Russia launched a deadly aerial assault across Ukraine, targeting the capital with missiles and drones for a second night in a row, as the two sides carried out an exchange of hundreds of prisoners of war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has blasted the US government for its "silence" after drone strikes rained down across more than 30 Ukrainian cities and villages over the weekend.

Ukrainian forces are bracing for another major frontline assault from Russia after learning of a large build-up of pre-battle troops in the north east.

After a stint with a drone unit led by a member of Parliament, Russian officials return to work, and promotions, garlanded as war veterans. Most soldiers are stuck in indefinite deployments.

Ukrainian forces made a surprise incursion into Kursk in August 2024, before being pushed out by Russian troops nine months later.

Donald Trump is striving for closer ties with Russia, even at the expense of peace in Ukraine. This is the opinion of Steve Rosenberg, a BBC correspondent in Moscow. The journalist analysed the negotiations with Russia following Putin's statement about continuing peace talks.

Europecategory· May 21, 2025 Putin visits Kursk region for first time since ejecting Ukrainian forces Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the western Kursk region for the first time since ...

War experts believe Moscow is planning a summer offensive in Ukraine. Economic and military pressures closer to home could end up pushing Moscow into peace talks. A slowdown in inflation, declining industrial output and consumer spending all point to a slowdown in the Russian economy.