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May 8, 2023

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Region Evacuated; Wagner Group Withdraws Bakhmut Retreat Threat
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Russian drone strikes rained down on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine
overnight. Kyiv's mayor says over 30 drones targeting the capital were
shot down. Over the weekend, Ukraine also said it downed a Russian
hypersonic missile for the first time using the U.S. Patriot missile
defense system.

Russia has evacuated over 1,600 people around the beleaguered
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ahead of an expected Ukrainian
counteroffensive and as the U.N. nuclear watchdog warned the situation
at the plant was "potentially dangerous."

Meanwhile, the leader of Russian mercenary force Wagner Group has
backtracked on his threat to withdraw from the war-torn city of Bakhmut
after he said the Russian military agreed to send more ammunition.
Ukraine has accused Russia of using white phosphorus bombs in Bakhmut,
which would constitute a war crime.


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