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Ukraine news – live: Russia warns of more land grabs after four regions annexed

The Kremlin hinted that it could have plans to annexe more regions of Ukraine.

It comes after Vladimir Putin signed a law to incorporate four partially-occupied regions of southern Ukraine – the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – into Russia.

It’s the biggest expansion of Russian territory in at least 50 years.

Kyiv said the act was of a “collective madhouse” at a time when Russian forces have been fleeing front lines.

But the Kremlin suggested it’s eyeing up more regions to “reclaim”. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters that Russia will “keep consulting residents who would be eager to embrace Russia”.

He did not specify which Ukrainian territories Moscow is considering taking next and he would not say if the Kremlin planned to organise more “referendums”, that Western allies of Ukraine have condemned as “illegal”.

Also on Wednesday, Putin ordered Russia to take control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Russia’s nuclear power operator Rosatom said it would transfer all the existing Ukrainian employees to a new Russian-owned organisation.

Kyiv has urged Ukrainian workers there not to sign any documents handed to them by Russian occupiers.

Key Points

  • Vladimir Putin signs law annexing four Ukrainian regions

  • Putin orders Russia to take control of Zaporizhzhia NPP

  • Putin vows to ‘stabilise situation’ in four annexed regions

  • EU’s von der Leyen pitches temporary gas price caps

  • Irishman Rory Mason dies aged 23 while fighting in Ukraine

‘You’ve lost,’ Zelensky after ‘Russia deploys Iran-made drones’

00:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Volodymyr Zelensky said that no weapon, even the Iranian-made Shahed drones, will help Russia win the war.

In his nightly address, the Ukrainian spoke in Russian to make his statement to the Russian occupiers.

It comes after drones – known as HESA Shahed 136, or “kamikaze drones” – hit a building overnight in Bila Tserkva, about 45 miles (75km) from Kyiv – according to the Kyiv region’s governor Oleksiy Kuleba.

Mr Zelensky said: “These Iranian Shahed drones with which you are trying to bomb our cities, such as Bila Tserkva ... won’t help you anyway. You have already lost.

“You’ve lost because even now, on the 224th day of the full-scale war, you have to explain to your society why all this is needed: this war, the false mobilisation and self-destruction of all the prospects of your people.”

Volodymyr Zelensky said using Iranian-made drones won’t help Russia (Office of the President of Ukraine)
Volodymyr Zelensky said using Iranian-made drones won’t help Russia (Office of the President of Ukraine)

He went on: “When people feel they are right and when they are on their own land, they themselves know everything. They do not need fanatic lectures on ‘alternative history’ and political information sessions every day.

“ ... Ukrainians know what they are fighting for. And more and more citizens of Russia are realising that they must die simply because one person does not want to end the war. It’s obvious who will win”

Ukraine has reported a number of Russian attacks with Iranian-made drones in the last three weeks, but the recent strike on Bila Tserkva has been the closest one to Kyiv.

Iran denies supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented – Reuters reported.

Russia anti-war TV reporter confirms she has fled house arrest

22:45 , Lamiat Sabin

A Russian TV journalist who shot to fame after staging an anti-war protest during a live broadcast has confirmed she has escaped house arrest over charges of spreading fake news.

In March, just weeks after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Marina Ovsyannikova staged a walk-out in front of studio cameras during an evening news broadcast on the flagship Channel One.

She held up a homemade placard that read, “Stop the war” and “They’re lying to you”.

Despite receiving a hefty 30,000 rouble (£460) fine for her demonstration, the 44-year-old has continued her opposition to the war.

On the run: Russia anti-war TV reporter confirms she has fled house arrest

US agents ‘suspect Ukraine involved in killing of Daria Dugina’

22:00 , Lamiat Sabin

American intelligence agencies reportedly suspect that parts of the Ukrainian government authorised a car bomb attack near Moscow that killed Daria Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist, in August.

The US had no involvement in the attack, did not know about it ahead of time and would have opposed the killing if it had been consulted – officials said, according to the report by The New York Times.

The officials reprimanded their Ukrainian counterparts over the assassination, the report adds, that killed the 29-year-old TV commentator.

Nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin at a ceremony for his daughter Daria (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin at a ceremony for his daughter Daria (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

It’s believed that Ms Dugina’s father Aleksandr Dugin – who has called on Russia to intensify its invasion of Ukraine – was the actual target of the attack and that the operatives who detonated the car bomb had believed he would be in the vehicle with his daughter.

When asked about the US intelligence assessment, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, reiterated Kyiv’s claims that Ukraine’s government was not involved in the killing.

Ukraine liberates three more settlements in Kherson region

21:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Ukrainian forces liberated three settlements in the southern Kherson region today, Volodymyr Zelensky said in a late-night video address.

The Ukrainian president listed the areas as Novovoskresenske, Novohryhorivka and Petropavlivka – which all lie to the northeast of the city of Kherson.

It comes after Mr Zelensky said, on Tuesday night that the military, in the past week, made major, rapid advances against Russian forces in taking back dozens of towns in southern and eastern regions that Russia has declared annexed.

He said: “This week alone, since the Russian pseudo-referendum, dozens of population centres have been liberated. These are in Kherson, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions.”

Gold teeth pulled from Ukrainians’ mouths found near Izyum

21:00 , Lamiat Sabin

A box of gold teeth pulled from the mouths of living and dead Ukrainians has been discovered in territory recaptured from Russia, according to officials.

A plastic container filled with more than 200 caps and dentures was discovered by Ukrainian fighters in the town of Pisky-Rad’kivs’ki in northern Ukraine, east of the city of Izyum.

After finding the box, officials believe that they had discovered a site where torture at the hands of Russian invaders had taken place.

You can read the full story here by Emily Atkinson

Gold teeth pulled from mouths of living and dead Ukrainians, claims Kyiv

EU approves eighth set of sanctions on Russia over annexation

20:30 , Lamiat Sabin

The European Union has given its final approval to a new round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

The bloc’s eighth set of sanctions was finalised on the same day that Vladimir Putin signed papers on the annexation of the four regions in southern Ukraine, while Kyiv said the Ukrainian military is in the process of reclaiming the regions.

The sanctions ban imports of Russian steel and steel products, wood pulp and paper, machinery and appliances not yet covered by existing sanctions, and intermediate chemicals, plastics, and cigarettes.

They also ban exports to Russia of EU goods used in aviation, such as tires and brakes, and extends a ban on the export of electric components, including certain semiconductors and other components that have not been already banned.

In addition, the sanctions ban the export of certain chemical substances, nerve agents, and goods that have “no practical use other than for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The sanctions also target more individuals at the Russian defence ministry, people involved in Moscow’s referendum votes in occupied parts of four regions of Ukraine, and those participating in evading sanctions.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “We will never accept Putin’s sham referenda nor any kind of annexation in Ukraine. We are determined to continue making the Kremlin pay.”

The agreement is to be formalised on 6 October if no EU country raises an objection. Sanctions require the unanimous backing of all 27 EU member states.

Iranian-made drones 'hit Ukraine’s Kyiv region for first time’

20:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Officials in a town near Kyiv have claimed that multiple strikes launched by Russia using Iranian-made drones resulted in a fire.

Six drones – known as HESA Shahed 136, or “kamikaze drones” – hit a building overnight in Bila Tserkva, about 45 miles (75km) from the Ukrainian capital.

This is according to Oleksiy Kuleba, governor of the Kyiv region.

File photo released by the Ukrainian military of what Kyiv calls an Iranian Shahed drone (Ukrainian Army Strategic Communications Directorate via AP)
File photo released by the Ukrainian military of what Kyiv calls an Iranian Shahed drone (Ukrainian Army Strategic Communications Directorate via AP)

Ukraine has reported a number of Russian attacks with Iranian-made drones in the last three weeks, but the recent strike on Bila Tserkva has been the closest one to Kyiv.

Iran denies supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented – Reuters reported.

Residents told the news agency that they heard four explosions in quick succession, followed by another two over an hour later.

“There was a roaring noise, a piercing sound. I heard the first strike, the second I saw and heard. There was a roar and then ‘boom’ followed by an explosion,” said 80-year-old Volodymyr, who lives across the street from the building.

Bodies of Ukrainian men found in pit showing ‘signs of torture’

19:23 , Lamiat Sabin

Police said they found the bodies of two Ukrainian civilians that show signs of having been tortured.

The bodies were found in a four-metre-deep pit in the village of Novoplatonivka, in the northeastern region of Kharkiv.

The left hand of one of the men was cuffed to the other man’s right hand, the police force wrote on Facebook.

The pit where the bodies of two Ukrainian men were found (Kharkiv Police)
The pit where the bodies of two Ukrainian men were found (Kharkiv Police)

One of their skulls has a fracture in the temporal area, and the other skull has a hole caused by a gunshot, the police said.

The two men are believed to be in their early 30s, and investigations are ongoing to establish their identities.

The pit is located at a recreation centre in the village used by hundreds of Russian soldiers who had occupied the village.

A criminal investigation has been opened, police said.

In brief: Putin’s annexation of Ukraine and nuclear ‘takeover’

19:04 , Reuters

Today, Vladimir Putin signed a law to incorporate four partially-occupied regions of southern Ukraine into Russia.

Kyiv said the act was of a “collective madhouse” at a time when Russian forces have been fleeing the front lines.

  • Putin signed laws admitting the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions into Russia in the biggest expansion of Russian territory in at least 50 years

  • The Russian president also said Russia would stabilise the situation in the regions, which is being viewed as an indirect acknowledgement of the challenges it faces to assert its control

  • Putin signed a decree ordering Russia to take control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and make it “federal property”

  • Rafael Grossi, head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog IAEA, is reportedly to visit Moscow to discuss safety at the plant, where Ukrainian workers have been instructed by the Ukrainian government to not sign any papers that could be handed to them by Russian occupiers

Putin orders Russia to take control of Zaporizhzhia NPP

18:41 , Lamiat Sabin

Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia to take control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – but Kyiv has urged Ukrainian workers there not to sign any documents handed to them by Russian occupiers.

The Russian president ordered the Kremlin to take control of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located in one of the four regions in southern Ukraine that he recently annexed.

Russian military convoy on the road leading to the Zaporizhzhia power station (AP)
Russian military convoy on the road leading to the Zaporizhzhia power station (AP)

Russia’s nuclear power operator Rosenergoatom said it would transfer all the existing Ukrainian employees to a new Russian-owned organisation.

But Petro Kotin, the boss of Ukraine’s state energy agency, announced he was taking over the plant – which is feared to possibly cause a nuclear disaster as a result of shelling in the area that Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for.

Ukrainian staff have continued to operate the plant after Russian forces captured it in March, following the launch of the invasion on 24 February.

One reactor to be restarted at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

18:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Ukrainian staff running the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) are preparing to restart one of the plant’s six reactors.

This was announced by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

All six of the reactors have been shut down. Preparations to start one reactor would take “some time,” it said.

The IAEA said: “Senior Ukrainian operating staff informed IAEA experts present at the ZNPP that preparations are underway to start unit 5 at reduced power to produce steam and heat for the needs of the plant.”

EU’s von der Leyen pitches temporary gas price caps

18:01 , Lamiat Sabin

Ursula von der Leyen is suggesting that the EU should consider a temporary limit on gas prices and a cap on the cost of gas used to generate power.

The president of the European Commission made the suggestions in a letter to leaders of member nations, saying that the bloc should make clear that it’s “not ready to pay whatever price for gas” amid the war in Ukraine.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission (AP)
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission (AP)

She wrote: “We should consider a price limitation in relation to the TTF (the Dutch Title Transfer Facility) in a way that continues to secure the supply of gas to Europe and to all Member States and that would demonstrate that the EU is not ready to pay whatever price for gas.”

Such a cap would be temporary while the EU works on launching a new gas price benchmark, she said.

On Friday, EU leaders will meet in Prague to discuss whether to cap gas prices.

Irishman Rory Mason dies aged 23 while fighting in Ukraine

17:44 , Lamiat Sabin

A 23-year-old Irishman has been killed while fighting in Ukraine, his family has confirmed.

Rory Mason, from Dunboyne in Co Meath, died while fighting for Ukraine’s International Legion near the Russian border.

He was enlisted in the legion last March, soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine started.

Mr Mason is survived by his parents Rob and Elizabeth, a 22-year-old brother, and a 21-year-old sister.

His family learnt of his death from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is providing consular assistance.

Mr Mason’s family said that information on his death is limited and their priority at this point is to repatriate his remains.

Rory Mason ‘had an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice’ (Family handout/PA)
Rory Mason ‘had an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice’ (Family handout/PA)

His father said: “Rory was a private young man of drive, purpose and conviction.

“Though we are deeply saddened at his death, we are enormously proud of his courage and determination and his selflessness in immediately enlisting to support Ukraine.

“Rory was never political but he had a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice.

“He had a long-standing interest in eastern Europe, in travel, and in learning new languages, including Russian.

“... Rory was our son and we will miss him enormously. As our family is still trying to come to terms with Rory’s death, we would appeal for privacy at this difficult time.”

Military retreats don’t affect annexation plans, says Kremlin

17:00 , Emily Atkinson

There is no contradiction between incorporating Ukrainian territories into Russia and military retreats, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

“They will be with Russia forever and they will be returned”, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

On the run: Russia anti-war TV reporter confirms she has fled house arrest

16:30 , Emily Atkinson

A Russian TV journalist who shot to fame after staging an anti-war protest during a live broadcast has confirmed she has escaped house arrest over charges of spreading fake news.

In March, just weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, Marina Ovsyannikova staged a walk out in front of studio cameras during an evening news broadcast on the flagship Channel One, wielding a DIY-placard that read, “Stop the war” and “They’re lying to you”.

Despite receiving a hefty 30,000 rouble (£460) fine for her demonstration, the 44-year-old continued her oppostion to the war.

On the run: Russia anti-war TV reporter confirms she has fled house arrest

Russian oil price cap will give buyers leverage, says US official

16:00 , Emily Atkinson

A price cap that G7 countries want to impose on Russian oil will provide buyers with leverage to get better prices, a US treasury official has said.

The US has held “positive dialogue” with China and India, two major importers of Russian crude, Ben Harris, assistant secretary for economic policy at the treasury, told the Energy Intelligence Forum.

The price cap, whose details have yet to be hammered out, will be set at a level that will retain an incentive for companies to produce, he added.

“The intention of the price cap is to preserve trade of Russian oil but at lower prices,” Harris said.

Ukraine to bid for World Cup with Spain and Portugal

15:37 , Emily Atkinson

Spain and Portugal’s football federations have confirmed Ukraine has been added to their joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

The three nations announced their collaborative bid at a media conference at Uefa’s headquarters in Nyon on Wednesday.

Ben Burrows reports:

Ukraine to bid for World Cup with Spain and Portugal

Moscow says it expelled Lithuanian diplomat in retaliatory move

15:11 , Emily Atkinson

Moscow has expelled a Lithuanian diplomat in a retaliatory move, Russia’s foreign ministry has confirmed.

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said that it “reserves the right to take additional measures” in response to what it called Lithuania’s “unfriendly steps”.

European and other Western countries have expelled hundreds of Russian diplomats since Moscow first invaded Ukraine on 24 February, many of them for alleged spying.

Putin vows to ‘stabilise situation’ in four annexed regions

14:48 , Emily Atkinson

Vladimir Putin has vowed to stablilise the situation in the four regions Moscow formally annexed earlier today, hinting at the challenges Russia has faced in asserting its control.

“We proceed from the fact that the situation will be stabilised, we will be able to calmly develop these territories,” Putin said in televised remarks.

Putin, speaking at an award ceremony for teachers, also said he had great respect for the Ukrainian people.

“We always, and even today despite the current tragedy, hold great respect for the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian culture, language, literature and so on,” he said.

Moscow says it is holding positions in Kherson region amid Ukrainian advance

14:15 , Emily Atkinson

Russia’s forces are holding positions in Ukraine‘s Kherson region and “repelling attacks by superior enemy forces”, Moscow’s defence ministry has said – a day after confirming major territorial losses in the southern province.

In its daily briefing, the ministry said its forces had launched airstrikes on the settlements of Dudchany and Davydiv Brid, confirming the loss this week of the two key villages, which its forces had controlled since March.

Any Russian objects found on occupied territory ‘legitimate targets’, says Kyiv

13:55 , Emily Atkinson

Any “Russian objects” on occupied Ukrainian territory are legitimate military targets, a senior Ukrainian presidential aide has said.

“Any Russian objects on occupied territories are legitimate military targets for attack by (Ukraine‘s) Armed Forces,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

“Any counteroffensive and de-occupation of territories falls under the concept of defensive war. This is an absolute axiom for both the leadership of Ukraine and our allies, he added.

Gold teeth pulled from mouths of living and dead Ukrainians discovered in recaptured territory

13:35 , Emily Atkinson

Gold teeth pulled from the mouths of living and dead Ukrainian victims have been discovered in territory recaptured from Russia by Kyiv’s troops, according to officials.

A plastic box filled with more than 200 tooth caps and dentures was discovered by Ukrainian fighters in the town of Pisky-Rad’kivs’ki in the north of Ukraine, east of the city of Izyum – leading officials to believe they had discovered the site of a Russian torture chamber.

Ukraine’s successful counter-offensive in the country’s southern and northeastern regions has seen them retake swathes of territory that had previously been under the control of the Russian military.

Gold teeth pulled from mouths of Ukrainians found in recaptured territory

Moscow and Kyiv wrestle for control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power

13:13 , Emily Atkinson

The head of Ukraine‘s state nuclear energy company has announced he will take charge of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, in opposition to claims made by Moscow.

Energoatom chief Petro Kotin has also urged workers at the plant not to sign any documents with its Russian occupiers.

“All further decisions regarding the operation of the station will be made directly at the central office of Energoatom,” Kotin said in a video address posted on the Telegram messaging app.

“We will continue to work under Ukrainian law, within the Ukrainian energy system, within Energoatom.”

It follows the brief detention by Russian forces of the Ukrainian who had been in charge of the plant.

Russia to take over Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant operations

12:43 , Emily Atkinson

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant will operate under the supervision of Russian agencies after president Vladimir Putin formally annexed the wider region this week, Russia’s foreign ministry has announced.

Russia moved to annex Zaporizhzhia and three other regions after holding what it called referenda – votes that were denounced by Kyiv and Western governments as illegal and coercive.

Irishman ‘killed in action’ fighting in Ukraine

12:15 , Emily Atkinson

An Irishman has been killed while for Ukrainian forces near the Russian border.

The man was named as Rory Mason, from Dunboyne, County Meath. He died while fighting in Kharkiv for Ukraine’s International Legion. That region is the scene of intense fighting as Ukraine tries to build on recent military successes in pushing back Russian forces.

The 23-year-old enlisted to fight in the war last March, not long after Russia’s invasion.

Mr Mason’s family said they learnt of his death from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, which is providing consular assistance.

David Harding reports:

Irishman ‘killed in action’ fighting in Ukraine

Truss promises to stand by ‘Ukrainian friends'

11:55 , Emily Atkinson

Liz Truss depicted Britain’s economic challenges as part of the global crisis unleashed by Russia’s invasion ofUkraine, as she vowed to “stand by our Ukrainian friends, however long it takes.”

“The scale of the challenge is immense,” she told the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham.

“War in Europe for the first time in a generation. A more uncertain world in the aftermath of Covid. And a global economic crisis. That is why in Britain we need to do things differently.”

Kremlin calls comments on US weapons strike on Crimea ‘extremely dangerous’

11:29 , Emily Atkinson

Comments made by Pentagon officials claiming that Ukraine may use US-supplied equipment to strike targets in Crimea was evidence of the country’s direct involvement in the conflict, the Kremlin has said.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also called the comments made by Laura Cooper, the Pentagon’s deputy assistant secretary for Russian, Ukrainian and Eurasian affairs, “extremely dangerous.”

Ukraine’s president Zelensky says Russia ‘destroying all life’ as Kyiv offensive continues

11:10 , Emily Atkinson

Kyiv’s army is carrying out a “fast and powerful” advance in Ukraine to push back the Russian forces in country’s south, recapturing “dozens of settlements” absorbed by Moscow’s illegal annexation, President Volodymr Zelensky has claimed.

In his late night address on Tuesday, Ukraine’s leader applauded his soldiers for taking back swathes of land in Kherson, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk, the latter two of which president Vladimir Putin signed a law to formally annex on Wednesday morning, in defiance of international law.

But he said it had come at a high cost.

Sharing images from Lyman, a city in the Donetsk region, Mr Zelensky said in a tweet: “Our Lyman after the occupier… All basics of life have been destroyed here.”

Zelensky says Russia ‘destroying all life’ as Kyiv offensive continues

Anti-war Russian journalist confirms she has escaped house arrest

10:49 , Emily Atkinson

A Russian TV journalist who shot to fame after staging an anti-war protest during a live broadcast has confirmed she has escaped house arrest over charges of spreading fake news.

In March, just weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, Marina Ovsyannikova staged a walk out in front of studio cameras during an evening news broadcast on the flagship Channel One, wielding a DIY-placard that read, “Stop the war” and “They’re lying to you”.

A subsequent solo protest in Moscow saw her be arrested and placed under house arrest in August before an expected trial later this month. If convcited she faces 10 years in jail.

Her house arrest was due to last until 9 October, but addressing rumours she today confirmed she had escaped.

“I consider myself completely innocent, and since our state refuses to comply with its own laws, I refuse to comply with the measure of restraint imposed on me as of 30 September 2022 and release myself from it,” Reuters reports she said on Telegram.

EU ambassadors ‘agree on new sanctions against Russia'

10:30 , Emily Atkinson

EU member countries have agreed on a fresh round of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Czech EU presidency said on Wednesday.

“Ambassadors reached a political agreement on new sanctions against Russia - a strong EU response to Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukraine territories,” it said on Twitter.

Zelensky claims Russia ‘destroying all life’

10:10 , Emily Atkinson

In the face of Ukraine’s military trimphs, reports of mass devastation to civilian settlements continue to emerge from across the country.

Sharing a carousel of images from Lyman, a city in the Donetsk region known from 1925 to 2016 as “Krasnyi Lyman”, president Volodymr Zelensky said in a recent tweet: “Our Lyman after the occupier… All basics of life have been destroyed here.

“They are doing so everywhere in the territories they seize. This can be stopped in 1 way only: liberate Ukraine, life, humanity, law and truth as soon as possible.”

IAEA head says he may visit Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant again

09:51 , Emily Atkinson

International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday that he may visit Ukraine‘s Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant again, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported.

Grossi, who headed an IAEA delegation to the plant last month, was quoted saying that he would continue discussing the creation of a “safety zone” around the facility.

Russian troops ‘regrouping’ in Kherson

09:21 , Emily Atkinson

A Russian-installed official in Ukraine‘s occupied Kherson region has said that Russian forces in the region were regrouping for a counterattack, amid rapid Ukrainian gains in the region, state-owned news agency RIA reported.

RIA quoted Kirill Stremousov as saying that Russian forces were “conducting a regrouping in order to gather their strength and deliver a retaliatory blow”.

Watch: Zelensky claims Russian occupiers 'trying to escape' liberated Ukraine regions

08:42 , Emily Atkinson

US offers new $625m security assistance package to Ukraine

08:22 , Emily Atkinson

The United States has given Ukraine a new security assistance package worth $625m (£543m) in support of its counteroffensive against the Russian invasion.

Presdient Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his US counterpart Joe Biden for the “substantial support,” adding: “As usual, we had a meaningful phone call today. Our victories within the ongoing defense operation are a joint success of, and the entire free world.”

Putin signs law annexing four Ukrainian regions

08:02 , Emily Atkinson

President Vladimir Putin has this morning signed a law formally annexing four partly Russian-controlled Ukrainian regions, according to state-owned news agency TASS.

700,000 people have fled Russia since partial mobilisation, reports say

07:42 , Emily Atkinson

An estimated 700,00 people have left Russia since president Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilisation two weeks ago, according to reports.

Citing a source in Moscow’s presidential administration, Forbes Russia said that the approximate number of people who fled the country was likely to be in the realm of 600,000-700,000.

The insider, however, emphaised that it was not possible for the Kremlin to calculate how many people had left the country for tourism purposes.

Ukraine opposes Belarus bid to lead conflict diamond organisation

07:22 , Emily Atkinson

Kyiv has accused Moscow of trying to push its ally Belarus to the top of an international diamond certification body to protect Russia’s gems from being branded conflict diamonds after its invasion of Ukraine.

It comes after some members of the Kimberley Process called for diamonds from Russia, the world’s top producer by volume, to be labeled conflict diamonds.

According to a letter sent on 19 September seen by Reuters, Belarus has applied to be the KP’s vice chair in 2023 and chair in 2024.

Video shows Ukrainian counteroffensive with modern artillery

07:06 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov has shared a video of Ukrainian troops firing missiles and attacking Russian forces and said that the war-hit country’s soldiers will not stop till all territories of Ukraine are liberated.

“This is how modern Ukrainian artillery is destroying occupiers. Our EYES (ОЧІ) are seeing everything. And we will not stop until we liberate all territories of Ukraine,” the defence minister said, sharing the video today.

The vide showed multiple counterattacks by Ukrainian soldiers from unspecified locations.

Russia 'concerned' as Ukraine approaches Luhansk - MoD

06:44 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine has made substantial progress on the northeastern and southern fronts in the besieged country in an advance that could cause political worries for the Kremlin, the British defence ministry said today.

“Ukraine continues to make progress in offensive operations along both the north-eastern and southern fronts. In the north-east, in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine has now consolidated a substantial area of territory east of the Oskil river,” the MoD said in its daily update.

It added that Ukrainian formations have advanced up to 20km beyond the river into Russia’s defensive zone towards the supply node of the town of Svatove.

“It is highly likely that Ukraine can now strike the key Svatove-Kremina road with most of its artillery systems, further straining Russia’s ability to resupply its units in the east,” the ministry said.

Politically, the MoD said, Russian leaders “will highly likely be concerned that leading Ukrainian units are now approaching the borders of Luhansk oblast, which Russia claimed to have formally annexed last Friday.”

No indication Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons - White House

05:42 , Arpan Rai

Officials in the US have said they do not see the signs of Russia preparing to deploy atomic bombs in its war with Ukraine despite Vladimir Putin threatening to do so.

“We take any nuclear weapons or nuclear sabre-rattling very seriously here, but I do want to say ... that we have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture, nor do we have any indication that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

Ukrainian army carrying out powerful advance in south - Zelensky

04:55 , Arpan Rai

The Ukrainian soldiers are moving steadily in a rapid push back in the war-hit country’s south to recapture territory from Russian forces, Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address late last night.

“The Ukrainian army is carrying out a pretty fast and powerful advance in the south of our country as part of the current defence operation. Dozens of settlements have already been liberated from the Russian sham referendum this week alone,” Mr Zelensky said.

He added that the land has been taken back in Kherson, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk altogether, some of which Russia claims control after last week’s referendum denounced by the UN.

“In particular, according to the military reports from the Kherson region: the settlements of Lyubymivka, Khreshchenivka, Zolota Balka, Bilyaivka, Ukrainka, Velyka and Mala Oleksandrivka, and Davydiv Brid were liberated from the occupier and stabilised. And this is far from a complete list,” Mr Zelensky said.

“Our warriors do not stop. And it’s only a matter of time before we oust the occupier from all our land,” he added.

31 Russian troops killed, 8 tanks destroyed

04:30 , Arpan Rai

At least 31 Russian soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours, the Ukrainian military officials said.

The military’s southern operational command said more than 40 pieces of equipment including 8 tanks, 26 armoured vehicles, and a Msta-B howitzer have been destroyed in Ukraine’s counterattack.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces also downed Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters in Kostromka and Bruskinskyi districts of Kherson oblast, it added.

Russia attacks Kyiv city with kamikaze drones - official

04:12 , Arpan Rai

Russia has attacked the city of Bila Tserkva in the heart of Ukraine with Kamikaze drones this morning, Kyiv oblast’s governor Oleksiy Kuleba said.

The drone attack struck an infrastructure object which caught fire and one person has been injured after the attack, the governor said, reported The Kyiv Independent.

The rescue operation and fire extinguishing are ongoing and residents have been asked to remain in shelters, the governor said.

ICYMI: One Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reactor to restart

23:58 , Lamiat Sabin

In case you missed it...

Ukrainian staff running the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) are preparing to restart one of the plant’s six reactors.

This was announced by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

All six of the reactors have been shut down. Preparations to start one reactor would take “some time,” it said.

The IAEA said: “Senior Ukrainian operating staff informed IAEA experts present at the ZNPP that preparations are underway to start unit 5 at reduced power to produce steam and heat for the needs of the plant.”

Russia says it called up more than 200,000 troops for Ukraine war

03:00 , Liam James

Russia has drafted more than 200,000 people to fight in Ukraine less than a fortnight after president Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilisation of recruits (David Harding writes).

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu made the claim while speaking at a consultation with military figures.

“As of today, more than 200,000 people have entered the army,” said Shoigu.

He added that those volunteering to fight should not be turned away without a “serious reason” and that new units were receiving instruction at 80 training ranges and six training centres, according to a defence ministry posting on Telegram.

When Mr Putin announced the partial mobilisation last month – at the same time as advances by Ukraine in the south and east of the country – Shoigu announced that he planned to enlist 300,000 men with previous military experience to bolster Russia’s invasion.

Putin may pin blame for Russian losses on new commander

02:00 , Liam James

Vladimir Putin may try to pin the blame for future Russian losses in eastern Ukraine on a recently appointed commander, observers said.

Russian outlet RBK, citing sources within the Russian regime, reported on Monday that Lieutenant-General Roman Berdnikov had been installed as commander of the Western Military District, which had been operating in Kharkiv Oblast in recent months.

Mr Putin’s forces have lost almost all of their territory in Kharkiv to a Ukrainian counteroffensive launched at the start of September.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Mr Putin may have made the appointment in order to have a scapegoat for future losses in the region.

He may also be trying to redirect mounting criticism for the Russian loss of land in Kharkiv and the strategically significant Donetsk city of Lyman, the ISW said, adding that the fury has loosened the Kremlin’s hold on information in Russian nationalist circles.

Pentagon ‘can’t corroborate’ reports of Russian nuclear movement

Wednesday 5 October 2022 00:50 , Liam James

A senior Pentagon official said she had no information to corroborate reports suggesting Russia might be moving tactical nuclear weapons by rail, and added the US military had not seen anything to change its own nuclear posture.

“I don’t have anything else but the open source reports,” said Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense focusing on Russia and Ukraine. The Pentagon closely monitors Russia’s nuclear forces, a core part of its mission since the Cold War.

Ms Cooper was responding to a report in The Times on Monday that said Russia had moved a train thought to be linked to a unit of the defence ministry that was responsible for nuclear munitions.

The report also said Nato had warned members that Vladimir Putin was set to demonstrate his willingness to use nuclear weapons by carrying out a nuclear test on Ukraine’s border.

Navalny allies plan to regroup as Kremlin struggles to stem dissent

Tuesday 4 October 2022 23:40 , Liam James

Top allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny announced Tuesday that they would reestablish a network of groups across Russia, saying the time was right because the government has been weakened by questions about the war in Ukraine.

“The sleeping majority woke up, Putin himself woke him up,” said Ivan Zhdanov, former director of Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption, in a YouTube video posted by Navalny’s closest ally and top strategist, Leonid Volkov.

“It’s time for us to restore our network to fight mobilisation and war,” Mr Zhdanov said. Russia ordered a partial mobilisation on 21 September to beef up its troops in Ukraine.

Mr Zhdanov and Mr Volkov said the new network would operate as a “partisan underground,” and participants would remain anonymous for their safety.

Mr Navalny has been jailed in Russia since January 2021 on charges widely seen as politically motivated. Many of his close associates have left Russia, and his group’s political infrastructure – the anti-corruption foundation and a network of regional offices – was destroyed in 2021 after being labeled extremist.

Russian losses evident in liberated Ukrainian city – AP

Tuesday 4 October 2022 22:58 , Liam James

An account from recently liberated Lyman here from Associated Press reporters:

The bodies of Russian soldiers were lying in the streets of Lyman on Tuesday following their comrades’ retreat that marked the latest defeat for Moscow even as Russia’s upper house of parliament rubber-stamped the annexation of Ukrainian regions.

Russian troops pulled back from the key eastern city over the weekend to avoid being encircled by Ukrainian forces. The city’s liberation gave Ukraine a key vantage point for pressing its offensive deeper into Russian-held territories.

The Ukrainian military collected the bodies of their comrades after fierce battles for control of Lyman, a key logistics and transport hub, but did not immediately remove those of the Russians.

“We fight for our land, for our children, so that our people can live better, but all this comes at a very high price,” said a Ukrainian soldier who goes by the nom de guerre Rud.

Lyman residents emerged from basements where they had hidden during the battle for control of the city and built bonfires for cooking. The city has had no water, electricity or gas since May.

Ukraine advance on Russia ‘major, rapid’, says Zelensky

Tuesday 4 October 2022 22:08 , Liam James

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine’s military had made major, rapid advances against Russian forces and freed from occupation dozens of towns in the south and east of the country.

“The Ukrainian army is advancing in quite a rapid and powerful manner in the south of the country within the context of the current defence operation,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address earlier.

“This week alone, since the Russian pseudo-referendum, dozens of population centres have been liberated. These are in Kherson, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions all together.”

Zelensky signs decree ruling out negotiations with Putin

Tuesday 4 October 2022 21:45 , Liam James

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky today signed a decree formally declaring that any talks between Kyiv and President Vladimir Putin were “impossible.”

The decree formalised comments made by Mr Zelensky at the end of last week.

Speaking on Friday, he said: “He [Putin] does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but with another president of Russia.”

Talks between the two leaders were floated in August by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan but were not agreed to by the warring parties.

Russia says it called up more than 200,000 troops for Ukraine war

Tuesday 4 October 2022 21:19 , Liam James

Russia has drafted more than 200,000 people to fight in Ukraine less than a fortnight after president Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilisation of recruits (David Harding writes).

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu made the claim while speaking at a consultation with military figures.

“As of today, more than 200,000 people have entered the army,” said Shoigu.

He added that those volunteering to fight should not be turned away without a “serious reason” and that new units were receiving instruction at 80 training ranges and six training centres, according to a defence ministry posting on Telegram.

When Mr Putin announced the partial mobilisation last month – at the same time as advances by Ukraine in the south and east of the country – Shoigu announced that he planned to enlist 300,000 men with previous military experience to bolster Russia’s invasion.

Russia says it called up more than 200,000 troops for Ukraine war

Pentagon ‘can’t corroborate’ reports of Russian nuclear movement

Tuesday 4 October 2022 20:50 , Liam James

A senior Pentagon official said she had no information to corroborate reports suggesting Russia might be moving tactical nuclear weapons by rail, and added the US military had not seen anything to change its own nuclear posture.

“I don’t have anything else but the open source reports,” said Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense focusing on Russia and Ukraine. The Pentagon closely monitors Russia’s nuclear forces, a core part of its mission since the Cold War.

Ms Cooper was responding to a report in The Times on Monday that said Russia had moved a train thought to be linked to a unit of the defence ministry that was responsible for nuclear munitions.

The report also said Nato had warned members that Vladimir Putin was set to demonstrate his willingness to use nuclear weapons by carrying out a nuclear test on Ukraine’s border.

Don’t give in to Russian threats, says Estonian PM after Musk tweets

Tuesday 4 October 2022 20:26 , Liam James

Estonia’s prime minister said the West must not give in to Russia’s nuclear threats or premature peace proposals, the day after Elon Musk caused a stir with his suggestion for a route to peace in the seven-month war.

Kaja Kallas, who has led the government of one of Russia’s Nato member neighbours since last year, told the Associated Press in an interview that “very dangerous” calls for negotiations and peace in Ukraine have come from “very prominent people” lately.

She did not specify anyone by name, but her comments came a day after Tesla CEO Elon Musk floated on Twitter a proposal for ending the war that elicited fierce opposition from Kyiv.

Mr Musk argued that Russia should be allowed to keep the Crimean Peninsula that it seized in 2014. The four regions Russia annexed following Kremlin-orchestrated "referendums" last month should hold repeat votes organised by the United Nations, he said.

US unveils new £500m Ukraine aid package

Tuesday 4 October 2022 20:10 , Liam James

The US has pledged an additional $625 million (£545m) in military aid to Ukraine, a package that includes additional advanced rocket systems credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum in its war with Russia.

President Joe Biden provided details on the latest package, which includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) artillery systems ammunition, and armored vehicles, in a call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Vice President Kamala Harris joined the leaders on Tuesday’s call.

The White House said in a statement: “President Biden also affirmed the continued readiness of the United States to impose severe costs on any individual, entity, or country that provides support to Russia’s purported annexation.”

This round of military aid marks the first time the US has sent Himars to Ukraine since late July. The systems – the latest assistance includes four Himars and will bring the total number sent to Ukraine to 20 – have become a key tool in Ukraine‘s ability to strike bridges that Russia has used to supply its troops, enabling Ukrainian forces to make inroads in Russia-controlled regions.

Nuclear power plant chief won’t return after detention

Tuesday 4 October 2022 19:52 , Liam James

The head of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine who was recently detained in what Ukraine called a Russian act of terror and released, will not return to that job, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.

“The IAEA understands that Mr [Ihor] Murashov is now with his family in territory controlled by Ukraine and will not be continuing with his duties at the ZNPP,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.

“It is not yet clear who will replace him in this role.”

Mr Murashov was detained on Saturday as he was being driven to ZNPP. Energoatom, Ukraine’s energy regulator, blamed Russia and said the director’s detention jeopardised “the safety of operation of Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant”.

IAEA experts have been present at the ZNPP for weeks after arriving for an inspection as attacks near the highly sensitive site escalated.

Putin may pin blame for Russian losses on new commander

Tuesday 4 October 2022 19:30 , Liam James

Vladimir Putin may try to pin the blame for future Russian losses in eastern Ukraine on a recently appointed commader, observers said.

Russian outlet RBK, citing sources within the Russian regime, reported on Monday that Lieutenant-General Roman Berdnikov had been installed as commander of the Western Military District, which had been operating in Kharkiv Oblast in recent months.

Russian forces have mostly been driven out of Kharkiv by a Ukrainian counteroffensive launched at the start of September. The loss of the key city of Lyman over the weekend has led to widespread criticism of the Russian commander in charge of the operation there, General Alexander Lapin.

The Institute for the Study of War said this criticism has served as a catalyst for wider breakdown within the Russian nationalist information space, so Mr Putin is likely to wish to divert criticism towards a new target in Mr Berdnikov to detract from this dissatisfaction.

Russian court fines Tik Tok over LGBT+ content

Tuesday 4 October 2022 19:08 , Liam James

A court in Russia has fined TikTok for failing to delete online LGBT+ material (Eleanor Sly writes).

Moscow’s Tagansky District Court issued a three million ruble (£44,000) penalty to the video sharing platform after it received a complaint from Russian regulators.

According to the case file, state communications regulator Roskomnadzor had complained about a video published on the platform earlier this year on the grounds that it breached Russian laws against promoting “LGBT, radical feminism and a distorted view on traditional sexual relations”.

The Russian government has been increasing efforts to enforce control over internet and social media in the country.

Tik Tok fined by Russian court for failing to delete LGBT+ content

Kremlin scorns ‘Western nuclear rhetoric’

Tuesday 4 October 2022 18:53 , Liam James

The Kremlin said it did not want to take part in Western “nuclear rhetoric” after a report that Russia was preparing to demonstrate its willingness to use nuclear weapons in its conflict with Ukraine.

The Times reported on Monday that Nato had warned members that Vladimir Putin was set to demonstrate his willingness to use nuclear weapons by carrying out a nuclear test on Ukraine’s border.

Russia was also reported to have moved a train thought to be linked to a unit of the defence ministry that was responsible for nuclear munitions.

A Nato official today told Reuters the alliance had not observed changes in Russia’s nuclear posture, while a Western diplomat, commenting on the Times report, said the had not warned allies about a nuclear threat from Russia.

When asked about the Times report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia did not want to take part in what he cast as Western exercises in “nuclear rhetoric”.

“The Western media, Western politicians and heads of state are engaging in a lot of exercises in nuclear rhetoric right now,” Mr Peskov said. “We do not want to take part in this.”

Western speculation over Russia’s nuclear intentions spiked after a speech a fortnight back by Mr Putin in which he threatened to use atomic weapons to defend Russian territory.

Roger Waters claims he’s on Ukraine’s ‘kill list’

Tuesday 4 October 2022 18:30 , Liam James

Roger Waters has claimed he’s on Ukraine’s “kill list” in a recent interview (Megan Graye writes).

The Pink Floyd co-founder was discussing his recent statements regarding the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia when he made the remark.

Recently, Waters wrote an open letter to Vladimir Putin and the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, asking them for their commitment to help bring the war to an end.

Now, Waters claims he himself is under threat from Ukraine. “Don’t forget, I’m on a kill list that is supported by the Ukrainian government,” Waters said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

“I’m on the f***ing list, and they’ve killed people recently... But when they kill you, they write ‘liquidated’ across your picture. Well, I’m one of those f***ing pictures,” he claimed.

Roger Waters claims he’s on Ukraine’s ‘kill list’

Nato sees no change in Russia’s nuclear posture, says official

Tuesday 4 October 2022 18:12 , Liam James

Nato has not observed changes in Russia’s nuclear posture but is vigilant, an alliance official told Reuters today, commenting two weeks after Vladimir Putin escalated the war in Ukraine with a mobilisation and warnings of nuclear weapons use.

“We have not seen any changes in Russia’s nuclear posture, but Nato and allies remain vigilant,” the official said.

The official, who declined to be named, added that – as laid out in Nato’s new strategic concept in June – Russia’s expansion of “novel and disruptive dual-capable delivery systems, while employing coercive nuclear signalling” was a challenge to the defence alliance’s security and interests.

UK foreign secretary’s comments on Putin’s nuclear threat

Tuesday 4 October 2022 18:01 , Liam James

We reported earlier that UK foreign secretary James Cleverly had warned Vladimir Putin that there would be consequences for using nuclear weapons, as the Russian leader has threatened [16.10].

Here follow Mr Cleverly’s remarks in full. He was asked at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference how Britain would respond to the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia.

He said: “It would inevitably be the case that the use of nuclear weapons by any country anywhere in the world would not go without a response.”

“I’m not going to discuss the nature or the threshold.”

Cleverly at the conference in Birmingham today (Getty)
Cleverly at the conference in Birmingham today (Getty)

Tuesday 4 October 2022 17:49 , Liam James

Maps presented by the Russian defence ministry on Tuesday appeared to show rapid withdrawals of Russian invasion forces from areas in eastern and southern Ukraine where they have been under severe pressure from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The ministry’s daily video briefing made no mention of any pullbacks, but on maps used to show the location of purported Russian strikes, the shaded area designating Russian military control was much smaller than the day before.

In northeast Ukraine, where Russia suffered a rout last month, its forces along a frontline running some 40 miles southward from Kupiansk along the River Oskil appeared to have retreated some 12 miles to the east, as far as the border of Luhansk province.

This would mean they had vacated the last remnants of Ukraine’s Kharkiv province – where Russia for several months maintained an occupation administration – but for a small patch between the town of Dvorichna and the Russian border.

In southern Ukraine’s Kherson province, Russia’s line of control on the right bank of the Dnipro river had shifted 15 miles southward on the map, to a line running westward from the riverside town of Dudchany.

Both areas are battlefields where Ukraine has been reporting advances, albeit without giving full details.

Biden and Zelensky call as new military aid for Ukraine expected

Tuesday 4 October 2022 17:30 , Liam James

Joe Biden was holding a phone call this afternoon with Volodymyr Zelensky, a White House official said.

The official did not provide details. The US president is expected to announce Washington’s next security assistance package for Ukraine as soon as today.

The Biden administration’s next security assistance package for Ukraine is expected to include four High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars) launchers, munitions, mines and mine-resistant vehicles, two sources briefed on the $625m (£545m) package told Reuters on Monday.

Ukraine to join Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup bid

Tuesday 4 October 2022 17:10 , Eleanor Sly

Ukraine is set to join Spain and Portugal in a combined bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

A person familiar with the project told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Ukraine is being added to the Spain-Portugal bid. The bid, which has been in the works for more than three years, is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made public.

Read more here:

Source: Ukraine to join Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup bid

India's Modi says ready to contribute to peace efforts in Ukraine

Tuesday 4 October 2022 16:40 , Eleanor Sly

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that his country is ready to contribute to peace efforts in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

“He expressed his firm conviction that there can be no military solution to the conflict and conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to any peace efforts,” the Indian prime minister’s office said in a statement which came following a telephone conversation between Mr Modi and Mr Zelenskiy.

India is articulating its position against the Ukraine war more robustly to counter criticism that it has taken a soft stance on Russia. It is still yet to hold Moscow responsible either for the invasion or to change its policy on importing cheap oil and coal from Russia.

The statement read: The “Prime Minister emphasized the importance India attaches to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine.”

UK warns Russia over use of nuclear weapons

Tuesday 4 October 2022 16:10 , Eleanor Sly

Britain’s foreign minister James Cleverly, said on Tuesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sequence of strategic errors must stop.

He added that the use of nuclear weapons would lead to consequences.

Tuesday 4 October 2022 15:45 , Eleanor Sly

Finance minister for the European Union have agreed to integrate the EU’s support payments to Ukraine into its 202 budget so that they are more structured and predictable, European Commission vice president Valdis Dombrovskis said.Speaking to journalists Mr Dombrovskis admitted this year’s EU payments to Ukraine far from regular – something which has worried Kyiv, which needs to regularly pay the salaries public workers and pensions.

The EU agreed to support Ukraine with €9bn (£7.85bn) in May.

However, it only made the first disbursement of €1bn in July. Reuters reports that Mr Dombrovskis said the next tranche of €5bn would be made by mid-October and the remaining €3bn in two instalments in November and December.

Finnish city removes last publicly displayed statue of Lenin

Tuesday 4 October 2022 15:20 , Eleanor Sly

A city in southeastern Finland on Tuesday removed the country’s last publicly displayed statue of Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin following pressure from residents in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

A group of construction workers in Kotka, a port city of 52,000 not far from the border with Russia, hoisted the statue into a truck and drove it away to a warehouse of a local museum.

City museum director Kirsi Niku told Finnish public broadcaster YLE that the bronze bust was designed and constructed by Estonian sculptor Matti Varik in the late 1970s on orders from Moscow.

Read more here:

Finnish city removes last publicly displayed statue of Lenin

Kremlin dismisses UK media report on Russian nuclear test

Tuesday 4 October 2022 14:52 , Eleanor Sly

The Kremlin has said that it did not want to take part in “nuclear rhetoric” spread by the west after a media report that Russia was preparing to demonstrate its willingness to use nuclear weapons in its conflict with Ukraine.

The Times newspaper wrote on Monday that the NATO military alliance had warned members that President Vladimir Putin was set to demonstrate his willingness to use nuclear weapons by carrying out a nuclear test on Ukraine’s border.

The UK newspaper also said Russia had moved a train thought to be linked to a unit of the defence ministry that was responsible for nuclear munitions.

When asked about the Times report, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said Russia did not want to take part in what he cast as western exercises in “nuclear rhetoric”.

“The western media, western politicians and heads of state are engaging in a lot of exercises in nuclear rhetoric right now,” Mr Peskov said. “We do not want to take part in this.”

UK to extend the deployment of an air defence system in Poland

Tuesday 4 October 2022 14:20 , Eleanor Sly

The UK intends to extend the deployment of an air defence system in Poland, British defence minister Ben Wallace has revealed.

During his visit to the southern Polish city of Zamosc, Mr Wallace told reporters:

“I am pleased to announce that we will extend the current posting of our medium air defence... for another period to make sure that as Poland helps continue that logistical support to Ukraine it is safe in doing so.”

Frustration with Ukraine war spills out on Russian state TV

Tuesday 4 October 2022 13:50 , Eleanor Sly

Russia’s retreat from a key Ukrainian city over the weekend elicited outcry from an unlikely crowd – state-run media outlets that typically cast Moscow’s war in glowing terms.

A series of embarrassing military losses in recent weeks has presented a growing challenge for prominent hosts of Russian news and political talk shows scrambling to find ways to paint Ukraine‘s gains in a way that is still favorable to the Kremlin.

Frustration with the battlefield setbacks has long been expressed in social media blogs run by nationalist pundits and pro-Kremlin analysts. But it now appears to be spilling out on state TV broadcasts and the pages of government-backed newspapers.

Read more:

Frustration with Ukraine war spills out on Russian state TV

What's Putin thinking? Tough to know for nuclear analysts

Tuesday 4 October 2022 13:35 , Eleanor Sly

Will President Vladimir Putin pull the nuclear trigger?

For Kremlin watchers trying to figure out whether the Russian leader’s nuclear threats are just bluffs, there is no more pressing -- or tough -- question.

For now, analysts cautiously suggest that the risk of Putin using the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal still seems low. The CIA says it hasn’t seen signs of an imminent Russian nuclear attack.

Read more here:

What's Putin thinking? Tough to know for nuclear analysts

Russia backs Elon Musk for ‘looking for a peaceful’ solution to Ukraine war

Tuesday 4 October 2022 13:00 , Eleanor Sly

The Kremlin has praised Tesla boss Elon Musk for suggesting a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

In a Twitter poll posted on Monday, the Tesla boss suggested Ukraine permanently cede Crimea to Russia, that new referendums be held under UN auspices to determine the fate of Russian-controlled territory, and that Ukraine agree to neutrality.

That drew a furious response from Ukraine, with one diplomat even telling Musk to “f*** off”.

David Harding reports:

Russia backs Elon Musk for ‘looking for a peaceful’ solution to Ukraine war