Vladimir Putin's is pushing Brit families to "breaking point" as his brutal invasion of Ukraine creates a global humanitarian crisis.
Putin's devastating conflict is stretching the entire humanitarian system and could have lasting impacts on the ability of organisations to tackle emergencies worldwide, the Red Cross has warned.
The Ukraine war, now six months old, has pushed people to “a critical breaking point,” said Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“The devastating knock-on effects are only growing as the conflict drags on, with rising food and fuel prices and worsening food crises,” he said in a statement.
The Red Cross, which now counts more than 100,000 local volunteers and staff in Ukraine and nearby countries, is continuing to scale up the humanitarian need.
The organisation warned that “even if the conflict were to end tomorrow, it will take years to repair the damage to cities and homes and the impact on families.”
Read our Ukraine-Russia blog below for the latest updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Ben Wallace REJECTS blanket ban on visas for Russians
The Defence Secretary has rejected the idea of a blanket ban on visas for Russians but insisted "we can toughen up the conditions".
Ben Wallace told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I certainly think we can toughen up the conditions of our visas. I am not sure whether an outright ban is the right way.
"I think that's a matter for the Home Secretary to look at. But I don't like, and I'm sure none of your listeners like watching oligarchs' wives or indeed Russian senior officials' wives enjoying themselves in Greece or south of France, or super yachts around the world while their army is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
"I think that is very wrong. I think the problem has been all the way back to 2014, that Russia invaded Crimea, illegally annexed it, and then it was allowed in some countries to carry on as if nothing had really changed."
- Joseph Gamp
Russian Foreign Ministry says Moscow is committed to Ukraine grain deal
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Russia is committed to a Turkish-brokered deal to unblock grain exports from Ukraine struck in Istanbul last month.
Writing on Telegram, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia is “entirely committed” to the deal.
- Joseph Gamp
Ukraine strikes administration headquarters in Donetsk, Russia-installed separatists say
Ukrainian forces shelled a building housing the local administration headquarters in the centre of separatist-controlled Donetsk on Tuesday with Western-supplied weapons, the TASS news agency reported, citing Russian-installed officials.
Three people were killed in a series of strikes on Donetsk, which has been under the control of Russian-backed separatists since 2014, on Tuesday, the Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk said in a post on his Telegram channel.
A separatist official said at least one of the shells used in the attack was fired from a U.S.-made HIMARS artillery system, Russian state news agencies reported.
Western officials have warned of a possible escalation in fighting in Ukraine this week, as Wednesday marks six months since Russia’s invasion
- Joseph Gamp
Ukraine warns of powerful response to Russian attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Moscow on Tuesday of a powerful response if Russian forces carry out attacks on or around Ukraine’s Independence Day.
Zelensky has warned that Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, could try “something particularly ugly” in the run-up to Wednesday’s Independence Day, which marks Ukraine’s break from Soviet rule.
Asked at a news conference with visiting Polish President Andrzej Duda about the possibility of a Russian missile strike on Kyiv, he said there was a daily threat of attacks and Ukrainian intelligence was working with foreign intelligence.
“Russia does this all the time. Can they increase the number of these strikes? Yes, they can do it on (August) 23rd-24th,” Zelensky said.
“What will Ukraine do if they hit Kyiv? The same as now. Because for me as president, and for every Ukrainian, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Donbas, it is all the same. Ukrainians live there. (and) Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia.”
He said the response would be the same for any Ukrainian city that comes under attack from Russia.
- Joseph Gamp
Boris Johnson says UK and allies ‘must continue to support Ukraine’
Boris Johnson yesterday said the UK and allies must continue to support Ukraine in the face of the “hideous war” unleashed by Vladimir Putin.
In a video address to an international conference hosted by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said: “We will never recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea or any other Ukrainian territory.
“In the face of Putin’s assault we must continue to give our Ukrainian friends all the military, humanitarian, economic and diplomatic support that they need until Russia ends this hideous war and withdraws its forces from the entirety of Ukraine.”
- Joseph Gamp
EU ready to support Ukraine ‘for the long term’ says Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday vowed the EU’s support for Ukraine as it struggles against Russia’s invasion would continue “for the long term.”
“Our determination has not changed and we are ready to maintain this effort for the long term,” Macron said in a video address to participants in the Crimea Platform conference in Kyiv.
- Joseph Gamp
US embassy issues new security alert for Ukraine
The US Embassy in Kyiv, warning of an increased possibility of Russian military strikes on Ukraine in the coming days around Ukrainian independence day, has again urged U.S. citizens to leave if they can.
An alert on the Embassy’s website reads: “The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days,”
“The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Ukraine now using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so,” the alert said, repeating the advice of previous security warnings.
- Joseph Gamp
Refugee hosts need more financial support
As cost of living increases, more hosts of Ukrainian refugees are feeling the pinch.
When the war started, the Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched. The scheme meant families were able to host Ukrainian refugees for up to six months.
According to euronews, false rumours claimed that over 25% of UK hosts want to evict their Ukrainian guests after six months.
After being fact checked, the ONS ran a survey across 7,000 families who had taken part in the scheme, and found that 5% of respondents answered that they intended to house refugees for six months or fewer, while 37% said they were ready to accommodate families for one year or longer.
The survey showed that 30%of current or previous sponsors had made decisions on housing based on the rising cost of living.
- Joseph Gamp
Ukraine war having ‘devastating knock-on effects’ says Red Cross
The Ukraine conflict is stretching the entire humanitarian system and could have lasting impacts on the ability of organisations to tackle emergencies worldwide, the Red Cross warned Tuesday.
The war, now six months old, has pushed people to “a critical breaking point,” said Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“The devastating knock-on effects are only growing as the conflict drags on, with rising food and fuel prices and worsening food crises,” he said in a statement.
The Red Cross, which now counts more than 100,000 local volunteers and staff in Ukraine and nearby countries, is continuing to scale up the humanitarian need.
The organisation warned that “even if the conflict were to end tomorrow, it will take years to repair the damage to cities and homes and the impact on families.”
Soaring inflation and shortages of essential products like fuel and food in Ukraine and neighbouring countries have left people struggling to afford basic supplies.
And needs will only grow as the weather chills in the weeks ahead.
“It will be the hardest winter,” Maksym Dotsenko, head of the Ukrainian Red Cross, said in a virtual press briefing.
Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine — one of the world’s biggest grain exporters — has already contributed to a dire food shortage now confronting some of the poorest parts of the globe.
- Joseph Gamp
Ukraine will not agree to freeze front lines to 'calm' Russia, says Zelensky
Ukraine will not agree to any proposal to freeze the current frontlines in its conflict with Russia in order to "calm" Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky told a news conference on Tuesday.
He also urged the world not to show fatigue with the war, saying this would pose a big threat to the whole world.
- Joseph Gamp
US warns of Russian strikes on Ukraine government targets
Washington today warned Russia could attack Ukrainian government facilities in the coming days as Moscow said it would show "no mercy" over an assassination it has blamed on Ukraine.
World leaders also reasserted their support for the country on the eve of its independence day celebrations and the six-month anniversary of the beginning of Russia's invasion on February 24.
Leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Russia against further attempts to annex Ukrainian territory in the same way it did with Crimea.
"It has never been more important for us all to stand together," Johnson said in a video address to the Crimea Platform conference in Kyiv.
Polish President Andrzej Duda attended in person, warning against any "appeasement" of Russia.
"There is no return to business as usual in relations with Russia," he said.
In his address, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the EU's support for Ukraine would continue "for the long term".
"There can be no weakness, no spirit of compromise, because it's a matter of our freedom, for everyone, and of peace everywhere around the world," he said.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Cyprus police arrest Ukrainian woman ‘holding knife’ at Russia celebration
Cypriot police have arrested a Ukrainian woman suspected of threatening a group of Russians with a knife as they celebrated their National Flag Day, police and media said on Tuesday.
The woman, aged 55, appeared holding a knife as a group of about 20 flag-waving Russians gathered in the coastal town of Larnaca on Monday night. They were due to start a car convoy through the town.
She was being held on custody on suspicion of common assault, public drunkenness, possession of a weapon and of disrupting the peace, police spokesman Harris Hadjiyiasemis told the semi-official Cyprus news agency.
Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians live in Cyprus. On Saturday a small group of Russians gathered in the city of Limassol, waving flags and creating the “Z” symbol which has become synonymous with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
US to send more military aid to Ukraine
The package is reported to be worth around $3 million.
This will be the biggest aid package America has sent the Ukraine since the war began.
Weapons from US stocks will be sent to Ukraine, Reuters reported.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Six months into the war in Ukraine, here is what we know
So far, Russia has claimed a staggering amount of Ukraine.
Russia has taken occupation of 22 per cent of Ukraine, which includes the Crimea.
Civilians living in Kyiv are fleeing the city, as they are scared an attack could be imminent.
Ukraine will not "freeze" front lines, and will continue to defend it's people.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Ukraine war against Russia live updates
Keep up to date with the war in Ukraine, as it reaches its six month point.
Updates are posted every 30 minutes.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Russia's war on Ukraine set to push energy bills higher
With no end to the war in sight, it seems energy bills will continue to rise.
The boss of Octopus Energy has made clear that UK households cannot continue to carry the cost of the war.
Greg Jackson, boss of Octopus Energy, talked about the blow many UK households are set to experience in the Autumn as average energy bills are expected to reach an eye-watering £3,582 in October and £4,266 in January.
He said: “You can’t expect the energy customers, or indeed the retailers to carry the cost of a war.”
And when asked what the solution could be, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the government “could double the existing support package”.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Ukraine refuses to 'freeze' frontlines to appease Russians
President Zelensky has spoken against pausing military action on Ukraine's front lines.
The Ukrainian leader vowed to return Crimea to Ukraine, he told reporters: "We’ll get back Crimea by any means we deem right, without consulting other countries."
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
War in Ukraine has 'devastating' effects that will take 'years' to repair
The Red Cross has urged for Russia to cease it's attack on Ukraine, as the conflict reaches its six month mark.
AFP reported that the organisation said: "Even if the conflict were to end tomorrow, it will take years to repair the damage to cities and homes and the impact on families."
Maksym Dotsenko, head of the Ukrainian Red Cross, said in a virtual press briefing that this "will be the hardest winter" for many, not only Ukrainians but for those in neighbouring countries.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
UN condemns 'show trial' of prisoners of war in Ukraine
Prisoners of warcannot undergo a fair trial says the United Nations.
The human rights department of the UN is concerned that the prisoners can't be tried for crimes as they should have immunity.
Russian forces have set up brutal cage like structures in Mairupol's philharmonic hall, in photos.
The trial is being labelled as "international" but the UN has spoken against it going ahead.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Football returns to Ukraine
The Ukrainian Premier League has returned, despite a vicious war raging on against the Russian invasion.
Tomorrow marks exactly six months since Putin launched his attack on the nation, and it is also Ukrainian Independence Day.
It will be a poignant day for all Ukrainians fighting for their independence from Russia.
Ukraine's Premier League was halted due to Russia's invasion, but has officially returned, just on a much more scaled back basis with no fans watching.
- Lauren Cole-Lomas
Ukraine war having ‘devastating knock-on effects’ says Red Cross
The Ukraine conflict is stretching the entire humanitarian system and could have lasting impacts on the ability of organisations to tackle emergencies worldwide, the Red Cross warned Tuesday.
The war, now six months old, has pushed people to “a critical breaking point,” said Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“The devastating knock-on effects are only growing as the conflict drags on, with rising food and fuel prices and worsening food crises,” he said in a statement.
The Red Cross, which now counts more than 100,000 local volunteers and staff in Ukraine and nearby countries, is continuing to scale up the humanitarian need.
The organisation warned that “even if the conflict were to end tomorrow, it will take years to repair the damage to cities and homes and the impact on families.”
Soaring inflation and shortages of essential products like fuel and food in Ukraine and neighbouring countries have left people struggling to afford basic supplies.
And needs will only grow as the weather chills in the weeks ahead.
“It will be the hardest winter,” Maksym Dotsenko, head of the Ukrainian Red Cross, said in a virtual press briefing.
Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine — one of the world’s biggest grain exporters — has already contributed to a dire food shortage now confronting some of the poorest parts of the globe.
- Joseph Gamp
Russian Foreign Ministry says Moscow is committed to Ukraine grain deal
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Russia is committed to a Turkish-brokered deal to unblock grain exports from Ukraine struck in Istanbul last month.
Writing on Telegram, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia is "entirely committed" to the deal.
- Joseph Gamp
US embassy issues new security alert for Ukraine
The US Embassy in Kyiv, warning of an increased possibility of Russian military strikes on Ukraine in the coming days around Ukrainian independence day, has again urged U.S. citizens to leave if they can.
An alert on the Embassy’s website reads: “The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days,”
“The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Ukraine now using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so,” the alert said, repeating the advice of previous security warnings.
- Joseph Gamp
Russia Ukraine war set to push energy bills higher
With no end to the war in sight, it seems energy bills will continue to rise.
The boss of Octopus Energy has made clear that UK households cannot continue to carry the cost of the war.
Greg Jackson, boss of Octopus Energy, talked about the blow many UK households are set to experience in the Autumn as average energy bills are expected to reach an eye-watering £3,582 in October and £4,266 in January.
He said: “You can’t expect the energy customers, or indeed the retailers to carry the cost of a war.”
And when asked what the solution could be, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the government “could double the existing support package”.
- Joseph Gamp
Zelensky vows to restore Ukrainian rule in Crimea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky opened an international conference on Crimea on Tuesday by saying Kyiv would restore Ukrainian rule over the Russia-annexed region.
The hero leader told the Crimea Platform summit:"To overcome terror, it is necessary to gain victory in the fight against Russian aggression. It is necessary to liberate Crimea.
"This will be the resuscitation of world law and order,."
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