Contents
In this week’s summary:
- In Russia's Kursk Region, Ukrainian forces are attempting to encircle Russian troops defending the town of Tetkino.
- In Ukraine's Sumy Region, Russian troops are expanding their “buffer zone” near the border.
- In the Toretsk sector, Russian forces are threatening to reach the Kleban-Byk Reservoir after eliminating a Ukrainian-held salient.
- In the south Donetsk sector, Russian troops have advanced toward Komar and launched an offensive from Novozlatopil toward Malynivka
- A shake-up in the Ukrainian command has seen Robert «Madyar» Brovdi appointed to head the country’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
- OSINT assessments of Operation Spiderweb estimate based on satellite imagery and video evidence that Ukrainian drones destroyed up to 20 Russian strategic bombers in the celebrated June 1 attack.
- Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone strike on Ukraine — nominally in retaliation for Operation Spiderweb.
- Based on court records, independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported that between 30,000 and 40,000 Russian troops have been declared missing in action (and likely dead) since the start of 2024.
Situation at the front
Ukrainian troops from the 225th Separate Assault Regiment captured a Russian stronghold east of the town of Tetkino in the Glushkovo District of Russia’s Kursk Region. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are attempting to enter Tetkino and encircle the Russian grouping in the town using infantry assault teams supported by UAVs and artillery. Ukrainian forces also aim to bring Russian supply lines under fire control with the use of UAVs and guided bombs.
Across the border in Ukraine’s Sumy Region, Russian forces are expanding their offensive zone using motorized assaults. The Ukrainian open source intelligence (OSINT) project DeepState has confirmed that the AFU has lost control of multiple villages, including Volodymyrivka, Kostiantynivka, Andriivka, and Vodolahy. The Ukrainian channel warns that Russian troops may soon approach Sumy, bringing the city within the range of FPV drones. The situation for Ukrainian forces in the region has reportedly been complicated by poor coordination between units from different agencies. Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers have been so eager to trumpet Moscow’s battlefield gains that the semi-official channel of the “Sever” (lit. “North”) military grouping and prominent pro-war blogger Anatoly Radov both felt compelled to rein them in, writing that “there is no capture of Yunakivka, no capture of Oleksandriya and no entry into Myropillya.”
In the Toretsk sector, DeepState acknowledged that Russian troops had captured both Stara Mykolaivka and Hnativka, effectively eliminating the Ukrainian-held salient between Romanivka and Oleksandropil, west of the town of Toretsk. Russian self-styled “war correspondent” Yuri Kotenok reported (1, 2) that Russian troops have entered the northern outskirts of Toretsk and are advancing toward Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka. He believes that the Russian forces are aiming to approach the Kleban-Byk reservoir from two directions, potentially cutting off the Ukrainian group stationed south of the body of water.
On the southern Donetsk axis, Russian forces have captured Novopil, located west of Velyka Novosilka. They advanced in Bahatyr and areas near Otradne and also broke through to Komar and entered Fedorivka. Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed full control over Fedorivka, releasing a “flag-planting” video as evidence. Russian troops also launched attacks on Malynivka from the direction of Novozlatopil, marking renewed fighting on the boundary between the southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia fronts — a zone that had seen little recent activity.
According to estimates by Ukrainian analytical outlet Oko Hora ✙ News and Analytics (1, 2), Russian forces seized 124 km² of territory between May 26 and June 1, advancing at a rate of about 18 km² per day. The number of combat engagements during that period increased by 5% compared to the previous week.
DeepState reported that, based on data from Ukraine’s General Staff, Russian attacks in May 2025 increased by 19% as compared to April. The average daily number of attacks rose from 154.8 to 183.6. DeepState also noted that Russian forces occupied an additional 449 km² of Ukrainian territory in May — more than double the pace of the previous three months, when their monthly gains did not exceed 200 km².
The AFU saw a significant command reshuffle over the past week. Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi stepped down as commander of the Ground Forces and was appointed Commander of the Joint Forces — a move President Volodymyr Zelensky said would allow Drapatyi to focus “exclusively on combat matters and […] fully dedicate himself to the front line.” Drapatyi remains in charge of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group.
Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of the 414th Strike UAV Brigade (nicknamed “Madyar’s Birds”), was appointed to lead Ukraine’s newly formed Unmanned Systems Forces (USF). Shortly after his appointment, Brovdi outlined a development plan for the USF that prioritizes increased domestic production of munitions, the deployment of robotic logistics systems, and expanded pilot training programs. The Russian pro-war blogger community reacted negatively to Brovdi’s promotion, pointing to his deep expertise in drone warfare and praising the Ukrainian military’s personnel flexibility — highlighting the fact that a former conscript could rise through the ranks based solely on skill and effectiveness, something they said would be unthinkable in the Russian military.
Mutual strikes and sabotage
On June 1, first-person view (FPV) drones struck strategic aviation airbases in four different regions across Russia as part of Operation Spiderweb — a mission executed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep behind enemy lines.
The operation was reportedly in the works for more than a year and a half. The drones were assembled and stored in modular units at a warehouse in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region as part of the preparation phase. Trucks then transported them to various regions across the country. Once on site, the drones were remotely launched directly off the back of the vehicles. According to post-strike imagery and monitoring data, aircraft were hit at four of the five targeted air bases:
- Olenya in the Murmansk Region
- Dyagilevo in the Ryazan Region
- Belaya in the Irkutsk Region
- Ivanovo-Severny in the Ivanovo Region
The attempted strike on Ukrainka air base in the Amur Region in Russia’s Far East appears to have failed.
At least 22 aircraft were confirmed hit — including up to 19 strategic long-range bombers. Of those, at least 12 were either destroyed or seriously damaged. There are also reports of hits on a total of 41 aircraft (the figure named by official Ukrainian sources).
Ukraine’s Air Force reported (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) that between 8:00 p.m. on May 29 and 8:00 p.m. on June 5, it shot down 587 drones — including Iranian-designed Shaheds and other unspecified types — out of 1,376 launched against Ukrainian territory.
Another 494 drones were reported as “radar lost” — meaning they were either neutralized by electronic warfare systems or turned out to be decoys. Ukrainian forces also intercepted 42 out of 57 missiles, with two more listed as “radar lost.”
Russia’s overnight strike on June 1 was the largest drone assault launched by Moscow to date, involving 472 UAVs. Then, on the night of June 6, Russia launched a massive combined drone-and-missile attack, using 407 drones and 45 missiles. Russia’s MoD labeled it as a “strike of retribution” for the damage inflicted on its strategic aviation during Operation Spiderweb. The pro-war military blogger community widely criticized the response as inadequate and unconvincing.
For its part, Russia’s MoD claimed to have downed 529 drones, five missiles of various types, and four JDAM guided bombs over Russian territory and the occupied Crimean peninsula.
According to data put together by volunteers at the independent investigative organization Conflict Intelligence Team (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) between 8:00 p.m. on May 29 and 8:00 p.m. on June 5, at least 59 civilians were killed and another 396 wounded due to strikes on civilian infrastructure on both sides of the front. During the month of May, at least 225 civilians were killed and more than 1,337 injured in such attacks.
Losses
In the first five months of 2025, more than 26,000 court applications were filed in Russia’s district and military garrison courts seeking to have individuals declared dead or missing. According to a report by the independent exiled Russian publication Mediazona, that number already exceeds the total for all of 2024, which stood at 22,600.
Mediazona estimates that by mid-2025, between 30,000 and 40,000 Russian servicemen had been declared missing or dead through court proceedings. Russian propagandist Anastasia Kashevarova previously explained that if a soldier has been listed as missing for several months, there is a 99% chance that he is dead.
Weapons and military vehicles
Ukraine’s allies announced new military aid packages at the 28th Ramstein-format meeting on June 4. The Netherlands committed to providing a minesweeper, unmanned surface vessels, and patrol boats, while Germany reaffirmed its €5 billion in aid, which includes long-range weapons, air defense systems, arms, and ammunition. Belgium committed €1 billion in support through 2029. Norway pledged $700 million for the production of drones, and Sweden announced €440 million for the procurement of ammunition.
Russia bolstered its arsenal with North Korean weaponry, including 60mm and 140mm mortars, as well as 107mm multiple rocket launchers (MLRS). According to the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), since September 2023 North Korea has supplied Russia with over 20,000 containers carrying roughly 9 million artillery shells of various calibers, more than 100 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, 200 units of 170mm self-propelled guns, and 240mm MLRS.
Russia’s mobile air defense teams have also been spotted operating the Chinese-made Silent Hunter laser anti-drone system. China has also reportedly begun supplying Russia with 50-kilometer reels of fiber-optic cable for use with FPV drones. Russia’s fixed-wing “Molniya” drones are now reportedly being used to transport quadcopter-type FPVs behind the front line. The Russian Aerospace Forces have also been observed deploying UMPK-D glide bomb kits with an extended range of up to 95 kilometers.
Ukraine’s navy showcased a patrol boat equipped with a foldable anti-drone grill. Russian frontline troops responded with their own improvised version — a collapsible grill mounted on a Strela-10 air defense system, which, when folded, completely alters the vehicle’s shape. Other field modifications include a tank fitted with a makeshift “perm” of unraveled metal cables and a Pantsir air defense system covered in conveyor belt panels for added protection.