Stories from Kyiv · Ukraine

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that incidents involving the deaths of Russian prisoners of war will be investigated. The Prosecutor General of Ukraine has reported these cases to the United Nations Human Rights Office. Moscow has reportedly focused on denying and downplaying the issue, according to the report. New lists may need to be negotiated if parties cannot agree on the specific profiles to be released. The source noted that the current number of individuals involved is under scrutiny. This development follows recent discussions regarding prisoner exchanges.

The United Nations has verified several videos filmed by Russian and Ukrainian drones. Allegations suggest 79 cases of execution occurred across 24 separate incidents in late August 2024. The information concerns Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered or were held under Russian custody. Eyewitness accounts described the killing of unarmed and wounded Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that new tools are required to hold those responsible for these war crimes accountable. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations. The UN mission cited testimonies and evidence from 2024 and 2025 regarding the execution of prisoners. Negotiations regarding prisoner releases have stalled due to deep divisions within the Congolese government.

Kyiv authorities estimated damages from alleged illegal excavations occurring between 2014 and 2019 at 200 million hryvnia. A Kyiv court issued an arrest warrant for an individual named Butyagin in April 2025. Butyagin claimed his work in Crimea was intended to preserve monuments and protect them from looters. All findings reportedly remain in Kerch and have not left Crimea. The SBU website reported this figure in November 2024. An expedition involving Italian colleagues discovered a hoard of coins from the era of Alexander the Great.

European Union countries are attempting to form a coalition to punish military war criminals. The initiative follows an increase in the killing of prisoners of war in Ukraine in recent months.

Air raid alerts have been issued across Kyiv and several other regions in Ukraine.

Russian state media reports suggest the potential deployment of troops to Ukraine could serve as a breaking point between Russia and Western nations. Ukrainian newspapers are reporting on the situation as the war continues. The news follows recent Russian attacks that have made headlines across Ukraine. The Russian military has significantly increased the number of Su-35S fighter jets in use.

Reports indicate Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are experiencing physical hunger at frontline positions. Ukrainian forces have complained of periodic hunger at forward positions, according to a report from Radio Sputnik.

The UN monitoring mission reports the killing of unarmed and wounded Ukrainian soldiers. The attack's consequences were visible from space, with smoke felt in Stavropol, Sochi, and Goryachy Klyuch. Residents in Tuapse reported black puddles on the ground. Ukrainian military are targeting Russian export capacities to reduce financial capabilities for warfare. Local authorities reported that firefighters were only able to localize the fire from the April 20 long-range strike in Tuapse late last week. Volunteers report that cleanup remains as water and fuel oil continue to affect the area. Local reports indicate vehicles are currently cleaning beaches affected by soot and oil residue. Water and fuel oil are reported to be present at a crossing following the incident. Fuel oil and mazut have reached a position 20.40 km north of the coastline.

Ukraine reported finding Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards inside Russian drones.

A new Business Sweden office has officially opened in Kyiv to expand bilateral cooperation. The move aims to strengthen economic ties between Sweden and Ukraine.