China vows to maintain ‘fair’ stance on war after Putin and Xi meeting

China has vowed to maintain what it described as its “objective and fair” stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine following a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

President Xi said Beijing and Moscow should closely coordinate and cooperate in international affairs and emphasised Russia’s willingness to engage in negotiations over Ukraine, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said in its report on a call between him and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“The Chinese side has noted that the Russian side has said it has never refused to resolve the conflict through diplomatic negotiations, and expressed its appreciation for this,” Mr Xi was quoted as saying in the video call by CCTV.

Elsewhere, residents in Kyiv were told to rush to air raid shelters as air raid sirens wailed across the capital city at 2am local time. Ukraine’s military said it came under attack from 16 “kamikaze” drones, all of which it had shot down.

In his overnight address, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelemnsky said air commands in central, southern, eastern and western Ukraine repelled 54 Russian missiles and 11 drones on Thursday.

Key Points

• Putin expecting China’s Xi in spring next year

• Kyiv comes under Russian drone threat in early hours

• Russia gets fourth commander since invasion of Ukraine – MoD

• Russia has not abandoned ‘insane idea’ to capture Donetsk, says Zelensky

• Britain sending more than 1,000 metal detectors, defusing equipment to Ukraine

In the ruins of east Ukraine, farmers won’t leave their animals

15:40 , Matt Mathers

As the sound of exploding artillery echoes in the distance, Senia, a big white bunny, twitches nervously in the arms of his owner, Herbert Villarraga, reports from Yampil, in Ukraine Donetsk Oblast region.

“He’s afraid,” explained the farmer, Yevhennia, stroking the rabbit.

Here in Yampil, a crater-pocked frontline village in east Ukraine recaptured by Ukrainian forces at the end of September after months under Russian occupation, buildings lie in ruins and most people have left. But not Yevhennia and Ivan, who say they could not bear to abandon their rabbits, ducks, chickens and pigeons.

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It has not been easy.

“We’ve always kept rabbits. But when (the missiles) started falling down over the maple, in the morning I saw 15 of them on the ground, blood coming from their noses. It’s the stress toll,” said Ivan.

Ukrainian authorities have come with leaflets urging remaining residents to leave. Ivan and Yevhennia aren’t…