Ukraine’s counter-offensive is already underway/ Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to assassinate Putin. Kiev denies / Two drones were shot down over the Kremlin

Hallucinatory discussion on a television set in Russia. During a show, it was proposed to drop a nuclear bomb near Romania.

The administration in Kiev is disturbed by the publication of information regarding the visit of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Germany and is analyzing the possibility of canceling the trip, due to security risks, sources quoted by the German press say.

“I did not attack Putin”the Ukrainian president also said.

UPDATE 17:00 – The Kyiv administration denies any involvement in the attempted drone attack on the Kremlin

The administration in Kiev communicated, on Wednesday afternoon, that it is not involved in any way in the attempted drone attack that targeted the headquarters of the Russian Presidency, an incident qualified as a “terrorist act” by the authorities in Moscow.

UPDATE 16:00 – Volodymyr Zelensky would land on May 13 in Berlin and be received with military honors by Chancellor Scholz on May 14, German officials quoted by Der Spiegel said.

Also on May 14, Zelenski would have a meeting with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Also, Zelenski will be transported by helicopter to the city of Aachen to be awarded the Charlemagne Prize.

INSIDER – A video purportedly shows the moment of the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin

The remains of the downed drones fell inside the Kremlin, but did not injure anyone, the release also states.

He said that the operation was “a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of the Russian Federation”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was working at his residence outside Moscow on Wednesday and would still attend a World War II Victory Day parade in Red Square next week. as planned.

The mayor of Moscow announced the ban on unauthorized drone flights over the Russian capital.

In a statement, Mayor Serghei Sobyanin said drone flights would be banned unless a special permit was obtained from “government authorities”.

The news from the Kremlin came as Ukraine prepared for a new offensive against Russian troops, which it has been planning for months.

In possible signs that preparations are being stepped up, the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson has announced a long shutdown for residents, and acts of sabotage behind Russian lines have intensified.

Kherson, which was retaken by Ukrainian troops in November, will be under ban from Friday evening until Monday morning.

Regional officials said this was “so that law enforcement officers can do their jobs,” but similar lengthy curfews have also been used in the past for troop and weapons movements.

“During these 58 hours, traffic on the city streets is prohibited. The city will also be closed for entry and exit,” said the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, on Telegram.

He advised residents to stock up on food and medicine and said people could go for short walks near their homes or visit shops, but they should have their IDs with them at all times.

The shutdown announcement came as officials said three people were killed and five wounded in a Russian strike on Kherson’s only operating hypermarket on Wednesday.

Ukraine denies reports it tried to assassinate Putin, says it has no information on Kremlin drone attack

UPDATE 15:00 The weekend state of siege in Kherson has been confirmed

A 48-hour state of siege has been announced in Kherson for this weekend for “law enforcement” reasons.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson regional military administration, said on Telegram that it will come into effect on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and last until Monday at 6:00 a.m.

UPDATE 14:00 At least three dead following a Russian attack on a supermarket in Kherson

Suspilne, the Ukrainian state television, reports that at least three people were killed and five wounded in an attack on a supermarket in Kherson.

UPDATE 13:00 The German television station NTV reports that Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is in Helsinki today, on a rare trip outside the borders of Ukraine, will also visit Berlin next week, on May 13.

UPDATE 12:00 The Finnish press announces that Volodymyr Zelenski has arrived in Helsinki

The Ukrainian president is expected to hold a joint press conference with President Sauli Niinistö later today and also hold meetings with other leaders in the region.

UPDATE 11:00 Russian security services claim to have foiled an attack plot against the leaders of the Russian-imposed government in Crimea, the peninsula that the Russian Federation claimed to have annexed in 2014.

Tass reports that the FSB named Roman Mashovets, Ukraine’s deputy chief of staff, as one of the architects of the plot, without providing evidence.

UPDATE 10:00 New Zealand announces additional support for Ukraine

The New Zealand government has announced an increase in its support for Ukraine. New Zealand has no troops in Ukraine, but has provided training and humanitarian funding since the beginning of the invasion.

UPDATE 09:00 General Staff: Russia has lost 191,940 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on May 3 that Russia had lost 191,940 soldiers in Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion on February 24 last year. This number includes 520 losses suffered by Russian forces in the last day alone.

UPDATE 08:00 Air Force: 21 out of 26 Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down over Ukraine

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that it shot down 21 of the 26 Iranian-made Shahed “kamikaze” drones that Russia launched over Ukraine on the night of May 3.

UPDATE 07:00 The Ukrainian army shot down all the drones fired at Kiev during the night

Ukraine’s air defense shot down all the Iranian-made drones that Russia fired at the capital on the night of May 3, the Military Administration of the city of Kyiv announced on Telegram.

UPDATE 01:00 – Radio Polskie: The Polish Prime Minister says that Poland will not be intimidated by Russian threats

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Russian threats should be taken seriously but will not intimidate Poland, Polskie Radio reported on May 2. His comments respond to propaganda attacks on the Polish ambassador to Russia.

UPDATE 00:00 Kyiv: 8 new assault brigades for counteroffensive

8 new shock brigades of Ukrainian soldiers have been formed to take part in the upcoming counter-offensive, Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko said in an interview for Interfax Ukraine. “The brigades are fully formed. There are 8 brigades. We plan to form additional brigades, because there is demand and we have opportunities to do so, said Klimenko. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has “fully trained” the initial “shock” brigades, comprising up to 40,000 troops, but added that they would need further training before they are ready for combat.

UPDATE 23:00 Prigojin: the head of the territorial forces was killed; Kiev denies

Wagner artillery detachments destroyed an armored vehicle near Bahmut, on board of which Igor Tanţiura, commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine, was allegedly found. The founder of the Wagner Group, Evgheni Prigojin, quoted by Meduza, said this in an audio broadcast on his Telegram channel. “We are currently verifying the information,” Prigojin said in a screenshot showing a destroyed armored car. Ukraine’s denial arrived immediately. Denis Zelinski, the spokesperson of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense, denies that Tanciura was killed: “We officially deny this statement. We do not comment on any enemy propaganda. Everyone is alive and well,” he said, in an interview with the Suspilne television network. Major General Igor Tanţiura heads the Territorial Defense of Ukraine from May 15, 2022.

UPDATE 22:00 A freight train derailed in the Briansk region of Russia

In the Bryansk region, a locomotive and carriages of a freight train derailed. This was reported by the Russian Railways quoted by RIA Novosti. According to the reports of the Russian agency, the accident was caused by the manipulation of the railway transport by unauthorized persons. According to preliminary information, there are no victims, no fires and traffic on the route has been suspended.

UPDATE 21:40 China and India recognize “Russian aggression” at the UN

China and India, so far opposed to condemning Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine, voted for a UN General Assembly resolution on relations between the United Nations and the Council of Europe, which explicitly refers to the “aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine”. The green light to the text of the resolution (approved last week with 122 votes for, 5 against and 18 abstentions) represents a first diplomatic change of direction in Delhi and Beijing’s position towards Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. A step appreciated by EU High Representative Josep Borrell on Twitter.

UPDATE 21:30 Russia: various regions cancel Victory Day parades for fear of attacks

At least six Russian regions canceled parades planned for Victory Day on May 9, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. The last was the governor of Saratov, who spoke of “security reasons”. The heads of the Belgorod, Kursk, Voronezh, Oryol and Pskov regions had previously done the same. Also, there will be no military parades in Russian-occupied Crimea. The fear is that of attacks. In this regard, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “the special services are doing everything necessary to ensure security. A very hard work is being carried out”.