Ukraine on Saturday said dozens of people including "senior Russian navy commanders" died or were injured when it staged a missile attack on Moscow's Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol the day before. Read our live blog to see how all the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
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9:53pm: Ukraine's Zelensky stops over in Poland to award two volunteers
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky awarded two Polish volunteers state awards during a stopover on Saturday, but did not meet any officials as relations between the two countries are strained over grain imports.
Poland decided last week to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports, shaking Kyiv's relationship with a neighbour that has been one of its staunchest allies since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.
Poland's prime minister told Zelensky on Friday not to "insult" Poles, maintaining harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv ahead of elections on October 15. The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been criticised by the far right for what it says is the government's subservient attitude to Ukraine.
7:59pm: Russian Foreign Minister accuses West of direct fighting in Ukraine
Western powers through their support to Ukraine have effectively entered direct war against Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday.
"You can call it anything you want, but they are fighting with us, they are straight-up fighting with us. We call it a hybrid war, but that doesn't change things," Lavrov told a news conference at the United Nations.
7:57pm: Ukraine peace plan, UN bid to revive Black Sea grain deal "not realistic", says Russia's Lavrov
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Ukraine's proposed peace plan as will as the latest UN proposals to revive the Black Sea grain initiative were both "not realistic."
Lavrov spoke at a press conference after a week of intense global diplomacy at the annual gathering of world leaders at UN headquarters in New York where Ukraine and its Western allies sought to drum up support for Kyiv.
"It is completely not feasible," Lavrov said of a 10-point peace blueprint promoted by Kyiv. "It is not possible to implement this. It's not realistic and everybody understands this, but at the same time, they say this is the only basis for negotiations."
He said the conflict would be resolved on the battlefield if Kyiv and its Western allies stick to that stance.
4:10pm: Trudeau pledges Canada's support for Ukraine and punishment for Russia
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced several support measures for Ukraine, including military, economic and humanitarian assistance, while also pledging an additional show of diplomatic backing through steps intended to punish Russia over the war.
“We’re continuing to impose costs on Russia and ensuring that those responsible for this illegal, unjustifiable invasion do not benefit from it,” Trudeau said Friday during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ottawa, the Canadian capital.
Zelensky also addressed Canada's Parliament on Friday. He flew into Ottawa late Thursday after meetings with US President Joe Biden and lawmakers in Washington. He spoke at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
3:26pm: War widows in Zaporizhzhia focus on overcoming trauma through group therapy
Ukraine’s military does not publish casualty figures, but tens of thousands of soldiers are believed to have died, often leaving behind bereaved wives and children. While the government gives them some financial assistance, volunteers in Zaporizhzhia who felt there was a lack of high-quality psychological support have created an association to help the wives of fallen soldiers come to terms with their loss. FRANCE 24's Ukraine correspondent Gulliver Cragg shares this report with us.
3:15pm: Ukraine's Zelensky meets Sudanese leader, discusses Russian paramilitaries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday he held an impromptu meeting in Ireland's Shannon airport with the head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and that they discussed Russia-funded armed groups.
"We discussed our common security challenges, namely the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
He thanked Sudan, which is currently in the midst of a deadly civil war, for its support of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
12:15pm: Ukraine breaks through Russian lines in south, general tells US media
Kyiv's army has broken through Russian lines in southern Ukraine, the general leading the counteroffensive there told US media Saturday, in the latest Ukrainian claims that it is making progress in the Zaporizhzhia area.
Ukraine launched its counteroffensive to claw back territory from Russian forces in June.
Progress has been slower than expected, with heavily mined territory, but Kyiv has in recent weeks reported making strategic advances in the Zaporizhzhia region.
"On the left flank (near the village of Verbove) we have a breakthrough and we continue to advance further," general Oleksandr Tarnavskiy told CNN.
He acknowledged the advance had been slower than Ukraine hoped. "Not as fast as it was expected, not like in the movies about the Second World War," he said in the CNN interview. But he said it was important "not to lose this initiative".
10:10am: Ukraine says 'senior' Russian naval officers killed in HQ attack
Ukraine on Saturday said dozens including senior Russian navy commanders died or were injured when it staged a missile attack on Moscow's Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol a day earlier.
Ukraine struck the headquarters on Friday, sparking a huge fire.
"The details of the attack will be revealed as soon as possible and the result is dozens of dead and wounded occupants, including senior fleet commanders," the Ukrainian army said. It said the strike happened when "a meeting of the Russian navy's leadership" was going on.
Kyiv's intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed the attack killed "at least nine people" in comments to Voice of America, including generals.
FRANCE 24 was not able to verify this information.
Budanov declined to say if Western-made missiles were used in the attack and Russia has said that one of its servicemen was missing after the attack.
Ukraine has vowed to take back Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.
9:43am: 'Danger' of new Ukrainian attack in Sevastopol, says Russian-installed governor
The Russian-installed head of Sevastopol in annexed Crimea warned of a possible new Ukrainian missile attack on Saturday, a day after Kyiv hit Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the city.
"Attention! Missile danger!" Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram. "Close your windows properly and stay away from them," he said, asking commuters to get out of cars and public transport and seek shelter in a safe place.
"Close your windows properly and stay away from them," he said, asking commuters to get out of cars and public transport and seek shelter in a safe place.
But shortly afterwards he said the "danger is over".
Kyiv struck the Russian naval headquarters on Friday, sparking a huge fire and leaving at least one Russian serviceman missing.
Key developments from Friday, September 22:
Canada will give an extra C$650 million ($482 million) in military aid to Ukraine over the next three years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament on Friday during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine carried out a missile strike Friday on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, a Russian official said. The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, didn’t offer any details, saying only that emergency services had been dispatched to the site of the strike and that there was no information about casualties. Ukraine did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.
Read yesterday’s liveblog to see how the day’s events unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, and Reuters)
