Ukraine: Putin rains hell on eastern city in retribution for 'Russia's Pearl harbour'

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US officials have said fewer Russian warplanes were destroyed in Ukraine's airfields drone attacks.

Kyvi has maintained it targeted four air bases across Russia, using drones launched close to the targets in an operation codenamed Spider’s Web.

Volodymyr Zelensky has said previously that half of the 41 Russian aircraft struck were damaged beyond repair.

Reuters today cited two US officials as claiming Washington believes the attack hit up to 20 Russian warplanes, with around 10 destroyed.

The US officials described the attack as highly significant, with one claiming it could drive Moscow to a far more severe negotiating position in peace talks.

Alleged arsonists filmed themselves as they torched a building after being recruited by agents of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, a court has heard.

Around £1million of damage was caused by the blaze at an industrial unit in Leyton, east London, on March 20 last year, the Old Bailey was told.

The attack was orchestrated by Dylan Earl, 20, and Jake Reeves, 23, who have itted aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group and an offence under the National Security Act, jurors were told.

The court heard the pair had gone on to plot more arson attacks on a restaurant and wine shop in Mayfair, and the kidnapping of their multi-millionaire owner, who was a Russian dissident.

Donald Trump's call was "positive and quite productive". He also reaffirmed their readiness to stay in touch.

Ushakov said: "I believe it was useful for Trump to hear our assessments of what happened."

He added that discussion of Ukraine's latest attacks was one of the key points in the conversation.

He didn’t respond to a question about what the Russian response to those attacks could be.

Ukrainian special forces have successfully carried out an operation deep behind Russian lines.

The aim was to try and stop Russian soldiers reaching a bridgehead on the western bank of the Oskil River near the city of Kupiansk.

Russia's control of the town of Dvorichna allows them to accumulate and deploy forces across the river to the bridgehead.

Their plan was to exploit their footing on the west bank to outflank Ukrainian units in Kupiansk from the north, while also using it as a launch pad to link up with the Kharkiv offensive.

My colleague John Varga has more on the story here.

Russian exports of crude oil have hit a two year low, as the economic crisis in the country continues to intensify.

Oil and gas exports are a major source of income for the Kremlin, providing the federal budget with billions of pounds.

Data shows that fossil fuel sales for an astonishing 30% of state income and help pay for the Kremlin's brutal war in Ukraine.

However, the Russian economy's lifeline has taken a major hit, as exports plummet and vital revenues dry up.

According to the latest figures, 4-week average flows dropped by 170,000 barrels/day to 3.24 million, dragging export values down 4% to US$1.2 billion (£844m) per week.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called on the UK and US to retrain Ukraine after its attacks on Russian bombers.

He said: "We urge London and Washington to react in such a way as to stop further escalation."

The Kremlin confirmed that Vladimir Putin had his first phone call with Pope Leo XIV.

The new pope has not commented publicly on the call, so there is currently no more information available.

Ukraine's recent attacks on Russian bombers.

He wrote on Truth Social following their call: "It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields."

John Healey once again addressed the Donald Trump.

He said: "Ukraine... cities hit, homes destroyed and civilians killed.

"The United States and all of us here are calling for a ceasefire. Putin continues the war.

"President Zelensky and minister Umerov leave this meeting knowing that we stand with them, knowing that we will stand with them for as long as it takes.

"Peace through strength is what President Trump calls for... we send a message today also to Moscow that Ukraine is strong, it has many friends that stand with them."

Ukraine of "relying on terror" in the war and questioned whether they would take peace talks seriously.

He said: "They [Ukraine] are asking for a summit meeting. What is there to talk about? How can we negotiate with those who rely on terror?"

Russia said seven people have been killed and at least 122 injured after two rail bridges in border regions collapsed.

Alexander Bastrykin, the chair of the Investigative Committee of Ukraine's special forces (SBU).

Five improvised explosives were also detonated at the Kerch Bridge in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

Vladimir Putin.

He told the Ukraine Defence Group: "My proposal, which I believe our partners can , is that we propose to Russians a ceasefire until the leaders meet."

John Healey addressed the meeting in Brussels after Vladimir Putin is not serious about peace.

He said: "We meet in the shadow of the worst Russian drone attacks against Ukraine since the start of Putin's full-scale invasion.

"[Putin] continues to prove he's not for peace ... He remains set on death, destruction and destabilisation."

The defence secretary praised the strength of Ukraine. He said: "They want this war to end, they want to get back to living without fear, without Putin's terror.

"All of us here are calling for that ceasefire and are working for that peace. We must step up, we must not step back.

"As Putin's brutality continues, so must our resolve. We must ensure that Ukraine's forces have what they need, when they need it to continue their fight."

Ukraine Defence Group, warning that his country is "fighting against death".

He said: "The Russian army has turned our cities and villages in the Donetsk region and beyond into ruins, and this is exactly what we are fighting to stop.

"We are fighting against death, the death that Russia towards peace.

"The stronger our air defence is, the less Putin succeeds in attacking our cities and villages."

Matthew Whitaker, Donald Trump's ambassador to NATO, called on all NATO allies to spend at least 5% of GDP on defence and security "starting now".

He said: "Let me cut to the core of our message: 5%. Peace through strength means nothing less and it demands it equally from all allies.

"This is not going to be just a pledge. This is going to be a commitment. Every ally must commit to investing at least 5% of GDP in defence and security, starting now."

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu is in North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un reagarding the war in Ukraine.

They are expected to discuss the partnership between the two countries after a strategic partnership was signed by Kim and Vladimir Putin last year.

Russian media, citing the Security Council's press team, said the meeting would cover "issues on the international agenda, including the situation around Ukraine".

A Russia as they could burst into flames. It is possible that a short circuiting in the ABS block module may lead to a fire outbreak in the engine compartment of Hyundai models, the Russian Federal Agency on Technical Regulation and Metrology, Rosstandart, said on Friday.

The warning includes Grandeur, Genesis Coupe, Grand Santa Fe, Veloster, i40, Solaris, and SantaFe models sold from 2010 to 2015, according to the Russian news service TASS.

"The recall extends to 99,256 Hyundai Grandeur, Genesis Coupe, Grand Santa Fe, Veloster, i40, Solaris, and SantaFe automobiles sold in the period from 2010 to 2015 with VINs according to the appendix," officials said.

"The reason for recalling motor vehicles: short circuiting may rarely occur in the HECU module (ABS unit), which may increase the risk of fire outbreak in the engine compartment."

air component of the country's nuclear weaponry.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched several co-ordinated drone strikes targetting long-range aviation assets across five air bases.

The FPV drones were smuggled into the country via trucks that were driven within close proximity of Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny, Olenya and Ukrainka air bases, before launching the remote-controlled attack.

An estimated more than £5billion in damages was dealt to Moscow's air fleet by 177 drones, according to the SBU.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that European must significantly raise defence spending or risk falling into "great difficulty" within five years.

Speaking at a press conference, he said allies should aim to "equalise" contributions with the United States, which currently spends around 3.4% of GDP on defence.

Mr Rutte is reportedly pushing for NATO states to commit to 3.5% defence spending, plus another 1.5% on related measures — well above the existing 2% guideline.

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to increase the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% by 2027, with a long-term goal of reaching 3%, but critics have demanded clarity on how that will be achieved.

Defence Secretary John Healey responded by highlighting new £4bn investments in drones and £1bn for laser weapons, insisting: "This is Britain leading in NATO."

Ukrainian military intelligence hackers have successfully breached the Tupolev Design Bureau, obtaining more than 4.4GB of critical data from the Russian strategic aircraft manufacturer, according to RBC-Ukraine.

Intelligence sources said the GUR cyber corps had been monitoring Tupolev’s internal document flow for an extended period before executing the attack.

As a symbolic gesture, the hackers replaced the company’s website homepage with an image of an owl clutching a Russian aircraft in its talons.

Sources told RBC-Ukraine the consequences of the breach would be felt “both on the ground and in the sky.”

Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking alongside NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, has said he is doubtful about whether Istanbul ceasefire talks will yield any tangible results.

The Ukrainian President told reporters: "In parallel in Istanbul this hour, there is our team. I had a conversation with my minister, minister of defence (Rustem Umerov), in the early morning. So they are preparing for a meeting.

“I'm not sure that the Russians will be ready for some productive meetings, but we always have to count on some decisions.

“For us, very important is a ceasefire, unconditional, of course, ceasefire and humanitarian issues as to bring back abducted children and, of course, the exchange of warriors and to do everything for other prisoners, civilian prisoners, and journalists, political prisoners. So it's very important to get them all home."

A new type of Russian drone has been used in a recent strike on Kharkiv, according to regional governor Oleh Synyehubov.

He said: “We have a new type of drone, not yet identified. Yesterday we recorded the first case of its use.”

Details remain scarce, but he confirmed the device carries a warhead and is made of unknown materials.

More pictures have shown the devastation caused by the overnight Russian raids on Kharkiv, with firefighters show battling flames on a rooftop.

interest rates, which stand at a recent record high of 21%.

Many firms with high debt levels face an existential fight, as they struggle to pay back their bank loans. In April, interest rates at their present level, despite pleas from the Kremlin to loosen monetary policy.

The surge in for Ukraine is also fuelling Britain’s domestic drone sector, with SMEs and major defence firms feeding innovation and growth.

New designs include fibre-optic drones immune to Russian jamming, and low-cost bomb-dropping drones now responsible for up to 70% of damage to Russian kit.

Ministers say drone development is a core part of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, which includes £4 billion for autonomous systems and a target of 2.5% of GDP defence spending by 2027.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the investment would "keep us secure at home and strong abroad".

John Healey will on Wednesday host a key Ukraine Defence Group meeting in Brussels alongside his German counterpart.

The Defence Secretary will announce a further £247 million to expand training for Ukrainian troops under Operation Interflex, which has already trained over 55,000 recruits in Britain.

The UK will also invest another £40 million in NATO’s NSATU trust fund to boost frontline logistics including fuel, spare parts and combat gear.

Meanwhile, 140,000 artillery shells have been delivered to Ukraine since the start of the year.

The UK is targeting a tenfold increase in drone deliveries to Ukraine this year, aiming to send 100,000 drones – up from just over 10,000 last year.

Tens of thousands have already arrived, backed by a record £350 million investment as part of the UK's £4.5 billion military aid package.

British-built drones, from precision FPV strike units to anti-missile interceptors, are playing a vital role on the frontlines.

Defence Intelligence says drones now kill more soldiers than artillery in Russia.

Russian airbases has undermined a key defence assumption, according to a security expert.

The Kremlin was left reeling after Ukrainian drones launched from lorries attacked airbases deep inside Russia.

Some of the bases were located thousands of kilometres from the Ukraine border, in the Arctic and Siberia.

Political commentators in the state media have already referred to the devastating attack as Russia's "Pearl Harbour".

Russian forces are using new tactics to hide drone activity by modifying civilian buildings near the border, cutting holes in rooftops to launch UAVs discreetly, according to Ukraine’s military.

The 15th Mobile Border Detachment “Steel Border” said it had identified and destroyed several of these launch points using FPV drones.

Footage shared by the unit appears to show strikes on concealed Russian drone sites, though the video has not been independently verified.

Ukraine’s SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk recently revealed similar covert tactics were used in the Spiderweb operation, which saw drones hidden in mobile wooden houses and launched through remotely opening roofs.

The operation, targeting multiple Russian airbases, highlighted Ukraine’s ability to strike deep inside enemy territory and avoid early detection.

Footage circulating on social media has shown thick smoke billowing into the sky over Moscow.

A clip was shared on X by blogger MAKS25, who commented: "In Kolomna, Russia, something exploded and burned on the territory of a military unit."

Russia 'sleazebags' after the latest attacks in Sumy on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian President, posted on X, said: "Right now in Sumy region, doctors are providing all necessary assistance to those wounded by a Russian strike. The Russians struck right on the street, hitting ordinary residential buildings. Sleazebags.

"There have been virtually no days without killings during this whole time, while the United States, Europe, and other global actors have been urging Russia to agree to a ceasefire and negotiations to end the war."

Russia remained "fully committed to war", and had proved it with both their strikes and their statements, Mr Zelensky claimed.

He added: "All of this is the argument for new, tougher sanctions against Russia must feel what war truly means."

Governor Syniehubov confirmed that Russian forces used 22 unguided aircraft missiles, 11 Shahed drones, and multiple types of kamikaze UAVs in their latest attacks on the Kharkiv region.

Private homes, service stations, power grids, and even a tractor were among the assets destroyed or damaged, with multiple towns—including Kup’yansk, Izyum, and Chuhuiv—suffering hits.

The violence came amid 178 recorded combat clashes in the past day, including heavy fighting around Vovchansk and Stepova Novoselivka.

Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian assaults in at least five areas as the frontline remains volatile.

Two civilians have been killed and five others injured across multiple locations in Kharkiv overnight, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

The dead include a 31-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman in the village of Chystovodivka, while a 30-year-old man was wounded in Kharkiv city and others hurt in Zolochiv and Chystovodivka.

Russia launched a barrage involving two missiles and nine drones on Kharkiv’s Novobavarskyi district, as part of a broader assault using over 50 aerial weapons and FPV drones.

Civilian infrastructure was heavily damaged, including homes, businesses, and power lines across at least six districts.

Pete Hegseth has previously warned Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions and stop trying to retake Russian-occupied territory.

His absence has stoked fears among European allies that Washington is pivoting too sharply towards the Indo-Pacific, amid speculation that US troops could be pulled out of Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned at the weekend that abandoning Ukraine would shred US credibility in any future confrontation with China.

Meanwhile, a top Ukrainian delegation is in Washington for meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials, discussing the war, sanctions, and postwar recovery.

Ukraine’s Western backers will meet in Brussels without America’s defence secretary for the first time since the military group was created in 2022.

Pete Hegseth will not the Ukraine Defense Group on Wednesday, either in person or via video, marking a sharp break from past US leadership under his predecessor, Lloyd Austin.

While more than 50 defence ministers are expected to attend, Mr Hegseth will only arrive after the meeting has ended.

A senior US official confirmed the move and acknowledged privately that no new American weapons packages would be announced.

Ukraine has been hit by a fresh wave of Russian missile and drone strikes, with Kharkiv suffering multiple attacks overnight.

In Kharkiv, nine Shahed drones and two missiles struck the city, injuring a 30-year-old man and sparking fires across the Novobavarskyi district, including at a private house, an auto repair shop, and several industrial facilities, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov and regional head Oleh Syniehubov.

A postal terminal on the outskirts of the city was also hit, triggering a massive fire that engulfed two warehouses and surrounding containers.

Meanwhile, in Sumy, authorities reported several strikes on June 3, including drone and artillery attacks that damaged civilian infrastructure and heightened fears of further escalation. Emergency services continue working at multiple sites as officials assess the full scale of the damage.