11:06 Russian progress towards Kharkiv comes to a halt

11:06 Russians halt their progress towards Kharkiv.

Russian ground forces have halted their advance towards Kharkiv, as announced by the Ukrainian General Staff via Telegram. Their message states, "The enemy didn't conduct aggressive operations near Kharkiv. Our troops are now focusing on strengthening their positions, replenishing supplies, conducting reconnaissance, and keeping a close eye on the enemy's movements."

At 10:47 a.m., an air alert was declared in the eastern half of Ukraine. A Russian missile was reportedly launched towards Kyiv according to the online media outlet, Ukrajinska Pravda.

The Ukrainian Navy reported on Saturday the sinking of a minesweeper from the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The Ukrainian Navy shared a post on Facebook with an image of the damaged "Kovrovets," a minesweeper from the "Project 266M" class which had been in service since 1974.

During the night, a Russian minesweeper from the "Project 266M" class was reportedly sunk by the Ukrainian navy. The navy shared the news on their Facebook page, with a picture of the destroyed boat.

The Ukrainian drones that hit a refinery in southern Russia on Saturday were "larger and carried heavier loads," according to Russian sources. The drones were "much larger and loaded with highly destructive elements in the form of steel balls," the head of the Krasnodar region's refinery said, as reported by the Russian state news agency Tass. After crashing, the plant reportedly ceased operations, with officials assessing the damage. 57 Ukrainian drones were allegedly shot down in Krasnodar, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The city of Chasiv Yar remains the focal point of the latest wave of attacks, with the Ukrainian law on mobilization requiring men physically fit for military service to report. Bombings are now being carried out not only by combat drones, but also by missiles and glide bombs.

In an article about Russia's rising use of glide bombs, the BBC explains that it is difficult for Ukraine to shoot them down. According to Justin Bronk from the Royal United Services Institute: "All available air defence ammunition would be used up too quickly." The only way to shoot down the planes that launch these glide bombs is to move one of Ukraine's Patriot systems near the front. This could lead to the loss of those systems.

Glide bombs are low-cost, self-propelled bombs that can be fired from a distance, putting the aircraft using them in little danger. They're easy to produce and have a powerful explosive effect. Expert Mariia Zolkina told the BBC, "They enable Russia to bypass Ukrainian defensive lines without using infantry."

On Saturday, Ukraine reported shooting down 37 Iranian-type Shahed drones in a significant Russian air attack. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia attacked regions including Kyiv, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Zhytomy, Cherkasy and Kherson, with all Shahed drones being destroyed by air defence.

Russia is taking advantage of Ukraine's weakened state on multiple fronts. Though Washington has agreed to provide military aid, many Ukrainian frontline units' ammunition reserves are depleted and it is difficult to recruit new soldiers.

Russia claims to have intercepted nine US ATACMS missiles over the occupied Crimea between night and morning. The Ministry of Defence in Moscow also reports shooting down an enemy drone there. Additionally, 57 other drones were allegedly shot down over the Krasnodar region on the Russian-Ukrainian border. These claims cannot be independently verified.

1210 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed or injured, according to a daily count by the Ukrainian army. Total Russian losses in the conflict now stand at 492,290 soldiers. Additionally, 16 enemy tanks and 35 armored vehicles were allegedly destroyed.

6:34 AM: Russia intensifies its push to take control of Chassiv Yar

The invasion forces of Russia have stepped up their attempts to capture the key city of Chassiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region, according to an analysis by the think tank Institute for the Study of War. Along with this, they aim to force Ukraine to withdraw its troops from Chasiv Yar's surrounding areas, as part of a new offensive in Kharkiv. Russian troops continue to advance in Kharkiv as well.

ISW mentions a recent statement by former Russian president and deputy head of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev suggested that the planned "buffer zone" in Ukraine should encompass the entire country. This, according to ISW, indicates that Russia's supposed "buffer zone" is nothing more than a front for its long-desired desire to dominate Ukraine.

6:09 AM: Drone triggers a fire at a refinery in southern Russia

In the city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani in Southern Russia, an unidentified drone has crashed onto the site of an oil refinery, as per the authorities in the Krasnodar region. Although there was a localized fire, there were no casualties or damage, they added. Lately, Ukraine has been targeting refineries in Russia.

5:40 AM: Danone leaves Russia after 30 Years

The French dairy giant Danone has completed the sale of its Russian business to a businessman close to Chechnya. As per Ukrinform, a Ukrainian news agency, Danone's Russian business has been sold to businessman Mintimer Mingasov, who is the owner of the dairy company, Vamin Tatarstan. Reportedly, Vamin Tatarstan paid 17.7 billion roubles (180 million euros) to take over Danone's Russian operations. Estimated values could be as high as 80 billion roubles. Danone's Russian subsidiary's new leader, a Kadyrov relative named Yakub Zakriyev, was appointed in July last year.

4:37 AM: Explosions reported at Crimea's Sevastopol

Reports of explosions have emerged from the Russian-controlled Crimean peninsula during the night. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, announced on Telegram that air defenses had successfully thwarted a missile attack. However, no damage to civilian infrastructure was reported, as per the Sevastopol rescue service.

3:33 AM: Ukraine faces a series of massive drone attacks

Russia is once again launching countless drone attacks against Ukraine during the night. Targeted areas include Kiev, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, and Odessa. According to the Ukrainian air force, explosions are heard in various locations. An air raid alert had previously been issued in most parts of the country. There is currently no information about the degree of damage or the number of casualties.

2:20 AM: Civilians targeted in the Kharkiv region

Civilian casualties are reported in two towns in the northern Kharkiv region of Ukraine, the authorities claim. The Ukrainian public prosecutor's office is investigating a Russian airstrike on a residential area in the regional capital of Kharkiv as a potential war crime. Six civilians, including three young people, were injured. Moscow consistently maintains that it does not deliberately target civilians. Since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of people have lost their lives and sustained injuries.

1:04 AM: Germany plans to significantly increase support for Ukraine

The German government intends to provide Ukraine with significantly more military aid this year. The Federal Ministry of Defense has now announced an additional requirement of 3.8 billion euros for military assistance, as reported by the "Bild am Sonntag" newspaper. So far, they have dedicated 7.1 billion euros to military support in Ukraine this year. This extraordinary expenditure will be presented to Parliament for approval in June. The Finance Ministry has already indicated its support.

12:19 AM: Ukrainian General Staff reports 77 battles in 24 hours

The Ukrainian General Staff counts 77 combat operations over the course of 24 hours. Seven of these incidents continue to take place. The Ukrainian army has launched attacks to push the Russians out of captured positions.

11:00 PM: A brave Ukrainian aviator dies during combat mission

Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk, a recipient of the "Order of Valor" for outstanding bravery in the face of the enemy, died during a recent combat mission, the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade announced on Facebook. He was the Chief of Staff of the brigade and a deputy commander of an aviation squadron that Vasyliuk served in. Unfortunately, no other details of his death have been made public, and the Ukrainian Air Force has not yet commented on his passing.

9:57 PM Putin in Cannes: Polish Filmmaker Shows Biopic with AI

A Polish director, Patryk Vega, has unveiled a biography film about Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, at the Cannes Film Festival. The surprising addition? The film includes Putin himself, as a deep fake generated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The film ends with Putin's death, which the filmmaker intended to be a joyful ending. With a wide grin on his face, he admitted it was a joke when he called Putin and asked him to participate, knowing he wouldn't be available.

Due to the poor quality of the footage, Vega didn't use real footage of Putin, but instead, he created a facial likeness of Putin using AI. He stated that AI needs around 20,000 high-resolution images to work. Instead, Vega created a new technology using AI to create a facial replica of a realistic actor who shares Putin's height. "It's the first movie to use this technology," he shared. The outcome is astounding, featuring Putin in various poses, interacting at extravagant desks, playing the piano, and even wetting his pants in his hospital bed.

5:35 PM Foreign Minister Wu: Taiwan's Fate Linked to Ukraine's Fate

In a recent interview with the Kyiv Independent, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu echoed his sentiments on the potential repercussions of Russia's aggression against Ukraine on Taiwan. Wu noted that Russia's tactic in Ukraine could be imitated by China towards Taiwan. Concerned by the potential that Ukraine's defeat could lead to Taiwan being the next battleground, Wu emphasized that the fate of Taiwan is directly linked to the outcome of the Ukraine conflict. If Russia triumphs in Ukraine, all parties involved believe that China could seek "unification" of Mainland China and Taiwan by force.

The previous developments can be found here.