NEWCASTLE — Bruce Martin Lutsk was born on May 2 1942 and died peacefully due to medical complications on January 22 He was the son of Bertha and Nathaniel Lutsk (both deceased) where he spent his formative years with his sister Barby Lutsk (deceased) Bruce was a proud graduate of Bowdoin College (1964) where he made lifelong friends and remained very active in alumni affairs throughout his life He served as a Signal Corps Officer in the U.S Army for two years and was stationed in Korea and at the Pentagon Bruce moved to Connecticut with his former wife in 1970 where he taught at the University of Hartford for four years and served as assistant director of the University’s National Teacher Corps Program Bruce began his law career in 1974 and practiced with the Hartford Connecticut firm of Reid and Riege for over 30 years Maine with his wife Jane (Rankin) Lutsk in 2005 Bruce had a long history of service to many organizations including his beloved Bowdoin College Bruce was a dedicated friend to many and loved his life in Maine He was a man of intelligence and integrity and lived a life aligned with his values Bruce was a caring and compassionate husband to Jane Lutsk for 25 years He was a proud father to Wyatt Lutsk and Laura Newsom and was devoted to Patrick Rankin and Annie Pathik (Jane’s children) He had immeasurable love and pride for his grandchildren Brynn and Lucas Newsom and Jackson Monz; daughter-in-law Heather Rankin; and his sons-in-law Jeffrey Newsom and Christopher Monz There will be a remembrance of Bruce in the near future. If you would like to be notified when the date is set, please contact Annie Pathik at aepathik@gmail.com Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hall's of Waldoboro. To share a story or condolence with the Lutsk family, please visit Bruce's Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com  Thanks to our readers and especially our supporters who help to keep PenBayPilot.com an open and accessible community hub Your support is even more critical during rapidly changing times While we work hard to keep you informed about the Midcoast community We are grateful to those who already participate Join for as little as $2.99 per month and support local journalism on a community hub that serves everyone X You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Will StewartPublished: Invalid Date UKRAINE'S first F-16 fighter jet pilot is believed to have been killed in a Russian airbase strike Lieutenant colonel Oleksii "Moonfish" Mes, 31, had raced to become a fully-trained fighter pilot as the American-made jets were made available for combat But just hours after Kyiv confirmed it had used the fighting falcons for the first time in the war Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk said on social media he died "while performing a combat mission to protect the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine" Russian sources said he was struck in a bombardment on a Ukrainian air base on August 26 It's not clear whether he was at the controls of the aircraft or simply at a command post possibly due to the sensitivity over the highly-anticipated launch of the F-16 program Vlad's defence ministry had said it carried out strikes on airfields in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk that same day amid reports of more blows on other regions. A Kremlin newspaper claimed: "One of the first Ukrainian F-16 pilots, Lt-Col of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksii Mes, has died. "This occurred on 26 August, when Russian military forces carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian Armed Forces infrastructure targets in western Ukraine. Moonfish last year appeared on CNN discussing a race against the clock to learn how to fly the multi-faceted fighters as the US ticked them off for battle he was only in his second month of training “It’s a very good weapon that can carry out any mission.” “We would have had a lot of time to study the jet completely in peacetime F-16s were highly sought after by Ukraine for their capacity to take out ground targets intercept missiles and take on enemy planes in dogfights They are the most sophisticated American-supplied weapon for the war so far But there have been concerns over whether Ukraine could train up enough pilots in time to effectively deploy them Moonfish had hoped a squadron of seasoned pilots would deter Putin's army from attempting to advance He said: "We must build proper air power with Western jets and effectively trained staff "This will be the biggest deterrent – so that 24 February (the full-scale invasion) doesn’t happen again.” Vlad is reportedly offering huge cash incentives - as much as £124,000 - for troops to take down the Western aircraft It doesn't appear as though Moonfish was in the air when struck The jets this week soared to the skies to intercept Russian rockets and drones after two days of devastating bombardments Moscow unleashed more than 300 missiles and drones Iranian Shahed one-way attack drones and submarine launched Kalibr cruise missiles The Russian attacks since Sunday were one of the biggest bombardments of the war and caused “significant damage” to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure Ukraine’s President Zelensky revealed: “We shot down some missiles with the help of F-16s.” US Senator Lindsey Graham earlier in August proposed Ukraine going on a recruiting drive for retired NATO pilots he suggested Kyiv could use mercenaries until their own pilots were skilled He said: "They will look for ready retired pilots among NATO countries to help them until they train their own pilots If you're a retired F-16 pilot looking for an opportunity to fight for freedom Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Russian troops shelled Lutsk on November 28. Several strikes were recorded in the city, and there are power outages, according to Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk. “Russia struck Lutsk with several missiles we have no right to say where exactly Russia hit,” he said power outages are being recorded in part of the city We are working with the carriers to cover the number of passengers transported by electric buses We are connecting critical infrastructure to alternative energy sources,” said the mayor schoolchildren studying in the first shift have been transferred to distance learning Russian troops again launched a combined attack on Ukraine's energy sector Russians attacked the infrastructure of Shostka, Sumy region emergency blackouts were introduced in Kyiv This is the second massive attack on Ukraine's energy sector in November. Before that, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine on November 17. Power generation and transmission facilities came under fire and suffered casualties. they trained amid regular Russian air strikes that have ravaged critical infrastructure and plunged cities across Ukraine into darkness.Athletes from Russia and Belarus which allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch its February 2022 invasion are participating in the Games only as neutrals barred from singing anthems or displaying flags and emblems.Ukrainian sports authorities in May released recommendations for its athletes on avoiding contact with competitors from the two neighbouring countries.'I CAN'T LEAVE MY BROTHERS'Hulenkov had been a judo standout for years in Lutsk He was a silver medallist at the Ukrainian under-18 Championship in 2017 and claimed third at the 2019 Junior European Cup in Cluj-Napoca among other honours."He was very talented and he had his own kind of technique," said Vadym Chernov who dedicated his bronze medal at the European Open in Tallinn earlier this month to Hulenkov posting a photograph on Instagram holding up his friend's judo name tag.Before the war Hulenkov had been competing for a spot on Ukraine's national team That goal seemed within reach until he was sent to patrol the Belarusian border after the invasion Early last year he was dispatched to the battle zone in eastern Ukraine.Chernov told Reuters he had tried to convince Hulenkov to apply for leave from the military to attend the Ukraine Cup and went missing just weeks before the tournament 'I can't leave my brothers'," Chernov said adding that he now carries Hulenkov's name tag with him to judo events."For me it's a reminder that he's always...travelling with me to competitions."Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Thomas Peter; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Peter Graff Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Despite the war, the city of Lutsk in Western Ukraine is being transformed into a hub for creativity, forming Ukraine’s largest street culture platform. The aim is to create intellectual and creative community, a birthplace for new ideas, writes Ivanna Shuba from the organisation Algorytm in Lutsk Lutsk is a city of 200,000 in northwestern Ukraine Though it is relatively safe compared to war zones This is the story of the people who believe in Ukraine’s victory and create Imagine walking down Lutsk’s beautiful central pedestrian street Instead of children’s laughter and bustling crowds This hum comes from generators providing electricity to shops and offices during nationwide power outages lasting up to 13 hours a day The streets come alive with music and singing when the generators fall silent many holding cardboard signs reading ”На ЗСУ” (”Racing For Army” – eng.) entertain passers-by Children sell bracelets and other handmade crafts often sending money directly to charity accounts These street activities are an additional way to raise funds the city continues to thrive and even develop the region has welcomed about 70,000 internally displaced persons Thousands of native residents who had previously moved to larger cities for better job opportunities have also returned Many of these returnees are professionals in tech fields So Lutsk boasts substantial intellectual resources. The main challenge is retaining them. That is why local entrepreneurs and active citizens have united under the Algorytm platform and initiated the Creative Industries Development Centre ”Abo Abo.”  They conducted a comprehensive study of the city and chose a central location for ”Abo Abo.” Housed in a renovated building the event hall is located within the shelter we have held many meetings and events to support local businesses and assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) This means we often have to stop meetings or events to go to the shelter sometimes as frequently as 3–10 times per day we hope that many important events will continue without interruptions allowing us to better support those in need Though the building is still under renovation agreements are already in place with future residents of the creative hub The visionaries behind ”Abo Abo” aim for it to become the heart of an intellectual and creative community Its mission is to be Ukraine’s think-tank To get an idea of ”Abo Abo” residents and ultimately drive the region’s sustainable development it boosts the local GDP and thus positively contributes to the Ukrainian economy.  as the war is leading to an increase in the number of people with disabilities Providing employment opportunities for them is one of the centre’s goals.  it has a significant mission: to shape cultural identity and draw global attention to the uniqueness of Ukrainian culture.  Despite the uncertainty of tomorrow and the constant threat of missile strikes toward a brighter future for their city and their country Global Bar Magazine följer utvecklingen i världen Du får våra senaste rapporteringar direkt i din inkorg Dina uppgifter används endast för att ge dig nyheter från Global Bar Magazine och Global Bar Du kan avbryta din prenumeration genom att klicka på unsubscribe-länken i sidfoten på nyhetsbrevet We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. Ges ut avGlobala Nyheter Sweden ABThe Works, plan 7Medborgarplatsen 25118 72 Stockholm Ansvarig utgivare: David IsakssonTel: 08-791 10 00info@globalbar.sePrenumerationer:prenumeration@globalbar.seAnnonser:annonsera@globalbar.se marking the region's first such facility17 October 4:53 PM EESTThe Recruitment Center of the Ukrainian Army was opened in Lutsk This is the pioneering center in the Volyn region and the 43rd one throughout Ukraine individuals have the opportunity to voluntarily join the Defence Forces at the following address: 35 Lesia Ukrainka Street People can also obtain professional counsel from non-military specialists through phone calls: +38 (098) 834 0701 “The inhabitants of the community have confidence in the expertise of the Administrative Services Center (ASC) professionals in Lutsk we strongly believe that individuals will seek out the Recruitment Center for valuable consultations that inspire them to enlist in the Defense Forces and protect our homeland,” said Viktoriia Levchuk Deputy Head of the Volyn Region State Administration The Center's operating hours are from 8:00 to 17:00 on Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 to 15:00 PM on Friday Any individual has the opportunity to seek a consultation Qualified non-military recruiters will assist in selecting a specialty and service location based on individuals’ civilian experience and personal preferences “We want people to know that government agencies are receptive to their preferences was established following a proposal by the Ministry of Defence to streamline the recruitment process and provide more effective support to our Armed Forces,” said Iryna Chebeliuk Over 21 000 individuals have already contacted the network of Recruitment Centers of the Ukrainian Army “Reaching out to a recruiting center does not impose any commitments for individuals It is a resource hub where you can gather information and seek assistance for yourself or your loved ones We encourage you to visit us in person or reach out via phone for a consultation,” said Oleksii Bezhevets recruitment officer for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence He also reminded that volunteers can be directly mobilized into the brigades without going through enlistment offices Recruitment Centers also offer this procedure For further details on the contact information for the recruitment center network of the Ukrainian Army, please visit. https://recruiting.mod.gov.ua/ BETAThe functionality works in the mode of experimental operation A blog of the Kennan Institute cylindrical metal hangar—what Americans call a “Quonset hut”— stands in a tattered industrial yard near rail lines in the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk The forlorn temporary building has become the site of much coming and going since the Russians invaded Ukraine on February 24 About 60 miles (100 km) from the Polish border and twice that from the Belarusian one the hangar is well positioned to support recruits and store supplies gathered to be shipped off in a rail yard once used by both the Nazis and the Soviets to gather those dispatched to death camps in the west and the GULAG to the east the building rectifies this dark past by serving as a hub for Ukrainians volunteering to defend their country These logistical advantages are also why its proprietor—the experimental GaRmYdEr (Garmyder) theater—has found the hangar so agreeable. Ruslana and Pavlo Porytski established their company two decades ago to create a theater which embraces a little of this and a little of that to speak to the surrounding community space without order.” The hangar became home base for their artistry several years ago the building seemed a sweetly benign gathering spot for theatergoers children attending their first performances Such peacetime activities exemplify the reasons why so many Ukrainians believe that this war is worth fighting The Porytskis created the Garmyder Theater in 2003, while students at Lutsk’s Volyn State University Ruslana researched the role of theater in education and community building approached the power of theater from the stage They found common ground studying Lesya Ukrainka’s poetic play Forest Song and joined forces to establish an experimental company that would meld classical performance with contemporary multimedia tools such as 3D visualizations by staging readings of his works at an unfinished high-rise building there were immersive events based on his poems and his life Starting out on small chamber stages at the university, and moving to a local House of Culture , the Porytskis attracted enthusiastic collaborators the troupe had grown into a self-managing company of some 50 actors The group became a cherished community resource expanding its activities to include a vibrant children’s training program at the theater studio-workshop which can seat 120 people for theater and up to 230 for concerts is a flexible and open space that can be reconfigured easily to serve the company’s multiple purposes has become a partner in these various ventures Garmyder artists also take their performances into the community and travel to festivals abroad they have promoted theater to revitalize Lutsk as an open and tolerant community they have joined forces with progressive theaters from Kharkiv thus bringing east and west Ukraine together through artistic expression Group discussions often follow Garmyder shows The theater’s active community outreach has helped nurture a shared sense of belonging in a city that has suffered from a long history of exclusion and conflict The city’s troubled history and modest size encouraged the Porytskis and their colleagues to mobilize the arts to support community building Volyn State University was founded as a teachers’ college in 1940 The school attained university status following Ukrainian independence and has been elevated to the rank of a national university Its growing presence in the city—as exemplified by the Portytskis—cultivates a broader arts community at the outset of the war in Ukraine’s east the Porytskis responded by using their organization to investigate the role of theater in times of war They have continued doing that all this years even as war has flared up on a new scale this year I asked myself: ‘Has our theater done enough to understand social processes talk about the threat...?’ We often talked about these topics from the stage but when this collapse happened on February 24 that we were not decisive and categorical enough in our statements How should it talk about the war so as not to injure What else [is there] to talk about with the viewer We are exploring a new way of interacting with the public We cannot simply resume the repertoire after a break and pretend that nothing happened.” The Russian invasion earlier this year accelerated Garmyder’s plans for further community engagement In addition to supporting the current war effort the Porytskis and their colleagues have already started planning for a post-war Ukraine Their company is contemplating how the various lessons learned from building community can provide art therapy for those who return from combat the activist community theater developed by the Garmyder company will be fundamental to Lutsk’s success moving forward The opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Kennan Institute Kent City Council President Bill Boyce (far left) Ukraine Councilmember Roman Kravchuk and Honorary Consulate Gen Valeriy Goloborodko sign an agreement June 2 to pursue a sister city relationship © 2025, Kent Reporter + Sound Publishing, Inc. + Black Press Media  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:37 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce."  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin The number includes 1,430 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21 A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition by Daria ShulzhenkoPresident Volodymyr Zelensky and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda commemorate the victims of the Volyn Massacre in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk on July 9 (President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram)On July 9 President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda commemorated the victims of the 1943 Volyn (Volhynia) Massacre during their surprise visit to Lutsk a regional capital in northwestern Ukraine "Together, we honor all the innocent victims of Volyn (Massacre). Memory unites us! Together we are stronger!" Zelensky wrote on Telegram The members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) the military wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists massacred thousands of Poles throughout Volhynia in Nazi-occupied Poland — an area that is now part of western Ukraine — in the spring and summer of 1943 some Ukrainians were also killed by Poles in retaliation director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University estimates that the number of Ukrainians killed may vary between 15,000 and 30,000 while the estimates for the Polish victims vary between 60,000 and 90,000 Poland's Parliament recognized the killings as genocide Earlier on June 28, Duda also made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky Daria Shulzhenko is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent She has been a lifestyle reporter at the Kyiv Post until November 2021 She graduated from Kyiv International University with a bachelor’s in linguistics specializing in translation from English and German languages She has previously worked as a freelance writer and researcher "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said 15 and that the three people killed were its workers SKF's spokesperson Carl Bjernstam said the company was assessing the damage to the factory but that the primary focus was on the safety of its employees which is a major global manufacturer of bearings and seals The majority of its Ukrainian workforce is employed by the Lutsk factory Lutsk and Lviv oblasts were two western regions hit in a mass missile attack in the early morning of Aug Lutsk is located approximately 85 kilometers east of the border with Poland An industrial enterprise in Ukraine’s eastern city of Dnipro was also hit in the attack, causing a fire covering over 800 square meters, the regional governor Serhii Lysak reported on Aug As of 3 p.m. local time, the attack killed three people and wounded 27, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Aug Civilian facilities in eight Ukrainian regions were damaged, including residential buildings, educational institutions, and a hospital, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal by Olena GoncharovaRussia's missile attack overnight on Aug. 15 targeted Ukraine's Lviv Oblast, damaging and destroying dozens of buildings. Photo: Maksym Kozytskyi/Telegram Volyn Oblast Governor Yurii Pohuliaiko said three people were killed in Russia's attack on western Ukrainian city of Lutsk Pohuliaiko reported earlier that at least two people were injured when a missile hit an industrial plant in the city in the morning of Aug Lutsk is located 85 kilometers east of Ukraine's border with Poland Following the missile attack that targeted western Ukraine's oblasts, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said "a few rockets were downed" but several residential buildings were hit as well as a backyard of a local kindergarten Four people have been receiving medical treatment Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 28 missiles at Ukraine overnight on Aug At least 16 Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles were downed by Ukraine's air defense Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018 Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia the delegation of Lutsk City Council visited Brussels (Belgium) for a working trip in order to participate in the second conference of the Network for Democratic Resilience organized by the Swedish International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD) Head of International Cooperation and Project Activities Department Head of Youth Policy Division of Youth and Sports Department The event was organized with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) The conference gathered over 80 participants from 13 Ukrainian and 13 Swedish municipalities other Ukrainian cities represented at the event included Poltava The conference featured 13 project ideas that are planned to be implemented as part of a partnership between Ukrainian and Swedish communities Among them is a project by Lutsk and the Piteå municipality aimed at developing the civic competencies of young people through formal and non-formal education The program of the event also included study visits to the European Parliament and the European Commission where participants learned about the functioning of key EU institutions EU policy on enlargement and integration of new members and the "Ukraine Facility" which is a financial instrument to support Ukraine participants also had the opportunity to listen to lectures on transparency and accountability in communities and speeches by representatives of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) The conference became a platform for exchanging experiences on cooperation between Swedish and Ukrainian communities and obtaining a better understanding of the values and policies of the European Union Airfields far from the main areas of war hit while convoy near Kyiv seems to have dispersed into firing positions Russian airstrikes hit three cities in Ukraine on Friday – including two in the country’s west – as the scope of its military offensive widened The raids hit airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk and residential buildings in the strategically important city of Dnipro The air raids came as new satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showed that a 40-mile convoy that had been approaching the Ukrainian capital had dispersed as tanks and artillery moved to what appeared to be firing positions to the north-west of the city 1:52Explosions captured on video as airstrikes hit military airport in Lutsk – videoThe Ukrainian military said Russia was trying to “block” Kyiv by taking out defences to the west and north of the capital, adding that there was also a risk to Brovary on the east. half the population of the metropolitan area “Even people who in their lives never intended to change their clothes now they are in uniform with machine guns in their hands.” Ukrainian soldiers described fierce fighting for control of the main highway leading into the capital while missile strikes were reported hitting Velyka Dymerka just outside Kyiv’s city limits a 38-year-old who works in advertising sales Despite heavy losses of personnel and equipment in the third week of Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine – in which cities have been placed under siege and subjected to bombardment – Vladimir Putin’s forces were pushing ahead with their campaign said Russia used high-precision long-range weapons on Friday to put military airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk “out of action” The airstrike on the Lutsk military airfield early on Friday left two members of the Ukrainian forces dead and six people wounded according to the head of the surrounding Volyn region Images of the aftermath showed what appeared to be a massive explosion that set fire to what looked like fuel storage tanks and cratered the runway Lutsk residents said they were woken at 6.45am on Friday when four Russian rockets hit the city’s military aerodrome We had been living in Kharkiv and left the city last week The Russians bombard Kharkiv 100 times a day The strikes also targeted an airport near Ivano-Frankivsk where residents were ordered to shelters after an air raid alert Three Russian airstrikes also hit the eastern industrial city of Dnipro early on Friday according to the Ukrainian interior ministry adviser leaving a shoe factory completely destroyed and breaking the windows on a nearby kindergarten People set up a barrier of sandbags in downtown Kyiv as an expert said the Russian convoy was trying to encircle the capital Photograph: Zurab Kurtsikidze/EPAThe new wave of strikes came as clear skies on Friday made Russian air operations easier Despite claiming to have “neutralised” the Ukrainian air forces and air defences in the first few days of the war in the last week Russia has hit Ukrainian airforce sites a number of times including striking an airfield in Vinnytsia – the city that is the headquarters of the Ukrainian airforce – with eight cruise missiles in a single attack The focus on Ukraine’s air assets appears to be part of a continuing effort by Russia to gain uncontested control of the air but which would allow more air support to forces on the ground The latest strikes came amid contradictory assessments of Russian progress around Kyiv with the Ukraine general staff saying the Russian advance had been halted and the Pentagon suggesting that it had moved forward about 3 miles in the north-west The satellite photos of Russian concentrations around Kyiv appeared to show a massive convoy previously detected outside the Ukrainian capital had fanned out into towns and forests near the city with artillery pieces raised for firing A US defence official speaking on condition of anonymity said Russian forces moving toward Kyiv had advanced about 3 miles (5km) in the past 24 hours with some elements as close as about nine miles from the city It appeared the convoy forces were moving west around the city a research fellow at British defence thinktank the Royal United Services Institute to be able to close off on the south,” he told BBC radio He added they were likely preparing for a “siege rather than assault” on Kyiv because of continuing low morale and logistical problems While a move to a more static approach of shelling Kyiv from outside might be less costly for Russian forces in the first instance The Ukrainian use of Turkish-supplied combat drones has been effective against Russian vehicles and more static positions would be vulnerable to other Ukrainian aircraft perhaps explaining the recent stepped up effort to knock Ukrainian airfields Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) is a non-governmental non-profit organization that unites National SAMBO Federations FIAS is the only internationally recognized organization responsible for the development of SAMBO worldwide The FIAS website regularly features SAMBO news as well as SAMBO videos and photos from SAMBO competitions It also includes the official competition calendar of the International SAMBO Federation and other documents regulating tournaments in Sport SAMBO Aleksandra Shchebet takes a selfie in a warehouse in Lutsk where she spends long days packing up donated food and medical supplies fled the bombing but stayed in Ukraine to help by offering consultations online and on the phone as well as volunteering in the warehouse Before the sun came up on the morning of Feb Aleksandra Shchebet woke to the sound of explosions some 25 miles away from her home in Kyiv "Did you hear Putin started war?" Shchebet was incredulous "It took me a few hours to realize it's not a joke it's not a bad movie and I'm in it already," she says Shchebet and a friend who lived next door went to a bomb shelter Shchebet realized she needed to evacuate the city she left behind all she owned and drove west in two cars with her grandmother a city in northwest Ukraine near Poland and Belarus that seemed far from the frontlines They found an apartment to rent and that's where they stayed She helped treat chronic headaches and back pain and also practiced as a psychotherapist Shchebet worked as a neurologist and ran her own private practice so she started offering medical consultations online or over the phone she got a distressing call from a young woman whose grandmother was having trouble talking and wasn't able to swallow or move her left arm or leg Shchebet recognized the symptoms as an acute stroke of the brainstem She learned that this woman's grandmother was in a bomb shelter in Kyiv where she couldn't receive proper medical attention "And I didn't know what to say," says Shchebet So she told her there wasn't really anything to do except wait for the bombing to stop call an ambulance and try to get to a hospital "So I suppose she will be dead in a few hours," she remembers thinking This woman's grandmother did end up passing away in her sleep "I'm not saying I'm depressed," says Shchebet she spends 14 hours a day at a cold concrete warehouse in Lutsk where she sorts counts and packs up food and medical supplies donated by a volunteer group outside the country The boxes are loaded onto trucks that drive them deeper into Ukraine "I know this medication will go to [a] Kyiv hospital to the surgery department," she says "And I know the sewing kit will be used by a surgeon Alexksandra Shchebet surveys a warehouse in Lutsk where she volunteers to sort and package food and medical supplies for distribution deeper into Ukraine.) Shchebet has tried to keep in touch with her friends and colleagues elsewhere in the country She recently learned that two surgeons she knew were killed in Chernihiv They were performing surgery when a bomb landed in the middle of the operating room she's acutely aware that this war will lead to numerous and lasting cases of PTSD and depression Her sister and little nephew may evacuate to Poland I hope the war will end as soon as possible." Instead of days Shchebet says it's felt like 10 years to her since the attack began "We will survive and we will build a new country very soon," she says Aleksandra Shchebet holds one of the letters sent along with food and medical supplies donated to Ukraine There's something else Shchebet is sending toward the battlefront — letters from people outside the country They come nestled among all the survival and medical supplies "We are receiving a lot of letters of love," she explains tucked in alongside drugs to prevent hemorrhaging And it's melting my heart.," Shchebet says Become an NPR sponsor The official launch of the project “Wild life in a big city: protection and promotion of wild nature and biodiversity in Lutsk and Rzeszów” under the Interreg NEXT Poland - Ukraine 2021-2027 Program in which participated representatives of Rzeszów and 8-person delegation from Lutsk At the beginning of the meeting there was a welcome to the participants and a presentation of the main objectives of the project which aims to protect and promote wildlife and biodiversity in urban ecosystems the participants had the opportunity to listen to a presentation on the planned activities in Rzeszów and Lutsk and the creation of green spaces that promote the development of wild flora and fauna This was followed by a press conference with the participation of Krystyna Stachowska Deputy Mayor of Rzeszów Aleksandra Wąsowicz Duch Director of the Board of Urban Greenery in Rzeszów and Agata Szpiech Head of the Climate and Environment Branch in the Climate and Environment Department of the Rzeszów City Hall the findings were summarized and the next steps in the project were presented The authorities of both cities stressed the great importance of the project for Rzeszów Participants left the meeting with a sense of common purpose and motivation to act to protect wildlife workshops were held in which employees of the Department of Climate and Environment the Board of Urban Greenery in Rzeszów and an 8-person delegation from Lutsk took part Workshop participants shared their knowledge about local flora and fauna encouraging residents to actively participate in nature conservation and building environmental awareness among children and young people the findings were summarized and the next steps were planned The meeting ended with a fruitful discussion which will contribute to further cooperation within the framework of the project.  The project “Wild life in a big city: protection and promotion of wild nature and biodiversity in Lutsk and Rzeszów” is co-financed by the European Union and implemented within the framework of the Interreg NEXT Poland - Ukraine Programme 2021-2027 Donate An attack on the oil depot was anticipated following an attack on an airbase near Lutsk on the 11th March 2022 The oil depot was reportedly struck by missiles at 22:00 local time on the 27th March residents of eastwards towns including Sapohove and Borokhiv were likely to have been impacted Different sources have speculated about whether the depot was targeted alongside food warehouses as part of an ‘economic war’ to starve Ukraine of key resources or as a military target – i.e under the assumption the fuel may have been useful to the defending Ukrainian forces Ukraine conflict environmental briefing: Fossil fuel infrastructure | CEOBS and Zoï Environment Network Return to the country map here © 2025 Conflict and Environment Observatory | Charity No: 1174115 | Design by Open & Honest On 5-7 July 2024, the city of Chełm (Republic of Poland) held official events to celebrate the City Days. At the invitation of President of Chełm Jakub Banaszek, a delegation from Lutsk City Council attended the event. The delegation included Head of the General Department Nadiya Bortnik, Head of the Service for Children Fedir Shulgan, and Chief Specialist of Project Activities Division of International Cooperation and Project Activities Department Anastasiia Klushyna. The official events started at the Maria Paulina Orsetti Public Library in Chełm. During the City Days celebration, the audience was addressed with welcoming speeches by Deputy Mayors of Chełm Radosław Wnuk and Dorota Cieslik, newly elected Secretary of Chełm City Council Dorota Rybachuk, Deputy Secretary of Chełm City Council Malgorzata Sokół, as well as Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Chełm Stanisław Adamiak and Consul General of Ukraine in Lublin Oleh Kuts. During the official opening of the Chełm Days, the President of Chełm Jakub Banaszek, expressed his gratitude to the delegations from partner cities for their arrival, especially those from countries currently facing war. He noted that their visit is very important for Chełm. In turn, the representatives of partner cities greeted the residents of Chełm and extended their best wishes. The delegations were also offered a tour around the local chalk dungeons, that are a unique world-class tourist attraction, as the underground hallways carved into the chalk rock stretch across the entire Old Town, with chalk deposits occupying several ‘floors’ underground. Mon-Thu 8:30 am - 5:30 pm, Fri 8:30 am - 4:15 pm The SKF factory located in Lutsk, Ukraine, became the target of a Russian missile attack on the night of August 14th. The aftermath of this devastating attack has left three employees dead and another four injured. News of the incident reached SKF’s factory site in Gothenburg, Sweden, where flags now fly at half-mast, as a mark of respect. In a solemn tribute, a minute’s silence was observed in honor of the fallen employees, who lost their lives in the Russian assault on the company’s western Ukrainian factory. Four more employees remain hospitalized from the injuries they sustained. Kenneth Carlsson, the Chairman of SKF’s World Trade Union Council, emphasizes the centrality of employee well-being in this critical period, asserting, “There is nothing more important in this situation.”  Expressing his own profound dismay, he recounts how the news of the incident reached the factory floor in Gothenburg and emphasizes the interconnectedness of the global SKF family. “The first thing I did was find out that the colleagues who sit on our World Council were safe and sound,” he shares, underlining the essential unity of the organization. We are The People's Media. USA Herald covers everything from breaking news to investigative journalism. We also report on politics on the State and National levels. has reported that their factory in Lutsk was hit by a missile resulting in the deaths of three employees According to "Interfax-Ukraine,""Last night (the night of August 15) there was an attack on the city of Lutsk in Ukraine It is with great sadness that we confirm the deaths of three of our colleagues," said SKF spokesperson Karl Bjornstam Ukrainian authorities announced that as a result of Russian airstrikes in several regions of Ukraine on Tuesday three employees of the enterprise were killed as a result of the missile strike and all necessary assistance is being provided to the people," Deputy Head of the Office of the President Oleksiy Kuleba said Karl Bjornstam mentioned that the company would assess the consequences of the attack and the damage to the factory but added that the primary focus is on the employees and their safety According to the latest financial report of the company Sales in Ukraine accounted for less than 0.1% of SKF's total sales in 2022 and the Lutsk plant contributed to around 0.5% of SKF's total production volume in 2022 The full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukrainian territory has also impacted SKF's operations "Due to the circumstances that have arisen the factory in Ukraine produced goods to the best of its ability but at a lower level than usual," the document stated The SKF Ukraine plant in Lutsk manufactures roller and needle bearings as well as wheel units for heavy-duty/commercial vehicles. According to Opendatabot the factory's revenue in 2022 decreased by 13.7% compared to 2021 The net profit decreased by 31.4% to UAH 66.52 million and the value of assets is UAH 1.702 billion When Dick Lutsk attended Chandler Junior High in the early 1960s he worked as an usher at Holy Cross football games at Fitton Field While Lutsk watched quarterback Pat McCarthy and running back Tom Hennessey star for HC Lutsk used to also go see Jack “The Shot” Foley play basketball for HC at the Worcester Auditorium and he was fascinated by radio announcers Joe Petty “I was more interested sometimes in watching them than I was in watching the game,” Lutsk admitted Lutsk was a member of the last graduating class of Classical High in 1966 and then headed to the University of South Carolina He admitted he spent more time at the station than in class Lutsk has been in broadcasting since he took a job in Nashua in 1969 spinning country and western music records overnight and calling high school football games on weekends In his long and wide-ranging broadcasting career He has also called Manchester Wolves arena football Lowell Spinners baseball and candlepin bowling He was a news and sports anchor on New Hampshire television for a couple of years He hosted a sports talk show on WRKO in Boston and served as the pregame and postgame radio host of the Red Sox a 50,000-watt FM radio station in Manchester for seven or eight years before retiring last year Lutsk returned to his roots to replace Bob Fouracre as radio voice of Holy Cross football and men’s basketball Lutsk had filled in for Fouracre on occasion over the past decade I don’t know that many people have an opportunity to dream about something as a kid and actually have it come to fruition.” Lutsk has called football games at Fitton Field for Dartmouth and UNH and he filled in for Fouracre when the latter attended his 50th Northboro High reunion in 2006 Lutsk presents a different voice than Fouracre who had called HC football games on television since 1970 and on radio since 1986 Fouracre will be honored at the home opener against Colgate on Sept “There’s only one Bob Fouracre,” Lutsk said my own way of doing things and hope I’m recognized for that.” That’s what Fouracre told Lutsk to do — relax and be himself on the air Lutsk worked HC’s season-opening victory at Monmouth on Sept 5 with his new sidekick Brendan Glasheen on 1440 AM The two had spoken to each other on the telephone a few times but hadn’t actually met in person until the night before the game at their hotel “It was a real getting-to-know process the first game,” Lutsk said a Lowell resident who graduated last spring from Syracuse University just finished announcing a season of the Miami Marlins’ New York-Penn League team in Batavia who worked as color analysts with Fouracre for its first victory in a season opener since 2010 and its first victory in a season opener on the road since 2006 Lutsk hopes he brought the Crusaders some luck Lutsk will be joined on color by Adam Giardino who replaced him as radio play-by-play voice of Dartmouth football this fall Giardino lives in Franklin and graduated from UConn in 2011 He’s been the radio voice of the Yankees’ Double-A farm club in Trenton and Lutsk will work his first game at Fitton Field as HC’s radio voice a week later against Colgate at noon He likes to get to games early so he said he’ll probably stop by where he used to stand as an usher decades ago and relive a few memories He even might approach a young usher and tell him that he used to do that job —Contact Bill Doyle at william.doyle@telegram.com By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org which the Germans destroyed and the Soviets turned into a sports facility last served as a Jewish house of worship in 1942 (JTA) — A municipality in Ukraine pledged to return to Jewish ownership what’s left of a 17th-century synagogue that the Nazis partially destroyed and the Soviets turned into a sports school The building that contains parts of the former Great Synagogue of Lutsk will be gifted to the Jewish Community of Lutsk, a nonprofit that represents Jews there, a city official told the news site Suspilne last week requiring millions of dollars to be renovated said the community will raise funds to renovate the building and reopen it as a synagogue that also functions as a museum Robust and reminiscent of a medieval castle, the synagogue is one of a few Jewish houses of worship built to also serve as a fortress, according to the London-based Foundation for Jewish Heritage German occupation forces destroyed parts of the synagogue The Soviets rebuilt the building to serve as a sports facility An alternative facility will be made available to them Lutsk, which is situated about 200 miles west of Kyiv, the Ukraine capital, once was a major hub of Jewish life in the region. In 1937, the city had 15,879 Jews, constituting about 40% of its population, according to YIVO Encyclopedia the Germans and locals murdered nearly all the Jews there JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent I accept the Privacy Policy Special security forces successfully ended the 12-hour hostage crisis and pictures showed the gunman lying on the ground after his arrest A bullet reportedly narrowly missed Yevhen Koval the first deputy chief of the national police Just before the gunman's capture and release of the remaining hostages Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to comply with the assailant's demand: Posting online a short video with the words: "Everyone should watch the 2005 film Earthlings." narrated by the American actor Joaquin Phoenix depicts animals suffering in industrial agriculture and scientific research President Zelensky stressed that the gunman had been spoken to by a wide range of experts Although a special assault operation was discussed it was ruled out as too risky to the hostages He said he then agreed to speak to the gunman They had a 7 to 10-minute conversation during which it was decided three people - a wounded person and a child - would be released in exchange for posting the video the remaining ten hostages were also released President Zelensky defended his decision to comply with the hostage taker's demands and post the video on his Facebook page "We have a result - everyone is alive We are not fighting for (approval) ratings - we are fighting for life," Zelensky said he stressed: "These were obvious steps for me If we can do anything without launching an assault if we can avoid putting at least one life at risk Police have named the gunman as Maksym Kryvosh Interior Minister Arsen Avakov described him as unstable he came up with his revenge on this world formulated in theses," the minister explained to reporters He added that "accomplices have been detained including a friend in the city of Kharkiv with whom the hostage-taker had business contacts." There Officials said Kryvosh had previously spent around ten years in prison on convictions including fraud and the illegal handling of weapons Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here Polishchuk said this live on Suspilne "It is difficult to say why these air strikes were carried out as our airfield was put out of operation on February 24 when it was shelled for the first time Now the airfield has been completely destroyed The airfield was probably fired at again only to increase panic and fear among the population," Polishchuk said He also added that residential buildings are located only a few hundred meters from the airfield So far people have been advised not to evacuate as there is nothing left at the airfield to shoot at several explosions were heard in Lutsk as four missiles hit a military airport The shelling killed four servicemen and wounded six others Russian President Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery multiple launch rocket systems and ballistic missiles Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Home page » Topics » Ambassadors » Lutsk as seen by Oleksandr Polozhynskyi famous Ukrainians give us a fresh look at the towns and cities where they grew up singer and showman Oleksandr Polozhynskyi introduces us to his hometown founder of the band Tartak (‘Woodsaw’ — tr.) and the Buv’ye project recalls his childhood years in Lutsk and shows us how the city has transformed into a centre of modern art set off with Oleksandr for a tour of modern Lutsk The Volyn Botanical Garden remains one of the most popular areas to relax and have fun in Lutsk The garden is also home to one of the city’s unofficial symbols: the Lutsk Elephant a sculpture that is traditionally repainted in a different colour each year by local enthusiasts The Volyn Youth Centre was created as a platform for events and educational programmes to develop the knowledge Social activist Zakhar Tkachuk strongly believes that the residents of Lutsk should get involved in social life and the centre is working hard to achieve this: “On average If you want to hold a meeting at 9 or 10 pm you won’t find a place for it: the city hall closes at 6 pm all the post-Soviet libraries close at 6 pm but at this point we don’t have the resources for it A lot of young people come here: FRI exchanges (‘Foundation of Regional Initiatives’ a non-profit network with an outreach programme around Ukraine — ed.) If they don’t have a place to spend the night were founded by members of the Jesuit order in the first half of the 17th century An extensive network of tunnels was created underneath the buildings During the Soviet times these were used for vegetable storage while the cathedral itself was used as an office and workshop The early 17th-century frescoes have been preserved in the underground chambers as have the medieval metal grilles that were used to lock the passageways between the tunnels Archaeologist Viktor Bayuk is certain that the ongoing archaeological excavations will allow for a better understanding of the complex: “The chambers are gradually being cleared out and we are opening up new galleries and niches When we were dismantling the Soviet-era walls we saw that all the alcoves had been raided except for one We have the necessary documents and archive material to create a museum complex to restore each room to its original appearance with its original contents.” One prominent representative of Lutsk is designer Kyrylo Tkachov Kyrylo is the co-designer of the logos for Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways — tr.) He also came up with fonts for the brand ‘Ukraine Now’ and the Ukraїner project In order to create a space for designers in Lutsk font design and book design called The Space of Letters in which Ukrainian and foreign experts present discuss and analyse the creative heritage of calligraphy and font design Kyrylo Tkachov has concluded that it is up to activists to organise events like this: “Ukraine has quite an active ‘font culture’ and now we have to hire a castle and come up with something really inventive The Space of Letters festival is not just about calligraphy: it’s about everything related to letters They’re a part of our culture that we don’t always notice but a crucial part nonetheless.”— How did you get acquainted with Kyrylo Tkachov?— I think I read or heard somewhere that some very active and creative people from Luhansk had come to Lutsk given the city a new lease of life and created a new the volunteer project ‘Braille Studio’ was launched in Lutsk providing access to information for visually-challenged people headed by project supervisor Vitaliy Tkachuk creates and distributes books and other resources printed in Braille The print editor Oleksandr Melnyk points out that there are hardly any books printed in Braille in Ukraine one of their main goals is to promote this kind of publishing: “We print children’s books since we are a community organisation and a charity The city council allocates funds to us and we distribute books to specialised schools Our books don’t just go to Lutsk — we send them all around Ukraine.” The Korsak Museum of Contemporary Ukrainian Art in Lutsk is located on the premises of a former leatherboard factory first opened a cultural and entertainment centre here The family also had a collection of contemporary Ukrainian artworks and they eventually decided to found a museum on the basis of their collection they purchased other parts of the factory premises and set up a museum dedicated to the Ukrainian painter and graphic artist Mykhailo Kubanovskyi the museum’s permanent collection was established The museum is also the venue for a wide range of events from children’s workshops to classical concerts Co-founder Lesia Korsak believes that Ukraine is rich in high-quality contemporary art and therefore strives to support young artists by providing them with a platform for exhibitions: “Oleksa Furdiyak’s arrow sculpture We had to use winches to lift it up and then to paint it there was nothing in this hall except for the arrow this sculpture is a reflection on our Maidan (The Revolution of Dignity which took place in 2013 – 2014 in Kyiv — ed.) But this exhibit triggers a very positive reaction from our visitors We look at it differently; we say that the message is about the renaissance of art in Volyn region halfway between Lutsk and Volodymyr Volynskyi is a museum dedicated to the political activist historian and ideologist Viacheslav Lypynskyi He was one of the first people who made a reasoned argument for the need to establish Ukraine as a state and demonstrated how the interests of the people depend on the condition of the state The restored estate of the Lypynskyi family houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to Viacheslav’s life and the milieu in which his family lived Another exhibition is dedicated to Viacheslav’s brother who managed to preserve the family’s archives and belongings We believed it was necessary to dedicate the first room to Stanislav since without his efforts we wouldn’t have a museum at all.” Involved in the preparation of the material 16 volunteers Project support: Fundacja Euromaidan-Warszawa Use of materials is only permitted upon providing the source: Ukrainer.net Дизайн — Артем Зубкевич Розробка — Deluxcode Lutsk City Mayor Ihor Polischuk has signed a partnership agreement to implement an international educational project “Developing STEM education together: innovative education in Lippe and Lutsk” The partnership agreement was signed during the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) that took place in Berlin who is in charge of partnerships for Kreis Lippe (Germany) Head of Project Activities Division of International Cooperation and Project Activities Department of Lutsk City Council discussed the implementation of the project and outlined plans for future cooperation as part of the Lutsk-Lippe twinning partnership In order to implement the educational project Lutsk City Council will receive 210,000 euros of grant funds from the German government to improve the material and technical capacity of the STEM education system in Lutsk Сity Territorial Community The project aims to stimulate youth interest in STEM subjects and encourage young people to choose technical professions Purchase of advanced equipment and setup of classrooms for physics as well as a photography and video production studio and a conference hall; development of a website for the STEM Center Organization of competitions and contests in STEM subjects a study visit of Lutsk schoolchildren to Kreis Lippe a visit of teachers from Lutsk schools to Kreis Lippe in order to exchange experience in STEM education development Students from every school in our community will benefit from the implementation of this project The project is being implemented with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through the non-profit organization GmbH “Engagement Global” / Service Agency “Communities in One World” The two heads of state commemorated the anniversary of the massacre of Polish citizens by Ukrainian nationalists during WWII The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and its Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda attended a service in a church in the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk The two heads of state thus commemorated the anniversary of the massacre of Polish citizens by Ukrainian nationalists during the Second World War We are stronger together!” Zelenski wrote on Twitter a spokesman for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Zelensky “he should apologize and ask forgiveness for the events in Volhynia” Following the missile attack that targeted western Ukraine's oblasts, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said "a few rockets were downed" but several residential buildings were hit in the attack He didn't provide further details but posted a photo of what looked like a five-story building with its top floors on fire Meanwhile, 945 kilometers to the east, a Russian missile hit a factory in Dnipro. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported that at least one person was injured in the attack Ukraine's Air Force warned early on Aug The air raid alert was activated nationwide at around 4 a.m who have been under investigation since March 2022 on charges of attempting to overthrow the state After their arrest and the imposition of preventive measures the men's social media activity was suspended but propaganda appeals resumed after a year and a half of silence their request for support was circulated on the social media of Italian communists "Dear anti-fascists and communists of Italy have taken the first blow in Europe from the imperialists of the West and the United States We are currently fighting against a regime imposed on us by the West and its capitalism.. They struck the first devastating blow against us Italian communists and anti-fascists are with us only through the solidarity of European communists and anti-fascists It is worth noting that the YouTube channel where this appeal is posted was created at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in March 2022 A massive fire broke out at an oil depot in the northwest Ukrainian city of Lutsk after it was hit by a Russian missile strike Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian police say an armed man who seized hostages on a bus in the western city of Lutsk has been detained and all 13 people held have been freed unharmed The hostage-taker surrendered to police and was detained late Tuesday An armed man seized a long-distance bus and took people in it hostage in northwestern Ukraine on Tuesday launching a more than 12-hour standoff with police Police initially said there were 20 people on the bus but Ukraine's Security Service said later in the day that the assailant was holding about 10 hostages Officials didn't explain the discrepancy and it was unclear how many people initially had been on the bus and whether any escaped Following the talks with the first deputy chief of national police Koval also delivered water to the hostages Officials didn't say exactly how many hostages were still being held a city 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of the capital Kyiv The assailant is armed and carrying explosives the assailant threw explosives out of a bus window He also fired several shots at a police drone Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said negotiations with the man are currently underway “We're doing everything to free the hostages,” Zelenskiy told reporters The man called the police himself at 9:25 a.m (0625 GMT) after taking control of the bus and introduced himself as Maksim Plokhoy Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko said on Facebook In a Telegram account reportedly belonging to him Plokhoy apparently admitted to taking people on the bus hostage said that “the state has always been and always is the first terrorist" and demanded that top Ukrainian officials release statements on their social media pages calling themselves terrorists police have identified the man as Maksim Krivosh Krivosh had allegedly been convicted twice on a wide range of charges — robbery illegal arms handling — and spent a total of 10 years behind bars Interior Minister Arsen Avakov traveled to Lutsk to supervise operations Ukrainian media reported that gunshots were regularly heard at the scene It wasn't immediately clear whether anyone has been injured Krivosh tried to reach out to journalists through hostages and their phones demanding that they spread the word about his demands and get more reporters to arrive at the scene Zelenskiy said earlier on Tuesday he is personally monitoring the situation.