At least four people have died in Russia's most intense aerial bombardment of Ukraine so far this year, with major strikes targeting Kyiv and Kharkiv overnight.
Kyiv experienced power cuts due to the assault, while the strikes on Kharkiv hit infrastructure targets that included a postal terminal. Dozens of people were pulled to safety by rescuers. Smaller-scale attacks were also reported in southern Odesa, and in central Kryvyi Rih.
In total, Russia fired at least 293 drones and 18 missiles overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. Those figures surpass the attack last Thursday night into Friday, when a total of 278 aerial weapons were deployed, including an Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile.
Late on Monday, Russia was roundly condemned at an emergency UN Security Council meeting for firing its powerful nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile at Lviv, just 50 miles from the border with Nato member Poland.
US deputy ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce accused Russia of a "dangerous and inexplicable escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine at a time when the Trump administration is trying to broker a ceasefire.
Read MoreRussian shadow fleet ships could be seized by British forces
Russia demands release of detained archaeologist facing extradition to Ukraine
What is Project Nightfall? UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine
Key Points
- Four dead in most intense Russian air raid of 2026 so far
- Russian forces strike military facilities in Ukraine, says Moscow
- UK and US condemn Russia’s Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on Ukraine
- Russia using African mercenaries as suicide bombers in Ukraine war
- Russia summons Polish ambassador over archaeologist detention
Ukraine received 23 air defence systems in 2025, says outgoing defence minister
12:57 , Alex CroftUkraine received 23 medium- and long-range air-defence systems in 2025 as well as 11,000 missiles for them, outgoing Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday.
He made the remark in an address to Ukraine's parliament shortly before his expected appointment as energy minister.
Four killed in Kharkiv as massive Russian air assault cripples Ukraine’s energy grid
12:40 , Alex CroftBritain condemns Russia's Oreshnik missile attack on Ukraine at UN
12:24 , Alex CroftBritain's envoy to the UN said Russia’s use of hypersonic ballistic missile on Ukraine last week that killed four and injured several others should be “universally condemned”.
“This hypersonic missile capable of travelling at over Mach 10, is reported to have hit a site in the region of Lviv, just 50 miles from the Polish border,” ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, said yesterday.
“Such action is reckless – it threatens regional and international security, and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation,” he said.
Ukraine saw sharp rise in civilian casualties in 2025, UN monitor shows
11:59 , Alex CroftThe year 2025 was the deadliest for civilians in Ukraine since 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said.
These deaths in Ukraine have gone up after intensified hostilities on the war frontline and expanded use of long-range weapons from Russia.
Conflict-related violence in Ukraine killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142 in 2025, a 31 per cent rise in the number of victims from 2024, the monitor said in a monthly update on civilian harm.
The vast majority of the casualties verified by the watchdog occurred in Ukrainian government-controlled territory from attacks launched by Russian armed forces, the statement added. Ukrainian officials generally cite the UN figures as accurate.
Almost two-thirds of all casualties last year occurred in frontline areas, with older persons particularly affected as they remained in their villages. Civilian casualties caused by short-range drones also increased sharply, it added.
“The expanded use of short-range drones has rendered many areas near the frontline effectively uninhabitable," said Danielle Bell, head of the monitoring mission.
“In 2025, many people who had endured years of hostilities were ultimately compelled to leave their homes,” confirming displacement of civilians as another impact of the war.
Two Greek oil tankers struck near Black Sea port
11:31 , Alex CroftTwo oil tankers were struck by drones while waiting for the loading at the Black Sea Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, Reuters is reporting, citing two sources.
The tanker Delta Harmony is managed by Greece's Delta tankers, according to LSEG, and was expected to load oil from Tengizchevroil.
The tanker Matilda, also hit by the drones, is managed by Greece's Thenamaris and was expected to load oil from Karachaganak, they added.
We’ll bring you more on the oil tanker strikes as it comes in.
In pictures: Fierce blaze at site of Russian missile strike in Kharkiv
11:05 , Alex Croft Russian forces strike military facilities in Ukraine, says Moscow
10:41 , Alex CroftRussian forces carried out a massive strike targeting military-industrial facilities in Ukraine, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
The strike was a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, the ministry said.
"Russia's armed forces launched a massive strike with precision ground-based weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, against energy infrastructure facilities used in the interests Ukraine's armed forces and enterprises of the military-industrial complex," the ministry said.
Russia reports striking Ukrainian transportation facilities
10:15 , Alex CroftChechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov hospitalised with kidney failure, Ukrainian intelligence says
09:50 , Alex CroftChechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has been hospitalised with kidney failure, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Rumours are swirling that Mr Kadyrov’s health is deteriorating to the point that the Kremlin is already considering who will take up his position as the head of the Chechen Republic, Ukrainian state-owned news agency Ukrinform reported, citing a source.
The source in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, who remained anonymous, said Mr Kadyrov has been undergoing dialysis, with doctors not making any firm predictions about his condition.
They added that members of his powerful clan, including family members from abroad, have flocked to his bedside as he is treated at a private hospital in Chechnya.
Our senior reporter Tara Cobham brings the full report:
Chechen warlord Kadyrov hospitalised with kidney failure, Ukrainian intelligence says
Russia summons Polish ambassador over archaeologist detention
09:23 , Alex CroftRussia summoned Poland's ambassador to protest over the detention of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Poland detained Butyagin last month. Ukraine accuses him of unauthorised excavations and of plundering historical artefacts in Crimea.
Russia said the accusations against Butyagin by Ukraine were "absurd" and demanded he be released.
Ukraine strikes drone manufacturing plant in Rostov region
08:56 , Alex CroftUkraine's military said it had struck a drone manufacturing plant in the Rostov region of Russia, sparking fires at the scene.
In a joint operation between the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service’s Alpha Special Operations Centre, the drones struck production facilities at the Atlant Aero plant in Taganrog last night.
Loud explosions were heard and a fire triggered at the scene, the Security Service reported according to Ukrainska Pravda.
It claimed that the strike will reduce the volume of drone production, one of the central tools used by Russian forces to carry out its invasion of Ukraine. Drones are used both for major overnight strikes and for reconnaissance missions.
Zelensky says Russia targeted power infrastructure in overnight strikes
08:27 , Arpan RaiRussian forces targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in overnight strikes and have caused substantial damage, Volodymyr Zelensky says.
“Almost 300 attack drones, most of them 'shaheds', along with 18 ballistic and 7 cruise missiles, were launched by the Russians against Ukraine last night. Once again, the main target of the strike was our energy – generation facilities and substations,” he said on X.
“Sadly, there has been extensive destruction of residential and civilian infrastructure. Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions came under attack,” he added.
Zelensky accused Russia of hitting a postal terminal in Kharkiv without “any military purpose whatsoever”, killing four people.
He said Ukraine should get the deliveries of weapons already agreed upon by America and Europe. “Russia must come to learn that cold will not help it win the war,” he said.
Almost 300 attack drones, most of them “shaheds,” along with 18 ballistic and 7 cruise missiles, were launched by the Russians against Ukraine last night. Once again, the main target of the strike was our energy – generation facilities and substations. Sadly, there has been… pic.twitter.com/NK69hHb9R0
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 13, 2026
Russia at UN threatens negotiations will worsen for Ukraine if Zelensky does not accept its terms
08:11 , Arpan RaiRussia ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia has threatened Ukraine to accept Moscow’s terms for ending the war or watch the negotiations worsen.
“He was warned long ago, with each passing day, each day which he squanders, the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him," Nebenzia said.
Speaking at the emergency meeting called by the Security Council, Nebenzia said that until Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky "comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations, we will continue solving the problem by military means."
“Similarly, each vile attack on Russian civilians will elicit a stiff response,” he said.
Putin's forces attack Ukraine with 293 drones and 18 missiles overnight
07:58 , Arpan RaiRussian forces fired at least 293 drones and 18 missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said this morning.
Ukraine's air defences shot down at least 240 of the drones and seven missiles, the air force said.
Combined it is the highest number of aerial weapons Russia has fired at Ukraine so far this year.
Last week, on Thursday night into Friday, Russia fired 242 drones and 36 missiles at its smaller neighbour.
That attack included a hypersonic Oreshnik missile aimed at Lviv, sparking widespread condemnation from the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on Monday.
Greenland could vote to join Russia if Trump does not hurry, says Kremlin official
07:47 , Arpan RaiGreenlanders could vote to join Russia if US president Donald Trump did not move quickly to secure the Arctic island, a senior Russian official said.
“Trump needs to hurry. According to unverified information, in a few days there could be a sudden referendum, at which the entire 55,000-strong Greenland could vote to join Russia," said Russian security council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.
"And then that’s it. No new little stars on the (US) flag," he said.
While Russia makes no claim to Greenland, it has long monitored the island’s strategic role in Arctic security, given its position on North Atlantic routes and the presence there of a major US military and space surveillance facility.
Trump has revived his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, arguing Washington needs to own it to deter Russia.
The US president has said its location and resources make Greenland vital for national security, prompting firm objections from Denmark and Greenland.
Widespread damage as Russia carries out massive strikes across Ukraine
07:32 , Arpan RaiUkraine's biggest cities have been targeted in a deadly attack by Russia overnight, with schools and apartment buildings among the infrastructure damaged.
DTEK, a private Ukrainian energy company, said the Russian attack heavily damaged equipment at one of its thermal power plants.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said strikes on Kharkiv hit a postal terminal, destroying buildings and sparking multiple fires across about 500 square metres.
At least 30 people were pulled to safety by rescuers, including two from under rubble, the emergency service said.
In the southern port city of Odesa, five people were injured as a result of the overnight Russian attack.
Officials reported fires at an unused new building, a fitness centre and a vocational school.
Two people were injured as a result of a Russian attack on the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine which damaged civilian infrastructure, homes and gas pipelines, the region's governor said.
In photos: Russia launches year's most concentrated barrage on Ukraine
07:06 , Arpan Rai Britain condemns Russia's Oreshnik missile attack on Ukraine at UN
06:51 , Arpan RaiBritain's envoy to the UN said Russia’s use of hypersonic ballistic missile on Ukraine last week that killed four and injured several others should be “universally condemned”.
“This hypersonic missile capable of travelling at over Mach 10, is reported to have hit a site in the region of Lviv, just 50 miles from the Polish border,” ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, said yesterday.
“Such action is reckless – it threatens regional and international security, and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation,” he said.
UK has no plan for mobilising doctors if war breaks out, top military chief admits
06:41 , Arpan RaiThe UK currently has no plan for how to mobilise doctors, nurses and hospitals in the event of all-out war, the UK’s top military chief has admitted, in yet another sign of Britain’s unpreparedness for a possible conflict.
Giving evidence in front of the Commons defence select committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said the UK currently doesn’t have a “complete plan for how we would mobilise the National Health Service in the event of armed conflict at an Article Five level”.
Sir Richard also admitted there is not enough money to continue all planned military programmes on top of doing everything outlined in the strategic defence review (SDR), but became visibly irritated when MPs suggested the military may have to make cuts.
UK has no plan for mobilising doctors if war breaks out, top military chief admits
Power cuts in Kyiv after Russian attack damages critical infrastructure
06:35 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s grid operator Ukrenergo said it was rolling out emergency power cuts in Kyiv today after critical infrastructure suffered damages in an overnight Russian attack.
Ukrenergo did not share details on the scale of the damage from Russian strikes.
It was not immediately clear how long the outages would last.
Zelensky says negotiators will submit security guarantees to the US
06:17 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s peace negotiators will finalise a document on security guarantees with the US and submit it for review “at the highest level”, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine, he said, is “coordinating meeting schedules with US president Trump’s representatives – our documents are largely ready for signing”.
Zelensky did not share more details on the guarantees document.
If Russia does not agree to end its war then pressure on Moscow must be maintained in other ways, he said.
“We understand that the American side is in contact with Russia regarding the political framework for ending the war. We have defined our vision, and there must be clear feedback from Russia – whether they are willing to end the war on real terms,” Zelensky said.
“If there is no such willingness, pressure on the aggressor must continue to increase.”
A detailed report from our entire negotiating team regarding communication with the American side. We discussed the schedule for the next two weeks in terms of meetings, preparation of documents, and possible signings. I instructed to finalize and submit for consideration at the… pic.twitter.com/TgZeCnKXRU
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 12, 2026
Watch: Russia reports striking transportation facilities, Ukraine claims repelling attacks
06:02 , Arpan RaiUK and US condemn Russia’s Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on Ukraine
05:51 , Arpan RaiThe U.K. and the U.S. have condemned Russia's use of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile in Ukraine, calling it a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” at an emergency meeting called by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Russia Friday claimed it fired the hypersonic missile at a critical target in Ukraine in response to what it described as an attempted drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, a claim refuted by Kyiv.
It was the second time that Russia used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile which Putin boasted was impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
UK and US condemn Russia’s Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on Ukraine
Four dead in most intense Russian air raid of 2026 so far
05:22 , Arpan RaiAt least four people have been killed in Russia's most intense overnight aerial bombardment of the year so far, according to Ukrainian officials and media.
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv came under a short but intense attack from Russian missiles, head of Kyiv’s military administration Tymur Tkachenko said.
Reuters reported its witnesses heard explosions in the city, but there was no immediate word on casualties or damage.
In Kharkiv, 30km (18 miles) from the border and also a frequent Russian target, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said four people had died in a strike on the outskirts of the city.
Syniehubov said six people were injured.
Telegram channels monitoring Ukraine said about 20 ballistic missiles were launched within about an hour overnight, in what they described as the most sustained strike on Ukraine so far in 2026.
Russia using African mercenaries as suicide bombers in Ukraine war
04:54 , Arpan RaiRussian forces are using African citizens as “meat for the meat grinder” in their war against Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian official.
Videos from the war frontline show Russia’s troops allegedly strapping a landmine to an African mercenary’s chest and asking him to run as a human bomb through no man’s land and target Ukraine’s positions, reported The Telegraph.
An unseen man, believed to be a Russian soldier, uses racist insults and tells the mercenary that he is being used as a “can opener” who will blow himself up to “open” an enemy bunker.
The Independent has not verified the authenticity of the video independently.
Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Olexander Scherba, confirmed participation of several African nationals in Moscow’s war on Ukraine who are being used in Vladimir Putin’s meat grinding war.
Scherba said several members of a South African political party with close ties with Russia embroiled in a recent scandal were forced into combat.
“There might be all kinds of charm offensives on the African continent, but once an African person comes to this war, they just become meat for the meat grinder,” he told The Telegraph.
The scandal shows Russia “looks at Africa through imperial eyes, he said.
Ukraine launches air attack on Russia's Taganrog
04:35 , Arpan RaiUkraine has attacked Russia’s Taganrog city in the southern Rostov region, officials said this morning.
Rostov governor Yuri Slyusar said Russian air defence systems were trying to repel a Ukrainian air attack.
“Details on the impact on the ground are being clarified,” he said on his Telegram channel.
The Russian city hosts a number of military facilities and has come under frequent attacks throughout the war.
In November, Ukraine's armed forces reported successful strikes on several strategic Russian targets, including the Taganrog Aircraft Repair Plant and the Atlant Aero drone manufacturing facility in Rostov oblast.
Ukraine saw sharp rise in civilian casualties in 2025, UN monitor shows
04:21 , Arpan RaiThe year 2025 was the deadliest for civilians in Ukraine since 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said.
These deaths in Ukraine have gone up after intensified hostilities on the war frontline and expanded use of long-range weapons from Russia.
Conflict-related violence in Ukraine killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142 in 2025, a 31 per cent rise in the number of victims from 2024, the monitor said in a monthly update on civilian harm.
The vast majority of the casualties verified by the watchdog occurred in Ukrainian government-controlled territory from attacks launched by Russian armed forces, the statement added. Ukrainian officials generally cite the UN figures as accurate.
Almost two-thirds of all casualties last year occurred in frontline areas, with older persons particularly affected as they remained in their villages. Civilian casualties caused by short-range drones also increased sharply, it added.
“The expanded use of short-range drones has rendered many areas near the frontline effectively uninhabitable," said Danielle Bell, head of the monitoring mission.
“In 2025, many people who had endured years of hostilities were ultimately compelled to leave their homes,” confirming displacement of civilians as another impact of the war.
Watch: Kyiv strikes oil rigs in Caspian Sea with dramatic drone footage released
04:08 , Arpan RaiBritain condemns Russia's Oreshnik missile attack on Ukraine at UN
03:53 , Arpan RaiBritain's envoy to the UN said Russia’s use of hypersonic ballistic missile on Ukraine last week that killed four and injured several others should be “universally condemned”.
“This hypersonic missile capable of travelling at over Mach 10, is reported to have hit a site in the region of Lviv, just 50 miles from the Polish border,” ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, said yesterday.
“Such action is reckless – it threatens regional and international security, and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation,” he said.
Greenland could vote to join Russia if Trump does not hurry, says Kremlin official
03:28 , Arpan RaiGreenlanders could vote to join Russia if US president Donald Trump did not move quickly to secure the Arctic island, a senior Russian official said.
“Trump needs to hurry. According to unverified information, in a few days there could be a sudden referendum, at which the entire 55,000-strong Greenland could vote to join Russia," said Russian security council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.
"And then that’s it. No new little stars on the (US) flag," he said.
While Russia makes no claim to Greenland, it has long monitored the island’s strategic role in Arctic security, given its position on North Atlantic routes and the presence there of a major US military and space surveillance facility.
Trump has revived his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, arguing Washington needs to own it to deter Russia.
The US president has said its location and resources make Greenland vital for national security, prompting firm objections from Denmark and Greenland.
Russia at UN threatens negotiations will worsen for Ukraine if Zelensky does not accept its terms
03:09 , Arpan RaiRussia ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia has threatened Ukraine to accept Moscow’s terms for ending the war or watch the negotiations worsen.
“He was warned long ago, with each passing day, each day which he squanders, the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him," Nebenzia said.
Speaking at the emergency meeting called by the Security Council, Nebenzia said that until Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky "comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations, we will continue solving the problem by military means."
“Similarly, each vile attack on Russian civilians will elicit a stiff response,” he said.
Why the Nato alliance is at risk amid Trump’s threats to Greenland
03:00 , Holly EvansDonald Trump's repeated threats to seize control of Greenland are straining relations with US allies within Nato, prompting stark warnings that such an aggressive move could spell the end of the world's largest security alliance.
While historical tensions have occasionally flared between some Nato members, notably Greece and Turkey, the prospect of its most powerful country, the United States, annexing the territory of another ally would establish a dangerous precedent.
Mr Trump reaffirmed his stance on Sunday, declaring, "One way or the other, we're going to have Greenland." The White House has not ruled out the use of military force in this endeavour. Mr Trump stated his desire to prevent Russia or China from taking over the island, though he conceded that making a deal would be "easier." Greenland is a semi-autonomous island that forms part of the Danish realm.
Read the full article here:
Why the Nato alliance is at risk amid Trump’s threats to Greenland
US calls out Russia's 'dangerous and inexplicable escalation' of war in Ukraine at UN
02:57 , Arpan RaiThe US has accused Russia of a "dangerous and inexplicable escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine at a time when the Trump administration is trying to broker a ceasefire.
Tammy Bruce, US deputy ambassador to the UN, flagged Russia’s launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile near Ukraine’s border with Poland, a Nato nation.
Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Bruce said that the US deplores "the staggering number of casualties" in the conflict and condemns Russia's intensifying attacks on energy and other infrastructure.
“At a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump's unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking ways to de-escalate," she said.
“Yet Russia's action risks expanding and intensifying the war,” she said.
Bruce reminded Russia that nearly a year ago it voted in favour of a Security Council resolution calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
“It would be nice if Russia matched their words with deeds," she said.
“In the spirit of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe must pursue peace seriously and bring this nightmare to an end."
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
02:00 , Holly EvansShortly before Christmas, the new chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, made her first public speech since taking charge. She chose as her subject the multifaceted threat posed by Russia, warning of the growing danger from Vladimir Putin’s regime. “We are operating in a space between peace and war,” she said.
The recently appointed “C” said “the front line is everywhere”, explaining that Putin is provoking a new “age of uncertainty” by busily rewriting the unwritten rules of conflict. “The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” said Metreweli.
Last week has seen the cementing of the axis between the UK, France and Germany with the promise of troops on the ground to monitor peace in Ukraine, a move that is bound to antagonise Putin. Concerns about Russian retaliation are growing still further following the boarding of a tanker in Russia’s “shadow fleet” by US forces off the British coast. The involvement of the Royal Navy will have been noticed and noted in Moscow. The hostility continues to ramp up in intensity.
Read the full analysis from Chris Blackhurst here:
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Dark, freezing and depressed: Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
01:00 , Holly EvansAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
“It gives you depression,” 33-year-old Dnipro resident Kyril Tulenev says. “You cannot do anything. You cannot check the news. You cannot properly use your things. Sometimes you cannot call anyone because there is no connection.”
Read the full article here:
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Zelensky calls on the world to help Iranians to enforce change
00:00 , Holly EvansUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that the world had to help Iranians build on protests to engineer change to free them from rule that brought evil to their own and other countries, including Ukraine.
Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, described the nationwide protests gripping Iran as an "uprising".
He said the unrest showed that Russia had to rethink its close links with Iran, which have included its wide use of Iranian-made "Shahed" drones in the nearly four-year-old war against Kyiv.
"Every normal person on Earth very much wants the people of Iran to finally be fortunate enough to free themselves from the regime that exists there and that has brought so much evil, including to Ukraine and to other countries," Zelensky said.
"It is important that the world not miss this moment, when change is possible. Every leader, every country, international organisations must engage now and help people remove those who are responsible for Iran unfortunately being what it has been."
Russia launches missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine says
Monday 12 January 2026 23:35 , Holly EvansRussia launched an overnight missile attack on Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities said early on Tuesday.
"Stay in safe places! The Russians are attacking the capital with ballistic missiles!" Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that air defence units were trying to repel the attack.
Comment: Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Monday 12 January 2026 23:10 , Maira ButtShortly before Christmas, the new chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, made her first public speech since taking charge. She chose as her subject the multifaceted threat posed by Russia, warning of the growing danger from Vladimir Putin’s regime. “We are operating in a space between peace and war,” she said.
The recently appointed “C” said “the front line is everywhere”, explaining that Putin is provoking a new “age of uncertainty” by busily rewriting the unwritten rules of conflict. “The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” said Metreweli.
Chris Blackhurst reports:
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian drone attack on building in Ukraine on Monday
Monday 12 January 2026 22:40 , Maira Butt Extra defence spending is being lost on MoD’s overdraft, warns former RAF chief
Monday 12 January 2026 22:10 , Maira ButtThe former head of the RAF has warned that increased defence spending in the UK is being “eaten up by the Ministry of Defence (MoD)’s overdraft” with the UK’s military footprint shrinking at a critical moment.
The intervention by retired Air Marshall Edward Stringer comes just days after Sir Keir Starmer committed to sending UK troops to Ukraine as part of the coalition of the willing to protect any peace agreement from Russian aggression.
But it represents the third warning by a former member of the UK’s military top brass in less than a week over how the UK’s commitments to Ukraine and elsewhere are not matched by resources in the armed forces and manpower.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Extra defence spending is being lost on MoD’s overdraft, warns former RAF chief
Ukraine strikes Russian oil rigs in Caspian Sea
Monday 12 January 2026 21:40 , Maira ButtUkraine has attacked three Russian oil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea, according to its military.
“Direct hits have been recorded,” it said in a post on Telegram on Sunday, adding: “The extent of the damage is being assessed.”
The infrastructure is said to be owned by Russia’s Lukoil Corporation. Dramatic drone footage shows the overnight attack although Kyiv did not share further details of the operation.
Germany sending five Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine
Monday 12 January 2026 21:10 , Maira ButtGermany is providing five Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine following a contract signed in December 2025, according to Defence News.
The systems, provided by company Rheinmetall are expected to arrive in the coming weeks, according to a statement on Monday. They vehicles will be configured specifically for Ukrainian requirements.
“We are grateful for the trust that Ukraine has placed in us,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said in an announcement.
Is the UK ready to deploy troops to Ukraine?
Monday 12 January 2026 20:40 , Maira ButtThe most recent government figures show there are around 147,000 people in the UK armed forces, with just over half assigned to the army.
But Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s promise to send troops to Ukraine could require as many as 50,000 according to Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy commander of Nato.
Sir Richard stressed in an interview this week that British troops must be ready to fight Putin’s army if deployed.
“There’s not going to be a peace until Russia is forced into it,” he told LBC. “At least now there is a clear plan from France and the UK to provide a reassurance force or an enforcement force.
“But it’s got to be the right capability, and it’s got to have the right numbers, the means, and there’s got to be proper capabilities.”
The UK is to invest an additional £200m into the British military in a bid to enhance its capabilities.
UK and Nato allies boosting Arctic defence as Trump ramps up Greenland pressure
Monday 12 January 2026 20:10 , Maira ButtThe UK is working with Nato allies to bolster security in the Arctic, a Cabinet minister said following reports British troops could be sent to Greenland.
US President Donald Trump has insisted he wants control over Greenland and has not ruled out the prospect of using military force to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said discussions about securing the High North against Russia and China were part of Nato’s “business as usual” rather than a response to the US military threat.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that military chiefs are drawing up plans for a possible Nato mission to Greenland which could involve British soldiers, warships and planes being deployed to the island.
UK and Nato allies boosting Arctic defence as Trump ramps up Greenland pressure
Lithuania ready to deploy ground forces for future peace in Ukraine
Monday 12 January 2026 19:40 , Maira ButtLithuania is ready to support ukraine “on land, in the air, and at sea”, according to President Gitanas Nausėda.
He said the country would be willing to deploy forces after a ceasefire according to LRT.
“Unfortunately, one unknown remains today: Russia’s reaction. I spoke about this in Paris: I have no questions about our mutual agreement—between the US, the EU, and Ukraine—there are no problems here, we see the situation in a similar way,” he said.
“But the peace agreement will not be concluded between the US, Europe, and Ukraine, but between Ukraine and Russia. That is why Russia’s reaction is so important.”
