Live: Russian strikes a 'response' to Ukraine using Western missiles, Putin says
· France 2428/11/2024 - 11:39
Russian court sentences defence lawyer to seven years in prison over Ukraine war comments
A Russian court sentenced a defence lawyer who has represented critics of Moscow's war in Ukraine to seven years in prison on Thursday under two statutes, spreading false information about the Russian army and "inciting hatred", the court said.
Prosecutors had sought a 12-year sentence for Dmitry Talantov, 63, who plead not guilty, after he wrote Facebook posts which condemned the actions of Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia had called on Wednesday for Talantov's acquittal.
"Talantov must be released immediately and exonerated of all criminal responsibility, as acts such as expressing a non-violent opinion or peaceful dissent against the war are protected by international human rights law," Mariana Katzarova said.
28/11/2024 - 11:38
Russia and Ukraine return children to families after mediation by Qatar
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to return to each other a total of nine children to be reunited with family members, according to a senior Russian official, in the latest humanitarian exchange between the warring countries.
The transfers were agreed following mediation by Qatar, which has brokered several similar deals since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022.
Russia's commissioner for children, Maria Lvova-Belova, said on Thursday that six boys and one girl, aged six to 16, were being returned to relatives in Ukraine.
"Most of the children lived in Russia with close relatives, mainly with their grandmothers. One boy, aged 16, who had been left without parental care since birth, was in the Aleshkinsky orphanage. His brother took custody of the child," she said.
28/11/2024 - 11:12
Russian strikes a 'response' to Ukraine using Western missiles, Putin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a massive air attack against Ukraine was Moscow's "response" to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with Western missiles.
"We carried out a comprehensive strike," Putin told allies during a Kazakhstan visit several hours after the attack. "It was a response to continued attacks on our territory by (US) ATACMS missiles," he said in the televised remarks.
28/11/2024 - 11:26
Putin says Russia could strike 'decision-making centres' in Kyiv
Russia is selecting targets in Ukraine that could include "decision-making centres" in Kyiv in response to Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian territory with Western weapons, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
Putin said Russia's production of advanced missile systems exceeds that of the NATO military alliance by 10 times, and that Moscow plans to ramp up production further.
28/11/2024 - 10:58
- At least one million people without power in Ukraine after ‘massive’ Russian attack
- Ukraine downs 79 missiles, 35 drones fired by Russia
28/11/2024 - 10:58
Russia attacked Ukraine's Naftogaz facilities in the morning, company says
Ukraine's state oil and gas firm Naftogaz said on Wednesday that Russian forces attacked its facilities in the morning missile strike but it will not affect the company's work.
"Our employees and contracted services are dealing with the consequences of the damage," Naftogaz said on the Telegram messenger.
28/11/2024 - 10:32
Russia used cluster munitions to attack Ukraine power sector, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia used cruise missiles with cluster munitions to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Thursday, calling it a "despicable escalation".
"In several regions, strikes with cluster munitions were recorded, and they targeted civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram, adding: "This is a very despicable escalation of Russian terrorist tactics."
Zelensky reiterated his call to Kyiv's Western allies to provide more air defence and ensure timely deliveries, especially during critical winter months as Ukraine struggles to protect its energy infrastructure from the strikes.
28/11/2024 - 10:29
Ukraine downs more than 70 missiles, 35 drones fired by Russia
Ukraine on Thursday said it had downed 76 missiles and 35 drones launched by Russia overnight in its latest aerial barrage of 188 projectiles that Kyiv said targeted energy infrastructure.
The air force added in its statement that 62 drones were "lost" from its radars or downed with electronic jamming defensive systems.
28/11/2024 - 10:28
At least one million people without power in Ukraine after ‘massive’ Russian attack
At least one million people are without power in Ukraine after Russia staged a “massive” attack on the country’s energy infrastructure in the early hours of Thursday.
The missile strikes come as temperatures have dropped to freezing, and a UN official has warned that as Russia continues to target Ukraine’s power grid, this winter could become the “harshest since the start of the war”.
“Once again, the energy sector is under massive enemy attack. Attacks on energy facilities are taking place across Ukraine,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko said in a Facebook post.
National power grid operator Ukrenergo had “urgently introduced emergency power cuts”, he added, as temperatures across the country dropped to around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
In western Ukraine alone, more than one million people were without power on Thursday morning.
28/11/2024 - 10:26
Good morning and welcome to FRANCE 24's live blog on Russia's war on Ukraine.