Ukraine latest war news: Putin claims nuclear-armed West wants to ‘liquidate Russia’

A few headlines this Sunday morning:

– Ukraine’s military said on Sunday that Russia conducted unsuccessful offensives near Yahidne over the past day, after Russia’s Wagner mercenary group claimed to have captured the village in eastern Ukraine near the focus on intense fighting.

– Ukraine’s armed forces said Russia keeps concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive actions along the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtar parts of the frontline.

– The deputy chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence has said the country is seeking to mount a fresh push to retake territory this spring.

– President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia had no choice but to take into account the nuclear capabilities of Nato.

Lancashire Police was found to “require improvement” in investigating crimes months before the force was criticised over its handling of the search for missing mum Nicola Bulley.

An inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found investigations “aren’t always carried out in a timely manner and sometimes lack effective investigation plans, which are poorly supervised”.

It said, “this means relevant lines of enquiry may be missed”.

A Ukraine government spokesman has said there has been no development in the discussion over possible Nato security guarentees.

A statement on Sunday read: “At the recent meeting of German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron with Ukrainian leader Zelenskiy, this issue played no role at all.”

It follows a report by The Wall Street Journal that said some of Nato’s European affiliates are considering an agreement with the war-torn country.

Algeria will reopen its embassy in Kyiv one year after it was closed over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Algerian state television said on Sunday citing a foreign ministry statement.

“This decision falls within the framework of preserving the interests of the Algerian state and the interests of the national community in this country,” state TV quoted the foreign ministry statement as saying.

“The Algerian embassy in Kiev, which suspended its activities due to the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, will be managed by the Chargé d’Affaires.”

The embassy closed in March last year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The decision to reopen the embassy will be effective “as soon as possible,” the statement read.

Germany’s defence minister has reacted with scepticism to reports of a Chinese ceasefire proposal.

Boris Pistorius said on Sunday: “When I hear reports – and I don’t know whether they are true – according to which China may be planning to supply kamikaze drones to Russia while at the same time presenting a peace plan, then I suggest we judge China by its actions and not its words.”

The Sun has led with a story alleging Arkady Rotenberg, an oil billionaire with links to Vladimir Putin, donated £2.2 million towards the construction of a swinning pool at Lambrook school.

The Berkshire school is attended by Prince George, as well as the other children of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

There has not been any suggestion of wrongdoing by the school.

A spokeswoman said: “Lambrook has, and will always, fully comply with all appropriate legislation and undertakes strict due diligence for any charitable donation.”

A group of MPs, including Labours Alex Sobel and Anna McMorrin and Conservative Party members evin Foster and Scott Benton, travelled to Ukraine to give supplies.

The four were in western city Lviv to deliver medical equipmet and tools. They also attended a conference held by president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

The true death toll of the Ukraine – Russia conflict remains unknown, the Sunday Times has reported.

Western reports have focused on high Russian casualties – with Ben Wallace saying 180,000 have been killed or wounded. However, the Ukrainian death toll could be between 80,000 and 100,000.

The last official total from Ukrainian officials put the figure at 10-13,000 but the UK government has said “nobody wants to say” what the more recent and accurate number is.

Ukrainians who have fled the war are struggling to bring loved ones to live with them in the UK because government schemes gave them fewer rights than other refugees – it has been reported.

A university lecturer’s mother and sister had to settle in Germany after he had to “give up” trying to bring them to Britain, while a working couple’s elderly parents ended up in Ireland after they were told they could not act as sponsors.

They are among numerous Ukrainian families separated by stringent rules stemming from ministers’ decision to give those fleeing the conflict temporary three-year visas, rather than full refugee status.