World

Russian forces are now in control of around 70% of Severodonetsk and heavy fighting is ongoing in the eastern Ukrainian city, the regional governor has told Sky News. Speaking from a secret location inside the Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Hayday admitted victory in the city would be a big morale boost for Russia, but he played

Russian troops are slowly advancing towards the centre of the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, a regional governor has said, with British intelligence warning “gains are being held”. Ukrainian soldiers are fighting to retain control of the city, but the evacuation of civilians is not currently possible, the head of the city’s administration added. “The city

We’re deep in the Ukrainian forest, hidden by a thick canopy of trees and foliage. We’ve been given rare access to one of the country’s most valuable military assets in action in this brutal war. The Ukrainian soldiers from the 93rd Brigade, who we’re with, are awaiting their orders. Kremlin hits back at rumours Vladimir

The culture secretary has called on UEFA to launch a formal investigation into violent scenes in Paris that delayed the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. The size of the crowd outside the Stade de France on Saturday evening appeared to overwhelm security, with many supporters waiting outside for hours, while others were

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited troops on the frontline in the northeastern region of Kharkiv in his first official appearance outside of Kyiv since the start of Russia’s invasion. “You risk your lives for us all and for our country,” he told the soldiers, according to the president’s office website. Mr Zelenskyy also handed

Liverpool FC has called for an investigation following the violence used against its fans before the Champions League final on Saturday night. Security at the Stade de France in Paris appeared to have been overwhelmed by the size of the crowd, leaving many fans waiting outside the ground for hours, with some not being allowed

Dramatic video footage has shown the son of a Tory MP fighting in Ukraine – including an attack on a Russian troop carrier and the rescue of a wounded comrade. Ben Grant is heard screaming “We’ve got to move now or we’re gonna die!” as he and his band of foreign fighters help drag one

Ukrainian forces may have to retreat in Luhansk to avoid being captured, the region’s governor has said. Serhiy Gaidai said Russian troops have entered Severodonetsk, the largest Donbas city still in Ukrainian hands. Some 90% of the city’s buildings are damaged, he said, adding: “The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in

The mass graves in the city of Lysychansk are an indication of the slaughter that’s gone on in the Donbas. And the long freshly-dug, empty trenches are testament to where locals fear the war is headed in eastern Ukraine – and what terrors are yet to come. The deaths are mounting up, the Russian troops

Shelling has intensified in the city of Severodonetsk – one of the few parts of the Luhansk region in Donbas that is still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces are attacking from three sides in an effort to encircle the city and neighbouring Lysychansk, knowing that if they fall, nearly all of Luhansk will be

The president of the World Bank has warned that the war in Ukraine could spark a global recession. David Malpass pointed to the conflict’s role in pushing up food and energy prices. He said Germany’s economy, the world’s fourth largest, has already slowed significantly due to higher energy prices. The war has also led to

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet armed forces personnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina to re-affirm the UK’s commitment to peace and stability in the western Balkans. Ms Truss will warn against “appeasement” of Vladimir Putin in the face of malign Russian influence in the region as the war with Ukraine continues. She will use a

Kate Moss has said Johnny Depp “never” pushed her down any stairs, contrary to rumours discussed by Amber Heard during the US defamation trial. The British supermodel said the actor, who she was in a relationship from 1994 to 1998, had not “pushed, kicked or threw me” down any stairs while they were together. She

One of the most difficult aspects of the Ukraine war for many people in the West to understand is why it’s even happening in the first place. Why would anyone want to cause so much death and destruction? So, much of the focus has been on the personality of Russia‘s president, Vladimir Putin. Sky News has

The savage heatwave that has scorched India and Pakistan in recent months was made more likely by climate change and is a harbinger of the region’s future, scientists have said in a new study. Parts of the region have long suffered gruelling summers, but this year temperatures even in parts of northern India soared to

A Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to murdering an unarmed 62-year-old civilian has been sentenced to life in prison in the first war crimes trial of the conflict. Sergeant Vadim Shishimarin was accused of shooting an unarmed resident through an open car window in the village of Chupakhivka. The 21-year-old Russian tank commander pleaded guilty

President Joe Biden has said that the US would intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan. “That’s the commitment we made,” Mr Biden told reporters at a press conference in Tokyo. The remarks seem to be a departure from the US’s longstanding policy of “strategic ambiguity” in its response to a potential Chinese invasion. Washington must

Startling new figures from the UN show the war in Ukraine has displaced more than eight million people. And they reveal that more than six million refugee movements from Ukraine have been registered. According to new data from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations

Ukraine has ruled out agreeing to a ceasefire with Russia – and said it will not accept any deal with Moscow that involves giving up territory. It came as Russia intensified its offensive in the eastern Donbas region and as fears grew for the Ukrainian fighters who became prisoners at the end of the brutal

Carpet bombing is indiscriminate – devastatingly destructive and utterly random. But if you’re an advancing army, it’s a deadly and effective tactic, and it’s being used mercilessly against the townspeople of Soledar. The town in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas has seen its topography alter dramatically in the last 72 hours as the Russians intensify their assault