Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the UK on Wednesday, a minister has said as the government reaffirmed its support for Ukraine despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, defence minister John Healey said the world faces “two conflicts on two continents, supported by an axis of aggression with similar tactics and similar technologies”.
He said that over the last month, the UK had supplied Ukraine with 3,500 drones, 18,000 artillery rounds and three million rounds of small ammunition.
"I say this to the Ukrainian people on behalf of the UK: we will not forget the war in Europe and our total determination to stand with Ukraine remains steadfast, and we will welcome President Zelensky to this country tomorrow,” he said.
It follows reports that the peace process between Ukraine, the US and Russia is “fizzling out” with Donald Trump preoccupied by the crisis in the Middle East.
Zelensky said the US had proposed hosting the next meeting between American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams, which include US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but Moscow had refused to send a delegation.
Key Points
- Zelensky says Ukraine waiting for US and Russia to continue peace talks
- Zelensky calls out ‘blackmail’ by Europe over Druzhba oil pipeline
- African nations tiptoe around Russian networks recruiting citizens
- Zelensky says Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle East with drones
- 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins Oscar for best documentary feature
Polish jets intercept Russian reconnaissance aircraft
17:29 , Alex CroftPolish jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Friday, the Polish army's operational command said on X.
"Polish fighter jets intercepted the Russian Il-20 aircraft conducting its ninth reconnaissance mission of the year in international airspace, without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off,” it added.
“The aircraft did not violate Polish airspace.”
In pictures: Firefighters work at the site of buildings hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine
16:30 , Shaheena Uddin
Zelensky to visit UK tomorrow, says defence minister
15:53 , Daniel KeaneVolodymyr Zelensky will visit the UK on Wednesday, a minister has said as the government reaffirmed its support for Ukraine despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, defence minister John Healey said the world faces “two conflicts on two continents, supported by an axis of aggression with similar tactics and similar technologies”.
He said that over the last month, the UK had supplied Ukraine with 3,500 drones, 18,000 artillery rounds and three million rounds of small ammunition.
"I say this to the Ukrainian people on behalf of the UK: we will not forget the war in Europe and our total determination to stand with Ukraine remains steadfast, and we will welcome President Zelensky to this country tomorrow,” he said.
War in the Gulf cannot be allowed to 'turn into windfall for Putin', Starmer says
15:30 , Shaheena UddinAs the US-Israeli war on Iran reaches its third week mark, Prime minister Keir Starmer has commented on the impact the conflict in the Gulf could have on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Mr Starmer said: “It’s vital we continue to focus on supporting Ukraine. We cannot allow the war in the Gulf to turn into a windfall for Putin.”
Zelensky says Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle East with drones
15:00 , Shaheena UddinVolodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations that have sought its expertise as they defend against Iranian kamikaze drones.
The Zelensky administration has already sent its specialists to the war-hit region as several of the US and Israel’s allies fight off incoming Iranian Shahed drones, which Ukraine has gained superiority over in the more than four-year-old war against Russia.
Zelensky told reporters that three teams were sent to the Middle East to conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences should operate. Earlier this week he said teams were sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as a US military base in Jordan.
In pictures: Ukrainian air defence firing at drones during a Russian drone and missile attack over Kyiv
14:30 , Shaheena Uddin
Explosions in Kyiv after rare daytime drone assault
13:30 , Shaheena UddinExplosions were heard across Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Monday as air defences engaged a barrage of Russian projectiles in a rare daytime attack.
The drones appeared to have been upgraded according to Ukrainian officials, as multiple explosions ripped through the city and drone debris crashed into the capital’s main square.
Ukrainian air defence units downed 194 out of 211 Russian drones, the air force said, adding that the morning attack was unusual in its timing and involved different types of drones targeting the central Kyiv region.
Russia’s drone strikes typically take place at night when drones are less easily detectable in the dark. They are usually pre-programmed so that they can be piloted once in flight for long-range attacks.
"Around 30 drones of various types were targeting the Kyiv region," Yuri Ihnat, air force spokesperson, told Ukrainian TV.
"The not-so-good news is that these drones have communication channels – mesh networks and other channels – which the enemy can use to control them. The better news is that almost all of them were shot down."
Russia says it has foiled biggest Ukrainian drone attack in a year
13:00 , Shaheena UddinRussia has said it has shot down 250 Ukrainian drones heading towards Moscow over the weekend, in what officials called the biggest attempt on the Russian capital in at least a year.
"Over the past two days, air defense forces have destroyed about 250 enemy UAVs directly on the approach to Moscow and on the second line towards Moscow," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.
There were no reported casualties. Sobyanin thanked the Russian armed forces for their work.
Moscow's main airports temporarily imposed flight restrictions amid the weekend attack, Russia's aviation watchdog said, though they were later lifted.
EU to impose sanctions on nine people for alleged war crimes in Ukraine
12:00 , Shaheena UddinThe European Union is set to impose sanctions on nine people accused of war crimes related to the Bucha killings in Ukraine, French foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said on Monday.
Mr Barrot announced the decision as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Kyiv has said over 1,400 people were killed in Bucha, a suburb near the Ukrainian capital, during a 33-day occupation by Russian forces at the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The EU would also impose sanctions on Monday on several alleged Kremlin propagandists, including: the Franco-Russian Adrien Bocquet, whom Barrot described as "a key recruiter of foreign fighters in Ukraine, responsible for glorifying war crimes, and also responsible for disinformation campaigns in Europe and Africa."
Belgian PM calls for EU to normalise ties with Russia
11:31 , Shaheena UddinBelgian prime minster Bart De Wever says Europe must negotiate with Russia to end the war with Ukraine and restore cheap energy access.
In an interview with local Belgian newspaper, L’Echo, Mr Wever said: "In private, European leaders agree with me, but no one dares to say it out loud. We must end the conflict in the interest of Europe, without being naïve towards Putin.”
He added: "At the same time, we must normalise relations with Russia and regain access to cheap energy. That is common sense."
The European Union remains divided on the issue. French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have urged for direct talks with Moscow, while Poland and the three Baltic states are firmly opposed to the idea.
Kenyans will no longer fight for Russia in Ukraine, minister says
11:30 , Shaheena UddinKenyan foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi said on Monday that Moscow and Nairobi have agreed that Kenyan nationals would no longer fight for Russia in Ukraine.
"His excellency has conversed with us on the issue of the welfare of Kenyans who are in Russia and more specifically those who are involved in the special operation," Mr Mudavadi said.
"And I want to make it clear that we have now agreed that Kenyans shall not be enlisted through the (Russian) Ministry of Defence - they will no longer be eligible to be enlisted," he said. "There will no further enlisting."
Mr Mudavadi made the comments after holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.
Debris crashes in parts of Kyiv after Russian drone attack
11:12 , Shaheena UddinDebris from a Russian drone attack crashed in central Kyiv and two other districts of the Ukrainian capital on Monday, though there were no immediate reports of injuries, officials said.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the drone debris fell in the busy Shevchenkivskyi district in the city centre, the western Svyatoshynskyi district where it caused a grass fire in an open area, and in the neighbouring Solomianskyi district where it hit a non-residential area.
Multiple explosions were heard in the city. Kyiv's military administration said earlier on Telegram that an air alert was declared in the city due to the threat of Russian drones.
Kremlin dismisses reports of Ukraine peace process 'fizzling out'
11:00 , Shaheena UddinThe Kremlin has dismissed a report by the Financial Times that suggested the peace negotiations with Ukraine were “fizzling out”, because US president Donald Trump has diverted his attention to Iran and was losing interest in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "President Trump's frequent references to Ukraine in his recent statements suggest the opposite.”
"Judging by his statements, President Trump has lost no interest whatsoever. Furthermore, he is strongly urging (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky to strike a deal."
Mr Peskov added that Russia was still interested in continuing discussions to bring the war to an end, but that a venue and date for the next round of negotiations remained unclear.
Mr Trump expressed frustration with Zelensky in an interview with Politico earlier this month, saying the Ukrainian president "has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done."
Trump also rejected Zelensky's offer to help the US with downing drones over the Gulf states, telling NBC's Meet the Press that the "last person we need help from is Zelensky."
Starmer thanks Carney for support on Ukraine
10:00 , Daniel KeaneSir Keir Starmer thanked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for his support on Ukraine at a meeting at 10 Downing Street on Monday morning, remarking on the "strong history and values between our countries".
The Prime Minister said: "The opportunity we have got to put together our values, our principles and apply them to a very volatile world is really important."
"Thank you for all of your support in Ukraine, it's been invaluable with the coalition of the willing," Sir Keir added.
He also commended the work that Canada and the UK have done with Nato "on the back of a very successful G7".
What we know about Oscar-winning 'Mr. Nobody against Putin'
09:00 , Arpan RaiMr Nobody Against Putin, distributed by Apple TV, premiered at last year's Sundance Film Festival and has now won an Oscar.
“In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now,” the film's protagonist and co-director Pavel Talankin said in Russian from the stage through a translator.
Its tone is light and almost mischievously comical at times, with Talankin at moments resembling his fellow Oscar winner Michael Moore.
Talankin was a teacher and activities director in a small-town school in Russia who captured his students' lessons, chants and songs promoting the war in Ukraine on video.
He smuggled his hard drives out of the country to collaborate with American director David Borenstein, who lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
It is the first Oscar for both Borenstein and Talankin.
The film won the British Academy Film Award during the Oscar run-up. But the win was still something of an upset over The Perfect Neighbor — director Geeta Gandbhir’s Netflix film built almost entirely from police body camera footage — which most media prognosticators picked as the winner.
Zelensky says he wants new system to control Ukraine drone sales
08:30 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said foreign countries and firms willing to buy Ukrainian drones should not be able to bypass the Ukrainian government by talking directly to manufacturers.
The Ukrainian war-time president said a new system was needed to prevent this from happening and that his administration has already reprimanded one manufacturer for selling interceptors without considering the implications for Ukraine’s defences.
His remarks come at a time the war in the Middle East has put a spotlight on Ukraine’s defence capabilities, honed in the continuing war against Russia, especially against the Iranian Shahed drones.
Zelensky has warned private drone makers in Ukraine should not pursue direct export deals outside of government oversight.
“I have never heard that the United States isn’t interested. I have heard the opposite – that the United States is very interested,” Zelensky said, speaking to reporters in Kyiv over the weekend.
Russia shot down around 250 drones approaching Moscow over past two days, says mayor
08:15 , Arpan RaiMoscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russia had shot down around 250 Ukrainian drones approaching Moscow over the past two days, Russian state news agency TASS reported this morning.
Russia says Ukraine struck Moscow with over 100 drones this weekend
08:00 , Arpan RaiRussia has accused Ukraine of launching a major drone attack on Moscow with more than 100 drones over the weekend, with wave after wave of long-range "kamikaze" drones being shot down by air defences on their way to the city.
Figures reported by Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin this morning indicated more than 100 drones were shot down over two days.
TASS quoted a defence ministry source saying that at least 145 drones had been shot down overnight, including 53 over the Moscow region.
Moscow's main airports imposed flight restrictions amid the attack, Russia's aviation watchdog said
African nations tiptoe around Russian networks recruiting citizens
07:30 , Arpan RaiKenya’s foreign minister is visiting Russia this week under pressure back home to convince Moscow to stop recruiting Kenyans into its military, but Nairobi “ like other governments in Africa“ is unlikely to take too confrontational an approach.
Reports in recent weeks revealed the scope and scale of the recruitment of Africans into Russia's depleted forces, often via third parties offering lucrative civilian jobs, triggering anger in countries like Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
Families want more action to bring the recruits home but African governments, wary about overtly taking sides during Russia’s war in Ukraine, have avoided angering Moscow, mindful that the recruitment scandal has not yet triggered widespread public outcry or political heat.
"We want Kenyans stopped – they should not be enlisted at all," Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters ahead of his trip. “We are getting a lot of pressure from some of the affected families who are now gathering more courage to come forward and speak to the issue,” he said.
However, Mudavadi said he was pragmatic and realistic over the issue, describing Russia as a superpower with which Nairobi has had a long relationship.
“It's not a confrontation," he said. “This is about speaking to issues as they are and the distress that they're causing to the Kenyan people, and we need a joint effort to be able to resolve it,” he said.
Oil depot in southern Russia on fire after drone attack, authorities say
07:22 , Arpan RaiAn oil depot in Russia's southern Krasnodar region caught fire after a drone attack, local authorities reported this morning.
There were no injuries at the depot in the town of Labinsk, the authorities said. The region is regularly the target for Ukrainian drone attacks.
'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins best documentary feature Oscar for teacher who opposed Ukraine war
07:00 , Arpan Rai"Mr. Nobody Against Putin," which takes on the Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s propaganda and patriotism program for the nation's youth after its invasion of Ukraine, has won the Oscar for best documentary feature.
"In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now," the film's protagonist and co-director Pavel Talankin said in Russian from the stage through a translator.
Talankin was a teacher and activities director in a small-town school in Russia who captured his students' lessons, chants and songs promoting the war in Ukraine on video. He smuggled his hard drives out of the country to collaborate with American director David Borenstein, who lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The two men gave the night some of its most overtly political moments during their speeches. Borenstein spoke broadly about nations tipping into totalitarianism, while clearly emphasizing similarities between his country and Talankin's.
"'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' is about how you lose your country," Borenstein said. "You lose it through countless small little acts of complicity,” he said.
Cheers in the auditorium grew as Borenstein said you lose a country when "we don't say anything" when governments kill people in the streets and oligarchs seek to consolidate control over media outlets.
"We all face a moral choice, but luckily even a nobody is more powerful than you think," Borenstein said.
The war in Ukraine has loomed large in Oscar documentary categories since it began. The Associated Press' documentary "20 Days in Mariupol" won best documentary feature in 2024.
This year's documentary short nominees included "Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud," about an American journalist killed in the war.
Why has Zelensky warned of 'blackmail' over oil transit
06:25 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said he is against allowing Russian oil to transit through Ukraine while the EU imposes sanctions on its sale elsewhere amid pressure to reopen the Druzhba pipeline, which until late January transported Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
"Why can we, in one case, tell the United States that we oppose lifting sanctions, while on the other hand forcing Ukraine to resume oil transit through Druzhba — and at a political price that effectively pays for anti-European policies?" Zelensky said. The US has temporarily eased some sanctions on Russian oil shipments, reflecting global concerns over sharply higher crude prices due to supply shortages stemming from the Iran war.
Zelensky said if conditions imposed on Ukraine because of the dispute threatened weapons supplies, Kyiv would have no choice but to resume oil transit, but said he told EU partners this would amount to "blackmail".
Oil deliveries through the Druzhba have been halted since 27 January leading to an escalating feud between Hungary and Ukraine. The Ukrainian government says that a Russian drone strike damaged the pipeline's infrastructure, but Hungarian prime minister and Kremlin ally Viktor Orban has accused Zelensky of deliberately holding up oil supplies.
In response, Orban vetoed a new round of EU sanctions against Russia, and is blocking a major €90bn (£77bn) EU loan for Ukraine until flows are resumed.
Russia says Ukraine struck Moscow with over 100 drones this weekend
06:12 , Arpan RaiRussia has accused Ukraine of launching a major drone attack on Moscow with more than 100 drones over the weekend, with wave after wave of long-range "kamikaze" drones being shot down by air defences on their way to the city.
Figures reported by Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin this morning indicated more than 100 drones were shot down over two days.
TASS quoted a defence ministry source saying that at least 145 drones had been shot down overnight, including 53 over the Moscow region.
Moscow's main airports imposed flight restrictions amid the attack, Russia's aviation watchdog said.
US requested Ukrainian drone assistance
06:00 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has pushed back against US president Donald Trump's recent assertion that Washington has no need for Ukrainian drone technology.
"No, we don't need their help on drone defense," Trump said in a Fox News Radio interview that aired Friday.
Zelensky said Washington had reached out to Ukraine "several times" to request assistance for a particular country or for support for Americans, without giving specifics. He said the requests had come from various US military institutions to Ukraine's ministry of defence and other military leaders.
"All our institutions received these requests, and we responded to them," Zelensky said.
He said he had offered Washington a defence cooperation deal last year worth $35bn-$50bn that would have given the US administration access to technology from roughly 200 Ukrainian drone, AI and electronic warfare firms, with half of all production earmarked for partners, primarily the US.
Zelensky said American military officials had expressed strong interest in the proposal, and Trump himself had indicated he was receptive.
"We received a message from them, and directly from the president as well, that they are interested," Zelensky told reporters. "We did not sign the document with President Trump. I do not have an answer as to why. Perhaps it will happen later, but I am not sure."
Trump snubs Zelensky’s offer to help US with drone tech and lashes out at him for not making deal with Putin
05:38 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump made clear that his personal grudge with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky hasn’t abated during a phone interview with NBC News.
Speaking with Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker on Saturday, the president knocked Zelensky for offering assistance to the US and Middle Eastern countries, the latter of which the Ukrainian president said on Friday were seeking his aid in sharing drone detection technology.
The “last person we need help from is Zelensky,” Trump told Welker.
Iran continues to bombard neighboring countries with drone and missile attacks, targeting US and Israeli military assets, as the war stretches into its third week.
The Trump administration has repeatedly declared victory while the US and Israel continue to launch attacks in recent days. Iranian forces, in response, have largely closed off the Strait of Hormuz, choking global shipping traffic.
Trump snubs Zelensky’s offer to help US with drone tech and lashes out at him again
Zelensky says Ukraine is waiting on US and Russia to set the next round of talks
05:20 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready for the next round of trilateral peace talks to end Russia's more than four-year-old invasion of Ukraine, but that it was up to Washington and Moscow to agree on where and when to meet.
Zelensky said the US had proposed hosting the next meeting between American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams, which include US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but Moscow had refused to send a delegation.
"We are waiting for a response from the Americans. Either they will change the country where we meet, or the Russians must confirm the US," Zelensky said in a media briefing on Saturday. "We are not blocking any of these initiatives. We want a trilateral meeting to take place,” he said.
The US has postponed its sponsored talks between the two sides due to the war in the Middle East. The Iran war, which erupted on 28 February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and spread across the region, has drawn the international spotlight away from Ukraine’s plight as it strives to hold back Russia's bigger army.
Swedish court orders detention of Russian captain of tanker boarded off Sweden
05:00 , Arpan RaiA Swedish court on Sunday ordered the detention of the Russian captain of a ship that was suspected to be sailing under a false flag in the Baltic Sea and was boarded by authorities last week.
The commander of the Sea Owl 1, whose name hasn't been released, was arrested on Friday — the day after the Swedish coast guard boarded the vessel off Trelleborg, on Sweden's southern coast.
Prosecutors suspect him of using a false document. They said Sunday that the district court in Ystad ordered him held in custody in line with their request, Swedish news agency TT reported.
The tanker was sailing under the flag of the Comoros, an island nation off East Africa. But the coast guard has said that it suspects it isn't in the shipping registry there and therefore there is no flag state to vouch for safety on board.
Swedish court orders detention of Russian captain of tanker boarded off Sweden
Zelensky calls out ‘blackmail’ by Europe over Druzhba oil pipeline
04:40 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said the treatment from Ukraine’s European allies over the Druzbha oil pipeline is a “blackmail”.
The Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was severely damaged by fire after a Russian attack, Ukraine's energy minister Denys Shmyhal told Interfax Ukraine on Tuesday.
Zelensky said Ukraine is now facing European pressure to allow oil to flow from the pipeline which has been disconnected since an attack in January.
"If we have decided to restore Russian oil supplies, then I want them to know that I am against it. … But if I am given conditions that Ukraine will not receive weapons, then, excuse me, I am powerless on this issue; I told our friends in Europe that this is called blackmail," Zelensky said in reported remarks.
The European Commission has proposed sending a fact-finding mission to inspect the damage to the Druzhba pipeline in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
Zelensky says Ukraine waiting for US and Russia to continue peace talks
04:20 , Arpan RaiUkraine is waiting for the US and Russian officials to continue the next round of trilateral peace talks, Volodymy Zelensky said.
Zelensky said the US had proposed hosting a meeting but Russia has refused to send a delegation to take the talks forward.
“We are waiting for a response from the Americans,” he said.
This comes at a time the US is reportedly losing interest in brokering an end to the war in Ukraine.
"A pause has indeed appeared in the talks. The Americans have other priorities, and that's understandable," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Financial Times.
Zelensky says he wants new system to control Ukraine drone sales
04:00 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said foreign countries and firms willing to buy Ukrainian drones should not be able to bypass the Ukrainian government by talking directly to manufacturers.
The Ukrainian war-time president said a new system was needed to prevent this from happening and that his administration has already reprimanded one manufacturer for selling interceptors without considering the implications for Ukraine’s defences.
His remarks come at a time the war in the Middle East has put a spotlight on Ukraine’s defence capabilities, honed in the continuing war against Russia, especially against the Iranian Shahed drones.
Zelensky has warned private drone makers in Ukraine should not pursue direct export deals outside of government oversight.
“I have never heard that the United States isn’t interested. I have heard the opposite – that the United States is very interested,” Zelensky said, speaking to reporters in Kyiv over the weekend.
Zelensky says Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle East with drones
03:40 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations that have sought its expertise as they defend against Iranian kamikaze drones.
The Zelensky administration has already sent its specialists to the war-hit region as several of the US and Israel’s allies fight off incoming Iranian Shahed drones, which Ukraine has gained superiority over in the more than four-year-old war against Russia.
Zelensky told reporters that three teams were sent to the Middle East to conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences should operate. Earlier this week he said teams were sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as a US military base in Jordan.
African nations tiptoe around Russian networks recruiting citizens
03:14 , Arpan RaiKenya’s foreign minister is visiting Russia this week under pressure back home to convince Moscow to stop recruiting Kenyans into its military, but Nairobi “ like other governments in Africa“ is unlikely to take too confrontational an approach.
Reports in recent weeks revealed the scope and scale of the recruitment of Africans into Russia's depleted forces, often via third parties offering lucrative civilian jobs, triggering anger in countries like Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
Families want more action to bring the recruits home but African governments, wary about overtly taking sides during Russia’s war in Ukraine, have avoided angering Moscow, mindful that the recruitment scandal has not yet triggered widespread public outcry or political heat.
"We want Kenyans stopped – they should not be enlisted at all," Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters ahead of his trip. “We are getting a lot of pressure from some of the affected families who are now gathering more courage to come forward and speak to the issue,” he said.
However, Mudavadi said he was pragmatic and realistic over the issue, describing Russia as a superpower with which Nairobi has had a long relationship.
“It's not a confrontation," he said. “This is about speaking to issues as they are and the distress that they're causing to the Kenyan people, and we need a joint effort to be able to resolve it,” he said.
'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins best documentary feature Oscar for teacher who opposed Ukraine war
02:44 , Arpan Rai"Mr. Nobody Against Putin," which takes on the Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s propaganda and patriotism program for the nation's youth after its invasion of Ukraine, has won the Oscar for best documentary feature.
"In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now," the film's protagonist and co-director Pavel Talankin said in Russian from the stage through a translator.
Talankin was a teacher and activities director in a small-town school in Russia who captured his students' lessons, chants and songs promoting the war in Ukraine on video. He smuggled his hard drives out of the country to collaborate with American director David Borenstein, who lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The two men gave the night some of its most overtly political moments during their speeches. Borenstein spoke broadly about nations tipping into totalitarianism, while clearly emphasizing similarities between his country and Talankin's.
"'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' is about how you lose your country," Borenstein said. "You lose it through countless small little acts of complicity,” he said.
Cheers in the auditorium grew as Borenstein said you lose a country when "we don't say anything" when governments kill people in the streets and oligarchs seek to consolidate control over media outlets.
"We all face a moral choice, but luckily even a nobody is more powerful than you think," Borenstein said.
The war in Ukraine has loomed large in Oscar documentary categories since it began. The Associated Press' documentary "20 Days in Mariupol" won best documentary feature in 2024.
This year's documentary short nominees included "Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud," about an American journalist killed in the war.
Russian attack on hydropower plant spills into river threatening Moldova's water supply
02:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA Russian attack on a hydropower plant has spilled into the Nistru River, threatening Moldova’s water supply and prompting an environmental alert.
In a post on X, Moldovan president Maia Sandu wrote: “Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s Novodnistrovsk hydropower plant has spilled oil into the Nistru River, threatening Moldova’s water supply.
“We declared environmental alert and are acting to protect our people. Russia bears full responsibility.”
Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s Novodnistrovsk hydropower plant has spilled oil into the Nistru River, threatening Moldova’s water supply.
— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) March 15, 2026
We declared environmental alert and are acting to protect our people. Russia bears full responsibility.
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
01:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe US and South Korean militaries are discussing moving some of the American Patriot missile defence systems based in South Korea to be used in the war against Iran.
South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun on Friday was responding to a question at a parliamentary hearing and said the two nations were working closely together. The decision on the deployment of weapons and military personnel would be made on a case-by-case basis, he said.
But what are Patriot systems, and why are they so important?
You can read more below:
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
Britain warns Trump: lifting sanctions on Putin aids his war machine
00:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSir Keir Starmer has risked a fresh rift with Donald Trump by confirming that Britain won’t be following the US in lifting sanctions on Russian oil, saying that the move risks helping Vladimir Putin’s “war machine”.
No 10 has instead urged its international allies to maintain pressure on Moscow, and to avoid inadvertently funding Putin’s war in Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil.
Mr Trump’s decision to issue exemptions for Russian oil already at sea has sparked fears that Putin could use the Iran conflict to boost Russia’s own war chest, with foreign secretary Yvette Cooper accusing Russia and Iran of attempting to “hijack the global economy”.
You can read more below:
Starmer says UK will not follow US in easing Russia sanctions
Milan Cortina Paralympics end with another boycott by Ukraine at Games marked by Russia's return
Sunday 15 March 2026 23:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA closing ceremony boycotted by Ukraine signaled the end of the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics on Sunday.
China continued its dominance as a Paralympic powerhouse and topped the medals table with 15 golds, two more than the United States, which matched its total from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.
The Milan Cortina Games marked the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics.
The Russian anthem, which hadn't played at the Paralympics in more than a decade, rang out eight times at Milan Cortina after the victories of Russian athletes who were competing under their own flag again at the Paralympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
You can read the full report below:
Milan Cortina Paralympics end with another boycott by Ukraine at Games marked by Russia's return
Watch: Zelensky slams Trump decision to drop Putin oil sanctions as bad for peace
Sunday 15 March 2026 22:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe history of health claims that have dogged Vladimir Putin
Sunday 15 March 2026 21:52 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFor years, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s health has been the subject of speculation and rumours - with claims he is suffering from an array of different ailments.
A recent video of the 73-year-old having a coughing fit during a presidential address has renewed attention on his health.
Putin could be seen clearing his throat before having a coughing fit as he gestured towards his neck in the video, which was deleted by the Kremlin shortly after it was uploaded to the official Telegram channel.
Although apparently a minor incident, it follows years of reported but unconfirmed claims about Putin including the suggestion he has Parkinson’s disease and battled cancer.
You can read more below:
The history of health claims that have dogged Vladimir Putin
Kyiv strikes Russian radar systems in Crimea, Ukraine says
Sunday 15 March 2026 21:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine struck Russian radar systems and an S-400 air defence launcher in occupied Crimea overnight, Kyiv said on Sunday.
Troops hit the 59N6-E "Protivnik" and 73E6 "Parol" radar stations near the village of Liubknekhivka in Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukrainian authorities said in a statement.
Zelensky accuses Putin of benefitting from war in Iran
Sunday 15 March 2026 20:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVolodymyr Zelensky has accused Vladimir Putin of profiting from the war in Iran, saying he is worried it will allow the Russian leader to continue to fight in Europe.
In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader said he believes the US must increase pressure on Putin to end the war.
He wrote: “Putin has never wanted to stop Russia's war against Ukraine. He has been afraid of President Trump and of pressure from the United States. That's why he has played this game, pretending he has wanted negotiations.
“I keep believing that America has to increase pressure on Putin. Otherwise, he will not negotiate in good faith. He only wants to put forward ultimatums to Ukraine, as his demand to withdraw from our territory. But this will not satiate his appetite.”
Putin has never wanted to stop Russia's war against Ukraine. He has been afraid of President Trump and of pressure from the United States. That's why he has played this game, pretending he has wanted negotiations. I keep believing that America has to increase pressure on Putin.… pic.twitter.com/hO2LnZuxk8
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 15, 2026
Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones, Zelensky says
Sunday 15 March 2026 20:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia is sending Shahed drones to Iran to be used in the war against the US and Israel, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN.
Zelensky told CNN's Fareed Zakaria that it is “100% fact” that Iran has used Russian-made Shaheds to attack US bases.
Shahed drones have also been linked to other attacks in the region, although their manufacturers are not always clear.
Iran pioneered the Shahed drone, a much cheaper alternative to expensive missiles. They were first used extensively during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where thousands have been launched by Russian forces since fall 2022, according to Ukrainian sources.
Although Iran initially provided the drones, Russia now manufactures its own Shaheds. Armed forces of other countries have since adopted Shahed-type drones, including the US military, which has said they are part of the current campaign against Iran.
Comment: Once again, Trump has put Putin before the west
Sunday 15 March 2026 19:45 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry
Sunday 15 March 2026 19:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe inclusion of Russia in the line-up of the 2026 Venice Biennale art fair has sparked international outcry, with the European Commission threatening to withhold funding and 22 European countries demanding Moscow stay away again over its war in Ukraine.
The scandal at the world’s oldest and most important contemporary art fair has put Italy’s Culture Ministry in the crosshairs. It comes just weeks after the Italian government had to stand by as the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics.
You can read more below:
Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry
Kyiv imposes sanction on 10 Russian Paralympians
Sunday 15 March 2026 17:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine has imposed sanctions on 10 Russian Paralympic athletes who fought in Russia’s war against Ukraine and promoted Kremlin propaganda, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 15.
The President's Office said the sanctioned athletes participated in Russia’s invasion and used sporting events to justify Moscow’s “aggression and spread Russian propaganda”.
It comes after Russian athletes were allowed to compete under the country’s flag at the Winter Paralympics for the first time since 2014.
Watch: How Putin will benefit from the war in Iran - Sam Kiley reports
Sunday 15 March 2026 17:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAnalysis: How Trump’s bid to cut oil prices will fill Russia’s war chest with billions
Sunday 15 March 2026 16:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia could earn more than $10bn (£7.8bn) in additional oil and gas revenues to help fuel its war on Ukraine – thanks to Donald Trump, experts warn.
The US president lifted restrictions on countries buying Russian crude stranded at sea, after the closure of the key shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, due to the Iran war he started, sent prices soaring. A fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent claimed the 30-day waiver would “not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government”.
He said the “tailored, short-term” move would only provide Moscow with a limited financial boost from oil sales, adding that it would address the “instability posed by the terrorist Iranian regime”.
However, shipping data and surging prices suggest Moscow is set to earn up to two-thirds more this month than it did in February, potentially wiping out months of losses in a matter of weeks.
Stuti Mishra has more below:
How Trump’s bid to cut oil prices will fill Russia’s war chest with billions
