Ukrainian foreign minister, US secretary of state discuss Russia’s nuclear blackmail.

by The Kyiv Independent news desk October 25, 2022 2:05 PM 1 min read

This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also talked about security assistance for Ukraine, deliveries of air defense systems, and ammunition, according to Kuleba.

“The secretary reaffirmed enduring U.S. support for Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression, atrocities, and rhetoric surrounding so-called 'dirty bombs' in Ukraine,” the U.S. Department of State wrote.

In recent days, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called several NATO defense ministers and made the unproven claim that Ukraine was planning to use a "dirty bomb."

There has been speculation that Shoigu's claims about a Ukrainian dirty bomb are preparation for a false-flag attack by Russia or part of the Kremlin's intimidation tactics.

The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.Read more

News Feed

8:14 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 891,660 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,410 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:29 AM

Majority of Americans believe Trump 'too closely aligned' with Russia, poll finds.

Some 56% of Americans believe that U.S. President Donald Trump is "too closely aligned" with Russia amid shifting U.S. foreign policy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on March 13 found.

5:48 AM

Large fire reported at oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai following Ukrainian strike.

A large fire covering over 1,000 square meters engulfed the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on March 14, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram.

5:04 AM

'Enough is enough' — Greenland PM criticizes Trump's annexation efforts.

Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede criticized President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. could annex Greenland in a Facebook post on March 13.

4:16 AM

German Defense Minister calls for unified European approach toward defense procurement.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called for a unified European approach to military procurement in order to avoid bureaucratic delays, Reuters reported on March 12.

2:58 AM

Trump's Ukraine envoy sidelined by Kremlin amid peace talks, NBC reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was excluded from peace talks after the Kremlin said it did not want him present, NBC News reported on March 13, citing U.S. and Russian officials.

1:06 AM

US to resume shipping long-range bombs to Ukraine, Reuters reports.

The United States is preparing to resume shipping long-range Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) to Ukraine, Reuters reported on March 13, citing sources familiar with the weapon.

12:37 AM

Sweden to provide $137 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Sweden will provide Ukraine with more than 1.4 billion Swedish kronor ($137.7 million) in humanitarian aid, the country's International Development Minister Benjamin Dousa announced on March 13.

12:13 AM

US toughens sanctions on Russian energy payments.

The Trump administration has toughened sanction on Russia's oil and gas industry on March 13 by not renewing an exemption that allows Russian banks to access U.S. payment systems to conduct energy transactions.

11:10 PM

Russian drone strike on Kharkiv injures 7, including 4 children.

A Russian drone strike on the Osnovianskyi district of Kharkiv injured at least seven people, the city's Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported on March 13.

10:37 PM

McDonald's relaunches breakfast menu in Ukraine amid full-scale war.

The announcement from McDonald's Ukraine comes as more Western companies expand offerings to Ukrainian customers amid the full-scale war, with some companies choosing to reopen storefronts across the country.

10:19 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia needs war, Zelensky says in response to Putin's preconditions for ceasefire

10:12 PM

Putin is afraid to tell Trump he wants to continue war in Ukraine, Zelensky says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks about a 30-day ceasefire indicate that he is preparing a rejection of the U.S. proposal, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 13.

9:39 PM

Hungary seeks removal of Russian oligarch Fridman from EU sanctions list, FT reports.

Hungary’s ambassador to the EU demanded that Mikhail Fridman be removed from the sanctions list, threatening to block the extension of EU sanctions imposed on about 2,000 Russians otherwise, the Financial Times reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.

9:20 PM

US opposed to frozen conflict in Ukraine, Zelensky's chief of staff says.

"We have been very clear that we will never agree to a frozen conflict. We are very much against it, and our positions align with our American partners," Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak said.

8:31 PM

Interview

John Bolton on how Putin plays Trump and why separating Russia from China is 'almost impossible'

8:01 PM

War analysis

China is more likely than the EU to replace Starlink on the Ukrainian battlefield

7:51 PM

Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant part of peace talks, Trump says.

"We have been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost and all of the other elements of a final agreement," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

7:26 PM

Video

John Bolton on Trump’s Russian policy missteps.

The Kyiv Independent’s Kate Tsurkan sat down with former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton to discuss why U.S. President Donald Trump considers Putin “a friend,” and why a ceasefire at this time would not be favorable for Ukraine.

6:15 PM

BREAKING: Putin ready for ceasefire but demands 'guarantees' depriving Ukraine of aid.

Russia is ready to agree to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine but demands guarantees that Kyiv will not mobilize or train troops, nor receive military aid during it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 13.

5:07 PM

Russia seeks to prolong war, Zelensky says about lack of clear response to proposed ceasefire.

"Regrettably, for more than a day already, the world has yet to hear a meaningful response from Russia to the proposals made," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

4:29 PM

Opinion

The Counteroffensive: What Trump's intelligence sharing pause cost Ukraine

3:58 PM

Ukraine receives $1.7 billion from Canada under G7 loan covered by Russian assets.

Ukraine has received the first tranche of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about $1.7 billion) from Ottawa under the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative.

3:53 PM

Opinion

Putin has likely rejected Trump's ceasefire proposal — what now?

3:44 PM

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko announces more dismissals of city officials amid corruption probe.

The following officials are set to be dismissed: Ihor Dolinsky, director of the Kyiv Institute of Land Relations; Volodymyr Sharyi, director of the special housing fund; Viktor Pohrebnoi, director of the Financial Company Zhytloinvest; and Valentina Sviatina, deputy director of the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, Klitschko said.

MORE NEWS