Russia-Ukraine battle dwell information: Zelenskiy aide reveals as much as 13,000 Ukrainian troopers killed; Russian missiles hit Zaporizhzhia, mayor says | Ukraine

Russia’s withdrawal from the west financial institution of the Dnipro River final month has offered the Ukrainian armed forces with alternatives to strike further Russian logistics nodes and features of communication, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has prompt.

This menace has extremely doubtless prompted Russian logisticians to relocate provide nodes, together with rail switch factors, additional south and east, the newest British intelligence report reads.

“Russian logistics models might want to conduct further labour-intensive loading and unloading from rail to street transport. Street strikes will subsequently nonetheless be susceptible to Ukrainian artillery as they transfer on to produce Russian ahead defensive positions,” the report provides.

“Russia’s scarcity of munitions (exacerbated by these logistics challenges) is probably going one of many foremost elements at present limiting Russia’s potential to restart efficient, massive scale offensive floor operations.”

Alex Lawson

The chief financial adviser to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has known as on BP to exit Russia fully after the fossil gas agency was supplied a £580m dividend by the oil large Rosneft.

Oleg Ustenko has written to BP’s chief government, Bernard Looney, to demand the British firm cuts ties with the state-controlled Russian agency 9 months after asserting its intention to depart the nation.

BP has a 19.75% stake in Rosneft, one of many Kremlin’s most necessary oil property. The FTSE 100 firm vowed to finish its shareholding in late February after Russia invaded Ukraine.

BP took a £18.7bn hit by writing off the shareholding from its books, however nonetheless owns the inventory. Final month Rosneft’s boss, Igor Sechin, mentioned the British firm ought to rethink that place and that it had put apart a dividend, in a Russian account, for BP.

In a letter to Looney, seen by the Guardian, Ustenko wrote: “BP was among the many first of the oil majors to announce its intention to exit Russia by promoting its stake in Rosneft, the Kremlin’s oil firm.

“But after 9 months of Russian aggression, battle crimes and the bombardment of civilian infrastructure, all funded and fuelled by Russian oil, gasoline and coal, BP stays a shareholder in Rosneft.”

Ustenko cited International Witness evaluation that confirmed the dividend for the primary 9 months of 2022 was price an estimated £580m, or the equal of a 3rd of the UK’s direct support to Ukraine this 12 months.

“No accounting mechanisms or statements from BP will change this reality. That is blood cash, pure and easy,” he mentioned.

Finland PM Sanna Marin says Europe is ‘not robust sufficient’ with out the US

Helen Sullivan

The End prime minister, Sanna Marin, has known as for Europe to construct its personal defence capabilities within the wake of the battle in Ukraine, saying that with out US assist it isn’t resilient sufficient.

“We must always ensure that we’re stronger,” Marin mentioned in Sydney on Friday. “And I’ll be brutally sincere with you, Europe isn’t robust sufficient. We’d be in bother with out the US.”

Marin insisted Ukraine should be given “no matter it takes” to win the battle, including that the US had been pivotal in supplying Kyiv with the weapons, finance and humanitarian support essential to blunt Russia’s advance.

“We now have to ensure that we’re additionally constructing these capabilities relating to European defence, the European defence business, and ensuring that we may cope in several sorts of conditions,” she mentioned.

Marin mentioned when Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the precedence of most Finns modified “in a single day” to safety.

Till Russia invaded Ukraine, Finland’s priorities have been to have working bilateral relations with Russia and be shut companions with members Nato, however not be a member, she mentioned. “That was the easiest way to safe our nation.”

US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron offered a united entrance on Ukraine with Biden saying he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin if he’s keen to finish the battle and solely in session with Nato allies.

I’m ready to talk with Mr Putin if in truth there’s an curiosity in him deciding he’s searching for a strategy to finish the battle. He hasn’t executed that but,” Biden advised a information convention on the White Home with Macron on Thursday.

Macron mentioned he would proceed to speak to Putin to “attempt to forestall escalation and to get some very concrete outcomes” resembling the security of nuclear vegetation.

Biden and Macron pledged to carry Russia accountable for “broadly documented atrocities and battle crimes” in Ukraine.

On the East Room press convention, Biden mentioned he had been shocked by Russia’s brutality in Ukraine however insisted that Vladimir Putin was “not going to succeed”, including: “President Macron and I’ve resolved that we’re going to proceed working collectively to carry Russia accountable for his or her actions and to mitigate the worldwide impacts of Putin’s battle on the remainder of the world.”

“Deliberately concentrating on civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes battle crimes whose perpetrators should be held accountable.”

Taking questions from reporters, Biden added:

There’s a technique for this battle to finish – the rational means. Putin to drag out of Ukraine … it’s sick, what he’s doing … I’m ready to talk with Mr Putin if in truth there’s an curiosity in him deciding he’s searching for a strategy to finish the battle.”

Macron mentioned they mentioned initiatives “to maintain supporting and strengthen our assist to the Ukrainian troops and allow them to withstand”.

Russian forces reportedly struck the southeastern Ukrainian metropolis of Zaporizhzhia in a single day.

Zaporizhzhia mayor Anatoly Kurtev introduced the assault on Telegram early this morning.

On account of the enemy assault, the constructing of the infrastructure object is on hearth. The blast wave blew out home windows in close by homes.”

Kurtev mentioned emergency providers are on the scene and casualties are usually not but recognized.

Zaporizhzhia administrative head Oleksandr Starukh posted an replace to Telegram this morning, writing:

Tonight, the enemy as soon as once more launched a rocket assault on Zaporizhzhia. Its aim was the destruction of the economic and power infrastructure of the regional centre. Because of this, a fireplace broke out. In keeping with obtainable information, there are not any victims.”

Ukraine’s armed forces have misplaced someplace between 10,000 and 13,000 troopers up to now within the battle in opposition to Russia, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak advised a Ukrainian tv community on Thursday.

We now have official figures from the overall workers, we’ve got official figures from the highest command, they usually quantity to [between] 10,000 and 12,500 to 13,000 killed,” Podolyak advised the Kanal 24 channel.

Zelenskiy would make the official information public “when the proper second comes”, he added.

High US normal Mark Milley final month mentioned greater than 100,000 Russian army personnel have been killed or wounded in Ukraine, with Kyiv’s forces doubtless struggling related casualties.

These figures – which couldn’t be independently confirmed – are essentially the most exact thus far from the US authorities.

Howdy and welcome again to the Guardian’s dwell protection of the battle in Ukraine. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the newest developments as they unfold over the subsequent few hours.

Ukraine’s armed forces have misplaced someplace between 10,000 and 13,000 troopers up to now within the battle in opposition to Russia, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak advised an area tv community on Thursday.

In the meantime Russian forces reportedly struck the southeastern Ukrainian metropolis of Zaporizhzhia in a single day. Metropolis mayor Anatoly Kurtev introduced the assault on Telegram early this morning. “On account of the enemy assault, the constructing of the infrastructure object is on hearth. The blast wave blew out home windows in close by homes,” he mentioned.

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When you have simply joined us, listed here are all the newest developments:

• US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron offered a united entrance on Ukraine with Biden saying he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin if he’s keen to finish the battle and solely in session with Nato allies. “I’m ready to talk with Mr Putin if in truth there’s an curiosity in him deciding he’s searching for a strategy to finish the battle. He hasn’t executed that but,” Biden advised a information convention on the White Home with Macron on Thursday. Macron mentioned he would proceed to speak to Putin to “attempt to forestall escalation and to get some very concrete outcomes” resembling the security of nuclear vegetation.

• Biden and Macron pledged to carry Russia accountable for “broadly documented atrocities and battle crimes” in Ukraine. Biden mentioned their assist would proceed within the face of Russian aggression, which he added has been “extremely brutal”. In a joint assertion with Macron, the leaders mentioned: “Deliberately concentrating on civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes battle crimes whose perpetrators should be held accountable.”

• Russian rockets pounded neighbourhoods in Kherson knocking out energy within the metropolis the place electrical energy had solely begun to be restored practically three weeks after Russian troops left. Native authorities mentioned about two-thirds of Kherson had electrical energy as of Thursday evening. Some residents congregated on the practice station or at government-supported tents that offered heating, meals, drinks and electrical energy to cost cellphones.

• Ukraine’s army mentioned Russia had pulled some troops from cities on the other financial institution of the Dnieper River from Kherson metropolis, the primary official Ukrainian report of a Russian withdrawal on what’s now the primary frontline within the south. The assertion gave solely restricted particulars and made no point out of any Ukrainian forces having crossed the Dnipro.

• Kyiv’s mayor Vitaliy Klitschko advised residents to top off on water, meals and heat garments within the occasion of a complete blackout attributable to Russian strikes. Ukraine’s state emergency service mentioned on Wednesday 9 individuals had been killed in fires prior to now 24 hours as individuals broke security guidelines attempting to warmth their properties following Russian assaults on energy amenities.

• Ukraine’s armed forces have misplaced someplace between 10,000 and 13,000 troopers up to now within the battle in opposition to Russia, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak advised a Ukrainian tv community on Thursday. “We now have official figures from the overall workers, we’ve got official figures from the highest command, they usually quantity to (between) 10,000 and 12,500 to 13,000 killed,” Podolyak advised the Kanal 24 channel.

• Greater than 1,300 prisoners have been returned to Ukraine since Russian troops invaded, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Thursday. Zelenskiy was talking after a brand new alternate of fifty prisoners with Russian and pro-Russian forces. “After right this moment’s alternate, there are already 1,319 heroes who returned residence,” Zelenskiy mentioned on Instagram, posting a photograph displaying a number of dozen males holding Ukrainian flags.

• EU members have tentatively agreed to a $60 a barrel value cap on Russian seaborne oil, diplomats mentioned on Thursday. Europe will start imposing an embargo on Russian crude shipments from Monday, so the worth cap will apply to grease exported by sea by Moscow to ports around the globe. Poland is left to offer the ultimate nod and Estonia is underneath strain to desert its menace to veto the cap that it believes is ready too excessive to have an effect on the Russian battle machine.

• The pinnacle of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, mentioned it was too early attain a verdict on talks between Poland and Germany about sending the Patriot air-defence techniques from Germany to Ukraine. “All of us agree on the pressing want to assist Ukraine, together with with air defence techniques,” Stoltenberg mentioned at a joint information convention with German chancellor Olaf Scholz.

• European Council President Charles Michel urged Chinese language President Xi Jinping to make use of the nation’s “affect” on Russia over its battle in Ukraine throughout a go to to Beijing on Thursday. “I urged President Xi, as we did at our EU-China summit in April, to make use of his affect on Russia to respect the UN constitution,” Michel mentioned. President Xi made it clear that China just isn’t offering weapons to Russia and that nuclear threats are usually not acceptable, the European Council president added

• Spain has ordered elevated safety at authorities buildings and embassies after the invention of letter bombs and incendiary units, together with one which exploded at Ukraine’s embassy in Madrid on Wednesday and one other that was detected on the US embassy on Thursday. Units have additionally been despatched to the prime minister, the defence ministry, an arms firm that makes rocket launchers donated to Kyiv, and a army airbase close to the Spanish capital.

• Ukraine will transfer to impose limitations on non secular organisations within the nation which have hyperlinks to Russia. “The Nationwide Safety and Defence Council has instructed the federal government to suggest to [parliament] a invoice on proscribing actions in Ukraine by non secular organisations affiliated with centres of affect in Russia,” Zelenskiy mentioned in his newest nationwide deal with on Thursday. “Nationwide safety officers ought to intensify measures to determine and counteract the subversive actions of the Russian particular providers within the non secular area in Ukraine.”