Russia-Ukraine war – live: Putin responds after Moscow hit with drone attack

Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of “terrorist activity” after Moscow was hit with a drone attack for the first time since the war in the besieged country began.

The Russian president accused Ukraine, which has denied any involvement in the drone attack, of choosing the path of attempting “to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings”.

Drones hit several buildings in Moscow, forcing some people to evacuate their homes after Russia launched its third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours.

Two people sought medical assistance following the drone attack on the Russian capital, which president Putin has claimed was aimed at “civilian tragets”, but none were seriously injured, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

Moscow blamed Ukraine for the attack, which came after Russian air strikes hit Kyiv overnight in the third attack on the Ukrainian capital in 24 hours, which killed one person and injured 11.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian “decision-making centres” in Ukraine.

Key Points

• Russia won’t negotiate while trying to win Ukraine war, says EU’s Borrell

• One killed and four injured in attacks on Kyiv

• Drones hit several buildings in Moscow – mayor

• Russia fires drones on Kyiv for third night in a row

• Russia deploys units in Bakhmut as Wagner pulls out

• US Patriots giving Ukraine 100% interception rate, says Zelensky

‘Ukraine drone attack’ sparks fire at oil refinery in southern Russia - Russia

08:00 , Matt Mathers

A Ukrainian drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in southern Russia and shelling hit a Russian town close to the border for the third time in a week, damaging buildings and setting vehicles ablaze, Russian officials said on Wednesday.

A day after Russia accused Ukraine of sending drones to attack buildings in Moscow, the governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region said a drone was the likely cause of a fire that broke out at the Afipsky oil refinery.

We’ll have more on this story as it comes in.

Russia accuses Washington of encouraging Ukraine in its attacks

09:05 , Matt Mathers

Washington is encouraging Kyiv by publicly ignoring the drone attack that struck several districts of Moscow on Tuesday, Russia’s envoy to the United States said on Wednesday, after president Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the strikes.

The White House said it did not support attacks inside of Russia and that it was still gathering information on the incident, which Putin called an attempt to scare and provoke Moscow.

"What are these attempts to hide behind the phrase that they are ‘gathering information’?" Anatoly Antonov, the ambassador, said in remarks published on the Telegram messaging channel.

"This is an encouragement for Ukrainian terrorists."

Putin on Tuesday cast the assault, which brought the 15-month war in Ukraine to the heart of Russia, as a terrorist act. Ukraine also accuses Russia of terrorism for its bombing of Ukrainian civilians, allegations Moscow denies.

A Ukrainian presidential aide denied Kyiv was directly involved in the drone attack on Moscow, but said Ukraine was enjoying watching events and forecast more to come.

Russia’s Medvedev: UK officials helping Ukraine war are ‘legitimate target

08:30 , Matt Mathers

Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that Britain was Moscow’s "eternal enemy" and that any British officials who facilitated the war in Ukraine could be considered legitimate military targets.

Medvedev, responding to British foreign secretary James Cleverly’s remark that Ukraine had a right to project force beyond its own borders, said Britain’s "goofy officials" should remember that Britain could be "qualified as being at war".

"The UK acts as Ukraine’s ally providing it with military aid in the form of equipment and specialists, i.e., de facto is leading an undeclared war against Russia," Medvedev said on Twitter.

"That being the case, any of its public officials (either military, or civil, who facilitate the war) can be considered as a legitimate military target."

Five dead in Ukraine shelling of Luhansk village - Moscow-installed centre

07:30 , Matt Mathers

Five people were killed and 19 wounded in Ukrainian shelling of a village in the Russian-controlled east Ukrainian region of Luhansk, a Moscow-installed coordination centre said on Wednesday.

The centre said on the Telegram messaging service that Ukrainian forces had used HIMARS rocket launchers to attack a poultry farm in the village of Karpaty.

The claim could not be immediately independently verified. Moscow controls nearly all of the Luhansk region in Ukraine.

There was no immediate response from Ukraine, but Kyiv almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks in Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine or in Russia.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the 15-month long war that Russia launched in February 2022.

Russia seeing little success in countering Ukraine’s improved air defences, says UK MoD

07:07 , Arpan Rai

Russia has increasingly ceded the initiative in the conflict and is reacting to Ukrainian action rather than actively progressing towards its own war aims since the start of this month, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today.

It noted that Russia has launched 20 nights of one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicle and cruise missile attacks deep inside Ukraine this month.

“Russia has had little success in its likely aims of neutralising Ukraine’s improved air defences and destroying Ukrainian counter-attack forces. On the ground, it has redeployed security forces to react to partisan attacks inside western Russia,” the ministry said.

It added that, operationally, Russian commanders are “likely attempting to generate reserve forces and position them where they believe a Ukrainian counter-attack will occur”.

“However, this has probably been undermined by uncommitted forces instead being sent to fill gaps in the front line around Bakhmut,” the ministry said.

US’s new package worth $300m for Ukraine includes munitions for drones

06:42 , Arpan Rai

A US military aid package for Ukraine that is expected to be announced today will total up to $300m (£242m) and will include additional munitions for drones, officials said.

The drone ammunition comes after new attacks by unmanned aircraft targeted Moscow, which the Kremlin has blamed on Kyiv.

There has been no suggestion that US-made drones or munitions were used in the recent attacks on Moscow. Additionally, the US officials have repeatedly said that Ukraine has agreed not to use any American-provided weapons for attacks on Russian soil.

The newest package will be munitions for Patriot missile batteries and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Stinger missiles for the Avenger system, mine-clearing equipment, anti-armour rounds, unguided Zuni aircraft rockets, night vision goggles, and about 30 million rounds of small arms ammunition, said the US officials.

Read the full story here:

New US aid package for Ukraine will total about $300 million and include munitions for drones

Russia and Ukraine not willing to protect nuclear plant, fail to align on UN agency’s plan

05:43 , Arpan Rai

Neither Russia nor Ukraine are committing to respect five principles laid out by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi to try to safeguard Ukraine‘s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The situation at Zaporizhzhia is “extremely fragile and dangerous,” the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief said, adding that “military activities continue in the region and may well increase very considerably in the near future.”

Mr Grossi said that the he has tried for months to craft an agreement to reduce the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident from military activity like shelling at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant.

His five principles included that there should be no attack on or from the plant and that no heavy weapons such as multiple rocket launchers, artillery systems and munitions, and tanks or military personnel be housed there.

Mr Grossi also called for off-site power to the plant to remain available and secure; for all its essential systems to be protected from attacks or sabotage; and for no actions that undermine these principles.

Four killed, 16 injured in shelling in Luhansk, says Russia-backed officials

05:24 , Arpan Rai

At least four people were killed and 16 injured in shelling by Ukraine in Luhansk region’s Karpaty village, a Moscow-installed local coordination centre said today.

The shelling struck a poultry farm in the village, the centre said.

Russia accuses Washington of ‘Ukrainian terrorists’

04:49 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s envoy to the US has blamed Washington for encouraging Kyiv by publicly ignoring the drone attacks on parts of Moscow.

“What are these attempts to hide behind the phrase that they are ‘gathering information’?” Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the US, said in remarks published on Telegram.

“This is an encouragement for Ukrainian terrorists.”

The White House said it was still gathering information yesterday on the incidents but added that it did not support attacks inside of Russia.

While a Ukrainian presidential aide denied Kyiv was directly involved in the drone attack on Moscow, he said Ukraine was enjoying watching events and forecast more to come.

Multiple drones attack Russia’s Krasnodar oil refinery

04:21 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s envoy to the US has blamed Washington for encouraging Kyiv by publicly ignoring the drone attacks on parts of Moscow.

“What are these attempts to hide behind the phrase that they are ‘gathering information’?” Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the US, said in remarks published on Telegram.

“This is an encouragement for Ukrainian terrorists.”

The White House said it was still gathering information yesterday on the incidents but added that it did not support attacks inside of Russia.

While a Ukrainian presidential aide denied Kyiv was directly involved in the drone attack on Moscow, he said Ukraine was enjoying watching events and forecast more to come.

Russia puts top Ukrainian generals on “wanted list”

02:01 , Laura Sharman

Russia’s interior ministry has put two of Ukraine’s top generals on a “wanted list”, the state-run RIA news agency said on Tuesday.

On the list is Commander in Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi and Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.

The articles they are wanted under have not been specified, RIA reported, citing the ministry’s wanted person database.

Deputy Ukrainian defence minister Hanna Maliar dismissed the listings as a failed attempt to demoralise pro-Kyiv forces.

“Putting psychological pressure on commanders who are fighting against an enemy that significantly outnumbers them in terms of personnel and weaponry is pointless,” she wrote in a Telegram post.

No agreement on protecting Russian-held Ukrainian nuclear plant

01:02 , Laura Sharman

Ukraine and Russia have been urged to safeguard a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, suggesting no agreement is in place to protect it.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi asked both countries to respect five principles to safeguard Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant.

Grossi has tried for months to craft an agreement to reduce the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident from military activity like shelling at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant, which is in southern Ukraine and has been occupied by Russia for more than a year.

His five principles included that there should be no attack on or from the plant and that no heavy weapons such as multiple rocket launchers, artillery systems and munitions, and tanks or military personnel be housed there.

Why the Moscow drone attacks pose a problem for Putin

Tuesday 30 May 2023 23:03 , Laura Sharman

Russia’s regular strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities are now being met with counter-punches in Russia’s capital city.

After 15 months of Vladimir Putin’s war rhetoric and assurances that his ‘special military operation’ wouldn’t affect them, the conflict has moved into a different phase.

But it is a welcome new element for Kyivans who now know they can play offence and not just defence, writes James Nixey, director of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House.

He has more on why the targeting of Moscow is another sign that the Kremlin’s war isn’t going as planned.

“This will boost Ukrainian morale and sap that of Russia accordingly,” he adds.

Moscow drone attack exposes Russia’s vulnerabilities as more soil comes under fire

Tuesday 30 May 2023 22:02 , Laura Sharman

A drone attack that targeted Moscow on Tuesday exposed glaring breaches in its air defenses and underlined the capital’s vulnerability as more Russian soil comes under fire amid expectations of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The attack, which lightly damaged three apartment buildings, angered Russia‘s hawks who criticised President Vladimir Putin and the military brass for failing to protect the heart of Kremlin power more than 310 miles from the front line.

Five of the eight drones that took part in the raid were shot down, the Defense Ministry said.

While three others were jammed and forced to veer off course.

Moscow faces large-scale drone attacks as Putin’s war comes home

Tuesday 30 May 2023 21:23 , Laura Sharman

The Kremlin has lashed out at Kyiv in the wake of Moscow being targeted by a large-scale drone attack for the first time since its invasion of Ukraine began.

Residents of some of the capital’s most exclusive neighbourhoods woke to the sound of explosions as Moscow and its outskirts came under attack from the drones, which may have numbered close to 30.

The incident exposes just how far Vladimir Putin‘s decision to invade Ukraine 15 months ago has come home to roost.

The Russian President labelled the drone volley a “terrorist attack” and claimed it was in response to what he described as an attack on a Ukrainian command centre in recent days but provided no evidence.

He appeared on state television to decry the attack, blaming Kyiv for trying to “intimidate Russia, Russian citizens” and claiming that the attacks were focused on “residential buildings”.

Russia Ukraine war at a glance today

Tuesday 30 May 2023 20:53 , Laura Sharman

Drones have struck both capital cities in the Russia Ukraine war after the conflict reached Moscow.

Vladimir Putin reacted after Moscow was hit with a drone attack for the first time since the war in Ukraine began.

Two have been injured in the Russian capital while one has been reported dead in Kyiv following daylight attacks in the Ukrainian capital on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attacks were meant to scare and that Moscow’s air defences will be bolstered.

Ukraine has denied direct involvement and forecasts more strikes.

The Russian president accused Ukraine, which has denied any involvement in the drone attack, of choosing the path of attempting “to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings”.

Kyiv endures its 16th attack since the start of May

Tuesday 30 May 2023 20:23 , Laura Sharman

Vadym Ivchenko praised Ukraine’s air defence for “doing a great job” in Kyiv after Russia turned its focus back towards the capital.

The Ukrainian MP said their efforts are benefitting “everyone in Kyiv” adding “for the children and for the women, it’s a really tough time”.

Kyiv’s military administration said Monday’s daytime strike was the 16th attack on the capital since the start of May.

The administration said: “In this way, the enemy changed tactics.

“After long, exclusively nocturnal attacks, he struck a peaceful city during the day, when most of the residents were at work and on the streets.”

One person was admitted to hospital after the attacks.

Ukrainian politicians shelter underground during daytime attack on Kyiv

Tuesday 30 May 2023 19:49 , Laura Sharman

Politicians were forced to take shelter underground during a Russian daylight attack on Kyiv, according to a Ukrainian MP.

Russia launched 11 ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv at around 11.30am local time on Monday, according to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

All the missiles were shot down, the commander said.

Ukrainian MP Vadym Ivchenko said the attack was launched during a two-hour parliamentary plenary session in Kyiv.

He added: “When we heard the alarm, the members of parliament and everybody go to the basement underground just to be safe.

“Of course, they choose the time exactly when we have a plenary session that is just two hours, and they tried to hit the centre of Kyiv with missiles.”

Why Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory are only likely to increase

Tuesday 30 May 2023 19:07 , Natalie Crockett

This morning’s attack on Moscow, reportedly by a swarm of up to 30 drones, shows how Ukraine is increasingly capable and willing to take the war to the Russian capital.

This is not the first such assault. The Kremlin was hit by drones three weeks ago. Senior Western security officials described to me how they believed that airstrike, exposing embarrassingly vulnerability in the heart of Vladimir Putin’s power, had been carried out.

According to their account, four drones, with small explosive payloads, were launched from inside a wooded area outside Moscow. One was detected by air defences and destroyed. Two got through to the target before being shot down, one possibly by rifle fire from the ground.

Our world affairs editor Kim Sengupta has more on why such attacks are likely to get more frequent:

Why Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory are only likely to increase | Kim Sengupta

NATO vows to protect newest member Finland amid Arctic manoeuvres

Tuesday 30 May 2023 18:30 , Laura Sharman

NATO countries are in the middle of Arctic military manoeuvres, vowing on Tuesday to defend their newest member Finland.

The country is hosting its first joint NATO exercise since becoming the 31st member of the Western alliance in April.

Finland’s membership doubled the length of the border NATO shares with Russia after the Kremlin’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine – another neighbour.

Nearly 1,000 allied forces from the United States, Britain and Norway, and also from neighbouring Sweden, joined some 6,500 Finnish troops and some 1,000 vehicles for the Northern Forest exercise, Finland’s biggest modern-time land force drill above the Arctic Circle.

Wealthy Moscow suburb where Putin has a home targeted in drone attack

Tuesday 30 May 2023 18:05 , Laura Sharman

It has been rare for Moscow to be targeted by drones during Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine – but the capital has been told by one politician to prepare for “the new reality” of such attacks.

Russian politicians say that among the areas hit were the Rublyovka suburb, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has an official residence, as well as numerous other members of Russia’s political and business elite.

Alexander Khinshtein, a prominent member of Russia’s parliament from the ruling United Russia bloc, said three drones had been downed over three Rublyovka villages, one of which is located just 10 minutes’ drive from Mr Putin’s residence at Novo-Ogaryovo. Russia’s Investigative Committee said that drones had been downed over the Odintsovsky district, which includes Rublyovka.

Chris Stevenson reports:

Wealthy Moscow suburb where Putin has a home targeted in drone attack

Russian soldiers flee after tank struck by Ukrainian drone

Tuesday 30 May 2023 17:10 , Laura Sharman

Footage released by Ukraine’s 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade on Tuesday, 30th May, shows Russian soldiers fleeing after their tank was hit by a Ukrainian strike.

The Ukrainian troops said the video was taken in the Luhansk region.

The strike came as an apartment block in Moscow was damaged after drones hit several buildings on Tuesday morning.

Moscow’s mayor said two people were injured in the early morning attack, with one hospitalised.

Russia’s defence ministry said that Ukraine targeted Moscow with eight drones. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Russian soldiers flee after tank struck by Ukrainian drone

White House: Still gathering information on Moscow drone reports

Tuesday 30 May 2023 16:07 , Martha Mchardy

The United States is still gathering information on reports of drones striking in Moscow, the White House said on Tuesday, reiterating that Washington does not support attacks inside Russia and is focused on helping Ukraine retake its territory.

Power outages reported in several Ukrainian regions

Tuesday 30 May 2023 16:06 , Martha Mchardy

Power outages were reported in parts of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Sumy at around noon on Tuesday, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said.

The reason for the outages is unclear, but it is not related to the overnight Russian airstrikes in Kyiv, the ministry said.

Ukraine’s state energy operator Ukrenergo pledged to restore the power supply to all consumers “in the next few hours.”

Ukrenergo claimed the outages are due to several major high-voltage lines in the power system being accidentally disconnected, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Ukraine’s parliament lowers conscription age

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:59 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine’s parliament has voted to lower the military enlistment age limit for young adults from 27 to 25, Ukrainian politician Yaroslav Zhelezniak reported on Telegram.

The conscription of young adults in Ukraine is different from military mobilisation, which applies to men up to the age of 60.

Young adults are trained at military bases but rarely sent to the frontline.

Ukraine has ‘legitimate right’ to defend itself, says UK foreign secretary

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:50 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine has a “legitimate right to defend itself,” UK foreign secretary James Cleverly told Sky News.

Speaking at a news conference in Estonia, he said: “It has the legitimate right to do so within its own borders of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself,”

Mr Cleverly said “legitimate military targets” beyond Ukraine’s border are part of its self defence.

“We should recognise that,” he said.

During his visit to Estonia, the foreign secretary also said the UK, along with Estonia, has agreed to “bolster support for Ukraine” and “ensure that NATO adapts to an increasingly contested and volatile security environment”.

His comments come after the Kremlin blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on Moscow this morning, which happened after Russia attacked Kyiv for the third time in 24 hours, killing one and injuring 11.

Ukraine has denied any involvement.

Moscow residents react following drone attack

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:33 , Martha Mchardy

Moscow residents have reacted following a drone attack on the city this morning.

“The Kyiv regime is already crossing all the lines,” Natalia, 59, told Reuters, referring to the Ukrainian government which Russia said was behind the drone attack on Moscow.

“This is very sad, especially since they are directing these drones at residential buildings, at the city, at civilians, where there are no military facilities.”

Meanwhile, Olga, who said she lived near to the site of one of the drone collisions on Profsoyuznaya Street, called the strikes “logical, to be expected ... what else were we waiting for?”

“Of course I am glad it didn’t fall on our house, just nearby”, Olga added. “I’m thinking about moving to a safer place.”

One middle-aged man, who declined to give his name, told Reuters in central Moscow: “You need to understand cause and effect, why everything is happening.

“I think that these attacks are due to only one thing: the fact that our ruler began waging a war.

“All of this is because of our ruler,” said the man. “It’s no surprise it’s bounced back to here.”

Putin claims Moscow drone attack 'attempt to scare and provoke Russia'

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:28 , Martha Mchardy

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Ukraine’s biggest ever drone strike on Moscow was an attempt to scare and provoke Russia, and air defences around the capital would be strengthened.

Russia said eight drones targeted civilian areas of Moscow and the Moscow region - with a population of over 21 million - in the early hours of Tuesday but were either shot down or diverted with special electronic jammers.

Putin cast the assault, which brought the 15-month war in Ukraine to the heart of Russia, as a terrorist response that came after Russia struck at Ukraine’s military intelligence headquarters several days ago.

Ukraine, Putin said, had chosen the path of attempting “to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings”.

“This is clearly a sign of terrorist activity,” he said.

Kyiv seeks guarantees Black Sea grain deal will work if it allows Russian ammonia transit

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:22 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine is seeking guarantees from Moscow and the U.N. that a deal on the safe export of Black Sea grain will work normally if Kyiv allows Russian ammonia to transit Ukrainian territory, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.

The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv last July to help tackle a global food crisis aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a leading global grain exporter.

Russia agreed to a two-month extension of the deal this month but has said the initiative will cease unless an agreement aimed at overcoming obstacles to Russian grain and fertiliser exports is fulfilled.

The demands set out by Moscow include the resumption of the transit of ammonia from Russia via Ukrainian territory to Pivdennyi port in Odesa, from where it is exported. Transit of ammonia, an important part of nitrogen-based fertilisers, was halted via the pipeline after Russia’s invasion.

“We do not understand now - does the ammonia pipeline itself solve something or not? If it does not solve anything by itself, then there is no dialogue,” Yuriy Vaskov, Ukraine’s deputy renovation minister, told a grain conference.

“If it (ammonia) is a key issue, then they, the U.N., must clearly say that if the ammonia pipeline resumes working, then Ukraine will have such opportunities (to export grain in a normal way) and then our top political leadership will decide whether it is in our interests or not.”

The grain deal has not yet resumed full operations since it was extended, and no ships have been authorised to travel to Pivdennyi port since April 29, the U.N. said last week.

Russia’s demands to improve its grain and fertiliser exports include the reconnection of Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the SWIFT international payment system.

They also include the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery and parts; a lifting of restrictions on insurance and reinsurance; and the unblocking of assets and accounts of Russian companies involved in food and fertiliser exports.

Ukrainian officials have said that since mid-April, Russia has “unreasonably restricted” the work of the Black Sea grain deal. Russia has denied this.

A senior government source told Reuters this month that Kyiv would consider allowing Russian ammonia to transit its territory for export on condition that the Black Sea grain deal is expanded to include more Ukrainian ports and a wider range of commodities.

Ukraine wants to make Danube canal deeper to expand grain export routes - Kyiv

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:12 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine wants to begin work to make its Danube shipping canal deeper as early as this year to expand its alternative routes to export grain, deputy minister of Renovation and Infrastructure Yuriy Vaskov said on Tuesday.

Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia last year, has already increased the depth of its southwestern Bystre Canal on the Danube River to 6.5 metres from 3.9 metres with the aim of increasing food exports from its river ports.

The push for alternative export routes has taken on urgency during the war after Russia blocked Ukraine’s traditional export route via the Black Sea and only a limited volume is shipped out under a deal mediated by Turkey and the United Nations.

Vaskov told a grain conference on Tuesday that the new depth of the Bystre Canal allowed ships to stop at Ukraine’s Danube ports, but that it was still not enough for loaded ships that have to use Romania’s Sulina Canal, which is deeper.

He said Ukraine would like to extend the depth to 7.2 metres, similar to the Romanian canal, and intended to hold talks with European Union officials on the matter in the near future.

Romania has said it is concerned that any work on the waterway through the shared Danube Delta area could threaten wildlife at the UNESCO World Heritage Site and break international environmental protection treaties.

Ukraine has been transporting grain on the Bystre Canal as it develops alternative routes for its exports.

A quarter of Ukraine’s agricultural exports currently pass through its Danube ports, while half exits via its Black Sea ports and another quarter traverses Ukraine’s western land border.

Kyiv woman died after ‘going out on balcony to watch drones being shot down,’ says Kyiv mayor

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:07 , Martha Mchardy

Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko has said a woman died in Kyiv today after ‘going out on the balcony to watch drones being shot down.’

One woman died and 11 were injured after overnight Russian airstrikes on Kyiv.

The mayor said he had visited the 24-story building where the woman was killed.

Confirming the incident, he said: “The probability of air attacks is very high. Therefore, I urge the citizens of Kyiv not to neglect their own safety, not to ignore the alarm signals!

“And do not go out to the balconies and streets to observe how the air defence works. Because at night, a woman died in a house in the Holosiivskyi district, who went out on the balcony to watch drones being shot down.”

Russia’s Putin says drone attack was aimed at ‘civilian targets’

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:00 , Martha Mchardy

Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that a drone attack on Moscow earlier in the day was aimed at “civilian targets” and that the capital’s air defences would be boosted.

Russia puts Ukraine's top general on wanted list - RIA

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:59 , Martha Mchardy

Russia’s Interior Ministry has put Ukraine’s top general Valeriy Zaluzhnyi on a “wanted list”, the state-run RIA news agency said on Tuesday.

The article he is wanted under has not been specified, RIA reported, citing the ministry’s wanted person database.

Ukrainian minister urges Britain and Germany to send Eurofighter jets

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:59 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksii Reznikov wants Germany and Britain to send his country Eurofighter Typhoon jets to combat Russian air attacks, he said in an interview published on Tuesday by the Funke media group.

Ukraine has been campaigning for its Western allies to provide it with fighter jets, in particular the U.S.-built F-16s flown by several NATO nations.

US president Joe Biden gave the green light for Western allies to hand over their F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv during the G7 conference in Japan to bolster Ukraine’s defences, and also agreed to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s.

However, Germany and Britain have so far declined to send jets, saying they do not have the F-16s that Ukraine wants. They say the time required to train pilots and the substantial support crews needed to send their Eurofighter Typhoon jets meant they would be of little immediate use.

Reznikov, however, said these could also be helpful in Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.

“If Britain and Germany were to combine their Eurofighter supply capabilities, that would be an important step,” he was quoted as saying.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko warned that supplying F-16s to Ukraine could pose a “colossal risk”.

A spokesperson for the German defence ministry said Berlin’s stance still stood. Britain’s defence ministry did not immediately respond.

So far, no Western-designed jets have been donated. Poland and Slovakia have supplied 27 MiG-29s to supplement Ukraine’s Soviet-era fleet.

Russia says it can take ‘severe measures’ after drone attack

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:53 , Martha Mchardy

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that it reserved the right to take the most “severe measures” in response to a drone attack on the capital Moscow earlier in the day.

“Assurances by NATO officials that the Kyiv regime will not launch strikes deep into Russian territory prove to be completely hypocritical,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Russia reserves the right to take the harshest possible measures in response to the terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime,” it added.

EU doubles financial aid to Moldova in a bid to quell pro-Russian sentiments

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:51 , Martha Mchardy

European Union governments decided on Tuesday to nearly double the amount of EU financial support to Moldova to a total of 295 million euros, the Swedish presidency of the EU said.

The decision comes as the EU seeks to quell pro-Russian sentiments in parts of Moldova.

“Moldova can continue to count on the EU. We will continue to support Moldova, also financially. Given the current circumstances, it is appropriate that we double the funds which we make available to Moldova,” Swedish finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson said in a statement.

Moldova, a small, poor state bordering Ukraine and Romania, has denounced Russia’s invasion and accused Moscow of trying to destabilise the administration of president Maia Sandu.

However, earlier this month the assembly in a pro-Russian region of Moldova endorsed the election of a local leader intent on improving ties with Moscow.

Russia says it struck 'decision-making centres' in Ukraine

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:48 , Martha Mchardy

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian “decision-making centres” in Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported.