Russia Invades Ukraine

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A major Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv kills at least 21 people

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched a major air attack on Kyiv early on Thursday that included a rare strike on the center of Ukraine’s capital, killing at least 21 people, wounding 48 and damaging European Union diplomatic offices, authorities said.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-23e051f1b7e93308f99b6fdfdd8949f2?

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German leader says peace cannot come at Ukraine’s expense

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday that the war in Ukraine could still last for a long time and ending it quickly at the country’s expense was not an option.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-russia-ukraine-merz-e3a9e0651d4168a7623ae5fac6de10ba?

Putin says Trump administration is listening to Russia’s arguments on Ukraine war

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that U.S President Donald Trump’s administration is listening to the Kremlin’s justifications for its invasion of neighboring Ukraine and claimed that Moscow and Washington have come to a “mutual understanding” about the conflict.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-trump-73364fa8ac16633068fc2bf1c1e5d960?

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Putin Threatens to Kill Any Western Troops Who Enter Ukraine

The Russian leader says any foreign soldiers in Ukraine will be considered “legitimate targets.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to kill any foreign troops who set foot in Ukraine before a peace deal is reached, claiming such a move would render them “legitimate targets.” The announcement came a day after Western leaders pledged to deploy peacekeeping forces to the frontlines in the event of a ceasefire being agreed. “This is one of the root causes (of the war): trying to involve Ukraine in NATO,” said Putin during a speech in Russia on Friday. “So if any troops appear there, especially during the ongoing hostilities, we assume they will be legitimate targets for defeat.” His remarks came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that 26 countries had agreed to a variety of security guarantees in the region, which involve a military presence on land, sea, and air. “If decisions are reached that lead to long-term peace, then I simply see no reason for their presence on Ukrainian territory,” said Putin. “Because if such agreements are reached, let no one doubt that Russia will fully implement them.” However, a peace deal between the two countries still seems extremely unlikely after Putin has made it clear he will not give up occupied territory in Ukraine under any circumstances.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/putin-threatens-to-kill-any-western-troops-who-enter-ukraine/?

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Russia just said what Ukraine has been trying to tell Trump for months: Peace talks are going nowhere fast

Russia-Ukraine peace talks are “more on pause” than they are active, the Kremlin said Friday, in an acknowledgement that confirms what Ukraine has been warning for months – negotiations are faltering despite a push from US President Donald Trump.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/12/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-paused-kremlin-intl

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The world’s tallest sunflower blooms in an Indiana backyard as a tribute to Ukraine

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — When Ukrainian immigrant Alex Babich stands in his Indiana backyard craning his neck to look 35 feet (11 meters) into the sky, he isn’t just staring at a sunflower. He is looking at his roots — and his future legacy.

https://apnews.com/article/sunflower-ukraine-indiana-backyard-guinness-world-record-a31f44168431c3ba5d7886d7e994f1c4?

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To protect soldiers, Ukraine uses remote-controlled vehicles for dangerous missions

On a battlefield swarming with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to nimble, remote-controlled armored vehicles that can perform an array of tasks and spare troops from potentially life-threatening missions. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Russia and Ukraine trade deadly drone strikes as Zelenskyy anticipates intense diplomacy at UN German, Swedish fighter jets track Russian reconnaissance plane flying over Baltic Sea  Trump’s peace efforts falter as conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza escalate

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Exclusive: Zelensky's chilling warning

NEW YORK — On a new episode of "The Axios Show" — out tomorrow morning — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells us that if Russia won't end the war, officials working in the Kremlin should make sure they know where the nearest bomb shelter is.

• Why it matters: Zelensky said he had President Trump's explicit backing to hit Russian targets like energy infrastructure and arms factories. And he said that if Ukraine gets additional long-range weaponry from the U.S., "we will use it."

Zelensky told Axios' Barak Ravid he made one particular request of Trump when the two leaders met on Tuesday — a new weapons system he said would force Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table, Axios' Dave Lawler writes.

• Zelensky said he would name the system once the cameras were off, adding that Trump told him: "We will work on it."
• The Ukrainian president sat down with Axios in Manhattan last night, immediately before departing the UN General Assembly for Kyiv.

? Zoom in: Zelensky said Ukraine would not bomb civilians because "we are not terrorists." But he suggested the centers of Russian power, like the Kremlin, were very much on the table.

• "They have to know where the bomb shelters are," Zelensky said of Kremlin officials. "They need it. If they will not stop the war, they will need it in any case."
• "They have to know that we in Ukraine, each day, we will answer. If they attack us, we will answer them."

Zelensky said that during their meeting the day prior, Trump brought up the fact that Ukraine should answer Russian strikes tit for tat.

• "If they attack our energy, President Trump supports that we can answer on energy," Zelensky said.
• Trump said the same about drone factories or missile sites, though those are well defended, Zelensky said.

? The intrigue: He noted that Ukraine already has drones that can strike deep inside Russia, but he also said there was an additional weapons system he wanted that would hasten the end of the war.

• "President Trump knows, I [told] him yesterday what we need, one thing."
• "We need it, but it doesn't mean that we will use it," he continued. "Because if we'll have it, I think it's additional pressure on Putin to sit and speak."

? More from the interview: Zelensky said he doesn't intend to lead his country in peacetime. He also vowed to ask Ukraine's parliament to organize elections if a ceasefire is reached.

• ?️ Watch a 55-sec. clip ...

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Safety fears as external power to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant still out after three days

External power to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been cut for more than three days, a record outage that has prompted safety concerns over the six-reactor site on the frontline of the Ukraine war.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/27/safety-fears-as-external-power-to-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-still-out-after-three-days

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Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine kills at least 4 people and wounds 70

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine overnight into Sunday, killing at least four people, with Kyiv suffering the heaviest assault. It was the first major bombardment since an air attack on Ukraine’s capital left at least 21 people dead last month.

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-kyiv-drone-attack-df3ec471bacd7395d408cc0d7e68f8b4?

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Ukraine’s Donetsk region seen as Russia’s gateway, not the ultimate prize in war

For more than a decade, Russian aggression has made Ukraine’s Donetsk region synonymous with war. It’s both a symbol of Kyiv’s resistance and a gauge of the conflict’s progress. Analysts say control of Donetsk isn’t Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ultimate goal, but that securing the region would provide a gateway to other parts of the country. Read more.

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Deadly Russian air attacks force power cuts across Ukraine, as Trump-Putin summit shelved

Kyiv, Ukraine  — 

Russia launched a large-scale air attack on Ukraine early Wednesday, causing power outages across most of the country, setting homes ablaze and killing at least six people, including a six-month-old baby, Ukrainian authorities said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/22/europe/russia-air-attack-kyiv-ukraine-latam-intl?

ps:So where's all this help promised to Ukraine thru Europe from the US?????

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Russia dealt huge blow as Moscow under attack after Ukraine drone strike

An unmanned drone crashed into a residential building in the Moscow suburb of Krasnogorsk, causing an explosion that injured five people, including a child.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4310260473465-russia-dealt-huge-blow-as-moscow-under-attack-after-ukraine-drone-strike?

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Built in the shadows and launched at night, Ukraine’s long-range drones are rattling Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At a secret location in rural Ukraine, columns of attack drones are assembled at night and in near silence to strike deep inside Russia.

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-drones-economy-refineries-strikes-24fb93e0fab5dbba1a323b92510125bb?

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Ukraine gets more US-made air defense systems to counter deadly Russian attacks

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has received more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to help it counter Russia’s daily barrages, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian drones killed a man and injured five of his family members, including two children, in the latest nighttime attack.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriots-drones-missiles-facc290c820961f25cda6c7fd689baf3?

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Ukraine

Millions of Ukrainians are enduring cold temperatures and darkness after one of Russia's largest attacks on energy infrastructure since the start of the war. Nine Ukrainian regions came under attack over the weekend, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Of the 45 missiles fired by Russia, some of which were ballistic weapons, only nine had been intercepted. Some 450 drones were also launched. Amid widespread damage, Ukraine's energy minister implemented emergency power cuts across almost all regions to stabilize the network. The latest Russian attacks come as Ukraine has requested more help from allies to replenish its air defenses.   Three years after liberation, Ukraine’s Kherson faces another kind of siege Most of the streets of Kherson are empty now. Three years after the liberation ended a nine-month Russian occupation, the city that once erupted in joy has sunk into a wary stillness — a place where daily life unfolds behind walls or underground. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Photos show tense stillness of Ukraine’s Kherson, under threat from across the Dnipro River Zelenskyy seeks Patriot systems from US to counter Russia’s power grid attacks

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Russia makes gains in southern Ukraine as it expands front-line attacks

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Russian army overran three settlements in the southern Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, Kyiv’s top military commander said Wednesday, as Moscow’s forces expand their efforts to capture more Ukrainian territory.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-front-zaporizhzhia-d35f629768d525338434eb777ea06647?

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Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv kills 6 people and injures at least 35

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Kyiv early Friday, killing six people, leaving gaping holes in apartment buildings and starting fires as the sound of explosions boomed across the city and lit up the night sky. A pregnant woman was among at least 35 people wounded, Ukrainian authorities said.

https://apnews.com/article/war-russia-ukraine-energy-strikes-bombs-e0016ce1cec36f650e384a255250bf18?

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Russia increasingly targeting trains as attacks on Ukraine’s rail network intensify

Ukraine has recorded a threefold increase in the number of attacks on its railway system since July, according to a senior minister, as Moscow seeks to scupper one of Kyiv’s key logistical systems.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/15/russia-targeting-trains-ukraine-rail-network-attacks?

Finland’s president urges Europe to hold its nerve as he warns no ceasefire likely soon in Ukraine

A ceasefire in Ukraine is unlikely before the spring and European allies need to keep up support despite a corruption scandal that has engulfed Kyiv, President Alexander Stubb of Finland told The Associated Press. Europe, meanwhile, will require ‘’sisu,’’ a Finnish word meaning endurance, resilience and grit, to get through the winter months, he said, as Russia continues its hybrid attacks and information war across the continent. Read more.

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Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in France earlier today for high-stakes meetings with President Emanual Macron. The visit comes as Ukraine is seeking to bolster its military capabilities — and as Russia says it will explore restarting nuclear weapons testing. Zelensky and Macron signed a letter of intent that would allow Ukraine to buy French fighter jets and surface-to-air missile systems. Ukrainian officials say that more air defenses are urgently needed as Russia also escalates its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. People in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, are currently without electricity for eight to 11 hours per day, a result of Russia's improved ability to strike power plants and substations.   ps:Meetings, meetings and more meetings! How many meetings can he do? They all know what he needs, lets just do it!!!!! How much more can this country take?????????

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Drone strikes Turkish tanker in Ukraine’s Odesa, where US natural gas will go

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker and set it ablaze on Monday in southern Ukraine’s Odesa region, officials said, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a deal to import U.S. liquefied natural gas through the area.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-tanker-drone-fire-ea4ef368e58ef0936d24b27cd56073af?

160 Ukrainian energy workers have been killed as Russia pummels the power system

Almost four years into Russia’s invasion, keeping Ukraine’s lights on has become a battle of its own. Engineers repeatedly repair transformers, switchyards, and power lines that Russia strikes again and again. And that work repairing damage from Russian attacks is happening when a major embezzlement and kickbacks scandal at the state-owned nuclear power company has put top officials under scrutiny. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Russian lawmakers approve tax hike bill to boost economy as the war with Ukraine nears 4 years Zelenskyy will visit Turkey in a new bid to jump-start talks to end Russia’s invasion

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Russian strikes

NATO scrambled fighter jets in Polish and Romanian airspace as Russia carried out a massive overnight attack across Ukraine, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens more. Romania's defense ministry said a Russian drone entered its airspace during the attack, which struck apartment buildings in the city of Ternopil. Dozens of people were injured in the attack, 16 of them children, and more are still trapped under the rubble, Ukraine's Interior Minister said. The Russian attack involved 470 drones and 48 missiles and mostly focused on western areas of Ukraine, which lie close to the borders of Romania and Poland. Many regions of Ukraine are without power today following the strikes on the country's energy infrastructure.

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Russian attack kills 25 in Ukraine’s Ternopil as Zelenskyy meets Erdogan in Turkey

A Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine's western city of Ternopil has killed at least 25 people, including three children. Romania and Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to the attacks. Russia claims the strikes targeted Ukrainian energy facilities and military-industrial targets in retaliation for Kyiv's actions. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

With an eye on Russia, EU wants to make it easier to deploy tanks and troops at short notice Ukraine asks Vatican to formalize mediation role for return of citizens taken by Russia Lithuania to reopen border crossings with Russia-allied Belarus after tensions over balloons

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Ukraine’s president is under growing pressure For more than a week, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has struggled to contain the fallout from a $100 million corruption scheme implicating top officials and other associates. The pressure on him has ratcheted up as the U.S. pushes a proposal it drew up with Russia that would require major concessions from Ukraine — and seemingly few from Russia — to bring an end to the war. Read more.

What to know: Reports about the U.S. and Russia’s plan aimed at ending the war came out just as Zelenskyy was facing a rebellion from lawmakers in his own party over the corruption scandal. “Zelenskyy is vulnerable. Both the U.S. and Russia (saw) the domestic scandal and decided to put more pressure on him to concede to a Russian plan,” said Orysia Lutsevych, a Ukraine expert at London-based think tank Chatham House. But the effort may not work out as envisioned, she said, noting that European allies are coming to Ukraine’s defense and speaking out against the plan.   Zelenskyy’s hold on power isn’t imminently at risk. But the growing political headwinds he faces could challenge his ability to push through parliament any potential peace plan being negotiated with Russia.

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Zelenskyy says Ukraine faces a stark choice and risks losing American support over US peace plan

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told his country in an address Friday that it could face a pivotal choice between standing up for its sovereign rights and preserving the American support it needs, as leaders discuss a U.S. peace proposal seen as favoring Russia. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

UK politician sentenced to over 10 years in jail for accepting bribes to make pro-Russia statements Radio Free Europe’s Hungarian service shuts down after Trump funding cuts Fixing a politicized judicial system isn’t easy, as Poland is finding out   ps:What support??????????   ?? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said President Trump's plan for peace with Russia would force Ukraine to choose between "losing our dignity" or jeopardizing U.S. support. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, says Trump's plan could be the basis of a deal. Go deeper. ps:Could be????? Zelenskyy says Ukraine has impossible choice as Trump pushes plan to end war Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine faces one of the most difficult moments in its history, after Donald Trump demanded Kyiv accepts within days a US-backed “peace plan” that would force it to give up territory to Russia and make other painful concessions. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/21/zelenskyy-says-ukraine-faces-most-difficult-moment-as-trump-pushes-plan-to-end-war? ps:This is what trump and putin had planned from the moment trump won, to just prolong until they wore Ukraine down!!!!!

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Ukraine and Western allies meet in Geneva to discuss US peace plan

Top European and Ukrainian envoys conferred in Geneva on Sunday ahead of talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio over President Donald Trump’s proposal to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. The allies have rallied around Kyiv in a push to revise the plan, which is seen as favoring Moscow. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

US senators say Rubio told them Trump’s Ukraine peace plan is Russia’s ‘wish list’ Key elements in Trump’s 28-point peace proposal and why much of it is unacceptable for Ukraine   Ukraine's Decision Point Ukrainian and Western officials began talks in Geneva yesterday, discussing a plan proposed by the Trump administration last week to end the nearly four-year war between the country and Russia. Russian officials were not in attendance.   President Donald Trump set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to respond to the 28-point plan (see here). Notably, the proposal requires Ukraine to cede all territory currently held by Russia—roughly 20% of the country's pre-2014 territory, including Crimea and much of the Donbas region—and freezes territorial control along current battle lines in neighboring areas. It also prohibits Ukraine from NATO membership (but allows it to join the European Union). Since 2022, more than 53,000 civilian casualties have been reported, including more than 14,000 killed. More than 10 million people have been displaced. Ukraine has received more than $400B in aid, including $118B from the US. See an overview here.   Ukraine peace talks Talks on a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine are set to continue today after meetings with US and Ukrainian officials that Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as productive. Washington said the Ukrainians believe the current draft amendment of a 28-point peace proposal “reflects their national security interests.” The US proposal had previously attracted bipartisan criticism for its concessions to Russia.