🙏 Three people were injured in Russian strikes on Kharkiv. One person may be under rubble. 25 private homes and one apartment building were damaged, local authorities said.

🇨🇳🇺🇸🇺🇦 FT: Xi Jinping privately told Trump that Putin might "end up regretting" his invasion of Ukraine, going further than any of his public statements on the war.

The revelation comes just as Putin arrives in Beijing for his 25th anniversary summit with Xi.

Trump also suggested to Xi that the US, China, and Russia should cooperate against the ICC.

☢️‼️ Russia has started nuclear force exercises scheduled for May 19–21.

The drills will practice preparation and potential use of nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus.

The exercises involve more than 200 missile launchers, 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships, and 13 submarines.

🇮🇷👀 Iran’s stock market reopened…

В Воронежской области задержаны и арестованы иностранцы, подозреваемые в подрыве дрона на территории воинской части

По заданию украинских спецслужб двое граждан ближнего зарубежья планировали диверсию с беспилотниками.

Они "прибыли в Воронежскую область для изъятия оснащенных взрывчатым веществом FPV-дронов, а затем активировали и осуществили подрыв одного из БПЛА на территории воинской части региона".

@interfaxonline

🇨🇺🇺🇸 The Trump administration is considering military action against Cuba after months of economic pressure failed to force reforms in Havana, - Politico

Officials say the White House is frustrated that sanctions, fuel restrictions, and diplomatic pressure have not weakened the Cuban government enough to bring change.

Military options range from limited airstrikes to broader operations aimed at destabilizing the regime. U.S. Southern Command has reportedly begun drafting contingency plans, though no decision has been made.

🇪🇺🇺🇦 The EU will tie some payouts from the aid package for Ukraine to a tax change, which will apply to the macro-financial portion of the loan worth €8.4 billion, - Bloomberg

Kyiv will have to adopt legislation to expand the share of foreign parcels subject to a 20% value-added tax, with payouts scheduled for June, September, and the end of the year.

The tax amendment has proved highly unpopular among Ukrainians, raising doubts about whether parliament will approve it, with one opposition lawmaker saying he doesn't see enough support to pass the measure.

Ukrainian-Russian war. Day 1539-1542: 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Situation on Vasylivka front: During the last week, Ukrainian army has recaptured a large part of the town of Stepnohirsk north of the old railway line.
Map: [ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1V8NzjQkzMOhpuLhkktbiKgodOQ27X6IV&ll=47.600275680614565%2C35.37848508110108&z=12 ]

🇺🇦 "Lowering the mobilization age is not currently being considered," — Deputy Head of OP Palisa said, added that this will depend on the situation at the front, but the issue is not even being raised at the moment.

Работу Алексея Саврасова "Летний пейзаж" продали на аукционе "Литфонда" за 29 млн рублей, общие продажи торгов превысили 40 млн, сообщил генеральный директор аукционного дома Сергей Бурмистров.

"Общие продажи данных торгов превысили 40 млн рублей, а главным топ-лотом стала работа Саврасова, проданная за 29 млн рублей. Такие продажи показывают важность сохранения и собирания русского искусства не только для музеев, но и для частных коллекционеров", - сказал Бурмистров, которого цитирует пресс-служба аукционного дома.

В пресс-службе отметили, что продажа "Летнего пейзажа" Саврасова стала новым абсолютным рекордом продаж. На начало торгов лидирующая ставка достигла 7 млн рублей. Работа происходит из коллекции советского дипломата Андрея Громыко, а ранее находилась в собрании Феликса Вишневского - известного коллекционера и основателя в центре Москвы Музея Василия Тропинина и других русских художников XVIII-XIX веков.

Фото: "Литфонд"

@interfaxonline