Ukraine-Russia war latest: ‘Reckless’ British yacht shooting condemned as Nato announces military boost for Kyiv

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: ‘Reckless’ British yacht shooting condemned as Nato announces military boost for Kyiv

G7 leaders agreed that Putin was not winning the war, Zelensky says

Prime minister Keir Starmer has hit out at a Russian shooting incident as “reckless”.

On Tuesday a Russian frigate fired warning shots at a UK-registered yacht sailed by a retired British couple who described the incident as “scary”.

“What happened in the Channel was deeply concerning. ​It was reckless,” he told the BBC on Wednesday from the G7 in France.

G7 leaders were in an upbeat mood after Tuesday's talks, as Donald Trump said he had a “very good” meeting with president Volodymyr Zelensky and called on Russia to make peace with Ukraine.

President Trump said he would do “whatever I can” to end the war and said Russia “should make a deal”.

In a joint statement this morning, the G7 leaders commended Ukraine for its "progress on the battlefield in recent months".

“To support and accelerate this new momentum, we agree to increase the delivery of air defence capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities," the statement read.

Ukraine's military hits 'shadow fleet' tanker in Black Sea, bridges

Ukraine's military has struck the FINA A tanker in the Black Sea, which it described as part of Russian “shadow fleet”, the Ukrainian General Staff said in a post on Telegram on Wednesday.

The General Staff said that the target was successfully struck and the extent of the damage was still undergoing an assessment.

It added that Ukrainian forces also struck a road bridge across the North Crimean Canal near the settlement of Stavky and a road bridge near Voinka in the occupied part of the Kherson region.

Maira Butt17 June 2026 12:40

Watch: Starmer says Channel incident involving Russian warship 'reckless'

Maira Butt17 June 2026 12:09

Zelensky says G7 leaders pledge more vital help for Ukraine against Russia

Ukraine has won key pledges of further support for its fight against Russia from world leaders attending the Group of Seven summit in France, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday.

The leaders of the world’s leading industrial economies promised to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and ensure its energy supply, as well as step up international economic pressure on Moscow, as Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s all-out invasion stretches into its fifth year with no end in sight.

Zelenskyy says G7 leaders pledge more vital help for Ukraine against Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine has secured key support from world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France

Maira Butt17 June 2026 11:34

Russia’s pathetic ‘yacht potshots’ show how desperate for a win Putin has become

he close encounter off the Isle of Wight between the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich and Alan and Jane Kelvey’s yacht Bright Hope seems to have been more accident than sinister plot. The yacht had been getting too close to the warship. Klaxons were sounded and then came a brief volley of small arms fired into the path of Bright Hope. The adventurous Kelveys then put on the engine and turned sharply away.

This was not an act of war, these “yacht potshots – and, apparently had little connection with the dramatic and stagey seizure of the tanker Smyrtos, part of the Russian shadow fleet, by Royal Marines at the weekend. But this appears to be a story of the sea mists of war, if not actual fog.

In a significant aspect, the two incidents are linked – and in a way that suggests that the conflict in Ukraine is now at a decisive phase, or a “culminating point” in military jargon.

Russia’s pathetic ‘yacht potshots’ show how desperate for a win Putin has become

It is embarrassing that a hostile frigate can meander along our coastline frightening small ships unimpeded – yet it also shows that Moscow’s war in Ukraine is running on fumes, says Robert Fox

Maira Butt17 June 2026 10:57

Timeline of UK-Russia incidents at sea since the war in Ukraine began

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investigating after a Russian warship fired warning shots at a British yacht that came near it in the English Channel.

The Admiral Grigorovich, a Russian frigate, fired warning shots after making attempts to contact the yacht, the MoD claimed, in order to prevent a potential collision. Russia’s defence ministry has claimed its sailors were acting “in strict accordance” with international shipping regulations.

While this is being viewed as an isolated incident, it came days after tensions between the UK and Russia spiked when Britain seized a sanctioned vessel transiting through the Channel.

The operation, which saw commandos fast-roping from a helicopter onto the tanker, was the first of its kind carried out by UK armed forces.

Bryony Gooch reports:

Timeline of UK-Russia incidents at sea since the war in Ukraine began

The incident between the yacht and the Admiral Grigorovich is the latest friction to occur between the UK and Russia at sea

Maira Butt17 June 2026 10:30

G7 agree to increase support for Ukraine – and pressure on Russia

The leaders of the G7 countries have announced today that they stand united in support of Ukraine, including its territorial integrity, and agreed to increase the pressure on the Russian war economy.

“In this context, we will strengthen our ⁠sanctions (against Russia), including those ​on ⁠the oil and ‌gas sectors," the leaders said in a joint statement.

Separately, the leaders, who are meeting for a summit in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, have also welcomed the deal between the United States and Iran and said they are ready to contribute to its implementation.

They ‌added they will ​make efforts to ‌diversify energy supply routes ⁠and reduce dependence ⁠on the Strait of Hormuz ‌and increase ​energy stocks.

Arpan Rai17 June 2026 10:00

Watch: Starmer meets Zelensky at G7 as leaders agree 'collective resolve' to put pressure on Putin

Arpan Rai17 June 2026 09:45

European diplomats praise Zelensky's 'psychological' move on Trump at the G7

Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have got the tone right as he presented evidence to Donald Trump of the war's impact on his country, which officials say moved the US president.

Two European diplomats said that, during the meeting, Zelensky showed Trump images of the aftermath of a Russian strike ‌on Monday ⁠on Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery.

Trump expressed disapproval of the strike, one of the European diplomats said, while the other said that it had been "psychologically" a good move by Zelensky to show the images.

European diplomats said the tone of the meeting had been constructive.

Arpan Rai17 June 2026 09:30

European diplomats praise Zelensky's 'psychological' move on Trump at the G7

Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have got the tone right as he presented evidence to Donald Trump of the war's impact on his country, which officials say moved the US president.

Two European diplomats said that, during the meeting, Zelensky showed Trump images of the aftermath of a Russian strike ‌on Monday ⁠on Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery.

Trump expressed disapproval of the strike, one of the European diplomats said, while the other said that it had been "psychologically" a good move by Zelensky to show the images.

European diplomats said the tone of the meeting had been constructive.

Arpan Rai17 June 2026 09:30

Kremlin says Putin did not discuss meeting Zelensky in latest call with Trump

Russian president Vladimir Putin did not discuss the possibility of a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky during his latest phone call with US president Donald Trump, said Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

“No ⁠one has approached ‌us with such a proposal," Ushakov told ‌reporters.

Trump said he spoke separately to Putin and Zelensky on Sunday.

Zelensky said on Monday that he had offered to meet Putin at a G7 summit in France this week, or even in the United States, for talks to end the war that is well into its fifth year.

Arpan Rai17 June 2026 09:15