Vladimir Putin has reportedly pulled Russia’s ambassador from London, accusing Britain of taking the “path of confrontation”.
Andrey Kelin, who served as the Russian ambassador to the UK for over seven years, vacated his post on 21 July, reports The Times. It is understood that Moscow has not sought to appoint a replacement amid fears of a diplomatic breakdown.
It comes after prime minister Andy Burnham said the UK is continuing to “support Ukraine 100 per cent” after Moscow threatened consequences for the reported use of British drones for strikes deep into Russia.
On Saturday, Mr Putin warned Kyiv has “opened Pandora’s box” after a campaign of Ukrainian strikes killed at least 10 people in Russia. Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery, as well as a warehouse belonging to major Russian online retailer, Ozon.
The strikes came one day after after Putin’s shopping centre strike killed 16 people and wounded more than 130 others.
President Volodymyr Zelensky promised a response to the attack, which he described as an "act of barbarism".
Russians ‘withdraw billions from banks over fears Putin will seize deposits for war’
Russian citizens are withdrawing billions of roubles from the country’s banks over fears that the Kremlin could seize deposits to fund the war in Ukraine.
Analysts say fears that the Kremlin could confiscate private savings to bankroll the conflict have triggered widespread panic, with more than 286.4bn roubles (£2.5bn) pulled from Russian banks during the first two weeks of August alone.
A staggering £5.3bn was reported to have been withdrawn in July on top of a further £3.32bn in June, according to Central Bank data.
Taras Skvortsov, an executive at state-owned Sberbank, has warned that total capital flight this year could be double what was seen during the initial months of Russia’s 2022 invasion.
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‘Putin has repeatedly threatened the UK and Nato over Ukraine – but he is too weak to follow through’
Putin’s posturing is a poor attempt to scare off broader Western support for Kyiv, say experts. Suha Kidwai reports.
In pictures: Ukrainians rally to mark their National Flag Day in Istanbul
Putin pulls ambassador from London amid fears of breakdown in diplomatic relations
Vladimir Putin has reportedly pulled Russia’s long-serving UK ambassador from London amid fears of a diplomatic breakdown between Moscow and the UK.
The Times reported on Saturday night that Andrey Kelin vacated his post on 21 July. No replacement has been sought by Moscow.
A spokesman for the Russian embassy told The Times Mr Kelin had made “considerable efforts to preserve contacts and channels of communication” with the UK and accused the government of choosing a “path of confrontation” with Russia.
Putin says Ukraine has opened 'Pandora's box' over strikes
Vladimir Putin has said Ukraine has “opened Pandora’s box” after hitting Russian targets in a string of drone strikes on Saturday.
Russia and Ukraine are both ramping up drone campaigns aiming to cripple each other's economic infrastructure, often striking targets far beyond the war's front lines, as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-and-a-half-year mark.
On Friday, at least 16 people were killed and more than 130 wounded when several Russian drones struck a shopping centre in central Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Ukraine's strikes, which Kyiv says seek to choke off financing for Moscow's war effort, had opened a "Pandora's box" of Russian retaliation.
Putin arrests Russians for complaining about fuel shortages as fighting breaks out at petrol stations
Russian police have arrested citizens complaining of fuel shortages at the pump, as Ukraine’s drone campaign sparked fighting at petrol stations and rationing.
Moscow and its surrounding regions have been forced to reimpose purchase limits on fuel, capping sales at between 50 and 60 litres per vehicle.
As Ukraine intensifies its “deep strike” campaign, hitting another major oil refinery on Wednesday, the strain on Russia’s domestic energy grid continues to grow. Across at least 12 regions, miles of gridlocked traffic now stall forecourts, with motorists waiting up to 30 hours only to find the pumps empty.
The prolonged waits have pushed the Russian public to breaking point, with footage showing fights erupting between drivers over fuel.
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US Army to shut down unit in Europe focused on drone warfare in latest shakeup
A drone warfareUS Army unit in Europe has been told to return to being a traditional infantry battalion.
For more nearly a year, soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade have been experimenting and building their own drones, as well as participating in drills on waging unmanned warfare after Ukraine pioneered such tactics in its yearslong conflict with Russia.
Pictured: Trucks on fire following strike on Kyiv
Two trucks caught fire during a Russian strike on Kyiv.
Two people have been killed and nine others are injured following the attack this afternoon.
Watch: Dozens killed after Russian drone strike on busy shopping mall in Zelensky's hometown
Ukraine's parliament move to block key EU integration bills
A parliamentary committee has defended its decision to block five bills intended to fight against corruption.
The bills are requirements of the European Union and are needed to advance Kyiv's EU accession talks.
It is also needed for Ukraine to receive an estimated 2.1 billion euros at the end of 2026, The Kyiv Independent reported.
The Ukrainian parliament's law enforcement committee blocked the bill on August 19, by not including them in the agenda of parliament's current session.
Olha Savchenko, a committee member from President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party, said the bills shouldn’t be accepted. Instead she said parliament should wait for alternative versions of the reforms from the Cabinet of Ministers.
Anti-corruption activists have criticised the move.