U.S. President Donald Trump said on Aug. 6 that the United States "needs missiles too" when asked about President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest appeal for long-range missiles and Patriot air defense systems.

Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said he still hopes to return to the post after being dismissed during the government's recent reshuffle, speaking on Serhii Sternenko's Aug. 6 YouTube show.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's former ambassador to the U.S. and deputy prime minister for European integration, was widely regarded as an effective manager. But her involvement in several corruption investigations cast a shadow over her career and likely contributed to her dismissal as ambassador on Aug. 3. On Aug. 5, authorities charged Stefanishyna with illicit enrichment totaling Hr 13.9 million ($310,000) and filing false asset declarations. She denies the allegations. For critics of Presi

President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to make his first trip to Serbia on Aug. 8, a senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.

Key developments on Aug. 6: * Russia could use Ukrainian drones in false-flag strike against Baltic infrastructure, Lithuania says * Drone targeted Ukrainian cargo plane carrying ammunition at German airport, media reports * Russian drone kills 2 railway workers at station in Kharkiv Oblast * Ukraine hits 2 Russian oil refineries in latest deep strike drone attack, Zelensky says * NATO fighter jet scrambles increase 250% as Russia tests border with military planes, Alliance says Lithuania

In late June, President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) with launching a "40-day influence operation" designed to compel Russia to "end the war." In the weeks following, Ukraine's mid- and long-range drones scored some headline-grabbing successes — the crippling of dozens of Russian tankers supplying occupied Crimea and, perhaps most notably, the destruction of several warehouses across the country belonging to online retailer Wildberries. But 40 days later, Russia's

According to local journalist Vitalii Hlahola, who cited sources in law enforcement, several current and former members of staff were searched in their homes.

Speaking on Aug. 5, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a "hybrid attack scenario."

The Munich General Prosecutor's Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office said that there are "strong grounds" to suspect the man was a "low-level agent" acting on behalf of the intelligence service of a foreign nation.

The statement comes after drone incidents and incursions in all three Baltic states have raised tensions in the region.

High temperatures across Europe led Hungary to temporarily power down the country's only nuclear power plant on July 29 and increase electricity imports from its neighbors, including Ukraine.

A train carriage was struck while at the station, confirmed Ukrainian Railways President Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, who added that the two men killed were both railway workers.

"The U.K. will continue to step up our action against Russia and its shadow fleet activity to protect our national security, our economy, and global stability," said John Healey, the British economy minister.

President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Olha Stefanishyna from her post on Aug. 3.

The reported target is the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery in Yaroslavl, over 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border. It is one of Russia's five largest refineries, with an annual crude oil capacity of 15 million metric tons.

The Kyiv Independent has launched a campaign to fund a full year of mental health support for its team, so the people who live through and report on the Russian war against Ukraine can keep going. The program covers individual therapy sessions and access to an online psychological support platform for all staff. You can support the fundraiser via the link. Journalism always takes a mental toll. Reporters regularly deal with traumatic events, footage, and testimonies — it comes with the job. In

The figure includes 1,330 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Aircraft scrambles along NATO's eastern border increased by 250% in July 2026 compared to July 2025, due to Russian military planes skirting Alliance airspace without flight plans.

The "landmark decision" marks the first time a foreign court has ordered the handover of a Russian ship tied to stolen Ukrainian grain.

Voice of America will resume its Ukrainian-language broadcasts and return some employees of its Ukrainian Service to work, Ruslan Petrychka, head of the broadcaster's Ukrainian Service, announced on Aug. 5.

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting in Kyiv on Aug. 5, marking the British official's first visit to the Ukrainian capital.

A car explosion in Russia's Sverdlovsk Oblast reportedly killed a driver and put Vladimir Tkachuk, head of a company producing "Ghoul" attack drones, in intensive care.

Ukrainians seem to have an endless appetite for discussing the possibility of creating alternative military alliances, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not see Ukraine joining NATO early into his second term in the White House. "I personally worked to ensure that we adopted NATO standards, and every year, I heard stories about how we were just about to join NATO. Unfortunately, we will never join it," former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said recently, adding tha

Key developments on Aug. 5: * Russian ballistic missile attack kills 17, injures dozens in Kyiv and surrounding area as rescue efforts continue * Ukraine's air defense missile deliveries drop by two-thirds, new Russian tactic compounds problems for Kyiv * Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Tula Oblast * North Korea deploying ballistic missile unit to Russia to wage attacks on Ukraine, intelligence says * Head of body recovery group Platsdarm killed, his wi

Ukraine is moving to establish a National Pantheon to honor generations of people who defended, built, and shaped the nation. The effort comes after years of Russian attacks that have damaged churches, museums, historic landmarks, and other cultural sites, reinforcing what Ukrainian officials and many cultural experts describe as a broader assault on the country's history and identity. "The names of all the heroes who, across centuries and eras, fought for Ukraine and inspired its people will

BROVARY, KYIV OBLAST — Eight people were killed as they stood waiting for a delayed train overnight on Aug. 5 during one of the most intense Russian bombardments of the town of Brovary, just east of Kyiv, of the entire war. The morning light exposed a scene of horror — bodies still lay beside the town's small railway platform, with some human remains scattered across the ground. Railway workers, meanwhile, had already begun repairing the damaged tracks only meters away. The air was heavy with t

Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent that a shortage of interceptors was not the decisive factor behind Ukrainian forces’ failure to intercept missiles during the Russian strike on Aug. 5.

Flights at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport were suspended overnight on Aug. 5 after a "modified drone" was sighted and later found next to a Ukrainian Antonov Airlines An-124 transport aircraft, and a second "unidentified flying object" collided with an incoming DHL cargo plane. The DHL aircraft diverted to Hanover airport where "minor damage" was discovered to the airframe. "There is no danger to life or health of passengers or airport staff. Passenger air traffic is not affected," German pro

"It is impossible for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, given their current level of development, to join an organization that is guided by World War II doctrines," Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.K., Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said.

Despite the heightened threat in the current drone-dominated phase of the war, Yukov continued to head on repatriation missions from dangerous places, including the Sloviansk and Izium areas.

How did an Egyptian student end up fighting in Ukraine? A Russian passport, military benefits, and a fast track to citizenship convinced Egyptian student Mohamed Salah to sign a contract with the Russian army.

The unit, deployed in the region bordering Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, is believed to have six launchers and 120 ballistic missiles, according to the report.