“The United States has lifted restrictions on arms imports from Ukraine; only Russia remains on the list,” says Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna. According to Stefanishyna, this will open up new opportunities for importing certain categories of Ukrainian weapons, ammunition, and components to the United States, and will also remove regulatory obstacles for Ukrainian manufacturers wishing to enter the US market.
Lithuania has said it is ready to welcome as many American troops as possible if the United States decides to withdraw them from Germany, said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
Meanwhile, in Latvia, a drone crashed near an oil depot in the city of Rezekne, damaging four empty oil tanks, according to Delfi news portal. As Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds noted, preliminary data suggests that drones “heading from Ukraine to Russia” may have entered the republic, but these are speculations that need to be confirmed.
“Norway is allocating approximately $300 million to the PURL program,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Norway’s total contribution to the PURL program already exceeds $1.2 billion, the largest contribution among all participating countries.
The European Commission is not ready to release all frozen funds to Hungary, despite the expected change of government, according to Politico.
Poland announces plans to create Europe’s strongest and largest army by 2030. “The transformation into an army of 500,000 personnel, including 300,000 career soldiers and 200,000 reservists with high operational readiness, is our strategic goal,” said Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Earlier, Germany approved a new strategy for the Bundeswehr: the goal is to make the German army the strongest in Europe in the face of the Russian threat. Warsaw also set the conditions for Fico’s flight over Poland to Moscow on Victory Day: it is ready to allow the Slovak Prime Minister to enter Russia if he unblocks aid to Ukraine, Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski said.
Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the ceasefire violation. “We will decide our next steps.” He stated that the Russian military has already violated the ceasefire 1,820 times. According to him, “Since the beginning of the day alone, the Russian armed forces have conducted nearly 30 assault operations. More than 20 air strikes using over 70 aerial bombs were recorded last night and this morning alone. Drone and missile attacks were carried out throughout the night.”
Recall that Russia accepted the ceasefire only for May 8 and 9, while Ukraine proposed the period from midnight on May 7. “Ukraine is ready to pursue the diplomatic path if Russia proves equally ready,” Zelensky commented on the matter. The Russian armed forces are launching FPV drones with projectiles from Gerbera drones, according to an adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Minister told Flash.
The Odessa District Court in Kyiv sentenced a British military instructor to eight years in prison for collaboration with Russia. The British citizen arrived in Ukraine in 2024 as a military instructor and trained Ukrainian troops, but later found himself unemployed in Odessa. Facing financial difficulties, he decided to contact Russian intelligence and, in exchange for money, passed on classified information.
Zelenskyy and Aliyev agreed to work on developing bilateral relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan and relations with other countries in the region to strengthen security and stability. “We exchanged contacts with partners and agreed on the next steps. Together, we can certainly bring greater benefits to our peoples,” Zelenskyy said.
From Russia, news has emerged that “over the course of a year, 3,000 Fire Point drones were launched over Moscow, but only one landed,” said Major Yuriy Kasyanov, former commander of the drone unit, during a meeting of the parliamentary commission of inquiry. And we also learn that approximately 2 million Ukrainians, including those who have acquired Russian citizenship, live in Russia, according to Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova.
Preparations for the Victory Day celebrations continue, although in some areas they are extremely limited due to security concerns: Beeline, MegaFon, and T2 have strongly warned Moscow subscribers of possible mobile internet disruptions in the coming days. Operators have explained the decision as “security measures” ahead of May 9.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in her press briefing, said: “The EU is gravely mistaken if it thinks it can silence Zelensky’s public threats to strike Moscow.” The Russian Foreign Ministry urges foreign authorities to ensure the prompt evacuation of their diplomats from Kiev. The Russian Defense Ministry’s warning was issued specifically in response to Zelensky’s statements. “If Kiev carries out criminal plans during the Victory Day celebrations, the attack will also hit decision-making centers.” The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasizes “the inevitability of a retaliatory strike by the Russian armed forces against Kiev should the regime’s terrorist plans materialize.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appealed to all foreign diplomatic missions to take seriously the Russian Defense Ministry’s statement regarding Kiev’s threats.
Apparently, the ceasefire was not respected by the Ukrainians either. Between 9:00 PM Moscow time on May 6 and 7:00 AM on May 7, air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 347 fixed-wing drones over Russian regions, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. According to the source, drones were shot down in the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Moscow, Novgorod, Oryol, Penza, Rostov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, and Tula, in the Krasnodar Krai, Adygea, Kalmykia, and Crimea, as well as over the Azov, Caspian, and Black Seas. At 12:00 on May 7, the Russian Defense Ministry stated: “Russian air defense systems have downed and neutralized 570 Ukrainian air defense systems over the past 24 hours.” Ukrainian forces attempted to attack civilian infrastructure in the St. Petersburg area, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
Finally, a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense: “The Russian Aerospace Forces detected a group of six drones in the airspace of the Republic of Latvia; Russian air surveillance systems detected two French Rafale fighters and two F-16 fighters in the airspace over Latvia; around 4:00 a.m. Moscow time, the signals of five of the six detected drones disappeared near Rezekne in eastern Latvia, and the sixth drone was shot down southeast of Pskov; following examination of the wreckage, the target that attacked from Latvian airspace was identified as a Ukrainian-made “Lyuty” drone.”
On the morning of May 7, a drone alert was issued in the Perm, Sverdlovsk, and Chelyabinsk regions. For security reasons, restrictions on communications and mobile internet access may be imposed in these regions. Despite the threats, one in two Russians intends to participate in the mass celebrations on May 9. VTsIOM survey. Pashinyan announced that he had informed Putin that he would be unable to attend the May 9 parade in Moscow due to the start of the election campaign in Armenia.
Responding to Zelensky’s statements about the ceasefire violation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The ceasefire declared by Russia will be in effect on May 8 and 9. Russian intelligence services are taking additional security measures ahead of May 9 due to terrorist threats from Kiev. The Immortal Regiment in Russia will be held online this year, while in-person events will take place in several countries where interest has been expressed. Russian authorities are not considering support measures or compensation for businesses due to the mobile phone disruption.”
The president of Laos will come to Russia to attend the celebrations, Vientiane Times.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on May 7. An attack by Ukrainian forces in Bryansk overnight injured 13 people. Two buildings, more than 20 apartments, and 40 cars were damaged. Eight drones headed for Moscow were shot down. Sirens sounded in the Krasnodar Krai; Ukrainian forces attempted to attack the region through Crimea. A threat was declared in Tula Oblast and Stavropol Krai. A drone was shot down over the Kaluga region.
Recently, Russian forces attacked Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, and Kryvyi Rih. In Odessa, a patrol boat and an armored patrol boat were destroyed.
In the Sumy district, attack aircraft from the Northern Group of Forces have advanced to within 250 meters. Firefights between Russians and Ukrainians with small arms continue in and around Kondratovka. Ukrainian attempts to transfer personnel from the village of Mala Rybytsya to Myropil’s’ke are being systematically attacked by Russian drones.
In the Belgorod region, three people were injured by multiple drone attacks. Border areas under Ukrainian attack.
In the Kharkiv region, in the direction of Vovchansk, the Northern Group of Forces is conducting offensive operations up to 400 meters. Firefights continue in the forests of the Vovchansk district, along the right bank of the Vovcha River, and in Chaikivka. Ukrainian forces are attempting a counterattack in the forested area.
Trench battles are ongoing in Kupyansk, near Kurylivka, Kivsharivka, and Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.
In Lyman District, fighting continues on the southeastern outskirts. Russian forces are attempting to encircle the towns from the north and west through the forests.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Russian forces have repelled attacks by Ukrainian forces near Dibrova. Fighting is ongoing for control of Rai-Oleksandrivka.
Counterattacks are underway in Kostiantynivka, with the Ukrainians defending themselves, as they did in the Chasiv Yar area. In Druzhkivka, explosions were reported by Border Forces in a warehouse after the arrival of an FAB.
The Russian “Vostok” force group in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is penetrating deep into Ukrainian defenses northwest of Oleksandrohrad, fighting in the wooded area beyond the Vovca River towards Lisne.
The Zaporizhia Front reports a worsening situation for the Russians in Prymors’ke and Stepnohirs’k: Ukrainian forces are counterattacking, occupying positions. Previously captured by the Russians.
In Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, two people were killed in attacks by Ukrainian forces.
Graziella Giangiulio
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