Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Kyiv says thousands remain trapped in occupied Kherson settlements with limited access to food, medicine, and evacuation routes.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in parts of the Russian-occupied Kherson region, accusing Russian forces of blocking evacuations and restricting access to basic necessities.

The ministry said the situation is particularly dire in Oleshky, Holа Prystan, Stara Zburivka, and Nova Zburivka, where residents lack adequate access to food, medicine, clean water, and other essential supplies.

Donald Trump has warned Iran to accept a deal or face intensified US bombing, even as Washington signals progress in ongoing negotiations.

US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum for Iran to accept a deal to end the war in the Middle East as it faces intense US bombing.

Speaking to PBS on Wednesday, Trump said he remained optimistic about reaching an agreement before an upcoming diplomatic trip, but reiterated the threat of further military action if talks fail, according to AFP.

Zelensky’s response to Russia’s ceasefire violations, Russia’s plan to test nuclear-capable missiles, and potential breakthroughs in US-Iran war – updates from Ukraine and beyond

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia violated Ukraine’s unilateral ceasefire 1,820 times.

Despite Kyiv’s unilateral May 6 ceasefire that’s backed by the West, Moscow continued its attacks unabated, sending drones, missiles, and guided bombs across Ukraine alongside daily frontline clashes, hitting a kindergarten in northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy and killing multiple civilians – after killing 22 people hours before the ceasefire entered into effect.

The move reflects heightened security risks in Russia amid ongoing war and disputed ceasefire proposals.

Authorities in several Russian regions have canceled Victory Day military parades, citing security concerns ahead of the May 9 celebrations marking the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.

According to Russia’s BBC service, regional officials said the decisions were based on what they described as a “difficult operational situation.”

Ukrainian special forces unit hit locomotives and fuel tankers during moving strikes in occupied Crimea.

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) said its “Prymary” (Ghosts) special forces unit carried out a series of strikes on Russian military trains in occupied Crimea, releasing video footage of the operation on Wednesday, May 6.

According to HUR, the operation took place in April 2026 and targeted railway logistics used by Russian forces on the peninsula.

Kyiv said cash and valuables taken in March have now been fully returned to Ukraine.

Hungary has returned funds and valuables belonging to Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank that were seized earlier this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, May 6.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky described the move as an “important step” in bilateral relations, adding that the assets are now fully back on Ukrainian territory.

Analysts estimate hundreds of deposits are already under Russian control – including at least 478 in Luhansk, 684 in Donetsk, and nearly 200 across Zaporizhzhia and Kherson region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukraine has obtained intelligence showing Russia is planning a sweeping extraction of valuable minerals and grain from occupied southern territories, warning of a repeat of the “looting and deindustrialization” seen in the Donbas.

In a Telegram update citing a report from military intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko, Zelensky said Moscow intends to conduct geological exploration and rapidly extract resources from at least 18 deposits.

The deputy head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office said Russia must pay for its actions, adding that efforts are underway to confiscate around $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.

Ukraine’s total losses from Russia’s war in Ukraine could exceed $1 trillion, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra said.

Mudra, in an interview with the local outlet European Pravda published on Tuesday, said the combined damage to citizens and businesses in Ukraine could reach “tillions” of dollars.

The world’s largest contemporary art exhibition, which takes place every two years in the Italian canal city, has been hit by boycotts and threats to cut funding over Russia’s inclusion.

Bare-breasted activists protested at the Venice Biennale on Wednesday, incensed over the return of Russia for the first time to the prestigious art festival since the Ukrainian war broke out.

The world’s largest contemporary art exhibition, which takes place every two years in the Italian canal city, has been hit by resignations, boycotts and threats to cut funding over Russia’s inclusion.

Historian and veteran Ihor Zhaloba on why Europe still doesn't grasp the war, why NATO must reinvent itself, and what EU membership should really look like.

During his military service, Ihor “Batko” Zhaloba was not only fighting – he was also traveling on foreign missions and lecturing across Europe about the war. Now demobilized and back in academic life, he remains a tireless advocate for Ukraine on the continent, drawing on both his scholarly expertise and his firsthand experience of the front.

In the second part of a conversation with Kyiv Post, he turns his attention outward: to Europe’s unpreparedness, NATO’s uncertain future, and what Ukraine’s membership in the EU should actually look like.

A draft memorandum could pause hostilities and launch negotiations on sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program.

The US and Iran are nearing a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and launching formal nuclear negotiations, Axios reported on Wednesday, May 6, citing multiple sources.

According to the report, the two sides are working on a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would outline key commitments, including a temporary halt to Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities and a framework for broader talks.

The two Chinese nationals captured by Ukraine after fighting for Moscow remains in Kyiv’s custody a year after their capture.

China reportedly said it is seeking the return of two Chinese nationals captured by Ukraine after fighting for Russia.

During a press conference on May 6, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told Ukrainian state media Ukrinform that it has “appealed to the Ukrainian side” to return the two prisoners of war (POWs), according to Ukrinform on Wednesday.

Scaling hardware and software excellence through an end-to-end IoT services model that unifies the entire product lifecycle to reduce time-to-market

Yalantis, founded in 2008 in Dnipro, Ukraine, has successfully transitioned from a mobile-first outsourcing firm into a comprehensive partner for connected hardware and software products. Today, the group employs over 400 specialists across four countries and has set a strategic goal to become one of Europe’s top 10 IoT providers. This pivot represents a deep operational commitment to an integrated ecosystem that merges hardware engineering, firmware development, and complex software systems.

The Integrated “One-Stop Shop” Model

The company has moved beyond traditional software development to take full ownership of the entire product lifecycle. In conventional models, enterprise clients often manage separate vendors for hardware design, firmware, and cloud integration, which creates risks where specifications are lost in translation. Yalantis eliminates these seams by offering a “one-stop” model covering:

The messaging from Kremlin-controlled media is that a summer vacation in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse – hit five times by Ukrainian kamikaze drones in the past 40 days – is an excellent idea.

Oil spills, soiled beaches and wildlife killed by pollution, buildings and cars covered by soot from the black rain caused by a burning refinery: none of this will prevent seaside resorts in the Black Sea port of Tuapse from opening on time, Russian state-run media said on Wednesday.

Reports published by the official news agency TASS and the country’s biggest tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, among other government-controlled platforms, painted a picture of calm and stability soon returning to the city, advanced the narrative that repeated Ukrainian drone strikes were pin-pricks, and suggested tourists should visit and enjoy a nice summer vacation at a Tuapse resort.

In the run-up to the scaled-down military parade in Moscow, the situation appears to be deteriorating for President Vladimir Putin.

In the run-up to the scaled-down military parade in Moscow, the situation appears to be deteriorating for President Vladimir Putin. According to intelligence reports, he is said to be spending most of his time in bunkers for fear of assassination or coup attempts. And even pro-Kremlin pollsters are reporting a decline in support. Commentators point to mounting pressure and speculate on where this might lead.

Nightmare scenario

Officials warn of new tactics using lightweight drones to strike fuel infrastructure at extended distances and advise gas stations to take precautions.

Russian forces are increasingly attempting to target Ukrainian gas stations using long-range FPV drones, a Ukrainian defense official said on Wednesday, May 6.

Serhii Beskrestnov, an advisor to Ukraine’s defense minister known by the callsign “Flash,” said in a Telegram post that Russian forces are using drones with smaller explosive payloads to extend their range to 20-25 kilometers.

Zelensky said he would determine Ukraine’s next steps after receiving evening reports from the military and intelligence services.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of violating a unilateral “silence regime” declared by Kyiv, saying Moscow continues intensive combat operations despite calls to pause hostilities.

Zelensky said Russian forces carried out 1,820 attacks since the start of the day. “Russia’s choice is a clear refusal of silence and the preservation of lives,” he wrote on social media on Wednesday.

Authorities warned that access to the area is strictly prohibited, including for both civilians and equipment.

Ahead of the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia has announced missile tests at the Kura test site in the Ust-Kamchatka region, involving systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

According to the report by the Kamchatka Krai Ministry of Emergency Situations, the tests will take place from May 6 to May 10. Authorities warned that access to the area is strictly prohibited, including for both civilians and equipment.

Kremlin forces killed dozens of Ukrainian rescuers and wounded hundreds more in what researchers describe as a systematic pattern of attacks, says a new report.

Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian emergency responders at least 401 times since the start of the full-scale invasion, killing at least 43 and wounding around 258, according to a report published on Wednesday, May 6.

The findings were released by Truth Hounds, which analyzed attacks between Feb. 24, 2022, and Oct. 31, 2025.

The ATESH movement said its sources among cadets at the Penza Artillery Institute report that students are being assigned to mobile units responsible for protecting energy sites across Russia.

Cadets at Russian military academies are reportedly being prepared for deployment in mobile units tasked with defending oil depots and fuel infrastructure, as Ukraine’s long-range strikes continue to pressure Russia’s energy sector, according to the “ATESH” guerrilla movement.

The group said its sources among cadets at the Penza Artillery Institute report that students are being assigned to mobile units responsible for protecting key energy sites across Russia.

A security guard was killed and two people wounded as drones hit a preschool building in the city center.

Russian forces struck a kindergarten in the center of northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy with two drones on Wednesday, May 6, killing a woman and injuring at least two others, local officials said.

Acting mayor and city council secretary Artem Kobzar earlier said the Russian drones hit a kindergarten building in the central part of the city. Emergency services are working at the scene, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Ukraine’s top diplomat said the attacks showed that Russia continues to ignore “a realistic and fair” call to halt hostilities, which Kyiv says had gained international support.

Russia violated a Ukraine-initiated ceasefire within hours of its announcement, launching overnight drone and missile strikes across the country, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Wednesday.

“Putin cares only about military parades, not human lives,” Sybiha wrote on social media platform X, accusing Moscow of rejecting peace while publicly promoting “fake” ceasefire rhetoric tied to upcoming Victory Day commemorations.

Russia’s reported income boost comes despite disruptions to its exports in April, with Ukrainian drone attacks forcing temporary closures at key ports and refineries.

The average price of Russia’s flagship export oil blend jumped to its highest level since September 2014 in April, as the conflict in the Middle East delivered an unexpected windfall to the Kremlin.

The Urals blend rose to $94.87 per barrel (€80.64) last month, up 23% from $77 (€65.45) per barrel in March and more than double its price at the beginning of the year, when it stood at $40.95 (€34.81). 

The discussions come as Ukraine signals it is ready to begin exporting domestically produced weapons for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The UAE is considering launching a new defense-focused investment fund that could target Ukrainian drone manufacturers, as Kyiv moves to open its wartime defense industry to global markets.

According to Bloomberg, senior Emirati officials – including Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan – are discussing a vehicle that would invest in defense companies worldwide.

Russia is building a new air defense ring around Moscow, installing dozens of towers as drone fears grow ahead of the May 9 Victory Day parade.

Russia is rapidly reinforcing air defenses around its capital, Moscow, building what appears to be a new protective ring as fears of Ukrainian drone strikes grow.

According to the Bild report based on satellite imagery circulating online, around 43 new air defense towers have been installed around Moscow in 2025 alone, forming an expanded defensive perimeter.

Despite pausing the ship escorts, Trump said a US blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force.”

The United States will pause escorting commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz barely a day after it began doing so, President Donald Trump said, citing a desire to reach a peace deal with Iran.

Despite military clashes in the strait in recent days, Trump said “great progress has been made” towards a deal and that the ship-guiding operation “will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the agreement can be finalized and signed.”

Russia launched drones and guided bomb strikes across Ukraine just hours after a proposed ceasefire began, with explosions reported in multiple regions and civilians wounded.

Russian forces launched attacks across Ukraine early on Wednesday, May 6, violating the “silence” regime proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The ceasefire was meant to take effect at midnight, but explosions were heard in Dnipro minutes later, as drones launched before the deadline continued flying over the city, according to the Ukrainian Air Force and monitoring channels.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Continued long-range Ukrainian strikes against cities in deep in the Russian rear demonstrate Russia’s inability to reliably defend the major cities and infrastructure facilities of European Russia against drone and missile strikes. 
• Ukrainian strikes are inflicting significant damage across a wide array of Russian cities. 
• Russia’s threat to retaliate against Ukraine for allegedly planned strikes against Moscow during Victory Day reflects Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition that he cannot reliably defend these deep rear areas, including his capital, from Ukrainian strikes. 
• Putin’s insistence on holding the May 9 Victory Day parade reflects his refusal to accept the reality that Ukraine has brought Putin’s war back to Russia. 
• Russian forces conducted combined drone and missile strikes during the day on May 4 and overnight on May 4 to 5, killing at least seven civilians and injuring at least 35. 
• Russian forces conducted a double-tap missile strike against first responders in Poltava Oblast, killing two and injuring at least 23. 
• The May 4 and 5 Russian strike series inflicted significant casualties despite the relatively small number of drones and missiles in the package as Russia continues innovating its strike tactics to inflict maximum damage in ways that disproportionately impact civilians. 
• Ukrainian forces advanced in Sumy Oblast and in the Pokrovsk direction. Russian forces advanced in Sumy Oblast. 

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European officials and US lawmakers urged Moscow to accept Ukraine’s immediate ceasefire proposal and show whether it is serious about ending the war.

Western officials rallied behind Kyiv’s ceasefire proposal, urging Moscow to accept an immediate and unconditional halt to hostilities and show whether it is serious about peace.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Zelensky had “once again demonstrated” Ukraine’s readiness for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations, calling on Russia to accept the proposal and begin the truce “already tonight.”

Volodymyr Zelensky condemned recent Iranian strikes on the UAE as Ukraine pitched its battlefield-tested drone expertise and broader security cooperation to Bahrain.

Ukraine and Bahrain have agreed to open reciprocal embassies as Kyiv expands its security and diplomatic footprint in the Gulf.

The announcement came during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s first official visit to the kingdom on Tuesday, where he met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to forge a new era of strategic cooperation.

Abbas Araghchi’s trip comes as Marco Rubio urges Beijing to pressure Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran’s actions were leaving it “globally isolated.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing on Wednesday morning ahead of scheduled talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, according to Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies.

“Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing... at the head of a diplomatic delegation. During this visit, our country’s Foreign Minister will discuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpart,” Fars reported.

The bipartisan group said Ukraine’s proposal was an “olive branch” and called on Vladimir Putin to accept and fully respect the ceasefire.

The Congressional Ukraine Caucus on Tuesday backed Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal and called on Russia to demonstrate “good faith” by accepting and respecting it.

In a statement, caucus co-chairs Marcy Kaptur, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Quigley and Joe Wilson said Ukraine had “extended an olive branch” with an immediate temporary ceasefire aimed at protecting human life and pursuing a just peace.

The strikes came hours before a proposed ceasefire, with Zelensky condemning Russia’s “utter cynicism” in launching deadly attacks while seeking a brief truce for its May 9 Victory Day parade.

Russian attacks killed 22 people in cities across Ukraine on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow’s “utter cynicism” for launching deadly strikes while seeking a truce to stage its May 9 patriotic parade.

The attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk and Dnipro came hours before a Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire.