LIVE
Conflict Pulse
· · VERIFIED SOURCES
All RegionsUkraine–RussiaIranIsrael–PalestineUnited StatesEthiopia / TigraySudan / DarfurMyanmarLebanonVenezuela

Ukraine–Russia War News

Latest verified updates on Russia’s war in Ukraine, frontline shifts, drone warfare, Western support, occupied territories, and ceasefire diplomacy.

This reporting flow is updated continuously from verified sources, ensuring high-fidelity intelligence regarding the ongoing operations, diplomatic efforts, and humanitarian situations on the ground.

Read historical background
KEY ACTORS
Ukrainian Armed Forces (ZSU)—National military of Ukraine, defending against the Russian invasion since 2022
Russian Armed Forces—Conventional military forces of the Russian Federation conducting offensive operations
Volodymyr Zelensky—President of Ukraine
Vladimir Putin—President of Russia
NATO—North Atlantic Treaty Organization — providing military and financial support to Ukraine
ACTIVE FRONTS & FLASHPOINTS
Pokrovsk axisKursk incursion zoneZaporizhzhia frontCrimean PeninsulaBlack Sea corridor
KEY STATISTICS
CASUALTIESHundreds of thousands of military casualties on both sides (U.S. and European intelligence estimates, 2024)
DISPLACED6.3 million internally displaced within Ukraine; 6.5 million refugees abroad (UNHCR, 2024)
ESCALATIONFebruary 2022 — Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine
Context reviewed 2025-04-01GLOSSARY →
LATEST INTELLIGENCE1,875 verified articles
US official says China is funding Iran , urges Beijing to help open Hormuz | US - Israel war on Iran News
REPORT
aljazeera.com
center157d ago

US official says China is funding Iran , urges Beijing to help open Hormuz | US - Israel war on Iran News

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused China on Monday of "funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism" by purchasing 90 percent of Iran's energy exports, and urged Beijing to use diplomatic leverage to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked. Bessent's criticism precedes President Trump's expected visit to Beijing next week to meet Xi Jinping, as the US pursues "Project Freedom," an operation to guide stranded ships through the strait despite Iranian opposition.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukrainian drone hits upmarket Moscow high-rise ahead of Victory Day celebrations
REPORT
BBC Europe
center157d ago

Ukrainian drone hits upmarket Moscow high-rise ahead of Victory Day celebrations

A Ukrainian drone struck a residential high-rise in south-west Moscow early Monday, damaging its façade but causing no casualties, marking the third consecutive night of drone attacks on the Russian capital ahead of Victory Day celebrations on 9 May. Russian air defences intercepted 117 drones across multiple regions overnight, though the strike near the Kremlin—less than 10km away—underscores Ukrainian capability to penetrate Moscow's defences despite the Kremlin's decision to scale back the military parade citing "terrorist threat."

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Starmer lauds £78bn EU loan for Ukraine amid increased Trump tensions
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left157d ago

Starmer lauds £78bn EU loan for Ukraine amid increased Trump tensions

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced at an Armenian summit of the European Political Community that Britain will negotiate participation in the EU's €78 billion loan scheme for Ukraine, with potential British defence firms contributing equipment in exchange for up to £400 million from the UK's existing £3 billion Ukraine fund. The move reflects European concern over US President Donald Trump's reduced commitment to Ukraine support and signals Starmer's broader push for deeper UK-EU economic and security integration.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
How to escape Russia’s army: Soldiers serving in Ukraine seek a way out
REPORT
Al Jazeera
center158d ago

How to escape Russia’s army: Soldiers serving in Ukraine seek a way out

Russian servicemen are deserting in significant numbers amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, with a 24-year-old from Ufa named Oleg describing how he was allegedly deceived into military service through a false job offer at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and subsequently fled Russia via Belarus and Armenia with help from the deserter-assistance group "Idite Lesom." The UN estimates at least 50,000 Russian soldiers—roughly one in ten fighting in Ukraine—have deserted since 2022, while Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fyodorov reported in January that over 200,000 Ukrainian servicemen have gone AWOL or deserted, indicating a severe manpower crisis on both sides of the conflict.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine war briefing: Strikes on Russia’s Primorsk oil port and ships
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left158d ago

Ukraine war briefing: Strikes on Russia’s Primorsk oil port and ships

On Sunday, Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes against Russia's Primorsk oil port on the Baltic Sea and three vessels in Russia's shadow fleet, with President Zelenskyy confirming hits on a Karakurt corvette and two tankers near Novorossiysk; Russia responded with 269 drones and ballistic missiles against Ukraine, of which Ukrainian air defences countered or shot down 249. The strikes reflect ongoing reciprocal targeting of energy infrastructure and military assets, while Britain signalled intent to join the EU's loan scheme for Ukraine and announced additional sanctions on Russian military supply chains.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine drone attack hits Russian Baltic port , governor says
REPORT
aljazeera.com
center159d ago

Ukraine drone attack hits Russian Baltic port , governor says

Ukrainian forces conducted a drone attack on Primorsk, Russia's major Baltic oil export port, on Sunday, causing a fire but no oil spill, according to Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko; President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately reported strikes on two shadow fleet tankers near Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. The attacks reflect Ukraine's intensified campaign against Russian energy infrastructure as US-brokered peace talks have stalled, while Russia simultaneously conducted widespread drone strikes across Ukraine, killing at least three civilians.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine drone attacks hit nuclear power plant, Baltic port
REPORT
Al Jazeera
center159d ago

Ukraine drone attacks hit nuclear power plant, Baltic port

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hails 'successful destruction' of the port, as Russia warns of oil price rises.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine war briefing: Russian oil hub of Tuapse hit for fourth time as environmental disaster mounts
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left160d ago

Ukraine war briefing: Russian oil hub of Tuapse hit for fourth time as environmental disaster mounts

Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Tuapse oil refinery and Black Sea port on Friday for the fourth time in 16 days, according to Ukraine's SBU security service, causing toxic black smoke and oil slicks along the coastline as Russian authorities reported clearing over 13,300 cubic metres of contaminated fuel and soil. The attack compounds an environmental crisis at the strategic Russian oil export hub while Ukraine simultaneously faces Russian drone barrages—Russia launched approximately 410 drones on Friday, of which Ukraine's air force said it downed or neutralised 388 across multiple regions.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv claims victory over ‘shadow grain fleet’ shipment to Israel
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left161d ago

Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv claims victory over ‘shadow grain fleet’ shipment to Israel

The Panama-flagged vessel Panormitis, carrying grain allegedly stolen by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territory, departed Israeli waters after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalled a "systematic" campaign against the "shadow grain fleet," with Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko crediting Ukrainian procedural measures for the withdrawal. Ukraine's SBU security service simultaneously struck Russian oil refineries at Perm and Orsk, while Swedish authorities moved to seize the bulk carrier Caffa over illegal Ukrainian grain exports.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Venice Biennale jury resigns days before start of top art exhibition
REPORT
BBC Europe
center161d ago

Venice Biennale jury resigns days before start of top art exhibition

It follows growing tensions over the return of Russia for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine expands oil strikes on Russia as Putin proposes brief ceasefire
REPORT
BBC Europe
center162d ago

Ukraine expands oil strikes on Russia as Putin proposes brief ceasefire

Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Perm, Russia, over 1,500 km from the front lines, in response to ongoing Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin proposed a one-day ceasefire for Victory Day, an offer Ukraine plans to clarify.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Bomb meant for Butcher of Bucha kills subordinate in remote Russian town , sources say | Russia
REPORT
theguardian.com
left162d ago

Bomb meant for Butcher of Bucha kills subordinate in remote Russian town , sources say | Russia

Bomb meant for Butcher of Bucha kills subordinate in remote Russian town , sources say | Russia

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine war briefing: Enough of our homegrown weapons to go around, says Zelenskyy
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left162d ago

Ukraine war briefing: Enough of our homegrown weapons to go around, says Zelenskyy

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy stated on Tuesday that Ukraine is producing a surplus of some weapons and is cooperating with countries in the Middle East, Europe, and the Caucasus on drone and missile production. Meanwhile, Ukraine conducted drone attacks on Russian oil facilities in Perm and Tuapse, while Russia attacked civilian areas in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Chornobyl, 40 years on: inside the 1 May Guardian Weekly
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left162d ago

Chornobyl, 40 years on: inside the 1 May Guardian Weekly

The Guardian Weekly's current edition features an illustration by Masha Foya marking 40 years since the Chornobyl disaster, reflecting on its tragedy and present-day anxieties. A special report examines the containment structure's urgent need for repairs after a Russian drone strike, alongside discussions on the environmental legacy and evolving views on nuclear power.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
The missing Ukrainian reporter, the Russian prison – and a vital lesson learned about journalism in a dangerous age | Laurent Richard
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left163d ago

The missing Ukrainian reporter, the Russian prison – and a vital lesson learned about journalism in a dangerous age | Laurent Richard

In February 2025, journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna's body was returned to Ukraine after disappearing in Russian-occupied territory in 2023, with preliminary forensics suggesting torture. Her investigation into a system of disappearances required a collaborative effort by dozens of international journalists to expose the truth.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Russia scales back Moscow Victory Day parade, blaming threat from Ukraine
REPORT
BBC Europe
center163d ago

Russia scales back Moscow Victory Day parade, blaming threat from Ukraine

Russia will scale back its May 9th Victory Day parade in Moscow, citing a "terrorist threat" from Ukraine. The Kremlin stated that military vehicles and cadets will not participate due to the "current operational situation" and intensified Ukrainian strikes.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
At least three killed, more than 10 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine
REPORT
Al Jazeera
center163d ago

At least three killed, more than 10 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine

Russia launched at least 19 attacks on the Donetsk region and 833 across the Zaporizhia region, authorities say.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Kim praises North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up to evade Ukraine capture
REPORT
The Guardian Asia
left163d ago

Kim praises North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up to evade Ukraine capture

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised soldiers who self-detonated to avoid capture in Ukraine, confirming a policy of suicide to prevent enemy capture. Approximately 14,000 North Korean troops were sent to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine in 2024, with many reportedly killed or captured.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Russia to hold Victory Day parade with no military hardware amid Ukraine strike fears
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left163d ago

Russia to hold Victory Day parade with no military hardware amid Ukraine strike fears

Annual event in Red Square to feature no armoured vehicles or missile systems for first time in two decadesEurope live – latest updatesRussia’s annual Victory Day parade will be held on 9 May without military hardware for the first time in almost two decades because of fears of a long-range attack by Ukrainian drones. The defence ministry said no armoured vehicles or missile systems would roll across Red Square during the parade, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, citing “the curr

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary
Ukraine war briefing: More woe for Russian oil as Tuapse refinery hit again
REPORT
The Guardian Europe
left163d ago

Ukraine war briefing: More woe for Russian oil as Tuapse refinery hit again

A Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia, disrupting production and potentially impacting oil revenues funding the war. King Charles addressed the US Congress, emphasizing the need for resolve in defending Ukraine and securing lasting peace.

Ukraine–Russia
Read summary