Ukraine-Russia war live: Putin suffers ‘catastrophic’ Satan II missile failure as Zelensky hints at end of war
Ukraine ‘closer to peace than we think’, Zelensky tells allies in Washington
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Russia appears to have suffered a “catastrophic failure” in a test of its Sarmat missile, a key weapon in the modernisation of its nuclear arsenal, according to arms experts who have analysed satellite images of the launch site.
The images captured by Maxar on 21 September show a crater about 60 metres wide at the launch silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. They reveal extensive damage that was not visible in pictures taken earlier in the month.
The RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known in the West as Satan II, is designed to deliver nuclear warheads against targets thousands of miles away, but its development has been dogged by setbacks.
Meanwhile during his Washington visit, Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was “closer to the end of the war” with Russia than many people realise.
“I think that we are closer to peace than we think,” he told ABC in an interview that is due to be released in full on Tuesday.
In Kursk, the situation remains “serious” around a Russian nuclear power plant some 40km from territory seized by Ukraine, according to UN nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi.
Ukraine accuses Russia of flouting maritime law beside Crimea
Ukraine accused Russia at an international court on Monday of flouting sea law by trying to keep the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea under its sole control.
Kyiv began proceedings at the Hague-based intergovernmental Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 after Moscow began building the 19 km (12 mile) Crimea Bridge link to the peninsula it seized from Ukraine two years previously.
The bridge is crucial for the supply of fuel, food and other products to Crimea, where the port of Sevastopol is the historic home base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, and became a major supply route for troops after Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Kyiv, which wants the bridge demolished and has targeted it with attacks, says Russia built it low to keep international ships out while allowing smaller Russian ones through the strait connecting the Sea of Azov and Black Sea.
“Russia wants to take the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait for itself,” Ukraine‘s representative Anton Korynevych told arbitrators at the opening of hearings.
Russia dismissed Ukraine‘s case as groundless and hopeless.
Ukraine says it does not target civilians during offensive in Kursk region
Ukraine abides by international humanitarian law and does not target civilians during its current incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region, Ukraine‘s foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, Russia said at least 56 civilians had been killed and 266 wounded during Ukraine‘s incursion.
“Given Russia’s long history of false numbers and propaganda, there is simply no way of verifying their claims. If Russia wants to show the real situation on the ground it can grant such access to the UN and ICRC,” Heorhiy Tykhyi, the spokesman, told Reuters, using the acronyms for the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Kremlin says world chess body's ban on Russian players is result of Western pressure
The Kremlin said on Monday that a decision by the general assembly of FIDE, the governing body of chess, to uphold a ban on Russian and Belarusian players was the result of Western and Ukrainian pressure.
FIDE’s general assembly on Sunday upheld the ban which was imposed after Russia sent its army into Ukraine in February 2022. Belarus allowed Russian forces to use its territory to enter Ukraine.
When asked about the ban being rolled over, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The West and Ukraine are putting open and undisguised pressure on countries within FIDE. This is no secret, everyone knows about it.
“Unfortunately, FIDE is also not free from the politicization of sport and the world of chess in particular,” said Peskov.
The Ukrainian government, the U.S. State Department, and players including former world champion Magnus Carlsen, and members of the Ukraine Olympic team had urged chess federations to reject an initial motion by Russian ally Kyrgyzstan to fully reinstate the two nations.
Russia claims 31 civilians killed during Ukrainian offensive in Kursk region
Ukraine‘s offensive in Russia’s Kursk region has so far killed at least 31 civilians and wounded 256, the Russian foreign ministry has claimed.
In August, Ukraine launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War Two, bursting through the border into the western Kursk region supported by swarms of drones and heavy weaponry, including Western-made arms.
Russia said 131,000 civilians had left the most dangerous areas of the Kursk region.
David Lammy says allies need ‘guts’ to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles
UK foreign secretary David Lammy has announced ongoing negotiations with the White House regarding Ukraine’s request to use Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets.
He also urged allies to show “nerve and guts” as he said that the challenges of the war are now escalating into 2025.
“So this is a critical time for nerve and guts and patience and for fortitude on behalf of allies who stand with Ukraine,” he said.
“I am not going to as foreign secretary, of course, comment on operational details, because that can only aid Putin,” Mr Lammy said “but there is a very real-time discussion across allies about how we can support Ukraine as we head into winter,” according to The Guardian.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the US to permit Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes within Russia.
Read more here:
West must show ‘guts and nerve’ in helping Ukraine, says Lammy
The Foreign Secretary warned it was a ‘critical time’ for allies to show ‘fortitude’ in bolstering Ukraine’s defence amid a missiles debate.
Glide bombs, missiles and drones: The aerial bombardment raining down on Ukraine’s troops around Kharkiv
Glide bombs, missiles and drones rain down on Ukraine’s troops around Kharkiv
Askold Krushelnycky speaks to a soldier relocated from another part of the front line to hold back an attack by Russia – and local residents being forced to evacuate because of the brutal fighting
Pictured: Severe damage after Russia strikes Kharkiv
ICYMI: NATO jets intercept six Russian aircraft flying over Baltic Sea
Russian aircraft were flying over the Baltic Sea without transponders or a flight plan, the Latvian Air Force reported on Saturday night.
Transponders are a device which helps air traffic in international airspace remain safe - and it is not uncommon for Russian jets to enter Baltic airspace with them turned off.
The jets were escorted by NATO Eurofighter jets as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, the Latvian Air Force said according to the Kyiv Independent.
In August, German pilots reported that Russian planes detected heading towards Latvian airspace were behaving “uncooperatively but not aggressively” when the Baltic Air Policing mission intercepted them.
In August, the German Air Force reported that Russian pilots who were detected heading toward Latvian airspace “behaved uncooperatively but not aggressively” when intercepted by NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments