Russian-installed authorities claim Ukrainian shelling knocked out power across occupied Zaporizhzhia. Kyiv accuses Moscow of avoiding peace and urges tougher sanctions as talks continue and prisoner swap plans emerge.

Officials from Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Istanbul today for the latest round of peace talks. Both countries are trying to get the upper hand militarily ahead of possible negotiations.

A Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine on Saturday killed at least two people, including a 9-year-old-girl, according to officials.

A Ukraine presidential adviser says Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday but insists that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war.

As Ukraine and Russia prepare for peace talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, few observers expect a breakthrough. While the U.S. and Ukraine have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, the Kremlin has rejected it.

Until last week, a secretive fleet of ships ferrying Russian oil around the world showed no clear links to the Kremlin. That changed when Russia used a fighter jet in an apparent effort to protect a tanker.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs.

The Kremlin has increasingly embraced the Soviet dictator and his legacy, using them to exalt Russian history in a time of war, but he remains a deeply divisive figure in Russia.

Read more about Ukraine's drone attack on Russian warplanes was serious blow to Kremlin's strategic arsenal on Devdiscourse

By making harsh, uncompromising demands in peace talks with Ukraine while continuing to pummel it with waves of missiles and drones, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met.