Victory Chronicles-DAY 1168

Russian forces struck Ukraine’s second largest city’s overnight with 20 Shahed-type drones, triggering a major fire at the Barabashovo market — the largest primarily outdoor market in the city — and damaged homes and vehicles across four residential districts, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on May 6.

Situated in the Saltivka district, the market spans 75 hectares (185 acres) that also includes indoor and sheltered areas, and is considered one of the largest in Europe. Eight sites in the Shevchenkivsko, Kyiv, Industrial, and Kholodnohirsk districts were hit, the regional governor stated. The strike ignited a blaze at the sprawling market, destroying around 20 pavilions and damaging nearly 80 others.

Civilian infrastructure also came under fire, including residential buildings and parked vehicles. Across the region, Russian forces launched eight guided aerial bombs (KABs), seven first person view  drones, and 20 Shahed drones in total. In the Izium district of Kharkiv region, 14 single-family homes were damaged. Two homes, a warehouse, and two vehicles were hit in the Kupiansk district, while in Kharkiv district, eight homes and a fire station sustained damage. At least 11 civilians were reported injured as a result of the attacks.

Ukraine sees 40% surge in medical infrastructure damage amid ongoing attacks. Damage to Ukraine’s medical facilities has risen by 40 percent over the past year, Health Minister Viktor Liashko said on May 6.

Speaking after the Global Health Initiative for Ukraine conference, Liashko reported that more than 2,300 healthcare facilities have been hit since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, with 305 of them completely destroyed.

“Despite this, Ukraine’s medical system hasn’t stopped functioning for even a day,” he wrote on Facebook. The World Bank estimates the cost of rebuilding the sector at $19.4 billion over the next decade. Thus far, more than 1,000 medical facilities have already been fully or partially restored with support from the Ukrainian government and international donors.

Ukraine and Russia conduct 205-for-205 prisoner exchange on Infantry Day. On Infantry Day, Ukraine secured the release of 205 servicemembers from Russian captivity in a parity prisoner swap, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on May 6.

“Ukraine has brought back 205 warriors — young men and older soldiers from nearly all branches of our military,” Zelenskyy said. “These are defenders of Mariupol and the entire frontline. They had been scattered across Russian regions and imprisoned in a system built to dehumanize.”

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the exchange involved an equal exchange of 205 captives from each side. The repatriated Ukrainian personnel include personnel from the Armed Forces of Ukraine — including the Navy, Air Force, Air Assault Forces, and Territorial Defense Forces — as well as the National Guard and State Border Guard Service.

Among them are three officers and 202 enlisted troops and non-commissioned officers. The freed servicemembers had served across frontlines in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, and Kyiv regions, including members of the Mariupol garrison.

This marks the fifth prisoner exchange of 2025 and the 64th since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In total, 4,757 Ukrainian citizens have been freed through negotiated exchanges since March 2022.

Ukrainian forces repel Russian motorcycle assault in joint Azov-Karpatska Sich operation. Newly released combat footage captures another failed Russian attempt to break through Ukrainian defensive lines — this time using infantry on motorcycle-mounted infantry. In what appears to be a symbolic maneuver, Russian carried both tricolor and Soviet-style red flags, reportedly intending to raise them over captured ruins.

The assault was decisively thwarted by fighters from the 12th Azov Special Purpose Brigade — a unit of Ukraine’s National Guard — working in coordination with troops in the 49th Assault Battalion “Karpatska Sich.” The joint defensive action halted the advance and neutralized enemy forces with a range of weapons systems.

Key Takeaways:

• Russian sources claimed on May 5 that Ukrainian forces conducted a series of limited attacks across the Russia-Ukraine international border near Tetkino, Kursk Oblast.
• The Russian military command reportedly recently redeployed elements of the 68th Army Corps and 58th Combined Arms Army to the Toretsk direction from the Kurakhove and western Zaporizhzhia directions.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Czech President Petr Pavel announced on May 4 that Czechia will work with Ukraine to establish a school to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets outside of Ukraine.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Siversk, Toretsk, Kurakhove, and Velyka Novosilka.

In memoriam: Ukrainian soldier Ruslan Tereshchenko, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces

Spc. Ruslan Tereshchenko, known by the call sign “Marvel,” was killed in action on Aug. 9, 2024, near the village of Stelmakhivka in Luhansk region. While on a combat mission, he came under enemy mortar fire. A piece of shrapnel severed an artery, resulting in a fatal injury. He was 32.

Tereshchenko was born in the village of Sushky in Cherkasy region. He studied accounting at the Lubny Forestry College and had lived in the city of Cherkasy with his family for the past 12 years. He worked as a sales associate at a building supply store in the city’s central market. A numismatics enthusiast, Tereshchenko collected both ancient and modern coins. He was also a devoted fan of Marvel films, which he often watched with his eldest son — the inspiration for his call sign.

On March 26, 2022, he joined Ukraine’s National Guard and served in the 1st Presidential Brigade “Burevii.” He held the position of a soldier in the line of operational deployment. For his service, Tereshchenko was awarded the Medal “For Bravery,” the “Unbreakable Heroes of the Russo-Ukrainian War” medal, the “War Veteran” badge, and the insignia of the 1st Battalion “Forpost.”

“My husband was an example to many,” said his wife, Yuliia. “He was calm and thoughtful, a loving husband, a caring father, and a support to his mother. With him on a mission, no one was afraid — everyone knew he would stay composed in any situation. His loss is a deep wound for our whole family, and a heartbreak for the children who will never again hug their best dad.” Tereshchenko was laid to rest in his native village of Sushky. He is survived by his mother, wife, two sons, brother and grandmother.

*Ruslan’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• Reuters: Pentagon chief halted military aid to Ukraine without White House approval
• UK reportedly starts to secretly prepare for Russia’s attack and updates its defense plan
• Politico: Polish president calls on Trump to force Putin to end war
• Dutch PM: Threat posed by Russia goes beyond Ukraine
• Ukraine, NATO launch joint search for innovative solutions against fiber-optic FPV drones
• WP: Germany’s Friedrich Merz named chancellor after parliamentary setback