Protests have erupted in Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov after just six months in the role, following a dispute between the reformer and Kyiv's top general.
Fedorov had sought to reshape Ukraine’s army into a more efficient fighting force and was credited with implementing positive reforms during his short stint in office.
The 35-year-old tech expert fell out publicly with the head of Ukraine’s armed forces General Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom he accused of stirring up intrigue, blocking his initiatives and sabotaging his work. He could be replaced by Ukraine’s current interior minister, Ihor Klymenko.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in the capital Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities to demand Fedorov be reappointed.
The crisis came as Sir Keir Starmer said the UK’s “cast-iron” support of Ukraine would “always endure” on his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
The outgoing Labour leader arrived in Kyiv on Thursday morning, where he met Volodymyr Zelensky. The PM, along with Zelensky, laid a wreath to commemorate Ukraine’s war dead.
Key Points
- Russia pounds Kyiv with ballistic missiles in overnight attacks
- At least two killed in latest wave of missile attacks in Kyiv
- Britain sends first Sheffield-forged artillery barrels to Ukraine
- Russian attacks kill 14 people across Ukraine
- Russia says chief engineer at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant killed near station by drone
13 killed as Russia and Ukraine exchange attacks
05:09 , Arpan Rai
Russian and Ukrainian attacks on civilian areas in towns and cities, many on the front line of the more than four-year-old war, killed at least 13 people yesterday, local officials said.
A Russian guided bomb attack on Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed three people and wounded 15, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.
Reuters TV footage showed firefighters dousing the aftermath of blazes and crews sifting through the rubble of shattered buildings in the city, which has come under intensified attack in recent weeks.
Russian missiles struck the Black Sea port of Odesa, another frequent target of Moscow, killing two people, injuring six and damaging civilian infrastructure.
Outside the city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border, a Russian drone attack killed one person, the national emergency services said. Earlier in the day, a drone attack near the city of Kupiansk, farther east, killed three people.
In Donetsk region, the focal point of most fighting along the 1,200 km (775-mile) front line, the regional governor said one person was killed and five injured near Kramatorsk, one of the "fortress towns" where Ukraine has bolstered defences.
On the other side of the border, local officials in Belgorod Region said one person had died when Ukrainian forces shelled a settlement near the border.
And the Moscow-installed head of areas of Donetsk region under Russian control, Denis Pushilin, said one person died in an area held by Russian forces.
Kyiv will win this war, Starmer says in farewell trip to Ukraine
04:50 , Arpan Rai
Prime mininster Keir Starmer has asserted his belief that Ukraine will win the war against Russia.
Sir Keir made his final visit to Ukraine as the outgoing British PM where he met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I believe Ukraine will win this war.”
“What they’ve shown is that it’s not just the size of your army, it’s how you fight a modern conflict. And so they are probably the most effective fighting machine in Europe,” Sir Keir said.
He also assured that the change in power in the UK will not change the dynamics and bilateral ties between London and Kyiv.
“The fact that there will be a new prime minister in the United Kingdom, in the days to come, doesn’t change that dynamic at all,” he said. “The resolve of the United Kingdom remains the same, it will not waver.”
Starmer says UK will help fund 16 Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine
04:26 , Arpan Rai
Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday pledged €300m (£254m) to help equip Ukraine with a squadron of 16 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, making one of his final commitments to Kyiv before leaving office.
In June, Swedish defence equipment maker Saab signed a contract to deliver 16 Gripen E fighter aircraft to Ukraine in a deal worth about $2.5bn.
The package includes pilot and engineer training, simulators, spare parts and other equipment needed to operate the aircraft.
Britain said the investment would support about 5,000 jobs across more than 50 UK-based companies involved in the Gripen programme.
The government said the jets would also support efforts to modernise Ukraine's air force.
Sir Keir, speaking during a visit to the Ukrainian capital, said Britain would work with Sweden to deliver the aircraft to help defend Ukraine against Russian attacks.
Britain said the funding would help Ukraine acquire a squadron of the Swedish-made Gripen E fighter jets by 2029.
Ukraine rejects Russian accusations over attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
04:07 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine's foreign ministry has rejected Russia’s accusations over an attack that killed the chief engineer at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
“No independent confirmation of the Russian version or evidence of Ukraine's involvement has been presented, and information from Russian occupation authorities cannot be considered reliable,” the ministry said on Telegram.
It added that Russia was trying to use accusations to intimidate the international community with the threat of a nuclear incident.
The attack killed an engineer at the Zaporizhzhia power plant.
Zelensky appoints new defence chief in bid to quell political crisis
04:00 , Arpan Rai
President Volodymyr Zelensky moved to extinguish a political crisis sparked by his dismissal of a reformist defence minister, tapping a security official who has overseen Ukraine's long-range strikes against Russia for the post.
In a statement, Zelensky said he was appointing Yevhenii Khmara, acting head of Ukraine's SBU domestic security service, as acting defence minister and would ask parliament to approve him permanently for the post.
“Yevhenii Khmara has gained extensive and, in many respects, unprecedented experience with technological combat operations," he wrote on X.
“This is exactly where our defence efforts should be focused during this war.”
Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure and defence industry have helped weaken Moscow's war machine in recent months, boosting Ukrainian morale at a critical moment in the more than four-year war.
Watch: Outrage in Ukraine as Zelensky sacks defence minister after six months
03:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Ukraine buries its unknown soldiers with just a number and a cross
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
A brother and sister walk between the crosses at a military cemetery in Kyiv, holding a bunch of carnations. Each cross in that section reads: “unknown defender of Ukraine,” with an ID number below and a note that identification continues.
Yet there is one grave that stands out. Beneath the inscription is an attached photo showing Ihor Yalynych, a soldier last seen alive in 2022 in the Kharkiv region. After four years of searching, Stanislav and Oleksandra Yalynych found their father.
Identification of the dead is a reckoning that will stretch on for years, among the longest-lasting wounds of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Some graves may remain nameless forever, with the families left to wait.
You can read the full story below:
Ukraine buries its unknown soldiers with just a number and a cross
Comment: Putin is a ‘cornered rat’ – here’s why that’s bad news for Ukraine – and us
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
For the first time in years of war, the Russian regime looks as if it is on the verge of an internal split as the Kremlin’s political managers struggle to reconcile the voracious military need for money with maintaining social and economic stability. But there is extreme danger when an opponent is backed into a corner, writes Owen Matthews.
Putin is a ‘cornered rat’ – here’s why that’s bad news for Ukraine – and us
Zelensky appoints acting security service chief Khmara acting defence minister
Friday 17 July 2026 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
President Volodymyr Zelenski on Thursday appointed the acting head of Ukraine's security service, Yevhenii Khmara, as Acting Defence Minister and asked parliament to approve him in the position.
Zelenskiy, posting on Telegram, said the SBU Security Service had distinguished itself in the staging of long-range strikes on Russia and that was an advantage in performing the duties of defence minister.
"I have assigned Yevhenii Khmara to perform the duties of minister, continue reforming the defence sector, and ensure Ukraine achieves all the results we have spoken about," Zelensky wrote, adding that he would ask parliament to support his choice.
It comes after the president dismissed reformist defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, triggering rare protests on the streets of Kyiv and other cities.
Who is Ukraine's new prime minister, Sergii Koretskyi?
Thursday 16 July 2026 23:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's parliament approved top energy executive Sergii Koretskyi as the country's new prime minister, the third wartime head of the government appointed in a wider reshuffle announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Koretskyi is a widely respected senior energy executive with more than 20 years of experience in oil production and refining, energy retail, wholesale management, and international financing.
Since May 2025, he has been CEO of one of Ukraine's biggest state companies, Naftogaz, the oil and gas giant, which runs much of Ukraine's gas production, imports and supply.
Prior to that, he headed Ukrnafta, Ukraine's largest oil company and a part of Naftogaz group.
Before moving to the state-owned energy companies, he headed the Western Oil Group, and served as CEO of the Continuum Group and one of the biggest filling station chains in Ukraine, WOG.
Born in Ukraine's western city of Lutsk, Koretskyi had also founded a coffee chain business.
New prime minister will not ‘change UK-Ukraine dynamic’, Starmer vows
Thursday 16 July 2026 22:00 , Daniel Keane
The UK’s support for Ukraine “will not waver” and the prime ministerial transition will not “change that dynamic”, Sir Keir Starmer has said on his final visit to Kyiv while in office.
The outgoing Prime Minister met Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital on Thursday just hours after a series of Russian strikes that killed two and injured six, including a teenager.
He also used the trip to pledge 300 million euros (£255 million) to help fund fighter jets to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences while supporting some 5,000 jobs in the UK.
Read our full story below.
New prime minister will not ‘change UK-Ukraine dynamic’, Keir Starmer vows
Watch: Outrage in Ukraine as Zelensky sacks defense minister after six months
Thursday 16 July 2026 21:00 , Daniel Keane
Three killed in Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia, governor says
Thursday 16 July 2026 20:00 , Daniel Keane
A Russian guided bomb attack on Ukraine's southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday killed at least three people, the local governor said.
Houses and non-residential buildings were damaged, Ivan Fedorov said on the Telegram app. He posted images of buildings in flames.
Ukraine rejects Russian accusations over attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Thursday 16 July 2026 19:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's foreign ministry on Thursday rejected Russian accusations over an attack that killed the chief engineer at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
"No independent confirmation of the Russian version or evidence of Ukraine's involvement has been presented, and information from Russian occupation authorities cannot be considered reliable," the ministry said on Telegram.
It added that Russia was trying to use accusations to intimidate the international community with the threat of a nuclear incident.
Pictured: Protesters rally in Kyiv as Zelensky ousts Ukraine’s defence minister
Thursday 16 July 2026 18:00 , Daniel Keane
Kyiv strikes six Russian tankers overnight
Thursday 16 July 2026 17:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's military struck six Russian tankers and two tugboats in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov overnight, the military's General Staff said on Thursday.
The tankers are being used to transport Russian oil and petroleum products in circumvention of international sanctions, as well as to transport fuel for Moscow's military, the General Staff said on Telegram.
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Thursday 16 July 2026 16:00 , Sam Kiley
Despite four grinding years and Ukraine now successfully smashing Russia’s energy infrastructure, Vladimir Putin has no interest in trying to end the war for one key reason, Bill Browder tells Sam Kiley on the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast.
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Zelensky says he is still considering defence minister replacement
Thursday 16 July 2026 15:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday he was still considering his candidate to replace Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose dismissal sparked rare wartime protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Zelensky said that outgoing Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko was only one of the candidates under discussion, adding he would look into the matter again and that no official proposals had been submitted to parliament yet.
Who is Ukraine’s sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov?
Thursday 16 July 2026 14:00 , Daniel Keane
Rare wartime protests erupted in cities across Ukraine on Thursday, following the dismissal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov just six months after his appointment.
Fedorov, 35, is the last remaining minister to have held positions in all of Zelensky’s governments, with the tech-savvy reformer remaining close to the president since his election in 2019.
Parliament is now set to vote on his replacement by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, with it unclear as to whether Fedorov will be given another government job.
Read our full story below.
Who is Ukraine’s sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov?
Zelensky thanks Starmer for supporting Ukraine
Thursday 16 July 2026 13:00 , Daniel Keane
President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Sir Keir Starmer for his “unwavering support” to Ukraine on the Prime Minister’s final visit to Kyiv before leaving office.
“I thank Keir and the United Kingdom for their unwavering respect for our warriors, for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend Ukraine and all of Europe,” he said.
“It is important to always remember the heroism of all our people who stood up for Ukraine.
“Eternal gratitude to every man and woman who defended Ukraine against Russian aggression.”
Ukraine parliament approves energy executive Koretskyi as new PM
Thursday 16 July 2026 12:31 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's parliament voted on Thursday to appoint energy executive Sergii Koretskyi as prime minister, the third since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022.
Koretskyi, previously CEO of the state energy giant Naftogaz, was praised by lawmakers as a capable and efficient manager. He received 289 votes in favour.
Addressing parliament before the vote, Koretskyi said that Ukraine's defence, economic stability and integration into the European Union were his key priorities.
Pictured: Starmer and Zelensky lay wreath for fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv
Thursday 16 July 2026 12:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's sacked defence minister declines offer to become adviser to Zelensky
Thursday 16 July 2026 11:30 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Thursday he had declined an offer from President Volodymyr Zelensky to become his adviser.
Fedorov, whose dismissal sparked rare wartime protests, told reporters he had a dispute with Ukraine's army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, accusing him of blocking the defence ministry's initiatives.
Watch: Outrage in Ukraine as Zelensky sacks defense minister after six months
Thursday 16 July 2026 10:58 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's outgoing defence minister says test conducted on ballistic missile
Thursday 16 July 2026 10:00 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine's outgoing defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said on Wednesday that the country's military had tested a ballistic missile developed by the defence ministry.
"Symbolically, on the day the government was dismissed, a ballistic missile developed under the Ministry of Defence was successfully tested," Fedorov wrote on Telegram.
"We fundamentally revised the technical requirements and achieved maximum accuracy. We reduced the cost by 30 per cent. Ukraine will enter a new league."
Russia says it hits military targets in Kyiv, Ukrainian ports
Thursday 16 July 2026 09:30 , Shweta Sharma
Russia's defence ministry claimed on Thursday it hit military and industrial facilities in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, as Ukraine reported large-scale strikes.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have been stepping up their attacks on key economic targets, with Ukrainian forces hitting Russian energy infrastructure, including oil tankers, while Russia has intensified its attacks on Black Sea ports in recent weeks.
Ukrainian officials said Russian ballistic missiles struck at least two districts in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv early on Thursday, triggering fires and killing two people.
Russia's defence ministry said it hit Ukrainian military and industrial facilities in Kyiv involved in the production and storage of medium- and long-range drones.
It also said it targeted infrastructure facilities at the ports of Odesa and Pivdennyi, which are used to receive, store and handle military cargoes and fuel supplies.
A maritime vessel and a high-speed boat belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces were also struck while en route to ports in the Odesa region, the Russian defence ministry said.
Russian energy firms seek more Indian gasoline as Ukrainian strikes hit refineries: report
Thursday 16 July 2026 09:00 , Shweta Sharma
Russian energy companies have approached Indian refiners for additional gasoline supplies after Ukrainian strikes knocked out a significant share of Russia's refining capacity, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The requests mark an unusual reversal in the energy trade relationship between the two countries. India has become the largest buyer of Russian seaborne crude oil since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but Russia is now seeking refined fuel from Indian suppliers as it grapples with its worst gasoline shortage.
According to one source cited by Reuters, at least one cargo of Indian gasoline has already been shipped to Russia, with more deliveries expected. The source said nearly 40 per cent of Russia's refining capacity is unlikely to return to operation for at least two months, provided there are no further Ukrainian attacks.
Reuters reported that Rosneft, Gazprom Neft and Lukoil are among the companies that have contacted Indian counterparts, including both private and state-owned refiners. Any supplies would likely be routed through commodity traders if agreements are reached.
However, sources at three Indian state-run refiners told Reuters they had been approached by Russian companies but did not have surplus gasoline available for export.
Earlier this month, Indian oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Indian companies were not directly selling fuel to Russia, although he acknowledged it was possible that Russian buyers were obtaining Indian-origin fuel through international traders.
Trump hopeful that Putin could end Ukraine war soon
Thursday 16 July 2026 08:30 , Shweta Sharma
Donald Trump said he still believes that Vladimir Putin is ready to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine soon, despite indications Russia is likely to escalate.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said in a Fox News interview, taped on Tuesday, when asked about his conversations with Putin.
Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin is rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv and was likely to escalate the conflict, now in its fifth year.
Trump had promised to have a deal to the war, now in its fifth year, on the first day of his presidency in January 2025.
Fires break out across Kyiv after Russian ballistic missile attack
Thursday 16 July 2026 08:00 , Shweta Sharma
Multiple fires broke out across Kyiv after Russian ballistic missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early on Thursday, killing two people and injuring six others, officials said.
Ukraine's emergency services said the strikes ignited fires in two storage buildings and several parked trucks in one district, where two people were killed.
Another fire erupted in a one-storey warehouse in Kyiv's Svyatoshynskyi district, west of the city centre. Emergency responders said five people were injured in the two fire incidents.
The overnight barrage marked the sixth ballistic missile attack on Kyiv this month, as Russia intensifies its long-range strikes against Ukraine.
Elsewhere, the Black Sea port city of Odesa also came under attack, with local officials saying an educational facility was damaged.
Ukraine says it struck two Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers in Black Sea
Thursday 16 July 2026 07:48 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it had struck two Russian "shadow fleet" tankers in the Black Sea using naval drones, in what it described as the latest attack targeting vessels linked to Moscow's oil exports.
More details are awaited.
Starmer arrives in Kyiv
Thursday 16 July 2026 07:33 , Shweta Sharma
Keir Starmer, the outgoing Labour leader, arrived in Kyiv to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, a high-security trip before he leaves office.
He is expected to assure Mr Zelensky that Britain’s commitment to backing Ukraine will continue after he is succeeded by Andy Burnham.
Sir Keir said: “Throughout this conflict, I have seen the incredible fortitude of the Ukrainian people and the iron will of a nation that refuses to be cowed.
“Their stand has not only defended its own freedom, it has preserved the security of Europe.
“When I became Prime Minister, I knew the UK must not simply stand with Ukraine in the moment, but help build the foundations of its long-term security and success.
“That’s why we put the UK at the centre of a stronger Europe – investing more money into defence, leading the way in the war fighting technologies of the future and doing everything we can to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.
“And we have brought others with us on that journey. As we showed at the G7 and Nato summits, in recent weeks, the UK and its allies are absolutely united against Russian aggression.
“I am so proud of what Britain has contributed. That work will continue, and our cast-iron support for Ukraine will always endure.
“Not just for them and for European security, but for families in Britain who have felt the cost of this war through rising prices.”
Ukraine expects to be able to make Patriot missiles by year-end, Zelensky says
Thursday 16 July 2026 07:30 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine expects to have the technical capability to produce missiles for US-made Patriot air defence systems by the end of this year, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.
Zelensky also told reporters that Ukraine has a prospective launcher and missile for the developing European anti-ballistic project Freyja, and hopes its tests will be successful.
Russia says foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be 'legitimate military targets'
Thursday 16 July 2026 07:00 , Shweta Sharma
Russia has warned that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine under a post-war security arrangement would be considered "legitimate military targets", rejecting plans discussed by Kyiv's Western allies.
The warning came after members of the so-called "coalition of the willing" met in Paris this week and reaffirmed their intention to deploy a multinational force to Ukraine following any ceasefire or peace agreement. The proposed mission is intended to reassure Kyiv and help rebuild its armed forces after the fighting ends.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow viewed such a deployment as an unacceptable escalation.
"The deployment of any military contingents from countries of the so-called ’coalition of the willing’ to Ukraine is unacceptable to our country," she told reporters.
“I repeat: this would amount, de facto, to foreign intervention and an escalation of threats to Russia’s security. We would regard such units as legitimate military targets.“
Starmer says UK’s ‘cast-iron’ support for Ukraine will ‘always endure’
Thursday 16 July 2026 06:30 , Shweta Sharma
Sir Keir Starmer has affirmed the UK’s "cast-iron" support for Ukraine will "always endure", during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
The outgoing Labour leader is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, a high-security trip before he leaves office.
He is expected to assure Mr Zelensky that Britain’s commitment to backing Ukraine will continue after he is succeeded by Andy Burnham.
Starmer says UK’s ‘cast-iron’ support for Ukraine will ‘always endure’
At least two killed in latest wave of missile attacks in Kyiv
Thursday 16 July 2026 06:09 , Shweta Sharma
At least two people have been killed and six others injured after Russia launched an overnight ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, officials said.
Explosions rocked the city shortly before 1am local time as Russia fired at least eight ballistic missiles towards the capital, according to Ukraine's Air Force.
Kyiv City Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said the city was under ballistic missile attack.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people were killed and six wounded, including a 16-year-old boy. At least three of the injured were taken to hospital.
Klitschko said warehouses and other non-residential buildings were damaged in the strikes. Rescue operations were continuing and officials warned the full extent of the damage and casualties was not yet known.
Air raid alerts were also issued across other parts of Ukraine, including regions far from the front line, as the Air Force warned of waves of Russian Shahed drones targeting multiple cities. Explosions were also reported in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv during drone strikes.
Russian attacks kill 14 people across Ukraine
Thursday 16 July 2026 05:44 , Shweta Sharma
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 14 people overnight and on Wednesday, according to local officials, with the Black Sea port city of Odesa suffering one of the deadliest strikes.
Three people were killed in what regional governor Oleh Kiper described as a "massive" Russian drone and missile attack on Odesa, marking the fifth consecutive day the region has come under fire. Kiper said a Russian missile struck a multi-storey residential building, killing and injuring civilians.
Writing on Telegram, he accused Moscow of deliberately targeting the civilian population. He added that a non-residential building and a gas pipeline were also damaged in the attack.
Russia's defence ministry acknowledged the strike on Odesa, saying it had intentionally targeted port infrastructure "used for the unloading of petroleum, oil, and lubricants".
Elsewhere, three people were killed in the north-eastern city of Sumy and another three in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. A further five deaths were reported across three other south-eastern regions, bringing the nationwide death toll to at least 14.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said its drones struck 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight, including 17 oil tankers.
The latest attacks came as Ukraine underwent a major government reshuffle, with both the prime minister and defence minister stepping down.
In pictures: Russia's overnight Kyiv attack with ballistic missiles
Thursday 16 July 2026 05:00 , Shweta Sharma
Britain sends first Sheffield-forged artillery barrels to Ukraine
Thursday 16 July 2026 04:57 , Shweta Sharma
Artillery barrels forged in Sheffield, Britain, are now being delivered to Ukraine's military under a £61m defence contract aimed at boosting Kyiv's battlefield capabilities.
State-owned steelmaker Sheffield Forgemasters has shipped the first four of a planned 150 artillery barrels, marking the first time in nearly two decades that forged artillery barrels have been produced in the UK.
The barrels are being manufactured by Sheffield Forgemasters in partnership with a nearby BAE Systems artillery factory that opened in Sheffield last year.
Under the agreement, the two companies will produce both 105mm and 155mm artillery barrels for Ukraine's armed forces. Artillery barrels gradually wear out after sustained use and must be replaced regularly.
Sheffield is currently producing around eight barrels a month, with the initial shipment expected to help Ukraine test its own manufacturing capabilities.
0The programme comes as Britain and its European allies seek to expand domestic weapons production in response to the war in Ukraine.
Sheffield Forgemasters was nationalised in 2021, with the Ministry of Defence saying the acquisition was necessary to safeguard "critical" UK defence programmes.
Russia pounded Kyiv with ballistic missiles in overnight attacks
Thursday 16 July 2026 04:30 , Shweta Sharma
Russia struck the Ukrainian capital with ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on Thursday.
Explosions rocked Kyiv shortly before 1am local time with Ukraine’s air force reporting at least eight ballistic missile launches from Russia towards Kyiv.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, also said that Russian forces were attacking Kyiv with ballistic missiles.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko, writing on Telegram, said a storage area was struck in a suburb in the west of the city and debris hit the ground in an area on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River. He said fires broke out in both areas.
Aerial alerts were also sounded in other parts of Ukraine, including in regions far from the front line, such as Vinnytsia Oblast.
The air force also warned of waves of Russian Shahed-type drones attacks in various cities.
The full extent of damage and casualties is not yet clear.
Zelensky backs Naftogaz chief Sergii Koretskyi as new prime minister
Thursday 16 July 2026 04:09 , Shweta Sharma
President Volodymyr Zelensky has endorsed the head of state-owned energy company Naftogaz, Sergii Koretskyi, to become Ukraine's next prime minister, saying the country needs leadership focused on preparing for the coming winter as the war with Russia continues.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday, Zelensky said Koretskyi was the "most prepared candidate" for the role after consultations, citing energy security as the government's top priority.
"The priorities are clear – preparing for winter," Zelensky said. "Therefore, following all the consultations, Sergii Koretskyi is surely the most prepared candidate for the post of prime minister of Ukraine."
The nomination comes after parliament accepted the resignation of prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Tuesday, just a year after she took office. Her departure triggered the resignation of the entire government, with lawmakers expected to vote on Koretskyi's appointment on Thursday.
Zelensky has offered little public explanation for the reshuffle beyond saying he wants to refresh the country's leadership.
The changes are expected to extend beyond the premiership.
Lawmakers said Zelensky also plans to replace defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a move that has prompted criticism from some politicians and commentators who argue it could undermine Ukraine's war effort at a critical stage of the conflict, as Kyiv intensifies strikes on Russia's oil industry while trying to slow Moscow's advances along the front line.
With Zelensky's Servant of the People party holding a parliamentary majority, Koretskyi's appointment is widely expected to be approved.
Russian missiles hit two Kyiv districts
Thursday 16 July 2026 03:52 , Shweta Sharma
Russian missiles struck at least two districts in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday, triggering fires before an all-clear was declared, officials said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko, writing on Telegram, said a storage area was struck in a suburb in the west of the city and debris hit the ground in an area on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River. He said fires broke out in both areas.
Eyewitnesses heard a series of explosions in the city.
The air alert was lifted after about an hour.
Trump hopeful that Putin could end Ukraine war soon
Thursday 16 July 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump said he still believes that Vladimir Putin is ready to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine soon, despite indications Russia is likely to escalate.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said in a Fox News interview, taped on Tuesday, when asked about his conversations with Putin.
Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin is rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv and was likely to escalate the conflict, now in its fifth year.
Trump had promised to have a deal to the war, now in its fifth year, on the first day of his presidency in January 2025.
World of Trouble: Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Wednesday 15 July 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
Despite four grinding years and Ukraine now successfully smashing Russia’s energy infrastructure, Vladimir Putin has no interest in trying to end the war for one key reason, Bill Browder tells Sam Kiley on the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast:
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Recap: Zelensky praises collaboration with EU at summit
Wednesday 15 July 2026 22:01 , James Reynolds
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that he was working on Ukraine’s EU accession in talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Kyiv.
The EU and Ukraine laid the groundwork for a major defense agreement on drones, Zelensky said, adding that they now expect financial support from the EU on their anti-ballistic-missile programme.
Glad to welcome European Commission President @vonderleyen to Kyiv. Today, on Ukrainian Statehood Day, we are quite rightly devoting considerable attention to our relations with the European Union.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 15, 2026
We are working to open clusters in Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations. We are… pic.twitter.com/szqwsycR92
Recap: Russia strikes Odesa as both sides step up battle over Black Sea
Wednesday 15 July 2026 21:00 , James Reynolds
Russia and Ukraine stepped up their battle over the Black Sea and key trade routes on Wednesday, with Moscow killing three people in an attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and Kyiv's drone forces striking Russian shipping.
Odesa region Governor Oleh Kiper said that a "massive" Russian drone and missile attack on the southern region continued for a fifth day, with civilian, industrial and port infrastructure coming under attack.
Three people were killed and at least three more injured after a Russian missile strike on a seven-storey residential building in Odesa, Ukrainian authorities said.
Russia in recent days has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's deepwater Black Sea ports in the Greater Odesa area, which handle much of the country's grain and other cargo and are vital to its wartime economy.
While Ukraine has expanded its campaign to disrupt logistics for Russia's forces in areas Moscow occupies in southern Ukraine and to isolate Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Ukrainian drones hit 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight, Kyiv's top drone forces commander said on Wednesday.
"Now Black Sea," Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said on Telegram, adding that 116 vessels have been struck in the Sea of Azov this month.
How Russia is risking nuclear catastrophe with attempts to syphon power from Ukraine’s biggest plant
Wednesday 15 July 2026 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor has become a battlefield in Ukraine’s defence against Russian invaders as they risk a catastrophic meltdown in its efforts to connect it to Moscow’s national grid.
Speaking to The Independent’s Sam Kiley in October, Mykhailo Shuster, nuclear expert and former director of procurement at Energoatom – Ukraine’s nuclear power agency - explained how Russia is risking nuclear catastrophe with attempts to syphon power from the plant.
You can read the full piece below:
How Russia risks nuclear catastrophe with attempts to syphon Zaporizhzhia power
Why is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant so important in the Ukraine war?
Wednesday 15 July 2026 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is a key asset in Russia’s war with Ukraine.
It is Europe’s largest nuclear reactor, and was captured by Russian troops early in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It has remained a dangerous potential flashpoint for a nuclear disaster ever since.
Fighting and bombardments by both sides of the complex and the power station itself, which has been entirely occupied by Russian forces who base troops in its buildings, have forced the “cold shutdown” of the reactors.
This means that its nuclear material is not used to generate power but needs to be constantly cooled.
On Friday, the Kremlin on Friday accused Ukraine of escalating what it called "terror" actions against the power station.
Russia says chief engineer at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant killed near station by drone
Wednesday 15 July 2026 19:36 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
The chief engineer at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been killed by a Ukrainian drone near the station, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Wednesday.
Alexei Likhachev said in a statement that a Ukrainian drone had struck a service car between the plant's site and the town of Enerhodar, killing the engineer, Alexander Yakovlev, and the driver.
The Kremlin on Friday accused Ukraine of escalating what it called "terror" actions against the power station, which Russia seized as part of its military advance into Ukrainian territory in 2022.
