theguardian.com
Ukraine war briefing: Ukraine launches one of its deepest drone strikes into Russia, killing three
Security sources say attack targeted drone manufacturer in Ishevsk, 1000km from frontline. Putin and Macron speak on phone for first time in almost three years. What we know on day 1,225
Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian city of Izhevsk on Tuesday, killing three people and wounding dozens, in one of the deepest strikes inside Russia of the three-year conflict, authorities said. Izhevsk, more than 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the frontline, has arms production facilities including factories that make attack drones and the world-famous Kalashnikov rifle. A Ukraine security services source said Kyiv had targeted an Izhevsk-based drone manufacturer and that the attack had disrupted Moscow’s “offensive potential”. Unverified videos posted on social media showed at least one drone buzzing over the city, while another showed a ball of flames erupt from the roof of a building, according to Reuters. The region’s head said the drones hit an industrial “enterprise”, without giving details. Both sides have raced to improve drone technology and enhance their use on the battlefield, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying on Monday that drone development was a “priority”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a “substantial” phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on the Iran-Israel conflict and Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, the first such exchange between the two leaders since September 2022. In Paris, Macron’s office said the call lasted two hours and that the French leader had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of negotiations on ending the conflict. A Kremlin statement said Putin “reminded [Macron] that the Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of the policy of western states”. A French diplomatic source said Macron had talked to Zelenskyy before and after his call with Putin to brief him on the talks. Macron also talked to US President Donald Trump about the exchange.
The US is halting some shipments of weapons to Ukraine amid concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said Tuesday. Certain munitions were previously promised to Ukraine under the Biden administration to aid its defences. The pause reflects a new set of priorities under President Donald Trump and came after defence department officials scrutinised current US stockpiles and raised concerns. “This decision was made to put America’s interests first following a review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran.”
Germany has pledged additional measures to further counter Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” operating in the Baltic and North Sea, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday in a statement. Western sanctions aimed at cutting Russia’s oil revenues following its invasion of Ukraine have led to the rise of a vast “shadow fleet” of tankers that helps Moscow to keep its crude exports flowing. From Tuesday, German authorities have begun questioning passing tankers about their insurance coverage against oil pollution damage, the foreign ministry said, adding that the insurance coverage of “shadow fleet” vessels is often unknown, as they avoid reputable insurers and European ports.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog IAEA said on Tuesday it has been informed of a drone attack last week near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond. The International Atomic Energy Agency said six drones had been involved in the incident and no injuries were reported.
Ukraine’s top general ordered military officials on Tuesday to prohibit troop buildups in tent encampments and to build new shelters at training centres to protect soldiers against deadly Russian airstrikes. The order by Oleksandr Syrskyi comes after a spate of Russian attacks focused attention on lax discipline at military bases as Ukraine struggles to fend off a bigger and better-armed Russian military.
Russian former deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov was found guilty of corruption and condemned to 13 years in a penal colony on Tuesday, the harshest sentence yet in a series of graft cases against defence officials. Ivanov was arrested in April 2024 on suspicion of taking bribes, and investigators added new embezzlement charges in October. More than a dozen people, including two other former deputy ministers, have been arrested in investigations into separate cases. Continue reading...
