How about a cup of hot chocolate? https://ko-fi.com/debbienicholson
In today’s breaking update, Ukrainian forces hit the Crimean Bridge again, triggering outrage from Putin and setting off a wave of Russian retaliation. Meanwhile, the front lines near Sumy are heating up, the UK is taking Roman Abramovich to court, and explosive peace negotiations unfold in Istanbul. Hear the truth the world needs to know—from war zones to wax statues!
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more fearless reports from Ukraine Today.
🧵 Hashtags
#UkraineNews #CrimeanBridge #UkraineWarUpdate
Growing on YouTube Made easy
https://tubemagic.com/ds#aff=mrsphantom&cam=CAMPAIGNKEY
[Music] the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has seen another significant escalation in early June 20125 Ukrainian forces targeted the Crimean bridge once more reports indicate that the Security Service of Ukraine the SBU was behind this operation they used underwater explosives to strike the bridgeg’s supports causing severe damage this attack is not the first it marks the third time Ukrainian forces have hit this strategic structure since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 previous attacks occurred in 2022 and 2023 each time highlighting the bridgeg’s vulnerability and Ukraine’s determination to disrupt its use by Russian forces the repeated targeting underscores the bridgeg’s ongoing importance in the conflict the Crimean Bridge holds immense strategic and symbolic value for Russia it is a critical supply route a lifeline for Russian military operations in southern Ukraine through this bridge Russia transports troops heavy weaponry ammunition and other essential supplies to its forces occupying parts of Ukrainian territory its construction following the 2014 annexation of Crimea was a major infrastructure project for Moscow personally championed by President Putin therefore any damage to the bridge is not only a logistical setback for the Russian military but also a significant blow to Russian prestige and its portrayal of control over Crimea following the attack Russian media outlets expressed strong outrage and what some observers described as panic the event dominated news cycles with commentators calling for harsh retaliatory measures against Ukraine in contrast Ukrainian officials while not always immediately claiming responsibility for past attacks have consistently stated their intent to target legitimate military infrastructure they emphasized that this latest June 2025 operation was designed to avoid civilian casualties focusing solely on the military utility of the bridge this careful distinction is often made by Kiev to frame its actions within the context of defending its territory against an occupying force later on the same day as the initial explosion reports emerged of a second attack on the already damaged Crimean bridge this subsequent assault is believed to have involved underwater drones further complicating repair efforts and adding to the pressure on Russian forces meanwhile tensions are also reportedly high within Crimea itself but for different reasons in the Crimean city of Kirch near the bridge local administrative government workers faced unexpected financial penalties approximately 40 staff members had their work bonuses withheld allegedly as a punishment because they did not show sufficient online approval such as liking the local mayor’s social media posts a sign of simmering discontent in what appeared to be a swift and brutal response to Ukrainian actions including the Crimean bridge attack Russian forces intensified their assaults on several Ukrainian cities the city of Sunumi in northeastern Ukraine has come under particularly heavy fire russian troops are reportedly advancing towards Sunumi subjecting the urban area and its surroundings to relentless shelling artillery fire including the highly controversial and indiscriminate cluster munitions has been used extensively against the city this escalation has forced many civilians to seek shelter or evacuate adding to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region and straining local emergency services the human cost of these attacks on Sunumi has been tragic a recent cluster munition strike resulted in three confirmed fatalities and left 25 people injured among the wounded was a 7-year-old girl a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of such weapons when used in populated areas in response to the devastating attack and the loss of life a day of mourning was declared in Sunumi while military analysts suggest that Russia is unlikely to capture Sunumi in the near future they do anticipate a significant increase in drone threats to the city meaning continued danger for its residents further south the port city of Mikolive also experienced a severe Russian attack russia launched a Kinsol hypersonic missile striking a local port facility this event marked the first documented use of the advanced Kinszal missile on the southern front since the early months of the full-scale invasion in 2022 the Kinszal missile launched from the Actubinsk air base deep within Russia is particularly dangerous due to its speed which can reach Mach 10 and its ability to carry either a large conventional warhead or a nuclear payload making it very difficult to intercept the missile strike on Mikollay caused significant disruption to critical infrastructure and triggered city-wide air raid sirens sending residents rushing for safety some military analysts believe this specific attack was direct retaliation for a recent large-scale Ukrainian drone operation cenamed Operation Spid which reportedly destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft this tit fortat escalation demonstrates the dangerous cycle of violence beyond these specific incidents Russia has been conducting a broader drone campaign in recent months of 2025 launching over 1,000 drones per week at various Ukrainian targets and in one night alone launched over 300 drones amidst the escalating violence diplomatic efforts to find a resolution continued albeit with limited success a second round of negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations was held in Istanbul under the facilitation of Turkish officials turkey has consistently tried to position itself as a mediator in this conflict the agenda for these talks included several pressing humanitarian issues one key discussion point was a potential prisoner exchange program with a particular focus on releasing severely wounded soldiers and also younger soldiers specifically those aged between 18 and 25 from both sides of the conflict another critical topic on the table in Istanbul was the return of the bodies of fallen soldiers it is estimated that approximately 6,000 bodies of soldiers remain unreovered or unreturned a source of immense pain for their families furthermore Ukraine pressed for the repatriation of Ukrainian children who according to Kiev and international human rights organizations have been illegally deported to Russia however reports from the talks indicated that the Russian delegation responded dismissively to this particular demand showing little willingness to engage constructively on the issue of the deported children which remains a major point of contention ultimately these ceasefire talks in Istanbul failed to achieve any significant breakthrough the gap between the two sides positions remains vast russian President Vladimir Putin outlined a series of stringent conditions for any potential peace agreement these demands included media group Vladimir Putin speaking at podium russian officials presenting documents at press conference at at stock at at distribute underscore equally the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from all territories currently occupied by Russia which Ukraine considers its sovereign land russia also demanded guaranteed Ukrainian neutrality a formal ban on Ukraine ever joining the NATO military alliance and legal recognition by Ukraine of Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories additionally Moscow insisted on the lifting of all Ukrainian sanctions imposed on Russia and significant limitations on the size and capabilities of Ukraine’s future military ukrainian President Volo Daimir Zalinski for his part rejected a Russian proposal for a very brief ceasefire lasting only two to three days he viewed this offer as insincere and a tactical ploy by Russia to regroup its forces rather than a genuine step towards peace reinforcing this perception Dimmitri Medvidev the deputy chairman of Russia’s security council publicly stated that Russia’s ultimate goal is not a negotiated compromise but the total military defeat of Ukraine russia also demanded a complete cessation of all Ukrainian attacks on its rear infrastructure as a precondition for any further negotiations a stance that makes dialogue exceedingly difficult while Russia continues its own offensive operations the ongoing war and its recent escalations continue to draw reactions from the international community in Paris Greenpeace activists staged a protest to highlight what they see as European hypocrisy they delivered a wax figure of French President Emanuel Macron to the Russian embassy this demonstration aimed to criticize the continued importation of Russian gas by several European nations even as they publicly condemn Russia’s aggression and provide support to Ukraine the activists argue that these energy purchases indirectly fund Russia’s war effort undermining the effectiveness of sanctions and stated political positions in the United Kingdom the government is pursuing legal action against Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich the goal is to secure the release of approximately $3.2 2 billion for humanitarian aid to Ukraine these funds originate from the 2022 sale of Chelsea Football Club which Mr abramovich owned the money has been frozen under UK sanctions that were imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine this legal battle highlights the efforts by some Western governments to make sanctioned Russian assets available to support Ukraine’s recovery and humanitarian needs though such processes are often complex and lengthy meanwhile NATO defense ministers convened in Brussels to discuss the security situation during the meeting US defense secretary Pete Hgsith advocated for NATO allies to significantly increase their defense spending he proposed a target of 5% of their gross domestic product with 3.5% allocated for core defense and an additional 1.5% for related investments nato Secretary General Mark Rudda is expected to formally propose this increased spending target at the next NATO summit though currently Poland is the only member state exceeding even the 3.5% threshold separately US President Donald Trump met with German Chancellor Friedrich Meritz describing the war as sad and acknowledging Germany’s increased defense spending president Putin reportedly told President Trump that Russia has no choice but to attack following Ukrainian strikes in these complex and often confusing times it is more important than ever for people around the world to understand what is happening the conflict in Ukraine has far-reaching consequences affecting global security economies and human lives misinformation and propaganda are widespread making it difficult to discern the truth supporting trusted independent news sources is crucial for staying informed with accurate and unbiased reporting understanding the facts allows individuals to form their own opinions engage meaningfully with the issues and support efforts towards a just and lasting peace it is vital to pay attention and seek clarity