Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin strikes civilian ship near Black Sea port after threatening ‘powerful’ attacks

Russia launched a fresh wave of attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, sparking fires in parts of the city, officials said, as the air alert was sounded in the early hours today. Tymur Tkachenko, head ​of ⁠the capital's military administration, ‌said two storage areas were hit and set on fire in the ‌Holosiivskyi district just outside ‌the city centre. Six people were injured elsewhere in a town outside Kharkiv, its regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The attacks came just hours after Russian president Vladimir Putin vowed emphatic retaliation to Kyiv's recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages. “Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists yesterday. Alex Croft14 July 2026 10:01Moscow may divert cargo from vessels in Sea of Azov after Ukrainian attacks Moscow has said it it may divert cargo that was carried by cargo vessels via the Sea of Azov to other modes of transport on other routes due to increased Ukrainian attacks. Russia is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of vessels in the Sea of Azov, the Transport Ministry said. Alex Croft14 July 2026 09:29Ukrainian drones strike11 vessels in Sea of Azov Ukrainian drones hit 11 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, Kyiv's drone forces commander said on Tuesday. In a statement on Telegram, Robert Brovdi said the targets included five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and a tugboat, bringing the total number of vessels struck in the past nine days to 116. Alex Croft14 July 2026 09:01Putin shows no signs of Russia backing down in attacks on Ukraine Russian president Vladimir Putin was unyielding, as he vowed emphatic retaliation yesterday to Kyiv's recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages. “Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists. European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels where they discussed Ukraine’s needs and Russia’s threats to the continent. Volodymyr Zelensky is keen to accelerate efforts with European countries to develop its air defences ahead of winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water. Ukrainian officials were in Paris to present a proposed Anti-Ballistic Program and meet with government leaders, national security advisers and defence companies who might take part, Zelensky said. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 08:22Peace in Ukraine unlikely to be reached soon, Polish PM says Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says it seemed very unlikely that peace in Ukraine would ⁠be reached soon and he expected Russia to extend the conflict at least until the winter. "These will ‌be exercises that ⁠prepare the entire coalition (of the willing) ⁠gathered today in Paris for such real security guarantees ‌for Ukraine, ​but also for ‌the region," he said this morning. Tusk said he had discussed the situation with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. “At this point, it seems unlikely that ⁠a ceasefire or peace agreement will be ​reached ⁠in the near ‌future, given the rigid stance of Russia and Putin,” Tusk told journalists in Paris. “Everyone expects an escalation of actions from Russia at this time, and it's quite likely that Russia will want to prolong this war at least until the winter,” he said. Tusk said Poland would host military exercises with French and British troops in the autumn so that they can be prepared to ensure security for Ukraine and the ‌region after a peace agreement or ​ceasefire is eventually reached. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 08:16Zelensky says Ukraine will need 300 Patriots in winter to face Russia's aggression Volodymyr Zelensky has said war-hit Ukraine will need at least 300 Patriot missile interceptors to get through the next winter. His request came as Ukraine and nine other countries announced they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilising Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years. “We need to start preparing for next winter now. Of course, we are doing everything we can to push Russia toward diplomacy. And this is already the most difficult summer for Russia,” Zelensky said at the summit yesterday in Paris. Ukraine can strengthen its overall position by securing a sufficient “winter package of air defence missiles,” he said. “If we have enough protection for the winter, Russia will have far less reason to drag the war into the winter. We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month – 300 missiles for the winter. Please consider this,” Zelensky said. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 08:02Government change will not impact Ukraine's EU integration, deputy PM says An upcoming change of Ukraine's government will not impact the country's European Union integration, Taras Kachka, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European integration said today. "This ​is ⁠an unconditional ‌priority for Ukrainian government so that ‌the negotiations ‌will go, and as well ⁠as a reform process," Kachka said in Brussels ahead of the formal opening ‌of a second area ​of ‌accession negotiations ⁠with Ukraine, ⁠the so-called "cluster" six covering ‌external ​relations. Ukraine is in the middle of a major reshuffle of the Volodymyr Zelensky administration that saw prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko step down on Sunday. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 07:39Under attacks from Ukraine, Russia says it will protect cargo vessels in Sea of Azov Russia’s transport ministry said it is taking all necessary measures to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels through the Sea of Azov after Ukraine has ramped up its attacks on the civilian fleet. The ministry said ship owners of the vessels are also working on measures to protect their fleets from attacks. The freight will be redirected to other modes of transport if necessary, the ministry added. Officials in Russia made the announcement a day after Ukraine’s drone operations commander confirmed Ukrainian forces have struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula in the last week. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 07:32Ukraine's allies call for direct peace negotiations with Russia Ukraine and its allies gathered in Paris yesterday for the Coalition of the Willing summit have called for direct peace negotiations with Russia for a “just and lasting peace” in war-hit nation. “We reiterate our call, in that context, for an immediate and complete ceasefire in Ukraine and for the resumption of direct negotiations,” a statement by the prime minister Keir Starmer’s office said yesterday. It added: “We support the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia - with active US and European participation - to bring about a ceasefire starting from the line of contact and support further meaningful negotiations, based in particular on the following parameters,” adding that the talks need to be held with Ukraine and Europe. “No arrangements regarding European interests and security can be negotiated without Europeans. Elements of any negotiation related to the EU and Nato would need the consent of the EU and its Member States and Nato Allies respectively,” the statement said. French president Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Sir Keir Starmer with other world leaders in Paris (AP) Arpan Rai14 July 2026 07:19Why Lindsey Graham’s death is bad news for Ukraine Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has removed a “vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv”, experts have said, complicating support for Ukraine at a vital juncture of the war with Russia. Jaroslava Barbieri, a Research Fellow at the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, told the Independent that Graham has been a critical voice in US foreign policy when it comes to support for Ukraine. The Republican senator for South Carolina was one of few vocally pro-Ukraine voices in the Republican Party. He used his leverage in the Senate to lobby for military aid to Ukraine dating back to Russia’s initial illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014, per CNN. Arpan Rai14 July 2026 07:07