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Ukraine Invasion: Part 49

991 replies

MagicFox · 09/05/2024 13:25

Welcome to our 49th thread with the usual thanks to all regular contributors and lurkers πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦

**
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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
265
blueshoes · 17/05/2024 15:30

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-16-2024

Key Takeaways:

  • Ukrainian officials reported that Ukrainian forces are stabilizing the situation along the northern border in Kharkiv Oblast and that the tempo of Russian offensive operations in the area continues to decrease.
  • Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that Russian forces have executed civilians and taken civilians captive in Vovchansk.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin likely views Russia's relationship with the People's Republic of China (PRC) as decisive to his effort to further mobilize the Russian economy and defense industry to support a protracted war in Ukraine.
  • Putin also used his meeting with Xi to promote known Kremlin narratives feigning interest in peace negotiations and a diplomatic resolution to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  • Russian forces are reportedly able to conduct fixed-wing drone reconnaissance deep in the Ukrainian rear due to Ukraine's lack of air defense interceptors.
  • Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted successful drone strikes against a Russian defense industrial plant in Tula City on the night of May 15 to 16.
  • Russian missile strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure since March 2024 have likely caused long-term damage to Ukrainian energy infrastructure and repeated energy blackouts.
  • A Russian insider source, who has previously accurately reported on Russian military command changes, claimed that senior Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) officials are vying for the position of Chief of the General Staff.
  • Kremlin and Georgian officials promoted established Kremlin information operations alleging that the West is orchestrating protests against Georgia's "foreign agent" law in order to overthrow the Georgian government.
  • Turkey and Russia are reportedly exploiting European Union (EU) sanctions regulations to export Russian oil to the EU, allowing Russia to continue to receive significant oil revenues to fund its war effort in Ukraine.
  • Russia reportedly launched a satellite as part of its program to develop a nuclear anti-satellite weapon in the weeks before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, likely as part of Russian preparations for a future confrontation with NATO.
  • Russian forces recently advanced near Lyptsi, Vovchansk, Kupyansk and Donetsk City.
  • Several Russian opposition media outlets reported on May 16 that Russian State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrei Kartapolov rejected a bill that would grant deferment from mobilization to certain Russian civilians, likely to support ongoing and future crypto-mobilization efforts.
Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 17/05/2024 15:37

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

High-quality satellite images of the Belbek airfield in occupied Crimea after the attack have emerged. NYT investigator Christiaan Triebert suggested https://x.com/trbrtc/status/1791243531362734584 that two MiG-31 and one Su-27 fighter jets were completely destroyed, and the MiG-29 was damaged

πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ The United States maintains its position that Ukraine should use American weapons within its territory
This was stated https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3778372/deputy-pentagon-press-secretary-sabrina-singh-holds-a-press-briefing/ by Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh when asked whether Washington had changed its mind in the wake of the Russian offensive in Kharkiv region.
β–ͺ️ The other day, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the United States does not encourage strikes against Russia with American weapons, but "Ukraine should decide for itself what to do."

"Russian and Chinese are brothers forever," - Putin during his visit to China

Zelensky said he did not really understand the idea of a β€œtruce” during the Paris Olympics, because nothing would prevent Russia, for example, from moving closer with its equipment and then β€œlaunching an offensive

Russians shelled Kharkiv
Two dead and 13 wounded have been reported.

x.com

https://x.com/trbrtc/status/1791243531362734584

MagicFox · 17/05/2024 16:11

@mikhailorohoza

Patrushev at a closed meeting of the Russian Security Council!

If we don't conquer Ukraine now... We're losing everything!
β–ͺ︎ We will not receive shale gas deposits in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.
β–ͺ︎ We will not get such" critical raw materials " as lithium, cobalt, scandium, graphite, tantalum, niobium and others... which Ukraine is rich in.
β–ͺ β–ͺ We will not get a source of bread and food... where there are huge reserves, surplus bread, but it is difficult to take them immediately, there is still Bandera...
β–ͺ β–ͺ We must move at least three million companies from northern hungry Russia to Ukraine.
β–ͺ ΠŸΠΎΠΌΡ–ΡΡ‚ΠΈΡ‚ΠΈ to place an army of one and a half million in Ukraine, closer to the EU borders, so that they tremble...
β–ͺ︎ In the occupied territories, it is necessary to expand the use of shootings and post all this on social networks...
Fear is our main weapon.
Without this, it is impossible to build the Russia of the future.
Without law enforcement agencies and other similar organizations with punitive functions, the Russian Federation cannot exist as an empire.

OP posts:
MagicFox · 17/05/2024 16:13

2 decent analysts on the below reported statements:

Michael Clarke: I hesitate to say this account is obviously true. Well worth trying to verify it. But it tallies with what we know from past statements that Patrushev thinks. And he is the biggest intellectual influence on Putin's view of Russia's place in the world.

Mark Galeotti: Apart from being nonsensical, I’m bound to say it doesn’t even fit Patrushev’s idiom.

OP posts:
DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 17/05/2024 16:19

... Can I laugh?

MagicFox · 17/05/2024 16:30

I think we all need it!

OP posts:
Igotjelly · 17/05/2024 17:24

i sometimes think dark humour is all we have left πŸ˜‚

blueshoes · 18/05/2024 11:02

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-17-2024

Key Takeaways:

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin framed Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast as part of Russian efforts to create a "buffer zone" to protect Russian border areas from Ukrainian strikes, confirming ISW's previous assessments.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian forces have stabilized the front in northern Kharkiv Oblast and that Russian forces have not reached Ukraine's "concrete" and "most powerful" line of defense in the area.
  • Russian forces will likely be able to stretch Ukrainian forces along a wide front and fix Ukrainian troops in the international border area even as the tempo of Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast slows.
  • Russian forces reportedly leveraged notable electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to support tactically significant gains during the first days of their limited offensive operation in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
  • Senior NATO military commanders confirmed ISW's prior assessments that Russian forces do not have sufficient forces to achieve a "strategic breakthrough" in Ukraine.
  • Ukrainian forces conducted a series of large-scale aerial and naval drone strikes against Russian energy and port infrastructure in Krasnodar Krai and occupied Crimea on the night of May 16 to 17.
  • US officials reiterated the White House's unwillingness to support Ukraine's use of US-provided weapons in strikes against military targets in Russia.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to further known Russian information operations intended to directly undermine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy as president.
  • Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Avdiivka.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the annual Russian-Chinese Expo and forum on interregional cooperation and visited Harbin Polytechnic University during the second and last day of his trip to the People's Republic of China (PRC) on May 17.
  • Ukrainian and Western sources continue to report that Russian forces are committing war crimes in newly occupied areas of Kharkiv Oblast.
Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 18/05/2024 12:32

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚑️Washington Post: Ukrainian troops' Starlink connection suffered systemic failure amid Russian offensive.
Starlink terminals operated by Ukraine's 125th Territorial Defense Brigade in Kharkiv Oblast were completely disabled in the first such incident since 2022, the Washington Post reported on May 17, citing unnamed Ukrainian soldiers on the ground. https://kyivindependent.com/wsj-ukraines-starlink-connection/ [@MissConductUS this is really serious, isnt it]

⚑️ Zelensky: Russia’s Kharkiv Oblast offensive could be first of several waves and Russian forces may try for the regional capital of Kharkiv.https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-russias-offensive-can-consist-of-several-waves-with-first-in-kharkiv-oblast/

⚑️Hungary vetoes https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-vetoes-ec-resolution-to-support-ukraines-peace-plan/ Council of Europe resolution supporting Ukraine's peace formula.
In a post on Facebook, Peter Szijjarto said that "other plans" had been proposed by others but were not being considered by the Council, and the exclusion of Russia from the body meant peace negotiations could not work. The minister did not specify which other plans he was referring to.

⚑️ Zelensky: Ukraine only has 25% of needed air defense capabilities. kyivindependent.com/zelensky-ukraine-has-25-of-needed-air-defenses/

⚑️Slovak PM Fico undergoes 2nd surgery, still in stable but serious condition following assassination attempt. https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-pm-fico-undergoes-2nd-surgery-still-in-serious-condition-following-assassination-attempt/

⚑️Lithuania to supply https://kyivindependent.com/lithuania-to-supply-ukraine-with-six-radars-within-german-led-air-defense-initiative/ Ukraine with six radars within German-led air defense initiative.

⚑️Ukrenergo: Restrictions https://kyivindependent.com/ukrenergo-restrictions-on-energy-supply-for-industrial-users-remain-in-effect-due-to-power-shortage/ on energy supply for industrial users remain in effect due to power shortage.

⚑️EU suspends https://kyivindependent.com/council-of-eu-suspends-4-more-russian-propaganda-outlets/ 4 more Russian propaganda outlets. Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta were recognized as outlets that spread Russian propaganda and support the war against Ukraine.

Belarus Weekly: Kyiv considers granting citizenship https://kyivindependent.com/belarus-weekly-kyiv-considers-granting-citizenship-to-foreign-volunteers-fighting-for-ukraine/ to foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says Poland to bolster its border with Belarus amid warnings of mass migration breach and "hybrid war" threats.

⚑️Foreign Ministry to restore https://kyivindependent.com/foreign-ministry-to-restore-consular-services-for-draft-aged-men-abroad-on-updated-terms/ consular services for draft-aged men abroad on updated terms.

⚑️Russia claims explosion at St. Petersburg academy caused by World War Two ammunition.
Russia's military reported on May 17 that a blast at the Budyonny Military Academy of the Signal Corps in St. Petersburg, which injured seven servicemen, was caused by the accidental detonation of World War II-era ammunition. https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-explosion-at-st-petersburg-academy-caused-by-world-war-two-ammunition/

⚑️Prosecutor's Office: 600 illegal https://kyivindependent.com/prosecutors-office-600-illegal-online-casinos-websites-blocked-in-ukraine-since-start-of-2024/ online casino websites blocked in Ukraine since start of 2024.

⚑️Russian attack on Kharkiv injures 5.
⚑️Media: Explosions reported in Odesa after reports of inbound missiles.
⚑️2 civilians killed, 1 injured in Vovchansk amid Russian assaults in Kharkiv Oblast.
⚑️Russia attacks 10 communities in Sumy Oblast.
⚑️4 killed, 31 injured in Russian glide bomb attack on Kharkiv.

⚑️Reuters: Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Tuapse refinery causes https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-ukrainian-drone-attack-on-russias-tuapse-refinery-causes-emergency-shutdown/) emergency shutdown.

⚑️Mediazona confirms identities of over 52,700 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/mediazona-confirms-identities-of-over-52-700-russian-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine/

⚑️Governor: Ukraine rescues 4 children from Russian-held territory of Kherson Oblast.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦

  • MAY 18, 2024

β–  Engagements & casualties below 7-day average
β–  Massive equipment losses, including 5th plane in last 7 days
β–  Increased πŸ‡·πŸ‡Ί strikes β–  πŸ‡·πŸ‡Ί/πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ ratios for visually confirmed losses continue to narrow

Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 18/05/2024 12:37

Why the hell, why the living hell, is the EU tolerating OrbΓ‘n? Talk about a snake in your bosom - and no one is turfing it out.

DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 18/05/2024 12:47

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The front line faces a new stage of confrontation. Russians are massively using guided bomb units (GBUs)β€”old Soviet aerial bombs equipped with extendable wings and guidance systems. With such munitions, they destroy any fortifications and assist ground troops advance. Meanwhile, their Western analogue, JDAM, hasn’t been really effective. Still, there are several ways to solve this and counteract Russia's new strategy that already significantly impacts the frontβ€”but to do so, a move in response is to be made.

Food security will be discussed at the upcoming Global Peace Summit on June 15-16. More than 400 million people depend on Ukraine's grain exports. Despite the war and attacks on its seaports, the country is making every effort to continue exporting grain. Russia is using food shortages to blackmail the world community. Therefore, The Peace Formula must be implemented as soon as possible.

Ukraine nationalizes 2 planes belonging to Russia's largest weapons manufacturer.
These are 2 An148-100E passenger airplanes with a total value of €10 million.
These aircraft, which belonged to the sanctioned Russian corporation β€œRostec”, were leased to a former Ukrainian air carrier for charter flights within Ukraine.

[More details] πŸ“‘ On the first day of the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10, the Ukrainian military's Starlink terminals failed due to Russian electronic warfare, reports the Washington Post, citing Ukrainian military sources.
The approximately 40-kilometer border section between Russia and the region was monitored by the 125th Brigade of the People's Liberation Army using reconnaissance drones to track Russian force buildup.
β€œAt a certain point, we were completely blind... This was the biggest problem, we could not see their movements, and had to rely solely on radios or phones where they still worked,” said the commander of the drone unit in the brigade, known by the call sign "Artist."

In the UK, the Ministry of Defense has developed a radio wave system for jamming and neutralizing drones, called the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW). This system aims to provide a more effective and cost-efficient way to disable drones.
The key advantage of RFDEW is its low operational cost, estimated at just 10 pence per radio wave impact on a drone. The system can disable the internal electronics of drones from up to 1 km away and can detect, track, and capture sea, air, and ground targets.
The RFDEW system is highly autonomous and can be operated by a single military personnel. It is currently undergoing comprehensive factory and army tests to prove its effectiveness against drones.

Australia imposes new sanctions on Russia for receiving missiles from the North Korea, β€” Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The US military plans to release the first Air Force pilots retrained to fly F-16 fighter jets in May.
"We expect the first course to graduate this month," said a spokesman for the Arizona National Guard.

❗️European governments and Brussels are considering the possibility of training Ukrainian soldiers not only on the territory of the EU, but also in Ukraine from the beginning of 2025 at the latest.

Ukraine's armed forces need more long-range weapons to target positions deep behind the front lines as Russia advances on the battlefield, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

The number of people injured by the missile attack in Odesa has increased to 5. Civilian infrastructure has been damaged, and a massive fire broke out at the site of one of the missiles in Odesa.

In Novorossiysk, the Kirillovskaya substation is on fire, more than 20 thousand city residents were left without electricity, β€” ASTRA.

Glide Bombs and Double Taps. New Russian Tactics & Weapons in Ukraine

The front line faces a new stage of confrontation. Russians are massively using guided bomb units (GBUs)β€”old Soviet aerial bombs equipped with extendable win...

https://youtu.be/WC-HEuVB6gE

DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 18/05/2024 12:55

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Kharkiv oblast
Russians continue to try to break through the Ukrainian defense and have attacked positions near Lyptsi and Vovchansk twice since the beginning of the day, but have been unsuccessful. Ukrainian troops are trying to push the occupiers back in the direction of Hlyboke village – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Zelensky signed a bill that provides for the voluntary mobilization of certain categories of prisoners to the Armed Forces
The court will decide whether a person can be released on parole for mobilization based on the approval of the medical commission, the military commission and the military unit where the person will serve.
Those convicted of the intentional murder of two or more people, rape, or sexual violence will not be able to mobilize. [But the murder of one is okay?]

πŸ‡­πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦Pro-Ukrainian government starts working in Croatia
On Friday, the Croatian parliament approved a government headed by pro-European and pro-Ukrainian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who is taking office for a third term.
The ruling HDZ party, the Croatian Democratic Union, has formed a coalition with the far-right Motherland movement.
As a result, Croatia will have a government friendly to Ukraine at least until the presidential elections scheduled for late 2024, while the president remains pro-Russian.

❗️Russian occupiers could have shot a person with a disability in Vovchansk
A drone video showing a motionless man in a wheelchair was shared online.
Law enforcement officials assume that the man tried to move away from the local hospital, which was seized by the Russians, but the occupiers killed him.
The case is being investigated by the prosecutor's office. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/21051

Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
MissConductUS · 18/05/2024 13:37

@DucklingSwimmingInstructress

⚑️Washington Post: Ukrainian troops' Starlink connection suffered systemic failure amid Russian offensive.
Starlink terminals operated by Ukraine's 125th Territorial Defense Brigade in Kharkiv Oblast were completely disabled in the first such incident since 2022, the Washington Post reported on May 17, citing unnamed Ukrainian soldiers on the ground. https://kyivindependent.com/wsj-ukraines-starlink-connection/^^[@MissConductUSΒ this is really serious, isnt it]

It is serious. The Russians have been able to acquire a large number of Starlink terminals on the black market, but there have been reports that Starlink was able to identify and disable them. It's possible that they've now developed a method to disable or jam them by electronic warfare means. In the past, Starlink has been able to defeat Russian jamming attempts. We'll have to wait to see what happens this time.

By the way, there's a lot of rubbish on social media that Musk has done this on purpose. That makes no sense to me at all. EW is a much more likely explanation.

Washington Post: Ukrainian troops' Starlink connection suffered systemic failure amid Russian offensive

The drone feeds that soldiers relied on to keep track of Russian movements "completely disappeared," a Ukrainian soldier told the Washington Post.

https://kyivindependent.com/wsj-ukraines-starlink-connection

DrBlackbird · 18/05/2024 16:13

You read half a million young Russian men dead and just think how can Putin keep this up? Won’t it, isn’t it, wiping out a generation of 20 yr olds?

How do the Ukrainian forces manage to keep going?n Zelensky must be desperate not to let the world grow bored of the conflict.

prettybird · 18/05/2024 16:38

>490k Russian casualties, c500k current Russian troops.

That's very nearly 1:1 Shock

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 18/05/2024 17:25

Estimated population of Russia was 144 million in 2020; I suppose Putin reckons half a million being killed in order to keep him in power is an acceptable percentage.

prettybird · 18/05/2024 17:51

SadAngry

MagicFox · 18/05/2024 18:04

Is it that many are convicts and from minorities, protecting the moscow/st Petersburg cohort who don't complain if they're not affected? I've also seen news about people fighting who are from China, Cuba etc

OP posts:
ShambalaAnna · 18/05/2024 23:30

DrBlackbird · 18/05/2024 16:13

You read half a million young Russian men dead and just think how can Putin keep this up? Won’t it, isn’t it, wiping out a generation of 20 yr olds?

How do the Ukrainian forces manage to keep going?n Zelensky must be desperate not to let the world grow bored of the conflict.

Have you seen the Mediazona/BBC Russia reports?

https://en.zona.media/article/2022/05/20/casualties_eng

I don't believe the 500k number at all. It just doesn't make sense at this point given what we've seen, kind of like how Oryx had shaky counts for armour lost.

Russia cannot just shrug off that much in terms of losses, I'm sorry. They may have a much larger population, I just doubt that leads to them having literal armies they can throw into a wood chipper like it's no big deal.

Russian casualties in Ukraine. Mediazona count, updated

Nearly 52,800 deaths confirmed by May 10

https://en.zona.media/article/2022/05/20/casualties_eng

DrBlackbird · 18/05/2024 23:48

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 18/05/2024 17:25

Estimated population of Russia was 144 million in 2020; I suppose Putin reckons half a million being killed in order to keep him in power is an acceptable percentage.

When you put it like that, half a million probably doesn’t sound too much to Putin.

DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 19/05/2024 00:22

@ShambalaAnna Those are the confirmed names of deaths from gravestones, official announcements. As far as Im aware this does not include seriously wounded, which the 490k figure does.

Additionally there are LOT of deaths not reported by Russian officials, from what Russian families are saying. The soldiers just ... stop getting in touch.

There's bound to be some considerable confusion in the heat of war, and I wondered too if the figures are right, but some Western reasonably cool heads have said they believe the Ukrainian figures are probably give or take, accurate.

Others have said they believe the figures are lower, but for acting purposes the West seem to be considering the Ukrainian figures not too far off.

Sadly half a million seriously injured/dead is nowhere near enough to make Putin pause. It's rather too late now, but I wonder what the feasible pool of fighting age men actually is in Russia. Too old / children / seriously disabled can't be counted.

blueshoes · 19/05/2024 11:02

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-18-2024

Key Takeaways:

  • Russian forces have recently intensified their effort to seize the operationally significant town of Chasiv Yar, seeking to exploit how Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast and ongoing offensive operations throughout eastern Ukraine have generated greater theater-wide pressure on Ukrainian forces.
  • Russian forces are likely preparing for the second phase of their offensive operation in northern Kharkiv Oblast, which Russian forces likely intend to launch following their anticipated seizure of Vovchansk.
  • Zelensky also outlined materiel requirements for Ukraine to combat Russia's air superiority and defend against the Russian air threat, especially given US-imposed restraints on Ukraine that prohibit Ukraine from striking targets within Russian territory and airspace.
  • Ukrainian officials have reportedly asked the US presidential administration to ease the restriction against using US-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia.
  • Zelensky noted that Ukraine must overcome its manpower challenges in order to contest the theater-wide initiative in Ukraine.
  • Ukraine's new mobilization law went into effect on May 18 and will help Ukraine stabilize its force generation apparatus amid ongoing manpower constraints.
  • Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev called for Russia's envisioned "buffer zone" to encompass all of Ukraine, illustrating that the Kremlin’s concept of the buffer zone is a thinly veiled justification for Russia's long-held intent to subsume the entirety of Ukraine and likely an effort to garner domestic support for the Russian war effort.
  • Founder of the Kremlin-linked Rybar Telegram channel, Mikhail Zvinchuk, gave an uncharacteristically public interview in which he criticized the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and speculated on possible changes in the MoD.
  • Should the Kremlin allow select prominent Russian milbloggers to increase their criticisms of the Russian MoD, public pressure may grow in favor of reforms that would, if implemented, assist Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
  • Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the Russian-style "foreign agents" bill on May 18, but the ruling Georgian Dream party will likely override Zurabishvili's veto in the coming weeks.
  • Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Avdiivka, Hulyaipole, and Robotyne.
  • The BBC News Russian Service reported on May 18 that Russian military authorities in Astana, Kazakhstan, detained a Russian contract service personnel (kontraktnik) for desertion on April 23 – the first such instance in Kazakhstan.
Igotjelly · 19/05/2024 11:10

I absolutely love boxing and was delighted to see Oleksandr Usyk become undisputed heavy weight champion of the world last night. Also discovered he founded a charitable organisation providing equipment for soldiers on the frontlines, having fought there himself.

https://usykfoundation.org/

Olexandr Usyk Charitable Foundation

Usyk Foundation is a charitable foundation that helps Ukrainian defenders bring our victory closer and save as many lives as possible

https://usykfoundation.org/

DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 19/05/2024 11:46

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚑️Polish PM: Warsaw to spend $2.5 billion https://kyivindependent.com/polish-pm-warsaw-to-spend-2-5-billion-to-secure-russia-belarus-border/ to secure Russia, Belarus border.
Poland plans to invest 10 billion zlotys ($2.55 billion) in strengthening its borders with Russia and Belarus to deter potential aggression, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on May 18, according to Bloomberg.

⚑️Next Ramstein summit to be held https://kyivindependent.com/next-ramstein-summit-to-be-held-on-may-20/ on May 20.

⚑️Georgian president vetoes 'foreign agents' bill.
Georgia's pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili said on May 18 that she vetoed the controversial "foreign agents" bill previously passed by the parliament despite large-scale protests.
The bill requires organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as "foreign agents" and mirrors repressive Russian legislation used to crack down on Kremlin regime critics. https://kyivindependent.com/georgian-president-vetoes-foreign-agents-bill/

⚑⚑️Ukraine’s Navy says it destroyed Russian sea minesweeper Kovrovets overnight. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-navy-says-it-destroyed-russian-sea-minesweeper-kovrovets-overnight/

⚑️Zelensky calls for three-point action plan at upcoming peace summit.
He anticipates the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland will yield an action plan addressing three key areas: free navigation to protect port infrastructure, global food security, and Ukraine's economic development. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-calls-for-three-point-action-plan-in-upcoming-peace-summit/

⚑️Zelensky: 'Our partners fear that Russia will lose this war.' https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-our-partners-fear-that-russia-will-lose-this-war/
He believes that Ukraine's partners "are afraid of Russia losing the war" and would like Kyiv "to win in such a way that Russia does not lose," Zelensky said in a meeting with journalists attended by the Kyiv Independent.

Taiwan's FM: 'If Russia can do that to Ukraine, China might do the same to Taiwan' https://kyivindependent.com/taiwans-fm-democracies-should-unite-to-prevent-russia-china-from-expanding-further/

⚑️Zelensky: Ukraine repels https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-military-repel-russian-assault-on-chasiv-yar-russia-loses-troops-near-kharkiv/ Russian assault on Chasiv Yar, Russia loses troops near Kharkiv.

⚑️The French dairy products company Danone has finalized the sale of its Russian operations, accounting for about 5% of its global sales, after more than 30 years in the country. https://kyivindependent.com/danone-finalizes-sale-of-assets-and-exits-russia/

⚑️Ukraine charges Russia's FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov, top officials with guiding EuroMaidan violence. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-charges-russias-fsb-chief-top-officials-with-guiding-euromaidan-violence/

⚑️Media: Truckers briefly block https://kyivindependent.com/media-truckers-briefly-block-kyiv-odesa-highway-over-mobilization-law/ Kyiv-Odesa highway over mobilization law.

⚑️Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury, claiming heavyweight world champion title. https://kyivindependent.com/oleksandr-usyk-defeats-tyson-fury-claiming-heavyweight-world-champion-title/

⚑️Authorities: Russian attack on Kharkiv injures 5, including 2 children.
⚑️Prosecutor’s Office: 2 killed, 6 injured in Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast.
⚑️Russia attacks 10 communities in Sumy Oblas, firing 46 times and causing at least 284 explosions, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on May 18.
⚑️Russian attack north of Kharkiv kills 4 wounds 8.

⚑️Ukraine’s 110th Brigade downs https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-110th-brigade-downs-4-russian-aircraft-within-2-weeks/ 4 Russian aircraft in 2 weeks.

Ukraine’s 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade said on May 18 that an experienced Ukrainian Air Force pilot, Denys Vasyliuk, had been killed in action.

⚑️Moscow claims that it had shot down 9 U.S.-provided long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles over Crimea, as locals report explosions.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦

  • MAY 19, 2024
β–  Engagements & casualties stay below 7-day average β–  Massive equipment losses continue; less armor but more artillery & vehicles β–  Heavy πŸ‡·πŸ‡Ί strikes β–  A. Perpetua's losses for yesterday above ratio but 30-day ratio unchanged
Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
DucklingSwimmingInstructress · 19/05/2024 11:57

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

πŸ›’ Strikes disabled 14% of Russia's oil refining capacity, according to the Pentagon.
This loss led to a 20%-30% rise in domestic prices by mid-March and prompted a halt in exports to focus on meeting domestic demand.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili promised to veto the "foreign influence" law. However, the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough votes in parliament to override the veto

A Russian court has seized nearly 800 million euros from three European banks: Deutsche Bank (€239 million), Commerzbank (€94 million), and UniCredit (€463 million).

Putin aims to make life in Ukraine unbearable to trigger a migration crisis in the EU, according to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
β€œRussia is pushing migrants across the border as a strategic weapon. While respecting human rights, EU countries have an obligation to accept these people,” Kallas stated. [Dear God I wish she was in charge of the EU]

πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany has agreed to allocate additional funds to Ukraine, according to mass media reports.
The German Ministry of Finance has unofficially approved a request from the Ministry of Defense for additional funds. Bild am Sonntag reports that this decision follows a request by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius for 3.8 billion euros to support Ukraine.
Almost all of the previously allocated 7.1 billion euros has been spent, leaving only 300 million euros for the purchase of new weapons and ammunition, the article says.
Unforeseen expenses in the budget must be submitted to the German parliament for approval in June.
According to an unnamed source in the German Finance Ministry, Berlin plans to supply Kyiv with more weapons this year.

The White House reserves the right for France to invite a representative of Russia to the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II, but does not support the idea

πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Denys Berinchyk became WBO world champion
He defeated the Mexican Emanuel Navarrete in a lightweight bout. The Ukrainian boxer sensationally defeated Emanuel Navarrette by split decision of the judges, inflicting the first defeat of his career on the Mexican.

The city of Vovchansk has been practically destroyed by relentless enemy attacks with anti-aircraft guns. However, the enemy has failed to fulfill their command's objective and has not captured the city, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation

Ukraine Invasion: Part 49
Ukraine Invasion: Part 49

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