The attack has killed at least three people and injured 16 others, according to local officials. The strike signals a definitive end to Kyiv's brief respite while hosting U.S. envoys.
ODESA OBLAST — Volodymyr Varbanets sinks his hands into a mound of wheat, letting the golden kernels slip between his fingers. This year brought an unusually good harvest, the best since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, he says. Behind him, hundreds of metric tons of wheat, barley, lentils, and peas fill the farm's warehouses. "But we cannot sell it," he sighs. For more than 20 years, Varbanets has worked this land, sowing and harvesting crops across 206 hectares. At 76, he stil
The attack has killed at least three people and injured 16 others, according to local officials. The strike signals a definitive end to Kyiv's brief respite while hosting U.S. envoys.
The assassination attempt reportedly targeted Nikolay Varpakhovich, a Russian Aerospace Forces general and commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, according to Russian independent media outlet Astra.
Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined his vision for the peace process and gave U.S. President Donald Trump his assessment of the war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
As of 8:30 a.m., with the attack still ongoing, air defenses had downed or suppressed two ballistic missiles, 31 cruise missiles, and 142 drones. Strikes were recorded at 29 locations, while debris from intercepted drones and missiles fell at nine additional sites, the Air Force said.
A day before a U.S. delegation arrived, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had deliberately targeted the runways at Kyiv's Zhuliany airport and Boryspil International Airport.
The Kyiv Independent's coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, after eight years of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and fighting in Donbas. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of military and civilian casualties and displaced millions of Ukrainians. NATO and Western allies have provided military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues across fronts in Ukraine’s south and east.
"In 2026, the U.N. should not need a reminder: Crimea is Ukraine," said Ukrainian lawmaker Kira Rudik.
