At 16:17, an attempt was made to occupy a former consulate in Leipzig. Russia says it will file a complaint.
Russian consulate occupation causes complaint
Recently, Russian officials condemned an incident at their former consulate in Leipzig, Germany. Apparently, six individuals trespassed the premises on Thursday, displayed anti-Russian banners, and declared their intention to occupy the property. During the incident, two Russian embassy employees were present and notified the authorities, who promptly detained the intruders. Russia plans to file a complaint against Germany over the matter, demanding that the culprits face legal consequences.
15:42 Umbach: "Russian losses continue to escalate"
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine reveals a persistent sore point for Russian forces. Despite their military dominance, security expert Frank Umbach implies that Russia is working against a looming deadline. Additionally, he highlights the often overlooked fact that their struggles aren't publicly acknowledged in the Western media.
15:13 Minister Schulze inaugurates Ukraine's largest prosthesis center
Germany's Development Minister Svenja Schulze recently attended the inauguration of the country's largest facility for producing prosthetic devices in Ukraine. The Lviv-based center, funded by the German government to the tune of 1.8 million euros, is part of an orthopedic facility that also offers training for specialists and is adjacent to a rehabilitation center. At the ceremony, Schulze stated, "This is a place of hope, a place of strength."
14:48 Zelensky verifies Russian offensive in Kharkiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a Russian military offensive targeting the Kharkiv region. The Russian army launched the operation, which the Kyiv Independent reported, and is being met with resistance from Ukraine's own security forces.
14:09 Ukrainian troops scout Bachmut area for targets behind enemy lines
Although Russia controls Bachmut, Ukraine's military continues to battle for the town. If they were to win, the enemy might be able to advance further inland. Reconnaissance units, constantly watching for openings and vulnerable enemy forces, are on the prowl.
13:47 Russian forces advance one kilometer in the Kharkiv region
Reports claim that Russian forces have made minor gains in the Kharkiv oblast of Ukraine, advancing by one kilometer near Vovchansk. A high-ranking Ukrainian military source cited by Reuters says that Moscow aims to advance a total of ten kilometers into the region, creating a buffer zone. The Ukrainian armed forces are trying to halt the Russian advance.
13:28 Civilians evacuate Vovchansk amidst precarious situation
The threat of a Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv oblast of Ukraine is yet to be fully resolved. Despite Ukrainian assurances that they are protecting their border, residents are leaving the city of Vovchansk and the surrounding areas due to intensified Russian shelling. The Guardian, citing an interview with Tamaz Gambarashvili, head of the local military administration, reports that evacuations are ongoing, with civilians utilizing private vehicles and organized transport.
13:11 Lange examines military parade: "Putin's image doesn't reflect his true strength"
Military parades in Moscow traditionally showcase an impressive array of armored vehicles and military technology. However, this year's parade saw a noticeable decrease in such displays. Defense expert Nico Lange provides insight into the images seen, emphasizing that Putin's portrayal in the media shouldn't be overestimated.
12:42 Ukraine mobilizes reinforcements to Kharkiv
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense reported their deployment of additional military resources to the frontier areas of Kharkiv to support troops there. The ministry's announcement mentions that Russian troops had previously attempted to cross the border in the early hours using armored vehicles. While they were repelled, the fighting continues "with varying intensity."
12:31 Governor: Russian troops attempt breakthrough in Kharkiv
Governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Synehubov, declared that Russian forces had attempted a breakthrough on the border. Amid escalating shelling near the city of Vovchansk, he accused Russia of "provocation" and assured the public that Ukrainian troops held their ground, refraining from any territorial loss.
Despite the current situation, it's uncertain how the conflict will unfold in the near future.
12:13: A woman dies in Russia's shelling of Sumy Oblast - One person is killed and another injured in an attack in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. The Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reports that a 64-year-old woman lost her life while a 17-year-old girl was injured in the Shostkynskyi district. The prosecutor's office suggests it was the granddaughter of the victim. They said attackers fired artillery at civilians' infrastructure for an hour in the Esman community of the Shostkynskyi district.
11:41: Ukraine faces power shortages: Industry may suffer - The 2024 increase in Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure has led to a significant electricity shortage, prompting additional cuts to the supply. This comes as per a report by the Ukrainian state energy supplier Ukrenergo as cited by the "Kyiv Independent". Since the year's commencement, there have been five large-scale attacks on central and western Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The head of Ukrenergo, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, warned these attacks could result in Ukraine's energy deficit not being covered by European imports. A plea has since been made to neighboring countries like Poland for energy assistance.
11:23: FDP group opposes defense spending exemption from debt brake - The German FDP parliamentary group is against exempting defense spending from the debt brake set by the country's Basic Law. Parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr said in Berlin that investing in their security would not rely on the debt brake but on political decisions. The matter will be discussed in the weeks ahead to redistribute budget funds and revive the economy. The defense minister, Boris Pistorius, had previously proposed defense spending and parts of crisis preparedness be exempted. Finance minister Christian Lindner rejected the idea, suggesting reallocation of funds within the large state budget.
10:51: Kharkiv struck by Russian S-301 missile; 11-year-old and 72-year-old injured - The Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reports that Russian troops hit Kharkiv with an S-300 missile last night. The mayor, Ihor Terekhov, revealed on Telegram an eleven-year-old child and a 72-year-old woman were hurt, and a fire broke out in three houses - two were destroyed completely and one was partially. An overall of 26 buildings and 300+ windows were damaged from the attack.
10:13: Putin proposes Mishustin again for Russian prime minister role - Russian president Vladimir Putin suggests his former Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, for the prime minister role in his new term of office. The speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament made the announcement.
09:56: Ukrainian military experiences 95 skirmishes with Russian troops in a day - According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff, 95 skirmishes occurred in the previous day. The force shared the information on their Facebook page, adding the Russian military launched six rocket attacks, 80 airstrikes, and 127 attacks using multiple rocket launchers on Ukrainian troops and towns/villages in the last 24 hours.
09:18: Munz: Putin's Nuclear Threat is a Political Stunt - In Moscow's Military Parade, which marked victory over Nazi Germany, President Putin again warned about Russia's nuclear forces. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz details the strategy behind this, and how Ukrainian drones may be a problem for Russia.
08:36: Russia points to "Nazi-like genocide" in Moldova; is this a prelude to an invasion? - Experts are currently analyzing what they perceive as a major shift in Russian rhetoric. The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, accused the Moldovan government of committing "Nazi-like genocide". This could potentially set the stage for a Russian advance to gain control over Moldova and not merely certain regions. According to the US think tank "Institute for the Study of War" (ISW), this rhetoric may be part of a plan to justify an invasion. Putin has, recently, talked about the discrimination faced by Russian citizens overseas and suggested a geopolitical conflict between Russia and a modern Nazi movement.
Moldova's Russian-leaning regions, Gagauzia, and Transnistria, are habitats to large Russian-speaking populations. With its recent statements, Moscow might be making preparations to justify future aggression in Moldova, much like what they did in Ukraine. Per ISW, leaders of the pro-Kremlin opposition voting bloc "Moldovan Victory" were present at the Moscow victory parade, which could be a message that Moscow intends to employ these actors to destabilize the entirety of Moldova, putting the nation's democracy and EU accession process at risk.
At an oil refinery in the Kaluga region of Russia, fires broke out after a Ukrainian drone attack. A report from the Russian state news agency RIA mentioned insiders from emergency services confirming the destruction of three containers with diesel and one containing heating oil at the Pervyi Zavod refinery. Kaluga's governor, Vladislav Shapshah, had previously stated on Telegram that the fire at a particular company had already been extinguished, but he didn't reveal which firm was targeted. The incident took place at the refinery.
The figures given by Ukrainian authorities indicate that Russian personnel losses remain significant. Yesterday, 980 Russian soldiers either died or were unable to continue fighting, bringing the overall Russian tally since the war started in February 2022 to 479,710 soldiers eliminated. In addition, the defense ministry revealed that Russia lost 5 more tanks (7434), among other things. Ukraine has counted more than 14,300 armored vehicles and approximately 9,800 drones that are no longer in the hands of the Russian military or have been destroyed. However, these figures can't be independently verified. Moscow hasn't released information about its own losses in the war.
According to the Sumy oblast military administration, the Russian army attacked the region 302 times yesterday. This happened in 60 separate instances over the 24-hour period, and they targeted 11 border communities with mortar, drone, rocket, and artillery attacks. Additionally, they dropped explosives from drones on two communities. Luckily, there were no casualties or injuries reported. The town of Velyka Pysarivka, situated right on the border with Ukraine and having a pre-war population of approximately 4,000, witnessed the most significant number of the attacks, with 67 explosions recorded in that area.
The SBU (Ukrainian domestic intelligence service) has detained a man from Kharkiv, suspected of spying on Ukrainian positions. The "Kyiv Independent" newspaper shares this information, disclosing that the 45-year-old individual allegedly recorded Ukrainian positions and handed over their coordinates to Russian intelligence officers. The Ukrainian authorities arrested the man at his house in the Vovchansk district of Kharkiv and confiscated his cell phone, containing supposed communication with Russian intelligence agencies.
The Ukrainian military disclosed that it successfully intercepted and destroyed all ten combat drones launched by Russia the previous night. Additionally, Russia fired two anti-aircraft guided missiles, but there is no information about what happened to these missiles.
A fire erupted at a company based in the Russian region of Kaluga after a Ukrainian drone attack. A posting on Telegram by Governor Vladislav Shapshah affirmed that the fire was extinguished. However, there was no information on the company affected by the fire.
Houses were damaged and a blaze erupted during a Russian air raid on the city of Kharkiv. Mayoral announcements made through Telegram stated that a man was slightly injured in the strike. Reports from "Kyiv Independent" revealed five explosions being heard in the city.
03:14: Russia: Drone Captured Close to MoscowMoscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, communicates through Telegram that Russian air defense forces have intercepted a drone to the south of Moscow. No injuries or damage are reported due to falling remnants, according to Sobyanin. The details cannot be verified independently.
01:20: Zelensky Advocates for Ukraine's Inclusion in the EUUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promotes his nation's admission to the EU once more. "Our state, our people deserve it, and the European Union also needs this move - not only politically," Zelensky said in his daily video broadcast. Zelensky asserts that the EU would gain strength by not excluding anyone who shares European values from joining. Kiev anticipates official accession negotiations to commence in June.
23:22: Czech-led Initiative to Provide Ammunition for Ukraine in JuneCzech President Petr Pavel discloses to ARD that the initial batch of munition bought by EU allies according to the Czech-led initiative is projected to reach Ukraine in June. In February, Pavel declared that 500,000 155mm shells and 300,000 122mm shells located externally in Europe could be purchased and subsequently sent to Ukraine as soon as the necessary funds were allocated for the initiative. Several countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, Denmark, and Slovenia, have now committed resources to supporting the Czech initiative. This could potentially lead to the supply of 1.5 million shells to Kiev. The first 180,000 pieces of munitions are to arrive in June, with "there already being contracts for a further five to six-digit number of shells," Pavel informs ARD.
22:01: Kiev Reduces Street Lights After Severe Power Shortages due to Russian AggressionThe Kiev city council will reduce evening street lighting in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy network, resulting in power scarcities. Serhii Popko, the Kiev military administration head, unveils this plan. Wednesday night, Russia launched a widespread assault on the Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kiev, and Vinnytsia oblasts, but primarily focused on the energy infrastructure. At least two hydropower plants were reportedly forced offline as a consequence of the attack.
21:32: Ukrainian Embassy to the EU: Ukraine Could Join the EU by 2030The Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, believes that Ukraine can be a member of the EU by 2030. Mathernova, nonetheless, admits that predicting Ukraine's admission date to the EU "is the same as looking into a crystal ball to make predictions." In November 2023, the European Commission proposed launching accession talks with Ukraine, but asserted that four additional reforms had to be implemented. The European Council opted to initiate accession negotiations with Ukraine the following month.
20:59: Zelensky Dispenses Head of His Personal Security Unit following Aborted Assassination PlanUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fires the head of his bodyguard following an attempted assassination. On Monday, Zelensky enacted a decree for "the dismissal of Serhiy Leonidovych Rud from the post of Head of the State Security Department of Ukraine." Two officers were previously taken into custody for supposedly devising an assassination plan. The Ukrainian domestic intelligence service, SBU, divulged on Tuesday that the Russian secret service, FSB, controlled a "network of agents" striving to assassinate Zelensky.
20:32: Wealthy Ukrainian Entrepreneur Apprehended for Alleged Murder Plot of LawyerOn May 9, a Kiev court issued an arrest warrant for oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky in a murder case. Kolomoisky remains in custody until July 7 without opportunity for bail. Kolomoisky, one of Ukraine's most renowned business tycoons, had been detained on September 2, 2023, for alleged fraud and money laundering related to his oil and gas enterprises. On Wednesday, the Prosecutor General's Office revealed that he's also a suspect in the murder of a law firm's head in Crimea more than 20 years ago. After the lawyer declined Kolomoisky's demands to annul a resolution made at a shareholders' meeting, the oligarch allegedly hired assassins to execute him, the investigation indicates.
20:14: Zelensky Recalls Commander - and Hires Him Back Again after Two MonthsUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky puts Dmytro Hereha back as head of the Ukrainian Support Forces after removing him and appointing Oleksandr Yakovets in March. Following Zelenskyi's restructuring of high-ranking positions within the Ukrainian military, which led to the discharge of Ukraine's top military leader Valery Salushnyi, Hereha was dismissed and replaced by Yakovets. Yakovets' dismissal occurred after only two months of assuming office. The Ukrainian Support Forces are a crucial section of the Ukrainian military, tasked with supplying operational support to military personnel.
7:59 PM: Ukrainian presidents' names removed from Russian Interior Ministry's website
The mysterious wanted notices for Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Petro Poroshenko, the current and previous presidents of Ukraine, have vanished from the Russian Interior Ministry's official website, according to Mediazona, a Russian media outlet. The two Ukrainian leaders' profiles were taken down soon after they were unintentionally found by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Saturday. Mediazona believes that both Zelenskiy and Poroshenko were added to the Russian Interior Ministry's wanted list by an office in the Russian-occupied region of Donetsk possibly toward the end of February.
Find out about earlier incidents in this article.
Read also:
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- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
- The escalating conflict in Ukraine has led some to consider it a form of cyberwarfare, as Russia has been known to use digital attacks against Ukraine's infrastructure.
- With the Ukraine conflict entering its seventh year, NATO has increased its military presence in Eastern Europe in response to perceived Russian threats.
- In response to the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, Volodymyr Selensky has called for increased international support for Ukraine's defense.
- The attack on Ukraine's power grid by Russia in 2022 was widely condemned by Western leaders as an act of aggression and a violation of international law.
Source: www.ntv.de
