Ukraine-Russia war: UK has no evidence of Beijing links to captured troops as Kyiv confronts China
North Korea has already sent troops to help Russian forces – now Zelensky is demanding an explanation from Beijing
UK defence intelligence officials have no evidence Chinese soldiers captured fighting for Putin have links to the Chinese government, it is understood.
Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Chinese soldiers have joined Russia’s war effort, two of whom have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv’s forces engaged in battle with six Chinese troops in Donetsk, the Ukrainian president said, adding that Ukraine believes there are “many more Chinese citizens in the occupier's units than just these two”.
Kyiv demanded an explanation from Beijing, summoning China’s charge d'affaires as foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the development “undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council”.
But it is understood that UK officials have so far found nothing that links the captured troops to the Chinese government.
It comes months after North Korea first sent troops to assist Vladimir Putin’s war effort in Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces have reclaimed large swathes of land from Ukraine.
Russian officials and state media claimed on Tuesday to be close to regaining full control of Kursk after purportedly pushing Ukraine from one of its few remaining footholds in the settlement of Guyevo – although Moscow has frequently made such assertions prematurely.
As Ukraine withdraws from Kursk, Mr Zelensky confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian troops were now operating in Russia’s neighbouring Belgorod region.
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Countries will acquire nuclear weapons due to Ukraine war, claims Medvedev
More countries will develop nuclear weapons as a result of the war in Ukraine, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has claimed.
The West has pushed the world towards the brink of World War Three by fighting a proxy war in Ukraine, thereby pushing countries to acquire nuclear weapons, claimed Mr Medvedev – who was once viewed as a moderate but has turned increasingly hardline in his rhetoric over recent years.
“The situation is such that even with the complete cessation of the conflict over so-called ‘Ukraine’ nuclear disarmament in the coming decades is impossible,” Medvedev wrote.
“The world will create new, more destructive types of weapons, and new countries will acquire nuclear arsenals.”
Canada undecided on participation in Ukraine peacekeeping, says PM
Canada is yet to decide on whether to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, prime minister Mark Carney has said.
The new leader said that Ottawa’s decision on joining mission would depend on the circumstances, in an interview with Radio-Canada.
But Canada is “part of the coalition of the willing, led by Macron and Starmer. I attended several meetings of this coalition and this was one of the topics of my discussions with those two leaders”, he said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
"I am very proud of Canada’s role, the role played by Mr Trudeau’s government and the role we are continuing to play, as well as the Canadian people's support for the Ukrainian people."
Putin's envoy hails US-Russia space cooperation
Vladimir Putin’s business envoy, who has been closely involved in discussions between Washington and Moscow, has hailed Russia-US space cooperation after a joint mission took off on Tuesday.
A Soyuz MS-27 blasted off carrying an American Nasa astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts. It was expected to dock at the International Space Station at 10:04 BST, Russia’s space agency said.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for international cooperation, said Tuesday’s launch from Kazakhstan was the latest example of an enduring relationship which traced its history back to 1975.
That was when the first crewed international space mission carried out jointly by the United States and the Soviet Union saw an Apollo and a Soyuz dock in space.
He wrote on Telegram: “Russian and US cooperation in the space industry continues today.”
Mapped: All Ukrainian incursions into Russia – including activity in Belgorod confirmed by Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russia’s Belgorod region, as Kyiv seeks to protect towns near the border.
The Ukrainian president described the move as “absolutely justified” as Ukraine looks to stave off Russian advances, as Moscow delays ceasefire negotiations in an apparent effort to seize more land.
After Ukraine’s foothold in Russia’s Kursk region collapsed in dramatic fashion - despite Ukrainian troops remaining in small pockets of the area - Kyiv may be searching to rebuild the leverage it had hoped to keep for any future ceasefire negotiations.
Read more here:
Mapped: All Ukrainian incursions into Russia - including activity in Belgorod
Indian component found in Russian weapon, Ukrainian military says
An Indian-made component has been found in a Russian weapon system for the first time, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has said.
“For the first time, a component made in India — a clock buffer from Aura Semiconductor — was found in a Russian weapon,” Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) said on Telegram.
This comes as the HUR said it has documented nearly 200 newly identified parts across six types of Russian weaponry.
Global markets believe there is a 70% chance of Ukraine peace deal, says Goldman Sachs
Markets believe there is a 70 per cent probability of a peace deal in Ukraine, according to US investment bank Goldman Sachs, citing shifts in bond pricing.
"Our modelling suggests that current market pricing for a peace deal has risen from below 50 per cent prior to US elections [in November] to around 70 per cent at present," Goldman Sachs said in a research note to clients.
It added, however, that this was slightly lower than a peak of 76 per cent in February.
Donald Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly said he wants to end the “bloodbath” of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine.
Watch: Zelensky shares video of captured Chinese citizens who he says joined Russia’s war on Ukraine
Independent readers share their views on conscription – from ‘necessary evil’ to ‘waste of time’
Sir Alex Younger’s warning that Britain is no longer prepared for war has sparked intense debate about the future of defence and national service in the UK.
The former MI6 chief told Independent TV that the UK has “largely dismantled” its military and industrial base, and must urgently rebuild both its capabilities and culture of national resilience in the face of rising global threats from Russia and beyond.
When we asked for your views, many agreed that the British military has been left hollowed out by decades of underinvestment, with some recalling how training areas and barracks were gradually closed, leaving the Army overstretched and under-resourced.
Concerns were raised about the current state of recruitment and a reliance on privatised systems that “don’t work.”
Others argued that if national service is to return, it should be voluntary and offer real benefits, including education, citizenship, or healthcare incentives, while some suggested expanding it beyond the military into civic roles.
Read more of the conversation here:
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