Belbek airfield strikes destroyed 3 Russian planes, satellite images suggest
Satellite images obtained by RFE/RL and The New York Times suggested two MiG-31s and one Su-27 were damaged if not totally destroyed.
Chris York
Articles
Russia claims over 100 downed drones amid reports of massive attack on port, oil facilities
If confirmed, it would be the largest drone attack by Ukraine throughout the entire war. A previous attack in March saw the Kremlin claiming to have downed 65 drones.
General Staff: Russia has lost 489,870 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost 489,870 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 17.
Netherlands' incoming coalition government reaffirms support for Ukraine
Under outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the Netherlands has been a staunch ally of Ukraine, being one of the few partners to pledge F-16 fighter jets.
Xi claims Beijing, Moscow want 'political solution' to Russia-Ukraine war
Speaking on May 16 at a press conference during Putin's two-day visit to China, the pair put on a united front and cast themselves as partners opposed to a Western, U.S.-led world order.
Official: Ukraine's civil service suffering 'catastrophic' shortage of people
Last year, the Ukrainian government passed a law limiting bonuses for those working in the civil service.
FT: EU to freeze Georgia's membership bid if 'foreign agents' law enacted
The bill's introduction into the parliament has led to widespread protests across the country and criticism from the EU and the U.S.
Slovak PM shooting – everything we know so far about the assassination attempt on Robert Fico
Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba said that Fico "was heavily injured" during the attack and one bullet "went through the stomach" while another "hit the joints."
Slovak PM 'no longer in life-threatening condition' after assassination attempt
A 71-year-old man is reportedly suspected of carrying out what Slovak government officials have called an assassination attempt and has been detained.
Ukraine's public broadcaster says it received no fines over Azovstal T-shirts at Eurovision
Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne on May 15 said in a statement it had not received any "complaints or fines for alleged violations of the rules."
Blinken: Washington has not encouraged Ukraine to strike inside Russia with US weapons, but decision up to Kyiv
Blinken was asked about recent Ukrainian complaints that a Washington ban meant Ukraine could not strike Russian forces as they built up before crossing the border into Kharkiv Oblast.
Mayor: No plans to evacuate Kharkiv
Speaking on national TV, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said around 6,000 people from the surrounding oblast who lived closer to the front lines had been taken to the city and housed in dormitories.
SBU detains 6 alleged Russian agents accused of aiding deadly strike in Donetsk Oblast
Ten people died in the attack including several rescue workers who raced to the scene of the first missile, only to be hit by another around 40 minutes later.
As Russian casualties surge, Kremlin's new defense minister says he wants 'minimal losses'
According to Ukraine's figures, Moscow lost the most number of soldiers in a single day since the start of the full-scale invasion – 1,740 – on May 12.
CNN: Zelensky cancels Spain, Portugal visits due to battlefield situation
President Volodymyr Zelensky had been due to make the trip in the coming days, partly in order to sign a bilateral security agreement with Spain, the El Pais newspaper reported on May 13.
Source: Ukraine's military intelligence drones strike oil depot in Russia's Rostov region
Drones from Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) attacked an oil base in the Rostov region of Russia overnight, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on May 15.
48 hours in Kharkiv, Ukraine's most-bombed major city
KHARKIV – The first signs that something ominous is happening in Kharkiv come as soon as the train from Kyiv reaches the suburbs of the city – as two pillars of smoke appear in the distance, every single phone in the carriage erupts with a piercing electronic squawking. "I guess we've arrived,
Ukraine claims downing of another Russian Su-25
Where the downing occurred was not specified but the brigade that shot it down is known to be operating in the Avdiivka direction in Donetsk Oblast.
Latvia to provide Ukraine with domestically-produced drones and radar systems
Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war and annually allocates 0.25% of its GDP to provide military aid to Ukraine. Silina said earlier in April that Riga's military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros ($419 million) since February 2022.
Tusk: Poland to fortify border with Belarus due to 'hybrid war'
Warsaw has also, for several years, accused Belarus of deliberately pushing migrants into Poland in order to pressure the EU over sanctions, a charge Belarus has denied.
Kharkiv governor: Heavy fighting ongoing but no threat of ground invasion of city
Speaking to journalists, Oleh Syniehubov said the situation was "fully controlled." Syniehubov claimed fighting was ongoing in four of the five villages claimed by Moscow – Strilecha, Pylna, Borysivka, and Ohirtseve.
Russia claims capture of five villages in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast
In a briefing, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian troops were now in control of Pletenivka, Ohirtseve, Borysivka, Pylna, and Strilecha, all within two kilometers of the border. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the Russian Defense Ministry's claims.
Military: Russian forces in Kharkiv Oblast contained, fighting continues
A military spokesperson said fighting was continuing in the Lyptsi and Vovchansk directions and Ukrainian forces were hunting down Russian troops he said were hidden in forested areas.
Bloomberg: Russian tycoons move assets home amid Western sanctions
Increasingly cut off from western banking and financial services, Russia's wealthiest individuals are facing a dilemma when it comes to handing their fortunes to the next generation, according to Bloomberg. Most of the billionaires who were sanctioned have opted to move assets home, the news agency reported.
Zelensky, von der Leyen discuss EU accession and peace summit
In a tweet on X, Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed she would be attending the upcoming peace summit to be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland.
Border police: Number of Ukrainian men fleeing to Slovakia more than doubles
Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service.
Zelensky: Ukraine will regain battlefield initiative if more weapons arrive
Speaking at a joint news conference in Kyiv with the European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, Zelensky said he was putting "maximum pressure" on partners to increase supplies.
Germany to buy 3 HIMARS for Ukraine
HIMARS, whose prowess became a popular motif of internet memes, was a game-changer for Ukraine when it first arrived in the summer of 2022, allowing Kyiv to target Russian forces behind the front lines far more accurately than they had previously.
Zelensky's 'wanted' notice disappears from Russian Interior Ministry website
On May 4, Zelensky had appeared on a list of alleged criminals in an entry that said he was being sought "under an article of the criminal code" without providing further details.
Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast injure 2
Russia has recently intensified attacks against the Kharkiv Oblast in which Kupiansk is situated, using missiles, glide bombs, and kamikaze drones to destroy energy infrastructure and kill civilians.
Sweden to allocate 28 million euros for Ukraine's defense
In March 2024, Sweden officially joined NATO after a lengthy application process triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and was immediately vocal in its calls for other alliance members to do more.
Kolomoisky remanded in custody until July 7 in murder case
On May 9, the Prosecutor General's Office announced he was suspected of ordering the murder of the head of a law firm more than 20 years ago in Crimea.
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