Russian putin Ukraine war

Russia halts gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria; Volodymyr Zelenskiy accuses Moscow of seeking to destabilise Moldova region.

Lambrecht said the government has agreed to sign off the delivery of around 50 Gepard anti-aircraft weapons systems. Germany willauthorise the delivery of 50 anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, the German defence minister, Christine Lambrecht, said. “We must be prepared for the long haul and double down on our support for Ukraine. “The goal is obvious – to destabilise the situation in the region, to threaten Moldova. They show that if Moldova supports Ukraine, there will be certain steps,” Zelenskiy said in his latest national address. Russia will stop supplying gas to Poland and Bulgaria from Wednesday.Warsaw has refused to pay its supplier, Gazprom, in roublesand earlier announced that it was imposing sanctions on 50 entities and individuals including Russia’s biggest gas company. Russia’s defence ministry warned of an immediate “proportional response” if Britain continues its “direct provocation” of the Kyiv regime, after the UK armed forces minister, James Heappey,described Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil that hit supplies and disrupt logistics as “completely legitimate”.

The Kremlin's move to cut off natural gas shipments to Bulgaria and Poland was a blow to Europe, which relies on Russia for much of its energy.

And that’s the best way to address that.” The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. Russia is focusing most of its air activity on southern and eastern Ukraine, providing support to ground forces, the British defense officials said. The suspension will last from Wednesday “until the payments are made” in rubles, Gazprom said. Russian shelling and airstrikes devastated residential areas, causing fires and severe damage to homes and prompting evacuations, Haidai wrote Wednesday. He accused Russian forces of aiming at housing stock and reported that at least two people were killed, including a 68-year-old man whose yard was shelled. “I think he’s got a lot of room for maneuver.” The site’s loss could disrupt vital oil supplies to the Ukraine war’s northeastern front, where Russian troops are pressing ahead with an attempt to seize territory in the Donbas region. It is the first supply disruption since Russian President Vladimir Putin said “unfriendly countries” would have to pay for natural gas in rubles instead of other currencies. The governor didn’t speculate on the possible cause of the fire. I appeal to Russia’s soldiers & their superiors to put an end to their violence. “This is unjustified and unacceptable.” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, called the explosions that were reported overnight in three regions of Russia “karma” — without claiming responsibility — and suggested they may even have been a “divine intervention.” Russian media, citing local officials, said explosions were reported in the Belgorod, Voronezh and Kursk regions, although the claims could not be independently verified.

Get the latest updates here. Fighting. Ukraine's general staff said Russian forces were pressing their offensive in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions and they had ...

Ukraine is the world’s fifth-biggest exporter of wheat. - Russian President Vladimir Putinagreed“in principle” to UN and International Committee of the Red Cross involvement in the evacuation of civilians from a besieged steel plant in Ukraine’s southern city of Mariupol, the United Nations said. - Ukrainian authorities dismantled a Soviet-era monument in the centre of Kyiv meant to symbolise friendship between Russia and Ukraine, a response to Moscow’s invasion, according to the city’s mayor.

Russian defense officials said their air force hit 59 military facilities in Ukraine overnight, while Russian air-defense systems shot down 18 Ukrainian drones ...

Russia committed to removing the munitions and its estimated 1,500 troops in Transnistria at a 1999 summit in Istanbul of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe but has never done so, citing security concerns of Russian-speaking people in Transnistria. Cobasna, on the eastern edge of the strip of Moldovan territory claimed by pro-Russian Transnistria, is the site of a huge ammunition depot established in the 1940s by the Soviet Union. The weapons stash, often characterized as the largest in Europe, has been a focus of decades of international efforts to resolve the standoff in Moldova. No casualties were reported in any of the incidents.

By providing arms but avoiding military intervention western leaders are prolonging this hideous conflict, says former BBC Moscow correspondent Angus ...

For Ukraine’s sake, we need to stop him now, one way or the other, before nothing is left of the country we want to protect. Encouraging the Ukrainians to continue, however just their cause, is merely making their country uninhabitable. If Russia’s aim was to exterminate the Ukrainian nation, then the west’s approach is helping to do just that. If Russia continues to suffer “defeats” at this pace, then in another two months the entire south of Ukraine will be in ruins, cities such as Odesa will resemble Mariupol, and thousands upon thousands more Ukrainians will have died. Yet the west’s current approach of supporting Ukraine’s war aim of defeating the aggressor, and providing arms for that purpose while pointedly avoiding direct military intervention, is guaranteed to prolong the war. It follows that supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do.

The Kremlin halted natural gas shipments to Poland and Bulgaria in its toughest response yet to European sanctions. Explosions inside Russia near the ...

Iulian Groza, the head of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, a research institution in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, said a Russian invasion of Moldova did not appear to be imminent. But an embargo on Russian gas has long been viewed as a Rubicon not to be crossed by the European Union because of how heavily reliant Germany and other countries are on it for heating and energy production. They met in Lviv with Ukrainian officials before returning to Poland for the night, a first step towards an eventual re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Gazprom’s announcement on Tuesday that it would suspend natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is not likely to have a major impact on the overall European gas market, analysts say. But it is unclear if Russian troops, who are facing fatigue and low morale after their defeats in central Ukraine, are “strong enough to accomplish such a task,” the report said. During one hearing, Mr. Reed said that the case against him was political and linked his troubles in Russia to his military affiliation. And while Germany in particular has resisted an embargo on Russian oil or gas because of the outsize costs to its industry, officials have recently reconsidered. The European Union has been drafting plans for an embargo on Russian oil but made no mention of it in the hours after Gazprom’s cutoff. Some analysts said it was likely that Russia, which has stationed thousands of troops in the Transnistria region, had staged the blasts as a pretext for further aggression against Ukraine. “In order to get through the winter without Russian gas, further work at full speed is needed,” said the official, Robert Habeck, who is Germany’s economic minister and vice chancellor. At the same time, a series of explosions across Ukraine’s borders raised the possibility that the war, now in its third month, might spread. The Kremlin halted natural gas shipments to Poland and Bulgaria in its toughest response yet to European sanctions.

Poland has been preparing to wean itself off Russian gas but Bulgaria is less ready, following Gazprom's decision to stop supplying those two countries.

We are in close coordination within the European Union to consolidate the situation. "Whereas if you look at a market like Germany… it's multiple companies that buy the Russian gas. Equally, Gazprom is in breach of their contracts as well. Dr Sharples said: "That would be a more severe impact than Poland, simply because Poland has its own LNG import terminal (and) it has contracts for that. However, we are concerned about the fact that supplies have come to a halt in European partner countries. Poland has been preparing to wean itself off Russian gas but Bulgaria is less ready, following Gazprom's decision to stop supplying those two countries. Even though many of the pipelines that supply central Europe pass through Poland and Bulgaria, because Gazprom is only thought to have reduced flow by the amount those specific countries were due to use, gas will still continue to flow through those pipelines and on to nations like Germany, Italy, Serbia and Hungary. Dr Sharples says, while it is too early to see exactly what is happening, it is likely that Russia, rather than cut off gas completely to those pipelines (which go on to serve other countries), will reduce the flow through them so that the amount of gas that Poland and Bulgaria would have taken out will be removed. The cut in the flow of gas came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "unfriendly" countries would need to start paying for gas in roubles, Russia's currency, which Bulgaria and Poland refused to do. The impact of Russia's decision to stop supplying gas has such an impact because Europe has been heavily dependent on energy from Moscow for many years, which it supplies through a vast network of pipes that criss-cross the continent. The state-owned company, which is the largest publicly listed natural gas company in the world and the largest company in Russia by revenue, said it was continuing to supply natural gas to Europe via Ukraine in line with consumers' requests. Russian energy producer Gazprom said on Wednesday it had halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland because they had failed to pay for gas in roubles.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called Russia's action “unacceptable” and said the EU was working on a coordinated response. The announcement ...

Europe’s benchmark front-month gas contract jumped by as much as 20 per cent to €118 euro ($125.14) per megawatt hour (MWh) in early trade. It was about €109/MWh by afternoon. “Today’s events can work as an added incentive for the EU, especially Germany, to find a way to work out a rouble payment mechanism given the significant economic toll a halt in gas flows would have in the region, which would be much greater than that of Poland or Bulgaria,” said analysts at Goldman Sachs. Uniper, Germany’s main importer, said it could pay without violations. In a note last week, the European Commission said that if buyers of Russian gas confirmed payment was complete once they had deposited euros, as opposed to later when the euros have been converted to roubles, that would not breach sanctions. Warsaw, which has been at the forefront of efforts to supply Ukraine’s military with equipment to fight Russian forces, and Sofia said the halt was a breach of contract.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: There has been much speculation with several health experts analysing Putin's body language and the way he has addressed public ...

The New York Post has even reported that the Russian President looked noticeably bloated when he posed for photographs at an awards ceremony for the country's Olympic athletes. Experts believe he has done this to enhance his “tough guy” image and to prevent his advancing age from betraying that representation, according to news.com.au. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shone a spotlight on President Vladimir Putin's personal life with several news outlets attempting to analyse the long time Russian head of state's health.

In an address to the Council of Legislators in St Petersburg, the Russian leader said his response to any threats will be "lightning-fast" and deadly, ...

Previously, gas payments from Bulgaria and Poland have been made in euros. "Today, our prayers have been answered and Trevor is safely on his way back to the United States," his parents, Joey and Paula, and his sister, Taylor, said in a statement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said continual deliveries of supplies and weaponry to Ukraine means the NATO alliance has positioned itself as "in essence engaged in war with Russia" and accused the organisation of "pouring oil on the fire". In an address to the Council of Legislators in St Petersburg, the Russian leader said "all the objectives will definitely be carried out" in the Ukraine war. In an address to the Council of Legislators in St Petersburg, the Russian leader said his response to any threats will be "lightning-fast" and deadly, adding that "all the objectives will definitely be carried out" in the conflict with Ukraine. He said what he called the "special military operation" in Ukraine would "guarantee the safety" of people in the Donbas and Crimea.

The EU joined the UK and US in imposing sanctions on Russia's foreign exchange reserves in response to President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine, ...

As Wednesday draws to a close in Kyiv and in Moscow, here are the key developments of the day: Russia halted the supply of gas to Poland and Bulgaria, ...

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Russian President Vladimir Putin says there will be an "immediate" and "quick" response to countries that intervene in events in Ukraine. Follow live.

It has always been the case, so shall it be now," Mr Putin said. "Bulgaria's energy independence is very important. "I'm surprised. By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne Others are now stepping up as well but we all need to go further," she said. By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne By Shiloh Payne

Halting of Russian gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland 'blackmail', von der Leyen says.

Ukraine said Russian forces had used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a pro-Ukraine rally in Kherson, the first big city it has seized. Poland says it has ample gas in storage, and Bulgaria is seeking supplies from Greece and Turkey. Kyiv called the explosions “karma”. Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to mastermind ‘false flag’ attacks in the region, and Moldova’s pro-Western government accuses the separatists of trying to stir conflict.–Reuters The invasion of Ukraine has reduced towns and cities to rubble, and forced more than 5 million people to flee abroad in a conflict that has prompted fears of wider conflict in the West, unthought of for decades. Europe should stop depending on Russia for trade after Moscow halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for not paying in roubles, Ukraine said, as the shutoff exposed the continent’s weaknesses and divisions on Wednesday.

Western nations' intervention in Ukraine will be met with a “lightning-quick” military response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov called the suspension blackmail, adding: “We will not succumb to such a racket.” Russia claimed its missiles hit a batch of weapons that the United States and European nations had delivered to Ukraine. About 1,000 civilians were said to be taking shelter there with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian defenders. “The countries that have historically tried to contain Russia don’t need a self-sufficient, massive country such as ours. Western officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said Russia has made slow progress in the Donbas region in the east with “minor gains”, including the capture of villages and small towns south of Izyum and on the outskirts of Rubizhne. The bellicose threat from Putin came as Russia claimed on Wednesday to have carried out a missile strike in southern Ukraine that destroyed a “large batch” of Western-supplied weapons.

Vladimir Putin warns against western intervention in Ukraine; Liz Truss says the war must be a 'catalyst for change'; António Guterres visits Kyiv.

A Ukrainian commander in the besieged city of Mariupol said there are more than 600 injured civilians and fighters in the Azovstal steel works. “More than 32m square metres of living space, more than 1,500 educational facilities and more than 350 medical facilities have been destroyed or damaged,” he added. Volodymyr Zelenskiy described Russia’s actions as amounting to “energy blackmail” against Europe in his nightly nationaladdress. “About 2,500km of roads and almost 300 bridges have been ruined or damaged.” But my view, is that inaction would be the greatest provocation,” she said. “We’ve got to double down on our support for Ukraine,” she said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any country interfering in Ukraine would be met with a "lightning-fast" response from Moscow.

Russia's war on Ukraine is following this pattern. Given Russian President Vladimir Putin's vicious assault on civilians, it will mean many more Ukrainian dead and almost inevitably more atrocities and war crimes. But the conflict's reverberations are widening in a way that will leave few people on Earth -- from small-town America to poverty-stricken Africa -- untouched.

Ukraine's Zelensky, who hosts the U.N. secretary general on Thursday, called Russia's suspension of gas deliveries to two E.U. countries “blackmail.”

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. Mariupol: The United Nations said this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed “in principle” to allow international groups to help evacuate civilians from this wrecked port city. Kherson: Ukrainian leaders said Russian forces used tear gas to break up protesters Wednesday in this occupied southern city. Northwest of Kharkiv, the Sumy region bordering Russia has also suffered shelling for several days, an official said. “Virtually the entire territory of Luhansk” was shelled Tuesday in attacks that set homes on fire, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova said. “Cyber operations can’t win wars,” Jacquelyn Schneider, a researcher at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, told The Post’s Joseph Marks. “And they don’t start wars either. The technology company said it has helped Ukraine identify threats and on Wednesday released its report detailing alleged Russian activities. And the evidence of this criminality is mounting daily,” Van Schaack said. The episode shows that Russia’s alleged war crimes are not isolated events carried out by rogue individuals, Van Schaack said. China “will not continue to rise if they do not play by the rules,” Truss said. Russian troops have installed a pro-Moscow administration in Kherson, local officials said. The U.N. chief said he would persist with efforts to facilitate civilian evacuations.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has warned the West of a "lightning fast" response to any country intervening in the war in Ukraine.

Such instruments that no one can boast of ... and we're going to use them if we have to. Truss' comments come at a time when tensions between Western nations and Russia have risen significantly, with President Vladimir Putin warning that Russia will retaliate against any intervention in the Ukraine war. "The Europeans have, I think, genuinely ambitious plans to move away from this reliance on Russian energy. Gas is a bigger challenge," he added. We have all instruments for that. "I want to stress once more, the special military operation in the Ukraine and Donbas, which started in February, all the objectives will be definitely carried out to guarantee the security of people in the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, the Russian Crimea and all our country," Putin said before Russia's Council of Legislators in St Petersburg. The latest military aid package of $800 million, which is the eighth installment of aid, comes after eight weeks of war and as Russian forces prepare for a renewed fight in the east and south of Ukraine. The fate of Ukraine is hanging in the balance and Western allies must "double down" on their support for the country to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine, the U.K.'s foreign secretary said Wednesday. "I think you are likely to see in the coming weeks further progress on the oil side of the equation in terms of Russian imports. "Ukraine's victory is a strategic imperative for us all," Liz Truss said in a speech in London last night, as she argued the Group of Seven industrialized nations and their allies need to maintain pressure on Russia through tougher sanctions, including "cutting off oil and gas imports once and for all," providing further military aid, and continued humanitarian support. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has warned the West of a "lightning fast" response to any country intervening in the Ukraine war and creating "strategic threats for Russia." "We have all the instruments [to respond] that no one can boast of ... we're going to use them if we have to," he said, in what has widely been seen as an allusion to Russia's arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of "lightning-fast" retaliation if countries interfere in Ukraine as European leaders accused Russia of ...

"We will continue our work to expand humanitarian support and secure the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones. Ukraine and the West say this a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression by Mr Putin. And I want everyone to know that." While Russia presses its military assault in eastern and southern Ukraine, its economic battle with the West threatens gas supplies to Europe and is battering the Russian economy as it struggles with the worst crisis since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. And we will not boast, we will use them if necessary. Western countries have responded with sanctions and weapons for Ukraine to fight a war that has brought fears of wider conflict in the West, unthought-of of for decades.