Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv says it killed 12 FSB officers in drone swarm attack on Russian command centre

The royal with a gift for grabbing attention has done what he does best on a surprise trip to Kyiv – and managed to annoy Donald Trump while he’s at it, says Samuel Fishwick:

The European Union formally approved on Thursday a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia. This decision came ahead of an informal summit in Cyprus, attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The loan is set to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s needs for the next two years. Economists had warned Ukraine would run out of money by June without the EU loan, necessitating deep cuts to public services.

In full, read how the loan will help Ukraine in its fight against Russia:

Ukraine claims to have foiled a Russian plot to carry out terror attacks on schools.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Thursday that it had foiled efforts by the Russian special services to recruit children who “were supposed to blow up their lyceums” in Odesa and Kirovohrad regions, and “shoot their classmates with firearms”.

The SBU said an investigation revealed the children had been recruited through groups on Telegram and TikTok used to manipulate children into carrying out illegal activities.

They said the “young men”, who have been detained, were recruited under threat of reprisals against relatives and encouraged to punish bullies.

“Russian special services pushed the schoolchildren not only to commit terrorist acts, but also to commit suicide immediately after the “main crime”. In this way, the Russians hoped to get rid of “extra witnesses”,” the SBU said.

EU leaders have asked officials to prepare a blueprint for how the bloc’s obscure mutual assistance clause would work, amid doubts over the US commitment to NATO.

Worries about president Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO for failing to back the war with Iran, along with his threats earlier this year to seize Greenland, have created greater urgency to define the EU’s mutual assistance provisions.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday that EU leaders agreed that it was time to flesh out the pact, set out in Article 42.7 of the bloc’s core treaty.

“We agreed last night that the (European) Commission will prepare a blueprint on how we respond in case a member state triggers Article 42.7. There are a number of questions that we need to have an answer to,” Christodoulides said.

Unlike NATO’s Article 5 collective defence pact, which is seen as the bedrock of European security, the EU’s mutual assistance clause is not backed by detailed operational plans or military structures.

It has been activated only once, by France after Islamist attackers killed 130 people in Paris in 2015, when member states stepped in with contributions to EU and international military missions, freeing up France to redeploy its troops.

Polish F-16 fighter jets intercepted two Russian SU-30 jets over the Baltic Sea, deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk said on Friday.

“Every violation of Poland’s and the region’s security will be met with an immediate NATO response,” Tomczyk wrote on X.

A defence ministry spokesperson said that the jets did not violate Polish airspace.

Donald Trump has dismissed the Duke of Sussex’s comments on the Ukrainian conflict, saying that Prince Harry “is not speaking for the UK”.

The remarks followed an impassioned speech by Harry at the Kyiv Security Forum on Thursday, where he urged “American leadership” to “honour its international treaty obligations” in its “enduring role in global security”.

The King’s youngest son, in a rare input on global matters, clarified he was “not here as a politician” but as “a soldier who understands service” and “a humanitarian”, though he did not mention Mr Trump by name.

Ukraine claims to have foiled a Russian plot to carry out terror attacks on schools.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Thursday that it had foiled efforts by the Russian special services to recruit children who “were supposed to blow up their lyceums” in Odesa and Kirovohrad regions, and “shoot their classmates with firearms”.

The SBU said an investigation revealed the children had been recruited through groups on Telegram and TikTok used to manipulate children into carrying out illegal activities.

They said the “young men”, who have been detained, were recruited under threat of reprisals against relatives and encouraged to punish bullies.

“Russian special services pushed the schoolchildren not only to commit terrorist acts, but also to commit suicide immediately after the “main crime”. In this way, the Russians hoped to get rid of “extra witnesses”,” the SBU said.

The EU has begun its push for a 21st round of sanctions against Russia, after adopting the 20th package and approving a 90bn euro loan to support Ukraine.

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on Friday: “We’re really pushing to go on with the 21st package of sanctions.”

She told reporters in Cyprus that such a move “sends a very clear signal to Russia that they can’t outwait us”.

“It also sends a clear signal to Russia that Ukraine is more important to us than it is to them, and we will keep on supporting them.”