Ukraine news – live: Putin warned deadly apartment block bombing could be war crime
Russia’s night-time strike in Odesa comes after Ukraine expels Russian forces from Snake Island
Vladimir Putin must be “held to account” for a missile strike on an apartment block near Odesa, which has left at least 21 people dead, Germany has said.
At least two children were among those killed in the strike on a 14-storey building in the small town of Serhiivka, near Odesa in southern Ukraine on Friday morning.
Germany condemned the attack, suggesting it could amount to a war crime if civilians had been deliberately targeted.
“The Russian President Putin and those responsible will have to be held accountable,” a German government spokesman told a briefing.
The Kremlin has denied Moscow targeted the building, insisting “the Russian Armed Forces do not work with civilian targets”.
The attack comes after Russian forces withdrew from the strategically important Snake Island on Thursday, a move Ukrainians hoped would ease the threat to nearby Odesa.
Briton condemned to death in breakaway Donetsk region appeals sentence
A British man condemned to death by a separatist court in east Ukraine has appealed against his sentence, Russian state news agency TASS has reported.
Shaun Pinner, 48, has formally lodged papers in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Russian-backed separatist region, said TASS on Friday. Another Briton also sentenced to death, Aiden Aslin, had not yet submitted an appeal, added the agency.
A third man condemned with the Britons, Brahim Saadoun from Morocco, had also lodged an appeal against his death sentence.
David Harding has the details.
Shaun Pinner: Briton condemned to death in Donetsk appeals sentence
No appeal has yet been received from the other Briton, Aiden Aslin, held in the Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic
Russian state TV presenter says Boris Johnson is 'chubby'
Briton and Moroccan appeal death sentences in Russia-backed separatist court
A Moroccan and a British fighter sentenced to death by a Russian-backed separatist court in east Ukraine for fighting for Ukrainian forces have appealed against their sentences, the Russian state news agency TASS reported on Friday.
TASS said the Supreme Court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), a territory recognised only by Russia and Syria, had received appeals from lawyers for Brahim Saadoun and Shaun Pinner.
It said another condemned Briton, Aiden Aslin, had not yet submitted an appeal, citing Mr Aslin’s lawyer.
‘Time running out’ to save Briton sentenced to death by Donetsk separatists
Family of 28-year-old say his captors have told him ‘nobody from UK has made contact and that he will be executed’
Putin jokes and defence spending rows: Inside Boris Johnson’s turbulent trip overseas
Adam Forrest travelled to the G7 and Nato summits and saw a prime minister unable to escape his political problems at home.
Putin jokes and defence spending rows: Inside Boris Johnson’s turbulent trip overseas
Adam Forrest travelled to the G7 and Nato summits and saw a prime minister unable to escape his political problems at home
Ukraine calls on Turkey to detain Russian cargo ship carrying grain
Ukraine has requested that Turkey detain and arrest the Russian-flagged cargo ship Zhibek Zholy carrying a cargo of Ukrainian grain taken from the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk, according to a Ukrainian official and document seen by Reuters.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry official, citing information received from the country’s maritime administration, said the Zhibek Zholy had loaded the first cargo of some 4,500 tonnes of grain from Berdyansk, which the official said belonged to Ukraine.
In a letter dated June 30 to Turkey’s justice ministry, Ukraine‘s prosecutor general’s office separately that the Zhibek Zholy was involved in the “illegal export of Ukrainian grain” from Berdyansk and headed to Karasu, Turkey with 7,000 tonnes of cargo, which is a larger cargo than cited by the official.
Turkey’s foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the arrival of the Zhibek Zholy.
Norway pledges 1 billion euros to support Ukraine
Norway on Friday pledged 1 billion euros to support Ukraine for the rest of 2022 and 2023, Norway’s prime minister told a news conference with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Jonas Gahr Stoere said the money was to help Ukraine support people in need, defend itself and for reconstruction.
Putin mocks Johnson for claiming he would not have invaded if he was a woman
Serhiivka neighbours search for survivors after apartment block strike
Neighbours in the resort village of Serhiivka, near Odesa, helped workers comb through the rubble of the nine-storey apartment block, a section of which had been completely destroyed on Friday morning by a Russian missile strike.
Walls and windows of a neighbouring, 14-storey apartment block had also been damaged by the blast wave. Nearby holiday camps were also hit.
“We came here to the site, assessed the situation together with emergency workers and locals, and together helped those who survived. And those who unfortunately died. We helped to carry them away,” said Oleksandr Abramov, who lives nearby and had rushed to the scene when he heard the blast.
At least 21 people, including two children, were killed in the blast.
Breaking: Odesa apartment bombing death toll rises to 21
At least 21 people have died following a Russian missile strike on an apartment block near Odesa, Ukranian officials have said.
Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odesa regional administration, said 21 people had been confirmed killed, including a 12-year-old boy. The boy is one of two children reported to have died.
Authorities said earlier 41 people had been rescued from the apartment building where 152 lived.
Video: Satellite images of Ukraine's Snake Island after Russian troops flee
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