UK sanctions dozens over ‘Russian campaign to deport and indoctrinate Ukrainian children’
The United Kingdom has sanctioned dozens of people and entities allegedly involved in the forced deportation, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children.
New measures target 29 people linked to a Russian campaign to forcibly deport and militarise children, and a further 56 linked to information warfare.
More than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported to Russia and within the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Among those forcibly deported, an estimated 6,000 children have reportedly been taken to re‑education camps and subjected to propaganda designed to erase Ukrainian identity.
As part of their response, the UK unveiled an additional £1.2m in funding to help identify and return Ukrainian children to their homes and communities.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 17:00
Frontline clashes mount despite US ceasefire
The General Staff of Ukraine’s military said on Monday that 180 battlefield clashes had been recorded along the front line over the previous 24 hours.
Russian forces had on Sunday deployed “kamikaze” drones and artillery in attacks on settlements and military positions, it said in a Monday morning update.
In its afternoon report, the General Staff said Russian troops had carried out 38 new assaults on Ukrainian positions, adding: “Artillery shelling of border areas continues.”
Regional governors in Ukraine reported early on Monday that at least three people had been killed in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia and southern Kherson regions over the past 24 hours.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 16:15
Watch: Putin claims Russia-Ukraine war is ‘coming to an end’Putin claims Russia-Ukraine war is ‘coming to an end’
James Reynolds11 May 2026 15:45
The latest: Russia and Ukraine trade blame for continued fighting
A US-brokered ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was due to expire on Monday with both sides accusing each other of breaching the 72-hour arrangement, as American and European officials considered how they might steer the warring countries into further talks.
Ukrainian authorities said Monday that Russian drones, bombs and artillery shelling struck civilian areas of the northeastern Kharkiv and southern Kherson regions, killing at least two people and wounding seven others.
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday accused Kyiv of committing more than 1,000 ceasefire violations, state media reported.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 15:16
EU imposes sanctions on Russia individuals, entities in Russia over Ukrainian children
The European Union has imposed sanctions on 16 individuals and seven entities in Russia for systematic unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children, the EU Council said in a statement on Monday.
* Russia is estimated to have deported and forcibly transferred nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children since the war began, the EU Council said.
* These actions constitute grave breaches of international law and violate children’s fundamental rights, aiming to erase Ukrainian identity and undermine future generations, it added.
* Entities listed today include federal institutions linked to Russia’s Ministry of Education, the EU Council said.
* The listings also name officials and politicians from Russia‑occupied territories, along with leaders of youth camps and military‑patriotic organisations.
* Those listed are subject to asset freezes, while EU citizens and companies are barred from providing them with funds or economic resources, and individuals face an EU travel ban, the Council said.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 14:54
Recap” Germany’s Schroeder no ‘honest broker’ in Ukraine talks, says German official
Germany’s top official for Europe on Monday dismissed a suggestion by Russian President Vladimir Putin that former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could mediate between Russia and Europe to secure a peace deal in Ukraine.
Schroeder “has not exactly done everything in the past to be able to act as a neutral mediator, an ‘honest broker,’ so to speak,” Minister of State for Europe Gunther Krichbaum said in Brussels.
“He is, and certainly has been, heavily influenced by Mr Putin – close friendships may be legitimate anywhere in the world, but they do not help one to be perceived as an impartial mediator,” Krichbaum said.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 14:25
UK faces biggest fall in consumer confidence since start of Ukraine war, research suggests
The decline in consumer sentiment, which indicates how likely people are to spend or save in the future, is coupled with concerns around a fresh cost of living crisis as uncertainty remains around the full impact the Iran war will have on food and energy costs.
More than 2,000 British consumers were surveyed about their confidence as part of accounting firm PwC’s quarterly survey after the Easter Bank Holiday in April. Optimism dropped from -1 to -13, the biggest quarterly fall since June 2022.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 13:00
Recap: Putin claims war ‘coming to an end’ after suggesting ally as peace mediator
Russian president Vladimir Putin said he believed the war is “coming to an end” as Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating a fragile US-backed ceasefire through drone strikes and clashes along the front lines.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks continued in eastern regions despite the three-day truce, deepening Kyiv’s doubts about Moscow’s intentions.
Meanwhile, during Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow, North Korean troops marched alongside Russian forces for the first time. The parade was a far cry from past years, where it has been used to show off Russia’s vast military, including its nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin told reporters about the war, which he started more than four years ago.
He also said he would be willing to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, and that his preferred negotiating partner would be Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
However, many European leaders rejected the idea because of Schroeder’s close ties to the Kremlin.
James Reynolds11 May 2026 12:30
- Vladimir Putin said he would only meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky once a lasting peace agreement had been reached, while also claiming the war was “coming to an end”.
- Russia and Ukraine continued accusing each other of violating the US-brokered three-day ceasefire through drone strikes, shelling and frontline clashes, despite a temporary reduction in large-scale attacks.
- US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow soon for fresh peace talks, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
- Putin suggested former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder could mediate peace talks with Europe, but the proposal sparked criticism in Germany and the EU because of Schroder’s close ties to the Kremlin and Russian energy companies.
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Schroder would be “sitting on both sides of the table” and warned against allowing Russia to choose Europe’s negotiator.
- Russia accused Armenia of giving Zelensky a platform for “anti-Russian remarks” after his comments in Yerevan about possible drone threats to Moscow’s parade.
- Latvian defence minister Andris Spruds resigned after Ukrainian drones crossed into Latvia from Russia and struck oil storage tanks, prompting Baltic calls for stronger Nato air defences.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 12:10
Latvian defence minister resigns after Ukrainian drones hit oil tanks
Latvian defence minister Andris Spruds resigned after two Ukrainian drones crossed into Latvia from Russia and struck oil storage tanks in the eastern city of Rezekne.
Latvian prime minister Evika Silina demanded his resignation, saying the country’s anti-drone systems were not activated quickly enough.
The incident prompted Latvia and neighbouring Lithuania to urge Nato to strengthen air defences in the Baltic region.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the drones were Ukrainian but claimed they had been deliberately diverted off course by Russian electronic warfare while targeting sites inside Russia.
Ukraine also said it was considering sending experts to help improve Baltic air security after the incident.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 11:40