Ukraine's divisive mobilization law comes into force as a new Russian push strains front-line troops

"A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine came into force on Saturday, as Kyiv struggles to

boost troop numbers after Russia launched a new offensive that some fear could close in on Ukraine’s second-largest city.
The legislation, which was watered down from its original draft, will make it easier to identify every conscript in the country. It also provides incentives to soldiers, such as cash bonuses or money toward buying a house or car, that some analysts say Ukraine cannot afford." AP

Horrific video shows youngster on Citi bike brutally beating two Orthodox Jewish boys in Brooklyn

"Two Orthodox Jewish children were brutally beaten by a young man on a Brooklyn sidewalk in an attack captured on video.

The boys, aged 11 and 13, were reportedly playing on the sidewalk in Williamsburg on Sunday night when a man got off a Citi Bike and attacked them. The suspect is described as between 18 to 20 years old and was last seen wearing a black jacker, black and white striped shirt, light blue jeans and white sneakers. The attack on the Hasidic boys come days after a 16-year-old from East Flatbush was shot dead in Soho by a suspect who fled on a Citi Bike." NYP

Police Shoot and Kill Knifeman Trying to Burn Down French Synagogue

"The French government is to decorate a police officer who shot dead an Algerian migrant male who was under a years-old deportation order, and who set fire to a synagogue on Friday morning.

A 29-year-old Algerian migrant carrying a 10″ knife was shot dead early this morning by police. The man had allegedly climbed onto the roof of a synagogue in the city of Rouen in northern France, smashed a window, and thrown in an incendiary device.....police responded to a public report of smoke rising from the building, and when they arrived they called for a man carrying a knife and a chisel on top of a wall at the building to come down. Instead, the man insulted the officers and threw a chisel at them. During the confrontation officers were forced to fall back and, feeling threatened, one of the police fired five shots, four of which struck the Algerian. He was given first aid but died at the scene. The motive...“arson due to religion… intentional violence against persons holding public authority”. Breitbart

101 combat engagements took place at front

"101 combat clashes have taken place at the front, the enemy has launched 15 missile strikes, 70 airstrikes and 452 kamikaze drone strikes.....In the Kupiansk direction, there were six combat clashes. Our units successfully repelled three enemy attacks. Three combat clashes continue in the directions of Kyslivka – Ivanivka and Krokhmalne – Berestove. The situation is controlled by the defenders of Ukraine.

In the Siversk direction, the Russian occupiers made five attempts to break through the defenses of our troops, concentrating their efforts in the Rozdolivka area. The situation is under control.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the number of clashes increased to 15. The defense forces held their positions. The situation is tense but under control.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the number of combat clashes remained unchanged. Since the beginning of the current day, the enemy has carried out 25 attacks on the positions of our troops. Also, hostilities continue in the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Sokil, Nevelske settlements. The occupiers did not stop trying to advance in the direction of Novooleksandrivka.
In the Kurakhove direction, the enemy tried to break through the defenses of our troops 16 times. Fighting continues in the areas of Paraskoviivka and Vodiane settlements. The situation is under control.
In the Vremivka direction, the enemy made three attempts to improve the tactical position. Our troops repelled two enemy attempts to advance in the direction of Staromaiorske. Another battle continues in the area of Rozdilne.
In the Prydniprovskyi direction, the occupiers continue to try to oust our soldiers from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. " Ukrin

Oil Tanker Struck By Missile Off Yemen Coast

"A crude oil tanker was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen. These mounting geopolitical risks underscore the possible need for a higher risk premium on Brent crude prices.

Maritime security firm Ambrey told AFP News that the oil tanker was near the Bab el-Mandeb strait and about ten nautical miles southwest of the city of Mokha at the time of the incident." ZH

Germany Deports 7 Ukrainian Soldiers For Displaying Nazi Symbols

"German government revealed that it has expelled seven Ukrainian soldiers who were displaying Nazi symbols while they were in the country for training.

Wednesday's disclosure was prompted by an inquiry from the populist Alternative For Germany (AfD) party, which has been surging in popularity on a platform that opposes mass immigration, the green agenda, and the Western proxy war against Russia in Ukraine." ZH

Zelensky Says 'It's The World’s Fault' That Russia Is Gaining

"In a rare personal visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the battlefield, particularly to the war-ravaged country's northeastern Kharkiv oblast, he blamed Russia's rapid advance on "the world" for not sending enough weapons. Ukraine's front lines in the region have been collapsing amid a major new Russian cross-border offensive.

"Brigades are not totally equipped because of the package, which we waited through for eight months," he told ABC News during the visit. He was referencing the delayed $61 billion Ukraine aid package which was recently passed." ZH

IDF Recovers Three Deceased Hostages, Including 22-year Old Shani Louk

"The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) made a major, and tragic, announcement on Friday. IDF

Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military has recovered the bodies of three hostages from the Gaza Strip.
The deceased include the body of Shani Louk, the 22-year old girl filmed on Oct.7 lying half-naked, mangled and unconscious in the bed of a pick-up truck while being taken into the Gaza Strip. The military also identified Itzhak Gelerenter and Amit Buskila. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he is "heartbroken" by the news their deaths have been confirmed. "My wife Sara and I grieve with the families," he said before vowing "We will return all of our hostages — living and deceased alike." ZH

Ukraine launches massive attack on Russian port, oil refinery, power plant

"The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) utilized over a hundred drones overnight to attack Russian targets in Sevastopol, Tuapse, and Novorossiysk. These targets include a seaport, an oil refinery, an oil terminal, and a power substation." MS

Ukraine Power restrictions on 18 May to be applied only to industrial consumers

"On Saturday 18 May, from 19:00 to 24:00, the Ukrenergo dispatch center will impose power limitation schedules solely on industrial consumers. As a result, if a region reaches specified thresholds, limitations may be introduced. Information on if and when shutdowns will occur in a specific location is available at the consumer's personal account, on official websites of local electricity suppliers, and on their social media profiles." Pravada

Russian strikes kill two in Ukraine’s Kharkiv as Moscow steps up attacks

"Russian guided bombs have killed at least two people and injured 13 in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv...Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, and the surrounding region have long been targeted by Russian attacks but the strikes have become more intense in recent months, hitting civilian and energy infrastructure." AlJazeera

Russia and Afghanistan Plan to Build Logistics Center For Oil Transit to South Asia

"Afghanistan plans to launch talks with Russia on a logistics center in the Afghan province of Herat, which, among other things, will facilitate exports of Russian oil to South Asia, acting Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade Haji Nooruddin Azizi told Sputnik.

"We would like to launch negotiations on the matter so that part of the transit of Russian oil passes through the territory of Afghanistan - it is the shortest route," Azizi said on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum" in the Russian city of Kazan." Sputnik

Russia Won't Accept Any Ultimatums on Ukraine - Putin

"Russia wants to understand whom it can trust before engaging with partners on the Ukrainian conflict, President Vladimir Putin said during a trip to China on Friday.

"We must understand with whom and how we can engage and whom and to what degree we can trust. We are of course analyzing everything that is going on," Putin told a press conference in Harbin.
The president pointed to China as a stakeholder that was sincerely trying to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine. "We believe that China is sincere about its efforts to solve this problem. It has suggested different options and has been very flexible about it," Putin said.
Commenting on the Swiss initiative on Ukrainian peace, the Russian president stressed that Moscow would not accept ultimatums.
"It is clear what this event is all about: bringing together as many countries as possible to claim that they have everything agreed on and then giving Russia an ultimatum," Putin said, adding he would not have it.
Russia is keeping tabs on the preparations for the Swiss conference on Ukraine, which is due on June 15-16, the president said." RT

41 Russian attacks in the Pokrovsk sector over the past day

"41 Russian attacks in the Pokrovsk sector over the past day. "The situation in this sector is certainly changing dynamically. There are cases when the enemy partially achieves limited tactical success in certain areas due to intense shelling, and sometimes our Defense Forces are recapturing lost positions and returning to them," Voloshyn said." Ukrin

Ukraine downs all Russian 20 drones overnight

"Russian invasion forces launched 20 one-way attack UAVS of the Shahed-131/136 type at Ukraine.....All incoming drones were shot down by Ukraine’s air defense units." Ukrin