Russia’s Vladimir Putin held phone calls with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian in the afternoon of June 13, condemning Israel’s overnight attacks on military, nuclear and other targets in Iran, and offering his mediation services to the two arch-enemies. In sync with the Kremlin, Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s strikes as “unacceptable,” while Putin’s deputy in the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev invoked the threat of a nuclear war in his reaction to the attacks. Of the pro-Kremlin Russian commentators whose views on the attacks RM staff managed to find, most criticized Israel, while some worried about the possible disintegration of Iran, which supplies most of the attack drones used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.
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Live updates at Al Jazeera regarding Israel-Iran strikes
Finally, Russia Today ran a controversial story this week headlined, “Ukraine’s shame: Why Kiev refuses to take back its dead and wounded.” I don’t usually cite RT, but the basic facts were confirmed in oleaginous articles from AP and Reuters. Ukraine is making a potentially fatal mistake— but it may have very few options.
Under Ukrainian law, each family of a soldier killed in action is entitled to 15 million Ukrainian hryvnias (about $360,000). In the second-round of Istanbul talks two weeks ago, Ukraine and Russia agreed to swap their war dead. Now, refrigerated Russian semis with 6,000 frozen Ukrainian soldiers sit idling on the border, with Kiev refusing their receipt.
The inglorious motive, which Zelensky adamantly denied, appears clear to everyone else. Accepting this single shipment would instantly obligate Ukraine to pay over $2 billion to grieving Ukrainian families. For context, $2 billion is about 10% of Ukraine’s entire 2025 defense budget.
Kiev’s excuse — that it hasn’t yet confirmed the identities of the soldiers, and doesn’t want to be “tricked” — is laughably absurd. Who exactly do they think Russia is trying to return? Russian soldiers? Are they worried Putin snuck a few Wagner guys in for the ride?
Even more ridiculous: what’s the harm in accepting the bodies of your own fallen comrades and then verifying their identities after? That’s how every other nation on Earth handles the fog of war. If, by some miracle of depravity, Russia did try to sneak in fake corpses, it would be a PR bonanza for Ukraine. Zelensky could’ve dragged the remains into the UN chamber and shamed the Kremlin before the world.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for corporate media to ask any of these questions.
Ukraine’s stinginess is bad enough, but the 6,000 dead are telling another story, too. Recently, Zelensky claimed that Ukraine has lost only 43,000 KIA since the start of the war. Russia identified this initial batch of 6,000 as the first shipment just from one operation— Kiev’s ill-fated foray into the Kursk salient.
If they are Ukrainian war dead, which seems almost certain, it finally puts the lie to an outrageous claim about bottom-barrel numbers of Ukrainian KIAs long suspected to be a Pinocchio-level fib. More Ukrainian lies.
Kiev’s ugly foot-dragging on taking back its own war dead could conceivably cost it the war. Ukrainian soldiers — especially new conscripts — are watching. Many already suspect their government is minimizing casualty reports and sending them into meat grinders with little transparency. If they now believe their own state won’t even bring their bodies home, or worse, is intentionally stalling to dodge benefits owed to their families?
Not too good for military morale. “Why die for a country that won’t even admit I’m dead?”
Ukrainians on the home front —mothers, widows, and siblings — already feel the absence of official clarity. What happens if they begin to believe that trucks of their own sons are sitting at the border while the government offers bureaucratic excuses and financial foot-dragging? Public grief could quickly curdle into public rage.
For Russia, this is a propaganda jackpot. They get to crow, “We’re returning the dead with dignity. Ukraine doesn’t even want them back.”
Meanwhile, in the West, taxpayers funding Ukraine wonder why billions are being sent to a regime that refuses to bury its own dead. Even a brief delay constitutes a moral failure that crosses civilizational boundaries and vexes all historical precedent.
Zelensky has survived this long on a purely moral narrative: that Ukraine is the underdog, the noble defender, the modern Sparta holding the line for civilization. But this ugly episode —thousands of fallen soldiers rotting in refrigerated limbo while Kiev dithers— punctures that PR spin like an overfilled balloon. But what can Kiev do? If it takes the 6,000, then its budget will be blasted into smithereens. No money for graft. And if it takes this 6,000, what will it do when the next 6,000 show up?
Russia is watching Kiev’s every move like a starving grizzly eying a fattened deer. Zelensky’s dithering in the headlights shows cowardice and weakness, and reveals right where the pressure point lies.
It’s not a logistical crisis. It’s not even a brief PR crisis. It’s a narrative death spiral with no way out. Critical decisions must be made soon— but what to do?
Strana.UA, Translated by Geoffrey Roberts, 5/22/25
Ukrainian military and volunteers are increasingly talking about the multiplying number of Russian combat UAVs on the front line, as well as increasingly intense attacks on the rear, which are destroying the logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“Strana” talked to UAF soldiers and found out what is currently happening at the front in terms of the use of drones. According to them, the Russians have a particular advantage in fibre-optic-controlled drones.
“Meat assaults”, says Sergeant K. of a UAF drone platoon, “when the Russians threw themselves into frontal attacks on our positions without drone support, still occur sometimes, but less and less often. Now the assaults usually begin differently. First, the Russians launch reconnaissance drones. Our positions are then attacked with FABs and artillery. Then the Russians immediately send FPV strike drones into the air, which destroy anything still moving after the shelling. They have more and more strike drones on fibre optics, which are not hindered by anti-drone measures. Only then do they throw in assault groups of 4-5 soldiers on motorcycles and quad bikes or simply on foot, whose task is to get to our strongholds and clear the positions. At the same time, if a year ago we had a clear advantage in UAVs, now the Russians have at least parity, and in some areas a very significant advantage. What is especially alarming is that the range of strikes is increasing. Drones are already striking at distances of tens of kilometres, destroying our logistics wholesale.”
Ukrainian military also report that the Russians have launched a hunt for the crews of Ukrainian UAVs – for the pilots’ mobile command posts.
“Our drone pilots are a priority target for Russian UAVs”, said a junior sergeant with the call sign V, who is fighting in the Kupyansk direction. “Most of the frontline drones operate in the near rear. The Russians identify command posts with their reconnaissance drones and then strike them with FABs, artillery or attack drones. Hence our pilots’ hunting time has decreased sharply compared to a year ago. Now the Russians quickly identify starting locations. Our drone teams rely on speed and accuracy, as staying at the starting location for a long time is mortally dangerous. We also hunt Russian UAV crews, but we are inferior to the RF in terms of firepower. We very carefully inspect downed Russian UAVs. Among them are fewer and fewer civilian Chinese “Mavics”, and more and more new models that are not assembled on the spot. These drones are clearly factory-made. And although the insides of the drones – the boards – are still mainly Chinese, the housings, the load-bearing of the planes, are Russian”.
It is noteworthy that Ukrainian military are claiming the Russians have begun to use massive drone attacks more often. In addition, the Russian army has managed to increase the range of its electronic warfare.
Tactics for using “Shaheds” are also changing, said aid officer N, serving in the Ukrainian Air Defence Forces:
“Now their UAVs attack in swarms. Before the attack, ten to fifteen “Shaheds” make several circles distant from the target – at great distance and at an altitude of up to 4000 metres – outside the zone of destruction of our air defence. Then the “Shaheds” attack the targets, diving from a great height. At the same time, they are clearly controlled remotely, which indicates the UAVs are equipped with electronic warfare-protected communication systems. Because of these new tactics, the effectiveness of our air defence in eliminating enemy UAVs is sharply reduced”.
Yesterday, a military publication reported that Russia is increasingly using autonomous kamikaze drones, which can now strike at a distance of up to 100 km, whereas until recently they could only strike at 30 km.
Israel announced a “preemptive” strike in Iran on Friday and declared a state of emergency in anticipation of possible retaliation.
Multiple loud explosions were reported in Tehran, along with missile interceptions.
The IDF said it targeted both military and nuclear sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz was among the targets.
News organizations reported last month that Israel had discussed potential strikes on Iranian nuclear sites with the United States.
The attack comes after five rounds of U.S.-Iranian talks on Iran’s nuclear program failed to produce a breakthrough. The sixth round of negotiations is scheduled for Sunday in Oman.
13 June 202502:00 GMT Iranian news agency Tasnim has reported that the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami has been killed in an Israeli strike. According to unconfirmed reports, other victims include Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Gholam Ali Rashid.
01:49 GMT Iranian state media have reported civilian casualties in the capital.
1:43 GMT Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF has struck the nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz.He added that the strikes, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, will “continue for as many days as it takes to remove the threat” from Iran.
01:22 GMT US Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement saying that the United States is not involved in Israel’s “unilateral action against Iran.”
01:16 GMT Dozens of aircraft participated in the “opening strike,” hitting “dozens of military targets, including nuclear sites in various regions of Iran,” the IDF said.
01:08 GMT The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had “begun preemptive and precise strikes targeting the Iranian nuclear program in order to prevent the Iranian regime’s ability to build a nuclear bomb in the immediate timeframe.”“Over the past few months, intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” IDF spokesman Effie Defrin said.
01:00 GMT Videos from the scene show destruction in residential areas. Unconfirmed reports on Iran-linked Telegram channels claimed that the apartment complexes housed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
00:52 GMT Unverified reports on social media show thick clouds of smoke billowing over Tehran. Iranian media have confirmed that loud explosions and air raid sirens were heard in the capital.
Ukraine’s stinginess is bad enough, but the 6,000 dead are telling another story, too. Recently, Zelensky claimed that Ukraine has lost only 43,000 KIA since the start of the war. Russia identified this initial batch of 6,000 as the first shipment just from one operation— Kiev’s ill-fated foray into the Kursk salient.