A man suspected of shooting a top military intelligence officer in Moscow has been detained, according to Russia’s security service.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev – an official previously linked to the Salisbury poisonings – was shot several times outside an apartment building in an alleged assassination attempt. He is currently recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said that a Russian citizen named Lyubomir Korba was detained in Dubai and has been extradited to Russia, in a statement on Sunday.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister accused Ukraine of the attack, which it has denied.
It comes as 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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that the Americans “want to do everything by June” in comments released on Saturday.
But attacks continued as Russia launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles on Saturday in strikes on Ukraine's energy sector, targeting the power grid, generation facilities, and distribution substations, Zelensky said.
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Key Points
- Russia says man suspected of shooting top general has been flown to Moscow from Dubai
- Ukraine sanctions foreign suppliers of components for Russian missiles
- Putin thanks UAE president for detention of suspect in shooting of his general
- Zelensky says Ukraine is preparing for 'next trilateral meetings' after Abu Dhabi talks
- Ukrainian foreign minister says only 'Trump can stop the war'
Mother and child among three killed in Russian overnight attacks
07:59 , Alex CroftAt least three people were killed, including a mother and her son, during Russia’s overnight attacks on Ukraine into Monday, authorities said.
The 10-year-old boy and his mother were killed in the attack on a residential area of the town of Bohodukhiv in the eastern Kharkiv region, the regional prosecutor's office said, after Moscow’s forces launched attacks targeting the country’s east and south.
Six people were hurt in the attack on the region, which has been a frequent target of attacks in the nearly four-year war that started with Russian invasion in 2022, it added.
A "massive" Russian drone attack on the southern port city of Odesa killed one and injured two others, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.
Residential infrastructure and a gas pipeline were also damaged, Mr Kiper added on the Telegram messaging app.
Nine people, including a 13-year-old girl, were injured in a drone attack in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, its governor, Oleksandr Hanzha, said.
The attack caused a fire in a three-storey building, destroying the roof, he added.
Russia offered US £9tn cooperation deal, Zelensky says
07:33 , Arpan RaiRussia offered the United States a cooperation deal worth £9tn in a bid for agreement between the two countries, Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian leader said intelligence suggested Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev proposed US-Russian co-operation deals worth as much as $12 trillion (£9tn) during negotiations.
He said that such agreements between Moscow and Washington must not violate Ukraine’s constitution, on Saturday.
“Intelligence showed me the so-called ‘Dmitriev package’ that he presented in the US – it amounts to around $12tn (£9tn),” Mr Zelensky said.
Russia claims assassination suspects admitted they had orders from Ukraine's spy agency
07:06 , Arpan RaiRussia's Federal Security Service claimed today that two men suspected of shooting one of the country's most senior military intelligence officers had confessed that they were carrying out orders from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Ukraine has denied any involvement in Friday's attempted assassination of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's GRU military intelligence service. Alexeyev has regained consciousness after surgery.
Russia said that the suspected shooter, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen named by Moscow as Lyubomir Korba, had been questioned after he was extradited from Dubai. A suspected accomplice, Viktor Vasin, has also been questioned.
The FSB said in a statement that both Korba and Vasin had "confessed their guilt" and given details of the shooting which they said was "committed on behalf of the Security Service of Ukraine”.
The FSB said Korba was recruited by the SBU in August 2025 in Ternopil, western Ukraine, underwent training in Kyiv and was paid monthly in crypto-currency. For killing Alexeyev, Korba was promised $30,000 by the SBU, the FSB said.
The FSB said Polish intelligence was involved in his recruitment but authorities in Warsaw are yet to comment.
Russia hasn't provided any evidence to support its claims.
Watch: Russian strike on Odesa kills one and damages residential building
06:45 , Arpan RaiRussia's FSB says Ukraine ordered attempt on Russian general's life and Poland helped
06:34 , Arpan RaiRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has said the attempted assassination of General Vladimir Alexeyev was ordered by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Interfax news agency reported.
The FSB said that Polish intelligence had been involved in the recruitment of the shooter.
The FSB did not provide any evidence to back its claims.
A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of gravely injuring Alexeyev, Russian security officials said on Sunday.
Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attempted assassination.
Shooting of Putin's general in Moscow is a 'serious blow', says ex-FSB
06:09 , Arpan RaiAfter Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's vast GRU military intelligence service, was shot three times on Friday, questions have been raised over the safety of Russian special services.
The GRU, like the FSB, is a vast and powerful Russian intelligence agency that includes sleeper agents abroad, special forces units and advanced cyber capabilities.
Jailed Russian nationalist Igor Girkin, who has repeatedly scolded Russian generals for what he says is the shambolic prosecution of the war, praised Alexeyev's energy and courage but said the attack was a significant setback.
“This is a serious blow to our special services," Girkin, himself a former FSB officer, said on Telegram.
Alexeyev came to national prominence in June 2023 when he was shown trying to calm down Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, during a failed mutiny.
In a video, Alexeyev listened as Prigozhin said he had come to take then-defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov.
“Take them then," Alexeyev said with a chuckle. The mutiny fizzled and Prigozhin died in a plane crash two months later.
Russia accuses Ukraine's intelligence of assassinating Putin's general
05:22 , Arpan RaiRussian officials have accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding the assassination of Moscow’s top general Vladimir Alekseyev.
Russia’s investigative committee and Federal Security Service (FSB) said they have identified and arrested a suspect who “arrived in Moscow in late December last year on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack”.
The top Russian agencies did not provide further details to support their claim.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday had already stated that Kyiv has nothing to do with the assassination attempt on Alekseyev.
One killed as Russia attacks Odesa overnight
05:03 , Arpan RaiAt least one person was killed after Russian forces carried out a series of attacks overnight, officials said, targeting various cities with reported missile and drone attacks.
Odesa city military administration head Serhiy Lysak said a fire broke out on the roof of a multi-story building, and a gas pipeline was damaged in the attack. Car fires were also reported in the city.
The southern port city was subject to a large-scale drone attack and “residential infrastructure” in the city was also damaged.
At least one person was killed as a result of the drone strike he said.
Russian drones attacked Odesa around 12.30am, Ukraine’s Air Force and multiple explosions were heard, public broadcaster Suspilne said.
Ukraine sanctions foreign suppliers of components for Russian missiles
04:24 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was imposing sanctions on some foreign manufacturers of components for Russian drones and missiles used against Ukraine.
"Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by circumventing sanctions," Zelensky said on X.
"We are introducing new sanctions precisely against such companies – component suppliers, as well as missile and drone manufacturers. I have signed the relevant decisions."
According to two decrees published by the Ukrainian presidency, the targets of the sanctions include several Chinese companies as well as companies from the former Soviet Union, the United Arab Emirates and Panama.
Overnight into Saturday, Russia carried out another massive attack on Ukraine, deploying over 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles of various types. Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2026
Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine is preparing for 'next trilateral meetings' after Abu Dhabi talks
04:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian foreign minister says only 'Trump can stop the war'
03:56 , Arpan RaiUkrainian and Russian leaders need to meet in person to hash out the hardest remaining issues in peace talks, Kyiv’s foreign minister has said, adding that only US president Donald Trump has the power to bring about an agreement.
"Only Trump can stop the war," Sybiha told Reuters in his office in Kyiv, close to the Dnipro river.
From a 20-point peace plan that has formed the basis of recent trilateral negotiations, only "a few" items remain outstanding, Sybiha said.
"The most sensitive and most difficult, to be dealt with at the leaders' level."
Sybiha said Ukraine wants to accelerate the efforts to end the four-yer-old war and capitalise on the momentum in the US-brokered talks before other factors come into play, such as campaigning for the US Congressional mid-term elections in November.
Watch: Zelensky confirms of another overnight Russian attack amidst ongoing negotiations
03:40 , Arpan RaiPutin thanks UAE president for detention of suspect in shooting of his general
03:27 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin thanked his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for help with the detention of a man suspected of shooting a Russian military intelligence officer in Moscow.
The two leaders spoke over the phone on Saturday evening, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
“Vladimir Putin thanked Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for ensuring effective cooperation between the two countries' security agencies and for the assistance of the Emirati side in apprehending the suspect in the assassination attempt on General Vladimir Alekseyev,” a statement said.
In addition, the leaders had a further discussion of the issues raised during the President of the UAE's recent visit to Moscow.
A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of gravely injuring Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's vast GRU military intelligence service.
Russian airstrike on Ukrainian city kills one
03:13 , Arpan RaiA Russian airstrike on a residential area in eastern Ukraine killed one person and wounded two, officials said on Sunday.
The attack on the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region caused a fire in a nine-story apartment block, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service.
Russia also struck energy infrastructure in Ukraine's Poltava region overnight into Sunday, Serhii Koretskyi, chief executive of Ukraine's state-owned gas company Naftogaz said.
Russia has hammered Ukraine's power grid, especially in winter, throughout the nearly 4-year-old war. It aims to weaken the Ukrainian will to resist in a strategy that Kyiv officials call "weaponising winter”.
Russia says man suspected of shooting top general has been flown to Moscow from Dubai
03:05 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of gravely injuring one of Russia's most senior military intelligence officers, Russian security officials and investigators said on Sunday.
The Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said in a statement that a Russian citizen named Lyubomir Korba was detained in Dubai on suspicion of carrying out the shooting.
Russian investigators said Korba, born in the Ternopil region of Soviet Ukraine in 1960, was tasked by Ukrainian intelligence to carry out the shooting. Russia said Ukraine was behind the shooting, a charge Kyiv has denied.
Russian media showed masked FSB officers escorting a blindfolded man from a small jet in Russia in the dark.
The FSB said it had identified two accomplices, also Russian citizens. One, Viktor Vasin, was detained in Moscow, while another, Zinaida Serebritskaya, escaped to Ukraine, Russian investigators said.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's vast GRU military intelligence service, was shot three times on Friday with a Makarov pistol equipped with a silencer in an apartment block on the Volokolamsk highway in northern Moscow, the investigators said.
Recap: Russia says it captured two settlements in eastern Ukraine
03:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia has claimed to have captured two settlements in eastern Ukraine on Sunday.
The country’s defence ministry said its forces had captured the settlements of Hlushkivka in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region and Sydorivka in Sumy region.
The Independent could not independently verify the battlefield report.
Ukraine backs call for ceasefire during Winter Olympics
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine 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.
Top Russian general reportedly behind Salisbury poisonings shot in assassination bid in Moscow
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe top Russian military general reportedly shot in an alleged attempted assassination outside his Moscow apartment has been accused of being involved in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev is deputy head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence arm.
Mr Alexeyev is believed to have been behind the deadly Salisbury poisonings that caused the tragic death of mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess, 44, according to reports. The EU imposed sanctions on him over the poisoning of former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018.
You can read more below:
Top Russian general reportedly behind Salisbury poisonings shot in assassination bid
ICYMI: Trump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks and could not say when war began’
00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOne of Donald Trump’s senior envoys for Ukraine has sparked alarm after making a series of blunders during crucial peace talks, according to a report.
The unnamed official is alleged to have made several comments that exposed a basic lack of knowledge about the war between Ukraine and Russia during trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi last month.
You can read more below in our piece from 31 January:
Trump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks
Kremlin says it won’t stop fighting until Kyiv gives in
Sunday 8 February 2026 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia has warned Ukraine that it will not stop fighting until Kyiv makes what the Kremlin considers the right “decisions” to end the conflict during peace talks held this week.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner led the US delegation while Ukraine was represented by Rustem Umerov and Russia by military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov.
However, despite reports that the discussions were constructive, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russian troops would continue to fight until Kyiv made the right “decisions”.
The Independent’s Maira Butt and Alex Croft have more below:
Kremlin says it won’t stop fighting until Kyiv gives in as first day of talks end
Recap: Putin thanks UAE leader as Moscow general assassination attempt suspect detained
Sunday 8 February 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVladimir Putin has thanked his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan after a man suspected of shooting a Russian military officer was detained.
A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of the “assassination attempt” of Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's vast GRU military intelligence service said.
How Putin lures foreign nationals to the frontlines with the promise of work
Sunday 8 February 2026 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFor average wage earners in Russia, it's a big payday. For criminals seeking to escape the harsh conditions and abuse in prison, it's a chance at freedom. For immigrants hoping for a better life, it's a simplified path to citizenship.
All they have to do is sign a contract to fight in Ukraine.
This desperate recruitment drive is part of Moscow's strategy to replenish its forces in the nearly four-year conflict, while simultaneously avoiding an unpopular nationwide mobilisation. The bloody war of attrition has also seen foreign combatants join the fray. Following a mutual defence treaty in 2024, North Korea reportedly sent thousands of soldiers to help Russia defend its Kursk region against a Ukrainian incursion.
Furthermore, men from South Asian countries, including India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, have reported being duped by recruiters who promised legitimate jobs, only to find themselves conscripted for combat. Officials in Kenya, South Africa, and Iraq have confirmed similar instances of their citizens being misled into fighting.
You can read more below:
How Putin lures foreign nationals to the frontlines with the promise of work
Ukraine says Russia is illegally targeting the power grid. Here's what the law says
Sunday 8 February 2026 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian missiles and drones have pounded Ukraine’s energy grid in recent weeks, plunging people into frozen darkness in one of the country’s coldest winters on record.
Ukraine has accused Russia of illegally targeting power infrastructure during the war to deny civilians light, heating and running water.
But Russia says its attacks are a legitimate part of its military campaign against its neighbour. Moscow's invasion of Ukraine itself is widely regarded as an illegal act of aggression.
So, are attacks on energy installations allowed during war? You can read more below:
Ukraine says Russia is illegally targeting the power grid. Here's what the law says
Russia offered US £9tn cooperation deal, Zelensky says
Sunday 8 February 2026 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia offered the United States a cooperation deal worth £9tn in a bid for agreement between the two countries, Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian leader said intelligence suggested Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev proposed US-Russian co-operation deals worth as much as $12 trillion (£9tn) during negotiations.
He said that such agreements between Moscow and Washington must not violate Ukraine’s constitution, on Saturday.
“Intelligence showed me the so-called ‘Dmitriev package’ that he presented in the US – it amounts to around $12tn (£9tn),” Mr Zelensky said.
Russian airstrike kills one and injures two, Ukrainian officials say
Sunday 8 February 2026 18:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA Russian airstrike on a residential area in eastern Ukraine killed one person and wounded two, officials said Sunday.
The attack on the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region caused a fire in a nine-story apartment block, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service.
Russia also struck energy infrastructure in Ukraine's Poltava region overnight into Sunday, Serhii Koretskyi, chief executive of Ukraine's state-owned gas company Naftogaz said.
It comes as Russia continues to batter Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, bidding to weaken the Ukrainian will to resist in a strategy that Kyiv officials call "weaponising winter."
Watch: Zelensky says 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in war as Kremlin vows to fight on
Sunday 8 February 2026 18:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMelania Trump says she is in talks with Putin’s team over return of Ukrainian children
Sunday 8 February 2026 17:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMelania Trump has confirmed she remains in direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s team, pursuing efforts to facilitate the return of more Ukrainian children from Russia.
The announcement comes amid ongoing international concern over the thousands of children allegedly abducted since the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, she stated: "I'm working on it, and we are in the process. I hope we have success very soon."
You can read more below:
Melania Trump in talks with Putin’s team over return of Ukrainian children
Ukraine denies involvement in attempted assassination of Russian general
Sunday 8 February 2026 17:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine has denied any involvement in the attempted assassination of Russian general Vladimir Alexeyev.
Russia has blamed Kyiv for the shooting, which left the general needing surgery, according to media reports in Moscow.
Speaking to reporters, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said: “We don’t know what happened with that particular general — maybe it was their own internal Russian infighting.”
Ukraine will launch drone production in Germany by mid-February, Zelensky says
Sunday 8 February 2026 16:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine is set to launch drone production in Germany by mid-February, president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
In a post on X, he wrote: “Today, we are opening exports. Ten export centers across Europe will be operating as early as 2026 – in the Baltic and Nordic states. Ten representative offices will be active in 2026.
“By mid-February, we will already see the production of our drones in Germany.”
Today, we are opening exports. Ten export centers across Europe will be operating as early as 2026 – in the Baltic and Nordic states. Ten representative offices will be active in 2026. By mid-February, we will already see the production of our drones in Germany. I will receive… pic.twitter.com/u5JsmvVjQY
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2026
Zelensky reveals US deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise peace deal and end war
Sunday 8 February 2026 16:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe 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.
It is understood that if the deadline is not met, the Trump administration is expected to intensify pressure on both parties to secure a resolution.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Zelenskyy said: "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."
You can read more below:
Zelensky reveals US deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise peace deal
Watch: Zelensky confirms of another overnight Russian attack amidst ongoing negotiations
Sunday 8 February 2026 15:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRecap: Putin and Zelensky must meet in person, Ukraine's foreign minister says
Sunday 8 February 2026 15:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneKyiv's foreign minister has said the Ukrainian and Russian leaders need to meet in person to hash out the hardest remaining issues in peace talks, and that only US president Donald Trump has the power to bring about an agreement.
Ukraine wants to accelerate the efforts to end the four-year-old war and capitalise on momentum in the US-brokered talks before the country’s attention turns to campaigning for its congressional mid-term elections in November, foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview.
"Only Trump can stop the war," Mr Sybiha told Reuters in his office in Kyiv.
It has been reported that the US is pushing for a deal as early as March, but has accepted any agreement may come later due to hold-ups over the key issue of territory.
Russia energy sector is a legitimate target for Ukrainian strikes, says Zelensky
Sunday 8 February 2026 14:47 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia’s energy infrastructure is a legitimate target for strikes by Ukraine, in a statement on Sunday.
He argued that the sector contributes to sourcing funds for the production of weapons.
“We do not have to choose – whether we strike a military target or energy. He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) sells this energy. He sells oil. So is it energy, or is it a military target? Honestly, it's the same thing,” he wrote on X.
“We either build weapons and strike their weapons. Or we strike the source where their money is generated and multiplied. And that source is their energy sector...All of this is a legitimate target for us.”
UK ‘threatens to seize’ Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in escalation of tensions
Sunday 8 February 2026 14:10 , Maira ButtThe United Kingdom has threatened to seize a Russia-linked oil tanker in an escalation of tensions between the two countries over shadow fleets.
Military options to capture a rogue ship had been identified in discussions involving Nato allies, British defence sources told The Guardian.
The news comes weeks after the UK supported a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic.
British armed forces supported the capture of the Marinera, a vessel initially linked to Venezuela and previously known as Bella-1, as it travelled north and eastwards through the waters between Iceland and Scotland.
Ukraine urges acceleration of Trump-brokered peace talks
Sunday 8 February 2026 13:40 , Maira ButtUkraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has said that Ukrainian, Russian and American leaders must meet to discuss a deal for peace and only President Donald Trump can broker such an agreement.
“Only Trump can stop the war,” Sybiha told Reuters.
From a 20-point peace plan that has formed the basis of recent trilateral negotiations, only "a few" items remain outstanding, Sybiha said.
“The most sensitive and most difficult, to be dealt with at the leaders' level.”
He added: “My assessment is we have momentum, that's true. We need consolidation or mobilisation of these peace efforts, and we're ready to speed up.”
Russian strikes 'increasingly brutal' without 'global response', says Zelensky
Sunday 8 February 2026 13:15 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russian strikes are becoming “more frequent and increasingly brutal” even as peace talks remain ongoing.
“Russia launched more than 2,000 attack drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 116 missiles of various types at our cities and villages in just this past week,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter on Sunday.
“Almost every day, they strike energy facilities, logistics infrastructure, and residential buildings. And this is happening even as diplomatic efforts for peace are ongoing.”
He added: “The world must not turn a blind eye to Russian attacks. When there is no global response, the strikes become more frequent and increasingly brutal.”
Putin thanks UAE leader for help in detaining suspect
Sunday 8 February 2026 12:50 , Maira ButtPresident Vladimir Putin has thanked his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his help with the detention of a man suspected of shooting a Russian military intelligence officer.
The conversation took place during a phone call on Saturday evening, Russian agencies reported, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of the “assassination attempt” of Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's vast GRU military intelligence service.
At least four killed and 31 injured in Russian attacks over past day, say Ukraine authorities
Sunday 8 February 2026 12:20 , Maira ButtFour people have been killed and 31 injured in Russian attacks over the past day, Ukraine’s Air Force said on Sunday.
It said Russia had launched 101 drones from Kursk, Orel, Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo overnight.
Of those, 69 were intercepted while another 32 drones struck 13 locations, according to the reports.
Suspect in 'assassination attempt' on top Putin general flown to Moscow
Sunday 8 February 2026 11:49 , Maira ButtA suspect accused of being involved in the alleged assassination attempt of a top Russian general has been detained in Dubai and is being extradited to Russia, according to the country’s security agency.
Russian investigators said the man in his 60s was tasked by Ukrainian intelligence to carry out the shooting but Kyiv has denied involvement.
Masked FSB officers were seen escorting a blindfolded man from a small jet in Russia in the dark on Russian state media.
The FSB said it had identified two accomplices, also Russian citizens. One was detained in Moscow while another escaped to Ukraine.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev – an official previously linked to the Salisbury poisonings – was shot several times outside an apartment building - and is currently recovering in hospital.
Russia offers United States £9tn cooperation deal over Ukraine, says Zelensky
Sunday 8 February 2026 11:24 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that intelligence ha suggested that Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev proposed US-Russian co-operation deals worth as much as $12 trillion (£9tn) during negotiations.
He said that such agreements between Moscow and Washington must not violate Ukraine’s constitution, on Saturday.
“Intelligence showed me the so-called ‘Dmitriev package’ that he presented in the US – it amounts to around $12tn (£9tn),” Mr Zelensky said.
Ukraine businesses struggle to cope as Russian attacks bring power cuts and uncertainty
Sunday 8 February 2026 11:04 , Maira ButtIt is pre-dawn in the historic Podil district of the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, and warm light from the Spelta bakery-bistro’s window pierces the darkness outside. On a wooden surface dusted with flour, the baker Oleksandr Kutsenko skilfully divides and shapes soft, damp pieces of dough. As he shoves the first loaves into the oven, a sweet, delicate aroma of fresh bread fills the space.
Seconds later the lights go out, the ovens switch off and darkness envelops the room. Kutsenko, 31, steps outside into the freezing night, switches on a large rectangular generator and the power kicks back in. It’s a pattern that will be repeated many times as the business struggles to keep working through the power outages caused by Russia’s bombing campaign on Ukraine's energy grid.
“It’s now more than impossible to imagine a Ukrainian business operating without a generator,” said Olha Hrynchuk, the co-founder and head baker of Spelta.
Ukraine businesses struggle to cope as Russian attacks bring power cuts and uncertainty
Russia says it has captured two settlements in eastern Ukraine
Sunday 8 February 2026 10:35 , Maira ButtRussian forces have captured two settlements in eastern Ukraine, its defence ministry reported on Sunday.
The settlements of Hlushkivka in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region and Sydorivka in Sumy region are reported to have been seized, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, citing the ministry.
Orban declares Ukraine an 'enemy' state
Sunday 8 February 2026 09:58 , Maira ButtHungarian prime minister Viktor Orban declared Ukraine an "enemy" of Hungary at an anti-war rally.
Orban said Ukraine was persistently lobbying Brussels to sever Hungary’s access to Russian energy, which he warned would drive up household utility bills across the country.
"Anyone who says such a thing is an enemy of Hungary, so Ukraine is our enemy," Orban said.
His comments followed the Council of the EU’s decision to approve a ban on Russian gas purchases from 2027 — a move Hungary and Slovakia have challenged at the European Court of Justice.
Watch: Zelensky confirms of another overnight Russian attack amidst ongoing negotiations
Sunday 8 February 2026 09:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkraine imposes sanctions on foreign suppliers of components for Russian missiles
Sunday 8 February 2026 09:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said this morning that he was imposing sanctions on some foreign manufacturers of components used in Russian drones and missiles deployed against Ukraine.
“Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by circumventing sanctions,” Zelensky said on X.
“We are introducing new sanctions precisely against such companies — component suppliers, as well as missile and drone manufacturers. I have signed the relevant decisions.”
Russia says man suspected of shooting top general has been detained in Dubai
Sunday 8 February 2026 08:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Sunday that the man suspected of shooting senior Russian military intelligence officer Vladimir Alexeyev in Moscow has been detained in Dubai and extradited to Russia.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, the deputy head of the GRU — Russia’s military intelligence agency — was shot several times in an apartment block in Moscow on Friday, investigators said. He later underwent surgery, according to Russian media reports.
The FSB said a Russian citizen named Lyubomir Korba was arrested in Dubai on suspicion of carrying out the attack.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind the attempted assassination, saying it was aimed at undermining peace talks. Ukraine denied any involvement.
Alexeyev’s superior, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the head of the GRU, has been leading Russia’s delegation in talks with Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on security-related aspects of a potential peace deal.
Zelensky reveals US deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise peace deal and end war
Sunday 8 February 2026 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe 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."
UK ‘threatens to seize’ Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker
Sunday 8 February 2026 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe United Kingdom has threatened to seize a Russia-linked oil tanker in an escalation of tensions between the two countries over shadow fleets.
Military options to capture a rogue ship had been identified in discussions involving Nato allies, British defence sources told The Guardian.
The news comes weeks after the UK supported a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic.
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