World

Moscow says it is effectively at war with NATO – and has warned that Western weapons are inflaming the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking on the 61st day of the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said continual deliveries of supplies and weaponry to Ukraine means the NATO alliance has positioned itself as “in essence engaged

Russia’s security services have foiled a plot to kill a “famous” TV journalist, according to Vladimir Putin. The Russian president said the plot was foiled by Russia’s main spy agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). He offered no evidence to back up his claim. “This morning, the Federal Security Service stopped the activities of a

Emmanuel Macron is set to become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after an official vote projection suggested he has seen off the challenge from Marine Le Pen. The projected result from Ipsos saw Mr Macron get 58.2% of the votes compared with Ms Le Pen’s 41.8%. The pair

Five years after its last presidential election, France today opens its polling booths with the same two candidates on the ballot paper.  Emmanuel Macron, the sitting president, is pitched against Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National party. They are candidates who could hardly bring a greater contrast – Mr Macron from the centre

The top investigative body in Russia is looking at whether the SAS is “organising sabotage” in Ukraine. The Investigative Committee – Moscow’s main federal investigating authority – said it would be following up a report from Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency. RIA quoted a Russian security source as saying around 20 members of the SAS

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was just the beginning – and Moscow has ambitions to capture other nations. It comes after Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu declared that the country intends to introduce new methods of warfare, with the conflict now entering its 59th day. The UK’s Ministry of Defence

Newly released satellite images show what appear to be mass graves dug around the Ukrainian city of Mariupol – holding the bodies of thousands of civilians. The grim photographs, taken by satellite imaging firm Maxar Technologies, reportedly depict more than 200 mass graves dug in long rows stretching away from an existing cemetery in the

Asylum seekers have warned they are willing to go into hiding to avoid being sent to Rwanda for processing. As word spreads about the scheme in the days since it launched, legal advisers told Sky News that people are trying to withdraw their asylum applications. Geeth Kulasegaram said people were panicking and scared and that

The French election is finely balanced. With the polls showing the race for the presidency much closer than in 2017, and the gap just larger than the margin for error, it is still possible that either the incumbent Emmanuel Macron, or his contender in the run-off Marine Le Pen could win. While it is too

When Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of 24 February, the first foreign leader Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called was Britain’s Boris Johnson. Asked why the UK prime minister was number one on the list, the president’s top security official told Sky News: “They are friends. Britain is our friend.” Oleksiy

Russian forces will seize the strategically important Ukrainian port city of Mariupol today, a top ally of Vladimir Putin has claimed after Ukraine warned its forces are unable to “hold out for much longer”. The besieged southern city has been a key target for Russia since the war in Ukraine began almost two months ago.

Ukrainian forces are continuing to repel attacks by Russian forces in the east of the country, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said, as President Zelenskyy renewed calls for more military assistance.  Russia has recently started repositioning and reinforcing its troops in the east of Ukraine after failing to take control of the country’s

There is a ripple of excitement, a push from the crowd and then a cacophony of cheers. Marine Le Pen, smiling and waving, has arrived in town.  She is surrounded by a blend of well-wishers, reporters, security officers, curious shoppers, and flunkies. Slowly, she walks down the road of this Normandy town, normally a quiet

The world must brace itself for an economic slowdown, a burst in inflation and a potential wave of social unrest as energy and food prices rise to intolerable levels, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned in its first assessment of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. The IMF said that Ukraine’s economy would contract

Russia has started its expected major new offensive in eastern Ukraine, President Zelenskyy has said. “The Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time,” Ukraine’s leader said in a video address on Monday night. “A significant part of the entire Russian army is now

Two British fighters captured by Moscow’s forces in Ukraine have appeared on Russian state TV and asked to be exchanged for a pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. It was unclear how freely the two men – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin – were able to talk. Both spoke separately afterbeing prompted by an unidentified man in

We’d only been out with the police for a few minutes. The thud was distant. But close enough to abort the patrol. “Turn around, turn around…” Lieutenant Colonel Sasha Malysh said. “It’s shelling.” Then the police radio crackled. “Attention to all patrols… go to the shelter.” Pope condemns ‘Easter of war’ as Kharkiv hit by

Russia has demanded the surrender of the last remaining Ukrainian troops in Mariupol, with the city on the brink of falling. Moscow claimed it would spare the lives of the troops holding out in a blockaded steelworks plant – but only if they surrendered by 11am GMT. Earlier, Russia said it had cleared the urban

The Kremlin has banned Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Ben Wallace and 10 other UK politicians from entering Russia. The Russian foreign ministry said the action was taken “in view of the unprecedented hostile action by the British government, in particular the imposition of sanctions against senior Russian officials”. The list will be expanded soon, according

The sinking of the Moskva missile cruiser means that the crucial city of Odesa is now a bit safer, and any Russian attack on the port would be harder. The loss of the Russian ship has dominated news stories about the war in the last day or so, and has raised questions about what it