As the war enters its 801th day, these are the main developments.
Here is the situation on Sunday, May 5, 2024:
Fighting
- At least two people died after Russia launched attacks several attacks on Kharkiv, including a 49-year-old civilian in Slobozhanske, a village just northeast of the city.
- Four others were wounded in the Kharkiv attack, including a 13-year-old hurt by falling debris. A two-storey civilian building was damaged and set ablaze, officials say.
- In the Black Sea port of Odesa, three people were wounded after Russia launched rocket attacks on “civil infrastructure”, officials say.
- Ukraine, meanwhile, said it downed 13 Shahed drones targeting Dnipro and Kharkiv, as well as a Russian Su-25 fighter-bomber over the eastern Donetsk region. An electrical substation in Dnipro was damaged in the drone attacks.
- Russia launched eight missiles and nearly 70 guided aerial bombs in total, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Russian state agency RIA Novosti claimed troops struck a drone warehouse in Kharkiv that had been used by Ukrainian troops overnight.
- A big fire engulfed a warehouse on the outskirts of the Russian-annexed Crimean city of Simferopol, Russian officials say. It is unclear what was stored at the warehouse but several emergency crews were dispatched to put it out.
- Five people were wounded and hospitalised in Russia’s Belgorod after a strong blast on Saturday, officials say. About 30 residential buildings were damaged. It is unclear what caused the explosions. Russian journalists on Telegram channels speculated a bomb meant to be launched on Ukraine exploded by mistake.
Politics
- Russia is opening a criminal case against Zelenskyy and has put him on a wanted list, officials say. Ukraine officials responding to the move called the decision “meaningless” and reminded Moscow that Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a wanted list by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- A spokesperson for Moscow separately said Russia will respond with “asymmetric measures” to the “hostile line” the Baltic countries of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia have drawn, which has led to them cutting off ties with Russia, which once enjoyed considerable influence over them.
- Just last week, Estonia accused Russia of violating international airspace regulations by interfering with GPS signals. NATO officials also said last week that Baltic countries are among those that are “deeply concerned” about activities they called “Russian espionage” on their soil.
Economy
- New measures from Ukraine’s central bank meant to ease tough restrictions for businesses imposed after Russia’s invasion will take effect from May 14. Restrictions on imports of goods and services and foreign currency transfers will be among those to be softened.
