Europe

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The attacks come at night, when most in Kyiv are sound asleep. The sirens wail across the Ukrainian capital, rousing bleary-eyed residents, who, after 15 months of war, have customized individual routines to cope with Russia’s latest air campaign.

In the recent escalation of Russian attacks, Olha Bukhno, 65, a cleaner, says a prayer every night. “Please,” she asks, closing her eyes and addressing the heavens, “Let it be quiet.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. At least one person was killed, but officials said scores of drones were shot down, demonstrating Ukraine’s air defense capability.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Russia decisively condemns Pristina’s provocative steps that have brought the situation in Kosovo to the brink of a "hot phase," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday, adding that the responsibility for anti-Serbian provocation lies with the US and the EU.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Western countries are becoming more and more involved in the Ukraine conflict day by day, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the ‘Moscow. Kremlin. Putin’ TV program.

An excerpt of the program was posted by anchor Pavel Zarubin on his Telegram channel on Saturday.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Russian air defenses intercepted two Storm Shadow missiles, 19 HIMARS rockets, two HARM missiles and shot down 12 Ukrainian combat drones in the past 24 hours, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Saturday.

"The air defenses have intercepted two Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, 19 rockets fired from the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and two HARM antiradar missiles," he said.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Ukraine’s "puppeteers" in London and Washington start begin to concern themselves with mental stability of top officials in Kiev and Russia hopes that sanctions against the Ukrainian leadership will follow over the threats against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview published Saturday.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Russia decisively condemns Pristina’s provocative steps that have brought the situation in Kosovo to the brink of a "hot phase," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday, adding that the responsibility for anti-Serbian provocation lies with the US and the EU.

BERLIN, May 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, on Friday voted to extend the country’s military deployment with the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Mali for another year.

The new and final mandate is to end on May 31 next year. Around 1,400 German troops are part of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

GENEVA, May 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization said it was helping a growing number of farmers turn away from tobacco to help strengthen food security, particularly in Africa.

Ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday, the WHO said it had teamed up with other United Nations agencies to support farmers wishing to convert from growing tobacco to growing food.

The scheme’s pilot in Kenya has proved successful and now the UN wants to export it to other countries and continents.

BRUSSELS, May 26 (Reuters) - The race to be the next NATO boss is heating up. But it is a race run largely in the dark, with no sign of a winner yet.

Jens Stoltenberg, the transatlantic military alliance's Norwegian secretary-general, is due to step down at the end of September after nine years in post.

Many alliance members would like his succession settled at, or even before, a NATO summit in Lithuania in mid-July.