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Russia-Ukraine War

An explosion lights up the sky during a Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2, 2026.
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'They attack with everything at once' — How Russia exploits Ukraine's vulnerability to ballistic missiles

by Tania Myronyshena

On June 2, Russia carried out its largest ballistic and hypersonic missile attack of the year. On June 15, it nearly surpassed that record. The attacks point to a disturbing change in tactics: The Kremlin may be refining a new model of strikes on Ukrainian cities, relying on concentrated salvos of ballistic and hypersonic missiles to inflict maximum damage as Ukraine faces a growing shortage of Patriot interceptors. The two mass strikes in June followed a similar pattern. Russia launched more

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Children are the bellwethers of Ukraine's post-war recovery

Later this week, the Ukraine Recovery Conference, convening in Gdansk, Poland, is expected to host more than 5,000 attendees, including European heads of state, Ukrainian government leaders, ministerial representatives, non-governmental organizations, industry leaders, and subject matter experts. They will collectively commit to supporting the rebuilding and recovery of Ukraine after a brutal war initiated by Russia's indefensible invasion in February 2022. While the complexities of reconstruc

As war reaches home, Russia's carefully managed elections face a reality check

In Russia, where elections offer little real uncertainty, the Kremlin still stages the ritual of competition — a carefully managed exercise designed not to choose leaders but to reinforce President Vladimir Putin's claim to legitimacy. With the upcoming parliamentary elections set for Sept. 20, the first since the start of the all-out war against Ukraine, the Kremlin's political wing is tasked with a risky endeavour — mustering up high numbers for Putin's United Russia party in a country stuck

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the Russia-ASEAN Summit in Kazan, Russia, on June 18, 2026.

About War

The Kyiv Independent's coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, after eight years of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and fighting in Donbas. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of military and civilian casualties and displaced millions of Ukrainians. NATO and Western allies have provided military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues across fronts in Ukraine’s south and east.

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Ukraine war latest: Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault

Key developments on June 19: * Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault; * Moscow Oil Refinery halts operations after largest-ever drone attack on Russian capital, General Staff says; * US senators propose using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's military; * Australia announces $70 million in arms funding for Ukraine through PURL initiative; * Western allies pledge $4 billion in military aid for Ukraine at Ramstein summit. Moscow came under attack

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