The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
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Russia’s war against Ukraine
People gather at Independence Square in Kyiv to attend the funeral ceremony of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna on Aug. 08, 2025 who reported from occupied territories before her detention and death in Russian custody. (Andre Luis Alves/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Trump, Putin to meet in Alaska on Aug. 15 for peace talks. “The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that “further details will follow.”
Putin proposed halting war in exchange for Ukraine’s eastern regions in meeting with Witkoff, WSJ reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a sweeping proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine during a meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, offering a halt in hostilities in exchange for Ukraine’s eastern regions, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Aug. 8, citing European and Ukrainian officials.
Peace talks will include ‘some swapping of territories,’ Trump says ahead of proposed meeting with Putin. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Aug. 8 that a potential peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv would likely include “some swapping of territories,” as Trump prepares to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.
US, Russia discuss deal to cement Moscow’s hold on occupied Ukrainian territories, Bloomberg reports. The proposed deal is aimed at freezing the conflict and laying the groundwork for a ceasefire and technical negotiations toward a final peace settlement, the news agency reported.
Poland’s Tusk says Russia-Ukraine war could be frozen ‘sooner rather than later.’ “There is hope for this. Today is the deadline for the ultimatum,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a news conference.
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Putin holds calls with key allies Xi, Lukashenko ahead of Trump summit. Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko are among Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest international allies.
Watchdog claims Russian troops enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, military says attack repelled. “They (Russian troops) are now regrouping for further attempts, but remain positioned in Donetsk Oblast,” said Victor Tregubov, spokesperson of the Dnipro group of forces.
Ukrainian drones strike 23,000 targets in July, kill 5,000 Russian troops, military chief says. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said first-person-view (FPV) drones and night bombers were responsible for most of the hits.
Ukraine kills 12 soldiers in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, intelligence source claims. According to the source, two explosions near the unit’s checkpoint killed at least 12 Russian soldiers and injured dozens more. Russian military equipment was also destroyed, they added.
Pentagon can divert some weapons meant for Ukraine to US stockpiles, CNN reports. According to the sources, the memorandum permits the Pentagon to reclaim weapons produced for Ukraine under the U.S. Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and return them to U.S. stockpiles.
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Ukraine war latest: US, Russia discuss deal to cement Moscow’s hold on occupied Ukrainian territories, Bloomberg reports.
The U.S. and Russia are seeking to reach a deal to cement Moscow’s occupation of Ukrainian territories and end the war, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 8, citing undisclosed sources. The news come as U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to meet as soon as next week.
Photo: Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images
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Human cost of Russia’s war
Kyiv holds farewell for journalist tortured, killed in Russian captivity. Journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna’s death has become a stark symbol of Russia’s systemic abuse of Ukrainian civilians and the brutal risks faced by journalists in occupied territories.
3 killed, 19 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russian forces launched 104 Shahed-type attack drones, decoy drones, and eight rocket-powered kamikaze drones overnight.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,061,350 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 1,040 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Why Americans, Europeans choose to fight for Ukraine
International response
EU approves reduced $3.7 billion in Ukraine Facility aid amid reform delays. The EU Council approved a regular tranche payment of 3.2 billion euros ($3.7 billion) under the Ukraine Facility mechanism on Aug. 8, a smaller amount than initially planned due to Kyiv’s failure to complete key reforms.
China vows to continue buying Russian oil amid Trump’s tariff threats. “It is legitimate and lawful for China to conduct normal economic, trade and energy cooperation with all countries around the world, including Russia,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in response to question about Russian oil purchases posed by Bloomberg. “We will continue to adopt reasonable energy security measures in accordance with our national interests.”
In other news
Armenia, Azerbaijan sign peace deal at White House ceremony, plan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize. “For more than 35 years, Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought a bitter conflict that resulted in tremendous suffering for both nations… Many tried to find a resolution… and they were unsuccessful. With this accord, we’ve finally succeeded in making peace,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Russia’s budget deficit hits $61 billion, already surpassing annual target by 30%. The deficit jumped by 1.2 trillion rubles ($15 billion) last month alone, “mainly due to a decline in the average price of oil,” the Russian Finance Ministry said.
Putin presented award to Witkoff meant for CIA official whose son died fighting for Russia, CBS News reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the Order of Lenin award to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to pass along to a senior CIA official whose son died fighting for Russia in Ukraine, CBS News reported on Aug. 8.
Russia reportedly pushes to replace PMC Wagner with state-run Africa Corps in CAR. Russia’s Defense Ministry reportedly demanded cash payments for security services, marking a sharp departure from previous arrangements under Wagner that involved compensation with natural resources.
UEFA pays $13 million in ‘solidarity’ money to Russian football clubs while Ukraine fails to receive funds, Guardian reports. At the same time, five Ukrainian clubs have not received similar payments due to restrictions by a Swiss bank, allegedly because they are located in a “zone of military operations,” the Guardian reported.
Romania reportedly suspects Russian sabotage behind Azeri crude oil contamination. The crude mixed with organic chloride, which was transported through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, could have seriously corroded infrastructure at OMV Petrom’s Petrobrazi refinery, potentially triggering a national fuel crisis, G4Media reported.
Russia reportedly shifts oil exports to China after Trump’s India tariffs. Barrels of Russia’s Urals oil are now being offered at a discount to both state-owned and private Chinese refineries, Bloomberg reported.
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