Key developments on June 6: * Russia hits Ukraine with large-scale attack days after Operation Spiderweb * Ukraine strikes Russian air bases in 'preemptive strike' ahead of drone, missile attack, General Staff says * Ukrainian drone attack destroys helicopter at Russian airfield in Bryansk, media says * Russia plans to occupy Ukraine east of
Editor’s note: In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names and callsigns only. DONETSK OBLAST – From the moment the vehicles duck into pre-prepared positions in the leafy treeline to the first dead Russian soldiers, less than twenty
When asked whether Trump would impose additional sanctions on Russia, the president dodged the question by boasting that he "ended Nord Stream 2" and hinting at future energy deals with Germany in a press conference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The drone attack on Bryansk was part of a broader Ukrainian operation targeting multiple Russian airfields and military facilities overnight on June 6.
"It might be the explosions and gunfire in the dead of night, but I get the strange feeling the Russians don't want peace," Meaghan Mobbs, daughter of U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, wrote on X.
Ukrainian strikes reportedly targeted Engels and Dyagilevo airfields — two key hubs for Russia's long-range bomber fleet, as well as logistics sites in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Russia launched 407 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with 44 missiles of various types, Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said.
"Unfortunately, they are not speaking about peace. They are preparing for war," President Volodymyr Zelensky's Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa said.
The number includes 1,160 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
The European Union is set to reinstate tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural exports on June 6. This is the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that the EU will not renew an agreement suspending trade barriers between Ukraine and Europe. The end of tariff-free trade comes amid mounting opposition to Ukrainian
The attack killed three first responders in Kyiv and injured civilians across the country, including cities far from the front lines in western Ukraine.
President Donald Trump likened the war between Russia and Ukraine to a fight between two children in a park, suggesting it might be better to let them clash for a while before stepping in, given the depth of animosity between them.
Russian forces launched high-explosive bombs at the center of Ukraine's southern city of Kherson on June 5, hitting and partially destroying the Regional State Administration building and damaging several surrounding structures.
Key developments on June 5: * Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers, Ukrainian military says * 'Deadline is in my brain' — Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions * 'Not destroyed but damaged' — Russia claims it will repair bombers struck in Operation Spiderweb * Trump privately praises Ukraine's drone
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on June 5 that Russia's response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb is likely "not going to be pretty," following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day prior.
In addition to supply-chain challenges brought upon economic sanctions, Russia would also likely face challenges due to the complexities of Soviet-era technology present in the aircraft, if it were to attempt to restore the bombers.
"I said (to Putin) it's time to open our eyes and to put an end to the insanity of war, which destroys everything and builds nothing," Brazilian President Lula da Silva told reporters during a visit to France.
Once the playground of disgraced Ukrainian politicians, a golf club in Kyiv’s Soviet-era Obolon neighborhood is now set to become the new campus of the Kyiv School of Economics, which last month bought the site for $18 million as part of a $40 million investment — the largest private investment
Launched to promote Russian literature on the global stage during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the new Dar (“Gift”) literary prize is already mired in controversy — and not just for its troubling timing. After Ukrainian author Maria Galina declined the award for her wartime chronicle of Odesa, attention shifted
Janine di Giovanni, a veteran war reporter and author who has covered decades of conflicts in Rwanda, Syria, Iraq, and Bosnia, reflects on her work in Ukraine and other conflicts.
Ukraine's intelligence agencies as well as Ukrainian partisan movements have previously been involved in sabotage attacks on Russian railways, disrupting the transport of military cargo toward the front line.
The ramp-up marks a critical expansion of Moscow's drone warfare program, as both Ukraine and Russia increasingly rely on unmanned systems for reconnaissance and front-line attacks.
While Trump has remained silent in public about the attack, he reportedly expressed enthusiasm behind closed doors.
The strike reportedly destroyed one Iskander missile launcher and seriously damaged two others.
The SBU said this marks a notable escalation and shift in Russia’s recruitment strategy.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 103 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed that his country "unconditionally supports the stand of Russia and its foreign policies."
"We discussed very concrete steps how to make this fund operational during this year," Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said during a visit to Washington.
The number includes 930 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to Chernihiv Oblast Governor Viacheslav Chaus, at least six Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones were used in the assault.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters on June 4 that Ukraine struck as many as 20 Russian military aircraft during Operation Spiderweb, destroying around 10 of them. The claims stands in contrast with estimates made by Ukraine's security service (SBU) which claimed more than 40 aircraft were hit in the June 1 attack.
According to the Wall Street Journal, special fuzes used in ground-to-air rocket systems that protect against drone attacks will be redirected towards units in the Middle East, as the U.S. braces for conflict with Iran as well as Houthi militants in Yemen.
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