enables the US to advocate for the immediate release of US nationals, including those wrongfully detained. Additionally, dialogue facilitates discussions on the Taliban’s commitments to counterterrorism efforts, with a continued focus on human rights.

ALSO READ-Humza Yousaf resigns as Scotland’s first minister

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-Top News UK News USA

Sunak offers full support to cops if students replicate US protests

Palestine Solidarity Campaign youth and student campaigns officer Stella Swain said: “All the protests so far have been completely peaceful…reports Asian Lite News

The prime minister’s spokesman has said police will “have our full support” if students in the UK try to replicate protests at US universities. More than 1,000 people have been arrested after pro-Palestinian protests on campuses across the US.

And this week, smaller but growing numbers of students have occupied several UK campuses. Students in cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds have set up tents outside university buildings. And protesters at Goldsmiths, University of London, have occupied the library.

One camp, at Warwick University, has been set up in the town’s piazza for a week. Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said: “We’ve always been clear that people have a right to peaceful and lawful protest – but clearly, people shouldn’t abuse that right to intimidate others, cause unnecessary disruption.”

Protest organisers said they want their universities to divest from Israel in response to its deadly military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign youth and student campaigns officer Stella Swain said: “All the protests so far have been completely peaceful.

“There is nothing to indicate that they wouldn’t be.”

And she hoped no politician, regardless of their views on the issue, would want to see police in the UK respond to protesters in the same way as officers in the US.

On Thursday, the Union of Jewish Students said the encampments were creating a “hostile and toxic atmosphere” on campuses.

“It is time that universities take their duty of care to Jewish students seriously,” it added.

But student protesters rejected this characterisation of the demonstrations, telling BBC News Jewish students were camping with them.

Samira, who asked for her surname to be withheld, said Jewish students were “very much a part of” the occupation at her university, Goldsmiths.

“I’m proud that there are Jewish students in the occupation with me and on the marches in central London with me,” she said, adding the pro-Palestinian movement supported “peace and justice”.

Manchester student Sam, who also asked for his surname to be withheld, said their occupation had been co-organised with Jewish students.

Students set up camp in Brunswick Park, near the university’s campus, on Wednesday.

UK universities have in general supported the students’ right to free speech and to protest. Goldsmiths said: “We recognise that people hold strong views over the war, and uphold their right to freely express themselves while being clear about the need to be respectful and within the law.”

It was “in dialogue with students over these issues” and was funding scholarships for Palestinian students.

ALSO READ-Local polls could determine Sunak’s fate

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-Top News India News USA

India Urges Indian student in US to Obey Local Laws

Indian students in US Univs increased by 19% in 2021-22: Report.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian students are enrolled in US colleges and universities in graduate and undergraduate courses. …reports Asian Lite News

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday urged Indian students enrolled in US colleges and universities to abide by local laws and regulations with regard to the ongoing protests that have swept across American institutions for higher education against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

There have been no reports yet of the involvement of Indian students in these protests and the ministry has also said no student or their family has contacted Indian missions for help.

“We expect all our citizens at home and abroad to respect local laws and regulations,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a news briefing in New Delhi in response to a question about protests at Columbia University.

“So far no Indian students or their families have contacted us for any assistance in regard to disciplinary action which has been taken for their participation in the protest,” he added.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian students are enrolled in US colleges and universities in graduate and undergraduate courses. Many of them desire to work after college and settle down here. They are unlikely to participate in protests or take part in an action that pits them against the law, which could jeopardize their future.

Protests have spread across US colleges and universities against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, with students demanding an end to US support for Israel and, as in the case of Columbia University, cutting with businesses and other entities with investments in Israel.

These protests have turned violent in many instances with students taking over parts of the university building as they did in Columbia. Police have arrested scores of students and are breaking up their encampments, as their tents pitched around the campuses are being called.

“Disclose, divest. We will not slow, we will not rest” is what protestors at Columbia University have been heard chanting. They want the university to divest in Israel and cut ties with companies that invest in Israel or have supported its war effort.

President Joe Biden addressed the violence in a speech from the White House saying that the freedom to protest must be accompanied by respect for the law. “Violent protest is not protected, peaceful protest is,” he said.

“It’s against the law if violence occurs. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations. None of this is a peaceful protest. Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest. It’s against the law. Dissent is essential to democracy. But dissent must never lead to disorder, or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education,” the US President said.

The US President also appealed for an end to anti-semitism and Islamophobia or discrimination against supporters of Palestine.

“There should be no place on any campus, no place in America, for anti-Semitism, or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s anti-semitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab-Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There’s no place for racism in America. It’s all wrong,” he said.

College authorities and law enforcement agencies have blamed some of the violence on outsiders joining student protestors. New York police found “professional agitators” among protestors at Columbia.

ALSO READ: US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged

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-Top News Politics USA

Trump blasts Biden in rare day on campaign trail

Donald Trump accused President Joe Biden of weaponizing the courts against him…reports Asian Lite News

Donald Trump used a break in his hush money trial to stage back-to-back appearances in two Midwestern battleground states Wednesday — but kept his legal woes front-and-center as he accused President Joe Biden of weaponizing the courts against him.

The former Republican president, who is running for a return to the White House, rallied supporters in Wisconsin and Michigan, among the most hotly contested states in his expected rematch with Democrat Biden in November.

The speeches featured all of Trump’s go-to set-pieces, from complaints about environmentally friendly household appliances to apocalyptic warnings of a looming world war — but his evening speech in Michigan was notable for its vitriol.

“Every single thing he touches turns to shit,” Trump said of Biden in a speech in Freeland, Michigan peppered with profane language about his criminal charges, his 2020 election defeat and his determination to win reelection in November.

Trump had already spoken in an afternoon rally in the Wisconsin town of Waukesha, where he railed against Biden’s handling of the economy and immigration.

In both appearances he accused Democrats of “executing” newborn babies as he turned to the deeply divisive issue of abortion rights, and in both he revived baseless claims that Biden is behind the 88 felony charges he is facing.

“I’ve got to do two of these things a day,” he told a sea of red hats at his Michigan rally.

“You know why? Because I’m in New York all the time with the Biden trial — a fake trial that all of the legal scholars say is a disgrace,” he said in Michigan.

Trump regularly claims that his indictments — three for alleged cheating in elections and one for hoarding classified documents — are being orchestrated as part of a political witch hunt, but never offers any evidence.

The 77-year-old tycoon used his rare day on the stump to project his preferred image as a confident, seasoned campaigner, far from the Manhattan courtroom where he is accused of covering up payments to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump is the first former US president to face criminal charges, and the trial appears to have annoyed him to no end.

For two weeks he has been sitting through long hours of witness testimony, visibly bored and angry at no-nonsense Judge Juan Merchan, who required him to be present — and then imposed a gag order prohibiting Trump from publicly attacking witnesses, jurors or court staff.

Before and after each day’s proceedings, Trump has been addressing journalists outside, venting about his legal problems, the US economy, his wife’s birthday and the “freezing” temperature inside the courtroom.

“He hates being there in court, where he is just another criminal defendant,” political expert Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia told AFP. “He has no control and is not in charge.”

Biden’s campaign has not missed a chance to bait his opponent over his legal troubles — referring to Trump as “Sleepy Don” after reports from the courtroom that the Republican was nodding off during the proceedings.

The nickname evoked the “Sleepy Joe” taunt Trump has long used for Biden.

Biden has advanced in the polls since March, with the two candidates now running neck and neck.

But Trump and his supporters hope to harness the media attention surrounding the trial to fire up his base, and push his message that Democrats are destroying the country through negligence on border security and poor economic stewardship.

In Waukesha, the former president accused Biden of being too passive on the pro-Palestinian student demonstrations that have convulsed college campuses nationwide, and of allowing the country to be “invaded” by migrant hordes.

Although Trump is energized by his campaign rallies, he had not held a single one since the start of his trial on April 15, with the only planned event canceled due to weather.

“I have come here today from New York City where I’m being forced to sit for days on end in a kangaroo courtroom with a corrupt and conflicted judge enduring a Biden Sideshow trial at the hands of a Marxist district attorney,” he complained in Michigan.

ALSO READ: Biden roasts Trump at correspondents’ dinner

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-Top News India News USA

Biden blames India, China, Japan’s economic woes on ‘xenophobia’

President Joe Biden remarked on Wednesday that the “xenophobia” observed from China to Japan and India is hindering their growth….reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that “xenophobia” from China to Japan and India is hobbling their growth, as he argued that migration has been good for the US economy.

“One of the reasons why our economy’s growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants,” Biden said at a Washington fundraising event for his 2024 re-election campaign and marking the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

“Why is China stalling so badly economically, why is Japan having trouble, why is Russia, why is India, because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants. Immigrants are what makes us strong.”

The International Monetary Fund forecast last month that each country would see its growth decelerate in 2024 from the year prior, ranging from 0.9 percent in highly developed Japan to 6.8 percent in emerging India.

They forecast that the United States would grow at 2.7 percent, slightly brisker than its 2.5 percent rate last year. Many economists attribute better-than-expected performance partly to a migrants expanding the country’s labor force.

Concern about irregular migration has become a top issue for many US voters ahead of November’s presidential election.

Biden, who has condemned the rhetoric of his Republican opponent Donald Trump as anti-immigrant, has worked to court broad economic and political relations with countries including Japan and India to counter China and Russia globally.

ALSO READ: Biden talks with leaders from Qatar, Egypt on Gaza truce

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-Top News Economy USA

US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged

The US Federal Reserve, in its latest monetary policy meeting, voted to leave the key interest rate unchanged at 5.25-5.50 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said a further interest rate hike from here is unlikely and the central bank is currently focused on its restrictive monetary policy stance.

“I think it’s unlikely that the next policy rate move will be a hike. I would say it’s unlikely. Our policy focus is on how long to keep the policy restrictive,” Powell told reporters at a post-monetary policy meeting press conference.

Asked what it would take to hike rates, in a hypothetical situation, Powell said, “We need to see persuasive evidence that our policy stance is not sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation down sustainably to 2 per cent.”

The US Federal Reserve, in its latest monetary policy meeting, voted to leave the key interest rate unchanged at 5.25-5.50 per cent, keeping the policy rate unchanged for the sixth straight time on the trot.

US Fed said it was prepared to maintain the current interest rate for “as long as appropriate” so as to align the inflation rate with its 2 per cent target.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest rates were near zero.

Raising interest rates is a monetary policy instrument that typically helps suppress demand in the economy, thereby helping the inflation rate decline.

“We have stated that we do not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range for the federal funds rate until we have gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent,” Powell said in his opening statement.

So far this year, Powell said the data has not given it that greater confidence.

“In particular, and as I noted earlier, readings on inflation have come in above expectations. It is likely that gaining such greater confidence will take longer than previously expected,” Powell added.

The US Fed Chair said that they know that reducing policy restraint too soon or too much could result in a reversal of the progress it has seen on the inflation front.

“At the same time, reducing policy restraint too late or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment,” he argued.

Consumer price inflation in the US continued to trend down, though it remained above 2 per cent, and it was a pain point for its central bank. In the 12 months through March, the inflation increased 3.5 per cent year-on-year, the highest in about 6 months. This followed a 3.2 per cent rise in February.

“Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated. In recent months, there has been a lack of further progress toward the Committee’s 2 percent inflation objective,” said the US central bank in its monetary policy statement.

US Fed seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 per cent over the longer run.

It does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the rate until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 per cent.

“The Committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2 per cent objective,” US Fed said.

Recently, rating agency Moody’s said it believes an interest rate cut during the US Federal Reserve’s June meeting is likely off the table given stubborn inflation in the country. This assertion by the global rating agency then came soon after the US reported more than-expected inflation figures in March. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Cops enter Columbia University, arrest protesters

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-Top News Politics USA

Protests Sweep US Universities, 282 Arrested

The NYPD reported as many as 282 arrests at Columbia University and the City College of New York, spanning from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning…reports Asian Lite News

Demonstrations reverberated across university campuses in the United States as tensions surrounding Israel’s military actions in Gaza intensified. The night was marked by widespread arrests in New York and a disturbing attack by counter-protesters in California.

In New York City, the NYPD reported as many as 282 arrests at Columbia University and the City College of New York, spanning from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. This crackdown unfolded as law enforcement cleared students who had occupied Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall since April 30.

Hamilton Hall, previously synonymous with activism during South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, gained a new moniker: “Hind’s Hall,” in memory of six-year-old Hind Rajab, tragically killed with her family by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Meghnad Bose, a student journalist at Columbia University, recounted witnessing the police intervention firsthand. “I saw firsthand how the police dispersed those protests, arrested them and sometimes got pretty aggressive in making sure the protesters went away,” he said.

Kaz Daughtry, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner of operations, in a post on X, highlighted Columbia University’s request for police assistance in reclaiming their campus. He said the police were “dispersing the unlawful encampment and persons barricaded inside of university buildings and restoring order”.

Meanwhile, at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), tensions escalated as pro-Israel counter-protesters clashed with pro-Palestine demonstrators. Witnesses reported attempts by the assailants to dismantle the pro-Palestine encampment, resorting to violence by hurling objects and wielding sticks.

Sergio Olmos, an investigative journalist reporting from UCLA, observed the chaotic scene as counter-protesters engaged in aggressive behaviour. He detailed their efforts to dismantle the pro-Palestine encampment, including throwing glass bottles and wielding sticks.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the escalating violence at UCLA at the university’s request, addressing multiple incidents of aggression within the encampment.

Despite the turmoil, the pro-Palestine encampment at UCLA persisted, with student protesters holding their ground against the attacks. Rob Reynolds, reporting from Los Angeles, highlighted the resilience of the demonstrators amid adversity.

The surge in protests across US campuses stemmed from heightened tensions following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7 and the prolonged Israeli military campaign in Gaza, resulting in staggering Palestinian casualties.

The recent wave of demonstrations gained momentum nearly two weeks prior, sparked by Columbia University President Minouche Shafik’s contentious testimony before a US congressional committee. Critics accused Shafik of prioritizing lawmakers’ interests over those of the university’s students.

Amid an array of demands, protesters called for divestment from Israel and companies associated with the conflict. They denounced administrators for allegedly exploiting public safety concerns and weaponising accusations of anti-Semitism to suppress dissent.

The wave of arrests extended beyond New York, with 14 protesters detained at Tulane University in New Orleans, alongside arrests at the University of South Florida and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The protests garnered international attention, with Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, condemning the violent police response at US universities. She decried the actions as reflective of a dystopian reality and called for an end to the ongoing genocide.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence at UCLA as abhorrent and inexcusable. New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended the police crackdown, attributing the protests at Columbia University to individuals unaffiliated with the institution.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) criticised both the NYPD and Columbia University for their handling of the situation. Stefanie Fox, the group’s executive director, drew parallels between the university’s current actions and its past oppression of student activism during the Vietnam War and South African apartheid era.

Meanwhile, dozens of faith, civil rights and progressive groups in the United States have expressed solidarity with university students protesting against US support for Israel amid the war on Gaza.

The groups – which include the Working Families Party, IfNotNow Movement, Sunrise Movement, Movement for Black Lives, and Gen-Z for Change – lauded the student protesters in a joint statement on Monday.

“We commend the students who are exercising their right to protest peacefully despite an overwhelming atmosphere of pressure, intimidation and retaliation, to raise awareness about Israel’s assault on Gaza – with US weapons and funding,” the organisations said.

“These students have come forth with clear demands that their universities divest from corporations profiting from Israeli occupation, and demanding safe environments for Palestinians across their campuses.”

The signatories also included the Arab American Institute, MPower Change Action Fund, Greenpeace USA and Justice Democrats.

The statement, backed by nearly 190 groups, highlights the growing progressive support for the campus protest movement as it enters its third week, despite crackdowns by university administrators and law enforcement agencies.

ALSO READ: Cops enter Columbia University, arrest protesters

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-Top News Arab News USA

Khamenei Condemns US Police Violence

Khamenei said the US behaviour was indicative of its “partnership and complicity” with Israel in the latter’s “horrific crimes and unforgivable sin”….reports Asian Lite News

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reaffirmed the condemnation of US support for Israel’s “crimes” in the Gaza Strip while commenting on the US Police’s violent behaviour against pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses.

He made the remarks in a meeting with a group of teachers and academics in the capital Tehran on the occasion of National Teachers’ Day, according to a statement published on Wednesday on his website.

Khamenei said the US behaviour was indicative of its “partnership and complicity” with Israel in the latter’s “horrific crimes and unforgivable sin”.

He highlighted the Gaza conflict as “the world’s first issue,” urging for more global pressure on Israel to stop its offensive in the Palestinian enclave, Xinhua news agency reported.

US media reported on Tuesday that over 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters had been arrested in recent days as the anti-war demonstrations continued at more than 20 American universities.

The pro-Palestinian rallies have spread to other academic centres across the world, including Europe, demanding an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Israel has launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

The current Palestinian-Israeli conflict has so far led to 34,568 deaths and 77,765 injuries, according to Gaza health authorities on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Iran Slams New Sanctions by US, UK, Canada

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-Top News Europe USA

\New US Sanctions Aim at Russia’s Weaponry Industry

The sanctions are also aimed at Russia’s production of chemical and biological weapons…reports Asian Lite News

The US government is targeting Russia’s weapons production with new sanctions, the US Treasury Department said.

Nearly 200 companies and 80 individuals in third countries such as China, Belgium, and Slovakia, which allegedly support Russia in the procurement of materials for its weapons programme, are affected, it added on Wednesday.

The sanctions are also aimed at Russia’s production of chemical and biological weapons.

“Today’s actions will further disrupt and degrade Russia’s war efforts by going after its military-industrial base and the evasion networks that help supply it,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

On Wednesday, the US State Department accused Moscow of using various irritant gases during its all-out war against Ukraine, which violates the United Nations’ Chemical Weapons Convention.

Three people who are reportedly linked to the death of Alexei Navalny are also being sanctioned. The Kremlin critic died in Russian custody in February.

Navalny, a long-standing and staunch opponent of Putin, died in a prison camp in the Arctic Circle in Siberia in February.

It has not been independently established whether the 47-year-old died naturally, as his death certificate says. However, his supporters say he was murdered.

As a result of the new sanctions, any assets of those affected in the US will be frozen.

US citizens or people who are in the US are prohibited from doing business with sanctioned companies and individuals.

The sanctions also make international business much more difficult for those affected.

ALSO READ: Turkey to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

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-Top News USA

Austin pushes for more Patriot systems to Ukraine

Austin emphasised ongoing efforts to engage these countries, personally reaching out to their leaders in recent weeks…reports Asian Lite News

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has been actively lobbying nations with Patriot missile systems to support Ukraine’s request for additional air defence batteries.

Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Austin emphasised ongoing efforts to engage these countries, personally reaching out to their leaders in recent weeks.

Although he didn’t specify the nations, several European Union members, including Spain, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, possess Patriot systems.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier urged NATO to provide at least seven more Patriot or similar advanced air defence systems to counter Russian airstrikes.

Meanwhile, at least two people have been killed by Russian missile attacks in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, while a further eight were injured, the Governor of the region, Oleh Kiper, said on Telegram.

Civilian infrastructure, including several residential buildings, was damaged.

Previously, the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is just over 30 kilometres from the Russian border, had been attacked with glide bombs, according to the authorities. Two civilians were injured in that attack. A multi-storey residential building was damaged.

Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for over two years. The Russian army fires missiles and drones at the major cities of Kharkiv and Odesa on an almost daily basis.

Earlier Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that when NATO allies fail to deliver weapons and ammunition to Ukraine on time, “Ukrainians are paying the price.”

“The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line,” Stoltenberg said in Kyiv, singling out the United States for Washington’s protracted process to send more military aid.

“European allies have not delivered the amount of ammunition they promised,” Stoltenberg added, referring to the European Union’s failure to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine in a year.

Secretary General Stoltenberg was speaking at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on an unannounced visit when he voiced his criticism.

“Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets,” Stoltenberg said.

“And the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces, and we see the consequences of that now,” he said.

Zelensky thanked the top NATO official for his support and stressed that he expected no further delays in the delivery of recently announced military aid.

Stoltenberg highlighted Spain’s decision to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. He said he expected further announcements of support for Ukraine to follow soon.

Germany on Monday announced that it has delivered an additional 10 Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and other defence equipment to Ukraine.

A second Skynex air defence system is also part of the package, as are almost 30,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard air defence tank and ammunition for the Iris-T system, the German government announced in Berlin.

The third Patriot air defence system promised in mid-April was not on the updated list of German military aid.

Russia has recently stepped up its airstrikes on Ukraine with missiles, cruise missiles, drones and glide bombs.

Russia says it intercepted US-made missiles

Russia reported on Tuesday that it had intercepted and brought down six tactical missiles supplied by the US to Ukraine.

Officials in Crimea, annexed by Russia, claimed that some of these missiles were downed over the Black Sea peninsula.

The US had been providing arms to Ukraine, which has been requesting more potent weaponry for months to counter advancing Russian forces.

The Russian defense ministry stated that they had neutralized six Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) rockets within the past 24 hours, without disclosing the exact locations of interception.

Sergei Aksyonov, the pro-Russian leader in Crimea, specified that one missile was taken down in the village of Donskoye near Simferopol, cautioning residents about the scattered submunitions.

He shared an image of a component he claimed was from the destroyed missile, urging people not to approach any remnants but to alert emergency services.

There was no indication from Russia regarding any damage caused by the intercepted missiles in Crimea.

Despite previous attacks by Ukraine on Crimea, no immediate response was issued by Ukrainian authorities regarding this incident.

The US had acknowledged sending ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in February, and Ukrainian forces are anticipating the delivery of additional US weapons, approved by President Joe Biden after prolonged political disputes in Congress.

ALSO READ: Austin lauds India ties, calls jet engine deal revolutionary