Scholz says EU needs to be reformed before accepting new members

4:49 PM

Latvia announces new military aid package for Ukraine, includes air defense.

Latvia has approved the delivery of a new military aid package to Ukraine, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina announced on April 30.

4:21 PM

Ukraine's TV, radio-broadcasting body urges government not to use Telegram.

"Although Telegram is a very convenient form of communication, officials and official governmental organizations must be kept off Telegram, and this ban must be implemented immediately," Olha Herasymyuk, the head of the Council, said.

4:09 PM

State Border Guard Service establishes new brigade on Ukraine's Border Guard Day.

The State Border Guard Service founded its third combat brigade, "Hart" (a Ukrainian word for "to harden"), on April 30 on the occasion of Ukraine's Border Guard Day, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced on his Telegram channel.

3:49 PM

Kyiv authorities begin dismantling historical monument to Pereiaslav Council.

The Pereiaslav Council of 1654 saw the Cossacks, inhabitants of modern-day Ukraine, enter into an alliance with Moscow against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

3:02 PM

SBU detains Kyiv residents suspected of spreading pro-Russian disinformation via fake accounts of Budanov, Maliuk.

The detainees created fake social media and messenger accounts of SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk and military intelligence (HUR) head Kyrylo Budanov for this purpose, the SBU said.

2:53 PM

Zelensky: Ukraine will join NATO only after defeating Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes that the win against Russia will help to reach a perfect agreement among all NATO member states on Ukraine's membership.

2:41 PM

Deputy PM says no plan to forcibly bring back Ukrainian men from EU.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said that there will be "no restrictions or forced return of Ukrainian citizens of any gender or age" back to Ukraine.

2:41 PM

Deputy PM says no plan to forcibly bring back Ukrainian men from EU.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said that there will be "no restrictions or forced return of Ukrainian citizens of any gender or age" back to Ukraine.

1:47 PM

Prosecutor General: Russia using cluster munition against Odesa points to deliberate targeting of civilians.

"This (cluster munition) is an indiscriminate weapon, the use of which can lead to significant casualties among the civilian population," the Prosecutor General's Office said on Telegram, citing Andrii Kostin.

1:17 PM

Icelandic parliament adopts resolution on long-term support for Ukraine.

The resolution aims to support the independence, sovereignty, borders, the safety of civilians, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction work in Ukraine, the statement read.

1:17 PM

FT: Europe 'sleep walking' into dependence on Russian fertilizer, producer says.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics agency, said that the import of Russian urea, a typical fertilizer, had doubled from the previous year up to June 2023.

12:20 PM

Estonia will not force out Ukrainian men with expired passports.

The Estonian Interior Ministry does not plan to conduct forced repatriation of Ukrainian refugees staying in Estonia, Anneli Viks, the ministry's advisor on citizenship and migration policy, said on April 30 in an interview with Estonian media outlet ERR.

12:00 PM

Polish Foreign Ministry criticizes Duda over nuclear sharing comments.

"It should have been first consulted with the government, not to just come out and say: we want nuclear arms on our territory," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna said.

11:11 AM

Russian proxy claims Ukrainian missile strike on occupied Crimea.

The news was corroborated by the Crimean Wind and Astra Telegram channels, which also added that the Crimean Bridge was temporarily closed as a result.

11:10 AM

Bloomberg: Macron hopes to convince Xi to sway Putin toward ending invasion of Ukraine.

Xi Jinping will travel to the European Union for the first time in five years. The Chinese president will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia, and Hungary on May 5, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

10:29 AM

Updated: Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 1, injures 9.

Russian forces attacked the Kyivskyi and Kholodnohirskyi districts of Kharkiv on April 30, hitting residential areas, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.

10:19 AM

Germany delivers Skynex air defense system, Marder vehicles, ammunition to Ukraine.

Germany has handed over 10 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, a Skynex air defense system, ammunition for Leopard 2 tanks, IRIS-T SLM air defense missiles, and other aid in its latest aid delivery to Ukraine, the German government said on April 29.

9:54 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 7, injure at least 36 over past day.

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

9:26 AM

Lithuania's PM, president in favor of helping Ukraine bring back military-aged men.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte supported the idea that Vilnius should help Ukraine bring back its military-aged men living abroad, but after consultations with the EU and Kyiv, LRT reported on April 29.

9:12 AM

Ukraine holds 3rd round of negotiations with US on bilateral security agreement.

The parties discussed the content of the agreement in detail, the progress of the negotiations, and the further plan of coordinated actions.

8:55 AM

Reuters: UN says North Korean-made missile struck Kharkiv in January.

Both Ukrainian and U.S. officials have previously said that Russia has been using North Korean-produced missiles to attack Ukraine.

8:07 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 468,720 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,250 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:46 AM

FT: Naftogaz chief calls on EU to protect gas storage against Russian attacks.

The CEO of Ukraine's national energy company has urged EU nations to assist in safeguarding its natural gas storage facilities against recent Russian attacks so they can keep contributing to lower prices across the continent.

6:55 AM

Duchess of Edinburgh comes to Ukraine in surprise visit.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, traveled to Ukraine on April 29 for a one-day visit on behalf of the Foreign Office to "demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war." She has become the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

4:49 AM

WSJ: Kharkiv manufacturer diversifies business, produces long-range drones.

In a hangar tucked away in western Ukraine, several dozen workers are manufacturing long-range drones designed to meet surging demand as Ukraine ramps up a campaign of strikes deep inside Russian territory, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

2:14 AM

White House can't comment on timing and delivery of US aid to Ukraine.

The delivery of military aid to Ukraine continues, but the White House cannot comment on the timing and volume of deliveries due to operational security concerns, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on April 29.