Ukraine-Russia war: Rescuers dig for survivors after Donetsk bombardment

Rescuers are digging through rubble in an effort to free four people trapped by an overnight bombardment of Donetsk.

Russian forces launched 20 S-300 rockets at the cities of Pokrovsk, Novogrodivka and Myrnograd, with 14 of them shot down by air defences.

A body has been recovered and at least 10 are injured, including four children, with four other people still trapped.

Images from Novohrodivka and Pokrovsk show excavation equipment clearing debris and teams of firefighters searching ruined buildings.

Those already freed include a man found alongside an injured baby and a family of four, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko posted on Telegram.

03:11 PM GMT

What happened today

Thanks for following our live coverage that’s all for today, here’s the latest developments from today:

• Russia has threatened airspace bans after Lavrov’s plane was diverted on the way to security talks – Lavrov then walked out of the talks after blaming NATO for the war

• Putin paid tribute to ‘farsighted statesman’ Henry Kissinger

• Missile strikes on Donetsk have killed one and injured 10, with four more trapped

• Russia claimed it had captured a Ukrainian village on the outskirts of Bakhmut

• Kyiv claimed Moscow was suffering heavy losses amid fierce fighting in Donetsk

• The European Union should take Ukraine’s military needs into account as it determines the future strategy of Europe’s defence industry, Ursula von der Leyen has said

• Putin will hold his annual address on Dec 14, a day after the 2024 election is officially announced, stoking speculation he will run

02:29 PM GMT

Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen operate a cannon on the front line

02:02 PM GMT

Lavrov blames NATO for war then walks out of security talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov walked out of international security talks after blaming NATO’s “reckless expansion to the East” for the war in Ukraine.

In a 15-minute address to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe he also called Ukraine’s government a “neo-Nazi regime”, said the West was waging a “hybrid war” against Russia and branded the EU an “aggressive political project”.

He then walked out as Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said: “Russia’s attempts to blame others for its own choices are transparent.”

The OSCE is meeting in North Macedonia and has been boycotted by Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in protest at Russia’s attendance.

01:51 PM GMT

Putin could use speech to announce 2024 bid

Vladimir Putin will hold his annual press conference a day after campaigning starts for March’s election, stoking speculation he will use it to announce he is running.

The 71-year-old Russian President is widely expected to seek six more years in office, having served as either president or prime minister since 1999, but has not yet confirmed his bid.

If he does indeed run, and win, he would stay in office until 2030.

On December 13 overt campaigning can begin and a date for the election will be set. The following day Putin will address the nation.

12:57 PM GMT

Pictured: Zelensky on the front line

12:54 PM GMT

Zelensky thanks Germany for ‘unflagging support’ after call with Scholz

Volodymyr Zelensky has said discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were the “best signs of unflagging support”.

“I am grateful for the powerful ‘winter’ defense package from Germany, including 4 IRIS-T systems and for the multi-year financial assistance program from Germany,” he said.

12:17 PM GMT

Ursula von der Leyen: EU's defence strategy needs to include Ukraine

The European Union should take Ukraine’s military needs into account as it determines the future strategy of Europe’s defence industry, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.

“Our strategy can only be complete if it also takes into account Ukraine’s needs and Ukraine’s industrial capacity,” von der Leyen said in a speech at the annual conference of the European Defence Agency.

Von der Leyen said Ukraine should be integrated into EU defence programmes to help cater to its needs in its war against the Russian invasion.

“The first step to achieve this, is to involve Ukraine in the consultation process of the Industrial Strategy,” von der Leyen said.

“This should lead to integrating Ukraine in some of our defence programmes, with the agreement of the European Parliament and Council, where necessary.”

12:08 PM GMT

Austrian foreign minister met Lavrov at OSCE's request

Alexander Schallenberg, Austria’s Foreign Minister, spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Skopje on Thursday, a spokeswoman for Mr Schallenberg said.

“At the request of the OSCE and in consultation with the (OSCE) chairmanship, Foreign Minister Schallenberg spoke to the Russian foreign minister on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting about the outstanding package of appointments to OSCE leadership positions,” the spokeswoman said.

The issue of extending four senior OSCE officials in the posts, including Secretary-General Helga Schmid, is the main outstanding one at the meeting.

The spokeswoman added that as the OSCE’s host country Austria has “a particular responsibility” and that was why Schallenberg had agreed to the OSCE’s request.

11:37 AM GMT

Russia deploys ‘poorly trained’ regiment

A reformed but “poorly trained” Russian airborne division is likely assembling in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has said.

In an intelligence update this morning the MoD said the VDV has likely deployed the 104th Guards Airborne Division (104 GAD), which was disbanded in 1998 but reformed in August, in Kherson.

“The division will likely be poorly trained and is unlikely to meet the erstwhile elite standards of the VDV,” said the MoD.

11:21 AM GMT

Zelensky visits troops on front line

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited troops at a command post on the front line in eastern Kharkiv.

“It is an honour to visit and reward the soldiers. Fighters in the Kupiansk direction protect the peaceful life of Ukrainians and the people of the Kharkiv region,” Zelensky said in a post on Twitter,  telling soldiers: “I wish you victory, be strong and don’t lose the initiative.”

10:58 AM GMT

Putin's forces 'capture village' on outskirts of Bakhmut

Russia has reportedly captured a Ukrainian village amid fierce fighting in eastern Donetsk.

Khromove, on the outskirts of Bakhmut, had a pre-war population of 1,000 but has been reduced to ruins over the course of the conflict.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed to have taken the village, while Ukrainian officials did not comment on its status but said Moscow’s forces were suffering heavy losses.

Ukraine regained swathes of territory a year ago but has only made small gains since a new counteroffensive was launched in June.

10:29 AM GMT

Pictured: Rescuers work to free four people trapped after missile strikes

10:01 AM GMT

Russia threatens airspace bans after Lavrov's plane diverted

Bulgaria’s refusal to let Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s plane fly through its airspace was “malicious stupidity” and sets a “dangerous precedent”, Russia has said.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry who is under EU sanctions, claimed her presence on the flight was cited as the reason for the decision.

The plane was on its way to North Macedonia for a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, boycotted by Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in protest at Russia’s attendance.

“The malicious stupidity of the Russophobes reached the point that, for the first time in our history, official authorities banned not an airplane, but a person on that airplane,” wrote Zakharova on Telegram.

She added that Russia could apply similar bans to “thousands of NATO functionaries”, and accused Bulgaria of creating “a dangerous precedent”.

09:39 AM GMT

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister pays tribute to ‘great mind’ Kissinger

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has joined those paying tribute to Henry Kissinger, who has died aged 100.

Posting on Twitter he said: “The century of Henry Kissinger was no easy one, but its great challenges fit his great and curious mind.”

09:38 AM GMT

Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers fire towards Russian positions in Bakhmut

09:15 AM GMT

Body found after missile strikes

Overnight strikes in Donetsk killed one person, authorities have now confirmed.

Rescuers have found one body and are still attempting to free four people trapped under rubble.

Russia launched 20 missiles at three settlements, 14 of which were shot down, according to Ukraine.

08:40 AM GMT

Putin pays tribute to ‘farsighted statesman’ Henry Kissinger

Vladimir Putin praised Henry Kissinger as a “wise and farsighted statesman” who “strengthened global security” after the former US Secretary of State’s death.

Addressing his Telegram post to the 100-year-old’s widow, Nancy, he said: “The name of Henry Kissinger is inextricably linked with a pragmatic foreign policy line, which at one time made it possible to achieve detente in international tensions and reach the most important Soviet-American agreements that contributed to the strengthening of global security.”

“I had the opportunity to personally communicate with this deep, extraordinary man many times and I will undoubtedly retain the fondest memory of him.”

In the 1970s Kissinger helped negotiate the first major nuclear arms control treaties between the two Cold War superpowers. Half a century on, the Kremlin has described current relations as “below zero”.

08:20 AM GMT

Missile strikes injure 10 in Ukraine

A family were among the victims after a barrage of Russian missile attacks overnight, Ukrainian authorities have said.

Strikes on three settlements in eastern Donetsk injured 10 people, including four children, with rescuers freeing five who were trapped under rubble.

The Kremlin has said it intends to take over the entire region, much of which it already occupies.

Among those rescued were a man with an injured baby, while a family with two teenage children were also wounded, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko posted on Telegram.

Ukraine said it shot down 14 of the 20 missiles.

08:01 AM GMT

Good morning

Hello and welcome to today’s Ukraine live blog.

We will be bringing you all the latest updates on the war throughout the day.

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