Last news • War in Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine with three missiles and 114 drones: 66 drones had been shot down
On the evening of April 26, 2025, Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles and drones. The Protection Forces shot down 66 "Shahed" within the east, north, south and middle of the nation, however there are affected areas.
Russia has misplaced 947,610 troops in Ukraine because the starting of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the Basic Workers of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on April 26.
The quantity consists of 1,110 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the previous day.
In keeping with the report, Russia has additionally misplaced 10,711 tanks, 22,320 armored preventing autos, 46,051 autos and gas tanks, 26,965 artillery techniques, 1,372 a number of launch rocket techniques, 1,145 air protection techniques, 370 airplanes, 335 helicopters, 33,897 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima
Air protection is working within the Kyiv area amid the specter of enemy drones
The Kyiv Regional Navy Administration reported enemy UAVs within the airspace of the area. Air protection forces are already engaged on targets, and the air raid alert is spreading to different areas.
Russia is waging small-scale assaults throughout the whole entrance, however the state of affairs on the battlefield is nowhere close to dangerous sufficient for Ukraine to be compelled into an unfavorable peace deal, army analysts and troopers advised the Kyiv Impartial.
Since Ukraine introduced the beginning of the Russian spring offensive in early April, Moscow has made "incremental positive aspects" in a number of sectors of the entrance at a excessive price, however reaching a breakthrough appears unlikely.
Russia's bogged-down progress on the battlefield comes because the U.S. tries to drive Ukraine right into a rushed peace to finish the warfare in any respect prices, with Washington doubtlessly recognizing Moscow's unlawful annexation of Crimea among the many hard-hitting concessions.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that his nation isn’t forcing Ukraine to legitimize the Russian occupation of Crimea and declined to say whether or not he would need Kyiv to formally acknowledge it.
President Volodymyr Zelensky dominated out acknowledging Ukrainian territory as Russian, with Trump criticizing his place as "dangerous to the peace negotiations with Russia."
In an interview with the Time Journal, Trump mentioned "Crimea will stick with Russia. And Zelensky understands that, and all people understands that it's been with them for a very long time."
Trump additionally mentioned that Russia's main concession is that Moscow received't take Ukraine, the "complete nation," as he put it.
In the meantime, the Ukrainian army — although outmanned and outgunned — has managed to stabilize the entrance. Based on specialists who spoke with the Kyiv Impartial, Ukraine can maintain preventing opposite to Trump's argument.
"Ukraine's place is nowhere close to dangerous sufficient that they would wish to make such concessions, particularly when Russia isn't making any precise concessions," mentioned Jakub Janovsky, a Prague-based army analyst on the Oryx open-source undertaking monitoring Ukrainian and Russian tools losses.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova
Stabilizing entranceWhereas Russia wages expensive assaults in Donetsk Oblast and throughout the southern entrance, its troops look like struggling to maintain advancing, and Ukraine has gotten higher at countering these assaults, together with with the usage of low cost first-person-view (FPV) drones and mines.
"Creeping one kilometer after one other in a rustic as giant as Ukraine isn't precisely a viable technique," Janovsky advised the Kyiv Impartial.
Primarily based on the open-source footage of Russian assaults so far within the spring offensive, Janovsky assessed that the assaults that depend on mechanized and motorized items and "a great deal of infantry" should not going properly.
The Russian assaults are, however, infinite on the bottom, various in depth from daily.
Oleksandr Spytsin, commander of a drone unit within the Nationwide Guard's Omega particular operations division, deployed close to Pokrovsk, mentioned that Russian troops have been creeping "continuous." His unit's job is to find and stop them from reaching the Ukrainian infantry positions.
"We regularly observe this sample: After they take a severe beating, the subsequent day their exercise drops, they calm down a bit," Spytsin advised the Kyiv Impartial at a drone place about two kilometers from the "zero" line.
"Then possibly they don't function for a day, or they deal with one other route, after which they're again right here once more, performing like nothing occurred."
Janovsky predicted that Russia's potential positive aspects sooner or later would rely upon what number of assets Moscow can be keen to allocate, particularly given how the usable tools from the mass Soviet-inherited storage is "shrinking considerably."
Regardless of Russia's losses outnumbering its arms manufacturing capability, Moscow would doubtless be capable to maintain replenishing its items this yr, even when it means utilizing much less favorable choices akin to civilian autos as an alternative of armored personnel carriers, in line with Janovsky.
Former Protection Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk, chairman of the Kyiv-based Middle for Protection Methods, argued that regardless of the front-line state of affairs, the de jure recognition of Crimea is "definitely unreasonable."
Zagorodnyuk mentioned that the advised peace system circulating within the public area has "nothing concrete about safety ensures," failing to forestall Russian President Vladimir Putin from breaching the ceasefire and restarting the warfare.
"You may solely formally settle for territorial losses as soon as, you can not get them again once more. However Russia can breach ceasefires as many occasions because it likes," Zagorodnyuk advised the Kyiv Impartial, stressing that Ukraine wants agency safety ensures from the U.S. and Europe.
"Even when Ukraine has no 'playing cards,' it nonetheless can’t settle for one thing which reinforces Putin for additional actions."
Lawmaker Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman on the Nationwide Safety, Protection and Intelligence Committee and a boss at Ukraine's everlasting delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Meeting, mentioned that "all our companions have lengthy been knowledgeable about these crimson traces" regardless of the U.S. reportedly contemplating recognizing Russia's unlawful annexation of Crimea.
"We have now nowhere to retreat, we won’t signal a give up," Cherniev advised the Kyiv Impartial, saying that he hopes the European companions will stay on Kyiv's aspect.
John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program on the Washington-based Basis for Protection of Democracies, agreed that the general front-line state of affairs is "not nice, however not dire," and it's unlikely to break down.
Even when the U.S. had been to tug out its army support and intelligence sharing with Ukraine once more, Hardie believes {that a} front-line collapse is unlikely, though the impact in some areas — such because the air protection — could also be felt faster. Trump's staff has threatened that the U.S. may ditch the peace talks efforts if there isn’t a progress within the coming weeks.
Whereas Russia's advances in its spring offensive could velocity up with time regardless of its infantry at present being "very low high quality," Ukraine's "actually good skill" in its ready protection and precision pose "a formidable problem for the Russian attackers."
"I don't assume Ukraine is ready the place it kind of has to simply accept regardless of the U.S. says or Russia's calls for with a purpose to get a deal instantly," Hardie advised the Kyiv Impartial.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Russia attacked Kharkiv with drones, there are hits
On April 26, Russian occupiers attacked Kharkiv with drones, explosions occurred within the Shevchenkivskyi district. A success was recorded close to a multi-story constructing, balconies had been broken and home windows had been damaged.
Crimea should be returned diplomatically, and Ukraine is open to discussing its territories solely after a full, unconditional ceasefire has been reached, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on April 25.
"A full unconditional ceasefire opens the chance to debate the whole lot," Zelensky instructed journalists.
Washington's newest proposal for ending Russia's struggle in opposition to Ukraine reportedly consists of U.S. de jure recognition of Moscow's management over Crimea. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated earlier on April 25 that Ukraine could also be compelled to briefly quit some territories to Russia.
"I agree with President Trump that Ukraine doesn’t have sufficient weapons to regain management of the Crimean peninsula by drive of arms," Zelensky stated.
Earlier on April 25, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Crimea "will stick with Russia," reiterating latest remarks made by the U.S. president.
Zelensky referred to as for Ukraine's allies to proceed to strain Russia utilizing diplomatic means to convey an finish to its unlawful occupation of Ukraine's territories.
"However the world has sanctions, alternatives, different financial strain, diplomatic strain to speak about this, to debate territorial points," he stated.
Zelensky stated Ukraine is open to discussing occupied territories "solely after an entire, unconditional ceasefire.”
"We’re prepared for dialogue in any… format, at any time, however solely after an actual sign that Russia is able to finish the struggle," Zelensky stated.
Moscow has proven indicators it’s unwilling to maneuver ahead on a peace take care of Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.
Ukraine has already agreedto a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is prepared if Russia additionally agrees to theterms. Up to now, Moscow has refused.
On April 23, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine insists on an "speedy, full, and unconditional ceasefire."
"That was the proposal put ahead by the United States on March 11 of this 12 months — and it was completely affordable," Zelensky stated.
The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima
A coaching course on monetary literacy for the navy has appeared within the "Military+" utility: particulars
A course on monetary literacy for troopers of the Protection Forces has been launched within the "Military+" utility. It can train you how one can plan a price range, lower your expenses and make investments.
Ukraine and Russia "are very near a deal" to finish Russia's conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned on April 25.
"They’re very near a deal, and the 2 sides ought to now meet, at very excessive ranges, to 'end it off.' A lot of the main factors are agreed to," Trump mentioned in a social media publish.
The U.S. has intensified efforts to finish Russia's conflict in opposition to Ukraine amid threats that the White Home will drop the initiative if an settlement just isn’t reached quickly. "I believe we now have a take care of each, I hope they do it," Trump instructed reporters within the Oval Workplace on April 23.
Trump known as for Ukraine and Russia to satisfy at an elevated diplomatic degree to conclude peace talks. In accordance with him, nearly all of the peace settlement has already been agreed upon.
The U.S. president condemned Russia's conflict and mentioned the U.S. is able to assist convey an finish to it, regardless of earlier threats to desert the trouble if an settlement just isn’t reached quickly.
"Cease the bloodshed, now. We will likely be wherever is important to assist facilitate the top to this merciless and mindless conflict!" Trump mentioned.
"A great day in talks and conferences with Russia and Ukraine," Trump mentioned on April 25, following U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff's go to to Moscow the identical day.
Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned on April 25.
"Work on the general peace deal between Russia and Ukraine goes easily. Success appears to be sooner or later!" Trump mentioned earlier on April 25.
The U.S. president has elevated strain on Ukraine because the White Home intensifies efforts to achieve a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump has in latest days prompt the U.S. may de jure acknowledge Russian management of Crimea, amongst different main concessions for Ukraine.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
Arriving in Rome, Trump introduced the proximity of an settlement between Russia and Ukraine and known as for an instantaneous finish to the bloodshed
Donald Trump introduced the readiness of the events to satisfy on the highest degree to finalize the settlement. The USA is able to assist finish the struggle.
Polish safety company to analyze disappearance of Belarus’s opposition activist amid fears of overseas involvement.
Russian, Belarusian safety companies plan violent assaults on Belarusian diaspora, Lithuanian Safety Division says.
Russian FSB detains Belarus citizen allegedly making ready to hold out "terrorist act" on behalf of Ukraine's SBU.
Lithuania to fortify second Suwalki Hole route, considered as some of the doubtless targets for a future Russian assault on NATO, Politico experiences.
Viasna Human Rights Middle volunteer launched after serving full time period.
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Poland’s Inner Safety Company to analyze disappearance of Belarus opposition activistThe case of lacking Belarusian opposition activist Anzhalika Melnikava has been handed over to Poland’s Inner Safety Company, the ABW, to examine for the potential involvement of overseas intelligence companies, Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported on April 16.
Exiled Belarusian political activist and speaker of the Belarusian opposition’s Coordination Council Melnikava went lacking on March 25. 4 weeks later, her whereabouts stay unknown, though indicators from her telephone have been reportedly traced to Belarus, elevating alarm amongst members of the exiled Belarusian opposition, who worry being focused by the Belarusian regime’s brokers.
In keeping with Rzeczpospolita, the disappearance case, initially opened by police within the Polish capital Warsaw, has been transferred to the Nationwide Prosecutor’s Workplace’s Lublin Division of Organized Crime and Corruption, which makes a speciality of investigating probably the most severe crimes — together with espionage. The transfer means that there is perhaps proof of extraordinary circumstances, like kidnapping or homicide, that must be investigated by a better authority, Michal Potocki, the editor of Poland’s largest authorized journal, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, advised U.S. broadcaster RFE/RL.
Earlier police enquiries did not make clear the circumstances of Melnikava’s disappearance, with a number of variations of occasions being mentioned, starting from kidnapping by a overseas intelligence company, or that Melnikava was appearing on behalf of such companies, or the misappropriation of the opposition’s funds.
The Nationwide Prosecutor’s Workplace consultant, Katarzyna Calów-Jaszewska, advised the press that the ABW was investigating the case below fees of deprivation of liberty and different undisclosed articles of the Felony Code.
A former Coca-Cola government, Anzhalika Melnikava joined anti-Lukashenko protests in Belarus in 2020 and left the nation fearing prosecution. In Might 2024, she was elected speaker of the Coordination Council, heading the brand new incarnation of the exiled opposition construction, branded because the “proto-parliament.” Melnikava dealt with funds for the Coordination Council and Cyberpartizans, a hacker group behind the assaults on the regime’s digital infrastructure.
In keeping with Poland’s Inner Affairs Ministry, Melnikava had not been in Poland for a number of weeks on the time of her reported disappearance, and one among her gadgets was traced to Belarus on March 19. Conflicting proof says that she had traveled to the UK whereas her two daughters have been in Belarus with their father. The household isn’t planning to report her disappearance, journalists have discovered.
Notably, Belarusian propaganda has not talked about the case, not like that of the previous volunteer fighter in Ukraine, Vasyl Verameichyk, whose extradition from Vietnam to Belarus was coated by Belarusian state-run tv.
Melnikava’s case appeared within the background of Belarus’s legislation enforcers’ fixed makes an attempt to silence exiled opposition figures. All 257 contenders for the Coordination Council seats had felony investigations opened towards them.
Polish prosecutors are additionally now investigating an alleged plot to homicide Pavel Latushka, one other distinguished opposition chief. Furthermore, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s brokers are additionally suspected of being behind the murders of Belarusian opposition activist Very important Shyshou in 2021, and journalist Pavel Sharamet in 2016 in Kyiv.
Russian, Belarusian secret companies plot violent assaults on Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania, State Safety Division saysLithuania’s Division of State Safety or VSD stated on April 23 that it had uncovered a plot by Russian and Belarusian intelligence companies to commit violent assaults towards Belarusians residing within the nation.
Lithuania, which neighbors Belarus, hosts 50,000 Belarusian exiles and the workplace of Belarusian opposition chief Svitlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was pressured to flee her homeland after reportedly beating Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko within the 2020 presidential elections. Lithuania has sided with Belarusians protesting Lukashenko’s contested “re-election” and has confronted a backlash from his regime within the types of a man-made migration disaster, a crackdown on the Lithuanian diaspora in Belarus, and Lukashenko’s frequent verbal assaults on the nation.
The Russian and Belarusian intelligence companies have stepped up their operations in Lithuania, with the primary makes an attempt to commit violent assaults on representatives of the Belarusian neighborhood being recorded, in keeping with the VSD.
The VSD discovered overseas brokers attempting to lure Belarusian college students in Vilnius with a simple one-time gig to a distant location the place they have been to be ambushed and crushed. The would-be attackers have been supplied with precise places, timing and particulars of the victims’ look.
“The organizers are attempting to create the looks of a battle between two warring forces — Belarusians selling the ideology of Litvinism, and Lithuanian teams allegedly opposing them,” the VSD stated.
In 2023, Belarusian intelligence was allegedly behind the so-called “Litvinism” motion — a fringe historic Belarusian revisionist concept that claims the Lithuanian capital Vilnius doesn’t belong to Lithuania. Graffiti in crooked Cyrillic studying “Vilnius is ours” began showing in Vilnius, and Lithuanian politicians obtained threats from alleged “Litvinist” teams.
In 2024, the assaults turned to buildings belonging to representatives of the Belarusian diaspora. Vandals set fireplace to a Belarusian home in Vilnius, shot at a chapel with pneumatic weapons, and left graffiti in poorly-spelled Lithuanian calling for Tsikhanouskaya to depart the nation.
The violent assault on Belarusians was to be the subsequent step on this staged “battle,” the VSD stated.
The scale of the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania has shrunk considerably, dropping from over 62,000 in January 2024 to 53,700 in April 2025, in keeping with Lithuania’s Migration Division.
In 2024 alone, almost 600 residence permits for Belarusians have been revoked on nationwide safety grounds, typically as a result of their holders having served within the navy prior to now and even having been employed in non-sensitive roles like financial institution name facilities.
The Kyiv IndependentAsami TerajimaRussia’s FSB detains Belarusian allegedly planning ‘terrorist act on behalf of SBU’Russia’s Federal Safety Service or FSB introduced on April 18 that it had detained a Belarusian citizen who had been “making ready a terrorist act within the pursuits of the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU),” in keeping with an official FSB press launch.
The FSB claimed the detained overseas citizen was recruited by the SBU in December 2024 to assemble details about the places of Black Sea Fleet ships, Russian military personnel in Krasnodar Krai, and to hold out "terrorist assaults."
In a video launched by the FSB, an unidentifiable detainee claims to be a Belarusian citizen. Together with his face blurred within the footage, he recites the script, stating that his “SBU curator” instructed him to hold out the assault “to disrupt negotiations between the USA, Russia, and Ukraine” and escalate the battle.
Russian brokers allegedly discovered a 2.5-kilogram improvised explosive gadget that they stated was to have been planted in an administrative constructing in Novorossiysk. The FSB opened a felony case on the suspect on fees of making ready to commit a terrorist act — fees punishable by 10-20 years in jail.
This isn’t the primary such case reported by Russia. In December 2023, a Belarusian nationwide, Siarhei Yerameyeu, was detained in Omsk and accused of blowing up two trains on the Baikal-Amur Mainline in Buryatia. Yerameyeu continues to be in Russian custody awaiting trial.
Belarusian and Russian legislation enforcers are infamous for acquiring false confessions by utilizing numerous types of psychological strain and bodily torture.
Lithuania to bolster second route by way of Suwalki hole close to Belarus, Politico experiencesLithuania is to improve and fortify the second important highway main by way of the Suwalki hole, the NATO choke level squeezed between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and its ally Belarus, Politico reported on April 18.
The Suwalki hole is a 100-kilometer-wide stretch of NATO territory connecting Poland and Lithuania, bordered by Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad, which is considered as a primary goal in any potential Russian navy assault on the alliance.
“These roads (are) crucial to us from a safety and protection perspective,” Lithuanian Deputy Protection Minister Tomas Godliauskas advised Politico. “They’ve all the time been a part of our civil-military planning as key floor routes for allied help throughout a disaster.”
At the moment, all navy mobility between Lithuania and Poland is ensured by Through Baltica, the highway between Lithuania’s former capital Kaunas and Warsaw, and the high-speed railroad Rail Baltica. The undertaking will improve 113 kilometers of highway and renovate eight bridges from the capital, Vilnius, to the Polish border city of Augustow. It’s anticipated to be accomplished by 2028.
Lithuania expects to safe European funding for the undertaking, which the Baltic state and Poland have collectively financed.
A 2022 report by Politico labeled the Suwalki hole “probably the most harmful place on Earth.”
After Russia launched its full-scale battle on Ukraine it quickly confronted sanctions, which in flip prompted Lithuania’s nationwide railroad provider to refuse transit of sure items from Belarus to Kaliningrad, together with coal, metals, and constructing supplies.
On the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staunch ally, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, stated Lithuania’s resolution to adjust to EU sanctions “resembles a declaration of battle.” Over a 12 months later, in November 2023, First Deputy State Secretary of the Belarusian Safety Council Pavel Muraveiko claimed Belarus has each proper to “pave a hall” by way of Lithuania to transit items.
Safety tensions within the area are set to rise: In September 2025, Belarus is holding Zapad (West) navy drills involving 13,000 Russian troops. In keeping with the Lithuanian International Minister Kęstutis Budrys, the precise scale of Zapad workout routines has a historical past of far exceeding the publicly declared numbers.
Threats towards NATO member states neighboring Belarus have been heard once more when the top of Russia’s International Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, visited Minsk on April 15 and claimed that Poland and the Baltic states have been “extremely aggressive” and can be the “first to endure” if there have been any “NATO aggression” towards the Russia-Belarus Union State.
Viasna volunteer launched after serving full time period in jailAndrei Chapiuk, the volunteer of Belarus’s oldest human rights watchdog, the Viasna Human Rights Middle, was let loose on April 18 after serving 5 years and 9 months in jail.
In the meantime, 4 different Viasna advocates stay behind bars.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Viasna chairman Ales Bialiatski and three of his colleagues — the middle’s deputy chairman Valiantsin Stefanovich, lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich, and volunteer coordinator Marfa Rabkova — are serving virtually decade-long jail phrases after being prosecuted for his or her human rights advocacy.
Belarus’s oldest human rights group, Viasna has been documenting electoral fraud and human rights abuses by the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko since 1996.
Chapiuk was detained in October 2020 on fees of inciting social enmity, taking part in mass discord, and being a member of a felony group. Sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in jail over his involvement in human rights activism, the political prisoner was additionally formally declared to be an extremist and terrorist. Earlier than his launch, a handcuffed Chapiuk was taken for interrogation, Viasna reported.
Accused of “financing protests,” Bialiatski obtained a virtually 10-year jail time period, whereas two of his colleagues have been punished for 7-9 years. Rabkova obtained a particularly harsh sentence of virtually 15 years. All 4 have well being situations that cut back their probabilities of surviving imprisonment.
Lukashenko’s authorities branded Viasna an extremist group in 2023, outlawing any communication between activists and the victims of repression throughout the nation. Over 1,200 political prisoners are nonetheless held behind bars in Belarus within the aftermath of widespread anti-Lukashenko public protests in 2020.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova