Russian attacks on Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, kill at least 2
The number of casualties may rise as people could still be trapped under the rubble, Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
Russia-Ukraine War
Fico says Zelensky 'needs this war,' justifies Russia's full-scale invasion
In a 15-minute-long speech, Fico also backed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine's SBU claims attack on Russian oil pumping station in Krasnodar Krai
Russian authorities are currently assessing the damage, the source said.
'The US wants lasting peace' — Polish FM meets State Secretary Rubio
Sikorski said their meeting was "substantial and cordial" and it "confirmed the durability of the Polish-American alliance," Polish RMF FM reported.
'Europe did more than the U.S.' — EU defense commissioner pushes back against Trump accusations
Editor's note: The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Donald Trump's return to the White House has forced Kyiv and other European capitals to ask themselves a sobering question: What will happen to Western support for Ukraine if the U.S. withdraws? The U.S. has been, by
General Staff: Russia has lost 866,000 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,140 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Austria offers to host Ukraine peace negotiations, ambassador says
Europe must participate in potential peace talks "not only because we are the biggest donors but because Ukraine is a European country fighting for our values and freedom," Austrian Ambassador to Ukraine Arad Benko said.
Bulgarian parliament votes against deploying troops to Ukraine
The Bulgarian parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a non-binding declaration on Feb. 21 that would seek to halt any deployment of military forces to Ukraine.
91% of Ukrainians oppose peace talks without Ukraine's participation, poll finds
A total of 91% of Ukrainians surveyed oppose peace negotiations between the U.S. and Russia without Ukraine's participation, a poll released on Feb. 21 by Ukrainian polling firm Rating suggests.
Trump's Ukraine remarks 'shocking,' echo Russian narratives, German opposition leader says
"This is the Russian narrative; this is how Putin has presented it for years, and I'm frankly shocked that Donald Trump has now apparently embraced it himself," German opposition leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz said.
How Trump is helping Putin achieve the original aim of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Ukraine's president is an illegitimate "dictator" aligns with Kremlin war objectives and puts Volodymyr Zelensky in an almost impossible situation, experts and analysts have told the Kyiv Independent. "In the last few days we’ve seen how closely Trump has aligned himself with
Ukraine periodically loses up to 40% of gas production due to Russian attacks, Reuters reports
Russian strikes have repeatedly hit Ukraine’s gas infrastructure over the course of the war, reducing production by as much as 40% at certain periods following an attack.
The Kyiv Independent presents its first magazine — ‘The Power Within’
The Kyiv Independent has presented its first-ever magazine, “The Power Within,” as a record of Ukrainian resilience and life three years into Russia's full-scale invasion. This special edition marks a departure from the solely digital presence that the Kyiv Independent has maintained since its foundation in November 2021. It was
Ukraine war latest: Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims
Key developments on Feb. 21: * Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims * Zelensky is not 'important' to negotiations on ending war, Trump says * 'No appetite' for new Ukraine aid bill, US House speaker says * Trump's envoy Kellogg praises Zelensky as 'courageous leader' after talks
Putin orders ministers to prepare for Western companies' return to Russia
"We can adjust accordingly the return to our market of those who want to return," Russian President Vladimir Putin said, suggesting potential restrictions or conditions for Western firms looking to resume operations in Russia.
Zelensky is not 'important' to negotiations on ending war, Trump says
"I don't think he's very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
After 3 years of war in Ukraine, sometimes I think: Stop the planet, I want to get off
I bet you woke up this morning, read the world news, and couldn’t believe it — how is this really happening? Has the world truly plunged into total chaos and madness? You just want to wake up from this nightmare, but instead, it keeps insisting on becoming the new normal
Why Ukraine can’t hold elections during wartime
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was first published by the Ukrainian NGO Civil Network OPORA as an open statement, which garnered nearly 300 signatures at the time it was published by the Kyiv Independent. Democracy during wartime must be protected even more than in peacetime, as the consequences of mistakes
Russia may offer frozen assets for Ukraine's reconstruction, demand funds for occupied territories, Reuters reports
According to Reuters, one source familiar with Moscow discussions said Russia could agree to allocate up to two-thirds of frozen assets for Ukraine's reconstruction, provided accountability guarantees.
Most Danes back sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, poll shows
Some 53% of Danes are in favor of sending peacekeepers into the country after Russia's full-scale war ends, according to a poll, published by Ritzau news agency on Feb. 21, Bloomberg reported.
EU seeks more US gas to replace Russian supplies
The EU is also looking to develop renewable energy faster to reduce its overall dependence on the fuel, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said.
63% of Ukrainians approve of Zelensky as president, poll shows
Some 26.1% of Ukrainians said they completely approve Zelensky, while another 36.9% said they tend to approve him. The overall figure is higher than in polls conducted years before Russia's full-scale invasion, as well as in the spring of 2024.
Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims
According to the Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia aims to sow despair among Ukrainians, destabilize the situation in the country, and discredit Ukraine among its allies.
Trump-Putin meeting depends on progress on ending war, Rubio says
"The only way is to test them (Russia), to basically engage them and say, okay, are you serious about ending the war, and if so, what are your demands. Are your public demands and your private demands different?" U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "It may turn out that they don’t want to end the war."
12 killed, 6 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day
Russia launched 160 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Eighty-seven drones were shot down, while 70 were lost without causing damage, according to the statement.
'No appetite' for new Ukraine aid bill, US House speaker says
"We have to bring (the war) to an end. And I can tell you that our European allies understand the necessity as well. It's (dragged) on too long," U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
General Staff: Russia has lost 864,860 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,280 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
UK’s Lammy sees no Russian willingness for peace at G20 meeting
In his speech, released by the U.K. Foreign Office, David Lammy accused Russia of engaging in "Tsarist imperialism" and failing to learn from historical colonial wars.
Russian hackers target Signal accounts in growing espionage effort
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified a rise in Russian state-backed hacking attempts to compromise Signal messenger accounts.
Ukraine war latest: Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says
Key developments on Feb. 20: * Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says * Starmer to pitch plan on 30,000 European peacekeepers in Ukraine to Trump, Telegraph reports * US refuses to co-sponsor UN resolution condemning Russia, resists labeling Moscow 'aggressor' in G7 statement, media report * Russia
Moscow demanded NATO withdrawal from eastern Europe during US-Russia talks, FT reports
The U.S. delegation reportedly rejected the demand, but concerns remain over what concessions President Donald Trump might consider to secure a deal on ending war with Russia.
‘We cannot survive’ without foreign weapons, say Ukrainian soldiers fearing looming Trump cuts
A looming dropoff in U.S. weapons deliveries is threatening to strain Ukraine’s budding domestic arms production to the breaking point. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration prepares negotiations with their Russian counterparts, Ukrainians fear being cut out of negotiations — and cut off from future U.S.
Russia-Ukraine war
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, eight years after it annexed the Crimean Peninsula and led an armed aggression in Ukraine’s east.
In February 2014, almost immediately following the end of the EuroMaidan Revolution in Ukraine, Russia swiftly moved to annex and occupy Crimea. Within months, Russian proxy forces took control of parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
By the start of 2022, Russia had amassed nearly 200,000 troops on Ukraine’s border. At 4:50 a.m. on Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a speech that Russia was to carry out “a special military operation.” Within minutes, missile strikes were launched on Ukrainian cities and the full-scale invasion had begun.
Learn more about Russia’s war against Ukraine:
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