Russia-Ukraine war live: Putin tries to claim Russia isn’t after Kharkiv – despite massive attack on region

Volodymyr Zelensky claims his forces have ‘stabilised’ a Russian attack in northeast Kharkiv region

Quality of Russian troops is now lower than beginning of war, says Nato Chief

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed there are “no plans” to take the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv despite tens of thousands of his forces having recently stormed across the border into the region and getting within artillery range of the city.

Speaking on the second day of his two-day tour of China, Putin claimed he had ordered the attack to create a “buffer zone” between Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian region of Belgorod.

When asked if Russian forces planned to take control of Kharkiv city, some 20 miles from the current fighting, Putin said: “As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans as of today.”

While Ukrainian officials and military analysts maintain that Russian forces in the Kharkiv region do not have the manpower or weaponry to take its namesake capital, and that the attack is likely an attempt to create a “buffer zone”, as Putin puts it, as well as draw Ukrainian forces away from other battles further east, there is little doubt that Russia would try to invade the city if it had the capability.

Key Points

• Ukraine says it has halted Russian advance in Kharkiv town
• Ukraine launches massive drone attack against occupied Crimea and across Russia
• What’s the latest in Russia and Ukraine? Day 814
• Vladimir Putin speaks on final day of China tour

[18 May 2024 08:09 · Tara Cobham]

Ukrainian drone attack kills one in Belgorod in southern Russia, governor says

A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured another in southern Russia's Belgorod region, Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Friday.

Gladkov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the drone hit the village of Novaya Naumovka, just inside the Russian border, where the two residents were tending a garden.

Russia's Defence Ministry later reported that air defence units had intercepted and destroyed 14 multiple-launch rockets originating in Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Ukraine has launched frequent drone and shelling attacks on Belgorod and other Russian regions on its border.

[18 May 2024 09:00 · Tara Cobham]

White House: We do not enable attacks with US weapons inside Russia

The Biden administration does not encourage or enable attacks with US-supplied weapons inside Russia, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.