Some Funding Secured, Some Not – Ukraine Latest, April 27

Stalled bills for Kyiv’s external finances, cannibalism claims based on leaked calls, Chornobyl anniversary specials – updates from Ukraine and beyond Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Visitors stand at a memorial for the victims of Chornobyl, on the 40th anniversary of the explosion at the nuclear power plant, in Kyiv on April 26, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Reports now say Kyiv is exploiting Russia’s defense gap and hitting it hard. Judging by recent waves of attacks on oil refineries, which have become a daily (or at least near-daily) occurrence, this is likely true – over the past few days, Ukraine struck three warships and a MiG-31 in occupied Crimea, while the Yaroslavl refinery and a chemical plant in Volgograd were also hit, alongside a range of Russian air-defense systems. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . But the attacks are not one-sided – Russia has also launched daily strikes across Ukraine , including on ports in southern Ukraine’s Odesa , which led to a major sunflower oil spill along the coast, with thousands of tons of oil now floating in the Black Sea. (Photo by State Environmental Inspectorate of the South-Western District) Whether Russia can sustain the meat grinder on the front is another question, however – Ukraine’s intelligence now claims that some Russian troops have allegedly resorted to cannibalism due to supply shortages, while a Ukrainian managed to hack into a recruitment video call at a Russian university – initially disguised as Russian – before telling the students he would have to kill each one of them if they ever come to Ukraine. Other Topics of Interest Russian Duma Praises North Korea for Backing Troops in Kursk Moscow acknowledged Pyongyang’s military assistance after North Korean troops were deployed to counter Ukrainian operations in western Russia. Ukrainian intelligence also released the data on Russia’s new “Kovyor” missile for those interested – it’s packed with foreign tech, just not the advanced ones. Ukraine also highlighted major military support over the weekend, saying Ramstein assistance now totals $150 billion , alongside a further $400 million pledge from three NATO members through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). It also pointed to a new joint production deal with Norway to build “mid-strike” drones, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hinted at plans for a “ drone armada ” with Ukraine’s help. But politically, there are also hiccups in funding – while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) told us that its Middle East package will not affect investments in Ukraine and confirmed funding to repair the Chornobyl confinement structures , the energy minister warned that $5.8 billion is needed just to prepare the energy grid for winter. Cars drive along Independence Square during a power outage in Kyiv on Jan. 14, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP) Meanwhile, sources say Ukraine could risk losing $3.3 billion from the World Bank and additional IMF support, as two key bills remain stalled in parliament – though the EU’s €90 billion ($106 billion) loan passed last week would be a major boost. Ukraine still needs all it can get to sustain the economy, as war, and especially defense, is never cheap. There are also a number of updates on Europe – particularly Ukraine’s future in Europe. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is stepping down from parliament to focus on leading his party, which lost power a few weeks ago, while the incoming PM said oligarchs linked to Orbán are already fleeing the country with billions of dollars – we will see how everything plays out once the new government takes office. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Moldovan President Maia Sandu, April 26. (Photo by Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram) Alongside Moldovan President Maia Sandu, President Volodymyr Zelensky also called on the EU to start membership talks without delay, but whether that will happen remains unclear – Germany has proposed having Ukraine join some discussions without full membership, but later also suggested the EU accession as a way for Zelensky to appease the population when a referendum comes on territorial concessions. The EU also proposed transitioning away from the Strait of Hormuz moving forward, while China protested the EU’s latest 20th package of sanctions , so there’s that. Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Nature has slowly returned to reclaim the wasteland once home to thousands of residents, according to a recent trip we made, but the human legacy of the catastrophe remains. In an interview, a former Pripyat resident whose graduation was meant to take place a month after the explosion told us the final days of her youth and the life abruptly taken from her city. In nearby Slavutych, where she now lives, residents gathered on the anniversary to honor family and friends lost 40 years ago. View of wetlands on the right/west bank of the Dnipro River, near the village of Strakholissya, some 30 km (19 miles) south-east of the Chornobyl nuclear power station on April 23, 2026. (Image by Stefan Korshak / Kyiv Post) Yet the disaster’s effects reached far beyond the exclusion zone, extending into so-called third-zone settlements officially deemed safe for habitation, where decades of hardship and decline have left lasting scars. For those who remember, the disaster also reached all the way to Sweden – in fact, it was Sweden that alerted the world to what had transpired and helped expose the scale of the incident after the Soviet cover-up began to unravel. 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.