Ukraine children at the scene of a Russian strike in Kyiv, August 28, 2025

EA on Ukraine’s War and Politics 24: Can Russia’s Invasion Be Broken?

Thursday’s Coverage: Russia’s “Massive” Attack on Kyiv Kills 21+

UPDATE 1808 GMT:

Ukraine Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak has told Donald Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, “Unfortunately, Russia is not doing anything necessary to end the war and is obviously prolonging the hostilities.”

The Ukrainian delegation told Witkoff about “all the war crimes that Russia commits daily against our cities and communities”.

Yermak emphasized that Kyiv is “open to direct talks at the leadership level”, inviting the real estate developer to visit Ukraine “in the near-future”.

UPDATE 1637 GMT:

At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers, France and Germany have pledged to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine.

The two countries said in a statement, “Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

At the joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine must have strong security guarantees for a just and lasting peace.

He warned that if Vladimir Putin missed a Monday deadline to commit to negotiations, including talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, it would be another example of the Russian leader trying to “play” Donald Trump —-an example which could not go unanswered and should prompt further sanctions.

Merz said the invasion could go on for “many months” with Putin “clearly unwilling” to meet Zelensky.

“Frankly, this doesn’t surprise me, because it’s part of the Russian president’s strategy to proceed in the same way,” he explained.

UPDATE 1351 GMT:

After a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Copenhagen, the EU’s foreign policy head Kaja Kallas has condemned Russia’s attacks on Kyiv as a “deliberate choice” to “escalate and mock the peace efforts.”

The past weeks, we have seen diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war, and it’s clear that Europe wants peace, America wants peace, Ukraine wants peace. Who doesn’t want peace is Russia.

A statement by the EU26 — the bloc’s 27 members minus Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is a long-time ally of Vladimir Putin — emphasized, “These crimes only reinforce our determination and resolve to support Ukraine and its people in their defence against Russia and their pursuit of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.”

UPDATE 1340 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for toughened action against Russia on Monday if the Kremlin does not show readiness for his meeting with Vladimir Putin to end Moscow’s invasion.

Zelensky recalled that Ukraine and partners agreed to wait until September 1 for Russia to show willingness to enter negotiations.

Zelensky also urged movement of talks on security guarantees to national leaders, “We need the architecture to be clear to everyone. Then we want to connect with President Trump during a meeting…and tell him how we see it.“

Zelensky added that he would also like to see allies ratify any security guarantees through their respective parliaments.

“We want legally binding security guarantees,” he said, “We don’t want [another] Budapest Memorandum”, the 1994 deal in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances.

Ukraine’s military commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke with counterparts from the “Coalition of the Willing” about steps.

“Jointly developed practical solutions, supported by real mechanisms of political and diplomatic support from reliable partners of Ukraine, are capable of ensuring a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and all of Europe,” he posted.

UPDATE 1033 GMT:

Belgium will provide Ukraine with another €100 million ($117 million) in military aid this year through NATO’s program purchasing US weapons, munitions, and equipment.

Defense Minister Theo Francken said Belgium will “keep on supporting Ukraine with everything we have” and promised F-16 fighter jets will be “delivered as soon as possible”.

UPDATE 1007 GMT:

The Trump Administration has reportedly deported around 100 Russians who fled the country.

Dmitry Valuev, president of Russian America for Democracy in Russia, The first group of around 40 people was sent back in June. The second group of up to 60 was flown to Cairo on August 27, and from there to Moscow.

Among those deported were several people who feared political persecution and a former soldier charged with unauthorized abandonment of his unit.

In Cairo, the Russians tried to change their route to avoid flying to Moscow, but were beaten by employees of one of the Egyptian special services, Valuev said.

UPDATE 0949 GMT:

After meeting Russian officials, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has confirmed the Kremlin’s demand for the part of the Donetsk region controlled by Ukraine.

Fidan said that, in return for getting all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, Russia would settle for its occupied areas along the frontline in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the south.

Vladimir Putin reportedly issued the same ultimatum in his talks with Donald Trump in Alaska on August 15. Ukraine and its European partners have rejected the demand. They note that cession of the northern part of Donetsk, a fortified industrial area, would open the “highway to Kyiv” for a further Russian invasion.

UPDATE 0938 GMT:

At least five civilians have been killed and at least 26 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 46 of 68 drones launched by Russia overnight. The other 22 drones struck nine locations.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region in south-central Ukraine, a man and a woman were killed by a drone.

In the Kharkiv region in the northeast, a 33-year-old man was slain.

In the Kherson region in the south, two civilians were murdered and nine injured amid attacks on 35 settlements including Kherson city.

Casualties were also reported in the Sumy, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

UPDATE 0849 GMT:

Two sailors have been killed by a Russian attack on a Ukrainian Navy vessel.

Several are missing or injured.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Thursday that a naval drone hit the Ukrainian medium reconnaissance ship Simferopol near the mouth of the Danube River.

UPDATE 0942 GMT:

Euromaidan Press posts photos of some of Friday’s victims of Russia’s attacks on Kyiv:

UPDATE 0705 GMT:

The US Defense Department says Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands will potentially buy 3,350 Extended-Range Attack Munition air-launched cruise missiles for Ukraine.

The Pentagon said the $825 million sale has been approved by the State Department.

The ERAM has a range of around 241 to 450 km (150 to 280 miles) and is relatively quick to produce and low-cost.

While Donald Trump has demanded that all US weapons be purchased by Ukraine via NATO members, the package has some funding from Washington.

The Trump Administration has still not clarified if the ERAMs can be used for strikes inside Russia.

A review mechanism, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocking long-range strikes, has restricted the operations since the late spring.

Ukraine War, Day 1,277: US Sells Extended-Range Missiles to Kyiv — But Can They Be Used?

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russia murdered at least 23 civilians, including four children, and injured 38 in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early Thursday.

Almost all of the slain were killed when two missiles slammed into a high-rise residential building on Zhylianska Street in the city center.

Around 200 rescuers and 59 rescue vehicles worked all day and through the night, recovering bodies and seeking the missing. Ten people were unaccounted for on Thursday evening.

Residents at the scene expressed sadness and defiance. “Our patriotism is more powerful than our fear,” said Yulia Maystruk as she held her 3 1/2-month-old daughter.

She knew a woman who had taken shelter in the basement with her 14-year-old-son. The mother was injured and needed medical care. The son “died in hospital”, she said as her eyes filled with tears.

Zelensky: “Russia Kills Every Day”

In his nightly address to the nation, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky put the attacks in the context of his meeting, alongside seven European leaders, with Donald Trump on August 18:

In Washington we heard that Putin is supposedly ready to end the war – to meet at the leaders’ level and resolve key issues. But instead he chooses ballistics over any real steps toward peace. He kills children in order not to talk about when and how peace will come….

This strike clearly shows that Russia’s goals have not changed. They want war, striking not only our people and cities but everyone in the world who seeks peace. It is a strike against Ukraine, against Europe, also against President Trump, and against other global actors.

Zelensky also reached out to countries in Asia, notably China and India, and Latin America: “With such strikes and such killings, Russia is simply drawing them into being its accomplices.”

Russia kills every day. Therefore, every day they must feel pain for what they are doing. And this is possible. The world’s sanctions. Tariffs. Support for Ukraine. Our strong army. Our ability to defend lives and respond powerfully to the Russian war machine.

Trump offered no comment after he spoke with Zelensky. His envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, posted:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump “was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised”.

She then put out a false equation of Russia’s mass murder of civilians with Ukraine’s strikes on Russian infrastructure supporting the invasion.

Perhaps both sides of this war are not ready to end it themselves….

Russia launched this attack on Kyiv. And likewise, Ukraine recently dealt a blow to Russia’s oil refineries….

The President wants it to end, but the leaders of these two countries need it to end and must want it to end as well.

Europe’s Support for Kyiv

The strikes damaged the offices of the European Union and of the British Council, injuring a security guard at the latter building. European Council President Ursula von der Leyen assured after a conversation with Zelensky:

Putin must come to the negotiating table.

We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that will turn the country into a steel porcupine.

Europe will fully play its part.

She said the EU will soon present a 19th package of sanctions against Russia and are developing plans to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

Other European leaders condemned the murders and declared firm support for Kyiv.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented, “Russia showed its true face again last night.” French President Emmanuel Macron posted of Russia’s “terror and barbarism”.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni referred to Vladimir Putin’s recent meeting with Donald Trump, “The intense attacks on Kyiv this night demonstrate who stands on the side of peace and who has no intention of believing in the negotiating path.”