Ukraine war update: Russia launches drone strikes on Kharkiv, wounding 46

A significant drone assault was executed by Russia on Friday, targeting Ukraine’s second-largest city. The attack hit a high-rise apartment building, leading to a fire and injuring 46 individuals, as reported by officials. Strikes occurred in 12 locations across the city’s central districts, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov via Telegram. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the aggression, noting the deployment of dozens of drones and calling for improvements to Ukraine’s air defense system. “There were no military targets,” he stated on Telegram, highlighting that “Russia attacks residences while families are home, tucking their children into bed.” Terekhov mentioned that the assault also impacted a home about 30 kilometers from Ukraine’s northeastern border, injuring an 11-year-old child. Regional Governor Ole Snyevbov indicated that the number of injured could rise.

The U.S. Department of State has greenlit potential sales related to F-16 training and maintenance, as the Pentagon includes this in the $310 million worth of equipment for Ukraine. This decision follows a recent agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. concerning revenue sharing from Ukrainian minerals and rare earths, alongside funding for reconstruction efforts. Ukraine has previously received F-16 jets from allied nations due to an initiative from former President Joe Biden’s administration, but military aid was suspended by Trump soon after he took office.

On May 8, the Ukrainian Parliament is set to vote on approving the mineral trade, as announced by a lawmaker on Friday. Prime Minister Dennis Schmihal suggested that this agreement could bolster Kiev’s air defense capabilities. “This agreement enables us to enhance our country’s protection – especially our airspace – thanks to the American air defense system,” Schmihal stated during a government gathering.

Ukrainian security agencies have accused the Russian intelligence agency of orchestrating an assassination attempt on a well-known Ukrainian blogger. The accused, a 45-year-old woman, allegedly tried to kill the internet figure renowned for her military drone crowdfunding projects, on Thursday. The SBU Security Bureau reported via Telegram that the unidentified woman had fired several shots from a pistol. The blogger claimed to feel no imminent threat. The lawyer representing the woman indicated in court that she did not dispute the case’s facts. The FSB and Russia’s military intelligence did not immediately respond to Reuters’ inquiries regarding the SBU’s allegations.

In a joint drone and artillery attack by Russia, four individuals sustained injuries in the region east of Nikopol in southeastern Dnipropetrovsk, as per regional officials. In the southern Herson region, some villagers lost their lives when a drone exploded after they attempted to remove it from their home.

Russia’s defense ministry announced on Friday that it is continuing to establish “security strips” in the border area of the Smie region in northern Ukraine, following the expulsion of Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region and crossing the border into western Russia. Although Ukraine asserts its forces maintain a presence in Kursk, concerns are growing about potential advances into Russian territory. Two Russian war majors claimed that an offensive was being planned from Zhuravka to Bilovody, although the report remains unverified.

A group of West African nationals from Togo has been captured and detained by Ukrainian forces, as they allegedly participated in military operations alongside Russian troops, Togoian authorities reported on Friday. “Most of my compatriots, particularly young students, left Togo through a scholarship given by a group that claims to be based in Russia,” the Foreign Ministry stated. The Martin Luther King movement, a prominent human rights organization in Togo, has raised alarms regarding Togoian students captured in March and currently imprisoned in Ukraine.

U.S. authorities have confirmed a new round of economic sanctions against Russia aimed at intensifying pressure to conclude Donald Trump’s initiatives concerning the war in Ukraine, according to three U.S. officials. The sanctions target industries including banking and energy, with particular focus on state-owned energy giant Gazprom and other key players in the natural resources and banking sectors. However, it’s unclear if this new package will ultimately receive Trump’s approval, officials indicated.

A man suspected of filming a supply fleet for Russia in the Greek port city of Alexandroupolis has been detained by Greek authorities, according to judicial sources. The 59-year-old individual of Greek-Georgian descent was arrested on Tuesday and has appeared before an investigative magistrate for a hearing. Footage from a mobile phone reportedly showed the suspect targeting military convoys intended for Ukraine, although he claimed during the hearing, according to a judicial source, that he did nothing illegal.