Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed the head of the country's military intelligence as his new chief of staff. In announcing the appointment of Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskyy said Ukraine must focus on security issues, the development of its defense and security forces, and peace talks -- areas that are overseen by the office of the president. Zelenskyy had dismissed his previous chief of staff Andrii Yermak amid an investigation into alleged corruption in the energy sector. Budanov, 39, is one of the country's most recognizable and popular wartime figures. He has led Ukraine's military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, since 2020.
Russian drones have pummeled the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, injuring three people and sparking fires. The attack late on Thursday night underlined Moscow's intention to pursue aerial attacks even as it agreed to temporarily halt strikes on energy facilities. The head of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said the city suffered "local emergency power outages" in three of its districts, an indication that the energy infrastructure of the city could have been damaged. Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with the countries' leaders this week. But it remained unclear what possible targets would be off limits to attack.
President Donald Trump has suggested to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the U.S. should take ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure the critical facilities' security. According to a White House statement, Trump told Zelenskyy during a call Wednesday that the U.S could be "very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise." Trump added that "American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure." The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalize an agreement to gain access to Ukraine's critical minerals as partial repayment for U.S. support for Ukraine during the war. Wednesday's call, which both sides say went well, comes weeks after Zelenskyy's disastrous White House visit.
A news conference that was planned to follow talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy has been canceled. The cancellation happened Thursday as political tensions deepened between the two countries over how to end the almost three-year war with Russia. The event was originally supposed to include comments to the media by Zelenskyy and retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg. But it was changed at the last minute to a simple photo opportunity where two leaders posed for journalists. They did not deliver statements or field questions. A Ukrainian presidential spokesman said the change was requested by the U.S. side.
U.S. intelligence officials say a video that purports to show election fraud in Georgia is fake and the work of "Russian influence actors." determined to undermine faith in the integrity of next week's presidential election. The video shows someone claiming to be a Haitian immigrant talking about how he's intending to vote multiple times in two Georgia counties for Vice President Kamala Harris. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Thursday night that the video is "obviously fake," and likely the product of Russian trolls "attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election." The FBI and other agencies echoed that finding on Friday.
New research shows Russia has worked to amplify false and misleading claims about the U.S. government's response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton as part of the Kremlin's efforts to manipulate Americans before the Nov. 5 election. The research comes from the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Researchers found that posts linked to Russian state media and online accounts spread English-language content that was designed to reduce American confidence in the federal response to the storms. It's an approach consistent with past Russian disinformation campaigns.
