Ukraine presses NATO on membership, but alliance gives no guarantees
NATO nations must swiftly advance Ukraine’s proposed entry into the Western military alliance, a top Ukrainian official said Wednesday, calling the past decision to defer the country’s membership a “strategic mistake.”
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held this week in the same massive Romanian state palace where NATO leaders, 14 years prior, declared they would support Ukraine’s membership but deferred it indefinitely until a host of conditions could be met.
Although top NATO officials and diplomats reiterated their support for the 2008 declaration, they consistently dodged questions about when Ukraine might join the alliance, saying the focus for now is getting Ukraine through the winter and the war. Accession, officials suggested, is a discussion for another day.
Read the full story here.
NATO nations must swiftly advance Ukraine’s proposed entry into the Western military alliance, a top Ukrainian official said Wednesday, calling the past decision to defer the country’s membership a “strategic mistake.”
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held this week in the same massive Romanian state palace where NATO leaders, 14 years prior, declared they would support Ukraine’s membership but deferred it indefinitely until a host of conditions could be met.
Although top NATO officials and diplomats reiterated their support for the 2008 declaration, they consistently dodged questions about when Ukraine might join the alliance, saying the focus for now is getting Ukraine through the winter and the war. Accession, officials suggested, is a discussion for another day.
Read the full story here.
Lion cubs rescued from Ukraine find sanctuary in the United States
Four lion cubs rescued from Ukraine have found a new home at a wildlife sanctuary in the woods of Minnesota.
The cubs, a young male called Taras and three females — Stefania, Lesya and Prada — landed in the United States on Tuesday after a nine-hour flight from Poland, where they had been cared for in recent weeks by a local zoo since being plucked from the conflict by animal welfare groups.
“These cubs have endured more in their short lives than any animal should,” Meredith Whitney, Wildlife Rescue Program manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, one of several groups working to rescue animals from the war, said in a statement. “They were born at breeding facilities in Ukraine, during the war and then orphaned at a few weeks old.”
The cubs survived sporadic bombings and drone attacks, according to the animal welfare group, before making an arduous 36-hour journey to Poland three weeks ago.
Read the full story here.
Four lion cubs rescued from Ukraine have found a new home at a wildlife sanctuary in the woods of Minnesota.
The cubs, a young male called Taras and three females — Stefania, Lesya and Prada — landed in the United States on Tuesday after a nine-hour flight from Poland, where they had been cared for in recent weeks by a local zoo since being plucked from the conflict by animal welfare groups.
“These cubs have endured more in their short lives than any animal should,” Meredith Whitney, Wildlife Rescue Program manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, one of several groups working to rescue animals from the war, said in a statement. “They were born at breeding facilities in Ukraine, during the war and then orphaned at a few weeks old.”
The cubs survived sporadic bombings and drone attacks, according to the animal welfare group, before making an arduous 36-hour journey to Poland three weeks ago.
Read the full story here.
Letter bombs strike Spain, including premier’s office, U.S. and Ukraine embassies
A string of letter bombs in Spain, mailed to the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as well the embassies of Ukraine and the United States, have prompted authorities to boost security around public buildings while racing to look for clues about the letters’ origins.
Five of the six known letters — all mailed in recent days — have been detected in time. But the letter sent to the Ukrainian mission exploded Wednesday, injuring an embassy employee, Spain’s Interior Ministry said.
Other targets have included the Defense Ministry, the arms manufacturer Instalaza in Zaragoza, and the satellite center at a Madrid air base.
The letter sent to the U.S. Embassy was intercepted midday Thursday, Spain’s Interior Ministry said, and showed “similar characteristics to the previous ones.” It added that the letter was then detonated by security officials in a controlled explosion.
Read the full story here.
A string of letter bombs in Spain, mailed to the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as well the embassies of Ukraine and the United States, have prompted authorities to boost security around public buildings while racing to look for clues about the letters’ origins.
Five of the six known letters — all mailed in recent days — have been detected in time. But the letter sent to the Ukrainian mission exploded Wednesday, injuring an embassy employee, Spain’s Interior Ministry said.
Other targets have included the Defense Ministry, the arms manufacturer Instalaza in Zaragoza, and the satellite center at a Madrid air base.
The letter sent to the U.S. Embassy was intercepted midday Thursday, Spain’s Interior Ministry said, and showed “similar characteristics to the previous ones.” It added that the letter was then detonated by security officials in a controlled explosion.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Spanish officials stepped up security Thursday after confirming that at least six letter bombs had been sent to high-profile targets in recent days, including the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid.
- The United Nations called for a record $51.5 billion in funding for 2023, citing “shockingly high” emergency needs, including the Ukraine war.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Ukraine war has “shattered peace in Europe.”
- Ukraine’s power outages have forced its residents to light fires for light and cooking, leading to at least nine deaths and eight injuries across Ukraine in the past day, the State Emergency Service reported late Wednesday.
- Ukraine’s defense intelligence branch accused representatives of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear energy company, of “laundering” money allocated to manage the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
More live updates here.
- Spanish officials stepped up security Thursday after confirming that at least six letter bombs had been sent to high-profile targets in recent days, including the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid.
- The United Nations called for a record $51.5 billion in funding for 2023, citing “shockingly high” emergency needs, including the Ukraine war.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Ukraine war has “shattered peace in Europe.”
- Ukraine’s power outages have forced its residents to light fires for light and cooking, leading to at least nine deaths and eight injuries across Ukraine in the past day, the State Emergency Service reported late Wednesday.
- Ukraine’s defense intelligence branch accused representatives of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear energy company, of “laundering” money allocated to manage the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Senior U.S. defense officials are considering a major expansion in military training for Ukraine. Thousands of Kyiv’s fighters may train with the military in Germany, where the U.S. has instructed smaller numbers of Ukrainian troops for years.
- A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a TV interview that as many as 13,000 of the country’s troops have died so far, Reuters reported.
- The U.S. and France “deplore Russia’s deliberate escalatory steps,” Biden and Macron said in a joint statement following their Thursday meeting that highlighted Russia’s “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric” and misinformation about weapons of mass destruction programs.
- Russia has pulled back troops from around the city of Kherson, Ukraine’s military said.
- Moscow is withdrawing units and preparing to evacuate occupation authorities in Russian-held towns in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian defense ministry said later in the day.
More live updates here.
- Senior U.S. defense officials are considering a major expansion in military training for Ukraine. Thousands of Kyiv’s fighters may train with the military in Germany, where the U.S. has instructed smaller numbers of Ukrainian troops for years.
- A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a TV interview that as many as 13,000 of the country’s troops have died so far, Reuters reported.
- The U.S. and France “deplore Russia’s deliberate escalatory steps,” Biden and Macron said in a joint statement following their Thursday meeting that highlighted Russia’s “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric” and misinformation about weapons of mass destruction programs.
- Russia has pulled back troops from around the city of Kherson, Ukraine’s military said.
- Moscow is withdrawing units and preparing to evacuate occupation authorities in Russian-held towns in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian defense ministry said later in the day.
More live updates here.
Suspicion swirls over Russia’s plans for Belarus after minister’s death
RIGA, Latvia — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with his security ministers on Thursday, days after the sudden death of the country’s longtime foreign minister, and he warned of attacks from external enemies: NATO, Ukraine and even exiled Belarusians fighting in Ukraine against Russia.
Lukashenko said those fighters-in-exile could try to seize power by force.
The Belarusian dictator, who has been in power since 1994, is known for unfurling alarmist, far-fetched baseless claims. His latest warning comes amid swirling rumors of plots and intrigue, many dismissed by analysts as unlikely, following the unexpected death last weekend of Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, a close ally and confidant of Lukashenko’s.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin warned that anti-Lukashenko Belarusian regiments fighting for Kyiv had serious combat experience and could be used to seize power in Minsk.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with his security ministers on Thursday, days after the sudden death of the country’s longtime foreign minister, and he warned of attacks from external enemies: NATO, Ukraine and even exiled Belarusians fighting in Ukraine against Russia.
Lukashenko said those fighters-in-exile could try to seize power by force.
The Belarusian dictator, who has been in power since 1994, is known for unfurling alarmist, far-fetched baseless claims. His latest warning comes amid swirling rumors of plots and intrigue, many dismissed by analysts as unlikely, following the unexpected death last weekend of Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, a close ally and confidant of Lukashenko’s.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin warned that anti-Lukashenko Belarusian regiments fighting for Kyiv had serious combat experience and could be used to seize power in Minsk.
Read the full story here.
Russia postpones talks on New START pact, imperiling major nuclear accord
Russia’s unilateral postponement — citing “political reasons” — of a technical meeting with U.S. officials about the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty has called into question the future of the sole remaining strategic nuclear arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow, as Russia lashes out amid setbacks in its war on Ukraine.
The New START accord, which built on Cold War deals to limit nuclear arms, is not due to expire until February 2026, but regular inspections mandated by the treaty have not been held for nearly three years, first because of the coronavirus pandemic, and then because of relations poisoned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Tuesday explicitly linked the decision to postpone this week’s meeting to Washington’s weapons supplies to Ukraine, demanding that the U.S. “create conditions” for a meeting to go ahead next year.
Read the full story here.
Russia’s unilateral postponement — citing “political reasons” — of a technical meeting with U.S. officials about the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty has called into question the future of the sole remaining strategic nuclear arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow, as Russia lashes out amid setbacks in its war on Ukraine.
The New START accord, which built on Cold War deals to limit nuclear arms, is not due to expire until February 2026, but regular inspections mandated by the treaty have not been held for nearly three years, first because of the coronavirus pandemic, and then because of relations poisoned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Tuesday explicitly linked the decision to postpone this week’s meeting to Washington’s weapons supplies to Ukraine, demanding that the U.S. “create conditions” for a meeting to go ahead next year.
Read the full story here.
Edward Snowden swears allegiance to Russia and receives passport, lawyer says
Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked information about U.S. surveillance programs, swore an oath of allegiance to Russia and has collected his Russian passport, his lawyer told state media.
“Edward received a Russian passport yesterday and took the oath in accordance with the law,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. “He is, of course, happy, thanking the Russian Federation for the fact that he received citizenship,” he continued. “And most importantly, under the Constitution of Russia, he can no longer be extradited to a foreign state.”
Snowden is wanted by Washington on espionage charges. He argues that his actions were in the interests of the United States. In any case, his revelations exposed the breadth of U.S. digital spying programs and altered the public’s understanding of technology, privacy and digital security.
Read the full story here.
Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked information about U.S. surveillance programs, swore an oath of allegiance to Russia and has collected his Russian passport, his lawyer told state media.
“Edward received a Russian passport yesterday and took the oath in accordance with the law,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. “He is, of course, happy, thanking the Russian Federation for the fact that he received citizenship,” he continued. “And most importantly, under the Constitution of Russia, he can no longer be extradited to a foreign state.”
Snowden is wanted by Washington on espionage charges. He argues that his actions were in the interests of the United States. In any case, his revelations exposed the breadth of U.S. digital spying programs and altered the public’s understanding of technology, privacy and digital security.
Read the full story here.
Western allies move to cap the price of Russian oil at $60 a barrel
BRUSSELS — After months of lobbying by the United States and days of fraught negotiations, Ukraine’s allies are closer to implementing a plan to cap the price of Russian oil starting next week, but European ambassadors on Friday proposed a cap so close to current prices that it is not clear if it will hit the Kremlin’s war chest.
At meetings in Brussels, diplomats agreed to $60 per barrel as an upper limit, with regular reviews to make sure the ceiling stays at least 5 per cent below average market prices for Russian oil. If the Group of Seven nations and Australia agree, the cap would be implemented starting Monday, the day the European Union’s embargo on Russian seaborne crude goes into force.
Read the full story here.
BRUSSELS — After months of lobbying by the United States and days of fraught negotiations, Ukraine’s allies are closer to implementing a plan to cap the price of Russian oil starting next week, but European ambassadors on Friday proposed a cap so close to current prices that it is not clear if it will hit the Kremlin’s war chest.
At meetings in Brussels, diplomats agreed to $60 per barrel as an upper limit, with regular reviews to make sure the ceiling stays at least 5 per cent below average market prices for Russian oil. If the Group of Seven nations and Australia agree, the cap would be implemented starting Monday, the day the European Union’s embargo on Russian seaborne crude goes into force.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- European diplomats on Friday proposed a limit on the price of Russian oil after lengthy negotiations in Brussels, though it remains unclear whether the move will hit Moscow’s finances, since the $60-per-barrel cap is so close to current prices.
- A half-dozen Ukrainian embassies across Europe, as well as several consulates, have received “bloody packages” containing animal eyes, in what Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Friday was a “well-planned” campaign of intimidation and terror.
- Scholz’s call with Putin was the first conversation between an E.U. leader and the Russian president since Russia’s recent attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and its string of battlefield defeats this fall.
- Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the war so far, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told state television.
More live updates here.
- European diplomats on Friday proposed a limit on the price of Russian oil after lengthy negotiations in Brussels, though it remains unclear whether the move will hit Moscow’s finances, since the $60-per-barrel cap is so close to current prices.
- A half-dozen Ukrainian embassies across Europe, as well as several consulates, have received “bloody packages” containing animal eyes, in what Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Friday was a “well-planned” campaign of intimidation and terror.
- Scholz’s call with Putin was the first conversation between an E.U. leader and the Russian president since Russia’s recent attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and its string of battlefield defeats this fall.
- Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the war so far, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told state television.
More live updates here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
—The Biden administration is prepared to restart talks with Russia over a nuclear arms treaty despite the Kremlin’s decision to postpone negotiations planned for earlier this week, the State Department said.
— The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it was nearing a deal between Ukraine and Russia to protect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
— The European Union, Group of Seven nations and Australia all agreed to limit the price of Russian oil, a measure the Biden administration called “welcome news” that will take effect Monday.
More live updates.
—The Biden administration is prepared to restart talks with Russia over a nuclear arms treaty despite the Kremlin’s decision to postpone negotiations planned for earlier this week, the State Department said.
— The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it was nearing a deal between Ukraine and Russia to protect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
— The European Union, Group of Seven nations and Australia all agreed to limit the price of Russian oil, a measure the Biden administration called “welcome news” that will take effect Monday.
More live updates.
Pentagon eyes major expansion of Ukraine military training
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other top Pentagon officials are weighing a major expansion in training for the Ukrainian military, a move that could significantly enhance its ability to evict Russian forces from occupied areas even as it deepens U.S. involvement in the war.
The plan, under discussion for weeks, according to senior U.S. defense officials, would build on the billions of dollars in weaponry and other aid Washington has provided Ukraine by showing its military how to wage a more sophisticated campaign against the struggling Russian army.
Read the full story here.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other top Pentagon officials are weighing a major expansion in training for the Ukrainian military, a move that could significantly enhance its ability to evict Russian forces from occupied areas even as it deepens U.S. involvement in the war.
The plan, under discussion for weeks, according to senior U.S. defense officials, would build on the billions of dollars in weaponry and other aid Washington has provided Ukraine by showing its military how to wage a more sophisticated campaign against the struggling Russian army.
Read the full story here.
Scholz phones Putin after diplomatic overture by Biden and Macron
RIGA, Latvia — Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday that Moscow’s relentless airstrikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure were “forced and inevitable,” because of Ukraine’s attacks on the Crimean Bridge and other Russian targets, and he blamed Western nations’ “destructive” policy of supporting Ukraine for prolonging the war, which Russia started.
The hour-long call, which was initiated by Berlin, was Putin’s first with a Group of Seven leader since Russia suffered a string of battlefield defeats, and since Moscow initiated the wave of attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure using missiles and self-detonating drones. Those attacks have cut off electricity, heat and water service in many parts of Ukraine, raising the risk of a humanitarian disaster this winter.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday that Moscow’s relentless airstrikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure were “forced and inevitable,” because of Ukraine’s attacks on the Crimean Bridge and other Russian targets, and he blamed Western nations’ “destructive” policy of supporting Ukraine for prolonging the war, which Russia started.
The hour-long call, which was initiated by Berlin, was Putin’s first with a Group of Seven leader since Russia suffered a string of battlefield defeats, and since Moscow initiated the wave of attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure using missiles and self-detonating drones. Those attacks have cut off electricity, heat and water service in many parts of Ukraine, raising the risk of a humanitarian disaster this winter.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian embassies in Europe receive ‘bloody packages’
ROME — Calling it a “well-planned” campaign of intimidation and terror, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that a half-dozen of its embassies across Europe, as well as several consulates, had received “bloody packages” containing animal eyes.
Those packages, combined with a spate of letter bombs detected in Spain — including one that injured a staffer at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid — have raised suspicion about links to Russia while prompting Kyiv to ask for increased security at its overseas offices.
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman said packages were received at embassies in the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Italy and Austria, as well as at consulates in Naples and Brno, in the Czech Republic. One was also detected at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid.
Read the full story here.
ROME — Calling it a “well-planned” campaign of intimidation and terror, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that a half-dozen of its embassies across Europe, as well as several consulates, had received “bloody packages” containing animal eyes.
Those packages, combined with a spate of letter bombs detected in Spain — including one that injured a staffer at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid — have raised suspicion about links to Russia while prompting Kyiv to ask for increased security at its overseas offices.
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman said packages were received at embassies in the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Italy and Austria, as well as at consulates in Naples and Brno, in the Czech Republic. One was also detected at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid.
Read the full story here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
—A ground freeze in eastern Ukraine will soon improve troop mobility, according to a regional governor. Muddy conditions had hindered large vehicles from traversing the area during much of the past week, a Washington-based think tank said.
— Meanwhile, the first shipment from the new “Grain from Ukraine” initiative arrived at an Ethiopian port on Saturday, according to the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Read more updates.
—A ground freeze in eastern Ukraine will soon improve troop mobility, according to a regional governor. Muddy conditions had hindered large vehicles from traversing the area during much of the past week, a Washington-based think tank said.
— Meanwhile, the first shipment from the new “Grain from Ukraine” initiative arrived at an Ethiopian port on Saturday, according to the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Read more updates.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman confirmed Russia launched a new missile attack. There were unconfirmed reports of explosions heard in the center, east and south of Ukraine, as well as in Kyiv. Two people were killed and two others were injured in the town of Novosofiivska in Zaporizhzhia, one of four regions of Ukraine unilaterally annexed by Russia, according to the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
- In Russia, three people were killed and six were injured when a fuel tanker exploded at a Russian airfield near the city of Ryazan, state news agencies reported. Also on Monday, a drone hit the runway of a different airfield in the Saratov region of Russia, injuring two service members and damaging two planes, according to the Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia’s security services.
- The first shipment from the new “Grain from Ukraine” initiative arrived at an Ethiopian port on Saturday, according to Ukraine's government.
Read more updates.
- Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman confirmed Russia launched a new missile attack. There were unconfirmed reports of explosions heard in the center, east and south of Ukraine, as well as in Kyiv. Two people were killed and two others were injured in the town of Novosofiivska in Zaporizhzhia, one of four regions of Ukraine unilaterally annexed by Russia, according to the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
- In Russia, three people were killed and six were injured when a fuel tanker exploded at a Russian airfield near the city of Ryazan, state news agencies reported. Also on Monday, a drone hit the runway of a different airfield in the Saratov region of Russia, injuring two service members and damaging two planes, according to the Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia’s security services.
- The first shipment from the new “Grain from Ukraine” initiative arrived at an Ethiopian port on Saturday, according to Ukraine's government.
Read more updates.
Ukraine allows perilous Dnieper River crossings to flee Russian occupation
KHERSON, Ukraine — Dozens of people have called Dmytro Fomin in the past few weeks, he says, pleading with him to take them across the Dnieper River.
Fomin, a 54-year-old motorboat owner and unofficial ferryman, was desperate to help Ukrainians flee the Russian-occupied eastern bank. The major crossings have been destroyed.
Appeals came in from relatives that had been separated for months, elderly parents hoping to return to their families and a woman, nine months pregnant, trying to reach a hospital to deliver her baby: sundered from a city they used to be able to visit without a second’s thought, by a river that has become the front line of a grinding war.
Read the full story here.
KHERSON, Ukraine — Dozens of people have called Dmytro Fomin in the past few weeks, he says, pleading with him to take them across the Dnieper River.
Fomin, a 54-year-old motorboat owner and unofficial ferryman, was desperate to help Ukrainians flee the Russian-occupied eastern bank. The major crossings have been destroyed.
Appeals came in from relatives that had been separated for months, elderly parents hoping to return to their families and a woman, nine months pregnant, trying to reach a hospital to deliver her baby: sundered from a city they used to be able to visit without a second’s thought, by a river that has become the front line of a grinding war.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russia launched a barrage of missiles at multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, on Monday, prompting residents to seek shelter and cutting off power and water in some regions.
- Emergency shutdowns were planned across Ukraine as authorities worked to restore power in certain regions, state electricity operator Ukrenergo said Monday.
- The European Union’s embargo on seaborne Russian crude and the Group of Seven’s oil price cap went into effect Monday, sending oil markets into uncharted territory as the West seeks to hit Russia’s oil revenue without causing price spikes.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin drove a car across a repaired bridge in Crimea on Monday, Russian media reported.
- Moldova, which borders Ukraine and is connected to its grid, also reported power disruptions Monday.
- Russia appears to be capable of producing guided missiles despite heavy sanctions, weapons analysts say.
More live updates here.
- Russia launched a barrage of missiles at multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, on Monday, prompting residents to seek shelter and cutting off power and water in some regions.
- Emergency shutdowns were planned across Ukraine as authorities worked to restore power in certain regions, state electricity operator Ukrenergo said Monday.
- The European Union’s embargo on seaborne Russian crude and the Group of Seven’s oil price cap went into effect Monday, sending oil markets into uncharted territory as the West seeks to hit Russia’s oil revenue without causing price spikes.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin drove a car across a repaired bridge in Crimea on Monday, Russian media reported.
- Moldova, which borders Ukraine and is connected to its grid, also reported power disruptions Monday.
- Russia appears to be capable of producing guided missiles despite heavy sanctions, weapons analysts say.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The blasts that targeted two military installations deep inside Russia on Monday included an airfield that served as a base for bombers allegedly used in Moscow’s relentless strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia blamed the explosions on Ukraine.
- Astra, an independent Russian news channel on Telegram, reported that the attack damaged two Tupolev Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers and killed at least three Russian service members. The Tu-95s can carry the type of cruise missiles used to attack Ukraine.
- Russia said there are no direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv on the issue of a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he was nearing an agreement between the two sides to safeguard the facility.
More live updates here.
- The blasts that targeted two military installations deep inside Russia on Monday included an airfield that served as a base for bombers allegedly used in Moscow’s relentless strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia blamed the explosions on Ukraine.
- Astra, an independent Russian news channel on Telegram, reported that the attack damaged two Tupolev Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers and killed at least three Russian service members. The Tu-95s can carry the type of cruise missiles used to attack Ukraine.
- Russia said there are no direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv on the issue of a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he was nearing an agreement between the two sides to safeguard the facility.
More live updates here.
Ukrainian drones hit two air bases deep inside Russia in brazen attack
Blasts rocked two military installations deep inside Russia on Monday, including an airfield that served as a base for bombers allegedly used in Moscow’s relentless airstrikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. The attack marked Kyiv’s most brazen hit on Russian territory since the start of the war.
Russia’s airstrikes continued on Monday with a fresh barrage fired at targets across Ukraine hours after reports of the explosions in Russia, which occurred at the Engels-2 strategic bomber base in Saratov and at the Dyagilevo military air base in Ryazan region.
The Russian Defense Ministry accused the Ukrainian military of orchestrating the blasts, which killed at least three Russian soldiers and injured four others. Kyiv did not claim responsibility but a senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive operation, confirmed that they were carried out by Ukrainian forces.
Read the full story here.
Blasts rocked two military installations deep inside Russia on Monday, including an airfield that served as a base for bombers allegedly used in Moscow’s relentless airstrikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. The attack marked Kyiv’s most brazen hit on Russian territory since the start of the war.
Russia’s airstrikes continued on Monday with a fresh barrage fired at targets across Ukraine hours after reports of the explosions in Russia, which occurred at the Engels-2 strategic bomber base in Saratov and at the Dyagilevo military air base in Ryazan region.
The Russian Defense Ministry accused the Ukrainian military of orchestrating the blasts, which killed at least three Russian soldiers and injured four others. Kyiv did not claim responsibility but a senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive operation, confirmed that they were carried out by Ukrainian forces.
Read the full story here.