Russians kill four in Donetsk Oblast; one in Kherson Oblast

Russian forces have killed another four people in the Donetsk Oblast and one person in the Kherson Oblast, according to the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration and Kherson Oblast Military Administration.

Aftermath of the Russian attack on the Donetsk region

Specifically, Russians killed three people in Novokhatske and one in Klynove in the Donetsk Oblast on May 2, 2025. Another eight people in the oblast were injured.

Meanwhile, one person was killed and five were injured due to Russian aggression in the Kherson Oblast.

The Russians targeted residential areas of settlements in the oblast, damaging 10 houses. They also destroyed cars.

On the evening of May 2, Russians used loitering munitions carrying thermobaric warheads in an attack on the city of Kharkiv. According to the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, so far, 51 people, including two girls aged 11 and 16, are known to have been injured in the large-scale Russian drone attack on the city. Russian forces used at least 15 drones.

“Such weapons create a massive blast wave and a high-temperature cloud, causing large-scale destruction and numerous civilian casualties. Their use is hazardous and may indicate a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law,” the Prosecutor’s office stated.

On April 30, Russian forces bombarded the village of Novoosynove in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv Oblast, killing a 54-year-old man. The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported that Russians damaged the residential houses as well.

Previously, Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that a man who was seriously injured in a large-scale Russian drone attack on Kharkiv on 22 April has died in hospital. That day, the city authorities recorded 12 strikes, in which nine people were injured.  

On April 23, Russian forces bombarded a key energy facility in the Kherson Oblast for more than 24 hours until it was completely destroyed, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration. He added that Ukrainian forces had fought through the night to repel the Russian attacks, but “the Russians have managed to destroy the energy facility by morning”.

On April 22, in the town of Balakliia, the Izium District, a vehicle hit a mine while driving on a forest road, according to the Kharkiv region police. Preliminarily, it was identified as an anti-tank mine. As a result of the explosion, the man died at the scene. Law enforcement officers reiterated that the mine risk in the de-occupied territories remains extremely high.

By way of background, Ukraine urges the international community to unite to restore global security under the UN Charter and strengthen sanctions against Russia to enforce compliance with international law. Following Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, Ukraine has pursued the liberation of its territories within its internationally recognised 1991 borders while developing comprehensive reintegration strategies and policies for all liberated areas.

Earlier, Bohdan Bernatskyy, a member of the Sanctions Policy Working Group of the Crimean Platform Expert Network, revealed at the Third Parliamentary Summit in Latvia that over 1,300 Russian military companies and 2 million industry workers continue operating, many without international restrictions.

Previously, the Korea Times, citing research from the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, reported that machine tools from the South Korean company DN Solutions have been discovered at Russian enterprises that manufacture “Lancet” combat drones and launchers for “Iskander” missiles.

The Korean company’s equipment, worth over $19 million, was delivered to Russia via Chinese distributors, including the company Silver Technology.

According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, advisor to the President of Ukraine on sanctions, available customs and procurement records indicate that these were deliveries of new equipment, made under contracts from 2023 and 2024.

DN Solutions denies supplying Russia since the onset of the full-scale war. The company emphasized that it allegedly strictly adheres to the legislation of the Republic of Korea, which prohibits the export of strategic products without permission. The company also stated that it ceased cooperation with the Chinese companies as soon as it learned about the facts of their re-exporting to Russia.

In the first months of 2025, the combined wealth of Russian billionaires increased by almost $15 billion, reaching a total of $305 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index—a ranking of the world’s richest people that tracks each individual’s net worth.

According to the latest data, among the 22 Russian business people included in the ranking, the largest increases in wealth were seen by those owning assets in the metallurgical, mining, telecommunications, and technology sectors.

According to the Moscow Times, Israel’s national carrier El Al will resume flights to Russia on May 1, 2025, after a four-month suspension. The company announced that flights on the Tel Aviv—Moscow route will operate seven times a week.

Boeing 737-900 aircraft, with a capacity of 175 passengers, will depart from Domodedovo Airport and Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli carrier stated that it decided to resume flights “after assessing the current situation” and discussions with authorities.