Ukraine war latest: Kyiv ‘watches with pleasure’ as FSB fire kills one; Putin issues warning to oligarchs
A fire at a Russian security building has killed one person, with Ukraine claiming it is a sign of “major internal conflict”; Putin has told Russian elites to put patriotism before profit; and after a US drone crash, the Pentagon has said it ‘does not seek escalation’ with Russia
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Ukraine ‘watches with pleasure’ as FSB building fire kills one View post
Putin tells oligarchs: Put your country before profits View post
US Air Force releases declassified footage of drone crash View post
Russian politician fined for dangling noodles from ears during Putin speech View post
Sean Bell: US drone crash ‘almost certainly an incompetent Russian pilot’ View post
‘Up to 30,000’ Russian soldiers killed or wounded in Bakhmut View post
Live reporting by Brad Young and (earlier) Bhvishya Patel with updates from chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay in eastern Ukraine
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6h ago
15:17
Tank crews prepare for battle
A Ukrainian army tank crew checks the equipment for combat deployment, at a military base in Zaporizhzhia region.
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6h ago
14:41
‘We do not seek escalation with Russia’ – Pentagon
“We do not seek conflict with Russia, we do not seek escalation with Russia,” says a spokesperson for the Pentagon, Pat Ryder.
A video of a Russian jet trying to pour fuel on a US drone in the black sea was released “to demonstrate publically what type of actions the Russians had taken,” he adds.
Mr Ryder says the US did not ask Russia for an apology after an Su-27 plane clipped the propeller of an MQ-9 drone forcing it to be brought down into the Black Sea.
Russia ‘likely’ trying to find drone
“We do have indications that Russia is likely making an effort to try to recover the MQ-9 debris,” says Mr Ryder.
“It is very unlikely they are able to recover anything useful.”
The US “took steps to protect information aboard that aircraft” and it crashed into extremely deep water, he says.
After one reporter asks if the US has gone far enough in condemning the actions of the pilots, Mr Ryder says: “We have highlighted that it is an unacceptable act but if you’re looking for hyperbole, I will leave that to you.”
He adds: “This aggressive behaviour was intentional on the part of the pilots. Whether or not they hit the drone on purpose, we don’t know, but it clearly demonstrates either poor airmanship or reckless behaviour.”
In his final comments on the drone incident, Mr Ryder says: “The stakes are high, this is why it’s important to keep the lines of communication open to prevent miscalculation.”
China – Russia
Mr Ryder says the US has not seen any lethal support transferred from China to Russia for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
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6h ago
14:31
Pentagon to give briefing soon after footage of drone crash released
The Pentagon is set to give a briefing any moment now (which you can watch above), after Russian fighter jets tried to pour fuel on a US drone and it crashed into the Black Sea.
The US released video footage of the incident today, which had been previously disputed by Russia, with the Kremlin claiming the drone operators had lost control of their vehicle.
But the footage purportedly backed up the US version of events, which they say was followed by one of the Russian planes clipping the propellor of the drone.
“It absolutely just decimates the Russian lie about what they said happened or what they said didn’t happen,” said John Kirby, national security council spokesman.
“It’s pretty darn obvious when you look at that video that that fighter jet hit our drone.”
Sky News’ chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay provides his analysis of the incident below…
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7h ago
14:00
Russian politician fined for dangling noodles from ears during Putin speech
A Russian politician who dangled spaghetti from his ears while listening to a speech by Vladimir Putin has been fined £1,650.
Mikhail Abdalkin was convicted for “discrediting the armed forces” in the stunt on February 21, when the president gave his state of the nation speech.
In a Russian saying, someone who has been deceived is said to have had noodles hung on their ears.
Mr Abdalkin, a Communist party lawmaker in the Samara region, said it was an ironic gesture to express his dissatisfaction with “the president’s silence about internal political problems”, reported Russian human rights group OVD-Info.
Russia’s parliament has tightened laws passed which means those discrediting or spreading “false news” about the armed forces could face fines or a jail sentence of up to 15 years.
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7h ago
13:39
Sunak praises Ukraine’s ‘impressive defence’ of key city
Rishi Sunak has praised Ukraine’s “impressive defence” of Bakhmut in a call with Volodymyr Zelenksyy.
Speaking with the president this afternoon, Mr Sunak said Ukrainian marines were undertaking training drills in the UK today.
The leaders agreed the addition of French forces to the training programme would give Ukraine an advantage on the battlefield, according to a spokesperson for downing street.
“[The prime minister] added that it was vital Ukraine had the capabilities to change the battlefield equation as soon as possible, and updated on the delivery of further UK military aid,” said the spokesperson.
Both leaders paid tribute to the bravery Ukraine’s armed forces defending Bakhmut, they said.
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8h ago
12:55
US releases map of approximate location of downed drone
A map published by the US Air Force shows the approximate locations and times of the MQ-9 Reaper collision with Russian fighter jets this week.
The air force notes that the “points on the map are not plotted to scale” and the “distances provided in the text boxes are an estimation of the incident’s location”.
The American military has said two Russian Su-27 jets intercepted the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drone in international airspace before one of them struck the aircraft’s propeller, causing US forces to have to bring it down.
Russia denied involvement, with a senior figure describing the episode as a “provocation”.
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8h ago
12:38
‘Ukraine does not have time to waste’
Ukraine does not have time to waste and the US is delivering weapons as swiftly as it can to the war-torn county, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said, according to POLITICO.
Following a meeting with officials, Mr Austin stressed the importance of delivering armoured capabilities to Kyiv, adding “Ukraine does not have time to waste”.
“We have to deliver swiftly and fully on our promised commitments,” Mr Austin said.
“That includes delivering our armoured capabilities to the battlefield and ensuring that Ukrainian soldiers get the training, spare parts and maintenance support that they need to use these new systems, as soon as possible.”
Since recapturing swathes of territory in the second half of 2022, Ukraine has lately kept to the defensive, planning a counteroffensive later this year once muddy ground dries and Western-supplied armoured vehicles and tanks arrive.
However, it appears Washington is increasingly concerned about Ukraine’s dwindling supply of ammunition and is trying to ramp up its delivery.
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9h ago
12:18
Workers dismantle ruined apartment block in Mariupol
Workers have been dismantling a multi-storey apartment block in the southern port city of Mariupol.
Earlier we reported that today marked a year since a Russian bomb destroyed the drama theatre in Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering.
An AP investigation suggested around 600 people were killed and Amnesty International concluded the attack was a war crime after an extensive investigation.
The port city is now occupied by Russian troops.
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9h ago
11:54
Moldova is ‘not alone’, Cleverly says
Earlier today we reported on comments made by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly who said the war in Ukraine was a battle for “international order” and said the best way to defend Moldova from attack by Russia was to protect Ukraine.
Mr Cleverly was speaking on a visit to Moldova where he announced £10m of British aid for economic and governance reforms, including in the energy sector.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Moldova’s pro-Western government and its allies have feared it could be dragged into the conflict.
Mr Cleverly has now reiterated his pledge of support to Moldova in a tweet, stating: “You are not alone.”
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10h ago
11:19
West debating supply of jets to Ukraine, Denmark PM says
We reported earlier that Poland will send Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in the coming days (see post at 13.34).
President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw would give Ukraine four Soviet-made fighter jets “within the next few days” and that the rest needed servicing and would be supplied later.
Now, Denmark’s prime minister has said that Western nations are debating whether to send fighter jets to Ukraine.
Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV2 today: “This is something we’re discussing in the group of allied countries. It’s a big wish from Ukraine.”
For context: Countries along the NATO military alliance’s eastern flank, like Poland and Slovakia, have been strong backers of Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
Warsaw’s commitment to its neighbour has been important in persuading European allies to donate heavy weapons to Ukraine, including tanks, a move opposed by several governments, including Germany, until recently.
The Ukrainian president has pleaded with the UK and other allies to send his country fighter jets, which he described as “wings for freedom”, as well as tanks.
The UK and US ruled out sending jets to Ukraine in January, but last month Ben Wallace, the UK defence secretary, said he is prepared to provide jets to its allies in eastern Europe.
This would enable British allies to send Ukraine their own Soviet fighter jets, he said.
Last month Eduard Heger, the Slovakian prime minister, said the country could start discussions on delivering planes.
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10h ago
10:48
‘Significant spike’ in unprofessional behaviour by Russian planes in Syria, US says
The US military has observed an increase in unprofessional behaviour by Russia’s air force in Syria since the beginning of this month, according to America’s top commander for the region.
General Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, cited flights by armed Russian warplanes over US bases there as an example.
Tensions between Washington and Moscow have heightened after a US surveillance drone crashed when it was clipped by a Russian fighter jet on Tuesday.
The US called the incident “reckless”, although analysts believe it was most likely an accident.
Still, the US has asserted Russia is taking on a pattern of more aggressive behaviour.
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11h ago
10:19
Chinese and Ukrainian foreign ministers speak on the phone
The Chinese and Ukrainian foreign ministers have held a phone conversation, marking rare publicly acknowledged contact between the two countries.
Following the call, China’s foreign ministry said Qin Gang had warned the Ukraine conflict may “get out of hand”.
The foreign minister also said China remains hopeful of dialogue between Ukraine and Russia “no matter how difficult or challenging”.
He added his hopes that the two sides would not close the door on a political solution.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said he had discussed the importance of his country’s territorial integrity with his Chinese counterpart.
China has been positioning itself as something of a peace broker in recent weeks, presenting its own peace plan to Russia and Ukraine.
However, it remains a close ally of Russia and has refused to condemn the war in Ukraine.
