Ukraine Invasion: Part 56

[MagicFox]

The (free) world has gone mad. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

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Kyiv Independent:

⚡️ Ukraine reportedly attacks Russian Strela electromechanical plant in Bryansk Oblast.

The Strela plant, located in Suzemka near the Ukrainian border, produces radar equipment, transformers, chokes, and other electronics for Russia's defense, aerospace, and electronics industries.

⚡️US sanctions depend on whether Russia is 'behaving' on peace deal, Trump says.

When asked if U.S. President Donald Trump would sign a Russian sanctions bill touted by close Republican ally Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump said that "it depends on whether or not Russia is behaving toward coming to a peace."

"I do believe we’re closer (to achieving peace) with one party, and maybe not as close with the other. But we’ll have to see. I’d like to not say which one we’re closer to," Trump told NBC News on May 4, adding that he was pleased with the outcome of the minerals deal signed with Ukraine.

🔹 Ukraine war latest: Zelensky rejects Putin’s 3-day ceasefire proposal as 'theatrical'; US sanctions depend on whether Russia is 'behaving' on peace deal, Trump says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for a three-day ceasefire from May 7–9 as a "theatrical performance" designed to ease Russia’s international isolation and create a favorable atmosphere for the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Interfax Ukraine reported on May 3.

Trump said in a wide-ranging interview with NBC News on May 4 that the U.S. may consider implementing additional sanctions against Russia if it does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine to end the war.

⚡️'We have allies who are helping Ukraine' — Kyiv expects 3 million shells, Zelensky says.

Ukraine expects 3 million artillery shells from its allies, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 4.

⚡️Fico slams Zelensky amid Moscow Victory Day security concerns.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 4 condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky for warning "foreign delegations not to come" to Russia's Victory Day parade on May 9.

⚡️OPEC+ to accelerate oil output, potentially lowering oil prices despite Russian reliance, Reuters reports.

The group, which includes Russia in its expanded framework, on May 3 agreed to a large oil production hike in June, Reuters reported on May 4.

⚡️Minerals deal 'important part' of future security guarantees, ambassador says.

The minerals deal signed between Ukraine and the U.S. is "an important part of... future security guarantees," Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said on May 4 in an interview with CBS News.

⚡️EU should invest in Ukrainian defense to 'double' weapons sent to Kyiv, commissioner says.

The EU "would effectively double the volume of weapons Ukraine receives" by investing in domestic weapons production, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said on May 4.

⚡️ Ahead of Putin's Victory Day Parade, Ukrainian drones reportedly target Moscow, Russian officials claim

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drones were shot down near the town of Podolsk, south of the capital.

⚡️ Trump says EU leaders asked him to call Putin because he's been ignoring their calls.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump also claimed a peace deal was "fairly close."

🔹 These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of May 5, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 1h
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA - MAY 5, 2025
■ Most engagements of 2025 so far, casualties above average
■ Drone & artillery losses above average as well
■ KIU: 88 killed officers (3 weeks), 5.4 per day in last four batches
■ Strikes on both sides above average

VE Day Parade

Ukrainian soldiers get applause and royal salute

There are a number of Ukrainian soldiers taking part in the procession.
As they marched past the box where the Royal Family and leading politicians are sitting, they received a salute from the King and applause.

The Ukrainian soldiers involved in the parade are training in the UK, while their country faces an invasion from Russia.

Good.

Anytime I want details on an incident like this I look at TWZ.com, and I wasn't disappointed today:

Two Russian Su-30 Flankers Downed By AIM-9s Fired From Drone Boats: Ukrainian Intel Boss - The event marks the first time drone boats downed fighters and the first successful use of AIM-9 missiles to take down any aircraft via drone boat.

Among other information, Ukrainian intelligence reports that one Russian crew ejected and survived and the other did not. America has been supplying Ukraine with the AIM-9M variant, so that's likely the one they mounted on the unmanned boats.

@MissConductUS

Thanks for the link..I think TMZ have got the same sort of ??? I have.

The AIM-9 is very much point and shoot/fire and forget but before firing you've got a few critical processes to go through such as seeker cueing and also ensuring you're not firing too far off luancher axis...and of course there's the question of how were the targets acquired in the fiest place.

However this has been done it's impressive from a technical POV.

It's very impressive. I remember reading from an American military intel source that before the war, Russians regarded Ukrainians as the "country cousins", i.e. a bunch of unsophisticated farmers and peasants. They're learning the truth hard way now. As Sun Tzu said, "There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent".

I heard on the radio this morning (NPR, so a reliable source) that the Pentagon was moving a Patriot battery from Israel to Ukraine, but can't find any confirmation online. If correct, that's a massive about face for the Trump administration and signals a shift in policy on military assistance to Ukraine.

I found the source. The New York Times reported the story. I can't get behind their paywall, but the story has been picked up elsewhere.

Patriot air-defense system based in Israel to be refurbished, sent to Ukraine – NYT

It's reportedly an older model that the IDF are decommissioning. This was interesting as well:

In addition to the Patriot from Israel, the US is seeking to transfer to Ukraine another system from Germany or Greece, according to the Sunday report.

I remember reading from an American military intel source that before the war, Russians regarded Ukrainians as the "country cousins", i.e. a bunch of unsophisticated farmers and peasants. They're learning the truth hard way now. As Sun Tzu said, "There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent".

Oh good lord. Do the Russians know how Ukrainians regarded them, before the war?

The Ukrainians I hang around with are not merely defiant in the face of the invader, they are brimming with longstanding disdain for Russia.

They have a powerful superiority complex and are not modest about the fact that Kievan Rus' is the ancestor of the Slavic element of Russia. They talk of Russia as being a nation historically built by superior immigrants (Ukrainians, Germans et al) who mostly spoke French or German by preference and some of whom spoke no Russian at all. The Ukrainians I speak to look down on their muscular northern descendants not even as cousins, but as thuggish country nephews – albeit nephews who've learnt to use a knife and fork and can produce a bit of art, if taught properly by Ukrainian influences.

It's not unlike watching the way Victorian Britain and C19th China would attempt to patronise each other – but founder on each other's profound superiority complex.

And you know, the Ukrainians saying this to me are factory workers who left school at 16.

They're not hampered by any sense of inferiority to the man in the golden palace...

New podcast recommended by Arthur Snell on his podcast that I didn’t know existed : Ukraine Without Hype
https://pca.st/podcast/d4b1d730-f7d7-0138-4146-0acc26574db2

Perhaps I've put that a bit strongly.

My Ukrainian friends don't seem to have had any aggression towards Russia before the invasion, and they were keen to point out that they had Russian family, didn't hate the Russian language and they could enjoy Russian literature – though they choose to speak only Ukrainian now.

But scratch the surface and they just didn't really rate Russia.

I've been the Brit Abroad in so many places where Britain was once the imperial ruler. I've seen some of the different dynamics which occur between former colonised and former coloniser. It's very clear some formerly colonised countries retain an underlying inferiority complex at some level.

Whereas for my Ukrainian friends towards Russia I get the impression that, before the invasion, it was more like peering over their glasses: "What's nephew Peter Petrovich done now?"

https://news.sky.com/story/friedrich-merzs-bid-to-become-germanys-10th-chancellor-unexpectedly-fails-in-first-round-of-voting-13360405 Looks like the wait continues for a new German chancellor.

Key Takeaways:

• Russian sources claimed on May 5 that Ukrainian forces conducted a series of limited attacks across the Russia-Ukraine international border near Tetkino, Kursk Oblast.
• The Russian military command reportedly recently redeployed elements of the 68th Army Corps and 58th Combined Arms Army to the Toretsk direction from the Kurakhove and western Zaporizhia directions.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Czech President Petr Pavel announced on May 4 that Czechia will work with Ukraine to establish a school to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets outside of Ukraine.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Siversk, Toretsk, Kurakhove, and Velyka Novosilka.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Romanian PM resigns after far-right candidate (kyivindependent.com/romanian-pm-resigns-after-far-right-candidate-wins-1st-round-of-presidential-election/) takes commanding lead in presidential election.
Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion, head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), received nearly 41% of the votes. Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote, and the candidate from the ruling coalition, Crin Antonescu, obtained 20.13%.

⚡️ Ukraine stabilizes (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-stabilizes-pokrovsk-front-seizes-tactical-initiative-syrskyi-says/) Pokrovsk front, seizes tactical initiative in some areas, Syrskyi says.
Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, remains one of the front's most fiercely contested sectors.

⚡️Economy minister to meet with party leaders before parliament ratifies minerals deal.

⚡️Drones target Moscow (kyivindependent.com/drones-target-moscow-second-night-in-a-row-russian-official-claims/) second night in a row, Russian official claims.

⚡️'It's a lot' (kyivindependent.com/its-a-lot-trump-on-putins-proposed-3-day-truce/) — Trump on Putin's proposed 3-day truce.

⚡️Trump discusses war in Ukraine with Turkey's Erdogan (kyivindependent.com/trump-discusses-war-in-ukraine-with-turkeys-erdogan-in-phone-call/) in phone call.

⚡️Ukraine strikes (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-at-russian-drone-control-center-in-kursk-oblast-ukraines-general-staff-says/) Russian drone control center in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff says.
As a result of the strike, up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed.

⚡️'Meeting is clearly on the radar' — Kremlin on potential Trump-Putin (kyivindependent.com/meeting-is-clearly-on-the-radar-peskov-on-potential-trump-putin-meeting/) meeting.

⚡️ North Korea sends (kyivindependent.com/north-korea-sends-nearly-15-000-migrants-to-russia-due-to-lack-of-labor-in-russia-wsj-reports/) nearly 15,000 migrants to Russia to cover labor market shortage, WSJ reports.
The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

⚡️ Lithuania to mine border (kyivindependent.com/lithuania-to-mine-border-with-russia-belarus-in-1-2-billion-defense-plan/) with Russia, Belarus in new $1.2 billion defense plan.
About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression.

⚡️Zelensky thanks (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-thanks-outgoing-german-chancellor-scholz/) outgoing German Chancellor Scholz for Ukraine support.

⚡️Special tribunal against Russian leadership may be launched (kyivindependent.com/special-tribunal-against-russian-leadership-may-be-launched-in-2026-presidential-office-says/) in 2026, President's Office says.
The tribunal, set to operate within the Council of Europe, will focus on Russia's political and military leaders, including President Vladimir Putin.

⚡️ Ukrainian court orders detention (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-court-orders-detention-of-ex-deputy-head-of-presidential-office-during-corruption-probe/) of ex-deputy head of President's Office during corruption probe.
Andrii Smyrnov is under investigation for allegedly legalizing illicit assets and accepting a bribe worth $100,000.

As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home
(kyivindependent.com/as-russia-trains-abducted-children-for-war-ukraine-fights-uphill-battle-to-bring-them-home/)
Around the world, abducting a child is a serious crime punishable by years behind bars.
But when the kidnapper is Russia, justice remains a distant hope. So does the child’s return home.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has identified over 19,500 children who have been forcibly deported to Russia, Belarus, or occupied territories. So far, only 1,300 of them have been safely brought back.

⚡️Book on Soviet dissidents (kyivindependent.com/book-on-soviet-dissidents-wins-pulitzer-prize/) wins Pulitzer Prize.
"To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans won a Pulitzer Prize on May 5.

⚡️Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast kill 3, injure 7, (kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-on-sumy-oblast-kill-3-injure-7-including-teen/) including teen.
⚡️1 killed, fires reported in Odesa Oblast following Russian drone attack (https://kyivindependent.com/1-killed-fires-reported-in-odesa-oblast-following-russian-drone-attack/).

⚡️ 5 killed (kyivindependent.com/5-killed-33-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/), 33 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

‪Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 1h
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA - MAY 6, 2025
■ Highest casualties in over two weeks & 200 engagements reported
■ Strong artillery losses & drone interceptions above average
■ Most 🇺🇦 strikes on over a month, solid strike ratio

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

⚡️Moscow to be without mobile Internet until May 9 as authorities jam communications for the “safety” of the Victory Day parade.
Residents in the city center are already reporting near-total loss of mobile reception. Authorities are advising people to switch to Wi-Fi. During yesterday’s parade rehearsal, all mobile operators reportedly went down.

A Russian hacking group attacked local government and presidential candidate websites on the day of Romania’s presidential election, the Romanian outlet G4Media reported.
The attack, carried out by the group known as DDOSIA/NoName057, targeted the website of Romania’s Constitutional Court, the main government portal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the websites of four presidential candidates.
According to a list from the National Cybersecurity Directorate, the affected candidate websites included Crin Antonescu, who is backed by Romania’s ruling parties, and Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, running as an independent.
The hackers claimed responsibility on their Telegram channel, naming the websites of the Interior and Justice Ministries among their targets, Romanian TV channel Digi24 reported. The attack used a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) method, which overwhelms a website with traffic to force it offline.
The cyberattack occurred as Romanians voted in the first round of a presidential rerun. The country’s highest court annulled the previous round last year following allegations of illegal campaigning by the winner, ultranationalist Călin Georgescu, and possible Russian interference.
According to declassified Romanian intelligence documents, more than 85,000 cyberattacks targeted Romania’s electoral IT system on and after last November’s vote.

[more info]
North Korea has sent around 15,000 labor migrants to Russia amid a severe labor shortage caused by war losses, demographic decline, and emigration, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing South Korean intelligence.
The North Koreans, who entered on student visas, are primarily working in Russia’s Far East, reportedly for low wages and shifts of up to 12 hours a day. According to the article, Russian authorities hope to bring even more of these workers to larger cities.

In Russia’s Kursk region, the village of Glushkovo, located on the border with Ukraine, is being evacuated “due to the complicated situation,” ASTRA reported.
“Residents currently in the village need to evacuate temporarily,” said village head Khudyakov. He added that the evacuation will be carried out by personnel from the country’s combat army reserve (BARS).

A drone has captured the aftermath of intense fighting—showing the village of New York, Donetsk region, in ruins.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU/CSU bloc, was not elected as Germany’s new chancellor after (www.kyivpost.com/post/52108) failing to secure enough votes in the first round of voting in the Bundestag.

The EU is preparing a proposal to completely ban imports of Russian gas (www.kyivpost.com/post/52063) by the end of 2027. The Union considers replacing it with supplies from the US, Qatar, Canada, and African producers.

Open-source satellite images have revealed (www.kyivpost.com/post/52098) an apparent redeployment of Tupolev TU-95 strategic bombers to the Belaya airbase, 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine safe from Kyiv’s long-range drones but still capable of attacking with cruise missiles.

Trump cagily confirmed (www.kyivpost.com/post/52089) that the balance of scales in his effort to deliver a resolution to the three-plus-year Russian invasion of Ukraine is now tipping in Kyiv’s favor.

Overnight, Putin’s forces launched a massive drone attack on Kharkiv. In just two hours, 20 strikes hit various districts of the city, injuring at least four people.
Europe’s largest market, Barabashovo, was among the Russian targets — parts of it caught fire. https://t.me/Kyivpost_official/29424

The SBU said it has arrested (www.kyivpost.com/post/52075) a 43-year-old Tiktoker near Pokrovsk for spying on Ukrainian positions at the behest of Russia’s FSB spy agency.

Ukrainian national unity hubs will open in Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, and the UK — Zelensky
The goal of these hubs is to maintain connections with Ukrainians abroad, offer legal support, assist with employment, and provide consultations on returning to Ukraine.

An agreement links Ukraine’s national mental health program, “How Are You?”, (www.kyivpost.com/post/52064) with the Czech Republic’s National Institute of Mental Health.

Kyiv Post breaks down the biggest events of the past week in Ukraine. Catch the full recap now on our YouTube channel.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Trump claims Putin has become more inclined toward peace in the Russia–Ukraine war following recent oil price drop
The price of oil — crucial for Russia’s economy — has fallen by about $15 per barrel since the beginning of the year.
According to sources, OPEC+ countries are expected to accelerate oil production increases.

🇩🇪 Germany signs coalition agreement — what it means for Ukraine
After 10 weeks of negotiations, the leaders of Germany’s Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union bloc officially signed the coalition agreement, clearing the way for ministerial appointments in the new government.
Key focus areas include migration, the economy, and defense, with the new government aiming for structural modernization of crucial sectors.
Ukraine is given special attention — mentioned 17 times across the 144-page document. Germany recognizes Ukraine as a “key factor in European security” and pledges support “from a position of strength,” meaning without compromises with Russia.
The agreement also reaffirms Germany’s commitment to Ukraine’s future NATO membership and supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

Ukrainian-made ground robotic system “Vislyuk” officially adopted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Ministry of Defense has codified and approved the “Vislyuk” for operation.
This highly mobile robot can move across rough terrain, sand, and mud, and is capable of carrying up to 200 kg of cargo. Its battery allows for several hours of continuous movement at maximum speed.
“Vislyuk” is produced in various modifications for logistics, evacuation, mining, and setting up engineering barriers. The robot features robust control channels and can optionally be equipped with a fiber optic module.

In Makhachkala, Dagestan, two unidentified gunmen opened fire on traffic police — at least three officers killed
According to Russian media, police returned fire, injuring three people, including a child.

Six killed and six injured in Donetsk region due to Russian shelling
On April 4, four people were killed in the village of Rih, Pokrovsk community, and one more in Myrnohrad.
[Yesterday] Russian forces killed another person in Novoekonomichne, Hrodivka community, wounded three in Myrnohrad, and another three in Novodonetske.
Among the wounded are a 2-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy.

Merz elected as Chancellor on second time of asking.

Has anyone else seen the reports on Twitter that.300 Russian boats are heading for Kherson, not sure if they are credible accounts

Difficult if the Ukrainians are right and there are a maximum of 100 Russian boats in that area?

Pravda seems to be reporting 300, though.

Boats of what type?

@notimagain, the Indians are skipping the V-Day parade in Moscow. That would have been unthinkable before the war.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/india-s-defense-minister-cancels-moscow-parade-visit-after-modi-backs-out-50511250.html

//x.com/InUKRofficial/status/1919755279085851011 An official of the Czech government when President Zelensky visited Prague wore socks showing the Kremlin burning

There was a report on Ukrinform of the 300 boats earlier.

Re. India missing from Putin Parade, they are too busy bombing Pakistan now.

Russians have gathered 300 boats to cross Dnipro River - RMA says attack on Kherson possible

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-6-2025

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian forces continued limited attacks across the international border near Tetkino and Novyi Put, Kursk Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces also continued drone, air, and artillery strikes aimed at isolating Russian units in and near Tetkino.
• Kremlin officials are continuing to leverage the mythos of the Soviet Union's role in the Second World War to form the basis of a new state ideology that will span generations and that Russia intends to leverage to justify a future military conflict against the West.
• The Kremlin appears to be consolidating around an informal state ideology predicated on perpetuating the belief that the West is determined to encircle and defeat Russia.
• Russian officials also appear to be leveraging the story of the Second World War (referred to as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) to dismiss Russia's early failures in the war in Ukraine and present the false image that Russian victory in Ukraine is as inevitable as the Soviet triumph over Germany became at the end of World War II.
• Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov expressed his desire to resign from his post but acknowledged that only Russian President Vladimir Putin can approve this request. Kadyrov has helped stabilize interethnic tensions in the North Caucasus, and leaving his post without a suitable successor could threaten the stability of Putin's regime.
• It remains unclear who might succeed Kadyrov in the event of his resignation or death.
• Ukraine and Russia conducted a 205-for-205 prisoner of war (POW) exchange on May 6.
• Russian forces advanced near Kupyansk, Toretsk, Novopavlivka, and Velyka Novosilka.