Volodymyr Zelensky has ridiculed Russia’s goal to capture Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, saying that the attempt has been made by Russian forces 15 times and failed.
“Since the start of the full-scale war, the Russian army has been given as many as 15 deadlines for capturing our Donetsk region. Russia’s political leadership remains obsessed with Donbas. They have entertained this delusion – that they would fully capture Donbas – 15 times already,” Zelensky said in his nightly address.
He warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin will have to end the war or else watch the next deadline be moved once again.
“If Russia does not end its war, they will have to move this deadline again as well. If Putin wants to sacrifice another million of his soldiers to keep smashing against this wall, then the million Russians who have not yet been mobilised into the Russian army and are arguing in gas lines should think about what awaits them next,” Zelensky said.
In Russia, fuel crisis is deepening as officials may allow companies to temporarily produce gasoline and diesel with lower quality and allow lower quality imports amid Ukraine's attacks on its refineries.
Key Points
- Putin admits Russia facing problems in Ukraine war: 'Aware of them'
- Ukrainian brigade commander found dead – report
- Putin says battlefield attacks to continue regardless of Ukraine's peace proposals
- Russian attacks kill five in Ukraine, local officials say
- Biden accuses Trump of 'destroying Nato' and siding with Putin
North Korea suffered 7,000 troop casualties fighting with Russia, Ukraine says
04:41 , Arpan Rai
North Korean troops have suffered more than 7,000 casualties while fighting alongside Russia, Ukrainian military intelligence.
The figures is significantly higher than previously reported by British and South Korean intelligence agencies, which estimated around 6,000 casualties between August 2024 and March 2025.
The updated figure, reported by Kyiv Independent, comes as Russia and North Korea deepen their military cooperation.
Russia may allow lower quality fuel production and imports as fuel crisis deepens
04:18 , Arpan Rai
Russia may allow companies to temporarily produce gasoline and diesel with lower quality and allow lower quality imports, Kommersant daily newspaper said on Monday, as the country tries to ease the fuel crisis amid Ukraine's attacks on its refineries.
The newspaper, citing a draft governmental document, said Russia may allow production of gasoline and diesel of the Euro-2 standard with higher sulphur content and which has been banned since 2013, for a year until July 2027, as well as allowing the imports.
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in the fifth year of the war, triggering widespread fuel shortages and price spikes as Kyiv tries to push Moscow to the negotiation table.
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Sunday at a meeting with government ministers and other officials that Ukrainian drone strikes had triggered fuel shortages in some regions, but said Russia was dealing with them.
Zelensky mocks Putin's military drive, says deadline to capture postponed 15 times
04:00 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has ridiculed Russia’s goal to capture Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, saying that the attempt has been made 15 times and failed.
“Since the start of the full-scale war, the Russian army has been given as many as 15 deadlines for capturing our Donetsk region. Russia’s political leadership remains obsessed with Donbas. They have entertained this delusion – that they would fully capture Donbas – 15 times already,” Zelensky said in his nightly address.
He recounted mutliple deadlines Putin set for his troops to capture the region but has instead faced a war of attrition.
“In 2022, the deadlines were 31 March, then 9 May, 1 June, 15 September, and 31 December. In 2023, Putin set two more deadlines for capturing Donbas: 1 March, and then, when that failed again, they moved it to 31 December. In 2024, there were again two such deadlines,” Zelensky said.
He added that last year when Russians wanted to convince Trump that Ukraine would “supposedly fall”, they had set three final dates to completely capture the Donetsk region.
He has warned that the deadline will be moved again if the war does not end.
“If Russia does not end its war, they will have to move this deadline again as well. If Putin wants to sacrifice another million of his soldiers to keep smashing against this wall, then the million Russians who have not yet been mobilised into the Russian army and are arguing in gas lines should think about what awaits them next,” Zelensky said.
In the weeks following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces initially tried to advance on the capital Kyiv, but when they failed to complete that advance they withdrew and focused efforts on capturing Donbas.
Russia has captured all of the Luhansk region and large chunks of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Although Moscow's forces are slowly moving westward through Donetsk region, Ukrainian officials say the advance has slowed considerably while Ukraine steps up its campaign of medium and long-range drone strikes.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the Russian army has been given as many as 15 deadlines for capturing our Donetsk region. Russia’s political leadership remains obsessed with Donbas. They have entertained this delusion – that they would fully capture Donbas – 15 times… pic.twitter.com/JXMO5jcycI
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 29, 2026
I’ve fought Putin for 17 years – he’d rather watch Russia burn than admit he can’t win this war
03:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
The huge losses now coming home to Russians every day will not bring a leader who runs his country like a prison yard to the negotiating table – if he shows weakness, he knows he will end up in a coffin, says Bill Browder.
Putin would rather watch Russia burn than admit he can’t win this war
Watch: Putin says Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
French prosecutor blocks suspected 'shadow fleet' tanker and releases captain
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
A French prosecutor has ordered the immobilisation of an oil tanker suspected of being part of the "shadow fleet" Russia uses to ship oil and gas and to skirt Western sanctions on Monday.
It comes the day after the Marseille prosecutor ordered Sunday the release of the ship's captain, who was held in police custody for two days.
French authorities suspected the ship was sailing under a false flag. It was intercepted off Sicily on June 23, the prosecutor's office said.
"This new action against the shadow fleet, conducted days after a similar operation by Britain, shows Europeans' determination," French president Emmanuel Macron said in a post on Instagram last week.
The oil tanker was sailing from Primorsk in Russia and sailed under a Cameroonian flag.
France has intercepted at least five tankers it says are part of Russia's shadow fleet, old vessels that Russia has relied on to ship oil and gas and to skirt Western sanctions.
Moscow has called such actions illegal.
Putin is asking for peace talks. It’s time to kick him while he’s down
Tuesday 30 June 2026 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Putin is rattled and Trump needs a win – this is the chance for Ukraine and her allies to force the collapse of Russia’s army and push back against its land grab, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
Why is Putin asking for Ukraine-Russia peace talks now?
Recap: Ukraine launches one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia and Crimea
Monday 29 June 2026 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on Russian territory and illegally annexed Crimea, with Russian air defences claiming to intercept 660 unmanned aerial vehicles across 12 regions, the Black Sea, and the Azov Sea during a major overnight assault on Friday.
This significant barrage marks one of the most extensive drone operations targeting Russian regions and the occupied peninsula since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine over four years ago.
On Monday, Vladimir Putin admitted his forces have faced problems in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and said he was aware of fuel shortages due to Ukraine’s growing attacks.
You can read more below:
Ukraine launches one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia and Crimea
In pictures: Ukrainians head to Dnipro river during heatwave amid Russia's invasion
Monday 29 June 2026 22:00 , Harriette Boucher
Why Russia is so desperate to take Ukraine’s eastern ‘fortress belt’
Monday 29 June 2026 21:00 , Harriette Boucher
Russia is pushing towards Kostiantynivka, a vital stronghold in Ukraine's eastern "fortress belt" long sought after by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled.
Fighting has begun to seep into the city itself. Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow.
Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine's effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region.
The push towards it underscores Moscow's enduring manpower advantage, even as Ukrainian mid-range drone strikes on logistics have weakened its fighting capabilities, analysts said.
"The effect (of mid-range strikes) hasn't been so great that it would have forced the Russians to suspend their offensive," said Emil Kastehelmi of the Black Bird conflict analysis team in Finland.
"So even though Russia has been taking increasingly heavy losses in the rear, they are still able to continue their offensives, at least in certain sectors."
Kostiantynivka: Why Russia is so desperate to take Ukraine’s eastern ‘fortress belt’
How Ukraine’s audacious drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
Monday 29 June 2026 20:00 , Daniel Keane
Drones, once auxiliary to the war on the ground, have grown into a giant-slaying weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal over four years of ingenuity, writes James C. Reynolds.
How Ukraine’s drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
Watch: Kyiv intensifies strikes on Russian oil refineries
Monday 29 June 2026 19:00 , Harriette Boucher
North Korean suffered 7,000 troop casualties fighting with Russia, Ukraine says
Monday 29 June 2026 18:00 , Harriette Boucher
North Korean troops have suffered more than 7,000 casualties while fighting alongside Russia, Ukrainian military intelligence.
The figures is significantly higher than previously reported by British and South Korean intelligence agencies, which estimated around 6,000 casualties between August 2024 and March 2025.
The updated figure, reported by Kyiv Independent, comes as Russia and North Korea deepen their military cooperation.
In pictures: Russia strikes Dnipro with missiles
Monday 29 June 2026 17:00 , Harriette Boucher
Eleven dead and 40 injured in Russian attacks
Monday 29 June 2026 16:00 , Harriette Boucher
Russian missiles and drones killed at least 11 civilians and injured 40 others in Ukraine in what Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “horrific attacks.”
A missile strike targeting infrastructure in Dnipro killed five people and injured 29, while an attack on Zaporizhzhia, targeting an ordinary minibus, killed three people and injured six, including a child.
Russia drones also killed a 69-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man in the northeastern Sumy region, National Police said.
The Ukrainian president offered his condolences to their families and loved ones and said there must be “more protection for people from such horrific strikes.”
Meanwhile in Nikopol, Russia targeted a fire truck and struck rescuers, as well as energy infrastructure in Sumy, Odesa, and Chernihiv oblasts.
“It is extremely important to counter this Russian terror,” President Zelensky said,
“First and foremost, we need anti-ballistic defenses. It is crucial that work in Europe on its own anti-ballistic protection be as active as possible. Its own systems, missiles. The sooner such capabilities increase, the more lives we will be able to save.”
Stray Ukrainian drones crashing onto Nato soil are price worth paying to defeat Putin, says Estonian foreign minister
Monday 29 June 2026 15:00 , Daniel Keane
Estonia’s foreign minister has said stray Ukrainian drones crashing in Nato territory are a small price to pay to defeat Russia.
Nato countries have reported increasing numbers of Ukrainian drones flying into their air space, leading to travel disruptions, closed airports and the scrambling of fighter jets.
Last week an unexploded drone carrying a 5kg warhead was found in a field in Estonia and Ukraine was forced to apologise last month after Romanian fighter jets shot down a drone encroaching on Estonian airspace.
But foreign minister Margus Tsahkna has said that Estonia is looking at the bigger picture and believes the disruption is worth it.
“Of course we are not happy about [these incidents],” Tsahkna told the Financial Times. “But we are not saying to Ukraine to stop it. This is hitting the lifeline of Putin.”
Read our full story below.
Ukrainian drones crashing onto Nato soil are worth defeating Putin, says Estonia
Watch: Kyiv intensifies strikes on Russian oil refineries
Monday 29 June 2026 14:00 , Daniel Keane
Poland expels 11 suspected of Russia-backed campaign to influence Ukrainian refugees
Monday 29 June 2026 13:30 , Daniel Keane
Polish security services have deported nine Ukrainians and two Belarusians on suspicion of using Russian money to recruit Ukrainian refugees to demonstrate against the Kyiv government in Poland, the Internal Security Agency (ABW) said.
"The organisers aimed to gradually influence the Ukrainian refugee community in Poland and use this group to promote political slogans," the ABW said in a statement.
It added that emotive topics including corruption scandals that have hit the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other developments in domestic politics had been used to trigger protests.
According to the agency, the individuals had links to Russia and Belarus and had been carrying out their activities since autumn 2025.
"This is an example of operations that fall outside of classic aggression, aimed at undermining public trust, fuelling tensions and exploiting people fleeing war as instruments of Russian influence," the ABW said.
How Ukraine’s audacious drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
Monday 29 June 2026 13:00 , Maira Butt
he explosion was so powerful that it sent the huge disc-shaped lid of an oil storage tank flying high above the city on a cushion of black smoke and flame.
Ukrainian drones cut through the Russian air defences last week to strike an oil refinery in Moscow for the second time in three days, amid Kyiv’s largest ever attack on the capital.
The footage quickly travelled around the world as proof of Kyiv’s poise and ability to bring the war in Ukraine back to Vladimir Putin’s doorstep. On Sunday, the Russian president admitted that Moscow is experiencing “problems” in the war and warned of fuel shortages due to Ukrainian attacks.
James C Reynolds reports:
How Ukraine and Russia’s drone war spread to Europe as Putin ‘hijacks’ Kyiv’s weapons
Watch: Putin admits ‘problems’ in invasion and warns of fuel shortage from Kyiv’s strikes
Monday 29 June 2026 12:30 , Maira Butt
Russian forces take control of another village in eastern Ukraine, RIA reports
Monday 29 June 2026 12:00 , Maira Butt
Russian troops have taken control of the village of Bohodarivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, the RIA state news agency reported on Monday, citing the Defence Ministry.
Kostiantynivka: Why Russia is so desperate to take Ukraine’s eastern ‘fortress belt’
Monday 29 June 2026 11:30 , Maira Butt
Russia is pushing towards Kostiantynivka, a vital stronghold in Ukraine's eastern "fortress belt" long sought after by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled.
Fighting has begun to seep into the city itself. Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow.
Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine's effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region.
Kostiantynivka: Why Russia is so desperate to take Ukraine’s eastern ‘fortress belt’
Watch: Rachel Reeves tears up after hearing Ukrainian families story
Monday 29 June 2026 11:00 , Arpan Rai
How Ukraine’s audacious drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
Monday 29 June 2026 10:40 , Arpan Rai
The explosion was so powerful that it sent the huge disc-shaped lid of an oil storage tank flying high above the city on a cushion of black smoke and flame.
Ukrainian drones cut through the Russian air defences last week to strike an oil refinery in Moscow for the second time in three days, amid Kyiv’s largest ever attack on the capital.
The footage quickly travelled around the world as proof of Kyiv’s poise and ability to bring the war in Ukraine back to Vladimir Putin’s doorstep.
How Ukraine’s drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
What Putin told his United party congress
Monday 29 June 2026 10:20 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin gave a rare acknowledgement of the impacts of Ukraine's medium- and long-range drone campaign, as he spoke about several issues plaguing his invasion of Ukraine.
Here’s what he said:
On Russia facing problems in war with Ukraine:
“Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia’s borders," Putin said.
“We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities.”
On Ukraine’s drone campaign:
"The first task is to quickly and significantly ramp up production of those air defence systems that are most needed."
"All the strikes, wherever they hit our infrastructure, absolutely do not affect the situation on the front, on the line of combat contact," he said.
On peace talks with Ukraine:
Putin said Russia was expecting a resumption of US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war and a new visit to Moscow by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner once the "hot phase" of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran was resolved.
On continuing attacks on the war's frontline:
Vladimir Putin said he was rejecting what he said was a new proposal by Kyiv to rein in hostilities in the conflict and Russia would press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions.
He said Moscow saw it as a means to relieve pressure on Kyiv's forces along the two sides' 1,250km (775mile) front line and would not be distracted by it.
“It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin claimed.
“Given their catastrophic shortage of personnel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces apparently believe this could be their salvation. But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans,” he claimed.
On fuel supply shortages amid attacks on oil refineries:
Putin, addressing a meeting of senior officials on fuel supply and distribution, said Russia had to minimise the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil installations linked to the shortages.
He called for measures to ensure supplies for the farm sector and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
"You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist," Putin told the meeting, according to accounts published by Russian news agencies. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at gas stations too."
He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure."
Putin said gasoline reserves were being used and now stood at 1.7 million metric tons and that July production levels should exceed those recorded in June. He said a ban on diesel exports, under discussion for some time, was being considered.
"The need to introduce a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel is being considered," he told participants.
What Putin told his United party congress
Monday 29 June 2026 10:20 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin gave a rare acknowledgement of the impacts of Ukraine's medium- and long-range drone campaign, as he spoke about several issues plaguing his invasion of Ukraine.
Here’s what he said:
On Russia facing problems in war with Ukraine:
“Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia’s borders," Putin said.
“We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities.”
On Ukraine’s drone campaign:
"The first task is to quickly and significantly ramp up production of those air defence systems that are most needed."
"All the strikes, wherever they hit our infrastructure, absolutely do not affect the situation on the front, on the line of combat contact," he said.
On peace talks with Ukraine:
Putin said Russia was expecting a resumption of US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war and a new visit to Moscow by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner once the "hot phase" of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran was resolved.
On continuing attacks on the war's frontline:
Vladimir Putin said he was rejecting what he said was a new proposal by Kyiv to rein in hostilities in the conflict and Russia would press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions.
He said Moscow saw it as a means to relieve pressure on Kyiv's forces along the two sides' 1,250km (775mile) front line and would not be distracted by it.
“It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin claimed.
“Given their catastrophic shortage of personnel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces apparently believe this could be their salvation. But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans,” he claimed.
On fuel supply shortages amid attacks on oil refineries:
Putin, addressing a meeting of senior officials on fuel supply and distribution, said Russia had to minimise the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil installations linked to the shortages.
He called for measures to ensure supplies for the farm sector and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
"You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist," Putin told the meeting, according to accounts published by Russian news agencies. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at gas stations too."
He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure."
Putin said gasoline reserves were being used and now stood at 1.7 million metric tons and that July production levels should exceed those recorded in June. He said a ban on diesel exports, under discussion for some time, was being considered.
"The need to introduce a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel is being considered," he told participants.
Putin agrees no formal agreement came out of Alaska talks
Monday 29 June 2026 10:00 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin appeared to agree with comments last week by US secretary of state Marco Rubio that no formal agreement had been reached at US-Russia talks in Alaska last year, although he said American peace proposals had been discussed.
“Nobody signed anything, but we talked about certain possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine,” Putin said.
Russia has been insisting in recent days that it wants to stick to the terms of a peace deal discussed between Trump and Putin in Anchorage in August last year.
The US side, he said, had asked for compromises which he said were contained in proposals put forward by the Americans in the talks.
In his comments, Putin also suggested that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, with whom he held two days of talks this week, could assist with peace talks.
German foreign minister and US counterpart to discuss new burden-sharing arrangement in Nato
Monday 29 June 2026 09:35 , Arpan Rai
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul and his US counterpart Marco Rubio will discuss a new burden-sharing arrangement within Nato at a meeting in Washington this week, Wadephul said this morning.
Wadephul and Rubio will discuss "how we can achieve a new burden-sharing arrangement within the alliance and secure stable, long-term support for Ukraine at next week's Nato summit in Ankara”.
"Support that will make Moscow realise that it is finally time to end the killing in Ukraine and come to the negotiating table," Wadephul added in a statement.
Lukashenko says ties with China 'at historic peak'
Monday 29 June 2026 09:20 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said China-Belarus ties are at their “historic peak” as he met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing for talks this morning.
"This is exactly what we talked with you before," Lukashenko replied, according to the Telegram post.
“And perhaps, to some extent, what we had dreamed of on the eve of this global cooperation between Belarus and... China."
Lukashenko's visit to China comes after he held talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin last week.
Putin admits Russia facing problems in Ukraine war: 'Aware of them'
Monday 29 June 2026 09:00 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin has admitted his forces have faced problems in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as he warned of fuel shortages due to Ukraine’s growing attacks.
“Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia’s borders,” Putin said yesterday, speaking at the congress of his ruling party, United Russia.
“We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities,” the Russian president added.
Putin acknowledged at the meeting in the Kremlin with government ministers and other officials that the strikes had triggered fuel shortages in various Russian regions but that Russia was dealing with them.
In a separate conversation with Russian state television interviewer, Putin said Russia needed to boost its air defence capacity to counter intensified Ukrainian drone attacks aimed mainly at its oil industry.
Ukrainian brigade commander found dead – report
Monday 29 June 2026 08:30 , Arpan Rai
A senior military commander of Ukraine army was found dead yesterday, officials said.
Colonel Volodymyr Konnikov, the commander of Ukraine's 154th Separate Mechanised Brigade, was reportedly found dead, Ukraine's Operational Command South said, adding that circumstances were under investigation.
"On Sunday, 28 June, the commander of the 154th Separate Mechanised Brigade, Colonel Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Konnikov, was found dead. The circumstances of the officer's death are being investigated," the command said in a statement.
"Colonel Volodymyr Kononnikov was an officer devoted to Ukraine and the military, a responsible commander who cared about the personnel and needs of his unit," it added.
However, Zaporizhzhia regional police later said that a commander of a military unit had been found dead with a gunshot wound, but did not name Konnikov.
The circumstances surrounding the death have not been disclosed but officials have launched an investigation.
A criminal case under Article 115 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which covers intentional homicide has been opened.
"Police are establishing the circumstances surrounding the death of the military officer," the Zaporizhzhia regional police said in a statement.
"The commander of one of the military units was found dead with a gunshot wound,” it said.
Watch: Rachel Reeves tears up after hearing Ukrainian families story
Monday 29 June 2026 08:15 , Arpan Rai
Russian attacks kill five in Ukraine, local officials say
Monday 29 June 2026 08:05 , Arpan Rai
Russian attacks killed at least four people on Sunday in Ukraine's southeastand northeast and one in Sumy, regional officials said.
Strikes on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and injured 16, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.
Pictures posted online by the governor showed a building ablaze and parts of a neighborhood reduced to rubble.
In the northeastern border region of Kharkiv, a frequent Russian target, a missile strike on the town of Zmiiv killed one person and injured eight, including two children, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Police in the Kharkiv region also said an officer was killed as he was trying to organise the evacuation of residents in another community further north.
In the Sumy region, also on the Russian border, the regional governor said an elderly woman was killed during the day in an area near the border.
Russia eyeing Ukraine's 'fortress belt' Kostiantynivka despite losses
Monday 29 June 2026 07:57 , Arpan Rai
Russia is grinding its way into Kostiantynivka, a key stronghold in Ukraine's eastern "fortress belt" long coveted by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled.
Fighting has begun to seep into the city itself.
Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow.
Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine's effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region.
The push towards it underscores Moscow's enduring manpower advantage, even as Ukrainian mid-range drone strikes on logistics have weakened its fighting capabilities, analysts said.
“The effect (of mid-range strikes) hasn't been so great that it would have forced the Russians to suspend their offensive," said Emil Kastehelmi of the Black Bird conflict analysis team in Finland.
“So even though Russia has been taking increasingly heavy losses in the rear, they are still able to continue their offensives, at least in certain sectors,” he said.
Occupying Kostiantynivka would provide Russian forces a foothold from which to move north along the belt, now the central axis of their campaign.
But any advance would likely be long and bloody for its forces, in a possible echo of other costly sieges of eastern cities like Pokrovsk and Avdiivka.
Putin admits Russia facing 'certain shortage' of fuel amid Ukrainian attacks
Monday 29 June 2026 07:46 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin yesterday acknowledged Russia is facing “a certain shortage” of fuel, coinciding with Ukraine’s increased attacks on oil refineries in several parts of the country.
In an interview published by the Kremlin yesterday, Putin said: “As for strikes against critical infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular, of course these attacks on our infrastructure facilities create problems, that’s obvious”.
“Right now we’re observing a certain shortage, but it’s not critical,” he claimed.
Putin said officials now face the main task now of increasing Russian anti-aircraft defence capacity and to ensure fuel supplies, particularly to Crimea.
Putin agrees no formal agreement came out of Alaska talks
Monday 29 June 2026 07:25 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin appeared to agree with comments last week by US secretary of state Marco Rubio that no formal agreement had been reached at US-Russia talks in Alaska last year, although he said American peace proposals had been discussed.
“Nobody signed anything, but we talked about certain possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine,” Putin said.
Russia has been insisting in recent days that it wants to stick to the terms of a peace deal discussed between Trump and Putin in Anchorage in August last year.
The US side, he said, had asked for compromises which he said were contained in proposals put forward by the Americans in the talks.
In his comments, Putin also suggested that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, with whom he held two days of talks this week, could assist with peace talks.
What Putin told his United party congress
Monday 29 June 2026 07:10 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin gave a rare acknowledgement of the impacts of Ukraine's medium- and long-range drone campaign, as he spoke about several issues plaguing his invasion of Ukraine.
Here’s what he said:
On Russia facing problems in war with Ukraine:
“Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia’s borders," Putin said.“We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities.”
On Ukraine’s drone campaign:
"The first task is to quickly and significantly ramp up production of those air defence systems that are most needed."
"All the strikes, wherever they hit our infrastructure, absolutely do not affect the situation on the front, on the line of combat contact," he said.
On peace talks with Ukraine:
Putin said Russia was expecting a resumption of US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war and a new visit to Moscow by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner once the "hot phase" of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran was resolved.
On continuing attacks on the war's frontline:
Vladimir Putin said he was rejecting what he said was a new proposal by Kyiv to rein in hostilities in the conflict and Russia would press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions.
He said Moscow saw it as a means to relieve pressure on Kyiv's forces along the two sides' 1,250km (775mile) front line and would not be distracted by it.
“It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin claimed.
“Given their catastrophic shortage of personnel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces apparently believe this could be their salvation. But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans,” he claimed.
On fuel supply shortages amid attacks on oil refineries:
Putin, addressing a meeting of senior officials on fuel supply and distribution, said Russia had to minimise the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil installations linked to the shortages.
He called for measures to ensure supplies for the farm sector and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
"You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist," Putin told the meeting, according to accounts published by Russian news agencies. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at gas stations too."
He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure."
Putin said gasoline reserves were being used and now stood at 1.7 million metric tons and that July production levels should exceed those recorded in June. He said a ban on diesel exports, under discussion for some time, was being considered.
"The need to introduce a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel is being considered," he told participants.
German foreign minister and US counterpart to discuss new burden-sharing arrangement in Nato
Monday 29 June 2026 06:47 , Arpan Rai
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul and his US counterpart Marco Rubio will discuss a new burden-sharing arrangement within Nato at a meeting in Washington this week, Wadephul said this morning.
Wadephul and Rubio will discuss "how we can achieve a new burden-sharing arrangement within the alliance and secure stable, long-term support for Ukraine at next week's Nato summit in Ankara”.
"Support that will make Moscow realise that it is finally time to end the killing in Ukraine and come to the negotiating table," Wadephul added in a statement.
Biden accuses Trump of 'destroying Nato' and siding with Putin
Monday 29 June 2026 06:16 , Arpan Rai
Joe Biden accused Donald Trump of “destroying Nato” and “choosing [Vladimir] Putin over American allies.”
Speaking from a Democratic Party fundraising gala in Maryland on Saturday, the former US president took several jabs at Trump.
He said: “It's not just his deliberate distortion and destruction of Nato and his choosing Putin over American allies or the fact that he's diminished our standing in the eyes of the world more than any president in history has,” Kyiv Independent reported.
President Trump has heavily criticised Nato and threatened to pull out of the alliance over European members’ lack of support in the Iran war.
Lukashenko says ties with China 'at historic peak'
Monday 29 June 2026 05:58 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said China-Belarus ties are at their “historic peak” as he met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing for talks this morning.
"This is exactly what we talked with you before," Lukashenko replied, according to the Telegram post.
“And perhaps, to some extent, what we had dreamed of on the eve of this global cooperation between Belarus and... China."
Lukashenko's visit to China comes after he held talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin last week.
Putin admits Russia facing problems in Ukraine war: 'Aware of them'
Monday 29 June 2026 05:33 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin has admitted his forces have faced problems in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as he warned of fuel shortages due to Ukraine’s growing attacks.
“Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia’s borders,” Putin said yesterday, speaking at the congress of his ruling party, United Russia.
“We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities,” the Russian president added.
Putin acknowledged at the meeting in the Kremlin with government ministers and other officials that the strikes had triggered fuel shortages in various Russian regions but that Russia was dealing with them.
In a separate conversation with Russian state television interviewer, Putin said Russia needed to boost its air defence capacity to counter intensified Ukrainian drone attacks aimed mainly at its oil industry.
Xi Jinping meets Belarusian president in Beijing
Monday 29 June 2026 05:14 , Arpan Rai
Chinese president Xi Jinping has met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing this morning, reported China’s state news agency CCTV.
In full: Putin acknowledges fuel shortages, task force set up to ensure supplies
Monday 29 June 2026 04:52 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Sunday that fuel supply problems had created shortages in Russian regions and a task force was working on ensuring sufficient quantities were provided throughout the country.
Putin, addressing a meeting of senior officials on fuel supply and distribution, said Russia had to minimise the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil installations linked to the shortages.
He called for measures to ensure supplies for the farm sector and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
"You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist," Putin told the meeting, according to accounts published by Russian news agencies. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at gas stations too."
He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure."
Ukraine has stepped up medium and long-range attacks on industrial targets in Russia and Russian-controlled territories inside Ukraine, focusing mainly on the oil sector.
Putin said gasoline reserves were being used and now stood at 1.7 million metric tons and that July production levels should exceed those recorded in June. He said a ban on diesel exports, under discussion for some time, was being considered.
"The need to introduce a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel is being considered," he told participants.
Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak had earlier said there was no need for Russia to ban diesel exports, Interfax news agency reported.
A task force on fuel supplies was working round the clock, Putin said, adding the situation required "systemic measures that match the scale of current challenges" to increase supply and keep prices at a reasonable level.
Supplying agriculture, he said, was particularly important.
"We need to make every effort to ensure that all seasonal fuel supply schedules are maintained for agro-industrial enterprises, because the harvest depends on it," Putin said.
Ukrainian brigade commander found dead – report
Monday 29 June 2026 04:26 , Arpan Rai
A senior military commander of Ukraine army was found dead yesterday, officials said.
Colonel Volodymyr Konnikov, the commander of Ukraine's 154th Separate Mechanised Brigade, was reportedly found dead, Ukraine's Operational Command South said, adding that circumstances were under investigation.
"On Sunday, 28 June, the commander of the 154th Separate Mechanised Brigade, Colonel Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Konnikov, was found dead. The circumstances of the officer's death are being investigated," the command said in a statement.
"Colonel Volodymyr Kononnikov was an officer devoted to Ukraine and the military, a responsible commander who cared about the personnel and needs of his unit," it added.
However, Zaporizhzhia regional police later said that a commander of a military unit had been found dead with a gunshot wound, but did not name Konnikov.
The circumstances surrounding the death have not been disclosed but officials have launched an investigation.
A criminal case under Article 115 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which covers intentional homicide has been opened.
"Police are establishing the circumstances surrounding the death of the military officer," the Zaporizhzhia regional police said in a statement.
"The commander of one of the military units was found dead with a gunshot wound,” it said.
Putin says battlefield attacks to continue regardless of Ukraine's peace proposals
Monday 29 June 2026 03:56 , Arpan Rai
Vladimir Putin said Russia will press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions, rejecting what he said was a new proposal by Kyiv to rein in hostilities in Russia's more than four-year-old war on Ukraine.
In his television interview, the Russian president said Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes as a step towards peace.
But Moscow saw it as a means to relieve pressure on Kyiv's forces along the two sides' 1,250km (775mile) front line and would not be distracted by it.
“It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin claimed.
“Given their catastrophic shortage of personnel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces apparently believe this could be their salvation. But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans,” he claimed.
The office of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has not immediately issued a comment on Putin's remarks.
Russian attacks kill five in Ukraine, local officials say
Monday 29 June 2026 03:47 , Arpan Rai
Russian attacks killed at least four people on Sunday in Ukraine's southeastand northeast and one in Sumy, regional officials said.
Strikes on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and injured 16, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.
Pictures posted online by the governor showed a building ablaze and parts of a neighborhood reduced to rubble.
In the northeastern border region of Kharkiv, a frequent Russian target, a missile strike on the town of Zmiiv killed one person and injured eight, including two children, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Police in the Kharkiv region also said an officer was killed as he was trying to organise the evacuation of residents in another community further north.
In the Sumy region, also on the Russian border, the regional governor said an elderly woman was killed during the day in an area near the border.
Biden accuses Trump of 'destroying Nato' and siding with Putin
Monday 29 June 2026 03:00 , Harriette Boucher
Joe Biden accused Donald Trump of “destroying Nato” and “choosing [Vladimir] Putin over American allies.”
Speaking from a Democratic Party fundraising gala in Maryland on Saturday, the former US president took several jabs at Mr Trump.
He said: “It's not just his deliberate distortion and destruction of NATO and his choosing Putin over American allies or the fact that he's diminished our standing in the eyes of the world more than any president in history has,” Kyiv Independent reported.
President Trump has heavily criticised Nato and threatened to pull out of the alliance over European members’ lack of support in the Iran war.
ICYMI: Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia and Crimea
Monday 29 June 2026 02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on Russian territory and illegally annexed Crimea, with Russian air defences claiming to intercept 660 unmanned aerial vehicles across 12 regions, the Black Sea, and the Azov Sea during a major overnight assault on Friday.
Read more:
Ukraine launches one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia and Crimea
Watch: Ukraine releases footage claiming to show destruction of key Crimean rail bridge
Monday 29 June 2026 01:00 , Harriette Boucher
How Ukraine caused a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
Monday 29 June 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
James C. Reynolds reports:
The explosion was so powerful that it sent the huge disc-shaped lid of an oil storage tank flying high above the city on a cushion of black smoke and flame.
Ukrainian drones cut through the Russian air defences last week to strike an oil refinery in Moscow for the second time in three days, amid Kyiv’s largest ever attack on the capital.
The footage quickly travelled around the world as proof of Kyiv’s poise and ability to bring the war in Ukraine back to Vladimir Putin’s doorstep.
The Ukrainians have intensified strikes on refineries, depots and supply routes in recent months, having learned to overwhelm Russia’s defences with a growing arsenal of cutting-edge long-range drones.
Their successes have created debilitating shortages across Russia, from occupied Crimea to the eastern expanses of Siberia, giving Kyiv the upper hand as both sides weigh restarting peace talks.
The Independent looks at how Ukraine has mastered its long-range capabilities to devastating effect:
How Ukraine’s drone campaign sparked a fuel crisis 3,500km behind enemy lines
In pictures: Rachel Reeves visited Ukraine this week
Sunday 28 June 2026 23:00 , Harriette Boucher
Analysis: Putin is asking for peace talks. It’s time to kick him while he’s down
Sunday 28 June 2026 22:00 , Harriette Boucher
Putin is rattled and Trump needs a win – this is the chance for Ukraine and her allies to force the collapse of Russia’s army and push back against its land grab, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
Why is Putin asking for Ukraine-Russia peace talks now?
Putin says Russia will press on with front-line campaign regardless of Ukraine proposals
Sunday 28 June 2026 21:26 , Dan Haygarth
Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes as a step towards peace but Moscow saw them as a means to distract from Russia's aim of fully capturing four regions in its military campaign.
"It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin told a Russian television interviewer.
Russia, he said, had no intention of "salvaging the Kyiv regime".
Ukrainian attacks were "aimed at diverting our attention and forces from achieving the main objectives – the complete liberation of Donbas and Novorossiya," a reference to the two regions of the Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
In full: Russia's Putin acknowledges fuel shortages, task force set up to ensure supplies
Sunday 28 June 2026 21:00 , Dan Haygarth
Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Sunday that fuel supply problems had created shortages in Russian regions and a task force was working on ensuring sufficient quantities were provided throughout the country.
Putin, addressing a meeting of senior officials on fuel supply and distribution, said Russia had to minimise the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil installations linked to the shortages.
He called for measures to ensure supplies for the farm sector and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
"You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist," Putin told the meeting, according to accounts published by Russian news agencies. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at gas stations too."
He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure."
Ukraine has stepped up medium and long-range attacks on industrial targets in Russia and Russian-controlled territories inside Ukraine, focusing mainly on the oil sector.
Putin said gasoline reserves were being used and now stood at 1.7 million metric tons and that July production levels should exceed those recorded in June. He said a ban on diesel exports, under discussion for some time, was being considered.
"The need to introduce a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel is being considered," he told participants.
Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak had earlier said there was no need for Russia to ban diesel exports, Interfax news agency reported.
A task force on fuel supplies was working round the clock, Putin said, adding the situation required "systemic measures that match the scale of current challenges" to increase supply and keep prices at a reasonable level.
Supplying agriculture, he said, was particularly important.
"We need to make every effort to ensure that all seasonal fuel supply schedules are maintained for agro-industrial enterprises, because the harvest depends on it," Putin said.
Putin says Russia needs more air defence capability, tackling fuel issues
Sunday 28 June 2026 20:55 , Dan Haygarth
Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia needed greater anti-aircraft capacity to confront Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure, but added that the country was coping well with the problems the attacks had caused.
"The first task is to quickly and significantly ramp up production of those air defence systems that are most needed," Putin said in a Russian television interview.
He said Russia would not allow the Ukrainian strikes to detract from Moscow's plans to advance on the front lines of the more than four-year-old conflict.
"All the strikes, wherever they hit our infrastructure, absolutely do not affect the situation on the front, on the line of combat contact," he said.
At least four killed in Ukraine after Russian attacks, officials say
Sunday 28 June 2026 20:34 , Dan Haygarth
Russian attacks killed at least four people on Sunday in Ukraine's southeast and northeast, regional officials said, Reuters reports.
Strikes on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and injured 16, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.
Pictures posted online by the governor showed a building ablaze and parts of a neighborhood reduced to rubble.
In the northeastern border region of Kharkiv, a frequent Russian target, a missile strike on the town of Zmiiv killed one person and injured eight, including two children, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Police in the Kharkiv region also said an officer was killed as he was trying to organise the evacuation of residents in another community further north.
Reuters said it was unable to independently verify accounts from either side.
Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in the more than four-year-old conflict.
Recap: Drones and artillery killed civilians on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine border
Sunday 28 June 2026 20:00 , Harriette Boucher
Drones and artillery killed civilians on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine border yesterday, local officials said.
In the Russian border region of Bryansk, a Ukrainian drone strike killed two people in their car in a village near the border, the region's acting governor Yegor Kovalchuk said on Telegram.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin issued a long series of statements about Ukrainian drones heading for the capital being intercepted. An informal tally kept by Russian news agencies put the number at 24 during the day.
In Ukraine, the governor of the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk Region, Oleksandr Ganzha, said a combined total of more than 40 drone strikes and artillery fire had killed one person and injured one near Nikopol.
The town, lying on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River from the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, is a frequent Russian target.
Russia's ruling party runs Ukraine war veteran among lead candidates for September election
Sunday 28 June 2026 19:30 , Dan Haygarth
Russia's ruling party on Sunday announced it would run an injured Ukraine war veteran and a television war correspondent, alongside the country's foreign minister and the mayor of Moscow, as lead candidates in a parliamentary election due in September.
Speaking at United Russia's pre-election congress, party chairman and former president Dmitry Medvedev said that Ukraine war veteran Vladislav Golovin and state television war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny would head the party's candidate list.
United Russia has won large majorities in every national Russian election it has contested, though polling shows it is significantly less popular than president Vladimir Putin.
Despite a difficult backdrop of an ongoing war and fuel shortages driven by Ukrainian drone strikes, United Russia is likely to secure a large majority, bolstered by Putin's support and a tame parliamentary opposition that broadly supports the Kremlin's line on Ukraine.
Putin himself won a fresh term as president in 2024, keeping him in office until at least 2030.
Golovin, 29, rose to prominence in state media in 2022 as a naval infantry platoon commander in the battle for the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, during which he was wounded. Reporter Poddubny was also wounded in 2024, during fighting in Russia's Kursk region.
Also among the top five are foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, two of Russia's most prominent and popular officials. Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, is also included the list.
Though prominent national figures often feature among its candidates, they do not always take up seats in the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Putin has repeatedly said that he wants veterans of the Ukraine war to enter politics as Russia's new elite.
