[L'article Trois organisations s’unissent pour soutenir le développement de technologies propres a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

Russia has lost 1,007,160 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 18.

The number includes 1,040 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,947 tanks, 22,845 armored fighting vehicles, 52,312 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,265 artillery systems, 1,420 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,187 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 41,165 drones, 3,369 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Kellogg to meet Lukashenko in highest-ranking US visit to Belarus in years, Reuters reports

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg will meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the coming days, Reuters reported on June 17, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Russia’s consumption of its pre-war Soviet-era tank stores “appears to be slowing,” according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as Moscow increasingly shifts to using motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Shift in equipment usage linked to depleted reserves

On 16 June, ISW cited a social media source that analyzes satellite imagery of Russian military depots. This source assessed that, as of a recent but unspecified date, Russia retained 46% of its pre-war tank reserves, 42% of its infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) reserves, and 48% of its armored personnel carrier (APC) reserves.

The data reflects only a modest decline from December 2024, when the same source assessed Russia had 47% of tanks, 52% of IFVs, and 45% of APCs still in storage. The adjusted figures stem from an update made on 15 June, when the source revised Russia’s original pre-war equipment estimates—adding 241 tanks, 174 IFVs, and 687 APCs—affecting percentage shifts accordingly.

The same source reported that most vehicle reserves have been withdrawn from eight key Russian depots. Based on this trend, the source concluded that Russia is likely to exhaust its remaining armored reserves by the end of 2025.

Surge in equipment activity near Finland

Satellite imagery also revealed what the source called a “dramatic” increase in nearly all types of military equipment deployed to a Russian base near Petrozavodsk, in the Republic of Karelia. This location lies approximately 373 kilometers from the Finnish border.

However, the source acknowledged that Russia may still hold additional vehicles in covered storage not visible via satellite surveillance, according to ISW.

The Wall Street Journal reported on 27 April that a senior Finnish military official claimed Russia is sending “almost none” of its newly manufactured tanks to Ukraine. 

Frontline use of motorcycles and buggies grows

ISW noted that the slowing consumption of tank reserves aligns with an observed increase in the use of motorcycles and buggies on the Ukrainian frontline. Since late fall 2024, Russian troops have employed these unarmored civilian vehicles more frequently, especially in contested “gray zones” shaped by Ukrainian and Russian drone activity.

Combat footage reviewed by ISW confirms this shift, with lighter and faster vehicles used to counter the vulnerability of traditional armored units to drone strikes. The think tank previously linked this trend to the heavy armored vehicle losses sustained by Russian forces in late 2023 and 2024.

Tactical gains come at high cost

While these adaptations have allowed Russian troops to make minor tactical advances, ISW emphasized they come at the expense of significant infantry losses. 

“ISW previously assessed that Russian armored vehicle losses are unsustainable and are undermining Russia’s ability to sustain a protracted high-intensity war, but it remains unclear if Russia’s increased reliance on motorcycles and buggies will be sufficient to offset these losses in the medium- to long-term,” the think tank wrote.

North Korea has decided to send at least 6,000 more of its military personnel to Russia, with the stated purpose of helping restore infrastructure in Kursk Oblast, according to Russian officials. Earlier reports indicated that more than half of an initial 11,000-strong North Korean contingent had been lost during combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the same area.

Deployment plans confirmed by Shoigu

Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, announced the move following a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Interfax Russia reports that Shoigu specified the alleged composition of the incoming forces:

“Chairman of State Affairs of the D​PRK Kim Jong Un has decided to send one thousand sappers to Russia for demining operations, as well as five thousand military builders for restoring damaged infrastructure.”

Shoigu stated that the deployment followed negotiations aimed at deepening cooperation between the two countries and enhancing North Korea’s support in rebuilding Kursk Oblast.

Shoigu also revealed plans to honor Korean People’s Army (KPA) soldiers who, according to Russian authorities, participated in military actions to “liberate Russian territory.”

“Our leaders decided to immortalize the heroism of Korean People’s Army soldiers who took part in combat operations,” he said.

As part of this initiative, new memorials will be constructed in both Russia and North Korea.

Russia just gave North Korea the blueprint for Iran’s long-range killer drones, Ukraine’s spy chief says

More than half of Pyongyang forces in Kursk lost earlier

The British Defense Ministry stated earlier that over 6,000 troops from the Korean People’s Army were lost during offensive operations against Ukrainian forces in the area. The total KPA presence initially amounted to approximately 11,000 troops, making the losses exceed 50%.

Last June, Russia and North Korea signed a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Pyongyang.

Related:

• UK intel: North Korea sent 11,000 troops to help Russia in Kursk—over half never came back
• Half of North Korea’s first missile shipment to Russia exploded in mid-air — now they strike Ukrainian targets with deadly precision
• Russia just gave North Korea the blueprint for Iran’s long-range killer drones, Ukraine’s spy chief says
• Russia receives 140 mm and 60 mm mortars from North Korea
• Kim Jong Un promises full support for Russia’s Ukraine war, says North Korea
• North Korea’s troops, shells, missiles aided Russia in war against Ukraine, breaching UN sanctions, report confirms
• North Korea supplied Russia with 9 mn rounds of ammunition and 100 ballistic missiles since 2023

Russia has lost 1,005,060 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 16.

The number includes 1,200 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,939 tanks, 22,811 armored fighting vehicles, 52,096 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,208 artillery systems, 1,418 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,187 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,804 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

With no new US aid packages on the horizon, can Ukraine continue to fight Russia?

The U.S. has not announced any military aid packages for Ukraine in almost five months, pushing Kyiv to seek new alternatives. But time is running out quickly as Russian troops slowly advance on the eastern front line and gear up for a new summer offensive. “While Ukraine’s dependence on

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

[L'article François Legault termine aujourd’hui une mission de quatre jours en France  a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

North Korea has suffered more than 6,000 casualties during offensive operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to a June 15 report from the United Kingdom’s defense intelligence.

According to the report, North Korea's losses account for more than half of the approximately 11,000 troops initially deployed to Kursk in fall 2024.

U.K. intelligence attributed the high casualty rate to large, highly attritional dismounted assaults.

Open source intelligence reports have also suggested that small numbers of additional North Korea troops have been deployed to make up for the losses.

Earlier this year, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea transferred approximately 3,000 additional soldiers to Russia in January and February.

North Korea has emerged as a key military ally of Russia through its invasion of Ukraine, supplying Moscow with artillery shells, missiles, and even soldiers in exchange for oil products and advanced military technology, such as ballistic missile upgrades.

In April 2025, Russia confirmed for the first time that North Korean forces were fighting alongside Russian troops in Kursk, although North Korean troops have been reportedly involved since fall 2024.

Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donbas region.

Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March 2025, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian MiG-29 strikes Russian drone hub, ammo depot in Zaporizhzhia direction, releases video

Key developments on June 13: * Ukrainian MiG-29 strikes Russian drone hub, ammo depot in Zaporizhzhia direction, releases video * Ukrainian military denies NYT claims about Russian presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast * Russia preparing strategic reserves for conflicts beyond Ukraine, Ukraine warns * Ukraine repatriates bodies of 1,200 citizens, soldiers under Istanbul deal

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russia has lost 1,003,860 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 15.

The number includes 1,170 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,937 tanks, 22,804 armored fighting vehicles, 52,017 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,190 artillery systems, 1,418 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,186 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,709 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

From buffer zone to new front: Russia pushes deeper into Sumy Oblast

In March 2025, as Ukrainian forces made their final retreat from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, new grey spots began to appear on open-source maps on the other side of the state border, in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast. For the first time since 2022, when Moscow’s forces retreated

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Near the frontline, a Russian Su-25 ground attack aircraft crashed on 13 June under unclear circumstances in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast, with reports and video footage suggesting multiple possible causes, including friendly fire and structural failure.

According to Militarnyi, sources close to Russian military personnel confirmed that a Su-25 of the Russian Aerospace Forces was lost in an aviation incident. Russian blogger Illia Tumanov and the Russian aviation channel Fighterbomber reported that the pilot survived. The Telegram channel Aviahub also confirmed the loss, noting that there was no evidence of hostile fire impacting the aircraft.

Those Russian sources did not disclose the cause of the crash or the location of the aircraft’s fall. A Ukrainian source, however, reported that the incident occurred near occupied Soledar, Donetsk Oblast.

Possibly, blue-on-blue

A later update introduced video footage that verified the aircraft’s destruction and allowed Militarnyi to formulate potential explanations:

• One theory suggests the Su-25 may have been hit by a missile fired by another Su-25 flying behind it. The rocket was launched at close range, and may have struck the aircraft’s wing. The warhead might not have exploded due to the fuse failing to arm at such a short distance, but the impact alone could have caused serious damage. Although the footage shows the launch occurred on the left side and the right wing detached, video perspective makes it difficult to be certain—so this theory remains plausible.
• A second theory suggests accidental missile malfunction, where the unguided rocket failed to launch properly and exploded, damaging the plane. A white smoke cloud appearing at the moment of the wing’s detachment supports this idea, though it might also be vaporized aviation fuel from the airframe rupture.
• A third potential explanation is a structural defect in the aircraft’s frame. The wing broke off during a turn—a moment of maximum structural stress. With the average age of Russian Su-25s nearing 40 years, such failures are increasingly frequent. This theory is supported by the history of multiple similar incidents during the current war.

Long history of Russia’s non-combat Su-25 losses

The Russian Air Force has seen several losses of Su-25s not related to combat. In March this year, a jet went down during a training flight in Russia’s Primorsky Krai after both engines failed. In 2023, two Su-25s were lost to technical issues—one fell into the Sea of Azov during a combat sortie, and another crashed in Belgorod Oblast. Both pilots died.

A similar crash occurred in September 2022, when a Su-25 went down right after takeoff due to control failure during a combat mission.

“Also, a number of Russian attack aircraft losses have been caused by the specific nature of the Russian-Ukrainian war. One of the main factors, in particular, is poor coordination between Russian aviation and its own air defense units, which have repeatedly launched interceptors at them,” Militarnyi wrote.

In December 2023, then-Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk commented on a crash, asserting that Russian air defenses shot down their own Su-25.

Other unique causes include a mid-air collision with a drone and contact with power lines—often a result of flying at low altitudes, which keeps aircraft hidden from both Ukrainian and Russian air defense systems.

A Ukrainian air defense brigade used the newly delivered German IRIS-T air defense system to destroy seven Russian cruise missiles during its first operational engagement by the unit, Militarnyi reported on 13 June. The Lviv-based anti-aircraft missile brigade achieved a new record during the battle, surpassing its previous results under Soviet-era systems.

Brigade intercepts every target with German system

According to the brigade’s commander Vitalii, the unit intercepted seven Russian cruise missiles during a large-scale missile and aviation assault.

“While repelling the massive missile and air strike, seven Russian cruise missiles entered our kill zone. We destroyed them one by one,” he said.

This marked the first combat use of IRIS-T by the brigade, and the results immediately exceeded their past performance. 

S-300 replaced after years of reliable use

Before receiving IRIS-T, the brigade relied primarily on the Soviet-era S-300 complex. The commander emphasized that their previous maximum had been five targets in a single engagement when using the S-300.

“We worked well with the three-hundred. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we destroyed 55 enemy cruise missiles and drones,” said Vitaliy. Still, the new system brought an instant improvement, with the seven-missile battle setting a fresh benchmark.

IRIS-T earns confidence of Ukrainian defenders

Vitalii noted that the IRIS-T system had already earned trust within the brigade after its first successful engagement.

“This is a modern and precise system that has already won authority among our anti-aircraft forces,” he stated. “We are confident that with it we’ll surpass our previous result of 55 downed targets.”

The brigade regards this first success not as a peak, but as the start of a new chapter. According to Militarnyi, the air defense personnel are determined to keep building on the new tally.

IRIS-T designed for short-range precision defense

IRIS-T is a modern German short-range surface-to-air missile system built to protect ground forces near the front line. It is engineered to intercept enemy aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. At its core is the IRIS-T missile, which uses an infrared homing head and has been adapted for ground launch. Target locking occurs during the final flight phase via the infrared seeker.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense signed a memorandum of understanding with IRIS missile manufacturer Diehl Defence in March. 

Russia has lost 1,002,690 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 14.

The number includes 1,130 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,937 tanks, 22,798 armored fighting vehicles, 51,928 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,157 artillery systems, 1,417 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,185 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,586 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 1 million, Putin’s war economy heads toward breaking point

Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv. Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russia’s claims of success in Ukraine mask a far grimmer military reality: minimal territorial gains exchanged for unprecedented casualties and losses, Riley McCabe of the Center for Strategic and International Studies argues in an opinion piece in The Washington Post.

The author notes that Moscow shows little interest in serious diplomacy and continues to demand maximalist terms while launching new attacks. The op-ed emphasizes that despite its narrative of strength, Russia’s hand is far weaker than assumed by many in the West.

Russia’s advances yield limited territorial gains  

In contrast, McCabe writes that Russia has been using brute force to advance since early 2024, but with little to show for it. Data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies cited in the article shows that Moscow has seized less than 1% of Ukrainian territory since January 2024—an area smaller than Delaware. Russian forces have managed daily advances averaging only about 50 meters near Kupiansk and roughly 135 meters in parts of Donetsk Oblast, even in their most active sectors.

Ukraine’s defenses, McCabe writes, give it the edge. Russian forces run into minefields, trench systems, and artillery zones, with drones causing most combat deaths. This setup has turned the conflict into a bloody deadlock.

Scale of Russian casualties is historical

According to McCabe, these minor gains have come at an extraordinary cost. Russian fatalities in Ukraine now exceed the total number of Soviet and Russian soldiers killed in every war since World War II combined. By summer 2025, Russia is projected to surpass 1 million total military casualties. The op-ed notes that Russian equipment losses since January 2024 include roughly 1,200 armored fighting vehicles, 3,200 infantry fighting vehicles, and 1,900 tanks.

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

McCabe includes comparisons showing that Russia’s death toll in Ukraine now exceeds losses in every Soviet and Russian war since World War II. The opinion piece includes visual breakdowns of fatalities from conflicts in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Syria, Georgia, and others—none of which approach current Ukrainian war figures.

Putin bets on US withdrawal, not battlefield success

The opinion piece argues that Russia’s best hope lies in Western political fatigue. McCabe writes,

“Putin is betting that political fatigue in Washington will deliver him what his military cannot.”

The author warns that a loss of US support could deprive Ukraine of air defenses, munitions, and strike capabilities, and shatter morale. 

Trump again blames both Ukraine and Russia for failing to reach a peace deal

Russia has lost 1,001,560 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 13.

The number includes 1,220 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,934 tanks, 22,791 armored fighting vehicles, 51,821 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,105 artillery systems, 1,416 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,184 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,507 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 1 million, Putin’s war economy heads toward breaking point

Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv. Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 111,387 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.

The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to June 6, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of May, 1,762 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.

The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, memorial community tree-plantings, regional media reports, statements from local authorities, among other sources.

The outlet published the complete list of identified casualties for the first time in February, marking three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the publication, volunteers manually enter and verify each record to prevent duplicate entries in the database.

The journalists' findings come as Russia surpassed 1 million losses on June 12, marking a symbolic, yet grim milestone in the 3-year-long war. The estimate, which is broadly in-line with estimates made by Western intelligence agencies, likely includes those killed, captured, wounded, and missing.

The confirmed death toll now includes 28,200 volunteers, 17,400 recruited prisoners, and nearly 12,300 mobilized soldiers, according to the media outlets. Over 5,100 officers have also been confirmed to have been killed.

Amid renewed summer offensives in multiple sectors of the front, Russia has steadily gained ground in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast in recent months but at the cost of heavy casualties as well as equipment losses.

Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POWs) said on June 12 said that more than 100,000 Russian families have contacted a Ukrainian-run initiative in search of information about missing Russian soldiers.

Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official let slip in December that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.

As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 1 million, Putin’s war economy heads toward breaking point

Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv. Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

More than 100,000 Russian families have contacted a Ukrainian-run initiative in search of information about missing Russian soldiers, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POWs) said on June 12.

The announcement comes as Russia and Ukraine are conducting a series of the most extensive prisoner exchanges since the beginning of the large-scale war in 2022. The latest phase of the exchange occurred on June 12.

The initiative, called "I Want to Find" (Russian: "Хочу найти"), has received 100,324 requests from Russian citizens seeking answers about relatives who vanished while serving in Russia's military, the Coordination Headquarters said.

The actual number of missing Russian troops is believed to be significantly higher. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has largely concealed the scale of its military losses, forcing many families to search independently, Ukrainian officials said.

In May 2025 alone, the project received a record 12,320 inquiries — the highest monthly figure since the program began in January 2024.

Through the project, families can verify whether their relatives have been captured or killed, which may enable them to pressure Russian authorities to pursue prisoner exchanges. As of June, Ukraine has confirmed 2,415 Russian soldiers held in captivity, with 1,126 of them already exchanged for Ukrainian defenders, the Coordination Headquarters said.

"Many more Russians remain in captivity, but not all families know about the program or have submitted requests," the agency added.

A detailed analysis of the requests revealed that some of Russia's most severely depleted units include the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (Military Unit 90600), which accounts for 2,277 missing personnel — the highest of any single unit. Of the 20 most-affected units, 17 are motorized rifle brigades, often deployed in Russia's most brutal infantry assaults, commonly referred to as "meat grinder" tactics.

The data also showed that 26% of missing soldiers were under the age of 30. The youngest reported missing was 18, and the oldest was 67.

The project has also uncovered a shift in public sentiment, claiming 75% of those submitting requests said they do not support Russia's war in Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has lost over 1 million troops since the start of its invasion — a figure reported for the first time on June 12, with 1,140 casualties recorded in just one day. The total reported Russian losses stand at 1,000,340 as of that date.

The Kremlin has not commented on the figures.

As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 1 million, Putin faces an economic time bomb

Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv. Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

On 12 June 2025, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Russian military personnel losses since 24 February 2022 have reached 1,000,340, coinciding with Russia’s national holiday, so-called Russia Day.

A symbolic milestone on Russia Day

The General Staff reported that Ukraine’s Defense Forces eliminated 1,140 Russian soldiers in the past 24 hours, pushing the total number of Russian military losses since the start of the full-scale invasion past one million.

Previously, the Ukrainian officials clarified that the General Staff’s figures refer specifically to Russian soldiers killed, whereas foreign sources often interpret these numbers as the combined total of those killed and wounded in action.

The announcement was made public through the General Staff’s official Facebook page. Notably, the seven-digit figure was reached on 12 June, a day celebrated by the Russian state as its national holiday.

Putin won’t accept peace unless Russian empire is restored, says US ex-defense secretary Gates

Russian equipment and weapon losses reported as of 12 June 2025:

• Personnel: 1,000,340 in total (+1,140 yesterday)
• Tanks: 10,933 (+6)
• Armored vehicles: 22,786 (+3)
• Artillery systems: 29,063 (+47)
• MLRS: 1,413
• Air defense systems: 1,184 (+1)
• Aircraft: 416
• Helicopters: 337
• Drones: 40,435 (+138)
• Cruise missiles: 3,337
• Naval vessels: 28
• Submarines: 1
• Military trucks/fuel tankers: 51,715 (+136)
• Special equipment: 3,914

Growing pace of Russian losses

The military provided a breakdown of cumulative losses by year:

• In 2022: 106,720 killed (average 340 per day)
• In 2023: 253,290 killed (average 693 per day)
• In 2024: 430,790 killed (average 1,177 per day)
• In 2025, by 4 June: over 200,000 killed (average 1,286 per day)

More than 628,000 of these deaths occurred in just the last 18 months, according to the GenStaff.

Notable peak days in Russian casualties

The General Staff identified several of the deadliest days of the war:

• 28 November 2024: 2,030 killed
• 19 December 2024: 2,200 killed
• 29 December 2024: 2,010 killed

These dates reflect concentrated combat or high-impact Ukrainian counterstrikes during key offensives.

Yesterday in figures

On 11 June 2025, there were 220 combat clashes, according to the report. That same day, Russian forces launched two missile attacks and 86 airstrikes, dropped 136 guided bombs, used 3,744 kamikaze drones, and shelled Ukrainian positions and settlements 6,064 times.

In response, Ukraine’s Defense Forces conducted strikes on:

• 10 Russian troop, weapon, or equipment locations
• 5 command posts
• 7 artillery systems
• 3 ammunition depots
• 2 additional key targets
• “air defenses”

Russia has lost 1,000,340 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 12.

The number includes 1,140 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day. It marks the first time since the outbreak of the full-scale war that Russia's reported casualties crossed 1 million.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,933 tanks, 22,786 armored fighting vehicles, 51,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,063 artillery systems, 1,413 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,184 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,435 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine bracing for ‘painful’ reduction in US military aid after Hegseth announces cuts

Editor’s note: For security reasons, the real names of the soldiers mentioned in this story have not been used. A reduction in U.S. military aid to Ukraine would be “painful” and could have potentially “dire consequences” for the global order, Ukrainian lawmakers and soldiers have told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

An American English teacher Stephen Hubbard, captured by Russian forces in 2022, has been located in Russia’s Mordovia penal colony after months without family contact, with former fellow prisoners reporting he endured systematic abuse because of his nationality. 

Stephen James Hubbard, now 73 and a native of Michigan, is being held in the IK-12 penal colony in Mordovia, a southwestern Russian Oblast known for its extensive prison system, according to the New York Times.

He is the only American remaining in Russia who has been designated by the US State Department as “wrongfully detained,” indicating that the United States considers the charges against him to be fabricated.

Russian authorities captured Hubbard in April 2022 from the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast, where he had been living since 2012 after meeting a Ukrainian woman named Inna. He had retired to Cyprus that year and moved to Ukraine to be with her, earning income by teaching English online to Japanese students. When the relationship ended Stephen continued living in Ukraine.

According to Russian court documents reviewed by the Times, authorities accused Hubbard of joining Ukraine’s territorial defense forces the day after Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. The documents claim he signed up at a recruitment center in a kindergarten, seeking to earn at least $1,000 monthly, and was given the call signs “Samurai” and “Ninja” while manning a checkpoint on a bridge.

However, text messages between Hubbard and his son Hisashi Tanaka contradict this narrative. The communications show no evidence of military involvement. Instead, Hubbard sent daily updates describing civilian life during the invasion, including taking shelter in a church and continuing to teach English lessons when possible.

His final message, sent through a friend’s phone after Russians seized Izium, stated: “I am well, waiting for the war to end.”

Earlier, his sister Patricia Fox told Reuters that Hubbard was “so non-military” and “more of a pacifist.” She said he “never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that” and was unlikely to take up arms at his age. Fox also noted that her brother held pro-Russian views, making the mercenary accusations even more implausible.

Russian authorities convicted Hubbard of being a mercenary in October and sentenced him to nearly seven years in prison. Following his conviction, his case file was removed from public view in an unusual move by the Russian judge.

Ukrainian prisoners of war who were held with Hubbard told the Times that he was repeatedly tortured because of his American citizenship. They reported that he was beaten, forced to stand all day, given inadequate food, and denied proper medical care. The released Ukrainian prisoners said they feared for his life.

Hubbard’s family lost contact with him after his conviction until recent weeks, when he was able to call one of his sons. His lawyer, Martin De Luca, said his team has spoken with Hubbard three times since April.

“He’s had a rough three and a half years,” De Luca said.

American officials have raised Hubbard’s imprisonment with Russian counterparts and demanded his immediate release. The United States Embassy in Moscow has not been granted access to Hubbard despite Russia’s obligations under international law.

In a 19 May phone call, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a potential prisoner exchange involving nine people from each side. Given Hubbard’s wrongful detention designation, he would likely be a top candidate in any such exchange.

Germany releases Russian hitman, enabling largest post-Cold War prisoner exchange

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Ukraine has brought back the bodies of 1,212 fallen service members, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POW) said on June 11.

The announcement follows Russian-Ukrainian Istanbul talks on June 2, which focused on exchanges of POWs and fallen soldiers.

The repatriation was carried out through a coordinated effort involving the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry, the Ombudsman's Office, the State Emergency Service, and other national security and defense institutions. The International Committee of the Red Cross also supported the operation.

The remains of soldiers were returned from multiple front-line regions, including Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Sumy oblasts.

Officials emphasized that investigative and forensic teams from the Interior Ministry and the Health Ministry are working to identify the bodies in the shortest possible time.

Vladimir Medinsky, aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed Russia transferred the bodies of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers in accordance with the agreements in Istanbul, while Ukraine released the remains of 27 Russian service members.

The Ukrainian side did not disclose how many Russian bodies were handed over in return.

At the Istanbul meeting on June 2, Russian and Ukrainian delegations agreed on a new exchange of POWs but failed to reach a ceasefire agreement.

The Turkey-hosted talks were the second round since mid-May and resulted in an agreement to exchange severely wounded and young prisoners, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying up to 1,200 individuals could be returned on each side. Russia also pledged to transfer up to 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.

Following the Istanbul talks, Ukraine and Russia have already conducted two prisoner exchanges on June 9 and 10. While exact figures were not immediately disclosed, Ukraine confirmed the return of severely wounded and chronically ill prisoners, including those captured during the 2022 siege of Mariupol and held for more than three years.

In Istanbul, Ukraine also submitted a peace proposal that called for a full ceasefire, an "all-for-all" POW exchange, the return of abducted children, and the use of frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine. Russia has yet to formally respond.

Ukraine, Russia conduct second prisoner swap under Istanbul deal

“All of them require immediate medical attention,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russia has lost 999,200 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 11.

The number includes 1,120 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,927 tanks, 22,783 armored fighting vehicles, 51,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,016 artillery systems, 1,413 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,183 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,297 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

US to cut military aid to Ukraine, Hegseth says

The U.S. will reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its upcoming defense budget, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a congressional hearing on June 10.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

Telegram, a global messaging app known for its emphasis on privacy founded by Pavel Durov, is facing new scrutiny after an investigation by Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and its Russian partner Important Stories. It revealed that the infrastructure routing its traffic is controlled by a Russian network engineer whose companies have previously worked with Russian intelligence and defense agencies.

Critical access controlled by Russian engineer

The investigation identifies Vladimir Vedeneev, a 45-year-old Russian engineer, as the owner of Global Network Management (GNM), which maintains Telegram’s servers and controls thousands of its IP addresses. Legal documents from a Florida court show Vedeneev had exclusive access to Telegram servers, signed contracts on its behalf, and even acted as its informal CFO under a power of attorney from Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

Vedeneev’s other companies — including GlobalNet and Electrontelecom — have provided services to Russia’s FSB, the GlavNIVTS computing center, and the state-run Kurchatov nuclear institute. Electrontelecom continues to assign over 5,000 Telegram IPs and manages surveillance systems used by the FSB in the St. Petersburg area.

Telegram blocks then unblocks chatbots used by Ukraine’s security services to get info on Russian activities

Metadata vulnerability through Telegram’s protocol

Despite Telegram’s claims of security, the MTProto protocol used in its encrypted messaging system includes an unencrypted “auth_key_id” element. Security expert Michał Woźniak explains that this allows anyone monitoring network traffic to identify a user’s device, IP address, and location even if the message content is encrypted.

Other experts, including John Scott-Railton of Citizen Lab, echoed these concerns, noting that metadata exposure could place users — especially those seen as threats by the Russian state — at serious risk.

Russian FSB has the keys to Telegram and Viber messengers and uses them for espionage — Ukrainian intelligence

Man-in-the-middle risk and physical infrastructure

A Ukrainian IT specialist said Russian forces used captured telecom infrastructure to conduct man-in-the-middle surveillance.

“In such an attack, the hackers aren’t even interested so much in the user’s correspondence,” he explained, “They get metadata to analyze… really, all possible information.”

Documents show that Vedeneev’s company owns a router inside the Telegram server room in Miami, and leases over 10,000 IPs to Telegram. Woźniak notes this allows potential access to user metadata, posing a major privacy concern.

Telegram’s founder under legal pressure

Telegram founder Pavel Durov, known for creating the VKontakte platform – the Russian clone of the early Facebook – and later launching Telegram in exile, is under judicial supervision in France over charges related to illegal content. Though he has denied any infrastructure in Russia or post-2014 visits, a leak showed over 50 trips to Russia between 2015 and 2021.

Politico: French investigation into Telegram’s founders reveals broader scope

Durov did not respond to OCCRP’s requests for comment. Vedeneev declined to publish his statements publicly.

Opaque partnerships and Russian state links

Vedeneev’s long-standing links to Russian state projects extend back to his partnership with Roman Venediktov, a former space forces officer and minority co-owner of GlobalNet. Their joint company, Peering, managed traffic for VKontakte through DATAIX and was acquired by GlobalNet in 2018.

The investigation also reveals that GlobalNet implemented Russia’s Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) system after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, aligning itself with Roskomnadzor regulations.

“If someone has access to Telegram traffic and cooperates with Russian intelligence services,” said Woźniak, “this means that the device identifier becomes a really big problem — a tool for global surveillance of messenger users.”

Russia has lost 998,080 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 10.

The number includes 960 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,919 tanks, 22,768 armored fighting vehicles, 51,455 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,982 artillery systems, 1,412 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,183 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,057 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Drone attacks target Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, Leningrad Oblast, media reports

Drone attacks targeted Russia’s Tatarstan Republic and Leningrad Oblast in the morning of June 10, independent outlet Astra reported.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

“Open your eyes!” World heavyweight boxing champion from Ukraine, Oleksandr Usyk, has called on US President Donald Trump to come to Ukraine and live in his home to see firsthand the realities of war and Russian shelling, CNN Sports reports. 

“I offer him my home. Let him live in my house for a week and see how rockets fly over it and how people live in Ukraine,” says Usyk. 

According to the boxer, Trump must be responsible for his words, and finally fulfill his promise to end the war in Ukraine, as he had said he would stop the war within a day or a month.

“He should be responsible for the words he said. Why does he speak?” the boxer adds, stressing that the US president needs to “open his eyes and help.”

Usyk also advises Trump to live in the Kyiv districts of Obolon or Troieshchyna, “where houses, residential buildings are being bombed,” to “understand what is happening.”

This is not the first call by prominent figures for Trump to visit Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly invited Trump to visit the frontline and see the war with his own eyes. However, the American leader has yet to come to the country.

A Ukrainian strike allegedly damaged two Russian military aircraft — a MiG-31 and either a Su-30 or Su-34 fighter jet — at an airfield used to launch Kinzhal missile attacks, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on May 9.

The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the military said.

Ukraine's overnight strike targeted the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, which the Kremlin uses to launch MiG-31K jets armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, according to the General Staff.

The operation was conducted by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in coordination with other units.

The strike happened as Russia launched a massive attack on Ukrainian cities overnight on June 9.

Recently, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian military aircraft, which Moscow often uses to target civilian infrastructure. Earlier this month, Ukrainian drones destroyed dozens of Russian strategic bombers and surveillance aircraft in a series of attacks dubbed Operation Spiderweb.

On June 1, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) used smuggled first-person-view drones to strike four Russian airfields: Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo, and Belaya. The SBU said 41 aircraft were damaged or destroyed, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage.

Footage of those strikes, released by Ukrainian officials on June 4, showed direct hits on key Russian aircraft. Ukrainian officials say such operations aim to limit Russia's ability to launch missile attacks against Ukrainian cities.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russia has lost 997,120 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 9.

The number includes 970 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,915 tanks, 22,759 armored fighting vehicles, 51,348 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,934 artillery systems, 1,411 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,183 air defense systems, 414 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 39,818 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Trump administration redirects 20,000 anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, Zelensky confirms

“We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

[L'article Éco-pivot pourrait aider votre municipalité à verdir votre quartier a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 49 explosive Shahed drones, decoy drones, a cruise missile, and two guided missiles overnight on 8 June, with Ukrainian defenses neutralizing 40 of the drones.

According to the Air Force, the attack was countered by air defense missile units, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare teams from both the Air Force and broader Defense Forces.

As of 09:00, 40 Shahed drones and other types of unmanned aerial vehicles were neutralized over the east, south, north, and center of Ukraine. Among these, 22 were destroyed by direct fire, while another 18 were either jammed or lost on radars with no further consequences.

Reuters: US expects another multi-pronged Russian strike after Ukraine’s Spiderweb drone attack

The Air Force’s data suggest that all three missiles and at least nine drones may have reached their intended targets. 

Key targets: Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts

The Air Force identified Kharkiv Oblast and Donetsk Oblast as the main directions of the overnight Russian assault. Strikes were recorded at five locations.

While no direct damage or casualties from the latest attack were cited, regional reports provided updates on the previous day’s strikes. In Kharkiv Oblast, Head of the Oblast Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov stated that the city of Kharkiv and nine other settlements came under heavy Russian fire during 7 June.

Previous day’s toll: Civilians killed and injured

According to Syniehubov, the earlier attack left three civilians dead and 23 injured. Two of the fatalities occurred in Kharkiv, where 18 people were wounded. In the village of Staryi Saltiv, two women aged 46 and 53 and a 30-year-old man were injured. In Kupiansk, a 44-year-old man sustained injuries. In Kozacha Lopan, a 60-year-old man was killed, and another man aged 47 was injured.

Kharkiv endures most extensive attack since full-scale invasion began. Three civilians killed, dozens injured

Syniehubov detailed that Russian forces had used a wide variety of weapons in Kharkiv Oblast during the day, including one Kh-59 missile, nine guided aerial bombs (KABs), 64 Shahed drones, three “Geran-2” drones (the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 that Syniehubov, for some reason, refers to by its Russian designation), one Lancet drone, and two Molniya drones. In the city of Kharkiv itself, four KABs struck the Shevchenkivskyi and Kyivskyi districts.

Donetsk civilians also suffer casualties

Donetsk Oblast Head Vadym Filashkin reported that Russian attacks on 7 June killed four civilians: two in Yablunivka, one in Kostiantynivka, and one in Siversk. Another nine people in the oblast were injured.

FPV drone strike in Zaporizhzhia sets home ablaze

Separately, in the frontline town of Prymorske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a Russian FPV drone targeted a detached house, as reported by Oblast Head Ivan Fedorov on 8 June. The attack resulted in a fire that completely destroyed the building and left a 63-year-old man with shrapnel wounds. He was hospitalized and is receiving medical care.

Russia has lost 996,150 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 8.

The number includes 1,120 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,911 tanks, 22,748 armored fighting vehicles, 51,225 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,892 artillery systems, 1,410 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,183 air defense systems, 414 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 39,651 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine downs fighter jet in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Air Force says

Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024. Reinforced by North Korean troops, Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory.

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) used exclusively domestically produced drones and did not deploy any equipment from allied stockpiles in its recent attack on Russian heavy bombers, President Volodymyr Zelensky told ABC News in an interview published on June 7.

"I wanted very much to use only what we produce and to have the separation (be) very clear," Zelensky said, as quoted by the TV network.

On June 1, Ukraine launched a game-changing drone attack on four Russian military airfields, damaging 41 planes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes, now largely known as Operation Spiderweb.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently confirm the number of planes allegedly damaged and destroyed by the SBU. At least 21 planes were damaged or destroyed, according to open-source intelligence analysts.

Kyiv has claimed it had disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during the full-scale war.

To do so, Ukraine used one of the cheapest weapons already used on the battlefield — first-person-view (FPV) drones.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been developing and deploying technological innovations and cutting-edge unmanned systems. Both Ukraine and Russia have increasingly relied on drone warfare, using aerial, naval, and ground-based drones for reconnaissance and combat missions.

In late March, presidential advisor Alexander Kamyshin said in an interview with Radio Khartia that Ukrainian manufacturers have the capacity to produce over 5 million FPV drones per year.

A year-and-a-half in the planning, and reportedly personally overseen by SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk and Zelensky, Operation Spiderweb was an "absolutely unique operation," according to the president.

According to the SBU, the drones were smuggled into Russia, where they were then hidden on the roofs of wooden cabins, which were then transported by truck to the air bases being targeted.

When they reached their destinations, the roofs were retracted remotely, and the drones simply flew off towards the Russian bombers.

In the interview with ABC News released on June 7, Zelesnky said truck drivers who transported the drones did not know anything about their role in the attack.

"They didn't know anything," Zelensky said. "They just did their job."

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet in Russia's Kursk Oblast on the morning of June 7, the Air Force reported.

Although no details of the operation were disclosed, the downing brings the total number of Russian aircraft destroyed since the start of the full-scale invasion to 414, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II.  

Reinforced by North Korean troops, Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory, including the town of Sudzha.

The downing of the Su-35 fighter jet also adds to the losses Ukraine has inflicted on the Russian Air Force over the past week.

On June 1, Ukraine launched its Operation Spiderweb, conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), reportedly hitting 41 Russian bomber planes and other aircraft. According to Kyiv, Ukraine inflicted $7 billion in damage and disabled over a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently confirm the number of planes allegedly damaged and destroyed by the SBU. At least 21 planes were damaged or destroyed, according to open-source intelligence analysts.

The SBU said 117 drones, launched from concealed trucks positioned across Russian territory, simultaneously struck airfields in at least four regions, including sites thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The targeted air bases reportedly housed Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, essential carriers of long-range cruise missiles used in Moscow's air strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb; Ukraine targets Russian air bases in ‘preemptive strike’

Key developments on June 6: * Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb * Ukraine strikes Russian air bases in ‘preemptive strike’ ahead of drone, missile attack, General Staff says * Ukrainian drone attack destroys helicopter at Russian airfield in Bryansk, media says * Russia plans to occupy Ukraine east of

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russia has lost 995,030 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 7.

The number includes 1,120 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,904 tanks, 22,737 armored fighting vehicles, 51,079 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,850 artillery systems, 1,410 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,181 air defense systems, 413 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 39,493 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

‘Find and destroy’ – how Ukraine’s own Peaky Blinders mastered the art of bomber drones

Editor’s note: In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names and callsigns only. DONETSK OBLAST – From the moment the vehicles duck into pre-prepared positions in the leafy treeline to the first dead Russian soldiers, less than twenty

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Independent data organization ACLED systematically reduces Russian Defense Ministry casualty claims from hundreds to just 10 deaths when cross-verification fails, according to researchers tracking the war in Ukraine.

The organization, which employs over 200 specialists documenting conflicts worldwide, maintains a team of six researchers in Ukraine processing a fixed list of sources daily.

“In some countries, only a few sources report on war. Ukraine has many sources. But this doesn’t always make analysis easier: repetition, intensity and oversaturation make identifying new trends difficult,” Senior analyst Nikita Gurkov said.

ACLED’s methodology involves checking Russian government sources, Ukrainian government sources, and independent media, but uses a broader range of materials for verification. Researchers examine additional resources, study photo and video materials, and employ OSINT methods to confirm or refute data from primary sources.

“We simply reduce these numbers automatically from 150 or 300 to 10, so as not to create false trends,” explains Olga Polishchuk, ACLED’s research director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The organization marks such entries with low accuracy ratings and mandatory notes indicating the Russian Defense Ministry as the source.

ACLED’s database shows the stark difference between Russian claims and verified data. A chart tracking the period from January 2024 to April 2025 displays Russian Defense Ministry casualty claims in gray and ACLED’s corresponding database entries in red. The visual demonstrates how the organization systematically reduces unverified Russian numbers to a standard 10 deaths when no independent confirmation exists.

ACLED’s database shows the stark difference between Russian claims and verified data. When Russian forces claimed massive Ukrainian casualties that other sources could not confirm, the organization entered the events but reduced death tolls to 10 with notes about the Russian Defense Ministry source.

The organization treats Ukrainian government reports as biased but finds them easier to verify due to independent Ukrainian and international media operating in Ukraine-controlled territory. ACLED often confirm the statements of the Ukrainian side. The difference is most often due to the fact that the Ukrainian side reports the total number of killed and wounded, while ACLED only reports deaths.

ACLED reportedly does not directly cooperate with the Ukrainian government for data collection, relying instead on public sources: official reports, media, social networks, and partner organizations.

Each researcher processes at least 100-200 events weekly. When different versions of events exist and researchers cannot confirm details, they choose the most conservative option, such as lower casualty numbers. Events that cannot be verified at all receive notes stating “number of casualties unknown.”

“If you want to compare data from December 2024 and May 2025, you must be sure we collected them the same way, and didn’t add new sources between those months, which could distort trends,” Polishchuk said.

When ACLED expands its source list, researchers first adjust previous period data based on new sources before publishing updates publicly, typically in six-month blocks.

The war’s scale presents unique challenges for analysts. Many settlements, high event concentration, and intensive information flow create both advantages and obstacles for documentation efforts, according to Gurkov.

A Ukrainian drone attack on Bryansk airport overnight on 5–6 June destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter and damaged a Mi-35, according to Russian news Telegram channel Astra. There are signs of the long-lasting military use of the civilian facility, Militarnyi notes.

Astra reported that the Ukrainian UAVs targeted the territory of the Bryansk International Airport last night located in the village of Oktyabrskoye near Bryansk. As a result of the strike, a Mi-8 helicopter was completely destroyed and its ammunition detonated. A Mi-35 military helicopter was also partially damaged.

After months, Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian fuel depots, targets airfields and military factories (video)

According to Astra’s sources within the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the strike also damaged the airport’s administrative building and the local rescue service facility. There were no casualties reported. Several dozen workers were evacuated from the nearby Ozon warehouse due to the explosions.

Video footage published by several Telegram channels showed secondary explosions after the initial impact. 

Additionally, last night, the Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot in Engels in Russia’s Saratov Oblast, and targeted Ryazan’s Dyagilevo airbase, and the Progress plant in Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast — a facility involved in producing components for rocket and aviation systems. 

Signs of Bryansk airport’s long-term military use of the airport

Militarnyi cited OSINT analysts from the Oko Hora group, noting that satellite imagery showed two objects — likely helicopters — regularly changing positions at the airfield, indicating long-term deployment and military use of the civil airport.

Militarnyi added that what exactly Russia stored in these airport buildings remains unclear, but the power of the explosions and the detonation observed by eyewitnesses suggest that an ammunition depot may have been present, possibly leading to the destruction and damage to Russian aircraft.

Ukraine has resumed targeting Russian fuel infrastructure after a months-long pause, hitting the Engels oil depot used by strategic bombers, involved in last night’s deadly missile strikes against Ukraine, while drone attacks continued across other military airfields and industrial defense sites in at least six Russian oblasts overnight on 6 June.

Engels fuel depot set ablaze again as Ukraine resumes strikes on oil facilities

Overnight on 6 June, Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on the Kristall oil depot in the city of Engels, Saratov Oblast, situated more than 600 km from Ukraine. The site supplies fuel to the Engels-2 air base, home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers used by Russia to fire cruise missiles on Ukraine.

The attack triggered a massive fire. Telegram channels, including Russian Astra and Ukrainian sources, published videos showing at least three fuel tanks on fire, with large flames and thick smoke rising from the site.

According to Astra, the strike was carried out using drones and caused a fire at the industrial fuel storage facility. NASA’s FIRMS wildfire detection satellites identified thermal anomalies at the facility.

Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin confirmed a fire had broken out at “one of the industrial enterprises in Engels” following a drone strike but did not identify the specific site. Social media users shared additional footage showing the scale of the blaze.

The Engels depot itself had previously been targeted twice in January 2025.

• The first attack, on 8 January, destroyed three fuel tanks of 120,000 cubic meters each and damaged six more, resulting in the loss of an estimated 800,000 tons of fuel.
• A second drone strike occurred on 14 January, while the fire from the first attack was still burning. 

UK intel: Ukraine’s Engels-2 airbase strike marks 2025’s most successful ammo depot attack yet

Explosions and fires at multiple Russian airbases and military areas

Explosions and fires were reported overnight across various Russian locations hosting airfields or military infrastructure, though specific confirmed damage varied by site.

• Bryansk Oblast: Explosions were heard near the airport in Bryansk around midnight. Videos shared on social media captured a large blast, similar to an explosion of surface-to-air missiles, and of secondary blasts following the initial impacts. Astra reported the area was targeted by Ukraine’s defense forces.

• Ryazan Oblast: Local residents reported drone activity and fires in the Dyagilevo district, home to the Dyagilevo air base. A separate fire was also reported in the vicinity of the village of Podvyazye after what was described as a drone attack.

• Tambov Oblast: Telegram channel Supernova+ shared footage from Michurinsk and reported that drones struck the Progress plant there, which manufactures equipment for aircraft and missile control systems, as well as for gas and oil pipeline infrastructure. According to Exilenova, the strike hit the central workshop, leading to a roof collapse. Images showed fire damage and signs of electronic warfare systems operating at the time of the strike.

• Moscow Oblast: Readers of Astra from Naro-Fominsk reported explosions. Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsia imposed temporary flight restrictions at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky (Ramenskoye) airports “to ensure civilian flight safety.” Those restrictions were later lifted. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that six drones targeting the Russian capital were destroyed. He later claimed that an additional three drones aimed at the Moscow region were also intercepted.

• Kaluga Oblast: The oblast’s governor stated that five drones were shot down near the border of Obninsk and Borovsky Raion. One drone’s debris fell on a roadway, damaging four vehicles. No serious injuries were reported among the passengers.

Unconfirmed rail sabotage: train derailment in Belgorod 

In Belgorod Oblast, a reserve locomotive derailed in Prokhorovsky Raion. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed the likely cause was the detonation of an explosive device planted under the tracks. No casualties occurred. Train traffic was delayed by approximately 2.5 hours, but all services have since resumed. Track repair work began shortly after the incident. There is no confirmation that this was not an incident.

Russia has lost around 993,910 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 6.

The number includes 1,160 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,889 tanks, 22,685 armored fighting vehicles, 50,913 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,794 artillery systems, 1,406 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,180 air defense systems, 413 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 39,193 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers; Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions

Key developments on June 5: * Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers, Ukrainian military says * ‘Deadline is in my brain’ — Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions * ‘Not destroyed but damaged’ — Russia claims it will repair bombers struck in Operation Spiderweb * Trump privately praises Ukraine’s drone

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

In the early hours of 6 June, Russia conducted one of the largest air attacks since the start of its full-scale invasion, targeting Kyiv, Ternopil, Lutsk, Lviv, and several other cities using a combination of missiles and drones. The Russian assault resulted in civilian casualties — with four people known to have been killed and 25 injured — along with widespread damage to infrastructure and multiple fires.

At the time of reporting, the attack was still ongoing, with several Russian drones remaining airborne over multiple regions.

Here’s what we know so far.

Known details and air defense response

So far, there is no official count of the missiles and drones used in the attack, but live reporting from Ukrainian monitoring channels indicated that Russia launched over 100 missiles, along with a significantly higher number of drones.

The Ukrainian air monitoring channel Monitor summarized that the Russian assault involved Kh-101 cruise missiles launched by Tu-95MS bombers from Volgograd Oblast, Kalibr missiles fired by the Black Sea fleet, and Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from Kursk and Voronezh Oblasts. The attack also included Shahed drones and other types of UAVs.

The assault affected Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Lviv Oblast, Lutsk, Ternopil and Ternopil Oblast, Rivne Oblast, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Poltava Oblast, and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district of Odesa Oblast. Energy infrastructure, residential areas, and civilian sites were hit, as confirmed by local authorities and military administrations.

Monitor stated the missile phase of the assault lasted from 03:10 to 04:40, while drone waves began at 20:10 and continued for over 10 hours.

Kyiv: Fires and casualties

Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported that Russia targeted the Ukrainian capital with cruise and ballistic missiles, and Shahed explosive drones. The mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klitschko, confirmed that as of 6:00, one person was killed and 20 others were injured, 16 of whom were hospitalized. Strikes hit multiple districts, including Solomianskyi, where a school and residential buildings were damaged.

Drone debris caused fires in Darnytskyi, where vehicles were destroyed, and in Holosiivskyi, where building structures were reportedly damaged. Fires also broke out in Shevchenkivskyi and Sviatoshynskyi. Debris fell in Desnianskyi and other parts of the city. Metro lines between “Darnytsia” and “Livoberezhna” were damaged. Some areas on the city’s left bank experienced temporary power outages.

“They were working under fire to help people. Another nine emergency workers were wounded. Some are in serious condition — doctors are fighting for their lives,” Klymenko wrote on Telegram.

Ternopil and oblast: Infrastructure and industrial sites hit

Ternopil mayor Serhii Nadal reported that industrial and infrastructure targets in the city were struck. Part of the city was left without electricity and water pressure dropped. Emergency services were working at the scene.

Head of the Oblast Military Administration, Viacheslav Nehoda, described it as “the most massive air attack on our oblast,” noting multiple strikes and ongoing firefighting efforts. Explosions were first reported during an air raid starting at 03:16.

Lutsk: Injuries and extensive property damage

In Lutsk, mayor Ihor Polishchuk confirmed five people were injured in the strikes. According to him, the Russians targeted the city with 15 drones and five missiles. It is the largest attack on the city since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

A residential building suffered partial destruction and windows were shattered in multiple buildings. Commercial facilities and private vehicles were also damaged. The Oblast Military Administration added that people were evacuated and received medical help, noting that air defenses “destroyed a lot of [aerial] targets.”

Russia kills Ukrainian baby and seven more people as Trump keeps pushing predictably doomed peace talks

Lviv Oblast: Air defense in action

Lviv mayor Andrii Sadovyi and regional head Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed that air defenses operated successfully and no Russian strikes reached Lviv community infrastructure. Loud explosions were heard during the air raid, which started at 00:53 and ended at 05:01.

Chernihiv: Shahed struck near apartment block

Chernihiv City Military Administration head Dmytro Bryzhynskyi reported that a Shahed drone exploded near a high-rise building on the city’s outskirts. No casualties or damage were mentioned.

Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Explosions heard during air raid

Explosions were reported by Suspilne correspondents in Khmelnytskyi during an air raid early in the morning. The Ukrainian Air Force noted that cruise missiles entered the oblast around 04:05.

Read the followup:

Russia launches 407 drones and 44 missiles against Ukraine in overnight assault, Air Force says

Ukrainian forces launched a missile strike on June 5 targeting a concentration of Russian missile troops near the city of Klintsy in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported.

The strike reportedly destroyed one Iskander missile launcher and seriously damaged two others. The targeted unit, part of Russia’s 26th Missile Brigade, had attempted to fire on Ukrainian territory — likely aiming at Kyiv — before it was hit, according to the military.

"Thanks to effective reconnaissance and the coordinated efforts of the Armed Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine, the targets were successfully hit," the General Staff said.

The agency added that there were no civilian casualties, and assessments of Russian losses are ongoing.

The Iskander is a short-range ballistic missile system used by Russia for precision strikes against military and infrastructure targets.

With a range of up to 500 kilometers (some 311 miles) and the ability to carry conventional or nuclear warheads, the system remains a key component of Russia's tactical missile forces.

Bryansk Oblast lies just northeast of Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, making it one of the key Russian regions bordering northern Ukraine.

The strike came as part of Ukraine's broader effort to degrade Russia's offensive capabilities.

On the same night, Russia launched 103 drones — including Iranian-designed Shahed suicide drones — and one Iskander-M ballistic missile against Ukrainian territory.

Targeting missile assets there may disrupt Russia's ability to launch precision strikes, particularly in advance of an anticipated new summer offensive.

Putin rejects Zelensky’s call for peace talks, accuses Ukraine of deadly bridge attack in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 accused Ukraine of being governed by a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians and claimed it is continuing to lose the war. He rejected the possibility of holding talks.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Ukraine launched overnight drone strikes on Russian military infrastructure and Russian-occupied power facilities, including an airfield in Rostov Oblast and energy infrastructure in occupied parts of southern Ukraine, leading to damage and power outages.

Millerovo air base targeted in drone attack

In the early hours of 5 June, explosions were reported across Russia’s Rostov Oblast, adjacent to eastern Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. According to Russian news Telegram channel Astra, local residents claimed that a military airfield in Millerovo came under drone attack. Acting governor of Rostov Oblast Yuriy Slyusar later confirmed that drones were active in the Millerovo district, though he did not explicitly confirm an attack on the airfield.

He stated that debris from the downed drones allegedly caused damage in the village of Sulin, hit structures on two properties on Dachna Street. One house ostensibly had a partially destroyed roof, while another suffered broken windows and torn electric wiring. He added that “No civilians were injured according to emergency services on the ground. The military continues to repel the enemy’s attack. Information is being clarified.”

Occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts suffer blackouts

In a separate development, Russian-installed “Kherson Oblast governor” Vladimir Saldo claimed that more than 120,000 people in Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast were left without electricity and water after a strike on a main transformer substation.

The hit allegedly occurred at 23:10 and resulted in a total blackout for 192 settlements across seven “municipal districts” – a term not used in Ukraine’s territorial structure – including Henichesk, Novotroitske, and Velyka Lepetykha.

Occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast reportedly also experienced blackouts. Head of the Russian occupation administration in the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, blamed Ukrainian forces for shelling the area, stating that “no fewer than five explosions were recorded over Melitopol,” along with an attempted strike on a power substation. Power outages were reported in parts of Melitopol, Prymorsk, Enerhodar, and Akimivka.

Russia has lost around 992,750 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 5.

The number includes 930 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,887 tanks, 22,680 armored fighting vehicles, 50,812 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,750 artillery systems, 1,406 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,177 air defense systems, 413 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 39,019 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Putin’s ‘disregard’ for troops highlighted as Russian losses approach 1 million, CSIS report shows

The total number of military casualties on both sides is nearing 1.4 million, including approximately 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed or injured.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy