Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Ukraine’s sinking of the Russian patrol ship, the “Sergei Kotov,” Tuesday continues a pattern of attacks versus Russia’s valued Black Sea Fleet that will restrict the fleet’s capability to navigate around Crimea, the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence stated Wednesday.

“This is the third Russian Black Sea Fleet vessel sunk in the past five weeks,” the ministry stated in an intelligence upgrade on X.

“Likely because of Black Sea Fleet losses, on 15 February 2024, the Black Sea Fleet Commander, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, was dismissed. Ukraine continues to limit the freedom of manoeuvre of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea,” the ministry stated.

The “Sergei Kotov,” which Ukraine stated it had actually assaulted with marine drones Tuesday, causing the vessel sinking, was just commissioned into the Black Sea Fleet in July 2022.

“It had actually been formerly targeted by USVs [Unmanned Surface Vehicles] in July and September 2023, sustaining small damage and going back to service quickly after on both events,” the ministry kept in mind.

— Holly Ellyatt

Germany’s ambassador to the U.K. stated there was “no need to apologize” for a security breach that resulted in a call in between leading Russian military authorities being dripped by the media.

Miguel Berger informed BBC Radio 4’s Today program Wednesday that a person of the individuals of the call had actually most likely called in by means of an insecure line. Russia had the ability to obstruct the call as an outcome, he stated.

During the call, authorities supposedly went over the possibility of offering Ukraine long-range Taurus rockets and possible Russian targets, consisting of the Crimean bridge connecting the Russian mainland to annexedCrimea

The authorities likewise stated British soldiers were on the ground in Ukraine, much to the U.K.’s aggravation, with previous U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stating Germany was “pretty penetrated by Russian intelligence” and “neither secure nor reliable.”

“It is extremely unhelpful what Ben Wallace has done,” Berger stated, including that “this is what Russia wants.”

Germany verified the credibility of the call however stated it was not sure whether it had actually been modified. It stated an examination would be introduced into the security breach.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence firm is accountable for an attack on the Mikhailovsky iron ore plant in Russia’s Kursk area, a source in GUR informed Reuters on Wednesday on condition of privacy.

Russian authorities and the plant’s owner, Metalloinvest, stated previously that 2 drones had actually struck a fuel tank at the business, among Russia’s biggest iron ore plants.

— Reuters

The Kremlin stated Wednesday that it does not acknowledge the arrest warrants released by the International Criminal Court (ICC) the previous day for top Russian military leaders.

“We are not part of the ICC, we don’t recognize this and we treat this decision accordingly,” the Kremlin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov informed press reporters Wednesday.

The ICC on Tuesday released arrest warrants for Lieutenant General Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, stating there were “reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects bear responsibility for missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023.”

It stated that there was factor to think the strikes were focused on civilian targets and triggered “excessive incidental harm.” They might be classified as actions taken versus a civilian population, which falls under the classification of “crimes against humanity or inhumane acts,” the ICC stated.

Ukraine invited the ICC’s relocation, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy specifying that “international justice requires time, but it is unavoidable.”

“We continue to make every effort to ensure that no Russian beast responsible for the murder of Ukrainian children, women, and men goes unpunished. And no number of stars on shoulder straps or cabinet doors will keep them from being held accountable,” Zelenskyy composed in a post on social networks platform X.

–Holly Ellyatt, Sophie Kiderlin

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska will not be going to U.S. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday since of a scheduling dispute, her representative stated.

“The Embassy of Ukraine in the USA received an invitation for the First Lady of Ukraine to be present on March 7 during the Union address to Congress by the President of the United States,” Tetyana Gaiduchenko stated.

“But due to the planned events in the schedule, including the visit of Kyiv children from the orphanage, which were planned in advance, unfortunately, the first lady will not be able to participate in the events,” she stated, NBC reported.

There has actually been speculation that Zelenska decreased the invite on finding out that Yulia Navalnaya, the other half of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, had actually likewise been welcomed to the prominent occasion.

The Washington Post reported that Navalnaya’s possible existence was unpleasant for the Ukrainians since of Navalny’s previous declarations that Crimea, which Putin annexed in 2014, came from Russia.

Citing individuals acquainted with Kyiv’s considerations, the news outlet stated that sources kept in mind that the Ukrainians were likewise cautious of being deemed too carefully lined up with Biden ahead of the U.S. governmental election, where a Republican prospect, extremely most likely to be Donald Trump, might be reelected.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign intelligence chief has actually stated French President Emmanuel Macron’s rejection to eliminate sending out European soldiers to eliminate Russian soldiers in Ukraine was very unsafe and reckless.

Macron stated last month that there was no agreement on sending out European soldiers to eliminate in Ukraine however that absolutely nothing need to be left out, though the United States and other European members of the alliance have actually stated there were no strategies to do so.

Asked about Macron’s remarks, Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the primary follower to the KGB’s First Directorate foreign spying area, stated they were deeply reckless.

“This shows the high degree of political irresponsibility of Europe’s leaders today, in this case, the president of France,” Naryshkin informed state tv in remarks onTuesday “These statements are extremely dangerous.”

“It is sad to see this, sad to observe and sad to understand that the ability of current elites in Europe and the North Atlantic to negotiate is at a very low level,” he stated. “They more and more rarely demonstrate any common sense at all.”

— Reuters

The guv of Russia’s Kursk area stated on Wednesday that a fuel storage facility was on fire after it was assaulted by a Ukrainian drone.

Local guv Roman Starovoit stated on messaging website Telegram that a fire had actually broken out at a fuel and lubes storage facility “as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian drone in the Zheleznogorsky district” in Kursk, an area that borders Ukraine.

“The fuel tank is on fire, no one was injured. Emergency services arrived at the scene,” he stated, according to a Google translation.

Shortly after, Starovoit published another message alerting the city of Zheleznogorsk of “missile danger,” informing its homeowners to nestle in windowless spaces with strong walls.

CNBC was not able to right away validate the claim and Ukraine has actually not openly talked about the event. It formerly introduced many drone attacks versus Russian oil facilities, such as oil refineries, in other border areas consisting of Rostov, Bryansk, Belgorod and Voronezh.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stated he invited the International Criminal Court’s choice to release arrest warrants for 2 senior Russian military authorities.

“International justice requires time, but it is unavoidable. We continue to make every effort to ensure that no Russian beast responsible for the murder of Ukrainian children, women, and men goes unpunished. And no number of stars on shoulder straps or cabinet doors will keep them from being held accountable,” Zelenskyy composed in a post on social networks platform X.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ICC stated that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that the 2 Russian military authorities was accountable for strikes that might be classified as war criminal activities.

— Sophie Kiderlin

The International Criminal Court on Tuesday stated it had actually released arrest warrants for 2 senior Russian military authorities: Lieutenant General Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov.

“Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects bear responsibility for missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023,” the ICC stated in a declaration.

It included that there was factor to think the strikes were focused on civilian targets and triggered “excessive incidental harm.” They might be classified as actions taken versus a civilian population, which falls under the classification of “crimes against humanity or inhumane acts,” the ICC stated.

— Sophie Kiderlin

Moldova’s spy chief stated on Tuesday that Russia was preparing fresh efforts to meddle in the nation’s internal affairs by provoking demonstrations, interfering in upcoming governmental elections, and interrupting strategies to sign up with the EuropeanUnion

Alexandru Musteata, head of the Information and Security Service, stated his firm had actually obstructed a record level of activities by the Russian security services considering that 2023 and anticipated more destabilizing actions this year and next.

“Russian intelligence services intend to interfere in the election processes this year as well,” Musteata informed media.

“We have information that attempts are being made to compromise a referendum on the European integration, interfere in the presidential elections, as well as discredit government institutions and politicians who support Moldova’s accession to the European Union.”

Relations in between Moldova and Russia have actually broken down as the federal government has actually guided a pro-European course and implicated Moscow of attempting to destabilize it. The ex-Soviet state’s pro-Western president Maia Sandu has actually knocked Russia’s intrusion of Ukraine as she leads Moldova on a course to sign up with the EU and defence alliance NATO.

Moscow rejects the accusations of disturbance and implicates Sandu of stiring anti-Russian belief in the nation, which lies in between Ukraine andRomania

Musteata stated Moscow attempted to meddle in the regional elections last November in Moldova, among Europe’s poorest nations. Moscow has actually rejected such disturbance. Musteata stated Moscow was likewise preparing to interfere in an approaching governmental vote by supporting pro-Russian political leaders and celebrations.

Russia would likely provoke demonstrations in Moldova in March and April and stimulate separatist beliefs, particularly in the east and south of Moldova, he stated. Last month, the pro-Moscow head of Moldova’s Gagauzia area asked Russia for its assistance and to preserve close ties. Also in February, Moldova’s breakaway Transdniestria area asked Russia to assist its economy endure Moldovan”pressure”

—Reuters

Moscow has actually continued its saber-rattling over the pro-Russian area of Transnistria in Moldova today, with the uncertainty continuing over what it might do next.

Analysts keep in mind that Russian authorities would discover it difficult to physically reach the breakaway area to strengthen soldiers there, or to even annex it, however there are still methods it can stimulate pro-Russian discontent and difficulty for Moldova.

Since the separatist self-proclaimed authorities in Transnistria requested for Moscow’s “protection” versus the Moldovan authorities recently– a relocation that was extensively viewed as collaborated with the Kremlin and a possible precursor to Russia boosting its military existence there, and even annexing the area– the West has actually been carefully viewing the rhetoric originating from Moscow.

Problematically for Russia, Moldova and Transnistria are landlocked, sandwiched in between Romania andUkraine That would imply that enhancing its soldiers in the area would be tough.

But Russia might still trigger difficulty, particularly as a governmental election in Moldova is set to be held later on this year– a vote that might be held together with a referendum on EU subscription.

Read more on the story here: Russia can’t reach a pro-Russian area in Moldova quickly– however there are methods it can trigger difficulty

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine military intelligence stated Tuesday that it utilized marine drones to assault a Russian ship off the coast of Crimea.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Directorate of Intelligence stated unique system Group 13 had actually harmed the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship, the “Sergey Kotov,” near Russian- inhabited Crimea.

“The ‘Kotov’ was damaged by fire in the territorial waters of Ukraine, near the Kerch Strait,” the firm stated on Telegram in remarks equated by NBC. It stated the expense of the sunken ship “is about 65 million dollars.”

“As a result of the strike by Magura V5 naval drones, the Russian ship of project 22160 “Sergei Kotov” suffered damage to the stern, right and left sides,” it included.

Apparently referencing the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak stated on Telegram on Tuesday that “the Russian Black Sea Fleet is a symbol of occupation. It cannot be in the Ukrainian Crimea.”

CNBC was not able to right away validate the reports.

Ukraine’s operations to attack Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were amongst its essential successes in 2023, with drone and rocket attacks on the Crimean port of Sevastopol requiring Russia to withdraw a variety of its ships from its primary base there.

— Holly Ellyatt