Russia's Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery had just restarted operations when Ukrainian drones hit it again. The facility — the fourth-largest oil refinery and the second-largest producer of gasoline in the country — had been struck by Ukraine on June 24, forcing operations to shut down. On July 2, Ukrainian drones paid another visit, forcing the facility to shut down once again. Gazprom's Omsk Oil Refinery, in Omsk, approximately 2,445 kilometers (1,519 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled

Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city's military administration, reported that as a result of the attack on Kyiv, one woman was killed, while two people were injured.

Leaked internal documents obtained by the Kyiv Independent suggest one of Ukraine's largest state-owned shipping companies is being run into the ground and may be under the influence of external interests — offering a rare look at the governance failures that continue to plague the country's state-owned enterprises. In early May, the chairman of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company's (UDP) supervisory board sent a lengthy letter to Ukraine's parliament. In it, he sounds the alarm over a severe

Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Saratov Oil Refinery and a petrochemical plant in Tatarstan overnight on July 8, monitoring channels reported.

"I had a very good talk with President Putin... We had a long talk yesterday. It lasted a long time. And I also spoke with President Zelensky right after that. I think they both want to make a deal. It's too bad it took so long. But I think there's something," Trump said.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv over 12 hours after the searches began, Oleksii Babenko, a young star in Ukraine's drone industry, said that Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigations had carried out 70 searches, including at Vyriy Industries facilities, contractors' premises, and the homes of his own family members.

Key developments on July 7: * 'Industrial scale results' — 8 Russian shadow fleet tankers hit in Azov Sea, Ukraine's 'Madyar' says * 2 defense industry enterprises hit in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, oil depot in Belgorod Oblast, General Staff says * Ukraine signs drone cooperation deals with 3 NATO countries * Canada pledges $900 million to Ukraine for vehicles and ammo, but no air defense Ukrainian long-range drone strikes hit eight Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Sea of Azov, Ukraine's

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which had been in place since October 2023.

Canada announced more than $900 million in new military aid for Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Prime Minister Mark Carney, though the package does not specifically include air defense systems or interceptors.

Editor's note: this article was updated to take account of Marine Le Pen's announcement that she would run for president. BRUSSELS, Belgium — For months, opinion polls have indicated that France's far-right National Rally (RN) is well placed to win the 2027 presidential election, after President Emmanuel Macron reaches his constitutional term limit. But a court ruling on July 7 upended expectations over who will lead the party's presidential ticket — a decision that could also have implication

"The court's ruling is manifestly unlawful and violates the fundamental rights of journalists and the public to gather and disseminate information of public interest that is publicly available about the country's highest-ranking officials," Olena Shcherban, a deputy executive director at the Anti-Corruption Action Center, said.

The agreements are part of Ukraine's broader push to expand drone technology cooperation with partners in Europe and beyond, as it shares its war-tested experience in unmanned systems.

When President Volodymyr Zelensky slapped sanctions on ex-lawmaker Boryslav Bereza on July 7, many were left wondering what, if anything, linked him to Russia or posed a threat to Ukraine's national security. Bereza has never publicly expressed any sympathies for Russia and has been a pro-Western politician and blogger throughout his entire career. Sanctions, which were introduced by Ukraine when Russia started its war in 2014, were initially intended as a tool for fighting Moscow and its prox

"We expect a strong and productive NATO Summit. Decisions are needed now that will provide greater protection for our people, more capabilities for our defense, and even stronger security cooperation between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

"This will help keep Ukraine in the fight and support it in protecting human lives," the letter reads.

The Ukrainian president urged European allies that their need for affordable, mass-produced anti-ballistic systems "cannot wait until 2030 or beyond," and needs to be met "as soon as possible, in fact, today."

Editor's note: A Ukrainian military intelligence officer has confessed to killing a woman suspected of attempting to assassinate businessman Vadym Iermolaiev in Monaco, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Service (SBU) said on July 7. Read about it here. Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev, who faced an assassination attempt in Monaco on June 29, is little-known nationwide but wielded immense influence in the city of Dnipro. Iermolaiev is controversial. He has renounced his Ukrainian

Starting in June, the Kyiv Independent partnered with The Atlantic to offer members based in continental Europe an exclusive discount on a digital subscription.

The Kyiv Independent found that a mass Meta ban on posts about the Russian attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra stemmed from two causes: one questionable photo and a technical glitch on Meta's part. Facebook and Instagram have been restricting and labeling posts about Russia's attack on the historic Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as containing false information, social media users and Ukrainian media, including the Kyiv Independent, report. The Kyiv Independent's social media team was among those affected.

Claiming that the overnight aerial naval battle reached "industrial-scale results," Brovdi reported that the Ukrainian drones also hit a dry cargo ship and a ferry, alongside a convoy of eight fuel tankers. He claimed that the fuel tankers were "badly damaged and on fire."

Ukrainian authorities have found the body of a woman suspected of attempting to kill Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev in Monaco on June 29, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Service (SBU) said on July 7.

The microelectronics manufacturer Kremniy El produces microchips, power semiconductor devices, and electronic warfare systems for Russia, along with other products, while the Bryansk Chemical Plant produces gunpowder, explosives, and rocket fuel components, according to the General Staff.

Overnight on July 6-7, Russian troops launched 123 drones against Ukraine, of which 108 were downed, the Air Force reported.

The number includes 1,200 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 6 that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, despite Russia's deadly aerial attack on Kyiv two days after the two leaders spoke by phone.

Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones toward Kyiv overnight on July 6, hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of yet another large-scale attack targeting the capital.

Belgorod and the Belgorod district were subjected to a massive missile attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine last night," Governor Alexander Shuvaev said.

Residents of the small town of Vyshneve, on Kyiv's western edge, have described scenes of terror amid Russia's latest devastating missile and drone attack on the capital, as they found themselves fleeing a series of massive explosions after a strike on the town. "A huge mushroom cloud rose into the sky. Burning fragments kept flying behind us. They were so high, but it felt like everything was on fire," Diana Liashchuk, 21, told the Kyiv Independent. "I called my mom just to tell her not to wo

Key developments on July 6: * For second time in 4 days, Russia targets Kyiv with mass missile attack, killing at least 26 * Russia’s largest oil refinery in flames as Ukraine strikes Omsk, 2,500 km away from border * Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl Russia launched waves of missiles and drones toward Kyiv overnight on July 6, killing at least 26 people and injuring dozens more, including seven children, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of yet another la

President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump will exchange ideas on how to end Russia's all-out war against Ukraine during a July 8 meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara, two people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The meeting comes as Ukraine believes that there is now an opportunity to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in direct negotiations with Zelensky. Kyiv hopes to capitalize on what it views as growing pressure on the Kremlin, while a

The CEO of the U.S. snacking giant Mondelez has openly acknowledged that the taxes the company pays in Russia help Russia’s war against Ukraine, but that it was the "right decision" to remain in the aggressor country. Just three days after that shameless interview, Russian drones struck a Mondelez factory in Ukraine, injuring two people. However much the management of Russia remainers may wish to look away, corporate entanglement in Russia's war economy has real and violent consequences. These

Supplies of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors have dried up, leaving Ukrainian air defense units powerless to defend Kyiv against Russia's fastest and most deadly munitions.   "We simply don’t have the missiles. We have nothing to use against ballistic missiles," Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, a military expert and adviser to Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, told Radio NV on July 6. The shortage of interceptors was starkly demonstrated a few hours earlier when Russia launched the second massive attack