Exclusive
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Ukrainian drones used to burn one tanker. Now they can burn the whole train. One rocket-armed Fire Point drone could do eight times the damage of the version flying last month. |
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"Position of strength": Ukraine has six to nine months to reshape negotiations, says commander of one of top fighting units. His units hold the flank around Sloviansk and force Russia to attack head-on. |
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Counter-drone laser tag, small-group tactical training, pre-specialty tracks: Ukraine's updated 51-day basic military training just rolled out. Six Land Forces training centers rolled out the updated course this week, modeled on a private training operation whose head spent the past year criticizing the General Staff. |
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Ukraine сharges Davor Savičić, Bosnian Serb veteran of Arkan's Tigers, Wagner, and now Russian PMC colonel, with war crimes. Ukraine's SBU charged Bosnian Serb mercenary Davor Savičić, former Arkan's Tiger and Wagner Syria veteran, with torture of civilians in Kyiv Oblast. |
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Crowdfunded Ukrainian satellite that helped find Russian landing ship Minsk has now delivered 5,900 radar images to intelligence. Ukrainians crowdfunded a $16M satellite in 3 days. |
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Ukraine launches "Logistics Lockdown" program with $113 million for middle-strike drones against Russian rear. Defense Minister Fedorov said the program will direct funds to brigades that have already been hitting Russian logistics. |
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Important step during war: Zelenskyy meets his 2019 election opponent Poroshenko face-to-face for first time in years. The shift follows Kyrylo Budanov's January appointment to head the President's Office. |
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Russia's "falling debris" routine continues as Ukrainian drone hits Tuapse oil terminal for 5th time this spring. The Krasnodar Krai operational HQ described the damage as caused by "falling drone debris." |
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Why is Russia preparing to ration jet fuel? Refining just hit a 16-year low. The diesel decision is still split among officials. Refiners told to curb foreign sales. |
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Ukraine targets a Su-34 base, aircraft repair plant, and Black Sea Fleet Air Force HQ in one night. The strikes hit the Taganrog 325 Aircraft Repair Plant, the Voronezh Baltimor airbase, and reportedly the Black Sea Fleet Air Force HQ in occupied Sevastopol. |
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ISW: a Belarus ground invasion is very unlikely, but Russia may use Belarusian airspace to hit western Ukraine. Belarus has neither massed forces on the Ukrainian border nor would Russia have the reserves to support a Belarusian ground push, per the assessment. |
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Discount supermarkets and pharmacies dominate Ukraine's resilient companies ranking. New YouControl–Top Lead study shows wartime growth in survival-economy sectors. |
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Norway pledges $45 million for Ukraine's energy resilience through new EU agreement. Oslo announced the deal on 26 May after Foreign Minister Eide's meeting with European Commissioner Marta Kos in Brussels, with money channelled through the EU's Ukraine Investment Framework. |
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72 Russian rights abusers face EU asset freezes and travel bans for another year. The framework was established in March 2024 after Navalny's death, in response to Russia's accelerating and systematic repression. EU citizens and companies are barred from funding the sanctioned. |
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Ukraine is buying the West time and should be in NATO, top Czech commander says. Outgoing Chief of the Czech General Staff Karel Řehka to Euromaidan Press at GLOBSEC Prague. |
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Ukraine tests VR mental health care across 47 healthcare sites — largest documented deployment of its kind. Aspichi's Luminify system ran 8,884 sessions across 47 organizations in a six-month wartime study. |
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Poland gets preliminary US approval to produce Russia's Iskander killers — while Ukraine burns through 60 per month on "starvation ration". About 600 PAC-3 MSE interceptors leave US factories each year. |
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Ukrainian drones now reach so deep that Russia closed its main highway to Crimea. Occupation governor Vladimir Saldo signed the order after Ukrainian mid-range drones began hitting the road Russia's southern military supply depends on. |
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UK sanctions crypto exchanges and "A7 network" in crackdown on Russian evasion systems. Officials say Moscow has increasingly turned to shadow financial systems and crypto channels to sustain wartime spending as sanctions tighten. |
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Russia plans broad aviation restrictions as Ukrainian drones keep disrupting airspace. New rules would ban most civilian flights below 5,100 meters across large parts of central Russia, according to aviation associations and industry reports. |
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The "Behemoth" strike drone – Ukraine's answer to Russia's Shahed. Russia's widespread use of Shahed drones has shaped the war beyond the frontlines, with Ukraine increasingly expanding its own drone-based strike capabilities in response. |
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"First 500 targets already marked": Ukraine has a response plan if Belarus enters war, says drone forces commander. The comments come amid repeated warnings in Kyiv that Russia is seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict through military coordination and planning discussions. |
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Russian church courts strip priests of rank for refusing Patriarch Kirill's war prayer. About 50 priests have been documented as targets so far. Several have since had their ranks restored by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople after lengthy appeals. |
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UN food aid warehouse in Dnipro struck by Russian Iskander missile, impacting supplies for 130,000 people. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the strike reflects continued attacks on humanitarian infrastructure despite repeated international calls to protect aid operations. |
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After drone incursions in the Baltics, Ukraine's bomb shelter know-how draws official interest. Baltic governments are in early talks with Ukrainian firms on civil defense systems following recent drone incidents in the region. |
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Belarusian exiled leader and Ukraine's President shook hands in Kyiv — at a 24-country summit. Tsikhanoŭskaya and Zelenskyy discussed Russia's attempts to drag Belarus deeper into the war and Belarusians who live and fight in Ukraine. It was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders. |
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A Russian banker hid in Brittany as a Ukrainian refugee — France just gave him to Lithuania. Ten months in a Breton village. Now 10.5 years in Vilnius. |
Team news
Military
"Position of strength": Ukraine has six to nine months to reshape negotiations, says commander of one of top fighting units. His units hold the flank around Sloviansk and force Russia to attack head-on.
Ukraine targets a Su-34 base, aircraft repair plant, and Black Sea Fleet Air Force HQ in one night. The strikes hit the Taganrog 325 Aircraft Repair Plant, the Voronezh Baltimor airbase, and reportedly the Black Sea Fleet Air Force HQ in occupied Sevastopol.
ISW: a Belarus ground invasion is very unlikely, but Russia may use Belarusian airspace to hit western Ukraine. Belarus has neither massed forces on the Ukrainian border nor would Russia have the reserves to support a Belarusian ground push, per the assessment.
"First 500 targets already marked": Ukraine has a response plan if Belarus enters war, says drone forces commander. The comments come amid repeated warnings in Kyiv that Russia is seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict through military coordination and planning discussions.
Intelligence and technology
Ukrainian drones used to burn one tanker. Now they can burn the whole train. One rocket-armed Fire Point drone could do eight times the damage of the version flying last month.
Ukrainian operators say their FPV hit Russian truck at record 102 km.
Counter-drone laser tag, small-group tactical training, pre-specialty tracks: Ukraine's updated 51-day basic military training just rolled out. Six Land Forces training centers rolled out the updated course this week, modeled on a private training operation whose head spent the past year criticizing the General Staff.
Crowdfunded Ukrainian satellite that helped find Russian landing ship Minsk has now delivered 5,900 radar images to intelligence. Ukrainians crowdfunded a $16M satellite in 3 days.
Ukraine launches "Logistics Lockdown" program with $113 million for middle-strike drones against Russian rear. Defense Minister Fedorov said the program will direct funds to brigades that have already been hitting Russian logistics.
Russia's "falling debris" routine continues as Ukrainian drone hits Tuapse oil terminal for 5th time this spring. The Krasnodar Krai operational HQ described the damage as caused by "falling drone debris."
Why is Russia preparing to ration jet fuel? Refining just hit a 16-year low. The diesel decision is still split among officials. Refiners told to curb foreign sales.
Poland gets preliminary US approval to produce Russia's Iskander killers — while Ukraine burns through 60 per month on "starvation ration". About 600 PAC-3 MSE interceptors leave US factories each year.
Ukrainian drones now reach so deep that Russia closed its main highway to Crimea. Occupation governor Vladimir Saldo signed the order after Ukrainian mid-range drones began hitting the road Russia's southern military supply depends on.
Russia plans broad aviation restrictions as Ukrainian drones keep disrupting airspace. New rules would ban most civilian flights below 5,100 meters across large parts of central Russia, according to aviation associations and industry reports.
The "Behemoth" strike drone – Ukraine's answer to Russia's Shahed. Russia's widespread use of Shahed drones has shaped the war beyond the frontlines, with Ukraine increasingly expanding its own drone-based strike capabilities in response.
International
Norway pledges $45 million for Ukraine's energy resilience through new EU agreement. Oslo announced the deal on 26 May after Foreign Minister Eide's meeting with European Commissioner Marta Kos in Brussels, with money channelled through the EU's Ukraine Investment Framework.
Ukraine is buying the West time and should be in NATO, top Czech commander says. Outgoing Chief of the Czech General Staff Karel Řehka to Euromaidan Press at GLOBSEC Prague.
After drone incursions in the Baltics, Ukraine's bomb shelter know-how draws official interest. Baltic governments are in early talks with Ukrainian firms on civil defense systems following recent drone incidents in the region.
Belarusian exiled leader and Ukraine's President shook hands in Kyiv — at a 24-country summit. Tsikhanoŭskaya and Zelenskyy discussed Russia's attempts to drag Belarus deeper into the war and Belarusians who live and fight in Ukraine. It was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders.
Humanitarian and social impact
Ukraine сharges Davor Savičić, Bosnian Serb veteran of Arkan's Tigers, Wagner, and now Russian PMC colonel, with war crimes. Ukraine's SBU charged Bosnian Serb mercenary Davor Savičić, former Arkan's Tiger and Wagner Syria veteran, with torture of civilians in Kyiv Oblast.
UN food aid warehouse in Dnipro struck by Russian Iskander missile, impacting supplies for 130,000 people. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the strike reflects continued attacks on humanitarian infrastructure despite repeated international calls to protect aid operations.
Russian church courts strip priests of rank for refusing Patriarch Kirill's war prayer. About 50 priests have been documented as targets so far. Several have since had their ranks restored by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople after lengthy appeals.
Ukraine tests VR mental health care across 47 healthcare sites — largest documented deployment of its kind. Aspichi's Luminify system ran 8,884 sessions across 47 organizations in a six-month wartime study.
Political and legal developments
Important step during war: Zelenskyy meets his 2019 election opponent Poroshenko face-to-face for first time in years. The shift follows Kyrylo Budanov's January appointment to head the President's Office.
72 Russian rights abusers face EU asset freezes and travel bans for another year. The framework was established in March 2024 after Navalny's death, in response to Russia's accelerating and systematic repression. EU citizens and companies are barred from funding the sanctioned.
UK sanctions crypto exchanges and "A7 network" in crackdown on Russian evasion systems. Officials say Moscow has increasingly turned to shadow financial systems and crypto channels to sustain wartime spending as sanctions tighten.
A Russian banker hid in Brittany as a Ukrainian refugee — France just gave him to Lithuania. Ten months in a Breton village. Now 10.5 years in Vilnius.
New developments
Discount supermarkets and pharmacies dominate Ukraine's resilient companies ranking. New YouControl–Top Lead study shows wartime growth in survival-economy sectors.
Read our earlier daily review here.
