The Kremlin revealed on Wednesday that CIA director John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence officials during a mysterious visit this week but did not meet president Vladimir Putin.
Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov framed communication between the two countries’ intelligence agencies as a positive without going into detail on what was discussed.
“All I can tell you is that there have been contacts via the security services,” he said, adding: “These contacts often continue even during the most difficult periods in bilateral relations. Our president, incidentally, has spoken about this.
“However, it is still too early to say to what extent this will, overall, help to steer our bilateral relations out of the profound crisis in which they currently find themselves,” he said.
Ratcliffe’s visit is the first known trip to Moscow by a US spy chief since his predecessor, William Burns, held talks with Vladimir Putin in November 2021, before the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Sources told Reuters that the US contacted Ukraine last week to request that it avoid striking Moscow, St Petersburg and a stretch of northern Russia during Ratcliffe’s visit. The request was to cover Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
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Key Points
- Trump requested Ukraine not to attack Russia during CIA chief's visit – report
- Why is the CIA director in Russia?
- Russia downs 426 drones overnight, says Russian media citing defence ministry
- Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Tambov region on fire after drone attack
- Ukraine counts on China playing strong role in ending war, says Zelensky
Kanye West’s Russia shows up in the air as venue refuses to host
13:30 , James ReynoldsKanye West’s upcoming shows in St Petersburg have been left in limbo after the Russian venue announced that no contract had ever been signed.
The controversial rapper, who has legally changed his name to Ye, had been scheduled to perform two concerts October 10 and 11 at the city’s 80,000-capacity Gazprom Arena.
However, as The Moscow Times reports, the venue announced earlier today that the shows “cannot take place” because rental contracts had not been signed by the show’s organizer, Say Agency.
That statement came despite the venue previously promoting the concerts.
In full:
Kanye West’s Russia shows up in the air as venue refuses to host
Zelensky visits frontline with new commander-in-chief
13:08 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky says he has visited the frontline of the war with his new commander-in-chief, Mykhailo Drapatyi.
Release of Marine veteran from Russian custody turns focus to other detainees with health concerns
13:04 , James ReynoldsRobert Gilman’s release from Russian custody this month heralded a long-awaited homecoming for the Marine veteran after more than four years behind bars.
But as Harold Jezler followed the media coverage from the United States, he couldn’t help but notice Gilman’s gaunt and sickly appearance and think of the implications for his wife, Olga, who has been detained in Russia since 2022 and faces her own health problems.
“You just look at the pictures and the guy is not in good shape. It’s concerning for me and for all the families, I would imagine," Jezler said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“Is this what it takes for the government to really make a move and prioritize this — that the person is basically in dire straits? It was a very bittersweet thing to see that.”
Read the full story:
Release of Marine veteran from Russian custody turns focus to other detainees with health concerns
Watch: Moment drone hits Russian Ozon facility in Dagestan
12:30 , James ReynoldsUkraine has targeted four logistics hubs owned by Russia's second-largest online retailer Ozon, widening a campaign of drone strikes on Russian e-commerce companies intended to inflict more damage on the war-battered economy.
Ozon's shares tumbled on Monday after it reported the strikes in southern Russia, which brought to six the number of its facilities targeted in the last three days.
Ozon said in a statement that a logistics hub in Makhachkala in Dagestan was on fire and had halted operations after a drone attack, adding: "According to preliminary information, several people were injured."
Russian attack damages heating plant in Ukraine's Kherson, Naftogaz says
12:00 , James ReynoldsA Russian guided aerial bomb attack has seriously damaged a combined heat and power plant in Ukraine's southern city of Kherson, the plant's owner, Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz, said on Wednesday.
The extent of the damage will be assessed as soon as the security situation allows, Naftogaz said.
Recap: Russia launches doomsday submarine for trials
11:30 , James ReynoldsRussia launched its 10,000 ton doomsday submarine for the first time last week, according to reports.
Moscow sent the Khabarovsk nuclear submarine, designed to carry nuclear torpedoes, into trials in the White Sea, according to the Telegraph.
Russian media reports have said the submarines can carry up to six Poseidon torpedos which can be detonated underwater to create tsunamis.
Energy secretary says 'I can't control wars' in defending Ofgem 4% price cap rise
11:00 , James ReynoldsCIA director met with Russian intelligence during Moscow visit - Kremlin
10:47 , James ReynoldsCIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence officials during his visit to Moscow on Tuesday but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin had been briefed on the outcome of Ratcliffe's talks, but declined to provide further details.
Peskov said it was also too early to say whether such contacts between the two countries' intelligence agencies could help pull U.S.-Russia relations out of what he described as a "deep crisis".
Russia summons Romania's charge d'affaires
10:30 , James ReynoldsRussia's Foreign Ministry has summoned Romania's charge d'affaires in Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
It did not give a reason for the summons.
Russia and Ukraine exchange 10 POWs
10:01 , James ReynoldsRussia and Ukraine have each exchanged 10 prisoners of war in the latest such trade, according to Interfax.
In pictures: Zelensky meets with former US boxer Terence Crawford
10:00 , James Reynolds
Repairs at Russia's Novorossiysk grain terminal may take up to four months, company says
09:22 , James ReynoldsIt could take up to four months to restore damaged facilities at NKHP, one of the largest grain terminals at Russia's port of Novorossiysk, where operations have been halted since August, the company said on Wednesday in its financial report.
Local officials said earlier in August that a Ukrainian drone and missile strike on the port damaged two major grain export terminals and hit the last big Russian naval base on the Black Sea.
Burnham warned Russia plotting retaliation against Britain over support for Ukraine - report
08:36 , James ReynoldsAndy Burnham was reportedly warned that Russia is plotting retaliation against Britain for its continued support for Ukraine.
Security experts were said to have told the prime minister to be ready for a ‘direct response’, according to the Daily Mail.
Mr Burnham travelled to Kyiv on Monday for his first overseas trip since taking office last month and said London and Paris would provide long-range missile technology to Ukraine.
A unnamed senior security source told the Mail: “An attack on the UK’s defence and security infrastructure is inevitable, based on our high profile support for Ukraine.
“Ourselves and the French are front and centre, and Burnham's visit to Kyiv and his forthright stance will have been noticed at the Kremlin,” they assessed.
“There had been some optimism in Moscow that he would be softer than Starmer on Ukraine. That was not the case.”
Release of Marine veteran from Russian custody turns focus to other detainees with health concerns
08:14 , Maira ButtRobert Gilman’s release from Russian custody this month heralded a long-awaited homecoming for the Marine veteran after more than four years behind bars.
But as Harold Jezler followed the media coverage from the United States, he couldn’t help but notice Gilman’s gaunt and sickly appearance and think of the implications for his wife, Olga, who has been detained in Russia since 2022 and faces her own health problems.
“You just look at the pictures and the guy is not in good shape. It’s concerning for me and for all the families, I would imagine," Jezler said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Is this what it takes for the government to really make a move and prioritize this — that the person is basically in dire straits? It was a very bittersweet thing to see that."
Release of Marine veteran from Russian custody turns focus to other detainees with health concerns
Russia downs 426 drones overnight, says Russian media citing defence ministry
07:37 , Maira ButtRussia downed 426 drones overnight, Russian news agencies quoted the defence ministry as saying. The figure includes Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine.
Russia says it struck five vessels in Ukraine's Black Sea ports
07:08 , Arpan RaiThe Russian defence ministry said that its forces had struck three cargo vessels carrying supplies for the Ukrainian military and a tanker at the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi yesterday.
The ministry also said it had hit another cargo vessel in the nearby port of Odesa, as well as port infrastructure in Pivdennyi and Odesa and fuel storage facilities at the port of Chornomorsk.
Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Tambov region on fire after drone attack
06:40 , Arpan RaiA warehouse of Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries in Russia's Tambov region caught fire after a drone attack, local governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Pervyshov said one person was injured in the incident.
Ex-US special envoy for Ukraine calls for mobilisation of women
06:14 , Arpan RaiUkraine should mobilise women in its fight against Russia as they “fight no worse than men,” a former US special envoy has urged.
Keith Kellogg told the Naspravdi MAX YouTube channel: “Do I believe women should be mobilised into the army?
“My answer is yes, because they fight no worse than men.”
This comes just days after former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov also said that the government should consider a universal conscription model.
Pointing to Israel as an example where women serve alongside men, he said: “That immediately would double our mobilisation resource.
“Then you can clearly see which military positions and specialties can easily be filled by women - they don’t have to go to the battlefield.
“They fill many rear positions, logistics and support, and men can be moved from rear positions closer to the front.
“The question is whether society is ready to say, like Israel, that we can survive only if everyone accepts that they must defend Ukraine.”
Burnham says he is planning US trip in September to lobby for Ukraine’s defence
06:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPrime Minister Andy Burnham said he is planning on travelling to the US in September to join European leaders in lobbying President Donald Trump on support for Ukraine’s defence.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Mr Burnham said he was “looking forward to going to New York” next month, which is when the UN General Assembly will meet.
He said details of the trip are not yet “fully confirmed” but it is “likely” to go ahead. The trip would mark Mr Burnham’s first US visit since becoming Prime Minister in July.
Burnham says he is planning US trip in September to lobby for Ukraine’s defence
Two employees of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant injured in drone attack
05:41 , Arpan RaiAt least two employees at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack, the plant's Russian-installed management said.
The strike occurred near the plant's hydraulic structures and wounded two maintenance and construction workers.
Management did not provide details on any damage caused by the attack.
Ukraine hands Britain ‘goldmine’ of secret battlefield intelligence to protect bases from Russian spies
05:21 , Arpan RaiUkraine has handed Britain a “goldmine” of secret battlefield intelligence to help the UK protect its bases from Russian spies.
The agreement was signed as prime minister Andy Burnham made his first visit to Kyiv on Monday to chair his first meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” and pledge “continuity” in the UK’s approach to Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky handed the Ministry of Defence (MoD) access to Ukraine’s “Avengers” AI database, which is expected to help the UK learn from Ukraine’s experience on the battlefield and develop AI-powered solutions to national security challenges in both countries, making it the first outside of Ukraine to receive the intelligence, Downing Street said.
Ukraine hands Britain ‘goldmine’ of secret battlefield intelligence to protect bases
Ousted defence minister says Ukraine needs changes to avoid losing war
05:01 , Arpan RaiUkraine appears to be slowly losing the war against Russia and has a window of only a few months to make key decisions needed to turn the tide in its facour, ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.
Fedorov said Ukraine lacked any overall vision for how to win the four-year-old conflict, and was hobbled by its failure to innovate.
Ukraine still had "every chance" to win but urgently needed a plan to end the war, he added.
Ukraine’s presidential office said in response to Fedorov’s comments that he had been positive about the conduct of the war when he was at the ministry and the only thing that had changed was his personal status.
Why is the CIA director in Russia?
05:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMystery is mounting as to why the CIA director has made a visit to Moscow - in secret - on Tuesday.
It appears to be John Ratcliffe's first known trip to Russia since taking the post in 2025, and it comes at a time when the peace negotiations remain stalled.
Neither the US nor Russian governments has commented on the identity of the official in Russia or the purpose of the visit.
“No, there are no plans for US envoys {travelling to Moscow, ” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a press briefing.
So far, CBS News and Axios are reporting that Ratcliffe flew to the Russian capital for meetings, citing unnamed sources.
He personally negotiated the release of a US-Russian dual national Ksenia Karelina in April 2025, and the agency has been involved in exchanges of detainees between the two governments.
The CIA was also involved in the 2024 prisoner exchange that led to the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had spent a year and four months in a tsarist-era prison.
Ukraine counts on China playing strong role in ending war, says Zelensky
04:43 , Arpan RaiUkraine is counting on further cooperation with China and on Beijing's "strong diplomatic role" in ending Russia's war against Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
“Peace can be our shared achievement,” Zelensky said, as he thanked Chinese leader Xi Jinping for congratulations on Ukraine's Independence Day.
Russia and Ukraine discuss new 'quite big' swap of prisoners of war
04:24 , Arpan RaiRussia and Ukraine are discussing a new 'quite big' swap of prisoners of war, Russian news agency TASS cited Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova as saying on Wednesday.
Thousands of prisoners have been exchanged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
An agreement in May to swap a further 1,000 captives each was one of the main tangible results of US-brokered peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump requested Ukraine not to attack Russia during CIA chief's visit – report
04:17 , Arpan RaiThe US last week asked Ukraine not to launch air strikes around Moscow, St Petersburg, and some northern territories of Russia on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week because a plane carrying a senior US official would be flying to the Russian capital, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Ukraine agreed to the US's request, the source said.
CIA director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday for meetings with Russian officials, US media outlets reported, citing unnamed sources.
Ratcliffe’s trip would be the first known visit to the Russian capital by a US spy chief since his predecessor, William Burns, held talks with Vladimir Putin in November 2021.
First British national killed fighting for Putin in Ukraine ‘dies in drone attack’
04:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA British man has died fighting for Russia after being killed in a drone attack in Ukraine, according to a report.
Bradley Townsend, 33, from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, is reported to be the first UK national killed fighting for President Vladimir Putin.
According to LBC, the former fisherman travelled to Moscow in April where he met other British pro-Russian fighters Aiden Minnis and Ben Stimson who are thought to have recruited him online.
He was killed in a “storm operation” on 10 June, according to a Russia-linked social media account seen by LBC.
First British national killed fighting for Putin in Ukraine ‘dies in drone attack’
Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Tambov region on fire after drone attack
03:53 , Arpan RaiA warehouse of Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries in Russia's Tambov region caught fire after a drone attack, local governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Pervyshov said one person was injured in the incident.
Ukraine's amputee veterans celebrate independence day with grueling endurance challenge
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMilitary amputees and war veterans in Ukraine marked Independence Day on Monday by finishing a grueling endurance race that took them more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) around the country.
At a lake outside the capital, Kyiv, athletes removed their prosthetics and pulled on wetsuits to complete on the closing day of the weeklong event, with some needing help to get into the water.
Known as Iron Week, the competition is led by three-time Olympic triathlete Danylo Sapunov, who supports veterans as the country endures more than four years of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Ukraine's amputee veterans celebrate independence day with grueling endurance challenge
Former Pussy Riot member reveals she was recruited by Russia’s security service to spy on activists
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA former member of Russian protest group Pussy Riot has revealed she was recruited to join Russia’s security service to inform on other activists.
Margarita Konovalova, one of the 15 women who started the feminist collective in 2011, was jailed in 2020 for staging an anti-police brutality protest near the Kremlin. The group became known for their criticism of Vladimir Putin and wearing colourful balaclavas during stunts.
But Konovalova has now admitted she spent the last three years passing information on artists and anti-war activists to the FSB security service, fearing that her relatives would be killed otherwise, The Insider reported.
Ex Pussy Riot member was recruited by Russia’s security service to spy on activists
A women's shelter for refugees in Poland fights for survival as anti-Ukrainian sentiment rises
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWhen Nastya Podorozhnya's relatives fled the war in Ukraine for neighboring Poland, volunteers welcomed them with open arms.
Podorozhnya, 29, was already living in Poland when the war began. But days before Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, she rushed back to Ukraine to help her sister and nieces get out.
As she returned to Poland alongside an influx of refugees in the war’s first days, she witnessed the outpouring of support from Polish volunteers. But she also spotted a risk: Ukrainian women accepting help from strangers could become vulnerable to human traffickers.
A women's shelter for refugees in Poland fights for survival as anti-Ukrainian sentiment rises
Ukraine hands Britain ‘goldmine’ of secret battlefield intelligence to protect bases from Russian spies
Wednesday 26 August 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkraine has handed Britain a “goldmine” of secret battlefield intelligence to help the UK protect its bases from Russian spies.
The agreement was signed as prime minister Andy Burnham made his first visit to Kyiv on Monday to chair his first meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” and pledge “continuity” in the UK’s approach to Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky handed the Ministry of Defence (MoD) access to Ukraine’s “Avengers” AI database, which is expected to help the UK learn from Ukraine’s experience on the battlefield and develop AI-powered solutions to national security challenges in both countries, making it the first outside of Ukraine to receive the intelligence, Downing Street said.
Ukraine hands Britain ‘goldmine’ of secret battlefield intelligence to protect bases
One killed and 123 injured in major fire at Russian petrochemical plant
Tuesday 25 August 2026 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOne person has been killed and 123 others wounded in a major fire at a petrochemical facility in Russia’s Far East.
Flames broke out at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC), near the town of Svobodny, close to the border with China, earlier today.
AGCC said it began in an auxiliary processing area of the pyrolysis unit, while pro-war Telegram channels speculated Ukrainian sabotage.
In a statement on its website, the company confirmed that a Chinese national employed by a contractor has died.
As many as 19 people have been taken to hospital, with their injuries ranging from moderate to severe, AGCC said.
Ex-US special envoy for Ukraine calls for mobilisation of women
Tuesday 25 August 2026 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkraine should mobilise women in its fight against Russia as they “fight no worse than men,” a former US special envoy has urged.
Keith Kellogg told the Naspravdi MAX YouTube channel: “Do I believe women should be mobilised into the army?
“My answer is yes, because they fight no worse than men.”
This comes just days after former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov also said that the government should consider a universal conscription model.
Pointing to Israel as an example where women serve alongside men, he said: “That immediately would double our mobilisation resource.
“Then you can clearly see which military positions and specialties can easily be filled by women - they don’t have to go to the battlefield.
“They fill many rear positions, logistics and support, and men can be moved from rear positions closer to the front.
“The question is whether society is ready to say, like Israel, that we can survive only if everyone accepts that they must defend Ukraine.”
