Overview

• Negotiations in Istanbul yielded the third phase of a prisoner swap, returning seriously wounded and ill troops to both sides.
• Russian drone attacks on Kharkiv injured 14 civilians overnight, continuing a recent surge in strikes on populated areas.
• Human rights groups report that many repatriated Russian soldiers were immediately redeployed to front-line units, raising concerns under the Geneva Conventions.
• Ukrainian military sources recorded 168 clashes on June 12, with the heaviest fighting in Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka.
• Both armies are expanding unmanned capabilities as Ukraine integrates AI-guided drones and Russia establishes a new division dedicated to drone operations.