little egret boat tours

Little Egret Boat Tours

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• We have lived in North Norfolk for most of our lives, spending as much time as we can on the water. We both hold our level 2 powerboat license.

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Little Egret Boat Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Little Egret Boat Tours

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• We have lived in North Norfolk for most of our lives, spending as much time as we can on the water. We both hold our level 2 powerboat license.

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Little Egret Boat Tours - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

Little Egret Boat Tours

• See all photos

• We have lived in North Norfolk for most of our lives, spending as much time as we can on the water. We both hold our level 2 powerboat license.

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Little Egret Boat Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Little Egret Boat Tours

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• Nous avons vécu dans le nord du Norfolk pendant la majeure partie de notre vie, passant le plus de temps possible sur l'eau. Nous détenons tous les deux notre permis bateau à moteur niveau 2.

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LITTLE EGRET BOAT TOURS (Morston): Ce qu'il faut savoir pour votre visite (avec critiques)

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Little Egret

As I passed Longstone Island on Monday I spotted a Little Egret resting on the grass beside Sunderland Hole, which is where Grace Darling and her Father launched their boat. As the tides are big at the moment, and it was near high tide I could get a good look at the bird. The only problem I had was trying to keep the boat still as the tide was raging.

Bingo, I got a picture.

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Egret Tours Marina

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Egret Tours Marina is a location and settlement in the Commonwealth in 2287 .

• 1 Background
• 3 Notable loot
• 5 Appearances
• 6 Behind the scenes
• 8 References

Background [ ]

Founded in 2042, the marina of Egret Tours offered recreational activities including tours of the Charles River before the Great War . [1] Hour-long tours were offered every two hours between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM. Daily fishing tours were also available. [2] By 2287, the marina has become the home of Phyllis Daily , a reclusive woman who is convinced she is a synth after accidentally killing her grandchild .

The marina features a partly destroyed brick building where Phyllis resides, an enclosed dry dock, a boat shed, and a Red Rocket filling station for watercraft. Several mines and tripwires are found around and inside the various marina structures when it is first encountered.

The marina should prove easily defensible as there are few vectors of approach, with attackers mostly invading from the small cliff next to the boat shed. Such attacks are frequent due to the random encounter spawn point on the drawbridge nearby to the north. The presence of deep water allows for water purifiers, and there is sufficient dirt for crops.

The settlement offers advantages while in Survival mode. It is fairly close to the edge of the Glowing Sea , and comes with both a weapons workbench and a cooking station in Phyllis' residence.

Notable loot [ ]

• Nuka-Cola Quantum - On the floor of the Red Rocket station at the end of the pier.
• Wasteland Survival Guide issue #3 - On the counter of the Red Rocket station at the end of the pier, above the brain fungus.
• Confront Phyllis about Samuel by first accessing her personal logs in her terminal or using a persuasion conversation option.
• Kill Phyllis.
• Choose any of the four options at the end of the dialogue. The choice determines how she greets the Sole Survivor afterward (either grateful or neutral), and which letter they will receive after she leaves; she will eventually leave regardless of the options chosen. Asking her to join the Commonwealth Minutemen requires a persuasion check.
• After reading Phyllis' terminal entry about Samuel, the player character will be prompted with a new objective to confront Phyllis about Samuel. Speaking to Phyllis will force you through the entire dialogue with her, even if you had discussed Samuel with her prior to reading the terminal.
• The location is fairly full of junk to set up a new settlement, with the exceptions of crystal and oil . Defenses are easily established, since gears are abundant through the presence of multiple fishing rods in the area.
• Due to the direction from which NPCs tend to approach/invade the marina, provisioners and their pack brahmin often end up trapped on the roof of the boat shed. Building stairs leading down from the roof may remedy this.
• Companions frequently comment on how quiet the location is and its proximity to water, with several making paranoid remarks. If Curie is brought here, she may ask "Can we go for a tour?"

Appearances [ ]

Egret Tours Marina appears only in  Fallout 4 .

Behind the scenes [ ]

Egret Tours Marina is in the same geographical location as Cutler Park Reservation , on the shores of Kendrick Pond and the Charles River . It is known for its vast number of bird species, including several varieties of Great Egret. [3]

Gallery [ ]

References [ ]

• ↑ Egret Tours Marina terminal entries; Phyllis's terminal : "Egret Tours: Exploring the Charles River since 2042."
• ↑ Egret Tours Marina terminal entries; Phyllis's terminal, Tour schedule
• ↑ Species List Culter Park Reservation
• 1 Fallout 4 perks
• 2 The Ghoul
• 3 Vault-Tec bobblehead (Fallout 4)

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12 of the best boat tours and cruises from Helsinki

Helsinki is built on a series of islands, so you’re pretty much bound to take to the water at some point during a trip.

Seeing the city from the sea and exploring its many islands and waterways is the best way to really get to know Helsinki’s hidden side.

And there’s no shortage of watery ways to get around. From calm canal cruises to an adrenaline-fuelled hovercraft ride, there’s something to suit all moods.

And, of course, top of the day-trip list is a trip to Tallinn in Estonia, just two hours away by boat.

Canal tours Archipelago tours Further afield

Canal tours

Seeing Helsinki from the water gives you a totally new perspective on the city, and we think taking a canal tour is the best way to do this. 

See Helsinki by canal boat

A great way to get to grips with Helsinki is to see its highlights from a canal boat. This 90-minute cruise runs along the city’s coast taking in sights such as the city zoo, the Suomenlinna Fortess and the leafy Degerö Canal.

It’s a great introduction to Helsinki, and the commentary gives you a good insight into the city’s fascinating history.

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Go ice-swimming in a survival suit

Not exactly a boat trip, but we couldn’t resist including this amazing sea floating experience that takes place all year round, including in the height of winter surrounded by ice. 

OK, so you don’t have to go the full Wim Hof and swim in your trunks – you’ll be kitted out with state-of-the-art survival suits that will keep you warm while you bob around in the arctic sea and leap on and off icebergs.

You don’t even need to know how to swim – the neoprene suits will keep you bouyant and experienced instructors are on-hand to help with breathing techniques and building confidence.

It’s an exhilarating experience that’ll convert you to the joys of cold water swimming in no time.

Is the Helsinki Card worth buying?

Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!

Archipelago tours

There are more than 300 islands in the Helsinki archipelago, where you can swim, walk in the woods or just relax on the sandy beaches. 

We recommend taking a boat trip so that you can explore some of them.

Go sightseeing by RIB

This guided RIB tour takes you round some of Helsinki’s main sights, that are best viewed from the water.

A knowledgeable guide will give you all the info and history on sights such as the Uspenski cathedral, Market Square, the City Hall, the Presidential Palace and the Allas Sea Pools. 

And once you’ve left the city limits, the RIB can speed through the archipelago to visit some of the more far-flung islands dotted with pretty summer cottages, pristine beaches and wooded inlets.

Head onto the ice by hovercraft

For a real adrenaline rush, this four-seater mini hovercraft trip blasts out through the freezing waters of the Helsinki archipelago and over snowy land. The hovercraft can break through the sea ice or even race across it, if it’s thick enough.

You’ll be kitted out in a super-warm survival suit before jumping into the icy waters to float around surrounded by chunks of ice.

And running across bobbing ice rafts holds no fears, either – if you fall in, your survival suit can keep you warm for up to four hours.

The trip ends with a warming meal – barbecue or salmon soup – cooked over an open fire, surrounded by snow and ice.

Take the ferry to Suomenlinna

The world’s largest sea fortress, Suomenlinna was built in 1748 on five interconnected islands to protect Helsinki from attack. It’s a great place to wander around, visit the fortress and museums and admire the views back over the city.

Hourly ferries run from the mainland to Suomenlinna, but if you’re short of time, you can visit it on this five-hour guided tour which includes the ferry trip, an informative guided walking tour of the fortress and a bus trip around the city’s highlights too.

Kayak and sauna on the Seabiscuit

Two for the price of one! You’ll set off for a chilled cruise on a big boat, then take to the water yourself for a gentle paddle round round some of the archipelago’s islands.

This boat trip on the Seabiscuit takes you out into Finnish archipelago, with eight kayaks and a wooden sauna on board.

Once you’ve moored up on a beautiful island, you can kayak along the shore, exploring the uninhabited beaches and inlets of the coastline.

Afterwards, take a dip in the bracing waters then warm up in the cosy on-board sauna, followed by a tasty barbecue.

Take a sunset cruise of the archipelago

This fun sunset cruise leaves from Espoo, a 20-minute drive west of Helsinki, and sails north to the capital past the beautiful islands of the Helsinki and Espoo archipelagos.

The boat leaves Espoo at 7pm in summer to coincide with the sun setting, and arrives at Helsinki’s Market Square at  8.30pm.

We like that you can sit back and enjoy a drink from the bar, as you glide past the rugged cliffs, sandy beaches and leafy landscapes of the archipelago lit up by the glowing sunset.

Explore Helsinki by kayak

For something a little more energetic, you can take to the sea on a guided kayak tour. This three-hour trip paddles gently through the clear waters of the archipelago, passing rocky islands and sandy beaches en route.

You’ll be picked up from outside the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in a mini-bus and taken to the kayak centre, where you’ll be kitted out with all you need for the trip.

No previous experience is necessary – the tour is suitable for all abilities and all the equipment is provided. Grab your paddle, head out onto the water and enjoy the scenery gently floating by!

Take a RIB to an island cottage

Spend the afternoon on a private island doing as the Finns do every summer – exploring, hiking, foraging and swimming.

After an exhilarating RIB ride through the archipelago, you’ll land on the island, where the owners will show you around, cook you a barbecue lunch and share the natural beauty of their island with you.

If you fancy it, you can also have a session in their wood-fired sauna followed by a quick dip in the sea!

Further afield

And if you fancy going further afield, you can even visit another country by boat.

Both Estonia and Sweden are an easy ferry trip away from Helsinki – go for the day or take an overnight mini-cruise.

Take a day-trip to Tallinn

If you only have time for one day trip from Helsinki, it’s got to be to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Although it’s just a two-hour ferry ride from Helsinki across the Gulf of Finland, this medieval city is a world apart in terms of atmosphere.

Shut away behind the Iron Curtain until 1989, Tallinn’s well-preserved old town now has Unesco-heritage status and its cobbled old streets and squares are great for exploring and browsing.

You can still walk round sections of the 14th-century town walls, or head up to the top of St Olaf’s Church spire for great views down over the town, the harbour and the huge Gothic church itself.

This day-trip costs a bargain €38 return and gives you up to ten hours in Tallinn to explore.

Join a booze cruise to Tallinn

Delightful though Tallinn’s sights are, they are not always the main reason that many Finns take the ferry to Tallinn.

Alcohol is way cheaper in Estonia and on the ferry than in Finland, and Finns often use the trip as a booze cruise to stock up on their favourite tipple (or just drink it all in transit).

If you travel out on a Friday evening or at the weekends, you’ll almost certainly be surrounded by revellers and may well find yourself caught up in the party boat atmosphere.

So bring a large bag with you, and head down to the on-board supermarket with everyone else. For more on the Friday night booze cruise, see our post on Getting from Helsinki to Tallinn .

Cruise to Stockholm overnight

This overnight ferry to Stockholm leaves Helsinki at 5pm and arrives in the Swedish capital at 10am the following morning. 

It includes a comfortable cabin and a buffet breakfast, and you can opt for a buffet dinner too with wine and beer included.

In summer, you get great views en route or there’s plenty of entertainment, including a pub, an evening show, karaoke and even a sauna.  

If you’re doing a return trip , you can spend the day in Stockholm then get the boat back and arrive back in Helsinki at 10.30am the following morning.

We love that you can spend a day in Stockholm with two nights’ accommodation, for little  more than the price of a hotel room!

See also: Getting around Helsinki One day in Helsinki: the ultimate guide The Go Helsinki Card: is it worth buying?

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• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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• Excursion River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat
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Russian River Cruises

• Find your cruise
• Moscow — St. Petersburg
• Moscow — Astrakhan
• Astrakhan — St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg
• Cruise Highlights
• News & Travel Tips

Russia is again welcoming travelers!

• A negative PCR test is all that's needed to enter Russia
• Regular flights are now operating to / from Russia
• Visas can be issues quickly (Volga Dream provides your invitation)
• All Volga Dream personnel and guides are fully vacinated
• Bookings are transferable without penalty for 12 months
• Volga Dream arranges PCR-tests if needed for your outbound flight

Check our COVID-19 Policy page to learn more.

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Luxurious river cruises in russia.

Explore authentic Russian cities. Enjoy premium service and engaging activities as you sail the Volga River.

2022 Cruise Season

Join our signature small group journeys and cruise in luxury along the Russian Volga river!

The Russian Odyssey

An extended 'South to North' view of Russia from Astrakhan to St. Petersburg through Moscow.

Explore Moscow, St. Petersburg and Russia’s Golden Ring in greater depth. Stay at gorgeous Four Seasons hotels. Enjoy special access to iconic cultural sites.

Lower Volga

Treat yourself to an unforgettable experience cruising the Volga river from Moscow to Astrakhan. The tour includes 2 nights in Moscow.

Find Your Cruise

Select destination Moscow — St. Petersburg Moscow — Astrakhan Astrakhan — St. Petersburg

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A Volga river cruise is more than a geographical voyage; it’s also a journey through Russia’s rich and captivating history. No other experience takes you so completely to another place and time. The Volga is Europe’s longest and largest river; it meanders through the stories of Ivan the Terrible and his rise to power, the two historic ‘Greats’ Peter and Catherine, and then on into today. It’s a unique opportunity to see modern Russia in the context of its intriguing history, ably assisted by friendly and professional academics and tour guides. A Volga Dream Russian river tour promises to leave you with an unforgettable afterglow of fond memories.

Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise

Moscow and St. Petersburg are Russia’s best-known cities, but the towns of Russia’s historic Golden Ring are delightful too. The luxurious Volga Dream offers a unique opportunity to visit these Russian gems by sailing gently along the Volga River on an unforgettable cruising experience. In small, exclusive groups you’ll enjoy preferential access to some of Russia’s most significant cultural sites.

Moscow to Astrakhan River Cruise

Your River Cruise on the luxurious MS Volga Dream takes you from Moscow along Russia’s grand Volga River to the legend that is Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) and Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. Along the way, you’ll discover the treasures of Yaroslavl, the oldest city on the Volga, medieval Nizhniy Novgorod and beautiful Kazan, the ancient Tatar capital. We plan our tour carefully to combine the very best of Moscow with a world-class Volga River cruise.

Discover Russia with MS Volga Dream - Click-through map

We love hearing from guests about their time in Russia and one comment often hear is how surprised people are by the Russian capital. We can’t say for certain what people expected but we do know that it’s always far removed from what they imagined! It’s been called a modern metropolis, a cosmopolitan city, an historic gem, an architectural treasure and a cultural powerhouse, among other descriptions. Majestic Moscow has always surprised our guests and left them with lasting and fond memories.

Russia’s famous Golden Ring is an archipelago of historic towns surrounding Moscow. Uglich is one of the oldest and was founded under Igor, the last Varangian prince. It once resisted the Mongol invasion and its ancient walls saw the grisly murder of young Dmitri, son of Ivan the Terrible. The impressive Church of St. Dmitri on the Blood, with its classic onion domes and blood red walls, is a fine example of classic Russian architecture. The tour ends with an enchanting choral concert.

This, the oldest city on the Volga River, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a wealth of ancient orthodox treasures. The impressive Transfiguration of the Savior, adorned with murals depicting St. John’s apocalyptic visions can be seen in the Spassky Monastery. The Church of St. Elijah the Prophet is decorated with an awe-inspiring selection of rich frescoes. For a real taste of pre-revolutionary Russia, visitors are entertained by a costumed reception at the Governor’s House.

Close to the shores of White Lake once were the ‘tsar’s fishing grounds’. It lies in a place so serene that ancient monks chose to build no fewer than three holy sites here, including the Ferapontov Monastery. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, its chapels boast magnificent frescoes by Dionysius, one of Russia’s most renowned icon painters. The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was a refuge for many nobles during tumultuous times and later a fortress that successfully repelled invading armies.

The Karelia region is a vast and naturally beautiful wilderness that spreads all the way from St. Petersburg to the Arctic Circle. The glorious island village of Kizhi consists almost entirely of the traditionally styled wooden buildings of ‘Old Russia’. Among them is the famous Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Remarkably, and in testament to the craftsmen of the time, not a single nail was used in its construction! Kizhi is one of the favorite stops on the river cruise to St. Petersburg.

A typical rural hamlet brought to life by warm and welcoming villagers. Volga Dream guests are invited into local homes to enjoy classic Russian fare, tea with jam and ‘pirozhki’ (pies). Enthusiastic hosts share Russian traditions and the appeal of village life while proudly showing off their scrupulously kept homes and kitchen gardens. The tour continues with a brief bus ride to see a unique World War II memorial and then, for a real glimpse of Russian life, a visit to a local primary school.

Nizhny Novgorod

This was once a wealthy city thanks to its proximity to rich eastern trading routes. During the Soviet era, the city was closed to outsiders because of its military importance. It’s also where many political prisoners were sent to live out their days in exile. The 16th-century Kremlin ramparts offer spectacular views and the city is known for its elaborately decorated churches. For Volga Dream cruise guests, the highlight of the day is an evening folk concert performed by local children.

Sailing along the Volga river, the riverbank gradually ceases to be dominated by Orthodox churches. Instead, beautiful mosques appear as the river crosses into Tatarstan where the first stop is scenic Kazan, the region’s capital. Inside the white walls of the citadel, the famous Kul Sharif mosque and the old Cathedral of Peter and Paul stand side-by-side symbolizing the two faiths’ long and peaceful coexistence in the region. A concert of traditional Tatar music ends the Volga Dream tour in Kazan.

Passing the Zhigulevskie Mountains offers wonderful views from the sundeck before touring the city. One of the key attractions is the fascinating Space Museum, which offers a revealing glimpse of how the Soviet Union pursued its ambitious journey to the cosmos. The town is also noted for its beautiful esplanade, perfect for a relaxed stroll beside the Volga river. This in turn leads to the Samara State Art Museum. Founded in 1897, it is home to a collection of more than 16,000 works of art.

This city is best known for its close associations with cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. The Russian hero who achieved worldwide fame as the first man in space lived and studied here. Saratov used to be home to a large German community, a heritage that can still be seen in the local architecture. The Volga Dream tour visits the Radishchev State Art Museum, the first picture gallery in Russia outside Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Originally called Tsaritsyn, the city was renamed Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961 in honor of the USSR’s leader. During World War II, the city’s residents put up a heroic defense, repelling an advancing Nazi invasion. The battle for Stalingrad has gone down in history as a pivotal moment in the bloody conflict on the eastern front. The most ferocious and deadly fighting took place on Mamayev Hill, where an imposing memorial now stands close to the excellent Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum.

Saint Petersburg

If Moscow surprises, then St Petersburg delights. Peter the Great founded the city to showcase Russia’s newfound enlightenment. He wanted to show the modern world a cultured and advanced society. In short, he built the city to impress and in that he succeeded splendidly! The striking buildings were designed by some of the finest architects Europe had to offer and even now, the ‘Venice of the North’ never fails to enchant with its spectacular buildings and impressive canal network. It is a city of true grandeur.

Cocktails with the Captain

Commanding any ship is a complex role that calls for a long list of skills. Captains know their vessels inside out as well as well as the routes they sail and when things don’t go to plan, they have to make instant decisions. Above all though, the most important part of the job, underpinning everything they do, is to keep the ship and everyone aboard safe. The Captain’s cocktail party is a great and a wonderful opportunity for passengers and crew to get acquainted as the gets underway.

Matryoshka doll painting

There is nothing more typically Russian than a Matryoshka. It embodies the fact that there’s always something deeper to be found in every aspect of Russian life. Learning the traditional designs and techniques used to decorate these iconic dolls offers a pleasant diversion and some cathartic creativity!

Superb Service & Dining

Our restaurant serves the highest standard of international cuisine, freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. Choose either a sumptuous buffet or set menu for lunch while dinner is always four or five courses with full service. High praise for the exquisite quality of meals is yet another constantly recurring feature in feedback from our guests.

Meet the Professor

From the Mongol hordes to Soviet times, Russia’s history is, like all of Europe’s, a complex web of political intrigue, war and peace, trade and treaties, as well as heroes and villains. Academics devote whole lifetimes to studying Russia’s long past and one of them presents a series of lectures shedding light on everything from Gorbachev to Chekhov, Khrushchev to Ivan the Terrible and of course, contemporary Russia. Our Professor is on board throughout the river cruise for informal conversation.

Beginner’s Russian

The Russian language can be rather beautiful and poetic and we know that many seasoned travelers enjoy trying their hand at different languages. Our onboard teachers provide an introduction to the riches of Russian, so guests can try out a few useful words and phrases on real Russians during the exciting river tours from Moscow to St. Petersburg or from Moscow to Volgograd!

Russian tea tasting

The drink we tend to associate with Russia is vodka, but tea, in fact, is the much more universal beverage of choice throughout the country. Guests will get acquainted with the Russian tea etiquette, a fundamental component of the country's social culture, and enjoy the traditional tea ceremony while cruising from St. Petersburg to Moscow or taking a Grand Volga river tour.

Russian Dinner & Vodka Tasting

All our dining is international but for Russian Dining night, the Chef includes a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and no Russian table is complete without Borsch. To add to the ‘Taste of Russia’ optional Russian dress, or at least a touch of Russian style, is provided along with enthusiastic help from our staff!

Russian Cooking Class

A plate of pelmeni might not look like much to the untrained eye, but it forms the heart of Russian cuisine and culture. Basically, it's a type of dumpling: small portions of meat and onion wrapped in a thin sheet of unleavened dough and boiled, a little like ravioli. Guests can join a Russian cooking class onboard the MS Volga Dream to learn how to cook this delicious Russian dish.

Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov Piano Recital

Some of the greatest classical music ever written comes from Russia. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting stage for a virtuoso solo recital by our resident concert pianist than the mighty Volga or a better backdrop than the heart of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov’s own serene homeland.

Russian River Cruise Aboard Volga Dream

Moscow to St. Petersburg

Why Volga Dream

Family Owned & Operated

MS Volga Dream is Russia’s only family-owned river cruise ship. She can accommodate up to 100 guests, far fewer than most other cruise ships on the river making for a uniquely friendly and intimate atmosphere aboard.

Five-Star Central Hotels

We at Volga Dream are completely convinced that, our guests should stay in great 5-star hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg within comfortable walking distance of all the major attractions, theaters and restaurants, rather than having to waste time in traffic.

Luxurious Accommodation

The MS Volga Dream is the most intimate and elegant 5-star cruise vessel in Russia. She boasts 56 cabins, all river facing, ranging from comfortable Standard Cabins to spacious Junior Suites and the luxurious forward facing Owner's Suite.

Russian Cultural Experience

Explore Russia's past with the help of professional tour guides. Our on-board program includes fascinating talks on Russian history and politics, Russian language lessons, a festival of Russian cuisine (including vodka tasting!), and much more.

Gourmet Dining

Our on board restaurant serves international cuisine to the highest standard, all freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. For Russian Dining night, he prepares a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and Borsch.

Tailored Service

All our service crew members are native Russians who are fluent in English and handpicked by the Owner. Proudly, the Volga Dream is famous for her hard working and very hospitable personnel who take care of every aspect of your life aboard.

Download Our Brochure

It's never been easier to plan your next holiday in Russia. Download our free brochure to learn more about authentic Russian river cruises.

Escape the hassle and bustle and add a satisfyingly informative element to your trip and bring together a colorful mosaic of people, history, traditions,  religion, music and art. These are the many strands that time has woven into what is known today as Russia.

What people are saying

Jacqueline Lapwood

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Russia-Ukraine war live: Putin tries to claim Russia isn’t after Kharkiv – despite massive attack on region

LIVE – Updated at 19:30

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed there are “no plans” to take the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv despite tens of thousands of his forces having recently stormed across the border into the region and getting within artillery range of the city.

Speaking on the second day of his two-day tour of China , Putin claimed he had ordered the attack to create a “buffer zone” between Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian region of Belgorod.

When asked if Russian forces planned to take control of Kharkiv city, some 20 miles from the current fighting, Putin said: “As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans as of today.”

While Ukrainian officials and military analysts maintain that Russian forces in the Kharkiv region do not have the manpower or weaponry to take its namesake capital, and that the attack is likely an attempt to create a “buffer zone”, as Putin puts it, as well as draw Ukrainian forces away from other battles further east, there is little doubt that Russia would try to invade the city if it had the capability.

Ukraine says it has halted Russian advance in Kharkiv town

• Ukraine launches massive drone attack against occupied Crimea and across Russia

What’s the latest in Russia and Ukraine? Day 814

• Vladimir Putin speaks on final day of China tour

Russia's Putin arrives in China for state visit in a show of unity between the authoritarian allies

Vladimir Putin landed in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day state visit to China in a show of unity between the authoritarian allies.

Putin‘s visit comes as Russia has become more economically dependent on China following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

On the eve of the visit, Putin said in an interview with Chinese media that the Kremlin is prepared to negotiate over the conflict in Ukraine. “We are open to a dialogue on Ukraine, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours,” Putin was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.

The Russian leader’s two-day trip comes as his country’s forces have pressed an offensive in northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region that began last week in the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began, forcing almost 8,000 people to flee their homes.

Along with Moscow’s efforts to build on its gains in the nearby Donetsk region, the 2-year-old war has entered a critical stage for Ukraine’s depleted military that is awaiting new supplies of anti-aircraft missiles and artillery shells from the United States.

“We have never refused to negotiate,” Putin was quoted as saying by Xinhua. “We are seeking a comprehensive, sustainable and just settlement of this conflict through peaceful means. We are open to a dialogue on Ukraine, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours.”

Ukrainian military moves out troops due to ‘intensive’ enemy fire'

Heavy enemy fire has prompted Ukraine’s military to reposition some troops in the Kupiansk direction to the east of the country’s second largest city, Kharkiv, the General Staff said today.

“In certain districts, as a result of intensive enemy fire, our units regrouped to more advantages positions,” the late-night report said.

Kupiansk was occupied by Russian troops in the first weeks of the February 2022 invasion, but recaptured by Ukrainian forces later in the year. The area has seen heavy fighting in recent months.

Putin says he is ‘grateful to China' for peace efforts on Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin said he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about Russian invasion of Ukraine after he reached Beijing for a two-day visit.

“We are grateful to China for its efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis,” he said. The Russian president said he would brief the Chinese leader on the situation in Ukraine where Russian forces are advancing on several fronts.

China had issued a proposal for peace in Ukraine last year but the bid did not conclude and Kyiv has put forth its own peace agreement, seeking ejection of Russian troops from its territory.

Mr Putin’s visit to Beijing comes as Moscow presses forward on a new offensive in Ukraine.

What’s the latest in Ukraine and Russia? Day 813

Good morning.

Intense fighting has continued in the northeast Kharkiv region in what British Defence Minister Grant Shapps said should be a “wake up call” to Ukraine’s allies who have become “distracted” from the war.

“We must back [the Ukrainians] all the time, not just periodically,” Mr Shapps said, adding that a $60bn US military package “took too long to get through Congress”. It was blocked for seven months by Donald Trump-supporting Republicans keen to shore up more funds for securing their border with Mexico.

Ukrainian war tracker DeepState said Russian forces had advanced into a stretch of land between the villages of Hlyboke and Lyptsi, which is less than 20 miles from the region’s capital Kharkiv, home to some 1.3 million civilians.

An aid worker in Kharkiv city running a shelter for evacuees from Lyptsi told me on Wednesday that the civilians could hear the bombs “coming closer and closer” as they fled the village.

In the fight next-door, a local Ukrainian official said Russian forces had entered the streets of Vovchansk, a town some 35 miles from Kharkiv city.

In southern Ukraine, Russia fired three deadly glide bombs, nicknamed “building destroyers”, at the centre of Kherson city, injuring at least 19 people and destroying several homes.

“The city centre of Kherson. In the middle of the day, three Russian aerial bombs hit a residential area,” regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram yesterday.

In China, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, where the Russian leader said he was “grateful” to China for its efforts to end the war in Ukraine, referring to their peace proposal that was dismissed by Ukraine as simply a recital of the Kremlin’s demands.

Xi lauds China-Russia ties as Putin arrives in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to work with counterpart Vladimir Putin to “rejuvenate” their countries as the pair started a day of talks in Beijing, saying China would “always be a good partner” of Russia, according to Chinese state media.

Putin arrived on Thursday for a two-day state visit that will include detailed talks on Ukraine, Asia, energy and trade with Xi, his most powerful political backer and fellow geopolitical rival of the United States.

“The China-Russia relationship today is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it,” Xi told Putin as they met in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

“China is willing to ... jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world.”

China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

A compilation of Russia’s latest propaganda claims …

Below is a compilation of the latest Russian claims regarding its war in Ukraine.

The claims cannot be verified but we repost them to show you the mood inside Moscow and the messages they are trying to convey to their own public. Much of the propaganda they push is intended to give the impression to the Russian population that the West is funding a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and that, despite this, Russia is nevertheless succeeding in its war.

Russia’s Federal Security Service has claimed it has detained Ukrainian agents in Crimea, and that one of them admitted to having transferred information on air defence systems protecting the Crimean bridge, state news agency RIA reported.

The speaker of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, meanwhile, said this morning that Ukraine was dragging the US and Europe into a big war, and Western leaders needed to avoid a major global catastrophe.

Vladimir Putin arrives in China to meet Xi Jinping as West watches with growing concern

China has rolled out the red carpet to welcome Russian president Vladimir Putin for a potentially consequential and heavily symbolic state visit that will be closely watched in the West.

Mr Putin’s second visit in less than a year comes as Western nations, led by the US, are putting pressure on China to stop throwing its economic and industrial weight behind Russia’s war in Ukraine .

The two-day trip is Mr Putin’s first abroad since starting his new term as president earlier this month.

Vladimir Putin arrives to meet Xi Jinping in China as West watches with concern

How Ukraine’s war changed Oleksandr Usyk – and how it didn’t

Russian forces trying to take Lyptsi village in Ukraine's Kharkiv region -RIA

Russian forces are on the approaches to the village of Lyptsi, in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, and have started work to seize it, Russian state news agency RIA reported, citing a local Russian-installed official.

The claim cannot be verified and Russian officials often issue premature reports - but civilians fleeing Lyptsi over the past few days told aid workers in Kharkiv city that they could hear the bombs coming “closer and closer”.

The latest update from Ukrainian war tracker DeepState, known to have close ties to the military, suggests Russia forces are still more than three miles away from the village.

The small village of Lyptsi is around 16 miles north of the city centre of Kharkiv, the region’s namesake capital that is home to some 1.3 million citizens.

Ukraine’s Zelensky cancels foreign visits as Putin’s forces advance around Kharkiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cancelled all his upcoming foreign trips as he looks to concentrate on Russia’s advance in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region .

It comes as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced a new $2 billion (£1.6bn) weapons deal during a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv , before suggesting Washington could sign a bilateral agreement with Ukraine in the coming weeks.

Mr Blinken did not go into detail about what would be included in the latest pledge, which will be drawn from the $61bn package passed by Congress last month.

Zelensky cancels foreign visits as Putin’s forces advance around Kharkiv

Zelensky travels to Kharkiv amid Russian offensive in region’s north

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has travelled to the city of Kharkiv amid a raging Russian offensive in the north of the region.

Mr Zelensky said on Telegram he held a meeting with the military, and described the situation as extremely difficult though “controlled in general”.

“As of today, the situation in Kharkiv Oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult - we are strengthening our units,” he wrote.

Earlier, the Ukrainian military said its forces were fighting Russian troops in northern districts of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region but the invaders had been unable to break through deeper into the border town.

“The enemy’s plans to penetrate deeper into the town of Vovchansk and gain a foothold there were thwarted,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement.

US will send artillery, rockets and ammunition in $1bn arms package to Ukraine

US sending largest military aid package to Ukraine so far

Photos show Putin and Xi meeting in Beijing

We have some more photos dropping on the wires from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

It’s time we gave Ukraine the tools it needs to finish the job

Maps show the state of Russia’s advance in the Kharkiv region

Updated maps published by Ukrainian war tracker DeepState have shown the state of Russia’s offensive in the northeast Kharkiv.

The attack began last Friday, at around 5.30am, and took place across two sectors.

In the first assault, Russian forces have advanced to the north and northwest suburbs of Vovchansk, a small city from where thousands of civilians have been evacuated. They have pushed roughly three and a half miles from the Russian border into the Kharkiv region, occupying nearly 22 square miles of territory.

In the second assault, Russian forces are advancing towards the village of Lyptsi, having taken Hlyboke and Lukiantsi yesterday. They have pushed nearly five miles from the Russian border into the Kharkiv region, occupying 31 square miles of territory.

That means that Russian forces are within artillery range of Kharkiv city, the region’s namesake capital, which is home to 1.3 million civilians.

AP gets rare look as Ukraine tries to slow Russia with drones on new front

Sri Lanka to send delegation to Russia to help repatriate men duped into Ukraine fighting

Sri Lanka will dispatch a high-level delegation to Russia to investigate the fate of hundreds of nationals reportedly fighting in the war in Ukraine, a top official said on Thursday.

Social media campaigns via WhatsApp have targeted ex-military personnel with promises of lucrative salaries and promises of citizenship, the Defence Ministry has said, warning its nationals not to be duped.

The messages, sent by Sri Lankan nationals, provide a number to agents, who then arrange the documentation and the flights.

The campaigns have proved appealing as Sri Lanka struggles to emerge from its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades, which has doubled poverty rates from pre-pandemic levels and pushed hundreds of people to migrate.

Earlier this month, Sri Lankan authorities launched investigations into reports of its citizens, mostly with military training, being trafficked to fight in the war in Ukraine, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya.

“The primary challenge lies in determining the exact number of individuals in Russia. As per unofficial sources, approximately 600-800 Sri Lankan individuals are in Russia,” he told reporters.

Ukraine says it has checked Russia's offensive in a key town, but Moscow says it will keep pushing

Ukrainian units locked in street battles with the Kremlin’s forces in a key northeastern Ukraine town have halted the Russian advance, military officials in Kyiv claimed Thursday, though a senior Moscow official said the frontline push had enough resources to keep going.

Russian attempts to establish a foothold in the town of Vovchansk, which is among the largest towns in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region with a prewar population of 17,000, “have been foiled,” Ukraine’s general staff said in a midday report.

Russian forces ‘executing’ fleeing civilians in Vovchansk, says Ukrainian minister

Russian forces have “executed” civilians desperately trying to flee the battered Ukrainian town of Vovchansk, Ukraine’s Interior Minister has claimed.

Ihor Klymenko, writing on the Telegram messenger service, said Russian soldiers were killing civilians who were trying to flee Vovchansk on foot after the soldiers entered the north and northwest suburbs of the town. He added that they were “kidnapping” civilians that remained in the town and “herding [them] into basements”.

“As of now, according to operational information, the Russian military, who were trying to gain a foothold in the city, did not allow local residents to evacuate: people began to be kidnapped and herded into basements,” he wrote.

“It is known about the first executions of civilians by the Russian military. In particular, one of the inhabitants of Vovchansk tried to escape on foot, refused to obey the commands of the invaders - the Russians killed him.”

Denmark to send military aid worth $815 million to Ukraine

Denmark will send a new military aid package to Ukraine, including primarily air defense and artillery, worth around 5.6 billion Danish crowns (£644 million), the Danish Defence Minister wrote on social media platform X on Thursday.

China and Russia reaffirm their ‘no-limits’ partnership

Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked Chinese leader Xi Jinping for China’s proposals on ending the war in Ukraine, which have been rejected by Ukraine and its western supporters as largely following the Kremlin’s line.

At their summit, Mr Putin and Mr Xi reaffirmed a “no-limits” partnership that has grown deeper as both countries face deepening tensions with the West, and criticised US military alliances in Asia and the Pacific region.

China claims to take a neutral position in the conflict, but it has backed Moscow’s contentions that Russia was provoked into attacking Ukraine by the West, and continues to supply Russia with key components that Moscow needs for its productions of weapons.

A joint statement after Mr Putin and Mr Xi met said that both sides believe that for “a sustainable settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, it is necessary to eliminate its root causes”.

Zelensky visits Kharkiv as battleground situation deteriorates

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the northeastern city of Kharkiv on Thursday to boost morale and reinforce Ukraine’s troops in the region where Russian forces are trying to press their new offensive beyond the border areas.

Moscow has made inroads of at least several kilometres into the north of Kharkiv region since Friday, forcing Kyiv’s outmanned troops to try to hold the line on a new front as Russia mounts more pressure on the front in the east.

“The direction remains extremely difficult - we are strengthening our units,” Zelensky said after holding a meeting in the city with his top commander and senior military leaders.

The Ukrainian leader, who has cancelled all his upcoming foreign trips as the battlefield situation deteriorates, met wounded soldiers recovering at a medical facility and posed for photographs with troops at another location.

International Monetary Fund to assess Ukraine’s war-torn economy

The International Monetary Fund will start a new Ukraine mission in coming weeks to assess the war-torn country’s economy and performance under a $15.6 billion loan program, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said on Thursday.

Kozack told a regular press briefing that the mission on the next loan program review will assess the latest economic developments in Ukraine and revise its macroeconomic framework and analysis of the country’s debt sustainability.

Russia expels British embassy official in tit-for-tat response

Russia has expelled the defence attache at the British Embassy in Moscow in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of one of its own diplomats from London last week.

The Russian foreign ministry said an embassy official had been summoned on Thursday and told Captain Adrian Coghill must leave the country within seven days.

The move follows the expulsion of Russian defence attache Colonel Maxim Elovik on May 8, whom the Home Secretary said was an “undeclared military intelligence officer”.

In a statement on its Telegram channel, the Russian foreign ministry said the expulsion of Col Elovik had been politically motivated and caused significant damage to relations between the two countries.

US announces new sanctions over North Korea-Russia arms transfers

The United States announced sanctions on Thursday on two Russian individuals and three Russian companies for facilitating arms transfers between Russia and North Korea, including ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine.

It is the latest round of sanctions imposed by the Treasury and State departments to disrupt and expose arms transfers between the two countries, a Treasury Department statement said.

“Today’s action reflects our commitment to disrupt the DPRK’s (Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea) deepening military cooperation with Russia,” Brian Nelson, the under secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.

“The United States will continue to take action to hold accountable those who seek to facilitate the shipment of weapons and other materiel to enable Russia’s war,” Nelson added.

It’s horrifying what’s happened to Ukrainians with disabilities during Russia’s war – we cannot abandon them

Used as human shields, starved or deprived of medicines , tortured, abducted, disappeared. These are the potential crimes that have been committed against people with disabilities since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine , according to a new 18-month investigation by The Independent .

That doesn’t even cover what those close to the frontline face with no way of getting to shelter or accessing food and water, under some of the most ferocious bombardments of our time.

As Maksym – a Ukrainian man with a disability who was disappeared into Russia early on in the war – told me, those with disabilities are the last to be remembered and the first to be left behind.

Read the full article here:

We cannot abandon Ukrainians with disabilities suffering during war

Zelensky seeks to boost troop morale with visit to Kharkiv as soldiers battle Putin’s advancing forces

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky sought to boost the morale his troops with a visit to the northeastern city of Kharkiv – with Russian forces making advances across the region .

Kyiv has rushed military units from other parts of the 600-mile front lines to shore up its forces in the area where the Russians launched their attack a week ago, exploiting weak fortifications and undergunned Ukrainian forces to make rapid advances which have sent thousands of refugees fleeing from their homes.

Vladimir Putin ‘s forces have made inroads of at least several kilometres into the north of Kharkiv region since Friday, with the city of Kharkiv itself only about 30 miles from the border with Russia .

Zelenky seeks to boost troop morale with Kharkiv visit as battle rages

People with disabilities face some of the most brutal conditions during war. We need urgent change

The devastating images from the war in Ukraine are a stark illustration of the consequences of conflict for ordinary people . The threat of injury or death from shelling, drones or missiles hangs over everything – but there is also facing day-to-day shortages of food and water , the destruction of schools and hospitals and potential criminal or sexual violence .

But it is also a fact that these harmful effects are not uniformly felt. Instead, studies show that minority groups are more significantly impacted by the destructive effects because war amplifies inequalities and vulnerabilities that already exist in society.

Read the full analysis from William Pons here:

People with disabilities face some of the most brutal conditions during war

Russia ramps up strike drone use on Kharkiv front, Ukrainian artillery crew says

Ukrainian artillery on the Kharkiv frontline are facing a bigger threat than ever from Russia’s fleet of Lancet kamikaze drones, according to a howitzer crew fighting there.

One comes, then a second one comes, 10 minutes later a third one comes,” said call sign Artist, the fresh-faced 21-year-old commander of an artillery battery of the 42nd Brigade which has been firing non-stop to repel Russia’s new offensive in the region over the past week.

The soldiers requested that they only be referred to by their military call signs to protect their identities.

The drone, with X-shaped wings and carrying several kilograms of explosive, was already one of the biggest threats to Ukrainian artillery and armour for over a year.

The presence in Kyiv of the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, at what is becoming a critical juncture in Ukraine’s war of survival against Russia , is, of course, extremely welcome.

Were they being undiplomatically honest, however, the Ukrainians would admit that they would far rather have received a bumper consignment of Patriot missile defence systems, F-16 fighters and Abrams armoured vehicles than the distinguished statesman.

That way, they might have a better chance of preventing the Russians from destroying their second city, Kharkiv . Such a denouement is unlikely – but the possibility of it cannot be dismissed.

Putin and Xi Jinping claim their ‘unprecedented partnership’ is a stabilising influence at Beijing talks

Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing on Thursday aimed at presenting a united front amid the pomp and spectacle of a state visit that was being closely watched around the world.

There was not a great deal of substance to the statements issued publicly by the two leaders after their meeting, which included a state dinner on Thursday night as well as talks ranging across a broad range of subjects from the war in Ukraine to their shared trade interests.

But nor was there any sign that recent US sanctions against Chinese companies exporting to Russia had dampened Mr Xi’s enthusiasm for relations with the man he welcomed as his “old friend”.

Putin and Xi Jinping laud world stabilising influence at Beijing talks

It’s horrifying what’s happened to Ukrainians with disabilities during Russia’s war

Read the full article from Bel Trew here:

Ukrainian soldiers fighting street battles have finally halted Russian forces near Kharkiv, foiling their advance to capture the key northeastern town of Vovchansk, military officials said.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed in a midday report yesterday that the Russian attempts to grab a foothold in Vovchansk “have been foiled”.

The town, among the largest in the Kharkiv region, had a pre-war population of 17,000.

As of yesterday evening, Ukrainian authorities had evacuated some 8,000 civilians from the town. The Russian army’s usual tactic is to reduce towns and villages to ruins with aerial strikes before its units move in.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, calculated that Russian forces attacking in Kharkiv have advanced no more than 8km (5 miles) from the shared border.

It reckons Moscow’s main aim in Kharkiv is to create a “buffer zone” that will prevent Ukrainian cross-border strikes on Russia’s neighbouring Belgorod region.

Russia incapable of major advance in Ukraine, says Nato military chief

Nato’s top military officer has said he believes that Russia’s armed forces are incapable of any major gains in Ukraine at the moment.

“The Russians don’t have the numbers necessary to do a strategic breakthrough, we don’t believe,” US General Christopher Cavoli, Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told reporters after a meeting of the organisation’s top military brass in Brussels.

“More to the point, they don’t have the skill and the capability to do it; to operate at the scale necessary to exploit any breakthrough to strategic advantage,” he said.

On being asked about whether Russia might be about to launch its anticipated summer offensive early, General Cavoli said “we can never be sure,” but he added that “what we don’t see is large numbers of reserves being generated some place” which would be needed for any such offensive.

Zelensky says Kharkiv’s difficult situation ‘under control’

Volodymyr Zelensky said he met with his top military chiefs fighting the Russian offensive in Kharkiv and that the fierce fighting there is now “generally under control”.

He acknowledged on social media that the situation is “extremely difficult” and said Ukraine was again strengthening its units in Kharkiv. Mr Zelensky also met with wounded soldiers and handed out medals.

“We clearly see how the occupier is trying to distract our forces and make our combat work less concentrated,” he said in his nightly video address.

In Russia, former Russian defence minister and now the head of the presidential Security Council Sergei Shoigu insisted Russian troops are pushing the offensive in many directions and that “it’s going quite well.”

“I hope we will keep advancing. We have certain reserves for the purpose, in personnel, equipment and munitions,” he said in televised remarks.

Russia expels UK defence attache in tit-for-tat diplomatic row

Russia has expelled Britain’s defence attache in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of one of its own diplomats from London last week, the country’s foreign ministry has said.

Captain Adrian Coghill, a Royal Naval officer based at the British Embassy in Moscow , was given a week to leave the country on Thursday, according to a post on the Russian foreign ministry’s Telegram channel.

The move follows the expulsion on May 8 of Russia’s defence attache in London, Colonel Maxim Elovik, on the grounds that he was an “undeclared military intelligence officer”.

Mother-son duo killed in drone attack, says Russia

A Ukrainian drone strike killed a mother and her four-year-old son who were travelling in a car in Russia’s southern Belgorod region, the regional governor said early today.

Vyacheslav Gladkov said one of several drones fired at the region hit a car in the village of Oktyabrsky, killing a woman at the site of the attack.

Her young son died of his injuries after being taken to a hospital. The boy’s father and a man driving the car were injured, but survived.

Additionally, the Russia-appointed governor of the port of Sevastopol in Crimea said air defence units intercepted several Ukrainian drones over the city.

Russia claims oil refinery fire contained after drone attack

Russian authorities say they have managed to contain a fire at the Tuapse oil refinery in Krasnodar, which broke out after a Ukrainian drone attack.

They claimed that there were no casualties in the incident, according to preliminary information.

Russian air defence and the Black Sea Fleet destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones and six uncrewed boats last night, Russia’s defence ministry said this morning.

An electrical substation was damaged in Sevastopol as a result of the attack, local governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said on Telegram. “There will be isolated blackouts,” he said.

“In view of the situation, I made a decision to cancel classes in all schools, institutions of secondary vocational education and kindergartens.”

Sevastopol closes schools after Ukrainian drone barrage

All schools have been closed in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol and classes cancelled after the region came under a heavy Ukrainian drone attack overnight.

At least 51 drones were intercepted overnight in Crimea, Russia’s defence ministry claimed.

Local governor Mikhail Razvozhaev took to Telegram and confirmed the shutdown.

“In view of the situation, I made a decision to cancel classes in all schools, institutions of secondary vocational education and kindergartens,” he said, adding that the region will see isolated blackouts.

In a major overnight aerial raid, Ukraine’s military hit an electricity substation in the region, causing rolling blackouts throughout the city housing Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet.

Ukraine does not typically comment on attacks on Russia and Russia-occupied Crimea but it says attacking energy and military infrastructure there aids Kyiv by weakening Russian capabilities.

Kim's sister denies North Korea has supplied weapons to Russia

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again denied Friday that her country has exported any weapons to Russia, as she labeled outside speculation on North Korea-Russian arms dealings as “the most absurd paradox.”

The US, South Korea and others have steadfastly accused North Korea of supplying artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine in return for advanced military technologies and economic aid. Both North Korea and Russia have repeatedly dismissed that.

Foreign experts believe North Korea’s recent series of artillery and short-range missile tests were meant to examine or advertise the weapons it was planning to sell to Russia.

As Ukraine claims the fighting in its northeast Kharkiv region has “stabilised” a week after Russia launched its surprise attack, both sides say they have successfully repelled overnight drone attacks.

Ukrainian forces said they shot down all 20 drones fired by Russia. Among the regions attacked was the Kharkiv region.

It damaged five buildings, one of them belonging to the district administration, Kharkiv’s regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said on Telegram.

In Russia, authorities said they had managed to contain a fire at an oil refinery in the town of Tuapse that broke out after a Ukrainian drone attack. The coastal town in southwest Russia is hundreds of miles from the nearest Ukrainian soldiers and demonstrated, again, the increasing range of Kyiv’s drone programme.

In Belgorod, just across the border with Ukraine, the region’s mayor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that a mother and her son were killed by a Ukrainian drone strike. He did not provide evidence.

Further afield, Vladimir Putin began the second day of his two-day trip to China. He arrived in “Little Moscow” this morning, located in Harbin, the capital of China’s north-eastern Heilongjiang province, which shares a border with Russia. He lauded the two countries’ “inseparable” partnership in a speech.

And in the Middle East last night, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk held a press conference with British boxer Tyson Fury ahead of their Saturday heavyweight boxing clash.

Mr Usky was wearing a traditional Ukrainian embroidered band in honour of Vyshyvanka Day, an annual celebration of Ukrainian unity. He is fighting to unify the heavweight division.

Zelensky says situation in Kharkiv region ‘stabilised' as of Friday

Russian forces have advanced six miles into Ukraine‘s Kharkiv region in one area but the situation has “stabilised” as of Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said, according to by RBC-Ukraine media outlet.

”Today, our defence forces have stabilised the Russians where they are now. The deepest point of their advance is 10 km,” Mr Zelensky told journalists.

Footage appears to show the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone attack on southwest Russia

Footage collated from various Russian Telegram channels appear to show the aftermath of a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on southwest Russia.

Satellite imagery shows destroyed Russian fighter jets

Satellite imagery released this morning has shown that at least Russian fighter jets have been destroyed at an airbase in occupied Crimea.

The Russian defence ministry reported an attack on Tuesday night on the Belbek airbase on the port city of Sevastopol, claiming that US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles had been used in the assault.

But they claimed that they had “destroyed” all ten missiles fired.

This new satellite imagery appears to cast doubt on that claim.

Zelensky: Not a single week in more than two years has gone by without Russian terror

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that “not a single week” in more than two years of war has gone by without Russia committing “terror against our people”.

In a message on Telegram, which included images of the latest attacks in Ukraine perpetrated by Russian forces, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine “must force Russia to a real, just peace”, referring to recent claims by Vladimir Putin that he was interested in a peace deal - though only one on his terms.

“There has not been a single week in more than two years of this war when Russia refrained from terror against our people,” Mr Zelensky wrote.

“Russia is trying to expand the war, accompanying it invariably with empty words about peace. We must force Russia to a real, just peace by all means. Our defence against assaults and blows is decisive.

“Thank you to everyone who defends Ukraine! Thanks to all the countries that help us!”

Vladimir Putin tours ‘Little Moscow’ as he trumpets deepening ties with China

Vladimir Putin kicked off his second day in China with a visit to Harbin city as the Russian president trumpets deeping economic and strategic ties between the two powerful neighbours.

Harbin in the northeastern Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia’s Far East , has deep social, economic and cultural ties with its neighbouring country. The city was once known as “Little Moscow ” for its substantial Russian population and cultural influence.

It remains a centre of Sino-Russian cooperation.

Vladimir Putin tours ‘Little Moscow’ Harbin as he trumpets deepening ties with China

Russian forces expanded area of active combat by almost 70 km, Ukraine's army chief says

Russian forces have expanded the area of active combat by almost 43 miles (70 km) by launching their offensive in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine's army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Friday

“The enemy expanded the zone of active hostilities by almost 70 kilometers, thus trying to force us to use an additional number of brigades from the reserve,” he wrote on Telegram.

He added that he expected fighting to intensify as Kyiv troops are also preparing to defend in northern region of Sumy.

Zelensky seeks to boost troop morale with Kharkiv visit as battle rages

Photos show Ukrainian soldiers defending against the Russian attack in the northeast Kharkiv region

Some photos have just dropped on the wires showing Ukrainian soldiers fighting against the Russian advance in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

The images are a rare insight into what life is like on the frontlines for Ukrainian soldiers.

Capturing Ukraine's Kharkiv is not part of Russia's current plan, says Putin

President Vladimir Putin has said that capturing the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv is not part of Russia’s current plan and that Russian forces operating nearby are creating a “buffer zone” for Russia’s own security.

Putin, who said that all of the military operations were proceeding according to plan, was speaking at a new conference in China.

More information on the Ukrainian long-range strikes across Russia and occupied Ukraine

We have some more information on the long-range Ukrainian strikes across Russia and occupied Crimea overnight.

A Kyiv intelligence source told Reuters that one of the attacks, on an oil refinery in the coastal Russian village of Tuapse, has caused damage that will require repairs. Another strike on a power station in Sevastopol has also caused power cuts.

Russia expels British defense attaché in a tit-for-tat move

We have some more photos from the Ukrainian battle in Kharkiv

1Below we have some photos showing the Ukrainian battle with advancing Russian forces in the northeast Kharkiv region.

Zelensky signs law allowing some convicts to serve in Ukraine’s army

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law allowing some categories of convicts to serve in the army, parliament’s database shows.

A separate law enhancing fines for those not abiding by army mobilization rules was signed as well, its entry on the parliament’s website showed.

UK is a de facto participant in Ukraine war, says Russian ambassador

Russia’s ambassador to Britain has said that London is a de facto participant in the Ukraine war because of the weapons it was supplying to Kyiv and said it was also sharing real-time intelligence too.

Andrei Kelin, Russia’s ambassador to Britain, made the comments to Russia’s Rossiya-24 state TV channel.

A small group of demonstrators have gathered in the Ukrainain capital of Kyiv, outside the city hall, to demand protection of LGBTQ people’s rights to mark the International Day against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.

Putin’s playing a game of thrones with his inner circle. And one man is rising in the shadows

Sergei Borisovich Korolev, the first deputy director of the FSB, is said by European officials to have emerged a winner behind the scene in the Russian president’s recent Kremlin reshuffle . The Independent’s World Affairs Editor Kim Sengupta on the rise of Mr Korolev and why is so dangerous. You can read the piece here .

At least two dead in Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, officials say

At least two people have been killed and a further 13 wounded after Russian forces fired bombs at Kharkiv city, officials in the region have announced.

The governor of the wider Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, said the Russians strike twice using “anti-aircraft guns”.

Igor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, home to around 1.3 million civilians, announced the explosions just after 1.30pm GMT. Around 10 minutes ago, he updated the death toll of the strike to two.

“Already two dead and 13 wounded,” he said. Four of those injured are in serious condition.

We will bring you more details when we can. At this point, there is no footage or photos of the affected area.

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Why did Russian forces advance in the Kharkiv region?

While Putin maintains that his forces are not trying to take Kharkiv city but rather create a “buffer zone” in the region, the question of how his troops were able to occupy more than 50 square miles of territory and advance up to six miles into the region remain unanswered.

In just one week - the surprise attack started in the early hours of last Friday - Russian forces have made noticeable gains, though they may not prove significant.

Below, military analyst Emil Kastehelmi has gone into depth about how the attack was unable to unfold. He helps run the Black Bird Group, which has tracked the war in Ukraine daily for more than two years.

Russian missile damages civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region

A Russian missile attack has damaged civilian infrastructure and injured at least five people in Ukraine‘s southern Odesa region, the regional governor said.

Three people were hospitalized, Oleh Kiper added on the Telegram messaging app.

“In the Odessa district, a heavy fire occurred at the site,” he said.

Ukraine‘s air force said Russia had launched at least four missiles, and local chats reported a series of powerful explosions.

Russian troops also attacked the region overnight with drones that Ukraine said it had downed.

Taiwan’s foreign minister says China and Russia are supporting each other's ‘expansionism’

We’re pausing our live coverage of the Ukraine war this evening but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest updates.