Kyiv has acknowledged that Russian troops have crossed into Ukraine’s eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk, after reports that two villages have been captured in the region.
"This is the first attack of such a large scale in Dnipropetrovsk region," Viktor Trehubov, of the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops told the BBC
But he denied reports by authoritative Ukrainian battlefield analysts DeepState that Russian forces have occupied the villages of Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivk.
"Russians have entered (there) and are attempting to establish a foothold," Mr Trehubov told Reuters. "Our forces are fighting to maintain their positions."
Moscow said in July it had taken their first village in Dnipropetrovsk, which is not among the five Ukrainian regions Russia has claimed as its own territory.
It comes after Donald Trump says he believes Vladimir Putin is avoiding meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky simply due to personal animosity.
Asked yesterday why Putin was refusing to meet Zelensky, Trump said: “Because he doesn’t like him. I have people I don’t like, I don’t like to meet with them.”
Ukraine condemns Woody Allen for speaking at a Russian film festival
Archbishop who met with Putin admits he made a mistake by not calling for end to Ukraine war
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Key Points
- Ukraine says Russian forces have entered Dnipropetrovsk region
- Trump says Putin not meeting Zelensky as 'he doesn't like him'
- Zelensky says he discussed pressure on Russia with US envoy Kellogg
- Rubio discusses war in Ukraine with European counterparts
- Watch: North Korea releases video of troops fighting in Ukraine war
- Trump envoy says officials working 'very, very hard' on ending Ukraine war
Watch: JD Vance suggests World War 2 ended with 'negotiations' as he defends Ukraine-Russia talks
03:00 , Bryony GoochRecap: Russia being ‘disrespectful’ to Ukraine peace process, Downing Street says
02:00 , Bryony GoochRussia has been accused of being “disrespectful” to the peace process in its war with Ukraine, with the Government saying it is dragging its feet over talks.
Downing Street said Vladimir Putin was blatantly stalling progress, less than a fortnight since the Russian president met with US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with European leaders, met Mr Trump in Washington days after the Alaska meeting to get an update on the talks.
“I think Russia cannot be more blatant about dragging its feet, and stalling the peace talks,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
“Ukraine has long been clear it’s willing to enter the… peace talks.
“But we continue to see Russia and President Putin prevaricate, these unrealistic asks and delaying tactics to ensure these bilaterals aren’t going ahead.”
Desperate search for Russian swimmer missing in cross-Bosphorus race
01:00 , Bryony Gooch
Desperate search for Russian swimmer who went missing in cross-Bosphorus race
Recap: Trump says Putin not meeting Zelensky as 'he doesn't like him'
Wednesday 27 August 2025 00:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Donald Trump believes Vladimir Putin is avoiding meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky simply due to personal animosity.
The US president has been pushing to arrange a peace summit between the two leaders but his efforts have so far been rebuffed by Moscow.
Asked yesterday why Putin was refusing to meet Zelensky, Trump appeared once again to sympathise with the Russian leader.
“Because he doesn’t like him,” Trump said, adding: “I have people I don’t like, I don’t like to meet with them.”
Trump added that there could be consequences if Putin and Zelensky do not meet soon, though he did not specify what those would be.
Ukraine says Russian forces have entered Dnipropetrovsk region
Tuesday 26 August 2025 23:48 , Alex CroftUkrainian forces have said that Russian troops have crossed into Ukraine’s eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk.
The Russian military seeks to establish a foothold in the region, Viktor Trehubov, of the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops told the BBC.
"This is the first attack of such a large scale in Dnipropetrovsk region," he said.
Russia has claimed over the past months that it had entered the area, claims which had not been acknowledged by Kyiv.
Ukrainian open-source researchers said earlier on Tuesday that Russia had captured two villages in Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, as Kremlin troops press an offensive amid a stalling diplomatic effort to end the war.
Russian forces now occupy the villages of Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka, according to DeepState, a group tracking battlefield developments. Moscow's defence ministry had previously reported capturing both villages.
Ukraine's military on Tuesday dismissed reports that Russian troops had occupied the villages as false.
"Russians have entered (there) and are attempting to establish a foothold," Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov told Reuters, referring to Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka. "Our forces are fighting to maintain their positions."
Watch: Ukraine unveils devastating new ‘Flamingo’ cruise missile that can strike deep inside Russia
Tuesday 26 August 2025 23:00 , Bryony GoochWoman who fled Ukraine to escape war stabbed to death in North Carolina train station
Tuesday 26 August 2025 22:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Woman who fled Ukraine to escape war stabbed to death in North Carolina train station
Trump envoy says officials 'working hard' to end war in Ukraine
Tuesday 26 August 2025 21:00 , Steffie Banatvala
US president Donald Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg said officials are "working very, very hard" on efforts to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine despite a lack of progress in talks.
Mr Kellogg said in Kyiv that officials are "hoping to get to a position where, in the near term, we have, with a lack of a better term, security guarantees" that address Ukraine's fears of another invasion by Russia in the future.
"That's a work in progress," he said of the potential security guarantees, after attending Ukraine's annual National Prayer Breakfast along with politicians, business leaders and diplomats.
Archbishop who met with Putin admits he made a mistake by not calling for end to Ukraine war
Tuesday 26 August 2025 20:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Archbishop who met with Putin apologizes after not calling for end to Ukraine war
ICYMI: Report claims US has blocked Ukraine from using long-range missiles in Russia
Tuesday 26 August 2025 19:00 , Steffie BanatvalaThe US has reportedly been blocking Ukraine from using long-range missiles in Russia, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Both US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (Atacms) and British-produced Storm Shadows depend on US targeting data.
A new review process brought in by Washington in late spring has blocked Ukraine from using Atacms at least one, the report claimed.
In response, Zelensky said Kyiv had recently been using its own weapons and not consulting with Washington over strikes.
Trump and Putin discussed Russia’s nuclear disarmament, says US president
Tuesday 26 August 2025 18:00 , Steffie BanatvalaDonald Trump has said he discussed nuclear disarmament with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their joint talks in Alaska.
"I think the denuclearisation is a very, it's a big game," Trump said yesterday, speaking to the reporters.
"But Russia is willing to do it, and I think China is going to be willing to do it. We can't let nuclear weapons proliferate. We have to stop nuclear weapons," Trump said but he did not share more details.
Earlier this month, Russia declared that it no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed moratorium on the deployment of nuclear-capable intermediate range missiles.
The announcement was considered a warning that potentially sets the stage for a new arms race as tensions between Moscow and Washington rise again over Ukraine.
Zelensky says work on security guarantees for Ukraine should be sped up
Tuesday 26 August 2025 17:00 , Bryony GoochKyiv and its allies should speed up their efforts to draw up future security guarantees for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
"We must intensify our work to the maximum and ensure clarity and transparency in everything related to security guarantees," he said after a meeting in Kyiv with the chief of Britain's defence staff Tony Radakin.
Woody Allen responds after Ukraine slams Russia festival appearance
Tuesday 26 August 2025 16:30 , Steffie Banatvala
Woody Allen responds after Ukraine slams Russia festival appearance
Polish president's veto threatens Ukraine's Starlink access
Tuesday 26 August 2025 16:00 , Steffie BanatvalaUkraine's access to Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink could be cut due to the Polish president's veto of a refugee aid bill, Poland’s deputy prime minister has said.
Poland pays for Ukraine to use Starlink, which provides crucial internet connectivity to the country and its military as they try to push back invading Russian forces.
But Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Monday that the President’s veto of a bill extending state financial support to Ukrainian refugees would mean is no legal basis for paying for Starlink.
"This is the end of Starlink internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine as it wages war," he wrote on X.
Zelensky thanks first responders who are carrying out 'titanic tasks'
Tuesday 26 August 2025 15:30 , Steffie BanatvalaEvery day, the work of our first responders proves that they are true heroes. Our people carry out titanic tasks and always act to help as quickly as possible, to save as many lives as they can. After shelling, under repeated strikes, in frontline regions and in the rear – they… pic.twitter.com/zzt3qOK9WE
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 26, 2025
Pictures: Ukrainians pay respects for fallen soldiers
Tuesday 26 August 2025 15:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Polish government says president's Ukraine bill veto may cost 8bn zlotys (£1.62bn)
Tuesday 26 August 2025 14:50 , Steffie BanatvalaThe decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to veto a bill on aid to Ukrainian refugees could create 8 billion zlotys (£1.62 billion) in additional costs and necessitate an amendment to the budget, the interior ministry has said.
Belgian PM says best to leave frozen Russian funds in Euroclear for now
Tuesday 26 August 2025 14:30 , Steffie BanatvalaBelgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has said he thinks it would be best to leave frozen Russian funds at Belgium-based Euroclear until any peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
"A whole lot of these funds are immobilized in Brussels at Euroclear. I know that there are governments that are trying to seize the money. But I would like to warn that this is not so easy legally," De Wever told reporters during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
Pictures: Russian soldiers display flags after capturing Zaporizke in Dnipropetrovsk
Tuesday 26 August 2025 14:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Zelensky provides military update: work with Coalition of the Willing needs acceleration
Tuesday 26 August 2025 13:30 , Steffie BanatvalaI held a meeting with the military: the situation on the frontline and in the border areas, formation of reserves, and work with partners on security guarantees.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 26, 2025
We discussed in detail the key needs of each sector and unit. It is very important that it is our units who define… pic.twitter.com/UylGMuRIks
