Zelensky asks parliament to extend martial law, mobilization for another 90 days

President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a proposal to the parliament on May 6 to extend martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days from May 14.

Martial law and general mobilization were first declared by Zelensky on February 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the measure has been extended repeatedly.

Ukraine's parliament previously extended martial law and mobilization from February 14 until May 14, 2023.

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they could be called up for military service. In April, the parliament passed a bill updating the rules regarding mobilization as Ukraine seeks to strengthen its Armed Forces.

Russian forces attacked energy infrastructure in Sumy Oblast

Russian forces launched a drone attack in Sumy Oblast overnight on May 6, targeting the region's energy infrastructure, according to the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.

Ukraine's Air Force announced a drone attack on Sumy Oblast at around midnight local time. Shortly after, local media reported power outages and interruptions in running water in parts of the region.

Within an hour, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration confirmed that Russian forces had carried out airstrikes targeting the energy infrastructure in the area, with restoration efforts underway.

Local authorities announced that critical infrastructure, including water supply and hospitals, was being switched to backup power sources.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine's state-owned energy operator, later reported that one of its high-voltage facilities had been damaged due to the strikes.

Around the same time, local media in Kharkiv reported that some districts in the city experienced power outages. Moscow has recently intensified its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, with major strikes on energy facilities occurring on March 22, March 29, April 11, and April 27. These attacks underscore the ongoing threat to Ukraine's energy sector and the broader disruption caused by Russian aggression.

Russians struck Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, 4 people injure

Russian forces struck the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on the afternoon of May 6, injuring four civilians, according to the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office.

The attack occurred around 14:20, with the Russian army likely using UMPB D-30 SM glide munitions in the airstrike. A densely populated area was at the epicenter of the strike, resulting in four civilians suffering injuries of varying degrees of severity.

Two men, aged 34 and 53, were taken to the hospital with mine-blast injuries and shrapnel wounds. One of them is reported to be in serious condition.

The explosion in Kostiantynivka caused significant damage, impacting three apartment blocks, a boiler house, and a car.

These attacks underscore the continued risk to civilian areas in frontline cities, as Russian forces persist in targeting heavily populated districts, causing injury and damage to infrastructure. Authorities and emergency services are working to provide medical care and address the aftermath of the strike.

Russia drops 1,500-kilogram bomb on village in Kharkiv Oblast

Russian forces struck Kharkiv Oblast with a FAB-1500 air-dropped bomb for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Kharkiv Oblast Police reported on May 6.

The Russian military deployed the bomb during the May 5 attack on the village of Monachynivka in the Kupiansk district. This attack resulted in the death of an 88-year-old woman and injured a 34-year-old man. The woman's body was found under rubble after the fire caused by the strike was extinguished.

Serhii Bolvinov, head of the investigative department of the regional police, stated that the FAB-1500 bomb, a 1.5-tonne weapon with nearly half comprising high explosives, was equipped with a special module enabling it to glide through the air after being dropped. "Everything around shuddered as if an earthquake had begun. A single blow destroyed an entire street," Bolvinov wrote on Facebook.

Previously, the Russian military had used FAB-1500 bombs in Donetsk Oblast to target local factories, energy infrastructure, and positions held by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These bombs are typically delivered by fighter jets from a distance of 60-70 kilometers, which is out of reach for most Ukrainian air defense systems.

Russia has recently escalated attacks on Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast, utilizing missiles, glide bombs, and drones to damage energy infrastructure and harm civilians. In the last 24 hours, at least 20 people were injured, and one person was killed due to these attacks, reflecting the ongoing dangers faced by civilians in these areas.