Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, early Saturday, killing at least ten people and injuring 46, according to Ukrainian authorities. Another person was reported dead and ten injured in surrounding areas. The Ukrainian military said Russia fired 68 missiles and 351 drones during the night. Explosions were heard from 1:40 a.m. to 3:15 a.m., prompting thousands of residents to take shelter in underground bunkers.

At least 15 buildings were damaged in Kyiv, including four in the historic Podilskyi district. Rescue operations were still underway, and city military chief Timur Tkachenko warned that the death toll could rise. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a Sunday night address, cautioned that Russia might launch further large-scale attacks before the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.

The report noted that a similar Russian strike last week killed 31 people in Kyiv, marking the deadliest attack on the city this year.

Russia’s military has claimed control over the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka as part of its ongoing offensive in the Donetsk region. The announcement was made by Russian Armed Forces Chief Valery Gerasimov during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to a command post in Ukraine. Gerasimov stated that Russian southern forces were continuing their offensive to take full control of Donetsk and that Kostyantynivka, a key stronghold in the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk–Kostyantynivka defense line, had been ‘liberated.’ Russia’s defense ministry also shared footage on Telegram showing soldiers raising the national flag in the city.

Ukraine’s General Staff, however, denied Russia’s claim on Saturday, saying that Kostyantynivka remained under Ukrainian control. The Ukrainian military did not provide further details about the situation or comment on Russia’s statements. Independent verification of the battlefield situation or either side’s claims was not possible according to the report.

The conflicting statements highlight the ongoing uncertainty surrounding control of key areas in the Donetsk region, where both sides continue to wage intense battles for strategic positions.

Russia’s military has claimed control over the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka, located in the Donetsk region. The announcement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military command post to receive updates from senior officers. Putin described the capture as a major strategic success for Russia, emphasizing the city’s importance as a transport and industrial hub in the Donbas area.

According to Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Kostyantynivka was one of Ukraine’s key defensive positions and part of the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk–Kostyantynivka defense line. He stated that Russian forces had fully taken control of the city in the fifth year of the war. Putin also noted that Ukraine had recently intensified long-range drone and missile attacks targeting Russia’s oil industry, prompting Moscow to consider expanding its border security zones.

Ukraine has not yet commented on Russia’s claim, leaving the situation on the ground unverified by Kyiv.

At least eight people were killed and 34 others injured in Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, according to local authorities. The strikes occurred overnight and early Thursday, hitting more than 30 locations across the city. The attacks came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of an impending large-scale assault by Moscow.

Kyiv’s military administration chief, Timur Takachenko, confirmed the casualties, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that several residential buildings were damaged. One nine-story apartment building was heavily hit, trapping residents inside, and part of another multi-story building collapsed due to the explosions. Klitschko said the city was targeted by both ballistic missiles and drones.

The attacks mark another escalation in the ongoing conflict, with widespread damage to civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. Emergency services were deployed to rescue trapped residents and assess the extent of destruction.

A report by The Atlantic, cited by Amar Desh on June 24, 2026, describes how Ukrainian women, known locally as 'Vidma' or 'witches', are playing a key role in resistance operations against Russian forces in occupied territories. These women gather intelligence, often through covert online interactions, and pass it to Ukrainian military units for precision drone strikes. One example involved a Russian soldier deceived by a fake online persona operated by a Ukrainian intelligence officer, leading to a successful drone attack on his base.

The report notes that Ukraine’s resistance tactics have evolved over four years of war, focusing on collecting small pieces of information to identify military targets. Former MP Lesia Orobets said Ukrainian society respects the 'Vidma' for their skills, while resistance organizer Petro Andriushchenko emphasized women’s ability to access areas men cannot. The Ukrainian Women’s Guard has trained over 60,000 women in self-defense and resistance since 2014.

According to the report, intelligence gathered from occupied zones enables rapid drone operations, sometimes within minutes of target identification. However, the publication cautions that independent verification of such wartime claims remains difficult.

A Ukrainian Air Force Su-24M frontline bomber crashed during an operation in the Khmelnytskyi region on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of two pilots, according to a statement released by the Air Force. The incident occurred while the aircraft was on a mission, and initial reports indicate that no civilians were injured.

The Air Force announced the crash through a Telegram statement, noting that the cause and circumstances of the accident are under investigation. Rescue and law enforcement personnel are currently working at the crash site to manage the aftermath and gather evidence.

Authorities have not yet provided further details about the mission or the pilots involved, and the investigation remains ongoing to determine what led to the fatal crash.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the United States under mediation. On Monday, he suggested that such a meeting in the U.S. would be much harder for Putin to reject. Zelensky said he discussed the idea with U.S. President Donald Trump over the phone and is waiting to see the outcome. The proposal aims to advance efforts to end the war that has continued for more than four years.

According to Zelensky, Putin has repeatedly rejected direct meeting proposals, including one during the G7 summit in France. A source from the Ukrainian president’s office told AFP that the proposal had been conveyed earlier through intermediaries, diplomats, and intelligence channels but received no clear response. Zelensky stated that if Russia rejects this opportunity as well, additional pressure will be necessary.

The conflict began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, described as Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

Russia carried out a massive overnight missile and drone assault across Ukraine, according to a statement released by Ukraine’s Air Force on Monday. The attack reportedly killed at least nine people and caused a fire at a historic cathedral in the capital, Kyiv. The strikes were described as one of the largest aerial offensives since the war began.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched a total of 70 missiles and 611 drones, primarily targeting Kyiv. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 50 missiles and 582 drones during the assault. The scale of the attack underscores the continuing intensity of the conflict and the vulnerability of urban centers to sustained aerial bombardment.

Authorities warned that the number of casualties and the extent of damage could rise as rescue and assessment operations continue in affected areas.

Nine people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, including a major airstrike on Kyiv that authorities described as the most severe in two weeks. The assault left four dead and 23 injured in the capital, where a fire broke out at the Pechersk Lavra monastery, a historic and spiritual landmark recognized by UNESCO. The head of Kyiv’s military administration, Timur Takachenko, said the monastery suffered serious damage.

The Pechersk Lavra, founded in 1051, is one of Ukraine’s most significant religious and cultural sites. Residents of the monastery took shelter underground as the fire spread. The attack marked the most intense Russian strike on Ukraine since early June.

In a separate incident, five people were killed and at least five others injured in another Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to reports citing Reuters.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has now lasted longer than World War I, reaching its 1,569th day last Thursday, marking more than four years and three months of continuous fighting. The war, which began in February 2022 when Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine expecting a quick victory, has instead turned into a prolonged and attritional conflict. Peace talks remain stalled, and public opinion surveys suggest nearly half of Ukrainians do not expect the war to end before next year.

Historians caution that direct comparisons with World War I are limited, as that war was global in scope. Yet, both conflicts have profoundly altered Europe’s geopolitical and military landscape, prompting defense budget increases and alliance restructuring. Analysts note that technological evolution has transformed warfare: where tanks and aircraft once dominated, drones now define the battlefield.

Drone warfare has rendered traditional trench systems obsolete, forcing soldiers into deeper, smaller bunkers. Despite these tactical shifts, destruction remains immense, with drone footage showing landscapes reminiscent of early 20th-century battlefields. Experts describe the current stalemate as a “drone-era version” of World War I, with Ukraine targeting Russia’s economic assets to break the deadlock.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of a renewed effort to end the ongoing war. In an open letter addressed to Putin, Zelensky stated that peace can only be achieved through direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia. According to the Ukrainian president’s office, copies of the letter were also sent to the United States and several other countries.

Zelensky emphasized that with U.S. attention currently focused on the Iran crisis, Europe should not wait for the war in Ukraine to regain prominence in global discussions. He called for a full ceasefire to be implemented during any talks, describing it as a normal and internationally accepted practice. The Ukrainian leader also suggested setting a specific date for the meeting and noted that countries such as Switzerland, Turkey, and those in the Arab world have extensive experience in hosting peace discussions.

In his message to Putin, Zelensky urged him not to fear choosing a path out of the war, calling it the most important decision before him.

At least 12 people were killed and more than 30 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian police reports released on Thursday. The strikes hit multiple regions, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Sumy. In Donetsk, bomb and drone attacks killed five and injured 11, damaging 16 residential buildings and 42 civilian facilities. Additional casualties were reported in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and the Shostka district of Sumy.

The Ukrainian police press service stated that the attacks caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including apartment buildings and vehicles. The violence comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky observed a day of mourning for at least 707 children killed since the war began more than four years ago.

The continued strikes highlight the persistent intensity of the conflict, which has led to widespread civilian suffering and destruction across multiple Ukrainian regions.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for an unannounced visit following Russia’s recent deadly attacks on Ukraine. NATO and Ukrainian officials confirmed the trip, during which Rutte is expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky. The visit comes as Ukraine continues to seek greater assistance from NATO member states to defend against Russian ballistic missile strikes.

A NATO spokesperson said Rutte was accompanied by ambassadors from allied countries. Earlier, Ukraine’s state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia shared images of his arrival on social media, describing the visit as a significant message of solidarity and support from NATO, though the post was later deleted.

The trip coincides with reports of Ukrainian drone attacks damaging fuel and military facilities in Russia’s northern city of Saint Petersburg, while Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and Dnipro killed at least 23 people. Ukraine has reiterated its call for more advanced air defense systems, particularly U.S.-made Patriot missiles and ammunition, to counter ongoing Russian assaults.

At least 23 people were killed in widespread Russian missile and drone attacks across several regions of Ukraine late on Tuesday, June 2, according to local authorities. The overnight strikes damaged numerous residential and commercial buildings. Ukrainian officials had earlier warned that Russia was preparing for larger-scale assaults amid the ongoing war.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched a total of 73 missiles and 656 drones targeting different areas. While most were intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses, 54 drones and 33 missiles penetrated the defenses and struck various targets. The southeastern city of Dnipro suffered the highest casualties, with 16 people killed, including two children, after a four-story residential building collapsed. Another 42 people were injured. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed seven deaths and about 50 injuries.

The attacks have further intensified the Ukraine-Russia conflict, raising new concerns about the future of potential peace efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that strengthening air defense capabilities for both Ukraine and Europe is essential following Russia’s latest deadly drone and missile strikes. He urged the United States to provide additional assistance, according to AFP.

In a message shared on social media, Zelensky emphasized that Europe needs its own anti-ballistic air defense system to help end the ongoing war. He also described U.S. support in supplying missiles for the Patriot air defense system as critically important.

The appeal comes amid continuing Russian attacks, highlighting Ukraine’s dependence on Western defense aid to protect its skies and maintain security across the region.