50,000 fresh Russian troops massing & Germany to help Ukraine make long-range missiles

Day 1,190.

Today, as Ukraine reels from yet another record drone bombardment, we look at warnings that Russia is massing 50,000 troops near Sumy ahead of a new offensive. Plus we bring you some of the top lines from Chancellor Friederich Merz’s press conference with Vlodomyr Zelensky, where he announced that Germany would help Ukraine build long-range missiles.

We’ll also be hearing Dom’s interview with Estonia’s defence minister about Moscow’s shadow fleet and how to protect critical infrastructure from Russia. And Roland Oliphant reports from Armenia on the dilemma facing small former Soviet Union states in the midst of what some politicians there are describing as a geopolitical earthquake.

Contributors:

Venetia Rainey (Co-host Battle Lines podcast). @@venetiarainey on X.

Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @@Barnes_Joe on X.

Roland Oliphant (Chief Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.

Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor for Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Hanno Pevkur (Minister of Defence of Estonia).

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Content Referenced:

Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Russia

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/28/ukraine-launches-massive-drone-attack-on-russia/

Ukraine War latest news

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/28/russia-ukraine-zelensky-putin-war-latest-news529/

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