Ukraine confirmed on 14 September that its drone forces shot down a rare heavy Russian Orion UAV near the border in Kursk Oblast. The Orion is a cruise missile-capable heavy combat drone, rarely used by Moscow due to its limited availability and vulnerability to Ukrainian air defense, Militarnyi reports.
Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia has steadily intensified its aerial attacks against Ukraine. With conventional air defense systems gradually depleting, Ukraine has been forced to innovate—developing interceptor drones to counter the threat. These drone-versus-drone tactics rely on deploying multiple UAVs to target both low-flying, small drones and larger, faster drones operating at higher altitudes.
Ukrainian drone units intercept rare Orion UAV
According to the Commander of Ukraine’s Drone Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, the 414th Separate Drone Systems Brigade successfully destroyed the Russian Orion drone using an interceptor UAV. This marked the first time the brigade brought down an Orion model, despite having previously intercepted nearly 1,500 enemy drones. These included various types such as Orlan, ZALA, SuperCam, Shahed, and Lancet, with larger targets like Merlin and Forpost among the most significant until now.
OSINT experts geolocated the interception site to the area around Tyotkino, in Kursk Oblast, Russia, just next to the Ukrainian border. The coordinates were confirmed as 51.2862, 34.3813. This location lies just across the border from Ukrainian territory.
A coordinated strike by multiple Ukrainian units
Before the final blow, the Orion UAV had already sustained damage from interceptor drones operated by Ukraine’s 95th Air Assault Brigade. The final strike was delivered by the Ptakhy Madyara team of the 414th brigade.
The Russian military has rarely deployed Orion drones in combat due to both their limited numbers and high susceptibility to Ukraine’s layered air defense network, Militarnyi noted.
Background on the Orion drone program
The Orion UAV was developed by the Kronstadt Group beginning in 2011. The first prototype was completed in 2015, with operational testing drones handed over in April 2020. Serial production began in August 2020.
The Orion drone has a wingspan of around 16 meters, a length of about 8 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 1.2 tons, and a payload capacity of up to 200 kg. It can reach altitudes up to 7 km and fly continuously for up to 24 hours, with a range of 1,000–1,500 km.
Russia’s Orion heavy drone. Photo via Telegram/Madyar.
According to Militarnyi, Orion can be armed with guided munitions including Kh-50 missiles, KAB-20 bombs, and other types such as UPAB-50, KAB-50, FAB-50, and the Kh-BPLA missile. It is also capable of launching the compact S8000 Banderol cruise missile.
Only nine confirmed losses of Orion drones have occurred since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, according to Oryx blog.
Ukrainian forces are striking targets in the occupied territories of Donetsk Oblast to halt Russian preparation for an autumn counteroffensive, says Oleksii Hetman, Radio NV reports.
On 8 September, Ukrainian forces launched a powerful combined missile and drone strike, targeting Russian military command structures in Donetsk. The city is a regional capital in eastern Ukraine, occupied by Russia since 2014. OSINT analysts and local sources confirmed the destruction of key command centers belonging to the Russian 41st Army and 20th Motor Rifle Division.
Ukrainian attacks lay the groundwork for an advance
“The Russians are planning very powerful attacks, so they are pulling in troops and redeploying,”explains Hetman.
That’s why Ukraine must destroy and weaken them as much as possible, and prepare for its own offensive actions.
During the attack, Ukrainian drones reportedly hit a third Russian-controlled military site — the Topaz plant. This facility, previously used by Russian forces to house command elements, suffered heavy structural damage.
According to analysts, an army-level headquarters was located inside the Topaz site as well.
A variety of Ukrainian weapons
Hetman believes that it is difficult to say exactly which weapons were used in the strikes, but that is not critical.
“We have a large arsenal of missiles: ‘Palyanytsya,’ ‘Peklo,’ ‘Trembita,’ ‘Flamingo.’ What exactly hit doesn’t make much difference. We carefully plan attacks and don’t use high-powered missiles where smaller ones are sufficient,” he says.
Precision strike strategy
According to the expert, every attack is carefully calculated. Ukraine employs its weapons based on the strategic importance of each target: more powerful missiles are used only where maximum effect is needed.
These actions drain the Russian military and set the conditions for future offensive operations.
On 8 September, Ukrainian forces launched a powerful combined missile and drone strike, targeting Russian military command structures in Donetsk — a regional capital in eastern Ukraine, occupied by Russia since 2014. OSINT analysts and local sources confirmed the destruction of key command centers belonging to the Russian 41st Army and 20th Motor Rifle Division.
Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, this is not the first time Ukraine has targeted Moscow’s military command structures in Donetsk. Several high-profile strikes also occurred in previous months. In June, a Ukrainian missile strike on the command post of Russia’s 8th Army in the city resulted in the elimination of the group’s chief of communications. Disrupting Russian command and control in Donetsk Oblast remains critical, as Moscow has for months prioritized seizing full control of the oblast.
Ukrainian missiles strike Russian command HQs in occupied Donetsk
Ukrainian defense news site Militarnyireported that Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck multiple command posts of the Russian occupying army in Donetsk Oblast in a coordinated night assault. OSINT analysts CyberBoroshno and Dnipro Osint confirmed that Ukrainian cruise missiles hit headquarters at both army and divisional level.
One of the identified targets was the command post of Russia’s 41st Army, which had been hidden inside the Institute of Integrated Automation in Donetsk. The analysts did not specify the exact location of the 20th Motor Rifle Division’s headquarters, but confirmed it was also struck during the same attack.
In addition to those two major targets, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked a third Russian-controlled military site — the Topaz plant. This facility, previously used by Russian forces to house command elements, suffered heavy structural damage.
According to analysts, an army-level headquarters was located inside the Topaz site as well, though its exact affiliation remains unknown.
Local footage shows scale of destruction at Russian-occupied Topaz plant
Footage and photos from local Telegram channels captured large columns of smoke rising over Donetsk and visible Russian air defense activity during the attack. The images, showing shattered buildings at the Topaz factory, confirmed that the site sustained serious damage.
CyberBoroshno reported that Russia has used the Topaz plant to station its equipment and military infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Due to this, the factory has repeatedly been a target for Ukrainian precision strikes.
Domestic cruise missiles suspected in attack, Peklo and Bars possibly used
Militarnyi notes that although it remains unclear which exact weapons were used in the strikes, footage released by local residents supports the theory that Ukraine used domestically produced Peklo and Bars cruise missiles. Visual evidence from the scene, including the configuration of the jet engine and wing mount, appears to match the characteristics of the Peklo missile.
Ukrainian missile and missile‑drone production
Constrained with scant supplies of foreign-made missiles, Ukraine is rapidly scaling its domestic long‑range strike capabilities, especially with the Flamingo cruise missile—now in mass production by end of 2025 or early 2026, boasting a claimed 3,000 km range, 1,150 kg warhead, and 6‑ton takeoff weight. Ukraine also producesBars “cruise missile drones,” and additional systems like Peklo and Palianytsia. The latter two were widely praised by the officials earlier, but have basically been missing from reports on deep strikes for months.
Ukraine’s “working horses” for its deep strikes inside Russia and occupied territories are long-range drones such as Liutyi.
In February, Ukraine’s state weapons development grant program reportedly funded 19 domestic missile manufacturers, backing projects to develop a broad range of systems, including cruise, ballistic, and anti-aircraft missiles tailored to the country’s defense needs.
Ukrainian rescue workers pulled the body of a third victim from the rubble of a destroyed nine-story apartment building in Kyiv, bringing the total death toll from 7 September massive Russian attack to three people, according to the State Emergency Service. The man was not yet identified.
The overnight assault on 7 September involved823 drones and missiles launched across Ukraine, including 810 Shahed-type strike drones, 9 Iskander-K cruise missiles and 4 Iskander-M ballistic missiles. While air defenses intercepted most projectiles, 9 missiles and 56 drones struck 37 locations nationwide.
In Kyiv, the attack caused severe damage to the nine-story residential building in Sviatoshynsky district and hit a four-story building in Darnytsky district. The Cabinet of Ministers building also sustained damage.
The two other victims were identified as 32-year-old Viktoriia Hrebeniuk, an employee of charitable organization “100% Life,” and her two-month-old son Roman.
Viktoriia Hrebeniuk, 32, worked for charitable organization “100% Life” supporting vulnerable communities. She and her two-month-old son Roman were killed in Russian drone attack on Kyiv on 7 September.
Her colleague Yulia Melnyk described Viktoriia on Facebook as “an incredibly kind, decent and wonderful person” whose support, leadership and professionalism would not be forgotten.
Her friend Maryna Novak wrote that Hrebeniuk “had just received such a dream life, family, husband, little son” and “loved life and people above all else.”
A makeshift memorial near the destroyed apartment building for Viktoriia Hrebeniuk and her two-month-old son Roman killed in a Russian attack on Kyiv on 7 September. Photo: State Emergency Service
Twenty people were injured in the capital, with seven requiring hospitalization. Among the hospitalized is a 24-year-old pregnant woman in extremely serious condition who underwent emergency delivery after the attack. The premature infant is currently in intensive care, according to hospital officials.
Four patients remain in critical condition in the burn unit, including the new mother and elderly residents aged 72 and 74.
Search and rescue operations have ended at the partially destroyed apartment building where Russian strike killed three people.
Photo: State Emergency Service
Meanwhile, President Trump expressed clear frustration with the escalation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities following the assault.
“I am not thrilled with what’s happening there,” Trump said of Russia’s attacks. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”
The president indicated he plans to speak with Putin in the coming days about ending the war.
In the early hours of 7 September, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, using over 800 drones and several missiles to strike more than a dozen locations. Despite a major interception effort by Ukrainian air defense, dozens of Russia’s explosive drones and missiles reached their targets, killing civilians, injuring scores, and damaging infrastructure across multiple oblasts.
Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow conducts daily drone and missile strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians. These attacks have been escalating since January, when US President Donald Trump took office and began pressuring Kyiv to enter direct negotiations with Moscow — a move fundamentally detached from the reality of Russia’s ongoing military aggression.
Kyiv: fires and civilian deaths
Kyiv was among the hardest-hit cities last night and this morning. Two people were confirmed killed, including an infant whose body was pulled from rubble, and more than 20 others were injured.
One woman died while sheltering in a basement in Darnytskyi District. The Kyiv Military Administration reported significant fire damage in the Pecherskyi District after a government building was hit by drone debris. The Cabinet of Ministers building caught fire after a strike.
In Sviatoshynskyi District, two nine-story apartment buildings ignited, and the top floor of a sixteen-story residential building was also engulfed in flames.
Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said that in Sviatoshynskyi District, a fire broke out in a nine-story residential building as a result of the Russian attack, causing partial destruction between the fourth and eighth floors.
“Unfortunately, two people were killed at this location — a woman and her two-month-old child. It is likely that more people remain trapped under the rubble. Over 20 others were injured,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko added.
Later that morning, Klitschko saidauthorities were still searching for the body of a third suspected victim under the ruins.
The city recorded more than 10 damaged sites. Over 400 emergency workers and nearly 100 vehicles, including helicopters, were deployed to respond, according to Klymenko.
Odesa: residential and civil infrastructure hit
In Odesa and the Odesa district, drone strikes caused multiple fires in residential buildings and critical infrastructure.
According to the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, three people were injured: a 73-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman were hospitalized, and a 36-year-old man received treatment on site.
Top of residential high-rise in Odesa visibly damaged following Russian drone strike on 7 September 2025. Image: Suspilne Odesa
The Russian attack damaged a nine-story building, with fires on the upper floors. Firefighters also responded to blazes in warehouse facilities and vehicles. The local Palace of Sports sustained damage.
The air raid alert began at 22:34 on 6 September, with explosions reported starting at 04:08. The all-clear was given at 05:33.
On 6 September, Russian drones struck Zaporizhzhia, heavily damaging a kindergarten, where 80% of the building was destroyed. The Russian attack injured a total of 17 civilians,according to local authorities. Sixteen apartment buildings and twelve one-family houses suffered damage.
Fires erupted in residential areas, a critical infrastructure site was reportedly struck, and explosions damaged roofs, balconies, and windows.
One person was rescued from under debris. The regional prosecutor reported Russia’s use of Shahed-type drones, and a criminal investigation was launched.
Severely damaged building in Zaporizhzhia after Russian strike on 6 September 2025. Image: Zaporizhzhia State Emergency Service
By today, emergency operations had shifted from rescue to recovery.
Zaporizhzhia’s Novopavlivka: Russian air strike killed married couple
On 7 September, a Russian airstrike targeted Novopavlivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Two people — a married couple — were killed. The woman died immediately; her husband’s body was later pulled from the rubble by rescue workers. Several homes were destroyed, according to local authorities.
Kryvyi Rih: missiles hit homes and infrastructure
At least two waves of Russian missiles targeted Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the Russian attack overnight on 7 September. The strikes injured three men, one of whom is in serious condition.
The city’s defense council head, Oleksandr Vilkul, said missiles struck transportation infrastructure, industrial sites, private homes, and high-rise buildings. Fires were reported at multiple sites. Public transit was partially disrupted.
A second missile strike later in the morning caused further damage and triggered a fire. Emergency response teams and civil infrastructure repair crews were deployed.
In Poltava Oblast, Russia strikes hit infrastructure in Kremenchuk and Poltava districts. A detached home, a business, and the Dnipro bridge in Kremenchuk were damaged. Though the authorities reported no casualties, the bridge was closed to traffic. Poltava district authorities confirmed a municipal building was also hit.
Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said the bridge is managed by Ukrzaliznytsia railway company, and structural assessments are underway. Due to damage, Ukrzaliznytsia altered a few train routes, and passengers are transported to Kremenchuk by bus. Two local electric trains were canceled for 7 September.
Sumy Oblast: woman killed in tent camp, child among injured
In the evening of 6 September, a Russian drone struck a tent camp near the town of Putyvl in Sumy Oblast. The attack killed a 51-year-old woman by shrapnel before medical help arrived. Eight others were injured, including an 8-year-old boy and both his parents. According to Putyvl mayor Kostiantyn Havrylchuk, most of the injuries were minor. The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported the attack occurred around 21:40.
In a separate incident in the Krasnopilska community, a 57-year-old man was hospitalized after a Russian drone struck his vehicle.
Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts: ongoing civilian toll
Russian shelling and air attacks continued across Kharkiv Oblast, where one civilian was killed and six were injured in 14 separate locations over the past 24 hours, according to oblast head Oleh Syniehubov.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed two people — in Drobysheve and Hryshyne — and injured nine more, as reported by oblast head Vadym Filashkin.
In Kherson Oblast, two civilians were reported injured over the previous 24 hours, according to local authorities. Later in the morning of 7 September, Russian artillery struck Kherson’s Central District, injuring a 73-year-old woman with shrapnel wounds and a blast injury, the oblast administration added.
Nationwide defense and aftermath
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia launched 805 Shahed drones, nine Iskander-K cruise missiles, and four ballistic missiles overnight. Ukraine’s air defense downed or suppressed 751 aerial targets, including 747 drones and four cruise missiles. Nevertheless, 56 drones and nine missiles struck 37 locations. Debris from downed drones caused secondary fires and destruction in at least eight other locations.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the Russian attack, calling it a “conscious crime” and urging the international community to implement previously promised sanctions and accelerate the delivery of air defense systems.
“These killings, at a time when real diplomacy could already be underway, are deliberate,” he said.
He confirmed that in Kyiv alone, two people had been killed and dozens injured, including a child, and emphasized that political will was all that was needed to stop further bloodshed.
“We also expect full implementation of all agreements aimed at strengthening our air defense. Every additional system saves civilians from these vile attacks,” Zelenskyy added.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that members of the “Coalition of the Willing” have pledged to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, as part of efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defense capabilities.
The delivery of long-range missiles will enable strikes on military targets deeper inside Russian and Russian-held territory supporting both defensive and counteroffensive operations.
Ukraine has long requested additional long-range weaponry, but Western partners have been cautious due to concerns about escalating the conflict. Such weapons allow Ukraine to effectively disrupt supply lines that sustain Moscow’s war effort far from the front lines.
Speaking to a virtual session of the Coalition of the Willing from Glasgow, the Prime Minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted, citing ongoing attacks on Ukraine and delays in peace talks.
The Prime Minister also thanked military planners and chiefs of defense of Coalition countries for their work to ensure forces could be deployed if a ceasefire is reached.
He described the coalition’s support for Ukraine as “unbreakable” and that they had US President Trump’s backing.
He added that they now need “to go even further to apply pressure on Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities.”
Instead of peace: parades, missiles, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in China on a four-day visit, RBC reports.
He was invited by Xi Jinping to a military parade marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. This comes just as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the war is expiring.
Trump’s deadline and Russia’s new attacks
The American president gave Putin two weeks to decide on negotiations.
However, the Kremlin not only failed to respond but also launched two massive attacks on Ukraine. More than 1,100 targets have been used, from Shaheds to ballistic missiles. This clearly demonstrates that for Putin, the war matters more than peace. Previously, he had called Zelenskyy an “illegitimate president” of a non-existent country.
SCO Summit in China: Who’s attending?
Beyond the parade, Putin will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, scheduled from 31 August to 1 September in Tianjin. The SCO includes Russia, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
More than 20 world leaders are expected. The Kremlin dictator plans to meet with Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier, Trump imposed tariffs on India over its imports of Russian oil, which fuels Moscow’s war machine. This sparked outrage in Delhi, which pointed out that Europe continues buying Russian oil without facing sanctions.
According to The New York Times, Trump also pressured India to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. After Delhi refused, he retaliated with tariffs.
Against this backdrop, India may strengthen cooperation with Russia and China, both key players in the oil and gas market, and part of the “axis of upheaval”, the growing anti-American collaboration between the nations.
Two weeks are ticking down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reminded that US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a trilateral meeting is ending this Monday, on 1 September.
US, Ukraine, and Russia: Will the meeting happen?
During his Washington visit on 19 August, Trump said his administration was ready to organize talks between Zelenskyy and Putin to reach an agreement on ending the war.
“At that time, the president said, ‘We will be ready in a couple of weeks.’ That means two to three weeks from our conversation. I want to remind that two weeks are up on Monday,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
Meanwhile, Putin refuses to engage in negotiations. According to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in this case Russia’s war against Ukraine could continue for “many months.”
There is no evidence that Moscow seeks peace. Despite talks of negotiations, Russia continues massive attacks on Ukraine. In the latest strike on Kyiv, all types of weapons were used: Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. A total of 629 targets targeted the Ukrainian capital. The strike lasted nine hours and killed 25 people, including four children.
Moscow’s conditions: ultimatum, not peace
Despite the warm Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Russia’s demands regarding Ukraine have not changed. Today, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova outlined what Russia calls “peace conditions”:
Demilitarization of Ukraine,
Denazification,
Neutral, non-aligned, and nuclear-free status,
Recognition of occupied territories,
Guarantees of rights of the Russian language and the Russian-speaking population,
End to persecution of canonical Orthodoxy.
Moscow supposedly offers “security guarantees” only after these conditions are met. In reality, these demands are mutually exclusive and would mean the elimination of an independent Ukraine.
Editor's note: This is a breaking story and is being updated.
Russia launched another mass missile and drone attack overnight on July 9, targeting Ukrainian cities, including in the country's far-west regions located hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
Late spring and early summer in Ukraine have been marked by disturbingly frequent mass attacks on civilian targets, with Russia regularly terrorizing cities with ballistic and cruise missiles alongside record-breaking numbers of kamikaze drones.
Ukraine's Air Force warned late on July 8 that Russia had launched MiG-31 aircraft from the Savasleyka airfield in Nizhny Novgorod, putting the entire country under an hours-long active missile threat. Swarms of drones were also heading towards multiple cities in Ukraine, the military said.
Explosions rocked Kyiv at around midnight on July 9, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that Russian drones were attacking the city center and that air defenses were shooting down targets.
Ukraine's Air Force reported that dozens of Russian attack drones and ballistic missiles were targeting Ukraine's far-west regions, with alerts of overhead drones approaching the western cities of Lutsk, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil.
Explosions were heard in the city of Lutsk in western Volyn Oblast just before 4 a.m. local time, Suspilne reported, amid warning of drones and missiles overhead. The city served as one of the hardest-hit throughout the attack.
Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk said that a fire damaged an "industrial site" as well as a garage, in what he called the "most massive enemy attack" on the city since the start of full-scale war.
The Polish Air Force said it scrambled fighter amid the attack to protect Poland's airspace. The air raid alerts were lifted in western Ukraine around 6:15 a.m. local time, after nearly seven hours of warnings from the Air Force.
At least one person was injured amid the attack, with a woman sustaining a chest fracture in city of Brovary in Kyiv Oblast, the regional military administration reported.
Explosions were also reported in communities closer to the front line, including Dnipro, Sumy, as well as over Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Russian ballistics and kamikaze drones have targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with renewed ferocity, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more.
The renewed attacks on Ukraine comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to send 10 Patriot interceptors to Ukraine, amid escalating tension between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It's a horrible thing, and I'm not happy with President Putin at all," Trump said. "I'm disappointed frankly that President Putin hasn't stopped (the attacks)," Trump said on July 8. The comments come after the Pentagon halted air defense weapon shipments to Ukraine.
The United States has only about 25% of the Patriot missile interceptors it needs to meet Pentagon military plans, a shortage that led U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to pause a major transfer of weapons to Ukraine, the Guardian reported on July 8.
The decision to halt the delivery, made on July 2, followed an internal review showing low stockpiles of critical air defense systems. The depletion was largely due to recent U.S. operations in the Middle East, including the interception of Iranian missiles after strikes on the American Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, according to the Guardian.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the Pentagon's munitions tracker, used to measure the minimum supplies needed for U.S. war plans, showed Patriot interceptor levels had fallen below acceptable levels. That prompted concerns that sending more to Ukraine could put U.S. defense readiness at risk, the Guardian wrote.
The freeze reportedly affected Ukraine's two key arms transfer methods: drawdowns from Pentagon stockpiles and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), through which the Defense Department orders new weapons from contractors.
Because U.S. orders take priority, Ukrainian requests for new weapons, including Patriot missiles, face years-long delays.
The pause came at a critical time for Kyiv, as Russia intensifies large-scale aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities. With limited options to acquire precision-guided and other key munitions, Ukrainian forces have increasingly relied on Western-supplied air defenses to counter the growing threat.
For its latest aid package, the U.S. had planned to send dozens of Patriot interceptors, along with Hellfire missiles, air-to-air Sparrows, GMLRS rockets, and anti-tank weapons, according to the Guardian.
NBC News reported on July 4 that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unilaterally halted a weapons shipment to Ukraine despite internal military assessments showing the aid would not compromise American military readiness.
The assessment concluded that while some munitions stockpiles, including precision weapons, were low, they had not fallen below critical thresholds.
Amid the ongoing questions over Washington's weapons pause, Trump has apparently promised to send 10 Patriot interceptors to Ukraine, Axios reported on July 8. Sources also told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that Trump claimed he wasn't behind the decision to halt arms to Kyiv in a recent phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko announced on July 1 that the Russian-made Oreshnik missile system will be deployed in Belarus by the end of 2025. Speaking at a ceremony marking Independence Day, Lukashenko said the decision was made in coordination with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Volgograd.
"The first Oreshnik positions will be in Belarus. You’ve seen how Oreshnik works: the same missiles, the same strikes — but without nuclear warheads, without radioactive contamination of the land and air. This weapon will be stationed in Belarus by the end of the year," Lukashenko said.
Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994 and claimed victory in a seventh consecutive presidential election in January, argued that hosting such weaponry would not make Belarus a target, adding that such concerns are being "imposed from outside." He claimed that countries possessing nuclear weapons have historically avoided military aggression and said the presence of such systems in Belarus is intended solely as a deterrent.
He also said he had delivered a warning to U.S. officials, stating that while nuclear weapons in Belarus are securely stored in accordance with international standards, any unauthorized incursion into Belarusian territory would trigger a "swift and forceful response."
The Belarusian leader emphasized that any use of the Oreshnik system would not involve nuclear warheads and that maintaining modern military capabilities is critical for national defense.
Russia first launched the experimental Oreshnik missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21. Putin claimed the attack was in retaliation for Ukraine's use of U.S. and British long-range missiles against Russian territory.
Although little is publicly known about the missile, defense experts believe Oreshnik is not a wholly new development but likely an upgraded version of Russia’s RS-26 missile, also known as the Rubezh, which was first produced in 2011.
Lukashenko reportedly thanked Moscow for supporting the deployment of advanced weapons systems to Belarus and said the introduction of Oreshnik would serve as a tool for domestic stability. "I’m confident that even those of our supporters who don’t yet understand this will come to realize it — without a war. That’s why Oreshnik will be on Belarusian soil. To prevent uprisings," he said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on July 1 that the decision to supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine remains under consideration but stressed that Germany will not become a party to the war.
"It has always been clear that if we supply the Taurus, this weapon will be used not by German soldiers, but by Ukrainians," Merz told Tagesschau. "By the way, the same applies to other cruise missiles supplied by the United Kingdom or France."
The Taurus is a powerful cruise missile capable of striking targets at a distance of 500 kilometers (300 miles) — a greater range than the long-range weapons Ukraine has received from other partners.
Speaking to the outlet, Merz highlighted the complexity of the Taurus system, noting that it requires extensive training before Ukrainian forces can operate it. In terms of range, speed, and payload, the Taurus missile is similar to the Storm Shadow, which is produced by MBDA’s French division. The key difference lies in the warhead design — Taurus can be programmed to detonate after penetrating fortified targets, such as bunkers or reinforced facilities.
Possible targets for Taurus missiles. (Nizar al-Rifal/The Kyiv Independent)
“The problem for us is that this system is extremely complex, and training soldiers on it takes at least six months. Are they already being trained? We haven't agreed on that yet,” he said. “I discussed this with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, and I also raised it within the coalition. We haven’t started yet. It is and remains an option.”
The chancellor also added that Germany would no longer publicly disclose details about its military support to Ukraine in order to prevent Moscow from assessing the full scope of Western assistance.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany has provided Kyiv with approximately 47.8 billion euros (about $51.8 billion) in total bilateral support, making it Ukraine’s second-largest country donor. This aid includes military equipment, humanitarian assistance, support for refugees, infrastructure repair, and financial aid for energy and winter relief, with military support alone totaling around 28 billion euros ($30 billion).
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.
Russia launched a missile attack on June 22 on the training ground of a Ukrainian mechanized brigade, where military personnel were being trained, the Ground Forces reported.
"Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded," the statement read. The Ground Forces said that greater personnel losses were avoided thanks to the timely security measures taken when the air raid alert was issued.
Around 5:30 p.m., the Ground Forces initially said that three people were killed in the attack and 11 were wounded.
The number of injured was later updated, at around 7:30 p.m., to 14 people.
A special commission has been set up at the Ground Forces Command to investigate the incident, according to the statement. Law enforcement agencies are also working at the scene.
It is the second officially confirmed Russian attack in June that led to military casualties in the training facilities, adding to a chain of such attacks in the past few months.
Former Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi had promised to ensure new safety standards on the training grounds and hold accountable those responsible for the deaths after a Russian strike on March 1 on the training ground in Dnipropetrovsk during exercises.
Yet on May 20, another Russian missile strike against a shooting range in Sumy Oblast killed six service members and injured over 10, according to Ukraine's National Guard.
After another Russian attack on June 1 on a Ukrainian military training ground killed 12 and injured 60, Drapatyi submitted his resignation as the Ground Forces Commander. He was appointed Commander of the Joint Forces on June 3.
Ukraine's swift release of the statement and casualty number in the latest Russian attack stands out, as both Ukraine and Russia rarely acknowledge successful enemy attacks against their military facilities.
Russia's weapons arsenal includes over 1,950 strategic missiles and thousands of drones, the news outlet RBC-Ukraine reported on June 21, citing a statement from Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR).
According to HUR, the figures reflect Russia's stockpiles as of June 15.
Throughout May and June, Russia has launched a series of mass missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities — including a large-scale strike against Kyiv on June 17 that left 30 dead and over 170 injured. Russia has repeatedly shattered its own drone record in attacks on Ukraine in the past month.
Russia's missile stocks include up to 500 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, HUR told RBC-Ukraine, as well as up to 150 hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Moscow also has up to 60 North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles.
In addition to ballistics, Russia possesses up to 300 Iskander-K cruise missiles, up to 260 Kh-101 cruise missiles, up to 280 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles, and over 400 Kalibr cruise missiles.
Russia produces up to 195 missiles per month, HUR said.
Moscow also aims to ramp up drone production from 170 to 190 units per day, according to HUR. As of June 15, Russia had over 6,000 Shahed-type attack drones and over 6,000 Gerberas, a cheap decoy version that imitates the Shahed.
Russia's arsenal highlights Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defense systems, something President Volodymyr Zelensky has been continuously lobbying Western partners to provide.
Zelensky announced on June 20 that Ukraine is boosting production of interceptor drones to combat the growing numbers of Shahed UAVs launched by Russia each night. Ukraine is also producing its own missiles and recently announced that its domestically produced Sapsan ballistic missile had entered serial production.
The president hopes to secure additional funding for defense production from allies at the upcoming NATO summit.
Russia has paired its intensifying nightly attacks with escalated rhetoric about its territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 20 declared that "all of Ukraine" belongs to Russia, suggesting the Kremlin is looking to expand its illegal occupation .
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 said sanctions are "urgently" needed on more Russian defense companies in order to stall the mass-production of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
Speaking at a press briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky said a "large number" of companies were involved in the manufacture of Oreshnik which Russia has launched at Ukraine once, and used the threat of more launches to intimidate Kyiv and its Western allies.
Russia first launched the experimental Oreshnik missile in an attack against Dnipro on Nov. 21. Putin claimed the strike was a response to Ukraine's use of U.S. and British long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.
While little is known about the missile, defense experts say it is likely not an entirely new development, but rather an upgraded version of Russia's RS-26 missile. The RS-26, also known as the Rubezh, was first produced in 2011.
While Putin has announced plans for mass production of the Oreshnik, a U.S. official previously told The Kyiv Independent that Russia likely possesses only a small number of these experimental missiles.
Zelensky said 39 Russian defense companies were involved in its production, 21 of which are not currently under sanctions.
"And this means that they receive parts and components for the Oreshnik, and they need it, because without these parts there will be no Oreshnik," he said.
Highlighting apparent difficulties Russia was already having in mass-producing the missile, Zelensky said it is "absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently."
An infographic titled "Russia's new missile Orehsnik" created in Ankara, Turkiye on November 29, 2024. (Omar Zaghloul/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Financial Times (FT) reported on Dec. 27. that the upgrades were developed using advanced manufacturing equipment from Western companies, despite sanctions.
Two key Russian weapons engineering institutes — Moscow Institute for Thermal Technology (MITT) and Sozvezdie — were named by Ukrainian intelligence as developers of the Oreshnik.
According to the FT, they posted job listings in 2024 that specified expertise in operating German and Japanese metalworking systems.
The listings cited Fanuc (Japan), Siemens, and Haidenhein (both Germany) control systems for high-precision computer numerical control machines essential for missile production.
Despite sanctions slowing the flow of such equipment, FT analysis found that at least $3 million worth of Heidenhain components were shipped into Russia in 2024, with some buyers closely tied to military production.
Ukraine should continue to inflict "entirely justified" losses on Russia in the face of escalating aggression, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on June 19.
His remarks come two days after Russia launched one of its deadliest assaults on Kyiv, attacking the capital with ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones on June 17 in a nine-hour attack that killed 30 people and injured 172 others.
"There was no military sense in this strike; it added absolutely nothing to Russia in military terms," Zelensky said, refuting Moscow's claims that the attack targeted Ukraine's "military-industrial complex."
The president described Russia's attack — which struck residential buildings, student dorms, and a kindergarten — as "deliberate terror."
Zelensky urged Western partners to mount economic pressure on Russia and said he was working on new proposals for coordinated sanctions. He also said he held meetings with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to discuss deep strikes in Russia.
"Russia must continue to suffer entirely justified losses due to its aggression," he said.
While Russia has intensified its campaign of aerial terror against Ukrainian cities, Kyiv has stepped up its efforts to reduce Russia's military capabilities, launching successful strikes on airfields, weapons factories, and oil refineries.
The most audacious of these attacks was the large-scale Operation Spiderweb, a coordinated drone strike on four key Russian military airfields on June 1. According to the SBU, the operation damaged 41 Russian warplanes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes.
Since March, Ukraine has repeatedly offered to declare an unconditional ceasefire if Russia agrees to the same terms. The Kremlin has resisted at every turn. U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to broker a peace deal have led to continued escalation and more civilian deaths.
With Western support eroding and no ceasefire in sight, Ukraine continues grasping for leverage against Moscow — including by developing its own long-range weapons. Kyiv has developed several weapons capable of deep strikes in Russian territory, such as the Palianytsiaand Peklo(Hell) missile-drone hybrids.
Ukraine has proven its ability to strike targets far from the border. A June 15 attack reportedly hit a drone factory in Russia's Tatarstan, around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine.
Russia also continues to suffer staggering troop losses on the front lines. Earlier on June 19, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin accidentally admitted that Moscow is rapidly losing personnel in Ukraine during an interview with CNN.
According to figures from Kyiv, Russia has suffered more than 1 million dead, wounded, and missing soldiers since the start of its full-scale invasion.
NATO plans to enhance its missile defense systems on its eastern flank in response to a growing threat from Russia, Bloomberg reported on June 12, citing its undisclosed sources.
For the first time, member states of NATO are reportedly considering combining the alliance's ballistic missile shield with other integrated missile defense assets. The talks are taking place behind closed doors and involve sensitive deliberations, Bloomberg reported, citing its sources.
Moscow has long opposed NATO's missile defense infrastructure, particularly the U.S.-built interceptors deployed in Poland and Romania, states neighboring Ukraine. The alliance has previously said those systems are intended to counter potential long-range threats from Iran, not Russia.
The so-called "NATO expansion to the east" is one of the key narratives used by Russian propaganda to justify its large-scale war against Ukraine.
The proposed integration of ballistic missile defense with NATO's broader air and missile defense network would address threats from any direction in the future. This shift suggests the effort would increasingly be focused on deterring Russian capabilities, according to Bloomberg's sources.
The move comes as NATO ramps up its defense posture more than three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The alliance recently agreed on the most ambitious new weapons targets since the Cold War.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on alliance members to make a "quantum leap" in defense investment in response to the enduring threat from Russia. Speaking at Chatham House in London, Rutte urged allies to increase air and missile defense by 400%.
Talks on integrating the systems may wrap up ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24–25, but could continue afterward, the sources said. Ukraine is invited to attend the summit. It remains unclear whether the initiative will still officially cite Iran as a threat or move fully toward addressing Russia.
The effort is part of a broader strategy to reinforce NATO's eastern flank, but some officials have raised concerns about how it might affect peace efforts in Ukraine and whether the United States will fully support the integration, Bloomberg reported.
Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump echoed Russian claims that Kyiv provoked the invasion by pursuing its NATO ambitions.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that NATO is deploying a new satellite surveillance system aimed at monitoring military activity in Ukraine and along the alliance's eastern borders. The system, known as Smart Indication and Warning Broad Area Detection (SINBAD), will use AI-powered analysis to scan large areas and detect potential threats with unprecedented frequency.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include Germany's announcement to supply Ukraine with $2.2 billion in additional military aid.
Germany will deliver new IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine under a three-year supply plan, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a joint press conference with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who added Berlin has no plans to provide Taurus long-range missiles.
The announcement comes amid escalating Russian aerial assaults, including a June 10 missile and drone strike on Kyiv, one of the largest since the start of the full-scale invasion.
"We are grateful for the supply of IRIS-T air defense systems," Zelensky said on June 12. "We understand that deliveries are currently being planned... for the next three years. This is very important assistance."
The IRIS-T is a German-made medium-range surface-to-air missile system capable of intercepting drones, aircraft, and cruise missiles.
Pistorius confirmed the delivery timeline but firmly ruled out the possibility of sending Taurus missiles — weapons Kyiv has repeatedly requested to strike deep into Russian territory.
"You asked me whether we are considering this, and my answer is no," Pistorius said.
Before taking office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signaled openness to lifting former Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ban on the missiles. That stance has not yet resulted in a policy shift.
Ukraine has already received long-range missiles — including ATACMS from the U.S. and Storm Shadow and SCALP from the U.K. and France. Initially restricted to use within Ukrainian territory, Western allies only began easing those limitations in late 2024.
Germany is Ukraine's largest military donor in Europe. Pistorius said that Berlin will provide 9 billion euros ($10.4 billion) in aid this year, with investments in defense production being considered. The total includes an additional commitment in military aid worth 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion).
"Today, we discussed that this aid will continue," he said. "We agreed on additional investments in production... both in Ukraine and in Germany."
Zelensky visited Berlin on May 28 for talks with Merz, part of an ongoing effort to bolster Ukraine's defense industry amid uncertainty over U.S. support under President Donald Trump.
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