Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv’s forces strike Russian ship and oil rig in fresh assault on Putin’s war machine – UK Times

US intelligence reports have warned that Moscow’s goals have not changed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, despite president Vladimir Putin denying that he poses a threat to Europe.

Even as negotiations are underway to end the war, Putin is seeking control of all of Ukraine and territories of former Soviet bloc states, including members of the Nato alliance, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with US intelligence.

“The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more. The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think they’re first,” Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters.

Moscow’s troops are deliberately targeting civilian logistics routes in the Odesa region, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said on Saturday.

Russia today struck reservoirs in Ukraine’s southern Pivdennyi port, Oleksiy Kuleba said on the Telegram app.

It came a day after a missile strike killed eight people there.

Ukraine and Portugal have agreed on the joint production of Ukrainian sea drones.

Ukraine’s presidential aide Oleksandr Kamyshin wrote on social media today that after proving their worth, the drones “will help Portugal defend Europe from the sea”.

Aiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined the Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the World of Trouble podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine:

During the more than four-and-a-half-hour televised conference yesterday, Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke to reporters as questions from Russians flashed on screens in the hall.

Many of the questions focused on Russians’ financial concerns amid a slowing economy and high inflation.

“When you will return the ‘normal internet?’ It’s impossible to even send a question to the president!” one question asked.

“Are you going to nominate yourself to run for president in 2030?” asked another.

“Stop price increases!” said another.

Editorial: Despite agreeing to a €90bn interest-free loan that could keep Kyiv afloat for two years, European leaders seem unduly nervous about forcing Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. If Europe is ever to defeat Russia, it must now go further – or risk humiliation:

Russia claims to have seized the villages of Svitle and Vysoke in Donetsk and Sumy regions respectively.

Russia’s Defence Ministry made the claims on social media on Saturday.

The Independent could not independently confirm the battlefield report.

EU taxpayers will pay €3 billion per year in interest on the new loan for Ukraine after leaders failed to agree on how to use frozen Russian assets, senior Commission officials told Politico.

Leaders came together this week with the aim of securing a loan against some of Russia’s €210bn in frozen assets held within the EU.

They emerged without consensus and instead agreed to raise €90bn (£79bn) for the next two years in common debt, backed by the EU budget.

Ukrainian negotiators headed for the latest round of peace talks with the US on Friday after wrapping up productive discussions in Berlin at the start of the week.

Rustem Umerov, who is in the United States for the talks, said on Friday that Kyiv’s European partners will also be involved in the discussions.

“We are constructively minded. We have already held preliminary consultations with our European colleagues and are preparing for further discussions with the American side,” Umerov said. “… Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term.”

Eight people have been confirmed dead and 27 wounded in a missile strike by Russian troops on Odesa port, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said today.

“Yesterday evening, Russia carried out a missile strike on a port infrastructure facility in Odesa Oblast. Some of the victims were on a bus that was at the epicentre of the strike,” the emergency service said in a statement.

Several of the injured were on a bus when Russia struck the port with ballistic missiles, according to Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region.

Several cars and trucks were also damaged in the attack, the emergency service said.