Russia’s defence ministry has vowed it will conduct further missile strikes against Kyiv after Ukraine claimed responsibility for the sinking of the Russian navy’s Black Sea flagship.
Powerful explosions were heard in the capital city this this morning , appeared to be among the most significant in Ukraine’s capital region since Russian troops withdrew from the area earlier this month.
Explosions were also recorded in the southern city of Kherson, the eastern city of Kharkiv and the town of Ivano-Frankivsk in the west.
It comes a day after Ukraine said it had hit the Moskva missile cruiser with a Neptune anti-ship missile. Over 500 crew were evacuated, the Russian ministry said, without acknowledging an attack.
The ship’s loss comes as Russia’s navy continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities on the Black Sea coast nearly 50 days after it launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Follow the latest updates below.
08:29 AM
The latest pictures from Ukraine
08:17 AM
China must ‘pay price’ for Russia backing, says US senator in Taiwan
China must pay a greater price for backing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a senior United States senator said Friday, during a trip to Taiwan in which American lawmakers vowed that Washington would not abandon the island.
Beijing threatened “strong measures” in response to the delegation led by Lindsey Graham, a vocal China hawk, which arrived in Taipei late Thursday for a two-day visit.
Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine – which Beijing has refused to condemn – has heightened fears that China might one day follow through on threats to annex its smaller neighbour.
During a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Mr Graham said the United States would “stand for what we love, we would stand with you”.
“To abandon Taiwan would be to abandon democracy and freedom… it would reward the worst in humanity.”
“We are going to start making China pay a greater price for what they are doing all over the world. The support for Putin must come with a price,” he added.
08:09 AM
Moody’s says Russia may be in default on dollar bonds
Moody’s Investors Service has said that Russia may be in default after it made payments on dollar bonds with roubles.
“Russia reportedly made payments on two bonds maturing in 2022 and 2042 in rubles rather than US dollars which represents a change in payment terms relative to the original bond contracts and therefore may be considered a default under Moody’s definition if not cured by 4 May, which is the end of the grace period,” Moody’s said in a statement on Thursday.
If Russia is considered in default it would be its first major default on foreign bonds since the years following the 1917 Bolshevik revolution.
Russia says it wants to service its debt but the West has prevented it from paying by imposing crippling sanctions after President Vladimir Putin on February 24 ordered a special military operation in Ukraine.
07:47 AM
Moscow warns it will intensify attacks on Kyiv
Russia’s defence ministry warned Friday it will intensify attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in response to strikes on Russian soil, after accusing Ukraine of targeting Russian border towns.
“The number and scale of missile strikes against targets in Kyiv will increase in response to any terrorist attacks or sabotage committed by the Kyiv nationalist regime on Russian territory,” the ministry said in a statement. Russia hit a “military” factory outside Kyiv late Thursday using Kalibr sea-based long-range missiles, it added.
07:22 AM
Ukraine’s Luhansk governor urges residents of six towns to evacuate
The governor of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, Serhiy Gaidai, on Friday urged residents of six towns to evacuate, adding that one person had been killed and five wounded in Russian shelling of the town of Kreminna.
Mr Gaidai wrote on the Telegram messaging app: “Don’t hesitate and leave while that possibility remains. … Choose life, buses are waiting for you at the pickup points. As are trains, of which there are enough.”
Reuters could not immediately verify Mr Gaidai’s statements.
07:21 AM
Nine humanitarian corridors agreed for Friday
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said nine humanitarian corridors had been agreed for Friday to evacuate civilians, including by private car from the besieged city of Mariupol.
Other evacuation routes include ones from Berdiansk, Tokmak, Enerhodar and Sievierodonetsk.
