Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Putin’s war can be stopped in 2025 as Kyiv destroys 400 Russian drones
Ukrainian president calls on European countries to invest in weapons production in Ukraine
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes Kyiv has the opportunity to end the war with Russia by next year, as long as his country receives sufficient support from its allies.
“In October, November and December we have a chance to move things toward peace and lasting stability,” he told the Ukraine-South East Europe summit in Dubrovnik.
“The situation on the battlefield creates an opportunity to make this choice for decisive action to end the war no later than in 2025.”
Zelensky also used the summit to call on southeastern European countries to invest in weapons production in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said its forces had struck a base in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region storing hundreds of Shahed drones yesterday. “According to available information, nearly 400 strike drones were stored there,” Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement.
“Based on objective control results, a direct hit was made on the target. Secondary explosions were observed at the site,” it said.
And the Russian military is looking to make significant advances in the Donbas region before muddy ground conditions in the autumn set in, a US-based think-tank has said.
Mapped: Russia claims to have captured two Ukrainian villages as it advances in Donetsk
Ukrainian drone strikes another arms depot inside Russia, officials say
Trump spoke with Putin at least seven times since leaving White House, Bob Woodward reports
North Korea is ‘highly likely’ sending troops to fight for Russia in Ukraine, South Korea says
PM spokesperson says stance on Storm Shadow missiles unchanged despite Zelensky meeting
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed the support Ukraine would need in its war against Russia in the coming months during talks in London on Thursday, Starmer’s spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also reiterated Britain’s view that Ukraine has the right, in certain circumstances, to strike targets inside Russian territory, but said that Britain’s stance on the use of its long-range Storm Shadow missiles was unchanged.
“We obviously want to put Ukraine in the strongest position. But no war has ever been won by a single weapon. And on Storm Shadow specifically, there has been no change to the UK government’s position on the use of long-range missiles,” the spokesperson said.
17-year-old girl among seven injured in Russian strikes overnight
Russian overnight and early morning attacks on Ukraine hit civilian and critical infrastructure facilities, injuring at least seven people across the country.
A flurry of Russian guided bomb strikes early in the morning injured six people, including a 17-year-old girl, and damaged 29 buildings in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
Video shows aftermath after Russians shell Kherson post office
The head of the Kherson Regional Postal Administration Oleksandr Prokudin reported that their central Kherson post office was destroyed.
“At night, a post office in the centre of Kherson came under attack by Russian troops,” the statement on Facebook reads.
He said the strike smashed the windows, damaged the roof, walls and fence, as well as service vehicles. There were no casualties.
Six rescued from destroyed house in Kryvyi Rih
The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Lysak, reported on a Russian strike on a home in Kryvyi Rih.
“The roof of the house in Kryvyi Rih was damaged. A stairwell was destroyed in one of the entrances. Six people were rescued from the damaged part of the house,” he wrote.
According to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih’s Defense Council, an enemy UAV hit the roof of the five-story building.
“The rescue operation is underway, rescuers are making door-to-door visits. So far, there are no casualties, but the rescue operation is not over,” he wrote.
Two men accused of hammer attack on Navalny aide may be released on bail
Two men suspected of attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled aide to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, may be released on bail from detention in Poland, a court has ruled.
Volkov suffered injuries from hammer blows in the attack on March 12 outside his home in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Two men suspected of attacking him were arrested in Poland in April on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuania.
“Each must pay 50,000 zlotys ($12,700) bail within a week... If they pay, they will be released, if they don’t pay, they won’t be released,” Piotr Jaszke, the lawyer of one of the suspects told Reuters.
Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, died in February after collapsing at the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a long jail term.
Zelensky seeking greater military support as he visits Downing Street
The Ukrainian president and the Prime Minister embraced outside No 10 before a series of talks which will also involve Nato’s new secretary-general Mark Rutte.
The visit was Mr Zelensky’s second trip to Number 10 since Sir Keir came to power after he addressed an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet in July.
Mr Zelensky has been presenting his “victory plan” to Western leaders as he lobbies for greater military assistance, such as permission to use equipment including UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to hit targets within Russia.
Welcoming Mr Zelensky in No 10’s Pillared Room, Sir Keir said it was “very important we’re able to show our continued commitment to support Ukraine” and it was a chance to “go through the plan, to talk in more detail”.
The pair then held private talks in the Small Dining Room before conversations involving their wider teams.
Defence Secretary John Healey, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and National Security Adviser Sir Tim Barrow were among the senior figures involved in the meeting with the Ukrainians.
The UK and US have so far stopped short of explicitly giving Kyiv permission to fire Western-supplied missiles at targets within Vladimir Putin’s country over concerns about further escalating the conflict, but Mr Zelensky has likened his position to having to fight with his hands tied.
New sanctions unit launched as Zelensky arrives in Downing Street
The UK’s sanctions against Russia, worth £20billion, are set to be strengthened as the Government launches a new unit to penalise companies who do not comply.
The new Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), launching today, will work with industry to make complying with sanctions obligations as straightforward as possible by issuing guidance and user-friendly online tools.
For the minority of businesses that don’t comply to sanctions, OTSI will have powers to publish information about sanctions breaches and impose civil monetary penalties.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Sanctions are vital in defunding Putin’s illegal war and only by working hand in hand with business can we make them as effective as possible.
“This new unit will help ensure businesses comply with trade sanctions and take decisive enforcement action where needed so that, together with business, we can continue to exert maximum pressure on Putin’s regime.”
PM welcomes Zelensky to Downing Street
Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street as the pair discuss the UK’s support for Kyiv.
The Prime Minister said it was a chance for the Ukrainian leader to talk through his plans in more detail.
Sir Keir said it was “very important we’re able to show our continued commitment to support Ukraine” and it was a chance to “go through the plan, to talk in more detail”.
Russian strikes injure four people in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia
A flurry of Russian airstrikes injured four people and damaged 29 buildings in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia early on Thursday, its regional governor said.
Ukraine’s national police said Russian forces had used glide bombs in three strikes on the city, according to preliminary information.
Zaporizhzhia, an important logistical and industrial hub, has been pounded by Russian guided bombs in recent weeks.
Russian forces partially occupy the Zaporizhzhia region, one of four in Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed. The region is also home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, also currently controlled by Russian forces.
Ukraine hits Russian ammo depot with nearly 400 Shahed drones
Ukraine’s military said its forces have struck a base in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region storing hundreds of Shahed drones, scoring several hits.
A statement by the General Staff said the attack was carried out jointly by naval forces and the SBU intelligence service.
“According to available information, nearly 400 strike drones were stored there,” the statement said. “Based on objective control results, a direct hit was made on the target. Secondary explosions were observed at the site.”
It said the attack was carried out near a village identified as Oktyabrsky.
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