Ukraine-Russia war live: Putin ally warns of nuclear war if Kyiv uses long-range missiles
Speaker of Russia’s Duma says Moscow ‘will give a tough response using more powerful weapons’
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A senior Russian lawmaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, warned that if Ukraine were to strike deep into Russian territory using Western missiles, it could trigger a global conflict involving nuclear weapons.
He stated that Russia would respond forcefully with more powerful weapons.
This comes a day after Russian forces hit a centre for the elderly in the Ukrainian city of Sumy and targeted the country’s energy sector in a new wave of air strikes, killing at least one civilian, Kyiv officials said.
During a strike on the northern city of Sumy, a Russian guided bomb hit a five-storey building, officials said.
One person was killed and 12 wounded, the interior ministry said on the Telegram app.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said rescue teams were checking whether people were trapped under rubble.
A UN monitoring body said attacks on the power grid probably breached humanitarian law, while the International Energy Agency said in a report that Ukraine’s electricity supply shortfall in the critical winter months could reach about a third of expected peak demand.
Earlier, a drone attack by Ukraine “wiped off the face of the Earth” a major Russian weapons depot in the Tver region, Ukrainian intelligence sources said.
Russian funds to be used for heating in Ukraine
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen is heading to Ukraine tomorrow, with the promise of €160m (£134m) in fresh energy funds to heat homes, hospitals and schools through the winter.
Much of the funds will come the proceeds of the Russian assets held in the EU. “It is only right that Russia pays for the destruction it caused,” she said.
EU chief travels to Kyiv with promise of fresh energy funds to get Ukraine through winter
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen is traveling to war-ravaged Ukraine with the promise of 160 million euros in fresh energy funds to get the nation through the winter
We’re ramping up drone production, vows Putin
Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ramping up drone production by around 10 times to nearly 1.4 million this year to ensure Russian armed forces grab victory in Ukraine.
“In total, about 140,000 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were delivered to the armed forces in 2023,” Putin said. “This year, the production of drones is planned to increase significantly. Well, to be more precise, almost 10 times.”
“Whoever reacts faster to these demands on the battlefield wins,” Mr Putin said at a meeting in St Petersburg about developing drone production.
Since Russia sent tens of thousands of soldiers into Ukraine in February 2022, both Russia and Ukraine have bought drones abroad and ramped up their own production for a range of targets - from artillery to energy infrastructure.
Nearly 190 clashes in the past day, Ukraine says
Intense battles continued on the eastern Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts as Ukraine’s General Staff recorded 187 combat clashes over the past day.
Residential areas in Kharkiv - near the northeastern border - were also struck by Russian guided missiles, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
But Pokrovsk and Kurakove, both towns near the eastern city of Donetsk, faced the brunt of Russian assaults in the past day.
Ukrainian forces repelled 46 assaults towards the various settlements around the town of Pokrovsk, a key strategic city for the movement of Ukrainian supplies.
On the Kurakhove front, around 50 kilometres south of Pokrovsk and 50 kilometres west of Donetsk, 40 attacks were repelled.
Ukraine’s operation in Russia’s Kursk region is ongoing, with Russian forces striking their own territory 19 times with 39 guided bombs.
ICYMI: Ukraine boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk released after brief detention in Poland
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk was dramatically led away in handcuffs as he passed through a Polish airport.
Usyk, who was due in London, was detained in Krakow but spoke out soon after to clarify the incident was a misunderstanding.
In footage posted to social media, the heavyweight world champion was seen being led away into a lift by five police officers.
Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk detained by police at Polish airport
The heavyweight champion was released after what he called a ‘misunderstanding’ in Krakow
Lessons from Red Sea and Ukraine's Black Sea fight help prep Navy for possible conflict with China
Lessons from Red Sea and Ukraine's Black Sea fight help prep Navy for possible conflict with China
The Navy is taking lessons from its combat in the Red Sea and from what Ukraine has done to hold off the Russians in the Black Sea, and using them to help U.S. military leaders for a potential future conflict with China
EU to send 160 million euros from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine
The sum of €160 million from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets will be allocated to meet Ukraine‘s urgent humanitarian needs for this winter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.
She added that a fuel power plant is being dismantled in Lithuania and will be rebuilt in Ukraine, where 80 per cent of the country’s thermal plants have been destroyed.
“We aim to restore 2.5 gw of capacity, which is 15 per cent of Ukraine‘s needs,” Von der Leyen said.
I’ve witnessed the horrific cost of Putin’s war – as casualties hit 1m
I’ve witnessed first-hand the horrific cost of Putin’s war – as casualties hit 1m
As the conflict reaches its grim milestone, The Independent’s frontline reporter Askold Krushelnycky explains why Russian forces are taking the brunt of the damage
Photos from the frontline
Below we have some of the latest photos from the frontline on Ukraine.
Russia and Pakistan to strengthen economic ties
The two countries hope to boost their bilateral trade, it was announced in a joint press conference in Islamabad.
With Russia facing economic isolation following Western sanctions, trade between Russia and Pakistan hit $1 billion dollars last year.
"Even today, we looked at how to expand our relationship, and overcome this constraint of the banking system, which you know are facing sanctions, which obviously constrains our relationship, the volume of our relationship could have been much bigger," Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Moscow will also support Pakistan’s bid to join the BRICS alliance, currently consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan applied in 2023.
Ukraine boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk released after brief detention in Poland
Heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has been released after being briefly detained at Krakow airport in Poland, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“I was disappointed by this attitude towards our citizen and champion,” Mr Zelensky said, following a phone call with Usyk. “Our champion has been released, and he is no longer being detained.”
He posted a photo of Usyk with Ukraine’s Consul General in Krakow after the athlete was released.
It was not immediately clear why the 37-year-old was detained. He is one of Ukraine’s most prominent athletes known abroad, and has organised and participated in different projects aiding his country’s efforts to resist Russia’s invasion.
Alexander Butler reports:
Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk detained by police at Polish airport
The heavyweight champion was released after what he called a ‘misunderstanding’ in Krakow
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