The Kyiv Independent

⚡️Belgium open to using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine if Europe shares risks. "The risks we identified at the time have not miraculously vanished. But we have no fundamental objection to this money being used to support the Ukrainian cause," said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.

⚡️Breaking: Zelensky formally nominates acting defense chief Khmara as minister, ending month of uncertainty. Zelensky also nominated Andrii Sybiha to again take up the post of foreign minister.

PepsiCo said it would leave Russia. Last year, it paid $237 million to the state In response to Russia's full-scale invasion, PepsiCo announced it would suspend production and sales in Russia in March 2022 — and yet, last year it still paid $237 million in income tax to the Russian state. PepsiCo, one of the largest food and drink producers in the world, remains Russia's fourth-largest foreign business — with 60,000 workers and 19 factories still producing Pepsi Cola for Russian shelves under new names, Lyubimaya Cola and Evervess Cola. Photo: Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images.

⚡️ German court convicts Ukrainian man in alleged Russian sabotage plot. The Stuttgart court sentenced the man to one year and three months in prison, but ruled that his pre-trial detention would count toward the sentence, meaning he will now be released.

⚡️ Russia threatens UK over supplying Ukraine with drones. "London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," the Russian Embassy to the U.K. said.

⚡️ 20th-century military leader Yevhen Konovalets reburied in Kyiv. ”Along with him, Ukraine has brought back a part of itself: its memory, its Ukrainian experience, and our national history — the history of all those who, at different times, lived and fought for Ukraine, for our independence, and for our sovereign state," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️ Ukraine's parliament returns from summer recess as decision on defense minister looms. The parliament went into recess in mid-July shortly after Zelensky announced an unexpected government reshuffle, with the ousting of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov triggering mass protests across the country.

⚡️ 10 killed in morning strike in Kharkiv Oblast as Russian attacks kill 9 others, injure 53 across Ukraine over past day. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had deliberately struck a crowded intersection near a post office and shops, surrounded by residential buildings.

⚡️ Ghana asks Moscow to stop recruiting its citizens for war in Ukraine. According to Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, 62 of his country's citizens have been killed in Ukraine, and 15 remain missing.

⚡️ Over one-fifth of Russian LNG exports protected by EU's Greek sanctions exemption. The Greek shipping company Dynagas delivered 2.35 billion euros ($2.72 billion) worth of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to EU customers in the first seven months of 2026, the NGO Urgewald reported.

Eastern Europe's push to revive tourism amid Russia's war Europe's tourism industry is thriving, but the recovery has been uneven across the bloc. While western countries enjoyed a steady rebound after the pandemic and lockdowns, tourism in the EU's easternmost members was hit by another crisis: the war on their doorstep. Now, they're looking to EU support to give their tourism industries the boost they need to revive their economies and help their border regions flourish. Photo: Stockfoto via Getty Images.

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Aug.18, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

⚡️Azerbaijan issue arrest warrants for 3 Russians over 'public calls to terrorism.' The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office announced arrest warrants in absentia for three Russian media figures on Aug. 17, accusing the suspects of issuing public calls for terrorism against the country.

⚡️Update: Multiple fires reported near Moscow as Ukraine launches hundreds of drones towards Russian capital. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that at least 187 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Moscow Oblast during the attack, with over 600 claimed to have been launched at the region.

⚡️Fire reported near Moscow as Ukraine launches dozens of drones towards Russian capital. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that at least 63 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the Moscow Oblast during the attack.

⚡️Russian court sentences opposition figure to 11 years in prison. Russian opposition figure Lev Shlosberg was sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison for making statements opposing the war against Ukraine, Russian political party Yabloko wrote on Aug. 17.

⚡️Zelensky appoints new Logistics Forces commander following meeting with military leadership. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 17 appointed Yurii Pohrybnyi as commander of the Logistics Forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces, according to a presidential decree.

⚡️'They will simply kill my son' — Prominent Ukrainian volunteer claims FSB blackmail, travels to Russia. Russia's security service (FSB) blackmailed prominent Ukrainian volunteer Mykhailo Puryshev into cooperation, threatening to conscript his son into the Russian army, he claimed on Aug. 17.

Ukraine war latest: Over 239,000 KIA Russian soldiers identified by media investigation Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 239,354 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine. In addition, Russia has set up 10 bases with new launch padsfor jet-powered drones along its borders with Ukraine and Belarus, bringing NATO countries within their potential range. Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images

⚡️Russian Banderol missile enters Moldovan airspace, Ukraine claims, explosion reported near village. The Banderol is a small, low-cost cruise missile which is launched from a Kronshtadt Orion strike and reconnaissance drone.