President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 20 that Ukraine is rapidly developing interceptor drones to defend against increasingly frequent Russian drone attacks.

In his nightly address, Zelensky said the new drones would help strengthen Ukraine's defenses against Iranian-designed Shahed drones, which Russia has been deploying in growing numbers in recent weeks.

"We are... making separate efforts on interceptor drones, which must strengthen our defense against Shahed attacks," he said, adding that Ukraine's domestic drone production is "already delivering results."

Zelensky also noted that "production volumes of interceptors are already increasing."

Russian drone strikes across Ukraine have been breaking records in recent weeks, with nearly 500 drones and missiles launched overnight on June 9 – highlighting the urgent need for effective countermeasures.

To support Kyiv's defense industry, Zelensky said that Ukraine is working with international partners to secure additional funding and is preparing new agreements ahead of next week’s NATO summit.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has focused heavily on developing and deploying advanced unmanned systems. As of April 2025, more than 95% of drones used by Ukrainian forces on the front line are domestically produced.

Both Ukraine and Russia have increasingly relied on drone warfare, employing aerial, naval, and ground-based drones for reconnaissance and combat operations – making technological innovation a critical component of the war.

‘Massive’ Russian drone attacks on residential buildings in Odesa kill 1, injure 14

Russian forces struck residential buildings in Odesa overnight on June 20, killing a civilian and injuring at least 14 others, including three emergency workers, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to attend a NATO summit in The Hague next week, the European Council confirmed on June 20.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are set to meet Zelensky on June 24.

Zelensky was reportedly reconsidering attending the NATO summit, as questions remain over U.S. President Donald Trump's participation, the Guardian reported on June 17, citing unnamed Ukrainian officials.

A schedule released by the European Council on June 20 confirms Zelensky's planned participation at the event.

A Ukrainian official told the Guardian that Kyiv is in a "permanent hazard" of becoming a victim of "Trump's short attention span," adding that Russia has exploited this uncertainty with fresh aerial attacks.

There were "all sorts of promises for this summit," including U.S. arms, the source said.

Zelensky was scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, held June 15-17.

Trump left the multilateral event early due to the renewed conflict between Israel and Iran.

Zelensky met with various leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Zelensky left the summit early, citing Russia's mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv.

On June 17, a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv killed 30 people and injured another 172. The nearly nine-hour-long strike saw Moscow's forces launch large numbers of drones and missiles at Ukraine's capital.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack, describing it as a "massive and brutal strike" timed deliberately to coincide with the G7 summit.

Russia pulls its scientists out of Iranian nuclear plant, as Israeli strikes threaten decades of collaboration

Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have alarmed none more than Russia, the country that first brought nuclear power to Iran in defiance of Western objections. We’re “millimeters from catastrophe,” said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on June 18 in response to a bombing campaign that Israel launched against

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russia's memorandum on a peace proposal is the "best offer Ukraine can get today," Russia's envoy to the United Nations (UN), Vasily Nebenzya, said at a UN Security Council meeting on June 20.

"During the direct Russian-Ukrainian talks that were held, we presented our memorandum on a peaceful settlement. It consists of two parts: conditions for a comprehensive long-term peace and conditions for a ceasefire," Nebenzya said.

"This is the best offer Ukraine can get today. We advise accepting it as things will only get worse for Kyiv, from here on out," he said.

At Istanbul peace talks on June 2, Russian negotiators told the Ukrainian delegation that their so-called "peace memorandum" is an ultimatum Kyiv cannot accept, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview published on June 10.

"They even told our delegation: we know that our memorandum is an ultimatum, and you will not accept it," Zelensky said. "Thus, the question is not the quality of the Istanbul format, but what to do about the Russians' lies."

"In Istanbul, we also agreed on a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war," Nebenzya said at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Aside from agreeing on large-scale prisoner exchanges, peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have been largely inconclusive as Moscow continues to issue maximalist demands toward Kyiv.

Nebenzya noted that Ukraine and Russia should resume direct peace talks in Turkey after June 22, despite Russia's intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

On June 17, a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv killed 30 people and injured another 172. The nearly nine-hour-long strike saw Moscow's forces launch large numbers of drones and missiles at Ukraine's capital.

Russia's statements diverged from those of other speakers at the UN Security Council meeting on June 20.

"We call on Russia to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Russia initiated this war; we call on Russia to end it," Barbara Woodward, the U.K.'s Permanent Representative to the UN, said.

Russia has illegally laid claim to five Ukrainian regions despite not controlling all of the territory. The regions include Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Not content with waging war inside Ukraine, Russia has now taken it into the virtual world

The new game is the first to focus on Russia’s war in Ukraine, featuring real battles and characters.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 condemned Russia's attempts to advance in Sumy Oblast, as Moscow intensifies its rhetoric of maximalist demands toward Ukraine.

"The Russians had various plans and intentions there — absolutely insane, as usual. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy Oblast," Zelensky said in his evening address.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, earlier on June 20, claimed that "all of Ukraine" belonged to Russia, citing the Kremlin's propaganda talking points. Moscow regularly claims that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people."

Putin singled out Sumy, saying that "the city of Sumy is next, the regional center. We don't have a task to take Sumy, but I don't rule it out."

Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast borders Russia and regularly faces Russian shelling as well as drone and missile attacks.

"There was a meeting of the Staff — a very detailed report on the frontline. Particular attention was paid to the Sumy Oblast, to operations in the border areas. I am grateful to our units for their resilience," Zelensky said.

Ukraine continues efforts to work with its allies to increase investment in defense production, he said.

"The volume of support this year is the largest since the start of the full-scale war," Zelensky noted.

Ukraine and Russia held direct peace talks in Turkey on May 16 and June 2. The efforts were largely inconclusive, with Moscow reiterating maximalist demands towards Ukraine.

The two sides were able to agree on large-scale prisoner exchanges. Despite the efforts, Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

On June 17, a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv killed 30 people and injured another 172. The nearly nine-hour-long strike saw Moscow's forces launch large numbers of drones and missiles at Ukraine's capital.

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv calls on West to isolate Moscow after Putin claims ‘all of Ukraine’ belongs to Russia

Key developments on June 20: * “All of Ukraine is ours” — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine * Ukraine, Russia carry out 2nd prisoner swap this week under Istanbul deal * “Massive” Russian drone attacks on residential buildings in Odesa kill 1, injure 14 * Ukraine imposes new sanctions on Russian, Chinese, Belarusian

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) announced on June 20 the establishment of a new command group that will unite the branch with other top drone units in the country's military.

Drones have become one of the defining tools of the full-scale war, used extensively by both Ukraine and Russia for surveillance, long-range strikes, and tactical battlefield firepower.

The new formation will unite all military units of the USF with the Drone Line, a project launched by President Volodymyr Zelensky in February this year to coordinate and expand five of the country's strongest drone units.

The new command umbrella was created to "improve the efficiency of management, transform the Forces, and adapt to the requirements of modern warfare," according to the statement.

The units will operate within a single chain of command, with a defined structure and a common vision of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tactics in order to harmonize approaches, establish joint work, and use unmanned systems more effectively in combat, the USF said.

The Unmanned Systems Forces were created as a separate branch of Ukraine's military in June 2024.

At that time, Ukraine's strongest existing drone units served in other branches of the defense forces, including the Ground Forces, National Guard, and the Security Service of Ukraine.

The newly-created group will be led by Major Robert Brovdi, better known by his callsign Magyar, whom Zelensky appointed as the commander of the USF in early June.

Brovdi had previously served as commander of the eponymous Magyar's Birds Unmanned Systems Brigade, a founding member of the Drone Line initiative and one of the most consistently high-performing drone units in the Ukrainian military.

A world-first phenomenon, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces works to improve the country's drone operations, creating drone-specific units, ramping up training, increasing drone production, and advancing innovation.

The USF has also carried out hundreds of operations deep within Russian territory.

Following in Ukraine's footsteps, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the creation of his country's own individual drone branch on June 12.

Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, previously deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, was named the first commander of the USF on June 10, 2024.

Brovdi replaced Sukharevskyi, who was dismissed on June 3.

According to military personnel who spoke anonymously to Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne, Sukharevskyi's relationship with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi was tense from the beginning of the USF's formation.

Sukharevskyi's appointment was a decision by president Zelensky, not Syrskyi, sources said.

People close to both Syrskyi and Sukharevskyi also claimed the two men avoided face-to-face interactions.

Not content with waging war inside Ukraine, Russia has now taken it into the virtual world

The new game is the first to focus on Russia’s war in Ukraine, featuring real battles and characters.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Editor's Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said "all of Ukraine" belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow's final territorial ambitions in Ukraine.

Putin's claim was based on the false narrative often pushed both by himself as leader and by Russian propaganda that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people."

The narrative has long figured prominently in Putin's rhetoric, often brought up as justification for its aggression in Ukraine.

In July 2021, just half a year before the full-scale invasion, the Russian leader stoked fears of a larger attack when he wrote and published an essay on the "historical unity of Russians and Ukrainians."

In response to the speech in St Petersburg, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Putin’s comments as "cynical," saying it showed “complete disregard for U.S. peace efforts."

"While the United States and the rest of the world have called for an immediate end to the killing, Russia's top war criminal discusses plans to seize more Ukrainian territory and kill more Ukrainians," he wrote in a post on X.

Putin made several other statements at the forum, some contradictory, about Moscow's aims in the war going forward.

"Wherever the foot of a Russian soldier steps is Russian land," Putin said, directly implying Russia's intention to continue occupying more than just the five Ukrainian regions that Moscow has illegally laid claim to: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Sybiha said that "Russian soldier's foot" brings only "death, destruction, and devastation." He accused Putin of indifference toward his own troops, calling him “a mass murderer of his own people.”

"He already disposed one million Russian soldiers in a senseless bloodbath in Ukraine without achieving a single strategic goal. One million soldiers. Two million feet," the minister said.

"And, while Putin is busy sending Russian feet to invade other countries, he is bringing Russians inside the country to their knees economically."

Russia just accidentally admitted to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine

A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow’s forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow’s maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

As per the "peace memorandum" presented by the Russian delegation at the last round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, Moscow demands Kyiv recognize the oblasts as Russian and hand over all territory not yet controlled by Russian forces into occupation, including the regional capitals of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Asked whether Russia aimed to seize the regional center of Sumy in Ukraine's northeast, Putin said that while such a mission has not been assigned, he wouldn't rule it out.

Russian ground attacks into Sumy Oblast have intensified along the northeastern border in the past weeks, having first crossed the border after Ukraine's withdrawal from most of its positions in Kursk Oblast in March.

Russian troops have moved 10-12 kilometers (6-8 miles) deep into the region, according to Putin.

"The city of Sumy is next, the regional center. We don't have a task to take Sumy, but I don't rule it out," Putin said.

Sybiha urged the West to ramp up military aid to Ukraine, tighten sanctions against Russia, designate Moscow a terrorist state, and "isolate it fully."

"His cynical statements serve only one purpose: to divert public attention away from the complete failure of his quarter-century rule," the minister added.

Since March, Russia has reportedly taken control of about 200 square kilometers (80 square miles) in northern Sumy Oblast, including roughly a dozen small villages, according to open-source conflict mapping projects.

As of May 31, mandatory evacuations had been ordered for 213 settlements.

In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to create a so-called "security buffer zone" along the border with Ukraine, while Zelensky said on May 28 that Moscow had massed 50,000 troops near Sumy.

In a separate interview with Bild on June 12, Zelensky dismissed Moscow's claims of significant territorial gains as "a Russian narrative" aimed at shaping global perceptions. He stressed that Ukrainian forces have managed to hold off a renewed offensive for nearly three weeks.

When asked if Moscow requires the complete capitulation of Kyiv and the Ukrainian leadership, Putin denied this, saying that Russia instead demands the "recognition of the realities on the ground."

The statement follows a consistent line from Russian officials since the return of U.S. President Donald Trump brought new momentum to the idea of a quick negotiated peace in Ukraine.

Projecting a winning position on the battlefield and gaining confidence from Trump's frequent anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and refusal to approve further military aid to Kyiv, Moscow has stuck to maximalist demands, refusing the joint U.S.-Ukraine proposal of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire along the front line.

On June 18, in an interview to CNN, Russian ambassador to the U.K. Andrei Kelin said that while Russian forces were advancing on the battlefield and taking more Ukrainian, there was no incentive to stop, and that Kyiv must either accept Moscow's peace terms now or "surrender" after losing much more.

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

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on June 20, imposing sanctions on 56 individuals and 55 Russian, Chinese, and Belarusian companies involved in the production of Russian drones and sanctions circumvention.

Ukraine introduced new restrictions as Russia has escalated drone attacks against Ukrainian cities over the past weeks, launching record 400-500 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) per night.

Individuals and legal entities subject to Ukrainian sanctions cannot do business and trade in Ukraine, cannot withdraw their capital from the country. In the meantime, their assets are blocked, as well as their access to public and defense procurement, and entry into the territory of Ukraine, among other restrictions.

The new package of sanctions targets individuals and entities involved in the development and production of Russian drones such as Geran, Orlan-10, SuperCam, and first-person-view (FPV) drones, according to a decree published on the Presidential Office's website.

The Belarusian Precision Electromechanics Plant and six Chinese enterprises located in Hong Kong and in the provinces of Shandong and Shenzhen are among the sanctioned entities.

The sanctions list includes equipment suppliers to Alabuga Machinery, a Russian manufacturer of machine tools and gears, and individuals who import components for the sanctioned Kronshtadt JSC, a drone producer that developed Banderol UAVs with jet engines.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian cities with waves of attack drones, often striking energy infrastructure and residential buildings overnight. Ukraine's defense forces use a mix of electronic warfare, air defense systems, and drone-on-drone interception to repel the assaults.

Drones have become one of the defining tools of the full-scale war, used extensively by both Ukraine and Russia for surveillance, long-range strikes, and tactical battlefield advantage.

A Russian soldier deployed in Ukraine may have been involved in an act of cannibalism, audio intercepted by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) and released on June 20 suggests.

In the recording posted by HUR on Telegram, a Russian commander is heard telling a subordinate that one soldier, referred to by the call sign "Brelok," killed and consumed his fellow service member "Foma" over a two-week period.

Ukraine's military intelligence described the alleged incident as further evidence of what it called the "moral and psychological collapse" of Russian forces.

"Nobody ran away. 'Brelok' took him out and then ate him for two f*cking weeks," a speaker identified by HUR as a commander of a reconnaissance unit from Russia's 68th Motorized Rifle Division can be heard saying in the intercept.

According to HUR, both soldiers served in the 52nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion, which is reportedly operating near the villages of Zapadne and Lyman Pershyi in the Kupiansk direction of Kharkiv Oblast.

The intercepted speaker adds that "Brelok" was later found dead himself.

"They say he was a 200 (military slang for a killed soldier), f*ck. Well, he ate his comrade, so that's something to think about," the voice says.

The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the authenticity of the leaked recording or confirm the events described in it. No visual or documentary evidence has been presented to support the claims, which are based solely on the intercepted audio provided by HUR.

But Russia's recruitment system for the war in Ukraine has heavily relied on the country's prisons as a source of manpower, leading to its ranks being filled by all manner of criminals, even cannibals.

Moscow has been recruiting convicts for its war since the summer of 2022, first under the auspices of the Wagner Group and later under the Russian Defense Ministry.

Initially, prisoners, even those convicted of violent crimes, were promised a pardon after completing a six-month military contract. Since January 2024, Russian army recruits drawn from prisons no longer receive pardons but are released on parole, and are expected to fight until the war is over.

In May 2024, the Moscow Times reported that Russian cannibal Dmitry Malyshev, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder and several other serious crimes, joined one of Russia’s Storm V penal military units.

Malyshev was reportedly recruited to the army together with serial killer Aleksandr Maslennikov, sentenced to 23 years in prison for the "double murder and dismemberment of women."

Previously, Ukraine said there were cases of mistreatment and breakdown of discipline within Russia's own ranks. A group of Russian soldiers fighting near Kursk Oblast surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers in May, saying abuse within their own units was "worse than captivity," according to a video posted by Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces.

The soldiers said they had been subjected to inhumane treatment, psychological pressure, and threats while still inside Russian territory.

Reporting by investigative outlets, the Insider and Foreign Policy, has documented systemic abuse of Russian troops throughout the full-scale invasion.

These include so-called "punishment squads," beatings, confinement pits, and hazing that borrows heavily from Soviet-era gulag practices.

‘Unwanted by their homeland’ — Ukraine confirms Russia returned bodies of its soldiers disguised as Ukrainian

“This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its people with contempt,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian drone attacks against Ukraine might decrease due to Iranian Shahed production capabilities being targeted in Israeli strikes, Estonian military intelligence commander Ants Kiviselg said on June 20, according to the ERR broadcaster.

The comments come as Russian drone strikes across Ukraine have been breaking records in recent weeks, with nearly 500 drones and missiles launched overnight on June 9.

"While it can be assessed that Russia has been able to largely localize and transfer the production of Shahed and Geran-type drones to Russia, it can be assumed that some critical nodes for drone production continue to come from Iran," Kiviselg said.

Israel initiated a series of air strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities on June 13, with Tehran responding with waves of drone and missile attacks, further escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Iran has been a key ally to Moscow and provided the country with ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed "kamikaze" drones for its war against Ukraine. Russia has also launched production of its own Shahed equivalents called Geran.

While Israeli strikes targeted and destroyed a Geran-type drone factory in Isfahan, Ukrainian forces have been attacking the Russian plant in Alabuga in Tatarstan, the Estonian intelligence chief noted.

"So there is a possibility that in the near future we may see a certain decline in the use of drones," Kiviselg said. Estonian intelligence is nevertheless convinced that Moscow is planning steps to not only maintain, but also "increase" its drone production.

Russia has been regularly deploying Shahed-type drones for nighttime attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses with massive swarms.

Ukraine's intelligence has warned that the Russian defense industry seeks to ramp up the production of the strike drones, aiming to deliver 500 unmanned aircraft per month for Russia's war effort.

In turn, the Ukrainian side has also increasingly invested in its drone capabilities, and more than doubled its production of long-range drones in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Russia just accidentally admitted to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine

A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow’s forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow’s maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor's note: The story is being updated.

Ukraine has brought home another group of prisoners of war released from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 20, following another prisoner exchange a day earlier.

"Most of the warriors returning today from Russian captivity had been held for over two years. And now, at last, they are home," Zelensky said on X, without revealing how many captives were exchanged.

Russia's Defense Ministry also said that a group of Russian soldiers had been released by the Ukrainian side, without specifying the number of personnel involved.

This week's exchanges follow four similar swaps carried out last week in accordance with Ukraine-Russia agreements reached at peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.

The latest swap was another in a series focusing on seriously ill and wounded prisoners, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POW) said.

"These are defenders of Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. Warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard Service," Zelensky said.

The released POWs included privates and non-commissioned officers, some of whom were captured after the siege of Mariupol in 2022, according to the Coordination Headquarters. The oldest one is 60 years old, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

While no political breakthrough was achieved at the Istanbul negotiations, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and citizens.

Moscow has handed over 6,057 bodies to Ukraine in several stages over the past few days, though Kyiv later said that these remains also included fallen Russian soldiers.

The June 2 agreements came after the largest known POW swap in late May, when 1,000 prisoners were exchanged on each side.

Ukraine repeatedly called for a prisoner exchange in an all-for-all format, but Russia continues to reject the offer.

‘Unwanted by their homeland’ — Ukraine confirms Russia returned bodies of its soldiers disguised as Ukrainian

“This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its people with contempt,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov's official trip abroad has been approved until the end of the week, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on June 20 amid media speculations connecting Chernyshov's absence to an ongoing corruption investigation.

Shmyhal made the comment in response to opposition lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko in parliament.

Suspicions about Chernyshov, who heads the new National Unity Ministry focused on relations with refugees and the Ukrainian diaspora, arose earlier this week when the deputy prime minister did not attend a Kyiv forum he himself organized in person but joined online from abroad.

The deputy prime minister's unexpected work trip to Vienna, announced on June 16, came three days after law enforcement agencies unveiled a corruption scheme involving two officials from the now-dissolved Communities and Territories Development Ministry, which was headed by Chernyshov.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Chernyshov and two of his associates came under investigation last year over suspicions that they received kickbacks from Serhii Kopystira, the head of the KSM Group, for illicitly transferring a plot of land for real estate development between 2021 and 2022.

Four sources in anti-corruption agencies told Ukrainska Pravda that despite the investigation, no police searches were conducted at the time, as they were blocked by the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Semen Kryvonos, who has a long-standing relationship with Chernyshov.

After the dissolution of the Communities and Territories Development Ministry at the end of 2022, Chernyshov was appointed the head of the state-owned energy company Naftogaz. In 2024, the official was tasked with leading the new National Unity Ministry — a position that often involved travel abroad — while also being named deputy prime minister.

The other two people connected to the case — Maksym Horbatiuk and Vasyl Volodin — were reportedly detained last week as the investigation began moving forward.

Chernyshov traveled to Prague on June 10 and 11 for a business trip, and then to Vienna a week later. The subsequent court hearings with the two detainees detailed Chernyshov's role in the corruption scheme, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

The news outlet stressed that there is currently no evidence that Chernyshov's current stay abroad is connected to the investigation. The National Unity Ministry said that foreign trips are a regular part of Chernyshov's work.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims and has reached out to Chernyshov's team for comment.

Trump’s peace push falters in both Ukraine and the Middle East — for similar reasons

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of subjects during his inauguration speech. When speaking about international relations, he was adamant — “Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity,” he said, talking about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the fighting in the Middle

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the joint statement issued by the ministers of the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and Poland.

A coalition of European Union countries is pushing to bar Russian citizens who participated in the war against Ukraine from entering the Schengen Area, citing serious security concerns,  Estonian broadcaster ERR reported on June 19.

The call comes as Russia increased its hybrid operations targeting the European Union. EU security agencies have repeatedly warned of Russian-linked sabotage operations, including arson attacks, orchestrated by Moscow as part of hybrid warfare strategies.

Interior ministers from the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and Poland met in Tallinn on June 19, where they issued a joint statement confirming their intent to prevent entry into the visa-free Schengen zone for Russians who took part in the war against Ukraine, ERR reported.

"There are hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens who have fought against Ukraine," Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro said following the meeting. "We must take a clear stance; these individuals cannot freely travel across Schengen."

"We will not issue them residence permits or visas," he added. "This group, which has been killing and destroying, poses a very significant security threat to all of us."

The ministers emphasized that this restriction should remain in place even after active hostilities cease in Ukraine.

"Member States should take all necessary measures to ensure that individuals who are or have been contracted by the Russian armed forces or other armed groups acting on behalf of the regime are not allowed to undermine our security or move freely within the Schengen Area," the joint statement read.

The high-level meeting also included European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, as well as representatives from the EU border agency Frontex.

The Schengen Area allows for visa-free travel across 29 European countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. While several EU member states have imposed national restrictions on Russian travelers, others continue processing applications, keeping access routes open.

Latvia has been among the most vocal proponents of stricter visa policies for Russian nationals. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze urged on May 25 all EU countries to suspend visa issuance to Russians, citing escalating security threats from Moscow.

"Latvia calls on the EU countries to halt visa issuance for Russian citizens, citing security concerns," Braze wrote on X. She noted that Schengen visa approvals for Russian nationals had surged by 25% in 2024 compared to 2023.

Latvia imposed entry restrictions in September 2022 as part of a coordinated effort with Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland. Czechia followed suit in October 2022.

Concerns over the abuse of Schengen visas and diplomatic privileges have intensified amid a wave of suspected Russian sabotage and espionage on EU soil. Polish and Czech authorities have recently led an effort to limit the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc, targeting individuals allegedly working under diplomatic cover for Russian intelligence services.

Latvia prohibits Russian, Belarusian citizens from purchasing real estate

The bill — which carves out exceptions for EU and Latvian permanent residence holders, Belarusian refugees, and repatriates — establishes the new restrictions under the pretenses of protecting the country’s national security.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions killed two civilians and injured at least 39, including minors, over the past day, regional authorities reported on June 20.

Russian forces launched 86 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly shot down 34 drones, while 36 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.

Russia launched "massive" drone attacks against Odesa overnight, authorities reported, resulting in one civilian killed and at least 14 injured, including three emergency workers.

The attack drones struck over 10 targets, including seven residential buildings, and led to multiple large-scale fires. At the site of one of the attacks, a 23-story residential building caught fire between the 18th and 20th floors, and led to the evacuation of over 600 people.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, two men aged 39 and 64 were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Serhii Lysak said. Two industrial facilities, two schools, and four houses were damaged during strikes against the Nikopol district overnight.

In Donetsk Oblast, one person was killed and another injured in Kostiantynivka, while five others were injured elsewhere in the region, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

Russian attacks against Kharkiv and eight other settlements in Kharkiv Oblast injured six people, two of them minors, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Multiple residential buildings, houses, a school, warehouses, and other property were damaged.

In Kherson Oblast, 11 people were wounded in Russian strikes, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Seventeen houses were damaged.

There’s loads of video of Israeli air defenses, and none of Ukraine’s — this is why

As Israel and Iran continue to trade salvos, dramatic footage of air defenses battling ballistic missiles have flooded the internet. Several prominent online commentators have compared the videos coming out of Israel with those from Ukraine, questioning why Russian attacks like those on Kyiv are portrayed in relatively sparse detail,

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

The lower house of the Dutch parliament on June 19 officially recognized the 1944 mass deportation of Crimean Tatars by the Soviet Union as genocide, according to a statement from the parliamentary press service.

The motion cited precedent from other countries that have recognized the forced deportations as genocide, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine.

In the adopted text, Dutch lawmakers declared that the Soviet-led deportation of Crimean Tatars, which took place between May 18 and 21, 1944, constitutes genocide by contemporary legal and historical definitions.

The 1944 deportation was carried out under direct orders from Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who labeled the entire Crimean Tatar population as traitors following the peninsula's liberation from Nazi occupation.

Over 190,000 Tatars were forcibly removed from Crimea in a matter of days, though some estimates place the number closer to 430,000, and sent to remote areas in Central Asia, mainly Uzbekistan, in brutal conditions that led to mass deaths.

The document pointed to the ongoing repression of Crimean Tatars under Russian occupation since 2014. It said that "many Crimean Tatars have been unjustly imprisoned, subjected to torture by the Russian Federation, or forcibly disappeared," and added that "Russia has likely continued a policy of genocide against Crimean Tatars."

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the decision, calling it "a powerful gesture of solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people, who are still facing persecution under Russia’s temporary occupation of the Ukrainian Crimea peninsula."

Sybiha noted that the Netherlands is now the seventh country to formally recognize the deportation as genocide and urged other nations to follow suit.

"Recognizing this historical injustice is critical not only for establishing truth and justice, but also for preventing future atrocities," the minister wrote.

Ukraine's parliament recognized the deportation as genocide in 2015 and established May 18 as the official Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People.

Who are the Crimean Tatars?

Crimean Tatars are one of Ukraine’s indigenous peoples who have been central to Crimea’s history for many centuries.

The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiia Lapatina

Russia has lost 1,009,330 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 20.

The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,954 tanks, 22,860 armored fighting vehicles, 52,501 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,374 artillery systems, 1,421 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,188 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 41,299 drones, 3,369 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Russian losses ‘entirely justified,’ Zelensky says

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 19 that he held talks with the SBU about deep strikes in Russia. “Russia must continue to suffer entirely justified losses due to its aggression.”

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russian forces struck residential buildings in Odesa overnight on June 20, killing a civilian and injuring at least 14 others, including three emergency workers, the Prosecutor General's Office reported.

The attack, which the service described as "massive," rang out around 1 a.m. local time. The attack drones struck over 10 targets, including seven residential buildings, and led to multiple large-scale fires.

At the site of one of the attacks, a 23-story residential building caught fire between the 18th and 20th floors, and led to the evacuation of over 600 people.

In a separate attack on a four-story building within the city, three firefighters were injured when structural elements collapsed on the responders. The building is described as being "completely engulfed in flames," according to the State Emergency Service.

The three injured firefighters are currently hospitalized in stable condition. Additional information on the attacks, as well as casualties, is being clarified as search efforts under rubble and debris continue.

In addition to the buildings, Odesa's main train station also had infrastructure damaged as a result of the drone attack, Ukraine's railway agency Ukrzaliznytsia reported.

Odesa, a port city on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war.

"The overhead contact line and the rail and sleeper grid were affected," the agency wrote in a statement, adding that no injuries had been reported.

On June 10, a missile and drone attack on Odesa killed two people and injured eight.

Russia has continued to increase the frequency and severity of its attacks on Ukrainian cities, while rejecting a ceasefire in Ukraine. Overnight on June 17, Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv since the start of full-scale war in February 2022, killing 30 people and injuring 172 others.

‘A brutal strike’ — Massive Russian missile and drone attack hits Kyiv, killing 30, injuring 172

At least 28 people have been killed and 134 others injured after a mass Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on June 17.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

The European Commission has proposed that Ukraine join the European Union's mobile roaming area starting January 1, 2026, providing Ukrainian users the ability to make phone calls, texts, and use mobile data in the bloc's 27 countries at no extra charge.

"We want Ukrainian citizens to stay connected to their loved ones across the EU, as well as in their home country. That's why we propose that Ukraine join our roaming family," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

The proposal, first announced on June 16, will serve as a means of integration into the European Union's "Roam like at Home" provision in affect between all EU nations. The proposed change will impact the over four million Ukrainian refugees living in the EU.

Ukraine's full integration in the roaming provisions will replace voluntary measures that "allowed for roaming without surcharges and affordable international calls for EU and Ukrainian citizens abroad," according to the European Commission. The current measure will extend to December 31, 2025, ahead of the planned integration.

If approved, Ukraine will become the only country outside of the EU to join the bloc's "Roam like at Home" policy.

The move, which awaits European Council approval, comes as Ukraine continues to implement reforms in pursuing membership in the European Union.

Ukraine applied for EU membership at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The country has made quick progress, achieving candidate status within months, with the initial negotiations formally launching in June 2024.

Since the start of 2025, Ukraine has opened three negotiation clusters under Poland's rotating presidency.

Poland lead the EU Council's presidency until June, and Denmark will take over the role in July. Ukraine aims to open the remaining three negotiation clusters in the second half of 2025 under the Danish chairmanship, the President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

There are six accession negotiation clusters, consisting of several individual chapters. Negotiations prepare a candidate country to become an EU member.

The EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said that Ukraine could potentially join the bloc by 2029 if it successfully implements necessary reforms.

‘I am against Ukraine’s entry into the European Union,’ Polish president-elect Nawrocki says

“Ukraine must understand that other countries, including Poland, Hungary, and other European countries, also have their own interests,” Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Ukraine should continue to inflict "entirely justified" losses on Russia in the face of escalating aggression, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on June 19.

His remarks come two days after Russia launched one of its deadliest assaults on Kyiv, attacking the capital with ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones on June 17 in a nine-hour attack that killed 30 people and injured 172 others.

"There was no military sense in this strike; it added absolutely nothing to Russia in military terms," Zelensky said, refuting Moscow's claims that the attack targeted Ukraine's "military-industrial complex."

The president described Russia's attack — which struck residential buildings, student dorms, and a kindergarten — as "deliberate terror."

Zelensky urged Western partners to mount economic pressure on Russia and said he was working on new proposals for coordinated sanctions. He also said he held meetings with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to discuss deep strikes in Russia.

"Russia must continue to suffer entirely justified losses due to its aggression," he said.

While Russia has intensified its campaign of aerial terror against Ukrainian cities, Kyiv has stepped up its efforts to reduce Russia's military capabilities, launching successful strikes on airfields, weapons factories, and oil refineries.

The most audacious of these attacks was the large-scale Operation Spiderweb, a coordinated drone strike on four key Russian military airfields on June 1. According to the SBU, the operation damaged 41 Russian warplanes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes.

Since March, Ukraine has repeatedly offered to declare an unconditional ceasefire if Russia agrees to the same terms. The Kremlin has resisted at every turn. U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to broker a peace deal have led to continued escalation and more civilian deaths.

With Western support eroding and no ceasefire in sight, Ukraine continues grasping for leverage against Moscow — including by developing its own long-range weapons. Kyiv has developed several weapons capable of deep strikes in Russian territory, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo (Hell) missile-drone hybrids.

Ukraine has proven its ability to strike targets far from the border. A June 15 attack reportedly hit a drone factory in Russia's Tatarstan, around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine.

Russia also continues to suffer staggering troop losses on the front lines. Earlier on June 19, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin accidentally admitted that Moscow is rapidly losing personnel in Ukraine during an interview with CNN.

According to figures from Kyiv, Russia has suffered more than 1 million dead, wounded, and missing soldiers since the start of its full-scale invasion.

Ukraine war latest: Russia accidentally admits to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine

Key developments on June 19: * Russia accidentally admits to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine * Ukraine, Russia carry out another POW exchange under Istanbul deal * North Korea considers sending 25,000 workers to Russia to help produce Shahed drones, media reports * Zelensky appoints Brigadier General Shapovalov as new Ground Forces

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Officials in Washington are frustrated with the diplomatic efforts of Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, and believe he may be undermining Ukraine's efforts to win favor with U.S. President Donald Trump, Politico reported on June 19.

Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky's close friend and chief adviser, has represented Ukraine's interests in Washington since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

According to 14 people who spoke to Politico, including U.S. and Ukrainian officials, many people in Washington find Yermak abrasive and uninformed, and fear that he is inaccurately conveying U.S. positions to Zelensky. While the Biden administration was willing to cooperate with Yermak, the Trump team is less accommodating — and more likely to rescind support for Ukraine.

"All the people (in the U.S.) who want to withdraw and abandon Ukraine are thrilled to have Yermak around," one person told Politico.

One person familiar with the situation described Yermak as a "bipartisan irritator" who also frustrated officials under U.S. President Joe Biden. The former administration, however, did not find Yermak's personality a valid reason to withdraw military and humanitarian aid from a key ally defending itself from an all-out war.

Trump's stance on Ukraine has been less supportive from the beginning. Since his inauguration in January, he has refused to approve new military aid packages for Kyiv or impose additional sanctions against Moscow. He has pursued warmer ties with Russia and criticized Zelensky more frequently and harshly than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Any hopes Ukraine has of winning over Trump may be jeopardized by the administrations tense relationship with Yermak, Politico's sources suggested.

During Yermak's most recent visit to Washington, a last-minute trip in early June, he reportedly struggled to land meetings with Trump officials. One person familiar with the visit described Yermak as an "existential liability for Ukraine."

Sources described Yermak as overly demanding and ignorant of U.S. politics and processes. One person accused Yermak of acting as if Ukraine was the "center of the world" and said his attitude "has already affected the relationship (with Trump)."

In a statement to Politico, Yermak said he was doing everything in his power to protect and support Ukraine.

"If that means being considered 'challenging' by others — so be it," he said.

"I will wait many more hours outside any door if that helps my country and my president's mission. I have no ambition to fully grasp how American politics works — I come to speak about the country I know best: Ukraine."

Once firm, support for Ukraine among its neighbors wavers amid a populist surge

Fourth year into Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the decisive support Kyiv found among its neighbors to the west is beginning to show cracks. Once resolute Poland is seeing rising skepticism toward Ukraine, underscored by President-elect Karol Nawrocki’s election victory. Slovakia’s pro-Ukrainian government was ousted by Russian-friendly populists in the

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Fred Grandy, a 62-year-old American artist and volunteer who was killed in Russia's mass missile attack against Kyiv on June 17, appears to be the first U.S. civilian killed by a Russian strike on Ukraine, the New York Times (NYT) reported on June 19.

Russia launched a massive assault on Kyiv overnight on June 17, pounding the capital with hundreds of kamikaze drones and multiple missiles in a nine-hour attack that left 30 dead and around 172 injured.

Among the vicitms was Grandy, a U.S. citizen who arrived in Kyiv in May to volunteer to clear away rubble after Russian attacks. He had hoped to volunteer in Ukraine for five or six months, his sister told the NYT.

"He was a person who wanted to make a difference so badly,"  Grandy's sister Siestka Reed said. "I talked to him about five days ago, and he told me that he felt he was right where he should be."

During the attack, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that a 62-year-old U.S. citizen had died near one of the attack sites, but the details of their death remained unclear. The U.S. State Department and Ukrainian authorities later confirmed that a U.S. citizien had been killed, the NYT reported.

According to Ukrainian authorities, Grandy died after sustaining shrapnel wounds.

Before arriving in Kyiv, Grandy had worked as a bartender, bouncer, and builder. He was also an artist, fashioning bird houses and planters out of reclaimed wood and flowers out metal. According to his family, his desire to volunteer in Ukraine stemmed from his dismay at U.S. Presidend Donald Trump's lack of support for Kyiv.

Grandy was upset by Trump's treatment of President Volodymyr Zelensky and withdrawal of military support, Reed told the NYT.  

"He thought, you just don't let a bully do that stuff, and you don't just abandon people," Reed said.

"Then he saw how hard they fought to save their country, or are fighting still. It was just hard to understand walking away, you know? And he just believed that people need a hand up."

Russian drone and missile attacks are not new, but in May and June, mass strikes on civilian targets surged. Russia has launched a number of record-breaking attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, resulting in hundreds of casualties.

Moscow's escalating aerial assaults have even directly harmed U.S. enterprises and individuals. An office used by the U.S. aerospace and defense giant Boeing was hit in a mass strike on Kyiv launched overnight June 9-10. The Financial Times (FT) reported that Russia deliberately targeted the site.

Grandy's death marks the first time a U.S. civilian has been killed in a Russian aerial attack against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump's interest in securing a ceasefire in Ukraine appears to have fizzled out. He left the G7 Leaders Summit in Canada early, jettisoning a much-anticipated meeting with Zelensky, and barely responded to the mass attack on Kyiv.

Trump refuses to sanction Russia and is reportedly obstructing congressional efforts to toughen sanctions on Russian oil profits.

Trump’s peace push falters in both Ukraine and the Middle East — for similar reasons

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of subjects during his inauguration speech. When speaking about international relations, he was adamant — “Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity,” he said, talking about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the fighting in the Middle

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

As of June 2025, Ukraine has documented 366 cases of sexual violence committed in connection with Russia's full-scale war, the Foreign Ministry reported on June 19, citing data from the Prosecutor General's Office.

The statement was published on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, marked every year on June 19.

The victims include 231 women, 134 men, and 19 children. The documented crimes span rape, sexual torture, forced nudity, and other violent acts, many of which occurred in occupied territories or during the early stages of Russia's invasion.

Sexual violence in conflict is prohibited under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, which mandate the protection of civilians, especially women and children. It is also recognized as a war crime under international law.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Russia is "grossly violating international humanitarian law" and the legal framework established by multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The ministry said that Moscow has employed sexual violence "as a weapon of war" to terrorize civilians, destroy communities, and weaken resistance.

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, raised the issue at the Security Council in April 2024, warning that such violence is being used against both civilians and prisoners of war.

In June 2024, the Kyiv Independent identified two Russian soldiers implicated in the rape of women during Russia's occupation of parts of Kyiv and Kherson oblasts in March 2022.

One of them, Mykola Senenko, was formally charged by Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office for a rape committed in Kherson Oblast.

Trump’s peace push falters in both Ukraine and the Middle East — for similar reasons

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of subjects during his inauguration speech. When speaking about international relations, he was adamant — “Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity,” he said, talking about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the fighting in the Middle

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 19 appointed Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov as the new commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces, following the resignation of Mykhailo Drapatyi earlier this month.

Drapatyi stepped down on June 1 after a Russian missile strike killed at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers at a training ground in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He described the casualties as young recruits who "should have learned, lived, and fought — not died."

Zelensky accepted Drapatyi's resignation and appointed him Commander of the Joint Forces on June 3. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the Ground Forces promising accountability if misconduct or negligence is confirmed.

Shapovalov, born in 1978 in Kirovohrad Oblast, is a career officer who graduated from the Military Institute of Tank Troops in Kharkiv and later studied at the National Defense University of Ukraine. He also received training at the U.S. Army War College.

Shapovalov previously led Ukraine's South Operational Command in 2024 and was appointed in February 2025 as Ukraine's representative to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission in Germany.

Drapatyi, in his final remarks as Ground Forces chief on June 11, said he had overhauled more than half of the command's senior leadership, launched a revamp of recruitment centers, and pushed through reforms focused on decentralization, accountability, and modernization.

Zelensky said Drapatyi's new role would allow him to focus "exclusively on combat issues" as Ukraine faces intensifying Russian attacks across several fronts.

Trump’s peace push falters in both Ukraine and the Middle East — for similar reasons

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of subjects during his inauguration speech. When speaking about international relations, he was adamant — “Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity,” he said, talking about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the fighting in the Middle

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Russia handed over some bodies of its own soldiers to Ukraine under the guise of Ukrainian casualties during a recent exchange of the deceased, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced on June 19.

"Yes, we have facts. We have established the names of these soldiers and officers who are unwanted by their homeland," Klymenko wrote on Telegram.

The discovery was made after the handover of remains under an agreement reached during the June 2 talks in Istanbul. In total, Ukraine received 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers as part of the phased exchange. Russia, according to Kremlin aide and negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, took back 78.

One of the bodies returned to Ukraine, labeled No. 192/25, was dressed in a Russian military uniform and carried a Russian passport issued to Alexander Viktorovich Bugaev, born in 1974.

Alongside the passport, officials found a military ID indicating Bugaev had served in the 1st Battalion of the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.

According to Klymenko, Bugaev went missing during heavy fighting near Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast in March 2025. His family had been searching for him for months. Klymenko said Russia had located Bugaev's body but chose to "dump" it among the Ukrainian dead.

"This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its people with contempt, throwing their bodies onto the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers," Klymenko said.

"This shows how little human life means to Russia. Or maybe it's just a way to avoid paying compensation to the families. But they will have to pay anyway: we are returning these bodies."

The official has not mentioned the total number of Russian soldiers' bodies given to Ukraine.

The June 2 negotiations in Istanbul resulted in the most expansive prisoner and body exchange agreement of the full-scale war, although no ceasefire was reached.

Russia accused Kyiv on June 7 of rejecting a proposed body return, publishing footage allegedly showing Ukrainian corpses stored in refrigeration units. Ukraine dismissed the claims, saying the footage was filmed on Russian territory, not at a designated handover site.

Kyiv has consistently called for an "all-for-all" exchange of prisoners of war, but Moscow has so far refused to agree to a comprehensive swap.

There’s loads of video of Israeli air defenses, and none of Ukraine’s — this is why

As Israel and Iran continue to trade salvos, dramatic footage of air defenses battling ballistic missiles have flooded the internet. Several prominent online commentators have compared the videos coming out of Israel with those from Ukraine, questioning why Russian attacks like those on Kyiv are portrayed in relatively sparse detail,

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Arkady Gostev, head of Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service, was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison for creating a network of torture chambers in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced on June 19.

Gostev was found guilty of orchestrating the transformation of captured Ukrainian prisons into torture sites used to detain and brutalize members of the local resistance. The SBU said victims were subjected to "brutal torture" intended to break their will and force submission to the Kremlin rule.

According to investigators, Gostev personally oversaw the establishment of torture facilities and pushed for their inclusion in Russia's national prison registry through the Justice Ministry.

The court ruled he committed "actions aimed at violently changing or overthrowing the constitutional order or seizing state power."

"Comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice for crimes against our state," the SBU said, noting that Gostev remains in Russia.

Kherson Oblast, which stretches from the Dnipro River to the Black Sea, remains partially occupied, with the east-bank territories still under Russian control.

Gostev joins a growing list of senior Russian officials charged in absentia with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the administration of occupied territories.

Ukraine has also targeted collaborators working with the occupation authorities.

On June 18, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) confirmed the assassination of Mykhailo Hrytsai, a Russian-appointed deputy mayor in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, for his role in organizing repression and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

‘Beyond cynical’ – Russian doctor carved ‘Glory to Russia’ scar on POW during operation, Ukraine says

After more than three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, each new revelation of cruel treatment of Ukrainians in Russian captivity hardly surprises anyone. But when a photo recently emerged online, showing a “Glory to Russia” scar on the body of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW), it sent shockwaves

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump is not currently on the table due to unresolved tensions in bilateral relations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state-controlled newspaper Izvestia on June 19.

The U.S. president has repeatedly floated the idea of meeting Putin, saying the Russia-Ukraine war cannot be resolved without them talking face-to-face. Nevertheless, the two have not met since Trump returned to the White House this January.

While Trump has adopted a more amicable policy toward Russia than his predecessor, U.S. ex-President Joe Biden, he has taken a more critical tone toward Moscow recently as Putin continues to reject a truce in Ukraine.

"Until the necessary 'homework' is done to remove the irritants in our relations with the United States, it makes no sense to organize a meeting," Peskov said. He added that while talks aimed at resolving these issues had begun, progress remained minimal and the key obstacles were still in place.

His remarks come just days after the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Washington had canceled the next round of talks to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The meetings, which were expected to take place in Moscow, were part of a broader dialogue to address ongoing disputes, including Russia's war against Ukraine, and improve the functioning of each side's diplomatic missions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the planned round was intended to "eliminate irritants," such as staffing restrictions and banking issues for embassies. She expressed hope that the U.S. pause in talks "will not become too long."

The last two rounds of discussions, in Riyadh in February and Istanbul in April, marked the first formal diplomatic contact between the U.S. and Russia since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both sides described the Istanbul round as "constructive," though it focused largely on technical matters.

The Trump administration has so far refrained from introducing new sanctions against Russia, despite pressure from Kyiv and growing alarm in Europe over Moscow's continued refusal to agree to a ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington to take a firmer stance, warning that "America's silence... only encourages Putin."

After a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv that killed 28 and injured over 130 people, Trump remained silent, with the U.S. Embassy only issuing a late statement denouncing the attack.

’100 days of Russian manipulations’ — Ukraine blasts Moscow over disregarding US ceasefire effort

A hundred days since the U.S. and Ukraine agreed on a ceasefire, “Russia continues to choose war,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 19, urging international pressure to push Moscow toward peace.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Editor's note: The story is being updated.

Ukraine has brought home a group of soldiers released from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 19, marking yet another in a recent series of exchanges with Moscow.

"These are warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Most of them had been held captive since 2022," Zelensky said, without revealing their numbers.

The exchange follows four similar swaps carried out last week in accordance with Ukraine-Russia agreements reached at peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.

As in the other recent cases, the latest swap focused on severely ill and wounded prisoners of war (POWs), Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs said.

"We are working to bring our people back. I thank everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free every single one of them," Zelensky said.

Russia's Defense Ministry also announced a prisoner exchange with the Ukrainian side, without specifying the number of soldiers involved.

"Every defender released today has serious medical diagnoses and illnesses resulting from their injuries and captivity," the Coordination Headquarters said.

A significant part of the released captives defended Mariupol during the Russian siege in 2022, while others fought elsewhere in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv oblasts. All of them are privates or non-commissioned officers.

The oldest of the released captives was 63 years old, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said, adding that another, a 45-year-old service member, was released on his birthday.

The Istanbul deal was reached during the second round of direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul at the beginning of the month.

While no political breakthrough was achieved, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and citizens.

Moscow has handed over 6,057 bodies to Ukraine in several stages over the past few days. Kyiv later said these also included fallen Russian soldiers, though it is unclear whether this was done on purpose or by accident.

The June 2 agreements came after the largest-ever POW swap in late May, when 1,000 prisoners were exchanged on each side.

Ukraine repeatedly called for a prisoner exchange in an all-for-all format, but Russia continues to reject the offer.

The European Union is developing a plan to generate more revenue for Ukraine by shifting nearly 200 billion euros ($215 billion) in frozen Russian assets into higher-yield, riskier investments, Politico reported on June 19, citing unnamed sources.

The assets, largely held by Belgium-based clearinghouse Euroclear, have been immobilized since 2022 under EU sanctions imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Under the current framework, the funds are invested conservatively with the Belgian central bank, generating low but steady returns. In 2024, this approach yielded around 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) in windfall profits, which the EU allocated to help service a G7-backed 45-billion-euro loan for Ukraine (around $50 billion).

Now, with that loan largely disbursed and concerns mounting over future financing, especially amid signals from U.S. President Donald Trump that American support could be scaled back, EU officials are under pressure to find new funding streams.

According to Politico, the proposed plan would redirect the frozen Russian assets into a special investment fund under EU control, allowing for higher returns without confiscating the assets — a move designed to sidestep legal and political opposition.

As part of the current G7-led funding framework, Ukraine has already received 7 billion euros ($8 billion) from the EU under the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative, which uses profits from frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund loans.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed on June 13 that a fifth tranche of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) had been disbursed to support Ukraine's state budget. The ERA mechanism, part of the broader $50 billion G7 program, aims to ensure stable financing for Kyiv while making Russia shoulder the cost of its aggression.

According to Politico, finance ministers from all 27 EU countries are expected to debate the idea during an informal dinner in Luxembourg on June 19.

Poland, which currently holds the Council of the EU's rotating presidency, emphasized the urgency of the discussions, writing in an invitation letter seen by Politico that "further steps regarding the sanctions regime" and the potential use of frozen Russian assets "must be addressed."

The European Commission has also been holding informal consultations with a group of member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Estonia, to explore legal options for keeping the Russian assets frozen in case Hungary exercises its veto power during the semiannual sanctions renewal process. So far, no workaround has been finalized.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly threatened to block sanctions extensions as a gesture of goodwill toward Moscow, raising concerns the assets could be unfrozen and returned to Russia by default.

By now, much of the EU's 50-billion-euro ($57 billion) Ukraine Facility, agreed in 2023 and intended to last through 2027, has already been spent. The bloc's broader 1.2-trillion-euro ($1.37 billion) budget is stretched thin, and any additional top-ups would also require unanimous support.

Russia just accidentally admitted to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine

A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow’s forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow’s maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine must accept Moscow's terms for ending the war or face further military advances and eventual "surrender," Russia's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrei Kelin, said in a June 18 interview with CNN.

Talking to CNN host Christiane Amanpour, Kelin said Russia is continuing its offensive and sees no need to stop hostilities, publicly acknowledging Moscow's disregard for U.S.-backed ceasefire efforts.

The comments come as Russia continues to reject a U.S. truce proposal backed by Kyiv and only intensifies both ground operations and aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities.

"We are now on the offensive and Ukraine is in retreat," Kelin said. "In May, we have taken about 600 square kilometers (230 square miles) of the territory of Ukraine, and we continue to gain more ground."

According to the open-source intelligence group DeepState, Russian forces occupied approximately 449 square kilometers (173 square miles) in May, the highest monthly figure this year, but still well below Kelin's claim.

Kelin outlined an ultimatum for Kyiv: either agree to a permanent ceasefire on Russia's terms or face worse consequences.

"For Ukraine, there is a choice: either they will take our conditions right now… or we will continue this drive and Ukraine will have to surrender under much worse conditions," he said.

In the most recent peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2, Russia again pressed its longstanding maximalist demands, including recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts — none of which are fully under Moscow's control.

The Kremlin also insists on Ukraine's complete military withdrawal from these regions.

The ambassador's remarks come amid reported preparations for a third round of negotiations with Ukraine after June 22, though no date has been officially confirmed. Kelin described the talks as "stage by stage," citing prior agreements on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues.

Kelin also reiterated long-standing Kremlin demands for Ukraine's neutrality and the prohibition of NATO membership, calling the alliance "very threatening to us."

The ambassador insisted on "reestablishment of normal human rights" for ethnic minorities in Ukraine, including Russians, Hungarians, and Poles, a claim Kyiv and Western officials have repeatedly dismissed as a false pretext for invasion.

CNN's host challenged Kelin on whether such terms amounted to capitulation rather than negotiation. Kelin denied the characterization, maintaining that talks are ongoing and involve "important agreements."

When asked about Russia's capacity to sustain its military campaign, Kelin claimed Moscow is spending "only 5–7%" of its budget on the war and recruiting up to 60,000 volunteer soldiers monthly, figures Western analysts have not independently verified.

"Only 5–7%" of the budget accounts for around 13.5 trillion rubles ($126 billion). Russia's spending on war and law enforcement agencies exceeds expenditures on education, healthcare, social policy, and the national economy combined.

Russia just accidentally admitted to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine

A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow’s forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow’s maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A hundred days since Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, "Russia continues to choose war," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 19, urging international pressure to push Moscow toward ending the war.

"It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process," Sybiha said on X.

Ukraine backed the U.S. proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11. Russia has rejected the offer, instead pushing maximalist demands while intensifying attacks across Ukrainian cities.

"A hundred days of Russian manipulations and missed opportunities to end the war. A hundred days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha said.

Ukraine's top diplomat stressed that Kyiv remains committed to peace, while Russia disregards U.S. efforts to "end the killing."

While U.S. President Donald Trump initially pledged to broker a swift peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, the U.S. administration has become increasingly less engaged in negotiations as the progress stalls.

Trump has evaded calls for exerting additional pressure on Russia via sanctions, and compared the two warring sides to "two young children" who should be let "fight for a while" before being pulled apart.

The U.S. president has also become increasingly preoccupied with the Middle East amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel.

"It is time to act now and force Russia to peace. Peace through strength, increased sanctions, and enhanced capabilities for Ukraine," Sybiha said.

European leaders have declared they are ready to impose additional sanctions on Russia as the 18th sanctions package is being prepared. In turn, a U.S. bill imposing heavy sanctions on Russian oil has been postponed, as other foreign policy issues dominate the agenda in Washington.

Russia turns sound into weapon

When I was at school and learned about World War II, my grandmother told me what she remembered of her wartime childhood on the English coast. Growing up near a Royal Navy base, she survived countless nighttime air raids. Most of all, she remembered exactly how the Blitz sounded — the

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court

Failure to provide stronger military and financial support for Ukraine could leave Europe vulnerable to growing Russian influence, meaning Europeans might have to "start learning Russian," the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said, the Guardian reported on June 17.

"We know that Russia responds to strength and nothing else," Kallas said. She called Ukraine "Europe's first line of defense" and emphasized the need for continued sanctions against Russia and more aid to Kyiv.

The comments come as Russian forces are intensifying their attacks on Ukrainian cities and the Kremlin continues to reject a push by Kyiv and its Western allies for an unconditional ceasefire.

"To quote my friend, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: if we don’t help Ukraine further, we should all start learning Russian," Kallas said.

Kallas cited a sharp increase in Russia's military spending, noting that Moscow is now allocating more money to defense than the EU combined, and more than its own health care, education, and social policies put together.

"This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression," she said.

In light of this, Kallas urged governments to adopt NATO's new target of spending 5% of GDP on defense, warning of Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, including airspace violations, attacks on critical infrastructure, and covert sabotage operations within EU borders.

The 5% defense spending target is expected to be formally adopted during the upcoming NATO summit, which will take place on June 24 and 25 in The Hague. U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that the European allies increase their defense budgets.

Earlier, Kallas said Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot be trusted" to mediate peace while continuing to bomb Ukrainian cities and civilians, as Moscow suggested to mediate negotiations between Israel and Iran amid growing escalation.

"Clearly, President Putin is not somebody who can talk about peace while we see actions like this," she said during a June 17 briefing, after a massive Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed at least 28 people and wounded over 130.

Kallas also reiterated her call for the EU to move forward with tightening the oil price cap on Russian exports, even without U.S. backing. She warned that the ongoing Israel-Iran crisis could cause oil prices to spike, boosting Russia's war revenues.

The EU is currently preparing its 18th sanctions package against Moscow, targeting energy, defense, and banking sectors. The 17th round of sanctions came into effect in May.

Putin says he’s ready to meet Zelensky if West ‘stops pushing’ Ukraine to fight

Russia wants to end the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible,” preferably through peaceful means, and is ready to continue negotiations — provided that Kyiv and its Western allies are willing to engage, Vladimir Putin said.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Editor's note: The story was updated after one of the injured victims died in the hospital.

Russian attacks killed at least one civilian and injured at least 27 over the past 24 hours in Ukraine, regional officials reported on June 19.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russian forces launched 104 Shahed-type drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight from Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 40 drones, while 48 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.

In Kherson Oblast, nine people were injured amid heavy shelling and drone attacks on dozens of settlements, including Kherson city, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Russian forces struck social infrastructure facilities, three apartment buildings, and 10 houses. A gas pipeline, an ambulance base, a fire station, and several vehicles were also damaged.

In Donetsk Oblast, 13 people were wounded in Russian strikes across the region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five people were injured in morning attacks on the Nikopol district, including an 11-year-old child, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. One of the victims, a 59-year-old man, later died in the hospital, Lysak said.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 410 strikes on 12 settlements in the oblast, including 10 air strikes and 264 drone attacks. Additional shelling from artillery and multiple launch rocket systems damaged at least 94 houses, vehicles, and infrastructure sites.

‘Do me a favor Vladimir, mediate Russia first’ — Trump roasts Putin over Israel, Iran offer

“I said, Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russia has lost 1,008,240 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 19.

The number includes 1,080 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,951 tanks, 22,853 armored fighting vehicles, 52,420 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,328 artillery systems, 1,420 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,187 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 41,229 drones, 3,369 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Russia’s deadliest attack on Kyiv this year shatters homes and lives

As Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukrainian cities, millions of Kyiv residents go to bed every night hoping their houses will be intact in the morning. But some nights are worse than others. At least 28 people were killed in Russia’s drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital

The Kyiv IndependentNick Allard

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast injured nine people and damaged residential infrastructure on June 18-19, according to local authorities.

Thirty-four settlements were reportedly targeted with artillery and drones.

On June 18 at 6:00 p.m. local time, eight civilians were reported injured, including two men in Komyshany and Romashkovo, and six others in Bilozerka, Beryslav, Antonivka, and the regional capital Kherson. One more person has been injured since then.

Civilian infrastructure, including private homes and residential buildings, was also damaged in the attacks. A gas pipeline, emergency medical clinic, and fire department were also damaged, according to the latest reports.

Kherson Oblast is located in southern Ukraine, just north of Russian-occupied Crimea, and has been relentless targeted by Russian forces throughout the war.

Ukrainian forces liberated the city of Kherson, the regional capital, in November 2022.

Russian troops continue to occupy large parts of the region and regularly launch attacks on civilian areas using artillery, guided bombs, and drones.

For the first time, Australia sanctions Russian shadow fleet oil tankers

“Russia uses these vessels to circumvent international sanctions and sustain its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Australia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russia wants to end the war in Ukraine "as soon as possible," preferably through peaceful means, and is ready to continue negotiations — provided that Kyiv and its Western allies are willing to engage, President Vladimir Putin said.

Speaking during a roundtable with top editors of major international news agencies late on June 18, Putin added that he is ready to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and "Russia does not care who represents Ukraine in negotiations, but insists that any final agreement must bear the signature of legitimate authorities."

The Kremlin has long sought to portray Zelensky as "illegitimate" in an attempt to discredit Kyiv. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 18 that Putin, who has ruled Russia for over 20 years, is ready for talks with Zelensky, but "legal aspects related to his legitimacy" must be considered.

Ukraine's allies had generally ignored this propaganda narrative until U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to echo the Kremlin's lines claiming that Zelensky was a "modestly successful comedian" turned "dictator" who "refused to have elections."

Ukraine has not held elections during Russia’s full-scale invasion because they are legally prohibited under martial law, which was declared on Feb. 24, 2022, just hours after the war began. Ukrainian law also mandates that elections must be safe, equal, and uninterrupted—conditions that are impossible to meet amid ongoing Russian attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure.

Elections in Ukraine — a guide for beginners (and US Presidents)

U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 19 launched an astonishing attack on President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “dictator” with a “very low” approval rating that refuses to hold elections in Ukraine. The comments came a day after similar remarks made at the White House, in which Trump falsely

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Putin also told U.S. President Donald Trump on June 14 that Moscow is ready to hold a new round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, following the completion of prisoner and fallen soldier exchanges.

Asked if he would be willing to speak with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Putin said that “if the Federal Chancellor wants to call and talk, I have already said this many times — we do not refuse any contacts."

"And we are always open to this… They stopped, let them resume. We are open to them,” Putin said, adding that he, however, questions Germany’s role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war: "I do doubt if Germany can contribute more than the United States as a mediator in our negotiations with Ukraine. A mediator must be neutral. And when we see German tanks and Leopard battle tanks on the battlefield… and now the Federal Republic is considering supplying Taurus missiles for attacks on Russian territory… — here, of course, big questions arise."

‘Do me a favor Vladimir, mediate Russia first’ — Trump roasts Putin over Israel, Iran offer

“I said, Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing renewed pressure from hardliners to formally declare war on Ukraine, with critics inside the Kremlin warning what he calls his "special military operation" no longer goes far enough.

Anger intensified following Ukraine’s June 1 drone strike, dubbed Operation Spiderweb, which targeted four Russian air bases deep inside the country and reportedly damaged at least 20 Russian nuclear bombers. "Shock and outrage" is how one senior official described to the Telegraph the mood in the Kremlin, while another called the attack "a personal tragedy."

Russia has apparently redeployed dozens of long-range bombers to more remote bases within the country following the strike, Russian independent media outlet Agentstvo reported on June 11, citing OSINT analyst AviVector.

Despite the escalation, the Kremlin has so far avoided any dramatic shift in strategy. "This did not catalyse a political discussion or a change in the format of military operations," a former Kremlin official told the Telegraph. Another source close to the Russian Defense Ministry said, "Could the president declare war on Kyiv? Right now, unlikely. As cynical as it may sound, the leadership is satisfied with the current situation."

Hardliners argue that only a formal war declaration would permit true escalation—full-scale mobilization, regular missile strikes, and potentially the use of tactical nuclear weapons. One analyst told the Telegraph that a formal war declaration would give the Russian government sweeping authority to shift the country fully onto a wartime footing.

However, despite record levels of defense spending, the Kremlin has avoided taking that step—seeking instead to preserve the illusion of control and protect the broader population from the immediate impact of the war.

The Kremlin is projected to allocate 6.3 percent of its GDP to defense this year — the highest level since the Cold War — yet still far below what would typically indicate a country fully mobilized for war. By contrast, Ukraine spent 34 percent of its GDP on defense last year, while British military spending surpassed 50 percent of GDP during the Second World War.

"Mobilization undermines economic stability," said one current government employee. According to him, those in Putin’s inner circle have convinced the president that large-scale mobilization could trigger the collapse of the war effort. "And why is it needed now? We have Kalibr missiles, we have volunteers. Their resources are not yet exhausted," he was quoted as saying.

Ukraine’s SBU releases fresh video of Operation Spiderweb, teases ‘new surprises’

“The SBU is hitting and will hit (Russia) where it considers itself unreachable!” SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk said. “We are working on new surprises, no less painful than the Operation Spiderweb.”

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink announced on June 18 that she is running for Congress from Michigan's 7th district, pledging to oppose U.S. President Donald Trump.

"I've dedicated my life to protecting democracy and fighting for freedom. It's why we stood up to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and why I spoke out against Trump," Brink wrote on X.

"My next mission: fighting for what's right here at home."

Brink resigned from her post on April 10, and in a May 16 op-ed in the Detroit Free Press, publicly confirmed her departure was driven by disagreement with the Trump administration's stance on Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

"I just came home to Michigan from three years in the toughest job of my life," she wrote. "I could no longer in good faith carry out the administration's policy and felt it was my duty to step down."

Brink accused the Trump administration of pressuring Ukraine rather than holding Russia accountable, calling that approach "dangerous and immoral."

"I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, a democracy bombarded, and children killed with impunity," she wrote. "Peace at any price is not peace at all — it is appeasement."

Elections for the representative of Michigan's 7th district will take place in November 2026.

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Trump, who began his second term in January, pledged to end the war within 100 days. That deadline has passed with no deal. He has alternated between blaming both sides for the conflict and claiming a breakthrough is still possible.

Despite repeatedly expressing frustration with Putin, the U.S. president has continued to avoid placing additional sanctions on Moscow, even as the Kremlin refuses to agree to a ceasefire.

Brink's relationship with Ukraine's leadership frayed in April after the U.S. Embassy issued what was seen as a muted response to a deadly Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih that killed 20 civilians.

"Horrified that tonight a ballistic missile struck near a playground and restaurant in Kryvyi Rih," Brink posted on X following a Russian missile attack. "This is why the war must end."

President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the message.

"Unfortunately, the response from the U.S. Embassy is surprisingly disappointing — such a strong country, such a strong people, and yet such a weak reaction," he wrote on April 5.

Julie S. Davis, the new U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv on May 5.

Zelensky may reportedly skip NATO summit over uncertainty about Trump’s attendance

According to the Guardian, some in Kyiv are unsure if President Volodymyr Zelensky’s presence at the summit would be worthwhile without a confirmed meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

During a targeted operation, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) killed Mykhailo Hrytsai, a senior collaborator with Russian occupation authorities in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a HUR source told the Kyiv Independent on June 18.

According to the source, Hrytsai was directly involved in organizing repressions against the local Ukrainian population and establishing torture chambers for prisoners of war.

The collaborator was shot dead in the city using a silenced PM pistol, the source said.

Hrytsai served as the Russian-installed deputy mayor responsible for infrastructure, housing, utilities, and the energy sector. The source also said he facilitated the illegal seizure of municipal and state property in Berdiansk.

"There are still plenty of such targets — collaborators, accomplices of the enemy — in the occupied territories of Ukraine," the source said.

"We will definitely get to each and every one of them and put an end to their criminal activities by any means necessary: with or without a silencer, quietly or loudly, but always effectively."

A native of Poltava Oblast, Hrytsai had previously participated in Ukrainian political life. He was an assistant to a member of parliament and headed the Berdiansk branch of the Socialist Ukraine party before siding with Russian occupation forces.

Berdiansk, a port city on the Azov Sea, has been under Russian control since the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022. It remains a critical logistics hub for Russian forces, facilitating the transport of looted Ukrainian grain and other resources.

On Feb. 20, another targeted strike in Berdiansk killed Yevgeny Bogdanov, the deputy head of the Russian-installed administration, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.

‘Beyond cynical’ – Russian doctor carved ‘Glory to Russia’ scar on POW during operation, Ukraine says

After more than three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, each new revelation of cruel treatment of Ukrainians in Russian captivity hardly surprises anyone. But when a photo recently emerged online, showing a “Glory to Russia” scar on the body of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW), it sent shockwaves

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Ukraine is preparing to evacuate its citizens from Israel and Iran as hostilities between the two countries intensify, the Foreign Ministry told Ukrainian media outlet NV on June 18.

The move comes as Israel on June 13 launched widespread air strikes against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and the country's military leadership. Iran responded with missile strikes on Tel Aviv and other cities, killing multiple civilians, including five Ukrainian citizens on June 14.

As of the morning of June 18, 293 Ukrainians in Israel and 85 in Iran have requested evacuation, the ministry said. Ten additional foreign nationals with permanent residency in Ukraine have also asked for assistance to evacuate from Iran.

Ukraine's embassy in Israel has received over 400 calls on its hotline as citizens seek updates on possible evacuation routes. The ministry told NV it is developing evacuation plans, including potential flights organized in cooperation with international partners.

On June 13, Kyiv expressed concern over the security situation in the Middle East, describing Tehran as a "source of problems" in the region and beyond.

Iran is a key supplier of weapons to Russia, including Shahed-type drones and ballistic missiles used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Israel, which hosts a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.

Tensions in the region grow as U.S. President Donald Trump is also considering launching U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear targets, Axios reported on June 17.

On Truth Social, Trump demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" and threatened Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while boasting about American control of Iranian airspace.

Trump has also floated Russian President Vladimir Putin as a possible mediator in the conflict.

Putin held separate calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on June 13, condemning Israeli strikes and offering to mediate.

Israel has not publicly responded to Russia's proposal, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 17 that Tel Aviv appeared unwilling to accept Russian mediation.

Iran's Health Ministry claimed on June 18 that 585 people had been killed by Israeli strikes, with Tehran alleging that 90% of the casualties are civilians.

The figures have not been independently verified.

4 months after striking Chornobyl, Russia warns Israeli attacks on Iran risk nuclear ‘catastrophe’

The warning comes as Moscow accuses Israel of escalating the risk of a nuclear incident in the Middle East, despite Russia’s own record of threatening nuclear facilities during its war in Ukraine, including a February drone strike on the Chornobyl nuclear site that Kyiv and Western experts condemned as nuclear blackmail.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russia on June 18 warned the world is "millimetres away from catastrophe" due to Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, just four months after one of its own drones struck the Chornobyl nuclear site in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Israel of escalating the risk of a nuclear incident in the Middle East, despite Russia's own record of repeatedly placing nuclear facilities at risk during its full-scale invasion, and threatening the use of nuclear weapons.

On Feb. 14, Russian forces struck the Chornobyl nuclear facility with a Shahed drone, hitting the protective sarcophagus that encases Reactor No. 4, site of the 1986 nuclear disaster.

Damage was limited, and no radiation leakage occurred, but the act was widely condemned as a deliberate provocation timed to coincide with the Munich Security Conference.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack on the Chornobyl plant "a terrorist threat to the whole world." Ukrainian officials and nuclear security experts said the strike was unlikely to cause significant radioactive contamination but served as a warning of Russia's willingness to weaponize fear of nuclear disaster.

Russia has also intensified strikes near other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including infrastructure connected to the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which Moscow's forces have used as a military base since early in the war.

Analysts view the attacks as part of a broader campaign of intimidation aimed at pressuring Kyiv and its allies into a settlement.

Zakharova's comments follow growing international concern over the rising tensions between Israel and Iran. Russia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the conflict, though European leaders have dismissed the Kremlin's neutrality due to its deepening military ties with Tehran and ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot be trusted" to mediate peace in the Middle East while launching mass strikes on Ukrainian cities, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on June 17. Her remarks came after a Russian missile attack killed at least 28 civilians in Kyiv and injured over 130.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Israel has so far rejected Moscow's mediation offer. U.S. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that Putin had expressed willingness to help mediate.

Russia continues to receive military support from Iran, including drones and missiles used in attacks across Ukraine.

Tired of military aid delays, Ukraine has designed its own ballistic missile — and it’s already in mass-production

Ukraine announced on June 13 that its short-range Sapsan ballistic missile would go into mass production, a major development in Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to domestically produce the weapons it needs to fight Russia’s full-scale invasion. As Ukraine faces growing challenges in securing weapons from Western partners, and Russia continues launching

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

The Slovak police sought to detain ex-Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad over alleged misconduct during the donation of ammunition to Ukraine in 2022, the Slovak newspaper Dennik N reported on June 18, citing two undisclosed sources.

According to his social media, Nad is currently vacationing in Canada. The Slovak police reportedly also seek to detain a former Defense Ministry official and have detained an ex-head of the Konstrukta Defense state company in a move denounced by Nad's opposition Democrats party as politically motivated.

The police operation reportedly concerns 120 mm rounds that Slovakia donated to Ukraine at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The Slovak Defense Ministry allegedly initially sold the obsolete ammunition to a private company, only to later purchase it through Konstrukta Defense for a higher price for swift deliveries to the war-torn nation.

Nad was the defense minister between 2020 and 2023, during which time Slovakia decisively supported Ukraine against Russian aggression and provided substantial military aid.

Bratislava's foreign policy radically shifted after the election victory of left-nationalist Robert Fico in September 2023, who halted military aid from Slovak military stocks, adopted more hostile rhetoric toward Kyiv, and sought close energy ties with Russia.

Nad dismissed the allegations as a "theater," portraying it as the government's attempt to distract the public from internal problems.

"Today's theater didn't shock or upset me in the slightest," Nad said on Facebook.

"I'll keep reminding myself of how proud I am of the support we gave to Ukraine. I'd make the same decision again — without hesitation."

Fico has long criticized Western military aid to Ukraine and the defense assistance provided to Kyiv under the previous Slovak government. In a separate case last year, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak denounced last year a decision to send MiG-29 jets to Ukraine as "treason."

Tired of military aid delays, Ukraine has designed its own ballistic missile — and it’s already in mass-production

Ukraine announced on June 13 that its short-range Sapsan ballistic missile would go into mass production, a major development in Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to domestically produce the weapons it needs to fight Russia’s full-scale invasion. As Ukraine faces growing challenges in securing weapons from Western partners, and Russia continues launching

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Australia has, for the first time, imposed sanctions on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, targeting 60 vessels used to circumvent international sanctions and sustain the Kremlin's war effort in Ukraine, the Australian government said on June 18.

The move aligns Canberra with similar measures introduced by the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union.

Australia's Foreign Ministry said the sanctioned vessels operate under "deceptive practices, including flag-hopping, disabling tracking systems and operating with inadequate insurance," enabling illicit Russian oil trade that undermines international sanctions.

"Russia uses these vessels to circumvent international sanctions and sustain its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement.

With this move, Australia has now sanctioned more than 1,400 Russian individuals and entities since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the government said.

The step comes amid the continued operation of Russia's shadow fleet. According to a recent study by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), Russia currently operates 435 tankers outside the control of Western regulators to evade sanctions such as the G7-EU price cap on Russian oil.

These vessels are typically un- or underinsured and pose a rising environmental risk due to their age and operational opacity.

KSE estimates that as of April 2024, 83% of Russia's crude oil and 46% of its petroleum product exports were shipped using shadow fleet tankers. The study warns that this undermines the effectiveness of Western sanctions and increases the likelihood of maritime disasters, as many of these ships fall outside international safety and insurance standards.

The EU formally adopted its 17th sanctions package against Russia in May, sanctioning nearly 200 vessels tied to the shadow fleet. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the new measures also target hybrid threats and human rights violations, with more sanctions under consideration.

Some EU member states and observers have criticized the package for lacking stronger provisions to disrupt Russia's sanction evasion schemes.

Now, the EU seeks to approve its 18th sanctions package, which will add 77 more shadow fleet vessels to comply with the cap to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions and propose imposing a ban on imports of petroleum products made from Russian oil.

The United States has signaled reluctance to pursue additional sanctions despite Moscow's continued aggression in Ukraine and rejection of ceasefire proposals supported by Western allies.

Putin ‘cannot be trusted’ as mediator, Kallas says, urges EU to tighten Russian oil cap after deadly Kyiv strike

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas urged the European Union to press forward with lowering the oil price cap on Russian crude, even without U.S. support, warning that Middle East tensions could otherwise drive prices up and boost Russia’s revenues.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

An invitation for Ukraine to become a member of NATO "is not on the agenda" of the upcoming summit in The Hague, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said in an interview with the Baltic News Service published on June 18.

"This issue is certainly not on the NATO agenda and nobody has formulated an expectation that there will be an invitation in The Hague, nor have we heard that from the Ukrainians themselves," Budrys said in comments quoted by the LRT broadcaster.

"There is no such expectation that there will be breakthrough decisions, neither before the Washington summit nor now before the Hague summit – it is not on the agenda."

The comments, coming less than a week before the summit, hint at a shifting rhetoric within the alliance regarding Ukraine's potential membership after U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

The new Trump administration has spoken out against Kyiv's accession, and the U.S. president even echoed the false Russian narratives that its efforts to join NATO helped instigate Russia's full-scale invasion.

Unlike during the previous summits, the final communique may reportedly completely omit the topic of Ukraine's membership, as NATO members seek to avoid a conflict with Trump. The gathering was also preceded by rumors that Ukraine may not be invited due to U.S. opposition, but the invitation was extended in the end.

In spite of these tensions, Budrys said that the summit should keep its focus on Ukraine, stressing that the war-torn country is part of the Euro-Atlantic security space.

Ukraine applied for NATO membership in September 2022, months after the outbreak of the full-scale Russian invasion. The alliance has signaled support for Kyiv's accession efforts in previous years, even declaring at the Washington summit in 2024 that Ukraine's path to membership is "irreversible" — but stopping short of a formal invite.

Kyiv's swift entry seems increasingly unlikely amid opposition from the U.S. and several other members, even though NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently reaffirmed that a political commitment to Ukraine's membership stands. Ukraine would need support from all 32 members to join.

It remains uncertain whether The Hague summit will lead to any breakthroughs regarding Ukraine. Following signals that U.S. President Donald Trump may not attend the event, the Guardian reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky may skip the summit as well.

Tired of military aid delays, Ukraine has designed its own ballistic missile — and it’s already in mass-production

Ukraine announced on June 13 that its short-range Sapsan ballistic missile would go into mass production, a major development in Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to domestically produce the weapons it needs to fight Russia’s full-scale invasion. As Ukraine faces growing challenges in securing weapons from Western partners, and Russia continues launching

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

President Volodymyr Zelensky may reconsider attending the NATO summit in The Hague, as questions remain over U.S. President Donald Trump's participation, the Guardian reported on June 17, citing unnamed Ukrainian officials.

According to the Guardian, some in Kyiv are unsure if Zelensky's presence at the June 24-25 summit would be worthwhile without a confirmed meeting with Trump, whom they had hoped to engage directly in efforts to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into accepting a ceasefire.

Earlier, Zelensky had traveled to the G7 summit in Canada, hoping to meet one-on-one with Trump and push for stronger sanctions against Russia. Trump left the summit early, citing the crisis in the Middle East, and no bilateral meeting or joint G7 statement took place.

One official told the Guardian that Ukraine is in a "permanent hazard" of becoming a victim of "Trump's short attention span," adding that Russia has exploited this uncertainty by fresh aerial attacks. The source added that there had been "all sorts of promises for this summit," including U.S. arms.

The Russian attack on Ukraine that occurred during the G7 summit killed at least 24 civilians and injured 134 in Kyiv. Trump has not responded to the attack as of the day after.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reportedly said Trump had previously promised to attend the NATO gathering, though no official confirmation has been issued from Washington.

Despite the setback, Zelensky said the G7 meeting had concrete results for Ukraine. In a Telegram post on June 17, he thanked partners for increased military aid, new sanctions on Russia, and the decision to allocate frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

"It is important that our partners are ready not only to support our defense now, but also to rebuild Ukraine together after the war ends," he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a support package that includes 2 billion Canadian dollars ($1.5 billion) in military assistance and another $1.6 billion in reconstruction loans. The aid includes drones, armored vehicles, ammunition, and sanctions to disrupt Russia's energy revenues.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia's military-industrial complex and 20 oil tankers from Russia's "shadow fleet."

Zelensky later told G7 leaders that "diplomacy is now in a state of crisis" and called on allies to press Trump to "use his real influence" to help end the war.

Ukraine has been invited to the NATO summit, and Zelensky previously called the invitation "important" during a June 2 press briefing. At the time, he did not confirm whether he would attend in person.

As Trump stays silent, US Embassy makes late denunciation of Russia’s attack on Kyiv

“We extend deepest condolences to the victims’ families. This senseless attack runs counter to President Trump’s call to stop the killing and end the war,” the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said in a statement.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on June 18 brushed off Moscow's demands for Kyiv to destroy or dismantle Western-supplied weapons as a condition for a ceasefire, saying it shows disregard for U.S. peace efforts.

"Russian officials make new absurd demands almost every day. Total inadequacy," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on X.

"Moscow shows complete disregard for the United States' efforts to end the war."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko raised the demand in an interview with the state-run newspaper Izvestia earlier this week.

"All these surpluses must be destroyed. All international algorithms are known. They must be reduced, disposed of, and guaranteed," Grushko said.

The Kremlin has previously demanded a complete halt on Western military aid to Ukraine as a key condition for a truce. Kyiv and its European partners have rejected this, instead urging increased military assistance to the war-torn country.

The demand reflects Moscow's growing list of maximalist conditions presented in its so-called "peace memorandum" during negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2.

While the recent peace talks ended with an agreement on major prisoner exchanges and repatriation of fallen soldiers, they have failed to achieve a breakthrough in the peace talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who initially pledged to broker peace in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, has become increasingly disengaged in the effort. He has also been reluctant to apply pressure on Moscow to push it to a ceasefire deal despite repeatedly threatening additional sanctions.

‘He said he wasn’t going anywhere’ — Survivors search for missing following Russia’s deadliest attack on Kyiv this year

Sitting a few meters from the rubble of what used to be a nondescript nine-story residential building in Kyiv, Lilia rises to her feet every time another pile of debris is cleared from the site targeted by Russia during a mass overnight attack on June 17. “We are waiting (as

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Ukraine's parliament passed a reform of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) on June 18, a key step toward European integration and a condition listed in the EU's Ukraine Facility plan.

The legislation passed with the support of 253 lawmakers "after months of obstructions... unblocking 600 million euros ($690 million) in EU funds," lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The ARMA is Ukraine's national agency tasked with locating, recovering, and managing assets seized in criminal proceedings, namely during corruption cases.

Proposed reforms include stricter integrity and qualification standards for leadership candidates and merit-based hiring through open competitions involving civil society. They also call for independent external audits, clear deadlines for appointing asset managers, and the use of certified professionals held legally accountable for mismanagement.

The Ukraine Facility, an EU program providing Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($58 billion) in multi-year financial support contingent on reforms, set the end of March as the deadline for the ARMA's reform.

Anti-corruption experts, lawmakers, and Transparency International in Ukraine have backed the reforms, but discussions have dragged on for months since several versions of the bill were introduced in December 2024 and January.

The ARMA has long criticized the proposed legislation, arguing it had already carried out substantial and "transformative" reforms since 2023.

Transparency International reacted by saying that the ARMA's "public communication suggests that the agency’s primary concern is not the introduction of meaningful reforms, but ensuring that its current leadership can continue operating as it has."

Ukraine has embarked on extensive reforms as part of its efforts to join the EU and other Western structures, though Russia's full-scale invasion has presented fresh challenges to this effort.

Ukraine’s parliament passes bill on multiple citizenship

Ukraine’s parliament on June 18 supported a bill allowing Ukrainian citizens to hold passports of foreign countries, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Ukraine's parliament on June 17 approved President Volodymyr Zelensky's nomination of 35-year-old Ruslan Kravchenko as the country's new prosecutor general, making him the youngest person to ever hold the post.

Kravchenko, a former military prosecutor and most recently head of Ukraine's tax service, replaces Andrii Kostin, who stepped down in October 2024 following a scandal involving fraudulent disability claims by dozens of prosecutors in Khmelnytskyi Oblast.

Lawmakers supported Kravchenko's appointment with 273 votes in favor, according to Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an MP from the Holos party.

A native of Sievierodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, Kravchenko served as a military prosecutor in Crimea before leaving the peninsula after Russia's annexation in 2014. He was one of the prosecutors in the case of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych.

Kravchenko will now lead the Prosecutor General's Office amid war, reforms, and heightened scrutiny of law enforcement bodies' work. His predecessor, Kostin, resigned after the media revealed that at least 50 prosecutors had allegedly received disability status fraudulently — a scandal that sparked widespread criticism.

The Prosecutor General's Office has played a central role in documenting Russian war crimes and enforcing anti-corruption efforts, especially since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Zelensky welcomes G7 support as summit delivers no strong breakthrough for Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 17 that the G7 summit had produced concrete results for Ukraine, including increased military support, new tranches of aid using frozen Russian assets, and additional sanctions targeting the sources of Russia’s war effort.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Violent clashes broke out on June 17 outside the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi, a city in southwestern Ukraine, as hundreds of people attempted to force their way into the church following a long-running dispute over its religious affiliation, Suspilne reported.

The unrest reflects Ukraine's broader struggle to sever ties with the Russian-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) amid the ongoing war, which was extensively used by Moscow as a propaganda tool.

According to public broadcaster Suspilne, the crowd gathered to assert control over the church, which had recently voted to switch allegiance from the UOC-MP to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) — an autocephalous (autonomous) Ukrainian church not affiliated with Moscow.

The police were reportedly deployed to prevent escalation but were eventually overwhelmed as protesters breached the church fence and entered the grounds. Officers deployed tear gas, and medics reported treating around 30 people for injuries.

The confrontation came after local authorities re-registered the Holy Spirit Cathedral and two other major parishes in Chernivtsi under the jurisdiction of the OCU earlier this year. Bishop Feognost of the OCU confirmed to Suspilne that the day marked the first Ukrainian-language prayer service in the cathedral, a significant symbol of the national church’s growing influence.

The dispute stems from decades of tension between Orthodox churches in Ukraine and has intensified since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The UOC-MP, while claiming to have severed ties with Moscow, remains legally subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church, which is seen as a close ally of the Kremlin.

Ukrainian lawmakers passed legislation in August 2024 banning religious organizations with ties to Russia. The law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, gave such organizations nine months to cut all legal and institutional connections with Moscow. Over 100 UOC-MP clergymen have been investigated for suspected collaboration with Russian forces, with dozens facing criminal charges.

Local media say the scene outside the cathedral grew tense as both UOC-MP and OCU supporters gathered. Some attempted to tear down gates while chanting "shame!" and others blocked roads, disrupting traffic. The police temporarily restricted access to the site and launched an investigation.

Suspilne reported that Metropolitan Meletii of the UOC-MP later entered the cathedral after the gates were forced open. Worshippers not aligned with the OCU began a service inside, prompting further clashes. Fire extinguishers were reportedly used inside the building to push back demonstrators.

Chernivtsi Mayor Roman Klichuk initially welcomed the transition of the church to the OCU as a "historic day" for Ukraine's national church, but later deleted the post from his social media page, Suspilne said.

The Moscow-linked church claims it is the victim of religious persecution and insists that it operates lawfully. Critics argue its claims of independence are symbolic and that it remains deeply tied to Russia's religious and political structures.

While Orthodox Christianity remains freely practiced and the most widespread religion in Ukraine, the government and a growing number of citizens view the UOC-MP as a potential security threat.

US Pastor in Ukraine on Russia’s threats, pressure against Christians in occupied territories

Dmytro Bodyu, a U.S. citizen and the pastor of the “Word of Life” Pentecostal Church in Russian-occupied Melitopol, was detained by Russians in March 2022. During his detention, he was accused of working for the CIA and received death threats from the Russian military. Only an intervention by the

The Kyiv IndependentDanylo Mokryk

Ukraine's parliament on June 18 supported a bill allowing Ukrainian citizens to hold passports of foreign countries, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The draft law, backed by 243 lawmakers in the second and final reading, outlines conditions for holding multiple citizenship and simplifies procedures for foreigners wanting to obtain Ukrainian passports.

The legislation must receive a presidential signature before entering force, largely a formality as President Volodymyr Zelensky himself submitted the bill last August.

Until now, the status of multiple citizenship has not been recognized by Ukrainian law.

The bill also establishes new grounds for losing citizenship, such as receiving a Russian passport or serving in the Russian Armed Forces.

The government will determine the list of countries whose citizens will be able to obtain Ukrainian passports in a simplified way, taking into account issues like EU membership or imposed sanctions in connection with Russian aggression.

Multiple citizenship will be recognized for foreigners from the listed countries who apply for Ukrainian citizenship, or if Ukrainian citizens apply for citizenship in these countries. It will also be recognized for Ukrainian spouses of foreign citizens and other specified cases.

Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia said the law is not applicable to Russian citizens or citizens of countries that do not recognize Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Even before the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian diaspora has been widespread around the world, with particularly large communities in the EU, the U.S., and Canada. The war drew millions more from their home, and 6.8 million Ukrainian refugees and asylum-seekers remain abroad as of 2025, according to U.N. data.

Among others, the bill is seen as part of Ukraine's effort to strengthen ties with Ukrainians living abroad. Zelensky said the document should allow ethnic Ukrainians born abroad to obtain citizenship.

The president included the step in his 10-point internal resilience plan last November.

Hungary’s soft power meets Ukraine’s hard reality in Zakarpattia

BEREHOVE, Zakarpattia Oblast — Thin gray smoke drifts beyond the patchwork of Soviet-era apartment blocks, historical buildings, and hillside vineyards that make up Berehove — the heart of the Hungarian community in Ukraine’s westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast. “That’s Hungary, over there,” gestures Vitalii Antipov, a member of the local council, toward the not-so-distant

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on June 18 condemned Russia's massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed at least 23 people and injured more than 130 a day earlier, saying it "runs counter" to U.S. President Donald Trump's peace efforts.

"Today, with all of Ukraine, we join a day of mourning in Kyiv for the victims of Russia's June 17 attack," the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said in a statement. "We extend deepest condolences to the victims' families. This senseless attack runs counter to President Trump's call to stop the killing and end the war."

The nine-hour overnight attack, which began late June 16, has become one of the largest aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 472 aerial weapons, including nearly 280 Shahed-type attack drones and cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine's air defense downed 428 targets, but several struck residential areas, including a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district.

Among the dead was a U.S. citizen, State Department Press Secretary Tammy Bruce confirmed at a briefing on June 17.

"We are aware of last night's attack on Kyiv, which resulted in numerous casualties, including the tragic death of a U.S. citizen," Bruce said. "We condemn those strikes and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected."

President Volodymyr Zelensky called it "one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv" and urged stronger international support to help Ukraine defend itself.

Despite the scale of the attack, Trump appeared to be unaware of the strike when questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One early on June 17.

"When was that? When?" Trump responded when a reporter asked for his reaction. Told that the drone and missile attack had occurred "very recently," Trump said: "Just now? You mean as I’m walking back to see you, that’s when it took place? Sounds like it. I’ll have to look at it."

As of a day later, the White House had still not issued an official response to the strike.

The June 17 attack caused extensive damage across the capital. Civilian infrastructure hit included kindergartens, a university dormitory, residential neighborhoods, and industrial sites.

Fahrenheit, a Ukrainian manufacturer of military and civilian clothing, reported that its Kyiv factory was damaged and operations were suspended. Ukrposhta, the national postal service, lost two branches. Ukrainian Railways said a grain-carrying train was struck, disrupting transit.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said unexploded cluster munitions were found in the city — a type of weapon banned by some countries due to the danger they pose to civilians. June 18 was declared a day of mourning in Kyiv.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the timing of the attack, as G7 leaders gathered in Canada, a deliberate message from the Kremlin. Moscow has escalated strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure.

Ukraine has urged Western allies to respond by reinforcing air defense capabilities and tightening economic pressure on Russia.

Putin ‘cannot be trusted’ as mediator, Kallas says, urges EU to tighten Russian oil cap after deadly Kyiv strike

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas urged the European Union to press forward with lowering the oil price cap on Russian crude, even without U.S. support, warning that Middle East tensions could otherwise drive prices up and boost Russia’s revenues.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least six civilians and injured at least 49, including a teenage boy, over the past day, regional authorities reported on June 18.

Russian forces launched 58 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine overnight, targeting mainly the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Air Force said.

Ukrainian defenses shot down 12 drones, while 18 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare systems, according to the statement.

In Chernihiv Oblast, a Russian drone attack against a village in the Snovsk community on June 17 injured a 68-year-old woman, Governor Viacheslav Chaus reported.

A Russian attack against Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 17 killed a 63-year-old man, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Two more people were injured, and an educational institution and houses were damaged.

Russian attacks across Donetsk Oblast killed a civilian in Myrnohrad and injured eight others in the region, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Kharkiv Oblast, three people were injured in Russian attacks, including a 69-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy in Izium and a 52-year-old man in Ripky, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast killed two people and injured 34, according to the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin.

In Sumy Oblast, one person was killed and another injured in a Russian drone attack against the Bilopillia community, and another man was killed during an air strike against the Yunakivka community, the regional administration reported.

Russia launched missile and drone attacks against Zaporizhzhia, damaging multiple residential and non-residential buildings but inflicting no casualties, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

‘He said he wasn’t going anywhere’ — Survivors search for missing following Russia’s deadliest attack on Kyiv this year

Sitting a few meters from the rubble of what used to be a nondescript nine-story residential building in Kyiv, Lilia rises to her feet every time another pile of debris is cleared from the site targeted by Russia during a mass overnight attack on June 17. “We are waiting (as

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova