“Better to leave than to face the truth.” This is how former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko explains US President Donald Trump’s behavior at the G7 summit on Ukraine, Hromadske reports.

“He has nothing to say to Zelenskyy. He can’t find a single argument to justify his defense of Putin. This is one of those situations where it’s easier to just leave,” the diplomat explains.

According to Ohryzko, all Ukraine can expect from Trump right now is weapons sales and intelligence sharing. Genuine support must come from Europe, but only if European leaders stop “being afraid of their own shadow.”

What happened in Ukraine today is yet another reproach to our European partners, he says.

“We need French or German fighter jets to shoot down missiles over Ukraine — just like the US shoots down Iranian missiles over Israel,” the diplomat adds.

He emphasizes that such action would not drag NATO into the war, as it would be an act of defense, not aggression.

“There isn’t a Russian sitting on every missile. These are aerial weapons flying into the territory of a country friendly to France, so they should be shot down,” he says.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must raise this issue directly with allies during his visit to Canada, in his view.

“The question must be put bluntly. I believe Zelenskyy has to do it today, in Canada,” he concludes.

On 17 June, Ukraine’s capital and other cities were subjected to sheer terror. Russia deployed its every available aerial weapon to strike Kyiv, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, Kalibrs, cruise and ballistic missiles, and Shahed drones.

Read more: 

• How Ukraine can win, p.4: Just repeat what Putin says
• Russia bombs Kyiv and Iran targets Israel, Trump wants ceasefire — but only from Ukraine

In an interview with the American TV channel Newsmax, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia has consistently supported Iran.

“Will the Russians help Iran? I think they always have. The question is whether they will openly support Iran,” Zelenskyy said.

He stressed that everything depends on a strong US position, backed by European support. Without it, Russia will understand that it can openly assist Iran, triggering a new wave of conflict in the Middle East.

The Ukrainian president also highlighted that a strong stance by Donald Trump could stop Russia’s plans to seize Ukraine.

“Trump can stop him. For that, Putin must lose money. Only then will he be unable to increase spending on his army,” he emphasized.

He added that tough sanctions are necessary.

“He is the president of the US. He must influence any aggressor in the world. Undoubtedly, Putin is one of the most dangerous,” the Ukrainian leader concluded.

Earlier, the US attempted to block European efforts to cut the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, frustrating EU and UK attempts to ramp up pressure on Moscow’s war financing. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy states that current communication between the US and Russia resembles a “warm conversation,” which only reinforces the Russian ruler’s confidence, Newsmax reports. 

“I don’t think this can stop Putin. On the contrary, he enjoys it. I believe the tone must change. Putin must clearly understand that America will continue to support Ukraine, with sanctions and military assistance,” Zelenskyy emphasizes.

According to him, Putin is currently trying to deceive Donald Trump by pretending to show a willingness for peace, not to end the war, but to avoid new sanctions.

“Putin doesn’t want to end the war. But he needs to show Trump something positive to dodge sanctions,” the Ukrainian president continues.

Zelenskyy also stresses that Russian society has become radicalized by propaganda and that Russia’s military-industrial complex receives around $300 billion annually.

“It’s like a high-speed train with no one at the controls,” he compares.

He acknowledges that even if Trump manages to bring Putin to the negotiating table, it would only be a partial victory. The aggression, he warns, may return in another form.

“Either it will come back later, or the target of aggression will change,” the Ukrainian president adds.

Earlier, the US attempted to block European efforts to cut the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, frustrating EU and UK attempts to ramp up pressure on Moscow’s war financing. 

On 12 June 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a formal message congratulating the Russian people on Russia Day, which coincided with Kyiv’s announcement that Russian troop losses in Ukraine have surpassed one million.

Rubio’s greetings

The message, published on the official website of the US Department of State, reads:

“On behalf of the American people, I want to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day.”

Rubio further stated that “the United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future.”

He also emphasized a desire for “constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine. It is our hope that peace will foster more mutually beneficial relations between our countries.”

The Russia Day holiday, marked annually on 12 June, commemorates Russia’s 1990 declaration of sovereignty.

US repeats Ukraine-Russia talks mantra despite Russia’s rejection of ceasefires

Russian losses

On the same day, the Ukrainian General Staff announced that Russian military personnel losses in Ukraine have exceeded one million:

Russia loses one million soldiers: Moscow’s casualties reach seven figures, Ukraine says

Trump’s diplomatic shift and warming ties with Moscow

Reuters also reported that Moscow’s new ambassador to the US, Aleksandr Darchiev, formally presented his credentials to President Donald Trump on the same day. Darchiev pledged to work toward the full restoration of US-Russian diplomatic ties.

The development signals improving relations between the two countries under the Trump administration, despite Russia has only been escalating its war of aggression in Ukraine.

While US President Donald Trump has been pushing for Kyiv-Moscow peace talks for months, his efforts have predictably gone nowhere, as Russia’s unchanged maximalist demands — amounting to Ukraine’s capitulation — leave no real path to peace.

US sending 20,000 Ukraine-bound anti-drone missiles to Middle East, Zelenskyy says

Strong Russian public support for war

The latest data from the Levada Center from May show that around 75% of Russians continue to support their government’s war against Ukraine. The support has not changed since last November.

When Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian cyber warfare was supposed to be a game-changer. Intelligence agencies worldwide expected devastating digital attacks to cripple Ukrainian power grids, government systems, and military communications within hours.

Instead, the cyber offensive largely failed – and now exclusive leaked documents reveal why. GRU Unit 29155, Putin’s most notorious kill squad responsible for poisoning dissidents with Novichok and bombing weapons depots across Europe, had secretly built a hacking unit specifically for this moment. But their digital army was undone by the very traits that define modern Russia: corruption, incompetence, and personal scandals.

A year-long investigation by The Insider reconstructed this hidden history with surprising ease. By examining call logs, travel records, and leaked internal chats, investigators identified dozens of GRU hackers—convicted cybercriminals, young university recruits, and seasoned saboteurs with no technical training.

Their common weakness? Extraordinary sloppiness.
Many used personal phones and real identities when conducting operations or arranging meetings with mistresses and sex workers. The investigation reveals for the first time how Unit 29155’s hackers prepared for the invasion – and why their own incompetence doomed them to fail.

The spies who couldn’t keep secrets

Unit 29155’s cyber operations began modestly in 2012 under Tim Stigal (real name probably Timur Magomedov), an ethnic Chechen blogger from Dagestan recruited by then-GRU director Igor Sergun. Operating under the alias “Key,” Stigal initially focused on disinformation in Azerbaijan before expanding to more ambitious false-flag operations.

In 2016, they penetrated Qatar’s largest state bank, stealing 1.5 GB of customer data and falsely attributing the hack to Turkish nationalists. They impersonated Ukraine’s Right Sector, a far-right nationalist group, to inflame tensions with Poland, and created fake “Anonymous” accounts to target Bellingcat, an independent investigative outlet known for exposing Russian intelligence operations.

Their most valuable asset became Dilyana Gaytandzhieva, a Bulgarian journalist who, according to investigators, maintained contact with GRU operatives and published material advancing Kremlin disinformation—most notably, conspiracy theories accusing the US of running secret bioweapons labs in Eastern Europe. In 2019, she launched ArmsWatch.com, a site styled as an investigative outlet but used to publish hacked documents and reinforce Russian intelligence narratives in the run-up to the war in Ukraine.

Preparing for war

By 2021, as Russia prepared for its invasion, Unit 29155’s cyber efforts in Ukraine escalated sharply. The unit paid locals $1–5 to spray anti-Zelenskyy graffiti across Ukrainian cities and infiltrated nationalist groups like the Azov Battalion, with Stigal impersonating Akhmed Zakayev, a pro-Ukrainian Chechen separatist leader living in exile in London, to gain the trust of nationalist groups and individuals—one of whom is now serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

They compiled dossiers on key Ukrainian officials, including Ihor Zhovkva, deputy chief of President Zelenskyy’s office. In October 2021, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at Zhovkva’s home in Kyiv by a 20-year-old who said he had been promised $7,000—the exact sum recorded in Unit 29155’s expense logs for “processing Zhovkva.”

When Colonel Yuriy Denisov, the overseer of Unit 29155’s hackers, saw news of the attack, he left a telling comment in a chat group: “idiots.”

Server records show the hackers spoofed websites for Zelenskyy’s office and Ukrainian ministries, setting up spear-phishing campaigns and credential theft targeting energy providers, anti-corruption agencies, and military infrastructure.

The new generation

Starting in 2019, Unit 29155 began recruiting from university coding competitions in Russia’s Voronezh. These recruits — nicknamed “eaglets” — were managed by GRU officer Roman Puntus and paid salaries of 400,000 rubles ($5,100) per month.

The first recruit, Vitaly Shevchenko, a 22-year-old Moldova-born hacker, successfully breached Estonia’s Ministry of Defense. He and five others — Borovkov, Denisenko, Goloshubov, Korchagin, and Amin Stigal (Tim’s son) — were later indicted by the US Department of Justice for the WhisperGate campaign, a pre-invasion cyberattack that deployed data-wiping malware across Ukrainian government and infrastructure networks.

Sex, lies, and cyber warfare

As the war neared, the cyber unit began to collapse. Stigal resigned or was sidelined due to COVID-19 illness, replaced by Puntus, who turned out to be more invested in romantic escapades than cyber sabotage.

The affair that doomed a cyber war: GRU officer Roman Puntus began a long-term relationship with accountant Darya Kulishova, whom he installed as the nominal head of a shell company called Aegaeon-Impulse. He made frequent luxury trips from Moscow to Sochi to visit her. By November 2023, Kulishova had given birth to his son—while Puntus funneled GRU funds through the company to support his second family.

Meanwhile, Colonel Yuri Denisov left a massive digital footprint: over 687 Telegram messages full of racism, anti-LGBT hate, and criticism of military leadership. He reused a single phone number across four cover identities — exposing the unit’s entire hacker network.

The failed invasion

When the invasion began in February 2022, Unit 29155’s cyber efforts fizzled. Rather than disabling Ukraine’s power grid, they managed only cosmetic website defacements. On January 13–14, they falsely claimed to have deleted government databases — which Ukrainian authorities later confirmed remained intact.

Their main server, Aegaeon, was left unprotected and discovered by hacktivists. Its mythological namesake — a traitorous titan punished for betrayal — proved painfully apt.

A broader shadow war

Though Unit 29155’s cyber operatives failed spectacularly in Ukraine, they haven’t vanished. Intelligence sources say they’ve repurposed their flawed tactics for a broader shadow war across Europe. Using playbooks first developed for Ukraine, GRU agents now recruit saboteurs via Telegram, offering cryptocurrency payments for arson attacks on NATO facilities and critical infrastructure.

The Insider’s investigation exposes how one of Russia’s most feared covert units, built for hybrid warfare, collapsed under the weight of corruption, dysfunction, and internal betrayal. Their mission didn’t fall to enemy fire — it failed from within.

In the end, Russia’s greatest cyber threat wasn’t the West. It was Russia itself.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated during a 9 June briefing in Kyiv that existing EU sanctions cover just 40% of Russia’s capabilities, calling for significantly stronger measures and expanded coordination with the United States.

Current sanctions insufficient

Speaking alongside Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Budrys criticized the current state of European sanctions targeting Russia, asserting that Europe cannot claim it has exhausted all possible measures.

“Only 40% of Russia’s capacity is under sanctions. We cannot afford to say that we have done everything possible in terms of sanctions. No, we have not,” Budrys said.

18th EU sanctions package in progress

According to Budrys, the European Union has already begun work on its 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions. This new round aims to cover sectors of the Russian economy that remain untouched by previous restrictions.

Budrys emphasized that the upcoming sanctions are expected to include personal restrictions on top managers within Russian corporations, as well as new limitations on Russian exports.

The Lithuanian foreign minister underscored the need for the EU to synchronize its efforts with the United States, reinforcing the necessity of united transatlantic pressure on Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a forceful message on 5 June, highlighting the sheer scale of Russian attacks and warning global leaders that inaction emboldens the Kremlin.

In his 5 June statement, Zelenskyy revealed that since the beginning of the year, Russia has launched nearly 27,700 aerial bombs, approximately 11,200 Shahed-type explosive drones, around 9,000 other attack UAVs, and over 700 missiles, including ballistic ones.

“And that’s in less than half a year,” he noted.

He accused Russia of restructuring its entire state, society, and economy to conduct mass killings in other countries with impunity.

“This is the pace of Russian strikes, and they deliberately set this tempo from the very first days of the full-scale war,” he said.

“Russia is giving the finger to the entire world”

Reacting to Trump’s announcement of his phone call with Putin, Zelenskyy criticized ongoing diplomatic failures.

“Many have spoken with Russia at various levels. But none of these talks have brought a reliable peace,” he stated, arguing that Putin continues to feel “impunity. Even after all of Russia’s horrific attacks, he is reportedly preparing yet more so-called ‘responses’.”

He warned that delays in diplomacy only fuel further aggression.

“With every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world — to all those who still hesitate to increase pressure on it,” Zelenskyy said.

Warning against weakness and silence

Zelenskyy said the only way to stop Putin is by demonstrating strength.

“If the world reacts weakly to Putin’s threats, he interprets it as a readiness to turn a blind eye to his actions,” he said. “When he does not feel strength and pressure, but instead senses weakness, he always commits new crimes.”

According to the Ukrainian president, weak responses amount to silent permission for future atrocities. He thanked all international actors “who tell the killer that he will be held accountable” and stressed that “Russian missiles and bombs must stop taking innocent lives.”

“If the powerful do not stop Putin, it means they share responsibility with him,” Zelenskyy said. “And if they want to stop him but cannot, then Putin will no longer see them as powerful.”

Trump: Putin “will have to respond”

On the same day, Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Putin warned of retaliation after Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian bomber airfields.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump wrote, offering no criticism of Russia’s stated intent to escalate attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

The highly successful Ukrainian Operation Spiderweb targeting Russia’s strategic bomber fleet took place on 1 June, but Trump remained silent about it until referencing Putin’s threats of retaliation.

Russian forces have captured the village of Kostiantynivka in northern Sumy Oblast — not to be confused with the strategic town of the same name in Donetsk Oblast — and are intensifying multi-axis assaults toward Sumy City, according to Ukrainian and Western sources.

Expanding the northern frontline

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on 2 June, Russian troops are attempting to widen the northern Sumy Oblast frontline via three axes north and northeast of Sumy City. Geolocated footage confirmed recent Russian movements near Andriivka and Yablunivka. Russian milbloggers claimed that Oleksiivka, Novomykhailivka, and Kindrativka had been seized, with troops pushing into northern Andriivka, west of Yablunivka, and toward Kostyantynivka.

Elements of Russia’s 18th Motorized Rifle Division and 177th Naval Infantry Regiment are reportedly operating in the area, alongside airborne regiments from the 76th VDV Division. Military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets noted that the 752nd Regiment and 200th Brigade were recently redeployed from Lyman and Chasiv Yar to bolster forces in Sumy Oblast.

SBU hits Crimean bridge underwater in third major strike, video shows massive blast (updated)

Russia’s strategic goals near Sumy

ISW notes that Moscow aims to approach the Khotin-Khrapivshchyna line, roughly 12–15 km from Sumy, placing the city within tube artillery range. The reported use of drones and artillery strikes is likely part of preparations for a potential offensive on Sumy City. However, ISW assesses that Russian forces are unlikely to capture the city in the near term.

Russia kills civilians in central Sumy with Tornado-S cluster munitions. “Hypersonic” Kinzhal hits near Mykolaiv (updated)

DeepState and Suspilne confirm ground situation

Citing analysts of the Ukrainian group Deep State, monitoring the frontline situation, Suspilne reported that Russian forces occupied Volodymyrivka and Kostiantynivka and made advances in Oleksiivka, with portions still in a grey zone. Ukrainian Border Guard Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko identified Yunakivka and Khotin as key targets. He warned that if Russian forces manage to move artillery closer, threats to Sumy will intensify.

Military expert Pavlo Narozhny told Suspilne that the push toward Yunakivka aims to cut off Ukrainian supply lines from the Sumy-Yunakivka-Sudzha highway, which supports troops on the border and in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Narozhny said Yunakivka offers intact infrastructure suitable for Russian consolidation and future advances.

Ukrainian positions under pressure from Russian “meat-wave assaults”

Fighting continues near Bilovody and Loknya, with attempted incursions into Yablunivka. Deep State co-founder Ruslan Mykula told Suspilne Russian forces were repelled in some villages but remain focused on isolating Yunakivka from the west.

Narozhny also described earlier attempts to sever logistics using drones near Novenke and claimed Russian forces now push through small villages like Volodymyrivka. He emphasized that their main objective remains Yunakivka, a staging ground for further operations toward Sumy.

Russia tries to break through to northern Ukraine’s Sumy city amid ceasefire talks

A combat medic anonymously told Suspilne that enemy drone and equipment superiority complicates evacuations and supply runs. A frontline sergeant described Russia’s tactic as “meat assaults,” sending successive small units using motorcycles and ATVs. Survivors regroup and continue advancing through tree lines and villages.

Threat level and troop presence

Narozhny estimated around 60,000 Russian troops are now deployed along the border, posing a significant but not yet critical threat. He said Ukraine must maintain 20,000–30,000 troops in the area due to the length of the frontline.

Zelenskyy: 50,000 Russian troops mass near Sumy bordering Russia’s Kursk for new offensive

Former intelligence chief Mykola Malomuzh stated that the current Russian grouping had earlier pushed Ukrainians from Kursk Oblast and now aims to secure new positions for potential strikes on Sumy. He said the “buffer zone” narrative masks broader offensive ambitions. Ukrainian defenses are reportedly holding due to well-fortified positions developed over time.

Narozhny also pointed to the forest between Yunakivka and Sumy as a major obstacle. He compared it to the Serebryanskyi forest in Luhansk Oblast, where Russian troops remain stalled after two years.

Russia occupies four empty border villages in Sumy Oblast

Territory under Russian control

As of 2 June, Russian troops controlled around 125 square kilometers of northern Sumy Oblast, with another 70 km² in the grey zone, according to Deep State. Villages under Russian control also include Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka, and Zhuravka.

Overnight on 3 June, DeepState reported that Russian forces had captured Kostiantynivka in Sumy Oblast. The status of Kindrativka, Vodolaha, and Oleksiivka remains under clarification. DeepState noted that “the situation continues to deteriorate due to constant enemy pressure and large infantry numbers,” adding that “after targeting enemy concentrations, new waves rush in so fast that our forces struggle to destroy them in time.”

Russia’s Sumy ambitions unlikely to succeed soon, says ISW

Related:

• Russian motorcycle units storm Ukrainian border villages seeking Sumy buffer zone in new offensive
• Russia tries to break through to northern Ukraine’s Sumy city amid ceasefire talks
• Russian drone blows up civilian shuttle bus, leaving nine dead in Sumy border town
• Russia bombs Sumy Oblast on first day of its own declared ceasefire

Some Ukrainians and Westerners alike have dubbed the 1 June audacious attack on Russian strategic bombers the “Trojan truck” operation, referencing the disguised long-haul vehicles that delivered drones straight close to Russia’s strategic airbases. The destroyed Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers have been used to bomb Ukraine since 2022.

Many Russians called it their “Pearl Harbor.” However, unlike Japan’s unprovoked attack on the US naval base in 1941, Ukraine hit back at bombers responsible for missile strikes on civilian cities.

Ukraine says 41 Russian bombers destroyed in record-range drone strike using disguised trucks

According to the SBU and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s most far-reaching drone strike to date destroyed 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers at their home airfields.

Breaking: Russian strategic bombers ablaze en masse under SBU drone attack (video)

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) sources said earlier today that the operation destroyed “over 40” Russian military aircraft across multiple airbases. 

So far, seven aircraft have been visually confirmed destroyed, according to Ukrainian OSINT sources, with upcoming satellite imagery expected to verify additional damage.

Zelenskyy: “Absolutely brilliant” op planned inside Russia, right next to FSB

In a Telegram post and national video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the operation as “absolutely brilliant” and “unique.” He said planning lasted one year, six months, and nine days, and that Ukrainian operatives had been safely extracted from Russian territory before launch.

“Our people operated on the territory of various Russian regions — across three time zones. On the eve of the operation, our personnel were withdrawn from Russian territory, and those who assisted us are now safe,” Zelenskyy said.

He revealed that the strike was coordinated from inside Russia, “right next to an FSB office” in one of the oblasts. Zelenskyy praised SBU chief General Vasyl Maliuk for leading the mission and said it would go into history books. He instructed the SBU to publish available public details.

117 drones reportedly used, 34% of missile-carrying bombers hit in Operation Web

The SBU named the mission Operation Spiderweb (Pavutyna) and confirmed it was executed across three Russian time zones. The operation used 117 drones to target strategic bombers capable of launching cruise missiles, according to Zelenskyy.

SBU states that 34% of Russia’s strategic missile-carrying aviation was damaged or destroyed. The value of affected aircraft was estimated at $7 billion. In a defiant message, the agency quoted Ukrainian author Lina Kostenko:

“Did you think Ukraine would be that easy? Ukraine is something extraordinary. Ukraine is one of a kind. It has been run over by every steamroller of history. It has endured every kind of trial. It is tempered by the highest forge. ”

Confirmed losses: at least 8 aircraft destroyed at Olenya and Belaya

Open-source intelligence analysts confirmed the destruction of eight Russian aircraft as of 18:00:

• 5 Tu-95MS strategic bombers
• 2 Tu-22M3 bombers
• 1 An-12 transport aircraft

Destruction was confirmed at two airbases — Belaya in Irkutsk Oblast and Olenya in Murmansk Oblast — via available combat footage and satellite imagery. OSINT Dnipro reported fires in areas where additional aircraft, including Tu-160s, were parked, suggesting the final number may rise. The channel dismissed rumors of 40 destroyed planes as “nonsense” but said 10+ is likely.

In any case, the satellite images will settle the final score.

Belaya airbase: at least three bombers destroyed in Irkutsk Oblast

OSINT analysis confirmed that two Tu-22M3 and one Tu-95MS bombers were destroyed during the Ukrainian attack. Fires were observed at parking areas used by additional aircraft.

Olenya airbase: at least four aircraft destroyed in Murmansk Oblast

The Olenya airbase, located on the Kola Peninsula, hosts strategic bombers from several regiments under the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Division.

Confirmed destruction includes three Tu-95MS bombers and one An-12 transport aircraft. The base may have also housed Tu-160 and additional Tu-22M3 aircraft at the time of the strike.

Trojan trucks and AI-trained drones

Footage and OSINT confirmed that Ukraine used long-haul trucks and trailers to secretly deliver drones near Russian airfields. Once in position, the trucks served as launch platforms, releasing FPV drones at close range to evade Russian long- and medium-range air defenses.

In Irkutsk and Murmansk oblasts, videos showed drones launched from trucks, followed by self-destruction of the vehicles by fire.

Telegram channel Clash Report also stated that AI targeting systems were trained using real aircraft at the Poltava Museum of Long-Range and Strategic Aviation, which displays Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers — the same models targeted in the operation. 

Drones assembled inside Russia: Chelyabinsk warehouse geolocated

Ukrainian Telegram channels analyzed photos related to the operation that surfaced earlier today — including images showing drone containers — and identified a warehouse facility inside Russia that matched the visuals. The facility was geolocated to a warehouse in Chelyabinsk Oblast, at 28A Sverdlovsky Trakt, reportedly rented by the company Dan-Invest. The facility is located near the Kazakhstan border, which may have served as a supply route for components.

This supports President Zelenskyy’s claim that drones and launchers were assembled on Russian territory. 

Failed strike attempt in Amur Oblast caught on video

In Russia’s Far East, a drone strike attempt near the Ukrainka airbase in Amur Oblast failed. Video shows a truck on fire, followed by an explosion when a man tries to open the trailer.

The vehicle is believed to have been another disguised launcher that failed to reach its intended point.

Four airbases were reportedly targeted in drone operation

On 1 June, Russian authorities reported drone attacks in four oblasts. Ukrainian intelligence sources told Suspilne that the SBU coordinated a multi-target operation against Russian long-range aviation at:

• Belaya (Irkutsk Oblast)
• Olenya (Murmansk Oblast)
• Dyagilevo (Ryazan Oblast)
• Ivanovo airbase (Ivanovo Oblast)

Sources claimed over 40 aircraft were hit, including A-50 early warning planes, Tu-95MS, and Tu-22M3 bombers. Also, a fire was reported at an airbase in Voskresensk, Moscow Oblast.

As of now, independently confirmed destruction is limited to Olenya and Belaya, with additional data expected from satellite review.

Update:

Russia downplays the Ukrainian air assault

Russia’s Defense Ministry called the Ukrainian attack on purely military facilities, hosting hardware used against Ukraine, a “terrorist act.“

The Ministry claimed that all drone attacks on airfields in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur oblasts were successfully “repelled.” However, it admitted that fires broke out at airbases in Murmansk and Irkutsk after FPV drones were launched from areas “in direct proximity” to the sites, and “several units of aircraft equipment caught fire.”

MoD insisted the fires were quickly extinguished and there were no casualties. It also announced that “some participants in the terror attacks” had been ostensibly detained.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has praised Ukraine for eliminating nearly 4,000 Russian tanks since the start of the full-scale invasion, calling it “about 20 years” worth of current Russian production.

“Well done and thank you, Ukraine,” he writes on X. 

In May, Sikorski described Russia’s war as a colonial campaign by a former empire against its “rebellious colony,” adding that history shows such wars rarely end quickly, and any faster resolution would be “a bonus,” Le Monde reports. 

He suggested that peace could come only when the Kremlin sees the cost of occupying Ukraine as outweighing the benefits.

Earlier, Karl von Habsburg, an Austrian deputy and grandson of the last Austro-Hungarian emperor, called for the breakup of the Russian Federation, labeling it a classic colonial empire.

Russia manipulated a recent exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) with Ukraine by sending mostly ordinary criminals awaiting deportation instead of captured soldiers or pro-Ukrainian activists.

The composition of civilians returned to Ukraine has raised questions about the exchange process and support systems for returnees. According to the organization “Protection of Prisoners of Ukraine,” more than half of the 120 civilians who returned to Ukraine were individuals convicted of non-war-related criminal offenses, Suspilne News reports.

The organization identified two distinct categories among the returnees: 15 prisoners who had been serving sentences in colonies in occupied Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts, and approximately 50 Ukrainian citizens who had completed sentences in Russia but became trapped in deportation centers.

Under normal circumstances, Russian authorities would have deported these individuals to Ukraine after they completed their sentences. However, since Russia’s 2022 border closure due to the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian citizens have remained indefinitely in deportation centers designed for foreign nationals illegally present in Russia.

Oleksandr, a man from Lozova in Kharkiv Oblast, described his experience to Suspilne reporters. After completing a sentence for theft in May 2024 at a Tula colony, he was immediately detained and sent to a deportation center rather than being released.

“We were slaves there. They oppressed us, affected human dignity, treated us not particularly positively,” he stated.

The judicial system perpetuated this detention through renewable three-month deportation orders. When the initial three-month expulsion period expired, courts would issue new three-month decisions, creating an indefinite detention cycle.

Russia recruits prisoners for military operations against their own people

Multiple returnees reported that Russian authorities offered them enlistment in the Russian military in exchange for release and citizenship.

“There were those who agreed. Not only Ukrainian citizens, there were Armenians, Uzbeks, and Tajiks. It’s not their war, but they still go,” Oleksandr explained. “I didn’t agree because my home is Ukraine. I’m a sincere Ukrainian. I don’t need any of that.”

Another returnee Vadym from Kyiv Oblast also told that Russian authorities repeatedly pressured him to join the Russian army.

Vadim traveled to Russia in 2019 but was detained at the border on drug smuggling charges, which he claims were unfair and without evidence. After completing his prison sentence, he was placed in a deportation center. Now after return to Ukraine, he says he wants to “be with loved ones and start life from scratch.”

Prisoners in Russian captivity face beatings and humiliation

The transfer process began abruptly on 21 May, when facility administrators instructed Ukrainian detainees to prepare for departure without explanation. Returnees described harsh treatment during transport, including beatings with electric shock devices and overtightened handcuffs that left visible injuries.

“Police officers in masks rushed in, beat us, shackled us, loaded us into a bus and drove us in an unknown direction,” Oleksandr recounted. 

Another returnee noted that guards would ask which hand hurt from tight handcuffs before shocking it with a taser.

The detainees only learned they were part of a prisoner exchange when they reached the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. Many expressed mixed feelings about their inclusion in the exchange, with Oleksandr stating:

“It would be better if they gave back the guys who fought instead of us. I was ready to endure there further,” he says.

Oleh Tsvily, head of “Protection of Prisoners of Ukraine” characterized Russia’s use of detained Ukrainians as leverage in prisoner exchanges as a departure from previous practices, when deportations typically occurred through Georgia.

“They kidnapped these people to trade with them,” he said, arguing that these individuals should have been released without conditions.

Returnees face challenges back home, some consider joining Ukrainian army

Now being back in Ukraine poses new challenges for returnees as half of them lack proper documentation or have nowhere to go, according to Oleh Tsvily.

Returnee Oleksandr reported that Russian authorities deliberately destroyed his original passport because he “went against the Russian Federation and didn’t support their concepts.”

Petro Yatsenko, representing the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, stated the government tries to address their issues with housing, financial support, and placement. He explains that this exchange was reportedly prepared hastily, limiting Ukraine’s ability to influence the composition of exchange lists.

Returnee Viktor considers joining the Ukrainian army because he felt “ashamed” that he wasn’t in Ukraine “when all this mess started.” 

Viktor from Kharkiv moved to Irkutsk, Russia in 2016 with his Russian wife and daughter, working as a builder and later a market loader. After losing his residence permit, FSB officers detained him at work in October 2024, with an operative later explaining that “a paper came about me that I’m Ukrainian, arouse suspicion and need to be checked.”

He spent five months in a deportation center before being transferred for the prisoner exchange.

The head of “Protection of Prisoners of Ukraine” organization acknowledged that this category of returnees is viewed less favorably by the public, which had hoped for the release of prisoners of war, children, or pro-Ukrainian activists instead.

However, he defended their inclusion in the exchange, emphasizing that these individuals are Ukrainian citizens who refused to take up arms against their homeland. He argued that society should respect their decision to resist collaboration and predicted that some would contribute to Ukraine’s defense efforts.

“I’m confident that some of them will go defend the country. These people will definitely bring some benefit. So there’s no need to spread betrayal! These are living people, they are our citizens,” Tsvily said.

A new report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), published on 29 May, confirms that North Korea (D​PRK) supplied at least 100 ballistic missiles, 9 million artillery shells and rockets, and over 11,000 troops to Russia, violating multiple UN Security Council’s resolutions and directly supporting Moscow’s war on Ukraine. 

The report titled “Unlawful Military Cooperation including Arms Transfers between North Korea and Russia” outlines extensive cooperation between North Korea (D​PRK) and Russia that breaches numerous UNSC resolutions. 

“Arms transfers between the D​PRK and Russia each constitute violations of the arms embargo [established under four UNSC resolutions]. Furthermore, Russia’s training of North Korean soldiers involving arms or related matériel is a violation” of four more resolutions, the report reads.

MSMT urges the international community to strengthen sanctions enforcement, share intelligence, and designate individuals and entities involved in D​PRK-related violations. The report includes calls for renewed efforts to monitor, expose, and prevent North Korea-related sanctions evasion, improved maritime inspections, financial monitoring, and collaborative international efforts to curb the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance.

Illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea

MSMT participating states report that over 20,000 containers of munitions have been sent from D​PRK to Russia since 2023, including at least 9 million rounds of artillery and rocket ammunition. Among these were 122 mm and 152 mm shells and 122 mm rockets. 

“Both the D​PRK and Russia are violating the UN arms embargo on the D​PRK through these transfers,” the report reads.

The shipments were delivered by sea and rail, then transported to ammunition depots in southwestern Russia, according to the report.

North Korean artillery supplies prevent Russian defeat in Ukraine, military experts warn

Missile strikes linked to North Korean weapons

According to MSMT data and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate, North Korea has also transferred at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, used in strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. UN experts confirmed that a Hwasong-11 ballistic missile fired at Kharkiv in January 2024 originated in North Korea. Conflict Armament Research (CAR) also documented five missiles with North Korean origin in Ukrainian territory in 2024.

North Korea provides 50% of Russia’s ammunition, says Ukraine’s spymaster

Troop deployment and training

The MSMT states that over 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in late 2024. These forces were trained by Russian units in artillery, UAV operations, and trench combat. North Korean troops participated in combat in Kursk Oblast, including in Plekhovo and Malaya Loknya. Losses were reported in early 2025 near Makhnovka. D​PRK confirmed the deployment in April 2025, citing the D​PRK-Russia Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

North Korean generals tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine identified at Moscow parade

Russian transfers of weapons and support to D​PRK

In exchange for military support, Russia transferred air defense systems, including at least one Pantsir-class vehicle, and advanced electronic warfare systems to D​PRK. MSMT states that Russia also provided missile telemetry data to help North Korea improve its missile accuracy.

Sanctions violations extend beyond arms transfers

MSMT reports confirm that North Korea received over a million barrels of refined petroleum products from Russia in 2024, breaching the annual UN-imposed cap. Additionally, Russia facilitated the employment of D​PRK workers in sectors including construction, forestry, and textiles. At least 481 North Koreans were reportedly sent to Russia between December 2024 and February 2025.

North Korean defector reveals privileges for soldiers who fought against Ukraine

MSMT identified numerous vessels and aircraft used in these operations, including Russia-flagged ships like ANGARA and MARIA and military aircraft like the IL-76 and AN-124. These were used to carry arms and missile-related cargo in violation of sanctions. Many ships operated without tracking systems or insurance, indicating deceptive practices.

Russia helped D​PRK circumvent financial restrictions by opening ruble accounts for North Korea at MRB Bank in South Ossetia. These accounts were used by sanctioned North Korean banks to conduct international transactions, according to the report.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced a tougher stance against Hungary and Slovakia over their continued obstruction of EU sanctions targeting Russia, German TV channel NTV reported. Actions against them can include withdrawal of EU funds from the countries.

Speaking at the WDR-Europaforum on 26 May, Merz said, referring to the restraining role of both states in the EU sanctions against Russia:

“We will not be able to avoid a conflict with Hungary and Slovakia if this course continues.”

He emphasized that both governments represent only a “small minority” among the 27 EU member states, yet have used their veto powers to block or weaken sanctions.

“We cannot allow the decisions of the entire European Union to depend on a small minority,” Merz stated.

Pressure tools within the EU

According to the German chancellor, the EU has a range of instruments it can apply to increase pressure on the pro-Russian governments of Slovakia and Hungary. Among them are infringement proceedings for violations of rule-of-law obligations and the possible suspension of EU funding for Budapest and Bratislava.

“But there is always the option of withdrawing European funds from them,” Merz said, referencing legal mechanisms available under EU treaties. While he added that he does not seek conflict, he made it clear: “If it is necessary, then we will deal with them.”

Merz had spoken directly with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the previous week.

In the early hours of 26 May, Russia launched what Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as the “largest drone attack since the start of the full-scale war.” A total of 355 explosive and decoy drones and 9 air-launched cruise missiles targeted Ukraine from various directions including Bryansk, Kursk, and occupied Crimea, according to the Air Force. The air assault targeted factories and residential areas in multiple cities, injuring a teenager in Odesa. Other Russian attacks killed four and injured at least 17 Ukrainian civilians, according to local authorities and Ukraine’s Emergency Service.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported intercepting all 9 Kh-101 missiles and neutralizing 288 drones, using a combination of aviation, air defense missile systems, electronic warfare, and mobile fire groups. Despite these efforts, drone impacts were recorded in five locations, and debris fell in ten areas.

Figures from the Air Force indicate that over 60 Russian drones may have reached their targets — marking a notably lower interception rate compared to previous attacks.

Trump slams Putin as “crazy” after deadly Russian attack, but also blames Zelenskyy and Biden

Kharkiv Oblast: Explosions, fires, and casualties

According to Suspilne Kharkiv, 13 explosions were heard starting at 00:33 in Kharkiv. Kharkiv and its suburbs were under Russian drone attack, confirmed by Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration (OVA). In Vasyshcheve near Kharkiv, a private enterprise caught fire after being hit by drones, as reported by the State Emergency Service.

While not attributing any casualties to the Shahed drone assault, Syniehubov stated that over the past 24 hours, other Russian strikes on six settlements in Kharkiv Oblast killed two women, 84 and 58, and injured a 60-year-old man and two women aged 76 and 68. 

Kyiv: Third night of aerial terror

According to Kyiv’s City Military Administration, Kyiv was attacked for the third consecutive night. A six-hour air raid saw damage in Dniprovskyi and Desnianskyi districts, including shattered windows in a residential building and drone fragments hitting a garage and a restaurant area.

Officials reported no injuries.

Russia’s massive missile and drone assault kills at least 12 civilians, injures 52, between two prisoner swaps

Odesa Oblast: Teenager injured, homes damaged

Odesa’s OVA and Emergency Service confirmed that drones caused the destruction of a detached home and fires in Velikodolynske. Several private homes, outbuildings, and vehicles were also damaged.

A 14-year-old boy was injured, suffering leg wounds, and received on-site medical treatment.

Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Missiles and drones hit Starokostiantyniv area

In the Starokostiantyniv community, hosting one of Ukraine’s airbases, Russia used a combined missile and drone strike, according to Khmelnytskyi Oblast head Serhii Tiurin.

Though no civilians were hurt, four enterprises suffered damage to warehouses, workshops, and admin buildings, while 18 residential homes, one outbuilding, and a power line were damaged.

Zaporizhzhia: Two injured in Yurkyvka

Zaporizhzhia’s Yurkyvka village was shelled by Russian forces on 26 May, said oblast head Ivan Fedorov. A 60-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were injured and received medical assistance. A detached house was destroyed in the attack.

Sumy: One dead, one wounded in artillery strike

Russian artillery hit Kindrativka in Sumy’s Khotin community, killing a 48-year-old man and injuring a 52-year-old civilian, who was treated at the scene, the Oblast Administration reported.

Donetsk Oblast: Six civilians injured

On 25 May, six civilians were injured in Donetsk Oblast due to Russian attacks, regional officials confirmed.

Russia attacks Ukraine with record 273 drones, leaving one dead, multiple injured in Kyiv Oblast

Kherson: Civilian deaths and injuries

Between the mornings of 25 and 26 May, one person was killed and four others wounded in Kherson Oblast, according to its administration.

At around 10:00 this morning, a drone strike in Kherson’s Korabelnyi district injured a 46-year-old woman, who suffered a blast injury and concussion, and was treated as an outpatient.

Poland scrambles jets as precaution

Due to Russian air activity over Ukraine, Poland’s Armed Forces deployed Polish and allied aircraft, warning of increased noise over southeastern Poland.

The operational command called it the second consecutive “very intense night” for their air defense systems.

Zelenskyy: Political message, not military strategy

President Zelenskyy commented that the sheer scale of the Russian air attack had “no military logic”, arguing it was instead a political signal.

“Only the feeling of total impunity can allow Russia to strike like this,” he said.

The Ukrainian President called on international partners to increase sanctions and block Russian oil trade and financial flows to deprive Moscow of its war resources.

“This is how Putin shows his contempt for a world that puts more effort into “dialogue” with him than into applying pressure. Like any criminal, Russia can only be restrained by force. Only through strength — the strength of the United States, the strength of Europe, the strength of all nations that value life — can these attacks be fully stopped and real peace achieved,” Zelenskyy said.