Russia Ukraine war latest news: Poland scrambles jets as Putin rains cruise and ballistic missiles on Kyiv

Zelensky says China trying to undermine Ukraine peace summit

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Russia has struck Ukraine’s capital Kyiv with cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones in a major overnight attack in the early hours of today, just days before Volodymyr Zelensky is set to discuss a peace plan with European allies.

The massive aerial attack forced neighbouring Poland to scramble its aircraft, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said this morning.

Poland said that “all necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace have been launched”.

The attack, coming after several weeks of quiet nights in Kyiv, also targeted parts of western Ukraine that border Nato-member Poland, and triggered air raid alerts across the whole of the war-torn country.

Ukraine’s air defence systems are engaged in repelling the strikes, Kyiv’s military administration said on Telegram. Many explosions were heard in and around Kyiv, according to witnesses.

This comes as the US dropped a critical ban on arming a controversial Ukrainian fighting unit, allowing the Azov Brigade access to some of its lethal munitions.

Key Points

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US to give Ukraine another Patriot missile system for air defence

Joe Biden has allowed sending one more Patriot missile system to war-hit Ukraine, two US officials said, answering Kyiv’s desperate calls for more air defences as it battles an intense Russian assault on the northeastern Kharkiv region.

It would be the second Patriot system that the US has given to Ukraine, although the Pentagon has routinely provided an undisclosed number of missiles for the system. Other allies, including Germany, also have provided air defence systems as well as munitions for them.

Volodymyr Zelensky late last month pleaded for additional US-made Patriot systems, arguing that they will help his forces fight the close to 3,000 bombs that he said Russia launches into the country every month.

“If we had these modern Patriot systems, (Russian) airplanes wouldn’t be able to fly close enough to drop the (glide) bombs on the civilian population and the military,” he had said on a bilateral trip to Spain.

The two US officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been publicly announced.

Arpan Rai12 June 2024 05:12

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One killed in Ukrainian shelling in Russia’s Belgorod

At least one person was killed and three others were injured in Ukrainian shelling in the town of Shebekino in Russia’s Belgorod region, the governor of the region bordering Ukraine said this morning.

“The man died from his wounds on the spot before paramedics arrived,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a post on Telegram, adding that two wounded people were taken to local hospitals.

The shelling by multiple launch rocket systems also damaged six residential houses and 11 apartment buildings, he said.

Kyiv says its attacks on Russian territory are aimed at undermining Moscow’s war efforts by destroying military, energy and transport infrastructure.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia launched against its smaller neighbour in 2022.

Arpan Rai12 June 2024 05:02

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Russian fighter-bomber crashes after ‘technical fault’

A Russian military jet crashed during a training flight in North Ossetia, killing two people on board, the defence ministry said Tuesday.

The Sukhoi SU-34 jet crashed “in a mountainous zone” and there was “no damage on the ground”, the ministry said, adding that a technical problem appeared to have caused the crash.

It comes amid an increase in aircraft accidents in Russia, attributed to sanctions imposed on Russia leading to a shortage of necessary parts.

Alexander Butler12 June 2024 05:00

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Ukraine says it has destroyed all Russian missiles and drones in overnight attack

Ukraine’s air defence systems have destroyed all air weapons on their approach to Kyiv, the head of the city’s military administration said this morning.

In a rare large-scale attack which sent all of Ukraine under air-raid alert, Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv in the early morning, the Ukrainian military said.

Russia used a combination of cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones in its attack, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration said, citing preliminary information.

The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear, he added. Witnesses said several blasts that sounded like air defence systems at work were heard in and around Kyiv.

The air raid alerts lasted several hours across all of Ukraine, starting soon after midnight GMT and including regions bordering Nato-member Poland.

Arpan Rai12 June 2024 04:26

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Poland scrambles F-16 warplanes as Russia rains missiles on Ukraine

Poland has scrambled its aircraft and air forces against Russia’s large-scale missile attacks targeting Ukraine’s central and western parts, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said this morning.

The Polish armed forces described its response as “defensive air activities”.

Warning of increased noise-levels due to Polish and allied aircraft operating in its airspace, it said: “Tonight we are observing the activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, carrying out strikes using cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Shahed type against objects located, among others, in the western territory of Ukraine.”

Poland, which lies on Ukraine’s west, said that the last such “intensified” Russian aggressive activity was recorded on Thursday and Friday night.

“All necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace have been launched, and the RSZ Operational Command is monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis,” it said, referring to one of the two command bodies of the Polish Armed Forces.

Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, there have been a number of intrusions into Polish airspace, triggering worry in the European Union and Nato member state and reminding people of how close the war is.

Arpan Rai12 June 2024 04:08

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Explosions hit Kyiv as Russia launches major missile attack

Blasts were heard across Ukraine’s capital Kyiv this morning as Russian forces rained missiles on the war-hit nation, officials said.

Ukraine’s air defence systems are engaged in repelling the strikes, Kyiv’s military administration said on Telegram.

Many explosions were heard in and around Kyiv, according to witnesses.

The attack, coming after several weeks of quiet nights in Kyiv, saw all of Ukraine placed under blaring air raid alerts.

Arpan Rai12 June 2024 04:07

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Pictured: Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska visits a wounded Ukrainian solider in a German military hospital

Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska visits a wounded Ukrainian solider in a German military hospital (Getty Images)

Alexander Butler12 June 2024 04:00

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‘There is more to do’ to avoid repeat of Second World War, warns army chief

Alexander Butler12 June 2024 03:00

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Inside the escape from a Ukraine border village as Putin’s forces closed in: ‘Mummy, when will this war end?’

Alexander Butler12 June 2024 02:00

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The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine

The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine

Winged explosives weighing up to 1,500 kilograms – and nicknamed the ‘building destroyer’ – have had a devastating impact wherever they have been used, writes Tom Watling. Kyiv is battling them as best it can but needs Western allies to step up and provide more weapons, air defences and ammunition

Alexander Butler12 June 2024 01:00