Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky vents anger at long-range missile delay as Putin ‘burns down our cities’
Putin has warned Nato will be directly at war with Moscow if the UK and US allow Kyiv to use longer-range weapons inside Russia
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Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is “difficult to repeatedly hear” Western allies say they are working on a decision to lift limits on the use of long-range missiles as Vladimir Putin “burns down our cities and villages”.
Mr Zelensky has pleaded with allies for months to allow his military to fire long-range US ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets used to launch devastating daily attacks on Ukraine.
On Friday, UK prime minister Keir Starmer met with US president Joe Biden at the White House were they discussed Ukraine and the Middle East. There was no announcement on the use of long-range weapons.
“Putin interprets delays in helping us and in making strong decisions for Ukraine as permission to do whatever he wants,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin warned Nato will be directly at war with Moscow if the US and UK allow Kyiv to use the weapons.
The Russian president claimed the programming of Western missiles would have to be done by Nato military personnel - bringing the organisation into direct confrontation with the Kremlin.
Putin warns that Nato will be ‘at war’ with Russia if Ukraine missile restrictions lifted
What is the Storm Shadow cruise missile? The British weapon banned from use in Russia by Ukrainian troops
What Starmer’s Washington visit could mean for Ukraine- Starmer stares down Putin as he and Biden prepare to escalate Ukraine war with missiles
Six Indians fighting for Russia in Ukraine war set to return home after release from front line
How would long-range missiles help Ukraine?
Ukraine sees the ability to use long-range missiles behind enemy lines as a game-changer, allowing it to target air bases, supply depots, and communication centers hundreds of miles over the border.
It argues that this would help reduce Russia’s air superiority and weaken supply lines needed to launch daily airstrikes against Ukraine - with drones, missiles, and powerful glide bombs - and to sustain its military ground offensive into Ukraine.
With winter likely to slow that advance, long-range air strike capabilities will become a higher priority. Kyiv wants to go back on the offensive to offset military manpower shortages 2 years into the war and to protect its badly-damaged power infrastructure.
Kremlin says Putin has sent a clear message to the West on long-range missiles for Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin has delivered a clear message to the West about the consequences it will face if it allows Ukraine to hit Russian territory with Western long-range missiles, the Kremlin has said.
Putin said on Thursday that the West would be directly fighting with Russia if it allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, a move he said would alter the nature and scope of the conflict.
“The statement made by President Putin yesterday is very important. It is extremely clear, unambiguous and does not allow for double readings. We have no doubt that this statement reached those it was intended for,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Kremlin declines comment on Ukrainian claim that Russia struck grain ship in Black Sea
The Kremlin has declined to comment after Ukraine said Russia used strategic bombers to strike a civilian grain vessel in Black Sea waters near NATO member Romania on Thursday.
Ukraine and Romania both condemned the attack on the ship, which was carrying Ukrainian grain to Egypt and was hit just after it left Ukrainian territorial waters.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred reporters’ questions to the Russian military.
Kremlin says Russian expulsion of UK diplomats is not about severing diplomatic ties with London
Russia’s decision to expel six British diplomats over espionage concerns is not related to any effort to sever diplomatic ties with London, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
Earlier today, Russia’s FSB security service said it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow after accusing them of spying and sabotage work, signalling the Kremlin’s anger at what it sees as London’s vital role in helping Ukraine.
Zelensky calls for quick decision on long-range missiles
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is “difficult to repeatedly hear” Western allies say they are “working on” a decision to free up long-range missiles to be used deep inside Ukraine while “Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages”
Mr Zelensky has been calling for the US and UK to agree to allow them to strike infrastructure such as airfields that contribute to the barrages of missiles and drones that strike across Ukraine on a near-daily basis.
The president wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that: “Putin interprets delays in helping us and in making strong decisions for Ukraine as permission to do whatever he wants.”
What is the Storm Shadow cruise missile? The British weapon banned from use in Russia by Ukrainian troops
Until now the Storm Shadow missiles have been limited to Russian targets operating inside Ukraine, as well as in occupied Crimea. The missiles were likely used in the largest Ukrainian attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet last year at Sevastopol.
British Storm Shadow missiles have a range of more than 150 miles and can be fired by Ukrainian aircraft. Kyiv has long lobbied for permission to hit deep inside Russian soil via the western long-range missiles.
Manufacturer MBDA has said that the missile, which is fired from an aircraft, carries a range of around 155 miles and is designed to evade detection despite flying low after being launched.
Powered by a turbo-jet engine, the 1,300kg Storm Shadow travels at speeds of more than 600mph, is just over five metres long and has a wingspan of three metres.
After launch, the weapon, equipped with its own navigation system, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking on to its target using an infra-red seeker.
On final approach the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target.
Starmer stares down Putin as he and Biden prepare to hand Ukraine missiles
The Independent’s Political Editor David Maddox reports from Washington DC:
Starmer stares down Putin as he and Biden prepare to hand Ukraine missiles
Prime minister set to hold intensive talks with US president to thrash out victory plan for war in Ukraine as Putin threatens war with Nato
Russian attack kills two and injures six in Ukraine’s Sumy region
A Russian guided bomb attack has killed two people and injured six others, including a child, in Ukraine‘s northern Sumy region, local authorities said.
The attack damaged residential houses and a clinic, and cut power supplies, the regional military administration said on Telegram.
Romania ‘strongly condemns’ Russia's 'deliberate attack on cargo ship' with Ukrainian grain
Romania’s foreign ministry has condemned a Russian attack against a cargo ship loaded with Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea.
Russia reportedly struck the Turkish-operated merchant vessel Aya with a cruise missile at around 11pm local time on Wednesday within Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
The ship, which was carrying 26,550 metric tons of grain to Egypt from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, suffered damage. None of the crew were injured.
“This event represents an unprecedented escalation of Russia’s illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine,” the Romanian foreign ministry’s statement said.
“Deliberately attacking a cargo ship is a serious violation of international humanitarian legal norms governing the conduct of war at sea.”
The statement added: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the Russian Federation’s violation of the United Nations Charter through the systematic and irresponsible bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure and grain-carrying ships.”
Russia has not commented on the incident.
China and Russia take aim at West during annual security forum in Beijing
Chinese and Russian defence officials have chided at the West at a military diplomacy forum in Beijing, with China pitching to the Global South and Russia saying the United States was shifting military conflicts to the Asia-Pacific.
In a wide-ranging speech to the annual Xiangshan Forum, China’s defence minister, Dong Jun, said China would enhance military ties with its neighbours and with developing countries in particular.
Russian deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin was more explicit, saying in his speech that the United States was trying to contain China and Russia while preparing for war in Asia by creating new security blocs.
“Russia and China support the creation of a just, multipolar world order based on equality and mutual respect,” he said.
“In order to create conditions to force Russia into negotiations based on Kyiv’s formulas, NATO countries plan to send troops to Ukraine,” he added.
“This is a dangerous game which can lead to a direct conflict of nuclear powers.”
NATO has said repeatedly it has no plans to send troops to Ukraine.
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