At least seven people have been killed as Russian forces attacked Kyiv and other cities early this morning, officials said. Moscow and Kyiv have exchanged attacks as Russia said it faced a barrage of Ukrainian drones and intercepted or destroyed around 100 of the unmanned Ukrainian weapons including some aimed at Moscow.
The drone attacks have intensified between Russia and Ukraine this week. On Friday evening, Russia launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight in one of the biggest combined aerial attacks the war has seen.
This comes hours after Russia and Ukraine each swapped 307 more prisoners of war as part of a negotiated exchange which should result in 1,000 citizens from both sides returning to their country.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s defence ministry confirmed the second prisoner exchange on Saturday, after Friday’s release saw each side exchange 390 civilians and personnel.
“Among those who returned today are soldiers from our army, the State Border Service, and the National Guard of Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said on his official Telegram channel.
Key Points
- Seven killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine
- Moscow targeted as nearly 100 Ukrainian drones intercepted in Russia
- Overnight attacks show Russia is blocking ceasefire, says Zelensky
- Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners hours after massive attack on Kyiv
- Russia ‘executed Ukrainian prisoners more than 150 times’
Seven killed in overnight Russian attack on Ukraine
06:47
,
Arpan Rai
A massive Russian drone-and-missile attack targeted Ukraine for a second consecutive night, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, officials said early today.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said "there are already 10 injured in the capital" as of 3am Sunday. Soon afterward, Ukraine's emergency service said four people were killed and 16 were injured, including 3 children, just in the Kyiv region.
Mr Klitschko said a student dormitory in Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the building's walls was on fire. In Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed and in Shevchenkivskyi district, windows in a residential building were smashed.
The attack took place on the third day of a planned prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, the only tangible outcome from peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month which have so far failed to produce a ceasefire. The exchange has been a rare moment of cooperation between the warring sides.
Zelensky says refusing ceasefire 'repeatedly'
06:45
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has responded to a large scale attack from Russia and said the attacks show his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has refused ceasefire repeatedly.
“Putin has refused to cease fire repeatedly. It gains him nothing, except taking lives every single day. Every day gives new grounds for sanctions against Russia. Every day proves that without pressure on Russia, the war will continue,” he said in his nightly address.
Every night, our forces work to protect lives. Today, there was a large-scale and vile Russian attack. Ballistic missiles — some were successfully intercepted. There were also 250 drones, mostly Shaheds. I am grateful to everyone helping Ukraine with air defence. Delivering air… pic.twitter.com/x4c34pe7mO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2025
UK and allies expose Russian cyber attacks on logistics firms aiding Ukraine
06:30
,
Arpan Rai
The UK and allies from 10 countries have exposed what they say is a campaign of malicious cyber activity by Russia against logistics and tech firms involved in delivering foreign assistance to Ukraine.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of GCHQ, said a unit within the Russian intelligence service, GRU, had targeted defence organisations, as well as IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems firms in a range of Nato countries.
The UK, along with the US, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and Netherlands have signed and published an advisory on the issue to raise awareness of the campaign.
Read the full article here:
Trump’s negotiations with Putin mean Europe needs to prepare for a second cold war
06:15
,
Arpan Rai
It is always painful to abandon longstanding certainties. The transatlantic security bond has, for 76 years, been one such certainty.
Now, Donald Trump and his Maga acolytes have brutally shattered this certainty. The transatlantic partnership is unravelling in front of our eyes: in the space of 100 days, Trump has undermined Nato’s collective stance on defence; hit the global economy with tariffs; threatened the territorial integrity of dedicated allies Canada and Denmark; interfered in the internal affairs of allies with his brazen support for European right-wing populist parties; and departed from well-established multilateral bodies including the World Health Organisation, the International Criminal Court and the UN Climate Change Conference.
In a series of hammer blows, Trump has shattered the rules-based global order.
Russia ‘executed Ukrainian prisoners more than 150 times’
06:12
,
Arpan Rai
Kyiv’s military intelligence agency have said that Russian forces have executed Ukrainian prisoners more than 150 times.
Intelligence officials said they had received reports of multiple instances where a “direct orders to kill” prisoners of war had been received by Putin’s troops.
According to the agency, these acts are “not isolated incidents” but part of a deliberate and systematic policy of the Russian leadership.
In March, the United Nations also reported a growing number of cases in which Russian forces deliberately killed or maimed Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered or attempted to surrender.
Putin hopes to increase exports of weapons
06:00
,
Arpan Rai
Russia needs to strengthen its position in the global arms market by increasing exports of weapons, country’s president Vladimir Putin said.
In televised remarks, he also said the country's military complex needs more state support to develop its potential.
"The portfolio of orders for Russian military products is now serious. It is tens of billions of dollars. And it is necessary to actively increase the volume of export deliveries," Mr Putin said.
He also singled out weapons that utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI).
"The future of the global arms market lies with such technology. Strong competition will unfold here, and is already unfolding, for which we must be prepared," Mr Putin said.
Three killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine
04:59
,
Arpan Rai
At least three people have been killed and 11 others have been injured as Russian forces attacked Kyiv and other cities early this morning, officials said.
Officials in the Kyiv region said three people died in two small towns outside the capital.
The Russian attacks spanned a string of regional centres, including Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, as well as Mykolaiv in the south and Ternopil in the west.
In Kyiv, Timur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration, said 11 people were injured in drone strikes.
A five-storey apartment building was hit in the Holosiivskyi district just outside the city centre, triggering a fire that damaged the building's exterior.
A private home and a business centre were damaged in strikes on other districts.
It was the second consecutive night that a mass attack took place.
Overnight attacks show Russia is blocking ceasefire, says Zelensky
04:50
,
Arpan Rai
A huge attack overnight on Ukraine by Russian drones and ballistic missiles was a fresh demonstration that Moscow is blocking a ceasefire deal to end the war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"It was a tough night for all of Ukraine," Mr Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel.
"With each such attack, the world becomes convinced that the reason for the war being dragged out is Moscow," he wrote. "Only additional sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy will force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire."
The war-hit nation has been under relentless Russian attacks this week.
Russia launched dozens of attack drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv yesterday in one of the biggest combined aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital of the three-year war, damaging several apartment buildings and injuring 15 people.
Starmer is now in the crosshairs of the Kremlin
04:40
,
Arpan Rai
Research at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre by head of data science Sergey Mastitsky into Russian-language media – both traditional and social – shows a sharp rise in attention paid to prime minister Keir Starmer.
At times, the prime minister has received more than four times the coverage of his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Mishustin. His media profile has tripled since last October, peaking during key moments: the London Summit for the “coalition of the willing” in March, the signing of the UK-Ukraine 100-year security pact in January, and the announcement in November that Britain had persuaded the US to allow Storm Shadow missiles to be used against targets inside Russian territory.
These are not random spikes – they reflect the Kremlin’s perception that Britain is back in the game.
The prime minister’s activities on the world stage have made him of great interest to Moscow, says Katia Glod:
Russia says it captures three more settlements in east Ukraine
04:28
,
Arpan Rai
Russian defence ministry has said its troops advancing slowly on the eastern front of the war in Ukraine have captured two settlements in Donetsk region as well as one in Ukraine's northern region of Sumy.
A Russian Defence Ministry statement said its forces had captured the village of Stupochky in Donetsk region, east of Kostiantynivka, a town under recent Russian pressure.
It also said it had taken control of Otradne, a village further west along the 1,000-km front and announced the capture of Loknya, a village inside the Russian border in Sumy region.
The general staff of Ukraine's military acknowledged no such losses, referring to Otradne as one of several towns where Ukrainian troops had halted 18 frontline Russian attacks.
It referred to Stupochky earlier this week as part of an area under Russian attack.
Since their failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks of the war, Russian forces have focused on capturing the Donbas in the east, made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners hours after a massive attack on Kyiv
04:09
,
Arpan Rai
Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds more prisoners yesterday as part of a major swap of 1,000 prisoners of war agreed between both the countries.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's defense ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers on Saturday, a day after each released a total of 390 combatants and civilians.
Further releases expected over the weekend are set to make the swap the largest in more than three years of war.
"We expect more to come tomorrow," Mr Zelensky said on his official Telegram channel.
Russia's defence ministry also said it expected the exchange to be continued, though it did not give details.
Russian drones target Kyiv in early morning attacks
04:00
,
Arpan Rai
More than 10 Russian drones were flying over the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and more were coming, a senior Ukrainian official said early this morning,
"There are more than 10 enemy drones in the airspace around the capital. More are coming," Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv military administration, wrote on Telegram.
"We are in for a complicated night. There is the threat of a large number of enemy drones and missiles aboard strategic aircraft,” he said.
Witnesses heard anti-aircraft units in operation around the city, reported Reuters.
Moscow targeted as nearly 100 Ukrainian drones intercepted in Russia
03:55
,
Arpan Rai
Russia said it faced a Ukrainian drone attack early this morning and intercepted or destroyed around 100 of the unmanned Ukrainian weapons including some aimed at Moscow.
The defence ministry reported its air defence units intercepted or destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones over a four-hour period. That included two near Moscow but most were over Russia's central and southern regions.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin later said on Telegram that the number of drones destroyed or intercepted near the capital had risen to 11.
The drone attack has led to a closure of Moscow’s three airports, officials said.
Regional officials reported air defence units downed drones in the central city of Tula and the city of Tver northwest of Moscow.
Russian drone fragments damage apartment buildings in Kyiv
03:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Fragments from a Russian drone triggered a fire and caused damage to an apartment building in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Sunday, a senior Ukrainian official said.
Timur Tkachenko, head of the capital's military administration, said the incident occurred in the Holosiivskyi district, just outside the city centre.
"The building has been partly destroyed and there is a fire. Rescue teams are at the site," Tkachenko said.
Tkachenko earlier said there were 10 drones above the city and more coming.
In pictures: Ukrainian prisoner of war celebrates freedom after prison swap
02:00
,
Bryony Gooch
WATCH: Zelensky shares footage of largest Russian drone strike on Ukraine capital
01:00
,
Bryony Gooch
More than 10 drones fly over Kyiv with more coming says senior Kyiv official
Sunday 25 May 2025 00:00
,
Bryony Gooch
A senior Ukrainian official said early on Sunday that more than 10 Russian drones were flying over the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and more were coming.
"There are more than 10 enemy drones in the airspace around the capital. More are coming," Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv military administration, wrote on Telegram. "We are in for a complicated night. There is the threat of a large number of enemy drones and missiles aboard strategic aircraft."
Witnesses heard anti-aircraft units in operation around the city.
Russia says its forces capture three more settlements in east Ukraine
Saturday 24 May 2025 23:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian troops have captured the settlements of Stupochki, Otradne and Loknia in Ukraine's Donetsk and Sumy regions, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
The battlefield report has not been independently confirmed.
Since their failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks of the war, Russian forces have focused on capturing the Donbas in the east, made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In recent months, Moscow has also tried to advance in Sumy region, particularly after Russia's military said it had ousted Ukrainian troops from the Russian border region of Kursk.
A Russian Defence Ministry statement said its forces had captured the village of Stupochky in Donetsk region, east of Kostiantynivka, a town under recent Russian pressure.
It also said it had taken control of Otradne, a village further west along the 1,000-km front and announced the capture of Loknya, a village inside the Russian border in Sumy region.
In pictures: Residential buildings damaged after a drone strike in Kyiv
Saturday 24 May 2025 22:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Watch Emergency workers search building after largest missile and drone attack on Kyiv
Saturday 24 May 2025 21:00
,
Holly Evans
G7 nations paper over differences on tariffs and Ukraine
Saturday 24 May 2025 20:00
,
Holly Evans
Top finance officials from the world's seven wealthiest democracies set aside stark differences on U.S. tariffs and agreed to counter global “economic imbalances,” a swipe at China's trade practices.
In a communiqué issued Thursday, the Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors, meeting in the Canadian Rockies, left out their traditional defense of free trade and toned down their references to Russia's war in Ukraine compared with last year. But they did agree that further sanctions on Russia could be imposed if the two countries don't reach a ceasefire.
The communiqué said the G7 members would continue to monitor “nonmarket policies and practices” which contribute to imbalances in global trade. The statement did not mention China but nonmarket policies typically refer to that country's export subsidies and currency policies that the Trump administration charges gives it an advantage in international trade.
Read the full article here:
Zelensky responds to large-scale Russian drone attack
Saturday 24 May 2025 19:32
,
Bryony Gooch
Volodymyr Zelensky has responded to a large scale attack from Russia on Saturday.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “Every night, our forces work to protect lives. Today, there was a large-scale and vile Russian attack.
“Ballistic missiles — some were successfully intercepted. There were also 250 drones, mostly Shaheds. I am grateful to everyone helping Ukraine with air defence.
“Delivering air defence systems to us means real protection for people — here and now. Russia fills each day with horror and murder, it’s simply dragging out the war.
“All of this demands a response — a strong response from the United States, from Europe, and from everyone in the world who wants this war to end.
“Putin has refused to cease fire repeatedly. It gains him nothing, except taking lives every single day. Every day gives new grounds for sanctions against Russia. Every day proves that without pressure on Russia, the war will continue.
“Ukraine is ready for any form of diplomacy that delivers real results. We are ready for all steps that can guarantee true security. It is Russia that is not ready for anything.”
Every night, our forces work to protect lives. Today, there was a large-scale and vile Russian attack. Ballistic missiles — some were successfully intercepted. There were also 250 drones, mostly Shaheds. I am grateful to everyone helping Ukraine with air defence. Delivering air… pic.twitter.com/x4c34pe7mO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2025
Both Ukraine and Russia remain at loggerheads over ceasefire deal
Saturday 24 May 2025 19:00
,
Holly Evans
European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while he tries to press his larger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land.
The Istanbul meeting revealed that both sides remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting. One such condition for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire as a first step toward a peaceful settlement.
Russia's Defence Ministry said that overnight and early on Saturday, its forces shot down over 100 Ukrainian drones over six provinces in western and southern Russia.
The drone strikes injured three people in the Tula region south of Moscow, local Gov. Dmitriy Milyaev reported, and sparked a fire at an industrial site there.
Andriy Kovalenko, of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said Saturday that the drones hit a plant in Tula that makes chemicals used in explosives and rocket fuel.
EU ambassador to Kyiv says latest attack is 'horrific'
Saturday 24 May 2025 15:25
,
Holly Evans
Officials have responded to the latest attack on Ukraine with horror, with Kyiv’s foreign minister calling for further sanctions.
Posting on X, Andrii Sybiha called it "clear evidence that increased sanctions pressure on Moscow is necessary to accelerate the peace process."
Meanwhile, the EU's ambassador to Kyiv described it as "horrific."
"If anyone still doubts Russia wants war to continue — read the news," Katarina Mathernovï wrote on the social network.
The debris of intercepted missiles and drones fell in at least six Kyiv city districts. According to the acting head of the city's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six people required medical care after the attack and two fires were sparked in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district.
Another loud night in Kyiv and other regions, as air defense works nonstop to repel Russian air attacks. Residential buildings in Kyiv are damaged, and at least 15 people have been injured.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) May 24, 2025
One week has passed since the Istanbul meeting, and Russia has yet to send its "peace… pic.twitter.com/YF6kdLA0iC
German defence minister does not rule out return of military draft
Saturday 24 May 2025 14:28
,
Holly Evans
Germany may consider reintroducing military conscription from as soon as next year if it does not attract enough volunteers for its armed forces, defence minister Boris Pistorius told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Saturday.
Part of the NATO alliance, Germany is looking to enhance its military strength following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but looks likely to fail to attract enough recruits. An additional 100,000 soldiers are needed in the coming years to meet NATO obligations, its armed forces have said.
Its Conservatives, which lead a coalition in which Pistorius' Social Democrats (SPD) are junior partners, have revved up military spending and signalled openness to a compulsory service in the armed forces, which was abandoned in 2011.
"Our model is initially based on voluntary participation," Pistorius said in an interview with the Sunday newspaper, which is already for sale on Saturdays.
"If the time comes when we have more capacity available than voluntary registrations, then we may decide to make it mandatory," he added.