(Image by NEIVANMADE)

As Ukraine moves into the small hours of the night, the air raid alerts for drone strikes and the possibility of more missile attacks.

An intense night in Kharkiv. There were about a dozen explosions—Russian drones detonating just outside the city. Now, Russian drones are in Kharkiv itself, and we’ve received a warning about possible ballistic missiles heading our way.
01:17

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:18 PM

The Ukrainians are counter attacking, but Russian ballistic missiles are still hitting their Ukrainian civilian targets:

Two waves of Ukrainian drones heading into Russia now, some have turned towards Moscow. Meanwhile the whole of eastern Ukraine is on alert. T.me/dronbomber map compiled from Russian sources.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM

Russian ballistic missile hits Svitlovodsk, Kirovohrad Oblast. Russian/Iranian Shahed flying bomb drones in south (Odesa) and central Ukraine. 112 UA drones over Russia, Moscow mayor says 18 shot down over Moscow. Another ballistic missile launched towards Poltava – 3 explosions.

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 7:36 PM

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

Hundreds of Ukrainian Companies Are Already Producing Results for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, With More to Follow – Address by the President

27 May 2025 – 20:29

I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!

A few updates for today. I held an extended meeting with the military leadership: Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Hnatov; Defense Minister Umerov was also present. The agenda included planning our actions, our readiness to respond to Russian strikes, to their threats, and taking preventive measures, which means increasing the production of our drones and our missiles. I am grateful to everyone working toward this goal. Hundreds of Ukrainian companies are already producing results for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, with more to follow – I’m certain of that. We are now fully mobilizing our entrepreneurial capacity for weapons production. We are also preparing new agreements with our European partners in the near future, to attract investment into Ukrainian production. First and foremost, this means the production of unmanned systems and long-range capabilities – everything that allows us to maintain control on the front lines, protect the lives of our warriors, and operate at significant distances. Of course, we cannot publicly disclose our existing plans and our capabilities, but the prospect is clear: to respond symmetrically to all Russian threats and challenges. They in Russia must clearly feel the consequences of what they are doing against Ukraine. And they will. Attack drones, interceptors, cruise missiles, Ukrainian ballistic systems – these are the key elements. We must manufacture all of them.

I was also briefed today by Government officials on our country’s economic prospects, the decisions needed to ensure the operation of enterprises in Ukraine – those that already exist, as well as the establishment of new businesses. We are working in detail on practical changes to attract capital to Ukraine and to enable the most mutually beneficial cooperation with partners for investment and Ukraine’s recovery. A normal social life in Ukraine, the development of our infrastructure, our communities, Ukrainian healthcare, and our educational opportunities – everything that sustains people’s lives – is only possible with real and tangible economic growth. This is a key task for the Government.

And one more thing.

Today, for the first time in May, we celebrate the professional holiday of the personnel of our Special Operations Forces. This is one of the most effective components of our Ukrainian defense. Truly awesome guys. Today, I had the honor of personally thanking them, presenting awards to some and handing over Orders of the Golden Star to the families of fallen Heroes. We must never forget the kind of people who have stood up to defend Ukraine and who are truly keeping it alive. Everyone who has fought and continues to fight for Ukraine, everyone who works for our state and for our people – all deserve our deepest gratitude. Independence is upheld by those who fight for it and strengthen it.

Glory to Ukraine!

Georgia:

A man was detained by 25 policemen yesterday after he burned the Georgian Dream flag.

Today, on Day 181, the regime flag was burned again, and this time with an unmasked woman.

She further added: “This is how we will get rid of you too!”

#GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 PM

1/ Yesterday, on May 26, following a protest rally, citizen Ucha Kemashvili was arrested. Kemashvili is known for distributing fruit to demonstrators. On that day, he burned the Georgian Dream flag. The police are accusing him of disobeying a lawful order from a police officer.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:56 AM

“Burning cloth, handing out fruit, or making TikToks isn’t punishable. The suspicion is that 10–20 officers approached him, claimed he resisted, and used that as a pretext to detain him,” said lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:56 AM

Around 30 policemen grabbed Strong Georgia youth member Luka Natsvlishvili and took him to an unknown destination as the Independence Day rally in Batumi was concluding.

They gave no reason or explanation.

Luka has been abducted and detained by the regime. #terrorinGeorgia

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM

‪They gave Luka 12 days jail and we still don’t know for what exactly. Not like it matters. ‬

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 2:05 PM

⭕️According to @rjukneviciene.bsky.social, five MEPs from the @europarl.europa.eu’s DROI delegation were denied access to visit jailed journalist Mზია Amaglobeli in #Georgia.

MEP @lenaats.bsky.social was also blocked from visiting her during a prior trip on May 16–18.
#FreeMzia
#MediaUnderAttack

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) May 27, 2025 at 1:18 PM

Bachiashvili was detained. We are all very confused.

Some now reflect on Zurab Pololikashvili’s statement that his Secretary General of UN Tourism position (and Georgia’s prominence) was traded off by the GD with Arabs over a favour.

And Bachiashvili was in UAE.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 4:15 AM

By the way, check out this article just just came out yesterday to have a better look into how dictator Ivanishvili thinks and operates.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m…

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 4:33 AM

🧵1/ Georgian Dream’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze responded to a joint statement by the leaders of France, Germany, and Poland — in which Macron, Tusk, and Merz condemned Georgian Dream’s anti-democratic actions:

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM

2/ “As for this trilateral statement, it’s clear that the so-called ‘deep state’ is strong in Europe. That’s obvious from everything. To say nothing of the substance — even the etiquette is telling”.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM

3/ “Issuing this kind of statement on May 26 is inappropriate. May 26 is a celebratory day, and on such a day, it’s customary to send congratulatory letters and make festive statements”

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM

4/ „They don’t even follow protocol or basic etiquette. This shows they’re not acting based on real, objective interests — not even their own — and are instead following a line that goes against their actual interests. That is deeply regrettable and unfortunate”.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM

5/ The joint statement by the Presidents of France and Poland and the Chancellor of Germany was issued on Georgia’s Independence Day. They condemned GD’s actions against civil society, the media and government critics, urging the repeal of laws that contradict European standards.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM

Prominent activist Niko Managadze reveals important information regarding the October 4 local elections – both in terms of how these elections will be conducted and the uneasy condition the regime finds itself in. 1/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

He said he had, before the fraudulent Parliamentary elections, entertained the idea that in case of the opposition’s (legitimate) defeat, he’d run as an independent candidate for the local elections in his native Kutaisi. 2/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

Now, however, he sees no point in entering a fraud, and warns against legitimizing the Georgian Dream by participation – in addition to other concerns such as guaranteed low turnout. 3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

Some weeks or months ago, the Georgian Dream representatives spoke to him and assured him that they would grant him victory in his district in Kutaisi, as long as he simply ran for the office. Nothing else was required of him, no deals or adjustments with the regime, just participation. 4/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

Managadze immediately refused the offer, but he says he can imagine what pressure or lucrative prospects are presented to parties, especially the four coalitions/parties that passed the Parliamentary threshold and have been more or less established as the main ones in these last 7 months. 5/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

Managadze believes the GD is desperate to at least have “competitive” in int’l assessment of the local elections, and that even if some random parties take part, without the 4 major ones the GD risks being alone on ballots in most rural municipalities where very few have party infrastructure. 6/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

He requests that Gakharia – For Georgia abandon their (apparent) plans to announce participation TODAY;

Encourages Strong Georgia to make decision based on national interests rather than fears for their local structure collapse, since worse is coming if anyone participates in these elections. 7/7.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:58 AM

Giorgi Bachiashvili told this to The Guardian.

According to it, Ivanishvili’s lawyer denied that a “voodoo doctor” lived with him. He said: “These statements by Bachiashvili are absurd. I can assure you that no doctor lives with him and no experiments are being conducted”.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 7:33 AM

I really got nothing on that last one.

The US:

Well! That’s going to have Putin shaking in his tiny platform shoes!

Trump sounds like a kid making threats in a school playground.

He’s reducing the US to an international laughing stock.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 12:01 PM

He seems to be saying he’s been protecting Russia for some time already…

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 12:11 PM

The UN:

After 3 days of consecutive attacks on Ukraine, Russia calls UN meeting over alleged European ‘threats to peace’
->Kyiv Independent | #StandWithUkraine #RussiaUkraineWar #Peace | More info from EcoSearch

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— Climate, Ecology, War and More by Dr. Glen Barry (@bigearthdata.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 8:38 AM

From The Kyiv Independent:

Moscow requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council over Europe’s alleged “threats to international peace and security,” Russia’s U.N. envoy, Dmitry Polyansky, said on May 27, only a day after Russia launched its largest drone attack against Ukraine.

Russia launched a three-day wave of aerial attacks from May 24 to May 26, firing more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine. On May 26, Russian forces carried out the most extensive drone attack of the full-scale war, reportedly involving 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.

Moscow, which holds a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council, requested the session because of what it called attempts by European countries to prevent a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine, according to Polyansky.

Russia expects the meeting to be scheduled for May 30, one day after another Security Council meeting requested by Ukraine’s European allies over the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.

Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly called for a complete ceasefire to bring the war to a close. Russia has consistently rejected these proposals, only escalating its attacks against Ukrainian cities and reportedly preparing a new offensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin again refused to support a full ceasefire in Ukraine during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19. Instead, the Kremlin proposed drafting a “memorandum” on a possible future peace settlement.

Recent peace talks in Istanbul, the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, failed to achieve a breakthrough, with a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange seen as the only tangible result.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia’s weeklong delay in preparing a proposal on a peace settlement a “mockery of the whole world.”

Back to Ukraine.

The cost:

Ukraine bids farewell to young mother Anna, who shielded her son Mark during a russian attack.
Every parent’s heart must be breaking into a thousand pieces reading this.
Please, pray for Mark’s recovery — he is still fighting for his life.
russia must be defeated.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM

Evacuation of fallen Ukrainian reconnaissance drones Leleka and Mara by using other drones. By the 63rd Brigade. t.me/ombr_63/1234

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 8:37 AM

✈🇺🇦 Its rumble over the fields and forests is a call to fight, and each maneuver is a step towards the defense of Ukraine, inspiring the hearts of the nation. Today it flies to meet the challenges, proudly carrying the flag of freedom in the sky!

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 8:33 AM

The Kursk cross border offensive:

✈🇺🇦 Effective combat work of the Air Force to defeat ground targets in the Kursk region. The orcs are very fond of our GBU-39s and more. It’s going to get better! 💥

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM

Somewhere along the front:

SDB airstrikes on the Russian frontline positions by Su-27 t.me/soniah_hub/1…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM

The Russian border with Donetsk Oblast:

The Washington Post reports that Russia is planning a major offensive with the main strike focused on the Donetsk region.

Believing that time is on his side, Putin has moved over 125,000 troops to the borders.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0…

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM

From The Washington Post:

KYIV — Russia is expected to mount a major offensive this summer against Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region which it has been trying to conquer since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian military officials and analysts said.

The warnings over the offensive, which some analysts say has already begun, come as a U.S.-brokered peace process has limped along with inconclusive meetings and little concrete results. Russia has rejected repeated U.S. and European calls for an immediate ceasefire.

U.S. analysts have said that Russian President Vladimir Putin appears confident that he can still win the war militarily though sanctions and heavy casualties may be slowly eroding Russia’s war machine, and this summer could be its last chance for a major push.

Controlling Donetsk region in its entirety has been a priority for Putin since he failed to capture Kyiv at the start of the war in 2022. In September of that year, Putin declared the whole of Donetsk region, along with three other Ukrainian regions, to be part of the Russian Federation — despite not having totally conquered any of them.

The analysis that Russia is seeking to gain more territory comes as it insists it is interested in discussing peace but says that a cessation of hostilities can only come by addressing the “root causes” of the conflict. Following direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on May 16, each side agreed to draw up a memorandum detailing its principles for any agreement.

In the meanwhile, Russia over the weekend launched some of its largest airstrikes against Ukraine since the invasion began.

Accompanying the main push into Donetsk, of which it controls about 70 percent, the Kremlin plans to carry out smaller attacks along the border of Ukraine’s northeast Sumy and Kharkiv regions to put more pressure on Ukraine’s already overstretched front-line troops, say analysts.

Russia’s plan is to “try to pin down Ukrainian forces along the front line, including in Sumy and Kharkiv regions, but otherwise they will prioritize Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka,” said Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies, speaking of the two Donetsk towns which Russia has been trying to capture for almost a year.

He added that though Kostiantynivka was not on the verge of being taken, it was a “promising” prospect for the Russians at present, as Russia was in a position to attack it from three different directions.

Analysts had predicted last summer that the two towns would fall by December and Russia’s difficulty in taking them reflects Ukraine’s massive effort to defend them. But Ukraine is still struggling with recruitment and firepower, meaning the coming months will be yet another challenge.

Russia, meanwhile, is exceeding its military recruitment targets, but it still lacks the numbers needed for multiple successful offensives, say analysts and Ukrainian military officials.

“I expect them to focus on Donetsk region, everything else will be diversion and dispersion of Ukrainian resources and attention,” said Bielieskov, adding that prioritizing Sumy or Kharkiv region won’t give the Russians the chunk of territory they are looking for.

More at the link.

The Dnipro River:

The Russians tried to cross the river by boat, hoping to secretly break through to the rear. But they were spotted by operators of the “Sky Ryders” unit and sent to feed the fish.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 2:07 PM

“Pack” from the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade destroyed a small assault group of Russians along with the boat that brought them to an island in the Kherson region.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM

Multiple locations in Russia:

Drone attack triggers airport closures across Russia, claims of 99 drones intercepted

Several airports temporary suspended flights following reported drone strikes in Tula, Voronezh, and Kaluga.
euromaidanpress.com/2025/05/27/d…

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— Euromaidan Press (@euromaidanpress.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 8:38 AM

From EuroMaidan Press:

On 27 May, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 99 Ukrainian drones between 20:00 on 26 May and 07:00 on 27 May. Despite these efforts, several airports in Russia were temporarily closed as a result of the ongoing drone strikes. Local sources confirmed air defense activity, but there were no immediate reports of damage from the attack.

Ukraine has been conducting an air campaign against Russian strategic targets such as ammunition depots, command centers, military factories, oil processing and storage facilities.

Drone strikes targeted several Russian regions overnight, including the Tula and Voronezh oblasts. Explosions were reported in the cities of Novomoskovsk and Uzlovaya in Tula, as well as in Borisoglebsk in Voronezh. Also, one drone being shot down was captured on video in Murom.

Local residents described hearing multiple explosions, with flashes visible in the sky. Russian officials from Tula and Voronezh stated that over 20 drones were detected over four municipalities in Voronezh, with debris from one downed drone sparking a forest fire in the east of the oblast. The fire was quickly extinguished, according to regional authorities.

In response to the drone attack, airports in several Russian regions were temporarily closed for safety. The Russian authorities imposed restrictions on civilian air traffic in airports located in Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, and Tambov. However, by the morning of 27 May, air traffic in Saratov resumed as the restrictions were lifted.

The Russian aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, confirmed that safety measures were taken across several airports.

More at the link.

Tula Oblast, Russia:

“ATESH” partisans disrupted Russian railway supplies to the occupiers’ army in the Kursk direction with a fire attack. In the Tula region, they disabled a relay cabinet, paralyzing military train movement on a vital section of the route.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:37 AM

Borisoglebsk. Voronezh Oblast, Russia:

Reports online say that the Murom Instrument-Making Plant was also hit. The consequences are still unknown, but eyewitnesses are reporting explosions in Borisoglebsk. Due to the attack, the Russians implemented the “Carpet” plan at several airports.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

DOGS OF WAR:

Mariana met those two little dogs near the park, dressed in red outfits. They immediately ran up to her and started posing when she pulled out her camera to take a picture.

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— Tim Mak (@timkmak.bsky.social) May 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM

Open thread!