Ukraine Invasion: Part 49

[MagicFox]

Welcome to our 49th thread with the usual thanks to all regular contributors and lurkers 🇺🇦

**
Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

But in the pics released he doesn't look 71 to me!

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

The official account of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico published the first message after the assassination attempt, claiming that he is in a “life-threatening” condition.
“As of now, he is being transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, as the road to Bratislava would take too long, given the need for urgent intervention. The next few hours will decide everything,” the post reads.

[there is footage of the moments after he's been shot and is being supported to a car, plus footage of the gunman being arrested, but there's no need to link either of those]

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports that Ukrainian troops have maneuvered and moved to more favorable positions near the villages of Lukiantsi and Vovchansk in Kharkiv oblast

I would say that he certainly has the temperament and intellect to be president, but possibly not "qualified" in the sense that the major job of a president is to get a domestic agenda through Congress. That's harder for someone with no legislative experience, but not impossible. Trump floundered in his first couple of years in office because he had no idea how the legislative sausage gets made.

I just looked Antony Blinken up on Wiki. His great-grandfather was Ukrainian! Interesting he doesn't play that card. (Unlike Biden and Ireland).

"Meir Blinken (Russian: Меер Янкелевич Блинкин, romanized: Meyer Yankelevich Blinkin; 1879 – 1915) was a Ukrainian-born American Jewish author who published about 50 fiction and nonfiction works in Yiddish between 1904 and 1915."

@nexta

‼️ The shooter who made an attempt on Fico's life, at the moment of his arrest

Slovak media reported that the attacker was a former employee of a private security company and author of a poetry collection Juraj Cintula. This is reported by local TV channel Markiza.

In 2016, Cintula himself survived an assassination attempt when he was attacked in a shopping center in the town of Levice by a young man who was in an inebriated state.

Cintula's son stated that his father had a gun permit and denied information that had emerged that Cintula was a patient of a psychiatric hospital.

Cintula is now in custody and his case is being handled by the National Criminal Agency of Slovakia.

Messaging on this from Russia and the West does at least seem to be similar, essentially condemning it but not blaming (at this stage).

Hmmm

To be honest at this stage it seems most likely it was internal Slovakian politics at the heart of this. A pro-Russian assassination attempt frankly makes no sense.

I've seen other sources saying he as EU leaning so we'll have to wait and see what it's all about.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-14-2024

Key Takeaways:

• The pace of Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast appears to have slowed over the past 24 hours, and the pattern of Russian offensive activity in this area is consistent with ISW's assessment that Russian forces are prioritizing the creation of a "buffer zone" in the international border area over a deeper penetration of Kharkiv Oblast.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin's candidate for Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov outlined his and Putin's intended priorities for the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) during a speech to the Russian Federation Council on May 14.
• Russian authorities detained Russian Deputy Defense Minister and Russian MoD Main Personnel Directorate Head Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov on May 13 on charges of accepting large-scale bribes.
• Putin appointed former Tula Oblast Governor Alexei Dyumin and former Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev as his presidential assistants on May 14, further re-balancing his ministerial cabinet for his fifth term.
• The Georgian parliament passed Georgia's Russian-style "foreign agents" bill in its third and final reading on May 14, amid continued protests against the bill in Tbilisi.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US is interested in a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv on May 14.
• Likely Ukrainian actors conducted a strike against a Russian railway line in Volgograd Oblast on May 14.
• Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Lyptsi, Vovchansk, Svatove, Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, Donetsk City, and Krynky.
• The Russian MoD is reportedly coercing Russian citizens and migrants into Russian military service through false job opportunities, likely as part of ongoing crypto-mobilization efforts.
• Ukrainian officials continue efforts to return forcibly deported Ukrainian children to Ukrainian-controlled territory from Russia.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-13-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Russian forces continued to make tactically significant advances north and northeast of Kharkiv City on May 13 and currently appear to be prioritizing the rapid establishment of a "buffer zone" along the international border over setting conditions for deeper penetrations into northern Kharkiv Oblast.
• Russian forces' relatively rapid rate of advances in Vovchansk and their reported destruction of several bridges across key waterways within the settlement suggest that Russian forces are prioritizing the creation of a "buffer zone" over a deeper penetration, as ISW previously assessed they would.
• Newly appointed Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu participated in his first Security Council meeting as secretary on May 13, amid continued reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is focusing on mobilizing the Russian economy and defense industrial base (DIB) to support a protracted war in Ukraine.
• Putin's decision to remove Shoigu from the Russian MoD appears to have also opened the door for the departure of certain Shoigu affiliates from the MoD, likely one of the intended effects of Putin's recent cabinet reshuffles.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted successful missile strikes against a Russian air defense base in occupied Crimea and successful drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure in Russia.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Lyptsi and Vovchansk in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
• The Russian military may be intensifying efforts to recruit conscripts through the Russian Volunteer Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy of Russia (DOSAAF) as part of ongoing crypto-mobilization efforts.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Media: 50 states confirm participation https://kyivindependent.com/media-50-states-confirm-participation-in-ukraines-peace-summit-in-switzerland/ in Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland.

⚡️ Putin arrives in China https://kyivindependent.com/putin-arrives-in-china-on-state-visit https://kyivindependent.com/putin-arrives-in-china-on-state-visit/ on state visit. Xi and Putin plan to discuss a range of issues regarding their bilateral partnership and strategic interaction and identify key areas for future cooperation, the Kremlin said on May 15.

⚡️ Slovak PM 'no longer in life-threatening condition' after assassination attempt. https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-pm-robert-fico-no-longer-in-life-threatening-condition-after-assassination-attempt/
Slovak PM shooting – everything we know so far about the assassination attempt https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-pm-shooting-everything-we-know-so-far-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-robert-fico/ on Robert Fico.

⚡️ FT: EU to freeze Georgia's membership bid https://kyivindependent.com/ft-eu-will-freeze-georgias-membership-bid-if-controversial-foreign-agents-law-is-enacted/ if 'foreign agents' law enacted.

The European Commission predicted that Russia's GDP growth for 2024 will be 2.9% in a report published on May 15. https://kyivindependent.com/european-commissions-prediction-for-russias-gdp-growth-in-2024/

⚡️Military: Ukraine has not lost ground near Robotyne https://kyivindependent.com/military-ukraine-has-not-lost-ground-near-robotyne-in-zaporizhizhia-oblast/ in Zaporizhizhia Oblast.

Ukrainian troops thwarted Russia's plans to gain a foothold in deeper urban areas in the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff reported on May 16.
Ukrainian units continue to conduct combat missions within the urban area of Vovchansk's northern outskirts, keeping Russian soldiers under fire control, according to the General Staff. https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-ukraine-thwarts-russias-plan-to-gain-foothold-in-vovchansk/

⚡️Estonian parliament passes bill allowing use of frozen Russian assets for war reparations for Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/estonian-parliament-passes-bill-allowing-use-of-frozen-russian-assets-for-war-reparations-for-ukraine/

EU ambassadors have agreed on an EU-wide ban on four key Russian propaganda outlets, said Rikard Jozwiak, the Europe Editor for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), on May 15 https://kyivindependent.com/media-eu-ambassadors-agree-on-broadcast-ban-of-key-russian-propaganda-outlets/

⚡️Ukraine implements rolling blackouts after recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-implements-rolling-blackouts-schedule-due-to-recent-russian-attacks-on-energy-infrastructure/

⚡️Defense Minister Rustem Umerov dismissed Brigadier General Serhii Baranov from his position as head of the Missile, Artillery, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Forces, the division announced on May 14. https://kyivindependent.com/umerov-dismisses-head-of-rocket-artillery-uav-forces/

⚡️Shares in Georgia's two largest banks, TBC and Bank of Georgia, dropped sharply on May 15, the day after U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jim O'Brien warned top Georgian government officials about potential consequences should the controversial foreign agents law be enacted. https://kyivindependent.com/shares-in-georgias-largest-banks-plummet-after-us-threatens-sanctions-against-top-georgian-officials/

⚡️Reuters: Finland plans to use reservists to patrol border with Russia.
Finland is planning to change its conscription rules to allow reservists to help patrol the border with Russia in the case that there is a sudden wave of migrants, Reuters reported on May 15. https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-finland-plans-to-use-reservists-to-patrol-border-with-russia/

Mariupol defender breaks down his famous Azovstal photos
Dmytro Kozatskyi, call sign "Orest," is a Ukrainian soldier who formerly headed the press service of the Azov regiment. He was based in Mariupol when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and soon ended up at the last Ukrainian stronghold in the city — the Azovstal steel plant

⚡️ New Zealand announces new sanctions https://kyivindependent.com/new-zealand-expands-sanctions-against-russia/ over Russia's war on Ukraine.

⚡️Russian attack against Kharkiv injures at least 2
⚡️ Explosions reported in Kharkiv.
⚡️Russia's attack on Sumy Oblast kills civilian injures 1.
Two Ukrainian Railways workers killed in Russian attack.
⚡️ Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 4, injure 41 over past day.
Russia targeted a total of 10 Ukrainian oblasts — Sumy, Luhansk, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson. Casualties were reported in the latter five regions.

⚡️ Partisans Atesh: Ammunition depot hit at Belbek airfield in occupied Crimea. The partisans claim that the damaged depot stored "most of the missiles" for Russian Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets as well as MiG-31 aircraft, a carrier of Kinzhal ballistic missiles that Russia uses to attack Ukraine. The partisans did not explicitly say whether the stored ammunition included Kinzhals.

⚡️Medvechuk's yacht officially transferred https://kyivindependent.com/medvechuks-yacht-officially-transferred-to-ukrainian-state/ to Ukrainian state.
The Royal Romance, a 92-meter (300-foot) luxury yacht worth an estimated 200 million euros ($218 million), was seized by Croatian authorities in March 2022.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦

• MAY 16, 2024

■ Casualties up between days, engagements stay high ■ Equipment above average as well; vehicle record ■ Unchanged 🇷🇺 shelling but fewer drone, air & missile attacks ■ 39 🇺🇦 strikes reported yesterday; most this year so far

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-15-2024

Key Takeaways:

• The tempo of Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast continues to decrease after Russian forces initially seized areas that Ukrainian officials have now confirmed were less defended.
• The US Helsinki Commission stated that the US should allow Ukraine to conduct strikes against military targets in Russia's border areas amid an ongoing Russian offensive operation into Kharkiv Oblast from Russia, although US officials continue to express unwillingness to support such strikes.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to publicly prioritize the further mobilization of the Russian defense industrial base (DIB) while also attempting to assuage possible domestic fears about the negative effects of increased Russian defense spending.
• Putin specifically noted that the Russian DIB must increase the quality of Russian weapons.
• Putin is likely concerned about the economic and diplomatic implications of decreased Russian arms exports.
• The Kremlin confirmed the appointments of the newly formed Moscow and Leningrad military districts (MMD and LMD) and other military district commanders on May 15.
• Russian sources speculated that the May 13 detention of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov is only the beginning of a wider effort to root out corruption within the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on May 15 that the US will provide a two billion dollar "defense enterprise fund" to Ukraine.
• Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reportedly struck a Russian fuel depot in Rostov Oblast on the night of May 14 to 15.
• The Kremlin continues to add European officials to Russia's wanted list as part of Russia's efforts to assert the jurisdiction of Russian federal law over sovereign NATO member states.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances in northern Kharkiv Oblast, near Siversk, and west of Donetsk City.
• Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Lytyvyenko assessed on May 15 that Russian forces will have enough tanks and armored fighting vehicles for the next year and half of fighting in Ukraine at their current operational tempo.

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Putin is preparing physical attacks on Western countries, according to the head of Britain's Center for Government Communication, Anna Kist-Butler, in comments to The Telegraph.
Since being appointed to head Britain's radio intelligence service last May, Kist-Butler has insisted that there is a real threat from the Kremlin.
Kist-Butler insisted that Moscow was "nurturing and inspiring" cybercriminal groups and "in some cases appears to be coordinating physical attacks against the West". She noted that the Russians now want to go beyond cyber attacks.

In the northern part of the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, where fierce battles are currently taking place, the Russian invaders are taking civilians captive. There are already data about executions, — said Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko.

Protests against the law on "foreign agents" continue in Tbilisi, the foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Iceland took part in the march and spoke on stage near the parliament building.
There are currently no reports of confrontations with the police and arrests.

Drone strikes cut Russia's April oil revenues by $1.2 billion, — Bloomberg
Drone strikes caused April exports of oil and petroleum products from Russia to fall to levels last seen in late 2023. Overall, the Russian Federation earned $1.2 billion less from oil exports in April than it did in March.
Last month, Russia exported a total of 7.3 million barrels per day, down 6.4% from March, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly report. According to its estimates, this is the lowest level of oil exports from Russia in the past five months," Bloomberg reports.

US Intelligence: The Kremlin Has Stepped Up Its Disinformation Campaign Against Zelenskyy
Russian disinformation emphasizes two issues — the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Avdiivka and the postponement of the presidential elections in Ukraine. Moscow is trying to present the withdrawal as a step that is not a strategic decision for motives, but pursues "other motives". And speaking of elections, the Russians are trying to fuel the thesis that Zelenskyy is illegitimate.

🇭🇺 Hungarian media gained access to internal documents that prove that the Hungarian authorities knew about a cyberattack on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs more than 2 years ago, which was probably behind Russian hackers, although they denied it at the time

Sweden has announced its readiness to use U.S. nuclear weapons in the event of a Russian attack on NATO, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Sveriges Radio.
According to him, there is no need to take such a step in peacetime, but "in the worst-case scenario, democratic countries should be able to protect themselves from states that might threaten with nuclear weapons."

Consequences of the attack on the Belbek military airfield in Crimea
In the photo, which is circulating on Telegram channels, in particular, Russian ones, it is seen that the destroyed radar for the S-300/S-400 air defense system and, probably, a damaged launcher in the background.

The German defense concern Rheinmetall plans to open an enterprise in Ukraine that will specialize in air defense systems, — the German Aid to Ukraine project

In the northern part of the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, where fierce battles are currently taking place, the Russian invaders are taking civilians captive. There are already data about executions, — said Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko.

Grim. The residents must have known what was coming; I guess that they are older and do not want to leave their homes, and perhaps have nowhere to go to anyway.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇺🇸 The United States is preparing another urgent military aid package for Ukraine. This was announced during a briefing by White House spokesperson Karin Jean-Pierre.

Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting in Kharkiv
"As of today, the situation in the Kharkiv oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the area remains extremely difficult - we are strengthening our units," the President said. [as of 12:00 CET time]

It feels like this is all spiralling out of control again

A General and Zelensky have both said there are signs of the situation stabilizing. The 6 months' delay means that yes, ground has been lost, but US aid will be starting to trickle through before long.

The main worry is that if artillery gets in range of Kharkiv - well, we know what Russians do to villages, towns and cities.

I think the aid is getting through at a respectable pace. The complaints of ammunition shortages have largely stopped, and the ATACMS attack on the air base in Crimea means that more of those are getting through as well. Keep in mind the pipeline is only so wide, and it's the Ukrainians who will determine what they want delivered first.

It looks to me like the Russians have culminated in the Kharkiv offensive, but time will tell. Their losses there have been horrific, and Lloyd Austin and Anthony Blinkin have clearly stated that the Ukrainians can hit targets in Russia with American weapons. This will cause the Russians to rethink their willingness to risk marshaling more resources for Kharkiv and pull back high-value targets.

Just about, all feels pretty grim. At least there are some fireworks in Crimea that are at least slightly cheering, sounds like a good strike overnight and yesterday. But otherwise it just feels pretty awful.

Just thinking of you Naem.

@naem 💙💛

Zelenskyy: Ukraine Has Enough Artillery Shells for the First Time in Two Years of War

united24media.com/latest-news/zelenskyy-ukraine-has-enough-artillery-shells-for-the-first-time-in-two-years-of-war-381

One tiny bit of good news

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️ Zelensky: Russia's Kharkiv Oblast offensive advances as far as 10 km, halted by 1st defense line. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-russias-attack-on-kharkiv-oblast-reaches-as-far-as-10-km-halted-by-1st-defense-line/

⚡️Syrskyi: Russia expanding attacks in Kharkiv Oblast, 'tough battles ahead.' https://kyivindependent.com/syrskyi-russia-expands-attacks-in-kharkiv-oblast-says-tough-battles-ahead/

⚡️Putin: 'No plans to capture Kharkiv as of today.' https://kyivindependent.com/putin-no-plans-to-capture-kharkiv-as-of-today/

⚡️ Zelensky: No reports of artillery shortages for past 2 months. (@MissConductUS )
For the first time since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion, no Ukrainian brigades have reported a lack of artillery shells, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on May 16. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-progress-made-on-artillery-shortage/

⚡️ Xi claims Beijing, Moscow want 'political solution to Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking on May 16 at a press conference during Putin's two-day visit to China, the pair put on a united front and cast themselves as partners opposed to a Western, U.S.-led world order. https://kyivindependent.com/china-and-russia-both-want-political-solution-to-war-in-ukraine-president-xi-says/

⚡️Zelensky: Ukraine can prevent https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-16/ occupation of Kharkiv with 2 Patriot systems.
Ukraine cannot afford to lose the city of Kharkiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky told in an interview with ABC News on May 16, calling the situation "very serious."

⚡️Moldova to hold referendum on joining EU in October. https://kyivindependent.com/moldova-to-hold-referendum-on-joining-eu-in-october/

⚡️Reuters: G7 will support https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-g7-will-support-using-frozen-russian-assets-revenue-to-fund-ukraine/ using frozen Russian assets revenue to fund Ukraine.

⚡️WSJ: Russia tested space-based https://kyivindependent.com/wsj-russia-tested-space-based-anti-satellite-weapon-with-potential-nuclear-capabilities-in-2022/ anti-satellite weapon with potential nuclear capabilities in 2022.
The officials said that Russia had launched a satellite into space in February 2022 to test components for a potential anti-satellite weapon that would carry a nuclear device. However, the satellite that was launched doesn’t carry a nuclear weapon, the WSJ reported.

⚡️ Police: Russia using civilians in Vovchansk as human shields. https://kyivindependent.com/police-russia-using-civilians-in-vovchansk-as-human-shields/
Russian forces had captured up to 40 civilians in the Ukrainian town of Vovchansk and are using them as human shields, the police said on May 17.

⚡️New York Times: NATO member states considering sending military instructors to Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have asked the U.S. and other NATO countries to help train 150,000 troops close to the front lines. https://kyivindependent.com/new-york-times-nato-member-states-considering-sending-military-instructors-to-ukraine/

⚡️UK Defense Ministry: Ukraine's economy to grow https://kyivindependent.com/uk-defense-ministry-ukraines-economy-to-grow-by-3-in-2024/ by 3% in 2024.

Drones operated by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) hit production facilities of the state-owned Russian weapons manufacturing company "Basalt" in the city of Tula overnight on May 16, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent. https://kyivindependent.com/source-military-intelligence-drones-attack-russian-defense-manufacturer-facility-in-tula/

⚡️Denmark announces https://kyivindependent.com/denmark-announces-more-than-850-million-in-new-military-assistance-for-ukraine/ more than $815 million in new military assistance for Ukraine.

⚡️ Official: Ukraine's civil service suffering 'catastrophic' shortage of people. kyivindependent.com/ukraines-civil-service-suffering-catastrophic-shortage-of-people/
"We have a catastrophic lack of specialists... Our goal is to attract qualified personnel and be able to retain them through competitive wages," Aliushyna said at an online conference called "Two Years of War: Consequences and Prospects."

⚡️PM's advisor: Power cuts in Ukraine may last until August. https://kyivindependent.com/prime-ministers-advisor-power-cuts-in-ukraine-may-last-until-august/

⚡️US imposes https://kyivindependent.com/us-imposes-sanctions-on-russians-who-helped-transport-weapons-from-north-korea-to-russia/ sanctions on Russians who helped transport weapons from North Korea to Russia.

⚡️Netherlands' incoming right wing coalition government reaffirms support for Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/netherlands-new-coalition-government-reaffirms-support-for-ukraine/

⚡️Minister: Ukraine exported https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-exported-products-worth-22-billion-in-2023/ agricultural products worth $22 billion in 2023.

According to reports, a top official in the Sri Lankan government stated that the government will send a delegation to Russia to investigate the fate of hundreds of nationals reportedly fighting in the war in Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-sri-lanka-to-retrieve-mercenaries-fighting-on-behalf-of-russia/

⚡️PM Shmyhal: Ukraine allocates $38 million to restore 2 power plants destroyed by Russia. https://kyivindependent.com/pm-shmyhal-ukraine-allocates-38-million-to-restore-2-power-plants-destroyed-by-russia/

⚡️Economy minister cancels conscription exemption for Glovo, Favbet Tech employees. https://kyivindependent.com/economy-minister-postpones-conscription-exemption-for-glovo-favbet-tech-employees/

⚡️ Russian attacks on Kherson, Donetsk oblasts kill 2, injure 9.
⚡️ Russian cluster munition attack on Kharkiv Oblast injures 6, including Vovchansk official.
⚡️Record longest air raid alert in Kharkiv, six explosions recorded. The air alert had lasted over 16 and a half hours.

⚡️Russian media: Novorossiysk port, oil depot hit in overnight attack.
⚡️Drone strike causes fire at Belgorod Oblast gas station.
⚡️Update: Drone strikes cause blackouts https://kyivindependent.com/russian-proxy-drones-target-sevastopol-in-third-attack-this-week/ school closures in occupied Sevastopol.
⚡️ Russia claims fire at oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai after drone attack.
⚡️Russia claims over 100 downed drones amid reports of massive drone attack on port, oil facilities.
⚡️ Media: Ukrainian drones hit military facilities in Russia, Crimea overnight.

⚡️Belbek airfield strikes destroyed 3 Russian planes https://kyivindependent.com/belbek-airfield-strike-destroyed-three-russian-planes-satellite-images-suggest/ satellite images suggest.

Author of famous Azovstal photos https://kyivindependent.com/author-of-famous-azovstal-photos-on-documenting-ukraines-iron-resistance-in-mariupol/ on documenting Ukraine’s iron resistance in Mariupol

Glide bombs help Russia gain land in Ukraine https://kyivindependent.com/what-are-glide-bombs-and-how-do-they-help-russia-gain-land-in-ukraine/ What makes them so effective?
Every week, hundreds of these large, deadly weapons rain down on Ukraine, creating 20-meter-wide craters and obliterating military positions and entire settlements.
Despite their simplicity and low cost, glide bombs have become one of Russia's most effective weapons during the full-scale war, previously contributing to the fall of the strategic city of Avdiivka in February – Russia’s first major gain in nine months.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
⚡️ WAR IN

• MAY 17, 2024

■ 🇷🇺 making gains but they are costly: 4th highest daily casualties, record 7-day ones ■ Equipment losses incl. 2x jets & helicopter ■ Increased 🇷🇺 strikes, 🇺🇦 strikes down between days ■ Poternet: +570 🇷🇺 names added to database

Zelensky: No reports of artillery shortages for past 2 months. (@MissConductUS )
For the first time since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion, no Ukrainian brigades have reported a lack of artillery shells, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on May 16

It's good to have that confirmation. I had presumed it was true because of reports from Ukrainian artillery troops that they had plenty of ammo, but those were anecdotal. American plants that produce artillery shells were running full tilt during the six-month pause in military aid funding, so it's safe to assume that they built up a lot of inventory during that time, some of which was included in the first aid shipments.

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The commander of NATO's United Armed Forces in Europe, General Cavoli, and the chairman of the alliance's military committee, Bauer, believe that the offensive of Russian forces in the north of the Kharkiv region will not lead to a strategic breakthrough.

🇦🇹 The Austrian authorities have established a special €500 million loan fund for Ukraine.
The funds will be provided over the next five years to support exports and investments in Ukraine, with €100 million per year allocated for new business.

The IMF will launch a new mission to Ukraine in the coming weeks to assess the economy and the country's performance under a $15.6 billion lending program, according to IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozak, as quoted by the BBC.
Kozak stated that the mission will evaluate recent economic developments and review Ukraine's macroeconomic parameters and debt sustainability.
As part of the IMF program, Ukraine must take measures to maintain fiscal, external, price, and financial stability, along with broader reforms to ensure macroeconomic stability.

Between achieving NATO's goals and helping Ukraine, the Allies must choose the latter, said Admiral Robert Bauer, head of the Alliance's Military Committee.

In the Kharkiv region, the enemy has reached the first line, the deepest point of their advance is ten kilometers, — said President Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists.
▫️The defense forces managed to stabilize the Russian troops in the Kharkiv region. The enemy did not reach the concrete defense line;
▫️In the north of the Kharkiv region the enemy increased its presence with separate battalions. The aim of the occupants is to seize a 10-kilometer zone along the border;
▫️In the directions of some brigades the occupiers are not advancing and never have been. Several directions have been reinforced by separate battalions and reserves have been used for this purpose;
▫️The crossing of the border by the Russians is connected with the lack of anti-aircraft systems. The invaders operate at a distance with artillery and aerial bombs;

Bit more info:
Before the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation launched into space a device with components of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon, — The Wall Street Journal.
The publication cites information from reliable sources who claim that it is the Cosmos-2553 satellite. It does not carry nuclear weapons, but US officials say it carries non-nuclear components of a new Russian weapons system.
This weapon will allow Moscow to use a nuclear explosion to destroy hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit, "in that part of space dominated by the apparatuses of the US government and the SpaceX company".
According to the publication, "Cosmos-2553" is still moving around the Earth in an "unusual orbit".

Half of the Russians surveyed believe that negotiations should begin with Ukraine, but only a third are willing to return the occupied territories, according to a Levada Center poll.
The survey showed that 51% of Russians think peace negotiations should start, while 39% believe military action should continue.
Regarding support for President Putin, 71% would back him if he decided to end the conflict with Ukraine (44% would definitely support, and the rest would rather support).
However, support drops significantly when the question includes returning annexed territories to Ukraine, with only 30% in favor and 60% opposed (42% definitely opposed).

🇬🇷 Defense Minister of Greece Nikos Dendias denied media reports that Greece is secretly sending 250 containers with weapons to Ukraine

British historian Timothy Garton Ash donated 1.4 million Ukrainian hryvnias to the Armed Forces from his own award.

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine congratulated Ukrainians on Vyshyvanka Day.

🇱🇹🇺🇦 The President of Lithuania and his wife dressed in national Ukrainian shirts for Vyshyvanka Day