Ukraine

Russia

Putin tells Trump he is not abandoning targets in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump in a telephone conversation that Moscow will not abandon its goals in Ukraine, the Kremlin reports. However, Russia is still interested in a"negotiated solution".

During a nearly hour-and-a-half-long conversation, Trump raised the issue of ending the war quickly, Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov said. Putin said Russia was prepared to continue negotiating, but that Moscow remained focused on removing what it called the"root causes" of the conflict.

Trump and Putin have spoken on the phone several times before. Earlier this year, Trump tried to convince Russia and Ukraine to end the war, which has been going on for almost 3.5 years. The latest phone call comes shortly after a twelve-day battle between Israel and the United States with Iran over possible Iranian nuclear weapons. Regarding this conflict, Putin pleaded with Trump for a diplomatic solution.

Russia

51 minutes ago

Russia increasingly shuts down mobile internet

Russia is increasingly cutting off mobile internet connections in large parts of the country for security reasons. In June, this happened 654 times, or ten times more often than the previous month, a record, according to the NGO Na Svjazi. The blackouts are taking place all over the country, from Moscow to Siberia.

The Kremlin has increasingly resorted to blackouts since Ukraine successfully launched drone attacks deep into Russia using mobile internet signals. Sometimes the outages can last for days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says this is for security reasons.

Blocking the internet is becoming a common practice for governments in conflicts. For example, the Iranian government shut down internet traffic for twelve days during the Israeli attacks on the country.

Today 16:18

Russian-appointed ex-leader Luhansk killed in explosion

Manolis Pilavov, the Russian-installed former"mayor" of the occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, was killed in an explosion on Thursday, local pro-Russian leaders say. They denounce a"terrorist attack".

The explosion happened in the center of Luhansk, Leonid Paschnik, the Russian-appointed governor of the eponymous Luhansk Oblast, said on Telegram. Pilavov was the so-called mayor of the city in the oblast, which used to belong to the separatist territory in eastern Ukraine, between 2014 and 2023. Russia has claimed the annexation of the oblast since 2022.

Kiev did not officially comment on Pilavov's death. Anonymous sources told Ukrainian media that the Ukrainian security service SBU was behind the explosion.

External contentWhen displaying external content, data is passed on to third parties.

Ukraine

Today 15:43

Ukrainian source: 'Zelensky-Trump phone call in preparation'

A phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his US counterpart Donald Trump is "being prepared" and could take place on Friday, a senior Ukrainian official said on Thursday.

“A conversation is being prepared and we hope it will take place on Friday, but everything depends on the schedules of the two presidents,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

Ukraine

Russia

Today 15:31

Russian President Putin is currently on the phone with his counterpart Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently holding a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump, the Kremlin reports.

The two have spoken by phone before. Earlier this year, Trump tried to persuade Russia and Ukraine to end the war, which has now lasted almost 3.5 years. The contact also comes shortly after a twelve-day battle between Israel and the United States with Iran over possible Iranian nuclear weapons.

Today 14:16

Danish PM: 'If US doesn't give Ukraine what it needs, it will be a big setback for Ukraine, the EU and NATO'

If the United States decides not to give Ukraine what it needs, it would be a major setback for Ukraine, the EU and NATO, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday.

External contentWhen displaying external content, data is passed on to third parties.

Ukraine

Russia

Today 12:53

Ukraine

Today 12:46

Ukraine to partner with US company to produce drones

Ukraine will produce hundreds of thousands of drones this year alone with the American company Swift Beat. The agreement has been signed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.

The drones include interceptors of enemy drones and missiles, quadcopters for reconnaissance and long-range attack drones."There will be much more of this," Zelensky wrote on X during his surprise visit to temporary EU president Denmark.

He calls the drones a crystal-clear priority"to help us achieve our defense goals and protect the lives of Ukrainians." The plan is to significantly ramp up production next year.

Zelensky hopes to conclude more such agreements,"aimed at joint production, joint development and joint defense."

Ukraine

Today 11:50

FT: Zelensky, Trump to call Friday on halting arms shipments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will call his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday to discuss suspending US arms shipments, the Financial Times reports. Insiders tell the newspaper that Zelensky also wants to discuss the possible purchase of Patriot missiles.

The US decided earlier this week to halt deliveries of air defense munitions, promised by former President Joe Biden, because its own stockpiles were running low. Ukraine reacted with surprise to the decision and summoned the US deputy ambassador.

Zelensky spoke to Trump last week at the NATO summit and both spoke of a good conversation. They also talked about the purchase of Patriots then, where those air defense missiles were still donated under Biden. Trump then said he would"look" at whether some could be made available.

Ukraine is heavily dependent on US missiles for air defense.

Today 11:48

Zelensky pays surprise visit to EU president Denmark

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Denmark for a surprise visit. He will visit Danish King Frederik X and meet with European leaders. Denmark has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union since this month.

Zelenski will speak with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. The discussion will probably mainly focus on European support for Ukraine, although Ukrainian ambitions to join the EU are also expected to be discussed.

The EU presidency rotates every six months. Denmark has taken over the role from Poland.

Ukraine

Today 10:49

Rutte supports Ukraine on cutting back on US aid

The United States should be more flexible with its own arms and ammunition supplies so that Ukraine does not run out, says NATO chief Mark Rutte. The US is holding up the delivery of promised, crucial air defense ammunition for fear of running out itself.

Rutte"fully understands" that the US "must always ensure that its own interests are covered," he told Fox News on Thursday."But at the same time, we must allow some flexibility. Ukraine cannot do without the support it receives in the short term for ammunition and air defense systems." Europe is now really taking on an increasing share of the support for Ukraine, Rutte insists."But we cannot do without practical American help."

The NATO Secretary General pointed out that the US would not benefit from Ukraine losing the war."This is also in the American interest. A secure Europe also means a secure US. These are all connected."

Ukraine is enduring increasingly heavy air attacks from Russia on an almost daily basis. The country has recently become less able to fend them off. That could become much more difficult without the important American Patriot air defense missiles it has been counting on.

Rutte, meanwhile, shows little patience with sharp comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the increase in defense budgets agreed upon by NATO countries. According to Lavrov, the new, much higher 'NATO norm' will split the alliance. But"let's not pay too much attention to Mr Lavrov," Rutte responded."He has been Foreign Minister since, I think, the birth of Jesus Christ and has never uttered anything useful since then."

Today 10:07

Ukraine kills second Russian Navy man

Russian Navy General Mikhail Gudkov has been killed in a Ukrainian airstrike, a Russian governor confirmed after reports from Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers.

According to the bloggers, Gudkov was killed in an attack on a command post in Korenevo, in the Russian region of Kursk, about 20 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. Ten others are said to have died in the airstrike.

Gudkov led a brigade fighting the Ukrainians. Kiev has previously accused him of war crimes. He is one of the highest-ranking Russian military officers Ukraine has killed during the more than three-year war.

Russia and Ukraine sent dozens of drones at each other again last night. Moscow said it shot down 69 Ukrainian drones. In the Lipetsk region, 400 kilometers south of Moscow, a woman was killed by debris from such a drone, the regional governor reported.

In the Ukrainian city of Poltava, two people were killed in an attack on a military recruitment center, authorities said. Ten people were injured. Five people, including two children, were also injured in the southern city of Odesa.

External contentWhen displaying external content, data is passed on to third parties.

Today 05:54

'North Korea sends 30,000 additional troops to Russia, tripling troop size'

North Korea plans to send up to 30,000 additional troops to Russia, CNN reports, citing an analysis by Ukrainian intelligence. This would triple the number of North Korean troops fighting for Russia along the front line in Ukraine.

Some 25,000 to 30,000 North Korean troops are expected to be sent to Russia in the coming months. That number is in addition to the 11,000 troops sent in November 2024 to help Russia repel a Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region. Of the 11,000 North Korean troops deployed in November 2024, some 4,000 were killed or wounded, according to Western officials. Despite this, cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has since intensified.

The analysis states that the Russian Defense Ministry can provide “necessary equipment, weapons and ammunition.” The document adds that “there is a high probability” that North Korean troops will be deployed in parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine “to strengthen Russian forces, including during large-scale offensive operations.”