Russian forces struck a critical energy facility in Kherson Oblast, causing widespread power outages across several communities, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on June 27."Russia decided to plunge Kherson Oblast into darkness," Prokudin wrote on Telegram. He said the attack has disrupted electricity supply to multiple settlements.Local power engineers are working to stabilize the situation, Prokudin said. "I ask the residents of the region to prepare for a prolonged power outage. Power enginee
Russian forces struck a critical energy facility in Kherson Oblast, causing widespread power outages across several communities, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on June 27.
"Russia decided to plunge Kherson Oblast into darkness," Prokudin wrote on Telegram. He said the attack has disrupted electricity supply to multiple settlements.
Local power engineers are working to stabilize the situation, Prokudin said.
"I ask the residents of the region to prepare for a prolonged power outage. Power engineers are doing everything possible to stabilize the situation," he said.
Kherson and the surrounding regions have frequently come under Russian fire since Ukrainian forces liberated the city from occupation in November 2022. Russian troops continue to attack the area with artillery and drones from across the Dnipro River.
The Russian army consistently targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Throughout 2024, Moscow launched 13 mass attacks with drones and missiles on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Ukraine was forced to introduce emergency blackouts across the country.
Ukraine and Russia agreed to a partial 30-day energy truce, following consultations with the U.S. in Riyadh on March 25. Moscow violated the ceasefire more than 30 times, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on April 16.
Ukraine's one-year military contract for volunteers aged 18 to 24 is proving effective on the battlefield, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said at a June 26 press briefing, citing fresh reports from commanders across the front line.Umerov said units made up of young contract soldiers had shown "resilience, professionalism, and confident actions in combat," challenging early skepticism about the new recruitment model."We saw them on the battlefield — and it's truly motivating."The contract, launch
Ukraine's one-year military contract for volunteers aged 18 to 24 is proving effective on the battlefield, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said at a June 26 press briefing, citing fresh reports from commanders across the front line.
Umerov said units made up of young contract soldiers had shown "resilience, professionalism, and confident actions in combat," challenging early skepticism about the new recruitment model.
"We saw them on the battlefield — and it's truly motivating."
The contract, launched in February, offers substantial benefits to young volunteers. It includes basic general military training, vocational training, and an adaptation course in an army unit. Volunteers will receive a one-time monetary aid payment of Hr 1 million ($24,000) and a monthly allowance of up to Hr 120,000 ($3,000).
The campaign initially faced backlash from some front-line troops and activists, who argued it created unfair disparities in pay and support. Now, the initiative is being credited with improving performance in specific units, Umerov said, citing internal military assessments received by the ministry two weeks ago.
Umerov, however, hasn't shared the number of soldiers recruited through the campaign.
The campaign is under constant evaluation based on financial, personnel, and training metrics. Umerov said the Defense Ministry is working to enhance the motivational package further, using data and feedback from participants and focus groups.
Despite pressure from international partners, particularly the United States, to lower Ukraine’s mobilization age from 25 to 18, service for those aged 18–24 remains voluntary. President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently rejected compulsory mobilization starting at 18, warning that it could damage Ukraine's long-term future.
In a recent interview, Zelensky said Ukraine's Western allies have at times withheld new sanctions on Russia over Kyiv's refusal to lower the draft age. He stressed that the "weapons and technology," rather than raw manpower, were more decisive on the battlefield.
Ukraine faces personnel challenges as Russian forces continue to press along the front line. While a mobilization reform law lowered the draft age from 27 to 25 in 2024, the pace of new enlistment has slowed, leaving infantry units understaffed.
"The younger generation is a powerful human resource that deserves support and development," Umerov said.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.A Russian missile strike on the city of Samar in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 27 killed five people and injured at least 25 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.In a statement posted to Telegram, Lysak said most of the injured were hospitalized. Four of the victims are in serious condition, while the others sustained moderate injuries. A fire broke out following the strike, and emergency services are continuing to work at th
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A Russian missile strike on the city of Samar in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 27 killed five people and injured at least 25 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.
In a statement posted to Telegram, Lysak said most of the injured were hospitalized. Four of the victims are in serious condition, while the others sustained moderate injuries. A fire broke out following the strike, and emergency services are continuing to work at the site.
"We're doing everything possible to assist those affected," Lysak said.
The attack comes just days after Russia launched one of the deadliest assaults on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On June 24, missiles struck multiple locations in the regional capital of Dnipro and in the oblast, killing at least 21 people and injuring over 300 others.
The strike hit civilian infrastructure, a dormitory, a gymnasium, and a train traveling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia, as well as the nearby town of Samarske. Two people were killed and 14 others wounded there. At least 100 victims of the Dnipro attack remain hospitalized, Lysak said.
At least two civilians were killed and 13 were injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine over the past day, local officials reported on June 27.According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 365 of 371 incoming Russian air weapons, including 363 Shahed-type drones, two Kinzhal ballistic missiles, and six Kalibr cruise missiles.In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed and four were wounded in Vovchanski Khutory and Pidlyman duri
At least two civilians were killed and 13 were injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine over the past day, local officials reported on June 27.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 365 of 371 incoming Russian air weapons, including 363 Shahed-type drones, two Kinzhal ballistic missiles, and six Kalibr cruise missiles.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed and four were wounded in Vovchanski Khutory and Pidlyman during a Russian attack. Infrastructure damage included houses and an agricultural facility. The region also endured heavy shelling.
In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported one death, while three people were injured across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts. Damage was observed to houses, a farm, administrative buildings, gas pipelines, and vehicles.
In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said four people were injured as Russian drones and artillery struck social and residential infrastructure. Seven apartment buildings and 25 houses were damaged, along with utilities and vehicles.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was injured when an air-dropped bomb hit a settlement in the Huliaipole district.
In Kyiv Oblast, a person was injured near Fastiv during an overnight drone and missile attack. One house was damaged each in Boryspil and Fastiv districts, while a tire repair shop and five cars were hit in Bila Tserkva. No critical infrastructure was reportedly affected, and air defense forces shot down Russian drones and missiles.
North Korea has already deployed around 11,000 elite troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine, accounting for more than 20% of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's elite "personal reserve" force, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a June 26 press briefing."These are soldiers specially selected based on physical, psychological, and other criteria," Umerov said. "These units have already suffered significant losses."Umerov said intelligence indicates North Korea had considered sending a
North Korea has already deployed around 11,000 elite troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine, accounting for more than 20% of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's elite "personal reserve" force, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a June 26 press briefing.
"These are soldiers specially selected based on physical, psychological, and other criteria," Umerov said. "These units have already suffered significant losses."
Umerov said intelligence indicates North Korea had considered sending additional forces to fight with Russia. However, according to Umerov, the move would further deplete its strategic reserves and increase risks to regime stability. There have been four known rotations of North Korean units deployed against Ukraine, according to Umerov.
According to a June 15 report from the United Kingdom's defense intelligence, North Korea has likely sustained more than 6,000 casualties in Russia since the deployment of troops to Kursk Oblast in fall 2024.
U.K. intelligence attributed the high casualty rate to large, highly attritional dismounted assaults.
Russia's growing military partnership with North Korea has raised concerns in Kyiv and among its allies. The two countries signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2024. The treaty commits both countries to provide assistance if either is attacked.
Kim previously described the pact as having a "peaceful and defensive nature," framing it as a formal security guarantee between the longtime partners.
In practice, Umerov said, North Korea is bearing the military burden, while Russia has not upheld its reciprocal obligations, raising concerns within the North Korean regime.
"Russia's use of elite North Korean troops demonstrates not only a growing reliance on totalitarian regimes but also serious problems with its mobilization reserve," Umerov said. "Together with our partners, we are monitoring these threats and will respond accordingly."
Umerov added that Ukraine, working in coordination with its Western partners, is closely tracking the movement and deployment of North Korean units deployed to fight against Ukraine. He said Russia's dependence on foreign forces may signal critical shortages in its own recruitment and mobilization efforts.
According to South Korea's National Intelligence Service, North Korea is likely to send more troops to Russia over the summer. Pyongyang may also send up to 25,000 laborers to Russia to support drone production, according to the report.
The additional troop deployment would come on top of what Seoul estimates is already substantial support from North Korea, which includes the shipment of over 10 million artillery shells and ballistic missiles in exchange for economic and technical assistance from Moscow.
Ukraine's next goal in ongoing negotiations with Russia is to organize a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a press briefing on June 26.Speaking to journalists in Kyiv, Umerov, who was part of Ukrainian peace talks delegation, outlined a multi-stage negotiation process that began in January with an initiative from U.S. President Donald Trump. Umerov stressed that Ukraine welcomed the idea of a cease
Ukraine's next goal in ongoing negotiations with Russia is to organize a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a press briefing on June 26.
Speaking to journalists in Kyiv, Umerov, who was part of Ukrainian peace talks delegation, outlined a multi-stage negotiation process that began in January with an initiative from U.S. President Donald Trump. Umerov stressed that Ukraine welcomed the idea of a ceasefire from the outset and remains fully committed to a just peace.
"Ukraine has always remained consistent in its pursuit of peace," Umerov said. "We supported the U.S. initiative for a full ceasefire from the very beginning and demonstrated our commitment through multiple rounds of negotiations. But any dialogue must take place without ultimatums and with full respect for our country's sovereignty."
The talks unfolded in several rounds in Jeddah, Riyadh, Paris, London, and Istanbul. During the second round of negotiations in Riyadh, Ukraine communicated with Russia indirectly, through U.S. mediators. In Turkey, U.S. mediators were excluded from talks due to Russia's request, according to Umerov.
"President Zelensky's proposal to meet with Putin is aimed at showing Donald Trump that Moscow is not truly seeking peace," Mykola Kniazhytzkyi, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, told the Kyiv Independent.
"Its real goal is the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and the genocide of the Ukrainian people."
Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker from Zelensky’s party and chair of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, called the proposal for a bilateral high-level meeting "an interesting political step." He said it is a logical move since "Putin decides everything in Russia."
However, the MP questioned the overall advisability of a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin.
"It seems to me that it would be better to conduct such negotiations in a format involving not only Zelensky, but also the United States and the European Union," Merezhko said, adding that European leaders could help build a "balance of power," given the risk that the U.S. might potentially lean toward Russia.
He said that talks between the leaders should take place after the ceasefire, at least a temporary one, is in place.
"For them (Russia), negotiations are a tool of war. They have never conducted them in good faith and will never do this. In general, there is no need for negotiations, there is a need for pressure (from the West)," Merezhko said.
Umerov said Ukraine had accepted a U.S.-proposed full ceasefire across land, sea, and air in early March, but Russia has rejected the proposal.
While no agreement on a comprehensive ceasefire has been reached, talks have led to a few major prisoner exchanges, including a 1,000-for-1,000 swap that took place in late May and a follow-up deal for up to 1,200 prisoners from each side.
Umerov said the focus of recent negotiations has included humanitarian issues such as the release of civilians and children, as well as conditions for a meeting of Ukrainian and Russian leaders. He emphasized that the next stage must include top-level dialogue.
"After completing discussions on humanitarian issues, Ukraine plans to move forward to the topic of a leaders' summit for substantive dialogue," he said.
The latest peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on June 2 in Istanbul, following an earlier meeting on May 16. Both times, the Ukrainian delegation was led by Umerov. Despite Ukraine's insistence on a 30-day ceasefire, Russia proposed only a temporary 2–3-day truce in limited areas to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers. Umerov called this offer "insufficient" and accused Moscow of avoiding meaningful peace.
"Russia rejects even the very idea of stopping the killings," Umerov said following the June 2 talks. "That's why we appeal to the world: pressure is needed for real peace, not for an imitation of negotiations."
Zelensky has also criticized Moscow's limited ceasefire offers and called on Trump to follow through on promised sanctions if talks remain fruitless. Trump has repeatedly suggested that he is monitoring the peace process closely and warned that the U.S. response could change if Putin is not prepared to end the war.
No further U.S. sanctions were imposed after more than 100 days of Moscow's refusal to the proposed ceasefire.
Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have filed a motion with the High Anti-Corruption Court seeking to impose bail and suspend Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov from office, NABU's press service reported on June 27.Chernyshov was officially named a suspect on June 23 in what NABU called a "large-scale" illegal land grab case. Chernyshov heads the new National Unity Ministry in charge of returning refugees and is a
Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have filed a motion with the High Anti-Corruption Court seeking to impose bail and suspend Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov from office, NABU's press service reported on June 27.
Chernyshov was officially named a suspect on June 23 in what NABU called a "large-scale" illegal land grab case. Chernyshov heads the new National Unity Ministry in charge of returning refugees and is a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky. He left Ukraine days before law enforcement revealed a massive corruption scheme and detained two of his former close associates — Maksym Horbatiuk and Vasyl Volodin.
Investigators allege that Chernyshov and his associates undervalued the land fivefold, costing the state Hr 1 billion (about $24 million), and received discounted apartments worth over Hr 14.5 million ($346,000) in return. In a comment to the Kyiv Independent, Chernyshov has denied the allegations and said he has no plans to step down.
The agencies are requesting that Chernyshov be placed under a bail measure of Hr 120 million ($2.8 million) and be formally removed from his current post while the investigation proceeds.
The agencies said the proposed measures reflect the risks identified during the investigation, including concerns about potential obstruction of justice. They emphasized that their motion aligns with the court's precedent in similar high-profile corruption cases.
The motion also requests that Chernyshov be subject to standard obligations, including a travel ban, passport surrender, and mandatory cooperation with law enforcement. SAPO additionally urged that he be prohibited from contacting other suspects or witnesses in the case.
The agency noted that Chernyshov returned to Ukraine voluntarily and responded to their summons.
If the court upholds the request, Chernyshov would be required to pay the bail within five days. Failure to do so or breach of the imposed conditions could result in a more severe pre-trial measure, prosecutors said.
Chernyshov returned to Ukraine on June 22 following growing public pressure and reported to NABU the following day. Despite his claim that he had been on a scheduled business trip, critics accused him of attempting to evade charges.
Chernyshov is considered a close ally of Zelensky and has held several high-profile roles, including CEO of state-owned oil and gas giantNaftogaz.
A Chinese journalist was reportedly injured in a drone strike near Russia's border with Ukraine in Kursk Oblast, acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said on June 27.According to Khinshtein, 63-year-old reporter Lu Yuguang from the Chinese television network Phoenix TV was wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on the village of Korenevo in Russia's Kursk Oblast. He sustained an open head injury and a contusion on the parietal region of his skull, but later declined hospitalization after being exam
A Chinese journalist was reportedly injured in a drone strike near Russia's border with Ukraine in Kursk Oblast, acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said on June 27.
According to Khinshtein, 63-year-old reporter Lu Yuguang from the Chinese television network Phoenix TV was wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on the village of Korenevo in Russia's Kursk Oblast. He sustained an open head injury and a contusion on the parietal region of his skull, but later declined hospitalization after being examined at a regional hospital, Khinshtein wrote on Telegram.
"Fortunately, the journalist received skin wounds on the head. No other damage was found," the governor said, adding, "Please refrain from traveling to the border area, it can be dangerous."
If confirmed, this would be the first publicly reported case of a Chinese journalist being injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast as a result of cross-border drone strikes amid Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.
Ukrainian forces launched a cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign troops since World War II. The move was intended to disrupt a planned Russian offensive targeting Ukraine's Sumy Oblast and to relieve pressure on the Donetsk front.
Since then, Ukraine claims it has inflicted 63,402 Russian troop casualties in the oblast, including 25,625 killed and 971 captured. Ukrainian forces also say they have destroyed or damaged over 5,664 pieces of Russian military equipment in the area.
Russia retook most of the lost territory during a renewed offensive in March 2025, supported by North Korean troops.
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