Explosion reported in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast

3:02 AM

NATO urging Europe to ramp up air defenses fivefold in face of Russian threat, Bloomberg reports.

NATO defense ministers will discuss the air defense boost at a gathering in Brussels on June 5, sources told Bloomberg on the condition of anonymity.

2:06 AM

Orban vows to 'do everything' to prevent Ukraine from joining EU.

"I would not be able to answer my conscience...if I did not do everything now to protect Hungary and the European Union from the Brussels fever dream of Ukrainian accession."

1:08 AM

Rare Russian spy planes damaged in Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, Telegraph reports.

Footage reportedly shows Ukrainian drones hitting two A-50s, rare Russian spy planes that Moscow relies on to detect air defense systems and coordinate targets for fighter jets. Russia has less than 10 A-50s in its arsenal.

2:14 PM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 11:53 pm)

Russia’s Crimean Bridge rocked by explosions, Ukraine’s SBU claims responsibility.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time during the full-scale war, mining and damaging its underwater supports, the SBU announced on June 3.

11:48 PM

Trump didn't know about Ukraine's drone strike on Russia's warplanes, White House confirms.

During a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump was informed by Ukraine about Operation Spiderweb in advance of the attack. "He was not," she said.

11:06 PM

War analysis

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

10:49 PM

Field report

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

10:47 PM

Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces replaced.

Vadym Sukharevskyi has been dismissed as commander of the USF and will be replaced by Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, commander of the elite drone unit "Birds of Magyar."

10:26 PM

'There was blood on the asphalt' — Russia strikes Ukraine's Sumy during morning rush hour.

10:15 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine attacks Crimean bridge for 3rd time since beginning of all-out war

9:47 PM

Drapatyi made Commander of Joint Forces after submitting resignation over Russian strike on Ukrainian training camp.

"I received a task from the president. I am staying in the ranks, on the front line. Where I have to be, where I can do the most," Mykhailo Drapatyi said.

9:19 PM

Video

Everything we know about Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb.

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers that simultaneously attacked four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. The Kyiv Independent's Chris York explains everything we know about Operation Spiderweb.

9:18 PM

Photos

‘Tattoos of war’ — haunting portraits of Ukrainians’ most painful wartime memories (PHOTOS)

9:52 AM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 8:44 pm)

Russian strike on downtown Sumy kills at least 4, injures 28, authorities say.

"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.

7:43 PM

Putin, Trump, Zelensky trilateral meeting 'unlikely' to happen soon, Kremlin says.

The Kremlin's statement comes a day after the White House said that Trump would not rule out participating in this format of talks.

7:14 PM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 6:41 pm)

Russian losses

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

6:15 PM

Record number of Russians support peace talks, end of war in Ukraine, poll shows.

Some 64% of the respondents favored peace talks, representing a 6% increase since March.

6:03 PM

Ukraine confirms 41 Russian aircraft including bombers hit during Operation Spiderweb.

Kyiv earlier claimed it disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during the full-scale war.

4:43 PM

Ballistic missile

Exclusive: Russia’s ballistic missile production up at least 66% over past year, according to Ukrainian intel figures

3:51 PM

Russia may have recruited Ukrainian suspect behind Starmer arson via Telegram app, media reports.

Ukrainian citizen Roman Lavrynovych, suspected of setting fire to property linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, may have been recruited by Russia via the Telegram messaging app, RFE/RL's Schemes Investigative project reported on June 3.

3:02 PM

'Rare moment of honesty' — Graham says Medvedev's comments show Russia not 'interested in peace.'

Russian ex-President Dmitry Medvedev's statement that Russia seeks only a "swift victory" and the "complete destruction" of the Ukrainian government at the Istanbul peace talks is a "rare moment of honesty," U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on June 3.

2:38 PM

Ukraine to deploy new units to counter Russian drone attacks, Air Force says.

According to Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihant, Russia employed tactics involving the launch of a large number of weapons at a single target from high altitude.

1:29 PM

Ukrainian strike on Russian bombers alarmed Kremlin over nuclear carriers vulnerability, Bloomberg reports.

A recent Ukrainian drone strike deep inside Russian territory has sparked anger and concern among Kremlin officials over the exposed vulnerability of a nuclear-capable air force far from the front lines, Bloomberg reported on June 2, citing undisclosed sources close to senior Moscow officials.

1:20 PM

Ukraine's parliament backs bill on military ombudsman in 1st reading.

Ukraine first unveiled plans to establish the office in April 2024 to ensure soldiers had a mechanism to report violations of their rights.

12:38 PM

Ukraine invited to NATO summit, Zelensky says.

"We were invited to the NATO summit. I think this is important," President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a June 2 online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.