Ukraine-Russia war latest: Biden allows Zelensky to conduct long-range missile strikes inside Russia
Keir Starmer says ‘we need to double down’ on support for Ukraine
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Your support makes all the difference.Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to strike hundreds of miles inside Russia for the first time, according to reports.
The decision is a major US policy shift and comes after Russia warned that Moscow would see the move to allow the use of US-made missiles “as a major escalation”.
With Biden leaving office in two months President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to limit American support for Ukraine and end the war as soon as possible.
In September, Vladimir Putin warned the decision would be an act of war back when reports emerged that Joe Biden was “working out” the possibility of US long-range missiles being used inside Russia.
It came as a “massive” Russian missile attack, dubbed the largest air attack on Ukraine in months, has killed at least seven people and injured at least 19, according to Ukrainian officials.
The strikes targeted vital energy infrastructure as temperatures hit sub-zero in the war-torn country.
Russian forces capture two villages in Ukraine, defence ministry says
Russian forces captured two villages in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, Russian news agencies cited the defence ministry as saying on Saturday.
The villages of Makarivka, just over 100km west of Donetsk city, and Hryhorivka, which is is situated to the west of the town of Selydove, captured by Russia last month, the ministry claims according to Reuters.
It comes as Russia continues to progress in its offensive on the eastern Ukrainian front.
Zelensky ‘deeply grateful’ to G7
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked leaders of the G7 major democracies, who this week reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine.
In a post on X, he said: “The leaders of the G7 have once again demonstrated unwavering support for Ukraine as we approach the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale aggression.
“I am deeply grateful to President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni and all G7 leaders for their united voice in standing with Ukraine. Their support helps Ukraine protect its people against terror, ultimately saving countless lives.
“At a time when Russia remains the sole obstacle to a just and lasting peace, it’s vital to send a clear message: aggression and violations of the international order, as outlined in the UN Charter, will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face consequences.
“Now is the time for the global community to deepen its efforts and make decisive decisions to ensure stability and peace for all our nations.”
Call with Putin was needed, says Scholz
German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said his call with Putin was necessary to ensure Europe remained a key player following Donald Trump’s election.
In their first direct communication in nearly two years, Mr Scholz told Putin that he “cannot count on support from Germany, Europe and many others in the world waning”.
But Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a breach of Western solidarity in favour of domestic political advantage.
Following Russia’s huge missile attack on Ukraine overnight on Sunday, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha took a dig at Mr Scholz, saying the attack was Putin’s “true response to all those who called and visited him recently”.
Mr Scholz added of the call: "The conversation was very detailed but contributed to a recognition that little has changed in the Russian President’s views of the war - and that’s not good news."
But Donald Trump’s re-election, and his promise of a quick end to the war, has implications for Europe, Mr Scholz said.
"In my view it would not be a good idea if there were talks between the American and Russian presidents and the leader of an important European country was not also doing so," he said.
Seven dead and 19 injured after overnight Russian attacks
At least seven people were killed in Russia’s major overnight drone attacks across Ukraine, described by Kyiv as the largest in months.
Ukrainian media reports that at least 19 people were injured too.
It comes after explosions were heard in multiple regions, including in the capital of Kyiv.
Russia was targeting "power generation and transmission facilities throughout Ukraine," according to energy minister Herman Halushchenko.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the war-torn country is facing a force of “absolute evil”.
ICYMI: Putin tells Scholz that Russia is willing to look at energy cooperation, Kremlin says
Vladimir Putin has told Germany’s Olaf Scholz that Russia is ready to look at energy deals if Berlin is interested, the Kremlin has said, following their first phone conversation since December 2022.
A readout from the Kremlin claimed: “It was emphasised that Russia has always strictly fulfilled its treaty and contractual obligations in the energy sector and is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation if the German side shows interest in this.”
Germany was heavily reliant on Russian gas before the war, but direct shipments ceased when the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea were blown up in 2022.
Germany and other European Union countries have imposed successive waves of sanctions on Russia over the war and taken steps to wean themselves off their dependence on Russian oil and gas.
Zelensky shares details of meeting with Japanese foreign minister
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed details of a meeting held with Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya, who visited the war torn country earlier this week.
In a post on X, Mr Zelensky said the pair discussed “North Korea’s alliance with Russia and its support for Putin in this brutal war”.
He added: “I informed him about the activities of North Korean military personnel in the Kursk region and the various threats posed by the collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow.
“Russia is teaching North Korea modern warfare, which could lead to significant and widespread destabilization. We must work together with all our other partners to counter this.”
Russia grinds deeper into Ukraine after 1,000 days of grueling war
When Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine in February 2022, the conventional wisdom was that the capital, Kyiv, would soon fall and the rest of the country wouldn’t last long against a much larger enemy.
Instead, it was that narrative that quickly collapsed. The Ukrainian army proved it could slow the advance of Russia’s forces and, if not drive them out completely, then – with enough support from the West – at least forestall defeat.
Read the full report:
Russia grinds deeper into Ukraine after 1,000 days of grueling war
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the conventional wisdom was that the capital, Kyiv, would soon fall and the rest of the country wouldn’t last long against a much larger enemy
One killed in Ukrainian drone attack on Russia
One civilian has been killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
The announcement on Sunday comes after Russia launched its largest missile attack on Ukraine for months, according to Kyiv. The attack targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Zelensky says war will ‘end sooner’ with Trump as president as he slams German chancellor’s call with Putin
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is certain the war with Russia will “end sooner” once Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Mr Zelensky conceded the battlefield situation in eastern Ukraine was difficult and Russia was making advances, adding that Russian president Vladimir Putin was not interested in agreeing to a peace deal.
In an interview on Saturday, the Ukrainian president said he had a “constructive exchange” with US president-elect Trump during a phone conversation following his victory against Kamala Harris.
Read Jabed Ahmed’s full report:
Zelensky says Ukraine-Russia war will ‘end sooner’ with Trump as president
As the conflict reaches its 1,000th day next week, Ukraine is facing increasingly difficult conditions on the frontlines
In pictures: Devastation following ‘massive’ Russian missile attack
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