Ukraine-Russia war live: Putin’s forces launch drone attack as Zelensky slams Pope ‘raise white flag’ comment

Russian forces launched an overnight drone attack on the southern Odesa region in Ukraine as president Volodymyr Zelensky hit back at Pope Francis’s call to negotiate with Russia.

Ukrainian air defences shot down 15 out of 25 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack on the southern Odesa region, but an infrastructure facility was hit, regional officials said on Monday.

It comes after the Pope over the weekend said Kyiv should have the “courage of the white flag” — a statement some have compared to a few Catholic churches collaborating with Nazi Germany during World War II.

Mr Zelensky said Ukrainians “with weapons in their hands and under the blue and yellow flag” were resisting Russia’s further invasion into Europe. “Christians, Muslims, Jews — everyone… They support us with prayer, conversation, and deeds.

“This is what the church is — with people. And not two and a half thousand kilometres away, somewhere to mediate virtually between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you,” the president said.

Ukrainian director who has won his country’s first Academy Award has admitted he would trade the Oscar in a second if it would stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian journalist, was given a standing ovation last night after winning Best Documentary Feature for his film 20 Days in Mariupol. During his acceptance speech, he called on his fellow Academy Award attendees to help set the history books straight in the face of Russian propaganda.

“This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honoured,” Mr Chernov said. “But probably I will be the first director on this stage who will say I wish I never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never