Drones struck two industrial plants in Russia overnight on June 14, targeting one of the country's largest nitrogen fertilizer producers in Stavropol Krai and a major fuel catalyst facility in Samara Oblast, according to Russian regional officials.

Ukrainian forces regularly launch long-range drone strikes against Russia's military and industrial targets in the rear, aiming to undermine its ability to wage its all-out war. Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the reported attacks.

Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said drone debris fell in the city's industrial zone, confirming the strike was aimed at the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant. He initially reported one person injured, but later clarified there were no casualties. Footage circulating online showed explosions and drones flying over the city.

Nevinnomyssk Azot is among Russia's top producers of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers, and hosts the country's only production lines for methyl acetate and high-purity acetic acid. It also operates Russia’s first melamine production facility, according to open-source data.

The plant, which produces up to one million tons of ammonia and over one million tons of ammonium nitrate annually, is "a critical element of Russia's military-industrial complex," Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, said.

Kovalenko noted that ammonium nitrate is a key component for explosives and artillery shells. He added that the plant also synthesizes dual-use chemicals such as melamine, acetic acid, methanol, and potassium nitrate, frequently used in the production of grenade launchers, mines, and rocket charges.

Since 2024, the plant has been producing water-soluble fertilizers, which he said have been adapted to serve military chemical needs.

In Russia's Samara Oblast, a separate drone strike reportedly damaged the Novokuybyshevsk Catalyst Plant, the country's largest specialized facility for producing catalysts used in petroleum refining and petrochemicals. The region's governor, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, confirmed an attempted drone attack overnight on an industrial site in Novokuybyshevsk.

Kovalenko said the plant has a strategic role, stating that without its output, Russia's oil refineries, and by extension, its supply of aviation fuel, diesel for armored vehicles, and rocket propellant, would be severely affected.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it intercepted a total of 66 drones overnight across several regions, including 30 over Voronezh Oblast, 10 over Belgorod Oblast, 8 over Stavropol Krai, 6 over occupied Crimea, 1 over Samara Oblast, and 11 over the Azov Sea.

Russian military equipment reportedly hit in Ukrainian drone attack against Crimea

The Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported a hit in Simferopol, Crimea’s capital, sharing a photo of a plume of smoke rising in the vicinity of a local power station and of the village of Perevalne.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Cet échange démontre déjà une chose : l’avantage militaire d’un État hébreu richement armé par les États-Unis.

« Agissons, d’autres le font déjà », disent les universités Laval, McGill, de Montréal et de Sherbrooke.

Après plus de deux ans, le Parti libéral du Québec aura un nouveau chef.

Une quinzaine de dirigeants des quatre coins du monde seront à Kananaskis, en Alberta, du 15 au 17 juin.

Patrick Huard, Denis Gougeon, Sandra Laronde et Bob Ezrin font partie des sept lauréats des PGGAS.

Les manifestations coïncident avec le défilé militaire du président Donald Trump à Washington.

Le documentaire Hudson Bay(bies) révèle un côté méconnu de l’histoire de la Compagnie de la Baie d’Hudson.

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

Brigade intercepts every target with German system

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

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

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

S-300 replaced after years of reliable use

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

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

IRIS-T earns confidence of Ukrainian defenders

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

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

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

IRIS-T designed for short-range precision defense

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

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

At least three people were killed and 10 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day, Ukrainian officials said on June 14.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 58 attack drones, primarily Shahed-type UAVs, and decoys from multiple directions. Air defenses destroyed 43 of the drones.

In Donetsk Oblast, one civilian was killed and two others were injured in Russian shelling of Yablunivka, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Russian forces attacked settlements in the region 27 times over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, five people were injured as Russia struck 23 settlements with drones, artillery, and airstrikes, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Residential buildings in Kherson city, Antonivka, and other towns were damaged, including a multi-story apartment block, six houses, a gas station, and some vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, at least one person was killed and three others injured in attacks targeting Zaporizhzhia and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Russian forces launched 438 strikes on 16 settlements, including 11 airstrikes and 266 drone attacks, mainly using FPV (first-person view) drones.

In a morning strike on Zaporizhzhia, more than 10 cars were burned at a parking lot, and at least 15 buildings were damaged. One person was injured.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Russian attack also destroyed a humanitarian aid warehouse in Zaporizhzhia. Over 100 metric tons of humanitarian supplies reportedly burned in the fire. The aid had recently arrived in five trucks and was intended for displaced people and residents of front-line areas. The damage is estimated at around $3 million.

Putin announces creation of separate drone branch in Russian military

“We have accumulated a great deal of experience to create this branch of the armed forces,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

On 12 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a new phase of government discussions on the State Rearmament Program for 2027–2036, with the agenda focused on advancing air defense, space systems, drone capabilities, and robotic technologies, according to a 13 June report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The overhaul is part of Russia’s preparation for a prolonged war with Ukraine and potential future conflict with NATO, the think tank says.

During the meeting, Putin claimed that Russia’s air defense systems had ostensibly intercepted over 80,000 aerial targets since February 2022. Of these, 7,500 were described as operational-tactical and cruise missiles, which Putin said were “almost all” Western-made. He argued that Russia’s war in Ukraine demonstrated the need for a “universal air defense system” that can counter all types of projectiles.

Focus on AI, space capabilities, real-time command systems, naval rebuilding

Putin also emphasized the necessity for advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to be deeply embedded in Russian military systems. He outlined goals to develop a fleet of new, unspecified spacecraft aimed at improving reconnaissance and enabling real-time command and control capabilities. The Kremlin is also investing in the modernization of the Russian Navy and seeking to rebuild the Black Sea Fleet, which has suffered heavy losses due to Ukrainian attacks.

“Putin’s statements regarding the need for enhanced Russian air defense systems are likely in part a response to Ukraine’s ‘Operation Spider Web,’ in which Ukrainian forces demonstrated an ability to achieve operational surprise and launch drones against airbases in Russia’s deep rear, highlighting the inability of air defenses in these areas to repel short-range Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drone strikes,” ISW wrote.

Oil revenues may factor into strategy

Despite its ambitions, Russia’s ability to finance the vast rearmament remains unclear, ISW says. According to the think tank, the country’s defense industrial base (DIB) had already struggled with fulfilling both domestic and foreign military contracts before Western sanctions were imposed in 2022 in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

 ISW suggests that rising oil prices—partly triggered by Israeli strikes against Iran—could help Russia finance some of its military goals if those prices remain elevated over the medium- to long-term.

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

The think tank concludes that the Kremlin is likely using battlefield lessons from its war in Ukraine to “inform adaptations of Russia’s military and preparing Russia’s DIB for a protracted war against Ukraine and a potential confrontation with NATO.”