Russian Bomber Crashes in Siberia Amid Kyiv Monastery Attack

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian bomber plane crashes in Siberia after Moscow launches attack on Kyiv monastery

It comes after a 1,000-year-old building was damaged in an attack on a Kyiv monastery, which Russia has rejected as a ‘crude fake’

A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber plane has crashed in Siberia's Irkutsk region during a training flight, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

The nuclear-capable Tu-22 is a Soviet-era supersonic bomber that Russia has since used for combat missions in Syria and Ukraine.

Unverified footage on social media showed a plane nose-diving into a wooded area near the Angara river, producing a huge column of smoke.

The crew ejected safely and there was no damage to the ground, the Defence Ministry said.

The incident comes hours after president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “deliberately” targeting a historic cathedral, which is also a Unesco world heritage site.

A fire broke out after Russian airstrikes hit the Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv, part of a monastic complex that is protected by Unesco as one of the holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity.

“It has been confirmed that two Russian drones deliberately targeted the part of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located,” he wrote in a post on X on Monday.

Russia has denied the allegation calling it a “crude fake”.

Watch: Historic Kyiv cathedral catches fire after Russian strike

Maira Butt15 June 2026 15:00

Russian and US intelligence agencies in contact over Ukraine, TASS reports

Russia's foreign spy chief Sergei Naryshkin has said that intelligence services from Russia and the United States are in contact over Ukraine, the TASS state news agency reported on Monday.

Maira Butt15 June 2026 14:30

EU adds individuals and entities on Russian sanctions list

The European Union has approved a series of new restrictive measures against individuals and entities that support the Russian war effort, chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a statement on Monday.

A total of 34 individuals and 47 entities related to Russia's military and industrial complex, the shadow fleet of oil and gas tankers as well as others that are related to Russia's political interference activities were added to the list, the EU council said on Monday.

The new restrictions were approved, while a 21st package of wider sanctions is being discussed by EU member states' ministers.

Maira Butt15 June 2026 14:00

Zelensky accuses Russia of 'deliberately' hitting historic cathedral

President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “deliberately” targeting a historic cathedral, which is also a Unesco world heritage site.

“It has been confirmed that two Russian drones deliberately targeted the part of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located,” he wrote in a post on X on Monday.

“As of now, 35 people are reported injured in Kyiv. Across the country, 53 people have been wounded, and 11 people are known to have been killed in this massive Russian attack.”

Maira Butt15 June 2026 13:33

Metropolitan Epifaniy calls out 'anti-Christ' Putin after attack on Kyiv monastery

The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has condemned Russia's attack on a major cathedral in Kyiv, calling Vladimir Putin the "Kremlin Antichrist".

“Due to the Russian shelling that is currently taking place, on the night of 15 June, the roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world – the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – is burning,” Metropolitan Epifaniy said on X, calling the attack “another Russian crime against humanity, against history and against Christianity”.

“What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realize that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace comes to an end?” he asked.

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 12:21

Trump's former Ukraine envoy says Putin's attack on monastery 'makes no sense'

The former US special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has condemned the Russian attack on Kyiv’s monastery and said it is like the bombing of St Paul's Cathedral in 1940 by Nazi Germany.

“This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work,” Kellogg said on X.

He added: “Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none.”

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 11:51

Bridges connecting Russia-occupied Kherson region with Crimea hit by attack

At least two bridges ⁠connecting the Russian-held part of Ukraine's Kherson ⁠region ​with ⁠Crimea were damaged ⁠and traffic suspended ​by ⁠an ‌overnight drone attack by Ukraine, ‌the Russian-installed governor ‌Vladimir Saldo said ⁠on Telegram this morning.

The bridge was one of the few connectivity options for Russian forces to supply their troops with manpower and ammunition. It is not yet clear how badly Russia's military operations in Ukraine's east will be impacted due to the attack.

The illegally-annexed Crimea peninsula has faced a fuel ‌supply crisis after ​intensifying ‌attacks.

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 11:21

Zelensky visits the Kyiv monastery attacked by Russia overnight

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky was accompanied by the Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Ukrainian minister of internal affairs Ihor Klymenko as they visit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv.

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 10:51

Trump tells Putin it is ‘vital’ he end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace in hour-long call

US president Donald Trump told Russian president Vladimir Putin on Sunday that ending the conflict ​in Ukraine was vital and he was ready to help, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri ‌Ushakov said.

Ushakov, who said the two leaders spoke for 55 minutes, also said Trump told Putin that an agreement on ending the conflict in Iran was close.

"As regards the Ukrainian conflict, Donald Trump again emphasised that a cessation ​of hostilities was vital," Ushakov told journalists in comments posted on the Kremlin website.

"He ​said he was ready to act with European partners and Kyiv, including in ⁠talks at the G7 summit," he added, referring to the summit of G7 industrialised countries ​this week in the French resort of Evian.

He also quoted Trump as saying that a rapid ​resolution would allow "perspectives to open for a new quality of US-Russian relations.

Trump tells Putin to end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace

Trump tells Russian leader an end to Ukrainian conflict could herald ‘new quality of US-Russia ties’

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 10:21

Poland scrambles fighter jets in response to Russia's missile and drone attack

Ukraine’s neighbour Poland, a European Union ‌and Nato member, has scrambled its fighter jets and put ground-based air ‌defence systems and radar reconnaissance on a state of readiness, Poland's Armed Forces said in a post on X.

Most of Ukraine's territory was under air raid warnings in the early hours of Monday and Ukrainian drones were being repelled over Russia as both countries continue to exchange strikes.

Just minutes ago, Poland’s armed forces said they have ended the operations.

“Operations of military aviation in our airspace, related to strikes by Russia on Ukraine, have been concluded,” it said on X.

Arpan Rai15 June 2026 10:21