Czechia has sanctioned Belarusian journalist Natalia Sudliankova and ordered her to leave the country on April 3, following an investigation by intelligence that found she was working as an agent for Russia.

Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) has been accused of interference worldwide. In January, various media outlets reported that Russia’s GRU offered a $200,000 bounty to Afghan militants for every U.S. or coalition soldier killed.

“This is part of the hybrid war that Russia is waging against democratic countries and the values we share. It is documented that Russia orchestrated over 100 attempts at sabotage around Europe in the past year,” Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said on April 3.

Sudliankova reported to Russian GRU agent, Alexey Shavrov. He was sanctioned alongside Sudliankova on April 3, and the Czech authorities have called for the two to be included in EU sanctions.

“Natalia Sudliankova is a key collaborator of the Russian military intelligence service GRU and has been working covertly and systematically for several Russian organisations in the Czech Republic for many years,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Jipavsky said.

Czech intelligence found that Sudliankova, following Sharov’s orders, arranged for several articles to be published in the Czech media.

Sudliankova worked for the “Russian Fund for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad” and the “Immortal Regiment of Russia,” Czech intelligence has said.

She also acted in the interest of sanctioned Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov and the Russian state nuclear energy company, Rosatom.

“Her activities were directed from Moscow by Russian GRU intelligence officer Alexey Shavrov, and she was paid tens of thousands of euros in cryptocurrencies,” Jipavsky said.

Sudliankova has been ordered to leave Czechia and has 30 days to leave the country.

“It is precisely such cases that led us to propose and push through Parliament legislation on ‘unauthorized activity for a foreign power’… If that law were already in effect, we would not be talking about expulsion, but about criminal liability,” Rakusan said.

On Dec. 16, Russian ice hockey player Maxim Sergeyev was convicted by a Polish court on charges of espionage and sentenced to nearly three years in prison.

Every finding is a key: The mission to recover Ukraine’s fallen soldiers (Photos)

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images. War leaves behind more than ruins and destroyed cities — it carves an invisible mark in the form of the missing and the dead. One of the most painful and challenging aspects of war is the fate of fallen soldiers, whose bodies remain

The Kyiv IndependentViacheslav Ratynskyi

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched a drone attack against the city of Kharkiv late at night on April 3, killing at least two civilians and injuring at least 32 others, including children, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.

A Russian drone struck an apartment building in the city’s Novobavarskyi district, Terekhov reported. A large fire broke out at the site following the attack.

The attack killed two people and injured 32 others, including children, according to preliminary information. Three more people are reportedly trapped beneath the rubble.

A search and rescue operation is underway, Terekhov said.

Kharkiv Oblast, located near Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, is a frequent target of Russian aerial bombardments. Russia regularly launches large-scale missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks against densely populated civilian districts.

Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure amid a partial “ceasefire” that is supposed to preclude attacks on energy facilities. Kyiv has presented the U.S. with evidence that Russia has violated the energy ceasefire, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3.

Every finding is a key: The mission to recover Ukraine’s fallen soldiers (Photos)

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images. War leaves behind more than ruins and destroyed cities — it carves an invisible mark in the form of the missing and the dead. One of the most painful and challenging aspects of war is the fate of fallen soldiers, whose bodies remain

The Kyiv IndependentViacheslav Ratynskyi

The United States and Russia have made “significant progress” towards a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said on April 3 following talks with officials at the White House.

“Significant progress has been made on the ceasefire agreement in Ukraine,” Dmitriev reported, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

Dmitriev, who heads the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund, met with U.S. officials in Washington on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 2 and 3.

Dmitriev praised the administration under U.S. President Donald Trump for its constructive and respectful dialogue with Russia and said the two nations plan to restore and deepen their ties, including with further economic cooperation.

American businesses are prepared to return to Russia and fill the vacancies left after European companies withdrew in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dmitriev said.

“U.S. companies are ready to occupy the niches left by European companies that left the Russian Federation,” TASS reported.

The two countries are also discussing restoring direct flights.

Dmitriev did not disclose any details related to a potential ceasefire agreement, but said the Trump administration “is listening to the position of the Russian Federation” and will determine the date for the next round of negotiations “in the near future.”

How Trump’s tariffs will impact Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2 unleashed what he has dubbed “Liberation Day,” imposing tariffs on nearly every country in the world — including war-torn Ukraine. Kyiv got off lighter than most with only a 10% tariff on all Ukrainian goods, compared to 20% on the E.U., and

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Diplomatic means may be the only way to eventually return some Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a working visit to Chernihiv on April 3.

Russia now occupies about 20$ of Ukraine. Russian forces control parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, and have also occupied Crimea since the peninsula’s illegal annexation in 2014.

Ukraine will never recognize the occupied territories as Russian, Zelensky told a group of entrepreneurs in Chernihiv.

“These are Ukrainian territories … this is one of the main red lines for us, in any case, this is a temporary occupation of territories,” he said.

A just peace will be achieved when Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored, Zelensky said, but this may involve a lengthy diplomatic process.

“But if it is possible to find a compromise so that the return of these territories occurs over time through diplomatic means, I think that, probably, as far as some territories are concerned, this will be the only way,” he said.

Zelensky traveled to Chernihiv Oblast on April 3 for meetings with local government officials, business representatives, and residents. His visit marked the third anniversary of the liberation of the village of Yahidne from Russian occupation.

During the occupation, all 350 residents of Yahidne were held in the basement of the local school for nearly one month. There were about 80 children among the hostages, including infants. Ten villagers died due to the conditions of captivity, while another 17 were killed by Russian forces.

Over three million Ukrainians are estimated to live under Russian occupation. Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 20 issued a decree demanding that all Ukrainians living in the occupied regions submit to Russian law by Sept. 10 or face legal consequences.

U.S. officials have said that territorial concessions will be necessary to secure a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv has consistently maintained that it will not formally recognize Ukrainian territories as Russian as part of any peace deal.

Every finding is a key: The mission to recover Ukraine’s fallen soldiers (Photos)

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images. War leaves behind more than ruins and destroyed cities — it carves an invisible mark in the form of the missing and the dead. One of the most painful and challenging aspects of war is the fate of fallen soldiers, whose bodies remain

The Kyiv IndependentViacheslav Ratynskyi

A full ceasefire can end the hot phase of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine “in the coming weeks” if Western countries put sufficient pressure on Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a visit to Chernihiv on April 3.

Kyiv on March 11 said it was ready to begin a complete 30-day ceasefire, proposed by the U.S., as long as Russia accepted the same terms. Russia has so far refused, only agreeing to partial ceasefires in exchange for restored access to international markets.  

Russia and the U.S. are continuing to hold private talks on the possibility of an unconditional ceasefire, Zelensky told a group of entrepreneurs during a working visit to Chernihiv.

“Then in Saudi Arabia, you know, we agreed to an unconditional ceasefire,” he said.

“Russia has not agreed to it yet, we see that. Although we know that there are conversations between Americans and Russians on this topic. There are non-public conversations."

The U.S. and Europe need to work in concert to pressure Moscow into a full ceasefire as quickly as possible, Zelensky said.

“The issue now is putting pressure on the Russians to get there,” he said.

“I think it is possible to do this as soon as possible in the coming weeks, maybe months, or maybe in different ways: sometimes it happens at the same time. Especially with this phase of the end of the war. A full ceasefire is the right step and one that Ukraine has agreed to and supports."

Earlier in the day, Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev confirmed that he had arrived in Washington to hold talks with U.S. officials on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin between April 2 and 3. Dmitriev reportedly met with Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, at the White House on April 2.

The content of their discussions remains unclear.

Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. have agreed to a partial ceasefire covering energy infrastructure attacks and use of force in the Black Sea. Shortly after the agreement, Zelensky accused Russia of violating the terms by attacking infrastructure in Kherson.

Moscow denied the accusation and has also accused Kyiv of striking the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast — a claim that Kyiv dismissed as the Kremlin’s attempt to justify breaking the ceasefire terms.

Ukraine has provided the U.S. with evidence of Russian violations of the energy ceasefire, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3.

Ukraine war latest: Russia plans to increase grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 troops in 2025, Ukrainian official says

Key developments on April 3: * Russia plans to increase grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 troops in 2025, Ukrainian official says * US defense secretary to skip Ramstein summit for the first time, media reports * NATO assets may be used for peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, FT reports * ’Coalition…

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Key developments on April 3:

• Russia plans to increase grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 troops in 2025, Ukrainian official says
• US defense secretary to skip Ramstein summit for the first time, media reports
• NATO assets may be used for peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, FT reports
• ‘Coalition of the Willing’ agrees at least one European leader should engage with Russia, Stubb says
• Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine secures funding until September 2025, Czech FM says

The Russian military plans to increase its grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 soldiers in 2025, equivalent to around 15 motorized infantry divisions, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported.

“Their formation is ongoing. The Russians have no problems with recruiting personnel now. However, it should be understood that all these formations cannot be put into action at the same time,” Palisa said.

This buildup comes as Russia intensifies its pressure on the front line while engaging in ceasefire consultations. According to Palisa, Moscow is not interested in peace talks except in areas concerning maritime security, where a ceasefire is more relevant to Russian interests.

Ukraine had agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah on March 11, but Russia refused unless it included conditions restricting Ukraine’s military capabilities.

Instead, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached a partial ceasefire agreement protecting energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.

Since its implementation, both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating the energy truce. Moscow has also linked the start of the Black Sea agreement to Western sanctions relief.

‘Not what Ukraine needs’ — Black Sea ceasefire favors Russia more than Ukraine, say experts

While the White House celebrates a ceasefire in the Black Sea after a 12-hour meeting in Riyadh, in Ukraine, the enthusiasm is muted. The agreement is missing crucial securities that Ukraine urgently needs, including protecting its ports from Russian attacks as well as opening up the blockaded Myko…

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

On the battlefield, Russian forces continue advancing incrementally, attempting to break through specific sections of the front, Palisa said.

He acknowledged some Russian tactical successes but said Ukraine is counterattacking and making its own gains. “If they do this, they will continue to stall (peace talks) to get time,” he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 15 that Ukraine’s military consists of 880,000 soldiers, tasked with defending the entire country against 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in different areas.

Ukraine has faced manpower shortages, particularly in infantry units, as Russia ramped up its offensive in Donetsk Oblast in the summer of 2024.

The pace of Russia’s territorial gains has slowed in recent months. According to battlefield monitoring group DeepState, Russian forces captured only 133 square kilometers in March — their lowest monthly total since June 2024.

The slowdown has been attributed to winter conditions, effective Ukrainian drone strikes, and temporary exhaustion of Russian offensive potential.

Despite this, Russian troops continue their assault, particularly around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, where fighting intensified in late March.

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US defense secretary to skip Ramstein summit for the first time, media reports

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not take part in the Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's allies next week, Defense News magazine reported on April 2, citing undisclosed official sources.

This would make the April 11 summit in Brussels, co-chaired by the U.K. and Germany, the first instance when the Pentagon's chief will be absent since the format's founding in 2022.

Hegseth's predecessor, former U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, launched the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) after the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war to coordinate assistance among some 50 of Kyiv's allies.

A U.S. official source told Defense News that Hegseth is not expected to join even virtually and that the Pentagon is unlikely to send any senior representatives to the summit.

Since taking office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has begun scaling down U.S. presence in various international pro-Ukraine initiatives as he seeks to broker a ceasefire and a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

Hegseth attended the previous Ramstein summit on Feb. 12 but not as its chairman, a position held by Austin until then. His British counterpart, John Healey, presided over the summit instead.

At the previous Ramstein summit, Hegseth delivered a jarring speech to Ukraine's partners, calling the country's return to pre-2014 borders and accession to NATO "unrealistic" in a major turn from the Biden administration's rhetoric.

The comments signified the foreign policy pivot brought about by the Trump administration, which has yet to approve a single additional package of military aid to Ukraine.

Thus far, Trump has only allowed the continued flow of assistance approved by his predecessor, briefly pausing it last month to pressure Ukraine to the negotiating table.

The new U.S. leadership has also repeatedly urged Europe to boost its defense spending and increase the share of its assistance to Ukraine.

Putin issued a decree. Now, millions of Ukrainians face an impossible decision

As the U.S. tries to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree that appears to present Ukrainians living in occupied territories with a choice — submit to Russian law by Sept. 10 or face punishment. The decree, published by the Kremlin

The Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies

NATO assets may be used for peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, FT reports

NATO can play a key role in assisting the proposed European military mission to guarantee a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, the Financial Times (FT) reported on April 3, citing unnamed officials.

The proposal for an international peacekeeping force has gained traction recently as European nations prepare to take a more prominent role in Ukraine's defense amid the unpredictability of further American support.

NATO's command and control structures could be used to deploy a so-called "reassurance force" to Ukraine under one proposal being discussed in French-led talks with the U.K., five officials briefed on the plans and told the FT.

Under the proposal, the forces would also use the alliance's joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. According to officials, this proposal is one of many options under discussion and may be subject to change before a final agreement.

Proponents of the initiative also see NATO's involvement in indirectly engaging the U.S. and gaining Washington's support.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump refused to participate in any European-led mission directly, but U.S. military capabilities in Europe are integral to all NATO operations.

"If we are going to deploy assets from dozens of countries (to Ukraine), then NATO is really the only (command and control) option that we can use," said one of the officials.

On March 31, President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed plans to meet in Ukraine this week with military representatives from the "coalition of the willing." Thus far, the coalition has met in other European countries or virtually.

The coalition is a group of countries that have pledged peacekeeping troops and other security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential ceasefire.

The "Coalition of the Willing" has met repeatedly to determine security guarantees and a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. Leaders of 31 nations met in Paris on March 27 at a summit for the coalition.

Several countries, including France and the U.K., which lead the coalition, have pledged to send troops to enforce a potential ceasefire.

The U.S. has been holding separate meetings for ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, most recently meeting Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on March 25.

As Russian troops retake settlements in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine launches attack on adjacent Russian region

In late March, Ukrainian troops launched a raid into Russia’s Belgorod Oblast. The small-scale incursion into yet another Russian region may be Ukraine’s attempt to alleviate the pressure from the country’s troops still fighting in the adjacent Kursk Oblast, military experts say. Following Russia’…

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

'Coalition of the Willing' agrees at least one European leader should engage with Russia, Stubb says

The "Coalition of the Willing" has agreed that at least one European leader should engage in dialogue with Russia, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on April 3.

Stubb suggested that either France or the United Kingdom, as key coalition leaders, should initiate contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"In our discussion with the 'Coalition of the Willing' in Paris on Thursday (March 27), we recognized the reality that a European leader will have to reach out to Russia at some point," Stubb told reporters in Helsinki.

Currently, European leaders are not engaging in negotiations with Putin. Early in the full-scale war, French President Emmanuel Macron and later German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Putin, but those discussions yielded no results.

European leaders have also been excluded from recent U.S.-led ceasefire talks with Ukraine and Russia, including the latest meeting in Saudi Arabia on March 25.

The coalition, which consists of countries committed to providing security guarantees and potential peacekeeping forces for Ukraine, held a summit in Paris on March 27. France and the U.K., leading the coalition, have pledged to send troops to Ukraine to enforce a potential ceasefire.

Stubb also said on March 31 that Finland must prepare for the eventual restoration of relations with Russia. He told reporters that U.S. President Donald Trump asked him whether Putin could be trusted, to which he replied that he could not.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 1 that Putin was open to normalizing relations with Finland.

Finland, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, joined NATO in 2023 in response to Russia's full-scale invasion. The country shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia and has strengthened its defense ties with Western allies since the war began.

Every finding is a key: The mission to recover Ukraine’s fallen soldiers (Photos)

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images. War leaves behind more than ruins and destroyed cities — it carves an invisible mark in the form of the missing and the dead. One of the most painful and challenging aspects of war is the fate of fallen soldiers, whose bodies remain

The Kyiv IndependentViacheslav Ratynskyi

Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine secures funding until September 2025, Czech FM says

Czechia's initiative to provide Ukraine with artillery ammunition has secured funding to continue monthly deliveries until September 2025, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on April 3, Ukrainian publication European Pravda reported.

The initiative, backed by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other European countries, has significantly boosted Ukraine's artillery capabilities, Lipavsky claimed.

The minister said the effort had reduced the effectiveness of Russian artillery "by 500%" and improved the shell ratio from 1-to-10 in Russia's favor to 1-to-2.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim.

In 2024, the Czech initiative supplied Ukraine with 1.5 million rounds of ammunition, including 500,000 large-caliber 155mm and 152mm shells. The initiative was launched amid Ukrainian shell shortages, largely caused by delays in U.S. military aid in 2024.

Czechia's opposition party ANO has vowed to suspend the initiative if it wins the parliamentary elections in October 2025, opposition leader Karel Havlicek said in January.

"We're not going to continue the munitions initiative. Not at all," he told the Czech media Respekt.

Prague has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, supplying military aid, leading EU efforts to secure weapons, and hosting tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 22 that the country was also ready to contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

After numerous appeals went unheard by the higher command of the Ukrainian Army.

Source

Ukraine has provided the U.S. with evidence of Russian violations of the energy ceasefire, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported.

Palisa clarified that Ukraine had not provided Washington with a list of specific infrastructure targets that would constitute a ceasefire breach if attacked by Russia.

“Under no circumstances are the coordinates or complete lists of critical infrastructure facilities given to anyone,” he said.

Kyiv had agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah on March 11, but Russia refused unless it included conditions restricting Ukraine’s military capabilities, such as halting foreign military aid.

Instead, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached a partial ceasefire agreement covering energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.

Just two days later, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian forces of striking Kherson’s energy infrastructure, calling for a response from Washington.

Moscow denied the accusation, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisting that Russia had adhered to the agreement but “reserves the right” to abandon it if Ukraine violates the terms.

Russia has accused Ukraine of attacking the Sudzha gas metering station in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a claim that Kyiv dismissed as an attempt to justify further strikes.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on April 1 that Moscow had sent a list of alleged Ukrainian ceasefire violations to the U.S., the U.N., and OSCE.

His remarks followed Zelensky’s March 28 order instructing Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to provide the U.S. with proof of Russian ceasefire violations.

Washington has not yet publicly responded to the claims.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid since launching its full-scale invasion, while Ukraine has used long-range drones to strike Russian oil and gas facilities.

‘Coalition of the Willing’ agrees at least one European leader should engage with Russia, Stubb says

Finnish President Alexander Stubb suggested that either France or the United Kingdom, as key coalition leaders, should initiate contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images.

War leaves behind more than ruins and destroyed cities — it carves an invisible mark in the form of the missing and the dead. One of the most painful and challenging aspects of war is the fate of fallen soldiers, whose bodies remain on the battlefield, in trenches, on minefields, or in occupied territories.

According to Ukrainian officials, at least 55,000 people were considered missing as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war as of September 2024. At least 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukrainian photographer Viacheslav Ratynskyi joined Platsdarm (Bridgehead in Ukrainian) Organization for several missions to recover fallen soldiers in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts in October 2024 and January 2025.

Platsdarm is a group of volunteers founded by Oleksii Yukov in 2014, when Russia launched its initial invasion of Ukraine. Since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale war, Platsdarm has found the bodies of more than 3,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers. Platsdarm also recovers the bodies of Russian soldiers which are later exchanged by the Ukrainian government.

“This is a visual exploration of one of the war’s most taboo subjects — one that rarely makes headlines: the reality of death and how Ukrainians honor their fallen. My goal is to lift the veil on this hidden process and document the journey of the fallen — from the mine-laden forests to black body bags, from refrigerated trucks to forensic examination tables and DNA labs, and finally, to their eternal resting place in the soil,” Ratynskyi says.

Every mission begins at the place of death — whether on the active front line, where search teams work under relentless shelling, or former battlefields, where they painstakingly collect scattered remains from minefields. Every finding can be a crucial key to identification. These traces may be small — torn uniforms, dog tags, personal belongings, bones, teeth, or even DNA remnants that help establish a soldier’s identity.

Once remains are recovered, they are carefully packaged and transported to specialized laboratories for genetic analysis. The identification process is incredibly complex, as remains are often found in a severely deteriorated state — burned, damaged, or scattered. If the remains can be identified, they are returned to the soldier’s family, offering them a final chance to grieve and lay their loved one to rest.

This is one of the most agonizing moments, when families receive the opportunity to bury their relatives with dignity and honor them properly – and yet it also gives clarity and allows them to finally find a semblance of peace.

Alone: Photo project shows wives of fallen soldiers coping with loss, shattered dreams (Photos)

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have been killed by Russia’s war since 2022, leaving behind partners with shattered dreams of a shared future. As the full-scale Russian invasion nears its two-year mark, the number of fresh graves at cemeteries across Ukraine continues to grow, as does the number of…

The Kyiv IndependentIrynka Hromotska

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2 unleashed what he has dubbed “Liberation Day,” imposing tariffs on nearly every country in the world — including war-torn Ukraine.

Kyiv got off lighter than most with only a 10% tariff on all Ukrainian goods, compared to 20% on the E.U., and 54% on China.

Nonetheless, it follows a previous round of 25% tariffs in March that thrashed Ukraine’s metallurgy sector — the source of its main exports to the U.S.

Notably, the U.S. did not include Russia on its tariff list as the existing sanctions “preclude any meaningful trade,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said.

Ukrainian trade with the U.S. has dropped in recent years, with only $874 million of exports and $3.4 billion of American imports last year. But the knock-on effect could be a global trade war that hits Ukraine too, Oleksandra Myronenko from the Center for Economic Strategy (CES) in Kyiv, told the Kyiv Independent.

Trump claims the tariffs will strengthen the U.S. economy and lower prices for consumers by kickstarting American manufacturing, despite many economists saying the opposite.

He said the U.S. had been exploited for decades by both allies and adversaries, describing the nation as having been “looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered."

Ukraine has so far downplayed the ramifications of the tariffs. Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko called them “difficult, but not critical” for Ukraine’s economy.

The Kyiv Independent spoke with Myronenko to find out how Trump’s latest tariffs will impact Ukraine.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: What are the tariffs the U.S. has imposed on Ukraine?

Oleksandra Myronenko: The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on all Ukrainian goods, excluding goods that were already subject to tariffs, including steel, aluminum, and their products. For those it’s a 25% duty. For all other goods it’s 10%.

The Kyiv Independent: What Ukrainian sectors will be impacted the most by this, and what was Ukraine exporting to the U.S.?

Oleksandra Myronenko: Metals are the main export from Ukraine to the U.S. Exports totaled almost $363 million of pig iron and $113 million of steel pipes in 2024.

Ukraine also exports food and agricultural products. We can expect a slight decline in exports of agricultural products to the U.S., but its impact will not be very critical for Ukraine.

Overall, Ukrainian exports to the U.S. make up only 2% of Ukraine’s total exports.

The Kyiv Independent: How has trade with the U.S. changed from 2021 until now?

Oleksandra Myronenko: There is a slight decline in overall Ukrainian-U.S. trade especially in (Ukrainian) exports. Previously, the U.S. was in the top 10 of Ukrainian export-import partners, but in recent years it's declined.

For 2024, the U.S. ranked fifth for goods imported to Ukraine and sixteenth for goods exported.

The Kyiv Independent: How will these new tariffs impact Ukraine's economy?

Oleksandra Myronenko: The impact of imposing these tariffs on the Ukrainian economy will not be so critical, but our partners will be impacted more.

For countries in which these tariffs are bigger than Ukraine — like China and the European Union — it means their products will become less competitive, not only on the U.S. market, but also on the global market. The sales from these countries that export to the U.S. will drop.

The European Union is already saying it can also impose some tariffs on American goods. This could lead to a trade war and this will make the global economy less effective. Because of that, the Ukrainian economy will also be in decline.

The Kyiv Independent: How is Ukraine preparing for these tariffs?

Oleksandra Myronenko: The Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on Facebook that Ukraine will not respond by imposing tariffs. The Ukrainian government will support Ukrainian businesses that will be affected by these tariffs.

The main problem is that small businesses will be affected the most. The Economy Ministry plans to support them. I think it will provide financial support, maybe some credits or loans, and maybe some financial products.

The Kyiv Independent: How does this affect the trade relations between Ukraine and Europe

Oleksandra Myronenko: We supply iron ore and other metals to the European Union, and it carries out certain processing stages. It then exports these products to the U.S.

Since U.S duties on goods from the European Union are higher than on goods from Ukraine, the exports from the EU to the U.S. will also fall significantly. This can reduce the demand for Ukrainian exports to the European Union.

But I cannot say that our trade with the European Union will decrease. I think it will be more or less on the same level.

Why I’m leaving Trump’s America — historian Marci Shore

Amid the drama and turmoil created by Donald Trump’s second presidency, three Yale University professors last week announced they would be leaving the U.S. for Canada over concerns about the increasingly authoritarian direction their country is heading in. “I could feel the reign of terror spiralin…

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

The Russian military plans to increase its grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 soldiers in 2025, equivalent to around 15 motorized infantry divisions, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported.

“Their formation is ongoing. The Russians have no problems with recruiting personnel now. However, it should be understood that all these formations cannot be put into action at the same time,” Palisa said.

As of November 2024, nearly 580,000 Russian troops were fighting against Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence.

This buildup comes as Russia intensifies its pressure on the front line while engaging in ceasefire consultations. According to Palisa, Moscow is not interested in peace talks except in areas concerning maritime security, where a ceasefire is more relevant to Russian interests.

Ukraine had agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah on March 11, but Russia refused unless it included conditions restricting Ukraine’s military capabilities.

Instead, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached a partial ceasefire agreement protecting energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.

Since its implementation, both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating the energy truce. Moscow has also linked the start of the Black Sea agreement to Western sanctions relief.

‘Not what Ukraine needs’ — Black Sea ceasefire favors Russia more than Ukraine, say experts

While the White House celebrates a ceasefire in the Black Sea after a 12-hour meeting in Riyadh, in Ukraine, the enthusiasm is muted. The agreement is missing crucial securities that Ukraine urgently needs, including protecting its ports from Russian attacks as well as opening up the blockaded Myko…

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

On the battlefield, Russian forces continue advancing incrementally, attempting to break through specific sections of the front, Palisa said.

He acknowledged some Russian tactical successes but said Ukraine is counterattacking and making its own gains. “If they do this, they will continue to stall (peace talks) to get time,” he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 15 that Ukraine’s military consists of 880,000 soldiers, tasked with defending the entire country against 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in different areas.

Ukraine has faced manpower shortages, particularly in infantry units, as Russia ramped up its offensive in Donetsk Oblast since the summer of 2024.

The pace of Russia’s territorial gains has slowed in recent months. According to battlefield monitoring group DeepState, Russian forces captured only 133 square kilometers in March — their lowest monthly total since June 2024.

The slowdown has been attributed to winter conditions, effective Ukrainian drone strikes, and a temporary exhaustion of Russian offensive potential.

Despite this, Russian troops continue their assault, particularly around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, where fighting intensified in late March.

‘It’s a trap’ — Trump’s US minerals deal threatens Ukraine’s EU membership

The ongoing saga of the U.S.-Ukraine natural resources deal has already caused seismic ruptures between Kyiv and Washington, temporarily costing Ukraine American military support and crucial intelligence sharing. Yet in the quest to placate U.S. President Donald Trump, and secure his support in the…

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Amid the drama and turmoil created by Donald Trump’s second presidency, three Yale University professors last week announced they would be leaving the U.S. for Canada over concerns about the increasingly authoritarian direction their country is heading in.

“I could feel the reign of terror spiraling,” one of them, historian Marci Shore, told the Kyiv Independent on April 3, adding: “My impulse was to take my kids and get out of the situation that seemed very dark and very frightening to me."

Shore — along with her husband Timothy Snyder and colleague Jason Stanley — are leaving their posts at Yale University to teach at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.

All three have been vocal pro-Ukraine advocates, particularly throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, visiting the country multiple times between them and educating audiences in the U.S. with what they’ve learned.

The Kyiv Independent spoke to Shore to find out what made them take such a drastic decision, and if she believes she can continue to advocate for Ukraine, in the U.S., from Canada.

Editor’s note: The interview has been edited for language and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: Can you explain what made you come to this decision?

Marci Shore: It was a complex family decision. I’ve taught at Yale as a professor of history for almost 20 years now.

It’s been an incredible privilege to teach there. I’ve loved teaching there, but there are also a host of reasons why people might not spend their whole career at one institution. I’ve long been drawn to the University of Toronto and… I’m hoping, if anything, that our voices will be stronger there.

But that said, my impulse was to take my kids and get out of the situation that seemed very dark and very frightening to me.

The Kyiv Independent: Was there one event in particular that made you think “Right, this is it, we have to get out of here?”

Marci Shore: There were so many such events — I could feel the reign of terror spiraling.

There was an extraordinary sermon that Bishop Budde gave at the time of (Trump’s) inauguration, asking the president to have mercy on those who are vulnerable. And immediately afterward there were calls to do violence against this woman, including by a Republican member of Congress who said she should be deported. And you could just feel this purging impulse.

You could feel that we were about to spiral into a reign of terror. But the Oval Office meeting with Zelensky, for me personally, was one of the things that kind of pushed me over the edge. I've rarely been so viscerally angry looking at a screen.

You had Vance and Trump saying “You have to say thank you, you must say thank you, you haven't acknowledged your gratitude.” For me as a historian of totalitarianism, this is what the Stalinist secret police interrogators were saying to the people they were interrogating.

This is what the victims of the show trials were made to say — to thank their executioners as they were being led to their deaths.

This motif of domestic violence — that you must express your gratitude to the party, for you haven't expressed it — it was just repulsive.

And Trump saying “You’re not holding any cards,” and Zelensky saying “We’re not playing cards” — this was the profound moment that exposed that you're dealing with people for whom there are no first principles, you're just looking into this abyss of moral nihilism. Everything is a transaction, everything is a deal. Confronted with a man who actually feels responsible for the lives of millions of people, the humiliation of (Zelensky) was grotesque.

And Lindsey Graham then got on television immediately afterward and said “Donald Trump just gave us a master class in putting America first.” And I tweeted back at him and I said “Donald Trump just gave us a master class in moral nihilism, and Lindsey Graham just gave us a master class in selling one's soul to the devil.”

The Kyiv Independent: How bad do you think that it could potentially get in the U.S.?

Marci Shore: I think it could get very bad — I feel like the subtitle of the present moment could be “Vindication of the neurotic catastrophist.”

One of the things that has affected me most viscerally because I'm a professor are the guys in masks from (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), from wherever they are, coming and taking away foreign students on the street and throwing them in detention centers with no access to anything.

And as a professor what is very real to me are my students.

You come into the classroom, you're advising students. Your job is to protect those students. And if your priority is not to look out for your students, you have no business being in a classroom.

I was just recently back at Yale meeting with some of my advisees, undergraduates, and graduate students who I still work with and I will continue to work with for as long as they want to work with me. I've never abandoned any of my students anywhere. A couple of them are from Ukraine.

Yale is a big university. There's a high percentage of foreign students. And I'm an East Europeanist, so I probably have an even higher than average number of foreign students.

And I'm thinking “Okay, I'm sitting in the dining hall with them. I'm walking past the library. We're sitting in the coffee shop. What would I do if guys in balaclavas came and tried to drag somebody away? Would I try to pull them off? Would I be brave?”

I would like to think that I would be, although I'm a middle-aged woman who's not particularly strong, so I probably wouldn't have much of a chance. Would I try at least to pull the mask off? Would I scream?

Would I videotape something? Would I start crying? Would I get scared and run away?

I want to think I'd be brave, but I don't know, and that not knowing terrifies me.

The Kyiv Independent: Some people have described your announcement as a canary in the coal mine moment. Have you heard other academics or other people expressing the same kind of fears and desires to leave America?

Marci Shore: Yes, definitely. And it works both ways. I in no way feel morally superior to people who have made the courageous decision to stay.

I know a lot of people who would like to leave. I know a lot of people who feel a moral imperative to stay. I know a lot of people who are torn. I feel quite guilty about leaving because I do feel that America is going under.

And because I've been so personally and intimately involved — albeit from a distance and vicariously — with this gruesome war that the Russians are carrying out in Ukraine, I know how the Ukrainians feel about the Russian opposition, and I know how they feel about the people who resisted and lost.

I know how my Russian oppositionist friends felt when confronted with the full-scale invasion three years ago, and saying “Okay we have failed.”

And that failure is somehow unforgivable, and no matter how hard we fought, it wasn't enough. And I understand why Ukrainians are resentful, and I in no way feel morally superior to the Russian oppositionists to have fled.

I don't feel like I'm particularly courageous. I don't feel like I'm willing to go to prison. I don't feel like I would hold up particularly well in prison.

The Kyiv Independent: Are you concerned that by leaving the U.S., Ukraine is losing two voices within the country where they're possibly needed the most right now?

Marci Shore: That has not been my top concern because I don't actually anticipate being less effective from here than I would be there.

The thing that is crushing is feeling like I can no longer have any influence on what is going on in Washington because I'm an enemy of the current regime.

At least with the Democratic administration, I had the feeling that when I went to Washington or when I talked to people there — not that I'm such a terribly important person — but I did potentially have some kind of influence, that there were people in positions there that I could have conversations with who were open to listening to the experiences I had had in Ukraine, and to the experiences my friends and colleagues were having in Ukraine.

I no longer feel that that's true because those people are no longer in power in Washington, and people like myself are enemies of the people in power in Washington.

Putin issued a decree. Now, millions of Ukrainians face an impossible decision

As the U.S. tries to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree that appears to present Ukrainians living in occupied territories with a choice — submit to Russian law by Sept. 10 or face punishment. The decree, published by the Kremlin

The Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies

Ukraine has received 5,000 additional Starlink terminals from Poland to support critical infrastructure and maintain communications in front-line cities, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on April 3.

“Starlinks will help residents of the front-line territories to stay in touch: call relatives, call emergency services, read the news. Due to attacks and destruction of base stations in the de-occupied territories, regular communication is unavailable,” Fedorov wrote on Facebook.

Starlink, developed by SpaceX, is a satellite-based internet system that provides high-speed connectivity, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

According to Fedorov, Ukraine has received over 50,000 Starlink terminals since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 through cooperation between the Digital Transformation Ministry, international partners, and donors.

Poland has been the largest single supplier, providing around 29,500 terminals.

“We are grateful to the Deputy Prime Minister and Digitalization Minister of Poland Krzysztof Gawkowski and the Polish government for their contribution to Ukrainian sustainability,” Fedorov said.

Concerns over Ukraine’s continued access to Starlink have grown after Reuters reported in February that the U.S. threatened to cut the service unless Kyiv agreed to a critical minerals deal.

Tech billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk denied these claims, and on March 9, claimed that cutting Ukraine off from Starlink would cause the country’s entire front line to collapse.

The dispute escalated after a tense meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 28, which led to a temporary halt in U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing as Washington sought to push Kyiv toward peace talks with Moscow.

Amid growing uncertainty, Ukrainian officials have been exploring alternatives to Starlink. French satellite operator Eutelsat Communications is in talks with the EU to potentially replace the U.S.-based system in Ukraine.

‘Coalition of the Willing’ agrees at least one European leader should engage with Russia, Stubb says

Finnish President Alexander Stubb suggested that either France or the United Kingdom, as key coalition leaders, should initiate contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian oil and gas revenue fell by 17% year-on-year in March to 1.08 trillion rubles ($12.8 billion), as forced discounts on crude and a stronger ruble hit budget inflows, the Moscow Times reported on April 3, citing Russia’s Finance Ministry data.

The ministry said the government lost roughly 230 billion rubles ($2.7 billion) in tax income compared to March 2024, with oil and gas revenues accounting for one-third of the total state income.

Energy revenues remain a key source of financing for the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, despite Western sanctions and a price cap designed to limit Moscow’s earnings from oil exports.

For the second month in a row, Russia’s raw material rents dropped by nearly 20%, and for the first quarter of 2025, total oil and gas tax revenues fell by 10% compared to the same period last year.

The decline follows tougher U.S. sanctions imposed on Jan. 10 by former President Joe Biden, targeting Russian energy firms, oil tankers, and insurers involved in oil logistics.

Due to the move, Russian crude faced difficulties in international markets. China, one of Russia’s largest oil buyers, temporarily halted purchases of Russian ESPO crude as concerns over U.S. restrictions led to logistical and financial complications.

Russian oil traders have since been forced to offer significant discounts to attract buyers, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 11.

U.S. President Donald Trump also warned on March 31 that he could impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil exports unless Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to “make a deal” to end the war in Ukraine.

Although Trump has occasionally suggested additional punitive measures against Moscow, he has yet to take decisive action, while Russia shows no signs of halting its offensive.

Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine secures funding until September 2025, Czech FM says

The initiative, backed by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other European countries, has significantly boosted Ukraine’s artillery capabilities, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Czechia’s initiative to provide Ukraine with artillery ammunition has secured funding to continue monthly deliveries until September 2025, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on April 3, Ukrainian publication European Pravda reported.

The initiative, backed by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other European countries, has significantly boosted Ukraine’s artillery capabilities, Lipavsky claimed.

The minister said the effort had reduced the effectiveness of Russian artillery “by 500%” and improved the shell ratio from 1-to-10 in Russia’s favor to 1-to-2.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim.

In 2024, the Czech initiative supplied Ukraine with 1.5 million rounds of ammunition, including 500,000 large-caliber 155mm and 152mm shells. The initiative was launched amid Ukrainian shell shortages, largely caused by delays in U.S. military aid in 2024.

Czechia’s opposition party ANO has vowed to suspend the initiative if it wins the parliamentary elections in October 2025, opposition leader Karel Havlicek said in January.

“We’re not going to continue the munitions initiative. Not at all,” he told the Czech media Respekt.

Prague has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, supplying military aid, leading EU efforts to secure weapons, and hosting tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 22 that the country was also ready to contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

Denmark unveils new aid for Ukraine worth almost $1 billion

The Danish government approved the 25th package of military assistance to Ukraine, worth 6.7 billion Danish kroner ($970 million), which will support Ukraine from 2025 until 2027.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova