Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers and transported them to Kyiv for questioning in what the country’s security services say is “irrefutable evidence” of Pyongyang’s involvement with Russia.
Both soldiers were captured on 9 January in the Russian border region of Kursk. Another North Korean soldier was captured last month but died from their wounds shortly after being detained.
The Ukrainian security service, known as the SBU, said one of the two latest soldiers captured had fake Russian identification documents. The other had none at all.
Russia and North Korea both deny their soldiers are working together in Kursk. The US, Ukraine, UK and South Korea have all said they believe otherwise.
Communication with the two prisoners is being done through translators and in cooperation with South Korean intelligence.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, posting pictures of the two prisoners of war, said “the world needs to know the truth about what is happening”.
Meanwhile, the Russian military claimed to have taken control of the town of Shevchenko in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, located near the outskirts of the city of Pokrovsk.
The city is a key defensive position protecting the wider region. Ukrainian war trackers suggested the town had been, if not occupied, almost completely captured.
Key points
Zelensky says Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk
Russia claims control of town near Pokrovsk
White House announces new sanctions against Russia
UK coordinates with US over sanctions on Russian oil
Trump says Putin wants to meet him
Ukraine ‘captures North Korean soldiers’ as Russia claims settlement
14:57 , Tom Watling
Ukraine says it has captured North Korean soldiers as Russia claims settlement
Zelensky thanks US for sanctions package
14:19 , Tom Watling
This week brought a significant sanctions strike, and I am grateful to our partners for this.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s oil sector, targeting the shadow tanker fleet and companies like Surgutneftegaz, which serves as Putin’s personal wallet. I’m… pic.twitter.com/xza0Ygxbwu
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 11, 2025
Mapped: Ukraine’s assault in Kursk
13:47 , Tom Watling
Zelensky says Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk
13:17 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the country’s military has captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, adding that they had survived and were communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine.
“As with all prisoners of war, these two North Korean soldiers are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” Zelensky said on X.
Photos shared by Volodymyr Zelensky showedthe North Korean POWs (@ZelenskyyUa/X)
(@ZelenskyyUa/X)
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine to Putin
12:48 , Tom Watling
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine as US pledges $500m in military aid
Mapped: Ukraine-Russia frontline
12:17 , Tom Watling
Britain must learn from Ukraine and use AI for warfare, MPs say
11:48 , Tom Watling
Britain must learn from Ukraine and use AI for warfare, MPs say
Thousands rally across Slovakia to protest prime minister’s pro-Russia policies
11:19 , Tom Watling
Thousands rally across Slovakia to protest prime minister’s pro-Russia policies
Russia claims control of town near Pokrovsk
10:39 , Tom Watling
Russia’s defence ministry has claimed the army has gained control of the settlement of Shevchenko in Ukraine‘s eastern Donetsk region.
The town is just a few miles from the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a city that has been the object of Russia’s wider offensive in the Donetsk region for months.
It is a linchpin of the region’s defence, sitting on key logistical routes feeding the rest of the wider area.
Russia often prematurely claims control of area in Ukraine but DeepState, a Ukrainian war tracker with close ties to the military, records Shevchenko as almost completely occupied.
Trump says meeting with Putin being planned
10:04 , Tom Watling
Trump says meeting with Putin being planned as fight over Arctic set to begin
Fire at ‘industrial plant’ after drone attack under control, Russia says
09:28 , Tom Watling
A fire at an industrial plant in Russia’s Volga region is under control, local authorities said on Saturday, days after the blaze, reportedly at an oil depot strategically positioned near a military air base began following a Ukrainian drone attack.
The authorities on Wednesday said “an industrial plant” had been hit, without disclosing further details about the site.
“The area of the fire at an industrial enterprise in Engels was reduced by 80 per cent. The amount of smoke has also decreased significantly,” the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin said in a Telegram post on Saturday.
It was not clear whether a state of emergency, declared in Engels, a city of 200,000 people some 450 miles southeast of Moscow, was still in effect. Two firefighters died earlier this week while trying to stop the fire spreading.
The Ukrainian military said on Wednesday it had set fire to an oil depot that serves an air base for Russian nuclear-capable bombers.
In December 2022, three Russian air force personnel were killed when a drone was shot down there.
🔥 In Engels, Russia, a fuel depot fire has been burning for four days straight
Governor Busargin claims that the fire’s area has been “reduced by 80%,” while admitting that “the fuel combustion process continues.”
To recap, Ukrainian drones attacked the fuel depot in Engels on… pic.twitter.com/RhbmLvoenK
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 11, 2025
Zelensky expects to meet high-level US officials immediately after Trump takes office
09:00 , Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine hopes a meeting between its president Volodymyr Zelensky and US president-elect Donald Trump will happen immediately after he takes office.
“We are waiting for a meeting between our presidents because for us the main thing is to work together with America… we are preparing for contacts at the highest and high levels immediately after the inauguration,” Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Mr Trump has also expressed willingness to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin in the near future, as a step towards his promise of ending the war immediately after entering office. He has not explained how he will do so.
A planned visit to Kyiv by the incoming Trump-appointed Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg has been postponed due to legal reasons.
Ukrainian spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the delay was due to the US Logan Act, which restricts unauthorised negotiations by private citizens with foreign governments.
Ukrainian drones reportedly target occupied Crimea
08:28 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked Russian-occupied Crimea. Russian Telegram channels reported that Russian air defenses intercepted drones over Sevastopol and Kerch.
Drones allegedly operated over the Black Sea, accompanied by helicopters and tanks in the region.
📹Local… pic.twitter.com/OJQtACuREb
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) January 11, 2025
Russia operating hundreds of ‘oil bombs’ threatening environment, Zelensky says
08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran
Russia’s tanker fleet are “oil bombs” that pose threat to the environment, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X.
He pointed out that a damaged Russian tanker stranded near the German island of Rügen contains “100,000 tons of Russian oil” and poses a clear threat to the marine environment and the entire coastline.
“This shadow fleet tanker is an oil bomb that, fortunately, didn’t detonate. However, Moscow operates hundreds of such “bombs,” each posing a threat,” the Ukrainian president said.
“Russia jeopardises the environment solely to sustain its ability to kill people,” he said, calling for “more actions” to stop Russia’s tanker fleet.
Russia fires 74 drones across Ukraine, says Kyiv
07:29 , Tom Watling
Russia launched 74 drones at targets across Ukraine overnight, the country’s air force has said. They said 47 were shot down and the remaining 27 were lost in the air.
Ukraine’s inflation rose to 12 per cent in 2024 – report
07:09 , Vishwam Sankaran
Inflation in Ukraine rose to 12 per cent in 2024, Ukraine’s statistics service Derzhstat has said, considerably higher than the central bank’s most recent estimates in November.
The country’s economy has been hit hard by the Russian invasion with inflation skyrocketing to over 25 per cent in 2022, up from 10 per cent in 2021.
The rate has since steadied, and Ukraine’s National Bank estimated the country would end 2024 at just under 10 per cent. But the new estimates suggest that the target has been missed.
The increasing cost of groceries and electricity have been pointed to as key drivers of inflation.
Ukraine-Russia war map: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline as 2025 begins?
05:30 , Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine-Russia war map 2025: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline?
Trump envoy’s Ukraine visit delayed over legal reasons, Kyiv says
05:02 , Vishwam Sankaran
The incoming Donald Trump administration’s Ukraine peace envoy Keith Kellogg postponed his visit to Ukraine due to legal reasons, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.
The Ukrainian spokesperson said the delay was due to the US Logan Act, which restricts unauthorised negotiations by private citizens with foreign governments.
Mr Kellogg was initially expected to visit Ukraine before Mr Trump taking office but Reuters reported that the trip was postponed without citing reasons.
“I would prefer that General Kellogg’s team comment on the timing of the visit. I can say that the visit is still being prepared; it will take place,” Mr Tykhyi said.
By effectively threatening to invade a Nato nation – and steal it – Trump has done Europe a favour
05:00 , Alexander Butler
This week, the president-elect refused to rule out using economic or military force to seize the Panama Canal and (or) wrestle Greenland away from Denmark, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley. He’s taught Europe an important lesson.
By threatening to invade a Nato nation – and steal it – Trump’s done Europe a favour
Zelensky and Biden discuss Ukraine’s air defences
04:51 , Vishwam Sankaran
After discussing new sanctions imposed on the Russian oil industry with his US counterpart, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with president Joe Biden about the need to keep building up Ukraine’s air defences.
He said Ukraine needed to develop its air defences “to protect lives in Ukrainian cities and villages from Russian terror – daily missile and drone attacks”.
Mr Zelensky said Patriot missiles supplied by the US have so far “proven their effectiveness, and we must continue to enhance this capacity”.
Ukraine ‘will do everything’ to end war in 2025, Zelensky says
04:12 , Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the country’s dream is to end the war in 2025 and obtain security guarantees preventing “Russia from returning with aggression”.
“It is our dream to obtain these guarantees this year and to end the war this year. We will do everything to achieve this,” the Ukrainian president said yesterday.
A handout photo made available by the Quirinal Presidential Palace (Palazzo del Quirinale) Press Office shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy (EPA)
“It’s crucial for us that peace comes. We desire peace more than anyone else…We are the ones suffering the most, particularly in terms of lives lost,” he told Italian broadcaster RaiNews24.
Ukraine expects Trump-Zelensky meeting after Trump inauguration
04:00 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine expects high level contacts with the new US administration immediately after Donald Trump takes office, including an eventual meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv’s foreign ministry said on Friday.
“We are waiting for a meeting between our presidents because for us the main thing is to work together with America… we are preparing for contacts at the highest and high levels immediately after the inauguration,” ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Starmer to make first Ukraine visit – report
03:57 , Vishwam Sankaran
Prime minister Keir Starmer is reportedly planning to visit Ukraine to discuss the potential deployment of a peacekeeping force amid Russia’s invasion.
This would be Mr Starmer’s first visit to war-torn Ukraine since becoming prime minister.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky announced Mr Starmer’s plan to visit after a meeting with allies at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Bloomberg reported.
The plan comes as Europe prepares for US president-elect Donald Trump taking office on 20 January.
UK coordinates with US over sanctions on Russian oil
03:37 , Vishwam Sankaran
The UK government also imposed its own restrictions on Russia’s oil industry, directly sanctioning two Russian oil giants – Gazprom Neft and PJSC Surgutneftegas.
The profits from these two companies are “lining Putin’s war chest and facilitating the war,” the UK foreign office said in a statement.
“These energy companies produce over 1 million barrels of oil per day between them – worth roughly $23 billion a year at current prices, more than the GDP of Jamaica,” it said.
“Taking on Russian oil companies will drain Russia’s war chest – and every ruble we take from Putin’s hands helps save Ukrainian lives,” UK foreign secretary David Lammy said.
“That’s why I have made it my personal mission to constrain the Kremlin and those companies propping it up, for the good of our democracy and shared security,” Mr Lammy said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the UK for its “unwavering support and decisive actions” against Russia’s war machinery.
“By sanctioning two major Russian oil companies, the UK delivers yet another significant disruption to Putin’s ability to finance aggression,” Mr Zelensky said in a post on X.
White House announces new sanctions against Russia
03:27 , Vishwam Sankaran
The US announced a comprehensive new sanctions package against the Russian energy sector yesterday, seen as one of the harshest sanctions yet on Russia’s oil industry.
The sanctions include restrictions on nearly 200 Russian vessels, dozens of traders, two major oil companies, and some senior Russian oil executives.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his appreciation for the new move.
“We discussed the details of the new U.S. sanctions package targeting Russia’s energy sector, which helps Putin bankroll the war,” Mr Zelensky said.
“I am grateful to the United States, both political parties, and both chambers of Congress for supporting this just pressure on Russia for its unprovoked and brutal aggression,” he said.
Zelensky thanks Biden for ‘unwavering support’ of Ukraine’s independence
03:18 , Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude for his US counterpart Joe Biden’s “unwavering support” of Ukraine’s independence.
The two presidents spoke yesterday to discuss the US support for Ukraine days ahead of US president-elect Donald Trump taking office.
“We deeply value President Biden’s words that preserving and protecting Ukraine’s independence is critical for all of Europe and the democratic world,” Mr Zelensky said in a post on X after the call with the US president.
“Together, we have built a global coalition of defenders of freedom and the principles of international peace and security,” he said.
Kremlin welcomes Trump meeting
03:00 , Alexander Butler
The Kremlin has welcomed a meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump just days after he claimed Vladimir Putin wanted to sit down with him.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there could be progress on setting up the meeting after Trump is sworn in as US president on 20 January.
Trump claimed Putin wanted to meet with him as he spoke with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this week.
“President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” he said.
On Thursday, Trump pushed back his campaign pledge to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours and said six months was a more realistic target.
“The whole [Trump] team is obsessed with strength and looking strong, so they’re recalibrating the Ukraine approach,” a European official told the Financial Times.
Ukraine and Russia not ready yet for peace talks, White House says
02:53 , Vishwam Sankaran
Neither Ukraine nor Russia are prepared for negotiations to end the war, according to US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
“There is no expectation now that either side is ready for negotiations,” Mr Kirby said at a press briefing yesterday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had suggested earlier that talks to end the war might involve incoming US president Donald Trump first before any potential meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Kyiv expects contact with the US administration immediately after Mr Trump takes office.
“We are waiting for a meeting between our presidents because for us the main thing is to work together with America… we are preparing for contacts at the highest and high levels immediately after the inauguration,” Ukrainian foreign affairs ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Putin’s forces launch fresh drone assault
02:00 , Alexander Butler
Vladimir Putin’s forces have launched a fresh drone assault on Ukraine as Donald Trump revealed the Russian leader wants to meet him.
Russian troops fired up to 72 drones at Ukraine overnight, hitting various buildings in the northern region of Chernihiv, as Kyiv’s airforce was scrambled to down 33 of them, it said.
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US warns
01:00 , Alexander Butler
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US issues grave warning
Editorial: If the West gives an inch when it comes to Ukraine, Putin will take a mile
Friday 10 January 2025 23:30 , Alexander Butler
If the West gives an inch when it comes to Ukraine, Putin will take a mile
Putin has ruled Russia for 25 years – but what has he really got to show for it?
Friday 10 January 2025 22:30 , Alexander Butler
What 25 years of Putin has done to the world, in a presidency bookended by war
Editorial: Ukraine is right to turn off the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
Friday 10 January 2025 21:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine is right to turn off the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counterattack on Russian soil
Friday 10 January 2025 20:30 , Alexander Butler
What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counter-attack on Russian soil
Ukraine fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of capture
Friday 10 January 2025 19:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine still fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of a takeover
Russia dropped more than 50,000 glide bomb on Ukraine since Feb 22, says Kyiv
Friday 10 January 2025 18:30 , Alexander Butler
Russia has launched over 51,000 of guided aerial bombs on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine‘s air force said on Thursday.
About 40,000 of the total number was used in 2024, it said on Telegram.
Europe expects Trump to stay engaged with Ukraine, says Meloni
Friday 10 January 2025 17:30 , Alexander Butler
Europe expects US president-elect Donald Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and strike a balance between diplomacy with and deterrence against Russia, Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni has claimed.
Ms Meloni says she does not expect Mr Trump to disengage from Ukraine despite concerns he could sacrifice Ukrainian interests to push for an end to its war with Russia.
But she added that security guarantees are needed for Ukraine to prevent another Russian invasion.
Zelensky says allies’ deployment in Ukraine one of best ways to bring peace closer
Friday 10 January 2025 16:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the potential deployment of partners’ contingent in Ukraine “is one of the best instruments” to force Russia into peace.
“Let’s be more practical in making it possible,” he said in an address to allies at the Ramstein military base in Germany.
French president Emmanuel Macron remains the only European leader to have spoken openly about the possibility of Paris’ troops being sent to Ukraine.
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
Friday 10 January 2025 15:30 , Alexander Butler
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
Ukraine-Russia war map: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline as 2025 begins?
Friday 10 January 2025 14:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine-Russia war map 2025: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline?
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly 3 years of captivity
Friday 10 January 2025 14:00 , Alexander Butler
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly three years of captivity in Russia
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine to Putin as US pledges $500m in military aid
Friday 10 January 2025 13:30 , Alexander Butler
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine as US pledges $500m in military aid
By effectively threatening to invade a Nato nation – and steal it – Trump has done Europe a favour
Friday 10 January 2025 12:51 , Alexander Butler
This week, the president-elect refused to rule out using economic or military force to seize the Panama Canal and (or) wrestle Greenland away from Denmark, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley. He’s taught Europe an important lesson
By threatening to invade a Nato nation – and steal it – Trump’s done Europe a favour
Britain must learn from Ukraine and use AI for warfare, MPs say
Friday 10 January 2025 12:26 , Alexander Butler
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting in Russia, US warns
Friday 10 January 2025 12:00 , Alexander Butler
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US issues grave warning
Ukraine expects Trump-Zelensky meeting after Trump inauguration
Friday 10 January 2025 10:56 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine expects high level contacts with the new US administration immediately after Donald Trump takes office, including an eventual meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv’s foreign ministry said on Friday.
“We are waiting for a meeting between our presidents because for us the main thing is to work together with America… we are preparing for contacts at the highest and high levels immediately after the inauguration,” ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Kremlin welcomes Trump meeting
Friday 10 January 2025 10:29 , Alexander Butler
The Kremlin has welcomed a meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump just days after he claimed Vladimir Putin wanted to sit down with him.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there could be progress on setting up the meeting after Trump is sworn in as US president on 20 January.
Trump claimed Putin wanted to meet with him as he spoke with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this week.
“President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” he said.
On Thursday, Trump pushed back his campaign pledge to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours and said six months was a more realistic target.
“The whole [Trump] team is obsessed with strength and looking strong, so they’re recalibrating the Ukraine approach,” a European official told the Financial Times.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shake hands after a conference in Helsinki, 2018 (AFP via Getty Images)
Pictured: Damaged cars after Russian strike on Ukraine
Friday 10 January 2025 09:18 , Alexander Butler
A resident walks next to cars damaged during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine (REUTERS)
A resident inspects his car damaged after a Russian drone strike on Ukraine (REUTERS)
Putin’s forces launch fresh drone assault
Friday 10 January 2025 08:45 , Alexander Butler
Vladimir Putin’s forces have launched a fresh drone assault on Ukraine as Donald Trump revealed the Russian leader wants to meet him.
Russian troops fired up to 72 drones at Ukraine overnight, hitting various buildings in the northern region of Chernihiv, as Kyiv’s airforce was scrambled to down 33 of them, it said.
Pictured: Zelensky meets Meloni in Rome
Friday 10 January 2025 08:23 , Alexander Butler
Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni at Chigi palace, Rome. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)
Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Chigi palace, Rome. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)
Ukraine strikes ‘supermarket in Donetsk’
Friday 10 January 2025 08:15 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine’s army struck a supermarket on Friday in the Russian-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine in an attack that used US-supplied missiles and wounded two people, a senior Russian-backed official said.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine and Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.
Unverified photos posted on social media showed a burnt out car in front of a shattered two-storey circular building surrounded by debris.
Dashcam footage posted by a driver nearby appeared to show the moment the supermarket – called Moloko (Milk) – was struck, with an ensuing large explosion and flames soaring into the sky.
Russia says its watching Trump’s plans to acquire Greenland
Friday 10 January 2025 08:04 , Arpan Rai
Moscow is alarmed at the incoming US president-elect Donald Trump’s plans to acquire Greenland, according to a senior Russian official and close aide of Vladimir Putin.
Mr Trump on Tuesday said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, as he declared US control of both to be vital to American national security.
“The Arctic is a zone of our national interests, our strategic interests,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, responding to Mr Trump’s remarks.
He added: “We are watching the rather dramatic development of the situation very closely, but so far, thank God, at the level of statements.”
Greenland, home to a large US military base, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime US ally and a founding member of Nato. Mr Trump cast doubts on the legitimacy of Denmark’s claim to Greenland.
Europe’s aviation regulator issues new warning for Russian airspace
Friday 10 January 2025 08:00 , Arpan Rai
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a new alert yesterday warning non-European carriers not to fly within western Russia airspace due to the risk of being unintentionally targeted by its air defence systems.
“The ongoing conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine poses the risk of civil aircraft being unintentionally targeted in the airspace of the Russian Federation due to possible civil-military coordination deficiencies, and the potential for misidentification,” EASA said.
EASA said the crash last month in Kazakhstan of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, after Russian air defences fired against Ukrainian drones, demonstrated the high risk at play. At least 38 people died in the crash.
“EASA recommends not to operate within the affected airspace of the Russian Federation located west of longitude 60° East at all altitudes and flight levels.”
The warning was for third-country operators authorised by EASA, given Russian airspace has been closed to European Union airlines since the bloc imposed Ukraine-related sanctions targeting Russia’s aviation sector.
Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan’s investigation told Reuters last month that Russian air defences had mistakenly shot the airliner down. Passengers said they heard a loud bang outside the plane.
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US issues grave warning
Friday 10 January 2025 07:48 , Arpan Rai
North Korea is “significantly benefiting” from its troops gaining battlefield experience fighting alongside Russian forces as it makes them more capable of waging war against rivals South Korea and Japan, a US official warned the UN.
Nearly 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been training in Russia and fighting to repel the Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk region, deputy US ambassador Dorothy Camille Shea told the UN Security Council, which was meeting to discuss Pyongyang’s launch of a new intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile on Monday.
North Korea “is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbours”, Ms Shea said.
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US issues grave warning
Russia dropped over 51,000 guided bombs since start of war
Friday 10 January 2025 07:30 , Arpan Rai
Russia has launched more than 51,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine since the start of its full-blown invasion nearly three years ago, the Ukrainian air force said yesterday.
Regions in proximity to the frontlines as well as those bordering Russia are most regularly targeted with these weapons, Ukrainian officials say.
Guided, or glide, bombs are highly destructive and very hard to intercept. The air-launched weapons are conventional, often Soviet-era ordnance that have been fitted with wings and satellite-aided navigation to extend their range and precision.
Zelensky and Austin use their final meeting to press Trump to keep supporting Ukraine
Friday 10 January 2025 07:18 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky and Lloyd Austin used their final meeting yesterday to press the incoming Trump administration not to give up on Kyiv’s fight, with the US defence secretary warning that to cease military support now “will only invite more aggression, chaos and war”.
“We’ve come such a long way that it would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now and not keep building on the defense coalitions we’ve created,” Mr Zelensky said. “No matter what’s going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will not just be erased off the map.”
Mr Austin doubled down on the Ukrainian president’s appeal, saying “no responsible leader will let Putin have his way”.
President-elect Donald Trump’s remarks about pushing for a quick end to the war, his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin and uncertainty over whether he will support further military aid to Ukraine have triggered concern among allies.
The Biden administration has worked to provide Ukraine with as much military support as it can, including approving a new $500m package of weapons and relaxing restrictions on missile strikes into Russia, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war.
Volodymyr Zelensky and US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin react during the opening of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Getty Images)
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine to Putin
Friday 10 January 2025 07:04 , Tom Watling
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine as US pledges $500m in military aid
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly 3 years of captivity
Friday 10 January 2025 04:05 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly three years of captivity in Russia
Starmer and Macron discuss Ukraine and Middle East ahead of Trump’s inauguration
Friday 10 January 2025 03:59 , Arpan Rai
Prime minister Keir Starmer welcomed the French president Emmanuel Macron to Chequers yesterday evening for wide-ranging discussions over dinner.
Sir Starmer said it was a “privilege” to host Mr Macron, the second world leader to meet the prime minister at his official country retreat since he took office in July.
Describing the meeting as “further evidence of our ability to work well together”, Sir Keir said the pair planned to discuss “a number of issues of concern”, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, while Downing Street has previously indicated that illegal migration, tech and growth would also be on the agenda.
Starmer and Macron discuss Ukraine and Middle East at UK meeting
Zelensky says meeting of allies pledges $2bn in aid
Friday 10 January 2025 03:20 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest in a series of meetings with Kyiv’s Western allies in Germany had resulted in pledges of an additional $2bn in military assistance to help it fight the war against Russia.
Mr Zelensky, speaking to My-Ukraina television channel after yesterday’s meeting, gave few details of the assistance, but that 34 countries had pledged support in different aspects of the 34-month-old war.
“We had a very good meeting, a very good result. There was $2bn in additional packages of support to Ukraine,” he said in a video posted on the television channel’s Telegram account.
The aid covered air defence, information technology, demining, naval forces, air forces and artillery.
“And all this will strengthen Ukraine,” he said. The president gave no details on which countries had made the pledges.
Trump says Putin wants to meet him, meeting being fixed
Friday 10 January 2025 03:16 , Arpan Rai
Donald Trump said a meeting was being set up between him and Russian president Vladimir Putin, but the Republican offered no timeline for talks between the two leaders.
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump said in remarks before a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
“President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” Trump said about the Russia-Ukraine war.
Mr Trump’s return to the White House on 20 January has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, but it has also led to fears in Kyiv that a quick peace deal could come at a high price for Ukraine.
Ukraine is right to stop the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
Friday 10 January 2025 03:06 , Tom Watling
Ukraine is right to turn off the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
What happens now Ukraine has ended Russian gas to Europe?
Friday 10 January 2025 02:05 , Tom Watling
Ukraine ends Russian gas pipeline to Europe – but how much will it cost Moscow?
Ukraine-Russia war map: Where are Putin’s forces making gains?
Friday 10 January 2025 01:04 , Tom Watling
Ukraine-Russia war map 2025: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline?
Ukraine attacks Russia’s Kursk from multiple directions
Friday 10 January 2025 00:05 , Tom Watling
Ukraine attacks Russia’s Kursk from multiple directions in surprise assault
What does Ukraine stand to gain with latest Kursk counterattack?
Thursday 9 January 2025 23:02 , Tom Watling
What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counter-attack on Russian soil
Mapped: Ukraine’s Kursk attack
Thursday 9 January 2025 22:09 , Tom Watling
Mapped: Ukraine-Russia frontline
Thursday 9 January 2025 21:04 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly 3 years of captivity
Thursday 9 January 2025 20:08 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly three years of captivity in Russia
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting in Russia, US says
Thursday 9 January 2025 19:04 , Tom Watling
North Korea benefiting from troops fighting alongside Russia, US warns
Ukraine fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of capture
Thursday 9 January 2025 18:04 , Tom Watling
Ukraine still fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of a takeover
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine to Putin
Thursday 9 January 2025 17:03 , Tom Watling
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine as US pledges $500m in military aid
In their final meeting, Zelenskyy and Austin say military aid to Ukraine must continue under Trump
Thursday 9 January 2025 16:01 , Tom Watling
In their final meeting, Zelenskyy and Austin say military aid to Ukraine must continue under Trump
Russia dropped more than 50,000 glide bomb on Ukraine since Feb 22, says Kyiv
Thursday 9 January 2025 15:32 , Tom Watling
Russia has launched over 51,000 of guided aerial bombs on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine‘s air force said on Thursday.
About 40,000 of the total number was used in 2024, it said on Telegram.
In pictures: Zelensky attends 25th Ramstein meeting in Germany
Thursday 9 January 2025 15:06 , Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky sits next to US defence secretary Lloyd Austin III at the Ramstein air base, Germany (AP)
(REUTERS)
German defence minister: will consider changing Ramstein format if US withdraws
Thursday 9 January 2025 14:30 , Tom Watling
German defence minister Boris Pistorius has said that a regular gathering of allies aimed at speeding up and synchronising arms deliveries to Ukraine was best kept under US leadership, with an eye to the new Trump administration.
“And if those in the United States now decide not to maintain this format any longer, then we will have to make our own decisions,” said Pistorius at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
He added that it was too early to speculate on what could happen to the format after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on 20 January.
The group, comprised of about 50 allies who usually meet every few months at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, was started in 2022 by outgoing US defense secretary Lloyd Austin.
Pistorius said Germany would be providing further guided missiles to Ukraine for the IRIS-T systems, initially intended for the German army, at short notice, and would stick to its schedule for delivering the systems it promised.
Slovakia will adopt measures against Ukraine if gas transit problem not solved, PM Fico says
Thursday 9 January 2025 14:04 , Tom Watling
Slovakia will adopt harsh reciprocal measures against Ukraine if the problem with halted gas transit through the country is not solved, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday after talks with EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen.
Fico has accused Kyiv of damaging Slovakia by not extending a gas transit deal with Russia to carry gas through Ukraine, and has threatened to retaliate by cutting emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine or reducing aid for refugees.
Mapped: Russia’s advance towards Pokrovsk
Thursday 9 January 2025 13:29 , Tom Watling