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3:13 PM

Russia, China found workarounds for payments despite sanctions, Reuters reports.

After Vladimir Putin's visit to China, specially authorized smaller banks in border regions have enabled Russian entities to set up non-resident accounts with Chinese banks, Reuters wrote.

2:55 PM

Trump implies Biden's alleged support for Ukraine's NATO accession led to full-scale invasion.

Speaking on a podcast hosted by David Sacks, an entrepreneur and regular critic of U.S. policy toward Ukraine, Former U.S. President Donald Trump said, "For 20 years, I heard that if Ukraine goes into NATO, it's a real problem for Russia."

2:54 PM

Belarus weekly

Belarus Weekly: Armenian PM says no Armenian official will visit Belarus as long as Lukashenko remains in power

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says no Armenian official will visit Belarus as long as Alexander Lukashenko remains in power following a diplomatic scandal over Belarus’ support for Azerbaijan. The U.S. expands sanctions on over 300 entities in China and Belarus to thwart Russian sanction circumvention. Twelve human rights

2:12 PM

Zelensky appoints new State Security Administration head.

President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Oleksii Morozov as the new head of Ukraine's State Security Administration (UDO). His predecessor in office, Serhii Rud, was dismissed on May 9, shortly after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed to have uncovered a network of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) agents who were plotting to assassinate Zelensky and other high-ranking officials in Ukraine.

2:02 PM

EU Council confirms accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova to start on June 25.

The announcement follows an agreement by EU ambassadors from last week. Officials in both Kyiv and Brussels were pushing for the June starting date before Hungary takes over from Belgium in chairing the EU.

1:32 PM

Ukraine suspects 2 Kazakhs in assassination attempt on compatriot opposition activist in Kyiv.

Two residents of Kazakhstan, Altai Zhakanbayev and Meiram Karatayev, crossed the border into Moldova on June 18 and were put on an international wanted list, Ukraine's National Police said.

1:24 PM

Duo of leading bipartisan US senators introduce law to declare Russia state sponsor of terror.

Displaying a picture of Putin and Kim standing together in Pyongyang, Senator Richard Blumenthal characterized them as "two of the most autocratic, atrocity-committing leaders in the world."

Updated: SBU behind attacks on Russian oil refineries, military airfield, source says

6:24 AM

(Updated: June 21, 2024 1:02 pm)

Updated: SBU behind attacks on Russian oil refineries, military airfield, source says.

A source in security and defense forces confirmed for the Kyiv Independent that drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) targeted the 167th training center at the Yeysk military airfield, where Shahed drones were stored.

12:13 PM

Saint Petersburg woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly setting fire to military enlistment office.

At least 11 military enlistment offices were set on fire in Russia following the beginning of the mobilization campaign in September 2022.

11:29 AM

Updated: Ukraine attacks 4 refineries, Shahed drone storage sites in Russia, military says.

Ukrainian drones attacked four oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and Astrakhan Oblast as well as the sites where Russian Shahed-type drones are stored overnight on June 21, Ukraine's General Staff reported.

11:17 AM

Russian guided bomb attack on Donetsk Oblast town kills 2, injures 3.

The residential area of Selydove came under Russia's attack, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. Six houses, five high-rise buildings, and a car were damaged, he added.

11:04 AM

Norwegian ships reportedly helped Russian fishing company transport cargo, Norwegian broadcaster reports.

The Dutch government ruled in May to end exemptions that allowed Russian fishing companies to offload their products in the Netherlands, which has typically been one of Europe's largest importers of Russian seafood.

10:40 AM

Media: South Korea's level of arms supplies to Ukraine will depend on Russia's actions, official says.

"There are various options for providing weapons, and our position on the recent developments between Russia and North Korea depends on how Russia approaches the situation going forward," the unnamed presidential official told Yonhap.

10:23 AM

Helicopter crashes in Russia's Far East.

A Robinson R-66 helicopter crashed in Amur Oblast with a pilot and three passengers on board, the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on June 21, citing authorities.

9:28 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 6, injure 13 over past day.

Russia targeted a total of 10 Ukrainian oblasts — Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Casualties were reported in the latter three regions.

8:49 AM

Russia claims more than 100 drones used in attack on Crimea, Krasnodar Krai.

Russia's Defense Ministry said that 70 drones had been shot down over occupied Crimea, 43 over Krasnodar Krai, and one over Volgograd Oblast. Another six naval drones were reportedly destroyed in the northwestern area of the Black Sea, the ministry said.

8:48 AM

Japan sanctions China-based companies, other entities over support for Russia's aggression.

Japan on June 21 for the first time announced sanctions against China-based companies over their support for Russian aggression.

8:12 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 531,980 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,060 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

5:50 AM

Treason trial for US citizen accused of donating to Ukraine begins in Russia.

The trial of Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian dual national accused of treason for allegedly raising money for the Ukrainian military, began on June 20 in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.

4:39 AM

Ukraine's 24th brigade bolsters defense of Chasiv Yar, says fighting 'extremely difficult.'

Units of the 24th separate mechanized brigade have been redeployed to bolster the defense of the front-line town of Chasiv Yar, where Russian forces are "constantly organizing massive frontal assaults and trying to bypass the settlement from the north and south."

Drones target military airfield in Krasnodar Krai, Russian media reports

3:23 AM

(Updated: June 21, 2024 3:44 am)

Drones target military airfield in Krasnodar Krai, Russian media reports.

Residents reported that a fire broke out due to an attack on the Yeysk military airfield. Local authorities have not yet commented on the alleged drone strike.

2:58 AM

Kyiv can use US arms to strike 'anywhere' Russia is attacking across border, Washington says.

Ukrainian troops may use U.S. weapons to strike targets within Russia wherever Russian forces launch cross-border assaults on Ukrainian territory, not just near the Kharkiv Oblast border, U.S. officials confirmed to Politico on June 20.

1:40 AM

Russian forces claim to have deployed FAB-3000 glide bomb for first time.

A video shared by a pro-Kremlin blogger purports to show Russian bombers striking a Ukrainian military target in the village of Liptsy in Kharkiv Oblast.

1:03 AM

Parliament committee slams anti-corruption bureau's chief over failure to explain leak scandal.

Members of the Ukrainian parliament's anti-corruption committee on June 20 lambasted Semen Kryvonos, head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), for refusing to report at the committee on a scandal over alleged leaks from the NABU. The NABU has been in turmoil since journalists found out in May

11:52 PM

Blackouts to cause increase in grocery prices, Forbes Ukraine reports.

Prices of basic goods like groceries may increase by up to 15% due to frequent blackouts causing an increase in the costs faced by food producers, Forbes Ukraine reported on June 20.

11:46 PM

Strategic battlefield defeat would be end of Russia's statehood, Putin claims.

"Then the question arises: why should we be afraid? Isn’t it better to go to the end?" Vladimir Putin said at a press conference at the end of his state visit to Vietnam.

11:31 PM

Ukrainian hackers claim responsibility for cyberattack on Russian banks, payment system.

Ukraine's IT Army, a volunteer cyberwarfare group, said it had targeted Russian banks and Russia's Mir payment system on June 20, rendering a range of services "non-functional."

11:16 PM

Dozens try to illegally cross border every day, interior minister says.

"We are talking about dozens of people every day. Sometimes 10, sometimes 20, sometimes 30," Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in the interview.

10:36 PM

US to ban sales of Kaspersky antivirus software, Reuters reports.

The Biden administration will soon announce a ban on Kaspersky antivirus software due to its alleged ties to the Russian government, Reuters reported on June 20.

10:29 PM

China should also be concerned about Russia-North Korea pact, White House says.

A recently signed partnership agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang should worry not only the U.S. but also China as it threatens to undermine the stability of the Korean peninsula, the White House said on June 20.

9:27 PM

Balloon crossed into Polish airspace from Russia, Warsaw said.

A Russian balloon entered Poland's airspace in the afternoon on June 20, the Polish military said, adding it poses no threat.

9:06 PM

Russia considering changes to nuclear doctrine, Putin claims.

Russia is considering changes to its nuclear doctrine due to developments "related to lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons," Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed while speaking on June 20 in Vietnam, a day after his visit to North Korea.

News Feed

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.

2:00 PM

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