Morning opening: Another night of Russian attacks on Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
Another night of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine overnight left more than 10 people injured, particularly damaging residential buildings in the Odesa region.
The strikes caused the biggest damage in the central Prymorskyi district, where residential buildings, a hotel and facilities in the center of the city were damaged, Serhiy Lysak, the head of the local military administration, said on Telegram in comments reported by Reuters.
“It was an extremely difficult night,” he said, adding that high-rise residential buildings, private homes and vehicles came under attack in two other districts.
The Ukrainian prime minister Julia Svyrydenko is expected to visit Poland today as she takes part in a conference on the “security and defence dimension” of Ukraine’s recovery, where she will meet with Poland’s Donald Tusk.
I will keep an eye on lines coming out of that meeting for you.
Elsewhere, France’s Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Andorra (of which, a little-known fact, he is a co-prince), Germany’s Friedrich Merz is expected to speak to pupils about Europe, the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen is in Berlin for a (politically awkward) chat with her former CDU/CSU party.
It’s Monday, 27 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
Polish influencer’s nine-day, non-stop live stream raises £50m for cancer charity
Jakub Krupa
In more uplifting news, a Polish social media influencer has raised more than £50m after a nine-day, non-stop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.
Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, social media influencer Piotr Garkowski, 23, nicknamed Łatwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances.
The song “I’m still here”, recorded by Polish rapper Bedoes 2115 with Maja Mecan, 11, is written in the form of a rap diss track intended to insult or disrespect a rival – but aimed at cancer.
“If you suffer from cancer just like me, this song is for you. I’m Maja and this is my third relapse, and I have reasons to diss you,” the girl says.
The song – at times a battle cry, at others a deeply moving tribute to young patients, their parents, nurses and doctors – features a chorus sang by Maja: “I’m still here/Did you think you had me?/I’m still here/We laugh in your face/I’m still here/And I’m not going anywhere.”
The streamer, previously best known for recording with Ed Sheeran a Polish language version of his hit Azizam, was joined by a parade of Poland’s leading music artists, actors, sportspeople and influencers, who recreated their biggest viral hits and pop culture moments.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin also made a brief appearance, sending a video of himself performing an improvised keyboard song featuring the Polish word for “pushing” the fundraising total even further, adding: “Sorry for my Polish!”
At least 14 injured in overnight strikes on Ukraine, as Zelenskyy talks about importance of air defence
A brief update on the overnight Russian attacks, with AP reporting at fourteen injured.
Five of the injured in Odesa, most of them with shrapnel wounds, were hospitalized, according to the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Kiper.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over the past week Russia has fired approximately 1,900 attack drones, nearly 1,400 powerful guided aerial bombs and around 60 missiles of various types at Ukraine.
He said:
“Our air defense system is already showing a very high success rate in intercepting drones – over 90%. And we need to keep working to ensure this rate continues to increase, not only against drones but also against ballistic threats. Every additional delivery of air defense missiles means saved lives and better protection for our cities and critical infrastructure.”
Orbán associates rush to move wealth out of Hungary after election defeat
Over the weekend, Flora Garamvolgyi and Ashifa Kassam also reported on how figures linked to the outgoing Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, have been reportedly rushing to move their wealth out of the country after his electoral defeat earlier this month.
“It is a glimpse of the upheaval that has gripped Hungary as it prepares to turn the page on Orbán’s rule.
Since he took power in 2010, a small circle of associates aligned with the leader and his Fidesz party have amassed vast fortunes, partly due to their expanding control over the country’s economy and EU-funded contracts for public infrastructure.”
Final preparations for ‘Operation Cushion’ to save 12-tonne whale Timmy in Germany
Kate Connolly
Meanwhile, over in Germany, final preparations are reportedly under way for a millionaire funded plan to tow a sickly humpback whale into the North Sea.
The 12-tonne whale, nicknamed Timmy, has been stranded on the Baltic Sea coastline for almost a month. A barge resembling a giant steel aquarium will attempt to transport Timmy 400km (248 miles) towards the North Sea, and then hopefully back to the Atlantic Ocean from where it is believed to have arrived.
The mission known as Operation Cushion is scheduled to start on Tuesday. Rescue workers said the animal was positioned in the right direction in the water on Sunday.
“[It] is interesting, it turned 90 degrees – and in the right direction. It seems to be preparing itself mentally and emotionally for departure,” the state’s environment minister, Till Backhaus, told Bild.
Tusk declares plans for Poland’s ‘drone armada’ in partnership with Ukraine
Poland’s Donald Tusk is now speaking in the Polish city of Rzeszów at a conference focusing on helping Ukraine with its postwar recovery.
He declares that Warsaw plans to “build a drone armada” supported by the Ukrainian technical and practical experience, so that “as a consequence of this war, somewhat unexpected for the Russians, we will leapfrog an entire technological epoch so that in the near future, Ukraine, Poland, and Europe will be safe from air attacks.”
“We know how unstable the situation is not only in the region, but in the whole world. We also know how important the ability to react quickly is in the event of some provocation or aggression. … For me it is very important that these tragic and at the same time impressive experiences of Ukraine in the confrontation with Russia also become part of our knowhow on how to defend the Polish skies.”
Remember that the EU is separately looking at its own “drone wall,” with growing urgency after numerous disruptions caused by suspected Russian drones across the continent last year.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant complex killed a transport worker, the site’s Moscow-installed authorities said in a statement reported by AFP.
Zaporizhzhia is the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe. Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused the other of risking a nuclear catastrophe with attacks since it was captured by Russia’s forces in 2022.
“Today, a driver was killed in a strike by a Ukrainian armed forces drone on the transport shop floor of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” the plant’s press service said on Telegram.
The plant – which is in cold shutdown – is close to the frontline in southern Ukraine. Its fate is a major sticking point in stalled talks on ending the war.
Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said Sunday that the plant’s “power transmission line was disconnected, causing the plant to switch to blackout mode” for an hour and a half.
“This is already the 15th blackout at the Zaporizhzhia NPP since its occupation. Each such incident significantly increases nuclear and radiation safety risks not only for Ukraine, but for Europe in general.”
Ukraine on Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accusing Russia of sending drones at the site that he said amounted to “nuclear terrorism”.
Morning opening: Another night of Russian attacks on Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
Another night of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine overnight left more than 10 people injured, particularly damaging residential buildings in the Odesa region.
The strikes caused the biggest damage in the central Prymorskyi district, where residential buildings, a hotel and facilities in the center of the city were damaged, Serhiy Lysak, the head of the local military administration, said on Telegram in comments reported by Reuters.
“It was an extremely difficult night,” he said, adding that high-rise residential buildings, private homes and vehicles came under attack in two other districts.
The Ukrainian prime minister Julia Svyrydenko is expected to visit Poland today as she takes part in a conference on the “security and defence dimension” of Ukraine’s recovery, where she will meet with Poland’s Donald Tusk.
I will keep an eye on lines coming out of that meeting for you.
Elsewhere, France’s Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Andorra (of which, a little-known fact, he is a co-prince), Germany’s Friedrich Merz is expected to speak to pupils about Europe, the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen is in Berlin for a (politically awkward) chat with her former CDU/CSU party.
It’s Monday, 27 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
