The major prisoner exchange agreed at the Istanbul peace talks has officially begun, with Kyiv and Moscow exchanging captured fighters and civilians in a phased process after negotiations aimed at returning combatants home.

From political resentment to outright hostility, the article explores how Russian attitudes toward Ukraine and Ukrainians have evolved into a form of deep‑seated animosity shaped by war, state narratives and social psychology.

In the aftermath of Russia’s massive June 6 attack on Kyiv, city officials reported that 18 people wounded in the assault remain in hospital as emergency services continue treatments and care.

In a significant air combat milestone, Ukraine’s Air Force reportedly used an F‑16 to shoot down a Russian Su‑35 fighter jet over the Kursk region, marking a potential first air‑to‑air victory for Kyiv’s Western‑supplied fighters.

Ukraine’s monumental “Black Cloud” — a 7‑ton, 30 m wide art installation first shown in Kyiv’s Sophia Square — was taken to the Burning Man festival in Nevada to warn of looming global threats and war realities.

On June 9, Russia launched almost 500 drones and missiles in the largest overnight assault of the war, Ukraine shot down hundreds and began a major POW swap agreed in Istanbul peace talks.