British, French, and German ambassadors to Russia urged direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv during a rare meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The three envoys, representing the so-called E3 group of Ukraine's staunchest allies, conveyed the key conclusions of a recent summit in London with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a joint statement, the countries expressed support for Zelenskyy's call for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
E3 Ambassadors Meet Russian Officials
European ambassadors have rarely held talks with Russian officials since the war began, though they have frequently been summoned by the ministry. Moscow accused the envoys of pursuing a "destructive" policy on Ukraine, claiming they sought to "continue the war against Russia on behalf of and at the expense of" European nations. Several Western European countries, including France, have floated the idea of restarting dialogue with Moscow to end the conflict. US-led peace talks have stalled and been overshadowed by the Iran war, while Russia has previously preferred to negotiate with the Trump administration, excluding European involvement.
Ukraine's Drone Campaign Cripples Russian Supply Lines
Ukrainian forces have intensified drone strikes along what has been dubbed the "highway of death" — the R-280 route linking Rostov-on-Don in Russia to Melitopol, Mariupol, and Crimea via the Sea of Azov coastline. According to Ukrainian drone operators, dozens of trucks and tankers have been destroyed as part of the "middle strike campaign." Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's drone forces, reported a 71% drop in military cargo traffic along the highway over the past two weeks.
Chonhar Bridge Attack Halts Traffic
Traffic was suspended this week on the Chonhar Bridge, a key section connecting Russian-occupied Kherson province to Crimea, after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes. Footage released by the Ukrainian army appears to show drone attacks on the bridge and trucks. Ukrainian commander Dmytro Filatov told media on Thursday that the bridge had sustained "critical" damage, halting all traffic. Kyiv's forces also struck the town of Armiansk, located on the narrow isthmus that provides the only overland link between Crimea and the mainland, destroying trucks carrying fuel and ammunition.
Fuel Crisis Grips Crimea
Fuel stations on the Russian-held Crimean peninsula ran out of petrol on Thursday, Reuters witnesses reported. In Sevastopol, the largest city on the peninsula, most local petrol stations had no fuel despite rationing. In the resort town of Yevpatoriya, a long queue formed outside the single working petrol station. The Russian-backed Sevastopol governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said trucks had been unable to bring fuel into the city after recent Ukrainian strikes on supply routes, delaying plans to distribute rationed petrol. Fuel supplies to Crimea by road, rail, and sea barge have all been disrupted by Ukrainian drone attacks.
Ukrainian Strikes in Southern Russia
The Ukrainians also struck in southern Russia, causing damage including a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery. The governor of neighboring Adygea also reported damage. In response to the fuel crisis, the Russian government is attempting to create a forecasting system to deal with shortages. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak called for its establishment after a cabinet meeting on Thursday. Shortages in around a dozen regions of Russia have been reported in the news and on social media, according to Reuters, though only Crimea and two regions of Siberia have officially confirmed them.
Casualties and Attacks
Two people were killed and another two injured in Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine as a result of shelling, acting regional governor Yegor Kovalchuk said late on Thursday. A Russian drone attack on a railway depot in the town of Konotop in Ukraine's northern Sumy region killed a railway worker, the chief executive of Ukraine's state railway said on Thursday. Another four workers were injured in the attack, according to Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi. Despite the intensification of Russian attacks on infrastructure, the rail operator said it had increased Ukrainian grain shipments for export by 8% since the start of June.
Russia's Oil Exports and Sanctions
Russia's seaborne oil product exports fell by 0.2% on a daily basis in May from April. Russia's southern ports have been hit by drone attacks, but it has increased exports from Baltic terminals. Despite sanctions, Russian producers have been able to partly capitalize on the increase in oil prices caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran — though Ukraine has been attacking Russian "shadow fleet" tankers while Kyiv's allies have been intercepting them at sea.
