10:55 Russian Iskander missiles strike targets in Kharkiv region during the night.

Russian Iskander missiles struck targets in Kharkiv during the night.

As per information from the public prosecutor's office in a Kharkiv district, Russian soldiers fired two Iskander missiles at the city during the night. The Iskander-M system's missiles can travel 500 kilometers and can also carry nuclear warheads. These missiles are challenging to intercept due to their flexible trajectory. The damage caused includes a school and a residential building.

10:04 Stoltenberg suggests relaxing restrictions on providing Western weapons to UkraineNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg participated in the discussion over using Western weapons against military targets in Russia. In a recent interview with "The Economist," he expressed, "it's time for the allies to consider loosening certain restrictions on the use of weapons they've supplied to Ukraine, especially with all this fighting taking place in Kharkiv close to the border." He emphasized that self-defense, according to the UN Charter, is legal and justified. "We're helping Ukraine exercise its right to self-defense, which includes the possibility of striking targets on Russian soil."

09:24 Ukrainian drones allegedly strike a Russian radar station in KrasnodarUkrainian drones are said to have attacked a crucial radar station in the Russian region of Krasnodar. This station is part of Russia's early warning system for ballistic missile launches and missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. This radar station is believed to control an area up to 6000 kilometers away.

08:42 Experts warn against a truceRussia's President Putin is open to a ceasefire, but only based on current territorial gains. This would be a significant risk for Ukraine, claims the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). A ceasefire could allow Russia to better prepare for future offensive operations aimed at regime change, the demilitarization of Ukraine, and the country's conquest. Additionally, the Kremlin might presume that a frozen front would make support for Ukraine less urgent and essential for the West.

08:11 Kiesewetter urges the suspension of the German debt brake for Ukraine's aidCDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter advocates for Germany's government to declare a budget emergency due to the war in Ukraine. "The war can only be won with debt," he informed the magazine "Spiegel." Ukraine urgently requires help. It's baffling that the German government has classified the coronavirus pandemic as an emergency situation to finance 200 billion euros for an electricity and gas price freeze, but the war doesn't meet the criteria. Declaring an emergency may permit the suspension of the strict requirements of the debt brake enshrined in the German constitution. However, the FDP has fiercely opposed such a measure in the coalition government.

07:53 The Ukrainian General Staff claims 500,080 Russian fighters killed since the beginning of the full-scale invasionThe Ukrainian General Staff estimated that the Russian side has lost 500,080 soldiers since the invasion started on February 24, 2022. This means 1140 losses in the last 24 hours. Russia has been exerting intense pressure against Ukrainian defenders in many areas, at great cost to its own forces. Ukrainian statistics also reveal 15 destroyed Russian tanks, 27 artillery systems, an air defense system, and two multiple rocket launchers.

07:07 The first group of Ukrainian F-16 pilots becomes combat-readyThe first group of Ukrainian F-16 pilots have completed their training in the United States and are traveling to Europe for additional training, according to the US Air Force. The training for both pilots and ground personnel took nearly a year. They should be prepared to fly combat missions against Russian air forces this summer. The Ukrainian air force is set to receive more than 60 F-16s from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium. These nations, alongside the US, UK, Romania, France, and Bulgaria, have mobilized personnel, aircraft, and ground facilities to train the Ukrainians in piloting and maintaining the fighter jets.

06:33 American Excalibur shells are ineffective due to Russian jammersUkraine has stopped using some US weapons since their accuracy has significantly decreased. According to the "Washington Post," this affects various weapons that are controlled by GPS—particularly Excalibur artillery shells. The precision of the Excalibur shells developed by the US has plummeted—to below 10% of hitting their target. Consequently, the US has stopped supplying Excalibur. To increase HIMARS' accuracy, it's necessary to disable enemy jammers as much as possible, such as by targeting them with cluster munitions.

The NATO leader, Jens Stoltenberg, believes China's backing of Russia in its attack on Ukraine is "crucial." Stoltenberg stated to Welt am Sonntag, "China claims it wants to maintain good relations with the West while simultaneously fueling the war in Europe. It's impossible to have it both ways." Although no direct weapon or ammunition transfers from China to Russia have been observed, there's been an increase in the sales of machine parts, microelectronics, and other technologies that Russia uses to manufacture missiles, tanks, and airplanes to use against Ukraine.

Hofreiter of the Green Party calls for allowing Ukraine to utilize Western weapons against Russian targets. As the chairman of the Bundestag's Europe Committee, he argues, "This is about defending the Ukrainian population. We should not prevent Ukraine from employing the supplied weapons against Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace." International law, according to Hofreiter, allows an assaulted nation to target military objectives in the aggressor's country.

Ukraine reports new Russian airstrikes near Kupiansk. The Ukrainian General Staff reveals the Russian military has again bombed Vovchansk. Eight missiles hit the city, but Ukrainian forces have repelled ten Russian attacks on Vovchansk and its environs. Russian troops claim "partial victories" near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region and in the Pokrovsk district in the Donetsk region.

In the Kharkiv region, further evacuations are planned. Over 123 children, including orphans, are set to be transported first to Kharkiv and then to the Volhynia region to the northwest. Since the start of Russia's latest offensive, more than 11,000 individuals have been withdrawn.

On-site, Zelensky claims Ukrainian troops have regained control of the Kharkiv region's border area after the Russian army's invasion two weeks ago. "Our forces have taken over combat control of the border area where the Russian occupiers had infiltrated," Ukraine's president claims in his evening video address. During his visit to Kharkiv, Russian troops had launched a ground offensive and taken control of several Ukrainian villages.

The Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War states 403 Ukrainian women are now being held captive in Russia. The women include various illegally detained civilians. The ministry further offers information on missing women since 2014 whose fate remains undisclosed. Russia has disregarded numerous appeals demanding their return.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responds to Russia's alleged openness to peace negotiations (entries 19:55 and 12:22) by asserting that Putin aims to fail at the forthcoming Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. According to Kuleba, Putin has no desire to entirely cease his own war in Ukraine. "Putin is frantically attempting to sabotage the peace negotiations in Switzerland on June 15 and 16. He's afraid of their success," Kuleba shares on X.

The Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite states Baltic, Nordic, and Eastern European nations bordering Russia are planning to construct a "drone wall" to safeguard their frontiers. The project seeks to safeguard these countries against "aggression by unfriendly nations" and combat smuggling using drone surveillance technology and anti-drone systems. Bilotaite characterizes this as "an entirely new undertaking," but fails to provide a timeframe. The border fortification is a response to the heightened security concerns due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

9:18 PM: US offers more military aid to Ukraine to fend off Russian aggression

The United States has announced additional military help for Ukraine, worth $275 million (approximately €253 million), to ward off Russian assault. The aid package includes ammunition for Himars multiple rocket launchers and artillery rounds for 155 and 105 millimeter calibers, according to the US State Department. This marks the fifth tranche approved by President Joe Biden since Congress authorized almost $61 billion (€56.2 billion) for Ukraine in late April.

Several months ago, the initial military aid arrived at the front line, reports claim. To provide the Ukrainian military with adequate defense and safeguard the people of Ukraine, the new assistance will be delivered "as swiftly as possible." Since the commencement of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine more than two years ago, the US has shelled out over $50 billion in military aid to Kyiv, as indicated by the Pentagon.

7:30 PM: Soviet-style education: Russian youth compelled to undergo fundamental military training

Beginning this academic year, Russian students aged between 11 and 17 are required to take yet another mandatory subject called "Fundamentals of Life Safety." This course covers basic military instruction, such as firing weapons and dressing wounds.

5:55 PM: "Reality on the ground": Putin issues preconditions for negotiating with Ukraine

Almost three years since launching his war against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his supposed eagerness to negotiate but insists on not discussing the return of occupied territories, illegally annexed according to international law. During his visit to neighboring ally Belarus, Putin commented, "People are now talking about returning to the negotiations. Let's get back to them. But not on the basis of what one side wants, but (...) on the basis of today's realities that have developed on the ground" (see also 12:22 PM entry).

Russia has openly been waging war against Ukraine since February 2022 and presently occupies around 20% of their neighboring country. Ukraine insists that Russian troops withdrawing from its land is a prerequisite for lasting peace.

Learn more details on prior eventshere. Here.