Ukraine declares additional assaults on Russian targets at 13:07.

Ukraine reports additional assaults on Russian objectives.

Ukrainian media outlet RBC claims that the night saw more attacks on targets in Russia, aside from the strike on a refinery in Krasnodar. Two locations were targeted – the Kushchevsk military airfield and an oil depot in Leningrad's St. Petersburg area. Drones operated by the Ukrainian army carried out these attacks, and there were "dozens" of fighter jets at the damaged airfield. Ukraine had previously logged a similar attack on Kushchevsk back in April.

Updating on the 12:41 time mark, Russian officials report larger Ukrainian airstrike numbers than initially disclosed. The Russian ministry of defense declared that air defenses had successfully downed 103 Ukrainian drones and twelve ATACMS missiles sent by the United States in the past 24 hours. Earlier, the ministry only mentioned nine ATACMS missiles launched at Crimean territory and at least 60 drones used in attacks on Russian regions.

As of 11:57, there were four confirmed casualties from Russian airstrikes in the area of Kharkiv. A park was the target of a cruel double-strike, Ukrinform reported.

Two deaths and eight injuries were reported in the Kharkiv district by its military administration. The head of the military administration, Oleh Synegubov, disclosed that an emergency paramedic was among the injured (the entry from 11:06).

The Russian ground forces halted their push towards Kharkiv by early Saturday, Ukraine's General Staff let the public know via Telegram. No further explanation was provided. Nevertheless, air raids continued in the region, injuring eight civilians.

The entire east of Ukraine faced an air alert. Various Ukrainian media outlets have documented this. According to online newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda, a Russian missile was headed for Kyiv.

Ukraine reported sinking a minesweeper from the Russian Black Sea Fleet during the night. The Ukrainian navy's official Facebook account posted a crossed-out photo of the "Kovrovets," a 1974 built vessel. It's of the "Project 266M" class.

A Russian source noted that six drones involved in the refinery attack in southern Russia were filled with steel balls. The drones were larger and carried heavy loads, driving key factor in their destructive capability. Halted refinery operations are still being evaluated. The Russian ministry of defense confirmed 57 Ukrainian drones shot down in Krasnodar.

Eastern Ukrainian regions were placed on high alert for the 09:52 time frame.

Ukraine's newly introduced mobilization law orders a reporting obligation on fit men. Furthermore, there's a new barrage involving missiles and glide bombs in an offensive and the situation is analyzed from Kiev by ntv reporter Jürgen Weichert.

In one of their latest attacks, glide bombs were used for the damage, a BBC report states that they're hard to intercept due to sheer numbers being deployed. Jürgen Bronk from the Royal United Services Institute validates this claim, saying "All available air defense ammunition would be used too quickly." The only way to shoot down these launchers is by targeting the planes themselves, but the Ukrainians don't have the necessary weapons for this. Their few Patriot systems could be moved close enough to annihilate planes, but then they'd risk losing those Patriot systems.

Glide bombs are easy to produce and have tremendous damage potential. These are not complex machines – they're simple bombs that gain their needed speed from a distance, which ensures the safety of the launching aircraft. They enable Russia to enjoy military superiority over the Ukrainians by not requiring infantry to be employed. Additionally, Russia is attacking soft civilian targets with these glide bombs. Telegram user Andrei Kovalenko emphasized this fact with a report of almost total destruction to the city of Vovchansk due to Russian attacks with glide bombs.

Glide bombs are straightforward, easily produced explosives that give a plane the speed needed to avoid risking the launching aircraft. They're simple weapons, but they bring absolute destruction. They enable Russia to obtain a superior military position in the conflict and easily bypass Ukrainian defense systems, according to Ukrainian defense specialist Mariia Zolkina. Overwhelming the enemy with glide bombs has been a typical Russian tactic in their offensive on civilian targets. A Telegram user named Andrey Kovalenko emphasized how mercilessly Russia is attacking Ukrainian civilian targets with glide bombs.

Ukraine Reportedly Successfully Defends Against Russian Air Attack, Shooting Down 37 Shahed Drones

Ukrainian authorities have announced that they successfully defended against a major Russian air attack last night. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched an attack on regions including Kiev, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Zhytomy, Cherkasy, and Kherson using 37 drones of the Iranian type Shahed. The air defense systems managed to shoot down all the drones.

Russia Continues to Wear Ukraine Down on All Fronts

Despite receiving military aid from the US, many Ukrainian units on the frontline are running out of ammunition. Troops have been significantly reduced, and it is difficult to recruit new soldiers. Russia is taking advantage of this weakness and is targeting several regions.

Russia Claims to Have Intercepted AUATACMS Over Crimea

Russia claims to have intercepted nine US-made ATACMS missiles over the Russian-occupied Crimea last night. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow also claimed to have shot down an enemy drone in Crimea. In addition, four more drones were allegedly intercepted and destroyed in the Belgorod region, near the border, and another 57 over the Krasnodar region. However, this information has not been verified.

Ukraine Reports 1210 Russian Soldier Losses

The Ukrainian army reported on Facebook that they killed or wounded 1210 Russian soldiers the day before according to their count. This brings the total Russian soldier losses in the war to 492,290. The Ukrainian army also reportedly destroyed 16 tanks and 35 armored vehicles. However, these numbers cannot be independently verified.

ISW: Russia Increases Pressure on Chassiv Yar

The Institute for the Study of War reports that Russia has increased its efforts to capture the strategically important city of Chassiv Yar in the eastern region of Donetsk. Russia is also attempting to force Ukraine to withdraw troops from the area around Chassiv Yar by launching an offensive in the Kharkiv region. According to the ISW, this move is in line with a demand made by former Russian President Medvedev, who stated that Russia wants to create a "buffer zone" in Ukraine that includes the entire country.

Drone Causes Local Fire at Russian Oil Refinery

A drone has crashed onto the site of an oil refinery in the southern Russian city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani. Local authorities in the Krasnodar region announced that there was a "local fire" as a result of the incident. However, there were no casualties or damage reported. Ukraine has been attacking Russian refineries for some time now.

French Dairy Giant Danone Withdraws From Russia

French dairy giant Danone has completed the sale of its Russian business to a Russian businessman with ties to Chechnya after 30 years in the country. The Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reports that Vamin Tatarstan, owned by businessman Mintimer Mingasov, has purchased Danone's Russian business for 17.7 billion roubles (180 million euros). Experts believe the actual value could be up to 80 billion roubles. In July last year, Yakub Zakriyev - a nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov - was appointed as the new head of Danone's Russian subsidiary.

Explosions Reported in Crimea

There are reports of explosions in the Russian-occupied Black Sea peninsula of Crimea during the night. The Crimean governor appointed by Moscow, Mikhail Rasvoshaev, confirmed that the air defenses in Sevastopol had repelled a missile attack. However, the Sevastopol rescue service reported no damage to civilian infrastructure.

Massive Drone Attacks Across Ukraine

Russia is alleged to be carrying out massive drone attacks across Ukraine in the night. The affected areas include Kiev, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, and Odessa. Explosions have been heard in numerous places. There is currently no information on damage or casualties.

Civilians Targeted in Kharkiv Region

Ukrainian reports indicate that civilians were shot at during the night in two towns in the Kharkiv region. The Ukrainian public prosecutor's office is investigating the Russian airstrike on a residential area in the regional capital Kharkiv as a possible war crime. Six civilians, including three young people, were injured. Moscow denies deliberately targeting civilians. Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of people have been killed and injured.

At 01:04, Pistorius requests over 3.7 billion euros more for Kiev

An article states that Germany intends to significantly increase military aid for Ukraine this year. The German Defense Ministry has declared a need for an additional 3.8 billion euros for military assistance, as reported by the "Bild am Sonntag" newspaper. So far in 2023, the coalition government has allocated 7.1 billion euros for military assistance. This additional expenditure is scheduled to be presented to parliament for approval in June. Christian Lindner's Finance Ministry has indicated its support.

At 00:05, the Ukrainian General Staff records 77 battles

In its nightly report, the Ukrainian General Staff reports 77 combat engagements within a 24-hour period. Seven of these conflicts continue. According to the General Staff's Telegram channel, "Russian troops are trying to improve their tactical position." The Ukrainian army has launched four offensive actions to drive the Russians out of occupied areas, it adds.

At 22:25, Ukrainian aviation hero dies during combat mission

Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk, who had received the "Order of Valor," an award for individual courage and bravery, was killed "recently" during a combat mission. The 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade announced his death on Facebook. Vasyliuk was chief of staff of the brigade and deputy commander of an aviation squadron. His unit has yet to provide any more information about his passing. The Ukrainian air force has not commented on the incident.

At 21:57, Putin in Cannes: Polish filmmaker shows biopic with AI

Patryk Vega, a Polish filmmaker, presented his biopic about Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Cannes Film Festival. The film ends with Putin's death. "It was supposed to have a happy ending," says Vega. "I called Putin and asked if he wanted to participate... - oh, I was joking," he adds with a wide grin. Since the real Putin was unavailable, Vega chose to utilize deep fake AI technology to portray Putin.

Initially, he considered using real footage of Putin for the film. However, the image quality was insufficient for cinema use. "AI requires 20,000 high-resolution images to function," explains Vega. Instead, he developed a new technology that uses AI to create a face with the same stature as Putin based on a real actor. "It's the first film to employ this technique," says Vega. The results are impressive. The movie depicts Putin as we know him - posing as a dictator, behind elaborate desks, but also playing the piano and soiling his pants in a hospital bed.

At 21:35, Foreign Minister Wu: Taiwan's future might depend on the war in Ukraine

"If Russia can do this with Ukraine, China could do the same with Taiwan," says Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu in an interview with the Kyiv Independent. The beginning of Russia's war on Ukraine served as a wake-up call for Taiwan, explains the face of the island's diplomacy. In the event of a Ukrainian defeat, Taiwan could become the next battlefield. Even after two years, Wu believes that the island's future relies on the outcome of the Ukrainian conflict. If Russia is successful in Ukraine, officials from all camps predict that Beijing will seek the "reunification" of the two Chinas by force.

You can view all previous developments here. [BINANCE SCAM] [NATIONALIZATION OF BINANCE] [KIEV DEFENSE] [UKRAINIAN GENERAL STAFF REPORT] [UKRAINIAN AVIATION HERO DEATH] [PUTIN BIOPIC AT CANNES] [TAIWAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER OUTLOOK ON UKRAINE]