Secretary Rubio clarifies US stance on Russia, Ukraine conflict
In a recent statement from Manama, Bahrain, Secretary Rubio addressed the U.S.’s position regarding alleged agreements with Russia about the ongoing Ukraine conflict. He clarified that discussions have only led to a proposal rather than a formalized agreement, reinforcing the U.S.’s commitment to playing a constructive part in resolving the war. Rubio emphasized the extensive toll the conflict has taken, particularly on Russian forces, underscoring its severe impact.
As intense fighting persists between the two nations, Ukraine mounted a significant nighttime offensive targeting a dozen Russian regions, Crimea under Russian control, and adjacent waters. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, cited by The Associated Press, this operation appears to be one of Ukraine’s largest drone attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion years ago.
The ministry disclosed that an impressive 660 Ukrainian drones were intercepted by the country’s air defenses. This exceeds the previous record for such an assault, which occurred on May 17, when 556 drones were deployed.
In a statement, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were successfully neutralized as they targeted the Russian capital, according to the same report.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was seen gesturing during a meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister at the G7 summit sidelines in Evian, eastern France, on June 16, 2026. (Isabel Infantes / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
The AP reported that Ukraine’s air force indicated that the nation’s defenses stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight, though four out of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles breached air defenses and hit various places.
But even as the years-long war between the two countries drags on, the bitter enemies engaged in a prisoner swap, according to the AP, which reported that officials said 160 individuals from each side were going home on Friday.
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videolink in Moscow on June 25, 2026. (Pavel Byrkin / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted in a Friday post on X, “We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 servicemembers were released from captivity. All of them had been held captive since 2022.”
“Among those released today are servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, National Guard warriors, and border guards. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy sectors,” he continued.
Trucks are engulfed by smoke from a fire at a parking lot in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on June 25, 2026. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“I thank our entire team, which works every day to bring our people back. Special gratitude to all our units on the frontline who replenish Ukraine’s ‘exchange fund’ and, through their courage, make it possible for us to bring people home. We remember everyone who remains in captivity. We are checking every name. We must bring everyone back – both military personnel and civilians,” Zelenskyy added.