Kursk incursion, Tim Walz, Olympics | Ukraine This Week

1:57 PM

'Stop the destruction of the agency' — Bezrukova asks Zelensky to intervene in arms procurement dispute.

“Further delays threaten critically important supplies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and destroy the trust of donors and partners,” Bezrukova said.

1:53 PM

Ukraine Business Roundup — Record wartime private sector investment

1:39 PM

China is Russia's sole supplier of key military-use rare metals amid sanctions, RFE/RL reports.

As Russia's options to purchase gallium and germanium from around the world almost disappeared, China became the sole supplier in 2023, the investigation said, citing leaked data from Russian customs databases.

1:02 PM

North Korean troops not seen for 3 weeks in parts of Kursk Oblast, Ukraine’s Special Forces say.

"These are standard measures – rotation due to large casualties," a military intelligence source commented for the Kyiv Independent, confirming the reports.

12:40 PM

Ukrainian drones strike 'one of 10 largest oil refineries in Russia,' military says.

"This refinery is one of the 10 largest oil refineries in Russia in terms of design capacity and is involved in supplying the Russian occupatying army," the General Staff said in a statement.

11:57 AM

EU denies any links between Russian gas purchases, Ukraine peace talks.

Earlier the same day, the Financial Times (FT) reported that EU officials are discussing the possibility of resuming purchases of Russian gas as part of a potential settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine.

11:35 AM

'Dishonest' to suggest Ukraine could have fully defeated Russia, retake Crimea, Rubio says.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. has been "fund(ing) a stalemate" that "set (Ukraine) back a 100 years" and called for a swift resolution.

6:51 PM  (Updated:  January 31, 2025 11:24 am)

Chasiv Yar

Ukraine 'still fighting' in Chasiv Yar, despite reports of Russian capture.

10:13 AM

Explosion at Rheinmetall plant in Spain leaves 6 injured.

The explosion occurred at 4:20 p.m. local time on Jan. 30, starting a large fire that spread to about 2,000 square meters. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation, Spanish authorities said.

9:42 AM

1 killed, 35 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day.

Russia launched 102 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Fifty-nine drones were shot down over 12 oblasts, while 37 were lost in the airspace without causing damage, according to the statement.

9:30 AM

Ukrainian drones set fire to Russian oil refinery in Volgograd Oblast, authorities say.

The wreckage of a downed drone fell on the refinery, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, Governor Andrey Bocharov said.

8:31 AM

Suspected US-to-Russia weapons trafficker arrested in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyz law enforcement officers arrested a suspected arms trafficker linked to a criminal group smuggling weapons from the U.S. to Russia, according to a statement released by Kyrgyzstan's security agency, the State Committee for National Security, on Jan. 30.

8:19 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 837,610 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,670 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:45 AM

Russia blocked 417,000 websites in 2024, media reports.

In 2024, Russian authorities blocked 417,000 websites, the Russian independent news outlet Verstka reported.

4:59 AM

Ukraine's military intelligence reportedly disrupts Gazprom's digital services.

Cyber specialists from Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Agency (HUR) launched a cyber attack on Gazprom and Gazpromneft on Jan. 29, Hromadske reported, citing sources from HUR.

2:46 AM

IAEA chief to visit Kyiv next week.

"As long as this horrific war continues, the IAEA will remain present and stay active, focused on doing everything we can to support nuclear safety and security in extremely challenging circumstances," Director General Rafael Grossi said.

1:46 AM

Tulsi Gabbard 'offended' by question about pro-Russian sympathies at Senate hearing.

During her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Senator Jerry Moran asked Gabbard if Russia would "get a pass" from her in light of her past statements. "Senator, I'm offended by the question," Gabbard said.

11:38 PM

Oil shipments on pause at Russia's Ust-Luga port after drone strike, Bloomberg reports.

A drop in shipping activity at the Baltic Sea port appears to back up the SBU's claims that Ukrainian drones struck the Andreapol oil pumping station, shutting down the main pipeline that feeds Ust-Luga.

10:58 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: 9 killed, 13 injured in Russian drone attack on Sumy

10:42 PM

Russian drone strike in Pokrovsk injures 3, including British volunteer.

A Russian drone attack in Pokrovsk struck an evacuation vehicle on Jan. 30, injuring the driver and two passengers. The Kyiv Independent has confirmed that the driver is a British volunteer.

10:24 PM

Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency says Bezrukova is still director after her name disappeared from state register.

Maryna Bezrukova has overturned the decision to remove her name from the state enterprise register as director of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), the agency said on Jan. 30.

9:32 PM

Kyiv Independent launches fundraiser to support Ukraine's front-line media after US aid freeze.

"We couldn’t just stand by and watch our colleagues and partners lose their teams and suspend their operations while independent journalism remains one of the most crucial jobs in Ukraine today, especially near the front lines," said Daryna Shevchenko, CEO of the Kyiv Independent.

9:10 PM

Ukrainian defense tech company Huless raises over $1 million for tethered drone systems.

Huless, a Ukrainian company developing tethered drone systems, secured over $1 million in private financing, loans, and a grant from Ukrainian Defense Tech cluster Brave1, the company said in a press release on Jan. 30.

9:05 PM

Ukrainian detained in Slovakia over alleged coup plot, media reports.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry told media that the Ukrainian, born in 1966, is accused of "threatening the national security" of Slovakia.

8:52 PM

Resistance

For Ukraine’s female partisans in occupation, hope lies in resistance