This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
The aftermath of the May 30 drone strike on Kyiv Oblast. (Source: Kyiv Police / Official Telegram account)
Russia carried out mass strikes against Ukraine over the past day, killing at least four people and injuring at least 45 in 10 different oblasts.
Russian forces shelled Kherson Oblast 52 times, using artillery, mortar, and drones, killing one person, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote.
The city of Kherson was hit 10 times.
According to Prokudin, Russia targeted mainly residential areas.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russia carried out 65 strikes against 14 cities and villages, governor Yurii Malashko reported.
Huliaipole and Mala Tokmachka were hit by air strikes, Novoandriivka, Charivne, Olhivske, and Kamianske were attacked by drones, while missile artillery targeted Yehorivka and again Novoandriivka.
Fifty-five artillery strikes hit Zaliznychne, Huliaipole, Malynivka, and other villages.
According to Malashko, there were 12 cases of property damage but no casualties.
Over the past day, Russia attacked Sumy Oblast 17 times, targeting a number of communities including Esman, Velyka Pysarivka, Krasnopillia, Bilopilsk, and more, the Regional Military Administration wrote.
There were 48 explosions reported during the day of May 29 and 32 during the last night.
There were no casualties but an agricultural object in the Esman community caught on fire.
Russia launched yet another drone attack against Kyiv Oblast overnight on May 30, targeting Ukraine for the 17th time this month.
In the capital, one 33-year-old woman died as a result of the strike, and nine people suffered injuries.
The Kyiv police reported 16 cases of property damage, including to residential buildings and cars.
Four other people were wounded elsewhere in the Kyiv Oblast.
In Chernihiv Oblast in northern Ukraine, Russian forces shelled Novhorod-Siverskyi three times using mortars, causing a fire in a residential building but leaving no casualties, local officials reported.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 55-year-old woman died and 10 people were injured due to Russian strikes, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. One of the wounded was an 11-year-old boy.
Furthermore, the city of Marhanets in the Nikopol district in the south of the region was shelled with no casualties reported.
Over the night, one Shahed drone was shot down in the oblast.
The shelling of Kharkiv Oblast over the past day left 12 people injured, including elderly, children, and a pregnant woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote.
Nine people were wounded in a rocket attack on the village of Kivsharivka in the Kupiansk district, damaging a dormitory building, two private houses, and a gas pipeline.
The shelling of Hlushkivka, another village in the Kupiansk district, left one 60-year-old woman injured, and in Hlyboke, a 66-year-old woman was wounded.
Furthermore, Russian forces attacked Vovchansk in the Chuhuiiv district, injuring a 36-year-old woman and causing damage to private property and agricultural objects.
Donetsk Oblast was hit 24 times, killing two people and injuring 10 more, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Telegram.
The city of Toretsk suffered the heaviest casualties with two people killed and eight injured.
Two more people suffered injuries in Zvanivka.
Donetsk Oblast suffered extensive property damage, including to residential buildings, agricultural sites, a gas station, a school, and administrative buildings.
In the mostly-occupied Luhansk Oblast, the settlements that remain under Ukraine's control have been shelled over the past day, including Bilohorivka, Nevske, and Dibrova.
In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russian forces attacked the city of Ochakiv, damaging residential buildings, agricultural sites, and a power line, Governor Vitalii Kim reported.
Air defenses shot down three drones in Mykolaiv Oblast over the past day.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
