Ukraine war latest: Russia has lost ‘at least 10,000’ military vehicles since invasion began; US missile system expected in Ukraine in weeks
Vladimir Putin has signed a bill allowing authorities to issue electronic mobilisation notices in a bid to stop people avoiding military service; the head of the Wagner group says a Ukrainian counteroffensive will succeed because Russia is “in crisis”. Scroll down for the latest updates.
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Russia loses ‘10,000+’ military vehicles since invasion View post
Wagner boss says Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive likely to succeed as he warns Russia in ‘crisis’ View post
Number of dead after attack on Slovyansk rises View post
Putin closes loophole to stop draft dodging View post
Russia’s military service law shows Putin’s preparing for ‘longer-term approach’ – UK MoD View post
Could Putin be using Ukraine war to annex Belarus by stealth? | Sean Bell View post
Mapped: How has the territorial picture changed during the war? View post
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9h ago
16:16
Bakhmut suffering ‘bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades’
The eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut is being subjected to “bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades”, a military spokesman has said.
Those firefights are taking place in the “middle of the city’s urban area”, said Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern military command.
But he said Kyiv’s forces are holding on.
“Our soldiers are doing everything in bloody and fierce battles to grind down (the enemy’s) combat capability and break its morale,” he told TV channel 1+1.
“Every day, in every corner of this city, they are successfully doing so.”
Bakhmut is Moscow’s main target in eastern Ukraine.
Earlier, Russia’s defence ministry claimed that fighters from the Wagner mercenary group had captured two more areas of the city.
Wagner has spearheaded Russia’s attempt to take Bakhmut since last summer.
It has been the longest and deadliest battle of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made no mention of Bakhmut in his daily video address on Saturday and reiterated Kyiv’s desire to join NATO as soon as possible.
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11h ago
14:32
Russia loses ‘10,000+’ military vehicles since invasion
Russia has lost more than 10,000 military vehicles since its invasion of Ukraine began, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has tweeted.
It cites the tracker Oryx, which says it has been “documenting Russian equipment losses”.
The MOD also says Russia has “fired most of its modern cruise missiles” for “little strategic gain”.
It adds that Moscow is now “scrambling to mobilise its defence industry”.
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13h ago
12:45
Ukrainian servicemen return from heavy fighting near Bakhmut
Ukrainian soldiers have been pictured returning from heavy fighting in Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces have intensified their eight-and-a-half-month campaign to seize the city.
It is the focus of the war’s longest battle so far.
Reuters
Reuters
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14h ago
11:52
Number of dead rises following attack on Slovyansk
The number of people who have died following Russian missile attacks in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk has risen to 11.
Rescue teams recovered the bodies of two people from under the rubble of a house, the State Emergency Service said.
They have also been searching for five people who remained in the wreckage of the apartment building that was targeted.
Further residents have been reported missing too, Vadym Liakh, the head of the local government, said.
AP
AP
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15h ago
10:54
Watch: Why is Russia attacking Slovyansk?
As we have been reporting, at least nine people have been killed and a further 21 have been injured after a Russian rocket attack in an eastern Ukrainian city.
The strike in Slovyansk, Donetsk, hit flats, houses, and cars across the city – one which Russia hopes to take control of after nearby Bakhmut.
But with the bloody battle for Bakhmut raging on, why has Russia chosen to target Slovyansk now?
Military analyst Sean Bell believes yesterday’s attack might have been an attempt to disrupt Ukrainian supply routes.
You can watch his analysis on the situation below…
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15h ago
10:21
US Patriot air defence system expected in Ukraine in coming weeks
A US Patriot air defence system is expected to arrive in Ukraine sometime after Easter, Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat has said.
In the Orthodox Church, Easter is this weekend.
The public will know the new hardware has arrived “as soon as the first Russian aircraft is shot down”, Mr Ihnat said on Ukrainian state TV.
A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers completed their training at Oklahoma’s Fort Still Army Post last month.
They then learned more about the missile system, which is used to track and shoot down enemy aircraft, when they arrived back in Europe.
A Patriot missile battery typically includes six mobile launchers, a mobile radar, power generator and an engagement control centre.
Germany and the Netherlands have also pledged to provide a Patriot system each to Ukraine.
In addition, a SAMP/T anti-missile system pledged by France and Italy “should enter Ukraine in the near future”, Mr Ihnat said this week.
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15h ago
10:12
Zelenskyy thanks French president for plans to ‘strengthen important support’
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron have spoken for almost an hour and a half this afternoon, with the Ukrainian president thanking his French counterpart for his continued support.
The war in Ukraine, Mr Macron’s recent trip to China and a video of a Ukrainian soldier being beheaded were all topics of conversation for the two leaders.
Mr Zelenskyy said he praised France’s” intention to further strengthen important support for Ukraine on the battlefield”.
He also expressed “gratitude for condemning the terrible, inhumane execution of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian war criminals”.
The video, which appeared online last week, shows a man in green fatigues wearing the yellow armband typically used by Ukrainian soldiers screaming before another man appears to use a knife to decapitate him.
The Kremlin described the video as “awful” but said its authenticity needed to be checked, and it has since launched an investigation into the clip.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Telegram
Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Telegram
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16h ago
09:35
Two women killed in Russian shelling
Two women have been killed in a Russian shelling attack in the southern city of Kherson, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office has said.
The victims died after being struck when mines exploded in the attack, Andriy Yermak added.
Last month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was conducting “brutal terrorist attacks” on the port city.
Ukraine recaptured Kherson in November after nearly eight months of occupation by Russian forces who seized it soon after the start of the large-scale invasion.
The area is now under almost constant bombardment from Russian forces on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.
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17h ago
08:52
Poland bans grain and food imports from Ukraine
Poland has banned imports of grain and other food from Ukraine to protect its agricultural sector, a government official has said.
Large quantities of Ukrainian grains, which are cheaper than those produced in the European Union, have ended up staying in Central European states amid logistical bottlenecks, hitting prices and sales for local farmers.
This has created a political problem for the ruling Law and Justice Party in an election year.
“We are and remain unchanged friends and allies of Ukraine. We will support her and we support her. … But it is the duty of every state, every authority, good authority in any case, to protect the interests of its citizens,” party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said.
Mr Kaczynski said Poland was ready to start talks with Ukraine to settle the grain issue, and the Ukrainian side had already been notified of the decision.
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17h ago
08:34
Richard Branson calls on West to increase support for Ukraine after becoming ambassador for Zelenskyy’s charity
Richard Branson has called on the West to increase its support for Ukraine after paying a visit to the war torn country.
The billionaire businessman has also become an ambassador for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s fundraising platform UNITED24 after being personally invited by the Ukrainian president.
Reflecting on his recent trip, he said he met people who are “having to fight with their hands behind their back” due to a lack of support.
The 72-year-old visited war-ravaged buildings, cells of a police station that Russian soldiers “turned into torture chambers”, and met a man with cerebral palsy who survived an attack in Bucha.
“Every part of this visit was memorable and moving,” he said.
He urged governments, businesses and civil society to support Ukraine by delivering advanced weapons quicker and “cutting all ties” with Russia.
“It’s important to remember that the Ukrainian people aren’t just fighting and dying for Ukraine, they are fighting for Europe and the free Western world too,” he said.
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17h ago
08:04
US military leak has not affected its cooperation with allies, says Blinken
The leaking of top secret US military intelligence records has not affected the country’s cooperation with its allies, the secretary of state has said.
Antony Blinken made the comments while on a trip to the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi.
“Based on conversations that I’ve had, I have not heard anything that would affect our cooperation with allies and partners,” he said, adding that he has heard “appreciation” for the steps that Washington has taken.
A 21-year-old member of the US Air National Guard has been accused of leaking top secret military intelligence records online and was charged yesterday with unlawfully copying and transmitting classified material.
Jack Teixeira was taken into custody by armed FBI agents at his home on Thursday.
The leak is believed to be the most serious US security breach since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010.
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18h ago
07:46
More than 370 explosives discovered by emergency service
A total of 375 explosives were discovered and neutralised by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service in the last 24 hours.
Officers found the devices in an area stretching 164 hectares (for reference, the O2 Arena in London covers 10.4 hectares).
“In general, more than 345,000 explosive devices have been defused since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation,” the authority said.
Here are some of the pictures it posted alongside the update, including one device that appears to have nails stuck to it.
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18h ago
07:21
Five Ukrainians to be tried for terrorism in Russia – reports
Five Ukrainians are reportedly due to appear in a Russian court accused of being part of a terrorist group.
The people, who have not been identified, were transported from Russian-occupied Melitipol in Zaporizhzhia to Crimea, which has been under Russian control since 2014.
From there, they were transferred to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention centre in Moscow, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The group have been accused of planning explosions at locations where Russian troops were stationed and places where aid was being handed out.
According to Russian state media, security officers found explosives in a car belonging to one of the suspect’s.
Caches of weapons, ammunition, and grenades were allegedly found in basements, garages, as well as under piles of rubbish and tombstones in cemeteries.
Melitipol has been under Russian occupation since late last year.
Russia held sham referendums in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk at the end of September and claimed the annexation of the four regions.
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19h ago
06:59
Wagner fighters capture two more areas in Bakhmut, Russia claims
Wagner group fighters have apparently capture two more areas in Bakhmut, Russia’s defence ministry has claimed.
The mercenaries, which are not part of Moscow’s official forces, have claimed to have taken areas in the eastern city before, but this has been denied by Ukraine.
However, Ukrainian troops have been forced to withdraw from some territory in Bakhmut over the past two days after Russia mounted a renewed assault there, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said yesterday.
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19h ago
06:44
First Danish Leopard tanks to be ready for Ukraine ‘very soon’
The first Leopard tanks from Denmark should be ready to send to Ukraine “very soon”, the country’s acting defence minister has said.
The Danish government partnered up with Germany and the Netherlands in February to donate at least 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Kyiv.
Some of those tanks have been undergoing repairs at a military vehicle manufacturer in Flensburg, northern Germany.
“It is a large and important donation to the Ukrainian freedom struggle,” said Troels Lund Poulsen, during a visit to the factory.
Germany has already sent at least 14 Leopard 2 tanks, with potentially dozens more to come.
Troels Lund Poulsen visited the company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft in Flensburg
Troels Lund Poulsen visited the company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft in Flensburg
Denmark’s Ministry of Defence
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19h ago
06:22
Wagner boss says Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive is likely to succeed as he warns Russia is in ‘crisis’
Ukraine’s planned spring counteroffensive is more likely to succeed than fail as Russia is in a state of “crisis”, the head of the Russian mercenary Wagner group has said.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been critical of Moscow’s efforts in Ukraine for some time, has warned a “deep state” of selfish independent elites are at a crisis point due to the military’s “failures to secure a victory quickly”.
He accused members of this specific community, which he defined as “near-state elites that operate independently of the political leadership of the state and have close ties and their own agenda”, of sabotaging Russia’s success to return to their privileged lifestyles.
US think tank, The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), says Mr Prigozhin believes their “internal enemies” will push the Kremlin to make serious concessions, including returning territory to Ukraine over the course of a few years.
“Prigozhin explicitly rejected the notion of any negotiations to end the war and urged Russians to continue fighting, even if it results in Russia’s temporary defeat,” the ISW said.
The mercenary leader has urged Russia to ignore the elite’s temptations to cut losses and settle, saying the military cannot stop fighting now.
It comes at a time when intelligence agencies have reported a closer co-operation between Russian forces and Wagner fighters in recent days, particularly in the ongoing fight for Bakhmut.
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20h ago
05:52
Watch: How did Pentagon documents leak?
The man charged with espionage for leaking hundreds of classified US military documents held top secret security clearance, took papers home to photograph them, and was identified using his driving licence.
Those new details were revealed by the FBI, as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira appeared in court yesterday.
He wore shackles and a prison uniform as members of his family cried and consoled each other.
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20h ago
05:30
Could Putin be using the war in Ukraine to annex Belarus by stealth?
By Sean Bell, military analyst
The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are now members of NATO, so are probably beyond Russia’s grasp – for now – but with the war in Ukraine dominating world headlines, Russia has been quietly increasing its influence and control over Belarus.
Is Belarus the next target on Putin’s radar, and is there anything the West can do to arrest Putin’s expansionist ambitions?
President Lukashenko has been the head of state of Belarus since 1994. Under his rule, the government has been accused of regularly repressing the opposition, and Lukashenko is often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator” by media outlets.
The 2020-2021 Belarusian protests were the largest anti-government demonstrations in the country’s history.
But, with Russia’s assistance, the riots were quelled.
Between August 2020 and February 2022, Putin then pledged $1.5bn in loans to Belarus and deferred debt payments, providing a lifeline to the already indebted Lukashenko.
Russia also provides gas to Belarus at a fraction of the open market price, helping to protect an increasingly unpopular Belarusian leader from domestic unrest.
In return, Lukashenko has revisited discussions on the Union State Treaty – a proposed partnership without borders – which would, in effect, make Belarus a “county” of Russia.
But domestically, fewer than 25% of the Belarusian population believe they should support Russia – and the most recent poll suggested that less than 5% believe Belarus should join Russia to fight against Ukraine.
It may be that Putin does not want Belarus to become a thriving democracy, but he also knows that his beleaguered military would struggle to take Belarus by force.
Instead, Putin appears to be tightening his grip on Lukashenko. Russia has been conducting extensive military training – and basing Russian military aircraft – in Belarus
The wider consequences of Belarusian annexation would be profound.
Ukraine’s long-term security would be further complicated, and it would also risk destabilising neighbouring countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
Putin could claim a strategic success – perhaps even suggesting that the “special military operation” in Ukraine was some form of sideshow to the main event.
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20h ago
05:11
‘I am not losing hope’ – Jailed US journalist sends first letter home from Russia
A US journalist jailed in Russia has told his family he is “not losing hope” in his first letter home since being arrested.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russia’s main security service last month, accusing him of espionage – an accusation that he and the US government deny.
In a handwritten letter, published by the news outlet, the 31-year-old said he remained optimistic, and joked about prison food.
“I want to say that I am not losing hope,” he wrote. “I read. I exercise. And I am trying to write. Maybe, finally, I am going to write something good.”
His two-page note was dated the 5 April, and his family in Philadelphia received it yesterday.
“Mum, you unfortunately, for better or worse, prepared me well for jail food,” he continued, saying he has hot creamed wheat, oatmeal cereal or “wheat gruel” for breakfast.
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21h ago
05:00
Ukraine repels more than 50 Russian attacks in 24 hours
Ukraine has repelled more than 50 Russian attacks in the last 24 hours, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has said.
Russian troops are reportedly focusing their efforts of offensives towards Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka in the eastern Donetsk region.
Despite the repelled attacks, Vladimir Putin’s troops manage to launch a number of successful strikes, with at least 13 missiles hitting Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
“The Russian Federation continues to ignore International humanitarian law, strikes and fires not only at the positions of our troops, but also at the civilian infrastructure of populated areas,” the authority said in its morning update.
It also accused Russian soldiers of “looting” an area that has been temporarily occupied in the south.
It said electric transformers had been targeted, which had caused blackouts across one town in Kherson.
