Moscow has claimed it has hit a cargo ship in the Black Sea hours after Ukraine called for a “diplomatic” solution to escalating strikes.
Russia’s defence ministry said it had hit the vessel on Monday afternoon shortly after Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would strengthen its air defences in the Black Sea.
Ukraine has accused Vladimir Putin of scaling up strikes in the region in a bid to curb Kyiv’s export abilities.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Ukrainian president said his forces will also strengthen air defences in the region, saying there is “no total blockade” but that there had been an attempt to cut exports off by Russia.
It comes after UK prime minister Andy Burnham praised Ukraine for “keeping the flame of European freedom alive”, comparing it to Britain’s pivotal role in World War II.
Burnham is set to give Ukraine blueprints for the British Storm Shadow long-range missile, a move expected to give the war-ravaged nation an advantage in striking military targets deep inside Russian territory.
In depth: The grandmothers of Odesa caring for Ukraine’s stray animals
In southern Ukraine, two elderly women look after dozens of animals through nights of heavy shelling and power loss. Bryony Gooch speaks to the brave people caring for the cats among the debris.
Nicole Wootton-Cane25 August 2026 01:00
Russians ‘withdraw billions from banks over fears Putin will seize deposits for war’
Russian citizens are withdrawing billions of roubles from the country’s banks over fears that the Kremlin could seize deposits to fund the war in Ukraine.
Analysts say fears that the Kremlin could confiscate private savings to bankroll the conflict have triggered widespread panic, with more than 286.4bn roubles (£2.5bn) pulled from Russian banks during the first two weeks of August alone.
A staggering £5.3bn was reported to have been withdrawn in July on top of a further £3.32bn in June, according to Central Bank data.
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Nicole Wootton-Cane25 August 2026 00:00
Here’s why the UK-Ukraine drone partnership is worth risking Putin’s wrath
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 23:01
In focus: ‘Putin has repeatedly threatened the UK and Nato over Ukraine – but he is too weak to follow through’
Putin’s posturing is a poor attempt to scare off broader Western support for Kyiv, say experts. Suha Kidwai reports.
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 22:00
Watch: Andy Burnham arrives in Ukraine for independence day
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 21:00
Recap: Zelensky vows revenge after Russian double-tap strike on shopping mall in his hometown kills 16
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to retaliate after a double-tap drone strike on his hometown killed 16 people.
Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the wreckage of a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, which was hit twice by Russia on Friday.
More than 130 people were wounded in the daytime attack carried out in two waves, with the second strike targeting emergency workers at the scene of the first.
Zelensky called the attacks an “act of barbarism”, claiming the “absolutely cynical and despicable” second strike was a deliberate attempt to target emergency services.
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Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 20:00
Former Pussy Riot member reveals she was recruited by Russia’s security service to spy on activists
A former member of Russian protest group Pussy Riot has revealed she was recruited to join Russia’s security service to inform on other activists.
Margarita Konovalova, one of the 15 women who started the feminist collective in 2011, was jailed in 2020 for staging an anti-police brutality protest near the Kremlin. The group became known for their criticism of Vladimir Putin and wearing colourful balaclavas during stunts.
But Konovalova has now admitted she spent the last three years passing information on artists and anti-war activists to the FSB security service, fearing that her relatives would be killed otherwise, The Insider reported.
She was required to gather information about persons of interest - their social circles, relatives, habits, and vulnerabilities, including drug use, infidelity, and mental state to be used as blackmail - but she claimed that she tried to sabotage the cases.
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Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 19:30
‘Who started the fire?’ Burnham challenges Putin on first trip to Ukraine as UK-Russia tensions grow
Prime minister Andy Burnham has hit out at President Vladimir Putin during his first state visit to Kyiv, amid mounting tensions between Russia and the UK.
The British leader chaired his first meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing to emphasise Britain’s continued support for Ukraine through the provision of long-range missile blueprints.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the move would add “fuel to the fire” and “prevent any progress in the peace process”.
“Who started the fire? That’s the question isn’t it?” Burnham hit back in an address to Ukraine’s European allies on Monday.
You can read the full report below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 19:00
In pictures: Andy Burnham visits Ukraine as he pledges UK support
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 18:00
Russian forces hit cargo ship in Black Sea port as strikes intensify
Russian forces struck a cargo vessel in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday, Russia's Defence Ministry said.
The ministry did not identify the vessel but said it had delivered what it described as a military cargo.
Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
Nicole Wootton-Cane24 August 2026 17:45
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