Breaking: Ukraine War Live Ticker +++ 19:04 Merz on SPD Manifesto: Going All-In on Unity in the Federal Government
SPD Manifesto Emphasis: Unity in Federal Government Pledged by Merz
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz responded cautiously to the demands of high-profile SPD politicians for a change in foreign policy direction. He refrained from directly commenting on the called manifesto but underscored the overall assessment of the government: "We are fully united in the federal government in our appraisal of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine and in the actions that are required from it," stated Merz. "I'm all-in on this unity to continue," he added.
18:36 St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv Damaged in Russian AttacksThe famed St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv has sustained damage in Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The cathedral was slightly damaged during the attacks overnight Monday, as reported by an AFP journalist in Kyiv. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a part of the facade "cracked due to the shockwave" of an explosion. The Orthodox cathedral with its white walls is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site and was built in the 11th century. The cathedral's management has not yet provided clarity on whether the shockwave causing the damage originated from a Russian drone or Ukrainian air defense. Overnight Monday, Russia bombarded Ukraine with 315 drones and seven missiles, resulting in the death of three people in Kyiv and southern Odessa.
17:58 Münz: SPD Paper Plays Right into the Kremlin's HandsIn a purported manifesto, notable SPD politicians argue for talks with Russia. Still, the Kremlin only accepts dialogue under certain conditions, per ntv reporter Rainer Münz. Lately, the speaker of the State Duma sent a signal with a letter to Julia Klöckner.
Politics Moscow Sees Itself Vindicated Münz: "SPD Paper Plays Right into the Kremlin's Hands" 17:32 Russian Oppositionist Shlosberg Ordered House Arrest for Discrediting the MilitaryA Russian court has sentenced opposition politician Lev Shlosberg to two months of house arrest for insulting the military. The judges in Pskov followed the prosecution's request. The court service of the border region with Estonia published a picture of Shlosberg standing in a court cage during the hearing. The authorities have already labeled Shlosberg as a "foreign agent" - a label with negative connotations from the Soviet era that makes life difficult for those affected. If found guilty, he faces up to five years in prison. The 61-year-old was arrested on Tuesday. He is charged with discrediting the Russian army and has referred to the attack on Ukraine as a "deadly game of chess."
The federal government strongly condemned Shlosberg's arrest. "We note that Russia is deliberately creating an environment of fear and isolation, specifically for critical voices," said a spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. "Every voice that advocates for a more democratic and free Russia is being silenced," he added. "We are closely observing this development with great concern," he stated.
17:00 Kremlin Banks on No Quick Normalization of Relations with the USADespite several phone calls between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin does not anticipate a swift normalization of relations with the USA. "There are numerous obstacles in the bilateral relationship, and it is unlikely we can hope for quick results," says Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow to journalists in Moscow. The ongoing work will persist nonetheless. Since Trump assumed office, Washington and Moscow have grown closer. Trump has held multiple conversations with his Russian counterpart, and in turn, Putin has repeatedly met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Russia.
16:45 Stegner: "What's So Wrong About Advocating for Peace?"A position paper by more than 100 SPD-affiliated individuals calls for a change in Germany's approach to Russia and other security policy issues. The "manifesto" has also stirred up widespread criticism within its ranks. Co-author of the document, SPD politician Ralf Stegner, is surprised by the uproar.
Politics Stegner Defends SPD Paper "What's So Wrong About Advocating for Peace?" 16:33 Navalny Associate Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison in AbsentiaA Moscow court has sentenced Navalny associate Leonid Volkov in absentia to 18 years in prison. He is also ordered to pay a fine of two million rubles (approximately 22,000 euros), according to Russian agencies. He was convicted of over 40 criminal offenses, including organizing and financing an extremist community, terrorist justification, and spreading false information about the Russian army. The verdict is still pending. Volkov has left Russia. In his Telegram channel, the oppositionist politician expressed that the sentence matches the prosecutor's demand, but the fine is lower. "They also handed down ten years of internet ban, as requested," he wrote and added defiantly: "And I'm still using it... Damn it. What do I do now?" The state-owned Russian news agency TASS reported that he was banned from managing pages for six years.
16:05 Russia Attacks Strategically Significant Offshore Oil RigAerial surveillance footage captures the destruction of the disputed offshore oil rig Tavrida in the Black Sea by a Russian cruise missile. While Russia attempts to seize control of the area, the situation remains tense. Both sides are escalating their military activities.
Panorama Offshore Oil Rig Strike Filmed at Sea Russia Attacks Strategically Significant Offshore Oil Rig 15:27 Pistorius: SPD Manifesto "Denies Reality"Defense Minister Boris Pistorius firmly dismisses the demands of prominent SPD politicians for a change in Germany's Russia policy. "This paper denies reality. It exploits the desire of people in our country for an end to the terrible war in Ukraine. For peace," Pistorius said with conviction. Pistorius made it clear that he shares the desire for peace. However, Putin brushes off proposals for an unconditional ceasefire from Ukraine and instead escalates his attacks on Ukrainian cities with increased brutality.
15:00 Mützenich Defends SPD's Peace Manifesto, Sought Exit Pathways in Perilous TimesFormer SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich has defended the so-called manifesto on foreign policy, which he and several other prominent SPD politicians have co-signed. "Even our considerations cannot answer all questions, but we are seeking ways out in perilous times," Mützenich told "Der Spiegel". "At heart, we require a combination of defense capabilities and incentives for conflict mitigation and coexistence." Mützenich, in addition to Bundestag member Ralf Stegner and former party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, signed the manifesto. The group of Social Democrats is calling for a fundamental shift in the federal government's foreign and security policy.
Politics 14:30 Russian Duma Speaker Continues Criticism of Kloeckner, Favors Improved Russia-Germany RelationsRussian parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin continues his dispute with Bundestag president Julia Kloeckner of the CDU, all the while advocating for improved relations between Russia and Germany. "We know that there are many people in the FRG who genuinely wish to develop ties with Russia," Volodin wrote. Russia is ready for this. The Russian State Duma published his open letter to Kloeckner on their official website. "We have taken not a single step against Germany's interests," Volodin stated. "And where is your government heading? Toward more conflicts?"
Politics 14:03 Ukrainian Security Service Arrests FSB Agent in LvivThe Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has arrested an FSB agent who was coordinating Russian attacks on military airfields in the Lviv region. The state news agency Ukrinform reports. The detained individual is a 57-year-old unemployed man from the region. He was recruited by the Russian FSB via Telegram channels. The primary task of the agent was to locate military airfields in western Ukraine so that he could gather information for the Russian military.
13:37 Russian Gunpowder Factory in Tambov Shuts Down After Drone StrikeThe Russian gunpowder factory in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast, shutdown operations following a drone strike that severely damaged the facility. The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kowalenko, announced this through his Telegram channel. "This is not the first attack on the powder factory," Kowalenko wrote. "Operations have been discontinued." According to him, this is one of the largest ammunition sources for the Russian army.
13:06 Deadly Strike on Kharkiv: Zelensky Demands Increased Action and New Measures Against RussiaFollowing a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv that resulted in at least three deaths and over 60 injuries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging the international community to take immediate action and impose new sanctions against Russia. "Russia deserves increased pressure, and every strike against daily life shows that the current pressure is inadequate," Zelensky states through Telegram. "Everyone who's called for an end to the killings and diplomacy must act."
12:32 Ukraine Receives Over 1,000 Russian Soldier BodiesAfter days of negotiations regarding the return of the remains of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the conflict, Kyiv has now received the initial batch of bodies from Russia. 1,212 bodies were delivered, the office for the affairs of prisoners of war in Kyiv announced. The soldiers perished in battles in the Russian border region of Kursk and the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. During negotiations in Turkey, the return of the remains of more than 6,000 soldiers - from Russia to Ukraine - was agreed upon. It remains unclear whether Russia will also receive the remains of its own soldiers killed in Ukraine.
12:00 Moscow: Russian Troops West of Ukrainian Region Donetsk Reach Their GoalAccording to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian troops have reached the west of the Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Infantry units are continuing to advance, along with a tank division, and are pushing their offensive against the neighboring region of Dnipropetrovsk. The Kremlin has declared its aim to establish a buffer zone in Dnipropetrovsk. The region is not part of the five Ukrainian territories that Russia claims as its own territory: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, as well as the Crimean Peninsula. Russia's claims remain unverified.
11:48 Polish Authorities Arrest Suspected Russian SpyPolish law enforcement agencies have apprehended a man suspected of acting as a Russian spy. The newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda" reports, citing the Polish prosecutor's office, that the 28-year-old Polish citizen is alleged to have provided information to the Russian intelligence service that has the potential to threaten Poland's national security. The arrest took place on June 4. Investigators claim that the man obtained and transmitted secret information about Poland's critical defense infrastructure to Russia between February 28, 2024, and April 30, 2025. His actions were motivated by pro-Russian sentiments. He faces a potential life sentence if convicted and is currently in custody.
11:28 Greens Bashes SPD's "Manifest" as a "Fantasyland"The Greens have roundly criticized the call for a policy change by prominent SPD politicians in foreign and security affairs. The demand for an end to escalation and a rapprochement with Russia is "regrettably a fantasy," said deputy faction leader Agnieszka Brugger, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The "manifesto" was mainly drafted by "habitual suspects," who "left the SPD empty-handed in the post-distribution," she said. "Once again, the same individuals are ignoring the brutal reality in Ukraine and the clear attempts by the Kremlin to sabotage the Istanbul talks," Brugger emphasized. The Green MP called on the SPD's party and faction leadership to distance themselves from the paper clearly.
11:12 Slovakia Rejects New EU Sanctions Package Against RussiaSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has rejected the proposed new EU sanctions against Russia in their present form. "Slovakia will not support the upcoming 18th sanctions package against Russia if the European Commission does not present a real solution to the crisis situation that Slovakia is facing due to the complete cessation of gas, oil, and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia," Fico wrote on Facebook. The European Commission presented a draft for the sanctions package yesterday, focusing on Russia's energy revenues, the banking sector, and the defense industry. The package must be unanimously adopted by the 27 EU member states.
10:57 Ukrainian Intelligence Revelations: "Pavutina" Operation Promises More SurprisesThe Ukrainian Security Service (SSU) has disclosed details of the "Pavutina" operation, a massive attack involving over 117 drones targeting strategically important Russian air force targets and objects about a month ago. Four air bases were attacked thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The SSU reports that the operation caused an estimated $7 billion in damage. "The SSU strikes and will continue to hit the enemy where he least expects it! We are working on new surprises that will be no less painful than the Pavutina operation," said SSU Chief, Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk.
10:24 Stegner Deems "Manifest" a Necessary Opener for Foreign Policy Discussion
SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner desires the "Manifesto" he co-authored to spark a conversation about an alternative foreign policy course. In the current discourse, there's discussion of "investing more in armaments" at "astronomical costs" up to 5% of the gross domestic product. Stegner spoke of a global "arms race." However, this cannot be the future. "The SPD, the party of peace, should discuss and already is doing so," Stegner said. The "Manifesto" is therefore "a contribution to the discussion." While Germany must certainly increase its defense and NATO capabilities, "we cannot watch idly as more and more wars happen."
09:31 German Imports from Russia since Ukraine War Reduced by Almost 96%Germany imported goods worth $1.8 billion from Russia last year, a reduction of 94.8% compared to the year preceding the Ukraine war. Prior to the Ukraine war, imports from Russia amounted to $33.1 billion, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. Exports to Russia were also significantly diminished by 71.6%. Last year, Germany exported goods valued at $7.6 billion to Russia, compared to $26.6 billion before the war began. As a result, Russia's share of Germany's entire imports dropped to 0.1% in 2022, down from 2.8% before the war began.
09:03 Kyiv: Russia has Sustained Over 999,000 Casualties since Commencement of WarRussia's personnel losses are still high, as per official Ukrainian figures. In the past 24 hours, 1,120 Russian soldiers have been killed or incapacitated, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, a total of 999,200 Russian soldiers have been "neutralized," the ministry stated. Enemy tanks lost eight more (10,927 in total). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has accounted for nearly 22,800 armored vehicles and around 40,000 drones that are no longer under Russian military control or have been destroyed. These figures cannot be independently verified, as Moscow remains tight-lipped about its own casualties in Ukraine.
08:24 Ukrainian Air Defense Weakens 49 Russian Drones OvernightUkrainian air defense forces brought down 49 of the 85 drones launched by Russia overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force informed about this development through Telegram. At around 10 p.m. local time, Russian forces launched 85 unmanned combat aircraft, chiefly Shahed drones and various decoy drones from locations such as Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Achtarsk, and temporarily held territories like Chuda and Chvardijsk on the Crimea. The main target of the attack was the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Odessa.
08:04 Russian Ambassador: Bilateral Talks with USA in MoscowNegotiations on improving strained relations between Russia and the USA will continue in Moscow, according to Russian reports. "I can confirm that the next round of negotiations between the delegations will take place very soon in Moscow," said the new Russian Ambassador to the USA, Alexander Dartschiew, according to the official news agency Tass. Previously, representatives from both sides held discussions in Istanbul. Dartschiew added that an improvement in Russian-American relations is still a distant aspiration.
07:21 Ukraine and Russia Trade Second Wave of POWsAbout a week after the ceasefire talks in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged POWs once more. Russian Defense Ministry officials report that, in accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian accords of June 2nd in Istanbul, "the second group of Russian soldiers has returned." No additional information, such as the number of soldiers or the location of the exchange, has been made available by either side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that "our wounded and severely injured warriors have returned from Russian captivity today." The exchange, which started yesterday, will continue.
06:46 Explosions and Fire at Russian Gunpowder Factory in TambovA huge fire erupted at a gunpowder factory in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast, last night. The newspaper "Kyiv Independent" reports this based on several Russian Telegram channels. Residents reported hearing several explosions during a Ukrainian drone attack on the region. Videos posted on social media allegedly show a massive fire near the factory. At present, there's no information available about the scope of the damage. The Russian state media outlet Tass claims that a drone attack on the oblast was repelled, but they did not mention an attack on the factory. Regional Governor Maxim Yegorov reports no casualties in the attack.
06:25 German General Gerhartz Assumes Command of NATO Eastern flankGerman Air Force General Ingo Gerhartz will head the operational protection of NATO's eastern flank in the coming years. Gerhartz, most recently the Inspector of the Air Force in Germany, will lead the NATO headquarters responsible for this in the Dutch Brunssum (Allied Joint Force Command) starting at noon. Gerhartz will supervise military operations along nearly 3900 kilometers of the border with Russia and Belarus. Running from Norway, Finland, and the Baltics through Estonia and Poland to Hungary, this stretch is home to approximately 800 soldiers from 30 of the 32 NATO member countries. In case of emergency, around one million soldiers would be led from there.
05:52 Mayor: 54 Injured in Attack on KharkivThe count of victims from the devastating Russian drone attacks on Kharkiv is rising: 54 people were wounded, including eight children. Two people were killed in the attacks. According to Terechov, the drones hit residential areas, residential buildings, shops, playgrounds, and a bus depot in addition to residential houses. The full extent of the damage is still unknown.
03:40 Slovakia Threatens Veto Against EU SanctionsSlovakia threatens to veto the planned new EU sanctions against Russia with its veto. Prime Minister Robert Fico writes on Facebook: "The Slovak Republic will not support the upcoming 18th sanctions package against the Russian Federation if the European Commission does not offer a real solution for the crisis situation that Slovakia finds itself in due to the complete cessation of gas, oil, and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia." The EU and NATO country Slovakia, which shares a border with Ukraine, is one of the countries in Europe that depends on Russian raw material supplies more than others. So far, Slovakia has consented to all sanctions measures because it received an exemption from the EU regulations. However, this exemption is set to expire with the planned new sanctions package.
01:47 Kharkiv Suffers Massive Russian Drone Attacks: At Least Two DeadAt least two people have been killed in a massive Russian drone attack on Kharkiv overnight. The Mayor of the eastern Ukrainian city, Ihor Terechow, reports this on Telegram. There are over 37 injured, including five children. In 17 attacks, the drones targeted various private residences, according to Terechow. A five-story building contains over 15 apartments that are engulfed in fire, and at another location, people may be trapped under rubble.
00:51 Opposition Politician Arrested for Advocating for a CeasefireIn Russia, one of the few opposing politicians remains under arrest. Lev Shlosberg, one of the last leading opposition politicians in Russia, has been detained, according to his party. He is charged with discrediting the army following a video debate that took place in January, during which he advocated for an early ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict. Shlosberg maintains that he did not publish the video on a social network and has contested his arrest.
- In the midst of the Ukraine crisis, politics are at play as a group of SPD (Social Democratic Party) politicians advocate for talks with Russia, a move that could potentially play into the hands of the Kremlin, according to ntv reporter Rainer Münz.
- In the federal government's appraisal of the war in Ukraine, there is consensus on employing strict policies towards Russia, with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirming that the government remains united on this matter, stating, "We are fully united in the federal government in our appraisal of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine and in the actions that are required from it."
