Ukraine-Russia war live: Zelensky says Putin must be ‘forced into peace’ as Kharkiv stronghold liberated
Ukrainian forces recapture Russian stronghold in Kharkiv after fighting including hand-to-hand combat
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The Ukraine war will not be ended by talks alone and Russia must be “forced into peace”, Volodymyr Zelensky has told the UN Security Council.
“[Vladimir] Putin has broken so many international norms and rules that he won’t stop on his own, Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed, forcing Russia into peace, as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter,” Mr Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president, who is in the US this week lobbying for support from UN member states and American leaders, also criticised North Korea and Iran as “de facto accomplices” in Russia’s war.
Sir Keir Starmer played down the significance of Storm Shadow missiles for Ukraine, suggesting it is not the “sole issue” in Zelensky’s “victory plan”.
Foreign secretary David Lammy also tore into Mr Putin and said the invasion of Ukraine serves the Russian president’s interests alone.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have recaptured a Russian stronghold in Kharkiv’s Vovchansk after intense fighting involving hand-to-hand combat in “densely built-up conditions”, military officials said.
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Russia must be forced into peace, Zelensky tells UN
The war between Russia and Ukraine cannot be ended by talks alone and Moscow must be forced into peace, Volodymyr Zelensky has told the United Nations Security Council.
“This war can’t be calmed by talks. Action is needed,” Mr Zelensky said, thanking nations who have provided Ukraine support.
“[Vladimir] Putin has broken so many international norms and rules that he won’t stop on his own, Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed, forcing Russia into peace, as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter,” Mr Zelensky said.
He added that the war would end one day but not because “someone got tired of the war” or through a trade with Mr Putin, a reference to proposals that Ukraine cede some territory seized by Russia to settle the conflict.
Mr Zelensky also took aim at North Korea and Iran for providing arms to Russia for the war, calling them “de facto accomplices” of Moscow.
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Russia will achieve all its aims in Ukraine, Kremlin says
Russia has no alternative but to achieve all of its aims in the “special military operation” in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Peskov said that as soon as the aims were achieved, the military operation would end.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been adamant peace talks will only begin if Kyiv abandons swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine to Russia and drops its NATO membership ambitions.
WAtch: Arms depot ablaze deep inside Russia after massive Ukrainian drone attack
Arms depot ablaze deep inside Russia after massive Ukrainian drone attack
An arms depot in Russia’s south-western region of Krasnodar appeared to have been hit in a massive Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Friday 20 September, as verified footage on social media showed explosions at the scene. Other attacks were also reported in occupied Crimea and the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, and Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had shot down more than 100 drones. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from Krasnodar after Ukraine launched the drones over the border.
Kremlin continues to show public disinterest in peace talks short of complete destruction of the Ukrainian state, think tank says
The Kremlin have continued to show a public disinterest in peace talks unless it involves the complete destruction of the Ukrainian state, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank has said.
ISW analysts noted that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed reports that Ukraine invited Russia to attend Ukraine’s second peace summit but that the Kremlin had not demonstrated any interest in participating.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently said there is “no alternative” to Russian victory in Ukraine, reiterating Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate on terms other than Ukrainian “capitulation”.
“ISW continues to assess that the Kremlin is not interested in good faith peace negotiations with Ukraine and that the Kremlin will only invoke the concept of ‘peace plans’ and ‘negotiations’ to prompt the West to pressure Ukraine into preemptive concessions on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the situation report from the ISW said.
Explained: What is the Satan II missile?
The RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe, but its development has been dogged by delays and testing setbacks.
The 35-metre-long RS-28 Sarmat, known in the West as Satan II, has a range of 18,000 km (11,000 miles) and a launch weight of over 208 tonnes.
Russian media say it can carry up to 16 independently targetable nuclear warheads as well as Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, a new system that Putin has said is unmatched by Russia’s enemies.
Since the start of the conflict, President Vladimir Putin has said repeatedly that Russia has the biggest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world, and warned the West not to cross a threshold that could lead to nuclear war.
Putin said in October 2023 that Russia had almost completed work on the missile.
Watch: Putin’s Satan II missile ‘blows up during test launch’
Putin’s forces are desperate for a prize eastern city and Ukraine will fight street to street to keep them out
Ukraine will fight street to street to keep Russia out of key eastern city
The Russians taking Pokrovsk would split Ukraine’s defensive line in the region and harm supplies in the eastern part of Donetsk. Now facing constant bombardment, soldiers and residents in Pokrovsk speak to Askold Krushelnycky about the drawn-out siege they are bracing themselves for
Exclusive: Zelensky demands UK extradites political opponent in Ukraine Orthodox Church row
Zelensky demands UK extradites political opponent in Ukraine Orthodox Church row
Exclusive: Ukraine MP who has attempted to defend the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is facing an attempt to have him extradited from the UK today
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