Russian forces launched nearly 40 attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 28 May 2025, injuring 12 people, including six children. The strikes targeted multiple settlements in the Nikopol, Synelnykove, and Pavlohrad districts, damaging residential buildings, a business, infrastructure, and a vehicle. Two adults were hospitalized in serious condition. This marks a significant new wave of attacks on the region, with a high number of child casualties.

On May 28, 2026, at around 08:00, a Russian drone struck two civilians traveling along a field road in the Velyka Pysarivka community of Sumy region, killing a man and a woman. The Sumy Regional Prosecutor's Office opened a war crimes investigation under Part 2, Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The identities of the victims are being established. Over the past day, Russian forces conducted more than 60 attacks on 25 settlements across 15 territorial communities in the region, injuring one other person.

On 27-28 May, Russian forces conducted strikes across Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Odesa oblasts, killing one person and injuring at least eight. Attacks included airstrikes, drones, MLRS, and artillery, damaging residential buildings, infrastructure, and civilian facilities. In Donetsk, a man was killed in Druzhkivka and three others injured. In Zaporizhzhia, two women aged 58 and 65 were injured amid 689 strikes on 40 settlements, including 20 airstrikes, 440 UAVs, 11 MLRS strikes, and 218 artillery attacks, damaging residential buildings and infrastructure. In Sumy, an 11-year-old boy was injured by a drone in Okhtyrka hromada; over 60 attacks hit 25 settlements using mortars, artillery, FPV drones, UAVs, and guided bombs, damaging houses, apartment buildings, vehicles, outbuildings, an educational institution, and other civilian infrastructure, with nine people evacuated from border hromadas. In Kharkiv, nine settlements were attacked, affecting a 62-year-old man in Kozacha Lopan and a 54-year-old man in Izium; strikes included seven guided aerial bombs, three Shahed/Geran-2 drones, two FPV drones, and 18 other UAVs, damaging houses, vehicles, outbuildings, a garage, an apiary, power lines, and a post office in six districts. In Odesa, a night drone attack hit a house and an infrastructure facility, shattering windows in nearby homes, with no reported injuries. The strikes highlight the ongoing Russian bombardment of Ukrainian civilian areas.

Background: Russian and Ukrainian armies face desertion crises, with over 200,000 Ukrainian soldiers going AWOL. Today: Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly going absent without leave (AWOL) specifically to force transfers to other units, citing poor command decisions and frustration with leadership. The Defense Ministry plans to reform reintegration procedures for absent soldiers. Over 200,000 AWOL cases have been recorded by early 2026, compared to 50,000 deserters who have left the army permanently, highlighting morale and discipline challenges in the armed forces.

Retired US Army General Ben Hodges stated in an interview that Ukraine has the capability to isolate and liberate Crimea through precision strikes on the Kerch Bridge, airfields, and Russian logistics infrastructure. He argued that controlling Crimea is decisive for the war's outcome and that a sustainable peace requires Ukraine to regain the peninsula.

Ukrainian drone operators from the 413th Unmanned Systems Force 'Raid' Regiment struck a Russian military base in the village of Bezimenne on the Sea of Azov coast, targeting the 9th Mechanized Brigade. The base was camouflaged within a former children's camp. This is the second strike on the 9th Mechanized Brigade by 'Raid' operators, following a May attack on the brigade's command post in Pokrovsk. The strikes aim to degrade Russian offensive capabilities by destroying command posts and deployment sites.

The Ukrainian government, led by Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, announced an additional allocation of Hr.10.8 billion ($244 million) for weapons procurement and defense industry development. The funds, sourced from personal income tax revenues and gambling licensing fees, will be used to purchase new weapons, repair and modernize military equipment, and scale up production of new battlefield technologies. This domestic funding initiative underscores Ukraine's ongoing efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities amid the war with Russia.

Ukraine's Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that Russia has used sea-based cruise missile carriers only once in the past month, with no ships currently deployed at sea. Ukrainian strikes on occupied Crimea continue, targeting key logistics routes, causing fuel shortages and degrading Russian supply capabilities. The Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol was reportedly hit on May 27.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved a new procedure for handling captured Russian military equipment, allowing its transfer and export for defense needs and international cooperation without additional authorization. The move formalizes and accelerates the use of trophy property, supporting Ukraine's war effort and industrial partnerships. Deputy Minister Vitalii Kindrativ stated the framework enables quick decisions on the use of trophy property, strengthens production capacity, and expands international cooperation.

A Rating Group survey published on 25 May 2026 reveals that a majority of Ukrainians would support deploying Ukrainian troops to defend Lithuania (63%), Latvia (62%), Estonia (61%), Moldova (60%), Finland (59%), and Poland (58%) if Russia attacked them. 73% of Ukrainians already view their armed forces as defending Europe as a whole. Support for such deployments is strongly correlated with pro-EU sentiment among respondents. The survey was conducted by telephone among 1,000 respondents aged 18 and over from 15-17 April 2026, with a margin of error of up to 3.1 percent.

Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces Grouping, stated that Russian forces are most actively probing the northern border in the Sumy region and near Vovchansk. He noted a decline in Russian offensive success, with retreats in the Velykyi Burluk direction and failure to create critical threats on the left bank of the Oskil River. 317 combat clashes were recorded in the past day.

Captain 2nd Rank Andrii Ryzhenko, former deputy chief of staff of the Ukrainian Navy, stated that Ukraine has effectively confined the Russian fleet to its home ports in the Black Sea through the use of sea mines, Neptune anti-ship missiles, and maritime drones. He noted that the liberation of Zmiinyi Island was a turning point that enabled the grain corridor, and that the war has revealed the vulnerability of large ships to new technologies, prompting NATO countries to study Ukraine's experience.

Ukrainian officials presented evidence that components from a Belarusian factory were found inside Russia's Oreshnik missile used in attacks on Ukraine. The components, manufactured by the Integral plant in Minsk, were part of a missile launched during a massive overnight attack on May 24. Ukrainian officials called for tighter sanctions on Belarus and Russia to halt the supply of foreign components.

Background: Ukraine previously reported that newly manufactured Western components from 2025 were found in Russian drones, indicating ongoing sanctions circumvention. Today, Ukrainian officials—including Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa, along with representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office—presented European ambassadors with foreign-made components recovered from Russian Zircon, Kalibr, and Kh-101 missiles and Geran-2 drones used in the 23-24 May attack on Kyiv. The components originated from Switzerland, Germany, the US, UK, Japan, China, and other countries, with some manufactured this year. Separate circuit boards from the Oreshnik missile system contained only Russian and Belarusian components from 2004-2014. Ukraine called for tighter controls on component supplies to Russia and Belarus, specifically targeting the Integral plant in Minsk, and urged stepped-up coordination against Russia's shadow fleet, which generated over $101 billion in 2025.

Albania summoned the Russian ambassador in Tirana to protest Moscow's threats urging diplomatic personnel to leave Kyiv ahead of planned strikes. Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha condemned the threats as intimidation and a violation of international law, reaffirming Albania's support for Ukraine and its decision to keep its embassy in Kyiv. The move follows Russia's warning to Western diplomats and comes as the European Union also summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires over the same issue.

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom plays a broad role in supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, including developing conventional weapons (anti-tank missiles, cluster munitions, drone parts), producing strategic materials (composites, carbon fiber), importing dual-use components via sanctions exemptions, and administering occupied territories around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant where it allegedly participated in war crimes. Despite this, Rosatom has largely avoided Western sanctions due to countries' dependence on its nuclear fuel and services.

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Cyprus are discussing whether to engage with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine, amid US distraction with Iran. Key issues include selecting an envoy, setting red lines (ceasefire before talks, no recognition of seized territories, accountability), and skepticism over Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith.

On May 27, 2026, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and a third injured when an interceptor drone's munition detonated while they were repelling a Russian drone attack in the Dunaivtsi community of Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The State Bureau of Investigation has opened a criminal case under Article 414 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (violation of weapons handling rules) and seized control panels and communication equipment for forensic examination. The incident underscores the risks of Ukraine's expanding mobile interceptor drone teams, which are deployed deep in rear areas to counter Russia's nightly Shahed-type drone raids.

Russian forces damaged the Mykola Kulish Academic Music and Drama Theatre in Kherson for the second time, using a Molniya drone that struck at around 05:00, causing structural damage to walls, façade, and interior. The theatre, a major cultural institution in southern Ukraine, had been previously damaged in 2024, when a strike damaged a column, entrance doors, and café windows. Its director, Oleksandr Knyha, was abducted by Russian forces in March 2022 but later released and continues to lead the theatre from Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Background: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously stated that Russia expects peace negotiations on the Ukraine war to resume with US mediation, noting the process is on pause. Today: Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu said the Russian-US peace initiative on Ukraine is stalling because Kyiv lacks political will for peace and seeks escalation. He accused Ukraine of benefiting economically from Western aid and claimed its budget depends entirely on the war. Shoygu further argued that Ukrainian leadership fears a settlement because it would have to answer for its policies, including a demographic crisis. He also claimed that no money would be allocated without war. Shoygu spoke at the International Security Forum near Moscow, which US embassy representatives attended for the first time in years.

Dragon Capital and Amber Infrastructure closed the first round of the Amber Dragon Ukraine Infrastructure Fund I at €207 million ($240 million), with anchor investors including EBRD, IFC, EIB, Swedfund, and Impact Fund Denmark. The fund will target emergency energy supply, digital infrastructure, transport, and critical infrastructure modernization in Ukraine, marking a significant institutional investment in the country's post-war recovery.

Estonia's State Chancellery and Ukraine's State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection signed a memorandum of cooperation to exchange knowledge and practical experience in protecting critical infrastructure. Estonia seeks to learn from Ukraine's wartime experience in ensuring resilience of power supply, communications, and other critical systems, while Ukraine is interested in Estonia's experience with EU requirements. The cooperation covers physical protection, drone threat mitigation, cyber protection, and insider threat detection, involving Estonian institutions like the Police and Border Guard Board and Security Police.

Russia had previously deployed over 100 air defense systems around Moscow and blurred Putin's Valdai residence on maps. Now, new footage shows Russian forces using Mi-26 helicopters to install Pantsir-SMD-E air defense systems on the roof of the Nordstar Tower business center in Moscow. The SMD-E variant lacks autocannons and carries 95Ya6 missiles (range up to 20 km) and smaller TKB-1055 missiles (range up to 7 km, altitude up to 5 km). Its radar has a detection range of up to 24 km. Analysts warn that each system deployed to Moscow reduces coverage elsewhere, potentially creating gaps in Russian air defense coverage in southern military districts and occupied territories, while Ukrainian drone production reportedly reaches volumes comparable to Russian Shahed drones.

The National Guard of Ukraine's 'Khartia' Corps, alongside other Defense Forces units, is constructing a deep-echeloned defense system in the Kharkiv direction, including trenches, anti-tank ditches, and fortifications. This effort follows the unit's role in halting the Russian advance into the Kharkiv region in summer 2024 and its subsequent recapture of territories through 2025–2026, including the Kupiansk counteroffensive. The development underscores Ukraine's ongoing fortification and defensive preparations in the region.

Russia's State Duma passed a law allowing employees of Sberbank and other state-linked financial institutions to deploy electronic warfare equipment to intercept or destroy Ukrainian drones targeting their facilities. The measure, which still requires upper house and presidential approval, signals strain on Russia's military drone defenses as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory have doubled in frequency since late 2025, with swarms of 100-200 aircraft regularly penetrating airspace. Analysts say the law offloads defense burdens to the civilian sector amid failing military-level countermeasures.

Kara Dag Technologies, a Ukrainian company, has developed the Obriy series of drone detectors capable of detecting signals from 1 to 6 GHz, with plans to expand to 300 MHz to 6 GHz. The detectors are used by Ukrainian brigades, SBU, HUR, and other units to provide early warning against FPV and other drones. The company is developing AI-based classification and aims to make detection affordable for global markets, including against terrorist threats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law that authorizes local councils to allocate funds for the Armed Forces, excluding weapons and ammunition. The legislation permits funding for engineering and fortification structures, allows mayors to head military administrations without resigning, and expands regional council powers under martial law. It also enables civil servants on unpaid leave to take positions in other state bodies. The law was passed by parliament on June 18, 2024, with 303 votes.

The Khartiia unit of Ukraine's National Guard, along with other forces, is constructing a deeply layered defensive line in Kharkiv Oblast, including 135 km of anti-tank ditches, barbed wire, and obstacles. The fortifications are being built on orders of the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strengthen defenses against Russian forces.

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported the elimination of a Nigerian mercenary, Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, near Grafske in the Kharkiv region. HUR detailed a systematic recruitment scheme using fake job ads on Facebook and WhatsApp, luring Africans to Russia with promises of employment, then coercing them into military contracts. At least 215 Nigerians have signed contracts with the Russian military, with 25 killed or missing. The report highlights Moscow's disregard for African governments' positions and international norms.

On the night of May 28, Russian strike drones targeted the southern Odesa region, damaging a private residential building and an infrastructure facility. Windows in nearby buildings were also damaged. No casualties were reported. This attack follows a separate drone strike on a shopping center in Odesa city the previous day that injured 11 people.