The letter lays out Putin's increasingly apparent vulnerabilities, Ukraine's growing strength, and the case for an immediate reopening of peace negotiations.

"Almost half of your 26 years of power in Russia you have spent in the war against Ukraine," Zelensky wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Whatever you say about NATO, geopolitics and the Russian language, this war is your personal choice — a war without a real reason. This is how history will remember it."

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 4: * 'What should we do?' Russians in panic after Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg * Ukraine strikes Russian patrol ship in Sea of Azov, confirms damage to St. Petersburg oil terminal * Why Ukraine is talking about ending 'hot phase' of Russia's war before winter * Ukraine strips 8 military units of ri

Eight Ukrainian military units lost the right to independently conduct basic training after inspections found shortcomings, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

Claims of an alleged migrant "influx" have become increasingly common in Ukraine in recent months, in what experts describe as a coordinated disinformation operation. The central theme in these claims is that foreign labor migrants are allegedly arriving in Ukraine to replace the country's population while Ukrainian men continue fighting at the front. The claims have spread quickly across social media and Telegram channels, and even appeared in mainstream reporting. Although Ukrainian media o

The vessel, measuring nearly 50 meters in length, was struck near the settlement of Iurkine in Russian-occupied Crimea, Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert "Magyar" Brovdi said on Telegram.

The detective was detained in July amid a conflict between the President's Office and the NABU, which says the authorities are trying to eliminate its independence.

"The business elite in St. Petersburg can now see firsthand how the Russian Defense Ministry is eroding their share of the so-called 'social contract,'" a Russian military blogger known by the nickname Reporter Filatov said.

Once billed as a rival to Davos, the forum now draws far-right influencers and conspiracy theorists.

"This is the first case in which, following a request for international legal assistance from the Ukrainian prosecution authorities, a foreign court has approved the seizure of a vessel allegedly involved in the illegal export of Ukrainian goods from the temporarily occupied territories," Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said.

Western media and analysts' work often "amplifies all sorts of Kremlin talking points, which does real damage," said Edward Lucas, founder of BISC, the first pan-Baltic think tank.

The IAEA said the incident is a matter of "serious concern" because the facility relies on a single remaining power line supplying electricity to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Kyiv hopes U.S.-mediated peace talks with Moscow could yield results before winter as Ukrainian officials grow concerned about shortages of anti-missile systems and signs Russia may be preparing a new mobilization. President Volodymyr Zelensky told lawmakers from his Servant of the People party in late May that Kyiv sees what he described as a realistic opportunity to end the war, according to two people familiar with the matter. Head of Zelensky's office, Kyrylo Budanov, later publicly echoed

The Air Force said Russia launched 293 drones, 264 of which were intercepted. At least 24 drones struck 11 locations, while falling debris was recorded at 12 sites.

All 27 EU member states have given the green light to open the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on June 4 after an agreement between Kyiv and Budapest cleared the key hurdle.

The number includes 1,300 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

A Russian drone struck infrastructure in the Boryspil region of Kyiv Oblast overnight on June 4, sparking a fire at the site and injuring one person, Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

"Hungary cannot play the decisive role here; that's a matter for the major powers. We can provide diplomatic and humanitarian aid, and Hungary could also be a venue for negotiations," Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said.

The U.S. House of Representatives advanced the Ukraine Support Act despite opposition from the Trump administration and Republican leadership, setting up a final vote on the measure on June 4.

Russian oil exports to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline have returned to normal after a months-long outage that fueled tensions between Ukraine and the Central European countries.

Greece has issued formal diplomatic protests to Ukraine after an explosives-laden naval drone was discovered in the country's waters last month, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on June 3.

The visit comes only a day after one of Russia's heaviest attacks killed over 20 people and injured over 100 across Ukraine.

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 3: * Another Russian warship in flames as drones strike Baltic Fleet base * Fire, smoke greet Putin's Economic Forum as Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg oil terminal * NATO chief arrives in Kyiv day after mass Russian strike * Russian weapons plant in flames after Ukrainian attack in Tambov Oblast Ukr

The attack coincided with the beginning of the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual conference of business leaders and government officials hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Unfortunately, as of today, even the legal groundwork for this contract has yet to be completed," Zelensky added. "I have set a final deadline: one week for all preparatory steps. I expect a report on Friday — either there is clarity on implementing our Patriot agreement, or there will be serious personnel decisions."

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on Europe to use the European Peace Facility to buy U.S. Patriot systems and missiles for Ukraine.

More than 2,300 companies carried out over Hr 198 billion ($4.5 billion) in foreign trade transactions and then largely vanished, State Tax Service head Lesya Karnaukh wrote on social media. The majority — 1,243 companies — were involved in exporting goods.

Moscow's policy toward Armenia in the run-up to the crucial parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 7 has shifted from mere irritation to practical pressure. Russia is no longer simply expressing dissatisfaction with Armenia's leadership's attempts to build closer ties with the West, but is actively trying to raise the cost of that turn for Armenian society. Russia has been clear that closer ties with the EU may bring political symbolism and Western diplomatic support, but remaining inside

Ukraine's state railway company needs to increase freight tariffs by at least 45%, the company's CEO said, as its finances deteriorate amid Russian strikes and pressure from lenders.

The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova speaks with Mykola Bielieskov, senior analyst at Come Back Alive and research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, about the latest developments on Ukraine’s battlefield.

Editor’s note: Ukrainian photojournalist Serhii Korovaynyi made two trips on foot toward the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast in spring 2026. Francis Farrell, who has also traveled to the area recently, helped put the article together from Kyiv. In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first name or call sign only. This April in Donbas, daffodils and tulips are blooming near courtyards destroyed by glide bombs

Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov said that "a targeted strike" by a Russian drone on a residential building in the Mykolaivska community took the life of a 64-year-old man and injured his 84-year-old mother.