Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western allies to provide more long-range weapons after Kyiv was targeted in Russia’s fifth drone attack in just two weeks.
Russia has launched “systematic attacks” and rained missiles and drones across the capital region, looking for new tactics to make battlefield gains, Kyiv’s military head said.
Defence analysts said the attacks appeared to involve a new, unidentified type of low-flying drone that operates at an altitude of just 20-30 metres.
Ukrainian defence systems destroyed 35 of the 39 drones and two cruise missiles that Russia had launched overnight to target 10 regions in Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky said the attack showed how it was necessary to target bases within Russia to protect Ukraine from air raids.
“Our sufficient long-range capabilities should be a fair response to Russian terror. Everyone who supports us in this supports the defence against terror,” he said.
The attack on Kyiv came after Ukrainian officials confirmed that former MP Iryna Farion, a linguist who was well known for her campaigns defending the country’s language, had been shot dead in the city of Lviv. A manhunt is underway to find the attacker.
Key Points
- Zelensky appeals for more long-range weapons after latest attack on Kyiv
- Sirens sound in Kyiv amid Russian attack
- Russia targeted Kyiv with new-type of low-flying drones - report
- Controversial champion of Ukrainian language shot dead in Lviv
Civilians killed and wounded as Russia and Ukraine trade attacks
04:26
Arpan Rai
Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone, missile and shelling attacks yesterday, killing at least two people in Ukrainian strikes on the partly Russian-occupied Donetsk region, Russian state media said.
Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes wounded at least five people. Along the frontline in the east, Russia said it had taken control of two villages, one in the Kharkiv region and one in the Luhansk region.
Ukrainian shelling of Russia-held areas of the Donetsk region killed two people in the village of Horlivka, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said.
Three people were wounded by Russian drone strikes in southern Ukraine‘s partly occupied Kherson region, local officials said yesterday morning. In the country’s northeast, officials in the Kharkiv region said two people were wounded when a village was hit by Russian shells.
Overnight into Sunday, Ukraine’s air defences intercepted 35 of the 39 drones launched by Russia, according to air force commander Mykola Oleschuk. In addition, Russia launched three ballistic missiles and two guided air missiles, which did not reach their targets, he said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed yesterday that its troops had taken control of two villages: Pishchane Nizhne in the Kharkiv region and Andriivka, sometimes referred to as Rozivka, in the Luhansk region. Kyiv did not immediately comment.
Kidnapped, abused, humiliated – the Ukrainian children stolen by Russia
04:00
Alexander Butler
Zelensky says he respects Biden’s ‘tough but strong’ decision
03:42
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said he respected US president Joe Biden’s “tough but strong” decision to end his reelection campaign and not run for a second term.
“Ukraine is grateful to president Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical,” Mr Zelensky said.
“Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times. And we respect today’s tough but strong decision.”
He added: “We will always be thankful for president Biden’s leadership. He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, assisted us in preventing Putin from occupying our country, and has continued to support us throughout this terrible war.”
“The current situation in Ukraine and all of Europe is no less challenging, and we sincerely hope that America’s continued strong leadership will prevent Russian evil from succeeding or making its aggression pay off,” the Ukrainian president said.
Watch: Starmer and Zelensky embrace as new prime minister hosts first major European summit
03:00
Alexander Butler
Watch: Zelensky becomes first foreign leader to address UK cabinet for nearly 30 years
02:00
Alexander Butler
Starmer’s words will be welcomed in Kyiv – but Zelensky needs action more than ever
01:00
Alexander Butler
The PM is keen to maintain Britain’s position as one of the world’s most vocal supporters of Ukraine – a role that will become even more important as backing from other powers begins to waver, writes Mary Dejevsky.
A Ukrainian author turned soldier has a stark warning for the West: ‘Be prepared for war with Russia’
Sunday 21 July 2024 23:00
Alexander Butler
Zelensky calls on European leaders to channel Winston Churchill’s ‘bravery’ against Russia
Sunday 21 July 2024 22:00
Alexander Butler
Volodymyr Zelensky has urged European leaders to channel Winston Churchill’s “bravery” in the fight against Russian aggression.
The Ukrainian leader made his call as he spoke in the former prime minister’s birthplace, Blenheim Palace, during only his third visit to the UK since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
It is his first trip to the UK since Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street. Mr Zelensky is also due to meet with King Charles during the visit.
The Ukrainian leader told a summit of European leaders: “Bravery made Churchill Churchill. Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain.
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
Sunday 21 July 2024 21:00
Alexander Butler
How UK’s strategic capabilities compare to the 1980s as defence review rolled out
Sunday 21 July 2024 20:00
Alexander Butler
Prime minister Keir Starmer’s review of Britain’s defences comes as the West faces a “dangerous quartet” of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, according to Nato chief Lord Robertson.
Russia remains the key threat, as it is continuing to wage war in Ukraine, including a deadly missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv last week. Relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War period, and military experts believe that European countries need to be prepared for conflict.
But how do Britain’s armed forces compare now to 40 years ago, in 1984, when the UK was engaged in a stand-off with Russia?
Read the full article by The Independent’s data correspondent Alicja Hagopian here:
Watch: Ukrainian prisoners of war return home
Sunday 21 July 2024 19:00
Alexander Butler
Watch: Usyk returns to Ukraine to visit recently bombed children’s hospital
Sunday 21 July 2024 18:00
Alexander Butler
Brazil secures deal for G20 consensus documents ahead of Rio meetings, official says
Sunday 21 July 2024 16:30
Shweta Sharma
Brazil has reached an agreement for consensus documents to be approved at the G20 finance meetings scheduled for next week in Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Lyrio, Brazil’s ambassador at the G20, said on Friday.
Finance leaders from the world’s largest economies failed in February to issue a joint statement amid a lack of consensus on geopolitical issues, despite Brazil’s efforts to focus on a short text aligning with its priorities of addressing inequality, poverty and climate change.
“We will no longer require the inclusion of geopolitical language in ministerial documents,” said Mr Lyrio, emphasizing that the agreement was endorsed by all G20 members.
According to Mr Lyrio, for each consensus statement produced by the G20 countries, the Brazilian G20 presidency will issue a separate document that will deal with geopolitical issues.
Mr Lyrio, Brazil’s sherpa at the G20, had said this month that G20 diplomats had agreed to avoid prickly geopolitical issues during their ministerial meetings, preparing for a summit in November.
Recap: Three 'pro-Russian' hackers arrested in Spain over cyberattacks
Sunday 21 July 2024 16:00
Shweta Sharma
Three pro-Russian hackers have been arrested for alleged cyberattacks against Spain and other Nato countries for terrorist purposes, Spanish police said on Saturday.
The suspects were detained for their alleged participation in distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyber-attacks against public institutions and strategic sectors, the Civil Guard said.
It did not say if the three suspects, who have not been named, have been charged or detained
The cyberattacks were allegedly carried out against web pages of public and private organisations in the government sectors, critical infrastructures and essential services in countries which support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, it said.
Police released a video on social media platform X of a raid at the home of one of the suspects in which a Soviet-era hammer and sickle flag was mounted on a wall.
“These computer attacks have been organized by the hacktivist group NoName057(16), (which started) after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and (which has been) one of the most active,” the Civil Guard said in a statement.
“In their own founding manifesto, this group acknowledges that they ‘will respond proportionately in response to the hostile and openly anti-Russian actions of Western Russophobes’.”
Russia says its jets prevented US bombers violating border over Barents Sea
Sunday 21 July 2024 14:45
Shweta Sharma
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Russian warplanes prevented two US strategic bombers from violating the state border over the Barents Sea.
After having detected an air target approaching the Russian borders, the military scrambled MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighter jets, the ministry said in a statement. The MiGs identified the planes as two US strategic bombers.
“As the Russian fighter jets approached, the American strategic bombers adjusted their flight course... and subsequently turned away from the state border of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said.
The Russian warplanes carried out the flight in compliance with international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters, it added.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside of regular hours.
Russia has reported similar incidents before when its planes have confronted military aircraft from Nato countries flying close to its border at a time of acute tension over the war in Ukraine.
Pope hopes truce on wars can come from Paris Olympics
Sunday 21 July 2024 14:00
Shweta Sharma
Pope Francis said on Sunday he hoped the Paris Olympics would be an occasion for a truce in the world’s conflicts, urging athletes to be messengers of peace and models for young people.
The games start on 26 July with an opening ceremony on the River Seine that will feature about 10,500 athletes and over 100 heads of state and government.
During his weekly address to the crowds in St Peter’s Square, the pope said he hoped that “according to the ancient tradition, the Olympics will be an opportunity to establish a truce in wars, by demonstrating a sincere desire for peace”.
He mentioned the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and other countries, saying “let us not forget war is a defeat”.
Last month the final statement of a Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ meeting held in Italy included a unanimous call for a truce in global conflicts during the Olympic Games.
Trump praises Putin, Xi as ‘smart, tough’ leaders at campaign rally
Sunday 21 July 2024 13:15
Shweta Sharma
Donald Trump praised Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping at a campaign rally in Michigan on 20 July.
He called the two “smart, tough,” leaders who “love their country”.
Mr Trump also said he’d like to take North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to a baseball game as he boasted about their friendship.
The former president said he “got along” great with Mr Kim when he was in office.
Boris Johnson says Trump has ‘bravery’ required to bring peace in Ukraine
Sunday 21 July 2024 12:08
Shweta Sharma
Former British prime minister Boris Johnson has said he is more convinced than ever that Donald Trump can “save Ukraine” and bring peace to the region.
Writing an opinion piece in the Daily Mail, Mr Johnson praised Mr Trump for his courage after he survived an assassination attack during his rally in Pennsylvania.
“Having talked to Donald Trump this week, I am more convinced than ever that he has the strength and the bravery to fix it, to save Ukraine, to bring peace — and to stop the disastrous contagion of conflict,” Mr Johnson wrote.
He recounted the dramatic moment during Mr Trump’s presidential campaign when he narrowly escaped death by turning his head at the right moment, the bullet grazing his head instead.
Mr Johnson said in those critical and chaotic situations Mr Trump’s true character was revealed.
“I believe that indomitable spirit is exactly what the world needs right now, and exactly what is needed in the White House,” he wrote.
Zelensky appeals for more long-range weapons after latest attack on Kyiv
Sunday 21 July 2024 11:01
Reuters
Ukraine needs long-range weapons to protect its cities and troops on the frontline from Russian bombs and drones, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday after a massive overnight drone and missile attack.
Russia launched its fifth drone attack on Kyiv in two weeks overnight, with Ukraine’s air defence systems destroying all the air weapons before they reached the capital, Ukraine’s military said.
Ukraine’s air force said on Telegram that its air defence systems destroyed 35 of the 39 drones and two cruise missiles that Russia had launched overnight. The weapons, the air force said, targeted 10 of Ukraine’s regions.
It was not immediately clear how many drones were launched at Kyiv. There were no casualties and no significant damage reported, Serhiy Popko, head of the Ukrainian capital’s military administration, said on the Telegram.
“During last night alone, the Russian army used almost 40 ‘Shaheds’ against Ukraine. Importantly, most of them were shot down by our defenders of the sky,” Zelensky said on Telegram, referring to the drones.
He said it was necessary to destroy Russian bombers at Russian air bases to protect Ukraine from air raids.
“Our sufficient long-range capabilities should be a fair response to Russian terror. Everyone who supports us in this supports the defence against terror,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky renewed his call for Western allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia on Friday in London, saying Britain should try to convince its partners to remove the limits on their use.
Nato members have taken different approaches to how Ukraine can use weapons they donate. Some have made clear Kyiv can use them to strike targets inside Russia while the United States has taken a narrower approach, allowing its weapons to be used only just inside Russia’s border against targets supporting Russian military operations in Ukraine.
Russia launched three Iskander ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s air force said, without saying what happened to them.
The military administration of the Sumy region in Ukraine’s northeast bordering Russia said on Telegram that a Russian missile damaged critical infrastructure in the Shostkynskyi district of the region.
The administration did not provide detail on what infrastructure was hit.
There was no immediate comment from Russia about the attacks. Moscow says it does not attack civilian targets in Ukraine.
“These systematic attacks ... with drones, once again prove that the invader is actively looking for an opportunity to strike Kyiv,” Popko said. “They’re testing new tactics, looking for new approach routes to the capital, trying to expose the location of our air defence.”
Conscription spreads across Europe: ‘This is where Russia has put us’
Sunday 21 July 2024 10:08
Adam Withnall
On 1 January this year, Latvia became the latest European country to reintroduce conscription, with all male citizens becoming eligible for the draft once they hit the age of 18 or – if still in higher education – once they graduate.
Seen most notably in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, it’s part of a wider trend of expanded mobilisation across the continent as a result of the increasingly aggressive actions of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Robert Hamilton, head of Eurasia research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, tells CNN that the West is “coming to the realisation that we may have to adjust the way we mobilize for war”.
“It is tragically true that here we are, in 2024, and we are grappling with the questions of how to mobilize millions of people to be thrown into a meatgrinder of a war potentially, but this is where Russia has put us,” he told the broadcaster.
General Wesley Clark, who is now retired but served as Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told CNN: “So we’ve now got a war in Europe that we never thought we would see again. Whether this is a new Cold War or an emerging hot war is unclear,” he said, but “it’s a very imminent warning to Nato that we’ve got to rebuild our defenses.”
Russia defence ministry claims its jets prevented US bomber planes violating state border
Sunday 21 July 2024 09:09
Tara Cobham
Russia's Defence Ministry claimed on Sunday that Russian MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighter jets prevented US strategic bombers from violating the state border over the Barents Sea.
"As the Russian fighter jets approached, the American strategic bombers adjusted their flight course... and subsequently turned away from the state border of the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a statement.
Recap: Zelensky calls on Starmer to ‘show leadership’ and allow Ukrainian strikes on Russia
Sunday 21 July 2024 08:39
Tara Cobham
Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the UK cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to “show leadership” and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia.
The Ukrainian president on Friday became the first foreign leader to address the cabinet in person since Bill Clinton in 1997, calling for support for his country’s “long-range capability”.
In his address to the cabinet, Mr Zelensky said that “if the restriction on Western weapons is lifted” it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defences and secure its frontline positions.
Archie Mitchell and Tom Watling report:
Russia targeted Kyiv with new-type of low-flying drones - report
Sunday 21 July 2024 07:33
Shweta Sharma
Russia appears to have targeted Kyiv with a new type of drone that flew at a very low altitude, according to analysis of debris from the fallen weapon.
In aerial bombardments this weekend, the Russian military has launched not only missiles and kamikaze drones of the now-familiar Shahed-136 type but also deployed another new drone of an unknown type, according to the military analytical website Defence Express.
It said the drone flew at a low altitude of just 20-30 metres, analysing photographs of the weapon used in the attack.
The unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had “a possible wingspan of more than 4 metres, beam plumage, a push rotor, and a square fuselage,” it said.
The drone’s fragments are still being investigated, the website said.
Ukraine defends against fifth drone attack on Kyiv in two weeks
Sunday 21 July 2024 07:13
Shweta Sharma
Ukraine’s air defence systems repelled Russia’s fifth drone attack on Kyiv in two weeks, officials said, as Moscow targeted the capital with a new unidentified type of low-flying drone.
Russia has launched “systematic attacks” and rained missiles and drones across the capital region, looking for new tactics to make battlefield gains, Kyiv’s military head said.
No casualties or significant damage have been reported, Serhiy Popko, head of the Ukrainian capital’s military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app.
“These systematic attacks... with drones, once again prove that the invader is actively looking for an opportunity to strike Kyiv,” Mr Popko said. “They’re testing new tactics, looking for new approach routes to the capital, trying to expose the location of our air defence.”
Ukraine‘s air force said on Telegram that its air defence systems destroyed 35 of the 39 drones and two cruise missiles that Russia had launched overnight. The weapons, the air force said, targeted 10 of Ukraine‘s regions.
It was not immediately clear how many drones were launched at Kyiv.
Russia launched three Iskander ballistic missiles, Ukraine‘s air force said, without saying what happened to them.
Recap: Zelensky becomes first foreign leader to address UK cabinet for nearly 30 years
Sunday 21 July 2024 06:30
Joe Middleton
Ukraine’s biggest music festival returns for first time since Russian invasion
Sunday 21 July 2024 05:30
Joe Middleton
This weekend 25,000 music lovers are gathering for Ukraine’s biggest music festival, an annual event that hasn’t been held since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Journalist Paul Niland shared a video on X of a large crowd watching the Ukrainian rock band BoomBox on stage. The billing this year will understandably mostly be made up of domestic talent, though the event has previously had headline acts from global stars like Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers and Liam Gallagher.
Speaking to the BBC, event organiser Vlad Yaremchuk explained how the festival is being conducted in a car park outside one of Kyiv’s biggest shopping malls – so if a Russian air attack does take place, “there will be more than enough space to get everyone evacuated quickly -- and we’re talking minutes”. The mall has a capacity of 100,000, he says.
So far the festival, running from Friday to Sunday, is going smoothly. It already had to be pushed back one week after the major aerial assault on Kyiv that hit a children’s hospital.
“We didn’t even expect to have a chance to do a festival while the war is still happening.” Yaremchuk says.
“The reality showed us that cultural events are still possible in wartime.”
Rare public protest in southern Russian over power cuts
Sunday 21 July 2024 04:50
Shweta Sharma
Residents outraged over frequent power cuts in southern Russia staged a rare public protest on Saturday as officials blamed blackouts on a heatwave.
Police arrested at least two people in the city of Krasnodar as protesters demanded relief from mass power outages in several regions.
The south of Russia has been affected by unusually hot weather and led to the shutdown of one of four power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant, the region’s largest, earlier this week.
The unit has been put back into operation since then.
“There has been abnormal heat in the Krasnodar region for a week now. The load on the energy system is colossal. I know and understand all the indignation of residents due to power outages,”
Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar region, said on the Telegram messaging app.He said power capacities were not currently sufficient to meet peak demand during the hot summer months.
It marked one of the rare incidents of protest in Russia where authorities have clamped down on any form of demonstration, especially politically-laced dissent, since the start of the conflict with Ukraine in February 2022, and public assemblies are very rare given the risk of arrest.
Death toll from Russian air strike on Mykolaiv rises to four
Sunday 21 July 2024 04:30
Joe Middleton
Ukrainian officials also confirmed that the death toll following a Russian strike on Friday on the city of Mykolaiv, had risen to four.
A child was among the victims, said the city’s mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych.
Writing about the Mykolaiv strike on social media, Mr Zelensky said that a projectile had hit a playground next to an apartment block.
“Russia proves every day with its terror that ‘pressure’ is not enough,” he said.
“This destruction of life must be stopped. We need new solutions to support our defences. Russia must feel the power of the world.”
Ukraine‘s air force said Russia had launched four missiles and 17 drones overnight, of which 13 drones had been shot down.
The attacks have left thousands of people without power or running water in the Poltava region of central Ukraine, governor Filip Pronin said.
Sirens sound in Kyiv amid Russian attack
Sunday 21 July 2024 04:29
Shweta Sharma
Ukraine’s air defence systems were engaged in repelling a Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday morning, Ukraine’s military said.
“Air defence systems are being activated on the approaches to Kyiv,” Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on Telegram.
Residents in the capital were ordered to stay in shelters until the air raid alarms were lifted.
Thousands of homes in central Ukraine were without power or running water after Russian strikes in the Poltava region amid Russia’s continuous attacks on Ukraine‘s energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a pulverising Russian onslaught in recent months has forced Kyiv’s troops to withdraw from some towns and villages in the eastern Donetsk region.
The latest targets are the mining town of Toretsk and the city of Pokrovsk, where Russia is stepping up its assaults.
Ukrainian forces repelled 20 and 27 attacks on those areas respectively over 24 hours, Ukraine‘s General Staff said Friday. That was almost double the number of assaults recorded at other hot spots along the frontline, it said.
Recap: Zelensky becomes first foreign leader to address UK cabinet for nearly 30 years
Sunday 21 July 2024 03:30
Joe Middleton
Starmer’s words will be welcomed in Kyiv – but Zelensky needs action more than ever
Sunday 21 July 2024 00:30
Joe Middleton
The PM is keen to maintain Britain’s position as one of the world’s most vocal supporters of Ukraine – a role that will become even more important as backing from other powers begins to waver, writes Mary Dejevsky
Former MP shot in street
Saturday 20 July 2024 23:30
Joe Middleton
A Ukrainian former MP best known for her crusade to promote the Ukrainian language has died after being shot in the street by an unknown assailant.
Iryna Farion, 60, initially survived the assault in the western city of Lviv on Friday, but later died from her wounds in a hospital. A manhunt is currently underway for her attacker, who fled from the scene. Ukrainian officials said an investigation is being carried out and that the attack is being treated as an assassination.
“All available surveillance cameras are being worked on, witness interviews are ongoing and several districts are being surveyed. All leads are being investigated, including the one that leads to Russia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel Saturday.
“All necessary forces from the National Police of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Security Service have been deployed to search for the criminal.”
Farion served as a member of the Ukrainian parliament between 2012 and 2014, and was best known for her campaigns to promote the use of the Ukrainian language by Ukrainian officials who spoke Russian. She controversially criticised Russian-speaking members of Ukraine’s Azov regiment who defended the port city of Mariupol in the first days of the full-scale invasion.
Police are considering “personal animosity” toward the former MP due to her social and political activities as a likely motive behind the attack, said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, who will oversee the investigation in Lviv.
US help
Saturday 20 July 2024 22:30
Joe Middleton
Ukraine is on its way to being able to “stand on its own feet” militarily, the US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said, noting that more than 20 other countries have pledged to maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the U.S. were to withdraw its support under a different president.
Mr Blinken for the first time directly addressed the possibility that former President Donald Trump could win the November election and back away from commitments to Ukraine during his remarks on Friday.
The US, under President Joe Biden, has been the most important supporter of Ukraine’s more than two-year battle against invading Russian forces.
At least 6 dead and thousands without power as Russia continues strikes on Ukraine
Saturday 20 July 2024 21:30
Joe Middleton
At least two people were killed and three more injured after a Russian missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, said Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials confirmed that the death toll following a Russian strike Friday on the city of Mykolaiv, had risen to four. A child was among the victims, said the city’s mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych.
Writing about the Mykolaiv strike on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a projectile had hit a playground next to an apartment block.
Ukraine’s biggest music festival returns for first time since Russian invasion
Saturday 20 July 2024 20:31
Joe Middleton
This weekend 25,000 music lovers are gathering for Ukraine’s biggest music festival, an annual event that hasn’t been held since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Journalist Paul Niland shared a video on X of a large crowd watching the Ukrainian rock band BoomBox on stage. The billing this year will understandably mostly be made up of domestic talent, though the event has previously had headline acts from global stars like Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers and Liam Gallagher.
Speaking to the BBC, event organiser Vlad Yaremchuk explained how the festival is being conducted in a car park outside one of Kyiv’s biggest shopping malls – so if a Russian air attack does take place, “there will be more than enough space to get everyone evacuated quickly -- and we’re talking minutes”. The mall has a capacity of 100,000, he says.
So far the festival, running from Friday to Sunday, is going smoothly. It already had to be pushed back one week after the major aerial assault on Kyiv that hit a children’s hospital.
“We didn’t even expect to have a chance to do a festival while the war is still happening.” Yaremchuk says.
“The reality showed us that cultural events are still possible in wartime.”
Recap: Zelensky calls on Starmer to ‘show leadership'
Saturday 20 July 2024 19:30
Joe Middleton
Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the UK cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to “show leadership” and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia.
The Ukrainian president on Friday became the first foreign leader to address the cabinet in person since Bill Clinton in 1997, calling for support for his country’s “long-range capability”.
In his address to the cabinet, Mr Zelensky said that “if the restriction on Western weapons is lifted” it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defences and secure its frontline positions.
Read the full story here:
Three pro-Russian hackers arrested
Saturday 20 July 2024 18:30
Joe Middleton
Three pro-Russian hackers have been arrested for alleged cyberattacks against Spain and other NATO countries for terrorist purposes, Spanish police said on Saturday.
The suspects were detained for their alleged participation in distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyber attacks against public institutions and strategic sectors, the Civil Guard said.
It did not say if the three suspects, who have not been named, have been charged or detained
The cyberattacks were allegedly carried out against web pages of public and private organizations in the government sectors, critical infrastructures and essential services in countries which support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, it said.
Police released a video on social media platform X of a raid at the home of one of the suspects in which a Soviet-era hammer and sickle flag was mounted on a wall.
Death toll from Russian air strike on Mykolaiv rises to four
Saturday 20 July 2024 17:30
Joe Middleton
Ukrainian officials also confirmed that the death toll following a Russian strike on Friday on the city of Mykolaiv, had risen to four.
A child was among the victims, said the city’s mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych.
Writing about the Mykolaiv strike on social media, Mr Zelensky said that a projectile had hit a playground next to an apartment block.
“Russia proves every day with its terror that ‘pressure’ is not enough,” he said.
“This destruction of life must be stopped. We need new solutions to support our defences. Russia must feel the power of the world.”
Ukraine‘s air force said Russia had launched four missiles and 17 drones overnight, of which 13 drones had been shot down.
The attacks have left thousands of people without power or running water in the Poltava region of central Ukraine, governor Filip Pronin said.
Residents protest over power cuts in Russian city
Saturday 20 July 2024 16:30
Joe Middleton
Residents angry over recent power cuts in southern Russia staged a rare public protest on Saturday in the city of Krasnodar, posts on social media said, as the local governor blamed a heatwave for causing the blackouts.
The south of Russia has been affected by unusually hot weather that has caused mass power outages in several regions and led to the shutdown earlier this week of one of four power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant, the region’s largest.
The unit has been put back into operation since then.
“There has been abnormal heat in the Krasnodar region for a week now. The load on the energy system is colossal. I know and understand all the indignation of residents due to power outages,” Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar region, said on the Telegram messaging app.
He said power capacities were not currently sufficient to meet peak demand during the hot summer months.
One video posted on the Baza Telegram channel appeared to show police making at least two arrests during Saturday’s protest.
Russian authorities have clamped down on any protest activity, especially politically laced dissent, since the start of the conflict with Ukraine in February 2022, and public protests are very rare given the risk of arrest.
US help
Saturday 20 July 2024 15:18
Chris Stevenson
Ukraine is on its way to being able to "stand on its own feet" militarily, the US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said, noting that more than 20 other countries have pledged to maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the U.S. were to withdraw its support under a different president.
Mr Blinken for the first time directly addressed the possibility that former President Donald Trump could win the November election and back away from commitments to Ukraine during his remarks on Friday. The US, under President Joe Biden, has been the most important supporter of Ukraine's more than two-year battle against invading Russian forces.
Russia protest
Saturday 20 July 2024 14:47
Chris Stevenson
Residents angry over recent power cuts in southern Russia staged a rare public protest on Saturday in the city of Krasnodar, posts on social media said, as the local governor blamed a heatwave for causing the blackouts.
The south of Russia has been affected by unusually hot weather that has caused mass power outages in several regions and led to the shutdown earlier this week of one of four power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant, the region's largest.
The unit has been put back into operation since then.
"There has been abnormal heat in the Krasnodar region for a week now. The load on the energy system is colossal. I know and understand all the indignation of residents due to power outages," Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar region, said on the Telegram messaging app.
He said power capacities were not currently sufficient to meet peak demand during the hot summer months.
One video posted on the Baza Telegram channel appeared to show police making at least two arrests during Saturday's protest.
Russian authorities have clamped down on any protest activity, especially politically laced dissent, since the start of the conflict with Ukraine in February 2022, and public protests are very rare given the risk of arrest.
Hackers arrested
Saturday 20 July 2024 14:25
Chris Stevenson
Three pro-Russian hackers have been arrested for alleged cyberattacks against Spain and other NATO countries for terrorist purposes, Spanish police said on Saturday.
The suspects were detained for their alleged participation in distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyber attacks against public institutions and strategic sectors, the Civil Guard said.
It did not say if the three suspects, who have not been named, have been charged or detained
The cyberattacks were allegedly carried out against web pages of public and private organizations in the government sectors, critical infrastructures and essential services in countries which support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, it said.
Police released a video on social media platform X of a raid at the home of one of the suspects in which a Soviet-era hammer and sickle flag was mounted on a wall.
Former MP shot in street
Saturday 20 July 2024 14:04
Chris Stevenson
A Ukrainian former MP best known for her crusade to promote the Ukrainian language has died after being shot in the street by an unknown assailant.
Iryna Farion, 60, initially survived the assault in the western city of Lviv on Friday, but later died from her wounds in a hospital. A manhunt is currently underway for her attacker, who fled from the scene. Ukrainian officials said an investigation is being carried out and that the attack is being treated as an assassination.
"All available surveillance cameras are being worked on, witness interviews are ongoing and several districts are being surveyed. All leads are being investigated, including the one that leads to Russia," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel Saturday.
"All necessary forces from the National Police of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Security Service have been deployed to search for the criminal."
Farion served as a member of the Ukrainian parliament between 2012 and 2014, and was best known for her campaigns to promote the use of the Ukrainian language by Ukrainian officials who spoke Russian. She controversially criticised Russian-speaking members of Ukraine's Azov regiment who defended the port city of Mariupol in the first days of the full-scale invasion.
Police are considering "personal animosity" toward the former MP due to her social and political activities as a likely motive behind the attack, said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, who will oversee the investigation in Lviv.
Saturday 20 July 2024 13:46
Chris Stevenson
Ukraine's air force have said that Russia had launched four missiles and 17 drones overnight, of which 13 drones had been shot down.
The attacks have left thousands of people without power or running water in the Poltava region of central Ukraine, Governor Filip Pronin said. Russia has continuously targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to blackouts across the country.
Death toll of Russian strikes
Saturday 20 July 2024 13:24
Chris Stevenson
At least two people were killed and three more injured after a Russian missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, the local governor, Oleh Syniehubov, has said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials confirmed that the death toll following a Russian strike Friday on the city of Mykolaiv, had risen to four. A child was among the victims, said the city's mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych.
Writing about the Mykolaiv strike on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a projectile had hit a playground next to an apartment block.
"Russia proves every day with its terror that 'pressure' is not enough," he said. "This destruction of life must be stopped. We need new solutions to support our defenses. Russia must feel the power of the world."
Starmer’s words will be welcomed in Kyiv – but Zelensky needs action more than ever
Saturday 20 July 2024 12:30
Mary Dejevsky
Keir Starmer’s decision to invite Volodymyr Zelensky to become only the second foreign dignitary after Bill Clinton to address the UK Cabinet can be seen as an attempt by the latest prime minister of the UK to reassure Ukraine of this country’s continuing support, and to rekindle something of the trust that surely existed between former PM Boris Johnson and Zelensky.
Yet however distinguished the setting, and however warm the words on either side, there was inevitably more appearance than substance to the proceedings.
Read more here:
Recap: Zelensky calls on Starmer to ‘show leadership'
Saturday 20 July 2024 11:32
Archie Mitchell
Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the UK cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to “show leadership” and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia.
The Ukrainian president on Friday became the first foreign l