Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the overnight Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets. According to him, Ukrainian drones travelled approximately 1,000 kilometres to the St. Petersburg area and struck Russian Navy arsenals and a base in Kronstadt. Drones also travelled about 500 kilometres to Russia’s Krasnodar Territory and attacked an oil depot.
The Ukrainian leader described the operation as the result of joint efforts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate.
“Russia must end its war and stop attacking people’s lives. Any manifestation of injustice against Ukraine will receive a just response,” he said.
On June 4, Zelenskyy proposed in an open letter that Vladimir Putin hold a personal meeting aimed at ending the war in a neutral country, such as Switzerland, Turkey or one of the Arab states, and that Europe be included in the peace process. He said Ukraine was prepared to agree to a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations, an exchange of all prisoners of war on an “all for all” basis, and insisted on the return of civilians and children taken away during the war.
The Ukrainian president also said Kyiv was aware of Russia’s plans to continue the war until 2027–2028 and of intentions to draw Belarus more deeply into the conflict. He warned that if Putin did not personally decide to end the war, Ukraine would continue fighting.
Putin described the letter as rude, said he saw no point in meeting, and addressed Russian servicemen with the appeal: “Keep working, brothers.”
