Russia-Ukraine war live: Detention of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich extended by Russia
Opening summary
Good morning, it is currently 10.30am in Kyiv and 11.30am in Moscow. Welcome to the Guardian’s real-time coverage of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian navy is claiming a strategic triumph after successfully targeting the Konstantin Olshansky landing ship, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014, with a missile.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated, “At present, this ship is no longer operational.”
In 2014, Russia took possession of the Konstantin Olshansky, along with the majority of Ukraine’s naval fleet, during its invasion of the Crimean peninsula.
“The ship had undergone renovations and was being readied for use against Ukraine, so unfortunately the decision was made to target it,” Pletenchuk added.
The vessel, constructed in 1985, was transferred to the Ukrainian navy in 1996 as part of the division of the Soviet Union’s naval fleet, as indicated by the Kyiv Independent.
Here are other recent developments:
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Investigations are ongoing into Friday evening’s devastating terrorist attack at the Crocus city hall in Moscow, which resulted in the deaths of at least 139 people. Four suspects have already been brought before the court with visible signs of torture. Overnight, news wire services reported that Russian investigators were questioning the families of the men in Tajikistan. This Central Asian country has long grappled with an extremist Islamist insurgency. Despite Islamic State claiming responsibility for the attack, Vladimir Putin continues to suggest a Ukrainian connection. He stated on Monday night, “This atrocity may be just one part of a broader series of attempts by those who have been at war with our country since 2014, at the hands of the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime.” No evidence supporting Ukraine’s involvement has been provided.
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Finland and Sweden believe that further EU sanctions against Russia are necessary, according to Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen.
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Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down all 12 attack drones launched by Russia overnight over the southern Mykolaiv and eastern Kharkiv regions of the country.
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declared that any global peace summit on Ukraine that excludes Russia is “absurd” and doomed to fail. In an interview published on Tuesday, Peskov stated, “Can the Ukrainian issue be resolved without Russia’s involvement? The answer is clear—it cannot be.” He added, “Ukraine has been transformed into a tool in the hands of the collective West, which aims to exert more pressure on Russia, restrain Russia, and marginalize its development. And, if they succeed, to finish it off.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for an international peace summit, and earlier this year, Switzerland volunteered to host the event.
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Iceland has announced its participation in the Czech initiative, which seeks to supply at least 800,000 shells gathered from various parts of the world, in addition to existing EU commitments.
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