The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States reported that there have been no deportations of Ukrainian citizens from the US in 2025. As of late May 2025, 24 Ukrainians were being held in US deportation centers with deportation orders issued against them. The actual deportation process has not begun due to organizational and logistical reasons, including the lack of international flights to Ukraine.

New footage was published showing a North Korean 240mm M1991 MLRS system in Ukraine firing its rockets.



Canada will give Ukraine $1.5 billion in military aid. This includes drones, helicopters, and munitions. Mark Carney announced this during his June 17 meeting with Zelenskyy. Canada expanded sanctions against Russia. The new measures target individuals and more than 40 organizations involved in sanctions evasion. More than 200 vessels in Russia's shadow fleet used to export crude oil now face sanctions. Canada will extend a $2 billion loan to Ukraine. The loan is secured by frozen Russian assets held in Western countries.

The new sanctions list includes 44 individuals. Here is a selection of people on the list and why they’re are on the list. Lyudmila Ocheretnaya is Vladimir Putin's ex-wife. Artur Ocheretny is Lyudmila's current husband. Mikhail Shelomov is Putin's nephew. Valery Gergiev is a renowned Russian conductor and vocal supporter of the regime. Tatyana Yumasheva is the daughter of Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin. Valentin Yumashev is her husband. Anatoly Chubais is the former head of Rosnano and one of the architects of the 1990s reforms. Natalia Kasperskaya heads the company InfoWatch. Irina Viner is the former head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team. Karin Kneissl is the former Austrian foreign minister known for her pro-Russian views.

Russia is negotiating with Kazakhstan to increase oil that is transported to China by 2.5 million tons through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline every year. Currently, about 10 million tons are transported through the pipeline, and the maximum capacity is 20 million tons annually. There is no hard deadline for the end of negotiations.

Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight on June 17, using more than 440 drones and 32 missiles. The assault targeted Kyiv and several other regions, including Odesa, Zaporizhzhya, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, and Mykolaiv. Russia targeted Kyiv with 175 drones, 14 cruise missiles, and at least two ballistic missiles. The attack killed 15 people across Ukraine and injured over 100.

Shaheds and decoy drones: 440 launched/239 shot down, 163 lost (91% intercepted)

Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles: 2 launched/1 shot down, 1 lost (100% intercepted)

Kh-101 cruise missiles: 16 launched/15 shot down, 0 lost (94% intercepted)

Caliber cruise missiles: 4 launched/0 shot down, 0 lost (0% intercepted)

Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missiles: 9 launched/8 shot down, 1 lost (100% intercepted)

Kh-31P anti-radar missile: 1 launched/0 shot down, 1 lost (100% intercepted)

Total: 472 launched/262 shot down, 166 lost (91% intercepted

The death toll in Kyiv reached 15 people,e with 139 others injured. In the Solomianskyi district, a Russian ballistic missile destroyed part of an apartment building, penetrating through all nine floors to the basement level. The building collapsed to the height of a two-story structure. Rescue teams recovered five bodies from the rubble and continued searching for survivors. A 62-year-old US citizen died in the attack. The US State Department confirmed the death.

The attack damaged buildings in eight districts of Kyiv. In the Solomianskyi district, a fire broke out in a five-story apartment building. The Darnytskyi district saw damage to a kindergarten and non-residential buildings. Industrial facilities were hit in the Dniprovskyi district. Debris fell in open areas in the Podilskyi district. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted a video of cluster munitions found in the Nyvky neighborhood after the attack.

The Russians damaged 27 locations across Kyiv, including the historic buildings of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The university's Building No. 4, whose construction began in 1898, had its windows shattered. A dormitory of the Kyiv Aviation Institute was also damaged, injuring two students who received medical care and were discharged from the hospital.

A missile made a direct hit on Harchifood's production facility, a Ukrainian freeze-dried food manufacturer that produces snacks, rations, and drinks. The company stated that everything was destroyed. A clothing manufacturer producing uniforms for Ukrainian troops was also damaged.

Ukraine's postal service, Ukrposhta, lost two branches in Kyiv during the attack. CEO Ihor Smilianskyi announced that branches 03124 and 03126 were destroyed. Branch 03124 will resume operations at a new location with all parcels redirected there. Branch 03126 will be temporarily served by branch 03061 while a new location is found.

Russian drone strikes on Odesa killed one person and injured 17 others on June 17. A 60-year-old woman died under rubble while rescuers continued searching for another woman in the debris. Among the injured were a pregnant woman and a 17-year-old girl. One person was hospitalized while others received outpatient care.

The Odesa attack damaged the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University's art and graphics building. Ceiling pieces fell in classrooms, corridors, the assembly hall, and the library. Glass was blown out, and shelves were destroyed. The Nativity of Christ Cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine sustained damage to its windows, walls, icons, and roof when a drone struck a tree 20 meters away and exploded. The explosion destroyed the Sunday school’s windows and doors and moved one wall 5-7 centimeters.

Odesa's infectious diseases hospital, one of the city’s oldest medical institutions, was damaged with more than 100 windows and doors destroyed in 4 buildings. The hospital is an architectural and historical monument. The attack also destroyed residential buildings, a kindergarten, an inclusive center, and garages.

In Zaporizhzhya, the Russians damaged a high-rise building and a dormitory. Over 50 apartment windows were blown out. One person was injured in Kyiv Oblast and one in Chernihiv Oblast.


On the night of June 17-18, Air defense forces neutralized 30 enemy drones, 12 were shot down, 18 were lost/suppressed by electronic warfare.

Destroyed Nova Poshta, in Zaporizhzhia; no employees were injured. It was struck by a Shahed.



Ukraine called for an emergency UN meeting to discuss the recent Russian missile strikes on civilians. UN’s mission to Ukraine has reported that the missile strike on the 17th was the deadliest in a year. At least 14 people were killed and 114 were injured. The UN stated that the last time Ukraine suffered such severe civilian casualties was the strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital on July 8, 2024, when Russia killed 33 and injured another 85. Ukraine reports that at least 3,340 long-range drones and 135 missiles have been fired at Ukraine since the start of June. The June 17th attack was the 4th time this month that Russia used 400 or more munitions against Ukraine in a single night. The UN reported that, by comparison, Russia used 544 long-range munitions in all of June 2024. 

Trump refused to adopt harsher sanctions against Russia during the G7 talks on June 16. Trump said existing sanctions come at a high price for the United States. He repeated this several times during dinner. Macron said that Trump told him that he won’t block the new sanctions being proposed by Republican lawmakers in the Senate. Macron thinks Trump wants Europe to take the lead in orchestrating sanctions against Russia.


Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the G7 summit in Canada on June 17 that Russia ignores every diplomatic effort from Ukraine and its allies. He said that the United States must lead the West in pressuring Vladimir Putin into negotiating a ceasefire.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine needs 37 billion euros in annual budgetary support. 

President Zelenskyy said that the only real change in Russia’s behavior since Trump took office was that they are using more drones.


North Korea will send 1,000 sappers and 5,000 military builders to Russia's Kursk Oblast for demining and reconstruction. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announced this on June 17. Kim Jong Un has approved of this move. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, said on June 9 that there are 11,000 North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast. More are expected to be sent there to do labor.


Russian oil tanker Adalynn caught fire after hitting a tanker named Front Eagle in the Gulf of Oman on June 17. NASA FIRMS fire-detecting satellite systems confirmed fires on both ships. Adalynn was part of Russia's shadow fleet. It transported oil from Ust-Luga port in violation of international sanctions and flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. It is registered to an Indian-owned company. The vessel disabled its automatic identification system so it could not be tracked easily. This is a standard procedure for Russian shadow fleet ships. This, combined with their poor maintenance, makes them a danger to other vessels around them who may not know the ship is in the area.


The European Parliament voted 488 to 137 on June 17 to extend Ukraine's agreement with the European Union that lets Ukraine transport fuel and humanitarian aid. It also allows Ukrainian exports of grain, ore, and steel to the EU. The agreement has been extended until December 31, 2025. New rules require windshield stickers for vehicles. Some clauses allow termination of the agreement if major problems occur. Ukraine's exports increased by two-thirds under the agreement. EU imports increased by 300,000 tons monthly.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said that parliamentary elections this year could bring in a government opposed to providing more aid to Ukraine. He said that the Czech Shell Initiative is crucial for Ukraine and a turning point on the battlefield; Ukraine fires 1 shell for every 2 that Russia can fire. At the start of the war, Ukraine was only able to fire 1 for every 10 that Russia fired. He said that 1.8 million shells of different calibers are expected to be delivered this year, and there is funding for next year, but continued support depends on the elections in October. Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis is currently leading, and he has spoken out against providing military aid to Ukraine and accepting Ukrainian refugees in the past. 

A survey by Gradus Research shows that Ukrainians are tired and stressed, but not defeated. Here are some stats they managed to gather:

87% of respondents reported constant stress

55% experience fatigue

41% experience tension

36% experience hope

59% of Ukrainians are employed with income (compared to 61% last year)

39% unemployment rate among young people aged 18-24 and those nearing retirement age

50% of respondents reported decreased income

58% trust in the Armed Forces

31% trust in the president

29% trust in volunteers

55% plan to stay home even if the situation worsens

11% are ready to leave the country

19% expect the war to end by the end of 2025 (compared to 12% last year)

50% of Ukrainians believe the country will become stronger after the war

35% believe reconstruction will take more than five years

72% of respondents speak Ukrainian at home (compared to 53% at the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022)

60% of Ukrainians are willing to endure the war "as long as necessary" (increased from 54%)

33% of Ukrainians feel happy during the war

28% feel unhappy

On July 9, the European Court of Human Rights will issue a ruling on a case involving Ukraine in the Netherlands vs Russia over the downing of MH17 and human rights issues. The ruling covers 4 complaints/applications. 2 were lodged by Ukraine in 2014 and are about patterns of human rights abuses in eastern Ukraine, the use of pro-Russian separatists, and the illegal abduction and transfer of children to Russia. A third complaint about human rights issues filed by Ukraine will also be covered; this application was filed in 2022. The 4th application was filed by the Netherlands in 2020 and revolved around the downing of MH17.


Spotify founder Daniel Ek has invested €600 million in German Defense startup Helsing, a company producing drones for Ukraine. Helsing was founded in 2021 is a low cost military company focused on using AI, integrated with drones, and recently has delivered 6000 drones to Ukraine and has several contracts with European countries including Germany and Sweden.


Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has approved the use of the Shablia Mk19 remote controlled turret for use by the Ukrainian military. It fires 40mm grenades, is fully automatic, and can be mounted on vehicles and ground based drones.


Previously, we reported that Ukrainian drones attacked the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant in Stavropol Krai, Russia, on June 14. The facility produces components for explosives and artillery shells. Now we know that the factory has suspended operations after the strike. The attack damaged doors, windows, one workshop, the cafeteria roof, and the plant's anti-drone protection system.

The Nevinnomyssk Azot plant produces up to one million tons of ammonia and more than one million tons of ammonium nitrate annually. The facility synthesizes melamine, acetic acid, methanol, and potassium nitrate, used in improvised explosive devices and rocket propellants. In 2024, the plant began production of water-soluble fertilizers for “military chemical applications.”

Quote of the Day:

“I don't think there is another animal on the planet that evokes so much emotion as a hedgehog. We're lucky to be working at a site in Cape Town, South Africa, where the hedgehogs use a hunting strategy, will actually jump out of the water. …we've fallen deeply in love with them and do everything we can to conserve them.”

- David Attenborough