Pope urges to spend less on Christmas, send difference to Ukrainians

6:19 PM  (Updated:  April 19, 2025 6:35 pm)

Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia.

Another 277 Ukrainian soldiers returned home in a major prisoner swap with Russia mediated by the United Arab Emirates, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on April 19.

5:33 PM  (Updated:  April 19, 2025 6:09 pm)

Putin announces Easter ceasefire, Zelensky reacts with skepticism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire on the Easter weekend, ordering a halt to all military action from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21.

5:14 PM

Police clashes with far-right protesters at LGBTQ+ film festival in Kyiv.

A clash broke out between police and far-right protesters outside the Zhovten cinema in Kyiv on April 19, where the Sunny Bunny LGBTQ+ film festival is taking place, Suspilne media reported.

3:50 PM

Iran files UN court case against Ukraine, Canada, Sweden and UK over 2020 downing of PS752 flight.

Iran filed a case at the International Court of Justice on April 17, seeking to overturn a ruling by the International Civil Aviation Organization that held Tehran responsible for the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet.

2:10 PM

6 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia deployed eight missiles of different types, and 87 long-range drones – 33 of which were shot down and 36 turned out to be decoy, on April 19.

1:23 PM

Republican US Congressman Fitzpatrick visits Ukraine’s front line, signs a shell for Putin.

"I encourage all my colleagues in Congress to come here," U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a pro-Ukraine Republican representing Pennsylvania, said during his visit to the front line.

11:12 AM

Russia prepares to push toward Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, monitoring group says.

Russian troops are solidifying their presence in the village of Kalynove in Donetsk Oblast as they prepare for an advance toward Stara Mykolaivka and the road to Kostiantynivka, Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reported on April 18.

10:15 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 940,150 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,180 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

8:14 AM

Moldova's fall parliamentary elections could threaten pro-EU majority.

Moldova's parliament voted on April 17 to hold elections on Sept. 28 – a vote that could potentially threaten the majority currently held by pro-Western President Maia Sandu's party.

6:38 AM

US has preliminary plan to monitor ceasefire in Ukraine, WSJ reports.

The U.S. indicated during recent talks in Paris that it has developed a draft concept for how a comprehensive ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia might be monitored if one can be achieved, a Western official said.

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.