Ukraine’s prime lithium deposit has been officially awarded to a U.S.-linked group of investors as the country courts U.S. President Donald Trump with business deals amid ongoing peace proposal talks.

Editor's Note: This story is part of the "Hidden Canon"  – a special series celebrating Ukrainian classic literature and aiming to bring it to a wider international audience. The series is supported by the Ukrainian Institute. In 1663, the Cossacks stood at a crossroads. Six years after the death of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, the architect of the Cossack state, rival factions vied for power. Left-bank and Right-bank Ukraine clashed, seasoned commanders sparred with rank-and-file warriors, whil

This is Jared Goyette, blogging from a cold, blacked-out apartment in Kyiv on day 1,420 of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Our top stories today: * 'Russia is trying to disconnect Kyiv' — Supermarkets, public transport struggle after yet more strikes on energy infrastructure * Project Nightfall — Everything we know about the UK's ballistic missile program for Ukraine * ‘The situation now is the worst’ — Kyiv’s energy crisis deepens after Russia pounds power grid What we're coverin

"We have information that Russia is ready to start the next wave of attacks with cruise missiles," Ukrenergo CEO Vitaliy Zaichenko, told the Kyiv Independent.

Parliament failed to appoint former Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal as the country's next energy minister. The nomination failed to gather enough support, stopping 16 votes short. The energy ministry remains without a head for nearly two months, as Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions are facing a dire energy situation, with Russia targeting the country's critical infrastructure. The parliament convenes on Jan. 13 to vote on a proposed government reshuffle initiated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The plant is involved in the production of "Orion" drones, electronic warfare complexes, and digital integration systems.

"Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

Unidentified drones struck the Russian city of Taganrog early on Jan. 13, with reports indicating that a drone manufacturing facility was targeted, according to Russian Telegram channels.

Russian forces carried out a combined missile and drone attack on a suburb of Kharkiv, killing at least four people and injuring six others, regional authorities reported on Jan. 13.

"Whoever controls Greenland controls key Arctic shipping lanes and the security architecture protecting the United States. America cannot leave that future in the hands of regimes that despise our values and seek to undermine our security," Congressman Randy Fine said.

U.S. President Donald Trump made no secret of his plan for Venezuela. "One of the things the United States gets out of this will be even lower energy prices," Trump said in a Jan. 9 meeting with energy executives. “Our giant oil companies will be spending at least $100 billion of their money (in Venezuela),” the president said. Darren Woods, head of oil giant Exxon Mobil, wasn’t sold on Trump’s idea. “We’ve had our assets seized there twice, and so you can imagine that to reenter a third tim

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 12 that he instructed Ukraine's negotiating team to finalize a security guarantees document with the U.S. and submit it for review "at the highest level." In his evening address, Zelensky added that Ukraine "is coordinating meeting schedules with U.S. President (Donald) Trump's representatives — our documents are largely ready for signing." No further details were provided by the president. The directive comes amid growing indications that Washington

Latest: 70% of Kyiv without electricity after Russia hammers Ukraine once again with drones, cruise, ballistic missiles. As Kyiv faces prolonged blackouts and subzero temperatures, officials and energy experts warn that the city's infrastructure is nearing its limits. Although the number of buildings without heat has decreased since the Jan. 9 mass missile and drone attack, the broader impact of the crisis on daily life is only deepening. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, about 800 re

Hello, this is Asami Terajima reporting from Kyiv on day 1,419 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: Ukraine's Khartiia Brigade on Jan. 12 said it had recaptured the city council building in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and flown the country's flag from its roof. A video accompanying the announcement on social media shows intense street fighting as the unit makes its way into the building. 0:00/1× "The Kupiansk operation proves that thanks to planning, training of comm

In what could be a huge boost for Ukraine's offensive capabilities, the U.K. announced on Jan. 11 it had launched Project Nightfall, a competition to rapidly develop new long-range ballistic missiles for Kyiv. Ukraine has repeatedly stressed the need to reinforce its ability to target Russian military sites and energy infrastructure with long-range weapons, aiming to increase the economic costs of Moscow's war while strengthening its own air defense network against Russian strikes on Ukraine's

The move comes as London looks for stronger tools to disrupt illicit oil shipments that help fund Russia's war against Ukraine, as well as sanctioned exports linked to Iran and Venezuela.

"Ensuring that people can keep warm, cook food, and live reasonably normal lives is vital in enabling them to persevere in this war — a war that they are fighting on behalf of us all," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.

One night in late November, there was a loud explosion. The sky flashed white. Yura didn’t know what the sound was. She only knew it meant death might be near. She ran. Yura — or Yurha, as her family calls her — is a 12-year-old shepherd dog. Her legs ached. She could barely hear anymore. But her body remembered what to do. She pushed through the 1-meter-long yard, past the fence she had never crossed before. In the dark, she looked like a wolf — large, black, moving fast despite her age. By

Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the energy supply situation in the region is "extremely dire," noting that the "energy capacity losses are reaching practically catastrophic scale."

The full-scale war in Ukraine entered its 1,418th day on Jan. 11, matching the length of Nazi Germany's fight against the Soviet Union during World War II. Russia has "repeated almost all the worst things that happened in the 20th century," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Emergency services arrived at the scene to extinguish a fire following an alleged attack, according to local residents.

"The wet dreams of British perverts," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Russian forces struck an ambulance in the town of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast on Jan. 11, injuring two medical workers, a local official reported.

Russia launched a wave of drones towards Kyiv overnight on Jan. 12, striking a building within the city, local officials reported.

Electricity was fully restored across Zaporizhzhia Oblast by the morning, the regional grid operator Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo said on Jan. 11.

The U.K. has launched Project Nightfall, a competition to rapidly develop new long-range ballistic missiles for Ukraine. The missiles will be able to travel 500 km (310 miles) and come equipped with a 200 kg (440 lb) warhead.

Key developments on Jan. 10-11: * Ukraine hits Russian drilling platforms in Caspian Sea, military reports * Ukraine brings US-made Tempest air defense system into combat, footage suggests * Russia seeks to set stage for new offensive, potentially threatening Sumy, Ukraine warns * Russia deploys new Geran-5 jet-powered drone against Ukraine, intel says * Ukraine's military confirms strike on oil depot in Russia's Volgograd Oblast Ukrainian forces struck three Russian drilling platforms be

The Tempest surface-to-air missile system is designed to engage drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft in all weather conditions. Its transfer to Ukraine was not publicly announced.

"I play every day with pain in my heart... My sister sleeps under three blankets because of the cold at home," Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostiuk said after the final match at the Brisbane tournament.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur reports on Russia’s latest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, including the use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile near NATO borders.

Separately, Ukraine also hit a Russian Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system in the occupied parts of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

"All such attempts are promptly detected and thwarted," the 7th Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces said on its Telegram channel.