Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a house set by a Russian drone attack on Kherson, Ukraine, May 3, 2025 Saturday’s Coverage: 51 Injured in Kharkiv by Russian Drones Map: Institute for the Study of War UPDATE 1615 GMT: A Patriot air defense system based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine after refurbishment, say “four unnamed current and former US officials”. Western partners are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece. The sources did not clarify whether the moves were initiated during the Biden Administration or its successor under Donald Trump.
In recent days, the Trump Administration has lifted the suspension of deliveries of military aid to Ukraine. Administration officials have informed Congress of the intention to allow the export of defense-related products through direct commercial sales of $50 million or more. On Saturday, it was confirmed that the US Air Force has transferred decommissioned F-16 fighter jets to supply spare parts for aircraft donated by European partners.
The transfer is part of a $310 million package which also includes training and technical support. Ukraine currently has eight Patriot systems, of which six are operational and two are being refurbishment. On April 13, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is ready to purchase 10 Patriot systems for $15 billion to shield densely populated cities from Russia’s missile strikes.
UPDATE 1608 GMT: Ukrainian drones have destroyed two workshops at the Strela electromechanical plant in the Bryansk region in western Russia. The drones set a fire covering 250 square meters (about 2,690 square feet), damaging critical infrastructure. Andrii Kovalenko of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council claimed the facility can no longer operate after the attack.
Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz posted, “There was a fire at an industrial plant, production and administrative buildings were destroyed. There are no casualties.” The Strela plant, located in Suzemka near the Ukrainian border, produces radar equipment, transformers, chokes, and other electronics for Russia’s defense, aerospace, and electronics industries. UPDATE 0915 GMT: At least four civilians were killed and 30 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.
Air defenses downed 69 of 165 drones, and 80 were lost to electronic counter-measures. Three residents were residents were killed in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, and one in the neighboring Kharkiv region. Casualties were also recorded in the Kyiv region (see Original Entry), Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia.
UPDATE 0653 GMT: UK military intelligence estimates that 950,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded during Moscow’s 38-month full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the first four months of 2025, Russia lost around 160,000 soldiers. The analysts noted, “If this rate continues until the end of 2025, it will be the most expensive year of the war for Russia in terms of personnel losses.” Despite the heavy losses, Russia has not taken control of any significant areas of Ukrainian territory, the analysts summarized.
The commander of the US forces in Europe, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, said in early April that Russia is adding about 30,000 new recruits every month. He estimated that Moscow has at least 600,000 soldiers in Ukraine. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Sunday that Russia has lost 956,810 troops in Ukraine, including 1,340 casualties over the past day.
The Staff said Russia has also lost 10,758 tanks, 22,403 armored fighting vehicles, 47,141 vehicles and fuel tanks, 27,327 artillery systems, 1,376 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,155 air defense systems, 372 airplanes, 335 helicopters, and 34,860 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine. UPDATE 0634 GMT: President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine destroyed a second Russian warplane on Saturday, in an attack on a military airfield in occupied Crimea. Earlier in the day, a Russian Su-30 fighter jet was downed over the Black Sea in the “world’s first destruction of a combat aircraft by a naval drone”, the Ukraine military intelligence agency HUR said.
HUR head Kyrylo Budanov later said that both Su-30 fighter jets were downed by air-to-air missiles fired from Magura-7 sea drones near Novorossiysk in southwest Russia. “It’s a historical moment,” he said. Zelensky said: I thank our guys who are increasing Ukrainian long-range capabilities – both in the sky and at sea.
The shooting down of a Russian military aircraft by our naval drone was brilliant – proof of Ukrainian capabilities. ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russia has caused more death, injuries, and destruction in drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and on Kherson in the south of the country. At least 11 civilians in Kyiv were wounded overnight, including two children aged 14 and 17.
Houses, vehicles, and a shopping mall were damaged, and cars and a high-rise building were set on fire. One civilian was killed and two injured in Kherson city during Russian attacks throughout Saturday. Homes, outbuildings, cars, and a multi-story residential building were struck, and three blazes were started.
On Friday and into Saturday, Russian drones killed at least five civilians and wounded 61. In Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, 51 people, including two children aged 11 and 16, were injured. Zelensky Challenges Putin to Accept 30-Day Ceasefire In his nightly address to the nation, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky summarized: The key issue is whether our partners can influence Russia to accede to a full ceasefire — a durable silence that would allow us to seek a way out of this war.
Right now, no one sees any such readiness from Russia. On the contrary…Russian propagandists continue to threaten not only Ukraine but also other neighbors — Lithuania, the other Baltic states. Calling for more sanctions to press Moscow, he repeated that Ukraine was ready for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire if “Russia is ready to take reciprocal steps”.
We are preparing for important foreign policy meetings and negotiations. The key issue is whether our partners can influence Russia to accede to a full ceasefire—a durable silence that would allow us to seek a way out of this war. Right now, no one sees any such readiness from… pic.twitter.com/DHavwaKDGS — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 3, 2025 Earlier on Saturday, Zelensky dismissed Vladimir Putin’s declaration of a three-day “ceasefire” from May 8-11 as a “theatrical performance”, seeking to ease Russia’s international isolation and create a favorable atmosphere for Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
“They kill until the 7th, pause for a couple of comfortable days, then start attacking again on the 11th,” the President said.
