Ukraine-Russia war latest: Suspected assassin of Putin’s nuclear general arrested as North Korea suffer losses
Uzbek citizen held by Russia in connection with chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov’s killing
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Your support makes all the difference.Russia has detained an Uzbek citizen who investigators believe placed the bomb inside an electric scooter which killed General Igor Kirillov on the instructions of Ukraine’s security service, the Investigative Committee said today.
The senior Russian general was killed yesterday in Moscow and Ukraine claimed responsibility of the attack, calling Kirillov a “legitimate target”.
In response, Russia threatened the Ukrainian leadership with imminent revenge for what it described as a “cowardly and despicable strike”.
On the battlefront, North Korea suffered big casualties while fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine in the Kursk border region, a senior US military official said, a much higher toll than one given by Kyiv earlier this week.
“Several hundred casualties is our latest estimate that the DPRK has suffered,” the official said on condition of anonymity. This “would include everything from… light wounds up to being KIA (killed in action)”, the official said, with soldiers of “all ranks” among the casualties.
The North Korean forces don’t appear to be battle-hardened, the official said, suggesting this would in part explain the high rate of casualties.
Slovak PM Fico to meet EU's Von der Leyen on Ukraine gas transit
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday to discuss continuation of gas transit through Ukraine, Fico said on Wednesday.
Fico told a parliamentary committee that while the Ukrainian government rejected extending a transit contract with Russia’s Gazprom, alternative solutions were possible to keep the transit next year.
Russian general killed in Moscow scooter blast by Ukrainian agents
Russian general killed in Moscow scooter blast by Ukrainian agents
Ukrainian security services sources say Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov was a completely legitimate target as the head of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defence forces
Russia will respond to new EU sanctions, foreign ministry says
Russia will respond to a new set of European Union sanctions which Moscow considers a danger to global energy security, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
The European Union imposed a 15th package of sanctions against Russia on Monday, including tougher measures against Chinese entities and more vessels from Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet on Monday.
Ukraine's air force says it shot down 51 Russian drones launched overnight
The Ukrainian air force said on Wednesday that Russia launched 81 drones to attack Ukraineovernight of which 30 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 51 were shot down.
Russia to raise Ukraine’s killing of top general in Moscow at UN meeting
Russia will raise the asssassination in Moscow of top Russian general Igor Kirillov by Ukraine at the UN security council on Friday, its foreign ministry said.
Angered by the killing, Russia will find everyone involved in the killing and punish them, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
Lieutenant general Kirillov, who was the chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed in Moscow yesterday.
Russia claims Kirillov killing suspect offered $100,000 for attack
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, said in a statement today that the unnamed suspect had told them during questioning that he had come to Moscow where he had received an improvised explosive device for the hit.
The statement said he had described how he had placed the device on an electric scooter which he had parked outside the entrance of the apartment block where Igor Kirillov lived.
The statement said the suspect, who was born in 1995, had been offered $100,000 for his role in the murder and residency in a European country.
Investigators cited him as saying that he had set up a surveillance camera in a hire car nearby and that the organisers of the assassination, who he said had been based in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, had used the camera to track Kirillov and remotely detonated the device when he had left the building.
Investigators said they were identifying other people involved in the hit and the daily Kommersant newspaper reported that one other suspect had been detained.
Photos show blast scene after Russian general Igor Kirillov was killed
Russia detains man who carried out Kirillov’s assassination
Russia has detained an Uzbek citizen who investigators believe placed the bomb inside an electric scooter which killed General Igor Kirillov on the instructions of Ukraine’s security service, the Investigative Committee said.
The top Russian general accused by Ukraine of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops was assassinated in Moscow by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service yesterday in the most high-profile killing of its kind.
Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, didn’t name the suspect, but said he was born in 1995. According to a statement by the FSB, the suspect said himself that he was recruited by Ukrainian special services.
Video: Moment Russian general is killed by scooter bomb in Moscow
A senior Russian general was killed by a bomb hidden under an e-scooter outside his apartment in Moscow. Igor Kirillov was the head of the Russian military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces. His assistant was also killed in the attack.
A Ukrainian security service official has said Kyiv was responsible for the attack.
The attack came a day after Ukraine’s security service levelled criminal charges against Lt Gen Igor Kirillov for using chemical weapons during Russia’s invasion.
Ukraine’s security services say it has recorded nearly 5,000 occasions when Russia used chemical weapons on the battlefield since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Moment Russian general is killed by scooter bomb in Moscow
A senior Russian general was killed on Tuesday by a bomb hidden under an e-scooter outside his apartment in Moscow. A Ukrainian security service official has said it was responsible for the attack. The attack came a day after Ukraine’s security service levelled criminal charges against Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov for using chemical weapons during Russia’s invasion. Ukraine’s security services say it has recorded nearly 5,000 occasions when Russia used chemical weapons on the battlefield since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Igor Kirillov was the head of the Russian military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces. His assistant was also killed in the attack.
Starmer reveals Brexit reset plans for new EU defence pact with Ukraine warning
Sir Keir Starmer has for the first time lifted the lid on his Brexit reset plans for a new defence pact with the EU.
It came as the prime minister issued a rallying call to the European Union for closer defence cooperation in an exclusive interview with The Independent.
As Sir Keir prepares for a Donald Trump presidency with the potential withdrawal of US support from Ukraine and Europe, he shared his vision for coordination across funding, training and the use of British troops.
Sitting down with The Independent in Estonia, the prime minister said the UK must work “as effectively as we can with our partners” to bolster Ukraine’s position amid an increasingly volatile global landscape and heightened tensions with Russia.
Starmer reveals Brexit reset plans for new EU defence pact with Ukraine warning
Exclusive: Sitting down with The Independent, the prime minister has for the first time outlined his Brexit reset plans for further European defence cooperation amid an increasingly unstable global landscape
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