Russia has lost 1,005,060 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 16.

The number includes 1,200 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,939 tanks, 22,811 armored fighting vehicles, 52,096 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,208 artillery systems, 1,418 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,187 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,804 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

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

Russia has lost 1,001,560 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 13.

The number includes 1,220 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,934 tanks, 22,791 armored fighting vehicles, 51,821 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,105 artillery systems, 1,416 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,184 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,507 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

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

Russia has lost 1,000,340 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 12.

The number includes 1,140 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day. It marks the first time since the outbreak of the full-scale war that Russia's reported casualties crossed 1 million.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,933 tanks, 22,786 armored fighting vehicles, 51,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,063 artillery systems, 1,413 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,184 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,435 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine bracing for ‘painful’ reduction in US military aid after Hegseth announces cuts

Editor’s note: For security reasons, the real names of the soldiers mentioned in this story have not been used. A reduction in U.S. military aid to Ukraine would be “painful” and could have potentially “dire consequences” for the global order, Ukrainian lawmakers and soldiers have told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war

Moscow said its troops had crossed into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and were conducting offensive operations in the region, a claim Kyiv quickly denied as “Russian disinformation.” Russian troops have been pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for months, trying to solidify the southern flank to capture Pokrovsk and the remaining parts of the

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has questioned Russia's ability to attack NATO countries, as it is not "even capable of defeating Ukraine," he said in an interview with French TV channel LCI on June 8.

"The Russians are too weak for that," Orban said. "They're not even capable of defeating Ukraine, so they're incapable of really attacking NATO."

Over three years into its full-scale war, Russia has failed to achieve Ukraine's surrender or at least the complete occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, which was reportedly among the Kremlin's demands in Russia's first peace proposal in 2022.

Russian troops have recently intensified their offensive, moving deeper into Sumy Oblast, as well as closing in on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Russian propaganda has for years insisted that NATO and its further expansion pose a threat to Moscow. The Kremlin has also claimed that Ukraine's ambition to join NATO was a major trigger for its invasion, although in 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea and started the war in the Donbas region, Ukraine's chances and desires of joining the alliance were low.

Orban, widely regarded as the European Union's most pro-Russian leader, said that it is not in the interests of the EU, including Hungary, to have "a direct conflict with Russia" or "a threat of war," so Ukraine must not join NATO.

"Europe must be strengthened in the long term, and there must be a strategic agreement with Russia," Orban said, adding that sanctions against Russia are "destroying Hungary and the whole of Europe."

Under the Orban regime, Hungary has become widely regarded as the most Kremlin-friendly state in the EU.

Budapest has been blocking the opening of EU accession negotiation clusters with Kyiv and signaled further obstruction in recent weeks after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it had uncovered a Hungarian spy network in western Ukraine.

Orban also encouraged Hungarians to vote in a non-binding national poll on Ukraine's EU bid that the government launched in early March. The poll has garnered criticism for low turnout and manipulative questions, written to encourage citizens to reject Ukraine's accession.

Key to Russia’s potential defeat lies in its economy

As the war in Ukraine grinds on, attention remains fixed on the battlefield. But Russia’s most vulnerable flank is not in the trenches — it’s in the treasury. The West, and especially the United States, holds economic levers that could push Vladimir Putin toward serious negotiations or even collapse

The Kyiv IndependentWojciech Jakóbik

Russia has lost 997,120 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 9.

The number includes 970 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,915 tanks, 22,759 armored fighting vehicles, 51,348 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,934 artillery systems, 1,411 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,183 air defense systems, 414 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 39,818 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Trump administration redirects 20,000 anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, Zelensky confirms

“We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) has gained access to sensitive data of Russia's strategic aircraft manufacturer Tupolev, a source in HUR told the Kyiv Independent on June 4.

Tupolev, a Soviet-era aerospace firm now fully integrated into Russia's defense-industrial complex, has been under international sanctions since 2022 for its role in Russia's war against Ukraine.

Its bombers have been widely used to launch long-range cruise missiles against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

According to the source, HUR's cyber corps accessed over 4.4 gigabytes (GB) of internal data, including official correspondence, personnel files, home addresses, resumes, purchase records, and closed meeting minutes.

"The significance of the data obtained cannot be overestimated," the source said. "Now, in fact, there is nothing secret left in Tupolev's activities for Ukrainian intelligence."

The intelligence includes detailed information about engineers and staff responsible for maintaining Russia's strategic bombers, such as the Tu-95 and Tu-160, which form a key part of Russia's nuclear triad.

"In particular, we have obtained comprehensive information about individuals directly involved in servicing Russian strategic aviation," the source added. "The result will obviously be noticeable both on the ground and in the sky."

Ukrainian cyber operatives also replaced the Tupolev website's homepage with an image of an owl clutching a Russian aircraft, likely referencing HUR's insignia and cyber warfare skills.

The breach comes days after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) crippled over a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in a major drone operation codenamed Spiderweb, which targeted four Russian air bases.

That attack reportedly damaged 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, using drones launched from trucks hidden deep inside Russian territory.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the number of aircraft reportedly hit by the SBU or some of the claims regarding the cyberattack.

The source shared excerpts of internal data obtained during the breach, including what appeared to be internal documents and personnel files of staff, as proof.

The combination of physical strikes on Russia's strategic aviation and now the exposure of its internal architecture marks a significant blow to Moscow's long-range aerial warfare.

Kremlin confirms explosion at Russia’s Crimean Bridge after Ukraine’s sabotage, claims ‘no damage’

“There indeed was an explosion. There was no damage, the bridge continues to function,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Russia has lost 989,700 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 2.

The number includes 1,140 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,874 tanks, 22,663 armored fighting vehicles, 50,462 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,575 artillery systems, 1,401 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,175 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 38,622 drones, 3,271 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

34% of Russian strategic missile bombers at main airfields damaged in Ukrainian drone operation, SBU reports

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reported that the June 1 “Spider Web” drone operation caused approximately $7 billion in damages and disabled 34% of cruise missile carriers in key Russian airbases.

The Kyiv IndependentSonya Bandouil

A group of Russian soldiers fighting in the Kursk direction surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers because "abuse in units is worse than captivity," Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces said in a video posted on social media on May 31.

"In their units on the territory of the Russian Federation, they were subjected to inhumane treatment, psychological pressure and threats," the post reads.

Russia's abuse of its own soldiers has been well documented throughout the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

An investigation by the Insider last July reported that Russia uses a systematic program of "gulag-style" abuse directed at its soldiers in Ukraine in order to "maintain order" and punish perceived offenders.

According to the Insider, the patterns of abuse of Russian soldiers in Ukraine "borrow heavily from Soviet labor camp traditions."

Russian units have employed "punishment squads" that seek out soldiers who are abusing alcohol, refuse orders, or are simply disliked, and then subject them to a variety of abuse, including beatings and "confinement pits."

A report in Foreign Policy in 2023 detailed a decades-long system of "sadistic hazing" in the Russian army that included one soldier who had to have his legs and genitals amputated after he was forced to squat in the snow for several hours.

The video released by Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces shows at least eight Russian soldiers interviewed at an undisclosed location.

One describes being sent to the front less than a month ago and being "blown up immediately," leaving just two men alive in his unit. Another said his unit was left to dig trenches and fend for themselves when they were spotted by a Ukrainian drone and "after that everything fell apart."

"The prisoners were provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance," the military said.

Intercepted calls released by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) suggest numerous abuses by Russian commanders against their own troops, including one incident where one lost his temper and ordered his soldiers to shoot at their own comrades in a neighbouring unit.

"F**k the 55th (an adjacent Russian unit), shoot them, that’s the battalion commander’s order, shoot them," a Russian commander can be heard saying in an audio published by HUR on April 5.

The unidentified Russian commander appears frustrated at the adjacent Russian unit for not properly following an order and revealing their positions to Ukrainian troops.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the audio published by HUR.

Russian military freight train blown up en route to Crimea, Ukraine’s HUR claims

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

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russia has lost 988,560 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 1.

The number includes 1,230 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,872 tanks, 22,656 armored fighting vehicles, 50,198 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,527 artillery systems, 1,401 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,173 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 38,366 drones, 3,268 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Mass casualties after Russian train derailment in Bryansk Oblast following bridge collapse, officials say

At least seven people are dead and another 69 injured after a train derailed in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast overnight on May 31, following the collapse of an overhead road bridge, Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz said.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on May 31 that Russian forces have ramped up assault operations across key fronts in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Sumy oblasts.

"(Russian troops) have notably increased activity in the Zaporizhzhia direction, where they are conducting active offensive actions," Syrskyi said following a strategic meeting assessing military operations in May.

According to Syrskyi, Ukraine's Armed Forces are inflicting substantial losses on Russian troops, claiming over 34,000 Russian personnel were killed in May alone. Ukrainian artillery, aviation, and drone systems have been targeting enemy units "even before they reach our positions," he said.

While Russia's main efforts remain concentrated on the Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Lyman fronts in Donetsk Oblast, as well as in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast bordering Russia, Zaporizhzhia has seen an uptick in escalation, Syrskyi noted.

He added that Ukrainian forces are reinforcing high-risk areas with reserves and intensifying firepower to repel attacks.

In the Sumy Oblast, Russian forces have continued cross-border raids, shelling, and attempted sabotage missions. Ukrainian officials and military analysts warn of a possible new Russian offensive targeting the region.

On May 29, State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said Russia had amassed "sufficient forces" in neighboring Kursk Oblast to potentially launch an incursion into Sumy.

Syrskyi also highlighted Ukrainian cross-border operations, stating that in May, Ukraine struck 58 military targets deep inside Russian territory using long-range DeepStrike systems. These included defense industry facilities producing explosive materials and combat drones.

Fighting continues on the Kursk front, where Russia has deployed elite units initially intended for operations in eastern Ukraine.

On May 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly visited Kursk Oblast after Moscow declared on April 26 that it had completed a military operation to liberate the territory from Ukrainian incursions.

The Ukrainian military said on April 26 some of the areas were still under their control.

Ukrainian drones hit Russian cruise missile factory, SBU source says, in one of largest reported strikes of full-scale war

Dozens of Ukrainian drones were shot down by Russian air defenses as they approached Moscow, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed on May 28.

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

Russia has lost around 987,330 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 31.

The number includes 1,250 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,867 tanks, 22,652 armored fighting vehicles, 50,198 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,475 artillery systems, 1,400 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,173 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 38,215 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Trump ‘very surprised, disappointed’ at Russian attacks on Ukraine amid peace talks

“I’ve gotten to see things I was very surprised at. Rockets being shot into cities like Kyiv during a negotiation that was maybe very close to ending,” Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. “All of a sudden rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died. I saw thing I was surprised at and I don’t like being surprised, so I’m very disappointed in that way.”

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Russia has lost around 984,940 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 29.

The number includes 1,050 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,864 tanks, 22,645 armored fighting vehicles, 50,015 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,386 artillery systems, 1,397 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,171 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 37,999 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Germany pledges 5 billion euros in new aid to Ukraine, no Taurus missiles announced

The agreement includes direct German investments in Ukraine’s defense industry and a broader treaty between Kyiv and German arms manufacturers.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has charged a captured Russian marine with war crimes for allegedly executing two unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war during combat operations earlier this year in northeastern Ukraine, according to an official statement issued May 28.

According to the SBU, the soldier, a rifleman with Russia's 40th Separate Marine Brigade, participated in the point-blank shooting of two detained Ukrainian servicemen on Jan. 9 near Kursk. The executions reportedly occurred after a Russian sabotage-reconnaissance group seized a front-line position held by Ukrainian forces.

The SBU alleges the Russian fighters led the two captured soldiers into open ground before shooting them in the back with automatic rifles, killing both instantly.

Just two days later, the same Russian unit came under attack by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces. Ukrainian troops reportedly partially destroyed the unit, capturing the accused marine during a firefight. Investigators say he initially attempted to conceal his role in the killings but was later implicated through evidence collected by the SBU and military counterintelligence.

He has been formally charged under Ukraine's Criminal Code with war crimes including violations of the Geneva Convention concerning the treatment of prisoners of war. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.

The case adds to mounting evidence of systemic war crimes committed against Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces — a pattern confirmed by both Ukrainian authorities and international bodies.

At least 206 of the 5,000 Ukrainian POWs repatriated since Russia's full-scale invasion died in captivity, according to data published by Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. In many of these cases, Ukrainian soldiers were tortured, executed, or killed under suspicious circumstances while in Russian custody.

Investigations by Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office are underway into the execution of 268 Ukrainian POWs. The U.N. and human rights groups have recorded dozens of these cases, highlighting incidents in which Russian troops received direct orders to kill surrendered soldiers — a violation of international humanitarian law.

One of the most notorious cases occurred in July 2022, when a Russian missile strike on the Olenivka POW camp in occupied Donetsk Oblast killed over 50 Ukrainian soldiers, most of them members of the Azov Regiment. Independent investigations later suggested Russia deliberately targeted the building with a thermobaric weapon after relocating the prisoners to a specific section of the facility.

In a March 2025 report, the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine confirmed growing numbers of executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, labeling the killings part of a deliberate and coordinated campaign.

Russian soldiers executed 3 unarmed Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say

The execution of prisoners of war is a breach of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as an international crime.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Russia mobilizes around 40,000-45,000 men for its military every month, while Ukraine mobilizes about 25,000-27,000, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on May 27.

Moscow has only intensified its war effort despite calls by Kyiv, the U.S., and European partners for an unconditional ceasefire as a first step toward a peace deal.

"When the U.S. sends signals that it wants to do something positive with Russia, then Russia ramps up its mobilization," Zelensky said, according to the NV outlet.

While Ukraine estimates that Russia has suffered close to 1 million casualties during the full-scale war, it has been largely able to offset the losses by fresh contract soldiers.

In late 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the size of Russia's Armed Forces to about 2.4 million, including 1.5 million military personnel.

Russia also aims to conscript 160,000 men for compulsory military service this year, marking the largest conscription campaign in 14 years.

Russia conducts conscription twice a year, in spring and fall, requiring eligible men to serve for one year. Although Russian conscripts are typically not deployed in active combat, Moscow has relied on financial incentives and pardons to recruit civilians for the war in Ukraine.

Following the unpopular September 2022 mobilization, which saw over 261,000 Russians flee the country, Putin has avoided another large-scale draft, instead using alternative methods to bolster troop numbers.

Unlike Russia, Ukraine faced serious manpower shortages in late 2024 amid a heavy Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The Ukrainian leadership has sought to alleviate the crisis by broadening the mobilization pool and offering new incentives for volunteers.

Men aged between 25 and 60 can be drafted into Ukraine's Armed Forces, while those aged 18-24 may volunteer to serve, according to the latest legislation. Zelensky said earlier this year that Ukraine has around 800,000 soldiers deployed against 600,000 Russian troops.

If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem

A statement from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on May 26 about long-range strikes inside Russia resurrected a long-held hope in Ukraine — that Berlin is finally about to send Kyiv its Taurus missiles. “There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine — neither by the U.

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russia has lost around 983,890 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 28.

The number includes 1,050 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,864 tanks, 22,644 armored fighting vehicles, 49,959 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,355 artillery systems, 1,397 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,171 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 37,918 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem

A statement from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on May 26 about long-range strikes inside Russia resurrected a long-held hope in Ukraine — that Berlin is finally about to send Kyiv its Taurus missiles. “There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine — neither by the U.

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russia has lost around 982,840 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 27.

The number includes 990 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,860 tanks, 22,642 armored fighting vehicles, 49,907 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,337 artillery systems, 1,397 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,171 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 37,853 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

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