Simon Shuster
Simon Shuster is an American journalist and correspondent for Time magazine, known for his reporting from Ukraine, including interviews with Volodymyr Zelensky and coverage of the Russian invasion.
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Babiš blasts Trump's diesel deal with Putin as 'slap' to Europe at EU summit in Brussels
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on 16 October 2026, where Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš publicly criticised Donald Trump's diesel agreement with Vladimir Putin, calling it a 'slap' to Europe. Zelensky told journalists in Brussels that Putin does not want real peace talks and warned that concessions on Russian diesel could be followed by gas deals and sanctions relief. The summit comes amid reports that Trump has shifted from mediator to a party doing deals with Moscow, and that Washington has pressured Kyiv over strikes on Russian oil refineries.
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Moscow airports shut down for second consecutive night after Zelensky's warning on Russian airspace
Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo suspended flight operations for a second consecutive night following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's public warning that Russian airspace is becoming fully dangerous for civil aviation. Ukraine formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and called on member states to ban civil flights over Russia, drawing an updated ICAO conflict-zone safety statement and sharp rejections from Russian officials, including Vladimir Putin.
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Ukraine formally notifies ICAO that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation
On September 2, 2026, Ukraine officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russia's airspace is unsafe for civil aviation and called on airlines and governments to avoid flights over Russian territory. The step followed President Zelensky's September 1 statement that Russian airspace was becoming fully unsafe due to Ukrainian drones and missiles responding to Russian aggression. Within hours, Turkish carriers cancelled flights between Turkey and Moscow, Russian airline shares fell, and Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of "state terrorism" and threatened retaliation.
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Armed clash between SBU and HUR in Kyiv linked to missing Russian Volunteer Corps deputy commander
On the morning of 2 September, an armed confrontation broke out on Yurii Shumskoho Street in Kyiv's Dnipro district between operatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and personnel of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence. The SBU said its Alpha unit used weapons against an armed group that attacked its investigative team during a search tied to a joint SBU–HUR operation that allegedly foiled an FSB terrorist plot against a Russian opposition figure in Ukraine for Independence Day. Media and Kaplunov's lawyer say the shooting was opened by the SBU against unarmed HUR personnel after a handshake agreement, with several HUR servicemen wounded. President Zelensky condemned the incident as "absolutely shameful" and signalled personnel decisions and internal investigations.