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Zelensky in Serbia: What Ukraine wants, and what Belgrade gains
President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Serbia, the first by a Ukrainian head of state since 2018, could mark a new chapter in relations between the two countries. It also raised questions about what each side hopes to gain. What is Kyiv trying to achieve by deepening ties with Serbia, one of the few countries in Europe, alongside Turkey and Russian ally Belarus, that has not imposed sanctions on Russia? And what does Belgrade, still heavily dependent on Moscow for energy supplies, stand to gai

Ukraine war latest: Russian plans for mobilization 'confirmed by internal documents,' Zelensky says
Key developments on Aug. 11: * Russian mobilization 'confirmed by internal documents,' Zelensky says * North Korean missiles hit Zaporizhzhia in latest Russian ballistic salvo * Russian oil refinery over 6,000 kilometers from Ukraine reportedly on fire, as Wildberries struck again * Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet crashes during combat mission in Odesa, pilot safe President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 11 said Ukraine has seen evidence that Moscow plans a full mobilization after Russia's parlia

Ukraine faces race against time as Russia chokes Black Sea ports
Smoke billowing over the Black Sea is now an everyday sight in Odesa Oblast as Russia continues to strike ports and vessels in Ukrainian waters. But it’s on land that the impact of Russia’s campaign is most keenly felt, with Ukraine facing an economic crisis unless the country finds a solution soon. The biggest victims are Ukraine’s agricultural and steel firms — both key economic drivers — which are cut off from crucial trading routes via the Black Sea. Ukraine could lose 1%-1.5% of its gross

Russia releases ailing ex-US Marine after 4 years in prison
Robert Gilman's health has seriously deteriorated in recent weeks, prompting U.S. officials to appeal to Moscow for his release.

Photographer with Kremlin media ties disqualified from German photography prize after backlash
The committee has not yet made a public statement about his disqualification from the prize, but according to Valery Melnikov's Instagram post, representatives of the award referred to him as a "Kremlin-media-linked photographer," which is a term used to refer to him in the title of the Kyiv Independent's article about his work.

Russia prepares its 'final push' of the war this fall
In Kyiv and the capitals of its allies, talk of a brutal "winter" awaiting Ukraine because of Russian strikes is a top matter on the agenda. And it's quite likely that this very fall and winter will become Russia's own kind of "last push" — an attempt to somehow turn the tide of its war. Back at the start of the year, I said that in 2026 the Kremlin would find it absolutely essential to achieve what it calls a "korennoy perelom v voyne" (a "fundamental turning point in the war") in order to clo

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A Belgian factory continues to operate in Russia's special economic zone known as a key defense production site despite EU requirements to leave the zone by late January 2026.



















