Ukrainian citizen Roman Lavrynovych, suspected of setting fire to property linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, may have been recruited by Russia via the Telegram messaging app, RFE/RL’s Schemes investigative project reported on June 3.

Two properties and a car linked to Starmer were targeted in arson attacks in the first half of May.

Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old working as a model and a roofer, was charged on May 15. He allegedly set a car that Starmer previously sold to a neighbor on fire on May 8. The suspect also allegedly started fires at Starmer’s two former residences on May 11 and 12.

The police said the property suffered damage, but no one was injured.

An analysis of Lavrynovych’s social media activity revealed that between 2022 and 2025, he actively searched for work through various Telegram channels aimed at foreigners in London. His most recent job-seeking post appeared in the London UA group on May 2, days before a car linked to Starmer was set ablaze in London.

“Looking for a job, I will consider any options,” Lavrynovych wrote.

Soon after, a user named Yurii replied, asking Lavrynovych to message him privately. Yurii had joined London UA only a few days prior to the dialog, according to Schemes.

Another Ukrainian citizen, Petro Pochynok, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, is expected to appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on May 21.

Stanislav Carpiuc, a Russian-speaking Romanian national born in Ukraine, was also charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

British security officials are currently investigating possible Russian involvement in the attacks, the Financial Times reported on May 23.

Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of using covert sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation as part of its broader campaign to destabilize European nations that support Ukraine during the Russian large-scale war.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) warned on June 2 that Russian intelligence services are actively attempting to recruit Ukrainian nationals for illegal operations across the European Union.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Just two days after a stunning Russia-wide covert operation, Ukraine’s secret services have struck another blow deep behind enemy lines.

As the sun was rising this morning, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kerch Bridge for a third time.

The Kerch Bridge, also known as the Crimean Bridge, is a structure that connects Russia with occupied Crimea. It’s the longest bridge in Europe – and the longest bridge ever built by Russia.

It has served as a critical way for Russia to integrate its occupied territory into the country, and as a logistics connection for Russian troops.

This SBU operation is unique, as it appears to have been carried out underwater.

Read more

Russian ex-President Dmitry Medvedev’s statement that Russia seeks only a “swift victory” and the “complete destruction” of the Ukrainian government at the Istanbul peace talks is a “rare moment of honesty,” U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on June 3.

“I appreciate you making it clear to the world that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Russia are not remotely interested in peace,” said Graham, a Republican lawmaker backing a bill on major new sanctions against Russia.

Graham made the statement in reaction to Medvedev’s Telegram post, in which the deputy chairman of the Russian security council admitted that “the Istanbul negotiations are not intended for reaching a compromise peace based on someone’s unrealistic conditions."

Russia and Ukraine held the second round of peace negotiations on June 2, during which Russia yet again rejected a long-term ceasefire and instead presented a memorandum with a list of harsh demands on Kyiv.

These reportedly included official recognition of Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories, Ukraine’s full withdrawal from four partially occupied regions, a ban on joining NATO, limits on the military, and more conditions.

Moscow’s real goal in the talks is a “swift victory and the complete destruction” of the Ukrainian government, Medvedev said. He referred to Ukrainian authorities as a “neo-Nazi regime,” referring to Russia’s false narratives about the Nazi-led government in Kyiv that were used as a pretext for Russian aggression.

“This is the meaning of the Russian memorandum published yesterday (June 2).” Medvedev has gained notoriety during the full-scale war for his theatrical and incendiary remarks aimed at Ukraine and its Western partners.

During the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation also presented a peace proposal, which included a prisoner swap in an all-for-all format, the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, as well as the release of all civilians held in Russian captivity.

According to the Ukrainian proposal seen by the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv would retain its right to join the EU and NATO. Ukraine also highlighted the need for security guarantees to avoid further Russian invasion.

Like the first round of talks on May 16, this week’s negotiations ended without any tangible progress toward a long-term ceasefire or a peace deal. Instead, the two parties agreed on a new prisoner exchange, which could involve up to 1,200 prisoners on each side.

Moscow also proposed a brief ceasefire lasting up to three days to collect the bodies of fallen soldiers.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called upon U.S. President Donald Trump to adopt tougher sanctions against Russia if the Istanbul talks fail to achieve progress. A bipartisan bill proposed by Graham, which he said will “start moving” forward this week, would impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products.

BREAKING: Russia’s Crimean Bridge rocked by explosions, Ukraine’s SBU claims responsibility

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time during the full-scale war, mining and damaging its underwater supports, the SBU announced on June 3.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

New air defense units will be established to counter Russia’s drone attacks on Ukraine, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda on June 2.

Despite ongoing peace talks, Russia continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire, intensifying drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring civilians.

Overnight on June 1, Russia launched an aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying a record 472 drones.

Ukrainian forces downed 210 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, while 172 more drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars, according to the Air Force.

“We would have liked to have had better results, but there were still dozens of hits,” Ihant said.

According to Ihant, Russia employed tactics involving the launch of a large number of weapons at a single target that approached from high altitude. During their meeting on June 2, air force commanders emphasized the urgent need to strengthen drone air defense capabilities, he said.

“We are talking about anti-aircraft drones that help intercept air targets. Crews are being trained in different locations on the territory of our country. New units will be introduced,” the spokesperson said.

Russia seeks to produce up to 500 drones per day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late May.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has more than doubled its long-range drone production in 2024 compared to the previous year—a staggering 22-fold increase since 2022.

By the end of 2024, Ukraine had developed a total of 324 new types of weapons, according to the Ministry of Strategic Industries.

How much does a Russian drone attack on Ukraine cost? The question is more complicated than it sounds

Beginning overnight on Saturday, May 24, Russia rained down nearly a thousand drones and missiles on villages and cities across Ukraine in three nights of large-scale aerial attacks, as civilians spent hours sheltering underground. Russia’s bombardment killed more than a dozen people and injured dozens more, in one of

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

Editor’s note: The story is being updated.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out the third attack against the Crimean Bridge during the full-scale war, mining and damaging its underwater supports, the SBU announced on June 3.

“The operation lasted for several months. SBU agents mined the supports of this illegal construction,” the SBU said on Telegram.

Constructed after Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014, the Crimean Bridge is a critical supply and transport route for Russian forces to the occupied Ukrainian territories.

“And today, without inflicting any civilian casualties, the first explosive was activated at 4:44 a.m.,” the SBU said.

Underwater supports of the bridge’s piers were severely damaged at the bottom as 1,100 kilograms of explosives in TNT equivalent were detonated, according to the statement.

The operation, which follows Ukraine’s mass drone strike against Russia’s strategic aviation on June 1, was personally supervised by SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk.

The bridge suffered significant damage during two previous Ukrainian attacks in October 2022 and July 2023, though neither managed to take the bridge out of commission. It also holds a significant symbolic value, as the $4 billion project was a political statement designed to affirm Russia’s illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

Russia’s Defense Ministry previously claimed that three Ukrainian drones were downed over Crimea overnight on June 3.

The same day, the Crimean Bridge was closed between 6 and 9 a.m. local time, according to local Telegram channels. The Mash Telegram channel reported that a Ukrainian drone was shot down over the bridge, and its debris fell onto the road.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A recent Ukrainian drone strike deep inside Russian territory has sparked anger and concern among Kremlin officials over the exposed vulnerability of a nuclear-capable air force far from the front lines, Bloomberg reported on June 2, citing undisclosed sources close to senior Moscow officials.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out the operation “Spiderweb” on June 1, targeting Russian air bases at Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo with drones hidden in trucks across Russia.

The strike is claimed to have hit 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers. These planes belong to Russia’s nuclear-capable air fleet and are used to launch cruise missile attacks on Ukraine’s cities.

Ukraine’s General Staff said in its daily update on June 3 that Russian forces lost 12 aircraft, without elaborating on the types of destroyed planes or whether more had been damaged.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg that the number of affected aircraft may be closer to 10. According to the outlet’s sources, only a small number of the targeted Russian bombers are required for strikes against Ukraine, meaning the pace of missile and bombing attacks is unlikely to slow.

The SBU claimed the operation caused approximately $7 billion in damage and disabled one-third of Russia’s cruise missile bombers.

Independent confirmation of the damage caused is so far limited to satellite images of Belaya air base, which appear to confirm the destruction of at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers and one Tu-22M3 aircraft, with an additional Tu-95MS visibly damaged.

Another image shows two more likely destroyed Tu-22M3 bombers on the field.

‘Grounds for a nuclear attack’ — Russian propagandists react to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb

Russian officials and propagandists have chosen different strategies for dealing with the unprecedented Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airfields that took place on June 1. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that, as part of an operation dubbed Spiderweb, it had destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft parked at

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

The Ukrainian parliament supported a bill on establishing the institution of a military ombudsman in the first reading on June 3, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The legislation was supported by 287 lawmakers, with 25 abstaining and none voting against it. Bills must pass two readings and be signed by the president before becoming law.

Ukraine first unveiled the office in April 2024 to ensure soldiers had a mechanism to report violations of their rights.

The military ombudsman “will be responsible for considering appeals and complaints of service members, providing primary legal assistance, conducting inspections, and investigating violations of the rights of service members and their family members,” the Defense Ministry said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has tapped Olha Reshetylova, formerly a journalist and human rights activist, as the first military ombudsman.

The Military Ombudsman Office will be established as a civilian oversight body over the security and defense sector. The legislation also establishes procedures for military personnel to submit complaints and for the inspection of military units.

As Ukraine entered the fourth year of the full-scale war with Russia, several units have faced accusations of misconduct and abuse within their ranks.

Most recently, the French-trained 155th “Anne of Kyiv” Brigade is under investigation for alleged involvement of its command in handing out falsified bonus payments and demanding bribes.

Last December, the commander of the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade was detained for failing to address abuse and torture allegations involving his subordinates.

‘Closer to victory’ – Operation Spiderweb gives much-needed morale boost to Ukrainians after 3 years of full-scale war

A large-scale drone attack carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), which reportedly destroyed or damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers on June 1, brought a much-needed morale boost to Ukrainians. Codenamed “Spiderweb,” the operation targeted the strategic aircraft that Russia uses for long-range missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. The

The Kyiv IndependentLinda Hourani

Ukraine has been invited to the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague between June 24 and 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a June 2 online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

“We were invited to the NATO summit. I think this is important,” Zelensky said, adding that he held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the Vilnius summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and the Nordic countries on June 2.

“Now, (Foreign Minister Andrii) Sybiha will be speaking with his colleagues regarding infrastructure and what potential outcomes may arise from this summit in The Hague."

Zelensky did not specify who would be representing Ukraine at the summit or whether he would attend the event himself.

The statement follows speculations that the allies decided not to invite Ukraine to the annual summit due to opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later denied the claims, and the Netherlands said it would welcome Zelensky’s attendance.

At the previous NATO summit in Washington in 2024, Zelensky was a prominent presence, engaging directly with allied leaders. This year, the tone appears more cautious as NATO members weigh how to handle Ukraine’s future in the alliance amid renewed questions about U.S. commitment.

Trump has claimed that Ukraine provoked the war by pursuing NATO membership, a narrative often used by Russian propaganda to justify its 2022 full-scale invasion. He also signaled plans to reduce U.S. military presence in Europe and has been reluctant to provide new military support to Kyiv.

Earlier reporting suggested that this year’s communique may omit direct mention of both Russia and Ukraine — a contrast to past summits where Ukraine dominated the agenda.

‘Idiots’ — Zelensky slams Russia’s proposal for brief truce to retrieve fallen soldiers’ bodies

“They just don’t see a ceasefire as such at the moment,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 2, commenting on Russia’s proposal. “I think they’re idiots, because, fundamentally, a ceasefire is meant so that there are no dead.”

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson voiced support on June 2 for a Senate-backed bill aimed at strengthening sanctions against Russia, the New York Post reported.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators said in late May that they are ready to vote on a bill on sanctions against Russia if peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine war do not progress soon.

The bill, introduced to the Senate in early April, would impose new penalties on Russia and slap 500% tariffs on imports from countries that buy Russian oil, petroleum products, natural gas, or uranium.

“There’s many members of Congress that want us to sanction Russia as strongly as we can,” Johnson said. “And I’m an advocate of that."

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet imposed new sanctions on Russia because he believed a peace deal might be within reach.

“If I think I’m close to getting a deal, I don’t want to screw it up by doing that,” he said, but added he is prepared to act if Moscow stalls further.

Russia and Ukraine held a second round of talks in Istanbul on June 2. Kyiv presented a peace proposal that reportedly included potential easing of sanctions on Moscow, among other clauses.

The condition proposed by Ukraine is that sanctions are automatically renewed if the ceasefire agreement is broken.

Following the new round of talks, Russia proposed a limited two- to three-day ceasefire in specific front-line areas to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers, while continuing to disregard Ukraine’s call for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire supported by Western partners.

Sanctions on Russia are working, Ukraine just needs more

Sanctions on their own won’t end the war, but they are a crucial tool in the West’s efforts to pressure Putin.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Installation russo-biélorusse à un spaghetti de Lampedusa

A l’occasion du 11e anniversaire de la « Révolution de la Dignité » (1), un défilé militaire a eu lieu le 26 mai 2025 à Qaminis dans un camp en cours de construction nommé Khalifa Haftar Military City en présence du maréchal Khalifa Haftar, du président de la Chambre des représentants libyenne Aguila Saleh, du chef du gouvernement libyen Ossama Hamad, ainsi que de délégations officielles de plusieurs pays. Cette parade militaire, outil d’influence majeur dans une nouvelle période d’instabilité politique en Libye, a eu lieu dans un camp militaire en cours de construction nommé Khalifa Haftar Military Camp.

Lors de ce défilé militaire, une occasion rare où les pouvoirs de l’Est et de l’Ouest se retrouvent, le maréchal Khalifa Haftar a indiqué dans un discours : « Nous sommes avec la volonté du peuple libyen et à son service ». Il a également affirmé que « l’objectif premier et ultime de l’armée nationale est de rétablir l’État libyen, sa souveraineté et de renforcer la sécurité et la stabilité, pour que la Libye soit sûre, stable et unie »

L’armée du pouvoir de l’Est libyen qui trouve ses locaux à Benghazi a voulu montrer qu’elle était prête à défendre le pays face aux défis politiques et sécuritaires actuels, dans un message adressé tant à l’interne qu’à l’externe. « Les forces armées libyennes ont toujours été et resteront un sujet d’attention et de soutien à tous les niveaux, afin de leur permettre d’accomplir leurs missions avec compétence et succès, au service de la nation et pour garantir l’avenir de ses enfants », a déclaré Khalifa Haftar lors de sa prise de parole.

Ce défilé militaire aura permis de voir une forte augmentation capacitaire des troupes affiliées au maréchal Haftar et pour partie commandée par son fils Saddam Haftar. Il aura permis de voir aussi qu’il se déroule sous l’œil bienveillant du partenaire russe qui aura dépêché pour l’occasion son vice-ministre de la Défense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

Au-delà de voir des matériels en provenance de Russie et de Biélorussie, il est intéressant de se rappeler que les dernières semaines ont été ponctuées de combats à Tripoli entre milices suite au meurtre d’Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, chef de la milice nommée Stability Support Apparatus (SSA). Al-Kikli a été tué lors d’un incident à Tripoli dans une installation gérée par une milice rivale appelée la Brigade 444, commandée par Mahmoud Hamza, le 12 mai 2025. Sa mort a déclenché des affrontements entre la SSA et la Brigade 444. Ce meurtre aura surtout servi de catalyseur dans la résurgence de la volonté de voir le Premier Ministre Dbeibah quitter ses fonctions, volonté portée à la fois par une partie de la classe politique libyenne et largement exploitée par le maréchal Haftar. Dbeibah a habilement manoeuvré pour dissoudre les milices rivales, entraînant leurs mobilisations. Et cette reprise des affrontements est une nouvelle opportunité d’Haftar, ce dernier n’envisage aucunement d’abandonner son projet de conquête de Tripoli, et dans l’hypothèse où il ne pourrait pas y accéder, il a mis sur les mêmes rails son fils Saddam.

En réalité, la véritable force de Dbeibah réside non pas dans la force de ceux qui le soutiennent mais dans les incohérences de ceux qui veulent le remplacer. dans un contexte de pré-effondrement politique d’un système à bout de souffle mais incapable de se remettre en cause va voir émerger un système de gouvernance qui devra immédiatement montrer qu’il est légitime et soutenu. Et en cela, Haftar part avec des atouts majeurs.

Russie et Biélorussie aux portes de l’Europe

Le maréchal Haftar a cherché à maintenir des relations intéressées avec la Russie mais pas uniquement puisque les américains, égyptiens et émiratis ont envoyé des émissaires réguliers auprès du chef militaire de l’Est libyen. Un autre partenaire plus discret reste en embuscade : la Chine. Par son offre de drones armés très intéressante en termes de coûts, la Chine est aujourd’hui en position de conquête en Afrique en général et la Libye n’échappe pas à la règle.

La Russie aura cherché à se trouver un point d’entrée en Afrique du Nord après son départ contraint de Syrie comme nous l’avions expliqué avec nos notes en mai 2024 et en février 2025. Ce besoin russe de disposer d’un point stratégique logistique et le besoin de liquidités issus des ventes d’armement ont savamment été exploités par Haftar qui a besoin de montrer qu’il reste incontournable dans un nouveau tour de table en Libye pour voir se mettre en place un gouvernement unique.

Pour la Russie, cette montée en capacité libyenne est bénéfique car en plus des entrées d’argent frais ou de paiement en nature (carburant, or), elle est aussi un outil d’influence important dans un moment où l’armement présent en Libye est hétéroclite : américain, turc, russe. 

Dans une vidéo de la visite du complexe Khalifa Haftar Military Camp, il est possible d’observer une cabine de vol relatif, un simulateur de parachutisme et un système de formation et de simulation informatisée. Un représentant de la société LOGOS a ainsi pu présenter les différents scénarios disponibles.

En réalité, le véritable point stratégique est que désormais à la frontière Sud de l’Europe, à 350 km de l’île de Lampedusa, on assiste à une augmentation importante de l’empreinte sino-russe. Avec des enjeux majeurs sur la sécurité économique liée à l’approvisionnement pétrolier et gazier des pays européens, la gestion des flux migratoires dont certains partent ou traversent des pays où sont présents Wagner et Africa Corps. Et cette présence et influence sur le retour permettent à la Russie de disposer d’un levier de négociations face à une Europe qui augmente son soutien à l’Ukraine.

L’autre invité surprise de ce défilé est la Biélorussie. Il était connu que des officiers de l’armée libyenne avaient été en formation en Biélorussie (2). 

Ce défilé aura aussi l’occasion de voir la présence discrète d’Ivan Tertel, chef du KGB biélorusse.

Une précédente rencontre avait lieu en mars 2025 en Biélorussie entre Haftar et Tertel. La communication officielle évoque la mise en place d’une coopération dans les domaines économique, éducatif, agricole et sanitaire.

Le 25 mai 2025, les autorités libyennes et biélorusses ont inauguré une maison biélorusse à Benghazi, avec des déclarations communes de collaboration dans les secteurs du transport avec la mise place de bus de marque MAZ, de l’agriculture avec notamment la possible construction d’une usine de production de farine et d’aliments pour le bétail et de la santé avec des visites d’infrastructures par la délégation biélorusses.

La visite des officiels biélorusses aura vu également des annonces de la part de la Libye sur l’absence de visa pour venir en Libye ou la création d’une entreprise commune dans le secteur agricole à Benghazi, sous le contrôle d’un membre de la famille Haftar.

D’autres accords ont été signés dans les domaines de l’industrie et l’éducation, des services d’exploration géologique et de l’industrie minière.

Après cette cérémonie et ses discussions commerciales entre partenaires, un Tupolev Tu-154M de l’armée russe a quitté Benghazi le 27 mai 2025.

Aperçu non exhaustif du matériel vu lors du défilé militaire

Fusil-brouilleur anti-drone WRJ-Q02 

Drone modifié  DS-220 DSTECHUAS

Véhicules blindés VPK-Spartak and Tiger 

Systèmes de défense aérienne à courte portée Tor-M1/M2

Véhicules militaires tout-terrain (ATV) Tomcar TX

Missiles balistiques R-17/Scud-B et systèmes de roquettes d’artillerie 9K52 Luna-M

Tricycle militaire Konung équipé d’un PKM

VT370 & QP537 VTOL UAVs

Drones DJI Mavic et munitions téléopérées / FPV

Wing drone FXF1464

ZSU-23-4 Shilka battu avec son 1RL33/RPK-2

T-72A with anti-drone cage 

Pantsir-S1 (SA-22T-72A)

Systèmes BM-30 Smerch, également connus sous le nom de systèmes de roquettes à lancement multiple (MLRS) 9A52-2 de 300 mm

Quelles suites pour la Libye ?

Les tensions à Tripoli liées au maintien du Premier Ministre Dbeibah trouvent un écho particulier auprès des troupes liées au maréchal Haftar, ainsi que des milices opposées au Premier Ministre du gouvernement de Tripoli. 

Dès la fin du défilé, des troupes ont été envoyées vers Tripoli, à la fois depuis l’Est de la Libye mais également de l’Ouest, sans qu’une coordination ne soit effective. Des manifestations à Tripoli appellent à l’intervention du maréchal Haftar pour déloger les milices liées au gouvernement de Tripoli et en réalité à mettre fin à ce gouvernement et prendre la main.

Du côté des instances du gouvernement de Tripoli, une campagne de purge est en cours. L’objectif est bien de maintenir en place le système actuel, notamment en gardant la main sur une partie de la rente financière arrivant de l’exploitation pétrolière.

Les autorités de Tobrouk, pour verrouiller l’outil économique et contraindre le gouvernement de Tripoli, ont déclaré qu’un cas de force majeure concernant les champs pétroliers et les terminaux maritimes sous son contrôle pourrait être la seule option disponible face à l’instabilité à Tripoli, entraînant un incident de sécurité et une prise d’assaut du siège de la NOC dans la capitale.

Les chances que les autorités de l’Est mettent en œuvre la force majeure sont élevées et sont actuellement envisagées par les acteurs sécuritaires et militaires de l’ Est de la Libye. Pour les autorités de l’ Est, il s’agit d’un atout supplémentaire contre les tentatives de Dbeibah de s’accrocher au pouvoir à Tripoli, et l’attaque contre la NOC hier constitue un bon prétexte. Les prochains jours détermineront la direction qu’elles prendront.

Par ailleurs l’ambassadeur russe en Libye a mené une réunion avec les leaders de la jeunesse toubou le 29 mai 2025, avec pour objectif d’offrir des bourses d’études en Russie. Par cette offre à destination de l’ethnie majoritaire du Sud libyen, présente par ailleurs au Nord Niger et au Nord Tchad, l’ambassade russe prend la main par en doucement mais sérieusement sur une zone d’intérêt stratégique, regroupant par ailleurs mines d’or, puits de pétrole, trafic d’êtres humains et de drogue, milices armées non affiliées.

L’entrisme russe et biélorusse auprès d’Haftar, qui sera d’une manière ou d’une autre présent dans les prochaines instances de gouvernance libyenne, vont bousculer les volontés européennes et américaines pour la résolution de cette crise aux portes de l’Europe, avec des défis connexes majeurs. En premier lieu l’approvisionnement énergétique européen. Et ce défilé militaire est bien plus qu’un simple exercice d’auto satisfaction du maréchal Haftar et de son état-major mais bien un message géopolitique fort.

(1) Opération militaire menée par le maréchal Khalifa Haftar lancée en 2014 pour expulser Al-Qaïda, l’EI et d’autres groupes terroristes à Benghazi et les environs.

(2) https://libyareview.com/53516/elite-libyan-forces-complete-training-in-belarus/

Russian forces had lost 12 aircraft, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in its regular update on June 3, without providing additional details.

The report came two days after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched a mass drone attack against Russian strategic aviation parked at four different air bases on June 1.

SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk said that 41 planes, including Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3 bombers and A-50 reconnaissance planes, were hit. The SBU later claimed the operation caused approximately $7 billion in damage and disabled one-third of Russia’s cruise missile bombers.

In its report, the General Staff did not specify the types of destroyed planes or whether more had been damaged.

Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council official Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, previously said at least 13 Russian aircraft were destroyed in the attack, with more damaged.

“This was not just a devastating blow to enemy aviation, but a serious slap in the face of the power and terrorist essence of the Russian Federation,” Maliuk said in a statement on June 2.

Independent confirmation of the damage caused is so far limited to satellite images of Belaya air base, which appear to confirm the destruction of at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers and one Tu-22M3 aircraft, with an additional Tu-95MS visibly damaged.

Another image shows two more likely destroyed Tu-22M3 bombers on the field.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed at least seven civilians and injured 42 others over the past day, regional authorities said on June 3.

Ukrainian forces downed 60 out of the 112 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Fifteen drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.

Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense.

Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said that Russian forces attacked Odesa with drones, injuring at least five people. The attack set a food warehouse on fire and damaged residential buildings and cars.

A Russian attack on the village of Kivsharivka in Kharkiv Oblast killed two women aged 62 and 64, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. A 31-year-old man was killed, and a 38-year-old man was injured in a Russian attack on Balakliia.

Another strike on the town of Kupiansk injured four women and a 59-year-old man, Syniehubov said.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Sumy Oblast injured four people, according to local authorities.

Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones struck a State Emergency Service building and service vehicles in the Stepnohirsk community in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, injuring 12 emergency workers, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Three people were killed in Kramatorsk and Yablunivka in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Two other people suffered injuries in the region over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 35 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. One person was killed, and 13 others, including a child, were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor’s note: This story is being updated.

Russian forces attacked downtown Sumy in Ukraine’s northeast on June 3, resulting in casualties, according to preliminary reports from the Sumy Regional Military Administration.

One person was confirmed killed in the attack, with many more injured and being evacuated to the hospitals. The attack reportedly set two cars ablaze, destroying them completely.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, is traveling to the U.S., a source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent on June 3.

The visit follows the second round of Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, which focused on a new prisoner exchange but yet again failed to achieve a breakthrough in peace efforts.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to impose additional sanctions on Russia if the peace talks stall.

A Ukrainian drone attack targeting energy infrastructure in Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts overnight on June 3 caused widespread blackouts, according to Russian occupation authorities.

Yevhen Balytskyi, the Kremlin-appointed head of the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, claimed that 457 settlements in the region were left without power, affecting more than 600,000 homes.

In neighboring Kherson Oblast, Moscow-installed proxy Volodymyr Saldo claimed that drone debris damaged substations near occupied Henichesk, as well as near Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, resulting in power outages across 150 settlements.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.

Kyiv’s previous attacks on substations in Russia and Russian-occupied territories were aimed at undermining Moscow’s ability to sustain its war effort.

Situated in southern Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts have been partially occupied since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The regions' centers, the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, remain under Ukrainian control and are frequently targeted by Russian forces.

A Russian FPV (first-person-view) drone attack targeted first responders near Vasylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, injuring at least 12 people, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Russian propagandists split between downplaying devastating Ukrainian attacks and issuing threats

Russian officials and propagandists have chosen different strategies for dealing with the unprecedented Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airfields that took place on June 1. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that, as part of an operation dubbed Spiderweb, it had destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft parked at

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Russia has lost around 990,800 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on June 3.

The number includes 1,100 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,881 tanks, 22,671 armored fighting vehicles, 50,607 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,623 artillery systems, 1,402 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,176 air defense systems, 384 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 38,748 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

The U.K. government is ready to sue sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich over the sale of the Chelsea Football Club, U.K. Treasury Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a joint statement on June 2.

“The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine, following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion,” the two officials said.

Lammy, on March 9, vowed to unfreeze billions of dollars of revenue earned from Abramovich’s sale of the Chelsea Football Club and use the funds to support Ukraine.

Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea FC when sanctions were enacted against him following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required,” Reeves and Lammy said in their joint statement.

The U.K. government previously said that the funds intended to help Ukraine remained in limbo due to a disagreement between officials and Abramovich.

“We are deeply frustrated that it has not been possible to reach agreement on this with Mr Abramovich so far,” they said.

2.3 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) are currently frozen in a dedicated trust as officials decide how to obtain and utilize the funds.

Abramovich reportedly owes up to 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) to the U.K. after attempting to evade taxes on hedge fund investments in a scheme involving the Chelsea Football Club.

The oligarch is also under investigation for undeclared assets in Germany, Spiegel reported on Feb. 8, citing the Frankfurt am Main Public Prosecutor’s Office.

‘Closer to victory’ – Operation Spiderweb gives much-needed morale boost to Ukrainians after 3 years of full-scale war

A large-scale drone attack carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), which reportedly destroyed or damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers on June 1, brought a much-needed morale boost to Ukrainians. Codenamed “Spiderweb,” the operation targeted the strategic aircraft that Russia uses for long-range missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. The

The Kyiv IndependentLinda Hourani

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on June 2 slammed Russia for only providing its memorandum of a peace proposal at talks earlier in the day, saying that “the Russians are once again stalling for time."

"(I)f this is just another attempt to buy time, then there should be one response: tougher international sanctions,” Umerov said in a post to Facebook.

“Our documents were submitted in advance. In contrast, the Russian ‘memorandum’ appeared only today — during the meeting itself. This created conditions that prevented the meeting from delivering the results needed to end the war,” he added.

Ukraine and Russia held another round of peace talks on June 2, after their first meeting in Istanbul on May 16. Both rounds of talks were largely inconclusive, with Russia reiterating its rejection of a ceasefire.

Umerov attended the peace negotiations in Istanbul on June 2, leading Ukraine’s 14-member delegation, which included several figures from Ukraine’s military, human rights, and legal sectors. Umerov also led Ukraine’s 12-member delegation on May 16.

“We conveyed the positions formulated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. One of the key points — an unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days. This has been our principle and the position of our partners for many months,” Umerov said.

Russia only proposed a temporary two- to three-day ceasefire in specific areas of the front line to allow for the retrieval of fallen soldiers' bodies.

“Russia rejects even the very idea of stopping the killings. That’s why we appeal to the world: pressure is needed for real peace, not for an imitation of negotiations,” Umerov said.

At the first round of peace talks, both sides agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which took place from May 23-25.

On June 2, Ukraine and Russia agreed to work on another prisoner exchange with up to 1,200 captives from each side.

Zelensky, later on June 2, criticized Russia’s proposal for a 2–3-day local ceasefire to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers, speaking during an online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine’s ‘audacious’ attack on Russia’s heavy bombers

Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers, that simultaneously targeted four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation

The Kyiv IndependentChris York