Warren Murray

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

Vladimir Putin’s economy minister has warned that Russia is “on the verge” of recession as he spoke on the second day of a signature event meant to bolster economic confidence. The minister, Maxim Reshetnikov, said at the St Petersburg economic forum that his view was based on “current business sentiment and indicators” pointing to a slowdown. “Everything else depends on our decisions,” Reshetnikov said, calling for the central bank to show a “little love for the economy”.

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was ready to meet with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy but only during a “final phase” of negotiations “so as not to sit there and divide things up endlessly, but to put an end to it”. Putin made his customary false accusation that Zelenskyy is not Ukraine’s legitimate president.

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

North Korea will send “a division of builders, two military brigades – 5,000 people” as well as 1,000 demining personnel to the Kursk region, according to Russian news agencies quoting Vladimir Putin’s security council chief, Sergei Shoigu, who was visiting Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Out of 10,000 North Korean soldiers already sent to fight against Ukraine there have been 6,000 casualties, the British defence ministry said this week.

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

A mass drone attack struck several districts of Kyiv early on Tuesday, causing injuries and damage, said officials in the Ukrainian capital. “Enemy drones are coming over the city from three directions. There is also the danger of missiles,” posted the mayor, Vitali Klitschko. One strike damaged the top floor of an apartment block and non-residential areas in the Solomianskyi district near the city centre, putting six out of the 11 injured in hospital.

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

Ukraine’s military said on Sunday it had attacked a Russian drone factory in the city of Yelabuga in Russia’s Tatarstan region. The target is around 1,000km from Ukraine. The Ukrainian military general staff said the factory produced, tested, and launched drones at Ukraine, in particular against energy and civil infrastructure. Videos on social media showed an explosion said to be at the factory in Yelabuga, also known as Alabuga, which builds Iranian-designed Shahed drones.