Mystery surrounds a Norwegian ship with an all-Russian crew, who are being questioned on suspicion of involvement in damage to a fibre optic cable in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, a Vladimir Putin ally has signalled the Kremlin's thinking around potential peace talks involving Donald Trump. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. In news related to the update in our previous post, oil exports through a major Russian port appear to have halted, supporting Kyiv's claims of a successful attack on a pumping station.
Bloomberg cited a person with knowledge of the deliveries as saying that oil flows at Ust-Luga fell to zero on Wednesday. The outlet added that shipping data it had seen showed a tanker left early on that day, but that there was a gap in vessel signals following that. It said no reason had been provided for the apparent decline, and that there can be periods when ships do not load anyway.
If it were confirmed that Ukrainian drone strikes had damaged the pipeline system feeding Ust-Luga - causing a lengthy pause to shipments - it could cause a significant supply threat to the global oil market. The gas price cap introduced by the EU during its Russian gas crisis will expire today, signalling the worst of Europe's energy crisis is over. The cap wasn't triggered but it would have applied if gas prices surged to unusually high levels as the cost of energy skyrocketed, with Russia cutting gas supplies after invading Ukraine in February In a statement on its website, the Commission said the price cap had not been triggered and did not need extending, "thanks to factors such as structural demand decline, reliable LNG and pipeline imports from trusted partners, and enhanced import infrastructure".
A little more now on news we brought you earlier about Russia claiming to have captured the Ukrainian village of Novovasylivka see 9. The village is about 11 kilometres seven miles southwest of Pokrovsk, a key city which Russia is said to be closing in on after months of efforts.
While Sky News could not independently verify Russia's claim of having taken the village, battlefield maps published early today by the Ukrainian General Staff suggested it was at least partly under Russian control. Russia has been pursuing a relentless campaign to take control of the eastern region of Donetsk. More details have also emerged on reports Russian forces are closing in on the key city of Pokrovsk See 9. A Russian army command post in the Kursk region has been hit by missile and artillery forces, Ukrainian military has said.
