Russia claimed its forces captured the key eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka yesterday.
Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov described the city as "one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area".
The Russian military had long deemed the capture of the city crucial to its advance through the Donetsk region.
Kyiv, however, categorically denied that Russian forces had captured Kostiantynivka. "We deny this. These are more fake claims," the military said today.
Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that targeted strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex "must continue", two days after his forces launched their largest aerial attack of the war on Kyiv.
Missile and drone attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, leaving four people dead and 10 injured.
"I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," Putin said.
Key Points
- Russia claims capture of Kostiantynivka
- Mass missile attacks on Ukraine 'must continue', Putin says
- 30 killed as Russia bombards Kyiv in deadliest strike this year
- Russian attacks kill two and injures eight in Ukraine overnight
- Ukraine and US negotiators held talks in past two days, says Zelensky
Mass missile attacks on Ukraine 'must continue', Putin says
07:15 , Vishwam Sankaran
Russia "must continue" its large-scale missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, president Vladimir Putin said yesterday, just two days after Moscow launched its largest attack on Kyiv.
"In this regard, I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," the Russian president said.
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian army's General Staff, told Putin during a briefing yesterday that Russia "launched another massive strike using long-range precision-guided weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles against military-industrial complex facilities in Kyiv".
Russia claims capture of Kostiantynivka
06:49 , Vishwam Sankaran
Russia's military told president Vladimir Putin yesterday that it had captured the key Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka.
Moscow had long sought to capture the city, deeming it vital for the advance of its troops through the Donetsk region.
"The troops of the group have liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area," General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, said.
"We all know that this city is a key transport and large industrial centre of Donbas," Putin said.
'Coming months could be crucial', says Poland's PM
10:00 , Vishwam Sankaran
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said yesterday that the coming months could be crucial "for various scenarios", stating that the country is preparing for military provocations.
"These concerns are particularly palpable in the Baltic states," Tusk said.
Western intelligence agencies have been raising alarm in recent weeks about the possibility of a Russian operation in Poland, which shares a border with Russia's heavily armed Kaliningrad and Moscow's ally Belarus.
"We shouldn't be afraid. We're preparing for various situations, but we can't ignore this," Tusk said.
In pictures: Russian air strikes on Kyiv
09:30 , Vishwam Sankaran
In Video: Ukraine pushes for more EU sanctions amid Russia fuel shortage
09:00 , Vishwam Sankaran
Putin brushes aside Russia's fuel shortage woes
08:30 , Vishwam Sankaran
Despite evidence of growing fuel shortages across Russia, president Vladimir Putin brushed aside the situation as a "non-critical" issue.
In the wake of recent Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities in Russia, people from at least 20 regions have been posting videos on social media of hours-long lines at service stations across the country.
However, Putin said long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities had "absolutely no effect on the situation at the front".
Attacks on Russia's fuel supply continued today as Ukrainian drones carried out targeted strikes at an oil terminal in St Petersburg.
In Video: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has let to over 2 million deaths
07:46 , Vishwam Sankaran
Watch: Suspect in Monaco assassination attempt is Ukrainian woman who dressed up as a man
03:00 , Alex Croft
Ukraine and US negotiators held talks in past few days, says Zelensky
02:01 , Alex Croft
A senior Ukrainian defence official, Rustem Umerov, and president Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner have held talks in the past two days, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
Speaking at one of the sites targeted in a devastating Russian attack on Kyiv as rescuers sifted through rubble, Zelensky said he still hoped Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff would visit Ukraine even though US-backed peace efforts to end the war have stalled for months.
Zelensky added that he hoped to have a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a Nato summit in the Turkish capital Ankara next week.
Europe has largely filled funding gaps left by US, says Nato commander
01:00 , Alex Croft
European NATO allies have largely filled the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans, NATO's top commander said on Thursday.
US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich added that the bloc was looking at workarounds to address the remaining shortfalls in a few areas.
"Most may not know – although there was some reporting overnight about this – that in a matter of weeks, European allies have largely filled the gaps left by U.S. reductions to the NATO Force Model," he said.
"And in those few areas where they haven't, where they do not currently have a like capability to replace, we are looking at alternate capabilities with matching effect."
Citing a NATO source, Reuters reported on Wednesday that NATO will announce at next week's Ankara summit that its European members have filled almost all the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans.
Russia plotting attack on Poland to test Nato’s resolve, US claims
Saturday 4 July 2026 00:01 , Alex Croft
The US has warned Warsaw that Russia is planning an armed “provocation” against Poland to test Nato’s resolve, according to reports.
The assault could see Poland’s vital infrastructure targeted by missiles or drones, or even Russian soldiers crossing the border into Nato territory, Washington has said.
Sources close to Polish president Karol Nawrocki told Polish outlet Onet that the aim of Moscow’s possible assault, which could be launched in a matter of months, would be to provoke tensions and pressure Ukraine’s Western allies to suspend their military and financial aid.
The US “systematically informs Poland about ever-new Russian plans for a conventional attack on Nato’s eastern flank, from which Poland is by no means excluded”, a source close to the Polish president said.
Warsaw’s security services have admitted that a conventional attack, such as a small ground incursion, which Moscow may allege is an accident, is possible.
Read more here:
Russia plotting attack on Poland to test Nato’s resolve, US claims
Half a million dead but just 40 sq km gained in six months: Impact of Putin’s devastating war in numbers
Friday 3 July 2026 23:01 , Alex Croft
After a bleak winter which saw months of fierce Russian bombing of Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the future is beginning to look more positive for Kyiv.
Nearly four-and-a-half years since Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s frontline advances have slowed almost to a halt, as Ukrainian counter-attacks and defensive tactics become more effective.
Successes in local counterattacks have become more frequent, as Ukrainian forces scale up their use of ground robots and short-range drone warfare.
But most importantly, Kyiv has succeeded in bringing home the war to Russia, inflicting costly damage to its fuel infrastructure which has caused major shortages. This has fomented public discontent in Russia, increasing the pressure on Putin to end the conflict.
The cost of his war is laid bare in data showing the scale of Russian losses, offset against such small gains in territory.
Read our ‘In Numbers’ piece on the cost of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
Poland detains two men suspected of spying for Belarus - ICYMI
Friday 3 July 2026 22:01 , Alex Croft
Polish security services have detained a Belarusian citizen and a Polish citizen suspected of spying on Belarusian exiles on behalf of the Belarusian intelligence services, Polish security services said on Thursday.
"Men paid by Belarusian intelligence participated in events organized in Warsaw by the Belarusian minority, where they recorded and photographed participants," the spokesperson, Jacek Dobrzynski, wrote on X.
"The collected materials – passed across the eastern border – were used by (President Alexander) Lukashenko's services and regime propaganda."
The two arrests were part of an ongoing case in which three Belarusians and two Ukrainians were already detained last November.
A court ordered the 19-year-old Belarusian citizen to be held for three months, while the Polish citizen, 44, was barred from leaving the country and placed under police supervision.
The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Industrial facility in Russia's Belgorod on fire after Ukraine's attack
Friday 3 July 2026 21:01 , Arpan Rai
An industrial facility caught fire after Ukraine attacked the Russian city of Belgorod and its surrounding with missiles, Vesti news channel said, citing local officials.
Energy infrastructure was damaged and water and gas supplies were interrupted, Vesti added. A woman was killed in the attack, TASS news agency said separately, citing local officials.
Swimmers flee as Russian missile strikes Ukraine indoor pool
Friday 3 July 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
CCTV footage captures the moment that a Russian missile strike hit a swimming pool in Ukraine.
Guests at the recreational centre in Zaporizhzhia can be seen swimming in the pool or walking around the side of it when the missile hits, as a huge cloud of ash fills the room.
The regional administration did not immediately provide details on casualties.
In the early hours of Thursday (3 July), Moscow also launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv, killing at least 30 people in the deadliest attack of the year so far.
Watch here:
Swimmers flee as Russian missile strikes Ukraine indoor pool
Birds in Ukraine build nests with fibre optic cable
Friday 3 July 2026 19:01 , Alex Croft
Russia deploys cossacks and volunteers to keep order at petrol stations in Black Sea resort
Friday 3 July 2026 18:03 , Arpan Rai
Cossacks and volunteers have stepped in to help city officials and police keep order and prevent conflicts at petrol stations in the popular Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, as Ukrainian attacks worsen a countrywide fuel crisis.
In Anapa, a popular vacation spot in the southern region of Krasnodar, Cossacks, a historic military and social community known for their distinctive uniforms and traditional fur hats, are among those helping to prevent fights when cars line up for fuel, the city's administration said on Telegram.
"They regulate traffic flow, prevent conflicts and attempts to fill petrol cans with fuel, and ensure that the queue is maintained in an orderly manner," said the post published late on Thursday.
Like other places in Russia and parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine, Anapa restricts drivers to buying 20 litres of gasoline per car, which a resident, Aleksandra Nesterenko, told a local TV station was enough for about a week.
“I've come to terms with it. If the restrictions were introduced, then there's a good reason for them," Nesterenko, a woman who appeared to be in her 30s, said in the video that was attached to the city administration's post.
The changes have helped trim waiting times to 30 to 40 minutes from up to four hours, Arsen Melkumyan, an administration official, said in the same video, posing in front of a petrol station as cars kept coming and going.
Taiwan turns to drones as it seeks to replicate Ukraine's stellar defence
Friday 3 July 2026 17:01 , Alex Croft
Taiwan needs a "hornet's nest" of drones to help deter conflict and provide security, the top US diplomat to the democratically governed island said on Thursday.
Taiwan says it needs to bolster its defences in the face of a stepped-up threat from China, which claims the island as its own territory.
The US and Taiwan can anchor "democratic" drone production and strengthen the collective deterrence posture of the free world, said Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan and the de facto US ambassador.
"Fortunately for Taiwan, drones have significantly boosted defenders, even when facing overwhelming odds," he added, referring to the war in Ukraine.
"Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet's nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones."
EU issues sanctions against six people involved in Navalny death
Friday 3 July 2026 16:13 , Alex Croft
The Council of the EU said it had issued sanctions against six people - most of whom were scientists and researchers - who were involved in the development of the toxin that caused the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
The EU said the people were involved with the development of chemical weapons, particularly epibatidine, that were found in samples taken from the activist's body after his death. The toxin is found in poison dart frogs in South America and not found naturally in Russia.
Russia has demanded that European countries who accuse Moscow of poisoning Navalny to provide concrete data to support their allegations.
People listed under the sanctions programme are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the EU.
Kyiv looking for ways to lower tensions with Poland, says Polish PM
Friday 3 July 2026 16:00 , Alex Croft
Ukraine is looking for ways to lower tension with Poland, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday, after the two countries' foreign ministers met to discuss a dispute over World War Two-era massacres.
"I don't know the results of the meeting, but I have signals that the Ukrainian side is looking for ways to ease the tension," Tusk told a news conference.
Watch: Crew rescues survivors after Putin's latest attack on Kyiv
Friday 3 July 2026 15:00 , Alex Croft
Kremlin says EU should consider alleged Ukraine involvement in Nord Stream attack
Friday 3 July 2026 14:31 , Alex Croft
The Kremlin said on Friday that the European Union should consider Ukraine's alleged involvement in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022 when deciding whether to grant EU membership to Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was commenting after German federal prosecutors charged a former Ukrainian army officer in connection with the blasts. The man, named only as Serhii K., was accused of being the co-perpetrator of a war crime and acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities.
Authorities in Kyiv said on Thursday that they did not have enough information about the case to respond in detail to German prosecutors' allegations.
Pictured: Ukrainian troops evacuate wounded colleague
Friday 3 July 2026 14:00 , Alex Croft
Russia says its troops captured village in Dnipropetrovsk
Friday 3 July 2026 13:31 , Alex Croft
The Russian defence ministry said on Friday that Russian troops had captured the village of Oleksandrivka in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Independent could not independent verify the battlefield report.
Ukraine says it struck two Russian airbases in Crimea
Friday 3 July 2026 13:00 , Alex Croft
Ukraine hit two Russian airfields in Moscow-occupied Crimea, targeting at least seven jets and drone warehouses, Ukraine's SBU security service said on Friday.
Hvardiyske and Saky airbases came under attack, with the latter being hit for the second time this week, the SBU added on the Telegram app.
The jets in Saky were "damaged or destroyed", it said.
Monaco bomb suspect is Ukrainian woman who disguised as a man, confirms prosecutor
Friday 3 July 2026 12:28 , Alex Croft
The suspect being hunted after a bomb attack in Monaco this week, which seriously injured Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, is a Ukrainian woman who disguised herself as a man, said the Monaco deputy prosecutor Morgan Raymond.
She was identified as a Ukrainian citizen living in Germany and given the complexity of the explosive device, police are looking into identifying possible accomplices and others who may have ordered the attack, he said.
Two men who were arrested and held in police custody on Wednesday and Thursday were released as no evidence of their participation in the attack was found.
Russia plotting attack on Poland to test Nato’s resolve, US claims
Friday 3 July 2026 12:01 , Alex Croft
The US has warned Warsaw that Russia is planning an armed “provocation” against Poland to test Nato’s resolve, according to reports.
The assault could see Poland’s vital infrastructure targeted by missiles or drones, or even Russian soldiers crossing the border into Nato territory, Washington has said.
Sources close to Polish president Karol Nawrocki told Polish outlet Onet that the aim of Moscow’s possible assault, which could be launched in a matter of months, would be to provoke tensions and pressure Ukraine’s Western allies to suspend their military and financial aid.
The US “systematically informs Poland about ever-new Russian plans for a conventional attack on Nato’s eastern flank, from which Poland is by no means excluded”, a source close to the Polish president said.
Read our full report here:
Russia plotting attack on Poland to test Nato’s resolve, US claims
Monaco blast suspect is a woman, was spotted in Germany - source
Friday 3 July 2026 11:29 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, authorities suspect a woman of being the bomber who injured three people with an explosive device in Monaco on Monday, a judicial source in the Mediterranean principality said on Friday.
They added that the suspect had been spotted in Germany.
Let’s take a look back at the story from earlier this week.
Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, his partner and son were wounded in the attack, other sources said earlier this week.
The suspect, seen on CCTV wearing a dark bucket hat and top, fled on foot to France, which does not have border checks with Monaco, officials said earlier this week, speaking at the time of a male suspect.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for the suspect on Thursday, adding that the person would also be subject to an Interpol Red Notice, a request for law enforcement to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect no matter where they are found.
Authorities said they would provide further details in the case later on Friday morning.
The principality, known for its casino and the luxury lifestyle of its wealthy inhabitants, is located on the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by France.
The attacker left a parcel that exploded in front of a building in Monaco where the three victims live in a ground-floor flat, Monaco prosecutor Stephane Thibault said on Tuesday.
Watch: CCTV captures moment Russian missile strikes Ukrainian swimming pool
Friday 3 July 2026 11:02 , Alex Croft
Russian fuel crisis causes rush for Chinese electric cars
Friday 3 July 2026 10:30 , Alex Croft
A Moscow car dealership is struggling to keep up with demand for new electric vehicles from China as drivers look to sidestep a fuel crisis that has led to long queues and soaring prices across much of Russia.
Escalating Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have squeezed gasoline and diesel supplies in recent weeks, prompting restrictions in most regions.
Retail gasoline prices in some areas have climbed to among the highest levels in Europe, according to Reuters calculations.
Russia's vast distances, harsh climate, and limited charging network have curbed the growth of its EV market. But the mounting fuel challenges are leading some motorists to make the switch.
EN Cars, which specialises in Chinese brands, is selling two to three EVs per day, compared with two to three a month just a few weeks ago, founder Yevgeniy Zabelin told Reuters on Wednesday.
"Since the fuel situation became complicated, demand has grown many times over," he said, adding that interest was rising in both budget and premium models.
‘We will rebuild’: Ukrainians defiant after Russia ‘unleashes hell’ on Kyiv, with deadly strikes killing 30
Friday 3 July 2026 10:01 , Alex Croft
“We will rise up and rebuild,” was the defiant message from Ukrainians after Russia unleashed one of the biggest attacks of the war on the capital Kyiv, leaving at least 30 dead, 91 hurt and 130 buildings damaged.
The EU ambassador to Ukraine said that “Russia unleashed hell on Kyiv” in the overnight attack, with 74 missiles and 496 drones launched, according to the Ukrainian air force. Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described the assault as a “night of horror”.
The attack caused the widest destruction in Kyiv so far this year, and was the deadliest since at least May, when 24 people were killed in a strike that brought down an apartment block. Footage and images from the city showed widespread destruction as residents were left picking up the pieces.
Residents on the ground in Kyiv tell Tom Watling of their shock following overnight onslaught of missiles and drones on the capital in ‘night of horror’
Ukrainians defiant after Russia ‘unleashes hell’ on Kyiv with deadly strikes
Monaco blast suspect is a woman who has been spotted in Germany - judicial sources
Friday 3 July 2026 09:34 , Alex Croft
The main suspect behind a bomb attack in Monaco earlier this week is a woman who has been spotted in Germany, a judicial source in Monaco said on Friday.
Three people were wounded on Monday evening in a parcel bomb explosion in the wealthy principality, which was believed to be an attack on Ukrainian-born oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, in an incident that the authorities say was almost certainly an attack targeting the tycoon.
A woman at the residence suffered very serious injuries in the attack and was being treated in a hospital in Nice, according to Christophe Mirmand, the minister of state for Monaco. Local media reports said she underwent a lower-limb amputation.
The tycoon and a 13-year-old child suffered less serious injuries, including burns and shrapnel wounds, but remain in hospital, Mr Mirmand said.
In pictures: Strike on Kyiv kills at least 30
Friday 3 July 2026 09:01 , Alex Croft
Trump wants Ukraine war settled so 'senseless killing' ends, says official
Friday 3 July 2026 08:29 , Arpan Rai
A US official has said Donald Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end so the killings end, a US official said.
Trump “wants this war settled so the senseless killing ends”, the official said after 27 people were killed in Russian strikes on Kyiv.
The president “remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done”, they said.
Putin briefed on Kyiv attack as Kremlin vows to keep pressure on Ukraine
Friday 3 July 2026 08:00 , Arpan Rai
President Vladimir Putin has been briefed by his top military commander about a massive overnight Russian strike on Kyiv, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
Peskov added that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine in order to achieve its goals.
At least 17 people were killed in the attack, and scores wounded.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Europe of escalating tensions, and said Russia was unable to turn a blind eye to such moves.
Monaco identifies suspect behind assassination attempt on Ukrainian tycoon
Friday 3 July 2026 07:40 , Alex Croft
Authorities have identified the suspect behind the parcel bombing that seriously injured a Ukrainian-origin oligarch and two others, Monaco’s prosecutor general said.
Public prosecutor, Stephane Thibault, did not reveal any detail about the individual but said an international arrest warrant is being issued to arrest the suspect.
“The suspect will be the subject of an Interpol Red Notice from this evening,” the prosecutor’s office said.
France's Le Figaro daily, however, claimed in an exclusive report that the suspect, who was captured on CCTV wearing a black fisherman's hat, is believed to be a Ukrainian woman in her thirties who tried to pass off as a man. The woman is registered as living in Germany, according to the paper.
A press briefing will be held shortly before noon on Friday, the public prosecutor said.
Read the full report:
Monaco identifies suspect behind assassination attempt on Ukrainian tycoon
Zelensky fumes at allies for not delivering air defence to fight deadliest Russian attack
Friday 3 July 2026 07:20 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed the destruction in part on a failure of allies to deliver promised air defences.
"If our partners had delivered on their promises in a timely manner, I think we could have saved more homes and lives today," said Zelensky, who looked tired and frustrated.
“All we ask of our partners is simply to do what we’ve agreed on. We’re not even asking for more."
Later, in his nightly video address, Zelensky said the issue of air defences would be "one of the key outcomes" of next week's Nato summit in Turkey, as he repeated his call for the development of European air defences.
“If, of course, Nato still means anything to the allies," he said.
“Europe must have its own sufficient capability to defend against all types of threats, including this one from Russian ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said.
Watch: Zelensky vow to escalate fighting after deadliest strike on Kyiv this year
Friday 3 July 2026 06:58 , Arpan Rai
Kallas: Words of condemnation will not stop Russia - we need more sanctions
Friday 3 July 2026 06:53 , Arpan Rai
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, responded to Russia’s large scale attack on Kyiv, and has called for more sanctions.
She said on Thursday she would propose more sanctions against Russia following a new wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine.
“Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that,” she wrote on X.
"Today, I will propose to sanction more entities supporting Russia's military-industrial complex in response to the strikes. The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed.”
Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) July 2, 2026
This week, the EU has started disbursing €6 billion under the €90 billion support loan to strengthen Kyiv’s defences.
Today, I…
Four killed and 10 injured in Ukraine overnight, officials say
Friday 3 July 2026 06:49 , Arpan Rai
At least four people were killed and another 10 injured in Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, officials said on Telegram in the early hours of Friday.
A day of mourning will be observed in Kyiv on Friday after at least three dozen people were killed there on Thursday in the deadliest Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
In the bordering Sumy region, two women, an elderly man and a girl younger than two years old were killed and three others injured after a Russian drone hit a house, said Oleh Hryhorov, the head of the regional military administration.
In the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, hometown of president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, seven people were injured after a Russian missile strike on the densely built urban area, said Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the city's defence council.
Death toll reaches 30 in Kyiv
Friday 3 July 2026 06:23 , Arpan Rai
Three more bodies have been recovered from the rubble in Kyiv in rescue operations, taking the death toll to 30 this morning in the deadliest attack on the capital this year.
Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations. Huge columns of smoke filled the skyline.
The death toll climbed to 30 after three more bodies were recovered from the rubble, Ukraine's emergency service said.
The head of the capital's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, earlier said 91 were injured. He had earlier warned that the toll was likely to rise as rescue teams worked through the night, sifting through rubble in search of trapped residents.
Putin briefed on Kyiv attack as Kremlin vows to keep pressure on Ukraine
Friday 3 July 2026 05:35 , Arpan Rai
President Vladimir Putin has been briefed by his top military commander about a massive overnight Russian strike on Kyiv, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
The Russian military unleashed a massive 11-hour barrage on the Ukrainian capital overnight into Thursday morning that killed at least 27 people. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Peskov added that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine in order to achieve its goals.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Europe of escalating tensions, and said Russia was unable to turn a blind eye to such moves.
Zelensky fumes at allies for not delivering air defence to fight deadliest Russian attack
Friday 3 July 2026 05:08 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed the destruction in part on a failure of allies to deliver promised air defences.
"If our partners had delivered on their promises in a timely manner, I think we could have saved more homes and lives today," said Zelensky, who looked tired and frustrated.
“All we ask of our partners is simply to do what we’ve agreed on. We’re not even asking for more."
Later, in his nightly video address, Zelensky said the issue of air defences would be "one of the key outcomes" of next week's Nato summit in Turkey, as he repeated his call for the development of European air defences.
“If, of course, Nato still means anything to the allies," he said.
“Europe must have its own sufficient capability to defend against all types of threats, including this one from Russian ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said.
27 killed as Russia bombards Kyiv in deadliest strike this year
Friday 3 July 2026 04:45 , Arpan Rai
At least 27 people were killed and 91 left injured after Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine's capital Kyiv yesterday.
The strikes damaged around 130 buildings in the deadliest attack on the capital this year.
Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations. Huge columns of smoke filled the skyline.
The death toll climbed to 27 after an injured person died in hospital, and 91 were injured, the head of the capital's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said on Telegram.
Tkachenko had earlier warned that the toll was likely to rise as rescue teams worked through the night, sifting through rubble in search of trapped residents.
He said teams at one site in an eastern suburb on the capital's left bank of the Dnipro River had recovered five bodies while eight residents were unaccounted for.
Ukraine and US negotiators held talks in past two days, says Zelensky
Friday 3 July 2026 04:31 , Arpan Rai
A senior Ukrainian defence official, Rustem Umerov, and president Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner have held talks in the past two days, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Speaking at one of the sites targeted in a devastating Russian attack on Kyiv as rescuers sifted through rubble, Zelensky said he still hoped Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff would visit Ukraine even though US-backed peace efforts to end the war have stalled for months.
Zelensky added that he hoped to have a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a Nato summit in the Turkish capital Ankara next week.
Trump wants Ukraine war settled so 'senseless killing' ends, says official
Friday 3 July 2026 04:18 , Arpan Rai
A US official has said Donald Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end so the killings end, a US official said.
Trump “wants this war settled so the senseless killing ends”, the official said after 27 people were killed in Russian strikes on Kyiv.
The president “remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done”, they said.
Russian attacks kill two and injures eight in Ukraine overnight
Friday 3 July 2026 04:04 , Arpan Rai
At least two people were killed and another eight injured in Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, officials said on Telegram in the early hours of Friday.
In the bordering Sumy region, two were killed and one injured after Russian drones hit a private house, said Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration.
In the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, hometown of president Volodymyr Zelensky, seven people were injured after a Russian missile strike on the densely built urban area, said Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the city's defence council.
A day of mourning will be observed in Kyiv on Friday after nearly three dozen people were killed there on Thursday in the deadliest Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
Germany charges Ukrainian for Nord Stream attacks in 2022
Friday 3 July 2026 03:00 , Alex Croft
German federal prosecutors has said that a Ukrainian national tied to the Nord Stream pipeline blasts has been charged with being an accomplice to a war crime, disruption of public services, causing an explosion and destroying structures.
Serhii K, as the suspect is known under German privacy rules, is suspected of acting on behalf of Ukrainian government entities, along with other military personnel, to destroy the pipelines in 2022.
Poland detains two men suspected of spying for Belarus
Friday 3 July 2026 00:29 , Alex Croft
Polish security services have detained a Belarusian citizen and a Polish citizen suspected of spying on Belarusian exiles on behalf of the Belarusian intelligence services, Polish security services said on Thursday.
"Men paid by Belarusian intelligence participated in events organized in Warsaw by the Belarusian minority, where they recorded and photographed participants," the spokesperson, Jacek Dobrzynski, wrote on X.
"The collected materials – passed across the eastern border – were used by (President Alexander) Lukashenko's services and regime propaganda."
The two arrests were part of an ongoing case in which three Belarusians and two Ukrainians were already detained last November.
A court ordered the 19-year-old Belarusian citizen to be held for three months, while the Polish citizen, 44, was barred from leaving the country and placed under police supervision.
The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine, Putin or call centre fraud: The theories behind assassination attempt on Ukrainian tycoon in Monaco
Thursday 2 July 2026 23:31 , Alex Croft
Ukraine, Putin or call centre fraud: The theories behind assassination attempt on Ukrainian tycoon in Monaco
Vadym Iermolaiev was returning to his apartment in Monaco on a warm summer night last Monday with a woman and child when the bomb exploded.
Within seconds, the Ukrainian oligarch and the woman and child were lying covered in blood on the floor outside the building on the Rue Révérend-Père-Louis-Frolla.
The suspect, who dropped a suspected parcel bomb in the lobby, had already fled the scene. A manhunt to locate him is ongoing, while Iermolaiev and the other two victims are being treated for serious injuries at the Pasteur Hospital in Nice.
Two days since the attack, the case remains shrouded in mystery with sources offering various theories for why Iermolaiev, one of Ukraine’s richest men, was targeted.
Read more here:
Everything we know about the Monaco attack on a Ukrainian oligarch
Putin briefed on Kyiv attack as Kremlin vows to keep pressure on Ukraine
Thursday 2 July 2026 22:31 , Alex Croft
President Vladimir Putin has been briefed by his top military commander about a massive overnight Russian strike on Kyiv, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
Peskov added that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine in order to achieve its goals.
At least 17 people were killed in the attack, and scores wounded.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Europe of escalating tensions, and said Russia was unable to turn a blind eye to such moves.
Death toll from strikes rises to 25
Thursday 2 July 2026 21:42 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
The number of people killed in Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight has risen to 25, authorities have said.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital's military administration, said on Telegram that the death toll stood at 25 and was likely to rise as rescue teams worked through the night, sifting through rubble in search of trapped residents.
He said teams at one site in an eastern suburb on the capital's left bank of the Dnipro River had recovered five bodies while eight residents were unaccounted for.
"Rescue crews will work without interruption until all the debris is cleared," he wrote. "Unfortunately, more victims may still be found."
Watch: Crew rescues survivors after Putin's latest attack on Kyiv
Thursday 2 July 2026 20:30 , Alex Croft
Kallas: Words of condemnation will not stop Russia - we need more sanctions
Thursday 2 July 2026 19:30 , Alex Croft
We’ve earlier from European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who has responded to Russia’s large scale attack on Kyiv.
She said on Thursday she would propose more sanctions against Russia following a new wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine.
“Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that,” she wrote on X.
"Today, I will propose to sanction more entities supporting Russia's military-industrial complex in response to the strikes. The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed.”
Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) July 2, 2026
This week, the EU has started disbursing €6 billion under the €90 billion support loan to strengthen Kyiv’s defences.
Today, I…
Europe has largely filled funding gaps left by US, says Nato commander
Thursday 2 July 2026 17:29 , Alex Croft
European NATO allies have largely filled the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans, NATO's top commander said on Thursday.
US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich added that the bloc was looking at workarounds to address the remaining shortfalls in a few areas.
"Most may not know – although there was some reporting overnight about this – that in a matter of weeks, European allies have largely filled the gaps left by U.S. reductions to the NATO Force Model," he said.
"And in those few areas where they haven't, where they do not currently have a like capability to replace, we are looking at alternate capabilities with matching effect."
Citing a NATO source, Reuters reported on Wednesday that NATO will announce at next week's Ankara summit that its European members have filled almost all the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans.
In pictures: Zelensky visits scene of huge Russian attack in Kyiv
Thursday 2 July 2026 16:29 , Alex Croft
Death toll in Russian attack on Kyiv rises to 21 in one of the war's biggest attacks
Thursday 2 July 2026 15:56 , Alex Croft
The death toll in Russia’s huge attack on Kyiv has increased to 21, emergency services said.
Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine's capital Kyiv in the early hours on Thursday, wounding scores more and damaging around 130 buildings in one of the biggest attacks of the war.
Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations. Huge columns of smoke filled the skyline.
The attack was the deadliest in Kyiv since at least May, and the wide spread of destruction across the breadth of the capital had little precedent even in a war now in its fifth year.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, who cut short his visit to Ireland and rushed home, visited a site on the city's left bank where a nine-storey residential building was half destroyed. He blamed the destruction in part on a failure of allies to deliver promised air defenses.
"If our partners had delivered on their promises in a timely manner, I think we could have saved more homes and lives today," said Zelenskiy, who looked tired and visibly frustrated. "All we ask of our partners is simply to do what we’ve agreed on. We’re not even asking for more."
Ukrainian drone attack injures two on tourist bus, says Russia
Thursday 2 July 2026 15:52 , Alex Croft
A Ukrainian drone attack injured two people travelling aboard a tourist bus from the Belarusian capital Minsk to the Russian Black Sea resort town of Anapa on Thursday, Russian state media reported.
The government in Russia's Bryansk region, on the borders of Ukraine and Belarus, told Sputnik Belarus news agency that two drivers suffered minor injuries in the attack, which occurred at the Krasniy Kamen border crossing between Russia and Belarus.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Bryansk and the neighbouring Kursk region regularly come under Ukrainian shelling, resulting in injuries and deaths of local residents and damage to local infrastructure.
Russia accused Ukraine of conducting a deadly drone strike on a bus carrying Belarusian schoolchildren in a separate incident in the Bryansk region last month. Ukraine's military denied attacking the bus, which was transporting members of a youth soccer team from Belarus to southern Russia.
US and Ukrainian negotiators held talks in past two days - Zelensky
Thursday 2 July 2026 15:29 , Alex Croft
A senior Ukrainian defence official, Rustem Umerov, and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner have held talks in the past two days, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
Speaking at one of the sites targeted in a devastating Russian attack on Kyiv as rescuers sifted through rubble, Mr Zelensky said he still hoped Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff would visit Ukraine even though US-backed peace efforts to end the war have stalled for months.
Mr Zelensky added that he hoped to have a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara next week.
Poland accuses Ukraine of failing to deliver promised drone tech
Thursday 2 July 2026 14:05 , Alex Croft
Ukraine has failed to deliver promised drone technology despite Poland's military support and willingness to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets, Polish defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told Polish radio broadcaster Trojka on Thursday.
Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022, providing military aid and serving as a key logistics hub for Western assistance.
However, relations have periodically been strained by disputes over historical issues and agricultural imports.
The latest tensions come after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky of Poland's highest state honour amid a dispute over a Ukrainian military unit named after insurgents Warsaw blames for massacres of Poles during World War Two.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday that discussions on the transfer of the remaining MiG-29 fighter jets to Kyiv in exchange for access to Ukrainian drone technology had been going on for months.
"Initially, they agreed to such a resolution, but today they are not honouring the agreement," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
"If Ukraine is already able to sell drones to Kuwait and generate revenue from it while at war, then it is capable of reciprocating to those who provide their equipment and—at times, symbolically—sharing its own capabilities," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
Russian soldiers ‘surviving average of 20 minutes when they reach frontline due to drone attacks’
Thursday 2 July 2026 13:39 , Alex Croft
Russian troops in some areas of the Ukrainian frontline can expect to live for between 20 to 35 minutes due to rising drone attacks, according to an estimate from Russian military bloggers.
The estimate, cited by Oxford historian Peter Frankopan in a report for Foreign Policy, lays bare the increasingly dangerous conditions for the Russian army as Ukraine evolves its drone capabilities.
Moscow has been accused of employing a ‘meat-grinder’ strategy, in which it sends vast numbers of troops to the Ukrainian frontline in an attempt to slowly grind down Kyiv’s heavily-fortified defences.
But with drones now dominating the war, Russia is losing men at a fast rate, with an average of 30,000 monthly casualties in 2026. Some estimates even suggest Russia is suffering eight men killed or wounded for every one lost by Kyiv.
Read more here:
Russian soldiers ‘surviving just 20 minutes on frontline due to drone attacks’
Russia claims it has seized village in Donetsk region
Thursday 2 July 2026 13:15 , Alex Croft
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that its forces have taken the village of Pyskunivka, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The Independent was not able to independently verify the battlefield report - but we’ll bring you more when we have it.
Germany condemns Russia's strike on Kyiv
Thursday 2 July 2026 12:53 , Alex Croft
Germany's foreign ministry condemned Russia's major strike on Kyiv on Thursday, stating their condemnation was in the strongest possible terms.
In a statement, it vowed to continue supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "shows no willingness to negotiate," said the ministry in a statement, adding that continued backing for Ukraine would be the focus of next week's Nato summit.
Germany charges Ukrainian for Nord Stream attacks in 2022
Thursday 2 July 2026 12:31 , Alex Croft
German federal prosecutors has said that a Ukrainian national tied to the Nord Stream pipeline blasts has been charged with being an accomplice to a war crime, disruption of public services, causing an explosion and destroying structures.
Serhii K, as the suspect is known under German privacy rules, is suspected of acting on behalf of Ukrainian government entities, along with other military personnel, to destroy the pipelines in 2022.
Watch: Birds in Ukraine build nests with fibre optic cable
Thursday 2 July 2026 12:09 , Alex Croft
Poland detains two men suspected of spying for Belarus
Thursday 2 July 2026 11:46 , Alex Croft
Polish security services have detained a Belarusian citizen and a Polish citizen suspected of spying on Belarusian exiles on behalf of the Belarusian intelligence services, Polish security services said on Thursday.
"Men paid by Belarusian intelligence participated in events organized in Warsaw by the Belarusian minority, where they recorded and photographed participants," the spokesperson, Jacek Dobrzynski, wrote on X.
"The collected materials – passed across the eastern border – were used by (President Alexander) Lukashenko's services and regime propaganda."
The two arrests were part of an ongoing case in which three Belarusians and two Ukrainians were already detained last November.
A court ordered the 19-year-old Belarusian citizen to be held for three months, while the Polish citizen, 44, was barred from leaving the country and placed under police supervision.
The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Putin briefed on Kyiv attack as Kremlin vows to keep pressure on Ukraine
Thursday 2 July 2026 11:25 , Alex Croft
President Vladimir Putin has been briefed by his top military commander about a massive overnight Russian strike on Kyiv, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
Peskov added that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine in order to achieve its goals.
At least 17 people were killed in the attack, and scores wounded.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Europe of escalating tensions, and said Russia was unable to turn a blind eye to such moves.
Ukraine, Putin or call centre fraud: The theories behind assassination attempt on Ukrainian tycoon in Monaco
Thursday 2 July 2026 11:02 , Alex Croft
Vadym Iermolaiev was returning to his apartment in Monaco on a warm summer night last Monday with a woman and child when the bomb exploded.
Within seconds, the Ukrainian oligarch and the woman and child were lying covered in blood on the floor outside the building on the Rue Révérend-Père-Louis-Frolla.
The suspect, who dropped a suspected parcel bomb in the lobby, had already fled the scene. A manhunt to locate him is ongoing, while Iermolaiev and the other two victims are being treated for serious injuries at the Pasteur Hospital in Nice.
Two days since the attack, the case remains shrouded in mystery with sources offering various theories for why Iermolaiev, one of Ukraine’s richest men, was targeted.
Read more here:
Everything we know about the Monaco attack on a Ukrainian oligarch
Kyrgyzstan asks neighbours to boost fuel supplies amid Russian shortages
Thursday 2 July 2026 10:39 , Alex Croft
Kyrgyzstan has asked Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to help ensure stable fuel supplies late on Wednesday, amid concerns over potential shortages linked to Ukraine's drone strikes against Russian oil refineries.
The Central Asian country of 7 million people imports more than 90 per cent of its gasoline from Russia, which is itself facing acute fuel shortages following Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow may ban diesel exports, acknowledging mounting domestic shortages.
"To ensure sustainable fuel supplies, official requests have been sent to the relevant government authorities of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan", Kyrgyzstan's energy ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said fuel stocks remain sufficient and supplies are proceeding as planned. In June, Kyrgyz authorities introduced price controls on some retail fuel sales.
Death toll in Russian attack on Kyiv rises to 17, with 86 injured
Thursday 2 July 2026 10:17 , Alex Croft
The death toll following a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Thursday has risen to 17, Ukraine's emergency services said.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko earlier said 13 had been killed and another 86 injured.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said 20 residential buildings were damaged across the city.
The Emergency Service says it deployed nearly 500 personnel and 100 units of specialized vehicles, including a helicopter, to deal with the aftermath of the attack.
