Ukraine news – live: At least 13 dead as Russian missile strikes Kremenchuk mall

At least 13 people have died and more than 50 people were injured after a missile hit a crowded shopping centre in Ukraine.

Poltava region’s governor Dmytro Lunin gave updates to the death toll for the mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk.

But scores of people are feared to have been killed in the missile attack that Ukraine blamed Russia for.

President Volodymyr Zelensky that more than 1,000 people were in the shopping centre at the time of the attack.

He said: “It is impossible to even imagine the number of victims.”

Footage posted on social media showed a large fire and smoke billowing into the sky as people were fleeing from the burning building.

Following the attack, Boris Johnson condemned Vladimir Putin’s “cruelty and barbarism”.

The PM added: “Once again our thoughts are with the families of innocent victims in Ukraine.

“Putin must realise that his behaviour will do nothing but strengthen the resolve of the Ukraine and every other G7 country to stand by the Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Key Points

• Russian missile strike hits crowded shopping centre in Kremenchuk

• Zelensky tells G7 he wants Ukraine war over by end of 2022, as leaders back him ‘for as long as it takes’

• Boris Johnson urges allies to back Ukraine and compares Russia to Nazi Germany

• Zelensky asks G7 for more sanctions on Russia and anti-aircraft defence systems

• Nato increases forces on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000 amid Russia threat

• Russia ‘defaults on foreign debt’ for the first time in a century

Defence secretary Ben Wallace ‘asks Boris Johnson for 20% hike in military spending’

08:22 , Thomas Kingsley

Defence secretary Ben Wallace is set to issue a call for a significant hike in government spending on the UK’s armed forces in the face of Russian aggression.

The senior cabinet minister has reportedly asked Boris Johnson to increase the country’s military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP – an additional 20 per cent a year.

In a letter, Mr Wallace urged him to call on fellow Nato leaders to raise their own spending from the current minimum target of 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent of national income, according to Talk TV.

Our political correspondent, Adam Forrest, has the full story below:

Ben Wallace ‘asks Boris Johnson for 20% hike in defence spending’

Ukraine Russia expert Tim White to answer your questions in ‘Ask Me Anything’

08:01 , Thomas Kingsley

As war rages on in Ukraine, a journalist who has been running a Twitter thread of developments since the conflict began, will be on hand to answer reader questions.

Tim White, who tweets under the handle @TWMCLtd, is a documentary maker specialising in Ukraine and eastern Europe and appeared on a recent panel event run by The Independent: Deciphering Russia’s misinformation: How do we sort fact from fiction?

Read below for more details on how to get a ticket to the event:

Expert on Russia Ukraine war to answer your questions in ‘Ask Me Anything’

Death toll from Kremenchuk airstrike climbs to 18

07:40 , Thomas Kingsley

The death toll from the Kremenchuk airstrike has been increased to 18, the State Emergency Services of Ukraine has confirmed.

In a statement today, the service said: “Search and rescue operations continue, damaged construction structures and being disassembled using heavy engineering equipment and small machinery.

“The units of the dsns examined and analyzed the debris of construction structures at 60 per cent of the total area of the object.

“As a result of the bombing of the mall, 18 people were killed (of which 1 person died in the hospital).”

“59 people applied for medical assistance, 25 of them were hospitalized to the hospital of intensive care.”

Pictured: The aftermath of the Kremenchuk mall strike

07:30 , Thomas Kingsley

Kremenchuk airstrike on front pages of UK papers today

07:15 , Stuti Mishra

The front pages feature reports from Ukraine and comments from the head of the Army as Nato prepares to meet in Madrid.

The shopping centre attack is the front page of The Independent, while The Times splashes Boris Johnson’s response to the strike: “Putin will pay for his barbarity.”

A warning from the new Army chief that Ukraine is our “1937 moment” is front page of The Daily Telegraph.

See more front pages:

What the papers say – June 28

Ukrainian forces make 'successful strikes deep behind Russian lines', says MoD

06:53 , Stuti Mishra

Ukrainian forces continue to disrupt Russian command and control with successful strikes deep behind Russian lines, the UK ministry of defence says in its latest update.

It says Ukrainian troops are consolidating their positions on higher ground in the city of Lyschansak, after falling back from Sievierodonetsk.

The latest intelligence update also says that the wave of missile attacks launched by Moscow earlier included weapons like the Soviet-era AS-4 KITCHEN and more modern AS-23a KODIAK missiles, which were fired from both Belarusian and Russian airspace.

"These weapons were designed to take on targets of strategic importance, but Russia continues to expend them in large numbers for tactical advantage."

The defence ministry said that despite fielding the core elements of six different armies, Russia only achieved tactical success at Sievierodonetsk, adding that the Russian armed forces are "increasingly hollowed out".

Putin to visit Tajikistan in first international trip since Ukraine invasion

06:45 , Stuti Mishra

Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to make his first international visit since the Ukrainian invasion today amid strong condemnation from the G7 after the Kremenchuk airstrike.

“A working visit by President Putin is scheduled for tomorrow in Tajikistan,” Dmitry Peskov said on Monday of the visit to the former Soviet republic and Moscow ally.

Mr Putin will meet Tajik president Emomali Rahmon, a close Russian ally and the longest-serving ruler of Tajikistan.

Ukraine is UK’s new ‘1937 moment’, British army chief says

06:10 , Stuti Mishra

Britain is facing a new “1937 moment” after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and must be prepared to “fight and win” to prevent the spread of war in Europe, the new head of the army has said.

The warning comes as Boris Johnson prepares to join other Nato leaders in Madrid for a summit at which they are expected to agree the biggest overhaul of the Western military alliance since the end of the Cold War.

“This is our 1937 moment. We are not at war – but must act rapidly so that we aren’t drawn into one through a failure to contain territorial expansion.

Read more:

Ukraine is our ‘1937 moment’, British army chief says

Ukraine requests UN Security Council meeting after Kremenchuk airstrike

05:50 , Stuti Mishra

Ukrainian representatives at the UN have requested for a security council meeting today to discuss the Russian airstrike at the crowded Kremenchuk shopping centre where scores of civilians are believed to have died, according to CNN.

UN under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs will brief the council at the meeting, which is scheduled for 3pm ET, a UN spokesperson told CNN.

The airstrike left at least 16 people dead with 59 wounded.

Editorial: The West has three options when it comes to famine caused by the war in Ukraine

05:26 , Stuti Mishra

“Often as not, it is what doesn’t come out of an international summit that is the important thing – and right now that is heartbreakingly true of the G7 leaders. They are, quite simply, ignoring the incipient widespread famine that is emerging as a tragic consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Because of the disruptions of the war and the mining and blockade of the port of Odesa by the Russian Navy, millions of tonnes of grain and sunflower oil that should now be feeding people in Africa, the Middle East and south Asia is sitting in warehouses waiting to be exported or to rot or to be stolen and transported to Russia. When there are bread queues in Ukraine, there should be cause for concern.

The West has three options, all of them unpalatable and risky.”

Read more:

Death toll from Kremenchuk airstrike climbs to 16

05:00 , Stuti Mishra

At least 16 people have now been confirmed dead as emergency workers continue to clear rubble at the Kremenchuk shopping centre that was targeted by a Russian airstrike.

“As of now, we know of 16 dead and 59 wounded, 25 of them hospitalised,” the head of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, Sergiy Kruk, said on Telegram early on Tuesday.

“The information is being updated.”

Workers are now clearing debris from the site and extinguishing the remaining fires from Monday’s airstrike. Psychologists are also at the scene to assist victims.

“All response groups are working in intense mode,” Mr Kruk added. “The works will go on around the clock.”

G7 summit draws to close with condemnation of Putin’s ‘war crime’ mall massacre

04:32 , Stuti Mishra

Boris Johnson and his fellow world leaders will gather for the final day of a G7 summit today which has been overshadowed by atrocities in Ukraine.

The leaders issued a joint statement accusing Russian president Vladimir Putin of war crimes after Russian missiles slammed into a shopping centre in Kremenchuk.

“We stand united with Ukraine in mourning the innocent victims of this brutal attack,” they said.

Read more:

G7 summit draws to close with condemnation of Putin’s ‘war crime’ mall massacre

Zelensky tells G7 he wants Ukraine war over by end of 2022, as leaders back him ‘for as long as it takes’

03:00 , Liam James

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has told G7 leaders that he wants the war with Russia over by the end of 2022 (Adam Forrest writes).

Mr Zelensky addressed the leaders of the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan by video link on Monday, urging them to give him more weapons for the struggle against Vladimir Putin’s forces.

The Ukraine leader also said he was keen to see the war to end this year, telling G7 allies not to let the conflict drag on through the winter, The Independent understands.

Zelensky tells G7 he wants Ukraine war over by end of 2022

Russian UN envoy says Ukraine begging attention with shopping centre strike

02:00 , Liam James

A Russian representative to the UN accused Ukraine of playing the Russian strike on a crowded shopping centre for attention ahead of a Nato summit starting tomorrow.

Dmitry Polyanskiy compared Ukraine’s publicising of the attack on Kremenchug mall today with its response to the atrocities uncovered in Bucha after Russian forces left.

Western officials have conversely accused Russia of staging several high profile attacks in recent days to frighten leaders meeting at the G7 and Nato summits to discuss the international response to the war in Ukraine.

Nato increases forces on high alert from 40,000 to more than 300,000 amid Russia threat

01:00 , Liam James

Nato is to boost the number of its forces to be on high-alert amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine from 40,000 to more than 300,00 (Lamiat Sabin writes)

The seven-fold increase was announced by the military alliance’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg ahead of a summit in Madrid this week.

It’s the biggest overhaul of collective defence since the Cold War, he said.

“We will transform the Nato response force and increase the number of our high readiness forces to well over 300,000.”

Mr Stoltenberg also confirmed that Nato will expand troop deployments in its European member countries that are closest to Russia.

Nato increases forces on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000 amid Russia threat

Russia defaults on overseas debt for first time in a century

Tuesday 28 June 2022 00:00 , Liam James

Russia has defaulted on its foreign debts payment for the first time since the 1917 revolution as its economy bleeds from the sanctions imposed by western nations in response to the invasion of Ukraine (Arpan Rai writes).

Moscow faced a Sunday deadline to pay off the interest worth about $100 million, originally due on 27 May, and meet a 30-day grace period. However the term expired without payment.

It is Russia’s latest economic collapse on the debt-front following a default on its domestic debts in 1998 and and after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution where Moscow failed to pay off its international debts.

Russia defaults on overseas debt for first time in years

Ukraine will take higher ground in Lysychansk after failure in Sievierodonetsk

Monday 27 June 2022 23:20 , Liam James

Ukraine will defend its eastern front from higher ground in the city of Lysychansk after withdrawing from a Russian onslaught in its neighbouring city of Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine’s military spy chief said on Saturday.

Russia has been replenishing forces with reservists as part of a covert mobilisation and it is pointless to hope Moscow will simply run out of troops in this war, Kyrylo Budanov told Reuters.

The 36-year-old head of the Defence Ministry’s shadowy Main Directorate of Intelligence spoke in a rare interview in Kyiv hours before Russia claimed full control of the city of Sievierodonetsk where Ukrainian forces had been bombarded for weeks.

Mr Budanov declined to comment in any detail on Ukrainian partisan resistance efforts in occupied parts of Ukraine, but used menacing language for partisan targets.

“Those people who betrayed Ukraine and all those wretches who came here to destroy our country will be destroyed. There is no other objective,” he said.

He declined to elaborate on any plans for a counteroffensive in the occupied region of Kherson that Russia seized at the beginning of its 24 February invasion.

Monday 27 June 2022 22:30 , Liam James

G7 leaders have issued a joint statement condemning the Russian strike on a shopping centre in Ukraine as the death toll from the attack mounts.

The statement said: “We, the leaders of the G7, solemnly condemn the abominable attack on a shopping mall in Kremenchuk.

“We stand united with Ukraine in mourning the innocent victims of this brutal attack.

“Indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians constitute a war crime. Russian President Putin and those responsible will be held to account.

“Today, we underlined our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression, an unjustified war of choice that has been raging for 124 days.”

They said they would “continue to provide financial, humanitarian as well as military support for Ukraine, for as long as it takes”.

“We will not rest until Russia ends its cruel and senseless war on Ukraine.”

G7 leaders are at a summit in Germany until tomorrow to discuss their response to the war.

France demands Russia ‘answers’ for Ukraine shopping centre missile attack

Monday 27 June 2022 21:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia must answer for the deadly missile strike on a crowded Ukrainian shopping centre, France’s foreign ministry said.

At least 13 people died and 50 were wounded after two Russian missiles hit the building in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, according to the region’s governor.

Many more are feared to be dead, as there were about 1,000 people in the building when the missiles struck.

The French foreign ministry spokeswoman said: “Russia must answer for these acts. France supports the fight against impunity in Ukraine.”

Kharkiv shelling death toll rises to five

Monday 27 June 2022 21:00 , Lamiat Sabin

The death toll from the shelling in Kharkiv today has increased to five.

At least 22 people, including five children, have also been wounded in the city in north-east Ukraine.

Oleh Synehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, posted on Telegram: “All of them are civilians of Kharkiv, who were walking on the streets, on playgrounds. My sincere condolences to their families.”

At least eight killed in missile attack on Lysychansk, in Luhansk - governor

Monday 27 June 2022 20:30 , Lamiat Sabin

At least eight civilians were killed and 21 wounded in missile attack on the city Lysychansk in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.

Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the Luhansk region, said on the Telegram messaging app: “Today, when the civilian people were collecting water from a water tank, the Russians aimed at the crowd.”

Russia has denied targeting civilians since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in February.

Putin to travel away from Russia for first time during Ukraine invasion

Monday 27 June 2022 20:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Vladimir Putin will tomorrow be making his first public trip away from Russia since he launched the invasion of Ukraine.

He will be making the journeys to the former Soviet nations Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for friendly meetings.

On Tuesday, Putin is to meet with authoritarian president Emomali Rahmon in Tajikistan, where Russia has about 7,000 troops in Moscow’s largest base abroad.

The Kremlin said Putin and Rahmon are to discuss measures to improve security along Tajikistan’s porous 843-mile border with Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, Putin is to be in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, to attend a summit that also includes representatives from Azerbaijan, Iran and Kazakhstan.

Russian-backed separatists say Morocco can speak with citizen sentenced to death alongside Britons

Monday 27 June 2022 19:38 , Liam James

Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine have granted Morocco permission to speak with a Moroccan citizen sentenced to death for fighting with Ukrainian forces, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Monday citing a top official in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) (Thomas Kingsley writes).

Moroccan national Brahim Saadoun was sentenced to death this month alongside British nationals Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner on charges of committing war crimes.

All three men fought in the Ukrainian army and were captured by Russian-aligned forces in April. They were accused of being “mercenaries”, a charge which carries the death penalty in the DPR, whose authority is not recognised by any UN country except Russia.

Russian-backed separatists say Morocco can speak with citizen sentenced to death

EU expects ‘serious disruption’ to Russian gas supply

Monday 27 June 2022 19:19 , Liam James

A “serious disruption” to the European Union’s gas supplies from Russia is likely, the bloc’s energy chief said today as she urged countries to update contingency plans to cope with supply shocks and switch to other fuels wherever possible to conserve gas.

“Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine we have known that a very serious disruption is possible, and now it seems likely. We have done much important work to be prepared for this. But now is the time to step it up,” EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson said after a meeting of energy ministers from EU countries.

Member states agreed today that all natural gas storage across the bloc should be topped up to at least 80 per cent capacity for next winter as they prepare for the possibility of Russia further reducing deliveries.

The European Commission is set to propose an EU plan to prepare for further gas shocks in July, as Russia has already cut or reduced supplies to 12 of the bloc’s 27 member states.

The EU is trying to slash its use of Russian energy and find other sources due to the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. A ban on imports of Russian coal will start in August, and an embargo on most oil from Russia will be phased in over the coming eight months.

Updated: At least 10 dead as Russian missiles strike a crowded Ukraine shopping mall

Monday 27 June 2022 19:00 , Liam James

Scores of people are feared dead after a crowded shopping centre in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was hit in a missile strike by Russian forces (David Harding writes).

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said as many as 1,000 people were shopping at the time of the attack in the central city of Kremenchuk, a key industrial centre.

At least 10 people have been declared dead and 40 injured, though those numbers are expected to rise, as it is thought unlikely that many people will be found alive in the rubble.

Social media footage showed a huge fire and dark smoke billowing from the mall. Firefighters and soldiers were seen pulling out mangled pieces of metal as they searched for survivors.

‘An act of terror’: At least 10 dead as Russian missiles strike crowded Ukraine mall

Boris Johnson condemns Putin’s ‘barbarism'

Monday 27 June 2022 18:43 , Liam James

Boris Johnson condemned Vladimir Putin’s “cruelty and barbarism” after a missile strike on a shopping centre in Ukraine when more than 1,000 people were said to have been inside.

The prime minister said: “This appalling attack has shown once again the depths of cruelty and barbarism to which the Russian leader will sink.

“Once again our thoughts are with the families of innocent victims in Ukraine.

“Putin must realise that his behaviour will do nothing but strengthen the resolve of the Ukraine and every other G7 country to stand by the Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Mr Johnson is in Bavaria on the second day of a three-day G7 summit focusing on the war in Ukraine. World leaders are discussing further measures to take against Russia for its invasion and ways to manage the global economic fallout of the war.

‘Ten deaths’ in Kremenchuk shopping centre blast - regional governor

Monday 27 June 2022 18:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Ten people have been killed and 40 injured after a missile strike hit a crowded shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk.

The updated death toll was given by Dmytro Lunin, governor of the Poltava region.

It is expected that the numbers of deaths and injuries will go up, as there were about 1,000 people in the shopping centre at the time.

Ukraine has accused Russia of being responsible for the attack.

Russian shelling kills four in Ukrainian city of Kharkiv - regional governor

Monday 27 June 2022 17:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Four people have been killed and 19 wounded by Russian shelling of the city of Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, according to the region’s governor Oleh Synehubov.

He posted on Telegram: “Doctors are providing all the necessary assistance. Information on the number of victims is being updated.”

Russia has denied targeting civilians during its invasion of Ukraine that was launched on 24 February.

Moroccan sentenced to death in DPR given permission to contact family

Monday 27 June 2022 17:09 , Lamiat Sabin

A Moroccan man who Russian-backed separatists had sentenced to death in eastern Ukraine has been granted permission to speak to his family.

Brahim Saadoun, 21, and two Britons were handed down the sentence earlier this month in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

Western politicians have decried the case as a show trial.

The men were all serving under contract with the Ukrainian armed forces fighting the Russian invasion, but both the DPR and Moscow consider them mercenaries and therefore outside the protection of the Geneva Conventions for prisoners of war.

Unlike Russia, the DPR, which Moscow says it wants to “liberate” from Ukrainian control, has the death penalty on its statute book.

Natalya Nikonorova, foreign minister of the DPR, was quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti as saying: “The relatives contacted the lawyers who were provided to the gentleman ... in particular, there was a request for communication and also to provide their own lawyer.

“As far as I know, this request was granted.”

DPR officials said Saadoun as well as British men s Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner have less than two weeks left to appeal the sentence.

Russia says it is expelling eight Greek diplomats

Monday 27 June 2022 16:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia declared eight Greek diplomats “personae non-gratae” and gave them eight days to leave the country.

The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned the Greek ambassador to protest over what it called “the confrontational course of the Greek authorities towards Russia, including the supply of weapons and military equipment to the Kyiv regime”.

The ministry said it had also protested against a Greek decision to declare a group of Russian diplomats “personae non-gratae”.

Greece is a member of Nato and the European Union – and has joined EU sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

Two dead and 20 injured in Russian missile strike on shopping mall

Monday 27 June 2022 16:04 , Joe Middleton

At least two people were killed and 20 wounded in a Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in central Ukraine on Monday, a senior official said.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said nine of the wounded were in a serious condition following the missile strike on the city of Kremenchuk.

Ukrainian shopping centre with 1,000 inside struck by Russian missiles, Zelensky says

Russian missile strike hits crowded shopping centre in Kremenchuk

Monday 27 June 2022 15:44 , Joe Middleton

A Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

He said more than 1,000 people were in the shopping centre at the time of the attack.

He gave no details of casualties but said: “It is impossible to even imagine the number of victims.”

Footage posted on social media showed a large fire and smoke billowing into the sky as people were fleeing from the burning building.

Stoltenberg says redeployment of troops is to protect NATO from the 'direct threat' of Russia

Monday 27 June 2022 15:13 , Joe Middleton

Russian airstrike hits civilian building in Kremenchuk, says regional governor

Monday 27 June 2022 15:01 , Joe Middleton

Russian forces hit a civilian building in an attack on the city of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine on Monday, causing casualties, the regional governor said.

Dmitry Lunin, the governor of the Poltava region, gave no details of the attack or the casualties. “Unfortunately, there are victims. More details later,” Lunin said.

No further information is available on the airstike currently.

Russian hacker group claims responsibility for cyber attack on Lithuania

Monday 27 June 2022 14:49 , Joe Middleton

Russian hacker group Killnet claimed responsibility on Monday for a cyber attack on Lithuania.

It said it was in response to country’s decision to block the transit of goods sanctioned by the European Union to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

“The attack will continue until Lithuania lifts the blockade,” a spokesperson for the Killnet group told Reuters. “We have demolished 1652 web resources. And that’s just so far.”

Kaliningrad is connected to the rest of Russia by a rail link through Lithuania, a member of the EU and Nato.

Ukraine’s richest man sues Russia

Monday 27 June 2022 14:29 , Joe Middleton

Ukraine‘s richest man filed a lawsuit against Russia at Europe’s top human rights court on Monday, seeking compensation over what he has said are billions of dollars in business losses since the invasion of Ukraine.

Rinat Akhmetov, owner of the Azovstal steelworks in the city of Mariupol where Ukrainian fighters defied weeks of Russian bombardment, sued Russia for “grievous violations of his property rights” at the European Court of Human Rights, his System Capital Management (SCM) holding company said.

It said Akhmetov was also seeking a court order “preventing Russia from engaging in further blockading, looting, diversion and destruction of grain and steel” produced by his companies.

“Evil cannot go unpunished. Russia’s crimes against Ukraine and our people are egregious, and those guilty of them must be held liable,” SCM quoted Akhmetov as saying.

“The looting of Ukraine‘s export commodities, including grain and steel, has already resulted in higher prices and people dying of hunger worldwide. These barbaric actions must be stopped, and Russia must pay in full.”

Asked about the suit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was no longer under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights.

“We left the (jurisdiction of) relevant documents. Therefore, here the answer is absolutely obvious,” he said.

Akhmetov said last month his company Metinvest, Ukraine‘s largest steelmaker, had suffered $17 to $20 billion in losses because of Russia’s bombardment of its steel plants in Mariupol.

Zelensky tells G7 he wants Ukraine war over by end of 2022, as leaders back him ‘for as long as it takes’

Monday 27 June 2022 14:13 , Joe Middleton

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has told G7 leaders that he wants the war with Russia over by the end of 2022.

Mr Zelensky addressed the leaders of the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan by video link on Monday, urging them to give him more weapons for the struggle against Vladimir Putin’s forces.

The Ukraine leader also said he was keen to see the war to end this year, telling G7 allies not to let the conflict drag on through the winter, The Independent understands.

Adam Forrest reports.

Zelensky tells G7 he wants Ukraine war over by end of 2022

Nato increases forces on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000 amid Russia threat

Monday 27 June 2022 13:50 , Joe Middleton

Nato is to boost the number of its forces to be on high-alert amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine from 40,000 to more than 300,000.

The seven-fold increase was announced by the military alliance’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg ahead of a summit in Madrid this week.

It’s the biggest overhaul of collective defence since the Cold War, he said. “We will transform the Nato response force and increase the number of our high readiness forces to well over 300,000.”

Lamiat Sabin reports.

Nato increases forces on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000 amid Russia threat

Monday 27 June 2022 13:40 , Joe Middleton

G7 condemn ‘sham trials’ that saw death sentences handed to two Britons

Monday 27 June 2022 12:50 , Joe Middleton

World leaders have condemned the “sham” trials which saw death sentences handed to two Britons for fighting Russian forces in Ukraine.

Aiden Aslin, 28, originally from Newark in Nottinghamshire, and Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, have been treated as foreign “mercenaries” by pro-Russian authorities in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), who handed down the sentences to the men who were fighting for the Ukrainian army.

Leaders at the G7 summit in Germany condemned the trials as they urged Russia to comply with its obligations under international law.

Boris Johnson and his fellow G7 leaders made reference to death sentences handed to members of the Ukrainian armed forces, without explicitly referring to the cases of the two Britons.

The G7 statement on Ukraine said: “Russia and its proxies must respect international humanitarian law, including the rights and protections afforded to prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions.

“We condemn the sham ‘trials’ resulting in application of the death sentence to members of the Ukrainian armed forces.”

The G7 statement follows condemnation by the United Nations human rights watchdog, which described the sentences as a “war crime”.

‘Time running out’ to save Briton sentenced to death by Donetsk separatists

Boris Johnson urges allies to back Ukraine and compares Russia to Nazi Germany

Monday 27 June 2022 12:18 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson has said the “price of freedom is worth paying” as he compared Russia with Nazi Germany.

The prime minister argued that Western allies must continue to back Ukraine because standing up against Vladimir Putin’s aggression would ultimately make the world a safer and more prosperous place.

Speaking at the G7 summit in Germany, Mr Johnson said that if Mr Putin is not resisted, it could give the green light to countries such as China to pursue their own goals of territorial expansion, he suggested.

Comparing the situation to the defeat of Nazi Germany, Mr Johnson declined to put a limit on UK support to Ukraine.

“The point I would make to people is, I think that sometimes the price of freedom is worth paying.

“And just remember, it took the democracies, in the middle of the last century, a long time to recognise that they had to resist tyranny and aggression.

“It took them a long time, it was very expensive.

“But what it bought in the end, with the defeat of the of the dictators, particularly of Nazi Germany, it bought decades and decades of stability, a world order that relied on a rules-based international system.

“And that is worth protecting, that is worth defending, that delivers long-term prosperity.”

Russia sanctions 43 Canadian citizens

Monday 27 June 2022 11:47 , Joe Middleton

Russia sanctioned 43 Canadian citizens on Monday, barring them from entering the country in a tit-for-tat response to Western sanctions on Moscow.

The list, published by the foreign ministry, included the chairperson of Canada’s governing Liberal Party, Suzanne Cowan, and the former governor of the Bank of England and Bank of Canada, Mark Carney.

In April, Moscow sanctioned 61 Canadian officials and journalists. It has barred dozens of other Western politicians, journalists and business figures from entering Russia.

Reuters

Russia defaults on overseas debt for first time in years

Monday 27 June 2022 11:22 , Joe Middleton

Russia has defaulted on its foreign debts payment for the first time in years as its economy bleeds from the sanctions imposed by western nations in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow faced a Sunday deadline to pay off the interest worth about $100 million, originally due on 27 May, and meet a 30-day grace period. However the term expired without payment.

It is Russia’s latest economic collapse on the debt-front following a default on its domestic debts in 1998 and and after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution where Moscow failed to pay off its international debts.

Arpan Rai reports.

Russia defaults on overseas debt for first time in years

Zelensky tells G7 he wants the war in Ukraine finished by the end of the year

Monday 27 June 2022 10:52 , Joe Middleton

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told leaders of the G7 that he wanted Russia’s war in Ukraine ended by the end of the year before the winter sets in, two European Union diplomats said.

Zelensky addressed the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States by video link on Monday, the second day of the three-day G7 summit in southern Germany.

Zelensky calls on G7 for more sanctions on Russia and anti-aircraft defence systems

Monday 27 June 2022 10:16 , Joe Middleton

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday asked for anti-aircraft defence systems, more sanctions on Russia and security guarantees as he addressed leaders of the G7, a European official said.

Addressing the summit in the Bavarian Alps via video link, Zelensky also asked for help to export grain from Ukraine and for reconstruction aid, the European official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

G7 leaders mock Putin’s bare-chested horse-riding pictures

Monday 27 June 2022 10:00 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden clash over plan to cut green fuels for food production

Monday 27 June 2022 09:30 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson and US president Joe Biden are at odds over a plane to cut the production of green fuels in a bid to free up land for food production.

The prime minister wants G7 leaders to temporarily cut the amount of grain produced for biofuels, claiming the process is pushing up the cost of food.

Britain is backed by Germany – also pushing for a temporary waiver on their biofuel commitments – but the US and Canada are against the move.

Adam Forrest reports.

Boris Johnson and Biden clash over plan to cut green fuels for food production

US set to pledge advanced missile system to Ukraine

Monday 27 June 2022 08:58 , Joe Middleton

The US preparing to announce the purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv at the G7.

The pledge comes as the G7 leaders meet with talks by video link also scheduled with president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Biden is set to announce that the US is providing an advanced surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine, as well as additional artillery support, AP has reported, citing US official sources.

The US is understood to be purchasing Nasams, a Norwegian-developed anti-aircraft system, to provide medium- to long-range defence.

Nasams is the same system used by the US to protect the sensitive airspace around the White House and US Capitol in Washington.

Zelensky to ask G7 leaders for more weapons

Monday 27 June 2022 08:39 , Joe Middleton

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky will urge leaders of some of the world’s richest countries to do more to support his nation’s fight against Russia.

Mr Zelensky will address Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and other G7 leaders by video link from Kyiv as his country continues to come under attack from Vladimir Putin’’ missiles.

In his nightly address on Sunday, he urged the allies to be “partners, not observers” and give his country the ability to defend itself – warning that any delay would be an invitation to Russia to strike again.Mr Zelensky said he would demand extra defence systems.

“We need a powerful air defence – modern, fully effective – which can ensure complete protection against these missiles,” he said.

He added: “Delays in the transfer of weapons to our state, any restrictions are actually an invitation for Russia to strike again and again.

“The occupiers – these terrorists – must be beaten with all our might so that they do not think they can put pressure and outplay someone.”

UK will give £10m to rebuild Ukrainian railways to help export trapped grain out by train

Monday 27 June 2022 08:17 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson’s government will pledge £10million to help rebuild Ukraine’s railways in a bid to use trains to export grain trapped by Vladimir Putin’s blockade in the Black Sea.

The prime minister is set to call on fellow leaders to take urgent action to get essential food supplies out of Ukraine at the G7 Summit in Germany on Monday.

Mr Johnson said the United Nations’ plan to get the grain out of Ukraine is a “non-starter” because Russia will continue to use food supply as a bargaining chip to ease sanctions.

UK to give Ukrainian railways £10m help get grain out by train

Russia ‘defaults on foreign debt’ for the first time in a century

Monday 27 June 2022 07:55 , Joe Middleton

Russia has reportedly defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in more than a century, further alienating the country from the global financial system following sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine.

The country has the money to make the $100 million payment but is unable to do so because the sanctions imposed by Western countries mean it cannot get the cash to creditors.

The US Treasury Department ended Russia’s ability to pay its billions in debt back to international investors through American banks. In response, the Russian Finance Ministry said it would pay dollar-denominated debts in rubles and offer “the opportunity for subsequent conversion into the original currency.”

Russia calls any default artificial because it has the money to pay its debts but sanctions have frozen its foreign currency reserves held abroad.

“There is money and there is also the readiness to pay,” Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said last month. “This situation, artificially created by an unfriendly country, will not have any effect on Russians’ quality of life.”