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Stay informed with the most important Ukraine breaking news today. This page compiles the top headlines and critical updates from across Ukraine, offering a real-time snapshot of key developments.
Whether it’s military updates, political changes, or international reactions — we bring you the latest Ukraine news as it happens. All reports are carefully curated from verified sources and KyivPost correspondents on the ground.
Interest in Ukrainian weapons and battlefield‑tested technology has grown among partner nations, as Kyiv develops a framework to export surplus arms while prioritizing its own military needs.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine has finalized all state-level decisions needed to begin exporting domestically produced weapons, marking a significant shift in the country’s defense-industrial policy amid the ongoing war with Russia.
On Tuesday, in a statement posted on Facebook following an expanded meeting on arms exports, Zelensky said Ukrainian weapons and security expertise tested in modern warfare have drawn interest from partner countries, and that export mechanisms have now been approved at the level of state institutions, Ukrinform reported.
Officials said the exchange involved multiple countries and included the release of a prominent Russian archaeologist.
Belarus has released five prisoners in a US-brokered deal involving Russia, in a rare moment of diplomatic cooperation as Western efforts stall to end the war in Ukraine, officials said on Tuesday.
In return, Moscow and Minsk secured the return of several people held in European countries, including the release of a prominent Russian archaeologist held in Poland, according to AFP.
Rebels captured Kidal after clashes that forced Russian‑backed forces to pull back.
The Kremlin called for a swift return to peace and stability in Mali after rebel forces seized the northern town of Kidal and appeared to be regrouping for further attacks.
On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow considers it important that Mali “return to a peaceful, stable course as soon as possible,” following a sharp deterioration in the security situation involving armed groups opposed to the country’s military junta.
Ukrainian intelligence said internal Russian military documents show commanders cannot meet Kremlin objectives even as Moscow prepares new offensives.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence has obtained internal Russian military documents showing that Russia’s General Staff acknowledges its inability to meet objectives set by the Kremlin, as Ukraine continues to degrade Russia’s offensive capacity.
On Tuesday, in a statement posted on Facebook, following a briefing by Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Zelensky said Ukraine’s Defense Forces are inflicting irrecoverable losses on Russian troops approaching 60% of total losses, undermining Moscow’s ability to sustain offensive operations.
Silver linings in Iran talks, Hormuz developments, Ukrainian-Israeli diplomatic spat, and Ukraine’s accusation against Steven Seagal – updates from Ukraine and beyond
The oil market might never be the same.
Just as reports suggest talks between Iran and the US might be progressing, with a potential reset to pre-war conditions, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced its decision to pull out of OPEC and OPEC+. The decision coincided with the first liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker, belonging to an Emirati firm, passing through the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began, potentially upending a long-established industry dynamic.
Russia plans to recruit 18,500 foreigners in 2026, using quotas, pressure, and legal vulnerability to fuel its war effort, according to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR).
Russia plans to recruit about 18,500 foreign nationals into its army in 2026, according to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR).
According to HUR’s “I Want to Live” surrender hotline project, the Kremlin is intensifying efforts to enlist foreigners – including migrants – into the Russian military, adding that Russian authorities have conducted checks across all federal districts to identify foreign men aged 18 to 60.
Ukrainian Special Operations Forces said they struck a concealed Iskander missile storage site in occupied Crimea, targeting launch capabilities used against Ukrainian cities.
(Julia Z)
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) said on Tuesday, April 28, that its drone units struck a Russian Iskander missile base in occupied Crimea overnight.
As a wave of shootings renews questions over gun access in Ukraine, here is a step-by-step explainer on who can legally buy firearms – and how easy or difficult the process is in 2026.
How difficult is it to get a gun in Ukraine?
A recent wave of shootings across Ukraine has renewed debates on how strictly firearms are regulated and who can legally obtain them. Even during martial law, access to weapons remains tightly controlled and tied to specific legal categories and vetting procedures – yet gun violence has persisted.
The LNG market, in which Qatar is one of the main players, is among the hardest hit by the traffic restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
A ship fully loaded with liquefied natural gas (LNG) has passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the Middle East war virtually closed the route in early March, marine tracking firm Kpler said Monday.
The LNG carrier Mubaraz, operated by the Emirati national oil company Adnoc, left the Gulf sometime in April with 132,890 cubic meters of LNG on board, having loaded at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates on March 2, according to Kpler data analyzed by AFP.
Ukraine’s defense ministry said isolated cases of insufficient food supply to frontline units are under review, with inspections ordered and accountability promised.
The Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday, April 28, that cases of insufficient food supply to certain frontline units must not become systemic, adding it is working with the General Staff to address the issue.
The statement followed reported shortages affecting units, including the 30th Mechanized Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, and 108th Territorial Defense Brigade.
Zelensky warns of new sanctions after another ship carrying allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain reaches Israel, urging action against buyers and transporters in the scheme.
Ukraine, amid the arrival of a second ship carrying grain allegedly stolen by Russia to Israel, has begun preparing a new package of sanctions against companies involved in the scheme, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In a Telegram post, he wrote:
Stefan Korshak, Kyiv Post’s military correspondent, shares his perspective on recent developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
This was a busy week with several pretty impressive news items that in normal times would be a week’s worth of leading news all on their own.
From the POV of images, it was the huge fire the Ukrainian drones set at the refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar region, but from the POV of Hollywood suitability, it probably was the Ukrainian drone strike operation that appears to have assassinated two or three dozen FSB (Russian security service) agents. Not making that up. There was also a juicy Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) command failure scandal, a couple of new tech jumps that went public, a proper Taranto-type naval strike, and talking heads holding forth about The Future.
During a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, Tehran’s deputy defense minister said his country is willing to share the lessons learned in countering US weaponry.
Iran declared it is “ready to share the experiences of America’s defeat” with its allies on Tuesday, April 28. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik said Tehran is willing to pass those lessons to “independent countries,” particularly fellow SCO members, according to Reuters.
The remarks coincided with a visit to Moscow by Iran’s foreign minister, amid Russia’s pledge of full support for Tehran.
The United Arab Emirates is set to leave the OPEC and OPEC+ groupings on May 1, state media reported Tuesday, framing the move as a strategic shift by the leading oil producer.
The United Arab Emirates will withdraw from the OPEC and OPEC+ oil cartels to focus on “national interests”, a statement said on Tuesday, a bombshell announcement as energy prices soar over the Middle East war.
The UAE, one of the world’s top oil producers, which has previously baulked at OPEC production quotas, will pull out on Friday, a statement carried by the official WAM news agency said.
Ukrainian police said it cracked a major arms smuggling network moving arms between Ukraine and Europe, at the same time naming a list of Russian propagandists as recipients of the trophy weapons.
Ukraine’s National Police has named US actor Steven Seagal as a recipient of trophy weapons from eastern Ukraine, alongside a list of Russian propagandists, in a statement announcing a major arms smuggling case on Tuesday, April 28.
Seagal received Russian citizenship in 2016, joined a pro-Kremlin political party in 2021, and visited occupied Ukraine in August 2022.
Journalists in the Kyiv Post newsroom in the city center reported several loud blasts and the distinct sound of air defense systems intercepting drones overhead.
Russian forces launched a daytime drone attack on Ukraine’s capital on Tuesday, with multiple explosions heard across the city as air defenses engaged incoming targets, according to local officials and Kyiv Post reporters on the ground.
Journalists in the Kyiv Post newsroom in the city center reported several loud blasts and the distinct sound of air defense systems intercepting drones overhead.
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for insufficient defense spending and, most recently, for not providing greater support to US military operations against Iran.
NATO is considering ending its recent practice of holding annual summits, as some members seek to reduce tensions and improve decision-making.
Reuters, citing multiple diplomatic sources, said the move could also help avoid a potentially difficult encounter with US President Donald Trump during his final years in office in its report on Tuesday, April 28.
Drone strikes hit Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery, sparking massive fires and evacuations. Ukraine confirms the strike as airports impose temporary flight restrictions.
Large-scale fires broke out in Tuapse, Russia, following a new drone attack on an oil refinery and a marine terminal, prompting local authorities to announce evacuations amid fears of environmental disaster.
The attack prompted temporary restrictions on aircraft movements, introduced at airports in Krasnodar, Gelendzhik, and Sochi.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has summoned Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky and is slated to issue an official protest note.
Another vessel carrying grain linked to Ukraine’s occupied territories has reportedly entered the Israeli port of Haifa, raising renewed concerns over the ongoing trade in what Kyiv considers looted agricultural products.
According to Ukrainian investigative journalist Kateryna Yaresko, the bulk carrier Panormitis (IMO: 9445021) is transporting 6,201.56 tonnes of wheat and 19,043.73 tonnes of barley. While the vessel remained within Russian territorial waters – anchored at the port of Kavkaz – and did not cross Ukraine’s state border, available evidence suggests that at least part of its cargo originated from occupied Ukrainian ports.
Multiple open-source analysts say rebels have taken control of the northern city of Kidal, Mali – home to one of the largest Russian military bases in Africa.
An alliance of Azawad rebels and Islamist fighters from JNIM is intensifying attacks on Mali’s military junta and Russian mercenaries from the so-called “Africa Corps,” steadily gaining ground and capturing equipment.
JNIM stands for Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin – a powerful jihadist coalition operating across West Africa’s Sahel region.
A potential US-Iran agreement may start with restoring pre-war conditions and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with nuclear issues addressed later.
The United States and Iran may begin a potential peace agreement by restoring the pre-war status quo, according to sources familiar with mediation efforts cited by CNN on Monday, April 27.
According to the outlet, despite no second round of talks taking place in Pakistan, behind-the-scenes diplomacy is ongoing and more advanced than publicly perceived, the sources said.
Rare private transit highlights selective movement through key energy corridor amid ongoing tensions.
A luxury superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian billionaire passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite an ongoing blockade, underscoring inconsistencies in maritime restrictions during the Iran conflict.
BBC reported on Tuesday, April 28, that the 142-meter yacht Nord, associated with Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, sailed from Dubai to Muscat, Oman over the weekend.
Both tankers were loaded in March at Russia’s Primorsk port and had already completed almost half of their trip to Brazil before their buyers were changed – something that rarely happens.
Two ships carrying Russian diesel changed their routes while already sailing to Brazil, according to shipping data and traders.
Both tankers were loaded in March at Russia’s Primorsk port and had already completed almost half of their trip to Brazil before their buyers were changed – something that rarely happens once cargo is at sea.
The visit comes amid strained US-UK relations after Trump repeatedly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s refusal to provide military support for Washington’s war with Iran.
To avoid a public confrontation, King Charles III’s main talks with US President Donald Trump will not be broadcast, after the White House agreed to hold the meeting off-camera.
The move comes amid British concerns about a repeat of the televised Oval Office clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia launched over 120 drones across Ukraine overnight, striking homes, infrastructure, and cities from Sumy to Kryvyi Rih, leaving civilians dead and injured.
Russian forces struck several regions of Ukraine – Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv – in a wave of drone and guided bomb attacks.
In the Sumy region, the city of Konotop came under a massive drone strike. Residential buildings, a hospital, administrative facilities, and the tram network were damaged. Tram traffic in the city is currently limited.
How the Soviet Union lied about Its worst nuclear disaster – and how the West helped.
If you missed part 1, you can read it here.
I arrived in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in October 1991 – a 28-year-old graduate student from MIT carrying an Apple Macintosh computer. I soon realized my laptop had more computing power than the few older-model IBM PCs belonging to the entire research team. I had no Western colleagues, no predecessors whose work I could build on. The researchers bombarded me with questions about publishing their findings in the West.
The strike marks the third hit on the Tuapse refinery in less than two weeks – after attacks on April 16 and April 20 that triggered major fires, damaged storage tanks, and forced the plant offline.
Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s key Black Sea oil hub in Tuapse overnight into Tuesday, April 28, igniting another fire at a strategic refinery already battered by repeated attacks.
Regional authorities said falling drone debris sparked the blaze at the facility, owned by Rosneft. No casualties were reported. More than 120 emergency workers and dozens of vehicles were deployed to contain the fire.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has presented a military strategy that aims to make the Bundeswehr ‘Europe’s strongest conventional army’, and explicitly named Russia as a threat.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has presented a military strategy that aims to make the Bundeswehr “Europe’s strongest conventional army”, and explicitly named Russia as a threat. The number of active-duty soldiers is to rise from the current 185,000 to 260,000 by 2035, with the number of reservists increasing to 200,000.
Berlin taking responsibility at last
Ukraine has become quite efficient at killing Russian invaders. Lately, it has also shown remarkable skill at striking deep into Russian territory. The future does not bode well for Moscow.
As of Friday, April 24, the Russian forces have sustained a staggering 1,323,460 casualties in President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation.” On Wednesday alone, Moscow lost over 1,100 soldiers. That is a little over two infantry battalions in one day.
As we have stated multiple times over the past four years, Ukraine has become quite efficient in killing Russians. And it’s taking a toll. Moscow is having trouble recruiting soldiers to replace the casualties they have abandoned on the battlefield.
Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.
Key Takeaways from the ISW:
Moscow changed the agency chief as its Russian Houses face growing scrutiny after mass expulsions of Russian diplomats.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday dismissed Yevgeny Primakov as head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Russia’s state cultural diplomacy agency, and replaced him with Igor Chaika, the son of Russia’s former prosecutor general.
Rossotrudnichestvo operates under Russia’s Foreign Ministry and is one of Moscow’s main tools for promoting “soft power” and influence abroad.
In his first visit to Russia since the Iran war, Iran’s foreign minister likely discussed Moscow’s offer to store Iran’s enriched uranium with Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced strong support for Tehran in its conflict with the US and Israel as he met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in St. Petersburg on Monday.
The meeting came as Moscow and Tehran underlined the strength of their strategic partnership, with Araqchi saying Iran remained “stable, solid and powerful” despite the war.
The Gdańsk summit will focus on reconstruction, investment and EU-linked reforms, while adding a dedicated defense track for the first time.
Ukraine and Poland are preparing to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk this June, with a dedicated security and defense component to be included for the first time.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko outlined the plans in a post on X after the “Road to URC” event in Rzeszów, Poland.
The monarch will address Congress on Tuesday, becoming the first British sovereign to do so since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on Monday for a four-day state visit marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, as Britain seeks to ease tensions with Washington over the war in Iran.
The royal couple met President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House for tea before attending a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC.
The president said unmanned ground systems are vital for saving soldiers’ lives, while also urging stronger air defenses and domestic weapons production.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a major expansion in the production and deployment of ground robotic systems, setting a target of at least 50,000 units for Ukraine’s military this year.
Speaking after a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Zelensky described unmanned ground systems as the “next major step” in warfare, following the widespread use of drones.
Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko warned that Russia’s war risks nuclear catastrophe, citing attacks near Chornobyl and threats to Zaporizhzhia.
Ukraine has called for an immediate cessation of all military activity near nuclear facilities, warning of the risk of a nuclear catastrophe amid Russia’s war.
Speaking at an event at the United Nations headquarters marking nuclear safety and the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko said Russia’s war poses unprecedented challenges to nuclear security.
