Latest Updates on the War in Ukraine – May 3, 2026

Have you missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes has the essential updates for you every evening. Here is the summary for Sunday, May 3, 2026, the 1,530th day of the conflict.

News of the Day

Sweden announced on Sunday that it intercepted a ship off its southern coast, suspected to belong to the Russian ghost fleet. This is the latest in a series of checks carried out by the Scandinavian country. The Russian ghost fleet refers to ships, often old and in poor condition, without adequate insurance and with opaque ownership, used by Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions.

“This ship, named Jin Hui, is suspected of sailing under a false flag. Questions arise about its ability to sail and its lack of insurance,” wrote Carl-Oskar Bohlin, the Swedish Minister of Civil Defense. The ship Jin Hui is on the sanctions list of the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.

Number of the Day

Eight. Ukraine and Russia attacked each other over the weekend using hundreds of explosive drones, resulting in at least eight deaths. Ukrainians claimed to have targeted Russian ships.

The Ukrainian air force stated that Russian forces deployed 268 drones and fired a ballistic missile from Saturday night to Sunday against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 334 unmanned aerial vehicles targeted Russia.

Kiev said it responded to Russian bombings of Ukrainian cities. Both parties, who use attack drones daily, consistently deny targeting civilians.

Quote of the Day

“Russia can end its war at any time. Prolonging it will only widen the scope of our defense operations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to escalate Kiev’s retaliatory strikes against Russian energy sites if Moscow does not end its invasion.

Trending Today

Saudi Arabia, Russia, and five other OPEC+ countries increased their oil production quotas on Sunday as planned, aiming to demonstrate group continuity after the departure of the United Arab Emirates.

Russia, the second-largest producer in the group, benefits the most from the situation with high energy prices. However, it struggles to meet its current quotas due to Western disinvestment since the start of the war triggered by its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and regular disruption by Ukrainian drone strikes.