In a letter, sent on Nov. 27 and seen by the Kyiv Independent, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever labelled the EU's "reparations loan" scheme as "fundamentally wrong," and argued that moving forward on the initiative could complicate an eventual peace deal.

Editor's note: This is a developing story. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) said on Nov. 28 that it was conducting searches at the premises of President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Yermak is being investigated by the NABU in a corruption case involving state nuclear power monopoly Energoatom, the biggest corruption investigation during Zelensky's presidency. Eight suspects have been charged in the Energoatom case, and Timur Mindich, a close associate of the pre

Hello, this is Kateryna Hodunova reporting from Kyiv on day 1,374 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story so far: Ukrainian forces, including the 33rd Separate Assault Regiment, repelled a Russian offensive near Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, regaining control of the area, the Southern Defense Forces said Nov. 28. At the same time, three military sources told Ukrainian outlet Hromadske that Russian troops had been spotted on the outskirts of Huliaipole, and that the

Orban reiterated his readiness to hold the peace talks on Ukraine in Hungary, even as plans for a summit in Budapest between Putin and Trump have been scrapped.

The statement comes as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.

Residents in several Russian cities and in occupied Crimea reported hearing explosions overnight on Nov. 28.

Editor's note:  The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) announced on Nov. 28 that it was conducting searches at Andriy Yermak's premises. President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has consolidated an unprecedented level of power within Ukraine's government — wielding influence across parliament, the Cabinet, and key state institutions. Despite his dominance, however, Yermak has remained a controversial figure, often viewed with skepticism both inside Ukraine and abroad.

The world increasingly turns its attention to Russia’s war against Ukraine only when a new round of peace negotiations begins. Here on the ground, however, the war doesn't slow down between those waves of talks. The front line continues to shift, Russian tactics are evolving, and the pace of battlefield technological innovation is breakneck. Understanding this is crucial to understanding the peace talks. If you’re outside Ukraine, it can be hard to stay informed about what’s going on — especia

Amid the ongoing war, Ukrainians' growing reliance on social networks for real-time news reflects a search for immediacy — yet this shift exposes them to new forms of disinformation. The trend toward getting news from social networks is global, but in Ukraine it has taken on a distinctly wartime character. For many, these platforms are a lifeline, offering instant updates on Russian attacks or troop movements. Yet the same qualities that make them indispensable also make them dangerous. Disin

The North Korean military is highlighting the "heroic services" of soldiers who blew themselves up in Ukraine rather than be taken prisoner, a Daily NK source said.

Russia’s Roscosmos space agency reported that the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan sustained significant damage during the Soyuz MS-28 launch to the International Space Station, according to multiple Russian media reports published on Nov. 27.

Explosions were reported in several Russian cities, including Taganrog, Novorossiysk, and Saratov, overnight on Nov. 28 amid a widespread drone attack.

As U.S. President Donald Trump accelerates his push for a settlement in Moscow's war against Ukraine, analysts say Russia's ambiguous stance is clouding the process. Even though the original peace plan unveiled by the U.S. last week was skewed in Russia's favor, it is not clear if Moscow would have accepted it since it still falls short of its sweeping demands. Observers note that Moscow has never clearly signaled readiness to accept the proposals. "They've been very coy about the negotiations

About the author: Timothy Snyder is an American author and historian who specializes in the history of Central and Eastern Europe and the Holocaust. Last week, Russia attacked Ukrainian civilians with more than 500 drones, cruise missiles, and rockets. Most of these drones were shot down, but the attack hit two apartment buildings in Ternopil, in western Ukraine, killing at least 31 people, including six children. Homes, shops, post offices, and power plants across Ukraine also went up in flame

"Such trips take place in conditions of a complete lack of transparency and control mechanisms. Parents have no opportunity to influence the organization of such exchanges," Ukraine's Center for National Resistance reports.

In a basement firing range at the Kharkiv Aviation Institute, first-year student Anastasia Homel watches intently as her professor breaks down and reassembles an automatic rifle in front of her class. It’s a snapshot of how the war has altered education and student life for students taking classes in bomb shelters after their campus came under Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes upward of 100 times since 2022, forcing lessons literally underground. The university, also known as the KA

A Kyiv court delayed the appeal of the former head of Ukraine's state-owned national power company until mid-December, a step that seems aimed at dragging out what is widely considered a politically motivated case.

Hello, this is Yuliia Taradiuk reporting from Kyiv on day 1,373 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The top story of the day so far:   A Ukrainian unit withdrew from its position near Huliaipol in an 'uncoordinated manner,' allowing Russian troops to penetrate the flanks of Ukrainian forces, Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, said on Nov. 27. Huliaipole, despite being one of the most stable parts of the front line for most of the full-scale war, is now thre

On Nov. 19, Italy's Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of extraditing the suspect, Serhii Kuznetsov.

"The enemy captured the soldiers in the forest, lined them up, and shot them after interrogation," one report said.

Putin reiterated that the U.S. peace plan could serve as the basis for future agreements, adding that the text needs further discussion.

Given two weeks to voluntarily pay the sum in a landmark ruling on Nov. 10, notorious Ukrainian oligarchs Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholyubov failed to make any payments before a Nov. 24 deadline, PrivatBank said in a statement.

Grozny is the capital of Russia's predominantly Muslim republic in the North Caucasus ruled by Vladimir Putin's ally, dictator Ramzan Kadyrov.

About the author: Kseniya Kvitka is an assistant researcher with Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia Division. She is based in Kyiv. As I sat down to write this, my apartment, like many others in Kyiv, routinely went dark. My internet router switched to a portable power station, and the laptop continued running on its battery. I reached for the small camper stove we now use to make coffee during long outages. Russia’s recent attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure have brought roll

The Octopus drone is one of several interceptor drones in development.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured allies during a Nov. 25 call that the U.S. plans to address security guarantees once an agreement is reached, Politico reported.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Nov. 26 that Ukraine's accession to the alliance depends on unanimous agreement among member states — not on Russian demands.

The Kyiv Independent has launched a new collection, “The Ukrainian Trident — Through History and Modernity,” designed to visualize the symbol of Ukrainian sovereignty in its diversity.

The International Monetary Fund (IFM) has reached a staff-level agreement with Ukraine to provided the embattled country with $8.2 billion over 4 years through a renewed agreement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

An explosive leak implicating top U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff in shady dealings with Russia has sparked shock and astonishment not only in the U.S. but also in Ukraine. According to conversations leaked by Bloomberg on Nov. 25, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Witkoff advised a Russian official on how to sway the White House. Ukrainian lawmakers, soldiers, and experts told the Kyiv Independent that the leak proves Witkoff could be a tool of the Kremlin rather than a neutral mediat

Restarting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant under both Russian and Ukrainian control as part of any peace deal would be practically impossible in the plant’s current condition, several experts told the Kyiv Independent. Under a 28-point peace proposal put forth by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and leaked to the public last week, the plant would generate electricity equally for both countries with supervision from the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It is un

Russian forces captured the villages of Promin in Donetsk Oblast and Vysoke in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukrainian mapping group DeepState reported Nov. 26.