Trump criticizes Russia-US prisoner swap as 'win for Putin'
The historic Aug. 1 prisoner swap was a "win for Putin," Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump claimed during an interview with Fox Business on Aug. 2.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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Azerbaijan starts supplying gas to Slovenia
Slovenia started to receive natural gas from Azerbaijan on Aug. 1, as European countries diversify away from Russian supplies of fossil fuels.
Russian lawmaker arrested over alleged murder plot
According to Kommersant, Senator Dmitry Savelyev attempted last year to arrange the murder of his business partner, who reportedly embezzled money from a company they ran together.
Murderer freed in prisoner swap is FSB agent, Kremlin confirms
A German court sentenced Vadim Krasikov to life imprisonment in 2021 for the murder of Zelimkhan "Tornike" Khangoshvili in 2019.
Ukrainian high jumpers Mahuchikh, Gerashchenko reach Olympics finals
Ukrainian high jumpers Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Iryna Gerashchenko qualified for the 2024 Olympics on Aug. 2. They will represent Ukraine in the high jump finals on Aug. 4.
Turkey ratifies free trade zone agreement with Ukraine
Turkey ratified an agreement on a free trade zone with Ukraine on Aug. 2, more than two years after the agreement was originally signed.
48% of Ukrainians view Zelensky's party negatively, survey says
The recently registered party of volunteer, politician, and media personality Serhii Prytula has the highest ratings of positive attitude among Ukrainians at 28 %, the survey shows.
Ukraine estimates 700,000 people will leave country in 2024-2025
Ukraine expects 400,000 more people will leave country in 2024 and 300,000 in 2025, according to the National Bank of Ukraine's (NBU) report published on Aug. 1.
Ukraine brings back bodies of another 250 fallen soldiers
The bodies will be sent for forensic analysis and identification before being handed over to their families for burial, the headquarters said.
Talks on historic prisoner swap between West, Russia took over 2 years, Reuters reports
The Kremlin was ready to start talks as early as February 2022 after the arrest of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was jailed for nine years for possession of a vape with hashish oil, Reuters wrote, citing U.S. officials.
Kremlin skeptical about participation in Ukraine's second peace summit
Russia is allegedly ready for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine but does not trust the Ukrainian authorities, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
EU considering suspension of funding to Georgia as 'foreign agents' law comes into effect
The European Commision's spokesperson, Peter Stano, reiterated the EU's concerns over the law, calling it "a step backward" on the country's path to European integration.
Occupied Crimea hit by Ukrainian missile attack, Russia claims
Possible ATACMS missiles and drones targeted Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on Aug. 2, occupation authorities claimed amid reports of explosions in multiple locations on the peninsula.
General Staff: Russia has lost 580,590 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,100 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Freed U.S. prisoners arrive in Maryland, greeted by Biden, Harris
Freed U.S. prisoners arrived in D.C. during the late hours of Aug.1, where they were greeted by U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Russia exaggerating numbers of contract soldiers, investigation claims
The Russian Defense Ministry announced in December that there were 640,000 soldiers serving under contract.
Ukraine war latest: Pokrovsk is Russia's main target after Kharkiv push failed, Zelensky says
Key developments on Aug. 1: * Pokrovsk became Russia's main target after Kharkiv push failed, Zelensky says * Russia suffers big losses but has 'minor gains' on eastern front, Syrskyi says * Ukraine received 6 F-16s from Netherlands, The Times reports * Defense Ministry to purchase Ukrainian-made unmanned ground vehicles * Russian shelling kills mother,
Zelensky: Cabinet reshuffle being prepared
"Personnel decisions are being prepared at the Cabinet level," Zelensky said without elaborating.
Who was released from Russian prisons in historic swap?
Russian activists, journalists, and dual citizens are among those who have been freed.
EU sees no threat to Hungary, Slovakia due to Ukraine's Lukoil sanctions so far
The sanctions imposed by Ukraine against Lukoil do not affect the current transit of oil through the Druzhba pipeline, as Lukoil is not the official owner of this oil, according to the European Commission.
Gershkovich, Whelan, Kara-Murza released in major prisoner swap between Russia, West
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan are being released by Russia in a multi-country prisoner exchange, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 1, citing undisclosed sources.
Russian shelling kills mother, daughter in Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
A 40-year-old woman and her 72-year-old mother were killed during a Russian artillery attack against Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Aug. 1, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.
Ukraine, World Bank sign agreement for US grant of $3.9 billion
"This is the first tranche of direct budget support from the United States in 2024. The planned amount of financial assistance from the United States for the current year is $7.8 billion," the statement read.
Widespread YouTube outages recorded in Russia
The news comes days after a Russian lawmaker warned that the government would deliberately slow down YouTube loading speeds in response to Google's refusal to comply with Russian authorities' demands.
Georgia's foreign agent law comes into effect
Failure to register as a foreign agent by Sept. 1, when the official monitoring period begins, could result in fines of 25,000 Georgian lari ($9,200).
Romania discovers more drone debris after Russia's earlier attacks on Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight on July 25 with 38 Shahed-type drones, targeting the port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast. Three drones were lost after crossing the border with Romania.
Russian soldiers depart Yerevan airport, ending 32-year presence
The process of their withdrawal was completed with a formal ceremony, during which Edgar Hunanian, the newly appointed head of Armenia's border guard, thanked the Russian detachment for their service.
Ukraine received 6 F-16s from Netherlands, The Times reports
The first batch of F-16 fighter jets Ukraine received encompassed six planes provided by the Netherlands, The Times reported on July 31, citing an undisclosed source.
General Staff: Russia has lost 579,490 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,370 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk comes short of a comeback in Olympic tennis quarterfinals, exits tournament
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, 22, loses to Croatian Donna Vekic, 28, in a nerve-racking Olympic tennis quarterfinals match 4:6, 6:2, 6:7 (8:10).
Russia must be present at next peace summit to end war, Zelensky says
Ukraine, along with most countries, believes that Russia must be present at a second peace summit in November in order to end the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French media in an interview published on July 31.
Ukraine war latest: First F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports
Key developments on July 31: * First F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports * Ukraine downs all 89 Russian drones launched in mass attack * Russia used new 'distracting' drone type during recent attack on Ukraine, Kyiv says * Ukrainian Navy claims attack on Russian weapons depot near Kursk * Azov soldier Oleksandr
