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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n Kyiv<\/a> has launched more than 1,000 drones across Russia<\/a> and set an oil terminal ablaze in St Petersburg as the US<\/a> resumes intelligence sharing with Ukraine. <\/p>\n The attacks, which also sparked fires at both the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the city\u2019s Ruchi oil depot, killed one person and injured five others.<\/p>\n It comes after Donald Trump criticised Volodymyr Zelensky and called renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries \u201ca disgrace\u201d. <\/p>\n Russia has also unleashed strikes on Ukraine\u2019s energy, oil, and gas sectors at least 76 times over the last day.<\/p>\n President Zelensky told NBC\u2019s Meet the Press that he was \u201cvery thankful\u201d that intelligence sharing had been resumed to help defend against Russian missile strikes.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Nato<\/a> jets were scrambled in response to an unidentified flying object over Lithuania on Sunday morning, with residents in the central and northern parts of the country told to seek shelter.<\/p>\n The order to shelter lasted about an hour, and the government later said the object was likely a drone that entered from Poland. <\/p>\n Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it \u201cregrets\u201d the possible diversion of its drones, which it said may have been caused by Russian electronic warfare.<\/p>\n <\/a>Watch: Moment British-made sea drones strike Russian Olympic sea port in Ukraine’s Black Sea blockade Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 18:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Zelensky urges support for new US sanctions on Russia after Trump puts them on hold<\/p>\n Volodymyr Zelensky urged supporters Saturday to speak out in defense of new U.S. sanctions against Russia<\/a>, hours after President Donald Trump<\/a> signed an executive order pausing a sweeping package of restrictions targeting the Russian economy.<\/p>\n The White House’s decision has further raised fears that Ukraine could be left exposed to Moscow\u2019s escalating assaults with winter approaching.<\/p>\n Zelensky described Trump’s move to put sanctions on hold as unfortunate, but did not directly criticize the U.S. leader despite deepening tensions between Ukraine and Washington in recent days.<\/p>\n \u201cA decision was unfortunately made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,\u201d Zelensky wrote.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 18:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Zelensky speaks to Witkoff and Kushner as Ukraine pushes for peace<\/p>\n Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with Donald Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as he tries to secure a new peace meeting.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian president said his side was \u201cdoing everything\u201d to make peace happen and ensure that the US\u2019s position was strong.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace comes only through strength and cooperation built on trust,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace that everyone, except Russia, has been waiting for over the past four and a half years.\u201d <\/p>\n President Zelensky added: \u201cIn particular, we discussed the results of our teams\u2019 meeting in Florida. Our teams maintain virtually nonstop communication. We are also preparing the next steps in diplomacy. We constantly inform our partners about the real situation with Russian strikes, which do not cease for a single minute, and about air defense issues. <\/p>\n \u201cA lot here depends precisely on America\u2019s position. Ukraine remains ready to work constructively, honestly, and toward a real result. I thank everyone in America who supports Ukraine and this particular approach.\u201d<\/p>\n It is understood that President Zelensky hoped to arrange a new peace meeting next week, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing an interview with the leader.<\/p>\n Had a conversation with the American President\u2019s envoys, Steve Witkoff @SEPeaceMissions and Jared Kushner @jaredkushner. Peace comes only through strength and cooperation built on trust. We are doing everything on our part to make this happen, and to ensure that America\u2019s position is strong and helps bring peace closer. Peace that everyone, except Russia, has been waiting for over the past four and a half years. In particular, we discussed the results of our teams\u2019 meeting in Florida. Our teams maintain virtually nonstop communication. We are also preparing the next steps in diplomacy. We constantly inform our partners about the real situation with Russian strikes, which do not cease for a single minute, and about air defense issues. A lot here depends precisely on America\u2019s position. Ukraine remains ready to work constructively, honestly, and toward a real result. I thank everyone in America who supports Ukraine and this particular approach.<\/p>\n \u2014 Volodymyr Zelenskyy \/ \u0412\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0417\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 (@ZelenskyyUa) October 18, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 17:33<\/p>\n <\/a>In pictures: Aftermath of a Russian air attack in Sloviansk Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 17:30<\/p>\n <\/a>EU \u2018quickly preparing sanctions on Russia\u2019 in case Le Pen elected in 2027<\/p>\n Le Pen is the leader of France\u2019s far-right National Rally (RN), and the current favourite to win France\u2019s presidential election next year. She has declared that she would end support for Ukraine<\/a> within six months if she is elected in the April 2027 contest.<\/p>\n February may present the \u201clast opportunity [to impose sanctions] because of the French elections\u201d, one source involved in the EU discussions told The Telegraph<\/a>. Officials told the outlet Brussels would be \u201clucky\u201d to secure sanctions after February as France enters campaign mode.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 17:02<\/p>\n <\/a>Ukraine was blindsided by Russian attacks when intelligence-sharing was paused <\/p>\n Ukraine was blinded by Russian ballistic missile attacks after intelligence-sharing with the US was paused, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian leader said Donald Trump has since resumed intelligence-sharing with Ukraine to help defend against Russian missile strikes.<\/p>\n He told NBC\u2019s Meet the Press on Sunday that Ukraine was \u201cvery thankful for this.\u201d<\/p>\n Ukraine has relied \u2060on US intelligence \u200bto spot \u2060the fast-moving ballistic \u200cmissiles that Russia has fired in waves \u200cat its cities.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly United States has this unique intelligence to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles, and we didn’t get it during ballistic attacks over three days,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 17:00<\/p>\n <\/a>In full: Blaze at St Petersburg oil sites as Kyiv launches more than 1,000 drones at Russia<\/p>\n Ukrainian attacks set an oil export terminal ablaze in St. Petersburg on Sunday, as Kyiv<\/a> launched more than 1,000 drones across Russia<\/a> in one of its largest ever aerial bombardments.<\/p>\n The attack comes amid deepening tensions between Ukraine and Washington<\/a>, with U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a> criticizing Kyiv for its strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.<\/p>\n One person was killed and five more were wounded in the attack, which sparked fires at both the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the city\u2019s Ruchi oil depot, said local Gov. Alexander Beglov. A logistics center belonging to Russian retailer Ozon and a data center for local tech giant VK were also targeted, both companies confirmed.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 16:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Zelensky: It would be a ‘historic mistake’ for Trump to side with Putin<\/p>\n If Donald Trump sides with Vladimir Putin it would be a \u201chistoric mistake\u201d, Ukraine\u2019s president has warned. <\/p>\n Volodymyr Zelensky said he still views the US president as an ally and wants to trust him after he waived sanctions against Russia, saying the move \u201cis in the national interests of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n He told NBC\u2019s Meet the Press: \u201cI hope that he will change his decisions, because I think that it\u2019s all mistakes, and it will not help us, and it will not help United States.\u201d<\/p>\n President Zelensky it was a \u201cpity\u201d that the President Trump waived sanctions in a bill named for the late Lindsay Graham, who he said \u201ca great supporter of peace and of Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher18 October 2026 16:00<\/p>\n
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Zelensky says Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine\u2019s energy infrastructureYour support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n![\"Moment](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/b44545cc-371e-4671-b334-a8085b4ff09e-thumbnail.jpeg\")
Moment British-made sea drones strike Russian Olympic sea port in Ukraine’s Black Sea blockade<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-10-18T095550Z_1948972572_RC2L5OAB9UZ7_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-SLOVIANSK.JPG\")
(Reuters)![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-10-18T095538Z_251881557_RC2L5OAL0BHS_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-SLOVIANSK.JPG\")
(Reuters)<\/p>\n