Inside the movement to free Ukrainians from Russian captivity

1:52 PM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 8:19 pm)

'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.

9:27 AM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 8:14 pm)

Ukraine, Russia conclude talks in Istanbul, a 1,200-for-1,200 prisoner exchange is in the works, Zelensky says.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the next prisoner exchange would feature at least 1,000 people on each side, and might reach a 1,200-for-1,200 swap that would possibly also include imprisoned journalists and political prisoners held in Russia.

7:14 PM

Russian losses

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

6:00 PM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 6:41 pm)

Ukraine, Russia preparing for new prisoner exchange following 2nd round of peace talks, Zelensky says.

Russia and Ukraine are preparing to hold a new prisoners of war (POWs) exchange mediated by Turkey after the second round of peace talks.

6:38 PM

Video

Ukrainians celebrate 'Spiderweb' operation that hit dozens of Russian bombers.

The Security Service of Ukraine, SBU, conducted a major special operation targeting four Russian air bases across the country on June 1. We asked Ukrainians on the streets of Kyiv to share their reactions to the operation.

6:17 PM

Russia proposes 2-3-day ceasefire in some areas of front to retrieve bodies of the fallen, Medinsky says.

According to a source in the President's Office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Russia declined a ceasefire proposed by Ukraine.

5:23 PM

Ukraine ready to make concessions on sanctions against Russia amid ongoing peace talks, demands ceasefire first.

Some of the sanctions against Russia could be lifted following a potential full ceasefire, according to Ukraine's official proposal, seen by the Kyiv Independent on June 2. Yet, the condition proposed by Ukraine is that sanctions are automatically renewed if the ceasefire agreement is broken.

4:13 PM

Portnov family bought Dubai properties worth over $2 million, media investigation says.

According to property records leaked from Dubai's Land Department and state-owned utilities, six properties were purchased in 2022–2023 by Portnov's civil partner, Anastasiia Valiaieva, and his daughter, Liliia Portnova, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

3:43 PM

Russian double-tap attack injures 12 emergency workers in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Russian drone attacks against a State Emergency Service building in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on June 2 injured 12 employees, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

3:09 PM

Ukrainian military responds to commander’s claim of no state-supplied FPV drones for 3rd Brigade.

In a written response to a request from Babel, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the brigade had received a total of 7,992 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of various types between Jan. 1 and May 27, 2025.

2:17 PM

Russian central bank head under pressure to slash key interest rate, Bloomberg reports.

The reason is the growing toll on the federal budget and civilian industries, three officials told Bloomberg, with some calling for the decision to be made at the bank's meeting on June 6.

1:33 PM

Trump reportedly wasn't informed in advance about Ukraine's drone strike on Russian bombers.

The White House was not notified about the plans, which were being prepared for a year and a half, Axios reported, citing a Ukrainian security official. CBS News' sources in the Trump administration also confirmed that the Trump administration was not informed.

1:21 PM

Zelensky urges Trump to enforce tougher sanctions if peace talks with Russia stall.

"If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

9:23 PM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 1:10 pm)

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

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

12:50 PM

After Ukraine's strike on Russian bombers, governor mulls rewarding citizens for attacking UAVs with stones.

"In the operational staff, we will evaluate the actions of concerned citizens who tried to interfere with the work of drones and decide on their recognition," Governor of Russia's Irkutsk Oblast Igor Kobzev wrote on Telegram.

12:04 PM

Zelensky summons Drapatyi, who submitted resignation over Russian strike on Ukrainian training camp.

"I scheduled a meeting ... to sort it all out," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address.

11:28 AM

Zelensky arrives in Lithuania for summit with B9, Nordic countries.

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Vilnius on June 2 to participate in a summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) member states and the Nordic countries, Zelensky's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov confirmed for Ukrinform.

12:47 AM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 11:11 am)

Conservative candidate Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election by narrow margin.

Right-wing historian Karol Nawrocki garnered 50.89% of the vote in the run-off election on June 1, narrowly defeating his liberal rival, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

10:44 AM

Destroyed Russian bombers seen in first satellite images after Ukrainian drone strike.

The photos, captured by U.S. aerospace company Umbra Space, appear to confirm the destruction of at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers and one Tu-22M3 aircraft, with an additional Tu-95MS visibly damaged. Another image shows two more likely destroyed Tu-22M3 bombers on the field.

10:07 AM

Russia recruiting Ukrainians for illegal activities in Europe, Ukrainian intel warns.

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

9:42 AM

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.

9:17 AM

Over 160 Ukrainian drones downed across Russia, Moscow claims day after mass strike on airfields.

The wave of drones targeted multiple cities and industrial facilities, according to Russian Telegram channels.

8:26 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 989,700 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

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

6:17 AM  (Updated:  June 2, 2025 7:51 am)

Russia attacks Kharkiv with ballistic missiles, drones, injuring at least 6, including child.

A 7-year-old boy was among the victims injured in overnight attacks on the city of Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.

5:17 AM

Russia shatters drone record, launches 472 UAVs at Ukraine night before Kyiv's strike on Russian airfields.

The mass aerial attack breaks Russia's previous record, set just last week on May 26, by over 100 drones.