Ukraine-Russia news – live: Netherlands and Denmark to give dozens of F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv
The Netherlands and Denmark will supply dozens of F-16s to Ukraine as they pledged “unwavering support” in a landmark announcement yesterday.
While Volodymyr Zelensky said his country would receive 42 jets in total, the two donor countries did not specify numbers in a joint statement confirming the deliveries.
Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said 19 jets will “hopefully” be sent to Kyiv, of which six will arrive around the new year, eight more next year and the remaining five will be sent in 2025 as he asked Ukraine to “please take this donation as a token of Denmark’s unwavering support for your country’s fight for freedom”.
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands has 42 of the jets, but said some will be needed for training purposes.
Ukraine has been asking its allies for advanced fighter jets since the very beginning of Russia’s invasion, but its Western allies have been reluctant to provide military donations that could be used to strike deep inside Moscow’s territory.
The US, which must approve any delivery of the American-made jets to third countries, committed to clearing the transfers from Denmark and the Netherlands last week.
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Dozens of F-16s ready for Kyiv once crew finishes training
04:10 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine is set to receive dozens of F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark in a sign of “unwavering support” once the pilot training of Ukrainian troops has been satisfactorily completed, their respective leaders announced.
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will get 42 jets, but the Netherlands and Denmark, in a joint statement announcing the deliveries, did not specify numbers.
Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said 19 jets will “hopefully” be sent to Kyiv, of which six will arrive around the new year, eight more next year and the remaining five will be sent in 2025 as he asked Ukraine to “please take this donation as a token of Denmark’s unwavering support for your country’s fight for freedom”.
Danish defence minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said Denmark’s support for Ukraine is unwavering and with the donation of F-16s, the country is now leading the way.
“It makes me proud that Denmark, together with the Netherlands, will donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine‘s fight for freedom against Russia and its senseless aggression,” he said in a statement.
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands has 42 of the jets, but said some will be needed for training purposes.
The timeline of dispatching these to Kyiv will depend on how soon Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are ready for the powerful US-made jets.
Mr Zelensky welcomed the ‘’historic” announcement and praised Mr Rutte for making the Netherlands the first country to offer the planes. The announcement came minutes after the two leaders inspected two grey F-16 jets parked in a hangar at a Dutch base in the southern city of Eindhoven.
Four killed and 25 wounded in latest Russian attacks in Ukraine, says presidential office
11:13 , Martha Mchardy
At least four civilians were killed and 25 others wounded by the latest Russian attacks in Ukraine, according to the country’s presidential office.
The dead included a 71-year-old man killed by Russian shelling in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, near the border with Russia.
Watch live: Zelensky speaks to Danish people after addressing parliament in Copenhagen
11:08 , Martha Mchardy
Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to Danish people outside the parliament in Copenhagen on Monday, 21 August, after Denmark and the Netherlands announced they will supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in what he called a “historic” pledge.
Denmark will deliver 19 jets, with the first six due to be shipped around New Year, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Live: Zelensky speaks to Danish people after addressing parliament in Copenhagen
Watch: Ukrainian troops fight on the frontline in Kupiansk
10:47 , Martha Mchardy
RECAP: Ukraine’s Zelensky in Netherlands after US approved sending Dutch F-16 jets to Ukraine
10:15 , Martha Mchardy
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday, two days after the country said the United States had given its approval for Dutch and Danish authorities to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine‘s air force.
Zelensky met Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte at a military air base in the southern city of Eindhoven. The Ukrainian leader was in Sweden a day earlier.
The U.S. approval Friday for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine was seen as a major boost for Kyiv, even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Netherlands after US approved sending Dutch F-16 jets to Ukraine
Russia warns F-16 donations will escalate war with Ukraine
09:48 , Martha Mchardy
Russia has condemned a decision by Denmark and the Netherlands to donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, saying the move would escalate the conflict.
“The fact that Denmark has now decided to donate 19 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict,” Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin said in a statement cited by the Ritzau news agency.
“By hiding behind a premise that Ukraine itself must determine the conditions for peace, Denmark seeks with its actions and words to leave Ukraine with no other choice but to continue the military confrontation with Russia,” he said.
Danish defence minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said Ukraine may only use the donated F-16s within its own territory.
“We donate weapons under the condition that they are used to drive the enemy out of the territory of Ukraine. And no further than that,” Ellemann-Jensen said on Monday.
“Those are the conditions, whether it’s tanks, fighter planes or something else,” he said.
Denmark will deliver 19 jets in total. The Netherlands has 42 F-16s available in all but has yet to decide whether all of them will be donated.
Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky said on Sunday the planes would strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and help its counter-offensive against Russian forces.
Domino’s franchisee to declare Russian business bankrupt
09:35 , Martha Mchardy
The Russian arm of fast food chain Domino’s is likely to close after its London-listed parent company decided to put it into bankruptcy.
Apparently failing to find a buyer for the Russian business, DP Eurasia said it has decided its subsidiary should instead file for bankruptcy
The franchisee runs around 170 Domino’s pizza sites in the country, and had previously said it was “evaluating its presence” there.
Domino’s franchisee to declare Russian business bankrupt
Drone attack thwarted over Russia’s Kaluga region ‘without casualties or damage,’ governor claims
09:11 , Martha Mchardy
The governor of Russia’s Kaluga region, south of Moscow, said on Monday that a drone attack had been repelled without casualties or damage.
Two injured in Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow region
08:58 , Martha Mchardy
At least two people were injured on Monday when parts of a Ukrainian drone destroyed by Russian air defences fell on a house in the Moscow region, the regional governor said.
Ukraine may use new Black Sea route for grain shipments
08:40 , Martha Mchardy
Ukraine is considering using its newly-tested wartime Black Sea export corridor for grain shipments, a senior agricultural official said on Monday.
It follows the first successful evacuation of a vessel on the route last week.
Russia has blockaded Ukrainian ports since it invaded its neighbour in Feb. 2022 and threatened to treat all vessels as potential military targets after pulling out of a U.N.-backed safe passage deal last month.
In response, Ukraine announced a “humanitarian corridor” hugging the sea’s western coastline near Romania and Bulgaria. A Hong Kong-flagged container ship stuck in Odesa port since the invasion travelled the route last week without being fired upon.
“Only one commercial vessel has passed through so far, it has shown readiness to move by alternative routes,” Denys Marchuk, deputy head of the Agrarian Council, Ukraine’s largest agribusiness organisation, told national television.
“Further, there should be a movement of potentially 7-8 more ships... then perhaps in the future these alternative routes will become a corridor for the movement of ships that are travelling with cargoes of grain and oilseeds,” he said.
The Financial Times said Kyiv was finalising a scheme with global insurers to cover grain ships travelling to and from its Black Sea ports, citing Ukraine’s deputy economy minister Oleksandr Gryban.
Ukraine is a global major grain grower and exporter and normally ships millions of metric tons of food from its deep-water Black Sea ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv, but has had to rely on its Danube river ports after Russia pulled out of the deal.
To attract ship owners to Ukrainian ports which have come under fire from Russian forces, Marchuk said Ukraine had already allocated 20 billion hryvnias ($547 million) for ship insurance.
“Not all ship owners will dare to put their ships in an uncertain environment,” he added.
Watch live: Zelensky addresses Danish parliament after ‘historic’ fighter jets pledge
08:27 , Martha Mchardy
Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the Danish parliament on Monday, 21 August, after Denmark and the Netherlands announced they will supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in what he called a “historic” pledge.
Denmark will deliver 19 jets, with the first six due to be shipped around New Year, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said.
A further eight will be sent in 2024 and five in 2025.
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands has 42 jets but some will be needed for training purposes.
It is not confirmed when the Netherlands will send the aircraft.
Watch live: Zelensky addresses Danish parliament after ‘historic’ fighter jets pledge
Ukraine says it repels Russian attacks in Kharkiv region, gains in east
08:07 , Maanya Sachdeva
The situation in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv is “difficult” but Ukraine‘s forces are repelling Russian attacks and have re-taken several square kilometres on the eastern front over the past week, a deputy defence minister said on Monday.
The Ukrainian military said last week that Russia was attacking towards Kupiansk, a town in the Kharkiv region.
“The situation in the Kupiansk direction is difficult. The enemy is not leaving plans to move forward, the enemy is pulling up additional forces,” Hanna Maliar told the national television broadcaster.
“We are confident in our defenders, but it is very difficult for them there and the enemy is not advancing there,” she said.
Maliar said that Ukrainian forces were advancing south of Bakhmut, the city occupied by Russian forces in May after a bloody months-long struggle, and had liberated another three square kilometres over the past week.
These reports could not be independently verified at the time.
Maliar said there were no significant changes in the situation in the south, where Ukrainian forces are trying to split Russian forces and reach the Sea of Azov.
“We should not underestimate the enemy,” Maliar said. “We should all be patient and support our armed forces.”
Russia says two Ukrainian drones jammed over Moscow region
07:37 , Maanya Sachdeva
Two Ukrainian drones were reportedly downed on Monday in the Moscow region, briefly disrupting flights at two of the capital’s airports, according to Russian officialds.
Russia‘s defence ministry said it jammed a Ukrainian drone in the Ruzsky district west of the capital and later destroyed another one in the Istrinsky district nearby.
Arrivals and departures from Moscow’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports were briefly halted but later restarted.
Ukrainian drone strikes both on border regions and on the Russian capital have become increasingly common in recent months, with repeated strikes on Moscow’s financial district.
Ukraine typically does not comment on who is behind attacks on Russian territory, although officials have publicly expressed satisfaction over them.
Russia reshuffles army formations to target key hotspots, says UK MoD
07:07 , Arpan Rai
Russia is expanding and reorganising its military structures to cope with its losses in key fighting hotspots, according to the UK’s MoD.
“One new formation is highly likely – the 18th Combined Arms Army (18 CAA). The formation is likely to be an amalgamation and uplift of other units currently operating in Kherson Oblast, including 22nd Army Corps, the force which usually constitutes Russia’s garrison in occupied Crimea,” the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.
It added that the 18 CAA is “likely to consist mostly of mobilised personnel and to focus on defensive security operations in the south of Ukraine”.
Russia likely aims to free up more experienced units to fight on key axes, the MoD said.
“There is a realistic possibility that this has led to the recent re-deployment of airborne forces from Kherson to the heavily contested Orikhiv sector,” it added.
Moscow’s Domodedovo airport restricts flight – reports
06:37 , Arpan Rai
Moscow’s Domodedovo airport has restricted arrivals and departures shortly after a Ukrainian drone was jammed and crashed over the capital region, Russian news agencies said.
The step was taken “in order to ensure additional flight safety measures”, TASS and RIA said, citing the airport’s press service.
Arrivals and departures from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport were suspended in the morning.
Russia claims Ukrainian drone jammed over Moscow region
06:17 , Arpan Rai
A Ukrainian drone was jammed over the Moscow region causing it to crash, Russia’s defence ministry said today.
There were no casualties, the ministry added. Officials suspended arrivals and departures from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport shortly after, local news agencies reported.
In pics: Zelensky marks successful trip to Denmark
06:06 , Arpan Rai
F-16 training underway for Ukrainian pilots as Kyiv’s allies rally to air defence
05:34 , Arpan Rai
On Saturday, Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov announced F-16 training had begun for Ukrainian pilots, but added that it would take at least six months and possibly longer to also train engineers and mechanics.
After delivering a big boost for Kyiv with the announcement of the planned delivery of dozens of F-16s, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said more than 70 Ukrainian military officials had arrived in Denmark for training. Officials from a coalition of 11 nations have said training will take place in Denmark and Romania.
The Netherlands and Denmark have led a months-long push to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s and to ultimately deliver the jets to help counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine in February last year.
While Ukraine has said it expects several dozen pilots to be trained, it remains unclear how many pilots had arrived in Denmark.Both the Netherlands and Denmark have F-16s available to donate as their armed forces are transitioning to newer F-35 fighters.
Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver
04:30 , Matt Drake
Russia reported an “abnormal situation” Saturday on its moon-bound Luna-25 spacecraft, which launched earlier this month.
The country’s space agency, Roscosmos, said the spacecraft ran into unspecified trouble while trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, and that its specialists were analyzing the situation.
“During the operation, an abnormal situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.
Roscosmos did not specify whether the incident will prevent Luna-25 from making a landing.
Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver
Russia 'fired on its own side' during counteroffensive
03:30 , Matt Drake
Ukrainian soldiers who served on the frontline have described some of the desperate measures used by Russia.
A deputy battalion commander of 129th Territorial Defense Brigade told The New York Times: "The Russians attempted counterattacks, tried to squeeze us out, to encircle us but everything happened as we envisioned.
"They buried quite a lot of their own guys."
Russia is said to have resorted to firing rockets at the battlefield indiscriminately, killing many of their own soldiers.
What each of the Republican candidates have said about the war in Ukraine
02:30 , Matt Drake
As President Joe Biden likes to remind anyone who’ll listen, “This is not your grandfather’s Republican Party”.
One of the issues where that’s becoming more evident by the day is Ukraine.
John McCain, the late Arizona Senator and 2008 GOP presidential candidate, sounded the alarm about Russia for years, making him one of President Vladimir Putin’s “greatest antagonists,” the Arizona Republic noted in February 2022, days after the Russian invasion began.
During the last year of his presidency in 2008, George W Bush said he “strongly supported” eventual Nato membership for Ukraine and Georgia. Last year, in a viral gaffe, he mistakenly said Iraq when he meant to call the war in Ukraine “unjustified and brutal”.
His younger brother, Jeb Bush, a former Florida Governor, went to Europe in 2015 shortly before announcing his presidential campaign.
Read the full report below.
What each of the Republican candidates have said about the war in Ukraine
Ukraine has only moved six miles behind Russian lines
01:30 , Matt Drake
Ukraine's counteroffensive isn't progressing as well as many had hoped, US officials have warned.
Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and principal research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, told the Financial Times: "It’s been about 10km of advance at most no matter where you look in this offensive."
Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at the Rand Corporation, said: "I don’t think that you’ll hear an argument from anyone that this is going well right now or that this is heading to a place that people would view as good, but there is not much by way of plan B."
Holland and Denmark in coalition to train Ukrainian pilots
Monday 21 August 2023 00:30 , Matt Drake
The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, in a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for his country’s forces that are embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive against Russia.
The Dutch and Danish governments are also involved in a coalition that is working to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the advanced fighter jets.Zelenskyy declined to say how many Ukrainian pilots would undergo training in Denmark and later in Romania, citing security reasons. However, Denmark said Friday that the training is starting this month.Officials have previously said that Ukrainian pilots will need six to eight months of training.
Ukrainians torn by evacuation calls as Russian shells fall in northeast
Sunday 20 August 2023 23:40 , Matt Drake
Ukrainians living in the northeastern Kupiansk district close to Russia’s border on Sunday found themselves torn between the will to stay and protect what they have built and the desire to flee from Russian artillery fire.
“If you said the evacuation is going well,” Dmytro Lozhenko, who runs a volunteer group that helps civilians flee the fighting, said on television, “It would sound like a bit of sarcasm.”
Regional authorities announced a mandatory evacuation of civilians from near the Kupiansk front earlier this month due to daily Russian shelling.
The artillery toll on Sunday, Ukraine‘s prosecutor general said, began in the morning with an attack on the city of Kupiansk that sent a 45-year-old man to hospital in serious condition.
In an interview on Ukrainian television, Lozhenko said about 600 people had been evacuated from the area in the past 10 days, more than 120 of them children.
But what is now a mandatory evacuation, he said, may yet become a forced one, “at least for families with children and for people with reduced mobility, who cannot look after themselves.”
In one village in Kupiansk district, he said, it was only after Russia bombed out almost two entire streets that people started to leave. “The worst thing about evacuation is that people have been living in this war for a long time, and many of them are very used to shelling.”
F-16s ‘crucial’ to Ukraine long term, says Washington
Sunday 20 August 2023 22:33 , Matt Drake
On Friday, the Netherlands and Denmark said the US had authorised them to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine.
Washington’s approval was seen as a major boost for Kyiv, even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war.Washington says the F-16s, like the advanced US Abrams tanks, will be crucial in the long term as Kyiv faces down Russia.Ukraine has been relying on older aircraft, such as Russian-made MiG29 and Sukhoi jets. F-16s have newer technology and targeting capabilities. They are also more versatile, experts say.In a video message earlier Sunday, Zelenskyy vowed a stern retaliation for a Russian missile strike the previous day in the center of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv that killed seven people and wounded over 100 others.
‘Wagner is victim of its own brand name’: How much of a threat does mercenary group pose in Belarus?
Sunday 20 August 2023 21:37 , Matt Drake
The newfound presence of Wagner mercenaries in Belarus, exiled from Russia after their mutinous march on Moscow, has fuelled fresh anxieties in Ukraine and on Nato’s eastern flank.
Belarus’s neighbours have moved to a heightened state of alert since dictator Alexander Lukashenko appeared to broker a last-minute deal with the Kremlin to defuse the short-lived mutiny on 23 June and host Wagner troops on Belarusian soil.
During a recent meeting at the strategically important Suwalki Gap, a sparsely populated land corridor near their countries’ borders with Belarus and Russia’s enclave of Kaliningrad, Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nauseda warned that north of 4,000 mercenaries were believed to be in Belarus, while Poland’s premier Mateusz Morawiecki branded them “extremely dangerous”.
Read full article below.
Wagner threat in Belarus explained as mercenary group ‘a victim of its brand name’
Russian-occupied Crimea facising petrol shortages
Sunday 20 August 2023 21:17 , Matt Drake
Crimea is facing a gasoline shortage following Ukraine's attack on the bridge last month.
Now petrol stations in Crimea have run out of petrol over the past months, according to Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty.
Residents said one of the leading petrol chains in Crimea sent a text message urging people to stockup on fuel amid concerns of a shortfall.
Ukrainian pilots 'already begun training on F-16s'
Sunday 20 August 2023 20:38 , Matt Drake
The Defence of Ukraine Twitter announced that pilots have already begun their training.
It comes after Denmark and the Netherlands announced they will donate F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv.
The tweet reads: “Our pilots and engineers have already began their training in Denmark.
“Denmark will provide Ukraine with 19 F-16s. We are working on the speed of preparations.
“During the talks we also discussed the possibility of expanding training missions — the algorithm is clear. Our F-16 coalition is proving its efficiency.
“Thank you, Denmark!”
.@ZelenskyyUa
Our pilots and engineers have already began their training in Denmark.
Denmark will provide Ukraine with 19 F-16s. We are working on the speed of preparations.
During the talks we also discussed the possibility of expanding training missions — the algorithm is… pic.twitter.com/0WyBSSavX9— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) August 20, 2023
Zelenskyy vows retaliation for Chernihiv attack that killed seven people and wounded almost 150
Sunday 20 August 2023 20:00 , Matt Drake
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday vowed stern retaliation for a Russian missile strike in the center of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv that killed seven people and wounded almost 150 others the day before.
“I am sure our soldiers will respond to Russia for this terrorist attack. Respond tangibly,” Zelenskyy said in a video address published in the early hours of Sunday at the end of a visit to Sweden, his first foreign trip since attending a NATO summit in Lithuania last month.
He identified a 6-year-old girl named Sofia as among the dead in the attack and confirmed that the wounded included 15 children.
The governor of the Chernihiv region, Vyacheslav Chaus, said Sunday that the total number of people confirmed to have been wounded had risen to 148.
Zelenskyy vows retaliation for Chernihiv attack that killed seven people and wounded almost 150
Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Netherlands after US approved sending Dutch F-16 jets to Ukraine
Sunday 20 August 2023 19:31 , Matt Drake
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday, two days after the country said the United States had given its approval for Dutch and Danish authorities to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine‘s air force.
Zelenskyy is meeting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at a military air base in the southern city of Eindhoven. The Ukrainian leader was in Sweden a day earlier.
The U.S. approval Friday for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine was seen as a major boost for Kyiv, even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war.
Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge. It recently launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s forces without air cover, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Netherlands after US approved sending Dutch F-16 jets to Ukraine
Trump boasts about his relationship with Putin saying he was ‘the apple of his eye’
Sunday 20 August 2023 19:00 , Matt Drake
Donald Trump has doubled down on claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin “would have never” launched a war on Ukraine if the four-times indicted former American president was still in power.
Mr Trump’s remarks came during his appearance on Fox Businnes’Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show aired on Friday. He went on to make bizarre comments about his relationship with Putin.
“Putin would’ve never gotten into Ukraine, but that’s just on my relationship with him. My personality over his,” Mr Trump said. “I was the apple of his eye and I would say, ‘Don’t ever do it.’ It was tough stuff there but he would have never done it.”
Read the full report below.
Trump boasts about his relationship with Putin saying he was ‘the apple of his eye’
Pictured, Ukrainian troops on the frontline
Sunday 20 August 2023 18:36 , Matt Drake
Pictures have emerged of Ukrainian servicemen of the 28th brigade using small multiple rocket systems.
They are shown targeting Russian troops at the frontline close to Bakhmut.
Pictured, Zelensky sits in an F-16 fighter jet
Sunday 20 August 2023 18:00 , Matt Drake
The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for his country’s forces, embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive against Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was pictured with the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen sitting inside the war machine at Skrydstrup Airbase in Vojen.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Sunday 20 August 2023 17:25 , Matt Drake
The number of troops killed or wounded in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion is approaching 500,000, according to US officials, in an estimate not accounting for civilian deaths.
Russia’s military casualties are approaching 300,000, including up to 120,000 deaths, while Ukraine has lost 70,000 troops, with between 100,000 and 120,000 injured, according to Washington officials quoted by the New York Times.
In addition, Ukraine has suffered at least 26,384 civilian casualties since the beginning of the invasion on 24 February, 2022.
This is according to the latest estimates from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and includes 9,444 killed and 16,940 injured.
Read the full article by Andy Gregory,Chris Stevenson and Laura Sharman below.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Denmark will donate 19 F-16 jets to Ukraine
Sunday 20 August 2023 17:07 , Matt Drake
Denmark is hoping to donate five F-16 jets in 2024.
It comes after Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte also confirmed that the Netherlands will also donate the fighter jets.
The Netherlands has 42 planes, but it is not clear whether all of them will be donated to Ukraine.
Zelensky will exame F-16s during Denmark visit
Sunday 20 August 2023 16:43 , Matt Drake
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is in Denmark having landed at Skrydstrup Air Base in Vojens at around 4.30pm (2.30GMT) today.
He is expected to talk about the start of Ukrainian pilot training with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Mr Zelensky said on Telegram: "We are moving forward in the F-16 issue.
"We are preparing additional good news for Ukrainian warriors."
Space Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into moon in failed mission
Sunday 20 August 2023 16:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia’s first lunar mission in decades has failed as its spacecraft crashed into the moon.
The Luna-25 was due to land on the south pole of the moon on Monday, as a space race takes place between Russia and India.
But the country’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, said an “abnormal situation” occurred as mission control tried to move the craft into a pre-landing orbit at 11.10am on Saturday.
Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into moon in failed mission
Netherlands and Denmark will give F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine
Sunday 20 August 2023 15:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Netherlands and Denmark announced on Sunday that they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, in a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called an important motivation for Ukraine‘s force.
The timeline depends on how soon Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are ready for the powerful US-made jets, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Mr Zelensky as the two visited a Dutch air base.
Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge.
Mr Zelensky welcomed the “historic” announcement and praised Mr Rutte for making the Netherlands the first country to offer the planes.
The announcement came minutes after the two leaders inspected two F-16 jets parked in a hangar at the Dutch base in the southern city of Eindhoven.
“It makes me proud that Denmark, together with the Netherlands, will donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine‘s fight for freedom against Russia and its senseless aggression. Denmark’s support for Ukraine is unwavering, and with the donation of F-16 aircraft, Denmark is now leading the way,” Danish Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said in a statement.
Russia says Ukrainian drones attack four regions
Sunday 20 August 2023 13:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia said Ukrainian drones had attacked four separate regions in a flurry of attempted strikes on Sunday, injuring five people and forcing two of Moscow’s airports to briefly divert flights.
Russia‘s Kursk, Rostov and Belgorod regions, all of which border Ukraine, reported attempted drone strikes, while Russia‘s defence ministry said it had jammed a Ukrainian drone in the Moscow region, forcing it to crash in an unpopulated area.
Russia‘s aviation watchdog said it had briefly halted flights to the city’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports in response.
The Kursk region’s governor said five people had been injured and a fire had broken out when a drone hit Kursk city’s railway station. Rostov’s governor said no injuries or damage had occurred.
Later on Sunday, Russia‘s Defence Ministry said it had prevented two separate drone strikes on Belgorod region, the border province most regularly attacked by Ukraine. The local governor said on Telegram that 12 airborne targets had been downed on the approaches to Belgorod city.
Russia says Ukrainian drones attack three regions
Sunday 20 August 2023 13:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia said Ukrainian drones had struck three separate regions on Sunday, injuring five people and forcing two of Moscow’s airports to briefly divert flights.
Russia‘s Kursk and Rostov regions, both of which border Ukraine, reported drone strikes while Russia‘s defence ministry said it had jammed a Ukrainian drone in the Moscow region, forcing it to crash in an unpopulated area.
Russia‘s aviation watchdog said it had briefly halted flights to the city’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports in response.
Kursk region’s governor said that 5 people had been injured and a fire broke out when a drone hit a railway station. Rostov’s governor said no injuries or damage had occurred.
Ukrainian drone strikes both on border regions and on the Russian capital have become increasingly common in recent months, with repeated strikes on Moscow’s financial district.
Russia said in May that two Ukrainian drones tried to attack the Kremlin.
Ukraine typically does not comment on who is behind attacks on Russian territory, although officials have publicly expressed satisfaction over them.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Sunday 20 August 2023 12:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The number of troops killed or wounded in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion is approaching 500,000, according to US officials, in an estimate not accounting for civilian deaths.
Russia’s military casualties are approaching 300,000, including up to 120,000 deaths, while Ukraine has lost 70,000 troops, with between 100,000 and 120,000 injured, according to Washington officials quoted by the New York Times.
In addition, Ukraine has suffered at least 26,384 civilian casualties since the beginning of the invasion on 24 February, 2022.
This is according to the latest estimates from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and includes 9,444 killed and 16,940 injured.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Ukraine’s Zelensky in Netherlands in push to boost air defences
Sunday 20 August 2023 11:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday in an ongoing push to boost Ukraine‘s air defences, days after the United States approved the possible delivery of F-16 fighter jets by the Netherlands and Denmark.
The Netherlands, together with Denmark, has in recent months led international efforts to train Ukrainian pilots for F-16’s and to ultimately deliver the jets to help counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“The main issue is F-16 for Ukraine to protect our people from Russian terror. We are getting stronger”, Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.
The agenda also includes the Global Peace Summit and bringing Russia to justice, Zelenskiy said.
Zelensky will meet outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at a military air base in Eindhoven, Rutte’s office said without providing further details.
Rutte said in May the Netherlands was seriously considering handing over F-16’s, but it’s not clear how many they would have available and when.
Ukraine‘s Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Saturday said training had begun for Ukrainians to operate F-16’s, but added it would take at least six months and possibly longer to also train engineers and mechanics.
Training will take place in Denmark and Romania, officials from a coalition of 11 nations have said.
Ukraine, which expects several dozens of pilots to be trained, said last week it did not expect to be able to use F-16’s this autumn or winter.
The Netherlands could deliver F-16’s as its armed forces are transitioning to newer F-35 fighters.
Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into moon in failed mission
Sunday 20 August 2023 10:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia’s first lunar mission in decades has failed after its spacecraft crashed into the moon.
The Luna-25 was due to land on the south pole of the moon on Monday, in a space race between Russia and India.
But the country’s state space corporation, Roskosmos, said an “abnormal situation” occurred as mission control tried to move the craft into a pre-landing orbit at 11.10am on Saturday.
“The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon,” Roskosmos said in a statement.
The moon mission was Russia’s first in 47 years.
Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into moon in failed mission
Zelensky vows revenge over deadly Chernihiv 'terror attack'
Sunday 20 August 2023 09:36 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed revenge for the attack which left seven dead and 144 injured in Chernihiv.
“I am sure our soldiers will give a response to Russia for this terrorist attack,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address, delivered early on Sunday at the end of a visit to Sweden. “A notable response.”
He said that of the 144 people injured, 15 were children, and named the girl killed as Sofia. Fifteen others were police officers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. Klymenko said most of the victims were in vehicles, crossing the road, or returning from church.
Regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said 41 people were in hospital on Saturday.
Zelensky said the strike on Chernihiv, a city of leafy boulevards and centuries-old churches about 145 km (90 miles) north of Kyiv, coincided with the Orthodox holiday of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Russia jams a Ukrainian drone in Moscow region - defence ministry
Sunday 20 August 2023 08:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russian air defences jammed a Ukrainian drone flying towards Moscow early on Sunday and it crashed, the defence ministry said.
There were no casualties, the defence ministry said.
Drone crashes into railway station in Russia’s Kursk, five injured
Sunday 20 August 2023 07:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A Ukrainian drone crashed into the rooftop of a railway station in the Russian city of Kursk, injuring five people and setting off a fire, the TASS news agency said on Sunday, citing regional governor Roman Starovoit.
Ukraine already preparing for ‘worst-case scenario’ winter siege, says UK
Sunday 20 August 2023 07:00 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine is already stockpiling fuel ahead of another challenging winter under siege from Russia, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.
The ministry said in its intelligence report that “despite the consistent pressures of war, Ukrainian efforts to build up fuel stockpiles will likely be successful in ensuring that it will have sufficient fuel reserves during the approaching winter period.”
It also noted that “Ukraine has been effective in mobilising its mining sector to maintain output, ensuring a continuous supply of coal is available for thermal power and heating plants in the winter, with substantial gas stocks providing a further reserve”.
Ukraine already preparing for ‘worst-case scenario’ winter siege, says UK
UN condemns ‘heinous’ Russia’s Chernihiv missile attack
Sunday 20 August 2023 06:30 , Shweta Sharma
The UN condemned Russia for carrying out the “heinous” missile strike in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv.
“It is heinous to attack the main square of a large city, in the morning, while people are out walking, some going to the church to celebrate a religious day for many Ukrainians,” said Denise Brown, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.
“I condemn this repeated pattern of Russian strikes on populated areas of Ukraine, causing deaths, massive destruction and soaring humanitarian needs.
“Attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law. It must stop.”
Training has begun for Ukrainians to operate US F16
Sunday 20 August 2023 06:00 , Shweta Sharma
Training had begun for Ukrainians to operate US F16 fighter jets but it would take at least six months and possibly longer, defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov, two days after a US official said F16s would be transferred to Ukraine once its pilots were trained.
Mr Reznikov said in a TV interview that six months of training was considered the minimum for pilots, but it was not yet known how long it would take to train engineers and mechanics.
Ukraine wants sophisticated US-made warplanes so it can counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded the country in February 2022.
“Therefore, to build reasonable expectations, set a minimum of six months in your mind, but do not be disappointed if it is longer,” he told Kanal 24 anchor Andriana Kucher, who shared the interview on her YouTube channel.
A US official said on Thursday that Washington had approved sending F16s to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend against Russia as soon as pilot training was completed.
Mr Reznikov said he would not give details on where and when the training was taking place.
Number of injured in the missile attack on Chernihiv rises to 144
Sunday 20 August 2023 05:30 , Shweta Sharma
The number of people injured from Russia’s missile strike in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv has risen to 144.
Seven people including a 6-year-old girl and 15 children were left dead in the missile strike that tore into the roof of theatres and buildings, sparked a fire and damaged infrastructure.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that of the 144 people injured, 15 were children, and named the girl killed as Sofia.
Fifteen others were police officers, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. He said most of the victims were in vehicles, crossing the road, or returning from church.
The deadly strike coincided with the Orthodox holiday of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Drone attack on railway station in central Russia, governor claims
Sunday 20 August 2023 04:30 , Shweta Sharma
A Ukrainian drone crashed into the rooftop of a railway station in Kursk, the central Russian city.
Five people were injured and the attack set off a fire at the railway station, Kursk region governor Roman Starovoit said, according to Tass.
“Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk. According to preliminary information, it crashed into the roof of the railway station building, setting off a fire on the rooftop. Five people were slightly injured by shards of glass,” he said on Telegram.
The city is located 150kms from the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Sunday 20 August 2023 04:00 , Matt Drake
The number of troops killed or wounded in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion is approaching 500,000, according to US officials, in an estimate not accounting for civilian deaths.
Russia’s military casualties are approaching 300,000, including up to 120,000 deaths, while Ukraine has lost 70,000 troops, with between 100,000 and 120,000 injured, according to Washington officials quoted by the New York Times.
In addition, Ukraine has suffered at least 26,384 civilian casualties since the beginning of the invasion on 24 February, 2022.
This is according to the latest estimates from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and includes 9,444 killed and 16,940 injured.
Read the full report below.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
How much of a threat does Wagner mercenary group pose in Belarus?
Sunday 20 August 2023 03:00 , Matt Drake
The newfound presence of Wagner mercenaries in Belarus, exiled from Russia after their mutinous march on Moscow, has fuelled fresh anxieties in Ukraine and on Nato’s eastern flank.
Belarus’s neighbours have moved to a heightened state of alert since dictator Alexander Lukashenko appeared to broker a last-minute deal with the Kremlin to defuse the short-lived mutiny on 23 June and host Wagner troops on Belarusian soil.
During a recent meeting at the strategically important Suwalki Gap, a sparsely populated land corridor near their countries’ borders with Belarus and Russia’s enclave of Kaliningrad, Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nauseda warned that north of 4,000 mercenaries were believed to be in Belarus, while Poland’s premier Mateusz Morawiecki branded them “extremely dangerous”.
Read the full report by Andy Gregory below.
Wagner threat in Belarus explained as mercenary group ‘a victim of its brand name’
Russian-backed general admits his troops 'cannot win'
Sunday 20 August 2023 02:00 , Matt Drake
Alexander Khodakovsky, chief of the pro-Russian Vostok Battalion of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, wrote a lengthy Telegram post.
He said his troops "cannot win" against Ukraine and suggested freezing the current front line.
According to a translation by the Kyiv Post, he said: "Can we bring down Ukraine militarily? Now and in the near future, no.
"When I talk to myself about our destiny in this war, I mean that we will not crawl forward, like the Ukrainians, turning everything into destroyed Bakhmuts in our path. And, I do not foresee the easy occupation of cities."
More than 40 people in hospital after rocket attack
Sunday 20 August 2023 01:00 , Matt Drake
A Russian missile struck the central square of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, killing seven people including a six-year-old child.
At least 129 were injured including 15 children and 15 police officers.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was on a visit to Sweden, posted on Telegram messaging app: "A Russian missile hit right in the centre of the city, in our Chernihiv. A square, the polytechnic university, a theatre.
"An ordinary Saturday, which Russia turned into a day of pain and loss."
Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver
Sunday 20 August 2023 00:00 , Matt Drake
Russia reported an “abnormal situation” Saturday on its moon-bound Luna-25 spacecraft, which launched earlier this month.The country’s space agency, Roscosmos, said the spacecraft ran into unspecified trouble while trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, and that its specialists were analyzing the situation.“During the operation, an abnormal situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.Roscosmos did not specify whether the incident will prevent Luna-25 from making a landing.
Ukraine's long F16s training process has begun
Saturday 19 August 2023 23:02 , Matt Drake
Training has begun for Ukrainians to operate US F16 fighter jets but it would take at least six months and possibly longer, Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Saturday.
The Ukrainian Defence Minister’s comments came two days after a US official said F-16s would be transferred to Ukraine once its pilots were trained.
Mr Reznikov said in a TV interview that six months of training was considered the minimum for pilots, but it was not yet known how long it would take to train engineers and mechanics. Ukraine wants the sophisticated US-made warplanes so it can counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded the country in February 2022.
“Therefore, to build reasonable expectations, set a minimum of six months in your mind, but do not be disappointed if it is longer,” he told Kanal 24 anchor Andriana Kucher, who shared the interview on her YouTube channel.
Trump boasts about his relationship with Putin saying he was ‘the apple of his eye’
Saturday 19 August 2023 21:00 , Matt Drake
Donald Trump has doubled down on claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin “would have never” launched a war on Ukraine if the four-times indicted former American president was still in power.
Mr Trump’s remarks came during his appearance on Fox Businnes’Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show aired on Friday. He went on to make bizarre comments about his relationship with Putin.
“Putin would’ve never gotten into Ukraine, but that’s just on my relationship with him. My personality over his,” Mr Trump said. “I was the apple of his eye and I would say, ‘Don’t ever do it.’ It was tough stuff there but he would have never done it.”
Mr Trump’s comments have sparked scrutiny, with fellow GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie decrying the ex-presidennt’s self-admitted fondness for the Russian dictator. Mr Christie, who met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine earlier this month, also warned about the danger of American politicians supporting anti-Democratic figures.
Read the full report by Andrea Blanco below.
Trump boasts about his relationship with Putin saying he was ‘the apple of his eye’
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Swedish prime minister pictured together
Saturday 19 August 2023 20:30 , Matt Drake
Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Sweden on his first foreign trip since attending a NATO summit in Lithuania last month.
At a joint news conference, Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced the two countries had agreed to cooperate on the production, training and servicing of Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would start manufacturing the vehicles as part of the deal.He also encouraged Kristersson to “share” Sweden’s Gripen fighter aircraft with Ukraine.“We do not have superiority in the air, and we do not have modern aircraft. In reality, the Swedish Gripen is the pride of your country, and I believe that the prime minister could share this pride with Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.Sweden has said it will allow Ukrainian pilots to test the Gripen planes but has so far ruled out giving any to Kyiv.
Chernihiv rocket attack is a 'terrorism' and 'war crime'
Saturday 19 August 2023 20:00 , Matt Drake
The mayor of Chernihiv, Oleksandr Lomako, described the Russian strike on the northern Ukrainian city as a "terrorist attack".
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "You can see it’s the centre of the city. There were many people, it was midday.
"Today is a religious holiday and people were at the service.
“There is no other way to interpret it than a war crime against civilians, yet another Russian war crime."
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
Saturday 19 August 2023 19:30 , Matt Drake
The number of troops killed or wounded in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion is approaching 500,000, according to US officials, in an estimate not accounting for civilian deaths.
Russia’s military casualties are approaching 300,000, including up to 120,000 deaths, while Ukraine has lost 70,000 troops, with between 100,000 and 120,000 injured, according to Washington officials quoted by the New York Times.
In addition, Ukraine has suffered at least 26,384 civilian casualties since the beginning of the invasion on 24 February, 2022.
This is according to the latest estimates from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and includes 9,444 killed and 16,940 injured.
Read the full story by Andy Gregory, Chris Stevenson and Laura Sharman below.
Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
15 children and 15 police officers killed in rocket attack
Saturday 19 August 2023 19:16 , Matt Drake
Seven people including a 6-year-old child were killed and 129 wounded when a Russian missile struck a central square in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, the interior ministry said on Saturday.
People had been on their way to church to celebrate a religious holiday when the strike took place, the ministry said. Of the 129 counted as wounded in the search and rescue operation, 15 were children and 15 were police officers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in a Telegram post.
Ukrainian media reported that a public event featuring drone manufacturers had been taking place inside the theatre at the time of the attack. Both sides in Russia’s 18-month-old invasion have widely used drones on the battlefield.
Images show aftermath of Russian rocket attack
Saturday 19 August 2023 18:49 , Matt Drake
Seven people including a 6-year-old child were killed and 129 wounded when a Russian missile struck a central square in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, the interior ministry said on Saturday.
People had been on their way to church to celebrate a religious holiday when the strike took place, the ministry said. Of the 129 counted as wounded in the search and rescue operation, 15 were children and 15 were police officers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in a Telegram post.
Pictures show debris scattered across a square in front of the regional drama theatre, where parked cars were heavily damaged.
Event ‘hosting drone manufacturers’ was taking place during Chernihiv attack
Saturday 19 August 2023 17:24 , Matt Drake
A six-year-old child was among seven dead and more than 100 others wounded after the attack in the northern Ukrainian city.
Ukrainian media reported that a public event featuring drone manufacturers was taking place inside the Chernihiv Regional Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater at the time of the strike.
Interior minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that an unspecified event had been taking place in the building at the time of the attack.
Russian attack on city main square 'heinous' says UN official
Saturday 19 August 2023 16:35 , Matt Drake
Denise Brown, the United Nations' humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said she was "extremely disturbed" by Russia’s rocket attack in Chernihiv in which seven people were killed and more than 100 others were injured.
Mrs Brown said: "It is heinous to attack the main square of a large city, in the morning, while people are out walking, some going to the church to celebrate a religious day for many Ukrainians.
"I condemn this repeated pattern of Russian strikes on populated areas of Ukraine, causing deaths, massive destruction and soaring humanitarian needs."
Zelensky asks for Sweden for Gripen jets on first visit since Russian invasion
Saturday 19 August 2023 15:38 , Matt Mathers
Ukraine has begun discussing with Sweden the possibility of receiving Gripen jets to boost its air defences, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday after meeting Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Zelensky’s visit is his first to Sweden since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and the talks about obtaining Gripen jets, which he cast as preliminary, follow approval from the United States for Denmark and the Netherlands to send F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
"Today we discussed in detail the future steps regarding the possibility of opening the subject of receiving Swedish Gripens," Zelensky said at a joint news briefing with Kristersson, adding that the topic would be central to his meetings with other Swedish officials.
ICYMI: Footage appears to show moment drone attack hits building in central Moscow
Saturday 19 August 2023 14:30 , Matt Mathers
Footage purports to show the moment a drone attack struck Moscow, Hayden Vernon reports.
Russian officials accused Ukraine of launching an attack on a building in Moscow’s business district.
Unverified footage on social media appeared to show an explosion next to recognisable Moscow skyscrapers.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences had shot down the drone with its debris falling on the city’s Expo Center.
Ukraine did not confirm the attack, but officials in Kyiv have never formally acknowledged launching attacks on targets in Moscow.
Watch the clip below:
Footage appears to show moment drone attack hits building in central Moscow
