Ukraine-Russia war latest: French instructors in Ukraine would be 'legitimate target', Lavrov says on visit to West Africa

Throughout the week, Russia will be holding its annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum. 

Vladimir Putin is due to speak at the summit tomorrow, but today some leaders from Russia's closest allies will meet to discuss a series of topics. 

China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan are among those attending. 

The presidents of Bolivia and Zimbabwe are due to appear alongside Putin at Friday's plenary session. 

Already this morning, Russia's Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina told the forum Russia must be integrated in the global economy. 

"Despite sanctions, we must be integrated in the global economy with those who are ready for it," Ms Nabiullina told a panel discussion.

We'll bring you the key updates from the event throughout the day. 

Vladimir Putin has warned he could provide long-range weapons to nations to strike Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory.

The Russian president also reaffirmed Moscow's readiness to use nuclear weapons if it sees a threat to its sovereignty.

During an audience with international journalists, he said the recent actions by the West will further undermine international security and could lead to "very serious problems".

"That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act the same way."

It comes after the US, UK and Germany authorised Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying to Kyiv.

Mr Putin also claimed that using some Western-supplied weapons meant military personnel of those countries were controlling the missiles and selecting targets.

He used this as justification for Moscow being able to take "asymmetrical" steps elsewhere in the world.

What about nuclear weapons? 

Asked whether Russia could resort to using nuclear arms, Mr Putin said the conditions for using that arsenal are clearly spelled out in Moscow's security doctrine.

"For some reason, they believe in the West that Russia will never use it," he said.

"Look at what is written there," he said of Russia's nuclear doctrine.

"If somebody's actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible to use all means at our disposal."

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. 

Yesterday, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned French military instructors operating in Ukraine would be a "legitimate target" of his country's armed forces. 

It came after top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said he had signed paperwork allowing French military instructors to visit Ukrainian training centres soon.

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron declined to comment on Mr Lavrov's remarks.

We'll be bringing you live updates throughout the day, but before we do, here's a reminder of the other key development from the last 24 hours: 

• A Western source said Ukraine has used American weapons to strike inside Russia;
• A former British defence attache has warned Russia's disinformation campaigns are "only going to get worse" as EU parliament elections and the Olympics approach;
  
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Qatar for talks with the state's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani;
  
• Ukraine unveiled new remote-controlled electric stretches. 

We're pausing our coverage for today but we will be back tomorrow with more updates.

Here is a rundown of the key developments today:

• Ukraine has used American weapons to strike inside Russia, according to an unnamed Western source;
• Joe Biden will hold talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Normandy this week during his visit celebrating the 80th anniversary of D-Day;
• Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has been visiting countries in Africa as part of an ongoing diplomatic offensive from the Kremlin;
• A former British defence attache has warned Russia's disinformation campaigns are "only going to get worse" as EU parliament elections and the Olympics approach.

You can scroll back through the blog to read all our updates from today.

A 26-year-old man of dual Ukrainian-Russian nationality has been arrested in possession of explosives after some of them detonated in a hotel room north of Paris.

The man was treated by fire-fighters after he "suffered significant burns following an explosion," on Monday, according to a source. 

A source at the French anti-terror prosecutor's office said they had taken charge of the case and opened an investigation on suspicion of a terrorist conspiracy. 

A subsequent search of his room led to the discovery of products and materials intended for the manufacture of explosive devices, the source added. 

France's domestic spy agency DGSI is handling the investigation, Reuters reports. 

Ukraine has used American weapons to strike inside Russia in recent days, according to a Western official.

The weapons were used under recently approved guidance from Joe Biden, allowing US arms to be used to strike inside Russia in defence of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city.

The official spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Mr Biden's directive allows for US-supplied weapons to be used to strike Russian forces that are attacking or preparing to attack.

It does not change US policy that directs Ukraine not to use American-provided tactical or long-range missiles and other munitions to make offensive strikes inside Russia, US officials said.

Ukrainian officials had stepped up calls on the US to allow Kyiv's forces to defend themselves against attacks originating from Russian territory.

Kharkiv is 12 miles from the Russian border and has recently come under intensified Russian attack.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Qatar for talks with the state's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The Ukrainian president said on X that he planned to discuss Qatar's participation in a process of returning Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, as well as bilateral economic and security issues.

In March, Ukraine and Russia exchanged six children via Qatari mediation.

Earlier this week, Mr Zelenskyy made a surprise trip to the Philippines to thank the country for agreeing to participate in the upcoming peace summit being held in Switzerland.

A Russian-American man has been sentenced by a St Petersburg court to three-and-a-half years in prison on charges of "rehabilitating Nazism". 

Yuri Malev was arrested in December over social media posts in which he was alleged to have denigrated the Saint George's ribbon, a Russian military symbol of valour. 

One post reportedly contained "obscene language" and another other showed a picture of a corpse wearing the ribbon, captioned: "How to wear the Saint George's ribbon correctly". 

The court in St Petersburg said this showed disrespect for society and insulted the memory of the Great Patriotic War (the Russian name for the Second World War). 

Malev admitted guilt, according to the court. 

He was a graduate of the law faculty of St Petersburg University and had lived in the United States since 1991, according to independent Russian language media.

Baza, a Telegram channel with links to Russian authorities, said Malev was a resident of Brooklyn, New York. 

He reportedly entered Russia by bus from Estonia two weeks before he was arrested. 

Moscow routinely refers to the government in Kyiv as a "Nazi regime", despite Volodymyr Zelenskyy being Jewish.

Ukraine has been allowed to shoot down Moscow's planes over Russian territory with American weapons since the war broke out, the White House has clarified.

Ukraine "can shoot down Russian aeroplanes that pose an impending threat", national security spokesman John Kirby said. 

"And they have. They have since the beginning of the war."

The clarification was given due to confusion over Washington’s recent decision to relax rules on US-supplied weapons striking military targets on Russian soil.

Joe Biden gave authorisation for the strikes on a limited basis to help Kyiv defend itself against Kremlin forces advances towards Kharkiv.

Mr Kirby said he could not confirm reports that Ukraine had used US-supplied weapons on Russian territory for the first time.

He told reporters: "We're just not in a position on a day-to-day basis of knowing exactly what the Ukrainians are firing at what.

"It's certainly at a tactical level. So, I can't confirm that. I can tell you that they understand the guidance that they've been given."

By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent 

Sergei Lavrov's trip to Africa is part of an ongoing diplomatic offensive by the Kremlin, running in parallel to its conflict in Ukraine.

Isolated from the West, Russia is trying to forge new ties and has found fertile ground in Africa.

There have been several coups in recent years that have ushered in anti-Western military juntas.

US troops were kicked out of Niger, for example, while the French had to leave Burkina Faso.

In both cases, Moscow was quick to move in as the new security guarantors, and their efforts clearly don't stop there.

This is the veteran foreign minister Lavrov's ninth visit to the continent since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Kenya, Burundi and South Africa were among his stops last year; this week it's Guinea, Congo and Burkina Faso.

In return for military support, Russia gains an ally - they may not support the war, but they won't criticise it either.

The Kremlin portrays this as the formation of a new world order, free from Western imperialism and hegemony.

But others say Russia are the neo-colonialists, painting this as a blatant attempt to expand their sphere of influence.