Western partners are not imposing any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine for use against Russian military targets, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 26.

“There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine – neither by the U.K., France, nor us. There are no restrictions by the U.S. either,” Merz said during a discussion forum organized by the WDR channel.

“This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia,” the chancellor added. “Until recently, it couldn’t do that, and apart from very few exceptions, it hadn’t done so either."

Ukraine has previously received long-range missiles from the U.S., the U.K., and France — including ATACMS, Storm Shadow, and SCALP — but was initially permitted to deploy them only against Russian military forces in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Only in late 2024, the U.S. Biden administration and the U.K. eased the restrictions, allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian military targets in border regions. U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized ex-President Joe Biden’s decision to ease the restrictions as he seeks to negotiate a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

Merz did not say explicitly whether he was referring to the decisions made by the U.S. Biden administration and partners in late 2024 or new, until now unannounced policies.

The German chancellor also stressed that while Ukraine is using its arms to target Russian military infrastructure, Russia continues to attack Ukrainian “cities, kindergartens, hospitals, and care homes."

Before becoming chancellor, Merz signaled he would overturn the ban of his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, on the delivery of Germany’s Taurus cruise missiles, capable of striking targets at a distance of 500 kilometers (300 miles). He has not confirmed whether he intends to deliver the missiles since taking office.

Russia launches record 355 drones at Ukraine; 6 killed, 24 injured over past 24 hours

Russia launched its third large-scale aerial and drone assault against Ukraine in three nights, killing at least six people and injuring 24 across multiple oblasts over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on May 26.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russia appears to be newly using Telegram messaging app bots to control its attack drones, ensuring real-time flight data and footage feed for human operators, the Economist reported on May 25, citing Ukrainian engineers.

The new control algorithm was revealed in a note hidden inside one of the Russian drones, possibly left behind by a “sympathetic Russian engineer,” the Economist wrote.

Russia has been ramping up its drone production to launch ever-greater strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The night of May 26 marked the most extensive drone attack of the full-scale war, reportedly involving 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.

The new control methods, relying on artificial intelligence and Ukraine’s own internet networks, present a challenge to Ukrainian defenses as they make Russian drones more resistant to GPS jamming, the Economist reported.

The latest Shahed models also appear to be using jet engines and Starlink satellite attachments, the Kyiv Independent reported earlier this month.

Speaking to the Economist, Ukrainian aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap cast doubt on Russia’s reported plans to launch 1,000 drones per day, but acknowledged that Moscow’s production capabilities will “increase significantly."

Russia has been deploying Iranian-made Shaheds and their domestically-produced copies, Gerans, to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses in massive swarm attacks, allowing more destructive ballistic and cruise missiles to slip through.

Moscow’s forces appear to be using already the sixth modification of the Shahed drones, using machine learning to strike their targets, according to the Economist. Nevertheless, Ukrainian air defenses are still capable of intercepting 95% of the drones Russia launches, a senior Ukrainian official told the outlet.

Ukraine’s sky shield is increasingly stretched thin as Western air defense supplies are running out. An undisclosed source told Le Monde that Ukraine has run out of ammunition for its two SAMP/T air defense batteries, while the Crotale short-range anti-aircraft systems have not received new missiles for a year and a half.

It remains unclear how many U.S.-designed Patriot interceptors, which are key in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, are left in Ukraine’s stockpiles, as the Trump administration is yet to approve any new military aid packages.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this month that the U.S. is working with NATO partners to locate additional Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine.

In an April 13 interview with CBS News, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to buy 10 U.S.-made Patriot systems for $15 billion. Despite Kyiv’s appeals, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the request, accusing Zelensky of “always looking to purchase missiles” and falsely blaming Ukraine for provoking the war.

How Russia’s Shahed drones are getting more deadly — and what Ukraine is doing about it

Editor’s note: Due to the security protocols of the unit featured in this story, the Ukrainian soldiers are identified by first name only. Russia’s air strikes on Ukraine have become far more deadly in recent months. Part of the uptick is due to limited air defense to bring

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on May 25 he wants President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the NATO summit in The Hague next month, Dutch daily NRC reported.

Italy’s ANSA news agency reported earlier this month that the United States opposed Zelensky’s participation, citing unnamed diplomatic sources. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the claims.

“We are looking at how we can get a place in the program for Zelensky and other Ukrainians,” Brekelmans said during an appearance on the Dutch television program WNL op Zondag, according to NRC.

“As far as the Netherlands is concerned, Zelensky is welcome at every meeting."

While it remains unclear whether Zelensky would be allowed to address the full plenary session with all 32 NATO allies, Brekelmans did not rule out alternative formats.

“It can also be in another form. Whether that will be in a session with (U.S. President Donald) Trump, I don’t know,” he added.

At the previous NATO summit in Washington in 2024, Zelensky was a prominent presence, engaging directly with allied leaders. This year, the tone appears more cautious as NATO members weigh how to handle Ukraine’s future in the alliance amid renewed questions about U.S. commitment.

Trump has claimed that Ukraine provoked the war by pursuing NATO membership, a narrative often used by Russian propaganda to justify its 2022 full-scale invasion.

The June 24-25 summit in The Hague will be the first one led by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. According to NATO officials who spoke with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rutte will need to navigate a delicate political landscape and manage Trump’s expectations.

NATO allies are also likely to announce a new collective commitment to boost defense expenditures to 5% of GDP – a dramatic leap from the current 2% target. Of that, 3.5% would go to weapons and artillery, with 1.5% allocated for cybersecurity and military infrastructure, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

To minimize internal disagreements, the summit has reportedly been shortened from three days to two. Discussions are expected to focus on defense spending and strengthening the defense industrial base.

Notably, this year’s communique may omit direct mention of both Russia and Ukraine — a contrast to past summits where Ukraine dominated the agenda. One NATO official told RFE/RL that referencing Ukraine at all could open the door to internal disputes and a watered-down message.

In 2024, the Alliance adopted the Ukraine Compact, a long-term security framework signed by all 32 NATO members. The compact, which was built upon the 2023 G7 declaration in Vilnius, outlines commitments to train Ukrainian forces, provide military and economic aid, and respond collectively in the event of renewed Russian aggression.

‘Putin remains confident in Russia’s ultimate victory in Ukraine,’ US intelligence reports

According to a recent report from the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin remains “committed to victory in Ukraine, and his objectives remain mostly unchanged since the beginning of the war: Ukrainian neutrality and a further partition of the Ukrainian state.”

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

Russia is not winning the war in Ukraine, European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said in an interview with LRT broadcaster published on May 26, stressing Europe must stop relying on the United States to ensure that remains the case.  

In the interview, Kubilius said the EU must be ready to defend Ukraine and itself with or without Washington’s backing.

While U.S. support has been vital, Kubilius said that the EU’s long-term security depends on its own strategic and industrial strength, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled he may walk away from peace efforts unless progress is made.

“450 million Europeans should not be begging 340 million Americans to protect Europe from 140 million Russians who cannot take on 38 million Ukrainians,” Kubilius said.

Kubilius said Europe has matched the U.S. in aid to Ukraine — around 60 billion euros ($68 billion) over the last three years, including the U.K. and Norway — yet still hesitates to take full ownership of the war’s outcome.

Recent findings from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy also reported that total assistance — military and civilian — allocated by Europe to Ukraine since 2022 actually exceeds that of the U.S. by 23 billion euros ($26 billion).

“The annual support is about 20 billion euros ($23 billion) each. Twenty billion on the European side and 20 billion on the American side is less than 0.1% of GDP for both,” Kubilius noted. “We are spending 3% or 3.5% on our own defense, and we are spending less than 0.1% on the defense of Ukraine."

Europe must prepare for a world in which U.S. involvement in its defense wanes, Kubilius argued. While he emphasized the importance of avoiding a “chaotic divorce” with Washington, he said the EU must develop a clear and independent defense policy.  

“It is far worse to be unprepared or to go into an angry and chaotic divorce with the Americans,” he said. “It is better for us to come up with a clear plan of what we want from the Americans over the next decade, avoid chaos, than to be constantly begging them to stay and be completely unprepared and then face a full-scale crisis.”

Kubilius said this included developing the EU’s own defense industry.

“Up to now, when Europeans were buying weapons, only 20% of their purchases were coming from European industry, while over 65% were coming from the U.S.,” Kubilius noted.

Asked whether the EU has a plan if the U.S. withdraws support for Ukraine, Kubilius said Europe is not helpless. According to him, a 150-billion-euro ($170 billion) EU loan facility could provide new channels to strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities and defense sector — if member states are willing to act.  

“Yes, Ukraine needs support. Yes, that support can come from the European Union together with America. Without America, too, we need to think about how we are going to do it,” he said. “There is no other way.”

As ceasefire talks stall and U.S. diplomatic efforts show little progress — including Trump’s recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which yielded no commitment to a truce — Ukraine has renewed its calls for more European aid, particularly in air defense.

Russia can attack Europe 2-4 years after war’s end, faster with lifted sanctions, Ukrainian intel chief warns

“If the sanctions are lifted, the rearmament process will proceed much faster,” Ukrainian foreign intelligence (SZRU) chief Oleh Ivashchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Russia will be able to restore its combat capabilities and launch an aggression against Europe between two and four years after hostilities in Ukraine end, Ukrainian foreign intelligence (SZRU) chief Oleh Ivashchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform published on May 26.

“If the sanctions are lifted, the rearmament process will proceed much faster,” Ivashchenko said in the interview, adding that Kyiv has shared its estimates with European partners.

Western officials have previously shared similar time estimates, underscoring the growing threat of an open clash between Moscow and NATO after the Russian full-scale war against Ukraine ends.

Russia’s military is currently heavily engaged in Ukraine, suffering massive losses in manpower and equipment. Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. forces in Europe, nevertheless warned in April that Russia is rebuilding its forces much faster than previously anticipated.

Ukraine’s military claims that Russia has suffered close to 1 million men killed, injured, or otherwise listed as casualties since the outbreak of the full-scale war.

Kyiv’s Western partners — namely the U.S. and the EU — have also sought to restrain Russia’s ability to reconstitute its forces by imposing heavy sanctions aimed at cutting off supply chains and throttling Moscow’s economy.

U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials and military experts believe that Russia is losing its military edge on the battlefield, presenting it as an impetus to increase pressure on Moscow and force it toward a ceasefire, the Washington Post reported.

Instead, U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not plan any additional sanctions against Russia, so as not to disrupt peace efforts, dashing European hopes of a coordinated strategy. The EU has pledged to ramp up sanctions if Russia continues to reject a ceasefire, and the bloc’s 18th sanctions package is currently under discussion.

The Trump administration has previously signaled interest in resuming economic ties with Russia after a potential peace deal, though pledging to maintain the existing sanctions until then.

‘I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,’ says Trump as Russia unleashes 3rd consecutive attack on Ukraine

“I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said of Putin to reporters at an airport in New Jersey on May 25. “But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Russia launched its third large-scale aerial and drone assault against Ukraine in three nights, killing at least six people and injuring 24 across multiple oblasts over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on May 26.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed in Kupiansk as Russian forces launched a wide-ranging barrage involving glide bombs, various drone types, and artillery. Three other civilians were injured, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian strikes damaged 39 houses, a business, a car repair shop, a store, and two vehicles in the Kupiansk district. Other infrastructure, including power lines in the Bohodukhiv district and a civilian enterprise in the Kharkiv district, was also hit.

In Donetsk Oblast six civilians were injured in Russian attacks across the region, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Kherson Oblast, one person was killed and four others wounded as Russian forces shelled and launched drone attacks on at least 30 settlements, including the city of Kherson.

The strikes damaged two apartment buildings, 11 houses, a gas pipeline, a cellphone tower, and several vehicles. Social infrastructure sites were also targeted, the governor said.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two civilians were injured after Russian forces launched 419 attacks across 12 settlements, including 26 air strikes and over 250 drone strikes. Authorities reported damage to houses, cars, and civilian infrastructure in multiple towns.

In Odesa Oblast, a 14-year-old teenager was injured in the village of Velykodolynske after a Russian drone strike. In the Odesa district, a 100-square-meter residential building was destroyed, and several more buildings, garages, and vehicles were damaged or destroyed, the governor said.

In Kyiv Oblast, Russia launched another combined missile and drone attack overnight, local authorities said. No injuries were reported, but explosions damaged three houses and several utility buildings in the Boryspil district, one house in the Fastiv district, and a car in the Bucha district. Air defenses intercepted several incoming threats, and no critical infrastructure facility was hit.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian forces targeted Nikopol and surrounding communities with Grad rockets, artillery, and drones, damaging both residential buildings and vehicles. In the Synelnykove district, two houses were struck by an FPV drone. No casualties were reported.

In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Russian forces launched a second consecutive night of combined attacks on the region, Governor Serhii Tiurin said. No injuries were reported, but several houses and businesses were damaged.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, two civilians were killed and six others injured during a massive drone attack on the city of Mykolaiv, Governor Vitalii Kim said. Three of the injured were hospitalized and are in serious condition. In separate incidents, FPV drones targeted the Kutsurub and Ochakiv communities overnight. No further casualties were reported in those areas.

In Sumy Oblast, one person was killed and two others injured in separate drone and artillery attacks across the region, local authorities said. Russian forces launched 80 attacks on 33 settlements using glide bombs, rocket artillery, and FPV drones. Houses and infrastructure were damaged in the communities of Khotin and Romny.

In Cherkasy Oblast, air defenses shot down 25 drones over the region overnight. No casualties were reported, although blast waves from earlier strikes damaged windows and infrastructure in Uman.

In response to the Russian strikes, Poland once again scrambled military aircraft overnight. This marks the second consecutive night that Polish air defenses have been placed on high alert due to activity by Russia’s long-range aviation, according to the Polish Armed Forces. Warsaw has repeatedly taken similar measures during major Russian attacks on Ukraine.

‘I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,’ says Trump as Russia unleashes 3rd consecutive attack on Ukraine

“I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said of Putin to reporters at an airport in New Jersey on May 25. “But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Russian air defenses opened fire against drones near the Yelabuga drone production site in Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, while other drones attacked a chemical plant in Ivanovo Oblast, independent news channel Astra reported on May 26.

The reported attacks against Russian industrial facilities come as Moscow intensifies its aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.

Local residents reported air defense fire and drones flying over Yelabuga city on May 25, Astra and Baza Telegram channels wrote. The so-called Alabuga Special Economic Zone hosts a factory producing Shahed-type drones and has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian forces throughout the full-scale war.

It is unclear whether the facility, lying some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, suffered any damage in the May 25 attack.

In Ivanovo Oblast, local authorities reported intercepting a drone attack in the town of Kineshma, with drone wreckage falling in the industrial area. No casualties were reported.

The drones targeted the town’s Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant, Astra reported, citing residents. The facility produces components for Russian arms, namely missiles, Ukrainian official Andrii Kovalenko said.

Kineshma lies around 750 kilometers (470 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.

At least 10 explosions were also reported in Russia’s Tula Oblast overnight. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces had downed 148 Ukrainian drones between 10 a.m. local time on May 25 and 8 a.m. on May 26.

A Ukrainian drone attack also reportedly targeted Moscow on May 25, local authorities claimed. The airports in Moscow, Nizhnekamsk, and Kaluga have temporarily suspended operations, Russian authorities said.

Ukraine’s military has not yet commented on the attacks, and the Kyiv Independent could not verify claims provided by Russian officials.

‘I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,’ says Trump as Russia unleashes 3rd consecutive attack on Ukraine

“I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said of Putin to reporters at an airport in New Jersey on May 25. “But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

U.S. President Donald Trump voiced strong disapproval of Russia’s weekend bombardment of Ukraine, telling reporters that he’s “not happy with Putin.”

“He’s killing a lot of people,” Trump said to reporters at an airport in New Jersey before returning to Washington on May 25. “I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin, I’ve known him for a long time…”

Trump’s comments followed Russia’s massive air assault on Ukraine over the weekend, which saw 367 drones and missiles launched in the deadliest aerial attack of the war to date. At least 12 people were killed and dozens wounded in strikes that targeted numerous cities including Kyiv.

Trump, who has pushed for a ceasefire in the conflict now entering its fourth year, recently held a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to reporters, he signaled that new sanctions on Moscow could be on the table.

“I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said of Putin. “But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all."

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for additional EU sanctions against Russia on May 25 following Russia’s large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine that killed 12 and injured 79.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is not interested in peace, he wants to continue this war, and we must not allow this, which is why the European Union will agree on additional sanctions," Wadephul said in an interview with ARD.

Russia launched 69 missiles and 298 drones overnight on May 25, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. The attack killed 12 people, including three children, and injured 79, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 20, stating that the next sanctions package “is already being prepared,” after the EU approved the 17th sanctions package against Russia, which primarily targeted Russia’s ‘shadow fleet.'

Ukraine’s European allies are continuing to tighten sanctions against Russia as Moscow refuses to ceasefire. In contrast, despite a commitment from U.S. President Donald Trump, no new U.S. sanctions have been imposed so far, with Trump saying that implementing sanctions “could also make it much worse."

Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg became the only U.S. official thus far to react to Russia’s overnight large-scale attack on Ukraine on May 25, calling for the end to hostilities.

“The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents. These attacks are shameful,” Kellogg said on X without explicitly naming Russia. “Stop the killing. Ceasefire now."

The New York Times reported on May 20, citing a White House official, that Trump refuses to impose sanctions on Russia as it may hinder future business and trade opportunities with Moscow.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on May 25 also called on additional economic pressure on Moscow following the attack.

“Putin continues this until the pressure becomes unbearable. It’s in our hands to make him stop,” Tsahkna wrote on X.

Ukraine is set to pitch a larger number of recommendations to the European Union next week as to how the bloc can continue to ramp up economic pressure on Moscow through sanctions, Reuters reported on May 21.

Bloomberg reported on May 23 that the EU is close to restricting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in a new round of sanctions.

Russian missile, drone attack kills 12, injures 79

Russia launched 69 missiles overnight and 298 drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg became the first U.S. official to react to Russia’s overnight large-scale attack on Ukraine on May 25, calling for the end to hostilities.

“The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents. These attacks are shameful,” Kellogg said on X without explicitly naming Russia. “Stop the killing. Ceasefire now."

Russia launched 69 missiles and 298 drones overnight on May 25, according to Ukraine's Air Force. The attack killed 12 people, including three children, and injured more than 60, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

Trump has not yet publicly commented on the overnight attacks on May 25.

Following the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for stronger sanctions on Russia and added that "America’s silence, and the silence of others around the world, only encourages (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

Trump on May 8 said the U.S. would join partners in imposing "further sanctions" if Russia does not agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Despite numerous threats, Trump has never followed through on imposing additional sanctions against Russia.

European leaders have urged the U.S. to impose additional sanctions on Russia to pressure it toward a ceasefire, with EU leaders threatening and subsequently adopting additional sanctions in response to Russia's ceasefire rejections.

Following a two-hour phone call with Putin on May 19, Trump refused to adopt additional sanctions on Moscow, despite Putin again rejecting a 30-day ceasefire.

On May 20 Axios reported that European leaders reportedly seemed "surprised" that Trump was "relatively content" with what he heard from Putin, following a call with European leaders after Trump's conversation with Putin.

When asked about potential sanctions against Russia, the U.S. president said he did not think it was a good idea, adding that he believes Putin wants a deal.

The New York Times reported on May 20, citing a White House official, that Trump refuses to impose sanctions on Russia as it may hinder future business and trade opportunities with Moscow.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia said in an interview aired on May 24 on Ukraine's national telethon that Russia's negotiating team in Istanbul has repeatedly stated that "an unconditional ceasefire is categorically unacceptable."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on May 24 cast doubt on the Vatican as a possible venue for future peace talks with Ukraine.

"Imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations," Lavrov reportedly said during a speech at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. “It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to use a Catholic platform to discuss issues on how to remove the root causes (of the war)."

Editorial: Russia just said it doesn’t want peace in Ukraine. This is what you need to do

Russia is now saying the quiet part out loud. It has no intention of stopping the war in Ukraine. We in Ukraine knew this all along, of course, but to sate the demands of international diplomacy, Moscow and Washington have engaged in a now more than two-month-long peace process that

The Kyiv IndependentKyiv Independent

Key developments on May 24-25:

• Ukraine brings home 303 POWs in final phase of biggest prisoner swap with Russia
• Russian missile, drone attack kills 12, injures over 60
• US silence ‘encourages Putin’, Zelensky says after massive Russian attack
• Russia losing battlefield edge in war against Ukraine, WP reports
• Russia will reveal peace terms to Ukraine after prisoner exchange, Lavrov says

Ukraine brings home 303 POWs in final phase of biggest prisoner swap with Russia

Ukraine brought home 303 prisoners of war on May 25 in the final phase of a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.

The prisoner exchange took place in three phases carried out over three days and was agreed on during peace talks held in Turkey on May 16, the first direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in three years.

“I thank the team that worked around the clock to successfully carry out this exchange. We will definitely bring back every single one of our people from Russian captivity,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

The returning prisoners included members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, and State Special Transport Service, Zelensky stated.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs said that the released prisoners included 70 men who had defended Mariupol during the Russian siege of the port city in 2022.

The coordination headquarters added that 5,757 Ukrainian prisoners had been returned through negotiations and exchanges since March 2022, while another 536 Ukrainians had returned through other means.

Largest-ever Ukrainian-Russian prisoner swap comes under fire for lacking Azov fighters, civilians

As Kyiv completed its largest prisoner exchange of the war on May 25, exchanging 1,000 Ukrainian POWs for 1,000 Russians, some spoke out on social media to criticize authorities for failing to return certain captives.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

The prisoner exchange was the only concrete agreement to arise out of the direct talks held last week.

Ukraine and the United States have been pushing for Russia to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, but Russia “categorically” rejected the appeal in Turkey, according to First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Kyslytsia, who attended the talks as a member of the Ukrainian delegation.

Kyiv does not publish the figures for how many Russian POWs are currently in Ukrainian custody.

Ukraine has long advocated for an “all-for-all” exchange, but Russia has so far rejected the proposal.

Russian missile, drone attack kills 12, injures over 60

Russia attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions with drones and missiles overnight on May 25, killing 12 people, including three children, and injuring more than 60, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram.

Russia launched 69 missiles overnight and 298 drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

The Air Force reported that 45 cruise missiles were shot down by air defense and 266 drones were neutralized, while 22 locations recorded a direct strike.

The attacks come one night after one of the heaviest Russian assaults on Kyiv throughout the full-scale war. The attack also coincides with Kyiv Day, a city holiday typically celebrated on the last Sunday in May.

Ukraine’s Air Force warned late on May 24 that Russia had launched waves of drones towards multiple regions and also issued a ballistic missile warning shortly before midnight. Later in the night, an aerial alert went into effect for all Ukrainian regions, including the country’s far-western oblasts.

According to Klymenko, Russians attacked the city of Kyiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Sumy, Poltava regions. More than 80 residential buildings have been damaged, he said.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack and called on the international community to further pressure Russia for a ceasefire.

“When the entire world calls for an end to the killing, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin orders even more strikes, attacks, and murders of children. This once again emphasizes the imperative of a full, unconditional, and durable ceasefire for any meaningful peace effort,” Sybiha wrote on X.

“The world must pressure Russia to accept it and put an end to the killings immediately."

Three children ages 8, 12 and 17 years old were killed in Zhytomyr Oblast, according to the State Emergency Service, while another 12 in the oblast were injured. Klymenko later added that all three children were from the same family, and both parents were hospitalized. The mother is in serious condition, he said.

During the attack, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, advised residents to take shelter.

“The night will not be easy. There is a threat of the enemy using a large number of drones and missiles from strategic aircraft,” Tkachenko warned as air defenses actively repelled drones over Kyiv.

Debris from a falling drone struck a student dormitory in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, causing a fire, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Four people were injured and received medical treatment on the spot.

Another person injured in the Desnianskyi district received medical attention at the scene, Klitschko said, while a second victim in the area was hospitalized. A house in the city’s Dniprovskyi district was also damaged. The Kyiv City Military Administration reported that a young woman in the district was injured with a broken leg.

A business center was damaged in the Shevchenkivskyi district, according to the administration.

The 11 injured victims range in age from 18 to 62, the administration said.

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Outside the capital, four people in Kyiv Oblast were killed in the attacks and 15 more suffered injuries, the State Emergency Service reported.

In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov also reported that drones struck the city's Osnovianskyi, Novobavarskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi districts. A civilian enterprise in the Osnovianskyi district was damaged while an office building was hit in the Shevchenkivskyi district.

Glass shattered in several apartment buildings amid the attacks, Terekhov said. A child was injured by glass fragments and is receiving medical treatment.

Artem Semenikhin, the mayor of Konotop in Sumy Oblast, said Russia's overnight barrage was "probably the most massive and combined attack on our city since the Second World War."

Drones and missiles also hit multiple areas in the city of Chernihiv and the surrounding region, the State Emergency Service reported. Fires broke out at storage facilities and non-residential buildings, including one blaze that covered over 1,000 square meters. Information about casualties and damage is still being investigated.

In the southern city of Mykolaiv, one man was killed and five people injured when a drone hit a five-story residential building, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported. A teenager was among the injured victims.

In Ternopil, a western city less frequently targeted by Russian attacks, a Kalibr cruise missile struck an industrial facility and caused a fire, according to Governor Viacheslav Nehoda.

Casualties and damage were also reported in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Governor Serhii Tiurin said the attacks killed four people in the region and injured five others, in addition to destroying civilian infrastructure.

Poland scrambled fighter jets and activated air defenses, as it has previously done to secure its airspace during large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine.

The previous night, Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack against Kyiv, injuring at least 15 people. The strikes caused explosions throughout the city and damaged residential buildings.

Russia continues to target residential neighborhoods in increasingly deadly aerial assaults while the Kremlin remains openly dismissive of international calls for a ceasefire.

Russians ‘mock’ US and peace process with latest attacks on Ukraine, EU ambassador says

“How will the world react to Putin’s terror and clear provocation? To his mockery of any ceasefire discussion? I must admit, I ask that myself,” Mathernova wrote. “Putin is clearly after his stated goal, killing Ukrainians and forcing Ukraine into submission. Sadly, the only language he understands is the language of force.”

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

US silence 'encourages Putin', Zelensky says after massive Russian attack

Following a deadly overnight attack on May 25, Zelensky called for stronger sanctions on Russia and added that "America’s silence, and the silence of others around the world, only encourages Putin."

"Without really strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will definitely help," Zelensky wrote in a post on Telegram on May 25.

"The world knows all the weaknesses of the Russian economy. It is possible to stop the war, but only through the necessary force of pressure on Russia. Putin must be forced to think not about launching missiles, but about ending the war."

Trump has not publicly commented on the overnight attacks on May 24 and 25.

Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul on May 16 in the first direct talks between the two countries in three years, but left without reaching an agreement on a ceasefire.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Moscow had no interest in agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying on May 21 that Russia "doesn't want this anymore."

Russia ‘categorically’ rejected unconditional ceasefire in peace talks, Ukrainian official says

“I do not think that (the Russian negotiating team’s) directives had a position that allowed for the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Ukrainian side on a ceasefire,” Kyslytsia said.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russia losing battlefield edge in war against Ukraine, WP reports

Russia's military advantage against Ukraine is declining, the Washington Post (WP) reported on May 24, citing U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials and military experts.

While Russia's military difficulties could be an opportunity for Ukraine's allies to mount pressure against Moscow in hopes of securing a ceasefire, U.S. President Donald Trump has backed away from international sanctions efforts and appears increasingly unwilling to challenge Putin.

Moscow faces critical shortages of weapons and manpower, making the time ripe for escalated pressure, multiple officials told the WP, many speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"Russia is very gradually taking bits of territory still, but at an unsustainably high cost," said Richard Barrons, the former head of the United Kingdom's Joint Forces Command.

A Ukrainian security official told the WP that Russia was not able to gain ground despite its significant personnel advantages and that the slowed advance may be partly a result of Ukraine's incursion in Kursk Oblast, which aimed to divert Russia's military resources from the front lines.

"Russia is not able to take any ground, and this is the situation pretty much since the end of the Ukrainian counteroffensive," the official said, referring to Ukraine's attempt to retake Russian-occupied territories in 2023.

"Despite the fact that they still have three-to-one superiority in number of troops — and maybe even bigger in terms of (weapons) systems — it's still not enough."

Western experts also calculate that Russia's arsenal of tanks is likely to run out in the next few months, the WP reported.

"The Russians can continue fighting, but … the force will become more and more de-mechanized over time, and that does put a timeline on how long they can sustain the current way they operate," Jack Watling, a senior research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told the WP.

Barrons also said Russia was running out of opportunities to conduct major offensives in Ukraine.

"It is very unlikely now that the Russian military have the equipment, the people, and the training and logistics to mount an offensive that would break the Ukrainian line and — even if they did — to exploit it immediately," he said.

In light of these obstacles, coordinated pressure against Russia could be more effective now than any point since the eary days of the full-scale war, officials said.

According to a May report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Putin still remains confident in Russia's ability to secure "ultimate victory" in Ukraine, including the full occupation of four Ukrainian regions.

This confidence is reflected in Russia's strategy of dragging out peace talks while escalating deadly attacks against Ukraine. Trump even admitted, just days after holding a two-hour phone conversation with the Russian leader, that Putin is not interested in peace because he believes he is winning the war.

"Putin believes that time is on his side, and Ukraine is bleeding faster than Russia," a senior European official told the WP.

But some officials suggested that Putin may be basing his confidence on reports from subordinates that understate Russia's increasing difficulties.

"I think they overestimate the current success of Russia," one senior European official said.

Zelensky called Putin's continued delays in the peace process "a mockery of the whole world" in remarks on May 23.

"And it's definitely time to put more pressure on Russia," he said.

Russia pushes forward in Donetsk Oblast, threatening Ukrainian pocket around Toretsk

Russian troops have upped the intensity of their Donetsk Oblast offensive in recent weeks, increasingly pressuring a relatively large Ukrainian pocket between some of the last cities in the region. An unsettling situation for Ukrainian troops is now unfolding south of the town of Kostiantynivka, which has long served as

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Russia will reveal peace terms to Ukraine after prisoner exchange, Lavrov says

Lavrov announced on May 23 that Moscow will convey its peace terms to Kyiv immediately after the completion of the prisoner exchange between the two countries, which is currently ongoing.

Speaking to Russian state media, Lavrov disclosed that Moscow is "actively working" on a list of ceasefire conditions for the war in Ukraine. The list will be ready "as soon as the exchange of prisoners of war is completed," Lavrov said.

Following tumultuous negotiations in Istanbul on May 16 – the first between the two countries since 2022 – Ukraine and Russia agreed on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.

The exchange process started on May 23 and will continue through May 25. In the initial phase of the process, the two parties swapped 390 prisoners each, and an additional 307 prisoners each on May 24.

During the Istanbul talks, Ukraine and Russia also agreed to exchange documents detailing their respective ceasefire conditions.

Separately, Russia is preparing a "memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty," which Russian President Vladimir Putin first mentioned during a recent call with United States President Donald Trump.

Kremlin officials have clarified that the memorandum is separate from the list of ceasefire conditions currently under preparation.

While Moscow's list of conditions have yet to be revealed, Russia has repeatedly reiterated maximalist demands, including that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions.

Earlier this week, on May 22, Lavrov also said that Moscow is uninterested in a ceasefire in Ukraine, insisting that the "root causes" of the war need to be resolved first.

A recent U.S. intelligence report also revealed that Russia is committed to waging war in Ukraine through the end of 2025, and its objectives in the war – Ukrainian neutrality and a partition of the Ukrainian state – have not changed.

These recent developments suggest that Russia is unwilling to negotiate in good faith, despite offering to share a list of ceasefire conditions after the prisoner exchange.

Lavrov dismisses Vatican as possible venue for Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that he believed “it would not be very comfortable for the Vatican itself to host delegations from two Orthodox countries in these circumstances.”

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur shares key takeaways from Monday’s phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Wednesday’s assassination of a controversial Ukrainian ex-official. Also, Russia is advancing in Sumy Oblast.

Russia’s military advantage against Ukraine is declining, the Washington Post (WP) reported on May 24, citing U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials and military experts.

While Russia’s military difficulties could be an opportunity for Ukraine’s allies to mount pressure against Moscow in hopes of securing a ceasefire, U.S. President Donald Trump has backed away from international sanctions efforts and appears increasingly unwilling to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Moscow faces critical shortages of weapons and manpower, making the time ripe for escalated pressure, multiple officials told the WP, many speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“Russia is very gradually taking bits of territory still, but at an unsustainably high cost,” said Richard Barrons, the former head of the United Kingdom’s Joint Forces Command.

A Ukrainian security official told the WP that Russia was not able to gain ground despite its significant personnel advantages and that the slowed advance may be partly a result of Ukraine’s incursion in Kursk Oblast, which aimed to divert Russia’s military resources from the front lines.

“Russia is not able to take any ground, and this is the situation pretty much since the end of the Ukrainian counteroffensive,” the official said, referring to Ukraine’s attempt to retake Russian-occupied territories in 2023.

“Despite the fact that they still have three-to-one superiority in number of troops — and maybe even bigger in terms of (weapons) systems — it’s still not enough."

Western experts also calculate that Russia’s arsenal of tanks is likely to run out in the next few months, the WP reported.

“The Russians can continue fighting, but … the force will become more and more de-mechanized over time, and that does put a timeline on how long they can sustain the current way they operate,” Jack Watling, a senior research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told the WP.

Russian tank losses in Ukraine — Syrskyi claims 1,159 ‘hit’ since start of year

At the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia was estimated to have around 3,300 operational tanks.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Barrons also said Russia was running out of opportunities to conduct major offensives in Ukraine.

“It is very unlikely now that the Russian military have the equipment, the people, and the training and logistics to mount an offensive that would break the Ukrainian line and — even if they did — to exploit it immediately,” he said.

In light of these obstacles, coordinated pressure against Russia could be more effective now than any point since the eary days of the full-scale war, officials said.

According to a May report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Putin still remains confident in Russia’s ability to secure “ultimate victory” in Ukraine, including the full occupation of four Ukrainian regions.

This confidence is reflected in Russia’s strategy of dragging out peace talks while escalating deadly attacks against Ukraine. Trump even admitted, just days after holding a two-hour phone conversation with the Russian leader, that Putin is not interested in peace because he believes he is winning the war.

“Putin believes that time is on his side, and Ukraine is bleeding faster than Russia,” a senior European official told the WP.

But some officials suggested that Putin may be basing his confidence on reports from subordinates that understate Russia’s increasing difficulties.

“I think they overestimate the current success of Russia,” one senior European official said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called Putin’s continued delays in the peace process “a mockery of the whole world” in remarks on May 23.

“And it’s definitely time to put more pressure on Russia,” he said.

Russia pushes forward in Donetsk Oblast, threatening Ukrainian pocket around Toretsk

Russian troops have upped the intensity of their Donetsk Oblast offensive in recent weeks, increasingly pressuring a relatively large Ukrainian pocket between some of the last cities in the region. An unsettling situation for Ukrainian troops is now unfolding south of the town of Kostiantynivka, which has long served as

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

The United States granted immediate sanctions relief to Syria after President Donald Trump called for a complete end to sanctions on the country.

The sanctions relief was announced by the U.S. Treasury Department and State Department on May 23.

According to a statement released by the Treasury Department, the decision to roll back sanctions is “just one part of a broader U.S. government effort to remove the full architecture of sanctions imposed on Syria due to the abuses of the Bashar al-Assad regime."

The statement also notes that the sanctions relief “does not allow for transactions that benefit Russia, Iran, or North Korea—key supporters of the former Assad regime."

Additionally, according to a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the goal of the sanctions relief is to “advance Syria’s recovery and reconstruction efforts” and “facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation, and enable a more effective humanitarian response across Syria."

Syria welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to ease sanctions in a statement issued by its foreign ministry on May 24.

In the statement, the ministry called the decision a “positive step” toward relieving the country’s humanitarian and economic suffering, and expressed Syria’s willingness to cooperate with international partners.

Earlier this week, top European Union officials also announced sanctions relief for Syria, noting that the decision to lift sanctions is a critical step on “the path to economic recovery."

Following the ouster of dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria’s new leadership has sought to reverse the country’s geopolitical isolation and years of crippling international sanctions after more than a decade of war.

‘Putin remains confident in Russia’s ultimate victory in Ukraine,’ US intelligence reports

According to a recent report from the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin remains “committed to victory in Ukraine, and his objectives remain mostly unchanged since the beginning of the war: Ukrainian neutrality and a further partition of the Ukrainian state.”

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

Ukraine is gearing up for a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.

Sybiha stated that Kyiv is considering an expanded format for talks, potentially with international mediators. "We allow for the possibility of this meeting being in an expanded format. We would very much like President Trump to join it, and we have always insisted that Europe must be at the table of possible future negotiations," he said.

Sybiha alleged that Moscow seeks to exclude the United States from the conflict resolution process, while Kyiv deems Washington's involvement fundamentally necessary. "We need U.S. involvement, we welcome the U.S. and President Trump's peaceful efforts," the Ukrainian diplomat stressed. He also noted that there should be no preconditions for continuing talks in Turkey: "A clear agreement was reached there, if we put aside all pseudo-historical lectures voiced by the Russian delegation."

Talks were held in Istanbul on May 16. According to The Economist, the Russian delegation demanded that Moscow be given control over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, which Russia is unable to capture. Source claims that Medinsky threatened to seize two more Ukrainian regions if concessions were refused and stated that Russia was ready to "fight indefinitely."

Sybiha reminded that in Istanbul, the parties agreed on a prisoner exchange, and this process has already started. According to him, the next step should be Russia presenting its vision of a future ceasefire—a similar document is being prepared in Kyiv. The third item on the agenda, according to the minister, will be organizing a personal meeting between the leaders of the two countries.

On May 11, Putin rejected Ukraine's and the European Union's call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, suggesting instead a resumption of talks in Istanbul. In response, Zelensky expressed readiness to meet with the Russian president, but Putin refused and sent a delegation led by his aide Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's representative at the 2022 talks with Ukraine.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that a personal meeting between Putin and Zelensky is only possible as a result of the delegations' work and with clear agreements in place.

Putin's Reluctance for Peace

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has recently been actively promoting its narrative of President Zelensky's "illegitimacy." "For us, it is fundamentally important who exactly from the Ukrainian side will sign the achieved agreements," emphasized Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. This position was supported by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who reminded that Moscow considers Zelensky an "illegitimate" head of state.

In Europe, there is a belief that Putin is not truly striving for a peace deal with Ukraine. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported on May 21 that U.S. President Donald Trump shares this belief. According to the publication, following a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin on May 19, Trump informed European leaders that the Russian president does not intend to end the war in Ukraine, as he believes he is winning it. As noted by the WSJ, European leaders heard confirmation of their assumptions from the White House for the first time. However, Trump's words contradicted his public statements that Putin was supposedly sincerely striving for peace.

Russian troops have upped the intensity of their Donetsk Oblast offensive in recent weeks, increasingly pressuring a relatively large Ukrainian pocket between some of the last cities in the region.

An unsettling situation for Ukrainian troops is now unfolding south of the town of Kostiantynivka, which has long served as a relatively safe logistics hub around the now Russian-occupied Bakhmut.

Russian troops have been pushing toward Kostiantynivka from two directions, slowly closing in on the Ukrainian pocket west of Toretsk. Western military experts say that Russia appears to have the resources to keep “creeping” forward, and the question is how much and for how long the Ukrainian forces deployed in the area can hold on.

“The problem is this large bulge between Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk has been growing relatively fast,” Emil Kastehelmi, an analyst at the Finland-based Black Bird Group monitoring the war closely through open sources, told the Kyiv Independent.

Why Washington failed to end the Russo-Ukrainian War

In the early 19th century, one of the founding fathers of modern war studies, the Prussian general and military historian Carl von Clausewitz, commented on the Napoleonic Wars: “The conqueror is always peace-loving; he would much prefer to march into our state calmly.” This remains an observation that applies to

The Kyiv IndependentAndreas Umland

“If it grows at this rate, the Russians will be threatening the supply routes into Kostiantynivka in a couple of months already."

Concerns rise over the potential Russian encirclement of Ukrainian troops defending the Toretsk and Kostiantynivka area, according to Kastehelmi.

Russia has held the initiative on the battlefield in the Donetsk Oblast since the fall of 2023, after Ukraine’s failed summer counteroffensive.

The recent Russian push comes as the U.S. continues to insist on peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the war at all costs. U.S. President Donald Trump and his team have made numerous threats that Washington could walk away from the peace process if there is no progress made in the near future, putting U.S. military support and intelligence sharing with Ukraine on the line.

The experts who spoke to the Kyiv Independent said that the current Russian push in Donetsk Oblast is setting the stage for a major upcoming offensive.

“I think that this is a development that will continue to be a growing issue for Ukraine during the summer because, as far as I know, the Russians should have relatively large reserves that they can commit to the battle in the coming weeks and months,” Kastehelmi said.

Ukraine had largely stabilized the situation on the eastern front earlier this year after Russia ramped up the offensive tempo in the summer of 2024, likely taking advantage of multiple elite Ukrainian units being deployed to Russia’s Kursk Oblast for a surprise cross-border incursion.

One such unit, the 80th Air Assault Brigade, had manned the defense near Klishchiivka, a village south of Chasiv Yar and north of Toretsk that Ukraine liberated in 2023.

Factors such as Ukraine's manpower shortage and the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian units deployed in the area would dictate how Ukrainian troops will hold onto the pocket south of Kostiantynivka, according to Kastehelmi. The lack of well-trained troops remains the army's weakest spot, with Ukraine struggling to recruit new soldiers and train them to prepare for the brutal reality of the war, experts and officers say.

Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState said in April that Russian troops were preparing to advance in an area southwest of Toretsk by solidifying their presence in the village of Kalynove down south.

The question hangs over the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian units deployed in the area, as reinforcing the area with units that aren't battered after fighting in hot spots of the war, such as Kursk Oblast, would be a challenge, according to Kastehelmi.

"The Ukrainians need to make some difficult decisions on what directions they can prioritize and what reserves they can commit," the expert said.

Retired Australian Army Major-General Mick Ryan, who has closely observed the war in Ukraine, said that even if Ukraine were to lose the pocket south of Kostiantynivka, he doesn't believe that it would bring "any significant shift in the trajectory of the war at this point."

While it is still "a significant bit of territory," the more pressing concern is for Russia not to gain momentum after potentially conquering it, according to Ryan.

"The last thing you want is for the Russians to become more confident and think they can generate additional momentum because they take this area," Ryan told the Kyiv Independent.

The Australian expert said that Russia is adapting its tactics on the front line, for example, increasingly using fiber optic and first-person-view (FPV) drones, enabling Russian troops to achieve better results.

"Whilst the offensive is still underway, they're probably building momentum for higher tempo and more intense offensive operations in the coming months," Ryan said.

For now, the question is whether Ukraine would make the timely decision to withdraw from the pocket, rather than holding onto unfavorable positions at a heavy cost, according to Kastehelmi from the Black Bird Group.

Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to the Kyiv Independent often criticized their command to "hold until the end," even if the positions would soon be overrun by Russian troops and the Ukrainians would be left without proper evacuation or orderly withdrawal.

"This summer and the next fall will look really difficult," Kastehelmi said.

‘It’s okay, Mom, I’m home’ —Ukraine, Russia hold largest prisoner swap of the war

Their eyes fill with tears as they hear people shouting, ‘Thank you!’ and ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ The soldiers have just arrived in Ukraine after being exchanged in the largest prisoner swap to date since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014. Still overwhelmed, Ukrainian soldier Anton Kobylnyk

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

The European Union is weighing a proposal to disconnect more than 20 Russian banks from SWIFT, the global financial messaging network, as part of its upcoming 18th sanctions package against Moscow, Bloomberg reported on May 24, citing undisclosed sources.

The discussions come as the EU agreed on the bloc’s 17th package of sanctions against Russia on May 20, primarily targeting the Russian shadow fleet of oil tankers. Though hailed in Brussels as a sign of continued resolve, the package has drawn criticism, including from some EU insiders, who said it was a diluted step that falls short of the urgency required.

The new measures under consideration would also include lowering the Group of Seven (G7) oil price cap on Russian crude exports from $60 to around $45 per barrel, banning the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and imposing approximately 2.5 billion euros ($2.84 billion) in new trade restrictions, Bloomberg reported.

The proposals are currently being reviewed by the European Commission in consultation with member states. EU sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 nations, and details of the package could still change before formal adoption.

The move aims to further cut Russia’s revenue streams and limit its access to Western technologies critical for weapons production. The proposed reduction in the oil price cap, a key feature of the G7’s coordinated sanctions effort, would need support from the United States, which has so far held off on additional sanctions under President Donald Trump, despite repeated threats.

The New York Times reported on May 20 that Trump has refused to impose additional sanctions on Russia, citing concerns that they could jeopardize future business and trade opportunities with Moscow.

Following a two-hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said sanctions could “make it much worse,” though he did not rule them out entirely.

Germany has already signaled its backing for the ban on the Nord Stream pipelines, with German government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius confirming that the EU is coordinating its actions with the U.S.

Nord Stream 1 and 2 are gas pipelines running between Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 2 was never activated, and the pipes shut down after suspected sabotage in 2022.

The sanctions would aim to prevent any potential revival of the project amid ongoing calls for peace negotiations.

According to Bloomberg, the EU is also preparing to broaden its restrictions on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, expand bans on banks aiding the Kremlin’s war efforts, and target the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

The European Commission is also reportedly pushing to include provisions shielding European companies from arbitration claims under bilateral investment treaties affected by the sanctions.

The proposed measures come amid renewed international efforts to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. While Trump has called for direct peace talks, Russia continues to reject a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal.

German company shipped restricted technology to Russia despite EU sanctions, Politico reports

According to the report, Kontron used the Slovenian entity to ship over 3.5 million euro ($3.9 million) worth of telecommunications equipment to its Russian subsidiary, Iskra Technologies, between July and November 2023.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Major Russian exporters are cutting back shipments of metals and oil products by rail, signaling weakening demand and a slowdown in the country’s war-driven economy.

A document seen by Reuters reveals that firms such as Rusal and Gazpromneft intend to reduce the volumes they plan to move by rail in 2025, prompting Russian Railways to slash spending by an additional 32.5 billion rubles ($408 million). That brings the state rail monopoly’s planned investment for 2025 to 858.4 billion rubles—down about 3.5% from earlier projections.

Russian Railways had already planned to reduce investment this year by 40% compared to 2024, citing rising interest payment costs.

Cargo volumes — which fell to a 15-year low in 2024 — serve as a key indicator of the overall health of Russia’s export-driven manufacturing sector, according to Reuters as the outlet  reviewed the internal presentation to the railway’s board by First Deputy CEO Vadim Mikhaylov, who explained the revised spending plan and highlighted five external reasons for the cuts.

The revised cargo forecast shows Russian Railways expects to transport 36.7 million metric tons less than the previously projected 1.24 billion tons in 2025. Although full-year volume is still projected to exceed 2024’s total of 1.18 billion tons, cargo transport fell 6.8% year-on-year between January and April.

Among the companies scaling back shipments are aluminium producer Rusal and steel manufacturers Severstal, MMK, TMK, NLMK, and Evraz. “High rates have also led steel producers to reduce loading volumes,” the document reportedly said.

Tight monetary policy has compounded the sector’s challenges. The Bank of Russia has kept its key interest rate at 21% since October, dampening construction activity and hitting demand for steel. “Steel production, exports and local demand dropped in 2024,” the World Steel Association reported, and that decline has continued into 2025, according to Chermet Corporation.

The railway operator also cited reduced demand in other sectors, including from Rusal. The company confirmed it is sticking to plans made in November, which included cutting annual aluminium output by 250,000 tons due to high alumina costs.

Sanctions against metals, forestry, and oil companies like Gazpromneft, Surgutneftegaz, and Tatneft are also weighing on rail cargo. Exports of wood, fertilizer, and metals to China have dropped, with overall trade turnover between the two countries down 7.5% this year. The document adds that “the interference of third parties mainly in relation to oil refineries”—a veiled reference to Ukrainian drone attacks—has further disrupted shipments.

Trump didn’t impose tariffs on Russia but they might be wrecking its economy regardless

U.S. President Donald Trump has inadvertently hit Russia’s economy after his “Liberation Day” tariffs caused oil prices to drop drastically on April 7, with potentially massive ramifications for the Kremlin’s ability to fund its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia has so far failed to agree to a full

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Ukraine would like U.S. President Donald Trump to be present at a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrinform reported on May 23, citing Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

"(W)e are also working on… a meeting between President Zelensky and Putin. We admit that this meeting may be in an expanded format. We would very much like President Trump to join it," Sybiha said.

The foreign minister noted the continuation of peace talks must be unconditional, adding that “we are waiting for the Russian side to present their vision, their concept, their proposals on the parameters of a future unconditional ceasefire."

On May 23, Ukraine and Russia began a previously agreed-upon prisoner exchange, the largest swap since Russia began its war against Ukraine in 2014. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would only submit the draft “settlement document” after the ongoing prisoner exchange is completed.

Kyiv is also working on a peace proposal of its own to share with Moscow, Sybiha said, adding that aside from “pseudo-historical lectures by the Russian delegation,” an agreement on the prisoner exchange was already reached between the two sides in Turkey on May 16.

Ukraine has “always consistently insisted that Europe must be at the table of possible future negotiations,” Sybiha said.

Zelensky invited Putin to meet him face-to-face at the Istanbul talks. Putin refused, sending a delegation head by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky.

The talks were largely inconclusive. Moscow reiterated maximalist demands, including that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions.

Chaos to coordination: the evolution of POW swaps in the Russia-Ukraine war

The nature, size, and political significance of prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia have evolved significantly over the three and a half years of the full-scale war, accelerating sharply in recent weeks. While ceasefire and peace negotiations have gone through periods of halts and bursts, increasingly institutionalized prisoner exchanges are

The Kyiv IndependentMykolaj Suchy