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Ukraine war latest: Moscow launches deadly strikes on Kharkiv as US says it will cut aid to Kyiv

Three people have been killed in Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv as Moscow's forces continue overnight drone attacks. Listen to the first episode of our new podcast The Wargame - about a simulated Russian attack on the UK - as you scroll.

Why you can trust Sky News
Finland summons Russian diplomat over suspected airspace violation

Finland's foreign ministry says it's summoned Russia's top diplomat to Helsinki over a suspected violation of its airspace.

It claims a Russian military aircraft entered its airspace off the coast of Porvoo, in the southern part of the country, yesterday, adding that its border guard was investigating the incident. 

Finland shares an 833-mile (1,340km) border with Russia - the longest of any NATO member. It has accused Moscow of violating its airspace several times this year.

US to cut military aid to Ukraine, Hegseth says

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth says the upcoming defence budget will reduce military aid to Ukraine.

In a marked shift away from US policy under previous president Joe Biden, Hegseth says the Trump administration favours a negotiated settlement over continued military support for Kyiv.

The US has provided around $66bn (拢49bn) in military aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

"It is a reduction in this budget," Hegseth said yesterday. "This administration takes a very different view of that conflict. 

"We believe that a negotiated, peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe."

The announcement comes as Russia continues to launch near-daily drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. 

The strikes launched by Moscow on Monday morning constituted the largest aerial attack faced by Ukraine since the war began, with Kyiv's military reporting 479 drones and 20 missiles were fired by Russia.

Third person dies in Kharkiv from 'deep burns'

A third person has died after overnight Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv, city officials have said.

Posting on Telegram, Oleg Synegubov, head of the wider Kharkiv administration, said a 65-year-old man had died in hospital from "deep, extensive burns".

Ukraine's emergency services said the other two victims were a 66-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman. In all, 60 people were injured, including nine children.

Explosions reported at Russian gunpowder plant during Ukrainian drone attack

A big fire broke out at a gunpowder plant in the Russia's Tambov region overnight, according to Russian Telegram channels.

Residents in the town of Kotovsk, around 300 miles southeast of Moscow, reported hearing multiple explosions as Ukrainian drones struck the region. Videos posted on social media show a big blaze, apparently in the vicinity of the plant.

Reports on Russian state media said the fire was caused by a large-scale drone attack on the region, but didn't mention an attack on the plant.

The plant is one of the biggest industrial facilities in Russia that manufactures ammunition for the army and has been the target of previous drone attacks.

Sky News cannot independently verify reports of the attack on the plant. Ukraine's military has not commented.

For context: Kyiv's forces regularly conduct drone attacks and sabotage acts on Russian territory, targeting military assets, oil refineries and industrial facilities.

On Monday, a Ukrainian drone attack hit a Russian electronics company 800 miles over the border. That followed a larger operation last week called Operation Spider's Web, which targeted Russian jets.

Moscow sends 85-drone barrage towards Ukraine overnight

Russia's overnight attacks across Ukraine included a barrage of 85 drones, 40 of which were shot down, Kyiv's military says.

"The main areas of the air strike are Kharkiv, Donetsk and Odesa regions," the military said on Telegram. 

It said nine drones were lost - a reference to the use of electronic warfare to redirect them.

In pictures: Kharkiv hit by Russian drone attack

Here are scenes in Kharkiv following the drone strike.

According to the city's mayor, the attack began at around 00.30am (10.30pm UK time) and lasted for nine minutes.

Emergency services are still at the site of the attack.

Two killed and dozens injured after Russian drone attack in Kharkiv

Two people have been killed in by an overnight Russian drone strike in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, its mayor has said.

Posting on the Telegram messaging app, Ihor Terekhov said 17 drones were launched at the city during a concentrated, nine-minute attack.

"There are direct hits on multistorey buildings, private homes, playgrounds, enterprises and public transport," he said.

Oleh Sinehubov, the governor of the broader Kharkiv region, said 57 people were injured in the attack, including seven children.

For context: Russia launches near nightly aerial attacks on Ukraine. Last night's strikes follow Moscow's two biggest drone assaults of the war on Ukraine this week, when hundreds of drones were launched.

The Kremlin said the strikes were revenge for Kyiv's attack on Russian airbases last week.

Good morning

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine has again been targeted by Russian overnight aerial attacks, with officials reporting two people have been killed in strikes in Kharkiv.

We'll bring you more on that and all the latest news from the battlefield here in this live blog, so stay tuned.

We're pausing our live coverage

Thanks for joining us, we'll be back soon with the latest updates from the war in Ukraine.

Until then, here's a rundown of what's happened over the last 24 hours:

  • Ukraine was hit with another night of widespread Russian drone and missile attacks;
  • A five-hour assault targeted Kyiv, where one woman died in the capital's northern district, city officials said;
  • At least seven others were killed across the country, including two men in Odesa, local officials said;
  • Volodymyr ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y said Russia's attacks drowned out worldwide efforts for peace;
  • Over in Moscow, the Kremlin revealed it's still in talks with Kyiv over the return of the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia admitted Kyiv won't accept its 'peace memorandum', ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y says

Volodymyr ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y says Ukraine and Russia need "strong mediators" to oversee future peace talks, and suggests the US "don't appear" to be the ones capable of taking on the task.

In an interview with Hungarian outlet  released today, Ukraine's president said Russia was effectively stalling the peace process during the last round of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow on 2 June.

"We want to end the war, but this requires the will of both parties. If the other party is not ready for this, it will always come up with something. 

"They even told our delegation: we know that our memorandum is an ultimatum, and you will not accept it. Thus, the question is not the quality of the Istanbul format, but what to do about the Russians' lies.

"That is why we need strong mediators: so that Russians cannot back out of the agreements reached in the negotiations. 

"The United States does not appear to be a strong mediator at the moment: the Russians told them not to be at the table, and they simply walked away. Why? Because of their soft policy towards Russia."