Key points
- Big picture:Everything you need to know about the war right now
- Escalation in fighting in Kharviv over weekend
- Huge explosion reported in Russian city
- US condemns Vietnam for hosting Putin in Hanoi
- Dominic Waghorn analysis: It's a bad week for Putin - but Kyiv's allies face an uncertain future
- Your questions answered:Are there any signs of an underground resistance in Russia?
- Listen to the Daily above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts
- Live reporting by Mark Wyatt
Russian missile attack knocks out power for 55,000 consumers
A Russian missile attack onUkraine's east-central Poltava region today has left 55,000 people without power, the regional governor has said.
According to preliminary information, there were no fatalities but at least nine people have been injured. Several apartment blocks were also damaged.
Power lines were also hit, leaving private and industrial consumers without electricity.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector have intensified since March, resulting in blackouts in many regions as half of the country's power generating capacity has been knocked out.
A senior Ukrainian energy official has warned that emergency blackouts and scheduled power outages will intensify over the coming weeks as a result.
Shevchenko presents battered Ukraine stadium seats ahead of Euro 2024 clash
Former Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko presented the shell-blasted seats of a Kharkiv stadium to onlookers in Munich on Monday.
The Sonyachny Stadium was purpose-built for the 2012 European Championship but, a decade later, was destroyed by Russian shelling following their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In Munich, where Ukraine's national team take on Romania today, refugees, supporters and members of the public gathered in front of the seats where Shevchenko spoke.
"When I was the coach of the national team, we often came to Kharkiv for training," said the 47-year-old , now president of the Ukraine Football Association.
"We prepared for the Euro 2021 qualifiers at Sonyachny. Learning that the stadium was destroyed felt like finding out your home was ruined.
"Even if football pitches or stands cannot withstand Russian shells, we will never stop standing for our country and telling the world about this ruthless war."
More than 500 sports facilities have been destroyed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including 77 football stadiums.
Sir Rod Stewart shares defiant Ukraine message after Germany incident
Sir Rod Stewart has published a statement in support of Ukraine after the singer was booed in Germany when photos of president Volodymyr Zelenskyy were shown on screens at his concert.
Before performing his 1991 hit Rhythm Of My Heart - which he calls a war song - the Ukrainian flag and images of Mr Zelenskyy were shown on screens, prompting boos, shouts and whistles from the crowd.
"I have supported the Ukrainian people throughout this war," said Stewart today.
"From arranging for members of my family to take supplies to the country, to renting a house in the UK for a Ukrainian family, as well as employing two Ukrainians as part of my touring crew.
"So yes, I do support Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, and I will continue to do so. Putin must be stopped. I’m having the time of my life playing for German audiences, sharing some special memories and I'm looking forward to playing my remaining dates there."
Putin's visit to North Korea confirmed
Russian president Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea tomorrow and Wednesday, the two countries have confirmed.
"At the invitation of the Chairman of State Affairs of theDPRK, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin will pay a friendly statevisit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on June18-19," the Kremlin said.
Mr Putin will then visit Vietnam on 19-20 June.
Russian forces continue push in Pokrovsk direction
The majority of Russia's activity in Ukraine today has been focused in Pokrovsk's direction, according to the Ukrainian military.
The Pokrovsk oblast sits to the north-west of Russian-controlled Donetsk where the majority of recent advances have taken place.
According to the latest operational report of the last 24 hours from the Ukraine military, Russia has continued to intensify its attacks in this region.
In total, there have been 20 reported attacks in the Pokrovsk direction today. Yesterday, there were 40 combat clashes on the Pokrovsk front, which the Ukraine military claims is the highest number since the beginning of June.
Towards Kharviv there is less action, with four combat clashes reported in the Vovchansk district, situated to the north-east of the city.
Russia's advances have so far come at a high cost in terms of casualties, with most available estimates suggesting Russia has lost more than 1000 soldiers per day since 24 May.
Putin's trip to North Korea will bring good results, says Russian spy chief
Vladimir Putin's planned visit to North Korea has been well prepared and will bring good results, says Russia's spy chief Sergei Naryshkin.
The Russian president is expected to travel to Pyongyang tomorrow to meet Kim Jong-un.
Mr Putin has developed closer relations with North Korea since the start of the war in Ukraine.
He hosted Mr Kim in Russia last September, when he is believed to have agreed a deal that saw Moscow receive armaments in return for technological support for North Korea's space programme.
Mr Putin's trip to Pyongyang will be only the second time the Russian president has visited North Korea, with the last taking place in 2000 when Kim Jong Il was the supreme leader.
Mr Naryshkin visited North Korea himself in March in a bid to deepen bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang and discuss broader regional security.
Emergency blackouts will intensify, warns Ukrainian energy official
A senior Ukrainian energy official has warned that emergency blackouts and scheduled power outages will intensify over the coming weeks.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector have intensified since March, resulting in blackouts in many regions as half of the country's power generating capacity has been knocked out.
"Over the next few weeks, the situation will be much tougher than it is today," the head of national grid operatorUkrenergo said in an interview broadcast on state media yesterday.
He said Ukrainians could be without power for up to 12 hours a day and that scheduled outages could also be imposed during peak consumption periods.
Swiss peace talks were futile without Russia, says Kremlin
The Kremlin said today that the results of the Swiss-hosted peace conference on the Ukraine war were "close to zero" thanks to Russia's lack of involvement.
Over 90 countries attended the two-day talks at the behest of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, billed as a peace summit despite Moscow not being invited.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said last week that his country is willing to end the war but only on his terms.
Those include the immediate withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the assurance that Ukraine will give up on its plans to join NATO.
At the Swiss summit, Western powers denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and many rebuffed Mr Putin's proposal.
However, with China not attending the talks and the likes of India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa all refusing to sign the summit communique, Russia said the process had produced negligible results.
"If we talk about the results of this meeting, then they come down close to zero," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"Many countries understood the lack of perspective of any serious discussion without the presence of our country."
Ukraine to receive first batch of drones from Latvia
Latvia has already dispatched the first wave of drones to Ukraine as part of the Drone Capability Coalition.
The UK and Latvia announced they would lead the drone coalition in February, designed to rapidly supply Ukraine with tens of thousands of first person view drones.
Other countries to have joined the group of nations include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Poland, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands.
Latvian defence minister Andris Spruds says the coalition has already received international commitments totalling around €549m (£464m).
"The next step is to use that funding effectively, and we're doing that on several levels," said the defence minister.
"One of the first levels is national procurement. Latvia has already organized a batch of drones, and they have already been sent.
"Now we are already collecting the second batch of drones, which should soon be sent to Ukraine."
First person view drones have proven highly effective on the battlefield since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
They provide Ukrainian operators with situational awareness to target enemy positions, armoured vehicles, and ships with explosive ordnance.
Denmark considering blocking Russian oil route to Baltic Sea
Denmark is considering ways to limit the passage of tankers carrying Russian oil from flowing through the Baltic sea.
Speaking today, the Nordic's country's foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, has brought together a group of allied countries to evaluate the outcomes of the move.
Russia sends about a third of its seaborne oil exports - which equates to around 1.5% of global supply - through the Danish straits.
This passage acts as a gateway to the Baltic Sea, so any attempt to halt supplies would send oil prices higher and hit the Kremlin's finances.
The move could trigger confrontation with Russia, though it's something that Denmark has been preparing for.
Earlier this month, the country raised the threat level for destructive cyberattacks against companies and authorities, saying Russia was showing an increasing willingness to take risks to carry out hybrid attacks.
Its government has also asked citizens to prepare for an attack or other potential crisis by stockpiling supplies of water, food and medicine.
