Ukraine: Summoned UK ambassador ambushed by protesters in Moscow

CloseRussia summons UK ambassador over Black Sea Fleet drone strikeThe British envoy to Russia has attended a meeting at Russia’s foreign ministry after it summoned her on the baseless accusation that Royal Navy personnel were involved in an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet.As Deborah Bronnert arrived at Russia’s foreign ministry at 10.30am on Thursday, she was ambushed by a small crowd chanting anti-British slogans and holding up placards, which read: ‘Britain is a terrorist state’.Other makeshift signs, emblazoned with crude drawings of the Union Jack flag, cups of tea, guns, Big Ben and red double decker buses, bore the words ‘No British terror’ and ‘Terror attack in Sevastopol is Britain’s fault.’Russian special services claim that the attack on its fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea – an area annexed by Vladimir Putin in 2014 – was carried out by Ukraine, under the guidance and leadership British naval specialists.The UK has vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged attack, dismissing Russia’s accusation as ‘false’.It comes as Russian shelling has disconnected Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant from Ukraine’s grid in an attack that destroyed its last remaining high-voltage power lines, officials said today.1667474655Moscow and Kyiv will each hand over 107 captured fighters on Thursday, according to a Russian-installed official.Details of this latest prisoner exchange was posted to Telegram by Denis Pushilin, adminstrator of Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 11:241667472990A Russian delegation has resumed work at the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) that runs the Black Sea grain deal operations in Istanbul and joined vessel inspections on Thursday, according to the UN.It said the queue for inspections has been significantly reduced, with there currently being over 120 ships waiting to move, mainly those planning an inbound voyage.Russia temporarily suspended participation in the U.N.-brokered initiative on Saturday after what it said was a major drone attack on its vessels and it resumed participation in the deal on Wednesday.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 10:561667471332Russian conscripts protest over pay at military base in UlyanovskEmily Atkinson3 November 2022 10:281667469847A senior Russian official has alleged that Moscow had prevented a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.Ukraine says Russia has repeatedly shelled the plant, despite Russia’s claims to the contrary. Both sides deny the others accusations.Ukrainian forces ‘continue to shell the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with Western weapons which could lead to a global catastrophe’, Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said.Patrushev said that Russian special services had prevented what he said was a ‘terrorist attack’ on the plant.Repeated shelling of the plant has raised the possibility of a grave accident just 500 km (300 miles) from the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chornobyl disaster.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 10:041667468472British ambassador summoned to Russian foreign ministry met with anti-UK protestersEmily Atkinson3 November 2022 09:411667467113Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow had called on the United Nations to help fulfill part of the Black Sea grain deal that would ease Russia’s own food exports.Lavrov was speaking at a news conference in Jordan, one day after Russia said it would resume its participation in the initiative, U-turning on its decision, taken last weekend, to suspend its role in the deal.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 09:181667465484As UK ambassador to Moscow Deborah Bronnert arrived at Russia’s foreign ministry at 10.30am on Wednesday, she was greeted by a small crowd chanting anti-British slogans and holding up placards, which read: ‘Britain is a terrorist state’.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 08:511667463836Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 08:231667462312The Russian gas company Gazprom said it would ship 42.4 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Thursday, levels similar to those reported in recent days. Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 07:581667461481The UK ambassador to Russia has arrived at Moscow’s foreign ministry, the RIA Novosti news agency reports. Deborah Bronnert was summoned yesterday by the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s baseless claims that Britain was involved in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea – an area annexed by Vladimir Putin in 2014.Emily Atkinson3 November 2022 07:44