Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin could face ‘moment of truth’ over huge battlefield losses, warns thinktank

Russia has reportedly decided on a time frame to block the Telegram messaging app, potentially by April.

The RBC news outlet is reporting that within months, Telegram will only be available on the frontlines.

The issue has been subject of debate as Russia argues it has been used as a platform for illegal content.

Telegram says Russia is trying to throttle it to force people onto a new state-run app.

The first Ukrainian drone production factory started operations in Suffolk on Wednesday, in a boost for Britain’s defence industry.

Ukrainian firm Ukrspecsystems has invested £200m into sites in Mildenhall and Elmsett, and is expected to create up to 500 British jobs at the locations and the wider UK supply chain.

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Volodymyr Zelensky said this morning that Russia had fired 420 drones and 39 missiles at Ukraine overnight.

“Destruction has been recorded in eight regions, with many private homes and apartment buildings damaged,” he wrote on social media.

At least 26 people were injured, according to local reports.

The UK would support a maritime ban on firms insuring Russian oil, a British diplomat said on Wednesday.

Esther Blythe, deputy director for Russia and Belarus sanctions at the Foreign Office, told the House of Commons Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security: “We would support moving to a full maritime services ban on Russian crude oil and refined oil products, working with international partners. We continue to discuss that with Europeans.”

The EU proposed a full maritime services ban for Russian crude as part of the 20th sanctions package.

Trade and Business Committee Chair Liam Byrne said he understood that “our American colleagues are not quite there yet.”

Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev has arrived in Geneva, the Russian RIA news agency is reporting.

US and Ukrainian delegations met today without Russia. The next trilateral talks are expected in March.

RIA said Dmitriev arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva at 4.25pm local time and is expected to hold talks with the US side only.

Russia has reportedly decided on a time frame to block the Telegram messaging app, potentially by April.

The RBC news outlet is reporting that within months, Telegram will only be available on the frontlines.

The issue has been subject of debate as Russia argues it has been used as a platform for illegal content.

Telegram says Russia is trying to throttle it to force people onto a new state-run app.

Russian troops have described the harrowing moments they saw their fellow soldiers executed for refusing to obey orders.

The men report being tortured for declining to take part in assaults they describe as verging on suicide missions in Ukraine in a new BBC documentary, The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War.

As the war enters its fifth year, the UK Ministry of Defence estimates that 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed or injured.

Russia said on Thursday that only a “madman” could propose a permanent ban on oil imports from Russia, as planned by the EU.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that Russia would retaliate against an EU decision to cut its diplomatic representation in Brussels, and said the move showed the bloc did not deserve to take part in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.