News in Brief
‘US does not support Ukrainian strikes inside Russia’
REUTERS – The US does not encourage or enable attacks inside Russia, a US State Department spokesperson said after Russian authorities said they downed drones that tried to attack Moscow early on Wednesday.
It is up to Ukraine to decide how it chooses to defend itself from the Russian war that began in February last year, the State Department spokesperson said, adding Russia could end the war any time by withdrawing from Ukraine.
S Korea holds rare air raid drill
REUTERS – Sirens wailed on Wednesday as South Korea held its first nationwide air defence drills in six years to counter what it called North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats, but many people appeared to ignore calls to seek shelter.
The government has reintroduced the drills into the annual Ulchi civil defence exercises, held alongside the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which South Korean and US troops began on Monday.
Greek fires rage after migrant tragedy
BBC – Fires that have claimed 20 lives in Greece are still burning out of control in foothills near Athens and the Evros region near the border with Turkey.
Eighteen of those killed are thought to be refugees and migrants who crossed the border recently, hiding in forests north of the city of Alexandroupolis.
For five days, fires have burned near the city and west along the coast.