By Douglas Landro / May 22, 2025
As Russia’s Leader Makes His First Trip to Kursk Since Declaring Victory, Ukrainian Forces Strike Semiconductor Plants While Maintaining Combat Operations Across Multiple Fronts
Summary of the Day – May 21, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Kursk Oblast on May 21, marking his first trip to the region since Moscow claimed complete control in April, even as Ukrainian forces dismissed Russian assertions and confirmed ongoing combat operations across the border. The day witnessed significant Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, with drones hitting the Bolkhov semiconductor plant in Oryol Oblast that produces components for Russian missiles and aircraft. Diplomatic tensions escalated as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov categorically rejected ceasefire proposals, while President Trump claimed “progress” in peace efforts following his call with Putin. Meanwhile, Poland charged a man with allegedly planning to assist Russian intelligence in a possible assassination attempt on President Zelensky, while controversial Ukrainian ex-official Andriy Portnov was shot dead in Madrid under mysterious circumstances. In a significant military development, battalion commander Oleksandr Shyrshyn of Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade resigned, publicly criticizing military leadership over “idiotic” orders leading to unnecessary losses. Additionally, a Russian vessel under international sanctions made suspicious maneuvers near a key undersea power cable connecting Poland and Sweden before being forced to retreat following military intervention.
Putin’s Kursk Theater: Visit Belies Ongoing Combat Reality
Vladimir Putin made his first publicized visit to Kursk Oblast on May 21, meeting with Acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein and local officials while touring the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The carefully orchestrated visit aimed to demonstrate Russian control over the region that Moscow declared “liberated” on April 26, despite ongoing evidence of Ukrainian military presence.
Voice of Ukraine 