Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1247: Ukraine’s mysterious black stealth drone strikes Russia for second time since 2024

Exclusive

Ukraine's black stealth drone just flew deep into Russia—again. Ukraine has a jet-propelled stealth attack drone. We've just spotted the mysterious UAV for the second time since 2024.

Explained: why Ukraine nuked its own anti-corruption agencies. It took ten years to build them. It took one hour in parliament to bring them down.

Military

From Finnish forests to Ukraine's frontline: Volunteer Tapani joins International Legion to protect Europe's future from war. Tapani left his quiet life to fight in Kharkiv, warning the war could reach Europe within five years. Ukraine hits Sochi — oil depot burns, flights grounded in Russia's top Black Sea resort. A Ukrainian drone strike hit a Lukoil fuel depot near Sochi, igniting a fire and halting air traffic across Russia's southern resort hub. Last of Ukrainian defenders behind legendary "Russian warship, go f*ck yourself" phrase, returns from captivity. Vitalii Hyrenko was released after three years in a Russian prison. 21-year-old Ukrainian adopted by Italian family dies fighting Russia. A Ukrainian man who spent nearly a decade in an Italian adoptive family has been killed fighting Russian forces after traveling to Ukraine to find his brother.

Intelligence and technology

Russia tests new UMPB-5 guided bomb on Kharkiv civilians day after Ukraine's ceasefire proposal. Moscow unleashed a 250-kg bomb after ceasefire talks. Ukraine to get 5 Patriots and 220,000 Gepard shells. Is that enough to stop Russian drone swarms?. Ukraine's interceptors are scarce and expensive. Russia's drones are cheap and relentless. China secretly supplies Russia with drone engines disguised as refrigeration equipment. To bypass Western sanctions, Chinese companies are funneling critical drone engines to Russia under the guise of industrial cooling units. Meanwhile, civilian death rate is increasing month by month in Ukraine. Estonia says Russia is moving electronic warfare systems closer to NATO borders. Russian military forces have positioned additional electronic warfare systems within 20 kilometers of Estonia's border, Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro said, as Moscow expands GPS jamming operations across the Baltic region. India helps Russia to increase Ukrainian civilian death rate with octogen explosives exports worth $1,5 million. Octogen exports from Telangana-based Ideal Detonators empower Russia's arsenal, as Ukraine suffers record casualties during the last months. Ukraine rolls out domestic RPG-7 simulators to train soldiers for tank-killing precision. Troops now train with realistic laser-guided systems that mimic combat against armored targets. As Putin vows summer escalation, Berlin says Kyiv will soon gain secret tools to "affect Russian territory". Kyiv to receive undisclosed systems from Germany capable of reaching Russian targets, as Moscow ramps up civilian terror. US approves sale of two military aid packages to Ukraine worth $ 322 mn. Ukraine secured approval to buy $172 million in HAWK Phase III missile system components and $150 million in Bradley infantry fighting vehicle support through two separate Pentagon-announced packages.

International

EU praises Kyiv's response to anti-corruption law rallies but underscores need for reforms to keep integration hopes alive. In the wake of nationwide protests, Brussels embraces Ukraine's commitment to address the issue, while demanding transparency in reforms. EU had a secret plan to bypass Orbán. Zelenskyy blew it up instead.. Brussels had quietly crafted an extraordinary workaround to Hungary's obstruction before Ukraine imploded its own chances. EU Officials demand Ukraine explain controversial anti-corruption law weakening NABU, SAPO. European Parliament members raised concerns over Ukraine's adoption of the controversial anti-corruption law and warned that the legislation threatens both EU financial assistance and the country's accession prospects, with one deputy calling it "a clear breach of trust." Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for the third time—and agreed on one thing: swapping POWs. The latest round of closed-door talks in Türkiye lasted under an hour and focused on returning captured soldiers and civilians.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia doesn't want peace, says Zelenskyy after Moscow ruins iconic Odesa market, despite peace proposition in Turkiye. The historic Pryvoz, once alive with jokes and bargaining, is torn by Russian drones, as Putin answers diplomacy with terror. Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna suffered neck injuries, fractures in Russian captivity – new autopsy. Ukraine discovered new evidence of torture in the death of journalist Victoria Roshchyna, with a recent forensic examination revealing neck trauma and bone fractures not identified in previous reports. Russia uses thirst as tool of genocide against civilians in occupied Donetsk, says expert. Civilians survive up to 72 hours without water as Russian forces build military hubs atop the ruins of Ukrainian infrastructure. Russia's warplanes just bombed central Kharkiv—a baby is among the wounded. Two Russian glide bombs hit Kharkiv, injuring 33 people — including a baby, a 10-year-old girl, and a teenage boy with head wounds. Russia bombs Odesa's UNESCO district, injures child with cluster missiles in Cherkasy. Russia launched 103 drones and four missiles overnight, hitting Odesa's historic center and striking Cherkasy with cluster munitions that injured seven, including a child.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies approve Zelenskyy's new bill to restore their independence amid mass protests. NABU and SAPO say the president's urgent legislation fully reinstates their power, signaling a possible end to the weeklong crisis over Ukraine's reform path. Russian-run EasyStaff funnels €50 million through Lithuania, dodging SWIFT sanctions. On paper, it's a freelancing service. Zelenskyy backs new anti-corruption bill amid protests and a Russian spy scandal. As public pressure mounted, Zelenskyy reversed course on a law critics say undermined Ukraine's anti-corruption system. Read our earlier daily review here.