Ukraine daily round-up: Biden meets Ukrainian ministers
- Published
US President Joe Biden has held his first face-to-face talks with Ukrainian government ministers since their country was invaded by Russia.
In Warsaw he met Ukraine's defence and foreign ministers, Oleksii Reznikov and Dmytro Kuleba.
Some say the fact the ministers left Ukraine for the talks is a sign of growing confidence in how the war with Russia is going.
Mr Kuleba said they had received additional pledges from the US president on developing defence co-operation.
Mr Biden said stability in Europe was critically important to US interests, and that whenever Washington had stayed out of crises in Europe, it had come back to bite the country.
But the US president also made some fiery comments on Saturday.
Meeting Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Mr Biden called the Russian president a "butcher" - something unlikely to help strained US-Russia relations.
Then, later, in a speech in front of Warsaw's historic royal castle, he addressed the Russian people, telling them: "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."
That led to a stern message from the Kremlin that "the president of Russia is elected by Russians" - and not the US president. Separately, a White House spokesperson told the media that Mr Biden was not calling for "regime change" with the remark - merely making a point about Mr Putin's attempt to exercise power over other countries.
In Ukraine itself, officials said three powerful explosions had rocked the western city of Lviv.
Thick black smoke was seen rising over the outskirts of the city. The cause of the blasts is not known, but city officials warned residents to remain indoors.
Saboteurs or spectres?
Bohdan had to make a police statement after a neighbour reported his fairy lights
Since the war began, there have been rumours of Russian saboteurs among the Ukrainian population - malicious agents acting from within. But how much of it is real?
The BBC's Andrew Harding, reporting from Ukraine's third-largest city, Odesa, spoke to street patrols checking documents and keeping an eye out for Russian signals, and investigated how this is affecting some residents.
Holding some fairy lights, 22-year-old Bohdan explained the red light in his window had brought the police to his door. "I had to go to the police station and get my documents checked," he said.
But Capt Volodymir Kalina from the Odesa police is clear: "This is not paranoia. There are Russian agents and citizens of Ukraine working against us. That's a fact."
Another Russian general killed
Yakov Rezantsev was reportedly killed in the Kherson region
Ukraine's defence ministry said another Russian general, Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson.
He was the commander of Russia's 49th combined army.
A western official said he was the seventh general to die in Ukraine, and the second lieutenant general - the highest rank officer reportedly killed.
It is thought that low morale among Russian troops has forced senior officers closer to the front line.
Ukrainian media reported on Friday that the general was killed at the Chornobaivka airbase near Kherson, which Russia is using as a command post and has been attacked by Ukraine's military several times.
Another lieutenant general, Andrei Mordvichev, was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian strike on the same base last week.
Aerial video shows escaping father killed in Ukraine
Video captured by a Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance group appears to show Russian forces shooting at civilians
There are a growing number of reports that Russian forces shoot at civilians who are trying to escape the conflict zone in Ukraine.
Footage from a Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance group appears to show one such incident.
Warning: Graphic video.
Clip shows Russian defence minister alive
After two weeks of fevered speculation about the disappearance of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, his ministry has released a clip of him addressing a meeting of senior generals.
Reading from a script, and occasionally slurring his lines, Shoigu talked about the supply of weapons to troops in Ukraine.
There's been intense speculation that he is having health problems, or has had a heart attack.
There was nothing to indicate when the footage was filmed.
Russian oligarch's jets seized in UK
Eugene Shvidler (right) has been sanctioned over his ties with long-standing business partner Roman Abramovich (left)
Two private jets owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch have been seized by the British government.
The jets belonging to billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler had been under investigation at Farnborough and Biggin Hill airports for three weeks.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said "Putin's friends" should not "enjoy luxuries" while innocent people die in Ukraine.
Mr Shvidler was sanctioned over his business ties with Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich.
His net worth has been estimated at £1.2bn, the government says, while the seized jets are believed to be worth up to $60m (£45m).
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