Older residents of the east reluctant to hit the road

By Joel Gunter Serhiivka, Ukraine   Russia-Ukraine war   The small village of Serhiivka, in eastern Ukraine, was completely quiet on Sunday – hardly a person on the streets or milling around the centre of the village, where you would normally find life. There used to be 1,500 people here, before the full-scale invasion of […]

Ukraine war: Russia bans Boris Johnson from country over Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine war   Russia has banned Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other senior ministers from entering Russia over the UK’s “hostile” stance on the war in Ukraine. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and 10 other senior politicians – mostly members of the Cabinet – have also been barred. Moscow said the decision […]

Ukraine war: No quick return to normal for scarred Bucha

By Anna Foster BBC News, Kyiv, Ukraine Russia-Ukraine war   At the base of a block of flats in Bucha, the sound of sawing echoes around the deserted communal garden. In one of the doorways a blackened kettle boils on an open fire, blowing clouds of steam into the bitter air. This place should be […]

Ukraine war: Russia threatens to step up attacks on Kyiv

Russia-Ukraine war   Moscow says it will respond to any Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory by striking Kyiv with more missiles. The “number and scale” of attacks will go up if its own settlements become targets, the ministry said. The warning came as Russia announced a missile strike on a military factory near Kyiv, which […]

Russian warship Moskva: What do we know?

  Russia-Ukraine war   Russia’s flagship Black Sea missile cruiser has been “seriously damaged” and its crew forced to evacuate, Russian state media says. The defence ministry said ammunition on the Moskva exploded in an unexplained fire, but that the 186-metre (610 foot) vessel was still afloat. Ukraine claims it struck the vessel with its […]

Germany kidnap plot: Gang planned to overthrow democracy

German police have detained four people accused of plotting to create “civil war conditions” so they could eventually overthrow democracy. Prosecutors say the group, linked to far-right and anti-Covid movements, were planning to destroy power stations to cause a nationwide blackout. They also wanted to kidnap Germany’s health minister, who backed the country’s strict coronavirus […]

Donbas: Battle in east Ukraine expected to be bloody and

By Jonathan Beale BBC News, Donbas, Ukraine Russia-Ukraine war   People in eastern Ukraine know the Russians are about to step up their offensive here. Even the dogs on the streets seem to know and can be heard barking whenever there’s a heavy thump of artillery in the distance. Hundreds of thousands of people have […]

Ukraine war: Putin says Russian invasion will achieve ‘noble’ aims

Russia-Ukraine war   Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said his invasion of Ukraine will achieve what he called its “noble” aims. Speaking alongside Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko, Mr. Putin claimed that a clash with Ukraine had become “inevitable”. Mr. Putin said he had been left with no choice but to launch the invasion in a […]

Mariupol: Battle for key port city continues, Ukraine says

Russia-Ukraine war   Ukrainian forces are holding out against Russia in the southern port city of Mariupol, officials say, despite some reports suggesting the battle was nearing its end. Deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC that “battles for Mariupol continue”. He also denied reports about a marine brigade which posted to Facebook about running […]

Ukraine War: Russia warns Sweden and Finland against Nato membership

Russia-Ukraine war Russia has warned Finland and Sweden against joining Nato, arguing the move would not bring stability to Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “the alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation”. It comes as US defence officials said Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has been a “massive strategic blunder” which is likely […]