The Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, told Russian state media on June 29 that he had agreed to remain in open contact with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe, following a recent phone call between the two.
"I had a phone call with my American counterpart, and we reserved for each other the possibility to call each other at any time and discuss issues of interest to us," Naryshkin said. He did not specify when the conversation took place, and Ratcliffe has not publicly confirmed the call.
Russian state media claimed the last known exchange between the two intelligence chiefs occurred in March.
The remarks come amid broader efforts by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to normalize relations between Washington and Moscow. During a phone call on Feb. 12, Presidents Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed to reset U.S.-Russia ties and revive dialogue on "topics of mutual interest," including a potential resolution to the war in Ukraine.
That call was followed by the first round of bilateral talks, held on Feb. 18 in Saudi Arabia—the first official meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in over three years. Both sides pledged to begin restoring diplomatic relations and to appoint senior teams tasked with negotiating a Ukraine peace agreement.
Despite these efforts, progress on peace has been limited.
Two earlier rounds of talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul failed to produce a ceasefire. On June 5, Trump declined to say when or if further sanctions on Russia might be imposed, stating only that there is a deadline “in (his) brain.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later told Politico that Trump would resist European pressure to toughen sanctions, arguing that doing so could jeopardize the fragile window for negotiations with the Kremlin.
Azerbaijan has cancelled all planned cultural events hosted alongside Russian state and private organizations, the country's Culture Ministry announced on June 29, over the deaths of two Azerbaijani citizens during police raids in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said on June 28 that Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov died during a raid carried out by Russian authorities. Azerbaijan called the killings "ethnically motivated public and deliberate unlawful actions" and said that Russia's action have "recently taken on a systematic nature."
The raid was reportedly conducted amid an investigation into an unsolved 2001 murder. Several other people were injured in the raid and a total of nine individuals were detained.
In a comment to Azerbaijani public broadcaster ITV, Sayfaddin Huseynli, the brother of the deceased, claimed that the two men were tortured to death "without any trial or investigation, despite their innocence."
The official cause of death was not immediately known.
As a result of the incident, Azerbaijani state media also reported that the government had cancelled a planned visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, stating that the country "does not consider it appropriate under the current circumstances for Overchuk or any other official representative of Russia to visit."
Tensions between Baku and Moscow have continued to sour in recent months since Russia's downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that killed 67 passengers. Since then, Azerbaijani lawmaker have blamed Russia for February cyberattack, and the country's President Ilham Aliyev skipped out on attending Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow in May.
As relations dwindle, Ukraine has sought to build relations with Baku. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also visited Azerbaijan in May.
In February, Aliyev's office announced it was delivering$1 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the form of electrical equipment to support the country's energy grid amid Russian attacks.
Azerbaijan's primary regional foe, Armenia, also a historic ally of Moscow, has also effectively severed relations with the Kremlin.
Earlier this year, Yerevan formally signed a law to begin Armenia's accession process to the European Union. The decision comes growing rift with Russia accelerated after the Kremlin failed to prevent Azerbaijan's September 2023 offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to the mass exodus of the region's Armenian population.
After holding a discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham said on June 29 that the U.S. president was ready for the Senate to vote on a bill to impose new sanctions on Russia.
Voting on the bill is expected to begin following the end of the July congressional break, Graham said.
"For the first time yesterday the president told me... he says, 'it's time to move your bill'," Graham said in an interview with ABC News, stressing that it would be Trump's purview as to whether the bill would ultimately be signed into law.
When asked if Graham expected Trump to sign the bill, the senator responded: "Yes, I think we're in good shape... But he has a waiver. It's up to him how to impose it."
Graham said he held the talk with Trump during a round of golf on June 28. No specific timeline was provided as to when the bill can be expected to be moved, although Congress is set to reconvene on July 9.
Signed by 84 co-sponsors, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have been working on a revised version of their bill that would impose secondary sanctions on Russian trading partners, while shielding Ukraine’s allies from penalties and making technical adjustments.
"So what does this bill do? If you're buying products from Russia and you're not helping Ukraine, then there's a 500 percent tariff on your products coming into the United States. India and China buy 70 percent of Putin's oil. They keep his war machine going," Graham explained.
Despite pressure, Trump has thus far refused to impose additional sanction against on his own accord. Amid discussion around the Senate bill, Trump has reportedly asked Graham to to soften his proposed sanctions, having previously postponed a vote on the bipartisan measure.
Amid the slow process of moving the proposed bill, Graham described the move as a "big breakthrough."
Ukraine has repeatedly urged the United States to impose additional sanctions on Russia as Moscow continues increase the frequency and magnitude of its attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Graham's comments come just hours after Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimedthat Washington lifted sanctions that hindered the expansion of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, where Russia's state-owned energy company Rosatom is to build two new reactors.
A former deputy mayor for Kharkiv is facing multiple charges related to creating and leading a scheme that allegedly embezzled 5.4 million hryvnias ($130,000) of budget funds allocated for fortifications, law enforcement agencies announced on June 28.
Ukraine's military as well as public officials has seen several corruption scandals since the start of Russia's full-scale war, related to illicit enrichment, money laundering, bribery, and misconduct of the command.
A total of four people, including two company heads and two entrepreneurs, were arrested alongside the former official, the National Police said.
The scheme allegedly involved a shell company procuring purchased materials for fortifications at prices over 30% above market value.
While authoritiesdid not name the former official, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing law enforcement sources, that the suspect in question is Andrii Rudenko, Kharkiv's Deputy Mayor for Housing and Communal Services between 2015 and 2024.
Authorities did not publicly release the identities of the remaining suspects.
The five suspects are currently facing charges under 17 articles of Ukraine's Criminal Code, with motions filed to impose pre-trial detention without bail.
It was not immediately clear as to the maximum sentence the suspects may receive if found guilty, however, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said that he will seek for "stolen budget funds must be fully returned to the state."
Law enforcement agents have previously arrested Kharkiv officials with corruption related charges.
In April, authorities charged a total of eight individuals, including local officials and entrepreneurs, accused of colluding with contractors to supply firewood to the military at prices significantly above market value. Several officials and entrepreneurs of housing and utilities departments in several regions, including Kharkiv, were allegedly implicated.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk said on June 28 that Ukraine's parliament is preparing a draft bill to hold elections following the end of the martial law period enacted as a result of the war.
"We are working on this draft law, because for the next elections, a new special draft law is needed that will regulate the so-called post-war elections," Stefanchuk said on Ukraine's marathon TV broadcast.
"We are preparing various basic scenarios so that people can exercise their fundamental constitutional right to vote. And this must take place in Ukraine. And I believe we will be able to find the right legislative compromise," he added.
The reason for separate legislation on a post-war election, Stefanchuk previously said, was due to the fact that Ukraine's Constitution does not not provide clarity on the details of holding elections following the end of a martial law period.
No details on the bill or timeline for implementation were provided.
Russia's full-scale invasion and the subsequent declaration of martial law in Ukraine meant elections have been impossible to hold, and President Volodymyr Zelensky's term has been extended, something constitutional lawyers say is allowed under Ukrainian law.
Despite criticism, Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed a resolution on Feb. 25 to hold elections after "a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace is secured" in the country.
While polling shows a vast majority of Ukrainian citizens do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, the lack of elections has stirred some controversy with Ukraine's allies.
At the start of his second term in office, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukraine to hold elections — something that Ukraine has thus far refused to do citing the difficulties of holding elections amid active warfare, as well as security implications.
Zelensky has previously said he is willing to step down in exchange for a peace agreement.
Russian propaganda has widely used the issue of elections in Ukraine to discredit the Ukrainian leadership. Mocow has repeatedly claimed that Zelensky is no longer a legitimate president, as his first term was originally meant to end on May 20, 2024.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) struck on June 28 the 1060th Material-Technical Support Center in the city of Bryansk, Ukraine's General Staff said.
The facilities store a Russian missile and drone arsenal, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a source in HUR.
Local residents reported hearing explosions and gun fire throughout the morning of June 28. Pictures posted on social media show smoke billowing from the area of where the centre, formerly the the 120th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, is located in an industrial area in the southern part of the city.
The General Staff said it was assessing the strike as extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz acknowledged a drone attack on the region overnight claiming that four civilians were injured in the attack, damaging ten homes and a vehicle.
Later in the morning, Bogomaz claimed that all the drones had been downed by Russian air defense unit in a separate attack, claiming that no damage had been inflicted. He did not mention the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate in his comments.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports or claims made by Russian officials.
Bryansk Oblast, located in Russia's far-west, borders Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy Oblast, and has been the target of various Ukrainian strikes.
Ukraine's military regularly conducts strikes onto Russian and Russian-occupied territory.
Drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kirovske military airfield in occupied Crimea overnight on June 28, the SBU told the Kyiv Independent. The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the SBU claimed.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on June 28 that he does not intend to meet directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming that the Ukrainian president "hates" him, as relations between the two countries continue to sour.
Fico's comments come just one day after Slovakia joined Hungary in blocking an 18th package of sanctions against Russia, an unnamed EU official toldthe Kyiv Independent. Unlike Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has consistently opposed sanctions against Russia, Slovakia has not previously attempted to block EU sanctions.
"I see no reason to meet with the Ukrainian president," Fico toldSlovak broadcaster STVR, stressing he has better relations with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. "My meeting with President Zelensky has no significance because he hates me," he added.
Fico's comments on a potential meeting refer to talks on improving bilateral relations between the two countries, including in areas of Ukraine's EU accession as well as additional sanctions on Russia.
"I’m the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, and my task is to do everything to ensure that gas prices in Slovakia do not rise because of Ukraine," Fico told STVR, in reference to concerns over Slovakia's reliance on Russian gas and energy exports that were allegedly not addressed in the 18th sanctions package.
Slovakia has requested that the adoption of the 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia be postponed until a decision is made on the consequences for the member states from RePowerEU, the European Commission's initiative to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2030 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
EU foreign policy decisions, including sanctions, require unanimous approval by all member states. A Slovak veto could continue to force concessions or delay enforcement in future rounds.
Despite the criticism, Fico added that "Ukraine's EU membership brings more advantages than disadvantages for Slovakia," but stressed that other officials, including Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini would handle discussions with top Ukrainian leadership.
Since taking office in 2023, Fico has also reversed Slovakia's previous pro-Ukraine policy, ending military aid to Kyiv and questioning the value of EU sanctions on Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on June 27 imposing sanctions on 52 Russian citizens as well as an additional 34 Russian companies and one Chinese entity involved in the production of Shahed-type drones and chip manufacturing machinery.
Ukraine introduced new restrictions as Russia has escalated drone attacks against Ukrainian cities over the past weeks, launching upwards of 400-500 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) per night.
Individuals and legal entities subject to Ukrainian sanctions cannot do business and trade in Ukraine, cannot withdraw their capital from the country. In the meantime, their assets are blocked, as well as their access to public and defense procurement, and entry into the territory of Ukraine, among other restrictions.
Andrii Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said on Telegram that the sanction primarily enterprises and individuals collaborating with a Shahed manufacturing facility located in the town of Yelbuga in Russia's Tatarstan.
Russia has launched thousands of cheap but effective Iranian-designed Shahed drones against Ukraine since the fall of 2022. Originally designed in Iran, Russia has since produced its own Shahed-type drones on Russian territory.
Drones have become one of the defining tools of the full-scale war, used extensively by both Ukraine and Russia for surveillance, long-range strikes, and tactical battlefield advantage.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky signeda decree to coordinate sanctions against Russia with international partners, particularly the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7).
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on June 27 that Moscow plans to cut its military expenditure beginning next year, in a rebuke of NATO members' plans to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Putin's claims will likely be met with harsh skepticism from Western officials as Russia's military spending has continued to increase throughout its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Putin. The Russian president did not provide any specifics as to how Moscow plans to cut military spending, but added there has yet to be an agreement between ministries.
"We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," Putin told reporters during a visit to Belarus. "Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?" Putin continued.
Putin's comments comes as NATO allies are increasingly concerned about Russia's military capabilities, including future threats to alliance members as well as ongoing sabotage efforts.
On June 25, NATO member states agreed to a new defense spending benchmark, committing to allocate 5% of their GDP annually to defense and security-related expenditures by 2035.
The decision comes as NATO allies increasingly believe Russia could rebuild sufficient military capacity to challenge the alliance within five years, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warning that allies must act urgently to prepare for future threats.
"We see Russia's deadly terror from the skies over Ukraine every day. We must be able to defend ourselves from such attacks," Rutte said during a press briefing on June 23. "Our security environment has changed, and not for the better. The threats we face today demand that we do far more," he added.
Various European intelligence agencies as well as officials have increasingly delivered dire warnings about the threat emanating from Russia and Europe's current lack of preparedness. German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl told a parliamentary hearing in October that Russia will have the military capabilities to be able to attack NATO by 2030.
In 2024, Russia’s military spending surpassed the combined defense budgets of all European nations. Russia’s total defense expenditures surged by 42% in real terms amounting to $462 billion, according to the data by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
By comparison, total defense spending across Europe, including the U.K. and EU member states, increased by nearly 12% last year to $457 billion, slightly trailing Moscow’s budget.
The Moscow Times reported in December that the Kremlin had spentan unprecedented $43 billion in the third quarter of 2024 alone.
The United States would consider bombing Iran again if the country's nuclear program once again became of concern, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters during a press briefing on June 27.
When asked whether Trump would consider bombing Iran if the country were able to enrich uranium to a concerning level, Trump responded: "Sure. Without question, absolutely."
On June 21, the United States conductedstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, dropping over a dozen bunker buster bombs on the sites and causing significant damage to the country's nuclear program.
"Turned out to be unbelievable," Trump said of the strikes on June 27, despite mixed reports on the success of the strikes.
A leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, reported by CNN, found that the strikes did not destroy the core of Tehran's nuclear program. Instead, the intelligence suggests the attacks likely delayed Iran's progress by "a few months."
Despite the leak, Trump administration officials have rebuffed reports that the strikes did not fully fulfill its object, amid reports of Iran having possibly moved its enriched uranium away from the sites.
"The objective was to eliminate enrichment in Iran… and he achieved that objective," U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on June 24, adding that he personally reviewed damage assessments and saw "no doubt" that key nuclear infrastructure was destroyed.
Trump's comments on future attacks comes as Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplayed the success of the strikes, claiming victory over Israel and the United States.
"I SAVED (Khamenei) FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH," Trump wrote on Truth social on June 27, adding that he has halted plans to potentially ease sanctions on Iran. "The sanction are BITING," Trump wrote.
"Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them," he added.
On June 24, Trump announced that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had come into effect, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and a retaliatory Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.
Russia is ready to hold a third round of peace talks on the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on June 27, without specifying if he would directly participate in the negotiations.
"In general, we are ready for this (next round of peace talks), we need to coordinate the place and time," Putin said.
Putin added that the talks could potentially be held in Istanbul but the details have not yet been worked out. He added that another round of talks may bring peace closer as the terms for peace outlined in the countries' peace memorandumsremain "absolutely opposite."
The latest peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on June 2 in Istanbul, following an earlier meeting on May 16. Despite Ukraine's insistence on a 30-day ceasefire, Russiahas repeatedly rejected the offer, proposing only a temporary 2–3-day truce in limited areas to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers.
While no agreement on a comprehensive ceasefire has been reached, talks have led to a few major prisoner exchanges, including a 1,000-for-1,000 swap that took place in late May and a follow-up deal for up to 1,200 prisoners from each side.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a press briefing on June 26 that it was Ukraine's goal to organize a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin during the next round of negotiation.
In previous rounds, Putin had failed to show in-person sending lower-level officials to the meeting instead — despite Zelensky's willingness for in-person talks as well pressure from the United States.
On June 26, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara is workingto organize a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, with U.S. President Donald Trump potentially joining the talks.
Putin said on June 27 that it was "quite possible" that a meeting between himself and the U.S. president could take place. "We will be happy to prepare it," he briefly added.
Zelensky and Trump met during the NATO summit on June 25, where the two leaders discussed battlefield developments, Kyiv's need for additionalair defense systems, and the potential for co-production of drones.
Zelensky has previously voiced openness to a trilateral meeting. On May 27, he told public broadcaster Suspilne that he was ready to sit down with both Trump and Putin.
Turkey previously hosted direct peace talks in March 2022 and has remained one of the few countries with open lines to both Kyiv and Moscow.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov returned to Ukraine on June 22 following his official trip abroad amid media speculations connecting Chernyshov's absence to an ongoing corruption investigation.
Chernyshov, who announced his return in a Facebook post, has been the subject of controversy in recent days after law enforcement agencies unveiled a corruption scheme involving two officials from the now-dissolved Communities and Territories Development Ministry, which was headed by Chernyshov.
Suspicions about Chernyshov, who heads the new National Unity Ministry focused on relations with refugees and the Ukrainian diaspora, arose when the deputy prime minister did not attend a Kyiv forum he himself organized in person but joined online from abroad.
Chernyshov unexpected work trip to Vienna, announced on June 16, came just three days after law enforcement officials revealed the scheme, leaving Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to answer questions in parliament about Chernyshov's trip. The National Unity Ministry said that foreign trips are a regular part of Chernyshov's work.
Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing its sources, that Chernyshov's son and wife had also Ukraine following Chernyshov's most recent trip. It was not immediately clear whether they had returned to the country.
"Finally home. A difficult but very important business trip (which, thanks to some media outlets, became unexpectedly popular) is now over," Chernyshov said in a Facebook post.
Chernyshov added that he will be returning to work within the Cabinet of Ministers starting on June 23.
"We’ll also break down the smear campaign fact by fact. The truth always prevails," he added, referring to the ongoing police matter.
According to Ukrainska Pravda, Chernyshov and two of his associates came under investigation last year over suspicions that they received kickbacks from Serhii Kopystira, the head of the KSM Group, for illicitly transferring a plot of land for real estate development between 2021 and 2022.
Four sources in anti-corruption agencies told Ukrainska Pravda that despite the investigation, no police searches were conducted at the time, as they were blocked by the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Semen Kryvonos, who has a long-standing relationship with Chernyshov.
After the dissolution of the Communities and Territories Development Ministry at the end of 2022, Chernyshov was appointed the head of the state-owned energy company Naftogaz. In 2024, the official was tasked with leading the new National Unity Ministry — a position that often involved travel abroad — while also being named deputy prime minister.
The other two people connected to the case — Maksym Horbatiuk and Vasyl Volodin — were reportedly detained last week as the investigation began moving forward.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously commented on Chernyshov's presence abroad amid questions from media.
"What Shmyhal told me is that he’s on a business trip. He had two tasks from me, from the government, from all of us: the first — to open hubs in different countries, and the second — multiple citizenship. As far as I understand, he is working on both of these," Zelensky was quoted as saying.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims presented through the media investigation.
Latvia's parliament adopted a bill on June 19 that prohibits citizens of Russia and Belarus from purchasing real estate in the country, Latvian media reported.
The bill — which carves out exceptions for EU and Latvian permanent residence holders, Belarusian refugees, and repatriates — establishes the new restrictions under the pretenses of protecting the country's national security.
In addition to citizens, the bill prohibits entities that are at least 25% owned by Russian or Belarusian nationals from purchasing property.
"This is a step to limit the influence and presence in Latvia of persons and companies that are adverse to the country,” said Agnese Krasta, an Estonian member of parliament and one of the authors of the initiative.
Latvia, which borders both Russia and Estonia, is widely viewed as one of the most likely targets for a future Russian attack on NATO or the European Union. As the war in Ukraine continues to rage on, Latvia has taken action to increase civil preparedness measures and has drafted plans to relocate a quarter of its population in the case of war.
EU intelligence and security agencies have warned of mounting Russian sabotage operations, including several arson attacks believed to have been coordinated by Moscow.
Latvia joins Finland in imposing a ban on Russians from buying, as Baltic and Nordic countries continue to impose restrictions on Russia over its aggression in the region.
In September 2022, Latvia imposed entry restrictions on Russian citizens as part of a jointagreement with Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Latvia has been one of Ukraine's most vocal backers.
The Baltic state ranks among Europe's top defense spenders, allocating over 3% of GDP to defense in 2025, according to NATO estimates.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian forces struck residential buildings in Odesa overnight on June 20, killing a civilian and injuring at least 14 others, including three emergency workers, the Prosecutor General's Office reported.
The attack, which the service described as "massive," rang out around 1 a.m. local time. The attack drones struck over 10 targets, including seven residential buildings, and led to multiple large-scale fires.
At the site of one of the attacks, a 23-story residential building caught fire between the 18th and 20th floors, and led to the evacuation of over 600 people.
In a separate attack on a four-story building within the city, three firefighters were injured when structural elements collapsed on the responders. The building is described as being "completely engulfed in flames," according to the State Emergency Service.
The three injured firefighters are currently hospitalized in stable condition. Additional information on the attacks, as well as casualties, is being clarified as search efforts under rubble and debris continue.
Firefighters extinguish a fire at a residential building in Odesa on June 20, 2025 following a Russian drone attack that injured at least 13 people, including three firefighters. (Ukraine State Emergency Service/Telegram)
The aftermath of a Russian drone attack on a residential building in Odesa on June 20, 2025. The attacks on the city injured at least 13 people, including three firefighters. (Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper/Telegram)
In addition to the buildings, Odesa's main train station also had infrastructure damaged as a result of the drone attack, Ukraine's railway agency Ukrzaliznytsia reported.
Odesa, a port city on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war.
"The overhead contact line and the rail and sleeper grid were affected," the agency wrote in a statement, adding that no injuries had been reported.
On June 10, a missile and drone attack on Odesa killed two people and injured eight.
Russia has continued to increase the frequency and severity of its attacks on Ukrainian cities, while rejecting a ceasefire in Ukraine. Overnight on June 17, Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv since the start of full-scale war in February 2022, killing 30 people and injuring 172 others.
The European Commission has proposed that Ukraine join the European Union's mobile roaming area starting January 1, 2026, providing Ukrainian users the ability to make phone calls, texts, and use mobile data in the bloc's 27 countries at no extra charge.
"We want Ukrainian citizens to stay connected to their loved ones across the EU, as well as in their home country. That's why we propose that Ukraine join our roaming family," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.
The proposal, first announced on June 16, will serve as a means of integration into the European Union's "Roam like at Home" provision in affect between all EU nations. The proposed change will impact the over four million Ukrainian refugees living in the EU.
Ukraine's full integration in the roaming provisions will replace voluntary measures that "allowed for roaming without surcharges and affordable international calls for EU and Ukrainian citizens abroad," according to the European Commission. The current measure will extend to December 31, 2025, ahead of the planned integration.
If approved, Ukraine will become the only country outside of the EU to join the bloc's "Roam like at Home" policy.
The move, which awaits European Council approval, comes as Ukraine continues to implement reforms in pursuing membership in the European Union.
Ukraine applied for EU membership at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The country has made quick progress, achieving candidate status within months, with the initial negotiations formally launching in June 2024.
Since the start of 2025, Ukraine has opened three negotiation clusters under Poland's rotating presidency.
Poland lead the EU Council's presidency until June, and Denmark will take over the role in July. Ukraine aims to open the remaining three negotiation clusters in the second half of 2025 under the Danish chairmanship, the President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
There are six accession negotiation clusters, consisting of several individual chapters. Negotiations prepare a candidate country to become an EU member.
The EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said that Ukraine could potentially join the bloc by 2029 if it successfully implements necessary reforms.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Canada on June 17 ahead of the final day of the G7 Leaders' summit, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.
Zelensky was greeted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Kananaskis, Alberta, where the summit is being held.
"We need more from our allies... We are ready for peace negotiations... But for this, we need pressure," the Ukrainian president said.
The Ukrainian president was expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit. However, it is not clear if the meeting will take place because Trump left the summit early due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt confirmed Trump's early departure from the summit, citing the ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran.
The Israeli military launched a large-scale attack on Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13, which was followed by retaliatory ballistic missile strikes from Tehran. Israel has since struck key defense targets in Tehran, including the headquarters of Iran's Defense Ministry.
Zelensky was to hold his third in-person meeting with Trump, which may signal the future of Trump and Zelensky's relationship, as well as offer insight into the United States' commitment to supporting Ukraine.
In February, Zelensky and Trump held their first meeting, which escalated into a heated argument, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance lambasting the Ukrainian leader over what they described as "a lack of gratitude for U.S. support."
The second meeting between Trump and Zelensky in the Vatican in April led to the U.S. president reiterating calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine and even threatening to impose sanctions on Russia.
In the month since their last in-person meeting, tensions between Trump and Zelensky have risen again. Despite issuing several threats, Trump has not followed through on implementing additional economic pressure on Moscow.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomes President Volodymyr Zelensky during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17, 2025. (Dmytro Basmat / The Kyiv Independent)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomes President Volodymyr Zelensky during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17, 2025. (Dmytro Basmat / The Kyiv Independent)
Ahead of the summit, European leaders urged G7 nations to impose harsher sanctions on Moscow in order to secure a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine.
"To achieve peace through strength, we must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table, and to end this war. Sanctions are critical to that end," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 15 at a press briefing attended by a Kyiv Independent journalist.
Zelensky is still expected to attend the scheduled meetings with other G7 leaders.
Zelensky said in a closed-door meeting attended by the Kyiv Independent on June 13 that his priority is to speak with Trump about sanctions against Russia, peace talks, weapons purchases, and U.S.-Ukraine economic cooperation.
"There are steps forward we can take — but we need the political will of the U.S. president, if he wants," Zelensky said on June 13.
Amid increased anxiety around Trump's commitment to ending the war, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently announced that the Pentagon would reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its 2026 defense budget.
Canada, which holds the G7 presidency in 2025, invited Zelensky to participate in summit, marking the Ukrainian president’s fourth G7 meeting since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Editor's note: This is a breaking story and is being updated.
U.S. President Donald Trump departed the G7 Leaders' Summit late on June 16, ahead of an anticipated high-stakes meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 17.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the departure comes as Trump is set to attend to "important matters."
"Because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," Leavitt wrote on X.
"I have to be back as soon as I can... because of what's going on in the Middle East" Trump told reporters.
"I have to be back early for obvious reasons," Trump said, without further elaborating.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned ahead of the departure that "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!"
It was not immediately clear as to whether Trump will return for the final day of the summit on June 17.
Zelensky is expected to participate in previously planned G7 events as scheduled.
Zelensky was expected to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit on June 17, marking their third in-person meeting since the American president took office in January. The proposed meeting was set to serve as an inflection point for Zelensky as pressure mounts on Trump from Western allies.
"Both teams are working to ensure we meet," Zelensky said on June 14 during a closed-door briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit late on June 15, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.
Trump's arrival comes ahead of his expected high-stakes meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta.
Canada, which holds the G7 presidency in 2025, invited Zelensky to participate in the 3-day summit, which will mark Zelensky's fourth G7 Leaders' Summit since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
After a disastrous first in-person meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office in February — during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance lambasted Zelensky over what they described as "a lack of gratitude for U.S. support" — a second meeting in the Vaticanled to Trump reiterating calls for a Russian ceasefire and even threatening to impose sanctions on Russia.
In the month since their last in-person meeting, tensions between Trump and Zelensky have risen again. Despite issuing several threats, Trump has not followed through on implementing additional economic pressure on Moscow.
Zelensky said in a closed-door meeting attended by the Kyiv Independent on June 13 that his priority is to speak with Trump about sanctions against Russia, peace talks, weapons purchases, and U.S.-Ukraine economic cooperation.
The anticipated third meeting could signal the future of Trump and Zelensky's relationship, as well as offer insight into the United States' commitment to supporting Ukraine.
Amid increased anxiety around Trump's commitment to ending the war, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently announced that the Pentagon will reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its 2026 defense budget.
On June 12, Zelensky decried Washington's lack of urgency around sanctions, suggesting that Russia is "lying to Trump." He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy is to maintain the illusion of dialogue without ever committing to a ceasefire.
"There are steps forward we can take — but we need the political will of the U.S. president, if he wants," Zelensky said on June 13.
Ukraine’s domestically developed short-range Sapsan ballistic missile has successfully completed combat testing and is in the process of serial production, Ukrainian media reported on June 13.
The missile, with a payload of 480 kg, completed testing in May after successfully striking a Russian military target at a range of nearly 300 km, Valentyn Badrak, head of the an independent Ukrainian think Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies told Liga.net.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry reportedly dedicated a department to formulate and test the missile.
There is no reported timeline as to when the missiles can be seen in regular use on the battlefield.
Domestically produced long-range weapons are of key importance to Ukraine's defense strategy, as Western partners have been slowin delivering adequate weaponry amid increasing Russian attacks and offensives.
The news comes as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a congressional hearing on June 10 that the United States will reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its upcoming defense budget
In November 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has produced its first 100 missiles.
Since then, Ukraine has continued to increase domestic weapon production. Zelensky said on April 16 that over 40%of the weapons used at the front line are now produced in Ukraine, including over 95% of drones used at front line.
Zelensky also previously revealed that Ukraine had developed another domestic-made weapon, a missile-drone Palianytsia.
As Ukraine attempt to increase its defense production, Russia has continued to unleash large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities, regularly launching hundreds of drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) sharedwith the Kyiv Independent that Russia's production of ballistic missiles has increased by at least 66% over the past year.
Russian monthly missile production (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent)
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in late 2024 that Ukraine also resumed and scaled up serial production of Neptune cruise missiles, modifying them to have a greater range.
Kyiv has received a number of long-range missiles from partners, such as U.S.-made ATACMS, British Storm Shadow, or French SCALP/T. Despite Ukrainian requests, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius saidon June 12 that Berlin has no plans to provide Taurus long-range missiles to Kyiv.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A Russian SU-25 fighter jet reportedly crashed over Donetsk Oblast on June 13, Russian social media channels reported.
Videos posted on social media of the purported crash by bloggers with close ties to the Russian Air Force appear to show the plane crashing into a field after closely being followed by another fighter jet. The circumstances of the crash remain unclear as rumours swirl of Russian 'friendly fire' as a potential cause of the crash.
The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the crash or the details surrounding it. Neither the Ukrainian nor Russian military have commented on the reported crash.
The Su-25, a Soviet-designed close-air support aircraft developed by Sukhoi in the late 1970s, is built for battlefield survivability. It features heavy armor and can withstand enemy fire.
The aircraft has been widely used in various conflicts, including in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and, more recently, in Ukraine, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces operate the platform.
Ukraine has downed multiple Russian Su-25s throughout the war. On Feb. 8, Ukraine's military reported shooting down a Russian Su-25 near the town of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast.
In another instance, Russia's Defense Ministry said on on March 24 that Russian Su-25 attack aircraft crashed during a routine training flight in Primorye Krai in Russia's Far East.
The incident comes less than two week following Ukraine's 'Operation Spiderweb' in which Ukrainian drones smuggled deep inside Russia and hidden inside trucks struck as many as 41 Russian heavy bombers at four airfields across the country.
Editor's note: This is a breaking story and is being updated.
Iran and Israel continued to exchange attacks on June 14, more than 24 hours after Israel launched its first strikes on Iran's nuclear sites and military leadership.
According to recent reports, there are civilian casualties in both countries. In Israel, two people have been killed and more than 40 injured since Iran launched its initial wave of retaliatory strikes.
In Iran, more than 70 people have been killed and 329 injured, according to the country's United Nations ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani.
Responding to Israel's preemptive strikes on Iran overnight on June 13, Tehran responded with multiple waves of ballistic missiles, as well as an earlier barrage of drones.
The drone attack followed heavy air strikes launched by Israel against Iran, targeting the country's nuclear program and reportedly killing Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and other top officials.
Amid the escalation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond to the most recent attack.
"More is on the way. The (Iranian) regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker," Netanyahu said in an address.
Clear, dramatic footage captures active missile intercepts over Tel Aviv, including impacts that struck locations downtown. pic.twitter.com/ISxbIQ6CU0
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier in the day that the U.S. military is on high alert and watching for any kind of retaliation, adding that the U.S. will respond to defend itself or Israel if Iran strikes back.
Before the attacks, Trump emphasized that despite tensions, he is committed to avoiding conflict and prefers a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear aspirations. "I want to have an agreement with Iran," Trump said, referring to ongoing Iran-U.S. nuclear talks in Oman.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has expressed willingness to accept limited restrictions in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Beyond the Middle East, Iran has emerged as a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine, supplying Moscow with drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed on June 13 that its aerospace commander, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who led Iran's Shahed drone supply to Russia, was killed in the strike on June 13.
Just hours after Russia launched its own missile and drone assault on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin decried the "numerous civilian casualties" in Iran and condemned Israel's actions as violations of the UN Charter and international law.
Following the initial strikes by Israel, Kyiv expressed concern over the security situation in the Middle East after Israeli air strikes against Iran, but stressed that Tehran remains a "source of problems" in the region "and beyond."
Ukraine successfully brought back five children who had been forcibly taken to Russia as well as Russian-occupied territory, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced on June 12.
The children have been returned home under the President of Ukraine’s initiative, Bring Kids Back UA, according to Yermak.
"We are fulfilling the President's mission — to bring back every Ukrainian child," Yermak said in an statement.
Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself, according to a Ukrainian national database, "Children of War." Only 1,359 children have been returned thus far.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, estimated that Russia has unlawfully deported up to 150,000 Ukrainian children, while the Children’s Ombudswoman, Daria Herasymchuk, puts the figure at 200,000–300,000.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, citing their involvement in the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. Russia dismissed the ICC's decision as "outrageous and unacceptable."
Under orders from Putin, children were transported via military aircraft in 2022, reclassified in Russian databases as native-born, and subjected to pro-Russian re-education before being adopted into Russian families. Ukrainian children had been transported to at least 21 regions throughout Russia.
Child abductions have played a key part of U.S.-Russia peace negotiations — all of which Russia has thus far rejected. Ukrainian officials have named their return as a key condition for any future peace agreement with Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 3 that during the Istanbul negotiations, Russian representatives dismissedthe issue of abducted Ukrainian children as a "show for childless European old ladies" and acknowledged deporting several hundred children.
CNN reported on June 11 that the Yale University-based Humanitarian Research Lab, which spearheads the Ukraine Conflict Observatory is preparing to shut down after its funding was terminated by the Trump administration.
A Yale study published on Dec. 3 detailed Russia's systematic program of deporting and forcibly assimilating Ukrainian children.
Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBCRussian service, has confirmed the identities of 111,387 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to June 6, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of May, 1,762 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, memorial community tree-plantings, regional media reports, statements from local authorities, among other sources.
The outlet published the complete list of identified casualties for the first time in February, marking three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the publication, volunteers manually enter and verify each record to prevent duplicate entries in the database.
The journalists' findings come as Russia surpassed 1 million losses on June 12, marking a symbolic, yet grim milestone in the 3-year-long war. The estimate, which is broadly in-line with estimates made by Western intelligence agencies, likely includes those killed, captured, wounded, and missing.
The confirmed death toll now includes 28,200 volunteers, 17,400 recruited prisoners, and nearly 12,300 mobilized soldiers, according to the media outlets. Over 5,100 officers have also been confirmed to have been killed.
Amid renewed summer offensives in multiple sectors of the front, Russia has steadily gained ground in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast in recent months but at the cost of heavy casualties as well as equipment losses.
Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POWs) said on June 12 said that more than 100,000 Russian families have contacted a Ukrainian-run initiative in search of information about missing Russian soldiers.
Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official let slip in December that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A large fire reportedly broke out at a gunpowder plant in the town of Kotovsk in Russia's Tambov Oblast overnight on June 11, Russian Telegram channels reported.
Residents reported hearing multiple explosions amid a Ukrainian drone attack on the region. Videos posted on social media purportedly show a large fire in the vicinity of the plant.
No information was immediately available as to the extent of damage caused.
Russian state media TASS claimed that a large-scale drone attack on the region was repelled by Russian air defense systems, which resulted in a fire. The outlet did not mention an attack on the plant.
Regional Governor Maxim Egorov said that the fire that broke out was extinguished by emergency services — without specifying the location of the blaze. Egorov claimed that there were no casualties as a result of the attack.
The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify reports of the attack on the plant. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the alleged attack.
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Video of a purported fire at a gunpowder plant in Russia's Tambov Oblast following a Ukrainian drone atack on June 11, 2025. (ASTRA/Telegram)
The gunpowder plant has previously been the target of Ukrainian attack. In July 2024, the facility was struck with a Ukrainian attack drone, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent. The plant was also previously struck in January 2024 and November 2023.
The Tambov gunpowder plant is one of the largest industrial facilities in Russia that manufactures ammunition for the army, including gunpowder for small arms cartridges.
Its production has been reportedly increased by a third since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The plant was put on the U.S. sanction list in 2023.
Ukrainian forces regularly conduct drone strikes and sabotage acts on Russian territory, targeting military assets, oil refineries, and industrial facilities.
On the morning of June 10, drones reportedly attacked targets in Russia's Tatarstan Republic and Leningrad Oblast.
On June 6, drones struck a Russian military plant in nearby Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast.
As peace negotiations stall and Russia refuses the accept a ceasefire, the war has escalated.
Russia intensified aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities in late May, launching some of the heaviest assaults of the full-scale war over three consecutive nights. Less than a week later, Ukraine launched Operation Spiderweb, an audacious mass drone strike that reportedly damaged 41 Russian military planes.
In the days since, Ukraine has continued to target key Russian military assets, launching strikes against missile bases and the Crimean Bridge.
A Russian military aircraft is suspected of violating Finland's airspace on June 10, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"The investigation into the suspect's airspace breach has been launched immediately," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said. The Finnish border guard is investigating and will share more information as the probe continues, according to the Finnish Defense Ministry.
The alleged violation occurred near the city of Porvoo, located about 50 km east of Helsinki. The city lies in the country's far-south, along the Gulf of Finland.
Russia regularly stages provocations on NATO's eastern flank, which includes Poland, Finland, and the Baltic countries. On May 22, two Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace, while the day prior Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
Russian aircraft frequently fly from its exclave, Kaliningrad. The jets often disable their transponders, fail to file flight plans, and do not establish contact with regional air traffic control — a pattern NATO officials describe as high-risk behavior.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, NATO officials have increasingly warned Moscow could attack the alliance's members in the coming years. In anticipation of increased hostilities, Finland has said it expects a Russian military build-up on its borders after the war in Ukraine ends.
On May 19, the New York Times published satellite images which seem to indicate an expansion of military facilities near the Finnish border.
Finland joined NATO in 2023 following the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022 and shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia.
NATO countries in Russia's vicinity have intensified their preparations for a possible conflict. Poland and the Baltic countries moved to abandon a treaty banning land mines and are strengthening the borders shared with Russia and its ally Belarus while urging higher defense spending across the alliance.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened on June 10 to veto the EU's upcoming 18th sanctions package against Russia if concerns over Slovakia's reliance on Russian gas and energy exports were not addressed.
The comments come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on June 10 that the 18th package of European Union sanctions against Russia will include additional restrictions on energy, banking, and oil, among other areas.
The EU has proposed for the first time a ban on transactions involving the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, as well as a reduction in the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel, as one-third of Russia's government revenue still comes from oil exports, according to von der Leyen.
Fico said on Facebook that he would block additional sanctions unless the bloc finds "a real solution to the crisis situation that Slovakia would face following a complete halt in the supply of gas, oil, and nuclear fuel from Russia."
Historically, Slovakia has been heavily reliant on Russian gas and energy transfer, serving as a key transit hub for Russian exports to Western Europe.
Since taking office in 2023, Fico has also reversed Slovakia's previous pro-Ukraine policy, ending military aid to Kyiv and questioning the value of EU sanctions on Russia.
EU foreign policy decisions, including sanctions, require unanimous approval by all member states. A Slovak veto could force concessions or delay enforcement in future rounds.
Fico's comments come as Slovakia’s parliament passed a resolution on June 5 urging the government to oppose any new international sanctions or trade restrictions against Russia, citing alleged negative economic impacts. The non-binding resolution argued that sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have driven up energy prices, disrupted supply chains, and harmed Slovak industry.
Fico subsequently vowed on June 8 that he would veto new sanctions if they harm national interests, adding that he would not support any measure that halts Russian fuelimports that are used to power Slovakia's nuclear power plants.
Unlike Ukraine-skeptic Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who has repeatedly obstructed and delayed the bloc's sanctions against Russia and military aid for Ukraine, Slovakia has not previously attempted to block EU sanctions.
On May 6 the EU presented a detailed roadmap to fully sever the bloc’s energy dependence on Russia by 2027. National governments, including Kremlin-friendly Hungary and Slovakia, will be required to submit individual phase-out plans by year’s end.
There are currently no plans for mass civilian evacuations from the city of Sumy, regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said on June 8, as Russian advances into Sumy Oblast have continued to gain momentum.
"There are currently no grounds for evacuation from the city of Sumy. The situation along the Sumy Oblast border is tense but under control of the Defense Forces," Hryhorov said on social media, referencing concerns on social media from residents.
Sumy Oblast has seen escalating attacks in recent weeks as Russia intensifies cross-border operations. Russian advances into Sumy have gained momentum since Ukrainian forces withdrew from most of their foothold in Russia's Kursk Oblast in March.
Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia to the north, has been a repeated target of Russian incursions and shelling since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Sumy has repeatedly suffered from Russian strikes on the city. On June 3, Russian attackson the city killed four people and injured 28 others, including three children.
On May 31, Hryhorov announced mandatory evacuation orders for 11 more villages due to intensifying attacks, bringing the total number of evacuated settlements in Sumy Oblast to 213.
The open-source battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on June 8 that Russian forces have occupied the village of Loknia in Sumy Oblast, as the advances on small settlements along the border continues. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the reported advance, and the Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the reporting.
In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to create a so-called "security buffer zone" along the border with Ukraine, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 28 that Moscow had massed 50,000 troops near Sumy.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on June 8 that Slovakia will block EU sanctions against Russia if they are deemed to harm the country's national interests.
"If there is a sanction that would harm us, I will never vote for it," Fico told reporters.
Fico's comments come as Slovakia’s parliament passed a resolution on June 5 urging the government to oppose any new international sanctions or trade restrictions against Russia, citing alleged negative economic impacts.
The non-binding resolution argues that the sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have driven up energy prices, disrupted supply chains, and harmed Slovak industry.
The resolution calls on government ministers to “defend national economic interests” in international forums and resist further punitive measures targeting Moscow.
Since taking office in 2023, Fico has reversed Slovakia's previous pro-Ukraine policy, ending military aid to Kyiv and questioning the value of EU sanctions on Russia.
EU foreign policy decisions, including sanctions, require unanimous approval by all member states. A Slovak veto could force concessions or delay enforcement in future rounds.
Unlike Ukraine-skeptic Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who has repeatedly obstructed and delayed the bloc's sanctions against Russia and military aid for Ukraine, Slovakia has not previously attempted to block EU sanctions.
"I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of Slovakia," Fico said, without elaborating on how he will vote on any upcoming EU sanctions packages.
Fico added that he would not support any measure that halts Russian fuelimports that are used to power Slovakia's nuclear power plants.
Discussions are underway as the EU is preparing an 18th sanctions package against Russia. EU ambassadors on May 14 agreed on the bloc's 17th package of sanctions against Russia, primarily targeting its shadow fleet of oil tankers.
Ukraine's European allies are tightening sanctions against Russia as Moscow refuses to cease fire. Despite Russia's refusal, no new U.S. sanctions have been imposed so far.
Germany is planning to quickly expand it network of air raid shelters and bunkers, in preparation for a potential Russian attack on the country, Ralph Tiesler, the head of the Germany's Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance said.
"For a long time, there was a widespread belief in Germany that war was not a scenario for which we needed to prepare. That has changed. We are concerned about the risk of a major war of aggression in Europe," Tiesler told the German Suddeutsche Zeitung news outlet on June 5.
Tiesler, the official in charge of civilian protection in Germany, said that only 580 of the country's 2,000 cold war-era bunkers were in working order. In its current condition, the shelters would house 480,000 people, a small fraction of the country's population that total 83 million people.
"We must quickly create space for 1 million people," Tiesler said. "Existing structures must be assessed and adapted without delay," warning that solely constructing new shelters would take too long.
The focus on revamping shelters comes amid ongoing fears that Russia may attack a NATO country within the next decade.
Germany's Defense Chief Carsten Breuer told BBC on June 1 that allies need to be prepared for an attack within the next four years.
"There's an intent and there's a build up of the stocks," Breuer said. "This is what the analysts are assessing - in 2029. So we have to be ready by 2029... If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that's not earlier than 2029? I would say no, it's not. So we must be able to fight tonight."
Breuer's comments were the latest in a series of increasingly dire warnings from Western leaders and defense officials about the threat emanating from Russia and Europe's current lack of preparedness.
Tiesler said that Germany would need to spend at least 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) to cover civil defense needs over the next four years, and 30 billion euros ($34 billion) over the next 10 years. Tiesler's office is expected to produce a detailed plan to the shelters' expansion, as well as addition civil defense needs this summer.
As concerns as to where Russia may launch an initial incursion into NATO territory mount, Russia has continued to restructure its military presence along its Baltic flank. Analysts and military experts believe that Russia may launch on initial attack on a country in the Baltic Sea region, given its strategic positioning and surroundings, including the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
A 46-year-old Ukrainian woman and her 6-year-old daughter were found murdered on June 6 in the city of Leuven, Belgium, authorities reported.
The woman and her daughter were found after first responders were called to the scene of fire in the community of Haasrode. Both victims were found in the fire, and had previously suffered stab wounds, Belgian media outlet VRT reported.
Authorities believe that the fire was deliberative and suspect foul play.
The Ukrainian family, which was not named, had been living in Belgium for three years. The murdered woman's 16-year-old son was at school of the time of the murder.
VRT reported that the father of the murdered girl is Ukrainian soldier currently serving on the front line.
No additional details were released as the investigation into the double homicide is ongoing.
A number of Ukrainian citizens have been killed or injured in attacks in multiple European cities, including in hate-motivated attacks.
In February 2024, a 15-year-old Ukrainian boy received severe head injuries and was taken to the hospital after his attacker allegedly made xenophobic remarksbefore the attack.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian forces attacked Kharkiv with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs overnight on June 7, killing at least three people and injuring 19, officials said.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov saidthat drones had struck civilian targets across the city, including a 9-story residential building, local enterprise, a home, and other facilities.
Emergency crews are currently on-scene, searching for additional victims stuck underneath the rubble.
Two children were injured in the attack, including a 1-month-old baby, Syniehubov said.
At least 40 explosions were recorded across the city amid the attack, local media reported. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reportedthat the Osnovyanskyi and Kyiv districts of the city suffered strikes.
Emergency workers assist residents in evacuating a building in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kharkiv on June 7, 2025. (Ukraine's State Emergency Service/Telegram)
A phycologist consoles a woman following an attack on a residential buiding in Kharkiv on June 7, 2025. (Ukraine's State Emergency Service/Telegram)
According to Terekhov, 48 Shahed drones, two missiles, and four guided aerial bombs were launched toward the city.
The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear, and no information was provided on the status of the injured victims.
Located along the front line, Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine's northeast is a regular target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks from across the border.
Overnight on June 5, Russian missile and drone attackson Kharkiv injured 17 people, including four children.
The Wagner mercenary group announced on June 6 that it was withdrawing its presence from Mali, ending its fight with rebel groups.
"Mission accomplished. Private Military Company Wagner returns home," the group, founded by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced on social media.
Wagner mercenaries have been fighting alongside Malian government forces since 2021, in attempts to fend off Islamic insurgents.
The group said that it was ending its presence as "all regional capitals have returned to the control of the legitimate government," providing little rationale for the group's exit from the war-torn nation.
Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers have reportedly suffered heavy losses in their engagements with Tuareg-led rebels.
The Russian mercenary group, known for its deployment in Ukraine and short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin in 2023, has a strong presence across the African continent, backing Russian business interests and Moscow-friendly regimes.
The mercenaries have been particularly active in Mali since late 2021 and has been accused of perpetrating war crimes and widespread looting. In December 2024, Human Rights Watch accused Wagner mercenaries and Malian government forces of deliberately killing 32 civilians.
The so-called "Africa Corps," under the command of Russia's Defense Ministry, who fought alongside Wagner mercenaries, will continue to have an active presence in Mali.
Mali broke diplomatic ties with Ukraine over its alleged support of Tuareg-led rebels without providing any evidence of direct cooperation. The step was taken after comments by Andrii Yusov, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson, about the rebels receiving "useful information, and not just that, which allowed them to carry out a successful military operation against Russian war criminals."
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry later denied the country's involved with rebel groups.
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 6 appeared to justify Russia's large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities launched the night before, in response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb.
“They gave (Russian President Vladimir) Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Trump toldreporters aboard Air Force One.
"That's the thing I don't like about it. When I saw it I said 'here we go now it's going to be a strike,' Trump added.
Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack against Ukraine overnight on June 6, targeting the capital, major cities, and the country's far-western regions.
A total of 80 people were injured and four people killed, including first responders, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The attack comes a day after Putin promised to retaliate against Ukraine for its drone strike against Russian air bases during Operation Spiderweb, in a phone call with Trump.
Ukraine on June 1 launched a game-changing drone attack on four key Russian military airfields, damaging 41 planes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes. Kyiv has claimed it had disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during the full-scale war.
Trump warnedon June 5 that Russia's response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb is likely "not going to be pretty."
"I don't like it, I said don't do it, you shouldn't do it, you should stop it," Trump added.
Despite Trump's repeated calls for hostilities between Russia and Ukraine to end, Trump has continued to delay additional pressures on Moscow through sanctions.
Trump on June 5 sidesteppedquestions as to when he can be expected to impose additional sanctions on Russia, as the Kremlin continues to reject a ceasefire in Ukraine.
When asked by reporters in the Oval Office as to whether a deadline exists for the implementation of sanction, Trump replied: "Yes, it's in my brain the deadline," without specifying a date.
Previously, Trump said he had not yet imposed new sanctions on Russia because he believed a peace deal might be within reach.
"If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that," he said, but added he is prepared to act if Moscow stalls further.
As Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continue to intensify, Trump previously admitted to sheltering Russia from additional pressures.
"What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean really bad. He's playing with fire," he wrote on Truth Socialon May 27, following three days of intense attacks on various regions of Ukraine.
A bipartisan sanctions bill is already awaiting approval in Congress, with provisions for sweeping financial penalties and tariffs on nations buying Russian oil or uranium.
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The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
