**Russian President Accuses Ukraine of Terrorist Attacks and Rejects Peace Talks**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cast doubt on the value of ongoing peace talks with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of orchestrating deadly attacks on infrastructure in Russia. On June 4, Putin questioned the need for negotiations, saying that Ukraine’s top leadership is behind the attacks.
According to Russian investigators, a bridge in Bryansk region was blown up on Saturday just as a passenger train carrying 388 people passed underneath. A second bridge in Kursk was also targeted. The explosions occurred just days before Ukraine and Russia met in Turkey for the latest round of negotiations.
Putin blamed Ukraine’s leadership for the attacks, calling them acts of terrorism aimed at civilians. “The current Kyiv regime does not need peace at all,” he said during a televised meeting with senior officials. He added that the attacks show Kyiv is “degenerating into a terrorist organisation, and its sponsors are becoming accomplices of terrorists.”
**Ukraine Hits Back with Drone Attacks on Russian Airbases**
Meanwhile, Ukraine has hit back at Russia with drone attacks on four Russian airbases. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) published new footage from Operation Spiderweb, which targeted Russian airbases using low-cost FPV drones. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirmed that Russia lost 41 military aircraft as a result of the operation.
The estimated damage inflicted upon Russia is over $7 billion. This successful attack has sent shockwaves through Moscow and has raised questions about Russia’s ability to protect its military assets.
**Prisoner Exchange and Military Casualties**
Ukraine will bring home 500 prisoners of war (POW) from Russian captivity in a prisoner exchange with Russia on June 7 and 8. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that roughly half of the 41 Russian planes targeted in the drone attack will be impossible to repair.
The total number of military casualties on both sides is nearing 1.4 million, including approximately 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed or injured. The Ground Forces press service said that no soldiers have been killed in the attack.
**US and European Support for Ukraine**
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stressed that Washington counts on European leadership in providing Ukraine with the resources needed to achieve a lasting peace. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal praised Ukraine’s drone attacks, saying they were one of the great military achievements in recent years.
The legislation, supported by 309 members of parliament, enshrines financial provisions critical to executing the U.S.-Ukraine deal signed on April 30 and ratified by Kyiv on May 8.
**Russia’s Energy Exports and Economic Pressures**
Russia’s energy exports remain a major source of revenue for the Kremlin’s military campaign against Ukraine. However, with sanctions and economic pressures mounting, Russia is facing increasing difficulties in maintaining its economy.
The Yaroslavl Motor Plant has been under U.S. sanctions since May 2024, and steel production is one of Ukraine’s core industrial sectors, its second-largest source of foreign currency after agriculture.
**Increased Risk Levels**
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said that the risk levels are going way up. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 36 out of the 95 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys launched by Russia overnight.
The Air Force said that currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3.
**Developing Story**
This is a developing story, and we will continue to update you as more information becomes available.
