Ukraine-Russia War Latest: Moscow hit by massive drone raid for the second night in front of Putin’s victory day parade

After Russian military bloggers reported a fresh Ukrainian penetration into the Kursk region on Monday, Ukraine’s military has now confirmed that its forces were involved in combat operations that over the last 24 hours.

The previous reports said Ukrainian forces carried out a series of limited attacks across Russia-Ukraine International border near Tetkino in Kursk Oblast, including strikes on energy infrastructure.

Last month, Moscow said it had fully defeated Ukraine’s intrusion in Kursk, which began last August, but Kyiv has insisted that it is maintained a foothold in the region everywhere.

In a daily update sent to Telegram this morning, the Ukrainian military said its forces in Kursk had fought for Russian attacks and came under fire from Russian artillery and air -dropped bombs.

In a long message sent online, President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanks to the outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support Ukraine through the Russian invasion.

“We appreciate that Germany plays a key role in supporting Ukraine over the years of war. Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment,” said Mr. Zelensky in the post at X.

The stepping German leader has been one of the strongest backers of Ukraine through Russia’s invasion and has offered cautious military assistance while strongly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There are many milestones to reflect on: the Zeitenwende speech, the historic coffee break that helped open the way to Ukraine’s EU -Comprehensive Enderties, three patriot batteries and other air defense supplies -and more,” said Mr. Zelensky.

Mr. Scholz held the Zeitenwende speech just days after the start of Russia’s war on a full scale against Ukraine, where he signaled his country’s commitment to Europe’s defense.

In response to Mr. Zelensky, Mr Scholz said: “Thank you for your trusting partnership … my deepest appreciation for your courage, courage and determination in the fight against Russian aggression. It remains clear: Ukraine can trust Germany.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Stormmer spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday night, a spokesman for Downing Street said.

About the situation in Ukraine, leaders discussed the need for Russia to commit to a 30-day truce to ensure meaningful peace talks.

“Discussing the situation in Gaza both expressed their deep concerns about the recent development and agreed that a renewed peace process was needed,” the statement from No. 10 said.

Russia has canceled a victory day parade on occupied Crimea, Russian state -controlled media reported yesterday.

The parade of the port city of Sevastopol, held on May 9 to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War II, does not take place due to security risks, said Sevastopoly Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.

It comes after Volodymyr Zelensky said he cannot guarantee the security of foreign officials participating in Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow, warning that Russia could orchestrate provocations and try to blame Ukraine.

Moscow is responsible for security in Russian territory, he added.

The cancellation in Crimea comes after the Ukrainian military claimed to have shut down two Russian fighter jets using Havdrons near the Black Sea port of Novorossi on Friday- is believed to be the first strikes of their kind.

Sevastopol is an important naval base in the Black Sea that has been under Russian occupation since its illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014.

Officials in Greece have rejected reports that it is being created by the Trump administration to send Ukraine a Patriot Air Defense system.

A report from New York Times Quoted four current and former US officials to say that a Patriot missile system from Germany or Greece is likely to be sent to Ukraine, where logistics are still being discussed.

However, a Greek official denied that Patriot Systems will be sent from there, while discussions are still being held on a package of new help in front of the NATO summit at the end of June.

“There’s no question about supplying Ukraine with Patriot Systems from Greece,” a government official in Athens told Reuters.

The Times report said a Patriot system was renovated and sent to Ukraine from Israel.

The war hit nation has asked its allies in Europe to give it more patriot systems to down into incoming Russian missiles.

Ukrainian forces’ attacks on the western edge of Kursk is dramatic but not a surprise, The Independent’s World Affairs editor Sam Kiley writes.

Ukraine has maintained a foot hole in the prominence it caught last August, but lost most of the earlier this year to prevent Russian intrusions into its territory.

It is also carried out command attacks and semi-Covert operations further east around the Russian city of Belgorod in the midst of claims from President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia built its own forces on its northern border with a potential invasion.

The latest Ukrainian attacks on Kursk draw the focus and energy away from a potential Russian attack and serve political purpose to remind the Russian population that there is a price to pay at home for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

But there are only Russian sources reporting the Ukrainian attack on Kursk, and there has been no official confirmation from Kiev about these reported operations.

In their preliminary reports, Russian military bloggers said Ukrainian forces firing missiles had smashed through the border and crossed minefields with special vehicles.

“The enemy blasted bridges with rockets at night, launching an attack with armored groups in the morning,” Russian war blogger “Rvvoenkor” said on Telegram.

“My -Clearance vehicles started making passages in the minefields, followed by armored vehicles with troops. There is a heavy battle at the border,” they said.

The popular Russian military blog Rybar said that Ukrainian units were trying to move on near two settlements in the Kursk region across the border – Tyotkino and Glushkovo.

The head of the Glushkovo district, Pavel Zolotaryov, wrote on Telegram that residents of several locations were evacuated to safer areas.

Ukraine first made a surprise intrusion in Kursk in August 2024 in the hope of moving the momentum in Russia’s full scale invasion and pulling Russian forces away from other sectors in the front of eastern Ukraine.

Last month, Russian generals and President Vladimir Putin claimed that these forces had been fully expelled from Russian territory.

But Kyiv has not acknowledged that its troops were forced out.

President Volodymyr Zelensky says his military continued to operate in Kursk and in the adjacent Russian region of Belgorod.

To reject Vladimir Putin’s offer of a short ceasefire in May yet “Another attempt at manipulation” is an understatement. The Russian president is – according to the former leader of MI6 – to take much more than just Ukraine.

Far from being concerned about recent mini threats from Donald Trump to increase sanctions or stabbed by the US president’s irritation at Russia’s stopping over a ceasefire, Putin throws his ears into a pantomime of attention and continues to do as he wants.

Such behavior clings to the uncharacteristic sharp message from ex-spy chief Sir Alex Younger, who after a lifetime in the shadows of espionage has a simple message: “If you do not stand up for him, he will come back to more-how many more times should we be told this?”

Putin’s latest acting is a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to mark the Russian anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. His last Easter weapons were ignored by his own troops.

Ukrainian forces attacked a power station in Russia’s western Kursk region, the regional governor said early this morning after Russian war bloggers reported a new Ukrainian land-based penetration into the area supported by armored vehicles.

Officials on both sides of the border reported deaths as a result of military activity and ordered evacuations of multiple settlements.

Kursk -Governor Alexander Khinshtein said that Ukrainian forces had beaten the station in the city of Rylsk, approx. 50 km (30 miles) from the border and injured two teens. Two transformers were damaged and the power cut to the area.

“Dear residents, the enemy, in his pain, continue to launch strikes against our territory,” Khinshtein wrote, confirming Ukrainian presence in the Russian region.

Last month, Russia’s top general said Ukrainian troops had been thrown out of Kursk, ending the biggest entry into Russian territory since World War II and that Russia cut a buffer zone in the Ukrainian region of Sumy.

Ukraine made a surprise intrusion in Kursk in August 2024 in the hope of moving the momentum in Russia’s full scale invasion and pulling Russian forces away from other sectors in the front of eastern Ukraine.