Moscow withdraws UK ambassador as tensions between Britain and Russia mount
The Russian embassy in London has denied Russia intends to downgrade diplomatic relations between Moscow and Britain, but said ties have “deteriorated to an unprecedentedly low level entirely on London’s initiative”.
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK Andrei Kelin (PA)
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 19:45
Zelensky says Ukraine not behind Nord Stream blasts and are cooperating with probe
Ukraine played no role in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines and is cooperating with an investigation into the matter, President Volodymyr Zelenksky said on Sunday.
“Ukraine has never officially taken part in any operations regarding the blowing up of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline,” he told reporters in Kyiv.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were damaged in explosions in September 2022, and two Ukrainian suspects are currently in custody on suspicion of involvement.
Nicole Wootton-Cane23 August 2026 18:45
Ukraine braces for new wave of energy strikes
Ukraine is facing another difficult winter of Russian strikes on its energy grid, President Zelensky has warned, a prospect that had prompted Kyiv’s air force to ask for 360 missile interceptors for the season.
He also said he had reached an agreement with France on at least one SAMP/T air-defence system this year, and with Germany on the supply of about 600 PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors through 2028.
Ukraine’s war effort is further complicated by a $27 billion defence funding gap this year, Zelensky added, a result of higher-than-expected spending in the first half of the year.
At least $8 billion is needed for “a normal start” to 2027, plus about $20 billion more for military salaries, payments to families of the dead, as well as other financing, the president said.
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 17:43
Minister pays tribute to ‘courage’ of Ukrainians ahead of independence day event
A Scottish Government minister has paid tribute to the “extraordinary courage, determination and resilience” of the people of Ukraine, ahead of the country’s independence day on Monday.
Minister for Europe and external affairs Stephen Gethin made the comments ahead of an appearance at an Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain event in Glasgow on Sunday, where he will address Ukrainians and supporters.
He is expected to pay tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, recognising their contribution to communities across Scotland, and reiterating the Scottish Government’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Gethin said: “As Ukraine continues to defend its freedom, and the freedoms of everyone in democratic Europe, its people continue to demonstrate extraordinary courage, determination and resilience.
“Their strength in the face of Russia’s aggression, violence and oppression remains an inspiration to people around the world.”
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 16:41
Ukraine marks Day of the National Flag
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
(AFP/Getty)
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 15:49
Ukraine elections now would be ‘tsunami for the state’
Zelensky’s approval rating has remained generally stable at about 60%, but pollsters have said that while Ukrainians want fresh faces in politics, many have little appetite for voting now.
An August 5 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 57% of Ukrainians want elections only after fighting ends.
Echoing his previous comments on the matter, Zelensky said a wartime election might be possible if Kyiv’s partners could guarantee security, but that no one has proposed such a plan.
“Elections right now are a tsunami for the state, which will split Ukraine,” he said.
“That’s why my strategy is to steer the country toward an ending of the war and to preserve an independent and sovereign state.”
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 14:35
Putin says Ukrainian strikes cause losses but won’t turn tide of war Putin says Ukrainian strikes cause losses but won’t turn tide of war
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 13:00
Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelensky says
Holding a wartime election in Ukraine while active fighting with Russia continues would “destroy” the country by splitting Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
His comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were Zelensky’s first on the subject since ousted former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll in an address last week.
Fedorov’s surprise dismissal last month sparked widespread protests, but supporters calling for his reinstatement later baulked at his call for an election – the first such demand by a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
“I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then we can move towards elections during this kind of war,” Zelensky said.
Mykhailo Fedorov (Reuters)
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 12:56
Ukraine facing shortage of Patriot interceptors
Russia is bolstering its battlefield offensive with an escalating air war on Ukrainian cities made worse by a critical shortage of U.S.-designed Patriot interceptors.
Zelensky said the 264 interceptors Ukraine is expecting to have received in 2026 represent a significant drop from 2025, when Ukraine received 364, and 2023, when it received 675.
He added that Russia was aiming to develop a capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year.
Over the summer, Ukraine has escalated a campaign of drone strikes targeting Russian economic infrastructure, including oil refineries and online retailers’ warehouses, seeking to destroy infrastructure it says is central to Russia’s war effort.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments on Saturday that Kyiv had opened “Pandora’s box” by striking economic targets, saying Russia would hit back at Ukraine’s “most sensitive economic sectors”.
(Reuters)
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 12:01
Norway to give over $9 billion to Ukraine in 2027
Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country’s government said in a statement on Sunday.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Norway’s donation will be for both military and humanitarian spending, Stoere was quoted as saying in the text of a speech released by the government in Oslo.
“Supporting and rebuilding Ukraine is not assistance alone. It is an investment in Europe’s own security,” Stoere said.
Sam Rkaina23 August 2026 11:15