Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 23.49 On the evening of Wednesday, May 13, a series of enemy drone strikes were recorded in Kharkiv, causing damage in several districts of the city. It is preliminarily reported that hits were made in the Osnovyanskyi, Novobavarskyi and Kholodnohirskyi districts. According to preliminary information, a house was damaged in the Kholodnohirskyi district, and a garage cooperative in Osnovyanskyi.
22.49 In Bucharest, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Romanian leader Nicusor Dan, during which he proposed cooperation in the special Drone Deal format.
"Today we discussed many issues. It is important that we move with partners in the direction of technological cooperation," the head of state noted.
The Ukrainian leader offered Romania cooperation in a special Drone Deal format and informed that he had already signed a corresponding agreement with Lithuania today. Zelensky and Dan agreed that the teams would work out all the details.
22.35 In the Chernihiv region, a commander of a military unit was exposed for helping subordinates avoid military service, while at the same time ensuring that they received regular financial support.
According to the investigation, several servicemen were actually absent from the unit for a long time and were engaged in personal affairs. Despite this, the commander did not react to their absence, did not take measures prescribed by law, and contributed to their continued accrual of salaries and other payments.
As a result of such actions, the state budget suffered losses of over 2 million hryvnias.
21.50 Oil production in Russia in April amounted to only 8.83 million barrels per day - 130 thousand less than in March and 460 thousand less than in April 2025. According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Russia has not produced so little since May-July 2020 (8.53-8.65 million barrels).
Then, as a result of the agreement with OPEC+, Russia was forced to sharply reduce production after the collapse of global demand for oil due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine in many countries.
Now, the decline in oil production is attributed to massive attacks by Ukrainian drones on export infrastructure - port terminals, oil storage facilities, pipelines and refineries. As a result, Russia's oil pipeline system is overflowing and storage facilities are filling up faster than usual.
21.18 The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador for the first time due to the Russian air attack on Transcarpathia.
"The Hungarian government strongly condemns the Russian attack on Transcarpathia," Prime Minister Péter Magyar said at the first meeting of the country's new government.
According to him, Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban summoned the Russian ambassador to a meeting on Thursday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m. due to the drone strike in Transcarpathia.
The previous Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjártó, never summoned the Russian ambassador after the Russian attacks on Transcarpathia.
No doubt leaving the poor thing bereft for lack of meaningful ambassadorial activity. Or giving him too much time to cause trouble of his own, idle hands being the Devil’s playground.
21.02 A Russian air bomb that fell on a railway track caused a train to derail in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation.
A Russian bomber accidentally dropped a FAB-500 directly onto a railway track in the Yakovlovsky district of the Belgorod region. The bomb did not detonate, but damaged 25 meters of the track.
The driver of the electric train, which was traveling along the Razumne-Tomarivka route and was carrying 15 passengers, noticed the damage to the track in time and applied emergency braking. This led to the derailment of half of the car.
A 75-year-old passenger was injured and taken to hospital. Later, sappers arrived at the scene and removed the FAB-500.
Since the beginning of 2026, at least 24 Russian FABs have fallen on the territory of Russia and occupied Ukrainian regions.
20.33 The Oleksandrivka direction remains one of the hottest on the front, where Russian troops continue intensive assault operations. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are using active defense tactics and are having some success. This was reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.
According to him, large-scale assaults by the Russian army using heavy equipment on this section of the front have almost stopped. Instead, the occupiers are actively using drones, artillery, and small infantry groups.
"In turn, the Defense Forces of Ukraine apply the tactics of active defense. When possible and appropriate, they attack, having certain successes," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated.
20.27 In the Hulyaipil direction, servicemen of the 225th separate assault regiment were ambushed by Russians. During the battle, two Ukrainian defenders were killed. This was reported by the General Staff.
According to intelligence, the commander of a Russian army unit gave a direct order to commit atrocities against the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
In particular, the radio intercept can be heard as the commander orders to cut off two heads "for confirmation" and place them in a prominent place on the edge of the field. His subordinate expresses his willingness to carry out such an order.
The Russian unit has already been previously identified. According to available information, the criminal order was given by a commander who had previously ordered the mockery of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
20.09 Russia's massive combined attack on Ukraine may continue until noon on Thursday, May 14, with missile launches and another wave of strike drones possible at night. This was stated by Defense Minister's advisor Sergei "Flash" Beskrestnov.
"I believe it could be tomorrow before noon, somewhere like that. That is, we will see missile launches at night, then maybe there will be another wave," he said.
According to Beskrestnov, Russia has accumulated a sufficient supply of "shaheeds" for the attack on May 13 and 14. The first wave of the attack has already taken place, using several hundred shaheeds launched from the south and north, and one of the targets was western Ukraine.
"These attacks were very unusual: the drones moved very densely, high, close together and stayed 5-10 km from the border with Belarus. This was a new tactic to overload our air defense," the minister's advisor noted.
19.44 The Hungarian government condemned the massive Russian drone attack on Transcarpathia, during which critical infrastructure in the region was hit. The corresponding statement was made by the country's Foreign Minister Anita Orban.
Orban stressed that the Hungarian government is monitoring developments and will bring this issue up for consideration at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
At the time of the statement, at least five hits were known in various settlements in the region, including near Svalyava and in Uzhhorod.
19.43 As a result of the Russian attack on railway infrastructure facilities, 23 hits were recorded.
This was announced by Dmytro Lytvyn, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Communications.
"As a result of the attack, we have 23 hits on railway facilities. There were no injuries/deaths to passengers. The monitoring teams stopped the trains and evacuated them in advance," he said.
All employees at the workplace were moved to shelters in advance. However, one employee received a minor injury (bruise) while being moved to shelters.
In Zdolbuniv, Rivne region, two railway workers who were not at work at the time of the attack were killed among the civilians. Another person was injured.
In addition, infrastructure was damaged: three locomotives, seven suburban cars, eight freight cars, five traction substations, five depots, and two bridges.
Train traffic is maintained throughout the rail network.
How unusual of them.
19.19 Russian forces have carried out the largest drone attack on the Transcarpathian region since the start of the full-scale invasion. Explosions have been heard in several communities in the region. There are flights over critical infrastructure facilities in several areas.
During the enemy attack on Transcarpathia, 11 air targets (drones of the Shahed, Geran type) flew in. Most were shot down and suppressed by electronic warfare means.
Some drones reached their targets. There were no casualties as a result of the attack. Rescuers are working at the hit sites.
19.13 During the day, Russian troops launched 753 strike UAVs of various types over Ukraine. Air defense units intercepted 710 enemy targets. This was reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
18.59 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda signed a drone agreement in Bucharest. The Ukrainian head of state announced this on Facebook on Wednesday, May 13.
18.51 In Ivano-Frankivsk, a residential building was hit as a result of a massive Russian strike. Three people were injured, they are in hospital, there is no threat to their lives.
18.39 One of the longest-running massive Russian attacks against Ukraine is not accidental, as it is taking place during US President Donald Trump's visit to China. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported this on Telegram.
18.20 The court found the serviceman guilty of high treason and illegal possession of psychotropic substances and sentenced him to 15 years in prison with confiscation of all property.
Prosecutors proved that the man was recruited via Telegram by a representative of the Russian FSB in May 2025. The serviceman had a drug addiction and agreed to cooperate with the enemy for a monetary reward.
For several months, he provided the occupiers with intelligence on the staff structure and combat orders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine units, the locations of training centers and military facilities in Kropyvnytskyi, Cherkasy, and the Dnipropetrovsk region. The informant also leaked the coordinates of command posts, personnel movement schedules, and maps of mining positions on the front line.
For the tasks completed, the agent received over $4,000 in cryptocurrency, which he spent on psychotropic substances. During the detention and searches, law enforcement officers seized drugs, as well as equipment with evidence of his cooperation with the Russian Federation.
18.16 A woman was killed in a Russian drone strike on a bus in Belozerka, Kherson region. She died on the way to the hospital from her injuries. Another injured 61-year-old woman is also known to have been injured and is under medical supervision.
18.02 Everything possible must be done to ensure that the July NATO summit sends positive signals to the entire Euro-Atlantic community despite all the difficulties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during his speech at the Bucharest Nine summit.
17.51 During the attack on Ukraine, a Russian drone flew into the territory of Moldova. The drone flew over several regions of the country.
At 16:00, the drone crossed the state border from the direction of Mogilev-Podilskyi, Vinnytsia region, towards the village of Sauka, Oknytsia district. At 16:05, the drone was spotted by local residents over the city of Bălți. It was moving towards the Ungheni district. Later, at 16:19, the drone was spotted near the village of Lepushna, Hinchești district. A few minutes later, at 16:23, the drone was spotted near the village of Kerpinen in the same district.
According to the Moldovan Ministry of Defense, the drone maintained its direction of movement towards the southern part of the country. At 16:59, the airspace in the northern and central parts of the country was reopened.
17:39 In the Lviv region, as a result of a massive attack by Russian drones, the city of Zhovkva lost power. This was reported by the city's mayor, Oleh Volskyi.
"Unfortunately, in Zhovkva, there was a hostile attack on a critical infrastructure facility. The city is without electricity... Let's hold on!", the mayor wrote.
Emergency services are currently working at the scene of the crash.
Volsky urged not to film anything and to stay in safe places until the alarm is lifted.
17.28 In the Zhytomyr region, police officers have uncovered a scheme for fictitious employment of men of draft age to college. The case involves officials from a vocational college in Zhytomyr who, for several years, fictitiously employed men of draft age to teaching positions and positions of industrial training masters in order to avoid mobilization.
Among the "employed" are entrepreneurs, lawyers, employees of private companies, and individuals who actually worked in other fields of activity, but used documents that could be a basis for reservation or avoidance of mobilization.
The funds that were deposited into the accounts of fictitiously employed individuals were subsequently withdrawn by officials of the educational institution. The losses to the local budget amount to over 2.8 million hryvnias.
The college director had previously been notified of the suspicion and placed under 24-hour house arrest. The court also suspended him from his position and seized his property.
Law enforcement officers have now reported the director to be under suspicion based on new facts. In addition, 13 more suspects have been under suspicion.
17.11 Since the beginning of the current day, Russian invaders have carried out 62 attacks on positions of the Defense Forces. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational summary. More than half of all Russian attacks on the front were intercepted in the areas of Pokrovsk and Gulyaipol.
16.35 A ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks are possible only after the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the territory of Donbas. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a comment to Russian propagandists. He also predicts "very difficult" negotiations, even if the Ukrainian leadership suddenly takes such a step.
16.15 Lukoil's Permnaftoorgsintez oil refinery, the seventh largest in Russia by processing volume, completely stopped oil refining and the production of petroleum products after a drone attack on May 7.
A fire broke out at the plant, which processes over 12 million tons of oil per year, and technological installations were damaged.
According to the publication's sources, the primary processing units AVT-5, AVT-1, and AVT-2, which together provide half of the enterprise's capacity, were shut down in an emergency on May 7. Another unit, AVT-4, has been idle since April 30 due to a fire, also caused by a drone attack.
The refinery, which produced 2 million tons of gasoline and over 5 million tons of diesel last year, became the seventh Russian oil refinery to halt production since the beginning of spring.
On May 5, the Kirishinefteorgsintez plant in the Leningrad region (the second largest in Russia) completely stopped processing oil, on April 22 the Syzran refinery stopped, on April 18 the Novokuibyshev refinery stopped receiving oil, on April 16 the Tuapse refinery stopped (all owned by Rosneft). On April 5, Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez stopped receiving oil from Lukoil, and on March 21 the Saratov refinery stopped.
As a result, oil refining volumes at Russian refineries have fallen to their lowest since 2009 - 4.69 million barrels per day. Compared to last year, the load of oil refineries has fallen by 12%, and compared to pre-war 2021 - by 18%, or almost 1 million barrels per day.
15.56 Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, together with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, visited the frontline regions of Ukraine. The head of the Ukrainian ministry reported this on Telegram.
The ministers visited several military headquarters near the front line, where the military demonstrated the operation of the DELTA system, planning operations, coordinating drones, reconnaissance, and defeating enemy logistics.
Fedorov noted that Germany has financed over $1 billion for the development of Ukraine's deep strike and mid strike capabilities. According to him, about 5,000 strikes are carried out every month to a depth of over 20 km.
15.51 On Wednesday, May 13, the Russian State Duma approved in the second and third readings a law that significantly expands the president's powers regarding the use of armed forces abroad.
The law, adopted unanimously (384 deputies "in favor"), is aimed at "strengthening the protection of Russian citizens from unlawful actions of unfriendly foreign states."
According to the document, from now on, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be able to involve the army to "protect Russian citizens" in the event of "arrest, detention, criminal and other prosecution" abroad. This refers to cases when Russians are arrested abroad by courts that are "empowered without the participation of the Russian Federation," as well as by international judicial bodies that Russia does not recognize.
The Russian ruler has the right to send troops abroad if countries or international bodies make decisions that "contradict the interests of the Russian Federation" or "the foundations of public order" in Russia.
That should make life interested for all involved. Overextended supply lines comes to mind…
15.36 Three civilians were killed in an attack by Russian strike drones in the Rivne region. This was reported by the local OVA. The "shaheeds" were recorded hitting civilian infrastructure. The air alert in the region is currently ongoing.
15.16 A 41-year-old resident of Kyiv was exposed for defrauding a serviceman who was defending the country in the Donetsk direction during martial law, where he was seriously wounded.
The woman created a fake account under a fictitious name on one of the social networks and pretended to be a seriously ill woman who allegedly needed urgent treatment and surgery in Germany. Using emotional pressure and manipulation, she convinced the victim to systematically transfer funds to her bank accounts.
During a search of the suspect's residence in Kyiv, law enforcement officers seized mobile phones, bank cards, cash in the amount of over 114 thousand hryvnias, and discovered more than ten fake social media accounts that could be used for similar fraudulent activities.
It was established that the damages caused to the victim amounted to over 709 thousand hryvnias. The perpetrator spent the embezzled funds for personal needs.
15.08 Ukrainian military launched another attack on strategic enterprises in the territory of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. All of them are important elements of the gas transportation and fuel infrastructure of the Russian Federation and are involved in ensuring the needs of the military-industrial complex.
14.33 In the Mykolaiv region, law enforcement officers detained a serviceman who shot two colleagues during an argument. The National Police reported this.
Three soldiers were on duty, but that didn't stop them from drinking alcohol, which led to a conflict between them.
14.25 The military command has convinced Russian dictator Vladimir Putin that Russian troops "will be able to capture the entire Donbas by the fall," the British newspaper Financial Times reported, citing its sources.
Putin also plans to increase his demands for a ceasefire and may expand territorial claims.
14.02 The fall of fragments of a Russian UAV onto the roof of a 9-story residential building and the burning of parked cars were recorded in Odessa against the backdrop of an enemy attack. This was reported by the head of the Odessa OVA Oleg Kiper on his Telegram channel.
13.57 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena arrived in Romania for a visit to the Bucharest Nine summit. The Ukrainian leader announced this on Facebook.
13.51 The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported on the opening of 363 criminal proceedings related to sexual violence by Russian invaders in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. He stated this during the annual report on the state of observance and protection of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine in 2025 at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada.
13.34 Russian occupiers plan to seize almost 1,000 apartments in temporarily occupied Mariupol from people who left the city due to the blockade and occupation. This was reported by the legitimate Ukrainian city council of Mariupol.
13.27 On the coast of the Tuzlivski Limany National Nature Park, the area of oil pollution that entered the Black Sea after the Russian attack on the port of Chornomorsk has significantly increased. This was reported by park employee Ivan Rusev.
13.10 The aggressor country Russia launched a combined air strike on critical Ukrainian targets, which may be prolonged. This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (GUR MO).
12.59 The number of complaints about the actions of the CCC in Ukraine has increased 333 times compared to 2022. Among them are beatings, the use of balaclavas, and cases of killings of civilians in CCC premises. This was stated by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets during a speech in parliament, adding that mobilization is the most acute issue he has encountered in 2025.
12.58 Two people were injured in a Russian drone attack in the Khmelnytskyi region on Wednesday, the head of the OVA, Serhiy Tyurin, reported.
As of now, two people are known to have been injured.
"Enemy drones are attacking the Khmelnytskyi region. The Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are working," Tyurin noted.
12.44 The aggressor country Russia has changed its tactics in using strike drones, which are currently attacking regions of Ukraine. This was reported by the advisor to the Minister of Defense, Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov, on Telegram.
12.25 Russian aggressors hit a mass transit bus in Kherson with a drone. Seven people are currently known to have been injured. The Kherson residents have concussions, explosive and closed head injuries, as well as shrapnel wounds.
12.13 Russian troops continue to advance in the area of the village of Zakitne, Lymansky community, Donetsk region, in the Siversky direction. This was reported by the OSINT project DeepState.
11.51 In Odessa, a major, the head of the food warehouse of one of the centers of supply of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was detained for taking a bribe. The Prosecutor General's Office reported this. The official demanded money from a representative of the company that supplied daily field food kits for the military.
11.35 One day of a full-scale war with Russia costs Ukraine approximately $450 million. This was stated the day before by Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga at the international security conference PISM Strategic Ark Conference in Poland.
Ukraine is also paying with the blood of its soldiers. So, we are talking about the highest price, the official noted.
11.22 Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a column of Russian invaders near Chasovye Yar, Donetsk region. This was reported by the East group of troops and published video footage of the defeat from the military camera of the Russian Armed Forces on Facebook.
11.07 A Russian agent who illegally registered Starlink communication terminals for Russian aggressors was detained in Kyiv. The SBU reported this. The mobilized soldier who voluntarily left a military unit in the Kharkiv region was working for the enemy.
10.58 The outbreak on the territory of the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant (AGPZ) occurred as a result of an attack by Ukrainian drones. This was stated by the Governor of the Astrakhan Region, Igor Babushkin, Astra reports.
The Russian official traditionally stated that "debris" from allegedly downed drones "caused the outbreak."
10.39 Russian aggressors continue to attack Ukraine with strike drones on Wednesday afternoon. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported this on Telegram.
Monitoring channels report dozens of groups of Russian drones flying from north to west Ukraine, using Belarusian airspace.
10.17 On Wednesday morning, power outages were recorded in six regions of Ukraine due to Russian shelling. Another region has a power outage due to bad weather, Ukrenergo reported.
Energy experts are asking citizens to consume electricity economically throughout the day and to limit the use of powerful electrical appliances as much as possible from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
9.48 The Defense Forces are not tasked with leaving Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian troops are holding positions in the northern part of the city. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a source in the Defense Forces "familiar with the situation in the Pokrovsk direction."
8.59 Russian occupiers have attacked Ukraine since the evening of May 12 with 139 strike UAVs of various types, 111 drones were neutralized. However, 20 drones were hit. This was reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Telegram.
05.28 On the night of Wednesday, May 13, Russian drones attacked two different districts of Kharkiv. According to information from the city's mayor, Igor Terekhov, in the Shevchenkivskyi district, fragments of a drone fell on the road, and in the Kholodnohirskyi district, an infrastructure facility was hit, which led to a fire. It has been previously established that there were no injuries as a result of the incidents.
04.30 On the night of May 13, a series of powerful explosions were heard on the outskirts of Anapa in the Krasnodar Territory. Sources report a successful attack by the SOU, probably on a seaport near the village of Volna. According to Russian publics, fragments of one of the drones fell on the territory of the enterprise in the village of Volna, Temryuk district, causing equipment to catch fire. Allegedly, there is one victim.
03.11 Europe is discussing the possibility of appointing former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the role of mediator in negotiations with Russia. As Spiegel notes, Merkel is considered one of the most optimal candidates for this mission due to her previous experience of communicating with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. It is noted that the former Chancellor has not been engaged in active political activities for a long time, which may contribute to her neutrality in the negotiation process.
02.08 The Ukrainian negotiating team has fulfilled all its obligations and handed over lists for exchange to Russia, but the Russian side is deliberately delaying the process, shifting responsibility to Ukraine. This was reported by the Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets, noting that one cannot be 100% sure that Russia's word will be kept and the agreements reached with the Russian side will be implemented.
00.25 Russia is preparing for a new large-scale shelling of Ukraine, which may take place in the coming days. Currently, there is a redeployment of tactical aviation and increased activity at military airfields. According to Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there is a high probability that Russia is planning another massive attack, as evidenced by Ukrainian intelligence data, as well as information from international partners.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 20:56 UAV operators of the 3rd Army Corps of the Southern Group destroyed ground robotic systems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Konstantinovsky direction.
Drone operators from the Vostok and Dnipro groups rammed enemy drones in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
UAV crews from the Center group overtook enemy UAV control posts, heavy helicopters, and positions with manpower, and also disrupted the rotation of Ukrainian Armed Forces formations in the Dobropillya direction.
19:23 A portable electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed by Sever fighters, video.
18:53 A Ukrainian Armed Forces UAV control point was hit in the Krasnopolsky district of the Sumy region,video.
15:43 Servicemen of the 244th Artillery Brigade of the Sever group fired from the 152mm 2S43 Giatsint-K destroyed UAV control points and concentrations of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the Khar'kov region.
Crews of the 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer from the Vostok group burned down enemy strongholds in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Artillerymen from the "West" group conducted strikes against a fortified drone control point and enemy personnel in the Khar'kov region.
Artillerymen from the 268th Self-propelled Artillery Regiment of the Center group fired from the 2S19 152mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzer with Krasnopol-M2 high-precision munitions at a forward command post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces formations in the Dnipropetrovsk direction.
15:25 In the period from 9:00 Moscow time to 14:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 53 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Oryol, Ryazan, Tula regions, the Moscow region and the Republic of Crimea.
15:26 Tankers of the Vostok group destroyed control points for unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (Zaporizhzhia Oblast).
13:15 Operational-tactical aviation, attack UAVs, missile forces and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groups inflicted the destruction of energy and transport infrastructure facilities of Ukraine used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, UAV assembly, storage, and launch sites, ammunition depots, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed forces and foreign mercenaries in 147 districts.
13:11 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the Special Military Operation (as of May 13, 2026)
Units of the "North" force group have improved their tactical position. Formations of two mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been defeated near the settlements of Andreevka, Bachevsk, and Zapselye in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov region, manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, a National Guard brigade, and a detachment of the nationalist formation "Kraken" were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Ryasne, Volohovka, Bely Kolodez, and Vilcha in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost over 210 servicemen and 16 vehicles.
Units of the "West" force group have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, a security brigade of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Podliman, Shiykovka, Druzhelyubovka, and Novy Mir in the Khar'kov region, and Krasny Liman and Svyatogorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 150 service members, three armored combat vehicles, 19 vehicles, and five field artillery pieces, including a US-made Paladin 155mm self-propelled artillery mount and two UK-made Braveheart 155mm self-propelled artillery mounts. An electronic warfare station was destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have improved their position along the forward edge. Formations of three mechanized brigades, a mountain assault, a motorized infantry, an airmobile brigade, and a territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the settlements of Piskunovka, Nikolaevka, Artema, Yurkovka, Rai-Aleksandrovka, Khimik, and Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 70 soldiers, seven vehicles and two field artillery pieces.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of three mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, a Jaeger brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, and two National Guard brigades near the settlements of Zolotoy Kolodez, Belitske, Priyut, Dobropillya, Torske, Kucherov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic), and Novopidgorodne (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast).
The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to 310 military personnel, two armored combat vehicles, eight cars, and four artillery pieces.
Units of the "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. They inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, two airborne assault brigades, two assault brigades, and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Prosyanaya and Dobropasovo in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Lesnoye, Verkhnyaya Tersa, Lyubitske, Charivne, and Vozdvizhevka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The enemy lost over 270 servicemen, six armored combat vehicles, 13 cars and two field artillery pieces.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Zaporozhets and Novoandriyevka in the Zaporizhzhia region.
More than 50 military personnel, 18 vehicles and three electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
11:42 Drone operators at the Rubicon Center destroy enemy manpower, equipment, UAVs, and elements of the enemy's communications system, and also transmit the coordinates of enemy targets to Russian Aerospace Forces crews for air strikes.
10:46 In the period from 7:00 Moscow time to 9:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir regions, the Moscow region, and over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
07:31 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Advance in the Rai-Aleksandrovka area
Expansion of the control zone west of Grishino
Advance in the western part of Konstantinovka
Enemy controls positions in Primorsky and in the area north of Stepnogorsk
07:25 During the past night, in the period from 20:00 Moscow time on May 12 to 7:00 Moscow time on May 13, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 286 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov, Tambov, Yaroslavl, Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Ryazan, Astrakhan regions, Krasnodar Krai, the Republics of Kalmykia, Crimea and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
05:07 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS crew of the 35th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Center group inflicted artillery strike on a concentration of manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[REGNUM] Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a trusted figure from the highest echelons of German politics, former SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, to mediate negotiations with Ukraine. This proposal provoked a predictably negative reaction in Berlin and Brussels.
"If we were to give Russia the right to appoint a negotiator on our behalf, that would not be very wise," said EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.
Representatives of EU member states expressed similar sentiments. German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius also made it clear that Schröder was out of the question. And Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Oleksiy Makeyev, stated: "Someone who has represented Russia's interests in Germany for years has neither the moral nor the political legitimacy to act as a mediator today."
Finding a negotiator who would be acceptable to both Kyiv and Moscow will be difficult. Last year, US President Donald Trump met first with Vladimir Putin and then with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In November, the White House chief presented a 28-point peace plan, which was well received in Moscow.
However, relations between Washington and Kyiv remain strained under the new American president. Kyiv's generally unstable behavior does nothing to promote progress in this direction. Moreover, Trump is focused on the war with Iran and election issues.
ALTERNATE CANDIDATE #1
"We are ready to assume greater responsibility and are negotiating this with the US and Ukraine," said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Recently, Berlin, along with Paris and London, attempted to "make a new attempt to return to negotiations," which, according to insiders, leading European governments are preparing for.
A prominent political figure with personal contacts with Putin and Zelensky and respected authority in the rest of Europe could be useful here. Frank-Walter Steinmeier's name was mentioned in German government circles over the weekend.
The German head of state is a former long-serving foreign minister. He has also been accused of being "excessively friendly" toward Russia. Schröder's former aide, like his then-boss, once supported close energy relations between Berlin and Moscow. Two years after Crimea's reunification with Russia, Steinmeier warned NATO against "further escalating tensions with saber-rattling and military rhetoric." So, for the Kyiv regime, Steinmeier is, at the very least, a questionable candidate.
The Federal President's Office declined to comment on the debate. A government spokesperson stated, "We really need to talk about serious proposals that will be accepted by all parties."
ALTERNATE CANDIDATE #2 Angela Merkel, with the support of the CDU/CSU and SPD coalition, pursued a very ambiguous course regarding the conflict in Donbass.
From a Ukrainian perspective, it is considered, in retrospect, too "pro-Russian." From a Russian perspective, the former chancellor's background includes a well-known interview with Die Zeit in December 2022, in which she admitted that the Minsk agreements, to which she also signed, served only one function: to give Ukraine a breathing space so the West could arm it.
Nevertheless, Merkel's name is now also featured in the discussion. Her advantage over Steinmeier is that she no longer holds public office. Merkel is well acquainted with Putin. She even speaks Russian. In Germany, she is accused of allegedly "taking a naive position regarding Nord Stream 2 as a purely economic project without geopolitical consequences. "
Like Schröder and Steinmeier, Merkel has historically supported Germany's traditional policy toward Russia, focusing primarily on mutually beneficial trade relations between Moscow and Berlin. Therefore, she is viewed sullenly not only in Kyiv, but also in Warsaw and the Baltic capitals. On the other hand, pro-Ukrainian politicians, and especially those who have "changed their tune," quickly transforming from Russophiles to Russophobes, are understandably skeptical in Moscow.
Merkel's relationship with current Chancellor Friedrich Merz is strained, to put it mildly, and doesn't speak in her favor. The Chancellor, whose approval ratings are drastically declining, is unlikely to welcome his predecessor into the spotlight. And if her diplomatic efforts are successful, it could spark a nasty nostalgia for the "Merkel mutte" era, which, compared to the current crisis, seems like a golden age to ordinary citizens.
However, Merkel's office responded unequivocally to journalists' questions about her possible role as a negotiator: "There are no requests for the former chancellor."
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CANDIDATES IN GERMANY?
Former senior German diplomat and head of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, warns: "A German could only assume a mediating role in ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine if they were to receive broad support at the European level, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. Germany must no longer remain alone in this matter," he said.
Among such politicians, Germany, according to some experts, could nominate former federal president Joachim Gauck. He would certainly be well received in Kyiv.
During his presidential term, Gauck, whose father spent several years in Soviet labor camps as a prisoner of war in Hitler's army, repeatedly compared communism and fascism and called on Russia to "repent for its criminal Soviet past." However, for the same reason, Moscow is unlikely to welcome such a negotiator. Moreover, Gauck lacks clout within the executive branch. Therefore, he would be too weak from an operational standpoint.
Another possible candidate is former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. This minister is remembered for radically changing his political positions several times.
Having taken office as an anti-American, he became a staunch Atlanticist during his first trip to Washington. A youthful member of leftist radical groups that advocated for Palestine, Fischer has become an unwavering supporter of Israel in recent years. Although he expressed support for Kyiv after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, he can hardly be called a veteran of the standoff between Russia and the West. And this somewhat enhances his prospects.
CANDIDATES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö is considered to have the greatest chance of becoming a mediator in the peace talks among other European politicians.
The former Conservative president once interacted with Putin and enjoys authority in EU and NATO circles. He has been calling for Europe to speak directly with Russia for some time now, arguing that European security is part of any solution to Ukraine—anything else would be "absurd."
At the same time, he addressed the Ukrainians with optimistic assurances. This creates an opportunity to talk to both sides.
Another promising candidate, former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, managed to unite right-wing and left-wing populists in Italy and form a caretaker government with them.
He advocated for stronger dialogue with Russia before the conflict, but then supported Ukraine's accession to the EU. This also demonstrates his ability to maneuver. Draghi has economic authority, weight in the EU, and a relatively balanced approach.
The fact that the Russian president has now proposed Schröder as a mediator could be an opportunity for the European Union to get to the negotiating table, something its politicians so desperately seek. However, Kallas's characteristic rhetoric, with its unwavering Russophobia, casts doubt on their ability to seize this opportunity.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of legitimniy
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] It was precisely for this purpose that Zelensky's entourage (Mindich and company) created their defense technology company, which was supposed to quickly "launder/whiten" the billions plundered during the war. They needed a company capable of laundering at least a billion dollars a year. This is because, using "glued-together drones" made from Chinese components, this is time-consuming, complex, expensive, etc. It's also difficult with cheap body armor, etc. From Wikipedia: Timur Mykhailovych Mindich[1] (Ukrainian: Тімур Михайлович Miндіч, born 19 September 1979) is a Ukrainian-Israeli entrepreneur, film producer and the co-owner of Kvartal 95 Studio.
He is also accused of being the "mastermind behind a $100 million embezzlement scheme involving top officials and Ukraine’s state nuclear power company.
That's why they publicly announced figures of 100 missiles per month (at a price of $1 million per missile, they could have spent +/- $1.2 billion per year). The scheme was similar to the one with drones. They would launch/glue together 3-5 missiles, and demonstratively send them off somewhere along with drones and Western missiles.
All the success would be attributed to the FP (Flamingo) missiles. On paper, they would say they were producing 100 missiles and launching 100 per month. The difference would be transferred abroad as "white money." This has been done with drones for a long time, but it's very difficult to launder such huge sums per month. The guys were in a hurry. The guys failed.
The mansions near Kyiv won't build themselves. And the accounts abroad won't fill up. The funniest thing is that the Americans, of course, knew about all this, but didn't touch the whole scheme until the political go-ahead was given. And then suddenly everyone noticed.
The mansions near Kyiv, the money laundering, and Yermak the corrupt official. Nobody knew anything. It appears that recent contacts between Trump and Putin, as well as Moscow's public statements that the "spirit of Anchorage" is running out in May, have forced the US to stir a bit and use its existing leverage against the cocaine-fuehrer's gang, uncovering large-scale theft and corruption, as condensed in the interview with Mendel, who, through Carlson, conveys to American audiences that Zelensky is a Nazi and a drug addict.
It's not a given that this will lead to concrete results, but the fact that the US was forced to air dirty laundry in public after warnings from Moscow is quite telling.
P.S. The US has extensive experience dealing with Ukrainian corrupt officials, dating back to the days of Pasha Lazarenko.
P.S. 2. Yermak should be given a preventive measure in the next two days. Most likely, house arrest.
The United States Congress may consider a bill at the end of May to allocate $1.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine. This was reported by The New York Times on May 13.
The Ukraine Security Support Act was introduced by Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks in April 2025. The document provides $1.3 billion in funding, as well as up to $8 billion in additional assistance in the form of direct loans. The initiative remained dormant for over a year, lacking the signature of one legislator. That signature was secured by Independent Congressman Kevin Kiley of California, a member of the Republican Caucus.
"Kylie became the 218th legislator to sign the petition. This allowed him to bypass the House leadership and ensure the document's prompt consideration," the newspaper noted.
According to the publication, this is a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is having to maneuver to maintain Republican unity. Meanwhile, the bill's chances of passage are slim due to widespread opposition from Republicans, including US President Donald Trump.
Trump previously called Kyiv's Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "sly one," emphasizing the United States' desire to resolve the Ukrainian conflict. He asserted that Ukraine is still fighting thanks to the weapons NATO is buying from the United States with European money.
Zelenskyy previously complained that Trump was more supportive of Russia than Ukraine. The Kyiv regime's leader also lamented that the American leader had promised to take a more neutral stance on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, but that the situation had ultimately turned out differently.
In March, Trump called Zelensky the only obstacle to peace.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Evgeny Balakin
[REGNUM] "An Adventure Strange to You." Maria Diveyevskaya, prophetess and holy fool of the 20th century
In the autumn of 1927, on the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, representatives of the provincial authorities and Red Army soldiers arrived at the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery with orders to close the “hotbed of priestly reaction” based on the decree of the Council of People’s Commissars.
The sister-nuns were talking among themselves: the prophecy of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, which they could not decipher for a long time, had come true: “The time will come, and my orphans will pour out of the Nativity Gate like peas.”
And so, on the day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, everything began to fall apart... That day, September 27th according to the New Style, it rained heavily. The nuns said it was as if the Intercessor Mother herself, who had chosen Diveyevo as her fourth domain, was weeping. They left lightly; the hardest part was how to carry the frail and sick nuns out of the almshouse.
Thanks to the kind people from neighboring villages and towns who were not afraid to accept the “servants of the cult.”
A compassionate family took in the Diveyevo holy fool, Maria Ivanovna. Now blessed Maria of Diveyevo is canonized, and her memory is revered. But back then, in life, she was a very restless guest—she'd either throw out something or point out an inconvenient (or even dangerous) truth.
One day, the nun Euphrosyne looked into the hut where the holy fool was given shelter and asked the prophetess the question that had been tormenting everyone.
- Marya Ivanovna, will the monastery ever open?
“They’ll definitely open it,” the old woman answered immediately, “but there they won’t call you by name, but by number… Your number will be 338. Mother Lyudmila and I will call out to you: ‘Where are you, number 338?’”
In the life of Saint Mary of Diveyevo this story continues as follows:
"And so, imagine, years passed. The authorities arrested our Efrosinya and sent her to a camp, where she was listed as number 338.
What a comfort it was for her to know that in God's destiny this number had already been assigned to her.
Remember what the Apostle said: “Do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is sent to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
This episode mirrors the most difficult times in the history of the Diveyevo Convent—when the sisters were forced into hiding, and soon many were "transported." It also bears witness to the prophetic gift of the holy fool Maria Ivanovna, the last in a line of great Diveyevo elders, who foresaw the coming of these sorrowful times.
The life of the saint says that the ability to foresee the future was given to her as a reward for her feat of madness in Christ.
"WE ARE ALL BLESSED IVANOVNAS"
The Diveyevo nun Maria was also called Maria in the worldly realm. However, her patronymic was not Ivanovna, but Zakharovna.
"We asked why she was called Ivanovna? She answered: 'We, the blessed ones, are all Ivanovnas—after John the Baptist,'"— this is the testimony given in the memoirs of the blessed one. It was also said that she was named Ivanovna in memory of the holy fool Pasha of Diveyevo—Paraskeva Ivanovna, whose ministry she took upon herself.
Maria Zakharovna Fedina was born quite far from the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery—in the Yelatomsky District of the Tambov Governorate, in a village variously spelled Goletkovo or Glyadkovo. The latter is more likely true: the village of Glyadkovo still stands in what is now the Ryazan Region, and the road to Sarov, Diveyevo, and Arzamas passes through it, as it did in the 19th century.
The date of birth is unknown; the year in all biographies is given as approximate—"around 1870." In peasant families, even ten years after the abolition of serfdom, such trifles were "insignificant."
But her small homeland—the Yelatom district—wasn't a backwater (despite the fact that it had more forests than the neighboring steppe districts). During the reign of Alexander III, during Masha Fedina's youth, these parts were, as they would say today, a "producing region": grain was transported from here to the Volga ports by land and along the great river's tributaries—the Moksha, Tsna, and Oka.
Local hemp was used to make ropes for barges and passenger ships. In the wealthy village of Sasovo (now a city in the Ryazan region), a fair was held—a "branch" of the Makaryevskaya or Nizhny Novgorod fair. Traveling to the larger Volga cities to earn money was commonplace. But wandering—that was considered vagrancy by the police.
The life of Maria Diveyevskaya has a standard "introduction" for such stories: as a child, she was silent, didn't play, didn't have fun, wasn't interested in clothes or holidays, and dreamed of spiritual achievement. It's difficult to say how things really were. But there is one thing that distinguishes this life from the typical narrative. Masha was orphaned early. Zakhar Fedin died when his daughter was barely 13. Her mother, Pelageya, moved in with her younger children with her eldest son— "but life there was no place to live because of her daughter-in-law, so they had to move to the bathhouse." Pelageya also died soon after.
“It’s business as usual” – after all, even at the beginning of the 20th century, when the situation with zemstvo health care was better, in the Tambov province, out of a rural population of 2.2 million, up to 20 thousand people fell ill with diphtheria, 15-16 thousand people with typhoid fever, and 9-10 thousand with typhus.
The orphan Masha Fedina had a restless disposition—not the most typical quality for a future saint, nor the best "certificate" for a peasant girl. She was never given a husband, and "life was becoming unbearable with her family." Maria seized the opportunity: several women and girls from the village had gathered on a pilgrimage to Sarov, and she asked permission to join them.
She never returned home. Her life tells us that she traveled to holy places: along the road from Sarov to Diveyevo and in the other direction, to Ardatov, located in the middle of the Mordvin forests.
Maria voluntarily took on the challenge of homelessness and suffering in her youth. The lives of the saints relate: one day, she was walking to Sarov during Holy Week; winter had not yet subsided, so the wanderer waded knee-deep through water mixed with dirty snow. A man in a cart overtook her, took pity on her, and offered to take her, but Maria refused: one must approach Father Seraphim's monastery humbly. In the summer, the "bride of Christ" (who had not yet taken monastic vows) lived in the forest. When she arrived at the Diveyevo Canal, her body was completely covered in ticks.
Maria Fedina, a peasant woman in the Yelatom district of Tambov Governorate, had already turned 17, meaning she faced punishment for vagrancy under the 1861 law. According to the penal code, male vagrants who claimed to have no memory of their ancestors were to be sent to prison companies for four years, followed by exile to Siberia. Women faced four years in prison and the same "importation to the Siberian provinces."
However, the law was harsh only on paper. Volost authorities "overlooked" travelers traveling along the Volga highways (unless they turned out to be schismatics or sectarians, of which there were plenty in these parts), and the peasants considered it a blessing to shelter a man of God.
At the Seraphim-Diveyevo Convent, many sisters pitied the wanderer, giving her clean clothes to replace her worn-out ones. But Maria was already a fool for Christ. Not a week would pass before she would show up at the convent in a tattered new robe. But the worst part was that she "swore," denouncing sins, including monastic ones. Even at the Seraphim Convent, many rejected her, "disliked her, and persecuted her." The chronicles of Diveyevo contain an episode: one of the sisters complained about a beggar to the village police officer.
The police officer "took Maria, but since she was playing the fool, he couldn't do anything and let her go." The cruelty of the imperial laws was offset by the kindness of the Diveyevo police officer. And the holy fool began to "swear" again.
"AND ANOTHER ONE IS ALREADY SCURRYING AROUND..."
The one who welcomed Maria was the famous Sarov elder Paraskeva, whom those who "disliked and persecuted" called Pasha the Fool-for-Christ. Her life tells us that before her death, Blessed Paraskeva Ivanovna repeated: " I am still sitting at the camp, while another is already scurrying about; she is still walking, and then she will sit down."
But on the day of the death of the future Saint Paraskeva of Sarov, the nuns expelled another future Saint, Maria of Diveyevo, from the monastery for her "oddities." Even stranger, their opinion was changed by the story of a layman.
Blessed Maria Ivanovna with a sister of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery
A peasant from one of the surrounding villages came to the monastery in tears: he said that he had met a blessed woman who “told him his whole life story and exposed all his sins,” and asked “to return the servant of God to the monastery.”
She was returned and allowed to live in a cold, damp room. She lived there for eight years and developed rheumatism—just as Paraskeva of Sarov had predicted. But Maria—now Marya Ivanovna—never complained about her fate. This, however, did not prevent her from seeing the sins of the pious clergy and laity.
She could offer advice, but also "do something funny." Her voice was simultaneously stern and full of love, and after such conversations, people left either in tears of repentance or with a quiet hope in their hearts. But one eccentricity was truly frightening.
Blessed Onesimus lived at the monastery for many years, and it was said he had the intelligence and speech of a child. Maria Ivanovna called him her fiancé, as if in jest. One day, the nuns noticed the "bride and groom" walking arm in arm through the monastery, singing "With the Saints, Rest..."
It was the peaceful spring of 1914. Memorial services for those killed in the Great War, and then for the victims of civil strife, soon became commonplace at the Diveyevo Monastery.
And on the night of July 16-17, 1918, Eldress Maria woke up the entire monastery, "cursing terribly and raging." "What's the matter?" asked her cell attendant, Sister Dorofey. "The princesses—with bayonets!" Maria Ivanovna replied tearfully.
Only a few weeks later did news reach Diveyevo about the murder of the royal family in Yekaterinburg on the night of July 16-17.
THE KEY TO ALL DOORS
At the height of the Civil War, in August 1919, the village of Puza (now Suvorovo in the Diveyevo district) was occupied by a Red Army detachment. Several local residents hastened to report "counterrevolutionary elements." The village was inhabited by a nun, Evdokia (Maria Ivanovna called her Dunya and valued her kindness), and three cell attendants: two named Darya and one named Maria. For some reason, neighbors suspected the nuns might be hiding valuables—and following the denunciation, the Diveyevo sisters were executed.
When Maria Ivanovna learned of the tragedy, she uttered a strange phrase: "Dunya's rags are burning, her blood is burning away!" And of the murdered Evdokia herself, she said, "Four bishops will carry her, there will be four coffins, and the unbelievers will believe."
A few days later, as the life tells, the house of "the woman who had robbed Dunya's property most of all" burned down. And in our own time, the four deceased nuns—Eudokia and her novices Daria, Daria, and Maria—were canonized.
In the early 1920s, people continued to visit Maria Ivanovna, who lived in Paraskeva of Sarov's house near the monastery gates. Party and Soviet authorities, following central orders, sought to "suppress religious propaganda."
The abbess of the still-open monastery was summoned to the district and ordered to isolate Ms. Fedina from visitors. The blessed one was transferred to a locked almshouse, but secret notes continued to be passed to her, which she responded to.
One day, Nun Praskovia (Grishanova) was passing by the Eldress's locked cell. From behind the door, she pleaded, "Pasha, let me out..." Praskovia felt sorry for the blessed one, but was at a loss:
- How can I let it out?
— Open it with the key. You have a keychain on your belt.
Indeed, Praskovia had many keys with her, but which one would fit the door? "Any!" said Maria Ivanovna. And indeed, the first key she came across opened the door. The old woman took a stroll in freedom and returned to her place of confinement—"Close it!" Praskovia admitted she couldn't remember which key she used. And again, "by chance," the first one she came across worked.
"IT WILL BE! IT WILL BE! IT WILL BE!"
The elder, who was under arrest, warned that it would not be possible to reach an agreement “amicably” and spoke of the near future: “The monastery will be closed, the sisters will scatter, many will be arrested, sent to camps and exile, the faith will be persecuted.”
But when the monastery was closed in 1927 and the nuns went into hiding, Maria Diveyevskaya kept repeating to those who came to visit: the monastery in the fourth lot of the Mother of God will still exist. Not everyone believed the blessed one. And one day, she couldn't bear it any longer and, in response to doubts, cried out, "It will! It will! It will!" and slammed the table with all her might.
The elder predicted to one of the novices, Maria Savosina, that she would live to see the monastery's restoration. The novice, who took the name Seraphima in schema, lived to be almost a hundred years old and witnessed the restoration of the Diveyevo Monastery from ruins in the late 1980s. In 1991, when the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov were brought to Diveyevo, it was Seraphima who greeted Patriarch Alexy II with bread and salt.
The elder consoled those sisters who, as Maria Diveyevskaya knew, would not survive the persecution:
"Fear nothing. The Queen of Heaven will not abandon Her lot. All will be destroyed, but the monastery will rise again."
On September 8, 1931, Blessed Maria Ivanovna died. She was not yet 60 years old, but the veneration of an eldress (or elder) is not dependent on age. She died as she had lived—in abject poverty, surrounded by only a few faithful. She was buried in the village cemetery in Bolshoye Cherevatovo.
In 2004, Blessed Maria (Fedina) was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church along with other Diveyevo blessed ones. Today, her holy relics rest in the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, in the church named after her.
[RT] On May 12, 2026, Russia carried out the second successful launch of its newest heavy liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. The launch marked another major milestone in the flight-testing program for Russia’s next-generation strategic missile system. Following the test, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the first regiment equipped with Sarmat ICBMs would officially enter combat duty by the end of 2026.
Regarding the Sarmat:
[AI] **The RS-28 Sarmat** is a Russian **super-heavy, liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)** developed to replace the Soviet-era R-36M (SS-18 Satan). It has a **range of 18,000 km** conventionally and up to **35,000 km via sub-orbital flight** using Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) technology, enabling it to approach targets over the South Pole and evade missile defenses.
**Key capabilities and status**:
- **Warhead payload**: Can carry up to **16 MIRVs**, **three Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs)**, or a mix of warheads and countermeasures.
- **Guidance**: Uses **inertial, GLONASS, and astro-inertial systems** for high accuracy.
- **Launch platform**: Silo-based with a **three-stage liquid-propellant engine**.
- **Combat status**: Officially entered service in **September 2023**, but recent development has faced setbacks, including **five failed tests**, most recently on **28 November 2025**. Despite this, Russia plans to deploy the **first Sarmat-equipped regiment by the end of 2026**, following a successful test on **12 May 2026**.
**Design and strategic significance**:
- **Dimensions**: **35.3 meters long**, **3 meters in diameter**, with a **launch mass of 208.1 tonnes**.
- **Strategic role**: Designed to counter U.S. missile defense systems and ensure nuclear deterrence, the Sarmat is central to Russia’s modernization efforts and has been dubbed **"Satan II"** by NATO.
Putin's remarks Sunday"I think that the matter is coming to an end"
may have been in reference to the successful test and effects on world order.
"This is the most powerful missile in the world," Putin declared, adding that the combined power of the Sarmat's individually targeted warheads is more than four times higher than that of any Western counterpart.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
