An early morning fire engulfed fuel storage tanks at the Atlas facility in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, following what appears to be another Ukrainian drone strike. The site is considered a critical part of the Russian military’s fuel logistics in its war against Ukraine.

Fire confirmed by satellite data

Militarnyi reports that NASA’s FIRMS satellite service recorded an abnormal temperature spike over the Atlas industrial facility in Kamensk district at 3:41 UTC or 06:41 Kyiv Time on 23 June 2025. The site houses 32 fuel tanks, many of which were reportedly engulfed in flames. 

Local sources reported a “series of powerful explosions, so strong they triggered car alarms” in Kamensk district around 4 a.m.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that 14 drones were shot down in Rostov Oblast. Local governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed a fire, but did not name the affected facility:

“Air defense is still responding to an aerial attack in the northern part of Rostov Oblast. So far, UAVs have been destroyed in the Millerovsky, Kamensky, Tarasovsky, Bokovsky, and Milyutinsky districts. As a result of the attack, a fire broke out at an industrial facility in Kamensky district,” he wrote at 3 a.m., later updating that as of 7:50 the fire was allegedly extinguished.

At the time of publication, no footage from the scene is available to confirm the new damage to the facility.

Not the first possible attack on the Atlas

This is not the first time the Atlas fuel complex has been struck. A similar drone attack caused a massive fire overnight on 29 November 2024. Another strike in August 2024 also targeted the same facility, damaging fuel storage units and triggering a fire. 

The depot, located at coordinates 48.457086, 40.330746 near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, lies just 100–150 km from the front lines. Its proximity to the battlefield and its logistical role make it a high-value target in the ongoing war.

Previous strikes on fuel infrastructure

Earlier in June, Ukrainian drones hit industrial areas near the Lukoil oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. That attack marked a renewed campaign against Russia’s fuel and energy infrastructure after a pause in such operations.

Just one day prior, on 6 June 2025, the Rosrezerv Kristall fuel depot used by a Russian strategic bomber base in Engels, Saratov Oblast, also suffered a drone strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 22 June that Russian authorities are actively seeking to weaken international sanctions and are preparing new military operations in Europe, citing intelligence reports he received the same day.

Moscow’s main goal: dismantling sanctions pressure

According to Zelenskyy’s evening address on 22 June, Russia’s current focus is to combat international sanctions. He stated that the Kremlin is attempting to not only block new sanctions but also soften those already imposed.

“They are trying by every means to bargain not just for the non-application of new sanctions, but also for the weakening of existing ones. We understand how and whom they are using in Europe and in other parts of the world. We are countering this,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to those promoting the sanctions agenda, calling it “the agenda that brings peace closer.”

Russia kills at least seven civilians in Kyiv and nearby towns in pre-dawn air assault

Intelligence reports on Russian plans and economic pressure

Earlier the same day, Zelenskyy also referred to a separate report from Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov regarding the situation inside Russia and its military-industrial complex. He reiterated that “the key thing Moscow is trying to do is fight sanctions.” The President said Ukrainian intelligence clearly sees Russia’s critical vulnerabilities and is preparing corresponding actions to diminish Moscow’s aggressive potential.

Zelenskyy also claimed that Ukraine has evidence that Russia is preparing new military operations on European territory.

“We see very significant damage caused by sanctions to the Russian economic system, which confirms that our strategy of pressuring Russia to end the war is the correct one,” he said.

Middle East tensions and nuclear nonproliferation

Zelenskyy also commented on recent US strikes on Iranian-linked nuclear facilities and condemned Iran’s support for Russia, citing the use of Shahed drones in attacks on Ukraine.

“There must be no proliferation of nuclear weapons in the modern world,” Zelenskyy stressed, noting the need for global diplomatic resolve and stronger collective security.

He welcomed US leadership on the issue and underlined the urgency of coordinated international diplomacy.

New Zealand has committed 16 million New Zealand dollars (approximately $9.5 million) in new aid to Ukraine, combining military and humanitarian support as the country’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon prepares to attend a NATO Summit in The Hague. The package is split between battlefield assistance and relief for war-affected civilians, and builds on New Zealand’s ongoing backing of Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion.

This latest assistance brings New Zealand’s total aid to Ukraine to more than NZD 168 million (approx. $100 million) since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. That support includes up to 100 New Zealand Defense Force personnel deployed to train Ukrainian troops.

Breakdown of funding: Military and humanitarian support

As reported by 1News and RNZ, the NZD 16 million package includes two contributions of NZD 4 million each to multinational military aid initiatives: the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine fund and the UK and Latvia-led Drone Coalition. These funds are intended to provide both lethal and non-lethal equipment and support.

An additional NZD 7 million (around $4.1 million) will fund humanitarian relief for communities inside Ukraine, while NZD 1 million ($600,000) is allocated to help Ukrainians displaced in neighboring countries.

No invitation—not even a mention: Ukraine to be left out of NATO’s summit statement

Political context and timing

The announcement came just before Luxon’s scheduled participation in the NATO Summit in The Hague. Speaking to media in Brussels, he emphasized New Zealand’s principled stance.

“Its war of self-defense is well into its fourth year and our condemnation of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion remains undiminished,” he said, as quoted by 1News.

Luxon told reporters,

“There’ll be a lot of conversation, obviously, about the Middle East, but there’ll also be a lot of conversation about Ukraine as well. We may be a long way from these conflicts, but it’s important, if you’ve got values, that you stand up for them, you articulate them, and, where you can, put support to them.”

Zelenskyy: Russia using prisoner exchanges to delay sanctions, weaken US-Ukraine ties

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand would continue collaborating internationally “to uphold a rules-based order that serves all our interests.”

The aid also follows recently announced sanctions on Russian maritime logistics and supply actors, including what RNZ describes as Russia’s “shadow fleet”—a network of vessels and operations circumventing global restrictions.

Russian forces carried out a massive nighttime aerial assault on Kyiv and surrounding areas from 22 to 23 June, killing at least seven civilians and injuring over 30, according to local authorities. Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed that the capital was the main target in what they described as one of the largest air raids in recent weeks.

Air raid begins, drones launched from multiple directions

Suspilne reported that air raid sirens began in Kyiv Oblast at 22:52 on 22 June and in Kyiv city minutes before midnight. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russian forces launched 368 aerial weapons overnight including 352 Shahed explosive drones and decoy UAVs, as well as 16 Iskander ballistic and cruise missiles, from several locations across Russia.

Explosions across Kyiv, drone debris cause fires and injuries

As the Russian Shaheds neared the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said air defense systems were activated as explosions were heard in multiple city districts. In Solomianskyi, drone debris struck residential and commercial buildings. Two people were hospitalized and a fire broke out in a private housing area. In Holosiivskyi district, an office building was damaged. In Darniytskyi, wreckage fell on a two-story residential house. In Sviatoshynskyi, windows shattered and drone parts landed on a stadium, though no injuries were reported.

Waves ballistic missile attack

At approximately 2:30 a.m., Ukraine’s Air Force reported high-speed targets moving from Russian territory toward Bila Tserkva in Kyiv Oblast. Monitoring channels indicated that Russian forces had launched ballistic missiles. A series of explosions followed in Kyiv. The second wave of the missile assault came an hour later.

Shevchenkivskyi: Apartment building hit, at least six dead

According to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, an entire section of a multi-story residential building in Shevchenkivskyi district collapsed due to a direct hit.

As of 8:42 on 23 June, emergency services reported six fatalities, with the bodies of a couple retrieved from under the rubble. The State Emergency Service (DSNS) said “10 people, including two children and a pregnant woman,” were rescued from the wreckage. Thirteen others were injured, and search efforts continue.

Update: The Russian air attack injured at least 22 civilians in Kyiv city, with 12 of them hospitalized, Suspilne reported. 

Kyiv metro, cars and bus stops damaged

Kyiv’s city administration said a metro entrance at Sviatoshyn station and a nearby bus stop sustained damage. Fires broke out in multiple areas, including on vehicles and urban infrastructure. Three people injured in Sviatoshynskyi and more in Shevchenkivskyi.

Kyiv Oblast also hit: Homes, hotel, hospital damaged

In Kyiv Oblast, Governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported damage across three districts outside Kyiv city. In Bila Tserkva, a missile hit a two-story hotel containing a private hospital. One woman born in 1957 died from injuries, while two others were hospitalized. Kalashnyk added that fires erupted in residential areas in Bucha and Boryspil, destroying several one-family homes and vehicles.

Rescue operation ongoing, emergency workers injured

The DSNS stated that two rescuers were injured during response efforts. Overall, eight people were injured in Kyiv Oblast alone, with most damage centered in Bila Tserkva and Bucha. Emergency services evacuated six critically ill patients from the burning hospital-hotel facility. Over 1,500 square meters burned, and multiple fire teams remain on scene.

“Russia has once again shown that the concept of a civilian object means nothing to it,” the Emergency Service wrote.

Air Force: 354/368 Russian aerial targets neutralized

By 09:00 on 23 June, the Air Force said it had neutralized 354 targets of 368 Russian aerial weapons.

• Of 352 drones launched from five locations in Russia, the air defenders took out 146 by direct fire and 193 through electronic warfare or radar suppression.
• Russia launched a total of Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, according to Ukraine, which reports shooting down seven, while three others were “locationally lost” — likely crashing after disappearing from radar.
• Additionally, all five Iskander-K cruise missiles were reportedly downed.

Operational Command North of Ukraine’s Ground Forces reported that its area of responsibility also saw action. Twenty Russian drones were reportedly shot down, six of them by the Siversk task unit and the rest by air defense components, including mobile teams and electronic warfare.

Today, there are a lot of important updates from Ukraine.

Here, as Ukraine ramps up its long-range strike capabilities, a breakthrough is taking shape, with German funding powering Ukraine’s first hypersonic missile launch. Backed by a five-billion-euro defense package, Ukraine’s Hrim-2 [thunder in Ukrainian] hypersonic missile is now entering serial production, marking a bold new chapter in Ukraine’s ability to hit deep behind Russian lines.

Ukraine has officially announced the development of its own domestically produced ballistic missile, the HRIM-2. After over a decade of delayed progress due to funding issues, the missile system is now entering serial production, accelerated by international military and financial support since the start of the full-scale war.

Notably, Germany has provided a new five-billion-euro defense package, which includes significant investments in the domestic production of Ukrainian long-range weapon systems, including the development and production of the new ballistic missile. This aid enabled the Ukrainians not only to develop the missile but also to initiate serial production of the Hrim-2 immediately after its development.

Notably, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense also announced that they had already conducted a successful field test of the missile. Ukrainians shared footage of this strike, adding that it was used to destroy a Russian command post on the east bank of the Dnipro River delta. This means that the Hrim-2 system is combat-tested and fully operational, opening the possibility of an increased number of similar precision strikes against Russian military targets deep behind the frontline. 

The Hrim-2 is launched from a specialized ground vehicle that fires it into the air using a solid propellant rocket engine, before following a set ballistic trajectory towards a stationary target. The Hrim-2 has an operational range of 300 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to Mach 5.2, or nearly 1.8 kilometers per second, making it a hypersonic missile. 

The 400-kilogram warhead allows for the destruction of hardened bunkers, logistics hubs, airbases, and ammunition depots, especially because these are stationary targets that are easy to trace. The capability of Hrim-2 to carry a heavy warhead for strikes within a 300-kilometer range marks a major leap forward for the Ukrainian precision strike capabilities, as the warhead is twice as big as that of Atacms, which Ukrainians were previously dependent on for similar precision strikes. 

Interestingly, these capabilities bring it comparably close to the Russian Iskander ballistic missiles, which have a similar payload of around 400 kilograms, while the Ukrainian Hrim-2 might soon catch up with or even exceed the Russians’ range of 400 kilometers as development continues.

The fact that it is launched from a mobile transport vehicle gives Ukrainians the ability to quickly move to a firing position, fire the missile hundreds of kilometers away from the frontline, and pull back before the Russians can strike back. Its immense speed of 1.8  kilometers per second is nearly twice as fast as the Atacms, and allows it to strike at its maximum range in under 3 minutes.

Furthermore, while Russian air defenses like the S-300 and S-400 are able to intercept targets at this speed on paper, as a missile enters the hypersonic range, a successful interception becomes increasingly unlikely. 

The fact that the Hrim-2 ballistic missile is a completely domestic product of the Ukrainian military industry, without a reliance on foreign components, makes it possible to quickly produce and fire in large numbers, costing 3 million US dollars, or 2.6 million euros, a piece.

The 5 billion euro defense package also secured this funding for Ukraine’s long-range strike drones, FPV drones, and drone interceptors. Notably this will also allow Ukraine to massively increase the production of the Liyuti long-range strike drones with a range of 2 thousand kilometers, Bars missile-drones with a range of 800 kilometers, and Flamingo high-speed drone-interceptors, which are an extremely cost-effective way to intercept the hundreds of Shaheds that Russia launches toward Ukraine each day.

Overall, the Ukrainians are rapidly developing their precision deep-strike capabilities, enabled by massive German funding. Additional funding into the Ukrainian military industry will likely continue, as Germany and the rest of NATO witness the potential and effectiveness of Ukrainian long-range precision strikes. All the while, Ukraine has a massive new weapon ready, with the first missiles already rolling of the production line.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on 22 June that Russia is systematically deploying educational and infrastructure projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, South Africa, and Egypt to entrench its political control under the pretense of development aid. These “soft power” operations involve Russian state corporations RZD and Rosatom, and are described by HUR as a destabilizing strategy masked as humanitarian engagement.

State rail company RZD expands reach across four African nations

According to HUR, the Kremlin-controlled railway giant RZD or Russian Railways is planning projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and South Africa. In May, RZD approved a strategic concept for expanding its humanitarian presence abroad through 2030.

The plan reportedly includes opening Russian-language schools and specialized lyceums (a type of secondary school with a focus on specialized or advanced studies, – Ed.), as well as offering scholarships to bring foreign students to Russian universities.

Joint university in South Africa part of broader loyalty-building effort

Another major initiative involves establishing a joint university in South Africa with Russian cooperation. The goal, according to HUR, is to attract students from across the African continent, indoctrinating them with pro-Kremlin narratives and forging long-term loyalty among future regional elites.

Russia invests in African education and cultural events to shape long-term pro-Moscow influence

Rosatom drives ideological control through nuclear-linked education

The Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom is also advancing plans targeting Egypt and the broader region. While it focuses on training nuclear power plant personnel, Rosatom’s scope extends further—toward building a loyal technological elite.

Ukraine’s intelligence notes that part of the plan includes creating a national education system aligned with Russian interests. Notably, the Kremlin is exploring the establishment of Russian university branches near nuclear sites in Egypt’s Alexandria, to facilitate long-term influence and personnel pipelines.

From India to Egypt: Leak reveals scope of sanctioned JSC Russian Helicopters’ international network

Andrii Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence, warned of the Kremlin’s true motives:

“Russian influence on Africa through infrastructure projects is a destabilizing factor, which under the cover of development aid leads to dependence on Moscow. Russians use this approach on a global scale.”

A Ukrainian drone strike led by military intelligence has destroyed a Russian train carrying fuel in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The attack, confirmed on 22 June by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), marks the second such strike in less than a month on a key railway corridor supplying Russian forces in southern Ukraine.

Fuel train hit near Molochansk

On 21 June, Petro Andriushchenko’s Telegram channel reported a Ukrainian attack on a Russian fuel train in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and later published a photo showing the aftermath of the attack near the railway stretch between Levadne and Molochansk in Tokmak district, about 35 km behind the lines.

“Right now (16:43, – Ed.), Defense Forces have struck and are finishing off a Russian train with tankers,” he wrote, noting that several fuel tankers caught fire.

Andriushchenko later reported that by 21:16, 11 tankers were ablaze and smoke was visible from up to 20 km away. According to him, “the rail track is destroyed — will take weeks to fix — meaning no fuel to the front lines for two weeks.”

Andriushchenko claimed on 22 June that the fire covered 18–20 tankers and was not extinguished by Russian forces as of 13:11. He wrote that Russia attempted to salvage some of the cargo by sending a locomotive to retrieve 15–20 tankers, pulling them toward Melitopol, but others were left to burn.

He added that Ukrainian drone operators struck the convoy “like a bowling alley,” destroying car after car during the night. 

HUR confirms success of drone-led operation

On 22 June, HUR officially confirmed the attack. The agency reported that its Kabul 9 unit carried out the strike in cooperation with Southern Ukraine Defense Forces, Alfa unit, and the Next group of the State Special Communications Service.

“The black smoke soared to the skies,” HUR wrote, noting that the burning tankers contained diesel and other fuel materials meant for Russian troops.

HUR’s video shows at least three points of conflagration and a large patch of scorched vegetation beside the train, but the distance and low clarity make it difficult to determine which and how many tank cars were damaged.

Previous attacks on same rail line

This is not the first Ukrainian strike on Russian military trains in the area. On 24 May, HUR’s strike drone pilots hit another Russian fuel train on the railway line between Verkhniy Tokmak, Molochansk, and Fedorivka.

Ukrainian drones hit Russian military train with fuel in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast (video)

Ukrainian forces continue to hold around 90 square kilometers of territory in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyy. He claims that the operation has blocked a planned Russian assault on the Pokrovsk direction in Donetsk Oblast by forcing the redeployment of enemy troops.

Liga reports on 22 June that General Syrskyy, speaking to journalists, has confirmed that Ukrainian forces remain in control of approximately 90 km² in the Glushkovo district of Kursk Oblast. He explained that the operation prevented a large-scale Russian advance toward Pokrovsk by anchoring enemy troops in place.

“Our active operations in the Glushkovo district of Kursk Oblast disrupted these plans. As a result, those units were not relocated to other directions. One of the brigades already moving toward the Pokrovsk direction was returned to Kursk,” Syrskyy said.

Syrskyy also highlighted that the Kursk operation had earlier drawn in nearly 63,000 Russian soldiers and about 7,000 North Korean troops, reducing pressure along other fronts and enabling Ukrainian forces to regroup.

The Ukrainian battlefield monitoring project Deep State’s map shows only 5.5 km² in Kursk Oblast as controlled by the Ukrainian forces.

Russia concentrates forces but stalls at Ukrainian border

Currently, roughly 10,000 Russian troops are engaged in combat within Glushkovo, according to Syrskyy. Meanwhile, near the Northeastern border in the Pivnichnoslobozhanskyi direction – north of Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, Russia has amassed around 50,000 personnel, including two airborne divisions, four main brigades, the 177th Marine Regiment from the Caspian Flotilla, and other units.

Despite the buildup, Russian forces advancing from Kursk into Sumy Oblast have been stopped just several kilometers inside Ukraine, along the line of Kindrativka, Andriivka, Yablunivka, and Yunakivka.

Syrskyy noted progress on the border:

“The situation there is stabilized. During this period, we reclaimed Andriivka, and in Yunakivka we advanced between 200 to 700 meters over the past week.”

Ukrainian forces launch assault on Yunakivka after liberating Andriivka in Sumy Oblast

Ukrainian defense forces have destroyed two high-value Russian radar systems — the Buk-M3 system’s anti-air radar and a Zoopark counterbattery radar — in targeted FPV drone strikes, according to official reports and video footage, Militarnyi reports.

UAV regiment strikes Buk-M3 radar

The 14th Separate UAV Regiment of Ukraine’s Drone Forces reported that it struck a radar system belonging to a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system. The radar, identified as the 9S36M Viking, was hit with two FPV drones.

The attack reportedly rendered the radar nonfunctional and immobile. Following the strike, footage was released by Ukrainian military units confirming the precision hit on the Russian radar equipment.

Zoopark radar destroyed mid-deployment

In a separate operation, the Ukrainian unit UA_REG TEAM reported hitting a Russian Zoopark-1 counterbattery radar, also with an FPV drone. The strike took place during the deployment of the radar, with the drone impacting directly into the antenna array of the 1L219 Zoopark system.

The published video shows the moment of impact. According to the unit, the hit caused such extensive damage that a full replacement of the radar components would be required for any potential restoration.

Russian radar losses continue to mount

Citing the OSINT project Oryx, tracking visually confirmed equipment losses, current Russian losses include 24 radar reconnaissance stations of the 1L219/1L261 Zoopark/M types. Additionally, 11 units of the low-altitude radar detection systems 9S36M “Viking” have now been lost, with six belonging to Buk-M2 systems and five to Buk-M3 systems.

Russia’s top officials have revived unproven allegations that Ukraine may use a “dirty bomb,” coinciding with ongoing discussions in the US and Europe on increasing military assistance to Ukraine. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on 20 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to a moderator’s question by issuing new nuclear-tinged threats—despite acknowledging there is no evidence behind the claim, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports.

Speaking at SPIEF, Putin warned that a Ukrainian use of a dirty bomb—a conventional explosive laced with radioactive material—would be a “colossal mistake.” He stated,

“Russia will respond proportionately to all threats,” and emphasized that such a response would be “catastrophic” for Ukraine.

However, he also admitted that “there is no evidence” that Ukraine plans to use such a weapon.

Medvedev resorts to nuclear blackmail, amplifying non-existing threat

The day after Putin’s comments, on 21 June, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev escalated the rhetoric further. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Medvedev stated that Russia would respond with a tactical nuclear weapon if Ukraine used a dirty bomb against Russian targets. His remarks followed the same narrative outlined by Putin, despite the lack of substantiating evidence.

Russia shields Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Zelenskyy warns

Narrative aims to disrupt Western military support

The ISW noted in its 21 June assessment that the Kremlin’s reintroduction of the dirty bomb narrative mirrors similar tactics used in March and October 2022. At those times, Russian officials also intensified nuclear threats, which ISW assessed were designed to slow down Western military aid to Ukraine and weaken allied unity.

“Russian officials are likely reintroducing this narrative amid ongoing debates in the United States and Europe about further aiding Ukraine,” ISW wrote.

A nationwide poll shows that only about one in three Poles believe president-elect Karol Nawrocki will sustain strong ties with Ukraine, while concerns also loom over his readiness to act as commander-in-chief.

The survey, conducted for news outlet Onet on 13–14 June among 1,017 adults, found just 32.6% of respondents expected Nawrocki to “definitely” or “rather” maintain good relations with Kyiv, Polskie Radio reports. By contrast, 40.3% said they believed he “rather not” or “definitely not” would. Another 27% had no opinion.

Among voters of the conservative opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, which endorsed Nawrocki’s presidential run, 61.2% expressed confidence in his ability to manage ties with Kyiv. Meanwhile, only 34.8% of Third Way voters agreed, with sharp skepticism among centrist Civic Coalition (KO) supporters — 65.3% of whom anticipated poor relations under Nawrocki. A majority of Left voters (57.6%) echoed that concern, while Confederation supporters were more optimistic, with 47.5% expecting smooth relations.

Poland’s newly elected president says he is “currently” against Ukraine’s accession to EU

Mixed views on military leadership

Public opinion is also split over Nawrocki’s capability as Poland’s commander-in-chief. According to the poll, 44% of respondents said he would perform well in the role, compared with 36% who said he would not. Another 20% remained undecided.

Support again varied across the political spectrum. An overwhelming 86.9% of PiS voters and 81.3% of far-right Confederation supporters expressed confidence in his leadership of the armed forces. In contrast, just 16% of KO voters and 20.2% of those aligned with the Left shared that sentiment.

A narrow election win and polarized expectations

Karol Nawrocki narrowly won that presidential run-off on 2 June, with 50.89% of votes, defeating liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and is set to be sworn in on 6 August for a five-year term.

Despite supporting continued military assistance to Ukraine, Nawrocki’s opposition to Kyiv’s EU and NATO aspirations and his proposal to curb refugee aid have fueled doubts.

Ukraine has acquired its first lightweight two-seater SHARK aircraft from Czech-Slovak firm SHARK.AERO, equipped with an electronic warfare system specifically tailored to counter drone threats like Shahed and Orlan. This aircraft should not be confused with the Ukrainian high-resolution reconnaissance drone Shark, developed by Ukrspecsystems.

Aircraft unveiled at Paris Air Show

According to Militarnyi, French aviation analyst Ate Chuet reported the delivery after meeting a SHARK.AERO representative during the 2025 Paris Air Show. The company spokesperson explained their design approach:

“We decided to create a SHARK focused on electronic warfare in Ukraine. We simply equipped it with an antenna for detecting and tracking drone threats. We can detect the electromagnetic profiles of different drones such as Shahed, Orlan, etc. Once detected, we can neutralize them with jammers mounted under the aircraft.”

Russia targeted Ukraine with 440 drones and 32 missiles in deadly overnight attack, Ukrainian Air Force says

How the EW system works

The Shark’s electronic warfare (EW) suite consists of two components: one targets the GNSS positioning system, and the other jams the video and control links of drones. The jamming container is mounted under the aircraft’s fuselage, aligned with its center of mass. Operating at an altitude of 1800 meters, it can suppress enemy systems within a 4.5-kilometer radius.

Tactical capabilities against guided drones

While Shahed drones also use inertial navigation systems in addition to GNSS, such systems are primarily intended to compensate for deviations in small, jamming-affected zones. Since these systems accumulate error over time, extended jamming via airborne platforms like the Shark can significantly divert drones from their intended paths, even if it does not cause immediate failure.

The aircraft’s cruising range at 270 km/h is approximately 2,000 kilometers, and in fuel-saving mode, it can stay airborne for nearly 12 hours. The maximum speed is 300 km/h.

The Shark is also equipped with a parachute system capable of safely landing the entire aircraft in emergencies, which can be triggered by either the pilot or navigator. For high-altitude operations, it includes an oxygen generator, allowing it to fly up to 5,500 meters.

Russia’s wartime economy—once portrayed by the Kremlin as resilient in the face of Western sanctions—is now faltering, Fortune reports. A key minister warned the country is “on the brink” of recession amid labor shortages, inflation nearing 10%, and a steep downturn in industrial output, all fueled by years of massive war spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on 19 June, Russia’s economy minister Maksim Reshetnikov publicly acknowledged the looming crisis. “On the brink,” he warned, confirming warnings from analysts who had long predicted that Russia’s war-dependent economy would face structural collapse.

His remarks mark a rare admission from within the Russian government that the invasion of Ukraine and the militarization of the economy are causing more harm than officials had let on.

ISW: Putin’s economic forum now a tool to spread wartime optimism

How military spending masked decline

After launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, the Kremlin turned to what economists described as “military Keynesianism”—funneling massive funds into the defense sector to keep GDP growing. In 2021, Russia spent 3.6% of GDP on defense. By 2025, that figure had surged to 6.3%, exceeding the US share.

The strategy temporarily boosted wages and industrial production, with the defense sector reaching a value of $167 billion last year. But the short-term growth masked deeper problems—chief among them, a chronic labor shortage and vanishing productivity.

ISW: Russia wants to modernize army for long war with Ukraine and possible NATO confrontation

Labor shortages reach critical levels

Analysts like Nicholas Fenton of the Center for Strategic and International Studies point to Russia’s severe workforce deficit. The problem worsened drastically due to war: hundreds of thousands of combat deaths, over one million people fleeing the country, and mass mobilizations have drained the labor force.

In 2022 alone, the number of workers aged 16 to 35 dropped by 1.33 million. This demographic collapse is the worst since at least 1996.

Economist Elina Ribakova of the Peterson Institute compared the situation to “a game of musical chairs,” where inflated wages make war seem materially appealing even as long-term consequences mount. “You want the music going,” she said, calling the situation “morbid.”

Zelenskyy: Russia using prisoner exchanges to delay sanctions, weaken US-Ukraine ties

Wages rise—but so does inflation

Real wages have increased in war-related sectors, but without any matching rise in productivity. That imbalance has triggered widespread inflation, which hit 9.52% last year—up from 7.42% in 2023.

The manufacturing sector—closely tied to defense—saw its steepest decline in nearly three years this spring. Industrial production rose just 0.2% year-on-year, the lowest in two years.

With prices surging, the central bank raised interest rates to 20% in June. Yet even with tight monetary policy, its growth forecast for 2025 remains between just 1% and 2%.

Oil revenues offer temporary relief

Russia’s dependence on oil and gas remains a core vulnerability. These exports account for roughly 20% of GDP, but falling global oil prices and reduced exports in early 2025 forced the Kremlin to revise its budget deficit.

Geopolitical shifts have briefly improved outlooks. The escalation between Israel and Iran has driven up oil prices, offering Russia short-term fiscal breathing room. But analysts say that won’t last.

Israel’s attack on Iran may have revived Moscow’s oil revenues for war

Isolation and sanctions keep pressure high

Even with oil revenue fluctuations, Russia remains shut out of global capital. Sanctions persist, and the exodus of US and other Western companies continues to leave a void in investment and innovation.

Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said even with Donald Trump’s friendlier stance on Russia, any economic restoration would come at a political price.

Ukraine formally presented the United States with a comprehensive list of military equipment it seeks to purchase, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during a press briefing on 21 June.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko and Presidential Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak delivered the weapons package list to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during meetings in Canada, which covered both a mineral resources agreement and Ukraine’s defense procurement needs, Suspilne News reports.

“They handed Bessent the weapons package we need. We will await feedback,” Zelenskyy stated, describing the submission as involving “a very large sum.”

The requested equipment includes Patriot air defense systems to protect its critical civilian infrastructure, such as electrical grids, residential areas, hospitals, and schools, from increasingly intense Russian missile and drone attacks.

Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s financial commitment to the purchase, saying the country is “ready to find the money for this entire package.”

Zelenskyy outlined his diplomatic objectives, stating:

“We need greater certainty and stronger pressure from the world on Putin – this is necessary for diplomacy.” 

In April 2025, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced Ukraine’s readiness to spend $30 to $50 billion to purchase a comprehensive US defense package, primarily focused on vital air defense systems like the Patriot batteries, which he views as essential not only for ongoing protection during the war but also as a long-term security guarantee.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is not seeking free assistance but is prepared to pay for the equipment, offering flexible payment options, including direct payments or through funds tied to agreements on rare mineral resources.

The minerals deal involves the creation of a joint investment fund in April 2025 to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction through revenues generated from future extraction of critical minerals, oil, and gas, with the US ensuring it is first in line to access these resources before Ukraine offers them to other countries.

However, plans for discussing the matter of buying weapons with Trump during the G7 summit in Canada were disrupted when the US president departed the event early. Trump is also avoiding a meeting with Zelenskyy at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, focusing instead on other priorities like increasing defense spending and the Middle East tensions. 

The most recent US aid package of $500 million was announced in January under the Biden administration, with Ukraine reportedly receiving 90% of previously allocated weapons by March.

Ukrainian Defense Forces launched an assault toward Yunakivka in Sumy Oblast after liberating the village of Andriivka earlier in June, top Ukrainian general Oleksandr Syrskyi says, according to Militarnyi. Units reportedly advanced between 200 and 700 meters over a week, dislodging Russian troops from several positions.

Claimed tactical gains along the northern frontline

According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian troops initiated offensive operations near Yunakivka, a key logistics hub halway between Sumy city and the Russian border. He made the statement during a press event attended by a Miliatarnyi correspondent on 22 June. The assault reportedly builds on momentum after Andriivka was reclaimed in early June by the 225th Separate Assault Battalion, located about 5 kilometers from the Russian border.

Syrskyi emphasized that the Russian military’s reliance on small assault units lacking heavy equipment created a window for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Despite the limited nature of the enemy’s firepower, Ukrainian forces have made measurable progress in pushing them back.

Andriivka reclaimed amid rising battlefield momentum

Ukrainian forces declared Andriivka liberated on 14 June. A day earlier, on 13 June, Deputy Head of Sumy District Council Volodymyr Bitsak said Russian attacks in the area had been halted, paving the way for a counterstrike. Soon after, the 225th Separate Assault Battalion published a photo of documents belonging to a killed Russian major, Andrey Yartsev. Born in 1974, Yartsev had commanded a battalion within Russia’s 30th Motor Rifle Regiment operating in the area.

WSJ: Russia wants the West to believe it’s winning in Ukraine

Continued resistance and complex conditions on the ground

The Ukrainian frontline monitoring project DeepState reports that the situation remains tense. Their analysis highlights particularly challenging conditions on the Novomykolaivka–Varachyne–Yablunivka–Yunakivka axis, where Russian forces are attempting to consolidate control.

DeepState also pointed to Russian activity near the village of Loknia.

“Special attention should be paid to the Loknia area, where the enemy is trying to push east of the village and establish positions in the forest toward Sadky. If their infantry enters this area, it will be extremely difficult to drive them out,” analysts warned., 

First there were cope cages: metal grills surrounding a vehicle. After that—turtle tanks with sheets of metal attached to their cages. Now the Russians are adding metal quills to more and more armored vehicles, transforming them into “porcupine” vehicles.

A striking image of a bizarre modification to a Russian armored engineering vehicle is the latest evidence that a layer of metal spikes—like the quills of a porcupine—can protect vehicles from some types of explosive drone.

A photo recently circulated online depicting a Russian BREM engineering vehicle, based on the chassis of a T-62 tank. But it wasn’t just any BREM. No, this vehicle sports seemingly hundreds of lengths of rebar or some other thick metal wiring, jutting from an anti-drone screen bolted to the vehicles’ hull.

Both sides in Russia’s 40-month wider war on Ukraine use BREMs to tow disabled vehicles, help build fortifications and breach the enemy’s own fortifications. Traveling near the line of contact, BREMs are in constant danger from the thousands of tiny first-person-view drones that prowl the 1,100-km front every day.

So it makes sense that the Russians would up-armor their BREMs. What’s surprising is that they’re adding porcupine armor in addition to the standard cope cage. One month after the first Russian porcupine vehicle appeared along the front line, there’s mounting evidence that the strange armor is becoming standard on the Russian side.

Which means it may spread to the Ukrainian side, too—as Russian anti-drone innovations have tended to do.

The first prominent Russian porcupine vehicle, a BMP with hundreds of quills, didn’t last long. Apparently immobilized by a mine or some other munition shortly after first appearing around the town of Troitske in Donetsk Oblast in mid-May, the BMP was blown up by Ukraine’s famed Birds of Magyar drone group, which flew an explosive FPV directly through an open hatch on the idling BMP.

The porcupine vehicle’s fiery fate may not have been the fault of its add-on metal spikes. An unmoving vehicle is an easy target for any skilled FPV pilot. On the move, a vehicle with quills may be able to deflect most FPVs before they can strike the vehicle’s hull.

Proliferating porcupines

It’s for that reason that more Russian vehicles are getting porcupine armor. In late May, Russia’s Zvezda T.V. news broadcast a report on a Russian tank unit on the Pokrovsk front in eastern Ukraine—and the tanks all had rebar spines, similar to the spines on the BMP. 

The spines are the fourth layer of anti-drone defense on those particular tanks. First, the tanks’ own armor offers some protection—although there are lots of weak spots on the top, in the rear, along the treads and between the turret and hull.

On top of the baseline armor, the tanks have cope cages. The spines are the third layer. “Bundles of metal wire like these are welded directly onto the cope cage,” Zvevda noted.

“Before a combat mission, they are fluffed up,” Zvezda continued. That is, the crew bends the quills outward. “The tanks turn into an iron hedgehog”—porcupine is more accurate—“and when FPV drones attack, they run into these needles.”

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The fourth layer of protection comes from the short-range radio-jammers that can be found on many Russian vehicles. That the Russians are adding additional layers of physical protection points to possible issues with the jammers.

It’s also possible the metal spines themselves might interfere with the jammers’ signals, according to the pro-Ukrainian Conflict Intelligence Team. “It raises questions about how such modifications affect the effectiveness of [electronic warfare] systems,” CIT noted.

But if the jammers are already ineffective—a distinct possibility given Ukraine drone operators’ transition to frequency-hopping controls or even fiber-optic drones that don’t rely on wireless radio links—why not try spines?

There’s another risk, however. It’s already difficult for the crews of up-armored tanks to escape their vehicles after taking a hit. The spines could exacerbate the issue. CIT wondered aloud whether porcupine armor may “hinder the crew’s ability to quickly exit the vehicle.”

It’s clear the Russians are willing to risk electronic interference and crew access if it means a vehicle stands a greater chance of blocking FPVs. The tiny drones now account for the majority of vehicle losses on both sides.

Explore further

Russia tests new anti-drone “porcupine” tank. Ukraine’s drones still win.

Ukraine will not participate in a leaders-level NATO Council meeting at next week’s summit in The Hague, reflecting the United States’ reluctance to emphasize the ongoing war that Trump had promised to resolve “quickly.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been invited only to 24 June’s opening dinner and will not take part in the summit’s main sessions, unnamed sources told Politico.

The exclusion represents “another concession” to the US, which wants to avoid highlighting the ongoing war that Trump pledged to end during his presidential campaign.

The decision contrasts with NATO’s official summit program, which shows a Ukraine-NATO Council working dinner scheduled for 24 June but at the foreign minister level, chaired by the alliance’s Deputy Secretary General rather than heads of state.

Trump also avoided meeting Zelenskyy at the recent G7 summit, signaling a cooling of direct US support for Ukraine at these high-profile events.

Zelenskyy’s attendance uncertain

President Zelenskyy said 21 June that he remained undecided about attending the summit, despite receiving an invitation from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. NATO officials have confirmed that “Ukraine will be with us in The Hague,” though the extent of Ukrainian participation now appears limited.

Earlier, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans revealed that he is actively working to secure Zelenskyy’s participation in the NATO summit scheduled for 24-25 June in The Hague. He said that the Netherlands welcomes him at every meeting, exploring alternative formats for his involvement. Brekelmans also reaffirmed that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership remains irreversible despite skepticism.

Europe defense spending increase takes priority

The restricted Ukrainian presence aligns with the Trump administration’s broader approach to the summit, which sources describe as focused primarily on securing increased defense spending commitments from European allies.

The 32-nation alliance plans to pledge dramatically higher defense expenditures, reaching 5% of gross domestic product split between 3.5 percent for direct military needs and 1.5% for broader defense-related efforts, according to Politico’s sources. This represents a significant jump from the current 2% target established in 2014.

“They would never have agreed to 5% without Trump,” an administration official told the outlet anonymously. “So he sees this as a major victory.”

Trump intends to deliver a speech on 25 June following the summit’s conclusion to highlight the new spending commitments and his role in achieving them. The focus on defense budgets reflects the president’s longstanding demands for European allies to shoulder more responsibility for their own security.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have inflicted over $10 billion in damages on Russian territory through targeted drone strikes between January and May 2025, according to Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Ukrainian “DeepStrike” drone operations caused direct damages at $1.3 billion from destroyed oil refining facilities, energy infrastructure, logistics networks, and transport systems, Suspilne reports.

The larger portion of claimed losses—$9.5 billion—represents indirect economic impact from enterprise shutdowns, transportation network disruptions, and blocked logistics chains following the strikes.

Ukrainian officials assess the cost-effectiveness of their DeepStrike operations at a ratio of 1 to 15, meaning each dollar spent generates approximately $15 in Russian losses, according to military calculations. The program utilizes drones capable of autonomous operation across long distances while maintaining precision targeting capabilities.

Syrskyi indicated the deep-strike operations will continue with expanded scope.

“We will increase the scale and depth,” he told journalists, emphasizing that Ukrainian forces target “purely military objects” rather than civilians.

Ukraine dominates in FPV drones, Russia — fiber-optic drones

Syrskyi also acknowledged that while Ukraine maintains superiority in FPV (first-person view) drone quantities, Russia gained ground in fiber-optic controlled drones, which are connected to their operators via cable. 

“Unfortunately, they have an advantage here both in quantity and in the range of their application,” Syrskyi stated. “We have examples where fiber-optic drones fly distances up to 40 km (24 miles). We are currently catching up in this process.”

Syrskyi noted that Ukraine also develops its own fiber-optic capabilities, producing drones equipped with 20-km (12 miles) cables.

This cable-based connection makes fiber-optic drones immune to electronic warfare tactics such as jamming and signal interception, which commonly disrupt or take control of FPV drones.

However, fiber-optic drones require reinforced frames and upgraded motors to handle the weight and drag of the cable spool, and their maneuverability is somewhat limited due to the risk of the cable snagging on obstacles.

Ukraine has significantly weakened Russia’s artillery advantage, but now faces a growing threat from drones. As Forbes tech correspondent David Hambling reports, both sides are turning to drones for faster, more precise strikes—reshaping how the war is fought.

Ukrainian drone teams use radar systems like the US-made AN/TPQ-36 and locally produced acoustic sensors to detect firing positions. But drones are critical for pinpointing exact targets.

“Drones are essential for confirming the exact location of artillery,” said ‘Michael,’ commander of Ukraine’s Typhoon drone unit.

Precision strikes and rapid response

Visual observation with powerful zoom cameras is often the most effective way to locate Russian guns—especially while they’re firing.

“Muzzle flashes, smoke, or movement make them visible,” Michael explained.

Once a gun is confirmed, drones strike quickly—often faster than artillery. Though a drone travels at 100 mph, it can hit faster than a 700-mph shell because it homes in directly on the moving target. “With FPV drones… the first strike often hits,” said Michael. “With artillery, it often takes several rounds.”

Self-propelled guns are vulnerable when on the move, but even towed guns—though harder to destroy—can be taken out with precision hits to specific parts like the breech or towing vehicle. Videos from units like Birds of Magyar show drones hovering inches from targets before detonating.

Russian drones on the rise

Despite still having large artillery stockpiles, Russia is also rapidly expanding drone use.

“We’re observing several hundred FPV strikes per day,” said Michael.

Russia plans to produce 2 million FPV drones in 2025—nearly matching artillery shell output. Recon drones remain ever-present. “There’s no sign of a shortage,” Michael noted.

What’s notable is that drones were once seen as a Ukrainian fallback due to limited artillery. Now, even Russia—despite its superior stocks—is leaning heavily on drones for precision strikes.

A new kind of war

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi recently stated that Russia’s long-range firepower has been halved. But the transition from heavy artillery to high-precision drone warfare is redefining how the war is fought.

As Hambling writes: “The days of massed firepower will have passed. But the era of massed precision drone strikes will just be beginning.”

Fourteen political prisoners who were held in Belarus captivity were freed following a meeting between Belarus’s authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg.

The group included prominent opposition figures, journalists, and activists who had been imprisoned on charges ranging from organizing mass riots to extremist activities.

Trump administration secures release after Kellogg meets Lukashenko

The prisoner release came at the direct request of US President Donald Trump, according to Lukashenko’s spokesperson Natalia Eismont. John Cole, Kellogg’s deputy, also attributed the success to Trump’s “strong leadership.”

The breakthrough followed a six-and-a-half-hour meeting on 21 June between Lukashenko and Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, who became the highest-ranking American official to visit Belarus in years.

The last senior US official to visit Belarus was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020, with only lower-level diplomats traveling there since, including a February 2025 visit focused on prisoner releases. 

The negotiations in Minsk covered American and European sanctions against Belarus, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and Belarus’s relations with Russia and China, according to Eismont.

Reuters had previously reported that sources described Kellogg’s trip as potentially helping to restart peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia after they have stalled in recent weeks, though the primary focus appeared to be securing the prisoner release.

Opposition couple reunites after five-year separation

The most prominent figure among those freed was Sergei Tikhanovsky, whose release reunited him with his wife Svetlana after five years of imprisonment. The couple’s story became central to Belarus’s 2020 pro-democracy movement, which emerged from the largest anti-government protests in the country’s history.

The 2020 protests were triggered by a presidential election in which Lukashenko sought a sixth term. After official results declared Lukashenko the winner, the opposition and much of the public rejected the results as falsified, with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya claiming she had actually won 60-70% of the vote. The protests were met with violent crackdowns, mass arrests, torture, and documented abuse by human rights organizations.

Sergei Tikhanovsky, a YouTuber and video blogger, had become well-known for criticizing Lukashenko’s regime through grassroots activism. In May 2020, he announced his intention to run for president but was arrested days later in what was widely viewed as a politically motivated move to prevent his candidacy.

When authorities barred Sergei from running, Svetlana decided to campaign in his place. Despite Lukashenko’s dismissive remarks about a woman leading the country, she quickly became the main opposition candidate and symbol of the pro-democracy movement. Following the contested election and amid threats to her safety, she was forced into exile in Lithuania but continued leading the opposition from abroad.

Sergei was subsequently convicted on charges including organizing mass riots and sentenced to 18 years in a strict-regime colony.

Lukashenko’s spokesperson said his release was decided “for humanitarian reasons, to reunite the family,” though she described him as among those “convicted of extremist and terrorist activities.”

“Sergei is free. Next to me and the children. What our family has dreamed of for these 5 years and what we have all worked toward since his arrest has happened. Sergei’s release is a step toward the liberation of all political prisoners and all of Belarus,” Tikhanovskaya said.

Other released prisoners include journalists and activists, most — foreign nationals

Among 14 freed prisoners, six were Belarusians and others were foreign nationals — two Japanese citizens, three Polish citizens, two Latvian citizens, and citizens of Estonia, Sweden, and the US. The prisoners were met by Tikhanovskaya and her advisor Franak Viachorka, in Lithuania, an EU and NATO country located close to Belarus.

One of the released was Igor Korney, a journalist for the Belarusian broadcasting service of Radio Free Europe, imprisoned for his independent journalism work criticizing the government. 

An Italian teacher Natalia Dulina was detained in 2022 for her participation in protests against the regime and set free in 2025.  

According to Nasha Niva publication, other freed individuals include Belarusian activist Akihiro Gayevsky-Hanada, a Swedish-Belarusian citizen Galina Krasnyanskaya charged for supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and Kirill Balakhonov, who was convicted in the “Union of Belarusian National Shield” case.

In 2022, Belarusian security forces arrested five young men for forming and participating in the “Union of Belarusian National Shield,” which authorities classified as an “extremist organization.” The group’s social media presence emerged after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Members opposed Russian aggression against Ukraine, supported anti-government protests in Belarus, and backed the Kastus Kalinouski volunteer regiment, whose fighters defend Ukraine.

“You are free. I know it’s hard to get used to,” Tikhanovskaya told the released prisoners. “And then — whoever has the strength — we join in and continue working, because thousands of people are still there [in captivity].”

Residents of Tucson, a city in southern Arizona near the US-Mexico border, were startled earlier this week when a group of helicopters, including a rare Russian-designed Mi-17 “Hip,” conducted low-flying nighttime maneuvers as part of a previously undisclosed US military training operation.

While domestic urban training is not uncommon for US forces, this incident stood out for its secrecy and the presence of unusual aircraft.

Social media captures mysterious choppers

Videos began circulating on Instagram the night of 17 June, showing a gray-painted Mi-17 flying in formation with three Bell 407 helicopters just outside Tucson. One clip was filmed near an abandoned school, later confirmed by local authorities as the training site.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the helicopters were affiliated with the US military. However, Sheriff Chris Nanos admitted to KOLD News 13 that his office was not notified in advance.

“The only thing I knew was that there was a lot of noise, flash bangs, helicopters, personnel, lights, sirens, that type of stuff,” Nanos said.

Links to elite army aviation unit suspected

A report by The War Zone (TWZ) suggests the Mi-17 spotted over Tucson strongly resembles helicopters operated by the Aviation Technology Office (ATO) — a highly secretive US Army aviation unit based at Felker Army Airfield in Virginia. ATO is believed to specialize in clandestine support and cutting-edge aircraft testing.

The Mi-17’s configuration — including armor plating, advanced sensors, and radar — matches aircraft previously attributed to ATO. The unit also operates Bell 407s, which have been seen flying alongside ATO Mi-17s in earlier covert operations, including an emergency landing in North Carolina in 2021.

Local officials apologize for lack of notice

KOLD reported that the sheriff’s SWAT team helped coordinate the use of the school as a training site weeks in advance, but communication with the public fell short.

“This was on us,” Sheriff Nanos said. “We could easily have said, use our location [elsewhere] at 10 p.m. I don’t understand what the thinking was there.”

Nanos pledged better coordination in the future and apologized for the confusion caused.

US use of Mi-17s not new

While seeing a Russian-designed helicopter over a US city may seem strange, Mi-17s have been used for years by the US military and intelligence agencies. The CIA and Department of Defense have employed the type for training, logistics, and covert missions, especially in regions like Afghanistan, where the platform is common among local forces.

The Mi-17’s global footprint makes it a valuable platform for realistic training, even when those missions remain officially unacknowledged.

Russian forces conducted widespread attacks across Ukraine during the night of 22 June, launching 47 drones and three missiles that resulted in civilian casualties and significant property damage.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 18 drones with conventional weapons while electronic warfare systems neutralized another 10, according to the Air Force.

The deadliest attack occurred in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, where a Russian airstrike destroyed a private residential house. Emergency workers recovered the body of a 17-year-old boy from the rubble, according to Donetsk Regional Military Administration head Vadym Filashkin.

The same strike wounded three additional people and damaged at least 32 private houses, two administrative buildings, four multi-story buildings, one industrial facility, and three vehicles.

In nearby Kramatorsk, Russian forces partially destroyed a four-story apartment building. Rescuers freed a man born in 1955 from the debris and evacuated a woman and girl born in 2010 from a blocked fourth-floor apartment, according to the State Emergency Service. Officials said people may still be trapped under the rubble as rescue operations continue.

In Odesa Oblast, Russian attacks sparked fires at an emergency medical station, a garage with a vehicle inside, and a nearby residential building. Local fire brigades and rescue teams extinguished the blazes without reported casualties.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s 60-year-old Leopard tank switched from sniper mode—and Russian troops never saw it coming. They’re old. But Ukraine’s Leopard 1A5 tanks are back in the fight—because when you’re defending a place like Kostyantynivka, you use whatever still shoots straight.

Military

Kremlin concentrates 23% of its assaults in Ukraine on Sumy front to sell its victory and dodge US sanctions. Out of 695,000 Russian soldiers currently deployed in Ukraine, 52,000 are concentrated on the Sumy axis.

Frontline report: Drones become Ukraine’s top killer in modern warfare outpacing artillery in lethality. The shift toward drone-dominated warfare hasn’t eliminated artillery’s battlefield importance as Ukraine’s most effective units integrate both systems into coordinated kill chains.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine’s defense gets $4 billion boost to accelerate mass production of drone interceptors. Ukrainian forces shot down dozens of Russian drones on 20 June using new domestically developed interceptors. With G7 support, Kyiv is ramping up production to counter Russia’s rapidly escalating drone warfare.

Ukraine’s engine may power Turkish Baykar drone in international sixth-gen fighter jet project. Kyiv’s partnership in the GCAP program and local production of drone engines shows its growing integration into global military aviation innovation.

Intelligence: Russia does not rely on Iran anymore, prepares to unleash “swarms of death” on Ukraine. Ukraine urgently needs more air defense and AI-powered Interceptor drones to counter the growing aerial threat.

Ukraine may receive state-of-art NATO technologies, capable of destroying Russian glide bombs and drone swarms. The glide or guided bombs have been one of the main weapons of war.

Expert: Ukraine only in first episode of war of drones. Ukraine must innovate its drones against drones tactics to stay ahead in the rapidly changing war.

Kim Jong Un announces “leap forward” in defense industry with its new largest 5-hectare plant to boost arms exports to Russia. Russia refuses ceasefire with Ukraine while Pyongyang ramps up defense manufacturing and military involvement.

International

Zelenskyy: Russia using prisoner exchanges to delay sanctions, weaken US-Ukraine ties. President Zelenskyy warns that Moscow is exploiting humanitarian gestures like POW swaps to create an illusion of diplomacy, aiming to distract the West.

Zelenskyy: Sanction loopholes allow Russia to continue producing its “Oreshnik” intercontinental ballistic missiles with Western tech. He calls for urgent action to block the supply chain behind the Kremlin’s nuclear ambitions.

Not just monastery: Kremlin uses Orthodox nuns in Estonia to spread imperial ideology. Abbess appointed by Patriarch Kirill accused of echoing Russian state propaganda on European religious persecution.

“Come see eyes of those whose children were killed”: Ukraine’s UN envoy urges Security Council to witness Russia’s terror firsthand. Ukraine’s envoy to the UN warned the Security Council that millions of lives, including his own family’s, are now hanging by a thread.

US special envoy for Ukraine meets Belarus leader, Russia’s key ally. Keith Kellogg became the highest-ranking American official to visit Belarus in years after the country became nearly totally isolated internationally since the violent suppression of mass protests following the 2020 disputed presidential election.

Trump says US shouldn’t match NATO 5% defense spending he demands from allies. The US president cited decades of US financial support that he claims “covered almost 100% of the costs” for the military alliance and singled out Spain and Canada for low NATO defense contributions.

Polish theater moves Ukrainian flag indoors following threats and attacks. The move follows an incident where a supporter of far-right politician physically tore down the flag and allegedly threatened the director.

US slashes independent news Voice of America staff to under 200 — gift to authoritarian regimes. Eliminating VOA allows “Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and extremist groups” to dominate global information without American counter-narratives.

Politico: Middle East tensions derail EU plan to slash Russian oil price cap aimed at squeezing war funding. The proposed reduction from $60 to $45 per barrel was originally included in the EU’s 18th sanctions package expected for adoption in June but abandoned after G7 countries agreed the timing was inappropriate as “the situation is too volatile.”

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia hits Ukraine’s energy grid, injures civilians and leaves deadly cluster bombs. Russian forces launched both drones and missiles on central Poltava Oblast, damaging energy infrastructure and residential buildings.

Russia tricks Central Asian workers into Ukraine war with fake job promises. Two Uzbek and Tajik migrants born in 1984 are among the latest foreign nationals killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Russian recruited with promises of quick money

Political and legal developments

Putin demands Ukraine recognizes annexed territories as Russian if Kyiv wants to prevent future conflict. In 2022, Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions, some parts of which are not even occupied fully, via sham referendums under military control, making them illegal under international law.

Ukraine calls Putin “mass murderer of his people” after he claims Russia owns all land where its soldiers step. Kyiv says Russia won’t stop unless the world makes it pay.

The idol, the butcher: Expanding gap in attitudes toward Stalin reflects Ukraine and Russia’s diverging identities. Attitudes toward Stalin have become a powerful symbol of the deep divide between the two countries.

Man detained in Finland for illegally crossing the border with Russia. Border guards in Southeast Finland arrested a Finnish man Friday following his suspected illegal crossing into Russia and back, marking another incident in the region’s series of recent border violations.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a significant statement in which she clearly distinguished Russia’s war against Ukraine from Israel’s strikes on Iran, Deutsche Welle reports.

According to her, Russia’s full-scale invasion constitutes a blatant violation of the international order, whereas Israel’s actions are of a different nature.

“I don’t fully agree that Israel is violating international law. When a country’s existence is being questioned by Iran or Hamas, it’s not so easy to respond strictly within the framework of international law,” the ex-German chancellor says.

Merkel emphasizes that in Israel’s case, it is about the right to self-defense in the face of threats to the state’s very existence. At the same time, she pointed out clearly that Ukraine posed no such threat.

“Ukraine never threatened Russia — and yet it was attacked,” adds Merkel, underscoring Russia’s breach of international law.

Earlier, Herman Pirchner, president of the American Foreign Policy Council, said a potential US strike on a major Iranian nuclear program may force Moscow to reconsider its approach to the war in Ukraine.

US strike on Iran could force Moscow to imagine what real strength feels like, says expert

Such a decision could impact Moscow’s calculus, as they have yet to see a firm response from the US President Donald Trump administration, as America has not yet responded strongly to any of the Russian attacks, which have only intensified amid peace efforts.

For Russia, it is important to sever America’s support for Ukraine and stop the aid. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reveals the Kremlin’s scheme, which cleverly uses prisoner exchanges as a tool to delay the negotiation process with Ukraine, Suspilne reports.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia aims to distract the US and other partners by showing diplomatic gestures, allowing it to postpone the introduction of new sanctions.

“If you look at the exchanges, which were already happening without agreements but were not so massive, we understand that, on a global scale, it was needed by the ‘Russians.’ For the ‘Russians,’ it was important to cut America off from Ukraine, to stop the aid,” explains the president.

He emphasizes that for Russia, it is important to hold several meetings with the Ukrainian side, preferably without US participation, to show Washington a “diplomatic process.”

“How can you end a meeting positively? With exchanges. For that, a corresponding number of exchanges is needed,” Zelenskyy adds. 

The Ukrainian president also warns that Moscow plans to “drag out the Istanbul talks — to delay sanctions and so on.” Ukraine faces a difficult choice: “to continue like this or to take another path.”

Earlier, Zelenskyy said Russia continues to manufacture its Oreshnik, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, involving dozens of companies, most of which remain unsanctioned. He highlighted this as a glaring loophole in the international pressure on Russia’s military-industrial complex.

This missile can be intercepted only with advanced systems such as THAAD or Arrow 3. 

Zelenskyy: Sanction loopholes allow Russia to continue producing its “Oreshnik” intercontinental ballistic missiles with Western tech

Russia continues to manufacture its Oreshnik, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, involving dozens of companies, most of which remain unsanctioned. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlights this as a glaring loophole in the international pressure on Russia’s military-industrial complex, UkrInform reports.

“Thirty-nine companies in Russia’s defense industry are involved in the production of the Oreshnik missile. What’s crucial: 21 of these 39 companies are not under any sanctions,” the president states.

According to Zelenskyy, these missiles cannot be produced without critical imported components, making comprehensive sanctions on all 39 companies urgently necessary.

“It’s completely unclear why these companies have not yet been sanctioned. Sanctions would definitely be effective, because as we’ve seen, Oreshnik is being produced slowly and with difficulty,” Zelenskyy claims.

He urges Ukraine’s partners to swiftly close this sanctions gap to limit the Kremlin’s ability to continue manufacturing strategic weapons systems that pose a threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire West.

On 20 June, during a massive aerial attack, Ukrainian forces shot down dozens of Russian drones due to new interceptors developed by Ukrainian companies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that this tool is no longer a rarity and is now actively used in the country’s defense, UkrInform reports. 

Four companies in Ukraine are working on interceptor production, two of which are showing significant success. Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine has reached agreements with international partners, Germany and Canada, to fund large-scale production.

According to the president, the G7 summit approved an increase in funding from $2 billion to $4 billion. This will accelerate the launch of mass production of advanced interceptors.

In addition, Ukraine has already signed contracts for record quantities of artillery systems and various types of drones. Zelenskyy stressed that the war demands a simultaneous buildup of both artillery and drones.

Earlier, the Ukrainian defense intelligence agency stated that Russia stockpiled over 6,000 strike drones and another 6,000 decoys, and its daily production rate is increasing, from 170 drones per day today to 190 drones per day by the end of 2025. 

Crucially, Moscow no longer relies on Iran: it has established a closed-loop production cycle for drones on Russian territory.

Ukraine may join the development of a sixth-generation fighter jet through the international Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), Defense Express reports. 

Importantly, GCAP covers not only the aircraft itself but also supporting systems, including drones. The Turkish Baykar Kızılelma drone is considered an escort drone, a multi-purpose aerial vehicle capable of carrying up to 1,500 kg of weapons: air-to-ground missiles, air-to-air missiles, and bombs.

Particular attention is drawn to the engine for this unmanned aerial vehicle— the fourth prototype of the Kızılelma is equipped with a Ukrainian AI-322F engine from SE Ivchenko-Progress.

Previously, AI-25TLT engines were used. Additionally, Baykar is building a factory in Ukraine, where production of the Kızılelma is planned.

This cooperation opens new opportunities for Ukraine in modern military technologies, aviation industry development, and integration into leading global defense programs.

Earlier, a report emerged saying Ukraine may receive cutting-edge technologies from NATO by the end of 2025. The Alliance has completed testing systems designed to counter Russian guided bombs and strike drones like the Shahed and is considering its delivery to Ukraine. 

Ukraine may receive cutting-edge technologies from NATO by the end of 2025. The Alliance has completed testing systems designed to counter Russian guided bombs and strike drones like the Shahed and is considering its delivery to Ukraine. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the Sumy axis has become one of the most intense battle zones, with 23% of all Russian attacks now concentrated there, UNIAN reports. 

According to him, Russia is pushing in this region to fabricate the illusion of success, which the Kremlin hopes to use as leverage to influence the US policy.

“The Russians want to ‘sell’ success in Sumy and Kharkiv. They desperately need victories on the front. Because without them, we believe President Trump is more likely to pressure them with sanctions,” Zelenskyy says.

The president reported that over 695,000 Russian soldiers are currently deployed in Ukraine, with additional forces massed along the Kursk and Belgorod axes, directly across from Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts.

“That means another contingent on the Sumy axis, about 52,000 troops,” he continues. 

Russia is increasingly using guided aerial bombs and North Korean missiles in an attempt to break through Ukrainian defenses. Yet, Zelenskyy noted that Russian advances remain minimal.

“This week, they advanced 200 meters toward Sumy, but we pushed them back by 200 to 400 meters,” he claims.

Also, Zelenskyy emphasizes that Russia is focused on severing US-Ukrainian ties. To achieve this, Moscow is pretending to pursue peace, hoping to delay sanctions and undermine American support. The aid is especially needed for Kyiv amid Russia’s summer offensive in the south, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and potentially Chernihiv oblasts. 

“They want to cut America off from Ukraine and stop the aid,” the Ukrainian president stresses.

Meanwhile, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin delivered his most aggressive rhetoric in months, claiming that Ukrainians and Russians are “one people” and that all of Ukraine belongs to Russia. His press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, officially confirmed that Russia does not want a ceasefire. 

The Kremlin is showing no intention of retreating, neither on the battlefield nor in negotiations. Russia’s position, Zelenskyy warns, makes it clear: the Kremlin isn’t seeking peace, only territorial expansion.

Russia has ramped up its production capabilities and can now launch up to 500 drones per day, including up to 300 strike drones such as the Geran-2 or Shahed-136 and Garpia-A1, and up to 200 decoy drones, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) told RBK-Ukraine.

According to HUR, Russia has already stockpiled over 6,000 strike drones and another 6,000 decoys, and its daily production rate is increasing, from 170 drones per day today to 190 drones per day by the end of 2025.

Crucially, Moscow no longer relies on Iran: it has established a closed-loop production cycle for drones on Russian territory.

Meanwhile, the Russian arsenal also includes more than 1,950 strategic missiles, including:

• Up to 500 Iskander-M ballistic missiles
• Up to 300 Iskander-K cruise missiles
• Up to 260 Kh-101 missiles (used by Tu-95, Tu-160 bombers)
• Up to 280 Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles (Tu-22M3 bombers)
• Over 400 Kalibr cruise missiles
• Up to 150 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles (MiG-31K)
• Up to 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles

The HUR reports that Russia manufactures up to 195 new missiles every month, posing a constant threat to Ukrainian infrastructure, defense, and civilians.

To counter this threat, Ukraine urgently needs more air defense systems, particularly the Patriot, which is among the few capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. However, even the most advanced air defenses may struggle against a mass swarm of drones launched simultaneously.

That’s why experts stress the need for autonomous AI-powered interceptor drones capable of operating independently from human control. This would allow for faster, scalable, and more resilient protection against UAV saturation attacks.

The Kremlin is using the nuns of Estonia’s Pühtitsa Convent of the Russian Orthodox Church as a tool of hybrid warfare against the West, according to Estonia’s Ministry of the Interior, The Telegraph reports. 

The convent, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, has refused to sever ties with Patriarch Kirill, citing canonical law as justification.

However, Estonian government official Martin Tulit states this is merely a cover.

“The convent should be seen not simply as a religious institution, but also as a symbol of the Russki Mir ideology on Estonian soil – an ideology promoted by the Russian state and the Moscow Patriarchate that blends religion, nationalism, and imperial nostalgia,” says Martin Tulit, a senior Estonian government official. 

The head of the convent, Abbess Filareta Kalatšova, was personally appointed by Patriarch Kirill in 2011. Since then, she has actively promoted narratives aligned with the Kremlin’s interpretation of Estonian and Western history.

The monastery spreads the idea that Orthodox believers are allegedly persecuted in Europe and labels Estonia’s new law, which requires churches to cut ties with aggressor states, a violation of religious freedom.

The Estonian Interior Ministry also dismissed claims that the law is intended to shut down the convent. Earlier, the agency said that the Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church, which is subordinate to Russia and the Kremlin, is the biggest lever of influence in Estonia.

Ukraine may receive cutting-edge technologies from NATO by the end of 2025. The Alliance has completed testing systems designed to counter Russian guided bombs and strike drones like the Shahed, reports Defense Express.

Western startups Alta Ares, Atreyd, and Tytan carried out the developments, which created a multilayered air defense system.

Alta Ares demonstrated a unique system for detecting and predicting the flight trajectory of guided bombs, while Atreyd and Tytan developed anti-air drones and swarms of interceptor drones.

The tests were conducted under the supervision of NATO’s Joint Command, as well as representatives from France and Ukraine.

“Decisions are needed urgently — this will save lives and strengthen our defense,” military experts emphasize.

In 2025, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi officially confirmed that electronic warfare (EW) systems were successfully used to disrupt Russian guided bombs. 

EW systems do not physically destroy the bombs, but disable their targeting by jamming the satellite navigation used for guidance. As a result, the bomb loses orientation and misses its target.

Russia has tried to counter this by upgrading its UMPK with advanced Kometa-M antennas, increasing the number of signal receivers from 4 to 12. However, these enhancements have not produced significant improvements in accuracy.

Ukraine is only in the first episode of the first season of the drone war, warns Mariia Berlinska, head of the Center for Aerial Reconnaissance Support, Texty reports. 

Meanwhile, Russian forces are focusing on eliminating Ukrainian drone operators at critical moments, when approaching or leaving positions. Moscow’s troops also set deadly drone ambushes at road intersections that explode as soon as our troops get close.

“UAV crews are everything to us. They cover the infantry. They cause up to 90% of enemy losses,” explains Mariia Berlinska.

She adds that “priority should be given to destroying what destroys you best.”

Countering Moscow’s attacks is complicated by the lack of a unified tactic, but one approach is drones against drones – Ukrainian ground robots damage enemy fiber optic cables, causing a loss of control over enemy drones. Also, “Maviks” drop grenades or nets on enemy drones, while FPV drones can crash into foes like kamikazes.

Berlinska emphasizes: “Before sending soldiers anywhere, you must always check everything with drones and destroy Russian unmanned aerial vehicles to avoid human losses.”

Earlier, The Defense Post published a top 100 global companies specializing in drone development for air, land, and sea applications. Three Ukrainian companies made it to the list. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted that Kyiv must recognize the results of referendums held in four Ukrainian regions in autumn 2022 to avoid risks of conflict resumption in the future.

The Russian leader warned that rejecting these results “means there are chances for the resumption of armed conflict,” according to his interview with Sky News Arabia reported by RBC.

Beyond territorial recognition, Putin outlined additional requirements for what he termed long-term regional stability. These include Ukraine adopting neutral status by renouncing membership in foreign military alliances and abandoning nuclear weapons development, but as of now, Ukraine does not have an active nuclear weapons program. 

 “Ukraine deserves a better fate than being an instrument in the hands of external forces working against Russia,” Putin stated, reiterating Russian propaganda narrative that Ukraine is a proxy of Western geopolitical interests rather than an independent actor.

Earlier, Russian President urged Ukraine to accept Moscow’s demands from previous Istanbul peace talks, warning that Ukraine’s situation will worsen if negotiations are delayed.

During Istanbul peace talks on 16 May, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky reportedly told the Ukrainian delegation that Russia is prepared to fight for “a year, two, three—however long it takes,” invoking Russia’s historical 21-year war with Sweden to emphasize its willingness for prolonged conflict.

Despite Russia’s claim of not wanting war, Medinsky warned that some participants might lose more loved ones and that Russia is ready to fight indefinitely.

During the 2 June negotiations in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia exchanged position papers outlining their respective visions for ending the war.

Russian demands include: 

• Ukrainian military withdrawal from four occupied regions
• written guarantees from Western leaders to halt “NATO’s eastward expansion”, effectively excluding Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet states from membership
• Ukraine adopting a neutral status and limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces
• partial lifting of Western sanctions
• resolution of frozen Russian assets abroad
• protections for Russian speakers in Ukraine
• holding of Ukrainian elections under terms favorable to Moscow. 

Ukraine rejected these demands, insisting on its sovereign right to choose alliances and strong Western security guarantees.

In contrast, Ukraine presented its own ceasefire proposals, including: 

• complete cessation of hostilities 
• return of deported children and prisoner exchanges
• security assurances
• rejection of any forced neutrality or restrictions on its military capabilities and alliances, including NATO membership
• maintaining Ukrainian sovereignty. 

The country has begun construction of its biggest military plant, covering more than 5 hectares. According to leader Kim Jong Un, this will enable a “leap forward in the defense industry” and allow production of modern, high-tech machinery, NK Pro reports. 

Analysts emphasize that the new facility could become a tool for significantly increasing North Korea’s military equipment exports, especially to Russia. This will strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries and impact the global arms market.

The factory will produce domestically made Ryonha machine tools, which can replace imported counterparts and provide greater self-sufficiency for North Korea’s defense industry.

Construction started shortly after Kim Jong Un visited the site last month. State media released an artistic rendering of the future plant, which will surpass in size the main production workshop of Huichon Ryonha in Chagang Province.

Earlier, captured North Korean soldiers in Ukraine revealed that Pyongyang operates a military training base designed to resemble Seoul and other major South Korean cities.

The 3.5 km by 1.5 km facility includes a 40-hectare mock city divided into four sections for urban warfare training. Most structures are simple, single-story buildings, with a handful of two-story models.

Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, has called the UN Security Council representatives to visit Ukraine to speak with Russian war victims and look into the eyes of mothers who have lost their children, UkrInform reports. 

On 20 June, Melnyk urged the UN Security Council to apply every single option it has to put an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

“This war is being waged in bedrooms, in kitchens, on children’s playgrounds… This madness must stop,” Melnyk emphasized. 

In an emotional appeal, Melnyk said he was speaking not only as Ukraine’s representative, a victim of Russia’s war of extermination, but also as a citizen whose family in Kyiv is hanging by a thread.

He shared how his mother-in-law sleeps in the bathroom to shield herself from missile attacks, just like millions of other Ukrainians.

Melnyk underscored that Russia’s actions constitute terror against the civilian population, driven by Moscow’s inability to achieve victory on the battlefield.

The diplomat sharply criticized statements by Russia’s UN envoy Nebenzya, who denies targeting civilians. With biting sarcasm, Melnyk asked whether it might be “aliens, Martians, or the Tooth Fairy” who are dropping bombs instead of coins.

Recently, drones have overtaken artillery as the leading cause of Russian casualties in Ukraine. However, the king of the battlefield has not been replaced, as Ukrainians have completely innovated how drones function in modern war. 

In May, drones were responsible for over 75% of Russian battlefield casualties, compared to an estimated 20% by artillery and 5% from small arms. Ukraine struck more than 89,000 targets with drones in May, which includes manpower, equipment, and vehicles, a 7.2% increase from 83,000 in April. 

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed that drones have now caught up with artillery in terms of hit percentage. Much of this is driven by the widespread adoption of fiber-optic drones with a twenty-kilometer range, which are immune to jamming and increasingly available across the front. These figures underline a new reality: drones are no longer a secondary force but the main source of pain for Russian troops.

By contrast, artillery, once the dominant killer, now causes just a fifth of Russian injuries. Artillery still fires vast volumes, but its effectiveness is declining. The wear and tear on barrels, many of which have fired well beyond their service life, is making precision increasingly difficult. 

At the same time, Russia has hardened many of its positions, reducing the lethality of inaccurate or delayed strikes. While artillery crews are well-trained, they rely on stable spotting networks and undisturbed logistics, both of which have come under pressure. Recent numbers show that artillery still hits targets, but in terms of lethal effect, its effectiveness is declining. 

The explanation lies in the trajectories of these systems. Artillery is degrading while drones are improving. Drone operators are becoming better trained, coordination with unit-level tactics is improving, and technology is always evolving. Many modern drones are not just flying grenades; they can operate in contested environments, evade electronic warfare, and hunt in swarms, with some even featuring integrated autonomous targeting software. 

Some drones are equipped with thermobaric charges for higher lethality, while others use fiber-optic guidance systems that render electronic warfare useless. Direct strike FPV’s are often paired with reconnaissance drones, turning the process almost into a continuous production line of kamikaze strikes. This increase in usage and tactics is matched by coordination, with notably Ukrainian drone units now operating with leaderboards tracking confirmed kills, pushing crews to innovate faster.

Still, artillery remains an essential part of the Ukrainian system. Its function on the modern battlefield has shifted but not disappeared. Mortars and howitzers are unmatched when it comes to area denial and suppressive fire. These are tasks drones do poorly, especially in bad weather conditions or when continuous fire is necessary. 

A drone may kill a soldier in a trench, but a battery of Mortars can prevent a platoon from moving through that trench in the first place, or allow a Ukrainian assault group to advance to the position uncontested. In high-intensity combined arms warfare, the need to suppress, disrupt, or channel enemy movement is still best handled by traditional artillery. Mortars, in particular, remain indispensable in close-range engagements where portability and fast reaction matter more than pinpoint accuracy or larger explosions.

That is why drones have not replaced anything; they have supplemented and, in some contexts, outperformed conventional systems. The most effective Ukrainian units, like Magyar’s Birds, are those that combine the two. Drones scout enemy positions, drop munitions, and then feed coordinates to mortar and artillery crews. Or, drones disable vehicles, which are then finished off by artillery once stationary.

Even low-cost FPV drones now serve as spotters, finishers, or gap fillers for artillery teams, targeting vehicles that artillery damaged but did not destroy, or chasing down retreating troops. In some sectors, Ukrainian teams are now using drones and mortars together, creating a kill chain that is fast, inexpensive, and difficult to counter. The combination of both systems is where the real advantage lies for the Ukrainians.

Overall, the drone surge is reshaping how Ukraine fights. It is not about one system replacing another but about new layers being added to the battlefield. Drones now inflict the most pain, but artillery still shapes the battlefield. The Ukrainian military has managed to merge both systems into a flexible and deadly toolkit. As long as drone production continues to scale and artillery remains operational, Ukraine will retain the edge in tactical innovation, and Russia will keep paying the price.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The difference in attitudes toward Stalin serves as an X-ray of how far Ukraine and Russia have diverged, sociologists say.

Ukraine and Russia now have radically different attitudes toward the Soviet dictator, and this divide continues to grow. New sociological research published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) and Russia’s Levada Center has released the evidence for this.

According to a poll conducted in April 2025, Stalin once again ranked first in Russia’s list of “the greatest figures of all time,” scoring even higher than in previous years.

“Joseph Stalin, a national hero for Russians, has again taken first place with an even better result than last time,” KIIS notes.

Sociologists emphasize that support for Stalin’s image in Russia is rising, while in Ukraine it is rapidly declining. In 2023, 63% of respondents in Russia viewed the dictator positively, compared to just 4% in Ukraine. This gap is only widening over the years.

“This chart clearly shows how far the two countries have diverged. Murderers have become national heroes in Russia,” Ukrainian sociologists point out.

He orchestrated genocide, killed millions, yet for the Russians, he remains an idol. This divide in collective memory reveals not only historical differences but also fundamental value gaps between the two neighboring states.

Recently, the Netherlands recognized the 1944 Soviet deportation of Crimean Tatars under Stalin as an act of genocide. They were transported roughly 3,200 kilometers to remote areas in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic and other parts of Central Asia, with thousands dying during the journey due to starvation.

US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on 21 June, marking the most senior American diplomatic engagement with Belarus in recent years.

The meeting took place at the Palace of Independence, with propaganda media showing the two officials shaking hands and embracing. Lukashenko told Kellogg his visit had generated significant international attention, according to the presidential administration’s account.

During their encounter, Lukashenko emphasized the need for direct communication.

“I very much hope that our conversation will be very sincere and open. Otherwise, what’s the point of meeting,” he stated, adding that attempts at deception would prevent meaningful results.

The Belarusian leader assured Kellogg of his safety during the visit and indicated no escalation would occur while he remained in the country.

Kellogg reportedly expressed gratitude for the hospitality and highlighted the precarious global situation, stating that current crises could escalate rapidly without wise and fair approaches.

The delegations met at Minsk’s Palace of Independence and discussed global developments, regional matters, and bilateral relations between Belarus and the United States.

Reuters previously reported, citing sources, that Kellogg privately characterized the Belarus visit as a potential step toward restarting peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia as they have stalled recently despite the attempts of Trump administration to broker ceasefire.

One US official also told Reuters that the Trump administration has internally explored ways to reduce Moscow’s influence over Minsk, though Western diplomats remain skeptical about such efforts given Belarus’s strong economic and political ties to Russia.

The last senior US official to visit Belarus was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020, with only lower-level diplomats traveling there since, including a February 2025 visit focused on prisoner releases. 

US President Donald Trump declared that America should not be held to the same defense spending standards he expects from NATO allies, according to his remarks made to journalists on 20 June.

When pressed about his previous calls for NATO members to spend 5% of GDP on defense, Trump drew a clear distinction between American and allied obligations.

“I don’t think we should, but I think they [NATO countries] should,” he stated, arguing that the US has “supported NATO for so long” and previously “covered almost 100% of the costs.”

The president specifically targeted Spain and Canada for their defense contributions. Spain announced this week it would not commit to the 5% spending target, prompting Trump to say that “NATO will have to deal with Spain” and describing the country as “very low payer.”

“Spain has to pay what others have to pay,” Trump added.

However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explicitly rejected the 5% target in communications with NATO head Rutte, arguing such spending levels contradict principles of general welfare.

Trump was equally critical of Canada, which he claimed “paid the least” among allies, suggesting Canadian officials reasoned that paying was unnecessary since “the United States protects us for free.”

Earlier, the Alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed a framework requiring allies to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defense by 2032, plus an additional 1.5% on related areas like cybersecurity and defense infrastructure.

Several Eastern European nations have already embraced higher spending levels. 

Lithuania plans to allocate between 5 and 6% of GDP to defense from 2025 through 2030, doubling its current spending, while Estonia will increase its spending from 3.7% to 5%. Both countries emphasize that this increase is not solely due to US pressure but is existential for maintaining real war-fighting capabilities against the threat posed by Russia.

Poland also plans to reach 4.7% this year, currently NATO’s highest rate.

The Juliusz Słowacki Theater in Krakow, Poland, relocated its Ukrainian flag from the building’s exterior to inside the venue after facing mounting physical threats, according to the theater’s Facebook page.

Director Krzysztof Głuchowski announced the decision with what he described as “great sorrow,” citing safety considerations for staff.

“I am doing this with pain and shame, but in the face of increasing attacks on the theater, in the face of threats to punish us, in the interests of staff safety, their health and lives, and in the face of potential threats to destroy property, I cannot make any other decision,” Głuchowski stated.

The flag had been displayed on the theater’s facade since February 2022 as a symbol of Polish solidarity with Ukraine. Głuchowski explained that the flag represented support for Ukrainians “who are giving their blood and lives in the fight for freedom and independence and who are also fighting and dying for us and all of free Europe.”

The theater has now positioned the Ukrainian flag alongside the Polish flag in the building’s interior. Głuchowski characterized the demands to remove the Ukrainian flag as “an attack on freedom and solidarity,” though he did not identify the specific sources of the threats.

The decision follows a recent incident in which a supporter of far-right Polish deputy Grzegorz Braun physically removed the Ukrainian flag from the Juliusz Słowacki theater. The same individual allegedly threatened the theater director while demanding the flag’s removal.

Hundreds of federal employees at Voice of America received termination notices on 20 June, reducing the news organization’s staff to fewer than 200 workers from approximately 1,400 at the start of 2025.

The layoffs place affected journalists and support staff on paid leave until their official termination date of 1 September, according to the New York Times.

In March, Trump criticized Voice of America for allegedly spreading what he characterized as “anti-American” and partisan “propaganda,” referring to the organization as “the voice of radical America.”

The executive order effectively mandated the dismantling of the news agency and placed nearly all Voice of America reporters on paid leave, halting news operations for the first time since the organization’s 1942 founding.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration in April to restore Voice of America and other government-funded news agencies so they could “serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news” globally. However, government officials appealed the decision. On 1 May, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia temporarily halted previous court rulings that had sought to lift the freeze on funds in order to consider emergency requests from the Justice Department.

Kari Lake, a senior adviser at the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, informed Congress earlier this month of plans to eliminate most positions at the news organization. Her correspondence identified fewer than 20 employees who must remain at the media organization under laws passed by Congress to establish and fund it. 

Lake defended her actions, describing Voice of America as “a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy” and attributing the termination of 639 employees at her agency to efforts to eliminate “dysfunction, bias and waste.”

She stated: “I’m proud to carry out President Trump’s executive order and deliver results that put America first.”

Patsy Widakuswara, a former Voice of America White House bureau chief who received a termination notice, stated that Lake’s decision “spells the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds US ideals of democracy and freedom around the world.” Widakuswara is leading a lawsuit against Lake and the US Agency for Global Media.

She called on Congress to intervene and support Voice of America, which was established to counter Nazi propaganda and has reported from countries that restrict independent journalism and free speech.

“Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and extremist groups are flooding the global information space with anti-America propaganda,” Widakuswara said. “Do not cede this ground by silencing America’s voice.”

A Finnish man was detained on suspicion of illegally crossing the state border in Parikkala, the Finnish Border Guard announced on 20 June.

The Southeast Finland Border Guard received an alert from technical surveillance equipment near the state border in Parikkala’s Pitkäpohja area on 20 June. A border patrol detained the Finnish man on suspicion of a state border crime, according to the Border Guard statement.

“The man is suspected of illegally crossing the state border in terrain from Finland to Russia and back to Finland,” the Border Guard reported.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

The Southeast Finland regional border delegate contacted the Russian Vyborg regional border delegate regarding the case. The Southeast Finland Border Guard continues investigating the incident and will not provide further information.

This marks the latest in a series of recent border incidents. On 17 June, the Eastern Finland Border Guard in North Karelia detained a foreigner suspected of illegally crossing the state border from Russia to Finland.

Finland closed border crossing points with Russia at the end of last year due to artificial migration pressure and authorized border guards to block asylum seekers from that country. In January 2025, the Southeast Finland Border Guard detected a border crossing in the Karhusuo area of Imatra, where a minor border violator remained in Russia as of early February.

The recent incident occurred as Finland maintains heightened border security measures along its eastern frontier with Russia.

Read also:

• Latvia bans Russians from buying property, calling it hybrid warfare threat
• Russia tricks Central Asian workers into Ukraine war with fake job promises
• Politico: Middle East tensions derail EU plan to slash Russian oil price cap aimed at squeezing war funding

Russia is increasingly recruiting citizens from Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to participate in combat operations against Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (DIU).

The recruitment targets primarily labor migrants who arrive in Russia seeking employment opportunities. Russian army representatives deceive these individuals by promising “quick earnings” through short-term contracts, the DIU reported on 21 June.

Intelligence data indicates that most such “volunteers” die in the war. Among recently eliminated mercenaries from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were Umarov Sirozhiddin Sabirdzhanovich, born in 1984, and Kholbuvozoda Muhammad Fayzullo, also born in 1984.

The mobilized migrants are formed into separate units that are predominantly deployed to the most dangerous sections of the front, according to the intelligence directorate.

“Even if they survive service on the front, such combatants cannot return to normal life: in their countries of origin, criminal prosecution awaits them for participation in foreign state armed formations with the prospect of long-term imprisonment,” Ukrainian intelligence emphasized.

The practice represents Russia’s expanding recruitment efforts beyond its borders as it seeks to maintain military operations while avoiding broader domestic mobilization that could prove politically costly.

Read also:

• Politico: Middle East tensions derail EU plan to slash Russian oil price cap aimed at squeezing war funding
• Latvia bans Russians from buying property, calling it hybrid warfare threat
• ISW: Putin’s victory plan hinges on Western fatigue and Ukrainian collapse

The European Union shelved proposals to lower the price cap on Russian oil exports from $60 to $45 per barrel, citing concerns that escalating conflict between Israel and Iran could drive up global oil prices and undermine the effectiveness of the sanctions mechanism.

Two diplomats confirmed to POLITICO that the plan, originally scheduled for discussion among EU foreign ministers on Monday in Brussels, is no longer viable given current market volatility.

“The idea of lowering the price cap is probably not going to fly because of the international situation in the Middle East and the volatility,” one diplomat told POLITICO.

At the recent G7 summit in Canada, member countries reached consensus on postponing the decision. “At the G7 meeting this week, it was agreed by all the countries they would prefer not to take the decision right now,” the diplomat explained, noting that while oil prices were previously close to the current cap, recent fluctuations have made timing problematic.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the complexity of the situation at the G7 summit, stating that existing measures “had little effect” previously. However, she noted that with recent oil price increases, “the cap in place does serve its function,” indicating there is currently “little pressure on lowering the oil price cap.”

US blocked efforts to lower price cap on Russian oil

The current price ceiling mechanism was established by G7 countries in December 2022, setting the maximum price for Russian crude oil at $60 per barrel. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized this initial limit as “weak,” arguing that such pricing remained “quite comfortable for the terrorist state’s budget.”

The sanctions framework was expanded in February 2023 to include petroleum products, with caps set at $100 per barrel for premium products like diesel fuel and $45 per barrel for discounted products such as fuel oil. These price ceilings have remained unchanged since their introduction.

In January 2025, Nordic and Baltic countries—Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia—called on the European Commission to further reduce the Russian oil price cap, highlighting the need for more aggressive economic pressure on Moscow.

Earlier, Reuters reported that most G7 countries had been prepared to independently lower the price ceiling on Russian oil, even if US President Donald Trump opposed the measure. However, the current geopolitical volatility has shifted calculations.

Russian forces conducted a massive combined attack on Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure and civilian areas, with the most damage reported in Poltava and Kherson oblasts.

The attack on 21 June involved 272 drones and 8 missiles against Ukraine, with Ukrainian defenders neutralizing 260 Russian aerial targets, according to the Air Force of the Armes Forces of Ukraine.

Russia targets energy infrastructure in Poltava

The missile and drone attack on Poltava resulted in direct hits and falling debris on energy facilities and open territory, according to acting head of Poltava Oblast Military Administration Volodymyr Kohut.

One person sustained moderate injuries in the strikes, while rescue teams continue working to address the aftermath.

Both private homes and apartment buildings were damaged, with windows blown out and window frames destroyed. The shelling also damaged residents’ vehicles throughout the area.

Poltava Oblast police warned that cluster munition elements have been discovered across the targeted area following the overnight bombardment. These metallic spheres, measuring approximately 10 centimeters in diameter, pose lethal risks to both adults and children due to their resemblance to toys or balls.

Civilians suffer from daily attacks on Kherson close to frontline

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 20 settlements over a 24-hour period, according to regional administration head Oleksandr Prokudin.

The Kherson attacks damaged two high-rise buildings, 14 private houses, utility structures, a garage, and civilian vehicles. Seven people were wounded in the regional strikes.

Among the casualties was an 85-year-old woman injured during shelling of Kherson’s Central district. The woman suffered a concussion, blast injuries, closed traumatic brain injury, and leg trauma, requiring hospitalization.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s 60-year-old Leopard tank switched from sniper mode, and Russian troops never saw it coming. They’re old. But Ukraine’s Leopard 1A5 tanks are back in the fight—because when you’re defending a place like Kostyantynivka, you use whatever still shoots straight.

Russia legally steals 20,000 homes in razed Mariupol — then charges homeless victims for rent. Survivors of Putin’s most brutal siege now face a deadlier trap: a rigged paperwork leaving them “homeless bums” whose stolen homes are sold to Moscow buyers.

Ukraine says it’s fighting corruption. But Deputy PM Chernyshov left the country—and hasn’t come back. Last week, Oleksiy Chernyshov left Ukraine on “official business.” Since then, two of his former aides have been arrested. He hasn’t come back.

Military

As Kyiv buries dead after biggest Russian attack of war, Kremlin says: “We’re advancing and will keep going”. Putin demands Ukraine stop receiving weapons while importing drones and missiles from Tehran and Pyongyang.

Russian soldier ate his comrade — Moscow’s troops spiral into madness in Ukraine’s trenches. A soldier called “Brelok” killed and ate his fellow Russian, then died himself — just “something to think about,” his commander says.

ISW: Putin’s victory plan hinges on Western fatigue and Ukrainian collapse. The think tank outlines Moscow’s unchanged core goals: a pro-Kremlin Ukraine and weakened NATO.

Frontline report: Iran’s war machine smashed — generals dead, Shaheds burned, missile launchers reduced to rubble.

Russia reportedly hides its own war dead in Ukraine’s body swaps. Kyiv says Moscow is slipping its own soldiers into exchanges meant for fallen Ukrainians, complete with uniforms, dog tags, and ID papers, possibly to dodge compensation to Russian families.

Intelligence and technology

Raytheon’s production lines overheat as Europe lines up for 1,000 Patriot missiles and Ukraine pleads for speed. Joint production and faster transfer talks gain urgency as Russia refines its missile arsenal.

Ukrainian air-defense drones evolve rapidly to counter Russia’s growing Shahed swarm threat.

Three Ukrainian companies make top 100 list of unmanned systems innovators. Ukraine’s TAF Drones, Ukrspecsystems, and Airlogix secure prestigious spots on the world stage, showcasing rapid growth and cutting-edge technology.

International

Argentina uncovers suspected Russian spy network linked to disinformation efforts. The identified group allegedly developed content to sway political narratives favorable to Russia.

Le Monde: Obama held back on Ukraine, Biden hesitated, now Trump embraces Putin. As Trump aligns with Moscow, European capitals brace for a new era of geopolitical uncertainty and strategic detachment.

Russia shields Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Zelenskyy warns. Ukraine’s president calls Moscow’s alignment with Tehran and Pyongyang a dangerous signal of rising global threats.

Zelenskyy’s top man Yermak is “bipartisan irritator,” US insiders warn Politico. The Ukrainian President Office chief’s abrasive style and vague agendas are testing US support for Ukraine at a fragile moment, sources told Politico.

US strike on Iran could force Moscow to imagine what real strength feels like, says expert. The Kremlin respects only power — and it’s watching the Middle East war especially closely.

Humanitarian and social impact

Inside occupied Crimea: torture, disappearances, and total suppression of dissent. A Freedom House report sheds light on systematic abuses in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.

He endured what most wouldn’t survive: Ukraine returns its 60-year old warrior from Russian captivity. He spent years in a Russian cell and still made it back.

Iran’s missiles kill 7-year-old Ukrainian girl seeking leukemia treatment in Israel. Nastia Buryk from Odesa died alongside four family members as an Iranian missile struck their apartment.

Rescuers among the injured as Russia again targets civilians in Odesa and Kharkiv. A collapsing structure wounded three firefighters in Odesa during intense operations to save residents.

Russia kills Ukrainian civilians on unprecedented scale since Trump’s peace efforts, while West debates sanctions in slow motion. With no pressure, Russia turns every negotiation into a smokescreen.

Political and legal developments

Putin declares all of Ukraine Russian as Trump claims Kremlin wants peace. Russia shows its aim is subjugation, not negotiation.

Netherlands becomes seventh nation to recognize soviet-era Crimean Tatar deportation as genocide. The Dutch House of Representatives declared the Soviet Union’s 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars constituted genocide, joining six other nations in formally recognizing Stalin’s forced removal of over 190,000 people from the peninsula.

Latvia bans Russians from buying property, calling it hybrid warfare threat. Latvia banned property sales to Russian and Belarusian citizens after parliament declared such transactions constitute “hybrid warfare” instruments, passing the measure in its conclusive reading 19 June.

Ukraine’s anti-corruption star Denys Bihus confirms intelligence work after MP leak. Ukraine’s top investigative journalist says he helped intelligence services — but denies it compromised his reporting or gave him special treatment.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has killed a million Russians and marches “two million feet” to the slaughter. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has delivered a scathing rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent claim that “wherever the Russian soldier steps — that land is ours.”

Sybiha responded on the social media platform X, calling Putin “a mass murderer of his own people” who has already sent a million Russian soldiers to their deaths in his war against Ukraine.

“Putin does not care about Russian soldiers or their feet torn apart by Ukrainian drones. One million soldiers. Two million feet,” the Ukrainian foreign minister claimed. 

He added that Putin’s latest remarks demonstrate total contempt for peace initiatives from the West and the United States. 

“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 stressed. 

According to Sybiha, the Kremlin’s aggression is an attempt to distract Russians from the catastrophe of 25 years of Putin’s rule, a regime that has dragged the country into international isolation. 

Sybiha called for a strong international response to bring Moscow back to its senses. 

“The only way to force Russia into peace is to deprive it of its sense of impunity. Increase support for Ukraine’s defense and hit the Russian economy hard with devastating sanctions. Designate Russia as a terrorist state. Isolate it fully,” said the Ukrainian foreign minister. 

Putin’s speech at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum marked yet another return to his imperial narrative — the denial of Ukraine’s right to exist as a sovereign nation.

On 20 June, Freedom House called for democratic governments to prioritize the rights and dignity of civilians living under Russian occupation in Ukraine, particularly in Crimea, where repression, forced assimilation, and abuse continue to escalate.

Freedom House presented its first-ever Alfred Moses Liberty Award on 20 May to Crimean Tatar human rights defender Server Mustafayev. A cofounder of the Crimean Solidarity movement, Mustafayev supported victims of political persecution in Crimea after Russia’s 2014 occupation and annexation. Russian authorities imprisoned him in 2020 on terrorism charges widely considered fabricated. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence in Russia.

In a 2023 letter published by Freedom House, Mustafayev described the situation in occupied Crimea:

“The Russian Federation actively, without wasting time, destroyed all dissent, activism, journalism, and justice in Crimea. […] Dozens of people disappeared, hundreds were arrested, thousands were forcedly expelled from their native home (Crimea), homes they returned to after the genocide and deportation of 1944.”

Suppression of identity and indoctrination of children

The report highlights Russia’s ongoing campaign to forcibly Russify occupied territories. In Crimea, this includes cultural suppression and indoctrination of Ukrainian children through militarized camps. These practices, according to Freedom House, threaten to leave generational scars.

The 2025 Freedom in the World report gave Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories a score of −1 out of 100, indicating near-total denial of civil liberties and political rights.

Despite systemic persecution, many human rights defenders continue their work. Freedom House emphasized the importance of resistance efforts, even under extreme conditions where individuals risk arrest for small acts such as posting a Ukrainian song or wearing national colors.

People-centered diplomacy essential for peace

Freedom House argued that any peace deal must not merely focus on land but prioritize the people affected. It warned that recognizing Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories would violate the core principle of international law that borders cannot be changed by force.

Freedom House noted that Moscow has consistently undermined peace negotiations with escalating attacks and a lack of genuine engagement. The organization believes only strong military and diplomatic pressure, including enhanced sanctions, might force Russia into serious negotiations.

Calls for global action and support

To support those under occupation, Freedom House proposed several measures:

• Nonrecognition of Russia’s claim to Ukrainian territories, akin to the West’s stance during the Soviet occupation of the Baltics.
• Support for activists, including sanctions on Russian officials and direct aid via Ukrainian partners.
• Aid for families of political prisoners, who face severe financial and legal burdens.
• Amplification of Ukrainian advocacy by international NGOs and governments.
• Documentation of abuses, including torture, disappearances, and destruction of cultural heritage.
• Cultural preservation, particularly of Crimean Tatar language and history, through education and partnerships.

“However the war or peace negotiations unfold,” Freedom House stressed the importance of upholding sovereignty, rule of law, and human rights. 

They returned from hell. On 20 June, a new group of severely wounded and seriously ill Ukrainian defenders was released from Russian captivity.

Four exchange waves took place between 9 and 14 June, with another one on 19 June. Most of those returned had been held by Russia since 2022, many of them defenders of Mariupol.

According to the Coordination Headquarters, the freed prisoners include soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Navy, the National Guard, the Territorial Defense Forces, the Air Assault Forces, the Drone Force, and the State Border Guard Service. All are either seriously wounded or suffer from chronic illnesses.

“Epilepsy, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, vision impairment, musculoskeletal issues, chronic gastrointestinal conditions, and hernias. Many suffer from extreme weight loss,” the Ukrainian official said in a statement.

The released defenders are being transferred to medical facilities for diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation. They will also have their documents restored and receive back pay for the entire period of captivity.

Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, noted that the oldest of the released is 60 years old. Some of the families had been appealing to his office for years, even sending letters to Moscow.

“Among them are those whose relatives contacted the Ombudsman’s Office. Our institution was engaged in defending their rights,” Lubinets said.

President Zelenskyy confirmed the return of defenders from Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv oblasts.

Earlier, the Ukrainian authorities said Russia slipped the bodies of its dead soldiers into Ukraine’s swap convoys. Kyiv has received over 6,060 bodies from Moscow under the Istanbul agreements on the exchange of war dead, but many of them are not Ukrainian.