General Staff: Russia has lost 259,610 troops in Ukraine

12:27 PM

North Korea deployed 20% of Kim's elite 'personal reserve' to fight against Ukraine in Russia, Umerov says.

"These are soldiers specially selected based on physical, psychological, and other criteria," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said. "These units have already suffered significant losses."

11:48 AM

Ukraine seeks Zelensky-Putin meeting as next step in ceasefire negotiations.

"After completing discussions on humanitarian issues, Ukraine plans to move forward to the topic of a leaders' summit for substantive dialogue," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a press briefing on June 26.

10:59 AM

Anti-corruption agencies seek Ukrainian deputy prime minister’s suspension amid land grab case.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov was officially named a suspect on June 23 in what Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau called a "large-scale" illegal land grab case.

12:44 PM  (Updated:  June 27, 2025 10:32 am)

‘Dead and wounded everywhere’ — Russian attack on Dnipro kills at least 21, injures more than 300.

Russia launched a deadly missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on June 24, striking civilian infrastructure and a passenger train, local officials reported.

9:44 AM

Chinese journalist injured by drone strike in Kursk Oblast, Russian governor says.

According to acting Kursk Oblast governor Alexander Khinshtein, 63-year-old reporter Lu Yuguang from the Chinese television network Phoenix TV was wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on the village of Korenevo.

9:04 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,016,720 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

The number includes 970 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:50 AM

Netherlands, Belgium hand over 2 minehunters to boost Ukraine’s naval defenses.

The official handover ceremony took place earlier in Belgium, but was disclosed only later due to security concerns.

5:37 AM

Russia's short-range drone strikes cause over 3,000 civilian casualties in Ukraine, UN reports.

Short-range drone attacks have become one of the deadliest threats to civilians in Ukraine’s front-line regions, killing at least 395 people and injuring 2,635 between February 2022 and April 2025, according to a new bulletin by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

3:49 AM

Russia offers cash to teachers to Russify occupied Ukraine, report says.

Over 100 teachers have relocated to Crimea through the program, according to Ukraine’s Regional Center for Human Rights. Most of them arrived from regions including Krasnodar, Altai Krai, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Saratov, Tyumen, Ivanovo, and the Republic of Udmurtia.

2:55 AM

European companies shipping critical missile parts to Russia, Zelensky tells EU.

"Some European companies are still sending critical components to Russia. These end up in missiles and other weapons used to kill us, kill Ukrainians."

1:38 AM

Trump wants to slash war crimes investigation funds, Reuters reports.

One of the groups targeted for termination is Global Rights Compliance, which gathers evidence of Russian war crimes across Ukraine, including torture and sexual violence.

12:41 AM  (Updated:  June 27, 2025 1:10 am)

EU agrees to extend sanctions against Russia for 6 months.

The agreement comes amid fears that Hungary, one of the bloc's most Kremlin-friendly member states, would attempt to block the sanctions extension.

11:22 PM

Ukrainian drones strike Russian S-400 air defense system in occupied Crimea, HUR says.

The attack damaged "critical and expensive components" of Russia's S-400 Triumph air defense system, including two 92N2E multifunctional control radars, two 91N6E detection radars, and an S-400 launcher, according to HUR.

10:19 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia's advance in Sumy Oblast 'halted'; Kyiv, Moscow carry out POW swap

10:10 PM

Hungary blocks EU statement backing Ukraine’s accession talks at Brussels summit.

All EU states, except Hungary, said the European Council reaffirmed Ukraine's "inherent right to choose its own destiny" and support for the country's "path towards EU membership."

9:27 PM

Ukraine to receive $46 million for repairs to Chornobyl sarcophagus after Russian strike.

Ukraine will receive €42.5 million ($45.7 million) from international partners to repair the protective arch over Chornobyl's destroyed reactor, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk announced.

9:03 PM

Trump vowed at NATO summit that Russia won’t attack alliance during his presidency, WP reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump promised during the NATO summit in The Hague that Russia would never attack the alliance while he is in office, the Washington Post reported on June 26, citing three unnamed European officials.

6:42 PM  (Updated:  June 26, 2025 7:53 pm)

Putin under pressure to declare war on Ukraine, but experts say Russia isn't ready

7:43 PM

Kyrgyz citizen pleads guilty to illegally exporting US firearms to Russia.

"The defendant admitted that he purchased American-made, military-grade firearms and re-exported them to Russia," U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York said.

6:58 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 31

6:44 PM

Over 20,000 Russian soldiers prosecuted for refusing to fight in Ukraine, media reports.

As of late May, the outlet documented 20,538 such cases since September 2022 when the Kremlin announced a first wave of mobilization, compared to 10,025 cases reported by Mediazona last June.

6:33 PM

The Kyiv Independent reaches 20,000 paying members — thanks to our global community.

The Kyiv Independent has officially reached 20,000 paying members, becoming the first Ukrainian media outlet in history to cross this milestone.

5:23 PM

Ukrainian armed forces

Facing manpower shortage, Ukrainian brigade turns to women in first-ever female recruitment drive

5:13 PM

Ukraine, Russia conduct new POW swap under Istanbul deal.

"Today, soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service are returning home," President Volodymyr Zelensky said without revealing their numbers.

3:49 PM

Erdogan says Trump ready to join Zelensky-Putin talks in Turkey.

"We will hold the necessary contacts and, God willing, realize this meeting as soon as possible," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.