Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Putin blames Kyiv for attacking gasoline tanker that exploded off Libya | EUROtoday

President ​Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned Ukraine’s companions, together with the United States, ⁠had sought Kyiv’s assist in defending towards Iranian drones.

“Partners are ⁠turning to ​us, ⁠to Ukraine, asking for help ⁠in defending against (Iranian-designed) Shahed ​drones, ⁠with expertise and real ‌operational experience,” the Ukrainian chief mentioned.

“There have also been requests from the American side.”

Zelensky and different Ukrainian officers had beforehand urged that Kyiv may share experience with Middle East international locations if they may assist persuade Russia to watch a ceasefire within the four-year-old battle pitting Kyiv towards Moscow.

The Russian military has skilled its slowest advance on the battle frontline in nearly two years, in response to evaluation from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Ukrainian forces achieved a number of localised breakthroughs, significantly alongside the southern frontline and by pushing again Russian troops within the Dnipropetrovsk area.

Despite the slowdown, Moscow continues to advance within the east, shifting nearer to the important thing hubs of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Ukraine’s jap Donetsk area, and presently occupies over 19 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian troops made vital territorial features throughout February, together with 61 sq. kilometres on 15 February and greater than 50 sq. kilometres on each 21 February and 23 February.

These Ukrainian advances coincided with a slowdown in Russian troop actions on the frontline, which occurred after Elon Musk reportedly lower Starlink entry for Moscow’s forces.

The escalating battle in Iran is inadvertently bolstering Russia’s monetary capability, strengthening its capability to fund its ongoing battle in Ukraine by elevated vitality income.

Prices for Russian oil exports have surged from below $40 per barrel as not too long ago as December to roughly $62 per barrel.

While Russian crude continues to commerce at a notable low cost in comparison with worldwide benchmark Brent crude, which has climbed above $82 from its pre-attack value of $72.87, its present value now surpasses the $59 per barrel benchmark assumed within the Russian Finance Ministry’s 2026 funds plan.

The ongoing navy battle between the US and Iran has paused the trilateral peace talks to finish the battle in Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned.

“We continue to engage with the United States practically on a daily basis. For now, because of the situation with Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting haven’t come yet,” he mentioned in a night handle.

“As soon as the security situation and the broader political context allow us to resume the trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done. Ukraine is ready for it,” Zelensky mentioned.

Ukraine may face a essential scarcity of US air defence missiles with the US specializing in its navy assault on Iran, specialists have mentioned.

Iran has retaliated to the US killing of its supreme chief with a significant offensive by firing a whole lot of ballistic missiles and drones at Gulf nations.

The joint forces within the Gulf nations have intercepted these incoming projectiles with US’s Patriot missile interceptors. The anti-missile defence methods have confirmed essential for Ukraine as nicely to struggle off Russian missiles focusing on its vitality and navy infrastructure.

Serhii Kuzan, head of the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center suppose tank, says that the roughly 600 PAC-3s produced yearly by Lockheed Martin are already inadequate to cowl US wants and people of its allies within the Gulf, not to mention Ukraine’s.

“It’s the very simple mathematics of war,” Kuzan informed the Japan Times.

The stockpiling of Patriots by Gulf states meant they have been unlikely to expire fully, mentioned Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral analysis fellow at Oslo Universtiy.

This is especially the case at a time the depth of Iranian missile bombardments gave the impression to be lowering, however they could have to grow to be extra selective of their use as time goes on, he mentioned.

A Russian-flagged tanker carrying liquefied pure gasoline exploded and erupted in flames earlier than sinking within the Mediterranean Sea off Libya, authorities within the North African nation mentioned Wednesday. Russia claimed that an assault by Ukrainian sea drones was guilty.

The Libyan Maritime Authority reported “sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire” on the Arctic Metagaz on Tuesday, when it was about 240km (150 miles) off town of Sirte.

The tanker, carrying 61,000 tonnes of LNG, “completely sank” between Libya and Malta, a press release mentioned. All 30 crew members have been rescued and placed on one other vessel heading to the Libyan metropolis of Benghazi, it mentioned.

Russia’s transport ministry mentioned the vessel was hit by Ukrainian sea drones launched from the Libyan coast. Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday night referred to as what occurred to the tanker “a terrorist attack” that “exacerbates the situation on global energy markets, including gas markets”.

Ukrainian officers made no fast touch upon the accusation.

Previous Ukrainian assaults on Russian ships have reportedly come from the Libyan coast, although Kyiv officers haven’t publicly confirmed these studies.

Russia may halt gasoline provides to Europe proper now amid a spike ‌in vitality costs triggered by the Iran disaster, Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday.

The Russian president was linking the doable determination to the European Union desirous to ban purchases of Russian gasoline and liquefied pure gasoline.

Oil and gasoline costs have soared following the US-Israeli assault on Iran and Tehran’s strikes on Gulf Arab neighbours. The battle has paralysed delivery by the Strait of Hormuz ​and compelled the shutdown of Qatar’s LNG manufacturing and Saudi Arabia’s largest oil refinery.

Putin mentioned oil costs have been rising as a result of “aggression against Iran” and due ​to Western restrictions on Russian oil, whereas European gasoline costs have been rising as a result of clients have been prepared to purchase gasoline volumes at greater costs ⁠because of occasions within the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Asked by a Russian state tv correspondent ​about European plans to fully ban Russian pipeline gasoline imports by late 2027 in addition to new short-term Russian LNG contracts from ​late April 2026, Putin mentioned it is perhaps extra useful for Russia to cease promoting the gasoline proper now.

“Now different markets are opening up. And maybe it could be extra worthwhile for us to cease supplying the European market proper now. To transfer into these markets which are opening up and set up ourselves there,” Putin said, according to ​a transcript released by the Kremlin.

“This is not a decision, it is, in this case, what is called thinking out loud. I will definitely instruct ​the government to work on this issue together with our companies,” Putin mentioned, linking the doable determination on to Europe’s “misguided policies”.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned he mentioned the Middle East battle on Wednesday with the king of Bahrain and the crown prince of Kuwait.

Zelensky mentioned that his administration was in every day contact with the US and as soon as the safety state of affairs round Iran permitted it, trilateral talks with Moscow and Washington on a settlement of the battle with Moscow would resume.

In his nightly video handle, Zelensky mentioned talks about Iran included leaders of Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine’s companions, together with the US, had sought Kyiv’s assist in defending towards Iranian drones, like these utilized by Russia within the four-year-old battle with Ukraine.

“Partners are turning to us, to Ukraine, asking for help in defending against shaheds. There have also been requests from the American side,” he mentioned.

Russia’s true federal funds deficit in 2025 exceeded 2.36 trillion roubles (£24bn), far above official figures, as Moscow sought to cover the actual prices of its battle in Ukraine, Germany’s BND intelligence service claimed right now.

In a LinkedIn submit, the company mentioned Western sanctions have been having a “clear effect” and that concealing financial harm made Russia an “incalculable risk” for funding.

“Putin is sacrificing Russia’s economic future for his imperial goals,” the intelligence service mentioned.

Ukrainian drones broken civilian websites in southern ⁠Russia’s Saratov area and injured three folks, regional ⁠governor ​Roman ⁠Busgarin mentioned early ⁠on Thursday.

Busgarin gave ​no ⁠additional particulars, ‌however mentioned emergency crews have been ‌on the website ‌of the assault.

Civil ⁠aviation authority Rosaviatsia mentioned Saratov airport was one among a number of in central and southern Russia closed to flights late on Wednesday and within the early hours of Thursday.