Ukraine-Russia war live: US hits back as Zelensky accuses West of ‘dragging out’ long-range weapons delivery
Zelensky defends Vuhledar retreat and says it was done to save ‘citizens of Ukraine’
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
The US has hit back after Volodymyr Zelensky said Western partners are “dragging out” a decision over Kyiv’s request to strike Russia with its long-range weapons.
“We need sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-range weapons, that, in my opinion, our partners are already dragging out,” Mr Zelensky said alongside new Nato chief Mark Rutte yesterday. “We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” he said.
The Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh reacted to Mr Zelensky’s remarks. “We have a limited supply of long-range missiles” and “we are not dragging it out,” she said.
On the war frontline, the Ukrainian military chief said he has ordered defences to be strengthened in the eastern Donetsk region after pulling out of Vuhledar. Ukraine’s armed forces commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi said he was working on “one of the hottest front sectors” with the 25th Sicheslav Airborne Brigade.
Mr Zelensky acknowledged the loss of Vuhledar, saying moving troops out and preserving lives was the critical issue.
Russia launches major drone attack on Ukraine – as new Nato chief visits Kyiv
Vladimir Putin wants to wipe us off the map, Ukraine’s top tennis player warns
Trump-endorsed candidate slams Republican nominee for refusing to back Ukraine
Ukraine’s troops pull back from key eastern town as Putin’s forces advance
White House slaps down House Republicans for ‘political stunt’ over Zelensky visit
ICYMI: New NATO chief reaffirms support for Ukraine on Kyiv trip
NATO chief Mark Rutte told Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy "your security matters for ours" during his first visit to Kyiv since becoming the alliance's secretary-general.
Rutte also reiterated NATO's pledge that Ukraine would one day be a NATO member, but Zelenskiy said he wanted the Western allies urgently to provide the kind of active military support that some of them have given to Israel in its battle with Iran.
"Your security matters for ours, and your fight for freedom reflects our core principles and values," Rutte told a joint news conference, stressing that his first foreign trip as NATO chief demonstrated the alliance's staunch support for Kyiv.
"Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before, and it will continue along this path until it secures NATO membership," said Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister who only took up his new job on Tuesday.
Mapped: Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian Kursk region explained
Mapped: Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian Kursk region explained
Ukraine’s attack into Kursk has left Vladimir Putin’s forces scrambling
The fall of Vuhledar is a microcosm of Ukraine's wartime predicament
The fall of Vuhledar is a microcosm of Ukraine's wartime predicament
Ukrainian military officials and lawmakers say the front-line town of Vuhledar has fallen after more than two years of intense fighting
Ukraine requires ‘considerable’ assistance from western allies, think tank says
Ukraine still requires “considerable” support from western allies despite increasing its domestic output of weapons and military equipment, a think tank has said.
The Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine’s efforts to expand domestic arms output will allow it to reduce its dependence on western military aid in the long term, but Kyiv still needs “considerable” assistance from allies over the next few years to defend against Russia.
Russia announced yesterday it will raise its defence spending by 25 per cent to its highest on record, reaching 13.5tn rubles (£109bn) in 2025.
Watch: Russian fighter jet narrowly misses American aircraft off coast of Alaska
4 Russian journalists accused of working for a Navalny group go on trial in Moscow
4 Russian journalists accused of working for a Navalny group go on trial in Moscow
Four Russian journalists went on trial in Moscow on Wednesday after being accused of working for an anti-corruption group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, which was designated by authorities as an extremist organization in 2021
Ukraine’s troops pull back from key eastern town as Putin’s forces advance
Ukraine’s troops pull back from key eastern town as Putin’s forces advance
The town was a bastion of resistance for over two years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion in February 2022
Ukraine's military says it struck Russian radar station with ATACMS missiles
The Ukrainian military has said it had used ATACMS ballistic missiles to strike a Russian radar station to reduce Moscow’s ability “to detect, track and intercept aerodynamic and ballistic targets”.
The military did not say when the strike had taken place or give the venue of the ‘Nebo-M’ radar station in its statement on the Telegram messaging app.
“The destruction of the Nebo-M radar will create a favourable ‘air corridor’ for the effective use of Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG cruise missiles,” it said.
The Ukrainian military said it believed Russia had 10 such operational systems left, each estimated to be worth more than $100 million.
The United States sent long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine this spring and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Ukraine had committed at the time to only using the weapons inside its own territory. Russian forces currently occupy about 18% of Ukraine’s territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been pleading with allies for months to let Ukraine fire Western missiles, including long-range US ATACMS and Britain’s Storm Shadow, deep into Russia.
Russia launches major drone attack on Ukraine – as new Nato chief visits Kyiv
Russia launches major drone attack on Ukraine – as new Nato chief visits Kyiv
Ukraine’s military also says it struck Russian radar station with US-provided ballistic missiles
ICYMI: 12 injured after a Russian glide bomb smashes into a Ukrainian apartment building
A Russian glide bomb struck a five-story apartment block in Kharkiv, Ukraine‘s second-largest city, injuring at least 12 people including a 3-year-old girl, local officials have said. The bomb hit between the third and fourth floors of the building on Wednesday night, igniting blazes, Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Firefighters searched for survivors through smoke and rubble.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest Kharkiv attack highlighted the urgent need for increased support from Ukraine’s Western allies.
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