Russian president Vladimir Putin has said it is ‘impossible to believe” that Moscow wants a war with Nato nations.
Putin said that while Europe’s “ruling elites” have warned a war with Russia is near, it is “impossible to believe” as it will run against Russia’s security interests. He was speaking yesterday at the Valdai Discussion Club, a forum of Russia experts, in the city of Sochi.
Putin has also warned Donald Trump that if he provides Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles it would be a “new stage of escalation”.
US vice president JD Vance said on Sunday that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain long-range Tomahawks that could reach targets deep into Russia, including Moscow.
"Using Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel is impossible. This would mark a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States,” Putin said.
It comes as the US is set to provide Ukraine with intelligence to carry out long-range strikes on energy infrastructure targets inside Russia, according to reports.
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Key Points
- Putin says ‘impossible to believe’ Moscow wants a war with Nato
- Russia tracking British military satellites, says UK space command chief
- Putin warns Trump of escalation if US gives Kyiv Tomahawk missiles
- Putin dismisses Trump's 'paper tiger' remark
- Russia says conflict with West is no longer a Cold War but a 'fiery' confrontation
Russia detains suspect 'recruited by Ukraine for attacks on infrastructure'
09:30
,
James Reynolds
Russia’s FSB security service claimed to have detained a 53-year-old Russian man alleged to have been recruited by Ukraine for acts of “sabotage and terrorism”, the Russian TASS news agency reported on Friday.
The suspect was alleged to have been recruited “to gather intelligence regarding military installations on the peninsula and to prepare acts of sabotage and terrorism,” the FSB told the agency.
The FSB said the suspect had taken components of an IED from a cache and sent photos of the deployment of two S-300 air defence systems in Crimea and their coordinates to the Ukrainian special service by WhatsApp.
The FSB claimed he had confessed and been remanded in custody.
What do we know about the Munich airport shutdown?
09:00
,
James Reynolds
Munich airport was shut down temporarily late on Thursday following a string of reported drone sightings in the area, the airport said.
Officials said that 17 flights were unable to take off, affecting almost 3,000 passengers. Fifteen arriving flights were diverted to three other airports in Germany and one in Austria.
Amid heightened concern over recent drone sightings and incursions attributed to Russia, European authorities and foreign media have expressed concerns that Russia could be behind the incident in Munich.
There was no immediate confirmation of where the drones came from. The airport has since reopened.
Copenhagen and Oslo airports were recently forced to shut after drones were sighted near airports and military airspaces. Russian authorities rejected claims of involvement in recent drone incidents in Denmark.
Danish authorities said there was no evidence Russia was involved.
Putin says ‘impossible to believe’ Moscow wants a war with Nato
08:00
,
Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin has said it is ‘impossible to believe” that Moscow wants a war with Nato nations.
Putin said that while Europe’s “ruling elites” have warned a war with Russia is near, it is “impossible to believe” as it will run against Russia’s security interests. He was speaking yesterday at the Valdai Discussion Club, a forum of Russia experts, in the city of Sochi.
He also said Europeans are sceptical as they “don’t know what is so bad about Russia and why they should tighten their belts to counter Russia”.
Russia ‘using deadly new missile upgrade’ to bypass Ukraine’s Patriot air defence systems
07:49
,
Arpan Rai
Russia appears to have upgraded its ballistic missiles in use against Ukraine to bypass US-made Patriot air defence systems, according to a report.
The upgrades likely involve Russia’s Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, which have ranges of up to 500km and 480km respectively. These missiles follow a standard flight path before suddenly diving steeply, making interception by Patriot systems difficult, Ukrainian and Western officials told the Financial Times.
One former Ukrainian official described it as a “game-changer for Russia”.
Ukraine’s missile interception rate has dropped sharply in recent months, from 37 per cent in August to just 6 per cent in September, the FT reported, citing Ukrainian Air Force data.
Putin warns Trump of escalation if US gives Kyiv Tomahawk missiles
07:44
,
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin has warned Donald Trump that if he provides Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles it would be a “new stage of escalation”.
US vice president JD Vance said on Sunday that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain long-range Tomahawks that could reach targets deep into Russia, including Moscow.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club, a forum of Russia experts, in the city of Sochi, he said: "Using Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel is impossible. This would mark a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States."
In recent weeks Mr Trump has sharply shifted how he talks about the war in Ukraine, suggesting Kyiv could retake all the land Russia has seized and calling the Russian military a "paper tiger."
Russia tracking British military satellites, says UK space command chief
07:31
,
Arpan Rai
Russia is tracking British military satellites using its own satellites, the head of the UK space command has said.
"They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close," he said,” Maj Gen Paul Tedman told BBC.
The UK operates approximately six dedicated military satellites for communications and surveillance, which Maj Gen Tedman said were equipped with counter-jamming technology.
"They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them,” he said, sharing the level of interference from Moscow against British space-based assets.
Gen Paul said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week.
Between 4 September and 12 September, a US satellite was repositioned in orbit to inspect a UK satellite and confirm it was functioning properly.
The test was part of Operation Olympic Defender, a joint military framework aimed at improving satellite defence and resilience.
“Expertly executed with US Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies,” Maj Gen Tedman said.
US Tomhawk missile shipments to Ukraine unlikely
07:03
,
Arpan Rai
The Trump administration's desire to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine might not be viable because current inventories were committed to the US navy and other uses, a US official and three sources said.
US vice president JD Vance said Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain Tomahawks that could create havoc deep inside Russia, including Moscow.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported the US would provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets inside Russia.
But a US official and sources familiar with Tomahawk missile training and supplies questioned the feasibility of providing them to Kyiv. The cruise missiles have a a range of 2,500km.
The official said the US could look into allowing European allies to buy other long-range weapons and supply them to Ukraine, but Tomahawks were unlikely to be sent.
Putin warns Trump against supplying long-range missile to Ukraine
06:35
,
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin warned that the US supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington without changing the situation on the battlefield, where the Russian army was making slow but steady advances.
The potential supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv would signal a "qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the US," Putin said at a forum of international foreign policy experts in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.
The Russian leader noted that even though Tomahawk missiles were capable of inflicting damage on Russia if supplied to Ukraine, Russian air defences would quickly adapt to the new threat.
"It will certainly not change the balance of force on the battlefield," he added, emphasising that the Russian military was continuously making gains against Ukraine.
Zelensky warns that Russian drones endanger Chernobyl
06:09
,
Arpan Rai
Russia's sustained bombardment of Ukraine's power grid is deepening concerns about the safety of the country's nuclear facilities after a drone knocked out power for more than three hours to the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in northern Ukraine, officials said.
The drone strike adds to concerns raised more than a week ago when the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine became disconnected from the power grid following attacks that each side has blamed on the other.
"Russia is deliberately creating the threat of radiation incidents," Volodymyr Zelensky said late Wednesday, criticising the UN nuclear watchdog and its chief Rafael Mariano Grossi for what he described as weak responses to the danger.
"Every day of Russia's war, every strike on our energy facilities, including those connected to nuclear safety, is a global threat," he said.
"Weak and half-measures will not work. Strong action is needed."
Both Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia are not currently operational, but they require a constant power supply to run crucial cooling systems for spent fuel rods in order to avoid a potential nuclear incident.
A blackout also could blind radiation monitoring systems installed to boost security at Chernobyl and operated by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
Frantic 911 calls moments after Ukraine refugee’s fatal stabbing released
05:44
,
Arpan Rai
Harrowing audio of 911 calls made in the moments after the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has been released by police.
Zarutska, who relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was stabbed three times in an unprovoked attack while travelling on the city’s Lynx blue line train service.
“A man just f***ing stabbed this woman for no reason,” a panicked man can be heard saying. “On the train. She’s bleeding. She’s bleeding a lot.”
DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, who has a record of mental illness and previous convictions for armed robbery and other crimes, has been charged with her murder. Surveillance footage of the incident shows a man in a red hoodie sitting in the seat behind Zarutska, before pulling out a pocket knife and then repeatedly stabbing her. She collapsed as he walked away.
Russia ‘using deadly new missile upgrade’ to bypass Ukraine’s Patriot air defence systems
05:39
,
Arpan Rai
Russia appears to have upgraded its ballistic missiles in use against Ukraine to bypass US-made Patriot air defence systems, according to a report.
The upgrades likely involve Russia’s Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, which have ranges of up to 500km and 480km respectively. These missiles follow a standard flight path before suddenly diving steeply, making interception by Patriot systems difficult, Ukrainian and Western officials told the Financial Times.
One former Ukrainian official described it as a “game-changer for Russia”.
Ukraine’s missile interception rate has dropped sharply in recent months, from 37 per cent in August to just 6 per cent in September, the FT reported, citing Ukrainian Air Force data.
Russia says conflict with West is no longer a Cold War but a 'fiery' confrontation
05:28
,
Arpan Rai
Russia has rejected comparisons to the Cold War, saying tensions with the West have escalated into a "fiery" conflict.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the EU and Nato are spreading false claims about Russian sabotage to justify increased military spending.
"I would disagree with the comparison with the Cold War," she told reporters on Thursday.
“We are already in another form of conflict. There has been no cold here for a long time; there is already fire here.”
The war in Ukraine has triggered the most serious stand-off between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, with Moscow accusing the West of provocations and interference, including drone incursions and sabotage claims.
Zakharova dismissed Western accusations of airspace violations and cyber attacks as fabrications, saying they signal preparations for provocations and are meant to defend rising defence budgets.
Putin dismisses allegations Russia flew drones into Nato airspace
05:14
,
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin scoffed at Western claims of possible Russian involvement in recent drone flights over Denmark, casting them as part of purported Nato efforts to "inflame tensions to boost the defence spending”.
"I won't do it anymore — to France, Denmark, Copenhagen, Lisbon — wherever they could reach," he said with a sardonic grin.
Nato is stepping up aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea, while France, Germany and Sweden are bolstering Denmark’s air defences over a series of troubling drone incidents near the country’s airports and military bases.
The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has spiked in the past month, including by Russian warplanes.
Regardless of who is to blame in Denmark, European leaders believe that Russia is testing Nato.
Military planners in Moscow can observe how Western forces react, and countering intrusions by relatively cheap drones is a financial burden on the allies.
Putin says ‘impossible to believe’ Moscow wants a war with Nato
04:59
,
Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin has said it is ‘impossible to believe” that Moscow wants a war with Nato nations.
Putin said that while Europe’s “ruling elites” have warned a war with Russia is near, it is “impossible to believe” as it will run against Russia’s security interests. He was speaking yesterday at the Valdai Discussion Club, a forum of Russia experts, in the city of Sochi.
He also said Europeans are sceptical as they “don’t know what is so bad about Russia and why they should tighten their belts to counter Russia”.
Power being restored in Ukraine's northern districts after Russian attacks
04:05
,
Arpan Rai
Emergency crews were gradually restoring power to areas of northern Ukraine disconnected from the grid by Russian attacks, Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
A drone attack on Slavutych on Wednesday knocked out power to the Chornobyl station for three hours, including the new containment vessel erected in 2016 to keep radiation from leaking.
The fourth reactor at the Chornobyl plant exploded in 1986 in the world's worst civil nuclear disaster.
Svyrydenko said power had been fully restored in two areas of the border Sumy region hit by overnight Russian attacks.
Repairs were also proceeding in the neighbouring Chernihiv region, where more than 300,000 consumers had been left without power after Russian strikes on Wednesday.
In the northern town of Slavutych, adjacent to the decommissioned Chornobyl nuclear power station, Svyrydenko said critical infrastructure sites were back on the grid and crews hoped to restore power soon to the rest of the town.
Putin hails Alaska summit and says he felt 'comfortable' with Trump
03:52
,
Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin has hailed Donald Trump's efforts to help negotiate peace in Ukraine and described their August summit in Alaska as productive.
"It was good that we made an attempt to search for and find possible ways to settle the Ukrainian crisis," he said, adding that he felt "comfortable" talking to Trump.
Putin also reaffirmed his offer to the US to extend their last remaining nuclear arms control pact for one more year after it expires in February.
The 2010 New START treaty limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
"If they don't need it, we don't need it either," he said, adding that "we feel confident about our nuclear shield."
While praising Trump and trying to emphasize potential common interests, the Russian president sent a stern warning to Ukraine's Western allies against trying to seize ships that carry Russian oil to global markers.
He argued that would amount to piracy and could trigger a forceful response while sharply destabilising the global oil market.
Putin dismisses Trump's 'paper tiger' remark
03:44
,
Arpan Rai
Asked about Donald Trump dismissing Russia as a "paper tiger" because of its failure to defeat its smaller neighbour after more than three and a half years of fighting, Vladimir Putin argued that Russia has faced all the Nato allies backing Kyiv.
“We are fighting against the entire bloc of Nato and we keep moving, keep advancing and feel confident and we are a paper tiger; what Nato itself is?" he said.
“A paper tiger? Go and deal with this paper tiger then.”
France urges tougher action against Russia, saying drones should be shot down and oil ships stopped
03:00
,
Joe Middleton
Europe must take a more aggressive approach with Russia by shooting down drones that enter European airspace and boarding shadow fleet ships illicitly transporting oil to deprive Moscow of war revenue, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
Speaking at a European summit in Copenhagen, Macron and other European leaders called for more sanctions against Russia — notably targeting its energy sector — and emphasized that Ukraine is on the front line in a widening hybrid war against Europe.
Macron urged the more than 40 leaders at the European Political Community summit to simply protect their interests without signaling their intentions to Russia.
Kyiv says Moscow preparing to connect Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to Russian grid
02:00
,
Joe Middleton
Ukraine accused Russia of deliberately cutting external power to the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and preparing to connect it to its own grid.
The plant, Europe’s largest, has relied on emergency diesel generators for over a week.
ICYMI: Locals rescued from cars and homes as flash floods turn deadly in Odesa
01:00
,
Joe Middleton
Friday 3 October 2025 00:00
,
Taz Ali
Europe must take a more aggressive approach with Russia by shooting down drones that enter European airspace and boarding shadow fleet ships illicitly transporting oil to deprive Moscow of war revenue, French president Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
Speaking at a European summit in Copenhagen, Macron and other European leaders called for more sanctions against Russia — notably targeting its energy sector — and emphasised that Ukraine is on the frontline in a widening hybrid war against Europe.
Macron urged the more than 40 leaders at the European Political Community summit to simply protect their interests without signalling their intentions to Russia.
“I think the main answer should be more unpredictability and more strategic ambiguity,” he said.
Read our full story below.
EU pledges long-term support and tech aid for Ukraine
Thursday 2 October 2025 23:00
,
Taz Ali
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s support for Ukraine, emphasising a commitment to stand with the country “today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes”.
In a statement on X, she announced plans for a new programme aimed at giving Ukraine a technological advantage on the battlefield.
Von der Leyen also highlighted ongoing efforts to secure Ukraine’s future as a full member of the EU, underscoring the bloc’s long-term strategic partnership.
Our goal remains a strong and free Ukraine.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 2, 2025
Russia needs to know that the EU and its partners have the will and the means to continue supporting Ukraine until a just and lasting peace is achieved.
Soon, we will launch a new programme to give Ukraine the tech edge it needs on… pic.twitter.com/aRXJkJKqwl
Kremlin condemns France seizure of suspected Russian oil tanker as 'hysteria'
Thursday 2 October 2025 22:00
,
Taz Ali
Russia condemned France’s seizure of a tanker suspected of carrying Russian oil as “hysteria”, warning it could disrupt global energy routes.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioned whether the oil was Russian and said such actions could create major problems for international energy transport.
"I don't know what kind of oil, what is the origin of this oil," Peskov told reporters on Thursday. "What if it's not Russian oil?
"What if France is going to create enormous problems for all the ways of international energy sources - what is going to happen?
"So I think it's all part this hysteria I mentioned before."
French authorities arrested the Chinese captain of the Boracay, a sanctioned vessel allegedly linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet”, after the French navy boarded the vessel anchored off western France.
The ship was approximately 50 nautical miles south of Copenhagen on 22 September when drone activity forced the closure of the Danish capital’s airport.
Poland reports Russian boat near pipeline amid sabotage fears
Thursday 2 October 2025 21:00
,
Taz Ali
Polish border guards said they had spotted a Russian fishing boat acting suspiciously near a gas pipeline in Polish waters, amid anxiety over possible sabotage operations in the Baltic Sea.
The boat was seen on Wednesday near a gas pipeline belonging to Petrobaltic, a company that works in the area, 18 nautical miles north of the town of Wladyslawowo.
The vessel slowed down and came within 300 metres of the pipeline before sailing away after a radio alert, the Polish border guard said in a statement on Thursday.
The incident comes amid heightened concerns over possible sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea, where Nato countries are increasing protection of underwater infrastructure.
Putin warns Trump of escalation if US gives Kyiv Tomahawk missiles
Thursday 2 October 2025 20:43
,
Joe Middleton
Vladimir Putin has warned Donald Trump that if he provides Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles it would be a “new stage of escalation”.
US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain long-range Tomahawks that could reach targets deep into Russia, including Moscow.
Speaking on Thursday at the Valdai Discussion Club, a forum of Russia experts, in the city of Sochi, he said: "Using Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel is impossible. This would mark a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States."
In recent weeks Mr Trump has sharply shifted how he talks about the war in Ukraine, suggesting Kyiv could retake all the land Russia has seized and calling the Russian military a "paper tiger."
Kremlin warns US over possible Tomahawk supply to Ukraine
Thursday 2 October 2025 20:00
,
Taz Ali
The Kremlin warned that US delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would trigger a serious escalation with the West.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia had seen the reports that the US was considering such a move, calling it “a new serious round of tension” that would “require an adequate response from the Russian side”.
He added that no weapon, including Tomahawks, would fundamentally change the course of the war.
US vice president JD Vance said on Sunday that Washington is considering Kyiv’s request for the missiles.
Zelensky meets European leaders to discuss defence, drone production and security guarantees
Thursday 2 October 2025 19:00
,
Taz Ali
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he met with the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany and Poland to discuss security cooperation and regional defence.
He called for a strong response to Russia’s airspace violations and said Ukraine is ready to boost production of drones, electronic warfare systems and other critical technologies.
I had a meeting with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen @Statsmin, President of France @EmmanuelMacron, @bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz, and Prime Minister of Poland @donaldtusk.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 2, 2025
Russia’s violations of European airspace require an effective response. We are ready to ramp… pic.twitter.com/7RZGVxnVrH
Kyiv says Moscow preparing to connect Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to Russian grid
Thursday 2 October 2025 18:00
,
Taz Ali
Ukraine accused Russia of deliberately cutting external power to the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and preparing to connect it to its own grid.
The plant, Europe’s largest, has relied on emergency diesel generators for over a week.
Russia says conflict with West is no longer a Cold War but a 'fiery' confrontation
Thursday 2 October 2025 17:00
,
Taz Ali
Russia has rejected comparisons to the Cold War, saying tensions with the West have escalated into a "fiery" conflict.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the EU and Nato are spreading false claims about Russian sabotage to justify increased military spending.
"I would disagree with the comparison with the Cold War," she told reporters on Thursday.
“We are already in another form of conflict. There has been no cold here for a long time; there is already fire here.”
The war in Ukraine has triggered the most serious stand-off between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, with Moscow accusing the West of provocations and interference, including drone incursions and sabotage claims.
Zakharova dismissed Western accusations of airspace violations and cyber attacks as fabrications, saying they signal preparations for provocations and are meant to defend rising defence budgets.
In pictures: Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war
Thursday 2 October 2025 16:20
,
Taz Ali
Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Thursday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 185 military personnel, most of whom had been in Russian captivity since 2022, and 20 civilians were freed and brought home.
Since the war began, more than 7,000 Ukrainians have been released, Zelensky said on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said 185 of its soldiers and 20 civilians returned.
Russian vessel spotted near Polish gas pipeline
Thursday 2 October 2025 15:50
,
Taz Ali
Polish border guards spotted a Russian vessel near a gas pipeline in Polish waters on Wednesday, a government spokesperson said.
The 70-metre vessel was a fishing boat, and it complied with orders to move away from an area close to the gas pipeline, a Polish interior ministry spokesperson said on Thursday, without giving further details.
Thursday 2 October 2025 15:20
,
Daniel Keane
Russia appears to have upgraded its ballistic missiles used against Ukraine to bypass US-made Patriot air defence systems, according to a report.
The upgrades likely involve Russia’s Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, which have ranges of up to 500km and 480km respectively. These missiles follow a standard flight path before suddenly diving steeply, making interception by Patriot systems difficult, Ukrainian and Western officials told the Financial Times.
One former Ukrainian official described it as a “game-changer for Russia”.
Ukraine’s missile interception rate has dropped sharply in recent months, from 37 per cent in August to just 6 per cent in September, the FT reported, citing Ukrainian air force data.
Read our full story below.
Poland to buy Amraam air to air missiles, minister says
Thursday 2 October 2025 14:51
,
Daniel Keane
Poland is set to buy Amraam air to air missiles for its F-35 jets, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on
