Kyiv claims it has detected a ring of Russian agents within their ranks. One of the spies has been working in the Ukrainian military, according to an advisor to President Zelensky

• Ukraine says it has uncovered a Russian spy ring within its military
• Germany could quit Russian oil use by end of summer

The story was last updated at 9 am (IST)

Russian tycoon forced into fire sale after criticizing war
Oleg Tinkov, the founder of one of the biggest banks in Russia, told The New York Times on Sunday that he was forced to sell a 35% stake in his bank to a company run by Vladimir Potanin, a mining oligarch considered close to Vladimir Putin.

The fire sale came following Tinkov's criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Instagram. The day after his criticism was posted, the Kremlin contacted his bank and threatened to nationalize it if the financial institution did not cut ties with Tinkov.

Tinkov told The New York Times, "I couldn't discuss the price. It was like a hostage."

He would not talk about his current location but did say he had hired bodyguards out of fear of retaliation from the Russian state.

Ukraine says a Russian spy ring detected
Ukrainian security forces said they uncovered a Russian spy ring and said one of the spies was working in Ukraine's military general staff.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said, "The comrades were supposed to shoot down a passenger plane over Russia or Belarus and then say Ukraine was responsible."

He added Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles would have been used to execute the planned shootdown.

Lavrov: No plans to end war before Victory Day
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country has no plans to end the war any time soon.

He said Moscow would not rush to end the conflict in time for the May 9 Victory Day commemorations, which marks Nazi Germany's surrender to allied forces — including the then Soviet Union — in 1945.

"Our military will not artificially adjust their actions to any date, including Victory Day," Lavrov said in an interview with Italian network Mediaset.

"The pace of the operation in Ukraine depends, first of all, on the need to minimize any risks for the civilian population and Russian military personnel," he added.

He also said that NATO and the EU have "resigned themselves" to the United States.

"And in Washington they have decided that the world must now be monopolar, they talk about that all the time."

Lavrov also accused the US and Canada of training "neo-Nazi subdivisions" that have entered the ranks of the Ukrainian military, in comments referring mainly to the Azov regiment.

Russian governor says two explosions in Belgorod
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the regional governor of the Belgorod region in southern Russia that borders Ukraine, said that two explosions occurred in the early hours Monday.

No further details were given and Gladkov said there were no casualties or damage reported.

Germany could be off Russian oil by late summer
Germany's Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck has said that he expects his country to be fully independent of Russian crude oil imports by the end of summer.

Sweden's foreign minister says Finland will apply to join NATO
Ann Linde, Sweden's foreign minister, has told Swedish television that Finland will almost certainly apply for NATO membership.

Sweden and Finland already cooperate with NATO on military and security matters but are not formally members of the alliance.

But Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced a rethink of both nations' policy of military neutrality.

The Article Five clause of the alliance treaty that declares an attack on one is an attack on all member states is being seen in a new light in both countries as offering stronger protection should Russia attack.

Summary of Sunday's events in Russia's war on Ukraine
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky described a meeting in Kyiv Sunday with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a strong indication of support. Other members of the US Congress accompanied her as part of the delegation.

In his daily televised address, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians "are grateful to all partners who send such important and powerful signals of support by visiting our capital at such a difficult time."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that Germany's response to the war in Ukraine has been hesitant compared to that of other European nations.

Kuleba said that should Russia win the war, "Europe will not enjoy stability and security for decades."

The diplomat also sat for a lengthy interview with Chinese state media, a rare move for China considering its reluctance to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In the interview, Kuleba asked China to be Ukraine's "security guarantor," referring to a 2013 promise from Beijing to act in that capacity should Kyiv ever be under threat.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his policy of sending weapons to Ukraine so the country can defend itself against Russian aggression.

Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Western sanctions are aimed at weakening Russia's economy so that it cannot begin another war.

A planned operation to evacuate civilians from parts of Mariupol outside the Azovstal steel works on Sunday was postponed to Monday morning. The evacuees in the UN-brokered "safe passage operation" will be taken to Zaporizhzhia, northwest of Mariupol.

It is separate to an evacuation operation that saw dozens of civilians leave the strategic port city's besieged Azovstal steel plant on Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said around 100 people managed to leave the complex.

UK military intelligence said Russia may aim to exert a strong political and economic influence on the Ukrainian city of Kherson after initiating a currency change to the ruble and ruling out its return to Ukrainian control.

Russia claimed a fire broke out at a Russian Defense Ministry facility in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine.