Ukraine-Russia war - live: Putin ‘may use sea mines to attack civilian ships and blame Kyiv’

Russia may use sea mines to target non-military ships and blame Ukraine for any attacks, the British government has said.

Declassified intelligence warned last month that the Russian military had attempted a missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea.

The UK believes Russia could continue targeting civilian shipping, including by laying explosive devices in the approach to Ukrainian ports.

However, Vladimir Putin’s army wants to openly avoid sinking ships in order to blame Ukraine for attacks, the government said.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly said: “Russia’s pernicious targeting of civilian shipping in the Black Sea demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives and the needs of the world’s most vulnerable.

“The world is watching – and we see right through Russia’s cynical attempts to lay blame on Ukraine for their attacks. We and our allies stand united against Putin and his attempts to harm Ukraine, and thus harm the rest of the world.”

Key Points

• Ukrainian drone ‘strikes top Russian air defence system'

• Moscow says it downed 31 Ukraine-launched drones over Russian territory

• Ukraine makes gains in the south – top general

• Putin’s navy has suffered ‘functional defeat’ in Black Sea, says UK

• Putin ‘sends drunk soldiers’ to frontline to die in punishment squads

• Ukraine strike Russian village with cluster munitions

Ukraine's Zelenskiy arrives in Spain for summit with European leaders

09:06 , Tara Cobham

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday he had arrived in the Spanish city of Granada to take part in the European Political Community Summit, a forum to foster cooperation among more than 40 countries established after Russia's invasion.

The European leaders gathering in Granada are expected to assure Zelenskiy of long-term support after US President Joe Biden voiced fears that Republican infighting in Congress could hurt American policy on continuing aid to Kyiv.

"Our joint goal is to ensure the security and stability of our common European home," Zelenskiy said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We are working together with partners on enhancing the European security architecture, particularly regional security. Ukraine has substantial proposals in this regard."

"We will pay special attention to the Black Sea region as well as our joint efforts to strengthen global food security and freedom of navigation," he said. Russia pulled out of a deal in July that had allowed Ukraine to safely ship food products out via the Black Sea, which is traditionally Kyiv's main export corridor. Ukraine responded by setting up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" for cargo vessels, and several ships have left Ukraine's Black Sea ports since.

"Ukraine's key priority, particularly as winter approaches, is to strengthen air defense. We have already laid the groundwork for new agreements with partners and look forward to their approval and implementation," Zelenskiy added. He gave no details but Ukraine, which is heavily reliant on its Western allies for arms, fears Russia will launch a new waves of air strikes on energy facilities this winter.

"This should be a productive day for Ukraine and Europe as a whole," Zelenskiy added.

Two people killed in Russian shelling of Ukraine’s Kherson, says Kyiv

09:03 , Tara Cobham

Two people were killed in Russian shelling of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, the head of the Ukrainian president's office said on Thursday.

Andriy Yermak, the president's chief of staff, said on Telegram messaging app that one of the dead was a utility worker who trimmed trees.

Sunak urges greater European cooperation in facing down Russian threats

06:59 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has said he wants unity among European leaders to face down threats from Russia and to target people smugglers.

The prime minister will press his case as he attends the European Political Community summit in Granada, Spain, on Thursday, where he will co-chair a meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni which focuses on “illegal migration and organised crime”, with the UK leader expected to raise the need for more coordinated action.

Downing Street said Mr Sunak will announce bilateral initiatives with Belgium, Bulgaria and Serbia to increase intelligence sharing and operational cooperation.

Support for Ukraine will also be discussed, including work among European allies to provide weapons to Kyiv and the need for Black Sea grain shipments. Mr Sunak is expected to confirm allocations of UK humanitarian aid to help Ukrainians over the winter.

Russia may attack civilian ships with sea mines and blame Ukraine, UK warns

06:40 , Namita Singh

Russia may use sea mines to target non-military ships and blame Ukraine for any attacks, the UK government has said.

Declassified intelligence warned last month that the Russian military had attempted a missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea.

The UK believes Russia could continue targeting civilian shipping, including by laying explosive devices in the approach to Ukrainian ports.

However, Vladimir Putin’s army wants to openly avoid sinking ships in order to blame Ukraine for attacks, the government said.

More here:

Russia may attack civilian ships with sea mines and blame Ukraine, UK warns

Ukraine says its forces making headway in south and holding gains in east

06:18 , Namita Singh

Ukrainian forces are making progress in the south as part of their counterattack to reclaim areas controlled by Russia in its 19-month-old invasion of its neighbour, military officials said.

The information comes a day after a top general’s claim that Kyiv inflicted more than 260 losses on the battlefield while advancing on the southern front.

Kyiv’s forces are also resisting Russian attempts to reverse gains on the eastern front made by the country since it launched the counteroffensive in June, according to the officials.

Report:

Ukraine says its forces making headway in south and holding gains in east

Fifa set to approve letting Russian youth football teams return to competition

05:56 , AP

Fifa is set to approve the reintegration of Russian youth teams into under-17 competitions and ease a total international ban on the country amid the war in Ukraine.

The Fifa Council, which is chaired by president Gianni Infantino, was set to hold an online meeting on Wednesday afternoon at which the Russian issue would be discussed, people involved in the meeting told The Associated Press.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because Fifa has not published any details about the meeting.

No news conference is scheduled to explain any decisions. Setting bid rules for potential hosts of the men’s World Cup in 2030 and also potentially the 2034 edition should also be discussed. Saudi Arabia has been targeting the 2034 tournament.

FIFA’s 37-member ruling body, including nine from UEFA, will be meeting eight days after the European football body provoked a rare split among its own executive committee and member federations by welcoming back Russian national teams for boys and girls into its competitions.

Ukrainian soldiers ‘using invisibility cloak’ to hide from thermal imaging

04:48 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation has unveiled a cloak which he claims could render soldiers invisible to thermal imaging cameras and drones, which is reportedly being used in Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

”The cloak blocks the radiation of heat and makes the fighters invisible to the enemy. For example, to snipers or Special Operations Forces groups that perform combat tasks,” Mykhailo Fedorov was quoted as saying by Ukrainska Pravda.

The cloaks have been in development since 2015 and are manufactured by Brave1, a defence technology project sponsored by Kyiv.

Russia may attack Ukraine with sea mines and blame Ukraine, warns UK

03:39 , Ted Hennessey, PA

Russia may use sea mines to target non-military ships and blame Ukraine for any attacks, the UK Government has said.

Declassified intelligence warned last month that the Russian military had attempted a missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea.

The UK believes Russia could continue targeting civilian shipping, including by laying explosive devices in the approach to Ukrainian ports.

However, Vladimir Putin’s army wants to openly avoid sinking ships in order to blame Ukraine for attacks, the Government said.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Russia’s pernicious targeting of civilian shipping in the Black Sea demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives and the needs of the world’s most vulnerable.

“The world is watching - and we see right through Russia’s cynical attempts to lay blame on Ukraine for their attacks. We and our allies stand united against Putin and his attempts to harm Ukraine, and thus harm the rest of the world.”

Russian journalist who criticised invasion live on-air handed lengthy prison sentence in absentia

02:29 , Andy Gregory

Russian reporter Marina Ovsyannikova – who famously protested live on-air against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – has been sentenced by a Moscow court in absentia to eight-and-a-half years in prison, the BBC reports.

Having staged a walk out in front of studio cameras during an evening news broadcast on the flagship Channel One, wielding a DIY-placard that read, “Stop the war” and “They’re lying to you”, the journalist was convicted of “spreading knowingly false information” about Russia’s armed forces.

Moscow made it illegal to describe its military action against Ukraine as a “war” or an “invasion”, shortly after invading.

The 45-year-old journalist – who describes the charges as “absurd” – was put under house arrest, but fled Russia with her daughter last year.

How will Kevin McCarthy being ousted as US House speaker affect US aid to Ukraine?

01:22 , Andy Gregory

Shortly before hard-right Republicans made history by ousting Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Ukraine’s western allies, including the UK, the European Union and Nato, received a phone call from President Joe Biden.

Congress may be frozen but support for Ukraine is “ongoing”, Mr Biden told those on the line.

It was intended as a message of reassurance but, devoid of any detail, it spoke to an impending issue largely outside of the president’s control.

My colleague Tom Watling takes a look at how the resulting situation for Ukraine in this report:

Explained: How Kevin McCarthy’s ousting in the US could leave Ukraine in a tough spot

IMF expects continuing US support for Ukraine despite Congress dropping aid

Thursday 5 October 2023 00:14 , David McHugh , Hanna Arhirova

Officials from the International Monetary Fund say they expect the United States will continue playing its key role in amassing multinational support, which has helped keep Ukraine’s economy afloat during Russia’s invasion.

That is despite the US Congress recently passing a short-term funding package that averted a US government shutdown but dropped $6bn in aid to Ukraine. It’s not clear if, when or how that aid installment might be restored.

The US has already sent or committed $69.5b in military, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, according to the Institute for the World Economy in Kiel, Germany.

“ President Biden has made an announcement ... that he is fully committed to supporting Ukraine,” Uma Ramakrishnan, IMF European department deputy director, told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday. ”And so from our standpoint, the baseline assumption remains that the US remains committed.”

She added that “it is premature for us to comment on what will materialise or not, because we have to wait for the process to play out”.

IMF expects continuing US support for Ukraine despite Congress dropping aid

Zelensky expected to attend European political summit in Spain tomorrow

Wednesday 4 October 2023 23:21 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky is widely expected to travel to Spain’s Alhambra Palace to attend the third meeting this year of the European Political Community, as he seeks to drum up more support and money from Western allies.

European leaders will gather on Thursday in Granada in an attempt to find ways to soothe tensions on the continent, at a rare occasion where leaders of rival nations such as Serbia and Kosovo will be gathered in one plenary room. Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Aleksander Lukashenko of Belarus were not invited.

“Crises are everywhere,” said European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on the eve of the gathering.

President Aliyev of Azerbaijan has pulled out of the gathering at the last moment, when expectations had risen that a possible summit-within-the summit would unite key players and go-betweens in his country’s crisis with neighbouring Armenia, after the former’s rapid military assault in Nagorno-Karabakh sparked the humanitarian tragedy of some 100,000 Armenians fleeing the disputed enclave.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose nation was shaken by a suicide bombing close to the parliament on Sunday in the Turkish capital, Ankara, is another no-show.

Watch: Houses left destroyed in Ukrainian city after Russian bombardment of residential area

Wednesday 4 October 2023 22:14 , Andy Gregory

Biden ‘worried’ Republican infighting could hurt Ukraine aid

Wednesday 4 October 2023 21:31 , Andy Gregory

Joe Biden has expressed concern that Republican infighting in Congress could hurt Ukraine aid, funding for Kyiv was left out of a stopgap bill.

Asked if he was concerned that the United States would not be able to deliver the aid that it has promised to Ukraine because of the disarray on Capitol Hill, the US president told reporters: “It does worry me ... but I know there are a majority of members of the House and Senate in both parties who have said that they support funding Ukraine.”

Mr Biden indicated that there was another avenue that the US could use to fund Ukraine, which he would be setting out in a “major” speech.

Germany ‘has no plans’ to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine

Wednesday 4 October 2023 20:43 , Andy Gregory

Germany currently has no plans to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles because they are not comparable to missiles provided by France and Britain – despite UK officials seeking to persuade Berlin to do so, the Bild newspaper has reported.

Berlin is also concerned that the missiles could be used to target the Kerch Bridge linking Russia to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula seized and annexed by Moscow in 2014, the paper said.

Kyiv has been pushing Berlin to supply the Taurus missiles, which could give Ukraine the ability to cause significant damage deeper within Russian-occupied territory. Berlin has repeatedly said it will only act in concert with Washington on arms deliveries to Ukraine.

In an internal meeting last week, Bild said, chancellor Olaf Scholz told the parliament’s foreign affairs committee that Taurus missiles were not comparable to France’s Scalp or Britain’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles, as those countries contribute geodata on targets directly themselves and are involved with their own personnel.

A spokesperson for the chancellery told Reuters there were no new updates regarding the issue of Taurus cruise missiles for Ukraine.

Biden to give ‘major speech’ on alternative route for Ukraine funding

Wednesday 4 October 2023 20:07 , Andy Gregory

Joe Biden is preparing to give a “major” speech on alternative funding routes for Ukraine after a move to provide aid failed to pass through the US Congress, with opposition from some House Republicans.

“I’m going to be announcing very shortly a major speech I’m going to make on this issue and why it’s critically important for the United States and our allies that we keep our commitment” to Ukraine, the US president told reporters after giving unrelated remarks at the White House.

White House officials declined to say when Mr Biden planned to give his speech, and he did not elaborate on the alternative method he was looking at to get additional military aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.

“There is another means by which we may be able to find funding, but I’m not going to get into that right now,” he said.

Moldova seeks to bar members of banned pro-Russian party from standing in local elections

Wednesday 4 October 2023 19:22 , Andy Gregory

Moldova’s parliament has initiated plans to prevent members of the banned pro-Russian Shor party running in local elections for other parties or as independent candidates.

The country’s Constitutional Court declared the opposition party unconstitutional in June, but said on Tuesday that its members have the right to run in the local elections on 5 November if they do not represent the banned party.

The party, headed by exiled businessman Ilan Shor, led months of protests against president Maia Sandu and her government over rising prices, who has accused both Shor and Russia of trying to destabilise Moldova since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine – which both parties deny.

In a move aimed against Shor party members, Moldova’s parliament approved an amendment to the Electoral Code to bar “specific people” from the local elections in its first and second readings.

The amendment, which has now completed its passage through parliament, envisages law enforcement agencies submitting a list of such people to the central election commission, which will draw up a final list.

A government commission on emergency situations led by prime minister Dorin Rechan ordered such a list to be drawn up earlier on Wednesday “to ensure democratic processes in the upcoming elections and eliminate the danger to the state.”

“The Kremlin wants its oligarch (Shor) to come to power in Moldova in order to get rid of all criminal cases, dance to the Kremlin’s tune and stick a knife in Ukraine’s back. We will not allow this,” the parliament’s deputy chair, Mihai Popsoi, told the chamber.

Ukraine’s allies running out of ammo to send to Kyiv, warn senior officials

Wednesday 4 October 2023 18:53 , Andy Gregory

Western officials have warned that Ukraine’s allies are running out of ammunition to send to Kyiv to help it repel Russia’s invasion.

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum from the Polish capital on Tuesday, British defence minister James Heappey and Nato’s most senior military official, Admiral Rob Bauer, were among those to warn that Kyiv’s allies are running out of ammunition.

The latter lamented that “the bottom of the barrel is now visible” and urged nations to “ramp up production in a much higher tempo”.

“We need large volumes,” the admiral said. “The just-in-time, just-enough economy we built together in 30 years in our liberal economies is fine for a lot of things – but not the armed forces when there is a war ongoing.”

Also warning that Western stockpiles are “looking a bit thin”, Mr Heappey said: “If it’s not the time when there is a war in Europe to spend 2 per cent on defence, then when is?”

Putin’s prized Black Sea fleet ‘functionally defeated’ by Ukraine

US sends 1 million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition to Ukraine

Wednesday 4 October 2023 18:41 , Andy Gregory

Washington has sent Ukraine more than one million rounds of Iranian ammunition – suitable for small arms – seized last year while bound for Iran-backed fighters in Yemen, the US military has said.

“The US is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including US and UN sanctions and through interdictions,” the Central Command statement said.

The ammunition is unlikely to make a major difference on the battlefield at a time when Ukraine is pleading for more long-range weapons and air defence systems.

It comes after the US Congress included no new money for Ukraine in the stopgap spending bill it passed on Saturday to keep the federal government open, highlighting the increasing reluctance of some Republicans to provide funds for Kyiv.

Last year, Britain’s Royal Navy said one of its warships had seized Iranian weapons, including surface-to-air-missiles and engines for cruise missiles, from smugglers in international waters south of Iran.

Homes for Ukraine hosts struggling with cost of living, survey finds

Wednesday 4 October 2023 17:45 , Aine Fox

More than two-thirds of current hosts under the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme said the rising cost of living is affecting their ability to provide support for those they have taken in, according to a survey.

Ukrainians who fled the war to seek refuge in the UK are also facing difficulties affording costs, as they try to move into private rented accommodation, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) findings suggested.

Meanwhile, 31 per cent of hosts reported bias or discrimination against Ukrainians from landlords or estate agencies, the survey revealed.

Just under 5,500 hosts under the scheme, which was set up in March 2022, were surveyed in August this year and many reported struggles with bills and food prices.

Some 67 per cent of current hosts surveyed said the rising cost of living was affecting their ability to provide support, with utility costs (85 per cent) and food costs (46 per cent) being the most common types of extra costs they faced.

Red Cross calls for removal of chapter leader who boasted of transferring Ukrainian children to Belarus

Wednesday 4 October 2023 17:06 , Andy Gregory

The International Red Cross is calling for the removal of the head of its Belarus branch – months after he drew stirred international outrage for boasting that it was actively taking Ukrainian children from Russian-controlled areas to Belarus.

The organisation’s international board has now given the Belarus Red Cross until the end of November to dismiss Dzmitry Shautsou. If not, it will recommend all affiliates to halt new partnerships and funding for the Belarus branch, which would be suspended from the global organisation.

Last year, the Belarus Red Cross received around £1.5m from the Geneva-based international organisation for services like HIV prevention, support for migrants near the border with Poland, “clown therapy” and help for people fleeing neighbouring Ukraine. This year, that has fallen to around £900,000.

An internal IFRC probe found that the Belarus Red Cross said Mr Shautsou was “found to be solely responsible for the allegations.” It also determined that another organization was responsible for moving children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, and the Belarus Red Cross’ involvement was only within Belarus. It did not specify the other organisation.

Shautsou is accused of having breached Red Cross neutrality and integrity. He was seen publicly wearing military fatigues with the “Z” insignia of Russian forces, and he claimed publicly that he favoured the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus.

A report aired in July by state TV in Belarus showed Mr Shautsou visiting the Russian-held Ukrainian city of Lysychansk. In the footage, he says the organisation was actively involved in bringing Ukrainian children to Belarus for “health improvement” purposes, and said the Belarus Red Cross was taking “an active part in it”.

Russia conducts emergency alert tests

Wednesday 4 October 2023 16:59 , Andy Gregory

Sirens wailed across Russia and TV stations interrupted regular programming to broadcast warnings Wednesday as part of sweeping drills intended to test the readiness of the country’s emergency responders.

The test, first conducted in 2020, is part of a new initiative that requires authorities to conduct tests twice a year. As part of the drills, TV stations broadcast a notice saying: “Attention everyone! The readiness of the public warning system is being tested! Please remain calm!”

Russian media said the exercise’s storyline mentions the increasing danger of a conflict between nuclear powers and simulates a response to a situation in which 70 per cent of housing and all vital infrastructure have been destroyed, wide areas contaminated by radioactive fallout and a general mobilisation announced, the AP news agency reported.

The US government is also testing its Emergency Alert System on Wednesday, designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within 10 minutes during a national emergency via outlets such as radio and television.

It also will send test messages to mobile phone customers in the US, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

US will soon announce transfer of seized Iranian arms to Ukraine, official says

Wednesday 4 October 2023 16:44 , Andy Gregory

The United States could announce as soon as this week that it will send seized Iranian small arms and ammunition to Ukraine, a US official said on Wednesday.

For years, US naval forces have been seizing weapons bound for Iran-backed fighters in Yemen, usually transported by fishing vessels.

However the weapons are expected to mostly include small arms like guns, Reuters reported – as opposed to the long-range weapons most desired by Kyiv – and are unlikely to ease concerns about the flow of ammunition for Ukraine so that it can keep firing mortars, rockets and other artillery.

Last year, Britain’s Royal Navy said one of its warships had seized Iranian weapons, including surface-to-air-missiles and engines for cruise missiles, from smugglers in international waters south of Iran.

Kate’s message to Ukraine: ‘We are all thinking of you'

Wednesday 4 October 2023 16:00 , Tara Cobham

The Princess of Wales has sent a message of support to Ukraine saying "we are all thinking of you".

Kate wrote the words on a parcel she filled with food, clothes and toiletries for those affected by the war in the eastern European country, during a visit to a Bracknell centre providing services for Ukrainian families settled in the area.

The future Queen has attended a number of events in support of the people of Ukraine and their struggle against Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime.

Her tour of the Vsi Razom - Ukrainian for all together - Community Hub saw her make a Ukrainian ribbon brooch, help a little girl complete some artwork and chat to a Ukrainian psychologist providing support to her fellow countrymen and women.

The princess's visit coincided with the one-year anniversary of the hub, founded by Natalia Vil, originally from Estonia but a UK resident for 25 years who is married to a Ukrainian, and Ashleigh Toomey from the UK.

Ukrainian drone ‘hits top Russian air defence system'

Wednesday 4 October 2023 15:19 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine is claimed to have struck one of Vladimir Putin’s top air defence systems as Kyiv launched a barrage of dozens of attack drones on Russia’s territory overnight.

Moscow’s defence ministry claimed it had downed 31 drones in the Russian regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk.

But a Ukrainian intelligence source claimed to local outlets that their drones struck elements of an S-400 ‘Triumph’ anti-aircraft complex in Belgorod.

It would mark the first time Kyiv had struck an S-400 on Russian soil. Moscow was estimated to have had around 95 of these systems in its arsenal at the start of the year, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

How will Kevin McCarthy being ousted affect US aid to Ukraine?

Wednesday 4 October 2023 15:15 , Tara Cobham

Shortly before hard-right Republicans made history by ousting Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Ukraine’s western allies, including the UK, the European Union and Nato, received a phone call from President Joe Biden.

Congress may be frozen but support for Ukraine is “ongoing”, Mr Biden told those on the line.

It was intended as a message of reassurance but, devoid of any detail, it spoke to an impending issue largely outside of the president’s control.

Hardline Republicans in the US, the powerhoue of the West, are threatening to demonstratively derail US aid to Ukraine for the first time since last February.

Tom Watling reports:

Explained: How Kevin McCarthy’s ousting in the US could leave Ukraine in a tough spot

Watch: Russian Black Sea fleet suffered ‘functional defeat’, says UK minister

Wednesday 4 October 2023 14:30 , Tara Cobham

‘If we give Zelensky the tools, Ukraine will finish the job,’ says Sunak

Wednesday 4 October 2023 13:31 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has emphasised the UK's support for Ukraine in the conflict against Russia.

In his first Conservative conference speech as party leader, the Prime Minister told members in Manchester to applause: "If we give President Zelensky the tools, Ukraine will finish the job.”

Homes for Ukraine hosts struggling with cost of living, survey suggests

Wednesday 4 October 2023 13:18 , Tara Cobham

More than two-thirds of current hosts under the Homes for Ukraine scheme said the rising cost of living is affecting their ability to provide support for those they have taken in, according to a survey.

Ukrainians who fled the war to seek refuge in the UK are also facing difficulties affording costs, as they try to move into private rented accommodation, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) findings suggested.

Meanwhile, almost a third (31%) of hosts reported bias or discrimination against Ukrainians from landlords or estate agencies, the survey revealed.

Just under 5,500 hosts under the scheme, which was set up in March 2022, were surveyed in August this year and many reported struggles with bills and food prices.

Aine Fox reports:

Homes for Ukraine hosts struggling with cost of living, survey suggests

Ukraine expects 12 more cargo ships at its Black Sea ports

Wednesday 4 October 2023 12:30 , Tara Cobham

Ukraine's navy said on Wednesday that 12 more cargo vessels were ready to enter a fledgling Black Sea shipping corridor on their way to Ukrainian ports, as Kyiv steps up a push to defy a de facto Russian blockade on its vital sea exports.

Russia, which has a much more powerful and bigger naval fleet in the Black Sea, pulled out of a deal in July that had allowed wartime Ukraine to safely ship food products out through what is traditionally its main export corridor.

Ukraine responded by setting up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" for cargo vessels, and several ships have departed from Ukraine's Black Sea ports since.

"In total to enter the new corridor we have 12, and 10 to leave. That is as of now," Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk told an online media briefing on Wednesday.

Those figures appeared to indicate an increase in the amount of shipping traffic set to use the corridor, although Pletenchuk did not say when the vessels were expected to sail.

He said Ukraine's defence forces were doing everything to ensure the safety of civilian ships in their territorial waters and that they were proceeding into the waters of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, all of which are NATO member countries.

White House says ‘time not our friend’ on Ukraine funding

Wednesday 4 October 2023 11:45 , Tara Cobham

Time is running out to fund Ukraine, the White House has said as it faces an uphill task in getting more US aid for Kyiv through Congress.

Disagreements in Congress over an American support package for Ukraine threatened to shut down the US government at the end of last week, with a last-minute spending bill finally passed only after funding for Kyiv was withdrawn.

“Time is not our friend. We have enough funding authorities to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs for a bit longer, but we need Congress to act to ensure that there is no disruption in our support,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday in a press briefing.

Arpan Rai reports:

White House says ‘time not our friend’ on US funding for Ukraine

Fugitive Russian war protest journalist sentenced

Wednesday 4 October 2023 11:00 , Tara Cobham

Former Russian TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who captured world attention when she burst into a news broadcast with a placard that read "Stop the war" and "They're lying to you", was sentenced in absentia on Wednesday to eight and half years in jail.

Ovsyannikova was fined for her original protest, less than three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, 2022, in what it called a "special military operation".

But she later faced criminal prosecution for "spreading knowingly false information about the Russian Armed Forces" in connection with a July 2022 protest when she stood on a river embankment opposite the Kremlin and held up a poster calling President Vladimir Putin a murderer and his soldiers fascists.

"How many more children must die before you will stop?" the poster read.

Ovsyannikova, 45, fled Russia with her daughter for an unspecified European country a year ago after escaping from house arrest, according to her lawyer, saying she had no case to answer.

The case against her was brought under laws passed soon after Russia's invasion that made it a crime to "discredit" the armed forces or spread false information about them.

Ukraine targets Crimea coast with Neptune missiles

Wednesday 4 October 2023 10:15 , Tara Cobham

Ukraine trained its Neptune missiles on Russian targets in the illegally-occupied Crimean peninsula on Tuesday in a fresh attack, according to reports.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in an update that a Ukrainian Neptune missile was shot down over the northwestern part of the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean peninsula. The attack was carried out around 8.30pm local time.

A Ukrainian drone also targeted Russia’s Black Sea port city of Sevastopol.

Debris from the drone landed on the roof of an apartment building but there were no injuries, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol.

Russian emergency services were determining how to remove explosive materials from the site, Mr Razvozhayev said.

Arpan Rai reports:

Ukraine targets Crimea coast with Neptune missile and drones

Russia to conduct emergency public warning tests

Wednesday 4 October 2023 09:30 , Tara Cobham

Russia will conduct a nationwide test of its emergency public warning systems on Wednesday, blaring out sirens and interrupting television broadcasts to warn the population of an impending danger.

The test, first conducted in 2020, is part of a new initiative that requires authorities to conduct tests twice a year, starting from 1 September.

At 10:43 am Moscow time (0743 GMT), sirens will wail and stern announcements demanding "Attention everyone!" will alert the public, mimicking what would happen in a true disaster or catastrophe.

"When you hear the sound of a siren, you need to remain calm and not panic, turn on the TV - any publicly accessible channel or radio - and listen to the information message," the Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement.

"The warning system is designed to timely convey a signal to the population in the event of a threat or emergency of a natural or man-made nature."

Ukraine advances on southern front

Wednesday 4 October 2023 08:45 , Tara Cobham

Ukrainian forces were advancing in the southern front and inflicted more than 260 losses on the battlefield, a top general said on Tuesday.

"In the Tavria sector, there has been an advance by the defence forces," Ukrainian general Oleksander Tarnavskyi said in a Telegram post, using the military’s name for the southern front. He did not provide more details of the territorial feats.

This came as president Volodymyr Zelensky visited troops on one of the hottest fronts of the war with Russia and discussed the situation with the leading commanders in the country’s northeast.

Arpan Rai reports:

Ukraine advances on southern front as Zelensky assesses preparations for winter

Moscow says it downed 31 Ukraine-launched drones over Russian territory

Wednesday 4 October 2023 08:00 , Tara Cobham

Russia downed 31 Ukraine-launched drones overnight over the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk bordering Ukraine, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

There was no information about potential casualties or damage.

Separately, Ukrainian forces fired cluster munitions at several villages in Russia's southern region of Bryansk, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said on the Telegram messaging app. There were no casualties in the attacks, although several homes were damaged, he added.

The reports could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the government in Kyiv.

Ukraine has received cluster munitions from the United States and pledged to use them only to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers. However, Russian officials in Bryansk and other regions bordering Ukraine have repeatedly accused Ukraine's armed forces of indiscriminate shelling.

Cluster munitions are prohibited by more than 100 countries. They typically release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. Those that fail to explode can pose a danger for decades.

ICYMI: Ukraine to build its first underground school in Kharkiv, official says

Wednesday 4 October 2023 07:00 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine’s eastern metropolis of Kharkiv will build the country’s first fully underground school to allow children to continue their education even in the face of Russian fire, the city’s mayor said.

“Such a shelter will enable thousands of Kharkiv children to continue their safe face-to-face education even during missile threats,” mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram.

Full report:

Ukraine to build its first underground school in Kharkiv, official says

ICYMI: Shapps slams Musk’s ‘unhelpful’ Ukraine commentary

Wednesday 4 October 2023 06:00 , Matt Mathers

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has suggested recent tweets by Elon Musk mocking Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky are “unhelpful”.

The senior Cabinet minister made the comments at a Conservative Party conference fringe event in Manchester, hours after the billionaire entrepreneur used Twitter, now known as X, to take aim at Mr Zelensky’s repeated requests for western support in the battle against Russian troops.

Full report:

Shapps slams Musk’s ‘unhelpful’ Ukraine commentary

ICYMI: Elon Musk’s mockery of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky ‘unhelpful’

Wednesday 4 October 2023 05:00 , Matt Mathers

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has suggested recent tweets by Elon Musk mocking Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky are “unhelpful”.

The senior Cabinet minister made the comments at a Conservative Party conference fringe event in Manchester, hours after the billionaire entrepreneur used Twitter, now known as X, to take aim at Mr Zelensky’s repeated requests for Western support in the battle against Russia.

Mr Shapps, an avid social media user himself, expressed reservations about the owner of X’s recent attitudes to the war.

Full report:

Grant Shapps slams Elon Musk’s ‘unhelpful’ Ukraine commentary

Armenia's parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court, straining ties with ally Russia

Wednesday 4 October 2023 04:00 , Matt Mathers

Armenia’s parliament voted Tuesday to join the International Criminal Court, a move that further strains the country’s ties with its old ally Russia after the court issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin over events in Ukraine.

Moscow last month called Yerevan’s effort to join the the ICC an “unfriendly step,” and the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Armenia’s ambassador. Countries that have signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC are bound to arrest Putin, who was indicted for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine, if he sets foot on their soil.

Full report:

Armenia's parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court, straining ties with ally Russia

Putin’s ‘punishment battalions’ full of convicts and drunk recruits: ‘They’re just meat’

Wednesday 4 October 2023 03:00 , Matt Mathers

Drunk recruits. Insubordinate soldiers. Convicts.

They’re among hundreds of military and civilian offenders who’ve been pressed into Russian penal units known as “Storm-Z” squads and sent to the frontlines in Ukraine this year, according to 13 people with knowledge of the matter, including five fighters in the units.

Few live to tell their tale, the people said.

Full report:

Putin’s ‘punishment battalions’ full of convicts and drunk recruits

ICYMI: A deal to expedite grain exports has been reached between Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania

Wednesday 4 October 2023 02:00 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have agreed on a plan they hope will help expedite Ukrainian grain exports, officials said Tuesday, with needy countries beyond Europe potentially benefitting from speedier procedures.

The deal means that grain inspections will shift from the Ukraine-Poland border to a Lithuanian port on the Baltic Sea, according to a statement from the Ukrainian farm ministry.

Full report:

A deal to expedite grain exports has been reached between Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania

ICYMI: Biden tries to reassure allies of continued US support for Ukraine after Congress drops aid request

Wednesday 4 October 2023 01:00 , Matt Mathers

President Joe Biden convened a call Tuesday with U.S. allies and partners to coordinate future support for Ukraine after Congress passed — and he signed — legislation that kept the U.S. government funded but dropped his request for billions of dollars to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

Details on specifics of the discussion and whether any decisions were made were not immediately available.

Seung Min Kim reports:

Biden tries to reassure allies of continued US support for Ukraine after Congress drops aid request

Former VP Pence to talk national security and foreign policy at AP-Georgetown University forum

Wednesday 4 October 2023 00:01 , Matt Mathers

Former Vice President and GOP candidate Mike Pence will take questions on national security and foreign policy Tuesday afternoon at Washington’s Georgetown University.

The appearance will be the first in a series of conversations with 2024 Republican presidential candidates on the topic co-hosted by The Associated Press and Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service.

Full report:

Former VP Pence to talk national security and foreign policy at AP-Georgetown University forum

Shapps should help end dispute at depot that supplies arms to Ukraine, says SNP

Tuesday 3 October 2023 21:17 , Matt Mathers

The Defence Secretary has been urged to intervene in strikes taking place at a Scottish munitions depot after it was suggested missiles held there could help Ukraine win the war.

In a letter to Grant Shapps, the SNP called for him to resolve an ongoing dispute at DM Beith, North Ayrshire, which has led to a series of ongoing strikes.

It comes as another two-week walkout begins in the row over pay.

Ryan McDougall reports:

Shapps should help end dispute at depot that supplies arms to Ukraine, says SNP

Ukraine makes gains in the south - top general

Tuesday 3 October 2023 20:01 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine has made gains in the south, one of the country’s top generals has said.

General Oleksander Tarnavskyi said in a Telegram post that Ukraine forces had advanced in the Tavria sector.

Tarnavskyi, head of the southern group of forces, said his troops had conducted 1,198 assignments in the past 24 hours and that Russian forces had sustained losses of 261 men and a further 10 being taken prisoner.