When the leaked transcripts were first published on April 28, the President's Office declined to comment, while President Volodymyr Zelensky has stayed tight-lipped on the scandal since it broke in November.

The Kyiv Independent’s Kollen Post and Nick Allard embed with sailors of the Ukrainian Navy operating small mine-clearing vessels off the coast of Odesa. Using sea drones and sonar systems, these crews identify potential explosives and secure maritime routes — often under the threat of Russian drone and missile attacks.

Ukrainian drone maker Fire Point has been described as a crucial supplier for the country's army and contributor to the country's war effort. At the same time, the company has found itself at the center of Ukraine's largest corruption scandal — a $100 million scheme centered around the state nuclear monopoly Energoatom and defense procurement. This has prompted calls for auditing the company's contracts and owners and nationalizing it, as well as reviewing the rules of defense procurement. Fi

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments. The EU is not about to hold its own peace talks with Russia and has no concrete plans to do so, several bloc's leaders and diplomats have confirmed on May 8, following news reports that suggested otherwise. The discussions come as U.S.-mediated peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv remain stalled for more than two months, as Washington is focused on its war with Iran. Frustration among European capitals at the lack of progress

The Kyiv Independent is proud to announce that the Kyiv Independent’s reporter Asami Terajima has been shortlisted for the 2026 One World Media Awards in the Print Award category.

The fire, previously estimated at around 2,400 hectares (5,930 acres) on May 7, has now expanded to about 4,300 hectares (10,600 acres).

Ukrainian drones previously attacked local oil infrastructure overnight on April 29-30.

Instead of going to court, Russia's oligarchs are relying on a 1989 investment treaty, which Belgium and Luxembourg signed with the Soviet Union.

Rustem Umerov said he and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed humanitarian issues, prisoner exchanges between Kyiv and Moscow, and peace efforts.

Since mid-April, Ukraine has struck the Tuapse oil terminal on Russia's Black Sea coast four times, triggering major fires at one of the country's key oil export hubs despite active air defenses and repeated Russian claims of intercepted drones. The attacks have caused days-long fires, halted refinery operations, polluted parts of the coastline, and forced authorities into prolonged emergency response efforts. This raises a question: If Russia maintains one of the largest air defense networks

A Ukrainian delegation asked U.S. State Department officials to verify whether sanctioned vessels in Russia's shadow fleet are using Starlink technology, which could violate U.S. sanctions policy.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed later in the day that Ukrainian forces attacked the city of Yaroslavl, targeting an oil infrastructure facility.

Russia is deploying an additional four regiments, 24 battalions, and 162 batteries to counter Ukrainian strike drones, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"(Russia) wants permission from Ukraine to hold their parade, so they can safely march onto the square for one hour once a year, and then go back to killing our people and waging war again," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"So far, it has not led to a fruitful outcome for a variety of reasons," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

'The Azov (Corps) is already patrolling its hometown of Mariupol. For now, from the air. But there's more to come," the statement read.

Ukrainian forces downed 56 out of 67 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, that Russia launched overnight, the Air Force reported.

More than 140 strikes on Ukrainian front-line positions had been recorded by 7 a.m. local time, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

As the springtime sun coaxes Kyiv’s residents outdoors, memories of a winter without reliable heat or electricity caused by Russian strikes are beginning to fade — creating a dangerous distraction from the government's failure to prepare for the upcoming season. Kyiv expects Moscow to launch another brutal campaign against its energy infrastructure this winter. But efforts to diversify Kyiv’s power generation and heating sources either started too late or not at all, several people in the energ

The figure includes 1,130 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that Ukraine's military launched dozens of drones towards the Russian capital throughout the night on May 8, just one day before Moscow is set to stage its annual Victory Day military parade.

U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News that the strikes against Iran were "just a love tap" and that the ceasefire remains in effect.

Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the Armenian ambassador on May 7, saying it was "incomprehensible" for Yerevan to host Zelensky days earlier.

Perm lies 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from the Ukrainian border. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 7 that Ukraine would answer Russia's ceasefire violations with "long-range sanctions."

The warning came after President Volodymyr Zelensky said the fate of Russia's May 9 military parade "depends" on Ukraine's army.

Key developments on May 7: * Ukraine condemns 'alarming situation' in Russian-occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, civilians trapped in urgent need of aid * Ukraine to respond to Russia's ceasefire violations with 'long-range sanctions,' Zelensky says * 'Emergency situation' — Ukrainian firefighters unable to extinguish massive forest fire due to Russian FPV drone threat * Latvia says drones entered airspace from Russia, 1 may have crashed near oil facility Ukraine's Foreign Ministry issued

On May 9, Moscow will stage its annual Victory Day parade marking the end of World War II in Europe — but this year, the spectacle is notable not for its grandeur, but for what's missing. For the first time in Vladimir Putin's Russia, no missiles, tanks, or armored vehicles are expected to appear in Saturday's Red Square parade. Although the Kremlin offered no explanation for the dramatic scale-back, recent Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory have suggested that even Putin's militar

"Residents attempting to buy food or flee in private vehicles are being targeted by Russian drone attacks," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said.

Anonymous accounts have used a video of a train fire from earlier this week to claim a Ukrainian drone struck a Latvian railway. Latvian authorities have refuted the claim as deliberate disinformation.

The decision could lead to Belarus being fully reinstated in international sports, including allowing athletes to compete under the national flag.

The 61st Venice Biennale is now underway, with the world's premier international art event having been in the spotlight not for its showings, but for its controversy and internal strife. On April 30, just days before the opening of the festival, the jury collectively resigned in protest over Russia and Israel's planned presence in the event, declaring that with a "responsibility toward the historical role of the Biennale," they could not judge art from countries whose leaders are charged with c

The visit comes as U.S.-mediated peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have remained stalled for more than two months.