Ukraine-Russia war latest: Missile base responsible for deadly Sumy attack hit in response strike, Kyiv says – UK Times

China’s foreign ministry has said it clearly advised Chinese nationals to stay away from armed conflict when asked about the potential exchange of two Chinese prisoners of war in Ukraine.

The two captured Chinese soldiers earlier spoke out about their participation in the military operations and said that Russians lied to them.

“China’s position on relevant issue is very clear. We’ve issued multiple security alerts to ask Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and.. military operations,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said.

“We are verifying relevant information.

“With regard to the personal behavior and individual consular cases involving Chinese nationals overseas, China will handle that in accordance with the law.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said he told President Zelensky that NATO support for Ukraine is unwavering.

“Today I visited Odesa along with @ZelenskyyUa. Ukraine’s people have endured so much – not least Russia’s Palm Sunday attack on Sumy. NATO support is unwavering,” Mr Rutte said on X.

“We will continue to help Ukraine so it can defend today and deter future aggression, ensuring a just and lasting peace.”

Ukraine’s military has said it hit the base of the Russian rocket brigade whose forces conducted the deadly strike on Sumy.

“(A base) of the 448th missile brigade of the Russian occupiers was hit, a secondary detonation of ammunition was recorded. The results of the strike are being clarified,” the military said in a statement on Telegram.

The attack on Sumy killed at keast 35 people, making it one of the deadliest in the war yet.

Kyiv forces hit Russia’s Kursk region with dozens of drones, killing an elderly woman and injuring nine people, Russian authorities said Tuesday.

The strike in Kursk, which borders Ukraine, set several buildings on fire in the administrative centre, they added.

At least 109 drones were downed over the Kursk region, the Russian ministry of defence said.

Kyiv often carry out air and land attacks on Kursk and border regions. Kyiv forces say their goal is to undermine Moscow’s overall war efforts.

The attack follows a deadly Russian missile and bomb attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.

US vice president JD Vance said he had condemned Russia since 2022 but criticised Zelesnky in response to the Ukrainian president’s recent comments that he somehow justified the war.

“I think it’s sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the government, which is currently keeping his entire government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean you morally support the Russian cause, or that you support the full-scale invasion, but you do have to try to understand what are their strategic red lines, in the same way that you have to try to understand what the Ukrainians are trying to get out of the conflict.”

“Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of Russia have been distinctly mumbled – showing he doesn’t have the courage of his lack of conviction,” writes The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley.

Ukraine may be split up as part of a peace deal, like Berlin after World War Two, the US special envoy for Ukraine suggested.

Retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg told The Times that UK and French troops may adopt zones of control in the west of the country, while Russia’s arm could remain in the occupied east.

There would be Ukrainian forces and a demilitarised zone between the two, said Gen Kellogg.

A Russian military court sentenced five people to up to 18 years in prison for setting fire to railway infrastructure and a helicopter near Moscow last year, according to TASS news agency.

State prosecutors said the group, between 19 and 22 years old, acted on orders from associates of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, TASS reported.

GUR shared a video showing the helicopter, allegedly belonging to the Russian Defence Ministry, in flames but did not take responsibility for the attack.

Russian investigators said that the man who organised the attack had been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence.

Russian officials have previously linked Ukraine-directed sabotage groups with attacks on aircraft and railways to disrupt its war efforts.

The court held proceedings behind closed doors.