Photo : ISW
Photo : ISW
By Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 29 May, a Russian drone attack in central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region killed one and injure several. In Kyiv, a separate drone strike wounded a few more. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 100 drones overnight, with 37 intercepted and 47 vanishing from radar without reaching their targets. The attacks caused damage in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kyiv regions. In response, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed to have destroyed 91 Ukrainian drones, including 40 over the Kursk region near the Ukraine border.
On 29 April, Ukraine government ordered an evacuation of seven villages in the eastern part of the country due to advancing Russian forces. The evacuation includes three villages in the Novopavlivka community and four in the Mezhivska community, according to the local military administration. While the head of the administration confirmed via Telegram that no Russian forces are currently in the area and that the Ukrainian army is defending the region, evacuations near the front lines have become routine in Ukraine.
On 29 April, Russian strikes were reported across the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv resulting in at least one death and 39 injuries. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russia’s ceasefire announcement as "manipulation," pointing to previous failed attempts. Dnipro had largely avoided major Russian assaults since the invasion began in February 2022 but has seen increasing pressure as Russian forces seek territorial gains. In Kharkiv, 39 people were injured following 16 strikes on the city near the Russian border.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 29 April, the Kremlin stated that Ukraine was yet to respond to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin's numerous offers for direct peace negotiations, leaving it uncertain whether Ukraine will accept the three-day ceasefire Putin proposed for May 8-10. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that no response was received from Kyiv.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 29 April, in an interview marking his 100 days in office, US President Donald Trump reiterated his belief that Putin wants to end the war. Despite criticizing Putin's recent attacks on civilian areas, Trump suggested that Putin might be "tapping him along" and hinted that Putin could be ready to stop the conflict. Trump argued that if it were not for his presidency, Putin would have likely taken control of all of Ukraine, asserting that the war began after Joe Biden took office. Trump claimed that, under his leadership, Putin would have been more inclined to end the fighting.
On 29 April, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the US may withdraw from its role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict if the two countries do not present "concrete proposals" to end the war. Rubio echoed these sentiments after a call with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, stating that the coming week would be crucial in determining whether the US should continue its involvement.
On 29 April, Deutsche Welle reported on declining confidence in NATO's security guarantees in Finland. According to a survey by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA) this is particularly following the potential return of US President Donald Trump. Only 32 per cent of Finns now trust NATO's deterrence to prevent military challenges against member states, a sharp drop of 21 percentage points since the fall of 2023. While a majority of 66 per cent still viewed Finland's NATO membership positive. The decrease by five per cent marks the lowest level since Finland applied for membership in May 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, 53 per cent of respondents doubt that NATO membership guarantees support from other countries in a real crisis.