Clouds of smoke rise from a fire in Kyiv, Ukraine set by Russian drone and missile strikes, June 6, 2025

Thursday’s Coverage: Zelensky — Don’t Show Weakness to Putin

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1316 GMT:

In addition to hitting a major oil refinery and an airfield for Russia’s strategic bombers, Ukrainian drones destroyed one combat helicopter and damaged another at the Bryansk International Airport, say Russian emergency officials.

Sources within Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, say a Mi-8 helicopter was demolished after its onboard munitions detonated. The extent of damage to aMi-35 helicopter gunship is unclear.

The strike reportedly caused additional destruction to airport infrastructure and rescue facilities. No casualties were reported.

UPDATE 1028 GMT:

In private, Donald Trump has continued his chaotic response to Ukraine’s mass drone strikes on Russian airfields last Sunday.

Trump has expressed his frustration with Ukraine, worrying it “could escalate the conflict”, say “three administration officials and an outside adviser to the White House.”.

Trump echoed right-wing polemic by criticizing Zelensky for “showboating” and said the Ukraine President should focus on “Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul.”. However, Trump has been impressed with the audacity of the strikes.

Other advisors say Trump has described Ukraine’s destruction of Russian warplanes as “pretty strong” and “badass”.

UPDATE 0916 GMT:

Ukraine’s General Staff has posted about its drone strikes on the oil refinery supplying the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region (see 0708 GMT).

The General Staff said, “numerous hits on at least three fuel and lubricant tanks with subsequent ignition and a large-scale fire at the facility have been confirmed”.

Drones also hit the Dyagilevo airfield in the Ryazan region, claimed the General Staff. A fire was set, and the outcome is being “clarified”.

The miitary said that, after Ukraine’s drone strikes on six Russian airfields on Sunday destroyed or damaged 41 warplanes, remaining aircraft have been moved to Engels. Russian strategic bombers are flying out of the Dyagilevo airfield, and air tankers and escort fighters are also based there.

UPDATE 0907 GMT:

The daughter of Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has sent a message from Kyiv to her father about Russia’s drone and missile strikes.

Meaghan Mobbs, the President of the R.T. Weatherman Foundation, posted on social media:

UPDATE 0818 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on Russia’s deadly, record launch of more than 400 drones and more than 40 missiles overnight.

Russia must be held accountable for this. Since the first minute of this war, they have been striking cities and villages to destroy life.

We’ve done a lot together with the world to enable Ukraine to defend itself. But now is exactly the moment when America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war together by pressuring Russia.

If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives – that is complicity and accountability. We must act decisively.

UPDATE 0727 GMT:

Among the casualties in Kyiv from Russia’s strikes, three rescuers have been killed and nine injured as they responded to the aftermath of initial attacks, reports Ukraine Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

UPDATE 0708 GMT:

An oil refinery in the city of Engels in Russia’s Saratov region was set on fire by an overnight Ukrainian drone attack, say Russian officials and media outlets.

The Kristal Plant supplies fuel to Russia’s Engels-2 military airfield, a key strategic base which hosts long-range bombers such as nuclear-capable Tu-95s and Tu-160s.

Residents shared footage of the fires, reporting that the refinery was under attack and a residential building had been hit.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said a fire broke out at an “industrial enterprise” and emergency responders had been dispatched to the scene. He declared that drones caused damage to a residential building but there were no casualties.

A drone strike has also been reported on a plant supporting warplanes and missile systems.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: In its latest drone and missile assault on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, Russia has murdered at least four civilians and injured 20.

Air raid alerts sounded in all Ukrainian regions early Friday. The Air Force warned that multiple Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers were airborne and had likely launched cruise missiles.

Explosions have been reported in Kyiv, Ternopil, the Khmelnytskyi region, Lviv, and Lutsk.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko posted, “Four people have been confirmed dead in the capital. Search and rescue operations are ongoing at several locations.”

Of the wounded, 16 have been hospitalized.

Fires were set in residential buildings, including high rises, across the city. The metro system was disrupted as a Russian strike damaged a train between stations. Almost 2,200 families on the left bank of Kyiv lost power.

Electricity is also out in part of Ternopil in western Ukraine, hundreds of kilometers from the frontline. Russia struck infastructure and industrial facilities with Iran-made Shahed drones and Kalibr cruise missiles. Five people have been injured.

At least five residents were wounded in Lutsk in northwest Ukraine by 15 drones and six missiles. The roof of an apartment building, vehicles, commercial properties, and a government institution were damaged.

On Thursday, Russian forces attacked Kherson city in southern Ukraine with high-explosive bombs, hitting and partially destroying the Regional State Administration building and damaging several surrounding structures.

Zelensky: Kremlin “Only Likes Ruins and Murders”

In his nightly address to the nation, just before the Russians launched their assault, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of meetings between his senior officials and White House counterparts, members of Congress, and NGOs:

We see understanding and support. We do count on strong steps. That’s what’s in short supply right now. And this is what can make even the sleazebags in Moscow realize they can’t pull the war off.

This is why we need new and sufficient sanctions, first and foremost from the United States. This is why we need clear political pressure for diplomacy to be effective. There’s not a single peace initiative in the world that Russia hasn’t rejected. They dislike everything. They only like ruins and murders. They must be held accountable for this.

Donald Trump continued his chaotic and indecisive course. Sitting alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the White House, he said perhaps the killing should continue:

Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other, and they’re fighting in a park, and you try and pull them apart. They don’t want to be pulled.

Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart.

Thanking the US for its role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, Merz urged support of Ukraine’s resistance: “America is again in a very strong position to do something on ending this war, so let’s talk about doing what we can. We are looking for more pressure on Russia, we should talk about that.”

The Chancellor then took apart Trump’s false equivalence between Ukraine and Russia:

German Chancellor Merz sets the record straight after Trump tries to draw moral equivalence between Russia and Ukrainian actions:

"Ukraine is only targeting military targets. Not civilians, not private [property], not energy infrastructure. This is the difference."

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— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) June 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM

But Trump evaded questions about when he might accept toughened sanctions on Russia. Asked if there was a deadline, he replied: “Yes, it’s in my brain.”

He continued, “When I see the moment where it’s not going to stop…we’ll be very tough”.