UK and EU summon top Russian diplomats after strikes hit British Council and EU offices in deadly attack on Kyiv - Europe live

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Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte has been in contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen about Russia’s attack on a building housing the EU’s delegation in Ukraine, he said on Thursday.

Rutte, speaking at a meeting of German government parties in the southern city of Wuerzburg, added that he could not speak to the latest rumours about Russian espionage in Europe.

Russian defence minister Andrei Belousov inspected the ‘Center’ group of Russian forces operating in Ukraine, his ministry said on Thursday.

Belousov was briefed on combat operations and drone projects, the ministry said.

UK summons Russian ambassador after overnight attacks on Kyiv

UK foreign secretary David Lammy has now confirmed that the British government has summoned the Russian ambassador to the UK Foreign Office.

In a brief post on X, he said:

“Putin’s strikes last night killed civilians, destroyed homes and damaged buildings, including the British Council and EU Delegation in Kyiv.

We have summoned the Russian Ambassador. The killing and destruction must stop.”

Kyiv attacks show Russia's contempt for peace negotiations, Czech foreign minister says

Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavský also responded to the overnight Russian attack on Kyiv, saying it was “a horrific display of Russia’s contempt for peace negotiations.”

“Russian missiles struck several buildings, including the EU delegation. Shame on the aggressor. Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Czechia will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine,” he said.

Russian ambassador to UK to be summoned by UK's Foreign Office — Sky News

Sky News is reporting that the Russian ambassador to the UK will be summoned by the Foreign Office over the last night’s large-scale attack that “severely damaged” the British Council’s office in Kyiv.

We will bring you more on this if/when we get an official confirmation.

CCTV footage shows overnight strikes on Kyiv – video

British Council Kyiv's office guard injured in strike, remains in hospital

In a separate statement on X, British Council Ukraine said that one of its guards was injured in the overnight strike that severely damaged its building and remains in hospital.

Russia still interested in peace talks, but continue with 'military operation,' Kremlin says

Meanwhile, the Kremlin claimed it was still interested in pursuing peace talks with Ukraine – despite its massive overnight attack on Kyiv.

Russian forces were continuing to target Ukrainian military and military-related infrastructure, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, as reported by Reuters and AFP.

He has repeatedly claimed, without offering any evidence, that Russia does not deliberately target civilians.

“The Russian armed forces are also carrying out their tasks. As stated, they continue to strike military and military-related infrastructure.

The strikes are successful, the targets are being destroyed, and the special military operation continues.

At the same time, Russia remains interested in continuing the negotiation process in order to achieve our goals through political and diplomatic means.”

EU’s justice spokesperson Markus Lammert offered a bit more light on the EU’s discussions on what to do with frozen Russian assets in the EU.

He explained:

“The EU always been clear that Russia has to pay for the damages of this war, and legally sound and financially viable options must remain on the table to compensate the damages done by Russia to Ukraine.

We need to continue discussing this. But what we’re talking about now is the profits from these assets.

We have immobilised Russia’s assets, of which there are €210bn in the EU and we are using the profits from these assets to support Ukraine with a €45bn G7 loan. This money goes, for example, to Ukraine’s defence industry and energy recovery, the loans will then be repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues from immobilised Russian assets.”

Pressed on whether it could include a confiscation of the Russian assets is on the table, the spokespeople said that a broader discussion on the issue of frozen assets will be held on Saturday.

EU summons Russia's top diplomat in Brussels over attack on EU delegation

EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has just announced in the last few minutes that she spoke with EU diplomats based in Kyiv after last night’s Russian strike that hit the EU delegation.

She added that the EU will be “summoning the Russian envoy in Brussels” to protest against the attack.

Foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper added a bit more on that:

“I confirm that we will be summoning the Russian chargé d’affaires. This meeting will still take place today, so I can debrief you after that. But fact is also that no diplomatic mission should be ever [a] target to two strikes. So this is our response to this question.”

EU’s chief deputy spokesperson Arianna Podestà offered a bit more detail on the EU’s understanding of the attack on its delegation in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Asked if the EU believes the attack was deliberate, she said:

“This is a question for Russia on what was the aim of the strike.

What is clear is that Russia strikes constantly on civilian facilities as well. People have died in this horrible attack.

Of course, we have been in touch, the president has been in touch, with the ambassador for what concerns the safety of the EU staff.

But these attacks of Russia on civilians, and is just one of the many we have seen, also in other areas of Ukraine, just in this last few hours, are completely unacceptable. In no way will they change the resolve of the European Union in supporting Ukraine.

Our support to Ukraine is unshakable, as always, and Russia’s threats, also by hitting our facilities, will change nothing in our commitment to supporting Ukraine to be in a position of strength now and in the future.”

Russian overnight strikes on Kyiv - video

The European Commission’s midday briefing – held twice a week during summer – is about to start, so I will look out for any further lines with reaction to the overnight strikes that hit the EU delegation in Kyiv and the British Council’s Kyiv office, among others.

Russian attacks on Kyiv cannot 'remain without consequences,' German foreign minister says

German foreign minister Johann Wadephul told reporters that Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight cannot be allowed to “remain without consequences,” Reuters reported.

Speaking at a press conference with his Estonian counterpart, he declined to elaborate on what could be done in response, saying that Germany wanted to show it is considering a further response and that any action would be taken jointly by the EU.

EU to push for new sanctions, measures on Russian frozen assets, EU's von der Leyen says

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has now given a further statement on the overnight attacks on Kyiv.

She said she was “outraged” by the attack, which affected the EU delegation to Ukraine, giving a bit more detail on “two missiles in a distance of 50 meters of the delegation within 20 seconds.”

She warned:

It shows that the Kremlin will stop at nothing to terrorise Ukraine.

She also said the EU will soon propose a new package of sanctions against Russia, and the bloc was “advancing the work on the Russian frozen assets to contribute to Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.”

Standing in front of EU flags, she said:

“I’m outraged by the attack on Kyiv also hitting our EU offices.

This was the deadliest drone and missile attack on the capital since July, and as you can see behind me on the screen, it was an attack also on our delegation.

I just spoke with our deputy ambassador, and I’m relieved that none of our staff were harmed. Last night’s attack struck in close proximity of the diplomatic mission, the representation of our union, two missiles hit in a distance of 50 metres of the delegation within 20 seconds.

And this is another grim reminder of what is at stake. It shows that the Kremlin will stop at nothing to terrorise Ukraine, blindly killing civilians, men, women and children, and even targeting the European Union. This is why we are keeping maximum pressure on Russia.

That means tightening our sanctions regime. We will come forward soon with our 19th package of hard, biting sanctions.

And in parallel, we are advancing the work on the Russian frozen assets to contribute to Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction. And of course, we are ensuring strong, unwavering support to Ukraine, our neighbour, partner, friend and our future member.”

British Council Kyiv office 'severely damaged,' organisation says

The British Council’s Kyiv office has put out a short statement confirming its offices have been “severely damaged” in the Russian attack overnight and will be closed “until further notice.”

People stand at the site of a building housing the local branch of the British Council after it was hit by Russian missile and drone strikes. Photograph: Alina Smutko/Reuters

It said:

“Following last night’s attack on Kyiv, our British Council office has been severely damaged and will be closed to visitors until further notice. While there may be some delays in our responses, our work with our Ukrainian partners in education and culture continues. You can reach us via email.”

France's Macron calls out Russia's 'terror and barbarism' after attacks on Kyiv

French president Emmanuel Macron is the latest European leader to condemn the overnight Russian attacks on Kyiv.

He said that 629 Russian missiles and drones deployed against Ukraine in one night demonstrated “Russia’s idea of peace,” calling it out as “terror and barbarism.”

Noting the attack struck civilian areas, and EU and British Council offices, he said that “France condemns these senseless and cruel attacks in the strongest possible terms.”

“Full support to the Ukrainian people, and deepest compassion for all the grieving families,” he added.