Reuters: Pope Francis condemns use of mercenaries in Ukraine

4:34 AM

Russian attacks cause blackouts in Sumy Oblast after Moscow says energy truce over.

The attacks come shortly after Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that the 30-day partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes had expired.

3:10 AM

Lithuania to strengthen border infrastructure amid security concerns, Politico reports.

Lithuania will upgrade and fortify a second route through the Suwałki Gap, a strategically critical stretch of land along the Polish border viewed as one of the most likely targets for a future Russian attack on NATO.

1:56 AM

Russia jails 19-year-old activist for quoting Ukrainian poet, criticizing war.

A court in St. Petersburg sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to two years and eight months in a penal colony for allegedly "discrediting" the Russian army.

12:45 AM

Trump admin considers recognizing Russian control of Crimea as part of peace deal, Bloomberg reports.

Recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea would mark a significant win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long pushed for international legitimacy over the territory.

10:49 PM

Peace Talks

What to know about the 5 ‘key territories’ at the heart of Ukraine peace talks

10:46 PM

Russia

Decolonizing Russia — what it means and why it matters

10:43 PM

Ukraine, Russia to conduct prisoner swap before Easter, Sky News reports.

The swap will reportedly involve 246 POWs from each side, as well as 46 injured soldiers, an undisclosed source told Sky News.

10:40 PM

NATO

As Trump mulls cuts, NATO's integrity is on the line

2:19 PM  (Updated:  April 18, 2025 10:37 pm)

KI Insights

Ukraine calendar: Events to look out for this week

10:12 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: US proposes leaving occupied areas under Russian control, easing sanctions, Bloomberg reports

10:05 PM

'You're fools' — US may 'take a pass' on Ukraine-Russia talks if either side stalls, Trump says.

"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

8:25 PM

Kremlin spokesman claims 'progress' in peace talks but says energy ceasefire period has expired.

"There are already some developments, but, of course, there are still many complicated discussions ahead," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

7:44 PM

Belarus weekly

Belarus Weekly: Poland reports attacks on border guards, one allegedly involving a Belarusian serviceman

7:12 AM  (Updated:  April 18, 2025 7:28 pm)

Russian missile attack on Kharkiv on Good Friday kills 1, injures 112.

“According to preliminary information, the strikes on Kharkiv were carried out with ballistic missiles equipped with cluster munitions. That is why the affected areas are so extensive," Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote.

6:54 PM

Mariupol defender appointed commander of Azov Brigade amid military reform.

Following the start of Russia's full-scale war in 2022, Hrishenkov defended Mariupol, where he was injured. After 86 days of defending the encircled city under heavy Russian bombardment, he and about 2,500 other fighters left the Azovstal steel plant after Ukrainian commanders ordered the defending garrison to lay down their arms.

6:21 PM

Video

4 days of hunting Russian drones.

The Kyiv Independent contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent four days following an air defense unit guarding the skies over a region in eastern Ukraine, seeing how they live, work, and save civilians from the dozens of Russian drones flying toward Ukrainian cities each night.

5:38 PM

US proposes leaving occupied areas under Russian control, easing sanctions, Bloomberg reports.

One of the officials told Bloomberg that the U.S. plans, which require further discussion with Kyiv, would not be a final settlement and that European allies would not recognize the occupied territories as Russian.

4:13 PM

Interview

‘More traitors in Russia’ — Ukrainian intel officer shares secrets of recent deep-strike drone successes

3:48 PM

Vance 'optimistic' about efforts to end Russia-Ukraine war.

"I want to update the prime minister (Giorgia Meloni) on some of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine... even in the past 24 hours, we think we have some interesting things to report on," U.S. Vice President JD Vance said.

3:37 PM

Japan signs deal on $3 billion for Ukraine under G7 loan.

Japan's funds will be disbursed over 30 years and directed toward budgetary needs and to support reconstruction and development.

3:13 PM

New round of US, Ukraine minerals deal talks to begin April 24, official says.

"We are now working in parallel with our and American legal teams and are trying to remove many technical issues to narrow them down to the most sensitive ones that will require a political decision," Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka said.

2:57 PM

Zelensky signs new sanctions on Russian propagandists, military-linked entities.

The new sanctions target 39 individuals and 60 legal entities, some based in Russia and China. The measures include asset freezes, trade restrictions, bans on property acquisition, termination of licenses and permits, and transit prohibitions.

2:47 PM

Ukraine brings back bodies of over 900 fallen soldiers.

These included service members killed in the Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kharkiv sectors of the front, as well as those in Russian morgues.

2:29 PM

Ukrainian airline resumes first regular flights since 2022, flying from Moldova to EU.

Ukrainian airline SkyUp Airlines has made its first regular flight since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, flying on the Chisinau-Paris route on April 18, the Ain outlet reported, citing the company's press service.

2:02 PM

Russia detains Belarusian citizen, alleges SBU-linked bombing plot.

In a video released by Russian state-run RIA Novosti, the detainee, whose identity was not disclosed, said he was born in 2000 and is a citizen of Belarus.