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Ukraine war – latest: Joe Biden warns freedom at stake; Wagner Group founder hits out at Russian officials; Putin says he’s ‘proud’ of troops at rally
Joe Biden has warned freedom is at stake as he met with nine NATO leaders in Warsaw; Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken to crowds in Moscow as he held a huge rally.
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Putin: ‘We are proud of those fighting in Ukraine’ View post
Joe Biden meets NATO leaders – and says Putin made ‘big mistake’ pulling out of nuclear treaty View post
What happened on Biden’s whirlwind trip to Europe View post
Russia: ‘We are standing on the verge of global conflict’ View post
Helen-Ann Smith: China sending mixed signals on Ukraine war View post
Putin branded ‘political corpse’ as speech criticised at home View post
Belgium investigates Russian ‘spy ship’ View post
Live updates from Emily Mee, with Deborah Haynes in Ukraine, Dominic Waghorn in Poland and Diana Magnay in Moscow
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20m ago
15:31
PM Sunak speaks with Zelenskyy
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this evening.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The prime minister spoke to President Zelenskyy this evening, ahead of the one-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
“The prime minister updated on his visit to the Munich Security Conference, and said he had used the event to call on allies to accelerate their support to help Ukraine progress military gains in the coming weeks and months.
“Now was the time for Ukraine to seize the opportunity to make real progress on the battlefield and further demonstrate to Putin that Ukraine would ultimately win, the leaders agreed.”
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36m ago
15:15
US urged to seek NATO deployment of extra military equipment in the Baltic states
Details are emerging from Joe Biden’s earlier meeting with Bucharest Nine leaders, where the US president was aiming to show support for the security of countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
During the talks, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urged Mr Biden to ask NATO to deploy additional military equipment to the Baltic states.
He requested weapons such as HIMARS artillery or attack helicopters.
Mr Biden was silent but took notes as he listened to the proposals by Mr Nauseda and others, the Lithuanian president said afterwards.
“I have talked about deployment of so-called critical enablers – this includes airspace surveillance systems, attack helicopters, HIMARS artillery,” Mr Nauseda said.
“We can hardly afford to purchase this, it but it could be deployed [by allies] to the Baltics on rotational grounds.”
Baltic countries fear they are threatened by Russia – something that has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.
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1h ago
14:41
Russia and China did not discuss ‘peace plan’, Moscow says
Moscow has claimed there was no discussion of a “peace plan” said to have been drafted by China during talks between officials from the two countries.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi as the nations continue their close ties.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said after the meeting: “We note statements by some Western politicians and media reports regarding some kind of ‘Chinese peace plan’. As usual, they distort the real picture.
“The Chinese partners briefed us on their views on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as approaches to its political settlement. There was no talk of any separate plan.”
Her comments follow reports China has come up with a “peace plan” for ending the war in Ukraine – and that Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to give a “peace speech” on the anniversary of the invasion on Friday.
If true, this would signify China is trying to position itself as a peace broker.
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1h ago
14:16
‘We were told to come’: The view from Moscow during Putin’s patriotic concert
By Diana Magnay, Moscow correspondent
Hours before Vladimir Putin was even set to turn up, tens of thousands of people were streaming towards Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. And along one road outside, two long rows of buses were parked for as far as the eye could see. It’s par for the course and has been since Soviet times that employees for state companies are bussed in for events like this, and today was no exception.
“We came from university, we were told to come and we’re here,” said Liuba, 23. “They told us there would be a concert.”
She wasn’t sure the president would definitely show and didn’t care much either way.
I asked if she minded being instructed to come to an event which would then be used as a patriotic moment on state TV.
“It’s politics, we live in this kind of a country,” she replied. “They say one thing but the reality is different. If someone isn’t happy with that they leave for another country.”
It was a freezing cold day – a big ask to get people to come. Hundreds were already streaming out before the president even appeared but the prevailing mood, nonetheless, was staunchly patriotic.
“I’ve experienced a few wars and I’ve just been in hospital to visit our boys,” said Dinara Yakusheva, a former medic who wore a collection of military medals proudly on her chest. “I think everyone should honour this holiday for them. Look at how heroic they are! Let’s live in peace all over the world.”
We met Alexander Zaldastanov, better known as Surgeon, the head of the Night Wolves biker club which has been known to ride with Mr Putin.
“I wish you to get rid of the American yoke,” he yelled when we told him we were from Sky News.
Mr Putin, as ever, came in to thunderous applause. It’s the kind of event he loves: a stadium filled with the Russian tricolour flag, music blaring, and a hero’s welcome. It was the kind of man of the people image he likes to present. And more to the point, it looks good on state TV to the millions across the country who aren’t there.
“Right now there is a battle on our historical frontiers for our people,” the president said. “They fight heroically, courageously, bravely, we are proud of them, and in their honour, three times – hooray!”
The crowd hurrahed enthusiastically.
There was an extraordinary moment on stage too – a group of children the West would say were abducted by Russia from the streets of bombed-out Mariupol, here described as liberated. The soldier who helped them, 367 in all, was feted in what was a touching scene, with the children – all of different ages – hugging him onstage.
It speaks to the way both sides see this terrible conflict – through a glass darkly, with little chance on either side that those sentiments will change.
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1h ago
13:58
Moldova prepared for ‘full spectrum of threats’
The former Soviet republic has said it is prepared for a “full spectrum of threats”, following fears Russia could intensify attempts to destabilise it.
Moldova has accused Russia of fuelling anti-government protests and plotting to take over the nation – something Russia denies.
In a telephone interview, Moldovan foreign minister Nicu Popescu said: “Our institutions have planned for responses along the full spectrum of threats.
“Of course we have limited means, but at the same time we are not alone in this.”
At the start of the invasion, Moldova had feared Moscow could attempt to seize its breakaway region of Transnistria.
However, Mr Popescu said Ukraine’s success on the battlefield had diminished this possibility.
“We don’t think Moldova is in a position to be militarily threatened as long as Ukraine resists and keeps the front line away from us,” he said.
He continued that his government has been “constantly alert” to threats since the invasion, including bomb scares and cyber attacks.
“In the last year, the risks and the threats have been dramatically higher than before,” he said.
Yesterday, US President Joe Biden affirmed his support for Moldova’s sovereignty.
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2h ago
13:43
Ukraine says it repulsed attack on key eastern town
Russian troops broke through Ukrainian defences near the eastern town of Kreminna yesterday, a senior Ukrainian official has said.
However, they were then pushed back and lost some of their heavy equipment.
Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Haidai previously said the attack had been repulsed, but he gave these further details in an interview with a Ukrainian broadcaster.
Last night, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian defenders were holding the frontline and that the situation had not changed despite fierce battles.
Russia has begun a major offensive on the Luhansk region as it pushes to take the entire area.
Ukrainian officials have previously said Russian troops are trying to break through into Kreminna and are attacking on a daily basis.
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2h ago
13:13
How Biden has moved to calm anxieties on NATO’s eastern flank
By Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor
Joe Biden has put diplomatic weight behind all the fine words and imagery of this week.
The White House said he wants to project strength, resolve and unity. After his surprise trip to Kyiv and passionate rallying cry for freedom in his speech in Warsaw, he met leaders of the Bucharest Nine countries.
They wanted reassurance that the US understands their anxieties and stands with them in the face of renewed Russian aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere.
The meeting of the Bucharest Nine countries on NATO’s eastern flank followed Vladimir Putin’s ominous speech in Moscow.
He delivered another perverse view of history, saying NATO started the war – and then announced Russia’s suspension from the New START nuclear arms treaty, in a major blow to nuclear arms reduction efforts.
The move is being seen in Western capitals as more nuclear bullying by the Russian president as the war enters another year.
Mr Biden condemned the move as a “mistake” before meeting his central European allies.
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2h ago
13:05
What happened on Biden’s whirlwind trip to Europe
Now that Joe Biden has departed Poland on Air Force One, we’re taking a look back at the key moments from his three-day visit.
It all started on Monday when the US president arrived unannounced in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv – his first trip to the country since the invasion began, and a huge show of support.
The secret trip had been planned for months, and involved Mr Biden taking a 10-hour train from the Polish border.
Arriving in Kyiv, he was seen walking through the city with Volodymyr Zelenskyy as air raid sirens sounded.
The US president promised to provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth $500m, as well as to announce more sanctions on Russia.
Following talks between the two presidents, Mr Zelenskyy said the pair discussed long-range weapons in a “very fruitful” discussion.
Mr Biden also had some strong words for Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian president had thought Ukraine was “weak and the West was divided” – but he was “dead wrong”.
The following day, Mr Biden held talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw before being given a rockstar welcome by huge crowds at the Royal Castle.
In a major speech, he said Mr Putin had expected his enemies to “roll over” when he invaded Ukraine but was met with the “iron will” of its allies.
“I can report: Kyiv stands strong, Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and, most important, it stands free,” he said to cheers from the crowds.
Today, he concluded his tour by meeting the leaders of the Bucharest Nine – all countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
The US president later said he was the one who “pushed the hardest” to expand NATO to many of those around the table today.
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3h ago
12:45
Biden leaves Warsaw after historic trip
The president has boarded Air Force One and is on his way back to the US now.
It concludes a three-day Europe trip that saw Joe Biden arrive unannounced in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, before meeting NATO leaders in Warsaw, Poland.
Yesterday, he gave a speech at the foot of Warsaw’s Royal Castle to mark almost a year since Russia’s invasion – and pledged to continue supporting Ukraine as well as to “defend every inch of NATO territory”.
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3h ago
12:39
The next few days will be big in terms of diplomacy – here’s what to watch out for
By Mark Stone, US correspondent
The international diplomatic focus on Ukraine shifts to New York over the next three days, as diplomats from the 193 member countries of the United Nations gather at the body’s Manhattan headquarters for a vote in the General Assembly.
An emergency special session of the General Assembly will be used to vote on a resolution underscoring the urgency to find lasting peace in Ukraine.
The resolution’s text, drafted by Ukraine in consultation with allies, and seen by Sky News, will be voted on at the end of the session tomorrow.
The wording is simple. It’s an attempt, say diplomats, to ensure as much support as possible. About 140 votes in favour would be seen as a success.
It is expected to call for “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.
Ukraine will open the session, followed by Russia’s ally Belarus and then Moscow’s representative. The European Union’s representative will follow Russia. The UK will speak 27th, with Britain’s ambassador Barbara Woodward likely to take the floor at about 6pm New York time (11pm UK time).
As ever with the United Nations body, it is largely symbolic and reflects global diplomatic opinion rather than any concrete directives for action.
On Friday, foreign ministers will gather for a meeting of the Security Council. America’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will join other Security Council members, including Russia and China, around the table in the chamber for what promises to be a fiery exchange of views.
Two critical issues to watch over the next three days:
The extent to which China’s support for Russia is on show. China’s foreign minister has been in Moscow this week, and there’s concern in the West that Moscow is planning to supply Russia with arms and or ammunition. This would represent a fundamental shift, evolving this war into more of a proxy East-West world war.
The level of unity among Western nations. There is divergence between those advocating caution and those who want to ‘get the war won’ by arming Ukraine for a win instead of prolonging a stalemate.
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3h ago
12:26
Russia confirms it was pre-warned about Biden visit
Moscow has confirmed it was notified ahead of time about Joe Biden’s visit to the Ukrainian capital this week.
The US president made the risky surprise visit on Monday, where he held talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reaffirmed America’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.
The White House said it had let the Kremlin know of the visit hours before Mr Biden’s departure, but had not been given any security guarantees.
Russia has also now confirmed this, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying: “I will remind that Biden didn’t venture to visit Kyiv without warning Russia, without asking the Russian side to ensure his safety.”
Experts have said it is unlikely the US would have trusted a security guarantee from Russia, and instead was expressing confidence in Ukraine’s defences by allowing the trip to go ahead.
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3h ago
12:07
Mercenary group founder posts image of dead bodies following claims of ammunition shortages
By Jack Taylor, OSINT producer
Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the infamous Wagner Group, has posted a graphic image of dead bodies and claims they are fighters from his group that have died due to ammunition shortages during the fight for Bakhmut.
Mr Prigozhin claims that there should be “five times fewer of them”.
Sky News has chosen to blur the image as it is too graphic to show.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has said it is doing all it can to supply fighters and that complaints about a lack of ammunition are “absolutely untrue”.
The Wagner Group has been part of the Russian assault on Bakhmut, a key city on the current frontline in the east of Ukraine. The group was also previously involved in capturing the nearby Soledar.
Mr Prigozhin also shared this image, which is an ammunition request made on 17 February for the “subsequent advance and capture of the city of Bakhmut”.
In his accompanying message, he claimed that Wagner have only received 20% of the ammunition they have requested.
He has previously made accusations that Russian officials are deliberately denying his fighters ammunition. Yesterday, he said it could be “equated to high treason”.
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3h ago
11:54
What is the Bucharest Nine?
Earlier today, Joe Biden met with leaders of the Bucharest Nine countries – and since then they have released a joint statement pledging to support each other “in the event of a threat”.
So what is the group and why was it formed?
The Bucharest Nine is made up of nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
It was established in 2015 by Poland and Romania in direct response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea – Ukrainian territory that still remains under Moscow’s control.
Each of the members was once closely associated with the now-dissolved Soviet Union, and joined NATO after the end of the Cold War.
As our defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke explains, the northern and southern members have slightly different agendas.
Those in the north are more concerned with Russia and the North Atlantic, while the southern members are worried about illegal migration, economic development and the situation in the Western Balkans.
The Bucharest Nine summit in Warsaw today
The Bucharest Nine summit in Warsaw today
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4h ago
11:31
Eastern NATO countries pledge to ‘support each other in the event of a threat’
All members of the Bucharest Nine – the nations of NATO’s eastern flank – have released a joint statement condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Polish presidential adviser Marcin Przydacz confirmed the joint agreement, saying: “All allies agreed that they would support each other in the event of a threat.
“The next point of the declaration was the condemnation of the brutal, bloody war against Ukraine, which is being waged by Russia. All members of the Bucharest Nine signed these words.”
NATO is a Western military alliance under which all members agree to defend each other’s territory.
Russia’s neighbours have expressed concerns they could be threatened by Moscow if Vladimir Putin is not defeated in Ukraine.
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4h ago
11:10
Russia says suspension of nuclear treaty doesn’t raise risk of nuclear war
Moscow has insisted its decision to pull out of the New START nuclear treaty does not raise the risk of nuclear war.
Vladimir Putin announced the move yesterday during his annual speech in front of Russia’s Federal Assembly.
The treaty, signed by the US and Russia, caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads the two countries can deploy.
“I do not believe that the decision to suspend the New START Treaty brings us closer to nuclear war,” deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency.
Russia has said it is not withdrawing from the pact altogether and would respect the caps on nuclear weapons set under the treaty.
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4h ago
11:00
Ukrainian fighter pilot ‘sacrificed himself to avoid hitting town’
Media reports have told of a Ukrainian fighter pilot who “died like a hero” and sacrificed his own life when his plane was hit by a Russian rocket.
Danylo Murashko was on a combat mission above the Donetsk region when his aircraft was hit, according to the Kyiv Independent.
He was just ahead of the town of Shabelkivka, which had housed over 4,000 residents before the war.
His brigade told the news outlet that Mr Murashko diverted his plane so it wouldn’t fall on residential buildings – costing him precious time and meaning he was no longer able to safely eject.
Mr Murashko’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Rostyslav Lazarenko, said the last words he heard over the radio from the 24-year-old were: “I turned [the aircraft] away.”
“He would never forgive himself if someone died because of him when he could have saved them,” Mr Murashko’s wife, Daria Murashko, said.
After his death, the 299th tactical aviation brigade said Mr Murashko was one of its best officers and that he had “died like a hero”.
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5h ago
10:51
Change of president ‘won’t change US support’ for Ukraine
A high-level state US official has said a change in the party that controls the presidency won’t change American support for Ukraine.
Asked what will happen if a new president is elected in 2024, counselor to the state department Derek Chollet told Sky News assisting Ukraine is one of the few issues Democrats and Republicans agree on.
“It’s important to note that in the US there has been bipartisan support for our assistance in Ukraine,” he said.
The US has provided nearly $30bn in security assistance in the year since the war began – six times Ukraine’s defence budget in 2021, he said.
He called the Russian suspension of the nuclear arms treaty New START the “height of irresponsibility” but suggested the practical impact was unclear.
He added: “It does not make the world a safer place and yet again reveals Vladimir Putin’s intent to try to undermine global stability.”
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda speaks with Joe Biden
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda speaks with Joe Biden
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5h ago
10:30
Defence secretary visits army base where Ukrainians are being trained on tanks
Britain’s Ben Wallace has been visiting the Bovington Camp military base in Dorset, where Ukrainian soldiers are being trained on Challenger 2 tanks.
The UK has pledged to provide the modern tanks to Ukraine to help with its planned counteroffensive.
Ukrainian soldiers demonstrated repairing a tank during training and later spoke with the defence secretary.
Trials and development tests were also carried out on Ajax Ares armoured vehicles.
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5h ago
10:15
Two killed in shelling on Kherson
Ukraine has reported the deaths of two more civilians in the southern region of Kherson, which also came under fire yesterday.
An 81-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were killed during shelling of the village of Novotyahinka, about 40 km (25 miles) from Kherson city, governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.
The deaths come a day after another deadly attack on Kherson, when six people were killed when a Russian rocket slammed into a busy street.
A further 12 people were injured in yesterday’s attack, Ukrainian authorities said.
Ukraine recaptured the city of Kherson and its surrounding area in November after nearly eight months of occupation by Russian forces.
Since it was returned to Ukrainian control, the city has been constantly bombarded by Russian fire.
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5h ago
09:59
Some Ukrainian refugees heading home ‘because savings running out’
Ukrainian refugees are returning to their homes because, in some cases, they are running out of money, according to Foreign Office officials.
Millions of people have been displaced in the eastern European country following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
While Western countries, including the UK, took in those refugees fleeing the conflict, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the humanitarian picture now included providing for those going back to their homeland.
Some who moved to other areas of Ukraine while their neighbourhood was transformed into the front line are also beginning to return to “their places of origin or nearby cities”, despite the risks involved and lack of basic services available.
Foreign Office humanitarian adviser Fred Robarts said: “What we’ve been hearing here is that numerous displaced people have been returning to their places of origin or nearby cities, like Kharkiv, despite the evident risks and the high levels of destruction in those places and the shortage of basic services.
“And the reason for that is they are running out of savings. Obviously it is more complex than that, but that is driving some of those returns.”
