2.00
On May 9, Putin may officially declare war on Ukraine instead of the so-called “special military operation.” He will use it as a reason to start full-scale mobilization of Russian reserve forces, according to the US and Western officials.
Other options for May 9 include annexing the occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts in the east of Ukraine, stepping up the offensive on Odesa, or declaring full control of Mariupol.
6.00
Russian Defense Ministry reports that the invaders deported about 1.1 million people from Ukraine, including nearly 200,000 children.
10.00
Over the past 24 hours, the invaders have carried out 2 attacks on Kharkiv using multiple-launch rocket systems and shelled the city with artillery once. Objects of civilian infrastructure in the Pivnichna Saltivka district were damaged. Two people were injured, reports the head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleg Synegubov.
Besides, Russian troops shelled Zolochiv, Barvinkove, Dergachi and Chuguiv. Also, in the morning, a fire broke out at one of the enterprises in Kharkiv district due to the shelling. A 46-year-old worker was killed.
11.00
Over the past day on 2 May, Russian troops have shelled Luhansk region 25 times, damaging nearly 30 houses, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration Serhii Haidai reports.
He said three people were rescued from the shelling and rubble.
https://web.telegram.org/z/progressive/msg258223555-369404:5442884669785774223
11.40
On May 3, at around 6:30 a.m., Russian invaders shelled the town of Vugledar in the Donetsk region. Three people who came to collect drinking water were killed.
12.00
Russian servicemen continue to destroy homes of civilians in Zaporizhzhia region.
On May 3, the invaders shelled the settlement of Zaliznychne in Huliaipil district. Russian invaders destroyed a local school. In addition, 12 houses were damaged. Two people died from shrapnel wounds.
13:00
Ruscists disconnected the Kherson region from the Ukrainian Internet. Now the traffic goes through and is completely controlled by Russia, reports the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security with reference to the British IT company NetBlocks.
14:00
The invaders have launched an assault on Azovstal and are trying to break into the plant. Before the assault, Russian aircraft had bombed Azovstal for several hours in a row. There had been a large-scale fire, with a column of smoke visible from all areas of Mariupol. Sviatoslav Palamar, Deputy Commander of the Azov regiment, called on the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of UAF to intervene.
15:00
At least 9 people were killed by Russians in the Donetsk region today, says the head of the Donetsk RMA Pavlo Kyrylenko. He noted that Russian aircraft had bombed Avdiivka in the morning – a residential area in the central part of the city had been hit. At least three people were killed due to the shelling and bombing. Six more civilians were killed during the shelling of Lyman and Vugledar. The Ocheretyn community also suffered from enemy fire today.
16:00
The Verkhovna Rada allowed territorial defense forces to carry out tasks in areas of hostilities outside their communities. The MPs also supported the appeal to the United States to recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorism. MPs have also proposed moving Victory Day to May 8. Under the proposal, the holiday would be called the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II.
17:00
The Russian military disrupted the evacuation of civilians from the occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia region – Vasylivka and Tokmak towns, says the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk. At the same time, she reported on the successful evacuation of 150 people from the Azovstal plant, including 20 children. The rescued residents of Mariupol are going to the Zaporizhzhia region by bus. Also today a prisoner exchange took place: 14 Ukrainians were released, among them 7 military personnel and 7 civilians.
18:00
In Mariupol, the invaders are forcing people to bury corpses in exchange for food, the mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boychenko says in a briefing. He stressed that about 100,000 people remained in the city and all of them were waiting to be evacuated. The mayor of Mariupol also said that Putin surpassed Hitler: “They have already killed 20,000 civilians, and you should understand that during World War II Mariupol was under occupation for two years, and then 10,000 civilians were killed, and here in two months Putin surpassed Hitler. “
19:00
In the Luhansk region, the invaders will take away the phones of local residents, says the head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration Serhiy Haidai. The so-called “LPR” militia plans to confiscate gadgets so that people cannot follow the news and communicate with relatives. The corresponding order was issued by the occupying forces of the so-called “LPR”. Moreover, Russians threaten to detain the “untrustworthy” for up to 30 days at “specially designated institutions.”
19:30
The Russian military brutally killed a 70-year-old woman who helped the Ukrainian military. According to the testimony of a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
“She had a house on the edge of the village and she saw the equipment moving. She went out on foot to the enemies, counted the units of equipment, came back, explained to her son on the phone what she saw. But, unfortunately, there was a situation when Russians understood who was doing it and the house was razed to the ground. The woman died. “
The old lady understood the risk and her heroism made it possible to destroy several dozen units of Russian military equipment.
21:30
Russia issued a presidential decree providing for sanctions against designated individuals and entities, including restrictions on transactions and exports of goods and raw materials. The Russian government was given ten days to draw up the list of those subject to the restrictions. At the moment, it is not clear what benefits Russia has from such measures, but it is obvious that the gap between Russia and the civilized world is getting deeper at Russia’s own initiative.
22:45
Russian troops shelled regions in the west of Ukraine again. For the first time, they have launched a missile attack on a railway facility in the Zakarpattia region. In addition, three power substations in Lviv were damaged, and people were injured. Civilians and their houses were shelled again. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, railway substations were damaged. Kirovohrad and Odesa regions also suffered from missile strikes.
