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12:09 AM

Zelensky fires SBU chief in Kharkiv for alleged inaction during war.

During his evening address following his visit to Kharkiv Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 29 that law enforcement agencies would investigate Roman Dudin, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) branch in Kharkiv Oblast. Zelensky said that Dudin had failed to contribute to the city's defense since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February.

11:29 PM

CNN: Russian ship with grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine arrives in Syria.

New satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies show the bulk carrier Matros Pozynich arriving in the Syrian port of Latakia on May 27, estimated to carry about 30,000 tons of grain. CNN reported that it is one of the three ships that have been loading grain in Sevastopol's port in Russian-occupied Crimea since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian authorities estimated that Russian troops had stolen more than 400,000 tons of grain in occupied territories.

11:18 PM

RFE/RL: EU countries fail to reach deal on Russia sanctions.

Rikard Jozwiak, an editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said on Twitter that EU representatives will meet once again on May 30 to discuss the sixth sanctions package. Hungary is demanding exemptions for a potential oil embargo, and there are also disagreements on whether to ban Russian citizens from buying real estate in Europe, he said.

10:41 PM

Germany to provide grants worth 1 billion euros to Ukraine.

German Ambassador to Ukraine Anka Feldhusen made the announcement following a meeting with Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko.

9:34 PM

Russian forces shell Kharkiv again.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city had come under fire but he didn't provide further details.

8:48 PM

General Staff: Russian troops move towards central Sievierodonetsk.

Russian troops are trying to entrench their positions in northeastern Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff said. Russia's main focus is to encircle Ukrainian troops in Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, as well as to block the main roads, according to the report. The General Staff also said that Russian troops had conducted an unsuccessful offensive towards Slovyansk, Donetsk Oblast, and retreated to previously-held positions. Russia has also withdrawn some units from Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff added.

7:01 PM

Russians heavily shell Sumy Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast.

Russia shelled the northern Ukrainian regions 10 times on May 29, the State Border Guard Service reported.

6:54 PM

Russian troops repeatedly block civilian cars evacuating from occupied territories to Zaporizhzhia.

Russian troops sometimes stop columns of 300-400 cars for 4-5 days, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Starukh said on May 29. According to him, the Russians sometimes demand money for letting the cars pass.

6:33 PM

Zelensky pays visit to military positions in Kharkiv Oblast.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the positions of Ukraine's military, assessed the destroyed infrastructure of the region and held a working meeting with local authorities. He also presented Ukrainian soldiers with state awards.

6:17 PM

115 miners blocked underground due to blackouts in Donetsk Oblast.

Several cities in the government-controlled part of Donetsk Oblast are now without electricity due to a broken power line. Local authorities are working to bring the miners to the surface, according to the mayor of Kramatorsk.

6:11 PM

Cabinet of Ministers lifts visa restrictions for foreign journalists in Ukraine.

Journalists accredited by Defense Ministry won't need to obtain a temporary residency permit or a visa to stay in Ukraine for more than 90 days. The measure will be active for the time of the martial law and 30 days after it ends. With this decision, the government aims to remove bureaucratic obstacles for journalists to continue to cover the war in Ukraine.

5:08 PM

Russian forces lose 2 high-ranking officers in Ukraine.

Colonel Volodymyr Ivanov, a member of Russia's Defense Ministry's press service, and Oleksandr Vyhulyar, the commander of the 106th Parachute Division, were killed in Ukraine, Ukraine's military announced on May 29.

4:53 PM

Vucic: Russia, Serbia to sign 3-year gas contract.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Russia would give Serbia "the best price in Europe" for its gas. "If we realize everything, we will have a safe winter when it comes to gas," Vucic said.

4:07 PM

Poland to send 18 KRAB self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.

These howitzers can be used by three artillery squadrons and can fire at up to 40 kilometers, six times a minute. Poland is the second-largest donor of equipment to Ukraine after the U.S. so far.

3:34 PM

Russians reportedly stealing metal from occupied Mariupol.

For the second day in a row, Russian ships are being loaded with metal in the port of Mariupol, according to Petro Andriushchenko, an advisor to the Mariupol mayor.

2:39 PM

Putin, Vucic hold phone call to 'strengthen cooperation'.

The Kremlin reported that Russia will continue to supply uninterrupted natural gas to Serbia after a phone call between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic on May 29. Putin and Vucic also evoked Ukraine and developments around Kosovo, while the Kremlin insisted on strengthening the two countries' strategic partnership.

1:21 PM

Kramatorsk, nearby settlements cut off from electricity after Russia hits power lines.

Mayor of Kramatorsk Oleksandr Honcharenko reported that a high-voltage power line is damaged, while repair works are difficult amid ongoing heavy fighting.

12:48 PM

Russian forces shell Mykolaiv, casualties reported.

Mykolaiv Mayor Alexander Senkevych reported that the Russian troops fired at the city's residential area in the morning and there are victims.

12:12 PM

Luhansk Oblast Governor: Ukraine pushed Russian forces away from Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway.

Governor Serhiy Haidai reported that additional Ukrainian troops and humanitarian supplies can now be transported using the key highway connecting Ukraine-controlled territories with the Lysychansk-Sievierodonetsk agglomeration.

11:22 AM

UK Defense Ministry: Russia's attempt to bargain decrease in sanctions for halting global food crisis demonstrates their severity.

Moscow’s readiness to stop the blockade of Ukrainian ports as long as the international sanctions against the country are weakened “highlights the stress sanctions are placing on the (Russian) regime,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said.

10:49 AM

Russian military fire at northern Sumy Oblast, nearly 20 explosions reported.

Ukraine's Armed Forces reported that the Russians fired towards the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi near the Russian border and that there are no losses of personnel or equipment.

10:41 AM

Bloomberg: EU to remove pipeline oil embargo from new sanctions package.

The EU proposed banning seaborne oil from Russia while holding off imposing restrictions on import from the key pipeline Druzhba, Hungary's main source of crude imports, to satisfy Budapest's objections. The European Commission sent a revised proposal to national governments on May 28, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

10:18 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 30,150 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported on May 29 that Russia had also lost 1,338 tanks, 3,270 armored vehicles, 2,240 vehicles and fuel tanks, 631 artillery pieces, 203 multiple launch rocket systems, 93 air defense systems, 174 helicopters, 207 airplanes, 504 UAVs, and 13 boats.

9:47 AM

Welt: Germany has hardly delivered any weapons to Ukraine for past nine weeks despite promises.

The German newspaper reported, citing a source, that the federal government has not met the requests for lighter weapons either. Ukraine has only received two weapon shipments from Germany since March, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far refused to supply German battle tanks and armored personnel carriers, citing agreements with NATO allies.

8:30 AM

Institute for the Study of War: Capture of Sievierodonetsk will not bring significant benefit to Russia.

The U.S. think tank reported that, should Russia capture Sievierodonetsk, it would not give Russia any “significant military or economic benefit,” short of allowing it to say that it has fully secured Luhansk Oblast. Instead, the Battle of Sievierodonetsk will likely “preclude continued large-scale Russian offensive operations.”

8:21 AM

Ukraine’s military: Civilians denied admission to hospitals in Crimea to make room for Russian servicemen.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on May 29 that blood donations are also being collected at a growing rate in Russian-occupied Crimea.

8:00 AM

Reuters: Leader of Russian proxies in Kherson Oblast says decision to join Russia will happen ‘towards next year’.

Kirill Stremousov, the head of Russia’s proxies in Kherson Oblast, said that fighting in the region may impact the timing of the move towards joining Russia. In contrast to previous statements he has made, Stremousov said that the process may include a referendum, although the first step is to “restore order in the Kherson region."

4:57 AM

CNN: Ukrainian forces in ‘tough defensive position’ in Sievierodonetsk.

The head of the Sievierodonetsk civil military administration, Oleksandr Striuk, told CNN that the most intense fighting is concentrated in the outskirts of the city. Striuk said Sievierodonetsk is under constant fire, humanitarian headquarters are “practically immobilized” due to fighting, and electricity and mobile networks are cut off. According to him, it is still possible to bring aid to the city.

4:00 AM

Ukraine’s Armed Forces destroy 6 Russian military vehicles in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Operational Tactical Group “East” said on May 28 that Ukrainian forces killed up to 33 Russian troops. They also destroyed a tank and five heavy artillery tractors.

3:52 AM

Kalush Orchestra, a Ukrainian band and 2022 Eurovision winner, and Serhiy Prytula, a Ukrainian comedian, politician, and volunteer, have launched a contest to crowdfund for Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The contest is already taking place and there are three prizes up for grabs, including the Eurovision trophy.

2:44 AM

Advisor to Interior Minister: Ukraine destroys over 30% of Russia’s modern tanks.

Viktor Andrusiv said, in an interview on Channel 24, that Russian forces have had to reactivate Soviet T-62 tanks, which are already over 50 years old. “In six months, this figure will only increase,” Andrusiv stated.

2:21 AM

Russian shelling of Kharkiv Oblast injures 6 civilians on May 28.

Kharkiv’s regional military administration said three residents of Izium were injured in the districts of Balakliia and Savyntsi. Two people were wounded in Zolochiv and one in Korobochkyne.

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4:15 AM

Serbian police crack down on protestors at mass anti-government rally in Belgrade.

The 100,000-person rally marks the latest mass action in a protest movement that started last fall, with activists calling for an end to corruption and the 12-year rule of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

3:06 AM

McDonald's to open 10 new restaurants in Ukraine this year, NYT reports.

The 10 new locations will bring the total number close to 120 — more than were operating in Ukraine before the war.

1:29 AM

Pope Leo says Ukraine 'martyred' in Russia's 'senseless war.'

Pope Leo XIV welcomed Ukrainian Greek Catholic pilgrims to the Vatican on June 28 and offered his blessing to mothers of soldiers killed on the front lines.

10:59 PM

Former Kharkiv deputy mayor charged with embezzling funds allocated for defense fortifications.

A former deputy mayor for Kharkiv is facing multiple charges related to creating and leading a scheme that allegedly embezzled 5.4 million hryvnias ($130,000) of budget funds allocated for fortifications, law enforcement agencies announced on June 28.

8:02 PM

(Updated: June 28, 2025 9:46 pm)

Ukrainian drones strike missile, drone arsenal in Russia's Bryansk Oblast.

Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) struck on June 28 the 1060th Material-Technical Support Center in the city of Bryansk, Ukraine's General Staff said. The facilities store a Russian missile and drone arsenal, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a source in HUR.

9:28 PM

Ukraine's parliament working on bill to organize post-war elections, speaker says.

The reason for separate legislation on a post-war election, Stefanchuk said, was due to the fact that Ukraine's Constitution does not not provide clarity on the details of holding elections following the end of a martial law period.

6:59 PM

Slovak PM sees 'no reason' to meet with Zelensky, claims Ukrainian president 'hates' him, after reportedly blocking Russian sanctions.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on June 28 that he does not intend to meet directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming that the Ukrainian president "hates" him, as relations between the two countries continue to sour.

5:45 PM

Germany reportedly scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russian spy plane over Baltic Sea.

The incident adds to a series of aerial provocations reported by NATO allies since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 as Moscow is suspected of using the aircraft to spy on the alliance's positions.

11:06 AM

(Updated: June 28, 2025 4:28 pm)

Poland's Duda arrives in Kyiv to meet with Zelensky.

"Andrzej has been with Ukraine since the first days of the war, always side by side, a reliable ally and a true friend. This is undoubtedly the level of relations we want to preserve and strengthen with Poland," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

3:37 PM

Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims.

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

3:06 PM

Russia revives obsolete T-62 tanks amid equipment shortages, Ukraine's intel claims.

"The key factors limiting the ability to produce modern armored vehicles in Russia are a lack of industrial capacity and a shortage of imported high-tech components," Ukraine's military intelligence said.

2:29 PM

Ukraine downs new Russian Grom-1 bomb missile near Dnipro city, official says.

To date, neither Russian guided aerial bombs nor the Grom-1 bomb missile had previously reached the city of Dnipro.

12:53 PM

Pro-Ukraine partisans disrupt Russian military logistics in occupied Donetsk Oblast, group claims.

The Atesh partisan group set fire to a signal cabinet that helps control traffic on a railway line near the Russian-occupied city of Yasynuvata in Donetsk Oblast, a route used for Russia's military logistics, the group claimed on Telegram on June 28.

11:08 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 10, injure at least 50 over past day.

Ukrainian forces downed 21 out of the 23 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

7:58 AM

(Updated: June 28, 2025 9:54 am)

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia

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