What did 4 June 2025 follow in Ukraine's war?
A look back at the 4 June 2025 context: a drone operation inside Russia, a record attack, a command resignation request and talks in Istanbul.
What had the first days of June 2025 brought, as 4 June 2025 arrived? A dense run of military and diplomatic events, packed into barely four days.
On 1 June, Ukraine said at least 40 Russian warplanes, including several strategic bombers, had been destroyed or damaged by drone attacks on four air bases in Russia. The operation, known as Spiderweb, was later described as a covert Security Service of Ukraine action that used drones concealed in and launched from trucks on Russian territory, and as targeting five air bases.
The same day, Russia launched what was reported as its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war: 472 drones and seven ballistic missiles. A Russian missile strike on a training camp in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed twelve Ukrainian servicemembers and injured 60. The commander of the Ground Forces, Mykhailo Drapatyi, submitted a resignation request after the incident.
On 2 June, Russia and Ukraine held further negotiations in Istanbul. Officials confirmed an agreement on a prisoner of war exchange covering all sick and severely wounded prisoners, along with those younger than 25. The two sides also exchanged ceasefire proposals.
