US President Donald Trump says he declined an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to mediate rising tensions with Iran, stating that unresolved issues between Washington and Moscow should be addressed first.

“I spoke with him yesterday. He actually offered to help with mediation. I said, ‘Do me a favor—let’s mediate Russia first,’” Trump told reporters, according to Russian news outlet RBC.

Trump calls Russia and Ukraine “foolish”

President Trump also took aim at both Russia and Ukraine, calling them “foolish” during his remarks and once again asserting that the Ukraine war would not have happened had he been in office at the time of its outbreak.

Trump-Putin call on 14 June — the President’s birthday

Although the Kremlin did not officially confirm the exchange, both Moscow and Washington acknowledged a 14 June phone call between the two leaders. The conversation reportedly lasted nearly an hour and focused largely on Middle East tensions, particularly involving Iran.

“The call was substantive, candid, and, most importantly, very useful,” said Yury Ushakov, a senior aide to Putin.

On Truth Social, President Trump revealed that Putin called to wish him a happy birthday and discuss Iran—a country Trump said Putin “knows very well.” He added that Ukraine was only “briefly” discussed.

Ukraine peace talks still in deadlock

President Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a central focus of his second term. He’s pushing for renewed peace talks and a 30-day ceasefire. While limited humanitarian efforts, such as prisoner exchanges, have occurred, no formal peace deal has been reached.

Sticking points remain over territorial control and long-term security guarantees.

Trump has faced criticism from lawmakers and allies for appearing to pressure Ukraine more than Russia, and for his calls to end all US military aid to Kyiv—a stance that has raised concerns about America’s global commitments and Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 18 that he had turned down Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to mediate the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

"I spoke to him yesterday, and, you know, he actually offered to help mediate. I said, do me a favor. Mediate your own," Trump told reporters. "Let's mediate Russia first, okay? I said, Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later."

Trump's comments come just days after he had said he was "open" to the idea of Putin serving as a mediator between Israel and Iran, sparking criticism from U.S. allies. On June 15, Trump claimed Putin was "ready" and had discussed the possibility at length in a recent phone call.

Putin, whose country has been deepening military cooperation with Tehran, spoke separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 13. He condemned Israel's air strikes on Iran and offered Russian mediation.

Those strikes, described by Israel as "preemptive," involved 200 warplanes and 330 munitions targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites. Iran responded with missile attacks on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, that killed at least five Ukrainian citizens on June 14.

Putin's offer of mediation has been dismissed by several Western leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia "cannot be a mediator," given its war against Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed that sentiment, saying on June 17 that Putin "cannot be trusted to mediate peace" while continuing to wage war on Ukrainian civilians.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 17 that Israel appeared unwilling to accept Moscow's mediation. Israel has not publicly commented on the offer.

Ukraine, which has been targeted by thousands of Iranian-made Shahed drones and missiles supplied to Russia, warned that Tehran is a "source of problems" both regionally and globally.

Despite Trump's latest rebuke of Putin's mediation ambitions, the U.S. president has continued to avoid placing additional sanctions on Moscow, even as the Kremlin refuses to agree to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine.

Zelensky may reportedly skip NATO summit over uncertainty about Trump’s attendance

According to the Guardian, some in Kyiv are unsure if President Volodymyr Zelensky’s presence at the summit would be worthwhile without a confirmed meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

A Russian terror attack on 17 June was the largest of the full-scale war, says military expert Ivan Kyrychevskyi. Russia deliberately targeted residential buildings with missiles with cluster munitions to kill as many civilians as possible, Espreso reports. 

“Before 17 June, the maximum was 200–300 aerial weapons launched at once. This time, the Russians used nearly 500, most of them kamikaze drones,” Kyrychevskyi explains.

The UN has also noted that this attack on Kyiv may be the deadliest in nearly a year. The main impact hit densely populated neighborhoods, not military targets.

“X-101 missiles with cluster warheads can’t break through fortifications, but they kill people. That’s why they were used deliberately against civilians,” Kyrychevskyi says.

No one believes anymore that the strikes on Ukrainian hospitals and children’s centers are a “mistake.” After the attack on Kyiv’s Ohmatdyt children’s hospital in 2024, Western governments have stopped buying into the narrative of “accidental strikes,” adds the expert. 

Russia began its full-scale terror campaign against the Ukrainian civilian population in 2022, burning 90% of Mariupol and Bakhmut and committing atrocities during the attacks on Bucha in Kyiv Oblast.

“Better to leave than to face the truth.” This is how former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko explains US President Donald Trump’s behavior at the G7 summit on Ukraine, Hromadske reports.

“He has nothing to say to Zelenskyy. He can’t find a single argument to justify his defense of Putin. This is one of those situations where it’s easier to just leave,” the diplomat explains.

According to Ohryzko, all Ukraine can expect from Trump right now is weapons sales and intelligence sharing. Genuine support must come from Europe, but only if European leaders stop “being afraid of their own shadow.”

What happened in Ukraine today is yet another reproach to our European partners, he says.

“We need French or German fighter jets to shoot down missiles over Ukraine — just like the US shoots down Iranian missiles over Israel,” the diplomat adds.

He emphasizes that such action would not drag NATO into the war, as it would be an act of defense, not aggression.

“There isn’t a Russian sitting on every missile. These are aerial weapons flying into the territory of a country friendly to France, so they should be shot down,” he says.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must raise this issue directly with allies during his visit to Canada, in his view.

“The question must be put bluntly. I believe Zelenskyy has to do it today, in Canada,” he concludes.

On 17 June, Ukraine’s capital and other cities were subjected to sheer terror. Russia deployed its every available aerial weapon to strike Kyiv, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, Kalibrs, cruise and ballistic missiles, and Shahed drones.

Read more: 

• How Ukraine can win, p.4: Just repeat what Putin says
• Russia bombs Kyiv and Iran targets Israel, Trump wants ceasefire — but only from Ukraine

Uttering one word, one man could end Russia’s wider war on Ukraine. 

With a single word, he could halt the fighting that, in 40 bloody months, has killed or maimed some 1,000,000 Russians and nearly half a million Ukrainians. He could ease the nuclear fears the conflict has stoked. He could relieve the strain on the Russian and Ukrainian economies—and allow the devastated landscape in eastern and southern Ukraine to finally begin healing.

That word is “stop.” And the only man who can say it is the Russian President. Vladimir Putin, on whose orders, 200,000 Russian troops further invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. 

What will it take for Putin to say the word? That question, more than any other, informs Ukraine’s theory of victory as the wider war grinds into its fourth year and both sides show signs of exhaustion. Ukraine could defeat Russia militarily, effectively giving Putin no choice but to say stop—lest the Ukrainian army destroy whatever forces Russia might still have left following decisive losses in Ukraine. 

Or Russia could defeat Ukraine militarily, satisfying Putin’s original conditions for victory. Putin could say stop because he’s gotten everything he ever wanted in Ukraine.

But there’s a third and arguably likelier outcome. Putin could order his armies to stand down not because they’ve actually won, but because Putin says they’ve won.

Dictators, including elected ones such as Putin, tend to be political survivalists—and Putin’s sense of self-preservation could lead him to declare victory in Ukraine if and when he begins to sense he’s losing … and losing domestic political support as his armies falter.

Declaring victory without winning

This sort of thing happens all the time. Palestinian military group Hamas routinely declares victory in its various clashes with Israel, even when the outcomes of the conflicts are often devastating to the group. Hamas has repeatedly declared victory in the bloody war instigated by the group’s brutal cross-border raids into southern Israel in October 2023—despite Israeli retaliation that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian fighters and civilians and rendered Gaza all but uninhabitable. 

“The Hamas claim of victory … has further goals,” Palestinian writer Aws Abu Ata noted. “The movement seeks to form a safety belt for itself to avoid being held accountable for the very crises it has provoked.”

As long as a critical mass of Hamas supporters believe, despite their suffering, that they and the militant group are the victors, the Palestinian liberation movement may endure in some form.

Putin could pursue a similar survival strategy. He could simply declare victory in Ukraine, and then attempt to convince his base—Russian elites and tens of millions of everyday Russians—that the victory is legitimate and not the desperate projection of an imperiled dictator.

And yes, Putin is imperiled. Just two years ago, the Wagner Group—the notorious Russian mercenary company led by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin—staged an uprising against Putin’s regime. Thousands of Wagner troops marched on Moscow. The uprising ended when Prigozhin unwisely agreed to meet Putin in Moscow, only to perish when his plane fell to the ground in flames, likely shot down. 

Meanwhile in Ukraine, increasingly vehicle-starved Russian field armies are losing more than a thousand troops a day in grinding assaults on Ukrainian defenses—and gaining just a few hundred square kilometers a month in exchange for the massive bloodletting, in a country with a total area of 603,000 square kilometers.

The costly Russian attacks are sustainable because the Kremlin recruits slightly more troops than it loses every month. But that robust recruitment is possible for just two reasons. “Driven by high sign-on bonuses and speculation that the war will soon be over, more than 1,000 men join the Russian military every day,” noted Janis Kluge, deputy head of the Eastern Europe & Eurasia Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. 

Explore further

How Ukraine can win, p.2: The single drone target that could cripple Russia’s oil empire

The bonuses and other wartime spending are eating the Russian economy.

“All told, Russia’s defense budget will account for 40% of all government expenditures, which is at its highest level since the Cold War,” Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of US Army forces in Europe, told US lawmakers on 3 April.

By comparison, the US federal government spends 13% of its budget on the military.

This is unsustainable. As the cost of servicing a ballooning debt crowds out other spending priorities, Putin has reportedly been casting around for conflict off-ramps. However and whenever Putin chooses to end the war, declaring victory for Russia is surely part of the exit strategy.

The US may give Putin the cover he needs

Talk is easy, of course. Real persuasion could be hard.

“Putin has laid out his maximal goals for this conflict,” explained Thomas Graham, a former US National Security Council staffer who is currently a fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. “At the moment, he needs to make a credible claim of success on each of these goals to declare victory—and that means no NATO membership for Ukraine, international recognition of the land he has seized as Russian, the demilitarization and ‘denazification’ of Ukraine, and the lifting of Western sanctions.”   

“He will not achieve these goals in a negotiated settlement,” Graham asserted.

That’s almost certainly true if the settlement is with Ukraine. But US President Donald Trump, who frequently apes Russian propaganda and has described Putin as strong and smart, has sent his envoys to speak directly with their Russian counterparts in an effort to negotiate an end to the war on terms that favor Russia. 

Trump could lend Putin the domestic political cover Putin needs to sell a unilateral declaration of victory in Ukraine—by giving Russia things Ukraine and Ukraine’s European allies won’t give it. 

What a US-brokered deal could mean for Ukraine

Trump could officially endorse Russian control over occupied territories. Indeed, the White House has already offered to recognize Crimea as part of  Russia. And since the admission of a new member state to NATO requires the consent of all current members, the United States alone could block any Ukrainian bid to join the alliance. 

The Trump administration could also lift US sanctions on Russia—and clearly wants to. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an end to the war would be “the key that unlocks the door” for “potentially historic economic partnerships” between the United States and Russia. 

“The Russian president is in the extraordinary position where he sees the opportunity to entrust his American colleague with imposing a Russian-designed peace settlement on Ukraine,” observed John Lough, a fellow with Chatham House, a London think tank.

The stated Russian war objectives Washington can’t just deliver to Moscow are the most esoteric—and the easiest for Putin to simply claim: the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of the Ukrainian armed forces. 

Explore further

How Ukraine can win, p.1. Swarms of dirt-cheap drones decimate Putin’s armor

Russia has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian troops since February 2022: does that qualify as “demilitarization”? There are very few actual Nazis in the Ukrainian military, but there are surely thousands of right-wing Ukrainian nationalists among Ukraine’s war dead: is that “denazification”?

When both sides claim victory, the war may end

It’s evident Putin is already laying the rhetorical groundwork for claiming Russia has demilitarized and denazified Ukraine. Putin believes key war goals have been achieved, a source close to the Kremlin told Reuters in January.

As Russian casualties reached one million, Russia’s stocks of armored vehicles run low and borrowing costs continue to climb in the sanctions-squeezed, war-strained Russian economy, the temptation for Putin to declare victory and halt major offensive action—at least for a while—should only increase. Especially given how little ground Russian forces have gained in Ukraine since their retreat from Kyiv Oblast in the spring of 2022.

Incredibly, Ukraine could also claim it has won.

“In the end, both sides may claim some form of victory,” explained Tatarigami, the founder of the Ukrainian Frontelligence Insight analysis group.

“Russia by pointing to territorial gains; and Ukraine by claiming its success in preventing Russia from achieving its stated strategic objectives.”

David Axe

David Axe is a writer and filmmaker in South Carolina in the United States.

Behind every drone that could charge the next Ukrainian counteroffensive is an innovator trying to scale. We’re launching the David vs. Goliath defense blog to support these Ukrainian engineers – and are inviting you to join us on the journey.

Our platform will showcase the Ukrainian defense tech underdogs that are Ukraine’s hope to win in the war against Russia, giving them the much-needed visibility to connect them with crucial expertise, funding, and international support. Together, we can give David the best fighting chance he has.

Join us in building this platform — become a Euromaidan Press Patron. As little as $5 monthly will boost strategic innovations that could succeed where traditional approaches have failed.

It is time to say no to Russian resources. The G7 countries should completely stop purchasing energy from Russia, replacing it with Canadian alternatives, said John Kirton. He is the head of the G7 research group at the University of Toronto, UkrInform reports.

“It is necessary for the G7 to continue pressuring India to stop purchasing Russian oil,” the expert says.

But it is equally important for the G7 countries to completely abandon imports of Russian energy resources, such as oil, coal, gas, and uranium.

“Canada, which holds the fifth-largest oil reserves in the world and is among the top three uranium producers, can help,” Kirton continues.

He emphasizes that Canada “can supply the US with all necessary isotopes so they do not depend on Russia or even Kazakhstan.”

“Although Kazakhstan may ultimately be closer to us than to Russia,” the expert believes.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plan to meet during the G7 summit. This meeting will be their first encounter since April, when they had a 15-minute conversation before Pope Francis’ funeral.

After that meeting, Trump stated that Russia had no justification for recent attacks on Ukrainian civilian areas and suggested that the Russian leader might not want to end the war. Following the meeting, there were talks about imposing new sanctions on Russia, but the US did not enact them.

After their conversation, Moscow launched the largest attack on Ukraine’s city of Kremenchuk, targeting an oil refinery and the thermal power plant. Witnesses say the skies over the town turned red during 30 strikes. Ukraine extinguished the fire for at least eight hours.

Putin calls to congratulate Trump on his birthday — then launches hypersonic missiles on small Ukrainian city in one of largest attacks of war

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 15 condemned Russia's latest mass attack against Ukraine, calling the strikes on energy infrastructure "a spit in the face of everything the international community is trying to do to stop this war."

Earlier in the day, Russia targeted the city of Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast with a combined missile and drone attack, damaging energy and agricultural facilities. The strike involved nearly 200 drones and missiles, including both cruise and ballistic missiles. The attack came shortly after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In his nightly address, Zelensky said the attack on Kremenchuk was "deliberately and treacherously planned to target our civilian infrastructure" and that Russia intended to damage energy facilities.

"This is Russia's spit in the face of everything the international community is trying to do to stop this war," Zelensky said in his nightly address.

"It happened right after Putin's conversation with Trump. After the Americans asked us not to strike Russian energy facilities. At the same time as Putin tries to portray himself as a mediator for the Middle East ... The level of cynicism is staggering."

Following his call with Putin, Trump claimed he would be "open" to the Russian president acting as a mediator in the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Zelensky rejected the idea of Putin — who has waged war against Ukraine for over 10 years and has taken no steps towards a lasting ceasefire — playing the role of peacemaker.

Putin "is war itself," Zelensky said, urging the international community not to fall for "Russian manipulation and lies."

Zelensky also warned that Russia may be planning additional attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, including nuclear power infrastructure. According to the president, Ukrainian intelligence agencies have obtained evidence of Russia's threat and shared the information with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Trump administration.

"Russia is planning further attacks on our energy sector — attacks that may be less visible to the world right now because all eyes are on the situation in the Middle East," he said.

Throughout the full-scale war, Russia has attempted to disrupt Ukraine's power grid through targeted attacks on energy infrastructure. After rejecting a U.S. proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in March, Moscow instead agreed to a month-long ceasefire on energy attacks.

Russia subsequently violated the partial ceasefire, which ended in in April. The Kremlin continues to refuse calls for an unconditional truce.

With no new US aid packages on the horizon, can Ukraine continue to fight Russia?

The U.S. has not announced any military aid packages for Ukraine in almost five months, pushing Kyiv to seek new alternatives. But time is running out quickly as Russian troops slowly advance on the eastern front line and gear up for a new summer offensive. “While Ukraine’s dependence on

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing while fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to a new report from UK intelligence.

The British Ministry of Defence, in its 15 June intelligence update, states that around half of the estimated 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to the area have become casualties.

A costly campaign tied to Ukraine’s cross-border offensive

In August 2024, Ukraine launched a rare cross-border operation into Kursk, briefly capturing territory and forcing Russia to redeploy troops. While initially successful, the campaign was eventually reversed. By March 2025, Ukrainian forces had withdrawn, ending the offensive without holding ground. However, Kyiv claims the operation disrupted Russian logistics and diverted enemy forces from other fronts.

High casualty rates from brutal ground combat

“Significant D​PRK casualty rates have almost certainly been sustained primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report said, pointing to intense and costly infantry engagements on the ground.

UK intelligence analysts believe these tactics are leading to unsustainable losses for North Korean units involved in front-line fighting.

Shoigu holds talks with Kim Jong-un

On 4 June, Russia’s Security Council Secretary and former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea for the second time in three months. He met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, signaling deepening military coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Shoigu is believed to be the Kremlin’s lead negotiator managing North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.

North Korean involvement confined to Kursk—for now

As of mid-June, North Korea’s military activity remains limited to the Kursk direction. According to UK intelligence, any expansion beyond Russian borders—particularly into internationally recognized Ukrainian territory—would almost certainly require joint authorization from both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.

Casualty estimates reflect rising toll

In April, a South Korean lawmaker citing intelligence sources reported that about 600 North Koreans had died in the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in January, estimated that 4,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.

Later, on 25 April, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that more than 4,500 North Korean troops had been neutralized since the launch of the Kursk offensive.

The sky turned red from the explosions. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated US President Donald Trump on his birthday on 14 June, and almost immediately launched a strike on the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. 

Russia was likely to target critical infrastructure, particularly the Kremenchuk Thermal Power Plant and oil refinery, which are both essential to Ukraine’s energy system and defense. The city lies on the Dnipro River and has important railway connections and major logistics hubs.

It is reported that energy and agricultural infrastructure facilities in six locations in Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast were hit. Fires broke out due to direct strikes and falling debris, Liga.net reports. 

The attack rocked the Ukrainian city hours after Putin called Trump on his birthday to offer congratulations and discuss the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine. Their conversation lasted approximately one hour, according to Ukrainska Pravda. 

Destruction of Iran’s nuclear program means Trump has no reason to offer Putin concessions on Ukraine in exchange for Tehran’s pressure, says expert

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 194 aerial weapons — 167 were neutralized: 119 were shot down, and 48 are considered lost over Ukrainian territory.

Among the downed targets were:

• 111 drones,
• Two Kinzhal hypersonic missiles,
• Three Iskander-K cruise missiles
• Three Kalibr cruise missiles.

The Ukrainian air defense regularly intercepts Russian aerial targets, but debris still scatters over the homes and apartments of civilians. No casualties have been reported after the aerial assault. 

That’s about four times more drones than Iran launched at Israel in attacks beginning on 13 June, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty writes. At the same time, US troops assisted Jerusalem in repelling Tehran’s assault.

In an interview with the American TV channel Newsmax, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia has consistently supported Iran.

“Will the Russians help Iran? I think they always have. The question is whether they will openly support Iran,” Zelenskyy said.

He stressed that everything depends on a strong US position, backed by European support. Without it, Russia will understand that it can openly assist Iran, triggering a new wave of conflict in the Middle East.

The Ukrainian president also highlighted that a strong stance by Donald Trump could stop Russia’s plans to seize Ukraine.

“Trump can stop him. For that, Putin must lose money. Only then will he be unable to increase spending on his army,” he emphasized.

He added that tough sanctions are necessary.

“He is the president of the US. He must influence any aggressor in the world. Undoubtedly, Putin is one of the most dangerous,” the Ukrainian leader concluded.

Earlier, the US attempted to block European efforts to cut the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, frustrating EU and UK attempts to ramp up pressure on Moscow’s war financing. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy states that current communication between the US and Russia resembles a “warm conversation,” which only reinforces the Russian ruler’s confidence, Newsmax reports. 

“I don’t think this can stop Putin. On the contrary, he enjoys it. I believe the tone must change. Putin must clearly understand that America will continue to support Ukraine, with sanctions and military assistance,” Zelenskyy emphasizes.

According to him, Putin is currently trying to deceive Donald Trump by pretending to show a willingness for peace, not to end the war, but to avoid new sanctions.

“Putin doesn’t want to end the war. But he needs to show Trump something positive to dodge sanctions,” the Ukrainian president continues.

Zelenskyy also stresses that Russian society has become radicalized by propaganda and that Russia’s military-industrial complex receives around $300 billion annually.

“It’s like a high-speed train with no one at the controls,” he compares.

He acknowledges that even if Trump manages to bring Putin to the negotiating table, it would only be a partial victory. The aggression, he warns, may return in another form.

“Either it will come back later, or the target of aggression will change,” the Ukrainian president adds.

Earlier, the US attempted to block European efforts to cut the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, frustrating EU and UK attempts to ramp up pressure on Moscow’s war financing. 

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

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on June 14 in which the two leaders discussed Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Iran.

"Another telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir... Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump," Russian state media reported, citing Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

The phone call took place on Trump's birthday, as the U.S. president marks the occasion with a military parade in Washington.

The two leaders discussed Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East as Israel and Iran continue to exchange aerial attacks.

"The exchange of opinions naturally focused on the dangerous escalation of the situation in the Middle East," Ushakov said.

The phone call between Trump and Putin lasted 50 minutes, he said.

"Russia expressed its readiness to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians, as agreed, after June 22. Donald Trump took note of this information and once again noted his interest in a speedy end to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," Ushakov said, according to Russian state media.

Trump later confirmed he held a phone call with Putin, saying that the main topic the two leaders covered was Iran.

"President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well," Trump said in a post to Truth social.

Trump noted that the phone call between the two leaders lasted about one hour, with Putin congratulating Trump on his birthday.  

"Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine, but that will be for next week. He is doing the planned prisoner swaps — large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides," Trump said.

The latest round of prisoner swaps occurred on June 14. Ukraine mainly returned severely wounded and seriously ill soldiers, many of whom were captured during the defense of Mariupol in 2022.

Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine following two rounds of largely inconclusive peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Turkey on May 16 and June 2.

Israel and Iran continued to exchange attacks on June 14, more than 24 hours after Israel launched its first strikes on Iran's nuclear sites and military leadership.

Trump has said that the U.S. military is on high alert and watching for any kind of retaliation, adding that the U.S. will respond to defend itself or Israel if Iran strikes back.

Trump gave Putin a ‘two-week’ deadline to consider peace in Ukraine. Instead, Russia just launched more drones.

A “two week” deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to see if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine has come and gone, with Moscow’s escalation of attacks on civilians during this period failing to draw the slightest condemnation from the White House. “We’re going to find out

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

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.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on June 13, amid a sweeping Israeli air assault on Iran that killed top military officials and targeted the country's nuclear infrastructure.

The Israeli strike, described by Tel Aviv as "preemptive," involved 200 aircraft and the release of 330 munitions on over 100 sites. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that several senior commanders were killed, including aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

During his call with Pezeshkian, Putin expressed condolences for what the Kremlin described as "numerous civilian casualties" and condemned Israel's actions as violations of the UN Charter and international law.

The conversations took place just hours after Russia launched its own missile and drone assault on Ukraine. At least four civilians were killed and 24 injured in Russian attacks across multiple regions on June 13, according to Ukrainian officials.

Moscow has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, and the true extent of the death toll is simply not known. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a clear and direct violation of both international law and the UN Charter.

During the conversation with Netanyahu, Putin emphasized "the importance of returning to the negotiation process," and offered to mediate in the conflict.

The Russian leader, who has himself been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine, also pledged Moscow's support in "de-escalating the conflict."

Russia has deepened military and political ties with Tehran since the start of its full-scale war against Ukraine. Iran has supplied Moscow with thousands of Shahed-type attack drones and short-range ballistic missiles used in routine strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry responded to the Middle East escalation by expressing concern about broader regional instability but reiterated that "the Iranian regime supports Russia in its illegal war of aggression" and provides it with "weapons to kill Ukrainians."

Kyiv warned that the fallout could destabilize international security and trigger economic shocks. Global oil prices soared over 10% after the Israeli operation — a development that could enhance revenues for Russia, whose war budget is largely financed by energy exports.

Israel-Iran war could provide economic boost Russia needs to continue fight against Ukraine

Israel’s “preemptive” strikes against Iran targeting the country’s nuclear program and killing top military officials could have far-reaching implications for Ukraine and could boost Russia’s ability to continue its full-scale invasion, experts have told the Kyiv Independent. Iran has been one of Russia’s staunchest allies throughout the war, providing thousands

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

The Kremlin is losing one of its key bargaining chips in negotiations with Donald Trump. Political expert Abbas Galliamov says that for Ukraine, the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a promising prospect, as Tehran remains the closest ally of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, Radio NV reports. 

“This is Putin’s closest ally. Ukrainians have seen enough of Iranian drones flying overhead. That alone is enough to wish those guys some serious trouble, which the Israel Defense Forces is currently delivering,” Galliamov explains.

According to him, Putin is losing a trump card in his dialogue with the US president.

“Up to now, there’s been a kind of trade-off: Ukraine in exchange for Iran. Trump would say to Putin, ‘Fine, I won’t put too much pressure on you over Ukraine for now, but in return, I need your support on Iran,’” Galliamov explains.

Once the Iranian nuclear issue is resolved, especially if the Iranian regime falls, Trump will have no need to seek Putin’s support in that arena.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the first wave of airstrikes on Iran “very successful,” UNIAN reports. 

Israeli military sources clarify that among those killed in the attack were former head of Iran’s nuclear agency Fereydoon Abbasi, nuclear scientist Mehdi Tehranchi, and physicist Abdolrahim Minuchehr.

During the first wave of Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, may have also been eliminated.

Russia emerges as potential mediator in Trump’s new Iran nuclear deal talks

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson states that other Iranian commanders and leading scientists involved in nuclear development may also have been killed as a result of the Israeli strikes.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later acknowledged the deaths of several high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists in the Israeli attacks. Iran’s armed forces had earlier vowed a “firm response” to the Israeli assault. Khamenei declared he was giving full freedom of action to the military to answer the strike.

U.S. President Donald Trump on June 12 praised Russia's role in World War II, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is "confused" why everyone "hates" Moscow.

Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump recounted a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron about World War II commemorations.

"I said, 'You're celebrating our victory?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, "Your victory?'" Trump said.

"And then I spoke to President Putin at the time. He lost 51 million people. He (sic!) fought with us in World War II. Russia did fight. It's interesting, isn't it? It fought with us in World War II, and everyone hates it.

"And now everybody hates Russia and loves Germany and Japan. It's a strange world."

Trump said Putin had expressed confusion over the West's treatment of Russia post-war, citing the Soviet Union's wartime alliance with the U.S. and U.K.

"We were your ally," Putin allegedly told Trump. "Now everybody hates Russia."

Trump's remarks align with a Kremlin propaganda narrative that downplays the Soviet Union's World War II non-Russian casualties. According to Ukraine's Institute of National Remembrance, Ukraine alone lost more than 10 million people during the war and suffered immense destruction on its territory — a fact often overlooked in Kremlin-led historical revisionism.

Russia has frequently weaponized its version of World War II history to justify present-day aggression. The Kremlin has invoked anti-Nazi rhetoric and Soviet-era heroism to rationalize its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022 — a war that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.

Trump has positioned himself as the only leader capable of ending the Russia-Ukraine war, but his reluctance to apply real pressure on Moscow has left Kyiv and its allies doubtful. The U.S. president has softened his tone on Russia while repeatedly threatening sanctions over its attacks on Ukraine — yet no new measures have been imposed.

Talking at the press conference about the war and the stalled peace efforts, Trump said he was "disappointed" with both Russia and Ukraine, adding that "deals could have been made."

Trump has previously said that he refrained from imposing additional sanctions in hopes of securing a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

"If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that," he said on May 28, adding that a decision would come "in about two weeks."

Despite failed peace efforts in Istanbul and Russia's continued refusal to agree to a ceasefire, Trump reportedly asked Senate Republicans to delay voting on a bipartisan sanctions bill that would impose a 500% tariff on imports from countries buying Russian oil.

The legislation, introduced in April, has broad bipartisan support, including backing from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine and has shown no signs of seeking peace. It continues escalating its attacks on Ukrainian cities, causing numerous civilian casualties.

Who’s countering Russian propaganda now? Expert on US’ declining disinformation defense

The Kyiv Independent’s Natalia Yermak speaks to James Rubin, a former diplomat who led the Global Engagement Center in 2022-2024, about how deeply the Russian propaganda influences U.S. politics and why the center’s closure “disarms” the country in the information war.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Russia will establish a dedicated military branch for unmanned systems, President Vladimir Putin said on June 12 during a meeting on the state armament program.

"We have accumulated a great deal of experience to create this branch of the armed forces," Putin said, noting the move includes personnel training, manufacturing, and deployment of modern equipment.

The announcement comes as both Russia and Ukraine increasingly use drones for strike missions and surveillance. Unmanned systems have become central to battlefield operations and enabling deep strikes.

Ukraine established its own Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) in June 2024 to formalize and scale its drone-based operations on the battlefield. The USF has since launched hundreds of deep strikes into Russian territory and worked to integrate drone technology across combat units.

Russia, meanwhile, has ramped up drone production over the past year, launching waves of Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones in near-daily attacks on Ukrainian cities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 that Moscow intends to produce up to 500 drones daily, with Russian manufacturers gearing up to manufacture 300-350 drones each day.

Russian drone production has been supported by a steady flow of components from China and a workforce that includes teenagers and foreign laborers from African countries.

The Kremlin's move mirrors Kyiv's earlier military reform and signals Russia's recognition of drones as a critical pillar of modern warfare.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is deceiving Donald Trump and warned that the US president’s response to those lies could determine the future of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

In an interview published by Politico on 12 June, Zelenskyy stated:

“Russia is simply lying to Trump,” he said, adding that “most heads of state and government share my opinion,” expressing hope that the US understands the extent of Russian disinformation.

Zelenskyy said the leverage to end the war rests with Trump, noting that “Putin understands nothing but strength, and America has that strength.” He also emphasized that the effectiveness of sanctions and the speed of decision-making “depends on” Trump.

Trump diplomacy’s new low: Rubio congratulates Russians on Russia Day

Ongoing war, weak peace efforts, lack of sanctions

Recent low-level Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul have made little progress, while Russia continues its escalated attacks on Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Trump expressed doubts about Moscow’s sincerity after a recent phone call with Putin. Trump bizarrely compared Russia and Ukraine to two squabbling children and said the deadline for more sanctions exists “in his brain.”

When asked if Trump’s opinions shift depending on whom he speaks with, Zelenskyy answered, “I don’t know,” but reiterated: “Russia is not sincere.”

Zelenskyy said Russia’s ongoing offensive is “not very successful,” adding that the Kremlin has failed to achieve its goals. He claimed Moscow is trying to buy time while its economy suffers. He believes stronger sanctions could further deplete Russia’s military capabilities and reduce attacks on Ukraine.

US repeats Ukraine-Russia talks mantra despite Russia’s rejection of ceasefires

Western support critical to Ukraine’s survival

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s survival hinges on continued support from Western nations. He warned that an American withdrawal would be “a perfect scenario” for Putin and could hand victory to Russia.

Zelenskyy acknowledged personal doubt, referencing Winston Churchill’s struggles during World War II.

“I have no fewer doubts than anyone else in Ukraine. But the difference is that I am the president,” he said. “So until the end of the war, I will never show any moments of weakness. And I will never share my dark days with anyone.”

Putin “gives the finger” to the entire world, Zelenskyy says after Trump’s call with Russian president

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow possesses the world's most advanced nuclear systems but must significantly strengthen its ground forces, Russian state media reported on June 11.

As Russia continues its war against Ukraine, Moscow has increased investment in its military. Russian defense spending has reached its highest level since the Cold War at 6.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Putin claimed that Russia's nuclear triad has the highest share of new equipment among nuclear powers.

"Currently, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the strategic nuclear forces is already 95%. This is a good indicator, in fact, it is the highest of all nuclear powers in the world," Russian state media reported Putin saying.

Putin then called for Russia's ground forces to be improved as quickly as possible.

"The dominant force in conducting modern military operations of any scale and intensity remains the ground forces. And it is important to increase their combat capabilities in the shortest possible time," he said.

Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia first began its armed aggression against Ukraine in 2014, when its proxies occupied territory in eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed Crimea.

Russia regularly strikes civilian infrastructure in its ongoing war against Ukraine. On June 11, a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv killed at least three people and injured 64 others.

Putin’s suspected daughter found working in anti-war galleries in Paris

Nastya Rodionova, a Russian writer and artist who has been based in Paris since 2022, had only met gallery manager Luiza Rozova in passing at events before she learned who the 22-year-old’s parents were. Described by a number of people as a “very nice and well-mannered girl,” Rozova is

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

Russia turns the war into a marathon of continuous arms production. Moscow produces more ammunition than all NATO countries combined, and does so many times faster, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London on 9 June. 

“In terms of ammunition, Russia produces in three months what the whole of NATO produces in a year,” said Rutte.

He added that Russia’s military machine is not slowing down. On the contrary, it is strengthening its potential. Russia is actively replenishing its arsenal with help from China, Iran, and North Korea. 

Rutte also noted that Russia is using Chinese technology to modernize its army.

“And its defence industrial base is expected to roll out 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armoured vehicles, and 200 Iskander missiles this year alone,” the NATO chief highlighted.

He warned that Russia could be ready for aggression against NATO within the next five years. According to Rutte, “President Putin does not act like someone who is interested in peace.” 

NATO needs to increase air and missile defence by 400% – Rutte says ahead of June summit

Russian performers with Putin ties are returning to European stages three years after being blacklisted over Ukraine’s invasion, Politico reported on 6 June.

Three years after European theaters canceled Russian concerts and dropped performers with ties to President Vladimir Putin, some of Russia’s biggest classical music stars are quietly returning to orchestras and stages across the continent, according to Politico.

The comeback includes conductor Valery Gergiev, who is set to perform in Barcelona next year with Russia’s Mariinsky Orchestra as part of the Ibercámera concert series, which lists the EU’s Next Generation fund as a financial supporter. Soprano Anna Netrebko has already resumed performances across Europe, with her schedule packed for the next 18 months from Berlin to Zurich.

Both artists were blacklisted in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The classical music world had imposed what Lithuania’s culture minister called a “mental quarantine” in solidarity with Kyiv.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi warned that Europe’s arts scene should “think twice” before welcoming Russian performers back, calling the move “very risky.”

“When you have a Russian active cultural action in [your] country, it’s immediately about disinformation and about preparing some kind of act of aggression,” Tochytskyi told Politico. “This is our own experience.”

Gergiev’s controversial return

Valery Gergiev held a propaganda concert in 2008 in the ruined Georgian city of Tskhinvali after Moscow-backed separatists seized the region. He conducted the Leningrad symphony as the audience waved Russian and Ossetian flags, later participated in Putin’s 2012 campaign ad, and signed an open letter supporting the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

After the 2022 invasion, Gergiev was dropped by orchestras from Milan and Munich to Rotterdam and Vienna. He has been sanctioned by Ukraine and has not performed in Europe since the invasion began.

The EU Commission has initiated talks with Spanish authorities to verify that no EU funds have been used for performances involving the pro-Putin conductor, according to a Commission official.

When asked about EU funding, an Ibercámera spokesperson told Politico its concerts had “never been subsidized by the European Union” but admitted seeking an arts grant from the Next Generation EU fund in December 2022.

Netrebko’s comeback

Anna Netrebko supported Putin’s 2012 campaign, met with him repeatedly, and told Russian state media in 2017 it is “impossible to think of a better president for Russia.” In 2014, she gave one million rubles to a pro-Russian separatist leader to rebuild a theater in rebel-held Donetsk.

After the invasion, major opera houses dropped her and she took a months-long hiatus. Kyiv sanctioned her in 2023.

Her comeback began at Palm Beach Opera in February 2024. Despite Ukraine’s formal protest, her Bratislava concert in April sold out.

Russian parliament chairman Vyacheslav Volodin accused her of betraying Russia by speaking against the invasion. “She has a voice, but not a conscience,” he said.

Ukraine’s response

Ukraine’s arts scene has been devastated by the war. A Russian airstrike on a Mariupol theater in March 2022 likely killed hundreds of civilians. Ukrainian opera singer Ihor Voronka died on the front lines in July, while baritone Vasyl Slipak was killed by a Russian sniper in 2016.

Ukrainian director Eugene Lavrenchuk resigned from a Jerusalem production after Russian singers were cast despite his request to avoid them.

“For us Ukrainians, a boycott of everything Russian is not a question of culture and art, it is a question of security,” he told Politico.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Tochytskyi suggested hiring Ukrainian or European performers instead. “In Ukraine, in Poland, in Sweden, we have the artist at the same or sometimes even better quality,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new naval strategy aimed at fully restoring Russia's position as a leading global maritime power, Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with the Russian state-controlled Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, published on June 9.

Patrushev, a former KGB officer, told the Russian newspaper that the new document, titled The Strategy for the Development of the Russian Navy up to 2050, was approved in late May.

"Russia's position as one of the world's greatest maritime powers is gradually recovering," Patrushev said. He added that such work requires a long-term vision of future maritime challenges and threats.

Patrushev provided no further details on the new naval strategy.

Russia currently operates the world's third most powerful navy, according to most public rankings, behind China and the United States. However, the fleet has suffered a string of losses during the war against Ukraine, particularly in the Black Sea.

Since September 2022, Ukraine has used naval kamikaze drones to target the Russian Black Sea Fleet, destroying several vessels. The latest strike sank a Mangust-class patrol boat off the coast of occupied Crimea using a domestically produced Magura drone.

Ukraine's campaign has drawn on the Jeune École naval doctrine, leveraging small, low-cost drones against larger warships. After losing its conventional surface fleet early in the war, Ukraine turned to developing its own naval drones.

The approach has proven effective.

In April 2022, Ukraine sank the Moskva, the fleet's flagship, with Neptune missiles. It has since struck key naval bases and reportedly disabled or destroyed around a third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The General Staff said in June that 29 Russian vessels had been taken out of action.

In response, Russia began pulling back ships from occupied Crimea to the port of Novorossiysk in late 2024 to shield them from further attacks. The redeployment limited Moscow's ability to blockade Ukrainian grain exports, though Russian naval capabilities in other regions remain largely intact.

As Ukraine, Russia agree to ceasefire at sea, Moscow’s battered Black Sea Fleet is set to get a reprieve

The White House on March 25 announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to “eliminate the use of force” in the Black Sea, returning the spotlight to a theater of battle that has been relatively quiet for more than a year. Throughout 2022 and 2023, Ukrainian strikes against Russian ships,

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s comparison of Russia’s war against Ukraine to “children fighting in a park” during his interview with ABC News published on June 6.

"We are not kids with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin at the playground in the park," Zelensky said, as quoted by the TV network. "He is a murderer who came to this park to kill the kids."

The U.S. president, who has repeatedly claimed he alone can bring an end to the war, said on June 5 that it might be best not to intervene in Russia’s war against Ukraine for now.

"Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy,” Trump said at a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. “They hate each other, and they’re fighting in a park, and you try and pull them apart. They don’t want to be pulled. Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart."

Trump's statement came amid stalled negotiations, rising casualties from Russian drone strikes, and Russia's refusal to make any concessions.

Kyiv has repeatedly urged Russia to accept a Western-backed 30-day ceasefire as the first step toward a broader peace deal — a move that Moscow again rejected during the latest round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.

In the interview with ABC News, Zelensky also spoke of the "limitless" pain endured by a Ukrainian father who lost his wife and three children in a missile strike.

Zelensky added that Trump "could not feel fully and understand this pain."

"And it’s not about President Trump, it’s about any person who is not here in the country, who is some thousands of miles away — (they) cannot feel fully and understand this pain," Zelensky said, as quoted by ABC News.

Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb; Ukraine targets Russian air bases in ‘preemptive strike’

Key developments on June 6: * Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb * Ukraine strikes Russian air bases in ‘preemptive strike’ ahead of drone, missile attack, General Staff says * Ukrainian drone attack destroys helicopter at Russian airfield in Bryansk, media says * Russia plans to occupy Ukraine east of

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Concerns are growing over Russia’s efforts to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest nuclear facility in Europe. While official statements suggest the plant could soon reconnect to Russia’s grid, the technical and political reality on the ground is far more complex.

Meanwhile, Rosatom—the state-owned corporation now managing ZNPP—remains largely unsanctioned by the West, even though it plays a central role in Russia’s nuclear weapons program.

In this in-depth report, energy analyst Mykhailo Gonchar explains what’s really happening inside the plant—and why it matters far beyond Ukraine.

The water crisis that changed everything

The current phase of the nuclear crisis began in March 2022, when Russian forces took control of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Despite the occupation, the facility initially continued to operate. But the risks from military activity soon became too great. By September 2022, all six reactors were placed in cold shutdown.

The real turning point came on 6 June 2023, when the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed, eliminating the plant’s primary source of cooling water. Since then, ZNPP has been forced to rely on limited groundwater reserves.

“Zaporizhzhia NPP was built in that exact location for a reason—because a lot of water is needed,” says Gonchar.

The plant was originally intended to be the world’s largest, with 10 reactors. Only six were completed, as plans were scaled back following the Chornobyl disaster—but it still became Europe’s largest nuclear facility—and one that now lacks the essential infrastructure for safe operation.

Behind Moscow’s messaging: The real plan

Since occupying the plant, Russia has made repeated claims that ZNPP will be reconnected and restarted. According to Gonchar, those claims are politically driven and technically misleading.

“They’re considering launching one or maybe two units — that’s the internal plan,” he says. “But publicly, they act like everything is ready and will work immediately.”

Gonchar notes that the Kremlin is exerting intense pressure on Rosatom. Former chief Sergey Kiriyenko, now a senior presidential adviser, is pressuring his successor, Alexey Likhachov, to show progress. But the technical team is hesitant.

“The reactors have sat idle for three years, with no proper maintenance or inspections. Restarting even one poses a serious danger.”

The stakes are high. If something goes wrong—even a minor incident—the political fallout could be severe.

Why restarting the plant isn’t technically possible

One of the least understood obstacles is technological incompatibility between Ukrainian and Russian nuclear systems.

“People assume the VVER reactors in Ukraine and Russia are the same,” Gonchar says. “Yes, the core hardware is similar. But everything around it—the energy periphery—is completely different now.”

Beginning in the mid-2000s, Ukraine partnered with Westinghouse —a company of American origin— and European firms to modernize its entire nuclear infrastructure. These upgrades weren’t just about fuel—they included safety systems, control units, and compliance with EU and WENRA standards after the Fukushima disaster.

With only a third of the original Ukrainian staff remaining at ZNPP, and Russian replacements unfamiliar with the Westernized systems, a safe restart is not technically feasible.

“They say they can. They claim they know everything. But in reality—they don’t.”

Is Russia rebuilding the grid?

Recent satellite imagery shows new transmission lines and towers between occupied areas like Mariupol and Berdiansk. Some reports suggest these could be used to reconnect ZNPP to Russia’s grid.

But Gonchar says appearances are misleading.

Electricity from ZNPP is generated at 750 kilovolts, far above consumer-level power. For it to be usable, it needs to pass through multiple step-down substations—none of which currently exist in the occupied zone.

“You can’t launch anything—nuclear or conventional—without a complete transmission chain. If any part is missing, nothing works.”

Why Russia wants Zaporizhzhia online (it’s not about power)

According to Gonchar, Russia’s motivations are geopolitical, not economic or technical.

“For the Kremlin, commercial considerations are secondary. What truly matters is the ability to use the plant as a powerful tool of nuclear blackmail.”

If even one reactor were restarted, the risk of a nuclear incident would rise significantly. That risk could be used as leverage in negotiations—particularly if Moscow blames future sabotage or drone attacks on Ukraine.

There’s also a regional energy incentive. Russia’s southern grid has long suffered from shortages, especially after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Reconnecting ZNPP could relieve pressure on those systems—if it were actually possible.

The real threat: Rosatom is a nuclear weapons enterprise

Rosatom presents itself as a civilian nuclear energy firm. But its primary mission is nuclear weapons production. Of its approximately 340,000 employees, around 88,000 work in nuclear weapons divisions, while about 62,000 are involved in civilian nuclear energy.

This matters because every contract signed with Rosatom—for fuel, reactors, or services—helps fund Russia’s military-industrial complex, including warhead production.

Rosatom is also a vehicle for importing dual-use technology. Many of its international transactions are labeled as “machine-building products”—a category broad enough to cover nearly anything—allowing it to sidestep sanctions and obtain components that can be used in both civilian and military applications.

“They say it’s for the Rostov or Leningrad NPPs,” Gonchar adds, “but the same components can be used in missiles, drones—anything.”

The global fallout if ZNPP fails

A nuclear incident at Zaporizhzhia wouldn’t just be a local disaster. It would undermine Rosatom’s global operations, including major projects in:

• Hungary (Paks NPP expansion)
• Türkiye (Akkuyu NPP)
• India (Kudankulam)
• Egypt (El Dabaa)
• Bangladesh (Rooppur)

Yet ironically, project delays often benefit Rosatom financially, since extended timelines mean higher costs and more revenue.

“Delays only work in Rosatom’s favor,” Gonchar notes. “Timelines stretch, costs rise—and Rosatom gets paid more.”

What about the IAEA?

Russia cannot restart ZNPP without the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). While the agency has allowed limited inspections under occupation, it retains final authority on operational safety.

According to Gonchar, if IAEA teams report no restart preparations, that likely reflects the truth. Even hidden activities would eventually be detected.

The real strategy: Optics over operation

What Russia can do, says Gonchar, is stage a performance—an on-camera ceremony to make it look like the plant is operational.

The timing may be strategic. As potential geopolitical talks (e.g., a Trump–Putin meeting) loom, Russia may try to present ZNPP as a fait accompli—even if the reactors never truly come back online.

Bottom line: Nuclear risk as political leverage

The key technical and operational barriers:

• No cooling water
• Incompatible systems with Russian technology
• Loss of qualified staff
• Incomplete infrastructure
• Required IAEA approvals
• Elevated incident risk

But the bigger threat isn’t the restart itself—it’s the narrative of activity, the coercion, and the continued acceptance of Rosatom as a civilian actor.

The opportunity to act remains—but the cost of further delay could be devastating.

US President Donald Trump argued that Ukraine’s recent Spiderweb drone operation against Russian airfields gave Russia justification for its retaliatory strike on civilians.

“They gave the reason to go and bomb the hell out of them last night. That’s the thing I didn’t like about it. When I saw it, I said “Here we go, now it’s going to be a strike,” Trump said to journalists. 

Trump’s comments came after he held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 4 June that lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes. During that call, Putin warned that Russia would retaliate for a recent “Spiderweb” drone operation, according to Trump’s account.

Russia’s Defense Ministry also subsequently characterized its bombardment of Ukraine as retaliation for the Ukrainian airfield operation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered no concessions during his first phone call with Pope Leo XIV on 5 June, while claiming Russia seeks a political and diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The ISW reports that the Kremlin continues to present itself as ready for “good-faith” talks while refusing to offer any concessions. During the 5 June call with Pope Leo XIV, Putin blamed Ukraine for escalating the war and stated Russia favors a peaceful resolution through “political and diplomatic means.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Putin thanked the Pope for the Vatican’s willingness to contribute to ending the war.

However, ISW notes that Putin did not offer any shift in Russia’s position. Instead, the Kremlin readout stated that any resolution must address the war’s “root causes” — a phrase the Kremlin regularly uses to shift blame to Ukraine for Russia’s invasion.

Kremlin repeats long-standing narratives

ISW highlights that Russian officials continue to define the war’s “root causes” as NATO’s supposed breach of commitments not to expand eastward and Ukraine’s alleged mistreatment of Russian-speaking minorities. These justifications, the report notes, have been part of Russia’s rhetoric since the start of the invasion.

Despite speaking of diplomacy, ISW stresses that Russia has made no moves to soften its core conditions, which amount to Ukraine’s total capitulation.

On 3 June, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia seeks a “swift victory” and the “complete destruction” of Ukraine’s government. ISW cites this as further evidence that Moscow remains “uninterested in good faith peace negotiations and a near-term resolution to the war that does not acquiesce to its demands.“

“Putin’s conversation with the Pope is likely part of the Kremlin’s ongoing effort to protract negotiations by falsely portraying Russia as interested in meaningful peace negotiations and improve Russia’s negotiating position by making additional battlefield gains,” ISW wrote.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on June 5 that Russia's response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb is likely "not going to be pretty," following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day prior.

Trump previously said he spoke to Putin over the phone for approximately an hour and 15 minutes on June 4.

"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 at the time.

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.

"They went deep into Russia and (Putin) actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it's probably not going to be pretty," Trump said.

"I don't like it, I said don't do it, you shouldn't do it, you should stop it," Trump added.

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?"

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

Ukrainian drones not only destroyed dozens of Russian aircraft—they also shattered the Pentagon’s perception of security for the US itself.

US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll warns that Ukraine’s recent deep strikes inside Russia reveal the US’s own vulnerabilities to similar attacks, The Hill reports. 

Driscoll says the operation, reportedly involving over 100 low-cost drones smuggled into Russia by truck, illustrates how cheap, easily available weapons can inflict massive damage in capable hands. He expresses concern that the US Army is lagging behind in countering such threats.

“At a cost of mere tens of thousands of dollars, Ukraine inflicted billions in damage, potentially setting back Russia’s bomber capabilities for years,” Driscoll explains. 

He adds that drones are just one example of a broader shift, and frankly, the US Army is not keeping up.

Driscoll’s concerns are echoed by a senior member of the committee, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who says Ukraine’s operation has “gotten our attention of the vulnerabilities of existing systems and the capabilities of drones” and other new systems.

“There is no question that the nature of warfare is changing dramatically. How do we adjust our force to meet those challenges?” he continues.

Ukraine’s successful strike has raised new questions about how well US territory is truly protected, a concern that hasn’t faded since mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey and other northeastern states late last year.

Last month, US President Donald Trump announced plans to create his own missile defense system called the Golden Dome, as one way to address new threats.

But this system, designed as a network of space-based radars and interceptors, is meant to defend against ballistic and intercontinental missiles, not low-flying drones or missiles launched from ships.

To respond quickly to emerging threats, Driscoll calls for more agile forces capable of rapid innovation and closer cooperation with the private sector, stating that the Army is currently frozen in bureaucracy.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a forceful message on 5 June, highlighting the sheer scale of Russian attacks and warning global leaders that inaction emboldens the Kremlin.

In his 5 June statement, Zelenskyy revealed that since the beginning of the year, Russia has launched nearly 27,700 aerial bombs, approximately 11,200 Shahed-type explosive drones, around 9,000 other attack UAVs, and over 700 missiles, including ballistic ones.

“And that’s in less than half a year,” he noted.

He accused Russia of restructuring its entire state, society, and economy to conduct mass killings in other countries with impunity.

“This is the pace of Russian strikes, and they deliberately set this tempo from the very first days of the full-scale war,” he said.

“Russia is giving the finger to the entire world”

Reacting to Trump’s announcement of his phone call with Putin, Zelenskyy criticized ongoing diplomatic failures.

“Many have spoken with Russia at various levels. But none of these talks have brought a reliable peace,” he stated, arguing that Putin continues to feel “impunity. Even after all of Russia’s horrific attacks, he is reportedly preparing yet more so-called ‘responses’.”

He warned that delays in diplomacy only fuel further aggression.

“With every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world — to all those who still hesitate to increase pressure on it,” Zelenskyy said.

Warning against weakness and silence

Zelenskyy said the only way to stop Putin is by demonstrating strength.

“If the world reacts weakly to Putin’s threats, he interprets it as a readiness to turn a blind eye to his actions,” he said. “When he does not feel strength and pressure, but instead senses weakness, he always commits new crimes.”

According to the Ukrainian president, weak responses amount to silent permission for future atrocities. He thanked all international actors “who tell the killer that he will be held accountable” and stressed that “Russian missiles and bombs must stop taking innocent lives.”

“If the powerful do not stop Putin, it means they share responsibility with him,” Zelenskyy said. “And if they want to stop him but cannot, then Putin will no longer see them as powerful.”

Trump: Putin “will have to respond”

On the same day, Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Putin warned of retaliation after Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian bomber airfields.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump wrote, offering no criticism of Russia’s stated intent to escalate attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

The highly successful Ukrainian Operation Spiderweb targeting Russia’s strategic bomber fleet took place on 1 June, but Trump remained silent about it until referencing Putin’s threats of retaliation.

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.

Editor's Note: This story is being updated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "will have to respond" to Ukraine's recent drone attack on military airfields, U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 4 after holding a call with the Russian president.

Trump said he spoke to Putin over the phone for approximately an hour and 15 minutes on June 4.

"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 on his Truth Social account after the call.

"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 made no further comments regarding the "response" and did not say whether the U.S. had urged restraint.

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.

The Kremlin was initially quiet about the operation. Days after the attack, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on June 3 said that Putin had been informed of the "incident" and that an investigation had been launched.

Trump was also uncharacteristically silent about the attack, which was hailed in Ukraine as a major success. The White House confirmed on June 3 that Ukraine did not inform Trump in advance about the operation.

Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, warned that the attack could lead to escalations in the full-scale war.

"I'm telling you the risk levels are going way up," Kellogg told Fox News on June 3. "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."

Ukraine's drone strike followed several days of Russian escalation as Moscow launched some of the heaviest aerial attacks in the full-scale war over a span of three nights. Operation Spiderweb targeted some of the very bombers that rained destruction on Ukrainian cities and civilian targets.  

Zelensky said on June 4 that Ukraine would not have carried out the attack on Russia's airfields if Moscow had agreed to the many proposals for a ceasefire put forth since March.

Operation Spiderweb struck Russia the day before the second round of direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow took place in Istanbul on June 2. The U.S. has praised the talks as a sign of Trump's successful intervention in the peace process — even though Russia continues to reject a ceasefire.

Putin said on June 4 that Russia was no longer interested in negotiating with Ukraine.

"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?"

Despite the Kremlin's persistent refusal to impose a ceasefire or make significant steps towards peace, Trump has not followed through on threats to sanction Russia. While Republican lawmakers, including staunch Trump allies, have rallied around legislation sanctioning Russia, Trump has shied away from pressuring Moscow.

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv hacks Russian bomber maker; Putin’s ‘disregard’ for troops highlighted as Russian losses near 1 million

Key developments on June 4: * Ukraine hacks Russia’s Tupolev bomber producer, source claims * Putin’s ‘disregard’ for troops highlighted as Russian losses approach 1 million, study finds * Ukraine expects to exchange 500 POWs in next swap with Russia, Zelensky says * Russia strikes Ukrainian military training facility in Poltava Oblast, military says

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 questioned the value of ongoing peace talks with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of orchestrating deadly attacks on infrastructure in Russia that killed seven people and injured 115 others.

Two bridges in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions collapsed overnight on May 31 in what Russian authorities have described as terrorist attacks.

Putin 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?"

He added that the attacks showed Kyiv is "degenerating into a terrorist organisation, and its sponsors are becoming accomplices of terrorists."

Putin’s remarks signaled that Russia has no plans to declare an immediate ceasefire or agree to a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky — two key demands put forward by Ukraine during June 2 peace talks.

According to Russian investigators, a bridge in Bryansk region was blown up overnight on May 31 just as a passenger train carrying 388 people passed underneath. A second bridge in Kursk was also reportedly targeted. The explosions occurred just days before Ukraine and Russia met in Turkey the latest round of negotiations.

Bryansk Oblast, located in Russia's far-west, borders Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy Oblast, and has been the target of various Ukrainian strikes.

Putin also de-facto rejected the idea of a full ceasefire in Ukraine, arguing that any pause in fighting would allow Kyiv to regroup and rearm with Western weapons.

Ukraine has been calling for an immediate and unconditional 30-day truce, presenting its latest proposal during peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.

"Why reward them by giving them a break from the combat, which will be used to pump the regime with Western arms, to continue their forced mobilization and to prepare different terrorist attacks," Putin said during a televised government meeting.

Inside Russia, calls for peace come with conditions — and Kremlin talking points

Following the second round of direct peace talks with Ukraine, the Russian side leaked its proposal on how to end its war — effectively a demand for Ukraine’s surrender. Yet, if the intentions of the Kremlin are no secret — continue the war until a political or military victory — getting information on

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

During the Istanbul talks, Russia proposed a temporary two- to three-day ceasefire in specific areas of the front line to allow for the retrieval of fallen soldiers' bodies, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said on June 2.

Zelensky criticized Russia’s proposal for a 2–3-day local ceasefire to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers, speaking during an online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

"They just don’t see a ceasefire as such at the moment," Zelensky said of Russia's proposal. "As they said regarding a ceasefire, they are ready for a 2–3-day ceasefire to retrieve the dead from the battlefield. I think they’re idiots, because, fundamentally, a ceasefire is meant so that there are no dead."

Putin said the Ukraine's position "does not surprise us" and added that "power for (Kyiv), apparently, is more important than peace and than the lives of people whom they apparently do not consider their own."

During the cabinet meeting, Putin never mentioned Ukraine’s recent drone strikes that destroyed dozens of Russian strategic bombers — 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.

Exclusive: Ukraine could face 500+ Russian drones a night as Kremlin builds new launch sites

Russia will soon be able to deploy more than 500 long-range drones a night to attack Ukraine as it ramps up production and builds new launch sites for them, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has told the Kyiv Independent. According to the source, Russia’s production rate for one

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post