A Ukrainian drone attack on Sunday resulted in one fatality and left 13 others injured in Russia’s Tatarstan region, according to local authorities. Regional Governor Rustam Minnikhanov reported that the drone was neutralized, but falling debris caused a fire and impacted a vehicle manufacturing plant in the Yelabuga district, situated approximately 750 miles from the conflict’s frontlines. In a related statement, Russia’s defense ministry announced the successful downing of six Ukrainian drones throughout the night.
Ukraine, meanwhile, faced a barrage of 183 drones and decoys, alongside 11 missiles, launched by Russia overnight. The Ukrainian air force claimed its defense systems managed to destroy 111 drones and eight missiles, with an additional 48 drones effectively jammed. While officials from Ukraine’s Poltava region reported damage to energy and agricultural infrastructure due to the attacks, they confirmed that there were no human casualties.
In the context of ongoing military operations, Russia’s Defense Ministry asserted on Sunday that its forces had seized another village, Malynivka, in the Donetsk region as part of a renewed offensive along the eastern and northeastern sections of the 600-mile frontline. However, the Ukrainian military has yet to comment on this Russian assertion.
This spike in hostilities occurred shortly after a lengthy phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. During the conversation, President Trump reportedly urged President Putin to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In additional developments, Russia has begun to repatriate the bodies of its fallen soldiers, adhering to an agreement made during recent peace talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian representatives. Russian officials stated that, as of Sunday, Ukraine had not returned any bodies to Russia. Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed in a statement that Russia had returned 1,200 bodies.
This exchange of prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers represents the only concrete outcome from the peace negotiations held on June 2 in Istanbul. The initial round of these staggered exchanges occurred on the Monday following the talks.