Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv on July 31 for what organizers described as a "march for dialogue and reforms in defense," renewing demands that President Volodymyr Zelensky reinstate former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The rally marked the 16th day of protests over Fedorov's dismissal, with organizers vowing to continue demonstrating despite no indication that Zelensky intends to reverse his decision. While several previous protests have drawn hundreds rather than thousands of participants,

Zelensky underscored that strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses remains Kyiv’s top priority amid ongoing Russian attacks, with particular emphasis on obtaining additional Patriot missile interceptors to protect against ballistic missile attacks.

"We will definitely respond to this attempted strike against Ukraine and the Ukrainian commander," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"After more than four years of war, the nature of the threats has changed, and so have our approaches to preserving monuments," Serhii Anzhyiak, director of the city's Department of Culture, said.

One source said their regiment was currently unable to recruit personnel from reserve battalions or newly mobilized soldiers assigned through enlistment offices. Another source confirmed that their unit had received notice of a "suspension of personnel allocations" following a decision by the commander-in-chief.

In this report, the Kyiv Independent's Dominic Culverwell and Nick Allard travel to Ukraine's agricultural heartland, documenting how two brothers survived Russian occupation, rebuilt their farm from scratch, and continue to harvest under the increasing threat of Russian FPV drones.

In the city of Volgograd, the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery, one of Russia's largest oil refineries, with an annual crude oil processing capacity of 15 million metric tons, was targeted.

"It was a provocation, an intention, an alliance test. In this case, the next weeks will probably give us more answers," Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said.

Russian forces launched another large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine, deploying 255 Shahed-type attack drones overnight on July 31, the Air Force said.

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for Russia's war against Ukraine to be frozen and urged a return to peace negotiations based on a revised version of the Istanbul talks.

Russia launched dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as hundreds of drones, towards Ukraine in the early hours of July 30 in yet another large-scale attack. Damage was reported in various cities, including Kyiv and Lviv, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing another large-scale attack.

The figure includes 1,340 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Kyiv in the second half of August, a senior correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) reported on July 30, citing sources familiar with the plans.

In the early hours of July 30, sirens blared in the Poland's Lublin region, F-16 fighter jets were scrambled, and an explosion was reported after an "unidentified object," later described by Tusk as likely a Kh-101 cruise missile, strayed into Polish territory amid a larger Russian mass attack on Ukraine.

A cryptocurrency associated with Russia's sprawling state defense corporation has quietly launched just as the European Union targets Russian crypto markets with further sanctions. Blockchain data reviewed by Kyiv Independent suggests that ruble token RubX, announced by Rostec last year, soft-launched on July 17. RubX later started offering swaps to the widely accepted dollar stablecoin Tether via Telegram on July 24. Cryptocurrencies have emerged as a key conduit for Russian importers to make

"The alliance between the Moscow scumbags and the deranged regime in North Korea exists for the sake of missiles, North Korean troops on our borders here in Europe, and killing our Ukrainian children," Zelensky said in his evening address.

Key developments on July 30: * 'Almost nothing remained': Russian missile kills at least 6 family members in Ukrainian village * Ukraine hits one of Russia's largest Lukoil-owned oil refineries, General Staff confirms * 'The package won't arrive:' Blazes at Wildberries warehouses in Russia's Penza, Udmurtia amid more Ukrainian drone strikes * Assault regiment commander ordered troops to fire on retreating comrades, media investigation alleges A Russian ballistic missile killed at least six

If Russian President Vladimir Putin were to make a clear-headed assessment of the state of his war with Ukraine, he would seek a ceasefire. But his head apparently is not clear, because all signs point to him pursuing some kind of escalation. If he does indeed embark on such a course, he will make the situation worse for everyone, but primarily for himself. Since his August 2025 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Putin has been seeking to persuade the United States to force

The 225th Assault Regiment — which had fought as a battalion in Chasiv Yar before helping lead the lightning incursion into Kursk Oblast in 2024 — is one of the largest units of the Ukrainian military, having been expanded to at least 15 battalions.

Six members of the family have been confirmed killed, with rescuers still searching for any remains of the other five as of 6 p.m. local time.

French authorities said that her "conduct undermines the fundamental interests of the state," and her continued presence on French territory "therefore constitutes a particularly serious and immediate threat to public order."

The allocated funds will help finance the procurement of drones, including long-range jet-powered models, as well as missiles and Gripen fighter jets, according to the European Commission.

A fire was reported on the refinery's grounds following the attack, according to the General Staff.

The figure includes 1,360 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert "Magyar" Brovdi confirmed the attacks, marking the eighth and ninth Wildberries facilities to be struck since the campaign started.

"The transformation of the defense forces cannot end with a change of minister, team, or department head. It must continue until fair and understandable rules become the norm for everyone who serves the state." The words of Mykhailo Drapatyi, posted on Facebook just days before he was named Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, foreshadowed the challenges he would soon face. Two and a half years after he took over the job from popular general Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Oleksandr Syrskyi's ten

At 3:40 a.m. local time, an unidentified object was detected in Polish airspace, while "at least a dozen" missiles were "operating over western Ukraine."

Ukraine's Air Force lost contact with an F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission on July 29 after the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency, the military said.

The escalating tensions between Ukraine and Iran over the past few days have prompted fears of a military conflict between the two countries. Kyiv and Tehran have many reasons to be at odds with each other. Iran has supported Russia's war effort against Ukraine since 2022, while Ukraine responded recently by backing the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The most recent escalation was prompted by a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea on July 25. However, analysts say that ne

Key developments on July 29: * Ukraine's General Staff announces audit of unit staffing, manpower allocation, as Drapatyi takes charge * Major oil refinery, Wildberries warehouse hit in Ukrainian strikes on Russia's Ryazan Oblast * Putin no longer holds upper hand in war, still won't budge on ceasefire, Zelensky says * Russian forces kill bread van driver in Kherson as attacks injure 30 across Ukraine over past day * Death toll from Russian strike on Kyiv arms exhibition rises to 12, Prose

President Volodymyr Zelensky rarely misses a daily address. Nearly every evening, he sits behind the desk in his office, a wall of military chevrons behind him, and delivers a video monologue to the nation through his social media channels. What he rarely offers, however, is a dialogue with the Ukrainian people and answers to the most pressing questions. Zelensky has proved to be an effective communicator on the international stage, but domestic politics has long been his weak point. The presi

Andrey Cherezov was attacked in the entrance of his apartment building, where an assailant fired three shots before fleeing the scene.