Latest news with #Kh‑47M2
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine shoots down nearly 500 drones, missiles in Russian record strike, Air Force says
Key developments on June 9: Ukraine shoots down nearly 500 drones, missiles in Russian record strike, Air Force says Ukraine begins new major prisoner exchange with Russia Russia claims offensive in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast aimed at creating 'buffer zone,' Ukraine denies reports of incursion Putin approves new naval strategy as Russia seeks to restore maritime power Ukraine says it hit military aircraft, electronic warfare facility in Russia Ukraine's Air Force said on June 9 that it intercepted a total of 479 Russian drones and missiles during a record-high wave of strikes overnight. According to the official statement, Russia launched 499 weapons, including 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy drones, four Kh‑47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles over the Black Sea, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles, and one Kh‑35 cruise missile from occupied Crimea. Ukraine had reportedly neutralized 479 of the incoming targets, with 292 shot down and 187 jammed or lost via electronic warfare. The main target of the Russian attack was one of Ukraine's airfields, Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television, without specifying the location or the strike's impact on the facility. The spokesperson called the June 9 attack "one of the largest that Russia has launched against Ukraine in recent times" and praised the Ukrainian air defense. "Of course, there are also hits. We won't specify in which locations, but with the number of missiles and drones that Russia is launching, it is impossible to shoot down everything," Ihnat added. Read also: Russia makes a year's worth of NATO ammunition in 3 months, Rutte says Ukraine has begun a large prisoner exchange with Russia as part of a deal reached during recent peace talks in Istanbul, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on June 9. "Ukrainians are coming home from Russian captivity," Zelensky said in a statement. "Today, the exchange began and will continue in several stages over the coming days. Among those being returned now are wounded and severely wounded prisoners, as well as those under 25." The swap marks the first stage of the agreement negotiated at the second round of direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul on June 2. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said the first group of released prisoners includes personnel from Ukraine's Navy, Ground Forces, Air Force, National Guard, Border Guard Service, Territorial Defense, and State Special Transport Service. Among those freed are defenders of Mariupol who had spent more than three years in captivity. All those returned in this stage are enlisted and noncommissioned soldiers, officials said. "Most of those returned were captured in the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022," Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Lubinets said his office monitored the exchange on the ground to ensure respect for human rights under the Geneva Convention and helped freed Ukrainians contact their families. "We warmly welcome all who can now breathe the air of their homeland after years of captivity," Lubinets said. "Our team shares in the joy of the families who received that precious and long-awaited call." The ongoing exchange covers specific categories — soldiers under 25, the severely wounded, and seriously ill prisoners — and Ukraine continues to work to repatriate the bodies of fallen servicemembers, according to the General Staff. Ukrainian officials did not disclose the total number of POWs freed on June 9, citing security reasons. Ahead of the exchange, Zelensky had said Ukraine aimed to bring home 500 prisoners in the June 7-8 swap, which ultimately did not take place as scheduled. June 9 swap comes after Kyiv denied Russian claims that it had delayed the planned June 7-8 exchange. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky had accused Ukraine of postponing the swap indefinitely. Ukrainian officials dismissed this as disinformation. Russian forces are conducting their offensive in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as part of efforts to create a "buffer zone" on Ukrainian territory, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 9, according to Russian state-controlled media. Peskov's comments allude to Russia's claims that the neighboring Ukrainian Donetsk Oblast belongs to Moscow. The claim is based on Russia's proclaimed annexation of the region in September 2022. Kremlin spokesperson comments follow weeks of renewed Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast and President Vladimir Putin's May 22 statement that Moscow is working to establish a "security buffer zone" along Ukraine's borders with Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod oblasts. Ukrainian officials denied Russia's latest claims of progress in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. "As of the morning of June 9, all Russian information, including Peskov's statements, about an offensive in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast does not correspond to reality," said Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation. Operational Command South reported on June 8 that Russian troops are continuing attempts to break into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast but described the situation as "tense" rather than indicating any successful advance. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 8 that its forces had entered Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Ukrainian officials immediately rejected the assertion. Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces, also called the reports false, telling CNN that Russian forces had not advanced from the Pokrovsk or Novopavlivka directions, where the three oblasts of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk converge. Since 2014, Russian aggression has heavily impacted Donetsk Oblast, while Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has remained free from confirmed ground incursions. Ukraine rejected similar Russian claims in May, when officials debunked allegedly fabricated photos purportedly showing Russian troops in the region. Despite this, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has faced frequent Russian missile and drone attacks throughout the full-scale war. The region began mandatory evacuations from four front-line villages in April as a precaution. Read also: Inside Russia, calls for peace come with conditions — and Kremlin talking points Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new naval strategy aimed at fully restoring Russia's position as a leading global maritime power, Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with the Russian state-controlled Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, published on June 9. Patrushev, a former KGB officer, told the Russian newspaper that the new document, titled The Strategy for the Development of the Russian Navy up to 2050, was approved in late May. "Russia's position as one of the world's greatest maritime powers is gradually recovering," Patrushev said. He added that such work requires a long-term vision of future maritime challenges and threats. Patrushev provided no further details on the new naval strategy. Russia currently operates the world's third most powerful navy, according to most public rankings, behind China and the United States. However, the fleet has suffered a string of losses during the war against Ukraine, particularly in the Black Sea. Read also: Exclusive: Russia's ballistic missile production up at least 66% over past year, according to Ukrainian intel figures Ukraine damaged two Russian military aircraft — a MiG-31 and either a Su-30 or Su-34 fighter jet, as well as struck the JSC VNIIR-Progress facility in the Russian city of Cheboksary in the Chuvashia Republic, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on June 9. Ukrainian drone units, in coordination with other units, targeted VNIIR-Progress and ABS Electro in Cheboksary overnight as part of efforts to degrade Russia's capacity to produce air attack systems. The targeted facilities are part of Russia's military-industrial complex and produce adaptive Kometa antennas, used in Shahed-type attack drones, planning and correction modules for guided aerial bombs (KAB), and other precision-guided weapons, the General Staff said. The Ukrainian military confirmed that at least two drones struck the site, causing a large fire. The results of the strike are still being assessed. Ukraine's overnight strike also targeted the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, which the Kremlin uses to launch MiG-31K jets armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, according to the General Staff. The operation was conducted by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in coordination with other units. Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Euronews
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Russia launches 499 drones and missiles at Ukraine in record strike
In yet another massive overnight attack, Russia launched a total of 499 drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday. According to the official statement by Ukraine's Air Defence forces, 479 of them have been downed. In a record wave of strikes, Moscow launched 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy UAVs, four Kh‑47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles and one Kh‑35 cruise missile. Ukraine reportedly neutralised 479 of the incoming targets, shooting down 292 and jamming 187 via electronic warfare. Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command Colonel Yurii Ihnat stated the Russian attack overnight mainly targeted one of Ukraine's operational airfields. Ukraine's Air Force issued aerial alerts throughout the overnight on Monday, warning multiple regions of the threat of ballistic missiles and Shahed-type attack drones. In the evening address on Sunday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also urged Ukrainians to pay attention to air raid warnings in the coming days. He said Kyiv continues to work on strengthening Ukraine's air defence. 'We urgently need positive signals from the United States regarding air defence systems — we are still waiting for a response to our request to purchase systems that can help.' Apart from Kyiv, Russia's latest attacks have specifically targeted western Ukraine. At least one person was reported injured in the city of Rivne in northwestern Ukraine, near the border with Belarus. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Russian aerial attacks in western Ukraine. Thousands of supporters of the French National Rally party (RN) are converging in the village of Mormant-sur-Vernisson on Monday for a rural rally organised by the far-right party, exactly one year after its historic victory in the European elections. The celebration in the village of some 130 inhabitants in the Loiret region, dubbed "Victory Day", is meant to mark last year's record-breaking result for the RN, when the Jordan Bardella-led list won 31.37% of the vote on 9 June 2024. On Monday, more than 5,000 people were to gather amid food trucks and ice cream stands to celebrate the party's European success. In the ensuing French parliamentary elections, however, the far-right party did not achieve the significant victory it had hoped for, notably coming up against the New Popular Front left-wing alliance. The RN won 120 of the 577 seats in the French National Assembly, becoming the largest party in the chamber but failing to secure a majority that would have allowed Jordan Bardella to claim the Matignon premiership. With this meeting, the RN leaders also intend to close the ranks of the Patriots for Europe, one of the three far-right groups in the European Parliament, which currently has 85 of the 720 MEPs sitting in Strasbourg. Le Pen and Bardella invited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a fervent opponent of the European Union whose anti-LGBTQ+ measures and Moscow-friendly stance have been roundly condemned by the EU. "The Brussels bureaucrats [want] submission and decline ... whether it's settling migrants, financing war or sharing the debt", Orbán said in a post on social media the day before the rally, while calling for "occupying Brussels". Other European far-right leaders expected to attend Monday's rally include Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Lega party chief Matteo Salvini, the president of Spain's Vox party Santiago Abascal, and the leaders of parties allied with the RN in the Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, and Belgium. A counter-demonstration is also planned in the neighbouring town of Montargis, which is expected to be attended by French lawmakers Philippe Brun and Chloé Ridel from the Socialist Party, Ian Brossat of the Communist Party, Manon Aubry and Louis Boyard from the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI), as well as trade union leaders. Monday's rally is also intended to demonstrate the unity between Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, three months after a court handed down a five-year ineligibility sentence to the former in connection with the corruption scandal involving European parliamentary assistants. While the polls had her well ahead in the polls for the 2027 presidential election, this sentence - which was accompanied by provisional execution, as requested by the prosecutors - will prevent Le Pen from running for president, unless the decision is overturned by the Court of Appeal hearing, scheduled for the summer of 2026. At the time, the leader of the RN denounced "a political decision" and described the immediate application of her ineligibility as a "violation of the rule of law". The party's president Bardella immediately echoed the criticism, referring to "a democratic scandal" and claiming that "part of the justice system" was trying to"prevent (Le Pen's) accession to the Elysée by any means necessary." While the 30-year-old has continued to show his support for Le Pen since the court ruling, the man who was seen as the RN's "Plan B" for the presidential election is now considered a serious candidate for 2027 by many of the party's supporters - particularly among young people - as well as by parts of the French press. According to a recent Ifop poll, Bardella would get 34% of the presidential vote if he faced Horizons president Édouard Philippe, compared with 36% for Le Pen if the latter were allowed to run. The Elabe personalities ranking for "Les Echos", published on Friday, also gives the RN president "35% positive image among the French as a whole, behind Édouard Philippe (39%) but still ahead of Marine Le Pen (34%)".
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine shoots down nearly 500 drones, missiles in Russian record strike, Air Force says
Ukraine's Air Force said on June 9 that it intercepted a total of 479 Russian drones and missiles during a record-high wave of strikes overnight. According to the official statement, Russia launched 499 weapons, including 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy drones, four Kh‑47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles over the Black Sea, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles, and one Kh‑35 cruise missile from occupied Crimea. Ukraine had reportedly neutralized 479 of the incoming targets, with 292 were shot down, and 187 jammed or lost via electronic warfare. In Kyiv Oblast, air‑raid sirens lasted over ten hours, according to Governor Mykola Kalashnyk. Air defences shot down Russian drones. No civilian casualties were reported. Two houses, a car, and an outbuilding in Boryspil district were reportedly damaged. In Rivne Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Koval described the night as very heavy. One civilian was reportedly injured. The attack, according to Koval, was the largest since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov. Over the day, 498 strikes reportedly struck 14 populated areas. In Kherson Oblast, numerous towns were hit by drones, artillery, and airstrikes. Three apartment blocks, 13 houses, a farm, and vehicles were damaged. Four civilians were injured, the governor said. In Kharkiv Oblast, nine villages were hit. Seven civilians suffered minor injuries, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces reportedly used 22 unguided aviation rockets, 18 guided bombs (KAB), 6 Geran (Shahed) drones, 4 unspecified UAVs, and 1 Molniya drone. Civil damage included houses, a store, a camp, and vehicles. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian defences downed six UAVs at night, Governor Serhii Lysak said. A farm, houses, and vehicles in the region were reportedly hit. In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces launched nearly 90 strikes across 35 settlements, injuring nine civilians, local authorities reported. Shops, a school, homes, and cars were reportedly damaged. Authorities evacuated 21 people. In Cherkasy Oblast, air defences shot down 33 Russian drones overnight. No injuries were reported, but falling debris damaged four houses, a farm outbuilding, and a car in the Cherkasy district. Read also: Ukrainian drones hit Russian electronic warfare facility in Chuvashia Republic, military says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
