World

More than 300 civilians were evacuated from the ruined Ukrainian port city of Mariupol and the surrounding areas on Wednesday, the Red Cross has said. This includes “several dozen civilians” who left the besieged Azovstal steel plant and reached Zaporizhzhia during a five-day safe passage operation, the charity said in a statement. “We are relieved

The European Union has announced plans to ban Russian oil by the end of the year as part of a sixth package of sanctions in response to the war in Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the bloc’s parliament in Strasbourg that member states should cease to buy oil supplies within six

Russian forces have begun storming the steel mill containing the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol. The takeover began after evacuations from the bombed-out plant saw scores of Ukrainian survivors finally reaching safety following long days and nights holed up inside under constant shelling. One woman said the assault began “as soon as we were

Ukrainian troops will beat Russia and the country will “be free” from occupation, Boris Johnson has told Ukraine’s parliament – adding that it is a fight of “good versus evil”. The UK prime minister, who has become the first world leader to address Ukrainian MPs since Russia invaded in late February, said Ukraine had proven

The Ukrainian president’s top aide says he does not believe Moscow will launch a nuclear strike against his country because Russia’s decision-makers know they could end up dying in a global, nuclear war. Andriy Yermak also told Sky News he hoped Ukraine would “soon” defeat Russia’s invading forces and secure victory. Mr Yermak paid tribute

The man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann insists he was many miles from the scene having sex in his camper van with a young woman who will back his alibi. Christian B says he drove the woman to the airport at Faro, Portugal, for a flight home the next day and they were stopped and

A long-awaited operation to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol is finally under way. Sviatoslav Palamar, the deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, said “a ceasefire has finally happened”. He said he hoped the evacuations from the steelworks continue until everyone in the plant, civilians and soldiers,

The United Nations is working to broker a civilian evacuation from the last defensive stronghold in the port city of Mariupol, as resistance in a steelworks continues to hold out. Ukrainian forces were fighting village by village to hold back a Russian advance through the country’s east on Saturday. About 100,000 civilians are still in

The contractions started after she learnt her husband, a Ukrainian border guard, had been killed by a Russian sniper. Viktoria Nazarenko, 34, gave birth to twin boys the next day. Joy overwhelmed by grief at the loss of Sergeant Bogdan Nazarenko, their father. “It’s all I have left from him – my babies and my

Moldova’s foreign minister has told Sky News that the future of his country and Europe depends on how the war in Ukraine ends. In a frank interview from his office in the capital Chisinau, Nicu Popescu revealed that: Moldova is on a “heightened state of alert” the future of Moldova and Europe rests on a

Russia is attempting to “empty” the Donbas of people and peace talks are in danger of collapsing, Ukraine’s president has claimed. Speaking in his nightly address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of carrying out “constant brutal bombardments” on buildings and residential areas of the eastern region of his country. He compared the barrage of attacks as

Two British aid workers who have reportedly been captured by Russian forces in Ukraine have been named. UK non-profit organisation Presidium Network said Paul Urey and Dylan Healey were captured on Monday. They are understood to have been captured at a checkpoint south of the city of Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine. Mr Urey has been

A British army veteran has been killed and a second British man is missing after they were believed to have travelled to Ukraine to fight against Russia’s forces. Scott Sibley, 36, is the first British national confirmed to have died in the war. A friend described him as the bravest person he knew. Another said

Ben Wallace has reinforced Liz Truss’ view that Russian forces must be pushed out of “the whole of Ukraine” – and suggested this should include Crimea. Speaking at an event at Mansion House on Wednesday evening, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Western allies, including the UK, must “double down” and “keep going further and faster”

Western allies must “double down” on support for Ukraine with both heavy weapons and air power, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said. In a keynote foreign policy speech, Ms Truss said the international architecture intended to guarantee peace and prosperity had failed Ukraine in the face of an attack by a “desperate rogue operator” and now

The US has urged its allies to move “heaven and earth” to keep Kyiv stocked with weapons – as Russian forces continue to rain fire on eastern and southern Ukraine. For the second day in a row, explosions also rocked the separatist region of Trans-Dniester in neighbouring Moldova, knocking out two powerful radio antennas close

The West must be prepared “for the long haul” in the Ukraine war, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will warn, as she calls for allies to increase defence spending and supplies to Kyiv. Ms Truss will use a speech in London on Wednesday to urge allies to keep pressure on Vladimir Putin’s regime as Ukraine’s fate

The head of the United Nations has said his priority is to “minimise human suffering” in Ukraine as he begins talks in Russia today. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire “as soon as possible” ahead of a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with the two men due to hold a news conference

The first thing you notice driving into Kharkiv is that what little traffic is here is going the other way. This is a Ukrainian city largely emptied of life: deserted streets, destroyed buildings and the ever-present sounds of war. Two days before the Russians invaded, we walked through Freedom Square in the bustle of a

Emmanuel Macron is set to become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after an official vote projection suggested he has seen off the challenge from Marine Le Pen. The projected result from Ipsos saw Mr Macron get 58.2% of the votes compared with Ms Le Pen’s 41.8%. The pair