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

Moscow announced a unilateral Victory Day truce while warning of retaliation if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the May 9 military parade.

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a unilateral truce for Victory Day, declaring a pause in fighting from May 8 to May 9, while warning it would carry out a “massive missile strike” on Kyiv if Ukraine attempts to disrupt celebrations in Moscow.

According to the BBC’s Russian service, the truce was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin to coincide with the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, marked annually on May 9, Ukrinform reported on Monday.

Swedish authorities arrested the captain of a suspected Russian shadow‑fleet tanker as investigations widen into sanctions evasion and illegal exports.

Swedish authorities have arrested the Chinese captain of the oil tanker Jin Hui, who is suspected of belonging to Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet”, on suspicion of using forged documents and operating an unseaworthy vessel.

The arrest followed the vessel’s detention by the Swedish Coast Guard in the Baltic Sea. Senior prosecutor Adrien Combier‑Hogg said the captain, whose name has not been disclosed, is scheduled to be questioned on Monday.

The reported change comes amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy and military infrastructure.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the head of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, the branch responsible for air defense, following a series of high‑impact Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory.

According to Russian outlet RBC, citing two sources familiar with the matter, General Viktor Afzalov, who had led the Aerospace Forces since 2023, has been replaced by Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko.

The funding will go toward arms purchases under a multinational procurement initiative for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, May 4, that Canada will allocate an additional $200 million for weapons procurement for Ukraine.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky said the funding will be provided under the PURL program, a multinational initiative aimed at supplying Ukraine with military equipment.

Polish insurer PZU Group is buying 100% of MetLife Ukraine, the country’s largest life insurer with roughly 900,000 customers and a 50% market share.

Poland’s PZU Group has signed a conditional agreement to acquire 100% of MetLife Ukraine, the largest life insurance company in the country.

Signed less than a fortnight after the official announcement of Polish fintech ZEN.com acquiring PIN Bank, the deal marks another expansion of Polish investors in Ukraine’s market. This time, they bought the most popular life insurance company in Ukraine, which previously belonged to Americans.

Ukraine says it struck 14 Russian refineries and key fuel hubs in April, alongside ports, ships, aircraft and military sites from Crimea to the Urals.

Ukraine’s Defense Forces used long-range strike weapons in April to hit 14 Russian oil refineries and terminals, two industrial plants, and military assets from occupied Crimea to the Urals – long considered Russia’s “deep rear,” according to a Defense Ministry report.

The campaign focused heavily on Russia’s oil refining and fuel logistics network, which plays a central role in financing the war and supplying the Russian Armed Forces.

EBRD may need €500M to repair Chornobyl shelter hit by Russian drone, while maintaining nearly $3B in annual investments in Ukraine – filmed at the 2026 IMF Spring Meetings in Washington.

Artem Konik has been with Philip Morris for over 20 years and has extensive management experience across various business functions.

Philip Morris has appointed Artem Konik as the company’s Managing Director in Ukraine. He succeeds Maksym Barabash and will be responsible for managing the Company’s business in the Ukrainian market.

Artem Konik has been with Philip Morris for over 20 years and has extensive management experience across various business functions, including leadership positions in business planning, marketing, and commerce.

Talks focused on Ukraine’s EU accession, bilateral ties, and coordination with partners on peace efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Yerevan on Monday, May 4, to discuss Ukraine’s European integration and regional cooperation.

In a Telegram post following his meeting with Fico, Zelensky said Ukraine is open to “constructive dialogue” with Slovakia and interested in strengthening bilateral relations. The two leaders discussed cooperation across sectors and agreed to prepare a meeting of their governments in the format of an intergovernmental commission.

The transition comes as Europe weighs policy changes for displaced Ukrainians as Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year.

Poland has unveiled a plan to allow displaced Ukrainians to transition from the current temporary protection status to a three-year residency on Monday, May 4.

The route, known as the CUKR, is available to Ukrainians who have a PESEL UKR tax identifier, held temporary protection status as of June 4, 2025, have maintained it continuously for at least 365 days, and continue to hold it at the time of applying for the residence card, according to Polish outlet RMF24.

Putin fears a drone assassination attempt and coup, according to leaked intelligence cited by media, prompting tighter Kremlin security and sweeping internal restrictions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly fears an assassination attempt, including the possible use of drones, as well as a potential coup attempt from within Russia’s political and security elite.

The claims are based on a leaked European intelligence report cited by Russian outlet Important Stories [Vazhnyye Novosti] and CNN.

When Ukrainian sea drones attacked two shadow tankers within sight of Russia’s main Black Sea naval base, Novorossiysk, the Russian warships inside stayed safely tied up at their piers.

Ukrainian sea drones on Sunday attacked and damaged a pair of Russian shadow fleet tankers near the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk, the naval base the once-mighty Black Sea Fleet retreated to after being forced to abandon its pre-war base in Crimea earlier in the war.

The embarrassing snub to Russian naval power occurred in the early morning hours, within sight of land. A pair of remotely controlled Magura robot kamikaze boats, operated by Ukrainian special operators, blew up against the tankers’ sterns, thermal footage published by Ukraine’s General Staff showed.

Proactive auditing is not just a new anti-corruption rally cry. Nor is it merely a technical procedure. It is already in operation paving the way toward true government accountability.

The Accounting Chamber of Ukraine is moving away from the role of a revisor that merely states violations “after the fact” and is becoming a tool for strategic auditing. Our task is to identify systemic gaps not years after funds have been spent, but directly at the moment contracts are concluded.

“Proactive auditing” is already in operation – it is not just a new anti-corruption declaration. Audits are demonstrating results, and the newly acquired independence of the Accounting Chamber allows for transparent reporting on the use of funds in critical economic sectors such as defense and energy.

Ukraine detained Inna Kardash, accused of spying for Belarus’ KGB, after she posed as a journalist and tried to infiltrate Ukraine’s military intelligence.

Belarus has asked Ukraine to include a suspected agent, Inna Kardash, in a potential prisoner exchange, Ukrainian officials said, adding that Kyiv remains open to negotiations but has yet to receive concrete proposals.

Kardash, who previously worked as a journalist for Ukrainian media, has been formally notified by the Security Service of Ukraine that she is suspected of espionage.

One of Ukraine’s interceptor drone manufacturers said a drone unit managed to down the second jet-powered Russian drone in a week using the company’s remote control system.

Ukraine has intercepted a Russian Geran-4 jet-powered drone, according to Wild Hornets, a Ukrainian drone maker.

In a Sunday Telegram update, the company shared footage of the interception and said it was carried out by the crew of the 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Regiment.

Vienna cited concerns over surveillance equipment on diplomatic buildings allegedly used for intelligence gathering.

Austria expelled three Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities, Vienna said on Monday, May 4, amid concerns about surveillance equipment installed on diplomatic buildings.

According to Reuters, Austrian authorities declared the diplomats persona non grata over what officials described as an “antenna forest” on rooftops that could be used for signals intelligence.

Some 28% of respondents said they would like him to remain president – up slightly from 25% in October 2025.

Public trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has edged down in late April but remains solidly above 50%, according to a new survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

The poll, conducted between April 20-27, shows that 58% of Ukrainians trust the president, while 36% say they do not – leaving a net trust balance of +22 percentage points. That marks a modest decline from March, when 62% expressed trust and 32% distrust, for a stronger +30 balance.

Russia will hold its annual military parade on 9 May commemorating the victory against Nazi Germany in 1945.

Russia will hold its annual military parade on 9 May commemorating the victory against Nazi Germany in 1945. The Ministry of Defence has announced that this year’s parade will take place with no military hardware, citing the “current operational situation” and concerns about drone attacks from Ukraine.

Moscow’s security no longer guaranteed

A Ukrainian corporal endured captivity, psychological pressure, and near starvation before managing to signal his unit and walk out alive.

A Ukrainian soldier survived nearly two weeks trapped in a dugout with a Russian soldier who had taken him captive. 

In a report that ran on Sunday, May 3, The Guardian, Vadym Lietunov, a 34-year-old corporal from Odesa, tells of his experience behind enemy lines after his own dugout was destroyed by a Russian drone strike in late February.

Berlin is ramping up military logistics infrastructure in what Defense Minister Pistorius calls a “paradigm shift,” but structural and bureaucratic hurdles remain significant.

Germany is investing in infrastructure to prepare supply lines for a potential large-scale conflict in Europe, but significant logistical and structural challenges remain, the nation’s defense minister said.

According to a Bloomberg report, a €1.35 billion ($1.6 billion) upgrade to the port in Bremerhaven is among the key projects, aimed at enabling the transportation of heavy military equipment such as Leopard tanks to potential front lines.

Kellogg says Russia is losing the war, urges negotiations, and calls Ukraine’s fight effective, while arguing Europe – not the US – must keep the lead in supporting Ukraine.

Former US presidential envoy for Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg said Ukraine deserves “full credit” for its battlefield performance against Russia, arguing that Moscow is losing the war and failing to achieve its strategic goals.

Speaking to Fox News, Kellogg was asked about Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, and broader questions of US support, raised in part by a column from Mitch McConnell in The Washington Post regarding delays in Pentagon funding.

Zelensky says this summer will be decisive in forcing Putin to choose between escalation or diplomacy, urging continued sanctions pressure on Russia’s oil, industry, and banks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian drones may target Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow as the Kremlin prepares for one of its most symbolic events.

Speaking at the opening of the 8th Summit of the European Political Community in Yerevan, Zelensky suggested that Russia is no longer capable of showcasing military strength as it has in previous years.

The attack in Merefa left four civilians dead and 16 injured, damaging homes and businesses.

A Russian strike on Merefa in the Kharkiv region killed four people and injured 16, regional authorities said on Monday, May 4.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said the victims include two men aged 50 and 63, and two women aged 41 and 52.

Investigators identified at least 167 cargo flights to Algeria between March 2025 and April 2026, operated by civilian companies that in practice appear to be part of a military logistics network.

Russia is relying on Algeria as a strategic transit hub for transporting weapons and sanctioned military equipment, according to an investigation by Defense News, which points to an expanding covert aviation network spanning Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Investigators identified at least 167 cargo flights to Algeria between March 2025 and April 2026, carried out by what appears to be civilian aviation companies – but which, in practice, function as part of a military logistics system.

The Inevitable Demise of a Pathetic Country: Russia

For the seventh time since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, I returned to this country fighting for our freedom. I was there for four days, from April 22 to 25, to speak at the Kyiv Security Forum – the leading international security conference – as I have done for the past ten years, to give a few interviews to the press, and to participate in three events related to the release of my book Our War. Crime and Oblivion in Ukrainian. As always, I met many Ukrainians there, from all walks of life.

While the Ukrainians’ conviction that they will win the war has always seemed genuine to me, even in the worst moments, I have never found this certainty as strong as it is today. Emerging from an extremely harsh winter – particularly in the cities, due to the Russians’ systematic targeting of energy infrastructure – and despite the dramatic increase since Trump took office in missile and drone strikes against civilian populations, sowing, as always, death and devastation, Ukrainians increasingly feel that the tide has definitively turned.

ISW estimates Russian troops lost control of 116 square kilometers during the month, even as fighting remained intense. The setback marks a shift after months of incremental, but steady, gains.

Russian forces suffered a net territorial loss in April – the first time since Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast – according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), signaling a continued slowdown across the front.

ISW estimates Russian troops lost control of 116 square kilometers during the month, even as fighting remained intense. The setback marks a shift after months of incremental, but steady, gains.

Earlier, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said that Tehran had submitted a plan “focused on ending the war,” and that Washington had responded to it in a message to Pakistani mediators.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that “very positive discussions” were underway with Iran on finding a solution to the war, but nevertheless added US forces will soon start escorting ships out of the blocked Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baqaei, told state television that Tehran had submitted a 14-point plan “focused on ending the war,” and that Washington had responded to it in a message to Pakistani mediators.

The initiative is shaping up as a key deliverable ahead of an EU-UK summit later this summer, part of a broader reset in relations nearly a decade after Brexit.

Britain will open formal talks on joining a €90 billion EU-backed loan program for Ukraine on Monday, as London moves to tighten defense ties with Europe amid mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of a European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, The Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the preparations

The renewed attacks come just days before Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade – a key Kremlin showpiece. Authorities have already scaled back the event.

A Ukrainian drone struck a residential tower in western Moscow early Monday, blowing out walls in a high-floor apartment and scattering debris across the area, according to city officials and Russian media reports.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there were no casualties after the drone hit a building near Mosfilmovskaya Street around 1 a.m. Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene.

Acclaimed Ukrainian photographer Grom tells Kyiv Post about her multimedia project “Pietà,” children shaped by war, and ethical responsibility of photography in an age of profound pain.

Ukrainian photographer Olena Grom has become one of the defining visual voices documenting Russia’s war against Ukraine through photography, text, and collective memory. Her recent multimedia project “Pietà,” presented in Kyiv, focuses on the mothers of fallen Ukrainian soldiers – an intimate and devastating meditation on grief, dignity, and survival.

Her works have been exhibited in Italy, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the UAE, and beyond, while her wartime projects have drawn strong international attention and earned some of the photography world’s most prestigious honors, including Photo Oxford 2025.

Joint ventures give firms access to combat-tested systems.

European countries are increasingly striking joint production deals with Ukraine, particularly in the drone sector, as Kyiv’s ability to rapidly produce affordable battlefield hardware improves.

The latest such announcement was made this week when Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Kyiv will help Warsaw build the country’s new drone fleet, although he did not outline the size of the future fleet.