Russia-Ukraine War LIVE: Russia's ex-PM Kasyanov dubs Kremlin attack 'staged'

A look at the summary of the day’s main events:

• Russia to respond to Ukraine’s attack on Kremlin when deems it necessary: Russian envoy to US
• Attacks on President Putin targets all Russian citizens: senior Russian MP
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pays a surprise visit to ICC amid rising tensions with Russia
• 'We all want to see a different Vladimir here in The Hague,' says Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenkyy
• Russia blames US for Kremlin drone attack
• Russian MFA says Moscow reserves the right to take countermeasures
• 'No rational reason,' Zelesnkyy urges nations to not postpone sending aircraft to Ukraine
•  'US not involved in Kremlin drone attacks,' White House says
• Ukraine's Zelenskyy brushes off the threat to life following the Kremlin drone attack
• 'Belgium is preparing for new military aid package for Ukraine,' says Belgian PM
• 'Peskov's claims are ludicrous,' Pentagon spokesperson says
• Ukrainian mayor detained in connection with anti-corruption investigation
• Former Russian PM calls the Kremlin attack 'staged'
• US Ambassador to Russia visits detained Paul Whelan
• Moscow lacks the strength to mount 'significant offensive' against Ukraine, says US intelligence chief

Air raid alerts were issued in Kyiv after explosions were heard in parts of the capital. According to CNN, the explosions sounded like the country's air defence systems were in action. After the raid alerts were issued, residents in the national capital made their way to the air raid shelters. Some of them even claimed that the saw drones in the air.

The US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines claims that Russia lacks the strength to organise "significant offences" against Ukraine. “In fact, if Russia does not initiate a mandatory mobilization and secure substantial third-party ammunition supplies beyond existing deliveries from Iran and others, it will be increasingly challenging for them to sustain even modest offensive operations,” Haines asserted as she testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, CNN reported. She also stated that Washington does not have enough information to assess the Kremlin drone attack that jolted Moscow on Wednesday. “You've seen the Ukrainian government deny their having engaged in this. And, at this stage we don't have information that would allow us to provide an independent assessment on this,” Haines added.

Image: AP

US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy paid a visit to US national Paul Whelan in a Russian prison on Thursday. The American national has been detained in Russia since 2018. "Today, Ambassador Tracy visited #PaulWhelan at IK17 prison in Mordovia. Paul has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than 4 years, and his release remains an absolute priority. The U.S. government will continue to engage Russian authorities on his case so Paul can come home as soon as possible," the US embassy wrote on Twitter. 

Today, Ambassador Tracy visited #PaulWhelan at IK17 prison in Mordovia. Paul has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than 4 years, and his release remains an absolute priority. The U.S. government will continue to engage Russian authorities on his case so Paul can come… pic.twitter.com/0DzL2falKk

— Посольство США в РФ/ U.S. Embassy Russia (@USEmbRu)

Former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov accused the Putin administration of staging the Wednesday drone attack at Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence. "Russia had staged the attack to encourage more people to join the country's military,"  Kasyanov told Sky News. "Putin needs this before the Victory Day," he added. The former Russian premier left Moscow last year following the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war. He also stated that it was interesting that Moscow was willing to blame Ukraine for the alleged drone attack, as it was an acknowledgement that Ukrainian drones could reach as far as the Kremlin.

Amid the rising tensions following the Kremlin attack,  NATO’s Assistant Secretary-General for Intelligence and Security, David Cattler warned that there is a "significant risk". that Russia could target critical allied infrastructure, including undersea internet cables. “There are heightened concerns that Russia may target undersea cables and other critical infrastructure in an effort to disrupt Western life and gain leverage against those nations that are providing support to Ukraine,” Cattler told reporters on Wednesday, CNN reported. 

The Ukrainian mayor of the Black Sea port of Odesa has been detained by the country's anti-corruption prosecutors. According to Sky News, Hennadii Trukhanov has been under investigation since 2017 over embezzlement allegations. Earlier, the Ukrainian president launched an anti-corruption campaign in the country to let go of all the corrupt officials within the organisation. 

The Ukrainian mayor of the Black Sea port of Odesa has been detained by the country's anti-corruption prosecutors. According to Sky News, Hennadii Trukhanov has been under investigation since 2017 over embezzlement allegations. Earlier, the Ukrainian president launched an anti-corruption campaign in the country to let go of all the corrupt officials within the organisation. 

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Moscow to not use the Kremlin attack as an excuse to escalate the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war. “We call on Russia not to use this alleged attack as an excuse to continue the escalation of the war,” Borrell told journalists as he attended an EU ministers meeting in Brussels.“This is what worries us: this can be used to justify more conscription of people, more soldiers, more attacks on Ukraine," he added as per the report by The Guardian. 

Calling out Russian Press Secretary Dimitry Peskov's accusation of the US being involved in the Wednesday drone attack at Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence, a Pentagon spokesperson denied US involvement in the purported drone attack. "I would just tell you Mr. (Dmitry) Peskov's lying. I mean, it's obviously a ludicrous claim. The United States had nothing to do with this. We don't even know what happened here," said John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications. "But I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever," he added. Earlier today, Russian Press Secretary Dimitry Peskov lashed out at the US and blamed the Western nation for the Wednesday attack.“Decisions on such terrorist attacks are made not in Kyiv, but in Washington. We know that often it isn’t even Kyiv that determines the targets, but Washington,” Peskov said during a daily briefing on Thursday. “It’s very important that Washington understands that we know this and understands how dangerous such direct involvement in the conflict is,” he added.

Image: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the conflict-stricken country will join NATO after the Russia-Ukraine war. Speaking at a joint press conference with Belgian and Dutch PM, the Ukrainian President reiterated the country's intention to join the Western alliance. "We are realistic and know that we will not be in NATO during the war. But during the war we want to get a very clear message that we will be in NATO after the war," Zelenskyy asserted. 

Image: Twitter- @alexanderdecroo

Speaking at a press conference in the Hague, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is not "interested" in Russia's threat against his life. During the press conference, Zelenskyy was asked about former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev's calls for him to be "physically eliminated," following the drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Any decisions of Russia are not interesting for us for today". "We don't see the (Russian) strong army on the battlefield," he added.

Amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo said that the European nation is preparing a new military aid for Ukraine. Speaking to journalists alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, De Croo also stated that his government is examining how frozen Russian assets could be used to help Ukraine’s war effort. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has also promised that the Dutch will provide unwavering support to Ukraine amid the war. The Dutch PM stated that Russia cannot win the war and should be held accountable for his alleged war crimes, The Guardian reported. 

Belgium, the Netherlands and Ukraine are close friends because we share the same values of peace and freedom.

Tomorrow, the Netherlands celebrate their liberation from the Nazis thanks to allied support.

Now it is our turn to support the liberation of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/JmEPZkHWjV

— Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo)

Amid the rising tensions between the US and Russia following the drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Washington has denied allegations of its involvement in the Wednesday attack at Putin's residence. The White House has also made it clear that it has no data about who was behind the drone attack, Russia Today reported.  Earlier today, Russian Press Secretary Dimitry Peskov lashed out at the US and blamed the Western nation for the Wednesday attack.“Decisions on such terrorist attacks are made not in Kyiv, but in Washington. We know that often it isn’t even Kyiv that determines the targets, but Washington,” Peskov said during a daily briefing on Thursday. “It’s very important that Washington understands that we know this and understands how dangerous such direct involvement in the conflict is,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday he was convinced that Russian President Putin would face an international war crimes court when Ukraine wins the war that has been raging for over a year."And I'm sure we will see that happen when we win. And we will win," he said. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, relating to the abduction of children.

Zelenskyy's speech came a day after he denied that Ukrainian forces were responsible for what the Kremlin called an attempt to assassinate Putin in a drone attack on Moscow. The Kremlin promised retaliation for what it termed a terrorist act.

Source: AP 

ICC President Piotr Hofmański and Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler met with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Thursday, May 4, 2023, Image: AP

Following his ICC speech in the Hague, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy said that there is "no rational reason" to postpone sending aircraft to Ukraine, the Ukrainian President made these remarks at a news conference where he spoke alongside the Dutch and Belgian prime ministers. He argued there is "no rational reason to postpone" sending such weapons, Sky News reported. Zelenskyy then went on to state that the support of the Netherlands and Belgium has "already saved thousands of Ukrainian lives". 

Amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine following the Wednesday drone attack at Russian President  Vladimir Putin's residence. Russian authorities have cancelled May 9 celebrations in at least 21 cities, Russian independent outlet Vertska reported. The authorities decided to make the move since most of these cities are located close to Russia's border with Ukraine, such as Belgorod and Brynask. On May 9 the country celebrates the victory day that commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. 

A day after the Kremlin drone attack, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Moscow reserves the right to take countermeasures in response to what they call an act of terrorism. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia reaffirms that Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures in response to these outrageous acts of terrorism," the ministry stated. 

In his highly anticipated speech at the International Criminal Court, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenkyy stated that the world 'wants to see a different Vladimir' in the Hague. “We all want to see a different Vladimir here in the Hague, the one who deserves to be sanctioned for his criminal actions here, in the capital of international law,” Zelenskiy said in the Thursday speech. “I’m sure we will see that happen when we win,” he said, adding: “Whoever brings war must receive judgment," he added. Earlier today he was greeted by ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmański as he arrived at the seat of court. 

📷 #ICC President Piotr Hofmański and Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler met with the President of #Ukraine, H.E. Mr Volodymyr Zelenskyy @ZelenskyyUa, during his official visit at the Court. pic.twitter.com/nr9HzdxGcZ

— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt)

After the Vatican head, Pope Francis revealed that he was carrying out a secret “mission” to stop the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Russian Press Secretary Dimitry Peskov said that Moscow is unaware of the detailed peace plan of the head of the Catholic Church. However, he made it clear that the Pope had called for peace on practically a weekly basis. "We know that the pontiff is constantly thinking about peace, and we know that the pontiff is thinking about how this conflict can be ended. But we are not aware of any detailed plans that have been proposed by the Vatican in this context," he said at the Thursday press briefing, The Guardian reported. 

As the news emerged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy will deliver a speech in Hague, Kremlin press secretary Dimitry Peskov blamed Washington for the Wednesday drone attack. "You know that the president always maintains calmness, composure, and clarity in the assessments and commands that he gives out in difficult, extreme situations. Nothing new has happened in this regard. The usual, working environment. Everyone is working, everyone is in their places,” the Russian diplomat asserted, as per the report by Tass. Peskov also made it clear that the Friday security council meeting was planned prior to the attack. “According to the plan, the president has an operational meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council tomorrow, on Friday. It was planned, and it will take place. Of course, we can assume with a high degree of confidence that this topic will be touched upon," he asserted. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for scheduled meetings.

During his visit, he is expected to deliver a speech titled "No Peace Without Justice for Ukraine" and hold discussions with parliamentarians and Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of deporting children from Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at ICC, Thursday, May 4, 2023, Image: AP

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where an arrest warrant has been issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The ICC accuses Putin of deporting children from Ukraine.

Zelenskyy is also expected to deliver a speech and have meetings with Dutch officials, including Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

The details of the visit have been kept under wraps due to security concerns.

However, the possibility of Putin being arrested is remote as the ICC does not have its own police force to execute warrants.

An adviser to the Ukrainian interior ministry, Anton Gerashchenko, has shared a video on social media purporting to show the country's air defences being used to repel a drone attack that took place overnight.

Russia attacked Kyiv and Ukraine with drones last night - the fourth massive attack on Ukrainian cities in the past week.

Air defense shot down all drones targeted at Kyiv and 12 out of 15 drones targeted at Odesa. Three of them hit a university dorm in Odesa. Thankfully, no one… pic.twitter.com/dzPwnjXFL8

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en)

Suspilne, Ukraine's state broadcaster, has this report on its Telegram channel for the partly occupied Donetsk region:

On the night of 4 May, the Russian military launched a rocket attack on Kramatorsk, damaging the building of the educational institution and nearby residential buildings. There are no dead or injured, reported the head of the Donetsk region Kirylenko.

Also, Avdiivka came under fire from artillery – the city was also hit by an air missile – houses and the territory of the enterprise were damaged.

During the past day, the Russian military shelled Kurakhivska, Kostyantynivska and other communities of Donetsk region. On 3 May, two residents were killed and nine others were injured in Donetsk region.

The claims have not been independently verified.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has issued a warning, stating that the supply of weapons to Ukraine by Western nations in support of the planned counteroffensive against Russia will only lead to more bloodshed and not yield positive results.

In an interview with the newspaper Izvestia published on Thursday, Galuzin said Kyiv and its “Anglo-Saxon masters” are derailing all initiatives for peace talks as they call for the “strategic defeat of Russia.”  

“Thoughtlessly and irresponsibly pumping up Kyiv with modern Western weapons and supporting its idea of a counteroffensive will only lead to bloodshed and further escalation of the conflict,” he told the outlet.

“The Kyiv regime and its Western sponsors should be warned about the inevitably deplorable consequences of their plans,” Galuzin said, adding that the Russian forces are prepared for any developments in the conflict.

During an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News, former US President Donald Trump stated that he could bring an end to the war in one day if he were re-elected to the White House.

Trump suggested that putting an end to the conflict would require only "24 hours."

"I will get that ended. It would be easy."

Calling the war a "disaster" that "has to be stopped," he added: "That deal would be easy. A lot of it has to do with the money." 

Trump, who has previously boasted of his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, says the pair "got along great".

The former president claimed Putin "never would have gotten into Ukraine" if it weren't for the "incompetence" of Joe Biden's administration.

"Putin was not going in, it was never mentioned and I knew him very well," he added.

After a period of relative calm, there has been another night of significant missile and drone attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities, continuing a pattern seen over the past week. Following Russia's allegations that Ukraine attempted to assassinate Vladimir Putin by targeting the Kremlin with drones, Moscow launched a series of kamikaze drone attacks, primarily targeting Kyiv and Odessa.

Despite reports of all 18 drones launched at the Ukrainian capital being shot down, three drones managed to land near a school dormitory building in Odesa. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. Two of the drones were marked with the words "for Moscow" and "for the Kremlin" scrawled on their tail fragments, reported The Guardian.

The diplomatic mission of the United States in Kyiv, Ukraine, has issued a warning to Americans, advising them to take air alarms seriously and seek shelter as needed. The reason for this caution is the possibility of a rapid deterioration in the security situation in the aftermath of an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin, which Russian officials have blamed on Kyiv.

The US Department of State issued a security alert about a “heightened threat of missile attacks” across Ukraine on Wednesday night, citing a “recent uptick in strikes across Ukraine and inflammatory rhetoric from Moscow.” Earlier in the day, Russian officials warned of “retaliation” for Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin.

“Be aware that even if the incoming missile or drone is intercepted, falling debris represents a significant risk,” one of the US embassy’s safety tips emphasised.

The US diplomatic mission further added that any American still in Ukraine must have “a contingency plan that does not rely on US government assistance,” and should depart the country “when it is safe to do so.”

The Dutch government has announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, is scheduled to speak in The Hague on Thursday.

The foreign ministry of the Netherlands revealed that Zelenskyy will give a speech titled "No Peace Without Justice for Ukraine."

The trip to the Netherlands comes on the heels of Zelenskyy's impromptu visit to Finland for talks with leaders of the five Nordic countries.

It would be his first visit to the Netherlands since becoming president, and he has made very few foreign trips since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year.

Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has urged the United Nations to pay attention to critical feedback, stating that the organization is losing trust worldwide.

"In recent time, we are witnessing a certain degradation of trust to the organization, which is called to represent interests of all member states, to be an example of impartiality and integrity, and its employees must act in strict compliance with Article 100 of the United Nations Charter," he said at a UN Security Council meeting on issues of trust-building in international affairs on Wednesday.

He stressed that "negative feedback not always indicates attempts to mar the organization’s reputation" and that "this criticism often reveals the disappointment of states and their population." "It should not be ignored. On the contrary, UN peacekeeping missions should explain their mandate, work more actively with people via the mass media and implement various local quick-yielding projects," he said.

Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kyiv city military administration, announced that Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 18 out of the 24 drones that were launched at the country overnight. 

“The Russians have attacked Kyiv using Shahed loitering munitions and missiles, likely the ballistic type,” the administration said.

Out of 15 Shahed kamikaze drones fired at the Black Sea coastal city of Odesa, air defences destroyed 12, while three struck a university compound. There were no casualties, the Ukrainian southern military command said.

The Pentagon has announced that the United States will be providing Ukraine with additional military aid worth approximately $300 million, as the launch of a spring offensive against Russian forces approaches.

The aid package includes a significant amount of artillery rounds, howitzers, air-to-ground rockets, and ammunition. The weaponry will be sourced from Pentagon stocks, ensuring that it can be quickly delivered to the front lines. Specific items in the package include Hydra-70 rockets, HIMARS rockets, mortars, howitzer rounds, missiles, and Carl Gustaf anti-tank rifles.

Ukrainian officials have indicated that they are preparing for a counteroffensive and stockpiling ammunition to ensure adequate supply lines. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stated that they are in the "home stretch" and ready to initiate the offensive.

According to Alexei Rulev, who heads the press center of the Dnipro group, the Russian military successfully defended residential areas in the Kherson region against an attack by Ukrainian drones. Rulev reported to RIA Novosti that the attack was repulsed by the Russian military. No further details were given about the incident.

"The air defense unit of the Dnipro group repulsed another attack by UAV of Ukrainian nationalists on residential areas of settlements of Kherson region. As a result of the firing position, shock drones were destroyed near the settlements of Obrypka, Novaya Mayachka, Podstepnoye and Sagi," he said.

On Wednesday, Anatoly Antonov, the Russian Ambassador to the United States, stated that Russia would retaliate against what it considers to be an act of terrorism by Ukraine. Antonov was referring to the attempted drone attack on the Kremlin by Ukraine. He stated that Russia would respond to this incident at a time of its choosing.

"How would Americans react if a drone hit the White House, the Capitol or the Pentagon? The answer is obvious for any politician as well as for an average citizen: the punishment will be harsh and inevitable," he said. "Russia will respond to this insolent and presumptuous terrorist attack. We will answer when we consider it necessary. We will answer in accordance with the assessments of the threat that Kiev posed to the leadership of our country."

He stressed that the statements by US officials "are striking in their cynicism and absurdity." "The U.S. did not find it possible to recognize the obvious thing - it was a terrorist action planned by the Zelensky regime and an assassination attempt targeting the President of the Russian Federation. Moreover, the timing was not chosen by chance - ahead of Victory Day and the May 9 Parade, where foreign guests are planned to take part in," Antonov said. "The theses that this act of terrorism was allegedly a "false flag operation" are blasphemous and deceitful. That is, it was Russia itself that staged a provocation against the heart of our statehood?!"

According to the Russian diplomat, Moscow hoped that the US administration "would have the guts and dignity to condemn this terrorist act." "The world remembers how, in 2001, the Russian President was the first to lend a helping hand to the American people, who were then subjected to the terrorist attack. Everything is forgotten. Today the United States is shielding the Kiev criminals. The statements of high-ranking officials that Kiev can choose how to defend itself are the textbook example of double standards, a policy of encouraging the Zelensky regime to attack the Russian Federation. The words of the bureaucrats about allegedly deterring the Kiev Nazi regime from hitting targets outside its borders are a false farce," he said.

"The atrocities of the Zelensky regime and the indulgence of it by the West only testify to the fact that our adversaries have no desire to seek peace, to save thousands of lives of ordinary Ukrainians. Definitely, we will take this circumstance into account while working out our strategy to implement the goals and objectives of the special military operation," he warned.

A senior Russian lawmaker stated on Thursday that the drone attack on the Kremlin and the acts of sabotage on infrastructure facilities and railways are instances of terrorism carried out by the Ukrainian government. The lawmaker emphasized that these actions necessitate a unified response from Russian society. The attacks were condemned as acts of terror, and the Russian government is expected to take measures to prevent future such incidents.

"The attack on the Kremlin, assassination attempts on political leaders, acts of sabotage at railways, electricity transmission lines, and infrastructure facilities, including the explosion of the Crimean Bridge, and gas pipeline blasts, are the facts of terrorist activities of the Kiev regime and its sponsors," Vladimir Vasilyev, leader of the ruling United Russia party’s faction in the State Duma, or lower house of Russia’s parliament, was quoted as saying on the faction’s Telegram channel.

The lawmaker recalled that the country has "the experience of defeating terrorism gained at a high price in the years when the country was only embarking on a path of sovereignty" and lauded President Vladimir Putin’s role in it.

"Today, terrorism has raised it head again and is targeting the very heart of Russia. Attacks targeting the president are targeting each one of us. To thwart them, maximal consolidation, vigilance, cooperation with law enforcement agencies and special services are need. And the most important thing is understanding that all of us must defend the motherland and the president," he stressed.

The drone crashed on the territory of the Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant in the Rostov region, the damage from the attack was insignificant, there were no casualties, the fire was immediately extinguished due to the explosion, Governor of the region Vasily Golubev said .

The drone, he clarified, crashed into the structures of the plant's inter-workshop flyover under construction last night, after which it exploded.

"The fire that arose as a result of the explosion was immediately extinguished. Firefighters were not involved in extinguishing the fire, the burning was eliminated by the company's services. There were no victims or injured, the damage to the structures was insignificant," Golubev wrote in his Telegram channel.

Reports from Ukrainian media indicate that on Thursday morning, there were a number of explosions in the capital city and other locations. Allegedly, Russian drones and missiles were the source of the attacks, and air defenses were activated in response.

In Kiev, several blasts were heard following a warning from the city's administration about an impending attack at around 2am local time, as per news agency UNIAN.

Additionally, news agency RBC Ukraine reported at least some explosions in Odessa, where locals have shared unverified photos and videos of the supposed strikes on Telegram.

Residents in various regions, such as Nikolayev, Poltava, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov, and Dnepropetrovsk, have been urged to take missile threat warnings seriously.

As per the regional department of the Russian emergencies ministry, the fire that broke out in the reservoir containing oil products at the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar Territory of southern Russia has been extinguished.

The incident occurred on Thursday, and the department confirmed that the fire was brought under control at 5:17 a.m.

The fire had affected an area of roughly 400 square meters, but no injuries or harm to the local population were reported.

It is worth noting that another oil storage reservoir in the settlement of Volna in the same region caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday, burning an area of approximately 1,200 square meters.

Close-up view of the damage to the dome of the Senate Palace in the Kremlin from a drone attack.

You can see traces of burn marks next to the stairs.