Jun 25, 2026, 06:30 PM UTC

Kyiv experienced explosions on the evening of June 25, with Ukraine's Air Force reporting a ballistic missile threat and subsequent missile activity, while air defense systems were engaged. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Ukrainian forces targeted two oil refineries in Ufa, Bashkortostan, and an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region on June 25, describing these as "consistent precise responses." The death toll from Russia's June 23 missile strike on Kryvyi Rih has risen to five after a 23-year-old man succumbed to severe injuries. The Ukrainian Naval Forces continue to report the Kinburn Spit as an active combat zone, maintaining its strategic significance for Russian forces. President Zelenskyy also approved a 40-day influence operation by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) aimed at encouraging Russia to end the conflict.

Sources: Громадське, Радіо Свобода, Українська правда

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated Kyiv's intention to conduct "preemptive attacks" on Russian territory. This declaration follows reports of several explosions in Kyiv, with the Ukrainian air force indicating a missile was directed at the capital. The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, asserts that Ukrainian strikes on Russia stem from deteriorating front-line conditions, claiming Russian forces are advancing "along the entire front" and predicting "irreversible" outcomes for Kyiv. Conversely, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed that Kyiv "remains strong" and European support "does not weaken." Meanwhile, a first installment of a €90 billion European loan has been disbursed to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for "mutual respect" and "understanding of history" between Poles and Ukrainians at a reconstruction conference. Russian forces continue to exert pressure on rear-front areas such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, where defensive nets are deployed against drones.

Sources: Le Monde — International