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Ukraine’s force have been getting decimated near the border city of Sudzha, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported

The Russian Defense Ministry has shared a video purporting to show a recent drone strike on a group of Ukrainian soldiers near the city of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Region. The clip comes as Kiev’s troops have been suffering heavy losses in the area.

Ukraine originally launched the incursion into the Russian border region last August claiming the move would have military and potential value. While Kiev’s troops initially managed to secure a number of settlements, Moscow soon reported that the advance of the Ukrainian military had been halted and that enemy forces in the region were suffering significant casualties.

Over the past few days, the Russian Defense Ministry has shared a number of videos purporting to show drone strikes on Ukraine’s troops in Kursk. In one clip, shared on Monday, a large group of what are said to be Kiev’s soldiers can be seen trying to take shelter in a building in the border city of Sudzha. Several moments later, the building is destroyed in a massive explosion caused by a Russian drone.

In a regular update posted on its official Telegram channel on the same day, the ministry claimed that Russian forces have launched a number of successful operations and have eliminated several Ukrainian brigades, liberating a number of settlements as Kiev’s forces keep getting pushed out of Kursk.

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According to the ministry, over the past 24 hours, Kiev has lost more than 340 servicemen, two tanks, seven infantry fighting vehicles, including US-made Bradleys, five armored personnel carriers and dozens of other vehicles and equipment

In total, throughout the fighting in Kursk, Moscow has claimed that Ukraine has lost more than 66,270 troops, nearly 400 tanks, several thousand combat vehicles, hundreds of artillery pieces, and dozens of rocket launchers, including US-supplied HIMARS and MLRS systems.

The White House is reportedly considering ending the price cap on Russian oil as part of a potential peace deal

US President Donald Trump has reportedly been exploring ways to ease sanctions on Russia as part of a broader effort to facilitate peace negotiations over Ukraine, Bloomberg has reported.

The US has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Moscow since 2022, targeting major financial institutions and the energy sector in response to the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Last week, Trump stated that he is “strongly considering” imposing additional banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia to push for a peace settlement.

However, Bloomberg has claimed, citing anonymous sources, that Trump’s advisers are also looking at what sanctions the US could lift or tweak in order to encourage Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. These steps reportedly include potentially lifting the $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil as part of a sanctions relief plan.

The outlet’s sources noted that the prospect of the US easing some sanctions imposed on Russia does not preclude Washington from also “tightening the screws on Moscow” through alternative measures.

Reuters also reported similarly that Trump’s team is assessing ways it could ease sanctions on Russia’s energy sector as part of a broader plan to quickly roll back restrictions in the event of a peace deal on Ukraine.

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Russian officials have repeatedly dismissed the impact of Western sanctions, with President Vladimir Putin stating that they have not significantly harmed the Russian economy and have only made it more resilient. 

He has also reiterated multiple times that Russia remains open to peace talks and has blamed Kiev for refusing to negotiate, particularly after Vladimir Zelensky legally banned negotiations with the leadership in Moscow.

Putin has also stressed that while Moscow is ready to engage, it will insist on securing its strategic objectives and resolving the root causes of the Ukraine conflict. “We don’t want anything that belongs to others, but we also won’t give up what’s ours,” the Russian president has said.

Lindsey Graham has said he will propose new restrictions if Moscow does not engage in peace talks on the Ukraine conflict

US Senator Lindsey Graham has warned that he will propose new sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not engage in ceasefire negotiations over the Ukraine conflict in the near future.

The US has already imposed extensive sanctions on Moscow since the conflict with Kiev escalated in 2022, targeting financial institutions, trade, and energy exports. However, President Donald Trump has suggested that the restrictions should be used as leverage and potentially lifted in order to achieve peace.

Speaking with Fox News on Sunday, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and prominent hawk, suggested that Washington should introduce even more sanctions on Moscow.

“If they don’t engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration, we should sanction the hell out of them, and I’ll have legislation to do that next week,” Graham said. 

The senator has been a long-time proponent of extensive military and financial aid to Ukraine and has publicly characterized the conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia. He had previously called the killing of Russians by Ukrainian troops “the best money” the US had ever spent.

Graham has criticized the recent pause in intelligence sharing and weapons transfers to Ukraine, arguing that stopping US assistance would have serious consequences. “If we pull the plug on Ukraine, it’d be worse than Afghanistan,” he said.

The Republican also reiterated his criticism of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, saying he “blew it” during his recent White House meeting with Trump, where he was accused of disrespecting the Oval Office and “gambling with World War III” by refusing to seek peace.

After the heated exchange with Trump and US Vice President J.D. Vance, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House and return only when ready for serious negotiations. Trump has since halted military aid to Ukraine and suspended all intelligence sharing with Kiev.

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Last week, Trump also threatened Moscow with a new round of “large-scale” sanctions until a Ukraine ceasefire is reached. However, Reuters later reported that Washington is also exploring ways to ease some restrictions on Russia’s energy sector as part of a broader peace initiative.

Russia has consistently maintained that Western sanctions have failed to inflict lasting damage on its economy, calling them illegal and ineffective in altering its strategic decisions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Moscow remains open to negotiations but insists any settlement must guarantee long-term security for Russia. “We don’t want anything that belongs to others, but we won’t give up what’s ours,” Putin said in a recent statement.

Two British diplomats have been ordered to leave Russia over “intelligence and subversive activities”

Moscow will not tolerate undeclared British intelligence personnel on Russian territory, the Foreign Ministry has stated, insisting UK citizens provide accurate information when applying for a Russian visa.

Russia has revoked the accreditation of two UK diplomats for espionage, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Monday, saying it had identified “intelligence and subversive activities that threatens Russia’s security,” that they carried out in Moscow.

The same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that “Russia has lodged a strong protest over newly uncovered cases of certain embassy staff deliberately providing false information when obtaining entry permits.” A representative of the British embassy was summoned, the statement added.

At the meeting, Moscow reaffirmed it “will not tolerate the presence of undeclared British intelligence personnel in Russia,” and that the country’s “uncompromising stance” on the matter will be shaped in accordance with its national security interests.

The FSB identified the two expelled persons as a second secretary of the British embassy and the spouse of another British diplomat. The agency said it uncovered “signs of espionage and sabotage work” by both of them.

The two were accused of deliberately providing false information when entering Russia and have been given two weeks to leave.

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The announcement follows Britain’s recent expulsion of a Russian diplomat, a retaliatory move after Moscow expelled a British diplomat in November.

The FSB said the British diplomat kicked out in autumn was “conducting intelligence and subversive work” and also intentionally provided false information when entering Russia. The UK Foreign Office accused Moscow of making “malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”

Relations between Moscow and London have deteriorated to Cold War lows since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The UK has been one of the staunchest of Kiev’s backers, slapping successive rounds of sanctions on Russia and providing military aid to Ukraine. The UK was the first Western nation to pledge main battle tanks to Ukraine and has supplied long-range missiles. Additionally, London has trained around 51,000 Ukrainian soldiers on British soil through Operation Interflex.

The latest diplomatic spat comes after recent offers by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to deploy British troops and aircraft to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping mission. Moscow previously warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine without a UN mandate would be considered legitimate targets.

Kamikaze drone strikes are exacerbating disarray within Kiev’s incursion force, the Russian military has said

The Russian Defense Ministry has circulated videos it says depict kamikaze drone strikes on the forces remaining from Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region.

Kiev launched the incursion last August, claiming it has military and political value, however its forces are widely reported to be on the retreat and are facing increased risk of being cut off entirely.

A video released on Sunday shows a stationary column of military vehicles being targeted by multiple first-person view drones. The convoy’s advance was seemingly halted after encountering a destroyed bridge, leading to soldiers abandoning their transport.

The ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops were “fleeing from Sudzha,” a city in Kursk Region that has served as a base for Kiev’s operations since the start of the incursion. On the same day, the Russian military announced the liberation of several settlements previously controlled by Ukrainian forces.

Another clip published on Monday showcased Russian drone strikes against various Ukrainian targets reportedly throughout the area, including soldiers, vehicles, and bridges, the latter aimed at “disrupting enemy logistics and cutting off retreat paths.”

Media reports indicate that Russian troops executed an infiltration operation, covertly moving hundreds of personnel behind Ukrainian lines via a gas pipeline before launching a surprise attack over the weekend.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has previously claimed the incursion into Kursk as a major tactical victory. He has asserted that it has thwarted a Russian offensive into Ukraine’s Sumy Region and would bolster Kiev’s position in potential peace negotiations. However, Ukrainian forces have reportedly sustained tens of thousands of casualties during the operation and are facing possible encirclement in the Sudzha area.

READ MORE: Ukraine’s losses mounting due to US intel freeze – Time

This week, senior Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet with members of the Trump administration, which some media outlets describe as Ukraine’s final opportunity to repair relations with the new US leadership. Washington paused arms deliveries and intelligence sharing with Kiev after the American president accused Zelensky of refusing to compromise for a prospective US-mediated peace deal with Russia.

Bruno Kahl has claimed an early resolution to the conflict between Moscow and Kiev could amplify security threats to the EU

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko has hit out at German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl after he claimed that resolving the conflict with Russia before the end of the decade could pose a security threat to Western Europe.

An end to the Ukraine conflict before 2029 or 2030 could allow Russia to regroup and “increase security risks for Europe,” Kahl told state broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Kahl’s statement is the first official confirmation that the EU’s security is being prioritized at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and the lives of its citizens, Timoshenko, who leads the opposition Fatherland (Batkivshchyna) party in Ukraine, claimed in a Facebook post on Friday.

“At the cost of Ukraine’s very existence and the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, did anyone decide to pay for Russia’s ‘demolition’ for safety in Europe? I didn’t think they would dare to say it so officially and openly…” she wrote.

Kahl’s remarks “explain a lot,” she said, urging the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to respond while calling for an immediate end to the conflict.

The German official’s comments echoed recent remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who claimed that Russia poses a direct threat to the rest of Europe and urged EU member states to increase defense spending.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently dismissed Western leaders’ claims that Moscow could attack NATO as “nonsense.”

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Divisions remain within the EU on the Ukraine conflict, with some countries advocating a stronger military response from Kiev while others, such as Hungary, call for peace talks. Brussels has continued to push for military aid to Kiev.

In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched the “rearm Europe” initiative to boost EU defense with up to €800 billion ($870 billion). In February, she announced €3.5 billion ($3.78 billion) in aid to strengthen Ukraine, calling its resilience an EU priority. Moscow has vowed to take measures to protect its security, warning that the EU’s militarization and confrontational rhetoric could escalate tensions.

Timoshenko’s response comes amid reports that she and members of former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s party recently held discussions with the team of US President Donald Trump. According to Politico, Ukrainian opposition figures presented themselves as more open to negotiations than Vladimir Zelensky. Both Timoshenko and Poroshenko, presently sanctioned on suspicion of high treason, confirmed their contacts with Trump’s team.

Three years of hostilities have made Kiev more dependent on the West than ever

The recent failed negotiations between Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and US President Donald Trump mark a significant break from past patterns.

Over the last three years, Washington’s unwavering support for Kiev has been taken for granted. Most of Ukraine’s military supplies, financial aid, communications, and intelligence assistance have been provided by the US. Moreover, America supported the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations even before the current conflict.

In many ways, modern Ukraine as a political entity largely owes its existence to the support of the US.

Against this backdrop, the US president and vice president’s public spat with Zelensky in the Oval Office was particularly striking. Although no one knows when the Ukraine conflict may come to an end, the incident at the White House gives us an opportunity to consider the results of the past three years and reflect on earlier phases of Ukraine’s post-Soviet history. This can be summarized as a balance sheet of gains and losses.

Some minor gains

The fact that Ukraine has remained formally independent may be considered a gain. The country has suffered territorial losses, but compared to what Ukraine had de facto control over before the start of the war, they are not so huge.

For the past three years, Kiev has managed to preserve the support of the collective West, positioning itself as the leader in deterring Russia. The Ukrainian military has evolved into one of the most battle-hardened forces in Europe, gaining experience with modern Western weaponry under real combat conditions.

Despite repeated corruption scandals, the country has managed to concentrate its resources, enforce mobilization of the population, and maintain a high pace of military operations for the past three years.

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Human casualties and demographic crisis

Now, regarding the losses. First of all, Ukraine has suffered significant human losses. Several hundred thousand men have been killed and wounded. This is further exacerbated by the mass exodus of refugees and internally displaced persons, many of whom are hesitant to return.

Given the difficult demographic situation in Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR, with its low birth rate and high mortality rate (the same was observed in Russia), these losses are noticeable. Moreover, unlike Russia, Ukraine does not have experience in integrating large numbers of migrants. It will be extremely difficult to compensate for the losses.

While the diaspora abroad can serve as an asset – lobbying for pro-Ukrainian legislation, advocating for sanctions against Russia, and sending money to relatives back home – it cannot directly compensate for the workforce depletion or stimulate domestic economic growth.

Infrastructure devastation and military supply struggles

Human losses are compounded by damage to infrastructure, industrial capabilities, and material resources. The ongoing hostilities have inflicted substantial damage, and recovery will require tens of billions of dollars.

When it comes to supplying the army, the losses are even more evident. In the past three years, Ukraine has exhausted the huge reserves of Soviet weapons that it had before the war. Western supplies have mitigated the problem, but it will be difficult to maintain the scale of supplies at the required levels without ongoing gigantic financial investments. The abrupt shift in Washington’s stance has further complicated matters, as the bulk of aid came from the US.

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Territorial uncertainty and strategic decline

As for territorial losses, their final extent remains uncertain. But one thing is clear – restoring the country’s 1991 borders is no longer a realistic objective.

The prospect of repelling Russian forces appears bleak, especially as the Russian army continues its slow yet steady advance. The Russian defense industry is ramping up production and seems prepared to maintain its current pace. Meanwhile, Ukraine is growing weaker, and this may lead to new territorial losses.

It’s true that Kiev will not bear the financial burden of restoring the territories it has lost, but it won’t have access to their resources either.

Growing dependence on the West

Three years of warfare have significantly deepened Ukraine’s dependence on Western partners. Having retained formal sovereignty, Ukraine no longer has the freedom to choose a political and economic course. The country’s budget is critically dependent on foreign aid, and what remains of its industry is increasingly integrated into Western supply chains, making Ukraine a peripheral economy.

It’s impossible to modernize the country or even maintain its vital functions without the assistance of Western donors. Even if the EU and others were to confiscate all frozen Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine – a scenario that currently seems unlikely – it wouldn’t resolve the issue, as decisions about future funding would still be made abroad.

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This dependence makes Ukraine politically vulnerable. Western allies can exert influence and claim assets they deem essential. While the EU does this gently, choosing the right words and allowing Ukraine to save face, Trump is not shy about demanding control over Ukraine’s natural resources in return for all the aid the US has provided. Kiev has become trapped in a form of debt bondage that could take decades to escape – if that is even possible.

As a result, Ukraine has become an even more vulnerable, dependent, and peripheral state than it had been before. In the early 1990s, it had very different prospects, with its large population and industrial potential inherited from the Soviet Union.

Political instability and nationalist shift

Three years into the conflict, Ukraine’s political system remains rife with instability. The wartime nation has morphed into an authoritarian state, leaning heavily on nationalism as its guiding ideology. This shift raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the current administration and government.

Ukraine’s political continuity is disrupted, which is evident from the fact that sanctions have been imposed not only on the pre-Maidan leadership but also on former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko and key figures of the 2014 revolution. The vulnerabilities that have plagued Ukrainian politics since the country’s independence may now resurface with renewed intensity.

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Adding to these political issues is societal fatigue stemming from the ongoing war, frustration over losses, and the cynicism of allies. Ukraine will soon have to confront the challenges of post-traumatic stress. While collaboration with the West has opened many doors for ordinary Ukrainians – making it relatively easy for them to find jobs in EU countries or study at Western universities – this model risks becoming colonial in nature, exacerbating the brain drain as skilled workers continue to leave.

The risk of prolonged conflict

Ukraine’s readiness for a new confrontation with Russia is another result of the three-year conflict. Should Kiev maintain its current foreign policy course, any potential ceasefire could merely serve as a temporary respite. Ukraine will need to sustain and finance a significant military force, relying heavily on Western support. However, this further deepens its dependency on external powers.

Ultimately, Ukraine will need to break another pattern and end the conflict with Russia. However, in the context of the current conflict (and on a larger scale, the entire post-Maidan period), this is unacceptable for present-day Ukraine. Internally, this policy may lead to accusations of treason, sanctions, and repressions. The media has embedded the image of Russia as an eternal foe. Embracing the role of martyr – protecting the West at great personal cost – has become the norm for Ukrainians. Moreover, three years of war compounded by propaganda have left profound scars on the human level.

Continuing the confrontation, even in a cold war scenario, appears both convenient and logical for Ukraine. The thirst for revenge fuels national identity and strengthens nationalism. However, unless, following a painful period of acknowledging losses and damage, Ukraine finds a way out of this conflict, it risks losing its sovereignty, solidifying its role as a pawn in the hands of foreign powers and completely losing its independence.

Two UK embassy workers have been told to leave Moscow within two weeks, the agency has said

Two British diplomats have had their accreditation revoked in Russia after engaging in espionage activities, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has said.

In a statement on Monday, the agency said its operatives had “discovered an undeclared intelligence presence” at the UK Embassy in Moscow.

Two British diplomats were found to have been “carrying out intelligence and subversive work that threatens Russia’s security,” the statement alleged.

It has been established that the UK Embassy’s second secretary and the husband of the first secretary of the embassy’s political department intentionally provided false information when receiving permission to enter Russia, thus violating the country’s laws, the FSB said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with other agencies, therefore decided to revoke the accreditation of the two diplomats, ordering them to leave the country within two weeks, it added.

“The FSB will continue to counter intelligence and subversive activities of foreign intelligence services using all available means,” the statement read.

READ MORE: UK will return Russian money it is ‘so generously giving away’ – Moscow

The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said it had summoned a representative of the British Embassy over the loss of accreditation by the two UK diplomats.

A video made by RT captured the British representative leaving the Foreign Ministry, while declining to answer questions about the effect of the incident on relations between Moscow and London.

In November, the FSB announced the expulsion of a British diplomat for “conducting intelligence and subversive work” and intentionally providing false information when entering Russia. At the time, the UK Foreign Office accused Moscow of making “malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”

Six more British diplomats had been ordered out of the country on similar grounds in August, according to the agency.

Numerous civilian casualties have been reported after at least two HIMARS missiles struck civilians in Kherson Region, regional head Vladimir Saldo has said

The Ukrainian military launched two HIMARS rockets directly at a local market in Russia’s Kherson Region on Sunday, according to regional governor Vladimir Saldo. The attack on the town of Veliky Kopani left several civilians dead and “a lot” wounded, Saldo said, citing preliminary data.

Dozens of civilians were at the market when at least two projectiles fired from a US-supplied M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher struck the location, according to a Telegram post by Saldo, which included images from the aftermath. The photos show one building badly damaged, with thick smoke billowing from it.

Footage circulating online shows a destroyed van ablaze outside of the market, with an injured – or possibly dead – person lying next to it.

A paramedic and driver with the local emergency medical services were also injured in the attack, the regional health minister, Elena Borchaninova, told TASS. At least seven civilians were injured in the attack with one subsequently succumbing to his injuries, the ministry’s press service told the news agency.

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The exact number of casualties has not yet been officially established, as the wounded are still being transferred to hospitals. At least some of the victims were sent to the coastal city of Skadovsk, located some 20 km to the south of Veliky Kopani.

“The information is still preliminary. We are waiting for all the victims. They have been sent to the Skadovsk hospital. So far, only two have been brought in. Unfortunately, one of the two has died,” the Health Ministry told RIA Novosti.

Kiev has been receiving M142 HIMARS and its heavier tracked cousin, the M270 MLRS, since mid-2022 from the US and other Western backers. The systems, once touted as a key tool for striking high-value Russian assets, have routinely been used by Kiev for indiscriminate strikes on civilian targets deep beyond the frontline.