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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61

393 replies

MagicFox · 28/04/2026 15:57

Welcome to thread 61 with many thanks to all So many thanks to all contributors and a special salute to those providing daily updates. For the 61st time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

**
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ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/06/2026 18:20

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russia is hiding the true scale of its child deportations, according to Dmytro Lubinets. The Ombudsman stated that 1.6 million Ukrainian children have lived under Russian occupation since 2014, with 742,000 forcibly relocated or deported to Russia between Feb and Dec 2022 alone.

🤦‍♂️ Putin’s key statements on the situation in the war against Ukraine:
▪️Plans to “reach an agreement” and “establish control over the entire Donbas” are not mutually exclusive;
▪️Russian troops are advancing along the entire front line, and there is no sector where they are not advancing;
▪️The Russian army has recently captured approximately 2,440 square kilometers of territory;
▪️Russia has fully occupied the Luhansk region and more than 85% of the Donetsk region;
▪️Russia controls about 80% of the Zaporizhzhia region;
▪️Russian forces are advancing every day;
▪️Russia has its own industrial, scientific, and personnel base to support the military, and it is growing stronger every month;
▪️Unlike Ukraine, Russia has patriotism and the will of the people, which Putin called the key condition for achieving all the goals of the so-called “special military operation.”

Ukraine has asked Germany to provide dozens of additional Patriot interceptor missiles from its stockpiles this year to strengthen the country's air defenses against Russian attacks, Bloomberg reports.
According to the agency's sources, the German government is reviewing the request and has not yet made a decision. An announcement could be made shortly before or during the NATO summit in July.

❗️A local ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has taken effect near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, allowing repairs to a critical power line needed to reduce the risk of a nuclear incident, the agency said.
Under the supervision of IAEA experts, technicians from both sides are expected to begin repairs to the war-damaged 750-kilovolt Dniprovska power line in the coming days, following extensive demining of the area.

⛽️Fuel sales restrictions introduced in at least 15 Russian regions, as well as in temporarily occupied Crimea and Luhansk region
Fuel sales restrictions have been introduced in at least 15 regions of Russia, as well as in temporarily occupied Crimea and the occupied Luhansk region, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe. [...]
Residents in several Russian regions, including Ryazan, Kursk, Belgorod, Pskov, Murmansk, and the Republic of Karelia, have reported fuel shortages and restrictions on sales in canisters. In Kamchatka Krai, monthly fuel quotas have been introduced.

❗️Poland extends flight restrictions near the borders with Ukraine and Belarus for another three months
A new restricted airspace zone, EP R131, will be in effect in eastern Poland from June 10 to September 9, according to the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency.
The zone replaces the previous EP R130 and covers an area extending 20–50 kilometers from the border. The restrictions apply from ground level up to an altitude of approximately 3 kilometers.
Night flights are prohibited, except for military and specially authorized operations. During the day, flights are permitted only for military aircraft, emergency services, and certain civilian operators.

❗️A Swedish court has ordered the arrest of the vessel CAFFA, marking the first time a foreign court has granted a request from Ukrainian prosecutors to seize a ship suspected of transporting grain stolen by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territories, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said.
According to the investigation, the vessel regularly called at ports in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and operated under false registration. In international databases, CAFFA is listed as “GUINEA FALSE.”

❗️Pyongyang claims North Korea has doubled its nuclear weapons production capacity
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has more than doubled its production of nuclear weapons materials over the past five years.
North Korean state media released photos showing Kim visiting what it described as a newly opened nuclear materials production facility.
The location of the plant was not disclosed. However, analysts believe it may be a new facility within the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center, North Korea's main nuclear complex.

🇺🇦 Defence Forces receive Adis satellite-controlled bomber drone
Ukrainian defense forces have received the Adis heavy quadcopter, a satellite-controlled bomber drone developed by Martyn Tech at the request of the military.
According to the manufacturer, the drone’s key advantage is its ability to operate at a safe distance without being limited by the radio horizon.
The Adis has a combat radius of 20 kilometers while carrying a 10-kilogram payload. During testing, it transported a 12-kilogram payload over 20 kilometers and flew 50 kilometers carrying 3 kilograms.

❗️Russia could be ready to attack the Baltic states by 2028, Latvia warns — FT
Commander of the National Armed Forces of Latvia, Major General Kaspars Pudāns, said Russia has gained an advantage in drone warfare thanks to its ability to rapidly scale production and replenish stocks.
“Their advantage lies in the scalability of drones. They are able to replenish their stocks quickly and deploy them in large numbers,” Pudāns said.
According to the Latvian commander, Russia could seek to exploit the slow pace of military rearmament in Europe, as many modernization programs are not expected to be completed before 2029.

❗️Real-time satellite intelligence is making Ukrainian drone strikes more effective than ever — The Wall Street Journal
For the past six months, satellite imagery from Colorado-based company Vantor has been transmitted directly to the phones and tablets of Ukrainian soldiers, significantly improving the speed and accuracy of strikes.
The technology was developed through a partnership between US companies Vantor and Persistent Systems, Dutch geospatial intelligence firm Bravo1Alpha, and Ukrainian defense company Bureviy.
According to the companies involved, rapid access to geospatial intelligence has reduced the time between detecting and striking Russian targets by up to 90%. The system also provides software that allows users to identify and analyze targets in detail.
The Wall Street Journal notes that this is the first known case of unclassified commercial satellite imagery being delivered directly to soldiers for real-time combat decisions.
During a spring operation known as Starfall II, a Ukrainian unit reportedly destroyed Russian targets worth billions of dollars over two and a half weeks. Among them was an ammunition depot in occupied territory that was identified through satellite analysis.
By comparing recent images with photographs taken before the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian troops detected changes indicating the site was no longer being used for agriculture. Fresh tire tracks consistent with military vehicles unloading ammunition further supported the assessment.
The system can now accomplish in hours what previously took weeks because of delays in intelligence sharing and limitations of drone reconnaissance during poor weather.
“The shortening of the cycle from data collection to weapons use is a defining trend in this war at the tactical level,” said military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady, founder of Gady Consulting.
According to the report, Vantor’s imagery reaches soldiers’ phones, tablets, or laptops within 15 minutes of collection, bypassing centralized review processes that can delay intelligence by hours or even days.
Artificial intelligence compares new and historical satellite images, detects changes, monitors large areas, and creates 3D visualizations that can be used to plan drone flight paths.
According to Will Cox, Vantor’s transformation director and a former US Navy SEAL, the company’s ten satellites cover about 7 million square kilometers of the Earth’s surface every day and can image the same location 12 to 15 times daily.
However, satellites still have limitations. They are less effective during heavy cloud cover, cannot continuously track moving targets, and rapid access to data without extensive verification can increase the risk of errors if the intelligence proves inaccurate.

❗️Putin claims Russia has "unique experience" in air defense amid record attacks on oil infrastructure — The Moscow Times
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia has accumulated air defense experience "unmatched anywhere else in the world."
According to Putin, Russia is prepared to share this expertise with partner countries, including China and India.

❗️Ukrainian athletes fined €250 at a competition in Budapest for refusing to stand on the podium during the Russian anthem

😡🖼Artists at the Venice Biennale accuse organizers of ignoring boycott demands and prepare legal action
Artists participating in the Venice Biennale have accused the organizers of ignoring their demands after their names remained on the ballot for the Lions of the Audience Award despite their official withdrawal from the competition.
An open letter was signed by 67 curators and 39 artists representing national pavilions, including those of Ukraine, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/06/2026 18:32

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Zelensky’s open letter to Putin was aimed not only at the Kremlin leader, but also at Ukrainians, US President Trump and European allies.
According to Kuleba, the letter’s central message was Ukraine’s confidence in victory and its willingness to negotiate from a position of strength.

The Pentagon is expected to cancel plans to deploy Tomahawk missiles in Germany, citing fears of escalating tensions with Russia and strained US stockpiles.
The move would reverse a Biden-era deal and deepen concerns in Berlin over Europe’s weakened long-range strike capabilities amid growing Russian military pressure.

Germany failed to win one of two available seats for Western European countries on the UN Security Council, losing to Austria and Portugal.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul suggested Russia had worked against Germany’s candidacy and said Berlin’s support for Ukraine and Israel may have influenced the outcome.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the Trump administration has walked back proposals allegedly made during the August 2025 Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
The meeting’s details were never made public, but Moscow says Washington is retreating from its earlier positions on Ukraine.

“Russia will pursue the ‘denazification’ of Ukraine,” Putin said.
He added that military operations will continue until “all stated objectives are achieved.”

“I see no point in meeting. What we need are agreements with a long-term historical perspective,” — Putin on a personal meeting with Zelensky.
Key statements from his response to the Ukrainian president’s letter:
▪️ Putin said he sees no point in a personal meeting with Zelensky.
▪️ Russia is not interested in agreements similar to the Minsk Accords.
▪️ Putin said he had reviewed Zelensky’s open letter after it was shown to him by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
▪️ Responding to comments about his age, Putin said many politicians older than him continue to serve in office.
▪️ He argued that leaders should seek legitimacy through elections and act within constitutional rules.
▪️ Putin said guarantors of any future Russia-Ukraine agreement should be sought in Europe.

Ukrainian Navy confirms drone that exploded near Romania was Ukrainian.
The maritime drone lost control after being disrupted by Russian electronic warfare systems while operating in the Black Sea.
The unmanned vessel subsequently drifted toward the Romanian coast and exploded.

Moscow has hinted at a potential deal with the US to build a tunnel beneath the Bering Strait linking the two countries.
The proposal, raised by Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, has sparked doubts over its cost and practicality.

Russia's state-backed “super app” has suddenly disappeared from Apple’s App Store for reasons that remain unclear.
Apple has not commented on the removal, while Russian media report that users have already stopped receiving push notifications from the platform.

Russia can launch up to 100 ballistic missiles at Ukraine every month without significantly reducing its stockpiles, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.
Kyiv says Moscow’s ongoing missile production allows it to sustain large-scale attacks, underscoring the urgent need for additional air defense systems as ballistic missiles remain among the most dangerous threats facing Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Drone Forces say they have eliminated more than 100,000 Russian troops and struck 350,000 military targets in just one year.
According to Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi, the losses are nearly three times the number of troops Russia deployed in its failed attempt to capture Kyiv in 2022.

Russia deliberately targeted an ambulance on the grounds of a hospital in Kherson with an FPV drone in broad daylight.
Two paramedics were injured in the strike. Ukrainian officials say the attack was a deliberate attempt to target emergency workers and disrupt access to lifesaving medical care.

Russia’s State-Sanctioned Max Messenger Removed From Apple’s App Store

The Kremlin-controlled messenger has been part of Russia’s wider move to push to control the informational space.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/77500

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/06/2026 18:37

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇺🇸🇺🇦US Secretary of State Rubio has announced $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
He added that this amount was approved by the US Congress.
At the same time, the US House of Representatives voted to continue consideration of a petition on military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, said Republican Congressman Don Bacon.

Europe has allocated nearly €1.6 billion to Ukraine for drones over four months, according to a study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
The largest contributors in 2026 were Germany and Norway, each providing about €500 million for unmanned aerial vehicles. The Netherlands delivered approximately €250 million.
Additionally, Britain announced the transfer of at least 120,000 drones — the largest single batch since the start of the full-scale war.

In 2022, the amount of financial aid for drones stood at €400 million, rising to €1 billion in 2024 and €1.2 billion in 2025.

This is what the Russian port in Kronstadt looks like, where the corvette "Boikiy" burned after an attack by Ukrainian drones. Satellite images from there are published by "Schemes."
On June 3, Ukrainian drones struck the Kronstadt base in Russia — they hit the Russian Navy corvette "Boikiy" (Project 20380) equipped with guided missile weapons.

On May 26, during the first meeting between Zelensky and Poroshenko in many years, the politicians spoke in raised voices and exchanged accusations.
According to Ukrainska Pravda's sources, after the meeting, Poroshenko was left with "a strange feeling of emptiness."
It is reported that the head of the presidential faction in the Rada, Arakhamia, and the head of the Presidential Office, Budanov, had communicated with Poroshenko beforehand, trying to set a certain framework for the upcoming conversation.
However, according to sources, Poroshenko arrived at the Presidential Office with printouts of various photo memes and other materials from social media and began complaining that Zelensky and his circle were systematically discrediting him.

Since March, 10 boys and girls have been returned from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
These are young people aged 18 to 19.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/06/2026 18:38

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇺🇸🇺🇦US Secretary of State Rubio has announced $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
He added that this amount was approved by the US Congress.
At the same time, the US House of Representatives voted to continue consideration of a petition on military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, said Republican Congressman Don Bacon.

Europe has allocated nearly €1.6 billion to Ukraine for drones over four months, according to a study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
The largest contributors in 2026 were Germany and Norway, each providing about €500 million for unmanned aerial vehicles. The Netherlands delivered approximately €250 million.
Additionally, Britain announced the transfer of at least 120,000 drones — the largest single batch since the start of the full-scale war.

In 2022, the amount of financial aid for drones stood at €400 million, rising to €1 billion in 2024 and €1.2 billion in 2025.

This is what the Russian port in Kronstadt looks like, where the corvette "Boikiy" burned after an attack by Ukrainian drones. Satellite images from there are published by "Schemes."
On June 3, Ukrainian drones struck the Kronstadt base in Russia — they hit the Russian Navy corvette "Boikiy" (Project 20380) equipped with guided missile weapons.

Families of the victims of Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant have filed a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee.
The application, submitted on behalf of the families on June 6 — exactly three years after the dam's destruction — was prepared by human rights organizations Legal Action Worldwide and Truth Hounds. They argue that Russia violated the right to life not only of the nine named victims but of all those who died as a result of the destruction of the hydroelectric plant, and that Russia must be held accountable for this.
According to Ukrainian and Russian authorities, at least 92 people died as a result of the destruction of the dam in 2023. However, the exact number of victims still cannot be determined due to Russia's occupation of part of the affected territories.
In addition to the loss of human life, the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP caused the flooding of dozens of settlements, massive environmental damage, and created risks for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Human rights defenders also documented that the Russians shelled evacuation areas, confiscated boats, and blocked volunteers' access to flooded settlements. Such actions by the occupiers may qualify as serious violations of international humanitarian law.

On May 26, during the first meeting between Zelensky and Poroshenko in many years, the politicians spoke in raised voices and exchanged accusations.
According to Ukrainska Pravda's sources, after the meeting, Poroshenko was left with "a strange feeling of emptiness."
It is reported that the head of the presidential faction in the Rada, Arakhamia, and the head of the Presidential Office, Budanov, had communicated with Poroshenko beforehand, trying to set a certain framework for the upcoming conversation.
However, according to sources, Poroshenko arrived at the Presidential Office with printouts of various photo memes and other materials from social media and began complaining that Zelensky and his circle were systematically discrediting him.

In the Kyiv region, there are already 4 dead and 7 injured as a result of the morning Russian attack. The baby food plant "Yagotynske for Children" was hit.
Also this morning, Russian drones struck an enterprise and a parking lot in Chernihiv — 6 people were wounded. In Kherson, the Russians hit a vehicle of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society — one employee of the organization was injured.
In the Kharkiv region, two people are reported injured as a result of Russian strikes this morning.

Since March, 10 boys and girls have been returned from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
These are young people aged 18 to 19.

blueshoes · 05/06/2026 20:17

Russia's state-backed “super app” has suddenly disappeared from Apple’s App Store for reasons that remain unclear.
Apple has not commented on the removal, while Russian media report that users have already stopped receiving push notifications from the platform.

😁

blueshoes · 06/06/2026 03:33

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-5-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer to negotiate an end to the war and reiterated the Kremlin’s commitment to fulfilling its war goals. Putin also reiterated his belief that Russian forces’ military victory is inevitable, despite available data indicating otherwise.
  2. Putin’s claims about the battlefield are incompatible with available evidence and suggest that the Russian military command is not providing Putin accurate intelligence about the reality of Russian battlefield performance. Russian advances have largely stagnated while Ukrainian forces have achieved some tactical successes in 2026.
  3. Russian officials, including Putin, are again leaning on the lack of clear information about the August 2025 Alaska Summit to falsely portray Russia as willing to negotiate with Ukraine.
  4. Putin also used his SPIEF remarks to posture economic strength, ignoring Russia’s economic realities from over four years of war.
  5. Ukrainian forces are expanding their battlefield air interdiction (BAI) campaign to strike Russian naval vessels and railway infrastructure in occupied southern Ukraine and in the Sea of Azov.
  6. Romanian and Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian electronic warfare (EW) systems caused a Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to enter Romanian territorial waters at the Port of Constanta on June 5.
  7. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Pokrovsk direction. Russian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area.
  8. Ukrainian forces continue strikes against Russian military assets in border regions. Russian forces launched two cruise missiles and 216 drones toward Ukraine overnight.
DrBlackbird · 06/06/2026 06:42

🇺🇸🇺🇦US Secretary of State Rubio has announced $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
He added that this amount was approved by the US Congress.
At the same time, the US House of Representatives voted to continue consideration of a petition on military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, said Republican Congressman Don Bacon.

Is this ⬆️ signalling a change in attitude towards Ukraine by the White House?

MissConductUS · 06/06/2026 11:04

DrBlackbird · 06/06/2026 06:42

🇺🇸🇺🇦US Secretary of State Rubio has announced $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
He added that this amount was approved by the US Congress.
At the same time, the US House of Representatives voted to continue consideration of a petition on military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, said Republican Congressman Don Bacon.

Is this ⬆️ signalling a change in attitude towards Ukraine by the White House?

This has been in the works for months and has been delayed, likely because the administration is dragging its heels.

Rubio sparks questions with comment on Pentagon funding for Ukraine - Congress passed the aid package, but the weapons and cash are still missing in Ukraine

I would say that the fact that both Rubio and Hegseth say it has now been released represents a shift in policy. I suspect it has to do with the recent vote in the House, with some Republican support, for a much larger military aid package for Ukraine. I commented on that vote upthread.

I doubt that this represents a change of heart by Trump. He's probably just decided that it's not worth using his dwindling supply of political capital to push back on.

Rubio sparks questions with comment on Pentagon funding for Ukraine

Read more

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/rubio-sparks-questions-with-comment-on-pentagon-1780549742.html#:~:text=The%20funds%20in%20question%20are,held%20up%20at%20the%20Pentagon.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 06/06/2026 12:40

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Putin 'simply does not want to end the war,' Zelensky says after Russian leader dismisses open letter.

⚡️UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting in response to Russia's ballistic missile terror.
"The latest wave of Russian strikes is yet another reminder that Moscow continues to choose escalation over peace, and terror over diplomacy," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

⚡️Oil depot, port set ablaze as Ukraine reportedly launches hundreds of drones towards Russia.
Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar Krai as well as port infrastructure in occupied Mariupol overnight on June 6 amid a wider Ukrainian attack on Russian and Russian-occupied regions, Telegram media channels reported.

⚡️ Update: Zelensky confirms another drone strike on St. Petersburg Oblast ahead of Putin’s economic forum finale.

⚡️Update: Ukraine launches large-scale drone attacks on Russia, naval plant near St. Petersburg reportedly hit ahead of Economic Forum finale.
Ukraine's military reportedly carried out a large-scale attack on various Russian regions overnight on June 6, striking multiple targets including the historic port city of Kronstadt near St. Petersburg.

⚡️Swedish court rules seized ship linked to stolen Ukrainian grain may be handed over to Kyiv.
A Swedish court has ruled that the cargo vessel Caffa, seized after allegedly transporting grain stolen from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, can be handed over to Ukraine, Reuters reported on June 5.

Ukraine apologizes to Greece over naval drone incident, says it shows Russia’s war threat to Europe.
“The Ukrainian side is convinced that this incident, much like similar occurrences in other regions, demonstrates that Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine poses a threat not only to our country but also to neighboring friendly states, Europe, and the world at large,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.

⚡️Macron plans to meet Zelensky in E3 format to structure future peace talks.
"We are here both to organize support within the framework of the coalition of the willing and to put that support in place," Macron said.

⚡️'Let them deal,' Trump says of Ukraine-Russia talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 5 signaled support for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the full-scale war, saying he believes it is close to being settled.

⚡️Ukraine's Supreme Court sides with Kyiv Independent in libel case.
Ukraine's Supreme Court has rejected a libel lawsuit filed by the late Andriy Portnov, a former top official who served pro-Kremlin ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, against the Kyiv Independent, according to a ruling obtained by the Kyiv Independent on June 5.

The land cannot wait’: Documentary examines toll of Kakhovka Dam destruction on Ukraine’s farmland
A new documentary, Kakhovka. High Water. How the Destruction of the Hydroelectric Power Plant Changed Ukraine, examines the long-term consequences of the June 6, 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, which Ukrainian officials have called Europe’s worst environmental disaster since Chornobyl.
The Tellers Agency is releasing the documentary for free online to mark the third anniversary of the tragedy, when, according to Ukrainian authorities, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Dam in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast. Through firsthand accounts and expert analysis, it examines the long-term damage to Ukraine’s southern farmland.

⚡️ Russian attacks kill 15, injure over 70 in Ukraine over past day.
Ukrainian forces downed 249 out of the 272 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦

⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUN 6, 2026
■ Engagements and casualties close to the 7-day average; no confirmed territorial changes
■ High artillery and MLRS losses; double-digit APV losses
■ Two-week officer KIA batch: +86, including nine senior officers
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: no missiles; good drone interception rate
■ 🇷🇺 air strikes and drone launches above average; 15 🇺🇦 strikes reported; 300 drones launched into 🇷🇺 yesterday (+410 last night)

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 06/06/2026 12:47

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

🇳🇴 NATO considers up to €70 billion in new military aid for Ukraine — POLITICO
NATO is considering providing Ukraine with up to €70 billion in additional military assistance, POLITICO reports, citing diplomatic sources.
According to four diplomats, the initiative could be announced at next month’s NATO summit in Ankara.
The proposal, put forward by Germany last month, includes a new mechanism designed to improve transparency in funding for Ukraine. The initiative comes amid concerns from some allies that they are bearing a disproportionate share of the burden of supporting Kyiv.
[...]
According to diplomats cited by POLITICO, the proposed €70 billion package would not consist entirely of new funding. Around €30 billion would come from the European Union’s previously approved €90 billion loan program for Ukraine, while the remaining €40 billion would be provided through bilateral commitments from individual countries.

However, some allies are concerned that access to EU funding could reduce incentives for additional bilateral support.

The Ukrainian Navy promptly informed the Romanian authorities about a naval drone that had lost control due to Russian electronic warfare interference. Since then, the relevant agencies of both countries have remained in close contact and taken the situation under control, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said, commenting on the explosion in Constanța, Romania.

❗️Ukraine launches pilot project to help young people from temporarily occupied territories return home — Svyrydenko

The Ukrainian government is launching a one-year pilot project aimed at facilitating the return of young people born in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT), Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced.
Under the initiative, Ukrainian citizens born in the occupied territories after August 24, 1991, will be able to obtain a special identity document for returning to Ukraine, even if information about them is missing from state registries.
The document will be issued free of charge through designated Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Türkiye, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and other countries.
Identity verification will be conducted using state registries. If that is insufficient, confirmation from close relatives may be accepted, including via video call.
For children under the age of 16, applications may be submitted by parents or legal guardians.
“This decision applies to people who, because of the occupation, found themselves without valid Ukrainian documents and effectively lost the opportunity to legally return to Ukraine.
In practice, this means that more of our citizens will be able to leave the occupied territories or Russia and return to territory controlled by Ukraine.
Every citizen should know that the state is working to ensure the path home remains open,” Svyrydenko said.

Heavy Vampire bomber drones operated by the Forpost Brigade of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine are destroying enemy shelters and troop concentrations, making it more difficult for Russian forces to hold positions and build up reserves.

🇺🇦 Ukrainian long jumper Iryna Budzynska wins her second Continental Tour gold medal

❤️‍🩹 89-year-old Ukrainian history teacher miraculously survives Russian missile strike on her home
Alla Umanska survived a Russian missile strike that destroyed her home in Lukianivka on May 24. Rescuers pulled her from the rubble shortly before the same building was struck again.
The attack destroyed all of her belongings, family memories, and the poems she had written over the years. Of all her possessions, only her keys survived.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 06/06/2026 12:49

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

A large-scale Ukrainian drone campaign targeted multiple strategic military and energy facilities across Russia and occupied territories on Saturday.
The multi-region operation reached as far as the Baltic coast, where an 88-drone barrage struck the St. Petersburg and Leningrad regions, hitting the Kronstadt Marine Plant and a naval ammunition depot in Lebyazhye.

Multi-Region Barrage: Ukrainian Drones Target Russian Naval Infrastructure and Energy Hubs

Russian officials reported a large-scale drone attack on Saturday morning, which hit the Kronstadt naval hub near St. Petersburg and triggered fires at major domestic fuel depots and refineries.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/77633

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 06/06/2026 12:52

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Trump said that Zelensky and Putin now "have to figure it out themselves" regarding the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

In the Zhytomyr region, a 17-year-old girl is suspected of murdering a serviceman on orders from Russian special services.
According to the investigation, the resident of Berdychiv acted on instructions from a suspected representative of Russian special services, with whom she communicated via a Telegram channel. At the end of May, she received a package containing a crystalline substance — preliminarily identified as methadone.
She then mixed the drug into the alcohol of a 27-year-old Armed Forces of Ukraine serviceman while at his rented apartment — and left after he lost consciousness. The apartment owner found the man dead yesterday and notified the police.
The girl was later detained by law enforcement. The case is being investigated as premeditated murder.

In Russia, an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk in Kuban was hit overnight — a large-scale fire broke out.
There are also reports online of another attack on the seaport of Kronstadt in St. Petersburg, where military and civilian vessels are repaired.
Additionally, videos have emerged of a fire in occupied Mariupol. Preliminary reports indicate that the seaport there was hit.
Meanwhile, the Russians report shooting down 376 drones over 15 regions of Russia, as well as over Crimea, the Sea of Azov, and the Black Sea.

In the Russian city of Tyumen, one of the largest private oil refineries — the Antipinsky refinery — caught fire.
Local authorities claim the fire broke out at one of the treatment system units due to a "violation of the technological process."
The refinery produces gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products for the Russian domestic market. Its designed capacity exceeds 9 million tons of oil per year.

The Kremlin stated that Putin met with former German Chancellor Schröder face-to-face.

15-year-old Anastasia Hnatyshyn from Lviv has become the European champion in chess.
Before the start of the tournament, she was ranked 74th out of 150, but she scored 9 points out of a possible 11 and became the fourth continental champion in the history of Ukrainian women's chess.

The Russians attacked Ukraine overnight with 272 drones. Air defense neutralized 249 of them.
Another 19 strike UAVs hit 11 locations, and debris fell at 13 sites.
Among the regions hit overnight was Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — in the Kryvyi Rih district, one person was killed and three others were injured. The Russians also struck Odesa Oblast — homes, a medical center, and a hotel were damaged. There were no fatalities.
In the morning, Russian forces attacked Zaporizhzhia — a parking lot near an apartment building caught fire, and critical and industrial infrastructure facilities were damaged. Two people were killed and five more were wounded.
In Kherson, a 66-year-old woman was injured in a Russian drone attack this morning.

DrBlackbird · 06/06/2026 22:58

Okay thanks @MissConductUS generally sounds like Trump is fed up of that conflict but given that Putin was ignoring anything coming from the US, the absence of a ‘diplomatic’ approach is not likely to make any difference. If more weapons will be released to Ukraine, that’d be a positive step.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:07

Putin seems to have thought that he could get the US entirely on side. Whatever happened in Alaska, the Kremlin is now claiming that the US is rowing back on promises.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:12

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Power returns to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after prolonged outage, IAEA says.
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 drone strikes spent nuclear fuel storage facility in Chornobyl, causes fire, Energoatom says.
The attack partially destroyed the facility's container reception building, though no spent nuclear fuel was being stored there at the time.

⚡️Update: Radiation levels within limits after Chornobyl drone strike, Zelensky says

⚡️ Ukraine's drones take aerial control over part of land route to Russian-occupied Crimea, military says.
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.

⚡️Ukraine, Russia agree to 'start from scratch' on POW lists after ombudsmen meet in Belarus.
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.

⚡️Putin meets former German Chancellor Schroeder, Kremlin says.
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.

⚡️Railway infrastructure reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones in occupied Luhansk, Donetsk oblasts.

⚡️Pro-Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway infrastructure in Russian city of Voronezh, Atesh group claims.

⚡️Crimea oil depot reportedly struck in Ukrainian attack.
An oil depot was struck in an aerial attack on the town of Yedi Quyu in Russian-occupied Crimea early on June 7, social media channels reported.

⚡️ Turkish-flagged fishing vessel attacked near occupied Crimea, coast guard says, 1 dead, 4 injured.
The Turkish Coast Guard didn't specify who may have been responsible for the attack.

⚡️At least 7 killed, 61 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine as Moscow 'hunts' taxi driver with FPV drone.
The highest number of casualties was reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where Russian attacks killed one person and injured 25 others, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUN 7, 2026
■ Fewer engagements, but casualties close to the 7-day average; no confirmed territorial changes
■ Equipment losses above average; 25 MLRS destroyed in the last seven days
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: no missiles; decent drone interception rate
■ 🇷🇺 air strikes and drone launches remain above average; 13 🇺🇦 strikes reported; 620 drones launched into 🇷🇺 yesterday across multiple waves

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:19

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

🇪🇺 The European Commission promises stricter visa rules for Russians from next year — DW
The European Commission plans to propose tougher visa restrictions for Russian citizens next year, following criticism from 11 European countries over the continued issuance of large numbers of tourist visas by some EU member states, DW reports.
The criticism was directed primarily at France, Italy, and Spain, which continue to receive hundreds of thousands of Russian tourists each year.

For years, the Kremlin has promoted an image of Vladimir Putin as unusually vigorous. As his health begins to deteriorate, the Kremlin is investing an estimated $26 billion in longevity and anti-aging research backed by Putin's inner circle.
The Wall Street Journal summarized Putin’s desperate search in an article.

😡🚴‍♂️ The International Cycling Union lifts sanctions against Belarusian athletes imposed in 2022

[yesterday]
❗️The General Staff confirms successful strikes on the Kronstadt base, an arsenal, oil infrastructure in the Leningrad region, and other Russian military facilities
On June 5 and during the night of June 6, units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck a number of important military and logistics facilities used by Russian occupation forces.
▫️ The Kronstadt naval base near St. Petersburg was hit in the Leningrad region. Explosions were recorded at the facility, and the extent of the damage is being assessed.
▫️ Kronstadt serves as the main hub for the basing, repair, and supply of Baltic Fleet vessels in the eastern Baltic Sea and protects the maritime approaches to St. Petersburg.
▫️ The Peterhof oil depot in Lomonosov, Leningrad region, was also hit. A strike, explosion, and fire were recorded at the site.
▫️ The Neste oil terminal in Lomonosov was struck as well. A fire broke out in the terminal area, and the extent of the damage is being clarified.
The terminal is a key facility for the distribution of petroleum products, including gasoline and diesel fuel, in northwestern Russia. Its one-time storage capacity reaches 40,000 cubic meters of light petroleum products.
▫️ Ukrainian forces struck the arsenal of the missile weapons, ammunition, and military equipment storage complex of the 1060th Logistics Center in Bolshaya Izhora, Leningrad region. Explosions, secondary detonations, and a fire were reported at the facility.
▫️ The Ust-Labinsk oil depot in Krasnodar Krai was also hit. A fire was recorded at the site, and the extent of the damage is being assessed.
The Ust-Labinsk oil depot is an important logistics hub for storing and distributing fuel and lubricants. Through the railway infrastructure of Krasnodar Krai, it plays a direct role in supplying fuel to Russian military groupings operating in the southern and eastern directions.
▫️ Ukrainian troops also struck an enemy command and observation post near Malynovka in Russia’s Belgorod region and a logistics warehouse near Karaichne in the Luhansk region.
▫️ Enemy drone control points were hit near Voskresenka and Odradne in the Donetsk region, as well as Novofedorivka and Zaliznychne in the Zaporizhzhia region.
▫️ Strikes were also carried out against concentrations of Russian personnel near Pokrovsk and Rodynske in the Donetsk region, Petropavlivka in the Kharkiv region, and Tyotkino and Anatoliivka in Russia’s Kursk region.

❗️Putin’s inner circle continues to enjoy luxury travel despite sanctions — The Wall Street Journal [...]
According to the publication, wealthy Russians close to Putin still travel aboard Western-made private jets. While sanctions have forced the Russian elite to adjust their lifestyles, they have done little to limit their ability to travel.
Instead of destinations such as London, the French Riviera, and the Swiss Alps, many have shifted their travel to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan.
The Wall Street Journal’s investigation, based on aviation industry records, import data, and flight-tracking information, found that a network of companies acquires business jets from Western manufacturers, including second-hand aircraft, and registers them in alternative jurisdictions.
According to the report, this system allows sanctioned Russian elites to continue using luxury private aviation despite restrictions imposed by Western countries.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:24

Some photos about Putin's anti-aging thing

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:25

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

President Zelensky is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London today, according to Deutsche Welle.
The leaders are expected to discuss next steps toward ending the war, strengthening diplomatic efforts, and the prospects for future contacts and potential negotiations with Russia.

Russian forces struck two vessels belonging to Ukraine’s Maritime Search and Rescue Service while they were carrying out a humanitarian mission in the Black Sea, Ukrainian officials said.
The boats were operating within Ukraine’s maritime corridor when they came under attack. Casualties have been reported, and the Ukrainian Navy is conducting an evacuation. Kyiv says the vessels were protected under international humanitarian law, making the strike a potential violation of those protections.

Stalin’s Playbook: Why Putin’s Insiders Keep Dying
Putin’s Russia is bleeding out on the outside—and now, it is devouring itself from the inside.
https://www.kyivpost.com/videos/77599

Putin’s Russia is bleeding out on the outside—and now, it is devouring itself from the inside.

Former SEAL Team Six Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer examines a disturbing, dark pattern emerging among Russia’s officials, oligarchs, and ministers.

https://www.kyivpost.com/videos/77599

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 07/06/2026 12:27

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Voting has begun in parliamentary elections in Armenia.
Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. Preliminary results are expected after midnight.
The elections are taking place amid increased pressure on Yerevan from Moscow due to current Prime Minister Pashinyan's course toward rapprochement with the EU.
According to preliminary polls, the party leading is Nikol Pashinyan's "Civil Contract" – with 24-32%. The pro-Russian "Strong Armenia" has approximately 6-11% support.
▪️Recall that Putin recently stated that Armenia could face a "Ukrainian scenario" due to its European integration aspirations.

In Hungary, state media will be "completely transformed."
The introduction of the corresponding bill to parliament was announced by the country's Prime Minister, Magyar.
"Our goal is to ensure balanced coverage of events. News is sacred, and opinion must be free," said the Prime Minister of Hungary.
▪️Recall that earlier the Hungarian police had already launched an investigation into companies owned by one of the country's most famous media moguls, who for many years received large state contracts during the government of Viktor Orbán.

On Saturday, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, met in Poland with the Polish Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
According to the minister, during the meeting with Budanov, he "clearly outlined Poland's expectations regarding the decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)."

The Russians attacked Ukraine with 236 UAVs.
Air defense forces shot down 215 of them. Impacts were recorded from 17 strike drones at 13 locations, as well as debris falling at 9 locations:
▪️One of the districts of Zaporizhzhia was left without power due to the enemy drone attack. Energy workers are working to restore power to consumers.
▪️The enemy attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region more than 20 times — one person is reported dead and one wounded. Infrastructure, enterprises, an outbuilding, and vehicles were damaged.
▪️In Odesa, civilian infrastructure was attacked — a non-residential building in one of the city's districts was damaged. All services responded promptly at the scene.

The Russians struck a transport stop in the village of Balabyne, Zaporizhzhia region. There are fatalities.
At least three people were killed, and three others were wounded.
Additionally, a 59-year-old man was injured in an attack on an infrastructure facility in the region.

blueshoes · 08/06/2026 03:22

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-7-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Ukraine’s intermediate-range strikes against Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in occupied southern and eastern Ukraine are continuing to disrupt Russian logistics, and these operational effects will likely continue to mature in the near future.
  2. The gasoline shortages in occupied Crimea are worsening due to Ukrainian long and intermediate-range strikes.
  3. Occupied Crimea is starting to experience shortages of basic goods and supplies beyond gasoline.
  4. Ukraine’s successful intermediate and long-range strike campaigns are generating discontent and panic in the Russian milblogger community.
  5. A Russian drone struck a nuclear-waste storage facility near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Kyiv Oblast.
  6. Russian forces struck two civilian search and rescue Ukrainian vessels in the Black Sea on June 6, possibly with remote-controlled Shahed-type drones that allow Russian forces to conduct precise strikes on dynamic targets.
  7. Russian forces launched 236 drones against Ukraine overnight.
DuncinToffee · 08/06/2026 10:17

Russia lost the election in Armenia, which is good news for the whole world

https://bsky.app/profile/europeelects.bsky.social/post/3mnqmwdh2ik2x

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 08/06/2026 10:31

DuncinToffee · 08/06/2026 10:17

Russia lost the election in Armenia, which is good news for the whole world

https://bsky.app/profile/europeelects.bsky.social/post/3mnqmwdh2ik2x

That's going to be interesting. I sincerely, from the heart, hope that the EU backs Armenia up because Russia is ~not~ going to be happy.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 08/06/2026 10:43

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️ Update: Pashinyan's party wins Armenia election with nearly 50% amid shift away from Russia.
The pro-Russian Strong Armenia party finished second with around 23% of the vote.

⚡️ Update: Ukraine 'ready to expand' cooperation with Armenia after Pashinyan win, Zelensky says.

Zelensky, E3 leaders name conditions for 'just and lasting peace' at bilateral talks in London.
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.

⚡️Update: Ukraine's Security Service says it considers Russia's strike on the spent storage facility in Chornobyl to be a war crime.
"The explosion damaged the spent nuclear fuel reception and reloading building and the IAEA administrative building," the agency said in a statement. "Investigators from Ukraine's Security Service... are taking measures to find and punish those involved in this attack."

⚡️Finland's Stubb urges Europe to step up and lead peace talks with Russia.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb also outlined a three-step approach for restarting diplomacy with Moscow.

⚡️Zelensky asked Russian oligarch Abramovich to send message to Putin on peace talks.
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.

⚡️Bridge linking Crimea to southern Ukraine damaged in drone strike, Russian occupation official says.
The attack damaged a bridge near the village of Chonhar connecting occupied Crimea with Russian-controlled parts of southern Ukraine, Russian-installed Kherson Oblast head Volodymyr Saldo claimed.

⚡️Update: Ukraine confirms attack on Chonhar Bridge to Crimea, releases video.

⚡️Oil depots, substations reportedly set ablaze in occupied Crimea, Mariupol, western Russia following Ukrainian drone strikes.

⚡️Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces continue middle strike campaign, destroy Russian air defense systems, military infrastructure (VIDEO).

⚡️Update: Ukraine strikes oil depot, marine terminal in occupied Crimea, releases footage of attack.


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 episode explores how conditions in Oleshky have deteriorated over time, why evacuations remain so difficult, and what the situation in the town reveals about Russia’s broader goals in Ukraine.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUN 8, 2026
■ Engagements and casualties below the 7-day average; no confirmed territorial changes
■ Drone losses above average; 8 tanks destroyed
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: no missiles; drone interception rate could have
been better
■ 🇷🇺 shelling slightly above average; 7 🇺🇦 strikes reported; 250 drones launched into 🇷🇺

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 08/06/2026 10:50

Oh rats - sorry desdemona ! on auto pilot =)

PerkingFaintly · 08/06/2026 12:45

Thanks, @ReleaseTheDucksOfWar . I always appreciate your sterling work, and those of the other rounders-up!

Brew for everyone's hard work!

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