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Britain 'urgently' looking into Poland missile reports
Britain is “urgently” looking into reports of missiles landing in Poland, the government said on Tuesday, with prime minister Rishi Sunak promising to remain in close contact on a call with Polish president Andrzej Duda as he expressed solidarity.
Sunak tweeted late on Wednesday night:
I reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Poland and expressed condolences for the victims. We will remain in close contact and continue to coordinate with our Nato allies.”
I have just spoken to Polish President @AndrzejDuda following reports of a missile strike in Poland.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) November 15, 2022
I reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Poland and expressed condolences for the victims.
We will remain in close contact and continue to coordinate with our NATO allies.
Sunak added that he spoke with the foreign secretary and defence secretary.
“We are urgently looking into reports of a missile strike in Poland and will support our allies as they establish what has happened. We are also coordinating with our international partners, including Nato,” he said.
A readout of the call issued by his Downing Street office also said that Duda had updated Sunak on the Polish investigation efforts, with Sunak offering “any assistance needed to urgently establish what happened.”
UK foreign minister James Cleverly earlier said that the UK was urgently looking into the reports, adding they were in contact with Poland and Nato allies.
Updated
G7 leaders to have emergency summit after Poland explosion
G7 leaders are arranging an emergency summit meeting on Wednesday in response to the explosion in Poland, the Kyodo news agency said, citing a Japanese government source.
It will take place in Bali in Indonesia, where the G20 summit is already under way.
It means the heads of government from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom will discuss the incident and possible consequences. All of them are members of Nato, apart from Japan.
Reuters has said that a Japan and United Kingdom meeting scheduled for the same day has been put on hold.
Here’s a tweet from US president Joe Biden, showing him on the phone to Poland’s president Andrzej Duda. Biden is in Bali, Indonesia, for the G20 summit. He is sat with national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and US secretary of state, Antony Blinken.
I spoke with President Andrzej Duda of Poland to express my deep condolences for the loss of life in Eastern Poland and offer our full support for Poland's investigation of the explosion.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 16, 2022
We will remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as it proceeds. pic.twitter.com/m6OSwcHKtD
Updated
Here’s a couple of photos from Przewodów that have come through on news wires, as an investigation into the explosion begins.
Poland’s president Andrzej Duda has said that the explosion in Przewodów was a “one-off incident” and there are “no indications” that it is going to happen again.
Duda said it was “most-likely” a Russian-made rocket but “we do not have any conclusive evidence at the moment as to who launched this missile … this is all still under investigation at the moment.”
He added it was likely Poland will active Nato’s article 4 at a meeting of Nato on Wednesday.
This is from the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour.
Poland's Duda says has no definitive evidence on who fired rocket. Poland has summoned RU ambassador over the firing of "a Russian made missile", but Ukraine has Russian made S-300s surface to air missiles (that would not be fired but for Russia destroying Ukr energy network).
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) November 15, 2022
Updated
Poland's prime minister calls on Poles to 'remain calm'
Poland’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki has given a press conference where he has urged caution.
Speaking to reporters, Morawiecki said security forces and international experts were in Przewodów, eastern Poland, where two people have been killed to try to determine the cause of the explosion.
He repeated several already-announced measures, including an increased military readiness and talking to Nato allies about an article 4 meeting between member states. Warsaw will also step up monitoring of its airspace.
The prime minister went on to ask for people to be restrained. “I call on all Poles to remain calm around this tragedy. Let’s be prudent, let’s not let ourselves be manipulated.
“We need to be ready to face fake news, propaganda efforts.”
Updated
This is an analysis from our world affairs editor, Julian Borger, on why the explosion is unlikely to trigger a military escalation between Nato and Russia.
He writes:
Even if it was concluded that the missiles that crossed the Polish border were indeed Russian, and not Ukrainian anti-missile interceptors, it would fall short of an “armed attack” envisaged in article 5, argued William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control for International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“‘Deliberate armed attack’ is a real thing,” Alberque said. “Two misfired cruise or ballistic missiles ain’t it.”
Up to now, the broad Nato consensus has been that Russian escalation would lead to stepped-up arms supplies to Ukraine, and that – rather than any form of direct Nato involvement – would serve as a deterrent to Russian recklessness.
That is the most likely response this time, and there will be a debate within Nato on whether it warrants a step up in the sort of military assistance being provided. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, argued it warranted the provision of F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.
You can read his full piece here:
Poland says 'Russian-made missile' caused explosion
The Polish foreign ministry has said that a “Russian-made missile” was responsible for killing two people in the eastern village of Przewodów on Tuesday afternoon.
Foreign affairs spokesperson Lukasz Jasina said: “On 15 November 2022, massive shelling of the entire territory of Ukraine and its critical infrastructure by the armed forces of the Russian Federation was observed for many hours.
“At 15:40 in the village of Przewodów … a Russian-made missile fell, killing two citizens of the republic of Poland.”
The statement said that the Russian ambassador to Poland has also been summoned to give an explanation (see 11:10pm).
Updated
The Polish foreign minister has summoned the Russian ambassador to Poland for an explanation of the events connected to the explosion in Przewodów.
In a statement on Poland’s government’s website, a spokesperson said: “The minister of foreign affairs, Zbigniew Rau summoned the ambassador of the Russian federation to the ministry of foreign affairs and demanded immediate detailed explanations.”
The US president, Joe Biden, has offered Poland’s leader, Andrzej Duda, the US’s “full support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation”, Reuters reports.
In a telephone call, the Polish president gave Biden an update on the inquiry into the explosion that killed two people, and in turn Biden said the US had an “ironclad” commitment to Nato.
The full readout provided by the White House said: “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President Andrzej Duda of Poland and expressed deep condolences for the loss of life in Eastern Poland earlier this evening.
“President Duda described Poland’s ongoing assessment of the explosion that took place in the eastern part of the country near the border with Ukraine.
“President Biden offered full U.S support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation. President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Nato.
“The two leaders said that they and their teams should remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds.”
The US president has also spoken by phone to the Nato general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg.
Duda has spoken to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy tweeted afterwards: “We exchanged available information and are clarifying all the facts … all of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia.”
Updated
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Russian missile attacks on Tuesday caused shutdowns in two of the country’s nuclear power plants.
In an address to the nation, he said: “As a result of the strikes, several nuclear reactors at two plants were automatically disabled. These consequences were calculated, and the enemy knew exactly what it was doing.”
He said that power has been restored to 8m homes after blackouts caused by the latest bombardment.
“About 10 million Ukrainians were disconnected after the terrorist attack. Supply to eight million consumers has already been restored. Power engineers and repairmen will work all night,” he tweeted.
UK foreign secretary James Cleverley has said the government is “urgently” looking into reports of missiles landing in Poland and is in contact with the government in Poland.
“We are urgently looking into reports of missiles landing in Poland, and are in contact with our Polish friends and Nato allies,” he said on Twitter.
Summary
Here’s what we know so far, as investigators look into an explosion in Przewodów, a village near the border between Poland and Ukraine on Tuesday, which killed two people.
Stray missiles are feared to have exploded in Poland, killing two agricultural workers in a village near its eastern border.
It came as Russia launched a 100-missile attack on Ukraine, causing damage to infrastructure that left 7m homes without supplies. It has also had an impact on power supply in neighbouring Moldova.
It is unclear whether the explosion was directly caused by a missile fired by Russia, or whether it is as a result of a Ukrainian anti-missile defence system shooting down a Russian missile.
The Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, held an emergency meeting of a government committee on national security and defence matters.
Government spokesperson Piotr Müller said that Warsaw had raised its level of military readiness in the aftermath of the incident.
Müller said the government was calling for a meeting to take place between Nato members. It would be possibly under article 4 of Nato’s treaty, which says they “will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened”.
Russia has denied any involvement. The defence ministry said in a statement: “Russian firepower has launched no strikes at the area between Ukrainian-Polish border.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he has “no information” about the situation in Poland.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said it represents “a very significant escalation”. His foreign ministry Dmytro Kuleba called for more air defence assistance, fighter jets and a Nato summit to stop further escalation.
We will continue to provide updates throughout the evening.
Updated
Nato ambassadors to have article 4 meeting on Wednesday - reports
Nato ambassadors will meet on Wednesday at the request of Poland on the basis of the alliance’s article 4, two European diplomats have told Reuters.
According to article 4 of the alliance’s founding treaty, members can raise any issue of concern, especially related to the security of a member country.
Investigations continue into the circumstances around an explosion in Przewodów, near Poland’s border with Ukraine that killed two people.
One of the diplomats said the alliance would act cautiously and needed time to verify how exactly the incident happened.
Updated
Poland’s president Andrzej Duda is due to speak to US president Joe Biden, who is in Bali for the G20 summit, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the coming hours as they react to the explosion in Przewodów.
A White House statement said: “POTUS has been briefed on the reports out of Poland and will be speaking with president Andrzej Duda of Poland shortly.”
Explainer: what is Nato's article 4?
Poland’s government spokesperson Piotr Muller told a press conference that the government was considering whether to trigger article 4 in the aftermath of the explosion in Przewodów. It would mean Nato members would consult on further action.
Article 4 of the Nato treaty covers the scenario where a member state feels threatened by another country or a terrorist organisation.
The treaty clause says: “The parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened.”
The 30 member states then start formal consultations at the request of the threatened member. The talks look at whether a threat exists and how to counter it, with decisions arrived at unanimously.
Article 4 does not, however, mean that there will be direct pressure to act.
This consultation mechanism has been triggered several times in Nato’s history. One example is one year ago, when Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack from Syria.
In that case Nato decided to consult, but did not take any action.
Updated
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has called for a Nato summit to stop Russian attacks, and has repeated a request for fighter jets to be sent to the country.
He tweeted: “Ukraine reaffirms its full solidarity with Poland and stands ready to provide any necessary support. Collective response to Russian actions must be tough and principled.
“Among immediate actions: a Nato summit with Ukraine’s participation to craft further joint actions which will force Russia to change its course on escalation, providing Ukraine with modern aircraft such as F-15 and F-16, as well as air defense systems, so that we can intercept any Russian missiles. Today, protecting Ukraine’s skies means protecting Nato.”
The general secretary of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg has said he has spoken to the Polish president Andrzej Duda after the explosion earlier this evening.
He said that Nato is “monitoring the situation and allies are closely consulting”.
“It is important all facts are established,” he added.
Spoke with President Duda @prezydentpl about the explosion in #Poland. I offered my condolences for the loss of life. #NATO is monitoring the situation and Allies are closely consulting. Important that all facts are established.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) November 15, 2022
Poland raising readiness of military following explosion
The Polish government spokesperson Piotr Muller has just given a press conference in the capital Warsaw, where he said the government was raising the military’s level of readiness in response to the explosion near its border with Ukraine.
Speaking to cameras, Muller confirmed that two people had been killed earlier on Tuesday.
He told reporters that the government was considering whether to trigger article 4, which would mean a meeting would take place of Nato members after their “territorial integrity, political independence or security” has been threatened.
Explainer: what is Nato's article 5?
There is a lot of concern that the explosion in Poland may constitute a breach of Nato’s article 5, if it’s found that it is because of a Russian attack.
For those not well versed in Nato’s founding treaty, article 5 is focused on collective defence and written at a time when the bloc was under threat from an attack by the former Soviet Union.
Nato’s website describes it as
Collective defence means that an attack against one ally is considered as an attack against all allies.
Article 5 has only ever been triggered once by Nato since it was signed in 1949, the day after the 11 September 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center buildings and Pentagon in the US.
There is no automatic trigger process for it. Nato would have to choose to enact it. There is no indication at the moment that this is likely, and Poland is still investigating the circumstances behind the explosion.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary during the first of Joe Biden’s administrations, has tweeted this view while we wait for more information.
a LOT we don't know--but important to remember--Article V has only been triggered once (day after 9/11). There is no automatic trigger to respond--it is up to NATO as a whole to determine if it has been triggered and what to do. US of course a very powerful part of NATO.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) November 15, 2022
Updated
Latvia has announced it will convene an emergency meeting on Wednesday to assess the security situation, given reports of Russian missiles crossing into Poland.
Along with the announcement, Latvia’s prime minister added that the meeting is “to be ready for further action,” reported Reuters.
Germany has said that it is monitoring reports that Russian rockets crossed into Poland, adding that it is in contact with Poland and other Nato members, reported Reuters.
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock posted to Twitter about the reports, writing:
My thoughts are with #Poland, our close ally and neighbor. We are monitoring the situation closely and are in contact with our Polish friends and NATO allies.
— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) November 15, 2022
Here is a full translation of Zelenskiy’s remarks on Russian missiles reportedly crossing into Poland
Today, what we we warned about long ago has happened.
We talked about it.
Terror is not limited to our national borders. It has already spread to
the territory of Moldova. And today, Russian missiles hit Poland, the
territory of our friendly country. People died. Please accept
condolences from all Ukrainian brothers!
How many times has Ukraine said that the terrorist state will not be
limited to our country?
Poland, the Baltic states... It’s only a matter of time before
Russian terror goes further. It is necessary to put the terrorist in
place! The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will
be to everyone who can be reached by Russian missiles.
Hitting missiles on NATO territory... This is a Russian missile
attack on collective security! This is a very significant escalation.
We must act.
And I want to say now to all our Polish brothers and sisters...
Ukraine will always support you! Terror will not break free people!
Victory is possible when there is no fear! You and I don’t have it.
I want to thank all partners who helped protect the sky. In
particular, our NASAMS systems worked well today: ten hits out of ten
launches. As of this hour, more than 70 missiles and ten attack
drones have been shot down.
I thank all our American and European friends who helped us to ensure this result.
Thank you to all our soldiers of the “Southern”, “Center”, “East” and
“West” air commands, as well as air defense units of the Ground
Forces.Thanks to all our rescuers, our energy workers, who will work
around the clock to restore normal life for Ukrainians. Restoration
work has begun across the country.
We will get through this too. We will restore everything.
Russia opposes itself to the world. Russia loses on the battlefield.
Russia is terrorizing us and everyone it can reach.Let’s do everything to stop it!
Nato has now commented on reports of Russian missiles hitting Poland.
From a Nato official:
We are looking into these reports and closely coordinating with our Ally Poland.
An advisor for Zelenskiy has called the reported strikes on Poland deliberate and a “disguised mistake” from Russia.
From Mykhailo Podolyak via Twitter:
Strikes on Poland’s territory — not an accident, but a deliberately planned "hello" from Russia, disguised as a "mistake". This happens when evil goes unpunished and politicians engage in "pacification" of aggressor. Ru-terrorist regime must be stopped. Condolences to the dead.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) November 15, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskiy calls reports of Russian missiles hitting Poland 'a very significant escalation'
Volodymyr Zelenskiy called reports of Russian missiles hitting Nato member Poland “a very significant escalation”, adding that action is needed, reported Reuters.
Zelensky: “Terror is not limited to our national borders. Russian missiles hit Poland. … To fire missiles at NATO territory. This is a Russian missile attack on collective security! This is a very significant escalation. We must act.” pic.twitter.com/0T85fpEqLS
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 15, 2022
Updated
The US state department has called reports of Russian missiles hitting Poland “incredibly concerning”, reports Reuters.
State department spokesperson Vedant Patel said to reporters that the US is working to understand more about the explosion and determine appropriate steps.
Patel added that the US is discussing with the Polish government and other partners about the reports.
Updated
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Russian missiles struck Poland, reported Reuters, as the exact cause of the explosion remains unconfirmed.
More on his remarks coming soon.
Updated
Two dead in explosion in Poland after Russia unleashes barrage of missiles across Ukraine
Here is the latest on what we know about reports of stray missiles crossing into Poland:
Stray Russian missiles were feared to have crossed into Poland on Tuesday, in what would be the first time Nato territory has been struck during the Ukraine war, as the Kremlin unleashed an intense attack on Ukraine that left 7m homes without power.
Two people were killed in an explosion in an eastern Polish village, prompting the government in Warsaw to hold an emergency meeting – while the 100-missile attack on Ukraine was so serious that power supplies in a third country, Moldova, were also cut.
Hungry also convened a meeting with its defence council, as several European countries posted messages of solidarity and promises to defend Nato territories.
Several US agencies, including the Pentagon and National Security Council, have said that they cannot confirm reports of Russian strikes on Poland. The White House has also said this, adding that it is working with Russia to gather more information.
Updated
The White House said that it could not confirm reports of stray Russian missiles, announcing that it is working with Poland to gather more information on recent reports, reports Reuters.
The US National Security Council has also said that it cannot confirm reports of Russian missiles crossing into Poland, writing that it is working to gather more information.
From NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson:
We've seen these reports out of Poland and are working with the Polish government to gather more information. We cannot confirm the reports or any of the details at this time. We will determine what happened and what the appropriate next steps would be.
— Adrienne Watson (@NSC_Spox) November 15, 2022
Russia denies launching missiles at Polish-Ukrainian border
The Russian ministry of defence has denied that it has launched missiles at the border between Poland and Ukraine.
In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, it said the clams were “deliberate provocation to escalate the situation”.
They added: “Russian firepower has launched no strikes at the area between Ukrainian-Polish border.
“The wreckage published by Polish mass media from the scene in Przewodów have no relation to Russian firepower.”
Updated
Lithuania has joined other Nato countries in posting their support of Poland.
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda posted a message about the reported strike on Twitter, writing:
Concerning news from Poland tonight on at least two explosions.
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) November 15, 2022
Keeping a close contact with our Polish friends. Lithuania 🇱🇹 stands in strong solidarity with Poland 🇵🇱.
Every inch of #NATO territory must be defended!
Mariusz Gierszewski, the reporter for Poland’s ZET Radio who initially wrote that stray Russian rockets had hit Poland, tweeted an update saying that the remains of a shot-down rocket were probably what hit eastern Poland.
Gierszewski tweeted:
My sources in the services say that what hit Przewodowo is most likely the remains of a rocket shot down by the armed forces of Ukraine.
Moje źródła w służbach twierdzą, że to co uderzyło w Przewodowo to najprawdopodobniej szczątki rakiety zestrzelonej przez Siły Zbrojne Ukrainy.
— Mariusz Gierszewski (@MariuszGierszew) November 15, 2022
Updated
A senior White House official further remarked that there was uncertainty about what had happened amid reports of stray Russian missiles hitting Poland.
From NBC News’s Kelly O’Donnell:
NEW: On reports of stray rockets in Poland, a NATO country, a senior WH official tells me, "We can’t confirm reports…We need to figure out the ground truth...US officials are working hard now to try to figure out what happened. We just don’t know.”
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) November 15, 2022
Updated
Below is a map of where the reported strikes happened, hitting the Polish village of Przewodow on the country’s eastern side.
The US Pentagon said today that it could not confirm reports that two Russian missiles had crossed into Poland and killed two people, reports Reuters.
A Pentagon spokesperson, Patrick Ryder, gave the update during a news briefing on Tuesday:
We are aware of the press reports alleging that two Russian missiles have struck a location inside Poland near the Ukraine border.
I can tell you that we don’t have any information at this time to corroborate those reports and are looking into this further.
Updated
More on Russian missiles crossing into Poland, from the Guardian’s Lorenzo Tondo
Some analysts suggested the missiles’ intended target may have been Lviv.
According to media reports, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has also called for a defence council.
Moldova was also affected by Russia’s massive missile attack today, causing electricity disruption in the country.
Updated
Estonia is the latest European country to post about Russian missiles reportedly crossing into Nato member Poland.
Estonia’s foreign ministry posted a message of concern and solidarity on Twitter, writing:
Latest news from Poland is most concerning. We are consulting closely with Poland and other Allies. Estonia is ready to defend every inch of NATO territory. We’re in full solidarity with our close ally Poland 🇵🇱
— Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) November 15, 2022
Hungarian officials also announced that they will convene their defense council, government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs posted to Twitter:
In response to the stop in oil transfer through the Druzhba pipeline and the missile hitting territory of Poland, @PM_ViktorOrban has convened HU's Defense Council for 8 p.m.
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) November 15, 2022
The Latvian defence minister, Artis Pabriks, has posted on Twitter about Russian missiles reportedly crossing into Poland, writing:
My condolences to our Polish brothers in arms. Criminal Russian regime fired missiles which target not only Ukrainian civilians but also landed on NATO territory in Poland. Latvia fully stands with Polish friends and condemns this crime.
My condolences to our Polish brothers in arms. Criminal Russian regime fired missiles which target not only Ukrainian civilians but also landed on NATO territory in Poland. Latvia fully stands with Polish friends and condemns this crime.
— Artis Pabriks (@Pabriks) November 15, 2022
Updated
More on reports of two stray Russian missiles that hit a village in eastern Poland.
The Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has reportedly called an urgent meeting with a government committee on national security and defence matters, reports Reuters, citing a government spokesperson on Twitter.
The Associated Press further reported that a US intelligence official confirmed Russian missiles crossed into Poland, killing two people.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Updated
Summary of the day so far
It’s 9pm in Kyiv and Moscow. Here’s where we stand:
Russia has launched waves of missile strikes across Ukraine even as G20 leaders – including its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov – met in Bali. Ukraine’s authorities said it was another planned attack aimed at the country’s energy infrastructure facilities. Seven million homes have been left without power.
Ukraine’s public broadcaster reported that the strikes have targeted Kyiv, Kyiv region, Kharkiv city as well as Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, Cherkassy, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions. The strikes follow Russia’s retreat from Kherson and the west bank of the Dnipro River last week.
Russia fired “around 100 missiles” at cities across Ukraine, according to Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian air force command.
At least one person has died after three residential buildings in the capital, Kyiv, were hit, according to the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. He said the buildings were in Kyiv’s Pechersk district, a residential area just north of the presidential administration. Klitschko said medics and rescue workers were on their way to the scenes. Widespread power outages are reported across the country as a result of the attack.
The head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said the attack was a response to president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s address to the G20 on Tuesday. Zelenskiy called on the leaders to support Ukraine to end it on its terms – the primary being that Russian troops leave all of Ukraine, including the areas it occupied in 2014. Zelenskiy is calling for an international conference to “cement key element of the postwar security architecture” and prevent a recurrence of “Russian aggression”.
A senior US intelligence official said Russian missile attacks on Tuesday crossed into Nato member Poland, killing two people. Poland’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki has convened an urgent meeting of a committee for national security and defence affairs, the government spokesperson Piotr Müller said.
Moldova’s foreign minister, Nicu Popescu, said parts of the country were also suffering from power outages as a result of today’s Russian strikes on Ukraine. Officials said the strikes earlier today caused the automatic safety shutdown of systems that carry electricity supplies to Moldova.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has said that Zelenskiy’s statement that there will be no “Minsk-3” deal to end the fighting in Ukraine confirms that Kyiv is not interested in holding peace talks with Moscow.
In Bali, Lavrov told the media that “all the problems are on the Ukrainian side, which categorically refuses any negotiations and puts forward conditions that are obviously unrealistic and inadequate in this situation”.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskiy, responded to Lavrov’s remarks by blaming the continuation of the war on the Russian minister’s “public manipulation and unwillingness to stop murdering”.
Lavrov also told reporters at the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday that the United Nations had told him of written US and EU promises to remove obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertilisers to world markets. Lavrov said he had received undertakings on this from the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that both Russia and Ukraine have tortured prisoners of war during the nearly-nine-month conflict, citing examples including the use of electric shocks and forced nudity.
Matilda Bogner, head of the monitoring mission, told a Geneva press briefing that the “vast majority” of Ukrainian prisoners they interviewed held by Russian forces reported torture and ill-treatment. She gave examples of dog attacks, electric shocks with Tasers and military phones and sexual violence. On the Ukrainian side, Bogner reported “credible allegations” of summary executions of Russian prisoners among other abuses.
Germany will establish a maintenance hub in Slovakia to service and repair weapons it has delivered to Ukraine, the German defence minister, Christine Lambrecht, said.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has awarded the occupied cities of Melitopol and Mariupol the titles of “cities of military glory”. Both lie in areas of Ukraine that the Russian Federation has claimed to have annexed.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has criticised Ireland for, she claims, moving away from its traditional military neutrality, in actions being “cheered on by its British neighbour”.
The head of football’s world governing body, Fifa, issued a plea on Tuesday for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine for the duration of the World Cup. Gianni Infantino called for all sides to use the tournament as a “positive trigger” to work towards a resolution.
Updated
Two people have been killed in an explosion in Przewodów, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, according to local firefighters.
Reuters has cited Lukasz Kucy, an officer on duty at a nearby firefighters’ post, as saying:
Firefighters are on the spot, it’s not clear what has happened.
It was reported earlier that two stray missiles hit Przewodów, killing two people.
Updated
Two people killed after Russian missiles crossed into Poland, says US intelligence official
A senior US intelligence official said Russian missiles crossed into Nato member Poland, killing two people, reports the Associated Press.
Poland’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki has convened an urgent meeting of a committee for national security and defence affairs, the government spokesperson, Piotr Müller, said on Twitter.
Premier @MorawieckiM zwołał w trybie pilnym Komitet Rady Ministrów do spraw Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego i spraw Obronnych.
— Piotr Müller (@PiotrMuller) November 15, 2022
Müller did not mention what the committee was due to discuss but local media reported that the meeting may be related to a reported explosion on the Polish border with Ukraine.
Russia shelled cities and energy facilities across Ukraine on Tuesday, including Lviv, a city in the west of the country close to Poland.
Updated
Seven million homes have been left without power after Russian missile strikes hit cities across Ukraine earlier today.
Some 15 energy facilities were damaged as a result of the attacks, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office. He added:
Our power engineers are now doing everything to reconnect the power supply as soon as possible.
In Lyiv, in the west of the country, its mayor said 80% of the city was without power after it came under attack. The western Ternopil region said 90% of users were cut off.
The Dnipropetrovsk region’s military administration said an energy facility in Kryvyi Rih had been hit, creating a “complicated” situation for the grid.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said at least half of the city’s residents were without power.
Updated
Moldova suffers blackouts after Russian missile strikes across Ukraine
Moldova’s foreign minister, Nicu Popescu, said parts of the country were suffering from power outages as a result of today’s Russian strikes on Ukraine.
Writing on Twitter, Popescu said:
Every bomb falling on Ukraine is also affecting Moldova and our people. We call on Russia to stop the destruction now.
Parts of Moldova are experiencing power outages as a result of Russia's missiles hitting Ukrainian cities & vital infrastructure.
— Nicu Popescu (@nicupopescu) November 15, 2022
Every bomb falling on Ukraine is also affecting Moldova and our people.
We call on Russia to stop the destruction now.
Officials said the strikes earlier today caused the automatic safety shutdown of systems that carry electricity supplies to Moldova. Dozens of settlements were left without electricity as a result, they added.
In response, Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, said:
We strongly condemn this new attack, the largest since the beginning of the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine.
Updated
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has condemned Russia’s missile attacks and vowed to stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.
In a tweet, Blinken said Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, “demonstrated leadership again today by making clear he is prepared for diplomacy toward a just end to the war Russia started”.
The response from Moscow “was another wave of missiles”, he said, adding:
These attacks will not break Ukraine’s will – we will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
.@ZelenskyyUA demonstrated leadership again today by making clear he is prepared for diplomacy toward a just end to the war Russia started. Russia's response was another wave of missiles. These attacks will not break Ukraine’s will—we will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 15, 2022
Updated
Ukraine’s prime minister Denys Shmyal said Russia’s latest missile attacks have “shown their so-called willingness to negotiate”.
The russian terrorists have once again shown their so-called willingness to negotiate today. Another massive missile attack during #G20Summit. Residential buildings were hit. They are trying to destroy energy infrastructure. For russia, punishment for crimes will be inevitable.
— Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) November 15, 2022
Updated
China praises Russia’s ‘responsible’ attitude to nuclear war
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, has praised Russia’s “rational” and “responsible” attitude to nuclear war during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, at the G20 summit.
Wang was quoted by the state news agency Xinhua as saying:
China noticed that Russia has recently reaffirmed the established position that ‘a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought’, which shows Russia’s rational and responsible attitude.
The Chinese minister also said Beijing was pleased to see Moscow signal its willingness to engage in talks over Ukraine and agree to resume the Black Sea grain initiative, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
China was “willing to work with Russia to push forward their high-level exchanges and communication in various fields, deepen bilateral practical cooperation and facilitate personnel exchanges”, Wang was quoted as saying.
Updated
Ukrainian authorities have said the latest wave of Russian missile strikes was targeted at the country’s infrastructure facilities.
The energy situation across Ukraine has been left “critical” as a result of the strikes, according to the deputy head of the presidential administration, Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
Kyiv’s city state administration has said that the power blackouts mean that the country’s air raid sirens do not work, the FT’s Christopher Miller says.
One of the consequences of power blackouts caused by Russia’s missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure: Ukraine’s air raid sirens don’t work, as the Kyiv City State Administration points out. pic.twitter.com/lRIdaHukG8
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 15, 2022
The UK foreign secretary James Cleverly has said Russia’s latest missile attacks on Ukraine demonstrate President Vladimir Putin’s “weakness”.
The callous targeting of Ukrainian cities with more sickening missile attacks today shows only Putin’s weakness.
— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) November 15, 2022
Putin is losing on the battlefield and – as we saw today at the G20 – diplomatically too.
#PutinMustFail.
Ukraine is currently experiencing “major internet disruption”, with live metrics showing that national connectivity is at 67% of previous levels, according to the internet monitoring group Netblocks.
Most regions of the country have been affected by a countrywide power outage amid intense Russian missile attacks targeting critical infrastructure, the group said.
⚠️ Confirmed: #Ukraine is currently experiencing a major internet disruption; live metrics show national connectivity at 67% of previous levels; the incident comes amid reports of one of the most intense Russian missile attacks to date 📉
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) November 15, 2022
📰 Background: https://t.co/S0qJQ7CbNv pic.twitter.com/XE4w2o1Uzp
Updated
Kyiv authorities said four missiles were intercepted by air defences but those that passed through hit two multi-storey residential buildings in the Pechersk district.
Footage released by Ukraine showed the aftermath of the strike. The area is a few miles north of the presidential palace.
Germany has completed construction of its first floating terminal to receive liquefied natural gas (LNG) which its economy minister said would be vital to securing energy supplies to the country over the winter months.
Robert Habeck described the first of five planned floating terminals at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven as being “a central building block for the security of our energy supplies this coming winter” as Germany races to find alternatives to Russian pipeline gas which it had relied on for years until supplies were halted in conjunction with the invasion of Ukraine.
The government is working on introducing a total of five swimming LNG terminals to German ports, each with a capacity of at least five billion m3 per year. The terminal at Wilhelmshaven, and another at Brunsbüttel, are due to be operational at the turn of the year.
Germany used to receive nearly a third of its natural gas supplies via pipeline from Russia, before Moscow started reducing the flow following its invasion of Ukraine, in an apparent reaction to sanctions placed on it, and turned off supplies completely in late August.
My colleague Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv writes that authorities are asking residents to stay in shelters after another explosion was reported in the Ukrainian capital.
Another explosion in Kyiv! The 4th hit in the last two hours. Ukr air defense spox said 30 mins ago that 20 rockets were still in transit. Authorities calling on people to stay in the shelters. Electricity is out in half of Kyiv, 80% of Lviv, parts of Odesa, Mykolaiv, Dnipro.
— Isobel Koshiw (@IKoshiw) November 15, 2022
Updated
Here are some of the latest images from Kyiv following a wave of Russian missile attacks across the country.
Zelenskiy warns of Russian strikes but ‘we will survive’
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Ukrainians they could face more Russian missile strikes today, but said the country would survive.
In a video shared on Telegram, Zelenskiy said 85 missiles were launched against Ukraine on Tuesday and a further 20 were expected to hit the country.
He warned residents to stay in shelters, adding:
I know that the (missile) strikes turned off energy in many places … We are working, we will restore everything, we will survive.
Updated
The US “strongly condemns” the latest wave of Russian missile attacks against Ukraine, the White House has said.
In a statement, it said today’s attacks “will serve to only deepen the concerns among the G-20 about the destabilising impact of Putin’s war”.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said:
The United States and our allies and partners will continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself, including air defense systems. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Updated
Summary of the day so far
It’s 6pm in Kyiv and Moscow. Here’s where we stand:
Russia has launched waves of missile strikes across Ukraine even as G20 leaders – including its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov – met in Bali. Ukraine’s authorities said it was another planned attack aimed at the country’s energy infrastructure facilities.
Ukraine’s public broadcaster reported that the strikes have targeted Kyiv, Kyiv region, Kharkiv city as well as Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskiy, Lviv, Cherkassy, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions. The strikes follow Russia’s retreat from Kherson and the west bank of the Dnipro River last week.
Russia fired “around 100 missiles” at cities across Ukraine, according to Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian air force command.
At least one person has died after three residential buildings in the capital, Kyiv, were hit, according to the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. He said the buildings were in Kyiv’s Pechersk district, a residential area just north of the presidential administration. Klitschko said medics and rescue workers were on their way to the scenes. Widespread power outages are reported across the country as a result of the attack.
The head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said the attack was a response to president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s address to the G20 on Tuesday. Zelenskiy called on the leaders to support Ukraine to end it on its terms – the primary being that Russian troops leave all of Ukraine, including the areas it occupied in 2014. Zelenskiy is calling for an international conference to “cement key element of the postwar security architecture” and prevent a recurrence of “Russian aggression”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Zelenskiy’s statement that there will be no “Minsk-3” deal to end the fighting in Ukraine confirms that Kyiv is not interested in holding peace talks with Moscow.
In Bali, Lavrov told the media that “all the problems are on the Ukrainian side, which categorically refuses any negotiations and puts forward conditions that are obviously unrealistic and inadequate in this situation”.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskiy, responded to Lavrov’s remarks by blaming the continuation of the war on the Russian minister’s “public manipulation and unwillingness to stop murdering”.
Lavrov also told reporters at the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday that the United Nations had told him of written US and EU promises to remove obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertilisers to world markets. Lavrov said he had received undertakings on this from the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that both Russia and Ukraine have tortured prisoners of war during the nearly-nine-month conflict, citing examples including the use of electric shocks and forced nudity.
Matilda Bogner, head of the monitoring mission, told a Geneva press briefing that the “vast majority” of Ukrainian prisoners they interviewed held by Russian forces reported torture and ill-treatment. She gave examples of dog attacks, electric shocks with Tasers and military phones and sexual violence. On the Ukrainian side, Bogner reported “credible allegations” of summary executions of Russian prisoners among other abuses.
Germany will establish a maintenance hub in Slovakia to service and repair weapons it has delivered to Ukraine, German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has awarded the occupied cities of Melitopol and Mariupol the titles of “cities of military glory”. Both lie in areas of Ukraine that the Russian Federation has claimed to have annexed.
Russian’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has criticised Ireland for, she claims, moving away from its traditional military neutrality, in moves being “cheered on by its British neighbour”.
The head of football’s world governing body, Fifa, issued a plea on Tuesday for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine for the duration of the World Cup. Gianni Infantino called for all sides to use the tournament as a “positive trigger” to work towards a resolution.
Updated
Another explosion heard in Kyiv
Another explosion has been heard in Kyiv in the last few minutes.
New explosion in Kyiv city https://t.co/vvjWzEtapH via @olehbatkovych #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/A2zzE7fCto
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) November 15, 2022
Updated
Russia fired around 100 missiles across Ukraine – air force spokesperson
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian air force said Russia fired around 100 missiles in a countrywide strike.
The official said the strikes were aimed at critical infrastructure facilities, but residential buildings were also hit.
Updated
The Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra, who is in Kyiv today, said the latest series of Russian missile attacks across Ukraine were a “great motivator to stand shoulder to shoulder” with Kyiv.
Good to meet my dear colleague and friend @DmytroKuleba in Kyiv today. The resilience, determination, and courage of Dmytro and his fellow Ukrainians are deeply impressive and inspiring. I underlined our strong and sustained commitment to #Ukraine. #StandWithUkraine 1/3 🇺🇦🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/nkIuBKIqtO
— Wopke Hoekstra (@WBHoekstra) November 15, 2022
Speaking from an air raid shelter, Hoekstra said the shelling showed Russia was prepared to use “criminal means” in its war with Ukraine. He added:
There can only be one answer to that: that is continue, continue to support Ukraine, continue to send weapons, continue to humanitarian aid. As the Netherlands, we will do that, together with other countries.
The Dutch Foreign Minister, sheltering from a missile attack on Kyiv, told CNN that it was important to pay attention to “what Russia does, not what it says.”
— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) November 15, 2022
“If anything, this is only an enormous motivator to stay standing shoulder to shoulder," he said of the latest onslaught pic.twitter.com/MSBnFY7BvN
Updated
The Kyiv Independent’s Illia Ponomarenko has posted some pictures of a Kyiv subway station as air raid sirens are heard across the capital.
Air raid alert time.
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) November 15, 2022
The vibes of 1940s London in Kyiv subway. pic.twitter.com/c2mvPgO7J9
The energy situation in Ukraine is “critical” following a wave of attacks that damaged energy infrastructure, the deputy head of the president’s office said.
The national grid operator, Ukrenergo, said the worst damage was in northern and central regions and that emergency power outages for “all categories of consumers” had been introduced in those areas. It also announced special emergency outages in Kyiv.
A statement from Ukrenergo on Telegram said:
The (Russians) are again trying to turn off the lights in the country. Energy infrastructure facilities have been damaged during a new large-scale missile attack. The attack is still ongoing, we cannot yet determine the full extent of the damage, there is “incoming” to our infrastructure in all regions of the country, but the most difficult situation is in the northern and central regions. In this regard, emergency shutdowns of all categories of consumers have been introduced there in full. In the city of Kyiv, special emergency shutdown schedules have been introduced. Please stay in the shelter and thank you for your understanding. Please share this information with those who do not use social media!
At least one person killed in missile attack in Kyiv, says mayor
At least one person has died as a result of a Russian missile attack on a residential building in Kyiv, according to the city’s military administration.
This is from the Ukrainian culture ministry’s centre for strategic communication:
A body has been found in the debris in Pecherskyi district of Kyiv where Russians hit a residential building earlier today. First responders continue working on site.
— Stratcom Centre UA (@StratcomCentre) November 15, 2022
Updated
While Russian missiles have struck energy infrastructure across Ukraine today, the RIA Novosti news agency reports that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has awarded the titles “cities of military glory” to two of the cities that Russia continues to occupy. RIA states:
Melitopol and Mariupol were awarded the titles of cities of military glory, the corresponding decrees were signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The documents contain an identical wording – “for the courage, steadfastness and mass heroism shown by the defenders of the city in the struggle for the freedom and independence of the fatherland.”
Melitopol and Mariupol both lie in occupied areas that the Russian Federation has claimed to annex. Last week, Russia was forced to withdraw from the city of Kherson, the only regional capital that the nine-month Russian military campaign had so far managed to capture.
Updated
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has posted to Twitter a response to today’s attacks by Russia, which have taken place even as Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has been attending the G20 summit in Bali and portraying Ukraine as an obstacle to peace. [See 12.06 GMT]
Kuleba says:
Russian missiles are killing people and ruining infrastructure across Ukraine right now. This is what Russia has to say on the issue of peace talks. Stop proposing Ukraine to accept Russian ultimatums! This terror can only be stopped with the strength of our weapons and principles.
Russian missiles are killing people and ruining infrastructure across Ukraine right now. This is what Russia has to say on the issue of peace talks. Stop proposing Ukraine to accept Russian ultimatums! This terror can only be stopped with the strength of our weapons & principles.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) November 15, 2022
Updated
My colleague Isobel Koshiw is one of those left without power following the attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure today by Russia.
Lights out where we are in Mykolaiv region after a mass strike across Ukraine. https://t.co/qmj8Acyk9v
— Isobel Koshiw (@IKoshiw) November 15, 2022
At least half of Kyiv is without electricity, according to the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. He has posted to Telegram to say:
Due to a massive missile attack, on the order of the national electric power company Ukrenergo, the energy industry started emergency power outages throughout Ukraine. In particular, in the capital. This is a necessary step to balance the power system and avoid equipment accidents. Schedules of stabilisation shutdowns are currently not in effect! In the capital, at least half of the customers are without electricity.
Updated
Russian’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has criticised Ireland for, she claims, moving away from its traditional military neutrality, in moves being “cheered on by its British neighbour.”.
In a statement published by Russia’s foreign ministry, Zakharova says:
We have noted the heated debate in Ireland regarding the country’s military neutrality in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. Notably, the opposition is criticising the government for its decision to involve Ireland in the European Union’s combat training mission to train service personnel for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This initiative was called another official step to draw Dublin into EU and subsequently Nato military activity that in the long run would completely demolish the idea of Ireland’s traditional military neutrality.
We have to state that the right-centrist coalition now ruling Ireland is moving to virtually erode a constitutional ban on involving the state in military conflicts. Ireland’s seemingly illogical desire to destroy its state pillars is actually part of Washington and London’s efforts to consolidate the Western bloc along military lines. After Finland and Sweden join Nato, only a few countries, including Ireland, would remain outside the alliance.
Zakharova went on to accuse Ireland of destroying “bilateral political, economic and cultural ties” and “hampering the normal operation of the Russian embassy in Dublin”.
Updated
Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, governor of Sumy, has posted to Telegram to say that emergency electricity shutdowns have been introduced into the region as a result of “enemy attacks in Sumy and the region”.
Ukraine’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, has described today’s Russian strikes as Russia “spitting in the face” of fellow attendees at the G20.
On Wednesday Security Council will held a meeting on maintenance of security of Ukraine amid Russia firing missiles at targets in Ukraine on Tuesday with at least 2 striking residential buildings in downtown Kyïv. Russia spits in the face of participants of G-19 summit. Surprise? pic.twitter.com/u7US28GRTY
— Sergiy Kyslytsya (@SergiyKyslytsya) November 15, 2022
The British ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, has tweeted: “As night follows day, Russia follows up humiliating withdrawal from Kherson with missile strikes on energy infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere. The British are waiting it out alongside Ukrainian residents.”
As night follows day, 🇷🇺 follows up humiliating withdrawal from Kherson with missile strikes on energy infrastructure in #Kyiv and elsewhere. 🇬🇧waiting it out alongside 🇺🇦 residents.
— Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) November 15, 2022
Updated
'Critical energy infrastructure' hit in Lviv causing electricity and mobile signal outage
There are also power supply problems in the Lviv region following a Russian strike. Maksym Kozytskyi, governor of Lviv, has updated residents to say:
The enemy struck a critical energy infrastructure facility in the Lviv region. In Lviv, there are problems with electricity supply, interruptions in the work of mobile operators. Stay in shelters! The danger still continues.
Updated
Power issues in Kharkiv after 'critical infrastructure' hit by Russian strike – mayor
Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, has posted to Telegram to say that a critical infrastructure facility has been hit by a Russian strike. He writes:
Arrivals at a critical infrastructure facility. There is no information about the victims at the moment. Due to damage to the facility, there are problems with power supply. Stopped ground electric transport, metro. Power engineers and public utilities are doing everything to normalise the life of Kharkiv as soon as possible.
The news comes as Russia has launched a wave of attacks across Ukraine, with explosions reported in Lviv, and firefighters on the scene in Kyiv where residential buildings have been hit.
Ukraine’s presidential aide Andriy Yermak described the attacks as a direct response to president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s video address to the G20.
Russia responds to @ZelenskyyUa's powerful speech at #G20 with a new missile attack. Does anyone seriously think that the Kremlin really wants peace? It wants obedience. But at the end of the day, terrorists always lose.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) November 15, 2022
The attacks come as Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, attends the G20 summit in Bali, where earlier he told the media that “all the problems are on the Ukrainian side, which categorically refuses any negotiations and puts forward conditions that are obviously unrealistic and inadequate in this situation”.
Updated
Here is another image we have been sent over the newswires of firefighters working in Kyiv in the aftermath of a Russian attack that struck a residential area.
The US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A Brink has described the series of attacks launched today by Russia on Ukraine as “another round of cruel attacks”.
She has tweeted to say she is thinking of “colleagues, neighbours, and friends here in Kyiv and across Ukraine. We will continue to stand with Ukrainians who have stayed strong in the face of Russia’s needless onslaught for months – and with those fighting to defend Ukraine.”
Updated
Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, has also posted to Telegram, saying “Explosions are heard in Lviv. Everyone stay in shelters!”
Oleh Synyehubov, the governor of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, has posted a short update to Telegram to say: “The occupiers strike Kharkiv! Stay in shelters.”
Updated
The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has posted to Telegram to confirm “Another hit in the Pechersk district. Multi-storey building.”
Another explosion has been reported in Kyiv, NBC News’ Molly Hunter writes.
Another explosion just heard in #Kyiv. Just before 4pm local.
— Molly Hunter (@mollymhunter) November 15, 2022
Russia launched yet another mass strike across Ukraine on Tuesday. Ukraine’s public broadcaster said the strikes targeted Kyiv, Kyiv region, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipro and Chernihiv.
At least two residential buildings in the capital, Kyiv, were hit, according to the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. He said the buildings were in Kyiv’s Pechersk district, a residential area just north of the presidential administration. Kyiv city council stated that a total of four rockets were intercepted by air defence.
The city of Kryvyi Rih, Poltava and Cherkassy regions have been hit, according to their respective city and regional heads.
Air defence systems are working to shoot down incoming missiles in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia as well as Poltava, according to their regional heads.
Updated
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, has posted a video reportedly showing an apartment building on fire after explosions were reported in Kyiv.
This video published by Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko shows an apartment building on fire following a Russian missile attack on central Kyiv.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 15, 2022
According to the official, Russia hit 2 residential buildings on Nov. 14. Rescue operation is underway. pic.twitter.com/uJ0VLmTDXQ
Two residential buildings hit in Kyiv’s Pechersk district, says mayor
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, wrote on Telegram that two residential buildings had been hit in the Pechersk district of the capital, a residential area north of the presidential administration.
“Several missiles were shot down by air defence over Kyiv. Medics and rescuers at the scene of the hits,” added Klitschko.
Kyivians reported on Twitter hearing fire engines rushing to the scene.
Пожежні машини поїхали зі спецсигналами
— Oleh Novikov 🇺🇦 (@olehbatkovych) November 15, 2022
Updated
Two residential buildings have been hit with Russian missiles in Kyiv’s Pechersk district, according to the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In a statement, Klitschko said:
Attack on the capital. According to preliminary information, two residential buildings were hit in the Pechersk district. Several missiles were shot down by air defence over Kyiv. Medics and rescuers at the scene of the hits.
The city’s military administration reports that four rockets were shot down, according to the Ukrainian minister of internal affairs, Anton Gerashchenko.
Two explosions in Kyiv.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 15, 2022
By preliminary information, 4 rockets were shot down, - Kyiv Military Administration pic.twitter.com/Y3afm9hw5T
Updated
Smoke seen rising over Kyiv after explosions reported
At least two explosions were heard and smoke could be seen rising over Kyiv, according to a Reuters correspondent in the Ukrainian capital.
The explosions followed air raid sirens across the country hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy delivered his G20 summit video address.
The cause of the explosions is unclear but Andriy Yermak, chief of the presidential staff, tweeted that Moscow had responded to Zelenskiy’s speech “with a new missile attack”.
Russia responds to @ZelenskyyUa's powerful speech at #G20 with a new missile attack. Does anyone seriously think that the Kremlin really wants peace? It wants obedience. But at the end of the day, terrorists always lose.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) November 15, 2022
The Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Post also said the city had been struck by Russian forces.
⚡️Russia has struck central Kyiv
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) November 15, 2022
Updated
Explosions heard in Kyiv - reports
A series of explosions have been heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, according to reports.
This is from Christopher Miller of the Financial Times:
I just heard two explosions from central Kyiv. Sounded like air defense. Visibility limited because of the cloud cover. https://t.co/4nb3bfHaSh
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 15, 2022
And from the Kyiv Independent:
⚡️⚡️ Sound of explosions reported in Kyiv.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 15, 2022
Updated
Over the last week, several media reports have claimed that the west may be trying to pressure Ukraine into ceding territory in exchange for a ceasefire.
Some of Ukraine’s western allies are reportedly worried about the economic consequences of a protracted war. Italy’s La Repubblica reported that some Nato allies envisaged talks beginning after Ukraine recaptured Kherson. On Friday, Ukraine announced Russian forces had fled the right bank of Kherson, but they still occupy the left side.
In response, President Zelenskiy and his aides adamantly ruled out talks, saying that first Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and the country’s international borders are re-established.
Speaking to the G20 summit, Zelenskiy said there would be no Minsk-3, referring to the failed peace accords Ukraine signed under pressure in 2015. The ceasefire was never adhered to by either side and the political points of the agreement would have given Russia’s proxies in eastern Ukraine a right to vote over Ukrainian legislation, if implemented.
The latest public pushback of the allies pressure to conclude the war in the near future has come from Ukraine’s army chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
On Monday, in a phone call with his US counterpart, Gen Mark Milley, Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine’s military would not accept a compromise solution to the war.
I have assured (Milley) that we will fight until we have no strength. Our objective is to liberate the whole Ukrainian land from Russian occupation. We will not stop on this path under any circumstances. Ukrainian soldiers will accept no negotiations, agreements or compromise solutions. The only term for negotiation: Russia must leave all the occupied territories.
Zaluzhnyi further informed Milley of Ukraine’s efforts to defend its northern border with Belarus. In this last month, satellites have detected a build-up of Russian forces and equipment in Belarus.
Zaluzhnyi said that despite facing “tremendous” resistance from Russian troops, Ukraine’s forces were pushing to retake the final slither of occupied Kharkiv region.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s forces were defending against a four-pronged offensive in Donetsk region and consolidating their recent advances in Kherson by building defences.
Updated
A western official warned that fighting in Ukraine was likely to descend into a grind throughout 2023 following Russia’s retreat from Kherson in which neither side is able to achieve a military breakthrough.
The gloomy assessment - if proved accurate - would ultimately favour Russia because it occupies a large swathe of Ukrainian territory and comes amid warnings of ammunition shortages on both sides and the impending onset of winter.
The western official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
If we take a big picture overall as we go into 2023, we are still expecting the grind. We are still expecting it to be largely static, and we still expect neither side to particularly win or lose, and really that extends all the way through 2023.
The official also stressed that any predictions about the future course of the war remain difficult to make, not least because of the offensive creativity of the Ukrainian forces. “The Ukrainians continue to surprise us,” they added, a reference to autumn successes near Kharkiv and most recently in Kherson.
Munitions supply is deemed to be a significant limiting factor for both sides, who are now deemed to be engaged in a race to rebuild stockpiles ahead of next spring. Ukrainian estimates that Russia has reduced its stock of Iskander cruise missiles to around 120 from around 900 pre-war, are thought to be accurate, officials indicated.
Russia successfully evacuated around 20,000 from the Kherson pocket in the period running up to the formal withdrawal announcement last week, and the west believes very few were left behind. Unlike previous withdrawals from Kyiv in April and near Kharkiv in September, it was relatively well organised and the number of abandoned vehicles was “in the tens not the hundreds”.
The official said they believed it will be very difficult for Ukraine to cross the Dnipro en masse - despite reports of raids across the river - where the Russians have built what were described as relatively old-fashioned but effective fortifications.
Meanwhile, they were monitoring whether Russia would try to move several thousand troops from Kherson to the Donbas and whether “Russia will be able to generate an offensive striking force in the Donbas region”. Russian attacks have been halted for months by well organised Ukrainian defences.
Macron: China 'calls for respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity'
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed “deep concern” over Russia’s choice to continue its war in Ukraine, the French presidency said after a meeting between Macron and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
In a statement, Macron’s office added:
The consequences of this conflict go beyond Europe’s borders and should be overcome with close cooperation between France and China.
Macron and Xi agreed it was urgent to de-escalate the conflict and reaffirmed their position on preventing the use of nuclear weapons, the French presidency added.
Macron tweeted that he and Xi both “call for respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”.
President Xi Jinping and I call for respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The consequences of this conflict stretch beyond Europe’s frontiers, and it is through close coordination between France and China that they will be overcome.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 15, 2022
However, Beijing’s readout of the pair’s meeting made no mention of Ukraine until the final paragraph, which said:
President Xi made the point that China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is clear and consistent; China stands for ceasefire, cessation of the conflict and peace talks.
Updated
We are in Posad-Pokrovske, a frontline village in the Kherson region.
Russian and Ukrainian forces took and retook control of this village at least seven times. As a result, Posad-Pokrovske was razed to the ground.
Russia may have delayed announcing its withdrawal from Kherson in part to avoid giving President Joe Biden a political win ahead of the US midterm elections last week, according to a report.
The US has intelligence that senior Russian officials discussed the US midterm elections as a factor during deliberations about the withdrawal announcement, one source told CNN.
The intelligence signals Russia has a continued interest in influencing the US political landscape, and comes after President Biden suggested the timing of Moscow’s withdrawal announcement was more than just coincidence.
At a press conference last Wednesday, Biden said:
I find it interesting they waited until after the election to make that judgment, which we knew for some time they were going to be doing, and it’s evidence of the fact that they have some real problems – the Russian military.
Updated
Russian-installed civil servants in Nova Kakhovka, the second-largest city in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, have left due to intensified shelling, according to officials.
The city’s Russian-installed administration said:
Employees of the Nova Kakhovka city state administration and state and municipal institutions also left the city and were relocated to safe areas in the region.
Lavrov: Ukraine’s terms for restarting talks with Russia ‘unrealistic’
Here’s more detail from Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s comments to reporters at the G20 summit earlier, where he said Ukraine’s conditions for restarting talks with Moscow were “unrealistic”.
Lavrov said:
All problems are with the Ukrainian side, which is categorically refusing negotiations and putting forward conditions that are obviously unrealistic.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has ruled out peace negotiations with Moscow as long as Vladimir Putin remains in power, after the Russian leader proclaimed the annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September.
Lavrov said western countries are “well aware that this process is hindered by Ukraine, which, including through laws, by Zelenskiy’s decree, bans negotiations with the Russian Federation”, adding:
We want to see concrete evidence that the west is seriously interested in disciplining Zelenskiy and explaining to him that this cannot continue, that this is not in the interests of the Ukrainian people.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelenskiy, responded to Lavrov’s remarks by blaming the continuation of the war on the Russian minister’s “public manipulation and unwillingness to stop murdering”.
Reminding to Mr.Lavrov: RF is the one who invaded 🇺🇦. RF shells our cities. RF commits genocide destroying energy infrastructure. But "Ukraine is dragging out the conflict"? War still continues only because of Lavrov's public manipulation and unwillingness to stop murdering.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) November 15, 2022
Speaking at the G20 summit, Lavrov also accused western leaders of trying to “politicise” a joint declaration, a draft of which states that “most” members strongly condemn the war in Ukraine. He said:
Our Western colleagues tried in every way to make that declaration politicised and tried to push through language that implied condemning the actions of the Russian Federation on behalf of the entire G20, which includes us.
Updated
Asked about reports that G20 leaders could agree to a draft communique rejecting the era of war and condemning the use of nuclear weapons, a spokesperson for Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, replied:
Obviously we want any communique, should it be agreed, to be as strong as possible, recognising that the G20 is a different forum to the G7 and that it’s largely focused on economic issues. But I wouldn’t comment as inevitably there’s more speculation about what may or may not be in it.
Asked if Sunak has become more confident that a statement will be agreed, they said:
I’m not going to put a prediction on the communique. What’s important is what actions come out of this. Continued support for Ukraine from a wide variety of countries.
Updated
Reports of Ukrainian forces retaking eastern bank of Kherson
Rumours have been circulating on Telegram channels that Ukrainian forces have retaken settlements on the eastern bank of Kherson region, after pushing Russian forces from the west bank on Friday. Kherson region is divided by the River Dnipro.
These rumours about a new stage in the Ukrainian offensive come in addition to a statement on Saturday by Ukraine’s southern command that combat activities were ongoing to retake the Kinburn peninsula, which sits just south of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in the Black Sea.
But news about an offensive on those fronts was absent from the morning update from Ukraine’s general staff. Ukraine’s authorities often delay confirming a successful battle or operation until a day or two after its completion. They have also urged people to refrain from divulging the details of active battles or Ukrainian military plans so as not to give Russia a tactical advantage.
The head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, played to the rumours that the Kinburn peninsula had been freed by posting cryptic emojis on his Telegram. The message including a wave emoji followed by a beach emoji and then the equals sign followed by a flexed muscle. Yermak has become known for his emoji messages. Later on Monday, he posted the word “patience”.
The southern command’s Monday evening report stated that Russia had tried to attack the Ukrainian mainland town of Ochakiv from the Kinburn peninsula and that the Ukrainian forces had destroyed a large Russian ammunition stockpile in Oleshky, the town on the left bank that was rumoured to have been retaken.
The spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern command, Natalia Humeniuk, said on Ukrainian United News on Tuesday that the south continued to be an area of ongoing battles so “we are keeping quiet about it now”.
However, speaking to Espresso TV, also on Tuesday, she said Russian forces had retreated from their defensive positions along the left side of the riverbank by 15-20km in order to avoid being shelled by the Ukrainians.
“We do not stand still and (we) employ counter-battery fire, said Humeniuk, which includes multiple rocket laughers, artillery and mortars. “In connection with this … enemy troops on the left bank of the Dnipro (are) moving 15-20 km back from the shore.”
Updated
The head of football’s world governing body, Fifa, issued a plea on Tuesday for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine for the duration of the World Cup, calling for all sides to use the tournament as a “positive trigger” to work towards a resolution.
Gianni Infantino, speaking during a lunch with leaders of the G20 major economies on the Indonesian island of Bali, said the month-long World Cup, which starts in Qatar on Sunday, offered a unique platform for peace. Fifa’s president said:
My plea to all of you, to think on a temporary ceasefire for one month for the duration of the World Cup, or at least the implementation of some humanitarian corridors or anything that could lead to the resumption of dialogue as a first step to peace.
You’re the world leaders, you have the ability to influence the course of history. Football and the World Cup are offering you and the world a unique platform of unity and peace all over the world.
Russia reached the quarter-finals of the last World Cup in 2018, which it hosted, but has been barred from this tournament over its invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine came close to qualifying for Qatar but lost out to Wales in a deciding playoff in June.
Infantino noted that Russia hosted the 2018 edition and Ukraine is bidding to hold the 2030 contest, and as many as 5.5 billion people are expected to watch this year’s event, which could give a message of hope. He said:
Maybe the current World Cup, starting in five days, can be that positive trigger.
Summary of the day so far …
In his address to world leaders gathered for the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy outlined a series of conditions needed to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking virtually from Ukraine, he said Russia must reaffirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine, withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory and pay compensation for damage caused. Zelenskiy is calling for an international conference to “cement key element of the postwar security architecture” and prevent a recurrence of “Russian aggression”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Zelenskiy’s statement that there will be no “Minsk-3” deal to end the fighting in Ukraine confirms that Kyiv is not interested in holding peace talks with Moscow.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that both Russia and Ukraine have tortured prisoners of war during the nearly-nine-month conflict, citing examples including the use of electric shocks and forced nudity.
Matilda Bogner, head of the monitoring mission, told a Geneva press briefing that the “vast majority” of Ukrainian prisoners they interviewed held by Russian forces reported torture and ill-treatment. She gave examples of dog attacks, electric shocks with Tasers and military phones and sexual violence. On the Ukrainian side, Bogner reported “credible allegations” of summary executions of Russian prisoners among other abuses.
There are encouraging signs at the G20 meeting in Bali for a consensus that Russia’s war against Ukraine is not acceptable and that nuclear weapons must not be used, German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said. “This is a consensus that is gaining ground here,” he told the media.
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, told reporters at the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday that the United Nations had told him of written US and EU promises to remove obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertilisers to world markets. Lavrov said he had received undertakings on this from the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has urged a return to diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine war, reiterating the south Asian nation’s call for peace in the ongoing conflict. “I have repeatedly said that we have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the G20 summit.
Germany will establish a maintenance hub in Slovakia to service and repair weapons it has delivered to Ukraine, German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it was working to ascertain details about the death of Zambian student on the frontline in Ukraine. Zambia on Monday asked Russia to explain how one of its citizens who had been serving a prison sentence in Moscow had ended up on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Zelenskiy has said Russian troops have “destroyed absolutely all critical infrastructure” in Kherson. “There is no electricity, no communication, no internet, no television … Russian occupiers destroyed absolutely all critical infrastructure for the people,” he said in his Monday evening address. Ukrainian national energy company Ukrenergo said Russia also destroyed key energy infrastructure in the region. “The energy facility that provided power supply to the entire right bank of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Mykolaiv region, is practically destroyed,” Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said.
That is it from me, Martin Belam, for now. I will hand you over to Léonie Chao-Fong, and I will be back later on.
Updated
Reuters is carrying some additional details on the allegation that both Ukrainian and Russian forces have mistreated prisoners of war during the conflict.
Matilda Bogner, head of the UN’s OHCHR monitoring mission, told a Geneva press briefing that the “vast majority” of Ukrainian prisoners they interviewed held by Russian forces reported torture and ill-treatment.
She gave examples of dog attacks, electric shocks with Tasers and military phones and sexual violence.
She said the treatment was aimed at intimidating and humiliating them. One man in a penal colony near Olenivka told the team that members of Russian-affiliated armed groups “attached wires to my genitalia and nose and shocked me. They simply had fun and were not interested in my replies to their questions.”
On the Ukrainian side, Bogner reported “credible allegations” of summary executions of Russian prisoners among other abuses.
Other Russian prisoners reported poor and humiliating conditions of transport and of being packed into trucks or vans naked, with their hands tied behind their backs. The UN team said it had also documented cases of so-called “welcome beatings” at a penal colony.
There are encouraging signs at the G20 meeting in Bali for a consensus that Russia’s war against Ukraine is not acceptable and that nuclear weapons must not be used, German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.
“This is a consensus that is gaining ground here,” Reuters reports he told the media in Bali.
Asked about a conversation with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, Scholz said: “He stood near me and said a couple of sentences, that was the conversation.”
Scholz also said he would continue to talk to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, to find solutions to end the war against Ukraine.
Updated
UN human rights office: both Russia and Ukraine have tortured prisoners of war
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that both Russia and Ukraine have tortured prisoners of war during the nearly-nine-month conflict, citing examples including the use of electric shocks and forced nudity.
Reuters reports the UN Ukraine-based monitoring team based its findings on interviews with more than 100 prisoners of war on each side of the conflict. The interviews with Ukrainian prisoners of war were conducted after their release, since Russia did not grant access to detention sites, it said.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on 24 February, denies torture or other forms of maltreatment of PoWs. Kyiv has previously said it checks all information regarding the treatment of PoWs and will investigate any violations and take appropriate legal action.
The OHCHR has also issued updated civilian casualty figures for the war in a bulletin updated on Monday. It put the figure for civilian casualties at 6,557 killed and 10,074 injured. The bulletin adds:
Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, including shelling from heavy artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, missiles and airstrikes. OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration.
Updated
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, told reporters at the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday that the United Nations had told him of written US and EU promises to remove obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertilisers to world markets.
Lavrov said he had received undertakings on this from the UN secretary general, António Guterres, Reuters reports.
Russian grains and fertilisers are not directly targeted by western sanctions, but Moscow has complained for months that they are effectively restricted because the sanctions limit access to ports, finance and insurance.
Updated
Oleksandr Syenkevych, the mayor of Mykolaiv, has reported on Telegram that there is an air raid alert in place in the city.
Updated
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, is giving a press briefing at the G20 summit in Bali. We will bring you fuller quotes in due course, but so far he has accused the west of trying to politicise the traditional joint message at the end of the summit by mentioning Ukraine. He also said that he had discussed Ukraine with German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron, that the hybrid war in Ukraine had been started by the west, and that Ukraine was prolonging the conflict.
Updated
Here is the video clip of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling via video link at the G20 for a “just” end to Russia’s invasion. Zelenskiy said Kyiv should not be pushed to compromise on its sovereignty or territorial integrity. “Ukraine’s control over all sections of our state border with Russia must be restored. This will result in a real and complete cessation of hostilities,” he said.
Updated
Russia’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it was working to ascertain details about the death of Zambian student on the frontline in Ukraine, Reuters report, citing the Tass news agency.
Zambia on Monday asked Russia to explain how one of its citizens who had been serving a prison sentence in Moscow had ended up on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Germany will establish a maintenance hub in Slovakia to service and repair weapons it has delivered to Ukraine, German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said.
“We have reached agreement, and work can start immediately so that all the equipment which has been supplied [to Kyiv] can be repaired after coming out of battle,” Reuters reports she told the media as she arrived for a meeting with her EU counterparts in Brussels.
Berlin is planning to train 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany as part of an EU training mission by June, she added.
Updated
The Guardian’s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour reports from Bali:
If Sergei Lavrov, the 72-year-old whiskey-drinking Russian foreign minister, had indeed suffered a heart flutter soon after stepping off the plane in Bali it would have been understandable for a man who has been cast by his leader as his stand-in punchbag at the summit.
Viewing the forces arrayed against him at the G20, President Vladimir Putin deputed Lavrov to attend the two-day event in his stead, and for a brief moment it appeared to have been too much. News agencies reported Lavrov had been sent to hospital for a check-up, only for the Russian foreign ministry to rush out a picture of Lavrov in shorts and sporting an Apple watch and Jean-Michel Basquiat-inspired T-shirt thumbing his notes for his first address at the summit on Tuesday.
The Russian foreign ministry had a field day denouncing what it called western propaganda as a high-level lie.
Oddly, if Lavrov has succumbed to genuine ill-health, it would have been a moment of genuine regret for some western diplomats, who over two decades have become inured to this fixture of Russian diplomacy.
“He is a rogue,” said one western diplomat, “but we all know his outbursts are stage-managed, and calculated. It’s all smiles afterwards. He is a professional.”
With a glamorous step-daughter Polina, his career in service of the Russian state has been well spent and rewarded.
Read more of Patrick Wintour’s profile here: Sergei Lavrov, a fixture of Russian diplomacy facing his toughest test in Ukraine
Bilateral meetings continue as part of the G20 summit in Bali. Reuters reports that Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, met the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova posted a photo of the pair seated at a table in Bali with Russian and UN flags, but the ministry provided no details of what the pair discussed.
In a separate development, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the president of Turkey, has met his US counterpart, Joe Biden.
Updated
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has urged a return to diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine war, reiterating the south Asian nation’s call for peace in the ongoing conflict.
Reuters reports India has not condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, but Modi told the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in September that “today’s era is not an era of war”.
“I have repeatedly said that we have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
“The need of the hour is to show concrete and collective resolve to ensure peace, harmony and security in the world.”
Updated
Reuters is reporting a French read-out from the meeting between France’s president Emmanuel Macron and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping which states that they reaffirmed their firm position on preventing the use of nuclear arms in the war in Ukraine.
Yesterday the White House issued a similar read-out mentioning nuclear weapons after Joe Biden met the Chinese president, however the communiqué from the Chinese side did not mention them.
Maksym Kozytskyi, governor of Lviv, reports an improved situation in his western region of Ukraine, saying that there were no air alerts overnight, and that there are no power outages scheduled for today.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s statement that there will be no “Minsk-3” deal to end the fighting in Ukraine confirms that Kyiv is not interested in holding peace talks with Moscow, Reuters reports, citing the RIA Novosti news agency. [See 6.30 GMT]
Russia commenced its latest invasion of Ukraine in February this year, and in September claimed to have annexed four regions of Ukraine into the Russian Federation.
Updated
Tobias Ellwood, who is a Conservative MP and chair of the defence select committee in the UK’s parliament, has been interviewed by Sky News during his visit to Odesa. He told viewers in the UK it was a worry that the west’s commitment to Ukraine might drain away. He said:
We don’t have good form on this. If you look at all the places that we’ve been to, to try and provide a force for good, from Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and so forth, we’ve actually given up and gone home leaving problems there. We must not do the same here.
He said it was important “we don’t give up now, that we don’t sign a deal, that we don’t step back, but we’re able to flush Russia completely out of Ukraine”.
He was critical of Russia’s message at the G20, saying:
Lavrov is just going to give us the lines that Putin has been spouting, to say that this is nobody else’s business. It is our business, because the grain ships behind me are not moving as they should do. Security in eastern Europe is everybody’s security. If we don’t flush Russia out of Ukraine now, how can the Ukrainian economy move forward? How can the sovereign identity of Ukraine exist?
Ellwood also said that while the victory in Kherson was welcome, the west needed to continue to prepare for what came next. He said:
Kherson is massively humiliating for Putin. They’ve had to withdraw across the Dnipro River. But Russia still has control of land the size of Portugal in Ukraine. So this is far from over. Jens Stoltenberg is absolutely right to encourage Nato members to continue providing individual bilateral support – as Britain is doing – because munitions and so forth, weapon systems, they need to keep going.
Updated
The Ukrainian presidential adviser, Anton Gerashchenko, has published a photo purportedly from the recently liberated city of Kherson to illustrate the lack of power in the region.
“Kherson. Six days without electricity. People charge their phones on the main square from a generator brought by a volunteer,” he tweeted.
Instead of a thousand words.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 15, 2022
Kherson. Six days without electricity. People charge their phones on the main square from a generator brought by a volunteer.
📷: Kostiantyn Sova pic.twitter.com/BrM0L1oH1Q
Updated
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, held a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali on Tuesday, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.
The meeting between the pair comes amid increasing tensions between Ukraine, its western allies and what some view as a growing allegiance between Russia and China.
🇷🇺🇨🇳 #Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov and Foreign Minister of #China Wang Yi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #G20 Summit.#RussiaChina pic.twitter.com/jTDm02xMHQ
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) November 15, 2022
Updated
Nato chief warns against mistake of underestimating Russia
Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, warned Moscow’s strength should not be underestimated despite Kyiv’s recent battlefield successes.
During a joint news conference with Dutch government officials in The Hague on Monday, Stoltenberg told reporters:
We should not make the mistake of underestimating Russia. The Russian armed forces retain significant capabilities, as well as a large number of troops.
The coming months will be difficult. Putin’s aim is to leave Ukraine cold and dark this winter. So we must stay the course.”
Updated
Indonesia’s president says world 'must not fall into another cold war'
President Joko Widodo has called for unity at the opening of the G20 summit, and said that the gathered leaders must not allow the world to fall into another cold war.
His remarks will probably be interpreted as a commentary on the effects that Russia’s war in Ukraine is having on the wider global economy.
Without referring directly to the war in Ukraine, Widodo said that if the war did not end, it would be difficult for the world to move forward.
“Indonesia has tried as best as possible to bridge very wide differences. We have no other option, collaboration is badly needed,” he said.
Updated
Zelenskiy details 'Ukrainian formula for peace'
Ukraine’s president followed up on the comments he made to G20 leaders with a statement posted on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.
It is not worth offering Ukraine compromises with conscience, sovereignty, territory and independence.
… if Russia says that it supposedly wants to end this war, let it prove it with actions.
We will not allow Russia to wait, build up its forces, and then start a new series of terror and global destabilisation. There will be no Minsk-3, which Russia will violate immediately after the agreement.
There is a Ukrainian formula for peace. Peace for Ukraine, Europe and the world. And there is a set of solutions that can be implemented to really guarantee peace.
Having participated in the G20 summit, I presented proposals for such solutions – specific and honest. Ukraine offers the leading states of the world to be co-creators of peace together with us.”
Zelenskiy then outlined 10 proposals of Ukraine:
1. Radiation and nuclear safety.
2. Food safety.
3. Energy security.
4. Release of all prisoners and deportees.
5. Implementation of the UN charter and restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the world order.
6. Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities.
7. Restoring justice.
8. Anti-ecocide.
9. Prevention of escalation.
10. Fixing the end of the war.
Updated
G20 statement to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine
The G20 will reportedly issue a statement at the end of the G20 summit, where “most” members will condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine.
According to a draft communique seen by Agence France-Presse, the group of 20 will deplore the economic impact of the Ukraine conflict and call for the extension of a deal with Russia expiring on Saturday that allows the export of Ukrainian grain.
I think you’re going to see most members of the G20 make clear that they condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, that they see Russia’s war in Ukraine as the root source of immense economic and humanitarian suffering in the world,” a US official told reporters while speaking on condition of anonymity.
The statement, to be issued at the end of the summit this week in Bali, will show that the G20 is “really isolating Russia” - a member of the group of the world’s biggest economies.
The official would not say how many countries would not join the condemnation, nor how diplomats would craft the non-unanimous declaration within the document, which is issued by all member countries.
The US official said, “Russia’s war of aggression … is being condemned in the strongest possible terms.” The statement, said the official, “speaks in very clear terms”.
Updated
Zelenskiy outlines pathway to end conflict
In his address to world leaders gathered for the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy outlined a series of conditions needed to end the war Ukraine.
Speaking virtually from Ukraine, he said that Russia must reaffirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine, withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory and pay compensation for damage caused.
Zelenskiy is calling for an international conference to “cement key element of the postwar security architecture” and prevent a recurrence of “Russian aggression”.
“When all anti-war measures are implemented, a document confirming the end of the war should be signed by the parties.”
Throughout his speech he pointedly thanked the “G19” – excluding Russia – for making it clear that there were “no excuses for nuclear blackmail.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin was not in the room, but his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was in attendance at the meeting in Bali.
UN calls for Russia to make reparations to Ukraine
The United Nations General Assembly has called for Russia to make reparations to Ukraine and be held accountable for its conduct.
The assembly voted to approve a resolution on Monday, supported by 94 of the assembly’s 193 members, saying Russia “must bear the legal consequences of all of its internationally wrongful acts, including making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts.”
The resolution also recommends that member states, in cooperation with Ukraine, create an international register to record evidence and claims against Russia.
Today, the @UN General Assembly confirmed that Russia must compensate the destruction it is causing in Ukraine. #UNGA with its vote tonight recommends the establishment of a registry of damages. #Accountability
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 14, 2022
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya used the biblical adage that “there is nothing new under the sun” as a motif throughout his remarks in presenting the resolution on Monday.
“Seventy-seven years ago, the Soviet Union demanded and received reparations, calling it a moral right of a country that has suffered war and occupation,” he said.
“Today, Russia, who claims to be the successor of the 20th century’s tyranny, is doing everything it can to avoid paying the price for its own war and occupation, trying to escape accountability for the crimes it is committing.”
Zelenskiy hailed the vote as a “diplomatic victory” in a tweet late on Monday night.
From the liberation victory in Kherson to the diplomatic victory in New York - the General Assembly has just given the green light to the creation of a compensation mechanism for Russian crimes in Ukraine. The aggressor will pay for what he did!”
From the liberation victory in Kherson to the diplomatic victory in New York - the 🇺🇳 General Assembly has just given the green light to the creation of a compensation mechanism for Russian crimes in Ukraine. The aggressor will pay for what he did!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 14, 2022
Kherson victory marks ‘beginning of the end’ of war: Zelenskiy
Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a surprise visit to Kherson on Monday, saying the recapture of the southern city marked “the beginning of the end of the war”.
“We are moving forward. We are ready for peace, peace for all our country,” he said.
Zelenskiy said it was important to visit Kherson to show residents his support and to demonstrate that “we are really returning, we really raise our flag”.
He said: “I’m really happy, you can tell by the reaction of the people, their reaction is not staged.”
Summary and welcome
Hello and welcome back to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as they unfold over the next few hours.
The United Nations General Assembly has called for Russia to make reparations to Ukraine and be held accountable for its conduct in a resolution supported by 94 of the assembly’s 193 members.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy also made a surprise visit to Kherson, saying the recapture of the southern city marked “the beginning of the end of the war”. “We are moving forward. We are ready for peace, peace for all our country,” he said.
Ukrainian authorities are scrambling to de-mine the strategic southern city of Kherson and restore power across the region after the retreating Russian army blew up all major infrastructure, leaving residents without electricity and water.
For any updates or feedback you wish to share, please feel free to get in touch via email or Twitter.
If you have just joined us, here are all the latest developments:
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said Russian troops have “destroyed absolutely all critical infrastructure” in Kherson. “There is no electricity, no communication, no internet, no television … Russian occupiers destroyed absolutely all critical infrastructure for the people,” he said in his Monday evening address. Ukrainian national energy company Ukrenergo said Russia also destroyed key energy infrastructure in the region. “The energy facility that provided power supply to the entire right bank of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Mykolaiv region, is practically destroyed,” Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said.
Zelenskiy made a surprise visit to Kherson on Monday, saying the recapture of the southern city marked “the beginning of the end of the war”. “We are moving forward. We are ready for peace, peace for all our country,” he said. Zelenskiy said it was important to visit Kherson to show residents his support and to demonstrate that “we are really returning, we really raise our flag”. He said: “I’m really happy, you can tell by the reaction of the people, their reaction is not staged.”
The US believes that Russian troops carried out a relatively orderly withdrawal from the city of Kherson, a senior US military official said on Monday, in contrast to some of the more chaotic retreats in the country. “We assess that it was a relatively orderly withdrawal,” the official spoke on the condition of anonymity, according to a Reuters report.
According to Russian media, the Ukrainian army has entered the city of Herois’ke, in the Kinburn peninsula in the southern part of Kherson, after an amphibious operation, as heavy fighting continues across the region.
The United Nations General Assembly has called for Russia to make reparations to Ukraine and be held accountable for its conduct. The assembly voted to approve a resolution on Monday, supported by 94 of the assembly’s 193 members, saying Russia “must bear the legal consequences of all of its internationally wrongful acts, including making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts.” The resolution also recommends that member states, in cooperation with Ukraine, create an international register to record evidence and claims against Russia.
The US president, Joe Biden, and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war “should never be fought”, the White House said. Beijing’s readout from the long-awaited meeting in Bali differed slightly and did not mention the pair agreeing on opposing Russia’s threat of using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war. However, on Sunday, Chinese premier Li Keqiang emphasised the “irresponsibility” of nuclear threats, suggesting China was uncomfortable with Russia’s nuclear rhetoric, a senior US official said.
Zelenskiy welcomed statements from the US and China. “This is a grouping of very weighty states. And today, on the eve of the summit, weighty statements have already been made,” he said in his Monday night video address. “In particular, it is important that the United States and China jointly highlighted that the threats of using nuclear weapons were unacceptable. Everyone understands to whom these words are addressed.”
CIA director, Bill Burns, met his Russian counterpart in Turkey on Monday to talk about “the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons by Russia” in a rare high-level meeting, US officials said. The meeting in Ankara with the head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, followed speculation that some senior US figures would like Ukraine to enter negotiations with the Kremlin to end the war. Officials insisted the US is not engaged in secret peace talks with Moscow without Ukrainian officials being present.
Rishi Sunak has called Russia a “pariah state” on the eve of his first meeting of the G20 in Indonesia, where he has vowed to confront Moscow’s representative in public and on the sidelines of the summit. The UK prime minister said he would take every opportunity during the summit to confront Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, attending in Vladimir Putin’s absence. “Russia is becoming a pariah state and he’s [Putin] not there to take responsibility for what he’s doing,” Sunak told reporters.
The EU and its member states have so far provided weapons and military equipment worth a total of at least €8bn (£7bn) to Ukraine, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
A former Russian prison inmate, who defected to Ukraine after being recruited by the Kremlin-linked private military group Wagner, was reportedly executed and repeatedly struck with a sledgehammer. Footage of the summary killing of Yevgeny Nuzhin was posted over the weekend by the Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone.
