Ukraine news – live: Putin likely to have lost third of his invasion force, says MoD

Surviving Russian troops have struggled with ‘continued low morale’ and ineffectiveness, it added

Senate GOP delegation meets Zelensky in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin may have lost a third of his troops that have invaded Ukraine, according to British military intelligence.

In its latest assessment, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Russia’s campaign in separatist-controlled Donbas region of eastern Ukraine has “lost momentum” and was now “significantly behind schedule”.

It also said: “Russian forces are increasingly constrained by degraded enabling capabilities, continued low morale and reduced combat effectiveness.

“Many of these capabilities cannot be quickly replaced or reconstituted and are likely to continue to hinder Russian operations in Ukraine.”

At a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Berlin, foreign secretary Liz Truss said it was essential for Western allies to maintain support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s government to help “push Russia out” of Ukraine.

Nato deputy secretary-general Mircea Geoana said the Ukrainians – with military and financial support from the West – were now in a position to defeat the Russians and win the war.

“The brutal invasion of Russia is losing momentum,” he told reporters.

Key Points

• US embassy will resume operations in Kyiv, says Blinken
• Vladimir Putin likely to have lost third of his invasion force, says MoD
• ‘Best thing’ for Sweden’s security is to ‘join Nato’, says Swedish PM
• Nato’s Jens Stoltenberg says Russia’s Ukraine offensive not going to plan

[16 May 2022 06:52 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Germany to stop Russian oil imports by end of year

Germany is likely to stop importing oil from Russia by the end of the year, irrespective of the European Union’s possible failure to impose a bloc-wide ban.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is determined to push ahead with its national plan as part of the country’s sanctions on Russia, government officials told Bloomberg.

The country is in the midst of finalising deals with alternative suppliers to meet the demand, while the government is confident of solving the remaining logistical problems within the next six to seven months, the report said.

Germany’s economy ministry has claimed that the country’s reliance on Russian oil has declined to 12 per cent from nearly 35 per cent before the war in Ukraine.

[16 May 2022 06:51 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

ICYMI | Putin ‘very ill with blood cancer’, Russian oligarch recorded saying

Russian president Vladimir Putin is “very ill with blood cancer”, an oligarch with Kremlin access was reportedly recorded as saying.

The claims come amid mounting health concerns about the Russian leader who has appeared frail at public events including the Victory Day celebrations last week where he appeared to be limping.

Publicly the Kremlin has stated that Mr Putin is fit and well but his strict precautions during the pandemic and use of a long table to meet other political leaders have strengthened rumours.

Thomas Kingsley has more.

[16 May 2022 06:18 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Only 10% of Luhansk is controlled by Ukraine, says governor

Serhiy Haidai, the governor of Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, said on Sunday that only 10 per cent of the region is controlled by Ukraine.

“The outskirts of Rubizhne, Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk are under our control along with villages and towns belonging to those communities (sic),” he said on Sunday.

“Fighting continues in the villages near Severodonetsk. Our defence is strong, we will survive, Severodonetsk is reliably protected, that even that large concentration of racists and equipment will not be able to conquer it,” he added.

[16 May 2022 06:08 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Russia launched cyber attack on Lviv, claims deputy mayor

Deputy mayor of Lviv city Andriy Moskalenko alleged that Russia in a cyber attack stole data from the city website and published it on Moscow-linked Telegram channels.

“Besides missiles, Russia is also using the IT front. Besides the city management system, the aggressors wanted to receive our data,” Mr Moskalenko wrote on Facebook, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.

He added: “Despite all protection systems, part of the working files was stolen and published on the Russians’ Telegram channels.”

[16 May 2022 05:35 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Locals fear returning to Kharkiv despite Russian retreat

Denis Kozmenko decided to flee his home with his young family after he saw a young mother, who had taken shelter in a school during airstrikes, being dragged off to be raped by a Russian soldier.

He was among the many Ukrainian men who decided to move their wives and daughters out of the village of Mala Rohan, which was under Russian occupation, after the horrific sexual assault on the 27-year-old woman.

“I saw what happened that night. This poor woman was taken away in front of her family, dozens of people, by this soldier. I realised then that there was no safety, no safety at all,” says Mr Kozmenko, who has returned to the village after it was recaptured by Ukrainian forces.

“We have a 14-year-old daughter, and of course I was worried. We left our homes the next day, and my family has not come [back] since. I am not going to bring them back for the time being. Things are still not safe here, for all kinds of reasons.”

Kim Sengupta reports from Kharkiv.

[16 May 2022 05:20 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Russian troops opened fire at 23 residential settlements, Ukraine claims

President Vladimir Putin’s troops have destroyed and damaged 32 residential buildings after opening fire at 23 settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday.

Ukrainian soldiers have throttled 17 Russian attacks in the past 24 hours, it said.

The army claimed that in one day it had destroyed three tanks, one artillery system, six units of combat armoured equipment and one vehicle.

[16 May 2022 05:06 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Will Ukraine host 2023 Eurovision after winning?

Ukraine and its entry Kalush Orchestra were crowned as the winners of Eurovision 2022, after receiving overwhelming support in the public vote.

“Thank you for supporting Ukraine. This victory is for every Ukrainian. Slava Ukraini [Glory to Ukraine],” the band said after receiving the trophy.

Meanwhile, Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised questions if Kyiv will be able to host the competition next year, despite it being custom for the winning country to host the contest the following year.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, however, is confident about hosting the contest next year.“Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision! For the third time in its history. And I believe – not for the last time,” the president wrote in a Facebook post.

Jacob Stolworthy reports.

[16 May 2022 04:55 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Blinken conveys ‘unwavering’ support to Ukraine

US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Sunday said he conveyed “unwavering commitment” to Kyiv during a meeting with Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

“Nato’s unified response, which we affirmed once more today, will continue,” Mr Blinken said in a statement.

He also announced that preparations were underway to reopen the US embassy in Kyiv. “We’re reopening our Embassy in Kyiv – we’re taking all necessary precautions, but that work is underway – and we will resume operations very soon,” he said.

[16 May 2022 04:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Nobel laureate author says Russia threat to ‘free world’

Polish Nobel Prize-winning author Olga Tokarczuk on Sunday called Russia a threat to the “free world”, equating Moscow’s war on Ukraine to the Second World War.

“The Poles share the Ukrainian feeling of danger that Russia presents to the free world,” Ms Tokarczuk said, adding that the Polish government had warned about the risk presented by Russian aggression for years.

“Nobody could imagine that this war would be so cruel, so anachronistic, and this war brings to mind the horrible images of World War Two,” she said.

Read more here.

[16 May 2022 04:35 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Nato says Moscow is losing momentum

Nearly three months after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the war is “not going as Moscow had planned”, Nato said after its meeting in Berlin on Sunday.

“Ukraine can win this war,” Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said, adding that the alliance must continue to offer military support to Kyiv.

While Moscow lost ground on the diplomatic front, Vladimir Putin’s forces also failed to make territorial gains in eastern Ukraine.

Mr Stoltenberg’s statement comes after two Nordic nations - Sweden and Finland announced their intention to join the military alliance despite Russia’s objections.