Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv drone attack causes huge fire after hitting oil facility – live

Russian politicians have prepared legislation allowing for the confiscation of money and property from people who spread “deliberately false information” about the country’s armed forces, a senior member of parliament has said.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, said the measure would also apply to those found guilty of what he described as other forms of betrayal. These include “discrediting” the armed forces, calling for sanctions against Russia or inciting extremist activity.

“Everyone who tries to destroy Russia, who betrays it, must face deserved punishment and compensate for the damage inflicted on the country, at the cost of their own property,” Mr Volodin said, adding that the bill will be brought to the State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, on Monday.

The Ukrainian government has allocated millions of dollars for the construction of fortifications, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, calling it a “record amount”, The Kyiv Independent reports.

Before the winter, authorities received some criticism for slow progress on fortifying defensive lines. A group was established in November to coordinate fortification efforts, it said.

More than 1,000 people rallied in the Russian region of Bashkortostan on Friday, continuing a series of protests triggered by the conviction and sentencing of a local activist and handing a new challenge to the Kremlin.

A Russian court in Siberia on Friday sentenced a man to 19 years in prison for shooting a military enlistment officer while prosecutors in St. Petersburg asked for a 28-year sentence for a woman charged in the bombing of a cafe last April that killed a prominent military blogger, reports said.

The developments underscore the authorities’ determination to harshly punish anyone who acts against President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday discussed the “importance of allies continuing to support Ukraine‘s defence”, according to Downing Street.

Following a call between the two leaders, a No 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister updated on his recent visit to Kyiv, including the signing of the UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Co-operation and the UK’s announcement of £2.5 billion in further military aid for Ukraine.

“They agreed on the importance of allies continuing to support Ukraine‘s defence, which is vital for European and global security, and providing the Ukrainian armed forces with the weapons they need to defeat Russia’s invasion.”

The pair also spoke of wider co-operation on defence and security and illegal migration.

UK-Ukraine relations will stay strong whoever sits in Downing Street, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Ukrainian war-time leader also joked he has had a good relationship “with all your prime ministers”.

Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv last week to unveil a new £2.5 billion military aid package and vowed to continue to stand with the country in its fight against Russia.

Mr Zelensky told Channel 4 New: “The UK has been with us from those first days until now, and I have and had that with all your prime ministers…”

“There have been a few,” the interviewer interjected.

“Some, yeah,” the Ukrainian president laughed, before continuing: “But also with intelligence, we have very good relations.”

Asked whether that will continue even if the Tory Government is replaced at the general election this year, Mr Zelensky praised the UK’s “strong institutions”.

“So people can be changed but institutionally, historically, the relations between countries we have to save,” the Ukrainian president said.

A Russian court in Siberia on Friday sentenced a man to 19 years in prison for shooting a military enlistment officer while prosecutors in St. Petersburg asked for a 28-year sentence for a woman charged in the bombing of a cafe last April that killed a prominent military blogger, reports said.

The developments underscore the authorities’ determination to harshly punish anyone who acts against President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, especially those committing acts of violence, in the run-up to the presidential election in March that the Russian president is all but certain to win.

Vladimir Putin could launch an attack on Nato in the next five to eight years, Germany’s defence minister has said – with one top officer within the alliance even calling on nations to be ready for an all-out war with Moscow within two decades.

With the Russian president’s rhetoric towards Nato nations becoming increasingly hostile, conflict could come at any time.

“We hear threats from the Kremlin almost every day … so we have to take into account that Vladimir Putin might even attack a Nato country one day,” Boris Pistorius said.