Ukraine war briefing: Russian court sentences Pussy Riot members in absentia to jail over war criticism

Five members of the feminist protest collective Pussy Riot have been sentenced in absentia to prison on charges relating to anti-war performances critical of Russia’s military actions, Rolling Stone and the group-linked media outlet Mediazona have reported. The jail terms handed down by the court in Moscow ranged from eight to 13 years, the outlets reported. The charges stemmed from a December 2022 music video titled Mama, Don’t Watch TV, which authorities alleged spread “false information” about the Russian military, and an April 2024 performance in Munich, Germany, in which a Pussy Riot member urinated on a portrait of Russian president Vladimir Putin, the outlets reported, with the story also carried in The Moscow Times. The five Pussy Riot members – Maria Alyokhina, Taso Pletner, Olga Borisova, Diana Burkot and Alina Petrova – rejected the charges, saying the trial and sentences were politically motivated, reported Rolling Stone, citing the band’s legal representatives. Burkot confirmed the sentences in a post on X and said in a statement that as the author of the music in Mama, Don’t Watch TV, she stood “by every single word and my anti-war stance is clear”. She added: “And I continue to believe: Ukraine must win, and Putin must face trial in The Hague.”

Russian strikes in Ukraine killed two people, injured at least nine others and triggered a large numbers of fires, Ukrainian officials said. A massive attack on the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia left one person dead and nine wounded, including a child, said the regional military administration’s head, Ivan Fedorov. Pictures he posted online showed firefighters battling blazes in private homes and other buildings. There were at least 10 strikes on the city, public broadcaster Suspilne reported. In the southern Mykolaiv region, Russian troops attacked a farm, killing a tractor driver as he worked in the field, said the regional governor, Vitaliy Kim. “This was a targeted attack on civilians,” he wrote on Telegram. Moscow has denied targeting civilians in the war.

One of Russia’s largest oil refineries, in the north-western town of Kirishi, has halted a key processing unit following a Ukrainian drone attack on the weekend, industry sources said. Russian officials have said Surgutneftegaz’s Kirishinefteorgsintez plant – one of Russia’s top two refineries – was among the targets attacked by Ukrainian drones on Sunday. Reuters quoted two sources speaking anonymously as saying on Monday that a unit at the plant was halted after the fire caused by the drones. The unit accounts for almost 40% of the plant’s total processing capacity of about 400,000 barrels a day. Surgutneftegaz did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Russia’s defence ministry on Monday said its forces had seized the village of Olhivske in Zaporizhzhia region. Vladimir Rogov, a senior Moscow-appointed official in Russian-held parts of the region, told Russia’s RIA news agency that Moscow’s forces had burst through Ukrainian defences and captured about 30 sq km (11.5 sq miles) of ground. It comes amid Russian forces’ westward drive focusing on the Donetsk region, with the logistics hub of Pokrovsk a key target. Ukraine’s military issued a statement quoting a commander in the area, Andriy Kryshchenko, as saying Ukrainian forces had halted a Russian advance near Pokrovsk. Ukraine’s DeepState military blog said Ukrainian forces had scored successes against Russian forces near the town of Dobropillia, north of Pokrovsk. The battlefield reports could not be independently verified.

Ukraine’s top military commander has sacked two senior officers after Kyiv’s army gave up territory in areas under their command, Ukrainian media has reported, quoting military sources. Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered the dismissal of the two officers in charge of the 17th and 20th army corps over the past two weeks, according to reports from Ukrainska Pravda and Interfax-Ukraine on Monday. Ukrainska Pravda said the 17th army corps – headed by Volodymyr Silenko – was located in Zaporizhzhia region, where the Ukrainian military had lost at least one village on the banks of the Dnipro River. The 20th army corps – headed by Maksym Kituhin – was based on the administrative border between eastern Donetsk region and central Dnipropetrovsk region, where Russian forces have announced a series of successes, capturing a number of villages. Interfax said the two officers had been transferred to other duties.

US military officers observed joint war games between Russia and Belarus on Monday for the first time since Moscow used Belarus as a launchpad to enter Ukraine, as Donald Trump deepens ties with Moscow’s closest ally. The presence of the US officers – less than a week after neighbouring Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed into its airspace – is the latest sign that Washington is seeking to warm ties with Belarus. Trump representative John Coale visited Minsk and last week said the US president wanted to reopen the US embassy there soon, normalise ties and revive trade. The US military did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.