Ukraine manages to take down 37 Shahed drones.

Ukraine downs 37 Shahed drones at 08:46.

Ukraine reports success against Russian air assault. The Ukrainian air force shares that Russia attacked regions like Kiev, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Zhytomy, Cherkasy, and Kherson with 37 attack drones overnight, all of which were Iranian-type Shahed. These drones were shot down by the air defense.

8:26 Russia is weakening Ukraine on all fronts

Despite the sanctioned military aid from the US, many Ukrainian troops' arsenals on the front are running empty. Troops are depleted, and new soldiers are hard to come by. Russia exploits this vulnerability and fires on several areas.

7:47 Alleged Russian interception of ATACMS

Russia says it has intercepted nine US ATACMS missiles over the Russian-occupied Crimea overnight. Additionally, one enemy drone was shot down, and three intercepted drones were destroyed in the Russian region of Belgorod near the border and fifty-seven in the Krasnodar region, according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow via Telegram. The information couldn't be verified.

7:10 Ukraine claims Russia loses 1,210 soldiers

As every day, the Ukrainian army announces on Facebook the number of Russian soldiers killed or wounded the previous day per their account. According to this, the Russian toll on Saturday amounted to 1,210 soldiers, raising the total Russian casualties in the war to 492,290 soldiers. The Ukrainian army also claims they destroyed 16 tanks and 35 armored vehicles. The figures are unverifiable.

6:34 ISW: Russia increases pressure on Chasiv Yar

The Russian invasion forces are increasing their attempts to seize the strategically significant city of Chassiv Yar in the eastern region of Donetsk, as per the Institute for the Study of War. Russia is also trying to force Ukraine to withdraw troops from the area around Chasiv Yar by launching an offensive in the Kharkiv region, the analysis from the ISW stated. They also note that the Russian army advanced further in Kharkiv.

ISW connects this new assault to a demand from former Russian President Medvedev. The ex-President has asked for the "buffer zone" in Ukraine to encompass the whole country, showing that the supposed "buffer zone" is a thin guise for Russia's long-term goal of subjugating Ukraine.

6:09 Drones ignite fire at refinery in southern Russia

A drone crashed into an oil refinery in the southern Russian city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani, which caused a small fire, the authorities of the Krasnodar region announced. No casualties or damage were reported. Ukraine has been targeting Russian refineries for some time.

5:40 Danone concludes Russian business withdrawal

French dairy giant Danone has finished the sale of its Russian operations to a businessman connected to Chechnya after thirty years in the country. The Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform shared this information, mentioning that the dairy company Vamin Tatarstan, owned by businessman Mintimer Mingasov, had agreed to pay 17.7 billion roubles (180 million euros) to take control of Danone's Russian business. Experts estimate a real value of up to 80 billion roubles.

4:37 Explosions in Crimea: air strikes on Sevastopol

There are reports of explosions on the occupied Russian peninsula of Crimea during the night. The air defenses in Sevastopol repelled a missile strike, stated Crimean governor appointed by Moscow, Mikhail Rasvoshaev, via his Telegram page. However, the Sevastopol rescue service reported no harm to civilian infrastructure.

3:33 Air alerts in nearly all areas of Ukraine: extensive drone attacks

Russia is conducting significant drone attacks against Ukraine overnight. The Ukrainian air force records regions like Kiev, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, and Odessa as the targets, with numerous explosions being heard in various places. An air alert was issued in large parts of the country, but so far, there are no reports of casualties or damage.

1:04 Pistorius seeks nearly four billion euros more for Kiev assistance

As per media reports, Germany's federal government plans to considerably enhance military help for Ukraine this year. The Ministry of Defense has declared an extra need of 3.8 billion euros for military assistance, as reported in the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag." Thus far in 2023, the coalition government has allocated 7.1 billion euros for military aid. This extra budget spending will be submitted to parliament for approval in June. Christian Lindner's Ministry of Finance has signaled its approval.

00:05 Ukrainian General Staff discloses 77 confrontations

In its nighttime report, the Ukrainian General Staff reveals 77 engagements in a day. Out of these, seven are still ongoing. "Russian troops are trying to better their tactical position," the General Staff's Telegram channel writes. Ukraine's armed forces have conducted four assaults to push the Russians out of occupied areas, it adds.

22:25 Ukrainian aviation hero perishes during mission

Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk held the esteemed "Order of Valor" award, given for individual courage and heroism. He had executed "numerous combat missions," as was shared on Facebook by the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, where the competent pilot served. He was also the squadron's chief of staff and a deputy commander. The brigade has just announced that Vasyliuk was "recently" killed during a mission. No additional details regarding his death are available. The Ukrainian air force has not yet commented on Vasyliuk's passing.

21:57 Putin in Cannes: Polish filmmaker exhibits biopic with AI

In the Cannes Film Festival, Patryk Vega, a Polish filmmaker, showcased his biopic about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin's demise is depicted in the film's final scene. "It was supposed to be a happy ending," Vega remarked, who presented his Putin biopic. "I called Putin and asked if he wanted to participate... - oh, I was joking," the filmmaker adds with a wide grin. Since the actual Putin was unavailable, Vega opted to make use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create a deep fake of Putin's face.

Vega initially wished to fashion his film character using actual footage of Putin. However, the visual quality was inadequate for the big screen. "AI must be nourished. It requires 20,000 high-resolution pictures for it to function," the filmmaker explains. To overcome this limitation, he devised a new technique that utilizes AI to create the visage of a genuine actor resembling Putin. "It's the first movie to employ this technology," says Vega. The filme exhibits Putin in familiar postures such as as a dictator, at ornate desks, but also playing the piano and moistening his pants in a hospital bed.

21:35 Foreign Minister Wu: Taiwan's fate tied to the war in Ukraine

"If Russia can do this with Ukraine, China could do the same with Taiwan," Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu claims in an interview with the Kyiv Independent. The initiation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine served as a warning for Taiwan, explains the island nation's top diplomat. If Kiev loses, Taiwan may become the following conflict zone. Even two years after the event, he believes that Taiwan's fate is dependant on the Ukraine war's outcome. If Russia prevails in Ukraine, officials across the spectrum believe that Beijing will pursue "reunification" of the two Chinas by force, states Wu.