Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for starting the war in Ukraine and claimed Russia responded with force “in order to stop it”.
In a speech describing his aims as the first anniversary of the conflict nears, the Russian president said Ukraine was in talks with the West about weapons before Russia invaded its neighbour on 24 February last year.
Mr Putin also announced that Russia was suspending its participation in a key nuclear treaty with the US which limits the two sides’ strategic nuclear arsenals.
“I would like to repeat, they started the war and we used force in order to stop it,” he said in his state of the nation address on Tuesday.
The Russian leader said Kyiv held talks with the West about weapons supplies before the “special military operation”, as Moscow calls it, began.
‘Playing a dirty game’
“I would like to emphasise when Russia tried to find a peaceful solution they were playing with the lives of people and they were playing a dirty game,” he said.
Mr Putin said Russia decided to “protect its people and history” by conducting a “special military operation step-by-step” – as he warned that Moscow will “continue to resolve the objectives that are before us”.
Mr Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty with the US, which caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the US and Russia can deploy.
The treaty came into force in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for five more years. Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, with close to 6,000 warheads, according to experts.
Mr Putin said Russia was not fully withdrawing from the treaty and said Moscow must stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the US does so.
West ‘released genie from the bottle’
The Russian president took aim at the West and said they “released the genie from the bottle” in the 10 years prior to the war, by starting others.
He claimed Western countries were painting Russia as an enemy of the state to divert attention from the corruption and socio-economic problems in their own countries.
On weapons, Mr Putin also claimed the West was “in negotiations” over the “supply of heavy military equipment and planes and anti-aircraft missile systems” before the operation began.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:50
NATO discussed ‘supply of nuclear weapons’
While Russian forces have suffered three major battlefield reversals since the war began, it still controls around one-fifth of Ukraine.
In his wide-ranging speech, the Russian president also claimed millions of people in the West are being “led to a real spiritual catastrophe”, as he criticised the “Anglican Church’s plan to consider the idea of a gender-neutral God”.
West ‘punishment themselves with sanctions’
The Russian president accused the West of collapsing its own energy sectors by sanctioning Russian-linked companies and individuals.
“All sanctions are just a means, but the objective is to force our citizens to suffer – this is their humanistic approach,” he said.
He added that they have “not been successful” and that the government has spent 3bn roubles on measures to stabilise the Russian economy.
On Monday, Mr Biden added that alongside additional military aid for Ukraine, the US would announce additional sanctions against Russian elites.
Mr Biden said the Russian president was “dead wrong” to think the West’s support for Ukraine would not last as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the talks as “fruitful”.
A football derby in Tel Aviv between Hapoel and Maccabi has been cancelled after “violent riots”, according to Israeli police.
Nine people were arrested on Sunday night at Bloomfield Stadium, a venue shared by both clubs. Hapoel were the home team for the game.
A statement from Israeli police said the game was called off “following disturbances and violent riots” in which 13 civilians and three officers were injured by pyrotechnic devices.
“These are very serious incidents that posed a real danger to the lives of police officers and civilians,” the statement added.
But Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club released a statement with a very different perspective on policing at the match.
“From the preliminary discussions prior to the match, it appears that the police were preparing for war rather than a sporting event,” a spokesperson said.
Image: Outside the stadium, mounted police attempt to control crowds. Pic: Israeli police
Image: Footage released by Israeli police shows a flare or firework landing near officers. Pic: Israeli police
They added: “Most of the injuries from the event were caused by brutal police violence at the end of the game, as a direct result of the scandalous decision to cancel the event.
“Everyone saw the disturbing videos of children being trampled by horses and police officers indiscriminately beating fans.”
Israeli police have not yet responded to the allegations from Hapoel.
A Maccabi statement read: “Following the police’s decision, it was determined that the Tel Aviv derby will not take place tonight.”
Footage shared by the police shows projectiles and flares being thrown on to the pitch, as well as unrest outside the stadium and arrests being made.
Image: What looked like smoke canisters were seized by officers. Pic: Israeli police
Maccabi ban criticised
On Thursday, Maccabi supporters were told they are not allowed to attend November’s Europa League game against Aston Villa in Birmingham next month after a decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG).
The group – made up of local stakeholders, including representatives from the council, police and event organisers – said the decision was due to a high risk of violence based on “current intelligence and previous incidents”.
He insisted Aston in Birmingham cannot become a “no-go area” for Jews.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:15
Aston ‘can’t be no-go area for Jews’
The energy secretary also said that he “profoundly” disagrees with the “approach” taken by a local MP who started a petition calling for fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv to be banned from the Aston Villa game.
The petition states: “Their arrival in Aston – a diverse and predominantly Muslim community – poses a real risk of tensions within the community and disorder.”
Mr Miliband pushed back on that point. He said the “vast majority of Muslim people in this country would disassociate themselves” from suggestions that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans could not come to Aston Villa because it was a predominantly Muslim area.
His Tory counterpart, Claire Coutinho, was also highly critical of the petition, telling Phillips: “I think politicians need to have the courage to name some of the problems that this country is facing. And one of those problems is political Islam.”
The independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, Ayoub Khan, criticised those comments.
“I utterly reject the false and inflammatory characterisations… regarding my recent petition,” he said in a statement.
“The petition I launched reflected genuine and widespread concern from my constituents about public safety and community cohesion. It did not call for anyone to be ‘banned because they are Jewish’ nor did it single out any faith or ethnicity.
“To distort this into an issue of religion or antisemitism is deeply irresponsible and frankly dangerous. I have consistently condemned all forms of hatred – including antisemitism and Islamophobia – and I will continue to do so.”
The government is expecting West Midlands Police to set out early next week what they would need to police the game safely with both sets of fans present.
A cargo plane has skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport, killing two people on the ground.
Images taken after the crash which happened around 3.50am (8.50pm UK time) showed a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall.
The AirACT plane, travelling from Dubai, could be seen with escape slides deployed and the nose and tail sections separated. Four crew on board survived.
Image: The nose and tail sections separated after the crash. Pic: Reuters
Image: Escape slides were deployed and all four crew survived. Pic: Reuters
Image: Rescue teams circle the partially submerged green tail of the aircraft. Pic: AP
Two security staff were killed when the aircraft struck their vehicle, shunting it into the sea, said Steven Yiu, executive director of airport operations at Airport Authority Hong Kong.
At a news conference, he told reporters about the rescue operation.
“Four aircraft crew on board were quickly rescued by Fire Service Department [which] also rescued two security staff from the sea.
“One was certified dead at the hospital and the other certified dead at the scene.
More on Hong Kong
Related Topics:
“We are deeply saddened and extend our deepest condolence. We will provide the family with all necessary support and assistance.”
Image: Steven Yiu from Airport Authority Hong Kong told reporters two security staff have been killed. Pic: AP
Image: Mr Yiu showed a map of the northern runway and the crash site. Pic: AP
He explained that the security vehicle was patrolling the north runway along a road that was outside the runway fence when it was struck.
The northern runway at the world’s busiest cargo airport is closed while the south and central runways are continuing to operate.
“According to information we have at that moment, weather and the runway condition were safe and met all conditions for runway operation. An investigation is continuing.” Mr Yiu added.
Emirates said in a statement that flight EK9788 sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong on Monday and was a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft wet-leased from and operated by ACT Airlines.
“Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” the airline said.
Man Ka-chai, chief accident and safety investigator for Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, confirmed air traffic control had directed the flight to land at the north runway, but added: “We didn’t receive any message requesting help from the pilot.”
ACT Airlines is a Turkish carrier that provides extra cargo capacity to major airlines. It did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said the aircraft involved in the accident was 32 years old and had served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement that the aircraft had “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea”.
Airport Authority Hong Kong said the northern runway would reopen after safety inspections were complete.
Police face “a race against time” to recover “priceless” objects stolen by thieves in a daring heist at the Louvre museum in Paris, Sky News has been told.
The world-famous museum was forced to close on Sunday after thieves accessed a gallery containing the French Crown Jewels at around 9.30am local time.
Art detective Arthur Brand said the heist is “the theft of the decade” – adding in order to recover the “priceless” items, police will need to find the culprits in just one week.
“These crown jewels are so famous, you just cannot sell them,” Mr Brand told Sky News. “The only thing they can do is melt the silver and gold down, dismantle the diamonds, try to cut them. That’s the way they will probably disappear forever.”
He continued: “They [the police] have a week. If they catch the thieves, the stuff might still be there. If it takes longer, the loot is probably gone and dismantled. It’s a race against time.”
Eight “priceless” objects stolen have been named by the French culture ministry. A ninth item was stolen but recovered at the scene, the Paris prosecutor said.
The French culture ministry said the items stolen were:
• Tiara from the set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
• Necklace from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
• Earring, from the pair belonging to the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
Image: The tiara (top), necklace (middle) and one earring were taken from the Queen Marie Amelie sapphire set. Pic: Louvre
• Emerald necklace from the Empress Marie Louise set
• Pair of emerald earrings from the Empress Marie Louise set
Image: Empress Marie Louise’s emerald necklace and earrings. Pic: Louvre
• Brooch known as the “reliquary brooch”
• Tiara of Empress Eugenie
• Large corsage bow brooch of Empress Eugenie.
Image: The Empress Eugenie tiara. Pic: Louvre
Image: The Empress Eugenie brooch contains 2,438 diamonds. Pic: Louvre
French publication Le Parisien previously reported that the object recovered at the museum was the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie, and it was broken.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:21
Louvre heist: What we know so far?
Authorities revealed details of the raid after the museum, which is the world’s most popular and draws up to 30,000 visitors a day, said on X that it was closing for “exceptional reasons”.
Image: Police working by a basket lift used by thieves at the Louvre museum in Paris. Pic: AP
Image: The world famous museum attracts tens of thousands of people every day. File pic: AP
Culture minister Rachida Dati said footage of the operation showed the thieves “don’t target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave”.
“No violence, very professional,” she told TF1.
How the robbery unfolded
French interior minister Laurent Nunez said the “major robbery” involved intruders entering the museum via a basket lift using a platform mounted on a lorry.
It is not clear if they brought any or all of the equipment they used with them, as construction work is taking place along the River Seine side of the sprawling building, where the break-in occurred.
Mr Nunez said: “They broke a window and went towards several display cases where they stole jewellery. These are jewels that have genuine heritage value and are, in fact, priceless.”
Image: The ceiling of the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre. Pic: Shutterstock
The interior ministry said the criminals fled on two motorbikes. No injuries have been reported.
The number of robbers has not been confirmed but Mr Nunez told France Inter that three or four thieves got into the museum.
The gang was well prepared and had scouted the venue, Mr Nunez said, adding they cut window panes “with a disc cutter” before escaping “on a TMAX”, a type of Yamaha maxi-scooter.
Forensic work is now under way and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled following the break-in, which took place between 9.30 and 9.40am (8.30-8.40am UK time).
Once in, they made for the Galerie d’Apollon (Apollo Gallery), home to a selection of the French Crown Jewels, the interior ministry said.
French daily newspaper Le Parisien, citing police, said the suspects wore hoods and were carrying “small chainsaws”.
The robbers reportedly escaped with nine pieces of jewellery, including a necklace, a brooch and a tiara from the Napoleon and French Sovereigns display cases, the newspaper reported.
Two suspects were inside while a third stayed outside, Le Parisien said.
Image: Suspects reportedly used this window to get in. Pic: Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X: “We will recover the works and the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
“Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this,” he added.
What is in the Galerie d’Appollon?
The Galerie d’Appollon is an enormous room on the upper floor of the Petite Galerie, which houses the French Crown Jewels as well as the royal collection of hardstone vessels, paintings, tapestries and medallions, the museum’s website said.
Rebuilt by Louis XIV after a fire, it is home to three historical diamonds – the Regent, one of the most famous diamonds in the world, the Sancy and the Hortensia.
At 140 carats, the Regent is exceptional in terms of size, weight and purity and when it was found in India in 1698, it was the largest known diamond at the time.
Social media users posted pictures and videos from in and outside the building, with one showing people leaving in “total panic”.
Image: The museum sits next to the River Seine. Pic: Reuters
X
This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
One person on X who said they were there reported a confused-sounding scene of police “running” near the museum’s famous pyramid “and trying to enter… from glass side doors but they were locked and they could not enter”.
“Everyone inside was running and banging on glass doors to get out, but could not open. Police and military police arrived,” they added.
History of Louvre break-ins
This is not the first time thieves have targeted the museum.
In 1911, the Mona Lisa, now protected by bulletproof glass, vanished from its frame, stolen by a former worker who hid inside the museum and walked out with the painting under his coat.
It was recovered two years later in Florence – an episode that helped make Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait the world’s best-known artwork.
In 1983, two Renaissance-era pieces of armour were stolen – and were only recovered in 2021, nearly four decades later.
The museum’s collection also bears the legacy of Napoleonic-era looting, containing 33,000 works of art, including antiquities, sculptures and paintings.
In addition to the Mona Lisa, its star attractions feature the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.