Dead after missile attack on Kyiv – Baerbock ministry closes Russian consulates

Heavy air strikes on Kyiv again. Germany revokes the licenses of four Russian consulates. The news ticker on the Ukraine war.

• Baerbock counters Putin: Germany closes four Russian consulates
• In favor of the counteroffensive: drone strike from Moscow part of an operation?
• Drone attack on Moscow: Kremlin accuses Kiev of "terrorist attack"
• All the news from the Ukraine war in our news ticker. Some of the information comes from the warring parties in Russia or Ukraine. They often cannot be independently verified.

Update from June 1, 6:30 a.m.: According to Ukrainian authorities, at least three people have been killed in a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, including two children. "In the Dniprovsky and Desnjanski districts, according to the doctors, there are now 14 injured, 9 had to be hospitalized," Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on his Telegram channel on Thursday morning.

According to the military administration in Kyiv, the city was attacked with ground-launched missiles at around 3 a.m. local time (2 a.m. CEST). Although they were shot down by the anti-aircraft defense, the debris had led to many casualties and numerous damages.

Kyiv is once again becoming the target of Russian attacks. (Archive image 30 May) © Alex Babenko/dpa

The Ukrainian General Staff announced on Facebook in the morning that Russia had carried out the attack on Kyiv with ten Iskander missiles. All ten missiles were destroyed by the anti-aircraft defense. The Iskander is considered a short-range missile. According to military experts, however, their range can be increased to far more than the specified 500 kilometers. The missile can be equipped with conventional, but also nuclear warheads.

U.S. assures Ukraine of further aid

Update from May 31, 21:24 p.m.: The US is pledging new military aid worth 300 million dollars (280 million euros) to Ukraine. The armament package includes, among other things, ammunition for the Patriot air defense system, AIM-7 anti-aircraft missiles and Avenger air defense systems. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, ammunition for Himars multiple rocket launchers, ammunition for artillery pieces and tanks, and 30 million rounds of ammunition for smaller firearms will also be delivered.

Update from May 31, 19:16 p.m.: The Foreign Ministry in Moscow considers the decision of the German government to revoke the license of four Russian consulates in Germany as an unfriendly act. The "ill-considered and provocative measure" will not be without consequences, the Foreign Ministry announced.

Update from May 31, 16:42 p.m.: Ukrainian forces have again attacked targets in Belgorod, according to the Russian regional governor. Two villages in the border area were shelled with artillery, Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. There are no reports of victims.

Baerbock counters Putin: Germany closes four Russian consulates

Update from May 31, 13:35 p.m.: The German government revokes the licence of four out of five Russian consulates general in Germany. This is in response to the decision of the government in Moscow to limit the number of German officials in Russia to 350, a spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office announced on Wednesday (31 May 2023). The Russian government has "taken a step of escalation." "And this unjustified decision forces the German government to make a very significant cut in all areas of its presence in Russia," the spokesman said. The reaction to the Russian actions had been closely coordinated in the federal government, said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.

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The German government has decided to close the German consulates general in Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk and to maintain a minimal presence of cultural mediators – for example at German schools and Goethe Institutes. From the end of the year, Russia will only be allowed to operate the embassy in Berlin and another of five consulates general. The German Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate General in St. Petersburg would be maintained.

"With regard to the Russian presence in Germany, our decision is reciprocal in order to ensure a balance between the two presences, both in terms of personnel and structure. That is why we have decided to withdraw the consent to operate four of the five Russian consulates general operated in Germany," the spokesman said. The Russian Foreign Ministry was informed of this. Russia is called upon to immediately initiate the liquidation of the four consulates general in the Federal Republic of Germany and to complete them by 31.12.2023 at the latest.

The German government had previously criticized Moscow's decision to introduce an upper limit for German civil servants in Russia. As a result of the new Russian decision, several hundred German civil servants such as diplomats, teachers and employees of the Goethe-Institut will have to leave Russia. The cap will come into force at the beginning of June and, in addition to the diplomatic service, will primarily affect the cultural and educational sectors.

Ukraine-News: Medvedev rumbles after ministerial plain text

Update of May 31, 12:20 p.m.: Former President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev called representatives of the British government legitimate targets in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Medvedev wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that Britain was providing military support to Ukraine by providing equipment and professionals. As a result, the country is waging an "undeclared war" against Russia. "Since that is the case, all of its public representatives (both military and civilian) who support the war) can be considered legitimate military targets."

When he was elected president in 2008, Medvedev was seen as a comparatively liberal representative of Russian politics. However, since the beginning of Russia's conflict with Ukraine, he has taken a tough stance, threatening to use nuclear weapons several times.

Earlier, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Ukraine has the right to attack targets on Russian territory for the purpose of self-defense. The conservative politician said this on Tuesday (30 May) at a press conference with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in Estonia's capital Tallinn. Medvedev made direct reference to these statements.

Ukraine-News: Sweden delivers infantry fighting vehicles

Update of May 31, 11.00 a.m.: The Ukrainian Armed Forces will receive CV90 infantry fighting vehicles from Sweden, which are in service with some NATO member states. Ukrainian crews are already undergoing training to familiarize themselves with the device. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine through its Telegram channel.

"Some of the most modern infantry fighting vehicles will defend Ukraine. The Defense Forces of Ukraine will receive the CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. This will be another strong help from the Swedish partners," the report says.

Ukraine-News: At least five dead after airstrikes in Luhansk

Update from May 31, 8:50 a.m.: According to Russian authorities, at least five people were killed and another 19 injured in an air strike in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine on Wednesday night. "The bombing of the village of Karpaty by armed Ukrainian groups" with five dead and 19 injured was carried out with a US Himars rocket launcher, according to preliminary information, Russian security authorities in the Luhansk region said on the Telegram online service.

Russian authorities did not specify whether the victims were civilians or military personnel.

Ukraine-News: Fire extinguished in oil refinery

Update from May 31, 8:10 a.m.: In the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, the fire in an oil refinery has been extinguished after a drone attack, according to the authorities. This was announced by Governor Venjamin Kondratiev on Wednesday. The Afipski refinery is located about 15 kilometers southwest of the provincial capital Krasnodar. Initially, nothing was known about the extent of the damage. According to unconfirmed media reports, a second refinery was also attacked in the region during the night without a fire breaking out there.

Russia accuses Ukraine of killing after attack in Belgorod region

Update from May 20, 21:44 p.m.: On Tuesday, one person was killed in a Ukrainian attack on a displaced persons center in the Belgorod border region, according to Russian sources. Two other people were seriously injured by the Ukrainian artillery shelling on Tuesday, the governor of the region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on the Telegram online service.

According to him, there were elderly civilians and children in the facility. The dead man was a security guard.

Great Britain: Ukraine has the right to self-defense even as far as Russia

Update from May 30, 19:21 p.m.: Unlike the United States, Great Britain sees Ukraine as having a right to attack targets within Russia: For the purpose of self-defense, Ukraine could also attack targets on Russian territory. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Tuesday. "Legitimate military targets outside its own border are part of Ukraine's right to self-defense," Cleverly continued.

However, Cleverly did not want to comment on the drones that fell on Moscow. "I don't have any details and I'm not going to speculate about the nature of the drone strikes on Moscow," he said.

Ukraine war: US speaks out against attacks on Russia

Update from May 30, 18:32 p.m.: "In principle, we do not support attacks inside Russia," said a spokesman for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday - thus the US publicly speaks out against attacks inside Russia. "We are focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training it needs to retake its own sovereign territory."

At the same time, however, the spokesman stressed that Russia had carried out air strikes against the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Tuesday for the 17th time in May. Russia has started the war against Ukraine and can end it "at any time by withdrawing its troops from Ukraine instead of launching brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and people every day".

Ukraine: Occupiers from Russia are not advancing on any front on Tuesday

Update vom 30. Mai, 16.24 Uhr: Die russischen Besatzer sind an keiner Front vorgerückt, an der sie im Laufe des Tages eine Offensive versucht hätten. Das teilte Hanna Maliar, stellvertretende Verteidigungsministerin der Ukraine, auf Telegram mit. Ukrainische Truppen kontrollieren offenbar die südwestlichen Außenbezirke von Bachmut. „Der Osten ist das Epizentrum der Kampfhandlungen. Der Feind gibt das Ziel nicht auf, die Oblaste Donezk und Luhansk zu erobern“, schrieb Maliar. Die Intensität der gegnerischen Offensivaktionen habe im Laufe des Tages leicht abgenommen, doch die Intensität des Artilleriebeschusses und der Luftangriffe bleiben hoch.

Ukraine war: Drone attack on Moscow apparently part of a grand plan?

Update from May 30, 14:20 p.m.: The drone strikes on Moscow are apparently part of an operation to mislead Russia. This is reported by pravda.com, citing a report in the Financial Times. According to them, Ukraine is conducting "operations" to distract Russian commanders and create a favorable backdrop for a counteroffensive.

"First, there was a mysterious drone attack on the Kremlin. Then followed an "invasion", the embarrassing consequences of which for Moscow could lead to the withdrawal of troops from the front to the border regions. Then, at the end of last week, Ukraine launched a drone strike on a Russian spy ship in the Black Sea. On Tuesday morning, up to two dozen drones attacked Moscow from the air," the report said. The operations are part of the usual military practice. Their goal, according to defense officials and analysts, is to deceive the enemy, interfere with his way of thinking and otherwise "shape" the battlefield before a major offensive.

Ukraine war: Putin spokesman blames Kyiv for drone attack – "completely clear"

Update from May 30, 12:30 p.m.: Russia has described the drone attacks on the capital Moscow as Ukraine's response to Russian attacks against the Ukrainian leadership. "It is absolutely clear that these are responses from the Kiev regime to our rather effective strikes against one of the decision-making centers," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday (30 May), according to the Interfax news agency. He referred to an attack by the Russian military on Sunday, but did not give further details.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not report the destruction of high-ranking command structures in Kiev either on Sunday or Monday. In Ukraine, however, numerous drone and missile attacks on civilian objects were recorded on these two days.

Peskov once again justified the continuation of the war of aggression against Ukraine, which he continued to call only a "special military operation". President Vladimir Putin had been informed about the drone attacks in real time since the morning. As a result of the attack, several residential buildings in the Russian capital were damaged.

Ukraine-News: Kiev reacts with mockery to accusations

Update from May 30, 11:35 a.m.: Ukraine has denied involvement in the drone strike on Russia's capital Moscow and reacted with ridicule. "Of course, we are not directly involved in this," adviser to the president's office in Kyiv, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Tuesday (30 May) on the breakfast radio of Russian journalist Alexander Plyushchev, who is critical of the Kremlin. He scoffed that Russian drones may have returned to their senders.

"You know that we are approaching the era of artificial intelligence. Maybe not all drones are ready to attack Ukraine and they want to go back to their creators and ask: Why are you sending us against the children of Ukraine? On Kiev? And so on," Podolyak said.

At the same time, the Ukrainian government advisor predicted that the number of attacks on Russian territory would probably continue to increase. "All people who believe (...) that they can destroy another sovereign state with absolute impunity have not yet understood after 15 months that they cannot repeat 2014."

Moscow accuses Kiev of "terrorist attack"

Update from May 30, 9:10 a.m.: Russia has accused Ukraine of a "terrorist attack" on the capital, Moscow. "Eight drones were used in the attack," the Ministry of Defense in Moscow said on Tuesday. "All the enemy's drones were shot down."

"This morning, at dawn, a drone strike caused minor damage to several buildings," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. "So far, no one has been seriously injured." The city's emergency services are on site. The governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, urged local residents to "keep a cool head."

The attack follows a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv over the course of the night, in which at least one person died, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. On Monday, Russian shelling had already caused panic in the Ukrainian capital in the middle of the day.

Ukraine-News: Kremlin reports drone attack on Moscow

Update from May 30, 6:45 a.m.: According to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Russia's capital Moscow has been attacked by several drones. "As a result of a drone strike, some buildings were slightly damaged early this morning," Sobyanin wrote on Telegram on Tuesday. No one was "seriously injured". The background is still being investigated. Residents had been brought to safety, security forces were in action.

The governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, stated that the air defense was active: "On the approach to Moscow, some drones were shot down."

Update from May 30, 6:30 a.m.: Russia has once again attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with drones. Fragments of the drones shot down by air defenses crashed, among other things, into a residential building and killed a civilian. An elderly woman was taken to a hospital, the state agency Ukrinform reported on Tuesday, citing the city administration and Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The apartment block had caught fire. The search work is still ongoing, as people may still be trapped under the rubble.

Other fragments of downed enemy drones crashed in different districts and, among other things, damaged cars. According to the military administration, more than 20 drones were destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses in Kiev airspace. Never since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in February 2022 have there been so many drone and missile attacks in Kyiv within a month as this May.

Russia had already massively attacked Ukraine with dozens of missiles and cruise missiles in the days before. On Monday, Russian air strikes had shaken Kyiv even in broad daylight. Until then, most airstrikes occurred mostly at night or in the early hours of the morning. According to the Ukrainian military, Russia fired a total of eleven missiles during the attacks on Kyiv. On Sunday night, Ukraine registered a record number of 54 kamikaze drones fired. There were deaths and injuries – including in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan on winning the run-off election in Turkey - and found words of praise for Erdogan's initiative around the grain deal.

Ukraine war: "Insufficient" – Lavrov criticizes grain deal with Kyiv

Update from May 29, 17:00 p.m.: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticized the implementation of the recently extended agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea as inadequate. "If everything remains as it is right now (...), you have to assume that it will no longer work," Lavrov said during a visit to the Kenyan capital Nairobi, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. Ukraine, on the other hand, repeatedly accuses Russia of hindering the shipment of its grain despite the agreement.

In particular, Lavrov complained about ongoing restrictions on Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports, which Moscow expects to ease in exchange for exporting Ukrainian grain. In addition, Moscow is calling for an end to sanctions against its state-owned agricultural bank in order to make payments easier.

Attacks against Kyiv: Apparently ballistic missiles also in use

Update from May 29, 14:35 p.m.: In the latest wave of attacks on Kyiv, Russia fired a total of eleven missiles, according to the Ukrainian military. "At about 11.30 a.m., the Kyiv region was attacked with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles of the Iskander ground-based system," the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, wrote on Telegram on Monday.

"A total of eleven missiles were fired: Iskander-M and Iskander-K from the north." All projectiles were intercepted by air defense. Russia had shelled the Ukrainian capital first on Monday night and only a few hours later in broad daylight with dozens of drones, cruise missiles and missiles. Never since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in February 2022 have there been so many drone and missile attacks in Kyiv within one month as this May. (with agency material)