Ukraine latest: West and Russia clash over U.N. probe of drone attacks

The Russian invasion of Ukraine that began on Feb. 24 continues, with casualties rising on both sides.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia’s annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions following referendums that Western nations called a “sham.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are mounting a strong counteroffensive against Russian troops, reclaiming territory lost when Moscow launched its invasion. Ukraine has managed to withstand the Russian onslaught with the help of Western military aid, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regularly calls on the world to do more. For all our coverage, visit our Ukraine war page.

Read our in-depth coverage:

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U.S. weapons stockpiles depleted by Ukraine war

West and allies must never yield to Russia’s nuclear threat

Germany aims to phase out all Russian gas: finance minister

Asian American reporters warn against ‘kamikaze drone’ in news stories

Note: Nikkei Asia decided on March 5 to suspend its reporting from Russia until further information becomes available regarding the scope of the revised criminal code. Entries include material from wire services and other sources.

Here are the latest developments:

Thursday, Oct. 27 (Tokyo time)

11:00 a.m. The U.S. and its Western allies on the United Nations Security Council insisted that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has the right to investigate if Russia has used Iranian drones to attack civilians and power plants in Ukraine. They dismissed Moscow’s argument that the U.N. chief would be violating the U.N. Charter. Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, who called the council meeting, argued that only the Security Council can mandate an investigation. He cited Article 100 of the charter, which says the secretary-general “shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the organization.” U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood called Russia’s contention “simply dumbfounding” and an attempt “to deflect attention from its own egregious wrongdoing in Ukraine.”

3:33 a.m. The U.S. imposes sanctions on individuals and entities involved in what it described as Russia’s malign influence operations in Moldova as well as systemic corruption in the small Eastern European country.

The individuals sanctioned, a mix of Russian and Moldovan officials, include oligarchs “widely recognized for capturing and corrupting Moldova’s political and economic institutions and those acting as instruments of Russia’s global influence campaign,” the U.S. Treasury Department says in a statement.

12:55 a.m. Ford Motor says it will exit Russia, having finalized a deal to sell its 49% stake in the Russia-based Sollers Ford joint venture for a “nominal” undisclosed price.

Mercedes-Benz also says it will withdraw from the Russian market and sell shares in its industrial and financial services subsidiaries to a local investor.

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Russia’s Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during exercises at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia, in footage released on Oct. 26. (Screenshot of handout video from Russia’s Defense Ministry)

  © Reuters

9:00 p.m. Russia has tested ballistic and cruise missiles during exercises involving its nuclear forces, the Kremlin says.

A training session was held for ground, sea and air strategic deterrence forces under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, the country’s military commander in chief, according to a Kremlin news release.

One of the ballistic missiles was launched from Kamchatka in the Russian Far East. All of the tasks were completed, and the missiles reached their targets, the Kremlin says.

U.S. officials had said that Washington was notified of the Russian nuclear drills and that the White House had not assessed that Russia was preparing to use a nuclear weapon.

7:00 p.m. Germany will seek a complete halt to energy imports from Russia as soon as possible, the country’s finance minister, Christian Lindner, tells Nikkei.

Linder vows to phase out Russian gas and to “become completely independent of Russia as quickly as possible.” Listing energy procurement alternatives such as using floating terminals to stockpile liquefied natural gas (LNG) and using more renewable energy, he says, adding, “That is a clear indication to Russia that we’re not going to be pressured.” Read more.

5:08 a.m. Russia has given the U.S. notice of planned exercises of nuclear forces — drills expected to include test launching ballistic missiles.

“The U.S. was notified, and, as we’ve highlighted before, this is a routine annual exercise by Russia,” said Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder, an Air Force brigadier general, in a news briefing. “And so in this regard, Russia is complying with its arms control obligations and its transparency commitments … to make those notifications.”

4:57 a.m. Zara owner Inditex has announced an initial agreement to sell its Russian business to the United Arab Emirates-based Daher group, which has interests in retailing and real estate.

The Spanish apparel group had paused Russian sales in March. It explicitly leaves the door open for returning in the future under a franchise agreement with Daher.

1:00 a.m. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated new U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on taking office.

“I wish you to successfully overcome all the challenges facing British society and the whole world today,” Zelenskyy says in a Twitter post.

Zelenskyy had a cordial relationship with former U.K. leader Boris Johnson, who put Ukraine at the top of his foreign-policy agenda and visited the country multiple times after Russia’s invasion. Johnson’s successor Liz Truss pledged continued support for Kyiv but resigned after just six weeks in office.

For earlier updates, click here.