Politics of Kyiv Region and Ukraine

Politics

Tanker with 60,000 tons of liquefied gas drifting off Libya — tugboat loses control for the second time

# Arctic Metagaz - Shadow Fleet Vessel Hit by Drone in Mediterranean Loses Control Again After Towline Breaks Arctic Metagaz, a shadow fleet tanker struck by a drone in the Mediterranean Sea on March 3, has again gone out of control following the breaking of its towline. The IMO and EU have received requests for assistance, but responsibility for the ownerless vessel remains undetermined.

Politics

Two "Spies" on Autobahn A6: How a Routine Document Check Can Dismantle a Spy Network

Bavaria police arrested a Ukrainian and a Latvian with a surveillance arsenal during a routine road check — but who exactly ordered them has not been officially named.

Politics

"Gmail Letter with 'Budanov' Signature: How Scammers Used the Theme of Ukrainian Repatriation to Attack the Diaspora"

# Translation Unknown individuals sent letters on behalf of SBU Chief Kyrylo Budanov requesting diaspora organizations to "facilitate the return of Ukrainians home" — and chose a moment when Budanov is indeed publicly discussing the return of citizens as a strategic priority.

Politics

Russia aimed "Shahed" at defense ministry advisor — Flasch wounded, house destroyed

On the night of April 20, a guided Shahed drone struck the wall of a private house belonging to Serhiy Beskrestnov. The adviser to the defense minister on technology issues survived and was hospitalized — by his own account, "by a miracle."

Politics

Seven Victims, Legal Rifle, and Fleeing Police: What We Know About the Terror Attack in Holosiyivskyi

Dmitry Vasilchenkov, a 58-year-old Moscow native with a criminal background, obtained a confirmed weapons permit in December 2025 — and in April shot seven people. The investigation is now examining both the doctors who signed the medical certificate and the police officers who fled the scene.

Politics

Head of Housing and Utilities Commission and Person Close to Trukhanov's Circle: What Is Known About Deputy Ivanytsky Found Dead in His Car

Oleksandr Ivanitskyi was no ordinary deputy: he headed a key housing and communal services commission and was part of the inner circle of Odesa's former mayor Hennadii Trukhanov. Police are investigating the circumstances of his death.

Politics

GUR Strikes Two Landing Ships of Black Sea Fleet: What This Changes at Sea

Ukrainian intelligence confirmed damage to the icebreaker "Yamal" and the vessel "Nikolai Filchenko" — two more units of the Russian fleet that Moscow has been trying to preserve from destruction for years.

Politics

Sweden Records: Russia Falsifies Economic Statistics — and Putin May Not Know the Real State of Affairs

Swedish military intelligence has obtained data on systematic manipulation by Moscow of economic indicators. The goal is to convince the West that sanctions are ineffective. Data from independent economists confirms that the actual picture is significantly worse than the official one.

Politics

Ukraine failed to meet any IMF milestones in the first quarter — and it is precisely now that the Fund has backed down on VAT for sole proprietors

The IMF agreed to temporarily refrain from insisting on the introduction of VAT for entrepreneurs with income exceeding 4 million hryvnias. However, this is not a concession — it is a postponement under conditions where Kyiv has already missed all three structural benchmarks of the first quarter.

Politics

Sanchez brings EU proposal to break agreement with Israel — but one Spanish vote is not enough

Madrid announced an initiative on April 21, but a complete termination of the agreement requires unanimity from all 27 countries. The key question is whether there will be sufficient qualified majority support for at least partial trade sanctions.

Politics

Orbán Links Unblocking of €90 Billion Credit to Restoration of "Druzhba"

Hungary agreed to lift its veto on a loan for Ukraine — but only after the oil pipeline resumes operations. What's behind this ultimatum and how much control does Kyiv have over the situation.

Politics

"I made a decision as a combat officer": Zhukov resigned before the Council could dismiss him

Chief of the Patrol Police of Ukraine Yevhen Zhukov resigned within a day after a terrorist attack in the Holosiivskyi district. Six dead, video of police fleeing, signatures in the Verkhovna Rada — and a resignation letter before the issue became irreversible.

Politics

Zelenskyy in Istanbul, Putin Without Response: What Logic Stands Behind the Proposed Summit in Turkey

Kyiv has publicly requested Ankara to organize a meeting of leaders in the Zelenskyy–Putin–Erdogan–Trump format. However, the Kremlin remains silent—and this silence is part of the strategy.

Politics

Number of refugees in EU dropped 20% in a year — EC attributes it to stricter policy

The European Commission has recorded a sharp decline in the number of people seeking protection in the European Union. Over the past year, there has been nearly a 20 percent decrease. The reasons are not only a shift in migration routes but also deliberate changes to the rules of the game.

Politics

Terror Attack in Holosiivsky: Police Fled, Shooter Had Legal Permit — Both Situations Now Under Investigation

# Six Dead, Police Who Abandoned Posts, and a Rifle With Permission Extended to December 2025: Kyiv Terror Attack on April 18 Raises Two Uncomfortable Questions About Police Selection Quality and Permit System Effectiveness Six people killed, police officers who abandoned their positions, and a rifle with an active permit extended until December 2025. The Kyiv terror attack on April 18 simultaneously raised two uncomfortable questions — about the quality of police recruitment and the effectiveness of the licensing system.

Politics

Bessen promised not to continue — but did: what $10 billion means for Russian oil

# The US Again Suspended Oil Sanctions Against Russia Despite Public Assurances by the Treasury Department. Zelenskyy Calculated: The Price of This Decision is Approximately $10 Billion in Russian Strikes.

Politics

Fico Flies to Moscow via Georgia: How NATO's Three-Country Ban Doubled Flight Time

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have closed their airspace to the Slovak Prime Minister's plane — and he is once again, as a year ago, seeking an alternative route via the Black Sea. The difference: this time he is flying to the 80th "Victory Parade," which is not officially listed in his schedule.

Politics

"Neptune" - strike on the plant supplying drones to the front: Taganrog, April 2025

Ukraine's Navy struck the "Atlant Aero" enterprise in Taganrog with Neptune cruise missiles — a producer of Molniya attack drones that Russia uses to strike Kharkiv and frontline cities. Satellite imagery confirms damage to at least three workshops.

Politics

Police Fled — KORD Eliminated: What Is Being Investigated After the Terror Attack in Kyiv

Six dead, footage of patrol officers fleeing from a shooter, and legally registered weapons with permits renewed just four months before the attack. Klymenko launched an official investigation, but key questions remain unanswered.

Politics

72 Hours Until War Resumes: Why Trump Called an Emergency Meeting — and What's at Stake

A ceasefire between the US and Iran expires on April 22, with no follow-up negotiations scheduled, as Iran has again blocked the Strait of Hormuz. Trump called this "blackmail" and assembled his top command at the White House.

Politics

"Boarding on the High Seas: How the US Attempts to Strangle Iranian Oil Flow Without Declaring War"

American military forces are preparing to seize Iranian oil tankers in international waters — far beyond the Middle East. This is not mere rhetoric: since December 2025, the US has already confiscated at least three vessels — from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean.

Politics

Legal carbine, criminal past and medical certificate: what is known about the Holosiyivskyi shooter

A 58-year-old Dmitry Vasilchenkov killed six people on the streets of Kyiv with officially registered firearms. The tragedy exposed a loophole in the licensing system: a person with a criminal record obtained a rifle.

Politics

Bessent Promised Not to Continue — But Continued: How Washington Again Softened Sanctions Against Russia

The Trump administration reinstated permission to purchase Russian oil just two days after publicly promising not to do so. Democratic senators called the decision "shameful" and claimed that Putin is "playing Trump for a fool."

Politics

SBU Colonel Shot Dead at Home — He Was Hunted for Four Months

# Translation: On July 10, in Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, counterintelligence officer Ivan Voronych was killed. Five pistol shots, two mercenaries from abroad — and according to Butusov's data, neither of them had a chance of surviving according to the organizers' plan.

Politics

NATO minus 22 points, China plus 37: How a year of negotiating powerlessness changed Ukrainian sympathies

NATO support has fallen the most sharply among all institutions — by 21.9 percentage points over six months. Meanwhile, attitudes toward China have more than doubled. This is not disillusionment with the idea — it is a bill for specific actions.

Politics

Attack on TCC in Yavoriv: Police Open Investigation, Details Under Investigation

Lviv Territorial Recruitment Center confirmed an incident in Yavoriv. The National Police classified the event as a criminal offense — a proceeding has been opened.

Politics

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Again — Less Than a Day After Opening. US Blockade Hasn't Gone Anywhere

# English Translation On April 17, Tehran announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a ceasefire. On April 18, the IRGC reported that it had "restored control to its previous state" — citing the continuation of the American blockade of Iranian ports. Trump had warned in advance: the blockade will remain until a deal is signed.

Politics

The Law That Turns Any Arrest of a Russian into a Pretext for Invasion

# Russian State Duma Approves Bill Allowing Putin to Send Military Abroad to "Protect" Russians from Foreign Courts The State Duma has passed legislation that would permit President Putin to deploy troops beyond Russia's borders to "protect" Russians from foreign judicial proceedings. Political analysts view the measure not as a humanitarian provision, but rather as legal cover for future military interventions—particularly in the Baltic states.

Politics

Drones attacked Vysotsk port on the Baltic: what it means for Russia's logistics

# Governor of Leningrad Region Confirms Strike on Vysotsk Port — One of Russia's Key Baltic Infrastructure Hubs Comes Under Fire The Governor of Leningrad Region confirmed an attack on the Vysotsk port, one of the key nodes of Russia's Baltic infrastructure, which came under fire.

Politics

Minimal Plan, Not Victory: What Budanov Actually Said About Mobilization

The head of the Presidential Office acknowledged that over the past six months, Ukraine has been meeting only the minimum recruitment threshold, while Russia has already completed its annual recruitment plan for 2025 — 403,000 people — ahead of schedule.