The Battle for Ceasefires – Ukraine Latest, May 5

Internet blackouts in Moscow, mounting Russian losses, and Trump weighs in on Zelensky – updates from Ukraine and beyond Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied This handout photograph taken and released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on May 5, 2026, shows rescuers extinguishing a fire at the site following an air attack in Poltava region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Handout / STATE EMERGENSY SERVICE OF UKRAINE / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google US President Donald Trump now calls President Volodymyr Zelensky a “tricky” guy but says he likes him . We’ll see how that “like” translates into actual support as attacks intensify on both sides ahead of Russia’s May 9 ceasefire proposal – now countered by Zelensky’s May 6 truce proposal . Overnight, Ukraine pounded Russia with 289 drones , reportedly hitting a fortified military plant with its homegrown Flamingo missile , after a series of refinery and weapon factory strikes in April that are said to have cost the Kremlin over $300 million in infrastructure damage in Tuapse alone. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . But Moscow also struck Ukraine overnight with drones and missiles , with oil and gas facilities hit particularly hard. After yet another “double-tap” strike that killed rescuers in the Poltava region, Zelensky has vowed a “mirror” response. Ukraine’s defense minister also said Russia has been losing more men than it can replace for five straight months. As Kyiv continues to push for Russian attrition on and off the front lines, we’ll see where the Trump administration ultimately lands. Amid a surge in drone sightings, the EU has launched a new drone alliance with Ukraine, just as Zelensky proposes a new drone deal with the king of Bahrain , following a recent trip to the Caucasus that cemented Ukraine’s position in the region after decades of Kremlin dominance. Other Topics of Interest Kyiv’s Tuapse Strikes Caused Over $300M in Oil Infrastructure Damage, Plus Export Losses Kyiv says a series of mid-April through May 1 attacks on Tuapse directly cost Russia over $300 million in damaged Black Sea port and refinery facilities, and much more in lost oil export revenue. But support from Europe isn’t always guaranteed – even as the Czech and Finnish leaders said Europe should learn from Ukraine’s war experience , Romania’s pro-EU prime minister has just faced a no-confidence motion over austerity measures , raising concerns that a key NATO eastern flank member could shift toward pro-Kremlin parties, following recent developments in Bulgaria. Designated Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan gives a joint press statement with the Romanian President at Cotroceni Palace, the Romanian Presidency's headquarters, in Bucharest, June 20, 2025. (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP) And as the US announced plans to withdraw troops from Germany after the Iran fiasco, there’s also uncertainty in how the war in Iran would unravel, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had come under attack despite the ongoing ceasefire. Now, with residents in Moscow and St. Petersburg reporting internet blackouts ahead of the May 9 parade, we’ll see how ceasefire efforts in Eastern Europe compare to those in the Middle East – hopefully with better results. Interested in more updates like this? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here . Leo Chiu is a journalist and editor based in Eastern Europe since 2015. He has witnessed two presidential elections in Belarus and traveled widely to conflict zones and contested regions, producing reporting that bridges the gap between major developments and local realities.