The Russian commander is reportedly Maj. Gen. Nikolay Varpakhovich.

From the start of 2026 through the morning of Aug. 27, Russian forces fired at least 1,858 missiles of various types at Ukraine. That figure alone, however, fails to show the whole picture. Over nearly eight months, Russia's missile campaign has changed character. After the large February salvos of cruise missiles, a significant share of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted, Moscow has increasingly turned to massed attacks involving ballistic and quasi-ballistic weapons, which are considera

Russia attacks the Ukrainian capital for the eighth consecutive day, injures at least six.

The competing accounts emerged a day after a confrontation between SBU officers and members of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) in Kyiv ended in a shootout with three HUR service members injured.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over Moscow's hybrid operations as Germany accused Russia of attempting a drone attack at Leipzig Airport in August.

"This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not dissolve because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said.

Ukraine wants to close Russia's skies and has a plan to do it. In an announcement on Sept. 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky gave few details about what it would entail, other than making clear it would involve lots of drones. "There will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account," he said, as he warned "every airline that uses Russian airspace" against flying over the country. "The Russian sky will be de facto closed," he added. The following day, the pre

"Temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of aircraft have been introduced," Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks caused damage in 13 oblasts overnight, while air raid alerts remained active for extended periods in many cities and communities due to the threat of jet-powered drones.

"They consciously took this step — they could not have failed to understand — which means the end of their cultural presence in Russia," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

The figure includes 1,320 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

“With your support, you can return even from a place that seems impossible to return from,” Mykhailo Puryshev, who traveled to Moscow in August, wrote on Instagram.

Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported at 7 a.m. local time that at least 17 people, including three children, were injured in the latest Russian attack on the region.

The technology allows cruise missiles to maintain flight at several times the speed of sound and is likely intended for anti-ship and land-attack weapons.

The former official is accused of illicit enrichment and filing false information in an asset declaration, NABU said on Sept. 2.

"Ramping up production, even if you have a license, is something that takes multiple years," Rubio cautioned, saying a Patriot license "won't solve the short-term challenge" for Ukraine.

The seizure was part of a global effort to force Russia to pay for its illegal takeover of Naftogaz assets during the occupation of Crimea.

The same day, the High Anti-Corruption Court set Hr 15 million bail for Sense Bank CEO Oleksiy Stupak but rejected prosecutors’ request to hold him in custody.

"Even though the minister does not count socks and cartridges and does not hold contract negotiations...I must take political responsibility for the entire defense field today," Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

A shootout between Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) and State Security Service (SBU) broke out in Kyiv the morning of Sept. 2, injuring three HUR officers and prompting an investigation.

The Kyiv Independent's wartime travel series, "Dare to Ukraine," now has a YouTube channel of its own. Both seasons are available on the newly launched “Dare to Ukraine” channel, giving viewers one place to follow the full journey – from the country's biggest cities to a small village in Kyiv Oblast.

Key developments on Sept. 2: * Russian drones strike central Kyiv, at least 13 injured * Shootout between SBU and HUR in Kyiv during investigation of Russian FSB plot * Zelensky appoints new Ground Forces commander * Ukraine strikes Russian depots, confirms MiG-29, Ka-27 destroyed in earlier attacks * Zelensky announces new air alert system as Russia strikes Kyiv for seventh consecutive day At least 13 people have been injured after Russian drones struck central Kyiv on the morning of Sep

Ukraine's incoming ambassador to the EU, Taras Kachka, stressed the importance of rule-of-law and anti-corruption reforms as the "cornerstone" of mutual trust.

Russian drones damage university, residential building, and a medical facility

One can only speculate about the real purpose of the CIA director's unexpected visit to Moscow. The fragments fed to the media may be accurate, partly accurate, or deliberately misleading. Washington's reasons for talking to Russia extend far beyond Ukraine and the Baltic states, although the latter matter more immediately as they are NATO allies. Moreover, Moscow's global activity gives Washington many other issues to address. Russia's power and reach have diminished since its full-scale inv

In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with “Schweiger,” a Ukrainian drone operator from the Signum UAV Battalion of Ukraine's 59th Separate Assault Brigade – one of the country's pioneering FPV drone units.

The two-tier system is designed to allow more predictability amid relentless Russian airstrikes.

"Ukraine has decided that they want to blow up Russian energy assets and refined products, so that is creating upward price pressure on the global basis," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

As Russian strikes continue to batter Ukraine's power grid, railways, ports, and factories, investing in the country's infrastructure might seem like an odd bet. But regardless of the circumstances on the ground, there's always a need for infrastructure, Dominykas Tuckus, Ukraine lead and managing director at Amber Infrastructure, tells the Kyiv Independent in an interview. "The only question is what kind of infrastructure you can build under these circumstances," he says. London-headquartere

Ukrainian forces confirmed striking Russian logistic depots, alongside the destruction of two Russian aviation targets

With Ukraine's cultural heritage threatened by Russia's all-out war of annihilation, Kyiv is ramping up its efforts to support Ukrainian artists at the state level. "Tysiachovesna," or "1,000 Springs," is a project originally proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in the fall of 2025 to use Hr 4 billion ($76.7 million) of the state budget to support the creation of 1,000 hours of Ukrainian-language content. The Culture Ministry formally launched the initiative earlier this spring, encouragin

"I assured (Chancellor Merz) that Ukraine is ready to help — with expertise, experience, or in other areas where Germany may need it," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.