EU affirms Ukrainian territorial integrity, decries Russian sham referendums amid Witkoff controversy
The "referendums ... were completely fraudulent and at gunpoint," European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper said on March 24.
occupied Ukrainian territories
US won't comment on Russia's claim to occupied Ukrainian regions until ceasefire, State Department spox says
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce refused to say whether the Trump administration believes Russia has a legitimate claim to occupied Ukrainian lands. "There's a lot of conversations happening," she said.
Putin's new decree part of plan to forcibly Russify Ukrainians, UK intelligence says
The decree mandated that Ukrainian citizens "illegally" staying in Russia must obtain Russian documents of leave before Sept. 10. The intelligence added that Russia "erroneously and illegally" defines both occupied and unoccupied Ukrainian territory in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as Crimea, as part of Russia.
Putin's occupied territories deportation decree 'part of genocide policy,' Ukraine says
According to President Vladimir Putin's decree, Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status."
Putin orders Ukrainians 'without legal status' to leave Russia, occupied territories by Sept. 10
Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and Russian-occupied territories must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status," according to an official decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on March 20.
Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia.
No more lost territory, return of deported children — Kyiv names red lines for peace deal, Independent reports
"It is not reasonable to demand that, for example, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson be fully handed over — that sounds like a f*** off to us," a high-level Ukrainian official said.
Ukraine-US talks in Jeddah concerned potential territorial concessions, Rubio confirms
"Yeah, we’ve had conversations," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said when asked about potential discussions regarding Ukraine ceding territory.
Russian woman seeks to adopt abducted Ukrainian child after her son was killed fighting in war, investigation says
A Russian woman, Olga Dorokhina, took a 4-year-old girl from the occupied part of Kherson Oblast and plans to adopt her, according to an investigation by Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne published on March 10.
Ukraine wasn't officially asked by US to make territorial concessions, Foreign Ministry says
"We have not received such proposals," spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said during a press briefing, downplaying the significance of "certain formulations that could be heard in the media."
As ‘negotiations’ weigh Ukraine’s land, the lives lost under Russian occupation are forgotten
For Viktoriia Hrinienkova, life came to a standstill in June 2023. Three of her family members — her mother, father, and grandmother — died in their own home in Hola Prystan, a Ukrainian town in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast. They were killed in the aftermath of Russia’s destruction of
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine, US reach agreement on minerals deal
Key developments on Feb. 25: * Ukraine, US reach agreement on minerals deal * Russia's war objectives 'not yet achieved,' Kremlin's ambassador says * Reclaiming occupied territories possible but 'not easy' for Ukraine, Trump claims * Ukraine needs $524 billion for recovery, reconstruction after 3 years of Russia's full-scale war * Russia's Ryazan oil
Reclaiming occupied territories possible but 'not easy' for Ukraine, Trump claims
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 24 that he believes Ukraine might be able to reclaim some of its territories occupied by Russia, but it would be challenging.
How Ukraine has pushed back and held the line against Russia for 3 years
Elon Musk on Feb. 21 questioned why Ukraine was still actively defending itself amid the ongoing Russian full-scale invasion, suggesting the country's fight against the Kremlin's imperialist ambitions was, in fact, a giant money-making scam. "What are they dying for? What exactly are they dying for? The line of engagement
Economy Minister: Occupied Ukrainian territories have over $350 billion in natural resources
Yulia Svyrydenko's comment comes as Kyiv and Washington negotiate a deal for Ukraine’s natural resources in return for support and security guarantees.
Russia exceeded mobilization goals in occupied Ukrainian territories last year, official says
"In 2024, Russia had to mobilize thousands of people from the newly occupied territories and those who had previously been under occupation. According to HUR, this plan has been fulfilled by 104%."
Russia may offer frozen assets for Ukraine's reconstruction, demand funds for occupied territories, Reuters reports
According to Reuters, one source familiar with Moscow discussions said Russia could agree to allocate up to two-thirds of frozen assets for Ukraine's reconstruction, provided accountability guarantees.
Explosion kills Russian occupation official in Berdiansk, Ukraine's intelligence claims
The intelligence agency accused Yevgeny Bogdanov, deputy head of Berdiasnk's occupation administration, of committing multiple war crimes against Ukrainian citizens.
Russia's Lavrov rules out territorial concessions as part of Ukraine peace talks
Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014, as well as the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts in 2022.
Russia fines woman in occupied Crimea for 'promoting child-free lifestyle'
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning "childfree propaganda" in November last year.
‘Evil must not win’ — how Ukraine’s female partisans resist Russian occupation
Somewhere in the streets of Russian-occupied Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, a woman puts a sticker on the wall. It’s a short message, but if she is seen doing it, she will face arrest, prosecution, and likely, torture. The message is: "Soon, we will be home again." On another
Number of Ukrainians open to territorial concessions rises to 38%, poll shows
Around 38% of Ukrainians are open to conceding some of the territories while preserving independence in order to end the war with Russia as fast as possible, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) survey published on Jan. 3.
Our readers' questions about the war, answered. Vol. 7
Editor's note: We asked members of the Kyiv Independent community to share the questions they have about the war. Here's what they asked and how we answered. Join our community to ask a question in the next round. Our community funds our journalism. Question: I know it's a big question,
47% of Ukrainians back NATO accession even while territories stay occupied, survey shows
Nearly half of Ukrainians support Ukraine joining NATO even if some territories remain under Russian occupation at the time of accession, according to a new poll.
Russia building road to connect Crimea, Mariupol, with Russia's Rostov Oblast, Putin claims
Moscow has already built a 40-kilometer-long segment between the Russian city of Taganrog and occupied Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine 'strongly condemns' African delegation's visit to Russian-occupied territories
"Their statements during this visit about opposing colonialism, made on Ukrainian land illegally seized by Russia in the course of its neocolonial war of aggression against Ukraine, are completely absurd," the Foreign Ministry said.
Russian occupation court sentences Ukrainian to 11 years for alleged espionage
A Russian-controlled court in occupied Donetsk Oblast sentenced 20-year-old Mikhail Karimov, a resident of Mariupol, to 11 years in a strict regime penal colony, Mariupol City Council reported on Dec. 12.
Explosions heard in occupied Donetsk Oblast city, Russian proxies announce evacuation
Russian occupation authorities in the Donetsk Oblast city of Yenakiieve announced evacuations from parts of the city on Dec. 10 amid reports of explosions.
US enforces visa restrictions on Russian officials linked to Ukrainian child deportations
Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself.
Abducted mayor tortured to death in Russian captivity, governor says
Yevhenii Matvieiev, the mayor of the occupied Dniprorudne town, was tortured to death in Russian captivity, Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov said on his Telegram channel on Dec. 4.
Putin at helm of 'systemic' program to Russify Ukrainian children, Yale study finds
The study showed that Russian Aerospace Forces and military aircraft transported multiple groups of children in 2022 under Putin's orders.
Ukraine's military lacks strength to retake some occupied territories, diplomacy needed, Zelensky says
"Our army lacks the strength to do that. That is true," President Volodymyr Zelensky told Kyodo News regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea.
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