Ukrainian special forces struck two logistics facilities used by Russian troops in occupied Luhansk Oblast overnight on 3 November, according to the Special Operations Forces (SSO). The shared footage suggests that the SSO has used medium-range FP-2 drones, carrying 105 kg of explosives. Separately, Ukraine’s SBU security service released footage of its own drone strikes on Russian positions and logistics points in occupied territory, using the same FP-2s.

Ukrainian SOF destroys Russian fuel site and warehouse near Luhansk

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said their units conducted strikes on two Russian military logistics targets in occupied Luhansk Oblast in the early hours of 3 November. According to their statement, the operations aimed to disrupt supply lines supporting the Russian "Center"  military grouping.

One of the strikes reportedly hit a fuel unloading point near the town of Dovzhansk approximately 150 km behind the lines. The SSO's footage shows a strike on a fuel train at the facility.

Another SOF strike reportedly destroyed a supply warehouse near the village of Rozkishne, Luhansk's southern suburb, around 90 km from the frontline.

The military didn't mention the type of the drones used in both strikes. However, the released footage shows a first-person view and interface consistent with FP-2 drones.

The Ukrainian military stated that the successful strikes “created a fuel shortage and disrupted enemy logistics within the Russian ‘Center’ force grouping.”

SBU releases drone strike video from occupied territories

On the same day, Ukraine’s SBU security service released its own video footage showing drone attacks against Russian-used buildings in occupied territory. The agency did not specify the locations of the strikes.

According to the SBU, its Alpha unit carried out “a series of precise attacks” on Russian military positions and logistics infrastructure using FP-2 drones. The targeted sites included areas used for gathering vehicles and personnel involved in enemy logistics and troop distribution.

The SBU noted that the strikes were executed during the night and credited the drone’s explosive payload with ensuring the operation’s effectiveness. The agency emphasized that the targeted structures were critical to Russia’s operational planning and movement.

Ukraine's Security Service “Alpha” special forces report they have carried out a series of precision strikes on Russian positions in temporarily occupied territory. As a result, logistics hubs, personnel, and equipment have been targeted. 

Silence on the approaches, explosions at night 

“The night strikes were carried out using FP-2 unmanned aerial vehicles with 105-kg warheads,” said the agency. 

The strikes struck key logistics nodes and concentrations of equipment used to reallocate Russian forces.

What does the FP-2 mean for defense?

The new attack drone FP-2, developed by the Ukrainian company Fire Point and unveiled in early September, is designed to engage frontline targets.

Structurally similar to the FP-1, the FP-2’s warhead has been increased. The new vehicle’s flight range is 200 km compared with 1,400 km for its predecessor.

The cost of one FP-2 is approximately $55,000, which is a relatively inexpensive yet technologically powerful option.

Night strikes as a signal to the enemy

The FP-2 demonstration highlights how relatively affordable high-tech solutions are changing logistics and tactics on the battlefield. This is important for arms producers seeking effective defensive means.

Ukraine reminds that it is ready to use available tools to neutralize threats, and that Ukraine’s defensive capabilities continue to evolve.

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has destroyed about 48% of Russia’s Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense systems since the beginning of 2025, SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk said.

The claim highlights how Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike capability is eroding Moscow’s ability to protect critical sites deep inside occupied territory and Russia itself.

According to Malyuk, Russian forces produce around 30 of the self-propelled systems annually, but Ukrainian strikes have eliminated a number “that far exceeds their production capacity.”

“Since the beginning of 2025, we have neutralized nearly half of all enemy Pantsirs. This is one of our top priorities set by the president,” Malyuk said.

The Netherlands-based defense analysis site Oryx has visually confirmed at least 35 destroyed Pantsir-S1 systems, though Ukrainian officials say the real figure may be higher.

Malyuk noted that the Russian system remains one of the most effective against Ukraine’s long-range drones.

“The enemy has a very strong air defense. The Pantsirs are the most effective tool against our long-range drones,” he said.

The Pantsir-S1 is a short-range combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft gun system designed to protect troops and strategic sites from aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. It carries two 30-mm cannons and 12 missiles, supported by radar and electro-optical tracking.

Ukraine’s most recent strike on a Pantsir system took place in late October, when SBU unit “A” drones hit Russian air defense positions in Crimea. Earlier in the month, a RAM-2X loitering munition struck another system at the Luhansk airport, more than 100 kilometers from the front line.

The Pantsir has been in Russian service in Ukraine since 2014, first appearing during the battle for Debaltseve. Its growing vulnerability underscores Ukraine’s progress in precision targeting and the intensifying contest between drones and air defenses shaping the next phase of the war.

Ukraine systematically dismantles Russian air defense network

Ukraine has conducted a systematic campaign to dismantle Russian air defense coverage in occupied southern Ukraine, particularly Crimea, creating "blind corridors" that allow long-range drones to reach deep into occupied territory and Russia itself. 

In late October alone, SBU drones struck a $20 million Pantsir-S2 system along with two radar stations in Crimea, while HUR's "Ghosts" unit destroyed multiple radar installations including components of S-300 and S-400 systems across occupied Donbas. 

The campaign targets not just Pantsir systems but the entire Russian air defense network - Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged S-400 radars and launchers, Buk-M3 systems, and specialized anti-drone radars like the Valdai. 

Each strike reduces Russia's ability to protect critical sites and opens pathways for Ukrainian drones operating at ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

Ukrainian forces have carried out more than 160 precision strikes on oil refineries and energy facilities deep inside Russia in 2025, reducing the country’s oil production by up to 90% and causing a fuel shortage of over 20%, according to Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk.

The strikes represent one of Ukraine’s most extensive long-range campaigns of the war, directly targeting the backbone of Russia’s war economy. Oil and gas revenues remain Moscow’s primary source of funding for its invasion and a critical cushion against Western sanctions. By disrupting refinery operations and exports, Ukraine aims to weaken the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its military spending.

Speaking at a press briefing on 31 October, Malyuk said Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit several key refineries in September and October, severely impacting Russia’s oil sector and fuel supply.

“We are implementing what we call kinetic sanctions - deep strikes into the enemy’s rear using drones at ranges beyond 120 kilometers,” Malyuk said.

He emphasized that Ukrainian operations target only lawful military and economic objectives - specifically, oil production and refining facilities that directly support Russia’s war effort.

“These are the dirty oil rubles the enemy uses to kill us,” Malyuk said.

Ukraine's precision refinery strikes combine with sanctions to create repair crisis

Ukraine's systematic campaign targeting Russian refineries has evolved from opportunistic strikes to precision economic warfare. The SBU and other Ukrainian defense agencies have repeatedly hit critical processing units.

BBC Verify documented 21 of Russia's 38 large refineries struck since January 2025, with attacks reaching record levels in August and remaining elevated through October.

The campaign's impact extends beyond immediate damage. The International Energy Agency estimates Ukrainian strikes have cut Russia's refining output by 500,000 barrels per day and will keep processing rates low until at least mid-2026. 

Combined with Western sanctions that prevent Russian refineries from obtaining specialized repair equipment, each breakdown, whether from combat damage or routine failure, becomes a prolonged crisis.

Data cited by Bloomberg shows that Russia’s fuel exports have fallen to wartime lows amid mounting refinery outages and Western sanctions. Seaborne oil product shipments dropped to 1.89 million barrels per day in October - the lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion - underscoring how Ukraine’s strikes are increasingly eroding Moscow’s energy revenues.

Ukrainian counterintelligence (SBU) detained a British national in Kyiv who switched from training Ukrainian soldiers to spying for Russia's security service (FSB).

The man arrived in January 2024 with firearms and tactical training credentials. He worked as an instructor for mobilized personnel in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, then moved to a border guard unit. Standard work for foreign volunteers with military expertise, according to Ukraine's security service (SBU) and Prosecutor's Office.

But by late September, he had stopped instructing. Instead, he relocated to Odesa and started advertising his services in pro-Kremlin internet groups. Russian special services made contact.

An FSB officer subsequently began assigning tasks after recruiting him, according to the investigation. The suspect passed information about foreign instructors in Ukraine's defense forces with whom he had previously communicated. He also transmitted coordinates of Armed Forces training centers in southern Ukraine where he had trained mobilized personnel.

The Russians wanted more. They sent instructions for manufacturing explosives and coordinates for a weapons cache. He retrieved a pistol with two loaded magazines from the drop site. The agency describes this as preparation for terrorist attacks.

SBU counterintelligence detected the operative, documented his activities, and arrested him at his temporary residence in Kyiv. 

He faces charges under Part 3 of Article 114-2 of Ukraine's Criminal Code: unauthorized dissemination of information about Armed Forces deployment during martial law.

The penalty runs up to 12 years imprisonment with property confiscation. He remains in custody while investigators work to establish the full scope of his activities and determine additional charges.

A bomber drone of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) damaged a Russian S-300 or S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile launcher overnight. The SBU showed the strike in a video compilation of its drone attacks on various Russian equipment. The agency didn't specify in which sector of the front and when exactly it occurred. S-300 and S-400 systems are long-range Soviet-developed and modernized surface-to-air missile systems designed to intercept aircraft and missiles.

SBU's video also shows the FPV and bomber drone attacks on several other pieces of Russian equipment, including tanks, vehicles, and a motor pool belonging to the occupying forces. Unlike most FPV drone footage, the SBU’s clips of FPV strikes include not only the FPV view that ends at the moment of impact but also additional reconnaissance drone footage showing the resulting explosion.

"We continue to work and mercilessly avenge the invaders,” SBU noted.

Ukrainian drone damages launcher on combat duty

According to Militarnyi, the SBU’s bomber drone hit a launcher that was on combat duty. The drone dropped two small bombs, which struck the launcher vehicle but did not trigger the detonation of the nearby missile containers.

The footage published by the SBU shows that the attack took place at night. The launchers were first detected by a reconnaissance aircraft equipped with a thermal camera. After locating the targets, operators deployed the bomber drone to neutralize them.

Kyiv has unveiled a new generation of legendary Sea Baby naval drones. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has showcased a next-generation version of its unmanned naval platforms.

Sea Baby hits again: third strike on the Crimean Bridge

“Our drones have changed the balance of power in the Black Sea and proved their effectiveness. The new generation of Sea Baby is even more capable,” says Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, the SBU's chief. 

He stresses that "the work to clear the Black Sea of the Russian fleet will continue."

"The enemy will feel the full force of our technological developments," he claims. 

Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych, also known as “Hunter” from the SBU, adds that during this year's attack on the Crimean Bridge, the “sea babies” delivered explosives directly to the target, allowing the bridge supports of the illegal structure to be destroyed.

Range and payload: enhanced capabilities of Sea Baby

The new modifications of Sea Baby were developed using funds raised through the Ukrainian crowdfunding platform UNITED24.

Armed to strike: naval firepower on board

The SBU development team presented two drone variants, each equipped with different weapons:

• One fitted with a gyro-stabilized machine gun turret featuring target auto-tracking and recognition.
• Another capable of carrying a 10-tube Grad multiple rocket launcher system.

"SBU is constantly searching for effective tools to maintain Ukraine’s advantage in the Black Sea. The president’s objective is the neutralization of Russia’s powerful Black Sea Fleet, and we are actively working on it,” Lukashevych emphasizes. 

The Security Service continues to develop other advanced weaponry and is already deploying it in the Black Sea, though details remain classified.

The active use of unmanned maritime platforms forced Russia to relocate most of its warships to the port of Novorossiysk and enabled the unblocking of the grain corridor.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) detained a Ukrainian Air Force major suspected of spying for Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the agency reported on July 3.

The alleged spy, arrested during a special operation in Lviv Oblast, was reportedly recruited through his ex-wife, a former military officer now cooperating with Russian forces in occupied Melitopol.

According to the SBU, the officer was gathering coordinates of operational airfields, logistics hubs, and maintenance centers used by Ukrainian combat aircraft. If successful, Russia intended to launch missile and drone strikes on those locations.

The SBU said the operation was coordinated with Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief and that the agent was supervised by Aleksandr Belodedov, an officer in the FSB's Alpha special operations unit.

Authorities said they intercepted the agent before any damage was done, documenting his communication with Russian intelligence and securing military sites at risk.

The suspect has been charged with high treason committed during wartime by a group of individuals under Ukraine's Criminal Code. He remains in custody and faces life imprisonment with asset seizure.

His ex-wife was also charged in absentia for treason during wartime.

‘Major casualties among civilians’ — US freeze on air defense missiles is terrible news for Ukraine

The halting of deliveries of air defense missiles from the U.S. will lead to“major casualties among civilians,” a deputy commander in Ukraine’s air defense told the Kyiv Independent. Politico reported on July 1 that the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) had halted shipments of some weapons previously

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Ukrainian drones struck a Russian ammunition depot in occupied Donetsk Oblast overnight on July 3, setting off a series of huge explosions, Ukraine's State Security Service said on July 3.

"Starting at 10 p.m., explosions rang out at the depots, followed by a powerful secondary detonation of ammunition and a fire," the SBU said in a post on social media.

According to the SBU, the ammunition depot is located in the occupied Ukrainian city of Khartsyzsk, near Donetsk, which is "of important strategic importance, as it is used by the Russians as a rear base."

"The enemy has placed command posts, logistics centers, and ammunition depots there. All of them are legitimate military targets," the statement added.

Unconfirmed videos posted to social media show a fire already burning followed by a large explosion and shockwave.

Elsewhere on July 3, Ukraine confirmed strikes on the Energia factory in Russia's Lipetsk Oblast overnight, a facility that produces components for missiles and drones, including batteries for the Iskander missile system and cruise missiles.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Counter-Disinformation Center at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, confirmed the strike, calling Energia "one of the most critical targets for Russia."

According to Kovalenko, the facility manufactures batteries for missile guidance and glider modules, including for the Iskander system and cruise missiles.

Ukraine's military regularly strikes military targets in Russian-occupied territories and deep within Russia in an attempt to diminish Moscow's fighting power as it continues its war against Ukraine.

On the evening of June 30, Ukraine similarly struck a command post of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.

Russia has for months focused its offensive efforts on the embattled town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and has recently been escalating attempts to break through to neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region that has not yet seen combat.

BREAKING: Deputy commander of Russian Navy killed in Ukrainian strike in Kursk, Russian official confirms

Major General Mikhail Gudkov also led a brigade involved in combat operations against Ukraine. His death reportedly occurred during a Ukrainian attack on a Russian command post.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Editor's note: The previously published footage, provided by an SBU source, was allegedly related to a different operation and was deleted after the mistake was identified.

Drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kirovske military airfield in occupied Crimea overnight on June 28, the SBU told the Kyiv Independent.

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the SBU claimed.

According to the SBU, Ukraine targeted Russian aviation, air defense systems, as well as ammunition, reconnaissance and attack drones storage facilities.

Secondary explosions were heard at the airfield during the night.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

As Russia intensifies aerial attacks on Ukraine and the civilian death toll climbs, Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks on Russian territory too.

Earlier on June 27, Ukrainian drones struck four Su-34 fighter jets at the Marinovka airfield in Russia's Volgograd Oblast, according to the military.

Preliminary reports indicate that two Russian fighter jets were destroyed in the June 27 attack, and the other two were damaged. Russia uses the aircraft to bomb Ukraine.

Since the start of its full-scale war in February 2022, Russia has lost 420 airplanes and 337 helicopters, Ukraine's General Staff said in its latest update on June 28. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these figures.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia

Key developments on June 27: * Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia * North Korea deployed 20% of Kim’s elite ‘personal reserve’ to fight against Ukraine in Russia, Umerov says * Pro-Palestinian activists reportedly destroy military equipment intended for Ukraine * Zelensky signs decree to synchronize Russia sanctions

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Ukraine's security service (SBU) has charged in absentia a former defense engineer with treason, accusing him of helping Russia target Ukrainian cities by developing navigation systems for cruise and ballistic missiles, the SBU said on June 25.

According to the agency, Oleh Borsuk, a 61-year-old Ukrainian national, fled to Russia in 2009 after resigning from a defense plant in Cherkasy Oblast. He later became deputy general director of Moscow-based design bureau "Navis," a major player in Russia's military-industrial complex.

Borsuk allegedly oversaw the development and modernization of satellite guidance systems (GPS/GLONASS) used in Russian missiles. In 2023 alone, under his leadership, nearly 3,200 satellite navigation units were produced, including those for Iskander tactical missile systems, the SBU said.

These systems are also used in missiles like the Kh-101, Kh-59, and Kalibr — weapons frequently deployed in Russian airstrikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

The deadliest attacks include the July 8, 2024, strike on the Okhmatdyt children hospital in Kyiv, which killed two adults, including a doctor, and injured more than 50 people, including children. The hospital was hit by a Kh-101 cruise missile in accordance with a programmed route.

Another devastating strike occurred on June 17, when a massive missile and drone assault on Kyiv killed 30 people and injured 172 others. One of the deadliest impacts was a direct hit on a residential building by a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, which caused the complete collapse of an entire section of the nine-story residential building.

According to a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force Yurii Ihnat, the building was struck by a Kh-101 missile.

The SBU has charged Borsuk in absentia under Ukraine's Criminal Code for treason committed under martial law.

"Since the perpetrator is hiding in the territory of the Russian Federation, comprehensive measures are underway to bring him to justice for crimes against our state," the SBU said.

Investigation: How Russia prepares its strategic missile plant for ‘eternal war’

Key findings: * Despite international sanctions, Russia’s strategic missile plant was able to import complex machinery to dramatically increase missile production. * The Kyiv Independent has identified the equipment supplied to the plant, as well as the supply chains, mostly from China. * We located the plant’s new premises, built to house the

The Kyiv IndependentAlisa Yurchenko

Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 authorized the ordering of at least two attempts to assassinate Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) head Vasyl Maliuk told media on June 23,  RBC-Ukraine reports.

Gordon is a prominent journalist and media personality popular in both Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, known for his sharp criticism of Russian aggression. His YouTube channel has 4.5 million subscribers.

"Gordon triggers Russians. He has a large audience in Russia and in the (Russian) occupied territories (of Ukraine)," Maliuk said. "There are two networks that worked on Gordon that we can speak (publicly) about."

According to the SBU, the first network was led by a former lawmaker from the now-banned pro-Russian Party of Regions, originally from Poltava Oblast. The agency did not name the lawmaker.

The former MP was allegedly tasked by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) with coordinating surveillance and preparations for a strike that would kill Gordon.

"The plan was to use a homemade explosive device or coordinate a missile or a drone strike — but only if Gordon's presence in the targeted house was confirmed," Maliuk said.

The SBU had already been investigating the ex-lawmaker for involvement in a separate railway bombing case in Poltava Oblast when the assassination plot was uncovered. The group was arrested before executing the plan.

Join our community

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Support Us

The second assassination team, Maliuk said, was a criminal group from Dagestan working secretly for the FSB under the cover of being fugitives from Russian law enforcement.

"They sent this individual here long before the full-scale war. He carried out FSB tasks all the time — very professionally, very covertly," Maliuk said.

The group monitored Gordon's movements and residence, planning to assassinate him either with a short-barreled weapon if he was alone, or with a rifle and follow-up pistol shot if accompanied by a bodyguard.

The SBU detained the group, and its leader confessed to preparing the hit on Moscow's orders. He said he had been promised $400,000 for the killing.

Gordon, who has become a high-profile figure on Ukraine's information front, regularly uses his platform to expose Russian disinformation and advocate for Ukrainian sovereignty.

Lion attacks collaborator at safari park in Russian-occupied Crimea

Following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, Oleg Zubkov renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and began cooperating with the Russian authorities.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Ukraine's security service (SBU) is teaching teenagers how to avoid recruitment by Russian intelligence online, the New York Times (NYT) reported on June 21.

"Maybe not all of these special operations are reported in the media — but believe me, the enemy is not sleeping... They are working actively and carrying out illegal activities, as strange as it may sound, directly inside your phones," SBU spokesperson Roksolana Yavorska-Isaienko told students.

Approximately 22% of Ukrainians recruited by Russian intelligence to conduct sabotage or terrorist attacks are minors, Artem Dekhtiarenko, SBU spokesperson, said on April 2.

Russian intelligence attempts to recruit Ukrainian civilians online, offering easy money in return for sharing sensitive data or preparing sabotage or terrorist acts.

Russian intelligence finds its recruits using social platforms, including Telegram, Discord, and TikTok.

Unsuspecting teenagers are often offered hundreds or even thousands of dollars to conduct simpler tasks such as delivering packages or taking photos of energy sites, the NYT reports.

More serious tasks are commonly assigned to teenagers once they have been blackmailed for conducting less serious operations beforehand or when their phones are hacked to reveal compromising photos.

Russian intelligence is actively attempting to recruit Ukrainian nationals for illegal operations across the EU, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on June 2.

"The recruitment of Ukrainians for hostile operations in Europe is yet another tool of hybrid aggression that the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine and the entire European community," HUR said.

The SBU caught a Russian agent as he was filming a military airfield in preparation for a Russian strike, the agency reported on June 15.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) recruited the unemployed 24-year-old via the Telegram messaging app to collect coordinates for air attacks on airfields and logistic depots, the SBU said.

The Russian FSB allegedly offered "easy money" and instructed the recruit to find military facilities and carry out reconnaissance on the ground.

Love, sex, survival — Ukrainian author on how war shapes intimacy in Ukraine

In Ukraine, Russia’s war of aggression has upended not just borders but the country’s cultural landscape. Conversations about identity, gender, and sexuality have gained new urgency. Women are increasingly stepping into combat roles once dominated by men, while relationships can dissolve as quickly as they form. Many people

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

Arkady Gostev, head of Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service, was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison for creating a network of torture chambers in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced on June 19.

Gostev was found guilty of orchestrating the transformation of captured Ukrainian prisons into torture sites used to detain and brutalize members of the local resistance. The SBU said victims were subjected to "brutal torture" intended to break their will and force submission to the Kremlin rule.

According to investigators, Gostev personally oversaw the establishment of torture facilities and pushed for their inclusion in Russia's national prison registry through the Justice Ministry.

The court ruled he committed "actions aimed at violently changing or overthrowing the constitutional order or seizing state power."

"Comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice for crimes against our state," the SBU said, noting that Gostev remains in Russia.

Kherson Oblast, which stretches from the Dnipro River to the Black Sea, remains partially occupied, with the east-bank territories still under Russian control.

Gostev joins a growing list of senior Russian officials charged in absentia with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the administration of occupied territories.

Ukraine has also targeted collaborators working with the occupation authorities.

On June 18, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) confirmed the assassination of Mykhailo Hrytsai, a Russian-appointed deputy mayor in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, for his role in organizing repression and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

‘Beyond cynical’ – Russian doctor carved ‘Glory to Russia’ scar on POW during operation, Ukraine says

After more than three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, each new revelation of cruel treatment of Ukrainians in Russian captivity hardly surprises anyone. But when a photo recently emerged online, showing a “Glory to Russia” scar on the body of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW), it sent shockwaves

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) caught a Russian agent red-handed as he was filming a military airfield in preparation for a Russian strike, the agency reported on June 15.

According to the SBU, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) recruited the unemployed 24-year-old via the Telegram messaging app to collect coordinates for air attacks on airfields and logistic depots.

The FSB had allegedly instructed him to find military facilities and carry out reconnaissance on the ground in exchange for “easy money.”

The man was detained outside an airfield in Rivne Oblast while filming its outer perimeter with a hidden camera in his car. The SBU seized a phone and the camera on the scene, while other evidence was taken from the agent’s apartment.

If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment for high treason.

The SBU regularly announces it has foiled Russian agents and terrorist plots against military and civilian targets. The FSB usually targets unemployed people, those with criminal records, or addicts, according to the SBU's data.

In April, the SBU detained an instructor at a training center in Lviv Oblast who was planning to assassinate the base's commanders. That same month, the SBU detained nine FSB agents, including five minors, for plotting terrorist attacks in central and eastern Ukraine.

More than a fifth of FSB recruits in Ukraine are minors.

Power cut off in Russia’s Kaliningrad in sabotage operation, Ukrainian military intelligence says

In the early hours of June 14, Ukrainian agents drained the coolant from the substation’s power transformer before setting the facility on fire.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has arrested two individuals in Kyiv accused of attempting to extort $200,000 from a European defense company, potentially jeopardizing the delivery of electronic warfare (EW) systems to Ukraine's military, the SBU reported on June 14.

The suspects allegedly demanded the payment in exchange for facilitating the successful testing and adoption of five radio electronic warfare systems provided to Ukraine at no cost, according to statements released by the SBU and the Prosecutor General's Office.

The devices, supplied by a private foreign manufacturer, were financed by Ukraine's international partners. The producer had already delivered five systems to Ukraine, with additional contracts possible if the equipment performed well in combat conditions, the SBU said.

According to investigators, the suspects falsely claimed to have influence within Ukraine's Defense Ministry and promised to use their connections to ensure positive evaluations of the equipment.

"Under the guise of having contacts within the ministry, the men demanded $200,000 from the company in exchange for ensuring no obstacles during official trials of the equipment," the Prosecutor General's Office said in a statement.

Both men have been formally charged under Ukraine's Criminal Code for alleged obstruction of the Armed Forces and receiving unlawful benefits through influence peddling. The charges carry a possible sentence of up to eight years in prison and asset confiscation.

The arrests were made as part of a broader investigation led by the SBU and conducted under the procedural oversight of the Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing to identify all individuals involved.

Ukraine continues to rely heavily on international military assistance as it defends against Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. Ukraine uses EW systems during Russian attacks on its cities and on the front line.

Kyiv and its Western partners launched an electronic warfare coalition in April, which consists of 11 countries and comes on top of other eight Western coalitions to support Ukraine. Other similar initiatives include an artillery coalition, a fighter jet coalition, and a demining coalition, organized within the framework of the Ramstein format.

From buffer zone to new front: Russia pushes deeper into Sumy Oblast

In March 2025, as Ukrainian forces made their final retreat from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, new grey spots began to appear on open-source maps on the other side of the state border, in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast. For the first time since 2022, when Moscow’s forces retreated

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell