Moscow blames Kyiv drone attack for major Crimea oil depot fire

Russia has said a Ukrainian drone strike was behind a major fire at an oil storage facility in Crimea today, which sent a vast column of black smoke into the sky before it was extinguished.

Experts examined the site in the port of Sevastopol and “it became clear that only one drone was able to reach the oil reservoir”, the city’s Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said, adding that no one had been injured in the fire.

A Ukrainian military intelligence official said more than 10 tanks of oil products with a capacity of about 40,000 tonnes intended for use by Russia‘s Black Sea Fleet were destroyed, RBC Ukraine reported.

The official, Andriy Yusov, did not claim that Ukraine was responsible for the explosion in comments reported by RBC, instead describing the blast as “God’s punishment” for a Russian strike on a Ukrainian city on Friday.

Key points

• Drone causes fire at Crimea oil reservoir

• Ukraine says more than 10 oil tanks destroyed by Crimea blast

• At least 25 killed including 4 children in Russian missile attack

• Ukraine vows ‘iron fist’ counterattack after Moscow’s deadly strikes

• Putin signs decree introducing life sentences for treason

Picture recap: April 29 in Ukraine

22:00 , William Mata

ICYMI: Aerials of building hit by Russian missiles

21:30 , William Mata

Dramatic aerial footage shows the aftermath of a Russian strike that hit an apartment building in Ukraine.

Footage from Friday shows parts of the residential block in Uman reduced to rubble.

At least 23 people, including four children, were killed in the attack.

Read the full story here.

Pope met with people ‘on both sides of war’

21:00 , William Mata

Pope Francis has met people from both sides of Russia’s war with Ukraine – greeting some of the 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled across the border to Hungary during a public prayer service, before a private meeting with an envoy of the pro-Kremlin Russian Orthodox Church.

Francis maintained the Vatican’s tradition of diplomatic neutrality during his second day in Budapest, where he is on a weekend visit to minister to Hungary’s Catholic faithful.

Starting the day, he thanked Hungarians for welcoming Ukrainian refugees and urged them to help anyone in need. He called for a culture of charity in a country where Prime Minister Viktor Orban justified firm anti-immigration policies with fears that migration threatens Europe’s Christian culture.

Speaking in the white-brick St Elizabeth’s church, named after a princess who renounced her wealth to care for the poor, Francis recalled that the Gospel instructs Christians to show love and compassion to all, especially those experiencing poverty and “even those who are not believers”.

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

20:30 , Emily Atkinson

Ireland’s Russian embassy has warned of possible “ensuing consequences” in response to tributes paid to an Irishman killed while fighting in Ukraine.

The comments have been criticised by a former minister for justice as “threatening” and “chilling”.

Finbar Cafferkey, from Achill Island in Co Mayo, is reported to have been killed while serving as a military volunteer in the eastern part of Ukraine.

Read more here:

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

Watch: Fire rages after suspected drone attack on an oil depot in Crimea

19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Crimea fuel storage facility fire extinguished

18:45 , Emily Atkinson

A fire at a fuel storage facility in the Crimean port of Sevastopol caused by a drone strike has been extinguished, the city’s Moscow-installed governor said on Saturday.

Experts examined the site and “it became clear that only one drone was able to reach the oil reservoir”, Mikhail Razvozhaev said on the Telegram messaging app, adding that no one had been injured in the fire.

Another drone was downed, its wreckage found on the shore near the terminal, Razvozhaev added.

Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of Crimea, said on Telegram that air defence and electronic warfare forces on Saturday shot down two drones over the region.

“There are no casualties or destruction,” he said.

Ukraine welcomes EU deal on continued farm exports

18:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine on Saturday welcomed the European Union’s hard-fought deal to keep farm exports flowing into and through the bloc to world markets, saying that the Middle East and Africa would specifically stand to benefit from it.

Late Friday, the 27-nation EU ended a damaging internal standoff over a destabilizing glut of Ukraine farm imports by granting five eastern member countries the right to temporarily ban the most problematic produce while allowing all farm products to transit onward.

More on this story here:

Ukraine welcomes EU deal on continued farm exports

Russian court fines war critic who asked for prison instead

17:15 , Emily Atkinson

A court in Russia has convicted a woman from a Siberian city over social media posts condemning the war in Ukraine and punished her with a steep fine – even though both she and the prosecution asked for a prison sentence.

Marina Novikova, a 65-year-old lawyer, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian army, which was made a criminal offence after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 14 months ago.

Novikova’s posts on the messaging app Telegram decried the invasion and criticised the Russian government.

The court in Seversk, Novikova’s hometown, imposed a fine of one million roubles (nearly £10,000), the Russian human rights and legal aid group OVD-Info quoted her husband, Alexandr Gavrik, as saying.

Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison sentence. Novikova herself pleaded with the court to send her to prison rather than the alternative: a fine of at least 700,000 roubles (£6,900) that the law allows. She said she does not have the money to pay such a fine.

“I am prepared to pay the price for the right to remain a human … because I understand that there will be no acquittal,” Novikova was quoted by Russian media as saying in court.

Pelosi says Ukraine and democracy ‘must win’

16:30 , Emily Atkinson

“We thought we could die.”

The Russian invasion had just begun when Nancy Pelosi made a surprise visit to Ukraine, the House speaker then the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to lead a congressional delegation to Kyiv.

Pelosi and the lawmakers were ushered under the cloak of secrecy into the capital city, an undisclosed passage that even to this day she will not divulge.

Read the AP’s interview with Nany Pelosi here:

AP Interview: Pelosi says Ukraine, democracy ‘must win’

Russian court fines war critic who asked for prison instead

15:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A court in Russia has convicted a woman from a Siberian city over social media posts condemning the war in Ukraine and punished her with a steep fine – even though both she and the prosecution asked for a prison sentence.

Marina Novikova, a 65-year-old lawyer, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian army, which was made a criminal offence after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 14 months ago.

Novikova’s posts on the messaging app Telegram decried the invasion and criticised the Russian government.

The court in Seversk, Novikova’s hometown, imposed a fine of one million roubles (nearly £10,000), the Russian human rights and legal aid group OVD-Info quoted her husband, Alexandr Gavrik, as saying.

Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison sentence. Novikova herself pleaded with the court to send her to prison rather than the alternative: a fine of at least 700,000 roubles (£6,900) that the law allows. She said she does not have the money to pay such a fine.

“I am prepared to pay the price for the right to remain a human … because I understand that there will be no acquittal,” Novikova was quoted by Russian media as saying in court.

An average salary in Siberia’s Tomsk province, where Seversk is located, is 56,000 roubles (£554), according to official government statistics.

OVD-Info, which monitors protests and tracks arrests, said the case against Novikova was among the first ones launched under the new law that prohibited spreading false information about the Russian military.

The number of such prosecutions has mushroomed as part of the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent since the start of invasion of Ukraine.

The campaign of repression has been unparalleled since the Soviet era. It has effectively criminalised independent reporting on the conflict and any criticism of the war, with the authorities targeting not only prominent opposition figures who eventually received draconian prison terms, but also people not known for anti-government activity.

A court in Moscow convicted a former police officer on Monday of publicly spreading false information about the country’s military for criticising the war in Ukraine to his friends over the phone. Semiel Vedel was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Authorities argued his phone conversations qualified as “public” because his phone was wiretapped in connection to another criminal case, and that there was a third person listening in.

Last month, a Russian court convicted a single father over social media posts critical of the war and sentenced him to two years in prison.

His 13-year-old daughter, who drew an anti-war sketch at school, was sent to an orphanage.

A recent report by the Russian supreme court said that in 2022, courts ordered citizens to pay fines for discrediting the military 4,439 times, the equivalent of about £1.4 million, according to independent Russian news site Mediazona.

Ukraine says more than 10 oil tanks destroyed by Crimea blast

15:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Ukrainian military intelligence official said on Saturday more than 10 tanks of oil products with capacity of around 40,000 tonnes were destroyed in an explosion on the Russian-occupied port of Sevastopol on April 29, RBC Ukraine reported.

The official, Andriy Yusov, did not claim Ukraine was responsible for the explosion in comments reported by RBC, instead describing the blast as “God’s punishment” for a Russian strike on a Ukrainian city on Friday.

Harrowing Google Earth update reveals Ukraine before and after Russia’s attack

14:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Google has updated it’s aerial maps of Ukraine for the first time since the start of Russia’s attack – with images now revealing the full scale of devastation.

The contrast is stark in Mariupol. The city of was a centre of industry, producing steel and other metals but since the February 2022 invasion has come under siege from Russian troops and is now occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Old Maruipol was disembowelled by its occupiers, with the UN estimating that 90 per cent of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed in the bombardment.

Here, The Independent looks at some of the most striking examples from Google Earth.

Harrowing Google Earth update reveals Ukraine before and after Russia’s attack

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ireland’s Russian embassy has warned of possible “ensuing consequences” in response to tributes paid to an Irishman killed while fighting in Ukraine.

The comments have been criticised by a former minister for justice as “threatening” and “chilling”.

Finbar Cafferkey, from Achill Island in Co Mayo, is reported to have been killed while serving as a military volunteer in the eastern part of Ukraine.

Mr Cafferkey had previous combat experience in the Syrian conflict, and those paying tribute to him have described him as an activist on issues such as environmentalism and migration.

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

Pope, meeting Ukrainian refugees, says better future possible

13:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pope Francis on Saturday met Ukrainians who fled the war on Hungary’s eastern border, telling the refugees that a different future is possible.

Francis met with about 600 refugees, poor and homeless people in a visit to St. Elizabeth’s church in Budapest on the second day of his visit, which began on Friday when he pointedly warned of the dangers of rising nationalism in Europe.

Francis was serenaded by a singing band of Hungarian Roma wearing flower-patterned clothing and seemed to enjoy the music as they hovered around him as he sat in his wheelchair.

But what Francis heard earlier was much more sober.

Oleg Yakovlev told of he and his wife Lyudmila and their five children had to leave Dnipro a year ago after Russian bombings.

“We were welcomed here and we have found a new home (but) many have suffered and suffer still because of the war,” Yakovlev told the pope.

Sitting in the first row of the church with his family, the youngest of Yakovlev children, a boy of about four, was amused by the attention he was getting, making faces at reporters as his father spoke of missiles, crumbled buildings and a 1,500 km trip to safety.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, millions of refugees have fled through Central Europe, including Hungary, and moved to other countries. About 35,000 have applied for temporary protection status in Hungary.

Francis said expressing compassion for those suffering from poverty and tragedy is an integral part of being a Christian, even if those in need are non-believers.

“Even amid pain and suffering, once we have received the balm of love, we find the courage needed to keep moving forward: we find the strength to believe that all is not lost, and that a different future is possible,” he said.

The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary

12:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

It was a month into Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces had withdrawn from around Kyiv and in their wake Bel Trew and her team stumbled on a body by an abandoned Russian camp.

His hands were tied. He had been burned and shot in the back. Soldiers said he was a teenager.

As Bel tried to find out who he was and what had happened, she uncovered a nightmare world: a nation struggling to find thousands of its missing and to identify its dead.

The Body in the Woods by Bel Trew is streaming now on Independent TV and on your smart TV.

The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary

Russia to lodge official protest over ‘seizure’ of embassy school in Warsaw

12:09 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia will lodge an official diplomatic protest over what it says is the illegal seizure by the Polish authorities of its embassy school in Warsaw, Moscow’s ambassador to Poland told Russian state news agencies on Saturday.

Sergei Andreyev, the ambassador, said the move was a violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, but Poland said it was within its rights to take back the building.

“Today the Polish authorities decided to take forceful action, despite the fact that this is a diplomatic building, a school building,” Andreyev told the TASS news agency.

“This is an illegal action and a violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. We of course will lodge a protest,” the RIA news agency cited him as saying, adding that he expected Moscow to weigh potential retaliation.

Polish state-run news channel TVP Info reported that police were present outside the school on Kieleckiej street in Warsaw on Saturday morning.

“It’s the right of the ambassador to make this protest. So far, we don’t know if he has made it or not, we are waiting for this,” Lukasz Jasina, a Polish foreign ministry spokesman, told Reuters.

“Our opinion, which has been confirmed by the courts, is that this property belongs to the Polish state and was taken by Russia illegally.”

The two countries’ already fraught relations have soured further over the war in Ukraine with Warsaw helping arm Kyiv.

Andreyev said earlier this week that Polish prosecutors had seized significant amounts of money from the frozen bank accounts of the Russian embassy and trade mission.

Fire at Crimea fuel depot extinguished after apparent drone attack

11:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A fire at a fuel storage facility in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, caused by an apparent drone strike, has been extinguished, the Moscow-installed governor there said on Saturday.

“Open fire was extinguished in an area of 1,000 square meters,” Mikhail Razvozhaev said on the Telegram messaging app.

Earlier he said no one was injured and according to preliminary information the depot was hit by two drones.

Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of Crimea, said on Telegram that air defence and electronic warfare forces on Saturday shot down two drones over the Crimean Peninsula.

“There are no casualties or destruction,” he said.

Sevastopol, on the Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has come under repeated air attacks since Russia invaded the country as a whole in February 2022.

Russian officials have blamed the attacks on Ukraine.

A spokesperson for Ukraine‘s armed forces said he did not have any information to suggest Ukraine was responsible for Saturday’s fire.

Watch: Pope Francis meets refugees who fled Ukraine on Hungary visit

11:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pope Francis has met with refugees who fled from Ukraine during the invasion as part of his three-day trip to Hungary.

This morning (29 April), the religious leader attended both the Elizabeth of Hungary Church to meet with less-fortunate people, before heading over to the ‘Protection of the Mother of God’ church, to meet the Greek Catholic community.

Yesterday, Pope Francis met nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, encouraging him to keep an open-mind when it comes to refugees, particularly because of the country’s close borders with Ukraine.

Watch: Pope Francis meets refugees who fled Ukraine on Hungary visit

Ukraine welcomes EU deal on continued farm exports

10:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine has welcomed the European Union’s hard-fought deal to keep farm exports flowing into and through the bloc to world markets, saying that the Middle East and Africa would specifically stand to benefit from it.

On Friday, the 27-nation EU ended a damaging internal stand-off over a destabilising glut of Ukraine farm imports by granting five eastern member countries the right to temporarily ban the most problematic produce while allowing all farm products to transit onwards.

Resolving the issue allows the EU to maintain a unified stance in the face of Russia‘s invasion of its neighbour.

“We welcome that we resolved this issue,” Ukrainian finance minister Sergii Marchenko said at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Stockholm.

Under the deal, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania can keep four farm products that make up the overwhelming mass of exports from Ukraine out of their local markets but must guarantee unfettered access to the rest of the bloc.

Since Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine hampered Black Sea shipments of Ukrainian agricultural products, using the 27-nation bloc as a transportation route has been essential to getting the nation’s prized cereal production on to the world.

“We found a wise decision that would help Ukraine to export necessary commodities, food commodities towards African countries, which is so necessary for them,” Mr Marchenko said, adding Middle East nations would equally profit.

Under the deal, the bloc would basically accept the national bans on four of the five main products – wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds – that account for most imports. The EU would also assess whether other products, including sunflower oil, should also be included.

As an added sweetener, the EU provided 100 million euros more in special aid on top of on an initial support package of 56.3 million euros to help farmers in the affected countries.

On Friday, EU nations also tentatively agreed to lift tariffs on Ukraine‘s grains for another year.

The EU lifted duties on Ukrainian grain to facilitate its transport to Africa and the Middle East by other routes after a Russian blockade kept cargo from leaving Ukraine‘s ports.

Overall, there was acceptance that the lifting of import tariffs had seriously skewed the local markets in nations closest to Ukraine. In Poland, wheat imports went from 2,375 tons in 2021 to 500,008 tons last year. Maize went from 5,863 tons to more than 1.8 million over the same period.

Similar huge increases were also evident in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

In pictures: Crimeo oil depot set ablaze

09:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Photos taken from a video released by the Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev telegram channel on Saturday show smoke and flame rise from a burning fuel tank in Sevastopol, Crimea.

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

09:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ireland’s Russian embassy has warned of possible “ensuing consequences” in response to tributes paid to an Irishman killed while fighting in Ukraine.

The comments have been criticised by a former minister for justice as “threatening” and “chilling”.

Finbar Cafferkey, from Achill Island in Co Mayo, is reported to have been killed while serving as a military volunteer in the eastern part of Ukraine.

Mr Cafferkey had previous combat experience in the Syrian conflict, and those paying tribute to him have described him as an activist on issues such as environmentalism and migration.

In the wake of his death, Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin expressed his sympathies to his family and said Mr Cafferkey was “obviously a young man of clear principles”.

Russian embassy’s statement on Irishman killed in Ukraine criticised as ‘chilling’

Pope Francis warns of rising nationalism in Europe as he begins Hungary trip

08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pope Francis has warned of the dangers of rising nationalism in Europe, and told the Hungarian government that accepting migrants, as the rest of the continent does, would be a true sign of Christianity.

At the start of a three-day trip to Hungary, the pontiff made a hard-hitting speech to government leaders including the prime minister, Viktor Orban, who has had a series of run-ins with the European Union. Francis urged a rejection of “self-referential forms of populism” and strictly nationalist interests.

The Pope also called for a return to the “European soul” envisioned by those who had laid the groundwork for modern Europe after the Second World War, saying nations had to “look beyond national boundaries”.

Pope Francis warns of rising nationalism in Europe as he begins Hungary trip

Drone causes fire at Crimea oil reservoir

08:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A massive fire erupted at an oil reservoir in Crimea after it was hit by a drone, a Russia-appointed official there reported Saturday.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of the Black Sea peninsula’s port city of Sevastopol, posted videos and photos of the blaze on his Telegram channel.

Razvozhayev said the fire was assigned the highest ranking in terms of how complicated it will be to extinguish.He did not say whether the drone he cited as causing the fire was Ukrainian.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world considered illegal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country is seeking to reclaim the peninsula during Russia‘s current full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the oil reservoir fire.

After previous attacks on Crimea, Kyiv usually stopped short of openly claiming responsibility but emphasized that the country had the right to strike any target in response to Russian aggression.

ICYMI: Ukraine vows ‘iron fist’ counterattack after Russian missile strikes

07:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Ukraine has said it is concluding its preparations for a huge ground assault to try and reclaim land seized by Russia after Moscow launched its first large-scale missile assault in weeks that killed at least 23 people.

Chris Stevenson reports:

Ukraine vows ‘iron fist’ counterattack is close as Russian strikes kill at least 25

Artwork showing train journey through Ukraine goes on show ahead of Eurovision

07:00 , Emily Atkinson

An art installation showing Ukraine from the perspective of refugees on a train has gone on display at Liverpool Cathedral as the city prepares to host the Eurovision Song Contest.

The work, Izyum to Liverpool by Katya Buchatska, features 12 television screens showing the view from train windows during a 24-hour journey across the war-torn country.

It is one of a number of works commissioned as part of EuroFestival, a cultural programme running alongside the song contest, which is being hosted by Liverpool on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine.

More on this story here:

Artwork showing train journey through Ukraine goes on show ahead of Eurovision

US ‘deeply disappointed’ after Russia denies request to visit detained Wall Street Journal reporter

06:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

The US is “deeply disappointed” after its request to visit detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was denied by Russia, reported CNN.

At a State Department briefing on Friday principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said: “We have been clear and consistent that American nationals detained abroad, especially those American citizens who are wrongfully detained like Evan, like Paul Whelan, are allotted appropriate and regular consular access by our personnel.

“And so we’re going to continue to insist that.”

The statement comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday rejected the US’ request to see Mr Gershkovich.

The Russian ministry said that the decision was in response to Washington’s denial to provide visas to Russian reporters for foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to the United Nations this week.

I was only joking about Bakhmut ceasefire, says Wagner chief

06:00 , Emily Atkinson

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group said he had been joking when he offered to suspend artillery fire on Ukrainian forces in besieged Bakhmut.

Wagner has been spearheading Russia’s assault on the Ukrainian city since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, but Ukrainian forces have so far thwarted its attempts to take full control.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message: “A decision has been taken to suspend artillery fire so that American journalists can safely film Bakhmut and go home.”

Alastair Jamieson reports:

I was only joking about Bakhmut ceasefire, says Wagner chief

South Korea considering its options on lethal aid to Ukraine

05:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Friday that Seoul was considering its options when it came to providing lethal aid to Ukraine.

In a speech at Harvard University’s Kennedy School on the fifth day of his state visit to the US, Mr Yoon called Russia’s invasion a violation of international law and the rights of Ukrainians.

When asked about the possibility of South Korea providing lethal aid to Ukraine, the president replied: “We are closely monitoring the situation that’s going on the battlefield in Ukraine and will take proper measures in order to uphold the international norms and international law.

“We are considering various options.”

Earlier Mr Yoon had said to Reuters in an interview last week that Seoul might extend its support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and economic aid if it comes under a large-scale civilian attack, signalling a shift in his stance against arming Ukraine for the first time.

Zelensky meets with presidents of Slovakia and Czech Republic

05:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met with the president of Slovakia, Zuzana Čaputová, and the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.

Zelensky said they discussed military aid to help Ukraine address Russia’s invasion and “prepare for (the) counteroffensive,” as well as the forthcoming Nato summit in July in Vilnius, Lithuania.

“We are expecting ambitious decisions that will enforce Europe’s security,” he said. “The time has come to eliminate any uncertainty.”

There has long been talk of a Ukrainian spring counter-offensive against invading Russian forces, but it has still to materialize.

Czech president Pavel said what he saw in Ukraine reminded him of the devastation from wars in Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia.

“Fortunately, it hasn’t broken the Ukrainians,” said Pavel, a retired army general and former senior Nato official. “Russia has shown such an inclination to barbarism in recent years that I’m not surprised.”

Zelensky calls for removal of restrictions on Ukrainian food exports

04:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for removal of the ban on importing Ukrainian agricultural products in some neighbouring European countries in a call with European Union president Charles Michel.

“The artificial and illegal restriction of trade with the European Union is hitting Ukraine, resisting Russian aggression, both economically and politically,” Mr Zelensky said according to a release from his office.

“I’m convinced that in the conditions of war with Russia, Ukraine as a candidate country and the European Union must always adhere to the provisions of the Association Agreement and the rules and regulations of the EU Single Market.

“Therefore, any alternative to the legal approach will not be considered a solution to the problem,” he said.

Top diplomats visit Odesa to show support

04:00 , Emily Atkinson

Seven foreign ministers from a group of Ukraine‘s European backers visited the war-torn country Friday to express support for Kyiv in its defence against Russia’s invasion.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, hosting his counterparts from four Nordic and three Baltic countries in the southern port city of Odesa, repeated a plea for the delivery of US-made fighter jets to his country.

“(The jets) are needed to cover our brigades that are going to (counter-attack),” Kuleba said.

Although no promises were made, he added, “I have a feeling that our colleagues are well-disposed in this matter.”

Kuleba met with the foreign ministers of Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Because of government formation talks in Finland, the Nordic country was represented by a senior foreign ministry official.

“Through this visit, we manifest strong Nordic and Baltic support for Ukraine and its people,” said Tobias Billström of Sweden whose country currently holds the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union.

“I honestly don’t remember if Odesa ever hosted this many ministers of foreign affairs at once. If this is the first such time, we are glad, together with our colleagues, to set a new standard,” Kuleba said.

The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary

03:00 , Emily Atkinson

It was a month into Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces had withdrawn from around Kyiv and in their wake Bel Trew and her team stumbled on a body by an abandoned Russian camp.

His hands were tied. He had been burned and shot in the back. Soldiers said he was a teenager.

As Bel tried to find out who he was and what had happened, she uncovered a nightmare world: a nation struggling to find thousands of its missing and to identify its dead.

The Body in the Woods by Bel Trew is streaming now on Independent TV and on your smart TV:

The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary

Harrowing Google Earth update reveals Ukraine before and after Russia’s attack

02:00 , Emily Atkinson

Google has updated it’s aerial maps of Ukraine for the first time since the start of Russia’s attack – with images now revealing the full scale of devastation.

The contrast is stark in Mariupol. The city of was a centre of industry, producing steel and other metals but since the February 2022 invasion has come under siege from Russian troops and is now occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Old Maruipol was disembowelled by its occupiers, with the UN estimating that 90 per cent of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed in the bombardment.

Here, The Independent looks at some of the most striking examples from Google Earth:

Harrowing Google Earth update reveals Ukraine before and after Russia’s attack

Watch: Aerials of building hit by Russian missiles

01:00 , Emily Atkinson

US ‘deeply disappointed’ by Russia’s rejection of request to visit jailed reporter

Saturday 29 April 2023 00:00 , Emily Atkinson

The US is “deeply disappointed” by Russia’s rejection of its embassy’s request to visit detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in prison, state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters on Friday.

Russia said on Thursday it had rejected the request in response to Washington’s refusal to grant visas to a group of Russian journalists.

Gershkovich was arrested last month and accused of espionage, a charge he has denied. The United States has designated him as wrongfully detained.

Turkey’s Ziraat Bank may mediate in payments for Russian grains

Friday 28 April 2023 23:00 , Emily Atkinson

Turkish state lender Ziraat Bank may mediate in payments for Russian grain and fertilisers, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said, adding that Ankara was still in negotiations with the deal’s participants.

The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, allows Ukrainian grain trapped by the conflict to be safely exported from the country’s Black Sea ports.

Ukraine vows ‘iron fist’ counterattack is close as Russian missile strikes kill at least 25

Friday 28 April 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine has said it is concluding its preparations for a huge ground assault to try and reclaim land seized by Russia after Moscow launched its first large-scale missile assault in weeks that killed at least 25 people.

The Ukrainian defence minister, Oleskii Reznikov, said that weapons received from the West will help his country use an “iron fist” to punch through Russian lines, as Kyiv seeks to reclaim the near one-fifth of the country Moscow occupies. “As soon as there is God’s will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it,” Mr Reznikov told an online news briefing, adding that Ukraine’s military is “to a high percentage ready” for the counteroffensive.

Chris Stevenson reports:

Ukraine vows ‘iron fist’ counterattack is close as Russian strikes kill at least 25

Putin signs decree introducing life sentences for treason

Friday 28 April 2023 21:00 , Emily Atkinson

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree formally increasing the maximum sentence for treason to life in jail, as part of a drive to suppress dissent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The decree was posted on the Kremlin website. Lawmakers had already voted to boost the longest sentences for treason to life, up from 20 years.

Legislators also approved raising the maximum sentence for carrying out “a terrorist act” – defined as a deed that endangered lives and was aimed at destabilizing Russia – to 20 years, from 15 years at present.

Those found guilty of sabotage could also go to jail for 20 years, up from 15, while people convicted of “international terrorism” could be sentenced to life, up from 12 years. The decree did not explain what “international terrorism” is.

Putin signed the new decree at a time when rights groups say authorities are stepping up efforts to quieten the few voices of opposition that remain.

What are the ‘dragon’s teeth’ defences being erected by Russia in Ukraine?

Friday 28 April 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Russian forces have been erecting “dragon’s teeth” defensive barricades in areas of Ukraine they control, in anticipation of an imminent counteroffensive by Kyiv, according to the latest satellite imagery of the warzone.

The defensive obstacles, pyramid-shaped concrete shards also nicknamed “devil’s teeth” for their resemblance to a fanged jawline, can be seen running between anti-tank ditches and troop-manned trenches from western Russia through eastern Ukraine towards Crimea, in aerial imagery recorded by Capella Space, Reuters reports.

The layered, zig-zagging lines are intended to make life as difficult as possible for any oncoming Ukrainian forces, as Russia seeks to protect the territory it has seized.

Joe Sommerlad has the details:

What are the ‘dragon’s teeth’ defences being erected by Russia in Ukraine?

Death toll rises to ‘at least 25′

Friday 28 April 2023 19:15 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine said it was nearly ready to launch a huge ground assault to retake occupied land, after Russia’s overnight missile attacks killed at least 25 civilians.

The war is coming to a crucial juncture after a months-long Russian winter offensive that gained little ground despite the bloodiest fighting so far. Kyiv is preparing a counteroffensive using hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles sent by the West.

It wants to drive Russia out of the nearly one fifth of Ukraine that it occupies and claims to have annexed.

“As soon as there is God’s will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it,” Ukrainian defence minister Oleskii Reznikov told an online news briefing.

Ukraine was “to a high percentage ready”, he said, with new modern weapons to provide an “iron fist”.

In the central town of Uman, firefighters battled a blaze at a residential apartment building struck on an upper floor by a Russian missile. Officials said at least 23 civilians were killed there, including four children.

Ukraine cancels new air alerts

Friday 28 April 2023 18:45 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine stood down the series of air alerts that were issued for much of eastern and southern Ukraine and some central regions on Friday after Russian missile strikes killed 24 people, authorities said.

Russia says Ukrainian rocket attack kills seven civilians in Donetsk

Friday 28 April 2023 18:15 , Emily Atkinson

The top Russian-installed official in Ukraine‘s occupied Donetsk region has accused Ukraine of killing seven people on Friday, including a child.

Denis Pushilin said the fatalities were the result of a rocket that set a minibus alight in the city of Donetsk.

A Russian Investigative Committee officer, who declined to give his name, told Reuters that a residential area had been struck by multiple Grad rockets.

He said all the passengers “including children” died, and the only survivor was the driver.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the number of casualties or who was to blame.

The Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk, Alexei Kulemzin, said on Telegram that 19 people had been wounded by shelling on Friday in various parts of the city, in addition to the seven who had been killed.

Early on Friday, Russia launched its first large-scale air strikes on Ukraine in nearly two months, killing at least 21 civilians including several children.

Friday 28 April 2023 17:46 , Emily Atkinson

Equipment spotted at Ukraine‘s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia controls, will be used to fix a power transmission line that leads to Russian-held territory, Moscow reportedly told the UN nuclear watchdog.

A small number of International Atomic Energy Agency officials are present at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which is operated by Ukrainian staff working under the orders of Russian forces and the Russian nuclear company Rosatom.

“The (IAEA) Team observed, and following questions were subsequently informed, that a large piece of equipment being transported into the turbine hall of Unit 3 was a transformer to replace the damaged ‘Kakhovka’ node in the ZNPP open switchyard,” it said in a statement.

“The Kakhovka line is one of the four 750 kV (kilovolt) lines that were operational before the military conflict. This line is linked to the currently Russian-controlled electrical grid, to the south of the ZNPP site,” it added.

Only one of those four power lines is currently working and is the only source of external power to the plant, which it needs to keep cooling the fuel in its six reactors even though they are shut down. Failing to cool that fuel could lead to a potentially catastrophic nuclear meltdown.

The IAEA said it also had not had access to the switchyard at a nearby thermal power plant (TPP) that can supply backup power to Zaporizhzhia. The IAEA last visited that switchyard in December, when damage from shelling was observed.

“Two weeks ago the team was informed that access would be granted in the coming days. It is important that ISAMZ (the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia) gets the necessary access to the ZTPP open switchyard given the implications on nuclear safety and security at ZNPP.”

India and Russia agree to boost longstanding defence ties

Friday 28 April 2023 17:19 , Emily Atkinson

India and Russia agreed to strengthen their defence partnership in talks between their defence ministers on Friday, the Indian government said, amid worries in New Delhi that the war in Ukraine was hurting its own military supplies from Moscow.

Rajnath Singh and Sergei Shoigu held talks on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ gathering in New Delhi.

“They acknowledged the unique, long-lasting and time-tested relationship between India and Russia,” the statement said.

They “expressed satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in defence and reiterated their commitment towards strengthening the partnership,” it said, without elaborating.

India, the world’s largest arms importer, depends on Russia for nearly half its military supplies, and has bought fighter jets, tanks, nuclear submarines and an aircraft carrier over the decades.

New air alerts in Ukraine after deadly Russian missile strikes

Friday 28 April 2023 16:42 , Emily Atkinson

Air alerts were issued for much of eastern and southern Ukraine and some central regions on Friday, with officials appealing to residents not to ignore the warnings.

“Do not ignore the alerts,” Andriy Yermak, head of president Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said on the Telegram messaging app hours after deadly Russian missile strikes earlier on Friday.

See live updates on air alerts in Ukraine here:

Death toll rises to 19

Friday 28 April 2023 16:10 , Matt Mathers

Russia has fired more than 20 cruise missiles and two drones at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, killing at least 19 people, officials said.

Almost all of the deaths are said to have happened when two missiles hit an apartment building in central Ukraine.

Three children, including a toddler, are among the dead.

Putin signs decree paving way for deportation of people from annexed Ukraine

Friday 28 April 2023 15:40 , Matt Mathers

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a decree that gives people living in parts of Ukraine under Moscow’s control a path to Russian citizenship but means those who decline or who do not legalise their status face potential deportation.

The decree extends to four Ukrainian regions which Russia has claimed as its own and partially controls: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Kyiv says it will retake all four areas and has accused Moscow of trying to browbeat its citizens into accepting Russian citizenship.

The new decree sets out ways that Ukrainian citizens or those holding passports issued by Russia-backed breakaway republics, and who live in the four regions, can start the process of becoming Russian citizens or legalise their status with the Russian authorities.

Kyiv ready to counterattack with ‘iron fist’

Friday 28 April 2023 15:02 , Matt Mathers

Kyiv said on Friday it was nearly ready to launch a huge ground assault to retake occupied land, after Russia hurled missiles at cities as people slept overnight, killing at least 21 civilians in its first large-scale air strikes in nearly two months.

The war is coming to a crucial juncture after a months-long Russian winter offensive that gained little ground despite the bloodiest fighting so far. Kyiv is preparing a counteroffensive using hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles sent by the West, hoping to drive Russia out of the nearly a fifth of the country that it occupies and claims to have annexed.

“As soon as there is God’s will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it,” Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleskii Reznikov told an online news briefing.

Afternoon recap contd.

Friday 28 April 2023 14:45 , Matt Mathers

Diplomacy/politics

• Russian Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, who was sanctioned by the West and dubbed the “Butcher of Mariupol” by the EU, has been removed as deputy defence minister, reports said.

• Russia rejects U.S. embassy request to visit detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in response to Washington’s refusal to grant visas to group of Russian journalists.

• The Kremlin played down the idea that Russia might be preparing to carry out a nuclear weapons test, saying all nuclear states were abiding by a moratorium.

• A United Nations committee said it was deeply concerned about human rights violations by Russian forces and private military companies in Ukraine, including enforced disappearances, torture, rape and extrajudicial executions.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing for naturalised Russian citizens who “threaten national security” to be stripped of their citizenship, RIA news agency reported.

Afternoon recap

Friday 28 April 2023 14:15 , Matt Mathers

Kyiv said on Friday it was nearly ready to launch a huge ground assault to retake occupied land, after Russia hurled missiles at cities as people slept overnight, killing at least 17 people in its first large-scale air strikes in nearly two months.

Fighting

• War at crucial juncture after Russian winter offensive gains little ground and Kyiv prepares counter-offensive using hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles sent by the West.

• Russia said its strategic bombers had carried out what it called high-precision missile strikes on Ukrainian army reserve units overnight to prevent them from getting to the frontline.

• Ukraine said victims included several children killed in strikes on homes.

• Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk city said seven people were killed when Ukrainian shelling hit a minibus.

UN body deplores ‘grave’ rights abuses by Russia in Ukraine

Friday 28 April 2023 13:40 , Matt Mathers

United Nations committee said on Friday it was deeply concerned about human rights violations by Russian forces and private military companies in Ukraine, including enforced disappearances, torture, rape and extrajudicial executions.

In its findings on Russia, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on the Russian authorities to investigate allegations of human rights violations committed during the invasion of Ukraine.

“The Committee was deeply concerned about the grave human rights violations committed during the ongoing armed conflict by the Russian Federation’s military forces and private military companies …,” it said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

In its report, the committee listed excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, killings and the forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia among the violations committed.

Russia, which the US committee said had refused to provide it with information on the conflict, has denied committing atrocities and deliberately attacking civilians in Ukraine. It denies deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, saying it has evacuated them to keep them safe.

“The refusal of the Russian Federation to address these issues did not hinder us from addressing them in our concluding observations, but of course it made our work more difficult,” committee member Mehrdad Payandeh told reporters in Geneva.

Pope calls for ‘creative efforts for peace’

Friday 28 April 2023 13:00 , Matt Mathers

The Pope has called for “creative efforts for peace” to end the war in Ukraine.

He is currently visiting Hungary where he will set out his vision for Europe.

We’ll have more on this story as it comes in,

Death toll rises to 17

Friday 28 April 2023 12:40 , Matt Mathers

Russia hurled missiles at cities across Ukraine as people slept early on Friday, killing at least 17 people in the first large-scale air strikes in nearly two months.

Hours after the pre-dawn attacks, Kyiv said it was finishing preparations for a counteroffensive to try to take back territory occupied by Russian forces in 14 months of war.

In the central city of Uman, firefighters battled a raging blaze at a residential apartment building that had been struck on an upper floor.

At least 15 people were killed in Uman, including two children, and nine people were taken to hospital, the regional governor said.

Russia sacks deputy defence minister sanctioned by West over Mariupol – reports

Friday 28 April 2023 12:00 , Matt Mathers

Russian Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, who was sanctioned by the West and dubbed the “Butcher of Mariupol” for his role in the Ukraine war, has been removed as deputy defence minister, according to a military blogger and a leading news website.

Mizintsev orchestrated the siege of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol in the early months of the war last year. In September, he was appointed deputy defence minister in charge of logistics and supplies.

Imposing sanctions against Mizintsev last June, the European Union referred to him as the Butcher of Mariupol and said he was responsible for the “inhuman” siege of the shattered Ukrainian city, which Russia says it is now rebuilding.

His departure was reported by a Russian military blogger, Alexander Sladkov, and by the RBC news site. Neither offered an explanation for why he had apparently been removed.

The defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while the Kremlin has said it cannot say anything on the subject and has referred questions on the matter to the defence ministry.

Ukraine wrapping up preparation for couteroffensive

Friday 28 April 2023 11:30 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine is wrapping up preparations for a counteroffensive against Russian forces and is largely ready for it to go ahead, Defence minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Friday.

“As soon as there is God’s will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it,” he told an online news briefing.

He gave no date for when the counteroffensive would start but said: “Globally speaking, we are to a high percentage ready.”

Kyiv hopes its planned counteroffensive will change the dynamics of the war that has raged since Russia invaded Ukraine 14 months ago.

Military units that have fought in Ukraine to join Victory Day parade – Kremlin

Friday 28 April 2023 10:58 , Matt Mathers

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russian military units that have fought in Ukraine will be represented in a parade in Moscow on May 9 to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War Two.

The holiday is one of the most important in the Russian calendar, usually featuring a huge show of military hardware on Red Square and a speech from President Vladimir Putin.

The Victory Day military parade is a celebration that pays tribute to the triumph over Nazi Germany in 1945.

Russia pulls Army Games over Ukraine losses – MoD

Friday 28 April 2023 10:15 , Matt Mathers

Russia may have pulled its annual International Army Games due to losses sustained in Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said.

A shortage of tanks, tank crew and other skilled personnel could have risked the Russian team’s usual domination of the medals tables, it added.

The games have been used to reestablish the military at the heart of popular culture.

Death toll from overnight missile barrage rises to 12

Friday 28 April 2023 09:45 , Matt Mathers

The death toll following last night’s attacks has risen to 12.

Russia hurled missiles at cities across Ukraine as people slept early on Friday.

It was the first large scale attack by Russia in nearly two months

Pope to give vision for Europe in Hungary

Friday 28 April 2023 08:45 , Matt Mathers

Pope Francis plans to outline his vision for the future of Europe during a three-day visit to Hungary starting Friday, with Russia’s war in Ukraine, migration flows and Hungary’s tense relations with Brussels looming large over the pontiff’s weekend journey.

Hungarian officials say Francis’ pilgrimage was designed primarily to let the pope minister to the country’s Catholic community and to encourage its members in their faith.

But with the war unfolding next door and Hungary butting heads with other European Union nations over rule of law issues and LGBTQ+ rights, Francis’ words and deeds in the heart of Europe will carry strong political undertones.

After his arrival, Francis is scheduled to meet with President Katalin Novak and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and then to deliver his main political speech to Hungarian authorities and diplomats. He has a chance to speak to Hungarian society and Europe at large in his final event Sunday, when he’ll address academic and cultural figures at Budapest’s Catholic University.

In between, Francis is set to meet with some of the 35,000 Ukrainian refugees who have remained in Hungary after 2.5 million fled across Ukraine’s border with Hungary’s early on in Russia’s invasion. It will be another opportunity for Francis to raise immigration as a topic and and to reiterate his belief that European countries should, within their means, open their arms and borders to people fleeing poverty as well as conflicts.

Death toll from overnight strikes rises to eight

Friday 28 April 2023 08:15 , Matt Mathers

Russia has fired more than 20 cruise missiles and two drones at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, killing at least eight people and hitting a residential building in central Ukraine, officials said.

Air raid sirens sounded around the capital in the first attack against the city in nearly two months and Ukraine’s air force intercepted 11 cruise missiles and two unmanned aerial vehicles over Kyiv, according to the city administration.

There were no immediate reports of any missiles hitting targets in Kyiv but fragments from intercepted missiles or drones damaged power lines and a road in one neighbourhood.

No casualties were reported.

Russian defence minister says US and allies trying to restore military presence in Central Asia

Friday 28 April 2023 07:22 , Matt Mathers

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that the United States and its allies are trying to restore their military presence in Central Asia under the pretext of fighting terrorism, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.

RIA cited Shoigu as saying that Russia was increasing combat readiness at its bases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as a result.

Russian ‘terrorists’ shelling claimed the life of a child’, says Zelensky

Friday 28 April 2023 07:10 , Arpan Rai

Civilians are still trapped under the rubble of attacked buildings in Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram as he confirmed Russian missiles and drones struck the war-hit city overnight.

“Last night the enemy attacked Ukraine again with missiles and UAVs. Terrorists targeted civilians and objects. A rocket attack on Uman damaged about 10 apartment buildings. The entire block of one of them was destroyed. People are still trapped under the rubble,” he said on Telegram today.

He added: “Unfortunately, there are casualties, including a child. In Dnipro, terrorists’ shelling claimed the life of a child. My condolences to everyone who lost their loved ones because of the Russian terror!”

Russian missile attacks residential building, three killed

Friday 28 April 2023 06:51 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine down 21 Russian missiles, 2 drones – air defence

Friday 28 April 2023 06:50 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian air defence has downed 21 missiles over Ukraine, out of which 11 were shot down over Kyiv.

The Kyiv Military Administration said 11 Russian cruise missiles and two drones were downed by air defence over the capital in a morning update.

Russian forces launched a mass attack against Ukraine at 4am using strategic Tu-95 aircraft, Ukraine’s air force said.

Anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force together with the air defence destroyed 21 of the 23 X-101 and X-555 cruise missiles.

Ukraine says overnight missiles fired from strategic bombers

Friday 28 April 2023 06:33 , Arpan Rai

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has said they shot down 21 out of 23 missiles fired by Russia in an overnight attack.

“Last night, the terrorist state attacked Ukraine with missiles launched from the strategic bombers Tu-95. Ukrainian air defenders shot down 21 of 23 missiles and 2 drones. At least five civilians were killed,” the ministry said in its latest update.

Five killed after Russia unleashes overnight missile barrage on Ukrainian cities

Friday 28 April 2023 06:17 , Arpan Rai

The barrage of missile attack in Ukrainian cities has led to five deaths, officials said.

While two were killed in Dnipro, another three were killed in the central town of Uman and another eight were injured after a missile pierced an apartment building, said Ihor Taburets, head of the military administration in the area.

The mass-missile attack comes 51 days after Russian forces fired most weapons, including drones on Ukraine in early March.

Russia’s attacks from previous day damaged houses, college, says Zelensky

Friday 28 April 2023 06:16 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using the “Kalibrs” missile on civilian areas in Ukraine.

“The rockets damaged dozens of ordinary houses and two educational institutions. ‘Kalibrs’ against a school and a college, against residential buildings,” he said in his nightly address.

He said Russia fired another rocket in the evening at Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region. “A school, hospital and residential buildings were damaged. Unfortunately, there are people injured,” he said.

“In Mykolaiv, the debris has been cleared from the site of a rocket attack that took place last night. More than 20 people were wounded, one person was killed…,” he said.

Hours later, Russia released another missile barrage across Ukraine, raining ammunition on several regions.

Mass missile attack kills 2, injures 5 in Ukraine

Friday 28 April 2023 04:53 , Arpan Rai

At least two people were killed after loud explosions rocked Ukraine’s capital and adjoining cities in the early hours today, officials said. Russian forces rained missiles on Kyiv, and other areas from central Ukraine to southern Mykolaiv.

“A young woman and a three-year-old child have been killed,” Borys Filatov, mayor of the central city of Dnipro, said on Telegram.

Air raid sirens were activated around 5am as explosions were reported across the country.

Dnipro, Kremenchuk and Poltava in central Ukraine and in Mykolaiv in the south and another online source reported an explosion in the Kyiv region.

The mass missile attack on Ukraine comes after several weeks and ahead of Kyiv’s planned counteroffensive.

An apartment building in the central town of Uman was also seen on fire.

At least five have been injured in the attack, regional governor Ihor Taburets said on Telegram.

Wagner chief says Bakhmut ceasefire was just ‘humour’

Friday 28 April 2023 04:11 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s Wagner mercenary group head said he had been joking when he offered to suspend artillery fire on Ukrainian forces in besieged Bakhmut.

“A decision has been taken to suspend artillery fire so that American journalists can safely film Bakhmut and go home,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message:

He later added: “Guys, this is military humour. Humour, and nothing more … it was a joke.”

At least 4,000 civilians have been killed in the fighting in Bakhmut, according to estimates from Kyiv, and thousands more soldiers from both sides.

Alastair Jamieson reports:

‘It was a joke’: Wagner group chief says Bakhmut ceasefire was just ‘humour’

Building ablaze in central Ukrainian town

Friday 28 April 2023 04:09 , Arpan Rai

An apartment building has been found ablaze early today in the central Ukrainian town of Uman. Police in the region said emergency services were operating.

The pictures, posted on various news and other websites, showed flames shooting out from a heavily damaged building in the town. Parts of the building had collapsed.

Zoya Vovk, a police spokesman in the surrounding region, said emergency teams were operating.

No immediate casualties have been reported so far.

Putin and Erdogan speak before inauguration of Turkish nuclear plant

Friday 28 April 2023 04:00 , Katy Clifton

Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan held talks by telephone yesterday, their offices said, before the two countries marked the inauguration of Turkey’s first nuclear power reactor.

The Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey’s southern Mersin province has been built by Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom.

Mr Erdogan thanked Mr Putin during their call for his help on the power plant, the Turkish leader’s office said. They also discussed the Black Sea grain initiative and the situation in Ukraine, it said.

Mr Putin said they agreed to deepen economic, trade and agricultural cooperation.

Both presidents took part virtually in a ceremony marking the loading of nuclear fuel into the first power unit at Akkuyu.

The $20 billion, 4,800 megawatt (MW) project to build four reactors in the Mediterranean town of Akkuyu will allow Turkey to join the small club of nations with civil nuclear energy.

Wagner chief says Bakhmut ceasefire was just ‘humour’

Friday 28 April 2023 03:52 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s Wagner mercenary group head said he had been joking when he offered to suspend artillery fire on Ukrainian forces in besieged Bakhmut.

“A decision has been taken to suspend artillery fire so that American journalists can safely film Bakhmut and go home,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message:

He later added: “Guys, this is military humour. Humour, and nothing more … it was a joke.”

At least 4,000 civilians have been killed in the fighting in Bakhmut, according to estimates from Kyiv, and thousands more soldiers from both sides.

Alastair Jamieson reports:

‘It was a joke’: Wagner group chief says Bakhmut ceasefire was just ‘humour’

Italian judge drops case on alleged Russian funding to League party

Friday 28 April 2023 02:01 , Katy Clifton

An Italian judge agreed yesterday to drop a case in which a former adviser to League leader Matteo Salvini and two other people were being investigated for alleged illicit party funding from Russia, according to a court document.

The League is part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition government.

Milan prosecutors had in January asked the judge to dismiss the case in a statement explaining that they had failed to gather sufficient evidence to pursue the investigation after Moscow failed to respond to requests for assistance submitted by the Italian judicial authority.

In the court document reviewed by Reuters, the office of Milan judge Stefania Donadeo notified the lawyers of the three suspects that a decree of dismissal had been filed on Thursday.

Putin claims Russia’s drone industry could be worth 1tn roubles

Friday 28 April 2023 00:01 , Katy Clifton

President Vladimir Putin has claimed the Russian drone industry could soon be worth 1 trillion roubles ($12.25 billion) once a plan to boost production is put into place.

Late last year Mr Putin said Russia must increase its output of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and create infrastructure for their widespread use in military and civilian applications.

Mr Putin said he and executives involved in drone production had looked over figures that showed the industry could in the near future be worth 500 billion roubles. Everyone agreed this was a very conservative estimate, he said.

“Most likely, if we are all together, along with the state, we’ll work actively and it will be 1 trillion rubles,” he said in remarks that were shown on state television.

Ex-Wagner commander cleared of violence against Oslo police

Thursday 27 April 2023 23:01 , Katy Clifton

A former commander of Russia’s Wagner group seeking asylum in Norway has been convicted of being involved in a bar fight and of carrying an air gun but was acquitted of committing violence against police.

Andrei Medvedev, 26, was handed down a suspended sentence of 14 days, with a probation period of two years.

“I want to thank the court for a fair ruling,” Medvedev told Reuters, adding he was looking to the future. “I am studying Norwegian and I hope I will get asylum.”

Medvedev crossed the Russian-Norwegian border in January and has spoken out about his time fighting in Ukraine.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to fighting outside an Oslo bar on February 22 and preventing a police officer from doing his or her duty. He also pleaded guilty to carrying an air gun in public on a separate occasion on March 14.

But Medvedev had pleaded not guilty to a fourth charge, the most serious one, of committing violence against a police officer. He was acquitted on that charge on Thursday.

Nearly 98% of combat vehicles pledged ‘have been delivered’

Thursday 27 April 2023 22:00 , Katy Clifton

NATO allies and partner countries have delivered more than 98 per cent of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine during Russia’s war, the military alliance’s chief has said, giving Kyiv a bigger punch as it contemplates launching a counteroffensive.

Along with more than 1,550 armoured vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, Ukraine‘s allies have sent “vast amounts of ammunition” and also trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian brigades, NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said.

More than 30,000 troops are estimated to make up the new brigades. Some NATO partner countries, such as Sweden and Australia, have also provided armoured vehicles.“This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory,” Mr Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.

US guardsman in military leak case ‘wanted to kill a ton of people’

Thursday 27 April 2023 20:45 , Katy Clifton

The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents kept an arsenal of guns and said on social media that he would like to kill a “ton of people”, prosecutors have said.

The judge at 21-year-old Jack Teixeira’s detention hearing put off an immediate decision on whether he should be kept in custody until his trial or released to home confinement or under other conditions. Teixeira was led away in handcuffs pending that ruling.

The prosecution today put forward a submission of what it says are Teixeira’s social media posts, stating in November that he would “kill a (expletive) ton of people” if he had his way, because it would be “culling the weak minded”.

The court filings raise new questions about why Teixeira had such a high security clearance and access to some of the nation’s most classified secrets. They said he may still have material that has not been released, which could be of “tremendous value to hostile nation states that could offer him safe harbour and attempt to facilitate his escape from the United States”.

The leak stunned military officials, sparked an international uproar and raised fresh questions about America’s ability to safeguard its secrets. The leaked documents appear to detail US and Nato aid to Ukraine and US intelligence assessments regarding allies that could strain ties with those nations.

Some show real-time details from February and March of Ukraine‘s and Russia’s battlefield positions and precise numbers of battlefield gear lost and newly flowing into Ukraine from its allies.

ICYMI: Bianca Jagger hails Independent TV’s Ukraine documentary

Thursday 27 April 2023 19:01 , Katy Clifton

Bianca Jagger attended the UK premiere of Independent TV’s documentary on war crimes in Ukraine earlier this week, hailing it as a “powerful and moving” piece of reporting.

The 77-year-old veteran human rights defender joined more than 100 people at the Frontline Club in central London to watch The Body in the Woods.

The film follows the story of international correspondent Bel Trew’s bid to find out the identity of a young Ukrainian man shot dead by Russian soldiers. She stumbled across his corpse lying in woodland with his hands tied behind his back.

You can watch the documentary and read more about the UK premiere here.

US sanctions Russia’s domestic security service

Thursday 27 April 2023 18:15 , Katy Clifton

The US has imposed sanctions on Russia’s domestic security service FSB and the intelligence unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing them of being responsible or complicit in the wrongful detention of Americans overseas.

The sanctions also targeted four senior commanders within IRGC’s IO, although among them were at least one individual who had already been subject to previous US sanctions. FSB was also subject to previous US sanctions.

Speaking to reporters in a briefing call on the condition of anonymity, senior Biden administration officials said the move aimed to show that there would be consequences for those who tried to use US citizens for political leverage or seek concessions from Washington.

“Our action is a warning to those around the world who would wrongfully detain U.S. nationals of the potential consequences of their actions,” a senior administration official briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity said.

“Today’s sanctions are one of a series of efforts – some public like this, some private – to secure the release of U.S. Nationals wrongfully held overseas, to promote accountability for the culprits, and by doing so, to prevent and deter the next set of cases from arising in the first place.”

I was only joking about Bakhmut ceasefire, says Wagner chief

Thursday 27 April 2023 17:06 , Joe Middleton

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group said he had been joking when he offered to suspend artillery fire on Ukrainian forces in besieged Bakhmut.

Wagner has been spearheading Russia’s assault on the Ukrainian city since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, but Ukrainian forces have so far thwarted its attempts to take full control.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message: “A decision has been taken to suspend artillery fire so that American journalists can safely film Bakhmut and go home.”

Alastair Jamieson reports.

‘It was a joke’: Wagner group chief says Bakhmut ceasefire was just ‘humour’

Why does Russia want to block Ukraine from joining Nato?

Thursday 27 April 2023 16:40 , Matt Mathers

Tensions along Russia’s border with Ukraine finally erupted into open warfare on 24 February 2022 as Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in the eastern regions of the neighbouring state, confirming fears that had lingered since the preceding December that he was amassing troops intent on an invasion.

The Kremlin leader said he believed that Russia had to take decisive action to extinguish a threat to its national security and that Moscow planned to carry out the “demilitarisation and de-Nazification” of Ukraine by toppling its leadership, also promising to put an end to eight years of war in which government forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Why does Russia want to block Ukraine from joining Nato?

Ex-Wagner commander hopes for asylum after being cleared of violence against Oslo police

Thursday 27 April 2023 16:00 , Matt Mathers

A former commander of Russia’s Wagner group seeking asylum in Norway was convicted on Thursday of being involved in a bar fight and of carrying an air gun but was acquitted of committing violence against police.

Andrei Medvedev, 26, was handed down a suspended sentence of 14 days, with a probation period of two years.

“I want to thank the court for a fair ruling,” Medvedev told Reuters, adding he was looking to the future. “I am studying Norwegian and I hope I will get asylum.”

Putin, Erdogan speak by phone before inauguration of Turkish nuclear plant

Thursday 27 April 2023 15:10 , Matt Mathers

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan held talks by telephone on Thursday, their offices said, before the two countries marked the inauguration of Turkey’s first nuclear power reactor.

The Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey’s southern Mersin province has been built by Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom.

Erdogan thanked Putin during their call for his help on the power plant, the Turkish leader’s office said. They also discussed the Black Sea grain initiative and the situation in Ukraine, it said.

Putin said they agreed to deepen economic, trade and agricultural cooperation.

Both presidents took part virtually in a ceremony marking the loading of nuclear fuel into the first power unit at Akkuyu.

Russia rejects US request to visit detained reporter over visa snub

Thursday 27 April 2023 14:30 , Matt Mathers

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it had rejected a request from the US embassy to visit detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in response to Washington’s refusal to grant visas to a group of Russian journalists.

The ministry said it had summoned a senior US diplomat to hand over a formal note of protest against a decision by the United States to not grant visas to a group of Russian journalists meant to accompany Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to the United Nations in New York this week.

There was no immediate comment on the Russian move from the US Embassy.

Ukraine wants pope to help get children back from Russia

Thursday 27 April 2023 13:58 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine’s prime minister said he has asked Pope Francis during a private Vatican audience to help facilitate the return of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia.

Denys Shmyhal, briefing reporters on his half-hour audience with the pontiff, said he has also invited Francis to visit Ukraine.

“I asked the Vatican and the Holy Father for help in getting back children taken by force by Russia,” the prime minister said.

Kremlin welcomes Xi-Zelensky call

Thursday 27 April 2023 13:30 , Matt Mathers

The Kremlin said on Thursday it welcomed anything that could bring the end of the Ukraine conflict closer when asked what it thought of a phone call a day earlier between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

But it said it still needed to achieve the aims of its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

NATO allies send 1,500 combat vehicles, 230 tanks to Ukraine

Thursday 27 April 2023 13:00 , Matt Mathers

NATO countries have delivered more than 98% of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, the military alliance’s chief said Thursday, giving Kyiv a bigger punch as it appears poised to launch a counteroffensive.

Along with more than 1,550 armored vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, member nations have sent Ukraine “vast amounts of ammunition” and also trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian brigades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

More than 30,000 troops are estimated to make up the new brigades.

“This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.

Russian Defence Ministry says forces take four blocks in Bakhmut – RIA

Thursday 27 April 2023 12:27 , Matt Mathers

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday that its forces had taken four blocks in north-western, western and south-western Bakhmut, Russia state-owned news agency RIA reported.

Reuters could not independently confirm the claim. Russian forces have been struggling for months to capture the city in eastern Ukraine.

Bakhmut fighting in pictures

Thursday 27 April 2023 11:54 , Matt Mathers

Russia digs in as Ukraine prepares to attack

Thursday 27 April 2023 10:00 , Matt Mathers

The anti-tank ditches near Ukraine’s occupied southeastern town of Polohy stretch for 30 km (19 miles). Behind are rows of concrete “dragon’s teeth” barricades. Further back are defensive trenches where Russia’s troops will be positioned.

The defences visible in satellite imagery taken by Capella Space are part of a vast network of Russian fortifications sweeping down from western Russia through eastern Ukraine and on to Crimea built in readiness for a major Ukrainian attack.

Thousands of Ukrainian troops have been training in the West to use different military assets on the battlefield in a combined way ahead of a counteroffensive Ukrainian officials say will come when its forces are ready.

Reuters has reviewed satellite images of thousands of defensive positions inside both Russia and along Ukrainian front lines that show it is most heavily defended in the southern Zaporizhzhia region and the gateway to the Crimean Peninsula.

Six military experts said the defences, mostly built in the wake of Ukraine’s rapid autumn advances, could make it harder for Ukraine this time and that progress would hinge on its ability to carry out complex, combined operations effectively.

“It’s not the numbers for the Ukrainians. It’s can they do this kind of warfare, combined arms operations?” said Neil Melvin, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). “The Russians have shown they can’t do it and they’ve gone back to their old Soviet method of attrition.”

Military object found in Poland probably belongs to Polish army-RMF FM

Thursday 27 April 2023 09:33 , Matt Mathers

The military object found in a forest in Poland was probably not fired from another country, but belonged to the Polish army, private broadcaster RMF FM reported on Thursday quoting unofficial information.

Polish authorities said earlier on Thursday that the remains of a military object were found in northern Poland near the city of Bydgoszcz, confirming earlier media reports of the discovery of some kind of object in the area.

Russians pound frontline positions in Bakhmut, Ukraine military says

Thursday 27 April 2023 08:29 , Matt Mathers

Russian forces pounded the city of Bakhmut, the months-old focal point of their attempts to capture the eastern Ukrainian industrial region of Donbas, and the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary force said Ukrainian troops were pouring in ahead of an “inevitable” counter-offensive.

The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, in a report on Facebook, said fighting gripped Bakhmut and nearby areas. It said Russian forces had failed to advance on two villages to the northwest. At least a dozen localities came under Russian fire.

Separately, Serhiy Cherevatiy, spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern group of forces, told national television on Wednesday that in the past 24 hours, Russian forces had attacked 324 times using artillery and multiple rocket launchers.

“The Russians are destroying buildings in Bakhmut to prevent our soldiers from using them as fortifications,” Cherevatiy said.

‘Hyundai Motor to exit Russia, selling its plants’

Thursday 27 April 2023 07:30 , Namita Singh

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co plans to exit Russia and sell its manufacturing plants there to a Kazakh company, South Korean media reported yesterday.

South Korean TV network MBC reported that negotiations to sell Hyundai’s factories in Russia are in the final stage, adding that the automaker has been waiting for a final approval from the Russian government.

“It is true that there are ongoing discussions regarding the sale, but nothing has been decided,” Hyundai Motor said, according to the TV network.

Hyundai Motor suspended operations at its Russian operation last year. In March, the automaker said it was reviewing “various options” for its Russian operation.

In a statement to Reuters, Hyundai Motor said it was reviewing various scenarios for the future of its business in Russia, adding no decision had been made so far.

Ukrainians mark Chernobyl disaster amid nuclear threats

Thursday 27 April 2023 07:00 , Namita Singh

Workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant yesterday marked the 37th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear disaster amid an ongoing war and nuclear threats, somberly laying flowers at a monument for victims.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky used the day to repeat his warnings about the potential threat of a new atomic catastrophe in Ukraine amid the war with Russia, drawing a parallel between the Chernobyl accident in 1986 to Moscow’s brief seizure of that plant and its radiation-contaminated exclusion zone following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Last year, the occupier not only seized the (Chernobyl) nuclear power plant, but also endangered the entire world again,” Mr Zelensky said in a Telegram post in English.

Report:

Ukrainians mark Chernobyl disaster amid nuclear threats

Why is China trying to act as mediator in Russia’s war with Ukraine

Thursday 27 April 2023 06:30 , Namita Singh

Chinese leader Xi Jinping yesterday said that Beijing will send an envoy to Ukraine to discuss a possible “political settlement” to Russia’s war with the country.

Beijing has previously avoided involvement in conflicts between other countries but appears to be trying to assert itself as a global diplomatic force after arranging talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March that led to them restoring diplomatic relations after a seven-year break.

Mr Xi told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call that a Chinese envoy would visit Ukraine and “other countries” to discuss a possible political settlement, according to a government statement reported by state TV.

But why does this matter? Read this report to find out:

China tries to act as mediator in Russia’s war with Ukraine

What is the significance of the Ukraine-China call

Thursday 27 April 2023 06:00 , Martha Mchardy

China said it will not “add fuel to fire” in the first call between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Chinese president Xi Jinping since the Russian invasion.

China is the only major government that has friendly relations with Moscow as well as economic leverage as the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas after the United States and its allies cut off most purchases.

Beijing, which sees Moscow as a diplomatic partner in opposing U.S. domination of global affairs, has refused to criticise the invasion and used its status as one of five permanent U.N. Security Council members to deflect diplomatic attacks on Russia.

Zelensky earlier said he welcomed a Chinese offer to mediate.

Xi’s government has pursued a bigger role in global diplomacy as part of a campaign to restore China to what the ruling Communist Party sees as its rightful status as a political and economic leader and to build an international order that favours Beijing’s interests.

That is a sharp reversal after decades of avoiding involvement in other countries’ conflicts and most international affairs while it focused on economic development at home.

In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran issued a surprise announcement, following talks in Beijing, that they would reopen embassies in each other’s capitals following a seven-year break. China has good relations with both as a big oil buyer.

Last week, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country is ready to help facilitate peace talks.

Wednesday’s statement warned against the dangers of nuclear war, suggesting Beijing might also have been motivated by what it sees as the growing danger of a more destructive conflict.

Mediating between Ukraine and Russia would increase China’s presence in Eastern Europe, where Beijing has tried to build ties with other governments. That has prompted complaints by some European officials that China is trying to gain leverage over the European Union.

US, Europe eyeing ways to improve Ukraine’s grain exports

Thursday 27 April 2023 05:30 , Namita Singh

US and European officials yesterday toured Ukraine’s southern port of Izmail that’s important in bringing Ukrainian grain to the world – and could become critical if a deal with Russia to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports expires.

From Izmail, which has been upgraded since the start of the war with the help of US and other funding, grain is taken by barge down a branch of the Danube through Romania to its Black Sea port of Constanta for shipment onward.

US ambassador Bridget Brink said after looking over the port facilities with Ukrainian and EU officials, as well as Ukrainian grain companies, that they were exploring ways to increase the exports from Danube ports.

More in this report:

US, Europe eyeing ways to improve Ukraine’s grain exports

Originally published April 29, 2023 at 5:04 PM