Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:51 The New York Times writes that Ukraine has allegedly asked its NATO partners to help train 150 thousand recruits closer to the front line for faster deployment. The US said no, but the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the deployment of NATO trainers "seems inevitable".
21:45 Hourly power outages have resumed in Ukraine. Since March 22 alone, Russia has carried out five large-scale attacks on thermal and hydroelectric power plants in Ukraine. The destruction of infrastructure led first to restrictions in the supply of electricity to industry, and more recently to the population. Even record imports and emergency aid from the EU are not helping. Read more about the situation in the power system in the article Blackouts are back.
21:02 British intelligence warned Kiev about the impending Russian offensive in the Khar'kov region, but unprepared defensive lines, delays in the supply of weapons, and a lack of manpower prevented it from being stopped, The Guardian writes.
20:54 Russia does not have enough troops for a strategic breakthrough, Supreme Commander of NATO Allied Forces Europe Christopher Cavoli said after a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council. “Moreover, they do not have the skills and capabilities to do so, to operate at the scale necessary to exploit any breakthrough to gain strategic advantage,” the general added. He also believes that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have improved logistics, but the quality of Russian troops has deteriorated.
20:09 On Friday, May 17, hourly shutdown schedules for household and industrial consumers will be in effect from 00:00 to 8:00 and from 19:00 to 24:00, Ukrenergo reported.
19:40 As of today, military operations in urban areas continue in Volchansk, but in general the active advance of the enemy has been stopped. The enemy is trying to take positions in the Lipetsk direction, but to no avail, said the head of the Khar'kov OVA Oleg Sinegubov. According to him, the Russians are forced to increase their reserves, but are suffering significant losses. The Defense Forces are currently working to stabilize the front line and reduce the gray zone.
18:38 Austria has created a special fund for 500 million euros, which will support exports and investments in Ukraine, the government announced.
18:19 Number of wounded as a result of Russian shelling. The Bugaevka community of the Volchanskaya community in the Khar'kov region has increased to six, said the head of the OBA Oleg Sinegubov. Among the injured are the head of the Volchanskaya GVA, two doctors, two drivers and one civilian.
18:14 One of the goals of the Russian Federation now is gas infrastructure in western Ukraine, Zelensky said during a telephone conversation with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He called on us to find a way to counteract this together. “Russia’s success there will jeopardize Europe’s energy security,” the president emphasized. The teams were also instructed to immediately begin work on the text of a bilateral security agreement. “Between historical partners, it should be as ambitious as possible,” Zelensky added.
18:10 The Danish government announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine worth 750 million euros. Almost half of the funds are aimed at strengthening air defense. In addition, the package includes additional funding for the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine, maintenance of artillery installations and funds for the transfer of additional artillery installations, shells and anti-tank mines.
17:41 The European Union is massively importing Russian oil through Turkey, hidden by other markings, writes Politico. Russian oil is legally imported into the EU as “mixed” fuel, labeled as non-Russian. Thanks to deliveries from three ports alone, Russia thus earned up to 3 billion euros in a year. Greece is also actively importing Russian oil, which has assured that it is complying with sanctions and does not accept cargo with Russian markings. Probably, the labeling is simply changing, the publication notes.
17:12 On the afternoon of May 15, the Russian Aerospace Forces dropped three FAB-500s on the Belgorod region. One of the bombs fell right next to the water park, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. Thus, over the past three months, the Russian Aerospace Forces have dropped at least 38 FABs and one unidentified munition on Russian and occupied Ukrainian regions.
16:36 From 16:00, shutdown schedules will be applied again in Kiev, Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk and Odessa regions, DTEK reported.
15:55 The situation in the energy system may improve next week, but it will not be possible to completely avoid outages either in the summer or in the fall, said Vladimir Kudrytsky, Chairman of the Board of Ukrenergo. In turn, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, member of the supervisory board of Ukrenergo Yuriy Boyko predicts that restrictions on energy supply for consumers may continue until August. Also, deficits in the energy system will persist in winter, even at high temperatures.
“If we talk about the restrictions that began a day ago, then we will have to live in these conditions, according to my estimates, until August. In August-September, I expect a slight improvement due to a different set of factors,” Boyko noted. He explained that during this period, nuclear generation will exit the active phase of repairs, and there will still be a large amount of solar generation in the energy system. In addition, the load on the energy system will be reduced due to the still warm, but no longer hot weather.
15:43 The Russian military carried out cluster munition attacks on the village of Volchanskaya community in the Khar'kov region, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. Five people were injured: two doctors, two drivers and the head of the Volchansk city military administration.
15:17 Zelensky said in an interview with ABC News that “Russia will not be able to capture Khar'kov if we have two Patriot systems.” The president also said that the American money allocated to Kyiv does not go to Ukraine, but immediately goes to the US economy: “This money is not transferred to Ukraine. This is money spent on American factories, the creation of American jobs... And we are not only fighting for our freedom. If it weren't for Ukraine, it would be a different country."
14:44 From the beginning of the day, in the Khar'kov direction, the Russian army attacked in the direction of the village of Staritsa. In turn, the Defense Forces carried out counterattack operations in the Volchansk area, the General Staff reported.
14:26 The Russians carried out an airstrike on the village of Vysokoye, Berislavsky district, Kherson region - one person was killed, four were wounded, said the head of the OVA Alexander Prokudin. A store building and two private houses were damaged.
14:20 The delegation of Ukrainian deputies in the United States is seeking, among other things, an invitation to NATO at the next Alliance summit in July, People’s Deputy Yegor Chernev said: “One of the points that we are now promoting here in Washington, so that we still receive a clear a signal regarding our NATO membership in Washington already in July of this year at the summit. We understand that after the invitation there will be no membership the next day. But we can have some specific clear framework. I think that 2028 is absolutely realistic. framework".
13:48 In the morning, the Russians attacked the territory of one of the state coal mining enterprises in the Donetsk region, six miners were injured. The building of the administrative and amenity complex of the enterprise was also damaged by shelling, the Ministry of Energy reported.
13:37 Several weeks before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia launched the Cosmos-2553 satellite into space, carrying components of an anti-satellite nuclear weapons system, The Wall Street Journal writes. The satellite is designed to test components of a potential anti-satellite weapon that could carry a nuclear device, U.S. officials say.
The satellite itself does not carry nuclear weapons, but US officials say it carries non-nuclear components of Russia's new weapons system. This weapon, if deployed, would allow Moscow to destroy hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit with a nuclear explosion “in a part of space dominated by the apparatus of the US government and SpaceX,” the publication writes.
12:51 On the night of May 16, GUR drones attacked the production facilities of the state-owned enterprise of the Russian defense complex Basalt in Tula, Ukrainian media reported, citing intelligence sources.
12:46 In the northern part of Volchansk, where active hostilities are taking place, the Russian military is taking local residents prisoner and forbidding them to evacuate. People began to be kidnapped and driven into basements, said the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Igor Klimenko. According to him, the first executions of civilians by the Russian military are already known. In particular, one of the residents of Volchansk tried to escape on foot, refused to follow the Russians’ commands, and was killed. Evacuation groups of the National Police continue to work in Volchansk, despite intense military clashes, and are trying to ensure further evacuation of people.
12:43 Zelensky said that he was in Khar'kov and held a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Headquarters. Heard a detailed report from Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky, commanders of the OSGV Khortitsa Yuri Sodol and the commanders of the OSGV Khar'kov Mikhail Drapatoy. “As of today, the situation in the Khar'kov region is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult - we are strengthening our units,” the president said.
12:32 Ukraine “chronically lacks” generation and imports for the current level of electricity consumption, Yasno CEO Sergei Kovalenko said. “The situation at night and in the morning turned out to be more complicated than our colleagues expected. Last night, Ukrenergo increased the volume of limits that would allow us to work on schedule, but then at night and in the morning these volumes of restrictions were adjusted several more times. In the morning we hopelessly fell out of the limits, so emergency shutdowns were used “We really hope that this will not happen in the evening, and we will be able to pass the next peak calmly, at least according to the schedule,” Kovalenko explained.
12:25 The joint statement after the talks between Putin and Xi Jinping spoke of the need to stop “any steps that could lead to prolongation of hostilities and further escalation” of the war in Ukraine. The document also says that Russia positively assesses China’s position on the Ukrainian issue. Russia and China will continue to “deepen trust and cooperation in the military field and expand the scope of joint exercises.”
12:07 There remains a significant shortage of electricity in the energy system for most of the day; in all regions of Ukraine, hourly outage schedules are in effect throughout the day, Ukrenergo reported.
11:34 In the Khar'kov direction, since the beginning of the enemy’s offensive operations on May 10, the Defense Forces forced the Russians to significantly reduce their activity. The enemy’s plans to penetrate as deep as possible into the urban development of Volchansk and gain a foothold there were thwarted, the General Staff reported. Since the beginning of the current day, Ukrainian units have continued to carry out combat missions within the urban areas of Volchansk in the northern part of the city. The situation is under control. In the Kupyansky direction, the Defense Forces improved the tactical position and pushed back the enemy in the area north of Kislovka.
11:05 Putin and Xi Jinping signed an agreement to deepen the bilateral strategic partnership. According to Putin, the Russian Federation and China have formed a portfolio of 80 large joint investment projects in various fields. Xi Jinping noted that Chinese-Russian cooperation is “the standard of relations between great states and neighboring countries.” He also emphasized that China always intends to be good neighbors with Russia.
10:53 The German defense concern Rheinmetall plans to create another joint venture in the field of air defense in Ukraine, said CEO Armin Papperger. He also noted that the promised 40 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles will be delivered to Ukraine from May to September.
10:36 As a result of a massive missile attack on Crimea on the night of May 14-15, an air defense system-S-400, two MiG-31 aircraft and a warehouse of fuel and lubricants were hit, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. As sources in the emergency services told reporters, the attack was first carried out on the Belbek military airfield in Sevastopol, where two MiG-31 interceptor fighters were destroyed, and a warehouse of fuels and lubricants was also burned down. 11 Russian servicemen were injured. A little later, closer to the morning of May 15, a missile hit the S-400 Triumph air defense system already in the area of the village of Vishnevoye. After the attack, the air defense system caught fire, two servicemen were killed and two were injured.
09:58 On May 15, two people were killed in the Donetsk region as a result of Russian shelling - in Karlivka, said the head of the OBA Vadim Filashkin.
09:22 In the Khar'kov region over the past 24 hours, 13 people were injured as a result of Russian shelling, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. Thus, two people were wounded in Khar'kov, one in the village. Boguslavka, two - in the city of Chuguev, one - in the village. Grafskoye, Chuguevsky district, one - in Volchansk, one - in the village. Kolesnikovka, Kupyansky district, one in a field in the Dergachiv community and four more doctors in the village. Malaya Danilovka. In Kupyansk, one person died as a result of an ammunition explosion.
09:11 Shoigu said that his main task as Secretary of the Russian Security Council remains the war in Ukraine. According to him, the Russian armed forces are advancing in all directions, “the necessary reserves of people and equipment have been created for a further offensive.”
08:35 Putin arrived in China to meet with Xi Jinping. The White House announced a tough position regarding the actions of Beijing, which provides support for the Russian military-industrial complex. “We find it unacceptable that Chinese companies are helping Putin wage this war against Ukraine,” White House Speaker Karine Jean-Pierre said.
08:03 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 16:
- personnel - about 488,460 (+1520) people,
- tanks - 7529 (+19),
- armored combat vehicles - 14,538 (+30),
- artillery systems - 12,565 (+27),
- MLRS - 1070 (+0),
- air defense systems - 798 (+0),
- aircraft - 351 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 10 028 (+13),
- cruise missiles - 2200 (+1),
- ships/boats - 26 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 17,048 (+93),
- special equipment - 2062 (+1).
07:09 As a result of yesterday's Russian attack on Nikolaev, a fire occurred at a civilian infrastructure facility, which was promptly extinguished by employees of the State Emergency Service. The blast wave also damaged a multi-story building, a store, and car dealerships. Six people were injured, said the head of the OIA, Vitaly Kim.
06:38 The Belbek airfield in Crimea was hit again, public reports report that the fuel depot is on fire. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that five ATACMS missiles were allegedly shot down over Crimea.
04:57 The US Helsinki Commission stated that Washington should allow Ukraine to strike the Russian Armed Forces in the border areas of Russia. These forces support the offensive operation in the Khar'kov region. This resolution was also supported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts emphasize that the US restriction of Ukraine’s ability to strike military targets in Russia has created shelters in the border areas of the Russian Federation, from where Russian aircraft can launch planned bombing and missile attacks on Ukrainian positions and populated areas. Also, Russian forces freely accumulate in these shelters before being transferred to the territory of Ukraine.
04:24 The United States is working on another package of “urgently needed assistance to Ukraine,” White House Speaker Karine Jean-Pierre said. At the same time, she did not specify what exactly would be included in the new package.
00:16 Zelensky said that he had a conversation with Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, informed him about the situation at the front and Russia’s attempts to expand the war. According to the president, all attention is now focused on ongoing defense operations and contacts with the military, which has necessitated the postponement of all foreign visits. Montenegro confirmed Portugal's participation in the Peace Summit.