Latest news about Russia and the war in Ukraine

France denied expressing its willingness to hold possible talks with Russia regarding Ukraine, refuting Moscow's account of a phone call that took place on Wednesday between French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that “readiness for dialogue on Ukraine was noted” and that “starting points could be based on the Istanbul Peace Initiative.”

Such details were not present in the French readout, which showed Lecornu and Shoigu discussing the growing terrorist threat in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Moscow claimed by ISIS-K.

Reuters later quoted a source in the French government as saying that the Russian story was “incorrect” and that no future talks on Ukraine were mentioned.

-Elliot Smith

As NATO foreign ministers meet in Brussels to mark the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told RIA that the dialogue with Moscow had reached “zero criticality” by Washington and Brussels.

Grushko reportedly said that relations were deteriorating “predictably and deliberately,” but that Russia had no intention of entering into open conflict with any NATO member.

-Elliot Smith

Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv early Friday morning killed four people, including three rescue workers, and injured 12 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

In a post on the messaging app Telegram, Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said Iranian-made Shahed drones struck a 14-story residential building, destroying several floors and leaving many dead and injured.

Terekhov added, “Three rescuers died during a repeated attack on a residential building elsewhere. In total, we have four dead.”

He added, “Among the victims was also an emergency nurse who arrived with the brigade to the scene to provide assistance.”

-Elliot Smith

Photos posted via Getty Images on Wednesday show people reacting to Russian bombing in the Sumy region of northern Ukraine and a military band performing at a ceremony to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the raising of the Ukrainian flag in western Lviv.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office sent official requests for information to the United States, France, Germany and Cyprus regarding its suspicions of possible involvement of Western countries in terrorist attacks inside Russia, the state news agency TASS reported, citing a statement from the government office.

TASS reported that the office was asked to send the inquiries after requests from members of the Russian Duma to investigate possible foreign involvement in terrorist attacks including the attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow in late March that killed at least 144 people, as well as the At the Moscow Concert Hall. Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions.

Russia's top prosecutors said in its statement that it hopes “our colleagues in these countries will seriously consider the requests and fulfill their obligations under the 1999 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the 1997 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.” bombings, which involves investigating information provided, facilitating efforts to obtain evidence necessary for investigations, and ensuring that sanctions are duly implemented.

-Natasha Turak

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is pushing for the alliance to be more directly involved in delivering military aid to Ukraine.

Speaking during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Stoltenberg said the organization would examine how it could play a greater role in coordinating weapons and other equipment for Kiev, something that has until now been within the scope of US-led contacts. group.

“Ukraine has urgent needs, and any delay in providing support has consequences on the battlefield as we speak,” Stoltenberg told those attending the meeting. “So we need to change the dynamics of our support.”

“We must ensure reliable and predictable security assistance to Ukraine in the long term so that we rely less on voluntary contributions and more on NATO commitments, less on short-term offers and more on multi-year pledges,” he added, declining to provide details, but adding: The commitment will be financial. Multi-year is also part of the plan.

He added, “NATO allies provide 99% of total military support to Ukraine.” “So doing more under NATO would make our efforts more efficient and effective.”

-Natasha Turak

Ukraine's Defense Minister thanked Finland for the Nordic country's announced €188 million ($202.5 million) military aid package for Kiev, detailing recent cooperation between the two countries in a post on X.

“I am grateful to our Finnish partners and Minister @anttihakkanen for another military aid package for Ukraine worth up to 188 million euros,” Rustam Omerov wrote in his post. “We have also strengthened our defense cooperation: today, Ukraine and Finland signed an agreement on security cooperation and long-term support,” he added.

“Finland will provide long-term military and financial assistance and strengthen political, financial, humanitarian and reform cooperation,” the post said. “Together, we are stronger. Thank you for your unwavering support.”

-Natasha Turak