Putin threatens ‘new targets’ if West supplies long-range weapons

President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that Russia would strike new targets if the United States started supplying Ukraine with longer-range missiles.

If such missiles are supplied, “we will strike at those targets which we have not yet been hitting,” Putin said in an interview on Rossiya-1 state television channel.

It comes as the US, UK and Germany pledged earlier this week to equip Ukraine with some of the advanced weapons it has long desired for shooting down aircraft and knocking out artillery.

The US will supply Ukraine with medium-range MRLS that can reach targets 50 miles away after Kyiv promised not to use them against Russian territory.

Putin downplayed the significance of the weapons, saying they were “nothing new” and similar to those already possessed by Kyiv.

04:13 PM

And that’s all for today…

Thanks for following our Ukraine liveblog.

Here are five key updates from today:

• A Ukrainian counter-attack is “blunting” the “operational momentum” of Russian forces in the contested city of Severodonetsk, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

• A barrage of Russian missiles struck Ukraine’s capital early this morning, hitting unspecified “infrastructure” targets, Kyiv’s mayor said. No one was reported killed, with one person hospitalised with injuries.

• Pope Francis renewed calls for “real negotiations” to end what he called the “increasingly dangerous escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine.

• Ukraine’s state-run nuclear power operator Energoatom said a Russian cruise missile flew “critically low” over a major nuclear power plant.

• Grain silos in the Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv were struck yesterday by Russian missiles, Ukraine’s southern operational command said, amid a looming global food crisis.

Story continues

03:47 PM

Chechen ruler warns of  ‘special operation’ in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, has warned of a “real special operation” in Ukraine in the coming days that will result in more people “fleeing” the war-torn country.

“We’re getting ready and we’ll make Russia’s real patriots happy, and may our real enemies die,” he added.

The Chechen ruler has committed his country’s forces to the war in Ukraine, which Moscow has consistently referred to as a “special operation”.

He prematurely declared victory over the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk earlier this week, where Kyiv has retaken territory and fighting remains ongoing.

03:29 PM

Pictured: Norwegian Howitzer on the front line in Ukraine

03:07 PM

Remove Russia from UNESCO, says Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Russia to be ejected from UNESCO after an important timber Orthodox Christian monastery was set ablaze in eastern Ukraine yesterday, reportedly by Russian shelling.

The sprawling, 17th-century hermitage, which sits on the bank of the Siverskiy Donets River, belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate and is one of the most revered holy sites in Orthodox Christianity.

“Every church burned by Russia in Ukraine, every school blown up, every destroyed memorial proves that Russia has no place in UNESCO,” Mr Zelensky said, calling for Moscow to be expelled from the main cultural body of the United Nations.

02:33 PM

‘Why Putin’s future looks increasingly uncertain’

Vladimir Putin has given no sign of being willing to stand down, but even if he is not thinking about his succession, many in Russia are, writes Mark Galeotti.

Military reversals in Ukraine, political uncertainties at home and questions about his health all mean that the elite are quietly discussing something that just a few months ago would have been unthinkable: What might life after Putin look like?

Read the full piece here.

01:45 PM

Pope renews calls for ‘real negotiations’

Pope Francis renewed calls for “real negotiations” to end what he called the “increasingly dangerous escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine.

“As the fury of destruction and death rages and clashes flare, fuelling an escalation that is increasingly dangerous for all, I renew my appeal to the leaders of nations: Please do not lead humanity to destruction,” the pontiff said from the window of the apostolic palace in St Peter’s Square.

The 85-year-old pope confirmed his desire to visit the war-torn country, but said he wanted to wait for “the right moment”.

01:24 PM

Oil sanctions could cost Germany £4.2 billion per year

Russia’s sanctions against Gazprom Germania and its subsidiaries could cost German taxpayers and gas users an extra 5 billion euros (£4.2 billion) a year to pay for replacement gas, the Welt am Sonntag weekly reported, citing industry representatives.

In May, Russia decided to stop supplying the German subsidiary of Gazprom, its largest natural gas firm, after Berlin put the company under trustee management due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, the German regulator, acting as trustee, has had to buy replacement gas on the market to fulfil supply contracts within the country.

12:57 PM

Mykolaiv grain facility reportedly hit by Russian missiles

Grain silos in the Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv were struck yesterday by Russian missiles, Ukraine’s southern operational command said.

“At dawn, the Mykolaiv region was again subjected to a massive missile strike using aircraft,” it told The Telegraph.

It comes as Vladimir Putin blamed Western sanctions for the looming global food crisis, which he said had “nothing to do with any Russian military operation in the Donbas”.

Amin Awad, the UN crisis coordinator, said that “failure to open” Black Sea ports that have been blocked due to the war in Ukraine “will result in [a] famine” that could affect 1.4 billion people and trigger mass migration.

Putin said earlier this week that exporting grain from Ukraine, via Kyiv or Moscow-controlled ports, or even through central Europe, was not a problem.

12:30 PM

Austrian chancellor calls for ‘preparatory’ stage for Ukraine’s EU membership

Karl Nehammer, the Austrian chancellor, has called for an intermediate stage between cooperation and full membership of the European Union for countries like Ukraine and Moldova.

The so-called “preparatory space” would allow countries to work towards the membership requirements of the EU, Mr Nehammer said in a statement issued by the chancellor’s office.

“Currently, Ukraine is fighting for its political and territorial survival. All our efforts are primarily aimed at ending the Russian war of aggression,” he said, adding: “In such a phase, a quick full accession to the union cannot be a pressing issue anyway.”

12:09 PM

Ukraine gives Second World War remembrance special meaning

More than 20 British Second World War veterans gathered near Pegasus Bridge, one of the first sites liberated by Allied forces from Nazi Germany’s control, as part of commemorations honouring the international coalition of soldiers who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Many felt the celebrations took on an especial significance this year as war is raging again in Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

“I hope a lot of this younger generation is watching because 78 years ago,” Greg Jensen, 51, from Dallas, said, especially thinking of the current fighting in Ukraine.

11:33 AM

In pictures: Fighting in Donetsk

11:04 AM

Three friends recount 100 days of war in Ukraine

Around this time last year, Dasha Shipunova was busy celebrating her 18th birthday with her best friends from Kharkiv university, Vika Mankovska and Yarik Size, writes Verity Bowman.

Pictures from the day show Dasha holding her cake, covered with heart-shaped decorations and candles spelling out 18, with a sparkly backdrop and gold balloons hanging behind her.

Their only worries were about cooking lunch and whether it would rain. Yarik described it as “one of the warmest days of my life”.

Read the full piece here. 

10:43 AM

Ukraine to play against Wales in today’s World Cup play-off final

Ukraine is to play against Wales in today’s play-off final as they aim to reach their first football World Cup since 2006.

“Everyone will fight to the end and give their all, because we will play for our country,” Oleksandr Zinchenko, a a player for Ukraine, said.

But Gareth Bale, the Welsh captain, saaid any sympathy with Ukraine will be set aside: “We understand what it would do for Ukraine, but we want to get to a World Cup.”

10:17 AM

Japan may attend Nato summit

Fumio Kishida, the Japanese prime minister, is considering attending a summit of leaders from Nato in late June to spur coordination with the West over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter said.

The move would mark an unusually aggressive stance for a Japanese leader although Mr Kishida has repeatedly condemned Russia over what he has described as a “war crime” against Ukraine.

In the past, Japanese leaders have maintained a careful line on their relations with Russia as the two countries have wrangled over decades-old territorial disputes.

10:03 AM

Moscow: Strikes on Kyiv targeted tanks supplied by the West

Ukraine’s air force said Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers launched missiles at nation’s capital from the Caspian Sea early this morning shattering five weeks of eerie calm in Kyiv, which had not experienced similar strikes since April 28.

Russia’s defence ministry said the attack destroyed T-72 tanks and armoured vehicles that were located in buildings of a train car repair business and had been supplied to Ukraine by eastern European countries.

The head of Ukraine’s railway system rejected the claim that tanks were inside.

Oleksandr Kamyshin said four missiles hit the Darnytsia car repair plant, but no military equipment had been stored there.

At least one person was hospitalised though no deaths were immediately reported, Vitaly Klitschko, the city’s mayor, said.

Dark smoke rose into the sky above the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts where the explosions rang out.

09:34 AM

Russian missile flies ‘critically low’ over nuclear power plant

Ukraine’s state-run nuclear power operator Energoatom said a Russian cruise missile flew “critically low” over a major nuclear power plant.

“It’s probable that was the missile that was fired in the direction of Kyiv,” the operator of the Pivdennoukrainska plant, also called the South Ukraine Nuclear Plant, said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters could not immediately verify the claim.

09:20 AM

France in talks with UAE to wean off Russian oil

France is in talks with the United Arab Emirates to replace Russian oil purchases, which will stop after the imposition of a European Union ban on Russian crude, Bruno Le Maire, the finance minister said.

“There are discussions with the United Arab Emirates. We have to find an alternative to Russian oil,” Mr Le Maire told Europe 1 radio.

He added that despite the war in Ukraine and inflationary pressures, he expected positive growth for 2022, but would revise economic forecasts at the start of July.

08:35 AM

MoD: Ukrainian counter-attack is ‘blunting’ Russian ‘momentum’ in Severodonetsk

A Ukrainian counter-attack is “blunting” the “operational momentum” of Russian forces in the contested city of Severodonetsk, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

Russian troops had gained control of around 70 per cent of the factory city through concentrating combat units and firepower, including members of the Russian-led separatist forces of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic.

“These troops are poorly equipped and trained, and lack heavy equipment in comparison to regular Russian units,” the MoD said.

Ukrainian officials claim that half of the city is now under their control.

08:10 AM

Madrid: Spain to supply weapons to Ukraine

Spain is to supply Ukraine with anti-aircraft missiles and Leopard battle tanks in a step up of its military support to the country, according to government sources cited by the newspaper El Pais.

Spain will also provide essential training to the Ukrainian military in how to use the tanks. It will take place in Latvia, where the Spanish army has deployed 500 soldiers within the framework of Nato’s Enhanced Advanced Presence operation.

A second phase of training could take place in Spain, according to the sources cited by El Pais.

The paper said Spain’s defence ministry is finalising a delivery to Kyiv of low-level Shorad Aspide anti-aircraft missiles, which the Spanish army has replaced with a more advanced system.

07:29 AM

Fresh missile strikes shatter calm in Kyiv

A barrage of Russian missiles struck Ukraine’s capital early this morning, hitting unspecified “infrastructure” targets, Kyiv’s mayor said. No one was reported killed, with one person hospitalised with injuries.

But the attack shattered a sense of calm in Kyiv, which hadn’t seen similar strikes since the April 28 visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The missile strikes hit the Darnytski and Dniprovski districts in the city and that emergency services had arrived to the scene, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. Air raid sirens had gone off around the time of the blasts.

An acrid smell of smoke filled the air in the Darnystki district of eastern Kviv, with a billowing pillar of smoke rising in the sky.

Soldiers and police blocked off a main road to the site. Smoke billowed from the charred and blackened wreckage of a warehouse-type structure.

07:29 AM

Russians ‘afraid’ to move around Severodonetsk

Russian forces have lost ground in Severodonetsk, a regional governor said Sunday.

“The Russians were in control of about 70 per cent of the city, but have been forced back over the past two days,” Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday wrote on Telegram.

“The city is divided in two. They are afraid to move freely around the city.”

07:16 AM

Churches that survived  Second World War have not survived invasion, says Zelensky

Churches that managed to survive the Second World War have been destroyed by Russia’s attacks in Ukraine, says President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia has destroyed or damaged around 113 churches since it invaded, he said. Some of them had survived Second World War, “but did not withstand Russian occupation,” he added.

On Saturday, Mr Zelensky said Russian artillery hit an early 17th century Ukrainian Orthodox monastery, engulfing a church in flames.

Russia’s defence ministry denied involvement, accusing Ukrainian troops of setting fire to the All Saints church before pulling back.

07:02 AM

Ukraine blunts Russian momentum with counterattack

Ukraine is undoing the gains made by Russian forces in concentrating combat units and firepower in the east, following a counterattack by Kyiv in Severodonetsk, according to British intelligence.

The Ministry of Defence said a Ukrainian attack over the last 24 hours in the city has likely blunted Russia’s operational momentum there.

“Russian forces committed in this area include personnel mobilised from the reserve of Russian-led Separatist Forces of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic. These troops are poorly equipped and trained, and lack heavy equipment in comparison to regular Russian units.”

06:50 AM

Street fighting erupts in Severodonetsk

The battle for Ukraine’s eastern city of Severodonetsk was being waged street by street, said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Several explosions in Darnytsky and Dniprovsky districts of the city. Services are extinguishing,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram shortly after air raid warnings sounded in Kyiv and several other cities.

“There are currently no dead from missile strikes on infrastructure. One wounded was hospitalised. The services are still working in the affected areas.”

03:49 AM

Today’s Top Stories

• Two Russian brigades were practically wiped out after incompetent officers sent them into a key battle in eastern Ukraine with soggy toilet paper, shoe polish and Soviet-era field telephones instead of modern equipment, according to a soldier who reportedly survived the assault

• Moscow deploys planes and electronic jamming as it ‘throws everything’ at battle for Donbas

• Vladimir Putin has given no sign of being willing to stand down, but even if he is not thinking about his succession, many in Russia are

• Kyiv on Saturday attacked Emmanuel Macron after he said it was vital that Russia was not humiliated for its illegal invasion of Ukraine

• Estonia’s government has collapsed amid fears Moscow is attempting to destabilise the country, which is hosting a key Nato deployment of British troops.