The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, said Ukrainian experts would provide guidance on intercepting Iranian drones being launched at Gulf allies, as Tehran responds to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. “We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region,” Starmer said on Sunday night. “And we will also bring experts from Ukraine, together with our own experts, to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.” Ukraine was yet to comment on Starmer’s announcement.

Russia fired more missiles in overnight attacks at Ukraine in February than in any other month since at least the beginning of 2023, analysis by Agence France-Presse (AFP) shows. The missile attacks targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in particular, AFP said. Russia launched 288 missiles at Ukraine in February, an increase of about 113% compared to 135 missiles in January. Additionally, in February, Russia launched 5,059 long-range drones during its night-time pummelling of Ukrainian cities and towns – an increase of about 13% percent compared to January. AFP conducted analysis of daily figures provided by the Ukrainian air force.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said changes in Iran brought about by US and Israeli strikes should be “used properly” to benefit the country’s people. Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said Iran had “predetermined the way it is treated” by supplying attack drones to Russia in Moscow’s four-year-old conflict in Ukraine and had also “fomented wars in the region”. “It is important that the this chance for changes in Iran be used properly,” he said, adding “The Iranian people were on their own for a long time, enduring violence while standing against the Iranian regime.” Zelenskyy said on Saturday Moscow had fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones at Ukraine during the war.

Belgium has seized an oil tanker believed to form part of the so-called shadow fleet used by Russia to circumvent western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Special forces assisted by French helicopters boarded the ship in a clandestine operation in the North Sea on Saturday night, Kate Connolly writes. Prosecutors said the tanker, identified as the Ethera, was falsely flying the flag of Guinea and was believed to be on its way back to Russia when it was seized in Belgium’s exclusive economic zone.

Zelenskyy praised Belgium’s decision to seize the tanker. “This particular vessel has long been under US, EU and UK sanctions, but nonetheless continued to illegally transport Russian oil using a false flag and forged documents,” he wrote on X. “We welcome this strong action against Moscow’s floating purse and thank France for supporting the operation.”