The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky meets U.S. President Donald Trump shortly before the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Andriy Yermak/Telegram)
Zelensky meets Trump for ‘productive’ meeting at Pope Francis’s funeral, White House says. “Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered,” Zelensky said after the meeting.
‘He’s just tapping me along’ — Trump admits Putin may not be interested in ending war on Ukraine. Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns signal that the Russian leader may not be interested in ending the war, U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 26, again threatening sanctions.
Kyiv denies Russia’s claim of Kursk Oblast recapture, as Moscow confirms North Korea role. Russian forces have fully retaken the territory of Kursk Oblast, the Russian border region partially held by Ukraine since last August, the Kremlin claims.
Putin ready for talks with Ukraine ‘without preconditions,’ Kremlin says. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed for the U.S. his readiness to launch negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 26, state news agency TASS reported.
US rejects Russian demand for Ukraine’s full withdrawal from partially occupied oblasts, NYT reports. The United States considers the demand an “unreasonable and unachievable” condition, a source told the New York Times.
Trump adamant about Russia keeping Ukraine’s land but flexible on formal Crimea recognition, Times reports. Trump believes the Ukrainian leader “really has no choice” but to agree to the terms, according to a source close to U.S Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
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Suspect detained in Moscow car bombing, Russian FSB claims. Ignat Kuzin was detained for allegedly planting a bomb that killed a senior Russian general, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on April 26, alleging that Kuzin is a Ukrainian agent.
Russian EW systems designer reportedly killed in car bombing in Bryansk. Yevgeny Rytikov was killed when he and his colleague entered a car in the Russian city of Bryansk, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Russia-Ukraine border, RBC-Ukraine wrote, citing undisclosed Ukrainian Defense Forces sources.
Zelensky meets France’s Macron, UK’s Starmer, Italy’s Meloni on sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral. The diplomatic meetings come after Zelensky met privately with Trump at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Russia lost over 62,400 soldiers in Kursk operation, Ukraine says. The Russian military had lost 62,400 soldiers in Kursk Oblast since the start of the Ukrainian army’s military operation there last year, Ukraine’s General Staff said on April 26.
Russia training to integrate motorcycles into summer offensive in Ukraine, ISW says. Training footage indicates that Russia may be developing “a tactical doctrine for systematic offensive motorcycle usage,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on April 26.
CIA confirms deputy director’s son killed while fighting in Ukraine. The son of a deputy head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was killed “while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine” in 2024, a CIA spokesperson said on April 25, according to NBC News.
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Russia attacked Chornobyl Nuclear Plant in February, damaging confinement. Can it be fully restored?
“We are at war. Any facility can be attacked, but it was the pinnacle of cynicism and irresponsibility on the part of the Russians,” Svitlana Hrynchuk, Ukraine’s environmental protection and natural resources minister, told the Kyiv Independent.
Photo: Dimitar Diloff/AFP via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
3 killed, 25 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day. Russian attacks against Ukraine killed at least three people and injured at least 22, including a child, over the past day, regional authorities reported on April 26.
Russia continues deadly strikes on Ukraine, attack on Pavlohrad kills 3, injures at least 15, including children. A five-story building in Pavlohrad came under attack and several fires were reported in the city.
General Staff: Russia has lost 947,610 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 1,110 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
International response
US signals support for Europe’s peacekeeping coalition in Ukraine, Telegraph reports. While Trump has refused to commit American troops, U.S. officials have reportedly opened the door to providing intelligence-sharing and logistical aid to the so-called “coalition of the willing.”
Trump won’t abandon Ukraine peace process, Estonian president says. In a conversation following Pope Francis’s funeral, Trump promised to “do everything” to maintain peace negotiations, Estonian President Alar Karis said.
Russian military helicopter violates Polish airspace to probe air defenses, Poland says. The helicopter was tracked by Polish military radar systems and civilian systems of the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency over Poland’s territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.
Interpol investigates Russian company for human trafficking over African workers in Tatarstan drone factory. Since launching in 2022, Alabuga Start has recruited around 350 women from over 40 countries to work in Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan and aims to bring 8,500 more this year, according to Bloomberg.
McDonald’s applies to register trademark in Russia. The company does not plan to re-enter the Russian market, but wants to “prevent third-party businesses” from taking advantage of the brand, McDonald’s said in a statement.
Republican senator calls for secondary tariffs on Russian energy buyers. “As to additional sanctions on Putin’s Russia, I have bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other products,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said on April 26.
In other news
Secret Russian satellite linked to nuclear weapon program seems to malfunction, Reuters reports. A Russian space satellite that U.S. officials tie to its nuclear anti-satellite weapon program seems to be spinning uncontrollably and may no longer be functioning, Reuters reported on April 25, citing U.S. experts.
Ukraine detains Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ship smuggling stolen grain from Crimea, SBU says. Investigators said the vessel had loaded around 5,000 tons of stolen Ukrainian wheat from the Russian-occupied port city of Sevastopol in late 2024 and attempted to disguise its operations by sailing under the flag of an Asian country.
Ukrainian high jumper Mahuchikh wins first stage of Diamond League in China. Mahuchikh won the most prestigious commercial athletics competition with a jump of 1.97 meters, beating her main rivals – Australians Nicola Olislagers and Eleanor Patterson, who won silver and bronze at the 2024 Olympics.
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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Natalia Yermak, Anna Fratsyvir, Volodymyr Ivanyshyn, and Abbey Fenbert.
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