Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says his military has struck targets deep inside Russia using its domestically-produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles.
The strikes targeted a major military plant in Cheboksary, more than 900km from the frontline, as well as an oil refinery in Russia's Samara region.
The FP-5 Flamingo only entered service in 2025 and can carry around a ton of explosives over a maximum range of 3,000km. It is designed to fly at low altitude to avoid detection and countermeasures.
Zelensky also hailed Kyiv's expanding drone campaign, saying it had dealt a blow to "Russian military logistics throughout the entire depth of the temporarily occupied territory".
A huge fire broke out at Russia's Afipsky refinery in southern Krasnodar after Ukrainian drone strikes overnight on Thursday.
And explosions have been reported across Russian-occupied Crimea overnight. Telegram channels monitoring the war said several sites linked to the Russian military were targeted in a large-scale Ukrainian drone and missile attack.
Key Points
- More than 500 drones launched across 11 regions in less than three days, Ukraine reports
- In pictures: Law enforcement at the scene of a car bomb in Moscow believed to have killed a Russian general
- Russian ammunition chief killed in car bomb
- Russia says Europe not ready to mediate peace talks
- Drones attack Novokuibyshevsk city in Russia's Samara region
Ukraine police chief says Russia recruits young women to kill Ukrainian servicemen
06:54 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine's police chief has accused Russia of recruiting teenage Ukrainian girls to kill Ukrainian military personnel, following the arrest of a 17-year-old suspected of murdering a serviceman on the instructions of a Russian operative.
In an interview published on Wednesday by Ukrainian media outlet Cenzor.NET, national police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi said there had this year been six cases of contract killings arranged via the Telegram messaging app, one of which was prevented.
"We are talking about planned murders organised by the special services of the aggressor state and carried out by Ukrainian citizens," he said.
Russia's FSB security service was not immediately available for comment.
Russian security services accuse Kyiv of recruiting Russians for bombings in Russia, and Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers since Moscow's 2022 invasion.
Vyhivskyi said Russian recruiters found young women via messaging platforms, promising them easy money and coordinating their actions remotely.
The young women were instructed to search for Ukrainian military personnel on dating websites, and received money from their handlers to rent apartments to meet them, Vyhivskyi said.
They were told of places where they could obtain methadone, a synthetic opioid used as a painkiller that can be lethal in high doses, for lacing drinks, he said.
More than 1,100 Ukrainians have been accused of committing arson, terrorism or sabotage in betrayal of their country during the war, Ukraine's security service has said.
Police detained a 17-year-old woman in the western region of Zhytomyr last week following the poisoning of a serviceman and said she had been communicating via Telegram with a man who was likely a Russian security services agent.
China raises concerns over planned EU sanctions targeting firms over Russian war
06:49 , Shweta Sharma
China has criticised planned EU sanctions targeting Chinese firms accused of supporting Russia's war effort.
According to AFP, the European Union is preparing measures that would add 14 companies from mainland China and Hong Kong to a list of firms barred from purchasing EU goods.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing “has always firmly opposed illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law” and warned that China would “closely follow” developments and “take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”
Multiple explosions across Crimea in large-scale attack
06:22 , Shweta Sharma
Multiple explosions have been reported across Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing local monitoring channels.
Telegram channels covering the war claimed that several sites linked to the Russian military were targeted in a Ukrainian drone and missile attack.
The pro-Ukrainian Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported strikes on bridges near Armiansk and Krasnoperekopsk in northern Crimea, key routes connecting the peninsula to mainland Ukraine.
"It appears there are no intact bridges left on the overland approaches to the peninsula," the channel wrote.
In Sevastopol, residents reported missile launches, repeated explosions, smoke over Omega Bay and a large fire near Striletska Bay.
The channel said several impacts were recorded near military facilities, including areas linked to Russia's Black Sea Fleet and local air defence systems.
The reports could not be independently verified.
Russian strike on Ukraine's Pavlohrad injures 12
05:57 , Shweta Sharma
A Russian strike on an apartment building in the southeastern city of Pavlohrad on Wednesday injured 12 people, including an elderly resident in a serious condition, the regional governor said.
Oleksandr Hanzha, writing on Telegram, said the strike triggered a fire and photos posted online showed rescuers using extension ladders to help residents of higher levels of the five-storey building billowing smoke.
The facade of the building in the city east of Dnipro had been blackened and windows smashed.
In pictures: Fire at Sevastopol museum after 'Ukrainian drone strike'
05:38 , Shweta Sharma
Firefighters extinguished a fire at the "Panorama of the Defence of Sevastopol" museum, which, according to local authorities, was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack.
A fire broke out in occupied Sevastopol early on Wednesday morning when an air-raid warning was in effect.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed head of the city, said the roof of the Defence of Sevastopol 1854-1855 panorama building was on fire.
"The situation is really difficult: it is already clear that the Franz Roubaud Panorama has been virtually destroyed… Barbarians and inhumane people deliberately struck what is dear to us, trying to destroy our essence,” he said.
Zelensky hails Ukrainian military's 'mid-strikes' reaching Russian military logistics
05:26 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv's expanding drone campaign is now capable of reaching Russian military logistics across occupied Ukrainian territory.
“In recent months, we are especially grateful for the mid-strikes: Russian military logistics throughout the entire depth of the temporarily occupied territory are now within reach of Ukrainian drones,” Zelensky said.
His remarks came after Ukraine said it had struck the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol, the latest in a series of attacks targeting supply routes linking Russian-held southern Ukraine to Crimea.
The attack on the port, which Ukraine's military said plunged the site into a blackout, followed two strikes earlier this week on a bridge linking the Russian-occupied Kherson region to the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
On Thursday, authorities in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, just across from Crimea, said a fire broke out in the area surrounding the Afipsky refinery as a result of falling drone debris as defence systems were repelling an air attack.
Three people were injured after falling drone debris caused fire in an apartment building in the city of Krasnodar and a drone attack on the nearby Seversky district, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram, without providing further details.
Another oil refinery, the Ilsky plant, is located in the area. That followed a massive Wednesday drone attack on Russia's Volga region of Samara, more than 900km (550 miles) from the front line, which, according to sources, forced state oil giant Rosneft to halt processing at its Kuibyshev oil refinery.
Zelensky declares 11 June as the ‘Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces’
04:59 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, 11 June 2026, declared the country's first-ever "Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces", which will be marked annually to honour the military branch responsible for drone operations.
“For the first time in the world, such a branch of the military was created, in Ukraine,” said Zelensky. “We are developing the USF to the max, and it is Ukrainians who have proved that through technology, ingenuity, and courage, we can change the nature of warfare.”
He said in just one year since the establishment of the USF Grouping, Russian targets of various levels worth nearly $40bn have been struck.
“Most importantly, these are different types of strikes, and each one expands our ability to save lives.”
Today, I signed a decree establishing a new special day – the Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces. From now on, it will be observed every year on June 11. A day of our respect and gratitude to the USF.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 10, 2026
For the first time in the world, such a branch of the military was created –… pic.twitter.com/iXtCoONpSB
Macron invites Zelensky to G7 summit
04:49 , Shweta Sharma
French president Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains from 15–17 June, saying his participation is "very important" to help rebuild consensus among Kyiv's allies.
Speaking at the Elysee Palace, Macron said support for Ukraine would be a key focus of the summit, with leaders expected to discuss continued backing for Kyiv as well as efforts to advance peace negotiations with Russia.
The summit will bring together the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Macron also said discussions would address the conflict involving Iran, with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates invited to a separate session focused on the Strait of Hormuz.
Zelensky's attendance comes as Ukraine reports successes on the battlefield and in long-range strikes against Russian targets, while continuing to face intensified Russian missile attacks and shortages of air defence systems.
Zelensky said preparations were underway in Ukraine for the G7 along with other high-profile diplomatic conferences in the coming weeks.
"We are also preparing for the crucial summer summits – the EU summit, the G7 summit, and the Nato summit. Each of these venues should be effective for Ukraine, and we are preparing solutions," the president said.
Major oil refinery in southern Russia on fire after Ukrainian attack, officials say
04:18 , Shweta Sharma
A huge fire broke out at Russia's Afipsky refinery in southern Krasnodar after Ukrainian drone strikes overnight.
The regional operational headquarters said the blaze was a result of falling drone debris as defence systems were repelling an air attack.
It is one of the largest oil processing facilities in southern Russia, producing gasoline, diesel fuel, gas condensate distillates, heavy petroleum residues, and sulfur.
A gas pipeline was also damaged after drone debris had fallen in the residential private sector, the regional governor said, adding there were no casualties.
Several residents said the refinery was on fire following a Ukrainian attack, according to Telegram monitoring channel Exilenova-Plus.
The Afipsky refinery, which accounts for about 2% of Russia's refining capacity, has previously been targeted by Ukrainian attacks.
Ukrainian strikes hit the Afipsky oil refinery located in Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia, tonight.
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) June 10, 2026
A fire broke out at the facility. The attack reportedly carried out with cruise missiles. pic.twitter.com/ZMOx3mMgn0
Ukraine strikes disrupt fuel supplies in Russian-held Crimea
04:09 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine's strikes on Russian logistics routes have disrupted fuel supplies in occupied Crimea, with authorities in Sevastopol suspending petrol rationing coupons after tanker trucks were unable to reach the city.
The governor of Sevastopol in Russian-held Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said that petrol rationing coupons could temporarily not be honoured.
It coincided with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky remarks that Kyiv's long-running campaign targeting energy assets in Russia and the lands it annexed had proved its worth.
Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, long before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, introduced rationing for fuel last month because of shortages in the peninsula.
"Unfortunately, oil tanker trucks were unable to come to the city tonight," Razvozhayev wrote on Telegram, adding that priority for refuelling on Thursday would be given to public transport and utilities, emergency and government vehicles.
"I am addressing everyone: there is no point in lining up at... the gas stations tomorrow," he said late on Wednesday, adding that existing fuel rationing coupons would be cancelled and new ones issued on Thursday.
Over two dozen Ukrainian drones were downed in the early hours of Thursday in a fresh attack on Sevastopol, the peninsula's second-largest city and home to Russia's Black Sea fleet, Razvozhayev later said on Telegram.
Ukraine's Flamingo long-range missiles hit targets deep inside Russia
03:58 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo long-range missiles hit a major military factory in Russia, more than 900km from the front line, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The factory in the city of Cheboksary, in the Chuvash Republic, used to supply components for Russian drones and missiles.
According to the Astra Online news outlet, the missile strike hit the VNIIR-Progress plant, which produces antennas for drones.
Oleg Nikolayev, the head of Chuvashiya, also confirmed the attack, reporting three injuries. He did not say whether the military plant was damaged.
Watch: Tommy Robinson posts video with Elon Musk’s father in Moscow hotel
03:00 , Bryony Gooch
Wagner mercenaries ‘guarding Russian tankers in English Channel’
02:00 , Bryony Gooch
Wagner group members guard Russia’s shadow fleet through the English Channel – report
In pictures: Panorama of the Defence of Sevastopol museum in Crimea ablaze
01:00 , Bryony Gooch
Firefighters extinguish a fire at the "Panorama of the Defence of Sevastopol" museum, which, according to local authorities, was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack
Who is Putin’s ammunition chief killed in car bombing outside Moscow
Thursday 11 June 2026 00:00 , Bryony Gooch
Who is Damir Davydov? Putin’s ammunition chief killed in car bombing outside Moscow
Tommy Robinson meets Elon Musk’s father in Russia to ‘cause some trouble’
Wednesday 10 June 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson has travelled to Moscow where he met with Elon Musk’s father, Errol.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has long been a supporter of Mr Robinson, with both men calling for people to take to the streets in response to the knife attack in Belfast.
Mr Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, shared a list of places where protests were said to be taking place at 7pm on Tuesday following the Belfast attack, saying: “The whole of the United Kingdom is hitting the streets tonight at 7pm following yet another invader attack on our people. ”
Mr Robinson posted a video of himself and Errol Musk, apparently filmed in a Moscow hotel, on Monday in which he says: “We are going to go and cause some trouble.”
Errol Musk reportedly attended the annual Kremlin-backed economic forum last week.
Asked by the Guardian why he had travelled to Moscow, Mr Robinson said: “I’ve come to see how this country got itself so well on to the straight and narrow and see the beauty of a civilised society here.”
“There are those who benefit from pushing Russia as an enemy but everyone laughs at those people now.”
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Musk of “interfering in our politics” and “trying to whip up division” in the wake of the sentencing of the murderer of Henry Nowak.
Residents in Crimea forced to ration gas after Ukrainian drone attacks
Wednesday 10 June 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
Residents in Crimea forced to ration fuel after Ukrainian drone attacks
Pictured: Drone view of port infrastructure, as Ukrainian forces struck several key facilities at the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol
Wednesday 10 June 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Russian ammunition chief killed in Moscow car bomb attack
Wednesday 10 June 2026 20:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine police chief says Russia recruits young women to kill Ukrainian servicemen
Wednesday 10 June 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's police chief has accused Russia of recruiting teenage Ukrainian girls to kill Ukrainian military personnel, following the arrest of a 17-year-old suspected of murdering a serviceman on the instructions of a Russian operative.
In an interview published on Wednesday by Ukrainian media outlet Cenzor.NET, national police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi said there had this year been six cases of contract killings arranged via the Telegram messaging app, one of which was prevented.
"We are talking about planned murders organised by the special services of the aggressor state and carried out by Ukrainian citizens," he said.
Russia's FSB security service was not immediately available for comment. Russian security services accuse Kyiv of recruiting Russians for bombings in Russia, and Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers since Moscow's 2022 invasion.
Vyhivskyi said Russian recruiters found young women via messaging platforms, promising them easy money and coordinating their actions remotely.
The young women were instructed to search for Ukrainian military personnel on dating websites, and received money from their handlers to rent apartments to meet them, Vyhivskyi said.
They were told of places where they could obtain methadone, a synthetic opioid used as a painkiller that can be lethal in high doses, for lacing drinks, he said.
More than 1,100 Ukrainians have been accused of committing arson, terrorism or sabotage in betrayal of their country during the war, Ukraine's security service has said.
Police detained a 17-year-old woman in the western region of Zhytomyr last week following the poisoning of a serviceman and said she had been communicating via Telegram with a man who was likely a Russian security services agent.
She had received a parcel containing a crystalline substance which investigators presumed was methadone, police said.
Analysis: Moscow’s latest car bombing shows Putin’s generals who the real target is
Wednesday 10 June 2026 18:00 , Bryony Gooch
Moscow’s latest car bombing shows Putin’s generals who the real target is
Recap: German foreign minister says optimistic EU talks with Ukraine can start soon
Wednesday 10 June 2026 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday that he is optimistic European Union accession negotiations with Ukraine can start soon.
His counterpart Anita Orban added at a joint press conference in Berlin that she is working on arranging a meeting between new Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine is pressing for membership of the 27-member EU after more than four years of war pitting Kyiv against Moscow.
All EU members agreed to open talks with Ukraine and Moldova on the first cluster of issues in their accession talks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced last week.
Members of Wagner mercenary group ‘guarding Russia’s shadow fleet through the English Channel’
Wednesday 10 June 2026 16:00 , Bryony Gooch
Wagner group members guard Russia’s shadow fleet through the English Channel – report
In pictures: A crane lifts a wrecked car at the scene of a car explosion, which killed the driver in Balashikha
Wednesday 10 June 2026 15:30 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's EU accession negotiations can begin soon, German foreign minister says
Wednesday 10 June 2026 15:00 , Bryony Gooch
Germany’s foreign minister has said the country is optimistic that Ukraine can begin EU access negotiations soon.
Since June 2022, Ukraine has official EU candidate status, with accession negotiations having formally also started. Ukraine successfully completed its screening process in September 2025.
Watch: Russian ammunition chief killed in Moscow car bomb attack
Wednesday 10 June 2026 14:30 , Bryony Gooch
Recap: Zelensky asked Roman Abramovich to send peace talks plea to Putin
Wednesday 10 June 2026 14:00 , Bryony Gooch
Zelensky asked Roman Abramovich to send peace talks plea to Putin, report says
Ukraine will face summer power shortages after Russian attacks, think tank says
Wednesday 10 June 2026 13:33 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine, whose energy system has been under constant Russian attack, will face power shortages and consumer outages in the summer months despite imports and strong output from solar power plants, the DiXi Group think tank forecast.
Russia has attacked Ukraine's power generation and transmission systems throughout the war, severely damaging thermal power plants and forcing Kyiv to increase imports and resort to large-scale power cuts for consumers.
DiXi said in a statement that, with moderate temperatures and no further damage to the energy system, the power shortfall could reach 0.7 gigawatts at peak consumption, but could rise to 2.4 GW if temperatures increase significantly.
Annual maintenance at nuclear power units that are key to the energy system will complicate the situation further.
"As average daily temperatures rise, hourly power cuts will be unavoidable, and a shortage could occur even at night, when demand is at its lowest," it stated.
In the event of high temperatures and further damage to the energy system, the shortfall would jump to 6.2 GW against demand of 15.8 GW, or about 40%.
In the winter of 2025-2026, when Russian missile attacks damaged more than half of Ukraine's power generation capacity, blackouts in the capital Kyiv lasted as long as 14 to 16 hours.
Breaking: Russia probes two car bombs in Moscow
Wednesday 10 June 2026 13:06 , Bryony Gooch
Russian investigators said on Wednesday that they had arrested at least two suspects behind a car bombing in Moscow, detaining teenagers who the domestic security service said were convinced to plant the bomb.
There were two car bombs on Tuesday in Moscow - one which detonated in the morning in eastern Moscow and one which was identified by security services in southwestern Moscow.
Russia's state Investigative Committee said that a criminal case had been opened in relation to the bomb in southwestern Moscow which targeted an employee of a scientific production enterprise. It was not clear how that device detonated.
The investigation established that a teenage girl was told by unidentified people to pick up the bomb and handed it to a teenage boy who placed it on the car along with a GPS tracker, the committee said.
There were no casualties and the suspects have been charged.
In a separate car bomb in eastern Moscow, a driver was killed, according to the Kommersant newspaper, though the victim has not been named.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there had been an explosion but that the details could not be disclosed while an investigation was ongoing.
"An explosion took place, but the details, as you understand, are not subject to disclosure in connection with the investigation that is underway," Peskov said. "Of course, this is a matter for our special services."
It was unclear whether any arrests had been made in connection to the second bomb.
Since the start of the war in 2022, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers, some of whom have appeared on a public list of Ukraine's enemies.
Who is Damir Davydov? Putin’s ammunition chief killed in car bombing outside Moscow
Wednesday 10 June 2026 13:00 , Bryony Gooch
Vladimir Putin’s ammunition chief has been killed in a car bombing in Moscow, according to Russian news reports.
Damir Davydov, responsible for supplying missiles and artillery ammunition to the front line at the Russian ministry of defence, was killed in an explosion in Balashikha at 5.30am local time on Tuesday, according to a report from Russian investigative outlet The Insider.
Read more here:
Who is Damir Davydov? Putin’s ammunition chief killed in car bombing outside Moscow
Russia's Lavrov says quick resolution needed on whether Armenia remains in CSTO military alliance
Wednesday 10 June 2026 12:48 , Bryony Gooch
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that the question of whether Armenia remains a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), a military alliance of six former Soviet states, must be resolved swiftly.
Armenia is in arrears with its membership fees, Lavrov told a press conference after a meeting of CSTO foreign ministers that Armenia did not attend.
Sweden charges man with attempted espionage for Russia
Wednesday 10 June 2026 12:30 , Bryony Gooch
Swedish prosecutors have charged a 34-year-old man with attempted espionage for Russia, the Nordic country's prosecution authority said on Wednesday.
It said in a statement that the man previously worked in the armed forces where he had access to highly classified information.
"The suspect attempted to disclose (the information) by travelling to Moscow in November 2025 and meeting with representatives of the Russian intelligence and security service there," Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in the statement.
The Russian embassy in Stockholm did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The charged man has been in detention since January and will stand trial in Stockholm from 15 June.
Russia says it is discussing 'reformatting' of military facilities in Syria
Wednesday 10 June 2026 12:00 , Bryony Gooch
Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that cooperation with Syria was developing very actively and that Moscow was discussing with Damascus a "possible reformatting" of its military facilities in Syria.
The December 2024 ousting of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, raised questions about the future of Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and its naval facility at Tartous. But Moscow has since built relations with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander who is now Syria's president.
"Russian-Syrian cooperation is developing very actively," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said when asked about reported plans for the creation of a logistics hub in Tartous to distribute goods imported from Russia across Syria.
"Within the framework of contacts with Syrian partners, the issue of Russia's military presence in Syria is also being discussed, including in the context of a possible reformatting of the functionality of Russian military facilities."
The bases in Syria are an integral part of Russia's global military presence: the Tartous naval base is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and resupply hub, while Hmeimim is a major staging post for military and mercenary activity in Africa.
Russia intervened militarily in Syria in 2015 to back Assad in a civil war. Reuters reported in 2024 that Russia was pulling back forces from front lines in northern Syria and from posts in mountains dominated by Assad's Alawite community, but was not leaving its Mediterranean bases in Hmeimim and Tartous.
Moscow has backed Syria since early in the Cold War, and had recognised its independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to throw off French colonial rule. The West long regarded Syria as a Soviet satellite.
In pictures: Law enforcement at the scene of a car bomb in Moscow believed to have killed a Russian general
Wednesday 10 June 2026 11:30 , Bryony Gooch
More than 500 drones launched across 11 regions in less than three days, Ukraine reports
Wednesday 10 June 2026 11:00 , Bryony Gooch
Russia has used more than 500 drones and launched two guided missiles against Ukraine in less than three days, president Volodymyr Zelensky has reported as he urged global partners to help protect his country.
He said on social media: “Since the beginning of the week, 11 of our regions have come under attack – in less than three days, the Russians used nearly 530 drones and two air-launched guided missiles against Ukraine.
“Russia added to the list of its new victories a Panama-flagged container ship, agricultural enterprises, railway and energy facilities, and, most of all, ordinary residential buildings. Dozens of people were wounded.
“Every day, Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts must be aimed at strengthening the protection of our sky. There have been many international meetings and negotiations on air defense recently, and it is important to ensure that all agreements are implemented, above all regarding PURL.
“Even more can be decided at the G7 and NATO summits. Ukraine needs protection – this is a prerequisite for diplomacy to work. I thank all partners who are helping.”
Since the beginning of the week, 11 of our regions have come under attack – in less than three days, the Russians used nearly 530 drones and two air-launched guided missiles against Ukraine. Russia added to the list of its new victories a Panama-flagged container ship,… pic.twitter.com/6HPMG9rCjb
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 10, 2026
Watch: Russian ammunition chief killed in Moscow car bomb attack
Wednesday 10 June 2026 10:30 , Bryony Gooch
Moscow to retaliate to latest EU sanctions on shadow fleet
Wednesday 10 June 2026 10:07 , Bryony Gooch
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that a new round of European Union sanctions would not achieve its aims, and Moscow would retaliate.
The EU decided it would authorise military vessels in the Mediterranean to stop and inspect foreign ships suspected of being part of a "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil, and said it would take all necessary legal and other measures to protect them.
This is part of its expanded Operation IRINI mandate, a naval mission in the Mediterranean that was originally set up to enforce a UN arms embargo on Libya.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this posed a threat to maritime security and accused the EU of intimidating civilian vessels.
She said there was no such thing in international law as a "shadow fleet", and this term was a "political fabrication" by the EU.
"The European Union's deployment of ships from the IRINI naval operation deployed in the Mediterranean to inspect or seize, as they now say, vessels carrying oil products would constitute a flagrant violation of international law," Zakharova told a press briefing.
"We reserve the right to use the full arsenal of political, legal, and other instruments at our disposal to protect maritime security and the legitimate interests of shippers and shipowners."
Recap: Zelensky warns guarantors needed in ceasefire
Wednesday 10 June 2026 09:30 , Bryony Gooch
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that any ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would need guarantors and monitoring or else Putin’s forces may push further into Ukraine.
"If there are no guarantors and no monitoring of the ceasefire, Russia may take advantage of this and push forward by 20 kilometres in some parts of Ukraine. This is a major risk. That is why we say: a ceasefire must be unconditional.
“For a ceasefire to be achieved, it would be better to have a leaders' meeting – Ukraine, Russia, certainly Europe, and the United States. Ukraine has the will for all of this. We'll see whether Russia has such will as well. So far, they have not demonstrated it."
💬 President of Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa: "If there are no guarantors and no monitoring of the ceasefire, Russia may take advantage of this and push forward by 20 kilometres in some parts of Ukraine. This is a major risk. That is why we say: a ceasefire must be unconditional.
— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) June 9, 2026
For a… pic.twitter.com/ReAlbvnxpC
Ukrainan troops 'use hexacopter drone' to fly five kittens from frontlines
Wednesday 10 June 2026 09:00 , Bryony Gooch
Soldiers from the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade usually use large 'hexocopters' to move equipment around the front or to attack Russian troops.
However, on Monday they reported the epic pet rescue, which they called 'Special operation "MEOW-MEOW", which took the kittens back to the Ukrainian army's rear positions.
"When various crews demonstrate the operation of heavy hexocopters, it's usually night skids, destroying armor equipment, burning blinders or delivering products," they said. "But our story is quite different - it's about rescue.
"Pilots of the Motor Infantry Battalion 118 separate mechanized brigade conducted a unique humanitarian mission under the codename "Meow-Meow". They successfully evacuated a cat with five kittens from one of the leading positions with the help of a large drone."
Video footage of the kittens being placed in a bag and attached to the drone was also shared with Ukrainian broadcaster ICTV.
Speaking about the rescue, the soldiers added: "This rescue mission is another proof that Ukrainian warriors in this most brutal war remain Humans and are willing to risk even for the smallest living creature."
Animals have provided a much-needed diversion for Ukrainians coping with Russia's full-scale invasion, with troops having adopted cats found abandoned near the frontlines, and Patron, a tiny dog trained to sniff out mines, becoming a national hero.
Ukrainian military destroys key facilities in Russian-occupied Mariupol
Wednesday 10 June 2026 08:45 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine’s military has claimed to destroy several key facilities at the Russian-occupied Mariupol port.
In a statement, Kyiv's drone forces said the port was left without power after strikes on energy, repair and management infrastructure, and that the attack had "significantly limited" Mariupol's use as a military logistics hub.
Russia claimed Mariupol, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, early on after launching its full-scale invasion.
Russia says Europe not ready to mediate peace talks
Wednesday 10 June 2026 08:30 , Arpan Rai
The Kremlin has claimed that the European Union was far from ready to act as a mediator in any Ukraine peace process and appeared to be more focused on continuing the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was speaking to journalists when he was asked about the possibility of the EU stepping in as a mediator at a time US-led negotiations have taken a backseat due to the war in Iran.
"First of all, starting mediation efforts by putting forward certain conditions to Russia is likely illogical and wrong. And, of course, this is unacceptable to us," Peskov said.
His remarks came after Volodymyr Zelensky returned from a meeting in London with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany who said they were ready to support ceasefire talks and engage with Russian president Vladimir Putin, if required.
Russian banks targeted as EU proposes 21st package of sanctions
Wednesday 10 June 2026 08:15 , Arpan Rai
The EU has proposed a 21st package of sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine, heavily targeting the country's banks and crypto networks as well as drone production, oil traders and refiners, EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said.
The new package will propose listing 170 individuals and entities. These include close to 90 banks – the biggest in one go – and would take the total number of listed banks to over 100, or more than half of Russia's 213 internationally connected lenders.
The banks will come under the full weight of EU sanctions including asset freezes, travel and transaction bans.
“We intend to deal a heavy blow to Russia’s financial sector, imposing assets freezes on close to 90 banks and additional transactions bans on over 30 banks in Russia and other third countries," Kallas said in a post on X.
An EU diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aim was to weaken Russia's financial system and incentivise Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
The package will be presented to EU ambassadors today for negotiations. Sanctions require unanimity to be adopted.
Western sanctions already heavily target Russia's banking system and its major banks were disconnected in 2022 from SWIFT, a secure global financial payment instructions system.
Russian companies now use a broad network of smaller lenders to evade sanctions and continue trading.
Kremlin says mediation with Ukraine on hold as no plans for Putin-Trump call
Wednesday 10 June 2026 08:00 , Arpan Rai
There are currently no plans for a telephone call between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding that American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue to maintain contacts with both Russia and Ukraine.
"The mediation process on Ukraine is currently on hold. That said, US negotiators are maintaining contacts – discussions are continuing with us through existing channels and with the Ukrainians. There is no exact date for their visit yet, but we would be delighted to welcome them in Russia at any time," Peskov said.
Witkoff and Kushner had previously been involved in mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, which stalled in February after the United States and Israel began military action against Iran.
Russian ammunition chief killed in car bomb
Wednesday 10 June 2026 07:45 , Arpan Rai
A Russian general handling the ammunition supplies for the Russian army has been killed in an attack in the Moscow region, officials said.
Damir Davydov, the head of the Russian defence ministry’s missile and artillery wing, has been named in reports of the car explosion in Balashikha, reports said.
The explosion took place around 5.30am on Tuesday, when a BMW X3 exploded near Koldunova Street in Balashikha’s Aviatorov neighbourhood, with reports saying the driver was pulling out of a parking space.
Witnesses reached the driver, Davydov, while he was still alive but he died shortly after at the scene.
Officials also found a second car bomb and blew it up in south-west Moscow.
The Russian federal Investigative Committee and the prosecutor’s office for the Moscow region confirmed the explosion but did not name the victim.
Ukraine has not issued a comment on his death so far, though Kyiv has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Russian generals since the start of Vladimir Putin’s war.
Russia-backed officials say Kyiv will 'pay for sacrilege' after attack in Crimea
Wednesday 10 June 2026 07:25 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian drones hit a historic museum in Sevastopol in Russia-annexed Crimea, local authorities said this morning, as they reduced the number of nighttime trains in the face of intensifying air attacks.
The museum commemorates the 1853-1856 Crimea War between the Russian Empire and a coalition that included the Ottoman Empire. Russia was defeated in that war.
Sevastopol's Russian-installed governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said on Telegram the museum's roof was on fire. He did not provide further details about the damage or whether there were any casualties.
"The enemy will pay for this sacrilege!" Razvozhayev said in his post early on Wednesday.
Elsewhere in Crimea, authorities cut train schedules for night hours, the peninsula's Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov said on Telegram, after a drone attack this week injured a train driver and killed his assistant.
Poland should be involved in Ukraine talks, says PM Tusk
Wednesday 10 June 2026 06:57 , Arpan Rai
Poland should be involved in discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, the Polish prime minister said yesterday, after the leaders of Britain, Germany and France met president Volodymyr Zelensky in London and said they supported ceasefire talks.
Prime minister Donald Tusk's absence from the talks in London has raised questions in Warsaw as to whether Poland is being sidelined as Western European powers try to steer Kyiv towards talks with Moscow in the near future.
"I'm... very cautious regarding the ideas emerging in Western Europe about initiating some kind of dialogue or conversation with (Russian president Vladimir) Putin regarding Ukraine as quickly as possible," Tusk told a news conference.
Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, its eastern neighbour, in its more than four-year-old war against invading Russian forces, contributing financial and military help. It has also emerged as one of the biggest spenders on defence in Nato.
"I spoke with (Italy's) prime minister (Giorgia) Meloni, who is not thrilled that this format exists," Tusk said.
"Any arrangements in which Poland does not participate will not be binding on Poland,” he said.
Tusk said a meeting would take place on Ukraine in the "coming days" that would include Poland and Italy as well as Britain, Germany and France.
Russia faces major overnight attacks as public transport suspended
Wednesday 10 June 2026 06:35 , Arpan Rai
Russian air defences were repelling drone attacks in the city of Novokuibyshevsk in the early hours today, the Samara regional governor said.
Novokuibyshevsk is a major oil hub on the Volga river that hosts several refineries operated by the state-controlled oil giant Rosneft.
Authorities urged Samara city's one million residents to seek shelter as public transportation was suspended amid air raid alerts, local media reported.
In the southern Rostov region of Russia bordering Ukraine, falling debris from a drone triggered a fire in a fuel tank at a civilian site, and in the central Vladimir region two industrial facilities were on fire, regional governors said on Telegram.
The remote Russian oil-producing regions Khanty-Mansiysk, Perm and Tyumen, as well as industrial regions Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk in the Ural mountains thousands of kilometres from Ukraine, issued rare air raid alerts, according to social media posts by local authorities.
Overall, Russia downed 326 Ukrainian drones overnight, of which over a dozen were heading for Moscow, the defence ministry and Moscow's mayor said in social media posts.
Photos from scene of car bomb attack that killed Russian general
Wednesday 10 June 2026 06:14 , Arpan Rai
Zelensky says ready to share drone technology with Nordic and Baltic countries
Wednesday 10 June 2026 05:53 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met with Nordic and Baltic leaders who were in Estonia for a regional summit yesterday in a visit that comes amid friction over Ukrainian drones straying into the region in recent months.
Zelensky and Estonian president Alar Karis agreed to work on cheaper ways to shoot down drones that have flown over Estonia, including one that a Nato fighter jet shot down over the south of the country in May.
“We have shown that we can shoot the drones down with the planes,” Karis said at a news conference. Using fighter jets to shoot down the drones is expensive, he added, so he hopes to partner with Ukraine for its technology and expertise to do it more cheaply.
Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to do so, drawing on its experience with helping countries in the Middle East shoot down drones, where it had sent experts to train local forces.
“We did this in the Middle East, and it worked,” he said.
He said Ukraine could offer the low-cost interceptor drones it has deployed at home to build an inexpensive shield against Russian drone attacks, and that Kyiv could send experts to its European partners “at any moment.”
Karis said he expects drones to cross into Baltic airspace as the war continues and urged the public to remain calm. Estonia and the other Baltic nations are among Ukraine’s staunchest supporters in its war against Russia.
Two industrial facilities on fire in Russia's Vladimir region after drone attack
Wednesday 10 June 2026 05:26 , Arpan Rai
Two industrial facilities have been reported on fire in the Vladimir region of central Russia after a drone attack, Interfax news agency quoted the regional governor Alexander Avdeyev as saying.
The facilities are located near the towns of Kameshkovo and Aleksandrovo, he said, adding that no one had been injured.
Drones hit historic museum in Russia-annexed Crimea as officials alter train schedule
Wednesday 10 June 2026 05:22 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian drones hit a historic museum in Sevastopol in Russia-annexed Crimea, local authorities said today, as they reduced the number of nighttime trains in the face of intensifying air attacks.
The museum commemorates the 1853-1856 Crimea War between the Russian Empire and a coalition that included the Ottoman Empire. Russia was defeated in that war.
Sevastopol's Russian-installed governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said on Telegram the museum's roof was hit. He did not provide details about the damage or whether there were any casualties.
"The enemy will pay for this sacrilege!" Razvozhayev said in his post early on Wednesday.
Elsewhere in Crimea, authorities cut train schedules for night hours, the peninsula's Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov said on Telegram, after a drone attack this week injured a train driver and killed his assistant.
The Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, is facing a fuel shortage following recent Ukraine drone attacks just as the holiday season starts.
Russia says Europe not ready to mediate peace talks
Wednesday 10 June 2026 04:42 , Arpan Rai
The Kremlin has claimed that the European Union was far from ready to act as a mediator in any Ukraine peace process and appeared to be more focused on continuing the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was speaking to journalists when he was asked about the possibility of the EU stepping in as a mediator at a time US-led negotiations have taken a backseat due to the war in Iran.
"First of all, starting mediation efforts by putting forward certain conditions to Russia is likely illogical and wrong. And, of course, this is unacceptable to us," Peskov said.
His remarks came after Volodymyr Zelensky returned from a meeting in London with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany who said they were ready to support ceasefire talks and engage with Russian president Vladimir Putin, if required.
Russian banks targeted as EU proposes 21st package of sanctions
Wednesday 10 June 2026 04:16 , Arpan Rai
The EU has proposed a 21st package of sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine, heavily targeting the country's banks and crypto networks as well as drone production, oil traders and refiners, EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said.
The new package will propose listing 170 individuals and entities. These include close to 90 banks – the biggest in one go – and would take the total number of listed banks to over 100, or more than half of Russia's 213 internationally connected lenders.
The banks will come under the full weight of EU sanctions including asset freezes, travel and transaction bans.
“We intend to deal a heavy blow to Russia’s financial sector, imposing assets freezes on close to 90 banks and additional transactions bans on over 30 banks in Russia and other third countries," Kallas said in a post on X.
An EU diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aim was to weaken Russia's financial system and incentivise Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
The package will be presented to EU ambassadors today for negotiations. Sanctions require unanimity to be adopted.
Western sanctions already heavily target Russia's banking system and its major banks were disconnected in 2022 from SWIFT, a secure global financial payment instructions system.
Russian companies now use a broad network of smaller lenders to evade sanctions and continue trading.
Russian ammunition chief killed in car bomb
Wednesday 10 June 2026 04:04 , Arpan Rai
A Russian general handling the ammunition supplies for the Russian army has been killed in an attack in the Moscow region, officials said.
Damir Davydov, the head of the Russian defence ministry’s missile and artillery wing, has been named in reports of the car explosion in Balashikha, reports said.
The explosion took place around 5.30am on Tuesday, when a BMW X3 exploded near Koldunova Street in Balashikha’s Aviatorov neighbourhood, with reports saying the driver was pulling out of a parking space.
Witnesses reached the driver, Davydov, while he was still alive but he died shortly after at the scene.
Officials also found a second car bomb and blew it up in south-west Moscow.
The Russian federal Investigative Committee and the prosecutor’s office for the Moscow region confirmed the explosion but did not name the victim.
Ukraine has not issued a comment on his death so far, though Kyiv has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Russian generals since the start of Vladimir Putin’s war.
Drones attack Novokuibyshevsk city in Russia's Samara region
Wednesday 10 June 2026 03:53 , Arpan Rai
The city of Novokuibyshevsk in Russia's Samara region was under drone attack in the early hours today, regional governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Telegram.
Russian state oil company Rosneft runs the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in the area. Fedorishchev said air space in Samara was closed, without providing details.
The Independent View: Zelensky is an indispensable ally in Britain’s new security partnership with Europe
Wednesday 10 June 2026 03:00 , James Reynolds
While Britain has an embarrassingly underpowered military plagued by incompetence, the Ukrainians have the biggest army of any European nation:
Zelensky is an indispensable ally in Britain’s new security partnership with Europe
Watch: Aftermath of Russian strike on postal terminal in Kharkiv's district
Wednesday 10 June 2026 02:00 , James Reynolds
Debris from Ukrainian drone triggers fire at civilian site, Rostov regional governor says
Wednesday 10 June 2026 01:00 , James Reynolds
Falling debris from a Ukrainian drone triggered a fire in a fuel tank at a civilian site, the governor of Russia's southern Rostov region said early on Wednesday.
Yuri Slyusar, writing on Telegram, said the drone attack was still going on in the region's Millerovsky district, just over the Ukrainian border. He said there was no indication so far of any casualties.
Ukraine, Latvia sign drone deal, Zelenskiy says
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Ukraine has signed a drone deal with Latvia, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday as he met with Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs.
"These are concrete things to strengthen our joint defense and co-production, and, importantly, this also means Ukraine's expertise and experience helping to strengthen our partners," the Ukrainian president said in a post on X.
He gave no details of what the deal entailed.
Kulbergs said the agreement would give Latvia technological know-how and co-production opportunities.
"We need to protect our skies, and nobody knows how to do that better than Ukraine," he told a joint press conference with Zelensky and other leaders attending the summit, adding that drones were responsible for the vast majority of deaths of Russian troops in the Ukraine war.
Bulgaria's new government says it will not provide arms for Ukraine
Tuesday 9 June 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
Bulgaria's newly appointed defence minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, said on Tuesday his country would no longer provide arms to Ukraine and urged Moscow and Kyiv to sit down at the negotiating table to end the war, the BTA news agency reported.
Bulgaria, a NATO and European Union member state that holds a strategic position on the Black Sea, sent Ukraine anti-tank missiles, armoured vehicles, mortars, anti-aircraft guns and howitzers in 2024 and 2025, as well as infantry weapons, after a change in policy course.
In 2022 and 2023 it did not officially export weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, but instead exported to mostly European intermediaries, with Bulgarian officials saying they could not control what buyers did with these exports.
"It is not planned for the Bulgarian side to provide more weapons to the Ukrainian army," Stoyanov said while presenting the priorities of his ministry.
Tuesday 9 June 2026 20:00 , James Reynolds
Disruptions to fuel supplies have triggered panic-buying in Russia's Krasnodar region, the governor said, as Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure hit fuel deliveries across several southern regions and Russian-held Crimea.
Some smaller gas stations in the southwest of Krasnodar region, which borders Crimea, are short of fuel, but the situation is under control, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram on Monday evening.
"Against the backdrop of a difficult situation in neighbouring regions, many people decided to stock up on gasoline, which caused artificial panic buying," he said, adding that any supply difficulties were temporary and distributors were taking steps to prevent long-term shortages.
Russia's Energy Ministry said a recent surge in Ukrainian attacks on energy facilities had caused temporary supply difficulties in several southern regions. It said a task force had been set up to help stabilise the sector nationwide.
Russia threats to UK at highest level since the Cold War, military chief warns
Tuesday 9 June 2026 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
In case you missed this piece:
The UK is facing the highest level of threat from Russia since the Cold War, the chief of defence staff has said in a chilling warning for the country.
Stressing that Britain faces its “most dangerous period” in decades, Sir Richard Knighton said the country needs to prepare for “longer conflicts” like in Ukraine.
The threat comes as Russia is “definitely raising the stakes and risks crossing a line,” through cyber attacks, assassination attempts, “or trying to smuggle technology and reckless sabotage,” he said.
Russia threats to UK at highest level since the Cold War, military chief warns
Pregnant woman among three killed in Russian attacks on Kharkiv
Tuesday 9 June 2026 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region killed a pregnant woman and two other people, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday, while Russia-annexed Crimea said it was repelling drone attacks.
An overnight missile attack on the town of Chuhuiv in the Kharkiv region killed three people, including a 22-year-old pregnant woman, regional prosecutors said on Telegram.
The attack damaged residential buildings, garages and shops, they said, adding that six more people were injured.In the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest, a Russian drone attack had caused 16 people to seek medical assistance, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Officials posted photos of a building engulfed by fire and firefighters battling the flames and dousing burnt-out cars.
The strikes follow large air attacks by Russia on Ukraine in recent weeks, while Kyiv has intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian oil facilities, leading to shortages of fuel in Crimea and elsewhere.
What Zelensky said to Putin in open letter suggesting face-to-face meeting
Tuesday 9 June 2026 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsSIGN UP
Volodymyr Zelensky has published a letter appealing to Russian president Vladimir Putin for a meeting, while launching a blistering verdict on his 26-year tenure in Moscow.
The message warned it would be misguided to simply await the Trump administration’s renewed focus on ending the conflict in Ukraine while its attention remains heavily directed towards the war in Iran, proposing that Moscow and Kyiv alone take the next steps.
Kyiv is looking to seize the initiative in what is a pivotal moment in the war, with Ukraine beginning to regain some leverage on the battlefield in part due to improved long-range strike capabilities.
In full: Zelensky’s letter to Putin as he calls for face-to-face meeting
