Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Zelensky says over 1,000 seriously ill Ukrainian POWs were returned on Wednesday under Istanbul-negotiated deals, with more exchanges expected as a result of the talks, which resumed on the same day.

Another group of Ukrainian soldiers held in Russian captivity was returned Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a Telegram post.

Zelensky said it was the ninth stage of an exchange negotiated in Istanbul, where peace talks also resumed on Wednesday.

For the second day in a row, Ukrainians have defied a wartime ban on demonstrations to protest against the government’s decision to pass a controversial bill that guts the anti-graft agencies.

Ukraine and Russia have finished the much-awaited third round of direct talks in Istanbul – focusing on POWs, abducted children, and ceasefire demands. But the meeting lasted less than an hour.

More POWs were exchanged after the third round of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia concluded in Istanbul on Tuesday, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The negotiations were completed in just 40 minutes during the evening, according to Russian state media. No further talks are expected during this gathering. 

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) warned that Moscow could exploit the ongoing protests over Kyiv’s controversial new law to discredit Ukraine and undermine foreign aid.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has warned that Russia may seek to destabilize the country by exploiting the ongoing public protests sparked by Kyiv’s passage of a controversial bill.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill 12414 on Tuesday, which effectively stripped the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) of their independence, after the bill was passed in lightning speed earlier the same day. 

A quarter of total federal budget proceeds key to finance Russia’s war in Ukraine may lose revenues due to lower market prices, but may be offset by higher tax incomes.

Reuters forecasts Russian state oil and gas revenues to fall by around 37% in July this year compared to July last year, the news agency reported. 

In real money, Russia’s oil and gas revenues may fall to 680 billion roubles ($8.66 billion) because of cheaper oil prices and stronger local currency, Reuters estimated. 

The Ukrainian president said hours ahead of the talks that a ceasefire will be part of Kyiv’s demands in Wednesday’s talks with Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will push for a “complete ceasefire” during Wednesday’s direct talks with Moscow in Istanbul.

Zelensky had previously omitted the item in his announcements regarding the talks.

Ukraine’s drone revolution is reshaping modern warfare. Chuck Pfarrer on FPV strikes, sea drones, and Kyiv’s plan to produce 4M drones by 2025.

War is no excuse for democratic backsliding

President Volodymyr Zelensky has now signed into law the controversial bill stripping Ukraine’s top anti-corruption bodies of their independence — a move widely condemned as self-sabotage. The legislation, which places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under effective presidential control, has triggered alarm in Brussels and beyond.

It’s the clearest sign yet of a government increasingly bent on consolidating power — even if it means undermining transparency, reform, and public trust. In a single stroke, Ukraine risks jeopardizing billions in military and economic aid, and imperiling its hard-won path to European Union membership.

As Zelensky seeks a compromise, opponents of Bill No. 12414 are pursuing legal repeal through parliament and a constitutional challenge to block the law.

A law rushed through Ukraine’s parliament is now at the center of a growing political storm. While thousands of people have been protesting the law on the streets of Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa, opposition leaders are pushing for its repeal, and legal experts are warning it effectively dismantles hard-won anti-corruption safeguards.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the controversial Bill No. 12414 into law on Tuesday night, July 23, effectively gutting the country’s top anti-corruption agencies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) of their power to investigate corruption crimes independently.

Moscow once again calls for a return to a memorandum towards a ceasefire in Istanbul, while Kyiv omits it altogether from its priority list after Moscow listed its war goals as peace terms.

The Kremlin has described Wednesday’s Istanbul talks as “difficult” before the talks commence, leaving little faith in any breakthroughs in the third meeting of its kind this year.

Kyiv and Moscow have also listed drastically different priorities for the talks, with the return of prisoners of war (POWs) being the only mutual ground.

Signed by Zelensky on Tuesday, the legislation removes the independent status of NABU and SAPO, giving the Prosecutor General powers to oversee investigations and access case files.

Germany has voiced concern over a new law in Ukraine that puts two of the country’s main anti-corruption agencies under the authority of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed and dismissed by the president, warning the move could hurt Ukraine’s chances of joining the European Union.

“This decision makes Ukraine’s EU path more difficult,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday in a post on X. He urged Kyiv to stay committed to fighting corruption, calling it essential for Ukraine’s future in Europe.

Bucharest said NATO F-16s and Typhoons launched after four Ukrainian “air targets…unintentionally entered” Romanian airspace. The Ukrainians were not fired upon, in accordance with international law.

Four Ukrainian military aircraft, at least one probably a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 fighter aircraft, unintentionally crossed NATO’s eastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and flew over Romania near dawn on Monday, official statements and local news reports said.

The incident took place during a mass Kremlin drone and missile attack against targets across Ukraine, with about one-third of Russian strike weapons targeting the west Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, near Ukraine’s border with Romania.

The Washington Post published an interview with Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief on Wednesday in the week he reached 60 – the normal age of retirement for Kyiv’s military.

Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, gave his take on the situation of the war in Ukraine in a wide-ranging interview with the Washington Post (WP) at the end of the week in which he turned 60, the usual military retirement age.

Asked about retirement he laughed off the suggestion telling the interviewers, Siobhán O’Grady and Serhii Korolchuk, that he could still do 100 push-ups without pause – despite reports that he rarely seems to sleep.

Donald Trump last week announced a deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte for European alliance members to buy US weaponry – particularly Patriot systems – for Kyiv to help it in its war against Russia.

Germany needs firm US assurances that it will quickly receive replacement Patriot anti-missile systems if it sends two of its own units to Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Wednesday.

In comments to Der Spiegel news magazine, Pistorius said European NATO members needed “watertight” guarantees that any American-made Patriot air-defence systems sent to Ukraine would be replaced within about six to eight months.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine Expresses its Concern

From the Editors: Kyiv Post is sharing the statement, dated July 21, by the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine on the recent adoption of the Draft Law #12414 that threatens the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure.

Rule of Law Is a Strategic Priority for Ukraine’s Economic Revival

Though the Hr. 47 billion handed to it may be a modest sum in terms of Ukraine’s state-owned energy giant’s business, it is the largest loan made by Privatbank since 2018.

In preparation for the upcoming heating season, Ukraine’s state-owned energy giant Naftogaz borrowed Hr.4.7 billion ($113 million) from PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest state-owned bank

In 2025, Russia repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s gas production, posing a serious likelihood that Ukraine might not have enough gas for the coming winter. In response Naftogaz instituted a range of measures to secure gas supplies to service the heating season. 

In an exclusive interview with Kyiv Post, HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov discussed Trump’s evolving stance, Kellogg’s key role, and Ukraine’s strategic ties with the US.

In an exclusive interview with Kyiv Post Chief Editor Bohdan Nahaylo and journalist Kateryna Zakharchenko, the Head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) Kyrylo Budanov discussed US President Donald Trump’s changing stance on Ukraine, identified key pro-Ukrainian voices within his team, and emphasized the strategic role of US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, who, according to Budanov, has been advocating for increased military support, stricter sanctions enforcement, and a “Marshall Plan” for Ukraine’s post-war recovery.

In your opinion, Sir, Lt. Gen. Budanov,  has Donald Trump’s position on Ukraine really changed? Will it now become more pro-Ukrainian?

Who profits from this at the expense of Ukraine and Zelensky’s reputations?

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has presented Ukraine’s European financial backers with a huge dilemma with his move against NABU and SAPO [independent anti-corruption agencies] which has spurred big demonstrations in Kyiv and other cities.

This is obviously, and clearly, another setback in the fight against corruption.

Tusk proposed merging ministries into two “mega-ministries” – Energy and Finance & Economy – to streamline government and show it remains effective despite internal discord and declining approval.

Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, on Wednesday announced a long-delayed government reshuffle, unveiling a leaner, restructured cabinet designed to restore authority and stability after weeks of turmoil inside the ruling coalition.

At a press conference in Warsaw just after 10am local time, Tusk set out a plan to slim down the number of ministerial portfolios, create two “mega-ministries” — the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance and Economy — and send a message that his government is still capable of governing effectively despite internal discord and falling approval ratings.

Trump Administration Kicks Off FY25 Ukraine Aid with Bradley Refurbishment Funds

WASHINGTON, DC – The Trump administration has reportedly allocated its first security assistance for fiscal year 2025 to Ukraine, committing $9 million from the Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to BAE Systems for the refurbishment of Bradley fighting vehicles.

This marks the initial new military aid commitment to Kyiv since President Donald Trump began his second term, hinting at an evolving strategy for US support.

The remarks came just hours after Zelensky signed a controversial law that puts the country’s top anti-corruption agencies under the control of the Prosecutor General.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions must be free of Russian influence, following the signing of a controversial law that puts the country’s top anti-corruption agencies under the control of the Prosecutor General.

“The anti-corruption infrastructure will work, but without Russian influence – everything needs to be cleaned up. And there should be more justice,” Zelensky said in a video address released overnight.

Kyiv Post Senior Military Correspondent discusses what tactics Ukraine should use to fend off Russian terror strikes against civilians while also holding the line at the front in the TVP World studio.

Ukrainian, Georgian Activists decried Russian cultural propaganda as Anna Netrebko, a longstanding supporter of Putin, was due to perform in the German capital.

A peaceful but powerful protest took place in the heart of Berlin on the evening Sunday, July 20, as Ukrainian and Georgian activists rallied against the performance of Russian soprano Anna Netrebko at the “Classic Open Air” music festival. The demonstration unfolded in front of the historic Gendarmenmarkt, where Netrebko – a globally recognized opera star with documented ties to the Kremlin – was set to perform.

EU bosses Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will be in Beijing on Thursday for talks with top Chinese leaders over tense topics like trade and the war in Ukraine.

China’s commerce minister lodged “solemn representations” to his EU counterpart over two Chinese banks’ inclusion in the bloc’s sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, Beijing said Wednesday.

EU bosses Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will be in Beijing on Thursday for talks with top Chinese leaders over tense topics like trade and the war in Ukraine but in which few concrete outcomes are expected.

The meeting, brokered by Turkey, comes as the war is midway through its fourth year and follows two earlier rounds in May and June that produced limited agreements, including several prisoner swaps.

Ukrainian and Russian delegations will meet Wednesday, July 23, in Istanbul for a third round of peace talks, with both sides hoping to advance on humanitarian issues — but sharp divisions over the terms of a broader ceasefire continue to cloud any prospect of real progress.

The meeting, brokered by Turkey, comes as the war is midway through its fourth year and follows two earlier rounds in May and June that produced limited agreements, including several prisoner swaps.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups reportedly recently advanced into southern Pokrovsk as Russian forces continue to pursue their operational objective of enveloping the town.
• Ukrainian and Russian delegations will meet on July 23 in Istanbul for the third round of bilateral negotiations, but Kremlin officials are already dismissing and undermining the upcoming talks.
• Russia’s reported long-term rearmament plans further indicate that the Kremlin is preparing for a potential future conflict with NATO.
• Russian authorities recently detained Bryansk Oblast Vice Governor Nikolai Simonenko and former Belgorod Oblast Vice Governor Rustem Zainullin, likely as part of the Kremlin’s continued efforts to scapegoat local officials for larger Russian border security failures following Ukraine’s August 2024 Kursk Oblast incursion.
• Russian authorities targeted a Telegram channel that revealed Russia’s role in the late December 2024 downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane as part of a wider campaign to censor Telegram channels that are critical of the Kremlin.
• Russian forces recently executed a civilian in the Lyman direction.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy and Zaporizhia oblasts and near Lyman, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk.

Senator Peter Welch: “Vladimir Putin is recklessly threatening to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. That’s the equivalent of a Hiroshima bomb.”

WASHINGTON DC – US Senator Peter Welch on Tuesday warned of an escalating risk of nuclear war, calling for urgent international action to revitalize arms control efforts amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The Vermont Democrat directly linked current global instability to the proliferation of nuclear arsenals and the erosion of existing treaties.

State Department says US will deploy “many tools’“on nations aiding Russia, urges countries to “be careful when it comes to whom they trade with and whom they supply”.

WASHINGTON DC - The United States is intensifying its efforts to curb the flow of “dual-use” materials from China to Russia, a critical lifeline for Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday that Washington will deploy “many tools” to address nations supplying Russia with materials for the war.

While EU enlargement commissioner was “seriously concerned” about Ukrainian parliament’s vote to stop NABU’s autonomy, an EC spokesperson said it was “not an issue at this point,” regarding funding.

On Tuesday, the EU’s enlargement commissioner expressed her dismay at a vote by Ukrainian parliamentarians in the Verkhovna Rada to remove the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

“Seriously concerned over today’s vote in the Rada, Marat Kos wrote on social media. “The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence is a serious step back.”

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce reiterated to Kyiv Post that Trump is “not happy with what’s happening and the choices that Russia is indulging in.”

WASHINGTON DC – The United States has expressed its backing for a planned third round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, set to take place in Istanbul today. 

These talks, if held, would mark the first direct discussions between the two nations in approximately seven weeks and aim to address issues related to peace and prisoner exchanges.