Ukraine is aiming to build a home-grown anti-ballistic missile defence system ‘within a year’ to bolster its protection from Russian attacks and reduce reliance on waning supplies of US Patriot missiles.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was in talks with ‘several countries’ and working towards having a European defence system ready within months.
“We should have a European anti-ballistic missile defence system. We need to build our own anti-ballistic missile defence system within a year,” he said on national television yesterday, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine has been looking to reduce its reliance on the US Patriot defence system, which tracks and engages UAVs, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles on approach - a vital part of Ukraine’s defence against the Russian onslaught.
In a recent interview with Germany’s ZDF, Zelensky said that Ukraine was facing a critical shortage of Patriot systems, warning the situation “can’t get any worse” as the Iran diverts US attention from Ukraine.
Key Points
- Ukraine patrol police chief resigns after officers flee from shooting spot
- Ukraine to replace soldiers with 25,000 ground robots in bid to save lives
- Ukraine attacks Russian oil refineries after Trump removes sanctions on Moscow’s oil
- Russia loses more than 1.3 million troops in Ukraine war since invasion, says Kyiv
- Hungary's Magyar kicks off early EU talks to unblock funds for Ukraine
Chernobyl is too radioactive for humans – but wild animals are thriving like never before
21:00 , Harriette Boucher
Chernobyl is too radioactive for humans – wild animals are thriving like never before
Russia detains German woman after bomb discovered in her rucksack
20:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia's Federal Security Service stated on Monday that it had detained a 57-year-old German woman with a bomb in her rucksack as part of what it cast as a false-flag operation directed by Ukrainian intelligence.
Unverified footage showed a woman lying down on the tarmac in a car park while armed men pointed their weapons at her - and a rucksack that was beside her. Sappers were then shown blowing up the rucksack.
The FSB claimed the German woman, who had a bomb with the equivalent of 1.5 kg of TNT, was targeting a law enforcement facility in the Stavropol region as part of a false flag operation directed by Ukraine.
The FSB said it had also detained a citizen from a country in Central Asia who thought he was acting on behalf of a "terrorist organisation" and had been due to detonate the bomb.
"The actions of the man were coordinated by employees of the Ukrainian special services under the guise of members of one of the international terrorist organisations banned in Russia," the FSB said.
German woman with bomb in her rucksack detained in Russia over alleged Ukraine plot
Pope Leo calls for 'weapons to fall silent' in Ukraine and commends ceasefire in Lebanon
19:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia lost billions of dollars in oil revenue due to strikes last month
18:00 , Harriette BoucherUkrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure led to oil revenues losses of at least $2.3 billion (around £38 million) last month, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
“In March alone, Russia’s oil revenue losses from our long-range capabilities are estimated at no less than $2.3 billion in just one month,” he stated in his nightly video address.
The Ukrainian leader said he was “grateful to all our warriors for their precision” and said Ukraine would continue its attacks in April.
Firefighters battle blaze after Russian strike kills 16-year-old in Chernihiv
17:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia has suffered more than 1.3 million casualties since 2022
16:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia has suffered more than 1.3m military losses since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In an update by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence there had been 1,319,270 casualties as of Monday.
It also claimed to have taken out 11,884 tanks, 24,422 fighting vehicles, 40,396 artillery systems and 435 aircraft.
German woman arrested in suspected suicide bomb attack in Russia
15:01 , Harriette BoucherRussia’s FSB security service has arrested a German woman that was found with a homemade bomb in her backpack.
The woman was allegedly plotting to blow up a law enforcement building in Southern Russia.
In a statement published by local media, the FSB said the woman, who was born in 1969, had been recruited by a citizen of a central Asian country who was working for Ukrainian security services.
The agency said the bomb was supposed to detonate remotely, which would have killed the woman.
She was reprotedly arrested in the city of Pyatigorsk, while her recruiter, who was born in 1997, was also arrested.
Bulgaria's Russian-friendly ex-president to win parliamentary election
14:00 , Harriette BoucherThe centre-left coalition of ex-president Rumen Radev has emerged as the clear winner of Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, the country’s central electoral commission said Monday, ending half a decade of political fragmentation.
During his presidency, Radev gained a reputation as being sympathetic to Russia. He repeatedly opposed EU efforts to send military aid to Ukraine for its war against Russia's full-scale invasion. He has often argued that supporting Ukraine risks drawing Bulgaria into the war and has favored reopening talks with Russia as a way out of the conflict.
Radev resigned from the mostly ceremonial presidency in January, a few months before the end of his second term, to launch a bid to lead the government in the more powerful role as prime minister.
His supporters are divided between those hoping he will put an end to the country’s oligarchic corruption and those lining up behind his Euroskeptic and Russia-friendly views.
Tired of political turmoil, Bulgarians give ex-president a convincing mandate for change
Ukraine says strike on Russia's Tuapse refinery started fire
13:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine's military said on Monday that an overnight strike on Russia's Tuapse oil refinery hit reservoir tank storage and started a fire.
The military has also hit an oil depot in Russian-occupied Crimea, the general staff said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.
One dead after Ukrainian drone attack on Russian port
12:00 , Daniel KeaneA Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse has killed one person and sparked a large fire, Russian officials said.
"Tuapse was subjected to another massive drone attack," Veniamin Kondratiev, governor of the Krasnodar region, said on messaging app Telegram. "A fire occurred at the seaport."
Kondratiev said one man was killed at the port and another injured, while debris from drones damaged several city buildings.
Kyiv shooting death toll rises to seven, mayor says
11:00 , Daniel KeaneA man hit in a Kyiv district shooting on Saturday has died in hospital, bringing the toll of those killed in the incident to seven, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Monday.
A Russian-born man opened fire on passers-by with an automatic rifle on Saturday before barricading himself in a supermarket with hostages, where he was shot dead by police.
"The victim was in extremely serious condition. The doctors fought for his life, but unfortunately they were unable to save him," Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app.
Watch: Firefighters battle blaze after Russian strike kills 16-year-old in Chernihiv
10:17 , Daniel KeaneChernobyl is too radioactive for humans – but animals are thriving like never before
09:30 , Arpan RaiFour decades on from the nuclear disaster, Chernobyl remains too dangerous for humans. Yet, wildlife has moved back in.
Wolves now prowl the vast no-man’s-land spanning Ukraine and Belarus, and brown bears have returned after more than a century. Populations of lynx, moose, red deer, and even free-roaming dogs have rebounded.
Read more here:
Chernobyl is too radioactive for humans – wild animals are thriving like never before
Ukraine to replace soldiers with 25,000 ground robots in bid to save lives
09:00 , Arpan RaiUkrainian military is working to procure 25,000 ground robotic systems to send in the warzone against invading Russian forces in the first half of this year, its defence ministry said.
Defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine will double the total procured robotic systems throughout 2025.
“Our goal — 100 per cent of frontline logistics should be performed by robotic systems,” he said, adding that the expansion follows a meeting with domestic manufacturers of unmanned ground systems, where the ministry outlined its goal of scaling robotic support across the battlefield.
This comes just days after president Volodymyr Zelensky announced that in a rare historic battlefield first, Ukraine’s ground robotic systems of drones and ammunitions were able to recapture land from the Russian forces and saved 22,000 lives in the process.
Ukrainian forces carried out more than 9,000 logistics and evacuation missions using ground robots in March alone, and approximately 21,500 missions during the first quarter of 2026, according to the government.
Ukraine attacks Russian oil refineries after Trump removes sanctions on Moscow’s oil
08:40 , Arpan RaiUkraine drone strikes targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russia's Samara region, local governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Saturday.
He did not give further details, but the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in a statement that it had hit major oil refineries in both cities.
It also said that its attacks had sparked fires at the Vystosk oil terminal in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region and an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, with the blazes later confirmed by Russian officials.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities in the past, but the strategy has gained more attention since the Trump administration gave Russian oil a temporary waiver from sanctions to ease supply constraints.
The US treasury department extended its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments on Friday, despite complaints from Kyiv officials that Russia will use the additional revenue on new weapons to hit Ukraine harder.
The so-called general license means US sanctions will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday. It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that had been loaded by 11 March.
Hungary's Magyar kicks off early EU talks to unblock funds for Ukraine
08:20 , Arpan RaiHungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar has announced talks with EU officials in Budapest, saying there is no time to waste in his efforts to unblock funds frozen by the bloc over disputes with his predecessor.
Magyar, whose landslide victory in the 12 April election spelled the end of nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban's 16-year rule, said he would kickstart the discussions by setting out points where he and the EU already agreed.
"I expect a constructive negotiation. It will not be easy because we have very little time," he told a news conference.
He said the chief of staff of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen would arrive at around 5pm local time as part of a high-level delegation.
“The aim is... to map out before the new government is formed what we agree on and what are the conditions that the next parliament can pass as a law and comply with European conditions," Magyar said.
The clearance of the funds will also pave for a critical loan for Ukraine, earlier blocked by Orban.
Markets have rallied on Magyar's victory with hopes that the EU will unblock billions of euros of funds and help an economy at near-stagnation.
Ukraine's military intelligence says it hit two Russian landing ships in Crimea
08:05 , Arpan RaiUkraine's GUR military intelligence says it struck two "large" Russian landing ships in occupied Crimea.
The strike took place overnight on Sunday and involved two vessels from Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol Bay, the GUR said.
Ukraine patrol police chief resigns after officers flee from shooting spot
08:05 , Arpan RaiYevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine's Patrol Police – a division of the national police service whose duty is to patrol the streets – resigned yesterday after social media circulated a video showing patrol officers running away after hearing gunfire, leaving civilians without protection.
At least six people were killed and eight people, including a child, remain hospitalised in Kyiv after being wounded in a shooting, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
"The police officers acted unprofessionally and disgracefully. As police officers, they should have been helping and rescuing our citizens. But they failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger," online media outlet RBC Ukraine quoted Zhukov as saying.
"As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold," Zhukov added.
Earlier yesterday, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said the officers' behaviour was "a disgrace to the entire system". An investigation has been launched and decisions will be made regarding their superiors.
Europe needs defence system against ballistic weapons, says Ukraine
07:45 , Arpan RaiUkraine is holding discussions with several European nations about the creation of a new defence system against ballistic weapons, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“I believe, and my idea is that we should have a European anti-ballistic missile defence system. We are in talks with several countries and are working in this direction," Zelensky told the national TV channel, Marathon.
"We need to build our own anti-ballistic missile defence system within a year," he added.
Zelensky said the task is extremely difficult but realistic, and added that he had already discussed it with key European countries, though he did not name them.
Defence against ballistic missiles is one of Ukraine's biggest challenges in the war with Russia, since only certain types of missiles used by the American Patriot system are capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Russia uses ballistic missiles to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure, destroying thermal power generation and electricity transmission systems.
Fire Point, maker of Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missile, told Reuters this month that it was in talks with European companies to launch a new air defence system by next year, creating a low-cost alternative to the increasingly hard-to-get Patriot system.
Patriot missiles are in short supply amid extensive deployment in the Gulf against Iranian attacks. And Europe's only anti-ballistic system, the Italo-French SAMP/T, is produced in relatively small numbers.
Zelensky issues stark warning Russia will pull Belarus back into Ukraine war
07:28 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning, saying that Kyiv believes Russia is preparing to once again draw its ally Belarus into the ongoing conflict.
Citing an intelligence report from Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelensky revealed concerns over "road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions... in the Belarusian border area".
He added: "We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war."
In response, Ukraine has reportedly issued instructions to warn the Belarusian leadership of "Ukraine's readiness to defend its land and independence".
Zelensky also suggested that intelligence indicates Russia is "attempting ... to carry out a regrouping of forces – most likely to compensate for a shortage of personnel", which he believes explains the increased military activity within Belarus.
Zelensky issues stark warning Russia will pull Belarus back into Ukraine war
Zelensky announces 10-year drone deal with Gulf nations
07:06 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has shared details of a landmark agreement with three key Middle Eastern nations, aimed at bolstering their drone capabilities against Iran.
“We have already reached 10-year agreements with three key countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. We already have requests from 11 countries – the Middle East and the Gulf, plus we’re also gradually turning our attention to the Caucasus,” he said on X last night.
Zelensky added: “Within this Drone Deal, there will be at least 10 different agreements covering various categories of Ukrainian weapons exports. Co-production is planned – the construction of our production lines both in Ukraine and in other countries.”
This will also include new technologies that Ukraine and its Gulf allies are “developing jointly with various countries, in which they are investing,” he said, adding that an annual funding agreement for a specific amount, along with a fixed number of years, has also been signed.
We have already reached 10-year agreements with three key countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. We already have requests from 11 countries – the Middle East and the Gulf, plus we’re also gradually turning our attention to the Caucasus.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2026
Within this Drone…
IMF agreed raising tax on self-employed is 'not constructive', says Ukrainian PM
06:37 , Arpan RaiUkrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the IMF had agreed during talks in Washington that the introduction of VAT tax on self-employed individuals was "not-constructive" due to the sensitivity of the issue in Ukraine.
The tax was part of a raft of reforms agreed with the Fund as conditions for an $8bn loan approved in February. Ukrainian officials have since warned that its introduction would prove highly unpopular and it lacked the required support in parliament.
“During the Spring Meetings, we found understanding from our partners that this is indeed a sensitive topic and a not-constructive idea," Svyrydenko said on the Telegram app, adding she had held consultations with both IMF and European officials.
“We will continue to work together on the necessary decisions and explore other alternative measures to ensure the revenue part of the budget for 2027."
Several Ukrainian legislators suggested on social media on Sunday that a decision regarding the tax had only been postponed, not cancelled.
Watch: Kyiv attack probed as officers accused of fleeing scene, says Zelenskyy
06:23 , Arpan RaiWatch: Pope Leo calls for 'weapons to fall silent' in Ukraine and commends ceasefire in Lebanon
05:40 , Arpan RaiUkraine to replace soldiers with 25,000 ground robots in bid to save lives
05:24 , Arpan RaiUkrainian military is working to procure 25,000 ground robotic systems to send in the warzone against invading Russian forces in the first half of this year, its defence ministry said.
Defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine will double the total procured robotic systems throughout 2025.
“Our goal — 100 per cent of frontline logistics should be performed by robotic systems,” he said, adding that the expansion follows a meeting with domestic manufacturers of unmanned ground systems, where the ministry outlined its goal of scaling robotic support across the battlefield.
This comes just days after president Volodymyr Zelensky announced that in a rare historic battlefield first, Ukraine’s ground robotic systems of drones and ammunitions were able to recapture land from the Russian forces and saved 22,000 lives in the process.
Ukrainian forces carried out more than 9,000 logistics and evacuation missions using ground robots in March alone, and approximately 21,500 missions during the first quarter of 2026, according to the government.
One dead in 'massive' drone attack on Russia's Tuapse port
05:12 , Arpan RaiOne man has died and another injured in a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse, which has been set ablaze, local governor Veniamin Kondratiev said this morning citing preliminary information.
He also said debris from drones damaged several buildings in the city, including a kindergarten, primary school, church and residential apartment block.
Tuapse is one of Russia's major southern ports, serving as an oil product export hub and also handles dry bulk cargo such as coal and fertiliser. It is also home to a major oil refinery of the same name owned by Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil producer.
Ukraine has increasingly attacked the facility in the past week, with the last attack on Thursday, killing two.
Ukraine attacks Russian oil refineries after Trump removes sanctions on Moscow’s oil
05:00 , Arpan RaiUkraine drone strikes targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russia's Samara region, local governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Saturday.
He did not give further details, but the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in a statement that it had hit major oil refineries in both cities.
It also said that its attacks had sparked fires at the Vystosk oil terminal in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region and an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, with the blazes later confirmed by Russian officials.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities in the past, but the strategy has gained more attention since the Trump administration gave Russian oil a temporary waiver from sanctions to ease supply constraints.
The US treasury department extended its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments on Friday, despite complaints from Kyiv officials that Russia will use the additional revenue on new weapons to hit Ukraine harder.
The so-called general license means US sanctions will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday. It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that had been loaded by 11 March.
Hungary's Magyar kicks off early EU talks to unblock funds for Ukraine
04:48 , Arpan RaiHungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar has announced talks with EU officials in Budapest, saying there is no time to waste in his efforts to unblock funds frozen by the bloc over disputes with his predecessor.
Magyar, whose landslide victory in the 12 April election spelled the end of nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban's 16-year rule, said he would kickstart the discussions by setting out points where he and the EU already agreed.
"I expect a constructive negotiation. It will not be easy because we have very little time," he told a news conference.
He said the chief of staff of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen would arrive at around 5pm local time as part of a high-level delegation.
“The aim is... to map out before the new government is formed what we agree on and what are the conditions that the next parliament can pass as a law and comply with European conditions," Magyar said.
The clearance of the funds will also pave for a critical loan for Ukraine, earlier blocked by Orban.
Markets have rallied on Magyar's victory with hopes that the EU will unblock billions of euros of funds and help an economy at near-stagnation.
Ukraine patrol police chief resigns after officers flee from shooting spot
04:28 , Arpan RaiYevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine's Patrol Police – a division of the national police service whose duty is to patrol the streets – resigned yesterday after social media circulated a video showing patrol officers running away after hearing gunfire, leaving civilians without protection.
At least six people were killed and eight people, including a child, remain hospitalised in Kyiv after being wounded in a shooting, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
"The police officers acted unprofessionally and disgracefully. As police officers, they should have been helping and rescuing our citizens. But they failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger," online media outlet RBC Ukraine quoted Zhukov as saying.
"As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold," Zhukov added.
Earlier yesterday, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said the officers' behaviour was "a disgrace to the entire system". An investigation has been launched and decisions will be made regarding their superiors.
Russia loses more than 1.3 million troops in Ukraine war since invasion, says Kyiv
04:18 , Arpan RaiRussia has lost at least 1,318,220 troops in Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said over the weekend.
These include 1,070 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Russia has also lost 11,882 tanks, 24,420 armoured combat vehicles, 90,397 vehicles and fuel tanks, 40,324 artillery systems, 1,748 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,349 air defence systems, 435 aircraft, 350 helicopters, 247,131 drones, 33 ships and boats, and two submarines, the Ukrainian military said in its daily update.
Europe needs defence system against ballistic weapons, says Ukraine
03:57 , Arpan RaiUkraine is holding discussions with several European nations about the creation of a new defence system against ballistic weapons, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“I believe, and my idea is that we should have a European anti-ballistic missile defence system. We are in talks with several countries and are working in this direction," Zelensky told the national TV channel, Marathon.
"We need to build our own anti-ballistic missile defence system within a year," he added.
Zelensky said the task is extremely difficult but realistic, and added that he had already discussed it with key European countries, though he did not name them.
Defence against ballistic missiles is one of Ukraine's biggest challenges in the war with Russia, since only certain types of missiles used by the American Patriot system are capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Russia uses ballistic missiles to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure, destroying thermal power generation and electricity transmission systems.
Fire Point, maker of Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missile, told Reuters this month that it was in talks with European companies to launch a new air defence system by next year, creating a low-cost alternative to the increasingly hard-to-get Patriot system.
Patriot missiles are in short supply amid extensive deployment in the Gulf against Iranian attacks. And Europe's only anti-ballistic system, the Italo-French SAMP/T, is produced in relatively small numbers.
Pope Leo decries intensification of Ukraine war
03:00 , Joe MiddletonPope Leo on Sunday decried the intensification of the war in Ukraine, calling “for the weapons to fall silent and for the path of dialogue to be followed”.
The pope made the appeal after a Mass outside Angola's capital Luanda that drew roughly 100,000 people.
The first US pope also praised the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, to end fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah, as a "reason for hope."
Pro-Russian candidate clear favourite in Bulgarian election
02:00 , Joe MiddletonBulgaria went to the polls on Sunday, with a pro-Russian candidate clearly in the lead on a ticket of stamping out corruption.
Former President Rumen Radev, a eurosceptic former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine, stepped down from the presidency in January to run in the parliamentary elections, after mass protests forced out the previous government in December.
"We need, finally, a path to democratic, modern European Bulgaria," Radev said after casting his ballot in Sofia, adding that he wants to "develop practical relations with Russia based on mutual respect and equal treatment."
Polls close at 8pm (5pm GMT). Exit polls are expected as the vote closes and preliminary results could come later on Sunday or Monday.
Head of Ukraine's street patrol police resigns over Kyiv shooting
01:00 , Joe MiddletonYevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine's Patrol Police, resigned on Sunday after social media circulated a video showing patrol officers running away after hearing gunfire, leaving civilians without protection.
“The police officers acted unprofessionally and disgracefully. As police officers, they should have been helping and rescuing our citizens. But they failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger,” online media outlet RBC Ukraine quoted Zhukov as saying.
“As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold,” Zhukov added.
Earlier on Sunday, minister Klymenko said the officers' behaviour was “a disgrace to the entire system”. An investigation has been launched and decisions will be made regarding their superiors.
Head of Ukraine's street patrol police resigns over Kyiv shooting
Sunday 19 April 2026 23:59 , James ReynoldsYevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine's Patrol Police, resigned on Sunday after social media circulated a video showing patrol officers running away after hearing gunfire, leaving civilians without protection.
“The police officers acted unprofessionally and disgracefully. As police officers, they should have been helping and rescuing our citizens. But they failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger,” online media outlet RBC Ukraine quoted Zhukov as saying.
“As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold,” Zhukov added.
Earlier on Sunday, minister Klymenko said the officers' behaviour was “a disgrace to the entire system”. An investigation has been launched and decisions will be made regarding their superiors.
The latest: Eight remain in hospital after Kyiv shooting
Sunday 19 April 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsEight people, including one child, remain hospitalised in Kyiv after being wounded in a shooting that killed six people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Sunday.
A Russian-born man opened fire from an automatic rifle on passersby on Saturday before barricading himself in a supermarket with hostages, where he was shot dead by police.
Police stormed the supermarket after unsuccessfully trying to negotiate with the suspect for 40 minutes.
Klitschko said the wounded child, whose parents were killed in the shooting, was in moderate condition, while one of the adults was in critical condition.
In pictures: Police on site following attack in Kyiv
Sunday 19 April 2026 22:00 , James Reynolds
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said this week that the time has come for a conversation with the US about how Washington sees future economic ties with Russia.
Speaking at an event in Turkey, Lavrov also said that NATO is "not in the best state", but that Russia would not meddle in the alliance's internal affairs.
Russia has made renewed economic cooperation with the US a core part of its pitch for a diplomatic detente with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Russia’s veteran foreign minister said that differences remain between the two countries.
Chernobyl's radioactive landscape is testament to nature’s resilience and survival spirit
Sunday 19 April 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsFour decades after the nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Chernobyl power plant, wildlife is thriving again in what became the exclusion zone created by the forced mass evacuations of the population:
Russian attacks kill at least 2 as Ukraine strikes a Russian drone factory
Sunday 19 April 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsRussian strikes killed at least two people in Ukraine, officials said Sunday, as Ukraine's military struck a drone factory in southwestern Russia.
A 16-year-old boy died and four others were injured in a “massive” nighttime drone strike on Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, according to the head of the city's military administration.
Rescuers found the teenager’s body as they cleared away rubble, Dmytro Bryzhynskyi reported on Telegram on Sunday morning. He said the drone strike also injured three women and one man. Several houses were set on fire, he added.
Russian attacks kill at least 2 as Ukraine strikes a Russian drone factory
Pope Leo calls for ‘weapons to fall silent’ in Ukraine
Sunday 19 April 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsHead of Ukraine's street patrol police resigns over Kyiv shooting
Sunday 19 April 2026 17:27 , James ReynoldsYevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine's Patrol Police, resigned on Sunday after social media circulated a video showing patrol officers running away after hearing gunfire, leaving civilians without protection.
“The police officers acted unprofessionally and disgracefully. As police officers, they should have been helping and rescuing our citizens. But they failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger,” online media outlet RBC Ukraine quoted Zhukov as saying.
“As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold,” Zhukov added.
Earlier on Sunday, minister Klymenko said the officers' behaviour was “a disgrace to the entire system”. An investigation has been launched and decisions will be made regarding their superiors.
The latest: Eight remain in hospital after Kyiv shooting
Sunday 19 April 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsEight people, including one child, remain hospitalised in Kyiv after being wounded in a shooting that killed six people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Sunday.
A Russian-born man opened fire from an automatic rifle on passersby on Saturday before barricading himself in a supermarket with hostages, where he was shot dead by police.
Police stormed the supermarket after unsuccessfully trying to negotiate with the suspect for 40 minutes.
Klitschko said the wounded child, whose parents were killed in the shooting, was in moderate condition, while one of the adults was in critical condition.
Watch: Zelensky provides update after Moscow-born gunman kills six in Kyiv supermarket attack
Sunday 19 April 2026 16:00 , James ReynoldsPro-Russian candidate clear favourite in Bulgarian election
Sunday 19 April 2026 15:00 , James ReynoldsBulgaria went to the polls on Sunday, with a pro-Russian candidate clearly in the lead on a ticket of stamping out corruption.
Former President Rumen Radev, a eurosceptic former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine, stepped down from the presidency in January to run in the parliamentary elections, after mass protests forced out the previous government in December.
"We need, finally, a path to democratic, modern European Bulgaria," Radev said after casting his ballot in Sofia, adding that he wants to "develop practical relations with Russia based on mutual respect and equal treatment."
Polls close at 8pm (5pm GMT). Exit polls are expected as the vote closes and preliminary results could come later on Sunday or Monday.
Fire from Ukrainian drone attack extinguished after three days
Sunday 19 April 2026 14:30 , James ReynoldsA fire at Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse has been extinguished, local authorities said on Sunday, days after it broke out following a major Ukrainian drone attack on April 16.
Russian soldiers in Ukraine turn to witchcraft for protection as belief in the supernatural surges
Sunday 19 April 2026 14:00 , James ReynoldsSoldiers fighting in Ukraine are increasingly turning to the supernatural, seeking solace and solutions from figures like self-described witch Natalia Malinovskaya.
Amidst the ongoing conflict and economic uncertainty, a growing number of Russians are being drawn to the dark arts.
Operating from her darkened Moscow apartment, Malinovskaya, who claims to have inherited her powers from her grandmother and frequently appears on Russian television, offers a range of services from love spells to protection from evil.
Russian soldiers in Ukraine turn to witchcraft as belief in the supernatural surges
Pope Leo decries intensification of Ukraine war
Sunday 19 April 2026 13:30 , James ReynoldsPope Leo on Sunday decried the intensification of the war in Ukraine, calling “for the weapons to fall silent and for the path of dialogue to be followed”.
The pope made the appeal after a Mass outside Angola's capital Luanda that drew roughly 100,000 people.
The first US pope also praised the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, to end fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah, as a "reason for hope."
Recap: Nato pledges $60bn in military aid to Ukraine as Zelensky pursues more arms deals
Sunday 19 April 2026 13:00 , James ReynoldsNato allies are looking to provide Ukraine with around $60bn (£44bn) in military and security assistance in 2026, the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte said in a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Berlin.
The critical assistance would be delivered in addition to the €90bn (£78.2bn) loan package agreed by the European Union and would focus on priority needs, Rutte said.
“We must focus funding on the priorities – air defence, drones and extended-range ammunition. These are the big priorities,” the Nato official said.
The aid from Nato is timely as Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said the top diplomatic priority is securing allies' help to buy and build more air defence systems.
Zelensky is also championing joint weapons production agreements, including for drones and missiles, while pushing for the European Union to move quickly on providing the promised loan.
Zelensky issues stark warning Russia will pull Belarus back into Ukraine war
Sunday 19 April 2026 11:33 , James ReynoldsUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning, saying that Kyiv believes Russia is preparing to once again draw its ally Belarus into the ongoing conflict.
Citing an intelligence report from Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Mr Zelensky revealed concerns over "road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions... in the Belarusian border area".
He added: "We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war."
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Zelensky issues stark warning Russia will pull Belarus back into Ukraine war
Russia loses nearly 1,100 troops in 24 hours
Sunday 19 April 2026 09:16 , James ReynoldsRussia lost nearly 1,100 troops in 24 hours of war, according to Ukraine’s military.
In its latest tally, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia has lost 1,318,220 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, on 24 February 2022.
That figure includes 1,070 casualties recorded in the last day.
Russian attacks on Ukraine kill one and wound dozens
Sunday 19 April 2026 08:00 , Namita SinghA civilian has been killed and dozens more wounded in overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine, local officials said.
One person was killed in a strike on Mykolaivka in the eastern Donetsk region, local leader Vadym Filashkin said in a post on social media.
Other officials reported at least 26 people had been hurt in attacks across northern and eastern Ukraine, including a strike on port infrastructure in the city of Odesa.
Ukraine's air force said on Saturday that Russia launched 219 drones overnight, of which 190 were shot down.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russia's Samara region, governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said. Both cities are home to large oil refineries.
Russia's Ministry of Defence said its forces had destroyed 258 Ukrainian drones overnight over 16 Russian regions, as well as over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.
