Two Russian pilots died as a result of the crash of a Russian Mi-28 military helicopter in Crimea, Russian news agencies report with reference to the Ministry of Defense. The reason for Friday’s accident was a malfunction of the equipment, TASS reports.

Synthesis of the last 24 hours of the war:

• Russian officials say some troops have moved to “more advantageous defensive positions” northwest of Bakhmut. Friday’s statement by the Ministry of Defense was the first sign that the Russians recognize that Ukraine has regained its position around the Ukrainian city that Russia has been trying to capture for more than 10 months.

• President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister of Great Britain Risha Sunak for the supply of long-range cruise missiles. Earlier, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed that the UK would send long-range cruise missiles.

• Ukraine’s counteroffensive may have a high chance of success, but it could cause heavy losses if Russia makes good use of its defensive power, Czech President Petr Pavel said. In an interview on Friday, the former NATO general said Ukraine needs support to join NATO and the European Union, but it will be a long process, even if EU accession talks could begin this year.

• Police in the Russian city of St. Petersburg have set up an anti-drone unit following a suspicious attack on the Kremlin last week. The object became operational on Tuesday during the annual celebration of Victory Day in World War II on Dvirtseva Square in St. Petersburg, the city’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa summoned the US ambassador over allegations that his country supplied Russia with weapons and ammunition for the war in Ukraine. Ruben Brigeti said on Thursday that South Africa had loaded weapons and ammunition onto a Russian ship at a naval base near Cape Town last December, and the weapons were then transported to Russia.

• The Ministry of Defense of Russia said that Ukrainian troops carried out “offensive actions” near Soledar, reports the official news agency of the department “Zvezda”. More than 1,000 troops and up to 40 tanks were used in Thursday’s assault, it said on Friday, adding that the attacks had been “repelled”.

• Russia’s defeat in Ukraine will not affect the rise of China, while relations between Beijing and the European Union will be “critically affected” if Xi Jinping does not convince Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops. The message comes in a document drawn up by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, who met 27 EU foreign ministers in Stockholm on Friday to discuss how the bloc should “reexamine” its policy towards Beijing.

• The Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak expressed his disappointment with the decision to deny Volodymyr Zelensky an address to Saturday’s Eurovision final in a video message. The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event, said the Ukrainian president had “commendable” intentions but rejected the request over fears it could politicize the event.

Highlights of the war in Ukraine, day 444, LIVETEXT:

07:16 Russia has tightened the rules for launching private drones after the attack on the Kremlin, writes Pravda.ru. In a number of Russian regions, the launch of any type of drones is prohibited, and in other regions a “smart ban” has been introduced, which provides for launches based on special permits.

07:11 As the local TV channel Espresso reports, two explosions were heard in the Lviv region around 04:25. An air alert was declared in the region only later, around 05:05. Several more explosions were heard in different parts of the region around 05:20. Residents are urged to stay in shelters.

00:17 Six children were reportedly injured in rocket attacks on the Russian-occupied city of Luhansk, Russian officials said Friday, CNN reported.

“Four were given full assistance, two teenagers with moderate injuries were hospitalized at the Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital,” reported the head of the self-proclaimed LPR, Leonid Pasechnyk.

23:10 The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi plans to present to the UN Security Council an agreement with Russia and Ukraine to protect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant this month, indicating that a deal is close, four diplomats told Reuters.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Grossi has spent months trying to reach an agreement to reduce the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident from military activities, such as the bombing of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which is located in Ukraine. and has been occupied by Russia for more than a year.

10:06 in the evening Russian-appointed officials in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region accused Kyiv on Friday of firing rockets at an industrial complex in the region’s main city, about 100 km behind the front line, Reuters reported. Russian TV channels complain that Luhansk was hit with a silent missile rather than a HIMARS, and say that Ukraine used an ADM-160 MALD decoy missile for the attack.