Russia deliberately destroyed Mariupol. The Center for the Study of Occupation has released the first direct evidence that Moscow was preparing to seize the Ukrainian city long before the full-scale invasion began.

According to Petro Andriushchenko, the head of the organization, in 2019, Russia officially developed and published a project for a “transport and transit hub” on the territory of Mariupol.

This confirms that the occupation and destruction of the city were not a chaotic result of warfare, but part of a premeditated plan.

The project in question already listed Mariupol as part of the Russian-controlled illegal entity located in Donetsk Oblast territory. The documentation outlined the creation of an infrastructure hub in the Zhovtnevyi and Prymorskyi districts, south of the historic center, with specific geographic boundaries: from Pushkin and Kotovsky streets to the shoreline of the Taganrog Bay.

Two Russian institutions, the Arena Institute and the Unified Institute for Spatial Planning of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for urban policy in occupied territories, prepared the project.

“This is the first public proof of preparations for the complete destruction of Mariupol prior to the full-scale invasion,” Andriushchenko emphasizes.

Earlier, Zaur Gurtsiyev, deputy mayor of Stavropol and former commander of the air operation over Mariupol, was killed in a grenade explosion that occurred overnight on 29 May. The explosion reportedly occurred in southern Russia’s Stavropol city near a residential building.

He was awarded multiple Russian state honors, including an order for his role in the occupation of Mariupol.

Grenade explosion kills Russian commander behind 2022 Mariupol deadly airstrikes

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• War diary: “Terrified of what He saw, God has left Mariupol, my neighbor said”

Once dreaming of living by the sea, now mass-selling apartments and fleeing back. Russians who moved to Crimea after the occupation are disappointed by the heat, lack of jobs, air raid alarms, and Russian military bases, OBOZ reports. 

Real estate agents in Crimea confirm: more than half of new property owners are trying to sell or rent out their apartments.

“Residents from Siberia, the Urals, even Moscow suburbs increasingly contact us asking to sell or rent out their property,” says Kseniia, a Crimean realtor speaking anonymously.

When you start working with them, it turns out they have lived here for a year or two, some even five years, but concluded Crimea is not for them. The reasons vary, from the climate not suiting them to military actions, she continues.

Many Russians came here to live peacefully by the sea, enjoying the fruits and beaches, but reality turned out differently.

Constant air raid alarms, explosions, military equipment on the streets, and frequent inspections create an atmosphere of ongoing tension.

“Neither they nor their children can endure constant air raid alarms, let alone explosions. Some told me their children start to panic. They are irritated by the military bases literally scattered across the Southern Coast of Crimea,” Kseniia adds.

Besides military issues, Crimea lacks decent jobs with reasonable salaries. The tourism business has shrunk due to the war, and most office workers and managers simply cannot find work here.

“If you’re a plumber, electrician, mechanic, builder, or air conditioner technician, you can find work here. But salaries will be Crimean, not Moscow level,” says Mykola, a resident of Yalta.

Infrastructure and healthcare problems also do not contribute to comfortable living. Crimea lacks international chain stores, and medical services are often expensive and inaccessible.

“Corruption thrives in medicine, nobody pays attention to medical insurance here, and you have to buy medicine and even bandages out of pocket,” reads the report.

Local Crimeans also have a negative attitude toward the newly arrived Russians, blaming them for price hikes, pollution, and uncivilized behavior. The Russians, in turn, call locals rude and backward.

Add to this the harsh Crimean climate, with intense heat in summer, cold, rainy winters, mud everywhere, and sea storms, and it becomes clear why many hurry to return home.

For now, Crimea remains a place for summer vacation for most Russians, and their dream of a peaceful life by the sea has yet to come true.

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Some 48% of Ukrainians "categorically" oppose even a de facto recognition of Russian control of the occupied Ukrainian territories to achieve peace, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on June 10.

In turn, 43% of respondents said they would be willing to make the concession to reach a peace deal with Moscow, provided it does not include a formal, or de jure, recognition of the Russian control.

The news comes as Russia continues to push for territorial concessions from Ukraine as part of the ongoing peace talks.

The survey suggests that Ukrainians are even less ready to accept a de jure recognition of the Russian occupation – 68% of respondents said they are categorically against such a step, while 24% were open to it if it leads to peace.

The strongest opposition – 78% – was against handing over control of Ukrainian territories that Russia does not currently occupy. Only 15% of respondents were willing to make that compromise.

Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory. This includes the whole of Crimea occupied in 2014 and large parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.

Moscow illegally declared the annexation of the latter four regions in 2022 and insists on Ukraine's full withdrawal from them as part of a peace deal, even though it does not control them completely.

The Kremlin is also pushing for a formal recognition of its hold over Ukrainian territories. While U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly signalled a willingness to U.S. recognition of the Russian occupation of Crimea, Ukraine has rejected the step, as well as its withdrawal from the territory it currently holds.

The poll revealed that public opinion on territorial concessions has remained relatively stable over the past months.

When asked whether Ukraine should give up territories to achieve peace — without specifying a de facto or de jure recognition of the Russian occupation — 52% said Ukraine should not take the step under "any circumstances."

In comparison, 38% of respondents backed the compromise. These are almost the same figures as in December 2024, when 51% were opposed to the concession, while 38% were open to it.

"Our survey shows that the issue of territorial losses is extremely sensitive for Ukrainians and, in particular, how exactly 'territorial losses' are interpreted plays a significant role," said Anton Hrushetskyi, executive director of KIIS, in a statement.

"At the same time, this means that (un)readiness for territorial losses can become the subject of manipulation and information campaigns against Ukraine."

The poll was conducted between May 15 and June 3. It involved 2,004 adult residents of the Ukrainian-controlled territories who were interviewed by telephone. Only about 500 of them answered all four questions.

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The Kyiv IndependentWojciech Jakóbik

Russian forces have occupied the village of Loknia in Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, the open-source battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on June 8.

Located roughly 30 kilometers (some 18 miles) north of the city of Sumy, Loknia lies near the Russian border in a strategically exposed area.

While Russia's Defense Ministry claimed control over the village on May 24, DeepState's latest assessment marks the first independent confirmation of the development.

Ukraine's General Staff has not yet commented on the matter.

Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia and three other Ukrainian oblasts — Chernihiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv — has seen escalating attacks in recent weeks as Russia intensifies cross-border operations.

Russian advances into Sumy have gained momentum since Ukrainian forces withdrew from most of their foothold in Russia's Kursk Oblast in March.

In May Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to create a so-called "security buffer zone" along the border with Ukraine, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 28 that Moscow had massed 50,000 troops near Sumy.

The situation has forced widespread evacuations. On May 31, regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov announced mandatory evacuation orders for 11 more villages due to intensifying attacks, bringing the total number of evacuated settlements in Sumy Oblast to 213.

As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive

Reports of an imminent Russian summer offensive and troop build ups on Ukraine’s border are raising alarms in Sumy Oblast and fears that a large-scale assault could be on the horizon. Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 22 said he had ordered his military to create a “security buffer zone”

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Ukraine warns of a nuclear disaster risk that could impact all of Europe. Moscow is reportedly considering reconnecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to the Russian energy grid despite serious technical problems, UNIAN reports.

According to Yury Sheiko, First Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine, the plant’s power units remain in cold shutdown and are not generating electricity. The station is still being powered by Ukraine’s energy grid.

“They have no spare parts, no equipment, and no idea how to maintain or repair it,” Sheiko stresses.

The situation is even more dangerous due to a lack of qualified personnel. Most Ukrainian specialists do not have access to the equipment, and the technical condition of the plant remains unknown.

“No repairs have been carried out. The plant is not ready to be restarted. It’s extremely risky,” he warns.

Ukraine believes that Russia is using the prospect of restarting the plant as a tool of nuclear blackmail, trying to pressure both Kyiv and the international community.

Earlier, Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, reported that Russia may be preparing to connect the ZNPP to its own grid, constructing a power line to restore the plant’s full operation.

Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the agency has no evidence that the plant is being reconnected to the Russian grid. He also noted that the ZNPP cannot be restarted due to a lack of cooling water for the reactors.

The Russian delegation handed Ukraine a so-called "peace memorandum" with its proposals for a ceasefire during the second round of peace talks in Istanbul, Russian-state media outlet TASS reported on June 2, publishing the alleged document.

The Russian memorandum began circulating online following the talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, during which the parties again failed to reach a ceasefire.

Among Russia's key demands, according to the document, is the official recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as the annexation of Ukraine's Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts, none of which Moscow controls in full.

Russia demanded the complete withdrawal of all troops from Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts, followed by a demobilization in Ukraine.

Moscow's other demands include that Ukraine sticks to its neutral status, abandoning its aspirations to join NATO and other possible military alliances, a ban on the redeployment of Ukrainian troops, and an official end to Western arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

According to the document, Ukraine must abandon its claims for compensation for damages, guarantee amnesty for "political prisoners," make Russian the official language of Ukraine.

No foreign troops to be deployed in Ukraine, according to the document, which effectively goes against the European porposal for a potential peacekeeping force in the country following the end of an active phase of the war.

During the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation also presented a peace proposal, which included a prisoner swap in an all-for-all format, the reutrn of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, as well as the release of all civilians held in Russian captivity.

According to the Ukrainian proposal seen by the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv would retain its right to join the EU and NATO. Ukraine also highlighted the need for security guarantees to avoid further Russian invasion.

In the meantime, frozen Russian assets must be used to rebuild Ukraine and pay reparations, while some of the sanctions against Russia may be lifted if a ceasefire is achieved.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A Russian military train carrying fuel and food was blown up overnight on June 1 near Melitopol, according to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR).

"The Muscovites' key logistical artery on the occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Crimea has been destroyed," HUR's statement said.

The agency stopped short of claiming responsibility for blowing up the Russian train station in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but said "the fight against the military logistics of the Russian occupiers continues."

HUR's statement further noted heightened Russian searches and stricter checkpoints in the region as Russian forces seek to find those responsible.

It was a bad night for Russian railways. A train derailed in Bryansk Oblast, which borders Ukraine to the North, after a road bridge collapsed, killing at least seven people and injuring 69 others.

Preliminary reports suggest that explosions were heard in the Vygonichsky district of Bryansk Oblast ahead of the impact, and Moscow Railways, a subsidiary of state-run Russian Railways, claimed that the bridge collapsed due to the "unlawful interference in transport operations."

No further information was provided as to the cause of the bridge collapse, and the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

And the Ukrainian partisan group Atesh claimed to have sabotaged a railway in occupied Donetsk Oblast.

As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive

Reports of an imminent Russian summer offensive and troop build ups on Ukraine’s border are raising alarms in Sumy Oblast and fears that a large-scale assault could be on the horizon. Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 22 said he had ordered his military to create a “security buffer zone”

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Russia is constructing new power lines in occupied southeastern Ukraine to connect the captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) to its own electrical grid, according to Greenpeace and The New York Times.

A new satellite analysis by Greenpeace reveals that Russia has built 90 km (55 miles) of high-voltage electricity lines and pylons between the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdiansk, providing concrete evidence of Moscow’s plans to restart the facility and connect it to the Russian electrical grid.

Recent imagery from 11-12 May is showing 15 additional pylons and over 5 km (3 miles) of new lines east of Topolyne, north of Mariupol.

Based on the construction’s location and direction, Greenpeace determined the project aims to link the new power lines to a large substation near Mariupol that connects to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, located about 225 km (140 miles) west.

Russia plans to restart Ukrainian occupied nuclear plant

Russian officials have explicitly stated their intention to restart the plant. In December 2024, Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, stated Russia’s intention to restart the reactors “as fast as possible.”

On 21 May 2025, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev told the Russian Federation Council that “everyone is living the dream of raising the station,” and reported that Russia has developed a plan to bring the plant to full capacity. He noted that a plan had been developed to return the facility to full capacity, but acknowledged the main challenge was the need to “replace the power grid.”

“This is some of the first hard evidence of Russian moving ahead with its dangerous and illegal plans for restarting Ukraine and Europe’s largest nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia,” said Shaun Burnie, nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine. 

Burnie also argued that “the plant is the sole property of Ukraine” and called for Russia to be stopped from its restart plans.

What are the risks of restarting the nuclear plant after years of occupation?

Energy experts warn that restarting the Zaporizhzhia plant would carry significant risks. After more than three years of war, critical equipment remains unreplaced and many experienced Ukrainian staff members have fled.

The 2023 destruction of a nearby Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River also deprived the plant of its main water source needed to cool reactors and spent fuel rods.

Jan Vande Putte, nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine, stated that “it is impossible for Rosatom to meet nuclear safety guidelines in seeking to restart ZNPP.” He called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to explicitly communicate this to Russian government representatives and to avoid supporting any preparations for reactor restart.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko stated that “any attempts by Russian representatives to restart power units could lead to unpredictable consequences.”

The plant’s proximity to active fighting also raised international concerns about potential nuclear disaster, with experts warning against any restart attempts under current conditions.

Russia ignores Trump’s peace proposal for ZNPP

The power line construction conflicts with recent US diplomatic efforts regarding the plant’s future. The Trump administration expressed interest in the United States taking control of Ukrainian nuclear plants and presented a seven-point peace plan calling for Russia to return the plant to Ukraine under US management, with the facility supplying electricity to both Ukraine and Russia.

Russian officials have consistently rejected surrendering control over the facility, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov telling CBS News that the plant was being run by Rosatom and that he did not think “any change is conceivable.”

The Institute for the Study of War suggested that Russia is positioning itself for permanent control over the facility and signalling intentions to occupy and annex additional Ukrainian territory.

Russian officials have also intensified rhetoric about historical claims to “Novorossiya,” [New Russia] defined by Moscow as encompassing all of eastern and southern Ukraine, according to ISW. 

Russian occupation authorities have recently advocated for Russian control over areas of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast near the Dnipro River that Russia has not yet annexed. The Russian definition of Novorossiya includes territory directly across from the nuclear plant on the west bank of the Dnipro River.

Russia’s efforts to connect the plant to its power grid suggest Moscow expects either to push the frontline significantly away from the facility or to occupy and annex Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to ensure safe operation of the nuclear complex.

Russia is constructing power lines in occupied southern Ukraine in an apparent attempt to link the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to its energy grid, the New York Times reported on May 27, citing a new Greenpeace report.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe and one of the ten largest globally, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

Satellite imagery included in the report shows that since early February 2025, Russian forces have laid over 80 kilometers (49 miles) of high-voltage lines between occupied Mariupol and Berdyansk, following the coastline of the Sea of Azov.

Greenpeace experts believe the construction aims to connect the new lines to a large substation near Mariupol, which could, in turn, be linked to the ZNPP, which is located some 225 kilometers (some 139 miles) away.

It sits in the city of Enerhodar in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on the east bank of the Dnipro River, which remains under Russian control. Ukrainian authorities have no access to the site or its surrounding infrastructure.

Shaun Burnie, a nuclear specialist at Greenpeace, said that the satellite evidence offers the first concrete confirmation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to restart the plant and permanently integrate it into Russia's grid.

The construction of power infrastructure indicates long-term intentions to seize full control of Ukraine's energy assets in the occupied regions.

Russia has repeatedly asserted ownership over the plant based on its illegal annexation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in September 2022, despite the fact that Ukraine retains control over much of the oblast, including its administrative center.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly expressed concern over the safety of the plant, where shelling and the presence of armed troops have led to multiple emergency shutdowns and power disruptions.

The U.S. has reportedly proposed that control over the ZNPP be returned to Ukraine before transferring its management to the U.S. to supply electricity to areas under both Ukrainian and Russian control. Russia immediately rejected the suggestion.

Why did Russia invade Ukraine? Debunking Putin’s ‘root causes’ claims

As Russia continues to bombard cities and towns across Ukraine, Russian officials have hardened their position against a ceasefire, continuing to repeat the obscure demand that the war’s “root causes” be addressed before agreeing to any truce. For months, the phrase “root causes” has become a go-to talking point

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

Late on 26 May, Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, confirmed that Russian forces now control four settlements in the northern region of Ukraine. According to his Facebook post, the occupied locations include Novenke and Basivka of Yunakivka community, and Veselivka and Zhuravka in the Khotin community.

Hryhorov emphasized that residents of these villages had long been evacuated, stating there is no threat to civilians. The official did not specify when Russian forces took control of the settlements.

Fighting continues near the occupied zone

Hryhorov also reported ongoing clashes on the outskirts of Vodolahy, and near Volodymyrivka, Bilovody, Kostyantynivka, and Kindrativka in the Hotin community, as well as around Loknya in the Yunakivka community.

“The enemy continues attempts to advance in order to create a so-called ‘buffer zone’,” he wrote.

According to Hryhorov,

“The Ukrainian Defense Forces and all components of the defense system are keeping the situation under control, delivering precise fire strikes on the enemy. Our defenders are firmly repelling the enemy’s attacks and preventing further advances into Sumy Oblast.”

Territorial control estimates

The Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState, maintaining an interactive map of the war zone, estimates that the areas of 62.6 km² and 0.69 km² are currently under Russian occupation in the region, with an additional 36.98 km² marked as a gray zone where neither side maintains firm control.

A drone strike carried out by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Defense Ministry destroyed a Russian military train carrying fuel in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast reportedly on 24 May. The operation targeted the Tokmak–Molochansk–Fedorivka railway section, located some 50 kilometers south of the frontline.

According to a 25 May report by HUR, the drone unit of the agency’s active operations division struck the moving train while it was transporting fuel for Russian military equipment. The agency confirmed that “at least three fuel tankers were destroyed,” severely disrupting the occupiers’ logistics.

HUR described the operation as part of a broader armed campaign aimed at “obstructing and paralyzing Russian military logistics” across occupied Ukrainian territories. Footage of the strike was released on HUR’s official website, showing explosions engulfing the tankers.

Rail logistics under increasing pressure

As noted by the defense-focused outlet Militarnyi, the route itself sustained damage during the attack, further complicating Russian efforts to transfer and support troops in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Crimea.

The Cyberboroshno OSINT community reported that the train was hit in the settlement of Novobohdanivka in Melitopol district, located about 50 kilometers from the active combat line.

Militarnyi highlighted ongoing efforts by Russian forces to restore and expand rail infrastructure on occupied territory, particularly in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. These include constructing a new railway connection between Rostov-on-Don and occupied Crimea through Zaporizhzhia’s Berdiansk, intended to reduce reliance on the Crimean bridge and improve transport safety for military cargo. Additionally, Russia plans to resume freight operations with Melitopol and to upgrade the Mariupol–Rostov-on-Don line to strengthen connections with occupied Crimea.