Russia-Ukraine war – live: Push for US missiles to be fired into Russia as Kyiv destroys Putin ship in Crimea

US president Joe Biden is being urged to allow American missiles used by Ukraine to be fired into Russian territory, according to officials.

The proposal, pressed by US secretary of state Antony Blinken after a visit to Kyiv last week, is being debated by the White House, the New York Times reported.

Mr Blinken’s pespective is said to have changed since Moscow opened up a new front in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which is stretching Kyiv’s forces across the frontline.

It comes as Ukraine claimed it destroyed the last Russian warship armed with cruise missiles that was stationed on the occupied peninsula of Crimea.

“According to updated information, the Ukrainian defence forces hit a Russian project 22800 Tsiklon missile ship in Sevastopol, on the night of 19 May,” the general staff said today. The Ukrainian navy later said on X that the vessel had been “destroyed”.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces said they had downed yet another Russian warplane in Donetsk’s Pokrovsk front, the fifth Russian Su-25 jet Ukraine claims to have shot down this month.

China is providing Russia with lethal aid for use in its war against Ukraine, Grant Shapps has warned.

The defence secretary suggested that British and US intelligence contradicts Beijing’s previous attempts to present itself as a moderating influence on Moscow and President Xi’s government is instead helping to arm Russia.

Mr Shapps used a speech at the London Defence Conference to reveal China’s collaboration as he argued Nato needs to “wake up” and bolster defence spending alliance-wide.

China is providing a route for Russia to stock up on weapons for the Ukraine war, Grant Shapps has warned

The Kremlin has said that it will retaliate against Norway’s decision to further restrict