Sky News Interview Cut Short After Mention of Zelensky Posting Soldier With SS Insignia

"A Sky News interview with Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy was cut short after mention was made of President Zelensky posting an image of a soldier wearing SS insignia.

Zelensky posted his Victory Day statement along with a collection of images of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

However, after it was revealed that one of the Ukrainian soldiers was wearing a symbol of the Totenkopf division of the SS, the post was hastily deleted.

During the interview, Polyanskiy made reference to the controversy, but was quickly cut off after bringing it up.

“Do you know what it is? It’s an emblem of a German SS division in the Second World War. So he published on the Victory Day an emblem of a fighter of Right Sector [banned in Russia] with this emblem, saying that this is a symbol of [the] fight against Nazism as he sees it,” Polyanskiy said.

“This was deleted after half an hour but, of course, we have a copy of this… It means that [the] UK now is covering Ukrainian authorities, which display Nazi symbols during the Victory Day,” he added. The host of the show seemed eager to prevent Polyanskiy from elaborating any further." SemitNews

Russia pounds vital port of Odesa, targeting supply lines

"Russian troops pounded away at the vital port of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday,
apparently as part of efforts to disrupt the supply lines and weapons shipments that have been critical to Kyiv's defense." France24

Sri Lanka: Rioters Burn Down Prime Minister’s House, 150+ Hospitalized, Lawmaker Killed

"Local media outlets reported on Monday night local time that over 150 people had been
hospitalized and several found dead, including a member of Parliament, in Sri Lanka following a violent mob attack on a protester encampment in the capital, Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror has published multiple shocking videos of the homes of ministers, members of parliament, former government officials, and the most powerful person in the country, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, completely engulfed in flames. Rajapaksa announced his resignation before his house was set on first on Monday.

Sri Lanka has been experiencing months of protests – most of them peaceful prior to Monday – in response to the worst economic crisis in its history. The country, a democratic socialist republic, is facing all-consuming shortages of gasoline, good, medicine, and nearly every basic good. Government policies under Rajapaksa, who was president from 2005 to 2015, and his brother, current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, resulted in a major debt default that handed over its key Hambantota port to China and over-reliance on importing food and that caused major shortages triggered in part by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Gotabaya Rajapaksa exacerbated shortages by banning chemical fertilizers for farmers, limiting the domestic food supply.

“Following the attacks on the two main protest sites, SLPP Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala’s vehicle was mobbed by a group when it reached Nittambuwa on Monday (9) afternoon. Following an altercation, shots were fired, and the MP died,” Sri Lanka’s News First reported." Breitbart

Ukraine failed in attempt to retake Snake Island

"An attempt by Ukrainian armed forces to seize the Black Sea's Snake Island by air and sea
over the weekend resulted in failure and substantial casualties, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Monday, noting that US and UK advisers were involved in planning the operation." RT

Putin Rants Against American ‘Exceptionalism,’ Claims WWII Win for Russia in ‘Victory Day’ Speech

"Putin railed against American “exceptionalism” and “moral degradation” on Monday during the country’s annual “Victory Day” parade, celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany that Moscow claims for itself. The Putin regime has for years denied any significant American contributions to ending World War II – going as far as to declare the legendary D-Day landing of American troops at Normandy “not a game-changer” – instead giving all the credit for the fall of Adolf Hitler to the communist Soviet Union under mass murderer Joseph Stalin. Russia marks its contributions to World War II on May 9 with an annual military parade and remarks from Putin. This year, the leader used his remarks to justify the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it “the only correct choice” and accusing anti-Russian forces in the country of being “Nazis.” MS

Anti-War Activists Stage ‘Guerrilla’ Protests on Victory Day

"Russians opposed to the invasion of Ukraine staged a series of protests Monday as the
country marked Victory Day, the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.

Some of the anonymous protests included anti-war messages on the homepage of a pro-Kremlin online news website, graffiti in the southern Russia city of Volgograd, and hackers who targeted Russia’s television listings." MT