Artem Mazhulin

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov despite strong domestic and international support for his continued leadership. Fedorov’s six-month tenure saw major defense reforms, improved procurement, advances in drone warfare and missile development, and successful strikes on Russian infrastructure. His removal triggered backlash from civil society, opposition figures and Western supporters amid speculation of internal conflict within Ukraine’s military leadership. The dismissal occurred during a broader government reshuffle that also included the resignation of prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko, with Serhiy Koretskyi likely to replace her.

The Guardian's Luke Harding reports from Kyiv on Ukraine's declining birthrate and on Ukrainians who are choosing to build families despite Russian missile and bomb attacks. One Ukrainian mother describes having children during wartime as a patriotic act.

Kyiv Zoo is using wood-burning stoves to keep animals warm during electricity blackouts caused by attacks on energy facilities supplying the city. Director Kyrylo Trantin said the zoo prepared in advance by studying how zoos in Berlin and Soviet Leningrad coped during the Second World War, when many animals died.

Ukrainian officials and citizens view the Greenland crisis and Donald Trump’s annexation rhetoric as a dangerous distraction from the war with Russia, undermining European solidarity and international norms. Analysts warn that US actions risk legitimising territorial aggression, aiding Kremlin narratives and weakening support for Ukraine. Russian officials have used the crisis to echo justifications for their invasion, while disinformation networks exploit it to target Ukrainians. Some Ukrainians fear European fatigue with the war, while others see potential for Europe to strengthen its security responsibilities and support for Ukraine despite the shifting global focus.

Anti-corruption investigators in Ukraine have reportedly accused former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko of organising a bribery scheme to influence parliamentary votes, including those involving members of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party. Her offices were raided by Sapo and Nabu, which released audio allegedly implicating her in coordinating voting instructions via the Signal app. Tymoshenko denied all accusations, calling the investigation politically motivated and linked to possible upcoming elections. The case unfolds amid broader corruption probes affecting figures close to Zelenskyy and growing political turbulence as Ukraine faces continued Russian attacks and speculation over national elections.

Russian occupation authorities plan to reopen the Mariupol Drama Theatre, destroyed in a 2022 airstrike, with a staging of a Russian fairytale, a move seen by former actors and residents as part of a wider Russification campaign. Witnesses and independent investigations reject Moscow’s claim that the blast originated inside the building, with Amnesty International calling it a likely deliberate attack on civilians. Rebuilding efforts across Mariupol are accompanied by property seizures enabled by a new decree allowing confiscation of homes deemed ownerless unless residents obtain Russian citizenship. Former residents describe losing homes or being unable to reclaim them, while some displaced actors continue to perform a play recounting the theatre’s destruction. The new theatre administration, installed by Russian authorities, continues to deny Russia’s involvement in the bombing as reconstruction proceeds amid ongoing displacement and disenfranchisement of Mariupol’s original population.

Nathan Gill, a former Ukip and Reform UK leader in Wales and ex-member of the European Parliament, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes on at least eight occasions to make statements and give interviews that benefited Russia. Prosecutors say Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn arranged payments disguised as “Christmas presents” and “postcards,” with messages indicating sums of at least £10,000. The investigation began after US authorities examined Voloshyn’s phone and later arrested Gill in the UK. The story traces Gill’s financial vulnerabilities, his close working relationship with Nigel Farage, and his involvement with pro-Russian broadcaster 112 Ukraine. It also examines trips and parliamentary interventions involving former Ukip MEPs David Coburn and Jonathan Arnott, while noting there is no evidence they accepted bribes. The case raises broader concerns about Russian efforts to cultivate political contacts in Britain and puts pressure on Reform UK despite Farage’s insistence that he knew nothing about Gill’s covert activities.

Ukrainian partisans disrupted Russia’s plan to connect the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to the Russian grid by attacking substations and damaging a new high-voltage line intended for the project. Russia was forced to restore a power line running into Ukrainian-held territory to end a month-long reliance on emergency diesel generators. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the reconnection after a temporary local ceasefire. Russian officials had envisioned the plant’s reconnection as a symbolic gesture for Vladimir Putin’s birthday and have indicated intentions to restart power generation, while Ukraine and experts accuse Russia of engineering the crisis to justify linking the facility to its own grid.

Ukrainian politicians and public figures reject the idea of ceding unoccupied Donbas territory to Russia, reacting strongly after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska and reports that Donald Trump supports a territorial concession for peace. Lawmakers argue that surrendering the region would harm hundreds of thousands of residents and destabilize Ukraine politically and socially. Several public voices warn that Putin’s proposal aims to exploit divisions, while Zelenskyy is urged to confront Trump diplomatically. Commentators highlight the symbolic and moral stakes of resistance, citing past atrocities and asserting that any concession would amount to political capitulation.

Ukraine has opened a war crimes investigation into Aleksandr Shtoda, head of the Sizo 2 detention centre in Taganrog, where Ukrainian detainees were allegedly tortured and starved. The inquiry follows findings that journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian custody, suffered systematic abuse under his leadership. Authorities accuse Shtoda of violating international humanitarian law and formally notified him of suspicion, initiating the pre‑trial process. Prosecutors vowed to identify all individuals involved, while Reporters Without Borders welcomed the step toward accountability.

Ukrainians celebrated Melania Trump online after Donald Trump suggested she influenced his shifting stance toward Russia. Social media users shared memes portraying her as secretly aiding Ukraine following comments in which Trump acknowledged her warnings about Vladimir Putin’s actions. Melania Trump’s past support for Ukraine resurfaced, including her call for donations to the Red Cross after the 2022 invasion. The praise followed the US decision to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, prompting additional memes likening her to influential fictional figures.

Ukraine detonated an underwater explosive that damaged the Kerch bridge linking Crimea to Russia, marking its latest strike on key Russian infrastructure. The SBU claimed responsibility, describing the bridge as a legitimate target used by Russian forces. The attack followed recent Ukrainian drone strikes and occurred as Kyiv prepared to attend the upcoming Nato summit. Russia accused Ukraine of other attacks on railway bridges and continued missile strikes hit Sumy. Negotiators from both sides exchanged proposals in Istanbul, with Moscow demanding Ukrainian troop withdrawals from contested regions. Ukrainian officials also travelled to the US to push for stricter sanctions, while discussions continued over a possible trilateral summit involving the US, Russia and Ukraine.

A long‑range Ukrainian drone operation known as Operation Spiderweb used smuggled FPV drones hidden in disguised containers across Russia to strike four airbases and damage dozens of high‑value aircraft. The Security Service of Ukraine said 41 planes worth an estimated $7bn were hit, including strategic bombers and surveillance aircraft. The Russian defence ministry confirmed multiple aircraft caught fire, while Zelenskyy stated 117 drones were used and that all operatives were safely withdrawn from Russia after the attack.

A large-scale Ukrainian drone operation struck four Russian airbases in Siberia, reportedly damaging more than 40 strategic bombers after drones were covertly transported and launched from trucks near the sites. Ukrainian officials described the attack, codenamed Spiderweb, as a long-planned operation involving 117 drones. Russia confirmed aircraft fires in multiple regions and reported arrests. The strikes occurred amid escalating cross-border attacks and ahead of direct peace talks in Istanbul, where Ukraine plans to present conditions including a ceasefire, prisoner returns, and no recognition of Russian territorial claims. Russia separately blamed explosions for deadly train derailments near the border. The US continued pressuring both sides to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Russian authorities are accused of running a system of torture across detention sites holding thousands of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, with Taganrog identified as one of the most brutal facilities. Survivors describe electric shocks, beatings, starvation, and psychological abuse overseen by prison staff, FSIN special forces, and FSB interrogators. Testimonies and investigative findings indicate centrally sanctioned policies enabling violence and concealment. Civilians are often held without charges and denied legal access, with deaths reportedly occurring from torture and neglect. Despite recent reports of improved conditions, the facility remains a significant tool of intimidation.

Investigative findings detail the capture, torture, and death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna during over a year of secret detention by Russian security services. Witness accounts, forensic evidence, and leaked information indicate severe abuse at multiple facilities, including electric shocks, beatings, starvation, and medical neglect. Despite international efforts to secure her release, she died shortly before a planned prisoner exchange, and Russian authorities later denied she had ever been held. A war crimes investigation is under way as part of a broader probe into the detention and torture of thousands of Ukrainian civilians.

Ukrainians expressed anger, fear and disappointment after Donald Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin, interpreting his remarks as legitimizing Russia’s claims to occupied territory and downgrading Ukraine’s role in future negotiations. Reactions ranged from despair over perceived US abandonment to cautious hopes for any progress toward peace. Ukrainian leaders publicly balanced criticism with pragmatism as they adjusted to a political climate in which Washington is more likely to apply pressure than offer support.

The US suspension of all foreign aid to Ukraine under the Trump administration halted hundreds of USAID-funded projects across humanitarian, media, and veteran support sectors, triggering widespread uncertainty and job losses. Ukrainian officials plan to prioritize essential programs such as prosthetics and rehabilitation, while local governments and NGOs warn of severe operational gaps. Media organizations heavily reliant on US funding face potential closure, and veterans’ services are ending at a time of increased need. The abrupt stop-work order has left organizations without guidance as they await outcomes of a 90-day review.

Bakhmut’s destruction by Russian forces left its residents scattered across Ukraine, but the century‑old newspaper Vpered has become a unifying force for the displaced community. Editor Svitlana Ovcharenko revived the publication from exile, providing information, encouragement and a sense of identity for readers despite the loss of their homes and the town’s ruins. Supported by international media‑strengthening initiatives, the paper documents the community’s past and present while confronting uncertain prospects for Bakhmut’s reconstruction and the future of local journalism amid ongoing war and displacement.

Russian forces are accused of widespread and systematic sexual torture against Ukrainian men and boys in detention centres, with UN investigators documenting hundreds of cases involving rape, electric shocks and sexualised humiliation. Survivor Oleksii Sivak describes weeks of abuse in Kherson and has since founded Ukraine’s first support network for male survivors, highlighting the stigma and silence surrounding such crimes. International monitors report consistent patterns of torture across numerous locations, suggesting impunity within the Russian system, while Ukrainian authorities work to support victims and gather evidence.