Key Points
- Kremlin says French seizure of tanker 'bordering on piracy' and vows response
- UK and France intercept suspected Russian oil tanker in Atlantic, Macron says
- Zelensky says Ukraine is facing a limited window to hold effective peace talks with Russia ahead of winter
- Russian oil refinery and energy infrastructure hit in Ukrainian drone attacks
- Ukraine denies Russia's claim that they struck Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and calls it a 'propaganda ploy'
Kremlin says French seizure of tanker 'bordering on piracy' and vows response
10:43 , James Reynolds
The Kremlin said on Monday the French seizure of a Russian-linked tanker was “bordering on piracy” and vowed to respond.
French president Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that the navy had boarded the sanctioned Tagor oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean with support of international partners including the UK.
He said the operation took place “in strict compliance with the law of the sea”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia considers the move “illegal”, warning that Russia would take measures to ensure the safety of shipping cargo in response.
In February, a Kremlin aide said Russia could deploy its navy to prevent the seizure of its vessels and may retaliate against European shipping if Russian ships are taken.
UK and France intercept suspected Russian oil tanker in Atlantic, Macron says
Watch: UK and France intercept suspected Russian oil tanker in Atlantic, Macron says
13:02 , Arpan Rai
Britain and France have intercepted a suspected sanctioned Russian oil tanker in a joint operation in the Atlantic, Emmanuel Macron has said.
The French president said on Monday morning that the operation was carried out “with the support of several partners including the United Kingdom” in international waters.
“The French Navy intercepted a new tanker under international sanctions yesterday morning, originating from Russia: the Tagor. Our determination is steadfast and unwavering,” he wrote on X.
Russia has received no response from Romania on drone debris inspection, says Kremlin
12:37 , James Reynolds
Russia has not received a response yet from Bucharest to president Vladimir Putin's statement that Moscow was ready to examine the wreckage of the drone that crashed in Romania last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, according to TASS news agency.
What we know about French interception of Russia-linked tanker
12:30 , James Reynolds
French president Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that the French navy had intercepted a Russia-linked tanker in the Atlantic Ocean.
He said the operation was carried out in conjunction with international partners including the UK.
What was intercepted?
Macron said the navy had intercepted the sanctioned oil tanker ‘Tagor’, which had sailed from Russia’s Arctic port of Murmansk.
He said the ship was suspected of flying under a false flag. According to MarineTraffic, the 252-metre-long tanker was sailing under a Madagascan flag.
Why does it matter?
To try to skirt Western sanctions, Russia has relied on old vessels, known as the shadow fleet, to ship its oil and gas.
France and Britain have both vowed to obstruct such vessels as part of a European strategy to combat the oil revenues that help fund Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.
The Tagor is the fourth sanctioned tanker the French have intercepted.
Will it change anything?
Western sanctions and a small number of interceptions have had little obvious impact on the Russian 'shadow fleet' at a time oil prices pushed higher by the Iran war offer tankers a big incentive.
Instead it is the Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities that are stopping Moscow from capitalising on the spike in global fuel prices.
What has Russia said?
The Kremlin said it considered the move illegal and accused France of an act bordering on international piracy, vowing to respond.
Macron said the operation was carried out in line with maritime law.
Ukrainian drone attacks devastate Russian energy infrastructure
12:00 , James Reynolds
Ukraine claimed to have struck a major oil pipeline control station in Russia’s Kirov oblast and an oil depot in Rostov oblast on Sunday.
Kyiv said it hit the Lazarevo pumping station, some 800 miles from Ukrainian-held territory, with drones overnight on 30-31 May.
The station serves the Surgut-Gorky-Polotsk pipeline, shipping Russian oil from Siberia to Belarus.
Authorities in the Russian town of Matveyev Kurgan said separately that a major fire was burning following a drone attack on a fuel depot in the town, in Rostov oblast. Ukraine confirmed the strike.
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian drone strike in Odesa
11:30 , James Reynolds
Rosatom to discuss claimed drone attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant with UN nuclear watchdog
11:02 , James Reynolds
Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia's state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, said on Monday that he would discuss with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi a joint statement, addressed to European leaders, about the attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Rosatom said on Saturday a Ukrainian drone had struck the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest, causing no damage to key equipment, but the Kyiv military denied it.
Danish shipyard continues to service tankers benefitting Russian trade
10:28 , James Reynolds
A Danish shipyard has continued servicing ice-class LNG tankers providing a vital lifeline to Russian gas exports, according to a report.
Analysis by Urgewald, a non-governmental organisation, shows six Arc7 icebreakers would be due for repair at Fayard’s shipyard this summer ahead of an EU ban on services to tankers operating out of Russia due to come into force in 2027, the Financial Times reports.
Last year, Fayard services five tankers that had sailed from Russia’s Yamal gas plant, according to its annual report.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said after the first reports of Fayard servicing the Yamal-bound fleet that it was “completely incomprehensible” and urged them to stop.
Russia claims control of Ukrainian village in Donetsk
10:28 , James Reynolds
Russia's defence ministry said on Monday that its forces had taken control of the Ukrainian village of Tykhonivka in the Donetsk region, the state RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Ukrainska Pravda reported meanwhile that Ukrainian defenders had repelled one Russian attack near the village.
Child killed, 11 injured in Ukrainian attack in Kherson region
10:00 , James Reynolds
A child was killed and 11 people were injured in a drone attack in a Russian-held part of southern Kherson region, a local Russian-appointed official said on Monday.
Vladimir Saldo, governor of the Russian-held parts of Kherson, wrote on Telegram the strike occurred in the city of Henichesk, on the shore of the Sea of Azov.
He said Ukraine was responsible for the drone attack.
In Ukraine, 40,000 people were left without power after a Russian attack on the Chernihiv region on the Russian border, a local energy company said on Telegram, as both sides continue the exchange of strikes since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia demands answers from France over tanker seizure
09:41 , James Reynolds
Russia's embassy in Paris said on Monday that it had requested information from the French authorities about any Russian citizens on board the seized tanker Tagor.
The captain of vessel is a Russian citizen, according to preliminary information, the embassy said, as reported by Russia’s TASS news agency.
UK and France intercept suspected Russian oil tanker in Atlantic, Macron says
08:24 , James Reynolds
Britain and France have intercepted a sanctioned Russian oil tanker suspected of flying a false flag in the Atlantic, Emmanuel Macron has said.
The French navy could be seen boarding the ship, named the Tagor, in a video shared by the French President on Monday morning.
He said operation was carried out “with the support of several partners including the United Kingdom” in international waters.
The Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic, a French authority, said in a separate statement that the French Navy had intervened on an oil tanker more than 400 nautical miles west of the tip of Brittany.
It said the vessel was coming from Murmansk, Russia and was suspected of flying under a false flag.
Read the full story:
UK and France intercept suspected Russian oil tanker in Atlantic, Macron says
Watch: Ukraine hits oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov nearly 700kms from frontline
08:15 , Arpan Rai
Lukanshenko threatens Ukraine, says 'major' target in sights
08:00 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said his country has a “major” target in Ukraine in its sights.
Amid concerns about Minsk becoming more involved in the war, Ukraine’s commander of Unmanned Systems Forces had warned last week that his forces have identified 500 potential targets in Belarus.
"They may have identified 500 targets. But we have one major target, with precise coordinates, and it is very close to Belarus. They understand that too,” Lukashenko said yesterday.
Russia's ally also claimed that Ukraine does not seek any conflict with Belarus.
"The Ukrainian military does not want any war with Belarus. I know that for sure," he said.
"Because they understand that this means a thousand kilometres of additional front lines, a border – and a difficult border – between Belarus and Ukraine. Do they need that? No,” Lukashenko said.
Russia says one killed and 11 injured in Ukrainian attack on Kherson
07:49 , Arpan Rai
A Russian-appointed official said a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building in a Russian-held part of southern Kherson region, killing a child and injuring 11 people.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor of the parts of Kherson region in eastern Ukraine under Moscow's control, wrote on Telegram that the strike occurred in the city of Henichesk, on the shore of the Sea of Azov.
Macron says French Navy boarded Russia-linked oil tanker
07:35 , Arpan Rai
The French Navy on Sunday boarded an oil tanker, named the Tagor, which was subject to international sanctions and sailing from Russia, French president Emmanuel Macron said on X.
"This operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean, on the high seas, with the support of several partners, including the United Kingdom, in strict compliance with the law of the sea," he said.
"It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years," he added.
The Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic said in a separate statement on Monday that the French Navy had intervened on an oil tanker more than 400 nautical miles (740km) west of the tip of Brittany, coming from Murmansk, Russia.
"This operation was aimed at checking the nationality of a vessel suspected of flying a false flag. After the inspection team boarded the vessel, an examination of the documents confirmed suspicions regarding the irregularity of the flag flown. In accordance with international law and at the request of the public prosecutor, the vessel was diverted,” it added. The prefecture did not name the ship.
France and Britain have both vowed to obstruct ships linked to Russia's sanctioned "shadow fleet" that pass through their waters.
Zelensky thanks Romanian president for fact-checking Russian drone attack
07:19 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his Romanian counterpart Nicusor Dan for confirming that the drone attack on Romania was carried out using a Russian aerial weapon.
“Thank you for your clarity, dear @NicusorDanRO. Facts are the best cure to Putin’s lies and they prove that Russia’s manipulations will not pass. Ukraine is ready to work closely together to counter common threats and strengthen the protection of life — not only for our country, but also for the friendly Romania and the rest of Europe,” Zelensky said on X, in response to Dan’s findings shared on social media.
The Romanian leader said that the drone that crashed on Saturday night in “Galați is a Geran-2, of Russian origin”.
“This is the unequivocal conclusion of the technical report finalised by Romanian state specialists. The investigation established this based on a substantial body of technical evidence,” he said on X.
“On the recovered fragments, the inscription in Cyrillic characters "ГЕРАН-2" was identified, and the electronic components, navigation systems, control modules, engine, and structural elements analysed show similarities up to and including identity with those of other Geran-2 drones recovered previously on Romanian territory and definitively identified as manufactured in the Russian Federation,” the Romanian president said.
He said that Russia was solely responsible for the attack on a residential building in Romania, which caused injuries and material damage.
Thank you for your clarity, dear @NicusorDanRO. Facts are the best cure to Putin’s lies and they prove that Russia’s manipulations will not pass. Ukraine is ready to work closely together to counter common threats and strengthen the protection of life — not only for our country,… https://t.co/wdlM90EAIO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Russia forcing country’s stolen children to fight, says Zelensky
07:05 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of abducting Ukrainian children and training them to fight against their own country.
In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation yesterday, the Ukrainian president claimed that children taken to Russia were being taught to hate their native country.
“They taught these children to hate their native country, to hate native people. And Ukrainians, can you imagine, such young Ukrainians, young boys, come to the battlefield and kill Ukrainians,” he said.
Thousands of children are estimated to have been forcibly taken to Russia.
Ukraine has evidence Russia is forcing country’s stolen children to fight: Zelensky
Kyiv denies Russian claims of Ukrainian drone strike on nuclear plant
06:45 , Arpan Rai
Kyiv has denied that a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe.
Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, said on Saturday that the drone exploded after tearing a hole in the wall of a turbine hall.
Rosatom’s CEO Alexei Likhachev accused Ukraine of a deliberate attack.
“This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation,” Likhachev said. He added there was no damage to main equipment.
Ukraine’s military said it did not target or strike the plant, describing the Russian claim as “yet another propaganda ploy.”
A military statement said that it adheres to international humanitarian law and is aware of the "consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities.”
Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed “serious concern” in a post on X following the incident.
The IAEA said in a statement that its inspectors at the plant “observed damage to the exterior of a turbine building” that was “consistent with the impact" of a drone.
It gave no details of where the drone may have come from, but said radiation levels at the site remained normal.
It added that its inspectors had requested access to the inside of the turbine hall for further examination.
Ukraine receives new Iris-T launcher from Germany, says Zelensky
05:46 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine received a new Iris-T air defence launcher from Germany on Saturday, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"We thank Germany for its constant contribution to protecting people; thousands upon thousands of lives have been saved thanks to such strong support," Zelensky said on X.
"We also need missiles for air defence systems to have sufficient capabilities to repel Russian attacks," Zelensky said on Telegram.
Ukraine heavily relies on the Iris-T for its layered air defence system, which comprises of multiple different systems it sources from its allies.
The portable launchers can carry eight missiles each.
The German defence launcher is a short-range system capable of hitting targets at a distance of 12km (8 miles) and up to an altitude of 8km. It also has a medium-range system that can reach targets up to 40km (24 miles) and at an altitude of 20km (13 miles).
Over this week, the Russians have launched more than 2,300 attack drones, nearly 1,560 guided aerial bombs, and 108 missiles of various types against our people. All these strikes were directed simply at ordinary civilian infrastructure – residential buildings and energy… pic.twitter.com/RYMLNQCKam
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Watch: Zelensky seeks to revive peace talks with Moscow ahead of winter
05:10 , Arpan Rai
Lukanshenko threatens Ukraine, says 'major' target in sights
04:56 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said his country has a “major” target in Ukraine in its sights.
Amid concerns about Minsk becoming more involved in the war, Ukraine’s commander of Unmanned Systems Forces had warned last week that his forces have identified 500 potential targets in Belarus.
"They may have identified 500 targets. But we have one major target, with precise coordinates, and it is very close to Belarus. They understand that too,” Lukashenko said yesterday.
Russia's ally also claimed that Ukraine does not seek any conflict with Belarus.
"The Ukrainian military does not want any war with Belarus. I know that for sure," he said.
"Because they understand that this means a thousand kilometres of additional front lines, a border – and a difficult border – between Belarus and Ukraine. Do they need that? No,” Lukashenko said.
Zelensky says Ukraine has limited window for negotiations with Russia
04:31 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv is facing a limited window to hold effective peace talks with Russia, which will remain open until winter this year.
His assessment was based on Kyiv’s performance on the battlefield, with Ukraine regaining and holding the initiative.
Kyiv is better positioned to negotiate after Ukrainian troops regained the initiative in December 2025 and the window is expected to last till next winter, he told CBS News.
Zelensky said he has informed the US who are working on holding peace talks with Russia.
“It began in December 2025, Russia began to lose initiative on the battlefield," Zelensky said.
"And from this point of view, I shared this information with our American partners. I said to them in January, I think that we have a window for the negotiations, because each month they will lose more and more people... So now we have this period of time before the winter. So I think that in winter — we have, before the winter, we need to find a way, diplomatic way, to sit and to speak,” he said.
Beginning in December 2025, Russia started to lose the initiative on the battlefield. In January 2026, I told our American partners: “I think there is a window for negotiations, because each month Russia will be losing more and more troops.” Now they can’t occupy more territory…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Russian oil refinery and energy infrastructure hit in Ukrainian drone attacks
04:15 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s General Staff said Ukrainian drones struck the Saratov oil refinery in southwestern Russia, causing a large-scale fire.
It claimed the refinery has been supplying Moscow’s war effort.
The refinery belongs to Russia’s state oil enterprise, Rosneft. Local Russian governor Roman Busargin said Ukrainian drones had damaged civilian infrastructure, but did not give details.
Astra, an independent Russian news channel, said an oil refinery was on fire in the city of Saratov.
Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russia’s oil and gas facilities in recent months, arguing the energy sector funds and directly fuels Moscow’s more than four-year invasion.
“Tonight, our soldiers applied Ukraine’s long-range sanctions against an oil refinery in Saratov, Russia — approximately 700 kilometres (435 miles) from the front line. A significant achievement,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine's General Staff also confirmed its forces were behind the strike on the facility in the town of Matveev Kurgan. Local authorities said a drone strike on the depot had caused a large-scale fire across a wide area.
According to its General Staff, Ukraine also struck the Lazarevo pumping station in Russia's Kirov region northeast of Moscow, more than 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled land.
The station helps ship Russian oil from Siberia to Belarus.
Regional governor Alexander Sokolov said drones had hit a facility in the Kirov region, without giving further details.
Russia says one killed and 11 injured in Ukrainian attack on Kherson
03:54 , Arpan Rai
A Russian-appointed official said a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building in a Russian-held part of southern Kherson region, killing a child and injuring 11 people.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor of the parts of Kherson region in eastern Ukraine under Moscow's control, wrote on Telegram that the strike occurred in the city of Henichesk, on the shore of the Sea of Azov.
Watch: UK intelligence suggests almost half a million Russian soldiers have died in Putin’s invasion
03:00 , Bryony Gooch
Recap: Zelensky warns Russia preparing ‘massive’ new strike on Ukraine
02:00 , Bryony Gooch
Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday that Russia was preparing a “massive” new strike against Ukraine as Kyiv renewed calls for western allies to accelerate deliveries of Patriot air defence systems.
In a Telegram post and later video address, the Ukrainian president said intelligence assessments indicated Moscow was preparing intensified attacks in the coming days. “We understand what Russia is preparing for and what it is counting on,” Zelensky said, urging Ukrainians not to ignore air raid alerts.
Zelensky also defended Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian infrastructure, saying Kyiv would continue targeting Russia’s logistics networks and oil industry to weaken its war effort. “We are defending ourselves actively,” he said. “Everything that makes it harder for Russia to wage war helps bring peace closer.”
He added that Ukraine was working “with all partners” to strengthen air defences amid escalating Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Recap: Kyiv says Russia's claim they struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is a 'propaganda ploy'
01:00 , Bryony Gooch
Kyiv denied a Russian claim that a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest.
Russia's state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, said on Saturday that the drone exploded after tearing a hole in the wall of a turbine hall. Rosatom's CEO Alexei Likhachev accused Ukraine of a "deliberate" attack.
"This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation," Likhachev said. He added there was no damage to main equipment.
Ukraine's military said it did not target or strike the plant, and described the Russian claim as "yet another propaganda ploy." A military statement said that it adheres to international humanitarian law and is aware of the "consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities."
"Along the relevant section of the front line, there was no active fighting at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used," it added.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, voiced "serious concern" in a post on X following the incident.
The IAEA said in an online statement on Sunday that its inspectors "observed damage to the exterior of a turbine building" that was "consistent with the impact of the drone." It gave no details of where the drone may have come from, but said radiation levels at the site remained normal."
During a site walk down, the team saw damage to a metal access hatch located several levels up in the building, as well as a few pieces of debris and burned optical fiber remains on the ground," the agency said in a post on X. It added its inspectors had requested access to the inside of the turbine hall, "for further examination."
Bankers who helped Putin’s friend set up Swiss accounts lose appeal
Monday 1 June 2026 00:01 , Bryony Gooch
Four bankers who helped Putin’s friend set up Swiss accounts lose appeal
Zelensky calls for progress on peace talks before winter
Sunday 31 May 2026 23:45 , Harriette Boucher
Volodymyr Zelensky is looking to revive talks on securing peace with Russia before the onset of winter.
The Ukrainian president is seeking negotiations amidst his country’s improved strategic position, as he says the advance of Russian forces has slowed on the ground while Ukraine has intensified its strikes.
He told Face the Nation on CBS: “It began in December 2025, Russia began to lose the initiative on the battlefield.
“I think that we have window for the negotiations, because each month they will lose more and more people, and they will lose, because of these reasons, they will lose initiative on the battlefield.”
He added: “So now we have this period of time before the winter... before the winter we need to find a way, diplomatic way, to sit and to speak.”
President Zelensky said negotiations depend on the pressure on Vladimir Putin.
US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv have stalled as Washington focuses on the war in Iran.
He said there was also the possibility of negotiations organised with European help or of bilateral talks with Russia, but reiterated his call to impose tougher sanctions on Russia.
Last week, Ukrainian Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky said the country had a six-month window in which to seize the battlefield initiative and strengthen its hand for peace talks.
He believed Russia's army was exhausted and incapable of making major breakthroughs.
Child killed and 11 injured in drone attack in Russian-held Kherson region
Sunday 31 May 2026 23:13 , Harriette Boucher
A child was killed after a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building in a Russian-held part of the southern Kherson region.
Another 11 people were injured in the attack, Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-appointed governor of Russian-held parts of Kherson region, claimed.
He said the strike occurred in the city of Henichesk, on the shore of the Sea of Azov.
Recap watch: Putin denies Russian drone struck Romania
Sunday 31 May 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's military says it hit Russia's Saratov oil refinery
Sunday 31 May 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's military said on Sunday it had struck Russia's Saratov oil refinery overnight, causing a large fire to break out at the facility.
The military said in a post on Telegram that it had also hit the Lazarevo oil pumping station in Russia's Kirov region.
In pictures: Rescuers work at site of apartment buildings hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in Dnipro
Sunday 31 May 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch
Zelensky: Russian drones in neighbouring countries are a test of Nato's defences
Sunday 31 May 2026 20:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the country is trying to intercept all Russian drones, even those going into neighbouring country’s airspace.
He said: “We are trying to intercept all Russian drones, even when some of them are going in the direction of other countries, like Romania, Moldova, Poland, or the Baltic states. If we can't, we immediately notify our partners and try to help them.”
He continued that Russia used drones to pressure Nato countries not to support Ukraine and test their air defences.
“Russia uses drones to pressure Nato countries and gauge the reaction.
“This is their typical message: Don’t help Ukraine. I think there should be a stronger response from a united Nato. Putin is comparing this reaction to what he saw in previous years.
“And he is also testing air defenses of Nato countries bordering Russia or Belarus. Are they capable of intercepting all the missiles and drones?”
We are trying to intercept all Russian drones, even when some of them are going in the direction of other countries, like Romania, Moldova, Poland, or the Baltic states. If we can't, we immediately notify our partners and try to help them.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Russia uses drones to pressure NATO… pic.twitter.com/YH0vAlV69J
Russia's hybrid war in UK akin to 'state terrorism' says Poland's deputy foreign minister
Sunday 31 May 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Poland’s deputy foreign minister Radosław Sikorski commiserated that the UK had also been a “victim of Russia’s actions”, declaring the hybrid warfare was akin to “state terrorism.”
He said on Times Radio: “Britain has been magnificent in its support for Ukraine, for many of the same reasons that we are helping Ukraine. You, too, have been a victim of Russia's actions.
“In fact, the term 'hybrid war' does not quite capture it; this has amounted to state terrorism. Your citizens have been murdered by Russian death squads, while in Poland we have faced attempts to derail trains and incursions by Russian drones.
“So even though Russia is geographically further from you than it is from us, I think you feel some of that pressure as well.”
💬 Britain has been magnificent in its support for Ukraine, for many of the same reasons that we are helping Ukraine.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇵🇱 (@PolandMFA) May 31, 2026
You, too, have been a victim of Russia's actions. In fact, the term 'hybrid war' does not quite capture it; this has amounted to state terrorism. Your citizens…
Zelensky: US not producing enough anti-ballistic missiles
Sunday 31 May 2026 18:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned the US is not producing enough anti-ballistic missiles, which could lead to a global crisis as Russia ramps up its ballistic missile production.
“There is not enough anti-ballistic missile production in the United States and this could lead to a crisis in different parts of the world. Russia is ramping up its internal production of ballistic missiles. I sent a letter to the White House and to the US Congress.
“I hope they will understand and respond. 60–65 anti-ballistic missiles per month, compared to current challenges, is nothing. It is no secret and Russia knows this. We need to expand the production.
“I asked the previous US administration, and I am asking today’s administration to give Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missiles. We can increase the production of Patriot missiles. This will help us. This will help the Middle East and any other country that the United States decides to help. Until we produce a European anti-ballistic system, we will need support from the United States.”
There is not enough anti-ballistic missile production in the United States and this could lead to a crisis in different parts of the world. Russia is ramping up its internal production of ballistic missiles. I sent a letter to the White House and to the U.S. Congress. I hope they…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Zelensky: US want to test Ukrainian drones as part of new deal
Sunday 31 May 2026 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that the US and Ukraine could approve a drone deal as the United States want to test the country’s drones.
“We wanted to conclude the first Drone Deal with the United States. The US wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed to the way they wanted to test, train with, and use our systems in the air, on land, and at sea. But we still don’t have a bilateral Drone Deal – a big framework document.
“The Drone Deals we have are with some countries in the Middle East and Europe, and now we are preparing a big Drone Deal with the EU. I hope we will reach the same agreement with our American partners. I count on it. American companies have advanced AI technologies we don't have.
“In turn, we have many things they don't have, due to our extensive experience on the battlefield. I think this cooperation can be huge — the most powerful of its kind in the world. We need to negotiate, not just talk about it. Take the necessary steps and do it as quickly as possible. For this, we need President Trump to say yes.”
We wanted to conclude the first Drone Deal with the United States. The U.S. wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed to the way they wanted to test, train with, and use our systems in the air, on land, and at sea. But we still don’t have a bilateral Drone Deal – a big…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Zelensky: US want to test Ukrainian drones as part of new deal
Sunday 31 May 2026 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that the US and Ukraine could approve a drone deal as the United States want to test the country’s drones.
“We wanted to conclude the first Drone Deal with the United States. The US wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed to the way they wanted to test, train with, and use our systems in the air, on land, and at sea. But we still don’t have a bilateral Drone Deal – a big framework document.
“The Drone Deals we have are with some countries in the Middle East and Europe, and now we are preparing a big Drone Deal with the EU. I hope we will reach the same agreement with our American partners. I count on it. American companies have advanced AI technologies we don't have.
“In turn, we have many things they don't have, due to our extensive experience on the battlefield. I think this cooperation can be huge — the most powerful of its kind in the world. We need to negotiate, not just talk about it. Take the necessary steps and do it as quickly as possible. For this, we need President Trump to say yes.”
We wanted to conclude the first Drone Deal with the United States. The U.S. wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed to the way they wanted to test, train with, and use our systems in the air, on land, and at sea. But we still don’t have a bilateral Drone Deal – a big…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
