Russia claims to have destroyed or intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones on the night of Thursday May 16 to Friday May 17, during attacks launched against the southwest of Russian territory and annexed Crimea. In the Russian border region of Belgorod, a mother and her four-year-old child were killed in a drone attack on the village of Oktyabrsky, the governor announced. Follow our live stream.
Ukraine says it is facing a “difficult” situation in the northeast. kyiv claims to contain the Russian military advance in the northeast of the country where the situation remains “extremely difficult” according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Moscow is leading an offensive there which has enabled it to reap its largest territorial gains since the end of 2022.
Ukrainian strikes kill four people in Donetsk, a city occupied by the Russians. Four women were killed Thursday evening by Ukrainian strikes on Donetsk, a city occupied by the Russians, authorities set up by Moscow announced. The town has been occupied since 2014 by Russian or pro-Russian forces and is located less than ten kilometers from the eastern front line where intense fighting is taking place.
No Russian “strategic breakthrough” in perspective. According to a senior NATO military official, Russian forces have not “not the forces necessary to achieve a strategic breakthrough”. “They have neither the skills nor the capacity to do it”said the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, American General Christopher Cavoli, on Thursday evening.