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Stay informed with the most important Ukraine breaking news today. This page compiles the top headlines and critical updates from across Ukraine, offering a real-time snapshot of key developments.
Whether it’s military updates, political changes, or international reactions — we bring you the latest Ukraine news as it happens. All reports are carefully curated from verified sources and KyivPost correspondents on the ground.
The Belarusian man confessed to the attempted murder of an 18-month-old Iranian boy after picking him up and throwing him on his head at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.
An Iranian refugee toddler is fighting for his life with skull and spinal injuries after being thrown on his head by Vladimir Vitkov, a 31-year-old Belarusian.
The unprovoked attack happened minutes after the Iranian toddler, Yazdan, and his pregnant mother arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on June 24, fleeing the violence in Iran.
In a moving exchange with a Ukrainian reporter, Trump did not rule out sending Ukraine more Patriot missile systems, as he asked her to “say hello” to her soldier husband.
THE HAGUE – NATO leaders on Wednesday agreed on a massive spending hike at what the bloc’s chief Mark Rutte called a “transformational summit,” as member state leaders expressed their “ironclad commitment” to help each other if attacked.
The 32 leaders endorsed a final summit statement, which commits 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) as a new defense spending target.
The Ukrainian leader was spotted wearing a suit to the NATO summit on Wednesday, after drawing criticism earlier this year for his choice of wardrobe in Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was seen entering the NATO conference at the Hague today wearing a suit.
Zelensky wore a black jacket, black undershirt, black slacks, and black combat boots. He met with US President Donald Trump for approximately 50 minutes in what the Ukrainian leader described as a “long and substantive meeting.”
US Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told a Senate confirmation hearing that “any time your own homeland is threatened, you fight with a tenacity that’s difficult for us to conceive of.”
US President Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Lt Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, faced a Senate confirmation hearing on June 24 alongside Vice Admiral Charles Cooper, nominated to be Commander of the US Central Command.
Grynkewich was questioned on a range of security issues that the US currently faces, including the war in Ukraine, during which he said that he believed Ukraine could win a war against Russia.
The EU unveiled new rules Wednesday allowing state aid for low-carbon tech, including nuclear, to boost competitiveness with the US and China through 2030.
The EU on Wednesday unveiled new rules allowing member states to grant financial support to firms producing low-carbon technologies, including nuclear power, in the face of competition from China and the United States.
The framework, which will be in place until the end of 2030, replaces an earlier text from 2022 that expires this year.
The Ukrainian president said the two touched on a potential ceasefire and “a real peace,” but the US president later said they did not discuss a ceasefire.
President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed a “long and substantive meeting” with US President Donald Trump after the two met on the sidelines of Wednesday’s NATO summit.
After the talks, which sources in Ukraine’s Presidential Office told AFP lasted around 50 minutes, Zelensky issued a brief update on X, thanking Trump and saying that they had addressed a potential ceasefire and “a real peace.”
Iran’s conflict with Israel may reduce missile supplies to Russia, a NATO official said, forcing Moscow to rely on North Korea or boost its own production.
The recent conflict between Iran and Israel could hurt Russia’s ability to receive ballistic missiles from Tehran. Iran is now likely to prioritize building its own missile stockpiles instead of sending weapons abroad, a senior NATO official said.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Iran had agreed to supply ballistic missiles for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The two countries also signed a defense pact aimed at boosting military cooperation.
Washington continues to keep its hopes up despite calls from Europe to finally step up sanctions, as Moscow has continued to brush off ceasefire proposals since at least March.
US State Secretary Marco Rubio defended Washington’s refusal to intensify sanctions on Moscow by saying they could push Russia away from ceasefire talks.
The US has been pushing for an unconditional ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia since March’s Saudi talks, which Moscow has continuously brushed off by naming new demands, including Kyiv’s withdrawal from multiple Ukrainian regions – demands that Kyiv has deemed non-starters.
As state funding does not fully cover the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, civilians have raised billions of hryvnias through fundraising efforts.
Ukrainians donated a landmark Hr.1 billion ($23.8 million) through private bank Monobank to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the bank’s co-founder, Oleg Gorokhovskiy, reported in a Telegram post on Tuesday, June 24. The funds will be used to provide critical supplies and equipment to the front line.
Despite Ukraine hitting records on defense spending, the volumes of ammunition needed in the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are still not enough to be covered by the state. This is why Ukraine’s charity funds, companies, banks, individual volunteers, and soldiers themselves create thousands of “zbory” (plural, “zbir” singular) – fundraising campaigns for military purposes or frontline territories only.
Authorities said the suspect, now 66 years old, has been wanted by the US authorities since 1992 and was caught living in the Kyiv region under a false identity.
Ukrainian law enforcement has arrested a US fugitive on the run from child sex crime charges since 1992.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Wednesday that the man, aged 66, has been living in the Kyiv region using a false identity claiming to be a Mexican citizen.
Under the Kremlin’s new rules Russian unit commanders can now throw soldiers caught using a phone in a war zone into the brig – on their “own authority.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has given military commanders new powers to send soldiers fighting in Ukraine to the military prison for using smartphones and other gadgets with cameras or internet access.
Putin signed a decree amending the country’s military disciplinary rules, removing the requirement for a court to approve such arrests. Until now, only garrison military courts could order soldiers detained for misconduct.
Video footage shared by Ukraine’s defense ministry purportedly showed a direct hit on a Russian boat, with roaring flames and smoke soon engulfing the vessel.
The Ukrainian Navy struck and disabled a Russian boat near Kherson, dealing another blow to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The nighttime thermal footage, depicting explosions onboard a Russian vessel with its crew scrambling for safety, was shared by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on X on Tuesday.
Everything has been choreographed at the gathering in The Hague to keep the US president on board: from chopping back the official part of the meeting to putting him up overnight in the royal palace.
US President Donald Trump struck a conciliatory tone towards NATO allies on Wednesday, framing an expected deal on increased defence spending as a “great victory for everyone” at their summit.
Everything has been carefully choreographed at the gathering in The Hague to keep the volatile US president on board: from chopping back the official part of the meeting to putting him up overnight in the royal palace.
Ukraine is boosting ties with Africa by offering military training, aiding refugees, and countering Russian influence through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and food security efforts.
Ukraine is ready to support African countries in their fight against Russian mercenaries, offering military training, sharing battlefield experience, and assisting refugees in regions where the Kremlin’s influence is growing.
According to a Reuters report, since 2022, Kyiv has been actively expanding its diplomatic footprint across the continent, opening eight new embassies, including those in Mauritania, the Republic of the Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire. The total number of Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Africa has now reached 18.
Ukraine’s defenders hold firm in the face of increasingly fierce attacks by numerically superior Russian forces the Khortytsia group says.
Russian forces have stepped up their offensive in the Pokrovsk sector of the Donetsk region, where heavy fighting continues, according to the Khortytsia operational-strategic troop grouping.
In a report published on Telegram, Ukrainian military officials said Russian troops were attacking in the areas of Rusyn Yar, Poltavka, Popov Yar, Razine, Volodymyrivka, Yelyzavetivka, and Malynivka.
The strike came amid a wave of overnight Ukrainian drone attacks reported by Russian authorities, which targeted several regions, including Rostov, which borders Ukraine.
A major Russian defense facility linked to Moscow’s drone production was damaged overnight in the city of Taganrog, Ukraine’s security officials claimed on Tuesday, as Russia reported widespread drone strikes across its territory.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation, said an explosion struck the Atlant-Aero plant, describing it as a vital hub of Russia’s military-industrial complex.
Daily updates from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) regarding frontline developments and casualty figures amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As of June 25, Russia has lost 1,014,650 troops after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 – including 950 troops over the past day, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU).
Russian casualties in Ukraine surpassed one million on June 16.
Oil prices fell over 15% after Trump’s strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, defying fears of a Hormuz closure and cutting into Russia’s expected gains from higher crude prices.
Oil prices continued falling on Tuesday, after the United States carried out operation “Midnight Hammer,” striking three nuclear facilities in Iran.
Brent crude futures decreased from $80.29 per barrel at 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, to $67.81 per barrel at 3:54 p.m. Eastern Time (US & Canada), according to Bloomberg Terminal. The price has decreased by 15.5% over the last three days.
Here’s what to know about the corruption probe against Ukraine’s Minister of Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov – one of the highest-ranking officials yet to face such allegations.
Oleksiy Chernyshov, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister and minister of unity, has been hit with a suspicion notice on Monday for fraud and potentially costing billions of hryvnias – tens of millions of dollars – of state losses.
Thus, Chernyshov became the highest-ranking official in Ukraine to become a suspect in a corruption case.
Moscow has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s cities and civilian infrastructure in an effort to harm its citizens’ morale by disrupting daily life – a classical hybrid warfare tactic.
The intensification of Russian drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and population centers rather than military and energy targets as previously is a conscious deliberate escalation in the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare campaign. These strikes are intended to degrade civilian morale and erode the quality and daily functioning of Ukraine’s cities.
Drone saturation as a hybrid warfare tactic
Norway will build uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in Ukraine using Kongsberg technology to strengthen Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
Norway will develop and manufacture uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) on Ukrainian territory as part of its expanded support for Ukraine’s maritime defense efforts, according to the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.
According to the announcement on X, the move comes as Norway commits approximately NOK 6.7 billion (around $620 million) in 2025 to support the maritime coalition co-led with the United Kingdom.
Zelensky visited The Hague, secured Dutch drone support, addressed parliament on Russian aggression, and urged unity and defense investment.
President Zelensky was welcomed on Tuesday morning by the Dutch Prime Minister “Dick” Schoof on arrival at The Hague. During the meeting Schoof announced the Netherlands will produce drones for Ukraine. Later Zelensky had an audience with the Dutch King Willem-Alexander where Zelensky thanked the King and Queen for the military and humanitarian support to the Netherlands has given Ukraine and for the refuge it has provided to Ukrainian refugees.
In the afternoon Zelensky delivered a speech to the Dutch House of Representatives, condemning Russian aggression and once again expressing gratitude to the Netherlands as one of the nations providing most support to Ukraine. He said European cooperation was vital and called on them for more investment in defense: “Russia is stronger than any one of us alone, but it is weaker than all of us put together.”
Duda said that if a move to raise NATO spending targets is confirmed “it will be a groundbreaking decision, a historic one.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has said before heading to a key NATO summit that alliance members must boost spending on defense because “Russian imperialism has returned.”
Leaders from NATO nations meeting in The Hague on Wednesday are expected to approve a hike in spending on core defense needs to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% to be earmarked for broader security-related projects.
Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia overnight, injuring civilians and damaging infrastructure in multiple residential areas.
Overnight, Russia once again attacked Ukraine with drones, striking in particular the city of Kharkiv. A civilian facility in the city’s Kyivskyi district was hit, injuring a 64-year-old man.
“The enemy carried out at least seven strikes on the city. Information on casualties and the consequences is still being clarified,” said the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, who also confirmed the hit on the enterprise.
Trump lashed out at CNN and NYT, calling their reporting “fake news” after intelligence leaks claimed recent US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months - not “completely destroyed.”
US President Donald Trump has slammed CNN and The New York Times media outlets for what he called an attempt to “demean one of the most successful military strikes in history.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump dismissed a CNN report citing US intelligence officials who said the recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities only set the program back by months.
Europe’s press delves into what can be expected from the summit.
The leaders of the NATO member states are meeting on June 24 and 24 in The Hague. At the top of the agenda is a resolution binding all allied partners to commit 5 percent of their GDP to defense spending - 3.5 percent for weapons and troops and 1.5 percent for military infrastructure.
A precarious balancing act
Defense Minister Umerov said that the agreement had been reached during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London.
The U.K. is to fund a three-year drone production initiative in cooperation with Ukrainian defense firms, Kyiv’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has said.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Umerov said that the agreement had been reached during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to London, where he met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Ukrainian special forces troops eliminated a Russian assault group in the Pokrovsk sector, capturing a Wagner fighter who initially pretended to be dead.
Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) fighters reported June 24 that they had eliminated a Russian assault group before capturing a Wagner fighter in the Pokrovsk sector of the Donetsk region.
According to the SSO report on Telegram, the operation was carried out by fighters from the 144th SSO Center, supported by reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), first-person-view (FPV) drones, drone drop teams, mortar, and grenade launcher crews.
Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.
Key Takeaways from the ISW:
Social media on Tuesday posted videos taken on board train number 52 showed the moment the missile hit close to the train with fragments hitting a smiling woman as she took a selfie.
[UPDATES] As of 10 a.m. on Friday, June 27, Serhiy Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, reported that the death toll from the June 24 missile strikes on Dnipro and Samar has risen to 21.
The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Lysak, reported that 18 people were killed in Dnipro following a Russian missile strike on Tuesday, June 24, with nearly 300 others injured across the region.
As heavy machinery becomes an easy target for Ukrainian drones along the front lines, Moscow’s military also may leverage two-wheelers in “future wars” against NATO, think-tanks says.
A service member in a Ukrainian brigade reported on Tuesday that the threat of Russian motorcycle assaults is increasing along the frontline as Russian forces increasingly integrate them into assault tactics.
The soldier said that Russian motorcycle forces are no longer attacking along roads but mainly attacking through open fields and trying to bypass Ukrainian engineering barriers along the frontline.
Two intelligence officials briefed on the battle damage assessment of strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities said the stockpiles of enriched uranium likely were not destroyed.
Two US intelligence officials briefed on the result of strikes on Iran’s Fordow uranium-enrichment facility and the Natanz Enrichment Complex did not eliminate Iran’s threat of building a nuclear weapon, but rather set the project back “by months.”
“The analysis of the damage to the sites and the impact of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions is ongoing, and could change as more intelligence becomes available,” according to the cited officials.
Zelensky joined his colleagues for dinner at the Alliance’s annual summit, where European leaders assured him that they have ‘finally awakened’ on defense, while Trump casts doubt on his NATO pledge.
THE HAGUE – As NATO leaders gathered in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a historic summit, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for much-needed unity among Western backers.
“For us, the most important thing is to see the unity of NATO and EU countries,” the Ukrainian leader said Tuesday afternoon as he held a meeting with the European leaders Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa, and NATO chief Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the summit to coordinate joint efforts.
“These F35 dual capable aircraft will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the UK and our Allies,” Starmer said of the US-made jets.
Britain will reintroduce fighter jets capable of carrying atomic weapons to support NATO’s nuclear mission, expanding the country’s deterrence arsenal, which is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said Tuesday.
The country will purchase 12 nuclear weapon-capable F-35A fighters, in the “biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation”, Downing Street said, adding Starmer would announce the plan at a NATO summit Wednesday.
