Airports in Moscow were briefly shut on Wednesday, after Russia claimed it shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones.
In a series of announcements, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Telegram that at least 376 Ukrainian drones were intercepted or destroyed on Wednesday.
Most were over Russia's western regions bordering Ukraine and central Russia. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, 27 drones were destroyed or intercepted en route to the capital.
As a result, the region's three major airports briefly halted flights twice during the day before resuming operations.
It comes after Ukraine’s military said in a statement that it had struck the Bolkhov semiconductor plant in Oryol Oblast overnight.
The plant is one of Russia's leading producers of semiconductor devices and components, focusing on diodes, microcircuits, optoelectronic switches, and more, the General Staff said.
Unverified footage published online appeared to show the plant on fire. The region’s governor initially claimed there had been no damage from the attack, but subsequently admitted that the plant and several buildings were damaged.
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Key Points
- Moscow airports briefly shut after Russia claims it downed hundreds of drones
- Pope ready to host Ukraine peace talks, says Italian PM
- Putin visits Kursk after claiming his troops expelled Ukrainian forces
- Britain announces fresh sanctions against Russia
- Ukrainian ex-politician shot dead in Madrid, sources say
- Trump refusing sanctions on Putin over business opportunities – report
Moscow airports briefly shut after Russia claims it downed hundreds of drones
23:45
,
Athena Stavrou
Airports in Moscow were briefly shut on Wednesday after Russia claimed it shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones.
In a series of announcements, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Telegram that at least 376 Ukrainian drones were intercepted or destroyed on Wednesday.
Most were over Russia's western regions bordering Ukraine and central Russia. There were no reports of casualties.
The latest tally issued by the ministry said 77 drones were downed in the period from 8pm to 11.50pm
According to a separate count issued by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, 27 drones were destroyed or intercepted en route to the capital.
The region's three major airports briefly halted flights twice during the day before resuming operations.
‘This is what death feels like’: The terrifying reality of Ukraine’s landmine crisis
23:00
,
Tom Watling
Dmytro Guzha was returning home with his wife Elena when he felt the explosion beneath his feet – and then nothing.
“After that, I didn’t hear or see anything at all,” the 49-year-old says. He regained consciousness a few minutes later and his focus turned to Elena.
“I was really worried about my wife because I saw her and she didn’t move. Then I wanted to try to get closer to her but I couldn’t because my leg didn’t move.” That was the result of the explosion that had ripped through his lower half.
Trump says Putin call went ‘very well’ and suggests talks between Russia and Ukraine will start ‘immediately’
22:00
,
Tom Watling
Moscow and Kyiv will “immediately” begin ceasefire talks with the aim of bringing an end to the war, US President Donald Trump claims as he divulged details of his phone calls with leaders of the two nations on Monday.
Who is Andriy Portnov, the ex-Ukrainian politician killed in Spain?
21:00
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Tom Watling
A former Ukrainian politician and key aide to the ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych has been killed.
Andriy Portnov, 51, was gunned down on Wednesday morning outside the gates of the American School in Madrid's affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo.
Read below about who the figure was and why he is so controversial in Ukraine.
Finland completes first 35 km of fence on Russian border
20:00
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Tom Watling
Finland has completed the first 35 km (22 miles) of a 4.5-metre (15-ft) high fence it is building on its closed eastern border with Russia to stop migrants from crossing via the wilderness, the Finnish Border Guard said on Wednesday.
Finland began constructing the fence, which will eventually cover 200 km (124 miles) of the border's total 1,344 km (835 miles) length, last year in response to migration via Russia through the border in 2023, which it believes was deliberately orchestrated by Moscow.
"The main purpose of the fence is to control a large mass of people if they are trying to enter from Russia to Finland," the deputy commander of Southeast Finland Border Guard District, Antti Virta, told Reuters.
Zelensky talks to Nato chief about pressuring Russia on ceasefire
19:00
,
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has held a conversation with Nato chief Mark Rutte.
The pair discussed how to keep up pressure on Russia to broker a ceasefire.
You can see a handout from the call below.
I held a conversation with @SecGenNATO Mark Rutte.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 21, 2025
We discussed the current situation, our joint next steps, and the necessity of applying pressure on Russia. I shared details of recent engagements with partners and outlined the formats and platforms we are considering for… pic.twitter.com/EFEEN1Q4dY
Russia’s new sanctions explained: Ukraine’s allies target Moscow as peace talks stall
18:00
,
Tom Watling
Kyiv's European allies slapped new sanctions Tuesday on Moscow, a day after a phone call between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine.
We have the latest below.
Mapped: Russia makes advances in eastern Ukraine
17:00
,
Tom Watling
Russian forces have made small gains in Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk.
See below for the latest.
Updated map showing Russian advances southwest of Pokrovsk and between Myrnohrad and Kostyantynivka.https://t.co/IjQucQJ7mA https://t.co/nyFIiSbfAQ pic.twitter.com/Qm0LAShw6N
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) May 21, 2025
Who is Andriy Portnov? Former Ukrainian politician killed on school run in Spain
16:00
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Tom Watling
We have an explainer on who exactly is Andriy Portnov, the former Ukrainian politician who was killed this morning in Madrid.
Read the piece below.
Putin makes shock nuclear plant visit in Kursk after Ukrainian troops ejected
15:28
,
Tom Watling
Below, we have footage of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to a factory in the Kursk region, on the border with Ukraine.
UK and allies warn of Russian cyber activity targeting support to Ukraine
14:48
,
Tom Watling
Britain and allies, including the United States, have issued an advisory on Wednesday, warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and Western logistics entities and technology companies.
“This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine,” Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said.
Pro-Russian Ukrainian politician killed in Madrid - what we known
14:58
,
Tom Watling
Earlier, we reported that former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov had been killed in a shooting in Madrid.
Below, you can read more details about the incident.
EU, Germany in talks with all US players on Russia sanctions - spokesperson
14:28
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Tom Watling
Germany and the European Union are in talks with all concerned parties in the United States on new sanctions against Russia over Moscow's war in Ukraine, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“I cannot comment on these internal American debates, but rest assured that Europe and the (German) federal government are also talking to all the players in the USA,” the spokesperson said at a regular government press conference.
Watch: Devastating aftermath of Russian strike on civilian bus
14:00
,
Tom Watling
Russia outlaws Amnesty International in latest crackdown on opposition
13:33
,
Tom Watling
North Korean defectors urge the UN to hold the country's leader accountable for rights abuses
13:02
,
Tom Watling
Two Moscow's airports suspend flights, Russian aviation watchdog says
12:39
,
Tom Watling
Moscow's Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports have temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said on Wednesday via its channel in Telegram, without specifying the reasons.
Russia denies stalling peace talks, says no decision yet on venue
12:14
,
Tom Watling
Russia on Wednesday rejected Ukrainian and European accusations it was trying to drag out the peace process around Ukraine, but said that no decision had yet been made on a venue for talks when asked if they could be hosted by the Vatican.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday “it would be great” for Russia and Ukraine to hold ceasefire talks at the Vatican, saying it would add extra significance to the proceedings.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that Pope Leo had confirmed to her that he was willing to host the next round of negotiations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia welcomed “the readiness and efforts of all parties who want to contribute to a speedy settlement”, but nothing had been decided yet about where the next meeting should be held.
Moscow had not received any specific proposals from the Vatican, he said.
The warring sides met in Istanbul last week for their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022 and agreed a swap of 1,000 prisoners on each side, but Russia did not agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine was seeking.
President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone to Trump on Monday and said Russia and Ukraine would work on a memorandum relating to a peace accord, prompting new accusations from Kyiv and European governments that Moscow was stalling and had no serious interest in peace.
Peskov rejected that. “Nobody is interested in delaying the process. Everyone is working dynamically. We will keep you informed. Of course, most of this work is being done in a discrete mode, and it should not, for obvious reasons, be open to the public,” he said.
Mapped: Former Ukrainian politician shot dead in Madrid
11:48
,
Tom Watling
Moscow mayor says air defences downed three approaching drones
11:45
,
Tom Watling
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Wednesday that air defence systems had downed three drones en route to Russia's capital.
“The Defence Ministry's air defence forces repelled an attack by three drones flying towards Moscow. Emergency services specialists are working at the site where the debris fell,” he said on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday that air defense shot down 159 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, and at least six were shot down over the Moscow region, which has a population of over 20 million.
Putin addresses Russia Ukraine ceasefire hopes after phone call with Trump
11:00
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine calls for improved sanctions enforcement
10:37
Ukraine has called for its backers to focus on enforcing sanctions against those who aid Russian efforts to avoid penalties.
Andriy Sybiha, the country’s foreign minister, wrote on X: “From now on, individuals and entities who assist such activities face the threat of sanctions themselves. The EU no longer needs to prove that a specific Russian oligarch should be sanctioned, but rather that oligarchs must prove the opposite.”
You can read his full statement below.
Here's an example of how sanctions enforcement can be just as effective as the sanctions themselves.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) May 21, 2025
In May, the EU passed some crucial sanctions amendments. They made it more difficult for Russian oligarchs and businessmen to avoid sanctions by obscuring ownership, transferring…
Ukrainian ex-politician shot dead outside Madrid's American school, source says
10:13
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Tom Watling
An unidentified gunman or gunmen shot and killed former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov on Wednesday morning outside the gates of the American School in Madrid's affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo, a source close to the investigation said.
Police received the call about the shooting at 9.15 am (0715 GMT) local time, the Madrid police told Reuters, without identifying the victim.
Radio station Cadena SER said the man was taking his children to the school when he was shot.
Portnov was a senior aide to Ukraine's former President Viktor Yanukovich who was ousted in 2014.
Putin will never agree to reasonable peace terms, says Trump’s former Ukraine advisor
09:59
,
Tom Watling
Donald Trump must “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s finances” if he is to have any chance of getting Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire, the US president’s former Ukraine envoy has told The Independent.
Kurt Volker, who served as US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017 to 2019, says he believes Putin shows no sign of agreeing to a deal despite Trump’s demands.
Trump has vowed to slap further sanctions on Russia should Putin refuse to end the war, but, thus far, those threats have proved empty.
“I think [negotiations to end the war] will drag out for many more months. Putin does not want to do a ceasefire now, and will never agree to any reasonable peace terms,” says Mr Volker.
“So we have to ratchet up pressure on Russia’s finances, and maybe sometime this fall there will be a chance to get a ceasefire.”
Last week, Trump claimed that only a direct meeting between himself and Putin could lead to an end to the war, but nothing substantive came of a subsequent, two-hour phone call earlier this week.
The UK and the European Union announced additional sanctions on Russia this week following further objections from the Kremlin to a peace deal. The US, however, declined to join the efforts.
‘This is what death feels like’: The terrifying reality of Ukraine’s landmine crisis
09:46
,
Tom Watling
Trump administration continues to object to G7 statement on Ukraine
09:30
,
Tom Watling
Donald Trump’s administration has renewed its objections to a joint Group of Seven statement condemning Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, sources have claimed.
Politico reports that the US is opposing including the phrase “further support” for Ukraine, in a G7 statement being drawn up by finance ministers in Canada, who hold the group’s presidency this year. The publication cited two officials involved in the negotiations.
The sources added that Washington is also reluctant to describe Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “illegal”.
Trump’s administration opposed a previous attempt by the G7, intended to be published on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, to issue a statement describing Moscow as the aggressor.
Trump’s negotiations with Putin mean Europe needs to prepare for a second cold war
09:14
,
Tom Watling
In pictures: International soldiers on exercise in Ukraine's Kharkiv region
09:00
,
Tom Watling
Putin attends meeting in Kursk
08:46
,
Tom Watling
Russian president Vladimir Putin has sat down with volunteers in Kursk in the wake of his forces largely ousting Ukrainian troops in the region.
Russia’s presidential service posted a picture of Putin’s meeting with volunteers.
With little progress after phone calls and talks, Ukraine's allies hit Russia with new sanctions
08:32
,
Tom Watling
Trump eyes foreign aid funds to remove migrants including Ukrainians who came to the US from war zones: report
08:21
,
Arpan Rai
The Trump administration is considering using foreign aid funds to remove migrants — including Ukrainians — who came to the US fleeing violence and returning them to active war zones, according to a report.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants, including those from Ukraine and Haiti, are being considered in the plans that would see the administration spend up to $250 million earmarked for foreign assistance, according to The Washington Post.
In draft documents obtained by the newspaper, Afghans, Palestinians, Libyans, Sudanese, Syrians and Yemenis could also be targeted in the administration’s voluntary deportation program. Afghans are likely to be the first group targeted with the voluntary packages, despite the risk they face at home from the Taliban, according to the Post.
Rhian Lubin reports from New York:
Trump misjudged his influence on Putin, says German defence minister
07:34
,
Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump misjudged his influence on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorious has said.
"I suspect he assessed his negotiating position incorrectly," Mr Pistorius told the Deutschlandfunk radio broadcaster yesterday, following Mr Trump's now-abandoned efforts to pressure Putin into accepting an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
A phone call between the two leaders on Monday yielded no progress in Ukraine peace talks and has prompted Europe to announce new Russia sanctions.
The European Union is currently working on its next package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. Mr Pistorius said it remained to be seen whether Washington would join those measures as talks continue via the usual diplomatic channels.
Russian missile attack kills six servicemen and injured 10
07:22
,
Arpan Rai
A Russian missile attack killed six servicemen and injured at least 10 more during training yesterday, Ukraine's national guard said in a statement this morning.
The national guard said an internal investigation was underway and the commander of the military unit had been suspended
Putin visits Kursk region for first time since ejecting Ukrainian forces
07:07
,
Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region, the Kremlin said, announcing his visit for the first time since Russia claimed its forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area.
The Kremlin said that Mr Putin met volunteer organisations in the region and visited the Kursk-II nuclear power plant.
Ukraine attacks Moscow in overnight attacks as 159 drones downed
06:37
,
Arpan Rai
Russia's defence ministry said its air defences shot down 159 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions.
The majority were over Russia's western regions but at least six were shot down over the Moscow region, which has a population of over 20 million, the ministry said.
Zelensky says he and Merz discussed Ukraine’s post-war recovery
06:25
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has said he and German chancellor discussed matters surrounding Ukraine’s recovery after the war in a phone call yesterday.
The Ukrainian president said: “We must already be thinking about this and have a clear plan that can help bring genuine peace closer now and provide support later. We will work together to make it all happen. I am grateful for the support.”
I had an important conversation with @Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz. I thanked him for his strong and constructive position on supporting Ukraine.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 20, 2025
We discussed our conversation yesterday with President Trump, as well as today’s talks with European leaders.
We are coordinating… pic.twitter.com/EZOxvTewNE
Starmer speaks to Zelensky after announcing sanctions
06:17
,
Arpan Rai
Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to Volodymyr Zelensky after the UK announced 100 new sanctions on Russia in a bid to ramp up pressure on Vladimir Putin.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister spoke to president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, this evening.
“The leaders began by reflecting on their meeting in Tirana, Albania, on Friday before discussing the UK’s latest package of sanctions on Russian military, energy and financial sectors announced today.
“It was vital to keep the pressure on Russia while they continued their illegal invasion of Ukraine, the leaders agreed.
“Looking ahead to further peace talks, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine and said he was steadfast in his commitment to helping Ukraine secure a just and lasting peace.
“The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.”
Russia outlaws Amnesty International in latest crackdown on opposition
06:09
,
Arpan Rai
Russia has outlawed Amnesty International, designating it an "undesirable organisation" and criminalising involvement with the human rights group in the country.
This move, announced on Monday by the Russian Prosecutor General’s office, further intensifies the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent, which has escalated dramatically since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The ban effectively shuts down Amnesty’s operations within Russia and threatens anyone cooperating with or supporting the organisation with prosecution.
Albert Toth reports:
Trump will ‘do a runner’ from peace efforts, ex-defence secretary says
06:01
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump will “do a runner” from brokering peace in Ukraine soon, a former British defence secretary has said.
Former Tory MP Ben Wallace told Times Radio: “I’m not very hopeful, I’m afraid. Throughout this Donald Trump has consistently let Putin off the hook”, despite repeatedly threatening tougher sanctions.
“The reality is Donald Trump has no interest. It’s one of the deals that he will move on from – most of his career in business has been about ‘make a deal and do a runner before it actually unravels’. I think that’s what we’re going to see,” he added.
Laying the blame for the millions of people killed, injured and displaced in the war solely at Mr Putin’s feet, he said: “Donald Trump seems to think spending a lots of time on the telephone to him and being constantly humiliated by him – when he just refuses to do anything that Trump requests – is somehow the way to proceed and let’s move on to a trade deal.”
Mr Wallace, who was defence secretary for the first 18 months of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, added: “No doubt there’ll be a golf resort somewhere near St Petersburg, I suspect, soon.”
Former Ukrainian politician shot dead dropping off his children outside American school in Madrid
15:59
,
Tom Watling
A key aide to a former Ukrainian president was shot dead on Wednesday morning outside an American school in Madrid.
Spain’s interior ministry confirmed Andriy Portnov, 51, a senior aide to Ukraine’s former president Viktor Yanukovych, died after he was shot taking his children to school in the affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo at 9.15am (8.15 UK time) local time.
