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Russia’s war against Ukraine
A firefighter walks away from an infrastructure facility struck by a Russian drone in Kaniv, Cherkasy Oblast on July 17, 2025. One person was injured in the attack. (Ukraine’s State Emergency Service Cherkasy/Telegram)
Zelensky, Trump discuss ‘win-win’ drones-for-weapons ‘mega deal.’ “The people of America need this technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s parliament approves new prime minister, government in major reshuffle. Svyrydenko, a 39-year-old economist who previously served as the first deputy prime minister and economy minister, was tapped by President Volodymyr Zelensky to replace Denys Shmyhal after his five years in office.
Ukraine invites foreign defense companies to test weapons on the battlefield. The “Test in Ukraine” initiative will allow foreign companies and governments to create solutions for real war challenges while receiving immediate feedback from military personnel and improving products based on combat experience.
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Germany to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles ‘very soon,’ Merz says. Germany will provide Ukraine with new long-range missiles “very shortly, very soon,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, without mentioning the name of the weapons being supplied.
Germany denies knowledge of Patriot missiles en route Ukraine, contradicting Trump’s claim. “I cannot confirm that anything is currently on the way. That is not known to me,” a spokesperson for the German Defense Ministry said, according to Swiss public broadcaster SRF.
US delays Patriot deliveries to Switzerland, prioritizes Ukraine. “The U.S. wants to strengthen its support to Ukraine… The U.S. has therefore decided to reprioritize the delivery of Patriot ground-based air defense systems,” the Swiss Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Washington ‘moving with haste’ to arm Ukraine under Trump plan, US envoy says. As part of the plan, the U.S. was weighing the sale of Patriot air defense systems from its own military stockpiles, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine war latest: Zelensky, Trump discuss ‘win-win’ drones-for-weapons ‘mega deal’
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump are exploring a potential agreement involving the purchase of American weapons in exchange for the sale of Ukrainian drones, Zelensky told the New York Post in an interview published on July 17.
Photo: Tierney L. / Getty Images
As Russia closes in on Pokrovsk, battle for key city enters its final act
After holding firm against enemy attacks for the better part of the year, one of Ukraine’s great “fortress cities” is at risk of being cut off by recent Russian advances.
Photo: Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent
Inside Ukraine’s recent government reshuffle, where old ministers take new roles
Ukraine’s government reshuffle reinforces presidential authority, bringing little actual change.
Photo: Andrii Nesterenko / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Who’s who in Ukraine’s government after its first full wartime reshuffle
The change comes at a critical moment for Kyiv, as it continues to wrestle with Russian aggression while trying to navigate its transforming — and at times tumultuous — relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Photo: Yuliia Svyrydenko/X
Human cost of Russia’s war
Ukraine repatriates 1,000 bodies under Istanbul agreement with Russia. The news was also announced by Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation in Istanbul, who further claimed that Ukraine handed over 19 bodies of Russian soldiers as part of the exchange.
Leaked documents claim Russia’s 41st Army suffered ‘catastrophic’ losses fighting in Ukraine. As of June 1, 2025, at least 8,625 troops had been killed in combat, 10,491 were listed as missing in action, and another 7,846 had deserted, the documents claim.
Cadet opens fire during training in northern Ukraine, killing two. The shooting occurred at a training ground operated by the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The motive for the attack remains unknown, and the cadet was detained under Ukraine’s Criminal Procedure Code, police said in a statement.
Opinions and insights
Explainer: What Russia could achieve in Ukraine by Trump’s 50-day deadline
U.S. President Donald Trump gave a 50-day ultimatum to Russia to end the war in Ukraine, promising to impose harsh sanctions otherwise. Experts who spoke with the Kyiv Independent, however, say that Russia can take advantage of the once again extended deadline and scale up its summer offensive.
Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty Images
‘I’d talk to the Devil himself’ — Belarus’ opposition torn on whether to reengage with dictator Lukashenko to save political prisoners
The Kyiv Independent spoke to both the supporters and those against reengaging with the Belarusian tyrant to show you what may await us next.
Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
How Russia modified Iran’s Shahed-136 drones — and what it means for Ukraine
Throughout the war, Russia steadily expanded the reach and intensity of its strikes on Ukrainian cities, drawing on drone technology primarily supplied by its ally Iran.
Photo: Ivan Samoilov / AFP via Getty Images
International response
Ukraine appoints new special envoy to US. Olha Stefanishyna, a seasoned diplomat and expert in European and Euro-Atlantic integration, has held top government roles since 2020.
Kellogg ‘in the ascendancy lately’ as Trump shifts toward tougher Russia stance, Telegraph reports. Keith Kellogg has “been in the ascendancy lately” and is helping drive a shift in Trump’s approach, alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Telegraph reported, citing sources.
UK and Germany sign historic mutual defense pact amid Russian aggression. The agreement, described by Bloomberg as part of a broader reset in ties, reflects growing concerns across Europe over Russian military aggression and doubts about U.S. commitment to NATO under President Donald Trump.
US unveils ‘reliable and cost-effective’ drone to rival Iranian-designed Shaheds. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reviewed the drone, known as the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), during a July 16 demonstration at the Pentagon.
US general says NATO could seize Russia’s Kaliningrad with ‘unheard of’ speed. Allied capabilities now allow NATO to “take that (Kaliningrad) down from the ground” faster than ever before, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander General Chris Donahue said.
Moldova to join NATO-backed drills in Georgia amid Russian threats. Held under NATO auspices, the exercises aim to boost combat readiness and interoperability among allied and partner nations.
In other news
Ukraine’s Antonov confirms its plane left Kyiv despite closed skies amid Russian invasion. A modernized Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft was relocated from Ukraine to Germany last week in a rare wartime flight, the Antonov company confirmed.
Russia’s ‘systematically important’ banks discussing bailout within next year, Bloomberg reports. Behind closed doors, some of Russia’s biggest banks worry that far more of their loans could go sour than official figures indicate, Bloomberg reported.
Ex-defense minister may head Ukraine’s National Security Council, media reports. Despite signals that Rustem Umerov may be nominated as the new ambassador in Washington, his candidacy for that role is no longer on the table, as former Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna was appointed Ukraine’s special envoy to the U.S.
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