High-rise building crumbles following artillery strikes; Moscow initiates terror probe regarding Ukraine.

High-rise building crumbles following artillery strikes; Moscow initiates terror probe regarding Ukraine.

After part of a tall building in the Russian city of Belgorod supposedly collapsed due to Ukrainian shelling, criminal proceedings have been initiated by the country's top investigative body for a "terrorist attack." The spokeswoman mentioned that there were fatalities and injured people amidst the wreckage; however, no further information was given. At least three people are confirmed dead, and approximately 20 others might still be buried under the debris.

Army chief Syrskyi described the situation in the Ukrainian border area of Kharkiv as difficult in a recent Telegram post, labeling it more challenging in recent days. He stated, "In the past few days, the state of affairs in the Kharkiv region has become increasingly challenging." Per his statement, active conflicts currently persist in the frontiers shared with the Russian Federation. Conceding that the Russian invaders had made "partial gains" in certain spots, he reaffirmed that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are valiantly battling to maintain their defensive lines.

A Russian military group dubbed "Sever" may have played a significant role in the ongoing attacks against Kharkiv. Institute for the Study of War expert George Barros informed CNN that this newly formed group was intended to host 60,000 to 100,000 troops. However, the actual number is possibly closer to 50,000. Nevertheless, he emphasized that they still possess a considerable amount of combative capabilities.

Approximately 4,000 residents from Kharkiv's surrounding settlements have been uprooted within the last two days, confirming fears regarding a Russian assault in the area. Governor Oleh Sinyehubov explained, "Over the past two days, 4,000 people have left their homes due to the fear of a new offensive. We're arranging temporary lodgings for them. 70% have already found accommodations, mostly with their relatives and friends."

Based on Moscow's announcement, Russian forces reportedly seized control of four additional northern villages in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. The villages identified as under Russian authority include Hatyshche, Krasne, Morokhovets, and Oliyinykove. The Ministry of Defense in Russia had also claimed to have captured five villages the previous day. The Kharkiv region became a prominent site of Russian military activities after its initial entry in February 2022, but Ukrainian troops managed to push them back. Simultaneously, Russian jets allegedly leveled four Ukrainian helicopters and damaged one in Dnipropetrovsk's southern region.

Ukrainian army leader Syrskyj shared his assessment of the front line situation, confirming heavy clashes and constant enemy attempts to penetrate Ukrainian defenses. The reconnaissance, artillery, and drone divisions are actively supporting the defense lines, he asserted, and they are fully aware of the Russians' intentions and are thus responding vigilantly. Despite the complex situation at the borders, Syrskyj disclosed that a troop rotation is set in motion to provide relief for the exhausted soldiers and revive their brigades' potency.

News regarding a partial collapse of a high-rise residential building in Belgorod, as a result of Ukrainian shelling, has been reported by Belgorod Oblast's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. This building collapse is said to have claimed at least three lives. Approximately 20 individuals could still be concealed under the debris. Gladkov discussed the significant shelling from the Ukrainian military forces inflicted upon his city and the entire district, culminating in the partial collapse of a multi-story apartment block due to a direct hit by a shell.

No immediate statements from Ukraine have been provided regarding the occurrence. Russian aviation has frequently targeted civilian targets in the vicinity, assumedly due to errors in their operations.

Briefly put, a multi-story apartment building in Belgorod allegedly partially collapsed due to Ukrainian artillery shelling. The incident has sparked an investigation for criminal activity identified as a terrorist attack. Ukrainian troops are battling intensely in the Kharkiv border area, with recent reconnaissance, artillery, and drone units aiding in their defense. Ukraine's Chief of the Armed Forces, Syrskyi, has stated that the situation in the Kharkiv region has worsened considerably, but Ukrainian defenses are holding strong. The newly formed Sever group is believed to be behind the recent push in Kharkiv, operating with a military power of 50,000 troops. As a result of the escalated tensions, 4,000 individuals have been evacuated from Kharkiv's nearby regions to avoid potential danger. Moreover, it seems that Russian forces have taken over four villages in Kharkiv, along with the destruction of several Ukrainian helicopters.

11:19 The war impacts Russian energy behemoth Gazprom significantly

British estimates suggest that the Russian energy conglomerate Gazprom will suffer the repercussions of Russia's aggression in Ukraine for years to come. This is due to the deteriorating relations with its primary Western customers since 2022, as per the British Ministry of Defense. The fact that Gazprom hasn't managed to free itself from its export reliance on the European market is anticipated to affect its profits until 2030. The company recently reported its first net loss since 1999. In 2023, Gazprom will have paid around 25 billion euros in taxes, which is approximately 9% of Russia's overall state revenue, according to a statement from London. "The Russian government aims to further boost Gazprom's tax load in 2024, which is postulated to have instigated Gazprom's decision to reduce investments by around 15% in 2024."

10:44 Ukraine claims damage to Russian refinery and military installations

Ukraine asserts that it hit infrastructure on Russian soil last night, involving a Volgograd oil refinery in the Krasnoarmeysky district, the Kaluganaftelectroduct oil depot in Kaluga and a manufacturing site in Lipetsk. "Military objectives too were targeted," a military intelligence source informed the Unian news agency. The drone attack on the Volgograd oil refinery resulted in an array of explosions, leading to a fire. "The damage to the refinery was also confirmed by Volgograd region governor, Andrei Bocharov," announced the source. As usual, the Russian side insists that their air defense was successful. However, videos and photos shared by Ukrainian media show a larger fireball.

10:06 "The situation is becoming increasingly complex" - urgent call for reinforcements

Deepstate, a channel held in high esteem by the Ukrainian military, suggests in a recent assessment that the fighting in the border region near Kharkiv is growing more complex. "The situation is becoming increasingly complex. The enemy is steadily amassing more troops in our area, the infantry continues to infiltrate, moving in groups and attempting to establish a foothold in settlements and advance further," Deepstate shared. It's necessary to focus more attention on this area, as without Ukrainian reinforcements, the enemy might succeed and carry significant adverse repercussions, it added.

09:30 ntv reporter Weichert: "Russia strives to force Ukrainian soldiers to relocate"

Russia is launching a vigorous attack near Kharkiv, resulting in capture of several villages. Zelenskyi's motto centers around halting the advancement at all costs. Ukraine is deploying troops in the region - and as per ntv reporter Jürgen Weichert, this is one of the objectives Russia is striving for:

08:50 Russia engineers are unfazed by Kharkiv city's sprawling population - video evidence discloses different perspective

Whilst Russian troops are progressing in the direction of the Ukrainian megalopolis, with millions of inhabitants, there's little information about significant evacuation measures there. "Russian propagandists claim that Kharkiv is panicked and deserted," remarked Ukrainian security expert Maria Avdeeva on X. In a video she shares, normality can be observed in a crowded marketplace during daytime. The city has endured numerous airstrikes in the past, and the citizens are accustomed to Russian aggression. Experts doubt that the Kremlin soldiers will manage to occupy Kharkiv. It's speculated that Moscow might be aiming to instigate a mass exodus from the Ukrainian city.

08:12 ISW: Russians achieve strategic advancements in Kharkiv region

Russian forces are implementing relatively limited offensive operations along the Russian-Ukrainian border in the northern Kharkiv region and "are making strategic strides in likely less heavily defended territories," according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The number of troops participating in the limited operations implies that Russian forces are presently not pursuing a large-scale operation to encircle, encircle or capture the city of Kharkiv, the ISW explained.

07:54 Ukraine eagerly anticipates significant weaponry deliveries from Latvia

The Ukrainian ambassador to Latvia, Anatoly Kutsevol, reveals in an interview with Ukrinform that Latvia will eventually be able to supply drones and radar defense systems to Ukraine. "I think that over time, there will be more news about drones and radar defense systems from Latvia being sent to Ukraine," Kutsevol shared. Additionally, cooperation will be established in the production of essential 155 mm grenades. Furthermore, Kutsevol alludes to other areas of collaboration, but for safety reasons, they cannot be discussed publicly at this time.

06:50 Ukrainian brigade declares downing of a Russian fighter jet

The 110th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces proudly proclaims the downing of a Su-25 fighter jet by Russian forces on their Facebook page. The post reads, "The anti-aircraft gunners of the 110th Brigade are once again doing a fantastic job. Today they took down another SU-25." According to Ukrainian Major Oleksiy Hetman on We-Ukraine, Moscow still holds around 190 Su-25 jets. "This is a quite effective aircraft when it comes to harming our troops," said Hetman. The Su-25 is specifically designed to provide air support directly on the front line.

06:02 Potential casualties following Belgorod attack

It appears that a large-scale Ukrainian attack targeted Belgorod and its surroundings on May 11, resulting in damage and losses, according to the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. Ukraine typically refrains from commenting on reported incidents in Belgorod. Gladkov reported a missile alert in the district. Soon after, Russian Telegram channels uploaded images of burning vehicles and billowing smoke over Belgorod. According to Gladkov, one woman perished in the attack, while 29 individuals, including a child, were wounded and taken to the hospital. Several residences, businesses, automobiles, and healthcare and educational facilities were allegedly destroyed. Damages were also reported in the nearby village of Dubovoye, Gladkov disclosed on his Telegram channel.

03:56 authoritarian regimes can easily prioritize weaponry development

A regimen like Russia can easily prioritize the development of their arms industry above overall economic prosperity to sustain its military operations in Ukraine, with support from Iran and North Korea, posits Lieutenant General Steven Basham, the deputy commander of US Air Forces in Europe. Speaking at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies event on "Transatlantic Security after 75 Years of NATO," Basham notes that the Western defense industry continues to improve: "Make no mistake. It's accelerating. It will continue to outpace Russia's capabilities. The more time Russia spends in Ukraine, the more we have to strengthen our industrial base to the level it needs to be."

02:43 Zelenskyj: Ukraine retaliates against Kharkiv region assault

Following the Russian offensive in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian military is counter-attacking, per head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj. In his evening video address, Zelenskyj stated that the troops' current goal is "disrupting Russian attack plans." The soldiers must "take back the initiative from Ukraine."

01:36 Russia kills a Ukrainian civilian in Sumy Oblast

As per the regional administration, Russian forces shelled ten communities in the northern Ukrainian Sumy Oblast over the past day. Approximately 93 explosions were reported in Sumy Oblast in the last 24 hours. A 37-year-old woman was killed in a rocket attack outside the northeastern city of Sumy, according to sources. The attack focused on local infrastructure.

23:50 Canada to participate in Ukraine peace summit

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirms Canada's participation in the impending international peace conference for Ukraine. The summit is scheduled for June 15 and 16 in Switzerland and will focus on achieving peace in Ukraine per President Volodymyr Zelenskyj's 10-point peace framework. "The first peace summit for Ukraine is set to take place in June, and Canada will be there," Trudeau states via X. "I'm looking forward to working with other world leaders to achieve our shared objective of a fair and permanent peace for Ukraine."

22:56 Scholz cautions against foreign influence in European and regional elections

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz issues a warning against foreign interference in the upcoming European and local elections. At the RND vor Ort event, organized by the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Scholz expresses concern about reports of money payments to AfD politicians. These incidents should now be investigated and confirmed by the appropriate authorities, Scholz added. "There is indeed an abundance of Russian disinformation in election campaigns."

10:00 PM Scholz urges Ukrainian refugees to find employment

German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz encouraged Ukrainian refugees in Germany to seek employment opportunities quickly. During a "RND vor Ort" stage talk organized by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland in Potsdam, he stated, "We hope that those who have come from Ukraine and are capable of working will now also work." Scholz further added, "We have funded integration and language courses, which is why we now want to motivate many of them to join the workforce with a massive job boost." While noting that some have already taken up jobs, he highlighted that there are still hundreds of thousands who are desperately needed in the labor market. As a final word, Scholz advised everyone to follow suit.

Learnmore about prior developmentshere.

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1. Following the collapse of a building in Belgorod, Russia, Moscow has launched an investigation into a suspected "terrorist attack" by Ukraine, with reported fatalities and injuries.
2. As tensions escalate in the Ukrainian border region of Kharkiv, Ukrainian military chief Syrskyi acknowledged the challenging situation, emphasizing the ongoing conflicts with Russian forces and the need for vigilant defense.
3. The Russian military group "Sever," believed to be involved in recent attacks against Kharkiv, is reportedly composed of approximately 50,000 soldiers, with significant combat capabilities, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
4. In response to the intensified conflict, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has called for urgent reinforcements to maintain Ukrainian defenses and prevent Russian advancements, particularly in the border area of Kharkiv.

Source: www.ntv.de