Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

An intelligence source told Kyiv Post that Hrytsay, a high-ranking collaborator and war criminal, was killed with a Makarov PM pistol equipped with a “silencer.”

Ukrainian intelligence has eliminated Mykhailo Hrytsay, a high-ranking collaborator and war criminal in the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia region.

“The traitor and war criminal Mykhailo Hrytsay was eliminated in occupied Berdyansk,” Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on Telegram.

The rescue operation in Solomyanskyi district lasted for more than 39 hours. The bodies of 23 victims were recovered from the rubble at this location alone. In total, 28 people were killed in Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that at least 28 people were killed and 134 wounded in Kyiv after one of the deadliest Russian attacks on the capital since the war began more than three years ago.

“As of 4 p.m., the death toll from the massive enemy attack on the capital on June 17 has risen to 27. Rescuers are continuing the search operation. Utility services are helping to clear the rubble,” Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported on social media.

Rescue crews are still searching for victims in Kyiv 36 hours after one of Russia’s biggest aerial attacks ever against Ukraine on June 16 killed dozens and injured over 139 civilians.

Putin pitches himself as a mediator between Israel, home to a large Russian diaspora, and Moscow’s strategic partner Iran, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raises doubts.

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “yesterday” and urged him to ”mediate Russia first” when the Kremlin chief suggested Russia could act as an Israel-Iran peacemaker.

“I spoke to him yesterday, and I said – you know he actually offered to help mediate [in the Middle East] – I said, ‘do me a favor, mediate your own,’” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn.

Maria, her 7-year-old daughter Anastasia – who was being treated for cancer – her 60-year-old mother Elena, and two young nephews were killed in Iran’s attack. The girl’s father is an AFU soldier.

A Ukrainian mother and her young daughter who came to Israel for cancer treatment were killed when a missile hit their home during an Iranian attack.

The strike happened on June 14 in Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv. The deaths were confirmed on June 16 by the Ukrainian charity “Country of Good Deeds,” which had been helping the family.

The Verkhovna Rada has voted to adopt a law that will allow its citizens and foreigners applying for Ukrainian passports to hold multiple citizenship in the future.

Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, approved a second reading of the proposed law with 243 votes to: “Ensure the implementation of the right to acquire and retain Ukrainian citizenship,” which will allow individuals to hold multiple citizenship.

This will allow Ukrainians to legally receive a passport from another country without renouncing their Ukrainian citizenship, and for foreigners to obtain Ukrainian citizenship without giving up their passports.

The speech came six days into the conflict, with Trump demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” while boasting the US could kill Khamenei and fuelling speculation about a possible intervention.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday the nation would never surrender as demanded by President Donald Trump and warned the United States it would face “irreparable damage” if it intervenes in support of its ally.

The speech came six days into the conflict, with Trump demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” while boasting the United States could kill Khamenei and fuelling speculation about a possible intervention.

The REPowerEU strategy aims to remove Russian oil, gas, and nuclear energy from the EU market, with some exceptions for landlocked countries.

The European Commission proposed phasing out imports of Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027. 

The plan follows the “REPowerEU” strategy, which aims to completely remove Russian oil, gas, and nuclear energy from the EU market, the EU Commission reported on its website, Tuesday, June 17.

Trump’s compromises have failed to win America Moscow’s friendship. Moscow wants him to agree to its conquest of Ukraine. West Europe’s democracies should stand up for Ukraine and international law.

US President Donald Trump walked out of the G7 meeting in Ottawa without meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but it is unlikely that their meeting would have resulted in good news for Ukraine.

After all, Trump opposed labeling Russia as the aggressor in Ukraine at the G7 meeting last February; in Ottawa he declared that Russia should never have been expelled from the G8. Earlier, he opposed sanctions on Moscow. The larger problem – which an arrogant Trump apparently ignores – is Russia’s unfavorable perception of him and the United States. What that boils down to is that Russia will not reward Trump for his political concessions on Ukraine.

Boeing’s offices in Kyiv appeared to be a deliberate Russian target after being damaged during last week’s attack on the capital – Ukrainian officials say.

An office building used by Boeing in Kyiv was hit during a major Russian airstrike on the night of June 9 / 10 in what appeared to be deliberate targeting by Russia, six separate sources told The Financial Times.   

The strike came during one of the largest aerial assaults of the full-scale war on Ukraine. Russia launched over 300 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles at cities including Kyiv and Odesa. 

Russia is close to Iran, having boosted military ties amid its offensive on Ukraine. But Moscow also strives for good relations with Israel.

The leaders of Russia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday warned of “extremely negative consequences” from the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict , as President Vladimir Putin pushed himself as a possible mediator.

In a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Putin “confirmed Russia’s readiness to provide mediation assistance to promote dialogue between the parties to the conflict,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

If the Islamic Republic collapses any fallout won’t remain confined to the Middle East. A post-theocratic Iran could shift the global balance and be felt from the Balkans to Kyiv.

Echoes of 1990s Europe in 2020s Iran 

In the 1990s, Albania made the painful transition from its authoritarian past. Few could have imagined that Tirana would one day host members of the Iranian opposition, or that the Balkans would again be drawn into a crisis with global consequences – this time, centered on Iran. 

Zelensky had planned to meet with US President Donald Trump during the summit, but the talks never happened – Trump left Canada ahead of schedule.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cut short his trip to Canada and returned to Ukraine following a deadly Russian missile attack on Kyiv and an unproductive G7 summit, according to sources cited by CBC News and Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne.

Zelensky had planned to meet with US President Donald Trump during the summit, but the talks never happened – Trump left the gathering early, on June 17.

A former top US Envoy to Ukraine says without White House putting real pressure on Putin, negotiations are unlikely to progress, and Europe needs to reinforce its support for Ukraine.

WASHINGTON DC – As the White House reportedly delays the legislative branch by seeking amendments to a proposed sanctions bill targeting Russia, a former US Ambassador to Ukraine expresses skepticism about any shift in the administration’s stance, following recent comments on Russia by US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit do not indicate a change.

“The American people and the Senate are clearly in support of Ukraine and are opposed to Russia. But we don’t see that coming out from this administration. We don’t see that yet,” William Taylor, who served as chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Kyiv during Donald Trump’s first term, and as the US Ambassador to Ukraine under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said on Tuesday.

The Russian president has pitched himself as a possible mediator, though Moscow’s closeness to Iran and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raise doubts about what kind of role he can play, experts say.

Vladimir Putin is eyeing the conflict between Israel and Iran as an opportunity to thrust himself to the forefront of the international stage, more than three years into his invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian president has pitched himself as a possible mediator -- though Moscow’s closeness to Iran and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raise doubts about what kind of role he can play, experts say.

Keith Kellogg may soon visit Belarus to meet with Lukashenko in what may be a sidestep toward relaunching peace talks to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The US President’s special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is planning to visit Belarus in the coming days, where he is expected to meet with Alexander Lukashenko, widely regarded by the international community as Europe’s longest-ruling dictator.

Although no official confirmation of the visit has been made public. If the trip proceeds, Kellogg could become the highest-level US official to visit Belarus in recent years.

In March 2025, Russia reignited its northern offensive by pressing into Ukraine’s Sumy Region, transforming a once-dormant buffer zone into an active front line.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• Open-source reporting indicates a significant increase in the number of prosthetic limbs being issued in Russia. Based on data cited from Russia’s Ministry of Labour, Russians with disabilities reportedly received 152,500 artificial limbs in 2024, a 53% increase on 2023, including a 75% increase in the issuance of arm prosthetics. The number of wheelchairs issued was also reported to have increased by 18% in the same period.
• Independent Russian media outlet Verstka has previously reported that injured Russian soldiers with amputated limbs had been left waiting for extended periods for required prosthetics.
• Russia is almost certainly failing to provide necessary combat medical treatment at the front line, which in turn contributes to a greater number of serious long-term injuries amongst Russian soldiers. The significant rise in the numbers of Russian men with disabilities, as well as wounded personnel more broadly, will almost certainly have a detrimental long-term impact on both medical and social services in Russia.

As world leaders met at the G7 summit, Russia unleashed a deadly barrage on Kyiv. Ukraine says the attack was a calculated move to test Western resolve and unity.

Ukraine said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin deliberately launched a deadly wave of drone and missile attacks on Kyiv on Tuesday to coincide with the Group of Seven summit in Canada, in what officials called a calculated move to project weakness among Western leaders.

At least 22 people were killed and hundreds wounded in the overnight assault on Ukraine’s capital, which targeted 27 districts and left residential buildings in ruins. More than 2,000 emergency workers have been deployed to assist with rescue and recovery efforts, authorities said.

On Monday, Trump said Russia’s expulsion from the elite bloc in 2014 – a decision taken in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea region – was a mistake.

Western leaders did the right thing when they kicked Russia out of the G8 group of wealthy countries, the German chancellor has said, contradicting earlier comments by US President Donald Trump.

On Monday, Trump said Russia’s expulsion from the elite bloc in 2014 – a decision taken in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea region – was a mistake. 

The US president insists Washington has played no part in ally Israel’s bombing campaign, but also warned Iran his patience is wearing thin as the conflict enters a sixth day.

Iran said early Wednesday it fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes between the archfoes, hours after Donald Trump demanded the Islamic republic’s “unconditional surrender”.

The US president insists Washington has played no part in ally Israel’s bombing campaign, but also warned Iran his patience is wearing thin as the conflict enters a sixth day.

Next week’s NATO Leader’s Summit will be held in The Netherlands during the period June 24-25 the agenda for which will focus on issues relating to deterrence and defense.

The next NATO Leader’s Summit will take place on June 24-25 in the Netherlands’ Hague where it is believed that President Volodymyr Zelensky will only attend Tuesday’s formal state dinner to be hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

It was unclear if Zelensky would attend the summit at all, as Ukraine is not a member of the Alliance. However, on June 2, Zelensky announced that he had been invited to the summit saying that “if Ukraine is not present at the NATO summit, it will be a victory for Putin – not over Ukraine, but over NATO.”

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian forces conducted the third largest combined drone and missile strike against Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on the night of June 16 to 17.
• The June 16-17 strike series heavily targeted Kyiv City and hit residential areas in the capital, as Russian officials and milbloggers called on Russia to intensify its strikes against Ukraine.
• Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announced that North Korea would send 6,000 sappers and military engineers to help with reconstruction efforts in Kursk Oblast.
• The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) announced sanctions packages against Russia on June 16 and 17.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Siversk, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk.

The US objected to language condemning Russia, saying it wanted to preserve its role as a mediator with Putin, an official said: “That is not the position that we take.”

Group of Seven leaders minus US President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed greater support for Ukraine, as the United States blocked a joint call to pressure Russia, which is ramping up attacks on its neighbor.

Trump had been due to meet at the G7 summit in Canada with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom he has had a volatile relationship, but flew back to Monday over the Israel-Iran conflict.