News feed

12:34 AM

Podolyak: Ukraine rules out ceasefire or concessions to Russia.

In an interview with Reuters on May 21, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said agreeing to a ceasefire would backfire as Russia would use the pause in fighting to prepare for further offensives. "The (Russian) forces must leave the country and after that the resumption of the peace process will be possible," he said.

12:32 AM

Russian shelling kills 3 civilians in Kherson Oblast.

Russian troops fired on the village of Bilozerka, damaging infrastructure, killing three residents and injuring three others, Suspilne television reported.

11:47 PM

Ukrainian troops say they destroyed Russian battalion tactical group.

The group was liquidated while attempting to cross the Siversky Donets river near the village of Serebryanka in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade said. The Ukrainian soldiers said they had destroyed dozens of Russian troops and several units of equipment, as well as a pontoon bridge.

11:26 PM

Russian shelling kills 7 civilians in Donetsk Oblast.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Donetsk Oblast, also said that 10 people were injured in the region on May 21.

11:11 PM

Statue of Russian writer Alexander Pushkin taken down in Mykolaiv.

The mayor of the city, Oleksandr Senkevych, said the monument was taken down to avoid vandalism, and a decision on what to do with it will be made after the war is over. Since Russia launched the ongoing large-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukraine has witnessed "derussification" - the dismantlement of some momuments to Russians and the renaming of some streets named after Russians.

10:38 PM

Andriy Zagorodnyuk: ‘Those who say Ukraine can’t win don’t understand the situation'.

A New York Times editorial article titled “The War in Ukraine Is Getting Complicated, and America Isn’t Ready,” published on May 19, immediately triggered a stir in Ukraine and beyond. Coming from a media outlet that has the reputation of being supportive of U.S. assistance to Ukraine against

10:14 PM

CIT: Ukraine could be ready for a counteroffensive within 2 months.

Ruslan Leviev, head of the Conflict Intelligence Team, told the Meduza news site that the war is likely to turn in Ukraine's favor in one and a half or two months. He cited the popular demand for an offensive and the arrival of Western weapons. The Conflict Intelligence Team is an independent Russian open-source intelligence outfit.

9:14 PM

Russia to consider exchanging Mariupol defenders for Medvedchuk.

Leonid Slutsky, a member of the Russian delegation in talks with Ukraine, said that Russia would consider exchanging the Ukrainian soldiers who were taken by Russia as prisoners of war in Mariupol for pro-Kremlin member of parliament Viktor Medvedchuk. The Ukrainian soldiers surrendered earlier in May after defending the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, for months. Medvedchuk is currently under arrest in a treason case.

8:25 PM

General Staff: Russia preparing offensives towards Slovyansk, Lyman.

Ukraine's General Staff said that Russian troops had unsuccessfully tried to storm Lypove, Vasylivka, Maryinka and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces also shelled Velyka Komyshuvakha and Dovhenke in Kharkiv Oblast, the General Staff added.

7:39 PM

Russian forces destroy bridge between Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk Oblast, said that previously the bridge had been blown up by Russia's proxies in 2014, before being rebuilt in 2016.

6:36 PM

Russia bans US top officials including Biden, Harris from entry.

963 U.S. nationals, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and CIA Director William Burns are now denied entry to Russia. Russian Foreign Ministry took this step in response to U.S. sanctions over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

6:17 PM

Zelensky: Ukraine should receive EU candidate status.

President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out alternatives to Ukraine's EU candidate status, hinting that Russia could be behind the pressure to block Ukraine's membership.

6:11 PM

Portugal to provide 250 million euros to Ukraine.

"This will help Ukraine maintain macroeconomic stability during the war and allow us to recover sooner after our victory," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during the meeting with Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa. The funds will the allocated through the International Monetary Fund.

5:54 PM

Zelensky: Russia blocks 22 million tons of crops in Ukrainian ports.

President Volodymyr Zelensky added on May 21 that Russia steals Ukrainian crops. According to Ukraine's agrarian policy ministry, grain exports are limited to 500,000 tons per month, compared to 5 million tons before the war.

5:18 PM

Zelensky expects multiple rocket launchers to be approved for Ukraine.

Representatives of more than 40 countries will meet online on May 23 to discuss further military support for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 21 that multiple rocket launchers could be a game-changer against Russia in Donbas. "We appeal to all countries to supply MLRS systems, thanks to which Ukraine will be able to take the initiative and liberate its territory," he said.

4:42 PM

Health minister: Russian forces block medicine supply to hospitals in occupied territories.

According to Viktor Lyashko, 235 medical institutions and 20 emergency teams, most of them in Kherson Oblast, are facing shortages. The official said that Russian occupiers are trying to force hospital staff to cooperate with them.

4:27 PM

'Saint Javelin' mural being painted in Kyiv.

The mural will portray the viral “Saint Javelin” meme with an Orthodox Madonna clad in green and cradling a Javelin anti-tank missile, which Ukraine uses as it battles Russian aggression. The mural will be the first of a series of murals on Antonova Street, according to former deputy of the Kyiv City Council Andriy Andreev.

3:58 PM

Ukraine launches hotline for Russian army's soldiers to surrender.

After intercepting phone calls from soldiers conscripted by Russia in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine wh compare their service to “slavery” and ask for help, Ukraine’s State Security Service launched the “2024” hotline for the Russian army’s soldiers willing to surrender.

3:14 PM

Moody's downgrades Ukraine's ratings.

Rating agency Moody's lowered Ukraine's long-term credit rating from Caa2 to Caa3 due to the risks of a protracted war with Russia and an increasing public debt burden over international financial support.

3:08 PM

Zelensky appoints Oleksiy Kuleba as head of Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

Kuleba headed the region from February to mid-March before he was replaced by Oleksandr Pavliuk, the former Joint Forces Operation commander, on March 15 to strengthen Kyiv's defense during the Russian invasion.

2:40 PM

Portuguese prime minister pays visit to Irpin.

Antonio Costa visited Irpin, a Kyiv suburb that saw heavy hostilities during the Battle of Kyiv, on May 21. "The levels of destruction and violence are completely devastating. I testified the evidence of vicious, indiscriminate, and unjustified attacks," Costa said. "I will never forget the visit to Irpin."

2:19 PM

Russian forces fire mortars on settlements in Chernihiv Oblast.

According to Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command, at around 12 p.m. on May 21, Russian forces fired mortars toward Hremiach and Mykolaivka villages in Chernihiv Oblast. No casualties have been reported yet.

1:59 PM

Biden signs bill providing $40 billion in aid for Ukraine.

According to an announcement by the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law the “Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022” on May 21. The package includes military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it battles the Russian aggression.

1:53 PM

Russian shelling destroys music school in Donetsk Oblast.

A music school in the town of Sviatohirsk was shelled by Russian forces in the early morning on May 21, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported. The school is completely destroyed now, according to Kyrylenko.

1:33 PM

Ukraine’s air defense shoots down Russian missile in Vinnytsia Oblast.

According to regional governor Serhiy Borzov, the missile was shot down near the town of Nemyriv in Vinnytsia Oblast on May 21.

1:04 PM

SBU confirms Kramatorsk train station was attacked from Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) spokesperson Artem Dekhtiarenko said on May 21 that the SBU “got indisputable evidence” that Russia was behind the attack on the Kramatorsk railway station that killed 61 and injured 121 people on April 8. The SBU established that a missile was launched by the Tochka-U ballistic missile system from the territory in Donetsk Oblast which has been occupied by Russia since 2014.

12:39 PM

Russian missile hits military infrastructure object in Rivne Oblast.

Rivne Oblast Governor Vitaliy Koval reported that the number of victims and the extent of destruction are being clarified.

12:27 PM

Zelensky: 700,000 soldiers defending Ukraine now.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a televised interview on May 21 that 700,000 defenders of Ukraine are fighting all across the country, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

12:08 PM

Zelensky says Ukrainian defenders of Azovstal up for prisoners exchange.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a televised interview that Ukrainian defenders taken from Azovstal to Russian-controlled cities must return home as part of a prisoner exchange. According to Zelensky, all civilians, doctors, as well as wounded and severely wounded people left the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, a total of 2,439 soldiers from Azovstal have surrendered.

11:11 AM

General Staff: 28,850 Russian troops killed since Feb 24.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on May 21 that Russia has also lost 1,278 tanks, 3,116 armored personnel carriers, 2,178 vehicles and fuel tanks, 596 artillery systems, 201 multiple launch rocket systems, 93 anti-aircraft defense systems, 169 helicopters, 204 aircraft, 462 UAVs, and 13 boats.

11:00 AM

Reuters: Germany, Italy approve rouble accounts for Russian gas payments.

Following discussions with the EU, Germany and Italy told companies they could open rouble accounts to proceed purchasing Russian gas “without breaching” sanctions against Russia, Reuters reported citing its anonymous sources.

10:34 AM

Russia shells Ukrainian border village in Sumy Oblast.

Russian forces shelled the territories near Kucherivka village on the morning of May 21, according to Ukraine's Armed Forces. No casualties have been reported.

News Feed

8:59 PM

EBRD to unlock $1 billion in credit for Ukraine's key sectors, considers mineral projects.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will enable Ukrainian banks to provide up to 900 million euros ($1.05 billion) in new loans by sharing credit risks.

8:23 PM

Russian weapons contain growing number of Chinese components, Zelensky's adviser says.

Russia’s growing ability to sustain weapons production despite Western sanctions is being driven by a flow of Chinese components and materials, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president’s commissioner for sanctions, told journalists on July 7.

7:45 PM

Minerals

Exclusive: Ukraine pitches deepwater gas, oil refinery projects to US under landmark minerals deal

7:43 PM

Opinion

War has changed: Ukraine’s tech pioneers are leading the fight West can’t afford to ignore

6:00 PM

(Updated: July 7, 2025 7:29 pm)

Russian-Chinese relations

Russia striking NATO while China invades Taiwan 'plausible' scenario, experts say

6:54 PM

Interview

‘Neither side wasted time' — Ukraine's economy minister on minerals deal negotiations with Trump’s ‘business-oriented’ administration

6:44 PM

Russia strikes conscription offices in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine says.

Three people were reported injured in Kharkiv, while one soldier was wounded in Zaporizhzhia.

5:49 PM

5 suspects charged over deadly explosion in Ukraine's Zhytomyr Oblast.

According to prosecutors, one of the company directors had established illegal production of explosive materials and involved unqualified personnel without the necessary training or certification.

12:17 PM

(Updated: July 7, 2025 5:42 pm)

Ukraine confirms drone strike on Russian chemical plant near Moscow.

The Krasnozavodsk Chemical Plant is one of the city's biggest employers and an important part of Russia's defense-industrial complex.

5:23 PM

Russian airlines face $254 million losses from just 2 days of Ukrainian drone strikes, Kremlin media reports.

Since the start of mass disruptions on July 5, a total of 485 flights were canceled, 88 were diverted to alternate airports, and another 1,900 were delayed across major hubs, according to Russia's aviation agency Rosaviatsiya.

5:12 PM

EXCLUSIVE: Ukraine economy minister breaks down US minerals deal.

The Kyiv Independent's business editor Liliane Bivings sits down with Ukraine's Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to discuss the U.S.-Ukraine "minerals deal" and address the myths surrounding it.

4:10 PM

(Updated: July 7, 2025 4:45 pm)

Russian transport minister fired by Putin reportedly shoots himself dead.

According to Russian media, ex-Transport Minister Roman Starovoit's body was found near Moscow. Preliminary findings suggest that the suicide may be linked to a possible criminal case.

3:01 PM

Ukrainian drone strike hits major oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, HUR source claims.

Located roughly 500 kilometers (311 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory, the refinery is among the largest in southern Russia, producing over 6 million tons of fuel annually.

2:38 PM

HUR publishes Russian military order, claims proof of Moscow increasing military footprint in Armenia.

HUR first made the claim on July 5, saying Russia was increasing its forces at the Gyumri base to exert greater influence in the South Caucasus and "destabilize the global security situation."

2:19 PM

(Updated: July 7, 2025 1:43 pm)

KI Insights

Ukraine calendar: What will happen this week

1:12 PM

(Updated: July 7, 2025 1:38 pm)

Zelensky, Trump discussed replacement of Ukraine's US ambassador, source says.

Oksana Markarova has held the post since April 2021, and played a central role in coordinating U.S. military and financial support during the early phases of Russia's full-scale invasion.

11:24 AM

12 killed, 69 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 101 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, as well as four S-300/400 guided missiles.

10:45 AM

After airport chaos, tanker blast, Putin fires Russian transport minister.

The dismissal comes amid a series of high-profile disruptions to Russia's aviation and shipping sectors.

10:36 AM

As Ukraine awaits stalled US weapons, Trump says he's 'helping a lot' in war with Russia.

"I am helping Ukraine. I'm helping it a lot," U.S. President Donald Trump said when asked in Washington why the U.S. does not support Ukraine as strongly as it supports Israel.

9:12 AM

Trump threatens 10% tariff on countries backing BRICS 'anti-American policy'.

"There will be no exceptions to this policy," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

8:13 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,027,540 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,100 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

7:52 AM

Trump slams Musk’s third party plan as ‘ridiculous,’ calls Musk ‘train wreck’.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on tech billionaire Elon Musk’s plan to create a new political party, calling it “ridiculous” and warning that third-party movements have historically failed in the United States.

5:47 AM

BRICS summit statement condemns attacks on Russian railways, avoids urging Russia to cease war efforts in Ukraine.

BRICS summit participants condemned recent attacks on Russia’s railway infrastructure, according to a joint declaration on July 6 from Rio de Janeiro.

2:51 AM

Lavrov meets Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi at BRICS summit, reiterates Russia's offer to mediate disputes over nuclear program.

Russia reiterated its offer to mediate the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program during a meeting between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Reuters reported on July 6.

10:49 PM

Moldova's pro-Russian political bloc to participate in upcoming elections.

Ilan Shor, an exiled pro-Kremlin oligarch, established the Victory bloc in August 2024. "Our main goal in these elections is to overthrow the fascist regime and hold early democratic elections within the next six months," Shor said on July 6.

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