Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The Ukrainian Armed Forces are engaged in heavy fighting in the east and south of Ukraine.
The highest activity of the Russian army remains in the Pokrovsky direction. There were battles in the areas of 13 settlements.
Since the beginning of the current day, 91 combat clashes have occurred on the front. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational report as of 16:00 on Tuesday, May 20.
Thus, in the Kharkov direction, our defenders repelled the Russian attack in the direction of Stroyevka.
In the Liman direction, 16 battles took place near the settlements of Kopanki, Ridkodub, Novy Mir, Grekovka, Zelenaya Dolina, Yampolivka, Torskoye. Six clashes are still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy attacked six times in the areas of Chasovy Yar, Kurdyumovka and in the direction of Predtechny and Belaya Gora. Two combat clashes are currently ongoing.
In the Toretsk direction, the invaders attacked nine times in the areas of Druzhba, Petrovka and Toretsk. Three clashes are ongoing.
The enemy is currently highly active in the Pokrovsk direction . Today, clashes of varying intensity have already begun there 31 times near the settlements of Yablunovka, Novooleniovka, Malinovka, Shevchenko Pervoye, Mirolyubovka, Promen, Lisovka, Zvirovo, Udachnoye, Novosergeevka, Troitskoye, Kotlyarovka and Andreyevka. Four battles are still ongoing.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the aggressors tried to advance 18 times in the area of the settlements of Volnoye Pole, Privolnoye, Zelenoe Pole Konstantinopol, Bogatyr, Burlatskoye, Vesyoloye and in the direction of Otradnoye. Six battles are ongoing.
In the Orekhov direction, the occupiers twice attempted to advance in the areas of Novoandreyevka and Malye Shcherbaki, where they were rebuffed.
In the Kursk direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces units are repelling one enemy attack. In total, eight combat clashes have already been recorded.
Let us recall that in one day on May 19, Russia lost more than 1,000 fighters killed and wounded. The total number of Russian losses is approaching 1 million people.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Residents of Nalchik came to the Tree of Life memorial to take part in a memorial evening dedicated to the 161st anniversary of the end of the Caucasian War. At the end of the evening, they lit 101 candles in memory of those killed.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", on May 20, 2024, residents of Kabardino-Balkaria honored the memory of the victims of the Caucasian War on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of its end. They gathered in Nalchik at the "Tree of Life" monument. The participants of the action said that they try to come to the memorial every year to pay tribute to the memory of those who died for the independence of the Circassian people.
The Caucasian War, which lasted from 1763 to 1864, brought the Adyghe people to the brink of extinction. After the war and the mass deportation of the Adyghe to the Ottoman Empire, only a little more than 50,000 people remained in their homeland. The Russian authorities have still not made a decision to recognize the genocide of the Circassians during the war, according to a report from the "Caucasian Knot".
At least two hundred people gathered for the event at the memorial. Some of the men who participated in the event were dressed in national costumes (Circassian coats), a correspondent for the “Caucasian Knot” reported.
A literary and musical composition was performed for those gathered: actors of the Kabardian theater read poetry, and musicians, folk singers Artur Dyshekov, Azamat Pekov, Asiyat Cherkesova, Oksana Khakulova, the ensemble "Chegem Waterfalls" and others performed gybze (lament songs) dedicated to the events of the Caucasian War. Folk melodies on the shikapshin were performed by musician Zuber Euaz. At the end of the evening, the participants of the event traditionally lit 101 candles on the pedestal of the monument.
Nalchik resident Beslan Khagazheyev, who was present at the event, explained his participation in the action by the fact that the memory of his ancestors is sacred to him. “They gave their lives in an unequal struggle for their identity, customs, laws - everything that they valued and that was sacred to them. Every Adyghe is obliged to honor their ancestors. This gives us the right to exist,” he told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
Khagazheev noted that he knows about the events of the Caucasian War only from books, and his family has not preserved any family memories of that period. According to him, too much time has passed today for people to remember the personal stories of older relatives through generations, especially since the participants in those events either died or were deported. "There are many historical sources from which one can learn about these distant events. This must be done, the people must know their history," the Nalchik resident added.
Baksan resident Islam Batyrov said that he comes to the monument every year on the anniversary of the end of the Caucasian War, "just to stand and be silent." "It is impossible to listen to these songs indifferently, they penetrate into the very heart," he said.
Batyrov shares the opinion that history must be known, noting that "it should not be a burden and drag us back into the past." "Knowing our history, we must move forward: develop our culture, study our native language, so that one day we do not find ourselves in front of the fact that new generations cannot read and write in the Kabardian language," said a participant in the evening.
In his opinion, in order to preserve their identity, the Adyghe need to pay more attention to studying their native language, customs and traditions. "Unfortunately, everything that our ancestors held dear, everything that they fought for, died for, is now being lost by us simply like that, voluntarily. We are ready to succumb to any influence - be it Arabic or European, but we do not even try to preserve our own," he stated.
Khusein Tukov from Nalchik also attends the memorial events every year. "We come to remember our ancestors who disappeared in this war. This memory is important to us, it unites all the Adyghe people of the world," he said.
A rally near the Tree of Life memorial is planned for May 21.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 20:50 Artillerymen of the 29th Army destroyed fortifications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kurakhovsky direction with the help of Krasnopolya —video. 20:30 Military doctors from the forward medical station provide assistance to military personnel and civilians
Wounded soldiers on the front line are carried to medical specialists on the shoulders of their comrades from the evacuation groups. Medics provide first aid in a field multidisciplinary hospital. The technical equipment in PNG allows for surgical operations, anti-shock measures, and stabilization of the soldiers' condition before sending them to the hospital.
"This is a completely different job. Not like in hospitals, and not the same conditions. The conditions are completely different. But one thing is good, that in the end the result - you see that the guys return home to their families, loved ones, and everything will be fine with them," shared a nurse anesthetist with the call sign "Jaguar".
19:55 Attack drone operators are effectively destroying the enemy
– Drone operators of the “Southern” group of troops discovered and destroyed several antennas of various types that were used by the enemy to organize control of units and UAVs, as well as communications between military personnel in the Konstantinovka area in the DPR.
– FPV drone operators of the Vostok group of forces carried out a night hunt for Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles, during which they destroyed more than ten enemy pickups and jeeps involved in the rotation of manpower, delivery of ammunition and supplies.
– The strike drone crews of the Dnepr group of forces discovered and destroyed: an unmanned aerial vehicle of the Baba Yaga type, a lightly armored vehicle, a tank and a UAV crew of the enemy in the Zaporizhia region.
18:50 Iskander incinerated enemy special forces training camp in Sumy region
A powerful missile strike was carried out on an enemy concentration in the Shostka region of Sumy Oblast.
As a result of the fire strike, up to 70 militants, 10 vehicles and an ammunition depot were destroyed.
17:55 The footage shows the use of three FAB-500 aerial bombs against the air defense and launcher of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Kirovsk in the Krasnolimansk direction, –video.
16:25 Summary of the Ministry of Defense on the progress of the Special Operation in Ukraine as of 05/20/2025.
By units of the North group of forces inflicted defeat of concentrations of manpower and equipment of the mechanized, airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Bunyakino, Ryzhevka, Atinskoye, Belopolye and Bessalovka in the Sumy region.
Units of the "West" group of forces improved their tactical position. They defeated formations of two mechanized, airmobile brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a National Guard brigade in the areas of the settlements of Kupyansk, Sobolevka in the Khar'kov Region, Karpovka and Kirovsk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The units of the "Southern" group of troops occupied more advantageous lines and positions. They defeated the manpower and equipment of two mechanized, airmobile and assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Markovo, Predtechino, Minkovka and Grigorovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces' losses over the past day amounted to 1,290 servicemen, 34 vehicles, three tanks, eight field artillery guns, 22 armored combat vehicles, five artillery guns, nine ammunition depots, one electronic warfare station and four pickup trucks.
Units of the Center group of forces defeated formations of three mechanized, assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two brigades of the National Guard in the areas of the settlements of Koptevo, Razino, Krasnoarmeysk, Grodovka, Petrovskoye and Novaya Poltavka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Units of the "East" group of forces continued to advance into the depths of the enemy's defense. They defeated the manpower and equipment of the mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard brigade and the territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Novoukrainka in the Donetsk People's Republic, Gulyaipole and Chervone in the Zaporizhia region
Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of the mechanized brigade and the coastal defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Novoandriyevka in the Zaporizhia region and Otradokamenka in the Kherson region
Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation damaged the infrastructure facilities of a military airfield, a workshop for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, ammunition depots, military-technical property and fuel, as well as temporary deployment points of units of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 147 districts.
15:40 For the use of weapons against civilians in the Kursk region, sentenced Ukrainian serviceman to long-term imprisonment.
The evidence collected by the Main Military Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation was found by the court to be sufficient to sentence the senior soldier of the 33rd Separate Assault Battalion of the armed formations of Ukraine, Vitaly Lutsenko. He was found guilty of committing a terrorist act in the Kursk region (paragraphs "a" and "c" of Part 2 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
14:10 Crew of the TOS "Solntsepek" of the "Vostok" group of forces inflicted a thermobaric projectile strike on Ukrainian Armed Forces stronghold in South Donetsk direction
The stronghold was completely destroyed along with the manpower and equipment located in the affected area.
13:35 The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a hospital in Tetkino after an unsuccessful attempt to break through to the Kursk region, — video.
12:50 Calculation of the Strela-10 air defense missile system of the Vostok group of forces destroyed reconnaissance UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporizhia direction
Anti-aircraft gunners destroyed the Leleka-100, Furia and Shark drones, which were conducting aerial reconnaissance and adjusting artillery fire of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
11:50 Air defense drone “Yelka” carried out kinetic interception of a reconnaissance UAV of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' aircraft type in the SVO zone.
Despite active maneuvering, the enemy drone was overtaken by our interceptor and deprived of its tail.
11:10 Specialists from the Rubicon Center did not stop work to neutralize Ukrainian Armed Forces drones in the area where a special military operation is being conducted.
10:25 On the night of May 19-20, in the area of the settlements of Krasnooktyabrsky and Volfino (and the settlement of the same name on the other side), the enemy, with sabotage and reconnaissance groups and artillery support, attempted to enter the territory of the Kursk region. According to preliminary information, it retreated with losses ofMAP.
9:54 Units of the former 3rd Corps are moving forward to Seversk along the heights north of Verkhnekamenskoye. In the area of the Plotka River, they advanced along forest belts in the direction of Chubarovsky Pond to a depth of 600 meters.
Pinpoint strikes in the area of the village of Serebryanka destroyed two electronic warfare stations and at least three Ukrainian Armed Forces communications centers. A UAV control point and enemy personnel were eliminated.
8:28 During the past night, air defense systems on duty destroyed eight Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Bryansk region.
8:17 Frontline report for the morning of 20.05.2025
Zaporizhzhya Front. In the direction continues, mainly positional battles. No serious changes in LBS are recorded.
Donetsk Front. Russian troops continue to expand their zone of control in the Bogatyr area. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are conducting counterattacks in the Zelenoye Pole and Novopol area.
Chasov Yar direction. Fighting continues in Chasov Yar and on the flanks. No serious changes in the LBS are recorded, but the fighting continues to be highly active.
Sumy direction. As a result of a counterattack, Russian troops have driven out the remnants of the Ukrainian army forces located in the border area in the Demidovka area and liberated the settlement of Maryino in the Sumy region.
In the Tetkino area, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to try to penetrate our defenses. So far, Ukrainian militants have not managed to achieve any tangible results, but the activity of military operations in the area has not decreased, which indicates the enemy's intentions to maintain tension in this direction.
8:00 Calculation of the mortar battery of the Airborne Forces works on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orekhov direction
The reconnaissance transmitted the target coordinates, and the mortar men quickly dealt fire damage to the identified enemy UAV control point.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Two Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers of the Russian long-range aviation carried out a scheduled patrol over the Barents Sea, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry reported on its Telegram channel.
The flight over neutral waters was accompanied by Su-33 aircraft of the Navy and lasted more than four hours. At certain stages of the missile carriers' flight, they were accompanied by fighters of foreign countries.
“All flights of Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,” the Defense Ministry emphasized.
The Defense Ministry recalled that the crews of long-range aviation, which includes the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic missile carriers and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Baltic and Black Seas.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The BT-3F floating armored personnel carrier, created on the basis of the BMP-3 by specialists from the High-Precision Systems holding, has entered the state testing stage. This was reported by the press service of the Rostec state corporation in the Telegram channel.
It is noted that the armored personnel carrier is designed to transport units of the Naval Infantry of the Coastal Troops and units of the ground forces. It can provide fire support to dismounted troops under any combat conditions.
“The equipment must confirm the specified tactical and technical characteristics on land and in water in various climatic zones, and also undergo firing tests from a stationary position, on the move and afloat,” the statement said.
Rostec specified that the BT-3F can transport up to 12 fully equipped paratroopers. The vehicle is equipped with a remotely controlled combat module with a machine gun and an automatic grenade launcher, and also has a towing hitch for towing trailers.
Earlier, the company "High Precision Systems" reported that the improvements that are being made to the appearance of the BMP-3 as a result of the vehicle's participation in a special operation in Ukraine will be implemented in the BMP-3F and BT-3F. The production of the basic "land" BMP-3 was increased several times against the background of the SVO. In particular, in the first quarter of 2023 alone, the Ministry of Defense was supplied with as many units of equipment as in the whole of 2019.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
