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2 hours 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

Andy Gregory,Arpan Rai
Tuesday 28 January 2025 03:05 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.

16 hours ago

The fatal lengths North Korean soldiers will go to to avoid capture by Ukraine

The extraordinary lengths North Korean soldiers will go to avoid capture in Ukraine

The North Korean troops fighting for Russia are highly trained and will stop at nothing to avoid surrender, Ukrainian sources tell Sam Kiley, The Independent’s World Affairs Editor, in Sumy

Tom Watling27 January 2025 13:35
16 hours ago

Republicans duck Trump’s claims that Ukraine should have surrendered to Russia

Republican Senators ducked answering questions about Donald Trump’s claim that Ukraine should have surrendered to Russia and his attempt to blame the bloody conflict on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The president spoke to Fox News host Sean Hannity this week and blamed Zelensky’s failure to preemptively capitulate to Russia invading Ukraine, even though Russian forces have occupied parts of the country since 2014.

“Zelensky was fighting a much bigger entity, much bigger, much more powerful,” Trump told Hannity. “He shouldn’t have done that, because we could have made a deal, and it would have been a deal that would have been, it would have been a nothing deal.”

My colleague Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC:

Republicans duck Trump’s claims that Ukraine should have surrendered to Russia

‘I hadn’t heard that,’ one Republican insisted about Trump’s claims in Hannity interview

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 13:30
16 hours ago

Starmer and Irish PM discuss Ukraine war

Sir Keir Starmer and Micheal Martin have discussed the Ukraine war in a call on Monday morning, the Irish premier has said.

Speaking after the call, Mr Martin said: “I was pleased to speak again with British prime minister Keir Starmer this morning, following my appointment as Taoiseach.”

He added: “We discussed global issues, including Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, in particular the need for a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Later today I will be attending an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

“We discussed the importance of remaining committed today to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, intolerance and racism.”

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 13:15
16 hours ago

Full report: Zelensky believes Trump could end Russia’s war – but only if Kyiv included in talks

Volodymyr Zelensky has stated his belief that a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine could be made under Donald Trump’s presidency but demanded Kyiv be included in any peace talks.

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

My colleague Tara Cobham reports:

Zelensky believes Trump could end Russia’s war but only if Ukraine included in talks

Ukrainian President issues demand to US President after Vladimir Putin states Moscow is ‘ready for negotiations’

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 13:00
17 hours ago

Pictured: Russia’s Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine arrives at Northern Fleet base

(AP)
(AP)
Andy Gregory27 January 2025 12:45
17 hours ago

Desperate Ukrainians resorting to illegal routes and ‘rogue advisers’ to bring children to UK

Desperate Ukrainian families are resorting to illegal routes and “rogue advisers” to bring their children to Britain after “catastrophic” changes to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, ministers have been told.

The government, which has vowed “ironclad” support for Ukrainians, has been warned repeatedly since taking office that changes to the Ukrainian sponsorship schemes – made overnight last February by the Tory administration – are preventing children from joining their parents in the UK.

This has now created the “inevitable” situation in which families are resorting to bringing children to the UK via irregular routes, leaving them at risk of exploitation by criminals and people traffickers, a charity supporting Ukrainians told the home secretary this week.

Speaking to The Independent, one Ukrainian mother said she was left with no choice but to bring her children from Ukraine illegally after their carer grandparent fell ill, and urged the government to change course to allow families to reunite in safety.

Desperate Ukrainians using illegal routes to bring children to UK, ministers warned

Exclusive: Mother forced to bring children to UK illegally urges Starmer to ensure families can be reunited

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 12:30
17 hours ago

Pokrovsk remains Russia’s key target in Ukraine’s east, Kyiv warns

Viktor Trehubov, a military spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern front, that the logistics hub of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region remained the main Russian target, after Vladimir Putin’s forces seized the town of Velyka Novosilka.

Around 7,000 people are believed to remain inside Pokrovsk, which had around 60,000 residents before the invasion.

“The Pokrovsk direction accounts for at least half of all combat clashes, there is a lot of fighting there. It is the most active direction,” Mr Trehubov told Ukrainian TV. “They are trying to bypass the city, cut the supply lines and drive our troops out of the city.”

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 12:15
17 hours ago

Ukraine confirms withdrawal from key Donetsk town

The Ukrainian military has confirmed its withdrawal from the key Donetsk town of Velyka Novosilka, a day after Russia said it had captured it.

Viktor Trehubov, a military spokesperson for Ukraine's eastern front, confirmed that Russian troops had entered the town but said fighting continued on the outskirts.

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 12:00
18 hours ago

Zelensky replaces eastern commander as Ukraine withdraws from key Donetsk town

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has replaced the commander of the eastern front, the most heated battlefield of the Ukraine war, after Russian forces captured another strategic town there.

Brigadier-General Andriy Hnatov was replaced as the battlefield commander in the east by Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, overall commander of ground forces, who will keep his previous duties. Hnatov was given a role overseeing training and communications.

In his nightly video address late on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said the aim was to strengthen the command of troops in the Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian military confirmed on Monday that it had withdrawn from the Donetsk town of Velyka Novosilka, a day after Russia said it had captured it. Viktor Trehubov, a military spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern front, confirmed that Russian troops had entered the town but said fighting continued on the outskirts.

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 11:45
18 hours ago

EU foreign ministers agree rollover of Russia sanctions after Hunarian opposition, diplomats say

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to renew the bloc's wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, imposed over the war in Ukraine, diplomats have told Reuters.

Following some opposition from Hungary to extending the sanctions, foreign minister Peter Szijjarto had suggested prior to the meeting in Brussels that Budapest was hoping for EU guarantees to protect its energy supply.

Andy Gregory27 January 2025 11:30

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