February 8, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine has moved here.

A former Chechen commander wanted by Ukraine for alleged war crimes last year is leading the Russian earthquake relief effort in Turkey.  

Daniil Martynov was in several locations in Ukraine last year in the early weeks of the Russian invasion. He is thought to be close to the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and has been featured in several videos on Kadyrov’s official Telegram channel.  

In recent days, he has given interviews to Russian media outlets from the earthquake zone in Turkey, after being appointed last year as an advisor in Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry.

Last August, the Ukrainian security service, the SBU, alleged that Martynov had committed a series of war crimes in the town of Borodianka, north of Kyiv. 

The SBU described Martynov as the Deputy Head of the National Guard Troops in the Chechen Republic and said he was “responsible for the training of Kadyrov’s personal security detail.”  

The SBU alleged that Martinov managed the occupation of the Borodianka psychiatric hospital in March. It said that on his orders “almost 500 people were taken hostage (patients, staff and local residents), including more than a hundred bed-ridden patients.”  

The SBU alleged that the hospital had been “turned into a firing position of the occupiers” and said that Martynov was accused of “violation of the laws and customs of war, and abuse of prisoners of war or civilians.”  

There is no record of Martynov responding to the Ukrainian allegations. While dismissing the SBU accusations last August, Kadyrov said: “With regard to Martynov, he does not work for us. He’s working with the MES [Ministry of Emergency Situations.]” 

Martynov was sanctioned in 2020 by the US Treasury Department for “serious human rights abuse in Russia.” It said he was “a personal security advisor for Kadyrov, [and] has acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Kadyrov.”  

CNN is reaching out to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry for comment on Martinov’s role, as well as to the Ukrainian Security Service.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed British lawmakers and met with King Charles on Wednesday in his first trip to the United Kingdom since Russia’s invasion of his country. Zelensky later arrived in France to meet with the French president and German chancellor. He’s now set to go to a European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday.

Here are the latest headlines:

United Kingdom visit: During his address in the Houses of Parliament, Zelensky repeated his call for Western allies to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine. According to the UK’s PA Media news agency, the United Kingdom is “actively” considering whether to send British jets to Ukraine. But warnings from the Russian embassy in London warned the UK against providing the jets due to what it said would produce “military and political ramifications” for the whole world.

Zelensky then met with King Charles III, who told him that he’s “been worried” about him and Ukraine as the war rages on. Zelensky then arrived at a British military facility where he met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian troops being trained on Challenger 2 tanks. Then later on Wednesday at a joint news conference, Sunak announced the first Challenger 2 battle tanks will arrive in Ukraine next month. Following the joint news conference, Zelensky said Ukraine and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement on a “powerful defense package.”

France visit: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized their support for Ukraine during a joint news conference held Wednesday. Macron and Scholz affirmed to Zelensky that the countries will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Ground developments: Russian shelling appears to be increasing in parts of the Kharkiv region recaptured by Ukrainian forces last September, as well as in other areas of northern Ukraine. Near the town of Semenivka in the northern Chernihiv region, two Ukrainian civilians were killed Wednesday in a missile strike.

Military assistance: The first battalion of Leopard 2 tanks delivered by Western allies could reach Ukraine by March or April of this year, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. During the joint press conference with Sunak, Zelensky said Ukraine will be “intensifying our diplomacy” in regard to the request for Eurofighter typhoon jets. And while at the British military facility, Zelensky said his battlefield priorities are for Ukraine to obtain more armored vehicles, longer-range missiles and fighter jets. Two hundred Ukrainian troops are currently being trained in the United Kingdom by Australian soldiers, according to the Australian Department of Defence. Seventy Australian soldiers were deployed to the UK to begin taking part in a UK-led and based training program for Ukrainian recruits, which the Australian Department of Defence refers to as “Operation Kudu.”

The Russian embassy in London described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to the UK on Wednesday as a “hasty event,” “theatrical performance,” “fundraising event,” and “ex-comedian in a green sweatshirt now on tour around Europe.”

In response to the UK saying it’s “actively looking” at whether to send fighter jets to Ukraine, the embassy warned that “Russia will know how to respond to any unfriendly actions by the British side.” 

“We would like to remind London: in the event of such a scenario the death toll of yet another round of escalation, as well as and its military-political consequences for the European continent and the whole world will be on the United Kingdom’s hands,” the embassy said in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “when it comes to the provision of military assistance to Ukraine, nothing is off the table” when asked whether the UK will provide fighter jets to Ukraine.

And Zelensky hailed his visit, noting the two countries had reached an agreement on a “powerful defense package.”

French President Emmanuel Macron told his visiting Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that France is “determined” to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia.  

“We stand by Ukraine, determined to help it to victory,” Macron said. “Ukraine can count on France and its allies to win the war, Russia should not and will not win the war.”   

Macron affirmed to Zelensky that France will continue to provide military support to Ukraine and Paris will “adapt and re-adapt” to Kyiv’s needs. 

“Ukraine can count on us to build peace,” the French leader said, speaking alongside Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris.    

After arriving in Paris, Zelensky said he is “thankful for the spontaneous idea for us to meet and talk” in a joint news conference with Macron and Scholz.  

“France and Germany have the potential to be game changers” Zelensky said in his opening remarks, adding that “the sooner Ukraine manages to get long range weapons and modern planes, the stronger our coalitions will be.”  

Scholz said Germany will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine “as long as it needs.” 

He said that Zelensky going to an EU summit taking place in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday as “a strong signal” of solidarity.  

Correction: The headline and quote from President Macron have been corrected to note that France is determined to help Ukraine to victory.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement on a “powerful defense package.”

“We have agreed on a significant number of armored vehicles and the supply of long-range weapons,” Zelensky said on his official Telegram account. “And we agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots.”

The announcement comes after Zelensky made his first visit to the United Kingdom since the Russian invasion of his country.

“I believe that this is our clear signal – of Ukraine and the UK – that together we are not only going, but will go all the way to our common victory,” he said.

See photos shared by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from the joint news conference with Zelensky:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at Orly Airport in Paris, according to the French government. 

Zelensky was greeted on the tarmac by French defense minister Sébastien Lecornu, according to live visuals.

Zelensky will head to the Elysee Palace for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.  

Ukraine will be “intensifying our diplomacy” in regard to the request for Eurofighter typhoon jets, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Zelensky suggested that the decision was not solely in the UK’s hands. 

“Once again, I heard from Mr. Prime Minister the desire to provide fighter jets, and officially he declared they can begin training our pilots,” Zelensky said in the joint news conference at Lulworth Camp in Dorset, England. “When it comes to Typhoons, not everything depends just on the decision of Great Britain.”

“I will be working in that direction because, again, this is how we have been able to change many things,” said Zelensky, adding that he will be meeting with a dozen EU leaders in the coming days. 

Zelensky also emphasized the need to have these diplomatic conversations regarding fighter jets “quickly.” 

Sunak noted that it takes three years to train a Typhoon fighter pilot from scratch, to which Zelensky responded, “I didn’t even know it takes three years to train a pilot like that. You know, come on, we will be sending you pilots who have already trained for two and a half years.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said the UK is “actively” considering whether to send British jets to Ukraine. Downing Street maintained no decision has yet been taken on whether to supply the jets, though. 

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has arrived in Paris, according to a CNN team on the ground who spotted the German leader at the Elysee Palace. 

Scholz will meet with French and Ukrainian presidents, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky, Wednesday evening. 

Zelensky is expected to arrive in Paris soon after making his first visit to the United Kingdom since the Russian invasion of his country.

The United Kingdom opposes Russian or Belarusian athletes competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said on Wednesday, according to PA Media.

The spokesperson said the UK has been “very clear” with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that it does not want Russia and Belarus to participate, PA reported. 

Russia “should be treated as a pariah state and should not be able to legitimize its illegal war in Ukraine,” the spokesperson added, according to PA. “We, and indeed many other countries, have been unequivocal on this throughout and we want to ensure that we continue to speak with one voice on this.”

The IOC says there are currently “no plans for a Russian or Belarusian delegation” at the Paris games. However, last week the IOC said that Russian and Belarusian athletes would compete as neutral athletes if they were to participate in the Olympics.

The IOC outlined a multi-step plan for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, arguing that “no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport.”

Meanwhile, the IOC said it would continue its sanctions against Russian and Belarusian state and government officials and prohibit sporting events organized by both country’s federations.

CNN’s David Close contributed reporting to this post.

Russian shelling appears to be increasing in parts of Kharkiv region recaptured by Ukrainian forces last September, as well as in other areas of northern Ukraine.

Kharkiv, Sumy and Luhansk regions: Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, said two civilians were killed in Dvorichna, a village east of the city of Kharkiv. Russian forces occupy positions on the east bank of the nearby Oskil River.

Further north, close to the Russian border, five people were injured in Russian shelling of the town of Vovchansk, which regularly comes under fire, according to Syniehubov. “At least seven apartment buildings and two private residential buildings were damaged by artillery fire in Vovchansk,” he said on Telegram.

The front lines along the regional border of Kharkiv and Luhansk have seen more Russian shelling in the last month.

The Ukrainian military also reported Wednesday that more than 30 settlements in the regions of Kharkiv and Sumy came under fire, with some of the shelling directed from Russian territory.

“The occupiers continue to shell the border of Sumy region with mortars” 12 times on Wednesday evening in the area of Seredyna-Buda — which is right near the Russian border — according to Operational Command North. No casualties were reported.

Donetsk region: In its daily report, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said that Russians forces had used air strikes to support troops on the ground near Bakhmut, with nearly a dozen settlements in the area coming under artillery fire. 

An unofficial Telegram account of troops in Ukraine’s 46th Brigade, which has been in the Bakhmut area for several weeks, said the Russians had reached a highway northwest of the city and that fighting was continuing there. 

The General Staff said there were also air strikes along other parts of the front lines in the Donetsk region, southwest of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk. That area has seen intense combat involving tanks and artillery in recent weeks as Russian forces have tried to break down Ukrainian defenses.

Kherson region: According to the Ukrainian military, there was also heavy shelling of towns and villages in recently liberated parts of Kherson in the south. It listed 10 areas that had been shelled, including the city of Kherson.

The military also said that in occupied parts of Kherson, Russians are “conducting filtration measures against civilians.” Filtration measures include detention and deportation to Russian territory.

“First of all, this concerns those who worked in Ukrainian state institutions and refuse to cooperate with the Russian occupation administration and go to work. The invaders also threaten that those who do not receive Russian passports by March will automatically be subject to filtration measures,” the military said.

The Ukrainians said they continue to target Russian military hubs behind the front lines. “Over the past day, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 21 strikes on the areas of concentration of occupants’ personnel and military equipment and 3 strikes on the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems. …Two areas of manpower concentration, an ammunition depot and a fuel and oil depot,” the General Staff said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the US “will continue to make judgments about what we think Ukraine needs and what it can be most effective in using.”

He was responding to a question about whether Washington would be prepared to provide fighter jets to Kyiv.

“What’s vital is not just a particular weapons system or piece of equipment,” Blinken said at a news conference Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “Equally important is the ability of Ukrainians to use it effectively.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been asking for fighter aircraft from Western allies.

On Wednesday, the United Kingdom said it would provide training for NATO-standard fighter jets for Ukrainian pilots and is considering providing such aircraft.

Two hundred Ukrainian troops are currently being trained in the United Kingdom by Australian soldiers, according to the Australian Department of Defence. 

Seventy Australian soldiers were deployed to the UK to begin taking part in a UK-led and based training program for Ukrainian recruits, which the Australian Department of Defence refers to as “Operation Kudu.”  

According to the department, the Ukrainian recruits first received an initial week of foundational training from the Irish Guards 1st Battalion.

The Australian soldiers, mostly from the Royal Australian Regiment’s 5th Battalion, will conduct the remainder of the training.  

The officer commanding the Australian contingent, Maj. Greg Sargeant said, “it’s our responsibility that, regardless of background, all the recruits in our company come out with the same basic military tactics and skills to adequately defend themselves, their mates and their sovereignty.” 

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that Australian soldiers were joining the UK-led and based training program during a statement to the British parliament in January. Wallace said the program was already supported by Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Norway, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

He also said that they are aiming to increase efforts to train a further 20,000 Ukrainian troops in 2023. 

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the first Challenger 2 battle tanks will arrive in Ukraine “next month.”

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dorset, England, on Wednesday, Sunak said that “the challenge of tanks are going to be on the battlefield,” adding that “Ukrainian soldiers are being trained on them as fast as we can.” 

Britain has pledged to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. In late January, British Defence Procurement Minister Alex Chalk said the UK was aiming to complete those deliveries by the end of March. 

Two Ukrainian civilians were killed on Wednesday in a missile strike near the town of Semenivka in the northern Chernihiv region, according to Ukraine’s Operational Command North. 

The air missile hit an industrial building in the area near Semenivka, killing two people and injuring several more, the Operational Command North said in a social media post. 

Ukraine’s Operational Command North released photos of the aftermath of the strike, which show rescuers working to find people trapped under the rubble. 

The Russian embassy in London warned the United Kingdom against providing Ukraine with fighter jets, saying that such a move would have “military and political ramifications” for the whole world, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.

“I would like to remind officials in London: such a scenario as the ‘bloody harvest’ of the next wave of escalation, as well as the resulting military and political ramifications for the European continent and the entire world, should weigh heavy on its conscience,” the embassy said, according to the state media. 

What the UK is saying: Earlier Britain’s PA media reported that the UK is “actively” considering whether to send British jets to Ukraine, citing the British prime minister’s official spokesperson.

“We’ve confirmed there will be a training program for Ukrainian pilots and the Defence Secretary is actively looking at whether we send jets,” the spokesperson said.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “when it comes to the provision of military assistance to Ukraine, nothing is off the table” when asked whether the UK will provide fighter jets to Ukraine.

Sunak said, “when it comes to fighter combat aircrafts, of course they are part of the conversation,” adding that he had discussed the topic with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday. The two leaders were visiting a British military facility where Ukrainian troops were being trained on Challenger 2 tanks. 

CNN’s Jessie Gretener contributed reporting to this post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a news conference at a British military facility that his battlefield priorities are for Ukraine to obtain more armored vehicles, longer-range missiles and fighter jets.

“We have no way out. We have to stand firm. We need armored vehicles, we need tanks, we need fighter jets, and obviously, we spent a lot of time talking about this together,” said Zelensky, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Lulworth Camp in Dorset, England. 

The Ukrainian president also confirmed he will meet with European Union leaders on Wednesday night and Thursday. 

“Today and tomorrow we will be meeting with the EU leaders and discussing these issues and also longer-range missiles,” Zelensky said. “I’m very grateful that Britain has finally heard us in that regard, and I do hope that other countries will also hear us when it comes to longer-range missiles.” 

“When we talk about the battlefield, what are our priorities — of course, armored vehicles. We know our enemy has got thousands of units of armored vehicles, back from the Soviet Union heritage,” Zelensky added. 

“And of course, NATO armored vehicles are the best, and yet there are only a few of them. When you only have 10 NATO armored vehicles against a thousand Soviet armored vehicles — well, what are the chances?” he said. 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Ukraine “cannot be left vulnerable for attack ever again,” in his opening remarks at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday. 

Sunak said, “we must arm Ukraine in the short term but bolster Ukraine in the long term,” while speaking in front of a Challenger 2 battle tank in Dorset. 

He said Ukrainian crews, who arrived in the UK last week, will be learning how to use Challenger 2 tanks “to defend Ukraine’s sovereign territory next month.” He also said the UK has agreed to expand its training program, which Sunak says has trained 10,000 troops in the last six months. 

Sunak also said the UK will be “accelerating the delivery of our equipment” to ensure reaches Ukraine’s frontline in the coming “days and weeks, not years.” 

President Zelensky thanked Sunak and the British people for standing with Ukraine during the press conference.

“Today it is very clear that we are standing together with Great Britain,” Zelensky said. “Thank you to all the people in Great Britain, thank you for these 350 days of unity.”

“I would also like to thank all of our Ukrainian warriors — every soldier, sergeant, officer, or general,” Zelensky added. “Our state is doing and will be doing everything to make sure that on the front line, we have everything in the maximum — the maximum that is owned by other leading countries. Ukraine will be among those countries that have everything to defend their people.” 

Before speaking, Zelensky and Sunak met with Ukrainian troops being trained in Dorset on Challenger 2 tanks. 

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said he spoke to his Dutch counterpart Wopke Hoekstra on Wednesday “to coordinate our international steps as Russia’s full-scale invasion nears its one-year mark.”

Kuleba said in a tweet that he raised the issue of Ukraine’s request for F-16 fighter jets. 

“I thanked [Hoekstra] for the latest decision on tanks. I also raised the issue of F-16s,” the tweet said. “We continue our dialogue with the Netherlands and others regarding combat aircraft.”

Some background: Top Ukrainian officials have been escalating their public lobbying campaign for F-16 fighter jets, arguing they need them urgently to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks.

US and European officials have similarly told CNN and said publicly that the F-16 fighter jets are impractical, and note that Ukraine has not been conducting many air missions with the fighter planes it already has because of the danger posed by Russia’s anti-aircraft systems, officials previously told CNN.

But most recently, the United Kingdom is “actively” considering whether to send British jets to Ukraine, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Wednesday, according to the UK’s PA Media news agency. No decision has been made yet, the agency said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will have a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on Thursday, the prime minister’s office told CNN on Thursday. 

Meloni will be in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday to participate in an “extraordinary meeting of the European Council,” according to the official website of the Italian government.

Zelensky made a surprise visit to the UK on Wednesday, and later today, he is expected to travel to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at Lulworth Camp, a British military facility in Dorset, England. 

Zelensky and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with Ukrainian troops being trained on Challenger 2 tanks. 

At a news conference during the visit, Zelensky thanked Sunak and the British people “for these 350 days of unity” and for standing with Ukraine.

Sunak pledged continued support to Ukraine, saying Zelensky’s visit “underlines our two countries’ close and enduring friendship – we will always be by your side, our staunch and unwavering friends,” the prime minister said in opening remarks at the news conference.

“We both know the people of Ukraine’s incredible strength and inspiring bravery will ultimately defeat tyranny. That is why we are training and arming them with the equipment they need to push back Russian forces,” Sunak said.

The Ukrainian president’s meeting with the French and German leaders in Paris will highlight Kyiv’s close coordination with its EU allies, a German government spokesperson said ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Paris on Wednesday evening.

Zelensky has a planned meeting with French President Emanual Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on his agenda as he travels to Paris after visiting the United Kingdom earlier Wednesday.

The meeting of the three leaders “stresses the close coordination among EU allies … in the question of continuous and rigorous support for Ukraine,” a German government spokesperson said, adding that this will be the third meeting for the trio since Scholz took office.

The three leaders first met in Brussels in the December 2021 — before Russia began its invasion — on the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership summit. Macron and Scholz also travelled to Kyiv in June 2022, alongside then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

The German government spokesperson said that “ties are close” between the three leaders, adding that “both leaders talk regularly to President Zelensky on the phone.”

Wednesday’s meeting in Paris also comes a day before an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.

The first battalion of Leopard 2 tanks delivered by Western allies could reach Ukraine by March or April of this year, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a press conference on Wednesday. 

Speaking during a visit to Warsaw, Poland, Pistorius said, “I think we could deliver one battalion in the first four months of this year, three months maybe — and then we have to proceed as fast as possible of course.”

Pistorius noted that the battalion would consist of 31 tanks. 

The United Kingdom is “actively” considering whether to send British jets to Ukraine, the prime minister’s official spokesman said on Wednesday, according to the UK’s PA Media news agency. 

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is investigating which aircraft could be given to Ukraine, but Downing Street maintained that no decision has yet been made on whether to supply the jets, the agency reported. 

“I think you can see from the steps that we are taking that we are willing to put Ukraine in the position where, once we have reached the goals of training pilots, they are able to fly these type of jets,” said the prime minister’s official spokesman, according to PA Media. “What we have not made a decision on is whether we send UK fighter jets. Obviously there is an ongoing discussion among other countries about their own fighter jets, some of which are more akin to what Ukrainian pilots are used to.”

“We’ve confirmed there will be a training program for Ukrainian pilots and the Defence Secretary is actively looking at whether we send jets,” the spokesperson added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. 

“We’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long, I can’t tell you,” King Charles said. 

The pair greeted each other by shaking hands in the Palace’s 1844 Room, and Zelensky said it was “a great honor to be here.” 

The King went on to say that he heard the Ukrainian President had addressed both Houses of Parliament earlier on Wednesday. 

Zelensky responded that British lawmakers had been a “big support,” and the King responded, “I’m so glad.”

The pair met in private for a half-hour conversation about the war and Britain’s support of Ukraine, according to Buckingham Palace. They were joined by the King’s principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, and the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba.

He is slated to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris later Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in Paris Wednesday evening, according to the Élysée Palace. 

Ukraine’s air force spokesperson, Yurii Ihnat, welcomed the United Kingdom’s offer of training for air force pilots and said that Ukraine will need dozens of western combat aircraft to prevail in the war against Russia.

“We can start with a few squadrons, each includes 12 jets. If we have one, two or more squadrons it would be the first step for pilots to adapt to this transition,” Ihnat told CNN.

Ihnat said the newest combat plane currently in Ukraine’s possession is more than 30 years old.

“We have SU-25 attack aircraft, Su-24 bomber aircraft and Mig-29 and Su-27 fighter jets. They have even been adapted for use of American Anti-Radiation Missiles HARM that everyday hit enemy’s air defense systems. But these HARM missiles don’t have the functionality and efficiency they would if they were on American aircraft or other aircraft of our partners.”

Ihnat said that Ukraine would welcome any type of western combat jet. He said the F16 had been through several stages of deep modernization.

“What Ukraine currently needs is a western type of platform … Besides the platform, it’s important what range of armaments is possible to be carried, what it (jet) can take under the wings, what kind of missiles, what is their flight range …This is Ukraine’s main need.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III, shortly after he addressed members of UK parliament and thanked them for their support during the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has recounted how he was invited to sit in an armchair used by British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill during a previous visit to the UK.

A guide asked how Zelensky felt as he sat in the chair, in which Churchill sat to give orders during the fight against Nazi Germany, the Ukrainian president told lawmakers during an address at the Houses of Parliament.

“I certainly felt something,” he said, adding that he only now understood what the feeling was.

“It is the feeling of how bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to Britain for supplying tanks to Ukraine and training soldiers on them.

“Thank you very much for this powerful defensive step, for tank assistance. Thank you. The coalition of long range missiles … will allow us to make the evil, evil completely retreat from our country by destroying its headways deep in the occupied territories,” Zelensky said.

The UK was the first to announce in mid-January that it would send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.

The UK government also said Wednesday that it will start training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighter jets.

“I’m not speaking just about weapons; we proved together that the world truly helps those who are brave in defending freedom, and thus paves the way for a new history,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has personally thanked former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“Boris, you got others united when it seemed absolutely, absolutely impossible,” Zelensky said. “Thank you.”

“You, all of you, you all showed your grit and character back then. Strong British character,” he added.

“You didn’t compromise Ukraine, and hence you didn’t compromise your ideals. And thus you didn’t compromise the spirit of these great islands. Thank you very much.”

He also thanked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III for their support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeated his call for Western allies to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine to help it fight against Russia.

“We have freedom, give us wings to protect it,” he said, as he presented a Ukrainian fighter pilot helmet to Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle.

Some context: Britain announced Wednesday it would send more military equipment to Kyiv to help counter a possible Russian spring offensive. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK would expand training to Ukrainian fighter pilots and marines, while also promising a long-term investment in Ukraine’s military.

The UK will begin training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighter jets, in what CNN understands would be the first official training program for Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter aircraft. There was however no mention of providing Ukraine with Western fighter aircraft that Zelensky has been calling for.

Kyiv will likely welcome the news that the UK’s training program is expanding to fighter jets, with Ukrainian officials having long called for Western allies to supply the planes.

No. 10 has so far refused to send its Typhoon or F-35 fighter jets to Ukraine, saying it was not “the right approach.” However, Wednesday’s announcement will raise hopes that there could be a future shift in attitude.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Russia to face consequences for its invasion of Ukraine.

“There must be justice. Anyone who invests in terror must be held accountable,” Zelensky said during an address to UK lawmakers Wednesday.

“Anyone who invests in violence must compensate those who have suffered from terror.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told UK lawmakers that “we know freedom will win” in the war against Russia.

“We know Russia will lose,” he said. “And we really know that victory will change the world. And this will be a change that the world has long needed. The United Kingdom is marching with us toward, I think, the most important victory of our lifetime.”

“It will be a victory over the very idea of the war. After we win, any aggressor, it doesn’t matter, big or small, will know what awaits him if he attacks international order.

“Any aggressor who will try to push the boundaries by force, who will inflict destruction and death on other peoples, who will try to endure his dictatorship at the expense of other people’s blood in criminal and unprovoked wars, as the Kremlin does – any aggressor is going to lose.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United Kingdom for its support during his address in the Houses of Parliament.

“I have come here and stand before you on behalf of the brave, on behalf of our warriors,” said Zelensky. “Thank you, Britain.”

Addressing members of parliament in Westminster Hall, the Ukrainian president said the UK has “been home to brave souls since Europe came into existence.”

Thanking parliament for their bravery received some chuckles, to which Zelensky replied, “yes, please!”

“London has stood with Kyiv since day one,” he said. “Since the first seconds and minutes of the full-scale war. Great Britain, you extended your helping hand when the world had not yet come to understand how to react.”

“I have come here and stand before you on behalf of the brave, on behalf of our war heroes who are now in the trenches under enemy artillery fire, on behalf of our air gunners, and every defender of the sky who protects Ukraine against enemy aircraft and missiles, on behalf of our tank men who fight to restore our Ukrainian borders, on behalf of our conscripts who are being trained now, including here in Britain,” Zelensky said.

UK Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the UK Houses of Parliament, where he will address lawmakers.

“As you told us last year, this is a war that Ukraine did not start and did not want. But it is a war you have had to fight,” Hoyle said during an address introducing Zelensky on Wednesday. “Our commitment to support you and your people has not wavered.”

“We will continue to support you against that Russian aggressor,” he added.

Applause filled Westminster Hall as Hoyle introduced Zelensky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at the UK Houses of Parliament, where he is expected to address lawmakers shortly.

Earlier Wednesday, Zelensky met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on his surprise visit to London, during which he is also expected to meet King Charles III.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on a surprise visit to the UK, which is only his second trip outside Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor almost a year ago.

Meanwhile, the UK government has announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting the “Russian military and Kremlin elites,” as well as the launch of a training program for Ukrainian fighter jet pilots.

Here are the latest headlines:

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is hopeful of seeing the first International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments linked to Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine “very shortly.”

“We’re shortly to be hosting a conference together with the Dutch,” Sunak said. “And also one of the things I discussed with President Zelensky this morning is our support for the work of the ICC where, thanks to the efforts of UK members, I’m hopeful we will see the first indictments very shortly.”

He added, “I’m proud the United Kingdom has played, again, a leadership role in this regard being one of the first countries to provide financial and technical support, putting investigators on the ground.”

The UK has announced a fresh round of sanctions against the “Russian military and Kremlin elites.”

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to Britain on Wednesday. 

The sanctions package targets six entities providing military equipment, such as drones, for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as eight individuals and one entity connected to “nefarious financial networks that help maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites,” a government statement reads. 

“Ukraine has shown Putin that it will not break under his tyrannical invasion. He has responded by indiscriminately striking civilian areas and critical national infrastructure across the country,” UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in the statement.

“We cannot let him succeed. We must increase our support,” he added.

“These new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Putin – undermining his war machine to help Ukraine prevail,” said Cleverly.

“I am determined, consistent with our laws, that Russia will have no access to the assets we have frozen until it ends, once and for all, its threats to Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.”

After arriving in London earlier Wednesday, Zelensky met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Ukrainian president is due to address British lawmakers and meet with King Charles later.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff has urged the International Olympic Committee to bar Russian athletes from participating in the 2024 Paris Summer games, referencing the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

“Those 1936 Games are a blotch on the history of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” Andriy Yermak said in opinion article for The Athletic.

“The Nazi regime’s open discrimination against Jews and other ‘non-Aryans’ was already public knowledge. But it did not result in the Games’ cancellation. Nor did it cause any high-profile political scandal.”

The IOC said last month that, while it would bar Russian and Belarussian officials, flags, anthems and colors, “no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport.”

“A pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored,” the IOC said.

Yermak said that the idea that athletes would participate under a neutral banner “is almost irrelevant.”

“Everyone knows already who they are and where they are from. In 2014, everyone also knew who the Russian special forces were when they pretended to be residents of Donbas and Crimea during their illegal annexation,” he wrote.

“For justice to work, both its letter and its spirit should be regarded. To pervert the essence of justice, it is enough to simply neglect the spirit, adhering to the letter. And that is exactly what the ‘neutral’ status for the athletes from the aggressor states is about. Any country supporting the idea is also supporting an injustice.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is a “great honor” to be in the UK after arriving at Downing Street, the official residence of the UK prime minister.

He and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shook hands outside No. 10 and waved to onlookers before speaking to the press on Wednesday morning.

“Thank you so much, Rishi, for inviting me. And for me [it’s] a great honor to be here in Britain,” said Zelensky, who thanked the UK for its “big support from the first days of full-scale invasion.”

Zelensky went on to say that good relations with Sunak will be “very important for security for our country but also of course security for the world.”

Sunak said it was a “great pleasure” to have Zelensky in London.

“We’ve got a lot to discuss over the course of this day about we can continue to support Ukraine in their struggle against Russia,” he said. “It’s a privilege to have you here, Volodymyr. We want to stand by you throughout this conflict and ensure that you’re victorious.”

Earlier Wednesday, Sunak greeted Zelensky at Stansted Airport, north of London.

The Ukrainian president is due to address UK lawmakers and meet King Charles III during his surprise visit, which is only his second trip outside Ukraine since Russia’s invasion.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he will “personally thank the British people for their support” during his visit to the UK.

Zelensky arrived at Stansted Airport, north of London, on Wednesday morning.

During his trip — the first to the UK since Russia launched its invasion last February — he is expected to address British lawmakers and meet with King Charles III.

“The United Kingdom was one of the first to come to Ukraine’s aid,” said Zelensky in a post on Telegram and Instagram.

“And today I’m in London to personally thank the British people for their support and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his leadership.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has tweeted a picture of himself greeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the start of the latter’s visit to the UK on Wednesday.

“Welcome to the UK, President @ZelenskyyUa,” reads the caption.

Zelensky is expected to meet King Charles III and address lawmakers during his surprise visit to the UK.

Britain’s King Charles will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon, the palace has confirmed to CNN.

Zelensky will be greeted in the palace quadrangle before being taken to meet the monarch inside the royal residence in central London.

The Ukrainian president is also expected to address UK lawmakers during his surprise visit on Wednesday.

A UK Royal Air Force C-17 transport airplane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has landed at Stansted Airport, north of London.

Zelensky is visiting the UK for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24 last year. It will be only his second trip outside Ukraine since then.

The UK will announce additional sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, according to a government statement. 

The sanctions will be introduced “in response to Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukraine, including the targeting of those who have helped Putin build his personal wealth, and companies who are profiting from the Kremlin’s war machine,” Downing Street said. 

The UK government has already imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and entities since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, according to UK government data. 

Sanctions against Russian individuals and entities were also imposed in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and “ongoing role in the destabilization of eastern Ukraine,” according to a UK government statement, as part of a coordinated move by the European Union, which the UK was part of at the time, along the US and other Western allies.

The UK government said Wednesday that it will start training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighter jets.

CNN understands that this would be the first official training program for Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter aircraft.

However, there was no mention of providing Ukraine with fighter jets, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked.

The announcement came on the day Zelensky is set to visit the UK for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24 last year. It will be only his second trip outside Ukraine since then.

“As part of today’s talks, the Prime Minister will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future,” Downing Street’s Wednesday announcement said.

“The training will ensure pilots are able to fly sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future.”

The US has not yet launched any training program for Ukrainian pilots, Brigadier General Pat Ryder confirmed last month.

Also on Wednesday, the UK government announced that it will provide Ukraine with “longer range capabilities,” without going into details.

“This will disrupt Russia’s ability to continually target Ukraine’s civilian and critical national infrastructure and help relieve pressure on Ukraine’s frontlines.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will on Wednesday make his first visit to the United Kingdom since the Russian invasion of his country, Downing Street said.

The surprise trip will see Zelensky meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, visit Ukrainian troops who are being trained by British forces, and address Parliament.

Zelensky’s visit to London is only his second outside his country since Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago, following his visit to Washington DC in December.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meanwhile announced that his country will expand training to fighter pilots and marines while also promising a long-term investment in Ukraine’s military.

Sunak said: “President Zelensky’s visit to the UK is a testament to his country’s courage, determination and fight, and a testament to the unbreakable friendship between our two countries.

“Since 2014, the UK has provided vital training to Ukrainian forces, allowing them to defend their country, protect their sovereignty and fight for their territory.

“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future.”

Ukraine’s top national security official told Reuters that a renewed Russian offensive could include attempts to capture the cities of Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia — major urban centers that Russian forces have never held. 

“Attempts at an offensive in either the Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia direction will of course be made,” Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told Reuters. “How successful they’ll be will depend on us.”

Russia controls a large portion of the Zaporizhzhia region, but has never captured the city itself. Both Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia have come under regular missile fire from Russia over the course of the past year.

In an interview with CNN on Monday, Danilov conceded that Ukraine was “concerned” about a Russian offensive. 

Some context: As the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches this month, experts are concerned that Russia might intensify its assault in coming weeks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday thanked Joe Biden for voicing his support for Ukraine during the US President’s State of the Union address to Congress.

“Thank you @POTUS for the powerful words of support for [Ukraine] while addressing the nation,” Zelensky said on Twitter.
“We are grateful for [America’s] leadership in helping [Ukraine], for solidarity of the entire [American] people. Our values ​​are the same, our common goal is victory. [Ukraine] freely chooses its future. It is & will be so!”

Last year, Biden delivered his State of the Union speech just days after Russian leader Vladimir Putin launched his brutal war against Ukraine. And in his address Tuesday, Biden reaffirmed the US’ continued support for Kyiv.

“A murderous assault, evoking images of the death and destruction Europe suffered in World War II,” Biden said. “Putin’s invasion has been a test for the ages. A test for America. A test for the world.”

Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv was hit by Russian missile attacks on Tuesday night, according to the region’s leader.

Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, said on Telegram that strikes by four missiles, believed to be S-300s destroyed buildings near the city’s central park area.

“Yesterday about 11 p.m. the enemy conducted a missile strike on the Kharkiv city center,” Syniehubov said Wednesday, adding no casualties were reported.

The Soviet-era S-300, designed to take down combat aircraft, has been crudely repurposed by Russia to hit ground targets during its war on Ukraine..

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that he had spoken with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about preparations for the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of his country.

“Focused call with @SecBlinken on new military aid, new sanctions on Russia, and the preparations of important events as Russian full-scale invasion nears one-year mark,” Kuleba said on Twitter.
“Russia would be making a grave mistake if it thought anyone would get tired of fighting the evil it brings.”

Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, sending troops into its former Soviet neighbor from three fronts and firing missiles on several locations near the capital, Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials are reporting at least six explosions in Kharkiv on Tuesday.

“Enemy missile hits were spotted in the central part of Kharkiv. Preliminary, 6 to 10 S-300 missiles,” said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv region military administration.
“Information about the victims and the extent of the damage is being clarified,” Syniehubov added, urging residents to stay in shelters.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Tuesday that an industrial facility in the Kyivsky district of the city was hit by a strike.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine on Tuesday dismissed Russia’s claims that it has taken control of several small settlements in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.  

Ukraine said “their capture by the enemy has not been confirmed at this time” and that “the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to defend each of these areas.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia’s “operations are successfully developing” near the key towns of Bakhmut and Vuhledar, and that Russian forces have taken control of several small settlements in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

CNN is unable to independently verify those claims.

Shoigu also said Russia has full control of Soledar, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced their withdrawal from in January. 

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine also criticized Shoigu for touting the “achievements” of the Russian Armed Forces, arguing that Russian private military contractor Wagner is actively involved in combat in those areas. 

Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of Donetsk region military administration, on Monday spoke of the increase in Russian forces along parts of the front line in the eastern region.

“There is accumulation of occupation troops and of what is left of the self-proclaimed DPR/LPR,” he told Radio Liberty, referring to Moscow-backed separatists. “We are working day and night to strengthen our fortifications and defense line to repel the enemy and refrain them from fulfilling their plans.”

Asked whether Bakhmut would fall, Kyrylenko said: “We are not ruling out any scenarios….All measures are being taken not to let that happen.”

“No-one will use Ukrainian defenders as cannon fodder. As of now, Bakhmut is standing. We are doing all possible to destroy as many enemies as possible,” he added.

Kyrylenko claimed that “almost 52% of Donetsk region is now controlled by Ukrainian government, Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

He said approximately 500,000 civilians remain in parts of Donetsk controlled by Ukrainian forces, compared to 1.8 million just before the invasion.

Geolocated videos support the claim by a Russian military blogger that Russian forces have made incremental advances into Kharkiv region, northeast of the town of Kupyansk, which was recaptured by the Ukrainians in September. The videos show Ukrainian shelling of Russian troops in the town of Dvorichne, which was until recently in Ukrainian hands. 

The Ukrainian government approved the appointment of three new regional governors on Tuesday, according to the Office of the President. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed decrees appointing the following officials:

Leopard 2 battle tanks from Germany will be ready for Ukraine to use at the end of March, the German army said in a tweet Tuesday. 

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited Kyiv Tuesday, where he met with soldiers who will soon go to Germany to train on the tanks.

He said he was “deeply impressed” by the “determination” and “solemn faces” of the Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraine’s parliament has approved the appointment of a new interior minister and head of the Security Service.

The new interior minister is Ihor Klymenko, formerly the National Police chief. He had been serving as acting minister after Denis Monastyrsky, the former interior minister, was killed last month in a helicopter crash in the outskirts of Kyiv.

Vasyl Maliuk is the new head of the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). He had been serving as acting SBU chief since last July, when President Volodymyr Zelensky suspended the previous SBU chief, Ivan Bakanov, over the presence of Russian collaborators in the SBU. Bakanov was not personally accused of wrongdoing. While he touted the SBU’s successes in countering Russia’s invasion, he admitted “there were also failures.” 

Zelensky on Tuesday praised Maliuk for his work protecting Ukraine during the Russian invasion. 

“I believe that such appointments correspond to the meaning and tasks of this stage of the war. Vasyl Maliuk is a combat officer who, from the first minutes of the full-scale invasion, stood up for the defense of the state of Ukraine and performs his work with absolute dedication and professionalism. During the actual management of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk proved that the SBU can be the way the people of Ukraine want to see it,” Zelensky said, speaking to the Ukrainian parliament.

Zelensky added that the SBU carries out “successful and often truly unique special operations” and some of these operations “changed the picture of the war in favor of Ukraine.” Zelensky said “heavy blows” were inflicted on the “internal enemy” and this is reflected in the decisions of the National Security Council.

Parliament also extended martial law in the country, as it has regularly done since Russia’s invasion nearly one year ago.

A Russian national was indicted for helping an oligarch evade US sanctions by financing multimillion dollar properties in Manhattan, the Hamptons and Florida — the latest sign that prosecutors continue to put pressure on wealthy businessmen with ties to the Kremlin.

Vladimir Voronchenko, an art dealer and childhood friend of sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, was charged with violating US sanctions, international money laundering, conspiracy, and contempt of court for not complying with a grand jury subpoena. Voronchenko left the US in May after receiving the subpoena for his testimony and remains at large.

Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of $75 million worth of Vekselberg’s properties, including two Park Avenue apartments, his home in Southampton, New York, and two apartments, including a penthouse, on Fisher Island, Florida.

The criminal charges come as prosecutors have taken numerous steps that appear to be encircling Vekselberg, the founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Renova Group, a Russian aluminum and energy conglomerate. Vekselberg was sanctioned in 2018 by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in response to what it called “worldwide malign activity.”

Vekselberg has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Read more here.