Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Swipe for next article
New defence minister promises to revolutionise country’s armed forces
Removed from bookmarks
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.
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.
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.
Around two million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilisation while 200,000 soldiers are awol (absent without official leave), Ukraine’s new defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed on Wednesday.
Fedorov has promised to revolutionise the country’s armed forces as it faces a critical manpower shortage. According to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, evading mobilisation is punishable by imprisonment of three to five years in wartime.
The 34-year-old made clear his plans to revolutionise the country’s armed forces, saying: “Our goal is to change the system: to reform the army, improve infrastructure on the front lines, eradicate lies and corruption, and make leadership and trust a new culture.
It follows news that Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow for another round of peace talks with Vladimir Putin, according to a report.
Sources told Bloomberg that the two envoys could meet with the Russian President this month amid faltering efforts by the US to negotiate an end to the conflict. A date for the meeting has not been agreed.
A flurry of diplomatic activity driven by Trump has failed to yield a peace agreement, with Moscow refusing to budge on its maximalist demands and Kyiv continuing to seek security guarantees from Washington.
A Venezuela-linked oil tanker seized by the US has been spotted off the coast of Moray in Scotland a week after it was intercepted.
The Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel previously known as Bella-1, was witnessed being escorted to an undisclosed location accompanied by a US coast guard vessel.
It comes as British special forces could be given the green light to raid the vessels in a move to place further pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin, according to reports.
The use of shadow fleet tankers to move sanctioned oil around the world has increased in recent years as states seek to circumvent restrictions to their transportation.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will declare a state of emergency in the energy sector to tackle issues with disrupted power supplies following sustained Russian attacks o infrastructure.
“Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” he wrote on X on Wednesday, adding work was underway “to significantly increase the volume of electricity imports into Ukraine”.
Ukraine has undergone several attacks on its critical energy infrastructure during the war with power outages reported as temperatures hit subzero.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that “broader changes are needed” across the country’s military as he and his new defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said on Wednesday.
He outlined his three main priorities as: air defence, attempts to “significantly strengthen the technological component” and increasing pay for soldiers on the frontline and lastly “systemic solutions” to issues facing recruitment including mobilisation.
The White House has denied that a meeting is taking place between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Bloomberg reported that such a meeting was due to take place next week, but the White House told Reuters that no such meeting was scheduled to take place.
It comes as Russia’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov made at a dig at the US for not keeping the Kremlin abreast of developments in peace talks with Ukraine.
Around two million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilisation while 200,000 soldiers are AWOL (absent without official leave), Ukraine’s new defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed on Wednesday.
Fedorov has promised to revolutionise the country’s armed forces as it faces a critical manpower shortage. According to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, evading mobilisation is punishable by imprisonment of three to five years in wartime.
Some have been going AWOL using shortcuts to transfer between units, according to the Kyiv Independent.
He added that troops faced “a large number” of problems including a Soviet style manner of commanding troops.
“This prevents soldiers on the front line from working at their maximum,” Fedorov said.
A multi-storey apartment block that local authorities say was damaged by debris from downed Ukrainian drones during an attack on the region, amid the Russia-Ukraine military conflict in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, 14 January.
The European Union will dedicate most of a massive new loan program to Ukraine’s military needs over the next two years while also injecting billions into its war-ravaged economy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.
EU leaders agreed last month to loan Ukraine 90 billion euros (£77bn) to help cover its needs in 2026 and 2027. Kyiv would only have to pay the money back once Russia ends its war and pays reparations for the damage it has inflicted over almost four years.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine will need 137 billion euros (£118bn) over the two years. The government in Kyiv is on the verge of bankruptcy and desperately needs the money by spring.
Ukrainian drones were used to attack a Russian oil tanker in the Black Sea, according to the Russia’s ministry of defence.
The attacks were carried out on Tuesday about 100km from the city of Anapa in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Two Ukrainian strike UAVs were used to carry out the mission.
One of the tankers is reported to have been chartered by US oil company Chevron CVX.N according to the companies involved. They were headed toward a terminal on the Russian coast.
Ukraine’s army will be transformed thanks to a drive for innovation and reform to strengthen military training, according to the country’s newly appointed defence minister.
“Today, it is impossible to fight with new technologies using an old organisational structure. We need comprehensive changes,” said Mykhailo Fedorov in an address to lawmakers.
“Our goal is to change the system: to reform the army, improve infrastructure on the front lines, eradicate lies and corruption, and make leadership and trust a new culture.”
The 34-year-old has previously served as deputy prime minister and digital transformation minister.
It follows a cabinet reshuffled by President Volodymyr Zelensky after a corruption scandal.
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in