Russia and China have put on a united front as the country’s leaders met in Beijing ahead of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, with the two looking to present themselves as a counterweight to the US and its allies. China said it supported Russia’s demands for security guarantees from the West, as both countries called
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US intelligence accusing Russia of planning a fake attack to justify an invasion of Ukraine is “shocking evidence of Moscow’s aggression”, Liz Truss has warned. The foreign secretary tweeted: “This is clear and shocking evidence of Russia’s unprovoked aggression and underhand activity to destabilise Ukraine. “This bellicose intent towards a sovereign democratic country is completely
US special forces have killed the leader of Islamic State during a raid in Syria. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was among 13 people who died in a two-hour gun battle at a house in the rebel-held province of Idlib. There were no US military casualties. “I will deliver remarks to the American people later this
Boris Johnson must encourage the EU and Joe Biden to provide aid for Afghanistan to prevent a “needless loss of lives”, Gordon Brown has said. The former prime minister was speaking after viewing a Sky News report from the Taliban-run country, showing “malnourished, horribly weak” children and a toddler who had frozen to death. Multiple
Satellite images reveal a build-up of Russia’s military presence in Crimea and western Russia as tensions continue to rise with Ukraine. The pictures show an increase in tents designed to accommodate troops at a number of Russian bases. Previous satellite images have shown that Russia has been deploying large equipment, such as military vehicles, to
Boris Johnson has urged Russia to “step back” from any military action against Ukraine, pledging that the UK “stands shoulder to shoulder” with Kyiv. During a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the prime minister said a Russian invasion would be a “political and humanitarian disaster” and a “military disaster as well”. A series
The foreign secretary has announced new legislation which could be used to toughen the UK’s sanctions in response to the massing of Russian troops at Ukraine’s border amid fears of an invasion. Liz Truss said it means a much broader range of oligarchs and businesses could be sanctioned because of their significance to the Kremlin.
On 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup. Many democratically elected politicians including the country’s de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and President U Win Myint were detained. Others fled or were forced into hiding. The military regime said concerns of widespread electoral fraud in the 2020 vote was the reason it
A British woman found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus has won her appeal to overturn the conviction at the country’s Supreme Court, her lawyers said. The then 19-year-old, from Derby, was given a suspended four-month jail term in 2020 after a judge found her guilty of public mischief following a trial. The
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone starts with a checkpoint and souvenir wagons. You can buy Chernobyl condoms that glow in the dark, keyrings and t-shirts. “Visit Chernobyl, die later” was the slogan on one. We had to set off early through driving snow from Kyiv, but despite the weather, the drive took little more than a
The UK is preparing to send a “clear message to the Kremlin” by deploying troops across Europe – as NATO hopes to prevent Russia from “choosing a path of bloodshed and destruction” by invading Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered the armed forces to prepare for the major military deployment, which will strengthen Europe’s
Boris Johnson will step up his presence in the Russia-Ukraine crisis by holding a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting the region “in the coming days”. The prime minister will “ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed” between the two former Soviet states and is determined to “accelerate diplomatic efforts” during the trip, a
The five children are all now orphans – and still very much in shock when we meet them. Their two-roomed home is silent apart from their weeping which is interspersed with stunned silences. Propped up in front of them is a photograph of their mother who was killed in a car bomb a few days
Anastasiia Bezpalko’s most popular TikTok video is a guide on what to pack to be prepared if war breaks out in Ukraine. Filmed in her living room, the 19-year-old runs through how to make the perfect emergency survival bag. Image: The 19-year-old’s TikTok video sets out to answer ‘What is a bug-out bag and what
Britain’s cyber security centre has urged UK organisations to check their cyber defences because of concern about the potential for new Russian cyber attacks linked to tensions with Ukraine. The public-facing arm of the spy agency GCHQ encouraged everyone to read new guidance published on its website entitled: “Actions to take when the cyber threat
The mayor of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has told Sky News he is “very worried” about the situation with Russia and expressed concern that the West may not be united in its support of Ukraine. Vitali Klitschko, a previous world heavyweight boxing champion, criticised Germany for supplying Ukraine with 5,000 military helmets while stopping short of