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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61

203 replies

MagicFox · 28/04/2026 15:57

Welcome to thread 61 with many thanks to all So many thanks to all contributors and a special salute to those providing daily updates. For the 61st time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

**
Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events
B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content
C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful
D. Please keep on topic

OP posts:
Thread gallery
94
DuncinToffee · 03/05/2026 18:18

UK PM Starmer met President Zelenskyy ahead of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.

They discussed Ukraine’s frontline updates, stronger European defence cooperation, protection of Ukraine’s energy grid before winter, and faster sanctions pressure on Russia.

blueshoes · 04/05/2026 03:14

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-3-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Ukrainian forces continue their long-range strike campaign against Russian military assets and oil infrastructure, exploiting vulnerabilities in Russian air defenses.
  2. Russia’s additional revenues from rising oil prices are likely insufficient to fundamentally change the course of Russia’s growing economic issues.
  3. Senior Russian bankers continue to express worries over economic issues that will continue to mature throughout the 2026 fiscal year, despite increased Russian oil revenues.
  4. Ukrainian forces recently advanced northwest of Orikhiv.
  5. Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 268 long-range drones against Ukraine overnight.
blueshoes · 04/05/2026 03:19

PerkingFaintly · 03/05/2026 14:22

I've been boggling at that!

Thanks @notimagain and @DuncinToffee for linking it.

That Ukrainian dude must be so very psychologically strong to manipulate his Russian captor over days in captivity.

"Lietunov decided to play dumb. “I could see Nikita was a bit thick but I gave the impression I was the stupid one. I could have run away but I didn’t so he would trust me more,” he said

Interesting facts about the 25 km kill zone due to drones' flight path and they only go out under the cover of fog, which is when the Ukrainian armoured rescue vehicle also arrived to pick them up. Drones dropping food and radios.

The battlefield is much altered. It is quite terrifying and dystopian.

DuncinToffee · 04/05/2026 12:42

The UK joining in the EU's €90bn Ukraine loan looks like it is on the verge of being agreed - good news both for Ukraine and EU-UK relations:

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-on-verge-of-joining-eus-16378bn-loan-for-ukraine-as-starmer-seeks-reset-with-brussels-13539984

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 12:55

United 24 Media:

❗️ A bus carrying about 40 children was attacked by Russian forces in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

At the time, the enemy was attempting to strike a gas station. The children managed to leave the vehicle before the attack. Psychologists are now working with them.

🔹 “I arrived in Yerevan to participate in the European Political Community summit. There are many meetings ahead. The key priority is greater security and coordination for all of us,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

🇫🇮 An unidentified drone violated Finnish airspace near the Russian border.

The type and origin of the drone have not yet been determined. It is no longer in Finnish airspace.

🕯 One person was killed in a Russian attack on Dnipro. Eleven people were injured, six of them hospitalized, — head of the regional military administration Oleksandr Hanzha.

🔸 Sweden has detained another vessel from Russia’s “shadow fleet,” the country’s defense minister said.

The vessel, Jin Hui, is under sanctions from the EU, the UK, and Ukraine. It was sailing under a false flag, was in poor technical condition, and was uninsured.

It has been towed to a designated mooring area for further investigation. No arrests have been made.

This is the fifth such vessel detained by Sweden recently.

🔹 Britain is accelerating the production of AI-enabled drones to keep pace with technological advances in the Russia–Ukraine war, — The Telegraph.

During exercises, the British military is simulating combat operations in Ukraine, where drones account for more than 90 percent of battlefield casualties.

“This is where we need to evolve. The pace of change and what our adversaries are demonstrating is alarming. We need to remain vigilant given the speed of this threat,” said Guy Hennings Haar, head of autonomous ground systems at Applied Intuition UK, a leading developer of swarm drone systems.

As Russia develops its own swarm drones to break the stalemate in Donbas, this is prompting Downing Street to push forward the UK’s flagship project, the publication notes.

“Of course, it is useful to bring everyone together in a safe and controlled environment for demonstrations, but the clear goal is to achieve combat readiness,” Haar added.

🔸 Air defense systems are being deployed en masse in Moscow ahead of the May 9 parade on Red Square.

🔹 The first day of meetings and negotiations in Armenia, ahead of the European Political Community summit, was dedicated to coordination with European partners. There are three key tasks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, summing up the start of his visit.

“First, we are doing everything to bring the war to a dignified end. We informed partners about the state of diplomacy, possible prospects, and planned contacts.

Joint efforts are needed to intensify diplomacy and maintain pressure on the aggressor. Russia must end this war.

Second, we are accelerating the implementation of the European support package for Ukraine worth €90 billion.

Third, we are strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, energy support, and cooperation with partners in the energy sector.

We are already actively preparing for the new heating season and diversifying support.

We have informed partners about all our needs for protection and recovery. Thank you to every partner ready to help.”

🔸 Peru’s prosecutor’s office has launched a preliminary investigation following numerous appeals from citizens about the recruitment of their relatives for the war against Ukraine.

According to the authorities, Peruvians were lured to Russia with offers of jobs as bodyguards and in other positions, with promises of high salaries, but were later sent to the front.

Lawyer Marcelo Tataje said families have filed 135 missing persons reports, with information on another 250 similar cases. Another lawyer, Peri Salinas, stated that around 600 people have left Peru for Russia since October 2025, and at least 13 have been killed in the war.

According to the lawyers, recruitment was also carried out by an organization registered in Colombia. Some Peruvians were offered jobs as taxi drivers, cooks, or engineers, with salaries ranging from $2,600 to $4,000 per month and a “welcome bonus” of $20,000, which they did not receive.

Before traveling, recruits were given documents in Russian to sign. Upon arrival, their passports were confiscated, they were sent for short-term military training, and then deployed to the front.

The prosecutor’s office is treating these cases as possible crimes against human dignity and aggravated human trafficking.

😡 Russian forces struck the city of Merefa in the Kharkiv region, killing four people.

At least eight people were injured and are receiving medical assistance, the regional military administration reported.

Private homes and apartment buildings, four shops, and a service station were damaged.

The fire caused by the attack has been extinguished.

🔹 President Zelenskyy met with Ursula von der Leyen in Yerevan.

“We discussed the European support package, including the schedule for the first tranche, which will be directed toward joint drone production. We also agreed to actively move forward with the Drone Deal with the EU and discussed the details of potential security cooperation,” the president said.

The head of state noted that preparations are underway for a step-by-step plan to create the necessary security infrastructure.

❗️ Russian forces attacked a radiation monitoring laboratory at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, — IAEA.

The agency’s team has requested access to the facility. There is currently no information about injuries or damage.

🔸 Long-range strike drones targeted Moscow overnight, with debris and damage reported just a few miles from the Kremlin, according to Russian media outlet Astra on May 4.

Videos show wreckage scattered across Mosfilmovskaya Street, an area located roughly six kilometers (about 3.7 miles) from the Kremlin, the fortified center of the city.

🔹 Ukraine has proposed a drone deal to Finland, — Reuters.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed strengthening cooperation by signing a drone agreement, as well as exchanging technology and combat experience gained during four years of war with Russia.

“Ukraine is ready to share its experience and strengthen those who supported us from the very beginning of the war,” the president said after meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Yerevan.

Orpo stated that it is unacceptable for Ukrainian drones to enter Finland.

“Ukraine must do everything possible to prevent drones from entering Finland,” he said.

His statement followed the discovery of another Ukrainian drone carrying unexploded explosives on April 11 in the southeastern community of Iitti, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The drone was later neutralized in a controlled explosion. This is the fourth such drone found in Finland recently.

During the meeting, the parties also agreed that Helsinki will allocate $300 million to Ukraine for airspace protection.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 13:04

Live:Ukraine

⚡️ In Russia’s Primorsk, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck a Kalibr-capable vessel — a Karakurt-class ship — as well as a patrol boat and a tanker from the “shadow fleet.”

In addition, oil-loading infrastructure sustained significant damage.

⚡️ Russian forces continued their attacks on Dnipropetrovsk region. Here’s what is known about the consequences:

🔴 Dnipro. Russian forces struck a residential area, damaging a dormitory. Eight people are currently reported injured, four of them hospitalized. Among the injured is a 9-year-old girl.

🔴 Kryvyi Rih. Five people were injured in the attack. Among them are two children — one-year-old and four-year-old boys — who suffered smoke inhalation from a fire that broke out in a high-rise building (Photo 3). The boys are in moderate condition, and one of them has been hospitalized.

The number of injured in Mykolaiv has also risen to five — all have been hospitalized.

🇸🇪 Sweden has detained the Russian shadow fleet tanker Jin Hui.

The vessel was sailing in the Baltic Sea under a Syrian flag, which authorities believe was falsely used.

According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, the ship’s actual flag is Panamanian. Between December 2025 and February 2026, it was sanctioned by the European Union, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

⚡️ In Germany, a court has found an Iraqi migrant not criminally responsible for killing a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl in autumn 2025 by pushing her in front of a train.

The Göttingen court made this decision due to the 31-year-old man’s diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. He has been ordered to undergo compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

⚡️ Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Armenia for a summit of European leaders, where NATO’s Secretary General has also arrived.

The President of Ukraine is in Armenia to take part in the European Political Community summit. He is expected to meet with several European leaders, including the prime ministers of Norway, Finland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom. His participation in the summit is scheduled for May 4.

According to the press service of the Council of the European Union, leaders from 48 countries are expected to attend. Invitations were also extended to representatives of NATO and OSCE, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Discussions will focus on military and economic security.

A separate session on May 4–5 in Yerevan will address future strategy regarding the war between Ukraine and Russia.

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

⚡️ A drone struck a residential high-rise in Moscow overnight, just a few kilometers from the Kremlin, according to local reports.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the drone hit a building on Mosfilmovskaya Street. No casualties were reported.

The explosion blew out walls in three rooms on the 36th floor. Part of the facade also fell onto a car parked below the building.

Russia launched 155 drones against Ukraine overnight, with air defenses neutralizing 135 of them. Here’s what is known about the consequences:

🔴 Kherson region. The Korabelnyi district of Kherson came under fire overnight, injuring two residents. Several drones hit a high-rise building.

🔴 Sumy region. Russian forces struck Shostka, damaging several apartment buildings. No casualties were reported.

⚡️ Three people were killed following a Russian strike on Merefa in Kharkiv region. Eight others were injured.

A fire broke out at the scene and has since been extinguished. The strike damaged apartment buildings, shops, and a car service station.

⚡️Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drones could reach Moscow during the May 9 parade.

Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that this year’s parade would not feature military equipment, citing the “current operational situation.”

⚡️ Russia has twice requested an exchange of captured North Korean soldiers taken prisoner by Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region, but showed no interest in other foreign fighters.

This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Bohdan Okhrimenko, head of the Secretariat of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

According to him, the prisoners themselves want to be transferred to South Korea. However, there is currently no clear answer as to whether this is legally possible — under international law, responsibility for prisoners lies with the country that involved them in the war, in this case Russia.

“If diplomats and lawyers find a mechanism that meets these requirements, we are ready to consider such proposals. […] If a prisoner of war does not want to return, and no alternative mechanism exists, we will hold them as long as necessary to resolve this issue,” Okhrimenko said.

🇦🇹 Austria has expelled three Russian diplomats over suspected espionage, Reuters reports.

The decision was made after antennas were discovered on the roofs of diplomatic buildings in Vienna, which may have been used for intelligence gathering.

In total, Austria has expelled 14 Russian diplomats since 2020.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 13:10

Kyiv Independent:

⚡️Ukraine strikes Russian Kalibr missile carrier, patrol boat in Leningrad Oblast, Zelensky says.

"Prolonging the war will only scale up our defensive operations," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️Russian attacks on southeastern Ukraine kill 1, injure 34, officials say.

Russian forces launched a series of attacks on Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, killing at least one person and injuring 34, regional officials said.

⚡️Russian hacker who targeted global oil, gas facilities pleads guilty.

A Russian hacker linked to attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the United States and Ukraine has agreed to plead guilty in a U.S. federal case that could bring up to 27 years in prison, Bloomberg reported.

⚡️US to begin escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz, Trump says.

According to CENTCOM, the U.S. operation will utilize guided-missile destroyers as well as over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, with 15,000 U.S. soldiers supporting the efforts.

⚡️Helsinki raises concerns with Ukraine over drones straying into Finnish airspace.

Finland's authorities reported two unidentified drones briefly entering the country's airspace near the Finnish-Russian border early on May 3.
The incident coincided with an alleged Ukrainian drone strike against Russia's Leningrad Oblast.

⚡️At least 7 killed, 85 injured in Russian attacks over previous day.

Ukrainian forces downed 135 out of 155 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. 14 strikes were recorded in ten different locations, according to the statement.

⚡️ The main problem with Ukraine's corruption prevention watchdog

Viktor Pavlushchyk, head of Ukraine's National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP), was praised for his work as an anti-corruption investigator even before his promotion. Appointed in 2024 through a widely applauded process involving independent foreign experts, he now leads an agency with a broad mandate — from setting anti-corruption strategy and vetting officials' asset declarations to protecting whistleblowers and reviewing legislation for corruption risks.

Yet Pavlushchyk increasingly finds himself at odds with Ukraine's civil society and anti-corruption watchdogs, who accuse him of ineffectiveness and lacking independence. In an interview with the Kyiv Independent, he pushed back, arguing his agency is not responsible for the breakdown in relations.

⚡️Zelensky meets Fico ahead of Slovak leader's Moscow trip

"We spoke about exchanging visits to Kyiv and Bratislava and agreed that our teams will work out the schedule," President Volodymyr Zelensky added.

⚡️ These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of May 4, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 13:15

Kyiv Post:

⚡️ For the first time since 2007, Moscow’s Victory Day parade will feature no military hardware, as authorities plan localized communication blackouts and face a sharp decline in foreign attendance.

⚡️ Britain is set to open formal talks on joining a €90 billion EU-backed loan programme for Ukraine, as London moves to tighten defence ties with Europe under pressure from US President Trump.

⚡️ Russia has just attacked the Kharkiv region, killing at least three and injuring eight in another strike.

Homes, apartment blocks, shops and a service station were hit.

Rescue efforts are ongoing.

⚡️ Russian forces suffered net territorial losses in April for the first time since Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, losing control of 116 sq km, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

The setback signals a continued slowdown along the front after months of slow but steady gains, even as fighting remains intense.

⚡️ Russia fears that Ukrainian drones could fly over Red Square on May 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

He warned that this summer will be decisive, as Vladimir Putin faces a choice between escalating the war or moving towards diplomacy, and stressed the need to push Russia in that direction.

Zelensky added that Russia’s Victory Day parade will take place without military equipment for the first time in many years, as Moscow can no longer afford to display weapons, and noted that Ukrainian drones could also reach the event.

⚡️ Russia has just struck Merefa in the Kharkiv region with ballistic missiles, killing five civilians.

Residents said the impact was so powerful that the ground shook.

⚡️ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Europe must be at the table in any negotiations with Russia, speaking at the opening of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.

He stressed the need for a unified European position in talks with Moscow.

⚡️ Germany is ramping up military logistics infrastructure in what Defense Minister Pistorius calls a “paradigm shift,” but structural and bureaucratic hurdles remain significant.

⚡️ President Zelensky met with Slovak Prime Minister Fico in Yerevan.

The sides discussed cooperation across various areas and agreed to step up contacts, including preparing reciprocal visits to Kyiv and Bratislava.

Slovakia reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s EU membership and its readiness to assist in the process.

⚡️ Former US presidential envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, says Russia is losing the war, urges negotiations, and calls Ukraine’s fight effective, while arguing Europe – not the US – must keep the lead in supporting Ukraine.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 04/05/2026 14:24

For the first time since 2007, Moscow’s Victory Day parade will feature no military hardware, as authorities plan localized communication blackouts and face a sharp decline in foreign attendance.

"No, you can't have the tank. We need it in Ukraine."

DdraigGoch · 04/05/2026 17:02

The WH certainly had to portray Zelensky as the bad guy to Trump.

Or as a "loser". Because Trump still thinks like a 14 year old.

DdraigGoch · 04/05/2026 17:04

Llttledrummergirl · 03/05/2026 13:04

That World press freedom index is interesting. Despite being at war, when you would naturally expect less press freedom, Ukraine is higher than the United States.

That tells it own story.

Most media outlets in the US are now owned by the oligarchs.

blueshoes · 05/05/2026 03:50

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-4-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. A leaked European intelligence report highlights Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing concern over his personal safety and the safety of his senior officials.
  2. ISW has not observed independent evidence to support other aspects of the leaked intelligence report about Putin’s fears of a coup attempt in Russia.
  3. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) appointed Colonel General Alexander Chayko to the position of commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) after recent domestic criticisms of Russian air defense and air campaign failures.
  4. Russian forces first infiltrated into the outskirts of Kostyantynivka in late October 2025 but have yet to achieve meaningful operational progress in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area.
  5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared a unilateral ceasefire on the night of May 5 to 6 in response to Russian rhetoric regarding a May 9 “Victory Day” ceasefire, urging Russian forces to reciprocate.
  6. Swedish authorities seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker on May 3.
  7. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces made confirmed advances on the frontline.
  8. Russian forces launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, five Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and 234 drones toward Ukraine during the day on May 3, and 155 drones overnight.
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:18

A leaked European intelligence report highlights Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing concern over his personal safety and the safety of his senior officials.

Poor Mr Putin

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:27

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Zelensky announces (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-announces-earlier-ceasefire-starting-may-6-ahead-of-russias-victory-day-truce/) earlier ceasefire starting May 6, ahead of Russia's 'Victory Day truce.’
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is declaring a ceasefire beginning at midnight on May 6, amid Russia's proposal for a temporary Victory Day truce from May 8-9.

⚡️Zelensky meets Fico ahead (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-fico-ahead-of-slovak-leaders-moscow-trip/) of Slovak leader's Moscow trip
"We spoke about exchanging visits to Kyiv and Bratislava and agreed that our teams will work out the schedule," President Volodymyr Zelensky added.

With Orban out, Slovakia’s Fico shifts tone on Ukraine (kyivindependent.com/how-orbans-loss-is-shaping-slovakias-relationship-with-ukraine/)
Viktor Orban’s electoral defeat appears to be easing Ukraine’s relations with not one, but two of its neighbors.

⚡️Zelensky meets Armenian, Georgian leaders in rare high-level contacts. (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-armenian-georgian-leaders/)
“This is the first visit by the President of Ukraine to Armenia in the past 24 years,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️ UAE reports intercepting missiles, (kyivindependent.com/uae-reports-intercepting-missiles-drones-from-iran/) drones from Iran for first time since ceasefire.
A fire broke out at an oil facility in the Fujairah emirate after it was hit by a drone launched from Iran, local authorities said.

⚡️ Russian general implicated in Bucha massacre appointed (kyivindependent.com/russian-general-implicated-in-bucha-massacre-appointed-air-force-commander-media-reports/) Air Force commander, media reports.
The general also served as commander of Russia’s troop contingent in Syria.

UK opens EU negotiations to team up on 90 billion euro Ukraine loan (kyivindependent.com/uk-opens-eu-negotiations-to-team-up-on-90-billion-euro-ukraine-loan/)
The U.K. is entering talks with the EU to participate in providing a 90 billion euro ($105 billion) loan to Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced at a meeting of European leaders in Armenia on May 4.
“When the U.K. and the European Union work together, we all reap the benefits — and in these volatile times we need to go further and faster on defense to keep people safe,” Starmer said.

⚡️Flamingo missile reportedly strikes (kyivindependent.com/flamingo-missiles-reportedly-hit-russian-shahed-iskander-component-facility-amid-large-scale-attack/) Russian Shahed, Iskander component facility amid large-scale Ukrainian attack.
Ukrainian forces launched a missile and drone attack on multiple Russian regions overnight on May 5, reportedly striking a critical Russian military-industrial site in Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

⚡️Update: Ukraine reportedly strikes (kyivindependent.com/flamingo-missiles-reportedly-hit-russian-shahed-iskander-component-facility-amid-large-scale-attack/) major oil refinery in Russia's Leningrad Oblast amid large-scale attack.
Ukraine reportedly carried out an attack on Russia's Kirishi oil refinery (KINEF) overnight on May 5, Russian Telegram media channels reported, citing monitoring data.

The strike in Cheboksary comes amid a wider attack on various Russian regions with explosions reported in occupied Crimea, as well as in the cities of Voronezh and Kazan.

⚡️ Russia extends its ‘Victory Day truce’ to May 8-9, (kyivindependent.com/russia-extends-its-victory-day-truce-ukraine-says-no-proposals-received/) Ukraine says no proposals received.
Zelensky said earlier on May 4 that Ukraine had received no official ceasefire proposals, contrasting Russia’s claimed truces with ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities.

⚡️ Russia launches more than 10 times as many drones at (kyivindependent.com/russia-launched-over-800-drones-on-ukraines-port-infrastructure-this-year-minister-says/) Ukraine’s port infrastructure in 2026 as last year.
Russia has launched over 800 drones against Ukraine’s port infrastructure since the beginning of 2026, Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for restoration and minister for communities and territories development, said.

The main problem with Ukraine's corruption prevention watchdog (kyivindependent.com/ukraines-anti-graft-agency-chief-clashes-with-civil-society-over-inefficiency-political-bias-accusations/)
Viktor Pavlushchyk, head of Ukraine's National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP), was praised for his work as an anti-corruption investigator even before his promotion. Appointed in 2024 through a widely applauded process involving independent foreign experts, he now leads an agency with a broad mandate — from setting anti-corruption strategy and vetting officials' asset declarations to protecting whistleblowers and reviewing legislation for corruption risks.
Yet Pavlushchyk increasingly finds himself at odds with Ukraine's civil society and anti-corruption watchdogs, who accuse him of ineffectiveness and lacking independence. In an interview with the Kyiv Independent, he pushed back, arguing his agency is not responsible for the breakdown in relations.

⚡️Austria expels 3 Russian embassy (kyivindependent.com/austria-expels-russian-embassy-staff-members/)staff members over suspected signals espionage.
The move was linked to satellite dishes installed on Russian diplomatic buildings in Vienna, which Austrian intelligence says are used to intercept data from international organizations.

⚡️ National Police raid draft office workers across (kyivindependent.com/national-police-conducted-nationwide-raids-of-draft-office-workers-across-ukraine-revealing-illegal-enrichment-amounting-to-2-million/) Ukraine, reveal $2 million in suspected illicit enrichment.
Law enforcement officials conducted 44 searches across 16 regions of Ukraine as part of an investigation into current and former senior draft office employees.

⚡️ Poland’s PZU acquires (kyivindependent.com/polands-pzu-bets-on-ukraines-top-insurance-company/) Ukraine’s top insurance company.
MetLife Ukraine makes up 50% of the Ukrainian market, earning nearly Hr 1 billion ($22.6 million) in profits last year from its 900,000 clients.

[yesterday]
⚡️At least 7 killed, 85 injured (https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-7-killed-85-injured-in-russian-attacks-over-previous-day/) in Russian attacks over previous day.
Ukrainian forces downed 135 out of 155 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. 14 strikes were recorded in ten different locations, according to the statement.

⚡️Russian mass attack (kyivindependent.com/russia-mass-attack-on-ukrainian-oil-and-gas-infrastructure-kills-five/) on Ukrainian oil, gas infrastructure kills 5.
Naftogaz said in a May 5 Telegram post that three of their employees as well as two members of Ukraine's State Emergency Services died in the overnight strikes, which targeted facilities in Poltava and Kharkiv oblasts and included both drones and ballistic missiles.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 33m
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — MAY 5, 2026
■ 🇺🇦 regains 82 km²; 30-day 🇷🇺 net gains down to 193 km²
■ Engagements and casualties remain below the 7-day average; record 7-day artillery losses
■ Overnight drone attacks below average with a good interception rate; 1 of 11 Iskander-M shot down
■ 15 🇺🇦 strikes reported; daily 🇷🇺/🇺🇦 strike ratio at 7.2×

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:41

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

❗️ Russian forces attacked a radiation monitoring laboratory at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, — IAEA.
The agency’s team has requested access to the facility. There is currently no information about injuries or damage.

❗️ NATO Secretary General confirmed that the PURL program is working and that anti-ballistic missiles will continue to be supplied to Ukraine, — President Zelenskyy.

The US has begun the process of withdrawing 5,000 soldiers from the Grafenwöhr training ground in Germany, — Bild.
This concerns a Stryker brigade stationed in Vilseck, where about 10,000 American soldiers are currently deployed. In total, around 40,000 US troops are stationed in Germany.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, the withdrawal will take 6–12 months, and the soldiers’ families will leave the country with them.
After the reduction, 5,000–8,000 soldiers are expected to remain at the training ground.

Kim Jong-un called on North Korean youth to prepare for possible participation in the war in Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation.
At the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League in Pyongyang, he called youth the “vanguard” of implementing the decisions of the Workers’ Party and urged support for Russia’s war against Ukraine. The organization reportedly brings together people aged 14–30.
According to Western and Ukrainian intelligence assessments, the DPRK has sent around 14,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region, with more than 6,000 reported killed.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been on heightened alert since early March amid fears of a potential coup attempt and drone-based assassination threats from inside the country, according to an investigation by Vazhnye Istorii on May 4, citing European intelligence assessments and sources within Russian security services.
The report states that Putin has significantly altered his security routine, suspending visits to his regular residences in the Moscow region and Valdai. Instead, he is said to be operating primarily from fortified, modernized bunker facilities in Russia’s Krasnodar region.
In response to mounting risks, the Federal Protective Service (FSO) has expanded its list of high-priority protection targets to include at least ten senior military officials. Among them are Igor Kostyukov, Chief of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, and Nikolai Bogdanovsky, irst Deputy Chief of the General Staff. The move follows the killing of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov in Moscow and what officials reportedly view as systemic failures to prevent attacks on military leadership within Russian territory. https://united24media.com/anti-fake/putin-retreats-to-bunkers-as-coup-fears-and-drone-threats-shake-moscow-18443 [It would be ironic if Putin was to face a team of professionals hunting him down within the offices he works in, wouldn't it?]

President Zelenskyy met with Ursula von der Leyen in Yerevan.
“We discussed the European support package, including the schedule for the first tranche, which will be directed toward joint drone production. We also agreed to actively move forward with the Drone Deal with the EU and discussed the details of potential security cooperation,” the president said.
The head of state noted that preparations are underway for a step-by-step plan to create the necessary security infrastructure.

Israeli grain trader Dizengoff Trading does not plan to purchase new batches of “Russian wheat” amid a scandal involving grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine, — Haaretz.

❗️Ukrainian drones struck targets from Crimea to Perm, Ufa, Orsk, and Chelyabinsk in April.
“It no longer makes sense for Russians to repeat the feat of their grandfathers by relocating strategic factories to the Urals: even the deep rear of the Russian Federation is vulnerable to strikes on military and economic infrastructure,” the Ministry of Defense said.

Ukraine has proposed a drone deal to Finland, — Reuters.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed strengthening cooperation by signing a drone agreement, as well as exchanging technology and combat experience gained during four years of war with Russia.

In Berlin, flags of the USSR, Russia, and Belarus will be banned on May 8 and 9.
According to Berliner Morgenpost, citing police, the restrictions will apply to Soviet symbols, Russian and Belarusian flags, St. George ribbons, the letters “Z” and “V,” military uniforms, and portraits of the leaders of Russia, Belarus, and Chechnya.
Russian military and marching songs will also be banned. Increased security measures will be in place at Soviet memorials in Tiergarten, Treptower Park, and Schönholzer Heide.

The costs of the largest US automakers in 2026 will increase by $5 billion due to the war in the Middle East, — Financial Times.
Companies including General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis reported this in their first-quarter results. All of them pointed to accelerating inflation in raw materials — from aluminum to plastics and electronic components — and said they plan to offset rising costs by cutting expenses in other areas.
One of the key challenges has been the rising price of aluminum, widely used in car production. According to analysts, higher aluminum prices could add between $500 and $1,500 to the cost of a single vehicle.

Most Russians (56%) want Western companies to return to Russia, — The Moscow Times.
Most often, respondents mention car manufacturers (41%), films, music and video games (28%), software (27%), furniture and building materials (25%), food and beverages (23%), and cosmetics (22%). The data comes from a survey conducted by the research company Group 7/89.
At the same time, 27% of respondents do not want Western brands to return, while another 17% were undecided.
Younger respondents are more likely to support the return of Western companies. Among those aged 18 to 29, this figure reaches 84%, compared to 38% among those aged 60 and older. Men and women show nearly identical support for the return of Western companies (55% and 57%, respectively).

❗️ Russian forces attacked a temple and a market in Vilniansk, Zaporizhzhia region, with drones, according to the head of the Regional Military Administration. Two people were killed and four injured.

❗️ The main targets of Russia’s attack overnight were Ukraine’s energy infrastructure facilities, — President Zelenskyy.

Consequences of the Russian attack on several regions of Ukraine:
▫️ Kyiv. Explosions were reported during a drone attack.
▫️ Poltava region. The enemy struck a gas production facility with missiles and drones. There are fatalities, including three Naftogaz employees, two of whom were rescuers. A total of 31 people were injured, including 23 rescuers. An enemy drone hit near railway tracks next to a diesel locomotive, damaging a railcar.
▫️ Kharkiv region. Strikes also targeted a gas facility. A car was destroyed. In the morning, attacks on Kharkiv continued — two people were injured in a UAV strike in the Osnovianskyi district.
▫️ Dnipropetrovsk region. A strike hit Dnipro, injuring a 62-year-old man. In addition to residential buildings, an enterprise was damaged, as well as an infrastructure facility in Kryvyi Rih. An electric locomotive on the tracks was also damaged.
▫️ Sumy. A guided aerial bomb struck the outskirts of the city. The fire has been extinguished. Warehouse buildings and about 10 vehicles were damaged. Windows and balcony frames in a nearby residential high-rise were shattered.
▫️ Kyiv region. Strikes were recorded in the Brovary and Vyshhorod districts. Three people were injured. Houses, a gas station building, 10 cars, and the territory of an enterprise were damaged.
▫️ Chernihiv region. A residential building caught fire in one of the settlements of the Horodnia community. Two men, born in 1966 and 1995, were injured.
▫️ Zaporizhzhia. Windows and the roof of a building in the Oleksandrivskyi district were damaged.
In total, 11 ballistic missiles and 164 drones were launched. Air defense forces neutralized one missile (two more did not reach their targets) and 149 drones.

❗️ Police have released photos of the aftermath of the Russian strike on central Chernihiv.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:47

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Germany is ramping up military logistics infrastructure (www.kyivpost.com/post/75367) in what Defense Minister Pistorius calls a “paradigm shift,” but structural and bureaucratic hurdles remain significant.

Former US presidential envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, says Russia is losing the war, (www.kyivpost.com/post/75356) urges negotiations, and calls Ukraine’s fight effective, while arguing Europe – not the US – must keep the lead in supporting Ukraine.

Russia’s military tech plant and a major oil refinery were hit (www.kyivpost.com/post/75414) as 289 drones pounded targets overnight, with footage showing a blaze at a facility linked to electronic warfare and precision-guided weapons.

EBRD Reveals $585M Chornobyl Repair Plan & Ukraine Investment Outlook | Exclusive Interview
EBRD may need €500M to repair Chornobyl shelter hit by Russian drone, while maintaining nearly $3B in annual investments in Ukraine – filmed at the 2026 IMF Spring Meetings in Washington.
www.kyivpost.com/videos/75398

Trust in Zelensky dips slightly but remains strong at 58%, (www.kyivpost.com/post/75378) KIIS poll finds.
Some 28% of respondents said they would like him to remain president, up slightly from 25% in October 2025.

Ukrainian sea and air drones dominate the Black Sea (www.kyivpost.com/post/75387) as Russian warships stay in port.
When Ukrainian sea drones struck two shadow tankers near Novorossiysk, Russia’s main Black Sea naval base, warships inside remained tied up at their piers.

Zelensky Warns of ‘Mirror Response’ After Russian Strike (www.kyivpost.com/post/75434)Kills Rescuers in Poltava
The president stressed that Russia was demonstrating “absolute cynicism” by simultaneously calling for silence to conduct propaganda activities while continuing to carry out missile and drone strikes throughout the day.
Zelensky noted that a ceasefire depends solely on Russia.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:52

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇨🇦🇺🇦 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced an additional $200 million for the PURL program, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to Zelenskyy, Canada has already allocated more than $830 million to support this initiative.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will not attend the May 9 parade in Moscow but still plans to meet with Vladimir Putin.
“I will lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Red Army to express gratitude for liberation on behalf of Slovak men and women, and I will have a brief meeting with Putin. That’s all. I do not intend to attend any parade. It will be the same format as before,” he said.

[only reference to Shoigu so far]
Vazhnye Istorii reports that Vladimir Putin is concerned about the risk of a coup allegedly involving Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, as well as a potential assassination attempt using drones by Russian elites, citing a European intelligence report.
The report reportedly provides no evidence to support the allegations against Shoigu, who has long been considered close to Putin. CNN notes that such a scenario would mark a sharp shift in elite loyalty. It also points out that publicizing the report could be aimed at destabilizing the Kremlin, while at the same time effectively warning it of a possible coup.

Russia has twice requested an exchange of captured North Korean soldiers taken prisoner by Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region, but showed no interest in other foreign fighters.
This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Bohdan Okhrimenko, head of the Secretariat of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
According to him, the prisoners themselves want to be transferred to South Korea. However, there is currently no clear answer as to whether this is legally possible — under international law, responsibility for prisoners lies with the country that involved them in the war, in this case Russia.
“If diplomats and lawyers find a mechanism that meets these requirements, we are ready to consider such proposals. […] If a prisoner of war does not want to return, and no alternative mechanism exists, we will hold them as long as necessary to resolve this issue,” Okhrimenko said.

Stanislav Petrov, the former head of Russia’s radiological, chemical, and biological defense forces, committed suicide in Moscow.
Petrov was found dead in his apartment, and a pistol was discovered near his body. Since 1989, he had commanded the Soviet Union’s chemical defense forces and later Russia’s NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) defense troops.
In the final years of his life, Petrov also served as the chief research fellow at the Russian Ministry of Defense’s 27th Research Center, which has been linked to the poisoning of Navalny. [Now there's a man whose head was stuffed full of horrors]

🇦🇲 At least 204 Armenian citizens fighting on Russia’s side have been killed in the war in Ukraine — more than Armenia’s losses in the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
These figures were reported by the Coordination Headquarters project I Want to Live. According to the project, it has data on at least 994 Armenians who signed contracts with the Russian army. This places Armenia among the top eight countries whose citizens Russia has recruited for the war against Ukraine.
In addition, at least two Armenian citizens and around ten ethnic Armenians are currently being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
▪️Overall, the project says it has data on more than 28,000 foreign nationals from 135 countries recruited by Russia for the war. Several hundred of them — citizens of 48 countries — are currently in Ukraine as prisoners of war.

Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 11 Iskander-M missiles and 175 UAVs.
Air defense forces destroyed 1 missile and 149 drones.
Impacts were recorded from 8 ballistic missiles and 14 attack UAVs across 14 locations. Debris from intercepted targets fell in 10 additional locations.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
notimagain · 05/05/2026 11:31

The move was linked to satellite dishes installed on Russian diplomatic buildings in Vienna, which Austrian intelligence says are used to intercept data from international organizations

I must admit that story (and some of the outrage around it) made me smile..

Embassies being involved in eavesdropping etc is a bit like bears and woods......

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 05/05/2026 12:26

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:18

A leaked European intelligence report highlights Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing concern over his personal safety and the safety of his senior officials.

Poor Mr Putin

My brother once heard a woman say to her affronted toy poodle, "Aw! Wazzums a diddums wodger den den den?"

I have never forgotten this in the sympathy-sorry-not-sympathy stakes. She of course said it straight; my brother did not, and none of the family ever has since.

blueshoes · 05/05/2026 13:02

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 10:18

A leaked European intelligence report highlights Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing concern over his personal safety and the safety of his senior officials.

Poor Mr Putin

[It would be ironic if Putin was to face a team of professionals hunting him down within the offices he works in, wouldn't it?]

The risk is he who lives by the sword, will die by the sword. Long may he be fearful and live a restricted life. What a price to pay and to what end.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/05/2026 20:31

I suspect that Putin is a spider who's very afraid to move out of his web and has been for a long long time.

Positivethought · 05/05/2026 23:11

Checking in. Apologies for being late 😊.

PerkingFaintly · 05/05/2026 23:53

But in good time for aBrew, @Positivethought .
Grin

Positivethought · 06/05/2026 00:32

Very hospitable @PerkingFaintly, have bought the 🍪.

PerkingFaintly · 06/05/2026 08:21

You say the right things! Grin