Russian position 'collapses' in southeast & the drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see’

Day 1,545.


Today, after a NATO fighter jet shoots down a suspected Ukrainian
drone over Estonia, we examine the mounting risks of escalation
on NATO’s eastern flank and what the incident reveals about the
increasingly crowded skies above the Baltic region. We also look
at reports of a collapse in Russian defensive lines near a
settlement in Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine presses its counterattacks
in the south. Then we turn to Moscow to assess how the Kremlin
and Russian state media are reporting – or not – news of
Ukraine’s major strikes on Russian infrastructure ahead of
Putin’s high-stakes visit to China. And later, we take a deep
dive into how investigations into war crimes have evolved over
the past four years.


Contributors:


Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley
on X.


Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on
X.


Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz
on X.


With thanks to Yevhenia Motorevska – head of the War Crimes
Investigation Unit at the Kyiv Independent.


NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD
FOOTAGE:


Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly
after the release of the audio version. You will find it here:
https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest  


CONTENT REFERENCED:


The drone attacks Putin doesn’t want Russians to see (The
Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/drone-attacks-putin-doesnt-want-russians-see-ukraine/ 


Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Putin might ‘regret’ invasion
of Ukraine (Financial Times):


https://www.ft.com/content/567c57b0-6346-43e6-9d14-840a793b4d1d?syn-25a6b1a6=1 


Dom’s Video On the Frontline:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-LWZtJBCwY 


From the Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigation Unit: 


The War Before the War, Part I:
https://kyivindependent.com/video/?slug=crimea-the-war-before-the-war-part-2


From Stalin to Putin – Russia’s history of torture: 


https://youtu.be/p7Ei6mAf3mQ


Exposing Russia’s indoctrination of Ukrainian children: 


https://youtu.be/RZGmv2EQdGk


Investigation: Uncovering the secret Russian FSB operation to
loot Ukraine's museums


https://kyivindependent.com/investigation-uncovering-fsbs-secret-operation-to-steal-ukraines-valuable-art/


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EMAIL US:


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HIGHLIGHTS:





Russian position 'collapses' in southeastern town

The drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see’






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