“Tonight, a massive attack by Iranian drones took place,” the military administration of Kyiv announced via Telegram.

Iran-made Shahed explosives “entered the capital from different directions,” the report stated, adding that “about a dozen” were intercepted in the city’s airspace. Thursday, according to Kyiv, two cruise missiles and twenty Russian attack drones were destroyed.

Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat stated, “Our air defense operation is successful.” “Twenty Shaheds were annihilated; every flying Shahed was shot down. He added that two Kalibr cruise missiles were also annihilated.

Debris precipitates on districts

It was reported that drone detritus had fallen in five districts and that a 23-year-old man and 19-year-old woman were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds.

Two persons were injured in Darnytsky district “as a result of falling debris,” wrote Sergiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, on Telegram. However, it was unclear whether the two hospitalized individuals mentioned were the same male and woman.

In the Solomyansky, Shevchenkivsky, Podilsky, and Darnytsky districts, emergency services responded to frantic calls following “explosions in the capital,” as stated by the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko.

“During firefighting in an apartment building in the Podilsky district, the body of a deceased person was discovered,” Klitschko wrote on Telegram.

Two persons were “hospitalized” in the Darnytsky district after falling debris damaged a residential building, according to Klitschko.

Klitschko stated that two others were treated at the site in the Shevchenkivsky district.

In the Shevchenkivsky district, an apartment building caught fire, and in the Podilsky district, a commercial building caught fire, he said, adding that emergency services rushed to the scene.

The military administration of Kiev posted a picture on Telegram depicting a room in a high-rise building with a wall that appears to have been blasted out, which was reportedly caused by falling debris in the Darnytsky district.

Ukraine’s Air Force issued a warning about the continued risk of Russian drone attacks on the city.

Ukraine’s advancement close to Bakhmut

Deputy Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on Telegram from the front lines: “In the Bakhmut sector, we attacked today on the southern flank surrounding Bakhmut. There is progress. Our defenders are reinforcing their existing positions.”

Ukrainian forces, according to Maliar, repelled a Russian attempt to advance on cities in the west and north.

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In the direction of the Sea of Azov, they “pressed forward with offensive operations” in the southern direction.Our southern defenders have substantially weakened the enemy’s offensive and defensive capabilities over the past week.

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“But in the end, everyone will have to answer for their actions,” Skibitsky was quoted as saying.

“Putin is aware that we are growing closer to him, but he is also terrified of being murdered by his own people,” Skibitsky told Die Welt.

As additional targets, Skibitsky named mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and military commander Sergei Surovikin, dubbed “General Armageddon” by Russian media.

He was quoted as saying that Putin was a problematic target due to the fact that he spent much of his time “holed up” but was now beginning to appear in public more frequently.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, said Thursday on state television, in response to a question about whether Putin’s security measures have been increased in the wake of Skibitsky’s interview:

“Believe me, our security services know their jobs and what they are doing.”

Peskov stated that Skibitsky’s interview proved that Russia was justified in launching its “special military operation” in Ukraine 15 months ago, a conflict which Ukraine and the West describe as an unprovoked conquest war.

“The terrorist regime expresses its terrorist ambitions. Peskov stated that the special military operation is more than justifiable, more than required, and must be concluded by attaining its objectives.

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Earlier this month, the Kremlin characterized a drone attack on the Kremlin as a Ukrainian attempt to assassinate Putin, which Kyiv denied at the time.

Earlier on Thursday, The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies believed the drone attack was likely carried out by Ukrainian agents or military intelligence.

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The Russian assaults also resulted in numerous injuries. “A massive attack by the occupiers against civilians in the Kherson region: the death toll rises to 16,” the Kherson region prosecutor’s office said in a statement cited by a news agency. Reports indicate that approximately 22 individuals were injured. The injured were transported to the hospital immediately.

Russia claimed earlier in the day that drones were used to attack the Kremlin overnight in an attempt to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian news agency RIA reported that Russia reserved the right to retaliate.

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“The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures when and where it sees fit,” the Kremlin was quoted by Reuters as saying. According to the Kremlin, two Ukrainian drones were brought down.

Notably, after the alleged assault, unverified videos of smoke rising behind the main Kremlin Palace are circulating on social media. The footage depicts an enormous explosion within the Kremlin’s walled citadel. Ukraine, however, denied these allegations.

Russia’s military operation against Ukraine began in February of 2017. Since December of last year, more than 20,000 Russian soldiers have been slain, according to the White House.

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“I did not receive any information from the White House or Pentagon beforehand,” Zelensky was quoted as saying.

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He added, “It is unprofitable for us.” “It is detrimental to the White House’s reputation, and I believe it is also detrimental to the United States’ reputation.”

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In recent days, Russia and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, have been the target of multiple assaults.

In the past four days, two trains have been derailed by explosives, a suspected drone has caused a massive fire at an oil depot in Crimea, and power lines have exploded near Saint Petersburg.

The demonstrations occur as Russia prepares to observe May 9, a holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over the Nazis that has become a central event during the presidency of Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine has maintained its customary stance of not claiming responsibility for the attacks, which occurred as Kyiv proclaimed it is finalizing preparations for a spring offensive announced weeks earlier.

Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region in western Russia, stated on Tuesday that the train was derailed by a “unidentified explosive device.”

He stated that the bomb went off at Snezhetskaya station, outside of Bryansk, a city of approximately 370 thousand inhabitants near the Ukraine and Belarus borders.

“A locomotive and several wagons of the train derailed,” he reported, adding that no one was injured.

On Monday, a similar detonation near Unecha, in the same region but closer to the Ukraine border, caused a train to derail and catch fire.

Throughout its year-long offensive, the Kremlin has attempted to portray Russia as secure while its forces fight in Ukraine.

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Tuesday morning, it acknowledged a security threat.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated, “Of course, we are aware that the Kiev regime, which is responsible for a number of these attacks — terrorist attacks — intends to continue along this path.”

All of our intelligence services are taking every precaution to ensure national security.

Rail sabotage

Russian Railways also issued a statement stating that the derailment was caused by “unauthorized persons interfering with rail transport operations.”

No mention of an incendiary device was made.

The state operator reported that the incident occurred between Snezhetskaya and the adjacent village of Belye Berega at 7:47 p.m. local time (16:47 GMT).

It was reported that the front locomotive and “around 20 wagons” were derailed, and rail traffic in that section was suspended.

Since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, there have been numerous allegations of sabotage on Russian railways, but this week is the first time officials have confirmed attacks.

More than 65 people, including a third of minors, have been detained on charges of railway sabotage in around 20 regions of the country since the fall, according to a tally published in mid-April by the independent media outlet Mediazona.

Ukraine asserts that it has spent months preparing a counteroffensive intended at expelling Russian forces from the territory they currently control in the east and south.

Denmark has announced that it will provide $250 million in military aid to Ukraine in support of the forthcoming Ukrainian offensive.

The package included mine clearing vehicles, ammunition, and financial support for the acquisition of air defense, according to a statement from the Danish defense ministry.

“The equipment is necessary to pave the way for Ukrainian tanks and mechanized infantry on the front line,” said Troels Lund Poulsen, the interim defense minister.

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“I am able to fire. Could you foresee (a headline such as) “Russians seize the Ukrainian president”? This is an outrage. He told the 1 1 television channel, “I believe this would be a disgrace.”

In the initial days following the invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukrainian officials claimed that Russian intelligence units attempted to breach the city of Kiev but were repulsed and unable to reach the central Bankova Street, where the presidential offices are located.

Other Russian units attempted to advance on the fringes of Kiev, but were unsuccessful. Additionally, city officials reported several failed sabotage attempts.

“I believe we would not be here if they had entered the administration,” Zelenskiy said. It was unclear to which Russian divisions he referred.

“No one would have been captured because our defense of Bankova Street was meticulously planned.” We would have stayed until the end,” he said.

When asked if he carried a pistol and practiced using it, he responded affirmatively, denying that he might have used it to commit suicide rather than be captured.

“No, no, no. It is not my intention (to fire) myself. Certainly, to fire back,” he said.

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As one of the buildings exploded, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted, “Right now, residential areas where ordinary people and children live are under attack.”

“This cannot become another ordinary day in Ukraine or anywhere else in the globe. “The world needs greater unity and resolve to defeat Russian terrorism and save lives more quickly,” he wrote.A nearby playground and parking lot were littered with broken glass, detritus, and wrecked vehicles. Reuters reported that emergency personnel carried out the injured and escorted those who could walk.

After a drone struck two college dormitories in Rzhyshchiv, a riverside town south of the capital Kyiv, at least four people were murdered, 20 were injured, and four are still missing.During the night, drones swarmed the Ukrainian capital and large portions of the north. According to the Ukrainian military, 16 of 21 Iranian suicide drones were brought down.

All of this occurred as Putin was tendering farewell to his “dear friend” Xi Jinping, who was in Moscow on a state visit.Zelenskyy wrote, ostensibly in reference to Xi Jinping’s visit to the Russian capital, “Every time someone tries to hear the word ‘peace’ in Moscow, another order for such criminal strikes is issued.”

Vladimir Putin’s hosting of Xi Jinping in Moscow this week was his most significant diplomatic move since he launched the conflict more than a year ago. The two men referred to one another as “dear friend,” vowed economic cooperation, condemned the West, and described the state of their relationship as the best it had ever been. The conflict in Ukraine was not mentioned in Xi Jinping’s statement.

HOW LONG WILL THE WAR LAST?

Ukraine has maintained that peace is impossible without Russia’s withdrawal from occupied territory. Moscow asserts that Kyiv must acknowledge territorial “reality,” referring to Russia’s claim that it has annexed nearly one-fifth of Ukraine.

After Ukraine recaptured territory, including Kherson, in the latter part of 2022, Russia launched a massive winter offensive utilising hundreds of thousands of newly activated reservists and mercenaries recruited from prison.Despite the most intense fighting of the conflict, the front line has hardly shifted in the past four months.

Russia’s only notable gains have been near Bakhmut, but Kyiv has decided not to withdraw there in recent weeks, claiming that its defenders are inflicting sufficient losses on the Russian assailants to justify holding out.

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Once additional Western weapons, such as battle tanks, arrive in Kiev, the Ukrainian military command is likely to commence a spring counteroffensive. In essence, there is no apparent conclusion.

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In light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he stated, as reported by TASS, a Russian state-run news agency, that “next year there will be no money, and we require foreign investors.” In 2022, at the beginning of the conflict, the Russian oligarch demanded an end to Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Deripaska stated that foreign investors, notably those from “friendly” nations, also play a significant role. He was quoted as saying that attracting foreign investments will depend on Russia’s ability to create favourable conditions and attractive markets.

In an effort to deprive the Kremlin of resources for its aggression, Western nations have imposed more than 11,300 sanctions and sequestered approximately $300 billion of Russia’s foreign reserves since the invasion in February 2022.

However, China has provided a financial reprieve to the Russian government by purchasing its energy, replacing Western suppliers of products such as machinery and base metals. However, Moscow has a long way to go before it can recover the money lost from exports and other income sources as a result of the sanctions.

This month, Russia will reduce oil production, and Western sanctions may be tightened further. Oleg Deripaska noted that Russia’s economic prospects are ultimately determined by events in Ukraine.According to government documents, Russia’s economic output declined by 2.1% in 2017. In January, the country’s revenue decreased 35% compared to the previous year, while its expenditures increased 59%. This resulted in a deficit of approximately $23.3 billion.

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According to data released on Friday, the value of European Union imports from Russia decreased by 51% between February and December of last year. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union was one of Russia’s most important commercial partners, accounting for 38 percent of its exports in 2020.

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NEW DELHI: EU foreign and security policy chief Josep Borrell dismissed Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s claim that countries are suffering due to the West’s response to the Ukraine crisis on Friday, stating that it is “incredible that someone could lie…in this fashion.” Borrell, who was in New Delhi to attend the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting and participate in the Raisina Dialogue, also discussed the EU’s efforts to establish stronger trade and technology ties with India in an interview. Extracted excerpts:

You participated in a frantic G20 foreign ministers meeting that concluded without a joint communique. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, has blamed the West for the conflict in Ukraine and stated that other countries are suffering as a result of the West’s response.

Everyone is aware that the European fleet is obstructing Ukrainian grain exports, and everyone is aware that our vessels were obstructing Ukrainian grain exports, correct? Who was preventing cereals from leaving Ukraine? Russian naval forces. Who infiltrated the Ukraine? Has Russia been invaded by a third party? No. This is a complete denial of reality, in my opinion. Lavrov inhabits an alternate universe.

Who was attacked? Who prevented Ukrainian cuisine from reaching Africans? Who has caused problems for the global economy? … the claim that Russia was defending [against] the West’s attacks and that the consequences are being caused by European sanctions – it’s unfathomable that someone could deceive about this.

Concerned that the lack of consensus at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, which was centred on Ukraine, could detract from the G20’s other challenges?

This conflict was not precipitated by a natural disaster; it was initiated by a deliberate decision. Hence, let’s refer to this as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are aware that there are many other problems and catastrophes in the world, including economic issues, inflation, and escalating energy and food prices. The fact that we are supporting Ukraine does not imply that we are forsaking or ignoring [other issues]. We continue to engage in the same activities as before the conflict. But it appears like people take it for granted.

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In addition to what we have done for Ukraine, not a single euro has been diverted from another source to Ukraine. There have been additional expenditures. We remain dedicated to our engagement with everyone in the globe, especially with our partners and the most vulnerable nations. We are the largest cooperative organisation in the globe. We are the largest contributor to humanitarian assistance. We have the largest climate change budget.

Foreign minister Lavrov also stated that one of the reasons Russia did not sign a joint statement was that since the G20 Summit in 2022, many things have changed and the Bali consensus does not reflect the current situation.

Things have significantly worsened. The distinction is that the conflict has been ongoing whereas Russia is currently destroying Ukraine. The Russian Army has performed very poorly and has been retreated. Now that they cannot subjugate the territory, they are simply bombing and destroying it daily. Perhaps Lavrov mentioned this as one of the most significant distinctions between Bali and the present.

India has ambitious G20 proposals for assisting the rest of the globe, particularly the Global South. How do you envision the EU and India collaborating to accomplish these objectives?

India is becoming a significant geopolitical actor. It is quite evident given its economic development, size as the world’s most populous nation, and fifth-largest GDP. It is one of the geopolitical actors with whom we wish to have a stronger relationship. Even though we are devoting considerable political, financial, and military resources to supporting Ukraine, we are not oblivious to global events. We are aware of India’s concerns regarding climate change, digitalization, growth, and destitution. Before the conflict, we were good partners with India, and we will be even better partners after the war.

Russia and India have a very robust strategic partnership and defence and energy ties. Does the EU intend to assist India in diversifying its sources of energy and military hardware? The new India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) may be able to aid in such endeavours.

We wish to increase our technological and commercial ties with India. However, since you bring it up, we are not at all concerned about India’s crude purchases from Russia. If they can purchase it at a lower price, you will benefit. Our objective is to reduce and diminish Russia’s financial capacity, specifically their income from energy sales. However, we are aware that the oil market must be balanced, and if nobody in the world purchased Russian oil, we would be in difficulty because the market would be extremely unbalanced. Therefore, it is not a concern for us and beneficial for India if India can purchase Russian oil at a lower price.

But would you strive to increase trade and technology links through the TTC, perhaps in terms of defence and new critical technologies?

This is our intention and the mission of the TTC. It is in our best interest to become a stronger partner with India. It is a matter of self-interest rather than solidarity. We seek engagement with an emerging power such as India, knowing full well that the world in which we will live is already multipolar and that India will be one of the poles of this multipolarity. We Europeans aspire to be a pole, and if we wish for the world to be not only multipolar but also multilateral, we must ensure that the poles are in close contact with one another in order to create peace and prosperity together.

The European pole must establish stronger economic, technological, and political ties with the Indian pole because India is expanding its geopolitical capabilities. Now that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has created this duality between the West and Russia, we must make everyone aware that this war is not between Russia and the West, nor is Russia defending itself against an attack that never occurred. It relates to the United Nations Charter and the principles that govern our peaceful coexistence. This is the crux of the issue, and we urge everyone to make it plain to Russia that they oppose this act of aggression.

What has transpired thus far in the India-EU negotiations for agreements on free trade, investments, and geographical indications, and do you have a timetable for their conclusion?

I believe no one has [a timeline]. I’ve been speaking with my acquaintance, India’s foreign minister. I am aware that both sides are interested in this. On the new geopolitical terrain and with this new multipolarity, these trade relationships will need to be developed while seeking complementarities and avoiding excessive dependencies. Because the global market has demonstrated that trade is beneficial, it is a win-win situation when it enhances economic performance.

However, we must avoid dependence similar to that with Russia. One of the most remarkable aspects of this war is that we have reduced our dependence on energy. Before the conflict, forty percent of our gas came from Russia, but now it’s almost zero. The same can be said about coal and hydrocarbons. We must pay attention to complementarity in energy and digitalization, which will be the privileged fields of cooperation that enable both of us to benefit from our relationship without falling into harmful dependencies.

The Indo-Pacific is a focus for both India and Europe. Additionally, India views the Indo-Pacific in terms of Chinese challenges. How can India and the EU collaborate in this area, and what can the EU do to assist India in overcoming these challenges?

In this century, the Indo-Pacific will be the stage where history is written. No longer is it the Atlantic or central Europe. The fault lines of humanity will be in the Pacific, where the conflict between China and the United States will occur. We have presented an Indo-Pacific strategy that [illustrates] how we will interact with regional nations. We do not want to view the Indo-Pacific solely through the lens of conflict between the United States and China. I believe there is also ample space for complementarity. The Indo-Pacific consists of more than just China. Southeast Asia has thriving economies, as evidenced by the increasing capacity of nations such as Vietnam. The significance of our relationship with India in this Indo-Pacific strategy cannot be overstated. Again, we note that India has the largest population and the fifth-largest economy on the planet. By the end of this decade, the economy could be the third largest. How could the Europeans therefore not have India on their radar? Certainly, we have it, and we are well aware that our future will depend heavily on the Indo-Pacific region becoming a peaceful region, free of the tensions we have been living with on the European front, and on efforts to calm, control, and avert a conflict between the United States and China. In addition, China will be a major geopolitical power. That this occurs peacefully, integrating the new global power that China and India will represent. The entire order must acknowledge that the world has changed significantly since 1945, when India was still a colony and China did not exist economically. In the past seventy-five years, the world has undergone remarkable change. I believe that this is the greatest change in the annals of humanity, as well as the greatest shift of technological and economic capacity from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Is it possible for India and the EU to work together to assure climate justice and a transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly by encouraging developed nations to provide financial and technological assistance to the Global South?

The energy transition necessary to combat climate change must be a just one. If not, it will not occur. If we cannot provide the world’s impoverished with clean, affordable energy, they will use an alternative source. We cannot demand that two-thirds of humanity cease development due to climate change. We must provide a solution that combines their development, which will require significantly more energy, and the requirement that this energy be of a distinct type. In economic terms, this will constitute creative devastation. Due to technological advancements, some assets will lose value, and some capital will be annihilated. It implies that something will be lost, and losing something requires resources. We must recognise that two-thirds of humanity must increase their energy consumption. The solution will not come from a global reduction in energy consumption. We, the developed world, can afford to consume less because our consumption is excessive and inefficient. However, two-thirds of humanity must increase their consumption because their degree of development is so low that it cannot be reduced further. 600 million individuals in Africa have never seen an electric light bulb. How do I convince them to consume less? I cannot reduce my consumption if I am not consuming anything. The central concern is how to provide energy that is both affordable and environmentally friendly. The future of the struggle against climate change will be determined by the two-thirds of humanity that is still energy-hungry.

Are you concerned that the Ukraine conflict will ultimately suffocate all efforts to resolve the other issues you mentioned?

Well, Ukraine does not represent all of the world’s problems. Unfortunately, hundreds of millions of people do not reside in Ukraine, and they face numerous difficulties. However, Ukraine is a pivotal juncture in modern history. You know, the day my phone called at 5 a.m. and a voice informed me that they were bombing Kyiv, I realised that history had turned a page and that we were entering a new world, a world with fierce competition and where war was once again a reality – for us Europeans, war had been a distant memory. And international relations will be considerably more difficult. And power politics was approaching in a manner that posed a significant threat to humanity.

Consequently, Ukraine does not represent all of humanity’s issues. However, Ukraine is a pivotal moment in our history. Depending on how the conflict concludes, the world will be drastically altered. However, we will provide Ukraine with as much assistance as it requires because the international community should not tolerate and cannot afford the law of the stronger, the law of the gun. Because if this occurs in Ukraine, it will occur elsewhere tomorrow. This is the most compelling argument I can make to all of my opponents: if the aggressor prevails, the world will become a very perilous place.

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According to people with knowledge of the situation, the members of the European Union were unable to reach a consensus regarding a new set of sanctions, and as a result, officials are scheduled to meet again on Friday morning in an attempt to get the measures passed.

Both China and Brazil have put forward ideas that they believe could contribute to bringing an end to the war; however, it is highly unlikely that either of these ideas will acquire traction.

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After the Kremlin suspended Russia’s participation in the New START treaty, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on Thursday that the alliance will closely monitor what Russia does with its nuclear weapons. The one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is the following day.

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