One could argue that Russia’s V-Day ceasefire started poorly – or rather, never started at all.
Ukraine said Russia pounded the country with 140 attacks overnight, setting forests ablaze in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, while a Ukrainian drone blitz struck across Russia, including the Perm refinery for the third time in around a week. A Ukrainian Magura sea drone was also found off the coast of Greece, prompting an investigation.
With Moscow fearing Ukraine raining down on its Saturday parade with drones and whatnot, it has also revoked invitations for foreign journalists, keeping coverage strictly domestic.
Is Moscow in a pickle?
In what may signal Moscow’s acknowledgment of the pickle it’s in, Kremlin officials are reportedly being instructed to reframe war narratives for domestic audiences, emphasizing the territory it holds rather than the territory it failed to win.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson also said he is ready to engage with Europe on Ukraine if the EU initiates the conversation – after EU Council President António Costa said the bloc is open to it.
But talks or not, Moscow’s weapon testing and production also suggest that it is not bracing for peace – Russia is believed to once again test its new Sarmat missile after multiple failed tests, while Ukraine’s top commander said Russia now has a target to make 7.3 million first-person view (FPV) drones this year alone.
Ukraine updates – rising inflation, slowing GDP
In Ukraine, the wartime economy remains rough, with GDP shrinking by around 0.5% in the first quarter this year, and inflation soaring 8.6% as rising fuel and logistics costs are passed on to consumers.
The war also brought tangible impacts – both visible and invisible.
Those who lived through Russian occupation and captivity described their experiences in testimonies collected by AFP, including accounts from both civilians and soldiers who survived Russian prisons. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also recorded more than 3,000 attacks on medical facilities in Ukraine since the start of the 2022 invasion.
Meanwhile, US-led peace talks on Ukraine remain stalled, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which appears to align with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s account that Ukraine’s recent talks with US negotiators focused mainly on humanitarian issues such as prisoner exchanges, while a broader agreement remains in limbo, where Moscow continues to insist that Kyiv withdraw from the Donbas – the same region it has failed to win in over 12 years of fighting.
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