Russia-Ukraine war – live: Kyiv denies Crimea bridge attack as Nato ‘faces long cold war’

Ukraine dismissed claims from Russian security service FSB that Kyiv’s military spies were behind an attack on a Crimean bridge.

The FSB this morning arrested five Russians and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia over the Kerch Bridge bombing, which damaged a key supply line for Moscow’s forces in southern Ukraine.

“The whole activity of the FSB and Investigative Committee is nonsense,” Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne cited home minister spokesman Andriy Yusov as saying.

Mr Yusov said the Kremlin bodies were “fake structures that serve the Putin regime, so we will definitely not comment on their next statements”.

Meanwhile, Richard Shirreff, Nato’s former deputy supreme allied commander Europe, said Nato should prepare for a “long cold war”.

He said while World War III was not around the corner, “the war in Ukraine is exceptionally dangerous and there could be long term ramifications from it.”

Key Points

• Power out again at Zaporizhzhia

• Crimea bridge allegations ‘nonsense’, says Ukraine after arrests

• More than 100 Russian soldiers killed as missiles continue to target more Ukrainian cities

• Former Nato commander urges West to prepare for war

• Biden doubts Putin will use nuclear weapons

Putin undecided on G20 visit, says Kremlin

15:57 , Liam James

The Kremlin said it still remained to be seen if Vladimir Putin would attend November’s G20 summit on the resort island of Bali.

“A large number of international forums are planned for November,” Mr Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

“If you are asking about the G20, then there is still a lot of time before the G20, as well as before other forums – we’ll wait and see,” Mr Ushakov said.

Joe Biden, asked if he would meet Mr Putin at the G20, said he did not see a good reason for a meeting with the Kremlin chief.

“It would depend on specifically what he wanted to talk about,” Mr Biden told CNN, adding that if Putin wanted to discuss the jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner then he would be open to talking.

Russia frittering away missile stocks it can’t replace – Nato

15:32 , Liam James

Russia has depleted a significant proportion of its precision-guided missiles in its invasion of Ukraine and its industry cannot produce all kinds of ammunition and weapon systems due to Western sanctions, a senior Nato official said on Wednesday.

The official said he did not know how long it would take for Russia to mobilise the 300,000 troops Moscow is aiming for, and suggested it could take a few months.

An assessment by military observers the Institute for the Study of War concluded that Russia had diverted its dwindling missile stocks from strategically significant causes by taking aim at civilian areas of Ukraine’s cities rather than front line targets.

Turkish president expected to float peace ideas to Putin

15:08 , Liam James

Vladimir Putin will meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Kazakhstan tomorrow, a meeting at which the Turks are likely to raise ideas for peace in Ukraine, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

“Now many say that the Turks are ready to come up with other initiatives in the context of the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict,” Mr Ushakov said.

“There are reports in the press that the Turkish side is putting forward specific considerations in this regard, I do not exclude that Erdogan will actively touch on this topic during the Astana contact. So a very interesting and, I hope, useful discussion awaits us.”

Turkey has been facilitating talks between the two sides and outside bodies such as the UN throughout the war.

Dutch to send £15m air defence missiles to Ukraine

14:49 , Liam James

The Netherlands will deliver €15m (£13.1m) worth of air defence missiles to Ukraine in reaction to Russian air raids on Ukraine earlier this week.

“These attacks ... can only be met with unrelenting support for Ukraine and its people,” Defence minister Kasja Ollongren wrote in a letter to parliament.

Ukraine has been pleading with Western nations for air defence support after Moscow launched a wave of missile strikes on cities across Ukraine.

Nato members and allies are meeting today in Brussels to discuss additional support.

British businessman charged in US over Russian oligarch links

14:25 , Liam James

A well-known British businessman has been arrested in the UK after being accused of helping a Russian oligarch to evade US sanctions.

Graham Bonham-Carter was arrested on Tuesday and is accused of funding properties bought by oligarch Oleg Deripaska as well as expatriating his art. He has denied this.

The US Department of Justice said the American government would seek Bonham-Carter’s extradition following the charge against him. Deripaska has previously been sanctioned by America.

The charges allege that Deripaska instructed Bonham-Carter to set up a company called GBCM Limited to manage his properties, two of which are in New York and one in Washington.

British businessman charged in US with helping Russian oligarch evade sanctions

‘They can just open the tap’: Putin says Russia can resume gas supplies via Nord Stream 2

14:04 , Liam James

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Moscow was ready to resume gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Speaking at a Moscow energy forum, Putin said the gas could be supplied through one remaining part of the crucial energy pipeline.

But he added that it was up to countries in Europe to decide if they wanted resume supplies.

“Russia is ready to start such supplies. The ball is in the court of the EU. If they want, they can just open the tap,” said Putin.

Recent unexplained explosions damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and one of the two links of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, causing a massive gas leak and taking them out of service.

‘They can just open the tap’: Putin says Russia can resume gas supplies to Europe

Watch: Family of three rescued from rubble in Zaporizhzhia

13:45 , Liam James

Emergency services in Ukraine rescued a family trapped under the rubble of a destroyed building following a Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia.

Footage shared on social media shows three people crawling to safety as officials clear a path through the debris around them.

Rockets partially destroyed a house and outbuildings in a village close to Zaporizhzhia, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The account also confirmed that the family rescued did not require medical help.

Russian strikes only ‘strengthen allied resolve’

13:27 , Liam James

Russian missile strikes on Ukraine have laid bare the “malice and cruelty” of its war and further united the international community to support Ukraine‘s military efforts to defend itself, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday.

Mr Austin, speaking at the start of a Ukraine-focused meeting at Nato headquarters, praised Ukraine‘s military gains since September, calling them “extraordinary” and saying they had changed the dynamics of the war.

“These victories belong to Ukraine‘s brave soldiers. But the Contact Group’s security assistance, training, and sustainment efforts have been vital,” Mr Austin said, addressing the gathering of defense leaders, including from Ukraine.

Reports of Russian missile strikes have come out of Ukraine for a third day, with the governor of Donetsk accusing Moscow of killing seven in an attack on a crowded market in the town of Avdiivka.

Russia arrests eight over Crimea bridge attack as Putin again blames Ukraine

13:09 , Liam James

Russia has arrested eight people over the explosion that damaged the Crimea Bridge at the weekend (David Harding writes).

Those arrested include five Russians, three Ukrainians and an Armenian. Moscow has previously blamed Ukrainian secret services for the explosion.

On Wednesday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said the explosion was organised Ukrainian military intelligence and its director, Kyrylo Budanov. The explosive device was moved from Ukraine to Russia via Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia, the FSB claimed.

The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, also said that it had prevented further Ukrainian attacks in both Moscow and the western Russian city of Bryansk. Later, Russian president Vladimir Putin repeated a claim that Ukraine’s special services were behind the attack.

Russia arrests eight over Crimea bridge attack as Putin again blames Ukraine

Signs of torture on bodies found in Ukraine town liberated from Russian forces

12:45 , Liam James

Latest despatch from Kim Sengupta in Ukraine:

Two separate mass burials sites, for civilians and soldiers, have been found on the edge of the cemetery in Lyman, recently liberated from Russian forces. Some of the 78 remains recovered so far have signs of having met a violent end.

There are body parts, gunshot and shrapnel wounds, smashed ribs and skulls, severe deep cuts. Some of the dead are very young; one is a year-old baby girl buried with her parents.

Among the corpses taken out and zipped into black body bags are Ukrainian soldiers in torn and frayed combat uniforms. Some have signs of having been handcuffed and blindfolded and have bullet holes in their heads, according to officials.

Ukrainian authorities say they expect to find around 200 bodies at this burial site – one of several discovered in areas that had been occupied. The bodies of 534 civilians have been found in the area around Kharkiv alone. Serhii Bolnivov, the chief investigator of the region has claimed that ‘torture chambers’ have been found in “almost all large towns and cities where the Russian military units were based.”

Standing beside the graves here in Lyman, Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of civil and military administration in the Donetsk region, says there are visible signs of torture. “Some of the soldiers have tapes on their hands and over their eyes, there are trauma injuries to many of the other bodies,” he says. “But all the cases will need to be investigated thoroughly before we can establish the cause of death.

Signs of torture on bodies in Ukraine town liberated from Russian forces

Russian strike on crowded market kills seven – Ukraine

12:28 , Liam James

At least seven people were killed and eight injured in a Russian strike on a crowded market in the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk, the regional governor said.

“The Russians struck the central market where many people were at that time,” Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a statement, adding that there was “no military logic” for such an attack.

Pictures shared by the Ukrainian official showed dead bodies and a buidling in flames. The Independent could not verify their authenticity.

Polish oil leak likely accident, say officials

12:08 , Liam James

An oil leak on a pipeline carrying oil from Russia to Poland was most likely an accident, Polish officials said.

Polish pipe operator Pern said it detected a leak on the line last night. We reported this earlier [8.12].

The leak caused concern as it came weeks after attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines from Russia to Germany.

Desperate Russians fleeing Putin’s call-up orders sail to South Korea

11:50 , Liam James

In a desperate bid to avoid being called up to fight in Ukraine, more than 20 Russians sailed in yachts from North Pacific ports to South Korea, but most have been refused entry, according to reports.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians are reported to have fled their homeland since Vladimir Putin ordered a military mobilisation last month in the face of losses on the frontline of his invasion.

Russians trying to avoid the draft have mostly crossed over to neighbouring countries such as Finland, Georgia and Kazakhstan.

This might be the most imaginative way anyone has tried to flee though.

Desperate Russians fleeing Putin’s call-up orders sail to South Korea

Safety zone at nuclear plant not yet possible, says Russia

11:35 , Liam James

A safety zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Russian-controlled Ukraine is not possible while the front line is 62 miles (100km) away, the Russian-installed leader of the region said.

“I can tell you that negotiating while the front line is 100 kilometres away from the station ... I think that’s extremely unsafe,” Yevgeny Balitsky told state television.

He also warned that it is not possible to shut down the plant, despite fears shelling could further compromise its safety.

“It’s not a toy, you can’t just turn it on and off like a switch. There’s overclocking, there’s cooling and so-forth,” Mr Balitsky said.

Power to the plant was cut this morning for the second time in days, prompting a renewed call from the International Atomic Energy Agency for a demilitarised security zone around the facility.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of shelling the plant and the facilities around it, risking a nuclear accident.

Russia ‘ready to investigate' Nord Stream leaks

11:19 , Liam James

Russia is ready to begin an investigation of the recent incidents on the Nord Stream pipelines, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said.

It remains unclear who was behind the attacks on the largest gas pipelines linking Russia to the rest of Europe last month. Separate investigations are being conducted by Swedish and German authorities.

Nato leaderJens Stoltenberg yesterday warned Russia against targeting the infrastructure of allies of Ukraine but stopped short of pointing the finger at Moscow over the Nord Stream incidents. Russia has been cutting off energy supplies to Europe in response to sanctions over the Ukraine war.

Ukraine asks France to prove its love with weapons

11:02 , Liam James

“Romantic gestures take many forms,” begins a video posted on social media by Ukraine’s defence ministry aimed at convincing France to show its love by sending more weapons for the war effort after repeated criticism that Paris has not been doing enough.

The 41-second clip on twitter comes hours after a French security cabinet meeting held by Emmanuel Macron decided that France had taken new decisions to “support Ukraine militarily” after speaking to Volodymyr Zelensky.

France has delivered Caesar howitzers, portable air defence systems and heavy armoured vehicles primarily.

However, a wave of attacks on Ukrainian cities has raised the stakes, with Kyiv demanding its partners provide more supplies, including air defence systems – something Paris has been unwilling to do so far.

Western nuclear rhetoric ‘provocative’, says Kremlin

10:44 , Liam James

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that rhetoric from Western leaders on the potential use of nuclear weapons was a harmful and provocative.

“We express our daily regret that Western heads of state engage in nuclear rhetoric every day,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that such talk was “provocative”.

Mr Peskov said there had been no attempt from either side to discuss a possible meeting with US president Joe Biden at the G20 in November. Yesterday, Mr Peskov said Russia would accept an offer of meeting from the US.

Mr Biden yesterday said he thought it unlikely that Vladimir Putin would order a nuclear attack.

The Russian president is a “rational actor who has miscalculated significantly,” Mr Biden said in a CNN interview.

Nuclear firm says Russia blocking access to Zaporizhzhia

10:28 , Liam James

Ukraine’s state nuclear energy company Energoatom accused Russia of not allowing deliveries of diesel fuel to access the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after it lost power.

Power to the plant has been cut for the second time in days, forcing the plant to switch to emergency diesel generators, UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said.

Energoatom said there was a Russian missile strike on the plant. The Independent could not immediately verify the claim.

An Energoatom statement posted to Telegram said: “This morning, October 12 at 08:59am, the Dniprovska substation located in Dnipropetrovsk region was damaged because of rocket attack by Russian troops. As a result, the 750kV ZNPP – Dniprovska transmission line was emergency disconnected.

“Thus, Zaporizhzhia NPP went to full black-out mode. Diesel generators started operating automatically.

“Energoatom prepared and dispatched another batch of diesel fuel to ZNPP. However, as of 10:00am, the Russian side does not allow the Company’s convoy of vehicles to pass.

“Russian shelling and damages to the energy infrastructure, which is related to the operation of nuclear plants, are the same manifestations of nuclear terrorism just like direct shelling of ZNPP, and lead to the same consequences and threats of a radiation accident.”

Scrapped Russian tanks litter recaptured Lyman: In pictures

10:11 , Liam James

Photographs coming out of the Donbas city of Lyman show scrapped Russian tanks that were left behind after Moscow’s forces fled from a Ukrainian counteroffensive early this month.

Ukraine takes back five Kherson villages – officials

09:54 , Liam James

Ukrainian forces recaptured five settlements in the southern Kherson region, according to Ukraine’s southern Operational Command.

The villages of Novovasylivka, Novohryhorivka, Nova Kamianka, Tryfonivka and Chervone in the Beryslav district were retaken as of 11 October, according to the speaker of the southern command Vladislav Nazarov.

More than 100 Russian troops have been killed in the Kherson region in Ukraine’s counteroffensive, according to the Ukrainian military command, adding that heavy Russian shelling continued on the besieged city.

Kherson is in one of the four regions recently annexed by Russia.

Crimea bridge allegations ‘nonsense’, says Ukraine

09:36 , Liam James

A senior Ukrainian official dismissed as “nonsense” on Wednesday Russia’s investigation into an explosion last weekend that badly damaged a bridge linking the Russian mainland to the Crimea peninsula that Moscow has annexed.

Vladimir Putin has blamed Ukraine’s security forces for the explosion and earlier today Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had detained five Russians and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia over the blast.

“The whole activity of the FSB and Investigative Committee is nonsense,” Ukraine‘s public broadcaster Suspilne cited interior minister spokesman Andriy Yusov as saying when asked about Moscow’s allegations on the Crimea Bridge blast.

Yusov described the FSB and Investigative Committee as “fake structures that serve the Putin regime, so we will definitely not comment on their next statements”.

Ukraine nuclear plant loses power again

09:19 , Liam James

The recently restored power line supplying the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been cut again, forcing the plant to switch to emergency diesel generators, the UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said.

Shelling nearby has repeatedly cut power to Europe’s largest nuclear plant in recent months, driving calls for a protective zone around the facility.

EU plans more action on energy prices

09:01 , Liam James

The European Commission will present further measures next week to attempt to curb high energy prices, the bloc’s energy policy chief said.

“Next week the Commission will propose another package of proposals,” EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson said on her arrival to a meeting of EU energy ministers in Prague.

EU energy ministers agreed on 29 September to an initial package of measures including cutting electricity use from December, a levy on fossil fuel profits and a cap on market revenues for low-carbon energy providers. Britain today agreed a similar cap.

EU countries turn to Africa in bid to replace Russian gas

08:51 , Liam James

A new liquefied natural gas project off Africa’s western coast has drawn the attention of European nations desperate to move away from Russian energy supplies.

The field near Senegal and Mauritania’s coastlines is expected to contain about 15 trillion cubic feet of gas – five times more than what gas-dependent Germany used in all of 2019 – but is not expected to be operational until next year.

Even with such a source Europe would still be a long way from solving the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Gordon Birrell, an executive for project co-developer BP, says the development “could not be more timely” as Europe seeks to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas to power factories, generate electricity and heat homes.

“Current world events are demonstrating the vital role that [liquid gas] can play in underpinning the energy security of nations and regions,” he told an energy industry meeting in West Africa last month.

Russia using Iranian drones but not as they hoped, MoD says

08:36 , Liam James

Russia has been using Iranian-made drones since at least August but is unlikely to be pleased with their performance in the war in Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

Ukrainian officials said they shot down 60 per cent of the 86 Shahed-136 drones deployed by Moscow. The MoD said the destructive capabilities of the drones are probably not as strong as Russia would have liked.

The drones were used in the huge wave of air strikes Russia fired on Ukraine on Monday, the MoD said.

Leak found on Russia-Poland gas pipe

08:12 , Liam James

Polish gas workers discovered a leak last night in one line of the Druzhba pipeline, which carries oil from Russia to Europe.

Pipeline operator Pern said at this point the causes of the leak are unknown. It was detected in a section of the pipe around 70km from the central Polish city of Plock.

The leak follows attacks on Nord Stream 1 and 2, the biggest gas pipelines from Russia to Europe, which German investigators are investigating for sabotage.

Nato secretary general yesterday warned Moscow that attacks on the critical infrastrcuture of Ukraine’s allies “will be met with a united and determined response”.

Much of Europe has relied on Russian energy supplies for years but the war in Ukraine has led to countries seeking to gradually reduce ties, while Moscow has cut provisions. In August, Moscow briefly cut oil deliveries on the Drubzha pipeline, citing difficulties with payments due to European sanctions on Russia.

Russians fleeing draft sail to South Korea, refused entry

07:58 , Liam James

In a desperate bid to avoid being called up to fight in Ukraine, more than 20 Russians have sailed in yachts from North Pacific ports to South Korea, but most have been refused entry, according to a local report.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians are reported to have fled their homeland since Vladimir Putin ordered a military mobilisation last month in the face of losses on the frontline of his invasion.

On Tuesday, South Korean broadcaster KBS reported that at least 21 Russians had arrived aboard yachts at ports in the south of the country, but only two had been granted entry, while others were refused as authorities deemed their purpose “ambiguous”.

A coast guard official told Reuters that a yacht with five Russian men aboard departed on Tuesday from the South Korean island of Ulleung, having arrived there on 30 September after sailing from the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok.

Nato and allies in bid to boost Ukraine air defence after Russian strikes

07:42 , Liam James

More than 50 countries will gather on the sidelines of a Nato meeting in Brussels today to discuss bolstering Ukraine’s air defence, after Russia killed at least 20 in dozens of missile strikes hitting infrastructure and civilian areas in cities including Kyiv.

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, speaking ahead of a two-day meeting of the alliance’s defence ministers, urged allies to provide additional air support as a Moscow struggling on the front line looks increasingly likely to focus on the skies.

He said: “The reality is that they’re not able to make progress on the battlefield. Russia is actually losing on the battlefield.

“Ukraine has the momentum and continues to make significant gains while Russia is increasingly resorting to horrific and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure.”

Advanced air defence systems are designed to protect entire cities from air attacks. On Tuesday, Ukraine received the first of four IRIS-T SLM air defence systems Germany promised to supply, a German defence ministry source said.

Ukrainian spies to blame for Crimea bridge attack, says Russia

07:23 , Liam James

Russia’s security service, the FSB, blamed Ukrainian military spies for the explosion on the Kerch Bridge, after eight arrests in connection with the incident.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and its director Kyrylo Budanov conducted what the Kremlin called a truck bombing that damaged a key supply line via Crimea to Russian forces in southern Ukraine, the FSB said.

Russia this morning arrested five Russians and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia over the bombing.

Eight detained over Crimea bridge explosion - report

06:58 , Arpan Rai

Five Russians, three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia have been held over the explosion on the Kerch bridge connecting Crimea and Russia last week, officials from Crimea’s federal security service said, reported IFAX.

Civilians injured as Russia shells over 100 shells on Ukrainian city

06:56 , Arpan Rai

At least three civilians have been injured after 100 Russian shells rained down overnight in southern Ukraine’s Nikopol city, the regional governor said.

The overnight shelling damaged a private residence and injured a 6-year-old girl and her mother, Dnipropetrovsk oblast governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

The injured, including another woman, are being treated in hospital.

More than 30 high-rises and private residences, two kindergartens, a school, a number of shops, a gas transmission system and power lines were damaged in the attack, according to Reznichenko, reported The Kyiv Independent.

Blasts rock Russia-occupied Kherson, Melitopol

06:31 , Arpan Rai

At least five blasts have been heard in the city of Kherson early this morning, Russian media said,

Air defence systems were launched in the city held by Russian officials, according to an unofficial information.

Another powerful explosion was heard in the Russia-controlled Melitopol city in the south of Zaporizhzhia region, Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of the region said on the Telegram messaging app.

A device exploded near the city’s central market, officials from the Russia-installed police, reported RIA.

Russia’s use of Iranian Shahed-136 drone on Ukraine likely delivered success - MoD

06:18 , Arpan Rai

The British defence ministry has said that Russia likely achieved success by attacking with the drones sourced from Iran during its attacks on Ukraine this week.

Russia has deployed Iranian manufactured uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) since at least August 2022, including the one-way attack Shahed-136 variant, the ministry said.

“Russia included Shahed variants among the extensive wave of strikes it conducted on 10 October 2022. Previously, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russia had launched a total of 86 Shahed-136s and claimed that 60 per cent had been destroyed in the air,” the British MoD said in its latest war update.

However, it added that these UAVs are “slow and fly at low altitudes making lone aircraft easy to target using conventional air defences.”

There is a realistic possibility that Russia has achieved some success by attacking with several UAVs at the same time, the ministry said.

“Despite a reported range of 2,500km, the Shahed-136 only has a small explosive payload. It is unlikely to be satisfactorily fulfilling the deep strike function which Russia probably aspired to use it for,” the MoD said.

The lack of a reliable, sustainable and an accurate operational-level strike capability is likely one of Russia’s most significant capability gaps in Ukraine, the ministry pointed out, noting that Russian tactical combat jets are still achieving limited effect over Ukrainian territory.

Russian missiles continue to target more Ukrainian cities

05:15 , Arpan Rai

Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 10 cities in Ukraine including Lviv, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Zaporizhzhia amid the tense air in the besieged country for second day in a row, Ukrainian officials said.

“Over the past 24 hours, the occupiers have again resorted to mass missile strikes - more than 30 cruise missiles, seven air strikes and 25 instances of shelling,” Ukraine‘s armed forces said last night.

Additionally, air raid sirens wailed earlier across the country for a second day.

In counterattack, Ukraine’s military command claimed that its forces have killed more than 100 Russian troops in Kherson region.

23 Russian soldiers killed, ammunition depot blasted - Ukraine

05:02 , Arpan Rai

Moscow suffered heavy personnel and ammunition losses on the Ukrainian frontline in south, Ukraine’s military officials said today.

At least 23 soldiers from the Russian army have been killed on Ukraine’s southern front line, Ukraine’s southern military operational command said, adding that an armoured vehicle and one Shahed-type drone over the reporting period were also destroyed in the offensive.

The Ukrainian forces also completed over 300 fire missions, targeting and damaging two Russian Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers and an APC.

In another loss to Russia in Kherson, the Ukrainian military destroyed an ammunition depot near the Dudchany village in the oblast. A control post and a communication hub in Sukhanovo district were also damaged in the same region.

Monday marked another turning point into darkness in Ukraine

04:53 , Arpan Rai

Monday morning, Ukrainians woke up to the haunting blare of air raid sirens: a depressingly normal occurrence these days, writes David Harding.

But this time, volleys of missiles rained down across the country in what was likely Russia’s largest salvo since the start of the war.

In total, 19 people were killed and dozens wounded, as wave after wave of rockets tore into playgrounds, parks, tourist sites and intersections as well as vital energy infrastructure knocking out power supplies.

Asymmetrical, in this context, is an ominous word. And so all of this feels like the war has stepped into a new and more bloody chapter. One where no matter how many thousands of kilometres from the front line no one is safe from the sky.

Where there appears to be an utter disregard for the laws of war.

Read more here:

Editor’s letter: Monday marked another turning point into darkness in Ukraine

Biden doubts Putin will use nuclear weapons

04:31 , Arpan Rai

Joe Biden has said it is unlikely his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will use nuclear weapons amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Moscow.

On being asked how realistically he believed it would be for Putin to use a tactical nuclear weapon, Mr Biden responded: “Well, I don’t think he will.”

Mr Putin is a “rational actor who has miscalculated significantly,” the US president said in a CNN interview.

More than 40 Russian attacks on Ukraine in last 24 hours - Zelensky

04:17 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of launching more than 40 attacks on Ukraine yesterday, and added that these also included combat drones from Iran.

“The enemy launched a second wave of terrorist attacks against our country. As of this morning, there were 28 missiles, of which 20 were shot down. More than 15 drones, almost all of them are Iranian combat drones. Most were shot down,” Mr Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president said that he discussed the fresh escalations from Russia in the Group of Seven (G7) summit.

“We discussed the response of the most powerful democracies to this new Russian escalation. For such a new wave of terror there must be a new wave of responsibility for Russia. New sanctions, new forms of political pressure and new forms of support for Ukraine,” he added in his nightly address.

Western officials ‘confident’ UN will vote to condemn Russia

02:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Western officials are confident that the United Nations will vote to condemn Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of parts of Ukraine later this week, Adam Forrest writes.

The UN General Assembly decided that the 193-member body will hold a public vote – not a secret ballot – on a draft resolution that condemns Russia’s “illegal so-called referenda” and the “attempted illegal annexation”.

Western officials said they were “very confident” of getting past the threshold of 100 members to back the resolution, with a vote likely on Wednesday or Thursday.

They said the move would add to Russia’s “isolation” and put more “pressure” on Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia ‘orders 2,400 Iranian-made Shahed drones'

01:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia ordered 2,400 Shahed-136 loitering munitions, according to Ukraine’s intelligence services.

Volodymyr Zelensky states this in a statement published on his website.

It says: “According to our intelligence, Russia ordered 2,400 ‘Shaheds’ alone from Iran.”

ICYMI: ‘US could assassinate Putin if he uses nuclear weapons’

Wednesday 12 October 2022 00:45 , Lamiat Sabin

In case you missed it...

The US could assassinate Vladimir Putin if Russia uses a nuclear weapon in its conflict with Ukraine, former National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed.

Mr Bolton, a Republican who served under Donald Trump, made the statement during an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC News.

The former US Ambassador to the United Nations said that the Russian leader needed to understand that while it “might not happen the next day...he will be held accountable.”

Read the full story here by Graeme Massie

US could assassinate Putin if Russia uses nuclear weapon in Ukraine, says John Bolton

Biden: ‘Putin normally rational but totally miscalculated war’

Tuesday 11 October 2022 23:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Joe Biden said he believes Vladimir Putin is a normally rational actor who badly misjudged his prospects of occupying Ukraine.

In a rare televised interview, the US president told CNN: “I think he is a rational actor who has miscalculated significantly.”

He added: “I think ... he thought he was going to be welcomed with open arms, that this was the home of Mother Russia in Kyiv, and that where he was going to be welcomed, and I think he just totally miscalculated.”

Another four HIMARS units arrive in Ukraine from US

Tuesday 11 October 2022 23:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Ukraine has received another four high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) sent by the US.

Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted: “Four additional HIMARS from our American partners have arrived!

“I thank Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin III, and the American people.”

Russia and US accuse each other of lying over peace talks

Tuesday 11 October 2022 22:35 , Lamiat Sabin

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow was open to talks with the West on the war in Ukraine.

Washington dismissed this claim as “posturing” because Russia has continued to strike Ukrainian cities.

In an interview on state television, Lavrov said Russia was willing to engage with the US or with Turkey on ways to end the war – but had yet to receive any serious proposal to negotiate.

Lavrov said officials, including White House national security spokesman John Kirby, had said the US was open to talks but that Russia had refused.

“This is a lie,” Lavrov said. “We have not received any serious offers to make contact.”

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington had “very little confidence” that Russia was making a legitimate offer to talk because Lavrov’s comments came within hours of Russian missile strikes that killed civilians in Ukraine.

“We see this as posturing. We do not see this as a constructive, legitimate offer to engage in the dialogue and diplomacy that is absolutely necessary to see an end to this brutal war of aggression,” Price said during a regular press briefing.

Talks to end the war would ultimately have to be between Ukraine and Russia, Price added.

“If the Russians want to signal that they are serious about dialogue and diplomacy, perhaps a good first step would be to stop the kind of brutal assault followed by what appeared to be nothing more than empty words,” he said.

Russia’s missiles ‘hit 30% of Ukraine’s energy insfrastructure’

Tuesday 11 October 2022 22:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Almost a third (30 per cent) of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been damaged by Russian-fired missiles since Monday, Ukrainian energy minister Herman Halushchenko said.

In an interview with CNN, he said that “for the first time since the beginning of the war” Russia has “dramatically targeted” the energy infrastructure.

Mr Halushchenko said that one of the reasons for the damage is that the export of Ukrainian electricity “helps European countries save on Russian gas and coal.”

He added that Ukraine is trying to “quickly restore supplies from other sources” and said one of the options was to receive energy supplies from Europe.

Meanwhile, authorities have called on Ukrainian citizens to restrict their energy use.

Today, the Russian defence ministry confirmed it’s targeting the Ukrainian military and energy facilities.

‘Significant fighting’ concentrated on border of annexed areas

Tuesday 11 October 2022 21:40 , Lamiat Sabin

Maps have been released showing the combat hotspots in Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

The graphics come from the US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War.

They show “significant fighting” concentrated on the border of three of the four regions that Russia has annexed.

Dozens of children taken to Russia returned to Ukraine

Tuesday 11 October 2022 21:20 , Lamiat Sabin

A Ukrainian MP said that 37 children who were “illegally deported” from Ukraine have returned to their families.

Lesia Vasylenko tweeted: “37 kids returned to #Ukraine from illegal deportation to #Russia.

“Basically these children were abducted from their parents and held hostage in russia”.

The children had been taken from the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine at the end of August to the southern Russian town of Kabardinka, Ukraine’s ministry for reintegrating temporarily occupied territories said today.

The children have been reunited with their families in Ukraine and are now staying in shelters for internally displaced people in the Zakarpattia region.

“The return process was difficult, but ended successfully,” the ministry wrote. “In order to pick up their children, the parents traveled a long way through several European countries.”

Zelensky calls on G7 for support on Belarus border

Tuesday 11 October 2022 20:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called on G7 for an international monitoring mission on the Belarus border after Russian troops arrived in the neighbouring country on “trainloads”.

Zelensky told G7 leaders: “Russia is trying to directly draw Belarus into this war, playing a provocation that we are allegedly preparing an attack on this country.”

The Ukrainian president also asked G7 leaders to provide air defence capabilities against Russia, and implement tougher sanctions against Moscow.

Russian comments on talks with West not a 'constructive, legitimate' offer -U.S. State Dept

Tuesday 11 October 2022 20:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Washington does not see Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comment that Moscow is open to talks with the West over the war in Ukraine as a “constructive, legitimate offer” to engage in dialogue, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday.

Lavrov said earlier on Tuesday that Moscow was open to talks but had yet to receive any serious proposal to negotiate.

Price said during a regular press briefing that if Russia was serious about talks, a first step would be to stop its “brutal assault” on Ukraine.

“We do not see this as a constructive, legitimate offer to engage in the dialogue and diplomacy that is absolutely necessary to see an end to this brutal war of aggression,” Price said.

Europe did not believe Russia would invade Ukraine – EU

Tuesday 11 October 2022 20:00 , Lamiat Sabin

The European Union “did not believe that the war was coming” and was “quite reluctant” to believe warnings from the US, the bloc’s foreign affairs chief said.

Josep Borrell also criticised EU diplomats for being too slow to submit to him their reports on world issues – including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He told the diplomats that he was “sometimes” first informed of developments by the press as their reports came in “too late”.

At the European External Action Service, he said: “This is not a moment when we are going to send flowers to all of you saying that you are beautiful, you work very well and we are very happy, we are one big family.

“ ... I want you to be more reactive, 24 hours a day.”

He continued: “I need you to report fast, in real-time, on what is happening in your countries. I want to be informed by you, not by the press.”

You can read the full story here by Liam James

Europe did not think Russia would invade Ukraine, admits top EU diplomat

UK businessman charged with helping oligarch violate sanctions

Tuesday 11 October 2022 19:40 , Lamiat Sabin

Graham Bonham-Carter could be extradited to the US after he was arrested in the UK today for conspiring to violate sanctions placed on Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Prosecutors in Manhattan will be seeking to have the British businessman extradited on charges of wire fraud for funding US properties purchased by Deripaska and efforts to ship Deripaska’s artwork in the US.

According to the US Department of Justice, Bonham-Carter, 62, has worked for businesses controlled by Deripaska since July 2003.

As part of his role, he managed Deripaska’s residential properties located in the UK and Europe, including a townhouse in London’s Belgravia Square that was “occupied” by protesters after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement, prosecutor Damian Williams said: “Bonham-Carter obscured the origin of funding for upkeep and management of Deripaska’s lavish U.S. assets, in violation of the international sanctions.”

According to the US Treasury, Deripaska was sanctioned for having acted or purported to act on behalf of – directly or indirectly – a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation, and for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy.

Last month, Deripaska and three of his associates – including Bonham-Carter – were charged in Manhattan with violating US sanctions. Deripaska and two of the associates remain fugitives.

A lawyer for Bonham-Carter did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters news agency.

‘US could assassinate Putin if Russia uses nuclear weapons'

Tuesday 11 October 2022 19:20 , Lamiat Sabin

The US could assassinate Vladimir Putin if Russia uses a nuclear weapon in its conflict with Ukraine, former National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed.

Mr Bolton, a Republican who served under Donald Trump, made the statement during an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC News.

The former US Ambassador to the United Nations said that the Russian leader needed to understand that while it “might not happen the next day...he will be held accountable.”

Read the full story here by Graeme Massie

US could assassinate Putin if Russia uses nuclear weapon in Ukraine, says John Bolton

G20 ‘concerned about 2023 food supply amid Ukraine war'

Tuesday 11 October 2022 19:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Agriculture and finance ministers from G20 nations have agreed to ask the World Bank to map out projects currently underway to address ongoing food insecurity driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After an inaugural joint meeting in Washington, Indonesian finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the mapping exercise would use experts and organisations to analyse existing initiatives and identify any supply gaps.

Indonesia is not part of the G20 but holds the presidency for this year.

Ms Indrawati told reporters that most G20 officials are deeply concerned about food insecurity and fertilizer shortages driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“We’re heading into 2023, which is going to be much, much more highly risky for this food problem,” she said.

Meanwhile, Russia and Turkey have been in talks before Vladimir Putin is set to meet his counterpart Tayyip Erdogan.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu spoke on the phone with Turkish defence minister Hulusi Akar.

They discussed the situation in Ukraine and the state of a landmark deal, brokered in July by the United Nations and Turkey, to unblock Ukraine’s agricultural exports from its southern ports – Russian news agency TASS reported.

US to expedite sending of NASAMS systems to Ukraine

Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:40 , Lamiat Sabin

The US will try to speed up a shipment of NASAMS air defences to Ukraine, White House spokesperson John Kirby said.

NASAMS is a Norwegian-made short to medium-range ground-based air defence system that defends against drones, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned combat aerial vehicles, and aircraft.

The White House announcement comes a day after US president Joe Biden promised his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that he would supply them, after Ukraine came under attack by scores of missiles in recent days.

Thousands wait in cars on Kerch bridge to leave Crimea

Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:20 , Lamiat Sabin

Thousands of people are queuing in their cars to leave Crimea after a bridge connecting the peninsula to Russia was damaged in a missile attack last week.

Video shows a long line of cars in a low-moving queue on the Kerch Strait bridge that partially reopened after it was bombed on Saturday.

Motorists said – in the clip posted by Germany’s DW News – that they expect to wait up to 24 hours in the queue as ferries laid on by Moscow can only take about 20 vehicles at a time.

The clip also shows that families with babies are among those in the cars.

Russia has blamed Ukraine for the bridge attack. Ukraine has celebrated the explosion but has not claimed responsibility.

Ukraine receives 32 soldiers in POW swap with Russia

Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Thirty-two Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were returned to Ukraine in an exchange with Russia.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s staff, tweeted: “Among the freed are officers, sergeants and soldiers of (Ukraine’s) Armed Forces.

“All of them were in places where fierce fighting was going on. Many of these people were considered missing.”

Ukraine had also received the body of Israeli citizen Dmytro Fialka, who had volunteered to fight for Ukraine – according to Mr Yermak.

He did not state how many Russian POWs were handed back to Russian forces.

MP suggests sanctioning Elon Musk over Starlink and tweets

Tuesday 11 October 2022 17:40 , Lamiat Sabin

An MP appeared to suggest that the government should consider sanctioning Elon Musk over outages of his Starlink system on the Ukrainian battlefield as well as tweets about the Russian invasion.

Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda, said the tech billionaire – who is in the process of buying Twitter – appears to be playing a “double game” in relation to the invasion of Ukraine.

Starlink is a satellite-based internet system created by Mr Musk’s company SpaceX. The Financial Times reported that Ukrainian troops on the frontline have recently reported outages of their Starlink communication devices.

Some of the devices used in Ukraine were donated by SpaceX, while others have reportedly been purchased and supplied to Ukraine by the US government and others.

The FT quoted a Ukrainian government official who said outages led to a “catastrophic” loss of communications in recent weeks. Mr Musk subsequently said on Twitter: “As for what’s happening on the battlefield, that’s classified.”

Last week, he also tweeted that Russia should be allowed to keep the Crimea peninsula that it seized in 2014 in order to have peace in eastern Europe, and said Ukraine should drop its goal to join Nato and adopt a neutral status instead.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Bryant asked defence minister Alec Shelbrooke: “Is there a moment at which we might have to consider sanctioning Elon Musk?”

Mr Shelbrooke responded: “I think we must always make sure we’re well aware of what all the facts are, not just react to social media, and then those things can be looked at and whether any sanctions would be appropriate or not.”

Downing Street: ‘Liz Truss wants to visit Ukraine ASAP'

Tuesday 11 October 2022 17:20 , Lamiat Sabin

Liz Truss said she wants to visit Ukraine “as soon as possible”, according to Downing Street.

The British prime minister’s predecessor Boris Johnson had visited Ukraine twice during the Russian invasion.

Now, newly-appointed leader Ms Truss is keen to make the trip to shore up support for her Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the wake of numerous Russian missile attacks across Ukraine in recent days.

Mr Johnson’s trips to Ukraine were not announced until he arrived there due to security issues.

Asked about what impact the renewed threat of Russian strikes on Kyiv could have on Ms Truss’ potential visit, her official spokesman said: “I couldn’t get into the security considerations around trips like that nor could I get into speculation on dates.

“As you’ll appreciate, the Prime Minister is firmly committed to visiting as soon as possible.”

Putin tells IAEA head that Zaporizhzhia situation is ‘of concern’

Tuesday 11 October 2022 17:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Vladimir Putin has raised “concern” about the situation surrounding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.

The plant, in one of the four regions recently annexed by Russia by “illegal” referenda, has continued to be operated by Ukrainian staff amid the takeover.

Now, the Russian president has told International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head, Rafael Grossi, that the situation around the nuclear power plant is “of concern”.

At a meeting in Moscow, shown on Russian state TV, he told Mr Grossi that Russia was open for dialogue and would discuss all issues concerning the facility’s operations.

Over the weekend, more than a dozen people in Zaporizhzhia were killed by missiles that hit apartment blocks and houses in an overnight attack. Such attacks amid Russia’s invasion have fuelled concerns of a nuclear disaster.

G7: ‘Russia’s attacks on Ukrainians constitute war crimes’

Tuesday 11 October 2022 16:40 , Lamiat Sabin

Leaders of G7 nations have vowed to increase punishment against Russia for missile attacks that killed dozens of people in Ukraine over recent days.

In a virtual meeting also attended by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, the group rejected the “illegal attempted annexation” of four areas of Ukraine and promised to ramp up sanctions against those responsible.

Over recent days, scores of missiles have been launched over cities and towns across Ukraine – resulting in dozens of civilian deaths.

The G7 leaders said in a statement: “We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms and recall that indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war crime.

“We have imposed and will continue to impose further economic costs on Russia, including on individuals and entities - inside and outside of Russia – providing political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory.”

They also warned Moscow that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with “severe consequences”.

G7: ‘Harsh sanctions if Russia uses chemical or nuclear weapons’

Tuesday 11 October 2022 16:20 , Lamiat Sabin

Any use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons in Ukraine will be met with severe consequences, G7 leaders have warned Russia.

The leaders held a virtual meeting today that was joined by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, the day after scores of missiles rained down on cities including Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky called for more sanctions against Russia, asked the G7 nations for more air defence capabilities, and for them to back his wish to have an international observer mission on Ukraine’s border with Russia’s ally Belarus.

He also ruled out talks with Vladimir Putin.

This week, Belarus announced its troops would be deployed with Russian forces near Ukraine, signalling a potential further escalation of the war. Ukraine has no plans to attack Belarus, Mr Zelensky said.

The G7 leaders have called on the Belarusian authorities to stop enabling the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” they said.

“We are committed to supporting Ukraine in meeting its winter preparedness needs.”

Hard to predict Russia's possible nuclear arms use -Japan PM

Tuesday 11 October 2022 15:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida has said Russia‘s possible use of nuclear weapons is highly unpredictable and the situation must be closely watched.

Kishida’s comment to reporters came after he attended a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.

“The situation does not at all allow any prediction. It requires serious, close attention,” said Kishida, who comes from Hiroshima.

“For the past 77 years, the world has continued to put a stop to using nuclear weapons. This history of not using nuclear weapons must continue further.”

In photos: Fresh round of Russian missiles hit Kyiv

Tuesday 11 October 2022 15:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian missile strikes on Kyiv this morning have sent residents back into shelters after months of relative calm in the capital Kyiv and many other cities.

Photos of the capital show residents in shelters and others looking at the wreckage left behind by multiple strikes.

More Russian missiles and drones strike Ukraine

Tuesday 11 October 2022 15:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian forces have targeted Ukraine with a fresh barrage of missiles and munition-carrying drones.

It comes a day after widespread strikes killed at least 19 people in what the UN human rights office described as a “particularly shocking” attack that could amount to war crimes.

Air raid warnings extended throughout the country on Tuesday morning, sending some residents back into shelters after months of relative calm in the capital Kyiv and many other cities.

The earlier lull had led many Ukrainians to ignore the regular sirens, but Monday’s attacks in the capital and 12 other regions gave them new urgency.

“It brings anger, not fear,” Kyiv resident Volodymyr Vasylenko, 67, said as crews worked to restore traffic lights and clear debris from the city’s streets.

“We already got used to this. And we will keep fighting.”

The Russian bombardment on Tuesday struck both power plants and civilian areas, just as they did on Monday.

One person was killed when 12 missiles slammed into public facilities in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, setting off a large fire, the State Emergency Service said.

A local official said the missiles hit a school, residential buildings and medical facilities.

Russia has not yet received Turkey's peace talks proposal, foreign ministry says

Tuesday 11 October 2022 15:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia has not yet formally received a Turkish proposal to host peace talks between Moscow and Western countries, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday to discuss Ukraine and bilateral issues.

The Kremlin has not ruled out that the two leaders could discuss a Turkish proposal to host peace talks between Russia and the West, although the foreign ministry said it is yet to hear about this through diplomatic channels.

Why is Russia at war with Ukraine and what does Putin want?

Tuesday 11 October 2022 14:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia’s “special military operation” has been raging for almost eight months as the conflict records devastating casualties as well as the displacement of millions of Ukrainians.

President Vladimir Putin began the conflict by claiming Ukraine needed to be “demilitarised and de-Nazified.”

Ukraine has defied odds throughout the conflict and defended against Russian attacks with the help of western military aid.

In recent weeks president Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces launched a major counter-offensive to retrieve the besieged city of Kharkiv but as Ukraine’s resistance grows, Mr Putin’s threats of escalating the conflict grow also causing concern globally of whether nuclear warfare will be unleashed.

Thomas Kinglsey and Joe Sommerlad have more:

Why is Russia at war with Ukraine and what does Putin want?