Ukraine-Russia war – live: Zelensky to make surprise appearance in person at G7 summit in Japan

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday to join the leaders of the world’s advanced democracies for the Group of Seven (G7) summit in person, Reuters reported, citing a European Union source.

The nations were set to unleash new sanctions against Russia as they gathered for the G7 summit in a symbolic backdrop for their effort to make Moscow end the war.

The UK is expected to announce a ban on Russian diamonds and imports of metals from Russia including copper, aluminium and nickel, while the US will add 70 entities to its export blacklist.

Meanwhile, Kyiv said its forces repelled day-long attacks by Russia in the embattled city of Bakhmut on Thursday.

While Russia boosted its forces in the city and attacked suburbs to the north and south, Ukraine’s forces advanced up to one 1km, deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said.

It comes as explosions rocked cities across Ukraine overnight as millions were subject to air raid alerts ahead of a much-anticipated counteroffensive.

Key Points

• Ukraine’s Zelensky to attend G7 summit in person

• Ukraine deputy defence minister says Russia on offensive in Bakhmut

• Air raid alerts blare across Ukraine, military warns of strikes

• Ukraine says territory gained in Bakhmut, Wagner firing all weapons

Putin’s troops ‘unlikely' to capture Bakhmut soon, says Wagner chief

08:18 , Martha Mchardy

Bakhmut is “unlikely” to fall to Russian mercenary troops in the next two days, Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has said

The Ukrainian city of Bakhmut is in ruins after months of intense fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

“Bakhmut has still not been taken,” Prigozhin said in a voice message posted on Telegram. “Bakhmut is unlikely to be taken either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

“There is a quarter known as the ‘Airplane’ - it is like an impregnable fortress from a bed of multi-storey buildings in the southwest of Bakhmut, where incredibly heavy battles are going on.”

Russia has been trying to capture Bakhmut since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, but Ukrainian defenders have held out.

If Russia took the city, it would provide a stepping stone to advance on two bigger cities it has long coveted in the Donetsk region: Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

It comes as deputy Ukrainian defence minister Hanna Maliar said Kyiv’s forces are repelling attempts by Russian forces to recapture land they have lost around Bakhmut.

Russian forces have gained some ground inside the city itself, but they do not control it and fighting rages on, Maliar said in televised comments.

NATO is boosting capacity on Russia’s borders, Russia’s Patrushev says

11:57 , Martha Mchardy

Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said on Friday that NATO was increasing its military capacity on Russia’s borders, the TASS news agency reported.

G7 leaders issue statment on Ukraine war

11:56 , Martha Mchardy

The G7 has issued a statement ahead of its summit in Hiroshima in Japan.

G7 leaders said: “We, the Leaders of the G7, reaffirmed our commitment to stand together against Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn, in the strongest terms, Russia’s manifest violation of the Charter of the UN and the impact of Russia’s war on the rest of the world.

“15 months of Russia’s aggression has cost thousands of lives, inflicted immense suffering on the people of Ukraine, and imperiled access to food and energy for many of the world’s most vulnerable people. We express our full sympathy and condolences to the Ukrainian people for their loss and suffering.

“We salute the Ukrainian people for their brave resistance. Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not tire in our commitment to mitigate the impact of Russia’s illegal actions on the rest of the world.

The statement continued: “We urge Russia to stop its ongoing aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops and military equipment from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine.

“Russia started this war and can end this war.

“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine constitutes a violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter. We reiterate our firm rejection of Russia’s illegal attempts to acquire Ukrainian territory by force.

“We underline that a just peace cannot be realized without the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment, and this must be included in any call for peace.”

Putin ally says U.S. was involved in assassination attempts of pro-war Russians

11:31 , Martha Mchardy

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said on Friday that the United States was involved in the killing of a pro-war military blogger in a bomb blast in St. Petersburg in April, and the car bombing of a nationalist writer and politician earlier in May, Russian news agencies reported.

It comes after The Kremlin said on Friday that the “last remnants” of arms control agreements between Russia and the United States were disappearing, after a group of U.S. Republican lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to scrap the New START treaty on nuclear arms.

Russian president Vladimir Putin earlier this year suspended Russia’s participation in the treaty, which caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States and Russia can deploy.

“We can now only state with regret that there are no serious, substantive contacts on these issues between Moscow and Washington,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“Let’s just say that the last remnants of the international legal framework in this area are slipping away.”

Zelensky to meet Saudi crown prince to discuss peace formula as he lands in Jeddah

11:28 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday he would meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his first-ever trip to Saudi Arabia.

He said after arriving in Saudi Arabia that his priorities were to discuss Ukraine’s peace formula for ending Russia’s war on his country, protection of the Muslim community in Ukraine, and the return of political prisoners from Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia.

President Zelensky landed in Jeddah earlier today to attend an Arab League summit, Saudi-owned al-Hadath TV reported.

Gulf states have tried to remain neutral in the Ukraine conflict despite Western pressure on Gulf oil producers to help isolate Russia, a fellow OPEC+ member.

Saudi Arabia said last year it was granting Ukraine $400 million in humanitarian aid after it faced heavy criticism from the United States over an OPEC+ decision to cut oil production, seen as helping Russia to refill its coffers by boosting prices.

Former Russian mayor fined $3,245 for 'discrediting' army

10:52 , Martha Mchardy

Russian opposition politician Yevgeny Roizman was fined 260,000 roubles ($3,245) on Friday after a court found him guilty of “discrediting” the Russian army, Russian news agencies reported.

Roizman, a former mayor of Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg, was detained last August and banned from the internet after he referred to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as a “war” in a YouTube video.

Russia calls the conflict a “special military operation” and people risk prosecution if they use the words “war” or “invasion”.

Since invading Ukraine last year, Russia has prosecuted dozens of people under new laws designed to punish critics of the war and crack down on dissent.

Popular and charismatic, Roizman is an outspoken supporter of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and has often criticised the Kremlin in sometimes crude language on social media.

He was elected mayor of Yekaterinburg in 2013 amid a wave of discontent with Vladimir Putin’s return as Russian president in 2012.

His tenure in the role was controversial for his aggressive crackdown on drug users in the city. In 2018, he resigned after regional lawmakers there voted to abolish direct mayoral elections, a move he said was directed specifically against him.

‘Putin will pay price for illegal invasion of Ukraine,’ says foreign secretary

10:27 , Martha Mchardy

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly tweeted: “Putin will pay the price for his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Today we’re increasing economic pressure – cracking down on Russia’s theft of Ukrainian grain and the remaining revenue sources that support its military machine.”

0ver 480 children killed in Ukraine and hundreds missing

10:01 , Martha Mchardy

More than 480 children have been killed in Ukraine and hundreds more as missing, according to Ukraine authorities.

At least 482 children have been killed and more than 1,461 have been injured, according to the prosecutor general’s office.

Of the children injured, 979 had serious injuries, while 401 under-18s are missing at the moment, the National Police of Ukraine said.

“It is impossible to establish the exact number of injured children due to active hostilities and the temporary occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine,” said Ukrainian government-run website Children of War.

Woman badly wounded as Russia strikes Zelensky’s hometown

09:54 , Martha Mchardy

A 64-year-old woman has been badly wounded after Russia launched a new wave of overnight air strikes on Ukraine early on Friday, setting ablaze several buildings in president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown.

Another man was injured and buildings were set alight after Russian air strikes hit the city of Kryvyi Rih where president Zelensky grew up.

“Several explosions occurred in (the central Ukrainian city of) Kryvyi Rih. The enemy hit a private industrial enterprise. Several buildings caught fire at once,” the president’s office said in a statement.

Ukrainian authorities offered little detail about what had been struck except for the damage in Kryvyi Rih, the steel-producing city where Zelensky grew up.

“A 64-year-old woman was injured. She was hospitalised in a serious condition,” the president’s office said. “The enemy attack caused a fire in the administrative building. It has already been extinguished.”

A 45-year-old man also received light injuries, it said.

Air raid sirens also blared across the capital and most of the country as people slept. In Kyiv, the night sky was lit up as air defences searched for drones.

The Ukrainian military said it had shot down three of six cruise missiles, and 16 of 22 attack drones that were fired. The figures implied an unusually high proportion of the Russian missiles and drones attacks had not been intercepted.

Kyiv attributes the recent increase in the frequency of air strikes to Moscow’s concerns about an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive aimed at recapturing land occupied by Russia in the south and east.

Ukrainian authorities do not report hits on critical infrastructure or military facilities. Russia reports its air attacks as successful strikes on its intended targets.

G7 leaders says Ukraine has budget support for 2023 and early 2024

09:49 , Martha Mchardy

Group of Seven (G7) leaders on Friday said they had ensured that Ukraine had the budget support it needs for this year and early 2024 as they renewed their commitment to provide financial and military support in its fight against Russia.

“Today we are taking new steps to ensure that Russia’s illegal aggression against the sovereign state of Ukraine fails and to support the Ukrainian people in their quest for a just peace rooted in respect for international law,” they said in a statement at the G7 summit, which kicked off in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Friday.

India’s Modi to meet Ukraine’s Zelensky on sidelines of G7 summit

09:39 , Martha Mchardy

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of G7 summit in Hiroshima, broadcaster CNN-News 18 reported on Friday.

Derailed Crimea train will ‘increase Kremlin’s concerns about ability to protect key infrastructure’ in city

09:38 , Martha Mchardy

The Kremlin’s concerns about its ability to “protect key infrastructure” in the annexed Ukrainian city of Crimea have been enhanced after a train derailed yesterday, the UK’s ministry of defence (MoD) has said.

Russia claimed “interference from outsiders” caused a train to derail near the capital of Crimea Simferopol yesterday, blocking the only railway track into the port of Sevastopol of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet (BSF).

In an intelligence update posted on Twitter, the MoD said the incident will “disrupt deliveries of supplies and potentially also weaponary” to Russia’s BSF.

“Any sabotage in this sensitive area will further increase the Kremlin’s concerns about its ability to protect other key infrastructure in Crimea,” the update continued.

The peninsula plays a “vital” role in “enabling Russia’s war in Ukraine,” according to the MoD.

The peninsula has been under Russian control since it was illegally annexed in 2014, but Ukraine has said it will fight to take it back.

‘Rare’ Russian drone found by Ukrainian soldier in Luhansk

09:24 , Martha Mchardy

A ‘rare’ Russian drone has been uncovered by a Ukrainian soldier in Luhansk, Ukraine’s ministry of internal affairs has said.

A video shows a Ukrainian soldier finding an Eleron-3 drone, according to reports.

The drones are reportedly used by Russia for aerial reconnaissance and short-range surveillance, but Ukraine has not captured many.

In a video shared online, the soldier said: “I managed to capture this new Russian drone relatively unscathed.

“Therefore, I consider the hunt to be successful, and interesting data from this drone was transferred to the relevant authorities of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.”

Ukraine says Russia trying to recapture land around Bakhmut as Kyiv repels attacks

09:05 , Martha Mchardy

Russian forces are trying to recapture land they have lost around the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut but Kyiv’s forces are repelling the attacks, deputy Ukrainian defence minister Hanna Maliar said on Friday.

Russian forces have gained some ground inside the city itself, but they do not control it and fighting rages on, Maliar said in televised comments.

Ukraine’s Zelensky to meet Arab League leaders in Saudi Arabia

08:48 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is on his way to the Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia, a source familiar with the meeting told Reuters.

Zelensky will then travel on to the G7 meeting in Hiroshima in Japan from the Saudi city of Jeddah on a French government plane.

Russian PM to meet Xi in China next week

08:13 , Martha Mchardy

Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit China on May 23-24, where he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping, the Russian government announced on Friday.

Russian mental producer says British sanctions won't affect company

08:12 , Martha Mchardy

Russian metals producer Severstal said on Friday that British sanctions against it will not affect the company, the TASS news agency reported.

Russian forces enhance defensive positions at Ukrainian nuclear power plant, witnesses say

08:10 , Martha Mchardy

Russian military forces have been enhancing defensive positions in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine in recent weeks, four witnesses said, ahead of an expected counteroffensive in the region.

New trenches have been dug around the city and more mines have been laid. Surveillance cameras at the plant are pointing north across a wide reservoir towards Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Russians have had firing positions set up atop some of the plant’s buildings for several months. Nets have been erected in a possible deterrent to drones.

The measures described by two Ukrainians who work at the power plant and two other residents in the city of Enerhodar underline the risks the war poses to the security of the facility.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of fears for their safety in a city under Russian occupation.

The Ukrainian military intelligence agency, the Russian defence ministry and Russian state nuclear energy company Rosatom did not respond to requests for comment on fortifications at Enerhodar and the security risks the counteroffensive may pose.

Some nuclear industry experts said they were alarmed and warned that any damage to the plant could have dire consequences for people, the surrounding area, the war and the global nuclear industry.

“Nuclear reactors were not designed for war zones and I do not believe they can be safe or secure in a war zone,” said Nickolas Roth, director at think tank the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Petro Kotin, chief of Ukraine’s Energoatom nuclear agency, told Reuters he did not believe Ukrainian forces would stage an attack directly on the site and could instead try to force the Russians to retreat by cutting off supply lines.

But there is concern in the international community that the six-reactor nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, could be caught up in fighting, particularly as military analysts expect Ukraine to try to push Russian forces back in Zaporizhzhia region.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog says that the military presence and activity is growing in the region, underlining the need for urgent action. It has warned for months of the danger of a major accident at the plant.

The agency plans to present a deal between Russia and Ukraine to the U.N. Security Council later this month to protect the facility, four diplomats told Reuters.

UK issues new Russian sanctions targeting grain theft

08:04 , Martha Mchardy

Britain announced a new wave of sanctions against Russia on Friday, targeting companies connected to the theft of Ukrainian grain and those involved in the shipment of Russian energy.

Along with the United States, Britain and the rest of the Group of Seven major economies are set to unveil sanctions and export controls targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine, at the G7 summit in Japan this weekend.

Britain said in a statement that it was sanctioning 86 individuals and entities as part of a new crackdown on what it called “shady individuals and entities” connected to the theft and resale of Ukrainian grain.

The sanctions would also target Russia’s major energy and arms shipping companies, including those connected to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom, and the owner of the Russian Copper Company, Igor Altushkin.

Ukraine repels latest drone and missile attack, says military

08:01 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian air defence repelled another Russian air attack early on Friday morning, destroying 19 drones and missiles out of 28 launched, Ukrainian military said.

“Three calibre missiles launched from the Black Sea and 16 drones were shot down. Shelling continues on an almost daily basis,” Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television.

“Not all targets were hit,” he added.

Russia has increased the number of missile and drone attacks this month, which Kyiv attributes to Moscow’s fear of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Ukrainian authorities do not report hits on critical infrastructure or military facilities.

Sunak unveils new sanctions against Russia

08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Britain is banning Russian diamonds in a new wave of sanctions to pressure Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine as Rishi Sunak warns allies against complacency at the G7 summit in Japan.

The prime minister announced the new measures against Russia, also including a prohibition on imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel, on the eve of the meeting in Hiroshima yesterday.

Having signed a new defence and security pact with Tokyo, Mr Sunak will visit the atomic bomb dome ruin with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, to reflect on the nuclear devastation in the Second World War.

More here.

Sunak unveils new sanctions against Russia as he meets allies at G7 summit

Sunak issues stark warning to Putin as G7 vows more Russian sanctions

07:41 , Martha Mchardy

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has issued a stark warning to president Vladimir Putin as Group of Seven (G7) leaders gather in Japan.

Mr Sunak told the BBC he hopes to “ensure that Russia pays a price for its illegal activity,” hours after the UK announced a ban on imports of Russian diamonds.

In an interview with Sky News, the prime minister also told the Russian president: “We’re not going away,”

“Russia needs to know that we and other countries are steadfast in our resolve to support Ukraine, not just in the here and now with the resources it needs to protect itself, but for the long term as well,” he said.

He added to ITV News: “They can’t just outlast us in this conflict.

“One of the common topics of conversation I’ll be having and have been having with my fellow leaders is about the longer-term security agreements that we put in place in Ukraine, to deter future Russian aggression.”

Mr Sunak said he believes other G7 nations will follow suit, and ban Russian diamonds and imports of metals from Russia including copper, aluminium and nickel.

The diamond export industry was worth more than £3 billion to Russia in 2021, but No 10 conceded direct imports have been low since the UK sanctioned state-owned miners Alrosa last year.

The G7 are set to unleash new sanctions against Russia in an effort to make Moscow end the war in Ukraine.

The UK is also preparing new individual sanctions against 86 people and companies to apply further pressure on the Russian president and his supporters.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday to join the leaders of the world’s advanced democracies at the G7 summit, Reuters reported, citing a European Union source.

It comes after president Zelensky travelled to the UK to seek more support for his country’s war effort last week, joining Rishi Sunak at Chequers.

Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said: “Guarding against economic coercion is something that the Prime Minister is pushing for.”

Why Ukraine’s spring offensive still hasn’t begun

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

For months, Western allies have shipped billions of dollars worth of weapons systems and ammunition to Ukraine with an urgency to get the supplies to Kyiv in time for an anticipated spring counteroffensive.

Now summer is just weeks away.

While Russia and Ukraine are focused on an intense battle for Bakhmut, the Ukrainian spring offensive has yet to begin.

Last week Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensyy said it’s been delayed because his country lacks enough Western weapons to succeed without suffering too many casualties. Weather and training are playing a role too, officials and defense experts say.

Officials insist the counteroffensive is coming. Preliminary moves by Ukraine to set the conditions it wants for an attack have already begun, a US official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

More here.

Why Ukraine's spring offensive still hasn't begun — with summer just weeks away

Putin clashes with own finance minister over damage done to Russian economy by oil sanctions

07:00 , Emily Atkinson

Vladimir Putin has shot down concerns of his own finance minister who acknowledged “a problem” with Russia’s energy revenues, underscoring the damage done by Western sanctions to its economy.

In a televised meeting chaired by President Putin through a video link, Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday that Russia’s revenues from oil and gas have taken a hit, blaming deep discounts offered to countries following the Ukraine invasion.

“Russia’s non-energy revenues are on track for growth as planned, with the potential for a small surplus by year-end, but there is a problem with energy revenues,” said Mr Siluanov.

Shweta Sharma reports:

Putin clashes with own finance minister over damage by oil sanctions to Russia

US signals to European allies it won’t stop them from sending F-16s to Ukraine

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Biden administration has conveyed to European allies in recent weeks that Washington will allow the export of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, CNN reported, citing sources.

The White House is facing mounting pressure from Congress members and allies urging the administration to help Ukraine procure the jets in order to counter aggressive Russian attacks.

Several European countries have a supply of the US-made F-16s and have expressed willingness to export some of them to Ukraine. But the US would have to approve that third-party transfer because of the jets’ sensitive US technology.

While the US remains reluctant to send any of its own F-16s to Kyiv, US officials told CNN that the administration is prepared to approve the export of the jets to Ukraine if that is what allies decide to do with their supply.

US lawmakers and congressional staffers have joined in the F-16 lobbying campaign, urging the administration to provide the jets to Ukraine.

“As a bipartisan group of lawmakers, we view the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine as essential for providing Kyiv with the air support capability required to fully defend their nation against Russia’s unprovoked, illegal, and brutal invasion, and to make the territorial gains necessary to reclaim their country,” a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to president Joe Biden.

The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary

06:00 , Emily Atkinson

UK-supplied cruise missiles have been used by Ukraine, confirms Wallace

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Ukrainian forces have used UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles against Russian targets, Ben Wallace has confirmed.

The defence secretary suggested the Storm Shadow missiles could help provide some of the same capabilities to strike at Russian positions behind the front line.

The UK confirmed it would supply the weapons to Ukraine earlier this month.

Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky has lobbied Western leaders to supply Nato fighter jets to his nation, particularly F-16s which the UK does not possess.

At a press conference at the UK’s Permanent Joint HQ in Northwood with his Norwegian counterpart Bjorn Arild Gram, Mr Wallace said: “It is my understanding that it (Storm Shadow) has been used since we announced its deployment to Ukraine.”

More here.

UK-supplied cruise missiles have been used by Ukraine, Wallace confirms

Zelensky to attend G7 summit in person

05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday to join the Group of Seven (G7) leaders summit in person, a European Union source told Reuters.

Earlier, the Japanese officials said that Mr Zelensky would join virtually.

Accounting error overvalued Ukraine weapons aid by $3bn - report

05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Pentagon reportedly overestimated the value of the missiles, ammunition and other equipment it sent to Ukraine by around $3bn, an error that may pave the way for more weapons being sent to Kyiv.

The error was the result of assigning a higher than warranted value on weaponry that was taken from US stocks and then shipped to Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing two senior defence officials.

“We’ve discovered inconsistencies in how we value the equipment that we’ve given” to Ukraine, one of the defence officials said.

Congress is being notified of the accounting adjustment, the sources said.

Since August 2021, the US has sent weapons valued at about $21.1bn to Ukraine from its stockpiles.

Russia sent waves of drones toward Kyiv, says military

04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The head of Kyiv’s military administration said Russian forces had sent waves of drones toward the capital.

This was the 10th attack this month and the second in less than 24 hours.

“This Kremlin tactic is an attempt to overwhelm our anti-aircraft forces and put psychological pressure on civilians. It won’t happen!” Serhiy Popko wrote on Telegram.

“All air targets sent toward Kyiv were destroyed by our anti-aircraft defences.”

The military had warned that central regions and Kyiv were at risk from drones.

Air raid alerts throughout Ukraine

04:03 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Air raid alerts sounded throughout Ukraine early today, with some areas later reporting explosions and officials saying anti-aircraft units were pressed into action in several regions.

The alerts extended to all regions of the country for about an hour from 2 am (local time).

However, there were no reports of strikes on infrastructure or civilian targets and no indications of casualties as the alerts were withdrawn in Kyiv and in central and southern regions.

Politics explained: Why does Japan matter to the UK?

04:00 , Emily Atkinson

Rishi Sunak is in Tokyo to announce a new defence partnership with Japan and support £18bn of private business deals, and will then join in the wider G7 talks with the other leaders, from Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United States. They’ll be focusing on strategy towards Russia and China, with an obvious focus on the war in Ukraine, writes Sean O’Grady.

Why does Japan matter to the UK?

Russia extends detention of US consular worker by three months

03:00 , Emily Atkinson

A Russian court on Thursday extended by three months the detention of a former employee of the US consulate in Vladivostok on charges of cooperating with a foreign state.

The US state department has condemned the arrest of Robert Shonov, which was reported this week. He was detained in Vladivostok on the Pacific coast and brought to Moscow.

The specifics of the charges haven’t been reported, including Shonov’s alleged actions or what country he was suspected of cooperating with.

Russia extends detention of US consular worker by 3 months

UN official hopes for breakthrough on Russian food, fertilizer shipments

02:00 , Emily Atkinson

A top UN official said Thursday that he hopes for a breakthrough soon after months of efforts to ensure that Russian food and fertilizer can be shipped to developing countries struggling with high prices.

A day after Moscow agreed to renew a wartime accord allowing Ukraine to export critical food supplies, UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths told The Associated Press that secretary-general Antonio Guterres recently met with insurance titan Lloyds to help iron out coverage for shipments of Russian agricultural products.

UN official hopes for breakthrough on Russian food, fertilizer shipments

Watch: CIA urges Russians to spill secrets in new video campaign

01:00 , Emily Atkinson

China says Ukraine envoy met with Zelensky during talks in Kyiv

Friday 19 May 2023 00:00 , Emily Atkinson

China says Ukraine envoy met with Zelenskyy during talks in Kyiv

Ukraine repels Russian forces in Bakhmut after overnight strikes on Kyiv

Thursday 18 May 2023 23:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine said it had repelled a day of Russian attacks in and around Bakhmut on Thursday, making small gains while buying time for other “planned actions”.

While Russia boosted its forces in the city and attacked suburbs to the north and south, Ukraine’s forces advanced up to one 1km, deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said on her Telegram channel.

“The defence of Bakhmut and its outskirts is meeting its military objectives,” she said. “As of now, we control the southwestern part of Bakhmut.”

More on this story here:

Ukraine repels Russian forces in Bakhmut after overnight strikes on Kyiv

Latest images from contested Bakhmut

Thursday 18 May 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson

Russia has ‘intent and ability’ to target underwater infrastructure

Thursday 18 May 2023 21:00 , Emily Atkinson

There is no doubt Russia has “the intent and the ability” to target the West’s underwater energy and communication lines, Ben Wallace said as he launched a security partnership with Norway.

At a press conference alongside his Norwegian counterpart at the Northwood military base on Thursday, the defence secretary said Moscow has submarines and spy ships “specifically designed” to “potentially sabotage or attack critical national infrastructure belonging to its adversaries”.

More on this story here:

Russia has ‘intent and ability’ to target underwater infrastructure

Crimea’s return to Ukraine will ‘happen for certain’, says Zelensky

Thursday 18 May 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

President Volodymyr Zelensky has set up a reintegration council to advise on the restoration of Ukrainian rule over Crimea, saying liberation of the peninsula, seized by Russia in 2014, will “happen for certain”.

He was speaking at a gathering in Kyiv to mark the anniversary of the mass Soviet-era deportation of Crimean Tatars from the peninsula in 1944.

Zelensky said that more and more countries realised it would be impossible “to return peace to international relations and the full force of international law” without first returning Crimea.

“We continue our work in order to liberate the Crimea. It will happen for certain - its full-fledged return to Ukraine‘s state system,” Zelensky told Tatar community leaders and senior officials.

“We are preparing to reintegrate Crimea. I signed the decree about the advisory council on reintegration and de-occupation of our Crimea and the (Crimean port) city of Sevastopol.”

Ukrainian refugees living in EU forced to travel back for abortions, study warns

Thursday 18 May 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian women who sought refuge in European Union countries are being forced to travel through dangerous conflict zones to access abortions and contraception in their native country, a study has warned.

Research found some women from Ukraine now living in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia are having to temporarily return home as it is “easier” to access reproductive healthcare there, despite the stress of travelling back into the wartorn country.

The study, by the Center for Reproductive Rights and eight human rights organisations, warned refugees are being put “at risk” as they grapple with issues such as legal restrictions and cost barriers when trying to access the right care.

Our women’s correspondent Maya Oppenheim reports:

Ukrainian refugees living in EU forced to travel back for abortions, study warns

Ukraine deputy defence minister says Russia on offensive in Bakhmut

Thursday 18 May 2023 19:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian deputy defence Minister Hanna Maliar said in a Telegram post that Kyiv’s forces had repelled day-long attacks by Russia in the embattled city of Bakhmut on Wednesday.

“The enemy gathered most of its reserves to Bakhmut and significantly strengthened the group,” she said. “Today the enemy attacked Bakhmut for the entire day. All attacks were repelled.”

Stoltenberg expects new defence investment pledge at Vilnius summit

Thursday 18 May 2023 18:30 , Emily Atkinson

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has said he expected allies would agree on a new investment pledge to spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defence at the alliance’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.

Nato members needed to “commit more”, Stoltenberg told a joint press conference with Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa in Lisbon.

The Nato chief has repeatedly urged allies to speed up increases in defence spending as the world had “become more dangerous” following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Seven of the alliance’s 30 countries met the current goal of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence in 2022 - one fewer than in 2021, before the war in Ukraine - according to estimates in the Nato secretary-general’s annual report, released in March.

Revealed: Boris Johnson’s first words to Zelensky on night of Russia attack

Thursday 18 May 2023 18:00 , Emily Atkinson

Volodymyr Zelensky told Boris Johnson “I hope this is not the last time we speak” at the dawn of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the former PM’s comms chief.

Those were among the first words the pair shared during a 4am interaction on the night of the advance in February 2022, Guto Harri said, describing it as a “man-to-man thing” between the PM and the Ukrainian president.

Former GB News presenter Mr Harri told his Unprecedented podcast on Thursday that the two leaders were on the phone within minutes of Mr Johnson being woken to be told the news.

William Mata has more:

Revealed: Boris Johnson’s first words to Zelensky on night of Russia attack

Norway donating F-16 jets to Ukraine 'not on the agenda' now - defence minister

Thursday 18 May 2023 17:30 , Emily Atkinson

Norway donating F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is not on the agenda at the moment, the country’s defence minister Bjoern Arild Gram said.

“When it comes to F-16 ... it’s not on the agenda now and I really don’t want to speculate on any possible future donations,” he said during a news conference with British counterpart Ben Wallace, when asked by a reporter whether Norway would be giving F-16s to Ukraine.

Storm Shadow missiles have been used in Ukraine

Thursday 18 May 2023 16:20 , Emily Atkinson

Long-range Storm Shadow missiles provided to Ukraine by Britain have been used, British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Thursday.

“All I can say is it is my understanding that it has been used since we announced its deployment to Ukraine, but I’m not going to go into further details,” Wallace said at a press conference.

Black Sea grain corridor has not yet resumed operations - Ukrainian official

Thursday 18 May 2023 15:52 , Martha Mchardy

The Black Sea grain corridor designed to ensure the safe supply of Ukrainian food to world markets has not yet resumed operation despite statements by Turkey and Russia on extending the agreement, a senior Ukrainian official said on Thursday.

The deal has been extended for two more months, in what U.N. secretary-general Antonio Guterres hailed on Wednesday as “good news for the world,” a day before Russia could have quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertiliser exports.

“This was announced yesterday, but so far these statements have not led to the resumption of work and the joint centre in Istanbul did not inspect vessels for entry yesterday or today,” Yuriy Vaskov, Ukraine’s deputy restoration minister told Reuters.

“We expected it to be yesterday immediately after the statements of our partners. We are expecting the partners’ position today and believe that they will be able to resolve this issue,” he told in an interview.

He said 62 vessels are ready for inspection and some of them have been standing by for several months.

Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension in a televised speech on Wednesday and it was later confirmed by Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations.

The United Nations and Turkey brokered the deal for an initial 120 days in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis that has been aggravated by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s leading grain exporters.

Pope hopes to send peace envoys to Kyiv and Moscow

Thursday 18 May 2023 15:48 , Martha Mchardy

Pope Francis hopes to send personal peace envoys to the Ukrainian and Russian presidents to try to broker a ceasefire in the war, a Catholic website reported on Thursday.

Il Sismografo, which specialises in Vatican news, said this is the “mission” Francis spoke of cryptically when he was returning from Hungary last month.

According to the website, the plan would be for Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna to go to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and for Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the head of the Vatican’s department for Eastern Churches, to go to Moscow to meet president Vladimir Putin.

It said both presidents had agreed to meet with the papal envoys, without citing sources or giving details.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said he had no comment on the report but pointed a reporter to recent comments by Vatican secretary of state cardinal Pietro Parolin that “now is the moment to take the initiative to create a just peace in Ukraine”.

Zuppi and Gugerotti could not be reached for comment and a key diplomatic source said nothing was yet “concrete”.

If the envoys are sent, it would be identical to a gesture by the late Pope John Paul II, who in 2003 sent high-level representatives to Washington and Baghdad in an unsuccessful attempt to thwart the start of the Iraq War.

President Zelensky met Pope Francis at the Vatican last Saturday but in comments afterwards he appeared to downplay the possibility of a papal mediation.

“With all due respect for His Holiness, we do not need mediators, we need a just peace ... Putin only kills. We don’t need a mediation with him,” president Zelensky said on Italian television.

In pictures: Ukrainians celebrate Vyshyvanka day

Thursday 18 May 2023 15:43 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainians are celebrating Vyshyvanka day today, a holiday dedicated to celebrating the vyshyvanka - a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt.

The shirt is said to be a symbol of the Ukrainian people's heritage.

Kyiv residents ‘sleep deprived’ and ‘angry’ after attack on capital

Thursday 18 May 2023 15:15 , Martha Mchardy

A Ukrainian MP said Kyiv residents are “very angry” following the ninth attack on the capital this month in a noticeable escalation after a quieter period.

In the early hours of Thursday, Ukraine shot down 29 out of 30 cruise missiles amid an escalation of attacks on the country, according to Ukrainian officials.

Speaking in Kyiv, Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun said: “I think people are very angry. This is the major feeling. Everybody is angry.

“Everybody is sleep deprived very much, including myself today, because it’s not like you can easily go back to sleep when this happens and just pretend that nothing happened.”

Ms Sovsun said she woke up to the sound of “one big explosion” in the early hours.

“A couple of hours after that, I got a message from my neighbour and she sent me the picture of the fragment of the missile, which landed on our building, which is goddamn scary,” she said.

Ms Sovsun believes the escalation of attacks by Russia is an attempt to “undermine our spirit” and hit warehouses possibly storing ammunition to weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

Russia fails “dramatically” to dampen Ukrainians’ determination, Ms Sovsun said, “because after every single attack, people are getting more angry and less willing to negotiate, if there was anyone willing to do that”.

The MP believes Russia is “trying to find and to hit the warehouses with weapons ammunition, which we have received for the counter offensive”.

Ms Sovsun said the country is “extremely grateful” to the UK for No 10’s announcement that Britain will send hundreds of air defence missiles and additional unmanned aerial systems to Ukraine, saying the UK has been “a great friend” to Ukraine.

She said: “I remember when there was a change of leadership, there was speculation that maybe the new leadership will not be as supportive, will not be providing so much help, but I always believe that this UK position about this war is based on an understanding of the UK interests.

“It is not just humanitarian help, it is an understanding to what extent Russia is a threat to the UK national interest as well, and that is why I’m very happy to see this coming through, that the new leadership is still as supportive.

“We really wish that the rest of the world were as proactive as the UK is in helping Ukraine to protect ourselves.”

The recent escalation of attacks shows Russia is “concerned about a counter-offensive”, Ms Sovsun said, adding: “They’re definitely not happy about their so-called winter counter-offensive not being successful.

“They were talking about their counteroffensive for so long but they still do not have the full control of Bakhmut city, which they have been trying to claim for three months now.”

Ms Sovsun believes “questions are being raised in the Russian army but also among Russian people” about how much the army can achieve.

“I think that that is why they are trying to target civilian infrastructure and cities, and then try to scare people, because they believe that they cannot do much on the frontline,” she said.

The MP said the country’s residents have to “continue to live our lives”, adding: “I am absolutely sure that we will win.”

Japan and US to continue Russia sanctions and Ukraine support

Thursday 18 May 2023 14:56 , Martha Mchardy

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida has agreed with U.S. president Joe Biden to continue sanctions against Russia and support of Ukraine, prime minister Kishida told reporters as the two leaders met in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Thursday.

Prime minister Kishida added that both countries also affirmed the importance of working together on common issues regarding China.

Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut advance by more than a mile as Wagner group reports retreats

Thursday 18 May 2023 14:43 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian troops have advanced by more than a mile on the outskirts of the besieged city of Bakhmut, according to reports.

Ukraine’s military, which has been cautious so far in reporting gains in the area, said troops had advanced in places by more than a mile. Its forces had been on the defensive for half a year, weathering a huge winter and spring offensive by Moscow that saw only slow gains.

“Despite the fact that our units do not have an advantage in equipment ... and personnel, they have continued to advance on the flanks, and covered a distance of 150 to 1,700 metres (1.1 miles),” military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi said in televised comments.

It comes after the head of the Russian Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin accused commanders of Russia’s regular forces of abandoning vital ground on the flanks north and south of Bakhmut.

In May, Prigozhin announced his intention to withdraw his troops from Bakhmut in a row over support from Vladimir Putin’s government - but appeared the backtrack on this claim soon after.

The Wagner group reported Russian retreats from Bakhmut today.

“Unfortunately, units of the Russian Defence Ministry have withdrawn up to 570 metres (1,880 feet) to the north of Bakhmut, exposing our flanks,” Prigozhin said in his latest voice message on Thursday.

“I am appealing to the top leadership of the Ministry of Defence - publicly - because my letters are not being read,” Prigozhin said, addressing Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

“Please do not give up the flanks.”

The Russian defence ministry has acknowledged some withdrawals from positions near Bakhmut over the past week but denies Prigozhin’s assertions that flanks are crumbling, or that it has withheld ammunition from Wagner.

However, Russia’s presence remains on the battlefield. Ukrainian troops near the front line said Russia was bombarding access roads to slow the Ukrainian assault on Bakhmut ahead of the country’s planned counter-offensive.

“Now, for the most part, as we have started to advance, they are shelling all the routes to front positions, so our armoured vehicles can’t deliver more infantry, ammunition and other things,” said Petro Podaru, commander of a Ukrainian artillery unit.

Russian ministry says struck Ukrainian targets using high-precision missiles -TASS

Thursday 18 May 2023 14:13 , Martha Mchardy

The Russian defence ministry said on Thursday that it had struck Ukrainian military targets using high-precision missiles, a day after a major wave of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported.

China says Ukraine envoy met with Zelensky during talks in Kyiv

Thursday 18 May 2023 14:00 , Martha Mchardy

China said Thursday its special envoy met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in Kyiv earlier this week.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the meeting came amid discussions between envoy Li Hui and Ukraine’s foreign minister and other government officials.

“There is no remedy to resolve the crisis,” Wang told reporters at a daily briefing. “All parties should create favorable conditions and accumulate mutual trust for the political settlement.”

Read the full story:

China says Ukraine envoy met with Zelenskyy during talks in Kyiv

Leaders begin arriving in Japan for meeting of G-7 nations, with war in Ukraine high on the agenda

Thursday 18 May 2023 13:30 , Martha Mchardy

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Hiroshima on Thursday as he prepared to welcome world leaders to a Group of Seven meeting in the western Japanese city that was the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack.

The Japanese leader planned to hold separate meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later in the day, before the wider summit kicks off Friday.

The G-7 leaders are expected to touch on a range of issues during their three-day meeting, with Russia’s war in Ukraine likely to be high on the agenda.

Adam Schreck reports:

Leaders begin arriving in Japan for meeting of G-7 nations, with war in Ukraine high on the agenda

Devastation of Putin’s war on Ukraine laid bare in new satellite images

Thursday 18 May 2023 13:00 , Martha Mchardy

Fresh satellite images taken from the frontline city of Bakhmut, that has become the epicentre of Ukraine’s conflict, reveal heavy destruction of infrastructure reduced to smouldering rubble.

The war for the control of Bakhmut has carried on for nearly 10 months now as Russian forces continued to bomb the critical mining city in a bid to seize control.

Rows of apartment buildings, schools, stores and other infrastructure across the length and breadth of the city have been reduced to rubble and ash, with smoke visible in several places, according to stark, high-resolution satellite images from Maxar technologies.

Arpan Rai reports:

Devastation of Putin’s war on Ukraine’s Bakhmut laid bare in new satellite images

Pictures show damage after Odesa air strikes that killed one

Thursday 18 May 2023 12:32 , Martha Mchardy

Russia's Lavrov says Moscow, despite grain deal renewal, does not see progress

Thursday 18 May 2023 12:01 , Martha Mchardy

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow had agreed to renew the Black Sea grain deal for two months even though it did not see results when it came to implementing the parts of it which apply to Russia.

Speaking at a press conference with his Ugandan counterpart, Lavrov said the deal was aimed at bolstering the food security of the world’s poorest people.

Lavrov denied that Russia’s renewal of the part Turkish-brokered deal was related to presidential elections in Turkey.

G7 will tighten Russia sanctions to prevent bypassing of restrictions, Germany’s Scholz says

Thursday 18 May 2023 12:00 , Martha Mchardy

The Group of Seven (G7) nations will further tighten sanctions against Russia in order to prevent circumvention of such restrictions, German chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters as he arrived for a three-day G7 leaders’ summit in Japan.

Tightening of sanctions would be done in a good and pragmatic way, Scholz said at the summit in Hiroshima.

Russian mercenary boss accuses regular army of leaving Bakhmut's flanks exposed

Thursday 18 May 2023 11:37 , Martha Mchardy

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, on Thursday accused regular Russian army units of pulling back 570 metres north of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, leaving his own fighters’ flanks exposed.

The claims have not been independently verified and there was no immediate comment from the defence ministry.

Wagner forces have been spearheading the assault on Bakhmut, one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the war, something Moscow calls “a special military operation,” with some support from the regular army in recent months.

Prigozhin, who has repeatedly accused Russia’s top military brass of not doing enough to back his men, asked the defence ministry to do all it could to protect Bakhmut’s flanks after what he alleged was a withdrawal.

“Unfortunately, units of the Russian Defence Ministry have withdrawn up to 570 metres to the north of Bakhmut, exposing our flanks,” Prigozhin said in a voice message.

“I am appealing to the top leadership of the Ministry of Defence - publicly - because my letters are not being read,” Prigozhin said.

“Please do not give up the flanks,” he said, addressing Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff.

Wagner says it has taken most of the shattered city - albeit at enormous human cost. But Ukraine says its forces have retaken territory around Bakhmut in recent days.

Moscow sees Bakhmut, a city of about 70,000 before the war, as a potential stepping stone towards capturing the rest of the eastern industrial Donbas region bordering Russia.

More than 1,000 Russians fled conscription to Finland

Thursday 18 May 2023 11:35 , Martha Mchardy

A total of 1,109 Russian citizens have fled to Finald to avoid military conscription in Russia, the Finnish Immigration Service has said.

Finland now awaits a decision from the EU about their stance on the fate of Russians who have fled conscription, before the country decides whether to grant over 1,000 Russian asylum.

it is not known when such a decision will be made by the EU.

“We haven’t been able to issue decisions regarding asylum,” Sanna Sutter, the interior ministry’s immigration director, told Finnish news agency STT.

Russia to export up to 55 million tonnes of grain in 2023-24, Russian agricultural minister says

Thursday 18 May 2023 11:19 , Martha Mchardy

Russian agricultural minister Dmitry Patrushev on Thursday said that Russia’s grain exports would be between 50 million and 55 million tonnes in the 2023-2024 season.

Speaking at a televised government meeting, Patrushev said that Russia’s 2023 wheat crop was seen at 78 million tonnes, and that 93% of winter grains had made it through the winter in normal condition.

Putin says Russia increased food exports last year

Thursday 18 May 2023 10:50 , Martha Mchardy

Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the country had increased its food exports last year, and that Russia needed to help farmers in the regions it claims to have annexed from Ukraine last year.

Kremlin says freezing of Finland’s bank accounts in Russia was forced retaliatory step

Thursday 18 May 2023 10:47 , Martha Mchardy

The Kremlin said on Thursday that a decision to freeze the bank accounts of Finnish embassies and consulates in Russia was a response to what it called the unfriendly acts of “the collective West”, including Finland.

Officials from Finland and Denmark said on Wednesday that the diplomatic bank accounts of both countries in Russia had been frozen, prompting their embassies to make payments in cash.

Putin ‘bans officials from resigning to avoid impression of defeat’

Thursday 18 May 2023 10:43 , Martha Mchardy

Russia has banned its own top officials from resigning to avoid “any impression of defeatism,” according to UK.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said regional leaders, security officials and members of the powerful Presidential Administration have been banned from resigning while the ‘Special Military Operation’ continues.

In an intelligence update posted on Twitter, the ministry said: “In private, many officials are likely highly sceptical about the war, as well as often experiencing work stress within the dysfunctional wartime apparatus. The ban is likely enforced with strong hints that resignees will face trumped up criminal charges.”

“As well as being concerned about capability gaps resignees would leave, the authorities are likely also attempting to prevent any impression of defeatism, and to bolster a sense of collective responsibility for the war,” the ministry claimed.

It comes as explosions rocked cities across Ukraine overnight as millions were subject to air raid alerts ahead of a much-anticipated counteroffensive.

Air strikes hit Kviv in the ninth Russian air raid to target the capital this month, and one person was killed in the Odesa region after a Russian missile attack.

Putin clashes with own finance minister over damage done to Russian economy by oil sanctions

Thursday 18 May 2023 10:42 , Martha Mchardy

Vladimir Putin has shot down concerns of his own finance minister who acknowledged “a problem” with Russia’s energy revenues, underscoring the damage done by Western sanctions to its economy.

In a televised meeting chaired by President Putin through a video link, Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday that Russia’s revenues from oil and gas have taken a hit, blaming deep discounts offered to countries following the Ukraine invasion.

“Russia’s non-energy revenues are on track for growth as planned, with the potential for a small surplus by year-end, but there is a problem with energy revenues,” said Mr Siluanov.

Shweta Sharma reports:

Putin clashes with own finance minister over damage by oil sanctions to Russia