Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Reuters)

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Ukraine Ruins Putin’s Non-Victory Day

EA on ANewz: Ukraine Brings Post-Brexit UK and Europe Closer

Wednesday’s Coverage: “Russian Scumbags” Murder 27+ Civians

UPDATE 1029 GMT:

Latvia is investigating the crash of two drones which entered its airspace from Russian territory overnight.

One UAV crashed in the eastern part of the country near an empty oil storage facility. Four empty oil tanks were damaged.

The crash site of the second drone is yet to be discovered.

Romania reported a brief violation of its airspace by a drone involved in Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.

The drone was tracked by two F-16 patrolling aircraft as it crossed into Romanian airspace in the Chilia area.

Romania’s Defense Ministry “firmly condemned the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation, which contravene the norms of international law and pose risks to regional security and stability in the Black Sea”.

UPDATE 1009 GMT:

Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a military logistics facility in the Moscow region overnight.

The Nara production and logistics complex, a Russian Defense Ministry facility is used to store and distribute military supplies. It is located around 70 km (45 miles) southwest of Moscow and 390 km from the Ukraine border.

UPDATE 0828 GMT:

Thirteen civilians were murdered and 54 injured by Russian attacks, breaking a ceasefire declared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 92 of 102 drones launched by Russia overnight. Eight strikes were recorded at six locations.

In the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, six people were killed and six injured.

In the Sumy region in the northeast, five civilians were slain and 12 injured.

In the Zaporizhzhia region in the south, two people were murdered and 12 injured in 797 attacks on 50 settlements.

Casualties were also reported in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions.

UPDATE 0707 GMT:

A security guard was murdered and two people wounded by a Russian drone attack on a kindergarten in Sumy city in northeast Ukraine on Wednesday.

No children were in the building at the time.

UPDATE 0523 GMT:

Hungary has returned the assets of the Ukraine’s State bank Oschadbank.

Budapest’s special services in March detained bank officers while they were in transit with funds and valuables. The seizure came as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a long-time ally of Vladimir Putin, was blocking a €90 billion European Union loan to Kyiv.

Orbán’s 16-year rule was ended in elections last month, and incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar lifted the blockade of the loan and signalled better relations with Ukriane.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on Wednesday:

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Threatening attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv this weekend, Russia has told embassies to evacuate their staff.

The Kremlin is marking Victory Day, commemorating the triumph over Germany in World War II, on Friday. Fearing Ukrainian strikes, it has limited the Red Square parade by removing all military hardware, including tanks, artillery, and missiles.

In a note to foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations, Russia said it will launch a “retaliatory” strike on Kyiv, “including against decision-making centres”, if Ukraine disrupted the Victory Day ceremonies. It urged the recipients to “ensure the timely evacuation of personnel from diplomatic and other missions, as well as citizens, from the city of Kyiv”.

Earlier Wednesday, Russia rejected a unilateral ceasefire declared by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, firing 108 drones and three missiles. A day earlier, Moscow’s attacks murdered at least 27 civilians.

Zelensky said Moscow committed 1,820 violations by 10 a.m. on Wednesday: “Russia’s choice is an obvious spurning of a ceasefire and of saving lives.”

Russia must end the war it is currently waging. Even with the internet shut down and communications blocked, it is perfectly clear to most Russians that their leadership can come out of the bunker and choose peace. The Russian side has our diplomatic proposals, and the only thing needed is Russia’s willingness to move toward real peace.

He noted, “If the one person in Moscow who cannot live without war is interested only in a parade and nothing else, that is another matter. Russia has fought to the point where even their main parade now depends on us.”