Russia intensifies assaults near Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border, Ukraine's military says
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a major industrial and logistical hub, remains untouched by ground incursions but is under growing threat.
Voloshyn said Russian troops continue to use artillery, kamikaze drones, guided aerial bombs, and unguided missiles to attack Ukrainian positions.
"The number of these assault operations is quite high," he said, citing 24 combat engagements in the Novopavlivka direction alone.
Novopavlivka lies in central-eastern Ukraine, roughly 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) southeast of Dnipro, near the tri-border area of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.
Voloshyn described it as the "most mobile area" on the southern front, where four Russian regiments have concentrated assault units.
"They are trying to break through toward the administrative border of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts," he said, adding that fighting involves small assault groups and constant shelling.
The Russian assaults prompted local authorities on April 28 to begin mandatory evacuations of families with children from four frontline villages: Kolona Mezhova, Novopidhorodne, Raipole, and Sukhareva Balka.
These settlements lie just 5–15 kilometers from Russian positions.
Although Russian troops have not yet entered Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the region has suffered regular missile, drone, and airstrike attacks that have killed and wounded civilians and damaged critical infrastructure.
Read also: As Ukraine, Russia peace talks loom, all eyes are on Putin's next move
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The Hill
34 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump's Ukraine weapons pivot exposes tensions over US role
President Trump's about-face on last week's pause of some weapons shipments to Ukraine has revealed chasms within the administration, with the president claiming several times that he didn't know who approved the halt. Trump on Monday said he would restart the dispatch of defensive weapons to the country — to include air defense missiles — reasserting control from leading figures in the Defense Department who have sought to pivot the U.S. military away from Europe. 'We're really starting to see the strains of the limits of the coordination amongst the White House, the Pentagon and the State Department,' said Heather Conley, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Conley said Trump's ever-shifting policies, reduced personnel across agencies, and varying agendas of influential national security figures has 'created this perfect storm' with Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth apparently moving out ahead of Trump on Ukraine lethal aid. The original decision to hold off on the weapons to Kyiv was largely driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a close ally to Vice President Vance, and signed off on by Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg after it was discovered that the U.S. only has about 25 percent of the Patriot interceptors needed for all Defense Department military plans, The Guardian first reported. Multiple outlets also have reported that Hegseth did not inform the White House or the State Department the pause was happening. Trump's reversal of the move, at least in part, also comes as he has ramped up criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Trump said Tuesday was 'throwing bulls—' in talks about ending the war. The result has been a scramble inside the administration to explain the halt and assure the public and the Ukrainian government that it won't be happening, with Trump taking the lead. Last week, after learning of the pause, Trump ordered Hegseth to restart the shipment of at least some of the munitions. Then in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, he sought to downplay his role in the Pentagon's action, CNN reported. 'We're going to send some more weapons. We have to, they have to be able to defend themselves,' Trump publicly announced Monday evening before a dinner at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons,' Trump added as Hegseth sat beside him. He did not say if the new shipments would include Patriot missile systems, only that they would be 'defensive weapons, primarily.' Then on Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting, Trump claimed ignorance about who approved last week's pause, but he said he'd given the go-ahead for new weapons to help Kyiv. 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'The Department will continue to give the President robust options regarding military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end and putting America First.' Other Trump allies, including Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), blamed the media for exaggerating the episode. 'The Pentagon is run by Pete Hegseth, who was appointed by the president, who's close to the president, friends with the president. You see him all the time on TV. There is no disconnect. The disconnect is between the media and the issue,' Risch told The Hill. But the gaff is igniting new calls for Hegseth to be ousted, including from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.). 'Pete Hegseth is the most unqualified Defense secretary in American history. He undermines the ability of the Department of the Defense to keep the American people safe. … That's been clear and apparent for months,' Jeffries said on CNN's 'The Situation Room.' 'Ukraine is an ally. Russia is a sworn enemy of the United States of America. And when you limit Ukraine's ability to be successful in the war of aggression that Russia has launched against a sovereign country, you undermine America's national security interests, and that's highly problematic,' Jeffries added. Conley said the episode highlighted the absolute need for Hegseth, Colby and any other administration officials to get in alignment with the president. 'They've gotten out ahead of him or misinterpreted what he's interested [in] or pursuing their own agenda, and they just cannot do that anymore,' she said.
Politico
34 minutes ago
- Politico
How Trump went sour on Putin
Presented by With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco On today's Playbook Podcast, Jack and Dasha discuss Donald Trump's shifting stance on Ukraine — and the surprising gym habits of the D.C. elite. Good Thursday morning. This is Jack Blanchard, just about to hit the six-month mark in the Playbook hot seat. Thanks as always for reading, and do let me know what you think so far. (I try to reply to all the emails, even if it sometimes takes longer than I'd like.) QUICK PROGRAMMING NOTE: Your author will be heading off today for a little R&R, and to give the kids a chance to reconnect with their grandparents. But Playbook, of course, never sleeps — so I'll be leaving you in the capable hands of Adam Wren, Dasha Burns and some of our other star reporters from around the newsroom who will continue to cover the ins and outs of Washington in my absence. Have fun! OH AND WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING … Former White House tech guy Elon Musk released the new version of his AI chatbot, Grok4, which he says is so smart it will likely 'discover new technology' and perhaps 'new physics' in the next year or so. Its views on the Third Reich are not yet known … but I dare say we'll find out soon enough. In today's Playbook … — The phone call that changed the world. — How to win the Nobel Peace Prize. — Will Trump seal an EU trade deal today? DRIVING THE DAY UKRAINE ON THE BRAIN: A week ago today, Trump had an hourlong phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And after that, everything changed. 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And it's not just weapons: Trump's position on Russian sanctions is clearly evolving too, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have been making clear. Thune said yesterday that he expects a vote as soon as this month on the sanctions bill that Graham drew up some time ago, but which has since been gathering dust in Congress. Two weeks to go? The bill looks set to be modified to give Trump complete discretion over whether to actually press ahead with sanctions. But the president's apparent willingness to sign it off — Graham said yesterday the president is now 'good' with the wording — is another indication of the administration's direction on the issue. We may hear more on the bill's timing today, with Congress due to break for August recess in two weeks' time. On the ground: Last night saw another intense barrage of hundreds of drone and ballistic missile attacks on residential areas in Kyiv, resulting in multiple civilian deaths and injuries. 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'The jury will decide,' explained Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. 'It's not a matter of voting amongst our countries.' Norwegians would: In fact, the Nobel Peace Prize is decided every year by the same five Norwegian academics, handpicked by the Norwegian parliament, who draw up a shortlist each March and then spend the spring and summer deliberating in private. Presumably, at some point Trump is going to realise that the fate of his most-coveted prize lies in the hands of this tiny, five-strong group. Might we see their chair, an impressive young charity CEO called Jørgen Watne Frydnes, being summoned to Mar-a-Lago for a quiet chat? Or — perhaps more likely — being berated as a 'Loser!!' in a late night Truth Social post should the prize go elsewhere? The winner is announced in October, so we only have a few months to wait. TRADING PLACES A NEW DEADLINE LOOMS: As Rubio takes meetings today in Kuala Lumpur with members of ASEAN and senior Malaysian officials, the new Trump tariff agenda is sure to loom over their conversations. Nearly every ASEAN country received a letter this week on the tariffs they'll face starting Aug. 1, Reuters' Daphne Psaledakis and David Brunnstrom report. You've got mail: Among the letters Trump posted yesterday afternoon was one announcing a whopping 50 percent tariff on Brazil. And unlike the other copy-and-paste missives, his Brazil letter opened by defending former President Jair Bolsonaro and raging against his prosecution for alleged involvement in an attempt to overthrow the results of the nation's 2022 election — which he lost. Trump called it an 'international disgrace.' And the tariff rates could even increase, as Trump has directed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to open a tariff investigation. More from POLITICO's Ari Hawkins and colleagues Not having it: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, released his response on X: 'Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions, and will not accept any form of tutelage.' What about the EU? EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said that there's been good progress on negotiations, and that a framework agreement could be ready 'potentially even in the coming days,' per Reuters' David Lawder and colleagues. But Trump said Tuesday that the EU would get a letter in two days (which would be today). The next big hit: Trump announced that a 50 percent tariff on copper will go into effect on Aug 1, a price increase that will touch everything from semiconductors to missile defense systems. Copper traders have been rushing to get imports in through Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and they could see a huge profit before the tariff deadline, Bloomberg's Mark Burton and colleagues write. 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But what's good for the goose: BOLO for a potential reprisal from California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has reportedly expressed a willingness to redraw the Golden State's maps to make them more favorable to Democrats if Texas follows through with an even more extreme gerrymander. … And in Wisconsin, a new lawsuit looks to redraw the district maps (which favor Republicans) to make them more competitive, per AP's Scott Bauer. First in Playbook — Special election update: The race to succeed late Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva is magnifying generational divides as Deja Foxx, a young candidate backed by David Hogg's PAC, is gaining on Adelita Grijalva, Grijalva's daughter who has long been seen as the favorite to win in the deep-blue district. Read more from POLITICO's Nick Wu and Andrew Howard FAST TIMES ON K STREET: 'It is boom time in Washington for the influence industry,' WSJ's Josh Dawsey, Rebecca Ballhaus and Maggie Severns write in a dishy look at the world of high-priced lobbying. 'The top 10 lobbying firms in Washington took in about $123 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared with about $80 million in the same time frame of both Joe Biden's presidency and Trump's first term.' Nice work if you can get it. The view from one Trumpy firm: Barry Bennett, a partner at Tactic Global, 'said in an interview that he had flown 379,000 miles this year' to drum up business from international clients looking for an in with the administration, especially amid the tariff tsunami. 'I have three and a half more years,' Bennett said, referring to Trump's term. 'You can sleep when you're dead.' MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO 'ROUND: Sen. Cory Booker's (D-N.J.) reelection campaign and an affiliated joint fundraising committee raised a whopping $10 million last quarter — a new record for the candidate, blasting past even his fundraising haul from his presidential run in 2019, NBC's Bridget Bowman scoops this morning. … Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), who's running to succeed Sen. 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He most recently was the senior adviser on Tibetan issues in the State Department's Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. … Jaylene Kennedy is now a legislative assistant for Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.). She previously was a legislative assistant for Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.). Ross Dietrich is now deputy chief of staff for Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), where he previously was legislative director. … … Sen. Bill Hagerty's (R-Tenn.) office is adding Robert Donachie as deputy chief of staff for comms, Tiffany Delgado as deputy chief of staff for operations, Michael Sullivan as senior adviser, Alec Richardson as state director and Kalleigh Ahern as press and digital assistant. … Meridian International Center has added Jim Golsen as VP of the Center for Corporate Diplomacy and Kellee Wicker as VP for technology, innovation and space. Golden previously was deputy director general at the Commerce Department. Wicker previously was director of the science and technology innovation program at the Wilson Center. WEDDING — Aidan Quigley, an appropriations reporter at CQ Roll Call, and Ruth Watson, a family and preventive medicine resident in Baltimore, got married in Limestone, Tennessee on Saturday. They met in D.C. when Ruth was a medical student at Georgetown in the fall of 2022. SPOTTED: Kyle Stewart, Briana Reilly and Mica Soellner. Pic, courtesy of Drea Hill … Another pic, courtesy of Kyle Stewart HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) … Reps. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) (7-0), Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) … Morgan Ortagus … Caroline Ciccone … POLITICO's Chris Cadelago, Matt Daily and Emma Cordover … Sam Stein … MSNBC's Kyle Griffin … Katie Pavlich … Business Insider's Catherine Boudreau … Sarah Boxer … Alex Angelson of Michael Best Strategies … Eli Yokley of Morning Consult … CBS' Shawna Thomas … White & Case's Keir Whitson … Ben Napier … former CDC Director Robert Redfield … Rena Shapiro … Missouri Dem Chair Russ Carnahan … Kenny Day … former Reps. Ron Klein (D-Fla.) and Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) … Emily Sirh … Mark Skidmore of Assemble … Michelle Baker of Forbes Tate Partners … Julianna Smoot … Elie Jacobs Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton, deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath. Correction: Yesterday's Playbook misspelled Frances Robles' name.
an hour ago
Russia kills 2 in Kyiv with 10-hour drone, missile bombardment, Zelenskyy says
LONDON -- At least two people were killed in Kyiv and 16 others were injured across Ukraine in an overnight Russian drone and missile bombardment, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday morning. The "massive combined strike" lasted for nearly 10 hours, Zelenskyy said. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 397 drones of various types -- among them nearly 200 Iranian-designed Shahed attack craft -- and 18 missiles. Fourteen missiles and 164 attack drones were shot down, the air force said, with another 204 drones and missiles neutralized by electronic warfare measures. The main target of the attack was Kyiv and the surrounding region, with Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kirovohrad and Kharkiv regions also attacked, the president said. The air force said drone strikes were recorded in eight locations, with 33 strike drones impacting. Falling drone debris was reported in 23 locations. Russia's Defense Ministry said in a Telegram post that it "carried out a group strike using high-precision long-range weapons and strike drones against military-industrial complex facilities in Kyiv and the infrastructure of a military airfield. The strike achieved its objectives. All designated targets were hit." "This is an obvious escalation of terror by Russia: hundreds of 'Shaheds' every night, constant strikes, massive attacks against Ukrainian cities," Zelenskyy wrote in a post to social media. "This means that acceleration is needed. We need to be faster with sanctions and put pressure on Russia so that it feels the consequences of its terror. Partners need to be faster with investments in weapons production and technology development," he continued. On Thursday, Zelenskyy said he will speak with foreign partners "about additional funding for the production of interceptor drones and the supply of air defense for Ukraine. The tasks are absolutely clear. Such Russian strikes must be responded to harshly. That is exactly how we will respond." Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down 14 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Black Sea overnight. In Russia's western Belgorod region, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram that two people were injured by debris from a downed drone. Russia's attacks on Wednesday night followed the largest single barrage of the full-scale war to date, with 728 drones -- a mix of attack drones and decoys -- and 13 missiles launched into the country on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Moscow is expanding its aerial attacks on Ukraine despite ongoing U.S.-led peace efforts. June saw a new monthly record for the number of long-range drones and missiles launched into Ukraine -- 5,438 drones and 239 missiles -- according to figures published by the Ukrainian air force. The first 10 days of July have already seen Russia launch 2,464 drones and 58 missiles into Ukraine, according to Ukrainian air force data. Russia's expanded attacks appear to have frustrated President Donald Trump, who despite repeated threats is yet to impose additional sanctions on the Kremlin for its failure to commit to American ceasefire and peace proposals. Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, "We get a lot of b------- thrown at us by Putin," adding, "He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless." Sen. Lindsey Graham told ABC News Wednesday that Trump is "ready" to act on a sweeping Senate bill that would impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries that buy oil and gas from Russia. Trump, Graham said, is "trying to get Putin to the table, but Putin's not responding." The legislation will include a waiver allowing Trump to lift sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil or uranium for 180 days, Graham said. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Moscow is "calm" about the president's rhetoric. "We hope to continue our dialogue with Washington and our efforts to repair the badly damaged bilateral relations," he told journalists during a briefing. Kyiv is also pressing the White House to resume the supply of U.S.-made key weapons systems, a shipment of which were frozen last week. Among the munitions held up were Patriot surface-to-air missile interceptors, which have proven vital for Ukraine's defense against Russian missile and drone strikes. A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that the flow of some weapons had resumed as of Monday night, including 155mm artillery rounds and GMLR rockets used by HIMARS launchers.
