Kremlin declares state of emergency in border city after kamikaze drone attack

The mayor of a southern Russian city near the border with Ukraine has declared a state of emergency after what officials said was a Kyiv-launched drone attack that damaged several buildings and wounded two children.

Vadim Kstenin, the mayor of Voronezh City, claimed that nearly three dozen apartments had been damaged in the drone attack overnight.

Russian news outlet Shot reported on Telegram that at least 15 blasts were heard near an air base just outside the city, while some drone debris fell nearby onto an apartment building. Footage posted by the governor of Voronezh has since appeared to show that building.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) claimed they destroyed five drones in the region, which is roughly 170 miles from the border with Ukraine, and intercepted three more.

“I ask Voronezh residents not to worry – we are introducing a state of emergency so that we can quickly make decisions,” wrote Kstenin. The governor of the region, Alexander Gusev, claimed an 11-year-old girl was injured in the attack. Amother six-year-old boy was also injured, his mother has claimed.

Ukraine has not commented on the strike. The air base near Voronezh City is known host to some Sukhoi Su-34s bombers, according to Russian media. The Kremlin often deploys fighter-bomber aircraft during air strikes on Ukraine.

Key Points

• Ukraine launches drone strike across the border, claims Kremlin

• Ukraine claims to have shot down two Russian planes, including £250m spy aircraft

• Ukrainian strikes on Russian spy plane killed 11, claims military blogger

• First photo shows damaged Russian war plane

EU’s von der Leyen warns West against slackening support for Ukraine

11:30 , Tom Watling

The West must not let up supplying Ukraine with weapons and money if it wants Kyiv to succeed in its war against Russia, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned.

“Ukraine can prevail in this war but we must continue to empower their resistance,” she told business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, urging Kyiv’s western allies to continue their arms deliveries and financial support of Ukraine.

Story continues

“Ukrainians need predictable financing throughout 2024 and beyond. They need a sufficient and sustained supply of weapons to defend Ukraine and regain its rightful territory.”

Zelensky takes center stage in Davos as he tries to rally support for Ukraine’s fight

11:00 , Tom Watling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is headlining a frenzied first full day of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where top officials from the United States, the European Union, China, the Middle East and beyond will also take center stage Tuesday.

Mr Zelensky will endeavor to keep his country’s long and largely stalemated defense against Russia on the minds of political leaders, just as Israel’s war with Hamas, which passed the 100-day mark, has siphoned off much of the world’s attention and sparked concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Zelenskyy takes center stage in Davos as he tries to rally support for Ukraine’s fight

UPDATE: Two children injured in Voronezh strikes, claims local

10:30 , Tom Watling

Two children have been injured in what the Kremlin is claiming was a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian city overnight, according to the latest update.

Yelena Fedyainova, a resident of Voronezh City, has said her six-year-old boy was injured after a drone blew out the window of her apartment. She said the first drone hit at 2.30am local time (11.30pm GMT).

“There was a blow and a flash,” Ms Fedyainova told reporters. “I grabbed the child – there were shards everywhere and smoke.”

The mayor of Voronezh City, Vadim Kstenin, announced earlier that an 11-year-old girl had also been injured in the attack. He declared a state of emergency in the city this morning.

Ukrainian strikes on Russian spy plane killed 11, claims military blogger

10:06 , Tom Watling

The alleged Ukrainian destruction of a Russian spy plane on Monday killed at least 11 Kremlin pilots, a Russian military blogger has claimed.

Fighterbomber, believed to be a pilot in the Russian air force, posted the update on Telegram detailing the consequences of yesterday’s attacks. The blogger has been vocal about the importance of not hiding information about the attacks; the Kremlin has refused to speak about it.

While information is still scant – no photo has yet emerged of the destroyed A-50 spy plane – Fighterbomber provided the only image of the second plane attacked on Monday, an Ilyushin-22 command aircraft.

Polish truckers to suspend protest on Wednesday, says organiser

09:35 , Tom Watling

Polish truckers who have been blockading some border crossings with Ukraine will suspend their protest tomorrow and an agreement with the government is due to be signed on Tuesday, an organiser said.

“It won’t be the end but there will be a suspension of the protest,” said Tomasz Borkowski, from the Committee to Protect Transporters and Transport Employers. “We agreed certain conditions, we will give the government time to work as it is a new government.”

The protest is due to end at 11am GMT.

Zelensky sits down with Nato chief

09:07 , Tom Watling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sat down with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the war in Ukraine.

The pair met in the Swiss town of Davos ahead of the World Economic Forum.

In a statement on X, Mr Zelensky wrote: “We discussed the situation on the front lines. I informed the Secretary General of Russia’s recent mass air strikes and emphasized the need to further strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. We also talked about other defense needs.”

Zelensky arrives for first day of Davos

08:45 , Tom Watling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived this morning in Davos, Switzerland, to attend a session with CEOs as part of the World Economic Forum.

Here are some pictures from the Voronezh attack overnight

08:26 , Tom Watling

Below are some pictures appearing to show the aftermath of a drone attack on Voronezh City in Russia overnight. The city is roughly 170 miles from the Ukrainian border and sits next to an air base where Kremlin fighter jets are located.

Ukraine foreign minister muses about ‘punching’ Russia’s Lavrov

07:47 , Tom Watling

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in an interview made public on Monday, has said there have been times when he felt the urge to “punch in the face” his Russian opposite number Sergei Lavrov in talks during the early stage of Moscow’s invasion.

Mr Kuleba’s brief remarks were part of an hour-long informal interview with a Ukrainian video blogger focusing on topics ranging from cooking to hobbies and Ukrainian soccer.

When asked, as part of a series of rapid-fire questions, about his most difficult set of negotiations, Mr Kuleba said: “The most difficult talks are those in which you feel simply that you want to go and punch your opposite number in the nose, but you really can’t do that.

“And I can say that this occurred two or three times. One occasion was with Lavrov in (the Turkish resort of) Antalya in spring of 2022.”

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met for several rounds of talks in the early weeks after the February 2022 invasion — first near Ukraine‘s border with Belarus and later in Turkey.

Mr Kuleba said at the time that the talks in Turkey had been difficult and dealt with a ceasefire and arranging humanitarian corridors. No agreement was clinched in those talks and there have been no negotiations since.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects talks with Moscow until Russian troops are withdrawn from the slightly less than 20 percent of Ukraine they now hold. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin says Russia is ready for talks but has vowed to pursue what Moscow calls its “special military operation”.

In Moscow, Russia Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Mr Kuleba’s latest remarks underscored the incompetence of Ukraine‘s leadership.

“And that is the problem: uneducated, aggressive people were recruited under the guise of serving as ministers to ruin Ukraine for American money,” Zakharova told the daily Izvestia.

“Perhaps he belongs in a no-holds-barred bout rather than the foreign ministry?”

Ukraine launches drone attack on Russia’s Voronezh, says Kremlin

07:17 , Tom Watling

Russia’s air defence systems destroyed three Ukraine-launched drones over the southwestern region of Voronezh that borders Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday on its Telegram messaging channel.

The governor of the region, Alexander Gusev, said on his Telegram channel that according to preliminary checks there were no casualties or wounded, but windows were broken in several apartment buildings and residential houses in the city of Voronezh, which is the administrative centre of the region.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kyiv has intensified its air attacks in recent months on what it says are strikes targeting Russian military infrastructure to undermine Moscow’s war efforts.

Russia has an air base near Voronezh city, where some Sukhoi Su-34s bombers are based, according to Russian media. Russia often deploys the fighter-bomber aircraft during its air strikes on Ukraine.

Russian news outlet Shot reported on the Telegram that at least 15 blasts were heard near the air base and some drone debris fell nearby onto an apartment building.

The footage seen below was originally posted to Telegam by the local outlet Voronezh No. 1.

In case you missed it: Ukraine says it has shot down £250m Russian spy plane in costly blow to Putin

06:57 , Maira Butt

Tom Watling reports:

Ukraine has said it has shot down two prized Russian warplanes in what would amount to the most successful attack on Kremlin aircraft since the beginning of Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

General Valerii Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, said on Monday morning that a Russian A-50 spy plane, worth more than £250m, had been destroyed in overnight strikes in the southern occupied territories, while an IL-22 command aircraft had been hit off the Crimean coast.

“Ukraine’s Air Force destroyed an enemy A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and an enemy IL-22 air control centre,” Gen Zaluzhny wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Read the full article below.

Ukraine says it has shot down £250m Russian spy plane in costly blow to Putin

Romanian truck drivers and farmers protest as talks with the government fail to reach an agreement

06:10 , Maira Butt

Long convoys of trucks and tractors disrupted traffic on the outskirts of the capital, Bucharest, and other cities throughout the European Union nation as Romanian truck drivers and farmers protested following the failure of talks with government in the sixth straight day of demonstrations.

Farmers are demanding faster subsidy payments, compensation for losses caused by imports from neighboring Ukraine, and more state aid for fuel costs, among other demands. Truck drivers are calling for lower tax and insurance rates, and have complained about lengthy waiting times at the borders.

Meetings between the protesters and the agriculture and transport ministries were held over the weekend, but no agreements were reached. The demonstrators on Saturday also caused brief blockades at the border with Ukraine in the northeast, Ukrainian border authorities said on Telegram.

New images show Ukrainian drones dropping bombs on Russian military positions

05:07 , Maira Butt

Images obtained by Newsflash from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Monday show Ukrainian drones attacking Russian military positions.

They were accompanied with a statement saying: “Two occupants killed, four wounded.

“The attack UAV of the border guards of the Steel Frontier Brigade of the Offensive Guard returned from a night hunt in Kharkiv region.”

Ukrainians are being encouraged to contribute to the “People’s Drone” project by assembling military drones at home.

The initiative offers a free engineering course, enabling participants to learn how to construct a 7-inch FPV (first-person-view) drone for military use.

Ukrainian soldier who lost eyesight in battle creates foundation for blind veterans

04:03 , Maira Butt

A Ukrainian solider who lost his eyesight due to a mine blast injury following military action in Bakhmut has created a foundation for blind veterans.

In a post on social media he said: “Now – treatment, support, accompaniment, rehabilitation, socialization and a future for military personnel who have completely or partially lost the ability to see the light is reborn and will work systematically!

“The goal is to create the only working rehabilitation program that will help everyone feel that the light is in each of us!”

Zelensky releases statement following meeting with Swiss president Viola Amherd

03:02 , Maira Butt

President Zelensky took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his gratitude to Switzerland its president Viola Amherd.

He said: Switzerland provides Ukraine with not only humanitarian aid but also long-term financial assistance, political support, and sanctions. Today, we discussed a new long-term support program.

“I am grateful to President @Violapamherd for agreeing that our teams will begin joint work tomorrow on preparations for the Global Peace Summit at the level of leaders in Switzerland. This summit should provide the momentum for what we’ve already accomplished.

“It should also state that the conclusion of the war can only be just, and that the restoration of international law’s force must be truly comprehensive. Switzerland is our partner in these endavors.”

In pictures: Zelensky meets Swiss president and local Ukrainians look at a crater near a residential building

02:05 , Maira Butt

Second person dies weeks after grenade attack in crowded council chamber

00:56 , Maira Butt

A second person has died following the deadly detonation of a grenade inside a crowded Ukrainian council meeting in December. One person was reported killed and 26 were injured.

Myroslav Nytka, a member of a Zakarpattia Oblast’s village council was injured in a grenade attack in December and has since died in the hospital, raising the total death toll to two according to the Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian authorities are said to be investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. The suspect is yet to be identified.

Video: Ukraine’s ‘rightful place’ is in Nato, says Rishi Sunak

00:02 , Maira Butt

Rishi Sunak said that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato,” while speaking to MPs on Monday, 15 January.

The Prime Minister said that the UK will have provided almost £12 billion in aid to Ukraine, and have become the first to provide new bilateral security commitments, originally outlined at the 2023 Nato Summit.

He also confirmed an extra £2.5 billion in military funding to Ukraine after visiting Kyiv on Friday.

“Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato, and Nato will be stronger with Ukraine in it. But these committments will help bridge the gap until this day comes,” Mr Sunak said.

Defence secretary warns of further wars with Russia, China and Iran in next five years

Monday 15 January 2024 23:01 , Maira Butt

Kim Sengupta reports:

Britain should prepare for further wars involving China, Russia, Iran and North Korea in the next five years, Grant Shapps has warned.

In his first speech as defence secretary, Shapps presented a dark picture of a “pre-war world” in which old and new enemies have redrawn battle lines against Britain and the West.

In the wide-ranging address, in which he called on NATO members to increase their defence spending to at least 2 per cent of their GDP, he warned that the foundations of the rules-based international order are being “shaken to the core”.

Read the full article below.

Shapps warns of further wars with China and Iran in next five years

Russian military bloggers react to downing of £250m Russian A-50 spy plane

Monday 15 January 2024 21:58 , Maira Butt

Some Russian military bloggers said the downing of the A-50 would be a huge loss for Russia’s air force, since there was a limited number of the planes in service.

“It will be another dark day for the Russian Aerospace Forces and Air Defense,” wrote Rybar, a blogger with nearly 1.2 million subscribers that supports and provides running commentary on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“There are not many A-50s. And the specialists operating them are generally rare. If an aircraft of this type is hit, the crew will not be able to escape.”

The Ukrainian defence ministry valued the A-50 at $330 million.

Ukrainian military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov told the Financial Times that Russia had eight A-50s left.

London-based think tank IISS said in a 2021 report that Russia had nine A-50 aircraft in operation, including four modernised A-50U planes.

The Russian defence ministry said early last year that the modernised A-50U had been carrying out missions during the war in Ukraine.

The aircraft, which goes by the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, can detect more than 300 targets simultaneously, it said. It can detect and track a missile launch at a distance of 800 km and ground and sea targets at 300 km.

Ukraine peace talks end without agreement as Kyiv insists China must be involved

Monday 15 January 2024 21:00 , Maira Butt

A high-level meeting to discuss peace in Ukraine ended without a significant resolution, as talks were held on the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos with the second anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion fast approaching.

Representatives of more than 83 countries were involved in the fourth and final such meeting of national security advisers, but little common ground was found towards ending a conflict that appears stuck in a grinding deadlock.

Read the full article here.

Ukraine peace talks end without agreement as Kyiv insists China must be involved

Switzerland to host Ukraine peace summit at Zelensky’s request

Monday 15 January 2024 20:03 , Maira Butt

Switzerland on Monday agreed to host a global peace summit on Ukraine at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Neutral Switzerland has previously acted as a broker to resolve conflicts and could now help find a resolution for the war that began when Russia sent troops into Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

“At the request of the Ukrainian president, Switzerland has agreed to host a summit on the peace formula,” the Swiss government said. “Further details are now being worked out.”

Speaking alongside his Swiss counterpart Viola Amherd at a press conference in Bern, Zelensky did not provide an extensive list of the participants of the planned peace summit but hinted about who he wanted to attend.

“We are open to all countries that respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity at the peace summit, so draw conclusions about who we invite,” Zelensky said.

Ukrainian journalist says unknown intruders tried to storm his home

Monday 15 January 2024 19:01 , Maira Butt

A prominent Ukrainian investigative journalist who has frequently criticised senior government officials said on Monday that his home was visited by unidentified men who tried to break down his door and demand that he join the army.

The journalist, Yuriy Nikolov, said he did not know who was responsible and that only his mother had been at home during the incident in Kyiv on Sunday as he had been at a friend’s home watching the final of the snooker Masters tournament.

“Therefore, these freaks only frightened my elderly mother, who is living with me after (cancer treatment),” he wrote on Telegram messenger.

The police said they were ascertaining the details of the incident.

Two weeks ago, Nikolov accused President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of avoiding “his duties to lead a country at war” by failing to take responsibility for communicating bad news, comparing him to a draft-dodger.

A spokesperson said the presidential office would not comment on the incident until the police had made conclusions from the evidence.

Romanian farmers and truck drivers protest near border with Ukraine

Monday 15 January 2024 18:36 , Maira Butt

Hundreds of Romanian farmers and truck drivers protested near border crossings with Ukraine and near large cities amid ongoing negotiations with the government over high business costs.

The demonstrations were mainly against the high cost of diesel, expensive insurance rates, European Union measures to protect the environment and pressures on the domestic market from imported Ukrainian agricultural goods.

Convoys of tractors and trucks began gathering six days ago on national roads, mostly near large cities in the EU and NATO state, slowing or blocking traffic. The protesters’ demands include a moratorium on loan repayments, faster subsidy payments and separate lines at border crossings and the Black Sea port of Constanta for EU lorries and trucks from outside the bloc, including Ukraine.

Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest grain exporters and Constanta has become Kyiv’s largest alternative export route since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, with grains arriving at the port by road, rail and barge across the Danube.

Such duties were lifted for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion blockaded its ports, disrupting the transit of grains to global markets.

Russian air strikes focus on Ukrainian military industry for now says Kyiv

Monday 15 January 2024 18:02 , Maira Butt

Russia has focused its recent air attacks on the Ukrainian military-industrial complex although the threat to energy facilities remains high, a senior military spy official was quoted as saying on Monday by the RBC-Ukraine news site.

Ukrainian officials have warned for months that Russia may target its energy system with missile and drone strikes for a second winter. Last year air strikes heavily damaged power facilities, causing blackouts for millions.

Asked about a spate of major Russian air strikes since 29 December, Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine‘s military spy agency, said the same trend had not repeated so far and listed various targets Russia had aimed at.

“These are primarily objects of our military-industrial complex, headquarters, control systems and separate units that are located on the front line,” he was quoted as saying.

Skibitsky said the weapons used for the strikes were far from accurate, resulting in civilian suffering.

Swiss President: Switzerland has earmarked CHF 1.5 billion for aid to Ukraine

Monday 15 January 2024 17:38 , Maira Butt

As President Zelensky arrived in Bern ahead of the Davos conference on Tuesday, he met with Swiss president Viola Amherd. In the meeting both leaders clarified their actions and priorities in relation to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Swiss president Viola Amherd said Switzerland would “fight for long-lasting and just peace in Ukraine” and promised that they had earmarked CHF 1.5 billion in aid for the country.

President Zelensky replied that “for Switzerland to be neutral does not mean to ignore reality,” and thanked Switzerland in joining European sanctions on Russia. He confirmed that Ukraine would start their plans to hold a global peace conference in Switzerland on Tuesday.

Zelensky ‘grateful to Switzerland for its support of Ukraine’s sovereignty’

Monday 15 January 2024 17:20 , Maira Butt

After a meeting with Swiss federal assembly presidents Eric Nussbaumer and Eva Herzog, Ukrainian president Zelensky took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to thank Switzerland for its support.

He said: “Switzerland. I met with Federal Assembly Presidents @enussbi and @EvaHerzog_BS, as well as party and fraction leaders.

“We had an in-depth discussion about supporting and advancing Ukraine’s Peace Formula, frontline developments, and the importance of partner efforts to defend Ukraine.

“I am grateful to Switzerland for its support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for humanitarian assistance.”

In Pictures: Zelensky meets Swiss president in Bern, Switzerland ahead of Davos meeting

Monday 15 January 2024 17:00 , Maira Butt

Watch live: Zelensky holds press conference in Bern with Swiss president Viola Amherd

Monday 15 January 2024 16:37 , Maira Butt

Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to hold a press conference with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, during a visit to Bern.

The Ukrainian president arrived in Switzerland, where he will meet with the country’s leaders and participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos, on Monday 15 January.

“In Bern, I will meet with heads of both chambers of parliament, party and fraction leaders, and President Viola Amherd, Mr Zelensky wrote on social media website X.

Watch live: Zelensky holds press conference in Bern with Swiss president Viola Amherd

New images show Ukrainian drones dropping bombs on Russian military positions

Monday 15 January 2024 16:02 , Maira Butt

Images obtained by Newsflash from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Monday show Ukrainian drones attacking Russian military positions.

They were accompanied with a statement saying: “Two occupants killed, four wounded.

“The attack UAV of the border guards of the Steel Frontier Brigade of the Offensive Guard returned from a night hunt in Kharkiv region.”

Ukrainians are being encouraged to contribute to the “People’s Drone” project by assembling military drones at home.

The initiative offers a free engineering course, enabling participants to learn how to construct a 7-inch FPV (first-person-view) drone for military use.

Ukraine’s number two commander says troops are on ‘active defence’ and can still surprise

Monday 15 January 2024 15:34 , Maira Butt

In an interview late last week, Ukraine’s number two commander, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi told Reuters:

“Our goals remain unchanged: holding our positions … exhausting the enemy by inflicting maximum losses.”

The 58-year-old, wearing combat fatigues and speaking cautiously at an undisclosed location in the eastern region of Kharkiv, noted how Russia was looking to seize the initiative as the invasion neared its second anniversary.

They were pressing in multiple directions along the eastern front, Syrskyi said, with the aim of wresting full control of the industrial Donbas region despite heavy losses in men and supplies.

Russia also hopes to claw back ground it lost in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, he added.

Ukrainian troops, for their part, are staging smaller counter-attacks in what Syrskyi described as “active defence”: keeping the enemy on its toes by seeking opportunities to strike while they look to regain the initiative.

Syrskyi has commanded troops against combined Russian forces since 2014, when he earned his call sign “snow leopard”. They fought a Moscow-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine using “tactics that were similar to how this cat hunts.”

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief confirms destruction of £250m Russian spy plane

Monday 15 January 2024 14:56 , Tom Watling

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s chief of military intelligence, told the Financial Times on Monday that Ukrainian forces had managed to destroy the Russian A-50 and damage the Russian Il-22 command post.

The A-50 is a Russian spyplane estimated to be worth £250 million. It was reportedly downed in southeast Ukraine, while a Russian Il-22M11 airborne command post was hit near a village just above the Crimean peninsula.

“The A-50 was shot down and it exploded,” he said. “The Il-22 was badly damaged but, unfortunately for us, it managed to make an emergency landing in Anapa [a Russian town on the Black Sea coast],” Budanov added during an interview at his Kyiv office.

President Zelensky welcomed for Davos talks in Bern

Monday 15 January 2024 14:27 , Maira Butt

President Zelensky arrived in Switzerland on Monday to discuss Kyiv’s peace proposals at the World Economic Forum.

“In Bern, I will hold talks with the heads of both chambers of the parliament, heads of the parties and factions, and President Viola Amherd,” Zelensky wrote on the Telegram app.

The Kremlin on Monday said that talks in Davos on Kyiv’s peace proposals would achieve nothing as Russia was not participating in the discussions, and Moscow will continue its military operation in Ukraine until it achieves all its goals.

Putin and India’s prime minister Modi discuss Ukraine

Monday 15 January 2024 13:45 , Maira Butt

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they discussed Ukraine, Russian and Indian state media have reported.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Modi said: “Had a good conversation with President Putin. We discussed various positive developments in our Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership and agreed to chalk out a roadmap for future initiatives.

“We also had a useful exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including Russia’s Presidency of the BRICS.”

Shapps makes case for increased Western defence spending in ‘pre-war’ era

Monday 15 January 2024 13:19 , Maira Butt

The UK is facing a “pre-war world” and the “peace dividend” that allowed successive governments to ease spending on defence is over, Grant Shapps has said.

In a major speech at Lancaster House, the UK’s defence secretary Mr Shapps said the Government has already announced “the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War” and encouraged others to follow.

“Now is the time for all allied and democratic nations across the world to do the same thing and ensure their defence spending is growing too.

“Because the era of the peace dividend is over. In five years’ time we could be looking at multiple theatres including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

“Ask yourself, looking at today’s conflicts across the world, is it more likely that that number grows or reduces? I suspect we all know the answer. It’s likely to grow.

“The tanks are literally on Europe’s Ukrainian lawn and the foundations of the world order being shaken to their core.”

First photo shows damaged Russian aircraft

Monday 15 January 2024 12:38 , Tom Watling

The first photo purporting to show a damaged Russian military plane targeted by Ukraine has been published online.

The image showed the tailfin of the Russian Il-22 airborne command post aircraft that was allegedly struck near the village of Strilkove in the Kherson region, just above the Crimean peninsula, on Sunday night.

War blogger Fighterbomber, believed to be a pilot in the Russian military, posted the photo to Telegram.

He captioned the photo: “If we say that the IL-22 crew are real heroes, it means to say nothing. I hope we hear their story from the first person.”

It was previously reported that the plane was damaged and was forced to make an emergency landing in Anapa, a small port town in southwest Russia across the Kerch Strait from Crimea.

Ukraine’s air force have also claimed they destroyed a Russian A-50 spy plane, though no photos have been published showing the aircraft.

Zelensky arrives in Switzerland for Davos

Monday 15 January 2024 12:20 , Tom Watling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Switzerland to participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos and meet Swiss officials.

“In Bern, I will hold talks with the heads of both chambers of the parliament, heads of the parties and factions, and President Viola Amherd,” Mr Zelensky wrote on the Telegram app.

Russian foreign, defence ministers hold talks with Iranian counterparts -RIA

Monday 15 January 2024 11:49 , Tom Watling

Russia’s foreign and defence ministers Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu held telephone calls with their Iranian counterparts on Monday, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

Russia and Iran have drawn close in recent months, and Iran has provided Russia with weaponry to be used in Ukraine. The two sides have also criticised Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.

Russian military bloggers react to the downing of a Kremlin spy plane

Monday 15 January 2024 11:22 , Tom Watling

Below are some reactions from Russian military bloggers to the alleged Ukrainian downing of a Kremlin spy plane.

“It will be another dark day for the Russian Aerospace Forces and Air Defense,” wrote Rybar, a blogger with nearly 1.2 million subscribers that supports and provides running commentary on Russia’s war in Ukraine. “There are not many A-50s. And the specialists operating them are generally rare. If an aircraft of this type is hit, the crew will not be able to escape.”

WarGonzo, another prominent voice in the pro-war blogger community, said: “Unfortunately, war is never without tragedy, and the death of our soldiers is always painful. We express our condolences to the family and friends of the crew. Let us repeat that at the moment no official confirmations or details have been announced. We are waiting for the official version of events.”

His comments came after Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, said they knew nothing about the Ukrainian claims.

Fighterbomber, a war blogger believed to be a pilot in the Russian military, wrote: “A tragedy is always a tragedy. Especially when it’s of this scale. Whoever is there. We most likely will not know who is to blame for the death of the pilots.

“To the dead of eternal flight, to the wounded a speedy recovery and return to duty. And ask for specifics from the Moscow Region and from the administrators of stupid channels, who consider themselves real patriots of the country and know exactly what can be written and what cannot.”

No Russian state news outlet at the time of writing has reported the downing other than to say that Peskov dismissed the claims published by Ukraine’s state broadcast last night.

Russian sniper rifle production increases by 800%

Monday 15 January 2024 11:00 , Tom Watling

Russian weapons maker Kalashnikov has increased its production of sniper rifles by 800 percent, Russian state media has reported.

A press release said Kalashnikov had ramped up its production in 2023 as Russia continues to operate on a war footing.

Ukraine says it shot down two Russian planes

Monday 15 January 2024 10:15 , Tom Watling

Ukraine’s air force have confirmed they have shot down a Russian A-50 spy plane and Il-22 command aircraft in the area of the Sea of Azov.

“Ukraine‘s Air Force destroyed an enemy A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and an enemy IL-22 air control centre. I am grateful to the Air Force for the perfectly planned and executed operation in the Azov Sea region!” army chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said on the Telegram messaging app.

Earlier, we reported that sources had told Ukraine’s public broadcaster that multiple planes had been shot down overnight.

Kremlin says Davos talks on Ukraine will achieve nothing

Monday 15 January 2024 09:30 , Tom Watling

The Kremlin has said that talks in Davos on Ukraine‘s peace proposal would achieve nothing as Russia was not participating in the discussions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that without Russia’s participation there could be no result from the discussions.

You can read more about the peace talks here.

Here are some of the latest photos from Ukraine

Monday 15 January 2024 09:05 , Tom Watling

Below are some of the latest photos from Ukraine.

Top Western envoys review Ukraine peace formula to end Russia’s war as Zelenskyy plans Davos visit

Monday 15 January 2024 08:46 , Tom Watling

Top foreign policy advisers from Western countries and Ukraine are meeting Sunday to help push forward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace formula that aims to end Russia‘s war on his country.

The fourth such meeting of national security advisers takes place in the Swiss town of Davos, where Zelenskyy is set to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting starting Tuesday. He will endeavor to keep up international focus on Ukraine’s defense amid eroding support for Kyiv in the West and swelling distractions like conflict in the Middle East.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis are hosting Sunday’s conference attended by more than 80 delegations that aims to build on the previous closed-door efforts in Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Malta last summer and fall.

Top Western envoys review Ukraine peace formula to end Russia’s war as Zelenskyy plans Davos visit

UN appeals for £3.3bn to support war-ravaged Ukraine, refugees

Monday 15 January 2024 08:22 , Tom Watling

The United Nations and its partners have appealed for a combined $4.2 billion (£3.3bn) from donors to support war-ravaged communities in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian refugees in 2024.

“Hundreds of thousands of children live in communities on the front lines of the war, terrified, traumatized and deprived of their basic needs,” said UN aid chief Martin Griffiths.

“That fact alone should compel us to do everything we can to bring more humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that more than 14.6 million people, or 40 percent of Ukraine‘s population, will need humanitarian assistance this year due to Russia’s full-scale invasion.

More than 3.3 million of the people in need live in front-line communities in the east and the south of the country, including in territories occupied by Russia, access to which remains “significantly impeded”, according to OCHA.

As part of the appeal, OCHA is asking for $3.1 billion to help 8.5 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid in 2024. The UN refugee agency is seeking $1.1 billion to support 2.3 million Ukrainian refugees and their host communities.

Russia’s invasion, launched in February 2022, has forced some 6.3 million people to flee abroad. Four million people, including nearly one million children, remain displaced within the country, according to OCHA.

“Host countries continue to extend protection and include them in society, but many vulnerable refugees still need help,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

“They shouldn’t feel pressed to return because they cannot make ends meet in exile.”

Ukraine claims to have shot down two Russian planes

Monday 15 January 2024 08:00 , Tom Watling

Ukraine has claimed it shot down two Russian military planes in occupied Ukraine and over the Sea of Azo.

Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne reported this morning that sources in the Ukrainian military have confirmed the attacks.

They allege that on Sunday evening, the Ukrainian military shot down a Russian A-50 radar aircraft over the Sea of Azov. The strike reportedly occurred near the village of Kyrylivka in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

They added that Ukrainian troops also shot down a Russian Il-22M11 airborne command post just above the Crimean peninsula, near the village of Strilkove in the Kherson region.

When asked about the attacks, Nataliya Gumenyuk, the head of the joint coordination press center of Ukraine’s Southern Defence and Security Forces, said: “Certain information will come from the Air Force, and we can note that we warned in advance of unfavorable combat weather conditions for aviation (Russian Federation — ed.) in the southern direction.”

In a cryptic message this morning, Mykol Oleshchuk, the head of Ukraine’s air force, hinted at the strikes.

“This is for Dnipro! Burn in hell, inhumans! PS No details yet,” he wrote.

The Ukrainian air force has been approached for comment.

Russia welcomes North Korean foreign minister for talks on deepening ties

Monday 15 January 2024 07:45 , Tom Watling

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is due in Russia on Monday for talks with her counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, as the two countries deepen economic, political, and military ties.

As Russia’s international isolation has grown over its war in Ukraine, analysts say Moscow has seen increasing value in its ties with North Korea.

For North Korea’s part, relations with Russia have not always been as warm as they were at the height of the Soviet Union, but the country is reaping benefits from Moscow’s need for friends.

North Korea on Sunday tested a new solid-fuel hypersonic missile with intermediate range, state news agency KCNA reported, in a move that was condemned by the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Choe and her delegation departed Pyongyang for Russia the same day, KCNA said. Her three-day visit comes as the United States and its allies accused Russia of firing North Korean-made ballistic missiles and other weapons against targets in Ukraine.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms deals but have vowed to deepen cooperation across the board and have staged a series of high-level meetings since last year, including a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia.

“Given that the Russia-North Korea relationship is shaping up to be quite multi-faceted, all kinds of issues can be discussed between Lavrov and Choe,” said Artyom Lukin, at Russia’s Far Eastern Federal University. “If she meets the Russian president, this may be another indication Putin will visit Pyongyang this year.”

Ukraine launches missile attack on Russia’s Kursk -Russia’s defence ministry

Monday 15 January 2024 07:29 , Tom Watling

Russian air defence systems destroyed three Ukraine-launched Tochka-U missiles over southwest Russia’s Kursk region early on Monday, the Russian defence ministry have claimed.

The ministry did not say whether there was any damage or injuries due to the attack. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the attack.

The Tochka-U missile, which carries the NATO reporting name Scarab B, is a short-range tactical ballistic missile.

We should pay attention to the Taiwan elections (the Russians certainly are)

Monday 15 January 2024 06:30 , Alexander Butler

A reasonable argument can be made that every nationwide election has implications and consequences that transcend national borders.

But this is true many times over for the votes that will be cast in Taiwan on Saturday, where an electorate of some 19 million people potentially holds in its hands the future of peace in Asia and beyond.

In strictly national terms, the Taiwanese face a familiar choice. They are voting both for a new president and for a new parliament, with three main candidates and parties to choose from, and the issue is, as ever, relations with China.

Mary Dejevsky writes that the impact of this weekend’s elections could be far-reaching from China to Ukraine. Read the full article here:

We should pay attention to the Taiwan elections (the Russians certainly are)

Ukraine needs more attack aircraft for war effort, commander says

Monday 15 January 2024 05:30 , Alexander Butler

Ukraine’s ground forces commander has said that Kyiv is in need of more military aircrafts for it’s war effort to be successful.

Speaking to Reuters, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said the country needed aircrafts such as U.S. A-10 attack jets to support infantry and planes that could fire long-range cruise missiles.

“I would talk about A-10s as an option if they’ll be given to us … this is not a new machine, but a reliable one that has proven itself in many wars, and which has a wide array of weapons for destroying land targets to help the infantry,” said the 58-year-old, wearing combat fatigues.

The commander also commented on Ukraine’s major counteroffensive it conducted last summer, which failed to achieve a major breakthrough.

Moscow’s forces are now back on the offensive in some parts of the east, where Syrskyi said fighting remained fierce.

“This is active defence when we are not just sitting on the defensive but constantly counterattacking, and in some directions switching to the offensive,” he said. “And the enemy knows this.”

What is the UK’s new aid package for?

Monday 15 January 2024 04:30 , Alexander Butler

Rishi Sunak has made a surprise visit to Ukraine today after announcing the government’s £2.5 billion military aid package for the coming year.

Number 10 said that the £2.5 billion in funding would cover long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security.

Around £200 million will also be spent on a push to procure and produce thousands of military drones, which the Government said was the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine from any nation.

Downing Street also said that additional funding to fortify Ukraine’s energy infrastructure against further Russian attacks will also be given, as well as an additional £18 million to deliver humanitarian aid on the front line.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government announced that, with help from the UK, it will promote the English language in Ukraine to boost ties.

Russia destroys Kharkiv granary, police say

Monday 15 January 2024 03:30 , Alexander Butler

Russian forces struck grain silos in the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, destroying the grain inside, regional senior investigator for the Ukrainian police Serhii Bolvinov reported.

Two air-dropped gliding bombs were launched over the previous night, hitting grain storage facilities and a processing building. According to Bolvinov, the security guards on duty were not injured and no casualties were reported.

“Destroyed crops and destroyed premises – the Russians continue to raid civilian objects,” Bolvinov wrote on Facebook.

International working group needed for withdrawal of Russian troops, Kyiv says

Monday 15 January 2024 02:30 , Alexander Butler

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has proposed an international working group on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the minister wrote on Facebook on Jan. 14.Umerov presented the plan at the fourth meeting of national security advisors regarding the Peace Formula in Davos, Switzerland. He suggested creating a group at the level of Ministers of Defense and National Security Advisors to “jointly work out a mechanism for the withdrawal of (Russian) troops.”“It’s impossible to talk about restoring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine without the complete withdrawal and disarmament of Russian troops and terrorist organizations from the temporarily occupied territories,” Umerov wrote.