Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin blames Kyiv for attacking gas tanker that exploded off Libya

Zelensky says trilateral peace talks paused due to conflict in Middle East LiveupdatedNewsWorldEuropeUkraine-Russia war latest: Putin blames Kyiv for attacking gas tanker that exploded off LibyaZelensky says trilateral peace talks paused due to conflict in Middle EastArpan Rai & Maira ButtThursday 05 March 2026 05:00 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverRussian president Vladimir Putin attends the annual session of the internal affairs ministry in Moscow (Sputnik)Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. 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We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreVladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of carrying out a “terrorist attack” on a Russian LNG tanker that exploded and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya.The attack on the tanker, which was carrying 61,000 tonnes of LNG and “completely sank” between Libya and Malta, was confirmed by Libyan authorities.Putin said the attack “exacerbates the situation on global energy markets, including gas markets”. Ukrainian officials did not immediately respond to Moscow’s claims.The Russian president's statement came as Volodymyr Zelensky said the US-Israeli war on Iran had put a pause to trilateral peace talks to end the war in Ukraine."We continue to engage with the United States practically on a daily basis. For now, because of the situation with Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting haven't come yet," the Ukrainian president said in an evening address.“As soon as the security situation and the broader political context allow us to resume the trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done. Ukraine is ready for it."Key PointsUkraine peace talks on hold due to US-Iran conflict, says ZelenskyUkraine could lose access to US weapons as conflict with Iran escalatesPutin blames Ukraine for attacking gas tanker that exploded off LibyaPutin threatens to halt gas supplies to Europe amid Iran energy spikeZelensky speaks to leaders of Bahrain and Kuwait over Iran conflictWhy the Russian army has suffered its slowest advance in nearly two yearsThe Russian army has experienced its slowest advance on the war frontline in almost two years, according to analysis from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).Ukrainian forces achieved several localised breakthroughs, particularly along the southern frontline and by pushing back Russian troops in the Dnipropetrovsk region.Despite the slowdown, Moscow continues to advance in the east, moving closer to the key hubs of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, and currently occupies over 19 per cent of Ukrainian territory.Ukrainian troops made significant territorial gains during February, including 61 square kilometres on 15 February and more than 50 square kilometres on both 21 February and 23 February.These Ukrainian advances coincided with a slowdown in Russian troop movements at the frontline, which occurred after Elon Musk reportedly cut Starlink access for Moscow’s forces.Arpan Rai5 March 2026 04:56How Russia could profit from rising energy prices fuelled by Iran warThe escalating conflict in Iran is inadvertently bolstering Russia's financial capacity, strengthening its ability to fund its ongoing war in Ukraine through increased energy profits.Prices for Russian oil exports have surged from under $40 per barrel as recently as December to approximately $62 per barrel.This rise is attributed first to pre-war anxieties and subsequently to the significant disruption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for roughly 20 per cent of global oil consumption.While Russian crude continues to trade at a notable discount compared to international benchmark Brent crude, which has climbed above $82 from its pre-attack price of $72.87, its current price now surpasses the $59 per barrel benchmark assumed in the Russian Finance Ministry's 2026 budget plan.How Russia could profit from rising energy prices fuelled by Iran warOil and gas prices are soaring after the Iran war choked off tanker supplies from the Middle EastArpan Rai5 March 2026 04:29Ukraine peace talks on hold due to US-Iran conflict, says ZelenskyThe ongoing military conflict between the US and Iran h