NEGOTIATORS involved in peace talks between Russia & Ukraine are urged not to eat or drink after the suspected poisoning of Roman Abramovich.
The Russian oligarch and Chelsea owner fell ill along with Ukrainian peace negotiators earlier in March, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Following the news, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba warned: "I advise anyone going for negotiations with Russia not to eat or drink anything, (and) preferably avoid touching surfaces."
The billionaire and at least two members of his Ukrainian counterparts fell ill shortly after a meeting in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where he was looking to hold peace talks.
The alleged attack has been blamed on hardliners in Moscow who they say want to sabotage their talks to end the war.
Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian delegations are today resuming face-to-face peace talks for the first time in more than a fortnight, hosted in Istanbul, Turkey.
Follow our Russia-Ukraine live blog below for up-to-the-minute updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Zelensky and Boris discuss even tougher sanctions on Ukraine
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed tougher sanctions against Russia in his call with Boris Johnson.
Mr Zelensky said the pair talked about the”critical humanitarian situation in the blocked cities” and “shared information about the peace talks”.
They “discussed strengthening sanctions against Russia and defence co-operation between Ukraine and Great Britain”, he added.
- Joseph Gamp
Roman Abramovich reportedly suffered symptoms of poisoning
ROMAN Abramovich reportedly suffered symptoms of a suspected poisoning after he tried negotiationg with Ukraine, new reports claim
The Russian oligarch and Chelsea owner fell ill along with Ukrainian peace negotiators according to the Wall Street Journal.
The alleged attack has been blamed on hardliners in Moscow who they say want to sabotage their talks to end the war.
The billionaire and at least two members of his Ukrainian counterparts fell ill shortly after a meeting in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv earlier this month.
It isn’t known whether the suspected attack was caused by a biological or chemical agent or some sort of electromagnetic-radiation attack.
However, President Zelensky – who has met with Abramovich in recent weeks – has reportedly been unaffected.
Sources claim symptoms of the poisoning include constant and painful tearing, red eyes and peeling skin on the face and hands.
- Joseph Gamp
Biden proposes $6.9bn to aid Ukraine against Russia & bolster NATO
The US would spend $6.9 billion to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion and support NATO member countries under a budget proposal President Joe Biden’s administration released Monday.
The funds would represent Washington’s latest allocation of defence aid after Russia’s shock invasion of its neighbor last month.
Th budget would be used to “enhance the capabilities and readiness of US forces, NATO allies, and regional partners in the face of Russian aggression,” the White House said.
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US says Putin does not seem ready to compromise on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear ready to make compromises to end the war in Ukraine, a senior U.S. official said on Monday.
It comes as Ukraine and Russia have been preparing for their first face-to-face peace talks in more than two weeks.
“Everything I have seen is he is not willing to compromise at this point,” the senior U.S. State Department official told Reuters on condition of anonymity after Ukraine’s president sketched out a potential way to end the crisis over the weekend. (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed and Jonathan
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Ukrainian amateur drone users destroy Russia’s 40-mile convoy
A SQUAD of amateur drone users say they’ve managed to destroy Russia’s 40-mile convoy in a number of deadly ambushes.
The unlikely heroes took out swathes of Russia’s infamous “death convoy” of tanks and armoured vehicles, which was trapped outside Kyiv.
Volunteer experts from specialist air reconnaissance unit Aerorozvidka used drones with thermal imagine cameras or those capable of dropping small bombs as well as sniper rifles to attack Russian troops.
The group’s commander Lt Col Yaroslav Honchar said an ambush near the town of Ivankiv helped to halt the massive Russian operation during the first days of the Ukraine invasion.
The special IT force used quad bikes to approach the column at night, and attacked its supply depot to prevent the Russians from advancing.
Honchar told the Guardian: “This one little unit in the night destroyed two or three vehicles at the head of this convoy, and after that it was stuck.
“They stayed there two more nights, and [destroyed] many vehicles.”
“The first echelon of the Russian force was stuck without heat, without oil, without bombs and without gas. And it all happened because of the work of 30 people,” he added.
The elite unit claims it also helped to stop a Russian airborne attack on Hostomel airport by shelling 200 paratroopers.
Honchar compared the group’s fight to the work of “a hive of bees.”
- Joseph Gamp
Boris 'not off partygate hook' says Labour
Labour's deputy leader has said the war in Ukraine does not get Boris Johnson off the hook over the partygate saga.
Angela Rayner told Sky News: "The situation with Ukraine – the whole of Parliament, the whole of the House, the fact that MPs are all united in support to ensure that we do everything we can in national security to protect our country and to work with our Nato allies – that doesn't negate the Prime Minister from lying to the British public and not following his own rules. If he's found to have broken them then I don't believe his position is tenable.
"I think it's disgraceful and I don't see how he can continue in his role when he's been so… when he's not told the truth to the British public."
Ms Rayner said Chancellor Rishi Sunak should also resign if fined.
"There's plenty (of) other MPs out there that are willing to do the job and do it in the public interest," she said.
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