Browsing: Russia-Ukraine crisis

The Kremlin has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced his long-time ally Sergei Shoigu as defence minister. Shoigu, who has held the position since 2012, will now serve as secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

At a joint press conference in Kyiv, President Zelensky said: “The Russian army is now trying to take advantage of a situation when we are waiting for supplies from our partners, especially from the United States of America.

Ukraine has begun using long-range ballistic missiles secretly provided by the US against invading Russian forces, American officials have confirmed. The weapons were part of a $300m aid package approved by Joe Biden in Match and arrived this month.

Seven people are dead in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region and Kharkiv in the northeast as Russian missile strikes hit. An attack that killed four in Odesa late on Wednesday coincided with the city’s liberation from the Nazis during WW2.