Ukraine shot down 18 Iranian-made Shahed drones, launched by Russia from the northern Bryansk region and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov in the south, the Air Defense said.
(Bloomberg) — Ukraine shot down 18 Iranian-made Shahed drones, launched by Russia from the northern Bryansk region and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov in the south, the Air Defense said.
Wheat prices extended their biggest jump in six months as tensions escalated in the Black Sea after Moscow said that it downed a pair of drones that attacked the Kremlin. Kyiv has denied Moscow’s allegations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will speak in The Hague on Thursday, ANP reported citing people familiar with the matter. Zelenskiy was also due to visit the International Criminal Court.
Key Developments
- Zelenskiy Denies Ukraine Sent Drones to Hit Putin, Kremlin
- Wheat Surges as Kremlin Drone Attack Stokes Black Sea Tensions
- The Ugly Case for Supporting Ukraine: Leonid Bershidsky
(All times CET)
Ukraine’s International Reserves Keep Climbing Toward Record Levels (9:50 a.m.)
Ukraine’s foreign currency and gold reserves climbed 13% from the previous month to more than $35.9 billion, hitting an 11-year high, according to the central bank’s data.
The reserves increased as foreign aid from international partners kept flowing with an overall amount of assistance exceeding $5.8 billion last month, while the central bank has been spending less foreign currency on the foreign exchange market to prop up the hryvna for the fourth consecutive month.Â
Pressure on the hryvnia has eased in the wake of a tight monetary policy aimed at boosting the attractiveness of hryvnia-denominated savings and the central bank’s refusal to purchase government bonds to support the budget. The country’s reserves peaked at $38.4 billion in April 2011.
Ukraine Shoots Down 18 out of 24 Russian Drones (8:15 a.m.)
Ukraine shot down 18 Iranian-made Shahed drones, launched by Russia from the northern Bryansk region and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov in the south, the Air Defense said.
In the southern city of Odesa, three drones hit dormitories, causing fires to start, the military command South said on Facebook. Nobody was injured and 12 drones there were shot down, it said. In Kyiv, the Air Defense shot down all loitering munition and missiles according to initial reports, Serhiy Popko, the head of the capital’s military administration, said on telegram.
Wheat Prices Climb to Six-Month High Over Drone Tensions (8:10 a.m.)
Wheat prices extended their biggest jump in six months as tensions escalated in the Black Sea after Moscow blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on the Kremlin. Kyiv has denied Moscow’s allegations. The flare-up comes at a sensitive time for the future of the safe corridor that allows Ukraine to export crops through the Black Sea.Â
The deputy defense ministers of Turkey, Russia and Ukraine are due Friday to discuss an extension of the deal, which Russia has said could end on May 18.
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