The key developments on May 4-5 included Ukraine’s openness to an all-for-all prisoner of war exchange, with President Zelensky discussing the idea at the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland in June. The last reported prisoner exchange occurred on Feb. 8 with 100 Ukrainian POWs returned from Russian captivity. The United States is leading talks among the Group of Seven nations to develop a military aid package to Ukraine worth up to $50 billion, funded by accrued interest on frozen Russian assets. France estimates 150,000 Russian troops have been killed since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with total losses including injuries estimated at 500,000.
Ukraine plans to launch a counteroffensive in 2025 with the support of a $61 billion aid package from the United States, as well as additional Western funding. President Zelensky hopes to recapture Russian-held territory with the help of incoming U.S. weapons and hold the line against an anticipated Russian summer offensive. Despite pressures, Ukraine is preparing for difficult months ahead in the ongoing war. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg estimated Russian casualties in Ukraine at over 350,000, while Kyiv reported that Russia has suffered 473,400 casualties since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Russia has been coercing Cuban citizens into joining the Russian army by offering high pay and a Russian passport within months of signing up, a BBC investigation revealed. Leaked documents revealed that hundreds of Cubans have joined Russia’s Armed Forces since the start of the invasion in February 2022. Russia continues to recruit foreigners and exploit migrant workers from neighboring countries in its war against Ukraine. Foreign recruits from various nations have been targeted for recruitment, with President Putin issuing a decree allowing foreign nationals joining the Russian Armed Forces to apply for Russian citizenship.
Russian forces struck a residential area in downtown Kharkiv on May 5, injuring at least 15 people with glide bombs. Russia has intensified attacks against Kharkiv using various weapons, including missiles, glide bombs, and drones. Ukrainian air defense units have intercepted numerous Russian drones launched from Russia and occupied Crimea, with Russian attacks across Ukraine causing casualties and damage to infrastructure. Recent strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities have cost the country over $1 billion in damages, with ongoing attacks on hydroelectric and thermal power plants causing significant harm.
In the Battle of Chasiv Yar, Ukrainian forces defend a city key to Russia’s plans, amid ongoing conflict on the ground. Ukraine aims to recapture Russian-held territory and launch a counteroffensive in the coming years with the support of Western aid packages. President Zelensky expressed openness to an all-for-all prisoner of war exchange at the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland, focusing on energy and nuclear security, free navigation in the Black and Azov seas, and humanitarian issues. The conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, with casualties on both sides and significant damage to infrastructure, highlighting the need for ongoing international support for Ukraine’s defense.
