Shahed drones
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Thursday, June 4
'Enough of the war' — Zelensky throws down gauntlet to Putin in open letter
"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."
Full text of Zelensky's open letter to Putin
The letter lays out Putin's increasingly apparent vulnerabilities, Ukraine's growing strength, and the case for an immediate reopening of peace negotiations.
Ukraine war latest: Russians in panic after Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg
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
Ukraine strips 8 military units of right to conduct basic training after inspections, Syrskyi says
Eight Ukrainian military units lost the right to independently conduct basic training after inspections found shortcomings, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
Russia is flooding Ukraine with fake migrant stories — and it's working
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
Ukraine strikes Russian patrol ship in Sea of Azov, confirms damage to St. Petersburg oil terminal
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.
About Shahed drones
Shahed drones are Iranian-designed unmanned combat aerial vehicles and loitering munitions developed by Shahed Aviation Industries. Manufactured both in Iran and at Russian production facilities, the drones have become one of Russia’s primary weapons in its full-scale war against Ukraine. Russia first deployed Shahed drones against Ukraine in the fall of 2022, and their use has since escalated, with Moscow launching more than 54,500 Shahed-type UAVs against Ukrainian targets in 2025 alone.
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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.
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Why Ukraine is talking about ending 'hot phase' of Russia's war before winter
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Road to the kill zone: With Ukrainian troops on the lifeline from Kramatorsk to Kostiantynivka
