Military experts have warned that Russia is planning a lightning advance upwards from southern Ukraine to link with other battalions to encircle Volodymyr Zelensky’s army and claim it has won the war.
While Russia had initially planned a swift invasion to seize Kyiv last month, their sluggish advance thwarted by the spirited Ukrainian defence forces may mean generals have switched objectives and targets.
Bloody new attacks on civilians fuelled accusations on Thursday that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, as the US warned it will make China pay for any support given to Moscow’s assault.
Despite mounting carnage, punishing international sanctions and strong resistance from Ukrainians, top US diplomat Antony Blinken said he saw no sign that Russian leader Vladimir Putin “is prepared to stop”.
“Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime. After all the destruction of the past few weeks, I find it difficult to conclude that the Russians are doing otherwise,” he said, following warnings from the G7 that those behind such crimes “will be held responsible”.
Mr Blinken was doubling down on the tough language used by President Joe Biden – who branded Putin a war criminal, thug and murderous dictator.
Follow the latest updates below.
01:39 AM
Russia planning lightning advance to encircle Ukrainian army
Russia is planning a lightning advance upwards from southern Ukraine to link with other battalions to encircle Volodymyr Zelensky’s army and claim it has won the war, military experts have warned.
The potentially “critical” strategy envisages the recent massive build-up of Russian navy forces in the Black Sea which appear ready to launch an amphibious assault on the coastal city of Odesa as a feint – a bogus attack preparation designed to distract Ukrainian generals from a secret new tactic.
Instead of attacking Odesa, the strategists believe the Russian military machine will continue to “bypass” nearby Mykolaiv by thrusting northwards before heading east to target the Ukrainian army, most of which remains pinned down near Donetsk and Luhansk closer to the Russian border.
READ MORE: Russia planning lightning advance to encircle Ukrainian army and claim victory
01:10 AM
Patel confirms green light for Ukraine’s orphans to travel to UK
A group of Ukrainian orphans evacuated from their war-torn country by a Scottish charity can travel to the UK, the Home Secretary has confirmed.
Priti Patel said the 48 youngsters, who were taken out of Ukraine and into Poland by the Dnipro Kids organisation, had been given the green light to travel to Britain.
It comes after SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford raised their plight in the House of Commons on Wednesday, saying then that the Home office was the “only obstacle” to bringing them to the safety of the UK.
On Thursday, Ms Patel said: “It is deeply troubling that children from the charity Dnipro Kids have been caught up in Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.
“I have been working directly with the Ukrainian Government and asked for their permission to bring these children to the UK.
“I am extremely grateful to the authorities in Ukraine, who have now confirmed to me that the children can come here.”
I’ve been working with the Ukrainian government to help the children from the Dnipro Kids charity and am extremely grateful that we will now be able to bring them to safety in the UK.
No child should be dragged into Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.#StandwithUkraine
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— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) March 17, 2022
She added: “We are working urgently with Poland to ensure the children’s swift arrival to the UK.”
01:02 AM
American soldiers alive, despite Russian ‘fake news’: US military
Three current and former members of the Tennessee National Guard falsely identified in a Russian media report as mercenaries who were killed in Ukraine are in fact alive and well, the Tennessee National Guard said.
A report published in Russia’s Pravda newspaper identified the Americans by name and gave military ranks for each of them, citing information from pro-Russian militia in Ukraine’s Donetsk.
The report offered an intricate explanation for how the three were identified – using items from a backpack “near the remains of one of the militants”, including a Tennessee state flag.
“The Tennessee Guard is aware of the fake news coming out of Russia,” said Tracy O’Grady, a spokesperson for the US National Guard.
The Tennessee Guard said: “They are accounted for, safe, and not, as the article headline erroneously states, US mercenaries killed in Donetsk People’s Republic.”
The National Guard speculated the militia picked the three men while reviewing official imagery associated with a 2018 deployment by Tennessee’s 278th Armoured Cavalry Regiment to Ukraine, suggesting all three had been in Ukraine.
12:21 AM
Adults hosting families with children must undergo ‘enhanced’ checks
All British adults who host Ukrainian refugee families with children will have to undergo “enhanced” security checks, the Government will announce on Friday.
The move follows warnings from charities that “light touch” checks on host families would not be sufficient to protect refugee children living for at least six months in the same house as sponsoring UK adults.
The “enhanced” Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are generally restricted to workers in jobs such as teaching and social services dealing with children and vulnerable adults.
They require the full details of a person’s criminal record.
Ministers say the checks will not delay refugee families coming to the UK because they will not have to be completed until after they arrive.
Read the full story from The Telegraph’s Home Affairs Editor Charles Hymas here.
12:16 AM
150,000 register for UK’s Homes for Ukraine
More than 150,000 people registered their interest in the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme ahead of its launch on Friday, but concerns have been raised about how it will work in practice.
The programme aims to match refugees with individuals, charities and other organisations who can provide accommodation for at least six months, enabling Ukrainians without family ties in Britain to enter the country.
Amid concerns about red tape, safeguarding and resourcing, one major charity warned that the Government was “unleashing chaos” with the scheme and refugees could die before being matched with a sponsor and could safely reach the UK.
