Russia’s ambassador to the UK has accused Liz Truss of being “very belligerent” and wanting to “prolong” the conflict in Ukraine.
Andrei Kelin claimed the Foreign Secretary wanted to “instigate the conflict” by pushing for the West to continue supplying Kyiv, a position he argued would be “no good for Ukraine”.
Mr Kelin said Ms Truss’s stance showed London was not interested in bringing about an end to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russian shelling has destroyed all of the critical infrastructure in the city of Sievierodonetsk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Taking Sievierodonetsk is the principal aim of the occupying contingents,” Mr Zelensky said in a televised speech.
He stated in a Telegram post: “In this war, the occupiers are trying to squeeze out at least some result.
“But they should have understood long ago that we will defend our land to the last man.”
Mr Zelensky is set to speak by video link on Monday to European Union leaders in Brussels as they seek to break a deadlock on a Russian oil embargo.
Follow the latest updates below.
12:16 AM
Zelensky fires Kharkiv’s security chief
Volodymyr Zelensky has fired Kharkiv’s security chief.
The dismissal came on Sunday after the Ukrainian President’s first trip to the war-torn east since Moscow invaded in February.
After visiting Kharkiv, Mr Zelensky announced that he had fired the northeastern city’s security chief in a rare public rebuke.
Mr Zelensky said the man was dismissed “for not working to defend the city from the first days of the full-scale war, but thinking only of himself”.
While others had toiled “very effectively”, the former chief had not.
Although the President did not name the official, Ukrainian media reports identified him as Roman Dudin, the head of the Kharkiv region’s SBU security service.
11:37 PM
Nato has right to deploy in eastern Europe: deputy chief
Nato is no longer bound by past commitments to hold back from deploying its forces in eastern Europe, the US-led alliance’s deputy secretary general has said.
Moscow itself has “voided of any content” the Nato-Russia Founding Act, by attacking Ukraine and halting dialogue with the alliance, Mircea Geoana told AFP.
Under the 1997 Founding Act, intended to reset the relationship between Russia and the Alliance, both sides agreed to work to “prevent any potentially threatening build-up of conventional forces in agreed regions of Europe, to include Central and Eastern Europe”.
“They took decisions, they made obligations there not to aggress neighbours, which they are doing, and to have regular consultations with Nato, which they don’t,” Mr Geoana said.
“So I think that in fact this founding act is basically not functioning because of Russia.”
He said Russia had effectively moved away from the terms of the 1997 agreement: “Now we have no restrictions to have robust posture in the eastern flank and to ensure that every square inch of Nato’s territory is protected by Article 5 and our allies.”
Nato’s article 5 refers to collective defence – an attack on one member is an attack on all of them.
Mr Geoana did not give details of any such planned deployment, but said he anticipated “a robust, flexible and sustainable presence”.
11:24 PM
‘Very strict’ rules in use of nuclear weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not use nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s ambassador to the UK claims.
Andrei Kelin told the BBC that there were “very strict” rules on their use, with nuclear missiles only allowed to be deployed “when the existence of the state is endangered”.
“It has nothing to do with the current operation,” he said.
11:20 PM
Russian official claims Britain’s encouragement will delay peace
Britain’s encouragement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his troops will only delay a peace deal, the Russian ambassador to the UK has claimed.
On the “stalemate” between Kyiv and Moscow over a ceasefire, Andrei Kelin told the BBC: “And what we have from London, it is not the desire to finalise it or to negotiate it.
“We hear every day new appeals to send more weapons to Ukraine, to fight until the last Ukrainian soldier, to continue the conflict. And no negotiation until Russia will be beaten.”
The diplomat said Russian troops were involved in a “limited operation” and not a war in eastern Ukraine.
11:12 PM
Russia’s ambassador says Truss’s stance ‘no good for Ukraine’
Russia’s ambassador to the UK has accused Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, of being very belligerent and wanting to prolong the conflict in Ukraine.
Andrei Kelin said Ms Truss wanted to “instigate the conflict” by pushing for the West to continue supplying Kyiv, a position he argued would be “no good for Ukraine”.
Kelin said her stance showed that London was not interested in bringing about an end to the conflict.
“She’s very belligerent, your minister of foreign affairs, Liz Truss,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme.
“She’s neither a professional military man or she’s not (been) for a long time at this position.
“But she’s very belligerent. If she would like to continue the war she will prolongate the conflict.
“And it is up to her of course to make this statement or to make these deeds. But it will be no good for Ukraine, it will be no good for European peace and stability, and Europe itself.”
