In this exclusive interview, a Ukrainian teenager shares the harsh realities of growing up under Russian occupation. From schools forced to switch to Russian and propaganda in classrooms, to constant fear and the loss of family and friends, he recounts what daily life was really like and his perilous journey back to Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent doesn’t reveal the teenager’s identity due to security reasons.
Ukraine struck an oil depot in southern Russia's Stavropol Krai overnight on July 13, monitoring channels reported.
Two of the bombs struck a busy area of the city, with one hitting near a road and a public transport stop, where a 13-year-old girl was killed, according to the Sumy regional police.
Ukroboronprom dismissed two officials on July 12 following an investigation into a deadly explosion at one of its ammunition depots during a Russian attack on the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve.
During a meeting with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal on July 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the need to take additional "more decisive" steps to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure and emphasized the importance of robust winter preparedness plans for communities and regions.
Yulia Svyrydenko, who replaced former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in July 2025, will now take on a new role leading cooperation with Ukraine’s key partners, Zelensky announced on social media.
Once promoted by the Kremlin as a symbol of Russia’s resurgence and a premier tourist destination, the peninsula now faces mounting pressure from Ukrainian drone strikes targeting military infrastructure, logistics, and supply routes.
Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said that his team had destroyed 10 tankers and four ferries, bringing the total number of destroyed Russian shadow fleet vessels to 90 units this week alone.
Russia attacks over the last day have killed at least five people and injured 35 others across the country, mostly frontline regions in the south and east of Ukraine, Ukrainian officials reported on July 12.
The Republican senator from South Carolina was recently in Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 10 to discuss strengthening Ukraine's air defense and progress on a Russian sanctions bill in the U.S.
The number includes 1,320 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Ukraine's military reportedly struck a major Russian oil refinery in the city of Syzran in Samara Oblast overnight on July 12, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Since the media outlets' last update in mid-June, the names of 2,890 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 11 that he is preparing changes to Ukraine’s “diplomatic efforts” to accelerate weapons deliveries from allies, as Ukraine's stockpile of Patriot air defense missiles has run dry.
Stanislav Luchanov, commander of Ukraine's 155th "Anne of Kyiv" brigade, has been charged with the kidnapping and murder of two civilians in Kyiv Oblast. Several other brigade members have been detained in connection with the crime, the military said.
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