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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has chosen General Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's head of military intelligence, as his new chief of staff, a move that comes at an especially critical moment in Russia's nearly 4-year-old invasion. Budanov replaces Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy's longtime right-hand man who resigned in November after anti-corruption officials raided his apartment in an investigation into alleged graft in Ukraine's energy sector. The move against the powerful aide was a blow to the president that risked disrupting his negotiating strategy amid a US peace effort. What to know about Budanov: Rising through the ranks --------------------------- Budanov has led the military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, since 2020. At 39, he is one of Ukraine's most recognizable and popular wartime figures, known for being the architect of many successful operations targeting Russian military assets, as well as for his independent and enigmatic personality. A career military ...
The drone strike earlier this week targeted the presidential residence located in the Novgorod region
The claims couldn't be independently verified though Saldo later posted photos allegedly showing the aftermath
At least 24 people were killed, and more than 50 were injured when three Ukrainian drones struck a cafe and a hotel in the Kherson region, where people were celebrating the New Year. The strike took place on Wednesday night. "Tonight, the enemy launched a targeted drone strike on a site where civilians were celebrating the New Year. Three UAVs struck a cafe and a hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people were injured, and 24 were killed. The numbers are being clarified," Kherson governor Volodymyr Saldo was quoted as saying by Rossiya-24 channel. In his Telegram post, Saldo said the reconnaissance drone strike occurred just before midnight. Meanwhile, the air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed 168 Ukrainian UAVs over the regions during the New Year night, and many airports in south and central Russia were closed for hours due to the threat of drone strikes. "During the past night, 168 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aer
Moscow alleged Kyiv targeted Putin's residence, a claim he raised with Donald Trump during a phone call. The CIA later briefed Trump that such an attack was unlikely to have occurred
European leaders were due to hold talks Tuesday on US-led peace efforts to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine, amid a flare-up in tensions between Moscow and Kyiv over Russian claims, denied by Ukraine, of a mass drone attack on a lakeside residence used by President Vladimir Putin. The virtual European meeting was expected to gather leaders who attended talks in Berlin earlier this month, according to Polish government spokesman Adam Szlapka, although it was not clear who would be taking part. It was the first meeting of European leaders since US President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort on Sunday. Trump insisted that Ukraine and Russia are closer than ever before to a peace settlement, although he acknowledged that outstanding obstacles could still prevent a deal. At the same time, Russian and Ukrainian officials have exchanged bitter accusations over Moscow's allegations that Ukraine attempted to attack the ..
Russia's nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service, Russia's Ministry of Defence said Tuesday, as negotiators continue to search for a breakthrough in peace talks to end Moscow's war in Ukraine. Troops held a brief ceremony to mark the occasion in neighbouring Belarus where the missiles have been deployed, the ministry said. It did not say how many missiles had been deployed or give any other details. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier in December that the Oreshnik would enter combat duty this month. He made the statement at a meeting with top Russian military officers, where he warned that Moscow will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin's demands in peace talks. The announcement comes at a critical time for Russia-Ukraine peace talks. US President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy at his Florida resort Sunday and insisted that Kyiv and Moscow were closer than ever before to a peace settlement. Howeve
PM Modi expressed deep concern over reports of an attack on Vladimir Putin's residence, for which Russia has accused Ukraine
Russia has said it will not pull out of negotiations despite the Ukrainian armed forces' attack on the presidential residence
Security guarantees and economic proposals for Ukraine have seen progress, though the future of eastern Donbas remains unresolved and key territorial issues are still under negotiation
Zelenskyy has told journalists that he plans to discuss the fate of eastern Ukraine's contested Donbas region during the meeting at Trump's Florida residence
Speaking in Halifax, alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Zelenskyy linked the prolonged assault to Russia's intentions, a day before his meeting with US President Donald Trump i
Zelenskyy stressed that strong military and diplomatic positions are essential to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from manipulating and evading a real and just end to the war
Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with missiles and drones early on Saturday morning, killing one and wounding over 20 people, a day before talks between Ukraine and the US, local authorities said. Explosions boomed across the capital for hours as ballistic missiles and drones hit the city. The attack began in the early morning hours on Saturday and was continuing as the day broke. The attack came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to meet with US President Donald Trump on Sunday for further talks in an effort to end the nearly 4-year-old war. Zelenskyy said they plan to discuss issues, including security guarantees and territorial issues, in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Russia targeted Ukraine with almost 500 drones and 40 missiles of various types, Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. The main target was energy and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, he said. In some districts of the region, there is no electricity or heating because of the attacks, he ...
A security guarantee agreement between Ukraine and the US is "almost ready" and the 20-point plan draft was 90% complete, Zelenskyy told reporters in a WhatsApp chat
Several key issues remain unresolved in ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and the United States over a potential framework to end Russia's war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week. Speaking about a 20-point plan under discussion, Zelenskyy outlined the most difficult points, noting that Ukraine has already conveyed its position to Washington, which is expected to communicate it to Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the Kremlin had already been in contact with US representatives since Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev recently met with US envoys in Florida. However, he did not reveal any details, saying only: It was agreed upon to continue the dialogue. The unresolved issues include: Security guarantees ----------------------- Zelenskyy said talks continue over the nature and scope of security guarantees that would be provided to Ukraine under any agreement. He said several technical issues remain, including how ..
In essence, Putin wants the whole of Donbas but outside that area "a partial exchange of territories from the Russian side is not ruled out," Kolesnikov wrote in the newspaper
A meeting with US President Donald Trump will happen in the near future, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, signalling progress in talks to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. We are not losing a single day. We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level with President Trump in the near future, Zelenskyy wrote on X. A lot can be decided before the New Year, he added. Zelenskyy's announcement came after he said Thursday he had a good conversation with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Zelenskyy said Tuesday he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country's eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Moscow also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces. Though Russian Foreign Ministry spokes
In a video message on X, Zelenskyy stated that the two nations must resolve the "sensitive issues" to reach a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia
The new blueprint includes the security guarantees Kyiv wants to prevent future Russian aggression, as well as plans to rebuild the war-ravaged nation