Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy pleads with allies for help after deadly Russian strikes (2024)

Key points
  • Russia unleashes missile and drone barrage across Ukraine
  • At least three dead as 15 regions hit - with explosions heard in Kyiv
  • Zelenskyy pleads with allies for help - as Kremlin issues warning
  • Catch-up:What you need to know this morning
  • Watch:Who are Ukraine's secret resistance?
  • Your questions answered:Can Ukraine advance further inside Russia?
  • Live reporting by Faith Ridler

10:44:11

Zelenskyy responds to Russian strikes - as Kremlin appears to rule out ceasefire talks

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just responded to this morning's barrage of Russian strikes on his country.

He says more than 100 missiles have been used, and around 100 drones, and has called upon Western allies to provide air defence resources.

Earlier, his chief of staff asked them to allow long-range use of their weapons on targets inside Russia.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also wants his country's allies to help shoot down Russian drones and missiles that veer close to their airspace (see 9.34 post)

Moscow has targeted 15 regions of Ukraine this morning, including Kyiv, where people have been sheltering in underground metro stations after explosions were heard.

Mr Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram there was "a lot of damage in the energy sector".

Kremlin: Ceasefire talks have 'lost relevance'

The Kremlin, meanwhile, has said the attacks were targeting energy infrastructure vital to Ukraine's war effort.

It also said any prospect of ceasefire talks with Kyiv had "lost its relevance" and warned of further response to the incursion into Kursk.

12:30:01

In pictures: People shelter in metro station

Hundreds of people have taken cover in an underground metro station today as Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones at the Ukrainian capital.

People in Kyiv were photographed sitting on stairs inside the stations, waiting for the all clear as missiles hit energy and water infrastructure sites in the city.

Russia has admitted to the strikes on Ukraine today, claiming it was targeting sites linked to the Ukrainian military.

12:05:24

'Military object' entered Polish airspace today

A "military object" entered Polish airspace during the Russian attack on Ukraine this morning, reports have claimed.

It comes amid the largest Russian strike on Ukraine in weeks, with Moscow targeting energy infrastructure in three regions.

The Polish state news agency, PAP, reported that searches for the object, which was not amissile, are under way.

12:00:01

Exclusive: How the covert Ukrainian resistance movement is operating behind Russian lines

By Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor

One of the most secret weapons to combat Russia's invasion of Ukraine has started to raise its profile.

A new video posted on social media seeks to promote the covert activities of a network of*ckrainiancivilians, living - and fighting - behindRussianlines.

Run by the Ukrainian special forces, this resistance movement is growing, according to its commander, who said any adult - old, young, male, female - can join.

They just need to be loyal to Ukraine - and brave.

11:30:01

British citizen found dead after 'Russian missile strike' in eastern Ukraine

A British citizen - who was working for Reuters - has been found dead after a suspected Russian airstrike in eastern Ukraine, the news agency confirmed.

Ryan Evans, who was a safety advisor for the news agency, was found dead under the rubble of Hotel Sapphire in the eastern city of Kramatorsk - which is under Ukrainian control but near the front line - on Sunday.

Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces struck the hotel in the eastern Donetsk region. Russia has not yet commented.

In a statement, Reuters said: "We are devastated to learn that Reuters safety advisor Ryan Evans, who was with our reporting team inUkraine, has been killed.

"Ryan was part of a Reuters crew staying at Hotel Sapphire in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, when it was hit in a missile strike on Saturday, August 24, 2024.'

11:00:01

Who are Ukraine's secret resistance?

A new video posted on social media seeks to promote the covert activities of a network of Ukrainian civilians, living - and fighting - behind Russian lines.

Run by the Ukrainian special forces, this resistance movement is growing, according to its commander, who said any adult - old, young, male, female - can join.

Below, Sky News explains more...

10:30:01

What you need to know this morning

It's already been a busy morning of news from Ukraine, which has reported a significant drone and missile attack across the country.

Three people have been reported dead.

If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:

  • Russian forces unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage on Ukraine early on Monday;
  • At least three people were reported killed in the attack, which appeared to target energy infrastructure;
  • The attack began at around midnight and continued after dawn in what appeared to be Russia's biggest attack against Ukraine in weeks;
  • According to the Ukrainian air force, there were multiple groups of Russian drones moving towards eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of Ukraine, followed by multiple cruise and ballistic missiles;
  • Explosions were heard in the capital, Kyiv, and power and water supplies in the city have been disrupted, the city's mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, said;
  • Ihor Polishchuk, mayor of Ukraine's western city of Lutsk, said a multi-storey residential building and an unspecified infrastructure object were hit and one person was killed;
  • Another person was killed in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where the attack sparked multiple fires, regional head Serhii Lysak said;
  • One person was also killed in the south-eastern, partially occupied region of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

10:26:18

Russia confirms wave of attacks on Ukraine

The Russian military has said it used high-precision weapons to strike energy infrastructure in Ukraine this morning.

Moscow claimed these sites support the Ukrainian military.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has said it shot down around 15 missiles and drones that were targeting Kyiv earlier on Monday.

10:00:01

Your questions answered: Can Ukraine advance further inside Russia?

Ukraine does not appear to be letting up on its surprise invasion of the Kursk border region in Russia which began earlier this month.

Readers have been sending in their questions to our senior correspondents and military experts for their take on what could happen next.

Today, Justice asks:

Will Ukraine be able to advance more inside Russia?

Military analystSean Bellsays this…

Ukraine's audacious military incursion into Russia's Kursk region - the first such action by a military power since 1941 - appears to have caught Vladimir Putin by surprise.

Although it is unclear what Ukraine is ultimately seeking to achieve, it has stated it does not intend to "hold" ground, so its current occupation is temporary.

But what next? If Ukraine had planned to push further into Russia it would probably not have blown three key bridges across the Siem river which would have been vital to its further plans.

What's the goal?

Instead, it looks likely Ukraine was seeking to seize the initiative, to demonstrate Russia is not in control of the war, and to force Moscow to respond to the attack by transferring forces from the frontline in the Donbas, thus relieving pressure on embattled Ukrainian forces.

Destroying the bridges would make it more difficult for Russia to counterattack and expel Ukrainian forces.

Although Ukraine could push further into Russia, it would create an increasing logistics challenge to keep those forces resupplied, and also divert scarce resources from the front line.

Militarily the incursion into Kursk might appear risky, but it is probably designed to apply political pressure on Mr Putin, albeit we have yet to see whether the military or political objective prevails.

09:34:20

Ukraine urges Western allies to permit use of long-range weapons on Russia

A top Ukrainian official is calling on allies to allow long-range attacks on Russia with Western-supplied weapons in the wake of today's strikes.

Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Ukraine this morning, in one of the largest attacks on the country in weeks.

At least three people have been reported dead, with energy infrastructure allegedly targeted in three Ukrainian regions.

There have also been reports of disruption to water supply in Kyiv.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, has asked Western allies to allow long-range use of their weapons.

So far in the war with Russia, this has not been permitted.

Mr Yermak said: "Such a decision will accelerate the end of Russian terror."

Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has also asked Ukraine's allies to go further, calling on them to help shoot down Russian drones and missiles over Ukrainian territory that veer close to their airspace.

Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy pleads with allies for help after deadly Russian strikes (2024)

FAQs

What was Ukraine called before? ›

From the 18th century on, Ukraine became known in the Russian Empire by the geographic term Little Russia. In the 1830s, Mykola Kostomarov and his Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Kyiv started to use the name Ukrainians.

Why is Russia fighting with Ukraine? ›

The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas War. These first eight years of conflict also included naval incidents and cyberwarfare.

Has Russia and Ukraine war been going on for the last seven months? ›

Russia and Ukraine war has been going on for the last seven months. Different countries have taken independent stands and actions keeping in view their own national interests. We are all aware that war has its own impact on the different aspects of society, including human tragedy.

When did Ukraine invade Russia in 2024? ›

After small but steady gains for Russia in eastern Ukraine in the first half of 2024, Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast in August of that year.

What was Russia called before Russia? ›

Before and during its membership in the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1992, Russia went by the long name Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, RSFSR for short, often called Bolshevik Russia while it was independent, or the Russian Soviet republic afterwards.

What does Ukraine mean in English? ›

The name of Ukraine is frequently interpreted as coming from the old Slavic term for 'borderland' as is the word krajina. Another interpretation is that the name of Ukraine means "region" or "country."

What language is spoken in Ukraine? ›

The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, a Slavic language, which is spoken regularly by 88% of Ukraine's population at home in their personal life, and as high as 87% at work or study. It is followed by Russian which is spoken by 34% in their personal life.

How many people died in the Ukraine war in 2024? ›

Civilian deaths

By 31 July 2024, OHCHR had recorded 35,160 civilian casualties in Ukraine since February 24, 2022: 11,520 killed and 23,640 injured, but said they believe the real number is higher.

How much artillery does Russia have left? ›

Russia has staggering amounts of artillery, both in the field and in reserve. A February 2024 report from RUSI estimated that Russia had just under 5,000 artillery pieces in the field, of which about 1,000 are self-propelled guns on tracked vehicles, the rest being old-fashioned towed artillery.

Did Ukraine join NATO? ›

Ukraine-NATO ties gradually strengthened during the 1990s and 2000s, and Ukraine aimed to eventually join the alliance. Although co-operating with NATO, Ukraine remained a neutral country.

How long do wars usually last? ›

Wars that end within a month last on average eight days, and 44 percent end in a ceasefire or peace agreement. Of wars that last over a month but less than a year, only 24 percent end in a ceasefire. When interstate wars last longer than a year, they extend to over a decade on average, resulting in sporadic clashes.

How long is Ukraine in miles? ›

Total Area and Population Size of Ukraine

Altogether, the square mileage comes to a sum of 233,031 square miles. As a country divided into twenty-four oblasts, two municipalities, and one autonomous republic, Ukraine is 784.93 miles wide and 346.4 miles long.

How much territory has Ukraine taken from Russia? ›

By 11 November 2022, the Institute for the Study of War calculated that Ukrainian forces had liberated an area of 74,443 km2 (28,743 sq mi) from Russian occupation, leaving Russia with control of about 18% of Ukraine's territory.

How many tanks does Russia have left? ›

The IISS Military Balance 2024 report says Russia has around 1,750 tanks of various types—including more than 200 of the T-90 variety—remaining, with up to 4,000 tanks in storage.

What parts of Ukraine does Russia control? ›

Russia occupies Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolayiv, and Zaporizhzhya Oblasts. The amount of Ukrainian territory Russia occupied shifted during the year.

Was Ukraine ever part of Russia or USSR? ›

Eventually, the Red Army ended up controlling much of the Ukrainian territory after the Polish-Soviet Peace of Riga. On 30 December 1922, along with the Russian, Byelorussian and Transcaucasian republics, the Ukrainian SSR became one of the founding members of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

When was Ukraine called Little Russia? ›

The term was adopted in the 17th century by the Tsardom of Russia to refer to the Cossack Hetmanate of Left-bank Ukraine, when the latter fell under Russian protection after the Treaty of Pereyaslav (1654).

Who did Crimea originally belong to? ›

The autonomous republic was dissolved in 1945, and Crimea became an oblast of the Russian SFSR. It was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954, on the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Pereyaslav.

Do Ruthenians still exist? ›

Modern Ruthenia

Today, the term Rusyn is used to describe the ethnicity and language of Ruthenians, who are not compelled to adopt the Ukrainian national identity. Carpathian Ruthenia (Hungarian: Kárpátalja, Ukrainian: Закарпаття, romanized: Zakarpattia) became part of the newly founded Hungarian Kingdom in 1000.

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