Russian president Vladimir Putin has refused to directly engage with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in any upcoming talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Mr Putin, who has spent 25 years in power in Russia, claimed to take issue with the fact that Mr Zelensky has been unable to hold elections since Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
In response, Mr Zelensky said the Russian leader’s statements showed he was afraid of talks and sought to keep the conflict going indefinitely.
On the war front, more than a hundred drones targeted Russian oil facilities, including a nuclear power plant, in a major Ukrainian attack this morning, Russian officials said. The Russian defence ministry said that 104 drones were involved in raids across western Russia, 11 of which were destroyed over the Smolensk region.
This comes as North Korea is set to send more than 100 artillery systems to be used against Ukraine’s forces in the war, officials in Kyiv said.
A close ally of Russia, North Korea is about to double the number of artillery systems it has deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, said Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief.
Key Points
- Vladimir Putin refuses direct peace talks with Volodymyr Zelensky
- Ukrainian president says Putin is ‘afraid of strong leaders'
- Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins is alive, foreign minister says
- More than 100 Ukrainian drones hit Russian power, oil facilities
- North Korea sends cannons and artillery – designed to attack Seoul – to Ukraine
North Korea troops partially withdraw from frontline in Russia’s Kursk after weeks of heavy losses
13:08
,
Andy Gregory
North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia near the Ukrainian border have temporarily withdrawn following weeks of heavy losses, Kyiv’s military has claimed.
A Ukrainian special forces commander tasked with retrieving DNA samples from North Korean soldiers claimed Pyongyang’s troops had retreated from one of the axes of the Kursk region, where they have been mobilised since last December, for roughly a fortnight.
It follows claims by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky last week that around a third of the 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to Kursk have already been wounded or killed.
The withdrawal was confirmed by Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, a spokesperson of the Special Operations Forces. “[They] will be back soon,” the commander, who goes by the call sign “Puls”, reportedly said.
Mapped: The frontline in Ukraine
12:53
,
Andy Gregory
Russia says it held ‘frank’ talks with Syria’s new de facto leader
12:38
,
Andy Gregory
Russia claims to have held “frank” discussions with Syria’s new de facto leader as Moscow desperately seeks retain its two military bases in the country.
A Syrian source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa – also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani – had requested that Moscow hand over former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia when he was toppled by rebels in December.
Syrian news agency Sana said Damascus also wanted Russia, which backed Assad in the country’s civil war, to rebuild trust through “concrete measures such as compensation, reconstruction and recovery”, following talks on Tuesday with a Russian delegation led by deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
Asked to confirm whether Russia had been asked to return Assad and pay compensation, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment. The Syrian source said Moscow had not been willing to concede its “past mistakes” and the only agreement that was reached was to continue discussions.
Russia, whose troops and air force backed Assad for years against Syrian rebels, is seeking to retain its naval base in Tartous and Hmeimim air base near the port city of Latakia. Losing them would deal a serious blow to its ability to project power in the region.
Ukraine opens criminal probe into defence minister amid procurement dispute
12:17
,
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian investigators have opened a criminal case involving defence minister Rustem Umerov, following a standoff in his ministry over arms procurement which threatens to strain Kyiv’s ties with vital Western allies.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) told Reuters that its investigation, requested by a corruption watchdog, would examine whether there had been an abuse of authority by Mr Umerov but gave few other details.
The watchdog, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, has accused Mr Umerov of acting illegally by sidelining the head of the Defence Procurement Agency, whose contract he is refusing to renew after criticising the agency’s work.
Mr Umerov said last week that the agency had failed to deliver results for Ukrainian forces, writing on Facebook: “Despite the publicised scale of procurement, our defenders on the frontlines have not experienced its tangible impact.”
Finland’s Patria buys digital defence firm
11:55
,
Andy Gregory
Patria has acquired Belgium-based firm Ilias Solutions for an undisclosed sum in a deal the state-backed Finnish defence group believes will allow it to lead the way in the digitisation of Europe’s defence industry.
Ilias’ digital defence software is used by more than 30 countries, Nato and air forces including those of the UK, US and Greece. Patria, owned by Finland and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said the deal would help to manage capability gaps revealed by the military aid Europe is sending to Kyiv.
Many military capabilities remain largely undigitised and are therefore difficult to maintain and manage, Ilias’ chief operating officer Harald Kokelkoren said, adding its software brought artificial intelligence to military equipment management.
EU won’t ban Russian LNG until it secures alternatives, diplomats say
11:37
,
Andy Gregory
The European Commission did not propose a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in its latest package of sanctions because member states raised concerns about needing to first secure alternative fuels, diplomats have told Reuters.
“First you have to have a deal because otherwise you will be left without gas from Russia and without the US,” one of the diplomats said.
Moscow had been using northern European ports to do ship-to-ship transfers of LNG for onward journeys to Asia. But a ban announced by the EU last June has seen more Russian LNG staying in Europe, prompting some member states to push for tighter rules and an all-out ban.
However, the Commission did not propose tougher measures after pushback from some member states, and EU sources have told Reuters that the cold winter weather, gas stocks drawdown and the timing of the upcoming German election put a further dampener on the idea.
“There was never an original measure, so I don’t think it’s useful to talk about it in terms of watering down,” one European diplomat told Reuters.
“The general idea was floated by the Commission in confessionals in order to test the waters ... Apparently one or more member [state] signalled enough opposition for the Commission not to deem it opportune to propose such a measure now.”
UK on alert over rise in drug-resistant bacterial infections in Ukraine
11:22
,
Andy Gregory
The number of drug-resistant infections is rapidly rising in Ukraine, according to reports - with the UK’s government agency for health security on alert over a risk of case numbers increasing.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections occur when bacteria evolves to learn how to defend itself against common antibiotic and other medicines, making treatment ineffective.
Overuse of antibiotics is the main cause of the so-called “silent pandemic” of AMR infections, with a type of infection called Klebsiella pneumoniae now becoming a major issue for hospitals near Ukraine’s frontline.
Last week, the BBC reported on a sharp rise in cases faced by clinicians in Ukraine. While globally, 1.4m people died from AMR infections in 2023. In the same year, 58,000 people had AMR infections in the UK.
The UK Health Security Agency has called it a global crisis with the agency calling for action to drive down infections around the world. Below, The Independent asks what is helping drive the increase in Ukraine and what can be done about it:
Full report: Western officials warn Ukraine over weapons procurement dispute
11:07
,
Andy Gregory
G7 ambassadors have issued a warning to Ukraine that a dispute over the reappointment of Kyiv’s weapons procurement chief could jeapordise trust among Ukraine’s allies at a critical point in which the backing of new US president Donald Trump appears to be in the balance.
Lawsuit says Russian officials stole millions meant to fortify Kursk
10:50
,
Andy Gregory
Russian prosecutors are seeking to recover some £26m of funds that they say were allocated for the defence of Kursk, but which were stolen instead by corrupt officials.
Ukrainian troops stormed across the border in a surprise attack on 6 August and seized a chunk of territory in Russia’s Kursk region, some of which they still hold in a valuable bargaining chip for Kyiv in any peace talks with Moscow.
A lawsuit filed by Russia’s chief prosecutor’s office orders the head of the Kursk Regional Development Corporation, his deputies and a number of businessmen to repay more than 3.2 billion roubles (£26m) allegedly embezzled from the regional defence budget, state news agency RIA reported.
In the two years prior to Ukraine‘s attack, the governor in charge of Kursk at the time had repeatedly told the public that Russia had boosted its fortifications along the region’s 150-mile border with Ukraine.
But in the autumn of 2023, Ukraine‘s National Resistance Center, created by the special operations forces, said in an online post that reconnaissance showed “almost all the strongholds are deserted of personnel and equipment” along the border with Kursk. Corruption was a factor, it said.
Mapped: Russia’s advance in eastern Ukraine
10:35
,
Andy Gregory
Western officials warn Ukraine over weapons procurement dispute
10:20
,
Andy Gregory
Western officials have urged Ukraine to resolve an escalating rift between its defence minister and procurement, warning that it could jeopardise trust in the country and disrupt weapons supplies.
The row began last week when the Defence Procurement Agency’s board unanimously voted to extend director Maryna Bezrukova’s contract for another year. However, defence minister Rustem Umerov overruled the decision, accusing her of poor performance and failing to deliver arms to frontline troops.
The decision provoked an outcry from politicians and anti-corruption watchdogs who alleged that Mr Umerov’s move to dismiss Ms Bezrukova was illegal under Ukrainian law.
In a statement on Monday, G7 ambassadors urged Kyiv to resolve the situation “expeditiously and focus on keeping defence procurement going”, saying: “Consistency with good governance principles and Nato recommendations is important to maintain the trust of the public and international partners.”
ICYMI: Desperate Ukrainians resorting to illegal routes and ‘rogue advisers’ to bring children to UK
10:06
,
Andy Gregory
Desperate Ukrainian families are resorting to illegal routes and “rogue advisers” to bring their children to Britain after “catastrophic” changes to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, ministers have been told.
The government, which has vowed “ironclad” support for Ukrainians, has been warned repeatedly since taking office that changes to the Ukrainian sponsorship schemes – made overnight last February by the Tory administration – are preventing children from joining their parents in the UK.
This has now created the “inevitable” situation in which families are resorting to bringing children to the UK via irregular routes, leaving them at risk of exploitation by criminals and people traffickers, a charity supporting Ukrainians told the home secretary this week.
Speaking to The Independent, one Ukrainian mother said she was left with no choice but to bring her children from Ukraine illegally after their carer grandparent fell ill, and urged the government to change course to allow families to reunite in safety.
Read more in this report:
Russia suffers 1,670 casualties, Ukraine claims in daily update
09:52
,
Andy Gregory
Ukraine claims to have inflicted a further 1,670 casualties among Vladimir Putin’s forces in another day of intense fighting along the front line.
Nearly 200 combat clashes were reported in the Ukrainian military’s daily update, with Russia said to have carried out 33 air strikes, fired more than 5,000 artillery shells, and deployed nearly 2,500 kamikaze attack drones.
The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces claimed its troops had destroyed 10 Russian tanks, 24 armoured vehicles, and 29 artillery systems.
Australian teacher captured by Russian forces in Ukraine war is alive, Canberra says
09:37
,
Andy Gregory
An Australian man who was feared dead after being captured by Russian forces is alive, foreign minister Penny Wong has announced.
Oscar Jenkins, 32, a teacher who signed up to fight for Ukraine against Russia, was taken captive in December last year. A video showed him being struck by a Russian interrogator, sparking fears for his life.
“The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody,” Ms Wong said.
But she warned that Australia still has “serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war”, saying: “We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment.”
My colleague Arpan Rai reports:
Video report: The extraordinary lengths North Korean soldiers will go to avoid capture in Ukraine
09:22
,
Andy Gregory
Drone debris falls near metro station in Kyiv, mayor says
09:07
,
Andy Gregory
Debris from a destroyed Russian drone fell near a metro station in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, the capital’s mayor Vitali Klitschko has said.
“All emergency services heading to the site,” Mr Klitschko said.
Kyiv was under air raid alert for around half an hour starting from 5:55am local time, according to data from Ukraine’s air force.
Russian overnight attack targets port area in Odesa region, governor says
08:53
,
Andy Gregory
A Russian overnight attack targeted port area infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa region and damaged buildings, governor Oleh Kiper has said.
The governor reported no casualties.
Ukraine’s military confirms it struck oil refinery in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region
08:42
,
Andy Gregory
The Ukrainian military has said that its drones struck an oil refinery in Kstovo, a city in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region.
There was a large fire at the refinery following the overnight attack, the Ukrainian military said, adding that it was assessing the scale of damage there.
Russian petrochemicals giant Sibur said earlier that it had temporarily suspended production at its plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region due to a Ukrainian drone attack. The company said debris had fallen onto the plant and caused a fire but there were no casualties.
Why peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are not as simple as Trump makes out
08:32
,
Andy Gregory
US president Donald Trump’s pre-election promises to end the war in Ukraine in less than 24 hours – and before his inauguration – have proved empty.
Keith Kellogg, Mr Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, says the administration’s new goal is to stop the fighting in 100 days.
But details on how this will be achieved remain scant. Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed this is because speaking openly about his plans would undermine his negotiating position. His detractors, however, say this is a cover for a lack of plan.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, have both expressed a willingness to speak with Mr Trump, though both have their own demands if peace is to be achieved.
Below, The Independent looks at the factors at play and why a peace deal could prove elusive:
Ukraine’s military says it shot down 29 Russian drones launched overnight
08:19
,
Andy Gregory
Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 57 drones in its latest overnight attack, Ukraine has said.
The Ukrainian military said it shot down 29 Russian drones and that 14 drones did not reach their targets. The Ukrainian air force did not specify what happened to the rest of the drones.
Recap: Trump warns Putin on day one in office
08:12
,
Andy Gregory
Zelensky asks Trump to be on Ukraine’s side and reject Putin
07:38
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged US president Donald Trump to be on Ukraine’s side as the US attempts to broker a peace deal.
“We want him (Trump) to be on the side of justice, on the side of Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said in the interview aired last night. “Putin is not afraid of Europe,” he said.
Mr Zelensky added Ukraine cannot recognise Russia’s occupation, but it preferred a diplomatic resolution.
The White House had no immediate comment.
Mr Trump has expressed willingness to speak to Mr Putin about ending the war, a contrast with the administration of Democratic former president Joe Biden, who shunned the Russian leader.
Russia shuts output at petrochemical plant after drone attack
06:54
,
Arpan Rai
Russian petrochemicals giant Sibur said it has temporarily suspended production today at its plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region due to a Ukrainian drone attack.
The company said debris had fallen onto the plant and caused a fire but there were no casualties. Emergency services were working at the site, it said.
Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins is alive, foreign minister says
06:21
,
Arpan Rai
Oscar Jenkins, an Australian soldier who was previously feared dead in Russia, is alive and in Russian custody, Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong has announced.
Mr Jenkins, 32, signed up to fight for Ukraine against Russian forces before he was taken captive. A video showed him with hands bound and being struck by a Russian interrogator earlier this month, sparking fears for his life.
“The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody,” Ms Wong said today.
Australia still holds “serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war,” she said. “We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment,” the minister said.
A foreign soldier who trained him said earlier this month that he believed Mr Jenkins had been executed in captivity to make an example of him, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald on 14 January.
Where Russian forces are making gains in eastern Ukraine: Mapped
06:20
,
Arpan Rai
More than 100 Ukrainian drones hit Russian power, oil facilities
06:04
,
Arpan Rai
More than a hundred drones hit Russian oil facilities, including a nuclear power plant, in a major Ukrainian attack this morning, Russian officials said.
The Russian defence ministry said that 104 drones were involved in raids across western Russia, 11 of which were destroyed over the Smolensk region.
The Smolensk nuclear power plant, the largest power generating plant in Russia’s northwest, was working normally, RIA state news agency reported, citing the plant’s press service.
Air defence systems destroyed a drone attempting to strike a nuclear power facility in the western region of Smolensk bordering Belarus, governor Vasily Anokhin said on the Telegram app.
In total, Russian air defences destroyed drones over nine regions, nearly half of them over Kursk where Russian forces are fighting to drive out Ukrainian troops that have occupied several villages.
North Korea troops partially withdraw from front in Russia’s Kursk
05:40
,
Arpan Rai
Drone debris falls near metro station in Kyiv, mayor says
05:30
,
Arpan Rai
Debris from a destroyed Russian drone fell near a metro station in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv this morning, said mayor Vitali Klitschko.
“All emergency services heading to the site,” Mr Klitschko said on his Telegram channel. Kyiv was under an air raid alert for about half an hour starting at 3.55am GMT, according to data from Ukraine’s air force.
Why Ukraine-Russia peace talks are not as simple as Trump makes out
05:00
,
Tom Watling
North Korea sends cannons and artillery – designed to attack Seoul – to Ukraine war
04:39
,
Arpan Rai
North Korea is set to send more than 100 artillery systems to be used against Ukraine’s forces in the war, officials in Kyiv said.
A close ally of Russia, North Korea is about to double the number of artillery systems it has deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, said Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief.
North Korea has already given at least 120 North Korean-made M1989 Koksans, as well as another 120 of its M1991 multiple-launch rocket systems, the Ukrainian military intelligence official said.
Pyongyang was preparing to send another tranche of at least the same amount, Lt Gen Budanov said, adding that open source analysts have spotted some already on their way to the war.
The 170mm M1989 Koksan howitzers were manufactured by North Korea to attack the South Korean capital in the event of a war. It is among the longest-range artillery systems in the world.
The extremes North Korean soldiers will go to avoid capture in Ukraine
04:00
,
Tom Watling
Putin fears talks and acting to make the war endless, says Zelensky
03:14
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s statements on holding peace talks to end the war in Ukraine showed he was afraid of talks and sought to make the conflict endless.
“Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders and is doing everything to prolong the war,” Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram. Mr Putin’s actions, he said, were “aimed at making the war endless.”
Mr Putin earlier said Ukraine could find the legal means to hold talks with Russia despite what he described as Mr Zelensky’s “illegitimacy,” meaning he had remained in power beyond his legal mandate.
Putin refuses direct talks with Zelensky
03:08
,
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin has refused to directly engage with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him “illegitimate”.
The Russian president said Ukraine will have to find a legal way to hold the peace talks as Kyiv has not held any elections since Russia started the war on its smaller neighbour.
Mr Putin told Russian state television that negotiations with Ukraine were complicated by president Volodymyr Zelensky’s “illegitimacy” in remaining in power beyond his mandate with no authority to sign documents. “But essentially, if they want to proceed, there is a legal way to do it. Let the chairman of the Rada (Ukraine‘s parliament) handle it in accordance with the constitution,” Mr Putin told top Kremlin reporter Pavel Zarubin.
Russia has long alleged that Mr Zelensky no longer has legal authority as his term in office ran out in May 2024 and no presidential election has since been held.
“If there is a desire, we can resolve any legal issues. However, so far, we simply do not see such a desire,” he said.
If Ukraine showed a desire to negotiate and seek compromises, Mr Putin said, “let anyone suitable lead those talks. We will naturally secure what meets our interests.
Mapped: Ukraine’s assault in Kursk
Tuesday 28 January 2025 17:00
,
Tom Watling
