It’s been a long short week, I’m fried, so I’m just going to run through the basics tonight.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Russia Is Dragging Out the War and Doing Everything It Can Simply to Deceive the Countries That Are Still Trying to Influence Moscow With Words Rather Than Pressure – Address by the President
29 May 2025 – 19:20
I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
Today, I’m already in Kyiv – an active day after the visit to Germany. All the agreements must be implemented as soon as possible. This concerns air defense first and foremost – the top priority – but also investments: investments in our production – weapons production and beyond – as well as all our other joint projects. We highly value cooperation with Germany – this is one of those cases when bilateral relations between our countries help all of our Europe. I want to thank Chancellor Merz personally for the good decisions – more joint production, increased funding, development of IRIS-T capabilities for Ukraine, missiles for Patriot systems – that’s what matters most. Thank you.
Today, I held a meeting with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Umerov, Foreign Minister Sybiha, and Head of the Presidential Office Yermak regarding our diplomatic efforts. We maintain daily coordination with our partners and are preparing additional meetings for this week.
Today, we had conversations with both American and European partners. It’s important to speak honestly – everyone in the world – especially those who have supported a ceasefire. Russia is dragging out the war and doing everything it can simply to deceive the countries that are still trying to influence Moscow with words rather than pressure. Words do not work with Moscow. Even the so-called “memorandum,” which they promised and allegedly spent over a week preparing – no one has seen it yet. It has not been shared with Ukraine. It has not been shared with our partners. They haven’t even shared the new agenda with Türkiye – the country that hosted the first meeting. Although they promised the exact opposite, and above all, they promised it to the United States, to President Trump. Another Russian deception. They are doing everything to ensure the meetings are meaningless. And that is yet another reason why there should be sufficient sanctions, sufficient pressure on Russia. Today, Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi delivered a report on the frontline and on our long-range activity inside Russian territory. I thank our guys for their precision. And it is only fair – it is in Russia that they must feel what war truly is in order to be willing to engage in diplomacy.
And one more thing.
Today, I spoke with Ukraine’s Finance Minister Marchenko about Ukraine’s long-term financial outlook – ensuring support for the army, maintaining Ukraine’s resilience, and securing budget payments. Stability and predictability for our people are essential. We are working on this together with our partners – including in preparation for the upcoming G7 meetings. Thank you to everyone standing with Ukraine. Thank you to everyone defending our state.
Glory to Ukraine!
Georgia:
Great. The regime has refused entry to so many Polish and EU citizens in general that now the Embassy of Poland issues a warning to essentially think twice before attempting to enter Georgia.
This must be a tremendously positive light for 🇬🇪’s already questionable 🇪🇺 visa-free.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 3:10 AM
1/ Opposition politician Nika Melia was arrested in Tbilisi by the police while on his way to appear as a guest on a podcast.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
2/ Melia’s lawyer stated that a patrol police crew stopped the politician, after which several officers — including members of the criminal police — detained him using force, without providing any explanation.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
3/ According to the MIA, Nika Melia “was detained by law enforcement officers under Article 173 of the Code of Admin Offenses, which pertains to verbal abuse of a law enforcement officer and/or other insulting behavior toward them.”
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
4/ The Ministry stated that “in order to review the case of the administrative offense and to make the appropriate decision, Nika Melia will be brought before the court in accordance with procedures defined by law.”
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
5/ Melia’s court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. He had announced that he did not intend to attend. The case concerns his refusal to appear before a Georgian Dream’s investigative commission.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
6/ For the same charge, a member of the same coalition, Zurab Japaridze, has already been placed in pre-trial detention by the court after his denial to pay the bail. Former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili has also been placed in pre-trial detention on the same charge.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Eyewitnesses report that hundreds of Criminal Police officers were present, preventing anyone, including Melia’s guards, from filming the incident. They confiscated camera memory cards and discarded them.
— Anna Gvarishvili (@annagvarish.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 1:30 PM
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 1:58 PM
It seems like everyone who’s had quite major differences with Nika Melia is currently standing physically with his team. ✊🏻
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Anzor Melia, the father of now-jailed opposition leader Nika Melia, said that Nika’s son had asked him:
“Grandma, daddy was supposed to be jailed tomorrow. Why did they jail him today?”
Please, let that sink in.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Giorgi Bachiashvili, whom Ivanishvili considers a very personal enemy, was kidnapped and brought to 🇬🇪 where nobody knows what they’ll do to him in prison.
Georgian Airways, a regime enabled business, took part in it.
Are there laws prohibiting airlines from kidnapping people?
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Wanna ask questions to Georgian protesters and know what their thoughts, feelings, hopes, inspirations and insecurities are?
A great time can provide first-hand answers for you👇🏻
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Back to Ukraine.
Saturday marked the most extensive drone strike against Ukraine during the full-scale war, with 298 drones launched at Ukraine — until the next day. On Sunday night, Russia broke its record again, launching 355 drones at Ukraine.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) May 29, 2025 at 2:36 PM
⚡️🇺🇦 Ukraine has developed a compact laser turret called “SlimBeam” that can neutralize drones at a distance of up to 1 km.
Short specifications:
– wavelength – 1080 nm;
– power – 1,500 W;
– range – 20-800 m;
– operating time – 30 min;
– weight – 50 kg.— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Fiber optic drones of the 28th Brigade destroyed hangars with Russian equipment from the inside
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Russian hangar with equipment prepared for assault: motorcycles, drone jammers and ammunition found and destroyed from the inside by fiber optics FPV drones. By the 118TD Brigade
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Sumy Oblast:
⚡️Russia amassed enough troops to attack Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, Border Guard warns.
Russia “has enough forces there (in Kursk Oblast) to carry out operations against our border and attempt to attack the territory of Ukraine,” said Andrii Demchenko, a State Border Guard Service spokesperson.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) May 29, 2025 at 5:28 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Russia has concentrated a sufficient amount of forces in Kursk Oblast to potentially launch an attack on Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on May 29.
The statement comes amid warnings of a new possible Russian offensive this summer as U.S.-mediated peace efforts have failed to produce a ceasefire deal.
Russia has become increasingly active in Sumy Oblast after mostly pushing out Ukrainian forces from Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities recently confirmed that Russian forces captured four Sumy Oblast villages close to the border: Novenke, Zhuravka, Veselivka, and Basivka.
Speaking on national television, Demchenko said Russia began amassing forces when it attempted to push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk Oblast, where Ukraine launched its operation in August 2024.
Russia continues to maintain a force in Kursk Oblast, and Ukraine periodically detects a “certain change in the number of both soldiers and equipment in this area,” the spokesperson said.
Russia “has enough forces there (in Kursk Oblast) to carry out operations against our border and attempt to attack the territory of Ukraine,” he continued.
The remarks came days after President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is accumulating 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast, seeking to create a 10-kilometer buffer zone in the area.
According to Kyiv, Russia planned to launch an offensive into Sumy Oblast already back in 2024, but the plan was disrupted by Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast. Moscow has repeatedly indicated plans to create a buffer zone between Ukraine and Russia in the area.
The situation on the border of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts with Russia must be treated with the utmost seriousness, warned Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Zhorin
Ukraine urgently needs to prepare logistics, cover roads with anti-drone nets, and build fortifications euromaidanpress.com/2025/05/29/r…
— Euromaidan Press (@euromaidanpress.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
EuroMaidan Press has more details:
The situation on the border of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts with Russia must be treated with the utmost seriousness, warns Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Zhorin, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade.
Russia’s 2025 summer offensive focuses on capturing the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and establishing a buffer zone in the border areas of Sumy and Kharkiv. Rather than rapid armored breakthroughs, Moscow is relying on high-intensity assaults across multiple fronts, leveraging adapted tactics such as the use of fast motorcycles and buggies to offset equipment losses.Zhorin stresses the urgent need to prepare logistics, cover roads with anti-drone nets, and build fortifications. He notes that Russia lacks sufficient forces to capture regional centers but may attempt to push deeper into Ukrainian territory to use this as leverage in negotiations.
“Their goal isn’t to seize entire regions, but to add two more to their propaganda narrative — and claim they could have taken them, but chose not to,” Zhorin says.
Even without a critical mass of troops, the threat remains — and not just in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, warns that Russia may also launch an offensive in the Chernihiv direction, 24 Channel reports.
This is a critical threat, as Chernihiv borders Kyiv Oblast and was a key invasion route in 2022, when Russian forces advanced through Hlukhiv, Bakhmach, and Chernihiv in an attempt to encircle Kyiv from the northeast.
“We must disrupt Russia’s plans to create a buffer zone. That zone must be on Russian territory, not in Ukraine,” Kovalenko emphasizes.
He adds that Russia has long ceased to hide its strategic goal — the occupation of all of Ukraine. However, having a plan does not mean the enemy is capable of executing it.
Ukraine’s military leadership urges not to delay in strengthening the border and preparing for a multi-directional defense.
Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast:
Tonight, Russian forces used two Kh-35 missiles to strike an enterprise in Chuhuiv (Kharkiv region), according to data from the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
The attack caused damage to the premises and vehicles. There are no casualties, thankfully.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Kharkiv:
Kharkiv. Tearing down damaged apartment buildings has become a grim routine. These weren’t just structures—they were homes. 800 people lived here. Children grew up here. Until Russia reduced it to rubble, killing some and shattering the lives of those who survived.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Explosion in Kharkiv ‼️ or close outside the city. Our region is under the russian missile attack right now‼️
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Kharkiv Oblast:
Russia destroyed a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region belonging to Omega, a company that distributes car parts. 8 Russian drones struck the hub, leaving nothing but ruins.
Fortunately, no one got hurt.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Donetsk Oblast (I think):
FPV drone strike on the fully loaded Russian Grad MLRS by the Birds of Magyar unit.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Kherson Oblast:
The occupiers on the Kherson front used a Ural-4320 truck to transport a mortar with ammunition, but a nighttime visit from the “Vampire” drone made some adjustments to their plans.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The Kursk cross border offensive:
On May 29, a strike was carried out on a permanent deployment point of Russian troops in the village of Korenevo, in the Kursk region.
Search efforts are ongoing under the rubble for dead Russian soldiers who took part in the assault on the Sumy region.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Zaporizhzhia Oblast:
Russian terrorists dropped five glide bombs on private homes in the Polohy district of the Zaporizhzhia region.
The airstrikes destroyed and damaged residential buildings. People are trapped under the rubble.
Apparently, this is what Peskov considers military targets.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Mariupol:
russian war criminals have erased Mariupol from the map.
Never forgive.
Never forget.— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Moscow:
Mirax Park residential complex in Moscow is hit by what Ukrainian Telegram sources claim is a Pantsir air defense missile. Russian sources say the object was a drone. The impact on the side of the building caused no serious injuries.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) May 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Stavropol, Russia:
Major Zaur Gurtsiev, who directed the aerial bombardment of Mariupol, has been killed in Russia.
In Mariupol, Gurtsiev commanded the air combat operations. These strikes led to the destruction of the Drama Theater and the deaths of thousands of civilians.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 7:43 AM
The explosion reportedly occurred near an apartment building in Stavropol. An unknown individual detonated a grenade, killing two people, including Gurtsiev.
Karma will find all of you, child murderers!
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 7:43 AM
St. Petersburg, Russia:
In St. Petersburg, the strategic “Avangard” factory suddenly caught fire.
The facility specializes in the production of radio electronics and microchips for the military-industrial complex of the terrorist state, Russia.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 29, 2025 at 4:38 AM
That’s enough for tonight.
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Open thread!
Gin & Tonic
Still developing, but there’s a story making the rounds that the Gurtsiev “explosion” was targeted via a gay meetup/honeypot. Given russian homophobia, certainly an interesting development.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
Adam L Silverman
@Gin & Tonic: That would be an interesting development.
Jay
I suspect that for several decades, we are going to be seeing ruZZian War Criminals blowing up.
trollhattan
China, being neutral in that special way they do.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Adam L Silverman
@AlaskaReader: You’re welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@Jay: You’re welcome too.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@Adam L Silverman: I have seen some video that makes it look like a kamikaze attack, ie the attacker also blew himself up along with his target. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s what it looked like.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@Gin & Tonic: I don’t know about that, but upon reviewing the video, it looks like,a suicide attack. The alleged attacker Nikita Penkov, worked as a policeman and served in the airborne units, presumably in Ukraine. According to Moscow law enforcement he was actually wearing the explosive. I am going to send the video to Adam via bluesky so you can look at it there. If they don’t delete it.🙄
Jay
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom:
In both ruZZia, Ukraine and Europe there have been more and more cases of people, ranging from teens to adults, being recruited to carry out “sabotage” attacks for money.
What they don’t realize is that they are target’s too, and that way, they don’t get paid.
So they are more like “unwitting Suicide Bombers”.
Ukraine’s GUR has whole programs warning about this.
Word so far, is this guy took a contract job with the FSB*, did an “internship”, stalked his “victim” on a covert ruZZian LBGTQ “tinder”, and was given a device to “record” their liaisons.
That was the bomb.
*Probably not the FSB.
LeonS
“As we often wonder, are all dictatorships this comical?”
Ours is! I mean darkly, of course, but aside from the loss and tragedy it puts the Keystone Cops to shame.
bjacques
@Jay: double-crossing a hired saboteur or assassin seems to be a really old practice or at least concept. Ian Fleming describes in one of his James Bond books (Casino Royale?), Bond in the office reading a report of two Bulgarian assassins given a red camera rigged up as a shrapnel grenade with a timed fuze and a blue one as a smoke grenade to throw to cover their escape. You can guess the rest.
Jay
@bjacques:
A lot of these “Telegram” jobs seem legit. Deliver a package, gig work, okay, you are no longer an intern.
Some are not.
Eastern Ukrainian refugee in Germany offered a lot of money, to build and deliver a bomb. Yeah well, when he got worried about his families safety, “they” rented an apartment for him to “work”,
package was made delivered and blown up, along with him. Only him, for some reason or glitch.
Apartment was also blown up.
Jay
@bjacques:
Bond died?
Imcroyable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx9z99YJ_7s