Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Moscow and Kyiv commerce lethal strikes forward of US-backed peace talks | EUROtoday

Marco Rubio mentioned mentioned a report by 5 European allies blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny utilizing toxin from poison dart frogs was “troubling”, including that Washington had no purpose to query it.

“We obviously are aware of the report. It’s a troubling report. We’re aware of that case of Mr. Navalny and certainly… we don’t have any reason to question it,” the US secretary of state informed reporters on Sunday at a information convention in Bratislava throughout a go to to Slovakia.

In a joint assertion, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands on Saturday mentioned analyses of samples from Navalny’s physique “conclusively” confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin present in poison dart frogs in South America and never discovered naturally in Russia.

After the findings have been introduced by Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya, international secretary Yvette Cooper pinned the blame squarely on the Kremlin and mentioned solely Russia had the “means, motive and opportunity” to hold out such an assault. The Kremlin has rejected the claims

A Ukrainian drone strike ignited fires at considered one of Russia’s Black Sea ports, officers mentioned on Sunday, forward of recent talks aimed toward ending the practically four-year-old battle.

Two folks have been injured within the assault on the port of Taman within the Krasnodar area, which broken an oil storage tank, warehouse and terminals, based on regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev.

Meanwhile, falling particles from Russian drones broken civilian and transport infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa area, officers mentioned, inflicting disruption to the ability and water provide.

Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian power websites intention to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue its full-scale invasion.

Russia, in the meantime, desires to cripple the Ukrainian energy grid, in search of to disclaim civilians entry to warmth, mild and working water in what Kyiv officers say is an try and “weaponise winter”.

The newest assaults got here forward of one other spherical of US-brokered talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday and Wednesday in Geneva, simply earlier than the fourth anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion of its neighbour on February 22.

As world leaders wring their fingers over Ukraine, Sam Kiley in Kyiv meets a number one politician whose daughter Sophia was born simply earlier than the invasion and – alongside her dad and mom and sister – is battling to outlive as Putin’s newest technique targets energy provides

Russian air defences downed 5 drones on Sunday ⁠on approaches to Moscow, the Russian capital’s mayor, Sergei ⁠Sobyanin, ​mentioned ⁠in statements printed on his ⁠social media channels.

The ​metropolis ⁠of Moscow ‌has been a daily goal ‌of Ukrainian drones since ‌Russia ordered tens of 1000’s ⁠of troops into Ukraine in 2022.

The two sides have resumed strikes on one another’s ‌power infrastructure in current days.

New sanctions in opposition to the Russian regime may observe from Britain and its allies blaming the Kremlin for poisoning opposition chief Alexei Navalny, the international secretary has urged.

Asked on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme what the results of the accusation can be, Yvette Cooper mentioned: “We continue to look at co-ordinated action, including increasing sanctions on the Russian regime.

“As you know, we have been pursuing this as part of our response to the brutal invasion of Ukraine, where we are also coming up to the fourth anniversary of that invasion as well.

“We believe that it is the partnerships that we build abroad that make us stronger at home. It is by acting alongside our European allies, alongside allies across the world, that we do maintain that pressure on the Russian regime.”

She added: “The other thing that I would say specifically about Alexei Navalny is one of the things he said was ‘tell the truth, spread the truth’, because that is the most dangerous weapon of all.

“That was his comment about the Russian regime. He is no longer able to do that, but that is why we are continuing to do that for him, and for his widow as well.”

The Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil by means of Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia could have been mounted after current injury however Ukraine could also be holding up restarting provides to strain Hungary to drop opposition to Ukraine’s future membership within the European Union, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico mentioned on Sunday.

“I perceive what is happening around oil today as political blackmail toward Hungary due to the uncompromising stance of Hungary on Ukraine’s EU membership,” Fico mentioned after assembly US secretary of state Marco Rubio in Bratislava.

Volodymyr Zelensky has introduced that Ukraine has agreed new power and army assist packages with European allies forward of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Kyiv is aiming to rally assist amongst companions because it struggles to fend off Russian advances and air assaults on its power system, whereas beneath American strain to barter peace.

Zelensky wrote on X on Sunday: “In Munich, we agreed with the leaders of the Berlin Format on specific packages of energy and military aid for Ukraine by February 24.”

He had mentioned on Friday after a gathering of the so-called Berlin Format of a couple of dozen European leaders in Munich that he had hoped for brand spanking new assist, together with air-defence missiles.

“I am grateful to our partners for their readiness to help, and we count on all deliveries arriving promptly,” he added.

Russian assaults on main cities resembling Kyiv have battered Ukraine’s power infrastructure, plunging hundreds of thousands of residents into energy outages of various durations in freezing chilly climate.

Zelensky added that Russia had launched round 1,300 assault drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and dozens of ballistic missiles at Ukraine over the previous week alone.

On Saturday, drone strikes killed one individual in Ukraine and one other in Russia, Ukrainian officers mentioned, forward of recent talks subsequent week in Geneva aimed toward ending the battle.

An aged girl died when a Russian drone hit a residential constructing within the Black Sea port metropolis of Odesa, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service mentioned.

In Russia, a civilian was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a automotive within the border area of Bryansk, regional govenor Alexander Bogomaz mentioned.

Ukrainian anti-corruption detectives have detained a former power minister as a part of a wide-ranging probe that sparked a political disaster final November, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine mentioned on Sunday.

The so-called “Midas” case centres on an alleged $100 million kickback scheme on the state atomic company that ensnared a variety of senior officers and enterprise elites, together with a former affiliate of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s.

“Today NABU detectives detained a former minister of energy while crossing the state border, within the framework of the ‘Midas’ case,” NABU mentioned in its assertion.

“Priority investigative actions are ongoing, which are being carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law.”

The company mentioned extra particulars would come but it surely didn’t title the person.

Ukraine’s earlier two power ministers had resigned amid the fallout from the scandal, which additionally claimed the job of Zelensky’s chief of employees.

The two ministers and the chief of employees have all denied wrongdoing.