[Korrespondent] 23:59 The entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO after decades of neutrality is a clear statement that Russia's invasion of Ukraine ended the era of European illusions about Moscow. Read more in the material What does NATO expansion mean .
23:44 Putin has become so personally involved in the war in Ukraine that he makes operational and tactical decisions "at the level of a colonel or brigadier general," The Guardian reports, citing Western military sources. According to sources, the President of the Russian Federation helps to manage the movement of troops in the Donbass.
The sources also claim that Putin still works closely with Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces: "We believe that Putin and Gerasimov take part in tactical decision-making at the level that we usually expect from a colonel or brigadier general."
23:35 Reuters reports that buses with Ukrainian servicemen from Azovstal arrived in Novoazovsk "DPR".
23:29 Kuleba asked the EU countries not to stop hard pressure on Putin in order to stop the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that with his means of propaganda, Putin can end the war at any time - for this it is enough for him to declare victory to the people of the Russian Federation.
23:11 On the border of Belarus and Ukraine, the activity of the Belarusian military is observed. According to the leadership of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus, we are talking about "protection from Ukrainians and NATO troops," Radio Svaboda writes. "Ukraine has concentrated about 10 thousand military against the Republic of Belarus in the direction of Rivne. All are armed, all with military weapons, so there may be some kind of provocation," the deputy chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Belarus explained.
23:08 In the occupied Energodar, the Russians were instructed to prepare the city for the so-called "referendum". Propagandists want to create a picture about the alleged desire of the locals to join Russia and seize the city and the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the Zaporozhye OVA reports.
23:03 In the Kharkiv region, there remains a small area where Russian troops are stationed - there is a confrontation, and soon the Ukrainian troops will reach the border, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said. According to her, the front line is now very wide, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine should actually strengthen along this huge line.
22:48 According to unconfirmed reports, about ten buses with the Ukrainian military left the Azovstal plant, Reuters writes.
22:14 The Pentagon at a closed briefing for journalists said that Ukraine is already using 74 out of 90 American M777 howitzers in combat. It also became known that the United States sent ten aircraft with military assistance to Ukraine within a day. According to the US Department of Defense, Ukrainian troops pushed the Russians back from Kharkiv to a distance of several kilometers from the border.
21:53 Three Mi-17 helicopters arrived in Ukraine from the United States, Jack Detsch, a correspondent for the American Foreign Policy magazine, said. According to him, a total of 11 Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters are scheduled to be delivered as part of an $800 million US military aid package.
21:44 In the Donetsk region, nine civilians were killed today: three in Liman, two in Avdeevka, one each in Maryinka, Klinovoe, Drobyshevo and Yekaterinovka. Another six were injured, said the head of the OVA, Pavel Kirilenko.
21:32 Russian media show footage of allegedly transporting wounded Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal to a hospital in the "DNR". Earlier today, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced an agreement reached, according to which the wounded defenders of Azovstal will be taken to hospitals in the "DPR". The Ukrainian side did not comment on this.
Later, the commander of the Azov regiment, Denis Prokopenko, recorded a video message in which he stated that "in order to save lives, the entire Mariupol garrison is following the decision of the high military command." What kind of decision, he did not specify.
Arestovich said that he could not comment on the situation, "in the evening the president will make a statement on this subject."
21:16 UN Secretary General António Guterres called for the return of potash fertilizers from Russia and Belarus to world markets in exchange for the passage of ships with grain from Ukraine: "Let me be clear: a serious solution to global food security threats requires the reintegration of Ukrainian agricultural production and the production of food and fertilizers in Russia and Belarus to world markets".
21:13 Borrell said that the EU does not recognize "not a single square kilometer seized by the Russians" in Ukraine: "We are defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine. And when we say this, we hope that Ukraine will win this war. This means that it will reject invaders beyond their borders."
21:10 The US Army ordered Javelin anti-tank systems and related equipment and services for $ 309 million, Lockheed Martin, which produces these weapons in conjunction with Raytheon Missiles & Defense, said.
The contract provides for the production of 1,300 Javelin missiles, some of which are intended for Ukraine and will be financed under the US military aid package, and some for international customers, including Norway, Albania, Latvia and Thailand. Lockheed Martin noted that the demand for these systems is now growing due to their ease of use and efficiency.
20:59 In Mariupol, the fourth mass grave site has already been recorded - it is located near the central cemetery. According to journalists from Schemes (Radio Liberty), the mass grave appeared in early March, as evidenced by satellite images from Maxar. The mass grave site consists of two trenches, one of which reaches more than 30 meters in length. The photographs of March 9 already show that two trenches where people were buried en masse are buried.
20:43 Erdogan will not give his consent to the admission of Finland and Sweden to NATO , since they have imposed sanctions against Turkey, and also support "Kurdish terrorists." The President of Turkey stated this at a briefing today, Anadolu reports.
Earlier, Sweden announced the visit of diplomats to Ankara, where they will try to convince the Turkish authorities of the expediency of membership of both Scandinavian countries in the alliance. Erdogan said they could "not bother with trips to Turkey."
20:34 As expected, today the EU foreign ministers failed to agree on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, Borrell said following the talks. At the same time, the EU approved the allocation of another 500 million euros to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons, bringing the total amount to 2 billion euros. Borrell also announced the need to start negotiations on the admission of Albania and North Macedonia to the EU as soon as possible, since the delay harms the European Union and strengthens Russia's position.
20:12 Ukraine has already identified 45 Russians who committed war crimes in the country, said Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova. A trial is already underway against three people - one accused of killing a civilian and two more - Russian servicemen who fired at civilian infrastructure in the Kharkiv region.
20:05 The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a large stock of Russian ammunition in Izyum, as well as an enemy field ammunition depot near the village of Davydov Brod, Kherson region, the General Staff said.
20:03 Kuleba told reporters in Brussels that he had not received a promise from EU foreign ministers to give Ukraine candidate status at the EU leaders' summit at the end of June, but no member state has openly opposed this. "I know countries that are extremely supportive of this decision, and I know those who are following the developments and will make their decision closer to the date," the Foreign Minister explained.
The summit of EU leaders, where they will discuss the further European integration of Ukraine, will be held on June 25-26.
19:59 Italian energy giant Eni SpA will open ruble and euro accounts with Gazprombank no later than May 18, Bloomberg reports. The company decided to go along with Gazprom after the European Union eased the requirements for energy companies in the issue of gas payments.
The updated recommendations allow European companies to open accounts in dollars or euros with Gazprombank, while not mentioning the issue of a ruble account (a ruble account is opened by default, as this is the requirement of Gazprom).
Bloomberg reports that Germany's Uniper SE and Austria's OMV AG are on hold to see how the situation with Eni develops, but look forward to continued cooperation with Gazprom.
19:47 After 30 years of operation in Russia, the world's largest chain of fast food restaurants McDonald's has announced that it has made the final decision to leave the country. This is a significant event, more about which is in the material Mittens instead of Big Mac .
19:32 Yesterday, 340 people were deported to Russia from Mariupol, including 52 children, Petr Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor of the city, said. From the filtration point in the village. Nikolskoe, 42 people were deported, including nine children.
19:08 Zelensky said that today he discussed with IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva the need for financial support for Ukraine.
19:01 As a result of the shelling of the village of Pechenegy, Chuguevsky district, Kharkiv region, one person was killed, another was injured, the State Emergency Service reported.
18:59 Russia has already involved 80% of the BTG in the war against Ukraine, American reporter Jack Detch said, citing his sources in the Pentagon. An employee of the US Department of Defense said that now about 106 Russian battalion-tactical groups are fighting on the territory of Ukraine, while the military-political leadership of the Russian Federation planned to use 140 BTGs in the invasion of Ukraine. According to the official, Putin has little resource left to continue the fighting.
18:54 As a result of today's shelling of Severodonetsk, at least ten people were killed, said the head of the Luhansk OVA Serhiy Gaidai. According to him, the shelling of the city continues all day long, houses, the city hospital, the medical campus and the research and production enterprise are damaged.
18:47 Anton Gerashchenko said that the Kremlin's plans included creating a group of 10,000 militants in Ukraine. According to him, Medvedchuk can tell a lot about how the fifth column was built in Ukraine. "But Medvedchuk is greedy, and Kiva is a bastard, they stole this money. There was a plan - to gather 10,000 militants around the country, but they stole the money, and nothing happened," Gerashchenko added.
18:41 About 600 thousand people have returned to Kharkiv in recent weeks. More than 2,000 people return to the city by train alone every day, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA, said.
18:39 Orban believes that Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine will last a long time, will have extremely serious consequences for the situation throughout Europe, and the world has entered a "decade of wars." He mentioned this in his speech on the occasion of his appointment as Prime Minister of Hungary for the fifth time in a row - today the country's parliament voted for it.
18:37 Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that the appetites of the Russian Federation are unlimited, so everything must be done so that Ukraine wins: "I think if Putin is lucky, he can come to us. And this is not only about Lithuania, the next target could be Moldova, Romania, the Baltic States, Poland. This empire has an unlimited appetite."
18:35 Near Kiev, 200 corpses of Russians lie in a refrigerator, but the Russian Federation does not want to take them away, Anton Gerashchenko told Gordon on air. He added that "they were still lucky - many corpses were burned and left in the fields."
18:30 Borrell said that 500 million euros, which the European Union will additionally allocate for military assistance to Ukraine, will go "for heavy weapons." "Now we are providing armored vehicles, tanks, heavy artillery, ammunition - everything that is needed for such a war," Borrell said.
18:04 In Ukraine, the assets of the Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman in Alfa-Bank for more than 12.4 billion hryvnias have been arrested, Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova said. According to her, we are talking about securities of Cypriot companies affiliated with the businessman, as well as 469 million hryvnias of funds from accounts in Alfa-Bank, which were already being prepared for withdrawal to Russia, were arrested.
According to the Prosecutor General, the movement of funds in the Russian direction began a couple of weeks before the war and intensified after February 24. The money was withdrawn through Cypriot companies, "however, they were caught by the hand during the legalization of assets for 1.1 billion."
17:59 Ukrainian servicemen won the battle for Kharkiv and launched a counteroffensive in the Izyum direction. Despite the loss of positions in the region, the invaders are preparing for a new offensive in the Izyum region. However, the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be unstoppable, the government says. Details about the situation in the region - in the material Went to the border .
17:54 Norway, Denmark and Iceland have promised to support "all necessary means" to Finland and Sweden if these countries are attacked before they join NATO, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stere said: "The security of Finland and Sweden is important to our security. Together with Denmark and Iceland, Norway is ready to help its northern neighbors."
17:50 The Russians launched artillery strikes on Severodonetsk and Lisichansk this afternoon, the head of the Luhansk OVA, Sergei Gaidai, said. According to him, Severodonetsk withstood very strong blows, the number of damaged houses is being specified. Rescuers extinguished the fire in the warehouse building of the local research and production association. In Lisichansk, as a result of shelling, a fire broke out in the housing stock, the State Emergency Service is working on the spot.
17:45 The war in Ukraine showed the inability of NATO to prove itself as an alliance in a critical situation, Kuleba said in an interview with Bloomberg: "This is NATO as an alliance, as an institution, it can do very little, if anything. The participants helped a lot, but NATO as the union has done nothing. From the EU - sanctions, strong political statements, economic aid, financing of military aid to Ukraine. The EU is back on the right track."
17:43 The European Commission will present a new financial assistance package to Ukraine on May 18 - it will include an obligation to provide Kiev with long-term loans to restore and ensure liquidity, Reuters reports citing European officials. As expected, the amount should cover the needs of Ukraine for two months.
17:41 Kuleba excludes concessions to Russia on Donbass and Crimea for a ceasefire. The Foreign Minister also said in an interview with Bloomberg Television that the EU would face a "moral collapse" if it did not approve Ukraine's candidacy for membership in June: "Looking for ways to save Putin's face is simply a false approach. Let Putin himself find a way to save face."
17:35 CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said that the issue of involving the CSTO in the "special operation" in Ukraine was "not raised or discussed" at the organization's summit in Moscow.
17:18 Water in the territory controlled by the "DPR" is left for about three weeks, said the general director of the "republican" enterprise Water of Donbass Vitaly Kizhaev. According to him, the only source of water supply for settlements controlled by the "DPR" is the Seversky Donets-Donbass canal, but its equipment was damaged at the beginning of hostilities in February.
A stable water supply can be resumed only after gaining access to the sources of this canal in the Slovyansk region. In the meantime, residents of the part of the Donetsk region not controlled by Ukraine receive water every few days according to the schedule.
16:59 Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced his desire to receive 15-18 billion euros for the rejection of Russian oil: "The European Commission has created a problem with the proposal, so Hungary quite reasonably expects the EU to offer a solution: to finance investments and compensate for price increases, which requires a complete modernization of the energy structure of Hungary in the amount of 15-18 billion euros."
A few days ago, Szijjarto was hinting at a price of 700-750 million euros, which Budapest would like to receive for agreeing to the embargo.
16:50 In Belogorovka, Luhansk region, trying to cross the Seversky Donets, the Russians lost almost a thousand soldiers and about 100 pieces of equipment, said the head of the OVA Sergey Gaidai: "The shameful operation that they carried out in Belogorovka will go down in history of this war between Russia and Ukraine as their defeat in the Lugansk region. Because almost 100 units of equipment were defeated there by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two battalions died there, and this is almost a thousand soldiers. Also, several pontoons were destroyed. All attempts to cross and create a bridgehead in Belogorovka, they all were shattered."
Earlier, the American Institute for the Study of War reported that about 500 Russian soldiers died while trying to cross the Seversky Donets, and Anton Gerashchenko called the figure 1,500.
16:39 Kuleba said that he went to Brussels, where he will promote the sixth package of EU sanctions, including the oil embargo. "I will also focus on further arms supplies and granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. We believe that Ukraine deserves an individual assessment for its virtues," the Foreign Minister wrote.
16:37 The Ukrainian military is already being trained on the Slovak Zuzana 2 self-propelled guns, despite the fact that the agreement on their sale has not yet been signed, Slovak Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy said: "I can confirm that Ukrainians are already being trained on this technique, therefore there is a serious and very intense interest."
16:24 Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson confirmed that the country has made a formal decision on NATO membership. The ruling party announced this yesterday.
16:22 In the village of Leventsovka, Poltava region, a monument to Gorky was demolished and a museum in honor of him was closed. The bust of Maxim Gorky was moved to the Soviet Period Park in Putivl.
16:20 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that with the Ukrainian military blocked at Azovstal, "an agreement was reached on the removal of the wounded, a silence regime was introduced and a humanitarian corridor was opened through which the wounded Ukrainian soldiers were taken to the hospital in Novoazovsk ("DPR")."
16:18 In their statement, the CSTO leaders stressed the importance of "reducing tensions on the continent" and reaffirmed "the readiness to establish practical cooperation with NATO."
16:14 Sanctions against Russia will probably have to be maintained for years, and Europe must be ready for this, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock. She stressed that the rejection of Russian oil would be a difficult step for Europe, because some countries are really heavily dependent on it.
"This step should be prepared in the best possible way. We are approving sanctions packages, which, depending on the circumstances, will be in effect for years," Burbock said. Therefore, according to her, the restrictions should not become unbearable for the EU countries. She also predicted that an agreement with Hungary on an oil embargo would be possible in the coming days.
16:07 The Russians are trying to pass off their dead on Zmeiny Island as the losses of Ukrainians. Kyle Glen, co-founder of the Conflict News project and co-host of The OSINT Bunker Podcast, drew attention to this. He published a photo, which, according to Russian media, allegedly shows a dead Ukrainian soldier:
"Russian media claims that this is a picture of a Ukrainian soldier killed on Zmeiny Island during a recent successful assault, but there is a small problem. This Ukrainian soldier seems to be wearing a belt that Russian sailors wear."
15:48 The US and the EU have agreed to work more closely to counter disruptions in the supply of industrial goods and food to Ukraine and fight disinformation from Moscow. The decision was made by senior officials who gathered in Paris for the second Trade and Technology Council, a forum that was originally seen as a transatlantic counterweight to China, but now with a clear focus on Russia as well.
15:46 The SBU blocked the work of the sanctioned plant in Dnipro, which was going to resume supplies for the Russian military-industrial complex. The plant produced components for aircraft, missile systems and submarines, as well as dual-use goods.
The enterprise came under the NSDC sanctions last year, and now, in order to circumvent the restrictions, the Russian side wanted to rewrite the plant to a Ukrainian legal entity and continue its work. The SBU blocked the work of the enterprise.
15:43 The invaders fired at the border settlements in the Chernihiv region. According to the Pivnich Operational Command, at about 12:00 shelling was recorded from the territory of the Russian Federation in the direction of the settlement of Nikolaevka. In total, from 9:20 to 12:10 there were about 30 explosions.
Approximately at 12:20 from the Russian side, seven explosions were recorded in the area of the settlement of Gremyach, previously a mortar was working. There are no casualties among personnel.
15:41 Podolyak commented on the proposal of Western politicians to "save face to Putin" by ceding their territories to Ukraine: "Some Western politicians want to end the war with the opportunity for Russia to save face by giving it part of the territories. Save face after Bucha and Mariupol? Amazing logic, but if these politicians want to give Russia part of their territories, this is up to their voters."
15:39 Singer Ruslana Lyzhychko and the wives of the Ukrainian military blocked at Azovstal called on Erdogan to involve Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the operation to rescue the defenders of Mariupol. "Find, please, opportunities to carry out extraction and evacuation. People there are in terrible conditions," Ruslana said.
15:37 In the north of the Donetsk region, local residents today saw a column of red smoke. According to Pavel Kirilenko, the head of the OVA, the reason was the hit of a Russian shell in a warehouse with ammonium nitrate in the Kharkiv region. There is no reason to panic, the situation is under control.
15:35 At the CSTO meeting, Lukashenko again accused Poland of intending to seize part of Ukraine: "The most dangerous trend in Ukraine today is attempts to dismember Ukraine. Thousands of units have already been created to enter Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers and" protect it ".
15:31 Putin said that Russia has no problems with Finland and Sweden, their accession to NATO "does not pose a direct threat to us." At the same time, according to him, "the expansion of the military infrastructure to this territory will cause our response, what it will be - we will decide based on what threats we will be created."
Putin also said that a "whole series" of joint military exercises of the CSTO was planned for the fall, and "their number will expand." He suggested granting the CIS an observer status in the CSTO.
15:10 Japan has allocated a $100 million loan to Ukraine on favorable terms, the Ministry of Finance announced. Thus, the loan repayment period will be 30 years, including a grace period - ten years, the rate - 1% per annum. The funds will be used to cover priority social and humanitarian expenses - healthcare, support for migrants, etc.
14:59 Speaker of the Odesa OVA Serhiy Bratchuk is convinced that Zmiyiny Island will be liberated in the near future: “I won’t comment, but I hope that in the near future we will see a few highlights. Because this island is strategic, the enemy understands this. But this Ukrainian land, and why not repeat what happened in the Kharkiv region".
14:53 Lukashenka at a CSTO meeting: "Without the speedy rallying of the CSTO, we may not exist tomorrow. If we immediately acted as a united front, there would not be these hellish sanctions. Russia should not fight the attempt to expand NATO alone." According to him, in order to strengthen the CSTO, it is necessary to strengthen political interaction, improve the mechanism of consultations, since "positions must be united."
Lukashenka also suggested that the CSTO countries use China's experience in the field of information security and disconnect countries from the external Internet, make their own, where there will be only "correct" information.
14:40 The company commander of the Belarusian battalion Kastus Kalinovsky Pavel "Volat" died in the war in Ukraine, the battalion said. He was wounded during the operation to liberate the Ukrainian village, they tried to take him to the hospital in critical condition, but did not have time.
14:36 Russian rocket artillery deliberately destroyed multi-storey buildings in Kharkiv, the SBU reports with reference to the interrogation of the captured occupier. The commander of the 25th artillery brigade from the Russian Federation admitted that the main target of the Russian rocket divisions were the Kharkov houses.
14:19 The European Union has received all of Ukraine's answers to the questionnaire for joining the EU. Now the European Commission is preparing a conclusion for the European Council, said European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Vargelyi following a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels.
14:13 Today, around noon, over the Odessa region, the Ukrainian military air command Pivden destroyed an X-type cruise missile, Natalia Gumenyuk, head of the press center of the Defense and Security Forces of the South, said. The missile was fired by a Russian fighter in the direction of Odessa.
14:08 Russian hackers from Killnet declared cyber war on the governments of ten countries: the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Ukraine. The hackers said that nothing threatens citizens, but governments must be destroyed.
13:39 Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kallas urged Western leaders to stop calling Putin: "It seems to me that if everyone constantly calls him, he does not understand that he is in isolation. Therefore, if we want to convey to him the idea that" you are isolated "Don't call him - it doesn't make sense."
13:33 In Edinburgh, Scotland, they supported Ukraine by renaming one of the streets in honor of Volodymyr Zelensky, British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said and published a photo:
13:26 Russia is preparing in Mariupol the most large-scale forgery of "testimony of witnesses" that the city was destroyed by the Ukrainian military. Testimonies will be prepared in writing by the residents of Mariupol, who remained in the city, said the mayor's adviser Petr Andryushchenko.
He said that for this, the invaders announced registration for compensation for destroyed housing and / or the loss of a family member. For housing - 500,000 rubles (about $6,000), for a deceased family member - 3 million rubles (about $33,000). But when submitting an application, residents of Mariupol must necessarily indicate that the property "was destroyed by the Ukrainian military", and relatives "were killed by the Ukrainian army." Given the psychological pressure and information blockade, Mariupol residents, hoping for a miracle, submit applications with appropriate notes.
All these "testimonies" will be used to influence international opinion, incl. with wide publicity through propaganda media abroad. In reality, such compensation is impossible: Russia must spend at least $2.5 billion just to fulfill these promises to the people of Mariupol, Andryushchenko notes.
13:21 The United States intends to ratify Finland's accession to NATO before the fall, said the leader of the Republican minority in the Senate Mitch McConnell at a briefing with the Finnish president.
13:20 McDonald's announces permanent withdrawal from the Russian market and begins the process of selling its Russian business: "The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and the accelerated unpredictable operating environment have led McDonald's to conclude that continuing to own a business in Russia is no longer appropriate and not in line with the values McDonald's".
13:17 The decision to impose an embargo on Russian oil can be made by the EU at the summit on May 30-31, Reuters reports citing European diplomats. Probably, an agreement will be adopted on a phased ban on Russian oil within six months. For Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the transition period will be extended.
13:12 Peskov said that the issue of Sweden and Finland joining NATO is serious, "causes concern": "We will closely monitor what will be the consequences of Finland and Sweden joining NATO in practical terms in terms of our security, which must be ensured in absolutely unconditionally."
At the same time, he added that Russia has no territorial disputes with either Finland or Sweden, while Ukraine "could potentially become a NATO member, and then Russia would have a territorial dispute with a state that participates in the alliance, which bears huge "huge risks for the entire continent."
13:09 Lend-lease for Ukraine will not lead to a large debt to the United States, US Chargé d'Affaires Christina Quinn said in an interview with European Pravda. Now, according to her, there is no talk that Ukraine should return everything that it receives under Lend-Lease. The purpose of Lend-Lease is to bypass export procedures and shorten the approval process: "It's just a procedure to speed up the delivery of weapons. Therefore, of course, Lend-Lease will not lead to any crazy debt for Ukraine after the war."
12:38 The Russians are accumulating forces for the next big offensive in the Lugansk region, said the head of the UVA Serhiy Gaidai. According to him, the enemy pulled up more than 2,500 pieces of equipment - most likely, these forces will be distributed to force the Seversky Donets River, to Popasnaya towards the Lisichansk-Bakhmut highway and to capture Severodonetsk.
At the same time, the Russians abandoned the plan to enter the administrative borders of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, now it is only about Lugansk. "The situation in the Lugansk region is escalating, but the received Western long-range artillery will force the Russians to stop and retreat, and then we will be able to start the process of de-occupation of the territories," Gaidai said.
12:35 As a result of today's strike on Odessa, four people were injured, including one child, a car was damaged, the State Emergency Service reported.
12:33 The decision on the sixth package of European sanctions against the Russian Federation will be found in the coming days, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is convinced: "I am sure that in the coming days we will be able to implement the sixth package of sanctions. It is clear that there is still a certain need for discussion , but I believe that we should strive to ensure that these discussions are held where they should be, in council, so as not to create a public image of disagreement. Russia is watching us."
12:29 If the war lasts longer than another three to four months, the Ukrainian government will have to take "painful measures" - cut budget spending, including salaries, pensions and social benefits, as well as raise taxes, the finance minister said in an interview with The Economist Sergei Marchenko.
He said that the Cabinet of Ministers was engaged in the issuance and sale of military bonds, external borrowing, additional printing of the money supply, but all these methods may be exhausted by the fall.
12:25 US Chargé d'Affaires in Ukraine Christina Quinn said in an interview with European Pravda that Ukraine has a chance to become a NATO member without the Membership Action Plan stage: "As for the possibility of Finland joining without a MAP, the Membership Action Plan has never been a legal requirement to join NATO, which means that Ukraine can also join the alliance without a MAP. However, I would not call it a short cut procedure."
12:14 Arestovich predicts the arrival of "sufficient volumes" of heavy weapons from partners "not earlier than July." Thus, according to him, the Ukrainian army will be ready for an active counteroffensive on the positions of the Russian Federation around mid-July.
12:09 The occupiers in Mariupol are trying to resume the work of the port, since this is the only way to export the stolen metal and provide minimal logistics for the Russian military. According to the mayor's adviser Petr Andryushchenko, romination was almost completed today, and yesterday a sunken boat of border guards was raised from the bottom of the Old Gate. "But for now, the flooded Meotida with our flag proudly holds the entrance to the New Gate, which is the main one for the resumption of maritime traffic," he wrote.
Andryushchenko also said that the occupiers began clearing the rubble in hospital No. 3, where at the beginning of the war an aerial bomb hit the maternity ward: “Surprisingly, the plan for clearing the rubble completely coincides with the places of the largest destruction and the demonstrative cynicism of the Russian army. hospital".
12:00 In Mariupol, fires do not stop in the 20th microdistrict, where the invaders tried to restore power supply. The supply of electricity is limited to this housing estate, because the office of the "administration" of the occupiers is located there, and there is no question of any concern for the inhabitants, said the mayor's adviser Petr Andryushchenko.
In the meantime, Russian propaganda media write today that in Mariupol "they gave light, and water supply is also being restored."
11:52 The wives of those mobilized in Lugansk staged a riot and demanded from the "Minister of Foreign Affairs of the LPR" Vladislav Deinego to help them return the men from the Kharkiv region home. They say that there are many dead, wounded and captured in the 206th regiment, and those who remained in the Kharkov region are not allowed into the territory of Russia.
11:48 The European Commission will give a conclusion on Ukraine's application for EU membership on June 8 or 15, journalist Rikard Jozwiak said. According to him, the status of a "potential candidate" for Ukraine is more likely and acceptable for some EU member states, "which puts the country in the same "basket" with Bosnia and Kosovo."
11:46 A humanitarian crisis is growing in the Kherson region, Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova said. According to her, residents do not have the opportunity to travel to the territory controlled by Ukraine and the ability to move around the region is almost completely limited. The occupiers do not allow volunteers with humanitarian aid to pass and rob humanitarian supplies. Even in the first days of the seizure, the Russians plundered most of the shops and pharmacies, Ukrainian goods were taken to the Crimea and the Russian Federation.
The mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhaev, says that the medicines in the city will run out in two weeks, many drugs are already lacking. Russians are handing out expired medicines and five-year-old food as "humanitarian aid". In exchange, they demand passport data, lists of pensioners, social workers and just people living in a particular community. In total, about 500 thousand people remain in the region, about the same number left after the start of the war.
11:34 Podolyak on Moscow's plans: "First, the Kremlin dreamed of capturing Kiev, then Kharkiv and Odessa, then at least ORDLO. Now Russian troops are concentrating in the Luhansk region - there are not enough forces for other areas. We continue the treatment of imperial megalomania - it's tough" meeting "Moscow fantasies with reality".
11:29 In the Sumy region this morning, the Russians tried to break through the state border. According to the head of the OVA Dmitry Zhivitsky, the enemy opened fire on the border area of the Shostka region from mortars, grenade launchers, machine guns and machine guns. Under cover of fire, enemy DRGs tried to enter the territory of the region. The border guards gave battle to the Russians, who retreated beyond the border line.
11:27 In the incomplete first three weeks of the war, as of March 15, the total losses of the 1st Tank Army of the Russian Federation amounted to 409 people, of which 61 were liquidated, 209 invaders were wounded. In addition, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with reference to the documents received, 44 Russian tankers went missing during this period, another 96 surrendered. During the same time, the defenders of Ukraine destroyed and seized 308 units of military equipment from the specified army of invaders.
11:21 Austria respects the decision of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, but will remain a neutral country itself, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.
11:18 The Russians are trying to organize the supply of equipment to Zmeiny Island, OK Pivden reports. The invaders also continue lifting and rescue operations at the site of the destruction of a landing craft of the Serna type near the island.
As of May 16, there are two Russian ships with cruise missiles on board, as well as six large landing ships in the Black Sea. The threat of missile strikes and the likelihood of landings remain relevant.
11:05 Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solsky announced the aggravation of the shortage of diesel fuel needed by farmers: "In late April - early May, the situation with diesel fuel in Ukraine worsened ... Now it is more acute than a few weeks ago."
According to him, the market was not ready to carry diesel fuel from Poland or Romania in such a volume after the cessation of supplies from Russia and Belarus. In particular, "there is no required number of tanks, there are no transshipment capacities and other things," which "leaves its mark and leads to a shortage of fuel."
11:01 In Kiev, from May 16, the sale of alcohol in public catering establishments is allowed from 11:00 to 22:00, the Kyiv City State Administration reported. The sale of alcohol in stores is still possible from 11:00 to 16:00.
10:57 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the enemy on the morning of May 16. The enemy suffered the greatest losses over the past day in the Bakhmut and Zaporozhye directions.
- personnel - about 27,700 (+300) people liquidated,
- tanks - 1228 (+8),
- armored combat vehicles - 2974 (+16),
- artillery systems - 577 (+22),
- MLRS - 195 (+0),
- air defense systems - 89 (+0),
- aircraft - 200 (+0),
- helicopters - 165 (+1),
- UAVs of the operational-tactical level - 427 (+11),
- cruise missiles - 97 (+2),
- ships/boats - 13 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tankers - 2101 (+14),
- special equipment - 42 (+0).
10:43 Borrell doubts that the EU will be able to agree today on the issue of an oil embargo against Russia: "Of course, we will discuss this, and we will try to unblock the situation, but I cannot guarantee this, because the opposition is very strong."
10:26 The process of Sweden's accession to NATO may take about a year, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said. She stressed that on this path, Sweden is ready to engage in dialogue with all 30 member countries of the alliance, including Turkey.
10:22 A missile attack on the Odessa region was carried out by strategic aircraft, OK Pivden reported. The object of tourist infrastructure was hit, buildings were destroyed, a fire broke out. Also, the enemy continues to attack the damaged and inoperative bridge across the Dniester Estuary. Previously, two adults were injured and a small child was seriously injured.
10:19 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO "would be a mistake with far-reaching consequences," and "no one should have any illusions that Russia will simply put up with it." At the same time, Moscow's reaction "will depend on specific steps taken by Stockholm and Helsinki."
10:17 The New York Times writes that the complete failure of the Russian military operation to cross the Seversky Donets River was one of the deadliest episodes of the war. Russian losses could reach up to 485 people, more than 80 pieces of equipment were also destroyed.
10:11 In Kiev, public transport fares have been resumed today, the Klovska metro station has also been opened, the Kyiv City State Administration reported.
09:55 Ukrainian forces blew up the railway bridges between Rubizhne and Severodonetsk in order to contain Russian troops, said the head of the Luhansk OVA Serhiy Gaidai. According to him, the invaders suffer losses and retreat on the outskirts of Severodonetsk, but do not stop.
09:43 In Odessa, Russian troops hit the recreation center, people's deputy Alexei Goncharenko said.
09:24 The Ingulsky district of Nikolaev underwent enemy fire in the morning, reports Suspіlne. Because of the shelling, a fire broke out in a furniture store, a car parked next to the store caught fire. Not far from the scene, the remains of a cluster warhead of a multiple rocket launcher were found.
09:15 Russia has de facto terminated the cooperation agreement with NATO, German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock said: "The Russian government has made it clear that the Founding Act between NATO and Russia is worth nothing more. Therefore, we should now recognize that this basic act was unilaterally torn apart by Russia, not NATO."
09:13 Adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Petr Andryushchenko, denied the information of the Russian media that Ukrainian defenders with white flags came out of Azovstal: "If you trust the sources of the invaders, they have already taken everyone prisoner three times in Mariupol." According to him, now the Russians do not stop trying to enter or block the exit from the bunkers. All ground operations are carried out only on the perimeter of the plant, no global approximation occurs, which is why the density of shelling is growing.
09:00 The head of the Kharkiv OVA Oleg Sinegubov said that the fighters of the 227th battalion of the 127th brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ousted the Russians and restored the border sign on the state border section.
08:58 Blinken is convinced that Ukraine will survive the war: "President Putin unleashed this brutal and unprovoked war, thinking that he could destroy Ukraine as an independent country and divide NATO. Instead, he only strengthened the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. NATO is stronger, more combat-ready, more united than ever."
08:56 InformNapalm reported that Russia is preparing provocations in Mariupol with the participation of captured Ukrainian servicemen and civilians abducted by Russians. According to the publication, the invaders intend to bring up to 2,000 captured people to Mariupol, send reconnaissance troops to the city, who were ordered to take gas masks without fail, and six tank trucks, the contents of which are unknown.
InformNapalm analysts suggest that the Russian command may use the prisoners to create a picture in the Russian propaganda media that the defenders of Azovstal allegedly surrendered, and then try to use the contents of the tanks (possibly chemicals) to “smoke out” the real defenders from their positions.
Today, Russian propaganda media are already reporting that a group of ten Ukrainian soldiers allegedly came out of the cellars of Azovstal with white flags.
08:49 British intelligence reports that the deployment of Belarusian special operations forces along the border with Ukraine is likely to delay Ukrainian troops in the area, so they will not be able to be transferred to support operations in the Donbass.
08:45 The Russian military satellite, which on the night of April 30 was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome into a near-polar orbit on the Angara-1.2 rocket, could not stay there and will burn up in the atmosphere. The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, “advertised” this launch in social networks with a message that the letter Z was depicted on the rocket body.
US astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted: "A Russian rocket with a Z on its side launched a military satellite that failed. It appears that the Z symbol representing war crimes has now also become synonymous with epic failure."
08:36 Russia announced the nationalization of the Russian assets of the Renault Group. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin announced that he had decided to take the Renault plant to the balance of the city and resume the production of cars "under the historical Moskvich brand."
08:24 The head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, said that he spoke on the phone with Reznikov, among other things, they discussed the needs of Ukraine on the battlefield. Austin also informed Reznikov about the results of his recent conversation with Shoigu.
08:10 In the Lugansk region, the Russians fired at Severodonetsk yesterday, two people died on the spot, another one was hospitalized, said the head of the OVA Sergey Gaidai.
07:35 The enemy is trying to restrain the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine north of Kharkov and prevent them from reaching the state border of Ukraine, and is also preparing offensive operations by forces of units concentrated in the Izyum region, the General Staff reports in the morning summary .
06:31 Mayor of Nikolaev Alexander Senkevich reports explosions in the city and asks to remain in shelters or to observe the rule of two walls.
06:20 In Ukraine, 90% of people will fall below the poverty line if the war lasts more than a year, the UN says. As a result of the Russian invasion, half of Ukrainian enterprises have been closed, the other half are experiencing difficulties. The UN believes that if the war drags on for more than a year, the economic achievements of the past two decades may be lost.
05:17 The American Institute for the Study of War believes that the Russians are likely to focus on the capture of Severodonetsk, and not on reaching the administrative borders of the Donetsk region. Russian troops have likely given up on the goal of completing a large-scale cordon of Ukrainian units from Donetsk to Izyum to capture the Luhansk region.
Analysts note that Russian troops are likely to try to hold the line west of Volchansk in order to protect their land lines from Belgorod to Izyum. It is unclear whether they will succeed. Russian troops did not advance in the Slavic direction due to an unsuccessful offensive in the Izyum region.
Failed attempts by the Russians to cross the Seversky Donets at Kremennaya could push Russian operations further east. According to the ISW forecast, the Russians will finally leave their positions near Kharkov and in the near future, most likely, a Ukrainian counteroffensive will begin in the Izyum region.
At the same time, Russian forces are fortifying the occupied settlements in the south, which indicates that the occupying troops seek to establish permanent control in the region.
04:51 Germany will refuse to import oil from Russia until the end of the year, even if the EU does not reach an agreement on this issue as part of a new package of sanctions, Bloomberg writes, citing government sources. Work on concluding deals with alternative suppliers is underway, the German authorities are confident that they will be able to resolve logistical issues within 6-7 months.