Drones cut power to Crimea as Germany says allies ‘not angry or upset’ over Kyiv leak

A woman who fled the war in Ukraine has reopened a pub in Wales, saying she hopes the move will give the local economy a boost.

Vladyslava Krapyvka left her home in Kyiv along with her youngest son after Russia’s invasion in 2022, and has taken on the lease of The Lamb in Newport.

She said she liked Newport but that the city centre looks “abandoned” and wants to “change the situation”.

“There are lots of people working very hard here, and they need to have a place here in the centre of Newport, where they can come to a small pub and they can have good service,” she told the BBC.

A second Ukrainian drone struck the Mikhailovsky GOK iron ore refinery in Russia’s Kursk region on Wednesday, shortly after an earlier attack at the plant, regional governor Roman Starovoit said on Telegram.

He said there were no casualties from either of the strikes.

Volodymyr Zelensky has praised his troops for the fight against “Russian terrorists” in the Black Sea.

The Ukraine president also said his army was restoring “security” and “control” over its skies.

Writing on X, he said: “Today, I would like to thank all of our warriors and units who are restoring security and Ukraine’s control over our skies and the Black Sea.

“Ukraine has already proven its capabilities and strength. The number of destroyed Russian aircraft, as well as our warriors’ achievements against the Russian fleet, serve as proof of this.

“There are no safe harbors for Russian terrorists in the Black Sea. And there will be none. Just as there will be no safe space in the skies for them if Ukraine has sufficient strength. This refers to both partner deliveries and domestic manufacturing.”

Uncrewed, remote-controlled boats have been around since the end of World War II. Late last century, technological innovations broadened their potential uses.

The Argentine president Javier Milei says he will visit Kyiv as part of a diplomatic tour of Europe in June this year.

The South American leader said he will also meet Volodymyr Zelensky during the visit.

Mr Milei had previously announced his plans to hold a “summit of Latin America support” for Ukraine in late 2024.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two Russian commanders over committing war crimes by attacking Ukrainian infrastructure, marking the second round of warrants issued for Russian leaders in the invasion of Ukraine.

The top global court said there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two top commanders were responsible for “missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023”.

As a result of these strikes, Ukraine’s electrical grid suffered civilian harm and damage that would have been clearly excessive to any expected military advantage, the court, at The Hague, said.

Even though Russia claims it does not deliberately target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, its troops have rained missiles on hospitals, schools, theatres-turned-shelter homes, villages, grocery stores and marketplaces far inside Ukraine during the course of its over two years of invasion.

Prosecutors in Kyiv said they were already investigating possible war crimes after the war-hit nation endured two bloodied winter campaigns under Russian attacks which hit Ukrainian energy and utilities infrastructure.

To mark ten years of conflict in Ukraine, The Independent is hosting a Virtual Event that will explore the grim underbelly of the war – getting a first-hand perspective from a former British Army soldier captured by Russian forces.

Shaun Pinner will be joining journalist Tim White, to detail how he was detained in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic after the siege of Mariupol and later freed in a prisoner swap.

He will be sharing the true story of his six months spent imprisoned in Russian-occupied Ukraine in this exclusive event.

A drone attack has sparked an explosion and fire in Russia’s Kursk at a local fuel and lubricants warehouse, with local officials describing it as an assault from Ukraine.

Local governor Roman Starovoit said that no one had been injured, and that a fuel tank was on fire.

The photos and videos of the attack on the petrol depot showed thick grey plumes of smoke emanating from the facility. The Independent has not verified the authenticity of the visuals.

A Russian city, Kursk borders Ukraine at the northeastern corner of the country.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on Russian claims.

Ukraine’s drone attacks over Russian border cities and oblasts have intensified this week as authorities in Russia’s Belgorod and Voronezh regions claimed their forces downed Ukrainian drones in separate incidents.

As part of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s ever-increasing clampdown on dissent, authorities in recent years have adopted a slew of laws restricting fundamental human rights, including freedom of speech and assembly, as well as the rights of minorities and religious groups.

These laws have taken aim at “foreign agents” allegedly seeking to exert influence on Russia, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and organizations spreading information critical of the Kremlin or contrary to official narratives, especially regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

They have helped the Kremlin to maintain tight control over the country’s political system, and as a result, Putin is expected to extend his rule virtually unchallenged in a presidential election this month.

Human rights advocates worry that more repressions are ahead.

Here’s a look at some of the restrictive laws passed in Russia: