US president Donald Trump has said his administration will be dispatching an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, in a confusing U-turn on the American military footprint in Europe.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump said on Truth Social.
Earlier this month, Trump said he was drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticised what he called a lack of strategy in the war.
Trump then told reporters the US would be "cutting a lot further than 5,000”.
This comes as Lithuania and Latvia scrambled Nato fighter jets after they detected drones in their airspace yesterday, in the latest security incident in the Baltics.
Earlier this week a Nato fighter jet shot down a drone over Estonia, while another drone triggered air raid alerts in Lithuania's capital, forcing the president and prime minister to seek shelter.
Key Points
- Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
- Putin says use of nuclear weapons is 'last resort' measure
- Zelensky says oil plant strikes on Russia going according to plan
- Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
05:56 , Arpan Rai
Russia has begun nuclear war games and moved Iskander-M missiles into Belarus, on the doorstep of the European Union. Ukraine has rushed troops to its northern border, and Nato has condemned the threatening moves.
Russia’s ministry of defence issued a press release and video footage to ensure that the threat against Ukraine and its allies was clear.
Ria Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned news site, said: “Since May 18, Belarus has begun training in the combat use of nuclear weapons and their provision by military units. It involves the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Long-Range Aviation Command, as well as part of the forces of the Leningrad and Central Military Districts.”
Sam Kiley reports:
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Why are Ukrainian drones targeting Russian facilities in Black Sea?
05:46 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Baltic Sea ports used for Russian energy exports in an attempt to hit Moscow’s war chest at a time US president Donald Trump’s war in Iran has driven up the price of oil, a key revenue stream for the Kremlin.
The sustained drone offensive over the past few months has caused significant disruption to Ukraine's Baltic allies, with one drone crashing into the chimney of a power plant in Estonia, another hitting empty fuel tanks in Latvia and others being shot down by Romanian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania.
Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic nations have increasingly warned about electronic interference from Russia disrupting communications with planes, ships and drones.
In the Baltic region, Russia often uses jamming and spoofing to send drones off course.
Ukraine's intensifying attacks against Russia have focused on arms factories, ports on the Baltic Sea and energy facilities as the war in Iran has boosted oil prices.
It has particularly targeted the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk, close to the borders of Estonia and Finland. Russia uses the ports to load up ships taking its oil exports through the Baltic Sea.
During one attack in May, which set part of the port of Primorsk on fire, more than 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down, Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Three railworkers killed in Ukrainian strike on Bryansk, says state rail company
05:12 , Arpan Rai
Three people were killed when a locomotive was struck by a Ukrainian drone in Russia's Bryansk region on Thursday, state company Russian Railways said.
The three victims were Russian Railways employees who were at a railway station in the town of Unecha when it was hit, it said.
Yegor Kovalchuk, the Bryansk region's acting governor, had earlier said Unecha had come under attack.
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine and is frequently targeted in Ukrainian strikes.
Zelensky says oil plant strikes on Russia going according to plan
04:44 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the country’s efforts to weaken Russian oil facilities are going according to plan.
Yesterday, Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran oil refinery more than 800km (500 miles) inside Russia. Local media reported that the Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran refinery owned by oil and gas company Rosneft.
“Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full. The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
Another Ukrainian long-range sanction against Russian oil refining – and we are continuing this line of action. This time around, it was the Syzran oil refinery – more than 800 kilometers away from our border. I thank the warriors of the Unmanned Systems Forces and the Special… pic.twitter.com/agLuhwrvQS
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 21, 2026
Lukashenko says Belarus will not be dragged into Ukraine war, but will defend itself with Russia
04:28 , Arpan Rai
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed any notion that Belarus would be dragged into the Ukraine war, but said Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves in case of aggression, Belarusian state news agency BELTA reported.
Lukashenko was also quoted by BELTA as saying that he was ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly suggested that Belarus could become further involved in the more than four-year-old conflict.
Lukashenko made his remarks during joint nuclear exercises with Russia which he and Russian president Vladimir Putin observed via a video conference.
“As for (Zelensky's) statements that Belarus will be drawn into the war, as I have just said, this will occur in only one instance – if aggression is committed on our territory," BELTA quoted Lukashenko as saying.
"We will together defend our Fatherland... where our two countries stand," he added.
He said that if Zelensky wanted to "talk about something, have a discussion or perhaps something else, by all means, we are open to this. Any location – Ukraine, Belarus – I am ready to meet him and discuss problems in our relations”.
Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory for Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Zelensky has for weeks warned of unusual activity and a possible cross-border incursion.
Russia downs drones headed for Moscow and nearby Yaroslavl region
04:03 , Arpan Rai
Russian defence systems were working to repel drone attacks over Moscow and the nearby Yaroslavl region in the early hours today, local authorities said on the Telegram messaging app.
At least four drones headed for Moscow were downed and emergency services were deployed to the area, said mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Moscow and the Yaroslavl region, northeast of the capital, also came under drone attack earlier this week. Russia has energy infrastructure in both areas.
Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
03:55 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump has said the US will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, stirring confusion following weeks of changing statements from Trump and his administration about reducing – not increasing – the American military footprint in Europe.
The Trump administration has said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and US officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer deploying to Poland.
Trump’s social media announcement raises more uncertainty for European allies that have been blindsided by the changes as the administration has complained about Nato members not shouldering enough of the burden of their own defence and failing to do more to support the Iran war.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump said on Truth Social.
Trump and the Pentagon have said in recent weeks that they were drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticised what he called a lack of strategy in the war.
Trump then told reporters at the beginning of the month that the US would be "cutting a lot further than 5,000”.
It is not immediately clear whether that meant the brigade would resume its deployment to Poland, if additional troops on top of that rotational deployment could be added, or whether there would still be a drawdown of US troops in Europe but from a different country.
From Putin's guest of honour to hosting nuclear weapons: How Belarus has become a closer ally to Putin
03:00 , Alex Croft
The Russian defence ministry said this morning that more of its nuclear munitions have been delivered to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of nuclear drills.
This came just hours after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv has bolstered its defences and will send reinforcements to its northern regions in bid to step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital.
Minsk has remained one of Moscow's staunchest supporters in the war, which was initially launched in part by Russian forces passing through Belarus. Russian drones have frequently crossed Belarus while attacking Ukraine, and Minsk said it deployed the Russian Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile system.
"As of now, we haven’t detected any movement of equipment or personnel directly at our border, but of course, we can see the pressure Russia is putting on Belarus," Ukraine's border guards spokesperson, Andriy Demchenko, told Ukrinform news agency.
On Monday, Belarus said it launched joint drills with Russia to practice the use of nuclear weapons that Moscow has deployed on the territory of its neighbour and ally.
The two countries have ramped up their cooperation in recent months, with the inclusion of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko as Vladimir Putin's guest of honour in his Victory Day parade earlier this month.
Kremlin denies China's army secretly trained Russian soldiers
02:00 , Alex Croft
The Kremlin has denied a report that China's army secretly trained Russian soldiers in China late last year, some of whom went on to fight in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a lot of fake information was being published in Western media and that Russia needed to be cautious when dealing with such reports.
Reuters news agency reported this week, citing European intelligence agencies and documents, that China's armed forces covertly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China in late 2025.
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
01:01 , Alex Croft
Russia has begun nuclear war games and moved Iskander-M missiles into Belarus, on the doorstep of the European Union. Ukraine has rushed troops to its northern border, and Nato has condemned the threatening moves.
Russia’s ministry of defence issued a press release and video footage to ensure that the threat against Ukraine and its allies was clear.
Ria Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned news site, said: “Since May 18, Belarus has begun training in the combat use of nuclear weapons and their provision by military units. It involves the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Long-Range Aviation Command, as well as part of the forces of the Leningrad and Central Military Districts.”
World affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Russia launches nuclear war games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Putin: Use of nuclear weapons is 'last resort' measure
Friday 22 May 2026 00:01 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, Russian president Vladimir Putin was earlier observing nuclear drills held by Russia and Belarus on Thursday.
While watching the drills, he stated that the use of nuclear weapons would be a "last resort" measure, according to the Belarus defence ministry.
Such weapons, he said, must serve as a guarantor of Russian and Belarusian sovereignty.
Watch: Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
Thursday 21 May 2026 23:01 , Alex Croft
Three railworkers killed in Ukrainian strike on Bryansk, says state rail company
Thursday 21 May 2026 22:02 , Alex Croft
Three people were killed when a locomotive was struck by a Ukrainian drone in Russia's Bryansk region on Thursday, state company Russian Railways said.
The three victims were Russian Railways employees who were at a railway station in the town of Unecha when it was hit, it said.
Yegor Kovalchuk, the Bryansk region's acting governor, had earlier said Unecha had come under attack.
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine and is frequently targeted in Ukrainian strikes.
Why are tensions escalating in the Baltic?
Thursday 21 May 2026 21:00 , Alex Croft
Tensions have been escalating between the Baltic states and Russia, as Moscow accuses the countries of allowing Ukraine to fly over their territory to attack northern Russia - an accusation NATO denies.
The Baltic states, all strong backers of Ukraine, say Russia is redirecting Ukrainian drones into their airspace from their intended targets in Russia.
The Kremlin criticised remarks by Lithuania's top diplomat as "verging on insanity" on Wednesday after foreign minister Kestutis Budrys said Nato had to show Moscow it was capable of penetrating the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Kaliningrad is sandwiched between Nato members Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic coast.
It has a population of around one million and is heavily militarised, serving as the headquarters of Russia's Baltic Fleet.
Putin says Russia-Belarus nuclear drills are complete
Thursday 21 May 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the tasks of Russia-Belarus joint nuclear drills had been fully completed.
Putin observed the drills together with Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko.
In pictures: Russia test launches nuclear ballistic missiles
Thursday 21 May 2026 19:00 , Alex Croft
Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces had launched a Yars ballistic missile and a Zircon hypersonic missile as part of missile tests during nuclear drills, Russian media reported.
We can bring you a picture of the launch here:
Thursday 21 May 2026 18:01 , Alex Croft
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus would not be dragged into the Ukraine war, after Volodymyr Zelensky said the country could be helping Russia to prepare an offensive from the north.
Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves in case of aggression, Belarusian state news agency BELTA reported.
Lukashenko also said that he is ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, as joint nuclear exercises held by Russia and Belarus get underway, according to BELTA.
Four people injured as Ukraine and Russia exchange attacks overnight, local authorities say
Thursday 21 May 2026 17:00 , Daniel Keane
Three people were injured in a drone attack in the town of Shebekino and the nearby area in Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, local authorities said on Telegram,
Ukraine also reported one person injured in the southeastern city of Dnipro.
Russia launches nuclear war-games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Thursday 21 May 2026 16:00 , Sam Kiley
Russia’s massive war games in Belarus an attempt to regain military initiative by threatening armageddon, world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes.
Russia launches nuclear war-games on Europe’s doorstep as Nato issues stark warning
Kremlin dismisses report that China covertly trained Russian soldiers for Ukraine
Thursday 21 May 2026 15:00 , Daniel Keane
The Kremlin has dismissed as false a Reuters report that China's army secretly trained about 200 Russian soldiers in China late last year, some of whom went on to fight in Ukraine.
A Russian-Chinese agreement from July 2025 reviewed by Reuters said about 200 Russian troops would be trained at military facilities in locations including Beijing and the eastern city of Nanjing.
The agreement also said hundreds of Chinese troops would undergo training at military facilities in Russia.
Asked about the report on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "A great deal of false information is published by newspapers in both Europe and the United States.”
Beijing says it is neutral in the Ukraine conflict and has sought to present itself as a peace mediator.
Latvia detects drones in airspace
Thursday 21 May 2026 14:30 , Daniel Keane
Latvia said on Thursday it had detected at least one drone flying in the country's airspace and that NATO fighter jets were activated to combat the threat, the latest in a series of such security incidents in the Baltic region.
The Latvian Armed Forces later announced that the threat had ended, without providing further detail.
Ukraine has in recent months stepped up its long-range drone attacks on Russia, including in the Baltic Sea area, where several Ukrainian military drones have strayed into the airspace of NATO members Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Watch: Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
Thursday 21 May 2026 13:55 , Daniel Keane
