A prominent Ukrainian politician has been shot dead, officials have said, hours after Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles in an overnight bombardment.
Andriy Parubiy was killed in Lviv, Ukrainian authorities said, after reports of a shooting at around midday local time on Saturday.
It came after Russia strikes killed at least one person and injured 24, including three children, in the Zaporizhzhia region, local officials said.
Shortly after the latest attack, president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using the time meant to work towards peace for planning massive missile and drone assaults on Ukraine.
The overnight attack was the second on the capital Kyiv since Vladimir Putin met with Donald Trump in Alaska for peace talks. There has been little progress made on kickstarting a peace process since that meeting earlier this month.
Key Points
- Ukrainian MP shot dead in Lviv
- Russia used peace talks meetings for planning massive attacks on Kyiv, says Zelensky
- Russia launches 537 drones and 45 missiles in overnight attack on Ukraine
- Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
- Zelensky breaks silence on buffer zone proposals
- EU leaders float Ukraine-Russia buffer zone – report
Covert drone strikes, airport sabotage and nuclear plant fires: All of Ukraine’s boldest attacks on Russia
12:37 , Tom Watling
All Ukraine’s bold attacks on Russia after nuclear plant hit in Kursk
Russia launches overnight strike on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia
12:02 , Tom WatlingWho is Andriy Parubiy, the MP killed in Lviv?
11:36 , Tom WatlingAndriy Parubiy, 54, who previously served as the parliament speaker, was a key figure in the two pro-democracy revolutions in Ukraine this millennium.
Hailing from Lviv Oblast, the politician was a member of ex-President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity party.
He participated in the Orange Revolution in 2004 and led self-defence volunteer units during the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013-2014.
After the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, Parubiy was appointed National Security and Defense Council secretary. He held that position from February to August 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and launched its war in Donbas.
He then became first deputy parliament speaker until 2016 and later the speaker until 2019.
Iryna Herashchenko, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, said in a statement published on the party’s Facebook page: “Our team is shocked. This is terror.
“Andriy was one of the founders of the modern Ukraine... principled and decent, patriotic, intelligent.”
We have some more details on the shooting in Lviv
11:32 , Tom WatlingUkrainian media is reporting that the attacker who killed Andriy Parubiy approached the politician dressed as a delivery courier, firing multiple shots before riding away on an electric bicycle.
Seven shell casings were found at the crime scene, law enforcement sources told Suspilne.
Authorities reportedly received an emergency call at around noon, attending the scene in Lviv's southern Frankivskyi city district, the police said.
Ukrainian MP shot dead in Lviv
11:27 , Tom WatlingUkrainian MP Andriy Parubiy has reportedly been shot dead in the western city of Lviv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Pictures shared online appear to show the politician’s body on a street in Lviv.
We’ll bring you more developments on this story as it unfolds.
Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko and Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko have just reported the first known circumstances of the horrendous murder in Lviv. Andriy Parubiy was killed. My condolences to his family and loved ones.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2025
All necessary forces and means…
Russia says it captured village in eastern Ukraine, struck Ukrainian military targets
11:18 , Tom WatlingThe Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday its troops had taken control of the village of Komyshuvakha in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The ministry said its forces had successfully carried out strikes with high-precision weapons on Ukrainian missile and aviation enterprises, as well as military airfields in Ukraine.
The Independent could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
Ukraine FM: Putin mocks peace efforts
10:44 , Tom WatlingUkraine’s top diplomat Andrii Sybiha has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of “mocking peace efforts” following another massive aerial attack across the country.
“Putin mocks peace efforts, deadlines, and proposals. Instead, he escalates terror.,” Mr Sybiha wrote on X.
Another massive Russian attack against Ukraine overnight. Again almost 600 drones and missiles. Killed and injured people, including children.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) August 30, 2025
Putin mocks peace efforts, deadlines, and proposals. Instead, he escalates terror.
Strengthening Ukraine and ramping up transatlantic… pic.twitter.com/VFRbstw6ob
Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
10:14 , Tom WatlingUkrainian military said on Saturday that it had struck Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar and Syzran overnight.
Kyiv's military recorded multiple explosions and a fire at the Krasnodar oil refinery in Russia's south, which produces 3 million tonnes of light petroleum products annually.
Russian authorities in Krasnodar said falling drone debris damaged one of the refinery's units and a fire had broken out over an area measuring 300 square metres (3,230 square feet). That fire was later extinguished, authorities said.
There were no casualties, and employees were evacuated, authorities wrote on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said it had downed 11 Ukrainian drones over the Krasnodar region overnight.
There was also a fire in the Syzran oil refinery area in Samara region, which had a processing capacity of 8.5 million tonnes per year before August, the Ukrainian military said.
Samara's regional governor confirmed an attempt overnight to attack an industrial enterprise, but gave no further details.
In pictures: Zaporizhzhia locals survey the impact of Russia's latest aerial attack
09:44 , Tom Watling
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv: Why Russia keeps bombarding the capital
09:14 , Tom Watling
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’: Why Russia keeps bombing Kyiv
Russian attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia kills one, injures 24, governor says
08:45 , Tom WatlingA Russian attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured at least 24 others, including three children, the regional governor said on Saturday.
The attack damaged infrastructure and residential buildings, Governor Ivan Fedorov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
07:53 , Arpan RaiUkrainian military has struck Russia's Krasnodar and Syzran oil refineries overnight, it said this morning.
The military recorded multiple explosions and a fire at the Krasnodar oil refinery, which it said produces 3 million tonnes of light petroleum products annually in the Krasnodar region.
There was also a fire in the Syzran oil refinery area in Samara region, which had a processing capacity of 8.5 million tonnes per year before August, the military said.
Visuals shared on social media by open-source intelligence accounts showed massive fires engulfing the facilities with widespread damage visible from the attacks.
Ukraine’s campaign against Russian oil and gas facilities continues, with a large fire currently burning at the Krasnodar Oil Refinery in Krasnodar Krai, Southwestern Russia, following several drone strikes against the complex by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/vUwBm32q21
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 30, 2025
Additional footage of tonight’s fire at the Krasnodar Oil Refinery in Southern Russia, resulting from a long-range drone attack by Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/vTXU2Um29M
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 30, 2025
Russia used peace talks meetings for planning massive attacks on Kyiv, says Zelensky
07:49 , Arpan RaiShortly after the attacks this morning, Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using the time meant to work towards peace for planning large-scale missile and drone assaults on Ukraine.
At least one person was killed and several injured after Russia fired at least 537 drones and 45 missiles at Ukraine.
“We saw the world’s response to the previous strike. But now, as Russia once again shows its utter disregard for words, we count on real action. It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks,” Zelensky said on X.
He called for strict measures to deal with Moscow.
“The only way to reopen a window of opportunity for diplomacy is through tough measures against all those bankrolling the Russian army and effective sanctions against Moscow itself – banking and energy sanctions,” he said.
“This war won’t stop with political statements alone; real steps are needed. We expect action from the US, Europe, and the entire world."
In Zaporizhzhia, all emergency services are engaged at the site of a Russian strike on a five-story residential building. Tragically, as of now, one person is confirmed dead, and dozens are wounded, including children. Once again, it was a regular apartment building. Overnight,… pic.twitter.com/mYZ2C8WqZ7
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2025
Russia launches 537 drones and 45 missiles in overnight attack on Ukraine
07:35 , Arpan RaiThe Ukrainian air force said it had downed 510 of 537 drones and 38 of 45 missiles launched by Russia in an overnight attack.
It recorded five missile and 24 drone hits at 7 locations with debris falling on 21 sites, according to the statement on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia won't get frozen assets back without paying reparations, says EU's Kallas
07:19 , Arpan RaiEuropean Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said it was not possible to imagine giving back Russian assets frozen inside the bloc due to the war in Ukraine unless Moscow has paid reparations.
"We can't possibly imagine that... if... there is a ceasefire or peace deal that these assets are given back to Russia if they haven't paid for the reparations," she told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen.
The EU says some 210bn euros ($245.85bn) of Russian assets are frozen in the bloc under sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine and some EU countries, including Poland and the Baltic states, have called for the EU to confiscate the assets and use them to support Kyiv.
But EU heavyweights France and Germany, along with Belgium, which holds most of the assets, have rebuffed such calls.
EU leaders float Ukraine-Russia buffer zone – report
07:04 , Arpan RaiEuropean leaders are reportedly weighing on creation of a 40km buffer zone between the Russian and Ukrainian frontlines as part of a peace deal.
The proposal is among several that military and civilian officials are considering for either a postwar or ceasefire scenario in Ukraine, the Politico reported, citing five European diplomats.
"They’re grasping for straws,” Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon official who oversaw Europe and Nato policy under Barack Obama administration, told the website.
“The Russians are not afraid of the Europeans. And if they think that a couple of British and French observers are going to deter them from marching into Ukraine, then they’re wrong.”
Donald Trump's peace efforts appear to be failing after Vladimir Putin's forces launched the second-largest attack on the Ukrainian capital, killing 23 people, just days after both leaders met in Alaska.
US presidents avoid taking a tough stance with Putin, says think tank. Here's why
06:47 , Arpan RaiRecent US presidents have shied away from taking a tougher line with Russian president Vladimir Putin for fear of a potential nuclear conflict, a Washington think tank has said.
"Putin knows that Washington and its allies have more than enough capacity to reverse his gains in Ukraine, but it is nearly certain that he doubts the United States has the will to do so," the Atlantic Council said in an assessment this week.
It added that "the second Trump administration has repeatedly signaled that the United States has no vital interests at stake in this war”.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv
06:26 , Arpan RaiLess than two weeks after Donald Trump promised an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine, Russia pounded Kyiv with the second-worst aerial assault of the war so far on Thursday, killing at least 23 people and injuring 48.
Residents of the Ukrainian capital, which lies hundreds of miles from the front line, have been forced to adapt to a constant cycle of devastating missile and drone strikes since the beginning of the war in February 2022. The sound of air raid sirens and the retreat to bomb shelters have become a daily reality.
In the past few months, Russia has ramped up strikes on towns and cities in a move experts say is a deliberate attempt to sow fear among civilians and break their morale.
“Russia is pressuring Ukraine through psychological methods and intimidation. This is a strategy to exhaust our moral and instil psychological terror,” Liliya Sky, a PhD student from Kyiv, told The Independent.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’: Why Russia keeps bombing Kyiv
Putin 'doesn't rule out' meeting with Zelensky, says Kremlin
06:16 , Arpan RaiKremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow's long-held position that Russian president Vladimir Putin "doesn't rule out" meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, but only after progress was made "at the expert level".
A summit "must be well prepared so that it can finalize the work that must first be carried out at the expert level," Peskov told reporters during his daily conference call yesterday."
At this point we can't say that the expert work is in full swing, so to speak. No, unfortunately, not. We maintain our interest and our readiness for these negotiations."
Watch: Russia strikes key Ukraine energy facility in large-scale drone attack
06:00 , Bryony GoochOne killed and 22 injured in Russia's missile and drone attack on Zaporizhzhia
05:53 , Arpan RaiAt least one person has been killed and 22 others, including three children, have been injured in massive Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, local officials said.
Russia launched a missile and drone attack targeting various Ukrainian regions overnight, with explosions heard in several cities like Zaporizhzhia, Pavlohrad, Dnipro, Chernihiv and Lutsk, officials said.
In Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian missile and drone strikes damaged 40 homes, 14 apartment buildings, and an unspecified number of industrial facilities.
At least eight people have been hospitalised in the attack, including a 10-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, Fedorov said.
Additionally, Ukraine's Air Force confirmed that multiple Russian cruise and ballistic missiles were fired on Ukraine's front line regions.
Zelensky says several meetings planned next week to push peace talks forward
05:23 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that he expected "several meetings at different venues" with European leaders next week.
Ukrainian negotiators have been trying to move the peace process forward in talks in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and the United States, he said.
Ukraine has accepted a US proposal for a ceasefire and a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, but Moscow has raised objections.
The proposed meetings appeared designed to add momentum to the push for peace, as Zelensky expressed frustration with what he called Russia's lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas.
Zelensky aide meets Trump's peace envoy in Washington to prepare for peace talks
05:16 , Arpan RaiAndriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, met on Friday in New York with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss preparations for upcoming meetings.
"The key priority is to push forward real diplomacy and ensure the implementation of all the agreements reached at the Washington summit," Yermak said in a social media post.
"We are coordinating our efforts."Yermak said he had briefed Witkoff on Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine and lamented that Putin had shown no willingness to engage in peace efforts despite his meeting with Trump in Alaska this month.
"Unfortunately, Russia is failing to fulfill anything necessary to end the war and is clearly dragging out the hostilities," Yermak wrote in a lengthy post on X.
"Ukraine supports President Trump's firm resolve, as well as that of all partners, to achieve a lasting peace as soon as possible. Ukraine welcomes all peace initiatives put forward by the United States. But unfortunately, each of them is being stalled by Russia."
Of the meeting, a White House official said only that Yermak and Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's ambassador extraordinary, gave Witkoff a status update on the war and Russia's strikes on Kyiv this week.
The official was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Together with the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, @SergiyKyslytsya, I held a meeting in New York with the Special Envoy of U.S. President @POTUS, @SteveWitkoff.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) August 29, 2025
The key priority is to push forward real diplomacy and ensure the implementation of all the… pic.twitter.com/38lluDmCk6
Russia expects contact with US to discuss bilateral issues in coming weeks, TASS reports
05:00 , Bryony GoochRussian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday that a Russia-U.S. contact to discuss "mutual irritants" in bilateral relations may take place in the coming weeks, the TASS news agency reported.
He also said that European countries were trying to sabotage agreements reached by Russia and the United States at the Alaska summit, but Moscow expected Washington to continue its efforts.
"We proceed from the fact that there will be no deviations from these understandings (reached in Alaska). We expect that this is how the situation will ultimately be perceived in Kyiv and in the European capitals, where there is outright sabotage," TASS quoted Ryabkov as saying.
Macron says Putin would have duped Trump if he doesn't commit to Zelensky meeting
04:42 , Arpan RaiIf Russian president Vladimir Putin doesn't commit by Monday to meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, he would have duped US president Donald Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron said.
"If that doesn't happen by Monday, the deadline set by president Trump, it means that once again president Putin played President Trump," Macron said at a joint news conference with German chancellor Friedrich Merz yesterday.
Trump has threatened "consequences" if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don't meet.
Zelensky also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.
"Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody," Zelensky said.
Ukraine's defence minister lists five priorities
04:30 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s defence minister has outlined five priorities during a meeting with European leaders in Denmark on Friday.
He urged leaders to do “everything together with Ukraine to end the war and achieve a lasting and just peace”.
In a post on X, Denys Shmyhal said he had told leaders his country was asking for their assistance in:
• Equipping Ukraine’s armed forces
• Weapons supplies through the PURL mechanism
• Building an “effective architecture of future security guarantees for Ukraine, where each partner country will make a clear contribution”
• The training of Ukrainian service members
• Defence-industrial integration
Zelensky seeks fresh meeting with Trump, European leaders after Putin stalls peace
04:25 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian officials want to meet with US president Donald Trump and European leaders next week to discuss recent developments in efforts to end the three-year war with Russia.
The proposed meetings appeared designed to add momentum to the push for peace, as Zelensky expressed frustration with what he called Russia's lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas.
“Ukraine has stated many times that it is ready for a meeting at the level of leaders. We have spoken about this with President Trump and with our European friends. But we see no signals of such readiness from Russia,” Zelensky said.
He added: “That is why pressure is needed. We are counting that the 19th EU sanctions package will be truly strong.”
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after devastating airstrike on Kyiv kills 23 and hits British Council building
04:11 , Arpan RaiRussia has killed at least 23 people including four children in a massive wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital that has drawn international condemnation.
Sir Keir Starmer accused Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace” with the attacks that took place in the early hours of Thursday and saw more than 600 drones and over 30 missiles launched.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike, the second largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, was Moscow’s answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after Russian airstrike on Kyiv kills 23
Ukraine-Russia buffer zone ‘being considered by European leaders’ to get peace deal with Putin
04:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine-Russia buffer zone ‘considered by European leaders’ to get Putin peace deal
North Korea leader Kim promises 'beautiful life' for families of 'martyrs' killed in Russia
03:54 , Arpan RaiNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised "a beautiful life" for the families of "martyrs" who perished fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, state media said today, praising the bereaved for the heroism of their sons and husbands.
Kim hosted the families of soldiers yesterday and expressed "grief at having failed to save the precious lives" of the fallen men who sacrificed their lives to defend the country's honour, KCNA state news agency reported.
The heroic feats of the soldiers and officers were possible because of the strength and courage given to them by families who are "the most tenacious, patriotic and just people in the world," Kim told the parents, wives and children, KCNA said.
"They did not write even a short letter to me, but I think they must have entrusted their families, including those beloved children, to me," Kim was quoted as saying.
The country will "provide you with a beautiful life in the country defended at the cost of the lives of the martyrs," he said.
The meeting was the latest honouring of troops who suffered heavy casualties in Russia's Kursk region that borders Ukraine, after Kim and Russian president Vladimir Putin acknowledged the deployment in April after months of silence.
Putin says Russia and China oppose 'discriminatory' trade sanctions
03:50 , Arpan RaiOn the eve of his visit to China, Russian leader Vladimir Putin ranted against Western sanctions as his country's economy teetered on the brink of recession.
Russia and China jointly opposed "discriminatory" sanctions in global trade, Putin said in a written interview with China's official Xinhua news agency published this morning.
Putin will be in China, Russia's biggest trading partner, from Sunday to Wednesday in a four-day visit that the Kremlin has called "unprecedented."
The Russian leader will first attend the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin. The security-focused SCO, founded by a group of Eurasian nations in 2001, has expanded to 10 permanent members that now include Iran and India.
Putin will then travel to Beijing to hold talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping and attend a massive military parade in the Chinese capital commemorating the end of the Second World War after Japan's formal surrender.
Trump’s ceasefire deal is dead – and Ukraine should count its blessings
03:00 , Bryony Gooch
Trump’s ceasefire deal is dead – and Ukraine should count its blessings
RECAP: Zelensky calls Russian strike an 'attack on Europe'
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russia’s overnight drone and missile strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday night an “attack on Europe”.
In a video address, the leader said Moscow’s war goals have “not changed”.
You can watch his full statement below.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv: Why Russia keeps bombarding the capital
01:00 , Bryony GoochInside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’: Why Russia keeps bombing Kyiv
Macron says Putin would have duped Trump if he doesn't commit to Zelenskiy meeting
Saturday 30 August 2025 00:00 , Bryony GoochIf Russian president Vladimir Putin doesn't commit by Monday to meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, he would have duped US president Donald Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron said.
"If that doesn't happen by Monday, the deadline set by President Trump, it means that once again President Putin played President Trump," Macron said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday.
Trump has threatened "consequences" if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don't meet.
Zelensky also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.
"Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody," Zelensky said.
Zelensky breaks silence on buffer zone proposals
Friday 29 August 2025 23:27 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected proposals for a buffer zone between Ukrainian and Russian forces as part of a peace deal, arguing it does not reflect the realities of modern warfare.
"Only those who do not understand the technological state of today's war propose a buffer zone," he told reporters on Friday.
European leaders were allegedly considering a buffer zone as part of a postwar or ceasefire agreement in Ukraine, according to Politico.
Zelensky pays tribute to those killed in Russia's residential building strike
Friday 29 August 2025 23:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has paid tribute to the 22 people killed in a Russian strike on a residential building.
“This horrific strike claimed the lives of 22 people, including 4 children, the youngest of whom was not even three years old. My condolences to all their families and loved ones.
“All those affected, as well as the families who lost relatives due to the Russian strike, will soon receive the necessary housing assistance; relevant programs are already in place. This attack is a demonstrative Russian response to the world’s efforts to end this war.
“Killing children and causing destruction instead of pursuing diplomacy and peace. And such a response demands a reaction from the world: even more sanctions, even more opportunities for Ukraine to speak the language of strength – the only language Russia understands. I thank all the partners who are helping us with this.”
I paid tribute to the memory of those killed at the site where a Russian ballistic missile struck a residential building. This horrific strike claimed the lives of 22 people, including 4 children, the youngest of whom was not even three years old. My condolences to all their… pic.twitter.com/EdSI0gNCSe
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 29, 2025
Ukraine's top general speaks with allied counterparts about foundations for future peace
Friday 29 August 2025 22:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine's top general said on Friday that he spoke with his counterparts from member countries of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" about steps that could help secure a just and lasting peace in the war with Russia.
"Jointly developed practical solutions, supported by real mechanisms of political and diplomatic support from reliable partners of Ukraine, are capable of ensuring a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and all of Europe," Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement.
Emergency crews complete work after mass Kyiv attack, 25 dead
Friday 29 August 2025 22:00 , Bryony GoochEmergency crews on Friday completed rescue operations in the aftermath of a Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, as authorities revised the death toll up to 25.
The DSNS state emergency service posted photos on its Telegram channel of damaged sites in the capital during the attack, which occurred early on Thursday.
It said 22 of those killed, including four children, had been residents of an apartment building destroyed in the city's eastern Darnytskyi district.
Emergency crews were dispatched to 19 sites in six city districts and assistance extended to 312 residents, the DSNS said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday the strike, which damaged the offices of the European Union and British Council, was the second-largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Outraged over Russian strike on Kyiv, European defence leaders pledge pressure to end the war
Friday 29 August 2025 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
Outraged over Russian strike on Kyiv, European defense leaders pledge pressure to end the war
Moscow: Russian forces have advanced 600-700 square km per month
Friday 29 August 2025 21:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian forces have advanced 600-700 square km per month into Ukrainian territory, according to Russia’s defence minister.
The Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Zelensky says Kyiv is seeking meeting with Trump
Friday 29 August 2025 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneKyiv is seeking a meeting with the US President and European leaders next week to discuss the most recent developments in efforts to end the war with Russia.
It comes after a turbulent week in the region, which saw one of the largest Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital since the war began.
Ukraine’s leader Zelensky says his country is willing to sit down with Putin at any time, but no talks are forthcoming after Russia blasted Western proposals on Ukraine are “one sided”.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv
Friday 29 August 2025 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAs darkness fell on Kyiv on Wednesday night, Russian military might mobilised for the second worst aerial assault of the war so far.
At least 23 people died in the “massive” drone and missile attack that bombarded the city throughout the night. But, as Steffie Banatvala writes, the sound of air raid sirens and bomb shelters have become a daily reality.
“Russia is pressuring Ukraine through psychological methods and intimidation. This is a strategy to exhaust our moral and instil psychological terror,” Liliya Sky, from Kyiv, told The Independent.
“It is a methodical, constant campaign of moral and physical exhaustion so that people surrender and agree to give up territories for the sake of simply ending the war,” the PhD student said.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’: Why Russia keeps bombing Kyiv
IN PICTURES: Zelensky attends ceremony for dead servicemen's relatives
Friday 29 August 2025 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePresident Zelensky has been marking Ukraine’s national day of remembrance for soldiers slain in its fight for independence on Friday.
Pictures show the Ukrainian leader singing his national anthem during a ceremony for dead servicemen’s relatives in Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv.
Zelensky's chief of staff holds discussions with US envoy to discuss pressure on Russia
Friday 29 August 2025 19:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneZelensky’s chief of staff has met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday to discuss Russia's latest deadly strike on Kyiv and the need for pressure on Moscow to bring peace closer.
"We believe that global pressure is needed to ensure Russia is genuinely ready to move toward peace and, in particular, to hold critically important leaders' meetings for that purpose," he said on X after the meeting in New York.
Together with the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, @SergiyKyslytsya, I held a meeting in New York with the Special Envoy of U.S. President @POTUS, @SteveWitkoff.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) August 29, 2025
The key priority is to push forward real diplomacy and ensure the implementation of all the… pic.twitter.com/38lluDmCk6
Ukraine's defence minister lists five priorities
Friday 29 August 2025 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine’s defence minister has outlined five priorities during a meeting with European leaders in Denmark on Friday.
He urged leaders to do “everything together with Ukraine to end the war and achieve a lasting and just peace”.
In a post on X, Denys Shmyhal said he had told leaders his country was asking for their assistance in:
• Equipping Ukraine’s armed forces
• Weapons supplies through the PURL mechanism
• Building an “effective architecture of future security guarantees for Ukraine, where each partner country will make a clear contribution”
• The training of Ukrainian service members
• Defense-industrial integration
RECAP: Parts of Russia run dry after Ukrainian drone attacks
Friday 29 August 2025 18:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneParts of Russia are experiencing severe fuel shortages following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting oil refineries.
Local officials have resorted to rationing or completely halting fuel sales in some areas as the country reels from the impact of the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Reports from Russian media suggest that consumers in several regions, including the Far East and the Crimean Peninsula – illegally annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014 – are particularly affected by the shortages.
Parts of Russia run dry as Ukraine’s drone strikes hit oil refineries
Ukrainian PM visits US after failed peace talks
Friday 29 August 2025 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has said she has travelled to the US for an “international visit”.
It comes just two weeks after US President Donald Trump’s high-stakes summit with Putin in Alaska, which Ukrainian leaders were not invited to. The talks ended in a stalemate, with Trump later expressing he was “not happy” about the ongoing war.
Ms Svyrydenko said despite not being in Kyiv, she was mourning the victims of Russia’s mass drone and missile attack in the capital, which killed 23 people.
In a post on X, she wrote: “Today, I began an international visit to the United States. Together with the Head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak, we lit a candle of remembrance for the victims of the Russian strike on the capital.
“23 killed, including four children. The youngest—a girl who was not yet three years old. She was born under Russian shelling in the fall of 2022 and died from it in August 2025.
“Russia is killing our future. It deliberately targets civilians, trying to break us with terror. We will never come to terms with these losses. The aggressor state must bear maximum responsibility for all the crimes committed. And Ukraine must receive even greater support from the world to stop this cruelty together.
“My sincerest condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones.”
Putin to hold talks with Xi during China trip, Kremlin says
Friday 29 August 2025 17:30 , Nicole Wootton-CanePutin will sit down with Chinese President Xi during an official trip to the country next week, the Kremlin have said.
The Russian leader will be the "main guest" of Xi's at a military parade on Beijing's Tiananmen Square and also attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), they added.
Putin will also hold a string of bilateral meetings with other world leaders present in China at the same time, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
A meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was not yet confirmed but was under discussion, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Zelensky sets Monday deadline for meeting with Russia
Friday 29 August 2025 17:00 , Daniel KeaneVolodymyr Zelensky has set a deadline of Monday for Russia to show it is willing to participate in a bilateral summit.
The Ukrainian president said that he expected Ukraine’s allies to respond if Moscow does not show readiness for talks.
European defence ministers will meet on Monday in Copenhagen to discuss the war in Ukraine, with Kyiv calling for further sanctions to be placed in Moscow.
Broad support to expand EU military training to Ukraine after truce, Kallas says
Friday 29 August 2025 16:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneEuropean Union defence ministers expressed "broad support" for expanding the bloc's military training mission to operate inside Ukraine in the event of a truce, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday.
"I welcome that there is broad support today to expand our EU military mission mandate to provide training and advice inside Ukraine after any truce," Kallas said after a meeting of the ministers in Copenhagen.
A change to the mission's mandate would require unanimity among the EU's 27 member states, diplomats say.
Macron responds to Russian criticism over 'ogre' comments
Friday 29 August 2025 16:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSpeaking at news conference on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron has responded to Russian criticism of his previous comment labelling Putin an “ogre at our gates”.
Russian officials hit out at Macron, calling the expression “vulgar” and accusing him of “low-grade insults”.
On Friday, Macron replied he was never vulgar, but was only saying what many in the countries that have been invaded by Russia in the past decades so felt.
"When we say there's an ogre at Europe's gates, an expression used by many, I think it characterises what the Georgians, the Ukrainians and other nations feel very deeply," Macron told reporters.
EU leaders consider stricter plans to phase out Russian energy
Friday 29 August 2025 15:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneEU leaders are considering imposing stricter requirements on companies to prove where the gas they import has come from in a bid to phase out Russian gas and oil.
In a document seen by the Reuters news agency, The European Commission last month proposed legislation to phase out EU imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028.
Without giving specific detail, the latest draft of the negotiating proposal, seen by Reuters, showed countries are considering requirements for importers to provide more documentary proof to national authorities that their fuel is not Russian.
EU country diplomats are set to discuss the proposal at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
France and Germany to provide additional air defence to Ukraine
Friday 29 August 2025 15:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFrance and Germany have pledged additional air defence to Ukraine following this week’s strikes in Kyiv, reports Reuters news agency.
Russia attacks Macron for calling Putin an 'ogre'
Friday 29 August 2025 14:30 , Daniel KeaneRussia has criticised Emmanuel Macron for calling Vladimir Putin an “ogre”.
Moscow claimed that Macron had spoken in a manner unbecoming of a head of state when he called the Russian President "an ogre at our gates".
Macron, who made the comment in an interview last week, has been the target of frequent Russian criticism because of his support for Ukraine.
"This is unworthy of a head of state," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow.
Zelenksy meets soldiers and families in Ukraine
Friday 29 August 2025 14:30 , Nicole Wootton-CanePresident Zelensky has been meeting with Ukrainian soldiers and their families on Friday.
Each year on August 29, the country remembers its forces lost to fighting for their independence.
“The strength of our state is the best testament to the heroism of its warriors – it is and will remain so, no matter how much time passes,” Zelensky wrote on X alongside pictures of him greeting families.
“Today, I expressed my gratitude to the Heroes of Ukraine, to the families of our fallen Heroes, and presented certificates for apartments. I thank the Ukrainian warriors. I thank every family that has raised such heroes of Ukraine.
“I thank everyone who has defended Ukraine in battles since 2014 and continues to defend it in the full-scale war. We will most certainly defend Ukraine.”
The strength of our state is the best testament to the heroism of its warriors – it is and will remain so, no matter how much time passes. Today, I expressed my gratitude to the Heroes of Ukraine, to the families of our fallen Heroes, and presented certificates for apartments.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 29, 2025
I… pic.twitter.com/nmVYes2TRV
Putin to attend meeting in China with Iran and North Korea
Friday 29 August 2025 14:00 , Daniel KeaneVladimir Putin is due to attend a summit meeting in China from Sunday that will also include Iran and North Korea.
Both countries, like Beijing, have aided Russia's war effort against Ukraine.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a "no limits" partnership in 2022.
When Western countries cut ties with Russia after it sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, China helped Moscow by buying Russian oil and selling goods - from cars to electronics.
Zelensky says talks on security guarantees should be 'urgently' elevated to leaders' level
Friday 29 August 2025 13:30 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that discussions by Kyiv's partners on security guarantees for Ukraine should be "urgently" elevated to a leaders' level.
He made the remark in a briefing with reporters in Kyiv, during which he also said he wants allies to ratify any such guarantees through their respective parliaments.
EU receives requests for billions of euros under defence plan
Friday 29 August 2025 13:01 , Daniel KeaneEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that the Commission has received funding requests totalling the full €150 billion available under the EU's 'SAFE' rearmament initiative.
She added that 19 countries, including Latvia, had applied for support through the instrument.
Launched earlier this year, the plan aims to boost Europe's defence capabilities by helping member states replenish military stockpiles and strengthen strategic autonomy
Pictured: Rescuers help locals to recover belongings from destroyed buildings in Kyiv
Friday 29 August 2025 12:41 , Daniel Keane
Russia claims Western proposals on Ukraine are 'one sided'
Friday 29 August 2025 12:21 , Daniel KeaneRussia has claimed that Western proposals on Ukraine are “one-sided” and would increase the risk of conflict.
Ukraine and its European allies are attempting to pull together a series of security guarantees that will help to form part of a peace deal and deter a future Russian invasion.
"Security guarantees must be based on reaching a common understanding that takes into account Russia's security interests," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
She told a news briefing in Moscow that the current proposals were "one-sided and are clearly designed to contain Russia."
"This line (of proposals) violates the principle of indivisible security and assigns Kyiv the role of a strategic provocateur on Russia's borders, increasing the risk of the (NATO) alliance becoming involved in an armed conflict with our country."
Ukraine attacks oil pumping facility in Bryansk region
Friday 29 August 2025 11:52 , Daniel KeaneThe Ukrainian military has struck an oil pumping facility in Russia’s Bryansk region in its latest attack on the country’s energy infrastructure.
In a statement, Kyiv’s General Staff said the station in the village of Naitopovichi had been struck, causing a fire.
The station has a pumping capacity of around 10.5 million tonnes per year.
Kremlin hails Russia-China relationship ahead of Putin visit
Friday 29 August 2025 11:22 , Daniel KeaneThe Kremlin has hailed Russia-China relations ahead of a planned trip to the country by President Vladimir Putin.
Putin, whose programme in China the Kremlin said would begin on Sunday, is due to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and to attend a Chinese military parade.
Watch: Zelensky says Russian strike is 'an attack on Europe'
Friday 29 August 2025 11:00 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed Russia's major aerial attack on Kyiv shows President Vladimir Putin is “choosing ballistics” instead of "real steps towards peace".
Speaking in his nightly address on Thursday, Zelensky said despite claims of being ready to negotiate, Moscow's war goals "have not changed".
Watch his full address below.
Estonia says best security guarantee for Ukraine would be Nato membership
Friday 29 August 2025 10:30 , Daniel KeaneEstonia’s defence minister has said that the best security guarantee for Ukraine would be membership in Nato.
Speaking to reporters, Hanno Pevkur said that the US would need to be united on security guarantees with European leaders to successfully bring the war in Ukraine to an end.
Zelensky: Sanctions are needed
Friday 29 August 2025 10:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneZelensky has called for sanctions to be placed on Russia after its latest attack on Kyiv, which killed 23 people.
“Russia kills every day,’ he wrote in a post on X. “Therefore, every day they must feel pain for what they are doing. And this is possible. The world’s sanctions. Tariffs. Support for Ukraine. Our strong army. Our ability to defend lives and respond powerfully to the Russian war machine. Eternal memory to all whom the Russian state has killed.”
Sanctions are needed. Tariffs are needed against those who sponsor this war in one way or another. The end of the war is possible thanks to strength, not words, thanks to the strength of pressure on the only one who continues the strikes and drags out any settlement.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 28, 2025
EU defence ministers to focus on Ukraine support at Copenhagen meeting, Denmark says
Friday 29 August 2025 09:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSupport for Ukraine and its defence industry will be the most important topic when EU defence ministers meet in Copenhagen on Friday, Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters.
Zelensky pays tribute to fallen soldiers
Friday 29 August 2025 08:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVolodymyr Zelensky has paid tribute to the Ukrainian soldiers slain in the country’s fight for independence.
In a post on X, he wrote that the nation remembers those who have fought for it every year on August 29.
“This battle for Ukraine's right to exist has been ongoing since 2014. Since 2022, Ukrainians have been defending themselves in a full-scale war. It is an extremely long and difficult path of courage. And we do not forget those thanks to whom Ukraine stands,” he continued.
Every year on August 29, we honor the memory of all our fallen warriors – the defenders of Ukraine who gave their lives in the battles for our state, for our independent Ukraine.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 29, 2025
This battle for Ukraine's right to exist has been ongoing since 2014. Since 2022, Ukrainians have… pic.twitter.com/4DPgURipbG
RECAP: British Council building struck in Russian attack on Kyiv
Friday 29 August 2025 08:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA British Council building was among nearly 100 buildings damaged in Russian strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday night.
The office has been “severely damaged” and will not reopen until further notice, the director of the British Council Ukraine told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday.
Colm McGivern refused to be drawn on whether Russian forces had deliberately targeted the centre, but said Moscow is targeting education and cultural buildings.
“I don’t want to speculate on whether or not it was deliberate and intentional for the Russians to attack the British Council,” he said.
“But what I do think was deliberate, and what I do think is intentional, is Russia’s continued attacks on education and cultural infrastructure in Ukraine, attacking schools, attacking theatres, forcing children to learn from bomb shelters, preventing universities from opening fully and teaching their young learners.
“And the British Council is absolutely determined, steadfastly determined, that we will continue to support education and cultural expression, education and cultural links for Ukraine with the UK, in order to keep those sectors strong.”
Russian units destroy 54 Ukrainian drones overnight, defence ministry says
Friday 29 August 2025 07:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian defence systems intercepted and destroyed 54 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday.
It comes after yesterday’s “massive” attack by the Russians on the Ukrainian capital, which left 23 dead.
EU leaders float Ukraine-Russia buffer zone – report
Friday 29 August 2025 07:12 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarEuropean leaders are reportedly weighing on creation of a 40km buffer zone between the Russian and Ukrainian frontlines as part of a peace deal.
The proposal is among several that military and civilian officials are considering for either a postwar or ceasefire scenario in Ukraine, the Politico reported, citing five European diplomats.
"They’re grasping for straws,” Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon official who oversaw Europe and Nato policy under Barack Obama administration, told the website.
“The Russians are not afraid of the Europeans. And if they think that a couple of British and French observers are going to deter them from marching into Ukraine, then they’re wrong.”
Donald Trump's peace efforts appear to be failing after Vladimir Putin's forces launched the second-largest attack on the Ukrainian capital, killing 23 people, just days after both leaders met in Alaska.
In pics: Buildings destroyed in Moscow's second-largest attack on Kyiv
Friday 29 August 2025 07:03 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Trump 'not happy' with Russian strike on Ukraine
Friday 29 August 2025 06:37 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump "was not happy" when he learned that Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles and drones overnight, killing at least 23 people and damaging buildings, including the British Council in Kyiv.
"He was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised. These are two countries that have been at war for a very long time," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, adding that Trump will make an additional statement on the situation later on Thursday.
Russia not interested in negotiating peace, says Meloni
Friday 29 August 2025 06:22 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarItalian leader Giorgia Meloni has said that Russia's second-largest airstrike on Ukraine shows Moscow is not interested in negotiating an end to the war.
The prime minister said: "The intense attacks on Kyiv last night demonstrate who stands on the side of peace and who has no intention of believing in the negotiating path."
"Our thoughts go to the Ukrainian people, to civilians, to the families of defenseless victims, including children, of the senseless Russian attacks."
Trump administration announces a $825m arms sale to Ukraine
Friday 29 August 2025 05:54 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Donald Trump administration has approved a $825m (£611m) arms sale to Ukraine that will include extended-range missiles and related equipment to boost its defensive capabilities as US efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia appear stalled.
The US state department yesterday said that it had notified Congress of the sale of extended-range attack munition missiles and navigation systems for Ukraine.
The sale will cover 3,350 ERAM missiles, 3,350 GPS units, along with components, spare parts and other accessories, as well as training and technical support.
It said Ukraine would use funding from Nato allies Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway in addition to US foreign military financing to pay for the equipment
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the department said in a statement.
In pics: Aftermath of Russia's strikes on Kyiv
Friday 29 August 2025 05:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
German leader says Zelensky-Putin meeting 'obviously' not happening
Friday 29 August 2025 05:32 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz has confirmed that a proposed bilateral meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not take place.
"We have to deal with this issue again today, given the fact that there will obviously not be a meeting between president Zelensky and president Putin," he said alongside French president Emmanuel Macron as the two met to discuss efforts to end Moscow's offensive on Ukraine.
The statement comes after a major Russian attack on Kyiv killed at least 23 people, including children.
The US president had proposed that Zelensky and Putin meet directly at a bilateral summit, which Trump could join.
This is "different from what was agreed between president Trump and president Putin last week when we were in Washington together," Merz added.
Russia’s devastating attack on Kyiv proves Trump’s Ukraine peace plans have failed
Friday 29 August 2025 05:17 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarStarmer and EU leaders may express outrage but they need to take more drastic action to help Ukraine beat Putin, writes World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley
Russia’s devastating attack on Kyiv proves Trump’s Ukraine peace plans have failed
Zelensky says 'Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table'
Friday 29 August 2025 05:01 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the airstrike on Kyiv, the second-largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, was Moscow's answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.
At least 23 people, including children, were killed in the capital, Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram.
"Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table," Zelensky said on X, calling for new sanctions on Russia. "It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war."
Russia said its attack had hit military-industrial facilities and air bases, and that Ukraine had attacked Russian targets. The Kremlin said it was still interested in pursuing peace talks.
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’
Friday 29 August 2025 04:36 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussia has killed at least 23 people including four children in a massive wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital that has drawn international condemnation.
Sir Keir Starmer accused Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace” with the attacks that took place in the early hours of Thursday and saw more than 600 drones and over 30 missiles launched.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike, the second largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, was Moscow’s answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.
Sam Kiley reports.
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after Russian airstrike on Kyiv kills 21
Recap: Russian forces break into another region of Ukraine with peace efforts stuck
Friday 29 August 2025 04:00 , Tara CobhamRussia’s invading forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said on Wednesday, seeking to capture more ground in their three-year war of attrition as US-led peace efforts struggle to gain traction.
Some Russian troops have entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a major Ukrainian industrial center next to the Donetsk region where fierce fighting has been taking place, Victor Trehubov, spokesman for local ground forces, told The Associated Press by phone.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed earlier this month that its forces had taken the two villages.
Read more here:
Russian forces break into another region of Ukraine with peace efforts stuck
Starmer accuses Putin of 'sabotaging' hopes of peace
Friday 29 August 2025 03:00 , Tara CobhamBritish Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "sabotaging" hopes of peace following the "senseless" strikes early on Thursday.
Russia launched a major air attack on Kyiv that included a rare strike on the city centre, killing at least 19 people, wounding 48 and damaging European Union diplomatic offices, authorities said.
Recap: Watch as Russia strikes key Ukraine energy facility in large-scale drone attack
Friday 29 August 2025 02:00 , Tara CobhamAnalysis: Russia’s devastating attack on Kyiv proves Trump’s Ukraine peace plans have failed. It is time for Europe to show leadership
Friday 29 August 2025 01:00 , Tara CobhamAt least 18 people have been killed in another Russian drone and missile swarm attack on Ukraine. The offices of the European Union and the British Council were struck, along with a five-storey block of flats destroyed in Kyiv. Lots and lots of outrage. So what?
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission, threatened more sanctions on Russia. Sir Keir Starmer said that “Putin is killing children and civilians and sabotaging hope of peace”.
That’s a statement of the obvious - but not the statement of a statesman.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Russia’s devastating attack on Kyiv proves Trump’s Ukraine peace plans have failed
Italy's foreign minister sees "no end to Ukraine war this year"
Friday 29 August 2025 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneItaly’s foreign minister has said he does not anticipate the war in Ukraine ending this year.
Speaking following a cabinet meeting in Rome Antonio Tajani added it was “clear” there would have to be new sanctions if Russia continued “like this”.
"The war isn't going to end as soon as some people said and believed ... I don't want to be a pessimist but I don't think there can be solutions before the end of the year," he said.
Pictures show moment drone strike hits Kyiv
Thursday 28 August 2025 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePictures from a clip published in The Guardian show the moments a drone strike hit a neighbourhood in Kyiv on Wednesday night.
Fuel crisis across Russia following Ukrainian drone strikes
Thursday 28 August 2025 22:30 , Steffie Banatvala- Parts of Russia are experiencing severe petrol shortages, leading to dry pumps, long queues, and rationing in some regions.
- The shortages are primarily due to recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, compounded by soaring wholesale prices and high demand for harvest and summer holidays.
- Regions most affected include the Far East and the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, with reports of exorbitant prices and sales restrictions.
- Ukrainian drone strikes have successfully targeted an arc of Russian refineries, causing significant drops in petrol and diesel production.
- Russia has responded by pausing petrol exports, and while experts suggest the shortage is not 'system critical' and diesel supplies are abundant, it highlights a domestic vulnerability.
Germany's Merz says it seems clear there will be no meeting between Putin and Zelensky
Thursday 28 August 2025 22:00 , Tara CobhamGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that it seems clear there will be no meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a statement alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron welcomed Merz for a working dinner at Bregancon Fort in southern France, where the leaders gave a statement to the press before their meeting.
Merz said he and Macron will hold bilateral discussions on several topics, including economic collaboration between the two countries, the situation between Ukraine and Russia, and the de-bureaucratisation of Europe.
Turkey ready to help high-level Russia-Ukraine talks take place, Erdogan tells Zelensky
Thursday 28 August 2025 21:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan has told Zelensky Ankara is ready to help any high-level talks between Ukraine and Russia take place, his office said in a statement.
It said in a phone call between the pair, Erdogan also told Zelensky that Turkey would continue to contribute to Ukraine's security after peace was achieved.
US State Dept green lights sale of air delivered munitions to Ukraine
Thursday 28 August 2025 21:29 , Tara CobhamThe US state department has approved a potential sale of air delivered munitions and related equipment to Ukraine for an estimated cost of $825 million, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
The principal contractors for the sale are Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire.
Recap: Ukrainians in UK fear war will never end after Trump-Zelensky meeting
Thursday 28 August 2025 21:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Ukrainians in the UK fear war will never end after Trump-Zelensky meeting
Pictures: Rescuers conducting operation in residential building after attack on Kyiv
Thursday 28 August 2025 20:30 , Steffie Banatvala
Merz: Russia's attack on EU building in Kyiv shows 'lack of scruples'
Thursday 28 August 2025 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Russia's attack on Kyiv shows their “lack of scruples”.
In a post on X he wrote: “"Russia showed its true colors again last night. We condemn the severe attacks against the civilian population in the strongest possible terms," said Merz on social media platform X.
"The fact that the EU representation has now also been targeted is evidence of the Russian regime's lack of scruples."
Explained: How Norway's upcoming election is linked to Ukraine?
Thursday 28 August 2025 19:30 , Steffie BanatvalaNorway’s September election could impact Europe’s energy amid the Ukraine war.
The country is Europe's top gas supplier, replacing Gazprom after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Its role is set to grow as the European Union plans to phase out use of Russian gas by 2027, but exploiting new oil and gas reserves is critical to slowing down an expected production decline.
The election could decide whether Norway opens new areas for exploration, or if oil companies will remain restricted to existing ones, depending on the influence wielded by the Greens, Liberals and other small parties.
More radical proposals to stop exploration completely are unlikely to gather sufficient support.
Turkey and US discuss peace efforts on Russia-Ukraine war, Turkish source says
Thursday 28 August 2025 19:01 , Tara CobhamTurkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan and US secretary of state Marco Rubio discussed peace efforts on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in a phone call on Thursday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.
The source said Fidan told Rubio that Ankara was ready to fulfil its responsibilities in the peace process.
Trump 'not happy' with Russian strike on Ukraine and he will make statement later
Thursday 28 August 2025 18:45 , Tara CobhamThe White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump "was not happy" when he learned that Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles and drones overnight, killing at least 15 people and damaging buildings, including the British Council in Kyiv.
"He was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised. These are two countries that have been at war for a very long time," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, adding that Trump will make an additional statement on the situation later on Thursday.
RECAP: The day's events
Thursday 28 August 2025 18:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane• Ukraine has been left reeling after a “massive” Russian drone and missile strike overnight.
• At least 18 people have been killed, including four children, and 48 injured following the strikes, which targeted residential areas of Kyiv.
• Parts of the capital have been reduced to rubble as pictures show rescue teams working around the clock to pull survivors from the devastation.
• The attacks have been condemned by world leaders, with foreign secretary David Lammy summoning the Russian Ambassador saying “the killing and destruction must stop”.
• The attack is one of the largest on Ukraine during the war, and the first since Russian leader Vladimir Putin met with US President Donald Trump in Alaska earlier this month.
• The US special envoy on Ukraine has labelled the strikes as “egregious” and added they “threaten the peace” he is pursuing.
Putin must come to the negotiating table, von der Leyen says
Thursday 28 August 2025 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneEU chief Ursula von der Leyen has said Putin “must come to the negotiating table” after the latest strikes in Kyiv.
“We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that will turn the country into a steel porcupine,” she wrote on X.
Just spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa, then @POTUS Donald Trump, following the massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 28, 2025
Putin must come to the negotiating table.
We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that…
Full story: Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after devastating airstrike on Kyiv kills 19 and hits British Council building
Thursday 28 August 2025 17:45 , Tara CobhamRussia killed at least 19 people including four children in a massive wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital that has drawn international condemnation.
Sir Keir Starmer accused Vladimir Putin of ‘sabotaging hopes of peace’ with the attacks that took place in the early hours of Thursday and saw more than 600 drones and over 30 missiles launched. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike, the second largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, was Moscow's answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.
Moscow claimed it only hit military targets but the UK summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Office in London to receive an official complaint after the British Council building in Kyiv was struck by a missile. The death toll from the overnight attacks continued to rise on Thursday with at least 38 more people wounded.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after Russian airstrike on Kyiv kills 19
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
