Polish envoy on moving past painful history with Ukraine

3:36 AM  (Updated:  January 30, 2025 4:43 pm)

Russian drone attack on residential building in Sumy kills 6, injures 9.

A Russian drone struck a residential building in the northeastern city of Sumy overnight on Jan. 30, killing four people and injuring at least nine others, local authorities reported.

3:53 PM

Russian oligarch held stake in Musk's SpaceX through trust despite sanctions, Bloomberg reports.

Kerimov's investment in SpaceX reportedly began in 2017 through Heritage Trust, a financial structure managed by Citigroup. SpaceX was valued at $21 billion at the time, meaning his 1% stake could have been worth around $210 million.

1:05 PM  (Updated:  January 30, 2025 3:30 pm)

Updated: PACE refuses to name Putin 'terrorist' in Ukraine peace resolution.

PACE's table office explained its decision by saying that "calling Putin a terrorist is against the rule of procedure because it 'insults his dignity,'" Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko told the Kyiv Independent.

3:08 PM

Lithuania open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, chief commander says.

His remarks come amid ongoing discussions among Western countries about the possible deployment of peacekeeping forces if a ceasefire is negotiated.

3:02 PM

Defense Ministry must resolve procurement agencies issues by February, Deputy PM says.

Olha Stefanishyna added that such "aggressive public communication" does not beneficial inside or outside Ukraine.

2:56 PM

Georgescu has 'masters in Moscow' — Kyiv slams Romanian politician over comments on Ukraine's partition.

Georgescu's comments, made in a Jan. 29 interview, were dismissed by Ukraine as revisionist and contrary to international norms, the U.N. Charter, and democratic values.

1:37 PM  (Updated:  January 30, 2025 2:06 pm)

13 injured, including children, in Russian attack on Kramatorsk.

According to preliminary information, the injured include an 8-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. Local authorities are assessing the aftermath of the attack.

11:58 AM  (Updated:  January 30, 2025 2:03 pm)

Russian figure skating champions on board the plane that crashed in Washington.

The plane crashed into a military helicopter while landing at the Washington airport. In the first hours after the crash, rescuers did not find any survivors.

2:00 PM

Ukrainian court freezes Russian oligarch Deripaska's assets worth nearly $50 million.

The court immobilized a large consignment of industrial products and raw materials stored in the warehouses of the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, which a Russian oligarch previously owned.

1:45 PM

Opinion

Europe’s inaction on undersea infrastructure is a security time bomb

1:19 PM

Russia's Soviet-era military stockpile running low, faces equipment shortages, media reports.

The Russian military reportedly has lost more than half of its available equipment, and unless an unexpected shift occurs, hostilities could gradually fade by late 2025 or early 2026 due to a shortage of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery.

11:42 AM

Romania's presidential candidate Georgescu calls Ukraine 'fictional state,' suggests annexing territory.

"On 100% it will happen," Calin Georgescu said in the interview with journalist Ion Cristoiu about redrawing Ukraine's borders as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, suggesting Romania could claim some of Ukraine's regions.

10:49 AM

Russian oligarch Abramovich underpays $1.2 billion to UK in taxes, investigation says.

From 1990 until 2020, Roman Abramovich invested about $6 billion in Keygrove Holdings Ltd, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands.

9:41 AM

8 killed, 26 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day.

Russia launched 81 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Thirty-seven were shot down over 10 oblasts, while 39 were lost in the airspace, according to the statement.

8:54 AM

EU debates restarting Russian gas purchases as part of Ukraine peace deal, FT reports.

The proposal's advocates, including Hungarian and German officials, argue that the move could give both Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a ceasefire while stabilizing the continent's energy market, the Financial Times wrote.

8:21 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 835,940 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,270 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:35 AM

Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa named transitional president.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group who led the overthrow of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, has been named Syria's transitional president, the country's military command announced on Jan. 29.

4:54 AM

EU not considering banning Russian LNG until it secures alternatives, Reuters reports.

The European Commission will not propose implementing a ban on Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) imports in its upcoming sanctions package amid concern among member states about first securing an alternative from other countries, including the United States, EU diplomats told Reuters on Jan. 29.

1:47 AM

Georgia withdraws from PACE, calls demands for new elections 'blackmail.'

Georgia withdrew its delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Jan. 29 after the Assembly passed a resolution calling for Tbilisi to hold new parliamentary elections.

12:35 AM

NATO on track to send Kyiv over $40 billion in 2025.

"Allies are on track to deliver on the pledge made at the Washington summit," a NATO press statement said following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Jan. 29.

11:20 AM  (Updated:  January 29, 2025 11:52 pm)

Rubio issues humanitarian waiver for Trump's foreign aid freeze.

Those programs not covered by the waiver include "abortions, family planning conferences… transgender surgeries, or other non-life saving assistance."

11:16 PM

Zelensky looks to domestic, EU funders for key projects amid US aid freeze.

Following an initial report into U.S.-funded projects affected by the freeze, Zelensky said the government was prioritizing the energy sector, military veterans, and border crossings.

9:47 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones hit Lukoil oil refinery, missile arsenal in Russia, sources claim

9:15 PM

Slovakia summons Ukrainian ambassador over Zelensky's criticism of Russian gas purchases.

According to the statement, the Slovak ministry delivered the Ukrainian ambassador "a strong protest" against statements by the Ukrainian side.

8:26 PM

Video

Polish envoy on moving past painful history with Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek sat down with Poland's charge d'affairs in Kyiv, Piotr Lukasiewicz, to discuss why Poland stands out among Ukraine's allies and how to approach the most painful chapters of the shared Polish-Ukrainian history.