Live blog: Ukraine says 321 heavy tanks promised by allies

1940 GMT — Ukraine shares details on tanks 

 A total of 321 heavy tanks have been promised to Ukraine by several countries, Ukraine's ambassador to France said on BFM television.

"As of today, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine," Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine's ambassador to France, said in an interview with French TV station.

"Delivery terms vary for each case and we need this help as soon as possible," he added. Omelchenko did not provide a breakdown of the number of tanks per country.

1851 GMT - Zelenskyy reports 'extremely acute' situation in east

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the situation at the front remained "extremely acute", particularly in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is stepping up an offensive.

Zelenskyy reported major battles for Vuhledar, to the southwest of Donetsk, and Bakhmut, to the northeast. Bakhmut has largely been pulverised by repeated Russian attacks.

"The occupiers are not just storming our positions, they are deliberately and methodically destroying the towns and villages around them, with artillery, air strikes, missiles," he said in an evening video address.

Bakhmut has symbolic importance for both Russia and Ukraine, though Western military analysts say it has little strategic significance. 

Here are other key developments:

1832 GMT - Ukraine to summon Hungarian envoy 

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will summon Hungary's ambassador to complain about "unacceptable" remarks Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made about Ukraine, a ministry spokesman said.

Oleg Nikolenko, writing on Facebook, said Orban had told reporters that Ukraine was a no man's land and compared it to Afghanistan. 

Hungary was deliberately trying to ruin bilateral relations, he added.

1751 GMT - Ukraine says pilots would need six months for F-16 combat training 

Ukraine said it would take its pilots about half a year to train for combat in Western fighter jets such as US F-16s, as Kiev steps up its campaign to secure fourth-generation warplanes in the wake of Russian attack on Ukraine last February.

Ukraine got a huge boost this week when Germany and the United States announced plans to provide heavy tanks to Kiev, which is now hoping the West will also provide long-range missiles and fighter jets.

Western military support has been vital for Kiev and has rapidly evolved. Before the war, even the idea of supplying lethal aid to Ukraine was highly controversial, but Western supplies have since shattered taboo after taboo.

1254 GMT - 'Fierce' fighting for Vugledar in Ukraine's east – Kiev

Ukraine says its troops were locked in "fierce" fighting with Russian troops for control of the town of Vugledar in the region of Donetsk on the eastern front.

Russian-backed forces claimed they were "waiting for good news" from the town, which had a population of around 15,000 people, but Kiev said Moscow's troops were misrepresenting any gains.

"There is fierce combat there," Ukrainian military spokesperson Sergiy Cherevaty told local media.

1253 GMT - Poland to send 60 modernised tanks to Ukraine in addition to Leopards

Poland will send an additional 60 tanks to Ukraine on top of the 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks it has already pledged, the Polish prime minister said in an interview with Canadian television.

Warsaw, which has positioned itself as one of Kiev's staunchest allies, had pressed hard for Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and to allow other countries to do so as well, a demand which Berlin agreed to on Wednesday.

"Poland sent 250 tanks as the first country half a year ago or even more than that," Mateusz Morawiecki told CTV News.

1116 GMT - Denmark in talks with Israel to replace howitzers donated to Ukraine

After pledging all 19 of its French-made Caesar howitzers to Ukraine, Denmark is in talks with Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems for new mobile artillery to plug a "critical gap".

The defence ministry said that negotiations were on "with the manufacturer Elbit Systems for the delivery of ATMOS artillery pieces and PULS rocket launcher systems as soon as possible".

The equipment could be delivered this year, the government said.

"The rocket launchers complement the new artillery systems," the ministry said.

0841 GMT - Russia, Ukraine discuss war prisoners exchange

Russian ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova said that she agreed at a video conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets to exchange lists of seriously wounded war prisoners that should be repatriated.

"Our cooperation has already allowed us to resolve a number of issues related to family reunification, the identification of missing persons on each side, assistance in the exchange of prisoners and in the return home of detained civilians," Moskalkova said on Telegram.

Apart from drafting lists of seriously injured persons, subject to repatriation, the ombudspersons agreed to provide assistance to the competent authorities in the return of citizens subject to deportation, she added.

0800 GMT - Russia 'may have' attacked areas near Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia

The most recent intelligence assessment on the situation in Ukraine by the UK ministry of defence has been made public. It says:

"Russian units have probably conducted local, probing attacks near Orikiv and Vuhledar, but it is highly unlikely that Russia has actually achieved any substantive advances.

There is a realistic possibility that Russian military sources are deliberately spreading misinformation in an effort to imply that the Russian operation is sustaining momentum."

The head of the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Donetsk region said on Wednesday that units of the Wagner contract militia were advancing in the town of Bakhmut. 

According to a senior Ukrainian official, fighting in Bakhmut and in Vuhledar was growing fiercer.

0935 GMT - Kremlin: New sanctions from Japan 'nothing to worry about'

The Kremlin said fresh sanctions levelled on Russia by Japan were nothing to worry about as it said Russia was adapting to life under such restrictions.

Tokyo earlier said it was tightening its economic sanctions on Russia after the latest wave of deadly missile strikes against Ukraine. 

0741GMT - Russia, Ukraine discuss war prisoners exchange

Russian ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova has said that she has agreed at a video conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets to exchange lists of seriously wounded war prisoners that should be repatriated.

"Our cooperation has already allowed us to resolve a number of issues related to family reunification, the identification of missing persons on each side, assistance in the exchange of prisoners and in the return home of detained civilians," Moskalkova said on Telegram.

0802 GMT - EU official: Russia shifts war focus to 'NATO and the West'

A senior EU official has said that Russia has taken its war against Ukraine to “a different stage” by making indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets, while criticising Moscow for triggering recent moves by Germany and the US to send advanced tanks to Ukraine.

Stefano Sannino, Secretary General of the European Union’s European External Action Service, defended German and US provisions of the military equipment to Ukraine, and criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for waging a war on NATO and the West.

Sannino, speaking at a news conference in Tokyo as part of an Asia-Pacific tour, said Putin had “moved from a concept of special operation to a concept now of a war against NATO and the West".

0627 GMT - Djokovic's father skips Melbourne semi-final

Tennis ace Novak Djokovic's father has said he will stay away from his son's Australian Open semi-final, insisting he "wishes only for peace" after being filmed with fans holding Russian flags.

"I am here to support my son only. I had no intention of causing such headlines or disruption," Srdjan Djokovic said in a statement after the images led to calls for him to be banned from the tournament.

"My family has lived through the horror of war and we wish only for peace," he said

0300 GMT - Japan tightens Russia sanctions

Japan has tightened sanctions against Russia following its latest wave of missile attacks in Ukraine, adding goods to an export ban list and freezing the assets of Russian officials and entities.

"In light of the situation surrounding Ukraine and to contribute to international efforts to secure peace, Japan will implement export bans in line with other major nations," the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry said in a release.

Among the new sanctions, Japan will prohibit shipments of items to 49 organisations in Russia from February 3 that could be used to enhance its military capability.

2212 GMT - Ukraine could boycott Paris Olympics 'if Russians take part'

Ukraine's sports minister has warned his country could boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to take part.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it was seeking a "pathway" for Russians to take part in the Games despite the attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine's sports minister Vadym Goutzeit said such a move was "unacceptable". 

"Our position remains unchanged - as long as the war continues in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be in international competitions," Goutzeit wrote on Facebook.

"If we are not heard, I do not exclude the possibility that we will boycott and refuse to participate in the Olympics."

2200 GMT - Ukraine urges Australian Open to ban Djokovic's father 

Ukraine's ambassador to Australia has urged tennis officials to ban Novak Djokovic's father from the Australian Open after he was filmed posing with fans brandishing Russian flags.

"He should be stripped of his accreditation," ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said.

He also called on Djokovic, who is preparing to face Tommy Paul in the semi-finals of the tournament, to personally apologise and to clarify his stance on the Russian attacks.

More here

0607 GMT - Blasts near Ukraine nuclear plant

The UN's nuclear watchdog has reported powerful explosions near Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station and renewed calls for a security zone around the plant.

A Russian official dismissed the comments by Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying they suggested Moscow could not uphold nuclear safety.

Grossi, who visited Ukraine last week, said IAEA monitors routinely reported explosions near the plant.

"Yesterday, eight strong detonations were heard at around 10 am local time, causing office windows at the plant to vibrate, and more were audible today," he said in a statement.