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Russia’s war against Ukraine
A view of the damage following Russian attacks with KAB guided aerial bombs in a residential area of Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast on May 31, 2025. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
No clarity on Russia’s agenda ahead of Ukraine peace talks, Zelensky says. Ukraine and its partners are still waiting to see what, if anything, Russia plans to present at the upcoming peace talks in Turkey scheduled for June 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russia steps up offensives in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Sumy oblasts, Syrskyi says. While Russia’s main efforts remain concentrated on the Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Lyman fronts in Donetsk Oblast, as well as in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast bordering Russia, Zaporizhzhia has seen an uptick in escalation, Syrskyi noted.
NATO officials reject Russian demand to halt expansion, media reports. According to NATO sources cited by Radio Liberty, the written pledge Moscow demands is unrealistic. “It’s not something they (Russia) can just get,” one diplomat said.
At least 7 killed, 69 injured in train derailment in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast following bridge collapse, official says. At least seven people are dead and another 69 injured after a train derailed in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast overnight on May 31, following the collapse of an overhead road bridge, Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz said.
Ukraine orders mandatory evacuation from 11 additional villages in Sumy Oblast amid Russian troop buildup. “(Russia) continues its terror of the borderlands, and our shared task is to save every life,” Governor Oleh Hryhorov said in a statement. “I urge residents not to delay the decision to evacuate. Staying in a zone of constant danger is a direct threat to your life and health.”
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Read our exclusives
As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive
Reports of an imminent Russian summer offensive and troop build ups on Ukraine’s border are raising alarms in Sumy Oblast and fears that a large-scale assault could be on the horizon.
Photo: Yehor Kryvoruchko/Kordon.Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Western hesitation continues to undermine Ukraine
On May 28, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Germany and met with the country’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. There were high expectations that Berlin would finally authorize the delivery of Taurus long-range missiles — a long-standing request from Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Photo: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 10, injure 32 over past day. Ukrainian defenses shot down 69 drones and three Kh-59/69 guided missiles using aviation units, air defense systems, electronic warfare, and mobile fire teams.
International response
UK identifies Russia as an ‘immediate and pressing’ threat in new defense review, the Guardian reports. Alongside Russia, the review identifies China as a “sophisticated and persistent challenge,” noting Beijing’s growing ties with Moscow and its role in supplying critical components for Russian weapons systems.
European leaders shift focus to defending Ukraine without US support, the Telegraph reports. According to the Telegraph, senior European diplomats meeting in The Hague agreed to shift their focus from deploying troops to enforce a ceasefire to preparing long-term strategies for supporting Ukraine without American backing.
OPEC+ extends oil output surge despite Russian pushback, Bloomberg reports. OPEC+ will boost oil production by 411,000 barrels per day in July, marking the third consecutive monthly increase and reinforcing a major strategic shift that has driven crude prices to a four-year low.
Pompeo urges Trump not to legitimize Russia’s land grabs in Ukraine. Former U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo acknowledged frustrations over the current front lines but cautioned against ceding Ukrainian land to Russia.
Russia-linked disinfo campaign stokes anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland before June 1 vote, investigation finds. Russia-aligned actors are amplifying anti-Ukrainian sentiment through coordinated campaigns across platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, Facebook, and Telegram, according to a new investigation by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
‘Serious setback’ for democracy — EU condemns Russia-style foreign agents law in Georgia. The EU condemned Georgia’s foreign agents law, which officially came into effect, and called on authorities to reverse the country’s democratic backsliding in a statement published on May 31.
Opinions and insights
Ukraine’s enduring cyber defense: Assessing resilience and impact of shifting international support
The situation in Ukraine’s cyber domain is not merely a theoretical exercise in network security; it directly impacts national sovereignty and societal resilience, Christopher Burgess writes.
Photo: Valentyna Polishchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
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