Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin at risk of ‘revolution’ after Belgorod raid, Wagner chief claims

The leader of Russian mercenary group Wagner has claimed that Vladimir Putin could face a revolution similar to those of 1917 and lose the war in Ukraine unless the elite got serious about fighting the war.

Ukraine is preparing a counter-offensive aimed at pushing Russian troops back to the borders of before 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, Yevgeny Prigozhin said. Ukraine would try to encircle Bakhmut and attack Crimea, he added.

“Most likely of all, this scenario will not be good for Russia so we need to prepare for an arduous war,” he said in an interview posted on his Telegram channel.

Russia‘s elite, he said, protected their own children from fighting the war while the children of ordinary Russians perished on the front, a situation he said that could trigger turmoil in Russia.

If ordinary Russians continued getting their children back in zinc coffins while the children of the elite sunned themselves abroad, he said, Russia would face turmoil along the lines of the 1917 revolutions which ushered in a civil war.

Key Points

• Wagner chief warns Russia could face revolution unless elite gets serious about war

• Anti-Russia fighters using US-made armoured vehicles for incursion into Russia - Report

• Russia ‘forcefully mobilising’ AWOL soldiers in Ukraine, British intelligence says

• Mercenary Prigozhin warns Russia could face revolution

• Drone drops explosive device on a car in Belgorod, governor says

Russia’s FSB detains 2 Ukrainians plotting to blow up power lines of nuclear power stations

07:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday it had detained two Ukrainian saboteurs who were plotting to blow up the power pylons of nuclear power stations in Russia, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Ukraine probably behind drone attack on Kremlin, US officials say

07:15 , Arpan Rai

One of Ukraine’s special military or intelligence units was likely behind the dramatic drone attack on the Kremlin seen earlier this month, assessments by US spy agencies show.

The attack, which appears to be part of a series of covert operations, made officials in Washington uncomfortable, reported the New York Times.

The US assessment was based on intercepted Russian and Ukrainian communications, the paper said.

Officials in the US intercepted Ukrainian conversations in which officials said they believed their country was responsible for the attack and also intercepted Russian communications which indicated it was not some sort of false-flag operation by Russia, the report added.

It added that the US does not believe Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signs off all covert operations and the extent of his awareness on such operations in advance remains unclear, the officials said.

While the Kremlin squarely blamed Ukraine for the attack and called it an attempt to assassinate Vladimir Putin, it also accused the US of being behind the incident.

Mr Zelensky swiftly denied Ukraine’s involvement, saying that the war-hit nation only carries out defensive operations on its own soil, and Washington dismissed Russia’s allegations as ridiculous.

Russia downs six drones in Crimea, says Moscow-backed official

07:02 , Arpan Rai

Russian air defences managed to down six drones overnight in different areas of the peninsular region, Moscow-backed head of Crimea’s administration said today.

No casualties have been seen so far, Russia-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov said on Telegram.

Pro-Russian actors created 65km-long Z symbol with 'spoofed' shipping trackers – UK MoD

07:02 , Arpan Rai

Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) says pro-Russian actors risked a maritime safety incident by tricking vessel tracking data to create a 65km-long pro-war Z symbol at sea.

The “spoofing” of vessels’ Automatic Identification System (AIS) data was likely done to boost Russian morale, the MoD said.

“Analysis by Geollect indicates that since 14 May 2023, commercial vessels’ Automatic Identification System (AIS) data has been remotely spoofed to create the impression of a 65km long Russian pro-war Z symbol on the Black Sea, visible on open source tracking software,” the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.

It added that the AIS is used to track vessels, including to ensure their safety, and the tracks “making up the image suggested vessel speeds of up to 102 knots (188 km/h), further suggesting they were fake”.

“Pro-Russian actors likely conducted the spoofing as an information operation, potentially in an attempt to bolster Russian morale ahead of an anticipated Ukrainian counter offensive,” the ministry said today.

It added that the spoofing of AIS increases the risk of maritime accidents.

“Despite Russian virtual information operations in the Black Sea, its physical navy remains vulnerable: the Ivan Khurs intelligence gathering vessel was likely attacked on 24 May 2023,” it said.

Around 10,000 Wagner’s prison convicts killed in Ukraine war, says chief

06:27 , Arpan Rai

Wagner has lost one in five convicts recruited to fight in Ukraine, the mercenary group’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said.

“I took 50,000 prisoners of which around 20 per cent were killed,” Wagner chief Prigozhin said in a video interview on late Tuesday, adding that around 10,000 of Russian prisoners recruited to fight in the continuing war have been killed on the battlefield.

A similar percentage were killed among those who had signed a contract with Wagner but did not share an exact number of casualties.

Ukraine ‘improving defence faster than Russia can change tactics', says Zelensky

05:54 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian forces are improving their defence faster than Russian can change its terror tactics in the war, Volodymyr Zelensky said after a meeting with his commander-in-chief and the head of Ukraine’s main intelligence directorate.

“We know how to respond. In particular, this applies to the missile threat and the constant terror of kamikaze drones. Now Russia is increasingly resorting to so-called combined strikes – different types of missiles, different types of drones,” he said in his nightly address.

He added: “I am grateful to our Air Force, to all our defenders of the sky, to our intelligence for improving our defence faster than Russia can change its terror tactics.

“If we take, for example, just one weapon of Russian terror, the Iranian Shaheds, our soldiers have shot down almost 900 of these drones to date. In total, about 1160 Shaheds have been used against Ukraine. We shoot down most of them,” Mr Zelensky said.

Ukraine downs all Russian drones overnight, officials say

05:39 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine has shot down all Russian aerial targets during an early morning attack on Kyiv, the capital city’s military administration head Serhii Popko said.

Russian forces used drones in their 12th mass attack this month against Kyiv and the military offensive lasted over three hours, Mr Popko said, adding that “all potential strikes on Kyiv have been prevented”.

Thousands of South Korean artillery shells en route to Ukraine via US – report

04:47 , Arpan Rai

South Korea has dispatched hundreds of thousands of its artillery rounds and the ammunition package is on its way to Ukraine via the United States, according to a new report.

Seoul had managed a “confidential arrangement” with Washington to transfer the artillery shells to the US to be delivered to Ukraine, reported the Wall Street Journal, citing a source.

This comes after Washington asked its Asian ally last year for artillery support.

Jeon Ha-kyu, spokesperson at South Korea’s defence ministry, confirmed that the country had been in talks with the Pentagon on ammunition exports but that there were “inaccurate parts” in the WSJ report, declining to give details.

“There have been various discussions and requests, and our government will take appropriate measures while comprehensively reviewing the war and humanitarian situation in Ukraine,” Mr Jeon told a briefing.

Up until very recently, South Korea had ruled out sending military aid to Ukraine due to its business relations with Russia in addition to Moscow’s influence over North Korea which has been targeting it in the peninsular region.

The US ally and major producer of artillery ammunition had refused the requests despite the mounting pressure from Washington and Europe to supply weapons.

But in April, president Yoon Suk Yeol signalled the prospect of a change, saying it might be difficult for Seoul to adhere to only providing humanitarian and financial support if Ukraine faced a large-scale civilian attack or a “situation the international community cannot condone.”

Russia rejects reports of fire at defence ministry – state media

04:15 , Arpan Rai

Russian officials have rejected reports of a heavy fire at its Ministry of Defence building in central Moscow after visuals showed thick smoke billowing out of its balcony.

“A fire broke out on a balcony at the ministry of defence building on Frunzenskaya Naberezhnaya,” reported TASS news agency, initially quoting an emergency services source as saying.

Emergency services were also reported to be working at the scene.

However, local officials later said a fire had not been detected at the building, TASS reported.

“The presence of a fire has not been confirmed, as no fire was detected by the fire brigade upon arrival. Neither is there any information about victims,” TASS quoted Moscow’s Ministry of Emergency Situations as saying.

Several people took to social media and shared visuals of smoke around the defence ministry building adding that a “toxic smell of burning plastic” was also detected.

Nato chief says Ukraine should not join until Russia’s invasion is over

04:00 , Jane Dalton

Ukraine will not be able to join Nato as long as Russia’s invasion rages on, the head of the alliance says:

Nato chief says Ukraine should not join alliance until Russia’s invasion is over

First Ukrainian F-16 will be 'strongest signal from world', says Zelensky

03:54 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said an aviation coalition working to secure modern fighter jets for Ukraine will signal that the Russian forces invading the country will only lose.

He made the remarks in his nightly address after a meeting of his top staff where defence decisions around the aviation coalition were discussed alongside other possible help from Ukraine’s allies.

“...the first Ukrainian F-16 will be one of the strongest signals from the world that Russia will only lose because of its own aggression, becoming weaker and more isolated,” he said.

The move will also be a signal that “Russian terror has lost, and our world, which is based on respect for independent nations and the right of peoples to choose their own path, has endured,” the war-time president said in his nightly address.

Mr Zelensky added: “We are doing everything we can to reduce the time until the result is achieved, until new and powerful aircraft with Ukrainian pilots emerge in the Ukrainian skies. It is clear that this global step will allow us to expand our defence capabilities.

Because it is only with powerful aircraft that an air defence system can be complete.”

We will prepare the necessary basis to ensure that our aviation transition is as quick and efficient as possible, he said.

Russians who back Ukraine claim they attacked Belgorod

02:55 , Jane Dalton

Members of the Russian Volunteer Corps and Freedom of Russia Legion have claimed they engaged in cross-border raids on the territory of the Belgorod region of Russia starting on Monday.

The Russian fighters, who are aligned with Ukraine, met the media not far from the Ukraine-Russia border in Kharkiv's area, northeastern Ukraine.

Ukraine has portrayed the incursions by the Russian volunteers as an uprising against the Kremlin and Putin's regime.

Russian soldiers going awol at record rate, UK claims

01:50 , Jane Dalton

At least 1,000 Russian troops fighting Ukraine have gone awol in the past five months – more than in all of last year, British defence chiefs claim:

More Russian soldiers awol this year than in all of last year, UK claims

US ‘concerned’ over UN official’s meeting with Russian wanted for war crimes

Thursday 25 May 2023 00:45 , Jane Dalton

The United States is “deeply concerned” by a meeting between a leading UN official for children and Russia’s ombudsman for children’s rights, who is wanted by the world’s permanent war crimes court, a State Department official says.

Maria Lvova-Belova, who is accused by the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor of the war crime of deporting hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia, said on her website last week that she held a working meeting with Virginia Gamba, the special representative of the UN secretary-general for children and armed conflict.

“We are deeply concerned that a senior UN diplomat met with a fugitive subject to an ICC arrest warrant for committing war crimes against children,” the official said.

“Such conduct undermines our shared commitment to protecting children in conflict zones.”

Nobel peace laureate ‘moved to brutal Belarus jail'

Wednesday 24 May 2023 23:40 , Jane Dalton

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski has been transferred to a notoriously brutal prison in Belarus and has not been heard from in a month, his wife says:

Nobel peace laureate transferred to brutal prison in Belarus, his wife says

Germany to give Kiev tanks and howitzers

Wednesday 24 May 2023 22:35 , Jane Dalton

Germany will buy 18 Leopard 2 tanks and 12 self-propelled howitzers to replenish stocks depleted by deliveries to Ukraine, a member of the parliamentary budget committee said.

The tanks and howitzers are to be delivered by 2026 at the latest, documents showed.

The purchase includes an option for another 105 tanks for about 2.9 billion euros.

Germany has supplied 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine since the Russian invasion last year and has said it intends to plug the gap with new tanks as soon as possible.

In pictures: the front line in Donetsk

Wednesday 24 May 2023 21:30 , Jane Dalton

A psychological win for Ukraine

Wednesday 24 May 2023 20:25 , Jane Dalton

In case you missed it:

For Ukraine, there appears little to lose from mysterious attacks on Russian soil, writes Chris Stevenson:

Analysis: Shadowy attacks inside Russia deliver a psychological win for Ukraine

Norway and Netherlands ready to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

Wednesday 24 May 2023 19:23 , Jane Dalton

Norway has pledged to support training programmes for Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets, and the Netherlands says it wants to train them as soon as possible.

Norwegian Defence Minister Bjoern Arild Gram said: “The government backs this initiative and is considering how Norway can contribute together with allies and partners.”

Top Russian diplomats said this week the transfer of F-16 jets to Ukraine would raise the question of Nato’s role in the conflict.

But Nato’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s would not make the bloc a party to the conflict.

US president Joe Biden on Friday endorsed training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky assured Mr Biden that the aircraft would not be used to go into Russian territory.

The Norwegian government has not decided whether Norway will give any of its F-16 jets to Ukraine, the minister told public broadcaster NRK.

The training by the Netherlands would be coordinated with the UK, Belgium and Denmark, and other countries could join, Dutch defence minister Kajsa Ollongren said.

Ukraine calls on African nations for support

Wednesday 24 May 2023 18:40 , Jane Dalton

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is urging African countries to abandon their stances of neutrality towards his country’s war with Russia.

Many African countries have refused to take sides in the European conflict, with several abstaining from votes at the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s invasion.

Mr Kuleba said Ukraine was “very upset that some African countries chose to abstain” and called them to lend Ukraine diplomatic support “in the face of Russian aggression.”

“Neutrality is not the answer,” he told reporters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Ethiopia is one of the countries abstaining.

“By being neutral towards Russian aggression against Ukraine, you project neutrality to the violations of borders and mass crimes that may occur very close to you,” he said.

Russia has built a substantial presence in several parts of Africa, where Russian private military contractor Wagner is active, and recently held joint military drills with South Africa. Russia plans to hold an Africa-Russia summit in July.

Moscow claims Ukrainian boat attacks Russian warship

Wednesday 24 May 2023 17:52 , Jane Dalton

Russia’s defence ministry says one of its warships has been attacked unsuccessfully by three Ukrainian uncrewed speedboats in the Black Sea, on the approaches to the Bosphorus strait.

In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said the Ivan Hurs had been protecting the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines - which carry gas from Russia to Turkey, partly across the Black Sea - and “continues to fulfil its tasks”.

The statement appeared likely to raise tensions in the Black Sea, where Russia agreed last week, only one day before a self-imposed deadline, to extend a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain safely from its seaports.

No comment was immediately available from Kyiv.

The ministry cited the attack as a justification for Russia expanding measures to defend its pipelines, though no mention was made of any implications for the safety of grain ships.

Ukraine's main church to switch calendar in move away from Russia

Wednesday 24 May 2023 16:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s main Orthodox church said on Wednesday it had decided to switch to a calendar in which Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25, a move that distances it from Russia.

Ukrainian Christians, a majority of whom are Orthodox, have traditionally celebrated Christmas on Jan. 7 alongside other predominantly Orthodox Christian countries such as Russia, which invaded Ukraine last year.

“This question arose with new impetus as a result of Russian aggression,” the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) wrote in a Facebook post announcing the change away from the Julian calendar.

“Nowadays, the Julian calendar is perceived as connected with Russian church culture,” it said.

Ukraine‘s main Catholic church, which considers about one in 10 Ukrainians to be worshippers, announced a similar change in February.

The OCU said it would use the Revised Julian calendar from Sept. 1, the start of the liturgical year. It said parishes would have the option to celebrate according to the old Julian calendar if they wished.

A Ukrainian government poll last December showed 59% of the more than 1.5 million respondents supported moving Christmas celebrations to Dec. 25.

Ukraine‘s culture minister has previously expressed support for the switch in calendars, describing it as “appropriate to the demands of our time and public opinion.”

Russia: warship guarding Black Sea pipelines attacked by unmanned Ukraine craft

Wednesday 24 May 2023 15:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that the Russian warship Ivan Hurs had been attacked unsuccessfully by three Ukrainian uncrewed speedboats in the Black Sea, on the approaches to the Bosphorus strait.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the ministry said the warship had been protecting the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines - which carry gas from Russia to Turkey, partly across the Black Sea - and “continues to fulfil its tasks”.

No comment was immediately available from Kyiv.

The ministry cited the attack as a justification for Russia expanding defensive measures. Explosions last September damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines bringing gas from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany.

The Russian statement appeared likely to raise tensions in the Black Sea, where Russia only agreed last week, one day before deadline, to extend a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain safely from its seaports.

TurkStream carries gas from Russia‘s Taman peninsula west across the width of the Black Sea to a point west of the Bosphorus.

Blue Stream, however, crosses the eastern Black Sea from north to south, making landfall more than 700 km east of the Bosphorus.

“All enemy boats were destroyed by fire from the standard armament of a Russian ship 140 km northeast of the Bosphorus,” the statement added.

The Ivan Hurs is a medium reconnaissance ship launched in 2013.

Shadowy attacks inside Russia deliver a psychological win for Ukraine

Wednesday 24 May 2023 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The announcement from Moscow came as little surprise, at least in its language – claiming that those who had raided Russian villages close to the border with Ukraine had been “completely eliminated”. That it came after two days of fighting raises more of an eyebrow.

The attack has been claimed by Russian militia groups who say their aim is to see President Vladimir Putin toppled. Whatever the state of the raid – with suggestions that the militas’ opperations could be continuing despite the announcements from Moscow – in the context of Russia’s broader invasion it is a skirmish. It is the intrigue around the incursion that will have a more lasting effect as it becomes part of the propaganda war between Moscow and Kyiv.

Our foreign editor Chris Stevenson has more:

Analysis: Shadowy attacks inside Russia deliver a psychological win for Ukraine

US says Russia's Wagner Group seeking to transit military equipment through Mali

Wednesday 24 May 2023 13:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The U.S. State Department on Monday said Russia‘s Wagner Group is trying to obscure its efforts to acquire military equipment for use in Ukraine, adding that Washington has been informed the mercenary force is seeking to move those acquisitions through Mali to aid Russia in its war.

Wagner is willing to use false paperwork for such transactions, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular news briefing.

“There are indications that Wagner has been attempting to purchase military systems from foreign suppliers and route these weapons through Mali as a third party,” Miller said.

“We have not seen as of yet any indications that these acquisitions have been finalized or executed, but we are monitoring the situation closely.”

Miller said Washington has imposed sanctions on a number of people and entities that support Wagner’s military operations, and said the United States would have more to share soon.

Reuters could not immediately reach Mali’s government for comment.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia‘s Foreign Ministry, on Wednesday dismissed the U.S. allegations as a “hoax” in a news conference and urged Washington to examine the effect of its own military exports.

Belgorod raid: Who is behind attacks on Russian region bordering Ukraine?

Wednesday 24 May 2023 13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia alleges that dozens of Ukrainian militants crossed into one of its border towns in its Belgorod region, striking targets and forcing an evacuation, before over 70 of the attackers were killed or pushed back by what the authorities termed a counterterrorism operation.

Ukraine denied any involvement in the skirmishes Monday and Tuesday, instead blaming two Russian groups that claim to be volunteers fighting alongside Kyiv‘s forces in an uprising against the government of President Vladimir Putin.

While neither version could be independently verified, whatever happened appears to have sent Moscow scrambling to respond to one of the most serious border incursions since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Who is behind Belgorod incursion on Russian region bordering Ukraine?

WHO condemns Russia's aggression in Ukraine, rejects Moscow's counter-proposal

Wednesday 24 May 2023 12:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The World Health Organisation (WHO) assembly passed a motion on Wednesday condemning Russia‘s aggression against Ukraine, including attacks on healthcare facilities.

The motion passed by 80 votes to 9, with 52 abstentions and 36 countries absent.

The Western-led motion, put forward at the U.N. agency’s annual meeting, also called for an assessment of the impact of Russia‘s aggression on the health sector.

Russia had submitted a counter-proposal recognising the health emergency in Ukraine, but making no mention of its own role in the war.

That motion was rejected by the assembly immediately after the first, by 62 votes to 13, with 61 abstentions and 41 countries absent.

After the votes, the Russian representative told the assembly it was not against the work of the WHO in Ukraine, but it was against the “politicisation” of the body.

Ukraine‘s representative said the vote was a “sign of hope” for its citizens in need of health assistance, and a milestone in the continuation of the WHO’s work in the country.

Tensions had been running high in the run up to the twin votes. During speeches that were critical of Russia, Moscow’s envoy interrupted with points of order.

Britain’s ambassador Simon Manley also accused Russia of spreading “disinformation” at the assembly and a Russian official confirmed it had distributed pamphlets accusing Ukrainian forces of attacking medical facilities in parts of the country it controls.

Moscow has consistently denied targeting civilians during what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

The votes echo last year’s assembly, when two sets of motions were also presented, with the Western-led resolution passing with 88 votes for and 12 against. Abstentions and absence levels were high, as in this year’s vote.

Russia extends detention of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months

Wednesday 24 May 2023 12:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Russian court has extended the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday.

Mr Gershkovich, an American citizen, was ordered held until 30 August. He had been arrested in March on espionage charges on a reporting trip in Russia. He, his employer and the US government have denied the charges.

Mr Gershkovich is the first US correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the West.

The US government has declared Mr Gershkovich to be “wrongfully detained” and demanded his immediate release. He’s being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.

Russia extends detention of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months

Kremlin says Ukraine border raiders' use of Western-made military hardware part of pattern

Wednesday 24 May 2023 11:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the use of Western-made military hardware by pro-Ukrainian fighters who conducted a raid on a Russian border region this week was consistent with the West’s growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

The Russian military said on Tuesday it had routed militants who attacked the Russian border region of Belgorod with armoured vehicles the previous day, killing more than 70 “Ukrainian nationalists” and pushing the remainder back into Ukraine.

Images of some of the destroyed vehicles used by the pro-Ukrainian fighters broadcast on Russian state media showed U.S.-made military hardware such as U.S.-made Humvees.

“It is no secret for us that more and more equipment is being delivered to Ukraine‘s armed forces. It is no secret that this equipment is being used against our own military. And it is no secret for us that the direct and indirect involvement of Western countries in this conflict is growing by the day,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“We are drawing the appropriate conclusions.”

Finland says Russia set to terminate agreement on military visits

Wednesday 24 May 2023 10:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia has informed neighbouring Finland that it will terminate a bilateral agreement on mutual visits to military installations, the Finnish defence ministry said late on Tuesday.

The bilateral agreement, signed in 2000, provided for one annual Russian assessment visit to Finland and a similar visit by Finland to the Leningrad Military District in north-west Russia, the Finnish ministry said in a statement.

Finland last month joined the NATO military alliance in response to Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, drawing a threat from Moscow of “counter-measures.”

The bilateral agreement, last applied in 2019 before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, was among several post-Cold War measures taken to improve East-West relations.

The broader Vienna Act, agreed within the framework of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which also provides for mutual inspection and evaluation visits, would not be affected by the termination, Finland said.

Russian PM tells China’s Xi: We will push back against sanctions

Wednesday 24 May 2023 10:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told Chinese President Xi Jinping in China on Wednesday that Moscow and Beijing would push back against attempts by countries to use sanctions to “impose their will”, Russia‘s RIA news agency reported.

Russia's Lavrov: West sees Russia and China as threat to its dominance

Wednesday 24 May 2023 08:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said that the West saw Russia and China as “adversaries” that posed what he called an existential threat to the West’s “dominance”.

“As evidenced by statements made at the recently concluded G7 summit in Japan, the West views Russia and China as strategic adversaries posing almost an existential threat to its dominance,” Lavrov said.

Mercenary Prigozhin warns Russia could face revolution unless elite gets serious about war

Wednesday 24 May 2023 08:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, warned that Russia could face a revolution similar to those of 1917 and lose the war in Ukraine unless the elite got serious about fighting the war.

Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has triggered one of the deadliest European conflicts since World War Two and the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Ukraine is preparing a counter-offensive aimed at pushing Russian troops back to the borders of before 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, Prigozhin said. Ukraine would try to encircle Bakhmut and attack Crimea, he added.

“Most likely of all, this scenario will not be good for Russia so we need to prepare for an arduous war,” he said in an interview posted on his Telegram channel.

“We are in such a condition that we could fucking lose Russia - that is the main problem ... We need to impose martial law.”

Prigozhin said his political outlook was dominated by love for the motherland and serving Putin. He said the nickname of “Putin’s chef” was stupid as he couldn’t cook, quipping that “Putin’s butcher” might be a more apt nickname.

Russia‘s elite, he said, protected their own children from fighting the war while the children of ordinary Russians perished on the front, a situation he said that could trigger turmoil in Russia.

If ordinary Russians continued getting their children back in zinc coffins while the children of the elite sunned themselves abroad, he said, Russia would face turmoil along the lines of the 1917 revolutions which ushered in a civil war.

Russia ‘forcefully mobilising’ AWOL soldiers in Ukraine, British intelligence says

Wednesday 24 May 2023 07:21 , Shweta Sharma

In today’s intelligence update, the British ministry of defence has said Russian military courts dealt with 1,053 cases of personnel going absent without leave (AWOL), citing a credible search by a Russian journalist.

It said Russia’s struggle to enforce discipline in its ranks throughout its operations in Ukraine has likely worsened following the forced mobilisation of reservists since October 2022.

Russian PM says relations with China at ‘unprecedented’ high level

Wednesday 24 May 2023 07:08 , Shweta Sharma

Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin who arrived in Beijing today said the ties with China are at an “unprecedented” high level, characterised by mutual respect for each other’s interests and the desire to jointly respond to challenges.

“As our Chinese friends say, unity makes it possible to move mountains,” Mr Mishustin told Chinese premier Li Qiang during a meeting in Beijing.

Mr Li said that China was willing to work with Russia to promote their pragmatic cooperation in various fields and take it to a “new level”.

Pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia has shown a “good” development trend, and the scale of investment between the two is also continuously seeing an upgrade, Mr Li told Mr Mishustin during a meeting in Beijing.

Kyiv denies EU’s Josep Borrell’s claim that Ukrainian pilots training on F-16 jets

Wednesday 24 May 2023 06:59 , Shweta Sharma

Ukraine’s Air Force has denied EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell’s comments that its pilots are training on US-made F-16 jets in several European countries.

Preparations for the training program are “still ongoing”, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said, according to Kyiv Independent, adding that Ukrainian representatives have been sent to the countries providing the training to “study how the process will go.”

“For a long time, unfortunately, I’ve had to refute (claims) that ‘pilots study in the US, (and) Europe,” Mr Ihnat said in a televised interview on 23 May. “There is no need to give any extra hope.”

Pictures: Russian prime minister arrives in Beijing

Wednesday 24 May 2023 06:38 , Shweta Sharma

Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Beijing for a state visit during which he will meet Xi Jinping and ink a series of deals on infrastructure and trade.

He is the highest-ranking Russian official to visit Beijing since Moscow sent thousands of its troops to Ukraine in February 2022.