Ukrainians abroad must return to fight or pay taxes, Zelensky says

Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded Ukrainians living abroad return to fight against Russia or pay taxes to assist the war effort.

The Ukrainian president told a press conference in Tallinn, Estonia, that between six to eight taxpayers are needed to fund every Ukrainian soldier.

“If you are working and paying taxes then you are also defending the state and we really need this,” he said.

“But if you are of military age, and you are abroad, and you’re not on the front line and you don’t pay taxes and you’ve left the country against the law, then there are questions. That’s it.”

Mr Zelensky’s government has attempted in recent weeks to up the pressure on Ukrainians who fled abroad after Russia’s invasion to return home.

It emerged in November that the armed forces had asked for an additional 500,000 men to be called up to fight.

“If we want to preserve Ukraine, if we want to preserve Europe then we must all understand: we either help Ukraine or not; we are either the citizens who are in the front, or the citizens who work and pay taxes,” Mr Zelensky added.

“There will be no funds for the military and if there is no money to fund the soldiers, then there will be no soldiers, there will be no one to defend Ukraine. Such are the rules of life.”

03:11 PM GMT

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03:09 PM GMT

Today's headlines

• A Turkish journalist was among 13 civilians wounded on Wednesday night after a Russian missile strike on a Kharkiv hotel popular with journalists.

• Volodymyr Zelensky visited Estonia as his tour of the three Baltic States continued

• He called on Ukrainians living abroad to return home to either serve in the military or fund the war by paying taxes

• Estonia pledged to give Ukraine £1billion in military aid over the next three years

• Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria signed a deal to form a coalition which will clear mines in the Black Sea

• Russia has advanced at multiple points along the front line in recent days, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said

• Ukraine’s naval chief said Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is doomed if it loses Sevastopol

• The Kremlin claimed the United States is pressuring European countries to seize Russian assets and give them to Ukraine

• South Korea warned that North Korea is using Ukraine as a “test site” for the nuclear-capable missiles it has supplied to Russia

• Ukraine’s prime minister Denys Shmyhal denied accusations by the country’s anti-corruption agency that he exposed a whistleblower

• The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Hungary will meet later this month to organise a meeting between Mr Zelensky and Viktor Orban, it was announced

• Finland said it would keep its border with Russia shut for an extra month

02:48 PM GMT

Finland to keep Russia border shut for extra month

Finland will keep its border with Russia shut for an extra month.

Mari Rantanen, interior minister, said: “National security remains a critical issue for Finland.”

All checkpoints between the two countries have been closed since November 30 after Finland accused Russia of orchestrating a surge of illegal migration across the border.

02:18 PM GMT

Pensioner in hospital after home hit by Russian shelling artillery

An 86-year-old woman has been taken to hospital after Russian artillery struck her home in Kherson city.

The pensioner suffered head injuries in the shelling at 1.40pm local time (11.40am GMT), Roman Mrochko, the city’s military governor, said.

The woman’s house had its windows blown out in the attack and rubble strewn all over the floor.

Kherson’s regional prosecutor’s office said it had opened a war crimes investigation into the strike.

02:05 PM GMT

Ukrainians abroad must return to pay taxes or fight, says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Ukrainians living abroad to return to the country to pay taxes or fight in the armed forces.

The Ukrainian president told a press conference alongside Kaja Kallas, Estonian prime minister, that six to eight taxpayers are needed to fund each soldier.

“If you are in Ukraine, and not on the front line but working, anywhere… if you are working and paying taxes then you are also defending the state, and we really need this,” he said.

“But if you are of military age, and you are abroad, and you’re not on the front line and you don’t pay taxes and you’ve left the country against the law, then there are questions. That’s it.

“If we want to preserve Ukraine, if we want to preserve Europe then we must all understand: we either help Ukraine or not; we are either the citizens who are in the front, or the citizens who work and pay taxes.

“There will be no funds for the military and if there is no money to fund the soldiers, then there will be no soldiers, there will be no one to defend Ukraine. Such are the rules of life.”

01:53 PM GMT

Watch: Ukrainian helicopters fly narrowly over a car

01:36 PM GMT

Estonia pledges £1bn to Ukraine over next three years

Estonia has said it will give Ukraine £1billion ($1.3billion) over the next three years.

President Alar Karis announced the new pledge on Thursday during Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the country.

Estonia has given Ukraine military aid worth £430million ($550million) since the war began.

That represents 1.4 per cent of its annual gross domestic product.

Mr Karis added that he supported proposals to seize frozen Russian assets in Europe and use them to fund reconstruction efforts.

01:19 PM GMT

In pictures: The front line

01:09 PM GMT

Ukraine and Hungary to organise Zelensky-Orban meeting

The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Hungary will meet later this month to organise a meeting between their respective countries’ leaders Volodymyr Zelensky and Viktor Orban.

The summit between Dmytro Kuleba and Peter Szijjarto in Uzhhorod, western Ukraine, has been pencilled in for January 29.

Oleg Nikolenko, spokesman for Ukraine’s foreign ministry, said: “The key topics will be organising a meeting between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to promote important decisions for Ukraine in the European Union and the comprehensive development of bilateral relations.”

Mr Orban has been one of Europe’s most sceptical leaders towards Ukraine and last month vetoed a European Union aid package worth £43billion ($54billion).

12:55 PM GMT

Ukrainian MPs reject bill to draft more soldiers

Ukraine’s parliament has rejected a controversial government bill aiming to draft more soldiers into the armed forces.

Volodymyr Zelensky said last month the military wanted to mobilise up to half a million more troops.

The bill would have seen penalties for draft dodging increased, the call-up age lowered from 27 to 25 and compulsory service cut from an unlimited period of time to 36 months.

David Arakamia, the parliamentary leader of Mr Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, said: “Some provisions directly violate human rights, some are not optimally formulated.

“We understand the request of the military command and are ready to meet it. But not all the rules can be supported.”

The government is expected to rework the bill before reintroducing it to parliament.

12:43 PM GMT

Anti-corruption agency accuses Ukrainian PM of exposing whistleblower

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency has accused Denys Shmyhal, the country’s prime minister, of exposing a whistleblower.

The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) said Mr Shmyhal informed Ivan Rudyi, head of the national gambling commission, about the identity of a subordinate employee who accused him of corruption.

Mr Rudyi then initiated disciplinary proceedings against the employee, the NACP said.

A spokesperson for Mr Shmyhal denied the accusation and said the whistleblower had merely complained about Mr Rudyi, not accused him of corruption.

The NACP said it is taking Mr Shmyhal to court. If found guilty, he faces a fine, ban from certain public offices for one year and could be listed in a national register of corrupt individuals.

12:16 PM GMT

North Korea using Ukraine as nuclear missile ‘test site’

North Korea is using Ukraine as a “test site” with the nuclear-capable missiles it supplied to Russia, South Korea has warned.

Russia’s armed forces have launched multiple North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine since late December.

Hwang Joon-Kook, Seoul’s envoy to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on Wednesday that Pyongyang was using Ukraine as a “test site of its nuclear-capable missiles”.

“The introduction of North Korean missiles into the war in Ukraine has a significant implication on global nuclear non-proliferation,” he said.

Mr Joon-Kook added that Russia’s use of the missiles was an “existential threat” to South Korea.

South Korea was one of 48 countries, including the US, Britain and Germany, which issued a joint statement on Tuesday condemning the missile deliveries.

“The transfer of these weapons increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia’s war of aggression and undermines the global non-proliferation regime,” it said.

11:48 AM GMT

US pressuring Europe to seize Russian assets, Kremlin claims

The Kremlin has claimed that the United States is applying pressure to European countries to force through the seizure of £300bn of frozen Russian assets.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the West would face “inevitable” legal consequences if they seized and gave the assets, which have been frozen in Europe since the war began, to Ukraine.

“They are trying to put pressure on the Europeans,” he said.

“There is a very paradoxical situation here because the main body of our assets is in Europe and not in America.”

11:20 AM GMT

Nato needs to send more weapons to Ukraine 'today'

Nato needs to send more weapons to Ukraine “today”, Alar Karis, the Estonian president, has said.

Speaking at a joint press conference during a visit by Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Karis added that arms manufacturing needs to be scaled up across Europe.

“Ukraine needs more, it needs better weapons,” he said. “We must boost military production capabilities so that Ukraine may get what it needs.

“And it’s not tomorrow, they should get it today.”

11:00 AM GMT

Russia's Black Sea Fleet 'doomed without Sevastopol'

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is doomed if it loses Sevastopol, Ukraine’s naval chief has said.

Vice-Adml Oleksiy Neizhpapa told Ukrainska Pravda that Novorossiysk, the naval base where Russia has moved much of the fleet after Ukrainian strikes on Sevastopol, is not large enough to fully replace it.

“Sevastopol is the main base that fully satisfies the maintenance of the fleet, the repair base, several repair plants, and airfields, including Belbek and Kacha,” he said.

“In Novorossiysk, for example, there are no airfields, no large repair plants, no weapons storage facilities, et cetera.”

Asked if it is realistic to expect Ukraine to further attack Sevastopol so it cannot be used at all, Vice-Adml Neizhpapa said: “This is work that must be done. There is a task for the president, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and we will work.”

10:37 AM GMT

UN to give £2.4bn in aid to Ukraine in 2024

The United Nations plans to give £2.4billion ($3.1billion) in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in 2024.

It estimates that more than 14.6million Ukrainians, representing 40 per cent of its population, will need aid this year.

Edem Worsornu, a senior official, said.“As the war in Ukraine continues unabated, driving high levels of humanitarian need, financial support must be sustained.

“In 2024, we urge all donors to once again step up and help the people of Ukraine.”

10:25 AM GMT

Ceasefire would allow Russia to invade again, Zelensky says

Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine would allow Russia to re-arm and invade again within two or three years.

“Give the Russian Federation two to three years, then they will simply run us over,” he said.

“We wouldn’t take that risk... There will be no pauses in favour of Russia.”

10:06 AM GMT

Pro-war Left-wing Russian opposition politician detained

A pro-war Left-wing Russian opposition politician has been detained and charged with “justifying terrorism”, state news agency Tass has reported.

Sergei Udaltsov has supported the war in Ukraine and is the husband of Anastasia Udaltsov, a communist Russian MP.

He posted on his Telegram channel earlier on Thursday that police were breaking down his door.

Mr Udaltsov was jailed between 2014 and 2017 for organising protests against Vladimir Putin.

He continues to oppose Russia’s president but has voiced support for the war in Ukraine.

09:52 AM GMT

In pictures: Aftermath of hotel air strike

09:43 AM GMT

Ukraine's ex-prosecution chief and daughter found dead

Ukraine’s former deputy prosecutor general and her daughter have been found dead in neighbouring Kyiv apartments.

Detectives believe Olha and Yaroslava Kalinko died months apart in circumstances which are not believed to be suspicious.

A police source told Ukrainska Pravda: “The bodies of the two women bore no signs of violent death and the apartments were locked from the inside.

“The women are thought to have died at different times – the mother about two months ago and the daughter about three weeks ago.”

Ms Kolinko served in the role from 1993 to 2000 and 2003 to 2005. She was housebound because of a serious illness and was cared for by her daughter.

The pair’s bodies were found on Wednesday by plumbers investigating a water leak. They are reported to have forced entry after no one came to the door.

09:18 AM GMT

'Everyone afraid' in Belgorod amid repeated Ukraine strikes

Frequent Ukrainian missile and drone attacks on Belgorod have left “everyone afraid” in the city, the region’s governor has said.

Vyacheslav Gladkov said during a speech in Moscow that the border city, which is just 20 miles from Ukraine, was going through “hard times” and that schools near the border had switched to remote learning because of the threat of further attacks.

“What Belgorodians have endured and are enduring, not everyone can physically cope with it,” he said.

“Everyone is afraid, but it is one thing when you sit and are afraid alone, and another thing when we cope with this misfortune together.”

Children could be seen gathering at Belgorod’s railway station on Wednesday as they prepared to be evacuated to safer regions.

09:05 AM GMT

US to 'demand clear war plan from Zelensky'

The United States will demand a clear plan for this year’s fighting from Volodymyr Zelensky at Davos next week, it has been reported.

Bloomberg said officials from Joe Biden’s administration will ask for the clarifications to tailor its planned aid deliveries to Ukraine’s needs.

It added that Washington is concerned that tensions between Mr Zelensky and Gen Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, are “slowing efforts to crystallise a new strategy” in the war.

08:52 AM GMT

ISW: Russia advances at multiple points on front

Russia has advanced at multiple points along the front line in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

The US think tank confirmed reported advances to the south-west of Bakhmut and Donetsk city, as well as on the east bank of the Dnipro river.

“Ukrainian and Russian sources stated that positional engagements continued on the east bank, including in Krynky,” it said.

08:25 AM GMT

Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria sign deal to clear Black Sea mines

Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have signed a deal to form a coalition which will clear mines in the Black Sea.

Large numbers of the marine explosives have been laid in the sea since the war in Ukraine began.

Yasar Guler, Turkish defence minister, his Romanian counterpart Angel Tilvar and Atanas Zapryanov, Bulgaria’s deputy defence minister, signed a memorandum of understanding in Istanbul on Thursday after months of talks between the Nato allies.

08:13 AM GMT

Watch: Russian tank destroyed by Ukrainian drone

07:50 AM GMT

Kharkiv hotel injured toll rises to 13

The number of people injured in the Russian missile strike on a Kharkiv hotel on Wednesday night has risen to 13.

Ukriane’s State Emergency Service issued the new figure on Thursday morning.

07:46 AM GMT

Russia 'plotting false flag operation' in Transnistria

Russia may be plotting a “false flag operation” in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

The US-based think tank said that the Kremlin may be setting “information conditions” for an operation in the unrecognised state in the east of Moldova.

The ISW cited an interview with Vadim Krasnoselsky, regional premier, with Russian state news agency Tass, in which he claimed Moldovan “militarisation” was threatening Transnistria and emphasised the territory’s “extensive” co-operation agreements with Russia.

“Krasnoselsky’s interview was likely part of efforts to set information conditions aimed at destabilising Moldova and justifying any future Russian campaigns in the region,” the ISW said.

“The Kremlin may attempt to use false flag operations in Transnistria as an effort to claim that Russia must protect ethnic Russians and Russian speakers.”

Transnistria is governed by pro-Russian separatists and hosts 1,500 Russian soldiers at a small military base.

07:35 AM GMT

Nato promises Ukraine billions in aid in 2024

Nato has promised to give Ukraine billions of pounds in new military aid in 2024.

The Ukraine-Nato Council, which sees Ukraine meet the representatives of Nato member states, gathered on Wednesday.

A statement after the meeting, issued by Nato, said its members had pledged “additional capabilities worth billions of euros” to Kyiv.

Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general, said: “We will continue to stand by the brave Ukrainians as they push back against Russia’s war of aggression.”

07:30 AM GMT

Ukrainian drones attack four Russian regions overnight

Ukraine launched drones over four Russian regions overnight.

The Russian defence ministry said three drones had been shot down in the early hours over the eastern Rostov Oblast and the Tula and Kaluga regions, which are to the south of Moscow.

Aleksandr Gusev, governor of Voronezh, which borders Ukraine to the north, said a drone had “damaged the roof of a non-residential building” in one of the region’s towns.

Russia’s interior ministry added that there were two fires overnight in the Moscow region, one at a factory producing materials for body armour in the village of Obukhovo and another at an administrative building in the city of Moscow.

It did not disclose the cause of the two fires and said there were no casualties.

Ukraine does not comment on raids inside Russia.

07:23 AM GMT

Zelensky arrives in Estonia as Baltic tour continues

Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Estonia to continue his tour of the three Baltic States.

Mr Zelensky and Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian foreign minister, visited Lithuania on Wednesday and will later go to Estonia.

Magnus Tsahkna, Estonia’s foreign minister, said: “We give a strong message and confirmation to Ukraine that Estonia stands firmly by their side, and together, we will win this war.”

07:18 AM GMT

In pictures: Kharkiv missile strike

07:13 AM GMT

Journalist among 12 civilians wounded in Russian strike

A Turkish journalist was among 12 civilian wounded in a Russian missile strike on a Kharkiv hotel on Wednesday night.

Ukrainian officials said two S-300 ballistic missiles hit the Park Hotel, in the city centre, shortly after 10.30pm local time (8.30pm GMT).

Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the north-eastern region, said nine people were taken to hospital and a 35-year-old man is in a critical condition.

The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted that its wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities is targeted only at “military-industrial” targets.

But no military personnel were staying at the hotel, authorities said, and hundreds of civilians have been killed and wounded since Russia launched a new campaign of repeated air strikes in late December.

It is the fourth day in a row Russia has launched attacks on Ukraine’s second largest city.

Russian nationalists have called for a new offensive in the region after Ukrainian counter-strikes on Belgorod, a border city 20 miles inside Russia.

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