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

An opposition figure said Belarus is preparing for war but lacks the capacity to act independently, while Ukrainian officials report no immediate danger.

Belarus is actively militarizing, reforming its mobilization system, and psychologically preparing society for war, but an independent attack by its armed forces on Ukraine remains unlikely, Belarusian opposition figure Pavel Latushko said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, Latushko, deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, said recent changes in Belarus’s military and political systems indicate preparations for potential conflict, Ukrinform reported on Friday.

The exchange followed Prince Harry’s visit to Kyiv and remarks urging Washington to honor its diplomatic commitments and push for an end to the war.

US President Donald Trump said Prince Harry was not speaking for the UK when the Duke of Sussex called on Washington to show greater leadership efforts for Ukraine, adding that he [himself] speaks “for the UK more than Prince Harry.”

Trump made the comments on Friday, when asked about Harry’s remarks during an unannounced visit to Kyiv, where the duke urged the US to honor its international commitments to Ukraine, BBC reported.

The alliance said the flow of US‑supplied weapons to Ukraine remains steady under the PURL program, even as US leaders debate future funding.

There is no indication that supplies of US weapons systems to Ukraine under the Priority Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program are being reduced, the head of NATO’s Military Committee said on Thursday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Kyiv Security Forum, Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said the program continues to function as planned and that deliveries are ongoing, Ukrinform reported.

The extension builds on a 10‑day ceasefire agreed earlier this week as Washington presses for de‑escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border.

US President Donald Trump announced the extension of the truce between Israel and Lebanon for an additional three weeks following talks with representatives from both countries, Ukrinform reported.

On Thursday, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said senior Israeli and Lebanese representatives met in the Oval Office alongside Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Issa.

The Duke of Sussex tested drone and robotic systems designed to speed up mine clearance in war-affected areas on Friday during his surprise visit to Ukraine.

Prince Harry of the UK visited Ukraine on Friday, April 24, where he met with deminers from The HALO Trust and tested new technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI) designed to detect and remove explosives.

According to HALO, during a visit near Bucha, Harry flew a drone capable of identifying and mapping explosive devices and operated a robot used to remove them.

Air-launched interceptor drones, upcoming Chornobyl anniversary, divisions in NATO – updates from Ukraine and beyond

Apparently, Uncle Sam wants to suspend Spain from NATO for not helping out in Iran.

A leaked Pentagon email has shown the US eyeing options to reward and punish NATO allies as it remains stuck in the Iran quagmire – which, according to US President Donald Trump, is not actually a quagmire, as he said Washington can just sit it out based on previous conflicts. But quagmire or not, the war is also costing Uncle Sam’s ability to fight China if the need arises over Taiwan, according to unnamed officials.

In this episode of “Off the Record,” host Natalka Cmoc sits down with Ukraine’s most famous chef, Yevhen Klopotenko.

NATO officials have rejected reports of possible suspension as tensions rise over allies’ support for the US’s war in Iran.

NATO said Friday there is no mechanism to suspend or expel member states, following reports that the US considered punitive steps against Spain over its stance on the Iran war.

A NATO official told the BBC that the alliance’s founding treaty “does not foresee any provision” for suspending or removing members.

A day after an informal EU meeting in Cyprus, the Ukrainian head of state is expected to discuss security, energy, and infrastructure with Saudi Arabia, following up on recent security deals.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

In an X update, Zelensky said the two will advance agreements “in the areas of security, energy, and infrastructure.”

The EBRD has provided a loan to Ukraine’s largest agroholding Kernel to build a 106 MW solar plant, which is the bank’s first credit to the firm since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agribusiness groups, has secured a $45 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to construct a solar power plant in southern Ukraine.

The agreement, signed during the Ukraine-EU Business Summit in Brussels, marks the first time the EBRD has provided financing to Kernel since the start of the full-scale war. The project marks a shift toward distributed renewable energy as Ukraine seeks to decentralize its power grid, which remains highly vulnerable to Russian attacks on generation facilities.

Soldiers from multiple branches return home as Kyiv says efforts to free all captives continue.

Ukraine has secured the return of 193 prisoners of war (POWs) in a new exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, April 24.

The released servicemen include members of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the National Police, and the State Special Transport Service.

Organizers have been under mounting pressure as jurors cite human rights concerns and the EU weighs cutting financial support over the Biennale’s decision to allow Russia’s return.

The jury of the Venice Biennale said it will not consider artists from countries whose leaders face charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), an apparent reference to Russia and Israel.

In a statement, the five-member jury said the decision was guided by a commitment “to the defense of human rights,” as it prepares to select winners of the Golden and Silver Lion awards among more than 100 participants, according to Reuters on Thursday, April 23.

Kyiv’s defense minister has hinted at major reforms in service conditions and recruitment in a three-month report card on his time in office, though he remains tight-lipped on details.

Ukraine is preparing to roll out 10 out of 30 planned projects to overhaul the country’s recruitment and service conditions, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Friday, April 24.

In a statement on Telegram marking his first three months in office, Fedorov listed 30 achievements since taking up the post, including an initiative for a “comprehensive transformation” of recruitment and service conditions through 30 projects, 10 of which he said are close to launch.

Finland has proposed lifting its ban on nuclear weapons to strengthen defense and better align with NATO’s deterrence strategy.

Finland has proposed sweeping legal changes that would allow the import, transportation, and storage of nuclear weapons, marking a significant shift in its defense policy following NATO membership.

The proposal, submitted by the government to parliament, includes amendments to the country’s Atomic Energy Act and criminal code, according to Finland’s defense ministry. The changes would remove longstanding legal restrictions on handling nuclear weapons within Finnish territory.

Atlant Aero is a critical hub in Russia’s drone program, handling the full cycle of design, production, and testing for the “Molniya” drone, as well as components for the “Orion” drone.

Ukraine has confirmed that Neptune cruise missiles were used to strike a key Russian drone production facility in Taganrog on April 19, destroying and damaging multiple buildings at the site.

In an updated assessment released on Friday, Ukraine’s General Staff said two production buildings at the Atlant Aero plant were destroyed and four more were damaged in the strike.

Internal discussions reflect growing White House frustration with allies’ limited support during Trump’s war on Iran.

The Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is considering options to punish NATO allies it believes failed to support US operations during the war with Iran, including the possibility of suspending Spain from the alliance, a US official told Reuters.

According to the report published Friday, April 24, an internal Pentagon email outlined a range of potential measures targeting countries that declined to provide access, basing, and overflight rights (ABO) for US military operations.

Unnamed US officials have warned that stockpile shortages could limit the US’s ability to respond to a potential conflict with China in the near term.

Washington’s heavy use of advanced weapons in the war with Iran has raised concerns among some US officials over its readiness to defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict with China.

According to unnamed officials cited by a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report on Thursday, Washington has used large quantities of key munitions since the conflict began in late February, including more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles and up to 2,000 air defense interceptors, such as Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missiles.

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office and former intelligence chief, said Ukraine is monitoring Belarus for threats but does not expect any surprise escalation.

Ukraine is closely monitoring potential threats from Belarus but does not expect any sudden escalation, said Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office.

Budanov, who previously served as Ukraine’s intelligence chief, said on the sidelines of Thursday’s Kyiv Security Forum that Ukraine cannot rule out the possibility of an invasion from Belarus but does not see imminent threats.

The concept is intended as a cheaper alternative to air-to-air missiles, relying instead on smaller, cheaper interceptor drones launched from the air.

Ukraine has begun deploying a modified An-28 aircraft as an airborne platform to launch interceptor drones designed to destroy Russian Shahed-type attack drones, according to newly released footage.

Several P1-SUN interceptor drones, developed by Ukrainian company SkyFall, have been air-launched directly from the aircraft to engage the Russian drones before they reach their destinations.

The FSB security agency said Friday that a “terrorist attack against Roskomnadzor’s leadership, planned to involve a car bombing with an explosive device, was prevented.”

Russia on Friday said it had thwarted an alleged bomb plot against officials from its telecoms regulator as discontent grows in the country over restrictions on online activity and internet access.

Internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has enjoyed growing powers as for months it throttles the country’s two largest messengers -- Telegram and WhatsApp -- in an attempt to push users to use a new state-backed service, called Max.

While firefighters battled the blaze and emergency crews cleared damaged buildings, Putin continued a routine schedule of meetings and public appearances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained silent for a week after Ukrainian drone strikes sparked a massive fire at the Tuapse oil terminal, sending toxic smog hundreds of kilometers along Russia’s Black Sea coast.

The first recent strike on the facility occurred on the night of April 16, when Ukrainian drones hit the oil refinery infrastructure.

Ukrainian combat veterans have begun training German troops, sharing frontline experience in drone warfare and modern combat as Berlin ramps up preparations for a potential conflict with Russia.

The first Ukrainian instructors with frontline combat experience have arrived in Germany to train Bundeswehr units, according to Lt. Gen. Christian Freuding, Inspector of the German Land Forces.

In an interview with the German newspaper Welt, Freuding said the training began before Easter at several Land Forces military schools, aiming to adapt German soldiers to the realities of modern warfare.

The statement comes after widely shared images of emaciated troops from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade sparked a strong public backlash.

Days after images of starving Ukrainian soldiers spread widely online, the Ukrainian military acknowledged serious logistical breakdowns on the Kupyansk front and removed senior commanders following an internal review.

In a statement issued on Friday, the General Staff said that Russian strikes on crossings over the Oskil River have “significantly complicated” the supply of Ukrainian forces operating near the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.

After Ukraine announced that it had repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has lifted its months-long blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv.

After Ukraine announced that it had repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has lifted its months-long blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv. Ousted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán supported the EU decision. Brussels also gave the green light for a new sanctions package against Russia. Commentators examine motives and connections.

Face-saving news

It comes four years into the Russian invasion that has put the plant once again under threat and raised risks of another radioactive catastrophe.

Ukraine on Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant – the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history.

It comes four years into the Russian invasion that has put the plant once again under threat and raised risks of another radioactive catastrophe.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin directly responded to complaints about Russia’s mobile internet outages by justifying the outages as necessary for Russian domestic security and setting conditions to prepare Russians for continued restrictions.
• The Kremlin continues to set conditions for possible future aggression against Baltic states.
• Russian forces struck an apartment building in Dnipro City, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight on April 22 to 23, killing at least three civilians and injuring at least 10.
• The European Council (EC) adopted on April 23 the final piece of legislation underpinning the EU’s 90 billion euro (roughly $105 billion) interest-free loan to Ukraine, which the EC initially approved in December 2025.
• Russian forces advanced in northern Sumy Oblast.
• Russia launched 155 drones against Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces struck Russian oil infrastructure in Nizhny Novgorod and Samara oblasts and an air defense system in Bryansk Oblast.

On his third visit to Ukraine, the Duke of Sussex urged the US and Europe to match Kyiv’s resolve, saying “history will not ask what we said, it will ask what we did.”

Prince Harry made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday, his third trip to Ukraine since the war began, delivering a powerful address in which he issued direct messages to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum, the Duke of Sussex told Putin there was “still a moment, now, to stop this war.”

The EU’s 20th sanctions package targets Russia’s energy revenues, financial sector, shadow fleet and military-industrial supply chains.

Russia has denounced the European Union’s 20th sanctions package, after the bloc adopted new measures targeting Moscow’s energy revenues, financial sector, shadow fleet and military-industrial supply chains.

The package was formally approved on Thursday after Slovakia and Hungary dropped their objections following the resumption of oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline. 

The display in Washington, DC, was meant to represent Ukrainian children that have been forcibly taken to Russia since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

A display of 20,000 teddy bears appeared on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on Thursday to represent Ukrainian children who have been forcibly taken to Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, AFP reported.

The demonstration, organized by Razom for Ukraine and the American Coalition for Ukraine, was held near the US Capitol under the message: “Bring Them Home.”

Zelensky said the US had not stopped intelligence sharing or anti-ballistic missile deliveries to Ukraine, but warned supplies remain limited and could face greater risk if the Iran crisis continues.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said US weapons and intelligence keep flowing to Ukraine but cautioned the supplies are “not too much.”

Speaking in an interview with Amanpour and Company released Wednesday, Zelensky said the US had continued intelligence sharing and deliveries of anti-ballistic missiles, but warned that supplies remain limited and at risk if the Iran crisis continues when asked how the Middle East conflict had affected Ukraine.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said multiple strikes hit civilian areas, igniting fires, collapsing apartments, and forcing mass evacuations across the city.

A Russian overnight drone and missile attack on Odesa killed two people and injured at least 15, Ukrainian authorities said Friday, as emergency crews continued clearing rubble from destroyed residential buildings and assessing widespread damage.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) said multiple strikes hit civilian areas, igniting fires, collapsing apartments, and forcing mass evacuations across the city.