Exclusive
 |
Spain pledged €1 billion to Ukraine—then helped block NATO's plan to count it. Four other allies blocked the metric, and six frameworks now run uncompared. |
 |
Why are EU farmers still protesting? Subsidies, not Ukrainian imports. Brussels imposed trade quotas in 2025—the CAP fight is the next one. |
 |
From hedging to solidarity: how Belarus's exiled opposition came to stand with Ukraine. The latest Belarusian prisoner releases returned key figures to public life. Their positions on Ukraine range from unwavering solidarity to studied ambiguity on Crimea. |
 |
France's Macron warned Lukashenka not to drag Belarus into Russia's war. The call was the first since 26 February 2022. Minsk confirmed it took place at Paris's initiative—but the French presidency hasn't yet. |
 |
Ukraine wrapped the occupied south in three layers of drones. Russian trucks are burning. Strikes doubled February to March—and the Russians retreated. |
Military
"Flash" Beskrestnov on Russia's new threats to strike Kyiv: They have no dynamics on front and need result. Russia again threatens Kyiv with new strikes, but they're partly psychological pressure.
Ukraine destroyed a Russian S-300 launcher, rare radar, and fuel tank cars in occupied Donetsk in one day. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces also struck multiple ammo and logistics depots, a field artillery store, and one of Russia's largest drones, the Merlin-VR reconnaissance UAV, on 24 May 2026.
Russia fails to capture Mala Tokmachka for 1,500 days — longer than Rome's siege of Carthage and three times siege of La Rochelle. The Book of Records of Ukraine has formally certified the position as one of the longest-held front-line defensive stands of the modern Russo-Ukrainian war.
Russia's fourth "Oreshnik" on Ukraine may have struck its own troops in occupied Donetsk Oblast — while first hit Kyiv Oblast. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed one Oreshnik impact on Ukrainian territory, the strike on Bila Tserkva.
Ukrainian drones lit up a propane train in Russia's Kursk Oblast. The 24 May Lgov District strike caused a gas explosion that forced authorities to move 76 people from neighboring streets.
Ukraine's Sheskharis operation wasn't just about drones: Partisans say they blinded Russia's Novorossiysk air defenses first. ATESH partisans say they blinded Novorossiysk's air defense. Then the drones came.
Intelligence and technology
Ukrainian drone maker now in contention for US Army contracts: General Chereshnia advanced to second round of Pentagon's $1.1 billion drone competition. Twenty-five companies from around the world participated in the first round at Fort Benning, Georgia, each given two hours to demonstrate their systems to US military personnel.
Competition across six manufacturers saves Ukraine 16% on its largest-ever 155mm shell contract. Ukraine redirected money to tens of thousands more shells.
Ukraine's new air defense system convinces Russian missiles they are in Peru — at one percent cost of Patriot. Lima electronic warfare, Cascade Systems, Night Watch, Alchemist, Patriot PAC-3 alternative, Shahed jamming, Kometa antennas, Lima Quant.
Ukrainian intelligence: Russia's new jet-powered Geran-4 attack drone runs on Chinese turbojets. The Geran-4 has a brand-new reinforced airframe and can pull high-G maneuvers at 300-400 km/h, per Ukraine's military intelligence. It carries up to 90 kg of thermobaric explosives.
International
Ukraine offers African nations cooperation across eight sectors from food security to digitalization. Ukraine pledged equal partnership with Africa, where Russia recruits fighters from 36 countries.
Russia warns diplomats to leave Kyiv ahead of "systemic strikes" — day after it launched "Oreshnik" missile on region. Russia warned foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv ahead of announced "systemic strikes."
Smaller NATO economies already spend 0.25% of GDP on Ukraine. UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada block plan to require it. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had hoped to bring a binding commitment to the Ankara summit: each Alliance member to allocate 0.25% of GDP to military aid for Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanoŭskaya makes her first ever Kyiv visit — her train ticket reads "Przemyśl — Free Kyiv — Free Minsk". The Belarusian opposition leader went directly from the train station to lay flowers at the grave of fallen Belarusian volunteer Maryia Zaitsava.
Political and legal developments
Russia's "BARS-33" campaign is offering Kherson men close-to-home service. Documentation reveals what actually happens. The discharge papers never get signed.
Read our earlier daily review here.
