Emergency crews have completed search and rescue operations at a residential building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, where a Russian missile strike on 17 June caused extensive destruction.

The strike was part of a large-scale, coordinated Russian attack on Ukraine that night. One missile directly hit the nine-story residential building, destroying an entire section.

Rescue efforts end after 39 hours

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that the operation lasted over 39 hours. At 7:20 PM on 18 June, first responders officially concluded search efforts at the site.

“Sadly, 23 lives were lost at this site alone,” Klymenko said. “Across the capital, 28 people died and over 140 were injured as a result of the strike.”

Although search operations have ended, crews continue to dismantle damaged structures and clear debris.

Emergency response faced harsh conditions

The rescue effort was one of the most intensive in recent months and involved:

• Over 400 personnel from the State Emergency Service (SES)
• More than 200 units of specialized equipment
• Drones, search dogs, and heavy engineering machinery

Two people were rescued from beneath the rubble. Around 50 others were evacuated from apartments and stairwells during the response.

Stairwell collapse in nearby damaged building

Later the same day, Kyiv officials reported an internal collapse in a nearby five-story residential building also damaged in the strike. A stairwell between the upper floors gave way, but no injuries were reported. Five residents were safely evacuated.

City in mourning as recovery continues

Kyiv declared 18 June a day of mourning to honor the victims of the attack. More than 2,000 emergency workers have been deployed across the capital to assist with ongoing recovery operations.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on June 18 condemned Russia's massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed at least 23 people and injured more than 130 a day earlier, saying it "runs counter" to U.S. President Donald Trump's peace efforts.

"Today, with all of Ukraine, we join a day of mourning in Kyiv for the victims of Russia's June 17 attack," the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said in a statement. "We extend deepest condolences to the victims' families. This senseless attack runs counter to President Trump's call to stop the killing and end the war."

The nine-hour overnight attack, which began late June 16, has become one of the largest aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 472 aerial weapons, including nearly 280 Shahed-type attack drones and cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine's air defense downed 428 targets, but several struck residential areas, including a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district.

Among the dead was a U.S. citizen, State Department Press Secretary Tammy Bruce confirmed at a briefing on June 17.

"We are aware of last night's attack on Kyiv, which resulted in numerous casualties, including the tragic death of a U.S. citizen," Bruce said. "We condemn those strikes and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected."

President Volodymyr Zelensky called it "one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv" and urged stronger international support to help Ukraine defend itself.

Despite the scale of the attack, Trump appeared to be unaware of the strike when questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One early on June 17.

"When was that? When?" Trump responded when a reporter asked for his reaction. Told that the drone and missile attack had occurred "very recently," Trump said: "Just now? You mean as I’m walking back to see you, that’s when it took place? Sounds like it. I’ll have to look at it."

As of a day later, the White House had still not issued an official response to the strike.

The June 17 attack caused extensive damage across the capital. Civilian infrastructure hit included kindergartens, a university dormitory, residential neighborhoods, and industrial sites.

Fahrenheit, a Ukrainian manufacturer of military and civilian clothing, reported that its Kyiv factory was damaged and operations were suspended. Ukrposhta, the national postal service, lost two branches. Ukrainian Railways said a grain-carrying train was struck, disrupting transit.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said unexploded cluster munitions were found in the city — a type of weapon banned by some countries due to the danger they pose to civilians. June 18 was declared a day of mourning in Kyiv.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the timing of the attack, as G7 leaders gathered in Canada, a deliberate message from the Kremlin. Moscow has escalated strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure.

Ukraine has urged Western allies to respond by reinforcing air defense capabilities and tightening economic pressure on Russia.

Putin ‘cannot be trusted’ as mediator, Kallas says, urges EU to tighten Russian oil cap after deadly Kyiv strike

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas urged the European Union to press forward with lowering the oil price cap on Russian crude, even without U.S. support, warning that Middle East tensions could otherwise drive prices up and boost Russia’s revenues.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

On 18 June, Russia again attacked Ukraine overnight, launching a widespread drone assault that targeted civilian and infrastructure facilities, resulting in deaths, dozens of wounded, and extensive property destruction.

According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian forces deployed 58 drones in their overnight assault. 

Ukrainian air defense systems successfully intercepted 30 of the incoming drones by 08:30 local time. The Air Force reports that defenders used multiple methods to neutralize the threats: 12 drones were destroyed by conventional fire weapons, while 18 were either locationally lost or suppressed through electronic warfare systems.

The remaining 28 drones reached their targets, with Russian weapons striking nine separate locations across the country’s east, south, and north. The primary targets of the assault were Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, areas that have experienced sustained attacks throughout the war.

Zaporizhzhia postal facility destroyed as 13 Russian drones target civilian infrastructure

Regional military administration head Ivan Fedorov reported that 13 drones specifically targeted Zaporizhzhia during the night assault. The attacks caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, with apartment building windows shattered and multiple vehicles destroyed by fire. No one was reported killed or injured.

City council secretary Rehina Kharchenko confirmed that a Nova Poshta postal service branch was completely destroyed in the bombardment.

“Instead of the building – burned structures, broken glass, melted plastic,” Kharchenko described the scene.

The regional emergency services department documented additional damage, reporting that 47 vehicles burned in an open parking area while fires erupted in three industrial buildings spanning a total of 800 square meters. The assessment revealed damage to nine apartment buildings and six non-residential structures from the drone strikes.

Medical personnel wounded in targeted drone strike on Kherson ambulance

Russian forces conducted extensive shelling operations in southern Kherson Oblast throughout 17 June , resulting in two civilian deaths and 34 wounded across the region, according to Kherson Regional Military Administration head Oleksandr Prokudin.

The attacks affected 36 settlements throughout Kherson Oblast, including the regional capital. Russian forces targeted both social infrastructure and residential neighborhoods, damaging 12 private homes along with outbuildings, garages, and private vehicles.

The attacks extended to medical personnel, with Russian forces using a drone to target an ambulance in Kherson’s Korabelny district around midnight. The regional military administration confirmed that both a paramedic and emergency medical technician sustained injuries in the attack, suffering concussions, blast injuries, and closed traumatic brain injuries.

Russian drone attacks injured at least 20 civilians in the Dniprovskyi district of Kherson on June 17, according to local authorities.

"The Russians have changed their tactics for using drones — since early morning, they have been launching massive attacks on the Dniprovskyi district of Kherson," Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram.

The attacks left several people hospitalized with blast trauma and shrapnel wounds.

A 36-year-old man sustained injuries to the head and chest. A 51-year-old woman was treated for a concussion and facial wounds. Four other victims, including two women aged 60 and 67, were hospitalized with injuries to the torso and limbs.

Among those treated on an outpatient basis was a 41-year-old man wounded in the leg and a 58-year old woman who suffered injuries to the torso. Additional outpatient cases include women aged 84, 50, and 62, and a 58-year-old man, who was also admitted for hospital care.

"We are taking all necessary measures to counter enemy drones and adapting to the enemy's new tactics. This takes time," Prokudin said, urging residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Kherson, located on the western bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, has faced relentless Russian attacks since its liberation in November 2022.

Russian forces continue to occupy the eastern bank, from which they launch attacks on civilian targets using artillery, guided bombs, and drones.

‘A brutal strike’ — Massive Russian missile and drone attack hits Kyiv, killing 10, injuring at least 124

Russian drones and ballistic missiles targeted the capital overnight, killing 15 people and injuring at least 114, local authorities reported. Damage to civilian infrastructure has also been reported throughout the city.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

At least six civilians were killed and 18 others wounded in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on June 16.

Russia launched 138 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, Ukraine's Air Force said. Air defenses intercepted 125 drones, while another 41 dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overload Ukrainian systems.

The assault was repelled using aviation, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups, and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Donetsk Oblast saw the deadliest attacks, with six civilians killed — three in Bagatyr, two in Pokrovsk, and one in Kostyantynivka — and four more injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. The region remains one of the most heavily targeted areas amid ongoing Russian offensive operations.

In Kherson Oblast, seven people were injured after Russian forces struck critical infrastructure and residential neighborhoods, damaging eight houses, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Three women aged 71, 62, and 27 were wounded in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. The oblast has been under intensifying Russian aerial and artillery attacks in recent weeks.

Air defenses were active over Kyiv and surrounding areas, where three people were injured in the capital and region. Authorities said drone fragments fell in residential zones.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 46-year-old man was injured as Russian troops carried out 426 strikes on 14 settlements, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

The latest strikes come as Russia continues to escalate its aerial campaign and reject calls for a ceasefire. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged Western partners to bolster air defense capabilities as drone and missile attacks persist.

‘Russians lie about everything’ — Ukraine hits out at Kremlin claims after yet another drone strike on Kyiv

“This is a deliberate tactic of terror,” Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukraine has accused Russia of "lying about everything" after yet another drone attack on Kyiv injured two people overnight on June 16, saying the strike once again rubbished Kremlin claims that only military objects are being targeted.

The strike hit Rusanivka Gardens, a private neighborhood in the capital’s Dniprovskyi District, creating a crater near civilian homes, and injuring a 20-year-old man and a woman, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said.

"The Russians lie about everything. When they claim to have hit military targets, they are actually targeting our homes and our people," he wrote on Telegram.

"This is a deliberate tactic of terror."

The injured man was hospitalized in serious condition, while the woman is being treated on an outpatient basis, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

"Miraculously, significant damage and casualties were avoided," Tkachenko said.

Despite Moscow's denials, Russia has repeatedly hit civilian areas throughout its full-scale war. On July 8, 2024, one of the deadliest strikes on Kyiv killed 33 people and wounded 121 others, including patients at Ohmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's hospital.

The Russian Defense Ministry continues to insist it targets only military infrastructure, dismissing reports of civilian casualties as "absolutely untrue." The pattern of destruction across cities like Kharkiv and Kherson shows civilians are often the primary targets.

Moscow launched 138 drones at Ukraine overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones. Ukraine's Air Force reported that air defenses intercepted 125 of them, while another 41 went off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm air defense systems.

The strike comes as Russia intensifies its air campaign against Ukraine and continues to reject Western-backed proposals for a ceasefire. Kyiv, located along the Dnipro River in the country's north-center, remains one of the most heavily targeted cities in the war.

‘Spit in the face’ — Zelensky condemns Russia’s mass attack, dismisses idea of Putin as peacemaker

“This is Russia’s spit in the face of everything the international community is trying to do to stop this war ... At the same time as Putin tries to portray himself as a mediator for the Middle East. The level of cynicism is staggering.”

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

A building used by Boeing in Ukraine’s capital was severely damaged during a massive Russian airstrike on 9 June, in what multiple sources say appeared to be a deliberate strike on the prominent US aerospace company.

The incident was first reported by the Financial Times, which cited six sources — including Boeing employees, Ukrainian officials, and the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (ACC). Photos verified by the FT and released by Ukraine’s state emergency service show fire crews responding to heavy damage at the site.

Targeted strike on US aerospace operations

Russia launched a barrage of 315 drones, two ballistic missiles, and five cruise missiles, hitting Kyiv, Odesa, and other Ukrainian cities. The Boeing facility was among the confirmed targets.

“No operational disruption,” said Andriy Koryagin, deputy general director of Boeing Ukraine, confirming no employees were harmed.

Boeing has operated in Ukraine for years, focusing on engineering and technical support, and had largely remained operational despite Russia’s full-scale invasion beginning in 2022.

Boeing’s deepening role in Ukraine’s defense sector

Boeing maintains a close relationship with Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov, known for its heavy transport and military-capable aircraft. In 2023, Boeing and Antonov signed a memorandum of understanding to explore joint defense-related projects.

In early 2025, Boeing executives met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss collaboration on ammunition manufacturing and unmanned aerial systems.

The company was still expanding its Ukraine operations as recently as 2 June, when it posted a job opening in Kyiv for an aircraft interior design and certification engineering manager.

A Boeing spokesperson told the FT the company remains focused on employee safety and praised staff for their resilience under “difficult and dangerous circumstances.”

Strike highlights Russia’s shift toward Western defense-linked firms

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the attack on Boeing highlights a growing pattern.

“Russian strikes on American companies in Ukraine are yet another example of Putin’s disregard for US peace efforts,” he told the FT.

Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) have warned of increasing Russian sabotage and subversion targeting Western-linked firms involved in weapons production or aid to Ukraine.

US businesses in Ukraine suffer broad impact

Boeing is not alone in being affected. According to ACC President Andy Hunder, 32% of the chamber’s nearly 700 member companies have lost employees in Russian attacks since 2022. Nearly half reported damage to offices, factories, or facilities.

A Coca-Cola plant in Kyiv Oblast was occupied and destroyed early in the war. Hunder noted that Russian soldiers who found a stash of Jack Daniel’s whiskey inside drank it, which unexpectedly slowed their advance toward the capital.

“This is part of a wider Russian campaign to degrade Ukraine’s defense production capacity,” a Ukrainian official told the FT.

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.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the most recent casualty numbers.

Russia attacked Ukraine with nearly 200 missiles and drones and shelled residents in Kherson and Donetsk oblasts, killing one and injuring three, Ukrainian authorities reported on June 15.

Russian forces unleashed drones, artillery, and airstrikes on Kherson Oblast and the city over the last day, killing one person and injuring seven, the oblast administration reported. Russian attacks damaged apartments, homes, and gas pipelines, as well as other infrastructure.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks injured two people in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Russia’s combined mass missile and drone strikes largely targeted Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast. No one was injured or killed, but the attacks hit energy and agricultural facilities, said Poltava governor Volodymyr Kohut.

Of 183 drones Russia launched, Ukrainian air defense neutralized 159, the Air Force said in their morning update. Ukraine also shot down 2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles and six out of eight cruise missiles.

Drones were also spotted flying through Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, Chernihiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts.

Despite talks of peace negotiations, Russia has amped up its drone attacks on Ukraine over the last month. On May 26, Russia launched 355 drones at Ukraine, a record that was broken on June 1 with 472 drones, and on June 9, when Russia fired 479 drones and 20 missiles against Ukrainian cities.

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

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the latest injury figures confirmed by Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov.

At least three people were killed and 11 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day, Ukrainian officials said on June 14.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 58 attack drones, primarily Shahed-type UAVs, and decoys from multiple directions. Air defenses destroyed 43 of the drones.

In Donetsk Oblast, one civilian was killed and two others were injured in Russian shelling of Yablunivka, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Russian forces attacked settlements in the region 27 times over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, five people were injured as Russia struck 23 settlements with drones, artillery, and airstrikes, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Residential buildings in Kherson city, Antonivka, and other towns were damaged, including a multi-story apartment block, six houses, a gas station, and some vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, at least one person was killed and four others injured in attacks targeting Zaporizhzhia and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Russian forces launched 438 strikes on 16 settlements, including 11 airstrikes and 266 drone attacks, mainly using FPV (first-person view) drones.

In a morning strike on Zaporizhzhia, more than 10 cars were burned at a parking lot, and at least 15 buildings were damaged. One person was injured.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Russian attack also destroyed a humanitarian aid warehouse in Zaporizhzhia. Over 100 metric tons of humanitarian supplies reportedly burned in the fire. The aid had recently arrived in five trucks and was intended for displaced people and residents of front-line areas. The damage is estimated at around $3 million.

Putin announces creation of separate drone branch in Russian military

“We have accumulated a great deal of experience to create this branch of the armed forces,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Everything was burning, death was all around — but Kharkiv remains unbroken. After a nighttime kamikaze drone attack on Kharkiv, rescuers heard an injured man singing the Ukrainian national anthem beneath the rubble of a destroyed building, says Oleksii Biloshytskyi, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department.

During the night of 11 June, Russian attack drones struck residential neighborhoods in Kharkiv. Direct hits were recorded on apartment buildings and a civilian enterprise. Three people were killed, and more than 60 were injured, including children.

A 65-year-old man, a 47-year-old woman, and another 65-year-old man who died in the hospital in the morning were among the victims of the strike. At least 60 people were wounded, among them nine children, UkrInform reports. 

Oleksii Biloshytskyi described an extraordinary moment during the rescue operation. 

“We pulled people from the rubble, extinguished fires burning right on people’s bodies. In that darkness, amid the dust, smoke, and pain, a man under the debris was singing the Ukrainian National Anthem. That’s something you don’t forget. That’s something you cannot forgive,” he said. 

Earlier, on 7 June, Russia launched a mix of drones, guided bombs, and at least one missile on Kharkiv, killing six civilians.

One of the Shahed drones struck civilian infrastructure, causing severe destruction. Among the damaged objects was an Audi A7 that ended up at the epicenter of the explosion, writes Blik. Yet, contrary to expectations, the car not only “survived” but also started and drove away, astonishing everyone who witnessed the moment. Footage of the car instantly went viral on social media.

At least four civilians were killed and 24 injured over the past day in Russian attacks across Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on June 13.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted the country with 55 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles launched from Russian territory.

Ukraine's air defenses shot down 28 drones, while 15 were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian troops shelled and launched drone and air strikes on dozens of settlements, including Kherson city. The attacks hit residential areas and critical infrastructure, damaging four apartment buildings and 13 houses. One person was killed and seven were wounded.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that seven civilians were injured, including an 11-year-old child, during Russian attacks on seven settlements. Russian forces used 16 unguided rockets, six guided bombs, and over 20 drones, including Shaheds and first-person view (FPV) units. Civilian infrastructure, including houses and factory buildings in Kupiansk, Izium, and Bohodukhiv districts, sustained significant damage.

In Sumy Oblast, two people were injured when a Russian drone struck civilian infrastructure in the Mykolaivka community, regional officials said. Over the past 24 hours, Russia carried out more than 50 attacks on 25 settlements using FPV drones, multiple-launch rocket systems, and guided bombs.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was killed and three injured in Russian attacks on the region. Russian forces launched nearly 500 strikes across the region, including 283 drone attacks, mainly FPV types, and 10 air strikes.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said two civilians were killed, while five others were injured across the region.

Ukraine secures return of 5 children from Russia, Russian-occupied territories

Ukraine successfully brought back five children who had been forcibly taken to Russia as well as Russian-occupied territory, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced on June 12.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

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

A Russian drone attack on Kharkiv overnight on June 12 injured 15 people, including at least four children, authorities reported.

Russia carried out 11 strikes on the city, a 12th drone strike did not detonate, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a post to Telegram.

"Residential areas, educational institutions, kindergartens, and infrastructure were hit by shelling. Dozens of cars were damaged, windows in schools and houses were broken," he said.

Just a day prior, on June 11, a Russian mass drone attack on Kharkiv killed three people and injured at least 64 others, including nine children.

"An unexploded UAV was discovered on the roof of a warehouse," regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Several fires broke out throughout the city as a result of the Russian drone attack.

"Civilian cars caught fire after a (drone) hit a residential high-rise building. The facade of the high-rise building was also damaged," Syniehubov reported.

The grounds of an educational institution were hit in the Shevchenkivskyi district, causing a fire to break out, Syniehubov said.

Russia regularly strikes civilian infrastructure as it continues to wage its war against Ukraine.

On June 10, Russia conducted drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and Odesa. Three were killed and 12 were injured.

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

Russia has likely used a new jet-powered attack drone, the Geran-3, in a recent missile and drone strike on Kyiv, according to Ukrainian defense outlet Defense Express.

The development comes amid a sharp escalation in Moscow’s drone warfare. Russia is now deploying high-altitude, dive-bombing Shahed drones at scale—reportedly producing thousands monthly using Iranian designs and domestic assembly lines. These drones increasingly strike civilian infrastructure, overwhelming Ukrainian defenses and causing mounting casualties and destruction.

Whistling sounds and jet engine wreckage

Photos of the downed UAV show several key components, including a compact jet engine, indicating that the drone was likely the Geran-3 — a Russian variant of the Iranian Shahed-238. This model marks a significant upgrade over the slower Shahed-136 (Geran-2), boasting reported speeds of 550–600 km/h and a range of up to 2,500 km, compared to the Shahed-136’s 185 km/h.

Residents of Kyiv reported hearing a distinct whistling sound during the strike, consistent with a jet-powered drone and unlike the quieter propeller-driven models previously used.

Among the wreckage, investigators found an avionics panel nearly identical to those used in the Shahed-136 — responsible for flight programming, engine control, and onboard systems — suggesting a shared design lineage.

Though the drone was heavily fragmented, Defense Express says the evidence points to either an imported Shahed-238 or a Russian-produced version built with Iranian-sourced components.

Russian production and intelligence warnings

This is not the first suspected use of a jet-powered Shahed-type drone in Ukraine. A similar incident occurred in January 2024, but confirmation was inconclusive at the time.

In February 2025, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) warned that Russia had begun domestic production of a jet-powered Shahed-style drone, designated Geran-3. It is believed to use a Tolou-10/13 jet engine, an Iranian-made, unlicensed copy of the Czech PBS TJ100.

Defense Express reports that analysis is still underway, but early findings strongly suggest that the drone used in the Kyiv attack was indeed the Geran-3.

Russia has shifted its drone strike tactics, making it increasingly difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to respond, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

The change comes amid a sharp escalation in Moscow’s drone campaign. Russia is now deploying high-altitude, dive-bombing Shahed drones at scale—reportedly producing thousands each month using Iranian designs and domestic facilities. These drones are increasingly hitting civilian targets, overwhelming defenses, and causing growing casualties and destruction.

In a major overnight assault, 15 Shahed drones struck Kharkiv, with two more hitting nearby areas. Eleven sites were hit within minutes, including three residential buildings.

Drones now fly higher before diving at targets

Syniehubov noted that the drones now fly at significantly higher altitudes before striking.

“Russian forces have changed tactics—they’re now launching drones at 4,000 to 5,000 meters, then dropping them sharply just before impact,” he wrote on Telegram.

The latest strike killed four people and injured 64 others, including children. Among the victims was a woman who died in hospital hours after her husband, both wounded in the same attack.

The Osnovianskyi and Slobidskyi districts sustained direct hits on apartment blocks, private homes, playgrounds, public transport, and key infrastructure. Fires were reported at several locations.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as “cowardly” and “deliberate,” warning that such Russian attacks have become a grim daily occurrence.

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

Russia attacked homes and apartment buildings in Kharkiv with drones overnight on June 11, killing at least three people and injuring 64 others, including nine children, authorities reported.

The attack struck a five-story residential building in the city's Slobidskyi district, leaving 15 apartments in flames, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Several homes in the Osnovyanskyi district were also hit.

The large-scale attack also struck a trolleybus depot in the city, several vehicles, playgrounds, and local businesses, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Terekhov said that nine people have been hospitalized as a result of the attack, including a 2-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy. Nine children were injured in total, the Prosecutor General's Office said.

Earlier in the night, Terekhov warned residents that a "massive enemy drone attack" was targeting Kharkiv. He later reported that Russia carried out 17 drone strikes in the city.

"Every new day now brings new vile Russian attacks, and almost every strike is telling," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

"And we must not be afraid or postpone new decisions that could make things more difficult for Russia... And this depends primarily on the United States and other world leaders."

Russia has pounded the city of Kharkiv with relentless aerial attacks in recent days.

A series of attacks with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs on June 7 left four dead and around 40 injured, as Russia struck civilian targets in the city throughout the night and again in the afternoon.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the "brutal strike" and urged the U.S. to allow Ukraine to purchase urgently needed air defense systems.

Already a frequent target of Russian strikes due to its proximity to the front lines, Kharkiv has also come under fire during Moscow's recent record-breaking attacks against cities across Ukraine.

Zelensky said on June 10 that Russia has been steadily increasing the number of weapons it launches at Ukraine in its mass overnight assaults.

The price cap on Russian oil should be cut from $60 to $30 per barrel in order to pressure Moscow to declare a ceasefire, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on June 10.

Zelensky's comments come after the European Commission unveiled its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, including a proposed reduction in the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel.

The proposed EU sanctions are a step in "the right direction," Zelensky said, but stronger measures are needed.

"Russia’s ability to continue the war is equal to its ability to sell its oil and bypass financial barriers," the president said.

"That is why it is necessary ... to do everything possible to keep the price of Russian oil lower than they can withstand. Each of the partners knows what price cap is needed — $30, no higher. Such a price level will mean real pressure on Russia – they should be forced to seek peace."

The current price cap on Russian oil was introduced by the Group of Seven (G7) and EU in December 2022 as a mechanism to limit the Kremlin's ability to finance the full-scale war in Ukraine. The measure bans Western companies from shipping, insuring, or otherwise servicing Russian oil sold above $60 per barrel.

The EU planned to discuss further cuts to the price cap at a G7 summit in May, but the U.S. reportedly blocked the proposal, according to the Financial Times (FT).

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 10 that the amendments to the price cap proposed in the new sanctions package will be discussed at the G7 summit to be held on June 15-17.

Zelensky called the EU's proposed cap of $45-per-barrel a "compromise price."

"Enough compromises with Russia. Every such compromise is a postponement of peace. We are asking for a real reduction in the price of Russian oil, which would bring us closer to ending the war," he said.

Russia's attacks on Ukraine are escalating, Zelensky said, necessitating the urgent need for stronger international pressure and tightened economic restrictions.

"It is vital that there is no silence in response to the Russian escalation, and it is obvious that there is an escalation," he said.

"Russia has been steadily increasing the number of lethal weapons in strikes for months now."

The president's comments come after Russia launched one of the largest aerial attacks against Kyiv throughout the full-scale war. The night before, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 479 Russian drones and missiles in a record-breaking strike.

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

A 17-year-old boy wounded in Russian attacks on downtown Sumy on June 3 died in the hospital, raising the death toll to six, regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported on June 10.

Russia launched five attacks on the northeastern Ukrainian city using multiple launch rocket systems earlier this month, striking a densely populated area and injuring 28 people, including three children.

The boy, whose name was not disclosed, succumbed to his injuries several days after the strike.

"Russia is once again targeting what is most precious to us — our children, our future. Seventeen years old is just the beginning of life's journey. And that journey has been brutally cut short," Hryhorov wrote on Telegram.

The barrage set two vehicles ablaze, heavily damaged a medical facility, and shattered homes across multiple residential buildings.

Emergency workers completed their response at the site by 7 p.m. local time on June 3, and demining teams removed remnants of undetonated ordnance.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said one of the projectiles failed to explode but tore through the wall of a nine-story apartment building.

The attack came less than 24 hours after Russia and Ukraine held the second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, which yielded only a preliminary prisoner exchange agreement and no broader ceasefire progress.

Sumy Oblast, which shares a long border with Russia, has been repeatedly shelled and targeted by drone strikes since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

In late May, Zelensky warned that Russia had concentrated 50,000 troops near the border in preparation for a possible renewed offensive to establish a "buffer zone" along Ukrainian territory.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, 632 Ukrainian children have been confirmed killed, according to Ukraine's national database.

Russian missile and drone barrage hits Kyiv, Odesa, killing 2 and injuring 12, damaging maternity hospital

In the early hours of June 10, Kyiv and Odesa came under another mass Russian attack, involving ballistic missiles and drones. Explosions were heard across the capital as air defense systems engaged the targets.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Editor's note: The story was updated with a comment from Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat.

Ukraine's Air Force said on June 9 that it intercepted a total of 479 Russian drones and missiles during a record-high wave of strikes overnight.

According to the official statement, Russia launched 499 weapons, including 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy drones, four Kh‑47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles over the Black Sea, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles, and one Kh‑35 cruise missile from occupied Crimea.

Ukraine had reportedly neutralized 479 of the incoming targets, with 292 were shot down, and 187 jammed or lost via electronic warfare.

The main target of the Russian attack was one of Ukraine's airfields, Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television, without specifying the location or the strike's impact on the facility.

The spokesperson called the June 9 attack "one of the largest that Russia has launched against Ukraine in recent times" and praised the Ukrainian air defense.

"Of course, there are also hits. We won't specify in which locations, but with the number of missiles and drones that Russia is launching, it is impossible to shoot down everything," Ihnat added.

In Kyiv Oblast, air‑raid sirens lasted over ten hours, according to Governor Mykola Kalashnyk. Air defences shot down Russian drones. No civilian casualties were reported. Two houses, a car, and an outbuilding in Boryspil district were reportedly damaged.

In Rivne Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Koval described the night as very heavy. One civilian was reportedly injured. The attack, according to Koval, was the largest since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov. Over the day, 498 strikes reportedly struck 14 populated areas.

In Kherson Oblast, numerous towns were hit by drones, artillery, and airstrikes. Three apartment blocks, 13 houses, a farm, and vehicles were damaged. Four civilians were injured, the governor said.

In Kharkiv Oblast,  nine villages were hit. Seven civilians suffered minor injuries, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces reportedly used 22 unguided aviation rockets, 18 guided bombs (KAB), 6 Geran (Shahed) drones, 4 unspecified UAVs, and 1 Molniya drone. Civil damage included houses, a store, a camp, and vehicles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian defences downed six UAVs at night, Governor Serhii Lysak said. A farm, houses, and vehicles in the region were reportedly hit.

In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces launched nearly 90 strikes across 35 settlements, injuring nine civilians, local authorities reported. Shops, a school, homes, and cars were reportedly damaged. Authorities evacuated 21 people.

In Cherkasy Oblast, air defences shot down 33 Russian drones overnight. No injuries were reported, but falling debris damaged four houses, a farm outbuilding, and a car in the Cherkasy district.

Ukrainian drones hit Russian electronic warfare facility in Chuvashia Republic, military says

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

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

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

Russia launched another large-scale attack against Ukraine overnight on June 9, assailing cities across the country with drones and missiles.

At least one person was reported injured in Rivne, a city far from the front lines in northwestern Ukraine.

The mass strike comes shortly after Russia on June 6 launched 452 drones and 45 missiles at Ukraine in a single night — one of the largest aerial attacks in the full-scale war. The Kremlin claimed the bombardment was retaliation for Kyiv's Operation Spiderweb drone strike on Russian strategic aircraft.

Ukraine's Air Force issued aerial alerts throughout the night on June 8-9, warning multiple regions of the threat of ballistic missiles and Shahed-type attack drones.

The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Russian aerial attacks in western Ukraine.

Explosions were reported during the night in Kyiv and Rivne.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, reported that an office building in the capital's Darnytsia district had been damaged in the attack.

One civilian in Rivne was injured in the attack, regional Governor Oleksandr Koval said. Emergency responders are still at work on the scene and the consequences of the strike are still being determined.

"A very difficult night for Rivne Oblast. Our region suffered a powerful enemy air strike," Koval said.

Rivne is located in northwestern Ukraine and shares a border with Belarus. Like neighboring Volyn Oblast, which was hit in Russia's mass strike on June 6, the region is not a frequent target of Russian aerial attacks

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

Reuters reported on June 8 that the U.S. expects Russia to launch more large-scale, multi-pronged strikes at Ukraine in the coming days as part of Moscow's "asymmetrical" response to Operation Spiderweb.

The Kremlin's retaliation could target high-value government sites, such as administrative buildings or intelligence facilities, a Western diplomatic source said.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 carried out an audacious mass drone attack on four key Russian air bases, reportedly damaging 41 military planes, including the heavy bombers Moscow uses to carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The operation took 18 months to plan and execute, and allegedly caused $7 billion of damage to Russia's aerial fleet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly warned U.S. President Donald Trump during a June 5 phone call that Moscow was preparing a response to the operation. That night, Russia's mass strikes injured 80 people and killed four civilians, including emergency workers.

Trump said the next day that Operation Spiderweb  "gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night."

Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb exclusively targeted military facilities — specifically, the aircraft used to bomb civilian targets in Ukraine. The strike followed three years of aerial attacks and three months of Russian refusal to accept a ceasefire.

In the days leading up to the June 1 operation, Russia launched three heavy aerial attacks against Ukraine over three consecutive nights.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the idea that Russia's attacks are a response to Operation Spiderweb. Following a night and day of relentless bombings in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Zelensky on June 7 said Russia's strikes were "not 'retaliation' but acts of destruction."

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

The U.S. believes Russia has not yet fully responded to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb and may soon launch another large-scale, multi-pronged strike following the massive June 6 attack, Reuters reported on June 8, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

One official told Reuters that, while the timing remains unclear, a retaliatory strike could be expected in the coming days and is likely to be "asymmetrical." Another U.S. source said Russia would likely employ missiles and drones to hit a combination of targets.

The U.S. assessment follows the June 1 attack by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) on four Russian air bases using drones launched from trucks concealed within Russian territory.

Kyiv's operation reportedly damaged 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers — two of Russia's primary platforms for missile attacks against Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the number of aircraft hit. At least 21 planes were damaged or destroyed, according to open-source intelligence analysts.

A Western diplomatic source told the outlet that the Kremlin's response could focus on high-value government sites, such as administrative buildings or intelligence facilities.

Michael Kofman, a military analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, suggested Moscow may aim medium-range ballistic missiles at headquarters belonging to the SBU, which organized the operation.

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On June 6, Russia launched one of its most intense aerial barrages of the full-scale war, firing 452 drones and 45 missiles at Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, according to the Air Force. The attack was likely part of Russia's response to Operation Spiderweb.

At least four civilians were killed, including emergency service workers, and 80 others were injured in the overnight assault, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported.

The June 6 strikes followed a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on June 4, during which Putin reportedly vowed to retaliate against the Ukrainian drone operation.

U.S. officials say Moscow's June 6 barrage may not be the full extent of its response. Russia has carried out near-nightly air assaults in recent weeks, several of which predated Spiderweb, making it difficult to separate a targeted reprisal from Russia's ongoing campaign of attrition.

Shortly after the June 6 Russian attack, Trump seemed to justify the aggression against Ukrainian cities that was launched in response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb.

"They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on June 6.

Ukrainian drone strikes Russian Tu-22 bomber: SBU releases new footage of Operation Spiderweb

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

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

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

Russia attacked the city of Kharkiv with KAB guided bombs the evening of June 7, killing a woman and a man and injuring at least 18 people.

The bombing follows a night of deadly Russian strikes against the city. Russia launched drones, missiles, and guided bombs at Kharkiv overnight on June 7, killing at least three people and injuring 19, including two children.

Rescuers were still searching for the bodies of six victims believed to be trapped under the rubble on the afternoon of June 7, according to the regional prosecutor's office.

At around 5:30 p.m. local time, Mayor Ihor Terekhov warned that Kharkiv was again under attack from guided aerial bombs.

Russia launched four KAB bombs at central Kharkiv, targeting the city's Shevchenkivskyi and Kyivskyi districts, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported after the attack. One of the bombs hit the Children's Railway, a popular gathering place for families.  

A 30-year-old woman was killed in the attack, Syniehubov said. Another 19 people were injured, with three in serious condition. Ten victims have been hospitalized.

The woman who as killed was an employee of Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia), according to Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, board chair of Ukrzaliznytsia. Four other railway employees were among the injured.

The Children's Railway in Kharkiv was closed at the time of the attack, Pertsovskyi said. The opening had been canceled because of security risks.

"(T)he opening was canceled, so there were no students or visitors on site and they are safe! It's scary to imagine what would have happened otherwise," he wrote.

The attacks damaged two buildings and four cars at the Children's Railway, two homes, and a farm building, according to Syniehubov. Emergency responders are still at work on the scene.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the bombing a "brutal" attack and offered his condolences to the victims, noting that Russian strikes "have been hitting our city of Kharkiv all day long."

Zelensky rejected the idea that Russia's bombardments are a "response" to Operation Spiderweb, Ukraine's daring mass drone strike that struck military aircraft at four Russian air bases on June 1. Russia's only aim is destruction, the president said.

"In more than 11 years of Russia’s war against Ukraine, they have brought only one new thing to our land, and this is really the most widespread Russian product — ruins and death."

The previous night, Russia struck civilian targets across Kharkiv, including an apartment building. The attack killed three and injured 19, including a 1-month-old baby. Extensive search-and-rescue operations were underway following the strike.

The attack on Kharkiv came the night after Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack across Ukraine on June 6. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the strike was a response to Operation Spiderweb — despite Russia's history of mass aerial attacks on civilian targets throughout the full-scale war.

U.S. President Donald Trump echoed the narrative the day after the attack, saying the attack on military aircraft gave Russian President Vladimir Putin "a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them."

Kharkiv Oblast in northeastern Ukraine suffers frequent Russian assaults due to its vulnerable front-line position. The city of Kharkiv has regularly come under fire, with Russian drones and missiles targeting residential buildings in densely populated neighborhoods.

Operation Spiderweb ‘gave Putin a reason to bomb the hell out of them,’ Trump says, following large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities

U.S. President Donald Trump on June 6 appeared to justify Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities launched the night before, in response to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Six people are most likely trapped under the rubble of an industrial facility in Kharkiv that was hit by a Russian attack earlier in the day, the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported on June 7.

The rescue operation was ongoing as of 1:45 p.m. on June 7, reads the report.

Contact with those trapped has been lost, the prosecutors added.

Russian forces attacked Kharkiv with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs overnight on June 7, killing at least three people and injuring 22, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Syniehubov said that drones had struck civilian targets across the city, including a 9-story residential building, a local enterprise, a home, and other facilities.

Two children were injured in the attack, including a 1-month-old baby, Syniehubov said.

At least 40 explosions were recorded across the city amid the attack, local media reported. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the Osnovyanskyi and Kyiv districts of the city suffered strikes.

According to Terekhov, 48 Shahed drones, two missiles, and four guided aerial bombs were launched toward the city.

Located along the front line, Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine's northeast is a regular target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks from across the border.

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

Meaghan Mobbs, daughter of U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, made a direct appeal to her father on social media during Russia’s combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight on June 6.

"Loud night in Kyiv, Dad! It might be the explosions and gunfire in the dead of night, but I get the strange feeling the Russians don't want peace," Mobbs wrote on X, as Russia launched one of its most intense air assaults of the war.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Moscow fired 452 drones — including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones — and 45 missiles of various types across Ukraine, targeting the capital, major cities, and even western regions of the country.

Ukrainian defenders intercepted 199 drones and 36 missiles, while another 169 drones disappeared from radar, likely decoys used to saturate air defenses.

Multiple fires broke out across Kyiv after strikes hit residential areas and infrastructure.

Nationwide, at least five civilians were killed and 73 injured during the past day, according to regional authorities. Ukraine's Air Force repelled the barrage with aviation, electronic warfare, mobile fire groups, and missile defense systems.

Mobbs, a U.S. former paratrooper and longtime advocate for Ukraine, heads the R.T. Weatherman Foundation, which has delivered over 10,000 pallets of medical supplies and humanitarian aid to more than 70 Ukrainian hospitals and organizations.

The large-scale assault came as Russia continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and escalates its air campaign despite mounting international pressure and ongoing negotiations.

Kellogg has not yet commented on the attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has positioned himself as a would-be peacemaker, has thus far refused to impose new sanctions on Moscow, citing ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

At least five civilians were killed and 73 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on June 6.

Russia launched 452 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with 45 missiles of various types, Ukraine's Air Force reported.

Air defenses intercepted 199 drones, while another 169 dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems. Ukrainian forces also intercepted 36 missiles, including the Iskander-M ballistic missile.

The attack was repelled using aviation, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups, and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Kyiv suffered the highest number of fatalities, where at least four civilians were killed and 20 others injured, including 16 hospitalized, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

In Volyn Oblast, 15 people were injured. Drones damaged an apartment building, blowing out windows and tearing through its roof, the local State Emergency Service said.

Ternopil Oblast saw 10 people injured in strikes on civilian areas, including five members of the State Emergency Service, Governor Vyacheslav Negoda reported.

Four people were also wounded in Chernihiv Oblast and multiple homes were damaged by Russian strikes, Governor Viacheslav Chaus reported.

In Donetsk Oblast, six residents were injured — two each in Krynytsi, Pokrovsk, and Kostyantynivka — amid continued Russian shelling, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

Kharkiv Oblast reported three injuries following attacks on six settlements across the region, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. In Kherson Oblast, 10 people were injured after Russian forces shelled residential areas and public infrastructure, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Poltava Oblast recorded three injuries after missiles hit administrative buildings, commercial warehouses, and a local coffee shop, Governor Volodymyr Kohut said.

In Sumy Oblast, two civilians born in 1966 and 1967 were wounded. Russian troops carried out nearly 110 attacks on 47 settlements in the region, local authorities said.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast reported one fatality amid ongoing Russian attacks on front-line settlements, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

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

Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack against Ukraine overnight on June 6, targeting the capital, major cities, and the country's far-western regions.

A total of 80 people were injured and four people killed, including first responders, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"A cynical Russian strike on ordinary cities. More than 400 drones, more than 40 missiles. ... We need to put pressure on Russia to (accept a ceasefire) and to stop the strikes," he said.

The attack comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to retaliate against Ukraine for its drone strike against Russian air bases in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Air raid alerts were activated in all Ukrainian regions, following Russia's latest mass attack. Ukraine's Air Force warned during the night that multiple Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers had taken flight and likely already launched cruise missiles.

Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Lviv, Lutsk, and other cities as drones and missiles targeted all regions of the country.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 452 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with 45 missiles of various types.

Air defenses intercepted 199 drones, while another 169 dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems. Ukrainian forces also intercepted 36 missiles, including the Iskander-M ballistic missile.

"Russia doesn't change its stripes — another massive strike on cities and ordinary life. They targeted almost all of Ukraine — Volyn, Lviv, Ternopil, Kyiv, Sumy, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions," Zelensky said the morning after the attacks.

"Russia must be held accountable for this. Since the first minute of this war, they have been striking cities and villages to destroy life."

‘Loud night in Kyiv, Dad’ — US envoy’s daughter appeals to Kellogg during Russian attack

“It might be the explosions and gunfire in the dead of night, but I get the strange feeling the Russians don’t want peace,” Meaghan Mobbs, daughter of U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, wrote on X.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Kyiv

Multiple fires broke out across Kyiv as drones struck residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. Explosions and falling debris were reported in several districts, including Solomianskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi.

Three  people were killed overnight, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Ukraine's State Emergency Service later confirmed that the victims were rescue workers responding to the attack.

Another 23 people in Kyiv were injured, including 14 emergency responders. A child was among the  injured.

According to Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK,2,167 families on the left bank of Kyiv were left without electricity due to Russian attacks.

Russia’s response to Operation Spiderweb is likely ‘not going to be pretty,’ Trump says

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.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

A Russian drone struck the 11th floor of a 16-story apartment block in the Solomianskyi district, igniting a fire, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported. Three people were rescued, and the fire has since been extinguished. A fire also broke out at an industrial site in the area.

In the Holosiivskyi district, debris hit a residential building, sparking a blaze and causing yet-to-be-assessed damage. An educational institution was damaged in the attack and falling drone wreckage landed near a gas station, damaging a car.

Another erupted on the 17th floor of a residential high-rise in the Darnytskyi district. Medics were called to the site of the attack.

The administration also reported "significant damage" to a gas station in the city's Dniprovskyi district.

The attack damaged tracks and cables on the metro line between the Darnytsia and Livoberezhna stations, causing closures and route disruptions. Repair work is expected to be completed in 24 hours, the administration said.

‘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

Western Ukraine

In the western city of Ternopil, Russia struck infrastructure and industrial facilities with Shahed drones and Kalibr cruise missiles, according to Mayor Serhii Nadal. Part of the city lost electricity.

Eleven people were injured, including five emergency workers.

Ternopil lies hundreds of kilometers from the front line and is not a frequent target of Russian attacks.

Casualties were also reported in Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine amid the mass strike. At least one person was killed and 27 more injured, according to the State Emergency Service. Rescue workers believe more victims may be buried beneath the rubble.

Ihor Polishchuk, the city's mayor, said that the roof of an apartment building was damaged, as were vehicles, commercial properties, and a government institution. According to the mayor, Russia attacked Lutsk with 15 drones and six missiles.

Russia's retaliation

Russia's mass attack injured dozens of people and caused destruction across the country.

Ukraine had been bracing for a large-scale assault after the Kremlin threatened revenge for Operation Spiderweb — Ukraine's audacious drone strike that damaged 41 Russian bombers on June 1.

After speaking with Putin over the phone on June 4, Trump warned that the Kremlin was planning a response to Ukraine's strike. While Putin has stayed publicly silent on Ukraine's attack, Trump said Russia's retaliation was "not going to be pretty."  

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on the morning of June 6 that the overnight attack was a "response" to Operation Spiderweb and alleged that the "goal of the strike was achieved" and the "designated objects were hit."

But Moscow needs no excuse to bombard Ukraine with drones and missiles, as the mass strikes Russia launched against Ukrainian cities in the days before Spiderweb prove. For three consecutive nights in the last week of May, Russia targeted Ukraine with some of the heaviest aerial attacks since the start of the full-scale war.

Aerial strikes against civilian targets have been a regular feature of Russia's all-out war since February 2022.

Russia continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and Putin has said he is no longer interested in negotiating with Ukraine.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Russian forces launched high-explosive bombs at the center of Ukraine's southern city of Kherson on June 5, hitting and partially destroying the Regional State Administration building and damaging several surrounding structures.

The entrance to a nearby residential high-rise was also damaged, while other buildings in the area sustained broken windows and facade destruction. The regional prosecutor’s office confirmed that four guided aerial bombs struck the city center.

"Within just fifteen minutes, four Russian bombs hit this location. As a result of the strikes, the building of the Kherson Regional State Administration suffered even greater destruction — it had already been repeatedly targeted by the Russians before," Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said via his official Telegram page.

Since Ukraine liberated Kherson in November 2022, Russian forces have continued to target the city with near-daily attacks, aiming at civilian infrastructure, public transport, and residential neighborhoods using a wide array of weaponry.

In addition to the aerial bombardment, Russian troops attacked Kherson with artillery and loitering munitions. According to preliminary reports, at least five apartment buildings, one administrative structure, and an educational institution suffered damage. Local authorities have reported multiple casualties, with three people seeking medical attention following the strikes.

The morning airstrike also damaged a department building of the Kherson City Council, shattering eight office windows. Three educational institutions were hit, with nearly 200 windows blown out. No injuries among school staff have been reported, according to the Kherson City Military Administration.

Emergency workers rescued four residents after clearing the blocked entrance to a basement in one of the affected apartment buildings.

Russia’s response to Operation Spiderweb is likely ‘not going to be pretty,’ Trump says

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.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

At least eight civilians were killed and 46 others wounded in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day, regional authorities reported on June 5.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 103 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile.

Air defenses intercepted 74 drones, while another 46 dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems. The attack was repelled using aviation, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups, and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Chernihiv Oblast suffered the deadliest strike of the day, where five people were killed and six others wounded after Russian drones struck residential areas in the city of Pryluky, Governor Viacheslav Chaus reported.

In Donetsk Oblast, one person was killed in Rodynske and five more injured across the region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. The region remains a primary target of Russian artillery and air strikes amid ongoing ground assaults.

Kharkiv Oblast recorded 20 injuries from Russian attacks, including four children in the city of Kharkiv — a 7-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, and two 13-year-old girls — Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. In Izium, a 38-year-old man was injured by the explosion of an unidentified object.

In Kherson Oblast, two people were killed and 10 others wounded, with Russia targeting residential neighborhoods and social infrastructure, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In Sumy Oblast, two civilians were wounded after Russian forces used drones and KAB guided bombs to strike civilian areas, the regional Military Administration said.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russia hit a civilian minibus with a first-person-view (FPV) drone, injuring a 70-year-old man, Governor Vitalii Kim said.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two people were wounded as Russian troops carried out 428 strikes on 14 settlements over the past 24 hours, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Kyiv has consistently urged Moscow to accept a Western-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal, which Ukrainian officials see as a prerequisite for broader peace talks. The Kremlin has rejected the proposal thus far.

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

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the latest data.

A Russian drone strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Pryluky overnight on June 5 killed at least five civilians, including a one-year-old child, and injured nine others, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The attack, which hit residential neighborhoods, sparked large fires and left multiple homes in ruins. Chernihiv Oblast Governor Viacheslav Chaus said at least six Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones were used in the assault.

"Five deaths have been confirmed so far, including two women and a one-year-old child who were found under the rubble," Chaus said. "Police, rescuers, and other emergency services are working at the sites of enemy strikes."

Emergency crews worked through the night to extinguish the fires. The State Emergency Service said the strike completely destroyed two residential buildings, two garages, a farm building, and a car.

Chaus added that six people were hospitalized and are receiving urgent care. According to the State Emergency Service, a 5-year-old child was injured in the attack.

Pryluky, located in Chernihiv Oblast, lies in northern Ukraine near the border with Russia and Belarus. Before Russia's full-scale invasion, it had a population of roughly 51,500.

The deadly attack is part of a broader campaign of drone and missile strikes by Russia targeting civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

Ukraine's northern regions, including Chernihiv, have been targeted in recent weeks as Russian forces escalate their air campaign despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire.

Russian missile, drone attack on Kharkiv injures 17, including 4 children

Russian missile and drone attacks on the city of Kharkiv overnight on June 5 injured 17 people, including four children, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Russia launched a missile attack against a military training facility in Poltava Oblast on June 4, resulting in injuries among the personnel, the Ground Forces' press service reported.  

"Thanks to timely and carefully planned security measures... the worst has been avoided," the press service said, saying that no soldiers have been killed in the attack against the central region, which lies about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Kyiv.

The strike follows a string of Russian attacks against Ukrainian military facilities across Ukraine.

A deadly missile strike on a training camp in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 1 killed at least 12 soldiers and led to the resignation of then-Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi, who was later appointed the commander of the Joint Forces.

The casualties sustained in Russian attacks deep in the rear sparked backlash, with military leadership facing criticism for failing to provide adequate security for soldiers and recruits.

Security protocols, including dispersal of personnel and the use of shelters, "saved the lives of service members who were at the training facility at the time of the strike" on June 4, the Ground Force said.

"Unfortunately, there are wounded. All victims are receiving care in specialized medical institutions." The press service did not specify the number of victims or the exact location of the targeted military facility.

A special commission has been established to clarify the circumstances of the attack and the resulting damage, according to the statement.

In western Ukraine, ethnic Romanians grapple with war, identity, and displacement

While Romania debated its future in its recent presidential election, Romanians in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi Oblast just across the border continued to wrestle with war, mobilization, and the loss of their pre-war lives. Romania’s tight election race at the end of May kept many in Europe on the edge

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed at least seven civilians and injured 42 others over the past day, regional authorities said on June 3.

Ukrainian forces downed 60 out of the 112 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Fifteen drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.

Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said that Russian forces attacked Odesa with drones, injuring at least five people. The attack set a food warehouse on fire and damaged residential buildings and cars.

A Russian attack on the village of Kivsharivka in Kharkiv Oblast killed two women aged 62 and 64, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. A 31-year-old man was killed, and a 38-year-old man was injured in a Russian attack on Balakliia.

Another strike on the town of Kupiansk injured four women and a 59-year-old man, Syniehubov said.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Sumy Oblast injured four people, according to local authorities.

Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones struck a State Emergency Service building and service vehicles in the Stepnohirsk community in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, injuring 12 emergency workers, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Three people were killed in Kramatorsk and Yablunivka in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Two other people suffered injuries in the region over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 35 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. One person was killed, and 13 others, including a child, were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor's note: This story is being updated and contains graphic images.

Russian forces attacked downtown Sumy in Ukraine's northeast on June 3, killing four people and injuring 28 others, including three children, according to Ukrainian authorities.

According to preliminary reports, Russia launched five attacks on Sumy using multiple launch rocket systems.

"The Russians launched a savage strike on Sumy — directly targeting the city and its ordinary streets with rocket artillery. It was a fully deliberate attack on civilians," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

A 17-year-old was among the injured, with authorities describing the condition of many victims as serious.

At nearly 4:30 p.m. local time, the death toll rose to four after a 43-year-old man who was in a serious condition died in the hospital. His seven-year-old daughter was also severely injured in the Russian attack.

The attack reportedly set two cars ablaze, destroying them completely. A medical facility and residential buildings were also damaged.

At 7 p.m. local time, rescuers finished working at the sites of the attacks. Sappers also examined the affected area and removed the remains of explosives, the State Emergency Service reported.

Local authorities declared June 3 and 4 a day of mourning in Sumy.

According to Zelensky, at least one of the projectiles used by Russia in the attack on Sumy failed to detonate, piercing the wall of a nine-story apartment building.

"That alone says everything one needs to know about Russia’s so-called 'desire' to end this war," he added, calling on the U.S. and Europe to increase pressure on Moscow.

The attack came only a day after Russia and Ukraine held a second round of talks in Istanbul on June 2, which focused on a new prisoner exchange, but yet again failed to achieve a breakthrough in peace efforts.

Russia proposed a limited two- to three-day ceasefire in specific front-line areas to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers, while continuing to disregard Ukraine’s call for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire supported by Western partners.

Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia to the north, has been a repeated target of Russian incursions and shelling since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The region has recently seen renewed hostilities as Russian forces ramp up activity along the northeastern border.

In late May, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is accumulating 50,000 troops near Sumy Oblast, seeking to create a 10-kilometer buffer zone in the area.

Hours after a first round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks on May 16, Russia launched a drone strike in Sumy Oblast, killing nine people and injuring seven more.

5 Ukrainian regions, ban on NATO, limits on Kyiv’s army — Russian media publishes Moscow’s official peace demands

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

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Norway will help Ukraine cover a potential one billion euro ($1.08 billion) gas deficit, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced following a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Vilnius on June 2.

"We discussed issues that are important for Ukraine right now. I received a positive signal from him. This concerns gas: if we face a deficit in winter, can we count on the appropriate volume? Today, I received support from Jonas (Gahr Store)," Zelensky said.

Russian forces regularly attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to power and heat shortages across the country. Russia attacked 34 facilities of Ukrgasvydobuvannya, Ukraine's largest gas producer and part of the state Naftogaz Group, last winter, leading to a loss of almost 50% of gas production, the company reported on April 21.

"We agreed that we will look for opportunities to close any deficit, which may arise if everything is not restored (Ukrainian gas production infrastructure affected by Russian attacks), if we cannot fully provide our population with gas," Zelensky noted during an online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

"And therefore there is an appropriate volume. We have found half, but we were missing another half. I'll put it this way: we're talking about a volume worth a billion euros — that's what I'm discussing with the Norwegian prime minister."

The two leaders have also discussed continued support for Kyiv, including strengthening the country’s air defense, encouraging direct investment in Ukraine’s defense industry, specifucally the drone production, and increasing pressure on Russia.

Norway is ranked 11th in the world in terms of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine, having so far provided over $4.5 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military support, according to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker.

On May 20, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway arrived in Ukraine to meet with Zelensky, marking the first visit by a member of the Norwegian royal family during Russia's invasion.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian drone attacks against a State Emergency Service building in Zaporizhzhia Oblast's front-line areas on June 2 injured 12 emergency workers, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones struck the building and service vehicles in the Stepnohirsk community, according to the governor.

Russian forces attacked again during an evacuation of the injured, the State Emergency Service reported. Russia has repeatedly employed double-tap attacks against civilian targets, often resulting in casualties among first responders.

All of the victims have been hospitalized. One of them is in a critical state, while others have suffered injuries of moderate severity.

Stepnohirsk lies only some 5 kilometers (3 miles) north of the front line in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The emergency workers were injured despite being in the shelter during the attack, the State Emergency Service said.

Fire trucks also suffered damage as a result of a direct hit.

"This is another example of deliberate and targeted Russian attacks on first responders — people who save the lives of others every day, risking their own," the service said on Telegram.

Ahead of Istanbul peace talks, Russia kills 9, injures 49 civilians across Ukraine

Russia attacked Ukraine with 80 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, as well as three Iskander-M or KN-23 ballistic missiles and one Iskander-K cruise missile, the Air Force reported.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

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

Russia attacked the city of Kharkiv overnight with drones and ballistic missiles, injuring at least six people, including a child, local authorities reported in the early hours of June 2.

Drone strikes on the city's Kholodnohirskyi district injured six people, including a 7-year-old boy, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.

Two Russian ballistic missiles also targeted the Kyivskyi district, Terekhov said. One of the missiles struck a road "just a few dozen meters" from a local school. The other hit an area close to high-rise buildings, shattering windows and damaging facades.

"It is a miracle that there were no casualties," Terekhov said.

Several homes, a civilian enterprise, and vehicles were damaged in the attack, according to Terekhov.

Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia may be preparing for another mass strike against Ukraine in the wake of Kyiv's successful operation against Russian military aircraft.

"Even before the start of this operation, we had intelligence about the preparation of another Russian massive strike," Zelensky said in his evening address.

"And it is very important for all our people not to ignore aerial alerts. Last night, there were almost 500 Russian drones, strike drones. Every week they increased the number of units per strike. Now they have also prepared Kalibr cruise missles from sea carriers."

Russia has launched repeated large-scale aerial assaults against Ukraine in recent days.

The city of Kharkiv and the surrounding region came under heavy attack the previous night during a mass Russian drone strike. Russia launched nearly 500 drones at Ukraine, shattering its previous record for the number of drones fired in a single night.

Kharkiv Oblast in northeastern Ukraine is a regular target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks. Russia has frequently attacked densely populated neighborhoods in the city of Kharkiv, hitting residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.

As Trump fails to sanction Moscow, few expect breakthrough during upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks

As Ukraine and Russia prepare for peace talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, few observers expect a breakthrough. While the U.S. and Ukraine have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, the Kremlin has rejected it. Instead, Moscow has regularly voiced maximalist demands that are unlikely to be accepted by

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Russia launched a record number of drones at Ukraine in a mass overnight aerial attack, Ukraine's Air Force reported the morning of June 1.

Russia attacked Ukraine during the night with 472 Shahed-type attack drones, breaking its previous record — set just last week on May 26 —  by over 100 drones.

In addition to nearly 500 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Moscow also targeted Ukraine with three Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and four Kh-101, Iskander-K air and ground-based cruise missiles, the Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defense units shot down 210 drones, while another 172 were suppressed by electronic warfare, according to the Air Force. Russian drones were intercepted in 18 different locations across the country.

The record-shattering drone attack came on the eve of Ukraine's "Operation Spider Web" — a major strike on Russia's military airfields coordinated by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU). The operation hit 41 Russian bombers at four airfields, according to the SBU.

The attack, planned for over a year, involved smuggling first-person-view (FPV) drones deep into Russia. The operation caused approximately $7 billion in damages and disabled 34% of cruise missile carriers in key Russian air bases, the SBU reported.

Ukraine's strike on Russia's military aircraft follows some of Moscow's heaviest aerial bombardments since the beginning of the full-scale war.

For three nights in a row from May 24-26, Russia barraged Ukraine with drones and missiles, launching a record 298 drones on May 25 only to break the record with 355 the following night.

The escalating attacks form the backdrop against which Ukrainian and Russian delegations prepare for their second round of direct peace talks, scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul. The Kremlin has claimed it will submit a memorandum outlining its ceasefire conditions during the meeting — though previous promises to present terms have been followed by weeks of delays.

The first round of talks, held May 16, failed to produce any significant breakthroughs towards a peace settlement.  

Russia continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire.

‘Russian bombers are burning en masse’ — Ukraine’s SBU drones hit ‘more than 40’ aircraft in mass attack, source says

“Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3,” a source told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A Ukrainian high school class held their final graduation ceremony at a cemetery to honor a classmate and his two siblings killed in a Russian missile strike.

The high-school students from the school in Korostyshiv, central Zhytomyr Oblast, visited the graves of their 17-year-old classmate Roman Martyniuk and his younger sister Tamara, 12, and younger brother Stanislav, 8, who died on 25 May after the Russian missile hit their home.

“The day of the last bell [traditional event to mark the end of a high school year], which should have been filled with joy, hugs, tears of happiness and farewell to school, turned into a day of silence, grief and deep pain,” the school wrote on Facebook. 

The class teacher conducted the last bell ceremony at the gravesite without the customary loud bells or music. The ceremony was described as being held “with deep reverence, respect and love.”

Instead of traditional graduation celebrations, the students brought toys, cards, and pieces of birthday cake to the cemetery. Tamara would have celebrated her birthday on the day before the ceremony.

“Today we once again felt how war steals not only lives – it steals childhood, youth, holidays, memories that should have been warm…,” the school’s post stated.

Two older children were living separately and survived because they were not home during the strike. Both parents survived the attack, though the mother required surgery and was in serious condition before the funeral, while the father sustained less severe injuries and attended the burial service on 28 May.

The lyceum principal told that Roman excelled in Ukrainian history and demonstrated strong aptitude in physics, a subject that poses difficulties for many peers.

The two younger children were enrolled at the community music school, where they learned to play the domra, a traditional stringed instrument. The siblings were reportedly in preparation for their music school graduation at the time of the attack. Tamara expressed interest in becoming a mathematics teacher like her mother, who survived the strike but lost her children. 

At least 10 people were killed and 32 others injured over the past 24 hours as Russian forces launched widespread aerial and artillery attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions,  regional officials and Ukraine's Air Force reported on May 31.

Ukrainian defenses shot down 69 drones and three Kh-59/69 guidedq missiles using air defense systems, electronic warfare, and mobile fire teams.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said a series of strikes hit Kharkiv and nine surrounding settlements. Six people were injured. The oblast endured attacks with various weapons including 26 Shahed drones, 11 unguided rockets, and guided aerial bombs. Dozens of civilian infrastructure sites were reportedly damaged or destroyed.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported three people were killed and 10 others injured as Russia targeted more than 30 towns and villages with drones, artillery, and airstrikes. Critical and residential infrastructure was hit, including a private house, gas pipeline, garages, and vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one child was killed and another injured in Dolynka village. Russian forces launched 628 strikes across 24 settlements, including 40 airstrikes, 376 drone attacks (mostly FPV), and 205 artillery strikes.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Governor Serhii Lysak said two people were injured in attacks on the Nikopol area, including the city itself and the surrounding communities. Artillery, FPV drones, and drone-dropped munitions were used.

In Sumy Oblast, regional officials reported that one person injured in earlier attacks died in a hospital, bringing the civilian toll to at least one dead and four wounded in the past day. More than 160 strikes hit 39 settlements in 16 communities. Weapons used included air-dropped bombs, MLRS, and explosive devices from drones.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported five civilians were killed. Nine more people were injured. The death toll does not include casualties from occupied Mariupol and Volnovakha.

Zelensky doubts June 2 talks will yield results as Russia withholds ceasefire plan

“The Russians have been unable to present the so-called ‘memorandum’ for over a week, which they promised to prepare immediately after the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “Ukraine has not received any documents from them.”

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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

One child was killed and another was injured in a Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast overnight on May 31.

A 9-year-old girl was killed and a 16-year-old was injured in the Polohivskyi district of Zaporizhzhia Oblast as a result of a Russian missile attack, Governor Ivan Fedorov said in a post to Telegram.

"One house was destroyed. Several other houses, cars, and outbuildings were damaged by the blast wave," he added.

The attack occurred in the frontline village of Dolynka in the Polohivskyi district, Fedorov said.

Russia has regularly targeted civilian infrastructure in aerial attacks against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale war in February 2022.

Moscow has intensified drone and missile attacks against Ukraine despite peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul on May 16.

The talks in Turkey were largely inconclusive. Russia reiterated maximalist demands that Ukraine hand over Crimea and eastern oblasts.

The two sides were able to agree to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which was carried out between May 23 and 25.

Russian President Vladimir Putin refused President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to meet face-to-face in Istanbul. Instead, Russia sent a delegation of lower-level officials led by Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky.

Russia has refused a ceasefire and instead insisted it would provide Ukraine with a peace memorandum shortly after the May 16 talks. Ukraine and Russia are slated to hold another round of peace talks on June 2.

Meanwhile, Kyiv is still awaiting Russia's proposed ceasefire memorandum, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims

Key developments on May 28: * Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims * Ukraine ready for 2nd round of Istanbul talks but seeks Russian draft memo in advance, Yermak says * Senate to ‘start moving’ Russia sanctions bill next week, Graham says * Russia may ‘consider’

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 30 that he was "very surprised" at Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities amid ongoing peace negotiations with Kyiv.

"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," Trump added.

For three consecutive days over May 24-26, Russia launched a series of mass drone and missile attacks at Ukrainian cities, during which more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles were launched in one of the heaviest attacks of the war to date.

On May 26, Russia carried out the largest drone attack of the full-scale war, which reportedly involved 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.

Trump said he disapproved of Russia's recent missile attacks on Ukrainian cities during ongoing diplomatic efforts.

"I don't know what the hell happened to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, I've known him for a long time," Trump said on May 25 amid the onslaught of attacks. "He's killing a lot of people."

Despite the barrage of attacks and Russia's ongoing rejection of a 30-day ceasefire, Trump on May 28 said that "it'll take about two weeks, or week and a half," to determine if Putin serious about ending war.

A day earlier on May 27, Trump admitted that Russia would already be facing serious consequences, including sanctions, if not for his actions.

"What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean really bad. He's playing with fire," he wrote on Truth Social.

Despite repeatedly threatening additional sanctions against Moscow, Trump has thus far refused to implement a proposed sanctions package.

"If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that," Trump told reporters on May 28.

Despite the delays, key Trump ally and Republican Senator, Lindsey Graham, said at a press briefing in Kyiv on May 30 that the U.S. Senate is expected to "start moving" next week on a bill introducing sweeping new sanctions against Russia

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on May 29 that Trump hopes that the forthcoming peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will "move the ball forward" on his efforts to broker a peace deal.

Senate to ‘start moving’ Russia sanctions bill next week, Graham says

The proposed bill would introduce expansive penalties on Russia and impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries purchasing Russian fossil fuels.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

The United States warned on 29 May it may withdraw from peace negotiations if Russia continues the war, following some of the largest Russian attacks since the war began.

“If Russia makes the wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war, the United States will have to consider stepping back from negotiation efforts to end the conflict,” said John Kelley, acting US alternate representative to the UN, during a Security Council meeting.

Kelley said the US has “worked tirelessly with both sides, seeking a path to peace” since the UN called for an end to the war three months ago. 

“Ukraine has unequivocally agreed, awaiting Russia’s agreement to do the same,” he said.

The diplomat condemned Russia’s weekend missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. “This disregard for human life does not indicate a desire for peace. This must stop,” Kelley said.

Russia has conducted its most extensive missile and drone strikes of the full-scale war from 23 to 25 May.

He warned that stepping back from talks would not mean abandoning allies but would “recognize Russia’s refusal to cooperate with us to achieve the desired outcome.”

“There is no military solution to this conflict. The deal now on offer is the best possible outcome for Russia. President Putin should take this deal,” Kelley said.

He added that the US is considering additional sanctions on Russia.

UN Undersecretary General Rosemary DiCarlo said hope in the negotiations is “just barely” alive. The massive weekend attacks show how quickly the war can escalate, she warned. “The people of Ukraine, especially, cannot wait” for peace efforts to resume.

Meanwhile, disputes emerged over proposed talks in Istanbul on 2 June. The Kremlin said it was awaiting Ukraine’s response to its proposal. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser said Ukraine is ready to participate but wants to see Russia’s proposals first.

Peskov called that demand “nonconstructive.”

Zelenskyy accused Russia of “yet another deception” for failing to provide its peace proposal. “Even the so-called ‘memorandum’ they promised and seemingly prepared for more than a week has still not been seen by anyone,” he said in his video address.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on 28 May that Russia’s delegation “is ready to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian delegation” during the 2 June Istanbul talks.

President Trump warned on 29 May he would determine within “about two weeks” whether Putin is serious about peace. “We’re going to find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not, and if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently,” Trump told reporters.

The warnings came as the Security Council met to discuss Ukraine following record Russian attacks over the weekend.

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed seven people and injured 39 others over the past day, regional authorities said on May 30.

Ukrainian forces downed 26 out of the 90 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Thirty drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.

Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

A Russian drone attack on the city of Kharkiv injured two women aged 61 and an 84-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The attack also damaged 39 trolleybuses.

Nine more people, including two children, were injured in a Russian attack on the village of Vasyliv Khutir in Kharkiv Oblast, according to Syniehubov.

Russian attacks near Polohy and Vasylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast killed two people and injured five other people, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.  

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said that Russian forces attacked the Nikopol district in the region, injuring a man and a woman aged 25 and 48.

One person was killed in Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Ten other people suffered injuries in the region over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 35 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Four people were killed, and 11 others injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Ukraine war latest: Russia reports 2nd consecutive day of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow

* Russia reports 2nd consecutive day of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, building damaged on the outskirts * Rubio, Lavrov discuss next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul * ‘No one has seen it yet’ — Zelensky slams Russia for stalling on ceasefire memorandum ahead of Istanbul talks * Russia amassed enough troops to

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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

Nine were injured in Kharkiv overnight on May 30 amid a Russian drone attack on the city, local authorities reported.

"Specialized services are heading to the scene of the incidents," Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said in a Telegram post.

Two 16-year-olds were injured, Syniehubov said, adding that residential buildings have been damaged in the drone attack.

Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks against Ukraine despite peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul on May 16.

The talks in Turkey were largely inconclusive. Russia reiterated maximalist demands that Ukraine hand over Crimea and eastern oblasts.

The two sides were able to agree to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which was carried out between May 23 and 25.

Russian President Vladimir Putin refused President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to meet face-to-face in Istanbul. Instead, Russia sent a delegation of lower-level officials led by Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky.

Russia has refused a ceasefire and instead insisted it would provide Ukraine with a peace memorandum shortly after the May 16 talks. Ukraine and Russia are slated to hold another round of peace talks on June 2.

Meanwhile, Kyiv is still awaiting Russia's proposed ceasefire memorandum, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28.

Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine's northeast is a regular target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks from across the border or Russian-occupied territories.

Russia has regularly targeted civilian infrastructure in aerial attacks against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale war in February 2022.

Infighting around EU rearmament undermines grand ambitions for European defense

Despite grand plans, the European Union’s hoped-for rearmament remains fully dependent on member nations stepping up their own defenses. In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an 800-million-euro “Rearm Europe” plan to build out a defense architecture that has depended on the U.S. since the

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed three people and injured 27 others over the past day, regional authorities said on May 29.

Ukrainian forces downed 10 out of the 90 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Forty-six drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.

Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

A Russian drone attack killed a man in the Bilopillia community in Sumy Oblast overnight and injured a woman, according to the local authorities.

One person was killed in the village of Rivne in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Thirteen other people suffered injuries in the region over the past day.

A Russian guided aerial bomb attack on the village of Verkhnia Tersa in Zaporizhzhia Oblast killed one person and injured another one, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. The attacks destroyed five houses and damaged 50 more, with about 600 homes left without electricity.

Russian forces attacked the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring two people.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 40 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Ten people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Ukraine war latest: Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul

* Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul * Ukrainian drones hit Russian cruise missile factory, SBU source says, in one of largest reported strikes of full-scale war * 11 more Ukrainian Children rescued from Russian-occupied territories, Yermak’s advisor says * ‘We’ll know in two weeks’ if Putin serious

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine overnight on 28 May. Russia attacked Ukraine with six ballistic and guided missiles and 88 strike drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 71 drones. Another 37 were lost locationally. Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force reported.

At least 16 explosions were heard in Kharkiv overnight. These were sounds of explosions occurring in the oblast, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Three men aged 51, 43 and 59 were injured in Vasyshcheve. A four-year-old girl suffered an acute stress reaction, reported regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In Eskhari, two men aged 63 and 80 and two women aged 63 and 71 were injured, according to Syniehubov.

Russian forces attacked Svitlovodsk in Kirovohrad Oblast overnight on 28 May. An industrial enterprise and residential buildings were damaged, Kirovohrad Oblast Governor Andriy Raykovych said.

A fire broke out at the enterprise. According to Raykovych, there are three injured people. Two were hospitalized. The attack also damaged 76 private houses and one 9-story building.

More than 1,400 consumers lost electricity. A commission is inspecting damaged buildings in Svitlovodsk, the Svitlovodsk community reported on Facebook.

Russian forces attacked communities in Mykolaiv Oblast with drones and missiles overnight on 28 May. A child was wounded and 200 consumers lost power, the Mykolaiv regional military administration reported.

Drones attacked Halytsyny community. A 7-year-old girl received minor injuries, the regional administration reported. Two houses and three cars were also damaged.

Around 02:00 am on 28 May, Russian forces attacked the city of Ochakiv with a missile. A recreational facility was damaged there.

Shaheds also attacked Snihuriv community overnight. A non-residential building, two residential houses and power lines were damaged in the village of Vasylivka. 200 subscribers lost power. Electricity supply was almost restored by morning, the regional administration reported.

Two people were wounded in overnight Russian shelling in Kherson, the city military administration reported. A 74-year-old resident of Antonivka came under Russian drone attack the previous evening. An 83-year-old man came under fire in Dniprovskyi district. 

According to Air Force data, none of the five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were shot down. A guided Kh-59/69 aviation missile was not shot down either. Some 71 drones were neutralized: 34 were shot down and 37 were locationally lost or suppressed by electronic warfare.

Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force confirmed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 that Ukraine is fully mobilizing its domestic industrial base to scale up production of drones, missiles, and other weapons systems, as the country braces for continued large-scale Russian attacks.

From May 24 to 26, Russian forces fired more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine, with the third night amounting to the single largest drone attack of the full-scale war.

Zelensky's remarks followed a high-level meeting with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Anatolii Hnatov, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

"The agenda included planning our actions, our readiness to respond to Russian strikes, to their threats, and taking preventive measures, which means increasing the production of our drones and our missiles," the president said during his evening address.

He added that "hundreds of Ukrainian companies are already producing results for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, with more to follow." Zelensky said the government is fully mobilizing "entrepreneurial capacity for weapons production" and plans to sign new agreements with European partners to attract investment, focusing on unmanned systems and long-range capabilities.

While the government cannot publicly disclose its existing plans or capabilities, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine must "respond symmetrically to all Russian threats" and Moscow must "clearly feel the consequences of what they are doing against Ukraine. And they will."

"Attack drones, interceptors, cruise missiles, Ukrainian ballistic systems – these are the key elements. We must manufacture all of them," he said.

In the meantime, the Trump administration has spent months trying to broker a peace deal in Ukraine. However, direct talks in Istanbul failed to yield a ceasefire, and during a May 19 phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin once again rejected calls for a 30-day truce.

Despite this, Trump has refused to impose new sanctions on Moscow so far, but said on May 25 that new sanctions could be on the table: "I’ve always gotten along with him," Trump said of Putin. "But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people (...) We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don't like it at all."

Sanctions on Russia are working, Ukraine just needs more

Sanctions on their own won’t end the war, but they are a crucial tool in the West’s efforts to pressure Putin.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Moscow requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council over Europe's alleged "threats to international peace and security," Russia's U.N. envoy, Dmitry Polyansky, said on May 27, only a day after Russia launched its largest drone attack against Ukraine.

Russia launched a three-day wave of aerial attacks from May 24 to May 26, firing more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine. On May 26, Russian forces carried out the most extensive drone attack of the full-scale war, reportedly involving 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.

Moscow, which holds a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council, requested the session because of what it called attempts by European countries to prevent a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine, according to Polyansky.

Russia expects the meeting to be scheduled for May 30, one day after another Security Council meeting requested by Ukraine's European allies over the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.

Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly called for a complete ceasefire to bring the war to a close. Russia has consistently rejected these proposals, only escalating its attacks against Ukrainian cities and reportedly preparing a new offensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin again refused to support a full ceasefire in Ukraine during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19. Instead, the Kremlin proposed drafting a "memorandum" on a possible future peace settlement.

Recent peace talks in Istanbul, the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, failed to achieve a breakthrough, with a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange seen as the only tangible result.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia's weeklong delay in preparing a proposal on a peace settlement a "mockery of the whole world."

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

Nataliia Hrabarchuk traded toys and children’s laughter for an Igla man-portable air defense system and the roar of combat launches. Ukraine’s West Air Command has shared the story of this brave defender of the skies.

Once a kindergarten teacher, now an anti-aircraft gunner, the soldier joined the military on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion despite strong opposition from her family. 

Her very first combat launch, in November 2024, was a direct hit: she downed a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.

Until 2021, Nataliia Hrabarchuk was a kindergarten teacher. But sensing the inevitability of a major war, she made the difficult decision to join an air defense missile unit just before the invasion, even though her entire family was against it.

She spent five months in intensive training at a military center, where she learned to operate various types of man-portable weapons and conducted hundreds of simulated launches on training systems.

Then, in November 2024, during one of Russia’s massive missile-and-drone attacks, her moment came. While on combat duty, Nataliia Hrabarchuk destroyed an incoming Russian Kh-101 cruise missile using an Igla man-portable air-defense system.

“It was her first combat launch — and a perfect hit!” Air Command West proudly report.

Nataliia recalls that when the Russian missile appeared before her, she instantly set aside all emotion and nerves, focusing solely on the mission.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, has awarded Nataliia Hrabarchuk a commendation from the Ministry of Defense for her courage and successful completion of the combat task.

On the night of 26 May, Russia launched 439 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine, which is an absolute record. This comes as US President Donald Trump has been pushing for Kyiv-Moscow peace talks, allegedly to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russia, meanwhile, has escalated its air attacks against Ukrainian cities, ignoring all calls for a ceasefire.