Blow for Putin’s forces as Crimea airfield hit and Russia drone debris found in Romania

Ukraine said today its missile forces carried out a strike on a Russian military airfield in Crimea that has been used for long-range attacks against it, the latest in a series of blows to the Russian military on the occupied peninsula.

The Ukrainian military’s general staff said in a statement that Russia‘s Saky airfield in western Crimea was the latest target to be struck and that it was assessing the aftermath.

“This is one of the operational airfields that Russia uses to control the airspace, in particular the Black Sea, and for launching airstrikes on Ukrainian territory,” it said.

It comes as Romania has confirmed that fragments of a Russian drone entered its territory, one day after Russia targeted Ukraine with a bombardment of 38 long-range drones.

Ukraine’s Air Force said three of the drones “were lost after crossing the state border with Romania”.

Nato’s leadership said it had ruled out the incident being a deliberate act of aggression towards the alliance from Putin while calling out Russia for being “irresponsible”.

Key Points

• Ukraine says missile forces hit Russian air base in Crimea

• Agreeing peace with Putin to end war would be deal with devil, Zelensky advisor says

• Russian drone debris found in Romania but Nato denies intentional attack

• Pentagon finds another $2bn of accounting errors for Ukraine aid

• US jets intercept Russian and Chinese warplanes

Yellen says G7 can reach deal on $50bn Ukraine loan by October

06:33 , Namita Singh

US treasury secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters that “things look good” for Group of Seven wealthy democracies to agree the terms of a $50bn loan to Ukraine backed by Russian assets by October.

Ms Yellen said in an interview on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders meeting in Brazil that talks to advance the loan were constructive, including over US demands for reassurances that the assets would stay frozen for a longer period of time.

“We’ve had constructive conversations here. And we’re working closely together to try to move this forward,” Ms Yellen said. “I think things look good in terms of getting to a place where we can get this done probably by October.”

The $50bn loan, agreed in principle by G7 leaders in June, would be serviced with proceeds generated by some $300bn of Russian central bank assets frozen in the West after Moscow invaded Ukraine in early 2022.

While there is not unanimous support among the G7 to fully confiscate the $300 bn of capital, the bloc agrees that it is legally possible to siphon off the profits that the assets are generating.

Son fears father could die after year detained in Azerbaijan as political prisoner

06:00 , Alexander Butler

Son fears father could die after year held as political prisoner in Azerbaijan

North Korean charged in cyberattacks on US hospitals, NASA and military bases

05:00 , Alexander Butler

North Korean charged in cyberattacks on US hospitals, NASA and military bases

Ukraine claims missile strike on Russian air base in Crimea

04:37 , Namita Singh

Ukraine said on Friday that its missile forces struck a Russian military airfield in Crimea that has been used for attacks against it.

Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Crimea in recent months and says the Russian navy’s Black Sea fleet, headquartered in Sevastopol, has been forced to move its combat vessels to safer harbours elsewhere.

The Ukrainian military’s general staff said in a statement that Russia’s Saky airfield in western Crimea was the latest target to be struck and that it was assessing the aftermath.

“This is one of the operational airfields that Russia uses to control the airspace, in particular the Black Sea, and for launching airstrikes on Ukrainian territory,” it said.

The statement did not say which weapon was used, only that the attack was carried out by Ukraine’s missile forces. There was no immediate comment from Russia’s defence ministry or local officials.

President Volodymyr Zelensky implicitly acknowledged the strike in his nightly video address, commending “our soldiers who are striking Russian bases and logistics on occupied territory”.

“To our guys, our soldiers, I thank you for your accuracy,” he said.

Russia downs 12 Ukrainian drones in one hour, governor says

04:05 , Namita Singh

Russian air defences intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones in the space of an hour late on Friday over southern Russia’s border region of Bryansk, the regional governor said.

“Thanks to our valiant defenders, all airborne targets were intercepted and destroyed,” governor Alexander Bogomaz wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

There were no casualties or serious damage reported.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod region, also on Ukraine’s border further to the southeast, said three drone attacks and a number of shelling incidents had smashed windows and caused some other damage to buildings.

Ukrainian forces have regularly attacked Russian border regions, particularly Belgorod, in a bid to reduce Russian strikes on targets inside Ukraine’s border.

The attacks prompted the Kremlin to launch a cross-border incursion into the Kharkiv region in May, with Russian military officials saying they seized a number of settlements. Ukrainian officials say the situation there has stabilised.

Gladkov and other officials restricted access this week to parts of Belgorod region to guard against Ukrainian attacks.

Kremlin welcomes Trump comments on Russia being ‘a war machine’ but says it remains clear-eyed

04:00 , Alexander Butler

The Kremlin on Friday welcomed Donald Trump’s comments on Russia being “a war machine” that had defeated Napoleon and Hitler, but said it was not wearing rose-tinted spectacles when it came to the U.S. Republican presidential candidate.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about comments Trump said he had made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a phone call on July 19.

Trump told Fox News later that he had told Zelenskiy that the war needed to be brought to an end.

“This is a war machine you’re facing. That’s what they (the Russians) do they fight wars. They beat Hitler. They beat Napoleon. We got to get this war over with,” said Trump.

Commenting on Trump’s remarks, Peskov said: “It will probably be useful for most of the American audience to know that there are many glorious pages in the history of Russia, and indeed, probably few people in the U.S., we mean ordinary Americans, and maybe representatives of the so-called political establishment, know history in such depth.”

Everything we know about France’s Olympic rail chaos as Kremlin responds to arrest of Russian citizen

03:00 , Alexander Butler

Saboteurs have launched a “malicious” arson attack on France’s rail networks just hours before the start of the Paris Olympic Games.

Eurostar customers have been told to cancel their trips where possible after “coordinated” vandalism caused disruption to high speed rail routes into the French capital on Friday.

The rail operator, which runs international services from London St Pancras, said on Friday several trains to Paris had been cancelled and others were diverted or subject to delays because of the ongoing issues over the Channel.

Everything we know about France’s Olympic rail chaos as Kremlin responds to arrest

Watch: Ukrainian heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk says, ‘UK and Ukraine are a good team’

02:00 , Alexander Butler

British army not as strong as it should be, admits defence chief

01:00 , Alexander Butler

British army not as strong as it should be, admits defence chief

An explosion killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs in 2022. Survivors and an internal UN report blame Russi

Friday 26 July 2024 23:00 , Alexander Butler

An explosion killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs in 2022. Survivors and an internal UN report blame Russia

Watch: Usyk returns to Ukraine to visit recently bombed children’s hospital

Friday 26 July 2024 22:00 , Alexander Butler

US jets intercept Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers off coast of Alaska

Friday 26 July 2024 21:00 , Alexander Butler

US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers after they were detected near Alaska.

The Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” strategic bombers and Chinese Xi’an H-6 bombers were spotted in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (Adiz) – but did not enter US or Canadian airspace, US authorities said.

It comes after Chinese and Belarusian troops joined forces for a joint military drill near its border with Nato member Poland earlier this month.

US fighter jets intercept Russian and Chinese warplanes near Alaska

Russia to punish soldiers using personal phones on the frontline in Ukraine

Friday 26 July 2024 20:00 , Alexander Butler

Russia’s parliament has adopted an ammendment to allow military commanders to punish soldiers for using their personal phones and navigation devices on the frontline.

The law states any possession of a device that allows military personnel to store or send video, photos or geolocation data on the internet is punishable by up to 15 days imprisonment.

It also disallows the transmission of any information that could be used to identify any Russian troops or their location.

Russia to punish soldiers using personal phones on the frontline in Ukraine

‘We come here not only for sport’: Ukraine athlete wants Paris 2024 to serve as reminder of struggle

Friday 26 July 2024 19:00 , Alexander Butler

A Ukrainian gymnast will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics with more than just medals on his mind.

Oleg Verniaiev, 30, will join around 140 athletes in the smallest team that Ukraine has fielded for any Olympic Games.

But they enter Paris after the lives of an estimated 488 athletes, and thousands of civilians, have been taken following the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

Ukraine athlete wants Paris 2024 to serve as reminder of struggle

Romania says more Russian debris from the Ukraine war has landed on its territory

Friday 26 July 2024 18:00 , Alexander Butler

Romania says more Russian debris from the Ukraine war has landed on its territory

Watch: Kits of Ukrainian athletes killed in Russian invasion displayed outside Houses of Parliament

Friday 26 July 2024 17:00 , Alexander Butler

Oleksandr Usyk: Ukraine needs the UK just as I needed my team to become heavyweight champion

Friday 26 July 2024 16:00 , Alexander Butler

Oleksandr Usyk: Ukraine needs the UK just as I needed my team to become champion

Ukraine says missile forces hit Russian air base in Crimea

Friday 26 July 2024 14:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine said on Friday its missile forces carried out a strike on a Russian military airfield in Crimea that has been used for long-range attacks against it, the latest in a series of blows to the Russian military on the occupied peninsula.

Ukraine has ramped up long-range attacks on Crimea in recent months and says the Russian navy’s Black Sea Fleet, which is headquartered in Sevastopol, has been forced to move its combat vessels to safer harbour elsewhere.

The Ukrainian military’s general staff said in a statement that Russia‘s Saky airfield in western Crimea was the latest target to be struck and that it was assessing the aftermath.

“This is one of the operational airfields that Russia uses to control the airspace, in particular the Black Sea, and for launching airstrikes on Ukrainian territory,” it said.

The statement did not say which weapon was used but that the attack was carried out by Ukraine‘s missile forces alongside other contingents. There was no immediate comment from Russia‘s defence ministry or local Moscow-installed officials.

Everything we know about France’s Olympic rail chaos as Kremlin responds to arrest of Russian citizen

Friday 26 July 2024 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Saboteurs have launched a “malicious” arson attack on France’s rail networks just hours before the start of the Paris Olympic Games.

Eurostar customers have been told to cancel their trips where possible after “coordinated” vandalism caused disruption to high speed rail routes into the French capital on Friday.

The rail operator, which runs international services from London St Pancras, said on Friday several trains to Paris had been cancelled and others were diverted or subject to delays because of the ongoing issues over the Channel.

Everything we know about France’s Olympic rail chaos as Kremlin responds to arrest

With uncertainty across the Atlantic, Europe worries about its own securityWhen Donald Trump suggested during the 2016 presidential campaign that he might not honor a U.S. commitment to defend other NATO countries if they were attacked, it triggered alarm throughout the trans-Atlantic alliance. With Trump’s “America First” rhetoric drawing cheers from fervent supporters, the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is once again on the agenda. But this time, European leaders acknowledge the alliance must evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century and say they are ready to shoulder more responsibility for their own defense.

Friday 26 July 2024 14:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

When Donald Trump suggested during the 2016 presidential campaign that he might not honor a U.S. commitment to defend other NATO countries if they were attacked, it triggered alarm throughout the trans-Atlantic alliance.

With Trump’s “America First” rhetoric drawing cheers from fervent supporters, the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is once again on the agenda. But this time, European leaders acknowledge the alliance must evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century and say they are ready to shoulder more responsibility for their own defense.

With uncertainty across the Atlantic, Europe worries about its own security

Friday 26 July 2024 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Dmitry Peskov, when asked next about a commentary in the Wall Street Journal co-authored by Mike Pompeo, a former secretary of state under Trump, said the Kremlin was clear-eyed when it came to assessing what a Trump presidency could mean for Russia.

The Pompeo commentary suggested Trump enact tough new sanctions on Moscow if elected and step up help for Ukraine.

“We have never worn and do not wear rose-coloured spectacles. (Trump) is a representative of the U.S. political elite, which is now all absolutely suffering from total anti-Russian sentiment,” said Peskov.

“When he was president, under Trump, the Americans started this sanctions race, under Trump a huge number of sanctions were imposed against our country, and in this respect he is not much different for us from everyone else.

“Maybe he shows a little more political wisdom in terms of maintaining channels of dialogue. But de facto it does not have a special impact on anything, and we should be aware of that,” said Peskov.

Kremlin welcomes Trump comments on Russia being ‘a war machine’ but says it remains clear-eyed

Friday 26 July 2024 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Kremlin on Friday welcomed Donald Trump’s comments on Russia being “a war machine” that had defeated Napoleon and Hitler, but said it was not wearing rose-tinted spectacles when it came to the U.S. Republican presidential candidate.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about comments Trump said he had made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a phone call on July 19.

Trump told Fox News later that he had told Zelenskiy that the war needed to be brought to an end.

“This is a war machine you’re facing. That’s what they (the Russians) do they fight wars. They beat Hitler. They beat Napoleon. We got to get this war over with,” said Trump.

Commenting on Trump’s remarks, Peskov said: “It will probably be useful for most of the American audience to know that there are many glorious pages in the history of Russia, and indeed, probably few people in the U.S., we mean ordinary Americans, and maybe representatives of the so-called political establishment, know history in such depth.”

An explosion killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs in 2022. Survivors and an internal UN report blame Russia

Friday 26 July 2024 13:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The former prisoners of war still puzzle over the strange events leading up to the night now seared into their memories, when an explosion ripped through the Russian-controlled Olenivka prison barracks and killed so many comrades two years ago.

Among the survivors: Kyrylo Masalitin, whose months in captivity and long beard age him beyond his 30 years. Arsen Dmytryk, the informal commander of the group of POWs that was shifted without explanation to a room newly stocked with bare bunks. And Mykyta Shastun, who recalled guards laughing as the building burned, acting not at all like men under enemy attack.

An explosion killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs in 2022. Survivors and an internal UN report blame Russia

Oleksandr Usyk quotes Winston Churchill as he thanks Britain for Ukraine support

Friday 26 July 2024 12:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine’s world champion Oleksandr Usyk quoted Sir Winston Churchill as he thanked Great Britain for its continued support during his country’s war with Russia.

Usyk, 37, who defeated Britain’s Tyson Fury in May to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly 25 years, was speaking at an event in London to mark the departure of the ‘Vehicles for Ukraine’ convoy.

The vehicles have been donated to Ukraine through London’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) scrappage scheme for humanitarian and medical aid and they set off for the war-torn country on Thursday from the capital.

Oleksandr Usyk quotes Winston Churchill as he thanks Britain for Ukraine support

Kremlin says it will weigh how to retaliate over EU transfer of frozen asset proceeds to Ukraine

Friday 26 July 2024 12:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia will carefully consider how to respond to the European Union’s transfer to Ukraine of 1.5 billion euros ($1.63 billion) taken from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said earlier that the EU was transferring the funds to Kyiv on Friday for “the defence and reconstruction of Ukraine.”

In a call with reporters, Peskov said that the EU’s move was “illegal” and that Russia would take “well-thought-out actions” in response.

He said: “Such steps by the European Commission will not remain unanswered.”

Russia has repeatedly threatened retaliation to any use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine.

UK urges China to prevent its companies supporting Russia’s military

Friday 26 July 2024 12:01 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged China to prevent its companies from supporting Russia‘s military, his office said on Friday following a meeting between Lammy and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

The two spoke on the sidelines of an ASEAN Foreign Ministers event in Laos for what was their first meeting since Lammy took office following the Labour Party’s July 4 British election win.

“The Foreign Secretary underlined the UK’s ironclad commitment to Ukraine and urged China to prevent its companies supporting Russia‘s military industrial complex which poses a material threat to international security and prosperity,” the British statement said.

The foreign office described the meeting as constructive and said Lammy used it to set out the government’s “long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations.”

“He set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must,” the statement said.

“He made clear the UK would always stand firm in prioritising our national security, as well as supporting human rights.”

Earlier, a statement issued by China following the meeting said Wang had told Lammy the two countries should “establish the right policy orientation, (and) uphold a balanced, pragmatic, open and cooperative attitude.”

Ukraine says it hit Russian military airfield in Crimea

Friday 26 July 2024 11:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s military said on Friday it hit a Russian military airfield in Moscow-occupied Crimea overnight.

The airfield in Saky came under strike, Ukraine‘s general staff said on Telegram, adding the results of the attack were being clarified.

“This is one of the operational airfields that Russia uses to control the airspace, in particular the Black Sea, and for launching air strikes on Ukrainian territory,” it said.

EU transfers 1.5 billion euros from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine

Friday 26 July 2024 10:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The European Union will transfer 1.5 billion euros in proceeds from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X on Friday.

“Today we transfer 1.5 billion euros in proceeds from immobilised Russian assets to the defence and reconstruction of Ukraine. There is no better symbol or use for the Kremlin’s money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” she said.

European Union member states have been discussing options to extend the renewal period of sanctions on Russian central bank assets in order to secure a major Group of Seven loan for Ukraine, according to an EU draft document and statements from diplomats, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Mykhailo Podolyak: ‘An aggressor country did not come to the territory of Ukraine to sign a peace agreement’

Friday 26 July 2024 10:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

It is a view held across Zelensky’s camp and reflected broadly among Ukrainians. But it also increasingly comes up against the current of Western pressure, as Kyiv continues to face difficult front-line conditions against Moscow’s larger, better equipped army, as well as uncertainty over the level of future political support from Ukraine’s closest ally, the U.S.

War fatigue also appears to be eroding the morale of Ukrainians, who have struggled with constant bombardment, electricity outages and the loss of loved ones.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute for Sociology found that the number of Ukrainians opposed to territorial concessions to Russia in exchange for peace has continued to fall. It was 55% in July, compared with 74% in December.

Even Zelensky hinted at a willingness to negotiate with Russia for the first time since the 2022 full-scale invasion, suggesting Moscow should send a delegation to the next global peace summit, which is expected in November. But Mykhailo Podolyak insisted that an agreement now would only delay greater violence.

“Yes, it can be a freeze of the conflict for a certain time. But this means that the Russian Federation will work on its mistakes and update its own army,” he said. “An aggressor country did not come to the territory of Ukraine to sign a peace agreement. That’s nonsense!”

A lasting peace that works for Ukraine would ensure a steady erosion of Russian military might encompassed by the “three tools” often reiterated by Zelenskyy: increased military support, effective economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure to isolate Russia.

Agreeing peace with Putin to end war would be deal with devil, Zelensky advisor says

Friday 26 July 2024 10:13 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Signing an agreement with Russia to stop the war with Ukraine would amount to signing a deal with the devil, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as pressure mounts on the country to seek an end to more than two years of fighting.

A deal would only buy time for Russian President Vladimir Putin to strengthen his army and usher in another, potentially more violent chapter in the war, Mykhailo Podolyak told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

“If you want to sign a deal with the devil, who will then drag you to hell, well, go for it. This is what Russia is,” Podolyak said when asked about the prospects for a peace deal for Kyiv, whose forces are locked in a bloody war of attrition with Moscow’s troops in eastern Ukraine.

“If you sign anything today with Russia, that will not lose the war and will not be legally responsible for mass crimes, this will mean that you have signed yourself a ticket to continue the war on a different scale, with other protagonists, with a different number of killed and tortured people,” he said.

Tanaiste: Fake ads about me originated in Russia

Friday 26 July 2024 10:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Stolen credit cards were used to finance fake ads about Micheal Martin which originated in Russia and Belarus, the Tanaiste has said.

Mr Martin made the claims as the Government published its Defamation (Amendment) Bill on Thursday.

The Bill includes measures to “make it easier and less costly to tackle online defamation”.

He said: “I’ve been subjected to such online advertisements and fake ads and so on and it strikes me as extraordinarily challenging for individual citizens to seek the identity of such online defamers.”

Tanaiste: Fake ads about me originated in Russia

Hungary exploring options to resolve oil supply situation, says PM’s aide

Friday 26 July 2024 09:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Hungary is seeking a solution to restore its oil supplies after Ukraine halted deliveries of the raw material from Russian group Lukoil , Gergely Gulyas, an aide to the Hungarian prime minister, said on Friday.

“One is that the Ukrainians admit that they cannot do this to two EU countries,” he said. “Another is that the European Commission helps us, and the third is that we find a legal loophole that allows the oil to be transfered by someone not affected by the sanctions.”

Romania says more Russian debris from the Ukraine war has landed on its territory

Friday 26 July 2024 09:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Debris from what is believed to be a Russian drone landed in Romania, the country’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

It is the latest apparent incident of drone wreckage from the war in neighboring Ukraine falling onto the NATO member’s soil.

Romania says more Russian debris from the Ukraine war has landed on its territory

Hungary says it is being ‘blackmailed’ by Ukraine over oil flows

Friday 26 July 2024 08:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary and Slovakia with a halt to oil deliveries, an aide to the Hungarian prime minister said on Friday, after the countries stopped receiving oil from Russian group Lukoil.

“Ukraine is blackmailing the two countries that are standing for peace and ceasefire,” Gergely Gulyas told a news conference. “If the situation is not resolved, there will be a fuel shortage… a solution must be found by September.”

Friday 26 July 2024 08:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The powerful display has been staged in Parliament Square as Paris prepares to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Tribute to Ukrainian athletes killed in Russian invasion installed outside parliament

Oleksandr Usyk: Ukraine needs the UK just as I needed my team to become heavyweight champion

Friday 26 July 2024 08:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has compared the value of his team surrounding the boxing ring with that of the UK in supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

Speaking to The Independent from his country’s embassy in west London, he is under no illusion about the role the UK has played.

Tom Watling has more here:

Oleksandr Usyk: Ukraine needs the UK just as I needed my team to become champion

Russia to punish soldiers using personal phones on the frontline in Ukraine

Friday 26 July 2024 08:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia’s parliament has adopted an ammendment to allow military commanders to punish soldiers for using their personal phones and navigation devices on the frontline.

The law states any possession of a device that allows military personnel to store or send video, photos or geolocation data on the internet is punishable by up to 15 days imprisonment.

It also disallows the transmission of any information that could be used to identify any Russian troops or their location.

Russia to punish soldiers using personal phones on the frontline in Ukraine

Russian drones attack Ukrainian power facilities overnight

Friday 26 July 2024 07:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia overnight attacked Ukrainian energy facilities in two regions with drones, disrupting electricity supplies, Ukraine‘s national power grid operator said on Friday.

Power supplies have, however, been already restored to most consumers in the northern Chernihiv and Zhytomyr regions, Ukrenergo said.

Ukrainian air defences destroyed 20 out of the 22 Russian attack drones launched overnight, Ukraine‘s air force chief said. Most of the drones were shot down in the Kherson, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Chernihiv regions.

The governor of the Chernihiv region said that some infrastructure and a dormitory were damaged during the attack on the town of Nizhyn, without giving further details.

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine‘s energy sector have intensified since the spring, resulting in blackouts in many regions and forcing Kyiv to start large-scale electricity imports from the European Union.

Russian man confesses in video to Moscow car bomb attack on military officer- part two

Friday 26 July 2024 07:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In a video released by RIA, which had been edited in places to remove certain references, Yevgeny Serebyrakov said he had been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence last year and asked to kill “an officer.”

He said in the video that he had gathered the components to make a homemade bomb at his Ukrainian handler’s request and placed it beneath the unnamed officer’s vehicle.

He was promised Ukrainian citizenship and $10,000-20,000 dollars as a reward for his work, he said.

Russian man confesses in video to Moscow car bomb attack on military officer- part one

Friday 26 July 2024 07:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s RIA state news agency on Friday broadcast a video in which a Russian citizen said he had blown up a military officer in his car in Moscow earlier this week at the behest of the SBU Ukrainian security service.

Reuters could not independently verify the handcuffed man’s assertions and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

The Kommersant newspaper reported on Wednesday that a car bomb had injured an officer from Russia‘s military intelligence agency in northern Moscow. Other media said the injured man was a regular military officer.

Russia‘s interior ministry said at the time that two people had been injured in the blast and that a criminal case had been opened. CCTV footage showed a Toyota Land Cruiser parked outside what looked like a residential complex exploding into a fireball.

Turkish authorities said late on Wednesday they had arrested a Russian citizen suspected of the attack in Bodrum after he had flown in from Moscow.

On Friday, Russia‘s FSB security service said in a statement that the man, whom it named as Yevgeny Serebyrakov, had been brought to Russia from Turkey and handed over to investigators.

Why are Russia and Belarus banned from the Paris Olympics?

Friday 26 July 2024 07:00 , Alexander Butler

Why are Russia and Belarus banned from the Paris Olympics?

Pentagon finds another $2bn of accounting errors for Ukraine aid

Friday 26 July 2024 05:48 , Arpan Rai

The Pentagon has found $2bn worth of additional errors in its calculations for ammunition, missiles and other equipment sent to Ukraine, increasing the improperly valued material to a total of $8.2bn, a US government report has revealed.

Last year’s calculations by the Pentagon revealed a $6.2 billion error after the staff used “replacement value” instead of “depreciated value” to tabulate the billions in materials sent to Ukraine. The error created a path for billions more to be given to Ukraine.

The US Department of Defence has faced challenges in accurately valuing defence articles sent to Ukraine due to unclear accounting definitions, a new Government Accountability Office report showed.

The Pentagon told the GAO that since then, $2bn more in overstatements have been found. As a result, an additional $2bn worth of arms can be sent to Ukraine to cover the amount of aid approved by the Biden administration.

In one example cited in the GAO report, 10 vehicles were valued at $7,050,000 when the supporting documentation showed they should have been valued at zero, their net book value.

The GAO has recommended that Congress clarify the definition of value in the context of defence articles under Presidential Drawdown Authority.

Threat of multiple wars means Britain must be ready to fight in three years, says Army chief

Friday 26 July 2024 05:00 , Alexander Butler

Threat of wars means Britain must be ready to fight in three years, says Army chief

Oleksandr Usyk quotes Winston Churchill as he thanks Britain for Ukraine support

Friday 26 July 2024 04:48 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine’s world champion Oleksandr Usyk quoted Sir Winston Churchill as he thanked Great Britain for its continued support during his country’s war with Russia.

Usyk, 37, who defeated Britain’s Tyson Fury in May to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly 25 years, was speaking at an event in London to mark the departure of the ‘Vehicles for Ukraine’ convoy.

The vehicles have been donated to Ukraine through London’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) scrappage scheme for humanitarian and medical aid and they set off for the war-torn country on Thursday from the capital.

Usyk, accompanied by Ukraine ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said via an interpreter: “I’m really thankful to all the British that they are with us, now for the third year, and I’m really grateful to people. Glory to Ukraine.”

Oleksandr Usyk quotes Winston Churchill as he thanks Britain for Ukraine support

Russian drone debris found in Romania but Nato denies intentional attack

Friday 26 July 2024 04:19 , Arpan Rai

Romania said it found Russian drone fragments on its territory yesterday after Moscow troops fired 38 long-range drones into Ukraine overnight, though Nato said it saw no sign of an intentional attack on the alliance’s territory .

Ukraine’s Air Force destroyed 25 Russian drones, its chief said on Telegram. Three drones “were lost after crossing the state border with Romania”, he added.

Romania’s defence ministry said it had found fragments of a Russian Geran 1/2 drone near the village of Plauru across the Danube River from Ukraine‘s southern port town of Izmail that came under attack for the second night in a row.

However, a Nato spokesperson said there was no indication of an intentional attack on the alliance’s territory. “While Nato has no information indicating any intentional attack by Russia against Allied territory, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous”, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Two Finnish F-18 fighter jets, part of Nato air policing missions in Romania, were scrambled to monitor the attack, the ministry added.

Searches for other fragments were continuing and all locations where drones might have fallen “were outside residential areas and no infrastructure elements were damaged”, it said.

Romania shares a 650km (400mile) border with Ukraine and has had Russian drone fragments stray into its territory repeatedly over the past year.

Son fears father could die after year detained in Azerbaijan as political prisoner

Friday 26 July 2024 04:00 , Alexander Butler

Gubad Ibadoghlu was driving home with his wife in northern Baku, Azerbaijan, when several cars rammed into them.

The senior fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) was in town to visit his ailing mother, who could no longer walk.

Two dozen plainclothes officers rushed out of the vehicles and beat the couple, who had been chased out of the country six years earlier by an administration that Professor Gubad’s supporters say was angered by his anti-corruption efforts.

Son fears father could die after year held as political prisoner in Azerbaijan

Ukraine asks Hong Kong not to let Russia circumvent sanctions

Friday 26 July 2024 03:56 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba visited Hong Kong and called on its leader John Lee to prevent Russia from using Hong Kong as a way to circumvent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its full-scale war in Ukraine.

Hong Kong and China are identified by the US government as key routes for Russia to source materials for its military, including semiconductors and drone parts.

“Dmytro Kuleba called on the Hong Kong administration to take measures to deprive Russia and Russian companies of the opportunity to use Hong Kong to circumvent restrictive measures imposed for Russian aggression against Ukraine,” the Ukrainian ministry said in a statement.

The Hong Kong government said in an email response to Reuters that it “implements and strictly enforces United Nations Security Council’s sanctions”.

According to previously undisclosed US Commerce Department data reported by Reuters, Hong Kong remains a global sanctions evasion hotspot, although semiconductors and other restricted goods shipped through China and Hong Kong fell by a fifth this year.

China, the world’s second-largest economy, positions itself as neutral on the Ukraine war, but declared a “no limits” partnership with Russia days before the 2022 invasion. It has also provided diplomatic backing and helped keep Russia’s wartime economy afloat.

US jets intercept Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers off coast of Alaska

Friday 26 July 2024 03:00 , Alexander Butler

US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers after they were detected near Alaska.

The Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” strategic bombers and Chinese Xi’an H-6 bombers were spotted in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone – but did not enter US or Canadian airspace, US authorities said.

It comes after Chinese and Belarusian troops joined forces for a joint military drill near its border with Nato member Poland earlier this month.

US fighter jets intercept Russian and Chinese warplanes near Alaska

Russia will be forced to scale down attacks in month and a half

Friday 26 July 2024 02:00 , Alexander Butler

Russia won’t be able to maintain the scale of its attacks Gen Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of Ukraine’s National Guard, said in an interview with Ukrinform.

He said: “The enemy’s offensive capabilities are not unlimited, considering the losses they suffer.”

“In another month and a half, they will not be able to conduct active assaults in many directions at once and will switch to defense.”

Oleksandr Usyk thanks Britain as he sees off donated vehicle convoy

Friday 26 July 2024 01:00 , Alexander Butler

Ukrainian heavyweight world champion boxer Oleksandr Usyk declared he is “really grateful to the British” as a convoy of UK vehicles donated to his home country began its journey across Europe.

Addressing a crowd of around 100 people from the steps of Ukraine’s embassy in London, the 37-year-old quoted Sir Winston Churchill as 15 vehicles set off on the near-2,000 mile trip.

With a raised fist, he declared “blood, toil, tears and sweat”, adding: “Glory to Ukraine!”

Ukrainian foreign minister warns of Russia using Hong Kong to bypass sanctions

Thursday 25 July 2024 23:00 , Alexander Butler

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, has warned Hong Kong about Russia using the city to bypass sanctions levied by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.

The unprecedented economic penalties were imposed on Moscow after the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Kuleba also called on the Hong Kong Administration to take measures to prevent Russia and Russian companies from using Hong Kong to circumvent the restrictive measures imposed for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” his ministry said.

In Kyiv, music fans rub shoulders with generals and famous artists, united by the inescapable war

Thursday 25 July 2024 22:00 , Alexander Butler

In Kyiv, music fans rub shoulders with generals and famous artists, united by the inescapable war

Starmer’s words are welcome, but Zelensky needs action more than ever

Thursday 25 July 2024 21:00 , Alexander Butler

Starmer’s words will be welcomed in Kyiv – but Zelensky needs action more than ever

Belarus’ foreign minister arrives in North Korea for talks

Thursday 25 July 2024 20:00 , Alexander Butler

Belarus’ foreign minister arrives in North Korea for talks expected to focus on Russia cooperation

Thousands in Ukraine attend funeral of former lawmaker and critic of Russia who was killed in Lviv

Thursday 25 July 2024 19:00 , Alexander Butler

Thousands in Ukraine attend funeral of former lawmaker and critic of Russia who was killed in Lviv

US-Russian journalist convicted in a rapid, secret trial, court records show

Thursday 25 July 2024 18:00 , Alexander Butler

US-Russian journalist convicted in a rapid, secret trial, court records show

British army not as strong as it should be because of ‘historic underinvestment’ says defence chief

Thursday 25 July 2024 17:00 , Alexander Butler

Britain’s army is not as strong as it should be because of “historic underinvestment”, the head of the military has admitted, with “deficiencies in people, equipment, stockpiles, training and technology”.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of defence staff, said there was a need for “humility” to recognise the limitations and “near-term financial challenges” faced by our armed forces.

But he said Russia, the main adversary of the West, has been hugely damaged by brutal losses in Ukraine and will take a decade or more to rebuild its military strength to the level it had at the time of Vladimir Putin’s invasion and rectify the shortcomings exposed.

British army not as strong as it should be, admits defence chief