Ukraine: Russia tests nuclear 'skyfall' missile Putin says

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Russian air defense systems were engaged overnight in repelling attacks targeting the capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

The attacks forced the closure of two of the city's four airports.

Starting at just before 10 p.m. on Sunday local time (1900 GMT), Russian defense units downed numerous drones.

Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya said that the large Domodedovo airport and the smaller Zhukovsky airport were closed to ensure air safety.

There was no information about potential damage.

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said his country will not take part in any European Union program whose purpose would help financing military defenses for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion.

Slovakia stopped state military aid for Ukraine when Fico's government came to power in 2023, but has still allowed commercial sales.

"I refuse to allow Slovakia to take part in any financial scheme aimed at helping Ukraine manage the war and military spending," Fico told a televised news conference on Sunday.

Fico's stance stands in contrast to other European Union states on the war, as he believes an end to war is not on the battlefield.

EU leaders had agreed on Thursday to meet Ukraine's "pressing financial needs" for the next two years but they did not endorse a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion ($160 billion) loan to Kyiv. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes the money could be used immediately to strengthen Ukraine's air defense, air fleet and frontline positions.

The Kremlin said it is incorrect to say a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump was canceled, according to Russian news agencies.

"Presidents cannot meet for the sake of meeting, they cannot just waste their time, and they are open about that," RIA agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Earlier, Trump downplayed the prospects of a summit with Putin. 

"I'm going to have to know that we're going to make a deal. I'm not going to be wasting my time," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Asia.

Plans for a summit between Trump and Putin in Budapest collapsed earlier this week. They were going to discuss ways to end Russia's war in Ukraine

"I've always had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin, but this has been very disappointing," Trump said. "I thought this would have gotten done before peace in the Middle East."

His remarks came as Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev met with Trump administration officials on Friday and Saturday, including the president's special envoy Steve Witkoff, US media reported.

Russia says it has successfully completed final tests of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik.

President Vladimir Putin made the announcement in a video released by the Kremlin, calling the weapon "unique."

"The decisive tests are now complete," Putin said, ordering preparations for its deployment.

Military officials say the missile flew over 14,000 kilometres in a 15-hour test flight earlier this month.

Known to NATO as "Skyfall," the missile is said to have an almost unlimited range and the ability to evade current missile defences.

Putin called the missile a "unique creation that no one else in the world possesses," but Western analysts have questioned its strategic value, suggesting it adds little to Russia's existing arsenal.

We begin our coverage this Sunday in Russia, where President Vladimir Putin, dressed in camouflage, met with top military commanders at a command post overseeing the war in Ukraine.

During the visit, he announced that Russia has successfully completed final tests of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile, the Burevestnik.

This comes just days after Putin personally oversaw large-scale drills of Russia's strategic nuclear forces meant to test the country's readiness and command systems.

"The modernity of our nuclear deterrent forces is at the highest level," he said on Wednesday.

That announcement coincided with NATO wrapping up its own nuclear exercises over the North Sea, highlighting the tensions between Russia and the West.

We'll be following this story, and other developments in Ukraine, throughout the day.

We're pausing the blog now, and will be back with updates later today.

US President Donald Trump told reporters he will only meet Russian President Vladimir Putin if there is willingness to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

"I am going to have to know that we're going to make a deal. I'm not going to be wasting my time," Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One en route to Malaysia.

The Trump administration and the Kremlin threw cold water on the proposal that the leaders of the US and Russia would meet anytime soon, after Trump suggested a meeting between the pair in Budapest.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the war should be frozen along current battle lines before the parties enter into peace negotiations.

Russia's Vladimir Putin continues to demand that Ukraine cede the entire eastern Donetsk region to Russia, a point that the US president has reportedly brought up to Zelenskyy during talks.

Zelenskyy has rejected the proposition.

Katherina Reiche, Germany's Economy and Energy Minister who is on a three-day trip to Ukraine, had to shelter during Russia's overnight air strikes on Kyiv.

At a press conference on Saturday, Reiche said the experience was distressing for her, but was a part of daily life for Ukrainians.

"That night showed me once again very clearly that Russia's attacks on the Ukrainian population are aimed at wearing them down," she said. 

The strikes killed at least two people and injured 12 others.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoys was in the United States for talks with officials just days after President Donald Trump imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia's largest oil companies to encourage peace negotiations.

Kirill Dmitriev said that dialogue was continuing between Moscow and Washington would continue despite the sanctions 

"Such dialogue is vital for the world and must continue with the full understanding of Russia's position and respect for its national interests," he wrote on social media. 

Axios reported Dmitriev would meet US envoy Steve Witkoff during his visit. 

Speaking to CNN, Dmitriev said Russia, the United States and Ukraine are close to a diplomatic solution to war. 

Russia has launched another major overnight assault on Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring 16.

Missiles and drones struck Kyiv and the Dnipropetrovsk region, damaging buildings, including a kindergarten and cars.

In Kyiv, two people died and nine were wounded. 

"Explosions in the capital. The city is under ballistic attack," Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram during the onslaught.

Two more people were killed in Dnipropetrovsk, where apartment blocks and shops were hit.

Ukraine's air force says it intercepted most of the incoming missiles and drones.

Russia says it downed 121 Ukrainian drones over its own territory.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for tougher sanctions on Russia's oil industry and more military support from Western allies.

He made the appeal in London, where European leaders, who are part of the so-called coalition of the willing, met to discuss long-term security guarantees if a ceasefire ends the war.

Meanwhile, in Washington, even a Russian envoy has been talking peace with US officials.

But the fighting continues. Overnight, Russian missiles struck Ukrainian cities, underscoring the war's ongoing intensity.

Stay with us here for the latest developments in our continuous coverage of the three-year conflict.