The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
Ukrainian T-64 tanks move towards Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, on March 20, 2023. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 1,200 meters in some areas in the Bakhmut direction, Serhii Cherevaty, the spokesperson for the eastern command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on June 9.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine took advantage of the rotation taking place among the Russian forces, attacking the enemy unprepared, he said.
"Over the past day, our units advanced up to 1,200 meters in some areas," Cherevaty said.
Ukraine's forces are trying to degrade the Russian combat potential, particularly of the motorized rifle and airborne units. This was previously the strategy used when facing the Wagner mercenary crops, Cherevaty explained.
Russian forces attempted to repel the attacks with artillery and rocket fire, launching 368 strikes.
Russian troops have also launched an attack in the Lymansk-Kupiansk direction, suffering losses of 72 dead and 109 wounded, he said. Ukrainian troops have also destroyed two armored fighting vehicles, three anti-tank systems, three mortars, two drones, and two field warehouses, Cherevaty added.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier today that "brutal battles" are taking place in Donetsk Oblast.
"Very brutal battles are taking place, but we are seeing results," Zelensky said, indicating that Ukraine could be gaining territory in Donetsk Oblast, a large part of which is currently occupied by Russia.
Following Zelensky's June 3 announcement that Ukraine was "ready" for the counteroffensive, Western media reported on June 8, citing Ukrainian officials, that Ukraine had begun offensive operations in southeastern Ukraine.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine were also reported to be conducting successful military operations in Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on June 8 but had suffered "significant losses" in the area.
Defense Minister Hanna Maliar earlier said on June 5 that Ukrainian forces were shifting to offensive actions "in some areas," and that the military was successfully advancing near Bakhmut along a "fairly wide front."
Martin Fornusek
