“Ukraine – Russia”

Experts thought Putin’s hackers would overwhelm the country at speed. They were wrong, Kyiv’s chief cyberwarrior tells Maxim Tucker

Just as the Russian missiles were closing on their targets, an alert flashed on the general’s screen. Kremlin hackers were already in the system of a regional power network under aerial attack.

Moscow was trying to pull the plug on two million Ukrainians, taking the energy grid apart from the inside while explosions rocked power stations and substations, fusing a virtual war with attacks from the air.

“The biggest attacks, the most critical attacks, are on the energy sector and other critical infrastructure, when the Russians are firing missiles at the same time, just like they did with the missiles we saw today,” Brigadier-General Yurii Shchyhol told The Times in Kyiv, a capital in the grip of a three-week Russian bombardment.

#Ukraine: A Russian T-90M tank was destroyed by artillery fire of the Ukrainian 45th Artillery Brigade somewhere in #Luhansk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/tM7HmtTG3e

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) June 2, 2023

Blame for the explosions, which tore apart Russia’s gas pipelines to Germany last September, has fallen on multiple nations and now Ukrainians are in the spotlight

German police tasked with solving the mystery of the Nord Stream pipeline bombings have searched a flat near the Polish border and taken a DNA sample in the hope of tracing a Ukrainian suspect.

Investigators have yet to explain the three explosions at the bottom of the Baltic sea that tore apart Russia’s gas pipelines to Germany last September.

Russian anti-Putin partisans said they were conducting a raid on the town of Shebekino a little over four miles across the Ukrainian border in Belgorod province, the second partisan attack inside Russia in less than two weeks.

The Russian Volunteer Corps, based in Ukraine, said it had shelled the local Russian administrative building, while dramatic footage of a large block with multiple fires on the roof was posted in a local Telegram messenger channel.

US announces $300m arms package for Ukraine – with a caveat that weapons not be used in Russia

The United States has announced a new $300m arms package for Ukraine, including air defense systems and tens of millions of rounds of ammunition – but warned Kyiv that US weaponry should not be used to attack within Russia.

“We have been very clear with the Ukrainians privately – we’ve certainly been clear publicly – that we do not support attacks inside Russia. We do not enable and we do not encourage attacks inside Russia,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

A Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled mortar and supply truck were destroyed by Ukrainian/Pro-Ukrainian Russian forces in the vicinity of Shebekino, #Belgorod Oblast, #Russia. pic.twitter.com/OSFV6rc3Ff

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) June 1, 2023

Ukraine’s defence minister bypassed the Canadian government Wednesday and took his country’s plea for more sophisticated weapons directly to Canada’s defence manufacturers.

Through a video statement, Oleksiy Reznikov told the audience assembled for Canada’s largest defence exposition that his country has urgent military equipment needs that must be filled.

“Hence, we count on Canada’s long-term support in this area,” Reznikov told the Canadian Association of Defence and Security’s (CADSI) annual trade show (CANSEC).

The life of the occupiers in 18 seconds 😂 pic.twitter.com/YoMKlL1AWb

— MAKS 23 👀🇺🇦 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) May 31, 2023

Russian partisans who attacked Kremlin forces from Ukraine have “thousands” of applicants waiting to join their ranks and will continue raiding the border until their force is large enough to assault Moscow, their commander has told The Times.

“We have serious capabilities,” the commander of the Free Russia Legion, using the call sign Caesar, said. “We have mortars, armoured vehicles, stinger manpads, portable anti-tank systems and a highly effective drone reconnaissance unit.”

#Ukraine: A Russian MT-LB armored personnel carrier was destroyed by an artillery strike of the Ukrainian 40th Artillery Brigade in #Luhansk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/AtB7ehOdNf

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 30, 2023

A rare drone attack in Moscow has damaged several buildings in the Russian capital after another night of strikes on targets in Ukraine.

Despite being hundreds of miles from the front lines in Ukraine, residents in Moscow awoke this morning to the sound of explosions and air defence missile systems shot down several drones approaching the capital, according to Russian officials.

Rich Russians react angrily to military drones striking their neighborhood in Moscow this morning.

Many Russians are asking themselves “what have we done to deserve this?”

They are still clueless pic.twitter.com/dLK54lx9mg

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 30, 2023

Thousands of untrained troops are contacting a Ukrainian hotline for deserters and being guided to safety

On the morning of May 9, as President Vladimir Putin’s generals polished their medals for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, a Russian soldier called Ruslan cowered in a trench outside Bakhmut, surrounded by death.

Above him a Ukrainian drone hovered, while behind him Russian mortars prepared to strike if he dared fall back. His options were to fight, flee or surrender, and only one did not lead to oblivion.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied Ukraine has any designs on Vladimir Putin’s life but last week the deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence was much less circumspect. Vadym Skibitsky told the German newspaper Die Welt that the Russian president was at the top of its death list “because he co-ordinates and decides what happens”. A British intelligence source cautioned: “I wouldn’t assume it’s just bravado.” The cross-border raid into Russia a few days earlier — carried out by Russian pro-Kyiv forces but probably organised by Ukrainian military intelligence — was proof of their ambition and capabilities. He added: “They are willing to cross a lot of red lines.”

Under enemy fire, we enter the enemy's position. This is how we take control of the "green" and knock out the enemy from it.
This is four minutes of live combat with GoPro fighters of the 1st Assault Battalion. Only a small episode of one of the assault operations near #Bakhmut. pic.twitter.com/CLlE4dA8ZE

— Ukraine Front Lines (@EuromaidanPR) May 23, 2023

Zhenia’s unit of volunteers were outnumbered by five to one when the order came through to lay down their weapons and surrender to the invaders.

It was the beginning of a seven-month ordeal in Russian captivity, including physical and psychological torture.

Prisoners of war like Zhenia were supposed to be exempt from returning to battle under planned legislation, but just five months after his release, the 41-year-old is about to rejoin his brothers-in-arms in one of the hottest areas of the conflict.

Canadian military instructors say goodbye to Ukrainian Defenders returning home from training.

Thankful to @CanadianForces for giving our Heroes the skills and means to make Ukraine free again!

📹: _le.mark_ pic.twitter.com/NFEeaRcM7i

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 27, 2023

Blindingly fast and manoeuvrable, this new breed of weapon poses a tough challenge to defend – and they’re only just getting started

It was supposed to be the missile that no one could stop. The hypersonic “dagger” that Vladimir Putin could slip into Ukraine – and Nato’s – chest, like an assassin wielding a blade so fast that the lethal blow is just a blur. Dead before you know it.

But then this week Ukraine claimed to have destroyed half a dozen KH-47M2 Kinzhal “Dagger” missiles using anti-missile systems widely assumed to be Patriot batteries loaned to the country by America. Suddenly the assassin’s blade was apparently being parried, deflected and destroyed.

Russian most modern working tank T-90M tried to hide underground from Ukrainian drones but failed. 54th Brigade of Ukraine. Soledar-Siversk direction. https://t.co/NJuT62UH5o pic.twitter.com/Kvu6xlIzoH

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 26, 2023

MOSCOW — Parishioners have denounced Russian priests who advocated peace instead of victory in the war on Ukraine. Teachers lost their jobs after children tattled that they opposed the war. Neighbors who bore some trivial grudge for years have snitched on longtime foes. Workers rat on one another to their bosses or directly to the police or the Federal Security Service.

#Ukraine: A Russian D-20 152mm towed howitzer was destroyed by the Ukrainian army with a direct M982 Excalibur hit on the left bank of the Dnipro River, #Kherson Oblast. pic.twitter.com/ecIDxIzEli

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 27, 2023

Russia has summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Denmark and Sweden to protest a “complete lack of results” in a joint investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions last year.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused the three countries of dragging their feet and refusing to engage with Moscow.

“It has been noted that these countries are not interested in establishing the true circumstances of this sabotage. On the contrary, they are delaying their efforts and trying to conceal the tracks and the true perpetrators of the crime behind which we believe are well-known countries,” it said.

There’s absolutely no panic among the russians in Bilhorod (not Belgorod).
– Tell governor Gladkov that he’s a f…got, we’re being bombed here! What are you getting paid for?- calmly says the local woman while the men are opening the bomb shelter. pic.twitter.com/HbmjeOlVs4

— Operator Starsky (@StarskyUA) May 22, 2023

Russia has started moving nuclear weapons into Belarusian territory, President Lukashenko has said after the countries struck a deal today.

“The transfer of nuclear munitions has begun,” the Belarusian leader said in a video shared online, adding that it was “possible” the weapons had already arrived.

Moscow announced that it was sending tactical nuclear weapons to its neighbour in response to what it called a “sharp escalation” on its western border. An aide to President Zelensky of Ukraine said a counter-offensive against Russian forces had already begun.

Best news for today! Prisoner exchange went well, and 106 Ukrainian POWs returned home! #RussiaisATerroistState pic.twitter.com/RJTOdhX5IR

— Anna Filippova (@AnnaFil_Ukraine) May 25, 2023