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7 minutes ago

Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin’s forces claim capture of strategic town as Zelensky makes Trump appeal

Ukrainian brigade confirms withdrawing strategically from some areas to avoid encirclement

Tara Cobham,Namita Singh,Andy Gregory
Tuesday 28 January 2025 02:00 GMT
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Trump describes Ukraine war as ‘bullets whacking and hitting men’

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Russia claims to have captured the strategically important Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka, as Vladimir Putin’s forces continue their push in the Donetsk region.

A spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern forces confirmed on Monday that Russian troops had entered the town, but said that fighting continued on the outskirts.

With concerns that Russia could advance further towards Pokrovsk, president Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that he had replaced the commander of military formation responsible for defending the key city for the third time in a year.

Mr Zelensky has also made a demand for Kyiv to be included in talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine that he believes could happen under Donald Trump’s US presidency.

The Ukrainian president said that the terms of any deal that might arise under the new US president were still unclear – and might not even be clear to Mr Trump himself – because Vladimir Putin had no interest in ending the war.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight.

7 minutes ago

Freezing aid to Ukraine shows Trump is no ally to the West

Pulling aid from Ukraine shows Trump is no ally to the West

Donald Trump’s foreign policy chief has said foreign aid to all countries apart from Israel and Egypt is to be halted. The results for Ukraine could be catastrophic, writes Sam Kiley in Dnipro

Tom Watling28 January 2025 02:00
1 hour ago

The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine

The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine

Winged explosives weighing up to 1,500 kilograms – and nicknamed the ‘building destroyer’ – have had a devastating impact wherever they have been used, writes Tom Watling. Kyiv is battling them as best it can but needs Western allies to step up and provide more weapons, air defences and ammunition

Tom Watling28 January 2025 01:00
2 hours ago

Explained | Why does Russia want to capture the strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk?

Russian forces are closing in on the strategically important eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk after capturing a string of villages to its south, and Ukraine has halted production at its only coking coal mine nearby due to the advance.

Pokrovsk is a road and rail hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, which had a pre-war population of some 60,000 people. While most people have fled, Ukraine estimated last month that up to 11,000 still remain in the city.

It lies on a key road used by the Ukrainian military to supply other embattled eastern outposts including the towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine’s only mine that produces coking coal - used in its once vast steel industry and vital for the country’s pre-war economy - is just a 20-minute drive to the west of Pokrovsk, and open source data shows Russian forces are less than 2 km (1.24 miles) from one of the mine shafts.

Moscow says it has annexed Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and sees taking control of Pokrovsk as an important stepping stone to incorporating the entire region into Russia. Kyiv and the West reject Russia’s territorial claims as illegal and accuse Moscow of prosecuting a war of colonial conquest.

Control of the city, which the Russian media call "the gateway to Donetsk", would allow Moscow to severely disrupt Ukrainian supply lines along the eastern front and boost its campaign to capture Chasiv Yar, which sits on higher ground offering potential control of a wider area.

Squeezing the Ukrainian military’s access to the road network in the vicinity would make it harder for Kyiv’s troops to hold pockets of territory either side of Pokrovsk, which could allow Russia to advance the front line.

Tom Watling28 January 2025 00:00
2 hours ago

Ukraine welcomes Trump’s threat to sanction Russian oil and gas harder

Ukraine welcomes Trump’s threat to sanction Russian oil and gas even harder

US president says no desire to hurt Russia but asks Mr Putin to ‘settle now and stop this ridiculous war’

Tom Watling27 January 2025 23:30
3 hours ago

Ukraine to offer financial incentives to boost military recruitment

Ukraine to offer financial incentives to under 25s to boost military recruitment

Ukraine is in the final stages of drafting recruitment reforms to attract 18- to 25-year-olds

Tom Watling27 January 2025 23:00
3 hours ago

Nato chief says support Ukraine or stopping Putin will cost trillions

Nato chief says stopping Putin will cost trillions if they don’t support Ukraine now

The military alliance has been increasing its forces along its eastern flank with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, deploying thousands of troops and equipment

Tom Watling27 January 2025 22:30
4 hours ago

Russia hit Zaporizhzhia region with glide bombs, injuring four

Tom Watling27 January 2025 22:00
4 hours ago

North Korea ‘to send more troops to Russia despite heavy casualties’

North Korea ‘to send more troops to Russia despite heavy casualties’

South Korea also said that the North is preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile intended to reach the United States

Tom Watling27 January 2025 21:30
5 hours ago

Hungary wants the EU to intervene in a gas dispute with Ukraine

Hungary wants the EU to intervene in a gas dispute with Ukraine

Hungary wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute it has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc’s upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia

Tom Watling27 January 2025 21:00
5 hours ago

Russians could face jail for divulging movement of sanctioned goods

Russians could face jail for divulging movements of sanctioned goods into the country

It comes as US President Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs and sanctions if a deal isn’t reached to end the war in Ukraine

Tom Watling27 January 2025 20:30

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