Newsletter 19/05/2025
A daily news digest covering important war, political, economic, and cultural topics in Ukraine
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Trump has phone conversation with Putin
European leaders discuss Trump's planned call with Putin
On Sunday evening, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held discussions with the leaders of the United States, Italy, France, and Germany regarding Russia's war against Ukraine and the need for an unconditional ceasefire.
EU and UK to pursue just, lasting peace in Ukraine – European Council president
The European Union and the United Kingdom share the responsibility for maintaining a rules-based global order and will work together to stop Russian aggression and bring a just and lasting peace to Ukraine.
Zelensky instructs to create permanent negotiation group to end war
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported on the work of Ukrsine’s delegation and the negotiation process in Türkiye. According to Zelensky, "the meetings on May 15–16 showed the world both our commitment to advancing peace and, at the same time, the necessity of pressuring Russia in order to stop the war."
Kremlin deliberately delaying talks, preparing for prolonged war – ISW
Russia's continued delays in negotiations highlight its unwillingness to engage in good-faith discussions regarding a ceasefire or a comprehensive peace agreement. According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The report draws conclusions from the Russia-Ukraine meeting held in Istanbul on May 16. Sources familiar with the talks reported to Bloomberg that the Russian delegation demanded that Ukraine cede all of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions and Crimea to Russia and that the international community recognize the four regions and the peninsula as Russian territory before Russia will agree to a ceasefire. The Russian delegation also reportedly demanded that Ukraine adopt a neutral status, that no foreign troops be allowed on Ukrainian territory, and that Ukraine abandon its demands for war reparations from Russia.
War
SSU drones destroy enemy radar, warehouses on Boyko’s towers
The Security Service of Ukraine recently destroyed Russian radar equipment deployed on Ukrainian gas production platforms in the Black Sea using surface and airborne drones.
Drones strike Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi – social media
"A lively night in Dzhankoi: bursts of automatic gunfire, the sound of drones overhead, and explosions. According to our subscribers, there was a strike on the military airfield. The extent of the damage is still being clarified," the post reads.
War update: 84 clashes on frontline since day-start, most intense fighting in Pokrovsk sector
Since the beginning of the day, there have been 84 combat clashes between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops. Fighting is still ongoing along five axes of the front, with the Pokrovsk sector being the most intense.
Russian forces shelled with artillery and mortars the settlements of Porozok, Slavhorod, Vasylivka, Bilokopytove, Bila Bereza, Myropilske, Mariine, and Rudak in Sumy region, and Karpovychi in Chernihiv region.
Russian army loses over 63,000 soldiers in Kursk region over nine months — General Staff
Over the past nine months, the Russian army has lost 63,172 troops in the Kursk region, including approximately 4,000 DPRK citizens.
Umerov: step-by-step plan agreed for 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange
He emphasized that “The key result is a preliminary agreement on an exchange in the format of 1000 for 1000. This is an important exchange that requires coordinated actions from all responsible state institutions.”
Large-scale fires caused by Russian strikes extinguished in Kharkiv region
Rescuers in armored vehicles, together with philanthropists, took ten children from the border of Sumy region whose mothers were on a bus that was hit by a drone on May 17 by Russian troops.
Defense
Umerov discusses bolstering Ukraine's air defense with Patriot system manufacturer
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with a delegation from Raytheon to discuss Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defense systems and missiles.
"I had an insightful conversation with the company's Vice President for Land and Air Defense Systems, Joseph DeAntona. The main topic was strengthening Ukraine's air defense. We discussed Ukraine's critical need for additional systems and missiles. This is a matter of national priority — protecting our people, critical infrastructure, cities, and villages," the minister said.
Australian Abrams tanks en route to Ukraine – media
The first of the 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks pledged to Ukraine by the Australian government are already on their way to the country. That is according to the Australian news outlet ABC News, Ukrinform reports.
"During an overnight meeting in Rome, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he confirmed the fleet of second-hand M1A1 vehicles was on the way," ABC journalists said.
Finland to supply ammunition to Ukraine using proceeds from frozen Russian assets
Finland has been selected as one of the states implementing European Union measures to supply Ukraine with defense materiel using proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
Politics
Zelensky invites newly elected Romania’s President to visit Ukraine
“This is a country on which much depends when it comes to security issues. We are deeply grateful for Romania’s contribution to protecting the lives of our people. It is important that support for Ukraine continues. Romania understands how crucial the struggle for freedom and justice is,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian President invited Nicușor Dan to visit Ukraine. The two leaders also discussed possible opportunities to meet in the near future.
Ukrainian Ambassador to DR Congo: ‘I’m here to stop Russia’s spread in Africa’
The diplomat shared this in an interview with Ukrinform.
Hamianin emphasized that the DRC is the "heart of Africa," rich in natural resources, including fresh water and minerals. In his view, Ukraine should actively develop relations with that country, which had previously been overlooked by Ukrainian diplomacy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry on Istanbul talks: We hope for fair peace agreement
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said this at a briefing on Monday when asked by an Ukrinform correspondent about last Friday's negotiations in Istanbul and Russia's confrontational behavior — marked by ultimatums, threats of endless war, and intentions to seize more Ukrainian territory.
Kremlin intensifies “Doppelganger” disinformation campaign targeting Polish elections – DIU
In addition, to influence Polish voters, since March 2025, Russian special services have been spreading false and manipulative messages, in particular on the social network X, with the active involvement of bot farms and artificial accounts that imitated real voters.
Publications
Indo-Pakistani air battles over Kashmir: Lessons to be learned by Ukraine
The latest conflict between India and Pakistan lasted a few days, but has already gone down in history as one of the greatest air battles of our time, attracting a great deal of attention from defense analysts throughout the world. In addition to the political and territorial implications, it highlighted another important aspect, that is, the first ever large-scale combat deployment of Chinese weapons systems, in particular the JF-17 Block III and J-10C fighters, the PL-15E air-to-air missiles, as well as the HQ-9, HQ-16 and HQ-7 air defense systems. Read more
Society
Ukraine’s MFA: Russia continues Stalinist repressions against Crimean Tatars
“Ukraine will never forget this crime — a deliberate attempt to annihilate the indigenous people of Crimea, to strip them of their land, their identity, and their historical memory... Modern-day Russia continues Stalin’s policies, aiming to deprive Crimean Tatars of their homeland once again. Since the illegal occupation of Crimea, the peninsula has been subjected to oppression and gross human rights violations. This campaign of repression pursues the same genocidal goal as in 1944: to force the Crimean Tatar people out of their land,” the statement reads.
Zelensky hands Pope icon painted on fragment of ammo box
Following an audience with Pope Leo XIV, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the Vatican for its willingness to serve as a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as well as for its "clear voice in defense of a just and lasting peace."
Ukraine presented the first teaser of a spy drama based on real events in Cannes
The mother of the youngest political prisoner appealed to Erdogan for help in freeing her son
Appaz Kurtamet, a 19-year-old Crimean Tatar language teacher who lived in the village of Novooleksiyevka, Kherson region, was detained by the occupiers on July 23, 2022, this is reported by the project "Crimea Realities".
He was charged with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Financing an armed formation). According to the prosecution, Kurtamet, “knowing about the illegal activities of the Islamic battalion “Crimea”, transferred 500 hryvnias to a representative of the battalion”. The occupiers sentenced him to 7 years in prison.