Newsletter 11/06/2026
Ukraine aims to cut Crimea off from Russia, USF commander says. Tusk warns Polish Sejm of consequences of anti-Ukrainian sentiment. Ukrainian forces release footage of strike on bridge in Armiansk.
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Ukraine aims to cut Crimea off from Russia, USF commander says
Ukraine could soon isolate the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula by taking full control of the key Novorossiya highway, according to Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
According to Brovdi, drone operations over the past month have reduced traffic on the Novorossiya highway – a crucial supply route used by Russian forces to move logistics through occupied southern Ukraine into Crimea – by more than two-thirds. He added that Ukraine expects to establish full control over the road within the next month.
“We will isolate Crimea in the near future,” Brovdi said.
He described strikes on Russian vehicles traveling along the exposed highway as “as easy as shooting partridges in an open field.” One of Ukraine’s strategic objectives, he noted, is to force Moscow to withdraw troops rather than continue advancing.
“We will create conditions that will make it extremely difficult for any military personnel or those working in the defense industry to remain in Crimea, in the temporarily occupied territories, or use the access routes to them,” he said.
He hopes that systematic strikes against Russian military forces, oil infrastructure, and weapons production facilities will inflict losses severe enough to undermine Moscow’s ability and willingness to continue the war. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine has neither targeted nor intends to target civilians or civilian infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories or within Russia itself.
Poland demands full EUR 450M EU refund for weapons supplied to Ukraine
Warsaw is insisting on a full reimbursement of its expenditures – around PLN 2 billion (approximately EUR 450 million) – for weapons supplied to Ukraine, and does not want these funds to be directly redirected to military support for Kyiv.
The dispute within the European Union over the allocation of EUR 6.6 billion, released after Hungary lifted its veto on European Peace Facility (EPF) funds, Ukrinform reports, citing the Polish outlet RMF24.
According to the report, a disagreement has emerged among EU member states regarding how the funds should be distributed.
The Polish side rejects a proposal by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, which foresees a proportional reimbursement of only 10% of expenses to each member state that supported Ukraine with weapons, while suggesting that the remaining funds be used for training Ukrainian troops and for joint procurement of weapons for Ukraine. Germany, however, believes the funds should be directed directly to supporting Kyiv.
Ukraine medium-range strike campaign neutralizes Russia numerical superiority - ISW
The Kremlin continues to view the size of its military as Russia’s main advantage over Ukraine; however, Kyiv’s superiority in tactical drones across the entire theater of operations and its campaign of medium-range strikes have neutralized this advantage.
The Institute’s experts drew attention to an article by the publication “Vazhnye Istorii,” which, citing data on Russia’s federal budget expenditures, reported that in the first quarter of 2026, 71,200 people received one-time enlistment bonuses after signing military service contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, which is 20% fewer than a year earlier.
The publication also noted that 363,900 people signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry in 2025, a 10% decrease from 2024.
Russia is facing increasing difficulties in recruiting new conscripts amid rising casualties and is forced to call up reservists, increase bonuses, and expand covert mobilization efforts to overcome the recruitment shortfall, the report states.
ISW analysts noted that Russia continues to view its troop strength as its main advantage over Ukraine; however, Ukraine’s superiority in tactical drones across the entire theater of operations and its campaign of medium-range strikes have currently neutralized this advantage, inflicting disproportionately high losses in manpower and equipment on Russian forces.
Ukraine intel launches ‘Engineers of Aggression’ section, names first Russian weapons designers
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has launched a new section called “Engineers of Aggression” on the War&Sanctions platform.
Ukrainian startups to present new unmanned systems solutions for military
Nine Ukrainian defense technology companies whose innovations are expected to become critically important on the battlefield within the next six months will complete training under the defense startup accelerator Defense Builder at the end of June.
War
Two bridges damaged in Crimea following drone attack, social media report
Two road bridges in the town of Armiansk in temporarily occupied Crimea were damaged following an overnight drone attack, while a fire reportedly broke out in Sevastopol near a military facility in Striletska Bay.
Ukrainian forces release footage of strike on bridge in Armiansk and nearly 50 Russian supply trucks
Soldiers of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment named after Dmytro Kotsiubailo, the 475th Separate Assault Regiment CODE 9.2, and the Security Service of Ukraine’s Special Operations Center Alpha Group released footage showing a nighttime strike on a bridge in Armiansk and nearly 50 Russian trucks carrying ammunition and fuel.
Russian losses exceed 30,000 troops per month thanks to Ukraine’s USF, Zelensky says
War update: 251 clashes on frontline over past day, heaviest fighting continues on Pokrovsk front
Russian army loses 1,310 troops, two air defense systems in past 24 hours in war against Ukraine
Shellings
Russian strike hits railway depot in Konotop, one Ukrainian rail worker killed, four injured
Russian drones attack border villages in Chernihiv region, civilian woman injured
Russian drone attacks hit Kharkiv, 21 settlements across region, injuring 11
Russian forces strike infrastructure in Konotop, cutting gas supply to part of city
Defense
Over 100 Ukrainian companies training AI models using Brave1 Dataroom data – Defense Ministry
More than 100 Ukrainian companies have gained access to the Brave1 Dataroom platform and are using it to train artificial intelligence models on real-world data, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
Politics
Tusk warns Polish Sejm of consequences of anti-Ukrainian sentiment
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking from the podium of the Sejm on Wednesday, warned against the rise of xenophobic sentiments in Poland toward Ukrainians and people of other origins, including those working in Polish government agencies.
Canada continues support for Ukraine despite Russian threats, defense minister says
Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty commented on a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry condemning recent agreements to manufacture drones for Ukraine on Russian territory.
Zelensky enacts NSDC decision on Ukraine’s Counterterrorism Concept
President Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) approving a new Counterterrorism Concept for Ukraine.
Geopolotics
U.S. launches new strikes against Iran
The United States launched airstrikes against targets in Iran again last night.
“U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” CENTCOM stated.
Economy
PM Svyrydenko on budget amendments: Security and defense spending raised to record UAH 4.4T
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko thanked the Verkhovna Rada for passing amendments to the 2026 state budget, which significantly increase allocations for the security and defense sector.
Society
Zelensky says Ukraine needs high-quality TV series about Kyivan Rus
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes Ukraine lacks a high-quality multi-season television series about Kyivan Rus.
The head of state expressed this view during the presentation of the first results of the government-backed Tysiachovesna (Thousand Springs) initiative, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
Asked which project he would personally submit to the program, Zelensky replied: “I would very much like Ukraine to have such a production, and I would fight for it – [a series] about the Vikings and Kyivan Rus.”
The president specified that it should be a high-quality series spanning several seasons and one that “clearly sets the record straight.”
“We have a rich and fascinating history, and there are plenty of locations where it could be filmed,” he added.
According to Zelensky, such a series could also help answer questions about the origins of the Ukrainian state and counter various propaganda narratives claiming that Ukrainians somehow came to this land from elsewhere.