Gun Violence in Ukraine, Zelensky in Cyprus, Prince Harry in Kyiv – Ukraine Latest, April 23

School shooting plots, sanctions package, and viral photos of malnourished troops – updates from Ukraine and beyond Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to media upon his arrival ahead of an informal meeting of the European Council, in Ayia Napa on April 23, 2026. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Ukraine has witnessed a string of shooting incidents in recent days. It is still too early to say whether this marks a real spike in gun violence or simply heightened media attention after Saturday’s shooting, with more routine cases now being picked up by multiple outlets. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Still, a man was detained in Lviv after firing a recreational revolver in his apartment building, while another was arrested in Ivano-Frankivsk for firing a shot during a road rage incident . Authorities also said they had foiled a Russian plot to recruit teenagers to shoot up their own schools – again raising questions about how the guns are reaching the kids. Trend or coincidence, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s Presidential Office head and former intelligence chief, has said he opposes easing Ukraine’s gun laws and hinted at loopholes in the current system, seeing how some were able to get guns even though they shouldn’t have. But there is some positive news for Kyiv – the EU has officially approved the €90 billion ($106 billion) loan and adopted its 20th sanctions package against Russia, and President Volodymyr Zelensky has gone to Cyprus for a surprise appearance at an informal EU meeting. Prince Harry is also in town for the Kyiv Security Forum – another surprise appearance of today. Meanwhile, the EBRD told us it is working to secure around half a billion euros to help Ukraine repair the Chornobyl confinement after it was hit by a Russian drone earlier. Other Topics of Interest Germany Detains Ukrainian, Latvian Nationals on Suspicion of Sabotage Plot The suspects were stopped during a routine traffic check, where police discovered drones, trackers and fake IDs. Regarding peace talks, Ukraine has asked Turkey to host talks between Zelensky and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, but Moscow has effectively ruled this out, saying Putin would only attend to finalize an end to the war. Nonetheless, Ankara appears to be taking on a more active role once again, with the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara expected to refocus attention on support for Kyiv , according to a veteran Turkish diplomat. NATO chief Mark Rutte also reiterated the bloc’s support for Turkey, saying it would do “ what’s necessary ” to defend the country. Yes, but only if you own an oil firm. Oil prices have jumped 4% because the Strait of Hormuz is still closed despite a ceasefire. Amid that uncertainty, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended his backtracking on Russian sanctions , saying the waiver is extended because a bunch of countries supposedly asked him to. “More than 10 of the most vulnerable and poorest countries in terms of energy” requested it, he said. Uncertainty also remains over how long the Druzhba pipeline will keep operating, as reports have already surfaced that it was hit a day after flows resumed . Russia seems to think so, as one of its top diplomats came out to claim that NATO is preparing to seize the exclave of Kaliningrad . But Dutch intelligence also said Russia is preparing for a prolonged confrontation with Europe, which coincides with reports that Germany has arrested two more suspected spies – a Ukrainian and a Latvian – believed to have been working for a foreign government (granted, they didn’t say who they were spying for). But Berlin seems to be sharing the Netherlands’ assessment, saying Russia is now the top threat in its first post-WWII defense strategy . War is a nasty ordeal, and that is an understatement. Intercepted calls from the Russian military reportedly showed commanders torturing foreign recruits before thrusting them into near-suicidal assaults , asking the subordinates to beat them up while avoiding the legs just so they could march to a certain death. That report also coincides with another confirmation from Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) that multiple Kenyan nationals were confirmed killed earlier this year – one of whom had reportedly reached out to HUR’s surrender hotline before. While Ukraine is reportedly regaining some lost ground, harsh realities remain for some frontline troops, where viral photos showing malnourished Ukrainian soldiers have prompted a response from the defense ministry. Interested in more updates like this? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here . Leo Chiu is a journalist and editor based in Eastern Europe since 2015. He has witnessed two presidential elections in Belarus and traveled widely to conflict zones and contested regions, producing reporting that bridges the gap between major developments and local realities.