RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Kremlin comments on arrest of WSJ correspondent
Wall Street Journal (WSJ) correspondent Evan Gershkovich was caught “red-handed” trying to obtain Russian state secrets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has claimed. The Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday that the reporter had been detained in the city of Ekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage.
Speaking to journalists via conference call, Peskov was asked to comment on the arrest of the American citizen and whether Russia will cooperate with US security services on the issue. The spokesperson stated that he does not know the full details of the case and that the matter remains in the hands of the FSB.
However, Peskov claimed that as far as he was aware, Gershkovich had been caught in the act of trying to collect intelligence about a defense facility, in violation of Russian laws on state secrets. The correspondent, who covers news from Russia, Ukraine, and the former USSR, could face between 10 and 20 years in prison if charged with espionage.
Although Gershkovich had obtained the necessary journalistic credentials from the Foreign Ministry to work in Russia, the FSB alleges that he “acted in the interest of the US government” when he was caught during “an attempt to receive” classified intelligence.
** Russian air defenses down Mi-8 helicopter in Ukraine operation
Russian air defense forces intercepted a Ukrainian Grom-2 ballistic missile and shot down a Mi-8 helicopter over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the settlement of Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, during the last 24-hour period, they intercepted a Grom-2 operational/tactical missile, three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, and also destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Novoandreyevka and Zelyony Gai in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike over 90 Ukrainian artillery units in past day
Russian forces struck over 90 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 93 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 107 areas," the spokesman said.
Battles in Kupyansk direction
Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 50 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Gryanikovka and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Novosyolovskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy troops and equipment, the general said.
"As many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, and also two motor vehicles were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.
Battles in Krasny Liman direction
Russian forces eliminated roughly 130 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Yampolovka, Torskoye and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated as many as 130 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Battles in Donetsk direction
Russian forces destroyed over 340 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 340 servicemen and mercenaries, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, six armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles, an Uragan multiple rocket launcher and also D-20 and D-30 howitzers in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes and artillery fire," the spokesman said.
Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions
Russian forces eliminated over 25 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Vladimirovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Malinovka and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.
"Over 25 Ukrainian troops and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed in those directions in the past 24 hours," the general said.
Battles in Kherson direction
Russian forces destroyed roughly 25 Ukrainian troops and three howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 25 Ukrainian personnel, 11 motor vehicles, and also three D-30 howitzers were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian army’s ammo, fuel depots
Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot, a fuel storage facility and a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system of the Ukrainian army in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Grebennikovka in the Sumy Region, a Ukrainian Buk-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile launcher was obliterated. In the area of the settlement of Olgovka in the Kherson Region, an ammunition depot of the 126th territorial defense brigade was destroyed. Also, a fuel storage facility of the 102nd territorial defense brigade was eliminated near the settlement of Zaliznichnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 404 Ukrainian warplanes, 227 helicopters, 3,622 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,472 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,076 multiple rocket launchers, 4,462 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,199 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Russia's isolation over Ukraine grows with US reporter arrest, NATO expansion
Russia charged an American journalist with spying while NATO moved closer to adding Finland as a member, deepening Moscow's tensions with the West as the war in Ukraine reached its 400th day on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke in his Thursday evening video address of the "tremendous path" his country had taken in 400 days of resistance since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
"Ukraine will win at the front ... we will not leave a single trace of Russia on our land, and we will not leave any enemy unpunished either. We are preparing news about this," he said. He did not give details, but the Ukrainian military has been planning a counteroffensive.
Earlier on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal denied espionage allegations against its reporter Evan Gershkovich and demanded his immediate release. The Kremlin said he had been "caught red-handed" but presented no documentary or video evidence.
The White House condemned Russia's actions and urged U.S. citizens living or travelling in Russia to leave immediately.
"These espionage charges are ridiculous. The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing.
The Russian FSB security service said it arrested Gershkovich, a 31-year-old who has worked in Russia as a journalist for six years, in the Urals industrial city of Yekaterinburg, "suspected of spying in the interests of the American government."
He was brought to Moscow, where a court at a closed hearing ordered him held in pre-trial detention until May 29. Espionage under Russian law can be punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
Western political analysts speculated Moscow could seek to barter Gershkovich in a prisoner swap with Washington or use him as diplomatic leverage in some other way.
'MORE NATO, NOT LESS'
Separately, Turkey's parliament approved a bill on Thursday to allow Finland to join NATO. The Turkish parliament was the last among the 30 members of the Western defence alliance to ratify Finland's membership after Hungary's legislature approved a similar bill earlier this week. Sweden has also sought NATO membership.
NATO countries individually, notably the United States, UK and European nations, and the alliance collectively have provided major military and financial support to the Kyiv government.
"Soon both Finland and Sweden will be (NATO) members, meaning that President Putin is getting the exact opposite of what he wanted," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Fox News. "He wanted less NATO. He is getting more NATO."
Russia has repeatedly accused the West and NATO of playing a direct role in the Ukraine conflict by supplying weapons to Kyiv and has warned that NATO weapons are "legitimate targets" for its armed forces.
Ukraine said on Thursday that Russian forces continued their assault on the eastern battlefield city of Bakhmut and nearby towns as well as on the contested city of Avdiivka and surrounding area.
The small mining city of Bakhmut has been the site of the bloodiest infantry battle in Europe since World War Two, with Russian forces seeking their first victory since mid-2022.
"Our defences are holding the city and repelling numerous enemy attacks," the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a report on Facebook on Thursday evening. Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield reports.
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF BAKHMUT
The Ukrainian military had said a day earlier that Russian fighters were having some success in Bakhmut. Evhen Dikyi, a Ukrainian military analyst interviewed on Ukrainian NV Radio on Thursday, said Russian forces control more than half the city.
"I can tell you that Bakhmut is holding firm. But there is heavy fighting in the city and it is getting closer to the city centre," he said.
"If Russian forces are reported to have made 'some progress' it is probably because they have crossed the Bakhmutka River. They have come wave upon wave and we are talking about a few hundred metres," Dikyi added.
A month ago, the Ukrainian military seemed likely to abandon Bakhmut but has since decided to stay and fight for it, hoping to break the attacking force.
Serhiy Zgurets, director of the Ukrainian defence publication Defense Express, wrote in a column on the website of Ukrainian Espreso TV on Thursday that Zelenskiy was determined to defend Bakhmut because its loss would give Russia leverage to force Ukrainian concessions.
Russia's invasion has destroyed Ukrainian cities and set millions of refugees to flight. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides are believed to have died.
Moscow, which says it sent in troops because its neighbour posed a security threat, has vowed to press on fighting at least until it controls all the eastern provinces, among five it claims to have annexed.
Reuters
