Ukraine war latest: Missiles hit Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih; Ukraine suffers ‘largest cyber attack in recent times’
Key points
- Overnight airstrikes in Kyiv and Kryvyi RihUkraine hit by ‘largest external cyber attack in recent times’Putin says war ‘changing dramatically’ in major speechAnd proposes ‘high-tech missile duel’ with US in KyivZelenskyy admits Ukraine unable to push Russian troops out of Crimea and eastAdam Parsons: We may be an inch nearer to a peace dealIvor Bennett: At Putin’s TV marathon the theme was: Vlad’ll Fix ItLive reporting by Mark Wyatt
08:09:49 Kyiv strikes were response to Ukrainian attack in Rostov, says Moscow
Russia’s defence ministry says this morning’s air strikes on Kyiv were in direct response to a previous attack from Ukraine on its southern Rostov region.
The ministry said Kyiv launched six US-made long-range ATACMs missiles and four British-made Storm Shadow missiles at Rostov on Wednesday.
In response, Moscow says it carried out strikes on a command post of Ukraine’s security service in Kyiv.
It said it targeted the Luch Design Bureau, a major Ukrainian developer of components for the defence industry.
The ministry added that the “strike targets” had been achieved and that “all objects have been hit”.
07:46:32 Moscow to press Trump for return of diplomatic properties
Donald Trump should prepare for the fact that Moscow will constantly “pester” Washington on the issue of returning Russia’s diplomatic properties, says the country’s deputy foreign minister.
Washington has seized several Russian buildings during the last decade, some in response to alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Two buildings in New York and Maryland used as holiday homes for diplomats and their families have been shut, as have the Russian consulates in San Francisco and Seattle.
Sergey Ryabkov told Russian newspaper Izvestia that the issue “cannot be closed” unless Moscow can ensure the return “of all unlawfully seized objects of diplomatic property”.
“We have worked on that, and we will keep working in the future. We remain focused on the issue, so the new administration should be prepared that we will constantly pester them in that regard.
“I don’t want to use this word, but this is exactly how it will look.”
Anatoly Antonov, former Russian ambassador to the United States, said this year that the issue of returning Russian diplomatic properties in the US has been “discussed at all levels”.
“However, Washington does not want to talk to us and limits itself to formal replies to Russian demands.”
07:15:01 ICYMI: Zelenskyy calls Putin a ‘scumbag’ over Kyiv comments
In case you missed it yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a determined response to hostile comments made by Vladimir Putin at an annual news conference in Moscow.
The Russian leader said he wanted to “strike somewhere in Kyiv” using a “new missile” and “see what happens”.
Responding to the comments, Zelenskyy said: “Do you think that’s a sane person? Simply scumbags.”
Watch the moment below…
06:51:01 In pictures: One dead as Kyiv hit by missile attack
Earlier, we reported on a missile attack that hit Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.
Reports on the ground said explosions were heard in the city at around 7am (5am UK time).
The attack has killed at least one person, the head of the city’s military administration said earlier.
We now have images from the aftermath of those strikes, showing damaged buildings and emergency services battling fires and clearing debris.
06:36:18 Russia conducted mass cyber attack on Ukraine’s state registries, deputy PM says
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister says Russia has carried out the largest external cyber attack in recent times on the country’s state registries.
The registries contain vital information about Ukrainian citizens such as births, deaths, marriages and property ownership.
“As a result of this targeted attack, the work of the unified and state registries, which are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, was temporarily suspended,” Olha Stefanishyna said.
She said it was clear the attack was “carried out by the Russians to disrupt the work of the country’s critically important infrastructure”.
Work to restore operations would require about two
weeks, but offices would be providing some services today, Ms Stefanishyna added.
“After restoration is completed, a thorough analysis of the attack will be conducted to increase protection against similar attacks in the future,” she said.
06:32:34 Strikes hit Kyiv and Zelenskyy’s home town overnight
Russian missiles have injured people and damaged buildings in the cities of Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih, officials say.
Two people were injured after explosions were reported in Ukraine’s capital this morning, according to Kyiv’s mayor and the head of its military administration.
The city’s air defences were engaged in repelling other missiles fired from Russia, according to the air force.
Elsewhere, in the southeastern city of Kryvyi Rih, a missile attack struck and badly damaged a two-storey building, injuring six people, according to officials.
The region’s governor Serhiy Lysak wrote on Telegram that a man and a teenage girl had been pulled from the rubble in Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown.
Mr Lysak said that the pair and another man had been hospitalised and were in a “moderate condition”.
More than 20 vehicles were also damaged in the attack, while patients had to be transferred from a nearby hospital.
06:16:50 Good morning – here’s the latest
Welcome back to our coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Here is a look at what has been happening over the last 24 hours:
- Vladimir Putin said he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities;The Russian leader also proposed “a high-tech duel” between Russia’s new hypersonic ballistic missile and US missile defence systems;Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the comments on missiles and said “simply scumbags”;South Korean politician, Lee Seong-kweun, said at least 100 North Korean troops have been killed and another 1,000 injured in combat against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region;The suspect in the killing of top Russian general Igor Kirillov was charged with an act of terrorism resulting in the death of a person;The UK announced a £225m package of military support for Ukraine;The head of Estonian foreign intelligence said NATO will need to contain Russia for the next 20 years.
22:55:04 We’re pausing our coverage
We’ll be back tomorrow morning with more updates on the war in Ukraine.
Here is an overview of the key lines from today:
- Vladimir Putin proposed “a high-tech duel” between Russia’s new hypersonic ballistic missile and US missile defence systems;He also said he planned to meet with ousted Syrian leader Bashar al Assad, in his first public comments on the subject;South Korean politician, Lee Seong-kweun, said at least 100 North Korean troops have been killed and another 1,000 injured in combat against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region;A Russian missile attack killed three people and wounded three more in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region;The suspect in the killing of top Russian general Igor Kirillov was charged with an act of terrorism resulting in the death of a person.
22:38:13 ‘Only Ukraine can define what peace means’
EU leaders have insisted that no decisions can be taken about the future of Ukraine without its consent.
“Only Ukraine as the aggressed country can legitimately define what peace means – and if and when the conditions are met for credible negotiations,” president of the European Council Antonio Costa said.
“So now is not the time to speculate about different scenarios.
“Now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios.”
On 20 January, Donald Trump returns to the White House, having promised to end the war in Ukraine quickly and talked up his relationship with Vladimir Putin.
Many Europeans are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine.
21:49:22 What has been happening with missiles?
We reported earlier on reports from Russia’s defence ministry that Ukraine had launched four British Storm Shadow missiles at Russia’s southern Rostov region yesterday (see post at 4.09pm).
The ministry said Ukraine launched six US-made long-range ATACMs missiles and four British-made Storm Shadow missiles.
Russian forces downed all of the ATACMS and three out of four of the Storm Shadows, the ministry said, adding that Moscow would respond to the attacks.
Here is a little background to this…
Ukraine began firing the Western missiles into Russia last month after getting permission from the US and Britain.
Russia, in response, launched a new hypersonic missile called the Oreshnik at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on 21 November.
Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ready to fire more Oreshniks, including at “decision-making centres” in Kyiv, if Ukraine keeps using the U.S. and British weapons to hit Russia.
Putin has touted his new missile as an invincible weapon.
Today, he also floated the idea of a “high-tech duel” in which Russia would fire Oreshniks at Kyiv and Ukraine would try to shoot them down with Western-supplied anti-missile defences.