Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Xi hosted Lukashenko at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse but did not immediately disclose details of the discussions or any agreements reached during the meeting.

Lukashenko, who has led Belarus since 1994, remains one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies. Belarus allowed Russian forces to use its territory to launch the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although Lukashenko has consistently denied that Belarus intends to participate directly in the conflict.

Belarus occupies a strategically important position along NATO’s eastern frontier and hosts Russia’s Oreshnik, a nuclear-capable missile system that Moscow has highlighted as part of its evolving military posture.

China has maintained that it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict and has repeatedly called for negotiations to end the war. However, Kyiv and several Western governments have accused Beijing of providing political and economic support that has helped sustain Russia’s war effort, allegations China has denied.

The meeting follows Lukashenko’s previous visit to China in September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing and participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin.

The latest talks reflect continuing diplomatic engagement between Beijing and Minsk as China seeks to strengthen ties with strategic partners while navigating heightened competition with Western powers over global security and economic issues.

Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones ignited a fire at the Slavyansk-na-Kubani oil refinery, one of southern Russia’s largest refining facilities. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said one person was killed in Slavyansk and another was injured in a nearby village.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces had targeted the Slavyansk refinery and said a second refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region was also struck during the overnight operation.

“Tonight, our long-range sanctions reached two oil refineries in Russia,” Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging platform, adding that the attacks were intended to reduce resources supporting Russia’s military campaign.

The Associated Press could not independently verify videos circulating on Russian social media that appeared to show heavy smoke rising from the Slavyansk refinery.

The Slavyansk facility processes nearly 4 million metric tons of crude oil annually, according to its operator, and supplies petroleum products including fuel oil, naphtha and marine fuel for export through Russia’s Black Sea ports.

Russian authorities did not immediately confirm damage to the refinery in the Yaroslavl region. Governor Mikhail Evraev said temporary road closures were imposed following what he described as a Ukrainian drone attack, while Russia’s civil aviation agency briefly suspended operations at Yaroslavl Airport and several other airports in southern and western Russia.

In Russia’s Belgorod region, acting Governor Alexander Shuvayev said a separate Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded another near the border with Ukraine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 213 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.

Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 142 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight. It said Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 125 drones and seven missiles before they reached their targets.

Ukraine has significantly expanded long-range strikes against Russian energy facilities and military-industrial infrastructure in recent months, saying the campaign is aimed at disrupting fuel supplies, reducing revenues that finance Moscow’s military operations, and increasing pressure on the Kremlin as the war enters its fifth year.

Kyiv’s military administration said four people were killed and 23 wounded in the capital, including a child, after overnight attacks involving ballistic missiles and waves of Shahed drones.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said five emergency responders were killed in Kharkiv after they were hit by a second strike while battling a fire caused by an earlier attack. At least five other rescuers were wounded.

Authorities said powerful explosions were reported across Kyiv overnight, with civilian infrastructure heavily damaged. Several strikes hit residential areas in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and grocery store also caught fire.

A nine-story residential building in the Obolonskyi district was also damaged after being directly hit.

Kyiv officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Moscow has continued to carry out long-range missile and drone attacks during the ongoing war.

The strikes also caused major damage at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Ukraine’s most important religious landmarks.

Officials said a major fire broke out at the historic monastic complex, while Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said the roof of the Dormition Cathedral was damaged.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, dates back to the 11th century and includes churches, monasteries and underground caves. It has long been considered a major religious and cultural center in Eastern Europe.

The latest attacks came as Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a war that has entered its fifth year, with Moscow continuing strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

A neighbourhood around Lukianivska square in Kyiv has become a visible example of the damage caused by the continuing air war between Russia and Ukraine, with residents and local businesses attempting to continue daily routines among damaged buildings and reminders of repeated attacks.

The area, once known for busy streets, restaurants and commercial activity, has seen many buildings damaged by strikes. A nearby station and restaurant remain among the active parts of the neighbourhood, while a small market selling flowers and vegetables continues operating beneath damaged structures.

For some residents, the repeated attacks have added to fears already carried from other parts of Ukraine. Anastasiia Prymak, a 23-year-old product manager, moved to Kyiv from Nikopol two years ago after experiencing frequent bombardment there. She said recent attacks on Kyiv had brought back the same sense of insecurity.

Prymak described a drone strike on a nearby apartment building on 28 April. She said she initially thought she heard aircraft but realised that was unlikely because of the war. Looking outside, she saw an explosion on the roof of a building.She said the attacks had affected her mental health and that she had been diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder.

She described experiencing persistent anxiety and panic attacks.Prymak showed images from her apartment window showing a damaged building with flames coming from windows after a strike. She said that during one major attack her boyfriend took her to a shelter, where she prayed despite not being religious.

Following further strikes, she said she had considered leaving Kyiv for Lviv in western Ukraine. She described the damage around her neighbourhood as increasingly similar to scenes from destroyed areas of Ukraine and said she feared being seriously injured in an attack.The destruction in the area comes amid a broader escalation in long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is increasing attacks on urban areas, while Russian officials have indicated plans for more extensive strikes.The intensifying missile threat has raised concerns about Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.

Ukrainian officials have sought additional missile interceptors, including systems such as Patriot air defence units, as the country continues attempts to protect major cities from aerial attacks.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased support from European partners, including stronger air defence systems and long-range capabilities.

During meetings with leaders in London, he highlighted what he described as an urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to respond to missile and drone attacks.Despite the risks, some local businesses have returned.

Faina Polishchuk, who operates a flower stall near Lukianivska square, said many traders had come back, although customer numbers had declined.She said the latest major strike left many stallholders frightened and unwilling to return immediately. However, she added that selling flowers was her source of income and that she needed to continue working.Polishchuk said she watched the strike from her apartment window and felt the building shake.

She later went to a shelter, where another resident showed her images of the damage on a phone and told her that buildings were burning.She said she intended to remain in Kyiv despite the danger, though she acknowledged that worsening conditions could force her to leave for Vinnytsia, her original home city.

The neighbourhood’s damaged buildings and disrupted businesses reflect the wider challenge facing civilians in Kyiv as the war enters another phase of intensified aerial attacks. Residents continue adapting to air raid alarms, shelter routines and the uncertainty of whether another strike may follow.

The Swedish Armed Forces said the incidents occurred on Friday in the southern and northern areas of the Baltic Sea. Swedish airspace was not violated during either encounter, it said.

NATO fighter jets were launched “to maintain security in the shared airspace,” the Swedish military said in a statement.

“The Russian actions are serious and constitute a recurring pattern of behavior that threatens both our territorial integrity and security,” Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, Sweden’s chief of joint operations, said.
The interceptions involved Sweden’s JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, which are used for national air defence and NATO-related missions.

Sweden joined NATO in March 2024, ending decades of military non-alignment following heightened security concerns in Europe.

Tensions in the Baltic Sea region have increased since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with NATO members strengthening surveillance and air patrol operations in the area.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov said Russian forces struck the city of Chuguiv overnight, killing four people, including a 22-year-old woman, and causing extensive damage to residential areas.“The enemy has hit the city of Chuguiv,” Synegubov wrote on Telegram, adding that the attack sparked fires, damaged at least 18 vehicles and shattered windows in multi-story apartment buildings.

Separately, Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said 10 people were wounded in strikes on the regional capital, one of Ukraine’s most heavily targeted cities because of its proximity to the Russian border.The latest attacks come amid a sustained escalation in aerial warfare between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian missile and drone strikes have intensified in recent months, while Kyiv has expanded its own long-range drone operations against targets deep inside Russian territory, saying those attacks are primarily aimed at military and energy infrastructure supporting Moscow’s war effort.

Kharkiv region has remained a focal point of the conflict, with repeated attacks on civilian and industrial facilities despite international calls for greater protection of non-combatants.According to United Nations estimates published in April, at least 15,850 civilians have been killed in areas under Ukrainian control since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. The UN said more than 2,800 civilians have also been killed in Russian-controlled territories.

The organization reported that more than 44,800 people have been wounded across Ukrainian-controlled and Russian-occupied areas since the start of the war.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has shown signs of easing military operations, with both sides continuing regular drone and missile attacks as fighting persists along multiple sectors of the front line.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian newspaper Izvestia that the letter had been delivered to Putin overnight after first appearing in the media.

“Yes, overnight we already handed over the written version. What came from the media was passed on to the president, and he has reviewed it. The president has been briefed,” Peskov said.

Zelensky published the open letter on Thursday, calling for direct talks with Putin aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict. He said Ukraine remained prepared to continue fighting if no diplomatic breakthrough could be achieved.

The Ukrainian leader also sought to increase pressure on the Kremlin by arguing that Russians were growing weary of both the war and Putin’s leadership.

Peskov indicated that Putin could address the letter publicly later on Friday during a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of Russia’s flagship annual economic gatherings.

The Kremlin has not yet provided a formal response to Zelensky’s proposal or indicated whether Putin would consider a direct meeting with the Ukrainian president.

The exchange comes as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled and fighting continues more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The ministry said 25 Azerbaijani nationals were among the crews of the vessels struck in Taganrog Bay, adding that neither ship belonged to Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Ukraine said its drones had hit five vessels in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk and in nearby coastal waters under Russian control.

Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, said the targeted ships included dry cargo vessels and a tanker allegedly involved in transporting military cargo, fuel and Ukrainian grain.

The attacks mark one of the deadliest incidents involving foreign civilian crew members in the conflict’s maritime zone this year.

Sergei Aksyonov said on Telegram that the strike targeted non-residential facilities in the Crimean capital. He did not specify the type of attack or provide further details on the targeted sites.

The reported attack comes amid continuing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides carrying out long-range strikes on military, energy and infrastructure targets.

There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities regarding the incident.Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, a move rejected by Ukraine and most Western countries, and has remained a frequent target of attacks since the start of the broader conflict.

Official trade data showed Taiwan exported 181,159 drones between January and April, almost 20 times the volume recorded during the same period a year earlier and exceeding total exports for all of 2025. The majority of shipments were sent to the Czech Republic and Poland, destinations industry observers believe serve as transit points for equipment ultimately supporting Ukraine’s defense effort.

The sharp rise highlights how the Russia-Ukraine war has transformed the global drone market, with low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles becoming essential tools for reconnaissance, surveillance and precision strikes. The conflict has accelerated military spending worldwide and increased demand for alternative drone suppliers outside China.

Taiwan is positioning itself as an Asian production center for so-called “non-red” drones and components, a term used by industry participants to describe products free from Chinese materials and supply chains. The strategy aligns with broader efforts by Western governments and defense industries to reduce dependence on Chinese technology.

While Taiwanese manufacturers benefit from the island’s advanced electronics ecosystem, including strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, they face significant cost disadvantages. Industry executives say non-Chinese drones can cost up to three times more than comparable products from Chinese manufacturers such as DJI, which dominates the global commercial drone market through large-scale production.

Analysts say overseas sales have become increasingly important for Taiwan’s emerging drone sector because domestic demand remains limited. Samara Duerr, a policy analyst at the Taiwan government-backed Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology, said international markets provide manufacturers with the scale and operational experience needed to expand production capacity.

The export boom also reflects opportunities created by Beijing’s tightening restrictions on drone exports in recent years. Those controls have encouraged foreign buyers to seek alternative suppliers, benefiting Taiwanese firms attempting to establish themselves in global supply chains.

Taiwan’s government has set ambitious targets for the sector, aiming to increase monthly production capacity to 100,000 drones by 2030, significantly above earlier goals. Officials view drone manufacturing as both an economic opportunity and a strategic necessity as Taiwan seeks to strengthen its defense capabilities in the face of military pressure from China.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has intensified military activity around the island in recent years. Taipei sees the development of a domestic drone industry as part of broader efforts to enhance self-reliance and deterrence.

Industry leaders argue, however, that progress is being constrained by delays in government procurement programs. Plans to acquire more than 200,000 domestically produced drones under a proposed defense package worth nearly $40 billion have been stalled in Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament.

Max Lo, chairman of drone manufacturer AeroSoarX, said overseas contracts were essential for maintaining production lines while domestic orders remain uncertain. Taiwanese companies have increasingly pursued customers in Eastern Europe, particularly those involved in supporting Ukraine’s war effort.

Despite strong export growth, industry experts caution that Taiwan faces formidable competition. Ukraine has rapidly developed its own drone manufacturing ecosystem during the war and could emerge as a major exporter once hostilities end. Chinese producers also continue to dominate many segments of the market through lower prices and extensive manufacturing capacity.

Marcin Jerzewski of the European Values Center for Security Policy said one challenge for Taiwanese firms is proving their systems can perform under combat conditions, an area where Ukrainian manufacturers now possess extensive battlefield experience.

Analysts say Taiwan may ultimately find its strongest competitive advantage in specialized drone components rather than complete systems. Artur Savchii of Ukraine’s Snake Island Institute pointed to areas such as lithium-ion cells and advanced electronic components, where Taiwan’s technology sector could help reduce global dependence on Chinese suppliers.

Taiwanese companies are also expanding internationally through partnerships and joint ventures. Drone manufacturer Thunder Tiger has established a venture to produce drone motors in the U.S. state of Ohio and is exploring further expansion into Europe, betting that security concerns over Chinese technology will continue to drive demand for alternative suppliers.