VLADIMIR Putin's Russian Foreign Minister has revealed that Russia is 'not squeaky clean' and that they 'are not ashamed' of showing who they are.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine nearly four months ago, thousands of civilians have been killed and whole towns reduced to rubble causing devastation to many lives.
In an interview with the BBC, Russia's Sergei Lavrov said: "We didn't invade Ukraine.
"We declared a special military operation because we had absolutely no other way of explaining to the West that dragging Ukraine into Nato was a criminal act."
Mr Lavrov added, "International diplomats, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Secretary-General and other UN representatives, are being put under pressure by the West. And very often they're being used to amplify fake news spread by the West."
"Russia is not squeaky clean. Russia is what it is. And we are not ashamed of showing who we are."
Read our Ukraine war live blog below for the latest news & updates…
- Lauren Lomas
NATO pledged to deploy military to eastern Europe
There are already 40,000 troops mobilised in response to Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine.
Germany has previously announced that it will strengthen engagement with Lithuania.
France aims to increase its presence in Romania, where it plans to have deployed 1,000 troops by the end of 2022.
- Lauren Lomas
‘China is watching’ and the fate of Russia’s war with Ukraine
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said “the West lacks resolve.”
Speaking with a group of defence ministers from European countries, he said: “Ukraine matters because China is watching.
“You see the issues around Taiwan…. This [the war in Ukraine] is ultimately about the West’s resolve to defend its values, that’s it.
“Therefore all sorts of people who have a different view of the world – or indeed who are our adversaries or our competitors – will look and test that resolve and see and be able to engage how far they can push it.”
It seems the consensus is China may take a similar stance on Taiwan, which has been a controversial subject since Taiwan broke away from China after World War 2.
- Lauren Lomas
Russia ‘strategically’ lost war in Ukraine
The head of the UK’s armed forces says Russia has already “strategically lost” the war in Ukraine and is now a “more diminished power”.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said Vladimir Putin had lost 25% of Russia’s land power for only “tiny” gains.
While Russia may achieve “tactical successes” in the coming weeks, he said any notion that the war had been a success was “nonsense”.
Admiral Radakin, who is the UK’s chief of defence staff, said Russia was running out of troops and advanced missiles and would never be able to take over all of Ukraine.
Admiral Radakin spoke to the PA news agency as he visited Scotland on Wednesday, where he met soldiers at Edinburgh Castle.
He said: “This is a dreadful mistake by Russia. Russia will never take control of Ukraine.
“Russia has strategically lost already. NATO is stronger, Finland and Sweden are looking to join.”
- Lauren Lomas
Putin holding Europe to ransom by cutting gas supplies in response to sanctions
RUSSIA has blamed Western sanctions for its decision to curb gas supplies to Europe.
On Tuesday, Gazprom – Moscow’s state-backed energy giant – announced it would slash gas deliveries through a key European pipeline by 40 per cent, report The Guardian.
In a statement, the firm said it had been forced to partially suspend operations at the Portovaya compressor station on the Russian Baltic Sea coast.
“Due to the sanctions imposed by Canada, it is currently impossible for Siemens Energy to deliver overhauled gas turbines to the customer,” it said.
“Against this background we have informed the Canadian and German governments and are working on a viable solution.”
The move, Germany says, is politically motivated, and has appealed to Canada to review its sanctions on Moscow.
Robert Habeck, Germany’s economic minister, said: “I also have the impression that what happened yesterday (Tuesday) is a political decision, and not a decision that is technically justifiable.”
He added: “What effect it has on the European and German gas market, we will have to wait and see.
“The Russian side’s argument is simply a pretext. It is obviously a strategy to unsettle and drive up prices.”
- Lauren Lomas
UK sets out new Russia sanctions for “barbaric treatment of children in Ukraine”
Britain has today said it had sanctioned Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the “forced transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children”, as part of a new wave of sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.
“We are targeting the enablers and perpetrators of (Russian President Vladimir) Putins war who have brought untold suffering to Ukraine, including the forced transfer and adoption of children,” Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement.
Britain said the latest sanctions round of sanctions also included Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, targeted for his support and endorsement of the war in Ukraine.
- Lauren Lomas
Germany’s chancellor: war of ‘unimaginable cruelty’ HAS to end
The chancellor has condemned Putin’s actions and the invasion of Ukraine.
Olaf Scholz, said Russia’s war of “unimaginable cruelty” and “senseless violence” must end.
He Tweeted: “Irpin, like Bucha, has long since become a symbol of the unimaginable cruelty of the Russian war, of senseless violence.
“The brutal destruction in this city is a memorial – this war must come to an end.”
- Lauren Lomas
Russia & U.S. must discuss nuclear treaty extension
Russia and the United States must discuss the extension of the START nuclear arms reduction treaty, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA news agency in an interview today.
“The matter was important for global security and Russia’s military operation in Ukraine was no reason to avoid its discussion,” Peskov added.
- Lauren Lomas
Sanctions on Russia could be ‘crippling’ for its economy
Russia’s economy will never be the same again according to Russian experts.
The head of the Russian Central Bank warned Thursday that the country’s economy has “changed for a long time, if not forever” after crippling sanctions.
“It seems to me that it’s obvious to everyone that it won’t be as it was before,” Elvira Nabiullina said at a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
- Lauren Lomas
Russia-backed forces to reopen humanitarian corridor at Azot plant
Russia-backed forces will reopen a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave the Azot chemical plant in Sievierdonetsk, the Interfax news agency reported today, citing a separatist leader.
Leonid Pasechnik, head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, said separatist forces had entered the plant – where Ukraine says hundreds of civilians are taking shelter – but had been unable to dislodge Ukrainian fighters from the factory, the Tass news agency reported.
- Lauren Lomas
Macron, Scholz, Draghi visit war-scarred Kyiv suburb Irpin
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi visited Irpin today.
It is a battle-damaged suburb of Ukraine’s capital, and they visited in a show of support for the country at war with Russia.
AFP journalists on the scene said the European leaders had arrived to the town north of Kyiv, where residential buildings and civilian infrastructure remain damaged following Russian troops’ attempts early in the invasion to capture the capital.
- Lauren Lomas
Russia won't stop at Ukraine, says Zelenskiy
President Zelenskiy said today that Russia aims "to break Ukraine and to break the whole of Europe through Ukraine".
President Zelenskiy has given a very grave warning that Putin aims to destroy the whole of Europe.
Ukraine is desperate to join the EU as soon as possible, Zelenskiy said membership "can amplify freedom in Europe historically and become one of the key European decisions of the first third of the 21st century."
He was joined with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for the Press Conference today in Kyiv.
- Lauren Lomas
NATO pledged to deploy military to eastern Europe
There are already 40,000 troops mobilised in response to Russia's aggressive invasion of Ukraine.
Germany has previously announced that it will strengthen engagement with Lithuania.
France aims to increase its presence in Romania, where it plans to have deployed 1,000 troops by the end of 2022.
- Lauren Lomas
'China is watching' and the fate of Russia's war with Ukraine
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said "the West lacks resolve."
Speaking with a group of defence ministers from European countries, he said: "Ukraine matters because China is watching.
"You see the issues around Taiwan…. This [the war in Ukraine] is ultimately about the West's resolve to defend its values, that's it.
"Therefore all sorts of people who have a different view of the world – or indeed who are our adversaries or our competitors – will look and test that resolve and see and be able to engage how far they can push it."
It seems the consensus is China may take a similar stance on Taiwan, which has been a controversial subject since Taiwan broke away from China after World War 2.
- Lauren Lomas
Russian spy CAUGHT attempting to secure an internship at the International Crime Court
The individual used a false ID, claiming to be Brazilian citizen.
A 36 year old man called Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov was caught in the act, as he tried to obtain a place at the International Crime Court's internship programme.
Dutch immigration officials were warned and he was detained.
He called himself Viktor Muller Ferreira and knocked three years off of his age.
- Lauren Lomas
Azot evacuation is now 'impossible' according to officials
More than 400 civilians, soliders and children are holed up in the chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk.
Speaking to CNN, Luhansk governor, Serhiy Haidai made the chilling comment: "It is impossible to get out of there now. I mean, it is physically possible, but it is very dangerous due to constant shelling and fighting."
He said that they would only be able to escape if there was a ceasefire.
- Lauren Lomas
Germany's chancellor: war of 'unimaginable cruelty' HAS to end
The chancellor has condemned Putin's actions and the invasion of Ukraine.
Olaf Scholz, said Russia’s war of “unimaginable cruelty” and “senseless violence" must end.
He Tweeted: "Irpin, like Bucha, has long since become a symbol of the unimaginable cruelty of the Russian war, of senseless violence.
"The brutal destruction in this city is a memorial – this war must come to an end."
- Lauren Lomas
Finland REMOVES Lenin statue
The nation also seeks NATO membership.
It was a controversial decision to remove the statue, but the city of Kotka has boldly removed the tribute to the former Russian leader.
This statue based in the city has been moved to a museum, according to reports.
The statue of Lenin was given as a gift by Kotka's twin city, Tallinn in 1979. It was sculpted by Estonian artist Matti Varikin.
- Lauren Lomas
Russia & U.S. must discuss nuclear treaty extension
Russia and the United States must discuss the extension of the START nuclear arms reduction treaty, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA news agency in an interview today.
“The matter was important for global security and Russia’s military operation in Ukraine was no reason to avoid its discussion,” Peskov added.
- Lauren Lomas
Sanctions on Russia could be 'crippling' for its economy
Russia's economy will never be the same again according to Russian experts.
The head of the Russian Central Bank warned Thursday that the country’s economy has “changed for a long time, if not forever” after crippling sanctions.
“It seems to me that it’s obvious to everyone that it won’t be as it was before,” Elvira Nabiullina said at a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
- Lauren Lomas
Death sentence of Moroccan man is being ignored, according to family
He was captured by Russians whilst fighting alongside two Brits for the Ukraine army.
The British and Ukrainian governments have both condemned the Russian's for the harsh trial, but Morocco is yet to comment.
Iman Saaudun told the BBC he had been "left aside" as attention focused on the other men.
"At first, when they captured all of them, then it was like different news about every person," she told the BBC.
"There wasn't much attention on my brother… Maybe it's because of my government, they are not doing much about it, they are literally silent."
- Lauren Lomas
Civilians and soldiers are still stuck in Azot chemical plant
It is thought more than 400 people including babies and children are holed up in the plant.
Experts believe Russia has claimed more than 70 per cent of Sievierodonetsk, a city in the Donbas region.
Russian forces told them to leave using a humanitarian route by Wednesday morning, but the Ukrainians refused.
- Lauren Lomas
Robot replaced guests at Putin’s annual economic summit after other nations boycott it
A ‘female’ robot replaced human guests for Putin’s summit, as Russia continues to batter Ukraine.
This new guest was invited to today’s meeting was a Russian robot woman attended the forum which is being boycotted by the West over the war in Ukraine.
Android barmaid Dunyasha was seen selling ice cream at the St Petersburg event.
Putin, 69, is only due to attend for one day of the four-day annual forum, sparking speculation over medical problems amid rumours of cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Recent reports say he has been advised not to attend public events for long, despite the Kremlin insisting he is healthy.
The robot will be present throughout even though one Russian outlet slammed her outfit as “resembling a mix of The Stepford Wives and Soviet shop assistants from 1950s”.
She is made as the spitting image of 2014 Perm beauty contest winner Diana Gabdullina, 31, wife of the owner of robot making company Rashid Gabdullin.
Credit: Getty - Lauren Lomas
Russia accused of child abduction
Amid the horrific war ongoing in Ukraine, reportedly Ukrainian children are being trafficked out of the country and adopted in Russia.
More than 2,000 Ukrainian children have been snatched from their homes, or were missing parents and were sent to Russia.
The UN is investigating the claims.
- Lauren Lomas
French President Macron says 'Ukraine must win'
The leaders of France, Germany and Italy have taken an important visit to the Presidential Palace in Kyiv.
President Macron says Ukraine "must resist and win" and condemned Russian "barbarism".
Macron, Olaf Scholz and Mario Draghi were brought outside to look at the horrific damage Russian shelling has caused.
- Milica Cosic
German chancellor reflects on his visit to Kyiv
Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, has reflected on his visit to Irpin, Kyiv.
He took to Twitter to say: "Irpin, like Bucha, has long since become a symbol of the unimaginable cruelty of the Russian war, of senseless violence.
"The brutal destruction in this city is a memorial – this war must come to an end."
He was joined in Ukraine by France's Emmanuel Macron, and Italy's Mario Draghi.
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