Ukraine-Russia war latest: Cash-strapped Putin ‘calls on oligarchs to prop up Russian economy’ – UK Times

Zelensky confirmed his arrival on X, stating: “Arrived in Saudi Arabia. Important meetings are scheduled.” He added: “We appreciate the support and support those who are ready to work with us to ensure security.”

The Russian embassy in London has criticised the British government’s announcement that it could detain Russia’s “shadow fleet” vessels in its waters and threatened a response.

Moscow will respond with political, legal and “asymmetric” measures, the Russian ⁠embassy in London said in a statement quoted by the state-run TASS news agency.

Sir Keir Starmer said ⁠he had authorised the military ​to ⁠board and detain Russian ships in British waters to disrupt a ⁠network of vessels that his government ​says ⁠enables Moscow to export ‌oil despite Western sanctions.

The Russian statement said Sir Keir’s announcement was “yet another deeply hostile step ‌directed at Russia”.

“Reckless statements ‌about the intention to attack Russian merchant ships directly show an aspiration to escalate an already ⁠tense situation in the field of security and international trade,” it said.

“Such actions have consequences. Navigation becomes unsafe in British waters, where any vessel may be subject to piratical seizure. Russia will use all ‌political, legal, and other tools at our ​disposal, including asymmetric ones, to ‌protect our interests.”

Other European ⁠nations have also stepped up ⁠efforts to disrupt the so-called shadow fleet of tankers ‌used by ​Moscow to fund its ‌four-year war against Ukraine.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the war-hit nation is ready to sell its battle-tested defence systems in surplus to partners.

This would enable Ukraine to finance its own defence industry which is operating at only half capacity due to a lack of funding, and defence deals could help strengthen Ukraine’s position.

“Our defence industry is currently operating at half capacity, and we need more financing to produce drones for ourselves. That’s why we are ready to sell to our partners the systems we have in surplus. And we’re not just selling – we’ll provide our expertise as well. Interceptor drones don’t work without our expertise. It’s the system that works,” Zelensky said, speaking to Le Monde.

He added that Ukraine is now discussing future deliveries of certain equipment that Ukraine has.

“We want Middle Eastern countries to give us the opportunity to strengthen ourselves as well. They have some air defence missiles that we lack. We would like to reach agreements on this. Funding is the scarcest resource today,” he said.

The Pentagon is reportedly considering diverting crucial weaponry initially earmarked for Ukraine towards the Middle East.

The missiles were acquired through a Nato initiative launched in 2025, designed for partner nations to purchase US arms for Kyiv.

Russian officials are now relying on patients recovering from alcohol addiction and sending them to fight Vladimir Putin’s war with Ukraine.

A Russian serviceman confirmed a stream of new arrivals in his unit that included several Russians older in age, physically unfit and struggling with alcohol dependency, reported The Telegraph.

“I saw it myself – from Petrozavodsk, from Karelia, they recruited these f***ing guys from rehab, f***ing drunks,” he said, speaking to the newspaper.

He added that these men were first rounded up at a facility in Petrozavodsk near the border with Finland. The soldier said they were detained by “black recruiters” who held them in their custody by confiscating their bank accounts and draining their accounts of money.

Ukrainian officials have previously pointed out Moscow’s strategy of relying on vulnerable and weak recruits to prolong its war and secure gains on the frontline.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had taken control of a new village in its slow advance through eastern Ukraine, naming it as Sheviakivka in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region.

Ukraine’s ⁠military made no acknowledgement that the village on the Russian border had changed hands.

A Ukrainian paratroop unit said it had retaken a village to the south in Dnipropetrovsk region that had ⁠earlier fallen under Russian control.

Ukraine will aim to repel a widely anticipated new Russian springtime offensive along ⁠the frontline amid a breakdown in US-backed peace ​talks ⁠by building on recent ‌tactical successes.

The campaign focuses on the “Fortress Belt” of heavily defended cities in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

The Russian defence ministry report gave few details on the capture of Sheviakivka, but senior Russian military officials have said Moscow intends to build up buffer zones in both Kharkiv and Sumy regions on its border.

Ukraine’s Command of Paratroop Assault Forces, ‌writing on Facebook, said the 95th Separate Assault ​Brigade had taken control of the village of Berezove, ‌just inside Dnipropetrovsk region.

“Step by ⁠step paratroops are pushing Russian forces out of Ukrainian ⁠lands,” the statement said.

Zelensky and other officials have said Ukrainian forces have ‌made advances ​in southern areas of the ‌1,250km (775-mile) frontline in recent ​weeks.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has asked oligarchs to donate ⁠to the country’s budget in a bid to stabilise ⁠the ​country’s ⁠finances as he presses ⁠on with his invasion ​of ⁠Ukraine, the ‌Financial Times reported, citing ‌three people familiar ‌with the matter.

Russia will fight ⁠on, Putin said, until it captures the remaining areas of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region ‌not under its control, ​the ‌report added.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met ⁠with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Jeddah yesterday ​and ⁠discussed the regional ⁠escalation and ​the Ukrainian ⁠crisis, the ‌Saudi state news agency said.

No ‌further details ‌were provided. Earlier this ⁠month, Zelensky said he had spoken with the Saudi crown prince and restated ‌Kyiv’s offer ​to help ‌deal ⁠with Iranian ⁠drones.

President Vladimir Putin has asked oligarchs to donate to the country’s budget amid soaring costs due to the war in Ukraine, according to a report.

The Russian leader made the move to stabilise the country’s finances as he presses on with his invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.