Ukraine Drone Strikes Near Moscow; Russia Claims Gains in Eastern Ukraine

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Key Takeaways

  • Ukraine struck Russian weapons production sites near Moscow with drones on May 29, 2025.
  • Russia claimed control of Kostiantynivka (Sumy) and Zelene Pole (Donetsk) on May 29, 2025.
  • Zelenskyy reported over 50,000 Russian troops near Sumy, but Kyiv is prepared for a summer offensive.
  • Nearly 175,000 servicemen have signed Russian army contracts since the beginning of 2025.
  • Trump warns Putin over Ukraine but avoids new sanctions to allow potential peace deal.

Top Stories

Ukraine strikes Russian weapons production sites near Moscow with drones.

On May 29, 2025, Ukraine reported using drones to strike Russian weapons production sites in or around Moscow, including the Angstrem microchip factory, the Kronstadt plant, and the Raduga plant. Russia claimed its air defence units downed three Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, with one drone hitting a dwelling south of the city, causing no casualties or serious damage.

Russia claims control of Kostiantynivka and Zelene Pole.

On May 29, 2025, Moscow announced that Russian troops had taken control of the town of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region and the village of Zelene Pole in the Donetsk region.

Zelenskyy reports 50,000 Russian troops near Sumy region.

On May 29, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia had massed more than 50,000 troops near the northeastern Sumy region, but Kyiv had taken steps to prevent a large-scale summer offensive.

Nearly 175,000 servicemen signed Russian army contracts in 2025.

Russia’s TASS state news agency reported on May 29, 2025, that nearly 175,000 servicemen have signed Russian army contracts since the beginning of 2025.

Trump warns Putin over Ukraine, avoids new sanctions.

On May 29, 2025, United States President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the intensifying Ukraine conflict, a day after warning Putin that he was “playing with fire” by resisting ceasefire talks. Trump also mentioned he is not prepared to impose new sanctions on Russia to avoid scuttling a potential peace deal. The Kremlin responded that national interests were paramount to the Russian leader.

Geopolitical Tensions

NATO may ask Germany for 40,000 more troops.

Reuters reported on May 29, 2025, that NATO will ask Germany to provide seven more brigades, some 40,000 troops, for the alliance’s defence. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his government will “intensify cooperation” with Kyiv and will not impose range limits on missiles jointly produced by the two countries. Germany also announced it would provide additional military support for Ukraine amounting to about 5 billion euros ($5.65bn).

Rubio urges Ukraine-Russia dialogue; Russia proposes June 2 talks.

On May 29, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Trump’s calls for a “good faith dialogue” between Ukraine and Russia as the only path to ending the war in a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia proposed holding the next round of direct talks with Ukraine on June 2 in Istanbul.

Ukraine and Russia discuss peace accord conditions.

On May 29, 2025, Ukraine’s defence minister, Rustem Umerov, recently held a call with the head of the Russian delegation in previous Istanbul talks to discuss the memorandum Moscow is currently working on, laying out its conditions for a peace accord. Ukraine has already handed over its version of the peace memorandum to Russia and urged Moscow to share its version before peace talks can take place.

Turkiye's foreign minister to visit Kyiv for peace talks.

On May 29, 2025, Turkiye’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, will travel to Kyiv for a two-day visit after discussing peace efforts in Moscow earlier this week.

Ukraine protests Russia connecting Zaporizhzhia plant to grid.

On May 29, 2025, Ukraine has protested to the International Atomic Energy Agency about reports that Moscow is connecting the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Russia occupies, to its own power grid.

Israel announces new West Bank settlements.

As reported on May 29, 2025, Israel announced new West Bank settlements despite sanctions threats.

Business Today

Trump's tariffs ruled illegal, stocks jump.

Netskope hires Morgan Stanley for potential $5B+ IPO.

On May 28, 2025, it was reported that Cybersecurity firm Netskope has hired Morgan Stanley to lead preparations for a U.S. initial public offering that could raise more than $500 million and value the company at more than $5 billion. Netskope is aiming to go public as early as the third quarter of this year.

Oil prices rise ~$1 after court blocks Trump tariffs.

On May 29, 2025, oil prices rose by about $1 a barrel after a U.S. court blocked most of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

US pauses jet engine tech, chip software exports to China.

Fed well positioned to wait on rate cuts.

The Fed is well positioned to wait on rate cuts even as economic risks rise, according to minutes published on 2025-05-28.

Salesforce raises forecasts, cites AI, acquires Informatica.

On 2025-05-28, Salesforce raised its revenue and adjusted profit forecasts for fiscal 2026, citing strong cloud spending and increased monetization of its AI agents. Salesforce reported first-quarter revenue of $9.83 billion, exceeding estimates of $9.75 billion. Salesforce acquired data management platform Informatica for about $8 billion to enhance its data tools.

HP Inc cuts profit forecast, cites PC market moderation.

Published on 2025-05-28, HP Inc cut its annual profit forecast for fiscal 2025, expecting adjusted profit between $3.00 and $3.30 per share, down from its prior forecast of $3.45 to $3.75 per share, due to a moderation in PC market growth and a volatile global economic environment. For the second quarter ended April 30, HP reported revenue of $13.22 billion and adjusted earnings of 71 cents per share, missing estimates.

US restricts exports to China: semiconductors, software, more.

On May 29, 2025, the United States has ordered a broad swathe of companies to stop shipping goods to China without a license and revoked licenses already granted to certain suppliers. Products affected include design software and chemicals for semiconductors, butane and ethane, machine tools, and aviation equipment. Electronic design automation (EDA) software makers like Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens EDA are impacted, with Synopsys relying on China for about 16% of its annual revenue, and China accounting for about 12% of annual revenue for Cadence.

Nvidia sales hit by China export curbs, but less than feared.

On May 28, 2025, Nvidia shares rose as sales hit from China export curbs were not as bad as feared. Nvidia expects the restrictions to reduce sales by $8 billion in the current quarter, but the actual first-quarter charge due to the H20 restrictions was $1 billion less than expected because it was able to reuse some materials. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang commented on U.S.-China policy, stating that Nvidia was at risk of being cut off from China's AI developer base and that China's chip industry was closing in on the United States' dominance.

Synopsys forecasts strong revenue, merger faces China hurdle.

On May 28, 2025, Synopsys forecast third-quarter revenue largely above Wall Street estimates, driven by strong demand for its semiconductor design software. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it would require Synopsys and software firm Ansys to divest certain assets to address antitrust concerns surrounding their $35 billion merger. Synopsys CEO Ghazi mentioned that the company has regulatory clearances for its proposed merger with Ansys in all jurisdictions except China.

US homeowners feel uncertain about real estate market.

Published on 2025-05-28, a Bank of America survey indicated that U.S. homeowners and prospective buyers are feeling the most uncertain about the real estate market since 2023 due to rising mortgage rates.

S&P 500 forecast cut amid tariff uncertainty.

Published on 2025-05-28, a Reuters poll indicated the S&P 500 will finish the year near current levels, after many strategists cut their 2025 forecast due to uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. One firm lowered its year-end target to 6,000 from 6,500, while another increased its year-end target for the S&P 500 to 6,000 from 5,800 partly because of a "solid first-quarter earnings season".

Global Watch

Myanmar's neighbors become key drug trafficking routes: UNODC.

On 2025-05-29, the UNODC reported that countries neighboring Myanmar are becoming key trafficking routes for drugs produced in the Golden Triangle, with Cambodia and Laos PDR seeing rapid expansion of trafficking routes. Maritime routes linking Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with Sabah in Malaysia as a key transit hub, are also increasingly significant.

South Korean patrol aircraft crashes; four on board.

On May 29, 2025, South Korea's navy reported that a maritime patrol aircraft with four people on board crashed near a military base in Pohang.

South African mother gets life for trafficking daughter.

As reported on May 29, 2025, a South African mother was given a life sentence for trafficking her 6-year-old daughter.

Boat capsizes near Canary Islands, seven dead.

On 2025-05-28, a boat carrying refugees and migrants capsized near Spain’s Canary Islands, resulting in the deaths of four women and three girls. The vessel, carrying over 100 people, tipped over as rescuers began removing minors on El Hierro Island.

Gaza aid chaos: deaths, starvation, and criticism.

Reports from May 2025 indicate a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with widespread starvation and chaos surrounding aid distribution. Palestinians are struggling to find food, and aid efforts are criticized for inexperience and deadly incidents, including killings by Israeli forces. The Gaza Health Ministry reports thousands of Palestinian deaths since mid-March.

Floods threaten Romania's Praid salt mine.

On May 29, 2025, severe floods in Romania are threatening to destroy the Praid salt mine, a major tourist attraction.

Older drug users increase in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand.

On 2025-05-29, the UNODC reported that Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have seen consecutive increases in the number of older drug users, while the number of younger users has declined. They suggest this may be due to targeted drug use prevention campaigns.

Political Pulse

Elon Musk departs Trump administration.

Elon Musk announced his departure from the administration of US President Donald Trump on 2025-05-29.

US should embrace Bitcoin: VP Vance.

On May 28, 2025, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas that the U.S. should embrace Bitcoin as a strategic advantage in its rivalry with China.

US cracks down on foreign students, visa bans, scrutiny.

On 2025-05-28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. will impose visa bans on foreign nationals deemed to be censoring Americans and will "aggressively revoke" visas of Chinese students, as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on foreign students. The Trump administration is also targeting students who participated in pro-Palestine and anti-Gaza war protests that have erupted on campuses across the US since Israel’s onslaught against the Palestinian territory. A US federal judge stated that the Trump administration's effort to deport pro-Palestine student activist Mahmoud Khalil is likely unconstitutional.

Trump to negotiate tax bill after Musk criticism.

Reported on 2025-05-28, President Donald Trump said he plans to negotiate aspects of the tax bill, following Elon Musk's criticism. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the tax and spending bill that would enact much of Trump's policy agenda, adding about $3.8 trillion to the federal government's debt over the next decade.

Rubio meets with German Foreign Minister Wadephul.

Science Discoveries

China launches Tianwen-2 to retrieve asteroid samples.

On 2025-05-29, China launched the Tianwen-2 spacecraft via a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan province to retrieve asteroid samples. The spacecraft is expected to approach the near-Earth asteroid "469219 Kamoʻoalewa" in July 2026 and is scheduled to return a capsule with rock samples to Earth in November 2027.

China aims for Moon landing by 2030; NASA in 2026.

Reported on 2025-05-29, Beijing has invested heavily in planned crewed missions to the Moon that would see Chinese astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030. NASA plans to launch its Artemis 3 mission in 2026 at the earliest, aiming to put astronauts back on the Moon for the first time since 1972.

Tech Insights

Tesla to deliver first self-driving Model Y in June 2025.

As reported on May 29, 2025, Tesla is set to deliver its first self-driving Model Y car in June 2025, according to Musk. Tesla has been testing driverless Model Y cars in Austin, Texas.

AMD acquires Enosemi, photonic integrated circuits builder.

On 2025-05-28, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) announced it has acquired Enosemi, a builder of photonic integrated circuits.

xAI partners with Telegram, Grok chatbot distribution.

On May 28, 2025, Elon Musk's AI startup xAI partnered with Telegram to distribute its Grok chatbot to Telegram users. xAI will pay Telegram $300 million in cash and stock for the deployment and give Telegram half of any subscription sales made through the app.

Entertainment Scene

CD Projekt's 'Cyberpunk 2' enters preproduction.

Poland's biggest game developer CD Projekt said on 2025-05-28 that the next big game set in the Cyberpunk universe, "Cyberpunk 2", has entered the preproduction phase.

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