Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukraine destroys huge ammunition dump - watch

Ukrainian forces struck a large Russian ammunition dump in the occupied town of Makiivka.

Drone footage purportedly of before the strike on the Russian-controlled town in eastern Ukraine shows ammunition haphazardly piled up in an open area between several multi-storey buildings, with later footage appearing to show an enormous explosion at the site.

Russia had claimed that overnight “fierce attacks” on the town in the Donetsk region were on residential areas and a hospital complex.

The Ukrainian military said late on Tuesday: “As a result of precision firing by Defence Forces units, another formation of Russian terrorists in the temporarily occupied Makiivka ceased to exist.”

Ukraine has been targeting ammunition dumps and command posts behind the front lines as part of its counter-offensive, launched several weeks ago.

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03:01 PM BST

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03:01 PM BST

Experts request further access to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant 'to confirm absence of mines or explosives'

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has said that experts have conducted inspections at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant over recent days and weeks “so far without observing any visible indicators of mines or explosives”.

Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that experts from the agency have requested additional access “to confirm the absence of mines or explosives at the site”, after Ukraine warned that Russia may have placed explosives on the roof of the plant.

Mr Grossi said: “With military tension and activities increasing in the region where this major nuclear power plant is located, our experts must be able to verify the facts on the ground.

“Their independent and objective reporting would help clarify the current situation at the site, which is crucial at a time like this with unconfirmed allegations and counter allegations,”

02:39 PM BST

Training Ukraine pilots in F-16s ended Ben Wallace’s hopes of being Nato chief

Joe Biden blocked Ben Wallace from becoming Nato’s next secretary general after Britain pushed ahead with training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s without the green light from Washington, Joe Barnes reports.

The Defence Secretary had been a front-runner to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, the current alliance chief, later this year.

But he failed to secure the support of Washington amid tensions over Britain’s ambitious military support for Ukraine.

Read more on this story from The Telegraph’s Brussels Correspondent here.

02:19 PM BST

Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers at their positions on the front line near Bakhmut

02:03 PM BST

Turkey and US discuss Black Sea grain deal and NATO enlargement

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken by phone on Wednesday about the Black Sea grain deal.

Mr Fidan also discussed NATO enlargement with his US counterpart, a foreign ministry source said.

01:47 PM BST

MoD: Map of latest defence intelligence on situation in Ukraine

01:36 PM BST

'Half of Russia supported Prigozhin', Zelensky says

The Kremlin was measuring support for Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has said, claiming that half of Russia supported the brief mutiny last month.

In an interview with CNN, Mr Zelensky said that Ukrainian intelligence had shown that Moscow was monitoring the Wagner chief’s popularity, and that Russian response to the mutiny showed “half of the Russian population is in serious doubt”.

Mr Zelensky told the American broadcaster: “Half of Russia supported Prigozhin. Half of Russia supported Putin. Some of the Russian regions were balancing in the meantime without knowing for sure who to support.”

01:19 PM BST

Ukrainian attack in Klishchiivka repelled, claims Russian army source

Russian forces successfully repelled a Ukrainian attack in the area of the village of Klishchiivka in the Donetsk region, an army source told Russian state media.

RIA Novosti cited a source in the Russian military’s southern command saying that the air force and artillery are currently destroying the remnants of enemy forces after repelling the attack southwest of Bakhmut.

Ukraine has said its forces had “partial success” in the Klishchiivka area, and there were reports of a Russian retreat there.

12:53 PM BST

UN making 'every effort' to save Black Sea grain deal ahead of July 17 expiry

The United Nations is making “every effort” to ensure that the Black Sea grain deal is extended, as well as a memorandum of understanding to facilitate access of Russian fertiliser and other products to global markets, the UN trade chief has said.

Rebeca Grynspan, secretary general of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development, told reporters in Geneva: “We need both to continue bringing down prices and have stable markets of food and fertilisers in the world.”

“The United Nations remains committed to making every effort for the continuation of the agreements.”

Ms Grynspan added that she may visit Russia before the deal expires.

12:49 PM BST

Russia struck three Ukrainian army groups near Bakhmut, says Moscow

Russia’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that Russian forces had struck three Ukrainian army groups near Bakhmut, amid conflicting reports about fighting in the area.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield situation.

The defence ministry said that up to 290 Ukrainian military were destroyed, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The ministry made no comment in its daily briefing on reports that Russian forces have retreated from the village of Klishchiivka southwest of Bakhmut, which a Russian-installed official in eastern Ukraine has denied.

Ukraine has said its forces had “partial success” in the Klishchiivka area.

12:18 PM BST

Russian cabinet member visits Hungary

Russia’s health minister has travelled to Hungary and met with the country’s foreign minister, in a rare visit by a member of the Russian cabinet to an EU and NATO member state.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto held a joint press conference in Budapest with visiting Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, with the Hungarian politician saying that Budapest wanted to keep “channels of communications open” with Russia and pursue “sensible and pragmatic cooperation”.

Under nationalist leader Viktor Orban, Hungary is the only member of the EU and NATO that maintains close relations with Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Szijjarto condemned the war in general terms and called for peace talks, but criticised weapons shipments to Ukraine and did not directly blame Russia for the invasion.

“We condemn the war in the most decisive manner, but at the same time we think weapons shipments prolong the war,” he said, and reiterated that Hungary would not send arms.

12:05 PM BST

Moscow 'places explosives on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant roof'

Ukraine has warned that Russia may have placed explosives on the roof of Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant.

Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow may be planning to detonate them while blaming Ukrainian shelling for the damage.

The claim about explosives had earlier been made by the Ukrainian army, which warned of “possible preparation of a provocation on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia power plant in the near future”.

Mr Zelensky said that he warned Emmanuel Macron about “occupation troops preparing dangerous provocations” at the plant during a phone call on Tuesday.

In Moscow, an advisor to Russia’s Rosatom nuclear agency, Renat Karchaa, accused Kyiv of planning an attack on the plant overnight.

Kyiv and Moscow have regularly accused each other of putting the plant’s safety at risk since the outbreak of the war.

11:48 AM BST

Measures being taken at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to counter threat from Ukraine, says Kremlin

The Kremlin said that there was a “great threat of sabotage” of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by Kyiv, and that measures were being taken “to counter such a threat”.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday that the situation was “tense” around the Moscow-controlled plant, and that the sabotage threat “could be catastrophic in its consequences.”

“The Kyiv regime has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to do anything. Therefore, all measures are being taken to counter such a threat.”

He did not present evidence to back his assertion about the Ukrainian threat.

11:27 AM BST

Report that President Xi warned Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine 'fiction', says Kremlin

The Kremlin has dismissed the Financial Times report that Chinese President Xi Jinping had personally warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine as “fiction”.

The Chinese leader had reportedly delivered his message face-to-face to the Russian leader when he visited Moscow in March (see post at 08.38).

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to a question asking him to confirm the Financial Times story by saying: “No, I can’t confirm it”.

He added that the two countries had issued detailed statements at the time as to the content of their talks, and said: “The essence of the negotiations was clearly stated in the documents adopted following the statement, so there is a lot of information. Everything else is fiction.”

11:09 AM BST

Pictured: Resident sits in her flood-damaged house following the breach of the Kakhovka dam

10:52 AM BST

No decision yet made by Kremlin on Black Sea grain deal

The Kremlin has said that no final decision had been taken about whether to extend the Black Sea grain deal.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, told reporters that no official decision had been announced yet on whether to extend the deal, which allows for the safe export of grain from Ukraine, beyond July 17.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reportedly said on Tuesday that there was no basis for the further extension of the Black Sea grain deal, with RIA Novosti reporting the ministry as saying Moscow “is making the necessary efforts so that all participating vessels can successfully complete their mission and leave the Black Sea before the specified date.”

However, Mr Peskov said that there was still time for the West to fulfil those parts of the deal that concern Russia.

10:18 AM BST

Watch: Inside the Ukrainian hospital where troops have to treat their enemies

09:45 AM BST

Russia wants to replace Wagner fighters with Chechen fighters and convicts, reports suggest

Russia wants to replace Wagner mercenary fighters in Ukraine with Chechens and convicts, European intelligence officials have told Bloomberg, following Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny last month.

Huge numbers of Russian troops have been moved to fill the gap in the frontline in Bakhmut left by the rebelling Wagner fighters, as Kremlin forces risk being overstretched there with Ukrainian troops reporting advances.

09:30 AM BST

One person killed in Makiivka shelling, says Russian-installed official

Russia has said that one person was killed and 41 people were injured, including two children, by Ukrainian shelling in the Moscow-controlled town of Makiivka in eastern Ukraine.

The territory in Donetsk is the focus of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, launched several weeks ago.

Vladislav Klyucharov, the Russian-appointed head of the city’s administration, said on Russia’s state-run broadcaster Rossiya-24: “Forty-one people have been injured due to the shelling, including two children. One person has died from their wounds.”

Ukraine’s military previously said that it had destroyed a formation of Russian forces in the town (see post at 07.50). Meanwhile, Denis Pushilin, the Russian-installed head of Donetsk, said Ukrainian forces had launched “fierce attacks” on residential areas and a hospital complex in Makiivka.

09:15 AM BST

In pictures: War in Ukraine

09:02 AM BST

Zelensky's chief of staff says China's stance on nuclear threat from Russia 'important'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff has said that China’s position in the face of a potential nuclear threat from Russia was “important”.

Andriy Yermak posted a screenshot of an article from the Financial Times about President Xi Jinping’s reported warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin against a nuclear attack in Ukraine, and said: “(This is) an important position of (China) regarding the nuclear threat from the insane Russian terrorist.”

08:38 AM BST

Chinese President Xi Jinping personally warned Vladimir Putin against nuclear attack in Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping personally warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

The message was delivered face-to-face during President Xi’s state visit to Moscow in March, sources told the Financial Times.

Chinese officials have since privately taken credit for convincing the Russian leader to back down from his veiled threats of using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, sources added.

The personal warning from the Chinese leader indicates that Beijing harbours concerns about Russia’s war even as it offers tacit backing to the Kremlin, western and Chinese officials said.

One senior Chinese government adviser said that the war threatens to scupper the nation’s efforts to drive a wedge between Europe and the US, and a Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine or one of its EU allies would risk turning the whole continent against China.

08:24 AM BST

Russia's border regions come under fire, say governors, blaming Ukraine

Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions came under fire from Ukrainian forces across the border in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving one person wounded, the regions’ governors said.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that a woman suffered shrapnel wounds to the chest in the attack on the town of Valuyiki that reportedly lasted longer than an hour.

Mr Gladkov added that Russian defence forces shot down three air objects, including one drone.Ukraine forces also fired 12 times from the Grad rocket launchers, he added.

Roman Starovoyt, the governor of the Kursk region, said that a private house and a school were damaged when the village of Tyotkino came under fire. He did not specify the form of attack.

The reports could not be independently verified.

08:17 AM BST

British soldier who went Awol to fight for Ukraine is jailed

A British soldier has become the first to be locked up for going Awol to fight in Ukraine, Danielle Sheridan reports. 

Royal Welsh Fusilier Alexander Garms-Rizzi, 21, was deployed to Estonia when he went missing from Nato’s Operation Cabrit and sent his unit a message admitting he had crossed the border to join pro-Ukrainian forces.

A court martial heard that by operating as a rifleman alongside Ukrainian militia, Fusilier Garms-Rizzi had defied orders and created a security risk.

Read more on this story from The Telegraph’s Defence Editor here. 

08:14 AM BST

MoD update: Wagner coup 'worsened existing fault lines' within Russia's national security community

The British Ministry of Defence has said that any official sanction against General Sergei Surovikin, a senior Russian military official who has been missing since the Wagner coup, “is likely to be divisive”.

Gen Surovikin, who played an important role liaising with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, was filmed talking to the mercenary leader during the take-over of Rostov-on-Don, and the MoD said that “authorities will likely be suspicious of his long association with Wagner dating back to his service in Syria from 2017”.

In their daily Intelligence Update, they added: “The suspicion that has potentially fallen on senior serving officers highlights how Prigozhin’s abortive insurrection has worsened existing fault lines within Russia’s national security community.”

08:03 AM BST

Pictured: Two RAF jets scrambled to intercept Russian Tu-214

Two Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets were scrambled in Estonia to intercept a Russian Tu-214 aircraft flying in international airspace controlled by NATO allies.

The RAF said that the Russian jet was intercepted as “transited south and then north again with 2x Su-30M Flanker Hs between mainland Russia and the Kaliningrad Oblast”.

The Typhoons are deployed in Estonia as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.

07:50 AM BST

Ukraine 'destroys formation of Russian forces' in Makiivka

Ukraine’s military said late on Tuesday that it destroyed a formation of Russian forces in Moscow-controlled Makiivka in the Donetsk region.

“As a result of precision firing by Defence Forces units, another formation of Russian terrorists in the temporarily occupied Makiivka ceased to exist,” the strategic communication office of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said.

In an accompanying video on Telegram, the communication office showed what looked like explosions in a sparsely built-up area.

Russia-installed representatives said one man died and at least 36 people were injured. Denis Pushilin, the Russia-installed head, said among the injured were a 33-month-old baby and a seven-year-old boy.

“Late in the evening, the enemy launched fierce attacks on residential areas and a hospital complex,” Mr Pushilin said on his Telegram channel.

07:49 AM BST

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