Russia-Ukraine war LIVE: Major developments in Ukraine ahead of Russia's May 9 Victory Day

Credit: Twitter/@War_Mapper

As Russia prepares to commemorate its Victory Day on May 9, here are the key developments today inside the Ukrainian territory.

Odesa

Several Russian misiles have hit the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa on Saturday, the regional administration’s spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk said in televised remarks.The new strikes launched by Russian forces hit the city after targets in the surrounding Odessa region were targetted with four missiles earlier, he said. Russian missiles also hit two locations near the Sumy region. Local governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app that at least one border guard was injured in the air launched Russian strikes on the Myropilske and Khotin. 

Kharkiv

Russia's MoD on Saturday cliamed that it had struck the facilities storing the military equipment supplied to Ukraine by US and the European countries. Russian troops have been fighting in the kharkiv region, disrupting the flow of Western weapons as the offensive in the east had stalled, briefly. In an official update, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said his troops struck the Bohodukhiv railway station in the Kharkiv region in the northeast. 

Western military analysts have informed that the Ukrainian counter-offensive was advancing around the northeastern city of Kharkiv while the Russian troops have made minor gains in Luhansk, where the Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting since 2014.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said that it destroyed Russia's most advanced tanks, the T-90M. Report was also confimred by UK Defense Ministry. 

“The conflict in Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on some of Russia’s most capable units and most advanced capabilities. It will take considerable time and expense for Russia to reconstitute its armed forces following this conflict,” the UK government said in a statement. 

Mariupol

As many as 50 people, including children and women, were evacuated from Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol ahead of Russia's Victory Day parade, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in Teelgram update. Ukraine's Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate said that the members of Russia’s 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment were to provide round-the-clock protection to Russian officials in occupied Mariupol and they would leave their combat positions, according to the orders intercepted. 

Germany in new update has allowed flags of Ukraine on May 8 at 12.00 for about an hour. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk separately confirmed that Ukraine embassy has received permission from German government to hold a rally with Ukrainian symbols, flags for just an hour. 

Credit: AP

"When the ban [on Ukraine flag and symbols] was imposed, I asked the Berlin city authorities for clarification, and I was told that it would not apply to official events. We registered only one such ceremony - at noon on May 8 in Tiergarten, in the center of Berlin. What to do with other Ukrainians? There are 15 memorials in Berlin, so it will be forbidden on others,” he told European Pravda. 

"This exception will also apply to the Russian embassy and actions with Russian flags," the ambassador added.

Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk had expressed outraged at the ban on Ukrainian symbols at events by German government on May 8-9 in Berlin.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Credit: AP

US First Lady Jill Biden met with the Ukrainian refugees and thanked the Romanian government and relief organisations for accepting the civilians fleeing the war in Ukraine. America's first lady visited a school hosting refugee students accompanied by Romanian first lady Carmen Iohannis. her visit comes as her husband US presdient Joe Biden has pressed Congress to approve an additional $33bn aid to Ukraine. 

Ex-spies and diplomats on Saturday issued stern and hardened response to Biden administration for intelligence sharing with Ukraine that killed Russian generals, as claimed by a report carried by American newspaper NYT. A former US diplomat Aaron David Miller tweeted that the "whole shift in tone" after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to Ukraine is "worrisome." 

"Shut up about it," John Sipher, a former CIA officer who served in Russia, said in a tweet sharing the wide ranging report.

"Weakening Russia; winning; and now stories @NYT about killing Russian generals. Why can't we just shut up?" former US diplomat Aaron David Miller said. 

After their trip to Ukraine, US defense Secreatry Lloyd Austin caused significant escalation with Kremlin, as he said: "We want to see Russia 'weakened' to the degree that it can't do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine." Austin's remarks came just days after US President Joe Biden created stir, as he publicly called for regime change in Russia. President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power," said Biden, prompting strong condemnation from Russia. 

As the recent reports claimed that US intelligence had helped the Ukraine's forces to kill Russian military generals, as well as sink Moscow's flagship of the Black Sea fleet Moskva, Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov asserted, "Our military is well aware that the United States, Britain and NATO as a whole are constantly transmitting intelligence and other parameters to the Ukrainian armed forces." This, he stressed, will not stop Russia from acheiving its military objectives. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: AP

President Joe Biden on Friday authorized the shipment of another $150 million in military assistance for Ukraine for artillery rounds and radar systems in its fight against Russia’s invading forces. Biden said the latest spending means his administration has “nearly exhausted” what Congress authorized for Ukraine in March and called on lawmakers to swiftly approve a more than $33 billion spending package that will last through the end of September.

“We are sending the weapons and equipment that Congress has authorized directly to the front lines of freedom in Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement.

“US support, together with the contributions of our Allies and partners, has been critical in helping Ukraine win the battle of Kyiv and hinder Putin’s war aims in Ukraine.”

A US official said the latest tranche of assistance includes 25,000 155mm artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, jamming equipment, field equipment and spare parts.

Source: Associated Press

Russia will implement its own call codes effective May 7 in the Donetsk and Luhansk republics, instead of the Ukrainian phone codes. The codes effective will be Russian 7(949) and +7(959) on all the calls and SMS.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Saturday responded to reports that US intelligence sank Russia's warship Moskva. Ukraine receives “relevant and timely” intelligence from US, admitted Kirby, although he asserted that it is Ukraine's Army that gets to make decision on how to act on that information. 

“And if they do decide to do something with that intelligence, then they make the decisions about acting on it,” Kirby iterated, denying that US had "no advanced knowledge" of the attack on the ship, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

“We provide them what we believe to be relevant and timely information about Russian units that will allow them to adjust and execute their self-defense to the best of their ability,” Kirby said. “The kind of intelligence that we provide them, it’s legitimate, it’s lawful, and it’s limited.”

Credit: AP

War in Ukraine is taking a "heavy toll" on Russia's most capable military units, the UK Ministry of Defense said Saturday. "The conflict in Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on some of Russia’s most capable units and most advanced capabilities. It will take considerable time and expense for Russia to reconstitute its armed forces following this conflict," the ministry said in a statement.

"It will be particularly challenging to replace modernized and advanced equipment due to sanctions restricting Russia’s access to critical microelectronic components," iterated UK MoD. 

At least one T-90M, Russia's newest tank, with its strongest armor, has been destroyed in the fighting, the Ministry of Defense said. The Russian military has approximately 100 T-90M tanks currently in service, including those in Ukraine, but the system's upgraded armor "remains vulnerable if unsupported by other elements," the defense ministry said.

Rescuers were seeking to evacuate more civilians from tunnels beneath a sprawling steel mill in Mariupol as Ukrainian fighters make their last stand to prevent Moscow’s complete takeover of the strategically important port city. Dozens of people were evacuated Friday from the Azovstal plant and handed over to representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Russian and Ukrainian officials said. The Russian military said the group of 50 included 11 children.

Russian officials and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the evacuation efforts would continue into the weekend. The latest evacuees followed roughly 500 other civilians who got out of the plant and city in recent days.

A man and a girl who left a shelter in the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal walk to a bus escorting by a serviceman of Russian Army in Mariupol. Credit: Associated Press

A man, who left a shelter in the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal walks to a bus between servicemen of Russian Army and Donetsk People’s Republic militia in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine. Credit: Associated Press

Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk has been “outraged” at Germany recent ban on Ukrainian symbols and flags at events on May 8-9 in Berlin commemorating the WWII’s sacrifices.  "We are shocked that the Berlin police banned the carrying of flags associated with Ukraine on May 8 and 9," Melnyk said. "This is a slap in the face to Ukraine and a slap in the face to the Ukrainian people," the ambassador continued.

"It is forbidden to carry the Ukrainian flag in the capital, as well as the Russian one, under which the worst war crimes against the civilian Ukrainian population and tens of thousands of Ukrainians, women and children killed in cold blood are committed day and night. This is a huge scandal. but also about a catastrophic political decision, "Melnyk stressed.

Credit: Associated Press

Russian forces have been 'massively shelling' the entire Donetsk region in the eastern Ukraine, head of the Donetsk regional military administration Pavel Kirilenko said in a Facebook post. In sepaarte remarks, he informed that on April 18, the Russians had finished the re-location of their troops to enter the eastern Donbass and then they wanted to get out the easiest way to Kramatorsk and Slavic. Russian forces carried out attack in Bakhmut, killing at least one person. 2 private houses were completely destroyed, 11 houses and premises of several enterprises were damaged" in the city, said Kirilenko. 

In Malotaranivka, Donetsk oblast, at least two civilians were injured and seven homes were damaged by Russia's forces. 

"In Druzhkivcí, the Russians caused an air strike - damaged 4 bagatoporehívki, school, parking and premises of the enterprise. Fortunately, there is no information about the victims. At least one person was injured in Drobyševomu near Liman. Under the fire also Konstantinívka - there are the consequences of the shelling," Donetsk regional military administration Pavel Kirilenko. 

Credit: Facebook/ Павло Кириленко

Chelsea Football Club has signed deal with Todd Boehly stripping Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich off the English soccer club over his association with Russian President Vladimir Putin and UK, EU sanctions against him. A final €4.9 billion offer has been sealed, pending regulatory approvals. 

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for a new ownership group, led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjoerg Wyss, to acquire the Club," Chelsea Football Club said in a statement. 

"Of the total investment being made, £2.5bn will be applied to purchase the shares in the Club and such proceeds will be deposited into a frozen UK bank account with the intention to donate 100% to charitable causes as confirmed by Roman Abramovich," it added. 

UK Government approval will be required for the proceeds to be transferred from the frozen UK bank account, informed Chelsea. In addition, the proposed new owners will commit £1.75bn in further investment for the benefit of the Club. This includes investments in Stamford Bridge, the Academy, the Women's Team and Kingsmeadow and continued funding for the Chelsea Foundation. The sale is expected to complete in late May subject to all necessary regulatory approvals. More details will be provided at that time.

German Foreign minister Annalena Baerbock’s will visit Kyiv on May 10 after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s May 9 address to G7 leaders, European Pravda reported citing confirmation from Chancellor Olaf Scholz. German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of confirming the FM’s visit. 

Ukraine's Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate has said that soldiers from Russia’s 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment will be deployed to provide round-the-clock protection to Russian officials in occupied Mariupol on May 9 Victory Parade.  Ukraine’s intelligence cited the intercepted official communication given to Russian officers as an "order" from Moscow. 

"The entire command staff of the 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the occupying forces was forced to protect the Kremlin assassins, rapists, false propagandists and their local henchmen who arrived in Mariupol," Ukraine's Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate said in a Telegram update. 

"Russian invaders are so afraid of the attack of the defenders of Ukraine that they forced the officers of the regiment to leave the battle positions and provide them with round-the-clock protection." 

Credit: Twitter/@warchapter

UN Security Council (UNSC) has expressed concern about the "security and peace" in Ukraine. UNSC's five permanent members of which Russia is also a part, issued their first official statement on war in Ukraine. UNSC member states expressed “deep concern regarding the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.” “The Security Council recalls that all Member States have undertaken, under the Charter of the United Nations, the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means,” the council said in the statement.

“Today, for the first time, the Security Council spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine,” United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres said.

“As I have often said, the world must come together to silence the guns and uphold the values of the UN Charter. I welcome this support and will continue to spare no effort to save lives, reduce suffering and find the path of peace.”

Plumes of thick black smoke were seen in the footages and the satellite image released after the suspected Ukrainian drone strike on Russian positions on the  Russian-controlled Snake Island in the Black Sea. A video posted by Ukraine's Operational Command South also showed the Ukrainian Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicle striking two Russian military targets on the Black Sea island. This was confirmed by the Planet Labs photo. Ukraine's defense ministry had also admitted in a statement that it launched attack on two Russian Raptor boats at dawn near Snake Island.

Smoke rising from the Snake Island. Credit: Planet Labs 

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the Ukrainians to adhere to the air raid sirens and the local curfews ahead of the May 9 Victory Day celebration when Moscow commemorates its troops defeating the Nazi Germany. 

“Russian troops continued the shelling of our territory, including missile and airstrikes … Please, this is your life, the life of your children,” Zelensky said in a recorded daily address. 

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the United States may have been a key source of intelligence to Ukraine's military that helped Ukrainian fighters sink the Moskva but US is not the only source of intelligence to Ukraine. There are "multiple countries" providing intelligence to Ukraine, Kirby admitted. 

Ukraine gets intelligence “from other nations as well and they have a pretty robust intelligence collection capability of their own.” 

Credit: Twitter/@Dmitri Alperovitch

Ukrainian forces have destroyed the T-90M 'Proryv' tank in Staryi Saltiv Kharkiv region. It is one of the most advanced tanks of the Russian forces. 

US is sending $136 million worth aerial drones, laser-guided rockets, binoculars and other military weapons to Ukraine soon, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby informed at a press briefing. Pentagon will also send $22.6 million worth of 70mm rockets--advanced precision kill weapon system-- that can be aunched from the helicopters to target the Russian military forces. Washington will send $17.8 million in additional Switchblade drones, as well as handheld Puma surveillance drones for $19.7 million, Pentagon announced. 

Credit: AP

Russia's MoD has said that at least 77 aircrafts, and 8 Mig-29 fighter jets will participate in the flypast over Red Square forming the letter Z, a symbol that is associated with Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The rarely-seen Il-80 Doomsday plane wtih capablity of withstanding the nuclear attack will also be seen during Russia's miliatry parade on Victory Day, May 9. Other on ground nuclear-capable hardware seen will be Yars intercontinental nuclear missiles and Iskander short-range ballistic missile systems according to Russian MoD. 

Troop formations are seen in Moscow’s Red Square ahead of a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat. Credit: Mikhail Voskresenskiy/AP

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had earlier ordered the Kremlin officials to kick start the nuclear war evacuation drill in an apparent threat to the West, and the NATO Alliance. Putin had put “doomsday” planes including Ilyushin Il-80 Maxdome on standby, a Telegram channel linked with the Russian presidency claimed, adding that the embattled ex-Soviet ruler has moved close allies, family, into an underground city in Siberia, purportedly a nuclear bunker in the Altai Mountains.

Russian RS-24 Yars ballistic missiles roll in Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow. Credit: AP

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its troops destroyed a large stockpile of military equipment from the US and European countries near the Bohodukhiv railway station in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. Earlier in the war, Kremlin announced that all western supplies of weapons would be deemed as a military target by its troops. Apart from attacking the ones in Kharkiv, it said that it had hit 18 Ukrainian military facilities overnight, including three ammunition depots in Dachne, near the port city of Odesa.

Russian officers have been removed from combat positions to guard the upcoming Victory Day parade in the port city of Mariupol, Kyiv claimed. In a tweet, Defence Intelligence of the war-torn country said that the "occupiers complain to each other about the stupidity of the Moscow command and their humiliation". At least 25,100 Russian troops have died since the war began in February, Ukraine's Defence Forces have said. 

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the southern port city of Mariupol is “an example of torture and starvation used as a weapon of war”. Speaking virtually at a charity event in London, he asserted that he was elelcted as the president of Ukraine and not mini Ukriane. At least 550 people have been evacuated from Azovstal Steel Factory, the last standing pocket of Ukrainian resistance. 

More than 10,000 alleged war crimes which were committed by Russian forces are currently under investigation, according to Ukraine’s prosecutor general's office. A total of 10,257 cases have been logged and 223 children have died in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on 24 February, the office said in its latest update.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will send a “doomsday” warning to the west during the upcoming Victory Day celebrations, the Guardian reported. It added that a flypast over St. Basil’s Cathedral on May 9 will include an Il-80 'doomsday' command plane. The plane is programmed to carry the country’s top brass in case of a nuclear war. Notably, Putin has put his nuclear warheads on high alert amidst the ongoing conflict. 

Ukraine's Defence Forces have said that the Russian army has lost as many as 24,000 personnel since the war began on February 24. In a Twitter post, they also said that 7 brigades of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian army have been honored with Golden Star, a new award "For Courage and Courage". 

The Ukrainian President has called out on the international community to stop purchasing fuel from Russia. He said that the Putin administration earned as much as US$1 billion every day via the export of hydrocarbons. The 44-year-old said that if it wasn't halted then "next missiles could hit your countries." 

“You cannot place sanctions on Russia with one hand, and sign Russian contracts with the other. This is hypocrisy. Russia makes $1bn a day from energy. If this doesn't stop, the next missiles will hit your countries, President Volodymyr Zelsnkyy warned while addressing the international think tank Chatham House. 

Embattled leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was elected as President of Ukraine and not "mini Ukraine." Addressing his followers at Chatham, he said that if peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow were to succeed then it was necessary for Putin's troops to retreat to the territories that they own before February 24. He also accused Russia of “outright nuclear blackmail” saying “Russia is blackmailing Europe through threats”.

Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region claimed residents of the city of Kreminna were being terrorized by Russian troops. According to AP, Serhiy Haidai accused Putin's forces of checking phones and “forcibly disappearing Ukrainian patriots.” The troops have been trying to cross the trying to cross the Seversky Donets River. 

US President Joe Biden to meet virtually with G7 leaders as well as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Sunday, White House has said. 

Police in the German capital Berlin has banned the usage of Ukrainian and Russian flags, as well as Ribbons of Saint George at WW2 memorials on Victory Day, May 9. The day marks the defeat of Nazi Germany and end of World War II.

"In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in order to deter any potential aggression against Allies, NATO is deploying an unprecedented mix of fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, and support planes", the alliance's spokesperson said. As per Oana Lungescu, NATO has already deployed  30 aircraft for patrolling the skies of Eastern Europe. 

Kirill Stremousov, Deputy head of the collaborationist regional administration of the Kherson region has said that the Oblast will seek to become one of the subjects of the Russian Federation, reports RIA Novosti. He had earlier said that Kherson will return the coat of arms of the times of the Russian Empire. Located in the south of Ukraine, Kherson was one of the first regions to fall under Russian control.

UNSC has adopted its first statement on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, supporting UN Chief Antonio Guterres's effort to bring peace to the war-torn country. It also expressed concern about peace and security in Ukraine as military exchanges continue. Notably, the statement does not mention "war," "conflict" or "invasion".

Estonia’s Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets announced plans to assist in the reconstruction of major infrastructure annihilated by Russia, Interfax Ukraine reports. Additionally, Tallinn will also send demining experts to the liberated regions of Ukraine, she said. This comes days after the Ukrainian Foreign Minister called on the international community to send technical experts to defuse explosives and mines. 

50 more civilians were rescued Friday from the tunnels under the besieged steel mill where Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol have been making their last stand to prevent Moscow’s complete takeover of the strategically important port city. The group also included 11 children. Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that they were planning a third evacuation operation for the remaining residents. 

As the Russian invasion continues to sabotage the power supply in Ukraine, the UK has announced that it will donate 287 mobile generators to the country. These generators, with enough power to supply almost 8,000 homes, will be used for hospitals, shelters, and other critical services, as per Kyiv Independent. London had previously donated 569 generators to Ukraine.

Russia will stay in southern Ukraine 'forever', a senior Kremlin figure claimed. Andrey Turchak, who was on the tour of the Moscow-controlled region said that there will be "no return to the past." Kherson was one of the first cities to fall under Russia following the invasion. Since then, Kremlin has blocked all humanitarian aid from reaching the city. 

Kherson region will return the coat of arms of the times of the Russian Empire, Kirill Stremousov, who serves in the military-civilian administration head of the region said. Kherson region, which is in the south of Ukraine, is partially under Russian control at present. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his video address called on the people to not ignore air raid sirens. He advised people to follow the order issued by the authorities and curfew regulations in the cities. He recommended Ukrainians to follow the rule of not visiting forests in the regions that had been previously occupied by the Russian armed forces. He warned that there is a possible threat of the presence of mines and tripwire mines even after the Russian forces have left the territories. 

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba welcomed a group of European parliamentarians to Kyiv. Kuleba called on them to streamline Ukraine's inclusion into the European Union. According to him, people in the European Union support Ukraine's integration in the EU. He underscored that it was time for European leaders to make big decisions to shape the future of Europe. 

Berlin Police has imposed a ban on the Ukrainian flag, Russian flag and symbols on May 8-9. The Berlin authorities have taken the decision as Ukrainian activists had intended to hold a peaceful rally in Berlin and commemorate the victims of World War II, which killed millions of Ukrainians, The Kyiv Independent reported. However, the authorities have not allowed the activists to bring the Ukrainian symbols. Berlin has reportedly placed Ukrainian flags on the same list as Russian imperialist symbols, including Z signs in support of Russian aggression and Saint George ribbons. 

The armed forces of Ukraine have repelled 8 Russian attacks and have shot down 14 Orlan-10 UAVs, The Kyiv Independent reported. Russian armed forces have been continuously attacking Ukrainian positions in eastern Ukraine. However, the troops of Moscow have been suffering heavy losses of material and personal loss. The military equipment that have suffered losses includes three tanks, 7 armoured combat vehicles, three special engineering units, and eight artillery pieces. 
 

US President Joe Biden has announced additional security assistance for Ukraine, which includes "additional artillery munitions, radars, and other equipment." Biden in the statement said that the US has provided a "historic amount" of security assistance to Ukraine at a rapid pace. He stated that the US has been sending the weapons and equipments that have been approved by Congress directly to the "front lines of freedom in Ukraine." Biden said that with today's announcement, the US administration has nearly exhausted the funding that could be utilized for providing security assistance to Ukraine. He highlighted that the international community needs to continue providing weapons and military equipments to Ukraine without any halt. 

"Today, the United States is continuing our strong support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their country against Russia’s ongoing aggression. I am announcing another package of security assistance that will provide additional artillery munitions, radars, and other equipment to Ukraine,"  Biden said in the statement. 

"For Ukraine to succeed in this next phase of war its international partners, including the U.S., must continue to demonstrate our unity and our resolve to keep the weapons and ammunition flowing to Ukraine, without interruption. Congress should quickly provide the requested funding to strengthen Ukraine on the battlefield and at the negotiating table," Joe Biden added in the statement. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Zaitsev has said that they have no plans to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He underscored that Russia firmly follows the principle "that there can be no winners in nuclear wars" and it must not be initiated. While addressing a press briefing, Zaitsev stated that nuclear weapons do not help to achieve the goals that they have set for their "special military operation" in Ukraine. Alexei Zaitsev said that they have witnessed evidence that their Western colleagues and Kyiv "may come up with all sorts of provocations." He asserted that Russia is ready to face any turn of events on the ground or in the media.

"We had to refute repeatedly the insinuations about Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons during the special military operation in Ukraine. This is a deliberate lie. Russia firmly adheres to the principle that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must never be unleashed," Alexei Zaitsev said. 

Odesa Governor Maksym Marchenko has claimed that Russian armed forces hit two missiles on the outskirts of Odesa, The Kyiv Independent reported. According to Maksym Marchenko, no casualties have been reported in the incident. 

Tennis Federations of Belarus and Russia have been removed from the International Tennis Federation, Nexta reported. The decision was taken based on a secret ballot, where 80% of the conference delegates supported the exclusion of the Russian and Belarusian Federation from the ITF while 20% were against the decision. 

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said at least 50 civilians have been evacuated from Mariupol's Azovstal on Friday, May 6. Taking to her Facebook account, Vereshchuk stated that the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol will resume in the morning on May 7. She accused the Russian armed forces of violating the ceasefire and added that there were fights and other provocations in Mariupol. 

"Today we managed to pull out 50 women, children and elderly people from Azovstal. We will continue the evacuation operation tomorrow morning," Iryna Vereshchuk said in the statement on Facebook. 

Foreign Ministers Gabrielius Landsbergis of Lithuania, Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia and Eva-Maria Liimets of Estonia have travelled to Kyiv. Gabrielius Landsbergis said that they are having discussions with Ukrainian side regarding restoring the affected territories, and granting the status of a candidate for EU membership, Nexta reported. Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Foreign Ministers of three Baltic nations have visited Kyiv. He highlighted that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been supporting Ukraine ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy virtually addressed the Parliament of Iceland. He asserted that Russia is not only trying to take control of a country through their war against Ukraine, however, they are also attacking freedom. He highlighted the need for the international community to support Ukraine in resisting the Russian armed forces. In his address, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to lawmakers of Iceland for imposing sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine. According to the statement released by the Ukrainian government, Zelenskyy called on the members of the Iceland Parliament to continue building pressure on Russia and urged them to support Ukraine in the reconstruction, particularly in energy modernization. 

"It is obvious that Russia's war against Ukraine is not just an attempt to seize one country and destroy life in it. No! This is an encroachment on freedom as such. That is why it is important for all free people of the world that our country is not left alone in the confrontation with Russia. It is important that every nation helps," Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said in his address. 

The General Staff of Ukraine has claimed that Ukrainian armed forces have been able to liberate 5 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast, The Kyiv Independent reported. The regions that have been liberated include Oleksandrivka, Fedorivka, Ukrainka, Shestakovo and Peremoha. According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russian forces continue to reinforce more troops in northeastern Ukraine. 

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry released the latest set of data claiming that its army has liquidated 24,900 personnel of the Russian army. Besides, the ministry also claimed to have destroyed 1,110 tanks, 155 helicopters, 199 aircraft, 90 cruise missiles along with 2,686 army personnel vehicles.

Josef Schmidhuber, Deputy Director of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization said that nearly 25 million tonnes of grains are stuck in Ukraine due to infrastructure challenges, and blockade of the Black Sea ports by Russian warships. Ukraine has been the world’s fourth-largest exporter of maize (corn) as per the International Grains Council data but the recent war has obstructed exports, the UN food agency official informed on May 6. 

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has decided to have a meeting to discuss the Ukraine crisis among other things. The meeting will include non-member states Ukraine, Sweden and Finland. It was announced earlier today that NATO's top military authority will meet in person in Brussels, Belgium on 19 May 2022. 

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Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries are likely to hold talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via a video conference on May 8. informed German spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann. Hoffmann stated that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be holding the third video conference with his G7 partners since the start of this year. 

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Kherson Regional Administration claimed that around 2,100 people have left occupied Oblast so far either on foot or by car. "Over 2,000 civilians escaped from frontline villages north in the direction of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast," the administration claimed, as per The Kyiv Independent.  

In order to put pressure on the Russian Federation for its aggression in Ukraine, tech giant Google has blocked Russian users from downloading paid apps from the Google Play Store. The change came into effect on Thursday, 5 May 2022, as per media reports. These actions are said to be the part of US' "compliance measures" following numerous sanctions imposed on Russia. Google also prevented developers from releasing new paid apps or updating existing ones. Earlier on March 10, Google announced that Russian Android users will no longer be able to buy applications and games from the Play Store.

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As the Russia-Ukraine war continues unabated, a German government spokesperson stated that the Group of Seven (G7) leaders are expected to hold a video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, May 8.  Speaking at a regular press briefing on Friday, German spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann stated that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be holding the third video conference with his G7 partners since the start of this year. The G7 presidency is currently held by Germany.

Hoffman went on to say that May 8 is a significant date in history because it marks the end of World War II in Europe. "The video conference will cover current issues, particularly the situation in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky will take part and report on the current situation in his country," she outlined, CNN reported.  

On the occasion of 'Infantry Day,' the Ukrainian Defence Ministry hailed the country's army. "Happy Infantry Day!
You are our wall, our protection. Hardened by this long war, you are defending our peaceful future again and again at the cost of your own life. You are the power of our army!" the Ministry tweeted.  It further added, "I sincerely congratulate you on your day and bow my head to all the brothers and sisters who were taken away by this war. Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes! Victory is ours!" [sic].

Australian ambassador to Ukraine stated that Canberra completed the shipment of 20 armoured vehicles and howitzers to Kyiv. Ambassador Bruce Edwards claimed that the last of the 20 Bushmaster armoured vehicles, as well as several M777 howitzers, are on their way to Ukraine, The Kyiv Independent reported. 

Amid the Ukraine crisis and as Russia continues to invade the war-torn country, India on May 6 handed over Humanitarian Aid comprising 7,725 kg of essential medicines and supplies from the people of India to the people of Ukraine. A press statement issued by the Embassy of India, Kyiv, stated, “On May 6, 2022, the newly appointed Ambassador of India to Ukraine, H.E. Mr Harsh Kumar Jain handed over 7,725 kg of humanitarian aid comprising of essential medicines and medical equipment to H.E. Mr Oleksii Yaramenko, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine, in-charge of Humanitarian Aid and EU Integration.''

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Ukraine's breakaway regions Donetsk People's Republic (LPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (DPR) have appointed their ambassadors to Moscow. DPR's head Denis Pushilin and LPR's head Leonid Pasechnik appointed ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia respectively. The corresponding decrees were published on Friday on the websites of the leaders of the republics. As per the TASS, the decrees entered into force from the date of signing. 

Olga Makeeva has been appointed as the DPR ambassador to Russia. She is the current deputy head of the DPR's People's Council, and represents the "Donetsk Republic" faction in parliament. Meanwhile, Rodion Miroshnik has been appointed as the ambassador of the LPR to the Russian Federation. From 2015 to 2022, he was the representative of the Lugansk People's Republic in the political subgroup of the contact group for the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Besides, he has also been an adviser to the head of the LPR on foreign policy since 2017, the TASS reported.

As Poland continues to assist Ukraine in the midst of the war with Russia and Polish politicians criticise Russia for its military aggression in the former Soviet state, the Russian Federation has slammed Poland for its stance. The spokesperson of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov described Poland's lawmakers' statements towards Russia as "openly hostile." He also claimed that Poland might be a threat to Ukraine's territorial integrity because Polish authorities frequently say that a portion of Ukraine's territory is made up of "ancient Polish lands," according to AA News.

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Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the world to unite and end the war in Ukraine on Thursday, calling it senseless, ruthless and “limitless in its potential for global harm.” The top U.N. human rights official said even a one-day cease-fire would prevent dozens of civilian deaths and injuries and allow several thousand others to flee Russian attacks.

The UN Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine heard a briefing from Guterres on his recent meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents that led to the first two evacuations this week from the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol and its last Ukrainian stronghold, the Azovstal steel plant. 

Guterres said he did not “mince words” with Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the country’s territorial integrity and the U.N. Charter and “it must end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia and the entire world.”

(AP)

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the Zelenskyy government, along with the international community, has been making efforts to evacuate citizens and troops from Mariupol's Azovstal Steel Plant. Till now, nearly 500 Ukrainian citizens have been evacuated and many more are still trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol. On Friday, the Ministry of Reintegration called on the international medical organisation "Doctors Without Borders" to form an evacuation mission to save Ukrainian troops defending Azovstal.

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The United Nations is planning a third evacuation operation to evacuate civilians trapped in the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. In a statement, the global agency informed that there are an estimated 200 civilians stranded along with the Ukrainian resistance fighters inside the steelworks facility with little or no food and water. 

UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, reportedly informed that a convoy for the safe evacuation was sent to the Azovstal Plant “to receive those civilians remaining in that bleak hell and take them back to safety.” The remaining Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the Azovstal plant had appealed to Ukraine’s President Zelesnkyy to evacuate those wounded, as well as the soldiers’ dead bodies from inside the facilities and honour them with respectful military burials. 

Foreign Ministers Gabrielius Landsbergis of Lithuania, Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia and Eva-Maria Liimets of Estonia have arrived in Kyiv. "Visiting Kyiv with Latvian and Estonian colleagues. This time we are also talking about the rebuilding, restoration and the EU candidate status for Ukraine. Blooming Kyiv reminds that the country is ready for a bright future," Landsbergis wrote in a Twitter post. 

The Russian Armed Forces have launched an attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast with artillery as well as airstrikes.  According to the Zaporizhzhia Military Administration, Russian troops have attacked Huliaipole and Orikhiv in the region, The Kyiv Independent reported. 

The Russian Federation stated that the the 'Victory Day Parade' on May 9 cannot be held this year in Mariupol. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov outlined that "the time will come and there will be a wide celebration," RIA Novosti news agency reported. This comes a couple of days after Kyiv claimed that a representative from Russia's presidential administration has arrived in the southern port city to oversee the preparations of the 'Victory Day Parade.' "Mariupol will become the centre of the celebration. Debris, bodies, and unexploded ordnance are being removed from the city's central streets," Ukraine’s military intelligence had said in a Telegram message on May 4. 

Pentagon’s intelligence to the Ukrainian troops helped Kyiv in sinking Russia’s most powerful surface war vessel, the flagship of its Black Sea Fleet, 'Moskva’ on the 71-day of the invasion. Moscow’s symbolic Black Sea cruiser, commissioned during armed conflicts in Georgia and Syria, had sailed out of Sevastopol to attack Ukraine in February. In an extremely hard blow for the Russian forces, the cruiser Moskva ("Moscow" in Russian) sank as a result of what Russia’s Defense Ministry described as "the detonation" of a stock of ammunition caused by a “fire".

Ukraine’s Army, in a conflicting account, claimed that its troops targeted and sank Moscow’s most important and notorious warship by striking it with two Neptune missiles. 

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that he will not support the European Commission's proposals for sanctions against religious figures. This development comes as the EU said that it was mulling sanctions against Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, which lies within the EU. He is among the dozens of Russians, along with all Rus' and the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, who are likely to face punitive measures, including an asset freeze and travel bans amid the ongoing war. Notably, the 78-year-old is one of the 58 people who are freshly targeted by the European Union.

Recently, in an interview with Kossuth Radio, PM Viktor Orbán stated that a serious economic crisis may await Europe and also mentioned that the sanctions on Russian resources would further increase the burden on several countries and that the European Union is not making any substantial efforts to mitigate the effects.

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The Kyiv City Council said in a Telegram message that the 'Victory Day' on May 9 will not be celebrated in the city owing to the current martial law. "The city will not hold festive events on May 9. And during martial law, mass gatherings are prohibited," the City Council said, adding that patrolling will be intensified in Kyiv on May 9, RIA Novosti reported. The Kyiv City Council, however, stated that people will be allowed to lay flowers commemorating the day. 

The authorities in Denmark stated that country is sending as many as 5.7 million pairs of medical gloves to Ukraine. According to the Danish Critical Supply Agency, the gloves are surplus materials that will have no impact on Denmark's emergency readiness. The agency stated that the gloves were requested by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health through the Emergency Response Coordination Center. They will be sent to a warehouse in Poland before being shipped to Ukraine, the AP reported. 

Moldovan Parliament Chairman and leader of the country’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, Igor Grosu, said that the country will not be able to provide military assistance to Ukraine. "Given Moldova’s neutral status, we cannot send military equipment to other countries," he pointed out, as per TASS news agency. 

Amid the ongoing war, Luhansk Oblast Governor claimed that the Russian offensive in the region is expected to intensify further. "In the next 3-4 days, Russian forces will put all efforts to break through either to Sievierodonetsk or Popasna, two cities still under Ukraine's control," Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai said, as per The Kyiv Independent. 

The European Union (EU) Commissioner for Economy claimed that the bloc would full embargo Russian oil within nine months. Speaking at an event organised by the Italian media, former Italy's Prime Minister and the EU leader Paolo Gentiloni stated that the bloc's proposal is to reach an embargo within nine months depending on the different petroleum products. He said that doing it in a shorter time could have consequences on international oil prices that are paradoxically contradictory to the EU's objectives. 

"I think we will find a common path to get there gradually over the next few months. We must not hide that this decision will have an impact on our economies, but the impact on the Russian economy will be much greater," Gentiloni remarked at the event organised by newspapers of the Caltagirone Editore group, Il Messaggero reported. 

Russian troops have continued their attacks on Mariupol's Azovstal Steel plant, despite claiming that they have ceased operations there. In the latest defense update, British intelligence said that the renewed effort to completely take over the port city of Mariupol is likely linked to upcoming Russia's victory day. 

“Parade of prisoners" was held in Donetsk, where soldiers of the Ukrainian army walked through the streets, while garbage was thrown at them. The revelation was made by the head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who accused the Russian Federation of mocking the Geneva Convention. 

Visuals from the Azovstal Steel plant have shown that it was still under attack by the Russian troops. Meanwhile, UN officials have said that they were planning a third evacuation operation for trapped residents and troops. At least, 500 civilians have been rescued in the past two weeks, as per the UN. 

Ukraine’s army repelled 11 attacks in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to Army's General Staff. In addendum, it also destroyed eight tanks, eleven units of armored combat vehicles, and five other vehicles. With Russia's Victory Day approaching, "invaders" have bolstered attacks on the eastern and southern territories, particularly the Donbas region. 

President of Belarus and Putin's long-time ally Alexander Lukashenko has said that the Russian President has no intention of annexing Ukraine. "He wants to see a friendly, integral Ukraine. I fully support him, it is my position too", Lukashenko told in an interview with AP. He also reiterated that his country stands with peace and called for an end to the "war". Interestingly, the term 'war' is banned by Kremlin, which describes aggression as a 'Special Military Operation'. 

Hungary will not support proposals for sanctions against religious figures, the country's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. His statement comes as the European Union (EU) said that it was mulling sanctions against Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox church, which lies in the EU. He is amongst the dozens of Russians who would face punitive measures- including travel bans-amidst the ongoing war. 

As the war continued for the 72nd day, Russia opened artillery barrages in the south and east of Ukraine. Zelenskyy's troops claimed that enemies have entered the labyrinthine industrial area in the southern city but Kremlin denied such involvement. Ukrainian fighters inside Azovstal Steel pant, meanwhile, said they were fighting “difficult, bloody battles” inside the plant, according to Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov regiment.

European Union (EU) is mulling sanctions against Alina Kabaeva, rumored girlfriend of Russian President Putin. In addendum, the bloc is also planning to freeze the assets of Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox church, which lies in the EU.  Both of them are amongst the dozens of Russians who would face punitive measures- including travel bans-amidst the ongoing war. 

Russia's so-called Special Military Operation on Ukraine has now entered its tenth week with attacks intensifying in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Meanwhile, the situation in Mariupol seems to get better with more Ukrainians evacuating the city every day. While the city has not fallen yet, Kyiv has warned that Putin might use the overhaul of Mariupol to galvanize support back home. 

Here are some latest photographs depicting the extent of obstruction in Ukraine

All image credits: AP 

The US says it shared intelligence with Ukraine about the location of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva before the strike that sank the warship, but the decision to attack was taken by the Ukrainians. As per The Guardian, the White House also admitted that it has continuously been sharing military information with Ukraine. This has allowed Kyiv to target and kill many military generals in the past. 

The UN secretary-general António Guterres described the war zone in Mariupol as appearing to be “hellscapes". At least 500 people have been evacuated from Azovstal Steel Plant in the past two weeks by the UN and other international organizations. 2,000 resistance troops and 1,000 civilians are estimated to have been trapped in the Soviet era factory.  

British PM Boris Johnson has lauded Ukraine's embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “truly one of the most incredible leaders of modern times”. Speaking at a fundraising event for Ukraine in London, Johnson said that it was “a blessing for Ukraine and for the world” and “a disaster for Putin” that Zelenskyy was leading in Kyiv. The event titled 'Brave Ukrianians' was organised with an aim to collect funds to bolster humanitarian support to Ukraine. 

Poland and the Baltic states have inaugurated a new gas pipeline that links the north-eastern EU with the rest of the bloc. As the bloc inches closer to impose a complete embargo on import of Russian hydrocarbons, this is being deemed as a crucial step to reduce dependency on Moscow. 

Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry shared a shocking image depicting the current situation in the war torn country. "This isn’t a starscape," it wrote alongside. The photograph shows the a man opening bullet riddled gate of his garage in Zahal'tsi village. 

Pentagon says the majority of Russian forces that had been around the port city of Mariupol have left and headed north, leaving roughly the equivalent of two battalion tactical groups there, or about 2,000 troops. Notably, the Ukrainian administration has bolstered efforts to evacuate citizens trapped at the Azovstal Steel Plant. 

In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described a “catastrophic” lack of access to medical services and medicine in areas of the country under Russian occupation. He described those areas as having no treament for cancer and other critical illnesses. Aditionally, anti-biotics were also in short supply. 

"Zelenskyy is the Winston Churchill of our time" former US President George W. Bush wrote in an Instagram post following a virtual meeting with the Ukrainian President. He also saluted the courage of the Ukrainians who have been resisiting the Russian invasion fo tenth week now.