Russia launched a major daytime drone attack at Ukraine that lasted for hours. Ukrainian drones hit an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic. Russia protracts an exchange with Ukraine that would swap 1,000 war prisoners from each side, Lubinets says.
Russia launched major daytime drone attack at Ukraine that lasted for hours
Russia unleashed a major daytime drone attack on Ukraine on Wednesday. The drones were launched in waves throughout the day. Ukraine’s defense intelligence warned of a possible missile strike that could follow.
Russia tries to vary the tactic of its drone strikes, advisor on defense technology to the Ukrainian Defense Minister, drone and electronic warfare expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov said, describing Wednesday’s major attack. The Shahed drones were flying in a large swarm, one after another, 5 to 10 kilometers away from the border with Belarus, he said.
Russia is trying to “overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses so that as many aerial targets as possible penetrate the country’s westernmost parts,” Beskrestnov explained.
“The adversary is preparing for such attacks by conducting reconnaissance of our jamming systems and air defense positions. Our task is to foresee the enemy’s moves,” he added.
At least nine people were injured in Kherson as a drone hit a bus in the central part of the city on Wednesday morning. A woman was injured in a drone attack on a bus in Bilozerka in Kherson region on Wednesday.
Eight people were killed and 11 others were injured across the region of Dnipro on Tuesday, head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Hanzha said.
In the city of Kryvyi Rih, two people were killed and at least four others wounded. Two people were taken to hospital, including a nine-month-old baby.
Ukraine drones hit oil pumping station in Bashkortostan Republic
Ukrainian drones struck an industrial site, oil terminal and pumping station in several Russian regions overnight into Wednesday.
Drone debris fell at an industrial site in the village of Volna in Krasnodar region, setting fire to some of the equipment, regional authorities said. A man was reportedly injured.
Exilenova+ Telegram channel said storage tanks of the Tamanneftegas oil terminal and transportation operator located in the Black Sea port of Taman were on fire.
The facility is one of Russia’s key sea export hubs, Exilenova+ said, adding: “Considerable export volumes of crude oil and oil products run through the terminal, securing revenues in foreign currency for the Russian economy and military machine.”
The Nurlino oil pumping station in the Bashkortostan Republic was also targeted. One person was reportedly injured in Taman. Drone debris were discovered in several places there.
In Yaroslavl, a drone hit an industrial site, regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said.
The Russian defense ministry said the country’s air defenses shot down 286 Ukrainian drones across the regions as well as over Crimea and the Black and Azov seas. Ukraine did not comment on the attack.
Russia protracts exchange with Ukraine that would swap 1,000 war prisoners from each side, Lubinets says
Ukraine has completed its part of preparations for the exchange with Russia that would swap 1,000 prisoners from each country. The exchange is delayed because of Russia’s position, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets said on national television on Tuesday, according to Ukrinform.
“The delay only results from the position of the Russian side. In my public comments I always say that even when you have made an agreement with Russia, you can never be 100 per cent sure that it will be kept,” Lubinets said.
He added that the work on the exchange continues with talks happening daily, including his contacts with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova.
“The Ukrainian side and the Ukrainian group of negotiators have had their work done a long time ago. We have passed [them] the lists a long time ago and we continue to insist on a priority return of certain groups. These are heavily injured, sick or those who are kept prisoner since 2022,” he said.
Lubinets explained that the news on an upcoming prisoner swap became public because of the U.S. position. Ukraine started to openly comment on the exchange, responding to Russia’s accusations that it had derailed the swap.
On May 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said Ukraine and Russia would be exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war. He said the agreement was mediated by the U.S.
Speaking at a May 9 parade, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Ukraine refused a prisoner swap. He said Russia had sent Ukraine a respective proposal and a list of 500 Ukrainian war prisoners. The Office of the President of Ukraine denied the claims as untrue.
A prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine that would swap 1,000 prisoners from each country is being prepared and will happen, Zelenskyi said Sunday. The U.S. has guaranteed it will happen, he added.
