Tuesday, May 7

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Two workers repair the windows of a damaged public building after shelling in the city of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine on May 6, 2024. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Syrskyi: Russia trying to break through defenses to reach Kurakhove, Pokrovsk.

Russian troops are trying to break through Ukraine’s defenses and reach the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on May 6.

Zelensky asks parliament to extend martial law, mobilization for another 90 days. Ukraine’s parliament previously extended martial law and mobilization from Feb. 14 until May 14.

Foreign Ministry calls on allies not to recognize Putin as Russia’s legitimate president. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry urged on May 6 other countries and international organizations not to recognize the results of Russia’s most recent presidential election, as well as Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy ahead of the inauguration.

Russia threatens UK military installations, equipment ‘in Ukraine and abroad’ after Cameron’s remarks. Moscow can hit back at “any British military installations and equipment in or outside Ukraine” if Ukraine strikes on Russian territory with U.K.-made weapons, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed on May 6.

FT: Russia plotting ‘violent sabotage’ across Europe, intelligence agencies warn. Several high-profile incidents in recent weeks have put a spotlight on cases of attempted sabotage by people accused of working on the Kremlin’s behalf.

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Minister: Ukraine to produce more weapons worth $10 billion if financed.

“We have additional non-contracted capacities, and we want them to be financed at the expense of European funds,” Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said on May 6.

Military: Russia trying to regain control of Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast.

Speaking on national TV, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, said Moscow’s troops had tried unsuccessfully to storm Ukrainian positions three times, losing four tanks in the process.

Military spokesperson denies reports of destroying bridge near Chasiv Yar. Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, also said Russian forces are unlikely to capture the embattled town of Chasiv Yar as they do not have enough strength for a full-scale offensive.

Yermak: Ukraine aims to finalize security agreement with US in May. A Ukrainian delegation led by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak held the fourth round of negotiations with the U.S. on the future bilateral security agreement on May 6, the Presidential Office reported.

Media: Russia no longer using Crimean Bridge to supply front lines. The bridge, also called the Kerch Bridge, connects the Russian mainland with the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula, and has long been a crucial supply route for the Russian military in Ukraine.

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Ukraine war latest: Russian Mangust-class vessel destroyed in Crimea, military intelligence says

Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian military fast attack craft on May 6, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported.

The attack was reportedly carried out with a Magura V5 multi-purpose sea drone in occupied Crimea overnight.

Photo: Rosoboronexport

Zelensky’s term would have expired this month, but he’s staying. Russia wants to use it

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s term in office is supposed to end on May 20, 2024 – but it won’t. And now Ukraine’s President’s Office is preparing to weather the storm of critics questioning the president’s legitimacy.

Photo: Paula Bronstein /Getty Images

Is Chechnya preparing for Kadyrov’s demise — and what could come next?

New reporting has put the Chechen warlord’s health in the headlines once more. But there are other, subtler, signs that the republic might be preparing for a regime change.

Photo: Kadyrov’s Telegram channel

Human cost of war

Prosecutors: Russian airstrike on Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast injures 4. Russian troops carried out an airstrike on the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on May 6, injuring four people, the regional Prosecutor’s Office reported.

Authorities: Russian attack on Sumy Oblast injures 3, including children. Russian troops shelled the village of Uhroidy in Sumy Oblast on May 6, injuring three people, including two children, Suspilne reported, citing Iryna Yukhta, secretary of the Krasnopil village council.

International response

Reuters: US, most EU nations abstain from attending Putin’s inauguration. The United States and the majority of European Union nations will not attend the Kremlin ceremony for Vladimir Putin’s inauguration for another six-year presidential term on May 7.

Netherlands plans to begin F-16 aircraft deliveries to Ukraine in autumn. The Netherlands plans to start delivering its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this autumn after Denmark begins transferring its aircraft already in the summer, Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren said during a press briefing in Vilnius, Delfi reported on May 6.

Spanish defense minister: Ukraine receives Patriot missiles from Madrid. Ukraine received Patriot anti-aircraft missiles from Madrid, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced on May 6, according to EFE news agency.

Politico: Poland has a secret weapon to turn Donald Trump against Russia. “Duda is our Republican whisperer,” Michał Baranowski, who leads the German Marshall Fund’s Poland office, told Politico.

Bloomberg: EU plans to ban Russian funding for political parties, think tanks. According to Bloomberg, the ban on Russian funding could impact far-right parties in Europe such as Germany’s AfD and France’s National Rally, both of which have previously been accused of links to Russia.

Media: Xi backs global Olympic truce after Macron’s proposal. Chinese President Xi Jinping supported on May 6 the idea of a global truce during the Olympic Games in Paris this summer, Le Monde reported.

US denounces Russia’s ‘irresponsible rhetoric’ over nuclear drills. “This is an example of the kind of irresponsible rhetoric that we’ve seen from Russia in the past. It’s completely inappropriate given the current security situation,” Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder told reporters.

In other news

Business association CEO Club says it was searched, complains of smear campaign. CEO Club Ukraine, a club of Ukrainian business leaders, said on May 6 that its premises were searched by the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) in April and linked it to a supposed smear campaign against the club.

Russian dissident Kara-Murza wins Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Jailed Russian journalist and opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Washington Post contributing columnist, has won the Pulitzer Prize for the commentary he has been writing from his prison cell.

US soldier travels to Russia, arrested on suspicion of theft. Russia is currently holding a number of U.S. nationals on what are widely believed to be trumped up charges.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Kateryna Hodunova, Nate Ostiller, Martin Fornusek, Kateryna Denisova, Chris York, Olena Goncharova, and  Abbey Fenbert.

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