Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- A strike on Wednesday evening has shut off power supplied to the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine
- The IAEA says no increased radiation has been detected
- Ukraine has struck an oil refinery in Krasnodar, sparking a fire and injuring at least three people, Russia says
- Ahead of an EU summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has again pledged his country’s support to Ukraine’s defense against Russia
Below is a round-up of the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine on Thursday, June 11, 2026:
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Skip next section Germany’s Merz pledges continued support for Ukraine06/11/2026June 11, 2026
Germany’s Merz pledges continued support for Ukraine
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has told the German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, that his government will continue supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
Merz said the goal of Germany and Europe’s support for Kyiv is a “just and lasting peace that also takes our security interests into account.”
The German leader added that Berlin would continue to back Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”
Merz also said that Germany was “strengthening NATO’s eastern flank” to counter Russia’s “obvious readiness to escalate,” while also remaining engaged in diplomacy to reach a negotiated settlement.
“A sustainable peace can only be achieved through negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, the US and Europe — there is no other way,” he said.
Ukraine, which “belongs in Europe and would one day be part of the European Union,” is defending both its own freedom and that of the whole of the continent, Merz said.
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During his speech, the center-right politician also attacked the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for its alleged support for Russia, after some AfD lawmakers visited Russia in recent weeks.
The AfD has long opposed Germany and Europe’s staunch backing of Ukraine, calling for an end to weapons deliveries and the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
“You laugh about it, about the fate of millions of people in this country, and travel to Moscow for your champagne receptions. Bon voyage,” Merz said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FBxFSkip next section Ukrainian drone strike sparks fire at large Russian oil refinery06/11/2026June 11, 2026
Ukrainian drone strike sparks fire at large Russian oil refinery
Ukraine hit a major oil refinery in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar overnight, local officials said Thursday.
The drone attack, the latest Ukrainian strike targeting Russian energy sites, sparked a fire that has since been extinguished.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted the refinery at Afipsky, which is located some 400 kilometers (around 250 miles) from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv says it targets Russian energy facilities as part of its attempts to disrupt Russian fuel supplies and dent Moscow’s ability to finance its war effort.
No injuries were reported at the refinery, but Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said at least three people were injured by falling drone debris that landed on residential buildings in the region.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FBeHSkip next section WATCH: Ukraine strikes hit fuel supplies and economy in Crimea06/11/2026June 11, 2026
WATCH: Ukraine strikes hit fuel supplies and economy in Crimea
Nita Blake-Persen
Ukrainian forces are increasing their assaults on energy infrastructure in Crimea. Russia annexed the peninsula illegally in 2014 and has been using it as a base to launch attacks and supply troops in southern Ukraine.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5FBZhSkip next section Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant cut off from all off-site power: IAEA06/11/2026June 11, 2026
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant cut off from all off-site power: IAEA
An overnight strike has cut off power supplies to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied southeastern Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Thursday.
In a statement, the IAEA said no radioactive release was detected and that radiation levels were normal.
The UN’s atomic energy agency said the nuclear plant — the largest in Europe — was relying on backup diesel generators to “power the cooling of its six shut-down reactors and maintain other essential nuclear safety functions.”
“The latest loss of off-site power once again highlights the extreme fragility of the electrical grid and the constant dangers to nuclear safety during the war,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.
It was not clear which country was responsible for the strike on Wednesday evening, which hit an electrical substation that powers the plant.
This was the 19th time the plant has been cut off since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian forces occupied the area around the plant shortly afterwards.
Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of risking a nuclear disaster with strikes in the plant’s vicinity.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5FBZFSkip next section Welcome to our coverage06/11/2026June 11, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Karl Sexton | Wesley Rahn Editor
Thank you for joining us as we bring you the latest developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, the largest of its kind in Europe, has again had its power supplies cut off after a strike hit the area on Wednesday evening.
While no radiation leak has been detected, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says the incident highlights the “constant dangers to nuclear safety” posed by the war, which is in its fifth year.
Ukraine has continued its recent trend of striking energy targets inside Russia, hitting an oil refinery in the southern city of Krasnodar.
Stay tuned as we bring you the details on those incidents and plenty more.
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