Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that Ukraine is producing a surplus of up to 50% in certain types of weapons, and military cooperation is already underway with countries in the Middle East, the Gulf, Europe, and the Caucasus. The deals involve the production and supply of drones and missiles, as well as software and technology. Zelenskyy also stated that Kyiv has handed a proposal to the United States for cooperation on drones, defense systems, and other types of weapons for use in the air, on land, and at sea.
Ukrainian Drone Strikes Deep Inside Russia
On Wednesday, another oil facility deep inside Russia—at Perm, 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) from Ukraine—was on fire following what Ukraine’s president described as the country’s latest long-range drone attack. NASA’s satellite fire monitoring system detected a hotspot over an array of tanks and a large surrounding area near Perm. Ukraine’s SBU security service said it struck the Transneft pumping station as part of efforts to target Russia’s revenue-earning energy infrastructure.
Plumes of black smoke towered over the southern Russian oil town of Tuapse on Wednesday, and residents wore face masks after multiple Ukrainian drone strikes on a major oil refinery in the coastal town. In the Kharkiv region, eight people were injured in an attack, according to the regional prosecutor’s office. In the Sumy region, officials reported that a 60-year-old woman died as a result of an attack. In the southern Odesa region, Russian forces struck Izmail, damaging a hospital and infrastructure.
Civilian Casualties and Denials
A Ukrainian strike killed three passengers of a minibus and wounded eight people in the Russian border region of Belgorod, the local governor said on Wednesday. Ukraine denies targeting civilians.
Russia’s Victory Day Parade Scaled Back
Russia’s annual Victory Day parade will be held on 9 May without military hardware for the first time in almost two decades, ostensibly because of fears of a long-range attack by Ukrainian drones. Since the invasion, the parades have been scaled back, with observers suggesting Russia’s battlefield losses meant it did not have enough tanks and armaments to mount a decent show. Last year’s grand parade, for the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, did feature tanks, rocket launchers, and drones.
Ukraine Asks Israel to Seize Grain Ship
Ukraine has asked Israel to seize a vessel it claims is carrying grain looted from Russian-occupied Ukrainian soil, amid a rare diplomatic spat between the two countries. Ukraine said the cargo vessel Panormitis, sailing under a Panamanian flag, was en route to dock in Haifa. The vessel’s Greece-based management company has denied it is carrying any grain from occupied Ukraine. Israel has said evidence submitted by Ukraine is being examined. The Israeli outlet Haaretz reported on Sunday that Israel had been buying grain allegedly looted by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territory for at least two years. In a statement to Haaretz, an EU spokesperson said it was considering sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities aiding Russia.
Russian Economy Contracts
The Russian economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter, marking its first quarterly contraction since early 2023, preliminary data showed on Wednesday, as the war, western sanctions, and high interest rates took their toll. Russia’s economy had been growing since the first quarter of 2023 in what analysts have described as unsustainable, unproductive growth fuelled by production for military purposes that does not improve the economy in the long term. Reuters analysts write that reports of falling profits or losses by Russia’s major companies show that with the key interest rate at 14.5% and little foreign investment, Russian companies are struggling to invest and grow.
Trump-Putin Call on Ceasefire
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump floated a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine in a phone call on Wednesday. The US president said Putin offered help with ending the conflict in Iran, but Trump said he preferred for the Russian president to be "involved with ending the war in Ukraine." Speaking to reporters afterwards, Trump seemed to confuse the Ukraine war with the Iran war.
North Korean Soldiers Blow Themselves Up
Kim Jong-un has praised North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up with grenades in order to avoid capture while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s western Kursk region, confirming the existence of the extreme battlefield policy. In 2024, North Korea sent about 14,000 troops to join Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to South Korean and Ukrainian officials, more than 6,000 were killed in intense fighting.
