LIVE – Updated at 07:27
Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to keep pushing Vladimir Putin’s forces out of Ukraine after Russian troops retreated from Kherson.
The Russian retreat from the city marked a triumphant milestone in Ukraine‘s pushback against Moscow’s invasion almost nine months ago. Kherson residents hugged and kissed the arriving Ukrainian troops in rapturous scenes.
In his nightly video address on Saturday, Mr Zelensky vowed there will be “many more such greetings” of Ukrainian soldiers liberating Russian-held territory.
He pledged to the people in Ukrainian cities and villages that are still under occupation: “We don’t forget anyone; we won’t leave anyone.”
Mr Zelensky said Russian forces had destroyed key infrastructure in Kherson before fleeing and pledged to “restore everything”.
Russia has declared a new “temporary capital” for the Kherson region after Ukrainian troops retook the city.
The state-owned Russian news ,Tass reported that Alexander Fomin, a member of the imposed administration in occupied Kherson, said that Henichesk was now the temporary administrative capital of Kherson.
US treasury secretary Janet Yellen said that the United States will impose new sanctions on a transnational network of individuals and companies that have been working to procure military technologies for Russia‘s war effort in Ukraine.
Yellen told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali that the sanctions will target 14 individuals and 28 entities, including financial facilitators, but declined to provide details on where they are located. She said the announcement is scheduled for later on Monday.
“This is part of our larger effort to disrupt Russia‘s war effort and deny equipment it needs through sanctions and export controls,” Yellen told reporters
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian soldiers of committing war crimes and killing civilians in Kherson, parts of which were retaken by Ukraine‘s army last week after Russia pulled out.
“Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes. Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Sunday.
“The Russian army left behind the same savagery it did in other regions of the country it entered,” he said.
Reuters was unable to verify his allegations. Russia denies its troops intentionally target civilians.
Mass graves have been found in several places across Ukraine since the start of the invasion including civilian bodies showing evidence of torture discovered in the Kharkiv region and in Bucha, near Kyiv. Ukraine has accused Russian troops of committing the crimes.
A United Nations commission in October said war crimes were committed in Ukraine and that Russian forces were responsible for the “vast majority” of human rights violations in the early weeks of the war.
The approaching winter will change the dynamics of the war for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, the UK’s MoD says, amid changes to daylight hours, concerns around winter clothing and a dramatic dip in temperatures.
“Winter will bring a change in conflict conditions for both Russian and Ukrainian forces. Changes to daylight hours, temperature and weather will present unique challenges for fighting soldiers. Any decisions that the Russian General Staff make will be in part informed by the onset of winter,” the British defence ministry said today in its latest intelligence update.
It added that daylight will reduce to fewer than 9 hours a day, compared to 15-16 in the height of summer, which will result in fewer offensives and more static defensive frontlines.
“Night vision capability is a precious commodity, further exacerbating the unwillingness to fight at night. The average high temperature will drop from 13 degrees Celsius through September to November, to zero through December to February. Forces lacking in winter weather clothing and accommodation are highly likely to suffer from non-freezing cold injuries,” the ministry said.
“The ‘golden hour’ window in which to save a critically wounded soldier is reduced by approximately half, making the risk of contact with the enemy much greater”, the ministry said.
“The weather itself is likely to see an increase in rainfall, which speed and snowfall. Each of these will provide additional challenges to the already low morale of Russian forces, but also present problems for kit maintenance. Basic drills such as weapon cleaning must be adjusted to the conditions and the risk of weapons malfunctions increase,” it said.
Ukraine’s defence ministry says it has found messages in Kherson apparently left behind by retreating Russian soldiers.
Some of these messages from unspecified locations read: “I will burn other people’s villages with a cheerful smile”, “It ain’t a war crime if you had fun” and “Behind us, there is a house on fire. Well, let it burn. One more, one less.”
The photos of these messages, claimed to be left behind by Russian troops, have been shared on Twitter by the Ukrainian ministry.
russian occupiers’ cave paintings:
“I will burn other people’s villages with a cheerful smile.”
“It ain’t a war crime if you had fun.”
“Behind us, there is a house on fire. Well, let it burn. One more, one less.” pic.twitter.com/KDEWioXJJy
The Ukrainian military said it was deploying “stabilisation measures” in and around the southern city of Kherson over the weekend following the end of an eight-month occupation by Russian forces.
Locals in Kherson celebrated the return of their city without Russian control after the Kremlin announced its troops had withdrawn to the other side of the Dnipro River.
Ukrainians have already started removing symbols of the Russian occupation – including memorial plaques put up by the authorities that the Kremlin had installed to run Kherson.
On Friday, Zelensky said “people of Kherson themselves are already removing Russian symbols and any traces of the occupiers’ stay in Kherson from the streets and buildings”.
Top officials from Volodymyr Zelensky’s office cautioned that while special military units have entered Kherson city, a full deployment to reinforce the advance troops was still underway. On Friday, Ukraine’s intelligence agency said it thought some Russian soldiers stayed behind, ditching their uniforms for civilian clothes to avoid detection.
Read the full story here:
Ukraine works to stabilize Kherson after Russian pullout
Donetsk remains the Ukrainian region witnessing the heaviest fighting, with Volodymyr Zelensky saying the intensity of Russian attacks there has not decreased.
“The fighting in the Donetsk region is as intense as in previous days. The level of Russian attacks is not decreasing. The level of resilience and bravery of our fighters is the highest. We do not allow our defence to be breached,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.
Without electricity, water or gas, and with dwindling food supplies, 76-year-old Ludmilla limped on in the dark all alone. That was until Ukraine’s soldiers opened Kherson on Friday to ecstatic crowds.
She had earlier managed to evacuate her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to Poland, but she stayed in Kherson to look after the family home.
“God bless you; I haven’t had a decent meal in months,” she told the staff of global food charity World Central Kitchen, who on Sunday were handing out hundreds of emergency food packets to crowds in the centre of the recently liberated city.
Each packet, containing tinned meat, fish, vegetables and basic foodstuffs, is a lifeline. People described food prices tripling under occupation and supplies running out.
“It’s been months of hell,” Ludmilla continued, clutching her parcel of food like a lifebuoy.
Bel Trew reports from Kherson:
‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind
At least 40 Russian soldiers have been killed in combat by Ukrainian troops, the country’s southern operational command wing said in a war update today.
The soldiers were neutralised on Sunday, after the Ukrainian military command attacked four concentrations of Russian troops, it said. Seven armoured vehicles were also purportedly destroyed.
Joe Biden is to meet China’s leader Xi Jinping today in his first meeting with him as the US president.
Ukraine is set to be among the talking points during their discussion at the G20 summit in Indonesia.
Mr Biden will be “unapologetic” in his defence of the country, officials have said.
On Sunday, ahead of their meeting, Mr Biden warned China against attempting an invasion of Taiwan, and also said he wanted to keep lines of communication open with Beijing.
“I know Xi Jinping, he knows me,” he added, saying they had always had “straightforward discussions”.
The pair have known each other for more than a decade, from when Mr Biden and Mr Xi were both vice-presidents of their countries, but this will be their first in-person meeting as presidents.
“We have very little misunderstanding. We just got to figure out what the red lines are,” Mr Biden said.
Volodymyr Zelensky said everyone in his country engaged in the war can feel Ukraine’s victory against Russia approaching as he said that those repelling Moscow’s attacks, including soldiers, civilians and diplomats, have not had a day’s rest.
“All of us already feel the approach of our victory. Because we preserve our unity and know that we are rightfully on our land,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.
Starting his address, the Ukrainian president said that he was working together with his team on Sunday. “The office is working, Kyiv doesn’t stop, the country works non-stop. Look around – there are always people fighting and working without weekends for the sake of our victory,” he said.
“The frontline has no weekends. Rescuers and sappers have no weekends. Doctors helping the wounded have no weekends. Doctors helping our children have no weekends as well. Ukrainian energy workers fighting against Iranian drones have no rest,” Mr Zelensky said.
He added: “Diplomats working almost round the clock for 263 days already… Communication workers, security forces, hundreds and hundreds of other spheres, thousands of organisations and enterprises, millions of people.”
In case you missed it…
The UK’s defence secretary Ben Wallace said Russia will be “worried” and “disappointed” by the loss of Kherson.
He also said it was important not to “underestimate” Moscow and urged “caution” when considering the jubilant scenes on the streets of the liberated city.
“History will remind you that Russia can be brutal to their own. And if they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he told reporters in Westminster earlier on Sunday.
Kalush Orchestra got a warm welcome at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) with members of the audience waving Ukrainian flags as they took to the stage on Sunday night.
The folk-rap group performed their Eurovision-winning track Stefania as the award ceremony drew to a close at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The group were supported by dancers who donned the trademark pink bucket hat of lead singer Oleg Psyuk.
Traditional designs from the war-torn country and an image of a raised and clenched fist were projected across the stage.
Before the performance, Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, who was hosting with his partner Rita Ora, said the group were wearing costumes that “dated back thousands of years”.
He described their music as “bringing a hip hop infusion to traditional Ukrainian folk music”.
Ora added: “Along with our worldwide winners, we’d like to welcome them from Kyiv, Ukraine – Kalush Orchestra.”
Speaking earlier on the red carpet, Psyuk told the PA news agency “culture is one of our weapons” in the war against Russia “so today we are are soldiers that present Ukraine’s culture”.
The group have become international spokespeople for the Ukrainian war effort since sweeping to victory at Eurovision in May.
They later raised more than £700,000 for the Ukrainian army by auctioning off their crystal microphone trophy, and are touring with a portion of proceeds going to relief efforts at home.
Psyuk recently said they were “grateful” to the UK for showing solidarity with Ukraine by hosting Eurovision next year on its behalf.
PA
The Telegraph’s front page today (Monday) features a story about Rishi Sunak at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, where he is expected to tell other leaders that Russia is a “rogue state”.
He will also criticise Vladimir Putin for failing to attend the summit and instead sending Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in his place.
TELEGRAPH: Russia is a rogue state, @RishiSunak tells G20 leaders #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/AvygbKKtLI
In writing for the newspaper, the prime minister says: “We will not let our economic future be held hostage by the actions of a rogue state – and nor will our allies.
“Leaders take responsibility. They show up. Yet, at the G20 summit in Indonesia this week, one seat will remain vacant.
“The man who is responsible for so much bloodshed in Ukraine and economic strife around the world will not be there to face his peers. He won’t even attempt to explain his actions.
“Instead, he will stay at home and the rest of us will get on with the task at hand.”
A Russian zookeeper has stolen raccoons from the liberated city of Kherson, it’s been reported.
In the heist, seven raccoons, two female wolves, peacocks, a llama and a donkey from Kherson Zoo were taken.
A private Crimean zoo, Taigan Lion Park, owned by Oleg Zubkov, filmed him grabbing raccoons by their tails and putting them in cages for a YouTube video – now unavailable to watch – titled: “We are in Kherson. Oleg Zubkov catches raccoons with BARE HANDS!!!”
The occupiers stole everything from Kherson: paintings from art galleries, antiquities from museums, historic manuscripts from libraries. But their most prized loot was a raccoon they stole from a zoo. Steal a raccoon and Die. pic.twitter.com/1mqBrrKjHQ
The video showed him with two assistants forcing the llama into a van.
Another video uploaded on Sunday showed two wolves that he said were from Kherson Zoo being unloaded at the Crimean zoo.
Russian television channels filmed the event.
Zubkov said: “It will be much better for the wolves here: large territory, Crimean sun, and besides, after the quarantine, they will get a male. It’s been their dream to live here.”
He said the animals, including any wolf cubs, would be sent back after Russia reoccupies Kherson and that they are “in good hands”.
Ukraine’s defence ministry posted one of the videos and vowed to retaliate over the theft.
A sapper – combat engineer – died while demining the liberated city of Kherson, it was revealed today.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said one died and four were injured during the bomb-clearing operations after Russian troops withdrew from the city in southern Ukraine.
“Do not forget that the situation in Kherson region is still very dangerous. First of all, it is mines.
Unfortunately, one of our sappers was killed. Another 4 were injured while conducting demining” – @ZelenskyyUa
Earlier, Yaroslav Yanushevych – head of the Kherson region’s military – said Russian troops had placed mines almost everywhere.”
He told Kherson citizens: “Please, please do not gather in crowded places.
“Moreover, we will be clearing mines in the city centre tomorrow, on 14 November. So please do not go to the central part of the city.”
Fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region has continued in its intensity, Volodymyr Zelensky said in describing the situation there as “hell”.
The Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address: “There it is just hell — there are extremely fierce battles there every day.
“But our units are defending bravely — they are withstanding the terrible pressure of the invaders, preserving our defence lines.”
“Battles in Donetsk region are just as intense as they have been in previous days,” the Ukrainian president also said.
“The level of Russian attacks has not declined. And the level of our resilience and courage is at its highest. We will not allow them through our defence,” he added.
More details have been released about Ukraine’s claim that more than 400 war crimes have been uncovered in Kherson.
Volodymyr Zelensky said investigators found the bodies of servicemen and civilians in areas of the Kherson region freed from Russian occupation.
Russian army left behind them the same atrocities in Kherson region as it did on other regions, – @ZelenskyyUa
Investigation has already documented about 400 war crimes, bodies of murdered civilians and soldiers are being found. pic.twitter.com/EDkzSux5bI
During his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president said: “Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes.
“Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found.”
Mr Zelensky said “stabilisation and the restoration of law” had been established in 226 settlements affecting more than 100,000 residents.
Arrests of Russian soldiers and mercenaries were proceeding, he added.
Vladimir Putin is reportedly seeking to strip some citizens of their Russian passports if they criticise the war in Ukraine.
He is said to be proposing changes to a law that, when enacted, would target Ukrainians who were forced into acquiring Russian passports during the occupation of Kherson – which has recently been liberated.
The actions that would be considered crimes include discrediting the Russian army, spreading fake news, and participating in the activities of an undesirable organisation, according to Russian independent media outlet Meduza – citing a Kremlin-run news agency.
The proposed amendment to a bill has only passed its first reading so far.
In March, Russian parliament imposed laws that criminalised protesting against the conflict in Ukraine and discrediting Russia’s army – acts that would be punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Investigators in Kherson have uncovered more than 400 Russian war crimes.
This was claimed by Volodymyr Zelensky this evening, after the city was liberated from Vladimir Putin’s troops.
Ukraine has restored mobile phone services in the liberated city of Kherson, according to an official.
It was announced by Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson’s military.
Ukraine restored cellular service in the center of Kherson – Head of Reg Mil Adm Yaroslav Yanushevych
Earlier, @ZelenskyyUa said that ??troops had destroyed all critical infrastructure – communication, water supply,& electricity in the cityhttps://t.co/fsh3Q9GgYs?by UkrInform pic.twitter.com/OEfACgU8dw
Earlier, he said work has been underway to restore gas supply to the city and to get rid of mines left “almost everywhere” by Russian troops.
In case you missed it…
Rishi Sunak will use the upcoming G20 summit to “call out Putin’s regime” over the devastation it is wreaking on Ukraine and the global economy with its invasion.
The British prime minister jetted off to Bali, Indonesia, today to join other leaders of the world’s biggest economies including US president Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron and China’s Xi Jinping.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has faced unanimous condemnation from Western leaders over the war, is expected to skip the event and send foreign minister Sergei Lavrov instead.
The annual G20 leaders’ gatherings began in response to the 2008 financial crisis, establishing the summit as the main global forum for economic cooperation.
You can read more here:
Sunak to ‘call out Putin’s regime’ over Ukraine war at G20 summit
Russia has amassed troops near Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military.
⚡️ General Staff: Russia amasses troops near Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Russian forces are bringing more troops and building fortifications around Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the General Staff reported on Nov. 13.
Ukrainian soldiers in the liberated city Kherson said they have found bins stuffed with discarded Russian uniforms as Vladimir Putin’s troops that have left behind try to blend in with civilians.
Stanislav Stoikobv, head of the territorial defence in the region, told The Independent that the Ukrainian military estimated as many as 15 per cent of Moscow’s troops stationed in Kherson had been left behind.
On Sunday, Kherson was closed for ‘filtration’, a process by which Ukrainian authorities hope to identify the Russian soldiers.
Mr Stoikobv said: “We have to find them, they have no contact with Russian troops on the other side of the river. We are concerned Russia will start heavily shelling Kherson but we are panicking.”
You can read more on this story by Bel Trew, in Kherson, here:
‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind
Work is underway to restore gas supply to the liberated Ukrainian city of Kherson, according to an official.
Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson’s military, said: “We have already succeeded in restoring the supply of natural gas to more than 300 houses in liberated settlements of the oblast.
“Engineers are managing to keep the gas supply situation stable in Kherson.
“This is particularly important because of the lack of electricity and water supply in the city, as well as the onset of cold weather.”
He added that the speed of repair work is dependent on mine clearance in the liberated territories.
Mr Yanushevych has warned residents of Kherson to not congregate in crowded areas to celebrate the liberation while bomb disposal is taking place.
Kherson residents have been advised to not gather in crowded places on Monday (14 November) to celebrate the liberation from Russia.
This is because Russian troops have left mines “almost everywhere” and the Ukrainian government’s bomb disposal efforts are underway.
Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson region’s military, said: “The celebration of the liberation of Kherson Oblast has been going on for two days now.
“People are going out into the streets and squares holding Ukrainian flags, cheering and thanking the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But I want to warn everyone a little.
“Bomb disposal work is now underway; the enemy has placed mines almost everywhere. Please, please do not gather in crowded places.
“Moreover, we will be clearing mines in the city centre tomorrow, on 14 November. So please do not go to the central part of the city.”
A reinforced concrete wall with barbed wire is being built along Ukraine’s borders with Belarus and Russia.
This is according to Kryrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, who revealed the plan by posting on his official Telegram account today.
The official posted a video of the construction process on the border in Volyn Oblast, northwestern Ukraine.
He said: “Of course, the construction is ongoing not only in Volyn. This applies to all regions bordering Belarus and Russia.”
A Russian has reportedly been executed with a sledgehammer by the Wagner mercenary group for expressing his support for Ukraine.
Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, was a Russian prison inmate – serving a 25-year sentence for murder – before enlisting into the group to fight in Ukraine.
But after he was captured by Ukrainians in September, he told Ukrainian journalists that he wished to fight against Russia.
He was exchanged and then executed with a sledgehammer with his head taped to a block, according to reports and an unverified graphic video circulating on social media.
Russian TG channels have published a video allegedly showing Wagner mercenary Yevgeny Nuzhin being executed with a sledgehammer.
Recruited when he was serving a 25y sentence, he surrendered & in an interview said he was ready to fight on Ukraine’s sidehttps://t.co/ZH49IiNWD8
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin, writing on Telegram, joked about his death and suggested that the execution was to dissuade other recruited Russian convicts from surrendering to Ukraine.
He wrote: “Regarding the sledgehammered man, this show shows that he did not find happiness in Ukraine, but was met by unkind yet just people.
“I think this film is called ‘A dog gets a dog’s death.’ Great directors’ work, you can watch it in one go. I hope no animals were hurt during the filming.”
Wagner mercenaries, originally staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, have fought in countries including Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine.
Sanctions on Russia could remain in place even after any peace agreement with Ukraine.
Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, said any eventual peace agreement would involve a review of the penalties Ukraine’s allies in the West have imposed on Russia’s economy, according to the Wall Street Journal.
She said, during an interview at the G20 summit in Indonesia: “There really hasn’t been any effort on Russia’s part to want to undertake negotiations with Ukraine on any terms that are acceptable to Ukraine.
“I suppose in the context of some peace agreement, adjustment of sanctions is possible and could be appropriate.”
“We would probably feel, given what’s happened, that probably some sanctions should stay in place,” she also said.
Her comments come after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was open to “genuine peace talks” with Russia.
Ukraine has the momentum in the war against Russia, Ben Wallace said.
“It’s not big step momentum, but nevertheless, the direction of travel is is with the Ukrainians,” he told Times Radio.
The defence secretary added: “No one is underestimating Russia. Russia is a long way from giving up.”
Ben Wallace also said it was up to the Ukrainians to decide “when and how” they might want to negotiate with Russia.
Asked if now was the right time for Ukraine to be sitting down with its neighbour for talks, he told broadcasters: “First of all, I don’t think we should be grateful when the thief gives back stolen goods – and that’s effectively what Russia has done.
“Now it’s going to sort of go around the world trying to say everyone should be grateful for that. No, they shouldn’t, Russia shouldn’t have done it in the first place in February.”
The defence secretary added: “I think it’s up to the Ukrainians to decide when and how they want to negotiate.
“Ultimately, Ukraine will want to do that from a position of strength and momentum is with Ukraine. I can’t see why Ukraine would stop that.”
PA
The UK’s defence secretary said Russia will be “worried” and “disappointed” by the loss of Kherson.
But Ben Wallace also said it was important not to “underestimate” Moscow and urged “caution” when considering the jubilant scenes on the streets of the liberated city.
“History will remind you that Russia can be brutal to their own. And if they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he told reporters in Westminster.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to lead his country’s delegation at the G20 Summit this week.
It’s the first G20 Summit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
Reuters
Russia is failing “dramatically” in its Ukraine war, according to the UK’s chief of the defence staff.
“We’re seeing a continued failure by Russia. We saw that at the outset. Russia wanted to take the cities, it failed,” Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBC.
“Russia wanted to subjugate Ukraine, it’s failed, and it’s failing dramatically.”
He told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Russia wanted to weaken Nato and Nato’s even stronger. Then if you come down to the tactical fight, we’re seeing continued success by Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s president has vowed to keep pushing Russian forces out of his country after they withdrew from Kherson.
In his nightly video address on Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky vowed there will be “many more such greetings” of Ukrainian soldiers liberating territory as seen in the southern city.
He pledged to the people in Ukrainian cities and villages that are still under occupation: “We don’t forget anyone; we won’t leave anyone.”
AP
Joe Biden is set to meet China’s leader Xi Jinping tomorrow – the first time he will have done so since taking office.
Ukraine is set to be among the talking points. The US president plans to be “unapologetic” in his defence of the country, officials have said.
Russia’s foreign minister has accused the West of wanting to “militarise” southeast Asia in a bid to contain Russian and Chinese interests, setting the stage for a confrontation at the G20 summit in Bali.
Sergei Lavrov will head Russia’s delegation to the summit – the first such meeting since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February – after the Kremlin said Vladimir Putin was too busy to attend.
Speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, he scolded the US over its actions in the region, which both Russia and the West see as a potential strategic geopolitical battleground in the coming decades.
“The United States and its NATO allies are trying to master this space,” he told reporters.
He claimed Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy would involve “the militarisation of this region” with a focus on containing China and Russian interests.
The US president told southeast Asian leaders that Washington was committed to building an Indo-Pacific that was “free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure”.
Additional reporting by Reuters
A US think-tank says Ukraine has liberated more than 74,000 sq km of its territory since the war started.
Take a look at its map:
New ?️ from @TheStudyofWar & @criticalthreats:#Ukraine has liberated approximately 74,443 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. pic.twitter.com/8dJjTYfMYH
Ukraine’s armed forces has increased its death toll for Russian forces by 650, claiming more than 80,800 have now been killed since the start of the invasion.
See here:
The UK intelligence update on the war in Ukraine focuses on Russia’s move to restart military training in schools.
They tried to do this during the invasion of Crimea in 2014, but “the quality of Russian conscripts remains poor, with low morale and limited training”, the British defence ministry said.
“This training likely intends to prepare students with military skills as they approach conscription age and to increase the take-up for mobilisation and conscription drives,” it added.
“This initiative is also likely to be part of a wider project to instil an ideology of patriotism and trust in public institutions in the Russian population.”