More than 29 months since Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian pilots start flying F-16 fighter jets. A Ukrainian high jumper wins Olympic gold. Among the returnees of last week’s historic prisoner swap with Russia, was a family of sleeper agents so deep under cover that their children found out they were Russians only after the flight took off. A summer of hope for a young Ukrainian refugee starting a new life in the U.S.
The U.S. announces a new aid package to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against increasingly brutal Russian attacks. Kremlin forces are carrying out their fiercest assaults on a key Ukrainian supply route. Kyiv said Monday its army had fought off 52 Russian assaults there in the last 24 hours. Officials in the U.S. and Europe have become increasingly concerned in recent weeks that Russia is beginning to carry out sabotage attacks on military and civilian infrastructure across the continent. A bittersweet opening for Ukrainian athletes competing in the Paris Olympics
President Biden's withdrawal from the race has raised concerns among the people in Ukraine about continued U.S. support in its fight against Russia. Anna Chernikova on how Ukrainians are reacting. Vice President Harris has signaled that she would not deviate from Biden's staunch support for NATO and would continue backing Ukraine. Two separate Russian courts on Friday send two American journalists to prison. From basement to battlefield. Ukrainian startups are developing a low-cost robot army to fight Russia.
Ukrainians react to the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Days after NATO allies called Beijing a Ukraine war enabler, China and Russi begin joint naval drills. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday he aimed to have all the elements of a peace plan ready in November so Kyiv could convene a follow-up international summit. Ukrainians are less eager to fight than they were early in the war against Russian forces.
A horrific scene in Ukraine’s capitol Kyiv following a barrage of Russian missile strikes hit Kyiv's main Children’s hospital. Anna Chernikova on scene describes the destruction and says it will likely take days for rescue workers to search under the rubble. As NATO prepares to convene its three-day summit in Washington with expectations the alliance will reinforce its support for Ukraine. VOA attended a roundtable with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. We hear what he had to say following the Prime Minister of Hungary's visit to Moscow. Preparing for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, a Ukrainian high jumper talks about trying to stay focused on the raised bar, while her mind is fixed on the war.
Russian attacks on Ukrainians cities, including the capitol Kyiv continued through the weekend. Hungary's nationalist government, which has a history of blocking or delaying funds and arms for Ukraine took it’s turn Monday in the rotation as president of the European Union. Campaigners in Georgia are seeking to highlight past atrocities committed by invading Russian troops. Ten Ukrainian civilians return to Kyiv after being held for years in Russia. A celebrity chef in America is becoming a hero for Ukraine.
Russian missile attacks hit Ukraine's major cities, causing death, injury and infrastructure damage. The first EU portion of frozen Russian assets are expected to be delivered to Ukraine Monday. At least 20 people were killed, including civilians and police officers, when gunmen opened fire at two Orthodox churches, two synagogues, and a police station in separate attacks in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan. EU leaders approve more sanctions against Russia. A Ukrainian teenager seeking safety through in music in the U.S. city of Chicago.
After a weekend peace summit on Ukraine, Russia's war in grinds on with fresh air attacks that leave tens of thousands without power. Nearly eighty countries represented at the Summit on Peace in Switzerland agreed that territorial integrity and principles of international law should be the basis for any negotiation. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea this week amid international concerns over the two country’s military cooperation. Despite Russia’s invasion, Ukraine remains a popular destination for overseas parents seeking surrogate mothers.
Vice President Kamala Harris will take part in next weekend’s Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland along with nearly 90 countries and organizations plan to attend. Ukraine says it struck one of Russia's most advanced warplanes over the weekend. Ukrainian military officials say weekend missile and drone attacks continued over the weekend amid concerns Moscow is looking to expand its buffer zone. And one year after the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine collapsed, the devastating impacts continue.
Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure and claimed it made gains in the eastern Donetsk province. The Netherlands will allow its soon to be delivered F-16 fighter jets to hit Russian targets. President Zelenskyy accuses China of pressuring countries not to attend upcoming peace talks on Ukraine. Right wing, populist parties are expected to surge in three-day EU parliamentary elections starting June 6th which analysts say could impact support for Ukraine’s war against Russia. And the story of a professional Ukrainian tennis player is voluntarily fighting for his country.
Russian missiles struck a popular shopping mall in Ukraine’s second largest city of Kharkiv lover the weekend, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens more. Spain has pledged to provide military equipment to Ukraine worth 1 billion euros this year under a bilateral agreement signed on Monday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid. Experts say there has been a sharp increase in cases of Ukrainians suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health problems that likely will have a long-term impact.
Kremlin forces pressed forward in Ukraine’s war-ravaged northeast, adding pressure to Kyiv’s outnumbered and outgunned forces as they wait for delayed Western military aid to arrive. Anna Chernikova provides an update from Kyiv. Ukraine’s troop levels could soon get a boost. Thousands of men completed required registration following a controversial mobilization law that went into effect over the weekend. Russia expert Nicole Wolkov with the Institute for the study of war on the growing alliance between Russia and China. A Ukrainian boxer gives his war weary country something to celebrate.
Russia said Monday it plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons as part of a military exercise after what Moscow said were threats from France, Britain, and the United States. A barrage of weekend Russian drone strikes hit civilian targets as Ukrainians celebrated the Orthodox Easter Holiday. A US architect is helping to design and renovate housing for internally displaced Ukrainians.
Ukraine and its Western partners are in a race against the clock to deploy critical new military aid to counter costly Russian advances across Ukraine’s eastern frontlines and support for Kyiv’s ability to thwart drone and missile attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Monday said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. A Ukrainian 'Grandpa' is leading an over-60s unit fighting Russia. Thirty-eight years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, hundreds of people continue the work to dismantle the long-defunct power plant and control the contaminated exclusion zone, a 30-kilometer area surrounding it.
Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelming passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill this past Saturday. The measure now heads to the Senate, which is expected to take up a vote early this week. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said called for faster processes to approve aid to enable the defense of his nation. While many people think this will get Ukraine back on track – some do not. VOA's Scott Walterman talked with Daniel L. Davis, a senior fellow and military expert at Defense Priorities . Plus, While Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine, coordinated efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes committed during Moscow’s invasion. Lori Lundin speaks with Ambassador Clint Williamson, lead adviser of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine. Artificial intelligence continues playing a role in modern information warfare, revolutionizing the way data is processed, analyzed, and disseminated. As technology advances, understanding the intersection of AI and information warfare becomes increasingly crucial in safeguarding the integrity of information ecosystems. To take a closer look at how the United States, China, and Russia use AI in their respective information warfare operations, VOA's Steve Miller is joined by Augusta University professors Lance Hunter and Craig Albert, two of the authors of a recent study on this topic. And, A Ukrainian version of the famous video game Minecraft features Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick, U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly and many other celebrities from around the globe. The new game, called Minesalt, is based on Ukraine's famous Soledar salt mines.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemns Iran's attacks on Israel and said his country, like Israel needs help from its allies to fend off threats from the air. The latest from Anna Chernikova in Kyiv on what the U.N. nuclear watchdog is saying about the safety of the Russian occupied nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine over two years ago, divisions have arisen between congressional Democrats and Republicans over sending military aid to Kyiv. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti explains how the two presidential frontrunners differ on how to handle the Russian war in Ukraine. How citizens India say they were duped by Russia into fighting on Ukraine’s front lines.
The head of the U.N.'s atomic watchdog agency is warning of a potentially dangerous situation following a drone strike on one of six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns Ukraine could run out of air defense missiles if Russia keeps up its intense long-range-bombing campaign. While NATO members vow to support Kyiv, U.S. aid is still in limbo. The story of an American who joined Ukraine’s military efforts following Russia’s invasion and how a Ukrainian woman stepped into her husband’s job as a blacksmith after he joined his country’s armed forces.
Russia continued its barrage of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine over the weekend, particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Anna Chernikova in Kyiv provides an update and talks about how Ukrainians marked the recapture of Kyiv region on the second anniversary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues a reshuffle of top aides and advisors. VOA’s Carla Babb reports on the ongoing support and opposition in the U.S. Congress over continued military aid for Ukraine. It’s not just ammunition shortages faces shortages in Ukraine, but also soldiers. Myroslava Gongadze has details on how more Ukrainian women are enlisting in the armed forces.
Russia launched missile strikes against Kyiv on Monday for the third time in five days, part of an apparent escalation of aerial bombardment targeting Ukrainian cities. Islamic State takes responsibility for a deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall as Russia pushes the narrative of suspecting Ukraine. The wife of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza says the lives of the jailed political prisoners in Russia who have spoken out against Vladimir Putin are in deeper danger following the terrorist attack Friday in Moscow.
An empowered Russian President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power after a highly orchestrated landslide election win Sunday as Western leaders called neither free nor fair. Heeding the call of the widow of Alexey Navalny, an outpouring of international demonstrations as thousands of supporters took to the streets in protest of Putin’s competition free victory. Anna Chernikova in Kyiv talks about Ukrainian reaction to Russia's election.