UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR LATEST: FIVE KILLED IN RUSSIAN STRIKE ON ‘HARRY POTTER CASTLE’ IN ODESA

Key Points

• Russian missile kills five in Ukraine’s Odesa
• Flames engulf Ukraine’s ‘Harry Potter castle’ after deadly missile attack
• Nato chief derides slow western aid: ‘Serious consequences'
• Kyiv’s troops forced back by intense fighting in east
• North Korea criticises US for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, KCNA says

Flames engulf Ukraine’s ‘Harry Potter castle’ after deadly Russian missile attack

Flames engulf a Ukraine building, known locally as “Harry Potter castle” after a deadly Russian missile attack on Monday night.

Five people have been killed and another 32 injured after a Russian attack on Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa, local officials say.

The building damaged in the strike is the residence of prominent former MP Serhiy Kivalov, who was among the wounded.

It houses the Odesa Law Academy, which is run by Mr Kivalov.

Footage shows the towers of the famous Kivalov mansion on the waterfront on fire.

Duchess of Edinburgh denounces Putin’s forces for using rape as a weapon of war

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes first royal to visit Ukraine since Russian invasion

The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, meeting president Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife in Kyiv.

Sophie, 59, made the surprise visit on behalf of the Foreign Office to show solidarity with those impacted by the war and as part of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

While there, she met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and survivors of torture who shared their stories, as well as female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Sophie becomes first member of royal family to visit Ukraine since war

North Korean missile fragments found in Ukraine’s Kharkiv

Fragments of a North Korean Hwasong 11 ballistic missile were found in Ukraine’s Kharkiv after it was attacked by the Russian military in early January, according to the UN sanctions monitors.

In a report seen by Reuters, the monitors informed the Security Council that “debris recovered from a missile that landed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 2 January 2024 derives from DPRK Hwasong 11 series missiles”. DPRK is Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the formal name of North Korea.

The attack killed at least three people and injured 62. The use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine is in violation of the 2006 UN arms embargo on the East Asian country, the report noted.

North Korean missile debris found in Ukraine’s Kharkiv

‘In front of my eyes, a missile was shot down'

A student at the academy who identified herself by her first name, Maria, said the blaze in Odesa on Monday was caused when a missile was intercepted.

“In front of my eyes, a missile was shot down, this was just in front of me. My doors were blown open and the glass was shaking. And then I saw this,” she told Reuters, pointing to the burning building.

“Just before this happened, we wanted to go down there for a walk, but thank God we weren’t there when it happened.”

Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk, in a posting on a military Telegram channel, said the strike was conducted by an Iskander-M ballistic missile with a cluster warhead.

Public broadcaster Suspilne said the academy’s president, a prominent former member of parliament, Serhiy Kivalov, was among the injured.

Russian missile kills five in Ukraine’s Odesa

A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in a popular seafront park in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday killed at least five people and injured 32, local officials said.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said that in addition to those killed in the attack, one man died after suffering a stroke attributed to the strike.

Kiper said eight of the injured were in serious condition, including a 4-year-old child. Among the injured were another child and a pregnant woman.

Reuters Television footage showed the roof of the ornate building, a private law academy, all but destroyed after the strike. Firefighters were directing water on small fires still burning.

“Monsters. Beasts. Savages. Scum. I don’t know what else to say,” Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said in a video posted on Telegram. “People are going for a walk by the sea and they are shooting and killing.”

Pictures posted earlier online showed the building ablaze and smoke billowing skyward.

Video footage, which could not be immediately verified, showed people receiving treatment on the street alongside pools of blood. One photo showed officials examining part of a missile.

Ukraine’s troops hope new US weapons will turn tide as Putin’s forces advance in east

Ukraine’s top military commander has been uncharacteristically open about the fact that some of Kyiv’s troops have been withdrawn from several frontline positions in eastern Ukraine as Russia intensifies its attacks.

Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi made the comments as Russian forces have been pressing hard since they captured their biggest prize this year, Avdiivka, north of Donetsk city, eastern Ukraine, in February.

Recently Russian forces have advanced to the town of Novokalynove, north of Avdiivka, and into Keramik, northwest of there. There has also been significant movement around Ocheretyne, and Moscow claimed on Sunday its troops captured Novobakhmutivka, 16km (10 miles) north of Avdiivka and, closer, heavy fighting is reported near Berdychi. On Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed it has taken another village, Semenivka.

Moscow’s push has sought to take advantage of Ukraine running low of vital ammunition and weapons thanks to political infighting in the US Congress that delayed the passing of a $61bn (£48bn) aid package until last week.

Askold Krushelnycky speaks to a Ukrainian colonel in this report:

Ukraine’s troops hope new US weapons will turn tide as Putin’s forces advance in east

NATO's chief chides alliance countries for not being quicker to help Ukraine against Russia

NATO countries have failed to deliver in good time what they promised to Ukraine, the alliance’s chief said Monday, as Russia rushes to exploit its battlefield advantages before Kyiv‘s depleted forces get more Western military supplies in the war that has lasted more than two years.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that “serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine.

NATO's chief chides alliance countries for not being quicker to help Ukraine against Russia

Thirty men died trying to leave Ukraine to avoid mobilisation since war began

About 30 Ukrainian men have died trying to illegally cross Ukraine’s borders and avoid fighting in the war against Russia which started in 2022, an official in Kyiv said.

“Some lost their lives while attempting to cross a mountain river or traverse mountains,” said Andriy Demchenko, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s border service told the Ukrinform news agency.

He added: “Overall, since the full-scale invasion began, about 30 people have died attempting to illegally cross the border.”

Of these, 24 men alone have died while trying to cross the Tisa river on Ukraine’s border with Romania.

Additionally, Ukrainian border guards have uncovered about 450 criminal groups that have attempted to smuggle people across the border since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Mr Demchenko said.

With some exceptions, Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country as they may be mobilised to fight, according to Ukraine’s martial law.

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front thanks to intense Russian attacks, army chief says

Ukraine’s top commander has said Kyiv‘s outnumbered troops have fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

The statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi reflected Ukraine’s deteriorating position in the east that Kyiv hopes it can stabilise once it takes delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion (£48bn) aid package approved this week.

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front, army chief says

Ukraine’s allies say slow arms deliveries have helped Russia

Nato countries haven’t delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, allowing Russia to press its advantage as Kyiv’s depleted forces waited for military supplies to arrive from US and Europe, the alliance’s chief said yesterday.

“Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Kyiv with president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Outgunned, Ukraine‘s troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield. They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin’s forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine’s army chief said.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

“The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,” Mr Stoltenberg said.

Kyiv’s Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”

But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe’s military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraine‘s own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Ukraine's farm minister is the latest corruption suspect as Kyiv aims to undo recent Russian gains

A Ukrainian court on Friday ordered the detention of the country’s farm minister in the latest high-profile corruption investigation, while Kyiv security officials assessed how they can recover lost battlefield momentum in the war against Russia.

Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court ruled that Agriculture Minister Oleksandr Solskyi should be held in custody for 60 days, but he was released after paying bail of 75 million hryvnias ($1.77 million), a statement said.

Ukraine's farm minister is the latest corruption suspect as Kyiv aims to undo recent Russian gains

Four killed in Russian missile attack on Odesa

At least four people were killed after a Russian missile attack struck an educational institution in a popular seafront park in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa.

One man also suffered a stroke attributed to the missile attack, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. The injured include a child and a pregnant woman.

Seven of the injured were in serious condition, including a four-year-old child, the official said.

The missile attack was carried out using Iskander-M ballistic missile with a cluster warhead, a missile known as harder to intercept, said Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.

Public broadcaster Suspilne said the academy’s president, a prominent former member of parliament, Serhiy Kivalov, was among the injured.

“Monsters. Beasts. Savages. Scum. I don’t know what else to say,” Odesa mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said in a video posted on Telegram. “People are going for a walk by the sea and they are shooting and killing.”

Reuters Television footage showed the roof of the ornate building, a private law academy, all but destroyed after the strike. Firefighters were directing water on small fires still burning actively.

A student at the academy who identified herself by her first name, Maria, said the blaze was caused when the missile was intercepted.

“In front of my eyes, a missile was shot down, this was just in front of me. My doors were blown open and the glass was shaking. And then I saw this,” she told Reuters, pointing to the burning building.

“Just before this happened, we wanted to go down there for a walk, but thank God we weren’t there when it happened.”

North Korean missile hit Ukraine’s Kharkiv, say UN experts

Debris from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile was found in Ukraine’s Kharkiv when it came under attack on 2 January this year, according to the United Nations sanctions monitors.

The UN sanctions members informed a Security Council committee in a 32-page report seen by Reuters, concluding that “debris recovered from a missile that landed in Kharkiv, Ukraine on 2 January 2024 derives from a DPRK Hwasong-11 series missiles.”

Missile’s use in Ukraine is in violation of the arms embargo on North Korea, the report added.

“Information on the trajectory provided by Ukrainian authorities indicates it was launched within the territory of the Russian Federation,” officials wrote in a 25 April report to the Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee.

Three sanctions monitors travelled to Ukraine earlier in April to inspect the debris and found no evidence that the missile was made by Russia. They “could not independently identify from where the missile was launched, nor by whom.”

“Such a location, if the missile was under control of Russian forces, would probably indicate procurement by nationals of the Russian Federation,” they said, adding that this would be a violation of the arms embargo imposed on North Korea in 2006.

Ukraine pushes to get military-age men to come home. Some neighboring countries say they will help

Ukraine’s foreign minister doubled down Friday on the government’s move to bolster the pool of fighting forces by cutting off consular services to conscription-age men outside the country, saying it was a question of “justice.”

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the policy would ensure men in Ukraine and those who have left were both treated fairly.

Ukraine pushes to get military-age men to come home. Some neighboring countries say they will help

As EU election campaigns kick off in Germany, the Ukraine war, rise of far right are dominant themes

Several German parties on Saturday kicked off their campaigns for the election of the European Parliament in June with a focus on issues such as the war in Ukraine and support by many European voters for far-right nationalist parties across the continent.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ’s center-left Social Democrats, or SPD, launched their official campaign for the June 9 EU election with a rally in Hamburg, Scholz’s longtime home city.

As EU election campaigns kick off in Germany, the Ukraine war, rise of far right are dominant themes

Russia launches fresh missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

Russian missiles have pounded power facilities across Ukraine – with Kyiv saying it had launched its own major long-range drone attack into Russia.

The airstrikes by Moscow, carried out with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired by Russian strategic bombers based in the Arctic Circle, are the fourth large-scale aerial assault targeting the power system since the last week of March.

Russia launches missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

More footage of the Russian missile strike in Odessa

Below you can see more footage of the aftermath of a Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa.

Mexican film wins top prize at Moscow International Film Festival while major studios boycott Russia

A Mexican film has won the top prize Friday at the Moscow International Film Festival, which took place as major Western studios boycott the Russian market and as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds into its third year.

“Shame,” a film by director Miguel Salgado and co-produced by Mexico and Qatar, was the most highly awarded film at the festival, which began in 1935 and which has been held annually since 1999. This year’s edition included more than 240 films from 56 countries.

Mexican film wins top prize at Moscow International Film Festival while major studios boycott Russia

Two Russian journalists jailed on 'extremism' charges for alleged work for Navalny group

Two Russian journalists were arrested by their government on “extremism” charges and ordered by courts there on Saturday to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges for which they will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin. Each faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged “participation in an extremist organization,” according to Russian courts.

Two Russian journalists jailed on 'extremism' charges for alleged work for Navalny group

Russia launches fresh missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

Russian missiles have pounded power facilities across Ukraine – with Kyiv saying it had launched its own major long-range drone attack into Russia.

The airstrikes by Moscow, carried out with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired by Russian strategic bombers based in the Arctic Circle, are the fourth large-scale aerial assault targeting the power system since the last week of March.

Russia launches missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

Russian court places Forbes journalist under house arrest

A Russian court has placed a journalist from the local edition of US magazine Forbes under house arrest.

Sergei Mingazov was detained earlier on Friday on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian army, according to the magazine.

Vladimir Torkonyak, an official from the Khabarovsk Regional Court said that the 55-year-old journalist was placed under house arrest for spreading “fake news about the Russian army” through a two-year-old post on a Telegram channel, reported Russia’s state-owned RIA news agency.

Russian court places Forbes journalist under house arrest

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front thanks to intense Russian attacks, army chief says

Ukraine’s top commander has said Kyiv‘s outnumbered troops have fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

The statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi reflected Ukraine’s deteriorating position in the east that Kyiv hopes it can stabilise once it takes delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion (£48bn) aid package approved this week.

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front, army chief says

Russian missile hits educational institution, kills two in Ukraine's Odesa

A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday killed two people and injured at least 17, officials said.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said 17 people had been injured, at least two of them in serious condition. The injured included a 12-year-old boy.

Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov put the number of injured at 20.

Pictures posted online showed an ornate building close to the seafront ablaze and smoke billowing skyward. Video footage, which could not be immediately verified, showed people receiving treatment on the street alongside pools of blood.

Public broadcaster Suspilne said the roof of the building, described as a legal academy, had been nearly destroyed. It said the academy’s president, a prominent former member of parliament, Serhiy Kivalov, was among the injured.

The Ukrainian Air Force had announced a harder-to-intercept ballistic missile threat ahead of the strike.

NATO's chief chides alliance countries for not being quicker to help Ukraine against Russia

NATO countries have failed to deliver in good time what they promised to Ukraine, the alliance’s chief said Monday, as Russia rushes to exploit its battlefield advantages before Kyiv‘s depleted forces get more Western military supplies in the war that has lasted more than two years.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that “serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine.

“NATO allies have not delivered what they promised,” Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, referring to delays by the U.S. and Europe in sending weapons and ammunition.

NATO's chief chides alliance countries for not being quicker to help Ukraine against Russia

UAE and Ukraine conclude talks on bilateral trade deal

The United Arab Emirates and Ukraine have completed negotiations for a bilateral trade deal, according to a joint statement released on Monday, ahead of its formal signing.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will remove or reduce tariffs on a range of good and products, remove trade barriers and ease market access to exporters from both sides, the statement said.

In addition, the CEPA will also “support Ukraine‘s recovery and the rebuilding of key industries and infrastructure, while also helping to strengthen supply chains to the (Middle East and North Africa) region for major exports such as grains, machinery and metals.”

UAE-Ukraine bilateral non-oil trade reached $385.8 million in 2023, with joint investment worth about $360 million by the end of 2022 spanning sectors including logistics and infrastructure, travel and tourism, and advanced technology.

“We want to be ready for the next era of Ukraine,” Thani al Zeyoudi, UAE minister for foreign trade, told Reuters.

“It (the CEPA) is an important step for us to have another gateway to Europe through Ukraine,” Zeyoudi said, adding the deal will provide potential market access not only for goods but also services and allow UAE companies to build up connectivity to the European Union if or when Ukraine joins the bloc.”

US intelligence believes Putin probably didn’t order his rival Navalny’s killing, report claims

US intelligence agencies are said to have concluded that Vladimir Putin probably did not directly order the killing of his most prominent critic Alexei Navalny, who suddenly died in his Arctic prison cell in February.

The death of 47-year-old Mr Navalny, leading light of Russia’s opposition movement, was announced on 16 February. He had been serving a prison sentence on charges of extremism, which the international community decried as trumped up to try and silence a thorn in the side of the Kremlin.

World leaders have lined up to condemn the death, while a number of nations – including the UK and the US – have announced sanctions against those in charge of the prison in which Mr Navalny was held.

US intelligence believes Putin probably didn’t order Navalny’s killing, report claims

Russia is plotting attacks across Europe – and they’re only going to get worse

The Kremlin stands accused of everything from arson attacks in the UK to targeting GPS systems used to navigate flights, writes Keir Giles. As the country recruits more freelancers to act on its behalf, we should prepare for the dangers ahead:

Russia is plotting attacks across Europe - and they’re only going to get worse

Putin puts captured British armoured cars and American tanks on display after they were captured in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has proudly displayed a selection of American and British tanks in Moscow after they were captured on the frontline in Ukraine.

A British Saxon armoured personnel carrier, believed to have been given to Ukraine in 2015, was among vehicles pictured parked in the Russian capital under red banners boasting “Our victory is inevitable”.

The display is part of a month-long exhibition, which also features an American Bradley tank, a Swedish CV90 and a French-made AMX-10RC armoured fighting vehicle.

Putin parades British armoured cars and US tanks captured in Ukraine

Latvians told to turn basements into bomb shelters amid fears Russia could target Baltic states next

Latvians have been told to convert their basements into air raid shelters amid fears that Vladimir Putin could target the Baltic states next.

Vilnis Kirsis, the mayor of Riga, Lativa’s capital, said people should be ready to shelter in their cellars

“We call on everyone during the big clean-up, but also afterwards, to ensure that your cellars and your basements can be used as shelters in case of emergencies,” he said.

Latvians told to turn basements into bomb shelters amid Russia attack fears

Killing of two Ukrainian soldiers may be political, German prosecutors say

German prosecutors on Monday said they were not ruling out a political motive as they investigated a Russian citizen arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death two convalescing Ukrainian soldiers over the weekend.

The soldiers - who had been recuperating in southern Germany - were found with serious stab wounds outside a shopping centre in the Bavarian town of Murnau am See on Saturday evening, according to police. One of them, aged 36, died at the scene, while the other, 23, succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

A 57-year-old Russian citizen was arrested in his home shortly after the act on suspicion of murder, police said.

Early indications suggest the three men had known each other.

“The motive for the crime is currently unclear, although a political motivation cannot be ruled out and is being investigated in all directions,” the prosecutor general’s office in Munich said as it took over the case.

Ukrainian consuls are clarifying information about the units in which the victims served and establishing contact with their families, the Ukrainian government said in a statement.

Nato chief criticises allies for not being quicker to help Ukraine

Nato countries have not delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance’s chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its battlefield advantage while Kyiv’s depleted forces wait for Western military supplies to arrive.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that “serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine.

“Nato allies have not delivered what they promised,” Mr Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to delays by the US and Europe in sending weapons and ammunition.

Ukraine‘s troops were compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the eastern region, where the Kremlin’s forces have been making incremental gains against their weaker opponent, Ukraine‘s army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed on Monday that its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

Mr Stoltenberg said: “The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line.

“Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces.”

Russia's war in Ukraine boosts EU case for further expansion, chairman says

Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine has given a fresh impetus to the European Union’s drive to admit more countries, the bloc’s chairman said on Monday, adding he hoped the 27-nation club and prospective new members would be ready by 2030.

European Council President Charles Michel spoke ahead of the 20th anniversary on Wednesday of the EU’s “Big Bang” enlargement that added 10 mostly ex-communist nations such as Poland and Hungary but also the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus to a bloc that had then comprised just 15 members.

“It was a call of history to unite European countries,” Michel told reporters of the 2004 enlargement.

“Twenty years later we face a similar challenge because there is this geo-political chaos, including because of this war by Russia against Ukraine. And facing this chaos is the geo-political strategy to reunify once again.”

He added: “Because of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, there is a new impetus, a reinvigoration of the (EU) enlargement strategy.

“It is challenging. But what is the alternative? The alternative would be a terrible, irresponsible mistake from the EU,” he said, calling for the EU and candidate countries to carry out by 2030 the reforms necessary for a new enlargement.

Russia jails two journalists for ‘working with Alexei Navalny group’

Russia has jailed two journalists on extremism charges for working with a group founded by the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin have been accused of producing content for Navalny’s YouTube channel, NavalnyLIVE, run by the Foundation for Fighting Corruption. The organisation, which is dedicated to investigating corrupt practices by Vladimir Putin, his associates and the ruling elite, has been declared an “extremist” body by the Kremlin.

Mr Gabov, arrested on Saturday, was accused of being involved in the “preparation of photo and video materials” for the YouTube channel, Moscow’s Basmanny district court press service said.

Russia jails two journalists for ‘working with Alexei Navalny group’

Russia launches fresh missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

Russian missiles have pounded power facilities across Ukraine – with Kyiv saying it had launched its own major long-range drone attack into Russia.

The airstrikes by Moscow, carried out with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired by Russian strategic bombers based in the Arctic Circle, are the fourth large-scale aerial assault targeting the power system since the last week of March.

“The enemy again massively shelled Ukrainian energy facilities,” said DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private electricity company, adding that four of its six thermal power plants had suffered damage overnight.

Read more from Chris Stevenson here:

Russia launches missile barrage across Ukraine – but Kyiv fights back with drones

Ukraine’s Zelensky urges US to speed up weapons deliveries

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that vital US weapons were starting to arrive in Ukraine in small amounts and that the process needed to move faster as advancing Russian forces were trying to take advantage.

Zelensky told a joint news conference in Kyiv alongside visiting NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg that the situation on the battlefield directly depended on the speed of ammunition supplies to Ukraine.

“Timely support for our army. Today I don’t see anything positive on this point yet. There are supplies, they have slightly begun, this process needs to be sped up,” he said.

The Russian defence ministry announced the capture of Novobakhmutivka on Sunday, another village close to Ocheretyne, which has become a focal point of fighting in recent days.

“Russian forces will likely continue to make tactical gains in the Avdiivka direction in the coming weeks,” the Institute for the Study of War said.

“The next line of defensible settlements in the area is some distance from the Ukrainian defensive line that Russian forces have been attacking since the seizure of Avdiivka in mid-February 2024.”

Russian forces advance in Ukraine's east

Russian forces advanced at points along the front line in Ukraine on Monday, taking a village in the Donetsk region, gaining better positions in the Kharkiv region and repelling a number of Ukrainian attacks, Russia‘s defence ministry said.

Russia controls about 18% of Ukraine - in the east and south - and has been gaining ground since the failure of Kyiv’s 2023 counter-offensive to make any serious inroads against well dug-in Russian troops.

President Vladimir Putin in February ordered Russian troops to push further into Ukraine after the fall of the town of Avdiivka where he said Ukrainian troops had been forced to flee in chaos. Ukraine said it withdrew from Avdiivka.

Russia‘s defence ministry said its troops had taken the village of Semenivka, northwest of Avdiivka. Russia said it had defeated Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries in a number of other villages in the area.

Russia also reported defeating Ukrainian troops in the areas of Synkivka in the Kharkiv region and at a number of other points along the front line. It also said it had struck Ukrainian drone workshops.

North Korea criticises US for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, KCNA says

North Korea criticised the United States for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, state media KCNA reported on Monday, citing a statement from the defence ministry.

The United States in recent weeks secretly shipped long-range missiles to Ukraine for use in its battle to fight off Russian invaders, a US official said on April 24.

On Sunday, the director of the Department of Foreign Military Affairs of North Korea’s Ministry of National Defence was quoted as saying in a statement: “The US has secretly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, sparking off uneasiness and concern of the international community.”

“The US can never defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any latest weaponry or military support,” the director said.

Military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow are growing which the U.S. and its allies see as escalating tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

Russian forces take control of village in Ukraine's Donetsk region

Russian forces have taken the village of Semenivka in Ukraine‘s Donetsk region, Russia‘s defence ministry said on Monday.

On Sunday, the ministry announced the capture of Novobakhmutivka, another village close to Ocheretyne, which has become a focal point of fighting in recent days.

Telegram unblocks chatbots used by Ukraine's security services

Ukraine said on Monday the Telegram messaging app had restored access to a number of chatbots used by Ukraine‘s security agencies to collect information about Russia‘s war effort after the services were briefly suspended.

The Dubai-based Telegram app founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov blocked a number of bots used by Ukraine to fight back against Russia‘s full-scale invasion, Kyiv’s military spy agency GUR said in a statement shortly after midnight.

A Telegram bot is an automated feature that allows the app’s users to submit or ask for information. Some of the bots run by Ukraine‘s government allow people to report the whereabouts of Russian military hardware and personnel inside Ukraine.

The GUR had said that “management of the Telegram platform unreasonably blocked a number of official bots that have opposed Russia‘s military aggression against Ukraine, including the (GUR) bot”.

By morning, Ukraine‘s Centre for Strategic Communication said that three affected bots, used by Ukraine‘s SBU security service, GUR and digital ministry for the war effort had been unblocked.

A Telegram spokesperson said bots were “temporarily disabled due to a false positive but have since been reinstated”, without giving further details.

Ukraine's farm minister welcomes end of Polish border blockade

Ukraine’s farm minister welcomed the ending of a months-long border blockade by Polish protesters, which he said followed productive talks with Poland.

“The negotiations that took place were not easy, but the main thing is that we have a result,” Mykola Solsky was quoted as saying in a statement from the ministry.

Polish protestors stop blocking cargo vehicles at Ukraine crossing point

Polish protesters have stopped blocking cargo vehicles at the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska crossing point,The Kyiv Independent reported on Monday.

Ukraine’s Border Guard Service said in a statement that trucks carrying grain crops to Poland would still not be allowed passage, except for those transiting to other countries.

Zelensky says Ukraine is focusing on improving drone operations

Volodymyr Zekensky said Ukraine is making “every effort to increase our capabilities in drone operation” in a post on X today.

The Ukrainian president also thanked all those involved in the production which is helping to “protect Ukrainian skies”.

UAE and Ukraine conclude talks on bilateral trade deal

The United Arab Emirates and Ukraine have completed negotiations for a bilateral trade deal, according to a joint statement released on Monday, ahead of its formal signing.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will remove or reduce tariffs on a range of good and products, remove trade barriers and ease market access to exporters from both sides, the statement said.

In addition, the CEPA will also “support Ukraine‘s recovery and the rebuilding of key industries and infrastructure, while also helping to strengthen supply chains to the (Middle East and North Africa) region for major exports such as grains, machinery and metals.”

UAE-Ukraine bilateral non-oil trade reached $385.8 million in 2023, with joint investment worth about $360 million by the end of 2022 spanning sectors including logistics and infrastructure, travel and tourism, and advanced technology.

“We want to be ready for the next era of Ukraine,” Thani al Zeyoudi, UAE minister for foreign trade, told Reuters.

“It (the CEPA) is an important step for us to have another gateway to Europe through Ukraine,” Zeyoudi said, adding the deal will provide potential market access not only for goods but also services and allow UAE companies to build up connectivity to the European Union if or when Ukraine joins the bloc.”

Ukraine's farm minister is the latest corruption suspect as Kyiv aims to undo recent Russian gains

A Ukrainian court ordered the detention of the country’s farm minister on Friday in the latest high-profile corruption investigation, while Kyiv security officials assessed how they can recover lost battlefield momentum in the war against Russia.

Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court ruled that Agriculture Minister Oleksandr Solskyi should be held in custody for 60 days, but he was released after paying bail of 75 million hryvnias ($1.77 million), a statement said.

Ukraine is trying to root out corruption that has long dogged the country. A dragnet over the past two years has seen Ukraine’s defense minister, top prosecutor, intelligence chief and other senior officials lose their jobs.

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Ukraine's farm minister is the latest corruption suspect as Kyiv aims to undo recent Russian gains

Ukraine spy agency says Telegram platform blocks its key bots

Ukraine‘s military spy agency GUR said on Monday that the management of the Telegram messaging platform has blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russia‘s military aggression against Ukraine.

“Today, the management of the Telegram platform unreasonably blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russia‘s military aggression against Ukraine, including the main Intelligence bot,” GUR said in a statement posted on the Telegram.

“Despite the blocking of our bot - your personal data is safe.”

Telegram’s press service did not immediately reply to Reuters’ request to comment.

A bot is a software application that can run on its own following instructions and is programmed to perform certain tasks. It can mimic conversation with people, among others, or collect content.

The Dubai-based Telegram messaging app, one of the most popular social media platforms, was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on another social media platform, which he had sold.

Ukraine pushes to get military-age men to come home

Ukraine’s foreign minister doubled down on the government’s move to bolster the pool of fighting forces by cutting off consular services to conscription-age men outside the country, saying it was a question of “justice.”

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the policy would ensure men in Ukraine and those who have left were both treated fairly.

“It’s about justice -- justice in the relationship between Ukrainian men abroad and Ukrainian men inside of Ukraine,” he said on Friday.

Earlier this month, Ukraine lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25 in an effort to bolster the size of its military.

Ukraine pushes to get military-age men to come home. Some neighboring countries say they will help

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front thanks to intense Russian attacks, army chief says

Ukraine’s top commander has said Kyiv‘s outnumbered troops have fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

The statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi reflected Ukraine’s deteriorating position in the east that Kyiv hopes it can stabilise once it takes delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion (£48bn) aid package approved this week.

“The situation at the front has worsened,” he wrote on the Telegram app, describing the “most difficult” areas as west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by Russian forces in February.

Ukraine faces worsening situation on eastern front, army chief says

Record 30 per cent rise in Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities

Russian demographers have recorded a 30 per cent increase in Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities since 2023, attributing the rise to military casualties since the war began.

Russian journalists jailed on ‘extremism’ charges for alleged Navalny group work

Two journalists have been arrested in Russia on charges of “extremism” amid claims from the Kremlin they were connected to groups founded by late Russian politician and freedom fighter Alexei Navalny.

Journalists Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges of alleged “participation in an extremist organisation” with a penalty of six years in jail.

They are just the latest media personnel targeted amid a government crackdown on dissent and independent media that has intensified after the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

The Russian government passed laws criminalising what it deems as false information about the military, or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.

Forbes magazine Russian journalist Sergei Mingazov was also arrested on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, his lawyer said on Friday.

Mr Gabov and Mr Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which Russian authorities have outlawed.

Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from the front lines over Russian drone threats

Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from front lines over Russian drone threats