In an interview published on 12 June by German outlet Bild, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected reports of Russia’s large advances. He said the idea that Russia is winning the war is “a Russian narrative” and insisted Ukrainian forces have been repelling a renewed Russian push for nearly three weeks. The Russians are“not that successful, to say the least,” he added.

Zelenskyy dismissed the idea that recent drone strikes—up to 500 in number—allegedly are revenge for a Ukrainian operation Spiderweb that targeted Russian strategic bombers. He said Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is someone “looking for reasons to attack Ukraine. He simply does not want to end the war.”

Zelenskyy noted that the Russian population still supports Putin’s radical policies. “But he has to maintain the fire of information and hate,” Zelenskyy said. He argued that Putin frames his attacks as revenge to keep that support alive.

Russia’s two goals for fake diplomacy: avoid new sanctions and isolate Ukraine

According to Zelenskyy, the real reason for Moscow participation in Trump’s push for peace negotiations is to avoid new sanctions. He stated,

“It’s important for them to show Trump there’s a diplomatic bridge between Ukraine and Russia,” so that Russia can argue, “We are talking to each other! If sanctions are introduced, there will be no more talks.” He firmly added, Putin does not want peace.

Putin “gives the finger” to the entire world, Zelenskyy says after Trump’s call with Russian president

The second goal, Zelenskyy warned, is to sideline Europe and the US in talks and isolate Ukraine.

“A long war without partner support [for Ukraine]—for Putin that would be the perfect scenario,” he said. “A long war with partners and sanctions—he can’t survive that.”

Zelenskyy said he believes the former US president understands Russia’s dishonesty.

“President Trump sees that the Russian side is not completely open and honest about the war,” Zelenskyy told Bild. “I think that Russia is simply lying to Trump.”

Russia simply lying to Trump, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy calls for more sanctions against Russia

After months of military escalation, Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of the new US sanctions package Trump has always threatened but has not yet implemented.

“Trump must introduce the sanctions so that Putin immediately says: ‘Let’s talk about ending the war,’” he said.

Zelenskyy acknowledged criticism of sanctions but argued delays gave Putin time to adjust. “This allowed him to adapt,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the economy and especially the defense industry had managed to recover.

Peace talks or war? Russia may choose both to avoid Western sanctions

Russian forces have advanced to the administrative boundary between Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk oblasts as Kremlin officials “continued to demonstrate that Russia has wider territorial ambitions in Ukraine beyond Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts and Crimea,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 9 June.

ISW reported that geolocated footage published that day indicates Russian forces recently advanced to the Dnipropetrovsk-Donetsk administrative border northwest of Horikhove, located southeast of Novopavlivka. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on 9 June that Russia’s Central Grouping of Forces seized additional territory in unspecified areas of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Russian military bloggers claimed on 8 June and 9 June that Russian forces, including elements of the 90th Tank Division from the 41st Combined Arms Army within the Central Military District, are conducting combat operations near and across the Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border.

Kremlin declares buffer zone operations

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on 9 June that Russia has begun an offensive into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast “within the framework of the creation of a buffer zone” in Ukraine. First Deputy Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee Alexei Zhuravlev claimed that Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is now within the “sphere of interests” of the Russian military.

Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Andrei Klishas claimed that Russia’s offensive into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast indicates the beginning of Russia’s “denazification” of the oblast, referencing Russia’s longtime demand for regime change in Ukraine. Chairperson of the Duma Defense Committee Dmitry Sablin claimed that Russia will “definitely take” Dnipro City and other unspecified Ukrainian cities if Ukraine “does not make peace on Russia’s terms.”

Possible preparation for announcing another annexation

Ukrainian Presidential Office Deputy Head Colonel Pavlo Palisa stated on 5 June that Russia likely seeks to occupy the entirety of Ukraine on the east bank of the Dnipro River, including parts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and to seize Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts by the end of 2026.

“Russian officials are likely setting information conditions to illegally declare Dnipropetrovsk Oblast annexed, as ISW has previously assessed,” the think tank wrote.

Kremlin officials have repeatedly signaled that Russia maintains territorial ambitions beyond the four oblasts that Russia has already illegally annexed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov notably repeated a longstanding Kremlin claim that Odesa City is a “Russian” city as recently as 9 June.

“ISW continues to assess that Russia is not interested in peace negotiations with Ukraine and that Russia is preparing for a protracted war in order to make further battlefield gains,” the think tank reported.

ISW continues to assess that current Russian tactical activity in the vicinity of southeastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast represents a continuation of ongoing Russian offensive efforts in southwestern Donetsk Oblast rather than the beginning of a new major offensive operation to seize operationally significant territory in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. 

Russia is expanding its missile reserves, increasing drone production, and modifying drone technologies as part of a long-term military strategy to achieve its war objectives in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on 26 May. These developments signal Russia’s full commitment to securing victory through military means in a protracted conflict, according to the think tank.

ISW stated that Russia’s growing stockpile of ballistic missiles, rising drone output, and ongoing drone adaptations demonstrate a sustained effort to strengthen its strike capabilities. The Economist, citing Ukrainian government sources on 25 May, reported that Russia has accumulated around 500 ballistic missiles. At the same time, Moscow is reportedly producing about 100 Shahed explosive drones per day — roughly four to five times the daily output estimated in late 2024.

Ukrainian military intelligence told The Economist that Russia intends to increase this drone production to 500 units per day, although no specific deadline was mentioned. Engineers in Ukraine noted that Russian forces are actively modifying Shahed drones to overcome Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. These upgrades include the use of artificial intelligence and integration with Ukrainian internet and mobile networks for improved navigation.

Following a record 355-drone attack, Russia launches 60 drones—Ukraine intercepts most

New Shahed tactics

A Ukrainian officer interviewed by The Economist stated that Russian drones are flying at altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 meters, beyond the effective range of small arms and shoulder-fired missiles used by Ukrainian mobile air defense units. On 25 May, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, Head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, reported that Russian forces had set a new altitude record with a Shahed drone flight reaching 4,900 meters.

Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force, confirmed on 26 May that Russia is producing both Shahed and decoy drones in higher numbers and deploying them at higher altitudes. Ihnat also noted that Russian forces resumed the use of Kh-22 cruise missiles after a period of reduced deployment. According to ISW, the resurgence of large-scale missile and drone strike packages aligns with Russia’s broader strategy of enhancing its domestic weapons production and long-term war preparations.

ISW: Russia ramps up missile strikes and propaganda in bid to crush Ukrainian morale and Western will

Russia’s goals unchanged, but it economy struggles 

Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service Chief Oleh Ivashchenko said in a 26 May Ukrinform interview that Russia’s goal of full control over Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts remains unchanged. He warned that Russia is also preparing for a future conflict with NATO, in line with ISW’s assessments.

“ISW also continues to assess that the Russian government and military are preparing for a possible future conflict with NATO. Russian authorities recently renewed their years-long narrative rejecting the legality of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, likely to set conditions for Russia to deny the independence and sovereignty of other former Soviet states in the future,” the think tank wrote.

WP: Trump softens on Putin as Russian battlefield edge declines

Ivashchenko noted Russia’s economic struggles, with its sovereign wealth fund reduced to $38 billion from $150 billion pre-invasion, and highlighted reliance on Soviet-era equipment. He stated that foreign aid from North Korea, China, and Belarus is playing a growing role in Russia’s defense industry.

“Russia’s efforts to increase domestic drone and missile production and ongoing adaptations of these strike packages are likely part of a broader Russian effort to prepare for a protracted war in Ukraine and possibly a future war with NATO,” ISW wrote.