The Kyiv Independent
News, analyses, investigations, opinions, podcasts and more. On-the-ground reporting from Ukraine
Kuleba: Latvia, Ukraine to bolster drone production.
Ukraine and Latvia are working to increase joint drone production, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on April 26 during a press conference with Latvian counterpart Baiba Braze in Kyiv.
The drone coalition co-led by the U.K. and Latvia was established in January to bolster Ukraine's arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Seven countries, apart from the founding states, have joined the alliance, including Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia, and Denmark.
"I certainly thank Latvia for its leadership in the drone coalition. We are now working together to increase this production. We need more drones. Ukrainian and Latvian companies can really do a lot," Kuleba said.
The Latvian minister also reportedly met with employees of one of Ukraine's thermal power plants to learn about their needs.
Moscow has recently intensified its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's critical infrastructure, destroying several thermal power plants across the country, including the Trypillia plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.
Braze said that the Latvian state-owned company Latvenergo will hand over a 215 MW generator to Ukraine to cover its energy needs.
Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war. The country's prime minister, Evika Silina, recently said that Riga's military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros (around $425 million), including an upcoming defense aid package in April.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds said on April 24 that a drone coalition had collected over 500 million euros ($535 million) to purchase drones for Kyiv.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, have also recently signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement.
UK and allies sanction leader of Russian ransomware group.
The U.K., U.S., and Australia announced sanctions on the Russian leader of the cyber-crime gang, LockBit, the U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA) announced on May 7. Lockbit has become one of the most prolific ransomware groups in recent years, car...
Ukraine qualifies for Eurovision 2024 song contest finals.
With their song "Teresa & Maria," Ukraine's Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil qualified for the Eurovision finals in Sweden's Malmo, successfully passing the semi-finals on May 7.
Bloomberg: Russia uses TikTok content to undermine Ukrainian leadership, Kyiv says.
"Russia is dominating us on TikTok due to the scale" of its operation, said Andrii Kovalenko, the head of a department countering disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council.
President Iohannis: Romania open to discussing sending Patriot to Ukraine.
Speaking in Washington after a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, Klaus Iohannis said he would discuss the matter with his Supreme Defence Council.
Ukraine war latest: 2 Ukrainian colonels detained in Russia's plot to assassinate Zelensky, SBU says.
Key developments on May 7:SBU says it foiled Russia's plot to assassinate Zelensky, 2 Ukrainian colonels detainedGovernment backs proposal on unmanned systems armed forces branchMilitary intelligence: Ukraine constantly inventing new ways to ...
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Republican veepstakes heat up as Trump remains mum on potential pick.
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8 million under flood threat as deadly flood water engulfs Southeast Texas.
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