Ukraine downs 30 drones overnight, infrastructure facility hit in Sumy
Ukrainian air defense shot down 30 of the 38 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on Aug. 13, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.
Team
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Ukrainian air defense shot down 30 of the 38 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on Aug. 13, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.
A Ukraine-based eatery Lviv Croissants has opened its first U.S. location in Roswell, a suburb of Atlanta. on Aug. 10. Founded in Lviv in 2015, the chain has since expanded to over 180 stores across Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and now the U.S.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, while speaking with X owner Elon Musk on the billionaire’s social media site on Aug. 12, said Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine if U.S. President Joe Biden weren't in office.
The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico on Aug. 7 asked the Mexican government to arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum.
Mexico has invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to attend the Oct. 1 inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, Russia's Izvestia newspaper reported on Aug. 7, citing the Mexican embassy in Russia.
Acting governor Alexei Smirnov reported via his official Telegram page that five civilians, including two ambulance crew members, were killed and at least 20 were wounded as a result of a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast.
At a Georgia rally on Aug. 3, Donald Trump congratulated Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for the historic prisoner exchange arranged by U.S. President Joe Biden that freed 16 people wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
After Ukraine's women’s saber fencing team won its first gold at 2024 Olympics on Aug. 3, saber fencer Olga Kharlan becomes the most decorated Olympian in Ukraine’s history by medal count.
The Kichenok sisters, Lyudmyla and Nadiia, have successfully advanced to the women's doubles quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They achieved this milestone by defeating the American duo of Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk.
Russian prison officials said on July 31 that Vladimir Kara-Murza, a jailed Russian journalist and opposition figure, was being moved from the penal colony where he was held to an uncertain destination.
China adjusted its export controls on military drones amid growing criticism from the U.S. and its allies over support for Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.
The Russian navy began scheduled exercises involving a significant portion of its fleet, including 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on July 30.
Hungary is subtly relaxing its entry requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens, who are now included in the National Card program which allows them to work in Hungary for up to two years.
Authorities say that Russia remains the most significant threat in terms of election disinformation, while there are signs that Iran is increasing its activities and China is taking a cautious approach regarding the 2024 U.S. presidential race.
Ukraine has secured an agreement with its allies to acquire 200 evacuation vehicles, Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova said on July 27. The Strategic Industries Ministry is also working to ensure Ukraine can produce such equipment domestically.
A drone attack in the Kursk region of Russia overnight on July 28 caused explosions and resulted in several fires, including one at an oil depot.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 27 that Beijing denies allegations of helping Russia's war effort in Ukraine. "China’s position on the Ukrainian issue is candid, and we will continue to promote peace talks between Russia and Ukraine," said Wang.
Russian air defense units intercepted 21 Ukrainian drones late on July 26 over the southern border region of Bryansk, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Kyiv in August, marking his first visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its all-out war in February 2022.
The European Union must stay committed to its policy that any discussions about ending the war in Ukraine should be led by the government in Kyiv, according to Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.
While initially reporting one person killed, the mayor later said that the fatality was not confirmed.
Russia's foreign minister said on July 17 that there is "irrefutable evidence" that imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is guilty of espionage, one day before the journalist is scheduled to appear in court.
Ukraine will find a way to combat Russia's forces even if former President Donald Trump wins a second term and jeopardizes vital U.S. support for its defense, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on July 17.
Russia’s foreign minister on July 16 accused the United States of holding the entire West "at gunpoint" and obstructing international cooperation, a claim the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations denounced as "hypocrisy" from a country that invaded Ukraine.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev сlaimed that Ukraine joining NATO would be viewed as a declaration of war against Moscow. "The actions that Russia's opponents have been taking against us for years, expanding the alliance ... take NATO to the point of no return," Medvedev was quoted as saying.
Russia’s State Statistics Service has excluded the total number of deaths from external causes in its annual report, independent Russian media outlet Meduza reported on July 16, citing demographic expert Aleksei Raksha.
European Council President Charles Michel criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on July 16 for launching a self-styled Ukraine "peace mission" without EU backing.
Finland's parliament passed a law on July 12 granting border guards the authority to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia. Helsinki believes Moscow is promoting the crossings in retaliation for Finland joining NATO.
Czech President Petr Pavel announced on July 12 that the Czech Republic will send Ukraine 50,000 rounds of ammunition in July and August.
A Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital on July 8 underscored the increasing number of deadly attacks on medical facilities, vehicles, and workers in the country this year. This incident adds to data from the World Health Organization, suggesting that more Ukrainians could be killed in such attacks this year compared to 2023.
The U.S. will not permit Ukraine to strike deeper inside Russian territory following the deadly July 8 attack, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a press briefing.
Through open-source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 58,207 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.