Ukraine war latest: Russia ‘preparing for new wave of attacks by the end of February’, says Ukrainian official
At least 300 casualties were likely caused in strikes on Russian barracks in the eastern Ukrainian city of Makiivka on New Year’s Day, the British defence ministry has confirmed. Listen to the latest Ukraine War Diaries podcast as you scroll…
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Key points
Russia ‘preparing for new wave of attacks by the end of February’ View post
Three killed in Russian strikes on eastern neighbourhood View post
Total of 321 tanks promised to Ukraine View post
Could Russian reporting of war in Ukraine be restricted? View post
Dominic Waghorn: ‘No hesitation’ – Germany hits back at time-wasting accusations by putting on military show View post
Live reporting by Faith Ridler. Updates also from Alex Rossi in Ukraine and Diana Magnay in Moscow
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7h ago
10:40
Ukraine hopes to secure 24 fighter jets from Western allies
The Ukrainian air force has today asked its Western allies to consider donating 24 fighter jets to its cause – in what would be the first military package of its kind.
Last week, numerous nations confirmed donations of battle tanks, including the US and Germany after several days of back and forth.
Now, spokesman Yurii Ihnat has said Ukraine is aiming to secure two fighter squadrons of 12 combat aircraft each.
Mr Ihnat added in an interview with El Pais that it hopes to be given American F-16s, but are also considering French Rafale and Swedish Gripen.
The US has so far refused to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, or allow their transfer by third-party countries.
However, a senior defence source in the RAF told the Telegraph “never say never” when pressed on provisions – but insisted jets are “not the priority now”.
It is understood that a total of 321 heavy tanks have been promised to Ukraine so far, by a number of Western allies.
Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to France, said on Friday: “As of today, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine.
“Delivery terms vary for each case and we need this help as soon as possible.”
Mr Omelchenko did not provide a breakdown of the number of tanks per country.
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7h ago
10:22
Mariupol neighbourhood will be dismantled and replaced with ‘luxury apartments’ – Ukraine
Petro Andryshchenko, an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, has claimed Russian occupiers will shortly begin dismantling a neighbourhood in the southern city to make way for “luxury apartments”.
Mariupol was under fire for months, with Ukrainian defenders holding out at the Azov steelworks while the rest of the city was largely destroyed in shelling.
They eventually fell, leaving the city in the hands of Russian occupiers.
Mariupol, in the Donetsk region, was once home to 450,000 people.
It has now been claimed that Russians will soon begin dismantling the Azov neighbourhood, and put “elite” or “luxury” homes in its place.
“In spring, Moscow developers close to the federal government of Russia will begin construction of ‘elite economy’-class apartments under the Mariupol real estate mortgage program,” Mr Andryshchenko said.
He claimed that many people will lose their homes as a result of this.
“What about people?” he said. “And people [left] to the streets to search for a new life without a chance for a future.”
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7h ago
10:00
‘British Army takes on ‘lion’s share’ of Ukraine aid – and thinks RAF and Royal Navy should do more’
There’s an interesting report in the Telegraph this afternoon.
The newspaper claims that the British Army is worried it has taken on a “lion’s share” of equipping Ukraine with the war against Russia.
It alleges that senior defence sources believe other parts of the British military – such as the RAF and Royal Navy – should be doing more.
Reports state that the Army thinks its latest donation of 14 British Challenger II tanks is another example of it taking on a greater share.
The British Army is also poised to train Ukrainians in how to operate them.
Sources reportedly think other parts of the military need to help “shoulder the burden”.
An insider said: “If we are serious about ensuring Ukraine wins, then we should follow through.”
However, another source defended this apparent lack of support.
They said “tanks are how you break through lines” – while others claimed jets are simply “not the priority now”.
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8h ago
09:40
Russian strikes devastate town of Vuhledar
As we reported earlier, fighting has intensified in the eastern town of Vuhledar in the last few days, as Russian troops launched shells relentlessly.
The photographs below are the latest to emerge from the town – once home to 15,000 people – and the scale of the destruction is clear.
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8h ago
09:20
‘All my friends died there’: Young Ukrainian girl shares her experience living in Mariupol at war
A young Ukrainian girl has shared the harrowing story of her time in the southern city of Mariupol when it was under fierce Russian attack.
In a video, shared online by Visegrad 24, the unnamed girl said “all my friends died” in the city – and described how she first thought the blasts were holiday celebrations.
She said: “My classmate, he was walking in the yard and he saw something shining. He didn’t know it was a mine. He just took it in his hands and it exploded in his hands.
“When I heard something explode, I thought it was firecrackers. That it was some kind of holiday. I heard some firecrackers. I say: ‘Grandfather, some firecrackers.’
“He looked, and there the house was already on fire. Far, far away – and something is flying in the sky. He immediately says: ‘Everyone go quickly under the table – into the corridor!'”
The girl then tells the stories of two of her friends – Polina and Anya – both of whom died in Mariupol when missiles hit their homes.
“The war changed me a lot,” she said. “I’m very tired.
“I started smiling less. If someone tries to make me laugh, it almost never works out.”
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8h ago
09:20
‘Fierce combat’ around the eastern town of Vuhledar
Last night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said major battles were taking place in Vuhledar and Bakhmut, to the northeast.
He said: “The situation at the front, and in particular in Donetsk region – near Bakhmut and Vuhledar – remains extremely acute.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military spokesman Sergiy Cherevaty said “fierce combat” is still ongoing for Vuhledar, which had a pre-war population of 15,000.
The video below, shared on social media by Ukrainian adviser Anton Gerashchenko, captures the scene in the embattled town.
He said attacks on Vuhledar have “intensified”.
“In WWII, defence of Stalingrad lasted 125 days. Defence of Sevastopol – 250 days. Vuhledar stands for over 300 days.”
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8h ago
08:48
‘Ukrainian woman killed’ in Jerusalem attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed a Ukrainian woman was among those killed in an attack in Jerusalem on Friday night.
A Palestinian gunman shot seven people dead near a synagogue on the outskirts of the city.
Three others were injured in that shooting, including a 15-year-old boy who was recovering from surgery, hospital officials said.
Hours later, another two people were wounded after a 13-year-old boy allegedly opened fire elsewhere in Jerusalem.
Mr Zelenskyy said: “We share pain after the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. Among the victims is a Ukrainian woman.
“Sincere condolences to the victims’ families. The crimes were cynically committed on the Intl Holocaust Remembrance Day.
“Terror must have no place in today’s world.”
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9h ago
08:40
Zelenskyy: ‘Olympic principles and war fundamentally oppose each other’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again insisted it should only be considered that Russia is involved in the 2024 Paris Olympics if they end the war in Ukraine.
He shared a series of photographs of Ukrainian athletes preparing for the Olympics with the stark background of ruined gyms and studios.
Mr Zelenskyy said: “Olympic principles and war fundamentally oppose each other.
“Russia must stop aggression and terror, and only after it will be possible to talk about Russian participation in the Olympic movement.”
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9h ago
08:20
Ukraine War Diaries: Tanks, transfers & the threat of doing nothing
Returning from assignment, Seva speaks with comrades in the eastern city of Bakhmut who are in desperate need of more advanced weaponry but happy to be alive.
In Kyiv, Ilyas turns his birthday into a military fundraising exercise.
And as Ukraine pleads to the West for more heavy weapons, the story of displacement continues as Oksana supports the arrival of more refugees into Kyiv.
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone
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9h ago
08:00
Ukraine has ‘unconditional support’ from the bloc, says EU chief
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, has reiterated the bloc’s “unconditional support” for Ukraine as the war with Russia rages on.
Speaking ahead of an EU-Ukraine summit, Ms von der Leyen said the country needed to prevail against Russian attacks to defend European values.
“We stand by Ukraine’s side without any ifs and buts,” she said in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.
Ukraine “is fighting for our shared values, it is fighting for the respect of international law and for the principles of democracy and that is why Ukraine has to win this war”, she said.
The EU-Ukraine summit will take place on 3 February.
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10h ago
07:40
Will Ukraine give up part of the east?
Philip Ingram, a former senior military intelligence and security officer, told Sky News that Ukraine may have to give up some territory around the eastern town of Bakhmut to “buy time”.
This would allow Kyiv to send their “best troops” out to train in the new tanks and fighting vehicles that have been pledged by numerous Western allies.
He added that movement of an elite tank unit to the Luhansk region could suggest “that this is where the Russians are potentially planning some form of spring counter-offensive”.
Mr Ingram said: “There have been reports of movement from the Russian 2nd Motor Rifle Division, that’s part of the 1st Guards Tank Army – which was decimated in their attack into Kyiv almost a year ago now.
“They’ve been moved down into the Luhansk Oblast, but if they’re moving around in there that would suggest that this is where the Russians are potentially planning some form of spring counter-offensive.”
Mr Ingram said the Russians are likely “going to want to do something before these Western tanks that we keep hearing about are being deployed into the area”.
He said: “Then, getting down into a bit more detail, everything is still happening around the Bakhmut area.
“We had, a couple of weeks ago, the Russians capturing Soledar to the north of Bakhmut. They’ve been attacking in the night to the south of Bakhmut and they’re trying to encircle it because there’s some roads as lines of communication that they’re trying to get hold of.
“Then they’ll use that as a stepping stone to get out through the rest of the Oblast, and to try and get some sort of success. Ukrainians are holding them, they’re fixing them in place.”
However, he said: “The Ukrainians are probably going to have to give up some of the territory to buy them some time.
“They need that time to send some of their best troops out to train in the new tanks, to train in the new fighting vehicles – to get ready for a potential counter attack.”
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10h ago
07:20
Russian forces ‘concentrated on southern front’, says Ukrainian official
Moscow is concentrating its troops on the “southern front of the war against Ukraine”, a Ukrainian military spokeswoman said this morning.
Natalia Humeniuk added that Vladimir Putin appears to be struggling to draw the reserves Russia needs to launch a significant offensive, as is widely anticipated for the spring.
She said this is largely because of Ukrainian strikes on key supply routes.
Her comments come as Bloomberg reported Kremlin insiders had claimed the intention was to launch a new wave of attacks by February or March.
The Institute for the Study of War said: “Russian officials, Kremlin advisors, and other unspecified knowledgeable figures who spoke on condition of anonymity reportedly told Bloomberg that Putin seeks to conduct a new major offensive”.
Putin reportedly “believes that Russia’s tolerance to accept causalities will allow Russia to win the war in the long run despite Russian failures so far”.
Bloomberg added that the report is “consistent” with the ISW’s own assessment and “forecast that the Kremlin is likely preparing to conduct a decisive strategic action – most likely in Luhansk Oblast – in the next six months”.
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10h ago
07:00
Ukrainian documentary 20 Days in Mariupol wins Sundance Film Festival audience prize
A documentary detailing a harrowing first-person account of the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine received the audience prize at the Sundance Film Festival last night.
20 Days in Mariupol, by Mstyslav Chernov, was a joint project between The Associated Press and PBS Frontline.
It picked up the audience prize for world cinema documentary at the awards ceremony in Park City, Utah, on Friday.
“I want to thank everyone who believed in us: AP, Frontline and Sundance and all the audiences who did not turn away,” Mr Chernov said.
“This is not an achievement, this is a privilege.”
Mariupol faced relentless bombardment for months in the early days of the war, before it eventually fell into Russian hands – with hundreds thought dead.
The city is said to be completely destroyed, with photographs depicting shells of buildings that were once homes.
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11h ago
06:40
UNHCR: Russia ‘violating fundamental principles of child protection’ in Ukraine war
Russia is violating the “fundamental principles of child protection” by giving Ukrainian children Russian passports and putting them up for adoption, the UN’s refugee agency has said.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had asked his agency to “do more” to help children in occupied regions.
He said: “Giving them [Russian] nationality or having them adopted goes against the fundamental principles of child protection in situations of war.
“This is something that is happening in Russia and must not happen.”
Mr Zelenskyy has called for mechanisms to be established to “defend and return” children and adults deported to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine last February.
Mr Grandi said his agency was unable to estimate the number of children who had been given passports or put up for adoption, as access in Russia was extremely limited.
“We are seeking access all the time, and access has been rather rare, sporadic and not unfettered,” he said.
In Moscow, the foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Mr Grandi of being silent when children died as a result of what she said was Ukrainian shelling in the Donbas region after pro-Moscow separatists declared independence in 2014.
“I also wish such officials from the UN had taken note of the colossal humanitarian assistance” that Russia had provided to inhabitants of the region, she added.
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11h ago
06:20
How Moscow could counter Western sanctions, according to Russian state TV
An interesting discussion took place on Russian state TV last night…
Francis Scarr, who reports on Russian media for the BBC, noted a report was televised detailing how Moscow could combat Western sanctions.
It said Russia could follow the economic lead of three countries – Cuba, North Korea or Iran.
In a clip, a presenter said: “There are three paths for countering Western sanctions. The Cuban path, the North Korean path and the Iranian one.”
He then introduced a report in which each of the “options” was discussed.
You can see more of this in the video below…
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11h ago
06:00
Why might Russia be concerned by the latest deployment of tanks?
This week has seen the West ramp up their support for Ukraine through the deployment of tanks.
On Wednesday, Germany said it would supply 14 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine and authorise other European countries to send up to 88 more.
The US also said it planned to ship 31 Abrams M1 tanks to Ukrainian forces.
Looking at why Russia might be concerned about the tanks, retired Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell said this was the first time the West has moved from “defensive support to offensive support” and this was a “step change in capability”.
He told Sky News: “We’ve heard overnight that the Canadians are now stepping in. They’re going to provide four tanks. It’s only a small number, but they join a coalition of 12 countries now, all of which will be trying to get these tanks into and similar tanks off to Ukraine.
“It won’t just be the hardware. It will also be focusing on spare support, ammunition and crucially, training. And that training will be conducted in high technology simulators, very much like flight simulators are. They’ll be in a mock-up of a tank itself.
“The Russian threats that they’ll be fighting will be driven by specialists simulator operators to create the most realistic immersive environment.
“This will be some of the best training available in the world for these Ukrainian tank drivers.”
Looking at what is happening on the ground right now, he said it looked like the Russians are carrying out attacks in Vuhledar in the Donbas and Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region, probing the Ukrainian defence.
“Without a doubt what Russia will be wanting to do is mount its major offensive before these tanks get into Ukraine,” he added.
“Russia will be wanting to gain some momentum.”
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12h ago
05:40
Spain will send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine
Madrid has confirmed it will send a number of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine by the spring, the Spanish defence minister said last night.
Margarita Robles confirmed the news shortly after Germany said it would donate a number of the tanks to the war-torn state, and allow allies to do the same.
Berlin had faced enormous pressure to permit the transit of its tanks to Ukraine as defence ministers gathered in Ramstein for talks this month.
Now, Ms Robles said Leopard 2 tanks stationed at the Zaragoza military base would be sent to Ukraine in the coming months. She did not confirm an exact number.
“It’s not only about sending tanks, but also about crew training and maintenance,” Ms Robles said.
It is understood that a total of 321 heavy tanks have been promised to Ukraine so far, by a number of Western allies.
Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to France, said on Friday: “As of today, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine.
“Delivery terms vary for each case and we need this help as soon as possible.”
Mr Omelchenko did not provide a breakdown of the number of tanks per country.
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12h ago
05:20
ICYMI: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s full exclusive interview with Sky News
This week, Sky News presenter Kay Burley sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He said he’s “not interested” in meeting Vladimir Putin for peace talks, describing him as a “nobody” who lives in an “information bubble” and does not really know what’s happening on the battlefield.
He also responded to speculation of a Russian offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks, and recalled the first moments of the invasion and how close enemy forces got to him.
You can watch the full interview below…
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12h ago
05:00
Three killed in strikes on eastern Ukraine
At least three people were killed and two were wounded after Russian forces struck a residential neighbourhood in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka, authorities have said.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the regional governor of Donetsk, said four apartment buildings and a hotel were damaged in the strikes.
He added that rescuers and police officials were still at the site to “carefully document yet another crime by the Russian occupiers”.
Earlier on Saturday, Mr Kyrylenko said four people had been killed and at least seven wounded from Russian strikes over the past 24 hours.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation at the front remained “extremely acute”, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is stepping up its offensive.
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13h ago
04:40
International Olympic Committee ‘proposes to the world promotion of violence, mass murders, destruction’, says Ukrainian adviser
A senior Ukrainian presidential aide has criticised the International Olympic Committee for “siding with Russia” days after it was said Russian and Belarusian athletes may be able to compete in 2024.
The Olympic Council of Asia previously said it had offered Russian and Belarusian athletes a chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Mykhailo Podolyak said that, by supporting Russian involvement in the Olympics, the IOC would “propose to the world promotion of violence, mass murders, destruction”.
He added: “That’s why it insists Russian athletes should participate in contests as real ‘ambassadors of death’.
“Sport doesn’t exist outside politics – sport promotes it. Thus, the IOC promotes the Russian anti-human policy.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last night that Ukraine would launch an international campaign to prevent Russian athletes from being allowed to compete in the 2024 Games.
The Russian foreign ministry had insisted earlier that any attempt to squeeze Moscow out of international sport was “doomed to fail”.
