Source: Ukrainian Navy

Details: Ukrainian forces struck a Russian facility in Streletska Bay, destroying storage infrastructure used for weapons and military equipment of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Quote: "The consistent destruction of enemy military capabilities reduces their ability to conduct offensive maritime operations and disrupts the execution of their operational plans."

For reference: The R-360 Neptune is a Ukrainian-developed cruise missile derived from the Soviet-era Kh-35 Zvezda, incorporating extended range and upgraded modernised electronics. Development of the system by the Luch Design Bureau began after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The R-360 Neptune is designed for anti-ship engagements against vessels with a displacement of up to 5,000 tonnes and, like other systems in its class, can be deployed from land, surface, and air platforms. In April 2022, the missile was used in the strike that sank the Russian cruiser Moskva.

Background: At the end of 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine is also deploying an upgraded "Long Neptune" variant. The Neptune-D system operates with RK360L cruise missiles, featuring a reported range of up to 1,000 km and a 260 kg warhead. The system is designed for strikes against both land and maritime targets.

Ukrainska Pravda previously reported that in April 2026, Ukraine's defence forces carried out a precision strike using Neptune missiles on a production building at the Atlant Aero plant in Russia's Taganrog.

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Source: Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine

Details: Oslo will allocate NOK 100 million – approximately €9.1 million – for the repair of the protective structure over Chornobyl's fourth reactor following a Russian drone strike.

The assistance will be channelled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA). The support was announced by State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson during a visit to Kyiv, with reference also made to the 7 June incident in which Russia struck the spent nuclear fuel storage facility in the Chornobyl exclusion zone.

Quote: "These attacks also pose a threat to European and international security. Norway will make efforts to reduce the risk of radioactive releases and ensure that the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant continues to operate safely."

More details: The United States expressed readiness in April to provide up to US$100 million as part of a joint G7 effort to repair the new sarcophagus over the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The EU, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, called on Russia to halt attacks on nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

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Source: Bloomberg

Details: According to OPEC data based on secondary sources, Russian companies produced an average of 9.009 million barrels of oil per day in May – 690,000 barrels per day below the level Russia was required to maintain under its OPEC+ agreement.

In May, Ukraine carried out at least 31 strikes on Russian oil refineries, maritime export terminals and pipeline infrastructure, the highest monthly figure since the start of the full-scale invasion.

As a result of strikes on fuel production facilities, oil refining in Russia fell in June to its lowest level in two decades, as EA Analytics estimates. Russian producers have begun directing more crude to export: average four-week maritime exports to 31 May rose to 3.64 million barrels per day, up from 3.17 million barrels per day in the four weeks to 17 April.

Background: The Rosneft oil refinery in Kuibyshev suspended oil processing on 10 June following a Ukrainian drone attack, according to two industry sources cited by Reuters.

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Source: Oleksandr Hanzha, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration

Details: In the Nikopol district, the city of Nikopol and the Marhanets, Chervonohryhorivka, Pokrovske and Myrove hromadas came under attack. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

A bank branch, an office building, a petrol station, houses and vehicles were damaged. Five people were injured: men aged 21 and 19, women aged 61 and 57 and a 15-year-old girl. All of them will receive outpatient treatment.

In the Synelnykove district, the Russians struck the Vasylivka hromada. Approximately two dozen houses, garages, vehicles and outbuildings were damaged. Seven people were injured – five women and two men. Four were taken to hospital. A 64-year-old woman is in a serious condition. The remainder will receive outpatient treatment.

Russian forces also struck the Hrushivka hromada in the Kryvyi Rih district, damaging a petrol station.

Background: On 10 June, the Russians attacked Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring 12 people.

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Source: Zelenskyy's decree

Details: Under the decree, the president approved the concept, which defines current terrorist threats to national security, the principal directions and objectives of state policy in the field of national security with regard to combating terrorism and the development of the nationwide counterterrorism system.

The aim of the concept is to ensure the effective implementation of state policy in the field of national security with regard to combating terrorism. The document states that counterterrorism efforts in Ukraine are based on legislatively defined principles of terrorism prevention, taking into account universally recognised norms of international law and international counterterrorism standards.

In accordance with the concept, the external factors of terrorist threats include, in particular, Russia's hybrid war against Ukraine, in which the aggressor state and state-sponsor of terrorism employs the following:

• a combination of armed aggression and terrorist acts, including cyberterrorism, constituting a long-term systemic threat to Ukraine's national security;
• the armed formations of the Russian Federation, as well as other entities subordinated to, controlled by, or financed by the Russian Federation, to create and carry out terrorist threats against Ukraine.

The decree enters into force on the date of its publication.

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Source: Freuding in an interview with Politico, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Freuding noted that there is broad consensus among allies that Russia could attack NATO territory before the end of this decade.

Quote: "2029 is not a German timeline. It's NATO-agreed intelligence. All 32 NATO partners agree that Russia might have the capability to invade a NATO partner country in 2029."

More details: Freuding warned, however, that Russia could act earlier, despite the war in Ukraine entering its fifth year and Kyiv reporting that Moscow has sustained over 1.3 million casualties and lost vast quantities of equipment.

"We have to be prepared ... We must be ready to fight," Freuding said at the ILA Berlin Air Show.

The inspector's remarks came amid warnings from European defence officials that Russia could rebuild sufficient military power within the next few years to pose a direct conventional threat to NATO territory, despite its losses in Ukraine.

The year 2029 has become a benchmark for defence planners by which Europe must address urgent gaps in readiness, production, and military capability. The general's remarks underline concerns that Moscow could test the Alliance while Europe is still in the process of rearming.

This urgency is also shaping the debate in Germany on weapons procurement and defence industry capacity. Freuding noted that Berlin had already done "a lot" to accelerate procurement and that industry had increased its production capacity. He warned, however, that Germany cannot rely solely on long-term weapons programmes, the development and introduction of which can take years.

"Speed is of the essence now," Freuding said.

He added that for some systems still under development, Germany needs "intermediate solutions" to bridge the gap between what the army currently has and what it needs for combat readiness.

"We must improve our capabilities for the 'fight tonight' every day as the German army," he said, referring to the Bundeswehr's transition to a high-readiness force designed to deter potential Russian aggression.

Background:

• Danish Chief of Defence Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard stated in March that European countries are not yet fully prepared for war.
• The Estonian intelligence agency is confident that Russia does not intend to launch a military attack on any NATO state this year or next but will continue to rebuild its armed forces.

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Source: Brovdi in a comment to Reuters

Details: Brovdi stated that within a month Ukraine will have full control over the road and that in the near future "we will isolate Crimea". He compared strikes on vehicles on the exposed route to "shooting partridges in an open field". Magiar stated that one of the strategic goals is to force Moscow to withdraw its troops rather than advance.

Quote: "We will create conditions that will make it extremely difficult for any military personnel or those working in the defence industry to remain in Crimea, in the temporarily occupied territories, or use the access routes to them."

More details: Brovdi also stated that Ukraine has not and will not strike directly at civilians or civilian infrastructure.

Background:

• On 11 June, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian convoy of approximately 50 lorries transporting fuel and ammunition near Armyansk in the north of temporarily occupied Crimea.
• The occupation authorities of Kherson Oblast stated that several bridges on the route to Crimea in the Armyansk area were struck overnight.
• In Russian-occupied Crimea, A-95 petrol has been rationed with coupons since 31 May; however, in recent days the occupation authorities reported that petrol would not be sold even on a ration-coupon basis.

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Source: Ukraine's Defence Ministry

Details: The Brave1 Dataroom platform is a secure environment where developers are given access to structured datasets for the validation, training and fine-tuning of AI systems for military use. This includes visual and thermal datasets of aerial assets collected in real-world conditions.

The Ministry of Defence said that one of the key focus areas is the development of technologies for the automatic detection and interception of Russian drones.

"Companies are working with data on various types of aerial assets, collected under different weather conditions, at different times of day and using various sensors. This enables AI models to be trained on scenarios that are as close as possible to modern combat conditions," the defence ministry explained.

The ministry stressed that particular attention is being paid to countering attack drones such as Shahed-type UAVs and other unmanned aerial systems.

"The use of real-world data makes it possible to significantly improve the accuracy of target recognition algorithms, reduce response times and enhance the effectiveness of autonomous interceptor drones," the Ministry of Defence noted.

Background: In January 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation announced the launch of Brave1 Dataroom, designed for testing and training new artificial intelligence models using real-world data from the front line. The ministry said the initiative would accelerate the development of autonomous systems capable of detecting and intercepting enemy targets without human intervention.

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Source: FIDE press service

Details: The organisation resolved to suspend the Russian Chess Federation's membership until June 2029 for failure to comply with the requirements of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The court had previously ordered the Russian Chess Federation to cease all activities on the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as in Crimea, granting 90 days to comply; the deadline was on 9 June.

The sanctions apply solely to the Russian Chess Federation, meaning the right of Russian chess players to participate in competitions remains unchanged.

The first ruling on the Russian Chess Federation's activities in occupied territories was issued in 2024, when CAS ordered a fine of €45,000, with which the Ukrainian federation disagreed, filing an appeal and partially winning it.

Russia itself previously filed a complaint with FIDE over the public activities of the Ukrainian federation's president.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich may also be included in a further EU sanctions package against Russia.

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Source: Wild Hornets

Quote: "We provide the crews with an effective tool. We are working on updates. We are doing everything possible to boost the country's defence capabilities."

Previously: It has recently been reported that a drone interceptor pilot who goes by the alias Hulk shot down two Russian Shahed drones within a single day. The targets were destroyed several hours apart using Ukrainian-made Sting interceptor drones.

The Ukrainian company Sky Fall, which developed the P1-SUN interceptor, has recently announced its operational results against Shahed drones. A company representative said the Ukrainian military has shot down more than 3,500 Russian Shahed UAVs over the past six months using the P1-SUN system.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry reported that in May 2026, 8,150 launches of Shahed, Gerbera and Italmas loitering munitions and drones of other types had been recorded. During the same period, 7,476 Russian drones had been intercepted. The interception rate reached 91.73%.

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Speech by Kateryna Mykhalko, Managing Director of New Age Defence, at the official opening of the international defence conference New Age Defence in Berlin on June 8, 2026.

The event brought together representatives of the defence industry, military personnel from Ukraine and Germany, government officials, and investors from across Europe.

Last night I bought a Nokia 3310 at MediaMarkt here in Berlin. It cost me 46 euros. You can make calls on it. You can send messages. The battery lasts almost a week.

And this device, the iPhone — you all know perfectly well what it can do. So here is a simple question. When was the last time you trusted your future to this?

This story is not about phones.

Ladies and gentlemen — in one important sense we have already won. Not the war. The argument. Let me be precise about what I mean. I am not talking about the outcome of the war. I am talking about something else — the uncomfortable thing for some people in this room.

The debate about whether autonomous systems, drones, and new military technologies can compete with traditional platforms — tanks, artillery, aircraft, and ships that have defined military doctrine for decades — is already over.

It was not settled in a think tank, or a procurement committee, or on a conference stage. It was settled on the frontline in eastern Ukraine, in the skies above Kyiv, in the waters of the Black Sea.

The verdict has already been delivered. And we are not here today to argue it. We are here to talk about the gap — the undeniable gap — between that verdict and the budgets that are supposed to reflect it.

According to official Ukrainian military data, more than 80% of enemy targets destroyed on the battlefield are taken out by drones and autonomous systems. Not by tanks. Not by artillery alone. By the systems many people once dismissed as "toys."

And now another number: 2 percent. That is roughly the share of European defence budgets currently allocated to the new generation of military technology. The technology delivering 80% of battlefield results receives only 2% of the funding. The systems responsible for the remaining 20% receive 98% of the resources.

Why don't you put all your money into Nokia today?

I am not here to tell you this is unjust. I am here to tell you it is unrealistic. It does not correspond to the world as it actually exists. And a defence posture built on an unrealistic budget is not a defence posture at all. It is a vulnerability.

But before I address the counterargument I always hear — let me invite you to run a very simple test.

Ask yourself: if you had a spare one million euros of your own money to invest today — not a government allocation, not someone else's capital, but your own — would you put it into conventional military platforms? Or into the NEW AGE technologies we are here to discuss?

I am not asking you to raise your hands. But I think you know your answer. And I think that answer says everything about the gap I have just described.

I know your counterarguments. I have heard them many times, often from very smart and influential people.

"Ukraine is a poor country. You were forced to improvise. Your drone tactics are a workaround, not a doctrine. We have resources. We build real things. Are drones even a real military capability?"

Let me answer with another question.

Russia has all resources to invest in costly tanks, missiles and aircraft, they have more than enough financial resources to wage this war. Why is this petro-state investing in drones? With every passing month, the aggressor is devoting a greater share of those resources to the next-generation weaponry systems. Aggressively. At scale. Against us.

If autonomous systems are merely clever toys invented by desperate people with no other options — why is our shared enemy pouring the full financial weight into them?

The answer is very simple. Because the battlefield does not care about your procurement history. It only cares about what works.

I want to tell you something personal. I never planned to work in defence. I hold no military rank. I am not an engineer. I am a young Ukrainian woman who, four years ago, was doing something else entirely with her life.

And then the morning 24th of February happened. There is a version of this speech where I tell you that Ukraine is defending Europe's eastern flank. That our soldiers are, in some abstract geopolitical sense, dying for your security.

But I want to be honest with you. When a Ukrainian soldier receives a combat order and goes to carry it out — he is not thinking about Berlin. He is thinking about his city. His children. His street.

We are fighting for ourselves — and for the future we want to build as part of a united, free Europe. The fact that our fight also serves your security is not a coincidence. It is proof that our values, and our futures, are inseparable.

But here is what I need you to understand. We need you to be strong. Not out of altruism — out of logic. Because when our enemy looks at Europe and sees genuine strength — credible, technologically current strength — he calculates differently. He begins to grasp that Ukraine cannot be destroyed. He starts to take seriously the civilised world's demand that this war must end. He looks for a way out.

But when he looks at Europe and sees a continent consciously or unconsciously weakening itself by continuing to bet on conventional systems — he looks for a way in.

Your strength is our survival. That is why I am standing here.

Now I want you to imagine something. February 24, not in 2022, but in 2032. Ten years of technological acceleration. The same aggression, the same ambitions, the same adversary. But ten years further along the trajectory we are already on.

What would such an invasion look like? There are no columns of tanks massing at the border. No convoys to film and broadcast around the world. No warning in that familiar form.

There are swarms. There are systems that think faster than any human can command them. There are capabilities being developed right now — simultaneously, in R&D centres and on the front line.

And if that scenario comes to pass — and I sincerely hope it never does — will the current balance of your defence investment be enough to stop it?

We all know the answer.

I want to be precise about what I am arguing, because precision matters here. I am not claiming that conventional military platforms have become entirely obsolete.

During the last mass attack on Kyiv, Patriot and NASAMS batteries intercepted ballistic and cruise missiles, while new interceptor drones destroyed hundreds of Russian Shaheds. Both systems were essential. Both saved lives. This is not a competition — it is a layered architecture, and every level of it matters.

What I am arguing is this: the balance that exists today is unrealistic. And an unrealistic balance costs real lives. Not in some hypothetical future scenario. Right now.

Democratic societies consider human life the highest value. And the correct response to that value is not simply sending fewer people to the front. The correct response is to build systems that extend human capability far beyond human vulnerability. That is what modern technologies fundamentally are. They automate protection.

They answer one of the most important questions of democracy: how do you protect citizens without spending the most expensive resource — human lives?

So where does all this lead us? To all of us in this room.

I find it remarkable that you are all here. Together. Under one roof. Not long ago, this was unthinkable. The competition between companies in this space — fierce, unforgiving competition — made a shared conference like this impossible.

But you have understood what Ukraine has understood. Real competition is not between the companies in this room. It is between two worlds: the world that believes in democracy, and values human life — and the tyranny world that does not. And in that contest, every system we fail to build, every technology we do not develop, every capability we do not create is a gift to the other side.

That is the race. The only race worth running.

And finally. When the full-scale invasion began, there were maybe five defence-tech companies in Ukraine. Today there are hundreds. The balance shifted not because of government decisions, but because there was no choice. Because we had to survive.

When I look at the European defence industry today, I feel — and I say this with great respect — as if I have stepped into a time machine. This is Ukraine in 2022.

But you have something we did not. You have capital and an industrial base. Our experience was paid for in blood. And you have time. Not much, but you still have it. And unlike us in 2022, you have stability. Use it.

The balance that exists today is not just unfair. It is unrealistic. It is dangerous. And everyone in this room, if they are honest with themselves, knows it. We cannot win tomorrow's wars with yesterday's weapons.

Adjust the balance. Before the balance adjusts you.

Kateryna Mykhalko

Source: novayagazeta.eu

Details: "Tourists are worried about fuel shortages and travel disruptions. One hotel in Saky even promised guests free fuel with their booking, although the promotion had to be withdrawn shortly afterwards," the outlet reported.

The main cause of the current situation is the fuel crisis that began in Crimea in late May 2026.

Quote: "Tourists are simply afraid of being trapped due to a lack of fuel. Because of logistical problems in the region caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on the Novorossiya road, the peninsula's authorities introduced restrictions on the sale of AI-95 and AI-92 petrol."

Details: In Krasnodar Krai, demand trends vary. Sochi has seen demand fall by around 20%, while Anapa, following last year's fuel oil pollution disaster, has recorded booking growth of up to 40%.

According to Travelline, 79% of bookings in Crimea and 71% in Sevastopol have been cancelled. Overall, there are currently 10 cancellations for every two new bookings.

In 2025, 76% of visitors to Crimea arrived by car or bus, while 24% travelled by train. The distance from the last petrol station before the Crimean Bridge to popular resorts such as Feodosiia and Yalta is 250-300 km, making travel highly risky without the possibility of refuelling on the peninsula.

Meanwhile, in Tuapse, efforts to deal with river and coastal pollution caused by drone strikes on an oil depot are ongoing, although some local residents claim the sea is already clean. Hotel and guesthouse owners report declining demand and are offering discounts and special promotions to attract visitors.

One hotel in Saky launched an unusual promotion, offering guests 10 litres of petrol for bookings of two nights and 20 litres for bookings of three nights or more. Hotel management said the fuel came from a small reserve intended for electricity generators rather than industrial supplies. However, the promotion had to be cancelled after four days because the fuel ran out.

Background:

• Earlier, Crimea imposed a temporary full restriction on petrol sales, allowing fuel purchases only through previously purchased ration coupons and limiting purchases to 20 litres per person under official supervision.
• After an incident in which 400 buses failed to operate due to fuel shortages, the occupation authorities ordered the problem to be resolved, but many services remained suspended.
• Crimea has dropped out of Russia's top 10 tourist destinations as the fuel crisis deepens, leading to a growing number of hotel booking cancellations.

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Source: European Pravda, citing TASS, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet

Details: The three diplomats entered the Russian Foreign Ministry building without making any comments to the press.

On 10 June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France and Germany had "requested a meeting" with his deputy to discuss the war in Ukraine.

"We will meet with them and listen to what they have to say. It will simply be interesting to hear how these people present their views and whether they offer anything that could lead to constructive thinking," Kommersant quoted Lavrov as saying.

He added that until Russia was convinced that European statements about a desire to begin negotiations were serious, he would "pay no attention to them". Lavrov also said he considered it unlikely that the European Union would experience "some kind of miracle" regarding its wish to take part in resolving the situation in Ukraine.

Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Galuzin had "explained Russia's approaches to seeking a diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Ukraine" to the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Background:

• According to media reports, Germany, France and the United Kingdom are developing a plan aimed at bringing Vladimir Putin into negotiations.
• European leaders also intend to use meetings with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit to encourage him to support plans for renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

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Source: Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Quote: "The development of unmanned systems is key to securing an advantage over the Russian aggressor. We can now state that in this race of technologies, innovation and manufacturing capabilities, Ukraine is not inferior to the enemy and is ahead in certain fields."

Details: According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian units hit almost 180,000 verified Russian assets in May, a 12.7% increase compared with April.

Last month, around 4,000 Russian Shahed drones were intercepted or neutralised, 27% more than in the previous month. In addition, about 10,000 Russian drone operator positions were struck.

"Another indicative metric is that since the start of 2026, losses inflicted by Ukrainian drone operators have exceeded the Russian Federation's recruitment figures by 12,500 personnel," he said.

Syrskyi also stressed the growing importance of ground robotic systems in modern warfare. A substantial part of frontline logistics – from ammunition and supply delivery to medical evacuation and other support tasks – is performed using ground drones.

"In May, ground robotic systems completed 12,500 missions. The potential of these systems is significantly greater. Expansion of their use is feasible, but there have been issues with supply and provision since the beginning of the year," he added.

Syrskyi also reported that in May, Ukraine's defence forces carried out close to 2,000 strikes using mid-range systems, striking 414 headquarters, command posts, clusters of military personnel and other high-value Russian assets.

"Effective large-scale destruction of enemy rear assets at ranges of up to 200 km has been made possible, in particular, through the establishment of corps-level coordination centres. This has enhanced interaction between different units and components of the defence forces, improving overall coordination and resulting in measurable operational effects," he explained.

Background: In April, Brigadier General Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, reported that Ukrainian forces use 30% more strike drones than Russian troops.

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Source: Dmytro "Perun" Filatov, Commander of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment named after Dmytro Kotsiubailo, speaking on Suspilne Studio

Quote: "Because the Chonhar Bridge has been damaged, the enemy concentrated a large number of lorries carrying military cargo, which were travelling through Armiansk.

As a result, when we carried out the strike, we managed to hit lorries transporting fuel and ammunition. There were around 50 vehicles, and some of them were destroyed."

Details: Filatov also said that the Chonhar Bridge in the temporarily occupied part of Kherson Oblast is currently unusable for traffic due to critical structural damage. He added that Russian forces are attempting to establish alternative supply routes, including through the use of pontoon crossings.

The commander noted that strikes on logistics routes have complicated the supply of Russian units, forcing commanders on the front line to devote more attention to sustaining their troops and finding new supply solutions.

Quote: "This operation would not have been possible if other units had not been striking Mariupol and the road to Berdiansk. That is what caused the units deployed on the Huliaipole front to switch from being supplied via the roads through Mariupol to being supplied through Crimea.

In other words, they began using pontoons to move lorries into Crimea and then drive them here. We understood this and blocked those routes fairly quickly. We continue to weaken the enemy further."

Background:

• Explosions were reported overnight in occupied Crimea, while local Telegram channels reported damage to bridges on the land routes into the peninsula. The Russian-installed authorities announced that fuel would not be sold in the city on 11 June because fuel tankers had been unable to enter.
• On 9 June, Volodymyr Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, claimed that a bridge near the village of Chonhar was damaged again following an overnight drone attack conducted by Ukrainian forces.
• The bridge near Chonhar is one of the two road routes connecting mainland Ukraine with temporarily occupied Crimea.

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Source: Volodymyr Saldo, the Russian-appointed head of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast

Details: Saldo claimed that on the night of 10-11 June, the Ukrainian military attacked bridges spanning the North Crimean Canal near the settlements of Preobrazhenka and Myrne, a road bridge on the Perekop-Armiansk route, and another bridge near the village of Stavky.

Quote: "Early reports indicate that there is damage. Specialists are conducting inspections and assessing the condition of the structures."

Details: Saldo later posted a map showing two alternative routes to Armiansk from the so-called Novorossiya highway.

Background:

• On 9 June, Saldo claimed that a bridge near Chonhar had again been damaged in what he said was an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.
• The Chonhar bridge is one of only two road routes linking mainland Ukraine with the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.
• Satellite imagery of the bridge shows black scorch marks consistent with previous strikes.

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Source: a letter of invitation sent to EU leaders by European Council President António Costa, which has been seen by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy is expected to address EU leaders during the European Council meeting on 18-19 June.

"Ukraine remains high on our agenda, and we will start our discussion by hearing from President Zelenskyy," the letter states.

The letter does not specify whether the Ukrainian president will participate in person or via video link, but according to European Pravda sources, Brussels anticipates that Zelenskyy will attend in person.

Costa noted that "Ukraine has demonstrated renewed success on the battlefield, while Russia is failing to achieve its military and strategic objectives".

He added that Russia's "increasingly reckless and irresponsible behaviour towards EU Member States is unacceptable and signals the opposite of strength".

"Our two-pronged approach – supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia – is working," Costa wrote.

He also said he believes the European Council meeting on 18-19 June will provide an opportunity to send a strong signal of unity.

"I expect to welcome the opening of the first cluster of chapters in the accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, an important milestone on their EU path. This puts an end to a long impasse in the accession process of those two countries," he said.

Background:

• Zelenskyy has also been invited to attend the G7 summit, which will take place from 15 to 17 June in Évian, France.
• According to reports, European leaders intend to use the G7 summit to try to persuade US President Donald Trump to support their approach to negotiations with Russia.
• Earlier, at a meeting in London on 7 June, the leaders of Ukraine, the UK, France and Germany outlined the conditions they believe are necessary to achieve a just and lasting peace.
• German officials have said the proposals will be discussed within the G7 framework next before being considered at the EU summit.

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Source: Oleksii Kuleba, Minister for Communities and Territories Development

Quote: "Tragically, a railway worker was killed. I extend my sincere condolences to her family and loved ones. This is a painful and irreparable loss."

Details: Four other railway employees were injured and are receiving the necessary medical treatment.

"The terrorist state continues to deliberately target civilian infrastructure and the people who keep the country running," the statement said.

Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) later said the four injured employees had been taken to hospital with burns and were receiving medical care.

"We are in contact with doctors and the families of those who were injured, monitoring the condition of our injured colleagues and stand ready to provide assistance for their treatment and recovery," the railway operator said.

Ukrzaliznytsia added that regional and suburban train services in Sumy Oblast would continue to operate.

The company also urged passengers to remain vigilant, not ignore air-raid warnings and follow the instructions of railway staff.

Background: During an air-raid warning issued because of Russian attacks on the evening of 10 June, a high-voltage power line supplying the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was disconnected, forcing the facility to switch to diesel generators.

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Source: Zhytomyr Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Details: The suspect is accused of committing the premeditated murder of a Ukrainian serviceman for financial gain and in the interests of the intelligence services of the aggressor state.

The investigation found that the suspect received his instructions from a representative of the Russian secret services via the Telegram messaging app. He was offered UAH 5,000 (about US$110) for organising the killing of the 23-year-old marine.

Investigators say Russian intelligence officers had made contact with the Ukrainian serviceman through a fake social media profile purporting to be that of a young woman, who started messaging him and promised to send him a "gift" through the post.

Following instructions from his Russian handler, the suspect purchased a bottle of a strong alcoholic drink, used a medical syringe to inject it with a pre-prepared methadone-based poisonous mixture without damaging the packaging, and sent it to Zhytomyr.

Unaware of the danger, the serviceman received the parcel and consumed the alcohol at his home. He died several days later in intensive care as a result of the poisoning.

The suspect was detained at his home in Poltava Oblast and formally notified of the charges on 10 June.

Prosecutors are seeking his pre-trial detention, while investigators continue efforts to identify other individuals who were involved in organising and carrying out the crime.

If convicted, the suspect faces life imprisonment with confiscation of his assets.

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