Have you missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening. Here is the gist of this Wednesday, June 3, 2026, on the 1,561st day of the conflict.
Fact of the day
A provocation that looks like a snub for Vladimir Putin. This Tuesday, Ukraine chose to target Saint Petersburg, its hometown, on the opening day in the country’s second city of the traditional International Economic Forum bringing together some 20,000 Russian and foreign guests, including Western ones.
The attack, decided the day after a massive Russian raid which left 23 dead in Ukraine, damaged “several” energy and military infrastructures in Saint Petersburg, without causing any casualties. “I think these are fair strikes. They [les Russes] are attacking, there was a massive attack just a day ago. We responded accordingly […]. They must know that if they use drones and missiles against us, we will do the same,” Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Kremlin, for its part, was soberly content to promise “systematic responses”.
Today’s statement
« While Ukraine continues to stand firm, innovate and achieve victories on the battlefield, Russia is growing more and more desperate. »
The observation of Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, during a surprise visit to kyiv this Wednesday.
The number of the day
7. The number of victims in Crimea after the strike of a Ukrainian drone traveling between Moscow and the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, kyiv launched a total of 354 drones during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
The trend
He’s going to have to explain himself. The commander of Tagoran oil tanker from the Russian ghost fleet boarded on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean by the French navy, was placed in police custody on Tuesday, announced the Brest prosecutor. The man, of Russian nationality, faces one year in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros for failure to flag and refusal to comply at sea, as well as confiscation of the vessel. The shipowner, “in the process of being identified,” faces similar penalties, the magistrate said.
Our file on the war in Ukraine
In a statement broadcast on Telegram, the Russian embassy in France said it had demanded “that consular access be immediately granted” to the commander and “that his release takes place as quickly as possible”, describing the proceedings as “accusations unfounded.”
