Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if faced with ‘unfriendly actions,’ Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu claimed in an interview with TASS state news agency on April 24.

Shoigu said Moscow was “closely monitoring” the “military preparations” of European countries, as they seek to ramp up defense spending and production in the face of the U.S. reducing its military presence on the continent.

“In case foreign states commit unfriendly actions that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, our country considers it legitimate to take symmetrical and asymmetrical measures necessary to suppress such actions and prevent their recurrence,” he said.

“Nuclear deterrence is carried out against states and military coalitions that regard Russia as a potential adversary, possess weapons of mass destruction, or have significant combat capabilities of general-purpose forces,” he added.

Shoigu also said that any European future peacekeeping forces deployed to Ukraine to monitor a ceasefire would also be seen by the Kremlin as a provocation.

“Sensible politicians in Europe understand that the implementation of such a scenario could lead to a direct clash between NATO and Russia and subsequently to World War III,” he said.

In November 2024, Russia updated its official nuclear deterrence policy. According to the changes, the Kremlin reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression against itself or its closest ally, Belarus, even if the attack involves non-nuclear weapons.

Russia has repeatedly made nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The threats have failed to materialize, and Russia continues to wage its all-out war without using its nuclear arsenal.

The statement came as U.S. Vice President JD Vance repeated warnings that the U.S. might drop its peace efforts if both sides refuse to accept a “very explicit proposal,” which includes recognizing temporarily occupied territories as Russian.

Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arms after signing the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which also saw the country join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

In exchange, Kyiv received security assurances from major powers, including the U.S., the U.K., and Russia. These guarantees failed to prevent Moscow’s aggression in 2014 in Crimea and Donbas and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Budapest Memorandum has been sharply criticized by today’s Ukrainian leadership over its lack of strong security guarantees.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

President Volodymyr Zelensky has handed over a list of 400 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zelensky said on April 24.

“Russia has abducted tens of thousands of children from the occupied territories. We must bring them all back,” Zelensky said during a joint press conference with Ramaphosa in Pretoria.

“I really hope President Ramaphosa will help us bring them back."

Russia has kidnapped over 19,500 Ukrainian children during its full-scale war against Ukraine, forcibly deporting them to Russia, Belarus, or other occupied territories, the Ukrainian government said. As of today, 1,284 children have been safely brought back home.

Moscow also continues to hold thousands of military and civilian captives “for years in inhumane conditions,” Zelensky noted.

At the press conference, Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to peace, highlighting its participation in the African peace initiative in 2023.

“South Africa believes that the only path toward peace is diplomacy, inclusive dialogue, and a commitment to the principles of the U.N. Charter,” he said. Ramaphosa also said that earlier this week, he discussed peace efforts with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Zelensky’s trip to South Africa marks the first official visit by Ukraine’s head of state to the country. The president nevertheless announced he would cut the visit short in response to Russia’s deadly aerial strike on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

South Africa, the continent’s largest economy that currently chairs the G20 group, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political ties with Moscow.

Kyiv has sought to bolster ties with African countries to engage them in the peace efforts and counter Russian influence on the continent.

‘Russian peace in all its glory’ — Mass Russian missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills 8, injures 77

Authorities initially reported nine people killed, but the Prosecutor General’s Office later said only eight fatalities had been confirmed.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

The Ukrainian government said on April 24 that it has failed to reach an agreement with its debtholders to restructure some $2.6 billion of debt.

This means Kyiv might have to default on paying some $600 million ahead of the deadline in late May.

“Ukraine indicated that it could not accept the Restricted Holders’ Proposal and declined to make any further proposal to the Restricted Holders before the end of the Restricted Period,” the Ukrainian government said in a statement after April 15-23 talks in Washington.

Kyiv nevertheless pledged to continue to engage with its debtholders and seek other options for restructuring the debt.

The $2.6 billion sum concerns the so-called GDP warrants, a financial instrument that gives the debtholder the right to additional payments based on the country’s economic performance.

“The GDP warrants were designed for a world that no longer exists. Ukraine’s modest economic growth in 2023 was not a sign of surging prosperity but a fragile rebound from a nearly 30% downturn caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion,” Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said in a statement.

“These financial instruments must not become an obstacle to our recovery. Our objective is to reach a fair and comprehensive solution to this issue."

The warrants were not part of last year’s deal to restructure some $20 billion in national debt. That agreement, concluded with some creditors in July 2024, allowed Ukraine to avoid default and continue financing its defense against Russia’s full-scale war.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that failure to resolve the warrant issue could threaten further debt restructuring, as well as its ongoing $15.6 billion bailout program, the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

This Ukrainian mining company is losing hope in Trump’s minerals deal

Standing beside a sleepy village in Ukraine’s central Kirovohrad Oblast, the Zavalivskiy mine lies beneath layers of brown and pink earth, holding some 7.5 million metric tons of graphite ore — the second largest flake graphite mine in Europe. Like many mining companies in Ukraine, Zavalivskiy Graphite has lost

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Ivan Popov, a disgraced ex-commander of Russia’s 58th Army fighting in Ukraine, was sentenced by a Russian military court to five years imprisonment over a large-scale fraud, Interfax news agency reported on April 24.

Popov was also stripped of his military rank as major general and fined 800,000 rubles ($9,600).

The ex-commander was arrested in May 2024 on suspicion of taking part in the theft of 1,700 metric tons of metal intended for building fortifications in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The fraud reportedly caused damages of 115 million rubles ($1.4 million).

Popov’s co-defendant, businessman Sergei Moiseyev, was sentenced to four years and fined 600,000 rubles ($7,200).

Popov has pleaded not guilty and plans to appeal the verdict. The Russian media reported that he sought to avoid a prison sentence by requesting permission to return to the front in Ukraine.

He was expected to lead one of the Storm-Z detachments, a front-line assault group largely composed of convicts and known for high casualty rates, Kommerstant’s source in security services claimed.

The court has denied this request, Popov’s lawyer Sergei Buinovsky said, according to Interfax.

Popov was dismissed from his command in 2023 after he reportedly bypassed the command of Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov and attempted to directly appeal to the Kremlin over poor battlefield conditions.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

London banned the export of video game controllers to Russia, which are used to pilot Russian drones on the front line in Moscow’s all-out war against Ukraine, the U.K. Foreign Ministry announced on April 24.

The new sanctions package includes 150 trade sanctions against Russia, Politico reported, citing U.K. Sanctions Minister Stephen Doughty.

Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing warfare.

Apart from video game controllers, the U.K. also prohibited the transfer of technology involved in producing Common High Priority goods, such as electronic components like amplifiers and circuits, which were described as critical to Russia’s military capabilities.

“Today’s measures will also cut Russia’s war machine off from innovative British tech, world-leading software, and close loopholes exploited by (President Vladimir) Putin’s cronies,” the foreign ministry said.

The U.K. also banned the export of chemicals, electronics, machinery, and metals to limit Russia’s military and industrial capacity, according to Politico.  

In late February, London imposed its largest-ever package of sanctions against Moscow, targeting its “shadow fleet” of tankers and foreign-based companies providing military parts to Russia.

Throughout the all-out war, Russia has continued to avoid sanctions through the use of evasion networks and shell companies. Russia is also aided in sanctions evasion through its allies, including China, Iran, and North Korea.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A team of Polish and Ukrainian researchers on April 24 began exhuming Polish victims of the World War II-era Volyn massacres in what is today western Ukraine, the Polish media reported.

Forensic experts, archeologists, and geneticists began their work at 9 a.m. local time at the site of the destroyed Puzniki village in Ternopil Oblast.

This is the first such exhumation since 2017, when Ukraine imposed a moratorium in response to the destruction of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) memorials in Poland.

The Volyn massacres, which peaked in 1943-1944, took place in the Nazi-occupied territory of what is now western Ukraine during World War II. UPA members killed tens of thousands of Poles, while thousands of Ukrainians were killed in retaliation.

The massacre represents one of the most painful chapters of the Polish-Ukrainian history and has continued to strain mutual relations to this day.

UPA fighters are believed to have killed between 50 and 120 Poles in Puzniki overnight on Feb. 13, 1945. The settlement no longer exists, and the area has been overgrown with vegetation, but close to 80 victims may remain buried here.

The research team includes Polish experts from the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, the Pomeranian Medical University, and the Institute of National Remembrance, as well as Ukrainian researchers from the Society of Volyn Antiquities.

Maciej Wrobel, state secretary at the Polish Culture Ministry, told Polsat News that the goal is to identify the victims and ensure dignified burial. He also said that the work is complicated by Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, and warned against possible Russian disinformation operations.

In recent months, the Polish and Ukrainian governments have made efforts to resolve the issue of the Volyn exhumations, with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announcing a “breakthrough” in January.

Multiple Polish government and opposition officials have said that Warsaw would block Ukraine’s entry into the EU and NATO unless the matter is resolved.

Chechen scholar: Russia’s cowardly violence in Ukraine is driven by desperation

For most people today, the word Chechnya immediately brings to mind Ramzan Kadyrov, the authoritarian leader who governs the region as a loyal vassal of Vladimir Putin. It evokes images of a turbulent, fear-stricken state at the mercy of the Kremlin’s whims. Yet, Chechnya’s story is far more

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

Europe will not support any U.S. move to recognize Russian control over occupied Crimea and will not pressure Kyiv to accept it, the Financial Times (FT) reported on April 24, citing undisclosed Western officials.

The Trump administration’s final proposal for ending Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine reportedly included U.S. de jure recognition of Moscow’s control over Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its partial occupation of other Ukrainian regions — Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 23 that Washington is not forcing Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian. He then blamed Ukraine for not fighting back when Russia illegally seized the peninsula in 2014.

An unnamed senior European official told the FT that the Trump administration had already been informed that European countries would not recognize Crimea as Russian. Major European NATO powers should “discourage” the U.S. from doing so unilaterally, according to the official.

Earlier this week, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said that the European Union will never recognize the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula as legally Russian.

Recognition of the annexation would contradict a decade of bipartisan U.S. policy and a 2014 United Nations General Assembly resolution, in which 100 member states declared the seizure illegal.

Trump’s claim that Crimea was taken without force is false. During Russia’s 2014 annexation, armed Russian troops in unmarked uniforms seized Ukrainian government buildings, military installations, and blockaded bases.

Following the U.S. president’s remarks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 23 that Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution, sharing a 2018 U.S. declaration denouncing Russian occupation of Crimea and reaffirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Editor’s note: This story is being updated.

The body of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died after torture in Russian captivity, was brought back to Ukraine in late February, Deputy Interior Minister Leonid Tymchenko said in an interview with Censor.net published on April 24.

“She was identified through DNA testing,” Tymchenko said.

Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories, with Moscow admitting her detention the following year.

Previously, in March 2022, Roshchyna was detained for 10 days by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers while leaving Berdiansk in the direction of Mariupol. As a condition of her release, she was forced to record a video saying Russian forces had saved her life.

Ukrainian officials confirmed Roshchyna’s death on Oct. 10, 2024, but said that the circumstances were still under investigation. Russia did not hand over her body for about five months.

Syrian authorities requested Russia to extradite ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, but were turned down, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in an interview with the New York Times published on April 23.

Assad, a Moscow ally who had ruled Syria since 2000, was toppled in a surprise rebel offensive in December 2024 and subsequently was given refuge in Russia.

Al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda affiliate who led the offensive, was appointed interim president in January. The sudden leadership change cast doubt on Russia’s military presence in Syria, namely the Tartus naval base and Khmeimim air base.

Speaking to the NYT, al-Sharaa alluded to the possibility of continued military cooperation with Moscow, stressing Syria’s long-standing reliance on Russian arms.

“Until now, we have not had offers from other nations to replace Syrian arms,” which are primarily Russian-made, the Syrian leader told the news outlet. He also underscored a number of past food and energy agreements between Moscow and Damascus.

At the same time, al-Sharaa acknowledged that Russia was asked to hand over Assad as a condition for Russia’s continued military presence. This request was denied, he said, without elaborating on how this affects future bilateral ties.

Al-Sharaa took office after 23 years of brutal civil war, which left the country’s economy ravaged and diplomatically isolated from the West and several major players in the Middle East. The new leader has sought to carefully foster new international ties, leading to the U.S. and the EU easing sanctions imposed on the country.

The Syrian government announced on April 20 that it had received its first shipment of 6,600 tons of wheat since Assad’s fall. Reuters reported that the supplies came from Russia.

Ukraine has also opened dialogue with the new Syrian government. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus in December 2024, saying at the time that Kyiv and Damascus share similar views on Russia’s continued military presence.

‘US tells Russia crimes it commits are acceptable’ — What recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea would mean for Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars

The U.S. is reportedly considering officially recognizing Russian control over occupied Crimea as part of a potential peace agreement — a territorial concession that would kill the existing world order and is deemed unacceptable by Ukraine. According to Axios, the Trump administration’s final proposal for ending Russia’s all-out war against

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed 13 people and injured at least 97 others over the past day, regional authorities said on April 24.

Ukrainian forces downed 64 out of the 145 Shahed-type drones and other drones, as well as 48 out of the 70 missiles, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Russia used ballistic missiles of the Iskander-M or the North Korean KN-23 model, Kh-101 cruise missiles, Kalibr missiles, and Kh-59/Kh-69 missiles.

Sixty-eight drones disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense.

Russia’s mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv killed nine people and injured at least 70, including six children, overnight, according to Ukrainian officials.

Fires have been reported in residential buildings, some of which were damaged due to the attack.

Russia struck the city of Kharkiv with drones and missiles 24 times overnight, injuring one person, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.  The attacks damaged multi-story residential buildings, a clinic, a school, a hotel, and industrial enterprises.

Another four people suffered injuries due to Russian drone attacks near Kupiansk and Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

A first responder was injured in a Russian double-tap attack in Zhytomyr Oblast, the State Emergency Service reported.

In western Khmelnytskyi Oblast, a Russian attack injured two people, including a child, Governor Serhii Tiurin said. A gas distribution point, two residential buildings, and an apartment building were damaged, he added.

Two people were injured in the Nedryhailiv community in Sumy Oblast as a result of a Russian drone attack, local authorities reported.

Three people were killed in the cities of Kostiantynivka and Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Seven more people were injured in the region over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 39 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. An 81-year-old woman was killed, and 10 other people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

The Trump administration officials are debating the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and other energy assets as part of peace efforts in Ukraine, Politico reported on April 23, citing five undisclosed sources.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for their fourth meeting on April 25, has reportedly promoted the idea. It has “not found much traction in the White House,” and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has opposed it, Politico reported.

U.S. officials have refuted Politico’s story.

“This is unequivocally false. Neither Steve Witkoff nor I have had any conversations about lifting sanctions against Russia as part of a deal with Ukraine,” Rubio said on X.

The news comes as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to broker a swift peace deal in Ukraine, warning he might drop the effort unless tangible progress is made soon.

Washington’s latest peace proposal reportedly includes the U.S. de jure recognizing Russian control of Crimea and development of closer economic and energy cooperation with Russia.

Witkoff’s proposal to ease energy sanctions has also been opposed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgun, who leads the White House Energy Dominance Council and wants to boost U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) sales, Politico reported.

Restarting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which saw one of its lines damaged during an unexplained explosion in the Baltic Sea in 2022, would also require the EU countries to resume purchases of Russian gas.

The EU set the goal of weaning itself off Russian fossil fuels by 2027 in response to Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Rubio has previously said that the U.S. will maintain its sanctions against Russia until a peace deal is reached, but said relief would likely be part of an eventual settlement. The final agreement would therefore have to include the EU, which has also slapped extensive sanctions on Moscow, he noted.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Ukraine and the U.S. agreed to start working on a free trade zone between the two countries, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 23 after meeting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington.

Ukraine and the U.S. launched initial talks on a free trade zone back in 2021. Earlier, Shmyhal said that Kyiv seeks to boost bilateral trade and an agreement with the U.S. to allow “everything except for the fixed exceptions."

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.

In early April, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all Ukrainian goods, except metal products, which had already been subject to a 25% tariff in March.

According to Shmyhal, the parties also discussed “important political aspects” of the long-debated future minerals deal between Kyiv and Washington, which was reaffirmed in a recently signed memorandum. Further details on the ongoing negotiations are expected by April 26.

“Ukraine’s government undoubtedly supports the conclusion of an agreement on economic partnership between the American and Ukrainian peoples and the creation of a Reconstruction Investment Fund,” the prime minister said.

Shmyhal also called on the U.S. to strengthen energy sanctions against Russia due to the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Politico reported on April 23, citing undisclosed sources, that the Trump administration is discussing the possible lifting of sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and other Russian energy assets in Europe.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 23 that Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution, sharing a 2018 U.S. declaration denouncing Russian occupation of Crimea and reaffirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Though Zelensky did not mention it explicitly, the statement seems to refer to the U.S. reportedly proposing its de jure recognition of Russian control over the southern Ukrainian peninsula, which Russia has occupied since 2014, as part of a potential peace deal.

“Russia, through its 2014 invasion of Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Crimea, sought to undermine a bedrock international principle shared by democratic states: that no country can change the borders of another by force,” Mike Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state during the first Trump administration, said in the Crimea Declaration in July 2018.

“In concert with allies, partners, and the international community, the United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored."

U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term saw him adopt a more Russian-friendly policy as he seeks to restore bilateral ties and broker a peace in Ukraine.

Washington’s latest peace proposal reportedly included not only de jure recognition of Crimea’s annexation but also de facto acceptance of Russian occupation of parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.

Zelensky has previously ruled out formally ceding any territory to Russia, after which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped London peace talks with Ukrainian and European officials on April 23.

The White House also lashed out against Zelensky’s statements on Crimea, saying that “nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory."

The London meeting still took place on a technical level, with Ukrainian delegates – Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov – stressing the need for a ceasefire as the first necessary step toward a peace deal.

“Emotions have run high today. But it is good that five countries met to bring peace closer. Ukraine, the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany,” Zelensky said.

“We are grateful to partners. Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution and we are absolutely sure that our partners, in particular the U.S., will act in line with its strong decisions."

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor’s note: The story is being updated.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa to meet his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and other representatives of African countries, Zelensky said on April 24.

“It is crucial to bring a just peace closer. We are working to ensure that the G20 countries are actively engaged in diplomatic efforts,” Zelensky said.

“We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties."

South Africa, the continent’s largest economy that currently chairs the G20 group, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political ties with Moscow.

The country is a member of the BRICS group alongside Russia and China and conducted joint naval drills with both nations while resisting Western calls to distance itself from the Kremlin.

Russia has lost 945,330 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on April 24.

The number includes 1,060 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,694 tanks, 22,312 armored fighting vehicles, 45,755 vehicles and fuel tanks, 26,823 artillery systems, 1,369 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,141 air defense systems, 370 airplanes, 335 helicopters, 33,660 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

‘Russian peace in all its glory’ — Mass Russian missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills 9, injures over 70

Nine people have been killed and another 63 injured, including six children, in Russia’s large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on April 24, Ukrainian officials said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

When pressed by reporters on April 23, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to weigh in on whether he wants Ukraine to recognize occupied Crimea as Russian territory, calling instead for the end to hostilities.

“I just want to see the war end, I don’t care,” Trump told reporters. “If they’re both happy, they both sign an agreement, I have no favorites. I don’t want to have any favorites. I want to have a deal done."

Earlier in the day, Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the U.S. is not forcing Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian, following reports that a U.S. peace plan includes the U.S. formally recognizing Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump wrote on April 23.

Zelensky reaffirmed on April 22 that Ukraine would never legally recognize Russia’s control of Crimea.

“There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine,” Zelensky said at a briefing in Kyiv.

“Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution, and we are fully confident that our partners — particularly the United States — will act in line with their strong decisions,” another statement from Zelensky on April 23 stated.

While Trump appeared to frame the proposal as something Ukraine could reject, he notably did not deny that the U.S. might move forward with formally recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, something Russia had wanted for years.

Recognition of the annexation would contradict a decade of bipartisan U.S. policy and a 2014 United Nations General Assembly resolution, in which 100 member states declared the seizure illegal.

Trump’s claim that Crimea was taken without force is false. During Russia’s 2014 annexation, armed Russian troops in unmarked uniforms seized Ukrainian government buildings, military installations, and blockaded bases.

Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on April 23 that he may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “shortly” following his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in May.

When asked by reporters whether Trump would meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia during his visit to the Middle East between May 13-16, Trump responded: “It’s possible, but most likely not."

“I think we’ll meet with him shortly thereafter,” Trump added, without providing a specific timeline.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump’s last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president’s first term.

Trump’s advisers have been insistent a conversation with Putin should take place only after Russia agrees to a ceasefire in Ukraine. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is again expected to meet Putin in Moscow on April 25.

Earlier in the day on April 23, Trump said that believes a deal between Russia and Ukraine to end Russia’s war has been reached.

“I think we have a deal with both, I hope they do it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump has repeatedly proposed brokering a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia with concessions Kyiv has not put on the table. The U.S. is reportedly weighing recognizing Russian control of Crimea.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

On April 23, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."

Kremlin spokesperson reiterates demands for Ukraine to give up territory in exchange for end to war

In an interview with French outlet Le Point, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov laid out Moscow’s demands for a ceasefire in Ukraine, including the full recognition of Russia’s claim over four Ukrainian oblasts it partially occupies, neutral status for Ukraine, and an end to all Western military support.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

In a bold and strategic move, Ukraine has reportedly launched an aerial assault on a Russian plant known for producing "Shahed" drones, with five 250-kg bombs hitting the site in Tatarstan. Situated 1,700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the city of Yelabuga in the Republic of Tatarstan was the focus of this alleged drone attack, believed to originate from Ukraine. The target was a factory located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which, according to Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council's Center for Counteracting Disinformation, produced more than 6,000 Shahed kamikaze drones and numerous decoy drones in 2024, with plans to ramp up production to 10,000 units by 2025.

Russian reports indicate that four drones were shot down over Yelabuga, yet Telegram channel SHOT mentions six drones involved, with only one intercepted and five hitting the site. Videos from local residents captured drone flights and air defense operations. "Nikolaevsky Vanek" reports that all six drones were carrying hefty 250-kg aerial bombs each. As a result, temporary restrictions were implemented at airports in Nizhnekamsk and Kazan, leading to flight suspensions. 

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has confirmed a successful strike on a Russian drone manufacturing plant more than 1000 km from Ukraine.  According to Ukrainian military, the strike resulted in confirmed damage to the final assembly workshop, although the overall impact of the attack remains under assessment.

The General Staff has labeled this strike as a justified response to the Russian strategic military facility, used for supporting Russia's attacks against civilians. 

The successful strike signifies the capabilities of Ukrainian drones to hit targets deep within Russian territory, extending as far as 1,700 kilometers from the border, thus highlighting the vulnerability of strategic assets situated deep within Russia. This is not the first time this key site has been targeted; on April 2, 2024, the same Yelabuga plant was attacked by drones leading to damage to buildings and injuries among students at Alabuga Polytech College.

Ukraine has expressed willingness to engage in negotiations with Russia yet steadfastly emphasizes that capitulation is out of the question. Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko remarked that the Ukrainians will not entertain the notion of a frozen conflict, nor will they concede to the recognition of Crimea's occupation.

During discussions in London, the Ukrainian delegation declared the impossibility of acknowledging Crimea as Russian—now or in the future. Svyrydenko delivered this statement with marked decisiveness through her post, underscoring Kyiv's unwavering stance: "Ukraine is ready to negotiate, but not to surrender."

Svyrydenko further asserted that no agreement would allow Russia time to regroup and potentially launch renewed violence. Ukraine demands a complete ceasefire across all fronts—land, air, and sea—as the essential initial measure. Should Moscow opt for merely a "tactical pause," Ukraine will respond in kind.

The minister also underlined that if NATO membership is not forthcoming, Ukraine will seek robust and explicit security assurances from partners—assurances that are sufficiently potent to deter aggression and clear enough to ensure lasting peace.

As The Washington Post reports, the U.S. administration has expressed disappointment in Kyiv's resolve to not barter territory for the sake of apparent progress.  In Washington, there is particular dissatisfaction with Ukraine's emphasis on ceasefire discussions over making concessions on Crimea.

Following Ukraine's firm stance, Senator Rubio canceled his trip to London, prompting the foreign ministers of the UK and France to follow suit. Negotiations now persist on a technical level with advisor Kellogg.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to reports from The New York Times and CNN, has categorically refused to acknowledge Crimea as Russian.

Sky News reports that after Rubio’s withdrawal, meetings with UK Foreign Minister David Lammy, French Foreign Minister Stéphane Barraux, and other senior officials were also called off. Consequently, negotiations have effectively been reduced to a technical level.

Although European officials remain skeptical about the success of the London talks, as Reuters reports, an EU diplomat indicated that Rubio's withdrawal was prompted by concerns over Kyiv's "hardline" approach, which supposedly hinders progress.

European diplomats, as reported by Reuters and The Washington Post, initially held low expectations for the success of the London talks, describing the chances of an outcome as minimal.

While the U.S. has not officially demanded that Ukraine recognize Crimea, observers believe this issue has fueled the strong reactions from Kyiv and Europe.

Moscow insists that Europe lift sanctions. However, the EU insists this can occur only post-negotiations. Additionally, the Kremlin is dissatisfied with the lack of American pressure on Kyiv regarding demilitarization and staunchly opposes the deployment of European troops in Ukraine.

Reminding all that during the March 12 talks in Jeddah, it was agreed that a ceasefire should precede territorial discussions, Ukraine and Europe emphasize that U.S. actions now appear contradictory, pressuring Kyiv rather than demanding Moscow take steps.

Ukraine's perspective suggests it's not only about the U.S.'s shifting stance but also the loss of Washington’s integrity as an impartial broker, now seemingly preparing to withdraw from the negotiation process while blaming Ukraine. In such a scenario, Kyiv might retain European support but lose the pivotal backing of Washington.