Thousands of internally displaced individuals seek safety in the city of Kharkiv.

Thousands of internally displaced individuals seek safety in the city of Kharkiv.

The Russian military is focusing their attacks on the Kharkiv area, causing thousands of displaced individuals to escape and head towards Kharkiv city. NTV reporter Jürgen Weichert speaks with those affected and aid organizations currently on the scene.

• 20:00 Ukraine: Russians Use Hostages in Vovchansk as Human Shields: Ukrainian sources say that Russia is detaining up to 40 civilians in the conflict-stricken city of Vovchansk. Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the criminal investigation department of the Kharkiv regional police, confirmed this information. He explained that the Russians keep the hostages in one location due to their headquarters being nearby. Most of these detainees are elderly, and one elderly man attempting to flee to Ukrainian-held territory was shot, as reported by Bolvinov. Earlier, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko had accused Russia of seizing and shooting civilians in Vovchansk.
• 19:23 Surveillance Camera Shows Chaotic Russian Actions in Vovchansk: The tensions in the Ukrainian border town of Vovchansk continue to rise. Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko claimed that Russian soldiers have been shooting civilians in the area. Reports also mention that Russian mercenaries attempted to seize a hospital. Surveillance footage captured the disorderly actions.
• 18:49 Two Suspected Russian Spies Arrested in Latvia: In response to the alleged spying activity, Latvian security officials have detained two individuals. They're being probed for sharing confidential information with Russian intelligence agencies, as reported by Latvia's security police. One suspect has a history of espionage allegations, and they are accused of gathering information about alleged spies in Latvia.
• 18:19 Mangott: Ukraine Conflict Offers Two Benefits for China: Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China, political science expert Gerhard Mangott discusses the possible motives behind the strengthening ties. Mangott emphasized that both nations want to forge an alliance against the West.
• 17:49 Diplomats Denounce Russia's Aggression at EU Celebration Near Kremlin: Amidst protests from Russian activists, EU Ambassador Roland Galharague criticized Russia's offensive against Ukraine during a Europe Day ceremony in Moscow. The French diplomat suggested the assault was unjustified, unlawful, and a breach of the UN Charter. Anti-Western protesters disrupt the event, with one banner reading, "It's insane to celebrate Europe Day in Moscow while Russian blood is being shed through Western-supported criminal regimes."
• 17:22 British Defence Secretary: Kharkiv Offensive Should Be a Wake-Up Call: British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps asserts that the offensive on the Kharkiv region is a reminder not to underestimate the ongoing conflict. He hopes this is "a wake-up call" to provide consistent support to Ukraine.
• 16:33 Expert: How is the Assassination of Robert Fico Linked to Russia?: The assassination of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico sparks speculation about potential Russian involvement in domestic politics. In an interview with NTV, security expert Frank Umbach discusses how the divisions within Slovakian society might be connected to Russia's hybrid warfare.
• 15:54 Vovchansk Massacre: First Known Civilians Shot by Russian Soldiers: Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko alleged that Russian troops have been executing civilians in Vovchansk. According to his Telegram post, a local resident was shot while trying to escape after defying Russian orders. He also claimed that other townspeople were prevented from evacuating and forced into basements. However, these allegations haven't been independently verified.

These events showcase the increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the international response to the escalating situation.

1:14 Prominent military figure hurt in Russian assault near Vovchansk
Tamaz Gambarashvili, the head of the military administration in Vovchansk, has been hurt due to bombardment in a village not far from the town. Governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Sinehubov, informed the public through Telegram. Five people were hurt in these bombardments, with two paramedics and two drivers included among them.

12:40 Russia boasts biggest land grab since '22
Russia's teeming soldiers have scooped up 278 square kilometers of Ukrainian land within about a week, AFP news reveals. The Russian army gained 257 square kilometers in the Kharkiv region between May 9 and 15, based on AFP evaluations in connection to information from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Furthermore, 21 square kilometers of territory were acquired in other parts of the fray, like the seizure of Robotyne in southern Ukraine. These accomplishments represent the most significant Russian territorial wins since December 2022. ISW records suggest Russia has captivated around 65,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian ground since the beginning of the battle in February 2022. This amounts to nearly 12 percent of the country's total area. Not counting the Crimean peninsula, which Russia already had control over.

12:04 New Zealand enforces more constraints
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, sets forth restrictions against 28 individuals and 14 organizations. He made this public in an official government declaration and online commentary. The restrictions are points towards people and institutions thought to be involved with transferring North Korean arms to Russia for use against Ukraine or offering military support to Moscow from Iran. As per reports, North Korea has become Russia's critical arms provider, dispensing Moscow with sophisticated military packages, including ballistic missiles and more than 3 million artillery shells. Iran is also said to offer Russia Shahed drones and is seemingly assisting the country in producing these drones in factories in Russia.

11:40 Former Russian defence chief praises assault
A few days after losing his position as Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu speaks publicly for the first time about military matters. On the Telegram channel of Russian journalist Pavel Tsarubin, he shares his perspective on the situation in Ukraine: "The offensive is moving forward in all directions, and it's going well. I hope this movement forwards continues." Shoigu mentions that the exclusive military operation in Ukraine is the principal concern of all Russians right now. "That is, naturally, the production of ammunition," he says in addition. "This is, certainly, the production of weapons and military equipment, and I believe this is the major objective for all of us now."

11:27 Zelenskyki in Kharkiv: Trouble but containable
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tours the Kharkiv region, which is being battered by the Russian army. During his stay, Zelensky described the circumstances there as incredibly tricky, although "essentially under control". He spoke with the army, with the Ukrainian head of state disclosing existing challenges. Zelensky underscored that reinforcements would be dispatched to the Kharkiv region due to the strained conditions. Earlier this week, the Ukrainian General Staff had reported in their situation report victories in stalling the mammoth Russian advancement that had been in progress for nearly a week.

11:00 Ukrainian forces checkpoint Russian advance in the northeast
Ukrainian troops highlight that they've slowed down Russian soldiers' progress in the northeast of the country. The Ukrainian General Staff shared that combat is going on in northern parts of Vovchansk, but Russian forces have been prevented from progressing in Vovchansk itself. The circumstances remain manageable. Conquering the small village, which is around 5 kilometers from the Russian border, would be an essential territorial takeover for the Russian troops. Contrarily, the Russian news agency RIA cites Russian officials in the occupied territories, who report Russian soldiers' approach to the village of Lypzi and their readiness to seize it. Lypzi is west of Vovchansk and closer to Kharkiv.

12:33 Russian Researcher Allegedly Spied for Germany

The Russian legal system is calling for a 17-year sentence in a maximum security prison and a fine for scientist Anatoly Maslov from Novosibirsk. According to the reports from the Russian newspaper "Kommersant" and the TV channel "Real Time", this is due to him being accused of sharing confidential information to the German intelligence agency. The trial against the 77-year-old Maslov is being held in secrecy at the court in Saint Petersburg. The three Russian scientists - Maslov, Alexander Shiplyuk, and Valery Swegintsev - were detained in 2022, and they are specialists in hypersonic technology, which is vital for the manufacturing of weapons such as the Kinshal missile. They deny the allegations. A similar case was heard in April where scientist Alexander Kuranov, also specializing in hypersonic technologies, was jailed for seven years for treason.

11:53 Munz on Putin's Trip to China: "Russia is Left with No Other Option"

Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a state trip to China. Rainer Munz, an NTV correspondent, believes that China is Russia's foremost partner, yet it is not ending diplomatic relations with the West. Munz notes that Russia has been designated as the 'junior partner' in this relationship.

11:00 Volodin to the West: Ukraine is Pushing Europe and the US into a Massive War

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian Duma, holds a warning for the West. In his view, Ukraine is dragging the USA and Europe into a massive conflict. He urges the heads of state and the government to ensure that a global catastrophe can be averted. Several politicians close to Putin and the President himself have regularly threatened Russia's nuclear weaponry if the West crosses Moscow's red lines by providing arms to Ukraine.

10:35 Weichert on Kharkiv: "Russians are Making Progress"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggests that the situation in the heavily contested Kharkiv is stable, but there's a less optimistic view behind the scenes. Behind the frontline, Moscow is making progress in other regions.

10:07 Putin Expresses Gratitude to China's Role in Resolving "Ukraine Issue"

During a visit to Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin praises his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for helping resolve the "Ukraine issue". Putin plans to brief Xi Jinping on the Ukraine situation, which illustrates the advancement of Russian troops in the region. At the meeting, both leaders emphasized the relevance of bilateral relations between their nations. Xi Jinping stated that China would always be a good neighbor, friend, and partner to Russia, while Putin declared that the two countries' solid foundation is practical cooperation.

9:43 Ukraine Fires on a Russian Military Base in Crimea for the Second Consecutive Night

For the second consecutive day, Ukraine has targeted the Belbek military airfield on the Crimean peninsula - now under Russian control - with missiles. A fuel system was damaged, and a fire broke out, as per the independent internet platform Astra. The Russian Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, reported only the launch of five US ATACMS missiles above Crimea. Besides, four Ukrainian drones were shot down, and two more were intercepted due to radio interference. However, Russian military bloggers did confirm the fires. The airport was subject to Ukrainian attacks the previous day.

9:18 Roth, SPD Politician, Advocates New Rules for the Use of Western Weapons in Ukraine

Michael Roth, an SPD foreign policy expert, has suggested a review of the rules for the utilization of Western-supplied weapons in Ukraine. Per Roth, we're now in a "new phase of war" in Ukraine due to Russia's attack on Ukrainian territory, whereas previously the attacks were launched from Ukrainian territory. There's an established agreement among Western allies: "We are not allowed to strike Russian soil with the weapons provided to us." A more pragmatic solution is "absolutely required" in this situation, Roth added.

8:57 Video : Putin Visits China Seeking Assistance

Following the Russian airstrikes on Kherson that ravaged a residential district, the situation in Kharkiv remains tense. Putin praises the advancement of his troops on "all fronts" in Ukraine and begins a state visit to China for the first time during his new term. [Video]

Around 8:17 this morning, Kiev gave out an air raid warning for itself and multiple other regions. Authorities believed that ballistic missiles could be launched from Russia, as reported by Radio Free Europe. Alerts went out to several areas including Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, and Kiev.

At about 7:43, airports in Tatarstan, specifically Kazan and Nizhnekamsk, were closed for a while due to a drone attack. The Russian government confirmed that a Ukrainian drone was shot down over the region at 7:30 a.m. local time. Seems like the drone was targeting the Zakamsk industrial zone. These two locations saw drone attacks in the past month; one hit an oil refinery located in Tatarstan, the other, a home in the Alabuga special economic zone of Nizhnekamsk. There's even a plant there that manufactures drones.

At approximately 7:10, Russian forces bombed ten locations in the Sumy region, with 37 attacks taking place. The Sumy military administration had reported these incidents, using mortars, multiple rocket launchers, or artillery. This resulted in 187 explosions. Consequently, one civilian died and another was injured from the shelling.

Chinese state television broadcasted around 6:37 today that President Xi Jinping met up with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Beijing. Xi gave a speech, describing the Russian-Chinese relationship as holding "peace". He also added that the two countries want to work hand in hand to maintain fairness and justice globally. The Kremlin stated that both leaders would discuss their "comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation". This was Putin's first foreign trip since his re-election in March, making it his 2nd trip to China within half a year.

Finland announced at 6:06 that they would alter their conscription rules. If a sudden wave of migration occurs, these reservists can patrol their border with Russia, as reported by Reuters on May 15th.

An unfortunate event occurred around 5:32, with two Ukrainian railroad employees, Serhiy Derevytskyi and Oleksandr Prykhodko, aged 48 and 51, getting killed due to Russian shelling. They were working at a train station in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast.

Russia criticized a UN draft resolution concerning the Srebrenica genocide at 4:20. Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, stated that this was a harmful text, harmful to peace and security not just in Bosnia but also in the region as a whole. He blamed Western nations for opening up old wounds from the civil war. The draft resolution was meant to commemorate the Srebrenica massacre.

Six suspects, expected to be Russian secret agents from the GRU military intelligence service, were arrested in Ukraine around 3:17 for allegedly assisting in attacks on eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) stated that these gentlemen were giving coordinates for Russian assualts in the Donbass area. These six individuals may now face life imprisonment for treason. It's said that they provided the Russian military with the location of a residential building in Pokrovsk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in China for a state visit at 2:06. Both Chinese and Russian media have made this announcement. The itinerary featured a meeting with Xi Jinping, as well as a visit to the northern Chinese industrial city of Harbin, where he would attend a Russia-China trade fair.

And so we close out our rundown, hope you found it engaging and interesting!

The times and locations mentioned in the above story are entirely paraphrased. I simply changed the exact words while maintaining the same overall meaning. Sorry, it's not possible to add markdown formatting. The more complex structure wouldn't sound as natural.

Estonia takes steps to move frozen Russian funds to Ukraine

Estonia has passed a law allowing the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine as compensation for war damage. This comes after Estonia was attacked by Russia, resulting in the need to pay for the damages caused. Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, voted in favor of the regulation submitted by the government, with only three votes against. The legal change must still be signed off by President Alar Karis. The new rule will see assets of Russian individuals and companies involved in illegal actions seized and used as advance payment for damage caused to Ukraine.

3:42 Ukraine Conference: Over 50 nations confirmed, but China yet to register

One month before the much-anticipated Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, more than 50 countries have announced their participation. Notably absent on this list is China. During a meeting between Swiss President Viola Amherd and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Amherd spoke about China's absence, acknowledging that "China has not yet registered," but adding, "We assume that there will be changes to this list of participants until the last moment."

21:17 Moscow lashes out at West for 'waging hybrid war' with Russian assets

Russia has criticized the West's plans to use funds from its frozen assets to support Ukraine. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry argued that these plans violate international laws and risk destabilizing the global financial system. Maria Zakharova, the ministry's spokesperson, accused Western countries of fighting a "hybrid war" against Russia, saying, "The West is trying to attack us using our frozen assets."

20:48 Germany: 3.9 billion euros of Russian assets now frozen

According to the German Federal Ministry of Finance, the country currently has 3.9 billion euros worth of frozen Russian assets. The funds consist of cash, shares, and luxury items belonging to sanctioned individuals, organizations, or companies. Back in June, the government had provided a higher estimate in response to a question from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, placing the estimated value at 5.2 billion euros. The spokesperson attributed the discrepancy to market fluctuations and delistings by the EU – essentially the removal of individuals or organizations from the sanctions list.

Check out the latest updates on this story here. [Note: The formatting was kept as close to the original as possible. Some abbreviations were replaced with full phrases for clarity.]

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1. In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Estonia has announced its intention to move frozen Russian funds to aid Ukraine.
2. This decision follows a call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky for international support to counteract Russian cyberwar tactics.
3. The move comes as Russia intensifies its military operations in the Kharkiv area, using hostages as human shields in Vovchansk and attacking civilian targets.
4. Nato and other international bodies have condemned Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine and pledged their support to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Source: www.ntv.de