Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin launches mass drone attack on Kyiv as Briton captured fighting for Ukraine
Russian drones enter Kyiv from different directions in a multi-wave attack this morning
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Russia fired a multi-wave drone attack towards the Ukrainian capital Kyiv this morning, forcing most of the country to issue air raid alerts.
“The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attack on the capital continues,” mayor Vitali Klitschko said, adding that the Russian drones are entering Kyiv from different directions.
Air defences are operating in different areas of the city, he said, as witnesses reported a series of explosions.
This comes as Russia’s military said it had captured British national James Scott Rhys Anderson, who was fighting for a Ukrainian foreign regiment in an occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region.
It represents one of the first known cases of a Western national being captured on Russian soil while fighting for Ukraine. The 22-year-old man’s father said he feared his son would be tortured, while the UK Foreign Office confirmed it was “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention”.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said the US had seen no signs of North Korean troops inside Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine or that they are heading in that direction.
Former British soldier ‘fighting for Ukraine is captured by Russian forces’
A Russian charged with sending video of military equipment to Ukraine gets 14 years in prison
Joe Rogan accused of pushing Russian propaganda by Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko
Russian threats will not ‘dictate our decisions’ on Ukraine, minister tells Nato
Russia removes commander in Ukraine ‘for misleading reports'
Russia has removed a senior general in Ukraine for giving misleading reports about the progress of the war as defence minister Andrei Belousov tries to clear out poor commanders, pro-Russian war bloggers and state media said.
Ahead of winter, Russian forces advanced at the fastest rate in Ukraine since the start of the 2022 invasion, though progress was much slower in some areas - particularly around Siversk in the eastern region of Donetsk.
Russian media cited unidentified sources as saying that Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the Southern Grouping, had been removed from his command, though there was no official confirmation.
“Only the lazy did not write about the problems there: overall, it took the system about two months to react properly,” Rybar, a pro-Russian blogger said on Telegram.
“Anashkin, was removed from office for false reports in the Seversk direction,” Rybar added.
UN chief and the Pope call for nations to end the use of antipersonnel land mines
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis and others have urged nations to end the production and use of anti-personnel land mines – just days after the US announced it would supply them to Ukraine.
In a message to delegates at the fifth review of the International Mine Ban Treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, Mr Guterres warned some parties were falling behind in their commitments to destroy the weapons, 25 years after it came into force.
“I call on states parties to meet their obligations and ensure compliance to the convention, while addressing humanitarian and developmental impacts through financial and technical support,” Mr Guterres said at the opening of the conference in Cambodia.
“I also encourage all states that have not yet acceded to the convention to join the 164 that have done so. A world without anti-personnel mines is not just possible. It is within reach.”
The UN chief and pope call for nations to end the use of antipersonnel land mines
The U.N. chief, Pope Francis and others are calling for nations to end the production and use of land mines, even as their deployment grows
Britain will not be intimidated by Russian cyberthreats, minister tells Nato
Britain and its allies will not be intimidated by Russian cyberthreats into stopping supporting Ukraine, cabinet office minister Pat McFadden has told Nato, urging the military alliance to work together more closely to stay ahead in “the new AI arms race”.
Addressing a Nato Cyber Defence Conference in London, Mr McFadden warned that Nato, businesses and institutions must do “everything they can to lock their own digital doors” to protect themselves from what he called an increasingly aggressive Russia.
And he called for Ukraine’s allies to double down on their support for Kyiv against Vladimir Putin, who he said was trying “to deter our support for Ukraine with his threats”.
“We will not join those voices of weakness who want to give Putin a veto over our help for Ukraine,” Mr McFadden said.
“While no one should underestimate the Russian aggressive and reckless cyber threat to Nato, we will not be intimidated by it and we will never allow it to dictate our decisions or policies. And we will do everything we can to defend our countries against it.”
It’s not yet World War Three – but ‘World War Z’ has begun
It’s not yet World War Three – but ‘World War Z’ has begun
Joe Biden granting Ukraine permission to use Nato-supplied rockets to attack military targets within Russia is an escalation of a European conflict now past its 1,000th day – and, though it is far from being a global conflict, the West is effectively now at war with Putin’s forces, says Mark Almond
War with Russia won’t end quickly, says ex-Ukrainian minister
Former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that Mocow’s war with Kyiv will not end quickly even after US president-elect Donald Trump takes office next year.
“I do not expect any quick ending of the war,” Mr Kuleba told CNN.
“What I know for certain is that first: [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not leave under pressure,” he said. “Second, Ukraine will not agree to any quick solution. And third, most importantly, I would like to remind everyone that the key to peace lies in Moscow not in Kyiv.”
The Ukrainian president earlier this month said the war will end “faster” when Mr Trump takes over as US president.
Mr Trump had claimed repeatedly that the Ukraine-Russia war would not have started if he had been president and would settle the war in one day.
Trump’s pick for security advisor calls for end to war
Donald Trump’s top security advisor has called for an end to the escalation of the war between Ukraine and Russia, urging both nations to come to the negotiating table.
“We need to bring this to a responsible end. We need to restore deterrence, restore peace, and get ahead of this escalation ladder, rather than responding to it,” said Mike Waltz, the president-elect’s pick for national security adviser.
“President Trump has been very clear about the need to end this conflict,” he told Fox News yesterday.
“We need to be discussing who’s at that table, whether it’s an agreement, an armistice, how to get both sides to the table and then what’s the framework of a deal?”
US Air Force says drones spotted near 3 bases in England last week
The US Air Force has said that a number of small drones were detected last week around three bases in eastern England used by American forces.
The drones were spotted between Wednesday and Friday near RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell. They were actively monitored after they were seen in the vicinity of and over the three bases, U.S. Air Forces Europe said in a statement.
The Air Force didn’t identify who was behind the incursions, but said base officials determined there was no impact on residents or critical infrastructure.
US Air Force says drones spotted near 3 bases in England last week
The U.S. Air Force says a number of small drones were detected last week around three bases in eastern England that are used by American forces
James Scott Rhys Anderson: Who is ex-British soldier captured in Russia’s Kursk region?
James Scott Rhys Anderson, who says he is a former British soldier, has been captured in Russia’s Kursk region while fighting for Ukraine, according to Russian state media.
The 22-year-old man’s father told the Daily Mail he feared his son would be tortured, while the UK Foreign Office confirmed it was “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention”.
His capture would mark one of the first known cases of a Western national being captured on Russian soil while fighting for Ukraine.
So, who is Mr Anderson, and how did this man come to be captured by Russian forces?
Who is the former British soldier captured in Russia’s Kursk region?
The father of the man identifying himself as a 22-year-old former British signalman says his son joined the army at 17 and later served with the police before going to fight for Ukraine
Turkey’s Erdogan and Nato chief discuss ways to end Ukraine war, Ankara says
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan and Nato chief Mark Rutte discussed possible ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine during talks in Ankara on Monday, the Turkish presidency has said.
“During the meeting, what can be done to end the Ukraine-Russia war and the massacre in Palestine were discussed,” the presidency said on X.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments