putin visit belarus

Putin makes rare visit to Minsk for talks with Belarus leader

Kremlin rejects claims that the Russian president is pressuring Belarus into a more active role in the war against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Minsk for talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko who has allowed Moscow to use his country as a staging ground for its offensive in Ukraine.

Footage broadcast by Russian state television showed Putin disembarking from a plane on Monday at a snow-blanketed airport in Minsk and being greeted warmly by his close ally, Lukashenko.

Putin’s trip is his first to Minsk since 2019 – before the COVID-19 pandemic and a wave of antigovernment protests in Belarus in 2020, which Lukashenko crushed with strong support from the Kremlin.

Putin said he and Lukashenko discussed forming “a single defence space” in the region but rejected claims that Moscow was poised to swallow its neighbour.

“Russia isn’t interested in any kind of merger. It’s not feasible,” Putin said.

Putin said that he supported Lukashenko’s proposal to train the crews of Belarusian warplanes that have already been modified for using special warheads – a reference to nuclear weapons.

Lukashenko thanked Putin for providing his military with Iskander short-range missiles and S-400 air defence systems. He also said the countries agreed to continue to hold joint military exercises.

Ukrainian joint forces commander Serhiy Nayev said before Putin’s arrival: “During [these talks], questions will be worked out for further aggression against Ukraine and the broader involvement of the Belarusian armed forces in the operation against Ukraine, in particular, in our opinion, on the ground.”

Lukashenko has said repeatedly he has no intention of sending soldiers into Ukraine.

More active role?

The Kremlin dismissed the suggestion that Putin wants to push Belarus into a more active role in the conflict.

The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying such reports were “groundless” and “stupid”.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Belarusian counterpart, Viktor Khrenin, were expected to attend the presidential meeting, according to Minsk.

Russian soldiers who moved to Belarus in October will conduct battalion tactical exercises, the Russian Interfax news agency reported, citing the Russian defence ministry. It was not immediately clear when they would start.

Ahead of Putin’s arrival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also flew to Belarus on Monday for talks.

Lavrov spoke with his counterpart, Sergei Aleinik, who took up the post of foreign minister just a few days ago, about the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, according to the foreign affairs ministry in Moscow.

They also discussed how Russia and Belarus could defend themselves against political pressure from sanctions imposed by the West, its statement said.

The Belarusian foreign affairs ministry said Lavrov and Aleinik discussed sanctions, but it did not reference Ukraine.

The 10-month conflict in Ukraine is the most significant in Europe since World War II. It has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes and reduced cities to ruins.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the country’s armed forces were holding firm in the town of Bakhmut , the scene of the fiercest fighting for many weeks as Russia tries to advance in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

“The battlefield in Bakhmut is critical,” he said. “We control the town even though the occupiers are doing everything so that no undamaged wall will remain standing.”

Zelenskyy on Monday called on Northern European leaders meeting in Latvia to supply his country with a wide range of weapon systems.

Putin casts what he calls Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine as the moment when Moscow finally stood up to the US-led West, which he says is seeking to capitalise on the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union to destroy Russia.

Kyiv and the West say that assertion is absurd, and Putin has no justification for what they see as an imperial-style war of aggression that has put Russia in control of about a fifth of Ukraine.

Moscow said on Monday that Russian and Chinese forces would hold naval drills from Wednesday to December 27, which would include missile and artillery fire in the East China Sea.

While the drills have been held annually since 2012, Moscow has sought to strengthen its political, security and economic links with Beijing in recent months and sees Chinese President Xi Jinping as a key ally in an anti-West alliance.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Putin arrives in neighboring Belarus for a two-day visit with a key ally

Russian president vladimir putin on thursday evening arrived in belarus for a two-day visit, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails, thanks for signing up to the breaking news email.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Thursday in Belarus for a two-day visit as part of several foreign tours to kick off his fifth term in office, underscoring close ties with a neighboring ally that has been instrumental in Russia's war effort in Ukraine .

Putin traveled to China earlier this month, and is expected in Uzbekistan on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president hosted Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Kremlin .

In Belarus, Putin is to hold talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko . Lukashenko greeted him on the tarmac, and then the two sat down for a “short conversation” at the airport, the Kremlin reported. Lukashenko promised to discuss “security issues at the forefront, and tomorrow we will discuss economic issues together with our colleagues from the governments.”

The Belarusian leader on Thursday appointed a new chief of the country's military general staff in a move that analysts say is aimed at showing the Kremlin the utmost loyalty of its neighbor and ally.

Russia used Belarus, which depends on Russian loans and cheap energy, as a staging ground in the war in Ukraine, deploying some of its troops there from Belarusian territory. In 2023, Russia also moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

Maj. Gen. Pavel Muraveyka, who was appointed as chief of Belarus' General Staff and as first deputy defense minister, is known for publicly threatening neighboring NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

In October 2023, he said that Belarus could seize the so-called Suwalki Gap — a sparsely populated stretch of land running about 100 kilometers (60 miles) along the Polish-Lithuanian border. It links Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with the rest of the NATO alliance and separates Belarus from Kaliningrad, a heavily militarized Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea that has no land connection to Russia.

Military analysts in the West have long viewed the Suwalki Gap as a potential flashpoint in any confrontation between Russia and NATO. They worry that Russia might try to seize the gap and cut off the three Baltic states from Poland and other NATO nations.

“Muraveiko’s appointment is an open challenge to the West and a desire to show Putin Minsk’s complete loyalty and willingness to maintain a strategic partnership with Russia,” independent Belarusian analyst Valery Karbalevich told The Associated Press.

“The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus does not leave Lukashenko a strategic choice, turns him into a hostage of the Kremlin and firmly binds Minsk to Moscow’s policies," Karbalevich said.

Both Russia and Belarus began military drills involving tactical nuclear weapons earlier this month. Moscow said its drills, announced publicly for the first time on May 6, were a response to statements by Western officials signaling possibly deeper involvement in the war in Ukraine. Belarus launched its maneuvers involving missiles and warplanes capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons on May 7; Russia's exercises began this week.

Moscow has emphasized that the tactical nuclear weapons deployed to Belarus remain under Russian military control.

Unlike nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that can destroy entire cities, tactical nuclear weapons intended for use against troops on the battlefield are less powerful. Such weapons include aerial bombs, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions.

The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, which has a 1,084-kilometer (673-mile) border with Ukraine, would allow Russian aircraft and missiles to reach potential targets there more easily and quickly if Moscow decides to use them. It also extends Russia’s capability to target several NATO allies in Eastern and Central Europe.

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Ukraine war: Putin’s Belarus visit ends with talk of increased defence cooperation and nuclear sabre-rattling

Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

Professor of International Relations, National University Odesa Law Academy

Disclosure statement

Stefan Wolff receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK. He is also a past recipient of grants from the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU's Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Senior Research Fellow of the Foreign Policy Centre in London and Co-Coordinator of the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions.

Tatyana Malyarenko receives funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Jean Monnet Programme of the European Union.

University of Birmingham provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Minsk has raised renewed fears that Belarus might be drawn into the war in Ukraine. Putin discussed closer military cooperation with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, including the establishment of a “unified defence space” and the continuation of regular joint military exercises.

While Russia used Belarus as one of its launchpads for its invasion in February, so far no Belarusian troops have participated in the fighting in Ukraine. This is unlikely to change anytime soon, despite months of Russian-Belarusian military manoeuvres, the creation of joint military forces, and the delivery of advanced weapons systems from Russia to Belarus.

But Putin’s visit to Minsk highlights the continued implementation of the so-called “ union state ” with an even deeper economic integration of the two countries. This will also support Russia’s war effort by supplying weapons, ammunition and other military equipment.

There is wide agreement among western analysts that Belarus is unlikely to put troops into Ukraine. In any case, Belarusian forces are thought to be too poorly trained, equipped and motivated to pose a serious threat to Ukraine.

But at the same time, several months of Russian-Belarusian war games have been used to test, and to signal, Belarusian forces’ combat readiness. And during a recent visit by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu to his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin, both sides agreed on the “joint provision of regional security” – although it remains unclear what exactly this implies.

At a minimum, what these various activities have achieved is a degree of uncertainty over the Kremlin’s intentions. This uncertainty, in turn, requires Ukraine to prepare for the possibility of another invasion from Belarusian territory by keeping some of its forces and equipment deployed at the border.

This means that while Russia can use Belarus as a training ground for reservists and new recruits, Ukraine has to divert some of its forces away from the key battle lines in the south and east of the country. This reduces Kyiv’s potential offensive capacities and thereby relieves Russia from the pressure Ukraine has been able to put on its forces in Donbas and around Kherson over the past few months, and around Kharkiv before then.

Moreover, keeping forces deployed at the border with Belarus also means reduced defensive capacities, especially in the fiercely contested areas of the Donbas. Given Russia’s longstanding war aim to “liberate” all of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in the east, this creates potential advantages for Russia to stage another large-scale offensive later in the winter.

Russia’s continuing nuclear threat

Both the west and China have repeatedly emphasised that any nuclear escalation by Putin would be unacceptable – and Nato has threatened a clear and decisive response if it were to happen. While Russia has toned down its nuclear rhetoric over the past several weeks, Lukashenko commented during his press conference with Putin that Belarus has tested its nuclear-capable, Soviet-era war planes in Russia and is “now working with the Russians to train our crews to pilot planes carrying special warheads”. The fact that Putin appeared to confirm this suggests the tactic of threatening a deployment of nuclear weapons is not off the table yet.

This does not increase the likelihood of an all-out nuclear confrontation between Russia and the west, but it does create yet more uncertainty. Putin might allow Belarus – or Russian forces masquerading as Belarusians – to use tactical nuclear weapons under some pretext and then deny any knowledge of, let alone responsibility for, such an act of barbarism.

The timing of this renewed nuclear sabre-rattling is ominous, as it comes at a point when the US is expected to announce its first delivery of the Patriot missile long-range air defence system to Kyiv. If supplied in sufficient quantities, these missiles would be a potential game changer in an air war that has seen Ukrainian critical infrastructure severely degraded by massive Russian missile and drone attacks.

Bolstering Ukraine’s military capacity

Strengthening Ukrainian air defences is a crucial task that the country’s western partners must not delay much longer. Without this, Russia is likely to continue its pounding of Ukraine’s infrastructure, particularly its power grid. This could trigger a severe humanitarian crisis far beyond the suffering that the Ukrainian people have already endured during almost ten months of war.

But strengthening Ukrainian defences alone will not be enough. Without equally improved offensive capacities, regaining territory will be immeasurably more difficult for Ukrainian forces either to credibly threaten or actually accomplish. And without even the credible threat of a successful offensive, Russia will dig in deeper in the currently occupied territories while rebuilding its own offensive capacity.

There is a third reason why Kyiv – and its western partners – would be best served by bolstering Ukraine’s military capacity. A well-trained and well-equipped Ukrainian military would be the best defence of Ukrainian democracy against future Russian aggression. It would also help Ukraine to become a net contributor to European security.

A strong and democratic Ukraine that is sustainably integrated in Nato and the EU would represent the ultimate defeat for Putin. It would also send a powerful signal to others in the post-Soviet space that standing up to Russia is worthwhile and possible.

• Vladimir Putin
• Volodymyr Zelensky
• Alexander Lukashenko
• Ukraine invasion 2022

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services)

Finance Business Partner

Chief People & Culture Officer

Lecturer / senior lecturer in construction and project management.

Communications Director

• Firstpost Defence Summit
• Entertainment
• Web Stories
• Health Supplement
• First Sports
• Fast and Factual
• Between The Lines
• Firstpost America

Explained: What Vladimir Putin's visit to Belarus means for the Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin’s visit to Minsk has fuelled speculation that Belarus could enter the war on Russia’s side next year. Some analysts believe that Russia could use Belarus as a springboard for another assault on Kyiv

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been on his travels this week, leaving Ukraine for the first time since the invasion to fly to the US to meet with Joe Biden and address a joint sitting of Congress.

The Ukrainian president impressed with his Churchillian tone, comparing his country’s defiance of Russia’s war machine to the fight against Nazism in the second world war.

“Just like the brave American soldiers which held their lines and fought back against Hitler’s forces during the Christmas of 1944, brave Ukrainian soldiers are doing the same … this Christmas,” he said.

This will no doubt have irritated Vladimir Putin no end, given he has always insisted his invasion of Ukraine was all about ridding the country of its “gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”.

Putin has also been on his travels in recent days, popping across to Minsk to see his long-time ally Alexander Lukashenko. And, for a man who insists he won’t be the first to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, the Russian president finds it hard to leave the subject alone for more than a few days at a time.

He and Lukashenko briefed journalists about their scheme to adapt Belarusia’s Soviet-era nuclear-capable aircraft to carry “special warheads”. “Special”, in Kremlin-speak, can have decidedly sinister connotations (see also, “special military operation”).

Putin’s visit to Minsk has fuelled speculation that Belarus could enter the war on Russia’s side next year. Some analysts believe that — similar to February 2022 — Russia could use Belarus as the springboard for another assault on Kyiv and that this time Russian troops will be supported by the Belarus military.

But Stefan Wolff, an expert in international security at the University of Birmingham, believes there is an undercurrent of bluff on Putin’s part. Kyiv’s concern of a possible invasion from Belarus means that it has to keep enough troops in the border region who could otherwise be part of Ukraine’s counter-offensives in the south and east.

Interestingly all this talk of beefed up cooperation over Russia’s “special warheads” came as the US agreed to supply Ukraine with its Patriot defence systems.

These, Wolff says, could be a game-changer for Ukraine’s air defence, crucial as Russia continues its strategy of bombarding the country’s energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, there are mixed feelings about the war in Russia’s neighbour to the east, Kazakhstan.

Many people among the country’s significant ethnic Russian minority support Moscow and go along with Putin’s explanation that the “special military operation” is necessary to deter an increasingly assertive NATO expansion in the region. But most young people and most Kazakhs are fiercely against the war.

The country is now host to many thousands of Russians who fled conscription. Anna Matveeva, an expert in the politics of the post-Soviet sphere from King’s College London, has charted a turbulent year in Russo-Kazakh relations.

January saw Moscow send troops in to help the beleaguered president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in putting down riots in January.

But the two leaders have been at loggerheads over the invasion of Ukraine. Tokayev refused to recognise Putin’s annexation of Ukrainian territories at the end of September.

And, for a few years now, Kazakhstan has begun to assert its cultural identity, pledging to ditch Cyrillic completely by 2025 — another snub to Russia.

From Russia, meanwhile, anything but love. As Matveeva notes, barely a month goes by without some sort of inflammatory statement or threat from Kremlin insiders or media proxies to the effect that Kazakhstan should be grateful to Moscow for its independence and should watch its step.

As Matveeva notes , however, the two countries need each other. But, she says, Moscow has more to lose from a serious rift between the two countries.

Weaponising energy

One of the bones of contention between Russia and Kazakhstan has been over energy. Oil-rich Kazakhstan uses Russia’s Novorossiysk terminal for the vast majority of its oil exports.

But in July, Russia closed the terminal down soon after Tokayev said he would not recognise Russian annexation of territories in Ukraine.

As Thomas Froehlich of King’s College London writes, this has been a hallmark of Putin’s realpolitik throughout the invasion.

Russia has been weaponising energy for years, writes Froehlich — whose specialism is the geopolitics of the global energy transition — and Ukraine has been dealing with this since early in Putin’s leadership.

Now the race is on to Putin-proof European energy supplies. This, writes Froehlich , will be a major project for 2023 and beyond.

It’s good to talk

Given that Kyiv wants Russian troops completely out of Ukraine and the Kremlin’s base position is to keep — at the very least — the 20 per cent of the country it has occupied, a peace deal looks further away than ever and at this stage, negotiations between the two countries on an end to hostilities look like a non-starter.

But that is not to say there have not been “back-channel” talks going on between the warring parties, writes David Lewis , a professor of international politics at the University of Exeter.

As Lewis notes, Russia and Ukraine — with help from Turkey and the United Nations — struck a deal that allowed Ukraine to safely export its grain by sea, while there have also been deals to allow Russia to export vital fertilisers as well as prisoner swaps.

In all this, says Lewis, pragmatism has been at the fore for both sides. The antagonists are also talking about how to safeguard the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station — Europe’s largest.

But, as we break for the holiday season in the UK, there is no sign of what everyone wants: an end to the suffering of the Ukraine people and a safe and warm and peaceful Christmas for all.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Find us on YouTube

Related Stories

Germany's Olaf Scholz vows to probe leak of secret army talks over Ukraine war

Is the situation changing in favour of Russia in its war against Ukraine?

You weren’t afraid, neither are we, say defiant Russians as Navalny is laid to rest

France accuses Russia of fueling Bedbug Panic

Ukraine-Russia war live: Putin issues fresh nuclear threat as Moscow targets Kyiv with five-hour drone assault

LIVE – Updated at 16:06

Vladimir Putin has lowered the threshold for Russia to respond with a nuclear attack , amid ongoing discussions in Washington over Ukraine ’s use of Western-provided long-range weapons.

The Russian president has said any conventional attack on Moscow that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. He claimed that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if Moscow received “reliable information” about the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft or drones against it.

Ukraine‘s air defences battled an overnight Russian aerial attack on the capital Kyiv for five hours, officials have said, as missiles and drones again hammered the Ukrainian power grid.

The Kyiv attack injured at least two people, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said.

A nursery, a gas pipe and around 20 cars were damaged in the city, said the Kyiv Military Administration.

Long-range strikes have been a hallmark of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, now deep in its third year, often hitting civilian areas.

Putin lowers bar for nuclear response, targets West in new warning

Putin sabre-rattling again, unlikely to use nuclear weapons on ukraine – isw.

• Kyiv denies Russia captured villages in east

Putin is looking to ‘break the Ukrainian spirit’, Zelensky says

Kremlin says zelensky is making “fatal mistake” by trying to force it to make peace, zelensky holds talks with us leaders.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky huddled with US leaders to shore up American support for his country’s fight against Russia as the war faces a partisan reckoning in this year’s presidential election.

Vice-president Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, has pledged to continue sending military assistance to Ukraine if she’s elected.

She is also due to meet Mr Zelensky after his meeting with president Joe Biden, who announced billions of dollars more in missiles, drones, ammunition and other supplies, including an extra Patriot missile defence battery and glide bombs that can be deployed from Western fighter jets, increasing their strike range.

“The United States will provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win this war,” Mr Biden said in a statement, pledging to ensure that all approved funding is disbursed before he leaves office in January.

Mr Zelensky also met politicians from both US parties. At Capitol Hill, he was greeted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

At least three people die in Donetsk region attacks

Russian attacks on Ukraine’s east have killed at least three people and injured five more, regional authorities say.

One person was killed and three others wounded near the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram messenger.

Russian troops have been pressing their assault on the town for months.

Overnight, he added, two people were killed and two injured in Russian shelling of nearby Toretsk.

Moscow’s troops have been steadily inching forward towards the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, and recently advanced towards the town of Vuhledar, further to the south.

Biden to target Russian sanctions evasion

US president Joe Biden has announced that together with allies, his country will aim to disrupt what he called “a global cryptocurrency network” to combat Russian sanctions evasion and money-laundering.

Mr Biden said he would convene a leader-level meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany next month to coordinate efforts of more than 50 countries supporting Kyiv.

He also ordered the Pentagon to expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, including by supporting the training of an additional 18 pilots next year.

Blinken brands Putin’s nuclear threat 'irresponsible and poorly timed’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described Vladimir Putin’s warning to the West about nuclear weapons use irresponsible and poorly timed as world leaders gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly.

“It’s totally irresponsible,” Mr Blinken told MSNBC. “I think many in the world have spoken clearly about that when he’s been rattling the nuclear sabre - including China, in the past.

“So I would just say especially to do that now, while the world’s gathered... talking about the need for more disarmament, non-proliferation.”

Ukraine will fight street to street to keep Russia out of key city

Ukraine will fight street to street to keep Russia out of key eastern city

Russia has secret war drone project in China, report alleges

Britain targets Russian LNG sector with fresh shipping sanctions

Britain has announced it is sanctioning five vessels and two associated entities involved in the shipping of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), with the government saying it was using new legal powers for the first time to target LNG vessels directly.

“Earlier this year, the UK sanctioned Arctic LNG 2, alongside our allies in the US and EU. Since then, the project has been forced to slash production,” the government statement said.

“Today’s action builds on this by targeting ships and entities involved in the Russian LNG sector, which engage with projects important to Russia’s future energy production.”

Thursday’s sanctioned entities were White Fox Ship Management and Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC. The ships were Asya Energy, Pioneer, North Sky, SCF La Perouse and Nova Energy.

Earlier this month Britain slapped sanctions on 10 further ships in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of vessels which it says use illicit practices to avoid Western restrictions on Russian oil.

Russia rejects Western pressure to limit its oil exports, and in the past year there has been a growth in the number of tankers transporting cargoes that are not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers.

Zelensky says Ukraine will use military aid from US effectively and transparently

President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked US president Joe Biden and the US Congress for a new military aid package worth more than $8 billion (£6 billion), saying Ukraine will use it “in the most efficient and transparent manner”.

“I am grateful to the United States for providing the items that are most critical to protecting our people,” Zelensky said on X, mentioning an additional Patriot air defense battery, drones and long-range missiles.

Russian missiles and drones target Kyiv for 5 hours, hitting Ukraine's power grid

House speaker wants Ukrainian ambassador fired over Zelensky trip

House speaker wants Ukrainian ambassador fired over Zelensky’s Pennsylvania trip

We have some more pictures in the aftermath of the latest Russian attacks across Ukraine

Russia's adaptability to US sanctions stymied their effectiveness, economists say

Russian drones cross into Belarus airspace during attack on Ukraine

Below you can see details of four Russian drones that crossed into Belarusian airspace en route to attacking Ukraine overnight.

This is at least the third time this has happened this year, according to the Belarusian Hajun project, an independent open-source group.

Previously, Belarus has had to scramble a fighter jet and air defences to protect against the wayward drones.

Zelensky urges world leaders to stand with Ukraine in address to UN

Zelensky urges world leaders to stand with Ukraine as he presents victory plan to UN

One killed in Russian airstrike on Ukraine

Russiam missile and drone attacks have killed at least one person and damaging critical infrastructure, authorities have said.

One woman was killed in a missile strike on southern Ukraine‘s Odesa and another eight people were wounded in a guided-bomb attack on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said on social media.

Around a dozen drones were destroyed over the capital Kyiv, where 20 cars and a residential gas pipe were damaged, said Serhiy Popko, head of the local military administration.

Parts of the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk were left without power after a Russian strike on critical infrastructure there, said regional governor Svitlana Onyshchuk.

Ukraine’s allies sign declaration of joint support

More than 30 countries have convened in the US to sign a joint declaration of support for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

US president Joe Biden posted a picture of the 30 leaders meeting.

China is willing to continue stable ties with Ukraine: foreign minister

China is willing to maintain the stable development of bilateral ties with Ukraine, foreign minister Wang Yi told his newly-appointed Ukrainian counterpart in New York on Wednesday.

Wang, in a meeting with Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, said Beijing was ready to offer additional assistance based on Ukraine‘s needs, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.

China is also willing to maintain communications with all parties including Ukraine in efforts to achieve peace, Xinhua quoted Wang as saying.

China has been accused by Kyiv’s Western allies of pushing for a peace deal favourable to Russia. Weeks before Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits” friendship.

Ukraine says it destroyed 66 Russian drones, 4 missiles in overnight strike

Ukrainian forces destroyed 66 attack drones and four cruise missiles launched by Russia during an overnight strike, Kyiv’s air force said on Thursday.

It added that Russian forces launched a total of 78 Iranian-made drones and six missiles over various regions across the country.

ICYMI: Ukraine urges world leaders not to seek 'an out' from Russia's war instead of true peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged global leaders to stand with his country and not seek “an out” instead of a “real, just peace” more than two years into Russia’s war.

At a time when he faces growing pressure from Western allies and some of his fellow Ukrainians to negotiate a cease-fire, Mr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly there’s no alternative to the “peace formula” he presented two years ago.

Among other things, it seeks the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes.

“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war,” he said.

“Do not divide the world. Be united nations. And that will bring us peace.”

We have some of the latest photos from Kyiv after a drone attack overnight

Below we have some of the latest photos coming from Kyiv after an overnight Russian drone attack.

Russia launches overnight drone strike on Kyiv

Russia unleashed an overnight drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Thursday, causing damage to civilian infrastructure, city officials said.

More than a dozen Iranian-made attack drones were spotted over the city, most of which were shot down, said Serhiy Popko, head of the local military administration.

Around 20 cars and a gas pipe in a residential area were damaged in the hours-long strike, he added. Debris was also found in a children’s playground.

Russia has regularly sent drones and missiles over Ukrainian towns and cities far behind the front line of its 2 1/2-year-old invasion.

Russia is very unlikely to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine or elsewhere, a US-based think tank has assessed shortly after Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for Moscow’s nuclear response.

The “thinly veiled threats of nuclear confrontation between Russia and the West” are routinely invoked by the Kremlin officials, The Institute for the Study of War said.

The warnings are made during key moments in Western political debates over assisting Ukraine to induce fear among decision makers, the ISW said, citing the ongoing debate about Ukraine’s right to use Western-provided systems to conduct long-range strikes against Russian military objects.

“US Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns cautioned Western policymakers on 7 September against fearing boilerplate Russian nuclear sabre-rattling, and ISW has long identified Russia’s nuclear sabre-rattling as part of the Kremlin’s effort to promote Western self-deterrence and not as indicative of Russia’s willingness to use nuclear weapons,” the think-tank monitoring Russia’s invasion said.

Explained: The Russian guided bombs wreaking havoc in Ukraine

Russia is increasingly using highly destructive guided bombs, pummeling Ukrainian forces on the battlefield as well as towns and cities near the front line.

Last week alone, Moscow’s forces dropped more than 900 such weapons on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

He has repeatedly called on Kyiv’s Western partners to help boost Ukraine‘s long-range strike capabilities to neutralise the threat.

What are guided bombs?

The air-launched weapons are conventional, often Soviet-era ordnance that have been fitted with wings and satellite-aided navigation to extend their range and precision.

Also known as “glide bombs”, they are both cheaper than the ballistic and cruise missiles Russia regularly fires at Ukraine and more abundant. Weighing between 500 kg and 3,000 kg (1,100-6,600 lb), they are often dropped from beyond the range of Ukrainian air defences.

Their destructive power means they can ravage even strongly fortified Ukrainian defensive positions, which have been steadily crumbling in parts of the east in recent months.

Zelensky to visit White House amid silence from Trump

Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Washington today as US support for his country’s fight against Russia faces a partisan reckoning in this year’s presidential election.

Vice president Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has pledged to continue sending military assistance to Ukraine if she’s elected, and she’ll have her own meeting with Mr Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader sits down with president Joe Biden.

But the Ukrainian leader’s expected talks with Donald Trump appear increasingly unlikely to happen. Trump had said he would “probably” meet Zelensky during the visit, but has instead repeatedly criticised him from afar this week.

As for US support for Ukraine, Trump complained that “we continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal” to end the war.

Drones shot down near Kyiv, air defence units in operation

Ukrainian air defence units shot down at least five drones outside Kyiv and explosions resounded in the city early today, Reuters reported.

Air raid alerts remained in effect in Kyiv and throughout most of central Ukraine.

“Russia has sent waves of suicide drones and attacked Kyiv for the last five hours. Explosions reverberating across the city with Ukrainian air defence clearly audible. The city hasn’t gotten much sleep tonight,” said Christopher Miller, FT’s correspondent in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has called a plan by Volodymyr Zelensky to force Russia to make peace a “fatal mistake” that would have consequences for Kyiv.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Such a position is a fatal mistake, a systemic mistake. This is a profound misconception that will inevitably have consequences for the Kyiv regime.”

Peskov said that Russia wants peace, but the issue cannot be forced, adding: “A position based on an attempt to force Russia into peace is an absolutely fatal mistake, because it is impossible to force Russia into peace.”

He said: “Russia is a supporter of peace, but on the condition that the foundations of its security are ensured.”

Zelensky told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that the war between Russia and Ukraine could not be calmed by talks alone and that Moscow must be forced into peace.

Russia claims more gains in east Ukraine but Kyiv denies capture of villages

Russia says its forces have captured two more villages in Ukraine and were attacking in the town of Vuhledar, a longtime Ukrainian stronghold. The reports have been denied by Ukrainian officials in the region.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had taken the villages of Hostre and Hryhorivka. The Russia-installed head of Donetsk Denis Pushilin said fighting was taking place inside Vuhledar, which had a pre-war population of 14,000.

However, Ukraine army’s General Staff said there had been eight armed clashes in the Vuhledar area. “Seven enemy assaults were stopped near Vuhledar and Vodiane,” it said in late night report referring to another nearby village. “One battle is still going on. The situation is under the control of Ukraine’s defence forces.”

It made no mention of the two villages Russian officials said their forces had captured further north, but reported 23 clashes in that sector.

Vadym Filashkin, the Ukrainian governor of the region, said Russia’s troops had not reached the outskirts of Vuhledar but it’s reconnaissance groups were operating there. “Our defenders are trying to knock them out. The town has not been captured,” he said in televised comments.

Russia readying secret war drones project in China, intelligence sources say

Russia has a weapons programme in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones for use in the war against Ukraine, two sources from a European intelligence agency and documents reviewed by Reuters confirm.

IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and flight-tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) in China with the help of local specialists, according to one of the documents, a report that Kupol sent to the Russian defence ministry earlier this year outlining its work.

Kupol told the defence ministry in a subsequent update that it was able to produce drones including the G3 at scale at a factory in China so the weapons could be deployed in the “special military operation” in Ukraine, the term Moscow uses for the war.

The G3 drones can travel about 2,000km (1,200 miles) with a payload of 50kg (110 pounds), according to the reports to the Russian defence ministry from Kupol.

Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based defence think-tank, said the delivery of UAVs from China to Russia, if confirmed, would be a significant development.

“If you look at what China is known to have delivered so far, it was mostly dual-use goods - it was components, sub-components, that could be used in weapon systems,” he told Reuters. “This is what has been reported so far. But what we haven’t really seen, at least in the open source, are documented transfers of whole weapon systems.”

Kupol, Almaz-Antey and the Russian defence ministry have not issued a response to the reports.

Zelensky’s victory plan sets Ukraine’s terms in a desperate war against Russia

Zelenskyy's victory plan sets Ukraine's terms in a desperate war against Russia

Vladimir Putin has lowered the bar for Russia to respond with a nuclear attack, amid ongoing discussions in Washington over Ukraine’s use of Western-provided long-range weapons.

The Russian president has said any conventional attack on Moscow that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country.

Putin claimed that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if Moscow received “reliable information” about the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft or drones against it.

Speaking at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, which considers changes in Russia’s nuclear doctrine, Mr Putin announced that a revised version of the document says that an attack against Russia by a non-nuclear power with the support of a nuclear power will be seen as their “joint attack on the Russian Federation”.

The threat aims to discourage the West from allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with longer-range weapons and appears to significantly lower the threshold for the possible use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

We will listen carefully to Zelensky’s demands for Ukraine military aid, Starmer says

Ukraine’s desire to use western missiles to strike targets in Russia will not be the “sole issue” in Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Sir Keir is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where Mr Zelensky will present his plan for the next stage of the war to his allies.

The PM said: “I do think it’s going to take quite a bit of time at the UN General Assembly. And I think that’s really important, because it’s at a critical stage.

“Obviously, President Zelensky has a plan that he wants to walk through with all of us – we knew that was going to happen.

“The support for Ukraine is resolute. We supply quite a lot of capability already under the last government; we’ve increased that under this government – that’s not a criticism of the last government – and we will always listen very carefully to what Ukraine says it needs by way of capability.

“I don’t think that will be a discussion, I don’t think the victory plan will be about a sole issue like long-range missiles, it will be about a strategic, overarching route for Ukraine to find a way through this and succeed against Russian aggression.”

When pressed on Storm Shadows, he said: “We will have discussions about a whole range of issues, and we will listen carefully to what President Zelensky’s got to say, and that’s what’s going to happen in the next few days.”

Watch: Trump labels Zelensky ‘greatest salesman on Earth’ in Russia war dig

Lammy tears into russian invasion: ‘in putin's interests alone’.

Foreign secretary David Lammy came down heavily on Vladimir Putin in his United Nations Security Council address and said the invasion of Ukraine serves the Russian president’s interests alone.

“Vladimir Putin, when you fire missiles into Ukraine hospitals. We know who you are. When you send mercenaries into African countries. We know who you are. When you murder opponents in European cities. We know who you are,” the foreign secretary told the gathering of member nations in New York last night.

“Your invasion is in your own interests. Yours alone. To expand your mafia state into a mafia empire. An empire built on corruption,” Mr Lammy told the security council.

He also lauded the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s efforts to lead the defence of his country. “President Zelensky, the UK commends you not only for standing up for your people but for standing up for democracy,” he said.

“Seeing you in Kyiv a few weeks ago with Secretary Blinken I saw ordinary people from all walks of life. The soldiers and the civilians. The firefighters and the first responders,” Mr Lammy said.

Mapped: Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian Kursk region explained

Watch: Putin’s Satan II missile ‘blows up during test launch’

Putin’s forces are desperate for a prize eastern city and ukraine will fight street to street to keep them out, explained: what is the satan ii missile.

The RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe, but its development has been dogged by delays and testing setbacks.

The 35-metre-long RS-28 Sarmat, known in the West as Satan II, has a range of 18,000 km (11,000 miles) and a launch weight of over 208 tonnes.

Russian media say it can carry up to 16 independently targetable nuclear warheads as well as Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, a new system that Putin has said is unmatched by Russia’s enemies.

Since the start of the conflict, President Vladimir Putin has said repeatedly that Russia has the biggest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world, and warned the West not to cross a threshold that could lead to nuclear war.

Putin said in October 2023 that Russia had almost completed work on the missile.

Kremlin continues to show public disinterest in peace talks short of complete destruction of the Ukrainian state, think tank says

The Kremlin have continued to show a public disinterest in peace talks unless it involves the complete destruction of the Ukrainian state, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank has said.

ISW analysts noted that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed reports that Ukraine invited Russia to attend Ukraine’s second peace summit but that the Kremlin had not demonstrated any interest in participating.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently said there is “no alternative” to Russian victory in Ukraine, reiterating Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate on terms other than Ukrainian “capitulation”.

“ISW continues to assess that the Kremlin is not interested in good faith peace negotiations with Ukraine and that the Kremlin will only invoke the concept of ‘peace plans’ and ‘negotiations’ to prompt the West to pressure Ukraine into preemptive concessions on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the situation report from the ISW said.

Exclusive: Zelensky demands UK extradites political opponent in Ukraine Orthodox Church row

Zelensky demands UK extradites political opponent in Ukraine Orthodox Church row

Russia treating own citizens as ‘bits of meat to fling into grinder’, says Starmer in UN speech

Russia is treating its own citizens as “bits of meat to fling into the grinder” in Ukraine , Sir Keir Starmer said as he urged Vladimir Putin to end the conflict.

The prime minister, speaking at the UN Security Council in New York, said Russia was responsible for “colossal human suffering” as a result of the conflict .

He said Russia, which is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council alongside the UK, was behind the “greatest violation of the (UN) charter in a generation”.

David Hughes reports:

Russia treating own citizens as ‘bits of meat to fling into grinder’, says Starmer

Ukraine says China is key route for foreign tech in Russian weapons

Around 60 per cent of the foreign parts found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine come via China, Ukraine‘s presidential adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk has said.

“If you take all the usual types of weapons and count the foreign made components about 60% would be coming from China. We have had lengthy discussions with some manufacturers about this,” Vlasiuk said.

“The PRC (China) is the biggest problem I would say.”

Russia treating own citizens as ‘bits of meat to fling into grinder’, Starmer says

Russia is treating its own citizens as “bits of meat to fling into the grinder” in Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer said as he urged Vladimir Putin to end the conflict.

The Prime Minister, speaking at the UN Security Council, said Russia was responsible for “colossal human suffering” as a result of the conflict.

He said Russia, like the UK one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, was behind the “greatest violation of the (UN) charter in a generation”.

“I wonder how Russia can show its face in this building,” he added.

Sir Keir said: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal. It threatens global security. And it has caused colossal human suffering.

“Over 35,000 civilians have been killed or injured, six million forced to flee and almost 20,000 Ukrainian children forcefully deported. Kidnapped, to put it bluntly.”

Some 600,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded, Sir Keir said.

“The UN Charter – which they sit here to uphold – speaks of human dignity. Not treating your own citizens as bits of meat to fling into the grinder,” he added.

Russian strike on Ukraine’s Kramatorsk kills one and injures 15, governor says

A Russian strike on Ukraine‘s eastern town of Kramatorsk has killed at least one person and injured 15 more, the Donetsk region governor said.

Two apartment blocks, shops and cars were damaged, Vadym Filashkin added on the Telegram messenger.

US concerned by report on Russia secret war drones project in China, White House says

The United States is deeply concerned by a report that Russia has a secret war drones project in China that appears to be an instance of a Chinese company providing lethal assistance to a U.S.-sanctioned Russian firm , a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council has said.

The White House has not seen anything to suggest that China’s government was aware of these transactions, the spokesperson said, but China has a responsibility to ensure companies are not providing lethal aid to Russia for use by its military.

Read the full report on the secret war drones project below:

Ukraine urges world leaders not to seek 'an out' from Russia's war instead of true peace

 “Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war,” he said. 

Zelensky takes aim at China and Brazil for push for peace in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky questioned the “true interest” of a push by China and Brazil to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, telling the United Nations General Assembly: “You will not boost your power at Ukraine‘s expense.”

“When some propose alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians ... it not only ignores reality, but also gives (Russian President Vladimir) Putin the political space to continue the war,” Zelensky told the 193-member body.

Volodymyr Zelensky has said Vladimir Putin is attempting to “‘break the Ukrainian spirit”.

“Russia has destroyed all our thermal power plants and a large part of our hydroelectric capacity. This is how Putin is preparing for winter, hoping to torment millions of Ukrainians … Putin wants to leave them in the dark and force Ukraine to suffer and surrender,” he told the UN General assembly.

He added “God forbid, Russia causes a nuclear disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, radiation will not respect state borders.”

Zelensky addressing UN general assembly to present ‘victory plan’ against Russia

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is currently addressing the UN general assembly.

He is expected to seek support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, and to present his “victory plan”.

Russian officials say Ukrainian drone strikes Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, state media reports

Russian emergency services have said that a Ukrainian drone dropped a munition on the territory of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Wednesday though there was no damage, Russian state news agency RIA reported, citing local emergency services.

The Independent was unable to immediately verify the report.

Ukraine‘s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, has been controlled by Russian forces since March 2022, and remains close to the frontline between the two sides.

Nato plans for large-scale transport of wounded troops in case of Russia war

Nato plans to coordinate the transport of a large number of wounded troops away from front lines in case of a war with Russia, according to a senior general.

The future scenario for medical evacuations will differ from allies’ experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, Lieutenant-General Alexander Sollfrank, the head of Nato’s logistics command, told news agency Reuters in an interview.

In a conflict with Russia, Western militaries would likely be faced with a much larger war zone, a higher number of injured troops and at least a temporary lack of air superiority close to the front lines, the German general said.

“The challenge will be to swiftly ensure high-quality care for, in the worst case, a great number of wounded,” he said without specifying how many injured troops Nato would expect.

The planning for medical evacuations is part of a much broader drive by Nato, prompted by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, to overhaul and boost its ability to deter and defend against any Russian assault.

Read the full report by Jabed Ahmed below:

Russian troops have not reached Ukraine's Vuhledar outskirts, governor says

Russia’s troops have not reached the outskirts of Ukraine‘s eastern town of Vuhledar but its reconnaissance groups are operating there, Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin has said.

“Our defenders are trying to knock them out. The town has not been captured,” he said in televised comments.

President Vladimir Putin will chair a meeting of Russia’s Security Council on nuclear deterrence on Wednesday as Moscow weighs a response to Ukraine‘s requests that the US allow it to strike deep into Russia with long-range Western missiles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting of the Security Council, which includes Putin’s most powerful officials, was an important event.

“There will be a speech by the president,” Mr Peskov told reporters. “The rest, for obvious reasons, will be marked ‘top secret’.”

Putin, the primary decision maker on Russia's vast nuclear arsenal, is considering how to respond if the United States and its European allies allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike deep into Russia.

Where have Russian glide bombs been used and how can Ukraine defend against them?

Russia first stepped up its use of guided bombs earlier this year while capturing the now-ruined eastern city of Avdiivka.

The weapons later played a critical role in a Russian cross-border offensive last May in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

The weapons have also rained down on the northeastern region of Sumy, including the regional capital.

Zelensky and other officials are stepping up pressure on Kyiv’s allies to send more air-defence systems and allow Ukraine to use Western-provided weapons for strikes deep inside Russia.

Experts have said Kyiv’s best bet is to target the Russian warplanes that drop the weapons rather than intercept the individual bombs once released.

Zelenskiy told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that the war between Russia and Ukraine could not be calmed by talks alone and that Moscow must be forced into peace.

Kremlin upbeat as Russia reports more gains in east Ukraine

The Kremlin has said the battlefield dynamic for Russian forces in eastern Ukraine was “positive”.

Russian forces have in recent weeks accelerated their progress in Donetsk region, taking a series of towns and villages.

Earlier today, Russia’s Defence Ministry said that its forces have taken control of the villages of Hostre and Hryhorivka in the Donetsk region.

Watch: Putin’s Satan II ballistic missile ‘blows up during test launch’

Putin’s Satan II ballistic missile ‘blows up during test launch’

Pictured: Ukranian soldiers fire an AS-90 self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops

Russia takes two more donetsk region villages, says defence ministry.

Russia’s Defence Ministry has said that its forces have taken control of the villages of Hostre and Hryhorivka in Ukraine‘s eastern Donetsk region.

Fighting ongoing in Ukraine's Vuhledar, Russia's RIA reports

Denis Pushilin, the Russian-installed head of Ukraine‘s Donetsk region, has said that fighting was ongoing in Vuhledar, a longtime Ukrainian stronghold in the region, Russian state news agency RIA reported. 

Earlier it was reported Vuhledar has resisted Russian attacks since the beginning of the war in 2022, but Russian forces have now entered the town – according to Russian war bloggers and state media.

Ukraine has not confirmed this development.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had defeated Ukrainian units at a series of settlements including Vuhledar, which Russians call Ugledar, and that the Eastern Grouping of Russian forces had improved their tactical positions. It gave no further details on Vuhledar.

Read the full report below:

Zelensky calls for unspecified global 'action' to force Russia into peace

Volodymyr Zelensky has  dismissed the notion of peace talks with Moscow, calling instead for unspecified global “action” to force Russia into peace.

He told the UN Security Council that Vladimir Putin is committing “an international crime” and has broken so many international rules that he won’t stop on his own.

"And that's why this war can't simply fade away. That's why this war can't be calmed by talks," Zelenskyy said at a meeting.

"Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what's needed — forcing Russia into peace as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter."

Russia takes control of Ukrainsk in eastern Ukraine, state media says

Russian forces have taken control of the town of Ukrainsk in Ukraine‘s eastern Donetsk region, state news agency TASS said, citing local Russian-installed governor Denis Pushilin.

The Independent could not verify this claim.

US and Romania to sign $920 million defence agreement amid conflict edging closer to border

The United States will sign a $920million (£687million) direct loan agreement with Romania to support its defence modernisation program, the Romanian government has said.

The deal comes as Romania seeks to boost its defence purchasing plan following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, aims to spend 2.5 per cent of its GDP on defence.

Romania shares a 650-km (400-mile) border with Ukraine and Russian drone fragments have repeatedly strayed into its territory over the past year. Some areas are also close to Ukraine's Danube River ports which are frequently targeted by Russia.

Under the loan agreement, the defence ministry will directly access $700 million, while up to $220 million will go towards state-owned ROMARM, which controls 15 companies that manufacture weapons and ammunition ranging from gunpowder to guided missiles.

ICMYI: Tens of thousands of lives will be lost if Ukraine is denied use of long-range missiles on Russia, warns Zelensky

Zelensky presses US on using Western long-range missiles on Russia

Putin issues a nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine

MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state and that any conventional attack on Russia that was supported by a nuclear power would be considered to be a joint attack.

Putin, opening a meeting of Russia’s Security Council attended by top officials, said that proposals had been made to change Russia’s nuclear doctrine and said he would like to underscore one of the proposed key changes.

“It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” Putin said.

“The conditions for Russia’s transition to the use of nuclear weapons are also clearly fixed,” Putin said, adding that Moscow would consider such a move if it detected the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft, or drones against it.

Russia, Putin said, also reserved the right to use nuclear weapons if it or Belarus were the subject of aggression, including by conventional weapons.

Putin said the clarifications were carefully calibrated and commensurate with the modern military threats facing Russia.

Advertisement

Putin Declares Changes to Russian Nuclear Doctrine

President Vladimir V. Putin heightened his warnings against the West, asserting that Russia should be permitted to use nuclear arms in the event of an attack by a nation backed by a nuclear power.

• Share full article

By Anton Troianovski and Ivan Nechepurenko

Anton Troianovski reported from Berlin and Ivan Nechepurenko from Tbilisi, Georgia.

• Published Sept. 25, 2024 Updated Sept. 26, 2024, 5:59 a.m. ET

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said Wednesday that he planned to lower the threshold for his country’s use of nuclear weapons, an escalation in the Kremlin’s efforts to deter the United States from expanding its military aid to Ukraine.

Mr. Putin, in a televised meeting with top officials, said Russia would adjust its nuclear doctrine — the document defining when the country could use nuclear weapons — to address “new sources of military threats and risks.”

In particular, Mr. Putin said, Russia would treat “aggression against Russia by any nonnuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state” as a “joint attack on the Russian Federation.” The language was a clear reference to Ukraine, which does not have nuclear weapons, and the military support it receives from nuclear-armed NATO countries like the United States and Britain.

Mr. Putin also said that Russia would be prepared to use a nuclear weapon even in response to an attack carried out with conventional weapons that creates “a critical threat to our sovereignty.” Ukraine last month pressed a cross-border offensive that captured territory in Russia for the first time since the war began and has been lobbying Washington for permission to use Western missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory.

The debate over the threat of Russian nuclear use has come to a head this week with a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to the United States, in which he has kept up that lobbying effort to use Western missiles against targets deep inside Russia. Mr. Putin said this month that such a move would “mean that NATO countries — the United States and European countries — are at war with Russia.”

The Russian leader said on Wednesday that Moscow would consider nuclear use if it detected the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft or drones against it.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, confirmed that the changes were meant as a message to Ukraine’s Western backers. “This is a signal that warns these countries about the consequences in the case of their participation in an attack on our country by various means, and not necessarily nuclear ones,” he said.

Russia’s current doctrine says Russia’s nuclear deterrence is directed mainly against countries and alliances that have nuclear weapons. And it has a different phrasing for the kind of conventional attack that could trigger nuclear use, specifying that such an attack must threaten “the very existence of the state.”

Mr. Putin described the new doctrine as a “draft,” and the Kremlin did not immediately publish it. But given Russia’s autocratic system, Mr. Putin’s description of it in his four-minute, televised remarks appeared virtually certain to be codified.

Ever since he launched his invasion in February 2022, Mr. Putin has struggled to wield the might of his enormous nuclear arsenal to scare the West into backing down in the war, in which Ukraine is fighting with arms, funds and military intelligence provided by a Western coalition led by the United States.

For months, Russian analysts have been saying that the West hasn’t been getting Mr. Putin’s message: that, eventually, increased Western aid to Ukraine could lead Russia to use nuclear weapons. In response, Mr. Zelensky, and supporters of Ukraine, have argued that fears of Russian nuclear use are overblown, especially because Russia has not used those weapons despite the repeated ratcheting-up of military capabilities that the West has been providing.

Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based analyst of Russian nuclear forces, said it was clear the change to the doctrine was being made “for additional deterrence against Ukraine’s Western allies.”

“There is a lot of room for interpretation for what constitutes aggression and what doesn’t,” Mr. Podvig said in a telephone interview. “But it still lowers the rhetorical threshold for potential use of nuclear weapons.”

In recent months, as the West has mulled allowing Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory, Mr. Putin has tried to signal that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons in the conflict — even if he hasn’t used them yet. In May, Russia released footage that it said showed troops conducting drills on the use of tactical nuclear weapons — smaller-yield bombs that could be used on the battlefield in Ukraine.

But Mr. Putin and his top officials have also made veiled threats about bombing the United States and its NATO allies. Last week, the chairman of Russia’s lower house of Parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, touted Russia’s new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile in a social media post about a European Parliament resolution calling for Western governments to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike deep inside Russia.

“The flight time of the Sarmat missile to Strasbourg is 3 minutes 20 seconds,” Mr. Volodin wrote, referring to the French city where the European Parliament meets.

The execution, however, has not always lived up to the messaging. Satellite imagery taken last Saturday showed that a test of the next-generation Sarmat missile ended in a catastrophic failure, with a 200-foot-wide crater at the launch site indicating that the missile had exploded in its silo.

Despite that failure, there is little doubt that Russia’s nuclear arsenal — deployed on ground-launched missiles, submarines and bombers — wields enormous destructive potential. Mr. Putin appeared to make reference to that arsenal when he announced his invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and warned that any country that tried to interfere with Russia’s actions would face consequences “such as you have never seen in your entire history.”

Since then, Mr. Putin and his aides have regularly raised the specter of nuclear weapons use — so often, in fact, that Ukrainian officials and some experts say it has muted the effectiveness of the threats. They have yet to stop Ukraine’s allies, for example, from providing ever more sophisticated weaponry with which to battle Moscow’s forces, though the threats may have slowed the pace of that support.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Mr. Putin said that specialists at Russia’s Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry and the Kremlin had spent a year conducting “a deep, comprehensive analysis and assessed the need to adjust our approaches to the possible use of nuclear forces.”

“It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any nonnuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” Mr. Putin went on, describing the updated doctrine.

And he said that an attack against Belarus — Russia’s closest ally, neighboring Ukraine to the north — would also be considered an attack against Russia.

“We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in case of aggression against Russia and Belarus,” Mr. Putin said. “Including if the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat to our sovereignty.”

Anton Troianovski is the Moscow bureau chief for The Times. He writes about Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. More about Anton Troianovski

Ivan Nechepurenko covers Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the countries of the Caucasus, and Central Asia. He is based in Moscow. More about Ivan Nechepurenko

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

The Deserter :  A Russian officer didn’t want to fight in the war in Ukraine — he just wanted to survive. But to make it back to his family and live in peace, he would have to run .

Zelensky’s Tough Act:  In his speech at the U.N. General Assembly and then a meeting with President Biden, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will be pleading for more military and political support .

Czech President’s Comments:  President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic, a former senior NATO general who has been one of Ukraine’s most robust backers, said Ukraine needs to be realistic about its goals in the war .

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Russia-Ukraine war: Putin makes 'significant' attempt to 'redraw red lines' on using nukes

Joe Biden has just confirmed he will provide Ukraine with additional long-range munitions - but he has not relented on allowing the missiles to be launched into Russia. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is changing Russia's nuclear doctrine in a new escalation threat.

Thursday 26 September 2024 14:43, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Biden will provide Ukraine with long-range glide bombs
• Analysis : Decision a step-up - but falls short of what Kyiv wants most
• Explained: What are glide bombs? | Zelenskyy's 'Victory Plan'
• Putin proposes new rules on Russia using nukes
• Kremlin says latest threat is a 'signal' to the West
• 'Poorly timed': US condemns statement from Moscow
• Analysis: How seriously should we take Putin's bid to redraw nuclear red lines?

We are pausing our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Here are the main things you need to know:

• The Kremlin has said the West should take Vladimir Putin's latest nuclear threat as a "signal" , as it warned of "unprecedented confrontation" if Ukraine's allies help attack Russia;
• It comes after the Russian president suggested new rules which would let Moscow use nukes if it came under attack by conventional weapons;
• Our Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett said this attempt to "redraw the red lines"  was  "significant" because using conventional weapons on Russian soil is exactly what Ukraine has been doing since its surprise incursion;
• But he noted Mr Putin's previous threats  "have not been followed through on" , with the West having been able to provide missiles, tanks, and fighter jets without any retaliation.
• Joe Biden has announced a "surge" in military support for Ukraine, with a new package including long-desired glide bombs , fresh air defence kit, and more training for Ukrainian pilots;
• The announcement was welcomed as "critical" by Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who has been holding talks with Mr Biden at the White House after speaking at the United Nations in New York yesterday;
• But our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes said while the package was welcome, it fell short of what Kyiv had been hoping for;
• While it includes more long-range missiles, permission for Ukraine to fire them into Russian territory has still not been given .

That's all for now - thanks for joining us today.

For more from the war in Ukraine, watch the special report below by our correspondent Alex Rossi , who joins Ukrainian forces defending a besieged city from Russian attacks.

These are the latest photographs from the frontline in Ukraine, where daily airstrikes have become the norm since Russia invaded in February 2022.

In Kharkiv in the northeast - very close to the land border with Russia - Ukrainian servicemen have been spotted operating drones.

It's certainly not the first time you've tapped into our Ukraine live blog and been greeted with nuclear threats from the Kremlin.

But our  Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett   says this one is "slightly different" to the ones we've had on a fairly regular basis since Russia launched its full invasion back in February 2022.

He says "it's more specific, more defined, and an attempt by Moscow to redraw the red lines".

It's all to do with Russia's nuclear doctrine - the document that defines when and how Moscow can use its nuclear arsenal.

Ivor says: "Currently, it's only if the existence of the state is under threat.

"But yesterday, Putin said he wanted to update this doctrine so in theory Russia could respond with nukes to an attack by any state using conventional weapons - things like missiles, drones, and aircraft."

Has the nuclear sabre-rattling lost its impact?

That's "significant" because it's exactly what's happening with Ukraine.

He also said the Kremlin would consider any assault by a non-nuclear power supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack - essentially a warning aimed at Ukraine's allies.

As we've reported, Mr Putin's officials have doubled down on those threats today, saying the West should take it as a "signal".

As Ivor notes, previous threats of retaliation "have not been followed through on".

"Providing missiles, battle tanks and fighter jets to Ukraine all happened without any consequence," he says.

There have been "loads of threats of nuclear Armageddon" and perhaps now both sides sense "this kind of language has lost some of its impact".

It could well be "yet another bluff".

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning to the West about nuclear weapons as "irresponsible" and "poorly timed".

The Kremlin said today that changes outlined by Mr Putin to Russia's nuclear weapons documents should be considered a "signal" to the West.

Addressing this, Mr Blinken told MSNBC: "It's totally irresponsible.

"I think many in the world have spoken clearly about that when he's been rattling the nuclear sabre - including China, in the past.

"So I would just say especially to do that now, while the world's gathered… talking about the need for more disarmament, non-proliferation." 

Sanctions on Russia were introduced two years ago shortly after the start of the country’s Ukrainian invasion. The purpose? To limit the Russian war machine and starve Russian oligarchs of access to luxury items.  

Our economics and data editor Ed Conway noticed that sales of British luxury vehicles to Russia had fallen away to almost nothing, yet sales to former Soviet states such as Azerbaijan and Georgia have massively increased. The suspicion was that these cars would then somehow make it into Russia, but we did not know how. 

In this episode, Niall Paterson sits down with Ed to find out the process by which sanctioned luxury European cars find their way to Moscow.

👉 Tap here to follow the Sky News Daily podcast - 20 minutes on the biggest stories every day 👈

Sergei Lavrov and Cardinal Pietro Larolin - in effect, Pope Francis's second in command - met for talks about the war with Ukraine late on Wednesday.

A statement from the Russian ministry said the pair discussed "mutual actions in the humanitarian sphere in the context of the Ukrainian crisis" on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

It also said Mr Lavrov and Cardinal Parolin spoke about "reasons for the geopolitical crisis, a direct consequence of the consistent anti-Russian policies of Western countries".

Relations between the Vatican and Kyiv have been strained at times due to a number of Pope Francis's comments since the invasion took place in February 2022.

However, the pope has repeatedly called for peace and condemned attacks by Russia that have caused loss of life since the conflict began.

Additionally, a papal envoy has visited both Kyiv and Moscow as part of efforts to bring Ukrainian children allegedly deported to Russia back to their homes.

Perhaps the most notable part of the new US aid package announced for Ukraine today is the inclusion of glide bombs.

This type of weaponry has been used by Russia during the war and has been long desired by Kyiv.

What are they?

The US Air Force describes them as "an unpowered glide weapon used to destroy high-value targets".

They are 12ft long, 18 inches in diameter, and weigh 2,500 pounds.

Each bomb costs up to $245,000 - they're cheaper than the ballistic and cruise missiles Russia regularly fires at Ukraine.

As our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes says - and as their name implies - they have retractable wings that help them reach targets upwards of 70 miles away.

They can be deployed from the F-16 fighter jets Ukraine also recently received from the US.

Reports suggest the glide bombs will be equipped with cluster munitions.

How do they work?

These bombs are equipped with satellite guidance capabilities that help them navigate in all conditions - day and night, and during bad weather.

They can be guided by an operator by remote control after being launched from the aircraft, but they can also lock on to targets beforehand and be guided there automatically.

The wings are arranged in an X-like arrangement, helping them glide through the air with the required accuracy.

Their wingspan is 4ft 11 inches.

The UK has just confirmed it  has extended its sanctions regime on Russia to include five ships and two shipping fulfilment companies. 

Earlier this month, the Westminster government slapped sanctions on 10 ships in Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet".

It is alleged that Russia uses these vessels to avoid Western restrictions on Russian oil exports.

In the past year, there has been growth in the number of oil tankers transporting cargoes that are not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers

The new ships under British sanctions are: Asya Energy, Pioneer, North Sky, SCF La Perouse and Nova Energy. 

And the shipping companies are: White Fox Ship Management and Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC.

If you're just joining us, it's been a significant few hours for the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

• Vladimir Putin has been back at the nuclear sabre-rattling , suggesting new rules which would let Russia use them if it ever came under attack - even by conventional weapons;
• The Kremlin said the West should take it as a "signal" , and warned of "unprecedented confrontation" if it helps attack Russia;
• Experts say his threat is designed to trigger  "a new wave of panic"  across the West and ensure they don't give Ukraine permission to fire long-range missiles into Russia.
• And back to those Biden-Zelenskyy talks, it's been reported the US president isn't happy with his Ukrainian counterpart's "victory plan" ;
• According to The Wall Street Journal, US officials are concerned it doesn't include enough detail on potential diplomatic solutions .

That's all for now - stay with us for more updates and analysis from Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow throughout the day.

Moscow has returned nine children who were deported to Russia back to their relatives in Ukraine, reports have suggested today.

Maria Lvova-Belova, the Children's Rights Commissioner for Russia, said the group included eight boys, aged 12 to 17, and one 17-year-old girl.

The return was co-ordinated by Qatar.

Ms Lvova-Belova said representatives from Qatar had "participated in negotiations with the Ukrainian side".

They also "accompany children and relatives" and taken care of "transportation and other expenses". 

"The International Committee of the Red Cross, regional children's ombudsmen, representatives of relevant departments, and law enforcement agencies also participate in the work."

As of today, a total of 80 children from 62 families have been reunited with their relatives - both in Ukraine and third party countries.

Ukraine has accused Russia of deporting children during the occupation of a number of cities in Ukraine, such as Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free