Ukraine-Russia war

Ukraine has struck the headquarters of Russia ‘s Black Sea Fleet in a missile attack that left a serviceman missing and the main building smouldering, according to military chiefs on both sides. Within hours, US president Joe Biden reportedly told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that he would provide Kyiv with ATACMS long-range missile, as Canada pledged to give an extra £393.5m in military aid to Ukraine over the next three years. Following the attack in the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea, the Russian defence ministry initially said one service member was killed but later changed that to say he was missing. It said its air defence systems responding to the attack shot down five missiles. Firefighters battled the blaze, and more emergency forces were brought in. At the same time, Ukrainian tanks penetrated Putin’s final line of defence in western Zaporizhia Oblast, signalling a big breakthrough, according to the Institute for the Study of War. It is the first instance of Ukrainian tanks advancing through Russia’s strong defensive layer of anti-tank ditches and obstacles, said the institute. Key Points Ukrainian missile strikes Sevastopol Ukrainian counteroffensive pushes through Putin’s final line of defence Zelensky warns energy terror has begun Putin’s spies ‘hacking Ukrainian files for Russian war crimes evidence’ US ‘to give Kyiv ATACMS long-range missiles’ In pictures – Trudeau gives Zelensky a warm welcome Double blow for Putin 21:05 , Jane Dalton In full: Russia ‘s Black Sea fleet headquarters were in flames after a fiery missile attack , bringing yet more woe to Vladimir Putin after Ukraine ‘s tanks reportedly broke through his final line of defence in western Zaporizhzhia : Double blow for Putin as navy attacked and Ukraine forces ‘punch through front line’ Don’t insult us, Polish PM tells Zelensky 19:56 , Jane Dalton Poland’s prime minister has told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky not to ‘insult’ Poles, amid the simmering row over grain imports. Poland decided last week to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports, shaking Kyiv’s relationship with a neighbour that has been seen as one of its staunchest allies. Mr Zelensky angered his neighbours when he told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Kyiv was working to preserve land routes for grain exports, but that the ‘political theatre’ around grain imports was only helping Moscow. ‘I… want to tell President Zelensky never to insult Poles again, as he did recently during his speech at the UN,’ Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. US ‘promises Ukraine long-coveted long-range missiles’ 19:15 , Jane Dalton President Joe Biden has reportedly promised Volodymyr Zelensky that the US will provide his country with a long-range missile system that his armed forces could use to attack targets in Russian-occupied territory or in Russia itself: Russian aggression must end with our victory, says Zelensky 19:00 , Jane Dalton The Ukrainian leader won enthusiastic applause in Canada’s parliament when he said Russian destruction of communities and cities such as Mariupol must not go unpunished. ‘This Russian aggression must end with our victory,’ he said, delivering his speech in English. Recalling how Canada always defended justice, he thanked the parliamentarians for ‘being on the right side’, for their political and economic support and being an example of leadership. Equipment including air-defence systems and artillery shells had helped save thousands of lives, he said. Through manipulation of energy sources, Russia was trying to break his country, Mr Zelensky went on. Canada promises Kyiv nearly £400m in military aid 18:47 , Jane Dalton Canada will give an extra C$650m (£393.5m) in military aid to Ukraine over next three years, prime minister Justin Trudeau told his country’s parliament, watched by Volodymyr Zelensky. He also announced new funding to support Ukrainians’ mental health. Standing ovation for Zelensky 18:29 , Jane Dalton Canadian politicians gave Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena a standing ovation as they arrived in the parliament chamber. Putin’s spies ‘hacking Ukrainian files for Russian war crimes evidence’ 18:08 , Jane Dalton Moscow’s spies are using hackers to target computer systems at law-enforcement agencies in Ukraine in an attempt to obtain evidence of alleged Russian war crimes, Ukraine’s cyber defence chief says. The hackers, working across Russia’s foreign, domestic and military intelligence agencies, have stepped up digital intrusion campaigns targeting the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office and departments documenting war crimes, according to Yurii Shchyhol, head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), which handles cyber defence in the country. ‘There’s been a change in direction, from a focus on energy facilities towards law-enforcement institutions which had previously not been targeted that often,’ Mr Shchyhol told Reuters. ‘This shift, towards the courts, prosecutors and law enforcement units, shows that hackers are gathering evidence about Russian war crimes in Ukraine’ with a view to following Ukraine’s investigations, he added. The espionage activity will be flagged in an report by the service, due to be published on Monday. Watch Zelensky address 17:56 , Jane Dalton Mr Zelensky is due to address the Canadian parliament at 6pm UK time. Watch live: Abrams tanks: why the US is sending them to Ukraine 17:40 , Jane Dalton The US has pledged to send 31 M1 Abram battle tanks , worth an estimated $400m, to Ukraine. They are ‘much better protected than anything the Soviets built, or anything the Russians currently have’: US ‘to give Kyiv ATACMS long-range missiles’ 17:02 , Jane Dalton US President Joe Biden has informed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky that Washington will provide Kyiv with ATACMS long-range missiles, NBC News reported on Friday. Kyiv has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to help attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases and rail networks in Russian occupied territory. But the White House did not disclose any decision on ATACMS when Zelensky visited Washington on Thursday for talks with Biden, even as it announced a new $325 million military aid package for Kyiv. ATACMS are designed for ‘deep attack of enemy second-echelon forces,’ a US Army website says, and could be used to attack command and control centers, air defences and logistics sites well behind the front line. ‘I have a lot of warm words and thanks’ 16:09 , Lydia Patrick Zelensky says he does not have time to see ‘the beautiful country’ of Canada but promises he will visit again ‘after the victory’. He expressed his gratitude for Canadian support. Zelensky arrives in Canadian parliament 16:01 , Lydia Patrick Justin Trudeau welcomes Volodymyr Zelenskey in the Canadian Parliament. Trudeau jokes he ‘sees these people every day’ as he lets Zelenskey go ahead of him to greet his colleagues. Watch live below Ukraine confirm attack on Black Sea HQ 15:55 , Lydia Patrick Ukraine’s military confirmed it had attacked the Russian Black Sea fleet’s headquarters, but gave few details. Ukraine’s defence forces successfully struck the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea fleet command in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol,’ it said on the Telegram messaging app. Watch live – Zelensky addresses Canadian parliament in first visit since Russian invasion 15:38 , Lydia Patrick Unprecedented cyber attack, officaials say 15:30 , Lydia Patrick Crimea was hit by a cyberattack after Ukraine attacked Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters, officials say. Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser to the Russian governor of the region, wrote on Telegram. ‘An unprecedented cyberattack on Crimean internet providers,’ noted ‘We are detecting interruptions in the internet on the peninsula,’ he added. ‘All services are working to eliminate the threat.’ The outage has not been verified and it is not clear what could have caused it. Oleg Kryuchkov Everything we know about significant Ukrainian breakthrough in Zaporizhzhia 15:15 , Lydia Patrick Ukrainian tanks appeare to have broken through Russia’s final line of defence in western Zaporizhzhia, signalling a major breakthrough for Kyiv’s counteroffensive. A report published by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Ukrainian armoured vehicles were behind the Russian defence line – known as the Surovikin line – for the first time, and involved in fighting near the village of Verbove in the Zaporizhzhia region. ‘Ukrainian forces have brought heavy equipment beyond the anti-vehicle ditch and the dragons’ teeth for the first time,’ said George Barros, an analyst for ISW, on X, formerly known as Twitter. He added: ‘Forces have been widening their breach of the lines for the past several weeks and may be preparing for a new push.’ The reported breakthrough comes as Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky looked to Canadian’s prime minister Justin Trudeau for further military support, after securing a $325m defence package from US President Joe Biden on Thursday. Some 577 days into the conflict, experts see the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive to liberate Zaporizhzhia as the key to breaking Russia’s backbone, and potentially winning the war. Ukrainian forces ‘smash through Russian front line’ in counteroffensive breakthrough In pictures – Ukrainian children hospital host party for patients 14:43 , Lydia Patrick A panda came to visit the children at the Ohmatdyt Hospital, many of the patients have been injured in the war (EPA) Ukrainian children, currently admitted at the Ohmatdyt Hospital, attend a party organized for them in Kyiv, Ukraine (EPA) Just in – Photo of the Sevastopol strike 14:27 , Lydia Patrick This image taken from UGC video shows smoke rising from the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea, Friday Sept. 22, 2023. Ukraine carried out a fiery missile strike Friday on the main headquarters of Russia’s (Crimean Telegram channel via AP) (AP) 14:16 , Lydia Patrick Poland has said it will stop exporting weapons to Ukraine as a week of escalating tensions between the two countries reached boiling point over a ban on grain imports. Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he would instead invest the money in arming Poland, which has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies since Russia invaded last year , with the most ‘modern weapons’. The row between the neighbouring countries began last week when Poland imposed an import ban on Ukrainian grain, including wheat and maize, after an EU-brokered deal expired. The deal, which ended on 15 September, allowed Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia to ban the sale of Ukrainian grain, which they claim has flooded the European market and undercut domestic grain prices since Putin’s invasion, damaging their economies. But Ukraine launched a legal challenge at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Monday after Poland reinstated the ban, claiming the country had failed to meet its ‘international obligations’. Update – Russian serviceman not killed in Sevastapol strike 14:10 , Lydia Patrick The Russian defence ministry has updated its earlier statement to say that one servicemember is missing in action, not killed as it earlier said, as a result of the strike on Sevastopol. In pictures – Pope Francis meets Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican 14:08 , Lydia Patrick Pope Francis meets Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican, Andriy Yurash at the Vatican (via REUTERS) Pope Francis meets Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican, Andriy Yurash at the Vatican (via REUTERS) Russia say they have intercepted Crimea cruise missiles 14:02 , Lydia Patrick ‘Over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, air defence has shot down cruise missiles,’ the Moscow-appointed governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said on Telegram. He did not specify how many missiles were shot down. IYMI – 14:00 , Lydia Patrick Volodymyr Zelensky made a passionate plea to American lawmakers at Capitol Hill as his second trip to Washington – since the Ukraine invasion – came to an end. The Ukrainian president got a $325m aid package from the Biden administration as he wrapped up his second visit, said to be more muted compared to the hype that surrounded his earlier one. However, senate majority leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday summed up an impassioned plea made by the wartime president to American lawmakers even as Republicans debate flow of financial aid to Ukraine for more than 20 months now. ‘There was a single sentence that summed it all up, and I’m quoting him verbatim. Mr Zelensky said: ‘If we don’t get the aid we will lose the war’,’ Mr Schumer told reporters. Zele