Putin and Xi embrace as they part ways (10:02)

Putin and Xi's Meeting in China Concludes Peacefully

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, and Xi Jinping, the head of China's state and ruling party, finished their discussions in China with a pleasant gesture. On Thursday evening, Putin and Xi initially shook hands and then embraced farewell a short time later, as shown in a video from Chinese state television CCTV. Putin's current two-day visit to the northern Chinese city of Harbin is part of his itinerary.

UKRAINE INFORMATION:

9:26 Ukraine States 4 Explosions in KharkivUkraine reveals that it has successfully thwarted all 20 drones launched by Russia against the country. The military shared this information regarding the occurrence of the explosions across regions such as Kharkiv, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Odessa, and Mykolaiv. In Kharkiv, four explosions took place during the incident, reported Ihor Terekhov, the city's mayor. A fire followed the detonation in one instance. According to the local administrator, five buildings had suffered some form of damage, including an administrative structure.

9:02 ntv Reporter: "Russians Approach Kharkiv's City Limits"The situation in Kharkiv has become increasingly tense. Ukraine has successfully secured their military position at the outskirts, but the "Russians have also managed to stabilise their position." Jürgen Weichert of ntv explains that the Russians are only about 30 kilometers away from Kharkiv:

8:34 Losses Reported in Belgorod Region of RussiaAdhering to the authorities' account, two people lost their lives in Russia as a result of Ukraine's overnight drone strikes against the country. A mother and her four-year-old child were killed when a combat drone struck the village of Oktyabrsky in the Belgorod border area, as reported by Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

8:06 Attack on Sevastopol in Crimea, RussiaPer Moscow's Ministry of Defense, the city of Sevastopol in Crimea was struck during the night. The city's local governor suggests that a substation has been compromised, resulting in "isolated power outages." Due to the circumstances, schools and preschools have remained closed. Sevastopol is the base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

7:42 Purported Attack at Novorossiysk Port in RussiaReports and videos of an assumed Ukrainian drone strike on the Novorossiysk Black Sea Fleet port have surfaced. The Russian state news agency RIA reports of missile attacks but with no mention of the port.

7:18 Russia States Interception of Over 100 Ukrainian DronesMore than 100 Ukrainian drones were allegedly intercepted by Russia during the night according to its Ministry of Defense. It mentioned 51 drones over the annexed Crimean Peninsula, 44 more in Krasnodar, six in Belgorod, and one in Kursk. Six naval drones were also destroyed in the Black Sea by the Russian Navy.

6:58 Destruction of Russian Military Airfield Belbek in CrimeaAnalysis by the "New York Times" reveals that an oil depot and two MiG-31s, a Su-27, and a damaged MiG-29 were destroyed in the Ukrainian strikes on the Russian military airfield Belbek in Crimea. These military aircraft and the depot sustained severe losses following a series of attacks.

6:33 Possible Attack on Russian Oil Refinery in TuapseVideos on an anonymous platform indicate an alleged additional Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian oil refinery. The refinery in Tuapse by the Black Sea is said to have been attacked.

6:14 Emphasis on China-Russia Northeastern TradeAfter signing a strategic partnership with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, Vladimir Putin intends to reinforce the trade significance near the Russian border in northeastern China during his remaining time in Harbin, Heilongjiang.

Russian Diplomacy:

6:00 Putin Declares British Defense Attaché Persona Non GrataRussia's Foreign Ministry has revoked the status of the British military attaché in Moscow, Adrian Coghill, rendering him persona non grata and ordering him to exit the country within a week. This comes in response to the expulsion of the Russian military attaché by the UK on May 8th, viewed by Britain as an undercover intelligence agent.

05:30: The New York Times states that some NATO member nations are contemplating deploying military instructors or contractors to Ukraine to teach the Ukrainian military and fix machinery. Ukraine has requested assistance from the US and other NATO members in training 150,000 troops in close proximity to the front line, but the United States is hesitant due to the risk of bombardments that could potentially engage NATO's mutual defense clause. Instead, some officials proposed maintaining troop training in Germany and Poland, as has always been the case. Nevertheless, this option presents logistical issues when it comes to transporting a large quantity of soldiers. A few NATO countries, like the UK, Germany, and France, are considering sending defense contractors to Ukraine, while the White House is reconsidering its ban on US defense contractors in Ukraine.

04:42: Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki emphasizes the significance of adhering to international law in discussions about utilizing the interest from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Suzuki stated that Japan will participate in the forthcoming G7 meeting while upholding this principle.

03:11: Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, denies engaging in arms trade with Russia. According to North Korea's state news agency KCNA, quoting Kim directly, she claimed the weapons created by North Korea are not intended for export but rather for self-defense against South Korea. She dismissed reports of an arms deal with Russia as an "absurd theory" created by prejudices and unfounded claims. The US and South Korea have accused North Korea of supplying weapons to Russia, leading to their usage against Ukraine. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the allegations.

02:04: The air raid alert in Kharkiv has been lifted in most areas following drone attacks. Regional governor Oleh Synyehubov confirmed that at least five drones had previously assaulted Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Ihor Terekhov, the city's mayor, declared that a district had been attacked, causing a fire. The public broadcaster Suspilne reported that an air raid alert had been in place in Kharkiv for over 16 hours, the longest one since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

00:51: The US government deems China's support for Russia a hindrance to improving relations with the West. In relation to the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel commented, "China cannot dance at two weddings simultaneously." The spokesperson maintained that better ties with Europe and other countries are challenging for Beijing if it simultaneously supports "the greatest threat to European security in a long time," i.e., Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

23:34: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cautions about threats to Europe caused by Russian missile strikes on the natural gas transportation system. Zelensky mentioned this during a video message with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He claimed that attacks on Ukraine's gas infrastructure endangered everyone in Europe, "not only us, but also our neighbors." Collective action is required to counter these dangers, asserted Zelensky.

22:06: Due to significant damage to power plants and substations in Ukraine, the government anticipates power failures spanning several months until August or September. Yuri Boyko, an advisor to the Prime Minister and Ukrenerho's supervisory board member, reported this. On Wednesday, planned power outages will also occur at different times across the region to conserve electricity. Streets in Kiev, the capital, are also affected by Russia's missile strikes on the power grid.