19 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv hits warplanes in Russia as missile attack kills five in Ukraine

Ukrainian military claims strike on four Su-34 bombers at Marinovka base about 900km from border; Russian attack on Samar wounds 25. What we know on day 1,221See all our Ukraine war coverageUkraine’s military has said it struck four warplanes at an airbase in central Russia’s Volgograd region as part of a drive to hit Russian war assets. It said on Telegram it had hit four Su-34 aircraft at the Marinovka base outside the city of Volgograd, about 900km (550 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The post on Friday said the operation was conducted by the military’s special operations branch, together with the SBU security service and other services of the military. “According to preliminary information, four aircraft were hit, specifically SU-34 planes, as well as technical-operational facilities where different warplanes are serviced and repaired,” the statement said. There was no immediate comment from the Russian military.Ukraine’s military said the damage to Marinovka was being assesse...

Events

3 d. ago Change in Nato mindset brought on by Vladimir Putin as much as Donald Trump

Allies agreed to raise defence spending to counter likely prospect of Russian remilitarisation if Ukraine war endsThe price was high, but for now, at least, a crisis in Nato has been averted. Donald Trump may like to take the credit for almost all of the 32 allies agreeing to a sharp increase in defence spending, but the reality is that the dramatic change in the Nato mindset was as much brought on by Vladimir Putin.The Russian president’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the first jolt, but there is a second uncomfortable reality. If there is a sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine, it will mean the deployment of a European-led peacekeeping force in the country – and after a while, Russia’s military might will inevitably recover. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Words of War review – Maxine Peake leads line as murdered Putin

Peake stars opposite Jason Isaacs, as Politkovskaya’s husband, in this sentimental look at the life of a woman who, 19 years after her death, remains a folk heroThis British-American co-production offers a dramatised portrait of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (played by Maxine Peake) who was assassinated in 2006. Politkovskaya’s gutsy, impassioned reporting on the second Chechen war was highly critical of the Kremlin, the Russian army and Vladimir Putin personally. (The fact that she was murdered on his birthday was surely no coincidence.) Nineteen years after her death, she remains a folk hero worldwide for resistances to autocracy, especially given the rise in repression everywhere and constant threats to journalists.Given all that, the film deserves respect for the subject matter, even though this is a pretty basic rendition of Politkovskaya’s story, a little too sticky with hagiographic sentimentality and the cliches of crusading journalist-led movies. It also should be n...

Events

6 d. ago One million and counting: Russian casualties hit milestone in Ukraine war

As grim tally of its invasion is reached, expansive propaganda campaign and state payouts are keeping grieving relatives onsideOver the past few years, Nikolai has seen the ups and downs of the funeral trade in his native Ufa, a Russian city in the plains west of the Ural mountains.The coronavirus pandemic, which hit Russia with devastating force, brought an unexpected boom to his family-run business, forcing him to hire extra staff almost overnight to cope with the rise in funeral demand. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago The first rule is to forget your past life: Ukrainian marine tells of his three years of torment in Russian captivity

Dmytro Chorny tells of hunger, beatings and torture before a mass prisoner exchange freed him to go home to – and marry – his girlfriend, DianaDespite all they have endured, it doesn’t take much to draw shy smiles from Diana Shikot, 24, and Dmytro Chorny, 23.You could ask them about Chorny’s sweetly bungled marriage proposal the day after his release from Russia’s notorious penitentiary system, in which he languished as a prisoner of war for three years. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv kills at least 15 people

Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls it ‘one of the most horrific attacks’ on Ukraine’s capital since full-scale war beganUkraine war briefing: Kyiv under Russian drone attack with apartment building hitRussia launched a sustained missile and drone attack on Kyiv in the early hours of Tuesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 156 in what the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called “one of the most horrific attacks” on the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale war began in spring 2022.The death toll from what is already the deadliest attack on the capital this year is expected to rise, with several sites across the city struck. At a nine-storey Soviet-era apartment block in the west of Kyiv, an apparent direct missile hit had led to part of the building collapsing, leaving a gaping hole and a pile of rubble in the middle of the block. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago At least 15 dead and dozens injured in ‘one of most horrific’ Russian strikes on Kyiv of war

More than 440 drones and 32 missiles fired at Ukraine’s capital on Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelensky says

Events

1 week ago Russian strikes on Kyiv kill at least 14 with attacks reported across Ukraine

Overnight attack sees waves of drones and missiles strike Ukraine’s capitalUkraine war briefing: Kyiv under Russian drone attack with apartment building hitAn overnight attack on Ukraine’s capital killed at least 14 people, the head of Kyiv’s military administration said early on Tuesday, with Russian strikes reported across the country.“According to initial reports, there are already 14 deaths in Kyiv,” Tymur Tkachenko said, adding that rescuers were still searching the rubble for victims. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv under Russian drone attack with apartment building hit

Stay off Russian gas even after peace, says EU energy chief, as ban is drafted; 6,000 casualties out of 10,000 North Koreans fighting against Ukraine. What we know on day 1,210 Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Vladimir Putin's Russian war machine to be hit by new UK sanctions

Keir Starmer is expected to announce the fresh package of sanctions as he appears at the G7 summit in Canada to ratchet up pressure on the Russian leader

Events

1 week ago Operation Spiderweb: how Ukraine's drone attack could reshape warfare – video explainer

On 1 June, Ukraine launched a daring attack on Russian military bases, inflicting billions of dollars of damage using inexpensive drones in a secret operation codenamed Spiderweb. Smuggling 117 drones into Russian territory over 18 months, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proved he still had cards to play in the war. The Guardian's Russian affairs reporter, Pjotr Sauer, explains how the daring operation will make military commanders across the world rethink national securityOperation Spiderweb: a visual guide to Ukraine’s destruction of Russian aircraft‘He’s a bulldog’: the man behind the success of Ukraine’s Operation SpiderwebUkraine launches major drone attack on Russian bombers, security official says Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Russian drone factory attacked, 1,000km away in Tatarstan

Factory making Iranian-designed Shahed drones is hit, far from Russia-Ukraine border; Russian strikes damage energy and other civilian facilities in Poltava oblast. What we know on day 1,209See all our Ukraine war coverageUkraine’s military said on Sunday it had attacked a Russian drone factory in the city of Yelabuga in Russia’s Tatarstan region. The target is around 1,000km from Ukraine. The Ukrainian military general staff said the factory produced, tested, and launched drones at Ukraine, in particular against energy and civil infrastructure. Videos on social media showed an explosion said to be at the factory in Yelabuga, also known as Alabuga, which builds Iranian-designed Shahed drones. The Russian local governor confirmed the attack.Russian forces hit the Kremenchuk oil refinery in Ukraine’s Poltava region with missiles and drones, Russia’s defence ministry said on Sunday. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denounced the attack on the central Poltava region as a vile s...

Events

1 week ago The night Rangers refused to play in Russian war zone as defiant David Murray risked a mega UEFA ban

Rangers refused to go for safety reason as Dagestan

Events

2 w. ago Trump reveals Putin called him to wish a happy birthday as president says he pushed Russian leader to end war with Ukraine

President Donald Trump revealed Saturday afternoon that Russian President Vladimir Putin called him to wish him a 'happy birthday' as the president turns 79 today.

Politics

2 w. ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says troops contesting Russian advance in Sumy

Ukrainian forces ‘pushing back the occupiers’ says president but prevailing assessments show Russian gains. What we know on day 1,206Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukrainian forces are pushing back against Russian forces in the border Sumy region where they have established a foothold in recent weeks. “Our units in Sumy region are gradually pushing back the occupiers,” said Ukraine’s president in his nightly video address. “I thank you! Thanks to every soldier, sergeant and officer for this result.”The Ukrainian president provided no further details and offered no proof of Ukrainian advances in the area, and the claim contradicts prevailing assessments of continued Russian gains in Sumy. Russia has seized over 190 sq km (73 sq miles) of the Sumy region in less than a month, according to pro-Ukrainian open-source maps. They have captured more ground in the past days, advancing to around 20km from the city of Sumy’s northern suburbs and rendering it vulnerable to long-range artillery an...

Events

2 w. ago Mad Russians are taking over a bridge to 'scream' every morning as Putin's war takes toll

As Russia's war threatens to break into WW3, a Russian man has found a unique way of shedding emotional baggage and now has a healthy crowd that join him every morning

Politics

2 w. ago Oleksandr Usyk extends invite to Donald Trump ahead of Daniel Dubois fight

The Ukrainian is very passionate when it comes to the topic of his beloved country and has now offered Trump the chance to experience what day-to-day life is like in his homeland

Politics

2 w. ago Nato jets scrambled as Russia launches 'biggest drone bombardment' of Ukraine

Ukraine’s air force said 479 Russian drones were launched in the war's biggest overnight drone bombardment

Events

2 w. ago Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk sends invitation to Trump over Russian war

The invitation comes after Trump claimed he could resolve the war "in 24 hours" before he took office

Politics

2 w. ago Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk invites Trump to ‘live in my house’ to experience Russian war

Trump should ‘go to Ukraine and live in my house for one week,’ the heavyweight champion said

Politics