Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin assassination attempt by Kyiv targeted Kremlin, Moscow claims

Russia accused Ukraine of attacking the Kremlin with drones overnight in a failed attempt to kill Vladimir Putin, according to state-run news agencies.

The Kremlin said it considered the attack to be a “planned terrorist action” and will retaliate “whenever and wherever it sees fit”, a Tass report said.

A Kremlin statement was cited as saying the Russian president was not injured, and two drones had been used in the alleged attack before being disabled by Russian defences.

Ukraine denied involvement in the attack. Internal ministry adviser Anton Geraschenko blamed “Russian partisans”.

Speaking in Finland, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces would soon launch a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. The president said he was sure Western allies would provide fighter jets for the assault.

Earlier, a Russian official said a fuel depot was on fire near a key bridge linking Russia’s mainland with Crimea. The claim followed days after Moscow blamed Ukraine for an attack on an oil depot in Sevastopol.

Key Points

• Kremlin accuses Ukraine of attempt to kill Putin

• Ukraine blames ‘Russian partisans' for Kremlin drone strike

• US 'asked Ukraine to postpone Moscow strikes’

• Zelensky says counteroffensive coming soon

• Fuel depot on fire near key Crimea bridge

• White House did not inform Ukraine of Pentagon leaks, says Zelensky

Kremlin accuses Ukraine of attempt to kill Putin

13:14 , Liam James

Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the Kremlin with two drones, according to state run news agencies.

The Kremlin branded the alleged overnight attack was a “terrorist act” and a failed bid to kill Vladimir Putin, an RIA report said.

A Tass report carried quotes from officials saying Russian military and security forces had disabled the drones before they could strike.

It said there had been no damage caused nor casualties incurred, and did not provide any other details.

The Kremlin added that President Vladimir Putin was safe and continued to work with his schedule unchanged.

There were no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.

Blinken says US can’t validate Putin assassination attempt claims

16:00 , Liam James

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said he could not validate Russia’s accusation that Ukraine tried to assassinate Vladimir Putin in a drone attack, but said he would take anything coming from the Kremlin with a “very large shaker of salt.”

“We simply don’t know,” he said when asked about the incident alleged by the Kremlin.

Asked if Washington would criticise Ukraine if it decided on its own to strike back in Russian territory, Mr Blinken said those were decisions for Ukraine to make about how to defend itself.

US asked Ukraine to postpone Moscow strikes, leaked docs show

15:45 , Liam James

Washington asked Kyiv to delay attacks on Moscow planned to coincide with the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, according to reports of leaked documents.

Russia today accused Kyiv of attempting to assassinate Vladimir Putin with a drone strike. Ukraine has denied the claim.

In documents released in a mass US military leak last month, the CIA said that Kyiv “had agreed, at Washington’s request, to postpone strikes” on Moscow that were planned for 24 February, the Washington Post reports.

Ukraine blames ‘Russian partisans' for Kremlin drone strike

15:05 , Liam James

Ukraine has denied that it was involved in an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin which Moscow said was considered an attempt on Vladimir Putin’s life.

A spokesperson for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had officially denied Moscow’s accusation of involvement.

Writing on Telegram, internal ministry adviser Anton Geraschenko blamed “Russian partisans” for the attack. “There are enough people in Russia who want to send Putin to hell,” he said.

Russia threatens retaliation over alleged Putin assassination attempt

14:45 , Liam James

Russia will respond to what it claims was a Ukrainian plot to assassinate Vladimir Putin “whenever and wherever it sees fit”, state news agencies reported.

Tass said the Russian presidential press service put out a statement on what it claimed was a drone attack on the Kremlin, reading: “Last night, the [Kyiv] regime attempted to attack the Russian president’s Kremlin residence using unmanned aerial vehicles.”

The Kremlin said it was “a pre-planned act of terrorism and an attempt on the life of the Russian president, which took place just before the Victory Day and the May 9 Parade that will be attended by foreign guests.”

“Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures whenever and wherever it sees fit,” the statement read, according to Tass.

Moment of alleged Ukrainian drone strike on Kremlin captured on video

14:26 , Liam James

Footage posted to social media appears to show a drone flying over the Kremlin before exploding.

Russia claimed Kyiv launched a failed assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin with a drone which was shot down over the Kremlin.

The footage has been shared by Ukrainian government adviser Anton Geraschenko, as well as Russian military bloggers and state news agencies.

Zelensky says counteroffensive coming soon

13:44 , Liam James

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces would soon launch a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Mr Zelensky made the remarks at a news conference in Finland after weeks of speculation over Ukraine’s plans to fight back against the invasion which has for months focused around grinding battles in the east with little progress on either side.

Russia has been hit with several drone attacks in recent days as Ukraine prepares to push to regain parts of its territory under occupation. Two goods trains in the Russian border region of Bryasnk have been derailed by explosive devices in recent days, according to local officials.

Attacks on Russian-held land followed a wave of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities last week which killed at least 25 people.

Huge fire rages at oil depot behind Russian lines

13:00 , Matt Mathers

A massive blaze broke out at an oil depot behind Russian lines, local officials said Wednesday, while the Kremlin‘s forces used 26 Iranian-made drones in another nighttime attack on Ukraine as the war stretched into its 15th month.

The oil depot erupted in flames in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, located east of the Russian-held Crimean Peninsula, according to Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev.

David Rising reports:

Huge fire rages at oil depot behind Russian lines

Sweden's parliament hit by cyber attack

12:40 , Matt Mathers

Sweden’s parliament has been hit by a cyber attack that has disrupted access to its web page, it said on Wednesday.

The web page was partially down on Tuesday and appeared slow on Wednesday.

"The analysis shows that it is a denial-of-service attack," a parliament spokesperson said. "Right now the web page can be slow and it can be difficult to watch our web casts."

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and other Nordic leaders are due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Finland’s capital on Wednesday.

Sweden applied for NATO membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and authorities have warned of increased cyber attacks against Swedish interests.

58-hour curfew to be introduced in Kherson

12:20 , Matt Mathers

A round-the-clock curfew is to be introduced in Kherson from 8pm on Friday until 6am on Monday, Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin announced.

"During these 58 hours, it is forbidden to move around or stay on the streets of the city. Also, the city will be closed for entry and exit," Prokudin said.

The measure is necessary, he said in a video on social media, "so that law enforcement officers can do their job and not put you in danger," but did not provide further details.

Pope greets Russian orthodox envoy amid peace mission talk

12:00 , Matt Mathers

Pope Francis has greeted the foreign envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church, just days after revealing a secret "mission" is underway to try to put an end to the war in Ukraine.

Metropolitan Anthony attended Francis’ weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square before greeting the Pope at the end.

He presented Francis with an icon, which the Pope blessed.

Anthony was later seen being led off the stage by one of Francis’ aides.

Francis devoted his remarks at the audience to a recap of his weekend visit to Hungary, during which he made repeated calls for an end to the war.

Zelensky to visit Berlin 13 May - report

11:37 , Matt Mathers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to travel to Berlin on 13 May, German newspaper Tagesspiegel reported, citing police.

According to the report, the Ukrainian leader will be received by German chancellor Scholz with military honours on 14 May before flying to Aachen later in the day to receive the 2023 Charlemagne Prize.

Mr Zelensky was due to meet Nordic leaders in Finland on Wednesday.

Zelensky in Finland to meet with Nordic leaders

11:12 , Matt Mathers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Finland on Wednesday for talks with Nordic leaders on his country’s war with Russia and its relations with Europe, governments of the region said.

Zelensky will hold bilateral talks with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto followed by a news conference before joining a regional summit and a second meeting with media, Mr Niinisto’s office said in a statement.

The wider summit will include Mr Niinisto as well as the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

"The theme of the summit is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Nordic countries’ continued support for Ukraine, Ukraine’s relationship with the EU and NATO, and Ukraine’s initiative for a just peace," Mr Niinisto’s office said.

Watch: Moment explosion at Ukraine ammunition depot captured on CCTV

10:40 , Matt Mathers

A huge explosion at an ammunition depot in Ukraine has been captured on CCTV.

The blast happened after Russian missiles hit at targets in Pavhlorad, eastern Ukraine, on 1 May.

Russia has launched three consecutive nights of heavy attacks on Ukraine ahead of an expected counteroffensive by Kyiv.

‘It feels as though it’s coming together'

10:20 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine’s spring counteroffensive against Russia is “close” to being launched, a retired British Army officer has suggested.

Rupert Jones, a former major general, said there were “indicators” suggesting that Kyiv was ready to attack.

“It feels as though it’s coming together,” he told Sky News earlier this morning - more comments below.

His remarks came after Ukraine’s interior minister said that eight “storm” brigades – comprising of up to 40,000 troops – are being re-equipped as Ukraine prepares to strike.

Reports about Ukraine’s spring counteroffensive have been circulating for months but the country has refused to confirm a date for its push back into territory gained by the Kremlin.

NATO to open Japan office to enable Indo-Pacific consultation - report

10:05 , Matt Mathers

NATO is planning to open a liaison office in Japan, its first in Asia, to facilitate consultations in the region, the Nikkei Asia reported on Wednesday, citing Japanese and NATO officials.

The liaison office will enable discussions with NATO’s security partners, such as South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, with geopolitical challenges from China and Russia in mind, the media outlet reported.

NATO and Japanese foreign ministry spokespeople were not immediately available for comment. Wednesday is a public holiday in Japan.

The proposed one-person office is due to open next year in Tokyo but details such as whether Japan would provide the space or NATO would fund it were under negotiation, the news outlet said.

NATO has similar liaison offices in New York, Vienna, Ukraine and other places, it said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg visited Japan in January and pledged with prime minister Fumio Kishida to strengthen ties in the face off "historic" security challenges, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s rising military power.

Japan and NATO are seeking to deepen cooperation on cyber threats, disruptive technologies and disinformation, aiming to sign an individually tailored partnership programme before a NATO summit in July, Nikkei Asia reported.

Ukraine equipping up to 40,000 ‘storm’ troops ahead of counter attack

09:40 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine’s interior minister has said that eight “storm” brigades – comprising of up to 40,000 troops – are being re-equipped as Ukraine prepares to launch a counteroffensive against Moscow’s invasion.

The brigades are “fully formed” but Ihor Klymenko said that they require two to three weeks of instruction before they are tasked with “appropriate offensive assault operations” alongside the Ukrainian army. Mr Klymenko said that Kyiv was also planning the “formation of additional units” in parallel with this training, during an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Chris Stevenson reports:

Ukraine equipping up to 40,000 ‘storm’ troops ahead of counter attack

Russian defense chief wants wartime missile output doubled

09:20 , Matt Mathers

Russia’s defense chief on Tuesday urged a state company to double its missile output, as a possible Ukrainian counteroffensive looms and both sides in the 14-month war reportedly feel an ammunition crunch.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking at a meeting with top military brass, said the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation had been fulfilling its contracts in a timely manner.

But, Shoigu added, “right now it is necessary to double the production of high-precision weapons in the shortest possible time.”

David Rising reports:

Russian defense chief wants wartime missile output doubled

Officials: US to send Ukraine $300 million in military aid

08:50 , Matt Mathers

The U.S. is sending Ukraine about $300 million in additional military aid, including an enormous amount of artillery rounds, howitzers, air-to-ground rockets and ammunition as the launch of a spring offensive against Russian forces approaches, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The new package includes Hydra-70 rockets, which are unguided rockets that are fired from aircraft. It also includes an undisclosed number of rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, mortars, howitzer rounds, missiles and Carl Gustaf anti—tank rifles. The weapons will all be pulled from Pentagon stocks, so they can go quickly to the front lines. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the aid has not yet been formally announced.

Full report:

Officials: US to send Ukraine $300 million in military aid

Fuel depot fire caused by drone - Russian state media

08:30 , Matt Mathers

A major fire at a fuel depot in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region broke out as a result of a drone falling on the facility, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported, citing emergency services.

No immediate casualties have been reported so far.

Preliminary visuals of the explosion showed flames and black smoke billowing over what appeared to be large tanks emblazoned with red warnings of “flammable” in videos posted on Russian social media.

The blaze broke out in the village of Volna, in the Temryuk administrative district, the governor said.

Russia says 7 Ukrainian agents arrested in Crimea - TASS cites FSB

08:14 , Matt Mathers

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that seven people connected with Ukrainian intelligence had been detained in Crimea, state-owned news agency TASS reported.

In a statement, the FSB said that attacks against Russian-backed Crimea governor Sergei Aksyonov and other officials had been thwarted.

Warplanes to patrol airspace during military checks in Belarus

07:55 , Matt Mathers

Belarus will hold another round of checks of the combat readiness of its military in May, including joint patrols of its airspace by Belarusian and Russian warplanes, the country’s defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The checks will be mainly focused on units deployed in the Grodno, Brest and Minsk regions.

Belarus, an ally of Russia, allowed its country to be used as astaging post for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

Russian foreign ministry says May 5 grain deal talks not yet confirmed -RIA

07:37 , Matt Mathers

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that talks between Russia, Ukraine and Turkey on the Black Sea grain deal on 5 May  have not yet been agreed, state-owned news agency RIA reported.

The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, allows grain trapped by Russia’s invasion to be safely exported from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.

Russia has signalled it will not allow the deal agreed last July to continue beyond 18 May because a list of demands to facilitate its own grain and fertiliser exports has not been met.

Russia ‘shifting away’ from targeting Ukraine energy supply - MoD

07:22 , Matt Mathers

Russia is “shifting away” from targeting Ukraine’s electoral power network and attacking its military infrastructure instead, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said.

The MoD added that the Kremlin had used “smaller numbers of missiles” in its latest attacks as it likely tries to rebuild its mounted air-launched cruise missile stocks.

Most Russian drones destroyed, Dnipro hit – Ukraine

06:56 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s third nightly round of attacks by drones hit a building in the Dnipropetrovsk region overnight but no casualties have been reported, officials said.

Ukraine’s Air Force Command destroyed 21 of the 26 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia, while all drones fired over Kyiv were eliminated, officials in the capital’s military administration said.

“All enemy targets were identified and shot down in the airspace around the capital,” Kyiv’s military administration said on Telegram.

Air raid sirens blared for several hours in Kyiv, the surrounding region and most of eastern Ukraine, with the skies only clearing towards dawn.

What is included in Biden's latest military package to Ukraine

06:33 , Arpan Rai

The Biden administration has packed fresh military aid for Ukraine as officials in Kyiv say they are readying a counteroffensive and are on the “home stretch”.

The new package includes Hydra-70 rockets, which are unguided rockets that are fired from aircraft. It also includes an undisclosed number of rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, mortars, howitzer rounds, missiles and Carl Gustaf anti-tank rifles.

The weapons will all be pulled from Pentagon stocks, so they can go quickly to the frontline. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the aid has not yet been formally announced.

Read the full story here:

Officials: US to send Ukraine $300 million in military aid

Ukraine monitoring evasion of sanctions by Russia, says Zelensky

06:00 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky held an internal meeting on strengthening sanctions on Russia by Ukraine and its allies yesterday.

“We are closely monitoring how the terrorist state is trying to circumvent sanctions, recording each such direction, and working together with our partners to block it. We are preparing a large sanctions package. The decision will be made soon,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

Putin’s forces fail in attacking Kyiv overnight, all drones downed

05:31 , Arpan Rai

Russia attempted to attack Kyiv using drones for the third time in six days last night but saw its efforts repelled, the city’s authorities said today.

“All enemy targets were identified and shot down in the airspace around the capital,” Kyiv’s military administration said on the Telegram messaging app, citing initial details.

Ukraine’s air defence systems destroyed all Russian drones, officials in Kyiv said. No immediate casualties or destruction have been reported.

Air raid sirens blared for several hours in Kyiv, the surrounding region and most of eastern Ukraine, with the skies clearing only at dawn.

The attack by Russia mostly included Iranian-made Shahed drones, it added. It was not immediately known how many drones were shot down.

White House did not inform Ukraine of Pentagon leaks, says Zelensky

04:19 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky said the White House did not inform his administration or him about a leak of secret US documents that grabbed attention around the world last month.

“I did not receive information from the White House or the Pentagon beforehand,” Mr Zelensky was quoted as saying.

Calling it “unprofitable” for Ukraine, he said: “It is not beneficial to the reputation of the White House, and I believe it is not beneficial to the reputation of the United States.”

The materials posted online offered a partial, month-old snapshot of the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov has downplayed the negative impact of the Pentagon document leaks and said it contained a mixture of true and false information about his country’s military.

Fuel depot explodes in Russia’s Krasnodar

04:04 , Matt Mathers

A fuel storage facility near a key bridge in Russia’s southwestern region of Krasnodar has been set ablaze in the early hours today, officials said.

“The fire has been classified as the highest rank of difficulty,” Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar, which lies across the Sea of Azov from Ukraine, said on the Telegram messaging app.

No immediate casualties have been reported so far.

Preliminary visuals of the explosion showed flames and black smoke billowing over what appeared to be large tanks emblazoned with red warnings of “flammable” in videos posted on Russian social media.

The blaze broke out in the village of Volna, in the Temryuk administrative district, the governor said.

The facility lies close to the Crimean Bridge, or the Kerch Strait bridge, that links Russia’s mainland with the Crimea peninsula it annexed in 2014 from Ukraine.

“Every effort is being made to prevent the fire from spreading further,” Mr Kondratyev added. “There is no threat to residents of the village.”

The Murdochs chatted to Zelensky before firing Tucker Carlson

03:00 , Joe Middleton

Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan both spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky in the months before Fox News fired Tucker Carlson, a major critic of the Ukrainian president, according to reports.

The 92-year-old News Corp executive chairman held an “unreported” call with Mr Zelensky earlier this spring, reported Semafor.

During the conversation, they reportedly discussed Ukraine’s conflict with Russia as well as the March 2022 deaths of Fox News Journalists Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova in the country.

Graeme Massie reports.

The Murdochs chatted to Zelensky before firing Tucker Carlson

US Speaker McCarthy: Russia must pull out of Ukraine

02:30 , Joe Middleton

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy emphatically stressed his support for military aid to Ukraine on Monday, blistering Russia‘s “killing of the children” and distancing himself from some in his party who oppose additional major U.S. aid to stave off the Russian invasion.

In Israel on his first trip abroad as speaker, McCarthy flatly rejected a suggestion at a news conference that he does not support sending military and financial aid to Ukraine — and he amplified his positions on other issues back home, including his demand for debt limit negotiations with President Joe Biden.

US Speaker McCarthy: Russia must pull out of Ukraine

US says 20,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war since December

01:30 , Joe Middleton

The White House said Monday it now estimates that just since December Russia has suffered 100,000 casualties, including 20,000 killed, as Ukraine has rebuffed a heavy-assault by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

In what has become a grinding war of attrition, the fiercest battles have been in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to encircle the city of Bakhmut in the face of dogged Ukrainian defense.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. estimate is based on newly declassified American intelligence. He did not detail how the intelligence community derived the number.

US says 20,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war since December

What really happened at Chernobyl? How the world’s worst nuclear accident happened

Wednesday 3 May 2023 00:30 , Joe Middleton

Decades after the catastrophe, now a byword for state secrecy, crucial elements remain a mystery, Andy Gregory writes.

What really happened at Chernobyl? How the world’s worst nuclear accident happened

Russian defense chief wants wartime missile output doubled

Tuesday 2 May 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

Russia’s defense chief on Tuesday urged a state company to double its missile output, as a possible Ukrainian counteroffensive looms and both sides in the 14-month war reportedly feel an ammunition crunch.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking at a meeting with top military brass, said the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation had been fulfilling its contracts in a timely manner.

But, Shoigu added, “right now it is necessary to double the production of high-precision weapons in the shortest possible time.”

Russian defense chief wants wartime missile output doubled

Ludicrous to say Ukraine’s Nato membership is provocative to Russia – Johnson

Tuesday 2 May 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

It is ludicrous to say Ukraine’s Nato membership is provocative to Russia and the UK Government should support an application from Kyiv, former prime minister Boris Johnson has said.

He told MPs the next meeting of Nato heads in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July will be an “important test” of the military alliance’s willingness to “fulfil its long-standing promises to Ukraine”.

He said Kyiv should be invited to make the “necessary preparations” to join “as soon as possible” for the sake of “clarity” and “peace” in Europe.

Ludicrous to say Ukraine’s Nato membership is provocative to Russia – Johnson

The Murdochs chatted to Zelensky before firing Tucker Carlson

Tuesday 2 May 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton

Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan both spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky in the months before Fox News fired Tucker Carlson, a major critic of the Ukrainian president, according to reports.

The 92-year-old News Corp executive chairman held an “unreported” call with Mr Zelensky earlier this spring, reported Semafor.

During the conversation, they reportedly discussed Ukraine’s conflict with Russia as well as the March 2022 deaths of Fox News Journalists Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova in the country.

Graeme Massie reports.

The Murdochs chatted to Zelensky before firing Tucker Carlson

Ukraine equipping up to 40,000 ‘storm’ troops ahead of counter attack

Tuesday 2 May 2023 20:24 , Joe Middleton

Ukraine’s interior minister has said that eight “storm” brigades – comprising of up to 40,000 troops – are being re-equipped as Ukraine prepares to launch a counteroffensive against Moscow’s invasion.

The brigades are “fully formed” but Ihor Klymenko said that they require two to three weeks of instruction before they are tasked with “appropriate offensive assault operations” alongside the Ukrainian army.

Mr Klymenko said that Kyiv was also planning the “formation of additional units” in parallel with this training, during an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Chris Stevenson reports.

Ukraine equipping up to 40,000 ‘storm’ troops ahead of counter attack

Ukraine war looms over Switzerland UN presidency

Tuesday 2 May 2023 18:18 , Joe Middleton

Russia couldn’t escape its war against Ukraine during its highly contentious presidency of the U.N. Security Council, and the war will still loom over Switzerland as it takes over the monthlong presidency Monday for the first time since becoming a full member of the United Nations in 2002.

Switzerland’s U.N. Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said at the traditional opening press conference that her country’s approach has been to work for unity of the council’s 15 members and to be “a bridge builder.” She conceded, nonetheless, that she expects “some heated or polarized discussions.”

Fireworks are almost certain during Switzerland’s signature events, starting Wednesday with a session on how to ensure trust to sustain peace in the future and another on May 23 on protecting civilians in armed conflict.

Ukraine war looms over Switzerland UN presidency

Russia’s defence chief urges state company to double missile output

Tuesday 2 May 2023 17:00 , Joe Middleton

Russia’s defence chief has urged a state company to double its missile output, as a possible Ukrainian counter-offensive looms and with both sides in the 14-month war reportedly feeling an ammunition crunch.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking at a meeting with top military brass, said the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation had been fulfilling its contracts in a timely manner.

But, Mr Shoigu added, “right now it is necessary to double the production of high-precision weapons in the shortest possible time”.

Analysts have been trying to work out whether Russia is running low on high-precision ammunition, as its missile barrages against Ukraine have become less frequent and smaller in scale.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence noted in an assessment on Tuesday that “logistics problems remain at the heart of Russia’s struggling campaign in Ukraine“.

“Russia does not have enough munitions to achieve success on the offensive,” it said.

Ukraine should be invited to make preparations to join NATO, says former UK prime minister

Tuesday 2 May 2023 16:07 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson has said Ukraine should be invited to make the necessary preparations to join NATO “as soon as possible”.

The Tory former prime minister told the Commons: “This summer’s Vilnius summit will be an important test of Nato’s willingness to fulfil its long-standing promises to Ukraine.

“Does he agree with me that it’s now ludicrous to say that Ukraine‘s Nato membership might be in some way provocative to Russia, since Putin has shown what he is willing to do when Ukraine is not a member of Nato and because Ukraine is not a member of Nato? And does he agree that it should therefore be the policy of the Government that Ukraine should be invited to make the necessary preparations to join as soon as possible under the rules for the sake of clarity and stability and peace in Europe?”

The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly paid tribute to Mr Johnson for “the leadership that he showed at a vital point in time”, adding: “Nato’s position in regard to Ukraine is unambiguous. The invitation has been put out for Ukraine to join Nato.

“I think it’s incredibly important that that is not taken off the table. Of course, Russia’s aggression into Ukraine was the provocative action. Ukraine‘s desire to join Nato was an entirely understandable defensive posture because of that threat from the East.”

Denmark to donate £201million of military equipment and financial support for Ukraine

Tuesday 2 May 2023 15:42 , Joe Middleton

Denmark will donate military equipment and financial support to Ukraine worth 1.7 billion Danish crowns (£201 million), the Nordic country’s defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said today

The minister also said Denmark will reduce its military presence in Iraq starting in early-2024 and instead focus on the Baltic countries, offering NATO a battalion to defend the region.

The battalion is expected to consist of between 700 and 1,200 soldiers, and is expected to be deployed in Latvia between four and six months every year.

The rest of the year, the troops will remain in Denmark, ready to be deployed to the Baltic states in case of a crisis, the ministry of defence said.

“We must be prepared for the Danish presence in the Baltics to be long-term, and there is a need for balancing between having soldiers on the ground and being ready to deploy them from Denmark,” Poulsen said.

Denmark will withdraw one of its security and escort units of about 105 soldiers in Iraq as of February next year, but will continue to provide staff and advice to NATO’s mission in Iraq, the defence ministry said.

What really happened at Chernobyl? How the world’s worst nuclear accident happened

Tuesday 2 May 2023 15:04 , Joe Middleton

Decades after the catastrophe, now a byword for state secrecy, crucial elements remain a mystery, Andy Gregory writes.

What really happened at Chernobyl? How the world’s worst nuclear accident happened

Ukraine war looms over Switzerland UN presidency

Tuesday 2 May 2023 14:10 , Emily Atkinson

Russia couldn’t escape its war against Ukraine during its highly contentious presidency of the UN security council, and the war will still loom over Switzerland as it takes over the monthlong presidency Monday for the first time since becoming a full member of the United Nations in 2002.

Switzerland’s UN ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said at the traditional opening press conference that her country’s approach has been to work for unity of the council’s 15 members and to be “a bridge builder.” She conceded, nonetheless, that she expects “some heated or polarized discussions.”

Read more on this here:

Ukraine war looms over Switzerland UN presidency

Norway to boost defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by 2026

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:50 , Emily Atkinson

Norway aims to raise its defence spending to at least 2 per cent of GD) by 2026, in line with a long-held goal among members of the Nato alliance, prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Tuesday.

Norway’s defence spending is this year expected to amount to just over 1.4 per cent of GDP, according to the government’s budget projections.

Norway’s spending on defence as a share of overall economic activity declined following the end of the cold war, but the war in Ukraine has shown the need for a stronger military, the government said.

“We have to pay a higher insurance premium. We need to spend a greater share of our common resources on defence, security and preparedness,” Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum told a news conference.

Norway shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. It has never been at war with its eastern neighbour.

Kremlin says US estimates of Russian losses in Ukraine ‘plucked from thin air’

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:35 , Emily Atkinson

The Kremlin has rejected a US assessment of Russian military casualties in Ukraine as having been “plucked from thin air” and said that Washington had no way of obtaining the correct data.

The White House on Monday estimated that Russia’s military had suffered 100,000 casualties in the last five months, including more than 20,000 dead.

Russia last publicly revealed its own tally of losses in the campaign in September, when defence minister Sergei Shoigu said 5,937 Russian soldiers had been killed in the conflict.

In pictures: Town of Pavlohra devastated by Russian military strike

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:25 , Emily Atkinson

Moscow knows nothing about Vatican peace mission for Ukraine

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:23 , Joe Middleton

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it knew nothing about a Vatican peace mission for Ukraine.

Pope Francis said on Sunday that the Vatican was involved in discreet efforts to try to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

He added that it was also ready to help repatriate Ukrainian children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied land.

On the flight home from his visit to Hungary, Pope Francis said: “I am willing to do everything that has to be done. There is a mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it is public, I will reveal it.”

“I think that peace is always made by opening channels. You can never achieve peace through closure. ... This is not easy.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Moscow had no information about the initiative.

Kremlin claims German involvement in Ukraine conflict is growing

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:10 , Emily Atkinson

Germany’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict is growing by the day, the Kremlin has said, arguing that Berlin had no way of ensuring that weapons it had provided to Kyiv would not be used against Russian territory.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said German-supplied weapons were already being used in the Donbas region, which Russia has declared its own, a step Ukraine and the West have dismissed as illegal.

Window to extend Black Sea grain deal is shrinking, says Kremlin

Tuesday 2 May 2023 13:00 , Emily Atkinson

The Kremlin has said that the window to extend the Black Sea grain deal was shrinking, and that ongoing talks between the parties were continuing, but without any results.

Russia has repeatedly indicated it is prepared to walk away from the deal on May 18 if its demands to ease restrictions on its own agricultural exports are not addressed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that part of the deal concerning Russia’s interests was not being implemented.

Russia working to ensure Victory Day parade can go ahead

Tuesday 2 May 2023 12:50 , Emily Atkinson

The Kremlin says that its security services were working to ensure that Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade on 9 May could go ahead safely in the face of a possible threat from Ukraine.

Several Russian regions have already scaled back events for 9 May - which marks the day when Nazi Germany surrendered at the end of World War Two - citing concerns that pro-Ukrainian saboteurs could target the proceedings.

Ukraine vows not to give up Bakhmut

Tuesday 2 May 2023 12:35 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine‘s military has vowed not to give up the eastern city of Bakhmut as it prepares to launch a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukrainian ground forces, underlined the importance Kyiv attaches to holding Bakhmut as preparations continue for a counterattack which it hopes will change the dynamic of the war in Ukraine.

“Together with the commanders, we have made a number of necessary decisions aimed at ensuring the effective defence and inflicting maximum losses on the enemy,” Syrskyi said in remarks released after a visit to troops fighting in Bakhmut.

“We will continue, despite all the forecasts and advice, to hold Bakhmut, destroying Wagner and other most combat-capable units of the Russian army,” he told soldiers in video footage of his visit. “We give our reserves an opportunity to prepare and we are preparing for further actions ourselves.”

Inflation inches up in Europe ahead of interes rate decision

Tuesday 2 May 2023 12:13 , Emily Atkinson

Europe‘s painful inflation inched higher last month, extending the squeeze on households and keeping pressure on the European Central Bank to unleash another large interest rate increase.

Consumer prices in the 20 countries using the euro currency jumped 7% in April from a year earlier, just down from the annual rate of 6.9% in March, the European Union statistics agency Eurostat said Tuesday.

Food prices eased a little, falling to an annual 13.6% from March’s 15.5%, while energy prices rose a more modest 2.5%.

More on this story here:

Inflation inches up in Europe ahead of interes rate decision

Russia may use civilians and journalists to spy on Denmark - Danish intelligence

Tuesday 2 May 2023 11:41 , Emily Atkinson

Denmark’s intelligence service expects Russia to recruit civilians and use journalists and business people to spy on the country as an alternative to Russian diplomats who were expelled last year on suspicion of espionage.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has intensified Moscow’s need for intelligence gathering in NATO countries, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) said in a report on Tuesday.

Controlling the entrance to the Baltic Sea, Denmark would play an important strategic role in a potential military conflict with Russia as a transit point for NATO reinforcements, making the NATO-member a particular focus for Russia, PET said.

Russia’s embassy in Copenhagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Reuters.

When Denmark, in line with other EU countries, expelled 15 Russian diplomats in April last year, it crippled Russia’s capacity to spy on Danish soil.

“But Russia’s need to obtain information in Denmark has increased ... and PET therefore expects Russia to try to use other ways of spying in Denmark,” PET said.

“...It could be stationing intelligence officers in Denmark outside the diplomatic representations, for example as journalists or business people, using visiting intelligence officers or that the Russian intelligence services to a greater extent recruit any Danish sources in Russia or in third countries.”

Other methods would include different forms of electronic intelligence gathering and cyber espionage, it added.

Shoigu: We have taken steps to accelerate arms production

Tuesday 2 May 2023 11:20 , Emily Atkinson

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu says that Russia had taken measures to accelerate arms production to meet the demands of its campaign in Ukraine, and was successfully attacking Ukrainian depots storing Western arms, Russian news agencies reported.

Shoigu said the army had all the weapons it needed for use on the battlefield in 2023, but called on a major rocket producer to urgently double its output of high-precision missiles, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Top UN trade official to travel 'to Moscow this week’

Tuesday 2 May 2023 10:58 , Emily Atkinson

Top United Nations trade official Rebeca Grynspan is expected to travel to Moscow this week, a spokesperson said on Tuesday, amid a diplomatic push to ensure a deal allowing for the safe export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports is renewed.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February last year, has repeatedly said it will not allow the deal to be extended beyond May 18 unless Western countries removes obstacles to Russian grain and fertiliser exports.

Talks on Black Sea grain export deal ‘set for Wednesday’

Tuesday 2 May 2023 10:30 , Emily Atkinson

Talks on a UN-brokered deal that allows the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain are scheduled for Wednesday, with all sides in the negotiations involved, a senior Ukrainian source told Reuters.

“Talks are scheduled for tomorrow. All parties... hopefully there will be results,” the unnamed source said.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February last year, has signalled it will not allow the deal agreed last July to continue beyond 18 May because a list of demands to facilitate its own grain and fertiliser exports has not been met.