Key developments on May 7:
- Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Russian defense plants, grounding flights in Moscow, security service says
- Kellogg says Ukraine proposed 30-km demilitarized buffer zone, admits Putin main obstacle to ceasefire
- Two volunteers die in Ukraine mine-clearing incident, including British aid worker Chris Garrett
- Ukrainian drones reportedly hit Russian fiber optic plant in Saransk
- Wave of drones target Moscow again, prompting further airport closures
Long-range drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck two key Russian defense industry plants overnight, igniting fires and prompting mass flight disruptions in the Moscow region, sources within the SBU told the Kyiv Independent on May 7.
According to the SBU, Ukrainian drones targeted the Bazalt plant in Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow Oblast, Russia’s primary manufacturer of munitions and weaponry for all branches of its military. Residents reported at least seven explosions followed by a large fire at the site.
Simultaneously, another strike hit the Splav plant in Tula, a city located about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of Moscow. Splav is reportedly the only facility in Russia responsible for designing and producing multiple-launch rocket systems and related ammunition. Footage from the scene appeared to show heavy smoke and flames engulfing part of the facility.
The strikes, according to the SBU, triggered heightened alert measures across the Moscow Oblast, forcing Russian authorities to enact “Plan Cover,” a security protocol that includes grounding civilian air traffic. Airports across Moscow and the surrounding oblast temporarily shut down, stranding thousands of passengers and forcing airlines to cancel or reroute hundreds of flights.
Kellogg says Ukraine proposed 30-km demilitarized buffer zone, admits Putin main obstacle to ceasefire
Ukraine suggested creating a demilitarized zone jointly controlled by Kyiv and Moscow, U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said in a Fox News interview on May 6.
Kellogg described the proposal as a buffer zone with both sides pulling back 15 kilometers, creating a 30-kilometer area monitored by observers from third countries.
He said the arrangement could accompany a ceasefire "in place," meaning both sides would maintain control of the territory they currently occupy.
The proposal contrasts with Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands, which require Ukrainian forces to withdraw from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Russia claimed to annex the four regions during its full-scale invasion in 2022, but it does not fully control any of them.
Kellogg said the main obstacle to reaching a deal is Putin's refusal to accept a ceasefire.
"I think we're close. The one man who can deliver it, I believe, is President (Donald) Trump, as long as Putin agrees. And that's one of our, probably our, impediments to progress — the president of Russia right now not agreeing to it," Kellogg said.
Responding to Kellogg's statement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow has not received any proposals from Kyiv regarding the establishment of a demilitarized zone along the front line, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
Two volunteers die in Ukraine mine-clearing incident, including British aid worker Chris Garrett
Two volunteers, including British humanitarian and mine disposal expert Chris Garrett, died in an explosion near the eastern Ukrainian town of Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, the charity Prevail Humanitarian Aid confirmed on May 7.
Shaun Pinner, a former British soldier and Ukrainian marine, posted the news on X on behalf of the charity, where Garrett served as founder and chairman.
Prevail provides support to Ukrainian government agencies with landmine/unexploded ordnance clearance, trauma medical care, and humanitarian assistance.
"On May 6, Prevail received the devastating news that our Founder and Chairman, Chris Garrett alongside other team members were severely injured in an incident near Izium," Pinner wrote. "We are still gathering information and working alongside military and police officials to uncover the details."
In a follow-up message, Pinner confirmed that Garrett was among two individuals who had died from injuries sustained in the incident. "It has now been confirmed that two of the three critically injured individuals have sadly passed away. I can confirm that Chris was among those who died," he wrote.
Pinner said further updates would be provided as investigations proceed. "We can’t and will not comment during an ongoing investigation," the statement read.
Ukrainian drones reportedly hit Russian fiber optic plant in Saransk
Ukrainian drones struck the Optic Fiber Systems plant in Saransk, Mordovia Republic, Russian independent outlet Astra reported on May 7.
Two fires broke out in Saransk following the drone attack. One fire erupted at the Optic Fiber Systems plant, while the second ignited a few kilometers away, reportedly at the Saranskkabel plant.
Local residents told the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot that several powerful explosions shook the city's industrial district around 6 a.m.
"The fiber optic systems plant in Saransk was very seriously damaged after the strike," Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said on May 7.
Kovalenko claimed the factory supplied the Russian army with materials for the production of fiber-optic drones, which are resistant to electronic warfare interference, and said the shutdown of the factory was now a possibility.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. The potential consequences of the attack on the Saranskkabel plant remain unknown.
Amadeusz Świerk
Wave of drones target Moscow again, prompting further airport closures
Russian air defense forces allegedly intercepted several Ukrainian drones headed toward Moscow, the city's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on May 7, becoming the latest in a wave of drone incursions targeting the Russian capital ahead of Victory Day celebrations.
"Air defense forces of the Defense Ministry repelled another drone attack on Moscow," Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, noting that debris fell in multiple areas where emergency crews are now working. He later confirmed that at least seven drones were shot down over the course of the evening.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify these claims.
This latest wave of drones prompted renewed temporary airport closures across the region. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency announced that flight operations were suspended from 7:15 p.m. local time at Domodedovo Airport, the biggest one in Moscow, as well as at Zhukovsky, and Kaluga airports, whose operations were suspended earlier.
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