5 h. ago ‘They want to break us’: Russian energy grid strikes give freezing Kyiv some of its darkest days

Impact of raid on infrastructure rivals early weeks of war when tanks tried to force their way into Ukrainian capitalOn the night of 9 January, amid warnings from Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of massive and imminent Russian airstrikes, Tetiana Shkred began cooking for her children at midnight.Concerned that the power was once again about to be knocked out in her apartment block on Kyiv’s left bank – the side of the city that has been most affected by Moscow’s attacks on energy infrastructure – she cooked until 3am, when her flat was plunged into freezing darkness. Continue reading...

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6 h. ago ‘I think they want to break us’: Russian strikes on energy grid give freezing Kyiv some of its darkest days

Impact of raid on infrastructure rivals early weeks of war when tanks tried to force their way into Ukraine’s capitalOn the night of 9 January, amid warnings from Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of massive and imminent Russian airstrikes, Tetiana Shkred began cooking for her children at midnight.Concerned that the power was once again about to be knocked out in her apartment block on Kyiv’s left bank – the side of the city that has been most affected by Moscow’s attacks on energy infrastructure – she cooked until 3am, when her flat was plunged into freezing darkness. Continue reading...

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18 h. ago UK and US condemn Russia’s Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on Ukraine: ‘Dangerous escalation of war’

Acting British ambassador James Kariuki says Putin ‘claims to want peace and yet his actions tell a different story’

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22 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Oreshnik missile sparks anger at UN security council

Strike on Lviv that used nuclear-capable ballistic missile a ‘dangerous, inexplicable escalation’. What we know on day 1,420 The US and Britain have condemned Russia for dropping a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile on Ukraine. At an emergency meeting of the UN security council, Tammy Bruce, US deputy ambassador, called the Lviv strike a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation”. Britain’s acting UN ambassador, James Kariuki, called the attack “reckless”, adding that “it threatens regional and international security and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation”.Russia claimed the Oreshnik targeted an aviation repair factory. Ukraine has not confirmed what was hit but said the missile struck during a wider attack using drones and other rockets. The rarely used, multiple warhead Oreshnik missile is thought to be in limited supply – Ukraine’s military and special forces claim to have destroyed at least one of them on the ground in Russia. Observers have rated the...

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23 h. ago US accuses Russia of 'dangerous and inexplicable escalation' of war in Ukraine as Trump seeks peace

The United States is accusing Russia of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of the nearly four-year war in Ukraine at a time when the Trump administration is trying to advance negotiations toward peace

Politics

37 h. ago Trump is ready to grab Greenland. The EU should move first – and offer it membership | Robert Habeck and Andreas Raspotnik

The US president’s threats to the territory show Europe needs a new strategy for its far north: one based on cooperation, not dominationThe new year is still young, yet Donald Trump’s fixation on expanding his homeland signals a troubling geopolitical shift. From Venezuela to Greenland, the world is unmistakably moving away from the relative stability of the post-cold war era – not least also because of Russia’s war against Ukraine.This erosion of long-established norms has severe implications for Europe, a continent whose core political philosophy is built on limiting (national) power. A rules-based order, international law and negotiated solutions lie at the core of Europe’s self-image. Yet in today’s world, Europe can uphold this vision only if it evolves into a more muscular geopolitical actor itself – and nowhere is this more evident than in the Arctic.Robert Habeck served as German vice-chancellor and minister for economy and climate action from 2021 to 2025, and is now workin...

Politics

38 h. ago Project Nightfall: UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defence against Russia

MoD says Nightfall missiles will carry 200kg warhead and can strike targets deep inside Russia

Events

42 h. ago UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defence against Russia

MoD says Nightfall missiles will carry 200kg warhead and can strike targets deep inside Russia

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46 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Nightfall – Britain races to develop ballistic missile for Kyiv

UK government starts contest to have deep-strike prototypes delivered within 12 months; heat-starved Kyiv under Russian attack again. What we know on day 1,419Britain is to develop a new deep-strike ballistic missile for Ukraine, the government has announced. Under the project, named Nightfall, the British government said on Sunday that it had launched a competition to rapidly develop ground-launched ballistic missiles that could carry a 200kg (440lb) warhead to a range of more than 500km (310 miles).“Nightfall missiles will be capable of being launched from a range of vehicles,” said the UK defence ministry (MoD), “firing multiple missiles in quick succession and withdrawing within minutes – allowing Ukrainian forces to hit key military targets before Russian forces can respond.”Three industry teams would each get £9m to design, develop and deliver their first three Nightfall missiles within 12 months for test firings, said the MoD. Ukraine’s current ballistic missiles include Atac...

Events

58 h. ago Ending the war in Ukraine has more support than ever. So why is peace still not in sight? | Gwendolyn Sasse

The Paris declaration by the ‘coalition of the willing’ supports a nonexistent ceasefire that remains at the mercy of Russian intransigenceGwendolyn Sasse is director of the Centre for East European and International StudiesAn end to Russia’s war against Ukraine is still not in sight. The frequency of high-level meetings of Ukrainian, US and European representatives in recent weeks, as well as the intermittent US-Russia exchanges, have not changed this fundamental reality. There is no ceasefire in place, European and US military support is not confirmed and, most importantly, Russia does not want the war to end.The latest talks in Paris managed to bring 35 countries of the “coalition of the willing” together. The core objective was to advance the principle, and implementation, of security guarantees for a future ceasefire. The participation of the US alongside European leaders and a wider coalition of partners was noteworthy. However, the actual result remains vague.Gwendolyn Sasse ...

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69 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv struggles to stabilise ruined power grid after major Russian attack

Residents battle bitter winter cold inside unheated apartments; Ukraine confirms UN to hold emergency meeting Monday on Russian ballistic missile attack. What we know on day 1,418Engineers in Kyiv scrambled on Saturday to stabilise a power grid brought to the brink by a campaign of Russian strikes, including one two nights ago. The city’s residents huddled against bitter winter cold inside their unheated apartments on Saturday as engineers worked to restore power, water and heat. Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the power situation in the capital was still difficult, as the grid was badly damaged and people were using more electric heaters because of the cold.Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed Saturday the UN security council would hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss Russia’s latest large-scale attack on Ukraine, which used an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile. “The meeting will address Russia’s flagrant breaches of the UN Charter,” Sy...

Events

3 d. ago UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting after Putin launches nuclear

The emergency meeting comes after the Kremlin confirmed it had fired an Oreshnik ballistic missile on Ukraine for the second time since the war began in February 2022.

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3 d. ago Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks

With temperatures as low as -15C in some parts of Ukraine, vulnerable residents tell Alex Croft that life under Russian assault is as difficult as ever

Events

3 d. ago Dark, freezing and depressed: More than 1m Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks

With temperatures as low as -15C in some parts of Ukraine, vulnerable residents tell Alex Croft that life under Russian assault is as difficult as ever

Events

3 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: UK earmarks £200m to prepare for possible Ukraine deployment

British defence minister says money will be spent on vehicle upgrades, communication systems and counter-drone protection, ensuring troops are ready to deploy. What we know on day 1,417Britain said it was allocating £200m (US$270m) to fund preparations for the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine, after pledging its soldiers this week to a multinational force for the country in the event of a ceasefire. Visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, British defence minister John Healey said the money would be spent on upgrading vehicles and communication systems and counter-drone protection, as well as ensuring troops are ready to deploy. The announcement follows Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday agreeing to a declaration of intent at a summit of the “coalition of the willing” of Ukraine’s allies, outlining a potential future deployment. Healey said the funding announcement showed the government was “surging investment” into preparations for Ukrain...

Economics

3 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: UK earmarks £200m to prepare for possible Ukraine troop deployment

British defence minister says money will be spent on vehicle upgrades, communication systems and counter-drone protection, ensuring troops are ready to deploy. What we know on day 1,417 Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago Putin's hidden message behind launch of Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Kremlin war chiefs claim latest hypersonic and drone assault on Ukraine was revenge for their lies Ukraine targeted Putin's home - but the real sinister reason may have more to do with Greenland

Events

4 d. ago Russia's use of its hypersonic missile in western Ukraine is seen as a warning to Kyiv's allies

Russia has used its latest missile against Ukraine for a second time in the nearly 4-year-old war, a forceful signal to Kyiv and its Western allies as peace talks are in a crucial stage

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4 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Kremlin denounces European troops plan as Kyiv warns of ‘massive Russian attack’

Moscow says any Nato peacekeepers would be considered legitimate targets; US embassy and Kyiv flag ‘potentially significant air attack’. What we know on day 1,416 Continue reading...

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5 d. ago Russia warns Western troops will become 'legitimate targets' as part of 'axis of war' with Kyiv if stationed in Ukraine after Britain vowed to send in soldiers under peace deal

The warning from Moscowcomes after President Volodymyr Zelensky's allies said they had agreed to key security guarantees for Ukraine at a summit in Paris.

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