British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on his final visit to Kyiv while in office, declared, “I believe Ukraine will win this war,” during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. In an interview with Sky News, Starmer praised Ukraine’s military effectiveness, stating, “What they’ve shown is that it’s not just the size of your army, it’s how you fight a modern conflict. And so they are probably the most effective fighting machine in Europe.”
Starmer Reaffirms UK Support Amid Leadership Transition
Starmer’s visit occurred on his last full day as Labour leader, with the handover to a new prime minister imminent. He assured that the change in leadership would not alter the UK-Ukraine relationship. “The fact that there will be a new prime minister in the United Kingdom, in the days to come, doesn’t change that dynamic at all,” Starmer said. “The resolve of the United Kingdom remains the same, it will not waver.”
The outgoing PM also announced a €300 million funding package to help deliver a squadron of 16 advanced Swedish Gripen jets to Ukraine by 2029. The Gripen aircraft are capable of air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and reconnaissance missions, bolstering Ukraine’s air capabilities.
Zelenskyy Faces Internal Turmoil Over Defence Minister Dismissal
President Zelenskyy defended his decision to dismiss popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, confirming that relations had broken down between the ministry and top army leadership. Zelenskyy’s backing of Armed Forces Commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi has sparked outrage among civil society. On Thursday, over 1,000 protesters gathered outside the presidential office in Kyiv, holding placards in support of Fedorov.
Fedorov, seen as an innovator of Ukraine’s successful drone technology, had clashed with the traditional military establishment. The personnel overhaul, which also included replacing the prime minister, could test Zelenskyy’s political authority as Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches four and a half years. Zelenskyy has remained in office under martial law, as wartime elections are prohibited, but has periodically reshuffled his government.
Deadly Attacks on Both Sides of the Border
Russian and Ukrainian attacks on civilian areas killed at least 12 people on Thursday, local officials reported. A Russian guided bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia killed three and wounded 15. Russian missiles struck the Black Sea port of Odesa, killing two and injuring six. Outside Kharkiv, a Russian drone attack killed one person. Earlier, a drone attack near Kupiansk killed three, and one person died in Donetsk region.
On the Russian side, local officials in Belgorod Region said one person died when Ukrainian forces shelled a settlement near the border.
Nuclear Plant Engineer Killed in Drone Strike
The head of the United Nations atomic agency condemned the killing of the chief engineer of Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a drone strike, which no one has claimed. Russia blamed Ukraine, but Kyiv described the accusations as “baseless” and said Moscow failed to provide evidence. Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said Aleksandr Yakovlev died when “a drone belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces” hit a service vehicle near the plant. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi “condemns the reported incident which he says represents an unacceptable attack on the plant and its management, seriously threatening nuclear safety,” the watchdog posted on X.
