Dozens of Ukrainian Drones Attack Russia; Kyiv Strives to Halt Russian Advances in Kharkiv

Russian officials announced that a large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones on the Crimean Peninsula early on Friday, May 17, set a refinery in southern Russia on fire and caused a power outage in the port of Sevastopol. According to Reuters, Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol, stated that restoring power may take a day and announced that schools in the city would be temporarily closed. Reuters reported that the Ukrainian drone attacks reflect the country's efforts to compensate for Russian forces' assaults in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. These attacks have impacted the Ukrainian army due to a shortage of equipment and weaponry. Additionally, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in Kharkiv that the situation is difficult but under control. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defense shot down 51 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, 44 others over the Krasnodar region, and 6 more over the Belgorod region. According to the report, Russian warplanes and patrol boats destroyed six naval drones in the Black Sea. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted refineries and other energy facilities deep within Russia, causing significant damage. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones also attacked Novorossiysk, a major Black Sea port. In this context, Vyacheslav Kondratyev, the governor of the Krasnodar region, said that parts of the downed drones caused multiple fires but no casualties occurred. On the other hand, Ukrainian forces are trying to stop Russian advances in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which began late last week. The city of Vuchansk, located just 5 kilometers from the Russian border, has recently been a focal point of clashes. Ukrainian officials evacuated about 8,000 civilians from this city. According to the report, the usual tactic of the Russian army is to turn cities and villages into ruins with airstrikes before sending in its troops. Russia is also testing defensive equipment at various points along approximately a thousand kilometers of the front line of the war, which has turned into a war of attrition over the past 18 months. Ukraine's request to Western countries: Turn your support from words into action. Blinken's renewed reference to the Islamic Republic's military assistance to Russia; allocation of an additional two billion military aid to Ukraine. Photo report: Antony Blinken's visit to Ukraine. New U.S. sanctions against two citizens and three Russian companies for transferring military weapons between Russia and North Korea. New Zealand has sanctioned several individuals and entities linked to the Iranian government for supporting Russia in the Ukraine war.