Key developments on Jan. 25-26: * Ukraine strikes drone storage facility in Russia's Oryol Oblast and destroys 200 Shaheds, General Staff reports * Rubio halts most foreign aid, including Ukraine assistance, Politico reports * Russia launched over 1,250 bombs, 750 drones at Ukraine during Trump's first week in office * Ukrainian troops avoid
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the largest official aid agencies in the world, has been told to stop projects in Ukraine following a 90-day foreign aid freeze imposed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian media Suspilne reported, citing sources in the agency.
On either side of a basketball court in Kyiv, prostheses of various sizes rest alongside piles of water bottles, as two teams in wheelchairs fiercely compete for the ball just tossed up in the air to kick off the game. The players — wounded Ukrainian service members and veterans — are training
Russia fired 1,250 aerial bombs, over 750 attack drones, and 20 missiles at Ukraine in the past week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan 26.
The Ukrainian military command's plan to throw high-skilled Air Force personnel into the infantry was said to be halted when the practice gained nationwide attention, followed by a condemnation from the president. Soldiers, who spoke to the Kyiv Independent on conditions of anonymity, say, however, that nothing has changed, and
Ukrainian troops successfully withdrew from some areas to avoid being encircled but fighting is ongoing around the village, which lies around 15 kilometers east of the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The bomb, a UMPB-250, was found in a village in Belgorod Oblast, but there were no casualties or damage.
Thrusting forward with their vast manpower advantage, Russian troops are gradually penetrating Ukrainian defenses on the western edge of Donetsk Oblast and are close to capturing Velyka Novosilka. Located about 15 kilometers east of the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the vital road-junction village was once home to around 5,000 people.
This number includes 1,720 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Due to the increased threat to civilian lives, authorities will begin mandatory forced evacuations of children in several settlements in the Komar and Kryvorizhzhia communities, Governor Vadim Filashkin said.
The three sailors arrived in Odesa on Jan. 25, where they were greeted by relatives after 14 months in captivity.
While the specifics of a potential agreement under U.S. President Donald Trump remain unclear, Zelensky emphasized that Vladimir Putin has no interest in ending the war.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Azerbaijan has significant export capacity, with the ability to send up to 25 billion cubic meters of gas, and that Ukraine can provide the necessary infrastructure to transport it.
Senior diplomats in the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs requested a full waiver to exclude U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) operations in Ukraine from a 90-day foreign aid freeze, the Financial Times reports.
Donald Trump previously pledged to impose harsher legislation on migrants and launch the "largest deportation program in U.S. history."
Umerov has been lambasted by pro-reform MPs and anti-corruption activists for what they see as his efforts to destroy the independence of the Defense Procurement Agency. Anti-corruption watchdogs have also argued that Umerov's actions jeopardize Western military aid for Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, Maia Sandu arrived in Kyiv on an official visit to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss several issues, including the energy crisis.
Russia targeted the Shevchenkivskyi, Kyivskyi, and Kholodnohirskyi districts, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.
The approach can be part of a comprehensive solution that will support Ukraine in its war against Russia and strengthen the American defense industry, Keith Kellogg said.
Russian forces launched 61 drones and two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles at Ukraine overnight.
"I bring a strong message of support for Ukraine and its people. Their courage secures our peace," Maia Sandu wrote on X.
This number includes 1,650 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
An 18-year-old military cadet has been charged with treason for allegedly aiding Russian special services, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Jan. 24.
The Foreign Ministry denied Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's claim that Ukraine is connected to a cyberattack on Slovakia's national insurance company, according to a statement on the Ministry’s website on Jan. 24.
The majority of these losses—15,051 units—were destroyed, while 852 were reported as damaged. Russian troops abandoned 1,113 units, and over 3,000 were captured by Ukrainian forces, according to an analysis by the Oryx project.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning came after Putin expressed willingness to engage in talks with Donald Trump on Jan. 24 and praised the U.S. leader.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Jan. 24 new guidance that halts spending on most foreign aid grants for 90 days. This directive, which took State Department officials by surprise, appears to include funding for military assistance to Ukraine, according to Politico.
The State Department described arms sales and transfers as "important U.S. foreign policy tools with potential long-term implications for regional and global security."
Key developments on Jan. 24: * 'More than 50 explosions’ — Massive drone strike targets Russian refinery, plants * Russian army failing to outflank Pokrovsk, Ukraine's military says * Media investigation identifies over 90,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine * 'Utter bulls***' — Ukraine rejects Russia's demand to abandon NATO membership promise * Zelensky is
Over the last week, Ukraine House Davos opened its doors to world leaders and investors for the sixth year in a row during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Ukraine House this year was adorned with the slogan “Your Country First, Win With Us.” The message set the tone for
Protests erupted in more than 20 Slovak cities on Jan. 24 under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe," targeting the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovak media Aktuality reported.
Ukraine’s lengthy efforts to clean up its weapons procurement are in danger of being unwound as the Defense Ministry strangleholds the Defense Procurement Agency, say anti-corruption activists and lawmakers. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Jan. 24 that he would not renew the contract of Maryna Bezrukova, the head
(Updated: )
