A Ukrainian drone crashed into a building in central Moscow on Friday, disrupting air traffic after a loud explosion reverberated throughout the Russian capital’s business district, Russian officials said, Reuters reported. The mayor of the city says that “there is no significant destruction”, reports the Russian news agency TASS. Russia also announced that it had foiled a Ukrainian naval drone attack on its fleet in the Black Sea on Thursday night.

Highlights of the war in Ukraine, day 541, LIVETEXT:

07:47Russian and Chinese naval ships jointly patrolled the Pacific Ocean and conducted naval exercises in the East China Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday, Reuters reported.

“A detachment of ships of the Russian Navy and the Navy of the People’s Liberation Army of China is currently operating in the waters of the East China Sea and has traveled more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of patrolling,” the agency said.

07:27Russia announced Thursday evening that it had thwarted an attack by Ukrainian naval drones on its fleet in the Black Sea, where clashes have increased since Moscow pulled out of a deal on grain exports from Ukraine, AFP reported.

06:02In Moscow, air defense destroyed a Ukrainian dronewhich caused no damage or casualties, authorities said Friday morning amid an increase in such attacks targeting the Russian capital, AFP reported.

01:30 Vladimir Putin: “We need to think about a high-speed railway line between Moscow and Donbass”

Russia’s president has proposed expanding the country’s high-speed rail network to boost cooperation between Russia and its main ally Belarus, as well as with the occupied territories of Ukraine.

00:30Volodymyr Zelenskyi in an address sent on Thursday evening: “Nations have the right to protection. Together we create the arsenal of the free world”

The President of Ukraine talks about the forum of defense industrialists, which his country will organize in the fall, showing that “nations have the right to defense.” “We are building the arsenal of the free world together,” Zelenskyy added.

A brief summary of recent events:

• The Ukrainian Armed Forces have finally thrown their most powerful unit into battle – the 82nd Airborne Brigade, which is equipped with a large number of Western combat equipment, in particular Challenger 2 tanks.
• The most controversial weapon used by Ukraine, cluster munitions obtained from the US, have already proven their effectiveness at the tactical level, and have also benefited Ukrainian forces at the logistical level, a military analyst explains.
• Turkey’s first reaction after the Russian fleet opened fire on the ship “Shukru Okan” in the Black Sea
• Ukraine no longer expects to receive American F-16 fighter jets this year, which it has been asking its Western allies for for several months to defend against a Russian invasion, writes dpa. Ukrainian forces participating in the counteroffensive to retake Russian-occupied territories face a lack of air defense, dpa reminds.
• According to an extensive investigation by The Washington Post, Russia is moving steadily toward its goal of creating the equivalent of an Iranian attack drone that can fly more than 1,500 kilometers to strike Ukrainian cities.
• The Ukrainian fundraising campaign for the purchase of 10,000 FPV drones raised almost 6 million euros in three days
• According to Russian state media, a high-ranking Russian general who was said to have commanded a military operation in Ukraine last year died on Wednesday.
• Romania’s navy says it systematically surveys the maritime space near the Romanian coast to detect navigational hazards, especially drifting sea mines originating in the northern Black Sea.
• Dmytro Kuleba: The goal of the counteroffensive is to liberate all of Ukraine, “no matter how long it takes” / Message for those who want a “quick and brilliant” operation
• The ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria gave an interview to TASS: “I don’t need either the Maldives or the Seychelles. It’s better here in Russia”
• VIDEO Crazy shots of the Ukrainian Humvee in action: “Thank you to the American people”
• Ukraine wants to “revive” relations with African countries / Russia uses “coercion, corruption and fear” to target them under its influence
• Vladimir Putin: “We need to think about a high-speed railway line between Moscow and Donbass”
• What else can Russia do to save the ruble? From currency interventions to “creative taxes”
• The Ukrainians detained an alleged “Russian agent” who was informing about military facilities
• A US citizen was arrested in Russia for “espionage”

—————–

Thursday’s events related to Russian aggression were broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro