The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Ukrainian relatives hug prisoner of war, Andriy, 23, who was in captivity for six months after arriving in Ukraine on May 6, 2025 in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia swapped 205 prisoners of war today in an exchange mediated by the United Arab Emirates. (Paula Bronstein / Getty Images)
Ukraine brings home 205 POWs in prisoner exchange with Russia. This marks the fifth known prisoner of war (POWs) swap of 2025 and the 64th since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine stabilizes Pokrovsk front, seizes tactical initiative in some areas, Syrskyi says. Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front, where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March.
Ukraine’s drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The reported attack comes just days before Russia’s Victory Day parade and three-day “truce.”
‘Putin doesn’t want peace, he wants Ukraine‘ — Pence rebukes Trump’s stance on Russia. Criticizing the White House, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Putin “only understands power.”
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Trump says falling oil prices mean Russia ‘wants to settle‘ a peace deal in Ukraine. “I think Russia, with the price of oil right now, oil has gone down, we are in a good position to settle, they want to settle. Ukraine wants to settle,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.
As Trump suggests Putin feeling pressure of falling oil prices, Russian oil falls to two-year low. Trump said that Russia has grown more willing to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine following a sharp decline in oil prices.
Russia allegedly downs 3 drones approaching Moscow as Putin prepares Victory Day parade. During the attack, temporary restrictions were imposed on air traffic over Moscow, as well as over the Russian cities of Kaluga, Tambov, Yaroslavl, and Nizhny Novgorod.
Parliamentary сommittee backs ratification of US minerals deal ahead of Verkhovna Rada vote. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, will vote on the agreement’s ratification on May 8.
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Amid missile shortage, Ukraine’s air defenses are struggling under Russian ballistic attacks
The concerns mount as Russia scales up its aerial attacks across Ukraine, combining ballistic missiles and drones. Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, are “definitely facing a shortage of (air defense) missiles,” a source in the Air Force told the Kyiv Independent.
Photo: Bernd Wüstneck / Picture Alliance via Getty Images
How medics of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade deal with horrors of drone warfare
Since forming in 2022, the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade has become not only one of the Ukrainian military’s largest formations but also one of its most well-known, thanks to a public media presence and recruiting campaigns unprecedented for a single brigade.
Photo: Francis Farrell / The Kyiv Independent
Ukraine war latest: 205 Ukrainian POWs released in prisoner swap; drone attacks intensify against Moscow
Ukraine secured the return of 205 soldiers in a one-for-one prisoner exchange with Russia that was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Telegram on May 6.
Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram
Ukraine ramps up drone strikes on Moscow as Russian-friendly leaders set to attend Victory Day parade
For the second night in a row, the Kremlin has reported downing Ukrainian attack drones on their approach to Moscow.
The timing of these attacks on the Russian capital has not gone unnoticed, coming just days before the much-vaunted Victory Day parade.
Photo: Contributor / Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
5 killed, 33 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day. Russia launched 136 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.
Russian missile strike on Sumy suburb kills 3, injures 11. According to the preliminary information, Russian troops used a ballistic missile, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration said. It was launched at around 5:30 p.m. local time, targeting civilian infrastructure.
Russian soldiers executed 3 unarmed Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say. The execution of prisoners of war is a breach of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as an international crime.
International response
European Commission prepares 17th sanctions package against Russia, Reuters reports. The European Commission is preparing its 17th sanctions package against Russia, adding more individuals and over 100 vessels associated with Russia’s shadow fleet to the sanctions list.
Russian Baltic Sea provocations ‘increasing threat of accidental military incidents,’ Latvian intelligence says. The annual report said Russia is using aggressive tactics, such as unauthorized airspace incursions and close encounters with NATO ships and aircraft.
Lithuania to mine border with Russia, Belarus in new $12 billion defense plan.
About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression.
Hegseth reportedly ordered Ukraine aid pause without Trump’s knowledge. The suspension reportedly affected 11 shipments of artillery shells and weapons from Dover Air Force Base and a U.S. base in the United Arab Emirates.
After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports. The European Commission (EC) on May 6 presented a detailed roadmap to fully sever the European Union’s energy dependence on Russia by 2027. Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen struck a defiant tone when announcing the plan: “No more shall Euros go into (Russia’s) war chest.”
UK reportedly updates war alert plans amid Russian threats. The classified “homeland defense plan” outlines how the government would respond in the immediate aftermath of a strike on British territory by a hostile foreign nation.
In other news
Kadyrov asks Putin if he can resign as head of Chechen Republic. “I hope that my request will be supported,” Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov said on May 6.
Moscow releases guest list for Victory Day parade. The Kremlin has released a guest list of countries and foreign leaders planning to attend the contentious May 9 Victory Day parade. Military personnel from 13 countries are expected to march through Moscow and at least 29 world leaders are expected to attend the event.
Ex-deputy head of President’s Office released on over $430,000 bail amid corruption probe. Andrii Smyrnov held the position of the President’s Office deputy head from September 2019 until March 2024, when President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed him without naming a reason.
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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Chris York, Tymur Zadorozhnyy, Toma Istomina, Kateryna Hodunova, Lucy Pakhnyuk, Olena Goncharova, and Dmytro Basmat.
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