Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow claims first whole Ukrainian region after over three years of Putin’s war

Volodymyr Zelensky says Vladimir Putin has spent the primary six months of the yr stalling in opposition to a ceasefire or peace.

“Putin has already stolen virtually half a yr from diplomacy — one other half a yr — on prime of all the length of this battle,” he mentioned on X.

“Russia will not be altering its plans and isn’t searching for a means out of this battle. Quite the opposite, they’re getting ready for brand new operations, together with on the territory of European international locations. That’s their precept, the Russians search for the place to use a weak spot.

He continued: “They need to see that there’s the wherewithal to cease them in every single place. Due to this fact, extra of our joint manufacturing, extra resilience, extra coordination and effectivity of our frequent safety structure in Europe.”

Russia destroyed 60 Ukrainian drones in a single day, in keeping with the Russian defence ministry.

Russia’s air defence models took the drones down over areas in southwest Russia and over the Crimean Peninsula, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, it mentioned.

North Korean chief Kim Jong Un was seen draping coffins with the nationwide flag in what gave the impression to be the repatriation of troopers killed combating for Russia in opposition to Ukraine, pictures launched by its state media confirmed.

In pictures revealed from a gala efficiency, Mr Kim is seen standing by half a dozen coffins, protecting them with North Korean flags and pausing briefly with each arms resting on them.

The North Korean chief in some photos appears overcome with emotion, and viewers members could be seen wiping away tears.

North Korea and Russia are marking the primary anniversary of their landmark strategic defence partnership treaty, with Pyongyang internet hosting Russia’s tradition minister Olga Lyubimova.

Russia has considerably ramped up its drone and missile assaults on Ukraine in current weeks in a transfer that’s designed to squeeze Ukraine into submission, in keeping with Washington-based suppose tank the Institute for the Research of Conflict.

“Russia is constant to make use of more and more giant numbers of drones in its in a single day strike packages so as to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences and allow subsequent cruise and ballistic missile strikes,” the Washington-based suppose tank mentioned late on Sunday.

“The will increase in Russia’s strike packages in current weeks are largely attributable to Russia’s efforts to scale up its defence industrial manufacturing, notably of Shahed and decoy drones and ballistic missiles,” the institute added.

Russia has ramped up its in a single day aerial assaults focusing on civilian areas of Ukrainian cities previously few weeks.

Over the weekend, Russia launched its greatest mixed aerial assault in opposition to Ukraine, officers mentioned, in an escalating bombing marketing campaign that has additional dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts.

Ukraine’s air drive yesterday mentioned it detected 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones within the nation’s air house in a single day.

Russian forces have reportedly seized their first village in Ukraine’s east-central Dnipropetrovsk area, in keeping with Russian state media and battle bloggers, marking a brand new advance within the ongoing battle.

There was no fast affirmation from Ukrainian sources or the Russian defence ministry relating to the declare.

Russia’s state RIA information company quoted pro-Russian official Vladimir Rogov as stating that Russian forces had taken management of the village of Dachnoye, situated simply contained in the Dnipropetrovsk area. The declare stays unverified by impartial sources.

This reported advance comes as Moscow’s forces have gained vital floor in current months, seizing roughly 950 sq. kilometres of Ukrainian territory over the previous two months.

The European Union and Ukraine have struck a long-term commerce settlement, ending their wartime commerce liberalisation measures.

The settlement is “predictable” and has a “reciprocal” framework, mentioned EU commerce commissioner Maros Sefcovic and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen, as they added that the finer factors can be finalised “within the coming days”.

The Affiliation Settlement between the EU and Ukraine, together with a Deep and Complete Free Commerce Space (DCFTA), was first negotiated between 2007 and 2011, and signed on 21 March and 27 June 2014, an announcement by the EU fee yesterday mentioned.

The DCFTA deal notably eliminated the overwhelming majority of tariffs on industrial items.

Underneath the three tiers of the brand new framework, there can be modest will increase in quotas for merchandise like eggs, poultry, sugar, wheat, maize and honey, that are thought-about delicate by EU member states.

Within the settlement, the EU and Ukraine will work to regulate the quotas for a second group of merchandise like butter, skimmed milk powder, oats, barley, malt and gluten, to push them to succeed in peak import ranges because the battle started in February 2022.

The commerce deal will absolutely liberalise a 3rd part of things like entire milk powder, fermented milk, mushrooms, and grape juice.

US president Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg has reacted to the Kremlin’s claims that the peace talks for Ukraine depend upon Kyiv and Washington, calling them “Orwellian”.

Kremlin spokesperson and a detailed aide of Russian president Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, on Monday mentioned that the tempo of talks to resolve the battle in Ukraine will depend on Kyiv’s place, the effectiveness of US mediation, and the state of affairs on the bottom.

In response, Mr Kellogg mentioned: “Peskov’s current feedback on the state of negotiations are Orwellian. Russian claims that it’s the US and Ukraine stalling peace talks are unfounded.”

“President Trump has been constant and adamant about making progress to finish the battle. We urge an instantaneous ceasefire and a transfer to trilateral talks to finish the battle. Russia can’t proceed to stall for time whereas it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine,” he mentioned in a submit on X.

Overseas secretary David Lammy is ready to debate the Ukraine battle together with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan throughout his first bilateral go to to Ankara.

The journey comes as talks on a brand new free commerce settlement between the UK and Turkey get underneath means.

The UK and Turkey are additionally in talks to export Eurofighter Storm jets to Turkey.

Mr Lammy mentioned: “In an more and more unstable world, the UK and Turkey stay the closest of associates and companions as we work collectively to search out peaceable options to battle within the Center East and Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

“Ours is a relationship which delivers straight for Turkish and British residents at dwelling – commerce between our nations is chargeable for hundreds of jobs, whereas our safety and defence hyperlinks assist maintain our folks protected.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s speak of wanting peace within the Ukraine battle is “pure mockery”, a prime German diplomat visiting Kyiv has mentioned.

“When Putin speaks of peace as we speak, it’s pure mockery,” mentioned Germany’s overseas minister Johann Wadephul, talking at a information convention with Ukrainian overseas minister Andrii Sybiha.

“His obvious readiness to barter is simply a facade up to now,” Mr Wadephul mentioned.

He additionally introduced that Berlin goals to assist Ukraine manufacture extra weapons extra shortly at a time Kyiv is trying to strengthen its negotiating place in peace talks with Russia.

“We see our job as serving to Ukraine in order that it may possibly negotiate extra strongly,” he mentioned.

Russian overseas minister Sergei Lavrov mentioned {that a} determination by Nato members to extend defence spending was catastrophic for the alliance and will in the end result in its collapse, state information company Tass reported yesterday.

Nato “must be guided by frequent sense”, Mr Lavrov mentioned.

Allies inside the alliance final week agreed to boost their collective spending objective to five per cent of gross home product over the subsequent decade.

Requested about remarks by Polish overseas minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who was reported to have mentioned that an arms race between Russia and the West might set off the autumn of president Vladimir Putin, Mr Lavrov as a substitute deflected and mentioned he thought Nato might collapse.

“Since he’s such a predictor, he most likely foresees {that a} catastrophic improve within the price range of Nato international locations, in keeping with my estimates, will even result in the collapse of this organisation,” the Russian official mentioned, referring to Nato.