World

The Ukrainian president’s top aide says he does not believe Moscow will launch a nuclear strike against his country because Russia’s decision-makers know they could end up dying in a global, nuclear war. Andriy Yermak also told Sky News he hoped Ukraine would “soon” defeat Russia’s invading forces and secure victory. Mr Yermak paid tribute

A long-awaited operation to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol is finally under way. Sviatoslav Palamar, the deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, said “a ceasefire has finally happened”. He said he hoped the evacuations from the steelworks continue until everyone in the plant, civilians and soldiers,

The last time Tetiana Popovych spoke to her son was on the first of March. Vlad Popovych, 29, had been sheltering in the basement of a school in his village just outside Kyiv as Russian forces advanced. “He told me, ‘Mum don’t come here. Something awful is starting. This is not like in the movies.

The United Nations is working to broker a civilian evacuation from the last defensive stronghold in the port city of Mariupol, as resistance in a steelworks continues to hold out. Ukrainian forces were fighting village by village to hold back a Russian advance through the country’s east on Saturday. About 100,000 civilians are still in

Russia is attempting to “empty” the Donbas of people and peace talks are in danger of collapsing, Ukraine’s president has claimed. Speaking in his nightly address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of carrying out “constant brutal bombardments” on buildings and residential areas of the eastern region of his country. He compared the barrage of attacks as

Two British aid workers who have reportedly been captured by Russian forces in Ukraine have been named. UK non-profit organisation Presidium Network said Paul Urey and Dylan Healey were captured on Monday. They are understood to have been captured at a checkpoint south of the city of Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine. Mr Urey has been

A British army veteran has been killed and a second British man is missing after they were believed to have travelled to Ukraine to fight against Russia’s forces. Scott Sibley, 36, is the first British national confirmed to have died in the war. A friend described him as the bravest person he knew. Another said

Carmine “Mino” Raiola, the Italian sports agent who represented a number of well-known football stars, has died at the age of 54. He was one of the most powerful agents in the world of football and represented Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland and AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In a statement posted on

The Israeli leader has called on the world to stop comparing the Holocaust to other events in history. Naftali Bennett, the prime minister, ushered in Holocaust memorial day in Jerusalem at Yad Vashem, the official memorial to victims, as his country came to a standstill in an annual ritual commemorating the six million Jews murdered

There’s absolutely nowhere here that’s been spared. Street after street it’s the same – shattered buildings and bomb craters. The frontline Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk is a key target for Russian forces. And it’s been under attack since day one of this invasion. Russia hits ‘hangar full of European/US weapons’ – live updates The people

Vladimir Putin has warned that any threats made by countries interfering in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be met with a “lightning-fast” reaction. In an address to the Council of Legislators in St Petersburg, the Russian leader said “all the objectives will definitely be carried out” in the Ukraine war. He said: “If someone intends

The US has urged its allies to move “heaven and earth” to keep Kyiv stocked with weapons – as Russian forces continue to rain fire on eastern and southern Ukraine. For the second day in a row, explosions also rocked the separatist region of Trans-Dniester in neighbouring Moldova, knocking out two powerful radio antennas close

The head of the United Nations has said his priority is to “minimise human suffering” in Ukraine as he begins talks in Russia today. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire “as soon as possible” ahead of a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with the two men due to hold a news conference

Moscow says it is effectively at war with NATO – and has warned that Western weapons are inflaming the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking on the 61st day of the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said continual deliveries of supplies and weaponry to Ukraine means the NATO alliance has positioned itself as “in essence engaged

The first thing you notice driving into Kharkiv is that what little traffic is here is going the other way. This is a Ukrainian city largely emptied of life: deserted streets, destroyed buildings and the ever-present sounds of war. Two days before the Russians invaded, we walked through Freedom Square in the bustle of a

Emmanuel Macron is set to become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after an official vote projection suggested he has seen off the challenge from Marine Le Pen. The projected result from Ipsos saw Mr Macron get 58.2% of the votes compared with Ms Le Pen’s 41.8%. The pair

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited Kyiv, according to a Ukrainian presidential adviser. He met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and was expected to discuss the country’s request for more weapons to repel the Russian invasion. This is the first visit by a senior US official since Russia invaded Ukraine 60 days ago – and

Five years after its last presidential election, France today opens its polling booths with the same two candidates on the ballot paper.  Emmanuel Macron, the sitting president, is pitched against Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National party. They are candidates who could hardly bring a greater contrast – Mr Macron from the centre

The top investigative body in Russia is looking at whether the SAS is “organising sabotage” in Ukraine. The Investigative Committee – Moscow’s main federal investigating authority – said it would be following up a report from Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency. RIA quoted a Russian security source as saying around 20 members of the SAS

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was just the beginning – and Moscow has ambitions to capture other nations. It comes after Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu declared that the country intends to introduce new methods of warfare, with the conflict now entering its 59th day. The UK’s Ministry of Defence