Key events on day 1,203 of Russia’s war on Ukraine:
Here’s where things stand on Wednesday, June 11:
Fighting
- Russia conducted a large-scale drone-and-missile attack on Ukraine, resulting in one death in Kyiv and two in Odesa, with at least 13 injuries.
- A Ukrainian drone strike at a petrol station in Belgorod, Russia, killed one and injured four, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
- President Zelenskyy of Ukraine described Russia’s assault on Kyiv as “one of the biggest” in the ongoing conflict, causing fires and damaging St Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- In Kharkiv, the governor, Oleh Syniehubov, ordered the evacuation of seven villages due to safety concerns.
- The Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 315 drones and seven missiles, with Ukrainian defenders shooting down 213 drones, two ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles.
- Ukrainian and Russian forces engaged in 167 firefights across multiple fronts, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
- The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that air defense units downed 109 Ukrainian drones from Monday night into Tuesday.
Prisoner exchange
- The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the return of a “second group of Russian servicemen” following a prisoner exchange, stating they will undergo “treatment and rehabilitation”.
- Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine also received prisoners, marking the “first stage of the return of our injured and severely wounded warriors from Russian captivity”.
- “The exchanges are to continue,” Zelenskyy added. Both parties are expected to release more than 1,000 prisoners each under an agreement reached in talks in Istanbul.
- Ukrainian families of missing soldiers await further information as the exchanges progress.
Politics and diplomacy
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned Russian “terror against the civilian population” following Moscow’s drone and missile strikes.
- US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth informed lawmakers of a reduction in military aid to Ukraine in the upcoming defense budget, advocating for a negotiated peaceful settlement.
- The European Commission announced an 18th sanctions package targeting Russia’s oil revenues, banks, and weapons industry.
- Russian authorities arrested opposition politician Lev Shlosberg, charging him with discrediting the Russian army due to his comments about the war being a “bloody chess game”.
- Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen accused Russia of violating Finland’s airspace, prompting a Finnish Border Guard investigation.
