• Late in the evening of May 7, an air raid alarm sounded in Ukraine, followed by loud explosions in the cities of Kiev and Odessa.
• Fighting in Bakhmut continues, with some observers saying Russian troops are attacking in hopes of capturing the city ahead of Victory Day celebrations on May 9, the anniversary of the Nazis’ surrender in World War II.
• The evacuation of the civilian population ordered by Moscow has begun in Zaporizhia, and more than 1,500 people are leaving the city.
• Ukrainian Air Force admits launching hypersonic missile.
06:57 – China is hosting a summit with 5 former Soviet republics of Central Asia
On May 18-19, President Xi Jinping will host the first summit with the leaders of 5 former Soviet republics of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan), a region historically under Russian influence and under pressure after the invasion of Moscow stands Ukraine. The China-Central Asia Summit will be held in the northern city of Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. The initiative aims to consolidate Beijing’s influence in the region and will take place almost simultaneously with the G7 leaders’ summit (May 19-21) in Hiroshima, Japan.
06:33 – Kissinger: The crisis in Ukraine at a turning point, possible negotiations
Henry Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State, believes that the current crisis in Ukraine is nearing a turning point. “Now that China has entered the negotiations, I think they will culminate by the end of the year,” he said in an interview with CBS News. “We will talk about negotiation processes and even real negotiations,” he added. “What if a president came up to me and told me to fly to Moscow to talk to Putin? I would be inclined to do that. But I would be an advisor, not an active person,” he replied.
06:28 – Kiev: Ukraine attacked in the night with 35 drones, all shot down
Last night the Russians attacked Ukraine with 35 Iranian-made kamikaze drones, all of which were destroyed by flak. This was announced by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a post on Facebook. «On the night of May 8, 2023, the enemy again attacked Ukraine, using Iranian-made Shahed attack UAVs. Our defenders destroyed 35 drones out of 35,” the post said. According to local media reports, there have also been missile attacks by Russian ships in the Black Sea, including Pavlhorad among the targeted cities.
03:04 – Russian missiles on Odessa hit a food warehouse
Rockets hit the city of Odessa in southern Ukraine. The attack was launched by the Air Force, according to reports from the Ukrainian Army’s Task Force “South”. «The enemy launched a missile attack on Odessa from strategic aircraft. He aimed X-22 missiles at a warehouse and recreation area of a food company on the Black Sea coast,” read a Facebook post.
03:03 – attack on Kiev, five wounded
Five were injured in the night air raid on Kiev carried out with numerous drones. This was announced by the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Vitalii Klitschko, via telegram. Three people were injured in the Solomyansky district and two in the Sviatoshyn district. Debris from the downed anti-aircraft drones damaged a gas pipeline and a fuel depot, according to Ukrainian military reports. Emergency services were on site
02:00 – Debris from a Russian drone fell on the runway of Zhulyany airport
«In Solomyansk region, debris from a drone hit by anti-aircraft guns fell on the runway of Zhulyany airport. There are no fires.” The governor of the Kiev region, Serhiy Popko, writes on Telegram, referring to the night air raid on the Ukrainian capital. Zhulyany Airport is Kiev’s second airport and was closed to scheduled flights after the Russian invasion in February 2022.
01:42 – Explosions in Kiev, Mayor: “Four injured”
«Three people were injured at the scene of the explosion in Solomyansky district and one in Svyatoshynskyi. Medical assistance will be provided on site.” The mayor of Kiev, Vitalii Klitschko, writes on Telegram about the night air raid on the Ukrainian capital. According to what the governor of the Kyiv region Serhiy Popko writes in Telegram, “a car was hit by debris falling in the yard of an apartment building and caught fire”. More debris also landed on a residential building.
01:27 – MILITARY POINT 446 – Ukraine, a patriot shot down Putin’s hypersonic missile (but there are too many expectations of the offensive)
(by Andrea Marinelli and Guido Olimpio) The Patriot system shot down a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile: the incident was first denied and then hailed by the Ukrainians as if it were the result of a battle. A gratification motivated by the emergency: Kiev admitted for months that it had no responses to vectors being fired at cities and factories.
The KH47 M2 – as it is known – is one of the new weapons that Vladimir Putin has publicly praised. It can be launched from a MIG 31 fighter flying over Russian territory and is highly maneuverable and fast, making it difficult to counter. The Armada began using it along with other ordnance in the campaign of terror and destruction following the invasion. The Ukrainians have deployed the few contraptions available and are unable to stop this type of threat as well as that of the Iskander. (…)
01:08 – The mayor of Kiev: the wreckage of a drone fell
The wreckage of a drone fell in the Sviatoshyn district. All services were on site. We clarify the information on any injuries and victims. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko writes on Telegram about the ongoing airstrike on the Ukrainian capital.
00:25 – Explosions in Kiev, air defense deployed
The military administration of the city of Kiev reports air defenses in action, media reports of explosions in the capital.
11:23 p.m. – air raid alarms in Kiev and across Ukraine, explosions in Odessa
Ukrainska Pravda reports an airstrike alert sounded across most of Ukraine and Kiev, while explosions were recorded in Odessa following a Russian airstrike