News feed

9:30 AM

Ukrainian drone targets oil depot in Stavropol Krai, Russian governor claims.

The town of Svetlograd has around 35,000 residents and lies over 600 (372 miles) kilometers southeast of Ukraine's border in Donetsk Oblast.

8:14 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 696,410 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

This number includes 1,460 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:27 AM

Over 45 countries pledge support at Montreal conference for total return of Ukrainians captured and deported to Russia.

Following the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula in Montreal, over 45 countries signed a pledge on Oct. 31 in support of facilitating the return of all Ukrainian captives and deportees.

5:02 AM

Negotiations between Ukraine and China underway to expand agricultural exports.

Ukraine is currently in discussions with China to expand exports of various agricultural products, according to Oleh Osiian, the First Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

'A war of two countries against one' — Zelensky urges Western allies to take decisive action on North Korean troop involvement

3:07 AM

War update

'A war of two countries against one' — Zelensky urges Western allies to take decisive action on North Korean troop involvement

In a lengthy post on social media on Oct. 31, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies to develop "concrete solutions" to provide additional supports for Ukraine as North Korean troops prepare to engage Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. North Korean soldiers were deployed to Kursk Oblast in late October in

2:42 AM

Ukraine, Hungary preparing bilateral document 'to clear up misunderstandings,' Zelensky says.

No information was provided on what specific agreements the bilateral document seeks to reach, however, Zelensky said that the document would likely involve issues pertaining to national minorities as well as security cooperation.

12:10 AM

Ukrainian drone strikes Russian oil refinery 1,500 km from border, Russian official claims.

A Ukrainian drone struck an oil refinery in the city of Ufa in Russia's Bashkortostan Republic, the head of the republic, Radiy Khabirov, said on Oct. 31.

Ukraine war latest: Russia confirms North Korea's involvement in war to West, Kyiv says

10:35 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia confirms North Korea's involvement in war to West, Kyiv says

Key developments on Oct. 31: * Russia confirms North Korea's involvement in war to West, Zelensky says * 8,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Kursk Oblast, Blinken says * Ukraine has received just 10% of US aid approved by Congress earlier this year, Zelensky says * Kyiv still waiting for MiG-29

9:43 PM

8,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Kursk Oblast, Blinken says.

There have been no clashes between the North Korean and Ukrainian military so far, Antony Blinken said, adding that they can happen "in the coming days."

As drone strikes surge, Russia's next mass missile attack on Kyiv likely imminent, experts and weary residents say

9:27 PM

War analysis

Russia's next mass missile attack on Kyiv likely imminent, experts and weary residents say

Russia's aerial attacks against Kyiv have changed dramatically in recent weeks, becoming far more frequent yet far less destructive. Moscow has ramped up drone strikes on the capital — which overnight on Oct. 31 was attacked for the 20th time this month — and the rest of the country, while dialing down

Russia carried out at least 36 double-tap strikes in Ukraine, killing over 100 people since 2022, report says

9:13 PM

Russian war crimes

Russia carried out at least 36 double-tap strikes in Ukraine, killing over 100 people since 2022, report says

The Russian military carried out at least 36 double-tap strikes against Ukraine from the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 to August 2024, killing over 100 people, according to a recent report by Truth Hounds, a Ukrainian non-profit organization that documents and investigates war crimes. Twenty such attacks

8:54 PM

Kyiv won't stop supporting wartime pool of TV channels before martial law ends.

The Ukrainian government doesn't plan to stop supporting the telethon, Ukraine's state-run pool of TV channels created during wartime, before the end of the martial law, Interfax Ukraine reported on Oct. 31, citing Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi.

8:25 PM

Kyiv still waiting for MiG-29 fighter jets from Warsaw, Zelensky says.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in July that Warsaw may provide Kyiv with additional Soviet-made fighter jets if it can find a replacement. Following Zelensky's calls to speed up the transfer, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said, "Poland makes decisions based on its security and has already done everything it can for Ukraine."

6:51 PM

Russia confirms North Korea's involvement in war to West, Zelensky says.

Russia has confirmed to the West that North Korea is taking an active part in the war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the South Korean KBS TV channel published on Oct. 31.

5:45 PM

Ukraine has received just 10% of US aid approved by Congress earlier this year, Zelensky says.

"You do your job. You count on reserves, you count on special brigades, you count on such equipment. And if you get 10% of all the package (that) has already been voted on... It's not funny," Zelensky said.

4:33 PM

Ukraine’s 2025 budget clears first reading, allocates $53 billion for defense.

“The priority of next year's budget will also be security and defense. All taxes paid by people and businesses will go toward strengthening our defenders and military capabilities,” Prime Minister Denys Smyhal said on his Telegram channel.

4:20 PM

National Bank of Ukraine leaves interest rates unchanged at 13%.

The decision was in line with analysts’ predictions, and comes as Ukraine braces for next week’s U.S. presidential election, Bloomberg reported.

UPDATED: Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 35

12:47 AM

(Updated: October 31, 2024 2:23 pm)

UPDATED: Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 35.

The attack hit a 9-story building, destroying the entryway from the first through fifth floors, authorities said.

2:20 PM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill at least 9, injure 47 over past day.

Russia launched at least 50 drones overnight, of which Ukrainian air defenses shot down 17 across various regions, Ukraine's Air Force said on Oct. 31.

12:58 PM

Ukraine Business Roundup — Ukraine debates who serves and who doesn’t

The following is the Oct. 30, 2024 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. Companies in Ukraine that were expecting to be able to “reserve” their employees to shield them from military

12:36 PM

Ukraine state-owned enterprises weekly — Issue 152

Editor’s Note: This is issue 152 of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly, covering events from Oct. 13-24, 2024. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Corporate governance of SOEs Updated IMF Memorandum. On Oct. 18, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published an updated Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies

12:33 PM

Opinion

Opinion: Rigged elections have stolen Georgia's European future

In Georgia’s 2012 election, then-President Mikheil Saakashvili’s pro-Western party was defeated by Georgian Dream, a party led by the Russian-backed oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. Though widely hailed at the time as a democratic triumph, astute observers warned against celebrating. One such observer was Georgia’s former economy minister, the

12:30 PM

US lawmakers call for Biden to allow Poland to down Russian missiles over Ukraine.

The possibility of Warsaw downing Russian missiles heading toward Poland through Ukraine was laid out in June in a signed Polish-Ukrainian security agreement.

12:30 PM

Global entrepreneur organization Endeavor launches first Ukraine office to boost growth amid war.

The New York-based global entrepreneur network Endeavor has opened its first office in Ukraine, signaling confidence in the country’s business potential.

12:11 PM

Ukraine charges Russian soldier exposed by Kyiv Independent for rape.

The Kyiv Independent in June identified Mykola Senenko as raping a woman in Kherson Oblast in March 2022.

11:13 AM

Russian court fines Google $2.5 trillion trillion trillion

Written in full $2.5 decillion is $2,500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

Zelensky calls out White House over Tomahawk missiles leak — 'it was confidential'

2:32 PM

(Updated: October 31, 2024 10:00 am)

Zelensky calls out White House over Tomahawk missiles leak — 'it was confidential'

"It was confidential information between Ukraine and the White House. How to understand these messages?" President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press briefing with journalists from Nordic countries.

9:59 AM

Time names Ukraine's online wedding service among best inventions of 2024.

For more than two decades, Time editors have annually spotlighted the most influential new products and ideas in their Best Inventions issue.

9:38 AM

Ukraine's UN envoy names North Korean generals sent to aid Russia's war.

The top officers include two deputy chiefs of North Korean General Staff: Colonel General Kim Yong Bok, who oversees special forces, and Ri Chang Ho, who is in charge of the Reconnaissance Directorate, North Korea's spy agency, Kyslytsya said.

8:31 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 694,950 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,310 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:47 AM

Georgia's president declines to appear before prosecutors in election fraud investigation.

During a press conference in Tbilisi, President Salome Zourabichvili presented footage purportedly showing ballot violations. "It is not the President's responsibility to provide evidence that already exists within society."

6:48 AM

Ukraine produces 20 Bohdana howitzers per month, Zelensky says.

"...The Danish model allows (us) to attract finance from our partners in Ukrainian defense production. For example, we’re now manufacturing almost 20 'Bohdana' artillery units monthly, with strong progress across other areas," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

News Feed

7:46 PM

(Updated: June 7, 2025 11:20 pm)

Russia bombs Kharkiv day after deadly overnight attack, killing 2, injuring 18.

One of the bombs hit the Children's Railway, killing a 30-year-old woman who worked for Ukrainian Railways. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia's relentless assaults against the city of Kharkiv.

10:29 PM

Zelensky urges US to act on Ukraine’s request to buy air defenses after deadly Kharkiv bombing.

"These Russian strikes are not 'retaliation' but acts of destruction," the president said as Russia attacked the city of Kharkiv with KAB guided bombs the evening of June 7, killing at least two people.

6:48 PM

Ukrainian drone strikes Russian Tu-22 bomber: SBU releases new footage of Operation Spiderweb.

The video shows the flight path of an FPV drone from the moment it takes off from the roof of a modular building to the moment before it strikes a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber at the Belaya air base in Siberia.

6:39 PM

France to produce drones in Ukraine, minister says.

"We are going to embark on a completely unprecedented partnership where a large French car company – I won't name it because it's up to them to announce it – will join forces with a French defense SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) to equip production lines in Ukraine to be able to produce drones," French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

6:17 PM

Ukraine refutes Russia’s claims of disrupting POW exchange.

"If the Russian side is now backing away from what was promised in Istanbul, it raises serious questions about the reliability and capability of their negotiating team," Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on June 7.

6:14 PM

Culture

Wondering where to start with Dostoevsky? Try his Ukrainian contemporaries instead

5:31 PM

Canada pledges $25.5 million in military aid for Ukraine, including armored vehicles.

The country pledged to provide Ukraine with almost $22 million worth of Coyote and Bison armored vehicles, as well as new equipment and ammunition supplied by Canadian companies.

4:34 PM

Six people likely trapped under rubble in Kharkiv after Russian attack.

Russian forces attacked Kharkiv with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs overnight on June 7, killing at least three people and injuring 22, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

3:13 PM

'Putin is a murderer' — Zelensky rejects Trump's claim that Russia, Ukraine are like 'kids'.

"We are not kids with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin at the playground in the park," Zelensky said, as quoted by the TV network. "He is a murderer who came to this park to kill the kids."

1:59 PM

Ukraine used only domestic drones in Operation Spiderweb, Zelensky says.

"I wanted very much to use only what we produce and to have the separation (be) very clear," Zelensky said, as quoted by the TV network.

12:13 PM

Ukraine downs fighter jet in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Air Force says.

Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024. Reinforced by North Korean troops, Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory.

12:05 PM

Russia hits Ukraine with 206 drones, 9 missiles overnight, Air Force says.

Ukraine also downed 87 Russian combat drones, while 80 drones were neutralized by electronic warfare systems or disappeared from radars, the Air Force said.

10:48 AM

Baltic states issue statement backing Ukraine’s EU, NATO membership.

They argued that Ukraine's NATO accession would “consolidate a just and lasting peace not only in Ukraine but also in all of Europe" and help uphold the rules-based international order globally.

10:16 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 995,030 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,120 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:52 AM

Ukrainian woman, 6-year-old daughter found murdered in Belgium.

A 46-year-old Ukrainian woman and her 6-year-old daughter were found murdered on June 6 in the city of Leuven, Belgium, authorities reported.

6:08 AM

(Updated: June 7, 2025 7:18 am)

Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 19, including 2 children.

Russian forces attacked Kharkiv with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs overnight on June 7, killing at least three people and injuring 19, officials said.

1:58 AM

(Updated: June 7, 2025 6:36 am)

UPDATE: Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb.

The attack killed three first responders in Kyiv and injured civilians across the country, including cities far from the front lines in western Ukraine.

5:19 AM

Wagner Group announces withdrawal from Mali.

The Wagner mercenary group announced on June 6 that it was withdrawing its presence from Mali, ending its fight with rebel groups.

3:41 AM

Operation Spiderweb 'gave Putin a reason to bomb the hell out of them,' Trump says, following large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities.

U.S. President Donald Trump on June 6 appeared to justify Russia's large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities launched the night before, in response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb.

1:47 AM

Ukraine hopes for Trump-Zelensky meeting in Canada during G7.

President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to meet U.S. President Trump during the G7 summit in Alberta on June 15–17, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said.

11:11 PM

Trump reluctant to confront China over support for Russia's war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.

Despite Trump’s current stance, the European Union has maintained public pressure on China, both through diplomatic channels and public statements.

9:40 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb; Ukraine strikes Russian air bases in 'preemptive strike'

8:59 PM

Trump quietly pressuring Senate to weaken Russia sanctions, WSJ reports.

The White House reportedly asked Sen. Graham to insert waivers into the bill allowing Trump to choose which entities get sanctioned and changing the word "shall" to "may."

8:42 PM

Video

Egyptian POW didn't need money, but went to fight for Russia.

Egyptian-born Russian fighter, callsign "Cobra," signed a contract with the Russian army in 2024, abandoning his young wife, university studies and comfortable lifestyle. Now in Ukrainian prison, he's rethinking his choices. Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.

8:15 PM

Russia's National Guard kills man attempting drone attack on military site, agency claims.

The suspect was allegedly preparing to launch a drone packed with grenades at a military facility in Russia's Ryazan Oblast. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim.

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