In comments aired on state television, President Putin said on Monday: “One of the obvious goals of the enemy is to sow discord, strife, intimidate people, destroy the unity and cohesion of Russian society. “The main task is, of course, for the defence ministry to dislodge the enemy from our …

On Sunday, Yevgeny Balitsky, the Kremlin-installed governor of Zaporizhzhia, said a fire had broken out at the cooling towers of the power plant. He blamed Ukrainian shelling, but asked for “calm”, adding that there had been no radiation spike around the plant. Mr Zelensky also said there was no detected …

A man was arrested for climbing the Eiffel Tower on Sunday, hours before the Olympics closing ceremony, Paris police told the BBC. The man was spotted climbing the tower at about 14:45 local time (13:45 BST) and officers immediately intervened and arrested him, police said. No more details were immediately …

“Ukraine is proving that it can indeed restore justice and ensure the necessary pressure on the aggressor,” Mr Zelensky said. He went on to thank Ukraine’s “warriors” and said he had discussed the operation in Russia with the country’s top military commander – Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. A senior Ukrainian official …

Russia said that up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, entered the Kursk region on Tuesday morning. The Ukrainians have since reportedly seized a number of villages, and are also threatening the regional town of Sudzha. On Friday, a video emerged purportedly showing armed Ukrainian soldiers …

For two weeks, the world has come to play in Paris. One of the planet’s most stunning cities has played host to the “crème de la crème” of Olympic royalty. National leaders and celebrities have joined the sports stars to strut their stuff, their every move beamed across the globe …

BBC Verify has examined footage of a heavily-damaged convoy in Russia’s Kursk region. It shows many damaged Russian military tracks left in the road, some filled with injured or dead soldiers, while a few others in uniform wait at the roadside. The convoy video was filmed around 06:00 local time, …

Reports suggest that Ukrainian troops are operating about 10km inside Russian territory – the deepest cross-border advance by Kyiv since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia’s military says up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, entered the Kursk region on Tuesday morning. It …

“Our hearts are with Lazar’s entire family, friends, and fellow athletes. “Out of respect for the family and in cooperation with the Fort Worth Police Department, we will share updates when possible.” The rest of Thursday’s events have been suspended and organisers are “fully cooperating with authorities”, a separate statement …

Mykhailo Podolyak, a long-term aide to President Zelensky added: “War is war, with its own rules, where the aggressor inevitably reaps corresponding outcomes.” Russia’s defence ministry said advancements and “breakthrough attempts” by the Ukrainian army’s formations in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts in Kursk were thwarted in a combined effort …

A threat made against the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris and his wife and children is being investigated by Gardaí (Irish police). The threat, which mentioned knives, was posted on Instagram at the weekend, according to Irish broadcaster RTÉ. It comes just days after a van was rammed into …

A children’s club dedicated to celebrating Albanian heritage has been set up in London to help young people learn more about their culture. The club, thought to be the first of its kind, was started by Sanda Eglite in May 2023 after she secured funding and support for the project …

His youngest son has been following him everywhere, anxious not to let him out of his sight. Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is also a British citizen, was convicted of treason and sentenced to 25 years for his fierce and persistent condemnation of Vladimir Putin and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He …

The tradition of a population galvanising around a hero is as old as the Games itself, according to Philip Barker, the editor of the Journal of Olympic History. Some host nations’ sporting heroes have inspired lasting change, Barker said. He cited Cathy Freeman, an Aboriginal runner who celebrated her 400m …

The F-16s will work alongside a limited number of Western-supplied surface-to-air missile systems such as Patriot and NASAMS which are already on the ground. This year Ukraine has been under huge threat from Russian glide bombs – bombs fitted with pop-out wing kits and guidance modules to deliver precision strike …

Video shows Europe’s tallest volcano, Mount Etna, erupting over the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Volcanic activity has intensified in recent weeks, with recurrent activity following a four year pause. A massive cloud of ash and smoke has restricted arrivals to Catania airport. Several flights have been diverted to airports such …

Intelligence officials in the UK noted last September that the Rostov-on-Don “likely suffered catastrophic damage” in a missile strike while undergoing maintenance at a Sevastopol shipyard. Ukraine’s military said Russia subsequently repaired the vessel and it was recently testing its capabilities near Sevastopol. The vessel was worth $300m (£233m), they …

Video has captured the moment a large tornado passed through Castellón in eastern Spain. José Arenes, the mayor of a town in the region called El Toro told local media the tornado “surprised us all” but that it seemed there was “no major damage” caused. Local weather agency MeteoStorms said …

Sixteen were Western prisoners detained in Russian jails and eight were Russian prisoners held in the US, Norway, Germany, Poland and Slovenia. Among them was Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The Russian family of four were warmly welcomed, with Mrs Dultseva and her daughter receiving flowers and a warm …

The standard advice is to make noise in bear territory as you walk. If you encounter a bear, stand quiet and still, then back slowly away. As with a dog, the worst thing you can do is run away, as it is sure to follow. At the base of the …