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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRussian missile strikes cause Ukraine power cutsPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, TelegramImage caption, A Russian strike hit Ukraine’s largest dam, the DniproHES in ZaporizhzhiaBy Lipika PelhamBBC NewsLarge areas of Ukraine are suffering blackouts after Russian missiles targeted energy infrastructure.Fifteen blasts were reported in the second-largest city, Kharkiv, said the mayor, while more than 53,000 households in Odesa were without power.Ukraine’s energy minister, German Galushchenko, accused Russia of trying to provoke “a large-scale failure of the country’s energy system”.A power line feeding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant had been cut, he added.Regional governor Ivan Fedorov said the power station was “on the verge of a blackout”, adding that seven buildings in the region had been destroyed and 35 others damaged.President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 90 missiles and sent 60 explosive drones into Ukraine during the wave of overnight attacks. At least two people have been reported killed and 14 wounded.The fresh onslaught comes a day after Russian forces launched one of their biggest air strikes in weeks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. At least 17 people, including a child, were injured by falling debris.The latest attack prompted President Zelensky to renew his call for more military aid and additional air defence systems from Western allies.He said that the shortfall in ammunition facing his troops was “humiliating” for Europe, adding: “Europe can provide more, and it is crucial to prove it now.” Ukraine’s state hydropower company said a Russian strike had hit its largest dam, the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia. Video footage appeared to show the dam on fire, but there seems to be no threat of imminent breach.Social media videos showed a trolleybus which was reportedly passing near the dam and caught fire after a missile strike. Blasts were also reported from Kryvyi Rih, which is President Zelensky’s hometown, and Vinnytsia, both in central Ukraine. They damaged a “critical infrastructure object”, said Ukrainian officials.Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine also came under attack overnight.Governor Oleg Synehubov posted on his Telegram channel that there was no electricity in the city after the missile attack.Related TopicsRussiaZaporizhzhia nuclear power plantUkraineMore on this storyBig missile attack targets Ukrainian capitalPublished14 hours agoFleeing Ukraine’s embattled border villagesPublished3 hours agoRussian schools shut after air strikes in BelgorodPublished5 days agoTop StoriesLive. Blinken in Israel as US supports call for immediate Gaza ceasefire’Help my brother first!’ Gazan girl’s plea as entire family killedPublished3 hours agoBlood test means mum with lung cancer can get her treatment at homePublished9 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Women ‘owed’ payouts after £35bn ‘Waspi sting”I want the £45,000 state pension that was stolen from me’Weekly quiz: How long did this woman take to climb nearly 300 mountains?Inside the ice cream van feeding familiesApple becomes the latest tech giant under siege’Help my brother first!’ Gazan girl’s plea as entire family killedFleeing Ukraine’s embattled border villagesThe photographer who captured Sinead, Oasis and more starsWhy Trump may reap billions in a stock market mergerElsewhere on the BBCAre you ready for a challenge?Test your pop knowledge with Vernon Kay’s music quizAttributionSoundsTracking down online trolls…Behind striker Neal Maupay’s struggle with an extreme case of online hateAttributioniPlayerUnearthing China’s terracotta armyIn 1974 a chance find by Chinese farmers led to an astonishing archaeological discoveryAttributionSoundsMeet some adorable hamsters from Wales…This family loves Casualty, News, Sport and the odd murder show!AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nike has no plans to change new England kit cross2UK’s highest student loan revealed to be £231,0003Couple adopted vulnerable children to abuse4Women ‘owed’ payouts from £35bn ‘Waspi sting’5Rayner says questions over her tax are a ‘smear’6Blood test reveals best lung cancer treatment7’I want the £45,000 state pension that was stolen from me’8Why Trump may reap billions in a stock market merger9Apple becomes the latest tech giant under siege10’Help my brother first!’ Gazan girl’s plea as entire family killed
[ad_1] Another night of Russian missile strikes hits power facilities across Ukraine, causing widespread blackouts.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaMyanmar: Young people attempt to flee ahead of conscription orderPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsMyanmar coup Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, On 1 February, Myanmar entered its fourth year since the coupBy Kelly Ng BBC News, SingaporeA deadly stampede outside a passport office that took two lives and unending lines outside embassies – these are just some examples of what has been happening in Myanmar since the announcement of mandatory conscription into the military. Myanmar’s military government is facing increasingly effective opposition to its rule and has lost large areas of the country to armed resistance groups. On 1 February 2021, the military seized power in a coup, jailing elected leaders and plunging much of the country into a bloody civil war that continues today. Thousands have been killed and the UN estimates that around 2.6 million people been displaced.Young Burmese, many of whom have played a leading role protesting and resisting the junta, are now told they will have to fight for the regime. Many believe that this is a result of the setbacks suffered by the military in recent months, with anti-government groups uniting to defeat them in some key areas.”It is nonsense to have to serve in the military at this time, because we are not fighting foreign invaders. We are fighting each other. If we serve in the military, we will be contributing to their atrocities,” Robert, a 24-year-old activist, told the BBC.Many of them are seeking to leave the country instead. “I arrived at 03:30 [20:30 GMT] and there were already about 40 people queuing for the tokens to apply for their visa,” recalled a teenage girl who was part of a massive crowd outside the Thai embassy in Yangon earlier in February. Within an hour, the crowd in front of the embassy expanded to more than 300 people, she claims. “I was scared that if I waited any longer, the embassy would suspend the processing of visas amid the chaos,” she told the BBC, adding that some people had to wait for three days before even getting a queue number. In Mandalay, where the two deaths occurred outside the passport office, the BBC was told that there were also serious injuries – one person broke their leg after falling into a drain while another broke their teeth. Six others reported breathing difficulties. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, People gathering outside the Thai embassy in YangonJustine Chambers, a Myanmar researcher at the Danish Institute of International Studies, says mandatory conscription is a way of removing young civilians leading the revolution. “We can analyse how the conscription law is a sign of the Myanmar military’s weakness, but it is ultimately aimed at destroying lives… Some will manage to escape, but many will become human shields against their compatriots,” she said.Myanmar’s conscription law was first introduced in 2010 but had not been enforced until on 10 February the junta said it would mandate at least two years of military service for all men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27. Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the military government, said in a statement that about a quarter of the country’s 56 million population were eligible for military service under the law. The regime later said it did not plan to include women in the conscript pool “at present” but did not specify what that meant. The government spokesperson told BBC Burmese that call-ups would start after the Thingyan festival marking the Burmese New Year in mid-April, with an initial batch of 5,000 recruits.The regime’s announcement has dealt yet another blow to Myanmar’s young people. Many had their education disrupted by the coup, which came on top of school closures at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the junta suspended 145,000 teachers and university staff over their support for the opposition, according to the Myanmar Teachers’ Federation, and some schools in opposition-held areas have been destroyed by the fighting or by air strikes.Then there are those who have fled across borders seeking refuge, among them young people looking for jobs to support their families.Young Burmese confront dashed dreams in exileWhy India wants to fence its troubled Myanmar borderIn response to the conscription law, some have said on social media that they would enter the monkhood or get married early to dodge military service. The junta says permanent exemptions will be given to members of religious orders, married women, people with disabilities, those assessed to be unfit for military service and “those who are exempted by the conscription board”. For everyone else, evading conscription is punishable by three to five years in prison and a fine.But Mr Min doubts the regime will honour these exemptions. “The junta can arrest and abduct anyone they want. There is no rule of law and they do not have to be accountable to anyone,” he said.Wealthier families are considering moving their families abroad – Thailand and Singapore being popular options, but some are even looking as far afield as Iceland – with the hope that their children would get permanent residency or citizenship there by the time they are of conscription age.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Myanmar people step on photos of military junta leader Gen Min Aung Hlaing during a gathering marking three years since the coupOthers have instead joined the resistance forces, said Aung Sett, from the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, which has a long history of fighting military rule.”When I heard the news that I would have to serve in the military, I felt really disappointed and at the same time devastated for the people, especially for those who are young like me. Many young people have now registered themselves to fight against the junta,” the 23-year-old told the BBC from exile.Some observers say the enforcement of the law now reveals the junta’s diminishing grip on the country.Last October, the regime suffered its most serious setback since the coup. An alliance of ethnic insurgents overran dozens of military outposts along the border with India and China. It has also lost large areas of territory to insurgents along the Bangladesh and Indian borders.According to the National Unity Government, which calls itself Myanmar’s government in exile, more than 60% of Myanmar’s territory is now under the control of resistance forces. “By initiating forced conscription following a series of devastating and humiliating defeats to ethnic armed organisations, the military is publicly demonstrating just how desperate it has become,” said Jason Tower, country director for the Burma programme at the United States’ Institute of Peace. A turning point in Myanmar as army suffers big lossesWho are the rulers who executed Myanmar activists? Mr Tower expects the move to fail because of growing resentment against the junta. “Many youth dodging conscription will have no choice but to escape into neighbouring countries, intensifying regional humanitarian and refugee crises. This could result in frustration growing in Thailand, India, China and Bangladesh, all of which could tilt away from what remains of their support for the junta,” he said.Even if the military does manage to increase troop numbers by force, this will do little to address collapsing morale in the ranks. It will also take months to train up the new troops, he said.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Protesters gather in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, ThailandThe junta had a long history of “forced recruitment” even before the law was enacted, said Ye Myo Hein, a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.”So the law may merely serve as a facade for forcibly conscripting new recruits into the military. With a severe shortage of manpower, there is no time to wait for the lengthy and gradual process of recruiting new soldiers, prompting [officials] to exploit the law to swiftly coerce people into service,” he said.Even for those who will manage to escape, many will carry injuries and emotional pain for the rest of their lives.”It has been really difficult for young people in Myanmar, both physically and mentally. We’ve lost our dreams, our hopes and our youth. It just can’t be the same like before,” said Aung Sett, the student leader.”These three years have gone away like nothing. We’ve lost our friends and colleagues during the fight against the junta and many families have lost their loved ones. It has been a nightmare for this country. We are witnessing the atrocities committed by the junta on a daily basis. I just can’t express it in words.”Related TopicsMyanmar coup MyanmarAsiaMore on this storyMyanmar’s army is losing – and facing fire from a militant monkPublished23 JanuaryThe Chinese mafia’s downfall in a lawless casino townPublished23 November 2023The Myanmar soldiers refusing to fightPublished30 May 2023’We wish we could go back’: Life in a war-torn MyanmarPublished17 April 2023Top StoriesAnderson refuses to apologise for Islamist claimPublished40 minutes agoSweden’s bid to join Nato clears final hurdlePublished2 hours ago’Who will call me Dad?’ Tears of Gaza father who lost 103 relativesPublished2 hours agoFeaturesWhat is Nato and why is Sweden joining now?Gaza children search for food to keep families aliveListen: No Apology by Lee Anderson. AudioListen: No Apology by Lee AndersonAttributionSounds’Fewer children will be born’: Alabama embryo ruling divides devout ChristiansChris Mason: How the Gaza conflict is contorting UK politicsWill global energy prices fall this year?Brussels: Farmers protest leaves streets in chaos. VideoBrussels: Farmers protest leaves streets in chaosIn pictures: Celebrating the Lantern Festival’My bank manager stole $1.9m from my account’Elsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhich classic did Elbow cover?The band join the BBC Concert Orchestra in Radio 2’s Piano RoomAttributionSoundsWill this elite boarding school fit around them?Five black inner-city teens must leave their old worlds behind…AttributioniPlayerThe Swedish furniture king’s billionaire lifestyleDeconstructing IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad and his eccentric way of livingAttributionSoundsMost Read1Wait for answers after mum dies in Spanish hospital2Palestinian PM resigns over new Gaza ‘reality’3US couple on hijacked boat feared killed4Anderson refuses to apologise for Islamist claim5US airman dies after setting himself on fire at Israeli embassy6Sweden’s bid to join Nato clears final hurdle7’Who will call me Dad?’ Tears of Gaza father who lost 103 relatives8By-election candidate’s death threats – Reform UK9Private diving team joins search for missing boy10Navalny was to be freed in prison swap – colleague](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/1FD0/production/_132744180_gettyimages-2006293947.jpg)
