Ukraine war latest: Kim Jong Un ‘oversees’ North Korean training after major losses

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that relations between Russia and China had reached a level never seen before, lauding their positive nature.

Russia and China were coordinating their actions on the international stage and would continue to do so, he added.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield in Ukraine and touted what he said was the invincibility of Russia’s new hypersonic missile.

Fielding questions on state TV during his annual question and answer session with Russians, Putin said Moscow’s forces were advancing along the whole of the battle front.

“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically… There is movement along the entire front line. Every day,” he said.

Western and Russian military analysts say Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since 2022, taking village after village and threatening strategically important cities such as Pokrovsk, a major road and rail hub. Those gains, however, have been measured in just tens of miles worth of advance.

“Our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day,” Putin said.

He said the fighting was complex, so it was “difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead… (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation.”

“Everyone is fighting, literally heroically. And they are fighting right now. Let us wish them all…good luck, victory and to return home,” he said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced he cannot say when his forces will retake the border region of Kursk partially controlled by Ukraine.

“We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can’t be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I cannot say right now,” he said.

Ukraine and the UK’s military chiefs have spoken over the phone about continued coordination, Kyiv has said.

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, posting on X, formerly Twitter, said he had spoken to his UK counterpart Admiral Sir Tony Radakin about future British support.

“Admiral Radakin assured of continued support for Ukraine, some aspects of which will be significantly increased in 2025,” he wrote.

A Russian missile attack damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in Ukraine‘s Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the Ukrainian military said on Thursday.

Russia used two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and a Kh-59/69 guided missile in its attack, the air force said.

The attack damaged infrastructure, two apartment buildings, a hospital, and a school in Dnipropetrovsk region, its governor Serhiy Lysak said. He said there were no casualties.

A missile attack on the northeastern Sumy region damaged nine private residences, regional authorities said without reporting any casualties.

Russia also used 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down, the air force added.

The Ukrainian air force said on Thursday that Russia launched 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down.

Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said.

The missile attack damaged apartment buildings and municipal property in Sumy and Dnirpopetrovsk regions, according to the statement.

The UK government has criticised Moscow’s “desperate rhetoric” after a senior ally of Vladimir Putin threatened The Times newspaper over its coverage of the assassination of a Russian general.

Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy security council chair, said journalists at The Times were “legitimate military targets” and should “be careful” as “anything goes in London”.

His comments followed a Times editorial in which the newspaper described the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov as “a legitimate act of defence” by Ukraine, which has claimed responsibility for the killing.

General Kirillov, who was in charge of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defence troops, was killed by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his Moscow apartment on Tuesday.

Asked about Mr Medvedev’s comments, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said they were “simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric coming out of Putin’s government”.

He added: “Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously.

“It’s the first duty of government to protect its citizens. That’s why we have world-leading intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies in the UK and we have made clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect the British public and defend the freedom of the press.”

Police in Russia have detained two suspects in the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov on Tuesday, reported Russian language independent newspaper Meduza relying on local news outlets.

Law enforcement agencies tracked down the suspects directly from the crime scene, where surveillance cameras recorded a couple of suspicious cars, reported Kommersant citing an unnamed official.

The reports do not mention the suspects identity, meaning it is unclear if they include the 29-year-old Uzbek national Russian authorities said they arrested on Wednesday.

According to the publication, the organisers of the crime recruited the perpetrators via instant messengers, providing them with a contact from the security service of Ukraine – which later claimed responsibility for the killing.

Russian Telegram channel 112 claims the suspects have already given testimony and told investigators about the organisers of the murder.

The UK has pledged a new £225m package of support for Ukraine after the defence secretary said the situation in the country is “critical”.

On a trip to Kyiv, John Healey said that the UK will “step up” on international leadership on Ukraine in 2025, after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer urged allies to maintain their support.

The package announced this morning involves £186m for military equipment through the International Fund for Ukraine, including £92m for Ukraine’s navy and £68m for air defence equipment.

The announcement comes after Mr Healey met with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and also includes £39m for counter-drone systems and protective equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Announcing the new funding, Mr Healey said: “Nearly three years after (Russian President Vladimir) Putin launched his illegal full-scale invasion, the depths of his miscalculation are clearer than ever, as the brave people of Ukraine continue to defy all expectations with their unbreakable spirit.

“But they cannot go it alone – which is why the UK will step up our international leadership on Ukraine throughout 2025.

“We will enhance our offer of training to Ukraine and provide battle-winning capabilities, such as the drones and munitions included in our new £225 million package today.”