Ukraine news – live: Putin’s forces trying to encircle last Ukrainian defenders in Bakhmut

Russian forces in eastern Ukraine are encircling Bakhmut and destroying the fortifications built by the last remaining Ukrainian soldiers, as the war’s frontline blurs around the critical mining city.

“The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defence. Our soldiers defending the area around Bakhmut are true heroes,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.

Bakhmut has been the scene of the fiercest fighting as Russia’s forces, primarily led by the mercenary group Wagner, ravages the city in a bid to capture it as a stepping stone to more territory in Donetsk.

If captured, Bakhmut will be Russia’s biggest land grab in more than half a year.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhadnov said only the southern patch of Bakhmut remains under Ukraine’s control with the situation fast becoming “unpredictable”.

“It is impossible to say where the frontline lies,” he said.

Visuals of Bakhmut show a city charred to its skeletal core and constant shelling and bombing sounds in several residential neighbourhoods which now stand abandoned.

Key Points

• Putin’s fighters trying to encircle Ukrainian defenders in Bakhmut

• Russia responds to China’s 12-point plan for peace

• Putin will eventually be killed by his inner circle, says Zelensky

• CIA head accuses Russian counterpart of ‘cockiness’

Putin’s fighters trying to encircle Ukrainian defenders in Bakhmut

03:46 , Arpan Rai

Russian forces in eastern Ukraine are moving ahead to encircle Bakhmut, a small mining city which has been the scene of the hottest fighting since winter, and trying to destroy the fortification built up by the Ukrainian fighters.

"The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defence. Our soldiers defending the area around Bakhmut are true heroes," said Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russian fighters are trying to cut the critical ammunition supply lines meant for replenishing Ukrainian forces in the region.

"The southern part of Bakhmut is the only area which can be described as under Ukrainian control. In all other districts, the situation is unpredictable," Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said in a video commentary, adding: "It is impossible to say where the front line lies."

‘Senseless’ invasion condemned by UN rights chief

03:00 , Katy Clifton

The UN rights chief condemned Russia’s “senseless” invasion of Ukraine yesterday at the start of a Human Rights Council session at which countries want to strengthen scrutiny of Moscow’s alleged war crimes and raise China’s treatment of Muslim Uyghurs.

Volker Turk, the United Nations high commissioner, in one of his first speeches to the 47-member council, warned that human rights gains were being reined back and even reversed, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an example of oppression.

UN secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a separate speech that the war had triggered “massive violations” of rights.

During the meeting, which runs until April 4, many states will seek to extend and deepen the mandate of a U.N. investigation body set up to probe possible atrocities in Ukraine.

Russia accused of ‘genocidal crime'

02:00 , Katy Clifton

Russia’s alleged forced transfer of thousands of children from Ukraine is “probably the largest forced deportation in modern history”, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday at an event on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council.

“The most chilling crime is that Russia steals Ukrainian children,” Kuleba said in a video message to a packed room on the opening day of the council in Geneva where Russia’s alleged war crimes in Ukraine are being addressed.

“This is a genocidal crime,” he added.

Zelensky calls for end of ‘aviation taboo'

01:00 , Katy Clifton

Mr Zelenskiy said in his speech on Monday that his country can only defend its skies if an “aviation taboo” is ended.

“Our pilots and anti-aircraft units, and other experts of our air force are doing a great job,” he said. “But we will be able to completely protect our skies when the aviation taboo is fully lifted in relations with our partners.”

Situation becoming ‘more difficult’ in Bakhmut

00:01 , Katy Clifton

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the military situation is becoming increasingly difficult around the town of Bakhmut, the focal point of Russia’s advances in eastern Ukraine.

“In the Bakhmut sector, the situation is constantly becoming more difficult,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defence. Our soldiers defending the area around Bakhmut are true heroes.”

Monday 27 February 2023 23:00 , Katy Clifton

The US welcomes the announcement by Saudi Arabia that it was providing $400 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and top Ukrainian officials in a surprise visit to Kyiv over weekend.

Ukraine claims to have shot down 11 drones as air raid sounded

Monday 27 February 2023 22:00 , Lucy Skoulding

The Ukraine ministry of defence claims to have shot 11 out of 14 drones deployed down on Sunday, which includes 9 over Kyiv.

The regional military administration in Kyiv confirmed the air defences were at work last night as alerts sounded across the city.

Two emergency services workers were killed and three more people injured in a drone attack on the city of Khmelnytskyi yesterday, according to the mayor.

US Treasury secretary makes surprise visit to Ukraine

Monday 27 February 2023 21:00 , Lucy Skoulding

Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, made a trip to Ukraine today to meet with President Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials to firm up Washington’s support for Kyiv.

In a tweet, Ms Yellen said: “Following @POTUS’s visit to Ukraine, I’m in Kyiv to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine, discuss ways we can continue our support – including through economic assistance – and pay tribute to the bravery of the Ukrainian people a year after Russia’s unprovoked invasion.”

Yellen said to the Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal: “America will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes.”

Documentary about Ukraine’s search for missing and dead premieres

Monday 27 February 2023 20:00 , Lucy Skoulding

The Independent’s first feature-length documentary, The Body in the Woods - about Ukraine’s unprecedented search for its missing and dead - has premiered at a Kyiv railway station.

The documentary details the discovery of a body of a young man, found bound, shot and burned beside an abandoned Russian camp in the woods outside Kyiv, and international correspondent Bel Trew’s search to find out who he was and what happened to him.

Find out more.

‘America stands with you in this fight for freedom’

Monday 27 February 2023 19:46 , Katy Clifton

Janet Yellen also visited a renovated school that had its windows blown out by the blast wave from a Russian missile that landed nearby in March.

She also announced an additional transfer of $1.2 billion, the first tranche of the $10 billion assistance package.

“Maintaining an effective government is indispensable to Ukraine’s capacity to respond to Russian attacks and other emergencies,” said Ms Yellen. “Our economic support is keeping essential public services running. These services maintain economic and social stability in Ukraine”.

Addressing the school’s students and teachers, Ms Yeller said they are helping to “write history” in a country that is “a central force in the history of the free world.”

“America stands with you in this fight for freedom, and we will be by your side and help you rebuild”.

Ms Yellen also met with Zelenskyy and other top officials, including the head of Ukraine’s National Bank.

Mr Zelensky posted on Telegram after the meeting with Ms Yellen that it is “necessary to strengthen further sanctions to deprive Russia of the ability to finance the war.”

She also laid the flowers at the Wall of Remembrance dedicated to fallen soldiers and met Ukrainian landmine removal experts whose equipment was financed with US funds.

US treasury secretary hailed a ‘friend of Ukraine'

Monday 27 February 2023 19:43 , Katy Clifton

US treasury secretary Janet Yellen has said her first visit to Ukraine underscored Washington’s commitment to continuing its economic support for the country, as the din of air raid sirens echoed across the Ukrainian capital.

Ms Yellen said following talks with Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal that the US has provided nearly $50 billion in security, economic and humanitarian assistance and announced another multibillion-dollar package to boost the country’s economy.

Mr Shmyhal offered thanks to the US for its support and hailed Ms Yellen as a “friend of Ukraine.”

He said Ukraine’s budget deficit now stands at $38 billion and that the US will provide another $10 billion in assistance by September.

The pair also discussed sanctions aimed at weakening Russia’s economy as well as the possibility of using Russian frozen assets to help in Ukraine’s economic recovery. Ms Yellen repeated US president Joe Biden’s message that Washington will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukraine’s foreign minister accuses Russia of ‘stealing’ children

Monday 27 February 2023 19:00 , Lucy Skoulding

Dmtryo Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, has accused Russia of “genocidal crime” and of “stealing” children as the war has now been ongoing for over a year.

He spoke today on the sidelines of the UN human rights council.

Kyiv has now collected thousands of reports of children from Ukraine being forcibly deported to Russia, and wants these deportations to be investigated as war crimes.

Refering to Ukrainian children, he said it is “probably the largest forced deportation in modern history”.

In a video address, he said: “The most chilling crime is that Russia steals Ukrainian children.”

Subversive rock band cancels Kyiv concert

Monday 27 February 2023 18:00 , Lucy Skoulding

The subversive Slovenian rock band Laibach were due to play a concert in Ukraine but it has been cancelled after remarks they made about Kyiv.

The group reportedly angered Ukrainians by comments that were taken to mean Kyiv is a client state fighting the war for its western masters.

Laibach claimed they would have been the first foreign band to perform a full show in Kyiv since the start of the war in February last year.

They were due to play at the Bel Etage Music Hall in a few weeks on 31 March.

Russia responds to China’s 12-point plan for peace

Monday 27 February 2023 17:05 , Lucy Skoulding

Russia is paying “a great deal of attention” to China’s 12-point peace plan to end the invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin has responded to China’s plan, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying anything that could lead to peace is worthy of attention.

Details of the plan will have to be analysed and for now Russia’s so-called “special military operation” will continue in Ukraine, Peskov confirmed.

Peskov added that he hasn’t seen any specific signs indicating a peaceful ending at this point.

Initiative to trace abducted Ukrainian children

Monday 27 February 2023 16:30 , Lucy Skoulding

Neighbouring country Poland has launched a joint initiative with the European Commission to help find children who have been abducted from Ukraine during the continuing war.

Poland’s EU affairs minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk said the aim of the scheme is to find the missing children and to “ensure those responsible are brought to justice”.

Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, gave his thanks to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki.

He tweeted: “@EU_Commission and Poland launch an initiative to find children illegally abducted from #Ukraine by russia. We are grateful to @vonderleyen and @MorawieckiM. We need to return the abducted children to Ukraine and punish russia for its crimes.

Ukraine’s domestic spy chief on fighting Russia across all fronts

Monday 27 February 2023 15:55 , Lucy Skoulding

Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Major General Malyuk, Ukraine‘s domestic spy chief, makes clear that the threat from Russia comes from all sides.

From the battlefield, his Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) has launched more than 64,000 criminal proceedings across Moscow’s forces – nearly half of them war crimes cases.

He says the SBU have also uncovered or detained 360 enemy agents since the invasion erupted last February.

And the country has fended off thousands of cyberattacks.

Read the full story from Bel Trew.

Afternoon recap: Fighting

Monday 27 February 2023 15:30 , Matt Mathers

• A Russian missile strike killed one person in the western town of Khmelnitskyi, the mayor said.

• Moscow said its forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot near Bakhmut, also shooting down four HIMARS missiles and five drones.A Ukrainian court has jailed two captured soldiers accused of taking part on Russian shelling of residential areas in eastern Ukraine, the SBU security service.

• The commander of Ukrainian ground forces visited besieged Bakhmut to boost morale.

• Ukraine‘s armed forces said Russia is concentrating offensive actions along the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtar parts of the frontline.

• Battlefield accounts could not be independently verified

• Belarusian anti-government activists said on Sunday they had blown up a sophisticated Russian military surveillance aircraft in a drone attack at an airfield near Minsk.

Apple fined £10m in Russian antitrust case, authorities say

Monday 27 February 2023 14:22 , Andy Gregory

Apple has paid a fine of 906 million roubles (£10m) in a Russian antitrust case alleging the US firm abuses its dominance in the mobile apps market, authorities in Moscow have said.

Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) determined in August 2020 that Apple had abused its dominant position, then issued a directive requiring Apple to remove provisions giving it the right to reject third-party apps from its App Store.

Apple has previously “respectfully disagreed” with the FAS ruling that Apple’s distribution of apps through its iOS operating system gave its own products a competitive advantage.

In a separate case, the FAS said in January that it had fined Apple around £14m for allegedly forcing Russian developers to use Apple’s payment services with the iOS App Store.

Apple paused all product sales and limited its Apple Pay service in Russia a year ago, after Moscow invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine jails two Russian soldiers for shelling of residential areas

Monday 27 February 2023 13:42 , Andy Gregory

A Ukrainian court has jailed two captured Russian soldiers accused of shelling residential areas in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv’s SBU security service has said.

One of the soldiers received a 10-year sentence and the other had been jailed for nine years, the SBU said on Monday. It did not name them, say how they had pleaded and when they were sentenced, but said both had fought in eastern Ukraine and were captured last year.

“As a result of investigative actions, indisputable evidence on the guilt of two more militants who joined the ranks of the occupation groups of the aggressor country at the beginning of the full-scale invasion was collected,” it said.

Both “took an active part in the storming of Ukrainian cities on the Eastern Front”, it said. One had started fighting for separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and fought for the Russian army in the Bakhmut area of eastern Ukraine last year.

The other was in charge of Russian troops that shelled the eastern cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine, and was captured along with a number of his subordinates, according to the SBU.

They were found guilty under laws on the encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, and on participation in paramilitary or armed formations not provided for by law, the SBU added.

Ukraine jails two Russian army soldiers for shelling of residential areas

Monday 27 February 2023 13:03 , Matt Mathers

A Ukrainian court has jailed two captured soldiers accused of taking part on Russian shelling of residential areas in eastern Ukraine, the SBU security service said on Monday.

The SBU said in a statement that one of the soldiers had received a 10-year sentence and the other had been jailed for nine years.

It did not name them, say how they had pleaded and when they were sentenced, but said both had fought in eastern Ukraine and were captured last year.

“As a result of investigative actions, indisputable evidence on the guilt of two more militants who joined the ranks of the occupation groups of the aggressor country at the beginning of the full-scale invasion was collected,” it said.

Both “took an active part in the storming of Ukrainian cities on the Eastern Front”, it said.

Vladimir Putin’s spy plane ‘destroyed by drones’

Monday 27 February 2023 12:25 , Matt Mathers

One of Vladimir Putin’s spy planes has been destroyed by two drones at a Russian airbase in Belarus, according to reports.

The aircraft, worth £274 million, was hit in an attack by Belarus partisans supporting Ukraine.

The AWACS Beriev A-50U aircraft was “significantly damaged”, according to the Belarusian Hajun project, and the front and central parts of the aircraft, its avionics and radar antennae were hit.

Martha McHardy reports:

Vladimir Putin’s spy plane ‘destroyed by drones’

Kyiv blitzes Russian ammo stock and fuel depots with series of strikes

Monday 27 February 2023 11:40 , Matt Mathers

An ammunition cache and fuel depots are among the Russian targets hit by Ukraine in a series of strikes over the past week, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said.

At least 14 explosions have rocked sites in and around the Russian-held city of Mariupol, the MoD said, with a steel works used as by the Kremlin as military base among them.

“Russia will likely be concerned that unexplained explosions are occurring in a zone it had probably previously assessed as beyond the range of routine Ukrainian strike capabilities,” the MoD added.

China accuses US of ‘bullying’ with new ‘illegal sanctions’

Monday 27 February 2023 10:44 , Matt Mathers

Chinese officials have accused the US of "outright bullying and double standards" in levelling what it called "illegal" sanctions on Chinese companies as part of American actions against Russia’s Wagner Group and related companies and individuals.

The entities were targeted for their role in the war in Ukraine and mercenary activities, including human rights abuses, in Africa.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily briefing that the sanctions "have no basis in international law or authorization from the Security Council, and are typical illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction".

The punitive measures were "seriously harming China’s interests" and China "strongly rejects and deplores that and has lodged solemn complaints with the US side," Ms Mao said.

"While the US has intensified its efforts to send weapons to one of the parties to the conflict, resulting in an endless war, it has frequently spread false information about China’s supply of weapons to Russia, taking the opportunity to sanction Chinese companies for no reason," she added.

Kremlin says China's Ukraine peace plan should be analysed in detail

Monday 27 February 2023 10:15 , Matt Mathers

The Kremlin on Monday said a Chinese peace plan on Ukraine that urges both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation and warns against the use of nuclear weapons should be analysed in detail, taking into account the interests of all sides.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on a U.S. media report that China was considering transferring drones to Russia.

You can read more about China’s plan here:

What is China’s peace proposal on how to end Ukraine war?

UN human rights chief warns of backsliding on global freedoms

Monday 27 February 2023 09:32 , Matt Mathers

The United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk warned on Monday that human rights gains made in recent decades were being reined back and even reversed, citing Russia’s "senseless" invasion of Ukraine as a current example of oppression.

"Much of the progress made over decades is being reined back and even reversed in some parts...," High Commissioner Turk said in a speech on the opening day of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva attended by more than 100 ministers and heads of state.

He called for countries to work to overcome their differences and create a "new world-wide consensus on human rights".

Turkey's NATO talks with Sweden and Finland to resume on 9 March

Monday 27 February 2023 08:37 , Matt Mathers

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that talks with Sweden and Finland regarding their NATO membership bids would resume on March 9, after being suspended in January in the wake of a Koran-burning protest in Stockholm.

Turkey had previously cancelled a trilateral mechanism with Sweden and Finland on their applications to join NATO after Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line, burned a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm in January.

"My colleagues will attend the meeting that will be held on March 9," Cavusoglu told a press conference in Ankara, adding that the meeting would be held in Brussels.

Russian military aircraft blown up near Minsk: Belarusian partisans

Monday 27 February 2023 07:47 , Matt Mathers

Belarusian anti-government activists have claimed responsibility for what they said was a drone attack on a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk on Sunday.

"Those were drones. The participants of the operation are Belarusian," Aliaksandr Azarov, leader of Belarusian anti-government organization BYPOL, was quoted as saying on the organisation’s Telegram messaging app and on the Poland-based Belsat news channel.

"They are now safe, outside the country."

The claims could not be immediately verified. There was no official confirmation from Russia or Belarus and there was no immediate response from their defence ministries to requests for comment.

Russia launched over a dozen Kamikaze drones on Ukraine overnight – officials

Monday 27 February 2023 07:01 , Arpan Rai

Russian forces fired at least 14 Iranian Shahed drones into Ukraine overnight, officials from Ukraine’s general armed forces said today.

Of the total fired, 11 were shot down by Ukrainian air defence systems, the officials said.

Nostalgia for USSR: Putin’s motivation

Monday 27 February 2023 07:01 , Jane Dalton

Vladimir Putin, the autocrat who gave the orders for this war is a more complicated figure than many think, writes Mary Dejevsky.

His central motivation may well be to restore Russia’s standing in the world after what he saw as the humiliation of the Soviet Union’s collapse:

What is driving Putin’s relentless war on Ukraine?

Ukraine can attack airfields and depots inside Russia in spring – official

Monday 27 February 2023 06:31 , Arpan Rai

A top Ukrainian intelligence official has said that the besieged country is looking to attack airfields and depots of rockets and artillery systems deep inside Russia as it plans to launch a major counter-offensive in spring.

“It is one of our strategic military goals that we try to drive a wedge in the Russian front in the south – between (occupied) Crimea and Russia,” said Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, reported German newspaper Berliner Morgenpost.

He added: “It is possible that we will also destroy arms depots or military equipment on Russian territory, for example around the city of Belgorod.”

The official added that the expected spring offensive, for which both sides are preparing, is aimed to “liberate the entire country” and throw out around 370,000 Russian fighters from across Ukrainian territory.

Russia warns pumping of weapons in Ukraine fuelling ‘global nuclear catastrophe’

Monday 27 February 2023 06:04 , Arpan Rai

Vladimir Putin’s ally and former Russian president has said that the continued arms supply to Ukraine is provoking a “global nuclear catastrophe” in a renewed threat of apocalypse triggered by such weapons.

"Of course, the pumping in of weapons can continue .... and prevent any possibility of reviving negotiations," Dmitry Medvedev said in remarks published in the daily Izvestia today.

He added: "Our enemies are doing just that, not wanting to understand that their goals will certainly lead to a total fiasco. Loss for everyone. A collapse. Apocalypse. Where you forget for centuries about your former life, until the rubble ceases to emit radiation."

The deputy chairman of Vladimir Putin’s security council has issued this threat after the nuclear warning from the Russian president last week.

How Putin can cling on even if Russia loses the war

Monday 27 February 2023 06:01 , Jane Dalton

In case you missed it:

If people across Russia are all treated as Vladimir Putin’s willing co-conspirators in aggression and abuse, this actually strengthens his hand. Analysis by Mark Galeotti, honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies:

How Putin can cling on… even if Russia loses the Ukraine war

Peace in Ukraine will depend on one crucial thing

Monday 27 February 2023 05:38 , Arpan Rai

All wars end in negotiations, as India’s former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru once said. But a large part of those negotiations, in modern war at least, lies in securing a pathway to reconstruction and recovery.

Even as Ukraine continues to live through trench warfare and constant bombardment in Russia’s year-long invasion, negotiations have begun to secure the country’s restoration. Yet it is vital that the necessary factors for success are hardwired into this emerging reconstruction plan.

Certainly, the cost of emergency relief and the restoration of basic services is set to be huge.

In early December last year, the World Bank costed the damage caused by the Russian invasion since February 2022 at $525bn to $630bn, and damage has only accumulated since then. The list of destruction is immense: 25,000 kms of roads, 320 bridges, 800 hospitals and hundreds of thousands of homes have to be rebuilt.

Fergus Drake writes in Voices:

Peace in Ukraine will depend on one crucial thing | Fergus Drake

Russian military aircraft struck in drone attack near Minsk – Belarus

Monday 27 February 2023 05:15 , Arpan Rai

A Russian A-50 surveillance military aircraft has been damaged in a drone attack at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk yesterday, Belarus partisans and members of the exiled opposition said.

“Those were drones. The participants of the operation are Belarusian,” said Aliaksandr Azarov, leader of Belarusian anti-government organization BYPOL.

“They are now safe, outside the country,” the leader said on the organisation’s Telegram messaging app and on the Poland-based Belsat news channel.

Front and central parts of the aircraft as well as the radar antenna were damaged as a result of two explosions in the attack at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, the report added.

The destroyed aircraft has the Nato reporting name of Mainstay and is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft, with airborne command and control capabilities, and the ability to track up to 60 targets at a time.

This is the most successful act of sabotage since the beginning of 2022, said Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

In pictures: US support for Ukraine

Monday 27 February 2023 05:01 , Jane Dalton

Supporters of Ukraine held placards and chanted “glory to Ukraine“ and “thank you USA” during a “Stand with Ukraine” rally in Boston, Massachusetts.

More than 71,500 Russian war crimes recorded, says Ukraine

Monday 27 February 2023 04:34 , Arpan Rai

Russian forces have committed more than 71,500 war crimes and crimes of aggression in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion of the country, the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said.

Prosecutors have been maintaining a running tally of the number of alleged Russian war crimes and last Monday a “people’s court” began a symbolic war crimes trial against Vladimir Putin at The Hague.

In total Russia has committed 71,586 war crimes and crimes of aggression in Ukraine since 24 February 2022, officials said.

Government rules hampering Ukrainians in bringing families to UK

Monday 27 February 2023 04:01 , Jane Dalton

Ukrainians who have fled the war are struggling to bring loved ones to live with them in the UK because government schemes gave them fewer rights than other refugees.

Ministers gave those fleeing the conflict temporary three-year visas rather than full refugee status, so they cannot organise refugee family reunions:

Ukrainians struggling to bring family to UK because of government rules

Putin will eventually be killed by his inner circle, says Zelensky

Monday 27 February 2023 03:48 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly claimed that president Vladimir Putin will one day be killed by his own inner circle, saying: “Predators will devour a predator”.

Mr Zelensky said: “There will definitely be a moment when the fragility of Putin’s regime will be felt inside the [Russian] state.

“And then the predators will devour a predator. They will find a reason to kill a killer.”

The comments were made in an Ukrainian documentary called Year, according to The Times.

It comes as the Russian leader Mr Putin warned his people that they might not survive as a nation if Ukraine wins the war.

Read the full story here:

Putin will eventually be killed by his inner circle, Ukraine’s Zelensky says

CIA head accuses Russian counterpart of ‘cockiness’

Monday 27 February 2023 03:26 , Arpan Rai

CIA director William Burns said that Vladimir Putin and his spy chief showed “hubris” and “cockiness” after recent discussions with Moscow, but warned that such attitudes could lead to “blunders” for authoritarian leaders.

Mr Burns sat for a wide-ranging interview with CBS News‘ Margaret Brennan and revealed his perspective on the Russian leaders’ attitude.

Sergey Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR, has had a “very defiant attitude”, with a “sense of cockiness and hubris”, Mr Burns said.

Read the full story here:

CIA head accuses Russian spy chief of ‘cockiness’ and ‘hubris’ after recent meeting

Billionaire funds special ambulances for front lines

Monday 27 February 2023 03:01 , Jane Dalton

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, whose great-grandfather emigrated to the US from Ukraine, has pledged $3.25m to help buy more than a dozen ambulances for Ukraine, according to a fellow investor.

Ackman’s donation will fund 15 specially equipped Toyota 4x4 Land Cruiser ambulances and the costs of operating them on the front lines, said investor Whitney Tilson, who is on the advisory board of Ackman’s charity, Pershing Square Foundation.

Tilson has been leading an effort to buy ambulances for Ukraine that will be operated by humanitarian aid group Migrant Offshore Aid Station, which is based in Malta.

The Land Cruisers, which cost about $116,000 each, come with an extended roof that lets medical personnel stand up as they treat patients.

In pictures: Fighting in Donetsk

Monday 27 February 2023 02:01 , Jane Dalton

Photos of some of the fighting in Donetsk:

‘This is your home for as long as you need it'

Monday 27 February 2023 20:55 , Katy Clifton

Dozens of Ukrainians, host families and dignitaries from across Wales gathered at the Welsh Parliament yesterday to show continuing support for Ukraine more than a year on since the Russian invasion.

The peace and solidarity for Ukraine event was held at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on Monday and heard from a number of speakers.

Minister for social change Jane Hutt told Ukrainian guests: “This is your home for as long as you need it.”

The leader of the Ukrainian Catholic community in the UK, Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, relayed a request from those still stuck inside the conflict: “Please, please do not forget us.”

New Ukrainian sanctions on Russians

Monday 27 February 2023 01:01 , Jane Dalton

President Zelensky has announced new sanctions on those who are “involved or help Russia wage war and destroy lives and people”.

He said he had signed three decrees, including one against Russians involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children.

Another was on “those representatives of the Russian sports sector who are trying to put sports in the service of aggression” and the third was against “those who help maintain mercenary structures in Russia for the war against Ukraine and all free people”.

He said: “Ukraine’s pressure will continue. The world’s pressure on the terrorist state will continue.”

China ‘anything but an honest broker’, US says

Monday 27 February 2023 20:11 , Katy Clifton

China has been “anything but an honest broker” in efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, and “very clearly” has taken Russia’s side, US state department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday.

China has provided Russia with “diplomatic support, political support, with economic support, with rhetorical support,” Mr Price told a news briefing.

Putin showed hubris and cockiness, claims CIA chief

Monday 27 February 2023 00:01 , Jane Dalton

CIA director William Burns said Vladimir Putin and his spy chief showed “hubris” and “cockiness” after recent discussions with Moscow, but warned that such attitudes could lead to “blunders” for authoritarian leaders:

CIA head accuses Russian spy chief of ‘cockiness’ and ‘hubris’ after recent meeting

Putin will eventually be killed by his inner circle – Zelensky

Sunday 26 February 2023 23:01 , Jane Dalton

President Volodymyr Zelensky has predicted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin will one day be killed by his own inner circle, saying: “Predators will devour a predator”:

Putin will eventually be killed by his inner circle, Ukraine’s Zelensky says

CIA chief: ‘Very risky and unwise’ for China to send lethal aid

Sunday 26 February 2023 21:52 , Jane Dalton

The director of the CIA has confirmed that US intelligence believes China is considering supplying “lethal provisions” to Russia, warning that such action would be “very risky and unwise” for Beijing.

“We’re confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment,” said William Burns.

“We also don’t see that a final decision has been made yet, and we don’t see evidence of actual shipments of lethal equipment.”

He said US president Joe Biden wanted to make clear there would be consequences if Beijing did offer Russia weapons or armaments, saying it “would be a very risky and unwise bet”:

CIA chief says it would be ‘risky and unwise’ for China to send lethal aid to Russian

Zelensky sacks top forces chief

Sunday 26 February 2023 21:37 , Jane Dalton

President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired a senior military commander helping lead the fight against Russian troops in the country’s embattled east but gave no reason for the move.

In a one-line decree, Mr Zelensky announced the dismissal of Eduard Moskalyov as commander of the joint forces of Ukraine, which are engaged in battles in the Donbas region.

Mr Zelensky mentioned Moskalyov in a daily address on Friday when listing the military commanders he had spoken to. Moskalyov had been in the post since March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded.

Opinion: Peace will depend on one crucial thing

Sunday 26 February 2023 21:10 , Jane Dalton

Negotiations will need investment, reconstruction and recovery in a corruption-free environment, writes Fergus Drake, of Crown Agents, a not-for-profit international development company:

Peace in Ukraine will depend on one crucial thing | Fergus Drake

Zelensky vows to retake Crimea

Sunday 26 February 2023 20:20 , Jane Dalton

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed confidence that the return to Ukrainian control of the Crimean peninsula would be part of an end to the war.

Marking the anniversary of Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, he wrote: “This is our land. Our people. Our history. We will return the Ukrainian flag to every corner of Ukraine.”

Putin ally Lukashenko to visit China

Sunday 26 February 2023 19:45 , Jane Dalton

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a close ally of the Russian leader, will visit Beijing this week, China’s foreign ministry said, as US concerns grow that China is considering providing military aid to Russia:

Belarus leader and Putin ally Lukashenko to visit China

Republicans slate Biden’s refusal to send fighter jets

Sunday 26 February 2023 19:00 , Jane Dalton

Republican politicians have criticised the Biden administration for not sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Michael McCaul, chairman of the House foreign relations committee, told ABC’s This Week that planes and long-range artillery could help end the war on a faster timeline.

“This whole thing is taking too long,” Mr McCaul said. “And it really didn’t have to happen this way.”

Joe Biden said on Friday that he was “ruling it out for now”, saying that they are not the weaponry that Ukrainians needed in the near term.

Senator Dan Sullivan said the White House had been slow in providing the military equipment that Ukraine sought, including jets.

“That has been a pattern with this administration from the beginning, where they have slow-rolled critical military weapons systems,” he said.

But White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said they’re providing Ukraine with the military aid needed to retake territory seized by Russia.

Trump mocked over plan to end war: ‘Knock heads and get it done’

Sunday 26 February 2023 18:15 , Jane Dalton

Critics have mocked former US president Donald Trump after he suggested the solution to the war would be to “get people in a room” and “knock heads”:

Trump mocked after sharing his plan to end Ukraine war: ‘Knock heads’

Putin overconfident in grinding down Ukraine, says CIA chief

Sunday 26 February 2023 17:48 , Jane Dalton

The head of the CIA has said Vladimir Putin is being “too confident” in his military’s ability to grind Ukraine into submission.

William Burns also said the head of Russia’s intelligence services had displayed “a sense of cockiness and hubris” that reflected Mr Putin’s own beliefs “that he can make time work for him, that he believes he can grind down the Ukrainians, that he can wear down our European allies, that political fatigue will eventually set in”.

That conversation, in which Mr Burns also warned of the consequences if Russia were to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, was “pretty dispiriting”, he told CBS’ Face the Nation.

He judged Mr Putin as “quite determined” to continue prosecuting the war, despite the casualties, tactical shortcomings and economic and reputational damage to Russia.“I think Putin is, right now, entirely too confident of his ability ... to wear down Ukraine,” he said.

“At some point, he’s going to have to face up to increasing costs as well, in coffins coming home to some of the poorest parts of Russia,” where he said many of the conscripts “being thrown as cannon fodder” are from.

Drone footage shows Bakhmut devastated by Russian forces

Sunday 26 February 2023 17:05 , Jane Dalton

Drone footage published by a Russian news agency shows extensive damage in the city of Bakhmut, which has been the focus of prolonged fierce battles between the Ukrainian army and the Russian military.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Russian paramilitary and mercenary organisation Wagner Group claimed his forces had captured more settlements around the small eastern city.

The Ukrainian army said attacks were continuing, citing “unsuccessful offensives” near six settlements in the region that Moscow claims to have annexed.

Russia has made progress towards encircling Bakhmut but failed to capture it in time to deliver a victory for President Vladimir Putin to announce on Friday’s anniversary of his invasion.

China has not ruled out giving Putin military aid, says US official

Sunday 26 February 2023 16:41 , Jane Dalton

China has not moved toward providing lethal aid that would help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, according to the Biden administration.

And the United States has made clear behind closed doors that such a move would have serious consequences, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

“Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how it proceeds, whether it provides military assistance - but if it goes down that road it will come at real costs to China,” Mr Sullivan told CNN’s State of the Union programme.

China has not moved forward in providing that aid, but nor has Beijing taken the option off the table, he told ABC.

US officials have warned their Chinese counterparts privately about what those costs might be, Mr Sullivan said, but he would not elaborate on the discussions.

Sunday 26 February 2023 16:02 , William Mata

CIA director William Burns has spoken with US broadcaster CBS on the Ukraine crisis.

He said that China sending lethal aid to Russia would be ‘very risky and unwise’ and that he thinks President Xi has been ‘surprised’ and ‘sobered’ by Russian failure and US solidarity

Mr Burns added that Russia’s spy chief showed ‘cockiness and hubris’ in ‘dispiriting’ meeting with CIA chief, while the CIA boss also accuses Putin of 'hubris'.

“Right now, the honest answer, I think Putin is quite determined,” he said, also adding that the Russian leader is “not serious” about negotiation.

Bakhmut: ‘Destroyed but strong’

Sunday 26 February 2023 15:31 , William Mata

Shocking drone footage which shows the devastation in Bakhmut has been viewed thousands of times on Twitter.

Maria Drutska, who works in Ukraine’s defence sector, shared the footage on Sunday.

She wrote: “Bakhmut, may have been destroyed and almost wiped off the Earth’s surface by the russians, but it still stands strong thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of Ukrainian soldiers. We all honour their courage. Thank you!”

Belarus leader and Putin ally Lukashenko to visit China

Sunday 26 February 2023 15:08 , William Mata

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a close ally of the Russian leader, will visit Beijing this week, China's Foreign Ministry said, as U.S. concerns grow that China is considering providing military aid to Russia.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying said Lukashenko is due to visit Tuesday through Thursday, but gave no details about his agenda.

Belarus has strongly backed Moscow and allowed its territory to be used as a staging ground for the initial invasion of Ukraine a year ago.

Sunday afternoon round-up

Sunday 26 February 2023 14:50 , William Mata

Here are some of the top headlines this afternoon:- Putin accuses West of plotting to ‘eliminate’ Russia in new interview

- Any China lethal aid to Russia ‘would come at real costs’ - US: China has not moved toward providing lethal aid that would help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said.

- No Nato development: A Ukraine government spokesman has said there has been no development in the discussion over possible Nato security guarentees.

Update: ‘Russia has no choice’ - Putin

Sunday 26 February 2023 14:40 , William Mata

Russian president Vladimir Putin said in an interview on Sunday that Russia has no choice but to take into account Nato's nuclear capabilities.

He made the remarks in justifying Russia's recent suspension of its participation in the New START treaty, which seeks to cap the number of nuclear warheads possessed by the US and Russia.

Mr Putin claimed that Russia faces an existential threat because, in his view, Nato members are seeking the country's "strategic defeat".

He said on Russian state TV, that the suspension of New START stemmed from the need to "ensure security, strategic stability" for Russia.

"When all the leading Nato countries have declared their main goal as inflicting a strategic defeat on us, how can we ignore their nuclear capabilities in these conditions?" he said.

Mr Putin declared on Tuesday that Moscow was suspending its participation in the 2010 New START treaty, saying that Russia can't accept US inspections of its nuclear sites under the pact while Washington and its Nato allies seek Russia's defeat in Ukraine.

He emphasised that Moscow was not withdrawing from the pact altogether, and the Russian foreign ministry said the country would respect the treaty's caps on nuclear weapons and keep notifying the US about test launches of ballistic missiles.

Any China lethal aid to Russia ‘would come at real costs’ - US

Sunday 26 February 2023 14:19 , Emily Atkinson

China has not moved toward providing lethal aid that would help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said.

“Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how it proceeds, whether it provides military assistance, but if it goes down that road, it will come at real costs to China,” he said in an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union” program.

‘No development over Nato security guarentees'

Sunday 26 February 2023 12:38 , William Mata

A Ukraine government spokesman has said there has been no development in the discussion over possible Nato security guarentees.

A statement on Sunday read: “At the recent meeting of German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron with Ukrainian leader Zelenskiy, this issue played no role at all.”

It follows a report by The Wall Street Journal that said some of Nato’s European affiliates are considering an agreement with the war-torn country.

Algeria to reopen its embassy in Kyiv after one-year closure

Sunday 26 February 2023 12:16 , William Mata

Algeria will reopen its embassy in Kyiv one year after it was closed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Algerian state television said on Sunday citing a foreign ministry statement.

"This decision falls within the framework of preserving the interests of the Algerian state and the interests of the national community in this country," state TV quoted the foreign ministry statement as saying.

"The Algerian embassy in Kiev, which suspended its activities due to the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, will be managed by the Chargé d'Affaires."

The embassy closed in March last year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The decision to reopen the embassy will be effective "as soon as possible," the statement read.

Sunday 26 February 2023 11:07 , William Mata

Germany’s defence minister has reacted with scepticism to reports of a Chinese ceasefire proposal.

Boris Pistorius said on Sunday: “When I hear reports – and I don’t know whether they are true – according to which China may be planning to supply kamikaze drones to Russia while at the same time presenting a peace plan, then I suggest we judge China by its actions and not its words.”

Sunday headlines: ‘Putin friend paid towards Prince George’s school pool’

Sunday 26 February 2023 10:50 , William Mata

The Sun has led with a story alleging Arkady Rotenberg, an oil billionaire with links to Vladimir Putin, donated £2.2 million towards the construction of a swinning pool at Lambrook school.

The Berkshire school is attended by Prince George, as well as the other children of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

There has not been any suggestion of wrongdoing by the school.

A spokeswoman said: "Lambrook has, and will always, fully comply with all appropriate legislation and undertakes strict due diligence for any charitable donation."

British MPs meet Zelensky in Ukraine

Sunday 26 February 2023 10:23 , William Mata

A group of MPs, including Labours Alex Sobel and Anna McMorrin and Conservative Party members evin Foster and Scott Benton, travelled to Ukraine to give supplies.

The four were in western city Lviv to deliver medical equipmet and tools. They also attended a conference held by president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

True death toll remains unknown

Sunday 26 February 2023 10:05 , William Mata

The true death toll of the Ukraine - Russia conflict remains unknown, the Sunday Times has reported.

Western reports have focused on high Russian casualties - with Ben Wallace saying 180,000 have been killed or wounded. However, the Ukrainian death toll could be between 80,000 and 100,000.

The last official total from Ukrainian officials put the figure at 10-13,000 but the UK government has said “nobody wants to say” what the more recent and accurate number is.

Ukrainians struggling to bring family to UK because of government rules

Sunday 26 February 2023 09:54 , William Mata

Ukrainians who have fled the war are struggling to bring loved ones to live with them in the UK because government schemes gave them fewer rights than other refugees - it has been reported.

A university lecturer’s mother and sister had to settle in Germany after he had to “give up” trying to bring them to Britain, while a working couple’s elderly parents ended up in Ireland after they were told they could not act as sponsors.

They are among numerous Ukrainian families separated by stringent rules stemming from ministers’ decision to give those fleeing the conflict temporary three-year visas, rather than full refugee status.

Read the full article here.

Latest photos from Ukraine

Sunday 26 February 2023 09:41 , William Mata

Friends to cycle 100km for Ukraine appeal

Sunday 26 February 2023 09:36 , William Mata

A group of lads are completing a 100km charity cycle - on an intricate route mapped out to be the shape of the Ukraine.

Maksym Oberemok, 22, and a group of friends are heading out today on the ride to raise money for his home country.

Maksym, from Trowbridge, Wilts, was born in Ukraine but moved to Wiltshire with his parents and sister when he was two.

The lads are hoping to raise £5,000 for the people of Ukraine, for whom this week marked a year of attacks from Russian forces.

More than a third of British adults have donated - Christian Aid poll

Sunday 26 February 2023 09:28 , William Mata

More than a third of British adults have donated to the Ukraine appeals, a Christian Aid poll has found.

The charity has released research that found that 37 per cent of the adult population had made some kind of donation while 81% per cent said they remain concerned about the impact of the conflict.

John Sentamu, charity chairman, said: “I am not surprised that so many people across our isles remain worried about the war. We must remember every prayer, every gift, every action is bringing hope to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.”

Sunday: What we know so far

Sunday 26 February 2023 09:03 , William Mata

A few headlines this Sunday morning:

- Ukraine's military said on Sunday that Russia conducted unsuccessful offensives near Yahidne over the past day, after Russia's Wagner mercenary group claimed to have captured the village in eastern Ukraine near the focus on intense fighting.

- Ukraine’s armed forces said Russia keeps concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive actions along the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtar parts of the frontline.

- The deputy chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence has said the country is seeking to mount a fresh push to retake territory this spring.

- President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia had no choice but to take into account the nuclear capabilities of Nato.

Ukraine: Plan for spring push to re-take territory

Sunday 26 February 2023 08:49 , William Mata

The deputy chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence has said the country is seeking to mount a fresh push to retake territory this spring.

Vadym Skibitsky told German media on Sunday: “[We will] not stop until we get our country back to its 1991 borders.

“One of our strategic military objectives is to try to drive a wedge into the Russian front in the south, between Crimea and Russian territory.”

He added: “The objective of our counter-offensive is to liberate all the occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea.”

Russia must take into account NATO nuclear capability - state TV

Sunday 26 February 2023 07:47 , William Mata

President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia had no choice but to take into account the nuclear capabilities of NATO as the U.S.-led military alliance was seeking the defeat of Russia.

"In today's conditions, when all the leading NATO countries have declared their main goal as inflicting a strategic defeat on us, so that our people suffer as they say, how can we ignore their nuclear capabilities in these conditions?" Putin told Rossiya 1 state television, according to TASS.

The West, Putin said, wanted to liquidate Russia.

"They have one goal: to disband the former Soviet Union and its fundamental part - the Russian Federation," Putin said, according to TASS.

The West, he said, was an indirect accomplice to the "crimes" committed by Ukraine.

Sunday morning update

Sunday 26 February 2023 07:28 , William Mata

Here is a round-up of some of the headlines on the Ukraine front this Sunday morning.

- The European Union vowed to increase pressure on Moscow "until Ukraine is liberated" as it adopted a tenth package of sanctions on Russia on Saturday, a day after the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

- Russia's senior diplomat to the United Nations accused the West on Sunday of "cowboy" methods and "arm twisting" of some countries during last week's United Nations General Assembly vote that demanding Moscow withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday he will visit China in early April, in part to seek Chinese help with ending Russia's invasion.

- Ukraine's military said on Sunday that Russia conducted unsuccessful offensives near Yahidne over the past day, after Russia's Wagner mercenary group claimed to have captured the village in eastern Ukraine near the focus on intense fighting.

The weapons the world is sending to Ukraine

Sunday 26 February 2023 07:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

On the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Nato members have pledged further support to Ukraine’s defence effort.

Ben Wallace has said more tanks could be sent from Britain to aid Kyiv forces, with the defence secretary expressing concern that the Kremlin’s “meat grinder” army could still be battling in another year.

He said on Thursday that he was “open” to sending more British tanks and suggested Ukraine was likely to receive fighter jets from Nato member countries.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called on western allies for help in defending its borders against Russian insurgencies.

The weapons the world is sending to Ukraine

Ukraine unveils postage stamps depicting Banksy's mural

Sunday 26 February 2023 06:59 , Maroosha Muzaffar

To mark the first anniversary of the devastating war, Ukraine unveiled postage stamps featuring a mural by Banksy.

The mural depicts a man — resembling Russian president Vladimir Putin — being flipped during a judo match with a young boy.

Mr Putin is a judo black belt and a fan of martial arts.

The original mural is on a house that was destroyed during a Russian missile attack in Borodyanka, near Kyiv.

The phrase “FCK PTN” in Cyrillic has been added to the lower left part of the new stamp, it was reported.

How Britain – and Boris – led the way in global fight against Putin

Sunday 26 February 2023 06:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak told the cabinet on Tuesday he was struck by the number of people at last weekend’s Munich security conference who noted that “UK leadership had played an important part in the global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.

For once, it wasn’t just spin. I’ve talked to some of the participants in Munich. They confirmed the plaudits for the UK, and said the prime minister made a good impression, describing him variously as “serious,” “smart” and “trustworthy.”

Ukraine – a year of war: The UK has been a driving force behind the coalition of Western nations supporting Kyiv with weaponry and billions of pounds of aid, writes Andrew Grice

How Britain – and Boris – led the way in global fight against Putin

Ukranian military commander claims Russian troops in Bakhmut ‘unsuccessful’

Sunday 26 February 2023 06:24 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Ukrainian troops are standing their ground around Bakhmut, a Ukrainian commander said yesterday.

Yuriy Fedorovych Madyar, a colonel in Ukraine’s military, posted a video message on his Telegram channel saying that “Ukrainian troops have retained their positions on all three suburbs of Bakhmut — the northern, eastern and southern-southwestern. The enemy had no territorial successes.”

He added that the “enemy assault operations were unsuccessful”.

Mr Madyar said that Ukrainian forces “don’t see any additional accumulation” of Russian troops in these areas but added that the concentration of Russian forces in Bakhmut is “already considerable” which, he said allows the Russians “to launch assault operations several times a day”.

Putin’s regime will be ‘crushed’, widow of Russian defector says

Sunday 26 February 2023 06:13 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The wife of Alexander Litvenenko says Vladimir Putin’s regime will be “crushed” and a new one will rise.

Speaking to Sky News in London during a protest against Russia, Marina Litvenenko said: “A lot of Russian are now supporting Ukraine. They are doing everything so Ukraine will win.”

She said the “message to the international community - Russians are against the war. You don’t need to support Putin or make any explanation as to why he started this war. Putin [carried out] crimes. War crimes.”

She continued: “Ukraine will win and Putin’s regime will be crushed and a new Russian regime will rise.”

Zelensky calls EU’s fresh sanctions against Russia ‘powerful'

Sunday 26 February 2023 05:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Volodymyr Zelensky said that European Union’s fresh sanctions against Russia would deal a significant blow to Russian enterprises.

In his address yesterday, he said: “Now, new sanctions steps are in the 10th package, powerful, against the defence industry and the financial sector of the terrorist state and against the propagandists who drowned Russian society in lies and are trying to spread their lies to the whole world. They definitely won’t succeed.”

He added that the Ukrainian government is working “to extend global and, in particular, European sanctions to the Russian nuclear industry, Rosatom, all those involved in the missile program and nuclear blackmail of the terrorist state.

“The partners – the United States, the UK – have already made relevant steps. We expect the appropriate steps from the European Union.”

ICYMI: Ukrainian artist returned home to find all her belongings stolen

Sunday 26 February 2023 05:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

An artist and gallery owner who survived the Bucha massacre has recalled returning to her home only to find that everything had been stolen.

Alina Kosenko is selling paintings depicting the atrocities seen from her basement during the occupation by Russian soldiers.

Bucha is on the outskirts of Kyiv and is an area where war crimes were allegedly carried out by the Kremlin’s occupying forces.

Read the full piece here:

Bucha massacre: Ukrainian artist returned home to find all her belongings stolen

Vladimir Putin: What is driving Russian leader’s relentless assault on Ukraine?

Sunday 26 February 2023 05:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In the year since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has been the figurehead of what he initially termed a “special military operation”.

Russia’s president might have prepared the political ground with a show of collective responsibility – few will forget how he solicited the support of key ministers live on TV just hours before ordering the invasion – but he has fronted the invasion ever since, often alone, and it is he who will answer to history.

He sold the invasion as a collective decision with his military chiefs, but it is the president alone who will have to answer to history, writes Mary Dejevsky

What is driving Putin’s relentless war on Ukraine?

Olaf Scholz criticises Beijing’s peace plan

Sunday 26 February 2023 05:22 , Maroosha Muzaffar

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has criticised China’s proposed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, noting that the document does not explicitly include the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

“From my perspective, there is no recognisable line that says: Russian troops must also withdraw,” Mr Scholz was quoted as saying by a German outlet Welt yesterday.

He mentioned that the condemnation of the increased risk of nuclear weapons included in the proposed peace plan was “remarkably correct”. But added that there can be no “dictated peace Russian-style”.

Macron urges China to pressure Russia to end the war

Sunday 26 February 2023 05:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

French president Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that he would visit China in April and also urged Beijing to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

“The fact that China is engaging in peace efforts is a good thing,” Mr Macron said in reference to Beijing’s peace plan.

He said that peace was only possible if “Russian aggression was halted, troops withdrawn, and the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine and its people was respected”.