Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Europe is investigating leaks in two Russian gas pipelines that churned up the Baltic Sea and raised concerns from Copenhagen to Moscow about sabotage on infrastructure at the heart of an energy standoff since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Gas leaks

Gas bubbles from the damaged Nord Stream 2 pipeline measure more than 100m in diameter, the Danish Energy Authority said. The leak will continue for several days and perhaps even a week, its head told Reuters.

Poland said the leaks were caused by sabotage linked to the situation in Ukraine, while Denmark and Russia, which slashed its gas deliveries to Europe after Western sanctions, said sabotage could not be ruled out. None of the countries said who might be behind any foul play.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the leak was “a terrorist attack planned by Russia and an act of aggression towards the EU”. He did not provide any evidence in his statement on Twitter, which also called for more arms.

Annexation plans, nuclear threat

An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark new nuclear warning to Ukraine and the West as Russia began releasing results of referendums it bills as a prelude to it annexing four Ukrainian regions.

Russian-installed officials in occupied regions of Ukraine reported huge majorities in favour of becoming part of Russia after five days of voting in so-called referendums that Kyiv and the West denounced as a sham.

Ukraine will not be swayed by any nuclear threats from Moscow or annexation votes held on its territory and will press ahead with its plan to wrest back all its occupied land from Russia, a Ukrainian presidential adviser said.

Ukraine urged the EU to impose economic sanctions on Russia to punish it for staging the annexation votes.

The use of nuclear weapons is a question of global security — this is no longer just about Ukraine, Podolyak told the Swiss Blick newspaper.

Fighting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the military situation in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region as difficult and said late on Monday that it was the country’s “No 1 goal” because it was also Russia’s No 1 goal.

Ukraine also reported fierce fighting in Kherson in the south, where it is trying to cut off Russian occupying forces.

It was not possible to verify the battlefield reports.

Russian mobilisation

The number of Russians entering the EU has jumped after a partial military mobilisation ordered by Moscow, and illegal crossings are likely to increase should Russia decide to close the border for potential conscripts, EU border agency Frontex said.

Nikita, a 24-year-old from the Russian city of Voronezh, drove up to a remote border crossing with Kazakhstan. About 500 cars were already in line. His escape was part of a vast exodus from Russia that has seen thousands of military-age men make for the borders with Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. On Monday, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that 261,000 men had left Russia since mobilisation was declared, citing a Kremlin source.