A fire has broken out after Russian airstrikes hit the Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv, part of a monastic complex that is protected by Unesco as one of the holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity.
The leader of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine denounced Vladimir Putin as the “Kremlin Antichrist” after the attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex.
Photos after the overnight attack showed large parts of the cathedral were still on fire, and Kyiv’s military administration head Tymur Tkachenko said the damage at the complex was substantial.
The overnight strikes also killed five in Kharkiv and wounded at least 20 others, as Russian attacks pounded other parts of the war-hit nation.
Earlier, Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Vladimir Putin, telling him that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he is ready to help.
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders spoke for just under an hour yesterday, as the US president said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv.
He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations”.
Key Points
- Kyiv's centuries-old religious site set ablaze in Russian attack
- Trump tells Putin he is prepared to help end war in Ukraine
- Zelensky hails Trump conversation and calls for joint push for peace - watch
- Russia denies responsibility for attacking Kyiv monastery, blames US-made Patriot missile
- Russia will be ready to attack Nato in three years, says German army chief
- Ukraine president thanks UK government for Russian tanker interception
Trump's former Ukraine envoy says Putin's attack on monastery 'makes no sense'
11:51 , Arpan Rai
The former US special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has condemned the Russian attack on Kyiv’s monastery and said it is like the bombing of St Paul's Cathedral in 1940 by Nazi Germany.
“This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work,” Kellogg said on X.
He added: “Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none.”
This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work. Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none. pic.twitter.com/7QLzpEQPkW
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) June 15, 2026
Bridges connecting Russia-occupied Kherson region with Crimea hit by attack
11:21 , Arpan Rai
At least two bridges connecting the Russian-held part of Ukraine's Kherson region with Crimea were damaged and traffic suspended by an overnight drone attack by Ukraine, the Russian-installed governor Vladimir Saldo said on Telegram this morning.
The bridge was one of the few connectivity options for Russian forces to supply their troops with manpower and ammunition. It is not yet clear how badly Russia's military operations in Ukraine's east will be impacted due to the attack.
The illegally-annexed Crimea peninsula has faced a fuel supply crisis after intensifying attacks.
Zelensky visits the Kyiv monastery attacked by Russia overnight
10:51 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky was accompanied by the Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Ukrainian minister of internal affairs Ihor Klymenko as they visit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv.
Trump tells Putin it is ‘vital’ he end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace in hour-long call
10:21 , Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump told Russian president Vladimir Putin on Sunday that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he was ready to help, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said.
Ushakov, who said the two leaders spoke for 55 minutes, also said Trump told Putin that an agreement on ending the conflict in Iran was close.
"As regards the Ukrainian conflict, Donald Trump again emphasised that a cessation of hostilities was vital," Ushakov told journalists in comments posted on the Kremlin website.
"He said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv, including in talks at the G7 summit," he added, referring to the summit of G7 industrialised countries this week in the French resort of Evian.
He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations.
Trump tells Putin to end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace
Poland scrambles fighter jets in response to Russia's missile and drone attack
10:21 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s neighbour Poland, a European Union and Nato member, has scrambled its fighter jets and put ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance on a state of readiness, Poland's Armed Forces said in a post on X.
Most of Ukraine's territory was under air raid warnings in the early hours of Monday and Ukrainian drones were being repelled over Russia as both countries continue to exchange strikes.
Just minutes ago, Poland’s armed forces said they have ended the operations.
“Operations of military aviation in our airspace, related to strikes by Russia on Ukraine, have been concluded,” it said on X.
Russia launches 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight on Ukraine
09:51 , Arpan Rai
Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian military said this morning.
The military said on Telegram that according to preliminary data, Ukrainian air defences shot down 50 missiles and 582 drones of various types.
At least nine people have been killed and dozens have been wounded as a result of these strikes, officials said.
Watch: Historic Kyiv cathedral catches fire after Russian strike
09:21 , Arpan Rai
Russia denies responsibility for attacking Kyiv monastery, blames US-made Patriot missile
08:51 , Arpan Rai
Russia has claimed that it did not strike the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv in an overnight attack on military factories in the Ukrainian capital and that a US-made Patriot air defence missile had damaged the religious site.
The Unesco World Heritage site caught fire overnight on Monday amid the heaviest Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital in two weeks.
Moscow said its attack had targeted and struck drone manufacturing facilities, while Ukraine and many Western countries accused Russia of striking the monastery.
“According to confirmed reports, the complex of buildings at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was struck by a missile from the American Patriot air defence system. One possible reason for the malfunction of this system could be that Western countries supplied the Kyiv regime with missiles that had expired," the Russian defence ministry claimed.
“The armed forces of the Russian Federation do not plan or carry out strikes against civilian infrastructure," the defence ministry said in a statement.
Kyiv is yet to respond to the claims from Russia.
Why a bleak poll on Russia’s economy spells bad news for Putin as war in Ukraine bites
08:39 , Arpan Rai
Russian citizens are growing increasingly critical of Vladimir Putin’s economic policies, new polling has found, as Ukrainian attacks and European sanctions continue to squeeze Moscow’s finances.
Poorer Russians tend to be more critical of economic policies, while wealthier citizens tend to be more loyal to the regime, the study found.
One-third of Russians have a negative view of how Putin’s economic policies are impacting the economy, whereas 15 per cent believe his policies are having a positive effect, according to new polling by NEST Centre.
More than one-third of respondents believe the economy has deteriorated in the past three months, while one in five have a negative overall assessment of the state of the economy.
Why a bleak poll on Russia’s economy spells bad news for Putin
Zelensky says Kyiv's Lavra bombing Putin's 'biggest crime against Christian culture'
08:09 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russia's strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery a grave crime against Christian culture.
"A Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra set the Dormition Cathedral on fire – a church whose history dates back to the 11th century. And this is one of Russia's most serious crimes against Christian culture to date," Zelensky said on X, sharing multiple photos and drone footage of the attack on the monastery.
He also urged G7 countries to increase pressure on Russia and step up help for Ukraine's air defence.
“It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries, which are now gathering for their summit – and that this response be decisive and substantive: more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defense, especially anti-ballistic capabilities. I thank everyone who is helping us protect lives,” Zelensky said.
Efforts to deal with the aftermath of the Russian strikes are ongoing in Kyiv, as well as in Kharkiv. Last night, the Russians launched more than 60 missiles at the capital alone. In total, 70 missiles and 611 drones were used against Ukraine. As of now, 28 people have been… pic.twitter.com/WRp6iEOu7h
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 15, 2026
France says Russia attack on Kyiv monastery like bombing Notre Dame
07:55 , Arpan Rai
France has condemned Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine, with foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot describing the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery as akin to bombing Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral or the Basilica in Saint Denis.
The central Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a Unesco World Heritage site founded in 1051, was seriously damaged in a direct attack, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the capital's military administration, said in a Telegram post.
"This is a Unesco world heritage site, which is the equivalent, for us in France, as if Notre Dame or Saint Denis had been bombed, which is totally unacceptable," said Barrot, as he arrived for a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.
In photos: Kyiv cathedral on fire after Russian attack
07:53 , Arpan Rai
Russia says it struck military-industrial sites, military airfields across Ukraine
07:31 , Arpan Rai
Russian forces carried out massive strikes on military-industrial facilities and military airfields in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, its defence ministry said this morning.
The ministry claimed all the strikes were successful but did not acknowledge the attack on Ukraine’s historic monastery in Kyiv, which has been protected by Unesco.
The central Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a Unesco World Heritage site founded in 1051, was seriously damaged in a direct attack, officials said.
Trump's former Ukraine envoy says Putin's attack on monastery 'makes no sense'
07:14 , Arpan Rai
The former US special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has condemned the Russian attack on Kyiv’s monastery and said it is like the bombing of St Paul's Cathedral in 1940 by Nazi Germany.
“This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work,” Kellogg said on X.
He added: “Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none.”
This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work. Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none. pic.twitter.com/7QLzpEQPkW
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) June 15, 2026
Bridges connecting Russia-occupied Kherson region with Crimea hit by attack
06:55 , Arpan Rai
At least two bridges connecting the Russian-held part of Ukraine's Kherson region with Crimea were damaged and traffic suspended by an overnight drone attack by Ukraine, the Russian-installed governor Vladimir Saldo said on Telegram this morning.
The bridge was one of the few connectivity options for Russian forces to supply their troops with manpower and ammunition. It is not yet clear how badly Russia's military operations in Ukraine's east will be impacted due to the attack.
The illegally-annexed Crimea peninsula has faced a fuel supply crisis after intensifying attacks.
Russia launches 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight on Ukraine
06:45 , Arpan Rai
Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian military said this morning.
The military said on Telegram that according to preliminary data, Ukrainian air defences shot down 50 missiles and 582 drones of various types.
At least nine people have been killed and dozens have been wounded as a result of these strikes, officials said.
Russia launches 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight on Ukraine
06:45 , Arpan Rai
Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian military said this morning.
The military said on Telegram that according to preliminary data, Ukrainian air defences shot down 50 missiles and 582 drones of various types.
At least nine people have been killed and dozens have been wounded as a result of these strikes, officials said.
Trump tells Putin it is ‘vital’ he end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace in hour-long call
06:43 , Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump told Russian president Vladimir Putin on Sunday that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he was ready to help, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said.
Ushakov, who said the two leaders spoke for 55 minutes, also said Trump told Putin that an agreement on ending the conflict in Iran was close.
"As regards the Ukrainian conflict, Donald Trump again emphasised that a cessation of hostilities was vital," Ushakov told journalists in comments posted on the Kremlin website.
"He said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv, including in talks at the G7 summit," he added, referring to the summit of G7 industrialised countries this week in the French resort of Evian.
He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations.
Putin among 'history's worst barbarians' after attack on Unesco-protected Kyiv monastery
06:11 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister Andrii Sybiha has called Vladimir Putin one of “history’s worst barbarians” for attacking one of the most sacred religious sites in the country overnight.
“By striking the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the greatest holy sites of Christianity, Putin has forever put his name on the list of history’s worst barbarians. He should be damned for centuries. And he will lose this war,” he said in a post on X.
Sybiha said the monastery has survived centuries of conflict, from the Mongol Horde in the 13th century to the Nazis and Bolsheviks in the 20th century.
“Now we are dealing with Russian terrorists who have already outmatched Isis in their crimes against cultural heritage. Only Russian scum who have nothing sacred can deliberately damage the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a unique Unesco heritage site under special protection,” he said.
By striking the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the greatest holy sites of Christianity, Putin has forever put his name on the list of history’s worst barbarians.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) June 15, 2026
He should be damned for centuries. And he will lose this war.
From the Horde in the 13th century to the Nazis and… pic.twitter.com/aenjuib0Mt
Metropolitan Epifaniy calls out 'anti-Christ' Putin after attack on Kyiv monastery
05:54 , Arpan Rai
The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has condemned Russia's attack on a major cathedral in Kyiv, calling Vladimir Putin the "Kremlin Antichrist".
“Due to the Russian shelling that is currently taking place, on the night of 15 June, the roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world – the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – is burning,” Metropolitan Epifaniy said on X, calling the attack “another Russian crime against humanity, against history and against Christianity”.
“What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realize that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace comes to an end?” he asked.
Nine killed as Ukraine faces major Russian attack
05:33 , Arpan Rai
At least nine people were killed in the heaviest Russian air attack on the Ukrainian cities in two weeks, authorities said on Monday, urging residents to take shelter.
Of these, four people were killed and 23 injured in Russian strikes on Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a symbol of Ukrainian spiritual and cultural history, Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko said.
"What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realise that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace come to an end?" Metropolitan Epifaniy, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said on X.
In a separate attack, five emergency service rescuers were killed and at least another five injured after a second Russian strike hit Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram, with three people, including a child, wounded in Sumy, according to social media posts by local authorities.
Britain detains sanctioned oil tanker believed to be linked to Russia’s shadow fleet
05:15 , Arpan Rai
Britain is investigating a sanctioned tanker that is suspected of being part of the Russian “shadow fleet,” shipping oil in violation of international sanctions over Moscow’s war on Ukraine, prime minister Keir Starmer said.
British armed forces boarded and detained the vessel, the Smyrtos, on Sunday in the English Channel, in what the country’s defence ministry called “the first UK-led operation of its kind.”
The vessel will be held and monitored off the south coast of England for investigation, according to a statement by the defence ministry. The operation was carried out “in close coordination” with French authorities, who have previously intercepted a number of vessels linked to the “shadow fleet.”
Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade sanctions over its war against Ukraine.
Britain detains sanctioned oil tanker believed to be linked to Russia’s shadow fleet
Trump tells Putin he is prepared to help end war in Ukraine
05:11 , Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he was ready to help, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said.
Trump and Putin spoke for 55 minutes, Ushakov said, adding that the US president told Putin that an agreement on ending the conflict in Iran was close.
"As regards the Ukrainian conflict, Donald Trump again emphasised that a cessation of hostilities was vital," Ushakov told journalists in comments posted on the Kremlin website.
"He said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv, including in talks at the G7 summit," he added, referring to the summit of G7 industrialised countries this week in the French resort of Evian. He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations”.
Poland scrambles fighter jets in response to Russia's missile and drone attack
04:44 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s neighbour Poland, a European Union and Nato member, has scrambled its fighter jets and put ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance on a state of readiness, Poland's Armed Forces said in a post on X.
Most of Ukraine's territory was under air raid warnings in the early hours of Monday and Ukrainian drones were being repelled over Russia as both countries continue to exchange strikes.
Just minutes ago, Poland’s armed forces said they have ended the operations.
“Operations of military aviation in our airspace, related to strikes by Russia on Ukraine, have been concluded,” it said on X.
Rescuers killed in Russia's attack on Kharkiv
04:11 , Arpan Rai
A large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine killed five rescuers in Kharkiv and wounded at least 20 people in the capital Kyiv as Russia continued aerial assault on its smaller neighbour.
The rescuers were killed in Kharkiv by a second Russian strike as they fought a blaze caused by an earlier attack, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said. At least five other emergency workers were wounded.
A series of powerful explosions echoed across Kyiv, with a wave of ballistic missiles followed by Shahed drones as many people sought shelter underground and officials urged residents to take cover.
“Kyiv is under the main strike. There is significant destruction of civilian infrastructure,” Klymenko said.
Twenty people, including a child, sought medical help in the capital, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration.
Five strikes hit civilian sites in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district in less than 30 minutes, he said, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and a grocery store caught fire. In the Obolonskyi district, a nine-story residential building took a direct hit.
Russian attack sets fire to centuries-old religious site in Kyiv
03:57 , Arpan Rai
A large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine has sparked a fire at one of the country’s most significant religious landmarks.
Damage at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastic complex, was substantial and a serious fire had broken out, said Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko, who accused Russia of deliberately striking “the heart of one of the largest Christian shrines.”
The roof of the Dormition Cathedral caught fire during the overnight attack, said Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
He condemned the strike as another Russian crime “against humanity, against history, against Christianity” and appealed for prayers to save the site.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches, including some underground, built from the 11th to the 19th century. Some of the churches at the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 metres (2,000 feet).
The cathedral, churches and other buildings overlook the right bank of the Dnipro River and have been a pilgrimage site for centuries.
What is a Flamingo cruise missile? Ukraine uses weapon to attack Russian arms factory
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his military has used domestically-produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles to strike targets deep within Russia.
These strikes targeted a military plant in Cheboksary, over 900km from the frontline, and an oil refinery in Russia's Samara region.
The FP-5 Flamingo missile, which entered service in 2025, has a 3,000km range and can carry a tonne of explosives, designed for low-altitude flight to avoid detection.
Zelensky also highlighted Kyiv's expanding drone campaign, stating it has disrupted Russian military logistics throughout the temporarily occupied territory.
Recent incidents include a large fire at Russia's Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar following drone strikes, and explosions reported at military sites in Russian-occupied Crimea.
World chess body suspends Russia after legal challenge by Ukraine
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The governing body of world chess has suspended Russia - for decades the dominant force in the game - after a successful legal challenge by Ukraine.
An international tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in March upheld a complaint by Ukraine that Russia's chess federation had usurped control of the game in areas of Ukraine captured by Russian forces since 2022. It gave Russia 90 days to relinquish control of chess bodies in five regions of Ukraine and stop holding tournaments there.
But on Wednesday the International Chess Federation (FIDE) - which is headed by Russia's former deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich - said Russia had not complied with the deadline and it had therefore decided to "impose the sanction of temporary suspension of (Russia's) membership... with immediate effect".
World chess body suspends Russia after legal challenge by Ukraine
Russia will be ready to attack Nato in three years, says German army chief
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia will be ready to “invade a Nato partner” by 2029, a German army chief has warned.
Lieutenant General Christian Freuding said all 32 Nato members agree that Vladimir Putin could have the capability to launch a large-scale assault on allied territory before the end of the decade.
In an interview with Politico, he said “speed is of the essence” as he urged German leaders to increase investment in the country’s military.
Read more here:
Russia will be ready to attack Nato in three years, says German army chief
Watch: Zelensky hails Trump conversation and calls for joint push for peace
Monday 15 June 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Trump tells Putin he is prepared to help end war in Ukraine
Sunday 14 June 2026 23:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Donald Trump has told Vladimir Putin that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he is ready to help, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser said.
Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders spoke for just under an hour, as the US president said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv.
He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations”.
Ushakov said Putin told the Trump that intensified Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets would not change the situation on the battlefield.
Protestors set fire to Tesla car ahead of G7 summit
Sunday 14 June 2026 22:35 , Rebecca Thomas
Protesters set fire to a Tesla and smashed the windows of a bank in Geneva on Sunday as they vented their anger at a Group of Seven summit about to take place just across the border in France.
Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are set to dominate the G7 agenda, while leaders will seek to avoid a clash with Trump as he seeks to finalise a framework peace deal with Iran.
According to Reuters, the march was otherwise largely peaceful, with up to 7,000 people attending, according to police, who said they confiscated some knives and pyrotechnic devices. Demonstrators said they came to protest against the G7 as a symbol of concentrated political and economic power.
Russia will be ready to attack Nato in three years, says German army chief
Sunday 14 June 2026 21:35 , Rebecca Thomas
Russia will be ready to “invade a Nato partner” by 2029, a German army chief has warned.
Lieutenant General Christian Freuding said all 32 Nato members agree that Vladimir Putin could have the capability to launch a large-scale assault on allied territory before the end of the decade.
In an interview with Politico, he said “speed is of the essence” as he urged German leaders to increase investment in the country’s military.
It comes amid a string of warnings from Europe’s defence chiefs, including the UK’s chief of defence staff.
In pictures: Ukrainian drone attack in Oryol, southern Russia
Sunday 14 June 2026 20:35 , Rebecca Thomas
A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person in Russia’s southwestern Oryol region, local officials said Sunday, while a separate strike hit an oil facility as part of Kyiv’s campaign of strikes on military and energy targets deep inside Russia.
Oryol regional Governor Andrei Klychkov said Sunday that one person died and nine were wounded when a Ukrainian drone struck a residential building overnight in the regional capital, also called Oryol.
Ukraine president thanks UK government for Russian tanker interception
Sunday 14 June 2026 19:29 , Rebecca Thomas
Following news that UK armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet tanker on Sunday Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe to take steps to restrict oil shipments.
Posting on social media site x, the president Zelenskyy said: “I thank @Keir_Starmer and all Britons for such principled resolve. And Europe urgently needs to take legislative steps to enable not only the detention of tankers and restrictions on oil shipments, but also the confiscation of the oil they carry.”
I am grateful to the UK for taking this important step against Russia’s oil fleet – a shadow fleet tanker has been detained off the UK's southern coast.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 14, 2026
It was Russia’s hubris, fueled by high oil and gas revenues, that paved the way for this war, and every decision by partners… https://t.co/ej16vDOF0E
Watch: UK armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel
Sunday 14 June 2026 18:23 , Rebecca Thomas
Video footage of the moment UK forces intercepted Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in English Channel in the early hours of Sunday morning.
In pictures: The Russian shadow fleet tanker intercepted by UK armed forces
Sunday 14 June 2026 17:19 , Rebecca Thomas
Pictures of Russian shadow fleet tanker in English Channel that was intercepted by UK armed forces on Sunday
Ukraine's Zelenskyy discussed war and diplomacy in call with Trump
Sunday 14 June 2026 16:15 , Rebecca Thomas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the war, diplomacy and peace negotiations in a call on Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump, a presidential adviser said.
Zelenskyy also conveyed birthday greetings to Trump, who turned 80 on Sunday, in the call that lasted roughly 30 to 35 minutes, presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said.
Pictured: Black smoke rises from the Russian city of Rybinsk after strike
Sunday 14 June 2026 14:30 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine hits oil facility behind enemy lines
Sunday 14 June 2026 13:35 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine hit an oil facility overnight in Russia's Yaroslavl region, and the Azot chemical plant in the Tula region, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.
Zelensky said the Azot plant was critical for Russia's explosives production, and that strikes on Russian military logistics had also been conducted in occupied parts of Ukraine.
"Ukraine is carrying out its plan of long-range sanctions against Russia and the assigned tasks regarding mid-range strikes in response to Russia’s refusal to end this war," Zelensky said, using the term he frequently uses to describe Ukrainian strikes on Russia.
