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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Firefighters work through the rubble after an air strike with a Geranium-2 UAV in Bilozerske, Donestsk Oblast on May 30, 2025. A 40-year-old woman and her16-year-old son were injured in the attack. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) was behind the explosions near Desantnaya Bay in Russia’s Vladivostok on May 30, which reportedly damaged military personnel and equipment, a source in HUR told the Kyiv Independent.
Over 89,000 Russian targets struck in May using drones, Ukraine’s commander claims. “Each drone means a destroyed enemy, and therefore a saved life of a Ukrainian serviceman. A special emphasis is placed on the destruction of enemy UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) operators and their command centers,” Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
Ukraine’s memorandum proposes ceasefire across land, air, and sea, NYT reports. Kyiv and its allies have urged Moscow to adopt an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 as the first step toward peace talks — a proposal Russia has ignored.
Senate to ‘start moving‘ Russia sanctions bill next week, Graham says. The proposed bill would introduce expansive penalties on Russia and impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries purchasing Russian fossil fuels.
Zelensky doubts June 2 talks will yield results as Russia withholds ceasefire plan. “The Russians have been unable to present the so-called ‘memorandum’ for over a week, which they promised to prepare immediately after the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “Ukraine has not received any documents from them.”
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Ukraine ready for 2nd round of Istanbul talks but seeks Russian draft memo in advance, Yermak says. “Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion. This means it is important to receive Russia’s draft. There is enough time – four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents,” Presidential Office Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said.
Putin in favor of meeting Zelensky, Trump if progress is made in peace talks, Kremlin says. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that a high-level summit would require concrete outcomes from the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Russia may ‘consider‘ ceasefire if Ukraine stops mobilization, arms deliveries, ambassador says. Russia’s envoy to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, pledged that Moscow would “continue and intensify military operations for as long as necessary.”
Trump ‘very surprised, disappointed’ at Russian attacks on Ukraine amid peace talks. “I’ve gotten to see things I was very surprised at. Rockets being shot into cities like Kyiv during a negotiation that was maybe very close to ending,” Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. “All of a sudden rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died. I saw thing I was surprised at and I don’t like being surprised, so I’m very disappointed in that way.”
Kremlin fabricated story on Putin’s near-miss with Ukrainian drones, Moscow Times reports. Claims of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s helicopter being “at the epicenter” of a Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk Oblast were reportedly fabricated by the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reported on May 30, citing four Russian government sources.
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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) was behind explosions near Desantnaya Bay in Russia’s Vladivostok on May 30, which reportedly damaged military personnel and equipment, a source in HUR told the Kyiv Independent.
Photo: Christian Thiele/dpa via Getty Images
Ukraine watches closely as Poland faces polarizing presidential run-off
Poland’s presidential race has never seen a first-round winner with so many reasons to worry, the far right so emboldened, and Ukraine so central to the campaign.
Photo: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Russia ‘testing’ Europe’s capacity to help Ukraine by intensifying air attacks
As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes countrywide, all eyes are on Europe’s capacity to continue supporting Ukraine, with the future of U.S. military aid growing ever more uncertain.
Photo: Danylo Antoniuk / Anadolu via Getty Images
War’s unseen isolation: A Ukrainian officer’s story of survival and hope
I was a prisoner of war, held the entire time in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory — the very region we were defending.
Photo: Oleksandr Magula/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
Ukraine offers $4,800 bonus to new doctors in rural, combat zones. The new measure, set to take effect in 2025, is aimed at addressing critical staffing shortages in front-line and underserved regions from which many residents — and professionals — have fled due to ongoing Russian attacks.
Trump’s key goal is to improve relations with Russia, US diplomat says
International response
NATO expansion ‘fair’ concern for Putin, Kellogg says. “And that’s one of the issues Russia will bring up… They’re also talking about Georgia, they’re talking about Moldova, they’re talking — obviously — about Ukraine. And we’re saying, ‘Okay, let’s address this comprehensively,'” U.S. President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said.
Easing fears of US pullback, Trump to appoint next chief of NATO’s European command, Reuters reports. U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to appoint the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), reaffirming a key American role in NATO’s military structure, Reuters reported.
Zelensky, Erdogan discuss proposed June 2 peace talks in phone call. “We both agree that such a meeting cannot and should not be empty,” Zelensky said on social media following the call. “There must be a ceasefire to move further toward peace. The killings must stop.”
Opinions and insights
Europe’s ‘Trump shock’ is opportunity to forge ‘new West,’ Timothy Garton Ash says
A so-called “Trump shock” has plunged Europe into its deepest crisis since 1945, but also presents an opportunity for the continent to forge a “new West,” British historian and commentator Timothy Garton Ash said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent.
Photo: David Levenson/Getty Images
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