Ukraine has claimed it damaged three Russian surface-to-air defence systems overnight in missile attacks on occupied Crimea.
One S-400 anti-aircraft missile unit was hit near Dzhankoi, and two more S-300 anti-aircraft missile units were attacked near occupied Chornomorske and Yevpatoria, Ukraine’s military said.
It comes as Kyiv said it also destroyed a Russian Su-57 plane, a twin-engine stealth fighter worth up to £28million around 370 miles from the frontline.
The strike, believed to have been conducted using drones, comes after Ukraine’s Western allies permitted Kyiv to use their weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.
Earlier, US president Joe Biden said Vladimir Putin was not going to stop with the war in Ukraine, pledging to support Europe against Russia.
Mr Biden said the whole of Europe was threatened by the Russian president. The US president met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris, and the two pledged solidarity on the wars raging in Europe and the Middle East.
Key Points
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Ukraine damages three Russian air defence systems
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Ukraine hit one of Putin’s most advanced Su-57 warplanes
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Putin not going to stop with Ukraine: Biden in France
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Joe Biden apologises to Zelensky for delay in aid
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Russia trying to ‘invoke memory of Cuban missile crisis’
Ukraine wartime reconstruction chief quits over ‘systemic obstacles’
15:33 , Alexander Butler
A top Ukrainian reconstruction official known for his reform efforts resigned on Monday, citing budget cuts and bureaucratic delays, at a time when Kyiv seeks crucial international investment to rebuild after Russia’s invasion.
The resignation of Mustafa Nayyem, head of the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development, comes a day before a major international conference in Berlin dedicated to mobilising international support for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
“I made the decision on my own due to systemic obstacles that do not allow me to continue to effectively exercise my powers,” Nayyem said on messaging app Telegram.
“Starting from November last year, the Agency’s team began to face constant opposition, resistance and the creation of artificial obstacles,” he said, which included delays in payment for defence fortifications.
Ukraine damages three Russian air defence systems, Kyiv claims
14:47 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine has claimed it damaged three Russian surface-to-air defence systems overnight in missile attacks on occupied Crimea.
One S-400 anti-aircraft missile unit was hit near Dzhankoi, and two more S-300 anti-aircraft missile units were attacked near occupied Chornomorske and Yevpatoria, Ukraine’s military said.
“None of our missiles fired were intercepted by the enemy’s ‘highly effective’ air defence. In addition, further detonations of ammunition were observed in all three areas of the launching positions of the Russian anti-aircraft missile divisions,” Kyiv said.
Four people injured by landmine in Russia’s Belgorod, governor says
13:51 , Alexander Butler
Four people were injured by a landmine in Russia’s Belgorod, the governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Monday on the Telegram messaging app.
Among the injured was a cameraman for Russian state TV channel Rossiya 24, who suffered shrapnel wounds to his abdomen Gladkov said.
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault
13:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault
Russia takes control of Staromaiorske in eastern Ukraine, defence ministry says
11:57 , Alexander Butler
Vladimir Putin’s troops have taken control of Staromaiorske, Donetsk, a small village in eastern Ukraine, according to the Russian military.
F-16 jets and bases outside Ukraine will be targets for Russia if they do combat missions
10:59 , Alexander Butler
F-16 jets and military airfields outside Ukraine will become legitimate targets for Moscow if they take part in combat missions against Russian forces, a Russian official said.
Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma lower house of parliament’s defence committee, made the remarks after Western countries gave the go ahead for Ukraine to use their weapons to strike Russian territory.
Ukrainian official denies Russian troops take border village
09:38 , Alexander Butler
A local Ukrainian official on Monday denied a claim by the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region that Russian forces led by a Chechen-based special forces unit had seized control of a border village in northeast Ukraine.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Sunday the Akhmat-Chechnya unit spearheaded Russian troops in taking control of Ryzhivka in Sumy region.
The “large-scale planned advance” inflicted “significant losses on the Ukrainian side, which was forced to retreat,” Kadyrov said.
However, Yuriy Zarko, a local official in Sumy, denied the presence of Russian troops in Ryzhivka on Monday in a comment to Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne.
While many in the EU worry about far-right gains at the ballot box – those close to Russia crave security
09:14 , Alexander Butler
Between now and Sunday evening, several hundred million people will vote in elections for the next EU parliament, in what is billed as the second-largest exercise in representative democracy in the world after elections in India.
But the numbers actually voting have habitually been far fewer than in national elections, with turnout overall barely registering above 50 per cent, and a lot less in some countries, especially those further east.
There are hopes that this year could see that pattern change. The reason is that these are the first EU-wide elections to be held since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
EU voters close to Russia crave one thing above all – security
Switzerland says 90 states, organizations signed up for Ukraine summit
08:26 , Alexander Butler
Ninety states and organisations have so far registered to take part in a summit aiming to pave the way for peace in Ukraine that Switzerland will host from June 15-16, the Swiss government said on Monday.
Russia has not been invited to the summit due to be held in central Switzerland, but the government said in a statement that the gathering will aim to “jointly define a roadmap” on how to involve both it and Ukraine in a future peace process.
Switzerland in January agreed to host the summit at the behest of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and has tried to drum up support for it among countries that have better relations with Moscow than leading Western powers.
Russia has dismissed the summit as a waste of time. It was not invited to participate, Switzerland says, because it signalled it had no interest in attending. Switzerland also stresses though, that Russia must be part of the peace process.
Putin could visit North Korea in coming weeks, reports Russian media
07:47 , Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks, the Vedomosti newspaper reported today, citing a diplomatic source.
Russia’s ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora confirmed to Vedomosti that the president’s visit to Pyongyang will happen and is being “actively prepared”.
The newspaper said Putin could visit Vietnam as early as June and most likely immediately after his visit to North Korea. Putin’s only previous trip to North Korea was in 2000, the first year of his presidency.
The Kremlin has said Russia wants to build a partnership with North Korea “in all areas” but has yet to confirm the date of the visit.Russia has stepped up ties with North Korea and other countries hostile to the United States such as Iran since the start of the war with Ukraine – relations that are a source of concern to the West.
Russian military bloggers criticise Moscow for not protecting Su-57
06:45 , Arpan Rai
Angry Russian military bloggers have slammed Moscow and the Russian military command after a drone strike by Ukraine damaged a top-tier warplane.
Mil-bloggers “seized on the 8 June strike to criticise the Russian military command for not constructing hangars to hide Russian aircraft from Ukrainian strikes and claimed that Russian forces could construct hangars at every military airfield in Russia for the cost of one Su-57 aircraft,” said the Washington-based think-tank The Institute for the Study of War.
An Su-57 costs an estimated $35m, it added.
Citing Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command, the ISW said that the Ukrainian forces struck one of Russia’s six operational Su-57 aircraft and that Russian forces are constructing another six aircraft.
“GUR Spokesperson Andriy Yusov stated that there may have been two Su-57 aircraft at the airfield during the 8 June strike and that the GUR is assessing battle damage,” the ISW said in its latest analysis.
Watch: Zelensky inspects French military equipment after Macron promises warplanes to Ukraine
06:36 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky inspected French-manufactured military equipment in Paris on Friday after Emmanuel Macron promised warplanes to Ukraine.
France plans to provide Mirage 2000 warplanes to Ukraine and train Ukrainian pilots this summer, the French president said.
It was not confirmed how many single-engine jet fighters would be provided, by when or under what financial terms.
Mr Macron added that France had proposed to train 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers but did not say where the soldiers would be trained.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has threatened to retaliate against Western countries that are allowing Ukraine to hit Russia with their long-range missiles.
Watch: Zelensky inspects French military equipment after Macron promises warplanes
Photos: Ukrainian troops fight back in Kharkiv
06:12 , Arpan Rai
Heavy battles continued around Kharkiv as Ukrainian troops are trying to beat back Russia’s invading forces after a weekslong push by Moscow that sparked fears for Kharkiv.
The second largest Ukrainian city is located just 20km (12 miles) from the Russian border, and has seen a wave of civilian evacuations.
Russia’s coordinated new offensive has centred on the Kharkiv region, but seems to include testing Ukrainian defences in Donetsk further south, while also launching incursions in the northern Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
G7 plans to warn small Chinese banks over Russia ties
06:00 , Joe Middleton
US officials expect the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy democracies to send a tough new warning next week to smaller Chinese banks to stop assisting Russia in evading Western sanctions, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Leaders gathering at the 13-15 June summit in Italy hosted by prime minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to focus heavily during their private meetings on the threat posed by burgeoning Chinese-Russian trade to the fight in Ukraine, and what to do about it.
Those conversations are likely to result in public statements on the issue involving Chinese banks, according to a US official involved in planning the event and another person briefed on the issue.
The United States and its G7 partners – Britain, Canada France, Germany, Italy and Japan – are not expected to take any immediate punitive action against any banks during the summit, such as restricting their access to the Swift messaging system or cutting off access to the dollar.
Ukraine shares images of destroyed Russian Su-57 stealth fighter
05:33 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s main intelligence agency has shared satellite images that it says show the impact of its latest strike deep inside Russian territory, targeting one of Moscow’s most advanced warplanes.
The photos show the aftermath of what was likely a drone strike on the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, hitting an Su-57 aircraft.
The Su-57, which is capable of carrying stealth missiles across hundreds of kilometres (miles), was among “a countable few” of its type in Moscow’s arsenal, Kyiv’s intelligence agency said. Russia has not issued any comment over the weekend addressing the Ukrainian claims of the attack on its airbase.
In a before photo taken on 7 June, Friday – a day before the attack – the airbase has an aircraft on its tarmac but the after photo taken on Saturday showed black soot spots on the same spot and craters around the parked Sukhoi.
According to reports by Russian agencies, Moscow’s armed forces obtained “more than 10” new Su-57s last year, while 76 are set to be produced by 2028.
Zelensky lays out plan to protect Ukraine, includes ‘America’s leadership’
05:06 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said he is aiming to amp up support for the war-hit nation and hinted a new agreements of support for Kyiv in progress in a long-term plan for Ukraine’s recovery.
“One of our primary goals right now is to increase support for Ukraine in order to strengthen our society’s resilience in terms of energy, recovery after strikes, and all of the other foundations of normal life. We must protect life despite Russia’s attempts to bring more pressure and destruction,” he said last night.
Mr Zelensky added: “We are working with European partners on new agreements, particularly on additional support steps from Germany. These days, we are also working diligently to prepare a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the United States.”
“We are making every effort to ensure that America’s leadership is felt. I am grateful to everyone who helps,” he said.
The war in Ukraine has entered 837th day today.
Ukraine hit one of Putin’s most advanced warplanes, it says
04:39 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian forces have hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 600km (370 miles) from the frontline, after its Western allies allowed Kyiv to use their weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.
If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine’s first known successful strike on a Su-57 fighter plane, a twin-engine stealth fighter lauded as Moscow’s most advanced military aircraft.
Satellite photos shared by Kyiv’s main intelligence agency showed the aftermath of the attack. In one photo, black soot marks and small craters can be seen dotting a concrete strip around the parked aircraft.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, the strike took place on Saturday at the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, some 589km (366 miles) from the frontline. It wasn’t immediately clear what weapons were used, but the airfield’s distance from Ukraine suggests that it was likely hit by drones.
Read more here:
Ukraine says it struck one of Russia’s most advanced warplanes
Russian forces close to capturing Ukrainian town near Bakhmut
04:27 , Arpan Rai
Russian forces are likely making headway towards their longstanding goal of capturing the strategic Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, military sources from both sides of the war said.
A Ukrainian military source and a blogger said the Russian forces had started occupying a district of the town alongside a canal, reported Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda.
“Over the past week, there have been more than 1,500 instances of shelling of the outskirts of Chasiv Yar from the north to the south,” it quoted its source as saying.
They added that Russian troops were using guided aerial bombs to clear areas along a major road “and with the support of multiple long-range missiles and drones they have begun to move forward and build up their forces”.
From the Russian side, its 98th Paratrooper Division said Ukrainian forces were “doing everything possible to ensure our units do not move across the canal and take up positions in the ‘New’ district on the other side”. Russian assault units were continuing to clear the canal district, it said.
Chasiv Yar stands on high ground about 20km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago after months of battles that flattened nearly all its buildings.
If captured, the town will serve as a potential staging point for Russia to advance on the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault. Western help needs to speed up
04:00 , Joe Middleton
Leaders such as Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron used D-Day celebrations to underline their support for Kyiv, writes Kim Sengupta, but the West is struggling to find the production capacity for the shells and missiles the country desperately needs
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault
Country-wide power cuts to hit Ukraine today
03:56 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s grid operator Ukrenergo said it would impose hour-long power cuts throughout the country this evening as demand exceeds agreed limits.
The rolling cuts would apply to domestic and industrial customers and be in effect from 4pm to 10pm (1300 GMT to 1900 GMT), Ukrenergo said on its Telegram channel.
The restrictions will not apply to “critical infrastructure” sites providing vital services.
Russia over the past two months has intensified attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, knocking out the bulk of thermal and hydropower generation capacity.
As a result, Ukraine has likely lost about 9GW of its energy-generating capacity since March, according to prime minister Denys Shmyhal.
On Friday, Kyiv ordered all ministries and regional authorities to stop using air conditioning and switch off external lighting.
ICYMI: Putin not going to stop with Ukraine: Biden in France
03:00 , Joe Middleton
Joe Biden has said in France that Russian president Vladimir Putin is not going to stop with the war in Ukraine and all of Europe was threatened.
French president Emmanuel Macron welcomed his American counterpart, Mr Biden, in Paris yesterday for a state visit that included talks about the Middle East, Ukraine, and trade.
“The United States is standing strong with Ukraine. We’re standing with our allies,” Mr Biden said.
“We are standing with France,” he added.
“Putin is not going to stop with Ukraine…. All of Europe will be threatened. We’re not going to let that happen.”
The two countries will work harder to prevent a regional escalation from Israel’s war with militant group Hamas in Gaza and focus on calming tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Mr Macron told reporters at the Elysee presidential palace, with the US president at his side.
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in
01:00 , Joe Middleton
As Russia continues pressing on with its all out war in Ukrainian territories, many families have made desperate attempts to flee their war-ravaged towns.
A family of refugees now living in the city of Kharkiv recounted the horrifying story of their last-minute evacuation as Russian soldiers approached.
A mother and her five children were living in the village of Zakharivka, just a few miles from the Russian forces advancing across the border into Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. The region has been the scene of intense fighting for weeks.
“Mummy, when will this war end?” nine-year-old Sasha asked his mother.
Read Tom Watling’s full report recounting the family’s escape.
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in
Russia fails to fulfill its Kharkiv operation, Zelensky says
Sunday 9 June 2024 23:59 , Joe Middleton
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian army has failed in its Kharkiv offensive.
“A very significant result is that the Russian army failed. The direction is strengthened. And it will be strengthened more,” Mr Zelensky said.
Russia launched its offence in Kharkiv Oblast on 10 May where it managed to advance as far as 10kms. However, the Ukrainian push halted the Russian military’s advance near the first line of defence.
“We are now restraining them as much as possible and destroying the Russian units that enter our land and terrorize the Kharkiv region,” he said.
Russia detains French citizen for collecting military information
Sunday 9 June 2024 22:52 , Joe Middleton
A Moscow court has ordered a French citizen accused of collecting information on military issues in Russia be held in jail pending investigation and trial.
Laurent Vinatier was arrested in the Russian capital on Thursday as tensions have flared between Moscow and Paris following French president Emmanuel Macron’s statements about the possibility of deploying the country’s troops in Ukraine.
The authorities accused Mr Vinatier of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities”, which could be used to the detriment of the country’s security.
They did not provide details of the accusations beyond alleging that Mr Vinatier repeatedly travelled to Russia to collect this information. Under Russian law, it is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.
Mr Vinatier appeared in court on Friday. Russia’s state news agency Tass cited his lawyer as saying in the courtroom that he admitted his guilt and maintained that he simply did not know about the requirement.
While many in the EU worry about far-right gains at the ballot box – those close to Russia crave security
Sunday 9 June 2024 21:00 , Joe Middleton
Mary Dejevsky travels to Finland, the Baltic states and Poland, where one issue stands above all others
EU voters close to Russia crave one thing above all – security
Russia puts former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Sunday 9 June 2024 20:00 , Joe Middleton
Russia has put former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list, Russian state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry’s database.
Russian state news agency Tass said Tymoshenko was listed as wanted on unspecified criminal charges.
She reportedly joins Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, on the same list, which also includes scores of officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and NATO countries.
Russia puts former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in: ‘Mummy, when will this war end?’
Sunday 9 June 2024 19:00 , Joe Middleton
A family of refugees now living in the city of Kharkiv recount to Tom Watling the horrifying story of their last-minute evacuation as Russian soldiers approached
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in
Russia fails to fulfill its Kharkiv operation, Zelensky says
Sunday 9 June 2024 18:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian army has failed in its Kharkiv offensive.
“A very significant result is that the Russian army failed. The direction is strengthened. And it will be strengthened more,” Mr Zelensky said.
Russia launched its offence in Kharkiv Oblast on 10 May where it managed to advance as far as 10kms. However, the Ukrainian push halted the Russian military’s advance near the first line of defence.
“We are now restraining them as much as possible and destroying the Russian units that enter our land and terrorize the Kharkiv region,” he said.
Russia puts former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Sunday 9 June 2024 17:00 , Joe Middleton
Russia has put former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list, Russian state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry’s database.
Russian state news agency Tass said Ms Tymoshenko was listed as wanted on unspecified criminal charges.
She reportedly joins Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, on the same list, which also includes scores of officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and Nato countries.
Ms Tymoshenko and her Batkivshchyna (the Fatherland) party did not immediately comment Saturday.
Mediazona, an independent Russian news outlet, reported that both Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Poroshenko had been listed since at least late February.
Ukraine says its forces hit one of Putin’s most advanced warplanes
Sunday 9 June 2024 16:02 , Joe Middleton
Ukraine on Sunday said its forces hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines, after its Western allies allowed Kyiv to use their weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.
Kyiv’s main military intelligence service shared satellite photos it said showed the aftermath of the attack. If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine‘s first known successful strike on a Su-57 fighter plane, a twin-engine stealth fighter lauded as Moscow’s most advanced military aircraft.
In one photo, black soot marks and small craters can be seen dotting a concrete strip around the parked aircraft. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine‘s Ministry of Defense, the strike took place on Saturday at the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, some 589 kilometers (366 miles) from the front line.
It wasn’t immediately clear what weapons were used, but the airfield’s distance from Ukraine suggests that it was likely hit by drones.
The strike comes after the United States and Germany recently authorized Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying to Kyiv.
The Ukrainian agency said that the plane, which is capable of carrying stealth missiles across hundreds of kilometers (miles), was among “a countable few” of its type in Moscow’s arsenal. According to reports by Russian agencies, Moscow’s armed forces obtained “more than 10” new Su-57s last year, while 76 are set to be produced by 2028.
Moscow did not immediately comment on the reports. Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday claimed its forces downed three Ukrainian drones in the Astrakhan region, home to the Akhtubinsk airstrip.
G7 plans to warn small Chinese banks over Russia ties
Sunday 9 June 2024 14:43 , Alexander Butler
US officials expect the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy democracies to send a tough new warning next week to smaller Chinese banks to stop assisting Russia in evading Western sanctions, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Leaders gathering at the 13-15 June summit in Italy hosted by prime minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to focus heavily during their private meetings on the threat posed by burgeoning Chinese-Russian trade to the fight in Ukraine, and what to do about it.
Those conversations are likely to result in public statements on the issue involving Chinese banks, according to a US official involved in planning the event and another person briefed on the issue.
The United States and its G7 partners – Britain, Canada France, Germany, Italy and Japan – are not expected to take any immediate punitive action against any banks during the summit, such as restricting their access to the Swift messaging system or cutting off access to the dollar.
While many in the EU worry about far-right gains at the ballot box – those close to Russia crave security
Sunday 9 June 2024 13:30 , Alexander Butler
EU voters close to Russia crave one thing above all – security
Ukraine says latest-generation Russian fighter jet hit for first time
Sunday 9 June 2024 11:24 , Alexander Butler
Ukrainian forces have for the first time hit a latest-generation Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet at an air base inside Russia, Kyiv’s GUR defence intelligence agency said on Sunday, showing satellite pictures which it said confirmed the strike.
In a Telegram post, the GUR did not specify how the Su-57 was hit or by which unit of the Ukrainian military.
A popular Russian pro-war military blogger who calls himself Fighterbomber and focuses on aviation said the report of the strike on the Su-57 was correct and that it had been hit by a drone.
The GUR said the aircraft was parked at the Akhtubinsk airfield, which it said was 589 km (366 miles) from front lines in Ukraine between Ukrainian and Russian invasion forces.
Russia puts former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Sunday 9 June 2024 08:49 , Shweta Sharma
Russia has put former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list, Russian state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry’s database.
Russian state news agency Tass said Tymoshenko was listed as wanted on unspecified criminal charges.
She reportedly joins Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, on the same list, which also includes scores of officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and NATO countries.
Tymoshenko and her Batkivshchyna (the Fatherland) party did not immediately comment Saturday.
Mediazona, an independent Russian news outlet, reported that both Zelenskyy and Poroshenko had been listed since at least late February.
Russia puts former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Russia detains French citizen for collecting military information
Sunday 9 June 2024 07:45 , Shweta Sharma
A Moscow court has ordered a French citizen accused of collecting information on military issues in Russia be held in jail pending investigation and trial.
Laurent Vinatier was arrested in the Russian capital on Thursday as tensions have flared between Moscow and Paris following French president Emmanuel Macron’s statements about the possibility of deploying the country’s troops in Ukraine.
The authorities accused Mr Vinatier of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities”, which could be used to the detriment of the country’s security.
They did not provide details of the accusations beyond alleging that Mr Vinatier repeatedly travelled to Russia to collect this information. Under Russian law, it is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.
Mr Vinatier appeared in court on Friday. Russia’s state news agency Tass cited his lawyer as saying in the courtroom that he admitted his guilt and maintained that he simply did not know about the requirement.
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in
Sunday 9 June 2024 07:08 , Shweta Sharma
As Russia continues pressing on with its all out war in Ukrainian territories, many families have made desperate attempts to flee their war-ravaged towns.
A family of refugees now living in the city of Kharkiv recounted the horrifying story of their last-minute evacuation as Russian soldiers approached.
A mother and her five children were living in the village of Zakharivka, just a few miles from the Russian forces advancing across the border into Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. The region has been the scene of intense fighting for weeks.
“Mummy, when will this war end?” nine-year-old Sasha asked his mother.
Read Tom Watling’s full report recounting the family’s escape.
Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in
Russia puts former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list
Sunday 9 June 2024 06:30 , Shweta Sharma
Russia has put former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on its wanted list, Russian state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry’s database.
Russian state news agency Tass said Ms Tymoshenko was listed as wanted on unspecified criminal charges.
She reportedly joins Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, on the same list, which also includes scores of officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and Nato countries.
Ms Tymoshenko and her Batkivshchyna (the Fatherland) party did not immediately comment Saturday.
Mediazona, an independent Russian news outlet, reported that both Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Poroshenko had been listed since at least late February.
Russia fails to fulfill its Kharkiv operation, Zelensky says
Sunday 9 June 2024 06:00 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian army has failed in its Kharkiv offensive.
“A very significant result is that the Russian army failed. The direction is strengthened. And it will be strengthened more,” Mr Zelensky said.
Russia launched its offence in Kharkiv Oblast on 10 May where it managed to advance as far as 10kms. However, the Ukrainian push halted the Russian military’s advance near the first line of defence.
“We are now restraining them as much as possible and destroying the Russian units that enter our land and terrorize the Kharkiv region,” he said.
Ukrainian attacks kill 28 in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions, Russian official says
Sunday 9 June 2024 05:30 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian attacks left at least 28 people dead as Moscow and Kyiv continued to engage in drone strikes overnight, Russia-installed officials in the partially-occupied Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Luhansk said.
A Ukrainian attack yesterday on the small town of Sadove in the Kherson region killed 22 and wounded 15 people, Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo said.
Russian state news agency Tass cited Mr Saldo as saying that Ukrainian forces first struck the town with a French-made guided bomb, then attacked again with a US-supplied HIMARS missile.
He said Ukrainian forces had “deliberately made a repeat strike to create greater numbers of casualties” when “residents of nearby houses ran out to help the injured.”
Officials declared Saturday a day of mourning in Luhansk, and public events will be similarly cancelled today and tomorrow in Kherson.
Further east, Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-installed governor in Ukraine’s partially occupied Luhansk region, said yesterday that two more bodies had been pulled from the rubble following Friday’s Ukrainian missile attack on the regional capital, also called Luhansk.
Russian state news agency Interfax cited regional authorities as saying this brought the death toll to six. Pasechnik also said 60 people were wounded in the attack.
ICYMI: Biden announces new $225m aid package for Ukraine
Sunday 9 June 2024 05:00 , Joe Middleton
Putin not going to stop with Ukraine: Biden in France
Sunday 9 June 2024 04:15 , Shweta Sharma
Joe Biden has said in France that Russian president Vladimir Putin is not going to stop with the war in Ukraine and all of Europe was threatened.
French president Emmanuel Macron welcomed his American counterpart, Mr Biden, in Paris yesterday for a state visit that included talks about the Middle East, Ukraine, and trade.
“The United States is standing strong with Ukraine. We’re standing with our allies,” Mr Biden said.
“We are standing with France,” he added.
“Putin is not going to stop with Ukraine…. All of Europe will be threatened. We’re not going to let that happen.”
The two countries will work harder to prevent a regional escalation from Israel’s war with militant group Hamas in Gaza and focus on calming tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Mr Macron told reporters at the Elysee presidential palace, with the US president at his side.
Ukraine air defence downs 9 out of 13 Russian drones over four regions
Sunday 9 June 2024 03:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukrainian air defence and mobile drone hunters groups shot down nine out of 13 Russian drones over four regions of the country, the air force said on Saturday.
The Iranian-made Shahed drones were downed over the central Poltava region, southeastern Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the statement said. One X-59 Russian missile launched from Russia’s Kursk region was also downed.
Serhiy Lysak, Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, said the overnight drone attack damaged commercial and residential buildings and also a power line. Details of the damage in other regions were not immediately clear.
While many in the EU worry about far-right gains at the ballot box – those close to Russia crave security
Sunday 9 June 2024 02:00 , Joe Middleton
Mary Dejevsky travels to Finland, the Baltic states and Poland, where one issue stands above all others
EU voters close to Russia crave one thing above all – security
British foreign secretary falls victim to hoax video call and messages
Sunday 9 June 2024 01:00 , Joe Middleton
Foreign secretary Lord David Cameron has been the victim of hoax a video call and messages from someone claiming to be the former president of Ukraine, it has been revealed.
In order to stave off any attempts to manipulate video footage of Lord Cameron from the communications, the government has made public what happened.
A statement from the Foreign Office said a “number of text messages were exchanged followed by a brief video call between the Foreign Secretary and someone purporting to be Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine”.
Mr Poroshenko served as Ukrainian president between 2014 and 2019, and has remained a prominent figure in the country since leaving office.
Lord Cameron falls victim to hoax video call and messages
Zelensky hits out at Putin’s claims about Ukraine’s presidential legitimacy
Saturday 8 June 2024 23:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has hit back at Vladimir Putin for raising questions over the legitimacy of his presidency in the absence of elections in the war-torn country.
In a joint news conference with France’s President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Mr Zelensky said: “President Zelensky’s legitimacy is recognized by the people of Ukraine only, he is elected by the people of Ukraine.”
“I am very grateful for the support. Our people are free. To be honest, that’s what we are fighting for (freedom). I am grateful for the support,” he said.
He added said Mr Putin’s legitimacy is recognized only by the Russian president himself.
“Putin elects himself. Russian people are just a decoration, they only have one actor,” Mr Zelensky said, pointing to Russia’s presidential election,
Ukraine had to undergo elections in March 2024 after Mr Zelensky’s first term ended in May. However, martial law was imposed following the Ukraine war in February 2022, banning elections during wartime.
Putin’s forces killed his brother. He takes revenge using hundreds of suicide drones to blow Russian troops up
Saturday 8 June 2024 22:00 , Joe Middleton
Askold Krushelnycky visits the concealed base of the ‘Barney Unit’ in eastern Ukraine. Created by Stepan Barna in the wake of the death on the front line of his older brother Oleh, its drone operators claim to have achieved more than 100 kills
The Ukraine politician avenging his brother’s death with hi-tech ‘suicide drones’
Putin says Russia does not need to use nuclear weapons for victory in Ukraine
Saturday 8 June 2024 21:00 , Joe Middleton
Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was no need to use nuclear weapons to deliver victory for Moscow in Ukraine, the strongest signal yet from the Kremlin chief that there will not be a nuclear strike.
Mr Putin, whose forces have been making advances in eastern Ukraine in recent months, said he did not see the conditions for the use of such weapons and requested that people stop discussing the nuclear topic.
However, Mr Putin, who leads the world’s biggest nuclear power, said he did not rule out changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which sets out the conditions under which such weapons could be used.
He also said that if necessary Russia could test a nuclear weapon, though he saw no need to do so at the present time.
Mr Putin’s response came to a question from Sergei Karaganov, an influential Russian analyst, who asked if Mr Putin should hold a “nuclear pistol to the temple” of the West over Ukraine.
“The use is possible in an exceptional case – in the event of a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. I don’t think that such a case has come. There is no such need,” he said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“But this doctrine is a living tool and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world around us and do not exclude making some changes to this doctrine. This is also related to the testing of nuclear weapons.”
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault. Western help needs to speed up
Saturday 8 June 2024 20:00 , Joe Middleton
Leaders such as Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron used D-Day celebrations to underline their support for Kyiv, writes Kim Sengupta, but the West is struggling to find the production capacity for the shells and missiles the country desperately needs
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault
US could deploy more nuclear weapons on its border to deter adversaries, Biden aide says
Saturday 8 June 2024 19:00 , Joe Middleton
The US may have to deploy more strategic nuclear weapons in coming years against growing threats from Russia, China and other adversaries, a senior White House aide said yesterday.
Pranay Vaddi, the top National Security Council arms control official, made his comments in a speech on “a more competitive approach” to arms control that outlined a policy shift aimed at pressing Moscow and Beijing to reverse rejections of US calls for arsenal limitation talks.
“Absent a change in adversary arsenals, we may reach a point in the coming years where an increase from current deployed numbers is required. We need to be fully prepared to execute if the president makes that decision,” he told the Arms Control Association.
“If that day comes, it will result in a determination that more nuclear weapons are required to deter our adversaries and protect the American people and our allies and partners.”
The US currently adheres to a limit of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads under the New START treaty with Russia even though Moscow suspended it last year.
The administration remains committed to international arms control and non-proliferation regimes designed to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, Mr Vaddi said.
But, he said, Russia, China and North Korea “are all expanding and diversifying their nuclear arsenals at a breakneck pace, showing little or no interest in arms control.”
The three and Iran “are increasingly cooperating and coordinating with each other in ways that run counter to peace and stability, threaten the United States, our allies and our partners and exacerbate region tensions,” he said.
Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are sharing advanced missile and drone technology, said Mr Vaddi, citing Moscow’s use in Ukraine of Iranian drones and North Korean artillery and missiles, and Chinese support for Russia’s defense industries.
UN says Ukraine’s monthly civilian death toll rises to highest in a year
Saturday 8 June 2024 18:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukraine marked a significant increase in monthly civilian casualties in May, reaching the highest point in nearly a year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said today.
It said conflict-related violence killed at least 174 civilians and injured 690 in Ukraine in May, the highest number of civilian casualties since June 2023.
It noted that the main reason for the high number of civilian casualties was the use of air-dropped bombs and missiles in populated areas such as communities near the frontline and Kharkiv city.
“Over half of the casualties in May occurred in Kharkiv city and region where Russian armed forces launched a new ground offensive on May 10,” Danielle Bell, the head of HRMMU, said.
Ms Bell said that the attacks in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, have been deadly and no place in Ukraine was safe.
“The attacks on a shopping center and printing house in Kharkiv city highlight the stark vulnerability of civilians engaged in everyday activities, where even routine tasks like buying supplies to repair damaged homes can result in the loss of life and loved ones,” said Ms Bell.
ICYMI: Biden announces new $225m aid package for Ukraine
Saturday 8 June 2024 17:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukraine air defence downs 9 out of 13 Russian drones over four regions
Saturday 8 June 2024 16:00 , Joe Middleton
Ukrainian air defence and mobile drone hunters groups shot down nine out of 13 Russian drones over four regions of the country, the air force said today.
The Iranian-made Shahed drones were downed over the central Poltava region, southeastern Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the statement said. One X-59 Russian missile launched from Russia’s Kursk region was also downed.
Serhiy Lysak, Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, said the overnight drone attack damaged commercial and residential buildings and also a power line.
Details of the damage in other regions were not immediately clear.
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault. Western help needs to speed up
Saturday 8 June 2024 14:59 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine is in a race against time to steel itself for a Russian summer assault
While many in the EU worry about far-right gains at the ballot box – those close to Russia crave security
Saturday 8 June 2024 13:30 , Alexander Butler
EU voters close to Russia crave one thing above all – security
Ukraine air defence downs 9 out of 13 Russian drones over four regions
Saturday 8 June 2024 12:20 , Alexander Butler
Ukrainian air defence and mobile drone hunters groups shot down nine out of 13 Russian drones over four regions of the country, the air force said on Saturday.
The Iranian-made Shahed drones were downed over the central Poltava region, southeastern Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the statement said. One X-59 Russian missile launched from Russia’s Kursk region was also downed.
Serhiy Lysak, Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, said the overnight drone attack damaged commercial and residential buildings and also a power line. Details of the damage in other regions were not immediately clear.
Putin says Russia does not need to use nuclear weapons for victory in Ukraine
Saturday 8 June 2024 08:41 , Shweta Sharma
Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was no need to use nuclear weapons to deliver victory for Moscow in Ukraine, the strongest signal yet from the Kremlin chief that there will not be a nuclear strike.
Mr Putin, whose forces have been making advances in eastern Ukraine in recent months, said he did not see the conditions for the use of such weapons and requested that people stop discussing the nuclear topic.
However, Mr Putin, who leads the world’s biggest nuclear power, said he did not rule out changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which sets out the conditions under which such weapons could be used.
He also said that if necessary Russia could test a nuclear weapon, though he saw no need to do so at the present time.
Mr Putin’s response came to a question from Sergei Karaganov, an influential Russian analyst, who asked if Mr Putin should hold a “nuclear pistol to the temple” of the West over Ukraine.
“The use is possible in an exceptional case – in the event of a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. I don’t think that such a case has come. There is no such need,” he said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“But this doctrine is a living tool and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world around us and do not exclude making some changes to this doctrine. This is also related to the testing of nuclear weapons.”
Biden, Macron get ready for pomp-filled state visit to discuss Ukraine and Israel
Saturday 8 June 2024 08:00 , Shweta Sharma
French president Emmanuel Macron will host US president Joe Biden today for a state visit marked by pomp and a parade as well as talks on trade, Israel and Ukraine.
The two men, who share a warm relationship despite past tensions over a submarine deal with Australia, will participate in a welcoming ceremony with their wives at the iconic Arc de Triomphe and a parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees before holding a meeting about policy issues and then attending dinner.
Jake Sullivan said talks between the two men would touch on Russia’s war with Ukraine, Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and policy issues ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence to supply chains.
White House spokesperson John Kirby said the countries would announce a plan to work together on maritime law enforcement and the US Coast Guard and French navy would discuss increased cooperation.
Mr Biden and Mr Macron are also expected to discuss strengthening Nato, and both have pledged their countries’ support for Ukraine, though they have not agreed yet on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to help Kyiv. A US Treasury official said on Tuesday the United States and its G7 partners were making progress on that.
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