In April alone, 533 buildings in Kharkiv were damaged by Russian shelling — 10,533 shattered windows, 147 destroyed roofs, says Mayor Ihor Terekhov. He estimates total war damage to the city at €10 billion.

Around 1:00 PM, Russian forces attacked central Kherson with a drone, hitting a parking lot. One car burned, several damaged. Two men (52 & 60 y.o.) injured and hospitalized.

🇷🇺 At current pace, it would take Russia 231 years and 100M+ casualties to conquer Ukraine, per Forbes.

Despite losing 36,600 troops & 4,800 vehicles in April alone, Russia’s force is growing—now 600,000 strong—thanks to mass recruitment and war-time spending.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/05/01/at-the-current-rate-it-would-take-russia-centuries-and-tens-of-millions-of-casualties-to-capture-ukraine/

🇺🇸🇺🇦 Trump’s new minerals deal with Ukraine gives the U.S. preferential access to resources—but leaves Putin unmoved on peace. Despite stalled talks and rising bombings, Trump remains reluctant to pressure Russia directly. Sanctions still hang in limbo.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/02/trumps-minerals-deal-ukraine-russia-00322359

🇺🇦 FM Sybiiha: Ukraine seeks real peace, not Kremlin’s manipulative “holiday ceasefires.”

“We are ready for a full ceasefire — it's Russia that rejects peace. No deals at the cost of sovereignty.”

https://mfa.gov.ua/news/vistup-ministra-zakordonnih-sprav-andriya-sibigi-shchodo-potochnoyi-geopolitichnoyi-situaciyi-na-chergovomu-zasidanni-verhovnoyi-radi-ukrayini

Europe set to redistribute €3 billion in frozen Russian funds to Western investors, following Moscow's seizure of investor cash in Russia. A new chapter in the financial fallout of Russia's invasion in Ukraine.

https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/europe-hand-billions-frozen-russian-cash-western-investors-sources-say-2025-05-02/

Trump’s team has drafted options to pressure Russia into ending the war — Bloomberg. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio says: “Ukraine won’t retake 2014 lines, and Russia won’t conquer all of Ukraine.”

Stop talking. Do something.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-02/trump-team-has-prepped-options-for-pressuring-russia-to-end-war

🇺🇦🇩🇰 Zelensky: Spoke with Danish PM Frederiksen — discussed joint efforts for a just, lasting peace. Ukraine supports the U.S. proposal for a full, unconditional ceasefire — now it’s Moscow’s turn. Grateful for Mette’s steadfast support.

A Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter hunts down a Russian Shahed-136 attack drone.

A Ukrainian Su-27 drops GBU-62 bombs to destroy a Russian command post along with assault groups on the Kharkiv front. After tracking Russian movements for over a day, the building — packed with troops and gear — was obliterated

A 59-year-old Georgian-born house painter has been arrested in Greece for spying on NATO ops in Alexandroupoli. For 6+ months, he filmed military shipments—especially to Ukraine—for a suspected GRU contact in Lithuania. Recruited in 2024, he claimed he'd help the "motherland" for any price.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1268429/espionage-in-alexandroupoli-house-painter-turned-spy/

🇫🇷 France condemns North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war on Ukraine, calling it a blatant disregard for international law.

"This escalation poses a direct threat to European and global security. France urges North Korea to cease all support for Russian aggression," they write.

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ukraine/evenements/article/coree-du-nord-russie-reconnaissance-par-pyongyang-de-deploiement-de-troupes

⚠️ Ceasefire talks made life in Ukraine more dangerous. In 24 days of April — 848 civilian casualties (+46% YoY), 40K+ displaced, 4,694 RU missiles/drones since Trump’s “peace” call — 2x previous rate.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-cease-fire-talks.html

🇺🇸 The U.S. remains committed to mediating between Russia and Ukraine, but that could change if progress stalls — U.S. State Department.

🚨 NATO chief Rutte proposes raising defense spending to 5% of GDP — up from the current 2%. His plan: 3.5% for direct defense, 1.5% for related infrastructure like cyber and transport. A move to bridge U.S. demands and European realities.

Zelensky: Held Staff meeting on brigade supply, unit manning, and Ukraine’s missile program — goal is to speed up ballistic missile production. Russia refuses lasting ceasefire; we’ll respond on the front and inside Russian territory. The war must be felt where it began.

Kharkiv is once again being terrorized by Shahed drones.

Good night sleep well. SitRep tomorrow morning!