Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin faced ‘bloodiest month’ of war in September as Zelensky pitches victory plan
Putin casualties reach more than 600,000 in Ukraine since the war began in 2022, says US
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September proved to be the bloodiest month of attrition with 36,000 casualties for Vladimir Putin since the Russian invasion began in 2022, latest US intelligence assessment shows.
Russia suffered more than 1,200 casualties a day at an average – totalling to at least 36,000 casualties, according to the US and British military analysts, the New York Times reported. Officials in the West have called September the costliest month for Moscow’s troops but did not give an exact number of Russian casualties.
Russia has not released an official number of casualties of its forces in Ukraine and treats the information as a state secret.
Away from the frontline, Volodymyr Zelensky is promoting his “victory plan” in a widespread Europe visit that he said “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war” against Russia.
Yesterday, he met with prime minister Keir Starmer, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, French president Emmanuel Macron and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni.
He is now set to meet Pope Francis today for a half-hour audience and then he will meet German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
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UK could send British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers
Military chiefs are considering sending British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers and boost Kyiv’s recruitment efforts, it has emerged.
Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources confirmed to The Independent that discussions are ongoing about whether to send troops to the country to support it amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
There is already a small number of British medical personnel in Ukraine, delivering training and mentoring to the country’s armed forces.
UK could send British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers
Ministry of Defence sources said discussions are ongoing about whether to send troops to the country to support it amid Russia’s ongoing invasion
Putin’s troops faced bloodiest month of war in September, says US
Last month was the bloodiest month of attrition for Russian forces since Vladimir Putin’s invasion began in 2022, latest US intelligence assessment shows.
According to the US and British military analysts, Russia suffered more than 1,200 casualties a day at an average – totalling to at least 36,000 casualties, the New York Times reported. Officials in the West have called September the costliest month for Moscow’s troops but did not give an exact number of Russian casualties.
September’s casualties of Putin’s troops in Ukraine is slightly surpassing the previous record daily rate of the war seen in May this year.
The US officials say the high number of Russian casualties has been caused by the grinding war of attrition.
Russia has not released an official number of casualties of its forces in Ukraine and treats the information as a state secret.
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Work continues on military supplies for Ukraine, says Macron
Work continues regarding military supplies for Ukraine, French president Emmanuel Macron said, following a meeting in Paris with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday.
Mr Macron’s meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart came after Mr Zelensky had held talks earlier with Nato chief Mark Rutte and prime minister Keir Starmer, where they discussed his proposed “victory plan” and whether Ukraine could use Western missiles against targets in Russia.
Ukrainian journalist dies in Russian detention, officials say
A Ukrainian journalist who wrote first-hand accounts of life under Russian occupation has died in Russian detention, officials said yesterday.
Viktoria Roshchyna, who turned 28 this month, provided freelance reports for Ukrainian media outlets Ukrainska Pravda and Hromadske Radio and for US-funded Radio Liberty.
Roshchyna wrote vivid accounts of life in Crimea after Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and areas of eastern Ukraine seized by Russian-funded separatists.
She also documented the nearly three-month defence of the port of Mariupol after Moscow launched its February 2022 full-scale invasion.
At least 17 journalists have been killed while reporting on the war, according to international organisations.
Zelensky promotes ‘victory plan’ to allies during Europe visit
Volodymyr Zelensky is promoting his “victory plan” in a widespread Europe visit that he said “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war” against Russia.
The Ukrainian president detailed the proposals to European allies after a weekend summit in Germany with president Joe Biden was derailed by Hurricane Milton. Mr Zelensky’s talks in London with prime minister Keir Starmer and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte were quickly followed by another meeting in Paris with French president Emmanuel Macron, who just the previous day sent a strong signal of support for Ukraine by visiting Ukrainian troops being trained in France.
Mr Zelensky then embarked on his whistlestop tour of European capitals that have been among Ukraine’s staunchest allies outside of the United States.
Later yesterday, he met in Rome with Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, who assured Italy’s full and continued support “at both bilateral and multilateral level in order to put Kyiv in the best position possible to build a just and lasting peace”.
Today, Mr Zelensky is scheduled to meet Pope Francis for a half-hour audience, the Vatican said. Later in the day, he’ll meet German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
Kremlin confirms Trump sent Putin Covid tests
The Kremlin appears to confirm Bob Woodward’s revelation of how Donald Trump covertly sent Covid-19 tests to Vladimir Putin, despite US shortages.
Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday that “all countries tried to somehow exchange between themselves” during the early phase of the pandemic, when there was not enough equipment.
“We sent a supply of ventilator units to the US, they sent these tests to us.”
The exchanges occurred “when the pandemic was starting”, he said, adding the tests were “rare items”.
According to Woodward, the Russian president told Trump: “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you.”
Ireland’s deputy premier ‘never told’ about alleged Russian spy
Ireland’s deputy premier has said he was never told about an alleged spy in the Irish parliament.
It comes after a report on Sunday that Russian intelligence recruited an Irish politician to act as an agent during the Brexit negotiations.
The Sunday Times reported that a “honeytrap” was used to recruit the politician dubbed Cobalt with one of the aims being to undermine relations between Britain, Ireland and the EU.
Ireland’s deputy premier ‘never told’ about alleged Russian spy
There have been reported that Russian intelligence recruited an Irish politician during the Brexit negotiations.
Nato nuclear exercise to start on Monday, says new secretary-general
Nato’s annual nuclear exercise will begin on Monday at a time of heightened tension in Europe over the war in Ukraine.
The alliance’s secretary-general Mark Rutte told reporters that the exercise, involving around 60 aircraft, was designed to show adversaries that Nato could respond to any threat.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin has made a series of nuclear threats since launching his invasion of Ukraine, including changing his country’s nuclear doctrine to discourage western allies from backing Kyiv.
Nato nuclear exercise to start on Monday, says new secretary-general
The annual Steadfast Noon exercise will take place in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and over the North Sea.
NATO chief says Storm Shadow missiles decision up to allies
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte discussed the state of the war with Volodymyr Zelensky and Sir Keir Starmer at No10.
He told reporters no legal obstacles were stopping Ukraine from hitting Russia with Storm Shadow missiles in self-defence.
Mr Rutte said: “First of all, that is up to the allies, the individual allies, to decide how weapons they deliver into Ukraine can be used.
“Legally that is possible because legally Ukraine is allowed to use its weapons, if they can hit targets in Russia, if these targets present a threat to Ukraine.
“But whether individual allies do, that’s in the end, (is) always up to individual allies. Of course we discussed this. I was last week in Kyiv.
“We discussed it today, but in the end, it is up to the individual allies.”
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