Ukraine-Russia war live: Explosions in Kyiv after missile attack as British troops ‘may have to go to Ukraine’
UK may have to deploy troops to defend Europe if Putin gains upper hand, claims ex-PM
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Your support makes all the difference.Blasts have been heard over Kyiv as Ukraine accused Russia of launching its first missile attack on the capital since August and urged residents to take cover.
The attack by Vladimir Putin’s forces involved missiles launched by strategic bombers as well as ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s military said. No casualties or damage have been reported so far.
Ukraine has been faced nightly drone attacks but has been anxiously awaiting a mass Russian attack on energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.
It came as former prime minister Boris Johnson claimed British troops may have to be deployed in Ukraine if American president-elect Donald Trump cuts Kyiv’s funding.
The former prime minister said that if Russian president Vladimir Putin gains the upper hand in the conflict, the UK may have to deploy troops to defend Europe.
On the frontline, Russia was continuing its push in the east and appeared to be amplifying its counterattack in the Kursk region, with Ukraine claiming Moscow had suffered two consecutive days of record losses, including nearly 2,000 casualties on Monday.
Ukraine cannot trademark anti-Russian insult, EU court says
Ukraine’s border guard force cannot register a trademark in the European Union on its wartime insult “Russian warship, go fuck yourself” because it is a political slogan, the EU’s General Court has ruled.
The phrase comes from the early days of Russia’s invasion, when the Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva radioed Ukrainian guards stationed on the outpost of Snake Island and ordered them to surrender or die. The reply came back: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself!”
The phrase quickly became a national slogan, featured on billboards, T-shirts, office mugs and even a postage stamp.
But the EU court upheld a lower tribunal’s decision this week, saying: “The Court observed that a sign is incapable of fulfilling the essential function of a trade mark if the average consumer does not perceive, in its presence, the indication of the origin of the goods or services, but only a political message.”
South Korea says North Korean soldiers are fighting Ukraine forces
South Korea's spy agency has warned that North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia are engaging in combat against Ukraine.
Following reports of 10,000 North Korean soldiers arriving in Russia, some are claimed to have been stationed in Kursk, the region attacked by Ukraine in August.
Experts have told The Independent that they believe Vladimir Putin may now be amplifying his efforts to take back territory in Kursk ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January.
Polish security services detain Belarusian suspected of attempted arson
Polish special services have detained a Belarusian citizen suspected of committing acts of sabotage by attempting to set fire to a building in Gdansk.
Poland believes its role as a hub for supplies to Ukraine has made it a key target for spies who are trying to gather information on support for Kyiv’s war effort and engage in acts of sabotage.
In January and May, Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) arrested citizens of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus whom it accused of carrying out arson attacks on buildings in Gdansk, Gdynia and Marki, and preparing similar attacks in Wroclaw.
“This is another arrest in the investigation into the activities of an organised criminal group that, at the request of foreign special services, carried out acts of sabotage, in particular arson,” the agency said on Wednesday.
The prosecutor’s office has charged the detained Belarusian citizen with participation in an organised criminal group and committing acts of sabotage, diversion or terrorist crimes on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency. A court ordered his detention for three months.
Trump picks new US defence secretary from his favourite talent pool – Fox News
Donald Trump has stunned the Pentagon and the broader defence world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary and in effect helm the world’s largest and most powerful military.
The news was met with bewilderment and worry among many in Washington, as Mr Trump bypassed a number of established national security heavy-hitters in favour of a US Army National Guard captain who is best-known as a co-host of Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends Weekend.
If confirmed, Mr Hegseth would face a daunting array of global crises, from the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the expanding alliance between Russia and North Korea to the growing competition with China.
On air, Hegseth has complained the US is spending too much supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia and has been an outspoken advocate for Israel.
Our US reporter Josh Marcus has more details here:
Trump picks new defense secretary from his favorite talent pool – Fox News
Fox host served in Army National Guard and lobbied Trump to pardon accused war criminals
Comment | Europe is in immense danger if Trump hands any kind of victory to Putin in Ukraine
Examining the prospect of Donald Trump seeking to bring the war in Ukraine to a rapid conclusion, Keir Giles of the Chatham House think-tank writes for Independent Voices:
For Europe, an end to the fighting in Ukraine makes the danger from Russia much greater, not less. European and North American intelligence and defence chiefs are unanimous that Russia is preparing to mount an attack against a Nato state in the near future.
Where there is disagreement though is not over whether Russia will attack, but where and when. The unexpected speed with which Russia has been rebuilding its land forces has triggered a spate of warnings across the continent to prepare for conflict more urgently.
And as soon as Ukraine is no longer demolishing those forces on the front line, Russia will be able to rebuild and re-equip them much faster – including with manpower pressed into service from Ukraine’s occupied territories, and now reinforcements from North Korea.
The end of the current fighting in Ukraine will not bring “peace” without effective means of deterring Russia from starting another war.
Read his analysis in full with Independent Premium:
Europe is in immense danger if Trump hands any kind of victory to Putin on Ukraine
The president-elect has said he’ll end the bloody Ukrainian conflict ‘in one day’ when he returns to the White House. But, says Keir Giles, whatever action is taken could have profound consequences for Europe
Ukraine’s grid operator to temporarily limit power supply for businesses
Ukraine’s national power grid operator Ukrenergo has introduced limits on electricity supply for businesses on Wednesday due to “significantly” lower imports and lower generation, the company said.
“The restrictions will be in place during the day. In the evening, after the equipment is fixed, the restrictions will be lifted,” Ukrenergo said.
The last time massive restrictions on electricity supplies to both businesses and households were imposed was after a massive Russian missile and drone attack in late August.
Ukraine’s largest private power generator and distributor DTEK said restrictions would apply to Kyiv, the Kyiv region, Odesa, Dnipro and the Donetsk regions.
“The reasons: a shortage (of electricity) in the power grid due to previous shelling by Russia and a drop in temperature,” DTEK said on the Telegram.
Officials have said Ukraine has lost around half of its generating capacity as a result of Russian attacks and now relies mainly on energy generated by three nuclear power plants.
Blinken meets Nato chief in Ukraine talks ahead of Trump transition
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has met Nato chief Mark Rutte in Brussels as the outgoing Biden administration seeks to cement support for Ukraine ahead of Donald Trump’s return.
Mr Blinken is expected to discuss in Brussels how US allies can take greater leadership over support for Ukraine with Washington’s future role uncertain.
Following his meeting with Mr Rutte at the alliance’s headquarters, Mr Blinken is later expected to meet Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha.
He will also meet top EU officials and British foreign secretary David Lammy in Brussels on Wednesday.
Ukraine claims to shoot down missiles and 37 Russian drones launched in overnight attacks
Ukraine’s air force said it has shot down two cruise missiles, two ballistic missiles and 37 Russian drones as regions across Ukraine were targeted in overnight attacks.
A further 47 Russian drones were lost in different regions of Ukraine, while two left Ukraine’s airspace oin the direction of Belarus and Russia, Kyiv said.
Kyiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv were among the regions targeted, Ukraine’s air force said.
Blasts in Kyiv as Russia stages first missile attack since August, Ukraine says
Blasts rang out over Kyiv on Wednesday morning after officials said Russia launched its first missile attack on the Ukrainian capital since August and urged residents to take cover.
The scale of the strike and extent of any damage were not immediately clear. The attack involved missiles launched by strategic bombers as well as ballistic missiles, the military said. No casualties or damage have been reported so far.
“Putin is launching a missile attack on Kyiv right now,” Andriy Yermak, the head of the president’s office wrote on Telegram.
The missile strike came after what officials said was a drone attack. Kyiv has faced Russian drone attacks almost nightly for weeks. Vitali Klitschko, the city’s mayor, said a drone was still flying over central Kyiv in the morning.
“Explosions in the city. Air defence forces are working. Stay in shelters!” the Kyiv city administration wrote on the Telegram messenger.
Nato’s Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte has called on Western allies to provide Ukraine with further support “to change the trajectory of the conflict” with Russia.
Speaking ahead of a meeting in Paris with French president Emmanuel Macron, Rutte said: “We must do more than just keep Ukraine in the fight.”
He added: “We need to raise the cost for Putin and his enabling authoritarian friends by providing Ukraine with the support it needs to change the trajectory of the conflict.”
Rutte, who did not provided details about the military equipment and weapons needed for that purpose, said it was “very concerning” that Russia was getting “closer to its allies, China, Iran and North Korea.”
NATO's Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on Western allies to provide further support to Ukraine “to change the trajectory of the conflict.”
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