The United States is aiming to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as early as next month, according to new reports.
Ukrainian negotiators and US officials discussed the ambitious target during discussions in Abu Dhabi this week, three sources told Reuters.
However, the timeline is likely to be delayed as both sides disagree on the key issue of territory, the report continued.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that the Americans “want to do everything by June” in comments on Friday that were embargoed until Saturday morning.
It comes after Russia blamed Kyiv for the shooting of a senior military general outside a residential building in Moscow, state media reported.
The Kremlin claimed that Kyiv was responsible for the shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, without providing evidence. Ukraine has not commented on the attack.
The suspect is said to have fled the scene after shooting Lieutenant General Alexeyev several times in the Russian capital. He is currently in the hospital.
Meanwhile, the US is aiming to get a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia over the line in March despite a lack of progress on territorial concessions, according to reports.
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Key Points
- Russia launches air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities
- Zelensky says Russia fired 400 drones during overnight attack
- Russia accuses Ukraine of assassination attempt on top military official
- Drone discovered on Moldovan territory
- Ukraine's electricity network facing 'acute crisis'
Watch: Ukrainian firefighters respond in aftermath of Russian strike on Kyiv as snow falls
16:14 , Maira ButtZelensky reveals US deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise peace deal and end war
15:45 , Maira ButtThe United States has issued a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise a peace agreement, aiming to conclude the nearly four-year conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed.
Should this deadline not be met, the Trump administration is expected to intensify pressure on both parties to secure a resolution.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, in comments embargoed until Saturday morning, Mr Zelenskyy stated: "The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule."
Zelensky reveals US deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise peace deal
Ukraine backs call for ceasefire during Winter Olympics
15:15 , Maira ButtUkraine has backed calls for a ceasefire during the Winter Olympics.
The idea was proposed by Pope Leo under what he said was the tradition of the Olympic truce. Ukraine responded to the suggestion and backed the proposal.
“We are interested in a ceasefire and if Russia once again rejects, it will once again confirm who is the obstacle for peace and who wants to continue this war,” Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha told Reuters.
Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine is preparing for 'next trilateral meetings' after Abu Dhabi talks
14:55 , Maira ButtUkraine hits Russian oil depots and drone sites, says military
14:35 , Maira ButtUkrainian troops struck an oil depot known as “Balashovo” in Russia's Saratov region, according the Ukrainian General Staff.
Several drone control centres in territories occupied by Russia were also hit, it said in a statement on Telegram on Saturday.
Russian strikes have caused 'significant damage' to Ukraine's energy infrastructure, says Zelensky
14:15 , Maira ButtOvernight Russian strikes have caused “significant damage” to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an update on Saturday.
Moscow launched over 400 drones – many of them shaheds – and about 40 missiles, targeting Ukraine's power grid, generation facilities and distribution substations, he said.
“Unfortunately, energy facilities have suffered significant damage, which has affected the energy situation across practically the entire country, resulting in major power outages,” the Ukrainian leader wrote in a statement on X/Twitter.
“The Russians deliberately targeted, among other things, energy facilities on which depends the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. This puts at risk not only our security in Ukraine, but also the shared regional and European security.”
Russia captures village in eastern Ukraine
13:50 , Maira ButtRussian troops captured the village of Chuhunivka in the eastern Kharkiv region of Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
In the latest Russian attack, Moscow launched over 400 drones and about 40 missiles, targeting Ukraine's power grid, generation facilities and distribution substations, Zelensky said.
Poland reopens airspace after Nato operation triggered by overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine
13:35 , Maira ButtPoland has reopened two of its airports after unplanned military operations by Nato were conducted in its airspace.
Overnight strikes in Ukraine triggered the suspension of operations Lublin and Rzeszow airports.
The Polish army's operational command thanked Nato and the German air force "whose aircraft helped ensure safety in the Polish skies today".
“Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have returned to standard operational activities,” it said.
Eastern Poland's Rzeszow and Lublin airports suspended operations for a time last month, citing routine operations and no threat to Polish airspace.
Top Russian general reportedly behind Salisbury poisonings shot in assassination bid in Moscow
13:25 , Maira ButtA top Russian military general, said to be involved in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, was shot outside his Moscow apartment in an alleged assassination attempt.
An unidentified gunman fired several shots at Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence arm, before fleeing the scene, the investigators said.
It is the latest in a series of assassination attempts Russia has blamed on Ukraine.
Mr Alexeyev, 64, has previously been recognised by president Vladimir Putin with a Hero of Russia award. His position meant he would have been closely involved in prosecuting Russia's war in Ukraine.
Top Russian general reportedly behind Salisbury poisonings shot in assassination bid
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian strikes on Ukraine
13:00 , Maira Butt
Who are the key players in peace talks between Washington, Ukraine and Russia?
12:35 , Maira ButtSeveral countries and high-profile individuals are involved in the discussions, which have resulted in public disagreements. The Independent looks at some of the key characters below.
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Who are the key players in peace talks between Washington, Ukraine and Russia?
Russia's envoy proposed US-Russia cooperation deals worth $12 trillion, says Zelensky
12:10 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said he has had reports from Ukrainian intelligence services that Russia’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev proposed cooperation deals between Russia and the US worth $12 trillion.
The Ukrainian leader insisted that such bilateral agreements could not violate the Ukrainian constitution.
Ukraine and Russia concluded two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi this week without a major breakthrough but the two sides agreed to exchange 157 prisoners of war each, after a five-month pause.
Ukrainian drones hit Russian missile fuel plant, says SBU
11:43 , Maira ButtUkraine’s drones struck a Russian plant that makes missile fuel, according to the country’s security agency in a statement on Saturday.
A huge fire is reported to have broken out at the plant in the Tver region of western Russia.
An official said that components for missile fuel for Russia's X-55 and X-101 cruise missiles and other elements for diesel and aviation fuel were produced there.
“Even a temporary shutdown complicates the production of rocket fuel and reduces the enemy's ability to maintain the intensity of shelling of our cities,” the official said.
Russia to interrogate two suspects in connection with alleged assassination attempt of top Putin general
11:18 , Maira ButtRussia is set to question two suspects in connection with the attempted assassination of top Russian military intelligence official General Vladimir Alexeyev, according to reports by Russia’s Kommersant on Saturday.
The two individuals will “soon be interrogated”, it said, but did not confirm if the people had been detained. Russia has not officially commented on the reports.
Alexeyev regained consciousness on Saturday after undergoing a successful surgery but remains under medical supervision, Kommersant said.
US wants Russia-Ukraine peace deal secured by next month
10:48 , Maira ButtThe United States is aiming to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as early as next month, according to new reports.
Ukrainian negotiators and US officials discussed the ambitious target during discussions in Abu Dhabi this week, three sources told Reuters.
However, the timeline is likely to be delayed as both sides disagree on the key issue of territory, the report continued.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that the Americans “want to do everything by June” in comments on Friday that were embargoed until Saturday morning.
“The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule,” he said.
“And they say that they want to do everything by June. And they will do everything to end the war. And they want a clear schedule of all events.”
Ukraine cuts nuclear power output amid fighting, says IAEA
10:20 , Maira ButtUkraine has been forced to halt its production over nuclear power amid ongoing military activity, International Atomic Energy Agency said on Saturday.
“Ukraine’s NPPs reduced power output again this morning after renewed military activity affected electrical substations and disconnected some power lines, IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi says,” the statement on X read.
“DG Grossi reiterates call for restraint as worsening grid situation compromises nuclear safety.”
Ukrainians gather in metro stations to seek safety during nighttime air attacks
10:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Top Russian general reportedly behind Salisbury poisonings shot in assassination bid in Moscow
09:40 , Maira ButtA top Russian military general, said to be involved in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, was shot outside his Moscow apartment in an alleged assassination attempt.
An unidentified gunman fired several shots at Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence arm, before fleeing the scene, the investigators said.
It is the latest in a series of assassination attempts Russia has blamed on Ukraine.
Zelensky says Russia choosing strikes instead of diplomacy
09:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussia launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles on Saturday to attack Ukraine's energy sector, targeting the power grid, generation facilities, and distribution substations, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"Every day, Russia could choose real diplomacy, but it chooses new strikes," Zelensky posted on X.
"It is crucial that everyone who supports the trilateral negotiations respond to this. Moscow must be deprived of the ability to use the cold as leverage against Ukraine."
Two airports in Poland closed due to Russian strikes on Ukraine
09:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarTwo airports in southeastern Poland were suspended from operations as a precaution due to Russian strikes on nearby Ukrainian territory, Polish authorities said this morning.
"In connection with the need to ensure the possibility of the free operation of military aviation, the airports in Rzeszow and Lublin have temporarily suspended flight operations," the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency posted on X.
Both cities are close to the country's border with Ukraine, with Rzeszow being Nato's main hub for arms supplies to Ukraine.
Military aviation had begun operating in Polish airspace due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.
"These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to the threatened regions," the army said.
Zelensky says Russia fired 400 drones during overnight attack
08:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia fired over 400 drones and 40 missiles in an overnight attack which targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
The main targets were the energy grid, generational facilities, and distribution substations.
The repeated Russian aerial assaults have in recent months focused on Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts and disrupting the heating and water supply for families during a bitterly cold winter.
Russia launches air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities
08:21 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussia launched a massive air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities overnight, targeting electricity generation and distribution, energy minister Denys Shmyhal said.
"Russian criminals carried out another massive attack on Ukraine's energy facilities. The attack continues," Shmyhal said on Telegram. "Energy workers are ready to start repair works as soon as the security situation allows."
The government launched emergency cut-offs of power across the country, he said.
Southeast Poland airspace closed due to 'unplanned military activity'
08:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAirspace in southeastern Poland has been closed again in recent hours due to "unplanned military activity", according to FlightRadar24.
Lublin Airport is not accessible due to the military activity involving Nato aircraft operating in the area, the flight tracking service posted on X.
Eastern Poland's Rzeszow and Lublin airports suspended operations for a time last month, citing routine operations and no threat to Polish airspace.
Russia launches air attack on Burshtyn and Vinnytsia
07:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarExplosions were heard in Vinnytsia and Burshtyn areas in the Ivano-Frankivsk region amid a missile threat, according to reports.
According to the Air Force, a high-speed target was heading toward Vinnytsia, while monitoring channels suggested it could have been Zircon cruise missiles, RBC Ukraine reported.
Vinnytsia’s regional military chief Nataliia Zabolotna said the area was under a “massive” air assault, adding that a strike had hit a piece of critical infrastructure, though no casualties were reported.
Watch:Ukrainian firefighters respond in aftermath of Russian strike on Kyiv as snow falls
07:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarWargame simulating Russian attack on Nato suggests Kremlin could ‘achieve goals’ within days
06:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA new wargame simulating a Russian incursion into Lithuania, carried out by ex-Nato and German officials, concluded that Moscow would “achieve most of its goals” within days.
The exercise envisaged a scenario where the Kremlin used bogus claims of a “humanitarian crisis” in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to seize the Lithuanian city of Marijampole to its east, a key conurbation through which the road linking Russia and Belarus runs.
The scenario, which plays out in October 2026, suggests that an absence of US leadership and hesitancy from Nato countries could allow Moscow to gain total control over the Baltic within days, using an initial force of only 15,000 troops.
More here.
Wargame simulates how Russia could take Nato country ‘within days’
Drone discovered on Moldovan territory
06:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAn unidentified drone was found on the Moldovan territory near the Ukrainian border, the Moldovan authorities claimed.
Local police sealed off the area and dispatched explosives disposal specialists after the drone was found in the village of Sofia in the Drochia District, Kyiv Independent reported.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova strongly condemns any incident that could constitute a violation of the country’s airspace and a potential threat to the safety of its citizens,” the foreign ministry said.
Moldovan police said this incident marks the third drone found in the country since the beginning of the year.
People evacuate wounded dogs after a Russian aerial strike hit a stray dog shelter in Ukraine
05:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Ukraine's electricity network facing 'acute crisis'
05:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe British defence ministry has said that Ukraine's electricity network "is experiencing its most acute crisis of the winter".
The repeated Russian aerial assaults have in recent months focused on Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts and disrupting the heating and water supply for families during a bitterly cold winter.
Mykola Tromza, an 81-year-old pensioner in Kyiv, said he has had his power restored, but recently went without heating and water at home for a week."I touched my nose and by God, it was like an icicle," Tromza said. He said he ran up and down to keep warm.
Russia's defence ministry said that air defenses downed 38 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 26 over the Bryansk region.
Bryansk governor Alexander Bogomaz said the attack briefly cut power to several villages in the region.
Another Ukrainian nighttime strike damaged power facilities in the Russian city of Belgorod, disrupting electricity distribution, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Russia accuses Ukraine of assassination attempt on top military official
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA top Russian military official is in a serious condition in hospital after an attempted assassination in his Moscow apartment on Friday.
An unidentified gunman fired several shots at Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence arm, before fleeing the scene, the investigators said.
It is the latest in a series of assassination attempts Russia has blamed on Ukraine.
Mr Alexeyev, 64, has previously been recognised by President Vladimir Putin with a Hero of Russia award.
More here.
Russia accuses Ukraine of assassination attempt on top military official in Moscow
Over a dozen dogs killed in Russian drone struck
04:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussian drones struck a dog shelter in the regional capital, killing 13 dogs, Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Rehina Kharchenko said.
Some dogs were rushed to a veterinary clinic yesterday, but they could not be saved, she said. Seven other animals were injured and are receiving treatment.
Zelensky says Ukrainian air force needs to improve
03:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described the performance of the air force in parts of the country as "unsatisfactory," and said that steps are being taken to improve the response to large-scale Russian drone barrages of civilian areas.
The repeated Russian aerial assaults have in recent months focused on Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts and disrupting the heating and water supply for families during a bitterly cold winter.
With the war about to enter its fifth year later this month following Russia's all-out invasion of its neighbour, there is no sign of a breakthrough in US-led peace efforts following the latest talks this week.
Further US-brokered meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations are planned "in the near future, likely in the United States," Zelensky said.
Zelensky said yesterday he had discussed with his defense minister and the air force commander what new air defense measures Ukraine needs to counter the Russian barrages. He didn't elaborate on what would be done.
Trump says 'very good talks' ongoing to secure Ukraine peace deal
03:19 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump said "very good talks" were ongoing regarding Russia's war in Ukraine and he added, without elaborating, that "something could be happening" as a result of the negotiations.
"Very, very good talks today, having to do with Russia-Ukraine. Something could be happening," Trump told reporters.
The Republican leader had vowed to end the war that began with full-scale Russian invasionof Ukraine in February 2022 but more than a year into his second term, Trump's promise has remained unfulfilled.
