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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks with Ukraine, even as both warring countries traded long-range drone attacks.

Speaking to reporters in Minsk, during a visit to Belarus, Putin said Russian and Ukrainian officials are discussing the timing of a potential new meeting.

The Russian leader said that the terms of a potential ceasefire, which the Kremlin has so far effectively rejected, are expected to be on the agenda.

The war shows no signs of abating, as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on settling.

Ukraine wants the next step in peace talks to be a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said.

However, the suggestion appears likely to be a non-starter, given Putin’s recent comments. The Russian leader has said a summit meeting should take place only after the main provisions of a peace deal have been agreed, something that could take months or years.

Putin has also repeated his claim that Zelenskyy lost his legitimacy after his presidential term expired last year—an allegation rejected by Kyiv and its allies.

Russia and Ukraine trade long-range drone attacks

Meanwhile, Russian forces launched 363 Shahed and decoy drones as well as eight missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Friday, claiming that air defences stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine.

Visitors watch damaged Russian drones during the International Conference on Expanding Sanctions Against Russia in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukats Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry

Ukrainian drones have pulled off some stunning feats. At the start of June, nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged in a covert Ukrainian operation using cheaply made drones sneaked into Russian territory.

According to the Ukrainian air force, around 359 incoming drones were either intercepted or electronically jammed.

Ukraine halts Russian advance in Sumy

On Thursday, Ukraine’s top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed Ukrainian forces halted Russia’s recent advance into the northeastern Sumy region and stabilised the front line near the Russian border.

General Syrskyi said the successful defence in the Sumy region has prevented Russia from redeploying around 50,000 troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades, to other parts of the front line.

Ukraine is employing new countermeasures against Russia’s escalation of combined missile and drone attacks, officials say. Instead of relying on ground-based mobile teams to shoot down Shaheds, Ukraine is deploying interceptor drones it has developed.

Moscow has not yet commented on his claim. Before this, Russian forces had made slow, costly advances along parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, shelling the Sumy region with several attacks that killed civilians and destroyed buildings.

Ukrainian authorities say their outnumbered forces relied heavily on drones to hold back Russian troops, just as US-led international efforts to broker a ceasefire went on.

Those months-long talks have failed, with the only tangible result being the agreement to carry out a series of prisoner-of-war exchanges.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine exchanged more long-range drone attacks that have become a staple of the more than three-year war, officials said Friday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul.

Russian and Ukrainian officials are discussing the timing of a potential new meeting, Putin said. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Belarus, he said that the terms of a potential ceasefire, which the Kremlin has so far effectively rejected, are expected to be on the agenda.

The war shows no signs of abating as U.S.-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement.

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Ukraine wants the next step in peace talks to be a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

A non-started suggestion

Given Putin’s recent comments, it’s unclear how this will pan out. The Russian leader has said a summit meeting should take place only after the main provisions of a peace deal have been agreed, and that could take months or years.

Putin has also repeated his claim that Zelenskyy lost his legitimacy after his presidential term expired last year — an allegation rejected by Kyiv and its allies.

Meanwhile, Russian forces launched 363 Shahed and decoy drones as well as eight missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Friday, claiming that air defenses stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles.

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Russia’s Defense Ministry said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s General Staff said later on Friday that four military aircraft stationed at the Marinovka airfield in the Volgograd region had been destroyed during a mission involving Special Forces and Ukrainian intelligence overnight.

“Four enemy aircraft, namely Su-34s, and a technical and operational unit, where various combat aircraft are serviced and repaired, were destroyed,” according to a preliminary assessment posted online.

The AP couldn’t independently verify the claim. Russian officials did not immediately comment, nor did they mention the Marinovka airfield in public statements about the overnight drone attack on the region.

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Volgograd Gov. Andrei Bocharov, however, on Friday morning listed the region’s Kalanchyovsky district where Marinovka is located among three areas targeted by Ukrainian drones.

Bocharov said that traffic on the bridge over the Don River in the Kalachyovsky district was temporarily restricted, but didn’t offer any other details.

Drones are ubiquitous in the war

Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry.

Ukrainian drones have pulled off some stunning feats. At the start of June, nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged in a covert Ukrainian operation using cheaply made drones sneaked into Russian territory.

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The Ukrainian air force said that 359 incoming drones were either intercepted or electronically jammed.

Ukraine is employing new countermeasures against Russia’s escalation of combined missile and drone attacks, officials say. Instead of relying on ground-based mobile teams to shoot down Shaheds, Ukraine is deploying interceptor drones it has developed.

The Ukrainian attack forced three Russian airports to briefly suspend flights, officials said. The authorities also briefly closed the Crimean Bridge overnight as drones targeted Crimea.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine reported any major damage or casualties in the attacks.

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Russia manufactures Shahed drones based on an original Iranian model, churning out thousands of them at a plant in the Tatarstan region. It has upgraded the Shaheds with its own innovations, including bigger warheads.

They are known as suicide drones because they nosedive into targets and explode on impact, like a missile. The incessant buzzing of the propeller-driven Shahed drones is unnerving for anyone under its flight path because no one on the ground knows exactly when or where the weapon will hit.

Being outgunned and outnumbered in the war against its bigger neighbor, Ukraine also has developed its own cutting-edge drone technology, including long-range sea drones, and has trained thousands of drone pilots.

Smaller, short-range drones are used by both sides on the battlefield and in areas close to the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

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Those drones, fitted with onboard cameras that give their operators a real-time view of possible targets, have also struck civilian areas.

The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said in a report published Thursday that short-range drone attacks killed at least 395 civilians and injured 2,635 between the start of the war and last April. Almost 90% of the attacks were by the Russian armed forces, it reported.

The strikes not only spread fear among civilians but also severely disrupt daily life by restricting movement and limiting access to food and medical services, the report said.

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Associated Press writer Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

The Kremlin on Monday declared a full ceasefire in Ukraine on May 8-10 as Russia celebrates the Victory Day over Nazi Germany.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a firefighter puts out a fire at ruined private houses following Russia’s air raid in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a firefighter puts out a fire at ruined private houses following Russia’s air raid in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II as the U.S. presses for a deal to end the 3-year-old war. Kyiv insisted on a longer and immediate truce.

The Kremlin said the truce, ordered on “humanitarian grounds,” will run from the start of May 8 and last through the end of May 10 to mark Moscow’s defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 — Russia’s biggest secular holiday.

Ukraine, which has previously agreed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal of a full 30-day ceasefire, dismissed Putin’s move as window dressing.

“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, according to the ministry. He emphasized that Kyiv is ready for a “lasting, reliable, and complete ceasefire” for at least 30 full days.

“Why wait for May 8? If we can cease fire now from any date and for 30 days — so that it is real, and not just for a parade,” he said without specifying whether Ukraine would be ready to accept the Moscow-proposed truce.

The Kremlin had urged Ukraine to follow suit.

“Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,” it said, warning that “in case of violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and efficient response.”

Putin previously announced a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire and Ukraine voiced readiness to reciprocate any genuine truce at the time, but it said Russian attacks continued. Moscow, in turn, accused Ukraine of failing to halt its attacks.

Russia and Ukraine had also earlier pledged to observe a 30-day halt on strikes on energy infrastructure that was brokered by the Trump administration, but they repeatedly accused each other of massive violations until the measure expired.

The truce attempts underlined the massive challenges for monitoring any possible halt to hostilities along the more than 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) line of contact.

Up until now, Putin had refused to accept a complete unconditional ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies to Ukraine and Ukraine’s mobilization effort.

The Kremlin reaffirmed that “the Russian side again declares its readiness for peace talks without preconditions aimed at removing the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and constructive cooperation with international partners.”

Ukrainians in Kyiv scoffed at Putin’s move.

“There is no trust in any of Putin’s proposals,” said Nazar Lutsenko, a lawyer. He added that “we absolutely want the war to end on terms that are favorable to us, on fair terms.”

A soldier with the 156th Brigade, who identified himself only by his first name, Kostiantyn, in keeping with military rules, dismissed the truce as “ridiculous,” adding that perhaps “there will not be such harsh shelling as there is every evening here, but fighting will be conducted in one way or another.”

Student Oleksandra Serpilova viewed the declaration as “another attempt to keep America engaged, to give Trump hope that some kind of negotiations are possible.”

Just before the ceasefire announcement, Ukraine and Russia targeted each other with long-range strikes.

Russia’s drone attack early Monday damaged an infrastructure facility in Cherkasy, central Ukraine, disrupting gas supplies to households in the city, Mayor Anatolii Bondarenko said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces downed 119 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over Russia’s Bryansk border region. In Ukraine, air raid sirens rang out across the country Monday morning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Rubio says this week is ‘very critical’

The outcome of a push by Trump’s administration to swiftly end the fighting, which has cost tens of thousands of lives, remains unclear, clouded by conflicting claims and doubts about how far each side might be willing to compromise amid deep hostility and mistrust.

The clock is ticking on Washington’s engagement in efforts to resolve Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that this week would be “very critical.” The U.S. needs to “make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

American military aid has been crucial for Ukraine’s war effort, and further help could be at risk if the Trump administration walks away from attempts to end the war.

Trump’s doubts about Putin’s intentions

Trump said over the weekend he harbors doubts about Putin’s sincerity in pursuing a deal, as Russian forces have continued to strike civilian areas of Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles while the talks have proceeded.

But on Friday, Trump described a brokered settlement on the war as “close.”

Western European officials have accused the Kremlin of dragging its feet on peace talks so that Russia’s larger forces, which have battlefield momentum, can seize more Ukrainian land.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the war in a phone call Sunday with Rubio, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. They focused on “consolidating the emerging prerequisites for starting negotiations,” the statement said, without elaborating.

Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions. Ukraine has accepted it, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.

A French diplomatic official said over the weekend that Trump, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed “to pursue in the coming days the work of convergence” to obtain “a solid ceasefire.”

The diplomat said a truce is a “prior condition for a peace negotiation that respects the interest of Ukraine and the Europeans.”

The official was not authorized to be publicly identified in accordance with French presidential policy.

Ukraine unwilling to give up land

Ukraine, meanwhile, has balked at surrendering land to Russia in return for peace, which Washington has indicated could be necessary.

A key point of leverage for Ukraine could be a deal with Washington that grants access to Ukraine’s critical mineral wealth.

Ukraine and the U.S. have made progress on a mineral agreement, with both sides agreeing that American aid provided so far to Kyiv will not be taken into account under the terms of the deal, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Sunday.

“We have good progress,” he said after talks with U.S. Treasury Under Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington.

“The main thing is that we clearly defined our red lines: The agreement must comply with Ukraine’s Constitution, legislation, and European commitments, and must be ratified by Parliament,” Shmyhal said.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022 has developed a significant international dimension, further complicating negotiations.

Putin on Monday thanked North Korea for sending what the U.S. estimates are thousands of troops to help defeat Ukraine, as well as allegedly supplying artillery ammunition.

Iran has also helped Russia in the war, with Shahed drones, and China has sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that Moscow can use to make weapons, Western officials say.

The U.S. and Europe have been Kyiv’s biggest backers.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin to send top negotiator to Washington as US anger grows over peace deal talks

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.