Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s UK envoy admits war has ‘cost a lot’ as drone strike overshadows ‘Russian Davos’

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s UK envoy admits war has ‘cost a lot’ as drone strike overshadows ‘Russian Davos’ Russian diplomat says ‘we cannot lose this war’ as he admits Ukrainian forces have caused major damage to Russian oil infrastructure - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Ukraine war cost us a lot, says Russian envoy to the UK The Russian ambassador to the UK has said the war in Ukraine is taking a toll on Moscow and the stakes are now too high for Russian forces to “lose this war”. “We cannot lose this war,” Andrey Kelin told Sky News. “We simply have to win it. That is the way we still continue to do it,” he said. "I cannot deny that the war cost a lot. And this year we have a certain very low percentage of growth. Yes, Ukraine has struck our refineries quite a lot, [including] on our exportation facilities in St Petersburg. But we learned how to re-establish it,” he said, discussing the toll the war has taken on Russia’s economy. Kelin did admit Ukraine’s gain of “some square kilometres” on the battlefield but claimed that the threat from Ukrainian forces is now being repelled back. UK summons Russian ambassador after drone strike hit Nato ally Romania Britain's foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador yesterday after a Russian drone last week struck a residential building in Nato member Romania. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the incident, which occurred during a Russian attack on Ukraine and injured two people in the Romanian city of Galati, and said Britain stood united with allies to defend Nato territory. “Russia’s later brutal bombardment of civilians in Ukraine comes afters its violation of Nato airspace last week, hitting a residential building in Romania," Britain's foreign ministry said in a statement. “Injuring innocent civilians on Nato territory is unacceptable and a stark reminder of the threat that Ukrainian civilians are having to endure on a daily basis,” it added. Watch: Putin’s UK envoy admits war has ‘cost a lot’ One injured in Russian attack on Ukraine At least one person has been injured in the Boryspil area outside Ukraine's capital of Kyiv after a Russian drone hit an industrial facility, officials said. Ukraine’s emergency service said firefighters were extinguishing a blaze at the facility overnight. The post did not name the facility on fire. Boryspil, in Kyiv's eastern suburb, hosts the capital's main airport. It remains closed for civilian flights following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Zelensky admits Iran is Trump's priority in 'queue of wars' Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a status update on US-led peace talks to end the war, and said Kyiv is stuck in a “queue of wars”. “We are in constant contact with the American side. We are waiting for the negotiating team to arrive, but it is taking a very long time. Iran is currently the number one issue for the United States. Unfortunately, we [are] in this queue of wars,” he said last night. He added that the US is the “strongest actor” to push Russian president Vladimir Putin into ending the war, alongside Europe. “Because without Europe at the negotiating table, we cannot be sure that Europe will be heard. Ukraine is a future member of the EU. It is important for us that Europe is there. And this is absolutely fair: the war is here, on the European continent,” he said. Ukraine embarasses Putin with strikes across St Petersburg Ukrainian drones hit an oil terminal in St Petersburg and a warship in dry-dock at anearby naval base, hours before Vladimir Putin's showcase economic forum got under way in the city, in a clear attempt to embarrass the Kremlin chief. The attack on Putin's home city, location of his own 'Davos' comes as both sides dial up strikes against each other in their more than four-year-old war with no imminent end in sight. Russia unleashed a huge wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his drones had struck a fuel terminal in St Petersburg on Wednesday and said they had also targeted a military facility in Kronstadt on an island near the city where elements of Russia's Baltic Fleet and major shipbuilding and repair facilities are located. Ukraine released a video which showed a drone striking a Russian warship, the corvette Boiky, in what it said was a dry dock at Kronstadt. A plume of grey smoke was visible from St Petersburg's historic city centre and witnesses heard loud explosions on Wednesday morning. Germany, France, UK draw up plan to engage Putin in Ukraine talks – report A group of Ukraine’s key European allies are working on plans with Kyiv to engage Russia in negotiations to end the war, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Officials from Germany, France and the UK, Europe's three biggest economies, have been discussing the possibility of holding talks and have discussed the matter with their Ukrainian counterparts, the report added. Trump’s ballroom chief, conspiracy theorists and Steven Seagal: The surprise US guests attending Putin’s own ‘Davos’ Russia’s answer to the Davos economic summit kicked off on Wednesday, days after Vladimir Putin was warned that he can no longer afford to fight his war with Ukraine at the current pace. Formally known as the St Petersburg Economic Forum, the meeting has attracted an eclectic crowd, including famous Americans attracted to Moscow’s claims of “anti-wokery” and support for “traditional values”. Moscow will be looking to strengthen its economic footing after top finance officials and Russia’s central bank are said to have urged the Kremlin to rein in spiralling defence spending, with Russia and Ukraine ramping up costly aerial attacks on vital infrastructure. Trump’s ballroom chief and Steven Seagal: The surprise US guests at Russia’s ‘Davos’ Nato chief tells Russian men ‘very high chance you’ll die’ if they fight Ukraine war Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has issued words of caution for Russian nationals being asked to fight in the war in Ukraine, warning them that they are likely to be killed in action. Speaking to reporters after holding talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Rutte directly addressed young Russians who could be asked to join the war. “You are being sold a raw deal," he said. "Men like you who join the fight - you won't be trained. Equipment they'll provide you with is substandard,” Rutte said. “There is a very high chance you'll die or be wounded while you're out there. And odds are, that if you are wounded, you will be left to suffer in the mud and die,” the top Nato official said. He added that Russian forces are suffering “absolutely staggering” losses of more than 30,000 of its soldiers dying every month. US secretary of state Rubio promises news on Ukraine aid funds soon US secretary of state Marco Rubio told a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday there will be news "pretty soon" on $400m (£297.9m) Congress approved for its war in Ukraine but delayed at the Department of Defence. A bipartisan group of senators has pushed back on delays by the Department of Defence in sending $600m (£446m) in security aid to Ukraine and other allies in eastern Europe, asking the defence secretary Pete Hegseth for the funding to be disbursed. The tranche includes $400m in Ukraine aid and $200m (£148.9m) more for defence programs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments