Donald Trump believes Vladimir Putin is avoiding meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy due to personal animosity. Elsewhere, Ukraine has been warned its access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service could soon be cut following a decision from Poland’s president. Follow the latest.
Tuesday 26 August 2025 13:35, UK
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A Russian attack on a Ukrainian mine has reportedly killed one worker, injured three and trapped 146 miners underground.
“The attack damaged the enterprise’s buildings and equipment, causing a power outage,” DTEK, the largest private energy investor in Ukraine, was quoted as saying by the Kyiv Independent news outlet.
“At that time, 146 miners were underground; their ascent to the surface is ongoing,” DTEK added on the strike against its facilities.
The energy firm did not specify the exact location of the impacted mine, though trade union leader Mykhailo Volynets said earlier that 148 miners were trapped underground after a Russian attack in Dobropillia, Donetsk.
Sky News has contacted DTEK for comment.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the pace of talks about Ukraine’s security guarantees must be accelerated.
The Ukrainian president says he met with military leaders this morning to discuss the situation on the front line and along the country’s border with Russia.
He said he received a report on the work being done within the “coalition of the willing” – the group of nations pledging to defend a peace deal in Ukraine.
“Relevant meetings and working contacts will continue throughout the week,” he said. “It was noted that the pace of work needs to be accelerated.
“The defence component of security guarantees must be detailed in the near future.”
Refiners in India are reportedly planning to trim their purchases of Russian oil in the coming weeks as part of a modest concession to Washington.
Donald Trump announced extra 25% tariffs on India – the world’s third-largest crude importer – as punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil earlier in August.
The new duties are due to be enforced from tomorrow, though Bloomberg reports that Indian processors are expected to cut their purchases of Russian oil only slightly in response.
Citing unnamed sources, it said both state-run and private processors are expected to buy 1.4 million-to-1.6 million barrels a day for October loading and beyond. That compares with an average of 1.8 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025.
Volumes may change if India reaches a trade deal with Trump and the US eases pressure on India for helping to fund Russia’s war with Ukraine, the report adds.
Ukraine’s special forces attacked Russian logistical facilities in Crimea overnight, the group said.
It said facilities “that ensure the functioning and combat supply of the military units of the Russian army” were put out of action.
The announcement follows reports from the pro-Ukraine Crimean Wind Telegram channel that said drones struck an electrical substation at a railway station in a “precise hit”.
It also reported a strike against railway infrastructure in nearby Dzhankoi and a possible attack against an oil depot in the same city.
Russia’s military forces have been taking part in joint exercises with Mongolia in eastern Siberia.
The exercises, held annually since 2008, involve hundreds of personnel and equipment from both ground and air forces, according to the Russian defence ministry.
Mongolia has historical ties with Russia and maintains a critical trading relationship with China. It has maintained a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, avoiding direct confrontation with Russia, on which it is heavily reliant for energy imports.
Woody Allen has defended his participation in a Russian film festival on Sunday after condemnation of his appearance by Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
The American filmmaker, 89, appeared via video link at Moscow international film week for a session hosted by Fyodor Bondarchuk, a Russian film director and long-time supporter of Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Allen’s appearance was “a disgrace and an insult to the sacrifice of Ukrainian actors and film-makers who have been killed or injured by Russian war criminals in their ongoing war against Ukraine”.
It added: “By taking part in a festival that brings together Putin’s supporters and voices, Allen chooses to turn a blind eye to the atrocities Russia commits in Ukraine every single day for 11 years now.
“Culture must never be used to whitewash crimes or serve as a propaganda tool. We strongly condemn Woody Allen’s decision to bless Moscow’s bloody festival with his address.”
In response, Allen told the Guardian that he believes “strongly that Vladimir Putin is totally in the wrong” and that the “war he has caused is appalling”.
“But, whatever politicians have done, I don’t feel cutting off artistic conversations is ever a good way to help.”
US and Russian government officials have been discussing several energy deals in the background of Ukraine peace talks, officials familiar with the talks have told Reuters.
These deals were put forward as incentives to encourage the Kremlin to agree to peace in Ukraine and for Washington to ease sanctions on Russia, they said.
Talks were held between Vladimir Putin, Russia’s investment envoy and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff during the latter’s trip to Moscow earlier this month, three sources said.
Deals were also briefly discussed at the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, one official said.
“The White House really wanted to put out a headline after the Alaska summit, announcing a big investment deal,” one of the sources told Reuters. “This is how Trump feels like he’s achieved something.”
Russia has been cut off from most international investment in its energy sector and from striking major deals due to sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite internet service could soon be cut due to the Polish president’s recent veto of a refugee aid bill, Poland’s deputy prime minister has said.
Warsaw pays for Ukraine to use Elon Musk’s Starlink, which provides crucial internet connectivity to the country and its military as it tries to push back invading Russian forces.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki yesterday vetoed a bill extending state financial support provided to Ukrainian refugees.
However, deputy prime minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said the vetoed legislation also provided the legal basis for providing Starlink to Ukraine.
“This is the end of Starlink internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine as it wages war,” he wrote on X.
A digital affairs ministry spokesperson said Nawrocki’s veto meant that from 1 October, there would be no legal basis for paying for Starlink.
Nawrocki’s spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that the basis for paying for Starlink could still be restored if parliament adopts a bill proposed by the president by the end of next month.
Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne cited Ukraine’s digital affairs ministry as saying Kyiv was communicating with Poland about Starlink payments.
Here’s a look at the latest battlefield maps in Ukraine.
Scroll through the maps to view different parts of Ukraine, including the situation in key regions such as Luhansk, Donetsk, Kursk and Belgorod.
Russia occupies around 19% of Ukraine, including Crimea and the parts of the Donbas region it seized before the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Vladimir Putin reportedly wants control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine – known as the Donbas – as a condition for ending the war.
Pope Leo has once again called for an end to the war in Ukraine and for a “just and lasting peace” to take hold.
After congratulating Ukraine on its Independence Day on Sunday, the pontiff shared another message of support he sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday.
“I pray to God to protect the daughters and sons of Ukraine, who suffer daily from inhuman bombings and attacks,” he wrote.
“I also ask the Lord to hasten the return home of civilian and military prisoners and children who have been deported or illegally separated from their families, to heal the wounded families, to grant comfort to those who have lost their loved ones, and spiritual renewal to the entire Ukrainian people.”
Pope Leo
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