Ukraine has urged Britain not to squander the momentum created by its invasion of Kursk and to grant permission for Storm Shadow strikes inside Russia.

“What really matters is the timing, and this is the issue today,” said Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, as he arrived at a meeting in Brussels. “This is why we have a very open conversation with the United Kingdom, with the United States, asking them not to waste the momentum of our soldiers.”

Ukrainian forces have seized more than 500 square miles of Russian territory since crossing into the border region of Kursk three weeks ago. The daring raid has been seen as Ukraine’s first offensive success in almost two years.

Mr Kuleba said Western missiles could be used to strike Russian airfields used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Two other senior Ukrainian officials are travelling to Washington this week to present a list of potential targets.

The Telegraph recently reported that the UK supports Storm Shadow strikes on Russian soil but will not say so publicly because of concerns it would provoke a row with the US.

France’s Emmanuel Macron has also voiced support for such strikes using the Storm Shadow’s French sister missile, Scalp-EG.

But the use of the weapons, which can avoid enemy radar and hit precise targets up to 190 miles away, requires permission from Washington given their reliance on classified US systems.

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29 August 2024 • 12:14pm

12:14PM

Watch: Ukraine claims strike on Russian oil refinery in Rostov
Video footage has emerged showing a Russian oil refinery burning more than a day after it was struck by Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv’s forces have stepped up their attacks on Russian soil in recent weeks, targeting what they say are locations used by Moscow to strike Ukraine.

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11:44AM

Russia ‘captures more villages’ in Ukraine
Kremlin forces claimed on Thursday to have captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine.

Russia’s defence ministry said its troops had seized control of Mykolaivka, around 15 kilometres from the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, as well as Stelmakhivka in Lugansk.

10:56AM

Senior US official holds talks with Chinese president
Washington’s national security adviser met with Chinese president Xi Jinping on Thursday, the White House said.

Jake Sullivan and president Xi discussed cross-Strait issues, Russia’s war against Ukraine and the South China Sea, a statement revealed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Credit: Xinhua
10:34AM

Belarus ‘shoots down Russian drone’
The Belarusian air force shot down a Russian drone which entered its airspace during Moscow’s overnight attacks against Ukraine, military analysts have claimed.

A Russian ‘Shahed’ kamikaze drone reportedly flew into Yelsk in Belarus and was chased by Belarusian air force pilots for 20 minutes before being destroyed.

Belaruski Hajun, an independent Belarusian military project, reported on Telegram that two explosions were heard at 3.55am on Thursday.

The Telegraph could not independently verify the claims.

10:08AM

Kyiv insists it would only strike ‘legitimate’ targets inside Russia
Ukraine’s foreign minister has once again urged Britain and the United States to drop bans on using long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

Speaking from Brussels, Dmytro Kuleba insisted the weapons would only be used to strike “legitimate” targets.

“Since the very beginning of the invasion the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries act as a coalition,” he told reporters.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council in Brussels on Thursday
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council in Brussels on Thursday Credit: Virginia Mayo/AP
9:40AM

Oil depot still ablaze
The Atlas oil depot in Rostov, southern Russia, has continued to burn more than 24 hours after being attacked by Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine confirmed on Thursday that it attacked the Atlas oil depot in Rostov
Ukraine confirmed on Thursday that it attacked the Atlas oil depot in Rostov
9:07AM

Pictured: War crimes prosecutor inspects aftermath of air strike
A war crimes prosecutor has visited the town of Kupyansk in eastern Ukraine after it was hit by a Russian air strike on Wednesday.

Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian glide bomb hit the town, which is near the city of Kharkiv, resulting in several deaths.

“There was a strike – right in the city centre, people were under the rubble. Unfortunately, there are fatalities,” the Ukrainian president said.

War crimes prosecutors’ personnel survey the damage in Kupyansk
War crimes prosecutors’ personnel survey the damage in Kupyansk Credit: REUTERS
The air strike reduced buildings in Kupyansk to rubble
The air strike reduced buildings in Kupyansk to rubble Credit: REUTERS
9:01AM

‘One killed’ by Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod
Ukrainian shelling in Russia’s Belgorod region killed one person and injured several more, authorities said on Thursday.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the regional governor, said the town of Shebekino came under attack by Ukrainian forces.

Two buildings were reportedly damaged by the shelling.

Belgorod borders Ukraine and Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukraine invaded on Aug 6.

8:47AM

Russia spent $1.3bn attacking Ukraine this week – report
Russia’s large-scale air attacks across Ukraine this week cost Moscow nearly $1.3 billion (£1 billion), the UK’s representative to the UN has said.

James Kariuki made the claim at a UN Security Council meeting and said the attacks represented “continued evidence” that Moscow was intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure.

Seven people were killed on Monday when Russia launched one of its largest air attacks of the war so far. This was followed up by further strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday, which killed five people.

“The consequence of Putin’s miscalculation for the Russian people is increasingly evident,” Mr Kariuki said.

The $1.3 billion figure comes from a report by Forbes Ukraine and Ekonmichna Pravda.

Vladimir Putin leads a meeting with top security and defence officials at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside of Moscow
Vladimir Putin leads a meeting with top security and defence officials at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside of Moscow Credit: Pool Sputnik Kremlin
8:27AM

Ukraine downs 60 drones in overnight Russian attack
Ukrainian forces destroyed 60 out of 74 Russian attack drones and two out of three missiles launched overnight, Ukraine’s air force said on Thursday.

“Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force and Defence Forces were involved in repelling the air attack,” the air force said.

8:12AM

Ukraine confirms attack on oil facilities
Kyiv confirmed on Thursday that its forces successfully attacked two oil storage facilities in Russia, causing a large blaze at the Atlas oil depot in the southern Rostov region.

The military said it successfully attacked the Zenit oil facility in Russia’s Kirov region, which is located around 1,500km northeast of the border with Ukraine.

A field artillery depot in the Russian region of Voronezh was also attacked.

Smoke rises from an oil depot in the Kamensky district in Rostov, southern Russia
Smoke rises from an oil depot in the Kamensky district in Rostov, southern Russia Credit: REUTERS
7:57AM

Russia attacks Kyiv for third time in one week
Russia launched a series of missile and drone strikes against Kyiv overnight, the third such attack within a week.

Several explosions could be heard in Kyiv with air alerts active in most of central and northern Ukraine overnight.

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they look for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack in Kyiv
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they look for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack in Kyiv Credit: REUTERS