Ukraine-Russia news – live: Putin ‘shifting war to focus on Nato and West’

A senior EU official has said that Russia has taken its war to a “different stage” in making indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets.

Stefano Sannino, secretary general of the European Union’s European External Action Service, supported German and US provisions of military equipment to Ukraine. He also criticised Russia for waging “a war against NATO and the West.”

“I think that this latest development in terms of armed supply is just an evolution of the situation and of the way Russia started moving the war into a different stage,” Mr Sannino said, speaking at a news conference in Tokyo.

In providing military equipment, the EU is “just giving the possibility of saving lives and allowing the Ukrainians to defend (themselves) from these barbaric attacks”, he added.

Editorial: Chancellor Scholz and his colleagues deserve the thanks of the whole world for their contribution to the security of independent nations everywhere.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has released a message to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, urging people to “show determination when it comes to saving those whom hatred seeks to destroy”.

Mr Zelensky paid his respects to the victims of the Holocaust as he laid a wreath at a memorial site.

The message he issued read:

Today, as always, Ukraine honours the memory of millions of Holocaust victims.

We know and remember that indifference kills along with hatred. Indifference and hatred are always capable of creating evil together only.

That is why it is so important that everyone who values life should show determination when it comes to saving those whom hatred seeks to destroy.

Today we remember the Righteous Among the Nations. Different people in different countries who were equally determined to save lives. Today we remember the determination of the global coalition that stopped Nazism.

And today we repeat it even more strongly than before: never again to hatred; never again to indifference.

The more nations of the world overcome indifference, the less space there will be in the world for hatred.

Russian businessman and Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has reacted to news that the US will impose fresh sanctions on the private military group.

The Treasury and State departments announced the moves in coordinated statements that target dozens of Wagner Group affiliates, including some in the Central African Republic and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the president of Russia‘s Kalashnikov Concern, the original manufacturer of the AK-47 assault rifle.

In a statement via his press service, Mr Prigozhin said: “We conducted an internal check on the subject of the Wagner group’s crimes, but found nothing damaging.

“If anybody has any information about Wagner’s crimes, please send it to our press service or publish it in the media, so we can help our American colleagues formulate their position.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this was not the first time Washington had “demonised” Wagner.

“This has been going on for many years. As a rule, such statements from Washington are unfounded.”

The Kremlin has accused Washington of “demonising” the Wagner Group without basis following the US’s decision to label it a transnational criminal organisation.

Last week, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby labelled the move the result of Wagner’s ongoing operations in Ukraine, which he described as “committing atrocities and human rights abuses”.

Mr Kirby also said American intelligence has assessed that Vladimir Putin’s war effort is increasingly relying on Wagner, leading to tensions between Russian defence officials and the owner of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“Wagner personnel have engaged in an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity, including mass executions, rape, child abductions, and physical abuse in the Central African Republic [CAR] and Mali,” the US Treasury Department said in a statement on Thursday.

Ukraine’s power network has suffered “significant damage” following a “mass” Russian missile attack, the country’s state-run energy operator has confirmed.

“The recovery of the power grid becomes harder, and lasts longer, after every Russian attack,” energy company Ukrenergo said in a statement released on Facebook.

Ukraine has now suffered 13 missile attacks and 15 drone attacks on its energy facilities. Yesterday, Russia launched 70 missiles at Ukraine. 47 of these were intercepted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that energy facilities are the main targets.

Russian state TV mocked the news that the US and Germany had finally agreed to send tanks to Ukraine in a broadcast on Wednesday.

The Rossiya-24 channel labelled German-made Leopard tanks “toothless” and claimed in a graphic of a fictional battle that half of the platoon would be destroyed before even coming into firing range of Moscow’s T-90 tanks.

US-made vehicles were also described as ‘battered Abrams’ and footage of them being struck in a number of past battles was aired.

Oliver Browning has more:

Novak Djokovic’s father has stated that he was unintentionally caught up in a pro-Russian demonstration held at the Australian Open.

A video emerged on Thursday that depicted Srdjan Djokovic standing with a man holding a Russian flat emblazoned with Vladimir Putin’s face. The man was also wearing a t-shirt bearing the Z symbol that demonstrates support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

In a statement released by the tennis player’s representatives, Mr Djokovic senior said: “I am here to support my son only. I had no intention of causing such headlines or disruption.

“I was outside with Novak’s fans, as I have done after all of my son’s matches to celebrate his wins and take pictures with them. I had no intention of being caught up in this.

“My family has lived through the horror of war, and we wish only for peace. So there is no disruption to tonight’s semi-final for my son or for the other player, I have chosen to watch from home,” the statement continued.

They could be seen chanting in support of Russia, while the face of Putin was also visible alongside flags of Russia and Djokovic’s native Serbia.

Ukraine has warned that it could boycott the Olympics Games if Russia and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete in 2024.

Sports minister Vadim Guttsait said that plans by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to look at ways for those athletes to compete would be opposed.

“Our position is unchanged: as long as there is a war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be in international competitions,” Mr Guttsait wrote in a Facebook post.

“If we are not heard, I do not rule out the possibility that we will boycott and refuse participation in the Olympics.”

Following Russia’s invasion in February 2022, many sports organisations have moved events and suspended Russian teams. Sponsors have also ended contracts by means of protest against the war.

US President Joe Biden has the means to end the war in Ukraine but is not willing to use it, according to the Kremlin.

Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters this morning that the US could end the conflict quickly if it wanted to by “directing Kyiv.”

He said that instead, it’s “pumping weapons into Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, the US has argued that Moscow has unleashed the war and that it can only end if Russian troops retreat.

Elsewhere, a senior EU official has said that Russia has taken its war to a “different stage” in making indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets.

Stefano Sannino, secretary general of the European Union’s European External Action Service, supported German and US provisions of military equipment to Ukraine. He also criticised Russia for waging “a war against NATO and the West.”