Zelensky says Russian attack on Ukrainian clinic killed one
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that at least one person was killed and 15 were injured after a Russian missile attack on a clinic in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
“Russian terrorists once again reaffirm their status as combatants against everything humane and honest,” Zelensky wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
“Rocket attack on a clinic in the city of Dnipro. So far, one person has been killed and 15 injured. The aftermath of the shelling is being quelled and the victims are being rescued.”
The post was shared under a video, in which smoke is seen billowing from a building.
It comes after reports from Ukrainian officials earlier on Friday, who said air defenses had shot down 10 missiles launched by Russia and more than 20 drones in overnight attacks on the capital Kiev, Dnipro and eastern regions. CNBC could not independently verify the development.
-Karen Gilchrist
Talks ‘impossible’ with Zelensky in power, says Russian official
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Friday that talks with Ukraine are “impossible” as long as Volodymyr Zelensky’s Kiev administration is in power. Comments reported by Russian state news agency Tass,
“Everything always ends with negotiations, and that is inevitable, but as long as these people are in power, the situation for Russia will not change in terms of negotiations,” he said, according to a Google Translate translation.
Similarly, Ukraine had previously said that talks were not possible as long as Vladimir Putin remained at the helm of the Russian leadership. Zelensky nevertheless presented a 10-point peace plan proposal to the G20 leaders on 15 November.
Global powers, including China, Russia’s closest trading partner, have vied for the chance to mediate in the conflict.
Ukraine officials say Russia carried out drone and missile strikes overnight
The Ukrainian air force said 10 missiles, 23 Iranian-made Martyr drones and two reconnaissance drones were fired by Russia in an overnight attack that focused on eastern parts of the country.
The strike began at around 10:00 local time on 25 May and lasted until 5:00 am on 26 May, Ukrainian Air Force said on telegramadding that many of Moscow’s attacks were targeted at the areas of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.
Serhiy Lysak, Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, said on telegram That it was a rough night and that Russia had launched a massive drone and missile attack, damaging and setting fires to homes and private companies.
Air warning sirens also sounded in Kiev According to the Kyiv City State Administration,
CNBC could not independently verify the ground situation.
, Ruxandra Iordache
Russian official says Moscow will consider preemptive strike if Ukraine obtains nuclear weapons
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said Russia would need a preemptive strike if Western nuclear weapons were supplied to Ukraine.
“There are certain immutable rules of war. If it comes to [deliveries of] nuclear weapon [to Ukraine]have to make a pre-emptive strike,” he said, in comments made by Russian state news agency Tass. He acknowledged that it was possible that NATO countries would provide warplanes and nuclear arsenals to Kiev to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Western powers have attempted to limit the risk of nuclear escalation throughout the conflict – whether intentionally or through careless fires around nuclear facility sites, such as Ukraine’s Zaporizhia plant.
, Ruxandra Iordache
Russia moves ahead with plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko indicated that Russia has moved ahead with plans to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, leaving open the possibility that some of the equipment may have already reached the country.
According to Belarus’ official news agency BeltaLukashenko said he and his counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the topic ahead of the Eurasian Economic Forum to be held in Moscow from May 24-25.
Lukashenko said, “They told me that they had signed a decree on our actions in connection with the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. I mean that a concrete document was discussed. There was a The decision was taken.”
“We had to prepare the storage facilities and the rest there [in Belarus], We’ve done all of that. That’s what started the transfer of nuclear weapons.”
When asked whether Russian nuclear weapons were already in Belarus, he said, “Maybe. I’ll go and see.”
Russia’s intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil was announced on 25 March. Washington has condemned the plan.
, Ruxandra Iordache
Russia summons ambassadors over Nord Stream probe
Russia’s Foreign Ministry called on the ambassadors of Germany, Denmark and Sweden to protest “vehemently” what it called the “complete lack of results” of the investigation into the causes of the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines last September.
Ministry said in a statement Russia had summoned the officials because of their countries’ “inability to ensure transparency in the investigation”.
Germany, Denmark and Sweden launched their own investigations into what happened to gas pipelines stretching from Russia to Germany to the Baltic Sea, but said they were exchanging information. Russia has repeatedly asked its own experts to join the investigation into the explosions that severely damaged the pipeline. But Moscow has been rebuked, a decision it called “unimaginable”.
Investigators in Europe believe the pipelines were sabotaged, but said it was difficult to establish and confirm who carried out the attacks. , and whether or not it was a state-sponsored group , And no definitive findings have yet been published. Kiev denied any involvement in the incidents.
Gas from a leak at the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea on September 27, 2022.
Swedish Coast Guard | Getty Images
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry again decried “the refusal of the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany, Denmark and Sweden to cooperate with the Russian side in this matter” and blamed them for “apparently playing time and hiding traces”. accused of trying to And the true perpetrators of the crime are, as we think, well-known nations.”
Russia said it would “continue to put pressure on the countries’ authorities to conduct a more comprehensive investigation into sabotage on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines with the obligatory participation of Russia.”
– Holly Elliot
Russian troops are officially replacing Wagner’s mercenaries in Bakhmut
Smoke rises from buildings in this aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest fighting with Russian troops in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on April 26, 2023.
libkos | AP
Ukraine said Russian troops are replacing Wagner Group mercenaries who have begun withdrawing from Bakhmut in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
“In the suburbs of Bakhmut, the enemy replaced Wagner’s units with regular army units. At the moment, Wagnerites live in the city of Bakhmut,” said Hannah Maliyar, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine on telegram Thursday.
She said that Ukrainian forces still controlled the city’s southwestern outskirts, but that Russian forces were trying to stop Ukrainian advances on its flanks and were “pulling up additional units to reinforce the flanks”. Was.”
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, said earlier on Thursday that his fighters were already starting to withdraw from Bakhmut, where they have been fighting for months. Prigozhin said the evacuation process would take several days.
“Before June 1, most units are rebasing in rear camps, handing over everything including ammunition, positions, dry rations to the army,” he said.
– Holly Elliot
Russian mercenaries begin withdrawal from Bakhmut
Entrance of the “PMC Wagner Center” belonging to Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin during the official opening of the office block on National Unity Day on November 4, 2022 in St. Petersburg.
Olga Maltseva | AFP | Getty Images
The head of Russian private military company Wagner Group said his fighters had begun withdrawing from Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
Yevgeny Prigozhin said Wagner Group had fully captured Bakhmut in the heavily fought Donetsk region late last week, and said it would hand over the town to regular Russian army units around May 25.
“The PMC ‘Wagner’ has begun the withdrawal of units from Bakhmut,” said a message posted on the Concorde Group Telegram channel from Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin.
“We are withdrawing our units from Bakhmut today, it is now 5 a.m., May 25,” Prigozhin said, although NBC was unable to verify whether the footage was filmed in Bakhmut.
“Before June 1, most units are handing over everything, including troops, ammunition, positions, dry rations, to the rear camps,” Prigozhin said, according to an NBC translation. He stated that his army would have a “new purpose” after resting after the long battle at Bakhmut.
Ukraine has denied it has lost Bakhmut, with defense officials saying their forces still control the southwestern part of the city and are making progress in their bid to retake control of the city’s flanks in the north and south. is of.
– Holly Elliot
