Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow vows ‘massive strikes’ as missile attack on Belgorod kills two

Russia has launched nearly 2,000 strike drones, more than 1,600 aerial bombs, and 31 missiles in Ukraine this week, its president said on Sunday.

Volodymyr Zelensky said strikes were “virtually constant”in Nikopol, Kramatorsk, Kherson, and communities in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Donetsk, and Sumy regions.

“We are seeking just responses to every Russian strike and crime. They will certainly come,” he said.

Russia’s Rosatom state nuclear corporation said on Monday that its priority was to keep the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine supplied with diesel fuel in the absence of an external power source.

Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom’s head, said ⁠in a statement that the ​situation ⁠at the plant ‌was under full control as it was kept functioning ‌on its backup diesel ‌generators.

But he said such a situation could not ⁠go on indefinitely and that it was essential to restore external power lines.

He said he hoped that a local ceasefire could be arranged to pause fighting between Russia and Ukraine in order to carry out repairs to the Ferrosplavnaya-1 power line, which supplies electricity to the plant.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian printing presses and publishing houses in recent attacks, destroying more than 12 million books ahead of the first week back at school.

A plant on the edge of Kyiv was hit overnight as production was ramping up to deliver 1.3 million books, BBC reported.

Recently, Russia also targeted a second-hand book market in Kyiv, destroying hundreds of stalls.

Viktoria Haida, the commercial director of the bombed Konvi publishing firm in Kyiv told BBC: “I believe it is deliberate on the part of the Russian Federation.

“Over the past two months, some of the largest publishing houses have lost their logistics warehouses, where very large quantities of books were stored.”

A logistics hub in Russia’s Yekaterinburg was attacked by drones, the local governor said on Monday.

Drones ⁠and debris ‌struck residential buildings ‌and a logistics ‌centre, he ⁠said without naming the target of the attack.

There were no casualties, he added.

Ukraine’s new defence minister Yevhen Khmara said the ministry has options for closing the $27bn funding gap he inherited from his predecessor, including seeking more contributions from allies.

Khmara made the remarks at his first briefing with reporters since taking the post Saturday.

His appointment followed weeks of protests after Mykhailo Fedorov’s dismissal that sparked a military reset in Kyiv and culminated in a video in which Fedorov called for a new presidential election.

Khmara’s comments were released for publication on Sunday.

Khmara, a former special forces officer, takes over as Kyiv’s war effort faces mounting financial pressures.

He said a priority will be avoiding battlefield shortages while ensuring soldiers are paid and other essential needs are met.

The ministry is considering bringing forward part of a €90bn (£76.9bn) European loan planned for next year, and has identified partners for separate talks on financing specific defense needs, he said.

“Ukraine will show its partners a clear vision and a clear plan,” he vowed, adding he planned to preserve much of the existing ministry team.

Russian warships have been tracked by the Navy through UK waters in an “intense” 72-hour operation.

A task group was shadowed by Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans and patrol vessel HMS Severn as it made its way from the North Sea through the English Channel.

Russian destroyer Admiral Levchenko was watched escorting sanctioned cargo vessels General Skobelev and Sparta, with a Merlin helicopter extending the UK’s surveillance as the ships approached the Strait of Dover.

In response to the tracking, Russia deployed other military resources including the Neustrashimy frigate to guard the illegal shipment, UK officials said.

First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said there was “no room for complacency” as shadow fleet vessels continue to pose “an unacceptable risk” to maritime security and the environment.

“Alongside our allies, this approach is forcing Moscow to divert Russian warships away from their core purpose. That is because Russia knows we stand ready to act again, should it be required,” he said.

The director of the CIA had proposed a meeting between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the US when he visited Moscow, sources say.

During his secret meeting with Russian officials, CIA director John Ratcliffe had floated a summit with Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Donald Trump, Axios reported.

It comes after talks between Ukraine and Russia were paused in February, when the US invaded Iran.

The US has held talks with negotiators from both sides in recent months, but little progress has been made.

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s head of office, said this week that talks with Russia could resume in September.

Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow on Tuesday, which was not announced in advance, has sparked much speculation.

President Trump played down the visit, saying it was “semi-routine”.

A Nato official has said that Russia is stepping up hybrid acts in Europe, but that at this time the alliance sees no imminent threat of attack.

“Even as the Russians are facing very substantial resistance from Ukraine, they are stepping up attacks on Ukraine as well as hybrid acts in Europe,” the official said on Sunday.

“As always, Nato remains vigilant and alert to the variety of threats we face. At this time, we see no imminent threat of attack,” the official said, adding: “We continue to stand with Ukraine. And Nato continues to work around the clock to keep our one billion people safe”.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Russia on Tuesday to meet briefly with intelligence counterparts.

Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Ratcliffe brought ‌up ⁠the possibility of a Russian operation against a Nato member during that meeting, though it was unclear if that was the sole purpose of the trip.

On Saturday Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk said that Nato must be prepared for various scenarios and that a provocation against an alliance member could not be ruled out.

The Kremlin had called the reports “scare-stories” earlier in the week.