May 26, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Brad Lendon, Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Hafsa Khalil and Jack Guy, CNN

Updated 12:12 a.m. ET, May 27, 2022
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8:45 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Putin cannot be allowed to dictate peace terms, German Chancellor says

From CNN's Lindsay Isaac

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

It's impossible to "switch off" Russian President Vladimir Putin's "imperialist" aims, the German Chancellor said Thursday.

In his closing speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Olaf Scholz said that the horrors in Ukraine cannot be ignored. 

"It keeps us up at night … will it expand beyond the borders of Ukraine?"

He said Putin will only seriously negotiate peace if his army can’t break Ukrainian defensive forces, with neither Ukraine nor the European Union accepting peace dictated by Putin. 

Scholz's comments come after Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky criticized Henry Kissinger's remarks after the former US Secretary of State appeared to suggest that Ukraine agree to give up much of the Donbas and Crimea. Zelensky on Wednesday compared Kissenger's views to appeasement of Nazi Germany in 1938.

Meanwhile, Scholz said that NATO "will not become a party to this war," as that would put nuclear powers in opposition to each other. He added that Germany will welcome Sweden and Finland into NATO with "open arms."

Earlier, Scholz spoke of the war's impact on the international community, stressing "we cannot let Putin win this war, and I firmly believe he will not win it."

He added that his country would be ready to defend itself at all times in light of Russia's actions.

8:40 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Russia still wants to take Kyiv, says city mayor

From CNN's Lindsay Isaac

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko speakes at a conversation about the war in Ukraine during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko speakes at a conversation about the war in Ukraine during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26. (Markus Schreiber/AP)

Russia plans to take the whole of Ukraine, with the capital of Kyiv being its main target, according to city mayor Vitali Klitschko.

It is clear that Russia is not carrying out a "special operation" but rather a "genocide" in Ukraine, Klitschko said during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.

He warned that Ukraine is not only defending its own sovereignty, but that of all like-minded nations.

"We defend not just our families, we defend all of you," said Klitschko. "We defend you because we have the same values."

The war is a danger to Europe and the whole world, Klitschko said. He made a plea for "fast decisions" from other leaders on sending Ukraine more defensive weapons, which he says they need quickly.

9:30 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

"Putin must lose in Ukraine," says UK foreign secretary

From CNN's Sarah Dean in London

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted this picture of her in Sarajevo meeting Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Bisera Turković on May 26.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted this picture of her in Sarajevo meeting Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Bisera Turković on May 26. (trussliz/Twitter)

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has spoken out against Russia's "bullying" and "atrocities" in Ukraine during a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday.

Truss used an address to the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to speak out against Russian maneuvering in the Balkan nation, and urged partners to continue to rally behind Ukraine.

"As Russia meddles here, Putin’s troops are committing atrocities just 700 miles away in Ukraine. The people of Ukraine need our support," said Truss.

"They need that support from the whole of Europe, from the whole of the free world. We need to back the people in their brave fight for their country," she added, urging allies not to compromise with or appease Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We have seen Russia’s bullying tactics – just this week flagrantly saying they will let Ukrainian grain flow only if sanctions on them are lifted," said Truss.

"That is trying to hold the world to ransom, and it must not succeed. So now it is about digging deep, not backsliding," she added.

"Democracy and freedom must prevail over autocratic aggression," said Truss. "Putin must lose in Ukraine. Putin’s aggression must never succeed in Europe."

8:20 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Germany working "flat out" to end reliance on Russian gas, says German Chancellor

From CNN's Lindsay Isaac

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Swon May 26.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Swon May 26. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Germany is working "flat out" to end its reliance on Russian gas imports, the country's Chancellor said Thursday, adding there was "no doubt" that both Berlin and the European Union would end their dependence on energy imports from Moscow.

Russian oil could be completely phased out by the end of the year, Olaf Scholz added during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He said Germany was looking towards liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and alternative sources of supply.

The EU is following the "same path," Scholz said. However, Ukraine is asking for maximum sanctions against Moscow, including an immediate ban on Russian oil and trade. 

This restructuring will have an impact on EU economies, which is already being felt by a rise in energy prices, he warned.

Some background: Germany was one of Russia's largest importers of oil last year.

Before the Ukraine crisis, an $11 billion undersea pipeline -- Nord Stream 2 -- was being built to deliver gas from Russia to Germany.

In February, when Russia invaded, Germany halted its approval of the pipeline, leaving the 1,230-kilometer (764-mile) pipeline empty since its completion in September 2021.

7:49 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Amid international criticism, Moscow blames West for causing grain export issues

From CNN's Anna Chernova and Nathan Hodge

Ukrainian farm worker Misha stands near a tractor destroyed by a Russian tank shell on May 14 in Cherkska Lozova, Ukraine.
Ukrainian farm worker Misha stands near a tractor destroyed by a Russian tank shell on May 14 in Cherkska Lozova, Ukraine. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Russia says that "illegal actions" by the West are causing problems with grain supplies in Europe, after the Kremlin was accused of obstructing grain exports from Ukraine.

"We absolutely reject these accusations," presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists Thursday. "On the contrary, we blame countries of the West for taking a number of illegal actions that have led to this 'blockade.'"

Asked whether this meant Western sanctions need to be lifted in order for grain supplies to resume, Peskov said: "They must cancel those illegal decisions that prevent the charter of ships, the export of grain, etc."

Earlier this week, the head of the UN World Food Programme called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to reopen blocked ports in Ukraine to prevent a global food crisis.

And European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Putin of "weaponizing" food supplies in his invasion of Ukraine by confiscating grain supplies and machinery, as well as blocking exports from ports in the Black Sea.

Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, wheat supplies from Russia and Ukraine accounted for almost 30% of global trade. 

7:11 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

It's 2 p.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

Russian attacks on the key city of Severodonetsk continue Thursday, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned that the war in Ukraine puts at risk the "system of international cooperation that was forged after two world wars."

Here's the latest on Russia's war in Ukraine:

  • Massive Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine: On Wednesday alone Russian troops fired on 41 settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, said Ukraine's Joint Forces Task Force in a statement Thursday. "As a result of enemy shelling, 6 people were killed and 12 were injured," said the statement.
  • Battle for Severodonetsk: Russian shelling of residential neighborhoods in the industrial city, which is key to controlling Luhansk, hasn't stopped for more than a week, Oleksandr Striuk, head of the Severodonetsk military administration, said in a radio interview Thursday. Russian forces have also been shelling a bridge between Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, added Striuk.
  • Russian attacks in Donetsk: Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Russian forces are "conducting an intense offensive" on the key town of Lyman in the neighboring Donetsk region. Lyman is an important rail hub, and if the Russians are able to consolidate control there, the nearby city of Sloviansk becomes more vulnerable to attack by artillery — and Ukrainian troops to the southeast of the town become more at risk of encirclement.
  • Zelensky criticizes Kissinger: Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has made a blistering attack on Henry Kissinger, after the former US Secretary of State appeared to suggest that Ukraine should cede territory to Russia in peace negotiations. Zelensky compared Kissinger's views to appeasement of Nazi Germany in 1938.
  • Scholz fires warning at Davos: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned that Europe and the international community are at a critical point, and said the world has changed since the Ukraine war began. "The world is at a turning point," said Scholz during a special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that not only is Ukraine at risk but also the "system of international cooperation that was forged after two world wars."
  • Russia cuts interest rates: A resurgent ruble — buoyed by robust oil and gas revenues — has taken some of the heat out of inflation and allowed Russia's Central Bank to cut interest rates. On Thursday, the bank announced that rates will fall from 14% to 11%, after inflation slowed to 17.5% in May compared to 17.8% in April. It is now forecasting that annual inflation will decrease to 5–7% in 2023 and return to 4% in 2024.
  • Portugal approves Chelsea sale: The Portuguese government has authorized the sale of Chelsea FC, the London football team owned by Roman Abramovich, a Russian businessman and Kremlin ally. An ownership group led by Todd Boehly looks set to take control of the club after the UK government and the English Premier League also approved the deal this week.
  • Food crisis: Russia is trying to "blackmail" the international community with an offer to unblock Ukrainian sea ports if sanctions against it are lessened, Ukraine's foreign minister said. He warned that if Moscow does not lift its blockage of Ukrainian exports of crops, the entire agricultural cycle will be interrupted and could spur a "multi-year food crisis."
6:39 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Russian forces target more than 40 towns in the eastern Donbas region, Ukrainian military says

From CNN's Olga Voitovych

A young boy sits in front of a damaged building after a strike in Kramatorsk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, on May 25.
A young boy sits in front of a damaged building after a strike in Kramatorsk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, on May 25. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)

Russian troops attacked more than 40 towns in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions Wednesday, according to Ukraine's Joint Forces Task Force, indicating the scale of a major Russian offensive in the Donbas region.

"During the day, on May 25, Russian troops fired on 41 settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the statement on Facebook Thursday read. "As a result of enemy shelling, 6 people were killed and 12 were injured."

According to the statement, Russian fire destroyed or damaged 52 high-rise and private residential buildings and other civilian facilities, as well as railway lines and agricultural buildings. 

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian rescuers had evacuated about 760 people from areas of active combat, the statement added.

5:57 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

Eastern cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk under Russian assault, say Ukrainian officials

From CNN's Olga Voitovych and Maria Kostenko

Pro-Russian troops fire a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 in the direction of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, on May 24.
Pro-Russian troops fire a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 in the direction of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, on May 24. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

The Ukrainian cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk are under Russian assault amid an offensive in the eastern Luhansk region, the Office of the President of Ukraine said in an update Thursday. 

Severodonetsk -- an industrial city situated across the Siverskyi Donets river from Lysychansk -- has been under heavy shelling, and the statement said the Impulse Research and Production Association and 11 high-rise buildings in the city had been destroyed.

Oleksandr Striuk, head of the Severodonetsk military administration, said in a radio interview Thursday that the connection between Severodonetsk and Lysychansk had been "complicated" because of Russian shelling of a bridge between the two cities.

The enemy hasn't stopped shelling residential neighborhoods for the past one-and-a-half weeks, Striuk said.

"12,000 -- 13,000 people remain in the city. People are hiding in shelters and basements. The city is under constant fire."

Striuk added that communication was limited and that 90% of Severodonetsk's housing stock had been damaged or destroyed.

The fall of Severodonetsk -- the last major city in the Luhansk region under Ukrainian government control -- would be a major setback for Kyiv.

"The situation is difficult, especially in the Donetsk operational district," said Fedir Venislavskyi, a Ukrainian lawmaker and member of the parliamentary Committee for National Security, Defense and Intelligence. 

"The hottest spots are Severodonetsk and Lysychansk," he said, adding that Russian soldiers were trying to encircle Ukrainian troops before next targeting the cities of Bakhmut and Soledar.

"The enemy partially controls Lyman and is going to the outskirts of Severodonetsk. The situation in this operational area will be very difficult in the coming days," Venislavskyi said.

7:15 a.m. ET, May 26, 2022

"The world is at a turning point": German Chancellor addresses impact of war in Ukraine

 From CNN's Lindsay Isaac in Davos

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the assembly during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned that Europe and the international community are at a critical point, and said the world has changed since the Ukraine war began.

"The world is at a turning point," said Scholz during a special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that, not only is Ukraine at risk, but also the "system of international cooperation that was forged after two world wars."

The war was a "thunderbolt," but the prospect of Russia "capturing Ukraine seems less likely than it did at the beginning" of the invasion, said Scholz, citing the fierce resistance by Ukrainian troops and help from the international community.

Moscow has failed in its military objectives so far, but succeeded in uniting the international community and fast forwarding Ukraine’s plan to join the European Union, he added.

"We cannot let Putin win this war, and I firmly believe he will not win it," said Scholz.

He added that Germany will equip its army so it's ready at "all times" to defend itself "under the new conditions" dictated by Russia.

Germany is in the process of changing its constitution to make this happen, hoping to make more than $105 million available to modernize its armed forces, he added.

"It is the security of our country that is at stake," he said. "We are sending an unequivocal message to our allies that you can rely on Germany."