Exclusives

Mass attack! Ukraine launches largest drone, missile raid in months, downs two Russian jets. Hundreds of Ukrainian drones and missiles struck behind the front line on May 3. But can Ukraine’s ground forces take advantage of the raids?

“No Russian tank would survive”: German Leopard 2A4 withstands 10 FPV drone strikes in Ukraine. While Russian tanks catastrophically explode from single drone strikes, Ukraine’s Western tanks reveal hidden design advantage.

Ukraine sanctions Novatek: Will the West finally follow?. Bloodstained LNG flows freely into European markets despite Ukraine’s sanctions.

Military

ISW refutes Western intel claims that Putin plans to scale back Ukraine war. Russia keeps wasting troops on costly offensives, showing no signs of transitioning to defense

Russia suffers 160,000 casualties in 2025 so far, heading for war’s deadliest year – UK intel. Moscow’s staggering personnel losses come with minimal territorial gains

Frontline report: Russia plans to deploy North Korean troops to new offensives in eastern Ukraine. Kim Jong-Un’s forces have been fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast so far, but soon may be sent to eastern Ukraine wearing Russian uniforms, claiming soldiers will defend “Russian territory” in occupied Ukrainian oblasts without Pyongyang formally declaring war on Kyiv.

Forbes: Russia is losing tanks—and replacing them with exploding toy hoverboards. Cheap, fast, and disposable—hoverboards are the Kremlin’s latest battlefield fix.

Ukraine claims first-ever $ 50 million fighter jet kill with sea drone. Ukraine’s military successfully destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a Magura V5 marine drone.

Drones attack multiple Russian regions overnight, cause civilian damage and injuries. Krasnodar Krai near Black Sea suffered the most significant consequences during a widespread drone assault, with damage sustained in three apartment buildings.

As of 4 MAY 2025, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 956810 (+1340)
    • Tanks: 10758 (+13)
    • APV: 22403 (+34)
    • Artillery systems: 27327 (+93)
    • MLRS: 1376 (+1)
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 1155 (+2)
    • Aircraft: 372
    • Helicopters: 335
    • UAV: 34860 (+195)
    • Cruise missiles : 3196 (+-1)
    • Warships/boats: 28
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 47141 (+138)

Intelligence and technology

The Pentagon wants to stop drones without harming civilians—Ukraine showed how hard that is. What Ukraine exposed, the Pentagon is trying to fix: stopping drones without turning cities into war zones.

StormShroud: Ukraine-forged drone now makes RAF Typhoons invisible. StormShroud, built on Ukraine war lessons, helps RAF Typhoon jets evade radar with battlefield-proven jamming tech.

Zelenskyy orders faster development of Ukrainian ballistic missile systems. The President also hinted on short-term supplies of more F-16 fighter jets.

As Putin digs in, Trump approves F-16 training deal for Ukraine. Pentagon greenlit a $310 million package for Ukraine, as peace talks with Russia stall.

International

Lithuania strips residence permits from Russians, Belarusians who frequently visit home. The Baltic nation’s latest sanctions affect over 14,000 Russian permit holders amid growing security concerns on NATO’s eastern flank.

Want to know how foreign aid reaches Ukraine frontlines? Watch “No Sleep Til Kyiv” film. The Estonian premiere will take place on 4 May in Tallinn, following American Peter Duke on his journey with the 69th Sniffing Brigade to deliver vital trucks from Estonia to Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukrainian soldiers to join VE Day march in London as “frontline of freedom” fighters. The UK government stated their inclusion symbolizes “global support for their continued fight for freedom” against Russia’s invasion.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia deploys thermobaric drones on Kharkiv for maximum damage, casualties. The specialized munitions, which create devastating pressure waves and high-temperature explosions, struck civilian infrastructure, injuring 51 people.

Political and legal developments

Russia lures Togolese students into Russian army with fake scholarships. Ukrainian officials confirmed that two nationals of Togo in West Africa were captured by Ukrainian forces.

Russian official says Zelenskyy has “nothing sacred” as he rejects Victory Day truce, while proposing 30-day ceasefire. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine cannot guarantee security for anyone attending Russian Victory Day celebrations.

Russians build Reichstag replica for Victory Day, use it for propaganda amid war with Ukraine. The actors will stage immersive performances depicting the end of World War II and raise a flag over a life-sized reproduction of Berlin’s Reichstag in Moscow.

Reuters: US prepares fresh Russia sanctions but Trump’s approval remains uncertain. Sanctions on Russia prepared by US officials target natural resources and banking. Trump has not yet decided on deployment, sources say.

Read our earlier daily review here.