This weekly update from the Kyiv Independent aims to shed light on the situation facing Ukrainians living under Russian occupation and the ever-tightening control of information imposed by the Kremlin. Key news as of June 8: * Crimea faces food shortages amid Ukraine's intensified drone attacks * Bridge linking Crimea to southern Ukraine damaged in drone strike, Ukrainian military confirms * Ukraine's drones take aerial control over part of land route to Russian-occupied Crimea, military sa

Some names have been changed to protect the identities of those featured in the story As a war crimes researcher at the Reckoning Project, my job was to listen to Ukrainians who had fled the occupation. What they had to say reshaped how I understand life in Russian-occupied territories. Simplistic outside judgments about people living under occupation often feel deeply unfair to Ukrainians who escaped it. From a safe distance, it is easy to say, "Why didn't they stay and resist?" or "Why didn'

The decision represents the most high-profile conviction in a corruption case in Ukraine's independent history.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed the vote had taken place "amidst severe repression" and that democratic procedures were "grossly violated."

The heaviest fighting is taking place in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, the Oleksandrivka sector, which lies at the junction of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and the Huliaipole sector in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the commander-in-chief said.

The target was Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence and deputy head of Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, he confirmed later in the day.

"I don't know how we can even talk about negotiations," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

Russian forces launched 155 drones, 124 of which were intercepted, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

The drone entered the country after being diverted by Russian electronic warfare systems, Latvia's military said.

Ukraine's military reportedly launched another onslaught of middle strikes on Russian and Russian-occupied regions overnight on June 8, striking multiple oil depots and electrical substations, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

The number includes 1,330 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, and Ukraine issued a joint statement on June 7 setting out five conditions that must be met between Kyiv and Moscow to bring a resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones continued their medium-range on western Russia, as well as Russian-occupied territories on June 7, damaging and destroying several military targets, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) reported.

Zelensky said in a June 7 interview with Sky News that he asked Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to deliver a message to Putin: Ukraine will never surrender Donbas, and Zelensky is ready to meet with Putin.

The attack was carried out with Ukraine's homemade Fire Point drones and new long-range Behemoth UAV, causing significant damage to the bridge, the military said.

Editor's note: Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent so far? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com, and it may appear in our Letters section. Key developments on June 6-7: * 'Sky-high arrogance' — Russian drone strikes spent nuclear fuel depot in Chornobyl * Zelensky confirms another drone strike on St. Petersburg Oblast ahead of Putin's economic forum finale * Bridge linking Crimea to southern Ukraine damaged in drone strike, Russian occupation official says * Uk

The attack partially destroyed the repository's container reception building, though no spent nuclear fuel was being stored there at the time.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb also outlined a three-step approach for restarting diplomacy with Moscow.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 95 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, three years after Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam, causing major flooding in the area.

The June 5 meeting marks the start of a new phase of communication on prisoner and hostage issues after Russia appointed Lantratova as ombudswoman in May.

Moscow launched 236 drones overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force, which said 215 of them were shot down.

The number includes 1,350 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

"While (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's army is searching for a replacement, the railway junction and logistics in the region are operating with a limited reserve for recovery," the group said.

Ukrainian drones struck energy and transport infrastructure in the occupied Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts overnight June 6-7, independent Telegram news channel Exilenova Plus reported.

Power returned to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after a 15-hour outage, the IAEA said, ending one of the longest disruptions at the facility during the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a private meeting in Moscow with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a longtime associate of the Russian leader, the Kremlin said June 5.

From a gated hilltop mansion on the outskirts of Yerevan, Russian-Armenian billionaire-turned-opposition figure Samvel Karapetyan is carefully coordinating his path to power. An energy sector magnate who made his fortune in Russia, Karapetyan has been under house arrest since January. From behind his high iron gates, he and his pro-Russian Strong Armenia party have emerged as the most prominent force among Armenia's bloc of scattered opposition parties. In Sunday's election, that opposition is

Ukraine's 3rd Special Operations Forces Regiment said its drones are capable of targeting Russian equipment and logistics along the Melitopol — Chonhar route in Ukraine's south.

The Turkish Coast Guard didn't specify who may have been responsible for the attack.

Ukraine's military carried out large-scale strikes across multiple Russian regions overnight on June 6, reaching up to 1,000 kilometers deep into Russian territory and hitting several targets, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"Russian forces and occupation authorities made effective use of the response window — the period during which an emergency has not yet reached the peak of its destructive impact — significantly more difficult," said Roman Koval, head of research at Truth Hounds.