Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky admits Kyiv is too weak to reclaim land as Putin’s oil refinery set ablaze

The Ukrainian air force said on Thursday that Russia launched 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down.

Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said.

The missile attack damaged apartment buildings and municipal property in Sumy and Dnirpopetrovsk regions, according to the statement.

Ukraine and the UK’s military chiefs have spoken over the phone about continued coordination, Kyiv has said.

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, posting on X, formerly Twitter, said he had spoken to his UK counterpart Admiral Sir Tony Radakin about future British support.

“Admiral Radakin assured of continued support for Ukraine, some aspects of which will be significantly increased in 2025,” he wrote.

Police in Russia have detained two suspects in the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov on Tuesday, reported Russian language independent newspaper Meduza relying on local news outlets.

Law enforcement agencies tracked down the suspects directly from the crime scene, where surveillance cameras recorded a couple of suspicious cars, reported Kommersant citing an unnamed official.

The reports do not mention the suspects identity, meaning it is unclear if they include the 29-year-old Uzbek national Russian authorities said they arrested on Wednesday.

According to the publication, the organisers of the crime recruited the perpetrators via instant messengers, providing them with a contact from the security service of Ukraine – which later claimed responsibility for the killing.

Russian Telegram channel 112 claims the suspects have already given testimony and told investigators about the organisers of the murder.

The UK government has criticised Moscow’s “desperate rhetoric” after a senior ally of Vladimir Putin threatened The Times newspaper over its coverage of the assassination of a Russian general.

Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy security council chair, said journalists at The Times were “legitimate military targets” and should “be careful” as “anything goes in London”.

His comments followed a Times editorial in which the newspaper described the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov as “a legitimate act of defence” by Ukraine, which has claimed responsibility for the killing.

General Kirillov, who was in charge of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defence troops, was killed by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his Moscow apartment on Tuesday.

Asked about Mr Medvedev’s comments, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said they were “simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric coming out of Putin’s government”.

He added: “Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously.

“It’s the first duty of government to protect its citizens. That’s why we have world-leading intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies in the UK and we have made clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect the British public and defend the freedom of the press.”

Ukraine will only enter peace negotiations with Russia once Moscow is depleted of its ability to wage war, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office, declared on Sunday.

Speaking at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Lviv, Mr Yermak stressed the importance of Ukraine maintaining its strength amid calls for a resolution to the ongoing conflict. “I would like to emphasise once again that only the strong are helped, so we must remain strong,” he said, according to comments reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The official ruled out any immediate path to peace talks, stating that genuine discussions can only begin “when the enemy no longer has the resources to continue the war.”

Pressure has been mounting on Kyiv to consider negotiations with Moscow, particularly as the prospect of regaining lost territories through military means remains uncertain. However, Mr Yermak cautioned that concessions to Russia could lead to further aggression in the future.

“If Russia is not forced to make a just peace, there will be no peace. There will be a pause, and Moscow will use this pause to restore forces and continue the offensive,” he warned.

Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to US president-elect Donald Trump and “reiterated the need for allies to stand together with Ukraine,” Downing Street has said.

The two men spoke on Wednesday afternoon amid rising concerns about whether the US will maintain its level of support for Ukraine when Mr Trump re-enters the White House in January.

The incoming president has said that he wanted to end the conflict on “day one” of his term in office.

A statement released by Number 10 on Wednesday evening said that Sir Keir began the call by “congratulating president-elect Trump on his recent team appointments”.

A Downing Street spokesperson said that during the call, “the prime minister reiterated the need for allies to stand together with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position”.

“On the Middle East, the prime minister underscored the need to work together to ensure peace and security in the region,” the spokesperson said

“They agreed to keep in touch and looked forward to seeing one another at the earliest opportunity.”

Mr Trump said that he disagreed “very vehemently” with Ukraine firing US-made missiles into Russia in a recent interview with Time magazine, but insisted that he would not abandon Kyiv.

The House of Commons cleared the Financial Assistance to Ukraine Bill yesterday without any opposition on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bill allows the UK government to provide loans and other financial assistance to Ukraine.

The UK’s contribution to the G7 group of nations loan package is £2.26bn. Other contributors include the United States, the European Union, Canada and Japan.

The Bill passed its third reading from MPs and will now move to be scrutinised and voted on by the House of Lords.

Treasury minister Darren Jones said: “The House has today, and throughout the Bill’s passage so far, made clear its strong feelings towards the plight of the Ukrainian people.

“Members of all political stripes have spoken eloquently in favour of continued support for Ukraine in their ongoing fight against Russia’s tyrannical, unprovoked and illegal invasion.”

The UK has pledged a new £225m package of support for Ukraine after the defence secretary said the situation in the country is “critical”.

On a trip to Kyiv, John Healey said that the UK will “step up” on international leadership on Ukraine in 2025, after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer urged allies to maintain their support.

The package announced this morning involves £186m for military equipment through the International Fund for Ukraine, including £92m for Ukraine’s navy and £68m for air defence equipment.

The announcement comes after Mr Healey met with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and also includes £39m for counter-drone systems and protective equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Announcing the new funding, Mr Healey said: “Nearly three years after (Russian President Vladimir) Putin launched his illegal full-scale invasion, the depths of his miscalculation are clearer than ever, as the brave people of Ukraine continue to defy all expectations with their unbreakable spirit.

“But they cannot go it alone - which is why the UK will step up our international leadership on Ukraine throughout 2025.

“We will enhance our offer of training to Ukraine and provide battle-winning capabilities, such as the drones and munitions included in our new £225 million package today.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday admitted that his forces “do not have the strength” to remove Russian troops occupying their territory in the east of the country or Crimea.

The comments came as he sought more support from allies.

Speaking to the French paper Le Parisien, he said: “We cannot give up our territories. The Ukrainian constitution forbids us to do so,” he said.

“De facto, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We do not have the strength to recover them.

“We can only count on diplomatic pressure from the international community to force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.”