Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kremlin warns of Russia-Nato clash while stepping up attacks on key Ukrainian region – UK Times

A senior Kremlin official has said Europe stands on the “edge of an abyss” with the prospect of an uncontrollable conflict between Russia and Nato looming.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov made the comments at a Moscow-based think tank, where he blamed Western countries for threatening the stability of the continent – despite it being Russia who invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Ryabkov said Russia did not intend to attack Europe and “pursue the aggressive goals attributed to our country”, but that it could not ignore the risk of a head-on military conflict between nuclear powers, warning of potentially catastrophic consequences.

Even with what he said was a more “balanced” US policy since Donald Trump entered office, Ryabkov said the risk of a Russia–Nato clash remains due to “hostile actions” by European countries.

Russian forces have increased their attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea port in Odesa, causing major power outages and threatening maritime infrastructure in the region.

Late on Monday night, Russian forces struck the port, and damaged port facilities and a ship, the regional governor said, confirming the second attack on the region in less than 24 hours.

Governor Oleh Kiper said emergency crews were tackling the aftermath of the latest attack but provided no further details. He said no casualties were reported.

An earlier overnight attack hit port and energy infrastructure in the region, causing a fire at a major port and disrupting electricity supplies to tens of thousands of people.

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russia was carrying out “systematic” attacks on Odesa.

“Russia is attempting to disrupt maritime logistics by launching systematic attacks on port and energy infrastructure,” he said.

In the past few weeks, Russia has increased attacks on Odesa port and the surrounding region, trying to limit Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea and disrupt critical logistics routes to the border with Moldova, Ukrainian officials said.

The current draft of a US proposal for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meets many of Kyiv’s demands, Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling it “quite solid”.

“Overall, it looks quite solid at this stage,” the Ukrainian leader said after the latest round of talks with US officials, who are trying to steer the neighbouring countries toward compromises.

Zelensky suggested that neither side in the almost four-year war is likely to get everything it wants in talks on reaching a settlement.

“There are some things we are probably not ready for, and I’m sure there are things the Russians are not ready for either,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv yesterday.

US president Donald Trump has for months been pushing for a peace agreement, but the negotiations have run into sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv.

Initial drafts of US proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kyiv’s demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

But he suggested that neither side in the almost four-year war is likely to get everything it wants in talks on reaching a settlement.

“Overall, it looks quite solid at this stage,” the Ukrainian leader said of recent talks with US officials who are trying to steer the neighbouring countries toward compromises.

“There are some things we are probably not ready for, and I’m sure there are things the Russians are not ready for either,” Mr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv.

Italian prosecutors investigating suspected Russian drone flights over an EU space research centre have concluded their suspicions were unfounded and have requested the case be dropped, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Milan prosecutors found that 21 alleged overflights between March and May 2025 were actually caused by interference from a private GSM phone signal booster near the European Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, near Italy’s Lake Maggiore.

A senior Russian official was killed when a car blew up in Moscow on Monday.

Investigators have identified the victim as Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov.

He was a 56-year-old veteran of Russia’s 21st-century military campaigns, having served in Chechnya, Syria and most recently Ukraine.

In Ukraine he was responsible for the military’s combat training and readiness. Vladimir Putin was reportedly told immediately of the death of such a senior official.

Tass reports that Sarvarov was decorated with the Order of Courage, the Medal of Suvorov, the Order of Merit for Services to the Fatherland (I and II Class), and the Order of Military Merit.

Kyiv’s negotiating team is returning from Miami after initial drafts have been detailed over an “imperfect” 20 point plan for freedom, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“There are 20 points of the plan,” he explained on X. “Not everything is perfect so far, but this plan is in place. There are security guarantees – between us, the Europeans, and the United States. A framework paper. There is a separate document between us and the United States – bilateral security guarantees.

“This is what we see: they must be reviewed by the U.S. Congress, with certain details and annexes remaining classified. As of today, this all looks quite solid and dignified. For now, however, these are working drafts prepared by our military. Importantly, they have been developed by us and by the United States of America.

“This indicates that we are very close to a real outcome. We are also developing the first draft of the agreement on Ukraine’s recovery. Economic strategy. The core of all documents is ready. The core one. There are certain things we are not prepared to accept. And there are things – of that I am sure – that the Russians are not prepared to accept either.

“The Americans are currently continuing negotiations with Russian representatives. They will hold talks, and then we will receive feedback from them. From our side, they have received all the information.”