Russia launches Shahed drone attacks on Kyiv, official says
From CNN's Svitlana Vlasova and Alex Stambaugh
Russia has launched an air attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv overnight Saturday into Sunday, using Iranian-made drones for the first time in 12 days, according to the head of the city's military administration.
Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said Ukraine's air defense detected and destroyed all the targets in airspace around Kyiv.
Popko said Shahed barrage munitions were used, according to preliminary information.
Three homes were damaged by falling debris in two districts of Kyiv, according to Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv regional state administration.
One of the homes caught fire and sustained damage to the ceiling and walls, while two others sustained minor damage, Kravchenko said.
A resident of one of the homes was injured in the leg, he added.
26 min ago
Zelensky says he's afraid to lose bipartisan support in the US
From CNN’s Mariya Knight and Maria Kostenko
Zelensky attends a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday. Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he's afraid to lose bipartisan support from the United States, following what he called "dangerous messages coming from some Republicans."
“Mike Pence has visited us, and he supports Ukraine. First of all, as an American, and then as a Republican,” Zelensky said in a news conference with Spanish media in Kyiv on Saturday. “We have bipartisan support. However, there are different messages in their circles regarding support for Ukraine. There are messages coming from some Republicans, sometimes dangerous messages, that there may be less support.”
Zelensky said that regardless of who wins the next US Presidential election, maintaining bipartisan support is "the most important thing for Ukraine."
During the same news conference, Zelensky was asked if he fears for his own life, to which he replied that he thinks "it is more dangerous for Putin" due to the Russian president's growing number of international adversaries.
Some background: The topic of whether the US should continue aiding Ukraine against Russia's invasion has created a rift among the Republican party.
GOP presidential candidates are split into two camps: Isolationists, particularly former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who believe the US is too involved in supporting Ukraine’s efforts to fend off the Russian invasion; and hawks, including several former Trump administration officials, who argue for an even more aggressive posture toward Russia. Both sides are warning that if their positions aren’t heeded, a world war could follow.
CNN's Eric Bradner contributed reporting.
36 min ago
CIA chief says Ukraine war provides a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for recruiting Russians
From CNN’s Sam Fossum
CIA Director William Burns is seen in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 25. Drew Angerer/Getty Images/FILE
Discontent with the war in Ukraine has created what CIA Director William Burns called a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for the recruitment of Russians.
"Disaffection with the war will continue to gnaw away at the Russian leadership, beneath the steady diet of state propaganda and practiced repression. That disaffection creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us at CIA, at our core a human intelligence service. We're not letting it go to waste," Burns said in remarks to the Ditchley Foundation in England.
Burns pointed to a recent CIA outreach effort on the popular social media platform Telegram, showing Russians how to contact the CIA securely on the dark web, which he said has garnered 2.5 million views in its first week.
We're very much open for business," Burns said.
CIA officials involved in the project previously told CNN that Russia's invasion had created a historic opening for US intelligence and that a previous recruitment drive immediately following the launch of the invasion last year had been quite successful.
Burns also addressed the recent rebellion by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, saying that his actions and speech prior to their march on Rostov-on-Don illustrate how the war has undermined Putin's power.
Shahed drone attack hits Kyiv: Russian forces used Shahed Iranian-made drones in overnight strikes on Ukraine's capital, officials said. Kyiv's air defenses destroyed all the drones, according to the city military administration, but multiple homes were damaged.
CIA is "open for business": Disaffection with the Ukraine war has provided the CIA with a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to recruit Russians, the agency's director William Burns said.
Russia has launched an air attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv overnight Saturday into Sunday, using Iranian-made drones for the first time in 12 days, according to the head of the city's military administration.
Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said Ukraine's air defense detected and destroyed all the targets in airspace around Kyiv.
Popko said Shahed barrage munitions were used, according to preliminary information.
Three homes were damaged by falling debris in two districts of Kyiv, according to Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv regional state administration.
One of the homes caught fire and sustained damage to the ceiling and walls, while two others sustained minor damage, Kravchenko said.
A resident of one of the homes was injured in the leg, he added.
Zelensky attends a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday. Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he's afraid to lose bipartisan support from the United States, following what he called "dangerous messages coming from some Republicans."
“Mike Pence has visited us, and he supports Ukraine. First of all, as an American, and then as a Republican,” Zelensky said in a news conference with Spanish media in Kyiv on Saturday. “We have bipartisan support. However, there are different messages in their circles regarding support for Ukraine. There are messages coming from some Republicans, sometimes dangerous messages, that there may be less support.”
Zelensky said that regardless of who wins the next US Presidential election, maintaining bipartisan support is "the most important thing for Ukraine."
During the same news conference, Zelensky was asked if he fears for his own life, to which he replied that he thinks "it is more dangerous for Putin" due to the Russian president's growing number of international adversaries.
Some background: The topic of whether the US should continue aiding Ukraine against Russia's invasion has created a rift among the Republican party.
GOP presidential candidates are split into two camps: Isolationists, particularly former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who believe the US is too involved in supporting Ukraine’s efforts to fend off the Russian invasion; and hawks, including several former Trump administration officials, who argue for an even more aggressive posture toward Russia. Both sides are warning that if their positions aren’t heeded, a world war could follow.
CNN's Eric Bradner contributed reporting.
CIA Director William Burns is seen in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 25. Drew Angerer/Getty Images/FILE
Discontent with the war in Ukraine has created what CIA Director William Burns called a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for the recruitment of Russians.
"Disaffection with the war will continue to gnaw away at the Russian leadership, beneath the steady diet of state propaganda and practiced repression. That disaffection creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us at CIA, at our core a human intelligence service. We're not letting it go to waste," Burns said in remarks to the Ditchley Foundation in England.
Burns pointed to a recent CIA outreach effort on the popular social media platform Telegram, showing Russians how to contact the CIA securely on the dark web, which he said has garnered 2.5 million views in its first week.
We're very much open for business," Burns said.
CIA officials involved in the project previously told CNN that Russia's invasion had created a historic opening for US intelligence and that a previous recruitment drive immediately following the launch of the invasion last year had been quite successful.
Burns also addressed the recent rebellion by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, saying that his actions and speech prior to their march on Rostov-on-Don illustrate how the war has undermined Putin's power.
