Ukraine news – live: Zelensky slams Olympics chief as ‘nearly 67,000 Russian war crimes’ recorded

Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach’s decision to allow Russia to participate in the Games.

“Olympic principles and war are fundamentally opposed to each other,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address, criticising the Olympic committee’s apparent neutral stance.

“One cannot but be disappointed by the statements of the current president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach. I spoke with him several times. And I never heard how he is going to protect sports from war propaganda if he returns Russian athletes to international competitions,” he added.

Ukrainian athletes have been forced to defend their loved ones from Russian aggression, he continued. “Russian strikes took the lives of hundreds of Ukrainian men and women who could have brought their talents to world sports,” he said.

This comes as Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office claimed the Russian military had committed 66,743 war crimes and crimes of aggression in Ukraine since the invasion in February last year.

Key points

• Russia 'likely lying about scale of Makiivka death toll’

• New missiles and military aircraft in ‘fast-track’ talks, says Ukraine presidential aide

• Ukraine forces ‘struggling to hold Bakhmut’, military sources say

• Russia is violating ‘fundamental principles of child protection’, says UN refugee agency chief

• 10 killed in latest Russian shelling

• Russia now waging ‘war against NATO and the West’, says EU official

Germany warns against arms race as Zelensky demands faster weapon supplies

05:30 , Namita Singh

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned against a race to supply advanced arms systems to Ukraine, after Volodymyr Zelensky’s demand for faster deliveries of supplies from the West.

Mr Zelensky urged Western allies to supply Ukraine with new types of weaponry, saying that the country is facing a “very tough” situation in Donetsk region and is under “constant Russian attacks”. He also requested the supply of long-range missiles and fighter jets to strengthen the country’s air defence.

But the German chancellor advised “against entering into a constant competition to outbid each other when it comes to weapons systems”.

“The question of combat aircraft does not arise at all,” Mr Scholz said, as he declined Kyiv’s request of supplying them with warplanes.

Sweden ‘will be shocked’ if Turkey approves Finland NATO membership first, says Erdogan

07:00 , Daniel Reast

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that Turkey might sign off on Finland’s membership to NATO before its decision on Sweden.

Both countries applied to join the NATO community following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

In a prerecorded video, president Erdogan said: “If needed, we could give a different message about Finland.

“Sweden will be shocked when we give the different message about Finland.”

Relations between Turkey and Sweden have been strained with president Erdogan urging his Swedish counterpart, prime minister Ulf Kristersson, to deport alleged terrorists residing in Sweden.

The burning of a Koran by far-right activist Rasmus Paludan outisde the Turkish embassy in the Swedish capital Stockholm has also raised tensions.

Turkey responded to the incident by indefinitely postponed key meetings in Brussels to discuss Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.

Read more here:

Protests across the Middle East against far-right Quran burning

China’s top diplomat 'to visit Moscow in February

06:48 , Namita Singh

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi is set to visit Moscow in February, Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported today citing two sources.

Mr Wang is the director of the Communist Party’s foreign affairs commission, making him China’s most senior diplomat.

The visit to Moscow could include a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, according to the newspaper.

Erdogan might approve Finland’s Nato bid, ‘shock’ Sweden

06:45 , Namita Singh

Turkey‘s president has suggested his country might approve Finland‘s application for Nato membership before taking any action on Sweden‘s, while the Turkish government issued a travel warning for European countries due to anti-Turkish demonstrations and what it described as Islamophobia.

The travel warning published late Saturday followed demonstrations last weekend outside the Turkish Embassy in Sweden, where an anti-Islam activist burned the Quran and pro-Kurdish groups protested against Turkey. The events stiffened Turkey’s refusal so far to ratify Sweden’s Nato bid.

Sweden and Finland applied jointly to become members of the military alliance, dropping their longstanding military nonalignment following Russia’s war on Ukraine. In a prerecorded video of an event released Sunday, president Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that Turkey might sign off on only Finland.

Report:

Erdogan might approve Finland's NATO bid, 'shock' Sweden

Russia says nuclear arms treaty with US may end after 2026

06:32 , Namita Singh

Russia’s deputy foreign minister said in an interview published today that it was “quite possible” the New Start nuclear arms control treaty with the United States would end after 2026.

“This is quite a possible scenario,” deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA news agency in an interview.

US–Russia talks on resuming inspections under the New Start treaty, which expires in February 2026, were called off at the last minute in November 2022. Neither side has agreed on a time frame for new talks.

Missile hits Kharkiv apartment building, killing one says regional governor

06:30 , Namita Singh

An apartment building was hit by a missile on Sunday in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city. One person is reported to have died, with others injured.

The report came from regional governor Oleh Synehubov, issuing a statement on Telegram, who said the missile landed in the city’s central Kyiv district.

A picture from the news agency Reuters shows the fire engulfing part of a residential building.

There was no verified reports of how many people were injured. Synehubov earlier suggested the number of injured was three people and said casualties were receiving medical treatment.

Russian official says ‘small steps’ needed to reconcile with US

06:26 , Namita Singh

Russia’s deputy foreign minister said that “small steps” would be needed for Moscow and the United States to come closer to agreement on bilateral issues, reported the RIA news agency.

“We hope that the tactics of small steps will allow us to come to mutually acceptable solutions on the most important issues of the bilateral agenda,” deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA news agency in an interview.

US-Russia talks unlikely to end with all-for-all prisoner swap – RIA

06:20 , Namita Singh

Russia and United States will continue talks on prisoner exchanges but it is unlikely they will end with an all-for-all swap, RIA Novosti news agency cited Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Monday.

‘Negotiations on creating safety zone around Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant are tough'

06:05 , Namita Singh

Negotiations on creating a safety zone around Ukraine’s Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant are tough, and Kyiv appears to be just stalling for time, RIA Novosti cited Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

“While consultations with the IAEA are ongoing, it would not be right to make public information about the possible parameters of the ZNPP protection zone. The negotiation process is not progressing easily,” Mr Ryabkov said in an interview with the agency.

“We handed over our proposals to Rafael Grossi, the agency’s director general. As far as we know, Kyiv has not yet given a clear answer to the initiative of the IAEA head. Apparently, it’s just stalling.”

Russian offensive ongoing in Donetsk region, says Russian military

06:00 , Daniel Reast

Russian forces are conducting an offensive in multiple parts of the Donetsk region, according to official reports from the Russian military.

The Russian General Staff said that its troops were attacking towards the settlements of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Novopavlivka.

Ukrainian troops have been locked in battle in the eastern Ukraine region, as Putin’s forces look to strike further following the announcement of new military equipment, including main battle tanks, last week.

The report added that Russian troops are attempting to hold positions and maintain its defence of occupied regions.

‘Prelude to confrontation’: North Korea expresses displeasure over Nato chief’s visit to South Korea

05:45 , Namita Singh

A disgruntled North Korea called Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to South Korea a “prelude to confrontation and war”.

In a statement carried by state media, officials described the trip as bringing the “dark clouds of a ‘new Cold War’ to the Asia-Pacific region”.

Earlier today, Mr Stoltenberg urged South Korea to increase military support to Ukraine, citing other countries that have changed their policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict after Russia’s invasion.

Last year South Korea opened its first diplomatic mission to Nato, vowing to deepen cooperation on non-proliferation, cyber defence, counter-terrorism, disaster response and other security areas.

No sense talking to Kyiv, says top Russian minister

05:15 , Namita Singh

With the United States supplying tanks to Ukraine, there is no sense in talking to Kyiv or its Western “puppet masters”, RIA news agency quoted Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Mr Ryabkov said no one in the West has come up with any serious initiatives on resolving the Ukrainian crisis.

Scholz downplays differences on Ukraine on South America tour

05:00 , Namita Singh

German chancellor Olaf Scholz sought to drum up support for Ukraine during his first South American tour although differences with his hosts emerged, with Argentine president Alberto Fernandez declaring the region was not planning on sending weapons.

On his three-day trip, Mr Scholz has sought to stress unity, noting all three countries he is visiting - Argentina, Chile and Brazil - condemned Russia’s invasion at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

The fallout of the war and Western sanctions on Russia such as soaring food and energy prices, however, have hit the region particularly hard, raising questions over the West’s approach.

Mr Fernandez said in a joint news conference with Mr Scholz in Buenos Aires on Saturday that Argentina, like Germany, wanted to help restore peace as soon as possible.

But asked if Argentina would send weapons to Ukraine to fend off Russian troops like Germany and its western allies had, he gave an emphatic no.

“Argentina and Latin America are not planning to send weapons to Ukraine or any other conflict zone,” he said.

Chilean president Gabriel Boric did not refer to the war in his opening statements at a news conference with Mr Scholz in Santiago de Chile yesterday, focusing instead on economic cooperation, particularly in the commodities sector.

Nato’s chief urges South Korea to step up military support for Ukraine

04:45 , Namita Singh

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg urged South Korea today to increase military support to Ukraine, citing other countries that have changed their policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict after Russia’s invasion.

Mr Stoltenberg is in Seoul, the first stop on a trip that will include Japan and is aimed at strengthening ties with US allies in the face of the war in Ukraine and rising competition with China.

In meetings with senior South Korean officials, the Nato chief argued that events in Europe and North America are interconnected with other regions, and that the alliance wants to help manage global threats by increasing partnerships in Asia.

Speaking at the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies in Seoul, he thanked South Korea for its non-lethal aid to Ukraine, but urged it to do more, adding there is an “urgent need” for ammunition.

South Korea has signed major deals providing hundreds of tanks, aircraft and other weapons to Nato member Poland since the war began, but South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol has said that his country’s law against providing arms to countries in conflicts makes providing weapons to Ukraine difficult.

Mr Stoltenberg noted that countries such as Germany, Sweden, and Norway had similar policies but have changed them.

Jens Stoltenberg

What did Russia's defence minister tell Ben Wallace on his trip to Moscow?

04:15 , Namita Singh

Defence secretary Ben Wallace spoke to the Putin vs The West programme, set to air this evening, about his journey to Moscow in February as he sought to reach a breakthrough and prevent a war.

He recalls speaking to Russia’s minister of defence Sergei Shoigu, as well as chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov.

“And I remember saying to minister Shoigu ‘they will fight’ and he said, ‘My mother is Ukrainian, they won’t!’ He also said he had no intention of invading,” Mr Wallace said.

Mr Wallace said it was a Russian “demonstration of bullying or strength: ‘I’m going to lie to you. You know I’m lying. I know you know I’m lying and I’m still going to lie to you.’ He knew I knew and I knew he knew. But I think it was about saying: ‘I’m powerful.’”

Ben Wallace

Author of Ukrainian declaration of sovereignty, and famous poet Pavlychko dies at 93

04:00 , Daniel Reast

Ukrainian poet, literary critic and politician Dmytro Pavlychko has died aged 93.

Active in Soviet Ukraine, Pavlychko was one of the founders of the Soviet-controlled nation’s first major independent political party, Rukh (People’s Movement of Ukraine).

In 1990, he co-authored the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine, a law which overruled the authority from the Soviet parliament.

He later served as ambassador in post-Soviet Ukraine to neighbouring countries Slovakia, and later to Poland, before being awarded the nation’s highest honour, Hero of Ukraine, in 2004.

In a post on Telegram, president Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to Pavlychko in his political and literary achievements, calling him “an outstanding poet.”

Putin threatened to kill me with missile attack, says Boris Johnson

03:30 , Namita Singh

Boris Johnson has claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin threatened to kill him in a missile attack, saying “it would only take a minute” in a call ahead of the invasion of Ukraine.

The former prime minister said the “extraordinary” conversation took place in February after he had visited Kyiv in a last-ditch attempt to show Western support for Ukraine amid growing fears of an assault.

Mr Johnson, who would emerge as a staunch backer of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, made the claim in a new three-part series for BBC Two looking at how the West grappled with Mr Putin in the years leading up to the invasion.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more:

Putin threatened to kill me with missile attack, says Boris Johnson

US officials meet with Ukrainian deputy PM to ‘ensure transparency’ of aid

03:00 , Daniel Reast

Inspectors from the US government have met with Ukraine’s deputy PM to discuss proposals for a new audit mechanism to “ensure transparency in the use of partners’ aid.”

Oleksandr Kubrakov, who is also head of Ukraine’s infrastructure projects, added that any funds utilised for infrastructure repairs and reconstruction should be monitored with US assistance.

Scrutiny of how aid is being used in Ukraine has increased since a recent scandal involving the sale of food packages at inflated prices, which prompted the deputy defence minister, Vyacheslav Shapovalov, to resign.

Deputy prime minister Kubrakov said in a post on Facebook: “I am grateful to my American colleagues for their leadership role in supporting our country in the fight against the Russian aggressor.

“Today, Ukraine shows the whole world that it is a reliable and predictable partner with working anti-corruption institutions, and we continue to move in this direction.”

Zelensky pushes for Russian ban from Paris 2024 Olympics in latest address

02:00 , Daniel Reast

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his stance on Russian athletes competing at the 2024 Paris Games, suggesting it showed that “terror is somehow acceptable”.

He added that he had sent a letter to French president Emmanuel Macron as part of his assertive campaign.

In his latest address, Zelensky said: “Attempts by the International Olympic Committee to bring Russian athletes back into the Olympic Games are attempts to tell the whole world that terror is somehow acceptable.

“As if you could shut your eyes to what Russia is doing in Kherson, Kharkiv, Bakhmut and Avdiivka,” all of which have been the focus of intense attacks in recent days.

His latest comments were accompanied by references to the “tragedies” of the 20th century, including the hosting of the 1936 Olympic Games in Hitler’s Berlin.

Zelensky added “The Olympic movement and terrorist states definitely should not cross paths.”

Read more here:

IOC will be on wrong ‘side of history’ if Russian athletes compete at Paris 2024

US military officials ‘urging’ supply of F-16 fighter jets, says defence department sources

01:00 , Daniel Reast

Efforts within the US military high command to supply Ukrainian forces with modern F-16 fighter jets are quietly gaining pace, a defence department official has said.

Speaking with Politico, a senior official from the US department of defence said: “I don’t think we are opposed,” when asked if jets were being considered for supply.

A spokesperson for the White House declined to comment for this story, though referred reporters to previous statements made by deputy national security adviser Jon Finer.

Finer said that US officials would be discussing the prospect of fighter jets “very carefully” with Ukraine and its other western allies.

He continued: “We have not ruled in or out any specific systems.”

President Zelensky reiterated his plea for arms and military equipment in his latest daily address, where he said: “We must speed up the events, speed up the supply and opening of new necessary weaponry options for Ukraine.”

Putin threatened to kill me with missile strike, says Boris Johnson

00:15 , Daniel Reast

Boris Johnson has claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin threatened to kill him in a missile attack, saying “it would only take a minute” in a call ahead of the invasion of Ukraine.

The former prime minister said the “extraordinary” conversation occurred in February following his visit to Kyiv in a last-ditch attempt to show Western support for Ukraine, amid growing fears of invasion.

The former prime minister, who would later emerge as a key supporter among western allies of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, made the claim in a new series for BBC Two looking at how the West grappled with the Russian president in the years leading to the invasion.

Read more here:

Putin threatened to kill me with missile attack, says Boris Johnson

Four killed in Ukrainian attack on bridge in Melitopol, Russian authorities say

00:01 , Daniel Reast

Four people were killed and five injured in an attack by Ukrainian forces on a bridge in Melitopol, a city in southeastern Ukraine.

Reported by Russian-installed head of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, wrote on Telegram that a rocket was launched at the railway bridge from across the Molochna river.

The Zaporizhzhia region has been partially occupied by Russia since it first invaded in February last year, and contains Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

Balitsky added that the rocket was launched from a Himars missile system, which are in production in the United States.

He added: “At this time, renovation work was under way at the facility. According to preliminary data, as a result of the shelling, four people from the railway brigade were killed, five were injured, they are receiving the necessary medical care.”

Reporters from news agency Reuters were unable to verify the accuracy of Balitsky’s statement.

Situation on frontline ‘very tough’, says Zelensky

23:00 , Daniel Reast

President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of “constant Russian attacks” across frontline regions in his daily address.

In a markedly sombre tone, Zelensky said: “The situation is very tough. Bakhmut, Vuhledar and other areas in the Donetsk region are under constant Russian attacks.

“There are constant attempts to break through our defense.”

Zelensky repeated reports from his previous address on Saturday of fierce fighting in the Donetsk region, amid reports of Ukrainian forces struggling to hold Bakhmut, at the epicentre of fighting in the region.

President Zelensky continued: “We are doing everything to ensure that our pressure outweighs the occupiers’ assault capabilities.

“Russia hopes to drag out the war, to exhaust our forces. So we have to make time our weapon.

“We must speed up the events, speed up the supply and opening of new necessary weaponry options for Ukraine.”

President Zelensky also paid tribute to those killed in shelling in Kherson, where three people died on Sunday.

Russia-Japan disputed islands fishing talks ‘ruled out’, says Russian foreign ministry

22:00 , Daniel Reast

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday it will not hold annual talks with Japan on renewing a pact allowing Japanese fishermen to operate near disputed islands.

The islands, off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, are known in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories.

As reported on Russian state media, the defence ministry said: “In the context of the anti-Russian measures taken by the Japanese government ... the Russian side informed Tokyo that it could not agree on the holding of intergovernmental consultations on the implementation of this agreement.”

Japan tightened its sanctions regime on Russian trade, institutions and individuals on Friday in response to the increase in shelling attacks.

Russia had suspended the diplomatic agreement in June which allowed Japanese boats to fish near the islands, though the Japanese chief cabinet secretary has demanded the talks to go ahead.

Ukrainian defence ministry calls for F-16 fighter jets in Twitter post

21:15 , Daniel Reast

Heavy shelling in Kherson hits hospital, kills three civilians says Ukraine officials

20:30 , Daniel Reast

Three people were killed by Russian shelling on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Sunday, damaging a hospital and a school, regional officials said.

The administration wrote on Telegram: “Today’s Russian shelling injured nine people: three people died (two men and one woman), six were injured.”

In an earlier post, before casualties could be identified, it was reported: “As a result of enemy shelling, a number of civil infrastructure objects were damaged: the Kherson Regional Clinical Hospital, a school, a bus station, a post office, a bank, and residential buildings.”

Ukraine’s ministry of health posted on Facebook that a nurse was wounded in the attacks.

Ukraine recaptured Kherson in November after Russian forces occupied the city in the early days of the conflict.

The city has since seen regular shelling and attacks from Russian positions across the Dnipro river.

Ukraine’s western allies concerned ‘time might be on Russia’s side’, say officials

20:15 , Daniel Reast

Officials from Ukraine’s western allies have reported concern that the “window for Ukraine isn’t indefinite”, requiring more munitions and supply to break through.

Cited in a report from the Wall Street Journal, the unnamed officials from western nations suggest Russian forces will control any ‘war of attrition’, with Ukraine needing an expansion of supply of powerful military equipment to counter this.

Recent expansion of conscription, military training in Russian schools and continued ability to finance spending in the conflict have suggested Moscow has a greater ability to stay in the war.

According to the Ukrainian armed forces’ General Staff, Russia has lost 126,000 troops and thousands of pieces of military hardware since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

The report also suggests that officials have less confidence in the ability of Ukraine’s armed forces to carry out offensives seen last year.

Ukrainian president Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News that Ukraine needs “500 tanks” to liberate its provinces.

Alleged Ukrainian shelling into Russia left villages without electricity, says Russian governor

19:30 , Daniel Reast

The Russian regional governor for Kursk, situated on the northeastern border of Ukraine, has reported shelling of the bordering region and strikes on Russian villages.

Alleged mortar strikes cut off two villages from electricity, however there were no reported casualties.

Governor Roman Starovoyt said on Telegram messaging app: “The village of Chervonozhovtneve of the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk region came under mortar fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“12 hits were recorded. There are no casualties. Power supply lines were damaged, which left the village of Chervonozhovtneve and the neighboring village of Volfino without electricity.”

Ukraine’s military has not commented on the alleged attack.

Possibility of military aircraft a ‘game changer’, says Ukraine defence minister

18:45 , Daniel Reast

Early talks on the supply of military aircraft and long-range missiles for Ukrainian forces could be a “game changer”, Ukraine’s defence minister has said.

Speaking with Canada’s CBC, defence minister Olek Reznikov said he had written a “wish list to Santa” for military supplies.

Reznikov said the list contained: “fighter jets, aircraft, and probably rockets… long-hand options to hit the Russians’ fuel depots, ammunition depots, and their commanders.”

Presidential adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine was in “fast track talks” to secure a supply of new missiles and military equipment.

Ukraine’s western allies have so far declined to supply military aircraft such as fighter jets. But Reznikov said that military equipment and weapons previously refused by allies, were now arriving in Ukraine.

The minister added: “For me, everything that’s impossible today [will be] possible tomorrow.”

Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, was quoted in the Spanish newspaper El Pais saying that their forces aim to receive 24 fighter jets, though Germany has previously said jets were ‘off the table’.

Read more here:

Ukraine in ‘fast-track’ talks with allies for fighter jets and missiles

First Ukrainian troops arrive in UK to begin training on Challengers tanks

18:00 , Daniel Reast

The first tank crews from Ukraine to use UK-supplied Challenger tanks have arrived in the country, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Sharing photos of the crews on Twitter, the ministry added: “The UK will provide Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine alongside global partner nations - demonstrating the strength of support for Ukraine, internationally.”

Challenger 2 tanks will be used in Ukraine along with a range of armoured vehicles supplied by other western allies, including Germany, Poland and the US.

Read more on western nations supply of tanks here:

How Western tanks could give Ukraine a battlefield edge over Russia

Russia makes basic military training mandatory in schools from September

17:15 , Daniel Reast

Mourners remember British volunteer aid worker killed in eastern Ukraine

16:45 , Daniel Reast

Mourners in Kyiv gather to commemorate British aid worker killed in Soledar

16:30 , Daniel Reast

Mourners in Kyiv have paid tribute to a British volunteer killed while on a rescue mission in the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar.

Voluntary aid worker Andrew Bagshaw, for whom the service was held, and fellow volunteer Chris Parry, were killed in an attempted evacuation in eastern Ukraine, Parry’s family has said.

Both men were killed as a Russian artillery shell hit their car.

Several dozen people, including aid workers and volunteers who knew Bagshaw, packed into a small refectory near the St. Sophia cathedral, Kyiv, for an Orthodox memorial service.

A fellow volunteer, Ignat Ivlev-Yorke, organised the service and told reporters: "I remember one of the first times when we went [on an evacuation run] together. He was a very quiet person, he just wanted to help people.

"He felt that this was his mission. That he had a duty to do it."

Sky News reported Bagshaw’s family saying the volunteers were killed while attempting to rescue an elderly woman from the town of Soledar. Ukrainian police reported the two men missing on January 7.

Ukraine has since acknowledged its withdrawal from Soledar, almost two weeks after Russian forces reported they had captured the small salt-mining town.

Putin ‘remains open to contacts' with German chancellor Scholz, says Kremlin spokesman

15:45 , Daniel Reast

Russian president Vladimir Putin is open to contacts with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Kremlin spokesman told Russian news reporters on Sunday.

Dmitry Peskov told reporters from RIA Novosti: “For now, there are no agreed talks [with Scholz] in the schedule. Putin has been and remains open to contacts.”

The last time both leaders spoke by phone was in early December, before the German chancellor approved the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

According to an interview in German newspaper Tagesspiegel published on Sunday, Scholz was quoted as saying, “I will also speak to Putin again - because it is necessary to speak.”

He added: “The onus is on Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine to end this horrendous, senseless war that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives already.”

The chancellor’s office could not be immediately reached for comment, with Scholz currently on a visit to South America.

Weapons latest

11:54 , Alice Murphy

Talks are under way among Ukraine and its allies about a request for long-range missiles that it says are needed to prevent Russia from destroying its cities, a top aide to President Zelenskiy said on Sunday.

The news comes as German arms-maker Rheinmetall is ready to greatly boost the output of tank and artillery munitions to satisfy strong demand in Ukraine and the West, and may start producing HIMARS multiple rocket launchers in Germany, CEO Armin Papperger told Reuters.

Ukraine has been promised 321 heavy tanks by several countries, its ambassador to France said.

And Poland will send an additional 60 tanks to Ukraine on top of the 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks it has pledged, the Polish prime minister said in an interview with Canadian television.

Russia claims hospital hit

11:52 , Rich Booth

Russia has accused the Ukrainian military of deliberately striking a hospital in a Russian-held area of eastern Ukraine on Saturday in what it said was a war crime that killed 14 people and wounded 24 patients and medical staff.

There was no immediate response to the allegations from Ukraine.

Reuters said it was not able to independently verify the report.

Wagner claims Blahodatne

11:50 , Rich Booth

Ukraine has said its forces repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region on Sunday, responding to claims by Russia’s Wagner private military group that it took control of the village.

“Units of Ukraine‘s Defence Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of ... Blahodatne ... in the Donetsk region,” the General Staff of Ukraine‘s Armed Forces said in its daily morning report, referring to fighting on Saturday.

It added that its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region.

The Wagner Group, designated by the United States as transnational criminal organisation, said on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday that its units had taken control of Blahodatne.

News agency Reuters, who reported the message, was not able to independently verify the reports.

With fighting heating up in the Donetsk region, the exact line of contact has been unclear, especially around the town Bakhmut where some of the heaviest fighting of the war has been taking place in recent weeks. The Wagner Group has made premature success claims before.

Ukraine has said that the Russian offensive on Bakhmut has not culminated, but the situation along the front line there has been growingly difficult. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that it was acute.

Four civilians were killed, one in Bakhmut, and 17 wounded in Russian attacks on the region on Saturday, Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk region said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine has won promises of Western battle tanks and is seeking fighter jets to push back against Russian and pro-Moscow forces, which are slowly advancing along part of the front line.

On Saturday, Zelenskiy’s top aide said that expedited talks were under way between Ukraine and its allies about its requests for long-range missiles to prevent Russia from destroying Ukrainian cities

German arms-maker Rheinmetall looking to boost munitions output, HIMARS production

09:31 , Arpan Rai

German arms-maker Rheinmetall is preparing to significantly boost the output of tank and artillery munitions to satisfy strong demand in Ukraine and the West, its CEO Armin Papperger said.

He added that Rheinmetall may also start producing HIMARS multiple rocket launchers in Germany.

“We can produce 240,000 rounds of tank ammunition (120mm) per year, which is more than the entire world needs,” Mr Papperger said in an interview with Reuters.

He added that the capacity for the production of 155mm artillery rounds can be ramped up to 450,000 to 500,000 per year which would make Rheinmetall the biggest producer for both kinds of ammunition.

In 2022, Rheinmetall made some 60,000 to 70,000 rounds each of tank and artillery shells, according to Papperger, who said production could be boosted immediately.

His remarks comes just days before Germany’s defence industry bosses are due to meet new defence minister Boris Pistorius for the first time.

What are Abrams tanks and why is the US sending them to Ukraine?

08:54 , Arpan Rai

The US has pledged to send 31 of its M1 Abram battle tanks, worth an estimated $400m, to Ukraine to help the resistance fight back against the Russian onslaught as the one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion approaches.

Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the US, said the decision by Joe Biden’s administration amounted to “another blatant provocation” against Moscow, pledged that the tanks would be destroyed and warned the West it would come to regret the “delusion” that Ukraine could ever win the day.

Read the full story here:

What are Abrams tanks and why is the US sending them to Ukraine?

Trump claims he could solve Ukraine war in ‘24 hours’

08:27 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump has said he would build an “impenetrable dome” to protect the US from nuclear missile attacks as he also claimed he could end the Russian invasion of Ukraine “within 24 hours.”

The one-term president released a video saying that foreign powers were now openly “using the nuclear word all the time” because “they have no respect for our leadership.”

Mr Trump added that “it is a word you are never allowed to use” and insisted it had never been said when he was in the White House.

Trump claims he could solve Ukraine war in ‘24 hours’ and would build ‘dome’ over US

North Korea says US pledge of tanks to Ukraine ‘unethical crime’

08:10 , Arpan Rai

North Korea criticised the US decision to send tanks to Ukraine and called it an “unethical crime” as it continued its charge against the war-hit country’s ally for a second day.

“The US is working hard to supply such offensive weapons as (main battle tanks) to Ukraine at any cost in disregard of the just concern and criticism of the international community,” Kwon Chung-keun, director of US affairs at North Korea’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.

“This is an unethical crime aimed at keeping the international situation unstable,” the official said.

The top official also derided Washington’s allegations that North Korea has provided arms to Russia as a “groundless rumor” to justify its own military aid to Ukraine.

The baseless claims of North Korea-Russia arms deals are a “grave provocation that can never be allowed” and perpetuating them will bring a “really undesirable result”, Mr Kwon added.

Ukraine says attacks around Blahodatne repelled as Russia’s Wagner claims control

07:39 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine’s military has said its forces repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region amid claims from Russia’s Wagner private military group of taking control of the village.

“Units of Ukraine’s defence forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of... Blahodatne... in the Donetsk region,” the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said this morning, confirming the fighting that took place on Saturday.

The Ukrainian army said its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region.

This comes just hours after Russia’s proxy mercenary Wagner Group — termed by the United States as a transnational criminal organisation — said that its units had taken control of Blahodatne.

While the Wagner has made premature claims of capturing territory in eastern Ukraine, including Soledar recently, it is not immediately clear what part of the region remains under Ukraine’s active control.

Russia to make basic military training mandatory in school curriculum from September

06:53 , Arpan Rai

The Russian education ministry has made basic military training mandatory in the country’s secondary school curriculum and it will be taught from September this year, the British defence ministry said today.

“In recent weeks, the Russian ministry of education has provided more detail on the rollout of the previously announced plan to include basic military training in Russia’s secondary school curriculum,” the MoD said in its latest intelligence update.

It added that the module will be included within the ‘Basics of Life Safety’ course and teach students about “training with AK series assault rifles and hand grenades, military drill and salutes, and the use of personal protective equipment.”

“The lessons will become mandatory from 01 September 2023. In addition, in December 2022, the ministry of science and higher education announced a ‘military training basics’ programme for university students,” the ministry said.

It added that the “initiatives highlight the increasingly militarised atmosphere in wartime Russia, as well as being a (likely deliberate) evocation of the Soviet Union: similar training was mandatory in schools up to 1993.”

Situation ‘extremely acute’ in Donetsk’s Bakhmut

05:52 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine remains critical over the weekend.

“The situation at the front, and in particular in the Donetsk region – near Bakhmut and Vuhledar, remains extremely acute. The occupiers are not just storming our positions – they are deliberately and methodically destroying these towns and villages around them. Artillery, aviation, missiles,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

He added: “The Russian army has no shortage of means of destruction. And it can be stopped only by force. Our soldiers, who are defending the areas in Donetsk region, are real heroes.”