Vladimir Golubenko looks at his office damaged by a drone during a night attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, ... [+]
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 460.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.
Kyiv. The Ukrainian capital remains under assault, enduring its fifteenth major bombardment this month on May 29. According to a report issued by the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian army launched 11 ballistic and cruise missiles from Iskander-M mobile surface-to-surface systems against the city. In the wake of these brazen attacks, the head of the main directorate of intelligence delivered a brief video address, asserting, “All those who have tried to intimidate us, dreaming that this will have some effect, will soon regret it. Our response will not be delayed. Everyone will see everything soon.”
Dnipro. A medical facility appeared to come under Russian fire in the city of Dnipro on May 26, authorities said. As rescue operations wound down in the area, three civilians were found dead and 31 were severely injured. Dnipropetrovsk regional Governor Serhiy Lysak reported on his Telegram channel that two children, 3 and 6 years of age, were wounded during the attack. “We will do everything possible to speed up the supply of more air defense systems of a higher quality to Ukraine – this is literally a daily issue we work on with our partners,” President Zelenskyy in his evening address to the nation.
People take cover at metro station during a Russian rocket attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, May 29, ... [+]
The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, appears to be signaling that his nation’s long-anticipated counteroffensive is about to commence. On Saturday, May 28, Zaluzhnyi released a video captioned: “The time has come to reclaim what is rightfully ours.” The one-minute video shows footage of Ukrainian soldiers preparing for a yet another battle, sending a powerful message intended to raise the spirits of Ukrainians, while escalating anxiety among the ranks of the Russian military. One line is worth highlighting: “For I set out to defeat the enemies of my homeland.”
Denmark is setting up a special investment fund to secure financing for Ukraine-related projects, Ukraine’s ministry of economy announced on May 27. The one billion Danish kroner ($133 million) fund will provide loans as well as back investments to facilitate economic development and reconstruction in Ukraine. As noted by deputy minister of economy Oleksandr Hryban, Ukraine-Denmark cooperation mainly focuses on establishing mutually beneficial relations between the states. “We are interested in Danish technologies and see great prospects in the application and deployment of Danish companies in Ukraine in priority sectors,” he said. “These include renewable energy, construction materials, utility rehabilitation technologies, as well as defense and dual-use technologies.”
Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted in favor of imposing economic and political sanctions on Iran on May 29, a member of parliament wrote in a Telegram social media post. The sanctions include a complete trade ban, as well as prohibiting Iranian goods from transiting through Ukraine, and disallowing the withdrawal of Iranian capital held in Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested a former member of the Zaporizhzhia city council for allegedly passing information to Russian forces to help guide missile strikes against Ukrainian targets. With his assistance, the enemy army launched a series of successful attacks on Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine in April and May of this year. Three civilians were killed and more than 30 private homes destroyed during these attacks. According to preliminary information, the suspect is a communism adherent who had been imprisoned in 2001 for planning a coup d'état against the Ukrainian government.
The temporarily occupied cities of Mariupol and Berdyansk in southeast Ukraine have been under repeated attacks over the past three days, various Russian media channels are reporting. As video footage surfaces online, recreation camps where Russian troops are stationed appear to have been specifically targeted. Meanwhile, in Russia’s Belgorod region a series of explosions were heard on May 27 in the town of Shebekino, less than five miles from the Ukrainian border.
By Daria Dzysiuk, Karina Tahiliani