The information was shared on Telegram by Vadym Filashkin the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration we verified reports of five civilians killed by Russian forces yesterday: four people And another person killed yesterday - 40-year-old resident of Myrnohrad,” Filashkin wrote especially families with children: protect yourselves and your loved ones Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine!” the Russian army injured 10 residents of the Donetsk region on May 4 Russian invaders shelled the village of Ivanopillia of the Kostiantynivka community in the Donetsk region with cannon artillery killing a 44-year-old man and wounding two others While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Pushilin said that in recent days there has been an intensification of military operations in the vicinity of the town where Russian forces are exerting significant pressure on enemy positions defending the Krasnoarmeisk direction The politician also reported that the Ukrainian army is transferring reserves to the Krasnolimansk direction and noted that over the past week Russian troops have made significant advances in this area and liberated the village of Novoye the enemy is trying to strengthen its positions due to the deteriorating situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine on this section of the front “We are observing quite active actions We see the enemy trying to transfer additional reserves because the situation there is worsening for them.” The official previously reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out launches against Gorlovka from those areas using HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems | Text SMS to 8100 with content PLReceive 4 mesages x 25 cup © 2016-2021 Prensa Latina Latin American News Agency Radio – Publications  – Videos – News by the minute.All Rigts Reserved Web Site developed by IT Division  Prensa Latina either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Russia's battle for the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk is a "failure," according to the head of a Ukrainian think tank after many months of bitter fighting and slow Russian gains around the settlement Russia has long hoped to take the Ukrainian stronghold of Pokrovsk but rather than attacking the settlement directly Moscow has skirted to the south of the Donetsk town and advanced toward the border of Ukraine's neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub, has borne the brunt of the fiercest frontline clashes for much of the last year. The town has been referred to as a "fortress" settlement key to Ukrainian defenses in the east and connected to other critical defensive cities "We are seeing a coordinated Russian information campaign tied to their failure — the fact that they have lost the battle for Pokrovsk," Serhii Kuzan, from the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, a Ukrainian think tank, said in an interview with Ukrainian broadcaster, Radio NV progress has been incremental for Russian troops and the town remains in Ukraine's hands Ukraine has said Russia's casualty count is "many times higher" than Ukraine's around Pokrovsk but Russia is known for its "meat grinder" assault tactics or overwhelming Ukrainian defenses with high numbers of troops while racking up eyewatering casualties Kuzan said Ukraine had "properly executed" its defensive strategy for Pokrovsk disrupting Moscow's timelines for seizing the town and "foiling their much larger offensive plans for this summer." and now they are falling behind their own schedules — schedules that are critical for their summer offensive campaign," Kuzan said "They can't push us out of Donetsk Oblast because we stopped them under Pokrovsk," he added Kyiv has warned Russia is pulling together reserve forces for a major push, while senior Ukrainian officials say Moscow launched a concerted effort in two areas of northeastern Ukraine earlier this month Ukraine had said that it launched an incursion into Russia's Kursk region in August last year partly to pull Russian resources away from Donetsk settlements like Pokrovsk Russia has recently advanced along a railroad line west of the village of Shevchenko, which sits south of Pokrovsk, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, which tracks daily changes to the frontline, said on Tuesday. Ukraine's military said early on Wednesday it had "stopped" 75 Russian attacks around Pokrovsk over the previous 24 hours said Russia had "significantly increased" attacks close to Pokrovsk in a bid to reach the Dnipropetrovsk region despite announcing a unilateral ceasefire due to come into force in May "The Russian command daily throws new units into battle, drives its soldiers to their deaths, reports on illusory successes and victories," Syrsky said The Kremlin declared a ceasefire on Monday to observe the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War This is the term used by Russia to describe its participation in World War II after it joined the Allies in 1941 Moscow has consistently claimed its invasion of Ukraine aimed to "de-Nazify" the country Russia will not conduct any military operations between midnight on May 8 and midnight on May 11 adding that "Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example." The announcement was greeted with skepticism by Ukraine Russia's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday its forces had seized a village in the the north of the Donetsk region Newsweek could not independently verify this The Russian government said on Wednesday: "As a result of active offensive actions units of the West military group liberated the settlement of Novoye in the Donetsk People's Republic." Syrsky said on Wednesday: "Despite loud statements about readiness for a ceasefire for the May holidays the occupiers have significantly increased the intensity of hostilities focusing their main efforts on the Pokrovsk direction." It is not clear yet if and how the failure to capture Pokrovsk will affect Russia's alleged plans for a new summer offensive, where Moscow allegedly hopes to deploy troops on motorcycles to counter Ukraine's drones Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Russian occupiers shelled several settlements in Donetsk region on May 5 One person was killed and six others were injured This was announced by the head of the Donetsk Oblast Administration the village of Novoekonomichne and the cities of Myrnograd and Novodonetsk came under Russian shelling today Russians killed one person in Novoekonomichesky Among the wounded in Novodonetske are a 2-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy today the regional authorities have established information regarding 5 people whom the Russians killed yesterday during their attacks It is noted that 4 people aged 47 to 68 died in the Roza Pokrovska community Another person who died yesterday was a 40-year-old resident of Myrnograd especially parents with children: take care of yourself and your loved ones The most important from online.ua in your mail By staying online, you consent to the use of cookies files which help us make your stay here even better  Based on your browser and language settings you might prefer the English version of our website This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page This was reported in Telegram by the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin “One dead and two wounded - these are the preliminary consequences of the shelling of Ivanopillia of the Kostiantinovka community.. We also know about at least four damaged private houses We are establishing the final consequences of the shelling,” Filashkin wrote He clarified that this shelling with cannon artillery took place this morning “Take care of yourself and your loved ones Evacuate in a timely manner,” Filashkin emphasized As reported, the Russian army injured 10 residents of Donetsk region over the past day This was reported on Facebook by the State Emergency Service Rescuers extinguished the fire for more than 5 hours As Ukrinform reported, the Russian army injured 10 residents of Donetsk region on May 4 According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Facebook by the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin “In just one day, Russians fired 53 times at the settlements of Donetsk region 94 people were evacuated from the front line including 22 children,” Filashkin wrote an abandoned industrial area was shelled in the Pokrovsk district in Bilozerske one person was killed and 6 buildings were damaged In Novoekonomichne of the Grodiv community a house was destroyed in Zarichne of the Lyman community Seven non-residential buildings and three houses were damaged in Andriivka three warehouses and two cars in Sloviansk two gas pipelines and an infrastructure facility were damaged 19 objects were damaged: 15 in Oleksandro-Kalynove and four in Yablunivka As Ukrinform reported, on May 3, three residents of Donetsk region were killed and two others were injured as a result of shelling by Russian troops This was reported in Telegram by the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin “At least one person was killed and three wounded as a result of today's shelling of Donetsk region.. Evacuate in a timely manner!” the head of the region said the Russians dropped a bomb on Klynove in the Kostiantynivka community killing a 66-year-old woman and damaging a house Kostiantynivka itself came under artillery fire two industrial buildings and four infrastructure facilities were damaged As reported, yesterday, on May 1, Russian invaders killed two residents of Donetsk region and wounded two more This was reported in Telegram by the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin “This morning, Russians attacked Druzhkivka with a drone Three civilians aged 65 to 69 were wounded,” Filashkin wrote adding that the extent of the damage is being established He also noted that two people were wounded and a house was damaged in Pokrovsk one person was wounded and two houses were destroyed in Zarichne in the Lyman community As reported, on May 3, three residents of Donetsk region were killed and two others were injured as a result of shelling by Russian troops. acting head of the children's services department at the Donetsk Regional Military Administration in areas of the region controlled by Ukrainian authorities where mandatory evacuation of children with their parents or other legal representatives is enforced 166 children from 130 families remain in eight settlements," Ryzhakova said She specified that these figures refer to three communities where a new phase of forced evacuation was recently announced nine children remain in the Lyman urban territorial community three in the Kryvorizhzhia rural community there are the Komar and Toretsk communities that had previously been part of the evacuation list Children from these areas were evacuated but later returned with their parents six children remain in these two communities: one child in one family in the Komar rural territorial community and five children from four families in the Toretsk urban territorial community 30 children from 25 families were forcibly evacuated from the Donetsk region The mandatory evacuation of children with their families from the Donetsk region began on April 7 the head of the regional state administration "Mandatory evacuation from the Donetsk region continues we resettled 174 Donetsk residents in safer regions of Ukraine free of charge Among them are 21 children and 60 people with limited mobility," Filashkin stated He further reported that the 89 evacuees came from the Druzhkivka Filashkin expressed gratitude to the volunteers and the regions that have been hosting and assisting evacuees a mandatory evacuation of families with children has been announced in the Synelnykove district of Dnipropetrovsk region Russian forces attacked several settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on May 5 killing one person and injuring six others head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration The attacks targeted the village of Novoeconomichne and the towns of Myrnohrad and Novodonetske "Russian forces killed one person in Novoeconomichne and another three in Novodonetske," Filashkin said Among those injured in Novodonetske were a 2-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy local authorities have confirmed the deaths of five people killed in Russian attacks a day earlier Four civilians aged 47 to 68 were killed in the village of Roza Another person killed yesterday was a 40-year-old resident of Myrnohrad especially parents with children: protect yourselves and your loved ones Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine," Filashkin appealed Russian troops continue to heavily bombard the settlements of the Donetsk region using a range of weapons Russia launched a massive drone attack on Sloviansk hitting a construction facility with six Geran-2 drones Earlier, on April 26, Russian forces struck the city of Kostiantynivka nine times using KAB-250 aerial bombs and drones Russian troops also targeted a convoy of vehicles evacuating civilians from a village near Kostiantynivka Earlier, a Russian aerial bomb hit a house in the village of Yarova Ukrainian serviceman stands on a vehicle with anti-aircraft gun after a drone attack at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant A view of the containment vessel that protects the remains of reactor number four at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant and built to contain radiation a radiation warning sign in the foreground are displayed by Ukrainian authorities after a drone attack at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet flys over Kyiv region Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment Russia seeks to take control of all parts of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk which together make up Ukraine’s Donbas industrial region International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday that the strike which punched a hole in the structure and briefly started a fire did not breach the plant’s inner containment shell Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 40 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Saturday in four regions of western and southwestern Russia Moscow sent 70 drones into Ukraine overnight into Saturday 33 drones were destroyed and 37 others were lost  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:37 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce."  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin The number includes 1,430 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21 A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition by Tim ZadorozhnyyUkrainian servicemen from the 93rd Brigade drive a battle tank to position near Pokrovsk (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)Ukrainian forces have recaptured the village of Dniproenerhiia in Donetsk Oblast's Volnovakha district and advanced in two key front-line sectors in the past two months "I have been in command of the tactical group for two months. During this period, we managed to reduce personnel losses by 20%, regain control of the village of Dniproenerhiia, and improve the tactical situation in two critical areas," Naiev wrote on Telegram Dniproenerhiia, located along the Mokri Yaly River in the Komar community, has long been a contested area in eastern Ukraine which had a pre-war population of some 100 people lies 35 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of occupied Vuhledar Naiev did not specify the date of the settlement's liberation. The monitoring group DeepState lists the village as partially occupied as of April 14, with reported Russian advances in the nearby settlements of Katerynivka The estimated Russian advance in the Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, as of April 14, 2025, according to DeepState map. A white symbol marks the village of Dniproenerhiia. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps)Naiev said Ukrainian troops eliminated about 9,500 Russian soldiers and destroyed 51 tanks and 819 pieces of other equipment over the past two months in the sector The commander also noted that Russia is ramping up its assault operations deploying more troops and hardware to the front The reported tactical gains come amid a broader escalation by Russian forces, particularly in Donetsk Oblast Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 9 that Russia's new spring offensive "has actually already begun," with fighting intensifying around key locations, including Pokrovsk a major logistics hub northwest of occupied Donetsk CNN, citing Ukrainian General Staff reports, said Russian troops have been attempting breakthroughs along multiple sectors just as Washington renewed pressure for a ceasefire Ukrainian forces continue to conduct counterattacks to contain Russian advances and reclaim lost ground Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent he is pursuing studies in International Relations Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor As reported by Ukrinform, this information was shared by the Office of the Prosecutor General on Facebook. According to operational data, on April 11, 2025, three Ukrainian servicemen were on combat mission at a position near the village of Rozdolne in Volnovakha district. During an assault operation, Russian invaders captured them. One of the unarmed Ukrainian soldiers was shot with automatic gunfire by the armed forces of the aggressor state. Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, a pretrial investigation has been launched under criminal proceedings for the commission of a war crime resulting in the death of a person. Urgent investigative and search measures are underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime and identify those involved from among the Russian military personnel. “The execution of prisoners is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a serious international crime,” emphasized the Office of the Prosecutor General. The pretrial investigation is being conducted by the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. As Ukrinform previously reported, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, has sent letters to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding video evidence showing Russian soldiers executing four Ukrainian prisoners of war. Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421. © 2015-2025 Ukrinform. All rights reserved. You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. 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All rights reserved The Russian army has increasingly begun using motorcycle columns and ground drones during assault operations in the Donetsk region according to the State Border Guard Service "The enemy is testing a new tactic in the Donetsk region using motorcycle columns and ground drones,” the border guards said According to the State Border Guard Service operators of Feniks drones destroyed two enemy robotic complexes It was noted that the new Russian tactic proved unsuccessful the Russian forces have been using motorcycles for their assaults quite often likely in an attempt to evade drone strikes since it’s harder to hit many small targets than a single large one Russian forces used 40 motorcycles in an attack in one direction of the front they began using this transport more actively at the front Recently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully stopped a Russian motorcycle breakthrough attempt near Kramatorsk where drone operators eliminated 18 motorcyclists Ukrainian drones disrupted an assault by the Russian army in the Toretsk direction as they tried to reach Ukrainian positions on motorcycles Ukrainian fighters destroyed the enemy’s equipment Russian occupiers continue to attack Donetsk and Kherson regions daily three civilians have died as a result of enemy attacks all 3 deaths were in Donetsk region: 2 in Komar and 1 in Myrnograd Two more civilians in the region were injured it is indicated that 9 civilians were injured in the Kherson region as a result of enemy attacks What is important to understand is that the Russian invaders targeted critical and social infrastructure as well as residential areas of the region's settlements The Russian army struck 2 high-rise buildings and 9 private houses the Russian occupiers damaged a gas pipeline were reported injured in a hostile attack in Kyiv a series of explosions and fires broke out in Cherkasy amid the threat of enemy drones Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker by Kateryna HodunovaSoldiers examine a house destroyed by a Russian bomb in Orikhiv (Francis Farrell/Kyiv Independent)Russian forces have recently intensified offensive operations in three Ukrainian oblasts – Donetsk and Kherson – Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson said on April 29 during Ukraine's state-run telethon The statement follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a three-day truce in the war against Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe on May 8-11 Russian forces have intensified their push toward Novopavlivka conducting 23 combat engagements over the past day in the area "Fierce fighting continues there, and the enemy is rushing to the border of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts," Voloshyn said While Donetsk Oblast has been the epicenter of Russia's aggression against Ukraine since 2014 — with significant escalation after the full-scale invasion in 2022 – Russian forces have not yet entered Dnipropetrovsk Oblast The estimated Russian advance in Donetsk Oblast A white symbol marks the village of Novopavlivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps)The distance between Novopavlivka and the village of Kotliarivka in Donetsk Oblast where fighting is ongoing between Russian and Ukrainian troops Voloshyn added that the situation is "quite turbulent" in the Orikhiv direction in Zaporizhzhia Oblast "The enemy is trying to break through the line of contact there they (Russian forces) can exert fire on our logistics routes that go from Zaporizhzhia to the east of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and to shell Zaporizhzhia itself and its suburbs," Voloshyn said According to the spokesperson, the situation has also deteriorated in the Kherson sector of the front line, where Russian troops have made more frequent attempts to seize islands on the Dnipro River. Though Ukrainian forces sank most Russian boats, some Russian soldiers managed to land on the islands, he added. "(Russian soldiers) cannot be evacuated from there, and their command is dropping ammunition, water, and food from drones. They stay there for several days. There are cases where they even surrender to our forces," Voloshyn said. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. KharkivPublished 03/08/2025Published March 8 2025last updated 03/09/2025last updated March 9 2025Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy has slammed "vile and inhumane" Russian strikes that killed and wounded civilians overnight Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called the Russians "barbarians." This blog has now closed. Read below for a round-up of the major developments concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Saturday, March 8: 03/09/2025March 9, 2025Thank you for reading our blogDW will continue tracking the major developments coming out of Ukraine. For the latest updates you can follow our blog here. "We very much hope that's not the case and that we don't end up in a situation where it's put to the test," BND chief Bruno Kahl told DW on Saturday "But we have to assume that Russia wants to test the unity of the West." According to Kahl, the precise timing of any potential Russian "testing" of Article 5 depends on the course of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine which is still consuming massive amounts of Russian military supplies and manpower "An early end to the war in Ukraine will enable the Russians to focus their energy where they really want it – against Europe," he said "It could be that a concrete danger for Europe emerges sooner than we think." Kahl said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to push NATO back and extend his own influence westwards – "ideally without any Americans in Europe." But he said he hoped that the United States wouldn't fall for that and expressed confidence that American and European intelligence services would continue to work together. "We're as reliant on the help of our friends across the Atlantic as they are on us," he claimed. Writing on social media after what he called a "highly productive" meeting between Ukrainian and British diplomats in Kyiv, Zelenskyy announced that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman He said Ukrainian "diplomatic and military representatives" including Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would remain in Riyadh for talks with US diplomats on Tuesday "Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war," he said. "Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively." 03/08/2025March 8, 2025Poland's Tusk: 'This is what happens when you appease barbarians'Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has lamented "another tragic night in Ukraine" after at least 14 civilians were killed and 30 more injured in two separate Russian strikes on towns in Donetsk and Kharkiv (see earlier) "This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," he said Tusk appeared to be referring to US President Donald Trump's one-sided attempts to conclude some form of peace deal in Ukraine efforts that have so far involved pressuring Kyiv to give up territory but not included any condemnation of Russian aggression Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory. 03/08/2025March 8, 2025UK's Starmer welcomes potential Australian support for Ukraine coalitionAustralia is considering contributing to a "coalition of the willing" in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said on Saturday A Downing Street spokesman in London said on Saturday that Starmer had spoken to his Australian counterpart and "welcomed" Canberra's "commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine." Britain and France have been at the forefront of proposals to deploy troops to Ukraine to enforce and maintain peace in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. Additionally, the spokesperson confirmed that Starmer would travel to Paris on Tuesday to discuss the crisis with European defense chiefs. 03/08/2025March 8, 2025European defense spending must be followed by more production, says NATO chiefNATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has welcomed moves by European countries to boost defense spending but insisted that this must be accompanied by increased production of military equipment "We will need to spend more to keep ourselves safe," he said in comments to be published in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag "But we also need to quickly ramp up our defense production on both sides of the Atlantic Former Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said Europe didn't just need ammunition His comments come as European countries rush to boost defense spending after US President Donald Trump froze American military aid to Ukraine and raised doubts about Washington's commitment to the traditional transatlantic alliance Earlier this week, the European Union agreed an €800 billion ($866bn) plan to increase the bloc's defense spending, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called a "watershed moment for Europe." Meanwhile, in Germany, the EU's largest economy, lawmakers will this week debate sweeping changes to federal borrowing rules to fund increase defense expenditure, as well as a €500bn infrastructure fund. 03/08/2025March 8, 2025'Russian objectives have not changed,' says Zelenskyy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned a Russian missile attack which killed 11 people and injured 30 more in the town of Dobropillia in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region overnight not far behind the embattled frontline towns of Pokrovsk and Toretsk Zelenskyy accused Russia of carrying out a so-called "double tap" whereby emergency services responding to an initial missile strike are then intentionally targeted by a second strike soon after "This is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic often used by the Russians," he said "Such strikes show that Russia's objectives have not changed." A separate Russian drone strike in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region also killed three civilians and wounded seven according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry "Russian missiles keep relentlessly falling on Ukraine, bringing more death and more destruction," said the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, adding that the attacks showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has no interest in peace." She said European nations "must step up our military support – otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price." 03/08/2025March 8, 2025Ukrainian drone attack damages tank at Russian refineryA major Ukrainian drone attack damaged a tank at Russia's Kirishi oil refinery that the attack on the refinery was repelled "Air defences shot down one drone on approach the other was destroyed over the territory of the enterprise," Drozdenko said the external structure of one of the tanks was damaged." The governor added that the emergency services were taking stock of the situation while there hasn't been any report of casualties The Kirishinefteorgsintez (KINEF) refinery, operated by Surgutneftegaz, is one of Russia's largest, processing 6.4% of the country's crude oil and supplying a substantial share of its gasoline and diesel. 03/08/2025March 8, 2025Russian strikes on eastern Ukraine kill at least 11, injure 30, says emergency serviceRussian strikes on eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region  late Friday killed at least 11 people and wounded 30 "In the evening, Russians struck the center of Dobropillia. At least 11 people were killed and 30 others were wounded," the service posted on Telegram. The attack damaged nine buildings, including an administrative structure, and 30 cars, according to the emergency service. Firefighters working to contain the fires after the attack were struck by another Russian barrage, which damaged a fire truck. essentially cutting them off from supply lines Ukraine had launched a shock incursion into Kursk last summer, however, the Ukrainian position in Kursk has deteriorated sharply in recent days Russian troops have regained control of key areas closing in on Ukrainian forces and threatening to encircle them completely revealed on Friday that approximately three-quarters of the Ukrainian forces operating inside Russia had now been nearly fully encircled Russia claims advances in Kursk regionTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet, Russia is attempting to sever supply routes, while Kyiv is working to "stabilize the situation," citing a source within a military unit "The situation (for Ukraine in Kursk) is very bad," Pasi Paroinen a military analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group "Now there is not much left until Ukrainian forces will either be encircled or forced to withdraw."  The battlefield shift marks a significant setback for Kyiv, which had hoped to use its presence in Kursk as leverage in potential peace negotiations with Moscow. 2025Zelenskyy says intense work ongoing with Trump's team ahead of talks in Saudi ArabiaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address that he is committed to securing peace by highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts with international allies, including "intense work" with the United States In a post on X, Zelenskyy said discussions at various levels were planned for next week in Europe, the United States and Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday, the State Department said in a statement. Rubio said Trump was committed to ending the Ukraine war "as soon as possible," according to the statement. "The Secretary underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace," the statement read. Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine on Friday a day after the US paused intelligence sharing with Kyiv.  US space company Maxar Technologies also blocked access to its satellite images for Ukraine on Friday Additionally, Ukraine's situation in Russia's Kursk region has reportedly deteriorated sharply in the last three days after Russian forces retook territory as part of a gathering counteroffensive that has nearly cut the Ukrainian force in two marks the 10th anniversary when the battle for the Donetsk International Airport culminated a defining moment in Ukrainian military efforts against Russia’s hybrid aggression in the easternmost regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014 The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) stands in solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainians worldwide in commemorating the heroic defenders of Donetsk Airport fondly known as the “Cyborgs,” a moniker first used by the Russians who fought against the fierce defenders These brave patriots have earned their place in history as modern heroes of Ukraine inspiring future generations of Ukrainian defenders with their courage and dedication The battle for Donetsk Airport spanned 242 days This significant chapter in Ukraine’s Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) against the Russian “little green men” (covert Russian saboteurs and special operations units who wore no military insignia and posed as local “separatists”) in the Donbas showcased the exceptional valor and unwavering devotion of the Ukrainian military Intense combat over the airport played a crucial role in derailing Russia’s plans for a rapid occupation of eastern Ukrainian regions during the tumultuous 2014-2015 years serving as the vigilant “eyes” of the Ukrainian defenders became a powerful symbol of the nation’s resistance to Russian military aggression Due to their frustration for not being able to swiftly capture the airport the Russian invaders called the defenders “Cyborgs.” Ukraine commemorates the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Donetsk Airport annually on January 20 as Russia wages a brutal and genocidal full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine the bravery of the Ukrainian “Cyborgs” continues to inspire Ukrainians worldwide to resist Russian aggression and defend their freedom We extend our deepest gratitude to all Ukrainian military personnel May the memory of the fallen heroes be eternal [email protected] [email protected] FB: @uwcongress Myanmar earthquake: Working to meet the biggest needs 90% of our funding comes from individual donors. Learn how you can support MSF’s lifesaving care with a gift. We need your support to continue this lifesaving work With evacuation delays and a shifting front line driving displacement injuries are going untreated and the needs of patients with chronic diseases and the elderly are growing As the workday draws to a close at the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF) mobile clinic in Pavlohrad, eastern Ukraine Oleksan Hontariev counts boxes of medicines and packs up for the evening each with a sign reading ‘Evacuation,’ have arrived outside the transit point On the buses are people who were forcibly displaced from Kurakhove in the neighboring Donetsk region and have just made the journey of more than four hours to reach the relative safety of Pavlohrad “My brother is under the rubble,” repeats an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair next to her husband Her face is covered with small scratches and she is crying Her husband leans over and whispers something in her ear Hontariev treats a wound on her arm with initial trauma and moves on to others such as a father and son waiting inside a vehicle “The older man has burns and shrapnel wounds to his back and shin,” says Dr Burns like this can only happen when hot metal comes into contact with the body The debris burned through his clothes and injured his back.”  MSF teams frequently encounter patients with similar mine and blast injuries that are four or five days old Hontariev recalls one patient who was on the street when an attack started “He ran into the basement of someone else's house and had to spend two weeks there before he could evacuate All this time he ate only canned vegetables that were in the basement He came to us with bilateral pneumonia.”  Delays in evacuation caused by constant bombardment mean that people are unable to access lifesaving care right after they are injured 25 percent of patients treated by MSF teams at the at the Pavlohrad center had injuries from blasts that struck their homes He ran into the basement of someone else's house and had to spend two weeks there before he could evacuate As the front line moves with the continuing offensive of Russian troops people have no choice but to leave their homes and the constant bombardment makes evacuation incredibly difficult Many people from Kurakhove and its nearby towns and villages in the Donetsk region stay in the transit center in Pavlohrad for a few days before moving westward in Ukraine or abroad.  All her documents and money were burned along with her house She recalls that during the constant shelling she was looking for something to distract herself “I was sitting with my neighbor under an apple tree,” says Ms 'Why are we sitting there like we're waiting to die?' We have to do something so I went to sweep the leaves from the yard.”  “The neighbors’ houses were cut in half by the bombing She hopes to move on soon and reach her relatives in Poltava “These are elderly people and people with disabilities, so they often have underlying conditions or complications,” says Dr. Hontariev. “They have hypertension, heart disease, diabetes Many of them come to us with respiratory diseases because they were in basements for a long time during the shelling People with minor injuries are also often brought here.” One patient tells the doctor that his son is missing. After his medical examination, Dr. Violieta Kozhukhovska, a psychologist working with MSF’s mobile clinic team “His phone burned in the explosion in his house I advised him to try to find her through social media.” “The task of a psychologist at this stage is to carry out a crisis intervention to listen without asking unnecessary questions so as not to traumatize them again,” says Dr “It is important for people to speak out.” The people arriving at the transit center have suffered the loss of loved ones and miss their homes many were sheltering in cold basements with limited food supplies “They are now enjoying warmth and hot lunches The transit center in Pavlohrad has been operating since August 2024, when the front line approached Pokrovsk Various humanitarian organizations host people fleeing from the Donetsk region in the center and provide them with legal The MSF mobile clinic comes to the transit center every week with doctors and psychologists seeing up to 50 patients a day and providing examinations and needed medications.  Haiti violence pushes MSF trauma hospital to its limits South Sudan: MSF strongly condemns deliberate bombing of its hospital .. © Médecins Sans Frontières 2025 Federal tax ID#: 13-3433452 Unrestricted donations enable MSF to carry out our programs around the world we will reallocate your donation to where the needs are greatest Ukraine claimed on Thursday that it had recently retaken control of about 16 square kilometers (6.1 square miles) in its eastern Donetsk region according to Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces had made this progress in recent weeks around the settlements of Udachne which is located almost 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of the city of Pokrovsk a key front in Moscow's offensive in eastern Ukraine our Defense Forces are stopping around 30 enemy assault operations every day and inflicting significant losses on the Russian occupiers,” he said on Facebook Syrskyi said he recently visited nearly all brigades in the area and worked directly with commanders on battlefield logistics and ammunition supply “I gave the necessary orders to resolve problematic issues and meet existing needs,” he said “The enemy has not changed its plans – to push our units beyond the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and reach the administrative borders Russian authorities have not yet commented on Ukraine's recent claims and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing war About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression by Anna FratsyvirCommander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi awards Ukrainian fighters of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss” in the Soledar direction in Donetsk Oblast (Yuriy Mate / Getty Images)Ukrainian forces have liberated approximately 16 square kilometers of territory near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast in recent weeks Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 17 There has been a notable slowdown in Russia’s offensive operations after months of steady territorial gains across eastern Ukraine. According to battlefield monitoring group DeepState, Russian troops have captured just 133 square kilometers in March The recently recaptured territory by Ukrainian troops includes areas near the settlements of Udachne, Kotlyne, and Shevchenko, according to Syrskyi. He made the announcement after a three-day visit to the Operational-Tactical Group Donetsk, which he described as the strongest formation within the Armed Forces of Ukraine I visited almost all brigades of this most powerful grouping of the Ukrainian Defense Forces which bears the brunt of the enemy's spring offensive and destroys its best forces and means," Syrskyi said According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces are halting around 30 Russian assaults daily in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, inflicting significant losses on Russian troops Syrskyi met with commanders at front-line command posts and reviewed operational plans with Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi commander of the operational-tactical group He said that on-site problems related to logistics and combat organization were being addressed Despite continued Russian efforts to push Ukrainian troops out of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and reach the administrative borders of these regions Syrskyi said those objectives remain unfulfilled and are achieving certain successes," Syrskyi said Russian forces controlled around 60% of Donetsk Oblast and approximately 98.5% of Luhansk Oblast Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne covering global politics and international developments Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Russia’s defence ministry says its forces now control two more settlements in eastern Ukraine; Kyiv says ‘heinous’ attack kills three in capital Russian forces took control of two more settlements in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region the latest in a series of gains it has reported in its steady advance westward Russia’s defence ministry said its forces were now in control of Petropavlivka a village between the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove focal points in fighting in recent months in the area one of a cluster of small towns farther south in the Donetsk region Ukrainian military statements made no mention of either of the two villages changing hands but referred to heavy fighting near the key city of Pokrovsk A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital killed three people on Saturday while Moscow described it as “retaliation” Ukrainian officials said another three people were killed in Russian strikes elsewhere in the country and Moscow claimed fresh advances on the ground Kyiv officials said the victims were two men while AFP reported a multi-storey building with windows blown out and the charred facade of a damaged McDonald’s outlet The office of Ukraine’s general prosecutor said in a statement that the casualties included a security guard at a food establishment and people who were in a minibus on the street The Russian foreign ministry said Ukraine and Britain “had no room” for cooperation in the Sea of Azov, commenting on a new 100-year partnership agreement between Kyiv and London the two countries’ leaders announced on Thursday “Any claims to this water area are a gross interference in the internal affairs of our country and will be firmly resisted,” spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on the ministry’s website The Azov Sea is bordered by south-west Russia parts of southern Ukraine that Russia has seized in the war and the Crimean peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014 Hundreds of Swedish troops arrived in Latvia on Saturday to join a Canadian-led multinational brigade along Nato’s eastern flank a mission Sweden is calling its most significant operation so far as a member of the western defence alliance Latvia borders Russia to its east and Russia ally Belarus to its south-east Tensions are high across central Europe due to Russia’s war against Ukraine Sweden’s armed forces said the mission of 550 troops “marks Sweden’s largest commitment yet since joining Nato” last year other simulator drones and four ballistic missiles in the early hours of Saturday Ukrainian air defence forces shot down two missiles and 24 drones A further 14 drone simulators were lost in location Industrial sites in Russia’s Kaluga and Tula regions were set ablaze by Ukrainian drone attacks Russia’s defence ministry said 46 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed across the country overnight The United States presented 22 specific conditions for the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine during a meeting in London He also said the “United States will not give up its mediation efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine” US Vice President James Vance reinforced this by saying: “We will negotiate peace for the next 100 days” which however does not include US security guarantees for Ukraine The signing of the minerals deal with the United States on April 30 was widely reported on Ukrainian social media the Joint U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund has been created which will ensure continued arms supplies to Ukraine in exchange for partial control over the country’s mineral deposits and future development by the United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the signing of what he called a “historic U.S.-Ukraine economic partnership agreement” will create the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund He added that the agreement is a clear signal to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free Treasury Department announcing today’s signing and creation of the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund reads: “In recognition of the significant financial and material support the people of the United States have provided to Ukraine’s defense following Russia’s full-scale invasion this economic partnership positions our two countries to work and invest together to ensure our shared resources and capabilities accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.” licenses for which Ukraine will issue licenses after the deal enters into force Ukrainian media The list of minerals can only be expanded with the consent of the parties new supplies of weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces: “If the US government provides new military assistance in any form to the Government of Ukraine (including the transfer of weapons systems the US capital contribution will be deemed to be increased by the estimated cost of such military assistance,” the agreement document reads President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the agreement: “It is definitely an equal agreement I want it to be approved in Parliament as soon as possible It is the first result of the negotiations with Trump in the Vatican.” only five minerals from Ukraine are the most important: lithium says Ukrainian MP Bohdan Kitsak: “They consider it Because… they have nothing to say about Ukraine to sell American voters some kind of story of mutual assistance Another Ukrainian MP Yuriy Pavlenko returning to the issue of the attack on Moscow for May 9 said: “The time will come when we will reach the Red Square this time will come.” “Because there are really a lot of legitimate military targets in Moscow that have caused a lot of trouble on Ukrainian soil revenge will come,” who knows Pavlenko Zelensky imposed sanctions on former adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office Oleksiy Arestovych by presidential decree Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Zelensky on May 1 and stressed his support for Ukraine Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “Russia will not allow Ukraine to return to its 1991 borders.” The Donetsk railway station And Now a Look at the Frontline update at 15:30 on May 2 Heavy Russian strikes between April 30 and May 1 on Odessa A company in Sumy was hit by Russian ammunition Ukrainian sources reported launching at least 15 Geraniums in Zaporizhia a combined attack on Sevastopol was repelled Ukrainian drones were shot down over the sea in the area of ​​Cape Khersonesskiy Several groups of unmanned vessels were also recorded leaving the mouth of the Danube The Ukrainian unmanned vessels were equipped with MLRS guides and operated in the area of ​​​​offshore mining platforms the Russian Armed Forces used Geraniums in the regions of Zaporizhia the Russian Armed Forces are developing an offensive from Zhuravka to Bilovody and breakthroughs by the Russian Armed Forces in this village have been reported Russian paratroopers are now advancing in the Loknya area and border forest strips on the territory of the Sumy region at least two drone strikes were reported with two injuries and Ukrainian attacks were reported in Urazovo the truck station caught fire after a drone strike fighting is underway in the area of ​​the “Saint Matrona of Moscow mine” assault units of the 33rd Russian 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment were spotted The Russian motorized division in Tarasivka further breaks through the front and enters Novoolenivka Russian Guards assault soldiers; the 10th tank regiment and the 242nd motorized rifle regiment have approached the outskirts of Oleksandropil and are moving further Russian forces are storming Novooleksiivka improving the Russians’ tactical position for the advance to the Dnipropetrovsk region the Russian Group of Forces “East” is advancing towards the Bahatyr settlement The group of the 23rd separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the M-113 armored personnel carrier attempted an unsuccessful counterattack in Dniproenerhiya Battles are taking place near the Otradne settlement and in the area of ​​the Shevchenko settlement Russian troops managed to approach the southern outskirts of Malynivka On the Zaporizhia front – positional battles in the area of ​​Shcherbaki Artillery of the Russian Armed Forces is launching strikes on Ukrainian shelters the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out several drone strikes on the Oleshky market The mine danger is extremely high in the DPR During excavation work several people were injured spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces "The situation has escalated considerably in the Novopavlivka sector where the enemy engaged in 23 combat clashes over the past day and the enemy is literally pushing toward the border of the Dnipropetrovsk the situation remains quite tense in the Orikhiv sector The enemy is attempting to break through the front line there and secure a foothold they would be able to exert fire control over our supply routes from Zaporizhzhia to eastern Zaporizhzhia region and shell the city and its suburbs," Voloshyn reported He added that the situation in the Dnipro River sector has also sharply deteriorated in recent days Russian forces have increasingly attempted to seize islands on the Dnipro River While Ukrainian forces are mostly successful in destroying Russian watercraft some Russian troops manage to land on the islands "Sometimes the enemy leaves one or two soldiers on these islands They end up playing 'Robinson Crusoe' there Russian propaganda uses these incidents to claim control over the island zone But we've seen more of these attempts in the past few days," he said Voloshyn also voiced concern over Russia's use of double strikes on Kherson - first with guided aerial bombs "These [guided aerial] bombs were dropped on residential areas There are casualties and injuries among civilians as well as damage to civilian infrastructure the enemy employs a cynical tactic: after the initial bombings they strike again using artillery or kamikaze drones the enemy launched a similar strike using three guided aerial bombs," Voloshyn added by Anna FratsyvirA Ukrainian soldier loads shells into a vehicle adapted to fire helicopter shells in the direction of Toretsk (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)Russian troops are solidifying their presence in the village of Kalynove in Donetsk Oblast as they prepare for an advance toward Stara Mykolaivka and the road to Kostiantynivka Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reported on April 18 Russian forces are deploying infantry and establishing logistical routes and communication lines in Kalynove, according to DeepState There has been a notable slowdown in Russia’s offensive operations after months of steady territorial gains across eastern Ukraine. According to a DeepState report from April 1, Russian troops captured just 133 square kilometers in March – the lowest monthly total since June 2024 Ukrainian soldiers operating in the area reported an overwhelming presence of Russian drones in the area of Kalynove, according to DeepState. New Russian drone crews, previously active in battles in Russia’s Kursk Oblast Russian forces are attempting to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and are now able to operate drones deep enough to reach Kostiantynivka Kostiantynivka is a city in Donetsk Oblast with a pre-war population of 67,000 people The city has been one of the key logistical hubs for the Ukrainian military in Donetsk Oblast since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 It is currently located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of the front line in Chasiv Yar On April 19, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported that Russian forces launched 54 assault operations in the Pokrovsk sector – about 35 kilometers east of Kalynove – over the last day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 17 that Russia would likely make several attempts to launch offensives in Sumy because they have not attacked there for a long time,” he said Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.