13:21 Scholz advises caution: "Let's prevent a significant conflict."

Scholz advocates for caution: "We need to prevent a massive conflict"

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz is standing by his policy on arming Ukraine. In a speech at Erfurt's Catholic Day, he stated, "We must stop a massive war - the one between Russia and NATO." At the same time, he asserts that Ukraine must be able to protect its independence and sovereignty. Scholz acknowledged that there's a risk of escalation and emphasizes the need to carefully measure each step's potential impact. He stressed the importance of collaborating closely with allies.

As per the latest updates, a Russian court has decided to keep American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva behind bars until August. Her request for house arrest was denied by Tatarstan's district court in Kazan, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Kurmasheva, who works for RFE/RL's Tatar program, has been detained for a year and imprisoned since October. RFE/RL and other entities have regarded her detention as retaliation for her journalistic endeavors.

Russia's former president, Dmitry Medvedev, has cautioned the West that the potential use of nuclear weapons isn't a mere bluff in the context of the Ukraine conflict. He specifically refers to tactical nuclear weapons designed for use on the battlefield and not meant to be destructive to the enemy. The possibility of this war escalating into a complete confrontation between Russia and NATO was highlighted by Medvedev. Additionally, a Russian lawmaker threatened retaliation with an asymmetric response. The comments emerged as some Western nations reconsider the conditions surrounding Ukraine's ability to utilize Western weapons. Previously, such usage against Russian targets was unlawful. According to American government sources, President Joe Biden has sanctioned the employment of US weapons to strike targets in Russia that contribute to the assault on Kharkiv, a northeastern city in Ukraine. These targets would include aircraft launching rockets on Kharkiv from within Russia. The German government has also granted Ukraine unrestricted authority in defending Kharkiv.

Kavita Sharma, an ntv correspondent, disclosed the mixed reaction in Ukraine to the use of US weapons against military targets in Russia.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius downplayed the furor surrounding the delivery of German weapons to Ukraine. He regarded the decision as a strategic adjustment to a rapidly evolving landscape. Pistorius, a member of the SPD, is ready to hold discussions about whether Germany should give Ukraine Taurus-type missiles but warned that these long-range weapons could reach hundreds of kilometers. The boundary for their use, he stated, has not altered since earlier announcements.

The outgoing chairperson of the Bundestag Defense Committee, the FDP's Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, is optimistic that the discussion on Taurus missiles for Ukraine will gain impetus. However, she doubts whether this will happen. She also underscored that the war's circumstances demand flexibility, as the situation is changing rapidly.

Rainer Munz, a correspondent for ntv, indicated that Putin's warnings and threats against Europe and NATO have effectively failed to deter Western nations from providing aid to Ukraine. He observed that Putin seemed to be "in a dilemma."

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, mentioned in a discussion with the British paper "The Guardian" that the delay in Biden's decision to utilize Western weapons against Russian targets caused Ukrainians to be ridiculed and hunted down by the Russian military. According to Zelensky, the US's lame excuses directly cost lives; he found it absurd how his country possessed weapons while the Russians responsible for their killing were on the opposite side. "It's as if they're playing a game of hunted," said Zelensky, "They're aware of our presence, but they can't be reached by us."

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, emphasized that NATO moves closer to war each week. His comment closely mirrors the absurdity of an attempt to extinguish a fire with a flamethrower. A conventional NATO intervention in Ukraine could potentially engage in a global conflict rather than supporting the NATO member states. Serving in dual relationships with both the Western and Russian governments, Orban has clashed with the West since the onset of the Russian invasion back in February 2022. During a NATO assembly meeting in Prague, NATO's head Jens Stoltenberg addressed the requirement of weighing restrictions on arms supplied to Ukraine.

Germany's ruling body commenced to allow Ukraine to utilize its weapons against Russian targets. This information arose from Berlin's spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit.

Insiders point towards an upcoming security conference occurring in Singapore, where Zelensky is expected to participate. With the condition of support for Ukraine emerging as a significant component, this conference has been recognized as the most critical security conference in Asia. In addition to Zelensky, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin and Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe will also become a part of this dialogue. With Russia's intention to prohibit Ukraine and various other nations from attendance, Zelensky claims Russia endeavors to prevent the discussion from proceeding.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry's official representative, Mao Ning, refers to China's demands for a peace conference that features both Russia and Ukraine, describing them as equitable and impartial. Mao emphasized that this is not implied as a differentiation against any specific party. The news outlet Reuters communicated that China will not be partaking in the Ukraine peace conference planned for early June in Switzerland. The auxiliary role that China plays in the overall process is desired by the Swiss side, as they've been working with all the interested countries since the year's start.

Ukrainian soldiers have embarked on a retreat in the Kharkiv area of Russia-occupied lands in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov. In May, the Russian military had encroached on more than 28 regions there while collecting 880 square kilometers' worth of area from Ukraine.

In Kiev, multiple energy stations fell prey to a Russian missile attack as DTEK, a domestic energy company, reported the elimination of a power plant and the impairment of the Holosiyivskyi district's power unit. This has led to areas without power in several private residences. According to the claims of the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian military used drones and Iskander ballistic short-range missiles.

The Ukrainian General Staff communicated their infliction of harm upon an oil depot in the Russian Black Sea port of Kavkaz. This damage was accomplished using several Neptune missiles supplied by Ukraine. Similar to the Holosiyivskyi situation, the extent of the destruction is not yet known. Additionally, two vessels supposedly located nearby the Kerch Bridge suffered damage from the same Ukranian forces. Kavkaz’s port is situated on the Tuzla island surrounding the Kerch Bridge city, which Russia has taken ownership of.

NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg doesn't foresee any escalation issues from the U.S.'s decision to let Ukraine target Russian military sites. In his view, Russia itself is escalating the situation by invading other nations, including the attacks on the Charkiv region. Stoltenberg expressed this during the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Prague. He additionally urged Germany and other countries to authorize Ukraine to attack Russian targets using the weapons they provided. Stoltenberg affirmed, "Ukraine has the right to self-defense, and that includes the right to strike legitimate military targets in Russia." This is highly relevant given the current hostilities near the Russian border in the Charkiv area.

In other updates:

At 8:41 AM, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschtschuk revealed that air defense units had shot down four Russian Shahed attack drones and an Iskander cruise missile during the night in the regions of Kiev, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk.
Governor of the Charkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, stated via Telegram at 8:09 AM that four people have now been killed, with 25 more injured, due to a Russian missile assault on a residential building in Charkiv.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that 1390 Russian soldiers had died or were incapacitated between yesterday and today. These figures do not include the estimated 507,650 Russian soldiers allegedly eliminated since the war's start in February 2022.
Two people were injured following a Ukrainian air raid on an oil depot in the Russian region of Krasnodar last night, according to regional authorities. The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down five rockets and 29 drones.
Last night, there were multiple explosions on the Russian-occupied Crimea, with eyewitness reports of a fire at the Port Kavkaz. Russia's defense ministry claimed two ferries from Kerch were struck by ATACMS missiles.
A U.S. military debris analysis indicated that Russia has utilized North Korean rockets in their war against Ukraine. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released a statement confirming this.
The U.S., G7 partners, and the EU & NATO countries view China's support for Russia as a potential threat to European security. According to the U.S. State Department's deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel, China's backing of Russia's war in Ukraine endangers not only Ukrainian but also European security. In response, the U.S. threatened additional Western sanctions if China does not reduce its support for the Russian arms industry.

Here's a bullet point summary:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg doesn't see the U.S. decision to enable Ukraine to target Russian military sites as escalating the conflict.
Russia is the one escalating, based on their invasion of other countries.
Ukraine has the right to self-defense, according to the Secretary General, including the ability to attack Russian military targets.
Ukrainian forces intercepted four Russian Shahed attack drones and one Iskander cruise missile last night.
Four people died, 25 more were injured from a Russian missile strike on a Charkiv residential building.
Ukraine estimates 507,650 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated" since the war's start in February 2022, with 1,390 casualties reported over the past 24 hours.
18 more tanks and 29 drones were reportedly shot down by Ukraine's air defense, with 15,000 armored vehicles and nearly 10,500 drones supposedly in the possession of Russian forces.
Two people were injured during a Ukrainian air raid on Russian oil facilities in Krasnodar.
Several explosions occurred on the Russian-occupied Crimea overnight.
The Defense Intelligence Agency determined that Russia has been using North Korean rockets in the war against Ukraine.
China's support for Russia is perceived as a threat to European security, with the possibility of more Western sanctions if responsibility for the Russian arms industry is not limited.

2:50 Rocket slams into residential building, killing three: Up to 20 buildings damaged in Kharkiv

An overnight Russian rocket attack on Kharkiv has resulted in the death of three civilians and injured 16 others, including two children. Five rockets were reportedly fired into the city, one of which struck a five-story residential building. Ukrainska Pravda shared images of the aftermath. The blast damaged up to twenty more residential buildings, according to local authorities.

01:46 SPD politician calls for usage of Western weapons against Russian military targets

German SPD foreign policy spokesperson, Nils Schmid, urges fellow NATO allies to permit the use of Western weapons against Russian military targets by Ukraine. "It's logical to lift the restriction for targets in Russian territory," says Schmid. The allies need to discuss this collectively, he adds.

00:06 German Chancellor rules out German soldiers' deployment in Ukraine and no-fly zone establishment

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that Germany won't deploy soldiers to Ukraine nor establish a no-fly zone. "We don't want to engage our troops," said Scholz at a reader's meeting with the "Thuringian" magazine in Erfurt. He also dismissed the idea of a no-fly zone, acknowledging it would require shooting down aircraft belonging to another nation. "Then you're at war." Scholz emphasized the importance of preventing a conflict between NATO and Russia. This position is also shared by French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden.

22:25 Report: Biden authorizes usage of US weapons in Russia, focused on Kharkiv region

A U.S. official has confirmed that the U.S. allows Ukraine to use American weapons against targets in Russia, specifically in the Kharkiv region. This contradicts previous statements from President Joe Biden, who had denied the opportunity of using Ukrainian weapons within Russia. However, the condition of restricting offensive actions in Russia remains unchanged.

22:06 Vovchansk: Ukrainian Assault Brigade clashes with Russian troops on the streets

The Liut Brigade, an Irish-Ukrainian police unit deployed in the border city of Vovchansk, Kharkiv region, is fighting alongside other troops to defend the city. The Storm Regiment Tsunami is shown in a video, potentially preventing Russian soldiers from seizing a building. The Liut Brigade mentioned the record of the altercation in the city.

Catch up on all previous developments here.