Friday, August 22, 2025
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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Olga (L) and Zabit (R), Ukrainian citizens of Azerbaijani origin who fled Soviet crackdowns during Azerbaijan’s independence uprising in 1990, harvest potatoes in their garden plot on Aug. 21, in Sloviansk, Ukraine. Sloviansk is the city where the war began in 2014, marked by its occupation by Russian militias led by Igor Strelkov, also known as Girkin. The town is located in Donetsk Oblast, a Ukrainian region cited in peace-talk discussions involving U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over a potential front-line freeze and territorial exchanges. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)
Going around in circles — Trump sets new deadline for peace in Ukraine, Graham again threatens with tough legislation. We will know in within two weeks whether there will be peace in Ukraine. After that we will have to maybe take a different tact,” U.S. President Donald Trump told conservative commentator Todd Starnes.
Russia would take 4 years to fully occupy Donbas, Zelensky says. “I explained to (U.S. President Donald Trump) that the talks about them (Russia) occupying our Donbas by the end of (2025) are all just chatter,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine regains control of most of Tovste in Donetsk Oblast, military says. Tovste is a front-line village southwest of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk and near the key town of Vuhledar.
Russian attack hits US electronics plant in western Ukraine. “This was an ordinary civilian facility with American investment. They produced everyday household items, such as coffee machines,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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Video shows aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. Ukrainian drones struck the Unecha oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast on Aug. 21, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, announced in a video published to social media.
Ukraine to mass produce long-range Flamingo missile in winter, Zelensky says. President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Flamingo had undergone successful tests, describing it as “the most successful” missile Ukraine currently has.
Russia opposes European troops in Ukraine under Trump-backed security guarantees, Lavrov says. Sending European troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees would amount to “foreign military intervention,” which Moscow won’t support, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Aug. 21.
Zelensky urges ‘strong response‘ from US if Putin rejects talks with Ukraine.
“We are ready for the bilateral meeting. If the Russians are not, then we would like to see a strong response from the United States,” Zelensky said, adding that he asked Trump to impose additional sanctions on Moscow if it rejects talks with Ukraine.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine regains control of most of Tovste in Donetsk Oblast
The 5th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade pushed Russian troops from the settlement through coordinated operations involving infantry, drone units, and artillery, according to the military.
Photo: Pierre Crom / Getty Images
Learn more
Where is Crimea? And other things you (and US presidents) should know
U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Crimea as a piece of land “right in the ocean” that is “the size of Texas” while talking on the Mark Levin Show, a right-wing talk radio program, on Aug. 20.
Photo: Olga Maltseva / AFP via Getty Images
From Crimea to Donbas, Russia’s “peace” has always meant more war. We’re here in Ukraine to give the world a reality check. Support independent journalism in this critical moment.
Human cost of Russia’s war
Massive Russian drone, missile attack kills 1, injures 26 in Ukrainian cities far from front line despite peace talks. The attack caused fires at a large electronics plant in Mukachevo, with damage also reported in other cities, including Lviv.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,029,660 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.
The number includes 830 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
The ground drone revolution in Ukraine
International response
Switzerland, Austria ready to give Putin immunity for peace talks. Switzerland is prepared to grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from arrest if he travels to Geneva for peace negotiations, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said in an interview on Aug. 19.
Lithuania closes airspace near Belarus ahead of joint Russian-Belarusian military drills. The closure comes ahead of the “Zapad-2025” military drills, scheduled to take place in Belarus from Sept. 12 to 16. Minsk said the joint exercises with Russia are intended to test both countries’ ability to ensure security and repel possible aggression.
Ukrainian detained in Italy for alleged Nord Stream sabotage, media report. Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian national under a European arrest warrant in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, German prosecutors announced on Aug. 21.
Kim Jong Un reportedly awards troops who fought for Russia. At a ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un praised the overseas troops and said their participation demonstrated “the power of the heroic (North Korean) army.”
Trump’s intelligence chief ordered halt to intelligence sharing on Russia-Ukraine peace talks among ‘Five Eye’ allies, CBS reports. U.S. intelligence sources told CBS News that Gabbard signed a directive barring the sharing of information with the Five Eye alliance, which includes the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
In other news
Trump administration escalates purge of senior US intelligence officials, Economist reports. The officer, who served as the CIA’s top Russia and Eurasia analyst during the 2016 election and helped produce the report detailing Moscow’s interference on behalf of Donald Trump, was among the most senior career officials targeted.
Ex-defense official charged with abuse of power after awarding himself bonuses, extra payments. A former acting director general of a state-owned defense enterprise has been charged under suspicion that the official abuse his power in awarding himself 700,000 UAH ($17,000) in bonuses and extra payment during his service, the city of Kyiv’s Prosecutor’s Office announced on Aug. 21.
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Ex-defense official charged with abuse of power after awarding himself bonuses, extra payments
A former acting director general of a state-owned defense enterprise has been charged under suspicion that the official abuse his power in awarding himself 700,000 UAH ($17,000) in bonuses and extra payment during his service, the city of Kyiv's Pros…Dmytro Basmat (The Kyiv Independent)