RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western military aid to Kyiv, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
Latest Developments At A Glance
- Energy infrastructure in five regions across Ukraine was damaged in the latest Russian attack, Ukrainian officials said on June 1, causing injuries and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to appeal for the delivery of more air defenses.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he’s more confident that Ukraine can successfully defend the eastern city of Kharkiv now that NATO allies have eased restrictions on the use of weapons they supply to hit targets inside Russia.
- Zelenskiy on May 31 signed security and cooperation agreements with Sweden, Norway, and Iceland as he attended the third Ukraine-Northern Europe Summit in Stockholm.
- In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, the death toll of an overnight missile strike on a five-story apartment block has risen to five, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on May 31.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the go-ahead to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending the eastern city of Kharkiv.
- Russia and Ukraine have held their first prisoner swap in more than three months, with each side exchanging 75 people in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
- Western allies on May 31 issued a joint statement calling on North Korea to stop its weapons transfers to Russia for use in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
- Moldova's parliament on May 30 denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "genocide" in connection with Moscow's treatment of children in occupied areas, but the assembly's Moscow-friendly opposition parties refused to take part in the vote.
Ukraine Gets U.S. OK To Hit Targets Inside Russia. Now What?
Ukraine got the green light from Washington, and more than a dozen NATO allies, to start using Western weaponry on some targets inside Russia. Is it a game changer? Read the story by Mike Eckel here.
Why Is Ukraine Attacking Russia's Oil Refineries?
Russia said it would protect oil refineries better after several were struck by Ukrainian drones. Ukraine continues to hit the facilities, despite U.S. warnings against such attacks, as it launches larger and larger drone swarms. The strikes have decreased refinery output but beyond a morale boost for Ukraine, the effects are moderate so far. Read the story by Todd Prince here.
A New Russian Offensive Stretches Ukrainian Forces. Possibly To The Breaking Point.
Russia is advancing in multiple places across the 1,100-kilometer front line in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold positions, if not outright retreating in some places. The news from the battlefield these days is grim. Read the story by Mike Eckel here.
U.S. Weapons Are Coming To Ukraine. But Russian Forces Have The Momentum.
Ukraine’s defenses are nearing the breaking point amid a shortage of ammunition, manpower, and fortifications. U.S. weaponry is on its way, but it may not arrive in time to blunt Russia’s momentum. Read the story by Mike Eckel and Todd Prince here.
With ATACMS In Hand, Ukraine Looks To Neutralize Putin's Fortress In Crimea
Russia has spent billions militarizing Ukraine’s occupied Crimea region since 2014, and it’s been a launching pad for air attacks since 2022 and a staging ground for forces on Ukraine's mainland. Now, Kyiv thinks it can counter the threat from the peninsula with U.S. long-range ATACMS. Read the story by Todd Prince here.
Ukraine Welcomes Long-Delayed Military Aid, Vows To Make Up For Lost Time
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine on April 24 and said shipments of arms will begin within hours. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the aid, saying the country's military must act fast to make up for months of losses. One military officer said Russia's logistical infrastructure is a likely target for a renewed Ukrainian counteroffensive. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Many Critics, Few Enthusiasts As Ukraine Moves To Fill The Ranks For The Fight Against Russia's Invasion
After long delays and heated debate, the Ukrainian parliament has passed a mobilization bill seeking to strengthen the army as invading Russian forces gain ground. There's plenty of doubt as to whether the watered-down, fragmented legislation can fix a recruitment system widely regarded as broken. Read the story by Aleksander Palikot here.
Ukraine Has No Navy. But It's Hammering Russia In The Black Sea.
The landing ship that purportedly sank off Crimea last week is one of nearly two dozen Russian warships that Ukraine has seriously damaged or sunk since the full-scale invasion two years ago. It’s an extraordinary set of naval losses inflicted by a country that currently doesn’t even have a navy. Read the report by Mike Eckel here.
Is Russia Betting It Can 'Outlast The Attention Span Of The West' To Defeat Ukraine?
Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to waste lots of lives and money to defeat Ukraine, argues Professor Peter Roberts, a senior associate fellow at the U.K.-based Royal United Services Institute. In an interview with RFE/RL's Georgian Service, Roberts says Putin is in it for the long haul and betting on the West's short attention span to defeat Ukraine. Read the interview by Vazha Tavberidze here.
Interactive: Occupied, Militarized Crimea
As Ukrainian leaders vow to reclaim all territories seized by Russia, Moscow has prepared extensive defensive measures, particularly in Crimea, a region unlawfully annexed in 2014. This area, now under Russian occupation, has been heavily militarized with an array of air bases and army bases, making it one of the most fortified zones in the war. View the interactive map by Crimea.Realities, Schemes, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Central Newsroom here.
