A suspected Ukrainian drone strike has damaged a luxury high-rise building in central Moscow, just days before the city is due to host a major military parade marking the end of WWII.
Images and videos from the scene showed damage across multiple floors of the residential Mosfilm Tower due to the overnight strike, as well as likely drone debris on the street below.
It is rare for a Ukrainian drone to strike a target in the heart of the well-defended Russian capital.
Mosfilm Tower is about 3km from the Russian defence ministry building and 7km from the Kremlin and Red Square, where the 9 May parade is due to take place.
The incident came as Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders arrived in the Armenian capital for the European Political Community summit.
The UK is set to announce plans to join the major £78bn loan scheme approved by the EU for Ukraine, as well as another tranche of "stinging sanctions" on Russian companies.
Key Points
- Luxury high-rise apartment building damaged in Moscow
- UK set to enter talks to join the EU's $105bn Ukraine loan
- Ukrainian drones hit Russia's Primorsk port, oil tankers and military ships
- Zelensky launches army reform to bolster Ukraine war effort
- Drone kills 2 in Kherson minibus strike, as Russia claims front-line progress
Nato is ‘disintegrating’, Donald Tusk says in urgent call to action
10:00 , Shweta SharmaPoland’s prime minister has said Nato is “disintegrating” after the United States announced it would withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.
Donald Tusk wrote on social media: “The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend.”
His comments come after the US announced a plan to pull around 5,000 troops out of Germany over the next six to 12 months.
Nato is ‘disintegrating’, Donald Tusk says in urgent call to action
Zelensky tells Armenia summit that Europe must be at table for peace talks
09:45 , Shweta SharmaVolodymyr Zelensky pressed Ukraine's allies for stronger and more coordinated action, warning that Europe must play a central role in shaping any future peace talks with Russia.
Addressing the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, he stressed that Kyiv needs fresh sanctions packages this year to maintain pressure on Moscow, and urged partners to prepare for the possibility that Russia may not end the war any time soon.
That, he said, requires a clearer strategy on next steps – both militarily and diplomatically.
“We are in contact with the United States and we understand their views and positions. But it would be good to develop one common European voice," Zelensky said in a speech in Yerevan.
"We need to find a workable diplomatic format and Europe must be at the table in any talks," he said.
Zelensky repeated his pleas for more military support via programmes like the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a procurement mechanism for providing Ukraine with military equipment from US stockpiles, paid for by other allies.
He said his country needs new PURL packages to defend itself against aerial attacks from Russia.
What is happening is Moscow
09:30 , Shweta SharmaUkraine has hit Russia’s capital with a series of drone strikes this morning.
A drone struck a building in Moscow, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Monday, adding there were no casualties.
The drone hit the Mosfilm Tower, a luxury residential building located west of the city's centre.
Photos appeared to show damage to the upper floor of the high-rise apartment building as the emergency crews arrived on the scene.
The mayor said Russian air defences destroyed two more Moscow-bound drones.
"The defence ministry’s air defence forces repelled an attack of two Moscow-bound drones," he wrote. "First responders are working at the crash site."
The drone strike inside a residential complex in the Russian capital happened about 7km from Red Square. The targeted tower is located in an upscale district near embassies and diplomatic residences.
The strike could be one of Ukraine’s deepest strikes into central Moscow.
Three killed in Russian attack in Kharkiv
09:28 , Shweta SharmaA Russian missile strike has killed three people and injured eight in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the regional governor said.
More details are awaited.
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right agitator to war hero
09:00 , Shweta SharmaWorld affairs editor Sam Kiley meets the founder of Ukraine’s ultranationalist Azov movement, Andrii Biletskyi, now a decorated military brigadier general holding Russia back on its most aggressive line of attack in Donetsk province.
He writes how he is one of Kyiv’s most ambitious, controversial and successful military commanders.
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right agitator to war hero
How many American troops are in Europe and where are they?
08:30 , Shweta SharmaThe United States had approximately 68,000 active-duty military personnel assigned permanently in its overseas bases in Europe as of December 2025, data from the US Defence Manpower Data Centre (DMDC) shows. These do not include rotational forces sent on deployment and exercise missions.
The U.S. military is spread over 31 permanent bases and a further 19 military sites to which the Department of Defence has access as of March 2024, a Congress report shows.
In photos: Keir Starmer, Macron and top leaders arrive for key EU summit in Armenia
08:15 , Shweta SharmaThe European Political Community summit in Yerevan opened on Monday with leaders from across Europe to discuss security, defence, and political cooperation at a time of heightened tensions driven by the war in Ukraine.
The forum – created after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – offers a platform for EU and non-EU countries to coordinate responses on key issues such as military support for Kyiv, energy security, and regional stability.
Attendees included Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Poland’s premier Donald Tusk, Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store, Nato chief Mark Rutte, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and vice president Kaja Kallas, and European Council president Antonio Costa.
During the summit, the UK will announce that it is entering talks to join the European Union’s €90bn (£78bn) loan scheme for Ukraine.
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, the first leader of a non-European country to attend the EPC, also participated.
Russia says it rejects US citizenship imposed on Russian diplomats’ children
08:00 , Shweta SharmaRussia will not recognise US citizenship granted to children of its diplomats born in the United States, insisting they remain under Russian jurisdiction, the foreign ministry said.
Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the ministry, said that Moscow will demand case-by-case confirmation from Washington that such children are exempt from US jurisdiction and retain full diplomatic immunity under international conventions.
"The Russian side does not recognize the imposition of US citizenship on Russian citizens born into the families of our diplomatic, administrative-technical, and consular personnel in the United States," she wrote in an article for Vedomosti, a Russian-language business daily newspaper.
It comes as a new bill in America aims to ensure that being born on US soil no longer guarantees an American passport unless your parents are already elite permanent residents.
Joining EU’s loan for Ukraine will boost UK jobs and ties with bloc, Starmer says
07:24 , Shweta SharmaKeir Starmer has said joining the European Union’s €90bn (£78bn) loan scheme for Ukraine would be “very good” for UK–EU ties and for job creation in Britain, as he prepares to formally announce the UK’s bid at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.
Speaking on arrival, Starmer said participation would boost Ukraine’s military capability in the fifth year of the war, while also supporting jobs in the UK and strengthening relations with the EU ahead of further negotiations.
He is set to co-chair a Ukraine-focused meeting with France, urging closer coordination to ensure Kyiv receives the military equipment it needs to continue resisting Russia.
Downing Street also confirmed that the UK will unveil fresh sanctions on Russian companies later this week to disrupt military supply chains.
Speaking to the media as he arrived at the European Political Community (EPC) summit, he said: “In relation to the EU loan that we are discussing participating in, that is very good for Ukraine, because it will give Ukraine capability that is desperately needs in year five of this conflict.
“It’s very good for the UK, because of the capability that leads to jobs in the United Kingdom.
“And it’s very good for UK-EU relations, which is very important as we go on to the various discussions.”
Picture show damage to Moscow building
06:30 , Shweta SharmaImages emerging from Moscow show visible damage after a drone strike, offering a rare glimpse into the impact of the war inside the Russian capital.
Photos and social media footage capture debris hanging from the upper floors of a residential building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, with sections of the façade torn open and rubble scattered across the ground below.
Emergency personnel can be seen working at the site, cordoning off the area and assessing the damage.
The strike, reportedly carried out by Ukraine, appears to have hit a high-rise apartment block in one of Moscow’s more upscale districts, not far from diplomatic residences.
Sir Keir Starmer meets Zelensky as he pledges more support to Ukraine
06:30 , Shweta SharmaVolodymyr Zelensky said he met British prime minister Keir Starmer and thanked King Charles for his “strong words” on the defence of Ukraine during his state visit to the US.
Meeting Mr Starmer in Armenia, he said: “Best regards and thanks to His Majesty for strong words in the United States supporting our people.”
Zelensky said he appreciates all the steps the United Kingdom has taken to support our people and weaken the aggressor, including efforts to counter Russia’s shadow fleet.
Britain will begin talks to join the EU’s Ukraine loan scheme, the UK government said.
Starmer is expected to announce the move at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, signalling closer UK–EU coordination on military support for Kyiv. The EU-approved loan will cover about two-thirds of Ukraine’s needs over the next two years, largely for defence.
IAEA says a drone targeted Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's external radiation control laboratory
06:22 , Shweta SharmaThe Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday that a drone had targeted its external radiation control laboratory.
There were no reported injuries and it was not yet known if the strike damaged the lab, which is located outside the nuclear power plant's perimeter, according to the IAEA.
An IAEA team at the site has requested access to the lab, Director General Rafael Grossi said, reiterating that any attacks near nuclear sites can pose nuclear safety risks.
Moscow building attack could be one deepest Ukrainian strike inside Russia
06:08 , Shweta SharmaThe Ukrainian attack on a luxury apartment building could be one of the deepest strikes into central Moscow.
The drone strike inside a residential complex in the Russian capital happened about 7km from Red Square. The targeted tower is located in an upscale district near embassies and diplomatic residences.
Videos on social media appear to show a low-flying drone heading towards Moscow shortly before 1am, with residents reporting loud explosions soon after.
Images suggest damage to the upper floors of the Mosfilm Tower, a luxury high-rise west of the city centre, with drone debris scattered on the street as emergency crews responded.
Ukraine has yet to confirm the drone strike.
Ukrainian drones hit Russia's Primorsk port, oil tankers and military ships
06:00 , Shweta SharmaUkraine launched a volley of missiles and drone strikes across Russia, striking the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk and three ships allegedly being used to transport Russian crude.
The strike caused a fire at Primorsk, a major oil-exporting outlet, the Russian regional governor confirmed.
Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the northwest region which hosts the port, said more than 60 drones were downed overnight. He said the fire at Primorsk was quickly extinguished and there had been no oil spill following the attack.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes had caused significant damage to the oil terminal port.
They also hit an oil tanker, a small Russian Karakurt-class missile ship and a patrol boat in the Baltic Sea, he said on Telegram.
"Each such result further limits Russia’s war potential," he wrote.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said global oil prices may rise further if Ukraine continues to hit Russia's oil infrastructure, Russian TV reported.
Drone hits building in Moscow, mayor says
06:00 , Shweta SharmaA drone has struck a building in Moscow, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Monday, adding there were no casualties.
The drone hit the Mosfilm Tower, a luxury residential building located west of the city's centre.
Photos appeared to show damage to the upper floor of the high-rise apartment building as the emergency crews arrived on the scene.
UK set to enter talks to join the EU's $105bn Ukraine loan
05:15 , Shweta SharmaBritain is set to enter talks to join the European Union's £78bn loan ($106bn) to Ukraine, the government said on Sunday, in a further sign of deepening European defence ties under rising US pressure.
Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected on Monday to tell a summit in Armenia's capital Yerevan of the European Political Community - a discussion forum set up after Russia's invasion in 2022 - that Britain wants to work with the EU to support Ukraine in getting vital military equipment, his office said.
The loan, approved by the EU last month, is set to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's needs for the next two years, with the bulk of that amount earmarked for military spending as Kyiv defends itself against Russia's four-year war.
The extra funding could also unlock opportunities for British businesses to meet Ukraine's urgent needs, particularly in the defence sector, the government said in a statement.
"When the UK and the European Union work together, we all reap the benefits — and in these volatile times we need to go further and faster on defence to keep people safe," Starmer said in the statement.
Zelensky launches army reform to bolster Ukraine war effort
05:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a series of reforms for the country's armed forces via social media.
The changes, agreed in April and due to be finalised this month, are scheduled to come into effect in June.
Key reforms include increased pay for military personnel, based on combat experience and efficacy, with non-combat roles receiving at least 30,000 hryvnias.
Ukraine offers Finland a drone deal, Zelensky says
03:59 , Shweta SharmaVolodymyr Zelensky said that he had offered Finland to strengthen the two countries' partnership by signing a drone deal, sharing technology and combat expertise developed during the four-year war with Russia.
"Ukraine is ready to share its expertise and strengthen those who have been strengthening us since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion," Zelensky said after he met with Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo in Yerevan.
He thanked Finland for providing an additional $300m for defence support to Ukraine.
Watch: Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right wing agitator to war hero
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDrone kills 2 in Kherson minibus strike, as Russia claims front-line progress
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTwo people were killed after a Russian drone attacked a minibus in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, local officials said Saturday, in the latest barrage of civilian areas, a hallmark of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
Seven people were also wounded in the attack, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Hours later Russia attacked another minibus in Kherson, wounding the driver, he said.
On Ukraine's Black Sea coast, a Russian strike damaged port infrastructure in the city of Odesa. No casualties were reported.
Drone kills 2 in Kherson minibus strike, as Russia claims front-line progress
Zelensky thanks King for ‘strong words’ on Ukraine in US
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainVolodymyr Zelensky has thanked the King for his “strong words” on the defence of Ukraine during his state visit to the United States.
The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude for the monarch’s comments in a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Armenia.
“Best regards and thanks to His Majesty for strong words in the United States supporting our people,” Mr Zelensky told the Prime Minister.
Read more here:
Ukraine hits key Russian oil-loading port and 3 'shadow fleet' tankers
Monday 4 May 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkraine on Sunday launched a wave of strikes against Russian oil targets, hitting a key loading port on the Baltic Sea and two tankers that Ukraine alleges were illegally used to transport Russian crude.
A nighttime drone strike sparked a blaze at Russia’s largest oil exporting port on the Baltic Sea, the port of Primorsk, according to Russian regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko.
The port, operated by Russia’s state oil firm Transneft, is capable of handling hundreds of thousands of barrels per day. Primorsk, which was targeted multiple times in March, lies over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine, between the Russian-Finnish border and Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg.
Ukraine hits key Russian oil-loading port and 3 'shadow fleet' tankers
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right agitator to war hero
Sunday 3 May 2026 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWorld affairs editor Sam Kiley meets the founder of Ukraine’s ultranationalist Azov movement, Andrii Biletskyi, now a decorated military brigadier general holding Russia back on its most aggressive line of attack in Donetsk province:
Telephone signals abruptly collapse as we descend into a bunker at a secret location close to Ukraine’s front line with Russia, for a meeting with one of Kyiv’s most ambitious, controversial and successful military commanders.
Easily within reach of medium-range Russian drones and jets, the caution was routine. But it takes on added drama when it emerges that an alleged Ukrainian traitor, working with Russian intelligence, was recently in the area tracking the movements of Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi.
Read more here:
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right agitator to war hero
Germany focuses on shared interests after US announces troop drawdown
Sunday 3 May 2026 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSIGN UP
Germany's defense minister on Saturday appeared to take in stride a Pentagon announcement that the United States plans to pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, saying a drawdown was expected and emphasizing the mutual benefit of the longstanding U.S. deployment in Europe.
Boris Pistorius said Europe recognized and was acting on the necessity of doing more to ensure its own security within the U.S.-led NATO military alliance that counts Germany as a key member, and said it is doing so. He suggested America, too, gains from its military deployment in the continent.
“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told the German news agency dpa.
Germany focuses on shared interests after US announces troop drawdown
UK expels Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow’s recent expulsion of a British official
Sunday 3 May 2026 21:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIn case you missed this:
The U.K. on Wednesday expelled a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow’s recent expulsion of a British official and the smear campaign that followed.
Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it summoned the Russian ambassador to its offices in London to inform him of the “reciprocal action.” The tit-for tat moves reflect spiraling tensions between Moscow and the West.
“This behavior is wholly unacceptable, and we will not tolerate harassment or intimidation of our diplomatic staff,’’ the Foreign Office said in a statement.
UK expels Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow’s recent expulsion of a British official
How many American troops are in Europe and where are they?
Sunday 3 May 2026 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe United States is to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, a key Nato ally, the Pentagon announced on Friday. The decision marks the most significant step yet by Washington to scale back its military footprint in Europe.
This move follows a public disagreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the conflict in Iran. It also comes after months of criticism from Washington, alleging that European nations have not contributed sufficiently to supporting American efforts in the region or to their own defence.
Here are some key details on U.S. military presence in Europe.
Nato is ‘disintegrating’, Donald Tusk says in urgent call to action
Sunday 3 May 2026 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPoland’s prime minister has said Nato is “disintegrating” after the United States announced it would withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.
Donald Tusk wrote on social media: “The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend.”
His comments come after the US announced a plan to pull around 5,000 troops out of Germany over the next six to 12 months.
Read more here:
Nato is ‘disintegrating’, Donald Tusk says in urgent call to action
Ukraine offers Finland a drone deal, Zelensky says
Sunday 3 May 2026 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had offered Finland to strengthen the two countries partnership by signing a drone deal, sharing technology and combat expertise developed during the four-year war with Russia.
"Ukraine is ready to share its expertise and strengthen those who have been strengthening us since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion," Zelensky said after he met with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Yerevan.
Swedish coast guard seizes suspected false flag tanker in Baltic Sea
Sunday 3 May 2026 17:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Swedish Coast Guard said on Sunday it had seized a tanker in the Baltic Sea believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, the latest in a string of similar actions carried out in recent months by the country's authorities.
The Swedish Coast Guard said in a statement that it and police had boarded the Syrian-flagged Jin Hui in Swedish territorial waters south of Trelleborg and begun a preliminary investigation into a lack of seaworthiness.
"The coast guard suspects that the ship is sailing under a false flag, given there are a number of irregularities concerning its flag status, and therefore does not meet demands for seaworthiness as set out in international regulations and agreements," it said.
The coast guard said the ship, whose destination was unclear and was thought to be carrying no cargo, figured on several sanctions lists, including those of the European Union and Britain.
Swedish Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, said separately on X that the vessel was suspected of belonging to the Russian so-called shadow fleet.
European nations have stepped up efforts to disrupt the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used by Moscow to fund its four-year war against Ukraine.
Russia has condemned such moves as hostile.So far this year, Sweden has stopped five vessels on suspicion of various offences, including oil spills and sailing under a false flag, and opened criminal proceedings against some crew members.
Zelensky thanks King for ‘strong words’ on Ukraine in US
Sunday 3 May 2026 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainVolodymyr Zelensky has thanked the King for his “strong words” on the defence of Ukraine during his state visit to the United States.
The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude for the monarch’s comments in a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Armenia.
“Best regards and thanks to His Majesty for strong words in the United States supporting our people,” Mr Zelensky told the Prime Minister.
The two met on Sunday at a hotel in Armenia’s capital Yerevan, where leaders from across Europe are gathering for Monday’s European Political Community (EPC) summit.
Charles, in a speech to Congress last week, spoke of the importance of Nato and support for Kyiv, amid concerns over Donald Trump’s waning interest in the conflict.
The King’s address has been widely interpreted as a gentle pushback against some of the US president’s peeves including Ukraine, from which his attention has been diverted by the Iran war.
In their meeting, Mr Zelensky also thanked Sir Keir for the UK’s sanctions against Russia and efforts to counter its shadow fleet, saying the measures set a “great example” for other allies.
“I think that Russia’s economy feels it,” Ukraine’s leader said.
Germany focuses on shared interests after US announces troop drawdown
Sunday 3 May 2026 16:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainGermany's defense minister on Saturday appeared to take in stride a Pentagon announcement that the United States plans to pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, saying a drawdown was expected and emphasizing the mutual benefit of the longstanding U.S. deployment in Europe.
Boris Pistorius said Europe recognized and was acting on the necessity of doing more to ensure its own security within the U.S.-led NATO military alliance that counts Germany as a key member, and said it is doing so. He suggested America, too, gains from its military deployment in the continent.
“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told the German news agency dpa.
Germany focuses on shared interests after US announces troop drawdown
Russia says Ukrainian drones hit lab at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Sunday 3 May 2026 15:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussia said on Sunday that Ukrainian forces carried out a drone attack on a laboratory at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, but no critical damage of injuries have been reported.
It also said that the plant continued its operations as usual.
Russian strikes kill 10 across Ukraine
Sunday 3 May 2026 15:26 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussian strikes have killed 10 and injured at least 76 people across Ukraine in the past day, Ukrainian officials have said.
Officials said three people were killed in separate incidents in Kherson region, while two died in each of Odesa, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and one in Sumy region.
Drone kills 2 in Kherson minibus strike, as Russia claims front-line progress
Sunday 3 May 2026 15:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTwo people were killed after a Russian drone attacked a minibus in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, local officials said Saturday, in the latest barrage of civilian areas, a hallmark of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
Seven people were also wounded in the attack, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Hours later Russia attacked another minibus in Kherson, wounding the driver, he said.
On Ukraine's Black Sea coast, a Russian strike damaged port infrastructure in the city of Odesa. No casualties were reported.
Read more here:
Drone kills 2 in Kherson minibus strike, as Russia claims front-line progress
Russia's Primorsk port hit as Ukraine launches wave of drone strikes
Sunday 3 May 2026 14:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkrainian drones attacked Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk on Sunday, temporarily setting it on fire, local governor Alexander Drozdenko said on the Telegram messaging app, as Kyiv launched a wave of strikes on targets across the country.
Drozdenko said more than 60 drones were downed overnight over Russia's northwestern Leningrad region.
There was no oil spill following the attack on Primorsk, a major oil exporting outlet, and the fire was extinguished, he added.
Primorsk, one of Russia's largest export gateways, has capacity to handle 1 million barrels per day of oil supply.
It has been hit multiple times in recent months as Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and other targets as US-brokered talks to end the Ukraine war have stalled.
Kremlin warns of oil price increase if Ukrainian strikes on its facilities continue
Sunday 3 May 2026 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that global oil prices may rise further if Ukraine continues to hit Russia's oil infrastructure, Russian TV reported.
“If additional volumes of our oil are dropped from the market, prices will rise further from current levels, which are already above $120 a barrel. That would mean that even with lower export volumes, our companies would earn more money and the state would receive more revenue,” Peskov said.
Ukraine hits Russia's Primorsk port, damages oil infrastructure, Zelensky says
Sunday 3 May 2026 13:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkraine's military successfully hit Russia's Primorsk port, causing significant damage to the infrastructure of the oil terminal port, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.
In a post on the Telegram app, Zelensky said that Ukrainian troops also struck the Karakurt-class missile ship, a patrol boat, and one more shadow fleet oil tanker, adding that "each such result further limits Russia’s war potential".
Watch: Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right wing agitator to war hero
Sunday 3 May 2026 12:30 , Arpan RaiUkraine hits two shadow fleet tankers near Russia's Novorossiysk port
Sunday 3 May 2026 12:23 , Arpan RaiUkrainian forces attacked two shadow fleet tankers in waters at the entrance to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said this morning.
"These tankers had been actively used to transport oil – not anymore," Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app.
"Ukraine's long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land."
Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against Russia’s shadow oil fleet – two such vessels were struck in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers had been actively used to transport oil – not anymore. I am grateful to Chief of the General Staff… pic.twitter.com/8aCse8h95j
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 3, 2026
Zelensky flags 'unusual' activity along Ukraine-Belarus border
Sunday 3 May 2026 11:23 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said his forces observed an unusual activity along the country’s border with Belarus.
“Yesterday, there was rather unusual activity along sections of the Ukraine–Belarus border – on the Belarusian side. We are closely documenting everything and keeping the situation under control,” Zelensky said, without sharing the details of the movement.
“If necessary, we will react. Ukraine is ready to defend its people and its sovereignty. Everyone who is being drawn into any aggressive actions against Ukraine must understand this,” he said.
Belarus, a close ally of the Kremlin, has allowed Russia to use its territory as a staging ground to send troops into Ukraine and to host some of Moscow's tactical nuclear weapons.
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right wing agitator to war hero
Sunday 3 May 2026 11:06 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWorld affairs editor Sam Kiley meets the founder of Ukraine’s far-right Azov movement Andrii Biletskyi, now a decorated military brigadier general holding Russia back on its most aggressive line of attack in Donetsk province:
Telephone signals abruptly collapse as we descend into a bunker at a secret location close to Ukraine’s front line with Russia - for a meeting with one of Kyiv’s most ambitious, controversial and successful military commanders.
Easily within reach of medium-range Russian drones and jets, the caution was routine. But it takes on added drama when it emerges that an alleged Ukrainian traitor, working with Russian intelligence, was recently in the area tracking the movements of Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi.
Ukrainian general’s rise from far-right wing agitator to war hero
Russian forces capture village in Ukraine's Sumy region, defence ministry says
Sunday 3 May 2026 10:45 , Arpan RaiRussian troops took control of the village of Myropillia in Ukraine's Sumy region, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield report.
The ministry also said its air defence forces shot down 505 drones overnight.
Drone kills two in Kherson minibus strike
Sunday 3 May 2026 10:23 , Arpan RaiTwo people were killed after a Russian drone attacked a minibus in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, local officials said Saturday, in the latest barrage of civilian areas, a hallmark of Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
Seven people were also wounded in the attack, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Hours later Russia attacked another minibus in Kherson, wounding the driver, he said.
Why US troop withdrawl from Germany matters in Ukraine war
Sunday 3 May 2026 09:23 , Arpan RaiA pullout of 5,000 soldiers from Germany would amount to about one-seventh of the 36,000 American service members stationed in the country.
The Pentagon offered few details about which troops or operations would be affected.
The withdrawal is scheduled to take place over the next six to 12 months. Donald Trump previously said he would pull 9,500 troops from Germany during his first term, but he didn't start the process and Democratic president Joe Biden formally stopped the planned withdrawal soon after taking office in 2021.
More broadly, around 80,000-100,000 US personnel are usually stationed in Europe – depending on operations, exercises and troop rotations.
The US increased its European deployment after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022. Nato allies like Germany have expected for over a year that these troops would be the first to leave.
Ukraine is hitting oil facilities deep inside Russia. Soaring fuel prices could blunt the impact
Sunday 3 May 2026 08:23 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drones are flying deep into Russia to strike oil facilities, sending up plumes of smoke that can be seen from space and bringing toxic rain to tourist destinations on the Black Sea.
The attacks are aimed at slashing Moscow’s oil exports, a key source of funding for its grinding invasion of Ukraine. But the economic impact is so far unclear, as the rise in oil prices from the Iran war, and a related easing of U.S. sanctions, have helped replenish the Kremlin’s coffers.
Still, the range of the attacks and their environmental impact is bringing the war home to ordinary Russians far from the front lines.
Ukraine is hitting Russian oil sites but rising fuel prices may blunt the impact
Ukraine hits two shadow fleet tankers near Russia's Novorossiysk port
Sunday 3 May 2026 07:53 , Arpan RaiUkrainian forces attacked two shadow fleet tankers in waters at the entrance to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said this morning.
"These tankers had been actively used to transport oil – not anymore," Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app.
"Ukraine's long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land."
Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against Russia’s shadow oil fleet – two such vessels were struck in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers had been actively used to transport oil – not anymore. I am grateful to Chief of the General Staff… pic.twitter.com/8aCse8h95j
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 3, 2026
Ukrainian drones attack Russia's Primorsk port, governor says
Sunday 3 May 2026 07:27 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drones attacked Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk on Sunday, setting it on fire, local governor Alexander Drozdenko said on the Telegram messaging app.
He said more than 60 drones were downed overnight over Russia's northwestern Leningrad region. There was no oil spill following the attack on Primorsk, a major oil exporting outlet, and the fire was extinguished, he added.
Zelensky sanctions his former chief of staff
Sunday 3 May 2026 07:00 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has imposed sanctions on his former chief of staff Andriy Bohdan, who headed his presidential office before the war in Ukraine erupted in 2022.
No official reason was given to explain the sanctions.
Bohdan said on Facebook that the move may be linked to recent media reports alleging possible involvement by Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska, in corrupt dealings.
The former official suggested that the president suspects a connection between the publications and Bohdan’s work as a lawyer.
Under the sanction, Bohdan’s state honours will be revoked, his assets will be frozen and his commercial transactions will be banned.
The sanctions will remain in force for 10 years.
Drone kills two in Kherson minibus strike
Sunday 3 May 2026 06:44 , Arpan RaiTwo people were killed after a Russian drone attacked a minibus in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, local officials said Saturday, in the latest barrage of civilian areas, a hallmark of Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
Seven people were also wounded in the attack, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Hours later Russia attacked another minibus in Kherson, wounding the driver, he said.
Ukraine reports fighting reaches outskirts of Kostiantynivka
Sunday 3 May 2026 06:13 , Arpan RaiRussian troops are inching towards the city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, trying to establish a foothold close to a heavily defended area, Ukraine's top army official said yesterday.
Kostiantynivka, along with other cities, forms a so-called fortress belt in the country's east - an area well fortified by the Ukrainian military.
"We are repelling the Russian occupiers' persistent attempts to gain a foothold in the outskirts of Kostiantynivka using infiltration tactics. Counter-sabotage measures are going on in the city," Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's army chief, said on the Telegram app.
A Ukrainian battlefield mapping project called DeepState shows that Russian troops control an area around only one kilometre (0.6 mile) from the city's southern outskirts.
Small chunks of Kostiantynivka, in southeast Ukraine, are marked as a grey zone, meaning neither Ukraine nor Russia has full control over them.
Zelensky flags 'unusual' activity along Ukraine-Belarus border
Sunday 3 May 2026 06:09 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said his forces observed an unusual activity along the country’s border with Belarus.
“Yesterday, there was rather unusual activity along sections of the Ukraine–Belarus border – on the Belarusian side. We are closely documenting everything and keeping the situation under control,” Zelensky said, without sharing the details of the movement.
“If necessary, we will react. Ukraine is ready to defend its people and its sovereignty. Everyone who is being drawn into any aggressive actions against Ukraine must understand this,” he said.
Yesterday, there was rather unusual activity along sections of the Ukraine–Belarus border – on the Belarusian side. We are closely documenting everything and keeping the situation under control. If necessary, we will react.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 2, 2026
Ukraine is ready to defend its people and its… pic.twitter.com/NRHIXHpPiM
Ukraine is hitting oil facilities deep inside Russia. Soaring fuel prices could blunt the impact
Sunday 3 May 2026 02:00 , Holly EvansUkrainian drones are flying deep into Russia to strike oil facilities, sending up plumes of smoke that can be seen from space and bringing toxic rain to tourist destinations on the Black Sea.
The attacks are aimed at slashing Moscow’s oil exports, a key source of funding for its grinding invasion of Ukraine. But the economic impact is so far unclear, as the rise in oil prices from the Iran war, and a related easing of U.S. sanctions, have helped replenish the Kremlin’s coffers.
Still, the range of the attacks and their environmental impact is bringing the war home to ordinary Russians far from the front lines.
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Ukraine is hitting Russian oil sites but rising fuel prices may blunt the impact
Russian forces capture village in Ukraine's Sumy region, defence ministry says
Sunday 3 May 2026 01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussian troops took control of the village of Myropillia in Ukraine's Sumy region, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield report.
The ministry also said its air defence forces shot down 505 drones overnight.
Fibre-optic drones reshaped the war in Ukraine. Hezbollah are now adopting the deadly weapon
Sunday 3 May 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainHezbollah has introduced a new, difficult-to-detect weapon against northern Israel: small drones controlled by fibre-optic cables. These devices, with cables the width of dental floss, are designed to evade electronic detection, posing a fresh challenge to air defences.
Unlike many drones vulnerable to electronic jamming, which can cause them to crash, these fibre-optic variants are directly connected to an operator.
This direct link makes them impossible to jam electronically, a characteristic widely seen in the war in Ukraine. Though not infallible – wind or other drones can tangle their cables – their lethality is high.
Fibre-optic drones reshaped the war in Ukraine. Hezbollah are now adopting the weapon
