Ukraine war briefing: Suspect arrested in killing of Putin critic may have Russian intelligence links

Polish police make arrest in artist Robert ?Kuzovkov’s murder; Russia threatens huge ‘group strikes’ after attack on Moscow. What we know on day 1,577

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a Russian activist critical of Vladimir Putin has been arrested in Poland. Officials said they believe there may be a link to the man and a foreign intelligence service. Robert Kuzovkov was killed on Monday in Poland in what is seen as part of a possible Russian sabotage campaign in Nato nations. The suspect, a 36-year-old with a Georgian passport, is allegedly linked to organised crime, Polish officials said. Kuzovkov, who died of gunshot wounds to the head, chest and back, had painted unflattering caricatures of Putin and high-ranking Russian officials. One depicts Putin being cradled in the arms of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. He had refused offers of protection by Polish authorities. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the killing appears to be a political assassination, possibly ordered by Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Kyiv’s biggest air raid on Moscow since the start of the war as revenge for Russia’s strike on a historic Kyiv monastery earlier this week. Ukrainian drones hit several locations across Moscow, setting a major ?oil refinery on fire and forcing evacuations at the city’s airport. Russia’s foreign minister announced it would launch huge “group strikes” on Ukraine “on a regular basis” in response to the raid. Peter Beaumont, Pjotr Sauer and Jennifer Rankin have covered the scope of the attack. And Pjotr Sauer has analysed the significance of the Moscow assault, and its likely reprisals.

EU officials say the European Union has reached out to Moscow in a tentative bid to open a line of communication so the continent is not sidelined in any potential talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The EU has been quietly seeking to reopen communications with Moscow even as it doubles down on its support for Kyiv. Several EU leaders said there was no point in rushing into talks with Russia. The Latvian prime minister, Andris Kulbergs, said: “First of ?all, there has to be someone on the other side willing for peace.” He added: “Unfortunately no one wants peace on that side … there is no point for contact if the ?other party [Russia] doesn’t want [peace].”

Meanwhile, EU leaders agreed ?to ?renew sanctions ?against Russia for another ?12 months, a ?spokesperson ?said. Thursday’s decision marked the ?first time such sanctions – which target ?certain sectors of the Russian economy – have ?been renewed for ?a year. ?They ?had previously been ?rolled ?over every ?six ?months.

Britain will provide ?150,000 drones to Ukraine by the end ?of ?2026 as ?part of a £752m ($996m) funding ?package. The package, funded by Britain’s £2.26bn loan to Ukraine, includes 350 air defence missiles ?and ground-based radar systems. The loan is ?backed by proceeds from immobilised Russian sovereign assets.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants ?to end the war ?with ?Russia before winter ?through diplomacy and ?pressure on Moscow. But if ?the fighting ?continues longer, ?Ukraine will need a winter assistance package such as gas, diesel ?fuel and energy equipment and ?a missile package of at least 300 ?missiles, he ?said.

Russian spy drones flying into Ukraine from Belarusian airspace have sharply increased since the beginning of the year, writes Peter Beaumont, as senior officials in Kyiv express mounting concern over Belarus’s involvement in the war. Ukraine has stepped up by reinforcing fortifications on its northern border, including anti-tank ditches, concrete “dragons’ teeth” obstacles to block armoured vehicles and new areas of barbed wire.

Russia and ?Ukraine ?carried ?out another exchange ?of war dead ?on ?Thursday, ?with ?Moscow ?receiving 33 bodies and Ukraine receiving ?522 bodies, Russia’s ?RBC news outlet ?reported, citing ?a Russian ?lawmaker.