All articles tagged with #zelensky
Zelensky said Ukroboronprom leaders illegally stored weapons near civilian areas in Vyshneve, triggering criminal investigations and possible dismissals after a July 6 Russian attack that caused deadly explosions; he urged broader scrutiny and reforms to prevent future tragedies and asegurar proper weapons storage away from homes.
President Zelensky said the Vyshneve ammunition depot that exploded during Russia’s attack on Kyiv belonged to Ukroboronprom, Ukraine’s state defense conglomerate; a criminal investigation is underway with the SBU, Interior Ministry, and Prosecutor General’s Office, and he promised layoffs at Ukroboronprom as casualties from the overnight strikes mount in Kyiv and surrounding areas.
Zelensky urged immediate Patriot air-defence missiles and Europe-wide anti-ballistic capabilities, arguing Ukraine belongs in NATO and Kyiv needs protection today, as he heads to the NATO summit to press allies; the proceedings come as Trump attends the gathering and NATO leaders discuss multi-billion-dollar arms deals and higher defense spending.
President Trump reportedly spoke separately with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend as Ukrainian strikes hit Russian targets and Moscow pressed a renewed assault on Kyiv, creating a tense backdrop ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara and signaling potential renewed diplomacy amid ongoing risk of escalation.
Ukraine’s overnight strikes cut power to Russian-occupied Crimea, damaged energy infrastructure and substations, and hit air bases and refineries, as Zelensky visited wounded troops in Odesa; Moscow also claimed Trump offered to help mediate the conflict.
Zelensky dismissed Putin’s assertion that Kostiantynivka is under Russian control as a media stunt and warned that if it were true, Putin would have no problem meeting him there to resolve the war. Ukrainian officials say the city remains under Kyiv’s control despite some Russian incursions, as fighting in Donbas continues and the fortress belt near Sloviansk–Kramatorsk remains a focal point.
Russia launched a large overnight assault on Kyiv, killing at least 30 people, wounding 91 and damaging hundreds of buildings in the deadliest strike on the capital this year. Kyiv observed a day of mourning as Moscow described the strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian drone activity, while Zelensky blamed delayed air defenses and pledged retaliation. Western leaders signaled stronger sanctions and continued support for Ukraine as the conflict intensifies.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky reportedly asked former commander Valerii Zaluzhny whether he would run in a potential autumn presidential election. Zaluzhny said he had never sought politics but would run if the vote were held, while Zelensky and other officials urged him to reconsider to avoid deepening national divisions; no government post was offered and neither side publicly commented.
In a televised address, Zelensky condemned Russian drone strikes on Zaporizhzhia targeting civilian transit and a missile strike on Dnipro that killed civilians, vowed Ukraine would respond with precision against Russia’s war machine, and highlighted Moscow’s repeated failures by noting Putin’s 15 deadlines to capture Donetsk have all been missed since 2022. He also outlined Ukraine’s energy and sanctions strategy with partners and urged international support to bring peace, while stressing that Kyiv’s actions aim at destroying Russia’s war machine, not civilians.
Ukraine said its drones hit Russia’s Dubna Space Communications Center again, marking the second confirmed strike on the Moscow-area facility in eight days and framing it as part of Kyiv’s long-range pressure on Moscow. Zelensky noted four similar satellite centers had been targeted recently and that operations against other military facilities are being prepared. Moscow reported intercepting 61 Ukrainian drones near the capital, while Russia’s defense ministry said 419 drones were shot down over Russian territory and Crimea; Kyiv Independent could not independently verify all claims.
President Zelensky said Russia has moved 15 self-imposed deadlines to capture Ukraine’s Donetsk region since the 2022 invasion, with Moscow obsessively pursuing Donbas; Ukraine’s forces hold their positions and Zelensky warned the deadline would shift again unless Russia ends the war.
Zelensky says Russia’s repeated delays to capture Donbas reveal a faltering strategy and warns that if Moscow keeps fighting, ordinary Russians—even those queuing for gasoline—could face more hardship; he also notes Putin’s peace proposal and the Kremlin’s rejection, with Meduza explaining its AI-assisted translation of the report.
Ukraine claimed overnight strikes hit two Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar and Yaroslavl, sparking a fire at the Slavyansk-na-Kubani plant that killed one person and injured another, while Russia unleashed ballistic missiles on Kyiv, injuring at least two as air defences were deployed. Zelensky said the operation aims to weaken Moscow’s war economy and ordered a 40-day offensive after consulting security officials.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said President Nawrocki's revocation of Zelensky's Order of the White Eagle was an inappropriate, humiliating move that could undermine dialogue with Kyiv; he suggested alternative actions (e.g., renaming Jasionka Airport after UPA victims) and noted Zelensky should have considered Polish sensitivities about the UPA; the spat sparked tensions between Poland and Ukraine, with Prime Minister Tusk urging restraint to avoid escalation.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky announced a 40-day offensive to pressure Russia to end the war after consulting Ukraine’s security service chief, insisting Russia must withdraw from Ukraine and calling on Putin to take a step toward peace; the move coincides with Kyiv’s reported strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and a France claim of intercepting a Russian tanker, signaling a potential shift toward diplomacy amid ongoing hostilities.