Russia-Ukraine war – live: Putin gives chilling warning to Poland as Moscow ready to defend Belarus

President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused Nato member Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Russia ‘s neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia. Moscow would react to any aggression against Belarus, which forms a loose ‘Union State’ with Russia, ‘with all the means at our disposal’, Putin told a meeting of his Security Council in televised remarks. Warsaw’s Security Committee decided on Wednesday to move military units to eastern Poland after members of the Russian Wagner mercenary force arrived in Belarus, the state-run news agency PAP quoted its secretary as saying on Friday. On Wednesday, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was shown in a video welcoming his fighters to Belarus, telling them they would take no further part for now in the war in Ukraine but ordering them to gather strength for Africa while they trained the Belarusian army. It comes as US-supplied cluster bombs are now being deployed by Ukraine in the battle against Russia, according to the White House . Key Points Putin gives chilling warning to Poland as Moscow ready to defend Belarus Ukraine using US cluster bombs ‘effectively,’ White House says Putin buying time to strike back Wagner group leader, says CIA chief Russia restricts movements of British diplomats in response to ‘hostile actions’ Russian navy conducts live fire exercise in Black Sea ‘A war on healthcare’ 18:12 , William Mata The British Ministry of Defence has tweeted an alert of the ‘war on healthcare’. The account released an update on Friday afternoon to state: ‘Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have been attacking hospitals, healthcare facilities & healthcare workers, contrary to international humanitarian law.’ Ukraine and Russia: Pictures from Friday, July 21 16:58 , William Mata Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Security Council via a video link in Moscow (via REUTERS) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin speaks to the media at a briefing in Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow, Russia (AP) Handout photo issued by the Royal Navy of their divers, bomb disposal and mine warfare experts who have been training their Ukrainian counterparts on the waters of Loch Ewe (PA) A view shows a grain warehouse destroyed by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine (via REUTERS) Putin tells Poland any aggression against Belarus is attack on Russia 16:43 , Reuters President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused NATO member Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Russia’s neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia. Moscow would react to any aggression against Belarus, which forms a loose ‘Union State’ with Russia, ‘with all the means at our disposal’, Mr Putin told a meeting of his Security Council in televised remarks. Warsaw’s Security Committee decided on Wednesday to move military units to eastern Poland after members of the Russian Wagner mercenary force arrived in Belarus, the state-run news agency PAP quoted its secretary as saying on Friday. Vladimir Putin (SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images) Russia targets Ukraine’s farm storage sites after days of hitting Black Sea port facilities 16:23 , AP` Russia followed its withdrawal from a grain export deal by expanding its attacks from port infrastructure to farm storage buildings in Ukraine’s Odesa region on Friday, while also practicing a Black Sea blockade. Other Russian missiles damaged what officials described only as an “important infrastructure facility” southwest of the port city of Odesa, in what appeared to be an effort to cripple Ukraine’s food exports. Attacks in recent days have put Odesa in Russia’s crosshairs after Moscow abandoned a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port. Ukranian troops learn how to diffuse Russian bombs in Scottish training exercise 16:16 , PA Ukrainian troops have been on exercises in Scotland learning how to disarm and defuse Russian bombs, booby traps and mines. Royal Navy divers, bomb disposal specialists and mine warfare experts have been training their Ukrainian counterparts on finding and neutralising explosive devices in the north-west Highlands. Specialist personnel from the Royal Navy’s Diving and Threat Exploitation Group (DTXG) used the waters of Loch Ewe to pass on their knowledge and expertise to Ukrainian Navy divers, explosive ordnance disposal operators and personnel who work with uncrewed underwater vehicles. Sailors from Delta Diving Unit 1 and DTXG’s operational support squadron delivered the training alongside Nato allies, building on the existing knowledge and skills of the Ukrainian expeditionary mine countermeasures team and helping them prepare for future operations. The training ranged from clearing deep water shipping lanes to rendering shallow water and beaches safe for amphibious raids. It also covered clearing ports, jetties and any other infrastructure from potential threats Divers, bomb disposal and mine warfare experts who have been training their Ukrainian counterparts on the waters of Loch Ewe (PA) Arrested pro-war Kremlin critic Girkin charged with incitement to extremism – Russian agencies 15:40 , Reuters Prosecutors from Russia’s FSB federal security service on Friday asked a Moscow court to remand prominent nationalist Kremlin critic Igor Girkin in detention on a charge of inciting extremist activity, Russian state news agencies reported. Girkin faces up to five years in prison if convicted, the TASS and RIA agencies said. Kremlin critic Igor Girkin (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Armenian foreign minister to meet Russian counterpart 15:31 , William Mata / Reuters Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is set to meet his Azeri and Russian counterparts in Moscow, Russia’s TASS news agency said on Friday. The countries have a historic relationship and are both members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Vladimir Putin is additionally set to meet his Belarus allies over the weekend. Ararat Mirzoyan at a summit with US and Azerbaijan ministers (Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.) Russia says there are no talks on any alternative to lapsed grain deal 14:53 , Reuters Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin said on Friday that Moscow was ready to explore options on grain exports, but that there were no current talks on an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal. The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, aimed to help prevent a global food crisis by allowing grain blocked by the conflict in Ukraine to be safely exported from Black Sea ports. Russia announced it was withdrawing from the deal on Monday. Russia says it wants option to inspect ships heading to Ukrainian ports 14:36 , Reuters Russia wants to be able to inspect ships bound for Ukrainian Black sea ports if necessary following its withdrawal from the grain deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said on Friday. ‘We have to make sure that the ship is not carrying something bad, it means a request, inspection, if necessary, to make sure that this is the case or not. I think this is perfectly logical, especially after the terrorist attacks that took place,’ Vershinin said. ‘There is no longer a maritime humanitarian corridor, now there are, perhaps, zones of increased military danger.’ Russia is working on new grain export routes, diplomat says 14:27 , Reuters Russia is working on new grain export routes, deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin said on Friday after Moscow pulled out of the Black Sea grain export deal earlier this week. The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, aimed to help prevent a global food crisis by allowing grain blocked by the war in Ukraine to be safely exported from Black Sea ports. Russia targets Ukraine’s farm storage sites after days of hitting Black Sea port facilities 14:19 , AP Russian cruise missiles destroyed farm storage buildings in the Odesa region early Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow’s forces expanded their targets following three days of bombardment of the southern region’s Black Sea port infrastructure. Other Russian missiles damaged what officials described only as an “important infrastructure facility” southwest of the port city of Odesa, in what appeared to be part of an ongoing effort to cripple Ukraine’s food exports. Attacks in recent days have put Odesa in Russia’s crosshairs after Moscow abandoned a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port. In the attack on the storage site, two of the low-flying cruise missiles hit initially and started a blaze, and then another struck during firefighting efforts, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said. The barrage injured two people, damaged equipment and destroyed 100 metric tons of peas and 20 metric tons of barley, Kiper said. Russia targeted Ukrainian critical grain export infrastructure after vowing to retaliate for an attack that damaged a crucial bridge between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian diplomat accuses Ukraine of using Black Sea grain corridor for ‘terrorist attacks’ 14:00 , William Mata Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin on Friday accused Ukraine of using a grain export corridor in the Black Sea to launch ‘terrorist attacks’ against Russian interests, including on the Crimean Bridge earlier this week. Vershinin was speaking at a briefing about Russia’s decision to quit the Black Sea grain deal. Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin (AFP via Getty Images) Iran says EU sanctions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine are ‘politically motivated’ 13:56 , Reuters Iran “reserves the right for reciprocal and proportional action” after the European Union imposed new sanctions over Tehran’s support for Russia’s war on Ukraine, its foreign ministry said on Friday. The ministry again denied Iran was sending drones to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. The European Union said on Thursday it would prohibit the export of components used in the construction and production of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It also listed six Iranian nationals under two already existing sanctions regimes for Iran’s “military support of Russia’s war against Ukraine (drones) and to the Syrian regime (air defense systems)”. Germany, NATO ‘prepared to support Poland in defending eastern flank’ 13:38 , Reuters Germany and NATO are prepared to support Poland in defending its eastern flank, German defence minister Boris Pistorius said in Prague on Friday. “Where the Polish partners need support, they will receive it,” Pistorius said at a press conference with his Czech counterpart in Prague. “They are Nato partners and reliable Nato allies, so we can confidently say that we are prepared.” The comment comes after Poland’s security committee decided to move military units to the country’s east due to the Wagner Group’s presence in Belarus, according to a report by Poland’s state-run news agency PAP. Johnson ‘sad’ to see former ambassador go 13:18 , William Mata Former prime minister Boris Johnson said he was “sad” to see Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain go. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Vadym Prystaiko on Friday. A presidential order gave no reason for the dismissal but said Prystaiko had also been removed as Ukraine’s representative to the International Maritime Organization. On Twitter, Mr Johnson called him a “great Ukrainian ambassador and friend to this country”. “I hope he will emerge soon in another incarnation!” Mr Johnson added. Putin gives chilling warning to Poland as Moscow ready to defend Belarus 13:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused NATO member Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Russia’s neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia. Moscow would react to any aggression against Belarus, which forms a loose ‘Union State’ with Russia, ‘with all the means at our disposal’, Putin told a meeting of his Security Council in televised remarks. Warsaw’s Security Committee decided on Wednesday to move military units to eastern Poland after members of the Russian Wagner mercenary force arrived in Belarus, the state-run news agency PAP quoted its secretary as saying on Friday. On Wednesday, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was shown in a video welcoming his fighters to Belarus, telling them they would take no further part for now in the war in Ukraine but ordering them to gather strength for Africa while they trained the Belarusian army. Russian investigators detain pro-war nationalist and Putin critic Igor Girkin 12:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Russian investigators have detained prominent Russian nationalist Igor Girkin, his wife said on Friday, a move which suggests authorities may have wearied of his criticism of how Moscow is running its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. Girkin, who is also known as Igor Strelkov, helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014 and then organise pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine. A former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer, he said earlier this year that he was entering politics and has been increasingly critical of President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu over what he has called the incompetent way Moscow is running what it calls its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. In a message posted on Girkin’s official Telegram account, his wife, Miroslava Reginskaya, said: ‘Today, at about 11.30, representatives of the Investigative Committee came to our house. I was not at home. Soon, according to the concierge, they took my husband out by his arms and in an unknown direction.’ She said friends had told her that Girkin had been charged with extremism. ‘I do not know anything about my husband’s whereabouts, he has not contacted me,’ she said. There was no immediate comment from the authorities. Putin says Moscow would regard any aggression against Belarus as attack on Russia 11:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and sai