Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1196: Multiple Ukrainian operations hit Crimean Bridge twice

Exclusive

Ukraine's jets adopt Western tactics, learn to hunt in packs. More Ukrainian air force pilots are flying and fighting in complex teams.

Bedtime stories and ballistics: How Ukraine's children are growing up fast. Ukrainian psychologist Oksana Pisareva says kids in therapy talk about missiles, not monsters.

"They trample corpses": Ukraine's Muslim leader-turned-medic exposes what Russians really fight for. As Russian soldiers crawl over their own dead, Ukraine's ex-mufti saves the lives they claim — revealing what really drives the world's second army to raze peaceful cities.

Russia captures Sumy's Kostiantynivka village as Russians try to widen frontline in region. ISW and DeepState report mounting pressure as Moscow's troops seize new ground in Sumy Oblast.

Ukraine's F-16s launch desperate strikes to stop Russia in the north. Armed with American bombs and desperation, Ukraine's F-16s strike 50,000 Russian troops just 30 kilometers from Sumy.

Military

Ukrainian spies execute two attacks in one day on Crimean Bridge built after 2014 annexation. Ukrainian demolition teams struck the Crimean Bridge twice within hours. The first detonating over a ton of pre-planted underwater explosives at dawn, then launching afternoon attacks that sent helicopters scrambling along the Kerch Strait. Pentagon chief monitors Ukraine's sophisticated spy operation launched after December 2023's strike killed 55 civilians. When Russia tried to demolish the Ukrainian statehood with 2,000 attacks in December 2023, Kyiv began developing a retaliation plan. Ukrainian spies incinerate Russian aircraft that fired 2,837 missiles at civilian targets. For months, Ukrainian intelligence meticulously tracked every cruise missile launch and activated a retaliation strike from James Bond movies on 1 June. Frontline report: Ghost helicopters drop Ukrainian hunters deep behind Russian lines under cover of darkness. Ukrainian special forces disappear into enemy forests after helicopter raid, leaving Russian commanders wondering who's watching from the shadows. SBU hits Crimean bridge underwater in third major strike, video shows massive blast (updated). The security service says the early morning blast reportedly put the structure into a near-emergency state. Fire at Russian military motor plant as long-haul truck explodes. The truck inside a chemical workshop reportedly caught fire near chemicals, injuring a worker.

Intelligence and technology

Makarov vs. sniper rifle: Ukraine's Air Force still outgunned despite arrival of F-16s. Russia's advanced fleet continues to rule the skies over Ukraine, says Colonel Ihnat, as Kyiv waits for enough multirole fighters to shift the balance of power. Ukraine races to build drone interceptors as Russia ramps up Shahed attacks. Domestic interceptors are now part of Kyiv's air defense strategy. Meet First Contact's Osa: Ukrainian FPV drone used to strike Russian bombers in Spiderweb operation. Image evidence and drone specs point to First Contact's AI-capable Osa ("Wasp") model.

International

Axios: Trump silent after Ukraine's major drone attack on Russian bombers. The US President has reportedly not commented, while MAGA figures react with suspicion and anger. ISW: Russia wants Ukraine out of its own cities, Ukraine says 'let's talk more' in ceasefire negotiations memos. Ukraine seeks continued dialogue, Russia reiterates capitulation demands in the second useless round of the Trump-pushed talks.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia builds power lines to exploit Ukraine's largest nuclear plant it stole — but still can't run it. With all six reactors in cold shutdown, Zaporizhzhia NPP remains a Russian radioactive hostage. Ukraine's spy agency seeks for sleeper agents among freed prisoners as Russia tries to brainwash and recruit them. Ukrainian counterintelligence officers analyze every returning prisoner, knowing Russian FSB agents spent months in torture chambers attempting psychological manipulation. One dead, dozens injured as Russian drones target Ukrainian cities. Russian bombs also struck a church, a school, and a hospital in Sumy's Khotin. Russia kills civilians in central Sumy with Tornado-S cluster munitions. "Hypersonic" Kinzhal hits near Mykolaiv (updated). The rush-hour morning strike on Sumy also injured seven civilians, including children. Russian delegates call abducted children issue "show for childless European grandmothers". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Russian negotiators admitted to abducting "several hundred" Ukrainian children during recent peace talks in Istanbul, dismissing international concern over the deportations as a "show for childless European grandmothers" while offering to return only 10 of nearly 400 children on Ukraine's list. Read our earlier daily review here.