Moscow

Ukraine has carried out what is being described as its largest attack on Moscow, marking a significant escalation in the more than three-year war with Russia. Military experts are weighing in on the scale of the strike, the systems likely used, and what it signals about Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep inside Russian territory, as attention turns to how Moscow will respond.

Attention is focused on the real scale of Russian military fatalities in the war in Ukraine, with official Kremlin figures widely believed to understate the losses. Independent counts, including media investigations and Western estimates, suggest the death toll is far higher than Moscow acknowledges, prompting fresh debate about the human cost of the conflict and how the numbers are being tallied.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has questioned Russia's status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, arguing that Moscow took over the Soviet Union's seat in 1991 without a vote. He contrasted this with China, where the UN formally decided that the People's Republic of China would represent the country. His comments fuel ongoing debate about whether Russia's seat is legitimate.

Russia says its forces have taken control of three more settlements in Ukraine, according to news reports. Ukraine has not confirmed the claims, and frontline statements from both sides frequently differ. The announcement comes as fighting continues along the eastern front, where Moscow has been pressing incremental territorial gains despite heavy losses.

Ukraine carried out strikes targeting Moscow on the first day of Russia's presidential election, in which Vladimir Putin was expected to secure another term. The attack marked a symbolic escalation, hitting the Russian capital at a moment meant to showcase Putin's grip on power. Observers say the timing underscores Ukraine's ability to strike deep into Russia and challenge the narrative of Russian invincibility.

Russia's economy is showing mounting problems, from high inflation and interest rates to a weakening ruble, yet the Kremlin shows no sign of winding down its war in Ukraine. Reporting from Moscow highlights the tension between a strained household economy and continued military spending. Observers are asking how long ordinary Russians will absorb the costs before the pressure becomes politically significant for the Kremlin.

EU member states are discussing collective, Nato-style responses to Russian hybrid attacks, such as sabotage, disinformation and cyber operations targeting European infrastructure. The proposal would allow countries to invoke joint backing when a member faces such aggression, mirroring the alliance's mutual-defence principle and deepening EU coordination on security against Moscow.

A widely viewed update on the Ukraine war claims Russia is suffering major setbacks across its entire eastern front, describing the situation as a significant loss for Moscow and reporting that Putin is reacting angrily. The reporting characterises recent fighting as a turning point in the east, with Russian forces appearing to cede territory amid sustained Ukrainian pressure.

North Korean soldiers who were captured or transferred from the war in Ukraine have been brought to South Korea, raising questions about their legal status, interrogation and possible resettlement. Reuters explains the next steps, including how South Korea handles defectors from the North and what the cases could mean for future exchanges involving Pyongyang and Moscow.

Ukraine's General Staff says Russia has lost 1,531,060 troops since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. The figure comes from Kyiv's daily battlefield estimates, which are based on its military intelligence and cannot be independently verified. Moscow rarely discloses its own casualty numbers, and Western assessments have generally placed Russian losses below Ukrainian figures but still in the hundreds of thousands.

President Trump's nominee-ambassador to NATO says Ukraine's strikes inside Russia are pressuring Vladimir Putin toward the negotiating table. The comments frame Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory as strengthening Kyiv's position rather than provoking escalation. The remarks add to debate in Washington and Europe over whether deep strikes into Russia should be encouraged or restrained.

Germany's foreign minister says her meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was driven by security concerns linked to Russia, amid ongoing tensions over the war in Ukraine. The talks, held on the margins of the UN General Assembly, mark a rare high-level contact between Berlin and Moscow, and analysts are watching whether it signals any shift in European diplomacy toward Russia.

The Financial Times examines whether the European Union can construct a 'hybrid defence' against Russia, addressing Moscow's use of non-military pressure such as disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage and election interference. The debate centres on whether EU institutions and member states can coordinate effectively to counter these tactics alongside traditional military deterrence.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Sunday his decision to meet Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was driven by security concerns and the need to address a growing food-export crisis. The rare high-level contact between Berlin and Moscow is drawing attention as Europe weighs diplomacy with Russia against continued support for Ukraine.

Russian forces are urgently redeploying thousands of troops toward the Lyman frontline in eastern Ukraine, as Ukraine's 3rd Corps continues advancing in the area. War monitoring reports describe a degree of panic within the Russian command over the situation there, with Moscow scrambling reinforcements to slow Ukrainian gains around the contested frontline town.

Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region, continuing Kyiv's campaign of long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. The strike follows a pattern of drone operations targeting refineries and fuel storage sites deep inside Russian territory, aimed at disrupting Moscow's fuel supplies and export revenues. Russian officials have repeatedly reported such attacks, with fires and temporary shutdowns at energy facilities becoming a regular feature of the war.

Iran's president has declared that the United States holds the decision on whether to end the war, putting the burden squarely on Washington. The statement came as the Russian and Iranian foreign ministers, meeting diplomatically, agreed that only a negotiated settlement could resolve the Middle East tension sparked by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The remarks underscore Tehran's positioning ahead of any potential talks and Moscow's alignment with Tehran's call for diplomacy over continued military action.

Japan has rejected accusations of militarisation after Russia voiced opposition to Tokyo gaining a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. The exchange highlights ongoing tensions over Japan's defence policy and its long-sought bid to expand the council, where Russia holds a veto as one of five permanent members. The dispute underscores widening friction between Moscow and Tokyo amid broader geopolitical rivalry.

A Kyiv Post analysis weighs what drives the Kremlin more right now: protecting and restoring Russian oil refineries hit by Ukrainian drone strikes, or pressing ahead with attacks on Ukraine. The question points to a strategic trade-off between domestic economic damage and the continuing war effort.

Ukraine has fired hundreds of drones at Moscow in what is described as the largest attack on the Russian capital since the full-scale war began. The strike disrupted air traffic and prompted airport closures as air defences were activated across the region. The scale of the assault marks a significant escalation in long-range strikes on Russian territory.

Japan has rejected accusations made by Russia at the United Nations that Tokyo is pursuing militarization. Japanese officials dismissed the remarks as groundless, amid already strained relations between the two countries over the Ukraine war and the long-running Kuril Islands dispute. The exchange underscores growing diplomatic friction between Moscow and Tokyo at the UN.

The World Trade Organization will examine the European Union's carbon border adjustment mechanism following a formal challenge by Russia. Moscow argues the tariff on carbon-intensive imports, including steel and fertiliser, discriminates against non-EU exporters. The dispute adds to wider criticism of the mechanism from trading partners who see it as protectionist green policy, while the EU defends it as essential to meeting climate goals.

Germany's foreign minister met with her Russian counterpart in a rare face-to-face encounter, urging Moscow to step back from what she called a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine. The meeting stands out given how few high-level contacts between Berlin and Moscow have taken place since Russia's full-scale invasion, and it signals continued diplomatic channels despite deep tensions.

The EU is finding it increasingly difficult to expand its sanctions regime against Russia, according to reporting by Euractiv. After multiple sanctions packages, the bloc is running out of obvious targets, making further measures harder to design without hitting unintended sectors or facing resistance from member states. The report highlights the growing complexity of keeping pressure on Moscow through economic restrictions.

Germany and Russia are holding their first direct talks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to DW. The reported meeting has prompted questions about why the two governments are re-establishing contact now, with observers weighing what it could mean for diplomacy over the war, sanctions policy, and Europe's broader posture toward Moscow as the conflict continues.