Zelensky says Russia’s strike on kindergarten shows Putin not serious about peace talks
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine yesterday, including a strike on a kindergarten, showed that Vladimir Putin “clearly doesn’t feel enough pressure to stop prolonging the war”.
At least six people were killed as Russia unleashed a broad attack that hit Ukrainian power plants, a kindergarten and other sites.
Mr Zelensky shared a video that showed chaos and fear in the northeastern city of Kharkiv after a Russian drone strike hit a kindergarten. Emergency workers and distraught parents were seen clutching their children as they flee through smoke and debris.
Three drones hit the kindergarten, causing a part of the school’s second floor had collapse.
Officials confirmed that all 48 children inside had been moved to an underground shelter. The frightened children were seen desperately clutching the shoulders of firemen rescuing them from the flames.
“Clearly, Russia is growing more brazen. These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face to everyone who insists on a peaceful resolution,” Zelensky said on X.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 October 2025 05:07
Trump to press Xi to stop Putin’s war in Ukraine
US president Donald Trump, ahead of his meeting next week with his Chinese counterpart in South Korea, has pressed on Xi Jinping to end the war in Ukraine.
Mr Trump said he would like to see Mr Xi use his influence on Russia’s Vladimir Putin to halt the fighting in Ukraine. Mr Xi and Mr Putin have forged an increasingly close strategic alliance between their countries.
Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he planned to discuss China’s purchases of Russian oil and how to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its third year.
“What I’ll really be talking to him about is how do we end the war with Russia and Ukraine, whether it’s through oil or energy or anything else. And I think he’s going to be very receptive.”
“He would now like – I’m not sure that he did at the beginning – he would now like that war to end,” Mr Trump said, referring to Mr Xi.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 October 2025 04:40
Sweden signs letter of intent to export Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine
Sweden has signed a letter of intent to export up to 150 of its domestically produced Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The two leaders met for talks in Linkoping in southern Sweden and visited Saab, which is the maker of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter and other equipment.
Kristersson told a news conference the two countries had signed a long-term cooperation agreement over air defences that included the possibility of exporting 100-150 newly produced Gripen E fighter jets.
“We fully realise it’s a long road ahead of us,” Kristersson said with a Gripen in Swedish livery in the background.
“But from today we are committed to exploring all the possibilities in providing Ukraine with a large amount of Gripen fighters in the future.”
Alex Croft23 October 2025 04:30
Sweden to export up to 150 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky signed a letter of intent to export up to 150 of Saab’s Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine after talks in Linkoping, in southern Sweden, where the jets are produced.
Gripen is a fourth-generation light single-engine supersonic fighter jet. It is a so-called multi-role fighter aircraft, designed for missions such as air-to-air combat, aerial bombing and reconnaissance.
It is seen as a solid low-cost alternative to the more expensive fifth-generation planes, such as the F-35. Gripen, Swedish for the mythical creature Griffin, has been in commission since 1996 but has been upgraded several times. The first plane of the latest version, Gripen E, was delivered to the Swedish Air Force in October.
In total, more than 280 Gripens have been manufactured.
Swedish media said Gripens were used in direct combat for the first time this year, when Thailand deployed fighter jets in confrontations with Cambodia.
Prior to that, the Gripen has mainly been used for air policing and was deployed to Poland in 2025 as part of a Nato mission to patrol allied airspace. It was also used to enforce the Nato no-fly zone in Libya in 2014.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 October 2025 04:26
Pictured: A damaged kindergarden in Kharkiv after a Russian drone attack
This photograph shows a damaged kindergarten following a drone attack in Kharkiv, on October 22, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)
Alex Croft23 October 2025 04:15
Why Trump and Putin’s latest summit has collapsed
The intended summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was put on hold on Wednesday after Moscow refused to budge on its red lines for ending the war in Ukraine.
A senior White House official told Reuters that there are “no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future”. It comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a “productive call” but opted against an in-person meeting.
Read our full explainer below.
Alex Croft23 October 2025 04:01
What are the Gripen fighter jets Ukraine wants to buy from Sweden?
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a letter of intent to export up to 150 of Saab’s Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine.
Gripen is a fourth generation light single-engine supersonic fighter jet. It is a so-called multi-role fighter aircraft, designed for missions such as air-to-air combat, aerial bombing and reconnaissance.
It is seen as a solid low-cost alternative to the more expensive fifth generation planes, such as the F-35.
Gripen, Swedish for the mythical creature Griffin, has been in commission since 1996 but has been upgraded several times.
The first plane of the latest version, Gripen E, was delivered to the Swedish Air Force in October. In total more than 280 Gripens have been manufactured.
(REUTERS)
Alex Croft23 October 2025 03:00
Russia bombards Ukraine – but Putin still tries to salvage Budapest summit with Trump
Russian drones and missiles blasted sites across Ukraine on Wednesday, killing at least six people, but the Kremlin sought to revive hopes of another summit with Donald Trump after Washington appeared to put the plan on hold.
The attacks came in waves and targeted at least eight Ukrainian cities as well as a village in the region of the capital, Kyiv, where a strike set fire to a house in which the mother and her six-month and 12-year-old daughters were staying, regional head Mykola Kalashnyk said
Russian drones also hit a kindergarten in Kharkiv. One person was killed and six were hurt, but no children were harmed.
James C. Reynolds reports:
Alex Croft23 October 2025 02:00
Hundreds of Russian troops stranded and starving in ‘death zone’ on Ukraine’s Dnipro River
Hundreds of starving and marooned Russian troops are being killed by Ukrainian drones in the “death zone” of the Dnipro delta, according to a report.
The river, surrounded by low-lying marshy islands, is split between Russian control on the left bank and Ukrainian control on the right.
Footage shared by the 40th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps shows several makeshift Russian boats approaching the coastal swamp, only to be blown apart by Ukrainian suicide drones.
Our foreign affairs reporter Maira Butt reports:
Alex Croft23 October 2025 01:00
EU countries approve 19th sanctions package on Russia
EU countries approved a 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine, which includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports, the Danish rotating presidency of the EU said on Wednesday.
“We are very pleased to announce that we have just been notified by the remaining member state that it’s now able to lift its reservation on the 19th sanctions package,” it said.
Slovakia was the final hold-out after EU countries agreed on the final text last week. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Fico wanted assurances from the European Commission on high energy prices and aligning climate targets with the needs of carmakers and heavy industry.
A Slovak diplomat said the country’s demands were met in new clauses added to the final communique for the EU leaders summit on Thursday.
“Consequently, a written procedure for Council approval has been launched. If no objections are received, the package will be adopted tomorrow by 8 am,” it added.
Alex Croft23 October 2025 00:01