The UK has accused Russia of conducting dangerous flybys after a Royal Air Force surveillance plan was intercepted over the Black Sea, warning against the risk of potential escalation between Nato and Russia."Let me be very clear: This incident will not deter the UK's commitment to defend Nato, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression,” defence secretary John Healey said.Healey called the incident “another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace”.It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a possible fresh ground offensive from Russia against the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the war-hit country’s northern front.Such an operation would likely be made possible by deeper involvement from Belarus, Zelensky said."Together with our military leadership, intelligence services, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed in detail the latest developments along the Belarus-Bryansk region direction," he said.Kyiv is ramping up defences in the region and will look to persuade international partners to increase diplomatic pressure on Belarus, he added.Ukrainian MP says lifting sanctions on Russian oil puts ‘question mark’ over friendship with UKA Ukrainian politician has condemned the British government for loosening sanctions on Russian oil, saying it “puts a question mark” on the UK’s friendship with Ukraine.The government has faced widespread criticism after a trade licence that allows for the import of Russian jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries came into effect on Wednesday. Some sanctions on the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas were also lifted.Experts have described the policy as a “carve-out”, which creates an exemption from tighter restrictions on processed oil products derived from Russian crude.Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian MP, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the government’s decision.Arpan Rai21 May 2026 06:03This is why easing Russia’s oil sanctions is a gut punch to UkraineAfter a week in which Xi Jinping bestrode global politics by hosting the two most powerful leaders in the world, China’s president looks like a Colossus. Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has revealed himself as a minnow among men.His capitulation to short-term, local British politics, by quietly easing restrictions on the importation of refined Russian fuel to the UK, shows he has no capacity for strategic thought, or leadership: he has run up a white flag in an act of battlefield cowardice he doesn’t even comprehend.After hosting Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Xi continued his efforts to show China as a force for stability in a world in which international law is ignored by both Russia and the US, by calling for respect for global legal practices.Starmer’s smalltime decision to allow Russian diesel and jet fuel into the UK, so that Britons can enjoy cheap flights over the summer, is a blow to Ukrainians fighting to protect their democracy. It is also a violation of his agreements with allies to choke off the Kremlin’s money pipe, and a violation of the UK’s written commitments.Arpan Rai21 May 2026 05:46UK warns Moscow against 'dangerous' warplane flybys: 'Won't deter us'Two Russian jets last month intercepted a Royal Air Force surveillance plane over the ​Black Sea, in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) ‌yesterday was a dangerous incident that raised the risk of potential escalation between Nato and Russia.The ​Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out ​routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black ⁠Sea, the ministry said in a statement.“A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems,” the MoD said yesterday in a post on X, sharing a video of the interception.It said the incident reflected “ongoing Russian aggression and heightened military activity across Eastern Europe and the High North", adding: "The UK will continue to stand firm with its allies, united in the defence of Nato.”The incident ​was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane ‌since ⁠2022 when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.Arpan Rai21 May 2026 05:19Arpan Rai21 May 2026 05:12Ukraine drone attacks force shutdown of central Russia's oil refineriesVirtually ​all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to ‌halt or scale back fuel output following Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days, according to official data and sources.Moscow had already introduced a gasoline exports ban from April until the ​end of July.One of Russia’s largest facilities, the Kirishi oil refinery, has been shut since 5 May, sources said.The combined capacity of refineries that have fully ​or partially halted operations exceeds 83 million metric tonnes per year, ⁠or around 238,000 tonnes per day.That accounts for around one ​quarter of Russia's total refining capacity, according to data and sources who spoke ​on condition of anonymity.In recent weeks, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russia's ​energy infrastructure, doubling the number of oil refineries targeted since the start of the year, ‌according ⁠to various posts on social media by Russian officials.The strikes, which have also hit pipelines and storage facilities, have reduced Russia's oil output – the world's third-largest after the US and Saudi Arabia – adding pressure to Moscow's federal ​budget, where oil ​and gas taxes account ⁠for roughly a quarter of revenue.A firefighter is seen on a site, as smoke billows from a fire at oil refinery owned by Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft in Moscow (Reuters)Arpan Rai21 May 2026 04:50Residents of Lithuania's capital told to shelter amid drone alarmsResidents of Lithuania's capital were told to take shelter and the president and prime minister were taken to safe locations yesterday after an alarm over drone activity near the border with Belarus.An emergency announcement from the military urged people in the region of Vilnius, the country's capital, to “immediately head to a shelter or a safe place.”The alert, which lasted for about an hour, also led to the closure of the airspace over Vilnius Airport.President Gitanas Nauseda and prime minister Inga Ruginiene were taken to shelters, and there was also an evacuation order at Lithuania's parliament, the Seimas, the BNS news agency reported.The incident underlined jitters on Nato's eastern flank over incursions related to Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine.It was the first major alert that sent residents and political leaders in a European Union and Nato capital rushing to shelters since Russia’s invasion of neighbour Ukraine in February 2022.It came hours after a Nato jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. Ukraine apologised for that “unintended incident,” without specifying what had happened. This photograph shows a person holding a mobile phone that displays a warning of a possible air raid in Vilnius (AFP/Getty)Arpan Rai21 May 2026 04:34Zelensky says Ukraine will beef up northern defences over Russian offensive plansUkraine will ​send reinforcements to its northern regions and step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.Zelensky said Kyiv had become aware of five scenarios Russia had drawn up to expand the war through the north."We analysed in detail the available data from our intelligence agencies on Russia's planning of offensive operations in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction," Zelensky said on X, referring to a ⁠city north of the capital on ​the ⁠highway to Belarus."Our forces in this sector will be increased."In recent weeks, Zelensky has given fresh warnings about a potential threat to Ukraine's north from Belarus, a close Russian ally.He has said Ukraine recorded unusual activity at the border, without providing details.Oleksandr ‌Syrskyi, Ukraine's top army commander, said on Tuesday that Kyiv had data that the Russian General Staff was actively calculating and planning offensive operations from the north.Arpan Rai21 May 2026 04:13Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next weekChinese president Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week, South Korea's Yonhap ⁠news agency reported quoting a senior government official.Another government source was cited as saying a team of Chinese security service and protocol officials were in Pyongyang recently and that a visit by Xi late in May or early June was likely.Xi, who hosted Vladimir Putin this week and US president ​Donald ⁠Trump last week, will try ‌to act as a mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ‌the senior official was quoted ‌as saying.South Korea's foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the report.China is a key economic ⁠and political ally of North Korea and the two have made efforts to reinforce ties that had cooled during the Covid-19 pandemic.North Korean leader Kim visited Beijing last year and stood alongside Xi and ‌Putin at a major military parade.(AFP/Getty)Arpan Rai21 May 2026 04:09Zelensky says he and Starmer discussed sanctions on RussiaPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had been in contact with Britain, having ⁠sent signals on the "sensitive" issue of sanctions on Russia, with hopes to discuss the issue further this week."This issue is always very sensitive... We conveyed our signals on the matter to London," he said in his nightly video address."We expect that everything will be discussed this week on a bilateral level."Zelensky did not refer directly to Britain's decision to continue to allow imports of diesel and jet fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries, but said sanctions from its allies were the most effective means of influencing Russia.Zelensky later said on X that he had spoken to prime minister Keir Starmer by telephone and thanked him for the support provided for Ukraine.He said the two sides were coordinating diplomatic positions and "working to reinvigorate substantive diplomacy".Starmer's ‌office said the ⁠prime minister reaffirmed Britain's support for Ukraine.⁠Both leaders reiterated the need to maintain pressure ‌on Russia ​and welcomed the ‌strength of the UK-Ukraine relationship.Keir Starmer welcomes Volodymyr Zelensky upon his arrival at 10 Downing Street, in central London (AFP/Getty)Arpan Rai21 May 2026 04:03Recap: UK says surveillance plane dangerously intercepted by Russian jets last monthTwo Russian jets last ​month intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance plane over the Black Sea, in what Britain's defence ministry said on Wednesday was ⁠a dangerous incident that raised the risk of potential escalation between NATO and Russia.The UK Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine ⁠surveillance in international airspace ​over ⁠the Black Sea, the ministry said in a statement.It was repeatedly intercepted ⁠by a Russian Su-35 aircraft, which flew close ​enough ⁠to trigger emergency systems ‌on the British plane, it said. A Russian Su-27 conducted six passes, flying six metres from ‌the Rivet Joint's nose.The ‌incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022 when a nearby Russian ⁠plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.RAF planes routinely carry out surveillance with allies to secure NATO's eastern flank.This week there has been a series of security ‌incidents in the Baltic region, with a drone ​violating Lithuanian airspace, and a fighter ‌jet shooting down a ⁠suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia.Bryony Gooch21 May 2026 04:00