Ukrainian aviation has struck Russian positions with renewed force using precision guided bombs. New footage released by Ukraine’s Southern Command shows Su 27 fighter jets attacking Russian assault groups near strategic mining areas. Pilots used United States supplied GBU 39 and GBU 62 bombs, hitting targets with pinpoint accuracy. These air strikes have disrupted Russian troop movements and weakened pressure along active fronts.
While Ukraine asserts control in the skies, Russian civilians were treated to a spectacle of mock heroics. In the Russian city of Chita, during Victory Day celebrations, a replica Soviet aircraft dangled from a crane. The display, possibly meant to mimic an air show or recreate wartime imagery, only served to highlight the Kremlin’s growing reliance on nostalgia over substance.
On the diplomatic front, the Russian dictator has redeployed one of his most controversial generals. Sergey Surovikin, once responsible for the failed Russian campaign along the Dnipro River in late 2022, has resurfaced in Algeria as the head of a group of military specialists. His presence was confirmed by photos posted on the Russian embassy’s website on 9 May. Surovikin disappeared from public life after the 2023 Wagner Group mutiny. He was rumoured to have supported the rebellion and was believed to be detained.
Surovikin’s reputation stretches back decades. During the 1991 failed Soviet coup, he commanded a unit that broke through demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of three civilians. He was arrested but released months later. In 1995, he was convicted of illegal arms sales and given one year probation. The charges were eventually dropped, and he was later acquitted.
Meanwhile, Poland has expelled Russian diplomats following the discovery of GRU involvement in an arson attack at a shopping centre in Warsaw. Polish authorities say agents from the Russian military intelligence agency directed the attack as part of a broader sabotage campaign across Europe. Video footage of the fire was allegedly sent back to Russia for propaganda use. One of the suspects, Danilo B, is detained in Lithuania and faces charges of espionage and sabotage with terrorist intent.
Reports also indicate that Russia’s GRU has formed a new unit, known as SSD, tasked with sabotage operations abroad. These include arson, attempted assassinations, and infiltration of Western institutions. The European Union and United States have sanctioned several members of this unit for their role in orchestrating attacks and spreading disinformation.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian heroism continues. Svitlana, a nurse from the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade, took command during a Russian assault after her unit lost its officer. With no time to spare, she picked up a disposable grenade launcher and neutralised an entire Russian unit hiding two houses away. Her actions saved her unit from being encircled. For her bravery, she was awarded the Cross of the Ground Forces. Svitlana had been serving on the front lines since the full invasion began, having volunteered shortly after Russia launched its attack.
