Ukraine-Russia war - live: Putin’s Black Sea navy HQ hit in missile strike as Kyiv breaches frontline defences

Ukraine has struck the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in a missile attack that left a serviceman missing and the main building smouldering, according to military chiefs on both sides.

Within hours, US president Joe Biden reportedly told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that he would provide Kyiv with ATACMS long-range missile, as Canada pledged to give an extra £393.5m in military aid to Ukraine over the next three years.

Following the attack in the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea, the Russian defence ministry initially said one service member was killed but later changed that to say he was missing.

It said its air defence systems responding to the attack shot down five missiles. Firefighters battled the blaze, and more emergency forces were brought in.

At the same time, Ukrainian tanks penetrated Putin’s final line of defence in western Zaporizhia Oblast, signalling a big breakthrough, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

It is the first instance of Ukrainian tanks advancing through Russia’s strong defensive layer of anti-tank ditches and obstacles, said the institute.

Key Points

• Ukrainian missile strikes Sevastopol

• Ukrainian counteroffensive pushes through Putin’s final line of defence

• Zelensky warns energy terror has begun

• Putin’s spies ‘hacking Ukrainian files for Russian war crimes evidence’

• US ‘to give Kyiv ATACMS long-range missiles’

• In pictures - Trudeau gives Zelensky a warm welcome

Greenpeace warning

11:55 , Alex Ross

Greenpeace has raised major concerns over the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a dossier sent to western governments on Thursday morning.

The power plant, with six reactors, was captured by Russia in March 2022. Its location on the Dnipro River, with Ukrainian forces occupying the riverbank opposite, means it is on the frontline.

Now the UN nuclear watchdog, called the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has been accused of being “unable to meet its mandate requirements” on assessing safety at the plant by Greenpeace.

The campaign group says there are too few inspectors at the site, along with interfering restrictions stopping a proper investigation by the IAEA.

The group’s conclusions are backed by military assessment of the site which suggests Russian troops and defences at the plant are concealed, and that there are some areas which have been mined.

Firing points have also been installed in the roofs of four of the reactor halls, it has also been suggested.

The IAEA has said that without its presence “the world would have no independent source of information about Europe’s largest nuclear power plant”.

“Gradually gaining ground” - NATO Secretary on Ukraine advances

13:20 , Alex Ross

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces were “gradually gaining ground” in their counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Stoltenberg also said Russian troops were fighting for Moscow’s “imperial delusions”.

Stoltenberg announced that NATO now had over-arching framework contracts in place with arms companies for key ammunition.

He said such contracts would allow NATO members to replenish their depleted stockpiles while also continuing to provide Ukraine with ammunition, a key factor in the war.

Stoltenberg also condemned Russian strikes near Ukraine‘s border with NATO member Romania. He said there was no evidence such strikes were a deliberate attack on Romania but branded them “reckless” and “destabilizing”.

Five core principles at nuclear power plant

12:45 , Alex Ross

In response to concerns over the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, in May, nuclear regulators International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] called on Russia and Ukraine to adopt five core principles to avoid “the danger of a catastrophic incident”.

Presented by Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General, they are:

* no attack from or against the plant

* no use of the plant as storage n or as a base for heavy weapons or military personnel

* no placement of off-site power at risk

* the protection of all essential structures, systems and components from attacks or sabotage

* no action which undermines these principles

Nuclear power plant location

12:30 , Alex Ross

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with six reactors on site, sits on the Dnipro River in Ukraine.

Russian forces occupy the plant having seized it in March in 2022, while on the other side of the riverbank opposite, Ukrainian forces are located.

It’s believed between 500 to 600 Russian military are at the power station.

Greenpeace also say that the Russians could look “to be using the proximity of the nuclear power plant as a shield” to protect forces.

Zelensky appoints British move star as ambassador for charity

11:15 , Alex Ross

Film and TV star Mark Strong will focus his efforts on supporting Ukrainian schools after being appointed as an ambassador of the United24 charity by PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky.

The Kingsman and Deep State star, 60, was thanked by the Ukrainian president for his “powerful support” of Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022.

During the online call, Strong told Mr Zelensky: “It is an honour for me to become a voice for Ukrainian children on the world stage, so that they can have a better future.”

President Zelensky appoints British actor Mark Strong as United24 ambassador

Thermal power plant in southern Ukraine damaged in Russian attack

10:50 , Alex Ross

Russian bombing from the Black Sea damaged a thermal power plant in southern Ukraine late on Wednesday, Ukraine‘s national grid operator said on Thursday.

State-run Ukrenergo gave no other details about the location of the plant or the extent of the damage.

“Yesterday evening a thermal power plant in the southern region was damaged as a result of massive enemy shelling,” Ukrenergo said.

Ukrainian 'gains in the south’

09:26 , Alex Ross

Despite the overnight bombardment and ‘intense’ attacks on the eastern front from the Russians, Ukraine continues to focus on the southern front.

General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of forces in the south, said last week there had been a “breakthrough” in the southern line, while noting that progress was slower than had been hoped.

Zelenskiy and other officials have said the counteroffensive will take time and have dismissed Western critics who said the advance has been too slow and beset by strategic errors.

Tarnavskyi referred to the village of Verbove, which other officials have said Ukrainian forces are poised to seize. Ukrainian forces are targeting several other villages as they progress through Zaporizhzhia region towards the major town of Tokmak.

“There have been three or four days of painstaking hard work by our assault group and commanders conducting tactical tasks in this area which have led to very serious problems for the Russians,” military analyst Roman Svitan told NV Radio.

Ukraine forces are trying to advance southward to the Sea of Azov to sever a land bridge established by Russia between the annexed Crimean Peninsula and positions it holds in the east.

The eastern front

09:03 , Alex Ross

The villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka were captured by Ukrainian forces as part of a counteroffensive launched in June - but now Russian forces are attacking the positions in a rebid to regain lost ground.

Reports from the Ukraine military say there were air strikes on four localities in the area over the past 24 hours, plus artillery and mortar attack on 15 towns and villages.

UK defence minister meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv

08:26 , Athena Stavrou

The UK’s defence secretary, Grant Shapps, has visited Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

A video of the surprise visit was shared by Mr Zelenskyy on X, who said he was “profoundly grateful” to the UK for their support.

He added that they discussed further defence cooperation and steps to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence.

No casualties reported after Russia launch 44 drones

08:00 , Athena Stavrou

No casualties have been reported as of yet after Russia targeted the Odesa region with over 40 drones.

On Thursday morning Ukraine’s Air Force reported that they shot down 34 of 44 Shahed drones that Russia launched overnight.

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said his region was the main target, but the attack left no casualties.

“Our air defence forces did an excellent job,” Kiper said on Telegram.

“No hits or destruction. There were no casualties. There were only a few small fires on dry grass as a result of the falling wreckage of the downed Shahed.”

Ukraine‘s southern seaport region of Odesa has suffered Russian drone and missile attacks since July, when Russia left a UN-brokered grain export deal that allowed Kyiv to ship its grain abroad.

Russian’s ‘lose control’ of trench line

07:42 , Athena Stavrou

Russian forces no longer control trench line near Verbove, a war monitoring think-tank have said.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reported that geolocated footage published on Tuesday indicates that Russian forces likely no longer control a roughly one-kilometer-long trench line west of Verbove.

They added that the absence of Russian forces in this trench line could facilitate further Ukrainian advances in this area, as this trench line is no longer a significant obstacle for Ukrainian force.

Ukraine repel Russian attacks in Bakhmut

07:25 , Alex Ross

Ukrainian troops held off determined attacks on Wednesday by Russian forces trying to regain lost positions on the eastern front.

The Ukrainian military launched its counteroffensive in June intending to recoup ground in the east and in the past two weeks announced the capture of two key villages, Andriivka and Klishchiivka, near the shattered city of Bakhmut.

Ilia Yevlash, a spokesperson for Ukraine‘s eastern group of forces, told national television: “We continue to repel intense enemy attacks near Klishchiivka and Andriivka.

“The enemy is still storming these positions with the hope of recapturing lost positions, but without success.”

There had been 544 Russian shelling incidents in the past 24 hours in the area, seven combat clashes and four air attacks, Yevlash said.

Ukraine‘s General Staff reported air strikes on four localities in the area and said 15 towns and villages had come under artillery and mortar attack.

In its account of military activity, Russia’s Defence Ministry also reported heavy fighting in the area, saying its forces had beaten back 10 attacks by Ukrainian troops near Klishchiivka and further south, near the village of Nevelske.

Ukraine says hundreds of Wagner fighters back on battlefield months after failed coup

07:07 , Arpan Rai

Several hundred fighters of the Wagner mercenary group have returned to Ukraine to fight in Russia’s continuing invasion but have not made a significant impact on the battlefield, military officials in Kyiv said.

“We have recorded the presence of a maximum of several hundred fighters of the former Wagner PMC (private military company),” spokesperson for the eastern military command Serhiy Cherevatyi said.

These Wagner fighters were scattered in different places, were not part of a single unit, and had had no significant impact, he said.

Arpan Rai reports:

Ukraine says Wagner fighters back on battlefield months after failed coup

Ukraine repels Russian attacks as Putin’s forces try to recapture territory lost in counteroffensive

07:05 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian soldiers fought off fierce Russian attacks on the battlefield on Wednesday as the invading troops continued to recapture lost territory in eastern Ukraine, military officials said.

Some progress was also seen in southern Ukraine – another pocket of heavy territorial battle in Russia’s 20-month-old invasion.

“We continue to repel intense enemy attacks near Klishchiivka and Andriivka. The enemy is still storming these positions with the hope of recapturing lost positions, but without success,” Ilia Yevlash, a spokesperson for Ukraine‘s eastern group of forces, told national television.

The two villages – Klishchiivka and Andriivka – near Bakhmut were retaken from Russian control in mid-September in a span of three days, marking a significant territorial feat in the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Arpan Rai reports:

Ukraine repels Russian attacks as Putin’s forces try to recapture lost territory

Ukraine shoots down over 30 drones in overnight attack

06:56 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian air defences shot down 34 kamikaze drones this morning and overnight as Russia launched a major new wave of air strikes across the country, officials said.

Russia's attacks involved at least 44 Iranian-made Shahed drones in total, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

"Fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units and mobile fire groups were engaged to repel the attack," Ukraine's military said on Telegram.

A large number of the drones were fired on southern Ukrainian cities from the Black Sea, the air force said.

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said his region was the main target, but the attack left no casualties.

“Our air defence forces did an excellent job,” the governor said on Telegram. “No hits or destruction. There were no casualties. There were only a few small fires on dry grass as a result of the falling wreckage of the downed Shahed.”

Hillary Clinton mocks Putin over Nato expansion: ‘Too bad, Vladimir. You brought it on yourself’

06:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Hillary Clinton mocked Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for his concerns about Nato’s expansion and said the Russian president “brought it on himself” with his invasion of Ukraine.

“Defending democracy in Ukraine, expanding Nato – just as an aside, too bad Vladimir, you brought it on yourself,” the former US secretary of state said, prompting laughter and applause.

Ms Clinton was speaking at the State Department where she unveiled her official portrait and addressed current and former officials in the ornate Benjamin Franklin State Dining room.

Arpan Rai reports:

Hillary Clinton mocks Putin over Nato expansion: ‘Too bad, Vladimir’

Russia accuses Ukraine's Western allies of helping attack its Black Sea Fleet headquarters

05:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct last week’s missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

“There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, NATO satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

Moscow has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. and its NATO allies have effectively become involved in the conflict by supplying weapons to Ukraine and providing it with intelligence information and helping plan attacks on Russian facilities.

Read more:

Russia accuses Ukraine's Western allies of helping attack its Black Sea Fleet headquarters

How Ukraine’s forces have surged back against Russia

04:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Ukraine’s forces have made a number of breakthroughs against Russian positions in recent weeks as intense fighting rages on in southern and northeastern parts of the country.

The counteroffensive launched by Ukraine in June had been making gradual, if slow progress, in pushing back Vladimir Putin’s troops from land seized since the invasion began.

But at the start of the month, there were signs that Kyiv’s troops were starting to make inroads, as they broke Russia’s first defensive line near Zaporizhzhia, in the southeast of the country.

Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, who is leading Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive, said that Russian troops had dedicated 60 per cent of their time to its first defence, and only 20 per cent to the second and third lines.

Joe Middleton reports:

How Ukraine’s forces have surged back against Russia

Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

03:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine has been raging for one year now as the conflict continues to record devastating casualties and force the mass displacement of millions of blameless Ukrainians.

Vladimir Putin began the war by claiming Russia’s neighbour needed to be “demilitarised and de-Nazified”, a baseless pretext on which to launch a landgrab against an independent state that happens to have a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has fought back courageously against Mr Putin’s warped bid to restore territory lost to Moscow with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has continued to defy the odds by defending itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid.

Read more:

Here’s why Putin really invaded Ukraine

Ukrainian forces ‘enjoy success’ near Bakhmut as Putin deploys reserves

02:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Ukrainian troops “enjoyed success” in villages near Bakhmut, a key town seized by Russian forces in May after some of the heaviest fighting in the 19-month-old war.

Ilia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told national television that Russia trained fire on Ukrainian soldiers 580 times on this front and used aircraft four times.

“On the southern flank, we continue the offensive operation. In particular, we have had successes near Zaitseve, Klishchiivka, Odradivka and Ivanivske. There, our defenders continue to knock out the enemy. Under heavy fire, they are holding the defence and consolidating positions,” he said during the 24/7 national forecast.

Arpan Rai reports:

Ukrainian forces ‘enjoy success’ near Bakhmut as Putin deploys reserves

New video of ‘dead’ Russian Black Sea fleet commander raises doubts over Ukraine’s claim

01:00 , Eleanor Noyce

A top Russian naval officer who Ukraine claimed was killed in a missile strike has been seen in a new video released by Russia, sparking confusion among the war-hit country’s officials.

Ukraine’s special forces on Monday had claimed Russian admiral Viktor Sokolov and 33 other officers were killed in a missile strike carried out on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol in Crimea.

The video released by Russia’s defence ministry on Tuesday, however, showed Black Sea Fleet commander Sokolov appearing on a video conference call with Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu. It remains unclear when the video was recorded.

Arpan Rai reports:

Video of ‘dead’ Russian Black Sea fleet commander raises doubts over Ukraine’s claim

Viktor Sokolov seen for second time in newly emerged video as he claims Russia’s Black Sea Fleet ‘performing successfully’

Thursday 28 September 2023 00:01 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet commander Viktor Sokolov has claimed his fleet is “performing successfully” in a newly emerged video, just days after Ukraine claimed he had been killed in a missile strike.

The video has been released by the Russian Defence Ministry. It is unclear from his comments whether the clip was filmed after Ukraine’s missile strike on 22 September.

Ukraine’s special forces said on Monday that Russian admiral Viktor Sokolov and 33 other officers were killed in a missile strike carried out on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol in Crimea on Friday.

Russian commander seen again in new video as he says fleet ‘performing successfully’

Destruction in Ukraine’s eastern village of Klishchiivka captured in aerial footage

Wednesday 27 September 2023 23:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Drone footage shows the extent of destruction in the village of Klishchiivka in eastern Ukraine after months of fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine’s military said it seized Klishchiivka from Russian troops on 17 September.

The village is about 10km (6 miles) south of the Russian-controlled town of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

Retaking Klishchiivka is considered tactically important, allowing Ukrainian forces to further extend their gains around Bakhmut.

The commanding heights of the village offer a view into Bakhmut and could open up new opportunities for Ukrainian forces to encircle the town.

Destruction in Ukraine’s eastern village of Klishchiivka captured in aerial footage

Britain approves new North Sea oil drilling in welcome news for the industry but not activists

Wednesday 27 September 2023 22:00 , Eleanor Noyce

British regulators on Wednesday approved new oil and gas drilling at a site in the North Sea, a move environmentalists say will hurt the country’s attempt to meet its climate goals.

The U.K.’s North Sea Transition Authority said it had approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan, “which allows the owners to proceed with their project.”

Britain’s Conservative government argues that drilling in the Rosebank field, northwest of the Shetland Islands, will create jobs and bolster the U.K.’s energy security.

Read more:

Britain approves new North Sea oil drilling in welcome news for the industry but not activists

Russia airs ‘new interview’ of Black Sea admiral who Ukraine claimed was killed in strike

Wednesday 27 September 2023 21:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia has published a second clip purporting to show a top naval officer alive and well, after Ukraine claimed he had been killed in a missile strike on the headquarters of Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.

Ukraine’s special forces claimed on Monday that the Russian fleet’s commander, admiral Viktor Sokolov, was among 34 officers killed in the huge strike on Sevastopol, which they said had caused irreparable damage to the headquarters building.

But the military body backpedalled the following day, saying its units were “clarifying the information” which had been based on open sources, adding that many of those killed in the strike “still have not been identified due to the disparity of body fragments”.

Read more:

Russia airs ‘new interview’ of top commander who Ukraine claimed was killed in strike

Destruction in Ukraine's eastern village of Klishchiivka captured in aerial footage

Wednesday 27 September 2023 20:00 , Joe Middleton

Russia accuses Ukraine's Western allies of helping attack its Black Sea Fleet headquarters

Wednesday 27 September 2023 19:00 , Athena Stavrou

Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct last week’s missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

“There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, NATO satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

Read more from The Independent:

Russia accuses Ukraine's Western allies of helping attack its Black Sea Fleet headquarters

Ukrainians pay respects in Kyiv today

Wednesday 27 September 2023 18:30 , Athena Stavrou

Kyiv residents have been pictured paying their respects to lost ones at the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine.

Round up of today so far

Wednesday 27 September 2023 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

Here’s the round up of today’s main events:

Moscow deploys more troops to ‘overstretched’ frontlines

Moscow has deployed more troops to their ‘overstretched’ front line, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MoD says that following the creation of Russia’s 25th Combined Arms Army (25 CAA), which was reportedly seen in Ukraine for the first time in August, Moscow has deployed them to reinforce under-defended areas on the frontline.

Black Sea fleet admiral ‘seen in second video’ since claims he was ‘killed’

A second video of the Black Sea fleet commander and Russian top general, Viktor Sokolov, was shown on Russian TV on Wednesday, raising doubts over Ukraine’s claim that they ‘killed’ him in Sevastopol attack.

Ukrainian forces ‘enjoy success’ near Bakhmut as Putin deploys reserves

Ukrainian troops “enjoyed success” in villages near Bakhmut, a key town seized by Russian forces in May after some of the heaviest fighting in the 19-month-old war.

Russia claim Britain helped plan missile strike on Crimea navy HQ

The Kremlin have accused Ukraine’s allies of helping plan the attack on its Black Sea Fleet headquarters on Friday.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman claimed there was “no doubt” that “Western intelligence means” had helped to plan and conduct last week’s missle strike, but cited no evidence, AP reports.

Wagner Group soldiers return to frontline, Ukraine says

Former Wagner Group troops have allegedly left Belarus and returned to the frontline in Donetsk according to local news reports.

RBC Ukraine reported on Wednesday that roughly 500 of the 8,000 Wagner fighters stationed in Belarus are returning to Ukraine’s eastern front, according to the spokesperson of the Eastern Grouping of Forces, Illia Yevlash.

Russian bid to rejoin UN Human Rights Council ‘preposterous’, says US

Wednesday 27 September 2023 17:30 , Athena Stavrou

A US spokesperson called Russia’s bid to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council ‘preposterous’.

Russia was expelled from the council April last year following their invasion on neighbouring Ukraine.

“We hope UN members will firmly reject its preposterous candidacy as they overwhelmingly did last year,” A US spokesperson told CNN.

They added: “Russia has committed violations of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity in Ukraine, as well as violations and abuses of human rights in Russia, including the arbitrary arrests of Russians endeavoring to exercise their freedom of expression to condemn Putin’s brutal war.”

Ukraine set to boycott competitions involving Russia as UEFA lifts ban

Wednesday 27 September 2023 16:45 , Athena Stavrou

Ukraine has said it will not play in tournaments involving Russian teams after soccer European governing body, UEFA, announced plans to reinstate Russia’s Under-17 sides to European competitions.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) urged UEFA to reconsider its decision and urged other countries not to play against Russian teams.

UEFA decided after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions.

But UEFA said on Tuesday that “children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults”, and that Russian U-17 sides would be readmitted to UEFA competitions “in the course of this season”.

“UAF strongly condemns today’s UEFA decision on the return of U-17 teams from the Russian Federation to international competitions,” the UAF said, urging UEFA to stick to its blanket ban on Russian teams.“UAF confirms that we will not take part in any competitions with the participation of Russian teams, and appeal to other UEFA member associations to boycott possible matches with the participation of teams from the Russian Federation, subject to their admission.”

England’s Football Association reacted to UEFA’s decision on Tuesday by saying its youth teams would not play against Russia.

Ukraine say ‘game over’ for former Wagner soldiers returning to frontline

Wednesday 27 September 2023 16:30 , Athena Stavrou

Several hundred members of Russia’s Wagner private mercenary group have returned to eastern Ukraine to fight but are not having a significant impact on the battlefield, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Since Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash in August, the Kremlin has sought to bring the group under tighter state control. Russian military bloggers have reported that some Wagner fighters have been returning to Ukraine.

“We have recorded the presence of a maximum of several hundred fighters of the former Wagner PMC (private military company),” Serhiy Cherevatyi, military spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern district said.

He added that Wagner fighters were scattered in different places, were not part of a single unit, and had had no significant impact, Reuters reports.

“They do not constitute any integral, systematic, organized force,” Cherevatyi said. “As they say - game over. These are pathetic remnants, nothing good awaits them here.”

Destruction in Donetsk region after heavy shelling

Wednesday 27 September 2023 16:08 , Athena Stavrou

New pictures from the Donetsk region in Ukraine show the destruction caused by recent Russian attacks.

Suspilne, Ukraine’s national broadcaster, said on Wednesday that Russia attacked six cities in the region since Tuesday morning.

It wrote: “The Russian army destroyed 22 residential buildings, a bus station, trade pavilions, an enterprise and a hangar.”

Fresh offensive by Putin’s troops ‘unlikely’ as frontline ‘over-stretched’

Wednesday 27 September 2023 15:41 , Athena Stavrou

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) have suggested a fresh Russian offensive would be ‘unlikely’ as they deploy fresh troops to their ‘overstretched’ front line.

The MoD says that following the creation of Russia’s 25th Combined Arms Army (25 CAA), which was reportedly seen in Ukraine for the first time in August, Moscow has deployed them to reinforce under-defended areas on the frontline. They suggest that this makes a fresh offensive from Russian forces unlikely, as they were not deployed en masse to one area.

New Russian units are reported to be fighting on the front in a sector west of Severodonetsk and Kreminna, along the border between Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, the MoD say.

Wagner Group soldiers return to frontline, Ukraine says

Wednesday 27 September 2023 15:25 , Athena Stavrou

Former Wagner Group troops have allegedly left Belarus and returned to the frontline in Donetsk according to local news reports.

RBC Ukraine reported on Wednesday that roughly 500 of the 8,000 Wagner fighters stationed in Belarus are returning to Ukraine’s eastern front, according to the spokesperson of the Eastern Grouping of Forces, Illia Yevlash.

“Former members of the Wagner private military company are now actually present in the territory of the Eastern Grouping of Forces,” Mr Yevlash said.

“They are taking part in the fighting. Specifically, they are coming from the territory of Belarus, where they had their camps. They are now being disbanded.”

It was also noted in local reports that some former Wagner soldiers had departed for Africa.

Mr Yevlash also said that Russia’s Defense Ministry is renegotiating contracts with these mercenaries to serve either as combatants or instructors.

However, he emphasized that Wagner fighters do not pose a “significant threat” since the death of their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash in August under mysterious circumstances.

Ukraine arrest two men suspected of coordinating Russian strikes

Wednesday 27 September 2023 14:52 , Athena Stavrou

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) say they have detained two men on suspicion that they assisted Russian forces in their missile attacks on Kyiv last week.

The SBU said in a statement on Wednesday: “SBU cyber specialists detained two Russian agents who adjusted the Russian air attack on Kyiv on the night of September 21 this year.

“It has been established that on the eve of this date, the detainees sent the Russians coordinates for a strike on the city. The main targets of the enemy attack were the capital’s critical infrastructure, including energy generating enterprises.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram: “This is a good signal to all traitors: There will be retribution.”

Russia ‘building railway’ in occupied Ukrainian cities

Wednesday 27 September 2023 14:29 , Athena Stavrou

Russia have begun constructing a railway linking occupied Ukrainian cities to Russia, Ukrainian officials claim.

According to Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the exiled mayor of Mariupol, Russia has begun building the railways that will link Mariupol, Volnovakha and Donetsk to Russia if completed.

He said in a Telegram post: “The occupiers are trying to build a direct railway connection with Mariupol, Volnovakha and Donetsk. Now it's not just talk, they have started the construction of a railway bridge near the village of Hranitne over the Kalmius River.

“If successful, this will make it possible to include the existing Mariupol-Aslanove-Kalchik-Volnovakha branch in direct communication with Taganrog and Rostov-on-Don.”

He added that if the railway is completed it would allow Russia to transport supplies to the occupied regions in southern Ukraine without relying on the Crimea bridge, which has come under increasing attacks by Ukraine in recent months.

Ukrainian children evacuated from villages as frontline fighting expected

Wednesday 27 September 2023 13:45 , Athena Stavrou

Ukrainian children in the southern Zaporizhzhia region have been evacuated ahead of frontline fighting that’s expected on the frontline.

“We have fulfilled the task set by the Ukrainian government... and evacuated all children and their families” from five towns, Yevgen Myronenko, the deputy head of the region, was quoted by local media as saying.

Local media cited regional officials as saying a total of 59 children had been removed from the towns. Evacuations of children usually take place ahead of expected fighting in the area.

General Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, who is leading the counteroffensive in the south, said last weekend that Ukraine’s army had broken through Russian lines in Zaporizhzhia.

UEFA moves toward partially reintegrating Russian teams and match officials into European soccer

Wednesday 27 September 2023 13:15 , Athena Stavrou

UEFA made two moves toward partially reintegrating Russia into European soccer on Tuesday despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The European soccer governing body decided to try reintroducing Russian under-17 teams into its competitions this season. That’s an easing of a blanket ban on national and club teams from international play imposed within days of the Russian invasion starting in February 2022.

UEFA said it was “aware that children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults and is firmly convinced that football should never give up sending messages of peace and hope.”

Read more from The Independent below:

UEFA moves toward partially reintegrating Russian teams and match officials into European soccer

Kremlin remind Hillary Clinton of gaffe in response to Putin jab

Wednesday 27 September 2023 12:46 , Athena Stavrou

Russia have hit back at Hillary Clinton following her comments on Putin’s NATO expansion concerns.

Hillary Clinton mocked Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for his concerns about Nato’s expansion and said the Russian president “brought it on himself” with his invasion of Ukraine.

“Defending democracy in Ukraine, expanding Nato – just as an aside, too bad Vladimir, you brought it on yourself,” the former US secretary of state said, prompting laughter and applause.

On Wednesday, the Kremlin responded to her remarks by reminding her of her 2009 gaffe, when she sought to “reset” relations with Russia with a button mislabelled as “overload” in Russian.

Asked about her remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “It is clear that this was probably not a deliberate mistake, but very telling.”

He added: “It is probably necessary to remind Mrs Clinton of the numerous waves of NATO expansion and the approach of the alliance’s military infrastructure to our borders.”

You can read more about this from The Independent below:

Hillary Clinton mocks Putin over Nato expansion: ‘Too bad, Vladimir’

Russia claim Britain helped plan missile strike on Crimea navy HQ

Wednesday 27 September 2023 12:16 , Athena Stavrou

The Kremlin have accused Ukraine’s allies of helping plan the attack on its Black Sea Fleet headquarters on Friday.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman claimed there was “no doubt” that “Western intelligence means” had helped to plan and conduct last week’s missle strike, but cited no evidence, AP reports.

Russia said on Wednesday that underwater explosions that ruptured the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea were organised by the United States and Britain.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing: “There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, NATO satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon of the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them.”

“They are involved, one way or another, in this terrorist attack,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular news briefing in response to a question about the September 2022 blasts, without providing any evidence.

Zelenskyy announces nationwide moment of silence on 1 October

Wednesday 27 September 2023 11:50 , Athena Stavrou

President Zelenskyy announces a nationwide moment of silence on October 1 in rememberance of fallen soldiers.

The Ukrainian leader wrote on Facebook that all of Ukraine would stop for one minute on Sunday to “honour the feat of our people who died defending our state”.

The moment of reflection will begin at 9am and will be observed in central squares and streets across Ukrainian cities.

Mr Zelenskyy wrote: “It happens that silence can say more than any words. This Sunday, October 1, Ukraine will for the first time celebrate on a new date the day of its defenders.

“All those who fight for the sake of the state. All those who add strength to Ukraine. All those who gave his life for the sake of Ukraine. And this Sunday, for the first time, all of Ukraine will stop for a minute to silently honor the feat of our people who died defending our state and Ukrainians.”

Grain talks on track, Polish minister says

Wednesday 27 September 2023 11:10 , Athena Stavrou

The Polish agriculture minister says that talks with Ukraine about grain imports are on track.

It comes after a dispute between the two countries over Warsaw’s decision to extend a ban, Reuters reports.

Kyiv’s relations with Warsaw have soured since Poland, along with Hungary and Slovakia, decided to extend the ban that was introduced to protect farmers from a surge in grain and food imports from Ukraine after Russia invaded the country.

The government in Warsaw, which has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies, is also under pressure from the far right to take a tougher stance on Ukraine ahead of October elections in the country.

“I am glad that we are talking about the future, that we are building mechanisms for the future and we are calming certain emotions that have not served us well, and this is probably a good direction,” the Polish minister, Robert Telus, said at a news conference after an online meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Solsky.

Telus reiterated Warsaw’s demand that Ukraine should withdraw a complaint made against Poland at the World Trade Organisation.

He said: “The Ukrainian minister said he would talk to the economy minister in Ukraine to consider withdrawing this complaint.”

He also said that Poland was in the final stages of talks with Lithuania about organising transit of Ukrainian grain to ports there, Reuters reports.

Viktor Sokolov: Russia's commander says Black Sea Fleet is performing successfully

Wednesday 27 September 2023 10:40 , Athena Stavrou

A second video of the Black Sea fleet commander and Russian top general, Viktor Sokolov, was shown on Russian TV on Wednesday, raising doubts over Ukraine’s claim that they ‘killed’ him in Sevastopol attack.

A television station run by Russia’s defence ministry showed a video interview with Black Sea Fleet commander Viktor Sokolov on Wednesday.

In the video, Sokolov says the Black Sea Fleet is performing successfully. It was unclear from his comments whether the clip was filmed after Ukraine’s missile strike on Sept 22, Reuters reports.

Russian MoD reportedly recruiting former Wagner troops

Wednesday 27 September 2023 10:20 , Athena Stavrou

The Russian ministry of defence (MoD) is reportedly recruiting former Wagner troops, according to US based war monitoring think-tank.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported that former Wagner personnel that left the organisation with founder Andrey Troshev after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed rebellion have joined the MoD-affiliated “Redut” and “Volunteer Corps” private military companies (PMCs).

They cite a Russian military blogger, who also claims the former Wagner troops have already begun to be redeployed to new units in the Bakhmut area of Ukraine.

The milblogger also claimed that Troshev is trying to recruit Wagner personnel who are currently operating in Belarus, Africa, and the Middle East for Russian MoD-affiliated PMCs, according to the ISW.

You can read more about the Wagner rebellion here:

How the Wagner Group’s armed uprising almost toppled Vladimir Putin

Ukrainian forces 'enjoy success' near Bakhmut as Putin deploys reserves

Wednesday 27 September 2023 10:00 , Athena Stavrou

Ukrainian troops “enjoyed success” in villages near Bakhmut, a key town seized by Russian forces in May after some of the heaviest fighting in the 19-month-old war.

Ilia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told national television that Russia trained fire on Ukrainian soldiers 580 times on this front and used aircraft four times.

You can read more from The Independent on this here:

Ukrainian forces ‘enjoy success’ near Bakhmut as Putin deploys reserves

Black Sea fleet admiral ‘seen in second video’ since claims he was ‘killed'

Wednesday 27 September 2023 09:40 , Athena Stavrou

A second video of the Black Sea fleet commander and Russian top general, Viktor Sokolov, was shown on Russian TV on Wednesday, raising doubts over Ukraine’s claim that they ‘killed’ him in Sevastopol attack.

It comes after Russia’s defence ministry released another video on Tuesday, appearing to show Sokolov on a video conference call with Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu. It remains unclear when the video was recorded.

A television station run by Russia’s defence ministry showed a video interview with Black Sea Fleet commander Viktor Sokolov on Wednesday, days after Ukraine claimed he had been killed in a missile strike on Russian navy headquarters in Crimea.

In the video, Sokolov says the Black Sea Fleet is performing successfully. It was unclear from his comments whether the clip was filmed after Ukraine’s missile strike on Sept 22, Reuters reports.

New video of ‘dead’ Russian Black Sea fleet commander raises doubts over Ukraine’s claim

Wednesday 27 September 2023 09:10 , Athena Stavrou

A top Russian naval officer who Ukraine claimed was killed in a missile strike has been seen in a new video released by Russia, sparking confusion among the war-hit country’s officials.

Ukraine’s special forces on Monday had claimed Russian admiral Viktor Sokolov and 33 other officers were killed in a missile strike carried out on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol in Crimea.

The video released by Russia’s defence ministry on Tuesday, however, showed Black Sea Fleet commander Sokolov appearing on a video conference call with Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu. It remains unclear when the video was recorded.

Watch the video below:

Russian aircraft strikes Ukraine

Wednesday 27 September 2023 08:50 , Athena Stavrou

A russian aircraft has struck Ukraine in the early hours of the morning.

Suspilne, Ukraine’s national broadaster said in a morning news round-up that at 5am, a Russian military aircraft struck near Mykolaivka in the Kherson region.

They reported on the social media platform Telegram that information about the consequences of the attack is being “clarified”.

Russia target Ukraine with ‘heavy artillery’ overnight

Wednesday 27 September 2023 08:30 , Athena Stavrou

Ukraine say Russian troops shelled the Nikpol district of Dnipropetrovsk overnight.

Suspilne, Ukraine’s national broadcaster, said in a post on Telegram that six houses, a private enterprise,a car, power lines were also damaged.

They added that the ‘heavy artillery’ used has injured at least two people so far.

Kyiv expecting ‘good news’

Wednesday 27 September 2023 08:10 , Athena Stavrou

As Russian reportedly sends in new troops to reinforce the ‘overstretched’ frontline, Ukraine say they are expecting ‘good news’.

A spokesman for Ukraine’s troops in the south, Oleksandr Shtupun, told the news site Espreso TV that Ukrainian troops were digging in and poised to move on the village of Verbove as part of their advance to the Sea of Azov.

“I believe we will soon have good news,” Shtupun said.

A VDV-affiliated source reported that Ukrainian forces broke into Verbove on 22 September and continued attacking the settlement with armoured vehicles as of Sunday, as per The Institute for the Study of War think-tank.

It was reported by the think-tank that the source said Ukrainian forces had occupied half of the area by September 24.

Moscow deploys more troops to ‘overstretched’ front line.

Wednesday 27 September 2023 07:51 , Athena Stavrou

Moscow has deployed more troops to their ‘overstretched’ front line, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MoD says that following the creation of Russia’s 25th Combined Arms Army (25 CAA), which was reportedly seen in Ukraine for the first time in August, Moscow has deployed them to reinforce under-defended areas on the frontline.

“[The] 67th Motor Rifle Division and 164th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade are reported to be fighting on the front in a sector west of Severodonetsk and Kreminna, along the border between Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” the MoD said.

They suggest that this makes a fresh offensive from Russian forces unlikely, as they were not deployed en masse to one area.

The MoD said: “With 25 CAA apparently being deployed piecemeal to reinforce the over-stretched line, a concerted new Russian offensive is less likely over the coming weeks.”

Putin unrecognisable in shell suit with full head of hair in uncovered 1990s video

Wednesday 27 September 2023 06:00 , Martha Mchardy

Previously unseen home video footage shows a younger, untidy and awkward-looking Vladimir Putin socialising and playing table tennis during a visit to Finland around three decades ago.

The rare clip, obtained by Finnish outlet Yle, shows the future Russian president dressed in a shellsuit playing darts and eating with other guests at a hospitality venue near Helsinki.

According to sources spoken to by Yle, the Finnish broadcasting company, the video was shot around a May Day holiday in the early 90s.

Matt Mathers reports:

Putin unrecognisable in shell suit with full head of hair in uncovered 1990s video

Latest pictures from the frontline in Ukraine

Wednesday 27 September 2023 05:00 , Martha Mchardy

Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

Wednesday 27 September 2023 04:00 , Martha Mchardy

Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine has been raging for one year now as the conflict continues to record devastating casualties and force the mass displacement of millions of blameless Ukrainians.

Vladimir Putin began the war by claiming Russia’s neighbour needed to be “demilitarised and de-Nazified”, a baseless pretext on which to launch a landgrab against an independent state that happens to have a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has fought back courageously against Mr Putin’s warped bid to restore territory lost to Moscow with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has continued to defy the odds by defending itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid.

Read more:

Here’s why Putin really invaded Ukraine

ICYMI: Five Bulgarians appear in court charged with spying for Russia

Wednesday 27 September 2023 03:00 , Martha Mchardy

Five Bulgarians have appeared in court charged with spying and carrying out surveillance to assist the Russian state.

The three men and two women are accused of conspiring to gather information that would be useful to an enemy between August 2020 and February this year.

Orlin Roussev, 45, of Princes Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk; Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, of High Road, Harrow, north-west London; Katrin Ivanova, 31, of the same Harrow address; Ivan Stoyanov, 31, from Bannister Close, Greenford, west London; and Vanya Gaberova, 29, from Churchfield Road, Acton, west London, are charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state between 30 August 2020 and 8 February 2023.

Read more:

Five Bulgarians appear in court charged with spying for Russia

Watch: Explosions from drone attack in Ukraine seen from ferry on Danube crossing

Wednesday 27 September 2023 02:00 , Martha Mchardy

Watch: It was ‘deeply embarrassing’ to stand and applaud Nazi SS soldier, Trudeau says

Wednesday 27 September 2023 01:00 , Martha Mchardy

How Ukraine’s forces have surged back against Russia

Wednesday 27 September 2023 00:00 , Martha Mchardy

Ukraine’s forces have made a number of breakthroughs against Russian positions in recent weeks as intense fighting rages on in southern and northeastern parts of the country.

The counteroffensive launched by Ukraine in June had been making gradual, if slow progress, in pushing back Vladimir Putin’s troops from land seized since the invasion began.

But at the start of the month, there were signs that Kyiv’s troops were starting to make inroads, as they broke Russia’s first defensive line near Zaporizhzhia, in the southeast of the country.

Joe Middleton reports:

How Ukraine’s forces have surged back against Russia

Watch: Ex-Ukraine president derides figure at centre of GOP’s Biden allegations

Tuesday 26 September 2023 23:00 , Martha Mchardy

Watch: Destruction in Ukraine’s eastern village of Klishchiivka captured in aerial footage

Tuesday 26 September 2023 22:00 , Martha Mchardy

Makeshift memorial displayed in Ukrainian capital

Tuesday 26 September 2023 21:30 , Martha Mchardy

A makeshift memorial with Ukrainian flags inscribed with the names of fallen service members has been put up in the country’s capital Kyiv.

Putin gives defence chief one month deadline to stop Ukrainian counteroffensive in its tracks

Tuesday 26 September 2023 21:00 , Martha Mchardy

Vladimir Putin wants the Ukrainian counteroffensive halted by early October and has instructed Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu to improve the situation, according to a Kremlin insider cited by a US-based think-tank monitoring the war.

“Putin reportedly gave Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu a deadline of one month until early October 2023 to improve the situation on the frontlines, stop Ukrainian counteroffensives, and have Russian forces regain the initiative to launch an offensive operation against a larger city,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an intelligence update on Sunday.

It said the Russian military command is likely ordering relentless attacks with the hope of forcing the Ukrainian counteroffensive to culminate, even at a high cost to Russian military capabilities, if the claims are true.

Arpan Rai reports:

Putin wants Ukrainian counteroffensive halted before early October, report says

Russian drone strikes on Odesa hit port area and cut off ferry service to Romania

Tuesday 26 September 2023 20:30 , Martha Mchardy

Russia struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa for a second night in a row in a drone barrage that damaged a warehouse, charred dozens of trucks and injured two drivers in fiery explosions that led officials to suspend ferry service between Romania and Ukraine, officials said Tuesday.

Video shot from the Romanian side of the Danube River showed rapid-fire bursts of Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire streaking through the night sky followed by two orange fireballs exploding near the port area. Photos showed burned-out frames of trucks.

Romanian Border Police said ferries were anchored on the Romanian shores of the Danube in Isaccea due to the attacks on Ukraine. Traffic was being redirected through Galati, a Romanian town upstream on the Danube.

Read more:

Russian drone strikes on Odesa hit port area and cut off ferry service to Romania

Belarus' top diplomat says he can't imagine his nation entering the war in Ukraine alongside Russia

Tuesday 26 September 2023 20:00 , Martha Mchardy

The foreign minister of Belarus, which has a strategic partnership with Russia, says he cannot envision a situation where his country would enter the war in Ukraine alongside Russian forces.

Sergei Aleinik said in an interview with The Associated Press that he also can’t imagine a situation where Russia would order his country to use the tactical nuclear weapons it recently deployed in Belarus.

“I don’t see such an option because it is an instrument of defense primarily,” he said of the missiles.

Read more:

Belarus' top diplomat says he can't imagine his nation entering the war in Ukraine alongside Russia

Sanctions on Russia not enough to halt ‘aggression’ of ‘terrorist state’, says Zelensky

Tuesday 26 September 2023 19:22 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that sanctions on Russia were not sufficient to halt its “aggression” and vowed new Ukrainian action against the “terrorist state.”

“We clearly see which directions of pressure on Russia need to be strengthened to prevent (its) terrorist capabilities from growing,” president Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“Sanctions are not enough. There will also be more of our own Ukrainian actions against the terrorist state. As long as Russia’s aggression continues, Russia must feel its losses.”

Canadian Parliament speaker quits after publicly praising Nazi

Tuesday 26 September 2023 19:07 , Martha Mchardy

Anthony Rota, the speaker of Canada’s House of Commons lower chamber, said on Tuesday he was resigning, less than a week after he prompted outrage by publicly praising a former Nazi soldier in Parliament.

Mr Rota made the announcement in remarks to legislators.

Yaroslav Hunka, 98, was invited to attend a speech by the Ukrainian president at the Canadian parliament.

In his apology on Sunday, Mr Rota said he alone was responsible for inviting and recognizing Hunka, who is from the district that Rota represents. The speaker’s office said Monday it was Mr Rota’s son who contacted Mr Hunka’s local office to see if it was possible if he could attend president Zelensky’s speech.

Members of Parliament from all parties rose to applaud Mr Hunka unaware of the details of who he was.

The prime minister’s office said it was unaware that Mr Hunka was invited until after the address. The speaker’s office also confirmed it did not share its invite list with any other party or group. The vetting process for visitors to the gallery is for physical security threats, not reputational threats, the speaker’s office said.

Trudeau calls on House speaker to resign over inviting a man who fought for Nazi unit to meet Zelensky

Tuesday 26 September 2023 19:00 , Martha Mchardy

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau‘s government has urged the speaker of the House of Commons to resign for inviting a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II to attend a speech by the Ukrainian president.

Just after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky delivered an address in the Canadian House of Commons on Friday, lawmakers gave 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka a standing ovation when speaker Anthony Rota drew attention to him.

Mr Rota introduced Hunka as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division.

Two opposition parties called for Mr Rota to step down on Monday, and government House leader Karina Gould said that she believes lawmakers have lost confidence in Mr Rota.

Ms Gould said Mr Rota invited and recognized Mr Hunka without informing the government or the delegation from Ukraine.“It is time for him to do the honorable thing,” Ms Gould said.

Foreign minister Melanie Joly also urged him to resign.“It is completely unacceptable. It was an embarrassment to the House and Canadians, and I think the speaker should listen to members and step down,” Ms Joly said.

Ms Joly said she spoke to the government in Ukraine about it.

Asked if he’ll continue in the job, Mr Rota said Tuesday: “We’ll have to see about that and I’m sure you’ll hear more about that later today.”

The 1st Ukrainian Division was also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, or the SS 14th Waffen Division, a voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis.

“It’s a good thing that Speaker Rota apologized personally and I am sure that he is reflecting now on the dignity of the House going forward,” prime minister Trudeau said to reporters before he entered a Cabinet meeting.

Canadian health minister Mark Holland called it “incredibly embarrassing.”

In his apology on Sunday, Mr Rota said he alone was responsible for inviting and recognizing Hunka, who is from the district that Rota represents. The speaker’s office said Monday it was Mr Rota’s son who contacted Mr Hunka’s local office to see if it was possible if he could attend president Zelensky’s speech.

Members of Parliament from all parties rose to applaud Mr Hunka unaware of the details of who he was.

The prime minister’s office said it was unaware that Mr Hunka was invited until after the address. The speaker’s office also confirmed it did not share its invite list with any other party or group. The vetting process for visitors to the gallery is for physical security threats, not reputational threats, the speaker’s office said.