Ukraine has warned that Vladimir Putin plans to carry out a “terrorist attack” by releasing radioactive waste from Chernobyl.
The country’s Military Intelligence Directorate cited evidence that Russian forces are laying the groundwork to blame Kyiv for a nuclear leak.
It said troops have been seen collecting the bodies of dead Ukrainian servicemen to plant at the scene.
This graphic illustrates the risk from a power outage at the infamous nuclear site.
It comes as Russian fighter jets have fired at ally Belarus from Ukrainian air space in an apparent false flag attack to “involve” them in the conflict.
“This is a PROVOCATION!” said Ukraine’s Air Force Command in a statement.
Russian airstrikes also hit the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro, Lutsk, Rivne and Ivano Frankivsk early this morning, in an escalation of Moscow’s air campaign.
The attacks came after Putin met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko today, after which the Russian President said there are “certain positive shifts” in the talks with Ukraine. Our liveblog will keep you up to speed.
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Russia is feared to be readying a massive assault on Kyiv after a 40-mile convoy of tanks, troops and artillery broke up and redeployed to surround the Ukrainian capital.
Howitzers have been towed into position to open fire, as the convoy fanned out into the forests and towns near Kyiv, which is braced for attack.
Satellite imagery shows armoured units deploying but what are the chances of Putin’s exhausted troops laying siege to the Ukrainian capital?
Dominic Nicholls analyses how Russia’s weakened forces are “reposturing” for an assault. In other developments:
Fact checking
The propaganda war took an alarming turn as Russia called a UN Security Council meeting to accuse Ukraine of housing US labs that are developing bio-agents to target specific ethnic groups.
Sarah Knapton fact checks Moscow’s claims.
In Britain, Liz Truss has announced that 386 Russian politicians have been sanctioned following President Putin’s invasion.
All are members of the Russian Duma, the lower house of the country’s parliament, and voted to recognise the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as “independent”.
Tobias Elwood says it is time to put the Government on a Cold War footing.
Joe Biden vowed Russia would pay a “severe price” if it used chemical weapons.
However, the US President again ruled out any direct intervention by the US to halt the invasion, warning that such conflict “is World War III”.
Telegraph readers have given their view on sanctions.
However, Matthew Lynn outlines three ways the Ukraine war could crash the financial system.
Boobytrapped body
Amid the huge suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people, perhaps there are some lines Russian troops will not cross.
A Russian soldier stopped a Ukrainian priest from approaching the boobytrapped body of a mayor who had been killed by invading troops.
The soldier disarmed the suspected mine on Yuri Prilipko’s body and helped the cleric load the corpse onto a wheelbarrow in an apparent change of heart.
Mr Prilipko was driving down the central street of the occupied town of Hostomel on March 7 when a column of Russian vehicles opened fire on the car, which was carrying four passengers and delivering food and medicine.
Mr Prilipko’s daughter, Nadiya, said he was shot by snipers, before his body was booby trapped and the Russian soldier intervened.
War in Ukraine: Comment and analysis
Friday big-read
Who’s behind the Buzzer?
Is it sending messages to sleeper agents? Broadcasting to the military? Or simply pumping out static? Alex Diggins goes in search of the truth about the chilling mystery of UVB-76, Russia’s ‘ghost’ radio station
Evening briefing: Today’s other essential headlines
Sport briefing: Cricket latest – hunt to buy Chelsea
The pressure is on for England’s batsmen to set a worthy target with the first Test against the West Indies back in the balance, although a draw seems the likely result. Follow the action. In the hunt to buy Chelsea Football Club, a group led by American billionaire Todd Boehly could break the record for what has been paid for a sports franchise, which was set by the £1.76bn sale of Carolina Panthers in 2018. He is aiming to see off competition from the Ricketts family and Woody Johnson, who owns the New York Jets. Matt Law analyses why a Boehly takeover would keep Chelsea in the hunt for football’s biggest prizes. Meanwhile, Luke Edwards outlines why Chelsea fans should be banned from grounds if they keep singing the praises of sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich.
Editor’s choice
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Katie Morley Investigates | ‘Why my father nearly missed out on £885k payout’
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Dear A&E | My husband wants us to join a virtual orgy – I don’t think our sex life needs it
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Jan Masters | I’m shocked at all the time-wasting in the modern workplace
Business briefing: Deutsche Bank warns on Russia ban
Germany’s largest lender has argued that Russia should not be excluded from the Swift international payments system, as calls for tougher sanctions against Vladimir Putin intensify. Deutsche Bank published research today arguing that “banning Russia from Swift will complicate trade and amplify jitters” and could “precipitate the expansion of rival messaging networks and payment methods that circumvent sanctions”. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard warns Germany is propping up Putin’s war machine as much as China. Meanwhile, Lloyd’s of London insurers risk suffering losses of up to $10bn if Putin follows through on his threat to seize foreign-owned planes. Elsewhere, all Bitcoin cashpoints in Britain have been ordered to shut after the City watchdog declared them illegal.
Tonight starts now
Welcome back Drive to Survive | “This is a season like no other,” says Toto Wolff in the new series of Netflix’s colossally successful Formula One documentary. This comes after the previous year’s pandemic-affected season like no other. This followed the season like no other before that, which featured slightly reshaped front wing endplates. Yes, welcome back to Drive to Survive, never knowingly under-psyched. Prepare yourself for fabulous aerial shots which reek of streaming cash and ostensibly behind-the-scenes footage, albeit only from the exact scenes the protagonists are happy for you to look behind. Thom Gibbs reviews the compelling insight into the high-gloss hyper-reality of F1.
Three things for you
And finally… for this evening’s downtime
2022 Bafta awards predictions | Can a revamp put a spring in the step of the annual British film awards – or make it more predictable? Robbie Collin analyses who will win and who should win.
