Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia vows to attack 'Western weapons stores' after US aid bill passes; Sunak to announce UK's biggest military aid package for Kyiv (2024)

The latest appeal by detained Wall Street Journal journalistEvan Gershkovich has been rejected by a Russian court.

Mr Gershkovich was arrested on suspicion of spying while reporting in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg on 29 March last year.

His latest appeal was against a ruling last month thatextended his detainment until 30 June.

It was heard by a Moscow court and later rejected.

Mr Gershkovich has been accused of stealing state secrets by Russian intelligence officials, who provided no evidence to support the charge.

Both Mr Gershkovich and the WSJ deny the accusation, as does the US government, which has classified him as wrongfully detained.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has just finished speaking in Poland.

As expected, Mr Sunak officially announced a £500m military aid package for Ukraine.

"An investment in Ukraine is an investment in our security," he said.

Mr Sunak said he would put the UK's own defence industry "on a war footing" as he confirmed an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030.

This goes above the 2% defence investment guideline which is set by NATO.

The announcement was praised byNATO Secretary-GeneralJens Stoltenberg, who said the UK was "leading by example" for other NATO countries.

He added that the bloc did not seek conflict with Russia but would do what was necessary to keep its people safe.

Other key things said during the news conference:

• Mr Sunak said Vladimir Putin would not stop in Ukraine. Win there, and he and others would be emboldened;
• He praised the recent approval of aid for Ukraine in the US House of Representatives, but said: "We cannot keep expecting America to pay any price or bear any burden if we ourselves are unwilling to make greater sacrifices for our own security";
• The prime minister said he was determined to reform defence procurement - something which has long come under scrutiny as a potential area for savings;
• At least 5% of the defence budget to be committed to research and development to ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of modern warfare technology.
  

Rishi Sunak has just begun speaking at a news conference alongsideJens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, in Warsaw, Poland.

The prime minister is visiting the country to cover defence funding and support for Ukraine.

You can watch the full conference live in the stream above or follow along in our Politics Hub...

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reportedly detained a man in Kharkiv suspected of helping direct Russian aerial attacks on an elite Ukrainian military unit base.

In a post on Telegram,the agency said the man helped Moscow's forces to identify the location of the military intelligence's Kraken special unit.

The SBU claimed the individual was recruited at the beginning of the month via social media where he had been posting anti-Ukraine content.

The man was chargedunder the Criminal Code of Ukraine and remains in custody, the SBU said.

He faces up to eight years in prison.

A second man was also arrested, according to the SBU, who they said allegedly helped "adjust Russian rocket bomb attacks on Kharkiv".

It is unknown if he has also been charged.

The UK will increase defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030, the prime minister is will to announce, in a hardening of military policy at a time of growing threats.

The expected rise is less ambitious than some insiders say is needed - but it will mean tens of billions of additional pounds for the armed forces over the next six years.

Rishi Sunak had previously said any extra investment would only happen when economic conditions allow. That caveat looks set to be removed.

The UK move comes at a time of escalating threats to global security posed by Russia's war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and an ever-more assertive China.

Read the full story by our security and defence editor,Deborah Haynes, here...

A commander from Ukraine's National Guard has said Russia is planning "unpleasant surprises" in a potential summer offensive.

Speaking to news outlet Liga Net,OleksandrPivnenko said that, as part of a potential offensive, the National Guard does not rule out Russian attempts to target the Kharkiv - the country's second-largest city.

He said troops may achieve some success in a summer offensive by attacking "unexpected places" in the region but will not gain any strategic victories.

"We are getting ready," Mr Pivnenko said.

"The enemy will make unpleasantsurprises for us. It will operate in areas where we do notexpect [them to]. But it will not achieve its goal."

Kharkiv and the surrounding region have been the focus of recent attacks from Moscow, having experienced the most intense strikes.

As we have been reporting, Rishi Sunak is set to announce a new £500m military aid package for Ukraine.

The aid is expected to include more than 400 vehicles and more than 1,600 strike and air defence missiles.

How will these extra provisions help Ukraine?

Our military analyst Michael Clarkesays the aid will make a difference politically, but won't come close to what the US or other European countries can offer militarily.

"Britain is the first European country since the US's announcement on Saturday that they are going forward with the aid package," Clarke says.

"Britain is putting in less than 1% of the US package but what we are offering is what we have got that the Ukrainians say they want.

"What they really need is the things we don't really have, good old-fashioned air defence systems."

Storm Shadow missiles

Clarke says what might make a difference to the Ukrainians are Shadow Storm long-range precision-guided missiles that troops have found useful in the past.

"I suspect we are now dipping into our own stores and MBDA - who make the missiles - certainly can't make the number that we are now giving," Clarke adds.

"I suspect we are giving some from our own stock and it will take a couple of years to build up again. This is a fair sacrifice."

Husky vehicles

Also being given are 160 Husky vehicles, which Clarke says are "unglamorous but make a difference when fighting a battle".

"These are mine resistant vehicles that are useful around the combat zone," he says.

The UK has also pledged four million rounds of ammunition, which Clarke says is not enough, but other European countries are finding ways of getting more munitions.

Rishi Sunak has landed in Warsaw, where he will meet Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, and Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general.

Joining Mr Sunak on the visit is Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, and Grant Shapps, the defence secretary.

Ourpolitical editor Beth Rigbywas also on the flight to Poland.

During the journey Mr Sunak addressed the UK's latest military aid package to Ukraine.

He told reporters he was "very proud" that the UK has always led on support for Ukraine.

"We are Europe's largest defence spender and one of the few countries that's consistently met the 2% [of GDP] NATO spending pledge, and today's action is another example of us leading by example," he said.

The Russian defence minister has said his troops willincrease the intensity of strikes on logistics centres and the storage depots of Western weapons in Ukraine.

Sergei Shoigu addressed thenew US military aid package for Ukraine, worth nearly $61bn, in remarks to defence officials.

In an apparent reaction to the aid package, Mr Shoigu said: "In proportion to the threats posed by the United States andits allies, we will continue to improve the composition andstructure of the armed forces and increase the production of themost popular weapons and military equipment.

"We will increase the intensity of attacks on logisticscentres and storage bases for Western weapons."

As part of the package, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, Kyiv will soon receive more long-range ATACMS missile systems.

US officials said the aid will also include ammunition supplies and interceptors for air defence systems.

The in-demand aid package will be voted on in the US Senate later today, where it is likely to pass. Joe Biden has promised to sign it into law immediately after this.

As we reported earlier, nine people were injured in the Black Sea port of Odesa after a suspected Russian drone attack.

Four of the injured were infants and children, all of whom have been taken to hospital.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces said Iranian-made Shahed drones were used to target the southern city, seven of which were shot down.

Watch the video below showing the devastating aftermath of the strike...