The Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant — one of Russia’s largest producers of nitrogen fertilizer and ammonia and a key supplier to the Kremlin's military-industrial complex — has suspended production, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported on June 16.

According to Astra, the chemical plant suspended production as a direct result of Ukrainian drone strikes. The strike — which was confirmed by Ukraine’s General Staff on June 14 — targeted two major military-industrial facilities in Russia, including the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant in Stavropol Krai. The facility reportedly supplied raw materials and components for Russia’s weapons and fuel production.

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.

According to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, the plant 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."

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 — all frequently used in the production of grenade launchers, mines, and rocket charges.

Since 2024, the plant has also been producing water-soluble fertilizers, which he said have been adapted to serve military chemical needs as part of Russia's war in Ukraine.

The chemical plant is part of the EuroChem Group, owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, who is currently sanctioned by Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukrainian drones struck multiple military targets in Russia, including the Tambov Gunpowder Plant, overnight on June 11, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

The plant, one of Russia's main manufacturers of gunpowder and explosives for small arms, artillery, and rocket systems, caught fire following the drone strike, according to the General Staff.

Local residents reported hearing explosions and shared videos showing a large blaze near the facility, according to the Russian independent media outlet Astra.

The General Staff described the attack as part of a broader operation to degrade Russia's ability to produce explosive materials and ammunition used in the full-scale war against Ukraine.

The Tambov facility has been targeted several times since November 2023, and U.S. sanctions were imposed on it that same year. Tambov Oblast, located southeast of Moscow, lies hundreds of kilometers from Ukraine and shares no direct border with it.

Russian state news agency TASS confirmed a drone attack but did not mention the strike on the powder plant. Tambov Oblast Governor Maxim Egorov said that emergency services had extinguished the fire and that there were no casualties, though he did not specify the location of the fire.

In addition to the strike on Tambov, Ukrainian drones hit the ammunition depot of Russia's 106th Airborne Division in Kursk Oblast and the depot at Buturlinovka airfield in Voronezh Oblast, the General Staff said.

The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the General Staff said.

"The Defense Forces continue to take all measures to undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian occupiers and force Russia to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine," the statement reads.

Ukraine has ramped up long-range drone strikes in recent weeks, targeting Russian air bases and arms production facilities in an effort to disrupt Moscow's war machine ahead of an anticipated Russian summer offensive.

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The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

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

Drone attacks targeted Russia's Tatarstan Republic and Leningrad Oblast in the morning of June 10, independent outlet Astra reported.

In Tatarstan, drones were reported flying over the town of Yelabuga and the city of Nizhnekamsk.

Nizhnekamsk is situated approximately 1,124 kilometers (about 700 miles) from Russia's border with Ukraine.

Footage shared by Astra appears to show air defenses attempting to shoot down a drone flying over a field in Russia's Tatarstan.

Meanwhile, in Leningrad Oblast, air defenses destroyed a drone flying over the Tosnensky district and another over the Lomonosov district, local governor Alexander Drozdenko claimed.

There were no casualties or damage to report, he added.

"In a number of areas, restrictions have been introduced on mobile communications and the internet," Drozdenko said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

Restrictions were imposed at several Russian airports overnight on June 10 as a result of drone attacks, a spokesperson for Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia said.

The airports include St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport and Nizhnekamsk airport in Tatarstan.

Ukraine regularly strikes military targets deep within Russian territory in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power in its ongoing war.

A chemical plant in Russia's Tula Oblast caught fire after it was reportedly targeted a second time in a drone attack overnight on June 8.

On June 1, Ukraine 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 claims it has disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during Russia's full-scale war.

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The Kyiv IndependentAlex Nichol

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

A Ukrainian drone attack struck the JSC VNIIR-Progress facility in the Russian city of Cheboksary in the Chuvashia Republic, causing explosions and massive fires, Russian Telegram news channels reported in the early hours of June 9.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed the strike, saying Ukrainian drone units, in coordination with other units, targeted VNIIR-Progress and ABS Electro in Cheboksary overnight as part of efforts to degrade Russia's capacity to produce air attack systems.

The targeted facilities are part of Russia's military-industrial complex and produce adaptive Kometa antennas, used in Shahed-type attack drones, planning and correction modules for guided aerial bombs (KAB), and other precision-guided weapons, the General Staff said.

The Ukrainian military confirmed that at least two drones struck the site, causing a large fire. The results of the strike are still being assessed.

VNIIR-Progress is a Russian state institute that specializes in developing electronic warfare (EW) systems, including the Kometa antenna, used to jam satellite, radio, and radar signals. The facility has been sanctioned by the U.S. and the EU.

Oleg Nikolayev, the head of the Chuvashia Republic, claimed that two drones "fell" on the premises of the VNIIR-Progress facility on June 9.

The "responsible decision was made to temporarily suspend production to ensure the safety of employees," he said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

In video footage from local residents purporting to show the attack on the facility, smoke and flames can be seen rising over the city of Cheboksary. One video, published by the Russian independent news outlet Astra, shows a drone approaching the target and making impact, causing another explosion.

VNIIR-Progress is a major research and development institute for Russian EW systems. It produces the Kometa antenna, which Russia uses to make its bombs more accurate and less vulnerable to Ukrainian interference.

The strike marks the second reported Ukrainian drone attack against Russia's Chuvashia Repbulic.

Ukraine reportedly attacked the Burevestnik oil refinery in Cheboksary on March 9, in its first reported drone strike in the region. The refinery lies over 900 kilometers (559 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

In recent days, Ukraine has launched a number of strikes against military facilities in Russia, including missile bases and airfields. The most audacious and high-profile attack came on June 1, when Ukraine carried out Operation Spiderweb — a mass drone strike that simultaneously targeted four major Russian air bases, reportedly damaging 41 planes.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 9 that air defense units had intercepted 49 Ukrainian drones throughout the country.

Overnight drone strikes reportedly triggered flight restrictions at airports in Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, and Tambov.

Ukraine war latest: US expects Russia’s retaliation for Operation Spiderweb to continue soon; Ukraine denies Russian troop presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, describes situation as ‘tense’

Key developments on June 7-8: * US expects Russia’s retaliation for Operation Spiderweb to continue soon * Ukraine denies Russian troop presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast amid offensive, describes situation as ‘tense’ * Trump administration redirects 20,000 anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, Zelensky confirms * Ukraine downs fighter jet in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Air

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

At least 12 civilians were killed and 65 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional officials reported on June 8.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russian forces launched 49 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones, along with an Onyx anti-ship missile and two X-59/69 guided air-launched missiles.

Air defenses intercepted 40 drones, while another 18 dropped off radar — likely decoys intended to overwhelm Ukrainian systems. Strikes were reported in at least five regions.

Six civilians were killed and 44 injured in Kharkiv Oblast, including in the city of Kharkiv and nine surrounding settlements, according to Ukraine's National Police.

Among the victims were two children — a one-and-a-half-month-old infant and a 14-year-old girl — as well as two police officers and a State Emergency Service employee.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian strikes killed four people — two in Yablunivka, one in Kostyantynivka, and one in Siversk — Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Nine more were injured in ongoing shelling across the front-line region.

In southern Ukraine, one civilian was killed and nine others injured in Kherson Oblast, where Russia struck residential areas and critical infrastructure, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, one man was killed when Russian forces dropped three guided aerial bombs late on June 7, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Two women were injured in Sumy Oblast early on June 8 when a strike drone hit the region. One of the victims is pregnant, local authorities reported.

One additional injury was recorded in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where Russia carried out fresh attacks on settlements, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

The attacks come as Moscow continues rejecting a complete ceasefire and escalates strikes targeting civilian areas across Ukraine.

Ukrainian drone attacks force airport shutdowns near Moscow, mayor says

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that 61 Ukrainian drones were launched between the evening of June 7 and the morning of June 8.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Moscow's two major airports temporarily suspended operations early on June 8 due to a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the Russian capital and its surrounding regions, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported on Telegram.

According to Sobyanin, air defense units began intercepting drones flying toward Moscow shortly after 4 a.m. Between 5:59 a.m. and 8:19 a.m., he reported the downing of 10 drones in separate waves.

Each incident was followed by the deployment of emergency services to the crash sites.

The attacks forced authorities to temporarily close Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports — two of the city's busiest hubs. Operations were reportedly suspended around 6:53 a.m. local time, disrupting passenger traffic and causing delays.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 61 Ukrainian drones were launched between the evening of June 7 and the morning of June 8, targeting Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

The ministry said drones were intercepted over Moscow and its suburbs, as well as in Bryansk, Belgorod, Kaluga, Tula, Oryol, and Kursk oblasts.

Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the attack, and the Kyiv Independent cannot verify information provided by Russian officials.

Kyiv has stepped up its long-range drone campaign against Russia in recent months, particularly targeting Moscow and key military infrastructure. Though most drones are intercepted before reaching the capital, the threat has caused repeated disruptions to civilian air travel.

Since Jan. 1, Ukrainian drone raids have prompted at least 217 temporary airport closures across Russia, according to data from Rosaviatsia, Russia's aviation agency, the independent outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on May 14.

On the nights ahead of Russia's Victory Day on May 9, drone strikes prompted widespread flight restrictions that affected travel plans for more than 60,000 passengers, according to the Association of Russian Tour Operators.

While Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the latest attacks, defense officials in Kyiv have consistently described strikes on military and logistical targets inside Russia as legitimate acts of self-defense amid Moscow's ongoing aggression.

Ukraine’s new drone strategy — cripple Moscow’s airports, make Russian population ‘pay’

Hundreds of Ukrainian kamikaze drones have flown towards Moscow in recent weeks. None appear to have even reached the Russian capital, yet the effect on the city — and the wider country — has been hugely significant. Ukrainian drones have forced at least 217 temporary airport closures across Russia since Jan. 1,

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 7 released new footage from Operation Spiderweb, Kyiv's daring mass drone strike against four Russian military airfields on June 1.

The video shows the flight path of a first-person-view (FPV) drone from the moment it takes off from the roof of a modular building to the moment it strikes a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber at the Belaya air base in Siberia.

The drone flies a considerable distance from its launch point to the airfield, where smoke is already rising from planes struck earlier in the operation. The video shows a previously hit Russian aircraft engulfed in flames.

Russia's Belaya air base in Irkutsk Oblast, southeastern, Siberia, is located over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from Ukraine.

Operation Spiderweb involved smuggling FPV drones deep into Russian territory, according to the SBU. The drones were hidden in mobile wooden cabins on trucks and remotely launched at the right moment to strike bombers used in missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The operation took 18 months to plan and execute.

The SBU said the strikes disabled 34% of Russia's cruise missile bombers and inflicted approximately $7 billion in damage.

The Belaya air base was among the most distant targets. Other bases included the Olenya (Murmansk Oblast), Diaghilev (Ryazan Oblast), and Ivanovo (Ivanovo Oblast) air bases.

Ukraine said the strike succeeded in damaging 41 planes, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers and rare A-50 spy planes. The Kyiv Independent could not independently confirm the number of planes allegedly damaged or destroyed, though open-source intelligence analysts have confirmed that at least 21 aircraft were damaged or destroyed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 7 that Ukraine only used domestically produced drones in the attack.

Ukraine downs fighter jet in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Air Force says

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Russia's National Guard (Rosgvardia) killed a man who was attempting to carry out a drone attack on a military facility in Ryazan Oblast, the agency alleged on June 6.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim.

National Guard officers thwarted an alleged "terrorist attack" at a military facility operated by a Russian state security agency, Rosgvardia said in a statement. An armed man was said to be preparing to launch a drone packed with grenades.

When officers attempted to arrest the suspect, the man "resisted with armed force and was neutralized," the statement read.

The statement did not specify which military facility was allegedly targeted.

Rosgvardia's claim comes less than a week after Ukraine launched a mass strike against four Russian air bases using first-person-view (FPV) drones smuggled into the country. Among the targets was the Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast.

The alleged attempted attack also follows a night of what Ukraine's General Staff called "preemptive" strikes on airfields across Russia. The Dyagilevo airfield was one of the sites targeted.

Ukraine overnight on June 6 targeted military facilities in several Russian regions, as Moscow launched one of the largest drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian cities over the course of the full-scale war.

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The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Ukrainian drones struck Bryansk International Airport in Russia overnight on June 6, destroying one combat helicopter and damaging another, according to Russian emergency officials cited by independent media outlet Astra.

The attack was part of a broader Ukrainian operation targeting multiple Russian airfields and military facilities the same evening.

According to Astra's sources within Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, the attack destroyed a Mi-8 helicopter after its onboard munitions detonated. A second aircraft, a Mi-35 helicopter gunship, was also damaged, though the extent of the damage remains unclear.

The strike reportedly caused additional destruction to airport infrastructure and rescue facilities, but no casualties were reported. Sources within Ukraine's special services confirmed to Astra that Bryansk airport was among the intended targets of the attack.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.  

The Mi-8 is a multipurpose utility aircraft used for troop transport, reconnaissance, and close air support. The Mi-35 is a heavily armed assault helicopter derived from the Soviet-era Mi-24, with dual capability for offensive operations and personnel transport.

Both aircraft types are actively used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Hours before Russia launched one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, Ukrainian forces hit strategic bomber bases at Engels and Dyagilevo, along with logistical hubs in Kursk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

At the Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast, located roughly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine's front lines, Ukrainian strikes ignited fires at three fuel tanks, causing large-scale explosions.

The Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast, home to refueling tankers and fighter escorts for Russia's long-range bomber fleet, was also targeted. Fires and explosions were reported in the vicinity, and Russian air defenses were activated in the region.

Ukraine's expanded drone campaign reflects a growing capacity to strike deep into Russian territory, as Kyiv continues to target the infrastructure Moscow uses to sustain its air war.

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The overnight strikes come just days after the launch of Operation Spiderweb on June 1, in which Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck four air bases across Russia and reportedly damaged 41 bomber aircraft.

That operation alone caused over $7 billion in damage and marked a major escalation in Ukraine's ability to project force across the border, according to SBU.

Russia responded to the latest round of Ukrainian strikes by unleashing 452 drones and 45 missiles against cities across Ukraine, killing at least five people and injuring 73 in one of the heaviest barrages of the full-scale invasion.

UPDATE: Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb

At least four people in Kyiv were killed in the attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Casualties and damage have also been reported in the western Ukrainian cities of Ternopil and Lutsk.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Ukrainian forces struck multiple Russian airfields and military facilities overnight on June 6, hours before Russia launched one of its heaviest aerial assaults of the war, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

Ukrainian strikes reportedly targeted Engels and Dyagilevo airfields — two key hubs for Russia's long-range bomber fleet, as well as logistics sites in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Hours after the strikes, Russia attacked Ukraine with 452 drones and 45 missiles, killing at least five people and injuring 73 in one of the largest attacks of the full-scale war.

Engels-2 air base, located in Saratov Oblast, nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine's front lines, hosts Russia's Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers — aircraft regularly used in missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine's General Staff said a strike ignited large fires at the facility, hitting at least three fuel tanks. Footage and local reports confirmed a significant blaze and numerous explosions in the area.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin acknowledged a fire at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" and damage from drones to a residential building. No casualties were reported.

The Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast, home to air refueling tankers and bomber escort fighters, was also targeted. The General Staff reported fire damage in the area, with Russian air defense activity and explosions recorded. Results of the strike are still being assessed.

Ukraine also claims to have struck a logistics center tied to the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of Russia's 72nd Division near Kulbaki in Kursk Oblast.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 174 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across 12 regions of Russia and occupied Crimea.

"Strikes on military infrastructure will continue until the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine is completely stopped," Ukraine's General Staff said.

The latest wave of Ukrainian strikes underscores Kyiv's evolving long-range strike capability, as well as its efforts to preemptively degrade Russian assets used in air assaults.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 launched Operation Spiderweb, a daring mass drone attack that damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers at four key airfields throughout the country.

The operation reportedly targeted A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 planes parked at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo air bases, causing approximately $7 billion in damage.

Russia plans to occupy Ukraine east of Dnipro, cut Black Sea access, Ukrainian official says

“Unfortunately, they are not speaking about peace. They are preparing for war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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

Drones struck a Russian military plant in Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast, in the early hours of June 6, according to media outlets in Russia.

Attacks were also reported in Russia's Saratov, Moscow, Tula, Belgorod, and Kaluga oblasts.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports at the time of publication.

The JSC Progress Plant in the city of Michurinsk in Tambov Oblast came under fire overnight, Russian Telegram news channels reported, citing local residents. A drone allegedly hit the plant's workshop, causing a fire.

Russian officials have not yet commented on the attack.

The JSC Progress Plant produces high-tech aviation and missile control systems, along with equipment for gas and oil pipelines. The plant was reportedly hit in a previous attack in December 2024.

On the same night, Russian outlets also reported that an oil refinery in Saratov Oblast came under attack. The Kristal Plant, which supplies fuel to the Engels-2 military airfield, was engulfed in flames after a drone strike. Ukraine has targeted the facility in past attacks.

A train derailed in Belgorod Oblast after an explosive device detonated under the tracks, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed. Part of the track was damaged, but there were no casualties, he said.  

In the Russian capital, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that air defense units repelled 10 drones bound for Moscow. Sobyanin said that emergency services had been dispatched to the sites of the fallen wreckage, but did not disclose information regarding any damage.

Kaluga Oblast Governor Vladislav Shapsha reported that five drones were downed over the region, damaging cars.

In Tula Oblast, air defense units reportedly intercepted two drones. Three people were injured, according to Governor Dmitry Milyaev.

The reported attacks come the same night that Russia launched another large-scale drone and missile attack against Ukraine. The attack killed four people in Kyiv and caused casualties and damage to cities in western Ukraine, far from the front lines.

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.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers; Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions

Key developments on June 5: * Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers, Ukrainian military says * ‘Deadline is in my brain’ — Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions * ‘Not destroyed but damaged’ — Russia claims it will repair bombers struck in Operation Spiderweb * Trump privately praises Ukraine’s drone

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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

An oil refinery in the city of Engels in Russia's Saratov Oblast was engulfed in flames after an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on June 6, Russian officials and media outlets reported.

Ukraine has previously targeted the Kristal Plant, an oil refinery in Engels that supplies fuel to Russia's Engels-2 military airfield. The airfield is one of the country's key strategic military bases. It hosts long-range bombers, including the nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-160 aircraft.

Residents shared footage of major fires breaking out in Engels following a drone attack, according to the independent Russian Telegram news channel Astra. Locals reported that the refinery was under attack and that a residential building had been hit.

The Saratov airport imposed restrictions due to the drone threat, according to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya).

Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin claimed that a fire had broken out at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" and that emergency responders had been dispatched to the scene. He also said drones caused damage to a residential building. No casualties were reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 174 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight, targeting 12 regions within Russia as well as Russian-occupied Crimea.

The Kyiv Independent could not confirm these claims.

The reported drone attack comes after a series of major Ukrainian strikes against military targets inside Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 launched Operation Spiderweb, a daring mass drone attack that damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers at four key airfields throughout the country. The operation reportedly targeted A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 planes parked at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo air bases, causing approximately $7 billion in damage.

In the following days, Ukraine carried out strikes against Russia's Crimean Bridge, a military base in distant Vladivostok,  and a missile base in Bryansk Oblast.

Located in Russia's Saratov Oblast, around 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, the Engels-2 base has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The airfield houses three types of strategic bombers regularly used in missile attacks on Ukraine: the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160.

An attack against the air base on March 20 destroyed 96 air-launched cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers; Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions

Key developments on June 5: * Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers, Ukrainian military says * ‘Deadline is in my brain’ — Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions * ‘Not destroyed but damaged’ — Russia claims it will repair bombers struck in Operation Spiderweb * Trump privately praises Ukraine’s drone

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed on June 5 that Russian bombers damaged during Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb will be "restored," adding that the planes were not completely destroyed in the attack.

"The equipment in question, as was also stated by representatives of the Ministry of Defence, was not destroyed but damaged. It will be restored," Ryabkov told Russian-state media outlet TASS.

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.

The operation, dubbed Spiderweb, took 18 months to plan and was overseen directly by President Volodymyr Zelensky and carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The SBU said 117 drones, launched from concealed trucks positioned across Russian territory, simultaneously struck airfields in at least four regions — including sites thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters on June 4 that Ukraine struck as many as 20 Russian military aircraft during Operation Spiderweb, destroying around 10 of them — a claim that stands in contrast with the SBU's estimates.

Independent confirmation of the damage caused is so far limited to satellite images of Belaya air base, which appear to confirm the destruction of at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers and one Tu-22M3 aircraft, with an additional Tu-95MS visibly damaged.

Another image shows two more likely destroyed Tu-22M3 bombers on the field.

Ryabkov did not specify a timeline as to how quickly the country can allegedly repair the damaged aircraft. In addition to supply-chain challenges brought upon economic sanctions, Russia would also likely face challenges due to the complexities of Soviet-era technology present in the aircraft, if it were to attempt to restore the bombers.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 4 that roughly half of the planes damaged will be impossible to repair, while others will require significant time to be put back into service.

During a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Putin vowed that Moscow "will have to respond" to the attack.

Russian officials have made few public acknowledgements of the attack. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 5 that Moscow will respond when and how the military deems necessary.

‘Time to put an end to insanity of war,’ Brazil’s Lula told Putin, calls for restraint following Operation Spiderweb

“I said (to Putin) it’s time to open our eyes and to put an end to the insanity of war, which destroys everything and builds nothing,” Brazilian President Lula da Silva told reporters during a visit to France.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Brazilian President Lula da Silva reiterated calls for peace on June 5, urging Russia to restrain attacks on Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to "respond" to Operation Spiderweb.

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.

The operation, dubbed Spiderweb, took 18 months to plan and was overseen directly by President Volodymyr Zelensky and carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The SBU said 117 drones, launched from concealed trucks positioned across Russian territory, simultaneously struck airfields in at least four regions — including sites thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

During a phone call with Putin on June 4, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Putin vowed that Moscow "will have to respond" to the attack.

"It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields," Trump said of the call following the conversation with Putin.

"I see that Trump tweeted saying he had discussed this with Ukraine and that things are not looking good, and that Putin had said he would take revenge for this attack on Ukraine," Lula told reporters, urging restraint on additional attacks.

Lula added that he urged Putin to end the war in Ukraine during a phone call with the Russian president in May that urged Putin to physically attend peace talks in Istanbul. Putin ultimately did not attend peace talks and instead sent a delegation to meet on his behalf.

"I said (to Putin) it's time to open our eyes and to put an end to the insanity of war, which destroys everything and builds nothing," Lula told reporters during a visit to France.

Despite two rounds of negotiations, Russia continues to reject a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Putin on June 4 blamed Ukraine’s top leadership for the attacks: "The current Kyiv regime does not need peace at all," he said during a televised meeting with senior officials. "What is there to talk about? How can we negotiate with those who rely on terror?"

Putin rejects Zelensky’s call for peace talks, accuses Ukraine of deadly bridge attack in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 accused Ukraine of being governed by a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians and claimed it is continuing to lose the war. He rejected the possibility of holding talks.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

U.S. President Donald Trump privately described Ukraine's drone strike on Russian strategic bombers as "strong" and "badass," Axios reported June 5, citing sources familiar with his reaction.

The operation, carried out by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) on June 1, targeted four Russian air bases deep inside the country. According to Kyiv, 41 aircraft were struck in the raid, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage.

The targeted bases reportedly housed Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers — long-range platforms frequently used to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities amid Russia's full-scale war. While Trump has remained silent in public about the attack, he reportedly expressed enthusiasm behind closed doors.

"He thought it was badass," one source told Axios.

A second said Trump told a confidant the strike was "pretty strong."

One of Trump's advisers reportedly likened the situation to a small but aggressive force managing to hurt a more powerful opponent, using a metaphor about a "chihuahua" attacking "a much bigger dog."

On a TruthSocial post on June 4, Trump confirmed he had discussed the drone attack directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call lasting over an hour.

"We discussed the attack on Russia's docked airplanes by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides," Trump wrote.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that Putin had informed Trump of Russia's intent to respond to Ukraine's attack, according to state-run media outlet TASS.

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg earlier warned that the operation could lead to escalation.

"When you attack an opponent's national survival system — their nuclear triad — the risk level goes way up," Kellogg told Fox News on June 3.

Ukrainian officials say the drone assault — codenamed Operation Spiderweb — took 18 months to plan. SBU sources claim the attack was carried out using 117 drones launched from trucks inside Russian territory.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the scale of the damage.

While Russian propagandists have attempted to downplay the strike, Putin himself has yet to make a public statement.

Operation Spiderweb marks one of the most far-reaching Ukrainian operations of the war and underscores Kyiv's expanding capacity to strike targets far beyond the front lines.

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The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Ukrainian forces launched a missile strike on June 5 targeting a concentration of Russian missile troops near the city of Klintsy in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported.

The strike reportedly destroyed one Iskander missile launcher and seriously damaged two others. The targeted unit, part of Russia’s 26th Missile Brigade, had attempted to fire on Ukrainian territory — likely aiming at Kyiv — before it was hit, according to the military.

"Thanks to effective reconnaissance and the coordinated efforts of the Armed Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine, the targets were successfully hit," the General Staff said.

The agency added that there were no civilian casualties, and assessments of Russian losses are ongoing.

The Iskander is a short-range ballistic missile system used by Russia for precision strikes against military and infrastructure targets.

With a range of up to 500 kilometers (some 311 miles) and the ability to carry conventional or nuclear warheads, the system remains a key component of Russia's tactical missile forces.

Bryansk Oblast lies just northeast of Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, making it one of the key Russian regions bordering northern Ukraine.

The strike came as part of Ukraine's broader effort to degrade Russia's offensive capabilities.

On the same night, Russia launched 103 drones — including Iranian-designed Shahed suicide drones — and one Iskander-M ballistic missile against Ukrainian territory.

Targeting missile assets there may disrupt Russia's ability to launch precision strikes, particularly in advance of an anticipated new summer offensive.

Putin rejects Zelensky’s call for peace talks, accuses Ukraine of deadly bridge attack in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 accused Ukraine of being governed by a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians and claimed it is continuing to lose the war. He rejected the possibility of holding talks.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not mention Ukraine’s recent drone strikes that destroyed dozens of Russian strategic bombers during a lengthy televised cabinet meeting on June 4 — despite the attack marking one of the most significant blows to Russia’s military infrastructure since the start of the full-scale war.

The strikes, part of Ukraine’s covert Operation Spiderweb, were carried out on June 1 using first-person-view (FPV) drones that had been smuggled into Russia and hidden in trucks. The drones successfully targeted four major airfields — Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo, and Belaya — used by Russia’s long-range aviation fleet, responsible for regular missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed that 41 aircraft were hit, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage. Many of the bombers were destroyed beyond repair, while others may take years to restore. President Volodymyr Zelensky and SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk personally oversaw the operation.

On June 4, the SBU released high-resolution footage of the strikes, highlighting the precision and scale of the operation.

On June 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the incident, saying Putin had been informed and that Russia’s Investigative Committee had launched a probe. “The president received information about the incident online,” Peskov told reporters. “There was also a corresponding statement from the Defense Ministry.”

Despite the scale of the attack, Putin avoided addressing the matter during his first public appearance following the strikes. Instead, he focused on other incidents, including a railway bridge bombing that killed at least seven and injured over 100 people in the Bryansk region, which he blamed on Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s silence stands in stark contrast to celebrations in Kyiv, where Zelensky called the operation “brilliant” and said it dealt “significant losses — entirely justified and deserved.”

In the meantime, Russian forces are attempting to downplay the scale of losses to their strategic aviation following Operation Spiderweb by replacing damaged aircraft with intact ones, a source in SBU told the Kyiv Independent.

After the operation, Moscow has been trying to obscure the true extent of its losses. According to the SBU source, the Russian military is bringing undamaged planes to the airfields to replace the destroyed ones so that satellite imagery does not show the burned-out aircraft.

OSINT analysts have also observed this tactic. For example, on June 2, satellite images showed a burned Tu-95 bomber at one of the targeted airfields, but by June 4, a fully intact Tu-95 appeared in the same spot.

A fire broke out on June 4 at the Avtodizel motor plant in Yaroslavl, one of Russia's largest producers of diesel engines and a supplier to the Russian military, the Moscow Times reported, citing regional emergency officials.

Located roughly 280 kilometers (174 miles) northeast of Moscow, the Yaroslavl Motor Plant has been under U.S. sanctions since May 2024. The U.S. Treasury Department cited the facility's role in supplying engines for military equipment used in Russia's war against Ukraine.

The blaze engulfed a 400-square-meter workshop where 12-cylinder engines are manufactured. It took firefighters more than 90 minutes to extinguish the open flames, according to Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry.

No casualties were reported. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed.

This is the second major fire at a Russian engine plant in two days. On June 2, a blast and fire tore through a workshop at the Zavolzhsky Motor Plant in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.

Local authorities said the cause was a tanker truck fire in a facility storing chemicals. That plant produces gasoline and diesel engines for civilian and military vehicles.

Ukraine has not commented on the Yaroslavl fire. Kyiv has escalated its campaign to strike military-industrial targets inside Russia as Moscow continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and expand its aerial assault on Ukrainian cities.

Ukrainian drone attacks in recent weeks have forced repeated shutdowns of Russian airports and struck military airfields and logistics hubs across Russia and occupied parts of Ukraine.

Russian authorities have not accused Ukraine of involvement in the fires, but the incidents come amid a broader pattern of unexplained industrial accidents and infrastructure damage inside Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Ukraine's drone assault on Russia's strategic bomber fleet, known as Operation Spiderweb, could escalate the war and provoke unpredictable responses from Moscow, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said in an interview with Fox News on June 3.

The operation, launched by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), reportedly targeted four airfields deep inside Russian territory, striking 41 aircraft and inflicting what Kyiv claims is $7 billion in damage.

The targeted air bases reportedly housed Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, essential carriers of long-range cruise missiles used in Moscow's air strikes on Ukrainian cities.

"I'm telling you the risk levels are going way up," Kellogg said. "When you attack an opponent's part of their national survival system, which is their nuclear triad, that means your risk level goes up because you don't know what the other side's going to do."

According to the SBU, 117 drones were launched from mobile platforms across Russia, enabling simultaneous strikes on targets located thousands of kilometers from Ukraine's borders.

Kellogg also pointed to reports of explosions at the Severomorsk naval base, home to some of Russia's most advanced submarines. Kyiv has not confirmed targeting Russia's Northern Fleet.

"The one that really concerned me was the fact that there have been reports that they attacked the naval, the Northern Fleet headquarters in Severomorsk," Kellogg said. "And if that's the case — when you attack two legs of a triad — it's very clear the risk levels will go up."

Russian officials have denied that the base was hit, and no independent confirmation has emerged.

According to Kellogg, the attacks showed that Kyiv "is not lying down on that."

"Ukraine is basically, 'We can play this game, too.' And they can raise the risk level to levels that are basically, to me, they've got to be unacceptable," he added.

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Despite the scale and strategic implications of the Ukrainian operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly addressed the strike. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has positioned himself as a would-be peacemaker, has also remained silent.

Pressed by reporters on June 3, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump was not informed in advance about the operation.

"I would like to let the president speak on that himself," Leavitt said. She later added, "The president does not want to see this war prolonged. He wants this war to stop."

Ukrainian officials say the operation took 18 months to plan. While Kyiv says the strike dealt a serious blow to Russia's strategic air capabilities, the full extent of the damage remains unverified.

Operation Spiderweb marks one of the most sophisticated and far-reaching Ukrainian operations since the start of the full-scale war in 2022 — and a stark signal of Ukraine's growing capacity to strike deep inside Russian territory.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed about Ukraine's recent drone attack against Russian air bases, and the "incident" is being investigated, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 3, according to the state-run news agency TASS.

The operation, conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1, reportedly hit 41 bomber planes and other aircraft, inflicting what Kyiv claims is $7 billion in damage and disabling over a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet.

Peskov's comments marked the first reaction by the Kremlin to the attack. Despite the operation's scale, Putin has not commented on it publicly.

"The president received information about the incident online," Peskov said.

"An investigation has been launched by the Investigative Committee. There was also a corresponding statement from the Defense Ministry."

The Kremlin's muted response contrasts sharply with jubilant reactions in Ukraine, where officials described the coordinated drone strikes as a major success.

The SBU said 117 drones, launched from concealed trucks positioned across Russian territory, simultaneously struck airfields in at least four regions — including sites thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The targeted air bases reportedly housed Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, key carriers of long-range cruise missiles used in Moscow's air strikes on Ukrainian cities.

The operation reportedly took 18 months of planning and was timed just days after Russia launched a wave of mass aerial assaults on Ukraine, including the record-setting attack on June 2 that killed and injured civilians.

While the Kremlin remains restrained, some Russian pro-war commentators and propagandists have responded with fury.

Some downplayed the attack's scale, while others called for nuclear retaliation or strikes on NATO airfields in response to what they described as Western complicity.

No NATO member state has confirmed involvement in Operation Spiderweb.

‘Grounds for a nuclear attack’ — Russian propagandists react to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb

Russian officials and propagandists have chosen different strategies for dealing with the unprecedented Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airfields that took place on June 1. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that, as part of an operation dubbed Spiderweb, it had destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft parked at

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

At least two A-50 Russian surveillance aircraft were damaged in Ukraine's June 1 drone strike inside Russia, the Telegraph reported on June 3, citing footage viewed by the publication.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) executed Operation Spiderweb on June 1, targeting four key air bases and destroying around 40 heavy bombers by smuggling trucks of first-person-view (FPV) drones deep inside Russia.

Footage shared with the Telegraph reportedly shows Ukrainian drones hitting two A-50s, rare Russian spy planes that Moscow relies on for several critical functions in its full-scale war against Ukraine.

Drones struck the radar domes of two A-50 aircraft, according to the Telegraph. One plane appeared to be protected by sandbags along its wings, while the other had tires arranged across its airframe.

Open source satellite images from May 2 appear show two A-50s stationed at the Ivanovo air base in Russia's Ivanovo Oblast, one of the airfields targeted in Operation Spiderweb. The footage shared with the Telegraph makes it clear that these are the same A-50s damaged in the June 1 attack.  

The video also reportedly shows several Tupolev bombers in flames after sustaining direct hits from Ukrainian drones.

An SBU source told the Kyiv Independent on June 1 that A-50s were among the aircraft hit in the attack, but the claim could not be verified at the time.

Russia's A-50s detect air defense systems, guide missiles, and coordinate targets for Russian fighter jets. The aircraft carry an estimated price tag of around $350 million.

They are also extremely rare: Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), said in February 2024 that Moscow only had six A-50s in its arsenal.

Ukraine previously shot down two A-50s in January and February 2024.

Kyiv's audacious drone strike deep within Russia took 18 months of planning and dealt a major blow to Russia's fleet of bombers — only days after Moscow launched a series of record-breaking mass aerial attacks against Ukraine.

The SBU reported that the operation caused approximately $7 billion in damages and disabled 34% of cruise missile carriers in key Russian airbases.

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