This was reported by the press service for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense a Nissan exploded on Myra Street in temporarily occupied Skadovsk There were two officers of the Russian occupation army in the pickup truck A pile of twisted metal is what’s left of the Muscovites' vehicle," the report says The agency stressed that "for every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people an explosion occurred in the settlement of Shuya commander of the battery with the 112th Division of the Missile Brigade who had been involved in 59 civilian deaths at a memorial service in the village of Hroza While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 In a groundbreaking operation near temporarily occupied Skadovsk in Kherson region Ukrainian forces successfully destroyed three russian air defense systems using an innovative strategy According to Ukrainian journalist Petro Shuklinov drones launched from an unmanned naval vessel are responsible for eliminating two Pantsir and one Osa systems Petro Shuklinov described the operation as a historic event highlighting the ingenuity of using naval drones not only as kamikaze or air-defense platforms but also as carriers for strike drones the systems were destroyed by drones launched from unmanned naval vessels in addition to the roles of kamikaze boats and air defense boats В оккупированном русскими фашистами Скадовске уничтожены два российских ЗРК “Панцирь» и одна «Оса».Технику в тылу сожгли дроны, запущенные с безэкипажных катеров. pic.twitter.com/WLiJpoPXhL The destruction of these systems underscores the effectiveness of integrating naval and aerial unmanned technologies in modern warfare further challenging russian forces in the region In the temporarily occupied Skadovsk, Kherson region, a car carrying two officers of the Russian occupation army was blown up, according to the Telegram channel of the Defense Intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine a Nissan vehicle's explosion occurred at around 08:40 PM Kyiv time on March 20 on Myru Street Photo: a car carrying Russian officers blown up in Skadovsk (t.me/DIUkraine) "There were two officers of the Russian occupation army in the pickup truck Only a heap of twisted metal remained of the Muscovites' (an archaic word for Russian-ed.) vehicle," the Ukrainian intelligence added Partisans operate in temporarily occupied territories They blow up enemy equipment and facilities and relay the coordinates of enemy bases and depots to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Their actions make it harder for the occupiers to maintain control over seized territories forcing them to strengthen security measures and divert resources to counter the resistance Recently, partisans of ATESH successfully conducted a sabotage operation in Donetsk destroying an enemy military vehicle along with an electronic warfare system They also identified vulnerabilities in the defenses of Balaklava Bay in Crimea Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power." About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:37 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce."  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin The number includes 1,430 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21 A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 by Martin Fornusek, The Kyiv Independent news deskPhoto for illustrative purposes Russian soldiers patrol a street in Russian-occupied Melitopol (Getty Images)The Ukrainian resistance orchestrated an explosion near a polling station in occupied Skadovsk on March 15 as Russia illegally opened polls for a presidential election in occupied territories of Ukraine the National Resistance Center said on March 16 Russia began three days of voting on March 15 in a pseudo-democratic presidential election that is expected to grant Vladimir Putin Moscow is also organizing voting in occupied Crimea and parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in violation of international law. The explosion occurred at 3 p.m. local time on Skadovsk's central square near the polling station while Russian forces were patrolling nearby. Five soldiers were injured and hospitalized as a result, the center said. Being unable to ensure the safety of its personnel occupation authorities canceled voting in public spaces Skadovsk, a city with a pre-war population of 17,000, lies at the Black Sea shores of Kherson Oblast. It has been occupied by Russia since March 2022 Moscow held sham "regional elections" in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine in September last year in an attempt to consolidate its control over these regions Russia declared annexation of partially occupied Kherson a step denounced by Ukraine and the international community as illegal and void The Crimean peninsula was illegally annexed in March 2014 following a sham referendum staged by Russia in the absence of any international observers and with armed Russian soldiers present at polling locations Communications Manager of the Legal Development Network What challenges do communities from occupied territories face in their places of temporary residence What valuable insights can communities that have already experienced occupation and recovery offer to relocated communities These and other questions were explored by participants of the Open Online Discussion “Conditions for Successful Interaction and Development of Relocated Communities,” held on December 14 as part of an initiative by the Legal Development Network and NGO STEP to support temporarily displaced communities Key discussion points are presented in this article shared insights into the experience of living and functioning as a relocated community The Skadovsk City Community has been under occupation since the first days of the full-scale invasion temporarily operating from the premises of the Lviv City Council was the evacuation of residents from several occupied communities in the Kherson region evacuations included residents of the Lazurne they managed to evacuate 2,700 individuals The Skadovsk Community also relocated the staff of the executive committee and educators to a safe location to ensure continuity of operations the next challenge arose — resuming education in the occupied territory “No one could tell us how to do this we decided to follow a simple principle: if you don’t know what to do read the law,” says Oleksii Stepovyi The educational process was successfully organized online also joined the lessons provided by Skadovsk Community schools Over time — at least a year later—when the situation had somewhat stabilized and military administrations were established students from other communities transitioned back to their own schools Following the de-occupation of part of the Kherson region the Skadovsk City Community launched the “Unbroken Workshop” project aimed at supporting reconstruction efforts “We saw firsthand that after de-occupation people return home very quickly and begin repairing their houses That is why our project was not about distributing humanitarian aid — we took a different approach we opened workshops equipped with tools for construction and repairs People could come to these workshops to borrow tools and receive building materials they had to specify what exactly they were repairing (roof etc.) and whether they would do it themselves or hire workers aerated concrete blocks were left unused under plastic covers for months or resold to third parties,” explains Oleksii Stepovyi the majority of repairs involved restoring roofs that had been damaged by shelling and blast waves Thanks to the “Unbroken Workshop” project a significant number of residential buildings were successfully restored the community also took steps to unite residents The twin cities of Skadovsk are Stryi and Zolochiv (Lviv Region) The Skadovsk Community Administration specifically recommended these cities for relocation knowing that they were prepared to welcome residents and provide decent living conditions both Stryi and Zolochiv accommodated many Skadovsk residents joined councils for internally displaced persons After the temporarily blocked Territorial Community Register was unlocked following the occupation the administration began updating the register and working even more closely with the displaced population “Each region has its own chat groups — Skadovsk residents in Lviv There are also communities of people who are abroad arrange a meeting with the mayor so we can establish a partnership If we need to transport a vehicle for the Armed Forces we also have people everywhere who can assist,” shares Oleksii Stepovyi The community’s focus is on international partnerships One example is the Lithuanian city of Šilutė The Ukrainian and Lithuanian communities run a joint social protection program with Šilutė partially financing assistance for wounded servicemembers in the amount of €10,000 children from the Skadovsk Community travel to Lithuania for recreational programs the Skadovsk Community seeks to adopt best practices from international partners and explores any opportunities for joint initiatives that can accelerate recovery “I was in Luxembourg and saw their cultural center Do you still have the project documentation Maybe we could submit it for co-financing from the European Investment Bank?’” recalls Oleksii Stepovyi The first priority is implementing established key steps within the first six months after de-occupation to stabilize the security situation Next comes the development of strategic and other planning documents for the community’s further growth “From the ‘Unbroken Workshop’ project and from our interactions with residents and other communities and proper road infrastructure — in other words a basic package of necessities to ensure popilation feel comfortable in the community housing availability and assistance with restoration are crucial,” says Oleksii Stepovyi The Experience of a Host Community for Displaced Individuals The Shyrokivska Rural Community (Zaporizhzhia Region) has accommodated 9,563 internally displaced individuals from 11 regions of Ukraine since the full-scale invasion This number exceeds half of the community’s pre-war population as of February 24 The majority of displaced individuals arrived from neighboring occupied communities within the Zaporizhzhia Region the Shyrokivska Community has undertaken significant efforts to help displaced individuals settle provided detailed insights into these efforts their community was among the first to adopt a support program for internally displaced individuals Regular studies are conducted within the community to assess the challenges and needs of displaced individuals mental health support is identified as the top priority the Shyrokivska Community operates three psychosocial support centers and a Resilience Center offering activities for both displaced individuals and local residents The second most urgent need is housing provision In the first months after the full-scale invasion displaced individuals were accommodated wherever possible due to the lack of properly equipped housing part of a local medical facility was renovated and converted into a hostel for displaced individuals eight two-room apartments and one three-room apartment have been prepared for housing A noteworthy example of cooperation is the partnership between the Shyrokivska Community as a host community and the Yakymivska Community as a relocated one 60 families from the occupied Yakymivska Community reside in Shyrokivska Community the Heads of both Communities signed the Memorandum under which a subvention was transferred from the Yakymivska Community’s budget to Shyrokivska to provide housing for displaced individuals These funds were used to renovate a building with four apartments now home to families from the Yakymivska Community the main obstacle to housing provision for displaced individuals remains limited financial resources host and relocated communities must continue to join efforts and seek external support together A significant issue remains the registration of internally displaced individuals (IDIs) The previously mentioned figure of 9,563 refers to the officially registered individuals in the Shyrokivska Community the exact number is unknown to the local administration “We estimate the actual number of displaced individuals in the community to be around 7,000 We gauge this based on the volume of humanitarian aid provided The State Program ‘Social Community’ exists but it does not provide a breakdown of the number of individuals state programs offer no assistance in this regard,” explains Olha Stavytska 150 internally displaced students are enrolled in schools within the Shyrokivska Community where the total student population is 1,200 these students are fully integrated into educational and extracurricular activities alongside local students the community is understanding toward those who continue remote learning in their home communities recognizing that it may be the best option for them Many internally displaced individuals have secured employment in the Shyrokivska Community “IDIs work in the children’s services office They are a tremendous resource for our community If any of them choose to remain here even after de-occupation we will be delighted,” emphasizes Olha Stavytska The Head of the Shyrokivska Community also underscores the importance of social integration for displaced individuals within the host community while preserving the identity of their temporarily occupied communities the Shyrokivska Community actively involves displaced individuals in the University of the Third Age and various support and leisure activities even after more than three years of living together displaced individuals in the host community tend to remain somewhat separate they want to preserve their identity and stay connected with their own We must foster cooperation between communities and implement projects that help individuals feel at home,” stresses Olha Stavytska Experiences and Recommendations from Liberated Communities The Velykooleksandrivska Community (Kherson Region) was under occupation from March to November 2022 nearly the entire settlement council had returned and resumed operations Head of the Velykooleksandrivska Community one of the key factors enabling liberated communities — such as Velykooleksandrivska and Kochubeivska in the Kherson Region — to recover quickly is the concentration of residents in a single location during displacement In the case of the Velykooleksandrivska Community where community members gathered at a hub to receive assistance That made our return home seamless,” emphasizes Nataliia Kornienko “Our family doctors and secondary care doctors and outpatient clinic resumed work immediately all state institutions are operational.” comprising 30 settlements within eight Starosta Districts no more than 3,000 people remained in the community about 70% of residents have returned—11,500 in total 70% of children residing in the community as of February 2022 have returned The de-occupied community has also become a refuge for 1,500 displaced individuals mainly from neighboring Kherson Region communities along the Dnipro River the administration prioritized restoring lost documents and repairing damaged property To help residents travel outside the community for migration services or notary and state institution assistance we organized a humanitarian transport service to Kryvyi Rih in December 2022 Once our Administrative Services Center (ASC) was operational these services were provided locally,” recalls Nataliia Kornienko A major challenge was equipping the village council with office equipment The DOBRE project helped procure necessary equipment supplemented by purchases using local budget funds the community acquired the first excavator essential for repairing the water supply network and unloading humanitarian aid Nataliia Kornienko acknowledges the usefulness of Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No 1119 “On Amendmends to the Engagement of Able-Bodied Individuals in Socially Beneficial Work during the Martial Law” for restoration of the Community the ‘Recovery Army’ consists of 50 individuals We encourage people to participate in socially beneficial work This helps us save local budget resources,” says Nataliia Kornienko The Velykooleksandrivska Community has restored the Bureau of Technical Inventory (BTI) and State Registrars of Property Rights of Legal Entities and Individuals are operational A challenge in restoring damaged property is that assets acquired before 2013 are not registered in the State Property Rights Register only those who purchased property after 2013 can participate in the state ‘e-Restoration’ program To support homeowners with damaged property the Velykooleksandrivska Community launched its own program specialists in Kryvyi Rih assist residents with technical inspections “80,000 hectares of agricultural land were either mined or contaminated with explosive objects We did what we could to address this issue,” shares Nataliia Kornienko When asked what she would have done differently Nataliia Kornienko mentioned the need for a more organized humanitarian aid distribution system she emphasized the importance of registering each person and categorizing them to ensure fair allocation The Head of the Velykooleksandrivska Community called on the heads of currently occupied communities to systematically prepare for their return to their territories and to pay attention to the regulatory framework developed by previously liberated communities on the official website of the Velykooleksandrivska Community one can find a list of regulatory and executive documents that will be helpful after de-occupation the Head of the Shevchenkove Community of Mykolaiv Region whose community had eight out of 21 villages occupied from March to November 2022 shared his experience of rebuilding his community and offered recommendations for communities that will return to their territories in the future Oleh Pylypenko recalled that after the frontline moved away from the community villages suffered destruction of infrastructure: bridges were torn down electricity and gas supply networks were damaged up to 95% of residential buildings were destroyed “No one knows what condition you will find your communities in planning for recovery in a critical situation No one knows how many people will immediately return and be able to participate in reconstruction What needs to be worked on every day is maintaining contact with those individuals who have left,” emphasizes Oleh Pylypenko the Head of the Shevchenkove Community calls on communities to do everything possible to bring back specialists in healthcare and education professionals with experience in international projects who can write grant programs without waiting for the liberation of settlements “Subsidies will help you cover the costs of paying salaries You won’t be able to do anything large-scale with this money we (Shevchenkove Community — editor’s note) have been attracting about two more budgets per year for recovery funded by international humanitarian assistance The de-occupation of your communities may happen swiftly It’s important to start accumulating experience today,” stresses Oleh Pylypenko recalling how parts of Kherson Region were liberated in just a few days and the liberated communities suddenly found themselves alone with a range of issues caused by the war most of the damaged housing stock has been restored with only the most severely destroyed houses remaining The community residents have received funds for the restoration of their homes “The main thing is the return of people real conditions need to be created — assistance with housing reconstruction and everything will have to be started from scratch establish partnerships with international organizations so that this can work like a large locomotive for the reconstruction of communities,” says Oleh Pylypenko the key points of which we present in this article was a continuation of a series of meetings organized by the LDN and the NGO STEP with the heads of relocated communities as well as a closed discussion in which participants sincerely shared the urgent problems faced by communities in relocation “Speakers at this and previous discussions emphasized that it is indeed crucial to preserve the core group of people who will return to the liberated territory and work on the recovery of each community we need to focus on developing an algorithm that allows us to track where community residents are and communicate with them in order to maintain connection the discussions highlighted the need to find new meanings for the existence and functioning of relocated communities because their status is not yet secured and remains fragile in a guest position in the cities where they are staying and therefore require special attention from the state and all of us,” emphasizes Anton Stasik the Director of Organizational Development at LDN supports the idea expressed at previous meetings about the creation of livable spaces for displaced communities The topic of preserving the identity of relocated communities was discussed in an open online discussion as part of the initiative with the participation of community representatives The key points of this discussion can be found in the following article If you have notices an error on the web-site Print and place the Network's poster on a notice board in your entrance hall Become a volunteer and assist others in finding problem solutions https://ldn.org.ua/en/event/occupied-host-and-liberated-communities-current-challenges-and-experiences/ i один з експертiв Мережi надасть вiдповiдь Графік роботи чату: з 10:00 до 16:00 щодня(обідня перерва з 13:00 до 14:00) Поставте питання через LawLink Bot в будь-який зручний спосіб LawLink Bot — це розумний та цифровий юридичний помічник Web-site development — demch.co Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war Isabel joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked with news outlets including the Daily Express You can get in touch with Isabel by emailing i.vanbrugen@newsweek.com or by following her on X @isabelvanbrugen either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Senior Russian officers were killed in a Ukrainian High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) attack on Skadovsk in the Russian-occupied part of the southern Kherson region At least five people were killed and a further 10 were wounded as a result of the missile strike by Ukraine the region's emergency situations ministry said reported that several of the casualties were high-ranking Russian officers and that Kyiv's HIMARS attack had destroyed the second floor of a building The U.S.-supplied HIMARS have allowed Ukraine to destroy Russia's most advanced anti-aircraft missile systems. Last month, footage purportedly showed the aftermath of a HIMARS strike on a Russian battalion Ukraine's National Resistance Center said that "according to unverified information the strike hit a temporary deployment point" of the Russian FSB security service Newsweek couldn't independently verify the reports and contacted the foreign ministries of Ukraine and Russia for comment by email Volodymyr Saldo, who was appointed by the Kremlin to lead Ukraine's southern Kherson region after it was seized during Russian President Vladimir Putin's war said on his Telegram channel that Ukraine launched two missiles at about 10 a.m Russia's Investigative Committee said on Thursday that it had launched a criminal investigation into the attack Ukrainian armed forces launched a rocket attack on the city of Skadovsk as a result of which a civilian object was damaged and the injured are receiving the necessary medical care," the committee said "The investigation is establishing all the circumstances of the incident and the persons from among the Ukrainian armed formations involved in the organization and execution of this crime." The reported attack comes just days after three Russian colonels were reportedly killed when Ukrainian forces fired a missile on the headquarters of the Russian Dnieper military group in the Kherson region which purports to have inside information from Russian security forces an organization created to support Ukraine's Stugna special forces battalion said the three officers were killed on November 1 as a result of an attack on the base using U.S.-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) ATACMS are capable of reaching targets 100 miles away The Ukrainian strike on the headquarters belonging to the Dnipro Group of Forces was also reported by the Institute for the Study of War's (ISW) Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Russian-installed authorities have started to evacuate from Ukraine's partially occupied Kherson region Kherson became the first major region to fall to Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces after the war began It had been Russia's biggest military achievement of the conflict in part due to its strategic location and proximity to Crimea Kherson is one of four territories that Putin illegally annexed in September 2022 following sham referendums In November 2022, Russian forces retreated from Kherson city. Last November's withdrawal was announced after weeks of advances by Ukrainian forces toward the city and as Russia moved to evacuate hundreds of thousands of its residents Reports of evacuations come ahead of reports of a looming counteroffensive from Ukraine to recapture its occupied regions Ukraine's General Staff wrote Monday evening that employees of the Russian-appointed administration in Skadovsk loaded documents office equipment "and other property of state institutions" into cars a large part of the Russian occupation administration left the city," the post read It added that the situation is largely the same in the nearby settlements the head of the Russian-appointed administration of Skadovsk denied the General Staff's claims that Russian-appointed officials are evacuating from the city "I'm in place, my employees are all in place, we continue to work as usual," Khotienko told Russia's state-run news agency Tass Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's foreign ministry for comment via email which is home to Europe's largest nuclear-power plant Kremlin-appointed regional official Andrey Kozenko said about 70,000 people are expected to be evacuated "So far, we say that children and families with children are high-priority groups," Kozenko told Tass on May 5 "The relocation process has already begun in the Polohy District with people being relocated to the city of Berdyansk." the Kremlin-appointed acting head of the regional administration A Ukrainian woman detailed how pro-Moscow authorities allegedly executed her twin sister in public for speaking out against Russia Natalia Chorna said they hanged her 56-year-old sister Tetiana Mudrenko Chorna previously warned her sister about being outspoken about Russia's war in Ukraine however she would repeatedly confront Russian troops Mudrenko condemned Ukrainian police officers for cooperating with the Russians and cried out that "Skadovsk is Ukraine!" Chorna tried to contact Mudrenko on October 7 to check on her following that confrontation Ukrainian police officers collaborating with Russia allegedly kidnapped Mudrenko and her husband according to Chorna and local eyewitnesses Chorna then received a disturbing call on October 15 from a woman who said that Mudrenko died after being dragged into the street and publicly executed "She told me that 'Tanya' was hanged," said Chorna "They poured something into her mouth and then hanged her in front of the courthouse." he was left with a broken arm and signs of beatings He disappeared again and nobody has seen him or heard from him since A local morgue told Chorna that her sister died from "mechanical asphyxiation" according to her death certificate The Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) confirmed Mudrenko's cause of death in an October 19 post The group also wrote last month on Telegram that it "had established numerous instances of murder and torture of local residents during the temporary occupation" of the Kherson region Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian foreign affairs ministry for comment Ukraine's civilians have been experiencing similar harrowing moments in different parts of the country since Russia's invasion began in late February. Bucha, a town near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, saw alleged atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in April Hundreds of bodies were found on the streets prompting Ukrainian authorities to launch an investigation looking into potential war crimes committed by Russian forces after they withdrew from the town Ukrainian authorities filed criminal charges in April against 10 Russian soldiers accused of participating in the alleged crimes. Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) citing a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/FL) assessed that Russia's 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade possibly as "part of an intentional Kremlin effort to conceal the war crimes it committed in Kyiv Oblast." Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 5, during a speech to the United Nations Security Council that his country had "conclusive evidence" that Russia committed a massacre in Bucha Ukraine has released a shocking video in which it seems like Russian soldiers are dragging their injured commander away from the battlefield the soldiers beat him violently with things that look like shovels According to The Guardian a Ukrainian drone captured the incident that happened near Bakhmut where intense fighting has been going on for months four soldiers from Russia's Wagner mercenary group are seen carrying their colleague by holding his arms and legs After which they dump the injured officer next to a barn it looks like three men were beating him repeatedly with shovels The fate of the injured commander is not clear but the incident tallies with reports of low morale among Russian mercenary units Ukrainian troops fighting in and around Bakhmut have shared how Wagner soldiers attack in waves and are reportedly threatened with execution if they fail to advance According to Fox News Wagner Group has been accused of supplying its soldiers fighting in Ukraine with drugs to increase stamina Intense fighting is still on in the Donbas region and despite months of heavy warfare and concentrated efforts by its military and the use of hired mercenary soldiers Suspicions regarding drug use among Russia's soldiers first surfaced in November 2022 when Ukrainian troops said that fighting Russian forces were like combating "zombies." Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian units were repelling repeated attempts by Russia to surround Bakhmut and break through its defences He said that his troops are countering them and are "grateful to every warrior who ensures counter-action with his resilience." He said that he had discussed the "key issue" of ammunition supply in a meeting on Monday with his army staff sources suggested that Ukraine's defence minister would be moved out of his job following a corruption scandal The ministry allegedly paid two or three times the supermarket price of food to supply to frontline soldiers with Ukraine's national security and defence council parliamentarians and some western allies arguing it was the wrong time to remove him This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Moscow is deporting residents along with stolen art tractors and cars as Ukraine’s forces close in Things are disappearing in the Ukrainian city of Kherson at a rapid rate and paintings and sculptures from the art and local lore museums Even the bones of Catherine the Great’s friend and lover have been grubbed up from a crypt in St Catherine’s cathedral and spirited away Locals are unconvinced by Moscow’s machinations “It’s probably a trick,” Alyona Lapchuk told the Observer “The Russians are dressing up as civilians and hiding in houses.” A boy looks out from a bus window as civilians are evacuated from Kherson Photograph: Alexey Pavlishak/ReutersLapchuk said it was more likely Russian troops were preparing for bitter street-to-street fighting over the autumn and winter the Russian army would probably “destroy” Kherson in much the same way it flattened Mariupol They said newly mobilised Russian troops were creating defensive positions on the outskirts of Kherson at the same time that checkpoints in neighbouring Chernobaevka and Stepanovka were being abandoned The disappearance of the Russian flag from buildings was an “informational ruse” to lure Ukrainian forces into a trap There is a movement from the right bank to the left bank It’s difficult to understand what exactly is the Russian intention,” Serhii Khlan the deputy head of Kherson’s regional council said There were credible reports Russian soldiers had been going from riverside pier to pier What they don’t like they chop with an axe,” one local said Khlan said the occupying Russian authorities had blown up masts leaving Kherson with no internet or mobile phone connection Russian officials were urging locals to leave and warning of imminent “terrorist” acts from the advancing Ukrainian military Moscow also mined the Khakhovka reservoir further upstream with the apparent intention of flooding Kherson and causing an environmental disaster should it fall into Ukrainian hands Since late summer Kyiv’s armed forces have counter-attacked They have liberated almost all of Kharkiv oblast in the north-east of the country and have pushed into rural parts of the Kherson region Russia now controls a shrinking chunk of the western bank of the Dnieper In September Vladimir Putin “annexed” the provinces of Kherson Any retreat from Kherson city would therefore be embarrassing a new fallback “border” of sorts appears to be taking shape with the Dnieper an impregnable natural barrier against future Ukrainian surges Russian soldiers have evicted Ukrainians from their homes on the river’s left bank stretching from the town of Velyka Znamyanka in Zaporizhzhia oblast to Nova Kakhovka in regional Kherson Russia has shifted its army HQ to the port city of Skadovsk People walk past a poster that reads ‘The choice is made Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/ReutersTelegram posts from the region’s villages tell tales of “orcs” (Russian soldiers) occupying private properties they have placed two rows of concrete triangular pyramids alongside a forest and have been digging trenches and felling trees bringing with them field kitchens and tanks Soldiers purchase utensils from shops and carry out training exercises forcibly evacuated residents are told to take with them only warm clothes They are instructed to leave behind chickens Deportations have been going on for two weeks,” she said “Those who have stayed up until now have mostly been pensioners Ukrainian human rights organisations say some forcibly displaced residents have been dumped in freezing sanatoria near Skadovsk Others have been shipped to Russia’s Krasnodar region an intermediate point in a journey that ends in Siberia Several hundred children sent by Kherson parents to Russian summer schools have not been returned And 2,000 people are currently in camps in the Crimean city of Yevpatoria Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters It has used long-range US-supplied artillery to wipe out a Russian pontoon crossing over the Dnieper next to the city’s already cratered Antonivskyi bridge The goal is to destroy the Russian war machine’s logistics and supply chain rendering its presence inside Kherson unviable An attempt to break through Russian defences south of the village of Davydiv Brid was a costly wipeout With the exception of a handful of collaborators People are kidnapped and tortured,” Lapchuk She added: “They have the same algorithm. People are beaten up badly, their ribs are broken and then they are raped. Right now there is forced deportation from Kherson. The world needs to know. Russia is destroying Ukraine and Ukrainian people.” Lapchuk spoke from terrible personal experience In late March her husband Vitaly – a police colonel and member of Kherson’s territorial defence service – went out with a friend to deliver humanitarian supplies Russian troops brought him back some hours later “They said that we were terrorists,” Lapchuk recalled The soldiers searched the flat and arrested her “They said we were Nazis who hated Russians I said this was impossible since I was a Russian speaker and Jewish the soldiers took Vitaly to a basement torture chamber “They told me he was a ‘terrorist’ who had confessed and would be tried in Russia,” she said Lapchuk and her son were released that night She returned home to discover someone had fired a rocket in the living room All the other buildings nearby were intact She sent desperate texts to her husband’s phone and might be exchanged as a prisoner of war The grisly truth emerged in late May when a local man went swimming in the Dnieper river for crayfish A forensic doctor rang Lapchuk and she was able to identify Vitaly by a visible spot on his left forearm It was too dangerous to go back for my husband’s funeral,” she said she described Vitaly as an educated man with a PhD in psychology who taught policeman at Kherson’s academy I looked into my husband’s eyes as they put bags over our heads and said: ‘We will survive all this’ This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media In the temporarily occupied island within Ukraine's Kherson region a devastating fire raged for nearly a week The flames engulfed the most valuable portion of the entire territory - a preserved area boasting unique flora and fauna it was confirmed that this entire zone has been obliterated amounting to nearly 16 kilometers of destruction Radio Liberty conducted an investigation into the current state of the island and the possibility of restoration Reports indicate that the Russian occupants established a base on the island Given the dense vegetation covering the territory the fire could have easily ignited from a spark "Almost the entire preserve zone was scorched containing the core components of valuable species and key parts of steppe ecosystems Rare species listed in the Green Book of Ukraine were present and the fate of these animals remains largely unknown," explained Iryna Sabashenko Director of the Dzharylhach National Nature Park The Russians have connected Dzharylhach with the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region (photo: facebook.com/sergejonyshko) certain plants were so rare that the reserve was established primarily for their protection with estimates ranging from 10 to 30 years for the recovery of the plant cover The Office of the Prosecutor General has initiated a criminal investigation into the island fire Head of the Skadovsk Territorial Community highlighted the presence of Russian military personnel still in Skadovsk who seemed indifferent to the inferno on the island He also noted the absence of suitable firefighting equipment The blaze consumed the entire non-marshland area of the island Given the island's division into wet and dry sections approximately half of the preserved area was lost "Perhaps some animals were located on the periphery of the affected region and had a chance to retreat to the wetter parts of the island this smaller group of animals might have survived," suggested ecologist Oleksii Vasyliuk he remained convinced that the uniqueness of Dzharylhach Island had been irretrievably extinguished The reserved territory of Dzharylhach was filled with rare species of animals and plants (Illustrative photo: skadovsk.city) "If we were talking with you about some area not on an island then it could be said that it's important to look at the species in neighboring areas But this is an island in the middle of the sea There is no neighboring area from which they could spread again I think it is precisely for this reason that the uniqueness of Dzharylhach has already been lost It will already be poorer," the expert explained the channel near the island has turned into a bay due to the sand dumped by Russian military forces and this can negatively affect the fish species living there "There are several species of carps listed in the Red Book there are marine grasses protected throughout Europe but in the shallows next to it," Vasyliuk explained these valuable plants and animals mentioned can disappear forever the mining of Dzharylhach is also a significant problem before embarking on the restoration of the reserve fund You will be assigned the In Search of a Guide mission in Stalker 2 after completing Like a Moth to the Flame the In Search of a Guide mission requires you to complete several objectives and offers different choices The outcome differs depending on your choices knowing the best options is crucial for completing the mission swiftly This article guides you on how to complete In Search of a Guide mission you are asked to inquire about the Clear Sky in two different places: Skadovsk and Shevchenko You can visit either of the two places to start the mission but it is recommended to visit Skadovsk as it is located close to where you finish the Like a Moth to the Flame quest head toward Sonya Kalyna and speak with her prompting you to learn about Nimble's whereabouts from Trapper Also read: 6 things to know before you start Stalker 2 you will find Trapper looking through binoculars Interacting with him will pop two choices: “I’m looking for Nimble” and “What are you hunting?” to quickly conclude In Search of a Guide mission another option will appear: “Give me the coordinates to the cave” and “What kind of job were you doing?” where Trapper will ask your help to kill mutants Make sure to be well-equipped with good weapons as numerous mutants could give you lethal damage Read more: Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete There and Back Again mission and a cutscene will play where Numble asks you to start running you will be given two options: "[Spare Nimble’s life] You’re a fool Nimble" and "[Kill Nimble] That’s no excuse" a short dialogue will appear and again you will be given three more options: “Where’s Clear Sky?” Selecting any of them will conclude the In Search of a Guide mission take the PDA and Professor Kalancha's map from his body to finish the mission Check out more Stalker 2 articles from Sportskeeda: Are you stuck on today's Wordle? 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