Ukraine war latest: Kyiv denies involvement in case of Ukrainian detained in Poland over Nord Stream sabotage

Key developments on Oct. 8:

• Kyiv says it is not interfering in case of Ukrainian detained in Poland over Nord Stream sabotage
• Russia says Trump-Putin 'strong' Ukraine peace momentum 'exhausted' as talks stall
• Ukraine, EBRD discuss funding additional gas imports amid rising Russian strikes on energy sector
• Belgium-based arms maker reports mounting cases of suspicious drone sightings

Kyiv is not interfering in the case of a Ukrainian citizen detained by Warsaw at Germany's request in connection with the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said on Oct. 7.

The comments come amid renewed debate over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Poland's handling of a German extradition request for a Ukrainian national accused of involvement in the 2022 explosion.

The suspect, identified as Volodymyr Z., was detained in September in east-central Poland.

Bodnar emphasized that the case is a judicial matter under Polish jurisdiction.

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"We are not interfering because this is simply a court case. Everything depends on justice," he told Polish outlet RMF FM. "Of course, the court is the court, and it must make the appropriate decision. The Ukrainian side is acting in accordance with Polish law."

"It is in our interest to protect the interests of our citizens, and we, for our part, as the embassy and consulate, are providing him with all the necessary support."

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which never became operational, had long been a flashpoint in European energy politics. Even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, critics warned that it deepened Germany's dependence on Russian gas and undermined European energy security.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also commented on the case, saying that those who built the Nord Stream 2 pipeline "should be ashamed and remain silent," not those accused of sabotaging it.

Who sabotaged Nord Stream? 3 years on, investigations offer more questions than answers

Three years since explosions rocked Russia’s cherished Nord Stream pipelines, making them obsolete, very little remains known about the daring operation. One of the boldest sabotages in modern history led to a series of underwater explosions and significant gas leaks, rupturing three of the four Nord Stream pipelines that run from Russia to Germany. Germany is still investigating the event, but almost no details have been revealed. Denmark and Sweden, whose exclusive economic zones suffered fr

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Russia says Trump-Putin 'strong' Ukraine peace momentum 'exhausted' as talks stall

The "strong momentum" for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, built upon the August meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, has faded, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Oct. 8.

Ryabkov's remarks indicate an increasing pessimism about peace talks following Putin's effective dismissal of direct negotiations with President Volodymyr Zelensky — an initiative that Trump personally backed.

"We have to acknowledge that the strong momentum created in Anchorage toward reaching agreements has been largely exhausted due to the efforts of opponents... primarily Europeans," the Russian deputy minister said.

Ryabkov added that Washington has yet to respond to Putin's proposal to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) limitations for another year after its scheduled expiration in 2026.

"It's an outstretched hand. If they're not interested, we'll manage without it," he added.

Putin proposed last month that Moscow and Washington maintain current nuclear arms limits under the 2010 treaty, which remains the last bilateral arms control agreement between the two powers.

Trump and Putin met in Alaska on Aug. 15 to discuss peace settlement in Russia's war against Ukraine and broader cooperation, marking their first meeting since the U.S. president returned to office.

While Trump pledged to arrange direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, no agreement was reached.

Zelensky rejected Putin's invitation to meet in Moscow, calling it impossible while Russia bombs Ukraine, but repeatedly said he is ready to meet the Russian leader on neutral ground.

Why Tomahawks for Ukraine would be a ‘real headache for Russia’

Since September, talk has been growing about whether the U.S. might finally supply Ukraine with the long-requested Tomahawk cruise missiles — and on Oct. 6, Donald Trump said he had “kind of made the decision.” “I think I want to find out what they’re doing with them, where they’re sending them, I guess. I have to ask that question,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. The Tomahawk is a subsonic, long-range cruise missile designed for precision strikes against land targets. It has an oper

The Kyiv IndependentTania Myronyshena

Ukraine, EBRD discuss funding additional gas imports amid rising Russian strikes on energy sector

Ukraine's finance minister met with Matteo Patrone, vice president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, on Oct. 8 to discuss financial support for Ukraine's energy system, as Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure surge ahead of winter.

Last week, on Oct. 3, Russia launched mass missile and drone strikes at gas production facilities in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts.

State-owned oil and gas giant Naftogaz called the attack the "most massive" to date against its gas production since the start of the full-scale war, saying Russia had launched 35 missiles and 60 drones at its facilities. Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said it was forced to halt production at its Poltava Oblast gas facilities following the attack.

Just two days later, Russia carried out another large-scale attack on gas infrastructure critical to residential heating, causing significant damage and destruction, according to Naftogaz.

As a result of the strikes, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk announced on Oct. 7 that Ukraine plans to increase natural gas imports by 30%.

Representatives of the Ukrainian government and the EBRD discussed ongoing and future projects in both the public and private sectors, Ukraine’s 2026 budgetary needs, and funding priorities, including support for the country’s energy system.

"We discussed with the EBRD the possibility of securing additional financing for gas purchases to ensure the stable passage of the 2025–2026 heating season," Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said.

"This is an urgent priority in light of Russia's intensified attacks on Naftogaz facilities and Ukraine's energy infrastructure as a whole," the minister added.

The parties also explored options for covering gas procurement needs with the involvement of other donors, as well as the potential to attract funding backed by EU guarantees.

Investigation: Top Russian defense industry boss tries to lift sanctions, spills own secrets instead

Key findings: * Two years ago, lawyers representing an offshore company went to court to unblock a superyacht that had been detained in a Spanish port due to its links to Sergei Chemezov, an associate of Vladimir Putin. Chemezov is believed to secretly own a number of luxury assets outside of Russia. * Court filings studied by the Kyiv Independent revealed that the yacht changed hands several times. * All three owners are believed to have served as proxies for Chemezov, part of a strategy to

The Kyiv IndependentAlisa Yurchenko

Belgium-based arms maker reports mounting cases of suspicious drone sightings

European arms company Thales has raised concerns over the number of unidentified drones spotted recently over its Belgian facility that produces 70 mm rockets, Politico reported on Oct. 8.

The news comes as suspicious drone activity has caused alarm across Europe, with some cases having been linked to Russia.

Alain Quevrin, country director for Thales Belgium, told Politico that the company is "seeing more drones than what was the case a few months ago" and highlighted sightings at the Evegnee Fort site in the eastern part of the country.

The company's Belgium-based facilities have been ramping up the production of 70 mm rockets that can be used against drones, supplying both European countries and Ukraine.

Thales' facilities could use its jamming equipment to bring down the drones, but the Belgian government must first set the legal procedures for such cases, Quevrin said.

Arms demand is growing in the European market amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and fears of a potential clash between NATO and Moscow, exacerbated by recent drone incursions.

Russia is ramping up Shahed-type drone strikes on the front line in Ukraine

Russia is increasingly using Shahed-type drones to target Ukrainian front-line positions, likely looking to conserve KAB guided aerial bombs where possible to prepare for a long war ahead, soldiers and experts have told the Kyiv Independent. Russian troops have been deploying these relatively cheap, self-destructing loitering munitions for nearly a year on the front, but they appear to be building additional launch sites, such as at the Russian-occupied Luhansk airport, to further intensify dro

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

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