Polish and allied planes briefly scramble amid Russian targeting of Ukraine, Poland says
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Poland scrambles fighter jets amid Russian air attack on Ukraine
Poland scrambled fighter jets and heightened its air defence readiness in response to a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine on the night of 24-25 May. Polish Operational Command activated all available forces, deploying additional fighter jets.
Source: Polish Ministry of Defence
Quote: “Polish and allied aircraft have begun operating in our airspace due to an attack by the Russian Federation striking targets across Ukraine.”
Details: Polish Operational Command activated all available forces, deploying additional fighter jets and placing air defence and radar systems on high alert as per standard procedures. It is continuously monitoring the situation, with forces ready for immediate response, the Ministry of Defence stated.
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Background: Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine on the night of 24-25 May, using drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Explosions were reported in several regions.
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Noem says Guard wouldn’t be needed in LA if Newsom had done his job
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the need to deploy the National Guard. Newsom has said local authorities don’t need the help and accused President Donald Trump of inflaming the situation. Noem said Trump was making the move to protect the impacted communities and law enforcement. White House border czar Tom Homan said Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could face charges if their response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations exceeds the legal boundaries. House Speaker Mike Johnson told ABC News’ “This Week” that Trump “did exactly what he needed to do.’“That is real leadership, and he has the authority and the responsibility to do it,” the speaker said, defending Trump’s decision.Democratic Rep. Nanette Barragán, who represents the area, said the move will “only escalate tensions.” “I’ll ask you: Did it look like it was under control? It is absolutely not in control,’ she said.
Newsom has said local authorities don’t need the help and accused President Donald Trump of inflaming the situation,” calling the move “purposefully inflammatory” and saying it will “only escalate tensions.”
Noem disagreed with Newsom.
“Margaret, if he was doing his, job people wouldn’t have gotten hurt the last couple of days,” she told CBS’ Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation.” “We wouldn’t have officers with a shattered wrist from bricks thrown through their vehicles, vehicles being burned, flags burned in the street and Molotov cocktails being thrown.”
Members of the National Guard stand guard in front of the Federal building in Los Angeles, June 8 2025. Caroline Brehman/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“Governor Newsom has proven that he makes bad decisions, the president knows that he makes bad decisions and that’s why the president chose the safety of this community over waiting for Governor Newsom to get some sanity,” she said.
Ahead of his departure for Camp David from New Jersey on Sunday, President Donald Trump was asked by ABC News’ Rachel Scott if he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act.
“Depends on whether or not there is an insurrection,” Trump replied.
Pressed on whether he believes there is an insurrection in California, Trump said, “No, no. But you have violent people, and we are not going to let them get away with it.”
White House border czar Tom Homan said Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could face charges if their response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations exceeds the legal boundaries.
“I’ll say about anybody: You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement from doing their job,” Homan told NBC News.
Noem said Trump was making the move to protect the impacted communities and law enforcement.
“So these 2,000 National Guard soldiers that are being engaged today are ones that are specifically trained for this type of crowd situation where they will be with the public and be able to provide safety around buildings and to those that are engaged in peaceful protests and also to our law enforcement officers so they can continue their daily work,” she said.
Reaction from lawmakers broke along party lines.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told ABC News’ “This Week” that Trump “did exactly what he needed to do.”
“These are federal laws and we have to maintain the rule of law. And that is not what is happening. [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom has shown an inability or unwillingness to do what is necessary there.”
“That is real leadership, and he has the authority and the responsibility to do it,” the speaker said, defending Trump’s decision.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., dismissed Newsom’s assertion the deploying the Guard would escalate tensions.
“Well, words are cheap, especially when you got video. And so you asked me did it look like it was under control, I’ll ask you: Did it look like it was under control? It doesn’t. It is absolutely not in control. You saw rioters throwing rocks, throwing fireworks. And being extremely aggressive towards not just federal agents, but even the county and the local PD that was there. So does it look like it’s under control? Absolutely not,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Democratic Rep. Nanette Barragán, who represents part of the area, said Trump’s action will make things worse.
“I’ve spoken to the sheriffs on the ground who have said they have things under control. There is no need for the National Guard. They have the manpower that they need,” she said. “So this is really just an escalation of the president coming into California. We haven’t asked for the help. “This is him escalating it, causing tensions to rise. It’s only going to make things worse.”
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Trump was “hellbent on inflaming” the situation.
“Individual governors look at their states and make decisions, but in this case the president time and time again has shown this willingness to, one, violate the laws, as we’ve seen across the country in many different situations outside of the immigration context, and, two, inflame situations,” Klobuchar told “Face the Nation.”
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin to send top negotiator to Washington as US anger grows over peace deal talks
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin to send top negotiator to Washington as US anger grows over peace deal talks. Washington officials have acknowledged that Putin is resisting attempts to strike a ceasefire, and discussed what economic or diplomatic punishments could push Russia closer to a deal. Half of the US Senate has united to propose sanctions on Russia if it refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky says that a minerals deal that Ukraine and the US are negotiating doesn’t mention his country’s Nato membership in the future. Officials from the Trump administration are now urging their European allies to keep buying American-made arms – just weeks after Donald Trump asked the EU to take responsibility for its own defence and security. It comes after Mr Trump’s explosive reveal that he was “p***** off” with Putin and would look to unleash oil tariffs on RussiaIf they did not take peace talks seriously. It also comes a few days after a source in the presidential office told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine is “not tying” the minerals deal to Nato.
Vladimir Putin is set to send his top negotiator to Washington in a bid to win back the favour of Donald Trump, who is reportedly angry at the Russian autocrat.
Washington officials have acknowledged that Putin is resisting attempts to strike a ceasefire, and discussed what economic or diplomatic punishments could push Russia closer to a deal, the sources said.
It comes following Mr Trump’s explosive reveal that he was “p***** off” with Putin and would look to unleash oil tariffs on Russia if they did not take peace talks seriously.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s Kyiv-born and US-educated envoy, will meet with Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff this week, Reuters reported.
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Responding to the reports on X, Mr Dmitriev said: “The resistance to US–Russia dialogue is real—driven by entrenched interests and old narratives. But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?”
On Tuesday, two senior Washington sources told Reuters that a peace deal does not seem imminent, despite US efforts.
Meanwhile, half of the US Senate – including 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats – has united to propose sanctions on Russia if it refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with Ukraine.
Key Points
Russia violating ceasefire – Ukraine hands dossier of evidence to US
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih that killed 4
Putin envoy to visit Washington for Witkoff meeting
Who is Putin’s negotiator and what will he discuss?
Russia violating ceasefire – Ukraine hands dossier of evidence to US
23:31 , Barney Davis
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Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Ihor Brusylo, spoke on national television to say they have handed evidence to the US about Russia violating a
“The energy ceasefire… which Ukraine and the United States agreed upon, was violated by the Russian side. All the necessary information was transferred to the American side. I think the reaction will not be long in coming, because even American partners who were diplomatically disposed towards the possibility of ensuring such a ceasefire are running out of patience,” he said.
According to the official, all evidence confirms that Russia is not interested in a ceasefire or in bringing the war to an end.
“I hope international partners will not delay anything, and more resolute measures will still be taken against the aggressor state, which pursues its insidious policy despite the agreements reached during the negotiations,” Brusylo stressed.
Zelensky says Ukraine’s Nato membership never included in minerals deal
23:01 , Alex Croft
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Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a minerals deal that Ukraine and the US are negotiating doesn’t mention his country’s Nato membership in the future.
“As for this agreement and the Nato question, there is no mention of Nato in this agreement, and there never was,” Mr Zelensky said, confirming earlier reports.
“A decision (regarding the deal) will be made in the coming days.”
His remarks come a few days after a source in the presidential office told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine is “not tying” the minerals deal to Nato.
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih that killed 4
22:26 , Barney Davis
(via REUTERS)
(via REUTERS)
(EPA)
Trump now objects to European push to buy weapons locally
22:00 , Alex Croft
Officials from the Trump administration are now urging their European allies to keep buying American-made arms – just weeks after Donald Trump asked the EU to take responsibility for its own defence and security.
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Five US sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the US has made outreach to its EU allies amid recent moves by the European Union to limit US manufacturers’ participation in weapons tenders.
According to two of the sources, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said any exclusion of US companies from European tenders would be seen negatively by Washington, which those two sources interpreted as a reference to the proposed EU rules.
One northern European diplomat, who was not part of the Baltic meeting, said they had also been recently told by US officials that any exclusion from EU weapons procurements would be seen as inappropriate.
Shortly after taking office, Mr Trump urged European allies to spend more on defence and take greater responsibility for their own security, and suggesting that his commitment to Nato is not absolute.
President Donald Trump is reportedly “p***** off” with Putin (AP)
Watch: Trump ‘p***** off’ at Putin over disparaging Zelensky comments
21:01 , Alex Croft
Two arrested in Russian plot to blow up Lviv police station
20:29 , Alex Croft
Two people have been arrested after allegedly plotting to blow up a police station in the western city of Lviv on Russian instructions, Ukrainian authorities said.
The suspects were carrying out the “instructions of a Russian representative in exchange for a monetary reward”, Ukrainian prosecutors said on Telegram.
They “arrived in Lviv and retrieved explosives hidden in a bag at specific coordinates”, authorities said. “The defendants were set to plant the concealed explosives in an administrative building at a Lviv police station as part of their prearranged plan.”
One of the perpetrators was a 22-year-old woman and resident of Kyiv who had been looking to ear “easy money” through Telegram channels.
After recruitment by Russian intelligence she was tasked with a “test” assignment, posting Russian propaganda leaflets around Kyiv, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Trump must see through Putin’s stalling tactics over Ukraine ceasefire, Germany says
20:00 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump must not be misled by Vladimir Putin’s “stalling tactics” to delay peace in Ukraine, outgoing German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said during a visit to Kyiv.
“At the upcoming meeting of Nato foreign ministers, we will make it clear to the American side that we should not engage with Putin’s stalling tactics,” the 44-year-old Greens leader said in a statement released after her arrival in the Ukrainian capital.
Mr Putin is “feigning readiness to negotiate but is not moving one millimetre from his position”, she added.
Only international pressure can stop Putin’s terror – Zelensky
19:35 , Barney Davis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian terror can only be stopped with pressure from international partners after a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih killed four civilians.
“A targeted Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih. All necessary services are on site, working to mitigate the consequences of the shelling and to help people. Some people are wounded, and they are receiving medical assistance. As of now, it is known that, tragically, four lives were claimed by this strike, all of them civilians. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” he said on Telegram.
Zelensky stressed that everywhere in the world, such strikes are called by the same name – terror.
“What separates us all from at least a complete and unconditional cessation of strikes is the lack of Russia’s consent to end the war, and only the world’s pressure can ensure such consent,” Zelensky said.
(Telegram)
Mapped: Russia advance slows in Donetsk as Ukraine launches counterattacks
19:31 , Alex Croft
Watch ‘key’ fighter pilot shoot down drones
19:20 , Barney Davis
Nighttime combat in the skies: Fighter pilot with call sign Denfix took down two Shaheds.
Denfix, a MiG-29 pilot, intercepts russian cruise missiles and attack drones. With over 20 aerial kills, he’s a key player in Ukraine’s air defense. Watch him in action. pic.twitter.com/J6lOviTwkW — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 2, 2025
‘Russia wants to continue fighting’ – Putin biographer
19:00 , Alex Croft
Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer who specializes in Russia’s war strategy, told Fox New that Putin’s goal with his latest conscription drive is to prolong the war.
“There’s no ceasefire and no peace plan between Russia and Ukraine to be had,” said Koffler, the author of a best-selling book ” Putin’s Playbook .”
“What President Trump seeks is regretfully, unachievable. Putin’s goal is to keep fighting, in order to compel Ukraine to capitulate.
“Now that Germany and France are considering to deploy reassurance forces into Ukraine, Putin is factoring in those numbers, so he is increasing his force’s posture, to deter such a deployment or failing to prevent it by force.”
(AP)
Russia has initiated its largest military draft in 14 years ahead of possible spring offensive
18:29 , Alex Croft
Putin has called up 160,000 men as part of the country’s bi-annual conscription drive as Russia seeks to beef up its military ranks.
According to the legislation, citizens aged 18 to 30 will be called up for mandatory military service through June 15.
The spring draft marks the largest conscription campaign since spring 2011, when 200,000 men were called up for service. Last year, 150,000 men were called, following 134,500 in 2022.
Ukrainian secret service arrest two alleged spies
18:26 , Barney Davis
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) say they have detained a man and a woman acting as spies for Russia on suspicion of attempting to carry out a bombing on a local police station office.
The SBU reported that the device, disguised as a fire extinguisher, was taken from a hidden cache based on coordinates provided by Russian handlers from the GRU.
According to SBU, a 22-year-old woman from Kyiv, was recruited via Telegram looking for “easy money” and initially tasked with distributing Russian propaganda leaflets in the Ukrainian capital.
After completing her first “test” assignment, she was allegedly told to travel to Lviv to carry out the attack. She also recruited an acquaintance to assist her in blowing up the administrative building of the local district police department, said the SBU.
Security services say the attackers also planned to install a hidden camera to broadcast the explosion’s impact to their Russian handlers.
The SBU said it “exposed both agents in advance, documented their crimes, and detained them ‘red-handed’ as they approached the police unit with explosives.”
Both suspects have been charged with high treason under martial law, a crime punishable by life imprisonment with property confiscation.
(Telegram/SBU)
Fighting increases despite ceasefire talks
17:58 , Alex Croft
Despite negotiations for a ceasefire, March saw a sharp increase in combat clashes along the frontline.
The number of clashes rose from 3,274 in February to 4,270 in March, bringing the total for 2025 to 12,631 so far, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Russian forces have also significantly escalated their use of guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian positions.
In March, approximately 4,800 such munitions were deployed, an increase from 3,370 in February.
Four dead after Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih
17:53 , Barney Davis
The death toll from a Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih has risen to four, with three others injured.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council, reported the attack on Telegram.
“Rescue operations are ongoing. A massive fire has broken out,” Vilkul wrote.
“Unfortunately, as of now, the death toll has risen to four,” Vilkul updated on Telegram.
A support center for affected residents will be set up in front of a store near the World War II military equipment monument.
Earlier reports indicated that Russia had targeted one of the city’s industrial facilities with a ballistic missile.
News analysis | Trump’s ‘anger’ at Putin over Ukraine peace deal delay is just play acting
17:23 , Alex Croft
World affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Donald Trump is peeved. His officials are starting to spin that his plans for almost instant peace in Ukraine may take a lot longer, while Vladimir Putin’s business envoy heads for the White House, supposedly to make amends.
Yet what it truly reveals is that the 47th president continues to be played by the Kremlin.
Trump has unleashed a trade war, expressed colonial designs on two Nato members, scrambled Ukraine’s defensive war plans, shown public contempt for Europe and set about the pillars of American democracy with a sledgehammer.
Trump has shown a remarkable ability to interpret Moscow’s deepest desires and to deliver on them.
That the US president is now saying he is “pissed off” with Putin and is considering – considering – increasing tariffs and sanctions on Russia, is play acting.
Trump’s ‘anger’ at Putin over Ukraine peace deal delay is just play acting
Russia and Ukraine trade accusations of energy facility attacks
16:49 , Alex Croft
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of launching new attacks against each other’s energy facilities on Wednesday, in violation of a US-brokered halt on such strikes.
Both sides said they were providing details of the alleged violations to the US, which persuaded Moscow and Kyiv to agree to the limited truce last month as a potential stepping stone towards a full ceasefire.
Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine had conducted drone and shelling attacks in the western Kursk region that cut off power to over 1,500 households.
In the Russian-held part of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, the state gas company said that a Ukraine drone strike on a gas distribution station had left more than 11,000 customers around the town of Svatove with limited access to gas.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a Russian drone hit an energy substation in Sumy region and artillery fire damaged a power line in Dnipropetrovsk, cutting off electricity to nearly 4,000 consumers.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is impatient with both sides to move faster towards ending the three-year war.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Kharkiv injured three children (EPA)
Russian missile fired at ‘civilian infrastructure’: city official
16:43 , Steffie Banatvala
A Russian missile attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday killed at least three people, local officials reported.
The head of the city military administration said Russia has fired a ballistic missile at a “civilian infrastructure facility”.
In pictures: Putin meets regional chief in Moscow
16:17 , Alex Croft
Russian president Vladimir Putin meets with Head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexei Tsydenov at the Kremlin in Moscow (AP)
Putin is set to send an envoy to Washington for talks with the Trump administration (AP)
Russian missile kills three in Kryvyi Rih
15:53 , Alex Croft
Three people have been killed after a Russian missile hit an enterprise in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, the regional governor said.
At least one person was injured, he added on Telegram, while the attack sparked fire.
‘Russia’s position holding up ceasefire’ – Zelensky
15:46 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had been sharing information with the United States. He posted on X on Tuesday: “We have shared all information regarding Russia’s violations in the energy sector — there were strikes, and today again in Kherson, a Russian drone targeted an energy facility and equipment — deliberately and purposefully.
“Part of the city was left without electricity. We insist that every such violation must be documented and receive a response from our partners. It is precisely these small details that add up to Russia’s major delays in the diplomatic process.
“The unconditional cessation of strikes proposed by the United States is not being implemented solely because of Russia’s position.”
Nato countries pledge more than £16 billion military support to Ukraine since start of 2025
15:16 , Alex Croft
Nato countries allies have pledged more than 20 billion euros (£16.73 billion) in military support for Ukraine in the first three months of the year, secretary-general Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.
Foreign ministers from the alliance meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to discuss further support for Ukraine against Russia’s three-year-old invasion.
All you need to know so far on Wednesday
14:54 , Alex Croft
If you’re just joining us now, here’s everything you need to know so far on Wednesday:
Senior Russian official Kirill Dmitriev is set to visit Washington this week, where he will likely discuss peace in Ukraine, the return of US companies to Russia, rare earths, energy prices, prisoner swaps and other topics with Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Kremlin did not confirm the visit but said it was “possible”, adding that contacts between Moscow and Washington are continuing.
Russia killed one person and injured at least 10, including three children, in an overnight drone attack on Ukraine. Around 74 drones were launched including 14 at the northeastern Kharkiv region, where most of the injuries were recorded. 41 drones were shot down.
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of damaging energy facilities in the Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, cutting power to 4,000 people. Both countries had agreed to a halt on energy infrastructure strikes – but they have both accused each other of breaching this deal.
Russia shot down 93 Ukrainian drones, 87 of which were destroyed over the Kursk region, Moscow said. Dozens of people were evacuated from an apartment building in the Russian city of Kursk after it was hit by falling drone debris, the regional governor said.
Donald Trump’s pick to become America’s most senior military officer has emphasised the importance of military support for Ukraine. During his senate confirmation hearing, Lieutenant General Dan Caines said US assistance “improves Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table and deters Russia from further aggression”.
Elsewhere in the senate, 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats – making up half of the senate – banded together to propose sanctions on Russia which would be imposed if it refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with Ukraine.
Two people were arrested in an alleged Russian plot to blow up a police station in Lviv. The suspects had been offered money to carry out the act.
Trump must see through Putin’s stalling tactics over Ukraine ceasefire, Germany says
14:31 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump must not be misled by Vladimir Putin’s “stalling tactics” to delay peace in Ukraine, outgoing German minister Annalena Baerbock said during a visit to Kyiv.
The US president showed the first signs of frustration with his Russian counterpart over the weekend, telling NBC News he was “p***** off” and “very angry” with Putin over the failure to reach an agreement with a ceasefire – before threatening to unleash oil tariffs on Moscow.
Paying a final visit to Kyiv as Germany’s foreign minister – before a new government takes office with CDU leader Friedrich Merz at the helm – Ms Baerbock said she would raise the issue with US secretary of state Marco Rubio during a meeting of Nato foreign ministers this week.
“At the upcoming meeting of NATO foreign ministers, we will make it clear to the American side that we should not engage with Putin’s stalling tactics,” the 44-year-old Greens leader said in a statement released after her arrival in the Ukrainian capital.
Read the full report:
Trump must see through Putin’s stalling tactics over Ukraine ceasefire, Germany says
Corruption officers expose $18million embezzlement scheme in Ukraine’s defence ministry
14:13 , Alex Croft
Anti-corruption officers in Ukraine have exposed a $17.8 million embezzlement scheme in the defence ministry, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has said.
The funds were embezzled during food procurement for the Armed Forces between 2022 and 2023, and have led to charges being brought against a former head of department within the Ministry of Defence.
Food supplies for the army were arranged through pre-assembled “food kits” taken from a selection of 409 items – but only 10 per cent of those products were regularly ordered, NABU said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Other items such as spices and berries, were very rarely due to their seasonal nature.
“This system allowed suppliers to manipulate prices – artificially inflating the cost of high-demand products while lowering prices for unpopular or seasonal products (such as cherries or apricots in winter).
“At first glance, there were no violations, as the total price of the kit remained unchanged. However, potatoes, supplied in thousands of tonnes, cost a fortune, while seasonal berries and fruits, which were rarely ordered, were priced at mere pennies.”
Ukraine $10billion short in funding needed for recovery efforts – PM
13:46 , Alex Croft
Ukraine is has come up $10 billion short in what is needed for recovery efforts in 2025, Kyiv’s prime minister Denuys Shmyhal said on Wednesday.
Kyiv needs $39.3 billion in international support this year and its partners have confirmed their commitment to covering this amount, Mr Shmyhal said.
But so far the overall shortfall is nearly $10 billion, he said after the 13th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ukraine Donor Platform.
“This year, we consider the key areas of joint work of the Ukraine Donor Platform to be budget support, sustainable financing for infrastructure, housing and energy recovery, as well as economic development and investment attraction on the path to the EU,” he said.
In pictures: Zelensky visits wounded troops in Dnipro
13:40 , Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky met with Ukrainian troops at a hospital in Dnipro on Wednesday (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)
The Ukrainian president said earlier on Wednesday that the international community must place “new and tangible pressure” on Moscow to force it to end the war (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)
Ukrainian records 176 clashes with Russian troops, 64 near Pokrovsk
13:26 , Alex Croft
The Ukrainian military recorded 176 clashes with Russian forces over the past day, 64 of which took place on the eastern Pokrovsk front.
Vladimir Putin’s forces have been steadily advancing near Pokrovsk, a strategic Ukrainian town which serves as a supply hub for other areas of the frontline. Russia has aimed to cut supply lines to and from Pokrovsk to other Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Clashes were also recorded on the fronts in Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Lyman, Toretsk, Kursk and others.
The grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine has seen Russia send large masses of troops charging towards stretched Ukrainian defences, claiming incremental territorial gains at the cost of large manpower losses.
Watch: Sam Kiley visits Kherson where Ukrainian civilians are being targeted by Russian drones in near-daily attacks
13:12 , Alex Croft
Dozens of people evacuated from Kursk building struck by drone debris, official says
12:59 , Alex Croft
Dozens of people were evacuated from an apartment building in the Russian city of Kursk following a Ukrainian drone attack, a regional official said on Wednesday.
“As a result of the attack of enemy drones on Kursk, there is damage to an apartment building in the city centre,” the acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, said on Telegram.
At least 60 people were evacuated from the building which was hit with drone debris, he said. “Fortunately, there are no casualties.”
Ukraine has not yet commented on the attack, the size of which remains unclear.
In pictures: Abandoned town in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine
12:44 , Alex Croft
The ruined and abandoned town of Maryinka (Mariinka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)
The abandoned town was home to more than 9,000 people in 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)
The city was largely destroyed during the Russian invasion, and has been abandoned since November 2022. It was reported as fully captured by Russian forces in 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)
Comment | Putin has been playing Trump like a cheap violin
12:29 , Alex Croft
Such is the Trump Tower-sized self-conceit of Donald J Trump that for weeks – if not months – he could not see what virtually the whole of the rest of the world could: Vladimir Putin was playing him like a cheap violin.
Trump, seemingly mesmerised by the Russian leader, gave his friend everything he wanted: dominance in Ukraine, aside from a carve-out for US mineral interests; a Russian zone of influence in Europe; the abandonment of Nato and other allies. All of that in return for the Russians scaling back their nuclear arsenal and giving the Americans a free run at acquiring Greenland and Canada (even if they are not Russia’s to give away and won’t ever happen).
That looked to be the kind of grand bargain Trump was looking for, but Putin overplayed his hand.
Associate editor Sean O’Grady writes:
Putin has been playing Trump like a cheap violin
US Senators push for sanctions on Russia if peace efforts delayed
12:00 , Alex Croft
Half of the US Senate, including 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats, banded together to introduce prospective sanctions on Russia which would be imposed if it refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with Ukraine.
Led by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, the group said it would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not engage in talks or initiated another attempt to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“The sanctions against Russia require tariffs on countries who purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products. They are hard hitting for a reason,” the two senators said in a statement, a rare moment of bipartisanship in a divided Congress.
“The dominating view in the United States Senate is that Russia is the aggressor, and that this horrific war and Putin’s aggression must end now and be deterred in the future,” they said.
Ukraine marks three years since Russian forces pushed out of Kyiv region
11:51 , Alex Croft
Three years ago, the Defense Forces drove the enemy out of Kyiv region. The russians attempted to swiftly capture the capital but shattered their ambitions against the resilience of the Ukrainian soldiers and the unity of Ukrainian society.
At the same time, with the liberation… pic.twitter.com/0vQ21xjIRG — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 2, 2025
Watch: Ukraine’s firefighters battle blaze after Russian drone strike in Kharkiv
11:45 , Alex Croft
Trump’s pick for top US general stresses need to arm Ukraine
11:32 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump’s nominee to become America’s most senior military general has voiced his support for military assistance to Ukraine to “deter Russia from further aggression”.
Retired Lieutenant General Dan Caine is Mr Trump’s pick to become the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff – the highest-ranking officer in the US armed forces and the main military advisor to the president.
Speaking at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lt Gen Caine said US military assistance “improves Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table and deters Russia from further aggression”.
“From a military standpoint, Ukraine has the right to self-defense, and from that standpoint our security assistance helps Ukraine to defend itself,” he said according to the published transcript of his confirmation hearing.
But Washington should “focus on what unique capabilities only the US can provide” while Europe “increases its share of support”.
Lt Gen Caine believes Moscow will “continue to prosecute the war in 2025” because it “likely views the conflict is in its favour”.
Lt Gen Caine faced the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing on Monday (Getty Images)
Who is Putin’s negotiator and what will he discuss?
11:11 , Alex Croft
Kirill Dmitriev, the 49-year-old chief of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, is reportedly set to visit Washington to meet Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff.
But who is Kyiv-born Mr Dmitriev, and why is he being sent by Moscow on what would be Russia’s first diplomatic visit to the US since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022?
Mr Dmitriev, who holds regular meetings with Vladimir Putin, was appointed in February as Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation.
Born in Kyiv in Soviet Ukraine, the envoy went on to study at Stanford University in California before being awarded an MBA with distinction at Harvard.
He speaks fluent English, worked at Goldman Sachs in New York alongside McKinsey & Company, before returning to Moscow where he worked in an US-Russian investment management company.
Kirill Dmitriev was present for previous Russia-US talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (REUTERS)
He has built strong relations with key members of the Trump team, having played a role in early Russia-US contacts when Mr Trump first took power in 2016. Mr Dmitriev also met US special envoy Steve Witkoff when he visited Moscow in March.
Having flattered Mr Trump, he may be seen as the perfect fit for a Washington visit. “Trump (is) driving tectonic shifts in geopolitics. False malign paradigms (are) collapsing, giving way to common sense and values-driven solutions,” Mr Dmitriev said.
Moscow has likely tasked him with discussing the return of US companies to Russia, rare earths, energy prices, prisoner swaps and peace in Ukraine, among other topics.
Mr Dmitriev was sanctioned by the US as a “a known Putin ally”, but has not been sanctioned by the European Union. According to CNN, Washington has temporarily lifted the sanctions for the visit.
Visit to Washington by Putin envoy is ‘possible’, says Kremlin
10:56 , Alex Croft
A US visit by Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev is “possible”, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Contacts between Moscow and Washington are continuing, a Kremlin spokesperson added.
Reuters reported that Dmitriev is expected in Washington this week for talks with Donald Trump’s administration.
Watch: Trump warns Zelensky of ‘big problems’ after accusing him of minerals deal u-turn
10:49 , Alex Croft
Two arrested in Russian plot to blow up Lviv police station
10:29 , Alex Croft
Two people have been arrested after allegedly plotting to blow up a police station in the western city of Lviv on Russian instructions, Ukrainian authorities said.
The suspects were carrying out the “instructions of a Russian representative in exchange for a monetary reward”, Ukrainian prosecutors said on Telegram.
They “arrived in Lviv and retrieved explosives hidden in a bag at specific coordinates”, authorities said. “The defendants were set to plant the concealed explosives in an administrative building at a Lviv police station as part of their prearranged plan.”
One of the perpetrators was a 22-year-old woman and resident of Kyiv who had been looking to ear “easy money” through Telegram channels.
After recruitment by Russian intelligence she was tasked with a “test” assignment, posting Russian propaganda leaflets around Kyiv, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Black Sea ceasefire: Why crucial Ukraine-Russia deal may never work despite concessions made to Putin
10:15 , Alex Croft
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop attacking ships in the Black Sea after intense negotiations with the US in Saudi Arabia.
It is not the full ceasefire Donald Trump is continuing to push for three years into Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, but the move is seen as progress by the White House.
A US delegation held separate talks with counterparts from Russia and Ukraine over three days into Tuesday.
The talks with Kyiv came on either side of a marathon 12-hour discussion with Kremlin representatives on Monday, which was described by a Russian official as “challenging” but “useful”.
Rachel Clun reports:
Black Sea ceasefire: Why crucial deal may never work despite concessions to Putin
More pictures from Russian drone attack on Kharkiv
10:03 , Alex Croft
At least eight people were injured, including three children, according to the State Emergency Service (EPA)
Volodymyr Zelensky said around 14 drones were fired at Kharkiv, of the 74 fired by Russia in total (EPA)
Ukrainian experts inspect a drone engine at the site of a shock drone strike in Kharkiv (EPA)
Mapped: Russia advance slows in Donetsk as Ukraine launches counterattacks
09:48 , Alex Croft
Action must be taken against Russia now, says Zelensky
09:35 , Alex Croft
More from Volodymyr Zelensky, who called for a global response following Russia’s overnight drone attack.
In a direct message to Western allies, Mr Zelensky says “new and tangible pressure” is needed on Moscow to bring the war to an end.
The US and European countries must not wait until April 11, when it will be a month since Russia rejected the US ceasefire proposal, he added.
“This systematic and constant nature of Russian strikes clearly indicates that Moscow despises the diplomatic efforts of partners,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X. “Putin does not even want to ensure a partial ceasefire.
“We should not wait until April 11, when it will be a month since Russia said ‘no’ to the American proposal for a ceasefire. Action must be taken as soon as possible.”
Kyiv is ready to work with partners from the US and Europe to achieve a “dignified and lasting peace”, he added.
Last night, the Russian army continued using attack drones against Ukraine. A total of 74 drones were launched, including 54 Shaheds. Kharkiv was deliberately targeted – at least 14 drones. Unfortunately, there were hits. There are wounded, including three children. All are… pic.twitter.com/PUk5tSlHMN — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 2, 2025
Three children injured in overnight Russian attacks – Zelensky
09:22 , Alex Croft
Three children were injured during the 74-drone attack on Ukraine by Russian forces, Volodymyr Zelensky added in his X post.
Kharkiv was the most heavily targeted area in the attack, facing at least 14 drones. The attack involved 54 Iran-made Shahed drones in total, the Ukrainian president added.
All the wounded are receiving the “necessary assistance” he said.
Russian attacks damage multiple energy facilities – Zelensky
09:16 , Alex Croft
Russian attacks damaged multiple energy facilities in Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.
Facilities in the Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions were damaged, with electricity cut to nearly 4,000 consumers, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
A drone hit a substation in the northeastern Sumy region andn artillery fire damaged a power line in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, he said.
Kyiv and Moscow had agreed with the US to a pause on energy infrastructure attacks, but both side has accused the other of violating this truce.
Russia also launched a drone attack in Kharkiv (AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian records 176 clashes with Russian troops, 64 near Pokrovsk
08:49 , Alex Croft
The Ukrainian military recorded 176 clashes with Russian forces over the past day, 64 of which took place on the eastern Pokrovsk front.
Vladimir Putin’s forces have been steadily advancing near Pokrovsk, a strategic Ukrainian town which serves as a supply hub for other areas of the frontline. Russia has aimed to cut supply lines to and from Pokrovsk to other Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Clashes were also recorded on the fronts in Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Lyman, Toretsk, Kursk and others.
The grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine has seen Russia send large masses of troops charging towards stretched Ukrainian defences, claiming incremental territorial gains at the cost of large manpower losses.
ICYMI: Moscow can’t accept US peace proposals in current form – Russian diplomat
08:26 , Alex Croft
Moscow cannot accept the current US proposals on ending the war in Ukraine, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday, as Washington expresses the first signs of anger over Vladimir Putin’s stalling of a peace settlement.
Russia is giving serious consideration to the proposals but Washington must take into account what the Kremlin regards as the root causes of the conflict, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said according to state media.
“We take the models and solutions proposed by the Americans very seriously, but we can’t accept it all in its current form,” he said.
“As far as we can see, there is no place in them today for our main demand, namely to solve the problems related to the root causes of this conflict,” he told Russia’s International Affairs magazine.
“It is completely absent, and that must be overcome,” he was quoted as saying.
Recap: Why is Trump ‘very angry’ with Putin?
08:20 , Alex Croft
After weeks of working with Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal in Ukraine, Donald Trump has now said he is “p***** off” with the Russian leader.
In and NBC interview, the US president said he was “very angry” with Putin for attacking Volodymyr Zelensky’s governence.
“You could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when… Putin started getting into Zelensky’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right location,” Trump told NBC.
Last week, the Russian president said Ukraine should be put under external UN governance as part of the ceasefire process.
His suggestion that Zelensky’s leadership was illegitimate was met with condemnation from leaders around the world.
“New leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time,” Trump added in his interview with NBC.
It is the first time Trump has appeared to express real anger towards Moscow since taking office in January (AFP/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)
Putin envoy responds to reports of Washington visit
08:14 , Alex Croft
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s international cooperation envoy, has responded to reports that he is set to visit Washington this week.
“Maybe. The resistance to US–Russia dialogue is real—driven by entrenched interests and old narratives,” he wrote on X.
“But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?”
He later posted a poll, asking his followers: “Are good U.S.–Russia relations good for the world?”
Maybe.
The resistance to US–Russia dialogue is real—driven by entrenched interests and old narratives.
But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace 🕊️?#Geopolitics #USRussia #Peace #GlobalSecurity https://t.co/U3ungjB21Z — Kirill A. Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) April 1, 2025
Putin envoy to visit Washington for Witkoff meeting
08:03 , Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin’s envoy for international cooperation is reportedly set to visit Washington this week for a meeting with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.
In what would be the first visit by a Russian official to Washington since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow’s presidential envoy for international cooperation Kirill Dmitriev will meet with Mr Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, two sources told Reuters.
A close advisor to Putin, Dmitriev has been involved in recent US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia amid warming relations between Washington and Moscow.
He worked with Mr Witkoff to secure the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, who was arrested in Russia for trying to enter the country with a small amount of medical cannabis.
Ukraine war frontline latest: Putin’s forces launch more than 200 drones in latest aerial assault
Three years on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, deadly attacks and drone strikes continue on a daily basis. More than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the beginning of the war, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. A recent US diplomatic blitz on the war has sent Kyiv and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal that won’t be favourable to them. North Korea appears to have sent additional troops to Russia, after its soldiers deployed on the Russian-Ukraine fronts suffered heavy casualties. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said in a brief statement it was trying to determine exactly how many more troops had been provided. The NIS also assessed that North Korean troops were redeployed at fronts in Russia’s Kursk region in the first week of February, following a reported temporary withdrawal from the area. Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 107 out of 208 drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 97 drones had been “lost” and did not reach their targets.
Three years on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, deadly attacks and drone strikes continue on a daily basis.
More than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the beginning of the war, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, and tens of thousands more injured.
A recent US diplomatic blitz on the war has sent Kyiv and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal that won’t be favourable to them.
With Ukraine left on the outside looking in, the war-torn country’s citizens continue to deal with the reality of a war that is very much still ongoing.
Follow updates from the frontline in Ukraine below:
Friday 28 February
Drones shot down by Ukraine
Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 107 out of 208 drones launched by Russia overnight. They said another 97 drones had been “lost” and did not reach their targets, likely due to electronic warfare countermeasures.
It did not specify what happened to the remaining four drones.
Deaths in Russian-occupied Kherson
Russia’s state news agency RIA reported that three civilians, including a woman and child, were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on an ambulance in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region.
They claimed the incident occurred in the village of Mala Leptykha, near the frontline between Russia and Ukraine controlled parts of the region.
Thursday 27 February
North Korea provides more soldiers for Putin
open image in gallery North Korea has sent more than 12,000 troops to help Russia previously ( Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service )
South Korea’s spy agency has said that North Korea appears to have sent additional troops to Russia, after its soldiers deployed on the Russian-Ukraine fronts suffered heavy casualties. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said in a brief statement it was trying to determine exactly how many more troops had been provided.
The NIS also assessed that North Korean troops were redeployed at fronts in Russia’s Kursk region in the first week of February, following a reported temporary withdrawal from the area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an address on February 7, confirmed a new Ukrainian offensive in Kursk and said North Korean troops were fighting alongside Russian forces there. North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia, and last autumn it sent about 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia as well, according to US, South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials.
Another drone attack and recaptured settlement
The Ukrainian military said it shot down 90 out of 166 drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 72 drones were “lost”, the military said, likely referencing its electronic warfare countermeasures.
Russian forces have recaptured the settlement of Nikolsky in the country’s western Kursk region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday, though this has not been independently verified.
Wednesday 26 February
An overnight Russian drone attack on the Kyiv region killed one person, injured at least two and set several houses on fire, Mykola Kalashnyk, governor of the region that surrounds the Ukrainian capital, said on Wednesday.
The body of a civilian was found in a residential house that caught fire as a result of the attack, Kalashnyk wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
“My condolences to the family and loved ones,” he said.
open image in gallery ( EPA )
The Emergency Service of Ukraine said that two people, born in 2005 and 1981, were injured in the Russian attack on the Bucha district of the Kyiv region and were receiving medical assistance. The emergency service posted several photos and video on Telegram of firefighters battling flames at night in what appeared to be residential buildings and garages.
Throughout the night, witnesses said they heard blasts in and around Kyiv and what sounded like air defence systems in operation.
Ukraine’s air defences shot down 110 of 177 drones launched in the latest assault, the air force said. Sixty six other drones were “lost”, which means Ukraine was able to redirect them.
Tuesday 25 February
Russian attack kills one and injures 14 in eastern Ukrainian town
A Russian attack on the town of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s east on Tuesday killed one and injured at least 14, including four children, Ukrainian national police said.
Russian fire hit a residential district, damaging 17 houses, the police added on the Telegram app.
Kramatorsk, part of the Donetsk region, is about 17 kilometres from the active combat line and remains a constant target of Russian military attacks.
Poland scrambles aircraft after Russia launches strikes on Ukraine
NATO member Poland scrambled aircraft early on Tuesday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
“The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the regions bordering the areas at risk,” the Command said on X.
Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Sumy were reportedly among the Russian targets.
All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts starting at around 0350 GMT after Ukraine’s Air Force warned of Russian missile attacks.
Ukraine says it shot down six missiles and 133 drones launched by Russia
The Ukrainian military said Russia launched an attack using seven missiles and 213 drones overnight.
Kyiv’s air force shot down six missiles and 133 drones, the military said. Another 79 drones did not reach their targets, likely due to electronic warfare.
Russian air attack on Ukraine injures four in Kyiv region
A Russian attack wounded four people and damaged residential buildings across Ukraine overnight, local officials said on Tuesday.
Mykola Kalashnyk, governor of the region that surrounds the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, said one woman was injured in the attack which also damaged 12 private residences.
“She received wounds to her leg, she has been hospitalised,” Kalashnyk said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
Two more people were injured in the northeastern region of Sumy and one woman was hospitalised after the attack on the central region of Zhytmoyr.
open image in gallery Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike on Sunday ( REUTERS )
All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts starting at around 3.50am after the country’s air force warned of a Russian missile attack that also forced NATO-member neighbouring Poland to scramble aircraft to ensure air safety.
The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear. There was no comment from Russia.
Both sides deny targeting civilians in their attacks in the war, which Russia launched three years ago on its smaller neighbour and has since killed thousands, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
Monday 24 February
Russian forces capture another settlement in eastern Ukraine, RIA reports
Russian forces captured the settlement of Topoli in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, the RIA state news agency reported on Monday, citing the Russian defence ministry. Reuters has been unable to verify the report.
Sunday 23 February
Russia captures two more villages in Ukraine
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that its forces had taken control of the villages of Ulakly and Novoandriivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Saturday 22 February
Russian forces capture another village in eastern Ukraine, RIA reports
Russian forces have captured the village of Novolyubivka in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region, the RIA state news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Russian defence ministry.
The defence ministry said Russian forces had hit Ukrainian military airfields, drone storage sites and ammunition and fuel storage facilities, Russian state agencies reported.
Friday 21 February
Russia claims it has taken control of two more east Ukrainian villages
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Friday that its forces had taken control of the villages of Nadiivka and Novosilka, both of which are in the southern part of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Thursday 20 February
Russia claims to be advancing in all directions
Russian forces have taken back more than 309sq miles of territory from Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia, or about 64 per cent of the total taken by Ukraine since an incursion began last year, a top Russian general said.
Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi, head of the General Staff’s main operational directorate, told the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper that Russia was advancing in all directions and Ukraine had been pushed into a defensive stance since February 2024 amid a major Russian offensive that took back considerable territory.
Rudskoi said Russia now controlled 75 per cent of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions and more than 99 per cent of the Luhansk region.
He said the four regions are now legally part of Russia and will never be returned to Ukraine.
open image in gallery Servicemen of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system toward Russian troops ( via REUTERS )
“Last year was a turning point in achieving our goals. The Kyiv regime will no longer be able to significantly change the situation on the battlefield,” Rudskoi said.
“The enemy has largely lost the ability to produce the necessary weapons, equipment and ammunition. Mobilisation is usually forced.”
Rudskoi said the future of the conflict no longer depended on Ukraine but on whether or not the West would agree to craft a new European security architecture which took into account Russia’s interests.
Wednesday 19 February
Russian attack on Odesa injures four, leaves residents in freezing cold
Russia launched a barrage of drones on Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa, hitting energy infrastructure and leaving at least 160,000 people without heating in sub-zero temperatures, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.
The drone attack injured four people, including a child, and caused widespread power cuts, interrupting heating supplies to about 500 apartment buildings, 13 schools, a kindergarten, and several hospitals, officials said.
The temperature in the Black Sea port is currently about -6C.
“Rescue operations are underway in Odesa after another Russian attack on the energy infrastructure,” Zelensky said.
“It is civilian energy facilities against which the Russian army has not spared neither missiles nor attack drones for almost three years.”
The Ukrainian military said that Russia launched 167 drones during overnight attacks on the southern Odesa region and other regions across the country. Air defence units and mobile drone hunting groups shot down 106 of them, the military said.
Tuesday 18 February
Russia claims control of Yampolivka
Russian forces took control of the settlement of Yampolivka in eastern Ukraine, the RIA state news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Defence Ministry.
Large Russian drone attack injures civilians in central Ukraine, official says
A Russian overnight drone attack on the city of Dolynska in central Ukraine injured a mother and her two children and forced the evacuation of people from 38 flats after their apartment building was damaged, a regional official said on Tuesday.
“A difficult night for the Kirovohrad region,” Andriy Raikovych, governor of the Kirovohrad region said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. “An enemy drone hit a high-rise building in Dolynska.”
The mother and one of the children were hospitalised, Raikovych added. He posted photos of flames bursting out of windows of a high-storey apartment building.
Both Moscow and Kyiv deny targeting civilians in their attacks in the war, that Russia started with its full-scale invasion on Ukraine nearly three years ago. But thousands of civilians have died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
The attack took place as top Russian and U.S. officials are meeting in Saudi Arabia for talks – without the participation of Kyiv or its European allies – on how to end the war in Ukraine.
Energy Terror: Russian Missiles Strike Ukraine, Fighters Scrambled in Poland
Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s energy and gas infrastructure overnight, using missiles and drones. In response, Poland scrambled fighter jets and placed its air defenses on high alert. The assault began on the evening of March 6 and continued into the early hours of March 7, with Russia deploying Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea and launching drone strikes. Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko condemned the attack on Facebook, stating: “Russia continues its energy terror.” He urged Ukrainians to follow official updates, as the situation in the energy system remains unstable. The situation is developing, and updates may follow on the @Kyivpost_official Facebook page and Twitter account. Follow our coverage of the war on the@Kyiv Post_official page and on Twitter at @KievPost. The @Kyivanpost Twitter account and the @kievpost Facebook page have been updated to reflect the latest developments in the Ukraine conflict.
The assault began on the evening of March 6 and continued into the early hours of March 7, with Russia deploying Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea and launching drone strikes.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
Moscow also sent Tu-95MS strategic bombers into the air—aircraft it has frequently used in previous large-scale attacks on Ukraine.
Energy infrastructure under fire
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko condemned the attack on Facebook, stating:
“Russia continues its energy terror. Once again, energy and gas infrastructure in multiple regions of Ukraine has come under massive missile and drone fire.”
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He added that emergency workers and energy crews were actively responding to the damage, taking all necessary steps to stabilize power and gas supplies.
“Russia is trying to harm ordinary Ukrainians by targeting energy and gas production facilities. Their goal remains the same—to leave us without light and heat, inflicting maximum suffering on civilians,” Galushchenko wrote.
He urged Ukrainians to follow official updates, as the situation in the energy system remains unstable.
Poland launches alert fighters
In response to the missile attacks, Poland scrambled its alert fighters and put air defenses on high alert, according to the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command on X.
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Due to “intensive activity” by Russian aircraft, Polish and allied forces executed contingency plans and set up defensive combat air patrols (CAPs) in Polish airspace. Fighter warplanes on alert status were launched to fly the CAPs, and ground-based air defense and early warning radar systems were placed on high alert.
“The measures taken are aimed at ensuring security in areas bordering the threat zones,” the statement read.
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Kharkiv hit, casualties reported
During the assault, Russian forces struck an industrial facility in Kharkiv, resulting in at least seven casualties, according to the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov on Telegram.
He confirmed that the strike targeted civilian infrastructure.
Rescue workers pulled a woman from the rubble, and medical personnel are currently assessing her condition. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing.
“There is a fire at the site of the impact. An apartment building nearby was also damaged, and all residents are being evacuated,” Terekhov reported.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the strike occurred near residential buildings.
“Seven victims are currently known. Preliminary reports suggest the enemy used a ballistic missile,” officials stated.
Gas supply infrastructure targeted in the Ternopil and Poltava regions
In Ternopil, a critical industrial facility was hit during the mass missile barrage, regional governor Vyacheslav Negoda reported.
“As a result of the night attack, there are missile strikes on a critical industrial facility. Gas supply restrictions may be implemented,” he wrote on Telegram.
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He added that air defense units shot down a Russian missile, preventing further damage. No casualties were reported, and emergency services are working to address the aftermath.
In Poltava’s Myrhorodsky district, Russian attacks damaged a gas pipeline and multiple homes, causing injuries.
“Fragments of an enemy target fell on a private residential building. Unfortunately, two people – including a child – were injured. They have been hospitalized and are receiving medical care,” the Poltava Regional Military Administration (OVA) stated.
Two residential homes and a domestic gas pipeline sustained damage. Authorities are still determining the number of affected households.
Drone attack on the Odesa region
Odesa was also hit by Russian drone strikes on the evening of March 6, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa OVA.
“Three private residential houses are on fire in the suburbs of Odesa, and there is also damage to the energy infrastructure,” Kiper wrote.
The situation is developing, and updates may follow