World

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

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

The contractions started after she learnt her husband, a Ukrainian border guard, had been killed by a Russian sniper. Viktoria Nazarenko, 34, gave birth to twin boys the next day. Joy overwhelmed by grief at the loss of Sergeant Bogdan Nazarenko, their father. “It’s all I have left from him – my babies and my

Moldova’s foreign minister has told Sky News that the future of his country and Europe depends on how the war in Ukraine ends. In a frank interview from his office in the capital Chisinau, Nicu Popescu revealed that: Moldova is on a “heightened state of alert” the future of Moldova and Europe rests on a

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

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

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

Ben Wallace has reinforced Liz Truss’ view that Russian forces must be pushed out of “the whole of Ukraine” – and suggested this should include Crimea. Speaking at an event at Mansion House on Wednesday evening, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Western allies, including the UK, must “double down” and “keep going further and faster”

Western allies must “double down” on support for Ukraine with both heavy weapons and air power, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said. In a keynote foreign policy speech, Ms Truss said the international architecture intended to guarantee peace and prosperity had failed Ukraine in the face of an attack by a “desperate rogue operator” and now

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

The West must be prepared “for the long haul” in the Ukraine war, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will warn, as she calls for allies to increase defence spending and supplies to Kyiv. Ms Truss will use a speech in London on Wednesday to urge allies to keep pressure on Vladimir Putin’s regime as Ukraine’s fate

There is a rhythm to life these days in Kharkiv, but it is a ghastly rhythm of sirens and war. Each day is similar to the last with explosions, billowing smoke, and a fear of what has been hit this time. We witness a strike on a light industrial area close to the centre of

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

Russia’s security services have foiled a plot to kill a “famous” TV journalist, according to Vladimir Putin. The Russian president said the plot was foiled by Russia’s main spy agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). He offered no evidence to back up his claim. “This morning, the Federal Security Service stopped the activities of a

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

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

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

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

Russia has shifted a dozen crack units from the shattered port of Mariupol, redeploying them on the eastern battlefront, as Ukraine said it managed to bring supplies to the city’s besieged Azovstal steel works. It comes as a Ukraine presidential adviser said Russian forces were trying to conduct operations to storm the area, which is

Newly released satellite images show what appear to be mass graves dug around the Ukrainian city of Mariupol – holding the bodies of thousands of civilians. The grim photographs, taken by satellite imaging firm Maxar Technologies, reportedly depict more than 200 mass graves dug in long rows stretching away from an existing cemetery in the