U.S. intelligence agencies had alerted top military and administration officials as early as Wednesday about a potential military assault against prominent Russian defense authorities, plotted by Prigozhin.
Russia's Defense Ministry spokesperson stated on Wednesday, "On May 29, the Ukrainian Navy’s last combat ship Yury Olefirenko was destroyed as a result of a strike by the Russian Aerospace Forces’ precision weapons against the anchorage of naval ships in the Odessa port."
Ukrainian drones launched a unprecedented attack on Moscow and the Moscow Region, with Russian defenses successfully intercepting and neutralizing most of them, leading President Vladimir Putin to accuse Ukraine of engaging in a campaign of fear and terrorist activity, while the West expresses concerns over potential nuclear action by Russia in response.
"Zelensky, working behind the back of the Biden White House, pushed hard earlier this year for an expanded series of missile attacks inside Russia," says Hersh.