Ukraine latest: Volodymyr Zelensky addresses G7 leaders, PM says cost of Ukraine support is price worth paying

Kyiv has been hit by two Russian strikes, Ukrainian officials have said.

Blasts were heard in the city earlier today as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited the city for talks with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, said that there were at least three people reported injured as a result of the attack, adding that the strikes hit the central Shevchenkivskyi district of the city.

Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to President Zelensky, tweeted: “Missile strikes in the downtown of Kyiv during the official visit of @antonioguterres. The day before he was sitting at a long table in the Kremlin, and today explosions are above his head. Postcard from Moscow? Recall why still takes a seat on the UN Security Council?”

US President Joe Biden has asked US Congress for an additional $33 billion to help support Ukraine in the fight against Russia.

The requested assistance will see more than $20 billion in military assistance for the country, with an additional $8.5 billion in economic support.

An administration official said: “The president’s funding request is what we believe is needed to enable Ukraine’s success over the next five months of this war.

“We have every expectation that our partners and allies will continue to provide comparable levels of assistance going forward.”

A remarkable clip from Russian state media shows a panel of some of the nation’s most prominent journalists discussing the prospect of nuclear war with the West.

One of the panel even suggests it would not be so bad, because “we will go to heaven, and they will simply croak”.

In the clip, Margarita Simonyan, editor of state broadcaster RT, says: “Either we lose in Ukraine or the Third World War starts. I think World War Three is more realistic.

“Knowing us, knowing our leader, Vladimir Vladimirovch Putin, the most incredible outcome that all this will end with a nuclear strike seems more probable to me than the other course of events.

“To my horror, on one hand, on the other hand, with the understanding that it is what it is.”

A male panellist then responds: “But we will go to heaven, and they will simply croak.”

Vladimir Putin has warned that any country trying to intervene in the Ukraine war will face a "lightning-fast" response.

The Russian President said: "If someone from the outside tries to intervene in Ukraine and create strategic threats for Russia, our response will be lightning fast.

"We have all the tools [to respond] that no one can boast of. And we will not be bragging about them, we will use them if necessary."

His comments on Wednesday appear to be in response to new pledges from Nato countries to supply weaponry to Ukraine, after Germany signalled a major policy shift by announcing that they would provide 50 anti-aircraft tanks.

It may also reflect reports that Russia is struggling to overcome fierce Ukrainian resitance in its campaign to take the Donbas region in the east.

Russia has also warned that any country refusing to bow to the Kremlin's demands to pay for natural gas in rubles will face the same fate as Poland and Bulgaria, after those two countries saw their deliveries dropped on Wednesday.

"Payment in proper form will be the basis for the continuation of supply," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, referring to a decree signed by Vladimir Putin demanding that all gas payments be made in rubles.

The UK’s foreign secretary Liz Truss has insisted that Western allies need to “double down” on their support of Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

Ms Truss made a keynote speech at Mansion House in London, in which she urged the West to use its economic powers to deter aggressors who “do not play by the rules”.

The foreign secretary singled out China in her speech, saying: “China is not impervious. They will not continue to rise if they do not play by the rules.

“China needs trade with the G7. We represent around half of the global economy. And we have choices.

“We have shown with Russia the kind of choices that we’re prepared to make when international rules are violated.”

Russia has said that troops have “liberated” the Ukrainian city of Kherson, following conflicting reports earlier today.

According to Interfax News Agency, Russian officals have confirmed that the city, in southern Ukraine, has been taken over.

The Russian claims come after Ukrainian regional military official Hennadiy Lahuta said that Russian troops has appointed their own people to the city council.

Lahuta said: “Yesterday, the occupiers seized the premises of the Kherson city council, removed all Ukrainian symbols and replaced their guards.”

Kherson mayor Ihol Kolykayev added that he was refusing to co-operate with the new administration within the region.

It has been announced that both Poland and Bulgaria will be cut off from energy supplies from Russia.

Russian gas company Gazprom has contacted PGNiG, the Polish state gas company, to notify that access to the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline will cease on Wednesday morning.

The Russian company also notifed Bulagrian energy firm Bulgargaz of the decision.

Polish climate minister Anna Moskowa said that the country was prepared for such as move, adding: “There will be no shortage of gas in Polish homes.

“Appropriate diversification strategies that we have introduced allow us to feel on the safe side in this situation.”

Bulgarian energy minister Alexander Nikolov also confirmed that the country was pursuing alternative arrangements to ensure that the supply of gas and energy was not disrupted.

One of the major developments to come out of a meeting of 40 countries today is that Germany will supply heavy weaponry to a conflict zone, which represents a major shift in policy.

Germany announced it has cleared the way for delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

The support was confirmed at a meeting of officials from around 40 countries at the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the “gathering reflects the galvanised world” in his opening remarks.

Germany has faced strong critcism to supply weaponry to Ukraine, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously saying that he feared a wider conflict.

But facing mounting pressure from western allies, from opposition parties and even from within the governing coalition, Germany has relented, calling the move an “about-turn”.

German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said her government decided on Monday to clear the delivery of Gepard self-propelled armoured anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine, though she did not give details.

Radiation levels at the former Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine are “abnormal”, according to the head of the UN’s atomic agency.

The location has been the scene of weeks of fierce fighting following Russia’s invasion in late February.

International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi told the media that Russia's occupation of the site was "very, very dangerous", according to AFP.

Chernobyl was the site of history's worst nuclear disaster in 1986 and is still used to contain nuclear waste.

Mr Grossi said: "There have been some moments when the levels have gone up because of the movement of the heavy equipment that Russian forces were bringing here and when they left. We are following that day by day."

He added: "The situation was absolutely abnormal and very, very dangerous,"

The IAEA said its mission to Chernobyl was intended to deliver equipment, check radiation levels and restore safeguards and monitoring systems at the site.

Read more: Why has Russia captured Chernobyl? Where is Ukraine nuclear power plant, map - and 1986 disaster explained

The UK Government left Wimbledon with “no viable alternative” but to ban Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s Championships, chairman Ian Hewitt told the All England Club’s spring briefing.

Expanding on last week’s announcement that Wimbledon and the preceding grass-court events would be the first individual tennis tournaments to bar players from the two countries, Hewitt said the club was left with only two options – an outright ban or forcing players to sign declarations condemning the invasion of Ukraine.

He said: “The UK Government has set out directional guidance for sporting bodies and events in the UK with the specific aim of limiting Russia’s influence.

“After lengthy and careful consideration, we came to two firm conclusions. First, even if we were to accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players with written declarations, we would risk their success or participation being used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime, which we could not accept.

“Second, we have a duty to ensure no actions we take should put players or their families at risk. We understand and deeply regret the impact this decision will have on all the people affected.

“But we believe we have made the most responsible decision possible in the circumstances, and there is no viable alternative within the framework of the government’s position to the decision we have taken in this truly exceptional and tragic situation.”