Russia halts Kuril Islands treaty talks with Japan over sanctions

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.

9:52 AM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 5:54 pm)

Russian strike on downtown Sumy kills at least 4, injures 24, 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.

4:43 PM

Ballistic missile

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

2:14 PM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 4:18 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.

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.

7:14 PM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 1:53 pm)

Russian losses

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

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.

12:04 PM

US House Speaker Johnson backs Senate bill to toughen sanctions on Russia.

"There's many members of Congress that want us to sanction Russia as strongly as we can," U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said. "And I'm an advocate of that."

9:37 AM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 11:29 am)

Ukrainian delegation arrives in US to discuss defense support, Russia sanctions.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, is traveling to the U.S., a source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent on June 3.

10:17 AM

Russia lost 12 aircraft, Ukraine's military claims days after drone strike on Russian bombers.

The report came two days after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched a mass drone attack against Russian strategic aviation parked at four different air bases on June 1.

11:23 PM  (Updated:  June 3, 2025 10:11 am)

Russian propagandists split between downplaying devastating Ukrainian drone attacks and issuing threats

10:06 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 7, injure 42 over past day.

Ukrainian forces downed 60 out of the 112 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Fifteen drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.

9:11 AM

Ukrainian attack causes blackouts in Russian-occupied territories, Moscow's proxies claim.

Yevhen Balytskyi, the Kremlin-appointed head of the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, claimed that 457 settlements in the region were left without power, affecting more than 600,000 homes.

8:11 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 990,800 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,100 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:51 AM

UK government 'fully prepared' to sue Russian oligarch Abramovich over Chelsea FC sale.

The U.K. government is ready to sue sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich over the sale of the Chelsea Football Club, U.K. Treasury Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a joint statement.

6:14 AM

Russia stalling, staging 'diplomatic show' in peace talks with Ukraine, Umerov says.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on June 2 slammed Russia for only providing its memorandum of a peace proposal at talks earlier in the day, saying that "the Russians are once again stalling for time."

4:31 AM

'We face war in Europe' — UK announces major defense spending boost amid Russian threat.

Every part of society, every citizen of this country, has a role to play because we have to recognize that things have changed in the world of today... The front line, if you like, is here," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

2:44 AM

Russia admits to taking Ukrainian children during latest peace talks, Zelensky says.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that during the June 2 negotiations in Istanbul, Russian representatives dismissed Ukraine's efforts to raise the issue of abducted Ukrainian children as a "show for childless European old ladies."

1:48 AM

Norway to help Ukraine cover 1 billion euro gas shortfall, Zelensky says.

"We agreed that we will look for opportunities to close any deficit, which may arise if everything is not restored (Ukrainian gas production infrastructure affected by Russian attacks), if we cannot fully provide our population with gas," Zelensky said.

12:19 AM

Zelensky says he's ready to meet with Putin, Trump in Turkey.

"I told (Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan) that I support a meeting at the level of leaders, because I have the impression that there will be no ceasefire without our meeting," Zelensky said on June 2.