A Ukrainian airstrike has struck a decisive blow against Russian occupying forces by destroying a military headquarters packed with soldiers in the Soledar direction. The precise strike was executed by Ukraine’s 30th Mechanised Brigade and monitored in real time by reconnaissance drones, which confirmed the complete annihilation of the target. This marks yet another successful use of advanced drone surveillance and pinpoint artillery by Ukrainian defenders, underlining their growing capabilities to disrupt Russian command operations deep behind the front lines.
The destruction of this facility is expected to hamper Russian logistical coordination in Soledar, where fierce combat continues. Adding to the list of destroyed Russian weaponry, Ukrainian drone operators from the Krya Omega unit successfully targeted and demolished a Soviet-era D30 howitzer. The 122mm towed artillery piece was first introduced in the 1960s and remains in use by the Russian military.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s defence forces remain vigilant near the Kharkiv region, where a build-up of Russian troops has been observed. According to Andrii Pomahybis, chief of staff of Ukraine’s 13th National Guard Brigade, enemy troops are moving toward the contact line but have yet to initiate a fresh assault. Ukrainian forces are fully prepared to repel any new Russian offensive.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is escalating pressure on Ukraine’s northeastern territories, with attempted advances in Sumy and potential spring offensives under way. Reports from The Financial Times cite Ukrainian intelligence sources indicating that Russia is repositioning troops for a wider assault despite calls from Kyiv and allies for a thirty-day ceasefire. Russia has flatly rejected such proposals unless the West halts all military support to Ukraine.
On the international front, Andriy Portnov, a former top official in the administration of ousted pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead outside an American school in Madrid. According to Spanish media reports and Ukrainian military sources, Portnov was ambushed and shot multiple times, with three bullets fatally striking his head and torso. The motive remains unclear, though investigators are probing potential financial debts.
Portnov, a controversial lawyer and one of the most litigious former Ukrainian officials, had previously faced US sanctions for corruption. He was also the subject of a Ukrainian treason probe related to Russia’s occupation of Crimea, which was eventually closed. He had fled Ukraine in 2022 despite a wartime ban on military-aged men leaving the country.
While Ukraine continues to resist Russian advances, the Kremlin claimed that Russian forces had “retaken” the Kursk region from Ukrainian incursion. Ukraine disputes this, asserting that its forces still hold parts of the territory. The so-called recapture coincided with a rare visit from Russian dictator Putin to the area. His stop included a visit to the Kursk nuclear power plant, though the Kremlin declined to provide the exact date.
Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast in 2024 marked the first cross-border military operation onto Russian soil since the Second World War, aimed at diverting Russian troops from Donetsk and halting an expected offensive in Sumy. Moscow, with reinforcements including North Korean soldiers, pushed back in March, forcing Ukraine to relinquish much of the territory initially seized.
Back at home, Ukraine faces internal challenges, including manpower shortages. Around 49,000 military-aged men have been caught attempting to cross Ukraine’s borders illegally since the war’s escalation in 2022. Another 4,000 were detained using forged documents. Ukrainian border authorities are now collaborating closely with EU partners to clamp down on illegal departures, which have strained army recruitment.
Authorities have also dismantled nearly 50 illicit schemes designed to smuggle men out of the country.
