Russia-Ukraine war live news: Kremlin forces enter Kharkiv border town as official sounds alarm over attack

Footage has shown the moment missiles believed to be US-supplied ATACMS long-range warheads hit a Russian airfield in occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comments on possible negotiations over his war in Ukraine as “hypocritical” on Wednesday.

“Once again, Putin’s hypocritical ‘negotiation’ activity… At the same time, Russia continues to burn cities in Donbas and is trying to break through in Kharkiv region, while simultaneously scaling up crimes against civilians,” he said on X.

Ukraine expects Russia to throw as many of its resources as possible at an attack around Kharkiv as Kyiv’s forces are “on the edge” given how badly they are outgunned by Moscow’s troops.

Russian troops have captured at least six villages in the last week after storming the northeastern border region, forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Russian forces are establishing positions inside the Ukrainian border town of Vovchansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region and fighting there is intense, the local police chief has said.

The capture of the town three miles from the border would be Russia’s most significant gain since it launched an incursion into the Kharkiv region on Friday, opening a new front and forcing Kyiv to rush in reinforcements.

“The situation is extremely difficult. The enemy is taking positions on the streets of the town of Vovchansk,” Oleksiy Kharkivskiy, Vovchansk’s patrol police chief, said on Facebook.

Ukraine‘s military said on Tuesday its forces pulled back to “more advantageous” positions in two areas of the Kharkiv region, including the Vovchansk area.

It cited “a consequence of enemy fire and storming action” and said the decision was taken “to preserve the lives of our servicemen and avoid losses.”

Olena Gubenko refused to leave her home in Kharkiv when Russia first invaded Ukraine, but she has now finally evacuated after Vladimir Putin’s troops launched a new offensive into the northeastern region.

She is fleeing along with a pack of over one hundred rescue dogs, which she and other volunteers have rushed to evacuate.

“I’ll be with them, wherever they are… they’re my life,” she said, pushing her frightened canines into cages that volunteers loaded in vans.

Below are some of the latest photos from Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cancelled a visit to Spain and Portugal, authorities said on Wednesday, with CNN Portugal and other media reporting it was because of renewed fighting in his country.

King Felipe of Spain has been due to hold a reception for Mr Zelensky on May 17 and host a meal in his honour.

Mr Zelensky had also been expected to sign a bilateral security cooperation agreement with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez following a joint declaration by Nato last year.

A spokesperson for the Portuguese government said the Ukraine president had cancelled the visit but did not give a reason.

The Spanish government said it could not comment for security reasons.

Alongside other European Union countries, Spain committed to support Ukraine with financial and military aid after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

Mr Zelensky’s planned visit was due to coincide with an European Union pledge of long-term security support for Kyiv, according to a draft document.

Vladimir Putin’s Beijing visit starting tomorrow is likely to be light on hard deals but will mark the start of his new presidential term with a show of support from his most powerful political partner, Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Putin’s two-day mission is expected to highlight the pair’s vaunted “no limits” partnership in defiance from pressure from the United States over Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed Putin’s trip yesterday, saying Xi and Putin would exchange views on ties and “international and regional issues of common concern”.

While diplomats and analysts expect Putin to push Xi for further support for Russia’s war economy, from machines and chemicals to help its military industries to more discounted oil and gas purchases, Putin’s trip is likely to be heavily symbolic of a shared world view centred on countering a US-led order.

“China is Russia’s strategic partner – this is the path chosen by the president of Russia and the leader of China – and nothing is going to change that no matter what the West tries to say or do,” a Russian official said on condition of anonymity.

In an interview with China’s news agency Xinhua published early today, Putin backed China’s plan for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, saying Beijing had a full understanding of what lay behind it.

“In Beijing, they truly understand its root causes and its global geopolitical meaning,” Putin said, according to a Russian language transcript published on a Kremlin website.

Putin will also discuss economic ties with China’s premier Li Qiang and visit Harbin, a northeast city with historic Russian connections.

Putin’s arrival follows a mission to Beijing late last month from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in part to warn China’s top diplomat Wang Yi against deepening military support for Russia.

Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenergo rolled out new controlled country-wide power cuts starting today amid Russian attacks on the war-hit nation’s energy infrastructure.

Ukraine is witnessing power shortages due to the damage caused to generating capacity from recent Russian missile strikes.

The power cuts will be implemented between 6.40am to 9am local time, Ukrenergo said.

This follows cuts that took place across Ukraine yesterday evening.

From the sky, the Ukrainian drone unit commander had a bird’s-eye view of Russia’s renewed offensive playing out in the country’s war-ravaged northeast.

Enemy forces have captured a string of Ukrainian villages over the past few days after opening a new front along the border with the Russian region of Belgorod. In the village of Strilecha, long depopulated due to its proximity to the border, a Russian infantry unit rolled in with ease, said one drone operator.

“I saw that the infantry just walked into the village,” said Borchik. “There were a lot of them.” Members of the unit spoke on the condition that only their call signs be used in line with Ukrainian military protocols.