Russia-Ukraine latest news: ‘Bloody, brutal’ war could go on for months, warns UK armed forces minister

The war in Ukraine could go on for months, the UK’s defence minister has said, as he warns the fighting is “bloody” and “brutal”.

James Heapey, minister for the armed forces, said that there was no reason to think a “happy ending is just around the corner,” as Russian troops moved closer to the centre of Kyiv.

“Nobody should think that this is anywhere near over. What stands in front of Ukraine, its armed forces and very tragically its people, is days, weeks, months more of what we have seen over that last 48 hours,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“President Putin, if you listen to his speeches, look at his press conferences over the last two or three days, there has been a fanaticism in the language that he used, a fervour in the tone of his voice. He has gone all in on this.

“I am afraid that that means that what is in front of Ukraine is bloody, brutal. We will do everything we can to help them resist but people shouldn’t necessarily think that a happy ending is just around the corner.

“This is going to be a long slog. It is going to be brutal. We are going to see some horrendous things on our TV screens.”

Follow the latest updates below.

11:31 AM

Zelensky: Ukraine has derailed Russia’s plan

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s force had halted the Kremlin’s push to capture Kyiv and oust him.

Speaking in a new video address, Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking to overthrow him and establish a puppet state in Ukraine.

“We’ve derailed their plan,” the 44-year-old leader said, stressing that the Ukrainian army was in control of the capital Kyiv and main cities around it.

Zelensky said Russians have deployed “missiles, fighters, drones, artillery, armoured vehicles, saboteurs, and airborne forces” against Ukraine and have hit “residential areas.”

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The western city of Lviv and other cities in western and central Ukraine have been targeted with air strikes, he said.

Zelensky also urged Germany and Hungary to back severing Russia from the Swift banking system to punish Moscow for invading his country.

“There is already almost full support from the EU countries to disconnect Russia from Swift. I hope that Germany and Hungary will have the courage to support this decision,” Zelensky said.

11:14 AM

Russians seek explanation for seized ship

A spokesperson for the Russian embassy in Paris told the TASS news agency the boat’s captain had telephoned the embassy, which then contacted the French authorities to ask for an explanation of the incident.

French naval forces earlier in the day intercepted a cargo vessel loaded with cars heading for the Baltic port city of Saint Petersburg as it was travelling in the Channel.

A French customs patrol vessel backed by a police surveillance ship and a navy patrol boat stopped the Baltic Leader, said Veronique Magnin of the regional prefecture.

The 127-metre (417-foot) vessel is “strongly suspected of being linked to Russian interests targeted by sanctions,” she said, adding that while such a measure was “rare” it is “a sign of “firmness”.

10:53 AM

France joins EU group which support Swift cut-off

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, has said that his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, had supported cutting off Russia from the global Swift payment system in a phone conversation with him.

France was also ready to supply weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

If confirmed by the French, this would mean that two of the EU’s most influential nations will support the move, piling pressure on Germany to back the sanction called for by those such as the UK.

10:48 AM

Russian forces 30km from Kyiv centre

The MoD have said that the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv were now 30 km (19 miles) from the city centre.

“Russia has yet to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine greatly reducing the effectiveness of the Russian Air Force,” the defence ministry said in an intelligence update posted on Twitter.

At 3:30pm yesterday, the MoD said that Russian forces were more than 50km away from the capital’s centre.

10:44 AM

Zelensky asks Russians to stand up to Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Russians to urge them to stop the war against his country, writes Nataliya Vasilyeva, our Moscow correspondent.

“Thousands of victims, hundreds of prisoners of war who can’t understand why they were sent into Ukraine. To die, to kill others,” he said in a video statement in Russian.

“The sooner you tell your government that the war has to stop, the more people will stay alive.”

Mr Zelensky, a former popular comedian who had ties to Russia, said he knew that many people in Russia were shocked by the invasion.

“I”m thankful to you for this reaction,” he said, naming several Russian celebrities and “thousands of Russians whose consciences ring out loudly.” “Stop those who lie to you and the rest of the world. We have to stop this war. We can live in peace.”

10:37 AM

Another EU nation comes out in support of Swift sanction

Cyprus has not opposed proposals to cut Russia off from the Swift global payment system, Cypriot Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said on Saturday.

“In the name of EU unity and solidarity to Ukrainian people Cyprus has NOT objected to ANY EU sanctions including cutting Russia off Swift,” Petrides said in a Twitter post.

He was responding to some speculation that Cyprus, which has extensive business links with both Russia and Ukraine, was among countries with reservations about quickly ejecting Moscow from SWIFT.

“Everything is on the table,” Petrides tweeted.

It comes after President Zelensky said that Mario Draghi, the Italian prime minister, told him that it supports deconnecting Russia from Swift.

This has now been confirmed by the the leader of a main coalition party.

“Mario Draghi confirmed Italy will support banning Russia from Swift,” Enrico Letta, leader of the PD, wrote on Twitter.

10:36 AM

‘Padlock the embassies’

Russia doesn’t really need diplomatic ties with the West after it imposed sanctions on Moscow, former president and top security official Dmitry Medvedev has said.

Medvedev, writing on social media, said it was time to “padlock the embassies.”

He said Moscow would continue its operation in Ukraine until it achieved goals defined by President Vladimir Putin.

Medvedev made the comments on his verified page on Russian social network VK.

10:25 AM

France intecept Russian cargo in the Channel in sanctions crackdown

French naval forces have intercepted in the Channel a cargo vessel loaded with cars heading for Russia’s Baltic port city of Saint Petersburg after sanctions agreed by the EU against Russia, officials have said.

The Russian-flagged Baltic Leader, which had set sail from the French city of Rouen, was escorted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer by French forces, the maritime prefecture told AFP.

It is suspected of belonging to a company targeted by EU sanctions against Moscow, it added.

10:08 AM

Poland says thousands of refugees have entered their country in three days

Around 100,000 people have crossed into Poland from Ukraine since Russia launched an invasion on Thursday, including 9,000 who have entered since 7 a.m. on Saturday, Poland’s Deputy Interior Minister Pawel Szefernaker told a news conference.

“Since 7 a.m. the Ukrainian side has closed part of the lanes for cars and allowed pedestrian traffic,” Szefernaker told reporters. “The queue on the Ukrainian side should decrease.”

European Union member Poland, which has the region’s largest Ukrainian community of about 1 million people, has seen a throng of refugees at its borders since the Russian invasion began.

10:03 AM

Italy backs Swift sanction

President Zelensky has tweeted that Mario Draghi, the Italian prime minister, has told him that it supports deconnecting Russia from Swift.

It comes after Lithuania indicated that the previous EU opposition to the move was gone.

10:00 AM

Defence Secretary responds to allies supplying aid

Ben Wallace said: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and are pursuing every option to support them in their defence against President Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

“I’m so pleased that so many nations are coming forward with humanitarian and military aid.”

09:52 AM

Six civilians injured by rocket attack

A rescue worker says at least six civilians were injured by a rocket that hit a high-rise apartment building on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital.

Petro Prokopov, a firefighter who was taking part in rescue efforts, said the building on the southwestern edge of Kyiv near Zhuliany airport was hit between 16 and 21 floors on Saturday.

He said at least six people were injured and apartments on two floors were gutted by fire. Emergency responders have evacuated 80 people.

Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted an image showing a gaping hole on one side of the apartment building.

09:49 AM

‘No strong opposition left to Swift ban,’ says Lithuania

Western partners are moving closer to halting Russia’s access to the Swift global interbank payments system, Ingrida Simonyte, the Lithuanian prime minister has said.

“Our goal is that the decision is taken as early as possible. I cannot give a particular date. From what I’m hearing it seems that there is no strong opposition left,” Simonyte told a news conference in Vilnius.

09:45 AM

Russia withdraws from European space project

Russia’s space agency Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with Europe on space launches from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana in response to Western sanctions over Ukraine, Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin said on Saturday.

“In response to EU sanctions against our companies, Roskosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners on space launches from Kourou, and is withdrawing its technical staff… from French Guiana,” Mr Rogozin said in a post on his Telegram channel.

09:39 AM

Russia set to respond to US, UK and EU sanctions with retaliations

Russia will respond to the seizure of money of Russian citizens and companies abroad by seizing funds of foreigners and foreign companies in Russia, RIA news agency quoted Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the security council, as saying on Saturday.

Moscow does not rule out nationalising the assets of companies registered in the United States, European Union and other “unfriendly jurisdictions”, Medvedev was quoted as saying.

09:35 AM

Allies send weapons to Ukraine

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “Yesterday I urged NATO and Nordic partners to do all they can to support Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“I am pleased even more allies have come forward with defensive and humanitarian aid. We must stand with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and democracies everywhere.”

It comes as both the Netherlands and the Czech Republic sent weapons to Ukraine.

The Dutch said they will provide 200 Stinger air defence rockets, while Czech government approved sending $8.5 million of weapons including machine guns, assault rifles and other light weapons.

09:25 AM

Over 100,000 refugees have fled Ukraine

The UN refugee agency says that over 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have left the country since Russia began its attack on its neighboring country this week.

Speaking as Russian troops were engaging in battle with Ukrainian forces in the capital Kyiv on Saturday, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly Clements, said in an interview on CNN the situation was expected to get worse.

“We now see over 120,000 people that have gone to all of the neighboring countries,” she said.

“The reception that they are receiving from local communities, from local authorities, is tremendous. But it’s a dynamic situation. We are really quite devastated, obviously, with what’s to come.” Most are heading to Poland and Moldova, but also to Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.

08:50 AM

Almost 200 thought to be killed by Russian invasion

At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the head of the Ukrainian Health Ministry was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying today.

He said 1,115 people were wounded, including 33 children.

08:39 AM

Ukraine war will hurt Europe’s farmers, says Macron

The war in Ukraine, and heavy sanctions Western powers have taken against Russia, will have long-lasting and serious consequences for the French farming sector, the European Union’s biggest, Emmanuel Macron has said.

“If you ask me to share one conviction with you this morning, it is that this crisis is here to stay, this war is here to stay,” Mr Macron told the Paris farm show today.

Trade restrictions resulting from EU sanctions on Russia will weigh on French exports such as wine and grains, Macron said, while a further rise in energy prices will hit livestock farming.

“We are building a resilience plan,” Macron said, adding measures would be taken to protect farmers from cost pressures and compensate lost revenues.

08:21 AM

Ukraine calls on countries to expel Russian ambassadors

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister has called for a full isolation of Russia, including an embargo on the purchases of Russian crude.

“I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

European Union ministers agreed yesterday not to expel Russian ambassadors.

08:11 AM

Russian foreign adviser claims he was ‘shocked’ and ‘devestated’ at invasion

Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council and an adviser to the Russian Foreign ministry claims he had not advised the Russian Foreign Ministry to carry out the invasion.

“I would say that many of us in the Foreign Office were surprised and I would say shocked and I would even say devastated to see what is happening,” he told the BBC’s Today Programme.

Asked about whether he still supported Putin, he said: “Some of his actions I was critical of. But the Russian government, I have many issues of which I cannot align myself with what is being done right now in Russia.

“But definitely this is an important red line that was crossed by the Russian leadership and the repercussions are likely to be very significant.”

08:01 AM

Russia claims to have destroyed over 100 pieces of military equipment

Russia’s military has reported destroying key pieces of Ukraine’s infrastructure while keeping silent on potential Russian casualties, writes Nataliya Vasilyeva, our Moscow correspondent.

07:51 AM

Injuries in Kyiv overnight

The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, has said that 35 people, including two children have been injuried in night fighting in Kyiv as of 6am.

07:47 AM

Ukraine discusses membership with the EU

The Ukrainian president has said that it is “a crucial moment” to decide on Ukraine’s membership of the European Union, as Russia continued to invade its neighbour.

Zelensky said in a tweet he had discussed with European Council President Charles Michel “further effective assistance and the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future.”

07:42 AM

Baby born in Kyiv metro while Putin bombards the city

A young mother has given birth to her daughter in an underground metro station in Kyiv last night.

Hannah Hopko, a Ukrainian politician, shared a picture of baby Mia online, saying: “”Mia was born this night in stressful environment- bombing of Kyiv.

“Her mom is happy after this challenging birth giving and immediately departing to shelter.

“When Putin kills Ukrainians we appeal to mothers in Russia and Belarus to protest against Russia war in Ukraine. We defend lives and humanity!”

07:35 AM

Poland, Lithuania, and Germany to discuss further sanctions

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister and Gitanas Nauseda, the Lithuanian president will meet German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin today to discuss sanctions on Russia, Polish government spokesperson Piotr Muller said on Twitter.

“At the initiative of Prime Minister Morawiecki a meeting will be held in Berlin today. Prime Minister Morawiecki together with the President of Lithuania will hold talks with the German Chancellor,” Muller said in a tweet early on Saturday.

“The European Union must immediately adopt a package of ruthlessly harsh sanctions against Russia.”

07:18 AM

Latvia sings

Latvian crowds have been seen singing the Ukrainian national anthem in front of the Russian embassy in its capital Riga.

US and other Nato troops are currently stationed in the country

“We are a small country. We are ready to do whatever is needed to defend ourselves. We are not afraid to die for that,” Latvian Defence Minister Artis Pabriks said yesterday.

06:58 AM

‘Glory to Ukraine,’ announces defiant president

Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken to his people from the streets of Kyiv.

“A lot of fake information has appeared on the internet saying that I allegedly called on our army to lay down its arms and that evacuation is underway,” he said outside his office.

Wearing olive green military-style clothing and looking tired but determined, he declared: “Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this.

“This is what I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine!”

As the video hit social media platforms, the sounds of explosions and air raid sirens could still be heard around the capital, as the Russian military declared it had fired air- and sea-based cruise missiles at Ukrainian military targets.

06:50 AM

Reports of airport strike

There are reports that an area near Kyiv’s Zhulyany airport has been struck by a missile.

06:44 AM

Defiant Zelensky vows ‘I’m still here’

After Ukrainian forces said they had repulsed a Russian attack on their capital on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky shot a selfie video (below) to vow to stay and fight on.

“I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth,” he declared, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.

06:38 AM

Power plant controlled by Ukrainian troops

Ukrainian troops are in control of the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant to the north of the Ukrainian capital, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing Ukraine’s energy ministry.

06:23 AM

Second Russian military transport plane shot down

A second Russian Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane was shot down near Bila Tserkva, 50 miles south of Kyiv, the Associated Press reports.

On Friday, Ukraine’s military said it had shot down a Russian military transport plane with paratroopers on board near Vasylkiv, a city 25 miles south of Kyiv.

05:55 AM

Be careful when talking on WhatsApp, says Ukraine’s communications agency

Residents must be careful about what they say to each other over the WhatsApp messaging service as Russian forces could be listening, said Ukraine’s communications monitoring agency.

05:36 AM

Street fighting in Kyiv

Street fighting has broke out as Russian troops stormed towards Ukraine’s capital early on Saturday.

Police told residents to remain hiding if there were doing so already and to avoid going to their windows and balconies if they were at home, according to a journalist at Politico.

“Active fighting is taking place on the streets of our city. Please stay calm and be as careful as possible! If you are in hiding – do not leave it now. If you are at home – do not go to the windows, do not go to the balconies. Hide indoors, for example in the bathroom, and cover yourself with something that will prevent injury from bullet fragments. If you hear sirens (“Air Alarm” signal) – go to the nearest shelter immediately.”

05:06 AM

Biden to provide $600m in military aid to Ukraine

President Joe Biden has signed an order to provide up to $600 million in “immediate military assistance” to Ukraine.

He will pledge $250 million for overall assistance and $350 million for ‘defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training’.

04:52 AM

Tens of thousands of people throng Georgian capital to protest invasion

Incredible scenes from the Georgian capital Tbilisi as people gather to protest against Russia’s military operation in Ukraine

04:27 AM

‘Backbone’ internet provider suffering disruptions

Ukraine’s internet is experiencing major disruptions, according to a service provider, yet users in the country appear to still be able to access the internet.

NetBlocks, which tracks network disruptions and shutdowns, said Ukraine’s main internet provider Real-time data showed “a major disruption” to the Ukraine’s main provider GigaTrans, with intermittent connectivity.

04:05 AM

Boris Johnson’s message to Ukraine

03:47 AM

‘Ukraine’s women will join its men to defend the country’

Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, says Ukraine’s women will protect the country in the same way as the men.

Ms Rudik posted a photo of herself holding a gun on Twitter late Friday, with the caption: “Our women will protect our soil the same way as our men. “

Speaking to CNN, she said it was surreal to find herself herself holding a gun, but had little choice in the face of Russia’s advances.

“It was super unusual and super crazy for myself to understand and realize that I’m holding a gun and I’m ready to bear arms, and I’m ready to go and shoot other human beings,” Ms Rudik CNN early Saturday.

“And the reason for that change was because Russian soldiers are coming to Kyiv and Russian soldiers are trying to take what is actually not theirs.”

03:12 AM

Budapest offered as a safe venue for negotiation

Hungary’s foreign minister has offered Budapest as a possible location for negotiations between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine as Russia’s invasion intensifies.

“Budapest can serve as a safe venue for both the Russian and Ukrainian negotiation delegations,” Peter Szijjarto said in a video on Facebook late on Friday, adding that he had made the proposal to both Russia’s and Ukraine’s governments, neither of which dismissed it.

“I sincerely hope that an agreement can be reached within a few hours or days to start discussions; the sooner the talks begin, the sooner there will be peace and the fewer people will have to die in the war,” Szijjarto said.

03:05 AM

Russia vetoes resolution

Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding that Moscow stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.

Friday’s vote was 11-1, with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining. It showed significant but not total opposition to Russia’s invasion of its smaller, militarily weaker neighbour.

The US and other supporters knew the resolution wouldn’t pass but argued it would highlight Russia’s international isolation.

03:03 AM

Ukraine ‘repulsed’ Russian attack on main Kyiv avenue

Ukraine’s army said on Saturday that it had repelled a Russian attack on one of the capital’s main avenues.

“[Russi] attacked one of the military units on Victory Avenue in Kyiv. The attack was repulsed,” Ukraine’s army said on its verified Facebook page, without specifying where exactly the incident took place.

An AFP journalist said there were loud explosions heard in central Kyiv early on Saturday.

In a separate post, the army said “heavy fighting” was underway in the town of Vasylkiv south of Kyiv, adding that Russia was “trying to land paratroopers”.

The military also said it had shot down a Russian helicopter and SU-25 aircraft at around midnight on Saturday, and posted that an IL-76 military transport plane had been destroyed.

The statement did not say how many people were onboard.

02:54 AM

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