News feed

5:33 PM

EU imposes new sanctions against Belarus, implementing anti-circumvention measures.

The EU Council also prohibited the direct or indirect imports, purchasing, or transferring of gold and diamonds from Belarus, as well as helium, coal, and mineral products, including crude oil.

4:40 PM

Law enforcement agency to investigate general accused of heavy losses, media reports.

The State Bureau of Investigation will assess Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol's command of Ukrainian troops during the Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainska Pravda reported on June 29.

3:21 PM

'Tension rises' at border with Belarus, Minsk accuses Kyiv of deploying troops.

The Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation said in May that Russia may opt to conduct a new psychological operation aimed at "stirring up mass panic" in Ukraine. The plan was to force Kyiv to believe that Belarusian troops would join Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the center.

1:33 PM

Foreign Ministry hails Google Translate's addition of Crimean Tatar language.

"Thank you to Google for this crucial initiative, which demonstrates that the rich linguistic & cultural heritage of Ukraine's indigenous people is valuable to the global community," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on X.

10:44 AM

Governor: Russian attacks kill 4, wound 6 in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia's recent attack on Niu-York comes as Moscow steps up its offensive on the nearby town of Toretsk. Russian troops have slowly advanced in the area and intensified their attacks against civilians remaining in what has long been a less intense sector of the front line.

10:31 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 541,560 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 8,073 tanks, 15,505 armored fighting vehicles, 19,568 vehicles and fuel tanks, 14,480 artillery systems, 1,109 multiple launch rocket systems, 871 air defense systems, 360 airplanes, 326 helicopters, 11,538 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

7:27 AM

Air Force: Ukraine downs all 10 Russian drones launched overnight.

Mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force were involved in repelling the air attacks. The drones were shot down over Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia oblasts, the Air Force said.

7:08 AM

Property owned by brothers of Medvedchuk, ex-MP Kozak transferred to Ukrainian state.

A building materials factory owned by the brothers of former pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmakers, Viktor Medvedchuk and Taras Kozak, was officially transferred to the Ukrainian state on June 28, the State Security Service (SBU) announced in a statement.

5:49 AM

Putin calls to resume production of intermediate-range missiles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the country to resume production of short and intermediate-range nuclear-capable missiles on June 28, in response to what Putin says is the United States deploying mid-range missiles across the world.

4:46 AM

Czechia, Ukraine to sign bilateral security agreement on July 18.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on X that the country will sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine during the European Political Community summit in London on July 18.

Updated: US to announce $150 million military aid package to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, Reuters reports

4:37 AM

(Updated: June 29, 2024 3:17 am)

Updated: US to announce $150 million military aid package to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, Reuters reports.

According to Reuters, sources familiar with the matter said that HAWK air defense interceptors will also be included in the aid package that is now expected to be unveiled on July 1.

2:44 AM

Ukraine working to secure 'guaranteed' military funding agreement from NATO allies, Deputy PM says.

Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine is focused on establishing a "guaranteed" military funding commitment from NATO allies, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said on June 28.

With aid on the line, Kyiv pays close attention to US presidential debate

1:33 AM

US Election

With aid on the line, Kyiv pays close attention to US presidential debate

U.S. President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, faced off on June 27 in the first presidential debate in the lead-up to the country's presidential election. The debate marked a shaky start for Biden, whose administration proved to be a pivotal ally for Ukraine in its defense against

12:46 AM

IMF approves $2.2 billion in funding for Ukraine through Extended Fund Facility

"Ukraine’s performance remains strong under the EFF despite challenging conditions," a news release from the IMF read. "All quantitative performance criteria for end-March were met, and all structural benchmarks through end-June were implemented on time or with a short delay."

12:10 AM

Ukraine hits Russian space communications center in occupied Crimea, military says.

A series of explosions was reported in several settlements in Crimea overnight on June 23, including the town of Yevpatoria and the village of Vityne. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian officials commented on the attack. The 40th Separate Command and Measurement Complex is reportedly located there.

10:16 PM

High-profile captives, kept in Russian prisons for years, freed in prisoner swap.

Ukraine has brought back 10 people from Russian captivity, including Crimean Tatar activist Nariman Dzhelial, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 28.

Ukraine war latest: Kremlin claims 'provocations' from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response

8:34 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Kremlin claims 'provocations' from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response

Key updates on June 28: * Kremlin claims 'provocations' from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response * Drone hits oil depot in Tambov Oblast, Russian official says * Russia hits nine-story residential building in downtown Dnipro, killing at least 1, injuring 5 * Another Russian Su-25 downed, Ukraine's National Guard claims * Finland

7:53 PM

Opinion

Opinion: Key takeaways from the European Parliament elections for Kyiv

The 2024 European Parliament elections nearly slipped off Ukraine's radar. At the time, Ukraine's primary focus was on preparing for the Ukraine Recovery Conference and the peace summit in Switzerland. However, the resultant compositions of the European Parliament and the European Commission will play crucial roles in the organization’s

The Counteroffensive: Meet the energy workers keeping Kyiv from darkness

7:39 PM

Opinion

The Counteroffensive: Meet the energy workers keeping Kyiv from darkness

Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on June 27, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to "The Counteroffensive," click here. When the explosions hit the thermal power plant, senior machinist Ihor* was at

7:15 PM

Russia hits nine-story residential building in downtown Dnipro, killing at least 1, injuring 12.

People are trapped in their apartments, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. He added that one man was rescued from a car covered with debris.

7:11 PM

Lithuanian customs discover scheme to violate sanctions, export cars to Russia.

The EU instituted a ban on the export of all new and used cars above a certain engine size (greater than 1.900 cm³) to Russia in the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

6:23 PM

Video

Life in wartime Kyiv with blackouts

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent months, leading to lengthy and almost daily interruptions in electricity supply all over Ukraine. In this video, the Kyiv Independent shows how Kyiv lives amid blackouts in the summertime.

5:24 PM

Vienna has become 'Russia's new espionage hub,' intelligence officials tell WSJ.

"We are now becoming a liability for our neighbors because Russia is using us as an operational base," an Austrian intelligence official told the Wall Street Journal.

4:18 PM

Spotify removes music by pro-war Russian singers.

The removals impacted the band Lyube and singers Grigory Leps, Oleg Gazmanov, and Shaman, who sang at a concert in Moscow in September 2022 in support of the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory.

3:34 PM

Ukrainian partisans claim they located air defense system protecting Putin's dacha in Sochi.

Ukrainian partisans claimed on June 27 that they had located an air defense system covering the skies above Russian President Vladimir Putin's luxury dacha in Sochi.

3:12 PM

Belarus says it is reinforcing security at Ukrainian border after claims of 'security incidents.'

The Belarusian border service claimed earlier in the day that border police had intercepted a drone that had crossed into the country from Ukraine in order to obtain information about Belarusian border infrastructure.

2:45 PM

Belarus weekly

Belarus Weekly: US designates Belarus as State Sponsor of Human Trafficking

Belarus signals willingness for border security talks as Poland mulls full border closure and turns to China for solutions amid intensified migration crisis. The U.S. designates Belarus as State Sponsor of Human Trafficking in a 2024 report, highlighting forced labor, complicity in abduction of Ukrainian children, and worsening migration

2:26 PM

Putin gifted Kim Russian-made luxury car made by company that uses South Korean parts, Reuters says.

Aurus, the luxury car company in question, imported at least $34 million in South Korean parts between 2018 and 2023, according to customs data seen by Reuters.

12:38 PM

Finland announces $170 million in new military aid for Ukraine.

The total amount of military assistance Finland has provided Ukraine now stands at 2.2 billion euros ($2.3 billion), the Finnish Defense Ministry said.

12:17 PM

Another Russian Su-25 downed, Ukraine's National Guard claims.

This is the second Russian Su-25 jet that Ukraine has claimed shot down this month.

11:07 AM

Kremlin claims 'provocations' from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response.

The Russian Defense Ministry said U.S. drones were being used to conduct reconnaissance and find targets for "high-precision weapons supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Western states.

9:48 AM

US, Russia set for UN Security Council clash over North Korea arms embargo.

A meeting of the U.N. Security Council on June 28 will see the U.S. confront Russia over violating a North Korea arms embargo, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to UN Robert Wood told Reuters.

News Feed

11:45 AM

Trump’s demands for Ukrainian territorial concessions go too far, Germany’s defense minister says.

Germany will continue to support Ukraine with military aid even if the U.S. cuts back its assistance, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

11:29 AM

US, South Korea denounce North Korea's admission of Russia-Ukraine war involvement.

The statements come as both Moscow and Pyongyang admitted for the first time that North Korean soldiers were dispatched to fight alongside Russia in Kursk Oblast, with Russian President Vladimir Putin lauding them as "heroes."

10:58 AM

6 killed, 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions over the past day killed at least six civilians and injured at least 13, regional authorities reported on April 28.

10:41 AM

Ukraine's ex-President Yanukovych sentenced to additional 15 years in prison in absentia.

Ukraine's former pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych has been sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for inciting desertion and organizing illegal border crossings, the Prosecutor General's Office announced on April 28.

9:52 AM

Sanctioned Russians hold 'golden' Maltese passports, FT reports.

Russian businessman Albert Avdolyan is one of at least seven individuals who bought Maltese passports before later being sanctioned by the United States, the EU, or Ukraine for links to Russia’s invasion.

9:17 AM

Czech initiative delivers another 400,000 shells to Ukraine, Prague says.

Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova reiterated that the initiative already supplied 1.5 million rounds of various calibers in 2024 and has enough funds to continue until this fall.

8:54 AM

Drones reportedly strike Russian plant producing parts for missiles, radars.

"Unidentified" drones targeted the Kremniy-El plant, a major facility specializing in microelectronics for Russia’s military-industrial complex, said Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

8:30 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 949,800 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,160 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

8:22 AM

Kyiv's Special Forces report raid on Russian positions in Kursk Oblast, dispute Moscow's claim of recapture.

"While the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, (Valery) Gerasimov, reports the 'liberation' of the Kursk region from Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces, operators of the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center continue to carry out missions in the area successfully," the military said.

8:00 AM

Trump says he believes Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea to Russia.

When asked whether he thought Zelensky was willing to cede the peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, Donald Trump responded: "I think so."

7:20 AM

Ukraine recorded the world's highest military burden in 2024, think tank reports.

Ukraine’s military spending grew by 2.9% in 2024 to reach $64.7 billion, roughly 43% of Russia’s total expenditure, according to a report released on April 28 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

4:59 AM

Trump urges Putin to 'stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal' to end Ukraine war.

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 27 voiced frustration with Russia and urged President Vladimir Putin to stop attacks. "I was very disappointed that missiles were flying, [fired] by Russia."

3:46 AM

Schumer criticizes Trump’s handling of Russia-Ukraine war, warns of risk to US alliances.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, warning that it risks damaging America’s European alliances.

2:11 AM

North Korea confirms for first time it has deployed troops to fight alongside Russia in Kursk Oblast.

In a statement reported by the state-run KCNA news agency, the ruling Workers’ Party described the deployment as demonstrating the "highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship" between North Korea and Russia.

2:19 PM

(Updated: April 28, 2025 2:10 am)

KI Insights

Ukraine calendar: Events to look out for this week

11:40 PM

Russia wants to 'deceive America,' 'drag out war,' Zelensky says.

"Since March 11, when America proposed a complete and unconditional ceasefire at talks in Saudi Arabia, the Russians have used almost 8,500 aerial bombs, almost 200 missiles of various types, and almost 3,000 Shaheds," Zelensky said on April 27.

10:55 PM

Prior US aid to Ukraine not included in minerals deal, PM Shmyhal says.

"It has been agreed that the document does not count the assistance provided before its signing," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 27, following talks on the minerals deal in Washington.

9:56 PM

Russia will not hand over control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to US, Lavrov says.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the idea of any changes to the management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in an interview with CBS News on April 26.

9:18 PM

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine, Europe's ceasefire proposal includes US security guarantees, no recognition of Crimea, Reuters reports

7:13 PM

Next week could be critical in deciding future US involvement in Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, Rubio says.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the upcoming week will be crucial for determining whether the U.S. will continue its involvement in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, NBC News reported on April 27.

5:47 PM

Russian commander contradicts Kremlin, admits Ukrainian forces still fighting in Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine also earlier denied the Kremlin's claim, saying that the statements "do not correspond to reality."

2:25 PM

(Updated: April 27, 2025 4:32 pm)

Ukraine, Europe's ceasefire proposal includes US security guarantees, no recognition of Crimea, Reuters reports.

The document, reprinted in full by the news outlet, contains numerous points that show the diverging viewpoints of the U.S. on one side, and Ukraine and its European allies on the other as they seek to end Russia's full-scale invasion.

4:05 PM

Russian airstrikes on Kostiantynivka kill 3 civilians, injure 4.

Russian forces dropped FAB-250 bombs on a residential area, damaging 21 homes.

3:29 PM

Video

Recognition of Crimea’s annexation and Kursk situation | Ukraine This Week.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the late Pope Francis’ complex legacy in Ukraine, marked by a refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion outright amid statements of support for Ukraine’s struggle. Meanwhile, the deadliest attack on Kyiv in months leaves a dozen civilians dead and many more injured, as U.S. leadership reportedly considers recognizing Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea.

3:26 PM

'Probably broke all records' — NASAMS downs 11 Russian cruise missiles in less than 2 minutes, Ukraine's Air Force claims.

NASAMS have been in service with Ukrainian forces since November 2022.

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