Vladimir Putin has threatened retaliation over a deadly attack on a student dormitory in occupied Luhansk overnight.
The Russian president said on Friday that six people were killed and 39 injured in a drone attack at the Starobilsk College, accusing Ukraine of committing a “terrorist attack”.
Fifteen people are still reported missing as emergency teams continue rescue efforts at the scene. Images shared by Moscow-installed officials showed a collapsed building in the Russian-controlled town.
Putin insisted that the strike was not accidental and said that he had asked the defence ministry to prepare options for retaliation.
Ukraine is yet to comment on the strike and The Independent was unable to verify Moscow’s claims. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilian areas.
Russia’s RIA state news agency reported earlier that a dorm housing 86 students collapsed following a “massive drone strike” on the Luhansk Pedagogical University.
Key Points
- Ukraine says radiation spike detected after Russia uses uranium in missiles
- Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
- Putin says use of nuclear weapons is 'last resort' measure
- Zelensky says oil plant strikes on Russia going according to plan
- Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep
Nato tests ‘deep strike’ missile operations from London Tube station to prepare for Russian attack
20:00 , James Reynolds
Nato forces have taken over a London tube station to use as their underground HQ as they simulate launching “deep strike” operations on Russia in the event of an attack on allied forces.
In a ramping up of preparations for war, the UK-led Nato Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) moved its military capability to a disused platform at Charing Cross station.
As part of Operation Arcade Strike, soldiers are testing Nato’s capacity to use electronic warfare to jam Russia’s communications and down the Kremlin’s drones in case of a fictional Russian invasion of a Baltic country.
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Nato tests missile operations from Tube station to prepare for Russian attack
IAEA reports fire at Ukraine's Dniprovska electrical substation due to military activity
19:30 , Bryony Gooch
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Ukraine had informed it that a fire broke out at the Dniprovska 750-kilovolt electrical substation on Friday due to military activity.
The UN nuclear watchdog said South Ukraine nuclear power plant was partially disconnected from its off-site power supplies at the request of the grid operator as a result of the incident.
Kyiv casts doubt on progress in US-brokered talks
19:00 , James Reynolds
With Europe now eyeing a lead role in direct communications with Russia, Ukraine says that US-brokered talks are reaching the point of exhaustion.
Foreign minister andrii Sybiha said on Friday: “My impression is that this format is gradually reaching the point where discussions possible at this level are becoming exhausted.
“At times, the same issues end up being discussed several times over.”
Little tangible progress has been made to end the war since talks broke down in February. And with the US now tied up in Iran, Europe is weighing restarting dialogue with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Sybiha assessed that European engagement is one of the ways to reinvigorate the process. Another option, he added, is meeting at the leaders' level, which Ukraine has been pressing for.
Ukraine claims Russian accusation of attack on student dorm is 'manipulation'
18:15 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's military on Friday denied Russian accusations that it attacked a student dormitory in the occupied Starobilsk as "manipulation" and said it targeted an elite drone command unit in the area.
Kyiv's general staff said on Facebook that it hit one of the headquarters of the Rubicon drone unit near the town overnight.
It stressed that Ukraine complies with international humanitarian law.
Warsaw welcomes US decision to send troops to Poland
18:00 , James Reynolds
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said that Donald Trump's decision on the presence of American troops in Poland is “good news for Poland and the USA”.
“I thank everyone involved in this matter, President (of Poland) Nawrocki, ministers, congressmen, and friends of Poland in the USA for their effectiveness and unity of action,” he wrote on the X platform.
It came after Trump said on Thursday the United States would send 5,000 more troops to Poland, citing his relationship with conservative president Karol Nawrocki as the reason.
On Tuesday, JD Vance told reporters a US troop deployment to Poland had been delayed, but it was not accurate to say the troops were being withdrawn from Europe.
Earlier, Polish authorities had been alarmed by reports that the Pentagon had cancelled plans to deploy troops there, but they offered reassurances to Poles that this was not the case.
Zelensky says he expects US proposals on new formats of peace talks
17:30 , Bryony Gooch
Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine should be reinvigorated, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday after talks with leaders of Britain, France and Germany.
Zelensky added in his evening address that he expects proposals from the United States on new formats of diplomacy, stressing that the frontline situation was favourable to Ukraine after Kyiv's troops liberated 590 square kilometres so far this year.
Europe floats temporary reprieve on sanctions hitting targeting
17:00 , James Reynolds
The European Commission proposed a 9-month derogation on dealings with a Chinese semiconductor company listed in its 20th package of sanctions against Russia, a Commission spokesperson has said.
The company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic, will remain on the EU's sanctions list but the temporary reprieve will allow automakers to find alternative chip supplies and avoid a "severe disruption", the spokesperson said.
EU countries will have to unanimously agree on the proposal for the measure to come into force.
In pictures: Ukrainian forces try to intercept a Russian drone in Kharkiv
16:00 , James Reynolds
Putin vows retaliation over 'Ukrainian strike on student dorms'
15:36 , James Reynolds
Vladimir Putin has threatened retaliation over a Ukrainian strike reported to have struck a student dormitory in occupied Luhansk.
The Russian president claimed on Friday that six people were killed and 39 injured overnight, accusing Ukraine of committing a “terrorist attack”.
Fifteen people are still reported missing as emergency teams continue rescue efforts at the scene, he said.
Putin assessed that the strike was not accidental and said that he had asked the defence ministry to prepare options for retaliation.
Ukraine is yet to comment on the strike. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilian areas. The Independent was unable to verify the claims.
Russia’s RIA state news agency reported earlier that a dorm housing 86 students collapsed following a “massive drone strike” on the Starobilsk College of Luhansk Pedagogical University.
Recap: Rubio defends US record on Ukraine
15:30 , James Reynolds
Ukraine is “getting more support than ever” as a result of the US selling defence equipment to Nato allies, Marco Rubio said during a meeting with partners in Europe on Friday.
The US secretary of state defended the Trump administration’s record in selling arms to allies to be given to Ukraine through the PURL initiative, stressing the value of the military alliance to Nato.
“I understand Nato’s valuable to Europe, and it should be,” he said, adding: “It also has to be valuable to the United States.”
Donald Trump has floated leaving the military alliance and withdrawn direct support for Ukraine offered under the Biden administration since returning to office last year.
The comments come amid a widening rift between Europe and the US over Europe’s perceived lack of support for Trump’s war in Iran and US threats to withdraw troops from the old continent.
Trump surprised Nato allies this week by pledging to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, but Rubio cautioned ministers that Washington’s frustrations would still have to be addressed.
Russia says four killed, 35 children wounded in Ukrainian attack
15:00 , James Reynolds
Russian officials say that at least four people were killed and 35 children wounded in an overnight Ukrainian attack on a student dorm in Russian-controlled Luhansk.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which seeks to retake the eastern region. The Independent was unable to verify the claims.
Yana Lantratova, Russia's Human Rights Commissioner, said that 86 teenagers aged 14 to 18 had been asleep inside the hostel belonging to Luhansk Pedagogical University's Starobilsk college when Ukrainian drones attacked it during the night.
Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Rubio acknowledges US-mediated talks so far 'not fruitful'
14:50 , James Reynolds
Rubio goes on to acknowledge that US-mediated talks between Ukraine and Russia have so far not been “frutiful”.
“If we see an opportunity to pull together talks that are productive, not counterproductive, and that have the chance to be fruitful, we’re prepared to play that role,” he adds.
Ukraine is getting more support than ever, says Rubio
14:44 , James Reynolds
Speaking now at a Nato meeting of foreign ministers in Sweden, Marco Rubio says Ukraine is “getting more support than they ever have” through the PURL programme.
He adds that the US is interested in “productive talks” on Ukraine, but criticises allies over their lack of support on Iran.
“I understand Nato’s valuable to Europe, and it should be,” he says.
“It also has to be valuable to the United States, so we always have to make that argument in every administration, in every era, and that’s what we’re in the process of doing now, is explaining, you know, this is the value of Nato to the United States, related to that, is what our force posture is within that alliance, what our contributions are.”
Watch: Inside Nato’s London tube war drill
14:28 , James Reynolds
The Independent joined Nato as forces took over a London tube station in preparation for a Russian attack.
Nato’s UK-run command centre took over Charing Cross tube to test its ability to fight off Russia amid continued criticism that Britain isn’t war ready.
As part of Operation Arcade Strike, soldiers are testing Nato’s capacity to use electronic warfare to jam Russia’s communications and down the Kremlin’s drones in case of a fictional Russian invasion of a Baltic country:
$1m worth of emergency aid destroyed in Russian strike on Ukraine
14:00 , James Reynolds
The UN’s refugee agency said on Friday that it had lost $1m worth of emergency aid in a Russian missile strike that hit one of its warehouses in Dnipro, Ukraine.
The warehouse, which contained emergency shelter materials including sleeping mats and hygiene kits, was destroyed and Wednesday and two people were killed, the UNCHR representative in Kyiv said.
Bernadette Castel-Hollingworth said it was the first time a UNHCR facility had been “targeted or attacked”.
The supplies were destined to be distributed to displaced and war-affected people in frontline areas in Ukraine, and deprive people of critical assistance at a time of significant need as forced displacement and evacuations continue from frontline regions, according to UNHCR.
France eyes involvement in British-German long-range missile programme
13:46 , James Reynolds
France is reportedly looking to join a British-German plan to make new long-range missiles as Europe weans itself off military reliance on the United States.
Sources familiar with the discussions told the Financial Times that Paris has formally expressed interest in joining the deep precision strike programme.
The three nations are hoping to hold trilateral talks early next month, the newspaper reports.
The programme aims to build a series of ground-launched missiles with a range of more than 2,000km, capable of hitting military targets deep inside Russia.
Kyiv casts doubt on progress in US-brokered talks
13:28 , James Reynolds
With Europe now eyeing a lead role in direct communications with Russia, Ukraine says that US-brokered talks are reaching the point of exhaustion.
Foreign minister andrii Sybiha said on Friday: “My impression is that this format is gradually reaching the point where discussions possible at this level are becoming exhausted.
“At times, the same issues end up being discussed several times over.”
Little tangible progress has been made to end the war since talks broke down in February. And with the US now tied up in Iran, Europe is weighing restarting dialogue with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Sybiha assessed that European engagement is one of the ways to reinvigorate the process. Another option, he added, is meeting at the leaders' level, which Ukraine has been pressing for.
Watch: Zelensky confirms attack on Russian oil refinery as Putin plans to test nuclear-capable missiles
11:30 , Arpan Rai
Nato chief asks Ukraine's allies to spend more to help Kyiv
11:00 , Arpan Rai
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has called on Ukraine's allies to offer more support, as he called out some member nations for a lack of spending.
Expenditure to back Ukraine's defence “is not evenly distributed within Nato,” with “a limited” group of countries leading the effort – Sweden, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark – but many others “not spending enough when it comes to the support for Ukraine,” Rutte said.
Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson also underlined the concerns and said that Stockholm is the third largest donor and “it would be far better if more countries competed with the our size of support”.
“We need to be long term and firm in our support. So I really would like more countries that speak so extremely well about Ukraine to also put the money where the mouth is,” he said.
Starmer's ex-chief of staff McSweeney to warn of Russia's AI misuse in Ukraine
10:45 , Arpan Rai
Morgan McSweeney, prime minister Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, is heading to Prague for a rare public appearance as he is set to warn people over the danger posed by artificial intelligence in elections.
He will be especially focussing on how AI could be a weapon for Russia to interfere with any future elections in Ukraine, reported Politico.
McSweeney resigned as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in February after taking “full responsibility” for advising the prime minister to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
The ex-Downing Street official will be appearing on a panel alongside media executives and polling specialists on Friday.
He also spoke about AI earlier this year at the Kyiv Security Forum.
Power outages recorded in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia region
10:25 , Arpan Rai
The Russia-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region was experiencing emergency power blackouts this morning, Russia-installed governor Yevgeny Balitsky was quoted as saying by the Kommersant newspaper.
However, critical infrastructure was working as usual, he said, without providing further details, according to Kommersant.
Separately, the Russia-appointed head of the parts of southern Kherson region held by Russian forces, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram that nine areas were cut off the power grid after drone attacks.
It is not immediately clear what was causing the power cut but the region has been facing an increased number of attacks from Russian forces and military responses from Ukrainian forces fighting for the territory.
Russia downs drones headed for Moscow and nearby Yaroslavl region
10:05 , Arpan Rai
Russian defence systems were working to repel drone attacks over Moscow and the nearby Yaroslavl region in the early hours today, local authorities said on the Telegram messaging app.
At least four drones headed for Moscow were downed and emergency services were deployed to the area, said mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Moscow and the Yaroslavl region, northeast of the capital, also came under drone attack earlier this week. Russia has energy infrastructure in both areas.
Why are Ukrainian drones targeting Russian facilities in Black Sea?
09:45 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Baltic Sea ports used for Russian energy exports in an attempt to hit Moscow’s war chest at a time US president Donald Trump’s war in Iran has driven up the price of oil, a key revenue stream for the Kremlin.
The sustained drone offensive over the past few months has caused significant disruption to Ukraine's Baltic allies, with one drone crashing into the chimney of a power plant in Estonia, another hitting empty fuel tanks in Latvia and others being shot down by Romanian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania.
Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic nations have increasingly warned about electronic interference from Russia disrupting communications with planes, ships and drones.
In the Baltic region, Russia often uses jamming and spoofing to send drones off course.
Ukraine's intensifying attacks against Russia have focused on arms factories, ports on the Baltic Sea and energy facilities as the war in Iran has boosted oil prices.
It has particularly targeted the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk, close to the borders of Estonia and Finland. Russia uses the ports to load up ships taking its oil exports through the Baltic Sea.
During one attack in May, which set part of the port of Primorsk on fire, more than 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down, Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Zelensky says oil plant strikes on Russia going according to plan
09:25 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the country’s efforts to weaken Russian oil facilities are going according to plan.
Yesterday, Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran oil refinery more than 800km (500 miles) inside Russia. Local media reported that the Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran refinery owned by oil and gas company Rosneft.
“Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full. The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
Another Ukrainian long-range sanction against Russian oil refining – and we are continuing this line of action. This time around, it was the Syzran oil refinery – more than 800 kilometers away from our border. I thank the warriors of the Unmanned Systems Forces and the Special… pic.twitter.com/agLuhwrvQS
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 21, 2026
Lukashenko says Belarus will not be dragged into Ukraine war, but will defend itself with Russia
09:10 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed any notion that Belarus would be dragged into the Ukraine war, but said Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves in case of aggression, Belarusian state news agency BELTA reported.
Lukashenko was also quoted by BELTA as saying that he was ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly suggested that Belarus could become further involved in the more than four-year-old conflict.
Lukashenko made his remarks during joint nuclear exercises with Russia which he and Russian president Vladimir Putin observed via a video conference.
“As for (Zelensky's) statements that Belarus will be drawn into the war, as I have just said, this will occur in only one instance – if aggression is committed on our territory," BELTA quoted Lukashenko as saying.
"We will together defend our Fatherland... where our two countries stand," he added.
He said that if Zelensky wanted to "talk about something, have a discussion or perhaps something else, by all means, we are open to this. Any location – Ukraine, Belarus – I am ready to meet him and discuss problems in our relations”.
Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory for Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Zelensky has for weeks warned of unusual activity and a possible cross-border incursion.
Ukraine says radiation spike detected after Russia uses uranium in missiles
09:06 , Adam Withnall
Ukraine’s security agency says Russia used depleted uranium in a missile fired at Chernihiv Oblast in the north of the country last month.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it detected a spike in radiation levels coming from an unexploded missile that had been fired by a Russian drone.
The missile had been used to target Ukrainian aircraft, the SBU said, and was armed with Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 projectiles.
The SBU urged members of the public to be extremely cautious if they found any debris or unexploded munitions on the ground, with the high levels of radiation recorded posing a threat to human health.
Depleted uranium is widely used by militaries around the world because of its density, which makes it effective at penetrating armour. Russia had expressed outrage earlier in the war at reports that the UK would be providing depleted uranium tank shells to the Ukrainian military.
A waste product of nuclear processes, depleted uranium is much less radioactive than natural uranium and cannot generate a nuclear reaction.
Germany urges the EU to offer Ukraine 'associate membership'
08:40 , Arpan Rai
German chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the European Union to consider offering “associate membership” to Ukraine and breathe new life into talks aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia, according to a letter seen on Thursday by The Associated Press.
His letter, to the EU’s top officials, comes as the 27-nation bloc weighs whether to try to launch its own negotiations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, with US mediated talks bogged down while America’s attention focuses on the Iran war.
Under Merz’s proposals, Ukraine would take part in EU meetings, but without voting rights, and would also have non-voting “associate members” of the bloc’s powerful executive branch, the European Commission, and the European Parliament.
He insisted that this “would not be a membership light,” and “go far beyond” the Association Agreement that currently governs EU-Ukraine relations. Merz suggested a “snap-back mechanism” in case Ukraine backslides on democratic standards.
Germany urges the EU to offer Ukraine 'associate membership' and boost talks with Russia
Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
08:10 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump has said the US will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, stirring confusion following weeks of changing statements from Trump and his administration about reducing – not increasing – the American military footprint in Europe.
The Trump administration has said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and US officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer deploying to Poland.
Trump’s social media announcement raises more uncertainty for European allies that have been blindsided by the changes as the administration has complained about Nato members not shouldering enough of the burden of their own defence and failing to do more to support the Iran war.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump said on Truth Social.
Trump and the Pentagon have said in recent weeks that they were drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticised what he called a lack of strategy in the war.
Trump then told reporters at the beginning of the month that the US would be "cutting a lot further than 5,000”.
It is not immediately clear whether that meant the brigade would resume its deployment to Poland, if additional troops on top of that rotational deployment could be added, or whether there would still be a drawdown of US troops in Europe but from a different country.
Russian oil refineries hit over 150 times by Ukraine since start of war – report
07:44 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine has attacked Russia’s oil refinery facilities at least 158 times since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Polish media outlet Vot Tak reported.
The strikes were carried out using a combination of missiles and drones, the analysis from Vot Tak said, and targeted at least 24 of Russia’s 33 oil refineries capable of processing at least 1 million tons of oil per year.
The data compiled includes all major refineries located within the European part of Russia.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian energy facilities are valid military targets because revenues fuel the Kremlin's war machine.
Ukrainian officials have not issued remarks on the Polish report.
US defence officials confused over Trump's troop announcement for Poland
07:12 , Arpan Rai
US defence officials are still wrapping their heads around the Trump administration’s announcement of pulling back and deploying troops to Poland.
Donald Trump on Thursday said the US will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, just weeks after he said he was reducing – not increasing – the American military footprint in Europe.
As of last week, some 4,000 troops from the Army’s 2nd Armoured Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were no longer en route to Poland.
The canceled deployment was part of an effort to comply with Trump's order to reduce the number of troops in Europe. A deployment to Germany of personnel trained to fire long-range missiles also was halted.
US defence officials expressed confusion about Trump's new announcement.
“We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement," one official told AP. "We don’t know what this means either.”
“There seems to be no process to deliberating policies like troop withdrawals and deployments at the top,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat who served as US ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and first Trump administrations and now teaches international relations at Northwestern University in Illinois.
Kelly said Marco Rubio may have a tough time in explaining Trump’s wild swings to Europeans who are craving certainty and consistency even if they might disagree.
“These are not well thought out decisions,” Kelly said. “These are impulsive decisions based on Trump’s whims or what his advisors think are Trump’s whims,” he said.
Starmer's ex-chief of staff McSweeney to warn of Russia's AI misuse in Ukraine
06:58 , Arpan Rai
Morgan McSweeney, prime minister Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, is heading to Prague for a rare public appearance as he is set to warn people over the danger posed by artificial intelligence in elections.
He will be especially focussing on how AI could be a weapon for Russia to interfere with any future elections in Ukraine, reported Politico.
McSweeney resigned as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in February after taking “full responsibility” for advising the prime minister to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
The ex-Downing Street official will be appearing on a panel alongside media executives and polling specialists on Friday.
He also spoke about AI earlier this year at the Kyiv Security Forum.
Nato chief asks Ukraine's allies to spend more to help Kyiv
06:23 , Arpan Rai
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has called on Ukraine's allies to offer more support, as he called out some member nations for a lack of spending.
Expenditure to back Ukraine's defence “is not evenly distributed within Nato,” with “a limited” group of countries leading the effort – Sweden, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark – but many others “not spending enough when it comes to the support for Ukraine,” Rutte said.
Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson also underlined the concerns and said that Stockholm is the third largest donor and “it would be far better if more countries competed with the our size of support”.
“We need to be long term and firm in our support. So I really would like more countries that speak so extremely well about Ukraine to also put the money where the mouth is,” he said.
Power outages recorded in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia region
06:14 , Arpan Rai
The Russia-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region was experiencing emergency power blackouts this morning, Russia-installed governor Yevgeny Balitsky was quoted as saying by the Kommersant newspaper.
However, critical infrastructure was working as usual, he said, without providing further details, according to Kommersant.
Separately, the Russia-appointed head of the parts of southern Kherson region held by Russian forces, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram that nine areas were cut off the power grid after drone attacks.
It is not immediately clear what was causing the power cut but the region has been facing an increased number of attacks from Russian forces and military responses from Ukrainian forces fighting for the territory.
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
05:56 , Arpan Rai
Russia has begun nuclear war games and moved Iskander-M missiles into Belarus, on the doorstep of the European Union. Ukraine has rushed troops to its northern border, and Nato has condemned the threatening moves.
Russia’s ministry of defence issued a press release and video footage to ensure that the threat against Ukraine and its allies was clear.
Ria Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned news site, said: “Since May 18, Belarus has begun training in the combat use of nuclear weapons and their provision by military units. It involves the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Long-Range Aviation Command, as well as part of the forces of the Leningrad and Central Military Districts.”
Sam Kiley reports:
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Why are Ukrainian drones targeting Russian facilities in Black Sea?
05:46 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Baltic Sea ports used for Russian energy exports in an attempt to hit Moscow’s war chest at a time US president Donald Trump’s war in Iran has driven up the price of oil, a key revenue stream for the Kremlin.
The sustained drone offensive over the past few months has caused significant disruption to Ukraine's Baltic allies, with one drone crashing into the chimney of a power plant in Estonia, another hitting empty fuel tanks in Latvia and others being shot down by Romanian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania.
Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic nations have increasingly warned about electronic interference from Russia disrupting communications with planes, ships and drones.
In the Baltic region, Russia often uses jamming and spoofing to send drones off course.
Ukraine's intensifying attacks against Russia have focused on arms factories, ports on the Baltic Sea and energy facilities as the war in Iran has boosted oil prices.
It has particularly targeted the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk, close to the borders of Estonia and Finland. Russia uses the ports to load up ships taking its oil exports through the Baltic Sea.
During one attack in May, which set part of the port of Primorsk on fire, more than 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down, Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Three railworkers killed in Ukrainian strike on Bryansk, says state rail company
05:12 , Arpan Rai
Three people were killed when a locomotive was struck by a Ukrainian drone in Russia's Bryansk region on Thursday, state company Russian Railways said.
The three victims were Russian Railways employees who were at a railway station in the town of Unecha when it was hit, it said.
Yegor Kovalchuk, the Bryansk region's acting governor, had earlier said Unecha had come under attack.
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine and is frequently targeted in Ukrainian strikes.
Zelensky says oil plant strikes on Russia going according to plan
04:44 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the country’s efforts to weaken Russian oil facilities are going according to plan.
Yesterday, Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran oil refinery more than 800km (500 miles) inside Russia. Local media reported that the Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran refinery owned by oil and gas company Rosneft.
“Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full. The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
Another Ukrainian long-range sanction against Russian oil refining – and we are continuing this line of action. This time around, it was the Syzran oil refinery – more than 800 kilometers away from our border. I thank the warriors of the Unmanned Systems Forces and the Special… pic.twitter.com/agLuhwrvQS
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 21, 2026
Lukashenko says Belarus will not be dragged into Ukraine war, but will defend itself with Russia
04:28 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed any notion that Belarus would be dragged into the Ukraine war, but said Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves in case of aggression, Belarusian state news agency BELTA reported.
Lukashenko was also quoted by BELTA as saying that he was ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly suggested that Belarus could become further involved in the more than four-year-old conflict.
Lukashenko made his remarks during joint nuclear exercises with Russia which he and Russian president Vladimir Putin observed via a video conference.
“As for (Zelensky's) statements that Belarus will be drawn into the war, as I have just said, this will occur in only one instance – if aggression is committed on our territory," BELTA quoted Lukashenko as saying.
"We will together defend our Fatherland... where our two countries stand," he added.
He said that if Zelensky wanted to "talk about something, have a discussion or perhaps something else, by all means, we are open to this. Any location – Ukraine, Belarus – I am ready to meet him and discuss problems in our relations”.
Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory for Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Zelensky has for weeks warned of unusual activity and a possible cross-border incursion.
Russia downs drones headed for Moscow and nearby Yaroslavl region
04:03 , Arpan Rai
Russian defence systems were working to repel drone attacks over Moscow and the nearby Yaroslavl region in the early hours today, local authorities said on the Telegram messaging app.
At least four drones headed for Moscow were downed and emergency services were deployed to the area, said mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Moscow and the Yaroslavl region, northeast of the capital, also came under drone attack earlier this week. Russia has energy infrastructure in both areas.
Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
03:55 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump has said the US will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, stirring confusion following weeks of changing statements from Trump and his administration about reducing – not increasing – the American military footprint in Europe.
The Trump administration has said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and US officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer deploying to Poland.
Trump’s social media announcement raises more uncertainty for European allies that have been blindsided by the changes as the administration has complained about Nato members not shouldering enough of the burden of their own defence and failing to do more to support the Iran war.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump said on Truth Social.
Trump and the Pentagon have said in recent weeks that they were drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticised what he called a lack of strategy in the war.
Trump then told reporters at the beginning of the month that the US would be "cutting a lot further than 5,000”.
It is not immediately clear whether that meant the brigade would resume its deployment to Poland, if additional troops on top of that rotational deployment could be added, or whether there would still be a drawdown of US troops in Europe but from a different country.
From Putin's guest of honour to hosting nuclear weapons: How Belarus has become a closer ally to Putin
03:00 , Alex Croft
The Russian defence ministry said this morning that more of its nuclear munitions have been delivered to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of nuclear drills.
This came just hours after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv has bolstered its defences and will send reinforcements to its northern regions in bid to step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital.
Minsk has remained one of Moscow's staunchest supporters in the war, which was initially launched in part by Russian forces passing through Belarus. Russian drones have frequently crossed Belarus while attacking Ukraine, and Minsk said it deployed the Russian Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile system.
"As of now, we haven’t detected any movement of equipment or personnel directly at our border, but of course, we can see the pressure Russia is putting on Belarus," Ukraine's border guards spokesperson, Andriy Demchenko, told Ukrinform news agency.
On Monday, Belarus said it launched joint drills with Russia to practice the use of nuclear weapons that Moscow has deployed on the territory of its neighbour and ally.
The two countries have ramped up their cooperation in recent months, with the inclusion of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko as Vladimir Putin's guest of honour in his Victory Day parade earlier this month.
Kremlin denies China's army secretly trained Russian soldiers
02:00 , Alex Croft
The Kremlin has denied a report that China's army secretly trained Russian soldiers in China late last year, some of whom went on to fight in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a lot of fake information was being published in Western media and that Russia needed to be cautious when dealing with such reports.
Reuters news agency reported this week, citing European intelligence agencies and documents, that China's armed forces covertly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China in late 2025.
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
01:01 , Alex Croft
Russia has begun nuclear war games and moved Iskander-M missiles into Belarus, on the doorstep of the European Union. Ukraine has rushed troops to its northern border, and Nato has condemned the threatening moves.
Russia’s ministry of defence issued a press release and video footage to ensure that the threat against Ukraine and its allies was clear.
Ria Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned news site, said: “Since May 18, Belarus has begun training in the combat use of nuclear weapons and their provision by military units. It involves the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Long-Range Aviation Command, as well as part of the forces of the Leningrad and Central Military Districts.”
World affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Putin: Use of nuclear weapons is 'last resort' measure
Friday 22 May 2026 00:01 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, Russian president Vladimir Putin was earlier observing nuclear drills held by Russia and Belarus on Thursday.
While watching the drills, he stated that the use of nuclear weapons would be a "last resort" measure, according to the Belarus defence ministry.
Such weapons, he said, must serve as a guarantor of Russian and Belarusian sovereignty.
Watch: Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
Thursday 21 May 2026 23:01 , Alex Croft
Three railworkers killed in Ukrainian strike on Bryansk, says state rail company
Thursday 21 May 2026 22:02 , Alex Croft
Three people were killed when a locomotive was struck by a Ukrainian drone in Russia's Bryansk region on Thursday, state company Russian Railways said.
The three victims were Russian Railways employees who were at a railway station in the town of Unecha when it was hit, it said.
Yegor Kovalchuk, the Bryansk region's acting governor, had earlier said Unecha had come under attack.
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine and is frequently targeted in Ukrainian strikes.
Why are tensions escalating in the Baltic?
Thursday 21 May 2026 21:00 , Alex Croft
Tensions have been escalating between the Baltic states and Russia, as Moscow accuses the countries of allowing Ukraine to fly over their territory to attack northern Russia - an accusation NATO denies.
The Baltic states, all strong backers of Ukraine, say Russia is redirecting Ukrainian drones into their airspace from their intended targets in Russia.
The Kremlin criticised remarks by Lithuania's top diplomat as "verging on insanity" on Wednesday after foreign minister Kestutis Budrys said Nato had to show Moscow it was capable of penetrating the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Kaliningrad is sandwiched between Nato members Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic coast.
It has a population of around one million and is heavily militarised, serving as the headquarters of Russia's Baltic Fleet.
Putin says Russia-Belarus nuclear drills are complete
Thursday 21 May 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the tasks of Russia-Belarus joint nuclear drills had been fully completed.
Putin observed the drills together with Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko.
In pictures: Russia test launches nuclear ballistic missiles
Thursday 21 May 2026 19:00 , Alex Croft
Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces had launched a Yars ballistic missile and a Zircon hypersonic missile as part of missile tests during nuclear drills, Russian media reported.
We can bring you a picture of the launch here:
Thursday 21 May 2026 18:01 , Alex Croft
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus would not be dragged into the Ukraine war, after Volodymyr Zelensky said the country could be helping Russia to prepare an offensive from the north.
Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves in case of aggression, Belarusian state news agency BELTA reported.
Lukashenko also said that he is ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, as joint nuclear exercises held by Russia and Belarus get underway, according to BELTA.
Four people injured as Ukraine and Russia exchange attacks overnight, local authorities say
Thursday 21 May 2026 17:00 , Daniel Keane
Three people were injured in a drone attack in the town of Shebekino and the nearby area in Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, local authorities said on Telegram,
Ukraine also reported one person injured in the southeastern city of Dnipro.
Russia launches nuclear war-games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Thursday 21 May 2026 16:00 , Sam Kiley
Russia’s massive war games in Belarus an attempt to regain military initiative by threatening armageddon, world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes.
Russia launches nuclear war-games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Kremlin dismisses report that China covertly trained Russian soldiers for Ukraine
Thursday 21 May 2026 15:00 , Daniel Keane
The Kremlin has dismissed as false a Reuters report that China's army secretly trained about 200 Russian soldiers in China late last year, some of whom went on to fight in Ukraine.
A Russian-Chinese agreement from July 2025 reviewed by Reuters said about 200 Russian troops would be trained at military facilities in locations including Beijing and the eastern city of Nanjing.
The agreement also said hundreds of Chinese troops would undergo training at military facilities in Russia.
Asked about the report on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "A great deal of false information is published by newspapers in both Europe and the United States.”
Beijing says it is neutral in the Ukraine conflict and has sought to present itself as a peace mediator.
Latvia detects drones in airspace
Thursday 21 May 2026 14:30 , Daniel Keane
Latvia said on Thursday it had detected at least one drone flying in the country's airspace and that NATO fighter jets were activated to combat the threat, the latest in a series of such security incidents in the Baltic region.
The Latvian Armed Forces later announced that the threat had ended, without providing further detail.
Ukraine has in recent months stepped up its long-range drone attacks on Russia, including in the Baltic Sea area, where several Ukrainian military drones have strayed into the airspace of NATO members Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Watch: Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
Thursday 21 May 2026 13:55 , Daniel Keane
