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Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2, 2026.
Opinion

American media should make sure not to become another missile in Russia's hands to strike Ukraine

by Kateryna Lisunova

Russia has no right to call its ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine "retaliatory strikes" in a war that it started. There is only one side that has the right to retaliate: the side that was attacked. By launching a large-scale war against Ukraine, Moscow effectively made itself a legitimate target for Kyiv's forces. The attacked side has the right to defend and protect itself, its territory, and its people. Yet many American media outlets, after five years of Russia's brutal full-scale invasi

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Tuesday, June 2

Ukraine war latest: Russia unleashes large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine, leaving 22 dead, 130 injured

Editor's note: Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent so far? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com, and it may appear in our Letters section. Key developments on June 2: * Kyiv reels after Russia unleashes massive missile, drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least 22 * Ukraine strikes Russia's Ilsky oil refinery for at least 16th time since start of full-scale war * Neva radar, Pantsir air defense, and a tugboat — Ukraine releases latest drone strike video hit list

American media should make sure not to become another missile in Russia's hands to strike Ukraine

Russia has no right to call its ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine "retaliatory strikes" in a war that it started. There is only one side that has the right to retaliate: the side that was attacked. By launching a large-scale war against Ukraine, Moscow effectively made itself a legitimate target for Kyiv's forces. The attacked side has the right to defend and protect itself, its territory, and its people. Yet many American media outlets, after five years of Russia's brutal full-scale invasi

Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2, 2026.

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Chemical weapons are something the world formally banned a hundred years ago. Yet today, Ukraine's Defense Forces have already recorded around 13,000 cases of chemical agents used by the Russian forces on the front lines since the start of the full-scale war. And that number keeps growing. In April 2024, the U.S. State Department published a document directly accusing Russia of using chloropicrin against military personnel. International media reported on this as well. The Telegraph, in partic

Servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine undergo training in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Feb. 29, 2024.

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