Russian forces have launched a fresh military offensive towards key Ukrainian frontline cities, Kyiv’s army chief has claimed.
Volodymyr Zelensky, citing Ukrainian intelligence, suggested that Russia was mounting a new multi-pronged push in the northeast in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
When asked about the claim, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said: “I can say that the president is absolutely right, this offensive has effectively already begun.”
A new offensive would be further evidence that Moscow is looking to maximise pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin’s position in a potential US-brokered ceasefire.
Mr Zelensky has accused Russia of “dragging out the talks and trying to get the US stuck in endless, pointless discussions about fake ‘conditions’ just to buy time and then try to grab more land.”
Russia has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting.
The feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was also thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed inflexible conditions, including the lifting of US sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other banks involved in food trade.
We’ll be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.
We reported earlier that at least 16 people were reportedly injured after Russia launched a drone attack against Ukraine’s south-east Dnipro region (see post at 11:36 am).
Houses, high-rise buildings, and cars were all damaged in the Russian UAV attack using ‘Shahed’ drones, said the regional governor
Paul Anticoni, Chief Executive of World Jewish Relief, who is currently in Dnipro, was in the city during the attack.
“Sirens echoed throughout the night, forcing us in and out of shelters,” he told The Telegraph, calling the attack “an unsettling experience that powerfully illustrates the ongoing trauma faced by the residents here.”
The Ukrainian military successfully destroyed a Russian long-range bomber estimated to cost $100 million (£78.1 million), its army chief has said.
Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said his forces struck Tu-22M3 strategic bomber just after the aircraft had landed.
The Soviet-era bomber was a key component of Russia’s long-range air assault against Ukraine.
Mr Syrsky did not specify which type of drone was used or where the strike took place.
Footage of the bomber erupting in flames before hurtling to the ground was widely shared on Ukrainian and Russian social media.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence had claimed the aircraft crashed due to a “technical malfunction” after completing its combat mission.
A few days ago, our successful actions led to the destruction of a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. It had just landed — and our drone struck it. Estimated cost: around 100 million dollars—@CinC_AFU Oleksandr Syrskyi. pic.twitter.com/9dvQDnEGlq
We reported earlier that Russia launched overnight drone attack on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19am)
New images now reveal the destruction across Ukraine’s second-largest city.
We reported earlier that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Ukraine consistently continued to strike Russian energy infrastructure, despite a 30-day moratorium (see post at 9:57 am).
Ms Zakharova has now also attacked Nato, claiming its members were expanding their defence spending in preparation for a possible war with Russia.
“The alliance still believes that our country is a long-term threat and will remain so even after the end of the Ukrainian conflict,” she said.
“The North Atlantic Alliance is openly throwing oil onto the fire of the conflict.”
China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine.
Beijing’s foreign ministry said it rejected “groundless” claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat.
“The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form,” said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson.
He added: “The Chinese side’s position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, and has won widespread approval from the international community.”
It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were “many more” in the Russian ranks.
Mr Zelensky said the move was a “clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war,” adding that “he is looking for ways to continue fighting.”
Western intelligence sources said it was unlikely the soldiers were sent directly by China.
Russia routinely recruits foreign nationals into its armed forces through irregular means.
We reported earlier that Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19 am).
The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram.
Half of the injured were in hospital and one woman was in serious condition. Mr Lysak said the attack damaged four high-rise residential buildings and 15 private residences, in addition to an administrative building and infrastructure.
Russia’s defence ministry on Wednesday accused Ukraine of carrying out four attacks on its energy infrastructure facilities over the past day, in violation of a US-brokered moratorium on hitting energy infrastructure targets.
Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each other’s energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium.
The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that Kyiv’s forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine.
“I cannot comment on this information in any way,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were “many more” in the Russian ranks.
The Ukrainian government will hire consultants to advise on a draft minerals deal with the United States, a government document has revealed.
The document, dated 8 April, showed that Ukraine has allocated $2.7 million (£2.1 million) towards consulting services.
US President Donald Trump has said a bilateral minerals deal will help broker a peace agreement by giving the United States a financial stake in Ukraine’s future, as well as allowing it to earn back billions of dollars in aid it has given to Ukraine.
Kyiv is seeking the help of consultants and lawyers “to protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine”, by taking into account American and Ukrainian legislations, the government document said.
Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday that Ukraine will send a team to Washington this week to advance negotiations on the draft strategic agreement.
Germany’s intelligence services are probing a suspected Russian cyber attack against a policy institute in Berlin.
Suspected Russian hackers targeted the German Association for East European Studies, or DGO, a think tank which specialises in foreign policy.
The cyber attack gained access to DGO’s email traffic, German media reports, in a serious data breach.
German intelligence officers suspect that the attack was carried out by a Russian hacker group known as Cozy Bear.
Cozy Bear has previously been linked to a string of cyber attacks on EU and Nato governments, as well as the attempted theft of Covid vaccine data in 2020.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine continues to consistently strike Russian energy infrastructure on a daily basis.
Such attacks would be in violation of a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of breaking the US-brokered moratorium.
The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified.
Two Chinese students have been detained in South Korea for taking thousands of photos of US military assets, according to local reports.
The Chinese nationals are under investigation for illegally filming US military assets near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea and South Korean fighter aircraft near Suwon Air Base in March, said South Korean police.
One student claimed his father is a public security officer in China.
China claims to take a neutral stance on the war but has grown closer to Russia since it broke out. Western officials have long accused China of sending weapon components and attack drones to Moscow, but there is no evidence Beijing has directly sent troops.
Last month, a separate video emerged on social media purporting to show Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
The soldiers have equipment and clothing consistent with what regular Russian troops have been seen wearing in recent months.
Thousands of volunteers and mercenaries have been recruited by Russia to bolster its forces throughout the war.
Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday, regional officials said.
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hit by drone attacks nearly every evening over the past week, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said there had been more than 20 strikes.
“This is our enemy’s new tactic to frighten the civilians. This (the attacked objects) is civilian infrastructure of the city, these are production enterprises, these are Kharkiv’s businessmen. Of course, they are scared,” Terekhov told journalists at one of the attacked sites.
In the Donetsk region, the focal point of the 600-mile front line in the war, a residential area came under attack in the city of Kramatorsk and local officials said three people, including a child, were injured.
The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of the region, said on Telegram.
China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine.
Beijing’s foreign ministry said it rejected “groundless” claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat.
“Let me stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form,” said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson.
We’re bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war.
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