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What we know about Starobilsk strike Russia turned into propaganda flashpoint

What we know about Starobilsk strike Russia turned into propaganda flashpoint

When a Ukrainian strike hit Russian-occupied Starobilsk on May 22, Moscow seized on the attack almost instantly, with Russian officials claiming that 21 students of a local vocational college were killed and dozens more injured and portraying the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians — which Ukraine denied. The incident soon became a centerpiece of Russian state messaging, used to accuse Ukraine of terrorism, rally public outrage, and justify subsequent strikes on Kyiv on May 24 and June 2
Putin repeats maximalist war claims as battlefield reality shifts
War

Putin repeats maximalist war claims as battlefield reality shifts

Against the backdrop of Ukrainian drone strikes on St. Petersburg that sent plumes of smoke over the city, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in a lengthy discussion at Russia's flagship economic forum. Both the setting and the battlefield situation have changed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, but Putin's vision of the war appears largely unchanged. His rhetoric remained the same: Russia is advancing. Its goals remain the same. Any negotiations must happen on Moscow's t
Ukraine war latest: Russia's oil output falls to one-year low amid Ukrainian strikes

Ukraine war latest: Russia's oil output falls to one-year low amid Ukrainian strikes

Key developments on June 11: * Ukraine aims to isolate Crimea from Russia, drone commander 'Madyar' says * Ukraine's drone advantage over Russia grows as nearly 180,000 military targets struck in May, Syrskyi says * Ukraine reportedly strikes military targets, hit several bridges in large-scale attack across Russian-occupied Crimea * Lockheed Martin unable to guarantee Patriot missile delivery timelines for US allies, top executive says Russia's crude oil production fell to its lowest leve
Explainer: Why is EU planning to ban visas only for Russian soldiers, and not for all Russians?
Europe

Explainer: Why is EU planning to ban visas only for Russian soldiers, and not for all Russians?

The European Commission announced on June 9 that a visa ban targeting current and former Russian soldiers should be part of the EU's next sanctions package, sparking a debate on social media about why the measure targets only military personnel. The Kyiv Independent explains why the proposal is limited to Russian combatants and whether more sweeping restrictions could follow. Nordic and Baltic countries proposed already in February and March that the EU should ban entry for ex-Russian soldiers
Russia's war on Ukraine: the new, the old, and the immutable
Opinion

Russia's war on Ukraine: the new, the old, and the immutable

At the Trump-Xi summit in May 2026 in Beijing, China's President allegedly told his American counterpart that Vladimir Putin "might end up regretting" his invasion of Ukraine. This revelation is both encouraging and disheartening. China's backing of Russia has been a major factor in sustaining the war, and a change of tune in Beijing, if it actually materializes, will have wide-ranging implications. The daunting part is that this is not the stated policy of Europe, where "might" should've been
Macron invites Zelensky to upcoming G7 summit

Macron invites Zelensky to upcoming G7 summit

Zelensky's participation "is very important for us because we need to rebuild consensus within the G7 in support of Ukraine on the various aspects of the war," French President Emmanuel Macron said on June 10.