Ukraine war – live: Russians starting to see Putin misjudged invasion, says UK spy chief

Sir Jeremy Fleming is expected to say that ordinary Russian citizens are starting to see that Vladimir Putin misjudged his invasion of Ukraine in his speech today.

The director of the intelligence, cyber and security agency GCHQ – is likely to state that Russians are feeling the consequences of Mr Putin’s “war of choice” in his address at the annual Royal United Services Institute security lecture.

“They’re [Russian citizens] seeing just how badly Putin has misjudged the situation,” the head of the UK’s spy agency is expected to say.

His speech will come a day after a widespread bombing campaign carried out by Russian troops yesterday.

At least 14 people were killed and 97 wounded, emergency services said, as Russian missiles tore into intersections, parks and tourist sites.

Volodymyr Zelensky has told Ukrainians that the “world is with us” in the fight against Russia after Ukraine came under widespread bombardment. In his nightly address, Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine “cannot be intimidated” by “terrorists”.

“Ukraine cannot be intimidated. It only brings more of us together,” he said.

Key Points

• Zelensky tells Ukraine: ‘World is with us’ after missile attacks

• Death toll rises to 11 after widespread bombardment of Ukraine

• Russian missiles strike cities across Ukraine in dawn raid

• Strikes on Kyiv hit ‘critical infrastructure'

• Putin says Ukraine attacked Crimea bridge in ‘act of terrorism’

Monday missile strikes death toll rises to 19, over a hundred injured

06:58 , Arpan Rai

The death toll from Monday’s missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities rose to 19 this morning, Ukraine’s state emergency service said today.

A total of 105 people have been injured, officials said in their updated information on total casualties from Russia’s missile strikes in the rush hour yesterday across Ukraine.

Missile victims include civilians who fled frontline to start new life

06:48 , Arpan Rai

The young siblings had fled their home near the frontline after barely escaping with their lives, and resettled with a new family in Slovyansk, where they should have been safer.

Kateryna, 25, was killed along with two members of her adoptive family, the Sudovas, when a missile struck their home in the early hours of Monday. Her brother, Ruslan, 12, survived but was seriously injured.

It was one of a wave of missile attacks deep into Ukraine launched by Vladimir Putin on Monday in revenge for the blown bridge in Crimea and the humiliation that had been inflicted on the Kremlin.

Read the full story here:

Victims of Russian missiles include civilians who fled frontline to start new life

New Russian commander to face increasingly factional Russian MoD, says UK

06:42 , Arpan Rai

Britain has said the newly appointed commander of Russia’s joint group of forces for monitoring the war in Ukraine will see hiccups from Moscow’s “poorly resourced” defence ministry.

General Sergei Surovikin has previously commanded the Russian Aerospace Forces and, more recently, the Southern Grouping of Forces on operations in Ukraine, the latest intelligence update said.

“For much of its operation, Russia has likely lacked a single empowered field commander,” it added.

The British defence ministry also pointed out that General Alexandr Dvornikov likely held the role for a period between April and August 2022.

However, it is unclear whether he was able to “effectively exercise control over the often disparate and competing groupings of forces,” the MoD said.

“Surovikin’ s appointment likely reflects an effort by the Russian national security community to improve the delivery of the operation,” it claimed.

“However, he will likely have to contest with an increasingly factional Russian MoD which is poorly resourced to achieve the political objectives it has been set in Ukraine,” the ministry said.

Putin is gambling that the West will abandon Ukraine – we won’t

06:21 , Arpan Rai

Vladimir Putin wants to intimidate Ukrainian leaders, terrorise civilians and further destroy Ukrainian cultural identity by taking out museums.

It is clear from The wrath of Putin”, some call the Russian strikes on multiple cities, including central Kyiv, which are plainly acts of retaliation for the attack on the Russia-Crimea Kerch bridge on Saturday.

But most of all, the attack on Kyiv will merely strengthen the resolve of the Ukrainian people to fight on. Their resistance to the invaders has awed the world. It was especially impressive in the early stages of the conflict, before sanctions and Western military assistance began to take their toll on Mr Putin’s poorly equipped and badly led troops.

President Putin is gambling that, eventually, Western democracies will cave in and accept at least the status quo – and thus abandon Ukraine. Unfortunately for him, there are signs that the Russian people and elements in the Russian government and military will abandon him first.

Read the editorial here:

Editorial: Putin is gambling that the West will abandon Ukraine – we won’t

Russia to respond to rising Western involvement in Ukraine war - report

06:16 , Arpan Rai

Moscow will respond to west’s growing involvement in the Ukrainian conflict even though direct conflict with the US and Nato is not in Russia’s interest, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said today.

“We warn and hope that they realise the danger of uncontrolled escalation in Washington and other Western capitals,” Mr Ryabkov said, reported RIA news agency.

Russians starting to see Putin has misjudged Ukraine war, says UK spy chief

05:41 , Arpan Rai

Ordinary Russian citizens are starting to see that Vladimir Putin misjudged his invasion of Ukraine, the head of the UK’s spy agency is expected to say in his speech today.

Sir Jeremy Fleming – director of the intelligence, cyber and security agency GCHQ – is likely to state that Russians are feeling the consequences of Mr Putin’s “war of choice”.

At the annual Royal United Services Institute security lecture, Sir Jeremy is expected to say: “They’re [Russian citizens] seeing just how badly Putin has misjudged the situation.

“They’re fleeing the draft, realising they can no longer travel. They know their access to modern technologies and external influences will be drastically restricted.

“And they are feeling the extent of the dreadful human cost of his war of choice.”

Read the full story here:

Russians starting to see Putin has misjudged Ukraine war, says UK spy chief

Russia continues targetting nuclear power plant city overnight

05:14 , Arpan Rai

Russian forces continued with their overnight attack on Ukrainian city housing Europe’s largest power plant, officials said.

The attacks targetted an infrastructure site in the Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Oleksandr Starukh said.

It is not immediately clear if there are casualties and damages from the attacks.

Zelensky calls for more weapons after ‘nearly 100’ Russian missile attacks

05:06 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more weapons to counter the Russian offensive — the biggest aerial attack in months — and said that “only terrorists” rejoice at such attacks.

“The targets for terrorists’ missiles in cities are civilian, cultural and educational facilities. Who can rejoice at strikes on such objects? Only terrorists! #Ukraine will endure this onslaught of terrorists who have no history, no tradition, no culture,” he said.

Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs also shared a video of the aftermath of yesterday’s attacks which killed 14 and left nearly 100 injured.

Biden to hold virtual meeting with G7 leaders, Zelensky today

04:58 , Arpan Rai

Joe Biden and Group of Seven (G7) leaders will hold a virtual meeting today to discuss their commitment to support Ukraine and how to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for Russia’s aggression, including its recent missile strikes across Ukraine, the White House said.

Volodymyr Zelensky will participate at the top of the meeting, the White House said.

Biden speaks with Zelensky after Russia rains over 80 missiles on Ukraine

04:27 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky and his US counterpart Joe Biden spoke last night where the wartime president underlined air defence was Ukraine’s number one priority in its defence cooperation and called the Russian missiles strikes on Monday “senseless attacks”.

Mr Biden “expressed his condemnation of Russia’s missile strikes across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, and conveyed his condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured in these senseless attacks,” read a statement from the White House.

Mr Biden has vowed more advanced air defence systems from the US.

“President Biden pledged to continue providing Ukraine with the support needed to defend itself, including advanced air defense systems,” it added.

The US president also underscored his “ongoing engagement with allies and partners to continue imposing costs on Russia, holding Russia accountable for its war crimes and atrocities, and providing Ukraine with security, economic, and humanitarian assistance”, the statement read.

This comes shortly after the Pentagon said it would start delivering the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System over the next two months or so.

And, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine “will do everything to strengthen our armed forces.”

We will make the battlefield more painful for the enemy,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

Truss to tell G7: ‘Stick by Ukraine in face of Russian attacks'

Monday 10 October 2022 23:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Liz Truss on Tuesday will request an urgent meeting of Nato leaders in response to Russia’s increased missile attacks on Ukraine, Downing Street said.

The British PM will also tell other G7 leaders in a virtual meeting – that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to join – to remain steadfast in support of Ukraine, her office added.

Ms Truss is expected to say: “Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine. And for our part, we must not waver one iota in our resolve to help them win it.”

She will say that Ukrainian military advances had been in part facilitated by military aid and humanitarian assistance by the international community, as well as the impact of sanctions on Russia.

Ms Truss will say sanctions should be maintained and request a full meeting of leaders from the NATO military alliance in the coming days.

“The overwhelming international support for Ukraine’s struggle stands in stark opposition to the isolation of Russia on the international stage,” she is expected to say.

Russian star Alla Pugacheva is in Israel after criticising war

Monday 10 October 2022 23:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Legendary Russian pop star Alla Pugacheva has revealed she is in Israel, three weeks after asking the Kremlin to declare her a “foreign agent” due to her public opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Her husband, entertainer Maxim Galkin, had been given the label for his statements against the war.

The queen of Soviet pop music denounced Vladimir Putin’s invasion for turning Russia into a global pariah.

On Instagram, she posted a photo of herself in Israel and thanked her millions of fans “for their love and support, for the ability to distinguish truth from lies”.

“From the Holy Land, I pray for you and for peace,” she said. “I am happy!”

You can read the full story here by Liam James

Russian pop superstar reveals she is in Israel after criticising Ukraine war

Poland advises its citizens to leave Belarus

Monday 10 October 2022 22:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Polish citizens are being advised to leave Belarus, a country that is a close ally of Russia.

The government of Poland says on its website: “We recommend that Polish citizens staying on the territory of the Republic of Belarus leave its territory with available commercial and private means.”

Relations between Warsaw and Minsk deteriorated in 2021 when Poland accused its neighbour of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its border. They have become even more strained since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Blinken: ‘World has to speak out against attacks on Ukraine’

Monday 10 October 2022 22:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia’s attacks on Ukraine present a “profound moral issue” to the world, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

“The international community has a responsibility to make clear that President Putin’s actions are completely unacceptable,” he said in a statement.

“Now is the time to speak out in support of Ukraine; it is not the time for abstentions, placating words, or equivocations under claims of neutrality. The core principles of the UN Charter are at stake.”

Zelensky tells Ukraine: ‘World is with us’ after missile attacks

Monday 10 October 2022 21:43 , Lamiat Sabin

Volodymyr Zelensky has told Ukrainians that the “world is with us” in the fight against Russia after Ukraine came under widespread bombardment.

At least 11 people were killed by Vladimir Putin's troops dropping missiles across the country, including Kyiv, on Monday.

In his nightly address, Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine “cannot be intimidated” by “terrorists”.

The Ukrainian president said: “Ukraine cannot be intimidated. It only brings more of us together.

“Ukraine can’t be stopped. It only convinces us even more that terrorists should be brought down.

“The Russian army purposely struck these blows precisely during the morning rush hour. This is the typical tactic of terrorists. They wanted to instil more fear.”

Mr Zelensky also vowed that Ukraine will be rebuilt and that “restoration work is currently underway across the country”.

Sweden won’t share Nord Stream probe findings with Russia

Monday 10 October 2022 21:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Sweden said it won’t share the findings of its crime scene investigation into the explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines with Russian authorities or Gazprom.

An investigation of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia to Europe has found evidence of detonations, and prosecutors suspect that there had been sabotage when they were damaged in September.

Last week Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin wrote to the Swedish government to demand that Russian authorities and Gazprom would be allowed to be involved in the investigation – which Sweden denied.

Now, his Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson said Sweden won’t share the findings of the explosions, that took place in the Swedish economic zone, with Russian authorities.

“In Sweden, our preliminary investigations are confidential, and that, of course, also applies in this case,” she told reporters.

However, Andersson said Sweden had no power to stop Russian vessels from visiting the sites of the explosions now that the crime scene investigation has concluded.

“The Swedish economic zone is not a territory that Sweden disposes of. We have lifted the cordons now and then it is also possible for other ships to stay in the area, that is how the rules work,” she said.

Germany to pay for December gas for citizens and some firms

Monday 10 October 2022 20:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Germany is to pay the December gas bills of its citizens and many businesses to help shoulder the burden of the energy crisis fuelled by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Berlin has allocated up to €200bn (£175.5bn) for a “defensive shield” to ease the financial strain.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government announced that it would “work very quickly on implementing” a two-stage plan to pay the cost of December gas bills for households and small and medium-sized businesses.

You can read the full story here by Andy Gregory

Germany to pay December gas bills for households and businesses

US ‘committed to holding Russia accountable for war crimes'

Monday 10 October 2022 20:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke to Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, following Russian air strikes across his country today.

The Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram: “The United States condemns Russia’s attacks on the infrastructure facilities of Ukraine and is committed to holding Russia accountable for war crimes and atrocities committed in our country. Thank you for your support!”

It comes after Ms Brink tweeted that American staff at the US embassy were safe.

She added: “Grateful to those responding and working to keep us safe, and heartbroken for those hurt, here and across Ukraine.”

Biden: ‘Airstrikes demonstrate utter brutality of Putin’s war’

Monday 10 October 2022 19:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Joe Biden said Russia’s missile strikes demonstrated the “utter brutality” of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

The US president said in a statement: “The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today across Ukraine, including in Kyiv.

“These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose.

“They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people.”

Mr biden said that the US will continue to impose costs on Russia for the airstrikes.

Russia kills at least 11 on one day – including cyber police head

Monday 10 October 2022 18:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia’s widespread bombardment of Ukraine has killed at least 11 and injured 87 people today, according to reports.

Among those killed was Cyber Police Department head Yurii Zaskoka, who was 41, the Kyiv Independent writes.

Mr Zaskoka was driving to work when he died – according to Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian government, who described him as a “great person”.

Watch: Pedestrian narrowly avoids injury as Kyiv bridge hit by missile

Monday 10 October 2022 17:45 , Liam James

A clip taken earlier today shows a pedestrian straying near to the path of a Russian missile fired on a footbridge in Kyiv.

Several civilian sites in the Ukrainian capital were hit, causing at least eight deaths, in the first air strikes on the city for months.

Truss condemns ‘appaling civilian attacks’ in Zelensky call

Monday 10 October 2022 16:29 , Liam James

Liz Truss “strongly condemned” Vladimir Putin’s “appalling attacks on civilian areas” in her call with Volodymyr Zelensky, a spokesman for the British leader said.

Downing Street said: “The prime minister said that these are a sign of Ukrainian success and increasing desperation by Putin in response.

“The prime minister stressed that the UK stands wholeheartedly behind President Zelensky and Ukraine. Putin’s destructive rhetoric and behaviour will not diminish our resolve. The leaders welcomed the deliveries of British military aid which continue to arrive in Ukraine.”

The spokesman said Ms Truss and Mr Zelensky looked ahead to tomorrow’s virtual meeting of G7 leaders, which the Ukrainian president will join.

Zelensky and Truss call after Russian strikes

Monday 10 October 2022 16:06 , Liam James

Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Liz Truss following the wave of Russian air strikes on Kyiv and other cities.

Mr Zelensky said Ukraine counts on the UK’s “leadership in consolidating international political and defence support for Ukraine, in particular regarding the protection of our skies” and also the “further isolation of Russia”.

Ms Truss and fellow leaders of G7 nations are expected to hold crisis talks on Tuesday with Mr Zelensky.

The latest round of strikes, made in response to the bombing of a key Russian bridge, was Moscow’s most widespread since the early days of the war, hitting cities that had been free of conflict for months.

Putin should ‘completely dismantle’ Ukraine’s political regime, says former Russian PM Medvedev

Monday 10 October 2022 15:33 , Liam James

Vladimir Putin should “completely dismantle” Volodmyr Zelensky’s political “regime” in Ukraine, Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev has claimed (Andy Gregory writes).

Mr Medvedev, who is now the deputy leader of Russia’s security council, was among hawkish figures in Moscow lauding the devastation wrought by a series of Russian air strikes in Ukraine, gloating that “the first episode has been played” and warning that more was to follow.

Calling on the Russian president to once again escalate his war on Ukraine, six months after his troops were forced to retreat from Kyiv and narrow their focus to the east, Mr Medvedev claimed that Russia should “aim for the complete dismantling of Ukraine’s political regime”.

Putin should ‘completely dismantle’ Ukraine’s political regime, says Medvedev

Russian pop star who denounced war says she is in Israel

Monday 10 October 2022 15:21 , Liam James

Alla Pugacheva, the queen of Soviet pop music, said she was in Israel, three weeks after denouncing Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine for turning Russia into a global pariah.

“I thank my multi-million army of fans for their love and support, for the ability to distinguish truth from lies,” Ms Pugacheva, 73, perhaps Russia’s most famous woman, said on Instagram.

“From the Holy Land, I pray for you and for peace,” she said. “I am happy!”

Ms Pugacheva is known across Russian generations for hits such as the 1982 song Million Scarlet Roses and the 1978 film The Woman who Sings.

Ms Pugacheva said last month that the war was killing soldiers for illusory aims and burdening ordinary people.

Pictures show Ukraine in flames after Russian strikes

Monday 10 October 2022 15:10 , Liam James

More pictures coming out of Ukraine showing the chaos caused by Russia’s widespread barrage of missile strikes this morning.

The below photographs were taken in Kyiv, Lviv and Dnipro.

Red Cross halts Ukraine work over safety fears

Monday 10 October 2022 14:55 , Liam James

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and at least one other aid group paused their field work in Ukraine for security reasons on Monday after Russia fired missiles at cities across Ukraine.

Russia fired on cities across the country, striking Kyiv with an intensity not seen since Russian forces sought to capture the capital early in the more than seven-month war.

The ICRC has some 700 staff working at 10 locations across the country and delivers aid and medicine, including to the millions of people displaced by the ongoing conflict.

The Norwegian Refugee Council also said that it had halted its aid operations in Ukraine until it is safe to resume.

US state department tweets support for Ukraine

Monday 10 October 2022 14:43 , Liam James

The US Department of State has tweeted its support for Ukraine after a series of Russian missile attacks struck cities across the country.

While many of Ukraine’s western allies have condemned Russia for the attacks on civilian space, little response has come out of Washington, where it is nearing mid-morning.

Human rights award for detained Russian opposition figure

Monday 10 October 2022 14:32 , Liam James

The Council of Europe awarded detained Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza the Vaclav Havel Human Rights prize on Monday for what it called his bravery in standing up to Russia’s leaders.

Mr Kara-Murza, who holds both British and Russian citizenship and was a pallbearer at the 2018 funeral of US senator John McCain, worked as a close aide to opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead in central Moscow in 2015.

He is now in pre-trial detention on suspicion of spreading false information about the armed forces under new laws passed eight days after the invasion of Ukraine began. His case was heard at a Moscow court today.

“It takes incredible courage in today’s Russia to stand against the power in place,” Tiny Kox, president of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe said. “Today, Kara-Murza is showing this courage, from his prison cell.”

Ukraine says UK offered support after Russian ‘blitz'

Monday 10 October 2022 14:21 , Liam James

Britain has pledged “unwavering support” to Kyiv after a series of Russian air strikes brought the conflict back into parts of Ukraine that had enjoyed relative peace for months, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

Mr Kuleba invoked the blitz of UK cities by the Nazis as he said he urged James Cleverly, his British counterpart for military supplies to defend against aerial attacks.

Russian failure in Ukraine a ‘myth’, says Putin party member

Monday 10 October 2022 14:14 , Liam James

It is a “myth” that Russia is losing its war in Ukraine, a member of the Duma for Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and state television presenter has claimed.

Evgeny Popov also blamed Ukrainian anti-missile systems for the striking of civilian targets including a children’s playground in a series of apparent missile attacks on the country’s cities.

When it was was put to him that the strikes were a mark of frustration in Moscow because Russia is losing the war, he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “It’s a myth, we’re not losing everything. We are in the process of our special military operation.”

Asked about the targeting of civilian infrastructure, Mr Popov said: “If you see some missiles and blows on children grounds, it was a result of the work of anti-missile system, Ukrainian system. All our missiles was targeted [at] energy infrastructure, communication centres and military headquarters.

“We’re not going to attack civilians in Ukraine, we’re not going to attack people. We’re going to finish this war. We’re going to protect people in Russia”.

India ‘deeply concerned’ after Russian strikes

Monday 10 October 2022 13:56 , Liam James

India is “deeply concerned” at the escalation of conflict in Ukraine, and willing to support all attempts at de-escalation, a spokesperson for the country’s foreign ministry said.

Russia fired missiles at cities across Ukraine during rush hour this morning, killing civilians and knocking out power and heat, in what Vladimir Putin declared to be revenge for Ukrainian attacks including on a bridge to Crimea.

“We reiterate that escalation of hostilities is in no one’s interest. We urge immediate cessation of hostilities and the urgent return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue,” foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

India and China, both countries friendly to Mr Putin’s regime, last month joined in a call for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.

China earlier today called for de-escalation following the strikes.

Death toll rises to 11 in Russian strikes

Monday 10 October 2022 13:51 , Liam James

At least 11 people were killed and 64 wounded in Russian missile strikes across Ukraine on Monday, Ukraine‘s State Emergency Service said.

It said four regions had no electricity following the attacks – Lviv, Poltava, Sumy and Ternopil – and that the electricity supply had been partially disrupted in other parts of the country.

UK accuses Russia of ‘war crimes’ after missile strikes on Ukrainian cities

Monday 10 October 2022 13:32 , Andy Gregory

The UK’s security minister Tom Tugendhat has accused Russia of “war crimes” after a series of missile strikes on civilian areas of cities across Ukraine today.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has more details:

UK accuses Russia of ‘war crimes’ after missile strikes on Ukrainian cities

Pictures show devastation wrought by Russian strikes on Kyiv

Monday 10 October 2022 13:27 , Andy Gregory

Here are some images from Kyiv, where Russia has again battered civilian targets, killing at least six people as air raid sirens sounded repeatedly across the capital.

Blasts struck the capital’s Shevchenko district, a large area in the center of Kyiv that includes the historic old town as well as several government offices, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Other strikes hit near the government quarter in the symbolic heart of the capital, where parliament and other major landmarks are located. A glass tower housing offices was significantly damaged, with most of its windows blown out.

Residents were seen on the streets with blood on their clothes and hands, with some treated by medics in the street and others wearing bandages.

Top Russian official says Moscow should try to oust Zelensky’s government

Monday 10 October 2022 13:16 , Andy Gregory

Moscow should try to oust Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, the deputy leader of Russia’s security council has said.

Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow, along with protecting its people and borders, should “aim for the complete dismantling of Ukraine’s political regime”.

He claimed that “the Ukrainian state in its current configuration with the Nazi political regime will continue to pose a permanent, direct and clear threat to Russia.”

Putin may discuss negotiations in talks with Erdogan, Kremlin says

Monday 10 October 2022 13:11 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin may meet Turkey’s president Tayyip Erdogan this week to discuss a proposal to host talks between Russia and the West on Ukraine, the Kremlin has said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had not received any signals about the prospect of negotiations with the West in Turkey – but did not rule out that Mr Putin could discuss this with Mr Erdogan.

Both presidents are expected to visit Kazakhstan this week.

Turkey, which has close relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, has been seen as a potential mediator in the conflict, and in July helped broker a deal to export Ukrainian grain blockaded in Black Sea ports.

Mr Erdogan has urged Mr Putin to reduce tensions and in September called on Moscow to give peace negotiations another chance. The White House said on Sunday that both sides needed to find a way to negotiate an end to the war.

Russia has been planning bombardment since start of October, says Ukraine

Monday 10 October 2022 13:04 , Andy Gregory

Russia has been planning today’s missile strikes on Ukrainian cities since the start of October, Ukrainian military intelligence has alleged.

“According to the military intelligence of Ukraine, the Russian occupying forces received instructions from the Kremlin to prepare massive missile strikes on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine on October 2 and 3,” the intelligence arm of the Ukrainian defence ministry said in a statement.

“The military units of the strategic and long-range aviation received orders to prepare for the task of massive missile attacks. The objects of critical civil infrastructure and the central areas of densely populated Ukrainian cities were identified as targets.”

Moldova demands explanation after Russian rockets 'fired over its airspace’

Monday 10 October 2022 12:57 , Andy Gregory

Moldova’s deputy prime minister Nicu Popescu alleges that he has summed Russia’s ambassador after three cruise missiles launched from Russian ships in the Black Sea crossed Moldova’s airspace en route to Ukraine.