Russia-Ukraine war

Washington has given assurances to Kiev that Russian assets which remain frozen in the West are going to be seized and used to rebuild Ukraine after the conflict, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal has claimed.

The North Atlantic Alliance's plans to hold the Steadfast Defender 2024 military exercise near Russian borders are provocative, increase the risk of military incidents and could lead to tragic consequences for Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has cautioned at a briefing.

A Bloomberg report claiming that Moscow has signaled to Washington that it is ready to withdraw its demand for Ukrainian neutrality in exchange for the recognition of its new territories is completely false, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, knew there were prisoners of war aboard a Russian military transport plane shot down by Kiev’s forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. He added the full story of the shootdown will “become clear in a couple of days".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Moscow's claim that Kiev’s air defenses shot down the Russian plane carrying 65 Ukrainian POWs scheduled to be exchanged.

The European Union member states are preparing to introduce additional sanctions against Russia as the second anniversary of the Ukraine conflict approaches, the Financial Times has reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

A Russian heavy transport plane carrying several dozen Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) has crashed in Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, Moscow confirmed on Wednesday. All passengers were killed in the incident.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently in a difficult situation as no one is giving him money and there is a crisis in Ukraine at the moment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated.

The Turkish parliament has voted to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid, bringing the Nordic country one step closer to joining the military alliance after months of delays amid the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Recent statements from the US suggest it regards Ukraine as nothing but a “lucrative business project", one that it is profiting from, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the United Nations Security Council on Monday.

The shelling by Ukraine of the Russian city of Donetsk on Sunday, which claimed the lives of at least 25 civilians and wounded 20 others, was “a barbaric terrorist act” carried out with the support of the West, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has announced.

The price of supporting the Ukrainian army as a proxy force against Russia is miniscule compared to the overall US budget, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has stated, arguing that such a security investment benefits the US military industrial complex.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has decried what he called the "insanity" of the Russian leadership and warned of possible new wars in the world.

The US-led NATO bloc must prepare for a major conflict with Russia, which would require mass mobilization of civilians as well as the rapid expansion of industrial output to sustain the war effort, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, has stated.

A security agreement Britain signed last week with Ukraine, is further proof that London is maintaining a firm grip on the Kiev government and is working to prevent any prospect of peace, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated.

Ukraine’s much touted counteroffensive has now “completely failed” and its very statehood could soon suffer an irreparable blow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed.

If the West wants talks on Ukraine, it should stop supplying Kiev with weapons, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, commenting on Swiss Federal Councillor for Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis’ statement that Moscow should be included into peace discussions.

The White House supports the idea of confiscating Russian assets that have been frozen since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, Bloomberg has reported, citing a US National Security Council (NSC) memo.

The flow of US military aid to Kiev has now stopped, White House national security spokesman John Kirby has stated. His remarks came amid a debate in Congress on whether to continue support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

The number of severely injured Ukrainian troops streaming from the frontline has soared by 30% with many of them crippled for life, ABC News has reported, citing the head of a major hospital.

A Ukrainian Air Force official has acknowledged that Kiev’s air defense arsenal has been depleted as the country tries to shoot down escalating barrages of Russian missiles and drones.

The Russian military is continuing its operations to reduce the combat effectiveness of Ukraine's military, and maintains the strategic initiative in the special military operation zone, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has announced. He claimed that Kiev's losses over the past year exceeded 215,000 servicepeople and 28,000 weapons systems.

The US government has exhausted its funds for military assistance to Ukraine, Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder has said, adding that Washington is simply “out of money” unless lawmakers pass a new aid package.

Kiev has no alternative to US aid in its conflict with Moscow and must rely on Washington’s support, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has stated, urging for additional weapons as American lawmakers remain deadlocked over the next arms package.

The Russian Defense Ministry has announced that 248 of its service members have been released from Ukrainian captivity. Kiev also says that 230 of its personnel have returned home.