Putin Vows Revenge After Luhansk Attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed Ukraine for a deadly drone attack on a student dormitory in Starobilsk, Luhansk, a Russian-controlled region in eastern Ukraine, and has vowed to retaliate. Ukraine's military denied the accusations, stating it had struck an elite drone command unit in the area.
Putin said in a statement carried by state TV on Friday that he had ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation. The attack killed six people, wounded dozens, and left 15 unaccounted for. He claimed Kyiv's military must have known what it was targeting.
Ukraine Rejects Accusations at UN
At a UN Security Council emergency meeting called by Russia, Ukrainian Ambassador Melnyk Andrii rejected accusations of war crimes, calling them a "pure propaganda show." He said Friday's operations "exclusively targeted the Russian war machine," including strikes on an oil refinery fueling occupation forces, ammunition depots, air defense assets, and command centers.
Nato Urged to Show Strength
Czech President Petr Pavel urged Nato to "show its teeth" in response to Russia's repeated testing of the alliance's resolve on its eastern flank. Speaking to the Guardian in Prague, Pavel suggested options including switching off Russia's internet, cutting off its banks from global financial systems, and shooting down jets that violate allied airspace. He called for "decisive enough, potentially even asymmetric" responses to counter Moscow's provocative behavior.
Nuclear Plant Partially Disconnected
The UN's nuclear watchdog said Friday that Ukrainian authorities reported a fire at the Dniprovska 750-kilovolt electrical substation due to military activity, causing a nuclear power station to be partially disconnected from off-site power. The International Atomic Energy Agency said firefighters were tackling the blaze, and the operating nuclear plant was partially disconnected at the grid operator's request.
Drone Attack on Russian Oil Terminal
Falling debris from drones triggered a fire at an oil terminal in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk early Saturday, injuring two people and damaging several buildings. The injured men were being treated in hospital. Ukrainian forces also attacked a Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, about 700 km from the border. Ukraine's Defence Ministry said it hit 11 Russian oil facilities this month as of May 21, including Kirishi, one of Russia's largest refineries.
Protest in Kyiv Over Missing Soldiers Bill
Hundreds of Ukrainians marched through Kyiv on Friday to demand the government veto a bill that could prematurely declare missing soldiers dead. Bill No. 13646 addresses the legal status of missing persons. More than 90,000 people are listed as missing in Ukraine's registry.
US Troop Levels in Europe to Drop
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that US troop numbers in Europe are expected to drop from 80,000 after a review reflecting wider commitments. Speaking in Helsingborg, Sweden, at a Nato foreign ministers meeting, Rubio said it was "well understood in the alliance that the United States' troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted," citing obligations in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Western Hemisphere. Last week, the Pentagon halted the rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland, but Trump appeared to reverse that decision on social media Thursday night, catching the Pentagon by surprise.
Bipartisan Push for Ukraine Aid
A bipartisan group of US senators is pushing back on delays by the Department of Defense in sending about $600 million in security aid to Ukraine and other eastern European allies. They sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday calling for the funding to be disbursed. Friction has grown between Congress and the Trump administration as lawmakers seek updates on $400 million in Ukraine aid and $200 million for defense programs in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania allocated by Congress last year.
