World

Bloodshed in Ukraine and headlines about the threat posed by nuclear weapons have been dominating the news for days. Inevitably, this leads to questions from curious and sometimes anxious children – questions which many adults would struggle to give balanced and nuanced answers to. With sizeable Russian and Ukrainian populations in the UK, sometimes mixing

Latest satellite images show a Russian military convoy stretching for about 40 miles – far bigger than initially thought – as troops close in on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. The images are from satellite technology company Maxar, and they also show evidence of fighting outside the city, including destroyed vehicles and a damaged bridge. Russian troops

Clinging to his mother in the basement of Kyiv’s main children’s hospital, the four-year-old boy ground his teeth, making a scratching sound. Nikita Synytsky, who has leukemia and Down’s syndrome, started making the noise when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last week, causing his life even more trauma. “We are very nervous,” said Tatiana

Russia is preparing to hold peace talks with Ukraine as fierce fighting continued into a fifth day without a breakthrough into a major city. Satellite images showed a more than three-mile-long Russian military convoy nearing Kyiv as Ukraine’s president warned of a “crucial” 24 hours. There were more Russian air attacks and fierce clashes between

It started as a concern, then a rumour, then a fact; Russian units, small in number, infiltrating the city, looking to bring terror to Kyiv – and to plot routes for their main forces to enter the centre of the capital. Within hours, the suspicion levels among Ukrainians had accelerated to near hysteria. Reports of

Vladimir Putin has ordered that Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces are put on high alert. Mr Putin said aggressive statements by NATO leaders and economic sanctions against Moscow were behind the decision. Speaking on state television on Sunday, he said: “As you can see, not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in

Any rumour of a Russian advance, and hurriedly formed roadblocks suddenly appear on the streets of Kyiv.  The roadblocks are manned by Ukrainian soldiers, alongside them volunteers and reservists fill sandbags and build defences. It is starting to feel like the defence of the capital is taking on a character of its own: a character

Ukraine’s president has said his forces are still in control of Kyiv and is appealing to the country’s “friends” abroad to join the fight. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a fresh address on Saturday: “Everyone who can defend Ukraine abroad please do it directly in a united way. “Every friend of Ukraine who wants to join

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned his country’s citizens that Russian troops are preparing to storm Kyiv, urging them “to stop the enemy wherever you can”. After unleashing airstrikes, Russian tanks rolled into Kyiv on Friday, and troops were descending on the capital from two fronts. In a message posted on social media, Mr Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Ukrainian troops “you are all we have” as he accused European countries of not doing enough to stop the Russian invasion. He said the Russian attack in Ukraine was like a repeat of the Second World War and called on European citizens to protest to force their governments to act

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has made him “target number one” in the wake of the country’s invasion, as he ordered a mass mobilisation decree which paves the way for civilians to take up arms against Vladimir Putin’s forces. The decree was signed at the end of a day of intense fighting on multiple

Boris Johnson has accused Vladimir Putin of choosing a “path of bloodshed and destruction” after explosions were heard in Ukrainian cities. The prime minister said the UK and its allies will respond “decisively”, adding that he was “appalled by the horrific events” in Ukraine. Mr Johnson has spoken to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the country’s president, to

Ukraine has brought in emergency measures and told its citizens in Russia to flee the country as fears of a large-scale invasion by President Vladimir Putin’s troops mount. In further ominous signs, Moscow began evacuating its Kyiv embassy and the leaders of two Russian-backed separatist-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine asked Mr Putin for military help

President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is still open to diplomacy but will put its national security interests first. He said the country would continue to bolster its military amid a “difficult international situation”. In a video statement released to commemorate the annual Defender of the Fatherland Day, Mr Putin appeared to indirectly address the

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked legislators for permission to use armed forces outside Russia – a move that could pave the way for a broader attack on Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow recognised the independence of Russian-backed rebel regions in eastern Ukraine. Some western leaders have said Russian troops had moved into Ukraine’s east –

Ukraine’s president has said the country is considering breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia after tanks were reportedly seen on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of two breakaway regions in the east. Speaking alongside his Estonian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was weighing a request from his foreign ministry to break