Ukraine-Russia war latest: Eight injured as Moscow launches missile and drone attacks on Kyiv

Key Points

• Russian drones and missiles on Ukraine injure eight
• Zelensky announces 390 Ukrainians returned in first stage of prisoner swap
• Former Ukrainian commander says Ukraine cannot regain all lost territory
• Russian forces are creating ‘buffer zone’ along Russia-Ukraine border, Putin claims
• Trump says Putin does not want to end war – report
• Moscow airports shut after Ukraine's drone strikes

Russia wasting time with 'so-called' peace memorandums, says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed Russian leader Vladimir Putin of wasting the world’s time by delaying the peace process.

“When Russia takes a whole week just to come up with a so-called ‘memorandum’ as their response to calls for a ceasefire – this is nothing but mockery of the entire world. So much time wasted,” he said in his nightly address.

“Every day of this war costs lives. Of course, in Russia, lives don’t count. But the world must count them. New sanctions against Russia are needed. I thank everyone who is advocating for this,” he said.

Russia's Lavrov says will present peace accord draft after prisoner exchange

Russia will be ready to hand Ukraine a draft document outlining conditions for a long-term peace accord once a prisoner exchange now under way is completed, country’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Mr Lavrov, in statements on his ministry's website, said Russia was committed to working out a peaceful settlement in the more than three-year-old war pitting Moscow against Kyiv.

Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners yesterday and said they would free more in the coming days, an initiative agreed in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey last week.

"We remain committed to a peace settlement. We are always open to talks...and let me stress that we are committed to the agreements that were achieved recently in Istanbul," Mr Lavrov said.

"We are working actively on the second part of the agreements which call for preparation by each side of a draft document setting out the conditions for achieving a reliable, long-term agreement on a settlement,” he said.

"As soon as the exchange of prisoners of war is completed we will be ready to hand to the Ukrainian side a draft of such a document which the Russian side is now completing,” the Russian minister said.

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who was decorated with the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, attends a state awards ceremony hosted by Russian President at the Kremlin in Moscow (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian hackers target Western firms shipping aid to Ukraine, US intelligence says

Hackers working for Russian military intelligence targeted Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine, the US National Security Agency said.

The hackers were trying to obtain details about the type of assistance entering Ukraine and, as part of the effort, sought access to the feeds of internet-connected cameras near Ukrainian border crossings, according to the NSA's report on the cyberattack, which was issued late Wednesday.

The cyber campaign sought to penetrate defense, transportation and logistics companies in several Western countries, including the US, as well as ports, airports and rail systems. The report didn’t specify which types of aid Russia was surveilling, but Ukraine’s allies have contributed significant amounts of military and humanitarian assistance since the war began.

Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners of war

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the first phase brought home 390 Ukrainians, with further releases expected over the weekend that will make it the largest swap of the war.

Russia's defence ministry also confirmed the swap and said it received the same number from Ukraine.

The swap took place at the border with Belarus in northern Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

The released Russians were taken to Belarus for medical treatment, the Russian defence ministry said.

As the freed men entered the medical facility yesterday, people holding signs and photos of their relatives shouted names or brigade numbers, seeking any news of a loved one."

Vanya!" cried Nataliia Mosych, among the gathered relatives, "My husband!"

The exchange, the latest of dozens of swaps since the war began and the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians at one time, didn't herald any halt in fighting on the war frontline.

Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) react following a prisoner swap at an undisclosed location (EPA)

Russian drones and missiles on Ukraine injure eight

At least eight people were injured after Russia attacked Ukraine's capital Kyiv early today with drones and missiles, triggering fires, strewing debris in districts throughout the city, the city's mayor said.

Reuters reported successive waves of drones flying over Kyiv and a series of explosions jolting the city.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two residents had required hospital treatment and that air defence units were in action.

Pictures posted online showed smoke billowing from the top of one block of flats and flames leaping from part of another as emergency crews trained water on it.

An orange-red glow lit up the city as plumes of smoke wafted across the horizon.

Mr Klitschko said fragments from one drone struck the top floor of an apartment building in the Solomynskyi district on the west bank of the Dnipro River, which bisects the city. One apartment building was on fire in the area as was one non-residential building.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said a fire had also broken out on two floors of an apartment building in Dniprovskyi district on the opposite bank.

Officials also reported a fire in Obolon in the city's northern suburbs and fallen debris on a shopping centre in the same area. They said drone fragments hit the ground in a number of other widely separated neighbourhoods.

An air alert remained in effect more than two hours after it was first declared.

The overnight strikes followed several days of some 800 attacks on targets inside Russia, including capital Moscow.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had vowed yesterday to respond to those attacks.

In pictures: Ukraine welcomes 390 returned prisoners

(EPA)

(EPA)

(EPA)

'We waited, hoped': Families wait for returned Ukrainian prisoners

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted photographs of the 390 released Ukrainian captives, all with shaven heads, celebrating their release and wrapped in Ukrainian flags.

Ukrainian media outlet Espreso TV published a video of the wife of a prisoner crying tears of joy, wrapped in a flag on Kyiv's Independence Square. She said she had been waiting for her husband's release since 2022, and had just received the call from Ukrainian authorities confirming the good news.

"We waited, hoped and fought," said the woman, whose name was given as Victoria.

(President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram)

Germany's Merz inaugurates a historic new Nato brigade in Lithuania in face of worries about Russia

Trump heralds prisoner swap - before it takes place

Earlier on Friday US President Donald Trump heralded the Ukraine and Russia prisoner swap, before it had been completed.

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine,” he wrote on Friday morning US time.

“It will go into effect shortly. Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???”

(PA Wire)

Trump’s involvement in Ukraine peace talks ‘giving Putin more power’, Yulia Navalnaya says

The Russian activist and widow of the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny said Trump speaking to the Russian president “like they’re equal” is making him more powerful.

She made the remarks while speaking at a sold-out event with Alastair Campbell at Wales’ Hay Festival on Friday, which The Independent is once again partnering with.

Athena Stavrou reports live from Hay Festival:

WATCH: Russia is making a mockery of entire world, says Zelensky

Major prisoner exchange a small sign of progress

A major prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine began Friday, the countries said, in one of the few signs of progress from their direct talks last week in Istanbul — part of a US-led effort that so far has failed to produce a ceasefire in the 3-year-old war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the first phase of the exchange was bringing home 390 Ukrainians, with further releases expected over the weekend.

Russia's Ministry of Defence said each side had released 270 military personnel and 120 civilian detainees.

But there has been no agreement yet on the venue for the next round of talks.

Zelensky says Russia is making a 'mockery of the entire world' following prisoner swap

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken out following the swap of prisoners, welcoming 390 Ukrainians back home.

He renewed calls for pressure on Russia, criticising Moscow for taking a week to come up with a response to ceasefire calls.

“Diplomatic steps toward a real peace are needed. A new and effective security architecture is needed. We are bringing our partners together to make this happen. It is clearly time to increase the pressure on Russia, to achieve not just one result, but everything that is necessary.

“When Russia takes a whole week just to come up with a so-called “memorandum” as their response to calls for a ceasefire – this is nothing but mockery of the entire world. So much time wasted. Every day of this war costs lives.

“Of course, in Russia, lives don’t count. But the world must count them. New sanctions against Russia are needed. I thank everyone who is advocating for this.”

He also said the next stages would follow as the prisoner swap continues.

“Tomorrow and the day after – the next stages will follow. The formula is ‘a thousand for a thousand.’

“What matters most is that Ukraine is bringing its people home. I thank everyone around the world who is helping. And just as we succeed in this, we must succeed in everything else. A ceasefire is needed.”

Former Ukrainian commander says Ukraine cannot regain all lost territory

Former Ukrainian commander and now ambassador to the UK, Valery Zaluzhnyi, said Ukraine should abandon hope of regaining all territory lost to Russia.

"I hope that there are not people in this room who still hope for some kind of miracle or lucky sign that will bring peace to Ukraine, the borders of 1991 or 2022, and that there will be great happiness afterward," Zaluzhnyi said in a speech published by the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet on Friday.

"My personal opinion is that the enemy still has resources, forces and means to launch strikes on our territory and attempt specific offensive operations.”

Russia occupied the Crimea peninsula in 2014, and its armed forces now control about a fifth of Ukrainian territory.

EU foreign policy chief calls on Serbia to make a 'strategic choice' between West and East

In pictures: Ukrainian prisoners return home

Russia released 390 Ukrainian prisoners on Friday including 120 civilians in part of the first stage of a prisoner of war exchange with Ukraine.

Ukraine also returned 390 Russian prisoners, who will undergo medical treatment in Belarus before returning home.

(President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

(President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

(President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

Polish Air Forces intercepted Russian SU-24 aircraft, minister says

A Russian SU-24 aircraft was performing dangerous manoeuvres on Thursday evening and was intercepted by Polish Air Forces, Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Friday, without giving further details.

He added that the order to intercept the aircraft was issued by the joint operational command for Nato allied forces in Europe and the Polish jets located the aircraft, intercepted it and effectively deterred it.

In pictures: Seige of Leningrad survivor fined for 'discrediting' Russian army

Russian pensioner and activist Lyudmila Vasilyeva, an 84-year-old survivor of the Nazi siege of Leningrad in World War II, left a St Petersberg court on Friday after being fined 10,000 rubles (£93) for "discrediting" the Russian army.

She had held a one-person picket on the Nevsky Prospekt avenue in the city against the war in Ukraine.

(AP)

(EPA)

(EPA)

Russia ready to present peace terms to Ukraine, says Lavrov

Russia will be ready to hand Ukraine a draft document outlining conditions for a long-term peace agreement once the current prisoner exchange is completed, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners on Friday with more expected to be free in the coming days. It is expected to be the biggest prisoner swap of the war so far.

Yermak: Russian threats are like an old record; they are repetitive

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief advisor has described Russia’s threats as “like an old record that cracks but plays the same thing”.

In a statement on X, Andriy Yermak, who has been leading Ukraine’s negotiating teams with both the US and Russia, said he was “bored” by Moscow’s talk of a peace and their requirements for successful negotiations.

His comments come after Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, fresh off of receiving the country’s highest award from Vladimir Putin for his national service, claimed peace was not possible until Zelensky was replaced. Lavrov was repeating a piece of Russian propaganda championed by the Kremlin for years that Zelensky - because he has operated under martial law, a necessary action enacted after Russia’s full-scale invasion - is an unelected autocrat.

The irony of the Putin regime making this claim is self-evident.

“There have been a lot of loud words from Russian representatives recently about their intentions, none of which envisage a ceasefire and an end to the war,” Yermak wrote.

“Russian threats are like an old record - it cracks, but it plays the same thing. And the quality is appropriate - boring and somehow Soviet. Nothing more.”

You can see his message below.

Still no agreement on next round of talks

Following last week’s direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul - the first such negotiations since 2022 - Tukry’s foreign minister sounded positive.

Hakan Fidan called the agreement to swap 1,000 prisoners each a "confidence-building measure" and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that there has been no agreement yet on the venue for the next round of talks as diplomatic manoeuvering continued.

The meeting between Russia and Ukraine - mediated by Turkey - lasted less than two hours last week.

The Istanbul meeting revealed that both sides clearly remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting. One such condition for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire as a first step toward a peaceful settlement.

Mr Zelensky has warned that if Russia continues to reject a ceasefire and make "unrealistic demands," it will signal deliberate efforts to prolong the war - a move that should bring tougher international sanctions.

Fighting continued despite prisoner exchange

A total of 780 Russian and Ukrainian servicemen and civilians were exchanged in the largest prisoner swap between the two nations since the war began.

But the exchange, which also would be the biggest swap of Ukrainian civilians at one time, did not appear to herald any halt in fighting.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles at infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa, killing one worker and injuring eight others - four critically, according to regional governor Oleh Kiper.

It was the first recorded attack on the port since March 11.

Fighting continues along the 620-mile front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes.

Ukrainian servicemen practice at the military training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday (AP)

Ukraine frees 390 Russian POWs, Moscow confirms

Moscow has confirmed Russia and Ukraine exchanged 390 prisoners each on Friday.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the countries swapped 270 prisoners of war and 120 civilians with each other, making it the largest such exchange in the whole of the three-year conflict.

It’s the first step in the 1,000 for 1,000 people swap agreed to in Istanbul on May 16.

The ministry said Kyiv released civilians that Ukraine’s military had captured win Russia’s Kursk region.

The freed Russian soldiers and civilians were in Belarus, and would receive psychological and medical assistance there before returning to Russia, the ministry said.

Ukraine vows to work 'until everyone is free'

The first stage of an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to exchange 2,000 prisoners of war has been successfully completed.

Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the first 390 Ukrainian “defenders” were now “safely back home”.

“President Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine continues to honour every agreement and work tirelessly for the return of all our people,” she said on X.

“Every life matters. Every name is remembered. We keep working — until everyone is free.”

(via REUTERS)

In pictures: first stage of '1000-for-1000' prisoner swap a success

Ukrainian prisoners of war are seen after a swap at an unknown location in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s president said 390 Ukrainian prisoners were returned today, the first stage of the exchange of 2,000 POWs between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian prisoners of war are seen after a swap at an unknown location in Ukraine (President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

(President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

(President Volodymyr Zelenskiy/Telegram)

Zelensky announces 390 Ukrainians returned in first stage of prisoner swap

Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the first stage of the “1000-for-1000” prisoner swap has been successfully completed.

“We are bringing our people home,” he said on X.

“Today – 390 people. On Saturday and Sunday, we expect the exchange to continue.

“Thank you to everyone who is helping and working 24/7 to bring Ukrainian men and women back home. It is very important to return everyone who remains in captivity. We are verifying every surname, every detail about each person.”

Russia announces first stage of POW swap with Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine have swapped 270 prisoners of war (POW) and 120 civilians with each other, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday.

The exchange will continue in the coming days, the ministry said.

Russia fires 176 drones and missiles at Ukraine

Ukraine’s air force has released details of the latest Russian aerial attack.

They reported that Russia fired 175 attack drones overnight, as well as one Iksander ballistic missile.

The air force claimed they downed 150 drones; they shot down 91 and used electronic warfare to jam 59. This means that they felled 84 per cent of the drones fired by Russia.

At least nine regions of Ukraine suffered at least some damage.

Missile and drone monitoring groups this morning said Russia fired two more Iksanders at the southern region of Odesa.

EU foreign policy chief calls on Serbia to make a 'strategic choice' between West and East

The European Union’s foreign policy chief said Thursday that membership candidate Serbia faces a “strategic choice” of direction, just weeks after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic defied EU warnings and attended Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow.

“Serbia faces a strategic, geostrategic choice, where it wants to be," Kaja Kallas said during her visit to Belgrade. “Serbia’s European future depends on the values it chooses to uphold.”

Former Ukrainian commander says Ukraine cannot regain all lost territory

A former Ukrainian commander and ambassador to the UK said Ukraine should abandon hope of regaining all territory lost to Russia.

Valery Zaluzhnyi said in a speech that Ukraine could not dream of restoring its 1991 borders which were established when Soviet rule collapsed, or even the borders held before Russia invaded in 2022.

"I hope that there are not people in this room who still hope for some kind of miracle or lucky sign that will bring peace to Ukraine, the borders of 1991 or 2022, and that there will be great happiness afterward," Zaluzhnyi said in a speech published by the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet on Friday.

"My personal opinion is that the enemy still has resources, forces and means to launch strikes on our territory and attempt specific offensive operations.”

Zaluzhnyi was the head of Ukraine’s armed forces until he was replaced in February 2024 after months of reported disagreements between himself and Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky’s office did not immediately comment on Zaluzhnyi’s remarks.

Russia occupied the Crimea peninsula in 2014, and its armed forces now control about a fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Valery Zaluzhnyi (REUTERS)

Reporters begin to gather ahead of prisoner swap

Ukrainian authorities have told reporters to gather at a spot in the northern Chernihiv region, ahead of an expected prisoner swap.

The prisoner swap is expected to be the largest of the war after Russia and Ukraine agreed to trade 1,000 prisoners of war each during their first direct talks in three years last week.

Ukrainian authorities told reporters to assemble at a location, where it’s anticipated some freed prisoners would be taken.

A Ukrainian military source said the swap was still under way, however Russian state media had not yet reported the exchange was ongoing and the Russian defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russia and Ukraine each agreed after two hours of talks in Istanbul last week to swap 1,000 prisoners, but failed to agree to a ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The prisoner swap was the only concrete step towards peace agreed to during those talks.

Germany's Merz asks China's Xi to support Ukraine ceasefire efforts

German chancellor Friedrich Merz asked Chinese president Xi Jinping for support in achieving a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, Merz's spokesperson said after the two leaders held a call on Friday.

“The federal chancellor reported on the joint efforts of Europe and the US to achieve an early ceasefire. He called for support for these efforts,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz has emerged as an outspoken advocate for Ukraine since assuming the premiership earlier this month (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

G7 nations paper over differences on tariffs and Ukraine, agree to address 'imbalances'

Top finance officials from the world's seven wealthiest democracies set aside stark differences on U.S. tariffs and agreed to counter global “economic imbalances,” a swipe at China's trade practices.

In a communiqué issued Thursday, the Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors, meeting in the Canadian Rockies, left out their traditional defense of free trade and toned down their references to Russia's war in Ukraine compared with last year. But they did agree that further sanctions on Russia could be imposed if the two countries don't reach a ceasefire.

What we know about the Ukraine-Russia POW exchange

It is being reported that the first day in a three-day exchange of prisoners of war is underway between Ukraine and Russia.

US president Donald Trump jumped the gun when he posted on social media earlier today that the swap of 2,000 POWs was completed. Ukrainian officials have since said the swap is far from being done. Previous swaps have been derailed after getting underway.

According to The Times, the exchange is expected to take place at about 2pm local time, with captured soldiers and a few civilians expected to cross the Belarusian border to a location near the Ukrainian town of Chernihiv.

Lavrov: Vatican cannot host peace talks due to religious differences

Russia’s top diplomat has claimed peace talks with Ukraine cannot be held in - and mediated by - the Vatican because of religious differences.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told a conference in Moscow that the Vatican would “not be quite comfortable” to host the talks between the two Orthodox Christian states.

“It is not quite elegant for Orthodox states to discuss issues related to the eradication of root causes [of the conflict] at a Catholic venue,” Lavrov said.

He repeated propagandistic claims that Ukraine is attempting to eliminate the Orthodox Church, adding that the Vatican “would not be quite comfortable to host delegations from two Orthodox countries under such circumstances”.

Last summer, Ukraine banned the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) after accusing them of spreading pro-Russian propaganda in time of war and of housing spies, charges it denies.

The popularity of the UOC, which is closely associated with the Russian Orthodox Church, the head of which described Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as a “Holy War”, has been waning in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov appeared to rule out possible talks in the Vatican with Ukraine (AP)

Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap to take place over three days - reports

Earlier, we reported that US president Donald Trump claimed that a major prisoner of war swap between Ukraine and Russia had just taken place.

It is highly unusual for an official outside of the Ukraine and Russia to announce such a swap, though the agreement to exchange 2,000 POWs was made during talks in Istanbul last week partly brokered by the Trump administration.

The Financial Times, citing officials, is now reporting that the swap, as agreed in Turkey, will take place in three stages across three days. It appears the first stage of the swap has begun.

In pictures: Soldiers in training in southeastern Ukraine

Soldiers have been pictured undergoing training in southeast Ukraine.

The recruits are passing military training for the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade.

Ukraine has struggled to recruit enough soldiers to continue to defend against Russia’s invading forces.

While Moscow is recruiting roughly 30,000 soldiers a month, according to European intelligence estimates, Ukrainian officials told The Economist earlier this year that they are aiming to employ an additional 4,000 soldiers each month.

High Russian casualties lessen the significance of this disparity but Ukraine’s manpower shortages remain one of the country’s most pressing problems.

Ukrainian soldiers pass military training on a shooting range amid the ongoing Russian invasion, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine (EPA)

A Ukrainian soldier practices with an AT4 NATO disposable Anti-Tank Missile Launcher on a shooting range in Zaporizhzhia region (EPA)

(EPA)

Trump says major prisoners swap completed between Russia-Ukraine

US president Donald Trump said on Friday that a major prisoner swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine.

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly. Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation,” he wrote on social media.

“This could lead to something big???”

Neither Ukraine nor Russia confirmed that a swap had taken place, though both sides said they had agreed lists of POWs to swap yesterday.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in maps

Below you can see the latest map of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The map has been provided by the British Ministry of Defence, who has been publishing regular intelligence updates on the state of the war on Ukraine.

Taliban in talks with Russia, China for trade transactions in local currencies

Let’s take you away from the war in Ukraine for a moment to bring you news from Afghanistan.

The Taliban administration has told Reuters that they are in advanced talks with Russia for banks from both sanctions-hit economies to settle trade transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars in their local currencies.

Afghanistan's acting commerce minister, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, said the proposal with Russia was being worked on by technical teams from the two countries.

The move comes as Moscow focuses on using national currencies to shift reliance away from the dollar and as Afghanistan faces a stark drop in the US currency entering the country due to aid cuts. Both countries have been hit hard by sanctions.

“We are currently engaged in specialised discussions on this matter, considering the regional and global economic perspectives, sanctions, and the challenges Afghanistan is currently facing, as well as those Russia is dealing with. Technical discussions are underway,” Azizi said in an interview at his office in Kabul.

The Afghan government has made similar proposals to China, the minister said, and discussions have been held with the Chinese embassy in Kabul.

Taliban's acting commerce minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi, says they are in advanced talks with Russia (REUTERS)

Kyiv suburb hit by drone attack

A suburb of Ukraine’s capital has been hit by a Russian drone attack, damaging several homes.

Ukraine’s state emergency services posted photos showing the destruction in the Obukhiv district south of Kyiv.

Russia creating ‘buffer zone’ on border with Ukraine, claims Putin

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has claimed his military is creating a “security buffer zone” along the border with Ukraine.

“I have already said that a decision was made to create the necessary security buffer zone along the border. Our armed forces are currently solving this problem. Enemy firing points are being actively suppressed, the work is underway,” Putin said on Thursday.

Putin previously raised the issue of a buffer zone in March during a visit to Russia’s Kursk region, which was partially captured by Ukrainian forces last summer and borders the country’s northeast.

For months after the initial attack, Putin showed little interest in helping those affected in Kursk, or diverting forces to retake it, as experts suggested he remained more focused on capturing parts of eastern Ukraine.

He has more recently spoken about helping evacuees return to the region, and creating a buffer zone to prevent future Ukrainian attacks.

Buffer zone forces could equally be viewed as a cover for amassing troops to attack Ukraine across its border.

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Putin’s plan was “aggressive” and showed that “Russia is the obstacle of peace efforts now.”

Vladimir Putin attends a meeting earlier this week with volunteers at Kursk region, Russia (AP)

Russian hackers target Western firms shipping aid to Ukraine, US intelligence says

Hackers working for Russian military intelligence targeted Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine, the U.S. National Security Agency said.

The hackers were trying to obtain details about the type of assistance entering Ukraine and, as part of the effort, sought access to the feeds of internet-connected cameras near Ukrainian border crossings, according to the NSA's report on the cyberattack, which was issued late Wednesday.

Germany backs Nord Stream ban - report

German chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly “actively” backing a proposed EU ban on the Nord Stream pipelines that connect Russia to Germany.

The German government this week said it endorsed the ban as part of the bloc’s upcoming round of sanctions against Russia.

The Financial Times quotes sources saying that adding Nord Stream to the EU sanctions list “potentially removes a political problem for him [Merz]”.

The Nord Stream pipelines are by far the biggest potential route for Russian gas to flow to Europe.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline supplied gas from 2011 to 2022. The $11bn Nord Stream 2 project was completed in 2021 but never launched as Germany halted the plan ahead of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Earlier in March, Germany's economy and energy minister said talks to revive the Nord Stream gas pipelines to relaunch Russian gas flows to Germany would be "completely the wrong direction" to go.

Germany for decades relied heavily on Russian gas, but Norway has become its biggest supplier since the Ukraine war.

Moscow slashed gas supplies to Europe in 2022, plunging the continent into an energy crisis of record-high gas prices.

Russia and Ukraine exchange POW lists for prisoner swap

Russia has received a list of the names of prisoners of war that Ukraine wants freed in a swap involving 1,000 captives from each side, the Kremlin said.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Interfax that Moscow received the list from Ukraine after Russia handed over its own list of prisoners it wants released.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv received the list in question following a meeting on preparations for the swap.

"Returning all of our people from Russian captivity is one of Ukraine’s key objectives. I am grateful to everyone who is contributing to this effort," he said, adding that the deal was "perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkiye".

The deal to free 1,000 prisoners of war on each side in the largest swap of the war was agreed during talks last week in Istanbul.

Putin makes shock unannounced visit to nuclear plant after retaking Kursk

Vladimir Putin made a surprise inspection at a nuclear plant in Kursk, in his first visit to the region since Russian forces claimed they ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month.

Video footage posted by Russian state media shows Putin walking around the plant in a hard hat, where he speaks to officials.

The Russian president met volunteer organisations in the city of Kurchatov, as well as visiting the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is currently under construction.

In April, the Kremlin said that it had expelled forces from Kyiv from the region, ending the largest incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.

Russia says it downed 112 Ukrainian drones overnight

Russia's defence ministry said this morning its air defence systems had downed 112 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 24 over the Moscow region.

Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russia in the past several days, forcing temporary shutdowns of Russian airports.

(AP)

Yesterday, Russia said it had fired an Iskander-M missile at part of the city of Pokrov in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region.

White House says Trump ‘believes Putin is winning’ war

US president Donald Trump told European leaders after a phone call with Vladimir Putin that the Russian president was not ready to end the war, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Mr Trump allegedly told European leaders that Mr Putin is not ready to end the war against Ukraine because he believes he is winning.

If confirmed, this would be the first time Mr Trump had suggested that Mr Putin wasn’t interested in ending the war.

The White House, however, denied this account. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said Trump “did say he believes Putin is winning the war but he never said ‘Putin isn’t ready to end the war’.”