The US and Russia have agreed to a prisoner exchange, the Kremlin has claimed, as Moscow’s foreign minister heaped praise on Donald Trump as a man “who wants results” after the US president blasted Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Ukraine.
Sergey Lavrov told a press conference Washington and Moscow had agreed on a prisoner swap after Trump and Putin spoke of exchanging nine people from each side during their phone call last week, according to NBC.
Moscow claimed the diplomatic development after Trump branded Putin “absolutely crazy” for a record-breaking drone attack on Ukraine, and the Kremlin said the US president was being "emotional".
Mr Trump issued some of his sharpest criticism of Mr Putin after Russia fired 355 drones and nine missiles at Ukraine — the largest aerial attack of the more than three-year war.
He added that if the Russian leader tried to conquer all of Ukraine, it would “lead to the downfall of Russia” as he warned of further sanctions.
On Tuesday Lavrov grovelled to Trump as a man "who wants results."
"He sees some of the Europeans are working to sabotage his efforts [on peace]... of course, he gets emotional, and, of course, as someone who does not like anything to stand in the way of his noble goals, he looks at it a certain way,” Lavrov said, according to Russian news outlet Tass.
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Key Points
- Russia preparing for fresh offensive in Ukraine, says Zelensky
- No more range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine, says Germany
- Zelensky says over 900 drones launched against Ukraine in three days
- Kremlin says Trump’s comments about Putin due to ‘emotional overload’
- Kremlin warns against 'dangerous' move by West to allow long-range Ukrainian attacks
Air defences down 112 Ukrainian drones over Russia, six headed to Moscow, officials say
23:12
,
Holly Evans
Russian air defences destroyed or intercepted 112 Ukrainian drones over a three-hour period, most of them over central or southern regions, the Russian Defence Ministry said early on Wednesday.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said six Ukrainian drones were repelled while heading for the Russian capital. Recovery crews were examining fragments on the ground, he said.
Donald Trump grows angrier as Vladimir Putin exposes his impotence
23:00
,
Tom Watling
As Washington settled in for a typically sleepy Memorial Day following the passage of Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the House, the president fired off one of his trademark furious rants on Truth Social, but the target was a surprise.
This time, the target wasn’t any of his domestic political foes — like the Democrats who voted in lockstep against the budget package he endorsed, or the handful of Republicans who refused to fall into line. It wasn’t even aimed at the various law enforcement figures who have attempted to hold him to account over the years.
Starmer is now in the crosshairs of the Kremlin
22:00
,
Tom Watling
It is no coincidence that Sir Keir Starmer began his premiership last summer with a whirlwind of foreign policy activity: hosting the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace, flying to Washington for the 75th anniversary Nato summit, and reaffirming Britain’s role in supporting Ukraine. In doing so, he signalled Britain’s renewed seriousness as a global actor. And while this may not always be fully appreciated at home, it is being clearly registered in Moscow.
Russia's Medvedev on Trump's criticism of Putin: the only bad thing is new world war
21:10
,
Jabed Ahmed
Top Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev, responding to Donald Trump's criticism of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, said the only truly bad thing to worry about was World War Three.
"Regarding Trump's words about Putin "playing with fire" and "really bad things" happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!" Medvedev wrote on X.
Russia seizes on Badenoch’s claim Ukraine is fighting a ‘proxy war’ on behalf of Western Europe
21:00
,
Tom Watling
Russia has seized on comments made by the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said that Ukraine is fighting a “proxy war” on behalf of Western Europe.
Russia’s embassy in London shared a clip of Ms Badenoch, claiming she had “called a spade a spade”.
The Kremlin has long tried to justify its invasion of Ukraine by claiming Nato is using the country as a proxy for war.
In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, the Tory leader also claimed that Israel is fighting a “proxy war on behalf of the UK” in Gaza against Hamas.
Dutch intelligence agencies say Russian hackers stole police data in cyberattack
20:00
,
Tom Watling
A previously unknown Russian hacker group with suspected ties to the Kremlin was responsible for a cyberattack last year on the Dutch police and has also targeted other Western nations that deliver military support to Ukraine, intelligence agencies announced Tuesday.
The agencies said in a report that the group, which they called Laundry Bear, is actively trying to steal sensitive data from European Union and NATO countries and is “extremely likely Russian state supported.”
Russia denies involvement in arson at properties linked to UK Prime Minister Starmer
19:00
,
Tom Watling
A top Kremlin official on Monday scoffed at a report that Russia could be involved in recent arson attacks on the private home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a building where he once lived and a car that he had owned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a Financial Times report that said U.K. security officials were looking into whether Russia was involved in the attacks.
Takeaways from AP report on Ukrainian POWs dying in Russian prisons
18:00
,
Tom Watling
More than 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in prison since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago.
Abuse inside Russian prisons likely contributed to many of these deaths, adding to evidence that Russia is systematically brutalizing captured soldiers, according to officials from human rights groups, the U.N. and the Ukrainian government, and a Ukrainian medical examiner who has performed dozens of POW autopsies.
Putin is playing with fire, Trump says
17:05
,
Jabed Ahmed
US president Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin is "playing with fire."
Trump's latest comments follow some of the biggest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine since Russia's full-scale war began in early 2022.
"What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Why Zelensky believes Russia is planning a major new offensive, not a peace proposal
17:00
,
Tom Watling
Below, you can read a Bulletin breakdown of the latest in Ukraine.
Ukraine hopes to import gas via Transbalkan pipeline at lower transit fee
16:00
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine's energy regulator has approved a gas import mechanism that will avoid high transit fees when supplying gas through the Transbalkan pipeline from Greece to Ukraine, the Ukrainian energy ministry said on Tuesday.
Ukraine has faced a serious gas shortage since a series of devastating Russian missile strikes this year, which significantly reduced domestic gas production.
Ukraine now imports gas via Slovakia and Hungary, but does not use the southern route because of its higher transit tariffs, as gas from LNG terminals in Greece also passes through Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova.
“The Transbalkan route has significant potential to meet Ukraine's immediate needs ... however, this route passes through five countries, and the direct application of regulated tariffs makes it commercially unattractive compared to alternative options,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry noted gas transit operators of five countries had “developed an optimised solution that will, in particular, allow the use of the currently unused capacity of the Transbalkan pipeline to import gas to Ukraine at a competitive tariff.”
The ministry gave no more details, but added that it hopes for positive decisions from all participating countries on the use of the route.
The Kyiv government has said Ukraine needs to import at least 4 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas for the new 2025/26 heating season while analysts and former officials estimated the imports at about 6.3 bcm.
Russia accuses Finland of provocation over Baltic Sea drills
15:27
,
Tom Watling
Russia’s foreign ministry has accused Finland of escalating tensions by carrying out pre-organised naval drills, a week after two of Moscow’s fighter jets reportedly violated Finnish airspace.
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, claimed Finland’s current naval operations were “becoming a tool of Nato escalation near Russia’s border”. It is not unusual for Moscow to make baseless claims like this.
She was referring to Finland’s Exercise Narrow Waters 25, the country’s annual spring exercise. It was formerly a national exercise but has been developed into an international exercise to include Sweden, Germany and Estonia, following Finland’s accession to Nato and the renewed threat posed by Russia.
Russia is concurrently conducting naval exercises near the exclave of Kaliningrad further south.
Last week, Finland summoned the Russian ambassador after Kremlin warplanes were reported to have crossed into Finnish airspace. It has also been reported that Russia is building a military presence on Finland’s border.
Exercise Narrow Waters 25 – bringing together #NATO Allies from the Baltic Sea region.
— Finland at NATO (@FinlandatNATO) May 27, 2025
The Finnish Navy led exercise trains vessels and troops to conduct joint naval operations in the unique environment of the Baltic Sea, this time together with .#merivoimat #NAWA25 pic.twitter.com/wsW33cAmKz
‘I’ve had enough! President Trump take action’ against Putin, demands GOP Senator Grassley
14:42
,
Tom Watling
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on President Donald Trump to sanction Russia after the Kremlin launched a massive drone and missile attack against Ukraine over the weekend.
A fed-up Grassley demanded on his X account Monday that Trump to take punitive action against Russian President Vladimir Putin for his continued aggression in Ukraine.
"I’ve had enuf of Putin killing innocent ppl. Pres Trump Take action AT LEAST SANCTIONS," Grassley wrote.
Russia seizes on Badenoch’s claim Ukraine is fighting a ‘proxy war’ on behalf of Western Europe
14:00
,
Tom Watling
Russia has seized on comments made by the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said that Ukraine is fighting a “proxy war” on behalf of Western Europe.
Russia’s embassy in London shared a clip of Ms Badenoch, claiming she had “called a spade a spade”.
The Kremlin has long tried to justify its invasion of Ukraine by claiming Nato is using the country as a proxy for war.
Russian forces take four border villages in Ukraine’s Sumy region
13:27
,
Tom Watling
Russian forces have seized four border villages in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, a local official said on Tuesday, just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he had ordered the establishment of a buffer zone along the border.
Elsewhere, a Russian bombing campaign, which had escalated in recent days, slowed overnight, with fewer Russian drones targeting Ukrainian towns and cities.
Donald Trump grows angrier as Vladimir Putin exposes his impotence
13:03
,
Tom Watling
As Washington settled in for a typically sleepy Memorial Day following the passage of Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the House, the president fired off one of his trademark furious rants on Truth Social, but the target was a surprise.
This time, the target wasn’t any of his domestic political foes — like the Democrats who voted in lockstep against the budget package he endorsed, or the handful of Republicans who refused to fall into line. It wasn’t even aimed at the various law enforcement figures who have attempted to hold him to account over the years.
Trump urged to punish Russia after lashing out at Putin over record drone strikes on Ukraine
12:40
,
Tom Watling
Donald Trump has been urged to impose major sanctions on Russia after the US president described Vladimir Putin as having “gone absolutely crazy” following a barrage of Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine.
French president Emmanuel Macron urged Mr Trump to turn his words into action, while Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming that the time for dialogue was over, called on the US leader to implement “increased sanctions” against Russia.
Mapped: Russia's advance in eastern Ukraine
12:16
,
Tom Watling
Russian forces are advancing at their fastest rate this year in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, according to the latest analysis.
The attacks appear to be concentrated along a 30-mile line from the city of Pokrovsk to Kostiantynivka. You can read more about that further down our blog.
Below is a map showing this attack.
Russia-backed group hacked into networks of police and Nato, say Dutch authorities
11:48
,
Tom Watling
A previously unknown Russian hacking group was behind attacks last year on the networks of the Dutch police, Nato and several European countries, Dutch intelligence agencies said on Tuesday.
The group, nicknamed Laundry Bear by the security agencies, was most likely supported by the Russian state, the Dutch General Intelligence Agency and Military Agency said in a joint letter to parliament.
“The cyberattacks against Dutch institutions are part of a larger international cyber threat posed by the hacker group,” they said in a statement detailing the findings of their probe into the incidents.
The group operated under the radar until it was discovered conducting a hacking operation in September 2024 in which it successfully gained access to the confidential details of Dutch police officials, it said.
Laundry Bear also conducted cyber-espionage against companies that produce high-end technologies that Russia has difficulty accessing due to Western sanctions over the Ukraine war, it said.
“The investigation also reveals that Laundry Bear has been responsible for cyber operations against Western governments and other institutions since at least 2024,” the statement added.
It said the group had sought to get hold of information related to “the procurement and production of military equipment by Western governments and Western arms deliveries to Ukraine”.
‘Ample evidence’ Russia preparing fresh offensive despite talk of ceasefire, claims Zelensky
11:23
,
Tom Watling
Russia is preparing to launch a new military offensive in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed, even as the Kremlin suggests it is still open to peace talks.
After a weekend of unprecedented Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine, involving more than 900 missiles and drones, Zelensky claimed Kyiv had obtained intelligence suggesting Moscow was on the brink of a new push.
“We can see from the information obtained by intelligence and from open-source data that Putin and his entourage do not plan to end the war,” the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address on Monday.
Kremlin takes aim at claims US could sanction Russia
10:52
,
Tom Watling
The Kremlin has taken aim at claims that Donald Trump could sanction Russia following Moscow’s massive onslaught of aerial attacks against Ukraine over the weekend.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that media reports suggesting that the United States may impose new sanctions against Russia were part of a campaign aimed at disrupting peace talks over Ukraine.
Russia's defence ministry, meanwhile, said that Ukraine, backed by certain European countries, had taken a host of “provocative steps” aimed at wrecking Russian-initiated direct peace talks, the Interfax news agency reported.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his chief advisor, Andriy Yermak, have both made public calls for Trump to sanction Russia after Moscow fired more than 900 drones at Ukraine over the weekend. European leaders have continually called for Trump to sanction Russia and accused Putin of obstructing peace.
Speaking on Sunday evening after several of the attacks on Ukraine, Trump said Putin was “needlessly killing” civilians and had “gone absolutely crazy”. It has since been reported that he is considering sanctions against Russia, although this would not be the first time Trump has considered such action without following through.
Yermak: Russia’s stalling must be punished
10:32
,
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief advisor has urged the country’s backers to punish Russia for “stalling” peace talks.
Andriy Yermak, who has led Ukraine’s peace delegation in recent talks in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, says Russia is engaged in a “typical delay tactic aimed at avoiding responsibility for killings and trying to escape tougher sanctions”.
“It’s time to end this endless waiting — Russia must face more sanctions,” he wrote on X.
Russia keeps stalling, developing “something,” and refusing to cease fire — a typical delay tactic aimed at avoiding responsibility for killings and trying to escape tougher sanctions.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) May 27, 2025
It’s time to end this endless waiting — Russia must face more sanctions.
Emergency workers battle fires in northeast Ukraine
10:13
,
Tom Watling
Emergency workers in Ukraine’s northeast region of Kharkiv have been pictured battling fires following another Russian drone attack overnight.
The pictures below, shared by Ukraine’s state emergency services, show “a large-scale fire at a civilian enterprise in the village of Vasyshcheve, Kharkiv region”.
The state emergency service said the fire covered an area of 7,500 square metres.
Рятувальники ліквідували масштабну пожежу на цивільному підприємстві в селищі Васищеве на Харківщині, яке вночі атакували російські БпЛА.
— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) May 27, 2025
Вогонь охопив територію площею 7500 кв.м.
На щастя, люди не постраждали.
Надзвичайники працювали під загрозою повторних обстрілів! pic.twitter.com/GBmrnv4HqJ
Germany's Merz anticipates prolonged Ukraine war due to Russia's reluctance for talks
09:58
,
Tom Watling
Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that the war in Ukraine is expected to persist due to Russia's reluctance to enter negotiations.
“Wars typically end because of economic or military exhaustion on one side or on both sides and in this war we are obviously still far from reaching that (situation),” Merz said at a joint press conference with Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo in Turku.
“So we may have to prepare for a longer duration,” Merz added.
China denies Ukrainian reports on military supplies to Russia
09:31
,
Tom Watling
China has never provided lethal weapons to any parties to the conflict in Ukraine and strictly controls dual-use items, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday in response to Ukrainian reports of Chinese supplies to Russian military plants.
“The Ukrainian side knows this full well, and China firmly opposes groundless accusations and political manipulation,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference.
Ukraine's foreign intelligence chief on Monday said China is supplying a range of important products to 20 Russian military plants.
Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine sharply increasing - graph
09:08
,
Tom Watling
Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine have sharply risen in recent weeks as Moscow makes use of increased drone manufacturing.
Below, you can see a graph produced by analyst Konrad Muzyka of Rochan Consulting that shows the sheer extent to which the rates of attacks have grown.
After a brief drop in April, Russia fired nearly 1,000 drones and missiles across Ukraine over the weekend, killing over a dozen people, including children. Saturday night’s attack, which saw more than 350 drones fired at Ukraine, was the largest of the more than three-year war.
While previous upticks in Russia drone attacks have come from a strategy of stockpiling and then unloading in large quantities, analysts suggest the latest rise in aerial assaults is the result of increased Russian drone production.
Zelensky: Russia preparing new offensive
08:49
,
Tom Watling
Russia is preparing to conduct “new offensive operations” despite ongoing talks of a possible truce, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.
“There is currently no indication that they are seriously considering peace or diplomacy,” he wrote. “On the contrary, there is ample evidence that they are preparing new offensive operations.”
His comments follow a significant increase in Russian attacks along points of the frontline in eastern Ukraine and a massive uptick in long-range aerial attacks on cities across the country.
Trump considering sanctions on Russia after deadly weekend of strikes - report
08:29
,
Tom Watling
Donald Trump is considering slapping sanctions on Russia after claiming Vladimir Putin has “gone absolutely crazy”, The Wall Street Journal is reporting.
The US president has long warned Putin that he would sanction Russia if the autocrat continued to object to peace. Those threats have proved empty thus far, even as Putin has consistently wrecked attempts to put a truce in place.
Over the weekend, Russia fired some 900 drones and missiles at positions across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Saturday night’s attack of 355 drones and nine missiles was Russia’s largest attack of the war, Kyiv’s air force claimed.
According to the WSJ, any new restrictions will likely not include banking sanctions.
Russia fires 60 drones across Ukraine, says Kyiv
07:50
,
Tom Watling
Russia has fired another volley of drones at targets across Ukraine after a weekend of massive attacks, Kyiv’s air force has reported.
Russia fired 60 drones overnight, the air force said, of which 43 were shot down.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said last night that Russia had fired more than 900 drones and missiles over the weekend.
Russia says it downs 99 Ukrainian drones overnight
07:44
,
Tom Watling
Russia's defence ministry has claimed that its air defence systems downed 99 Ukrainian drones, including 56 over the Belgorod region, overnight.
It follows a weekend in which Russia fired more than 900 drones across Ukraine, killing over a dozen people, including several children.
Ukraine also fired a salvo of drones at military production factories over the weekend.
More than 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian prisons, says Kyiv
07:22
,
Arpan Rai
More than 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) have died in prison since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago, officials in Kyiv have said.
Of the more than 5,000 POWs Russia has repatriated to Ukraine, at least 206 died in captivity, including more than 50 when an explosion ripped through a Russian-controlled prison barracks, according to the Ukrainian government.
An additional 245 Ukrainian POWs were killed by Russian soldiers on the battlefield, according to Ukrainian prosecutors.
Abuse inside Russian prisons likely contributed to many of these deaths, adding to evidence that Russia is systematically brutalising captured soldiers, according to officials from human rights groups, the UN and the Ukrainian government, and a Ukrainian medical examiner who has performed dozens of POW autopsies.
Ukrainian officials say the frequent repatriation of bodies that are mutilated and decomposed point to an effort by Russia to cover up alleged torture, starvation and poor health care at dozens of prisons and detention centers across Russia and occupied Ukraine.
No more range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine, says Germany
07:15
,
Arpan Rai
Germany and other major allies are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion, its new chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
The German leader said that "there are no longer any range restrictions for weapons that have been delivered to Ukraine — neither by the British, nor by the French, nor by us, and not by the Americans either."
"That means Ukraine can also defend itself by, for example, attacking military positions in Russia," Mr Merz said at a forum organised by WDR public television.
"Until a while ago, it couldn't. — It can now," he said.
"We call this 'long-range fire' in jargon, also supplying Ukraine with weapons that attack military targets in the hinterland," he added.
Mr Merz did not elaborate, and it wasn't clear whether he was referring to the easing of restrictions on longer-range weapons late last year.
Germany, along with the UK and France, has plunged into diplomatic efforts to try to secure a ceasefire and keep Western support for Ukraine intact.
Zelensky says over 900 drones launched against Ukraine in three days
07:13
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the hundreds of Russian attacks on his country are a “political choice” made by Vladimir Putin.
Speaking in his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky said: “Over 900 attack drones launched against Ukraine in just three days, along with ballistic and cruise missiles. There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice of Russia – the choice to keep waging war.”
“We can see from the information obtained by intelligence and from open-source data that Putin and his entourage do not plan to end the war.”
Mr Zelensky has asked the Russian leader to “start respecting those he talks to”.
“For now, he is simply playing games with diplomacy and with diplomats. That must change,” Mr Zelensky said.
Over 900 attack drones launched against Ukraine in just three days, along with ballistic and cruise missiles. There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice of Russia – the choice to keep waging war.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 26, 2025
Recently, a meeting was held in Istanbul. Now, the… pic.twitter.com/Al8rmTYPom
Navy to use AI to detect ‘hostile’ Russian activity in the Arctic
07:11
,
Arpan Rai