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
13 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
6:00 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Frequency of attacks in Bakhmut has decreased, according to Ukraine

From Maria Kostenko in Kyiv and Seb Shukla in London

Ukrainian service members ride atop of a BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle near the frontline town of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on May 23.
Ukrainian service members ride atop of a BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle near the frontline town of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on May 23. (Yevhenii Zavhorodnii/Reuters)

The frequency of attacks in the Bakhmut direction “has decreased,” according to Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesman for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Speaking to CNN, Cherevatyi said that this was “very unusual for this part of the frontline,” adding that a reason for this is the “significant exhaustion, losses and regrouping” of Russian units. 

“There were two combat engagements over the past 24 hours. Over the previous two days, there were three combat engagements each,” he said.

Speaking about the Wagner withdrawal from Bakhmut — which the organization's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says began at 5am local time on Thursday — Cherevatyi said “we cannot confirm that,” adding “we will be able to verify the details of which units will regroup and when. In any case we will take advantage of this.”

Some background: Prigozhin claimed on Saturday to have captured Bakhmut after months of brutal fighting, saying he would hand it over to Russia later in May.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnky initially rebutted Prigozhin’s claims, telling the G7 summit in Japan that his forces were still fighting in Bakhmut. 

Ukraine’s deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar said this week that Ukrainian forces still held a small part of the city, but also claimed that fighting inside the city has “decreased.”

5:32 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Moscow and Minsk agree on deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus

From CNN’s Anna Chernova

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin exchange documents during a meeting after a session of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Minsk, Belarus, on May 25.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin exchange documents during a meeting after a session of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Minsk, Belarus, on May 25. (Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP)

Moscow and Minsk have signed an agreement on deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, statements from both countries’ defense ministries say.

At a bilateral meeting in the Belarusian capital, the defense ministers of Russia and Belarus, Sergei Shoigu and Viktor Khrenin, signed documents defining the procedure for storing Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons in a specialized facility in Belarus, Ukraine's northern neighbor.

Shoigu said that the Belarusian side received the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, capable of using missiles not only in conventional but also in nuclear equipment.

“Part of the Belarusian aircraft has been converted for the possible use of nuclear weapons. The servicemen have undergone appropriate training,” Shoigu added.

“The Republic of Belarus is interested in the further development of strategic allied relations with the Russian Federation in the military sphere,” Khrenin told Shoigu, as cited by the Belarusian press service.

Some background: Belarus has been one of Russia’s most loyal allies since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last year.

While President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed there is “no way” his country would send troops into Ukraine unless it is attacked, Belarus has been willing to provide other means of support.

Lukashenko raised the possibility of Russia placing strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus during a national address in March, while baselessly accusing Western countries of “preparing to invade” Belarus and “destroy” it.

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told CNN at the time of the initial talks that Russia’s decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in its neighbor “aims to subjugate Belarus.”

5:59 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Wagner fighters have started withdrawing from Bakhmut, Prigozhin says

From CNN's Seb Shukla and Mari Kostenko

The founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin, center, makes a statement on the start of withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut and handing over their positions to regular Russian troops in Bakhmut, Ukraine, in this still image taken from video released on May 25.
The founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin, center, makes a statement on the start of withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut and handing over their positions to regular Russian troops in Bakhmut, Ukraine, in this still image taken from video released on May 25. Concord/Reuters

The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group on Thursday said his fighters have started their planned withdrawal from the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin had announced Wagner's expected withdrawal at the weekend, saying his fighters would turn the city over to the Russian military after capturing it following a months-long bloody battle. Ukrainian officials have insisted this week, however, that pockets of resistance remain in and around the city.

In a video posted to his Telegram channel Thursday, Prigozhin is seen shaking hands with Wagner fighters and congratulating them.

Prigozhin said the withdrawal of Wagner forces was expected to be completed by next week.

“By June 1, the main part will relocate to the rear camps. We transfer positions to the military. The ammo, positions, everything, including dry rations,” Prigozhin said, speaking directly into the camera.

Some context: The Moscow-backed acting head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic visited Bakhmut on Tuesday, saying it would now be known by its former Soviet name "Artemovsk."

But Ukrainian officials on Tuesday said part of the city remains under Ukrainian control. “If they [Russians] believe they have taken Bakhmut, I can say that this is not true. As of today, part of Bakhmut is under our control,” Ukrainian national security adviser Oleksiy Danilov told CNN.

3:17 a.m. ET, May 25, 2023

Russian intelligence claims they foiled two Ukrainian attacks on nuclear power stations

From CNN's Seb Shukla

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it has arrested two men in connection with foiled attacks on Russian nuclear power plants earlier this month, state news agency TASS reported. 

The FSB alleges the attacks were planned at nuclear power stations in the Leningrad and Tver regions ahead of Russia's May 9 Victory Day celebrations, TASS reported. 

The TASS report claimed the planned attacks were organized by the Foreign Intelligence Services of Ukraine. 

The FSB named the two men arrested as Maystruk Alexander and Usatenko Eduard. A third man, Kishchak Yuriy, is also wanted in connection with the alleged plot, TASS said.

The report did not state when the arrests were made.

Some background: Russia holds an annual military parade on May 9 marking the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II.

In the run up to Victory Day this year, the Kremlin was targeted in an alleged drone attack. US officials have picked up chatter among Ukrainian officials blaming each other for the drone attack, contributing to a US assessment that a Ukrainian group may have been responsible, sources familiar with US intelligence have told CNN.

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.