Key Takeaways from the ISW:
- Russia threatened systematic strikes on Kyiv City in violation of the spirit of the Victory Day ceasefire, likely to posture strength after the humiliation of the ceasefire itself.
- The Kremlin is claiming that its strikes are retaliatory in response to an alleged Ukrainian strike against civilians to temper any Western urgency to respond to Russia’s intensified strikes on Kyiv, but this claimed justification does not align with the Kremlin’s historical pattern of behavior.
- The Russian government’s accusations that Ukrainian forces violated international law are an attempt to distract from Russian forces’ systematic violations of international law.
- Russian forces may have launched a second Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), which reportedly malfunctioned and struck occupied Donetsk Oblast during the already large and costly May 23 to 24 strike package.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin enacted a law on May 25 allowing him to authorize the use of the Russian Armed Forces overseas to defend “Russian citizens” being prosecuted in international or foreign national courts.
- Ukrainian forces advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area and in western Zaporizhia Oblast. Russian forces advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka and Dobropillya tactical areas.
- Russian forces launched 262 drones toward Ukraine overnight.
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