Photos

June 17, 2025 5:45pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Ben Borges

After more than three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, each new revelation of cruel treatment of Ukrainians in Russian captivity hardly surprises anyone.

But when a photo recently emerged online, showing a “Glory to Russia” scar on the body of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW), it sent shockwaves across the world.

The words, written in Russian, were branded into the right side of the body alongside the letter “Z,” a symbol of the full-scale invasion that many Ukrainians and critics of the war liken to the Nazi swastika.

The cynical act came to light after a Ukrainian doctor shared a photo of the released soldier’s mutilated abdomen earlier in June, taken not long after his release from Russian captivity. The photo was later verified by Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).

Although the identity of the released soldier remains undisclosed, it is known that his name is Andrii, and he is currently receiving treatment through “Neopalymі” (“Unburned” in Ukrainian), a national program that provides free care for war-related injuries.

Maksym Turkevych, CEO of Neopalymi, told the Kyiv Independent that they are confident the inscription on Andrii’s body was made by a surgeon, calling it “beyond cynical."

“It was done under general anesthesia, which strongly suggests it wasn’t meant as torture. It wasn’t about inflicting pain,” Turkevych said.  “It was done with the intent to leave a mark.”

According to HUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov, a doctor at a Ukrainian rehabilitation center where Andrii was receiving treatment, couldn’t stay silent, took the photo and shared it online as evidence of what Ukrainian defenders endure in Russian captivity.

“The photo speaks for itself,” Yusov said on national television on June 10. “It’s crucial that it’s seen not just by Ukrainians — they already know what the Russians are capable of — but by the whole world."

According to the United Nations, more than 95% of freed Ukrainian POWs have said they were tortured during their captivity. Survivors have recounted harrowing treatment, including being brutally beaten, electrocuted, and forced to endure painful stress positions.

Many have faced mock executions, threats of rape or death, and were denied basic medical care. Some were left without food, locked in isolation for weeks, or permanently marked with burns or scars.

While Ukraine has managed to bring back 5,757 people in more than 65 exchanges, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs, thousands of POWs and civilians remain in Russian captivity.

Yusov did not reveal details about the POW scarred in captivity, but noted that he was freed in one of the earlier exchanges, not the most recent ones.

A surge in prisoner releases followed talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul in early May. While the meeting didn't lead to a political breakthrough, it marked the first direct negotiations between the two sides since 2022 and resulted in a series of POW exchanges and the return of fallen soldiers' remains.

‘Inhumane system'

For Turkevych and his team, seeing the scars left by Russian captivity on Ukrainian POWs has become a routine part of their work. Launched in August 2022, the project has treated nearly 400 patients with war-related injuries, burns, and scars, including former POWs.

Although Turkevych and his team have treated several released defenders bearing swastika-shaped scars, some even on their foreheads, he describes the scar on Andrii's body as exceptionally cynical.

Turkevych said that the sharp precision of Andrii's scar suggests that he was unconscious – otherwise, the wound would have looked very different. According to him, the mark was made using an electrocautery device, which uses heat to cut or coagulate tissue, rather than something like a soldering iron or a knife.

Although Turkevych did not specify how long Andrii had been in captivity or where he was held, he said the scar was likely inflicted around 15 months ago. The mark with the inscription overlapped with other surgical scars, according to Turkevych, suggesting it was made during one of the procedures Andrii underwent.

"The surgeries, including the one that left the mark, were likely performed around the same time," he said.

According to Turkevych, Andrii had a shrapnel injury in the groin and damage to his bladder, which required surgery. A catheter is still visible in the photo shared by a Ukrainian doctor, along with a massive scar on his stomach.

Turkevych says that Andrii is currently unavailable for comment as he is undergoing treatment.

He believes Andrii has likely undergone three to five procedures in captivity, which would explain the layered and uneven appearance of the scar tissue: "At some point, someone decided to get 'creative' and left a signature behind," he said.

While it's unclear how long it will take to remove the "Glory to Russia" scar from Andrii's body, Turkevych says it will definitely be removed.

"As of now, we hope to see noticeable results on the inscription in about five to six months."

For Turkevych, it also exposes a deeper truth about Russia: "Their entire structure is built on cruelty, aggression, cynicism, and a willingness to commit deeply immoral acts just to show loyalty and secure a place within it."

What shocked him most wasn't just the cruelty of the system itself, but that even now, over three years into the full-scale war, people still want to be a part of it.

"There are still too many in Russia who knowingly join this brutal, inhumane system," Turkevych said. "They're ready to do whatever it takes to belong, regardless of how much it violates basic human values."

Note from the author:

Hi! Daria Shulzhenko here. I wrote this piece for you. Since the first day of Russia's all-out war, I have been working almost non-stop to tell the stories of those affected by Russia’s brutal aggression. By telling all those painful stories, we are helping to keep the world informed about the reality of Russia’s war against Ukraine. By becoming the Kyiv Independent's member, you can help us continue telling the world the truth about this war.

June 17, 2025 5:32pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ben Borges

After three years of limited measures and political hangovers, the European Union has laid out a legal roadmap to finally end its long-standing addiction to Russian oil and gas. Under a new legislative proposal announced in Strasbourg on June 17, Brussels aims to cut off all remaining imports of Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027.

The plan outlines a gradual withdrawal from Kremlin-controlled energy — with new contracts for Russian gas banned from January 2026, and existing short- and long-term contracts phased out over the following two years. Landlocked countries still hooked on pipeline gas from Russia will be given until the end of 2027 to find cleaner fixes.

“Russia has repeatedly attempted to blackmail us by weaponizing its energy supplies,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, calling the move the final step in “ending the era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe for good."

For years, the EU’s energy dependency has been a source of vulnerability — one that Russia has exploited both economically and politically. Even after a dramatic drop in imports since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian gas and oil kept flowing in significant volumes.

In 2024 alone, the bloc imported 52 billion cubic metres of Russian gas and 13 million tonnes of crude oil, adding billions to the Kremlin’s war chest — a relapse many saw coming.

The new rules mark an attempt to go virtually cold turkey. Liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal services for Russian companies will be banned from January 2026, and any long-term terminal agreements signed before June 2025 must end by 2028. Crucially, importers will now have to come clean about the origins of their gas, disclosing contracts, supply routes, and partner identities — a detox of sorts for a market long clouded in opacity.

The Commission insists the EU is ready for this break. Thanks to new infrastructure, falling demand, and booming global LNG supply, officials believe the bloc can handle the withdrawal without risking an energy crisis.

By 2028, global LNG capacity is set to increase by 200 billion cubic metres — five times the amount the EU still imports from Russia. At the same time, the EU’s own demand is expected to shrink significantly as renewables and efficiency targets kick in.

But not everyone is ready to cut ties. Hungary and Slovakia — both still heavily reliant on Russian energy — have criticized the proposal, warning of domestic economic fallout. Still, under EU voting rules, they can’t block the legislation alone.

It will be passed through majority voting, which requires support from at least 15 countries representing 65% of the EU population. While Budapest and Bratislava might try to dilute the final terms or drag out negotiations, the political momentum appears firmly on the side of withdrawal.

To keep the process on track, each EU Member State will be required to submit a “diversification plan” by March 2026, setting out how they’ll end their reliance and where they’ll source energy next. The Commission and the EU energy regulator ACER will monitor progress closely and can intervene if national plans fall short or market risks emerge.

The proposal is also designed with safeguards in case of severe supply disruptions, allowing temporary exemptions — a safety net, not a relapse clause. But Brussels is clear — the goal is full recovery.

EU officials are also clear that they plan to stay clean for good.

“If there is peace, which we all hope there will be soon, that would not lead to us starting to import Russian gas again — that would be a very unwise decision," EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said on June 17..

"Because that would just be refilling Putin’s war chest with money, that would be to repeat the mistakes we’ve done in the past."

Beyond energy security, the move is part of a broader push to clean up Europe’s energy habits. The regulation is closely tied to the EU’s clean transition strategy and industrial competitiveness plans, which aim to replace fossil fuel dependency with renewable alternatives — swapping addiction for resilience.

For a continent long caught in a toxic cycle of cheap gas and geopolitical risk, this may be the moment Europe finally gets clean.

‘A brutal strike’ — Massive Russian missile and drone attack hits Kyiv, killing 10, injuring at least 124

Russian drones and ballistic missiles targeted the capital overnight, killing 15 people and injuring at least 114, local authorities reported. Damage to civilian infrastructure has also been reported throughout the city.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

June 17, 2025 4:42pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Israel is reluctant to accept Russia’s mediation in its war with Iran, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 17, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

“At the moment, we see reluctance — at least on Israel’s part — to resort to mediation or pursue a peaceful resolution,” Peskov claimed.  

Since June 13, Israel has repeatedly carried out massive air strikes against Iran, particularly the country’s military leadership and nuclear facilities. The Israeli government justified the attacks by saying that Tehran was on the verge of creating a nuclear bomb.

Iran responded by attacking Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, which resulted in civilian casualties, including five Ukrainian citizens on June 14.

U.S. President Donald Trump on June 15 said he was open to the idea of Russian President Vladimir Putin mediating between Iran and Israel.

“He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it. We talked about this more than his situation (war against Ukraine),” Trump said, according to ABC reporter Rachel Scott.

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The Russian president held separate calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on June 13.

During the call with Iran, Putin offered condolences for what the Kremlin labeled "numerous civilian casualties" and condemned Israel's actions as violations of the UN Charter. He later proposed that Russia could serve as a neutral mediator.

Israel has not commented publicly on the Kremlin's offer, but Peskov's statement implies Tel Aviv's rejection. France has also dismissed the idea, with President Emmanuel Macron saying on June 15 that Moscow "cannot be a mediator."

Russia's ties with Iran have deepened since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Tehran has supplied Moscow with thousands of Shahed attack drones and ballistic missiles used in daily strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Israel, which has historically maintained cautious relations with Russia and is home to a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.

As of June 16, Iran's Health Ministry claimed 224 people had been killed by Israeli strikes, with Tehran alleging that 90% of the casualties are civilians.

The figures have not been independently verified. Israel has not confirmed casualty numbers but maintains that the strikes were aimed at preventing an existential threat.

On June 13, Kyiv expressed support for Israel, describing Iran as a "source of instability in the region and beyond," citing Tehran's extensive military cooperation with Russia.

Israel-Iran war could provide economic boost Russia needs to continue fight against Ukraine

Israel’s “preemptive” strikes against Iran targeting the country’s nuclear program and killing top military officials could have far-reaching implications for Ukraine and could boost Russia’s ability to continue its full-scale invasion, experts have told the Kyiv Independent. Iran has been one of Russia’s staunchest allies throughout the war, providing thousands

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

June 17, 2025 3:02pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Ben Borges

For more than a decade, Russia has been destroying not only the lives of Ukrainians above ground, but also those beneath it.

One of the biggest victims of the war is the miners, who spend most of their time underground extracting the mineral wealth of Ukraine. According to Forbes, Ukraine boasts an estimated $14.8 trillion in mineral resources, 62 percent of which is in coal.

Since 2014, Russia has consistently been taking over Ukrainian mines. As of 2022, Russia had seized 63 percent of Ukraine's coal deposits.

Russia has started illegally exporting coal for resale at some mines. This coal is produced, sold (often to foreign buyers), and then physically transported by Russian ships from the occupied port of Mariupol.

The Counteroffensive has established that Russia has used three vessels — ALFA 1, ALPHA HERMES and VIKTORIA V — to operate on the occupied territories and export coal illegally. Although Moscow is deliberately trying to hide the means of its crimes, in 2024-2025 Russia exported more than 60,000 tons of coal via those vessels.

This is not simply alleged looting — these are real, traceable logistics operations with identifiable ships.

The Counteroffensive also found that one of the biggest regional coal exporters – Don Coal Trade House, operating five mines in the occupied Luhansk region – systematically shipped coal from the occupied territories to Turkey in 2024. This occurred even though Turkey has formally condemned the Russian occupation.

This systematic campaign by Russia is a deliberate strategy of economic exploitation of occupied territories, which violates international law enshrined in The Hague Conventions.

Such actions – and ongoing impunity for Russia – incentivizes dictatorships to revive colonial practices, in which occupied territories become a raw material base for enriching far-off metropolitan areas.

Russia's illegal extraction of minerals

The Russian invasion in 2014 marked the beginning of the end for the mines in eastern Ukraine. Due to constant attacks and occupation of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, only a small number of mines that were seized continued operations.

However, the Russian-aligned occupation administrations still considered it a net positive. After establishing a foothold in the region, they resumed coal production and export.

The Russians began to actively revive this sector in 2024. Officials announced the arrival of investors from Russia, and Putin personally promised to make every effort to boost the industry:

"We remember the great merits of the pioneer miners of Donbas and will do our best to revive coal mining, metallurgy and other industries here," he said.

By 2024, approximately 15 Ukrainian mines in the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions were leased to Russian companies. The two largest investors were Impex-Don and Don Coal Trade House.

Impex-Don manages four mines in the Donetsk region, where it is also registered. It is owned by Imperial, a company led by Viktor Gryzlov. He is a member of a family that controls the port in Rostov-on-Don, from where shipments are sent to countries in the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins.

Don Coal Trade House was founded in Rostov-on-Don in 2020 by Oleg Knyazev, who served as deputy governor of a Russian region from 2021 to February 2024.

These companies and other leaseholders promised to invest over $800 million in the seized facilities. Since 2024, the companies have been actively mining coal and selling it to other countries.

The Counteroffensive learned that Don Coal Trade House sold coal from the occupied territories abroad in 2024. In April-May 2024 alone, Don Coal Trade House shipped over 45,000 tons of coal to Turkey, with the total value close to $4 million, according to export-import database records. Turkey purchases this coal because, unlike the U.S. and the EU, it hasn't restricted coal trade with Russia or occupied Ukrainian territories.

The coal was shipped through a company registered in Hong Kong called Green Rabbit Limited. The company does not appear to have a website, registration date or publicly available contact information.

Despite its origin, this company has systematically purchased coal from Russian companies. It was also previously used by Russia to export wheat grown in the Donetsk region, records show.

The coal mined in Donbas was physically exported via the port of Mariupol, which is actively used to export looted minerals from occupied territories.

In April 2025, Russian vessels entered Mariupol to load coal, according to photos published by the head of the Center for the Study of the Occupation, Petro Andriushchenko.

The Counteroffensive compared photos of the vessel and identified it as the ship Alfa 1. In 2024-2025, Alfa 1 exported more than 20 thousand tons of coking coal, equal to more than two fully loaded vessels.

At the same time, as seen in Andriushchenko's photos, two more Russian ships entered the port of Mariupol. The Counteroffensive identified them as ALPHA HERMES and VICTORIA V.

In 2024-2025 these two vessels exported more than 40,000 tons of coking coal from the port in Mariupol, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

Vessel tracking sources don't show them entering Mariupol ports, as Russians deliberately disable ships' AIS (Automatic Identification System), making them invisible to outside trackers in a bid to hide the illegal presence of ships in territorial waters.

Both ALPHA HERMES and VICTORIA V belong to Russian companies, according to maritime records. In 2023, the United States imposed sanctions on ALPHA HERMES.

The export of Ukrainian coal isn't just regular commerce for a few businesses, but a deliberate Kremlin policy to quietly exploit Ukraine's mineral wealth.

How Russia abuse mine workers

Russia is attempting to conceal not only the illicit export of coal, but also the poor treatment of the miners who extract it.

When Russia occupied this part of eastern Ukraine more than 10 years ago, it promised prosperity and improved living conditions for Ukrainians. But in reality, dozens of mines in Donbas were closed or flooded, and theft appears to be a common practice.

One of the mines from which Russians produce coal is Komsomolets Donbassa. It was commissioned in the 1980s and named after the Soviet youth organization whose members built it.

Impex-Don, which manages four mines in Donetsk, promised to invest in equipment modernization and increase the number of employees as part of an effort to extract more Ukrainian coal and profit from its sale.

Despite these lofty promises, however, the company showed a complete disregard for its own employees. By scouring feedback from miners on Russian-language social media sites, The Counteroffensive was able to piece together a disturbing portrait of how the miners have been treated.

Under Telegram posts published by Komsomolets Donbassa mine, which Impex-Don manages, employees complained about not being paid on time. Some miners even publicly refused to keep working.

The saga apparently went on for months, with the Komsomolets Donbassa mine promising on May 15 to pay out the remainder of the salary still owed to employees for March, and employees still reporting late payments after that on its Telegram page. Partial payments that were insufficient for even basic needs led some employees to threaten to strike over unpaid wages.

Beyond exploiting existing resources, Russia is preparing to mine other minerals in occupied Ukrainian territories, including manganese, which can be used to improve the quality of steel in armored vehicles.

How Russia is destroying Ukraine's coal industry

By the end of October 2024, Ukraine controlled only 24 mines out of 145 that existed in 2014, according to Mykhailo Volynets, a senior miners' union official.

The rest are under Russian occupation.

Numerous miners told The Counteroffensive that Russia was looting Ukrainian mining equipment. Volynko, the head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Donbas, said the Russians set up four smelters on the border with the Rostov region, to which they brought stolen equipment and melted it down.

The Russian military itself aided in the transport and looting of equipment, Volynko said.

Russia is thus delivering a two-pronged blow: physically destroying Ukrainian mines and illegally looting the valuable infrastructure, and stealing while simultaneously selling abroad mineral resources that rightfully belong to Ukraine.

With an eye on ever-increasing extraction, Russia is demonstrating its true aim: prolonging the war to expand its control over profitable territories it can plunder.

NEWS OF THE DAY:

TRUMP’S CALL FOR RUSSIA TO REJOIN AT G7 SUMMIT AS IT STRIKES KYIV:

Despite a fresh Russian attack on Kyiv, Donald Trump repeated his call to readmit Russia to the G7, calling its 2014 expulsion “a big mistake.” The U.S. President also refused to support additional sanctions unless Europe acts first.

Trump appeared to justify Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by linking it to Moscow’s removal from the G8. While Trump praises Putin and his ‘efforts’ for peace, Putin “make[s] the G7 leaders look weak,” Ukrainian foreign minister Sybiha said.

UKRAINE OPENS LITHIUM DEPOSITS TO INVESTORS UNDER U.S.-UKRAINE MINERAL DEAL: On Monday, the Ukrainian government approved access for private companies to develop one of its largest state-owned lithium deposits – the Dobra site in the Kirovohrad region.

Kyiv is preparing bidding recommendations for potential bidders, including U.S.-backed TechMet and Trump’s friend Ronald S. Lauder. The revenues from the extraction would go to a joint U.S.-Ukraine investment fund and later be reinvested in Ukraine’s economy, giving a portion to Washington.

This is the first project and a sign of the implementation of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal, signed on May 1, 2025.

DENMARK DEPLOYS ROBOTIC SAILBOATS TO SECURE BALTIC, NORTH SEAS: The Danish military is using uncrewed sailboats to monitor the increasingly tense waters of the Baltic and North Seas. The vessels can detect activity up to 20–30 miles above and below the surface, “going to places ... where we previously didn’t have eyes and ears,” Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO, said.

The precaution comes amid growing security concerns, including alleged Russian sabotage, the destruction of at least 11 undersea cables since 2023, increased activity by Russia’s oil shadow fleet, and renewed U.S. interest in the Arctic, including Donald Trump’s eyeing of Greenland.

THE CAT OF CONFLICT:

Today’s cat of conflict is very famous among students of Veronika and Zoriana’s university. Seen on the car, he is just a chill guy.

Stay safe out there.

Best,
Veronika

June 17, 2025 2:42pm

Ukraine Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has urged its citizens to leave Israel and Iran “as soon as possible” due to a serious deterioration in regional security, the ministry said in a statement on June 17.

“In connection with a significant worsening of the security situation in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that Ukrainian citizens leave the territory of the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran as soon as possible, until the situation stabilizes,” the statement read.

Ukrainians who remain in either country are advised to remain vigilant, monitor updates from local authorities, follow air raid alerts, adhere to safety protocols, and always carry valid identification documents.

The Ukrainian embassies in Israel and Iran are compiling evacuation lists and preparing potential evacuation plans. Information about available evacuation routes is being published on the official Facebook pages of the Ukrainian embassies in Israel and Iran.

The Israeli military launched a large-scale attack on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13, which were followed by retaliatory ballistic missile strikes from Tehran. Israel has since struck key defense targets in Tehran, including the headquarters of Iran’s Defense Ministry.

Iran claims new ballistic missile tactic allowed breach of Israeli air defenses

Iranian missiles were guided in a way that caused Israeli interceptor missiles to target each other, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

June 17, 2025 2:35pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

U.S. President Donald Trump was unaware of a deadly Russian drone and missile strike on Kyiv that killed at least 15 people and injured over 120, when asked about the attack by reporters on June 17.

On board Air Force One as he flew back from Canada, Trump was questioned about the attack by a reporter. A clock in the plane shows it was shortly after 1:30 a.m. Washington time, 8:30 a.m. Kyiv time, two-and-a-half hours after the nine-hour-long attack ended, and after reports of casualties had been made public.

When asked for his reaction, he responded: “When was that? When?"

The reporter then says the “Russian drone attack on Kyiv” occurred “very recently."

“Just now? You mean as I’m walking back to see you, that’s when it took place? Sounds like it. I’ll have to look at it,” Trump replies.

At the time of writing some seven hours later, the White House has still yet to comment on the attack.

The comments came a few hours after Ukraine endured the largest aerial attack on Kyiv in 2025. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 472 aerial weapons overnight, including nearly 280 Shahed-type attack drones, 16 Kh-101 cruise missiles, two Kinzhal ballistic missiles, and other guided munitions, primarily targeting the capital.

Air defenses downed 428 of them, including 239 Shaheds and 15 cruise missiles, while at least one Kinzhal was intercepted.

The almost nine-hour assault killed 15 people and injured 124, according to local authorities. A nine-story residential building in the Solomianskyi district was struck and partially collapsed, killing residents.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said cluster munitions were discovered in the city, a type of weapon banned under international conventions due to their indiscriminate nature and long-term threat to civilians. June 18 has been declared an official day of mourning in Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the strike “one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv” and urged international partners to respond decisively. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the timing of the strike, as G7 leaders meet, was a deliberate message from the Kremlin.

Civilian sites hit in the capital include kindergartens, residential areas, a university dormitory, and production facilities. Ukrainian manufacturer Fahrenheit, which produces military and civilian clothing, announced its factory was damaged and all orders suspended indefinitely. Ukrposhta, the national postal service, lost two branches. A Ukrainian Railways train carrying grain was also struck, temporarily halting traffic.

Russia has escalated attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, including mass strikes on energy infrastructure and residential areas.

US group designed to pressure Russia into peace in Ukraine disbanded by Trump administration, Reuters reports

“It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there,” an official told Reuters.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

June 17, 2025 1:25pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

A U.S. government working group that formulated strategies for pressuring Russia into peace talks and ending the war in Ukraine has been disbanded by the White House, Reuters reported on June 17.

Officials cited by the news outlet said it was established this spring but became increasingly irrelevant as it became clear U.S. President Donald Trump wasn’t willing to apply any concrete pressure on Moscow during peace talks.

“It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less,” an anonymous official said.

As Ukraine and the U.S. continue to push for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia has maintained maximalist demands and rejected all such proposals.

At the same time it has escalated attacks on Ukrainian civilians, killing at least 15 people and injuring scores of others in the latest attack on Kyiv overnight on June 17.

Trump has expressed frustration with Moscow’s intransigence and growing violence but has yet to impose any new sanctions on Russia.

On June 16 while speaking in Canada ahead of a G7 summit, Trump said barring Russia from the G8 for its invasion of Ukraine in 2017 had been a “mistake."

According to Reuters, the working group, staffed by officials from the National Security Council, State Department, Treasury Department, the Pentagon and intelligence community, was decimated in a purge of personnel around three weeks ago.

Trump pledged to “stop the wars” when he was elected U.S. president for the second time but after just five months in office, the world is a far more violent place.

As well as Russia escalating attacks on Ukraine, Israel and Iran are now locked in a conflict that further threatens stability in the Middle East.

‘A brutal strike’ — Massive Russian missile and drone attack hits Kyiv, killing 15, injuring at least 114

Russian drones and ballistic missiles targeted the capital overnight, killing 15 people and injuring at least 114, local authorities reported. Damage to civilian infrastructure has also been reported throughout the city.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

June 17, 2025 12:57pm

Russia Photos

Reading Time: 12 minutes

Ben Borges

Lors de la seconde guerre mondiale, le régime nazi avait annoncé avec fierté la mise en place de l’Afrika Korps, en Afrique du Nord, sous le commandement d’Erwin Rommel. Ce dernier, auréolé de sa légende sur d’autres théâtres militaires et après des succès tactiques en Libye, sera arrêté par les Forces Françaises Libres du Général Koenig à Bir Hakeim le 11 juin 1942. 

Quel parallèle avec la situation au Mali, pays ayant fait le choix souverain de recourir à la société militaire privée russe Wagner pour lutter contre le terrorisme, remplacée par une opaque unité militaire rattachée au ministère de la Défense russe ? D’abord un hasard de calendrier entre l’histoire de l’Afrika Korps et l’annonce de la mise en place de l’Africa Corps russe au Mali après, selon leur propre déclaration, « le devoir accompli » au Mali par Wagner. Fin mai – début juin 1942, mise en place de l’Afrika Korps, Fin mai – début juin 2025, mise en place de l’Africa Corps russe au Mali.

Ensuite une analogie volontaire à ce corps militaire nazi présent en Afrique lors de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, annoncé comme le remplaçant de la SMP Wagner, après l’annonce officielle d’un départ avec un bilan nul à négatif opposable pour certains faits à la Cour Pénale Internationale, en dépit d’une communication officielle pleine d’autosatisfaction.

Enfin, et parce que les derniers événements en Afrique de l’Ouest pour l’Africa Corps russe ressemblent assez à l’histoire de l’Afrika Korps : déversement de matériels modernes, formations de bataillons, communication poussive, mise en place d’un chef charismatique…et premières défaites et pertes notables.

Dans une situation générale au Sahel qui tourne clairement à l’avantage du JNIM (contrôlant les abords immédiats de Bamako), qui désormais appelle publiquement à la constitution d’un gouvernement d’union nationale sans la junte, et cette même junte qui s’attribue des mandats de 5 ans sans élections, l’Africa Corps apparaît comme faible tactiquement et incapable d’inverser cette tendance lourde de conséquences. 

Suite logique d’une inefficacité de Wagner, affublé par certains spécialistes de cette zone du titre élogieux d’élément accélérateur de la dégradation sécuritaire et humanitaire, Wagner sous son nouveau label d’Africa Corps montre une nouvelle fois qu’au-delà d’une proposition de valeur sécuritaire, la Russie ne fera vraisemblablement pas mieux que les autres au Sahel.

Wagner vraiment parti ?

Le 06 juin 2025, Wagner annonce son départ du Mali, avec le sentiment du « devoir accompli ». Une vidéo est diffusée sur les différents canaux du groupe sur les réseaux sociaux pour annoncer ce départ.

Toutefois, depuis plusieurs mois, la Russie a préparé ce qui ressemble à un renforcement en matériels et possiblement en hommes au Mali.

Depuis le début de l’année 2025, plusieurs chargements de matériels en provenance de Russie ont pu être observés au large de Conakry en Guinée, suivis d’images de convois entrant dans Bamako. Ce renforcement avait notamment permis de voir la mise en place de matériels spécifiques comme des engins de guerre électronique, des chars et engins blindés.

Figure 01: Matériels convoyés vers Bamako depuis Conakry en début d’année 2025 – Source

Figure 02 : Matériels convoyés vers Bamako depuis Conakry le 03 juin 2025, dont deux systèmes de guerre électronique EW Borissoglebsk-2 systemBTR et Vystrels – M – Source : ORTM

Figure 03 : Présence du Baltic Leader  et du Patria au large du port de Conakry en Guinée le 20 mai 2025. Ces navires battant pavillon russe sont connus pour acheminer du matériel au port de Conakry, matériel ensuite convoyé par route vers Bamako. – Source : MarineTraffic

Le débarquement de ces navires aura permis d’évaluer le volume global d’engins qui sera ensuite convoyé vers Bamako à destination de l’Africa Corps.

Figure 04 : Vue satellite du port de Conakry après le débarquement des deux navires Patria et Baltic Leader le 25 juin 2025 – Source image : Planet, source analyse : Inpact

Dans le cadre de ce renforcement en matériel, une observation satellite de l’aéroport de Bamako a permis de voir la présence d’un avion SU-24. D’un intérêt limité dans un usage air-sol, la présence de cet avion est plus un symbole de puissance qu’un déterminant dans des affrontements asymétriques avec les groupes rebelles ou terroristes du Nord Mali.

Figure 05 : Image satellite du SU-24 observé à Bamako le 14 avril 2025 – Source

D’un point de vue d’un éventuel renforcement en hommes ou d’un départ des effectifs, depuis décembre 2024 et de l’atterrissage à Bamako le 16 décembre 2024 d’un  avion IL 76TD immatriculé RA-76841 en provenance d’Al Khadim en Libye, puis d’un second IL 76TD immatriculé RA-76845 arrivant également d’Al Khadim.

Figure 06 : Suivi des deux avions IL 76TD arrivant d’Al Khadim en Libye vers Bamako en décembre 2024 – Source FlightRadar

Durant le mois de mai 2025, un avion de l’armée de l’air russe An-124 immatriculé RA-82030 a également fait de nombreuses rotations entre la Libye et Bamako avec parfois des escales au Burkina-Faso.

Figure 07 : Suivi de l’avion cargo russe An-124 RA-82030 en déplacement depuis Bamako et la Libye le 24 mai 2025 – Source : Flightradar

Plus tôt dans l’année 2025, des vols depuis la base syrienne de Kheimeim avaient été observés arrivant à Bamako.

Figure 08 : Suivi de l’avion cargo de l’armée russe An-124 immatriculé. RA-82038 en provenance de Syrie vers Bamako – Source : Flightradar 

Pour mieux recentrer ce renforcement des moyens russes au Mali, il faut aussi rappeler une réunion tenue à Bamako le 06 mars 2025 des autorités russes avec la junte, réunion qui avait pour objet l’évaluation de la coopération militaire entre les deux pays. 

Figure 09 : Photo de la réunion entre les autorités russes et Assimi Goïta à Bamako le 06 mars 2025 – Source

Départ des combattants de Wagner ou intégration au sein de l’Africa Corps avec la subordination au ministère russe de la Défense, les différentes images publiées montrent déjà un changement dans les tenues et l’armement individuel détenus par les troupes de l’Africa Corps. Exit les vieilles kalashnikov usées, place à des versions modernes des armes russes avec aides à la visée et silencieux. Ce recyclage est également observé dans l’encadrement identifié, avec en premier lieu la présence revendiquée d’Andreï Ivanov, le charismatique chef de Wagner au Mali.

Figure 10 : Première photo publiée après l’annonce du changement entre Wagner et l’Africa Corps. Au centre le commandant pour le Mali, Andreï Ivanov @ Kep, connu pour avoir commandé la légion Wagner au Mali. Source : canaux TG Wagner 

Premier revers tactique : Anoumalen 2025

Wagner avait fait le choix d’occuper différentes bases dans le Nord Mali : Gao, Ménaka, Anefis, Aguelhok, Kidal, Tessalit, profitant notamment des installations laissées par le départ de la MINUSMA. Ainsi, le 12 juin 2025, un convoi logistique de trente véhicules s’élance d’Anefis pour ravitailler le camp d’Aguelhok et y construire une piste sommaire d’aéroport. Certains véhicules sont des véhicules récupérés dans les bases de la Minusma, notamment les camions et engins de terrassement.

Une première attaque par engin explosif est menée par le Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA) à Tadjwart sur un porte-char. Cette attaque est aussi l’occasion pour le FLA de dévoiler une nouvelle organisation avec des katibas porteuses de noms d’illustres combattants touareg.

Figure 11 : Mines anti-char PRBM-M3 exposées par des combattants du FLA après l’attaque contre un convoi mixte Fama et Africa Corps à Tajwart entre Anefis et Aguelhok au Mali. Source1 / Source2

Cette attaque a donné lieu à plusieurs publications montrent des patchs présentés comme saisis sur un ou plusieurs combattants de l’Africa Corps. Sur le patch présenté comme étant celui de l’Africa Corps, on observe la tête de mort traditionnellement présente sur les patchs de Wagner. Le remplacement de Wagner par l’Africa Corps n’est finalement pas une certitude mais bien une intégration dans une autre structure avec un nouveau nom.

Figure 12 : Patchs pris sur un ou plusieurs combattants de l’Africa Corps au Mali. A droite, le patch officiel de l’Africa Corps. Multi sources sur X

Le 13 juin 2025, toujours en progression vers Aguelhok, le convoi est une nouvelle fois attaqué entre la zone de Telabit et Anoumalen. 

Figure 13 : Captures d’écran des détections d’incendie dans la zone des combats le 13 juin 2025 – Source : Nasa Firm

Figure 14 : Carte générale de la zone des combats entre le FLA et l’Africa Corps/FAMa le 13 juin 2025 – Source INPACT

Les combats voient l’éparpillement des éléments du convoi avec un bilan humain important. Ces combats ont illustré une nouvelle fois que la réorganisation du FLA en groupes autonomes spécialisés a permis de disposer d’une supériorité tactique qui s’accompagne d’une connaissance parfaite du terrain. 

Les groupes de combat du FLA engagent des pilotes de drones FPV et des drones transformés en munitions téléopérées, confirmant une montée en compétences sur ce domaine au Sahel. Ils ont ainsi visé certains véhicules du convoi.

Figure 15 : En haut, pilotes de drones du FLA lors des combats du 13 juin 2025, en bas,  image provenant d’une des drones du FLA juste avant une frappe sur un véhicule du convoi Africa Corps / FAMa – Source

Figure 16 : Capture d’écran montrant un drone transformé en munition téléopérée utilisée par le FLA – Source

Il est possible d’observer la présence d’antennes satellite Starlink mini, fournissant l’accès à internet et aux messageries servant à la coordination entre les groupes.

Figure 17 : Dispositifs Starlink mini installés avec des supports aimantés sur certains véhicules du FLA – Sources : Membres FLA sur X

Une des katibas identifiées du FLA est celle nommée Alla Ag AlBachir, célèbre combattant pour l’indépendance de l’Azawad dans les années 60. Certains chefs de groupe sont connus, notamment le gendre d’Alghabass Ag Intallah, chef du FLA et fils de l’aménokal des Ifoghas, Intalla Ag Attaher.

Les troupes de l’Africa Corps utilisent également des drones en fonction « command & control », possiblement pour guider les frappes d’un engin blindé BTR-80 ou d’un drone qui aura frappé au moins un véhicule du FLA, tuant un chef de groupe nommé Miya Ag Saghdou. Le FLA annonce 3 morts suite aux combats.

Figure 18 : Capture d’écran d’une vidéo diffusée sur le canal TG « White Uncle in Africa » montrant les combats contre le FLA. La vidéo porte le filigrame Wagner group 2022 – Source

Figure 19 : Image filmée depuis un drone par l’Africa Corps montrant l’emploi d’un BTR-80 durant les affrontements avec le FLA le 13 juin 2025 – Source : Africa Corps sur X

Cet affrontement aurait fait 45 morts côté Fama et Africa Corps, bilan non consolidé et non confirmé. Sur les trente véhicules du convoi initial, seulement une dizaine aurait réussi à rallier Aguelhok.

Le 14 juin 2025, nouvelle déconvenue pour l’Africa Corps avec le crash d’un avion militaire russe, probablement un Su-24 dans le fleuve Niger durant sa phase d’approche de l’aéroport de Gao. Si le FLA affirme avoir abattu l’avion, il est plus probable qu’une tempête de sable, habituelle en cette période dite » d’hivernage », soit la cause de ce crash.

Figure 20 : Récupération des débris de l’avion de combat russe dans le fleuve Niger à Gao – Source

Après ces combats et cette perte matérielle, une bataille de punchline et des bilans a été lancée sur les réseaux sociaux, menée notamment par les soutiens de la junte mais également par l’Africa Corps qui poursuit la communication initiée par Wagner avec la valorisation des exactions et des pertes parmi les civils et les groupes opposés.

Figure 21 : Publication de l’Africa Corps en réponse aux invectives des membres et soutiens du FLA, issu d’un groupe TG nommé Jumanji– Source

Alors que retenir de cette bascule russe au Mali ?

La situation dans le pays est aujourd’hui inquiétante. Wagner et désormais Africa Corps ne sont clairement pas en mesure de reprendre le dessus sur les groupes terroristes et en premier lieu le JNIM désormais installé à moins de 80 km de Bamako.

Le revers subi à Anoumalen nous montre que les FAMa restent cantonnés dans des bases avec peu de capacités de sortir mener des opérations depuis ces casernes. Cela crée une frustration grandissante parmi la troupe et les officiers qui voient par ailleurs les relèves se faire de plus en plus longues, laissant loin de la capitale des militaires qui savent que la communication officielle est en réalité un mirage. Dans le Gourma, les rares sorties des FAMa et de l’Africa Corps se soldent par des exactions contre les populations civiles, accusées d’être complices des groupes armés uniquement sur la base de soupçons contre les ethnies du Nord Mali.

De source propre, INPACT a pu échanger avec certains membres des FAMa qui expliquaient que la junte a largement permis la mise en place d’officiers dans des délégations diplomatiques à l’étranger pour contenir certains mécontentements, que certains officiers et cadres ont déplacé leurs familles dans les pays voisins de l’AES. 

Le jeu des alliances pro et anti-junte continue de creuser des antagonismes communautaires au sein même des populations du Nord mali avec d’un côté les groupes indépendantistes ralliés sous la bannière du Front de Libération de l’Azawad et de l’autre le Gatia et le Mouvement pour le Salut de l’Azawad qui participent à des patrouilles mixtes avec l’Africa Corps, y compris dans des actions contre les populations dans des dynamiques de contrôles territoriaux propres à chaque groupe.

Figure 22 : Photos non datées de combattants du MSA porteurs d’un patch russe durant une patrouille mixte avec Wagner ou l’Africa Corps – Source1 / Source2

L’autre enseignement de ces combats est que chaque liaison logistique est coûteuse en hommes et matériels, le FLA reste maître d’un terrain âpre, propice au combat d’embuscade. Le développement capacitaire du FLA montre aussi que l’apport technologique opéré grâce aux drones et aux liaisons satellitaires permet à des combattants agiles et résilients de mener des opérations audacieuses, avec la foi de ceux qui défendent leurs terres.

L’Africa Corps n’a plus d’autres choix que de montrer qu’elle est plus utile que Wagner, que le prix payé par le Mali pour s’assurer une protection contre des groupes armés audacieux n’est pas une gabegie sans fin. Pour l’heure, cette bascule tient plus du flop que l’opération stratégique qui va changer le cours des événements au Mali.

June 17, 2025 11:35am

Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Does a viral video show an attack, fire or explosion in Tel Aviv, Israel? No, that's not true: The video actually shows a fire in a parking lot for motorcycles in Chongqing, China. Several social media posts falsely claimed the footage showed the result of an Iranian attack on Israel.

An example of such a false attribution can be seen in this X post (archived here) published on June 17, 2025 with a caption that read:

‼️🚨⚡️ An Iranian attack like Tel Aviv has never seen before.

This is what the video looked like:

In the comments below the post the X-affiliated AI-powered account Grok seemed to (falsely) concur with that assessment, writing (archived here):

@gyuridotsol @SilentlySirs The scene in the video reflects the intense conflict in Tel Aviv from Iranian missile attacks on June 17, 2025, causing fires and chaos. It's a devastating moment in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, with both sides reporting significant casualties. Iran claims self-defense; Israel cites preemptive strikes against nuclear threats. The term "Hell" captures the human toll, but the situation is complex, with no easy answers. International calls for de-escalation continue, yet tensions remain high.

However on June 12 the BBC reported about a fire at a motorcycle parking lot in Chongqing, China (archived here):

A large fire broke out at a motorcycle parking lot in Chongqing, southwest China on Wednesday. Footage shows flames and thick smoke billowing into the sky, as bystanders watch the blaze erupt. The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes and no casualties were reported, according to the local fire department.

Footage included in that report included several visual elements that matched the viral video, proving the fire happened in China, not in Tel Aviv.

(Image: collage made by Lead Stories)

June 17, 2025 10:41am

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Emergency services in Kyiv have recovered fragments of cluster munitions following the overnight Russian missile and drone attack on June 17, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported, calling it further evidence of Russia’s “genocide” against Ukrainians.

“In the capital’s Nyvky neighborhood, emergency workers are now finding these kinds of cluster munition parts,” Klitschko said in a statement shared on social media. “Another clear sign of the genocide Russia is committing against Ukrainians."

Cluster munitions are banned under international law by more than 100 countries due to their indiscriminate nature and the long-term threat they pose to civilians, especially when unexploded submunitions remain hidden in residential areas.

While Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, international humanitarian organizations have repeatedly condemned the use of such weapons in populated areas. Ukraine uses cluster munitions on the battlefield against Russian forces.

The mayor’s comments came hours after one of the largest and deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital in months, in which at least 15 people were killed and nearly 100 injured. The Russian strike, which lasted nearly nine hours, included waves of kamikaze drones, ballistic missiles, and what authorities now confirm were banned explosive parts.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the assault “one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv,” saying more than 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched across Ukraine overnight.

“Such attacks are pure terrorism,” he said in a statement on social media. “And the whole world, the U.S., and Europe must finally respond as civilized societies respond to terrorists."

Zelensky confirmed that damage had been reported in eight districts of Kyiv, with emergency workers still searching for survivors beneath the rubble of a destroyed apartment block.

He added that strikes also hit Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv regions. “Fifteen people are confirmed dead. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” Zelensky said.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also condemned the attack, calling it a “massive and brutal strike” timed deliberately to coincide with the G7 summit, which is taking place in Canada on June 16-17.

Russian drone strike on Odesa injures 13, including 1 child

Russian drone strikes on Odesa early June 17 injured 13 people, including one child, regional authorities reported.

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

June 17, 2025 9:33am

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on June 17 on a “special assignment” from President Vladimir Putin, Russian state-controlled news agency TASS reported on June 17.

Shoigu is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the visit, TASS said, citing a correspondent on the ground. The purpose of the visit has not been officially disclosed, but it comes amid intensifying military cooperation between the two nations.

North Korea has emerged as one of Russia’s closest military partners during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since late 2023, Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with millions of artillery shells, at least 100 ballistic missiles, and reportedly deployed more than 11,000 troops to assist Russian operations in Ukraine’s border regions.

According to a June 15 report from the United Kingdom’s defense intelligence, over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded during operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The U.K. said Pyongyang’s losses account for more than half of the North Korean contingent deployed to the region in fall 2024. British officials attributed the high casualties to highly attritional ground assaults.

Earlier this year, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea sent an additional 3,000 soldiers to Russia in January and February to replenish losses.

In June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defense pact obligating both countries to provide military assistance in the event of an external attack. Though North Korea only publicly acknowledged its participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine in April 2025, open-source reports and intelligence assessments have indicated its involvement since at least the fall of 2024.

The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), a United Nations-affiliated watchdog, reported in May that North Korea and Russia had engaged in “unlawful military cooperation” in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. This included arms transfers, deployment of combat troops, petroleum exports to North Korea exceeding UN caps, and mutual military training.

According to MSMT findings, Russian-flagged vessels delivered up to 9 million rounds of artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition from North Korea to southwestern Russia in 2024 alone. These weapons were subsequently used in attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian targets in cities including Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.

Russia has also reportedly provided advanced military technology to North Korea, including ballistic missile guidance systems, electronic warfare platforms, and short-range air defense systems. One MSMT participating state confirmed the transfer of at least one Pantsir-class vehicle to Pyongyang.

Kim Jong Un described his country’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine as a “sacred mission” during a public address in May.

Shoigu’s visit to North Korea comes amid intensified Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine, including the use of North Korean-made ballistic missiles containing components sourced from third-party suppliers.

Russia significantly improved North Korea’s shoddy KN-23 ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s Budanov says

It was reported last year that around half fired at Ukraine by Russia malfunctioned and exploded in mid-air.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

June 17, 2025 5:52am

Ukraine Russia Photos

Ben Borges

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

Russian drone strikes on Odesa early June 17 injured 13 people, including one child, regional authorities said.

All 13 victims were hospitalized as of 6:30 a.m. local time, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

The attack also damaged civilian infrastructure across the city, including residential buildings.

Emergency services and volunteers are working at the scene to clear debris.

Overnight, Russia also launched a mass attack on Kyiv, injuring at least 18 people.

Odesa, a port city on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war.

Russian military-industrial chemical plant halts operations after Ukrainian drone strike

The Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant — a key supplier to the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex — has suspended production following Ukrainian drone strikes, Russian independent media reported on June 16.

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

June 17, 2025 3:29am

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

The Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant — one of Russia’s largest producers of nitrogen fertilizer and ammonia and a key supplier to the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex — has suspended production, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported on June 16.

According to Astra, the chemical plant suspended production as a direct result of Ukrainian drone strikes. The strike — which was confirmed by Ukraine’s General Staff on June 14 — targeted two major military-industrial facilities in Russia, including the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant in Stavropol Krai. The facility reportedly supplied raw materials and components for Russia’s weapons and fuel production.

Nevinnomyssk Azot is among Russia’s top producers of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers and hosts the country’s only production lines for methyl acetate and high-purity acetic acid. It also operates Russia’s first melamine production facility, according to open-source data.

According to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, the plant produces up to one million tons of ammonia and over one million tons of ammonium nitrate annually, is “a critical element of Russia’s military-industrial complex."

Kovalenko noted that ammonium nitrate is a key component for explosives and artillery shells. He added that the plant also synthesizes dual-use chemicals such as melamine, acetic acid, methanol, and potassium nitrate — all frequently used in the production of grenade launchers, mines, and rocket charges.

Since 2024, the plant has also been producing water-soluble fertilizers, which he said have been adapted to serve military chemical needs as part of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The chemical plant is part of the EuroChem Group, owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, who is currently sanctioned by Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Russia evading oil sanctions with illegal transfers near Greece, Cyprus, HUR says

According to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), the vessel, operating without Western insurance, is part of Russia’s expanding shadow fleet used to bypass G7 and EU sanctions on Russian oil exports.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

June 17, 2025 1:53am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

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

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to depart the G7 Leaders' Summit late on June 16, ahead of an anticipated high-stakes meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 17.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the depature comes as Trump is set to attend to “important matters."

It was not immediately clear as to whether Trump will return for the final day of the summit on June 17.

Zelensky was expected to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit on June 17, marking their third in-person meeting since the American president took office in January. The proposed meeting may serve as an inflection point for Zelensky as pressure mounts on Trump from Western allies.

“Both teams are working to ensure we meet,” Zelensky said on June 14 during a closed-door briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent.

High stakes, low resolve: What Ukraine can expect from the upcoming G7 summit

As world leaders prepare to gather in the remote community of Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit on June 15-17, Russia’s war in Ukraine once again holds center stage — but views on how to address the three-year conflict diverge sharply. In the five months

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

June 17, 2025 12:35am

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated as new details emerge.

Kyiv came under another mass Russian attack in the early hours of June 17, involving ballistic missiles and drones.

Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported the sounds of drones and multiple explosions throughout the capital.

At least nine people were injured in the city’s Sviatoshynskyi district, while 11 others were wounded in the Solomianskyi district, including a woman in serious condition, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Six people were hospitalized.

The upper floors of a residential building in Solomianskyi were damaged, and debris fell at two locations in the Darnytskyi district, one of which caught fire. First responders were also dispatched to the Obolonskyi district.

The attack followed a series of drone strikes overnight on June 16 targeting Kyiv Oblast, including both the capital and surrounding settlements. In the Obukhiv district, a 60-year-old man was injured, according to regional authorities.  

With no new US aid packages on the horizon, can Ukraine continue to fight Russia?

The U.S. has not announced any military aid packages for Ukraine in almost five months, pushing Kyiv to seek new alternatives. But time is running out quickly as Russian troops slowly advance on the eastern front line and gear up for a new summer offensive. “While Ukraine’s dependence on

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

June 16, 2025 11:30pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to announce additional support for Ukraine during the G7 summit, CBC News reports on June 16, citing government sources.

Canada, which holds the G7 presidency in 2025, invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to participate in what will be his fourth — and arguably most fragile — G7 Leaders' Summit since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Carney is also expected to hold a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian president.

As part of Carney’s pledge to boost defense spending this year, Ottawa has allocated two billion Canadian dollars ($1.46 billion USD) for military aid to Ukraine and the expansion of broader defense partnerships. According to one source, the government is set to disclose on June 20 how much of that funding will be directed specifically to Ukraine and what it will support.

Canada has been a strong ally of Ukraine, providing 19.5 billion Canadian dollars ($13.5 billion) in assistance, including 4.5 billion Canadian dollars ($3.1 billion) in military aid.

Following their bilateral talks, G7 leaders will join outreach countries for discussions on Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa urged G7 nations to ramp up pressure on Moscow through tougher sanctions, arguing that it is key to securing a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“To achieve peaceful strength we must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table, and to end this war. Sanctions are critical to that end,” von der Leyen said at a press briefing on June 15, attended by a Kyiv Independent journalist.

Von der Leyen emphasized that economic sanctions have been effective since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. She pointed out that joint G7 and European Union measures have reduced Russian oil and gas revenues by nearly 80% since February 2022.

"(T)he sanctions are working, and we will do more," she said.

June 16, 2025 9:46pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

More than a month after Ukraine signed a landmark agreement granting the United States a stake in its mineral reserves, Kyiv has approved initial steps to open one of its largest lithium deposits to private investors, the New York Times (NYT) reported, citing two government officials.

On June 16, the Ukrainian government agreed to begin drafting recommendations for a bidding process to develop the Dobra lithium field in central Ukraine. According to the officials, who spoke to NYT on condition of anonymity, this would be the first project advanced under the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.

The Dobra lithium ore site is located in the Novoukrainskyi district of Kirovohrad Oblast, rougly 300 kilometers southeast of Kyiv.

The deal, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 12, is aimed at deepening economic ties, boosting Ukraine’s reconstruction, and positioning the country as a supplier of strategic resources to the U.S.

Among the likely bidders for the Dobra field is a consortium including TechMet, an energy investment firm partly owned by the U.S. government, and billionaire Ronald S. Lauder, a close associate of the U.S. President Donald Trump. The group has long expressed interest in the Dobra site and encouraged Zelensky to open it to bids last year.

Under the broader agreement, half of the revenues from mineral extraction would go to a joint U.S.-Ukraine investment fund. While the Ukrainian government would reinvest its share into the domestic economy, the United States would claim a portion of the profits — a structure Mr. Trump has framed as partial repayment for U.S. assistance to Ukraine.

TechMet CEO Brian Menell said investors were pushing for production-sharing agreements, which offer long-term stability and tax incentives. Monday’s step toward opening the Dobra field is based on such an arrangement, according to the outlet.

Ukraine war latest: Russia ramps up its summer offensive in several directions, seeks to encircle Kostiantynivka

Key developments on June 16: * Russia ramps up its summer offensive in several directions, Ukraine’s military says * Ukraine receives 1,245 bodies of fallen soldiers and citizens, concluding Istanbul repatriation deal * ‘Russians lie about everything’ — Ukraine hits out at Kremlin claims after yet another drone strike on Kyiv * Russia to

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

June 16, 2025 9:16pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Ben Borges

Key developments on June 16:

• Russia ramps up its summer offensive in several directions, Ukraine’s military says
• Ukraine receives 1,245 bodies of fallen soldiers and citizens, concluding Istanbul repatriation deal
• ‘Russians lie about everything’ — Ukraine hits out at Kremlin claims after yet another drone strike on Kyiv
• Russia to demand Ukraine destroy Western weapons to end war, senior Kremlin official says

Russian forces have intensified offensive operations across multiple front-line areas, said Victor Tregubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of forces, on June 16.

According to Tregubov, Russian troops have ramped up attacks, particularly in the Novopavlivka and Kharkiv sectors, which is an unusual development for these areas.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russian forces launched attacks in 12 directions, resulting in 99 recorded clashes. Ukrainian soldiers repelled 17 attacks in the Novopavlivka sector alone, according to the latest update.

“This signals that we have the expected summer increase in activity,” Tregubov said.

Speaking on national television, he said that the surge in activity near Novopavlivka suggests Russian forces are attempting to push into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which neighbors the embattled Donetsk Oblast.

“But they (Russia) have failed to succeed,” the spokesperson added.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russia is trying to encircle Kostiantynivka, one of the key Ukrainian logistics hub in the region since the start of the full-scale invasion, by attacking the city from three directions, according to Tregubov.

From buffer zone to new front: Russia pushes deeper into Sumy Oblast

In March 2025, as Ukrainian forces made their final retreat from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, new grey spots began to appear on open-source maps on the other side of the state border, in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast. For the first time since 2022, when Moscow’s forces retreated

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Ukraine receives 1,245 bodies of fallen soldiers and citizens, concluding Istanbul repatriation deal

Ukraine has received the bodies of another 1,245 fallen Ukrainian soldiers and citizens under agreements reached during recent peace negotiations in Istanbul, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs) announced on June 16.

The latest repatriation marks the final stage of the exchange agreement, bringing the total number of Ukrainian bodies returned under the deal to 6,057.

“Each of them undergoes identification. Because behind every one of them is a name, a life, a family waiting for answers,” Defense Minister Rustem Umerov wrote on Facebook.

“We are not stopping. Ahead lies the next stage: we continue the fight to bring back our prisoners of war. We bring them back. We remember…"

The operation was coordinated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the Ombudsman’s Office, the military, the Interior Ministry, and other state and defense institutions, with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin and member of the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks, claimed that Russia received the bodies of 78 deceased servicemen.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on June 16 that Russia has handed Kyiv the bodies of its own soldiers mixed in with those of Ukrainian soldiers during recent repatriation of the fallen.

“This could have been done by the Russians on purpose to increase the number of bodies transferred and to load our (forensic) experts with work, adding to all this cynical information pressure. Or it could be their usual negligent attitude toward their own people. In any case, we also identify these bodies,” Klymenko said.

With no new US aid packages on the horizon, can Ukraine continue to fight Russia?

The U.S. has not announced any military aid packages for Ukraine in almost five months, pushing Kyiv to seek new alternatives. But time is running out quickly as Russian troops slowly advance on the eastern front line and gear up for a new summer offensive. “While Ukraine’s dependence on

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

‘Russians lie about everything’ — Ukraine hits out at Kremlin claims after yet another drone strike on Kyiv

Ukraine has accused Russia of “lying about everything” after yet another drone attack on Kyiv injured two people overnight on June 16, saying the strike once again rubbished Kremlin claims that only military objects are being targeted.

The strike hit Rusanivka Gardens, a private neighborhood in the capital’s Dniprovskyi District, creating a crater near civilian homes, and injuring a 20-year-old man and a woman, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said.

“The Russians lie about everything. When they claim to have hit military targets, they are actually targeting our homes and our people,” he wrote on Telegram.

“This is a deliberate tactic of terror."

“Miraculously, significant damage and casualties were avoided,” Tkachenko said.

Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe

One of the most notable developments is in Kaliningrad, where the suspected nuclear weapons storage site has undergone significant reconstruction.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russia to demand Ukraine destroy Western weapons to end war, senior Kremlin official says

Moscow will insist that Ukraine dismantle and destroy all Western-supplied weapons as part of any ceasefire deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with the state-run newspaper Izvestia published June 16.

“All these surpluses must be destroyed. All international algorithms are known. They must be reduced, disposed of, and guaranteed,” Grushko said, without offering specifics.

The remarks reflect Moscow’s growing list of maximalist demands presented in its so-called “peace memorandum” during recent negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2.

The document calls for Ukraine to recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and four partially occupied regions — Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk — and demands full Ukrainian troop withdrawal and demobilization.

Grushko argued that Western weapons aid threatens not only Russia but also Europe, warning that arms could end up on black markets.

“It’s crazy how reckless some politicians are, still flooding the market with weapons,” he said.

There is no credible evidence that Kyiv has diverted Western weapons or fueled arms trafficking — a narrative promoted by Russian propaganda to undermine support for Kyiv.

Independent oversight by partner states and institutions has consistently found that Ukraine uses Western weapons to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

Hungary’s soft power meets Ukraine’s hard reality in Zakarpattia

BEREHOVE, Zakarpattia Oblast — Thin gray smoke drifts beyond the patchwork of Soviet-era apartment blocks, historical buildings, and hillside vineyards that make up Berehove — the heart of the Hungarian community in Ukraine’s westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast. “That’s Hungary, over there,” gestures Vitalii Antipov, a member of the local council, toward the not-so-distant

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

June 16, 2025 7:08pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Russian forces have intensified offensive operations across multiple front-line areas, said Victor Tregubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of forces, on June 16.

According to Tregubov, Russian troops have ramped up attacks, particularly in the Novopavlivka and Kharkiv sectors, which is an unusual development for these areas.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russian forces launched attacks in 12 directions, resulting in 99 recorded clashes. Ukrainian soldiers repelled 17 attacks in the Novopavlivka sector alone, according to the latest update.

“This signals that we have the expected summer increase in activity,” Tregubov said.

Speaking on national television, he said that the surge in activity near Novopavlivka suggests Russian forces are attempting to push into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which neighbors the embattled Donetsk Oblast.

“But they (Russia) have failed to succeed,” the spokesperson added.

Last week, on June 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that heavy fighting was ongoing along Ukraine’s northeastern border.

Russian forces have concentrated around 53,000 troops in the Sumy sector, pushing into multiple settlements. The president confirmed that small Russian reconnaissance groups had briefly crossed into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — likely for propaganda purposes.

From buffer zone to new front: Russia pushes deeper into Sumy Oblast

In March 2025, as Ukrainian forces made their final retreat from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, new grey spots began to appear on open-source maps on the other side of the state border, in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast. For the first time since 2022, when Moscow’s forces retreated

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

June 16, 2025 6:42pm

Ukraine Russia Photos

Reading Time: 11 minutes

Ben Borges

BEREHOVE, Zakarpattia Oblast — Thin gray smoke drifts beyond the patchwork of Soviet-era apartment blocks, historical buildings, and hillside vineyards that make up Berehove — the heart of the Hungarian community in Ukraine’s westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast.

“That’s Hungary, over there,” gestures Vitalii Antipov, a member of the local council, toward the not-so-distant horizon. He stands on top of a hill adorned by a massive white cross with a makeshift inscription thanking the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

A Ukrainian flag fluttering on a pole nearby is accompanied, as is common here, by a Hungarian tricolor.

Living on Ukraine’s western border, the Hungarians of Zakarpattia — a region also known as Transcarpathia — have shared this land for centuries with Ukrainians, Romanians, and others, forming a unique and multifaceted community.

In more recent years, they found themselves a key tool in Viktor Orban’s power play against Kyiv. Zakarpattia also took center stage in an unprecedented spying scandal, with Ukraine claiming to have uncovered a Hungarian espionage network in the region.

“Hungary’s influence (in Zakarpattia) is not anything new… and will likely remain,” Antipov acknowledges. He himself is of both Ukrainian and Hungarian descent, sharing a connection to the two groups that often overlap here.

"The war has changed a lot in the minds and hearts of the Hungarian community."

A portrait of Vitalii Antipov in Berehove, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine on May 22, 2025. (Elena Kalinichenko/The Kyiv Independent)

But far from the simplistic image presented by Budapest, Ukraine's Hungarians have reacted differently to recent challenges, namely the war: while some have fled westward into Europe, seeking safety and stability, others have taken up arms, driven by a sense of duty and solidarity.

"The war has changed a lot in the minds and hearts of the Hungarian community," Antipov says.

"I felt it. In Berehove, Vynohradiv, in small villages, everywhere there are families whose sons are fighting, whose relatives have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine or are helping as volunteers – even Hungarians."

Orban's influence in Zakarpattia

The border, now only a few kilometers from the town, has been shifting through the ages.

Zakarpattia changed hands over the course of the 20th century: Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia, short-lived Carpathian Ukraine, and then Hungary, until it was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945. Later, it became the westernmost frontier of the independent Ukrainian state.

The geographical and historical proximity has forged a tight bond between Hungary and the region's Hungarians, and Budapest is making sure it remains so.

In the 2010s, Hungary sparked a diplomatic row with Kyiv by handing out its passports to local Hungarians. Many have accepted, enticed by the vision of better-paid employment in the EU. Some used double citizenship — which is not recognized by Ukrainian law — to receive higher pensions from Hungary while residing in Ukraine, locals say.

Through local civil society organizations, Hungary has been funding schools that teach in the Hungarian language, cultural events, and more, says Csilla Fedinec, senior research fellow at HUN-REN Center for Social Sciences in Budapest.

Zakarpattia's Hungarians "have their own newspapers, they have their own television in Hungarian," Andrii Liubka, researcher at the Institute for Central European Strategy (ICES) in Uzhhorod, tells the Kyiv Independent.

"Even when all media outlets are dying, and publishing is very costly, they continue to publish newspapers in Hungarian… to spread their agenda here, among the local community."

Surveys show that most of the Hungarian-language outlets in Zakarpattia are effectively controlled by Orban's media empire.

According to Liubka, the issue isn't Hungary's financial aid itself but that it's being used to build parallel social structures, making the community reliant on Orban's power network.

This has fostered an atmosphere of self-censorship, where political opinions are rarely expressed for fear of risking financial loss or attracting public backlash.

Fedinec notes that while "Hungary provides special support for Hungarians living in neighboring countries," this "also seems to require political allegiance with the Hungarian governing parties."

But there have been cases where the Hungarian community spoke out against Orban. In 2023, as Hungary was threatening to derail the launch of EU accession talks with Ukraine over the supposed curtailment of minority rights, Hungarian community leaders published an open letter to Orban not to block Ukraine's accession.

"Hungarians living in Zakarpattia — those who have not left — understand that they are connected to this country," says Vitalii Diachuk, researcher at ICES.

"By restricting Ukraine's right to join the EU, the Hungarian government is… closing some new opportunities for the Hungarian community. And the community understands this."

'We are no spies' — Fragile harmony of Berehove

Politics is no topic for the streets of Berehove. Questions about Orban are brushed aside — sometimes with suspicion, sometimes with amusement. "I don't listen to Orban," says Oksana Savula, a Ukrainian flower lady, with a smile.

"Politics is politics," comments Dmytro Kosmeda, a Ukrainian resident. His companion, Yurii Buzhak, adds: "Let's say that what is reported in the media does not reflect reality at all."

Asked about the relationship between the local Hungarian and Ukrainian communities, Yurii responds confidently: "There are absolutely no problems… There is no kind of prejudice against any nation."

Dmytro's wife is Hungarian, and they use both languages at home. Though bilingualism seems common here, some of the local Hungarians shy away from answering, explaining that they cannot speak Ukrainian.

"I am Ukrainian, but we have been speaking Hungarian since birth," says Mykhailo Popovych, a man selling strawberries and homemade wine not far from the town's center. "We have always lived here peacefully — that is, we have no political problems."

Overhearing the discussion, a man at a neighboring stall quips, "We are no spies," subtly revealing what is on people's minds in the past weeks.

Most locals echo these sentiments, describing a harmonious cohabitation between Ukrainian and Hungarian speakers that coalesced into what some talk about as almost a separate identity: "Transcarpathian."

Encapsulating the town's nature, Berehove's central market is abuzz with Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Russian. Streets are lined with both Hungarian and Ukrainian flags, and shops bear signs in either or both languages.

"It doesn't bother me; it never has," says Viktoriia Skoropadska, a domestic products vendor at the bazaar, when asked about the different languages spoken in her hometown. She is ethnically Hungarian but answers in Ukrainian.

Only a "stupid, unintelligent person" can start a conflict because of language differences, she adds.

In western Ukraine, ethnic Romanians grapple with war, identity, and displacement

While Romania debated its future in its recent presidential election, Romanians in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi Oblast just across the border continued to wrestle with war, mobilization, and the loss of their pre-war lives. Romania’s tight election race at the end of May kept many in Europe on the edge

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Migration, language, and Zakarpattia in flux

But no matter how cautious locals are in discussing politics, world events have had a major impact on the community.

Orban has consistently accused Ukraine of infringing on the rights of the Hungarian minority, focusing his criticism on the 2017 laws expanding the use of Ukrainian in education. The legislation — which is yet to enter into force — was designed to counter decades of Russification, but Budapest has cast it as discrimination against the Hungarian minority.

"People are afraid that these changes may cause their children to lose the opportunity to learn freely in their native language," Antipov says. "The Hungarian minority is worried about losing its linguistic identity and is afraid of assimilation."

It's not the language laws that are the threat to the Hungarian community: "it's depopulation."

A portrait of Andrii Liubka in the office of the Institute for Central European Strategy in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine on May 22, 2025. (Elena Kalinichenko/The Kyiv Independent)

However, Liubka comments that it's not the language laws that are the threat to the Hungarian community: "it's depopulation."

While 150,000 residents declared themselves ethnic Hungarians in the 2001 census data, this number is believed to have dropped — as Liubka and Diatchuk say — to around 70,000-80,000. Many residents, especially the youth, have left for Hungary, with the migration only accelerated by the invasion.

For many, efforts to start a new life in Hungary have been challenging, suggesting some might return once the war is over, locals say.

"We, ethnic Hungarians from Zakarpattia, will always be foreigners in Hungary. We will be Ukránok (the Hungarian word for a Ukrainian)," Antipov says.

The war is also simultaneously bringing people from Ukraine's war-torn eastern regions, changing the societal fabric and causing tensions.

"Our Transcarpathians are practically gone now, everyone is newcomers, displaced persons, all strangers," says Andzhelika, a Ukrainian resident of Vynohradiv, a town 30 kilometers east of Berehove.

"Our people (Hungarians) have left Ukraine… Many families have been separated. Women are here, men over there," laments Andrea Grita, a Hungarian shopkeeper from Berehove.

Andrea says that her eldest daughter has lived in Hungary for six years. Her son, who will soon turn 18 — the age at which male citizens of Ukraine cannot leave the country during martial law — is studying there.

Some of the impacts are not unique to Zakarpattia. Many locals complain about rising prices and the economic downturn, or see newcomers with distrust.

"Since the war began, people don't help each other anymore. And everyone keeps quiet," says Zhanna Kokosh, a stallkeeper at the Berehove market. Holding both Hungarian and Ukrainian citizenship, she finds it difficult to classify her identity.

For Zhanna, the fighting itself feels distant. Her main concern is the hardship facing Berehove's elderly, the poor, and abandoned animals. A stray dog lies under her stall as she speaks.

"Nobody wants to fight. What for? Why should the boys be taken?" she asks. Zhanna expresses frustration that the town's poor are being overlooked while newcomers enjoy greater material security.

"They (newcomers) don't like it when we speak Russian or Hungarian," she adds. "But that's just how we speak... War or no war."

Anxieties of war

The Russian invasion has fueled anxieties among local Ukrainians, further fanned by disinformation.

Andzhelika mentions that only a few months after the start of the full-scale war, an unspecified Ukrainian media publication spread claims that Hungarian forces were massing near the border for an invasion.

In response, the locals organized regular patrols with dozens of cars, which — as the publication asserted — made "Orban afraid to send in troops here," Andzhelika adds. She herself voices uncertainty about the story, recalling she saw no Hungarian troops at the border at the time.

"They understand their connection to the state, the place they grew up, they live in… there are units with many Hungarians that are supported by Hungarian civil society organizations."

A portrait of Vitalii Diachuk in the office of the Institute for Central European Strategy in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine on May 22, 2025. (Elena Kalinichenko/The Kyiv Independent)

The fears surged again after the detention of the suspected spy, who, as Andzhelika offhandedly mentions, worked at a stall not far from her and was known around Vynohradiv.

But the war has also impacted the community in a different way. While some may feel it distant, others are more personally involved — Viktoriia Skoropadska notes that her 54-year-old brother fought in the Zaporizhzhia sector for seven months.

Around 400 ethnic Hungarians have served in the ranks of Ukraine's Armed Forces during the full-scale war.

"They understand their connection to the state, the place they grew up, they live in… there are units with many Hungarians that are supported by Hungarian civil society organizations," Diatchuk says.

Others contribute to the struggle financially. Local initiatives and communities "allocate their budgets to support either specific units, or to purchase drones, or as one-time payments to mobilized community members," Liubka adds.

As before the war, the picture of the Hungarian community is one of many faces. In some cases, the Russian invasion and Orban's rhetoric stoked anxieties and division. For others, it was an incentive to take up arms to join what Antipov calls a "common struggle."

Whether fractured or galvanized, Zakarpattia's Hungarians must find their place in a region that is being deeply transformed by the war, migration, and the fallout of grand politics.

The Hungary-Ukraine spy scandal and Russia’s possible role, explained

Ukraine’s rocky relationship with Hungary reached new lows this month with the uncovering of an alleged spy ring run from Budapest. Arrests, tit-for-tat expulsions, and a stream of accusations from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban soon followed in a diplomatic scandal with potentially massive ramifications for both countries. “This is

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk