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Ukraine war – latest: Russia makes ‘further gains’ in Bakhmut after stalled advance; Ukraine ‘repels 40 attacks’
Russian forces have made further gains in the eastern city of Bakhmut, the site of fierce fighting for months, and now Ukraine’s supply route is “severely threatened”, according to British intelligence.
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Key points
More than 40 ‘enemy attacks’ repelled in last 24 hours, says Ukraine View post
Russian forces make ‘further gains’ in Bakhmut and now Kyiv’s supply route is under threat View post
Chinese president ‘ready to call’ Zelenskyy – but on own timetable View post
French premier meets Xi to push for pressure on Putin View post
Putin fires top general after ‘heavy casualties’ View post
Macron has two aims in Beijing – but is unlikely to win any breakthrough on one | Helen-Ann Smith View post
Live reporting by Jess Sharp
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5m ago
03:17
Moscow court will hear appeal against Wall Street Journal reporter’s arrest this month
A Moscow court will hear an appeal against the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on 18 April, Russian state media has reported.
Mr Gershkovich, a US citizen, was arrested last week on espionage charges, which have been called bogus by the West.
He is being held in a pre-trial detention centre at the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow and faces up to 20 years behind bars if convicted.
The hearing later this month will be held behind closed doors since Russia considers information related to the charges as classified, Interfax reported.
The Wall Street Journal has vehemently denied the charges against Mr Gershkovich, describing his arrest as “a vicious affront to a free press”.
US President Joe Biden has urged Russia to “let him go” and his arrest has further strained relations between the two countries.
Evan Gershkovich
Evan Gershkovich
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44m ago
02:39
Seven people injured in Russian attacks
At least seven people have been injured after three Russian attacks on a southern region of Ukraine, the head of the area’s military administration has said.
The “guided aerial bomb” strikes hit several communities in the city of Kherson, according to Oleksandr Prokudin.
“Six people were injured as a result of strikes on Zmiivka, one person was wounded in the village of Kozatskyi,” he wrote in a Telegram update.
Detailed information about the victims and the extent of the damage is still being collected, he added.
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1h ago
02:16
Russian forces make ‘further gains’ in Bakhmut and Ukraine’s supply route is ‘severely threatened’
Russian forces have made further gains in embattled Bakhmut and now Ukraine’s supply route is “severely threatened”, according to British intelligence.
Bakhmut, a city in the east of Ukraine, has become the site of fierce fighting for several months, with both sides losing so many troops it has been described as a “meat grinder”.
Since late March, Russia’s advance had mostly stalled but now it has “likely advanced into the town centre and seized the west bank of the Bakhmuta River”, the UK defence ministry said in its latest update.
As a result, Ukraine’s key supply route to the west of the town is under threat, which could hamper their fighting efforts.
“Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector,” the MoD added.
One of the reasons for this “regained momentum” is that Wagner mercenary fighters and Russian commanders have “paused their ongoing feud” and started working together, the MoD said.
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1h ago
01:54
Putin ‘discussed strengthening Russian economic control over Belarus’ with Lukashenko, US think tank says
Vladimir Putin is likely to have discussed “strengthening Russian economic control” over its neighbour Belarus with the country’s president in the past few days, a US think tank has said.
The Russian president met Alexander Lukashenko, one of his few allies, in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday.
During the talks, the leaders discussed further “Union State integration” which aims to deepen the relationship between the countries, the Institute for the Study of War said.
Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko are also likely to have highlighted strengthening economic ties to support their efforts to “falsely reassure the Russian and Belarusian publics that Western sanctions regimes will not have long-term consequences”, it added.
Despite this, Mr Lukashenko has continued to indicate that he has “no intention” of involving Belarus in the conflict with Ukraine, the ISW said.
There was also no discussion of the placement of Russian strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus, it said, after Mr Putin’s announcement last month that Russia will deploy them in the country.
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2h ago
01:22
More than 40 ‘enemy attacks’ repelled in past 24 hours, says Ukraine
More than 40 “enemy attacks” have been repelled in the past 24 hours, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has said.
Russia fired 53 rockets, five missiles and 18 air strikes on various parts of the country, according to the unit, which oversees operational management of Kyiv’s troops.
Moscow has continued to focus its efforts in Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka, all of which are in the eastern Donetsk region, it added.
“During the day, the Ukrainian Air Force launched six air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment,” the statement said.
“In addition, Ukrainian defenders shot down three UAVs of various types (Orlan-10, Supercam, and Lancet-3), as well as three guided bombs.
“At the same time, Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit two concentrations of the adversary manpower, two fuel and lubricant depots, and one electronic warfare station of the enemy.”
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2h ago
01:07
Good morning
Welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
We’ll be bringing you the latest updates throughout the day, but before we begin, here’s a reminder of yesterday’s key events:
Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, is “ready to call” Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since the Russian invasion, a French diplomatic source has said;
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, met Mr Xi in Beijing in a bid to push China into helping bring peace to Ukraine;
Four people were killed in a strike in a car park in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk;
The leader of the Russian Wagner group said Ukrainian troops are not retreating from Bakhmut.
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10h ago
16:55
A glimpse of the scene in eastern Donetsk
This is the scene in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, where it is understood at least seven people have been killed in shelling.
Deaths were reported inside a car repair shop, near to a car park.
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10h ago
16:30
2,500 Ukrainian civilians ‘deported in custody’ to Russia – reports
Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been deported in custody to Russia from occupied parts of the country, a Ukrainian official has claimed.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament commissioner for human rights, said Ukrainian authorities cannot be sure how many nationals are in Russia.
“We cannot clearly say how many Ukrainians are currently on the territory of the Russian Federation as Russia itself does not provide us with any official numbers” he said.
He added that there is evidence that Russia is trying to recruit some of the individuals into the Wagner Group of mercenaries, to fight in the east.
It is thought Russia has deported some 19,000 children to its territory.
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11h ago
16:05
Russia ‘withdraws military equipment from depot in Crimea’
Russian troops appear to be emptying a military depot in the north of Crimea, new satellite images shared by a foreign policy analyst show.
Brady Africk, of the American Enterprise Institute, said this withdrawal of equipment appears to have taken place between 11 February and 16 March.
The images were initially provided by Maxar Technologies.
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11h ago
15:40
‘No more than five people’ know details of Ukrainian counteroffensive plans
Only a handful of people know the intricate details of Ukrainian plans to launch a renewed counteroffensive in the coming months, the head of the Ukrainian defence council has said.
“Information on when the military actions might begin will be known to a limited number of people,” Oleksii Danilov told Radio Free Europe.
He said that Ukrainians will find out the details when the offensive begins.
Mr Danilov also stressed that people should be cautious of statements made by people who have little to no information about the plans.
It is widely thought that the counteroffensive will come in the spring.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s main intelligence directorate, said in January: “This [the offensive] will happen throughout Ukraine, from Crimea to the Donbas”.
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12h ago
15:15
‘EU-China relations are complex’ – Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, is in Beijing today, where French President Emmanuel Macron has met with his Chinese counterpart.
She described relations between the EU and China as “complex”.
“For both of us, this relationship has significant impact on our prosperity and our security,” she added.
You can watch more from Ms von der Leyen below…
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12h ago
14:45
Belarusian gymnasts who are not involved in Russian war should be able to compete – FIG chief
Belarusian gymnasts who are not involved in the Ukrainian war should be allowed to compete, the head of the International Gymnastics Federation said today.
The International Olympic Committee has recommended that Russians and Belarusians be allowed to return to competition as neutrals since their ban last year.
Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Paris 2024 Olympics in response.
Morinari Watanabe, of the FIG, said: “I understand and support Ukraine’s position on the political side. But sport is independent of politics.
“Sport must seek peace even when governments and soldiers are at war.”
“Zelenskyy protects the Ukrainian people like family. I am protecting all gymnasts in the world like family.
“That’s why I support Ukrainian gymnasts and why I defend the right of Russian and Belarusian gymnasts who are not involved in the war to participate in competitions.”
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13h ago
14:20
EU plan to send a million shells to Ukraine ‘held up’
A European Union plan to send a million artillery shells to Ukraine is being held up as member states argue over how far spending for the plan will stay within the EU.
Foreign ministers approved the ground-breaking package on 20 March.
The most immediate part of the plan earmarked $1.09bn to refund EU countries for sending urgently needed artillery shells from stockpiles to Ukraine.
The legislation for that element has now been finalised and is expected take effect in the coming days, diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
But a second element – a landmark EU move into joint munitions procurement – has been held up by disagreements over which countries’ companies are eligible for contracts, they said.
In announcing the package, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the munitions would come from “European industry and from Norway”.
Draft legislation agreed by ambassadors from EU countries, seen by the Reuters news agency, used the same formulation.
But diplomats said France – a champion of European defence integration, with a substantial arms industry of is own – had pushed to tighten the definition of “European industry” to ensure as much of the funding as possible went to EU companies.
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13h ago
13:55
Death toll in Donetsk region rises
Earlier, we brought you reports that four people had been killed in a strike on a car park in the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
Authorities in Russian-controlled parts of the region now claim that seven civilians have been killed – in two separate artillery strikes.
It claims these were fired by Ukrainian troops, but Kyiv has yet to comment.
Four people died when shells hit a car park, and another six people were injured, the TASS news agency has claimed.
Another three people died in blasts at a bus stop in Lysychansk, some 75 miles to the northeast of the city of Donetsk, the RIA news agency added.
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13h ago
13:30
US and Russia discuss case of jailed reporter
Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian deputy foreign minister, discussed the case of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich with the US ambassador to Russia today.
The state-run news agency TASS said Mr Ryabkov repeated the ministry’s position that the question of US access to Mr Gershkovich would be handed according to “established procedure”.
The White House later said this refusal to allow consular access is “inexcusable”.
Mr Gershkovich is accused of spying by Russia’s security service, which the Journal said it “vehemently denies” and Washington called “ridiculous”.
He is in Lefortovo prison in Moscow after a hearing at which he was not allowed to meet his lawyer and prosecutors did not share any case materials.
There has been an outpouring of calls for his release from across the Western media landscape.
For context: Russia alleges Mr Gershkovich “was acting on instructions from the American side to collect information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that constitutes a state secret”.
The WSJ “vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich”, it said.
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14h ago
13:05
Can France influence China-Russia relations?
As we have reported today, French President Emmanuel Macron has urged his Chinese counterpart to bring Russia to the negotiating table over Ukraine.
Military analyst Sean Bell said Mr Macron has “taken it upon himself to regularly talk to [Vladimir] Putin, trying to maintain lines of communication.”
This approach has been criticised widely, Mr Bell added, but “he knows that eventually the war in Ukraine will have to be settled by diplomatic means – not just military.”
Now, in a visit to Beijing, it appears Mr Macron is pushing the same message.
“It seems he is asking China to use its influence to try and bring about a peaceful conclusion to the war,” Mr Bell said.
You can hear more of what he told Sky News below…
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14h ago
12:40
ICYMI: Macron urges Xi Jinping to bring Russia to negotiating table over Ukraine
Emmanuel Macron has told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the war in Ukraine has hit stability and ended decades of peace in the country.
The French president is visiting Beijing alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in an attempt to use Xi’s influence over Russia to promote a peace settlement.
Mr Macron said “Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability. I know I can count on you … to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table,” Macron told Xi.
“We need to find a lasting peace,” Macron said. “I believe that this is also an important issue for China, as much as it is for France and for Europe.”
You can read our story in full in the link below…
Emmanuel Macron urges Xi Jinping to bring Russia to negotiating table over Ukraine
Sky News
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15h ago
12:15
What is the situation in Bakhmut – the ‘fortress’ city in Ukraine’s east
Bakhmut has been the subject of much talk since the war in Ukraine erupted months ago, and the frontline drew closer to the embattled town.
It has been described as a “post-apocalyptic” wasteland and entirely destroyed, while Wagner Group mercenaries continue to clash with Ukrainian defenders.
Today, the situation remains much unchanged.
Battles continued in the streets on Thursday, with Ukrainian troops insisting they are ready to launch their long-awaited counteroffensive when the weather perks up.
Bakhmut is one of the last standing cities in the Donetsk region, but Wagner fighters are pushing hard to take it.
“The battles for Bakhmut continue,” Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said today.
“They are under way in the streets, enemy attempts to encircle the city are failing. Our command fully control the situation with the defensive ‘fortress’.”
The leader of Russia’s private Wagner militia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said fighting was continuing in the west of the city.
“It must be said clearly that the enemy is not going anywhere,” he said.
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15h ago
11:50
Four killed in strike on eastern Ukraine – reports
At least four civilians have been killed in an artillery strike on the eastern city of Donetsk, a Russian state-owned news agency reported today.
The RIA agency said a car park in the city’s Kalininsky district had been hit.
Donetsk has been controlled by Russian proxy forces since 2014, but remains close to the frontline of Russia’s war with Ukraine.
It regularly comes under fire from Ukrainian forces, while battles for cities elsewhere in the region rage on.
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15h ago
11:31
In pictures: Russian defence minister inspects military factory
Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, visited the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia this afternoon.
The plant assembles the BTR-80 armoured personnel carrier, the Tigr 4×4 multipurpose all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle and civilian vehicles, which are exported worldwide.
