Ukraine-Russia war live: More than one million without power and five dead after Moscow ‘revenge strikes’

Some 1.2 million people have been left without power in at least four regions across Ukraine after Russia unleashed “revenge strikes” overnight on Friday, officials have claimed, as at least five people have been reported killed and dozens more wounded.

“Russia launched the largest combined attack on the Ukrainian energy system since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” grid operator UkrEnergo cited their head, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, as saying.

Russia fired 88 missiles and 63 Shahed drones in a vast overnight attack, while missile strikes earlier in the day targeted the power supply in Kharkiv, with at least 15 blasts reported for the northeastern city.

The Kremlin Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the assault was part of a series of “revenge attacks” to punish Kyiv for raiding Russian border regions and firing drones at oil refineries across western Russia. At least nine refineries have been attacked so far this year.

Andriy Kramarov, a former officer of a Ukrainian anti-missile unit, dismissed the Russian MoD comments, suggesting comparing the two attacks was nonsense.

“They don’t even have any people that struggle from these attacks. We have a lot of civilians killed,” he said. “They are not the same.”

Key Points

• Moscow unleashes ‘revenge strikes’ across Ukraine

• Ukraine’s biggest dam hit in ‘largest attack’ on energy infrastructure

• Putin ‘preparing for large-scale Nato conflict’

• Kyiv foils major Russian missile attack

• EU leaders to discuss using profits from Russian assets to arm Ukraine

Moscow shooting - everything we know so far

19:23 , Matt Mathers

Here’s what is known about the shooting so far:

-Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow on Friday evening during a concert of the band "Picnic", Russian news agency TASS reported.

-The Baza news outlet, which is thought to have good contacts with Russian security services, said 18 people had died and 43 had been wounded in the attack. Authorities had not released an official death toll as of 1900 GMT.

-The Interfax news agency reported up to five gunmen were involved in the attack.

-Russian prosecutors called the attack "an act of terrorism" and have opened a criminal case.

-An eyewitness told Reuters reporters outside the venue that automatic weapons had been used.

-Video posted online by Russian news agencies showed billowing clouds of smoke and flames rising from the venue building.

-TASS reported that people remained inside the building, which is almost completely engulfed in flames and that others were trapped on the roof.

-Special units of Russia’s national guard as well as police and firefighters are on the scene, TASS said.

-Moscow’s mayor cancelled all large-scale public events over the weekend.

Roof of concert hall collapsing - RIA

19:19 , Matt Mathers

Roof of concert hall near Moscow where shooting took place is collapsing, says RIA

The roof of Crocus City Hall, the flame-engulfed concert centre near Moscow where gunfire and explosions were heard on Friday night, is collapsing, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.

Eighteen killed, 43 wounded in shooting at concert hall near Moscow - Russian media outlet

19:11 , Matt Mathers

Eighteen people have been killed and forty-three injured in a shooting incident at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russian media outlet Baza reports.

There have also been reports of a second explosion at the venue, where a pop concert had been about to take place.

Other reports say that 100 people were evacuated from the concert hall.

Armed gunmen dressed in camoflauge stormed building and opened fire - Russia media

19:06 , Matt Mathers

Several gunmen burst into a big concert hall on the edge of Moscow and sprayed visitors with automatic gunfire, injuring an unspecified number of people and starting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack, Russian media reports.

It comes days after president Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the raid, the worst terror attack in Russia in two decades that came as the fighting in Ukraine dragged into a third year.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a "huge tragedy".

Moscow cancels all major events over weekend after shooting incident - mayor

19:00 , Matt Mathers

All large-scale sporting, cultural and other public events will be cancelled in Moscow this weekend after a shooting incident, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Friday.

The shooting happened at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow on Friday night.

Blasts were heard from the building which is engulfed in flames.

The EU could use billions in profits from frozen Russian assets to arm Ukraine. Kyiv needs them to act fast

19:00 , Tom Watling

Soldiers on the frontline have made clear to Askold Krushelnycky that shortages of ammunition are costing lives now – and they call on Western allies to move quickly and help them keep Russia’s forces at bay

Profits on Russian frozen assets could arm Ukraine. Kyiv needs it to happen now

Multiple casualties and blast reported at shooting in concert hall near Moscow

18:12 , Tom Watling

Multiple people have been killed and many more wounded after several gunman opened fire at a concert hall near to Moscow.

The state Tassnews agency reported that the shooting occurred at the Crocus City Hall, a huge concert hall on the western edge of the Russian capital.

Several other Russian media outlets reported the shooting and said that the mall was on fire. Video circulated on social media appeared to confirm the reports.

Multiple casualties reported at shooting at concert hall near Moscow

Moscow hits vast dam as it launches more than 150 missiles and drones against Ukraine’s energy facilities

18:00 , Tom Watling

Russia has launched its largest attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the war began, Kyiv has said – firing more than 150 missiles and drones, hitting a vast dam over the Dnipro river and killing at least five people.

Dozens of energy facilities across the country were hit in the attacks, plunging more than a million Ukrainian civilians across seven regions into blackouts, as Poland, Romania and Slovakia rushed to supply emergency power.

“The world sees the targets of Russian terrorists as clearly as possible: power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, even a trolleybus,” wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the Telegram messenger site. “Russia is at war against the ordinary life of people.”

Russia stages biggest air strikes of war in attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities

Shooting and blast reported at concert hall near Moscow - agencies

17:42 , Tom Watling

A shooting incident occurred in the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russian news agency reported on Friday citing emergency services.

According to RIA news agency, at least three people in camouflage opened fire, and some people were wounded.

Footage purporting to show the aftermath of the shooting suggests there are multiple wounded or possibly killed.

TASS news agency reported a blast and a fire in the building where the shooting took place.

Former Ukrainian officer dismisses Kremlin ‘revenge attack’ comments as backwards

17:00 , Tom Watling

A former Ukrainian officer of an  anti-missile unit has dismissed the Russian defence ministry’s comments that the large-scale assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Friday was comparable to their attacks on oil referines.

He was referring to comments made by the Kremlin ministry that their sweeping attacks were “revenge” for Ukrainian attacks on oil refiners across western Russia. There have been nine such attacks this year.

“Oil is the main export of the Russian economy, so it’s logical for us to attack the refineries,” said Andriy Kramarov.

“It is very bad that there are discussions suggesting today’s Russian strikes on us are equal to our strikes on  their refineries.

“They don’t even have any people that struggle from these attacks. We have a lot of civilians killed. They are not the same.

“The idea that the attacks cause casualties of war on both sides is wrong. Today’s attack was another terrorist attack from Russia. We are just trying to strike their economy without any civilian casualties.”

Scale of Russian attacks shows Kremlin was ‘well-informed’ of Ukraine’s defences, says government advisor

16:35 , Tom Watling

Russia’s large-scale overnight attacks against Ukraine’s energy facilities suggest “extensive preparation” over months, an advisor to the Ukrainian government has told The Independent.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of the Energy Industry Research Center in Kyiv and an advisor to the Ukrainian government on the energy sector, said the attacks showed Russian forces were “well-informed” about Kyiv’s defences and the locations of vital energy facilities across the country.

“It was the most significant and well-planned attack on the energy sector since the onset of the war, targeting dozens of energy facilities – nearly all generation capacities except for nuclear, along with key substations,” he said.

“The operation's scale indicated extensive preparation time. The attackers – as inferred from the assault's blueprint – had been accumulating missiles and drones, analysing previous year's attacks, gathering information on the current state of the energy system, and the level of protection that had been built up.

“It's a solid assumption that the planning of this operation involved not only military personnel but also intelligence services and Russian energy specialists. Given the nature of the attack, they were well-informed about our defences and attempted to bypass them. Strategic planning was undoubtedly conducted by energy experts, considering the specific targets they aimed to hit.

“The consequences would have been dire had the attack occurred in winter, under sub-zero temperatures. However, the actual damage was far less, thanks to anti-aircraft defences and physical protection measures, preserving much of the valuable equipment.

“Russia's goal was a blackout. That goal remains unachieved, with the system standing resilient, maintaining its control. We are receiving emergency electricity support from EU countries, further bolstering our defences.”

Ukraine to drop Russia business blacklist after backlash

16:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine will scrap its “sponsors of war” blacklist, the centrepiece of its campaign to pressure companies doing business in Russia, on Friday, after a backlash from countries from to Austria to China, two people familiar with the matter said.

The end of the blacklist, which has embarrassed around 50 major companies identified as operating in Russia and indirectly helping the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, represents a climbdown by Kyiv as it seeks to maintain fragile international support.

Critics say the name-and-shame campaign was brash and subjective, while backers say it laid bare how industry stayed loyal to Moscow.

The people said Ukraine would scrap not only the list, but also a related website that gives detailed information about individuals under Western sanctions, companies and the origin of Russian weapons parts.

B4Ukraine, a coalition of civil society groups, said the demise of the list was disappointing, and that most governments had done little to pressure companies to cut ties to Russia.

Karin Doppelbauer, an Austrian lawmaker with the liberal Neos party, criticised the government in Vienna for exerting pressure over the blacklist.

“The government has to understand that any cosy relationship with Putin is over,” she said.

Soldier relives time as a prisoner tortured by Russia in our exclusive event

15:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Briton, tortured by Russia while a prisoner of war (POW), called for immediate help from the US to save Ukraine during the latest virtual event from The Independent.

Shaun Pinner, a veteran of numerous tours with the British army, recounted his time being held in occupied Donetsk after being forced to surrender in Mariupol in 2022.

“Nothing can train you for the pain” said Mr Pinner, who had undergone special training for such an eventuality during his time in the UK forces.

Watch the event back in full here.

Russia says it hit Ukrainian army, factories and energy infrastructure in ‘revenge strikes’

14:54 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia said on Friday it had launched a massive attack on Ukraine using land, sea and air-launched missiles and drones, part of what it said was a series of “revenge strikes” to punish Kyiv for attacking Russian border regions.

The defence ministry said in a statement its forces had successfully struck a number of power grid objects, railway nodes, military factories, ammunition depots and concentrations of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries.

“As a result of the strike, the work of industrial enterprises producing and repairing weapons, military equipment and ammunition was disrupted,” it said.

“In addition, foreign military equipment and lethal weaponry delivered to Ukraine from NATO countries was destroyed, the transfer of enemy reserves to the front line was disrupted, and Ukrainian army units and mercenaries were hit.”

Macron says it is a mistake to think Russia will stop in Donbass, Crimea

14:39 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Anyone who thinks that Russia will stop in the Donbass and Crimea is mistaken, French President Emmanuel Macron said at the end of a European Union summit in Brussels on Friday.

Asked about Kremlin comments about Russia regarding itself as at war due to the West’s intervention on Ukraine‘s side, Macron said it would be a mistake to think Russia planned to halt its agression in the Donbass and Crimea.

“By using this term, one is also even opening up uncertainty about Russia‘s military objectives,” he added.

In pictures: Smoke and fire erupt from an explosion on Ukraine's largest dam, the DniproHES, in Zaporizhzhia

14:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Belgorod: The Russian border city under constant attack from Ukraine rocket launchers

14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Belgorod region of Russia has come under increasing attacks from Ukraine this month as the invasion by Moscow grinds into its third year.

The region of forests, farmland and rolling hills has a 540-kilometer (335-mile) border along Ukraine’s northeastern edge. It has an area of over 27,000 square kilometers (about 10,500 square miles), and has a population of about 1.5 million.

It holds about 40% of Russia’s iron ore and other minerals, and is home to several major industrial companies and farms.

Belgorod: The Russian border city under constant attack from Ukraine rocket launchers

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, lawyer says

13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia must face consequences for its detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a lawyer for the newspaper said Thursday as the journalist approaches the one-year anniversary of his arrest.

“In a scenario like this, where a reporter is taken off the beat for just doing his job — wrongfully detained — there ought to be immediate consequences from the government,” said Jason Conti, general counsel at Dow Jones, which publishes the newspaper.

He was speaking at a National Press Club event in Washington.

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, lawyer says

Kremlin, in change of language, says Russia is 'at war' due to West's role in Ukraine

13:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia regards itself to be at war due to the West’s intervention on Ukraine‘s side, the Kremlin said, shifting the language it uses to describe the conflict in an apparent move to prepare Russians for a longer and harder struggle.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s comments, first to the Russian publication Arguments and Facts and then to reporters on a conference call on Friday, may sound unremarkable to Ukrainian and Western ears.

But inside Russia, where people have been told for the past two years to refer to the war in Ukraine as a “special military operation” - a phrase designed to underline the initially limited nature of the conflict - they represent a departure and look like part of a shift to prepare people mentally for a conflict which may require more sacrifices from them.

“We are in a state of war. Yes, it started out as a special military operation, but as soon as this group was formed, when the collective West became a participant in this on the side of Ukraine, it became a war for us,” Peskov told Arguments and Facts.

“I am convinced of that. And everyone should understand this, for their internal motivation.”

Russia says Ukraine infrastructure strikes were revenge for incursion

12:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s defence ministry said on Friday its fresh wave of strikes on Ukraine‘s infrastructure was part of a series of revenge attacks aimed at punishing Kyiv for its earlier incursions into Russian territory.

The ministry said in a statement that it successfully struck a number of power grid objects, railway nodes, ammunition depots and other targets on Friday.

Ukraine's Naftogaz says its facilities damaged in overnight Russian strikes

12:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz said on Friday its facilities had been damaged in overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine‘s energy system.

“Specialists are already working on restoring the damage, electricity supply has already been restored to some of the (affected) facilities, our gas workers are also working on restoring damaged gas networks,” Naftogaz said in a statement.

It did not provide details of what was hit.

1.2m in blackouts across Ukraine

11:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Some 1.2 million people in at least four regions had been left without power after Russia’s overnight missile attacks.

Around 700,000 of those were in the eastern region of Kharkiv alone, according to figures posted by presidential aide Oleksiy Kuleba on Telegram.

“The goal is not just to damage, but to try again, like last year, to cause a large-scale failure of the country’s energy system,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote on Facebook.

“Russia launched the largest combined attack on the Ukrainian energy system since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” grid operator UkrEnergo cited their head, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, as saying. It reported blackouts in seven regions.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant says main power line is up again

10:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Russian-controlled management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, said on Friday that a high-voltage line supplying it with electricity has been repaired after an outage earlier in the day.

The plant, controlled by Russia, is in shut-down mode and receives electric power via two high-voltage lines, the more powerful of which went down on Friday morning as Russian drones and missiles struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Ukraine energy grid getting help from abroad after Russian strikes, operator says

10:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s energy grid is receiving urgent assistance from Poland, Romania and Slovakia after a wave of Russian air strikes that damaged energy facilities and left more than 1 million people without power, national grid operator Ukrenergo said.

Polish transmission grid operator PSE is helping its Ukrainian counterpart by supplying 300 megawatts (MW) of power between 0600GMT and 1100GMT, PSE said on Friday.

“Later, the flow will depend on the needs of their system and our ability to help,” Maciej Wapinski, a PSE spokesman, said.

The European Union and Ukraine linked their electricity grids in March 2022 soon after Russia‘s invasion began, enabling Ukraine to receive emergency power from Europe if military attacks caused outages.

In pictures: Belgorod under attack

09:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pictures show burnt vehicles and damaged apartments after Ukrainian strikes on Russia‘s Belgorod region on Friday morning.

One person was killed in the strikes, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

More than 1 mln Ukrainians without power after Russian air strikes, official says

09:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

More than 1 million energy consumers across Ukraine were without power after overnight Russian air strikes on energy facilities, a top presidential official said on Friday.

The strikes had affected around 700,000 residents in the eastern Kharkiv region, at least 200,000 each in the southern Odesa and southeastern Dnipropetrovsk regions and another 110,000 in the central Poltava region, said Oleksiy Kuleba, deputy head of the presidential administration.

Russia's space agency aborts launch of 3 astronauts to the International Space Station

08:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia aborted the launch of three astronauts to the International Space Station moments before they were scheduled to lift off Thursday, but the crew was safe, officials said.

The Russian Soyuz rocket was to carry NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Oleg Novitsky of Roscosmos and Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus from the Russian-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.

The launch was aborted by an automatic safety system about 20 seconds before the scheduled liftoff at 1321 GMT. No cause was immediately given, but NASA said the crew was safe and would be extracted quickly from their Soyuz capsule.

Russia's space agency aborts launch of 3 astronauts to the International Space Station; all are safe

Russian air strike on Ukraine kills at least two and wounds 14

08:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

At least two people were killed and 14 wounded in Russia‘s latest overnight mass air strike on Ukraine, Kyiv’s interior minister said on Friday.

Another three people are missing, Ihor Klymenko wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, says lawyer

07:48 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Russia must face consequences for its detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a lawyer for the newspaper said as the journalist approaches the one-year anniversary of his arrest.

“In a scenario like this, where a reporter is taken off the beat for just doing his job — wrongfully detained — there ought to be immediate consequences from the government,” said Jason Conti, general counsel at Dow Jones, which publishes the newspaper. He was speaking at a National Press Club event in Washington.

Gershkovich was arrested on 29 March 2023 on espionage charges, which he and the newspaper deny, while on a reporting trip to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains.

The US government has designated him as wrongfully detained and Russian authorities have detailed no evidence to support the charges.

More here.

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, lawyer says

IMF board okays $880m loan payment for Ukraine

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive has approved the release of $880m (£696m) to Ukraine within a $15.6bn (£12.34bn) loan program.

The global lender said the risks facing Ukraine remained exceptionally high, particularly the uncertainties surrounding the war with Russia and prospects for external financing, although Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray said the fund still expected the war in Ukraine to wind down by the end of 2024.

Ukraine should receive the funds in the coming days, Mr Gray said.

The IMF funds should be welcome news as the US Congress continues to debate approval for a $61bn (£48.2bn) supplemental aid package for Ukraine.

Mr Gray said the IMF would have to study the impact on Ukraine’s debt levels if US lawmakers decided to convert some of that funding to a loan instead of a grant.

Ukraine’s biggest dam hit in ‘largest attack’ on energy infrastructure

07:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A Russian strike this morning hit Ukraine’s largest dam, the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s state hydropower company said.

It added there was no risk of a breach, while power infrastructure in other regions was also hit.

“There is currently a fire at the station. Emergency services and energy workers are working on the spot, dealing with the consequences of numerous airstrikes,” said Ukrhydroenerho, which runs Ukraine’s network of dams.

Ukraine’s energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, said it was the largest attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the recent past.

“The goal is not just to damage, but to try again, like last year, to cause a large-scale failure of the country’s energy system,” he wrote on Facebook.

Ukraine shoots down dozens of Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

07:00 , Tom Watling

Ukraine has foiled Russia’s largest attack on Kyiv in weeks – with the country’s air force saying all 31 missiles used in the assault were shot down.

The ballistic and cruise missiles, the first fired on the Ukrainian capital in 44 days, were knocked out of the sky, but at least 17 people were injured in Kyiv and the surrounding area by falling debris. Schools, residential buildings and industrial facilities were also damaged, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine shoots down 31 Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

In pics: Destruction in Kyiv after Russian attack

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Russia says one killed in Ukraine attack on Belgorod

06:26 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

One person was killed by Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s Belgorod region this morning, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

The Russian defence ministry in a statement claimed it shot down eight Vampire rockets launched by Ukraine towards Belgorod.

IOC excludes Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

06:00 , Tom Watling

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to take part in the traditional parade at the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics, the IOC said Tuesday.

The opening ceremony on July 26 will see thousands of athletes travel on boats down the River Seine for several miles (kilometers) toward the Eiffel Tower, instead of the normal parade of teams inside a stadium.

IOC excludes Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

One electricity line at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant ‘down’

05:31 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Russian-controlled management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, said this morning that one of the two high-voltage lines, supplying it with electricity, was down.

There are no safety threats, it added.

Zelensky claims missiles launched by Russia contain 1,500 foreign components

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said the sanctions imposed on Russia were “not yet sufficient” as the missiles used by Vladimir Putin’s forces against Kyiv contained at least 1,500 components of foreign origin.

A child was among more than a dozen people who sustained injuries yesterday as the Ukraine air defence foiled one of the biggest Russian air attacks on Kyiv in weeks.

The Ukraine air force said Russia launched 31 missiles, including two ballistic missiles, and 29 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.

“Every Russian missile used by these savages to attack our country contains components manufactured by companies from other countries – not from Russia,” Mr Zelensky said in his evening address.

“A significant part of them are manufactured by companies in the free world and imported to Russia through various ‘gray’ schemes,” the president added.

Russia confirms new navy chief after Black Sea warship losses

05:00 , Tom Watling

Vladimir Putin has appointed a new commander of the Russian navy as he looks to fight back against Ukraine’s sweeping attacks on his prized naval fleet in occupied Crimea.

Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev, who commanded the Crimean Black Sea fleet (BSF) for a year back in 2018, was appointed to what some analysts say is Russia’s most difficult military role during a ceremony in Putin’s hometown of St Petersburg.

While Putin’s troops have enjoyed success recently on the ground in Ukraine, long-range attacks on Russia’s BSF have destroyed roughly a quarter of its ships and forced dozens more to relocate to the mainland after decades of being stationed in Crimea.

Russia confirms Admiral Moiseyev as new navy chief after Black Sea warship losses

China says Russia and Ukraine see end of war through talks

04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Russia and Ukraine believe that their crisis will be solved through talks, even as both are adamant on their positions and have huge differences when it comes to peace talks, China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs said on Friday.

Li Hui said Russia appreciates China’s efforts in its latest round of shuttle diplomacy to Europe, while Ukraine viewed his recent visit as important.

Despite differences in their views of peace talks between the warring parties, Mr Li said “still they all believe that ultimately this crisis will be resolved” by those means.“

All agree that the war will ultimately be carried out through negotiations, not guns,” he told reporters.

He said China wishes for an international peace conference recognised by both Russia and Ukraine, with both participating equally.

Switzerland plans to host a peace conference this year, which Moscow said is doomed to fail without its participation.

Now is the time to admit the threat we face from Russia

04:00 , Tom Watling

Letters: Now is the time to admit the threat we face from Russia

Child among more than dozen injured in Kyiv attack

03:34 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

An 11-year-old child was among more than a dozen people injured in Russia’s largest missile strike on the Ukrainian capital in weeks.

Russia fired 31 missiles towards Kyiv, which were all drowned by Ukraine’s air defences.

Two people with severe injuries were rushed to a hospital yesterday, said Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko.Falling missile debris triggered fires and damaged schools, residential buildings and industrial facilities in the capital

Russia missile strikes target power supply in Kharkiv

03:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

About 15 blasts were heard in Ukraine's Kharkiv this morning, mayor Ihor Terekhov said, and Russian missile strikes appeared to be targeting the city's power supply, causing partial blackouts.

Mr Terekhov did not report any casualties.

In central Ukraine, Kryvyi Rih mayor Oleksandr Vilkul said blasts were heard in the city, but provided no details. The administration of the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia also reported eight missile strikes.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan visits Kyiv as stalemate in Washington holds up aid

03:00 , Tom Watling

President Joe Biden’s top foreign policy adviser Jake Sullivan sought to reassure Ukrainians during an unannounced visit to Kyiv Wednesday that the U.S. will continue to support their efforts to fend off Russia’s two-year-old invasion

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan visits Kyiv as stalemate in Washington holds up aid

EU leaders gather with Ukraine ammunition production and Gaza aid at the top of their agenda

02:00 , Tom Watling

European Union leaders gathered Thursday to consider new ways to help boost arms and ammunition production for Ukraine and to discuss the war in Gaza amid deep concern about Israeli plans to launch a ground offensive in the city of Rafah.

Ukraine’s munition stocks are desperately low, and Russia has more and better-armed troops. There is also a growing awareness that the EU must provide for its own security, with election campaigning in the U.S. raising questions about Washington’s commitment to its allies.

EU leaders gather with Ukraine ammunition production and Gaza aid at the top of their agenda

Belgorod: The Russian border city under constant attack from Ukraine rocket launchers

01:00 , Tom Watling

The Belgorod region of Russia has come under increasing attacks from Ukraine this month as the invasion by Moscow grinds into its third year.

The region of forests, farmland and rolling hills has a 540-kilometer (335-mile) border along Ukraine’s northeastern edge. It has an area of over 27,000 square kilometers (about 10,500 square miles), and has a population of about 1.5 million.

Belgorod: The Russian border city under constant attack from Ukraine rocket launchers

Russia's space agency aborts launch of 3 astronauts to the International Space Station; all are safe

00:00 , Tom Watling

Russia aborted the launch of three astronauts to the International Space Station moments before they were scheduled to lift off Thursday, but the crew was safe, officials said.

The Russian Soyuz rocket was to carry NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Oleg Novitsky of Roscosmos and Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus from the Russian-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.

Russia's space agency aborts launch of 3 astronauts to the International Space Station; all are safe

Ukraine shoots down dozens of Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

Thursday 21 March 2024 23:00 , Tom Watling

Ukraine has foiled Russia’s largest attack on Kyiv in weeks – with the country’s air force saying all 31 missiles used in the assault were shot down.

The ballistic and cruise missiles, the first fired on the Ukrainian capital in 44 days, were knocked out of the sky, but at least 17 people were injured in Kyiv and the surrounding area by falling debris. Schools, residential buildings and industrial facilities were also damaged, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine shoots down 31 Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

EU leaders are set to agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia. Many strings are attached

Thursday 21 March 2024 22:00 , Tom Watling

European Union leaders were poised to agree in principle Thursday to open membership negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though the Western Balkan country must still do a lot of work before talks can begin.

The 27 leaders were expected to give the political green light at a summit in Brussels after the European Commission — the EU’s executive arm — last week agreed to start talks in spite of deep lingering ethnic divisions in the nation with 3.2 million inhabitants.

EU leaders are set to agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia. Many strings are attached

Russian court rejects legal claim by Alexei Navalny’s mother over poor medical treatment in prison

Thursday 21 March 2024 21:00 , Tom Watling

Russian authorities have dismissed a lawsuit from the mother of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny alleging her son was not given proper medical care in prison.

Mr Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya claimed the refusal stemmed from the Kremlin’s desire to hide what she believes is incriminating footage of his death.

His mother Lyudmila Navalnaya, who the day after her son’s death travelled to the Arctic Circle penal colony where he was being held, was told her lawsuit had been dismissed because she was not the allegedly wronged party.

Russian court rejects legal claim by Navalny’s mother over poor treatment in prison

The EU could use billions in profits from frozen Russian assets to arm Ukraine. Kyiv needs them to act fast

Thursday 21 March 2024 20:15 , Tom Watling

Soldiers on the frontline have made clear to Askold Krushelnycky that shortages of ammunition are costing lives now – and they call on Western allies to move quickly to help them keep Russia’s forces at bay

Profits on Russian frozen assets could arm Ukraine. Kyiv needs it to happen now

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, lawyer says

Thursday 21 March 2024 19:15 , Tom Watling

Russia must face consequences for its detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a lawyer for the newspaper said Thursday as the journalist approaches the one-year anniversary of his arrest.

“In a scenario like this, where a reporter is taken off the beat for just doing his job — wrongfully detained — there ought to be immediate consequences from the government,” said Jason Conti, general counsel at Dow Jones, which publishes the newspaper. He was speaking at a National Press Club event in Washington.

Russia must face consequences for imprisonment of Wall Street Journal reporter, lawyer says

Russian pupils take history quiz based on Putin's Tucker Carlson interview

Thursday 21 March 2024 18:15 , Tom Watling

Pupils across Russia have taken part in a history quiz this month that involved watching extracts of President Vladimir Putin’s interview with US presenter Tucker Carlson, according to posts by numerous schools on social media.

Putin began the two-hour interview in February by lecturing Carlson for about half an hour on the history of Russia from the year 862, arguing that Ukraine had no tradition of independent statehood - a notion rejected by Kyiv and prominent histories as false and self-serving.

In posts on Russian social media platform VK, schools described the quiz as an “intellectual game” that helped children understand “the stages of development of the Russian state”, and said it was both entertaining and instructive.

In some cases, it appeared that children as young as six or seven had taken part. A school in Rostov, southern Russia, said pupils in classes one through 11 had watched parts of the interview and then answered questions appropriate to their age.

The Domodedovskaya grammar school posted that children had been tasked after the 11-round quiz with thinking of questions to send to Putin. It said that since it was a nationwide event, “unfortunately not everyone will receive answers from the president, but we’re still hopeful!”

It was not clear which clips had been used in the quiz. Carlson was criticised after the interview for failing to push the Kremlin leader hard enough, and even Putin said he would have liked tougher questions.

Hungary, Slovakia remain opposed to sending any arms to Ukraine to fight Russia's invasion

Thursday 21 March 2024 17:15 , Tom Watling

Four Central European countries remain deeply divided over how to resolve Russia’s war against Ukraine, their foreign ministers said Thursday.

The foreign ministers from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia met Thursday and discussed a Czech plan to acquire ammunition that Ukraine badly needs from third countries outside the European Union.

“It’s necessary to boost support for Ukraine in all areas including military assistance,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.

Hungary, Slovakia remain opposed to sending any arms to Ukraine to fight Russia's invasion

Russian foreign minister hails soccer game with Serbia's national team and meets with counterpart

Thursday 21 March 2024 16:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Thursday in Moscow with his Serbian counterpart ahead of a soccer game between the countries’ national teams that will be the Russian men’s squad’s first European friendly since the fighting in Ukraine began two years ago.

Russia was removed from international soccer competitions after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022 but is not blocked from games with other national teams. Since the fighting started, the Russian national team has mostly organized friendlies against teams from Asia and Africa, as well as one game against Cuba.

Russian foreign minister hails soccer game with Serbia's national team and meets with counterpart

Ukraine-backed anti-Kremlin fighters say they are still operating inside Russia

Thursday 21 March 2024 15:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Three Ukrainian-backed paramilitary groups that purport to be made up of Russians opposed to the Kremlin said on Thursday their forces were continuing their cross-border attacks following a week of raids.

The groups launched incursions from northern Ukraine last week into the Russian regions of Kursk and Belgorod, claiming to have entered several villages on the Russian side of the border.

“The operation, even right now, is continuing. We will talk about our losses after it’s conclusion,” Denis Kapustin, leader of one of the groups, the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), told a press conference in response to a question about the unit’s losses.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield claims.

Russian officials have made vague reference to “Ukrainian terrorists” in their comments about the groups’ recent attacks. They have previously cast the groups as puppets of Ukraine‘s military and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

The current raid follows previous actions by two of the groups in Russian border regions in May 2023.

Institute for Study of War says several factors indicate Russia is preparing for large-scale conflict with Nato

Thursday 21 March 2024 15:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A leading war think tank has said several indicators point to Russia preparing for a large-scale conflict with Nato.

The Institute for the Study of War said: “Putin’s attempts to set conditions to stabilise Russia’s economy and finances are most likely part of... preparations for a potential future large-scale conflict with NATO and not just for a protracted war in Ukraine.”

The think tank also referred to Polish president Andrzej Duda’s interview in March where he cited German research that indicates “Putin is intensifying efforts to shift Russia to a war economy with the intention of being able to attack NATO as early as 2026 or 2027”.

Russia to close some Siberian prisons as inmates are fighting in Ukraine - Kommersant newspaper

Thursday 21 March 2024 15:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Authorities in Russia‘s Krasnoyarsk region plan to close several prisons this year amid a decline in inmate numbers driven by recruitment of convicts for the Ukraine war, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday.

Kommersant cited Mark Denisov, Krasnoyarsk’s regional human rights commissioner, as telling the regional legislature that at least two local prisons would be closed due to “a large one-time reduction in the number of convicts in the context of the special military operation (in Ukraine)”.

Russia has recruited prisoners to fight in Ukraine since 2022, when Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late head of the Wagner mercenary group, began touring penal colonies, offering prisoners a pardon if they survived six months at the front.

Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash shortly after leading a short-lived mutiny against Russia‘s military leaders, said he had recruited 50,000 prisoners for Wagner.

At the time, data published by Russia‘s penal service showed sudden drops in the country’s prison population.

Russia‘s Defence Ministry has since continued recruiting convicts from prisons for its own Storm-Z formations.

Ukraine shoots down dozens of Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

Thursday 21 March 2024 14:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine has foiled Russia‘s largest attack on Kyiv in weeks – with the country’s air force saying all 31 missiles used in the assault had been shot down.

The ballistic and cruise missiles, the first fired on the Ukrainian capital in 44 days, were knocked out of the sky but at least 17 people were injured in Kyiv and the surrounding area by falling debris. Schools, residential buildings and industrial facilities were also damaged, Ukrainian officials said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had threatened to “respond in kind” to Ukrainian aerial attacks in recent days on Russia’s Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine. The assaults have been an embarrassment for the Kremlin.

Chris Stevenson has more:

Ukraine shoots down 31 Russian missiles to foil largest attack on Kyiv in weeks

Russia has began mass production of FAB-3000 aerial bombs, says defence ministry

Thursday 21 March 2024 14:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia began the mass production of FAB-3000 high-explosive aerial bombs from February of this year, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

Russia’s Belgorod region is under attack again from Ukraine. Why does it keep getting targeted?

Thursday 21 March 2024 13:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia’s Belgorod region has come under increasing Ukrainian attacks this month as the invasion by Moscow grinds into its third year.

Here is a look at the region and its role in the war:

Russia’s Belgorod region is under attack again from Ukraine. Why does it keep getting targeted?

Slovenia orders Russian diplomat to leave within seven days

Thursday 21 March 2024 13:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Russian diplomat has been declared persona non grata in Slovenia and ordered to leave the European Union country within seven days, its Foreign Ministry said.

Slovenia is expelling the Russian diplomat over “activities incompatible with the diplomatic status”, the ministry said in a statement.

It provided no further details.

Slovenia and Russia have already reduced the number of staff working at their embassies in Ljubljana and Moscow.

A number of other EU countries have expelled Russian diplomats since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Last year, authorities in Slovenia apprehended two Russian spies who used a real estate and antiques agency as a cover for their activities in the Alpine nation.

In one Ukrainian city, ballet in a bomb shelter is an escape from the horrors of war

Thursday 21 March 2024 12:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In a dance studio that doubles as a bomb shelter in northeast Ukraine, the little girls in pink tutus prance in like gusts of air.

Timed to classical music, the 9-year olds jump and glide. Occasionally, they misbehave, prompting a curt rebuke from Marina Altukhova, their instructor.

The Princess Ballet Studio is a spartan, windowless space under an apartment complex, but for an hour, the ballet class offers levity and escape from the daily horrors playing out above ground in the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

In one Ukrainian city, ballet in a bomb shelter is an escape from the horrors of war

Profits on Russian assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine, Scholz says

Thursday 21 March 2024 12:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

EU countries should decide to use windfall profits from frozen Russian assets to buy weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday.

“These should first of all be used to buy those weapons and ammunition that Ukraine needs to defend itself,” Scholz said before a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.

Scholz added he was optimistic about the chances of the leaders uniting on the subject.

“I am quite sure that we are sending a very clear signal to Putin here. He has made a miscalculation if he believes that we are not able to support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary. And the use of windfall profits is a small but important component,” he said.

Ukraine and Russia trade intense cross-border strikes as air war heats up

Thursday 21 March 2024 11:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine and Russia are trading intensifying air attacks as they pound border regions with rockets, bombs and missiles.

In recent months, the war has increasingly moved from the battlefield to air attacks on each other’s military, energy and transport infrastructure.

On the Ukraine side, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had dropped 200 guided bombs since the start of the month on the communities around Sumy in the northeast, while, in the latest strike by Moscow, a missile hit the city of Kharkiv, about 100 miles from Sumy. At least five people were killed.

Ukraine and Russia trade intense cross-border strikes as air war heats up

Kremlin says India's Modi has open invitation to visit Russia

Thursday 21 March 2024 11:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an open invitation to visit Russia and that a meeting with President Vladimir Putin would take place, though details were still to be worked out.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about a report that Putin had invited Modi to visit Russia.

“This has yet to be agreed through diplomatic channels,” Peskov told reporters.

“In any case, meetings will take place in the first half of this year, we hope, in a multilateral format, and there will also be bilateral talks on the margins.

“Of course, the prime minister of India has an open invitation to visit our country.”

Russia and India enjoy close ties. Moscow ramped up its oil exports to India after Western sanctions over Ukraine began to bite.

Kremlin will retaliate if the EU uses profits from Russian assets to arm Ukraine

Thursday 21 March 2024 10:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia will take retaliatory measures in accordance with its own interests and use every legal mechanism at its disposal if the European Union uses profits from frozen Russian assets to buy arms for Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments ahead of a meeting of EU leaders at which the matter is due to be discussed.

UK ministry of defence update: Russian forces focus operations in Donetsk Oblast

Thursday 21 March 2024 10:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian forces make minor gains in their continued offensive in eastern Ukraine, the UK defence intelligence has said.

In today’s update, the UK ministry of defence said that despite these minor gains, Russian advanced have slowed in recent weeks.

Russia's Northern Fleet gets news acting commander, says Kommersant newspaper

Thursday 21 March 2024 10:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Vice-Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov has been appointed as acting commander of Russia‘s Northern Fleet, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday, citing the Russian Defence Ministry.

Kabantsov, 55, replaces Admiral Alexander Moiseev, who was formally presented in his new role as overall head of Russia‘s Navy in a pomp-filled ceremony on Tuesday.

Escaping Russian capture - join our event

Thursday 21 March 2024 09:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

To mark ten years of conflict in Ukraine, The Independent is hosting a Virtual Event that will explore the grim underbelly of the war - getting a first-hand perspective from a former British Army soldier captured by Russian forces.

Shaun Pinner will be joining journalist Tim White, to detail how he was detained in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic after the siege of Mariupol and later freed in a prisoner swap.

He will be sharing the true story of his six months spent imprisoned in Russian-occupied Ukraine in this exclusive event.

The event will be hosted on Zoom and will last one hour. It will take place today (21 March) and will start at 1pm GMT.

For more information and to sign up for a free ticket click here.

Russia's FSB detains a man plotting against Russian army in Belgorod region -TASS

Thursday 21 March 2024 09:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a man in the Belgorod region who was preparing “terrorist” attacks against the Russian army, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on Thursday.

Dmytro Kuleba condemns Russia’s latest missile attack on Kyiv

Thursday 21 March 2024 08:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, condemned the Russian missile attack on Kyiv “while people were sleeping” this morning.

“I urge the US Congress to unblock aid to Ukraine to save lives, protect freedom, and defeat Russian terror,” he posted on X.

Ukraine's capital Kyiv attacked by Russia for first time in 44 days with 13 people hurt

Thursday 21 March 2024 08:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s capital was attacked by Russia for the first time in 44 days Thursday as Kyiv residents woke early to loud explosions.

Ukraine‘s Emergency Service said 13 people were wounded, including one child, and that dozens of people were evacuated from their homes.

Around 30 cruise and ballistic missiles were shot down over the city, said Serhii Popko, the head of Kyiv City Administration.

In the Shevchenkivskyi district in western Kyiv, an apartment in a multistory building and cars were set on fire as a result of the Russian attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

The attack comes after Ukraine has continuously attacked Russia‘s Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine for several days.

Russia’s Belgorod region is under attack again from Ukraine. Why does it keep getting targeted?

Thursday 21 March 2024 08:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia’s Belgorod region has come under increasing Ukrainian attacks this month as the invasion by Moscow grinds into its third year.

A look at the region and its role in the war:

The region of forests, farmland and rolling hills has a 540-kilometer (335-mile) border along Ukraine’s northeastern edge. It has an area of over 27,000 square kilometers (about 10,500 square miles), and has a population of about 1.5 million.

It holds about 40% of Russia‘s iron ore and other minerals, and is home to several major industrial companies and farms.

Russia’s Belgorod region is under attack again from Ukraine. Why does it keep getting targeted?

Russia launches missile attack on Kyiv

Thursday 21 March 2024 07:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, early on Thursday, injuring at least 10 people and damaging residential buildings and industrial facilities, city officials said.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 10 people were injured across the city. An 11-year-old girl was among the two people taken to hospital, city officials said.

Ukraine‘s air defences shot down all 31 Russian missiles targeting the capital, the air force commander said.

The first large attack in recent weeks targeted the city with both ballistic and cruise missiles, said Serhiy Popko, the head of its military administration.

“After a pause of 44 days, the enemy launched another missile attack on Kyiv,” he said. “All emergency services are working on sites. Clearing the consequences of the missile attack is underway.”

Popko said the Russian military used strategic bombers and also launched some missiles from its territory, while following complicated manoeuvres in neighbouring regions, the missiles targeted the city from different directions.