May 25, 2023 Russia-Ukraine news

By Tara Subramaniam, Christian Edwards, Ed Upright, Aditi Sangal, Leinz Vales and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Updated 9:25 p.m. ET, May 25, 2023
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2:52 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Ukraine says a new wave of drones launched by Russia has failed to meet its targets

From CNN's Maria Kostenko in Kyiv

Ukraine's air defenses repelled all 36 drones launched by Russia overnight at multiple cities including Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.

“It was not an easy night. As the enemy continued to terrorize Ukraine, they used 36 Shaheds [attack drones]. None of them reached the target,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement. 

Kyiv in particular was the site of a “massive attack” according to the capital's defense chief. 

“The enemy continues with tactics of attacking in waves, with intervals between groups of attacking drones,” said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration.

In western Ukraine, the country's Air Force Command said the Russians had targeted critical infrastructure and military installations.

In the south, Ukrainian forces destroyed three drones over Mykolaiv region and one drone over Odesa, the Southern Operational Command said in a statement.

8:31 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Analysis: Russian dissident fighters struggle to stick to Ukraine's official line

From CNN's Sam Kiley in Sumy province, Ukraine

In a gleeful parade of shameless propaganda, Russian dissident fighters back from a raid in their home country appeared in Ukraine with a trophy — a captured Russian armored vehicle — but struggled to stick to Kyiv’s official explanation of their exploits.

Ukrainian officials say the fighters were acting on their own when they raced across the Russian border and shot up Russian towns in the Belgorod region earlier this week, in a two-day raid that was extensively cataloged on social media.

They weren’t.

Members of the Freedom for Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps — both made up of Russian citizens who are fighting in Ukraine against their motherland — all fall under the command of the Ukrainian security forces.

“Was this an independent action uncoordinated with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, or did they give you instructions?” I asked Dennis Nikitin, leader of the far-right Russian Volunteer Corps on Wednesday.

He replied, “Obviously, everything we do, every decision we make behind, beyond the border [in Russia] … is our own decision.”

But he went on to admit a certain “encouragement and help and aid.”

“What we do, obviously, we can ask our, let’s say, [Ukrainian] comrades, friends for their assistance in planning. What do you think about this? Could you tell us if this is a plausible mission? Would it help Ukraine in this fight or would it make things worse?” Nikitin said.
“They will say ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘this is a good idea’, ‘this is a bad idea’. So this is a kind of encouragement and help and aid.”

Nikitin didn’t actually do a stage wink, but he might as well have.

Read the full analysis here.

8:33 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

It's early morning in Moscow, where Russia denies a fire broke out at the Defense Ministry. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Russia has denied reports of a fire at its Ministry of Defense building in central Moscow, according to state news agency TASS, after the agency earlier cited emergency services saying that a blaze had broken out on the balcony.

Video seen by CNN showed smoke surrounding the Defense Ministry building and a woman heard saying: “The smell of burning is horrible.”

Meanwhile, US officials have picked up chatter amongst Ukrainian officials blaming each other for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month. This contributes to a US assessment that a Ukrainian group may have been responsible, sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN.

Here's what else to know:

  • Cross-border attacks: Nine people were hospitalized following drone attacks on the Russian region of Belgorod, its governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Wednesday. The attacks followed an earlier incursion claimed by the anti-Moscow groups known as Freedom for Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps.
  • What we know about the anti-Putin groups: The groups that claimed responsibility for the attack on Belgorod said their operation is "ongoing." Denis Nikitin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, said the group coordinates with the Ukrainian military on operations inside Ukraine, but not outside. Kyiv has distanced itself from the Russian fighters, saying they are operating independently in Russia. Moscow said the fighters who crossed the border Monday were pushed back into Ukrainian territory.
  • Warning from Moscow: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the cross-border raid in Belgorod a “terrorist act” and warned that Russia will respond "promptly and extremely harshly" to any further attempts. Shoigu also claimed that more than 70 saboteurs were killed. CNN could not independently verify his claim.
  • F-16 jets: Norway will support the training of Ukrainians on F-16 fighter jets, Oslo's Defense Ministry said. US President Joe Biden has backed plans for Kyiv’s pilots to be trained to fly the US-made planes and signaled to allies that Washington would allow exports of F-16s from other countries. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the moves send "one of the strongest signals from the world that Russia will only lose."  
  • New US aid: The Biden administration approved the $285 million sale of a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System to Ukraine, the State Department said. That means Ukraine will have a total of nine NASAMS when the delivery is completed. In November, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said NASAMS had a 100% success rate in intercepting Russian missiles.
  • NATO membership: Kyiv's bid to become a member of the alliance while it is engaged in a war with Russia is "not on the agenda," according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. He acknowledged there are some "different views in the alliance" on the issue, but all members agree Ukraine will become a member.
  • Potential prisoner swap: Lawyers for an accused Russian money launderer in US custody want their client to be considered for any potential US-Russia prisoner swap for detained reporter Evan Gershkovich, a court filing said. Alexander Vinnik is accused of running a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly did business with drug dealers and identity thieves.
8:54 p.m. ET, May 24, 2023

Russia denies fire broke out at Defense Ministry in Moscow, state media reports

From CNN's Jonny Hallam

Russia has denied reports of a fire at its Ministry of Defense building in central Moscow, according to state news agency TASS, after the agency cited emergency services saying that a blaze had broken out on the balcony.

“A fire broke-out on a balcony at the Ministry of Defense building on Frunzenskaya Naberezhnaya,” TASS initially quoted an emergency services source as saying, also noting that emergency services are working at the scene.

Local officials later said a fire had not been detected at the building, TASS reported.

“The presence of a fire has not been confirmed, as no fire was detected by the fire brigade upon arrival. Neither is there any information about victims,” TASS quoted Moscow’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Video seen by CNN showed smoke surrounding the Defense Ministry building and a woman heard saying, “The smell of burning is horrible.”

Earlier this month, a small explosion apparently caused by two drones took place at the Kremlin, which Moscow described at the time as an attempt on the life of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Read more here.

2:02 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Wagner chief warns of new Russian revolution in scathing remarks on Ukraine invasion

From CNN's Rob Picheta and Mariya Knight

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group, arrives at a cemetery in Moscow, Russia, on April 8.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group, arrives at a cemetery in Moscow, Russia, on April 8. AP

A new “revolution” could rock Russia if its stuttering war effort in Ukraine continues, the chief of private military group Wagner has said, in a scathing assessment of Moscow’s military readiness that could further expose divisions in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military hierarchy.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an interview with Konstantin Dolgov, a pro-Russian blogger, that Moscow’s troops are unprepared to resist forces loyal to Kyiv even when they enter Russian territory.

He also praised the capabilities of the Ukrainian army, and urged Moscow to escalate its war effort if it wants to avoid a long and costly conflict.

Prigozhin has frequently criticized Russia’s traditional military hierarchy as he sought to win a power struggle against military commanders to lead Putin’s ground effort in eastern Ukraine. Earlier this month he blamed Russian defense chiefs for “tens of thousands” of Wagner casualties because they didn’t have enough ammunition.

But his comments to Dolgov were alarmist even for the free-wheeling Putin ally. As he has frequently done, Prigozhin urged Moscow to step up its war in order to defeat Ukraine — urging Putin to “declare a martial law and a new wave of mobilization.”

He warned that if Russian losses continue to mount, “all these divisions can end in what is a revolution, just like in 1917.”

“First the soldiers will stand up, and after that — their loved ones will rise up. It is wrong to think that there are hundreds of them — there are already tens of thousands of them — relatives of those killed,” he said. “And there will probably be hundreds of thousands — we cannot avoid that.”

Read more here.

1:16 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Allies' supply of F-16 jets is a signal that Russia will lose, Zelensky says

From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva and Hira Humayun

An F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter jet
An F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter jet Larry MacDougal/MCDOL/AP/FILE

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the planned supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is “one of the strongest signals from the world that Russia will only lose." 

Speaking during his nightly address, Zelensky referenced an international coalition with the UK and the Netherlands. Both countries said in early May that they are working to help Ukraine procure US-made F-16 fighter jets.

President Joe Biden later said the US will support a joint effort with allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation aircrafts, including F-16s.

On Wednesday, Norway said it would support the training and will consider different ways to do so.

“This will be a signal that Russian terror has lost, and our world, which is based on respect for independent nations and the right of peoples to choose their own path, has survived,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine will prepare all the necessary conditions to make sure the air transition takes place as quickly and efficiently as possible, the president added.

8:41 p.m. ET, May 24, 2023

Russia will respond "extremely harshly" to future incursions, defense minister says

From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the cross-border raid in Belgorod a “terrorist act” and warned Russia will respond "promptly and extremely harshly" to any further attempts. 

Shoigu also claimed that more than 70 saboteurs were killed, as well as automotive and armored vehicles.

CNN could not independently verify Shoigu's claim.

“During the counter-terrorist operation, the national formations were blocked and defeated,” Shoigu said during a televised meeting on Wednesday.

“We will continue to respond promptly and extremely harshly to such actions by Ukrainian militants,” he said.

Some context: A group of anti-Putin Russian nationals, who are aligned with the Ukrainian army, claimed responsibility for an attack in Russia’s southwestern region of Belgorod, which borders northeastern Ukraine.

The Ukraine-based Freedom for Russia Legion has said its goal is the "complete liberation of Russia" after claiming a surprise attack in Belgorod.

CNN's Rob Picheta and Nathan Hodge contributed to this post.

6:01 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Ukrainians may have launched Kremlin drone attack, US intelligence suggests

From CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Zachary Cohen

A still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building in Moscow, Russia, on May 3.
A still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building in Moscow, Russia, on May 3. Ostorozhno Novosti/Handout/Reuters

US officials have picked up chatter among Ukrainian officials blaming each other for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month, contributing to a US assessment that a Ukrainian group may have been responsible, sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN.

The intercepts include some members of Ukraine’s military and intelligence bureaucracy speculating that Ukrainian special operations forces conducted the operation.

The chatter, combined with other intercepted communications of Russian officials blaming Ukraine for the attack and wondering how it happened, has led US officials to consider the possibility that a Ukrainian group was behind the incident on May 3. On that morning, two drones flew up toward the Kremlin’s Senate Palace and struck the top of the building.

However, the US has not been able to reach a definitive conclusion on who was responsible and only assesses with low confidence that a Ukrainian group may have been behind the incident, officials said. US officials also still believe it is unlikely that senior Ukrainian government officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, ordered the attack or knew about it beforehand.

Recent US intelligence reports have assessed that Russian officials have speculated privately, as they have publicly, that Ukraine was behind the attack, leading officials to believe that the incident was likely not a state-sponsored false-flag operation intended to give Russia a pretext to further escalate its war on Ukraine.

The Kremlin has also made some internal security changes in response to the attack, one source familiar with the intelligence said, declining to go into detail. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said publicly following the episode that the city’s air defenses would be tightened.

The drones that hit the Kremlin appeared small, with a relatively light payload, which is probably why they didn’t trigger Russian air defenses, sources told CNN. It is unclear whether they would have had sufficient range to be flown from Ukraine to Moscow.

Read more here.

12:33 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

What we know about the cross-border attack claimed by anti-Putin Russians

From CNN's Rob Picheta and Nathan Hodge

Questions linger about the groups behind the cross-border attack that anti-Putin Russians say they launched from Ukraine, how it took place, and what it means for the war.

Here’s what we know so far:

  • What happened in Belgorod? A group of anti-Putin Russian nationals, who are aligned with the Ukrainian army, claimed responsibility for an attack in Russia’s southwestern region of Belgorod, which borders northeastern Ukraine. Two areas of the region were then hit by unmanned aerial vehicles, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov, causing two houses to catch fire. One civilian from the village of Kozinka has died as a result of the cross-border fighting, Gladkov said on Tuesday. About 100 others were evacuated from the Russian border settlements of Glotovo and Kozinka in the region, local authorities said.
  • What did the attackers do? They appeared to have achieved surprise, apparently taking control of a border post and giving the world dramatic images of Russian nationals actively taking up arms against the Kremlin. Smoke was also seen rising from apparent explosions in the regional capital of Belgorod, where local authorities confirmed what they described as two drone strikes.
  • Which groups are involved? The Freedom for Russia Legion said on Telegram early Tuesday that it and another group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, “continue to liberate the Belgorod region!” The post described the groups as “patriot volunteers” and claimed that Russia was vulnerable to attack as “Russia has no reserves to respond to military crises. All military personnel are dead, wounded or in Ukraine.”
  • How is the incident playing out in Russia? As Russian officials condemned the attack, analysts noted widespread confusion in Russia’s information space about how the attack was allowed to take place and how Moscow should respond. It has the potential to be embarrassing for President Vladimir Putin, who has for 15 months been leading an invasion he baselessly claimed was needed to keep Russia safe. With limited returns on the battlefield, Putin may now face discontent that the war is disrupting life at home.

Read more here.