[Kyiv Post] The Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service has released an intercept of a phone call between a Russian soldier and his grandmother in which he claims his unit massacred around 400 men, women and children in the Ukrainian city of Kreminna. Intercepted call from -April 2022. Recently released. Translated audio here.
The unidentified soldier describes being given the order to capture the city, which was carried out in his own words by "f**king [killing] everybody including civilians, just everybody" in a massacre that lasted "from night to morning."
He adds: "Grandma, I’m telling you, we f**ked up [killed] not less than 400 people tonight."
In one section of the conversation, he tries to justify the massacre by claiming the people he killed would kill him given the chance.
"We've got the nerve to go in; they’ll kill us," he says. "At least I know I’m taking so many people with me.
"We also had machine gunners who started mowing down people — children, women, men, locals, and non-locals.
"They just wiped them all out. We went into houses and just shot. I just got fed up with everything."
It’s not known exactly when the massacre took place but the city was occupied by Russian troops in April 2022.
Kreminna, in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk Oblast, was a thriving city of 20,000 people before the war.
[Kyiv Post] Many commentators have been expecting Ukraine to launch a "D-Day" style counteroffensive against Russia, but it seems Kyiv may have something else in mind and the clues are already there.
[Ukrinform] The Russian Federation has already started moving nuclear munitions to the Belarus territory.
This was stated by Aleksander Lukashenko, BELTA reports.
"He (Russian President Vladimir Putin - ed.) informed me that today he had signed a decree on our actions on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. It was about a specific document. A decision was made to develop what was voiced earlier. We had to prepare storage sites etc. We did it, so the transfer of nuclear munitions has already started," Lukashenko said. Despite the headline, this is part of an agreement signed with Russia to host nuclear weapons on Belorussian soil.
◽"In the context of an extremely sharp escalation of threats and the activity of joint nuclear missions, NATO is forced to take retaliatory measures in the military-nuclear sphere. In accordance with the decision of our supreme commanders, work has been organized to deploy non-strategic nuclear weapons of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Republic of Belarus," Sergei Shoigu said at talks with Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin in Minsk.
◽He recalled that the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, capable of using missiles not only in conventional, but also nuclear weapons, was handed over to the Belarusian side.
❕"Some of the Belarusian aircraft have been converted for the possible use of nuclear weapons. The servicemen have undergone appropriate training," Sergei Shoigu said.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that within the framework of the agreement on the "Union State," the transfer of nuclear weapons from the Russian Federation to Minsk began. About it informs RIA News.
Nuclear munitions have been moved from Moscow to Minsk within the framework of the “Union State” agreement, Alexander Lukashenko said. According to him, first it was necessary to prepare special places for storing these shells.
"It was necessary to prepare there (in Belarus. - ed.) and places of storage, and so on. We've all done it. Therefore, the movement of nuclear weapons began," Lukashenka said.
Recall that earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Minsk concluded agreement on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus. Russian leader clarified that the location of the tactical arsenal will occur without violating the START treaty.
[Radio Free Europe] Roman Anin is a Russian investigative journalist who worked for Novaya gazeta and was among the founders of the independent iStories outlet in 2020.
He has taught journalism in Moscow and worked with international networks including the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), in addition to his work investigating millions of documents leaked among the so-called Panama Papers. He has also reported deeply on the leadership within Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
In 2021, Russian authorities labeled him a "foreign agent." He resides abroad.
Anin spoke with RFE/RL’s Georgian Service recently about potential risks to Vladimir Putin stemming from the Russian leader’s decision to invade Ukraine, the current maneuvering for power by men like Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and National Guard head Viktor Zolotov, and whether a possible Russian defeat in Ukraine could spell a new Time of Troubles.
RFE/RL: Many Western experts are skeptical of a scenario in which Putin is challenged or ousted inside Russia and the Kremlin. If the title of your piece (on iStories in January) is anything to go by -- A Clan War For Putin's Throne Has Begun -- you don’t share that skepticism. Why not?
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Vesti] May 25 is the 456th day of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Briefly about the main thing that happened in the country on that day, about the situation in the regions, the exchange of prisoners, losses, as well as all the relevant information from key departments - online Vesti.ua .
07:00 . During the night, Russia attacked Ukraine with 36 Shahed-136/131 attack drones . Launches from the northern and southern directions were recorded. Through the joint efforts of the air defense forces, all 36 drones were destroyed.
08:00 . Kharkov region. At night, the Russians launched a missile attack on the village of Tsirkuny, Kharkov region. The missile, previously S-300, hit the ground. Damaged private house nearby. There were no casualties.
Kherson region. During the day, the Russian Federation carried out 83 attacks from heavy artillery, Grads, tanks, UAVs and aviation. Kherson was fired on two times: hitting residential areas, social and critical infrastructure facilities in the Berislav region. Four people are injured.
Nikolaevkskaya area. Three Russian strike UAVs Shahed-131/136 were destroyed.
09:00 . Dnepropetrovsk region. On the evening of May 24, Russia attacked the Nikopol region with a kamikaze drone: a private house was damaged, there were no casualties. In the morning the Russians attacked Nikopol.
Crimea. Explosions thundered in the Crimea at night . The Russians claim a drone attack on Sevastopol. Two drones allegedly shot down the forces of the Black Sea Fleet.
Chernivtsi region. As a result of the fall of Shahed debris, three residential buildings and power lines were damaged. Disconnected 140 subscribers in the Dniester region. There were no casualties.
10:00 a.m. Lugansk region. The Russians shelled Raygorodka in the Svatov region: a 16-year-old boy and his 20-year-old sister were killed . The fate of their aunt, with whom they lived, remains unknown.
Donetsk region. PMC "Wagner" will leave Bakhmut before June 1. Prigozhin announced the withdrawal of his units from the city. Reports that they are withdrawing to the rear areas.
11:00 am . Moscow and Minsk signed a document on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus . Control over tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus will be carried out by the Russian Federation, as well as making a decision on their use.
Lviv region. At night, 10 Shahed drones attacked the Lviv region. All of them were destroyed. There are no hits on objects, there are no victims or injured either.
12:00 . Kherson region. At night, the Russians hit the dormitory of the Kherson State University. No casualties.
13:00 . Ukraine returned 106 people from Russian captivity . Among them are soldiers from the Bakhmut direction - eight officers and 98 soldiers and sergeants. Among those who returned, according to the head of the OP, 68 people were considered missing.
14:00 . Donetsk region. In the suburbs of Bakhmut, the Russian command has replaced units of the Wagner PMC with regular army units, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said. In the city itself, at the moment, the "Wagnerites" remain. She added that the Defense Forces control the neighborhood of Bakhmut in the southwestern part in the "Airplane" area.
16:00 . Donetsk region. The Russian military shelled Krasnogorovka: a 73-year-old woman died .
17:00 . Sweden will allow Ukrainian pilots to undergo basic training on JAS 39 Gripen fighters.
18:00 . The situation at the front for the day: Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions. During the day, 17 combat clashes took place in these sectors of the front. Aviation of the Defense Forces in a day delivered 4 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russians, and units of missile forces and artillery hit 2 areas of concentration of manpower, an ammunition depot, a radar station and an artillery unit of the Russian Federation in firing positions.
18:51 . Ukraine's membership in NATO is real if the Armed Forces of Ukraine return Kherson and Zaporozhye regions under control. So says the philosopher Francis Fukuyama.
19:29 . The Russians launched an air strike on the Berislavsky district of the Kherson region.
19:59 . The transfer of the F-16 to Ukraine will not make NATO a party to the conflict in the war with the Russian Federation - Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
20:36 . During the day, there is a decrease in the intensity of fighting on the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut. This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar.
20:58 . Passing the training of the Ukrainian Swedish Gripen is the first step to ensure that Ukraine can claim the JAS 39 Gripen in the future. These fighters are cheaper than F-16s and easier to master, but there are not many of them, and Sweden is not yet ready to transfer them. This was stated by Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson.
21:26 . Bears "Barney" and chocolate bar "Milka" are international sponsors of the war. This was reported by the National Agency of Ukraine to overcome corruption.
21:55 . Two Russian planes crashed near Melitopol. Details are being specified.
22:22 . Swedish volunteer Daniel Nystrom died mysteriously in Kyiv, Scandinavian media report.
22:49 . Loud explosions are heard in Kherson.
23:01 . The first country to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine may be the Netherlands. Adviser to the Minister of Defense Yuriy Sak told Politico that the Netherlands has 24 F-16s in use, which are suitable for operational deployment.
23:11 . Finland will provide Ukraine with €109 million in military assistance, - the country's Ministry of Defense. This is the 16th military aid package. It includes, in particular, anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition.
23:37 . Ukraine's strategic goal of regaining all lost territories does not look militarily achievable in the short term, US Chief of Staff Milley said.
00:09 . In the Donetsk region, a dam on the Karlovsky reservoir was blown up. This is reported by local Telegram channels.
00:33 . The final decision on the transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine will "depend on how the military situation on the ground develops." This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 23:20 Russian military publics reported an alleged Ukrainian air attack on a military airfield in Morozovsk, Rostov Region. Local authorities said that air defense shot down a Ukrainian missile.
23:16 At Ramstein, they agreed on new military assistance packages for Ukraine, as well as on the training of pilots on the F-16. Read more about the results of the meeting in the material Coalition F-16 and air defense systems .
23:14 Spain will transfer four more Leopard 2A4 tanks and a new batch of infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, the country's Ministry of Defense said. Madrid will also hand over the M113 infantry fighting vehicle to Ukrainian defenders.
22:57 Biden officially announced the replacement of the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff: Charles Brown will replace Mark Milley.
22:24 South Korea is one of the largest producers of weapons in the world, in particular, artillery shells. The country has long refused to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relationship with Russia, but that seems to have come to an end. Read more in the material New supplier .
22:18 The Russian Foreign Ministry threatens that Russia will withdraw from the grain deal if the Russian Agricultural Bank is not connected to SWIFT and there is no progress "on other systemic problems."
22:12 The United States will soon announce a new $300 million military aid package to Ukraine, Reuters writes. It is assumed that it will mainly include ammunition, in particular, GMLRS guided missiles for HIMARS installations.
21:06 The British Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
21:03 Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas at the Ramstein meeting announced a new military assistance package for Ukraine, which will include anti-drone equipment, ammunition, dry rations, etc.
20:52 The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, believes that Ukraine is capable of liberating all the territories occupied by Russia, but this will not happen in the short term. He also stressed that while the fighting continues, support for Ukraine will continue.
20:16 The Russians destroyed the dam of the Karlovsky reservoir with their shelling - the villages of Galitsinovka, Zhelannoe-1 and Zhelannoe-2 were under the threat of flooding, said the head of the Donetsk OVA Pavel Kirilenko. According to him, operational and rescue services were ready for this and have already begun to act according to a well-defined algorithm. Communities located in the zone of alleged flooding have been warned. If necessary, the evacuation of the civilian population will begin.
20:12 Denmark and the Netherlands will lead the European coalition to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 , Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said after the 12th meeting in the Ramstein format. He added that Norway, Belgium, Portugal and Poland also offered to contribute. "We expect more countries to join this initiative soon," Austin said.
19:50 The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was being prepared for about five months, said US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland. She stressed that Washington is helping Kyiv build security and military power in such a way that they are a sufficient deterrent for the Russian Federation so that it cannot start a new war in the future. Nuland is also convinced that Ukraine has everything to move towards EU membership.
19:34 The National Guard announced the destruction of one and the defeat of another Russian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Zaporozhye direction. The planes tried to inflict defeat on the positions of the Ukrainian defense forces.
19:29 Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries to leave Bakhmut. The militants allegedly hand over their positions to the regular Russian army. In order to build a political career in Russia, Prigozhin needs to emerge from Bakhmut as a “winner,” experts say. More details - in the material Wagner leaves Bakhmut: what does it mean .
19:08 Russian troops militarized the island of Dzharylgach, which they connected on May 19 with the occupied mainland of the Kherson region in the Lazurny area. The invaders deployed about 300 Russian servicemen and 15 foreign-made boats on the island, which were taken from the local population, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
18:59 Zelensky, after meeting with Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson, thanked for the decision to join the international tank coalition in support of Ukraine and transfer ten Leopard-2 tanks and for leadership in the formation of the CV-90 BMP coalition.
18:55 US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said that at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Ukraine can hope for a "more clear" statement of "what we have already said."
18:41 The Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs was damaged as a result of an attack by Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea, UP reports, citing sources in military circles. The interlocutor of the publication confirmed the authenticity of the video, which was circulated on social networks: “It didn’t sink, but there was a hit, there is significant damage to the hull and equipment. Now the Russians are hastily repairing it.”
18:32 Lukashenka said that the transfer of nuclear weapons from Russia to Belarus has begun. He recalled that the movement is taking place within the framework of agreements with the Russian Federation on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
17:38 Western allies within the framework of the Ramstein format have already transferred military assistance to Ukraine totaling $65 billion, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said before the next meeting. He stressed that military support to Ukraine will continue, and training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets will begin in the coming weeks.
17:04 The Russians fired on the police, who were taking a family with four children out of the village of New York, Donetsk region. This is the second time in ten days that Russian troops have hit the White Angels. According to preliminary data, the police received a shell shock, the 14-year-old girl was slightly injured, the National Police reported.
16:27 A video has appeared on the network of how a Ukrainian unmanned boat hits the reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.
16:23 Sweden will allow Ukrainian pilots to undergo basic training on JAS 39 Gripen fighters , Defense Minister Paul Jonsson, who is on a visit to Kiev, said.
16:12 An air defense system went off over the Belgorod region - an UAV was allegedly shot down on approach to the city, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
15:57 Ukraine transfers defense purchases to the model of NATO member states, Reznikov said. According to him, now the Defense Procurement Agency will deal with the purchase of weapons and equipment. It is assumed that such changes will allow more efficient use of budgetary funds and reduce the delivery time of goods for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
15:33 Finland will provide Ukraine with another package of military assistance in the amount of 109 million euros, the country's Ministry of Defense announced. It will include ammunition and anti-aircraft weapons.
15:31 Zelensky said that he had met with Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson: "Important, priority issues: the aviation coalition, the situation on the front line, the necessary weapons, the peace formula, Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration, support for Sweden. Every day we become even stronger."
15:28 Podolyak explained that the counter-offensive is not one event that will begin at a specific hour of a specific day, "these are dozens of different actions to destroy the occupying forces of the Russian Federation in various directions, which have already taken place yesterday, are taking place today and will take place tomorrow." According to Podolyak, the intensive destruction of the enemy's logistics support is also a counteroffensive.
14:51 The Coordination Headquarters clarified that out of 106 soldiers returned from captivity, 68 were considered missing. Among the released are 98 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of which 21 are Teroboronists, seven border guards and one representative of the State Special Transport Service. Russia also handed over the bodies of two foreigners and a Ukrainian woman.
14:25 Ukrainian intelligence notes the loyalty of the local population to the Russian rebels in the Belgorod region, said Andrei Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. According to him, the recent events were so unexpected for the Russian Federation that they disoriented it. "There is panic, chaos and uncertainty on the part of the occupying authorities," Yusov said. He also suggested that the actions of Russian volunteers in the Belgorod region could lead to a chain reaction in other regions of the Russian Federation with the involvement of even more people.
14:18 Ukraine returned 106 soldiers from the Bakhmut direction from Russian captivity - eight officers and 98 soldiers and sergeants, Yermak said. He specified that many of them were considered missing.
13:43 The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a law on fines of up to 1 million rubles or arrest for up to 15 days for distributing maps or images "challenging the territorial integrity of Russia."
13:26 For the first time in 30 years, Russia postponed an international air show near Moscow "for security reasons," Kommersant writes, citing sources.
13:08 Russia does not allow 28 ships to enter the Yuzhny port in the Odessa region, which is a violation of the obligations of the Russian side under the grain initiative, US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said.
12:59 The creation by Russia of a new "elite" strike aviation group Storm will not change anything on the front line, Yuri Ignat, speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is convinced: "Every day, every day, 20-30 of their aircraft actually hang in the air. I don't understand why they it's... I guess it's more for the purpose of propaganda, to prove something to your people. How can you plan an air attack differently? Whatever you call the group, the technique remains the same."
12:17 Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said that in the suburbs of Bakhmut, the enemy replaced Wagner units with regular army units, while Wagnerites still remain in the city itself. Ukrainian troops control the outskirts of the city in the southwestern part in the Airplane area. In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy is trying to stop the advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along the flanks with artillery shelling, pulling up additional units for reinforcement.
In general, the Russians are now conducting an offensive in several directions - Avdeevsky, Maryinsky, Limansky, Kupyansky and Bakhmutsky. On Avdeevsky and Maryinsky, enemy attacks were repulsed, on Limansky the Russians took a break over the past day and did not attack, on Kupyansky there are battles - the enemy is attacking, trying to seize a bridgehead for further advancement, suffering losses.
12:13 Speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Cherevaty could not confirm the withdrawal of Prigozhin’s mercenaries from Bakhmut, however, he stated that for the third day the enemy had reduced the intensity of attacks, but continued shelling from cannon artillery, and air strikes were also carried out on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "We note a decrease in attacks. Perhaps this is due to their regrouping," he added.
11:47 Yermak said that he had a video conversation with the Minister of Enterprise and Production of Italy, Adolfo Urso, and discussed plans for the implementation of the agreements reached by Zelensky with Prime Minister George Maloney during his visit to Rome.
11:18 Chinese Special Representative for Eurasia Li Hui will visit Moscow tomorrow, Lavrov will receive him, the "Ukrainian settlement" will be discussed, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
11:02 At the Bugach station in Russian Krasnoyarsk, two relay cabinets were on fire, the situation did not affect the movement of trains. The press service of the railway reported that the fire started due to "the intervention of unauthorized persons."
10:45 Russians fired at Raigorodka in the Svatovsky district of the Lugansk region - two people were killed, among them a 16-year-old teenager, said the head of the OVA Artem Lysogor. The fate of another person remains unknown.
Lysogor said that the village of Raigorodka is located in a zone of active hostilities, but the Russians do not allow local residents to leave. Thus, they create a front line of defense in the form of a human shield, and already behind the people they put "dragon's teeth".
10:24 Russia and Belarus signed an agreement on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. Shoigu said that control over non-strategic nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus remains with Russia, the decision to use it too.
10:21 The Wall Street Journal writes that South Korea, after prolonged resistance and requests from Washington, allegedly began secretly transferring hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine. Shipping is via USA. Seoul's stance has changed since President Yoon Seok-yeol's visit to Washington last month, when the two sides issued a joint security declaration.
10:15 Prigozhin said that PMC Wagner began withdrawing its units from Bakhmut. According to him, they will leave the city before June 1.
10:13 The United States believes that one of the military or intelligence agencies of Ukraine is behind the attempted drone attack on the Kremlin, NYT writes, citing Biden administration officials. At the same time, they cannot confirm that Zelensky or people from his entourage knew about this. The drones were assessed to have carried few explosives, which was more of a symbolic threat.
10:07 In Ukraine, they are preparing a bill on punishment for men who illegally left during the war, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine: "I think that after the end of the war, the state will do everything to remind every citizen that he did during the war. I mean those who crossed the border illegally. I think it will be the law."
09:48 In the Belgorod region, near the village of Kalinino, Yakovlevsky district, 23 km from the border with Ukraine, a FAB-500 bomb was found. According to the Telegram channel Shot, this happened on the evening of May 24, around 20:00. The area has now been cordoned off and there are no casualties or damage.
09:29 In the Dniester district of the Chernivtsi region, as a result of the fall of UAV debris during a night attack, a fire broke out in a garage, three residential buildings were damaged. The debris damaged two power lines, disconnected 140 subscribers. People were not injured, said the head of the OVA Ruslan Zaparanyuk.
09:15 The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has already begun, the military is conducting separate operations, Podolyak said on the air of the Italian TV channel Rai 1: "The counteroffensive has been going on for several days. A full-scale war has stretched for 1.5 thousand kilometers along the border with Russia."
08:53 The FSB stated that it allegedly prevented a terrorist attack against nuclear power facilities in the Russian Federation, which was planned by the "special services of Ukraine." According to the agency, Ukrainian saboteurs, allegedly on the eve of Victory Day, attempted to undermine more than 30 power lines of the Leningrad and Kalinin nuclear power plants, which should have led to a shutdown of nuclear reactors and disruption of the normal operation of the nuclear power plant. Two citizens of Ukraine were detained, another citizen of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, who is in Belgium, was put on the wanted list.
08:34 The first training program for Ukrainians on the F-16 will be launched in Britain, writes Foreign Policy, citing sources. It is assumed that the Ukrainians will be trained by a coalition of countries, which will include Norway and the Netherlands. According to the publication, 20 pilots who speak English will undergo basic ground training, after which training on fighter jets will begin.
08:27 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, one civilian was killed (in Chasovoy Yar), six more were injured. In the Kherson region, four people were injured, according to the IVA.
08:21 At night, the Russians launched a missile attack on the village. Tsirkuny of the Kharkov region: a rocket, previously S-300, hit the ground, people were not injured, said the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. Also during the day, the enemy shelled the settlements of Kharkov, Kupyansky, Bogodukhovsky and Chuguevsky districts.
08:12 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 25.
personnel - about 205,260 (+500) people liquidated,
tanks - 3795 (+3),
armored combat vehicles - 7432 (+8),
artillery systems - 3359 (+20),
MLRS - 570 (+0),
air defense systems - 327 (+0),
aircraft - 309 (+0),
helicopters - 296 (+0),
UAV operational-tactical level - 2907 (+36),
cruise missiles - 1015 (+0),
ships/boats - 18 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 6148 (+2),
special equipment - 444 (+4).
08:07 At night, the Russians fired 36 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 strike drones across Ukraine, all of them were destroyed , the Air Force command reported. Probably, the enemy intended to attack critical infrastructure and military installations in the western regions of the country.
07:53 The Russian army is concentrating its main efforts on the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions. There were 28 clashes in the indicated sectors of the front, the General Staff reported in the morning report .
07:38 At night in the Nikolaev area air defense forces destroyed three enemy attack UAVs Shahed-131/136, reported OVA.
06:20 "Governor" of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev said that another drone attack was repelled at night: two UAVs were allegedly shot down in the Kacha area, several more drones were jammed and planted by electronic warfare. According to him, no objects in the city were damaged.
05:06 At night, the Russians again attacked Kiev from the air, according to preliminary data, with Shahed drones. The attack was massive, the enemy continues to use the attack tactics in several waves with intervals between groups of attacking drones, said Sergey Popko, head of the KGVA. All detected air targets moving in the direction of Kyiv were destroyed.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Sergey Savchuk
[RIA] Speaking at the Eurasian Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Eurasian Economic Forum, very simply and succinctly described the root causes of the unending energy crisis within Europe: “Who is to blame for what happened? Nord Stream 1 was blown up, Nord Stream 2 was not opened. Did we close the Yamal-Europe route through Poland? Poland closed. Two lines of the gas pipeline through Ukraine - Ukraine closed one of them. We didn't do it. By the way, we supply gas to Europe through the second line, but Ukraine, despite calling us an aggressor, safely cashes money for transit. We fulfill all our obligations in full."
As if by order, a couple of hours earlier, The Washington Post broke out with a devastatingly scandalous publication, revealing the secret of the Open. It consists in the fact that supposedly unfortunate Ukraine, on the one hand, demands from the collective West to break off any economic ties with Russia and totally abandon any import of Russian energy resources so as not to support the "Russian war machine," and on the other hand, Kiev itself and does not think of declaring war on Moscow or stopping the transit flow of the same resources through its territory, replenishing its own budget.
The publication quotes the words of Alexei Chernyshov, one of the top managers of Ukraine's main energy company Naftogaz. The functionary slyly wags, arguing that the country cannot afford to cut off all the main transit routes, as it expects to receive compensation from Russia, and also because some respected partners of Kiev in the European Union depend on Ukrainian transit.
Trying to find logic in Chernyshov's words is not worth it. It is not there - there is only verbal manipulation. The situation is anecdotal in that in this case the head of Naftogaz is deceiving not us, but his respected partners. However, no less seasoned crooks and skillful verbiage sit in Brussels, and therefore such statements and a conscious policy at the state level can mislead only a very naive and gullible layman.
Before us, the second act of the geopolitical ballet is unfolding, in which piranhas and barracudas, once fattened on a cheap Russian resource base, circle around each other, convincing that a respected partner should voluntarily reduce their diet and eat less.
When moving on to the next act, one should expect a sharp cooling of Ukrainian-European friendship, since Brussels in this situation, whatever one may say, turned out to be in the position of a naive fool. Which was deceived and to which absolutely everyone continues to consciously lie - both Washington and Kyiv, which swears in a historical community.
Let us just recall that according to the results of 2021, which today seems like a distant era of the past, Russia supplied the EU countries with 203 billion cubic meters of natural gas, or 40 percent of total imports. 540 million tons of oil and products of its processing were supplied. Coal deliveries added another 53 million tons to this basket, while imports of hated solid fossil fuels steadily gained more and more volumes, increasing by ten percent compared to 2020 at once.
Scrupulously counting every cent and gallon, the Americans calculated that by the end of 2021, the countries of the eurozone paid Russian suppliers $147.8 billion for the supply of these three basic energy resources. For comparison, let us recall that the share of European investments in the construction of Nord Stream 2 was only six billion. As the saying goes,
By the end of 2022, Berlin, as the control cabin of the main economic locomotive of the EU, admits that the country is suffering huge losses due to the rejection of Russian energy resources. Minister Robert Habek, who at first gleefully urged his fellow citizens to take cool showers and no more than two or three minutes at a time, now requires generators not to raise retail electricity prices and threatens to impose additional taxes on the excess profits already received by operators.
Paris, due to systemic problems in the nuclear industry, for the first time in recent history, stopped exporting and began to buy electricity from its neighbors.
Warsaw admitted that it has a net loss of $28 million just on purchasing crude oil from third-party suppliers. Every day.
The British media publish alarmist articles and tremble at the terrible thought that Russia, in retaliation for the Nord Stream explosion, could cut two cables at the bottom of the English Channel, which is guaranteed to lead to the collapse of the energy and economy.
And then Ukraine climbs onto the stage with the tragic face of a professional victim, begging with one hand for another tranche of money, tanks and planes, and with the other - slowly unscrewing the valve on the gas and oil pipe coming from the north.
To earn a couple of billion dollars also on pumping, and who doesn’t know: the buyer pays for transit, that is, all the same Europe. It remains to find out what is the threshold of financial and economic strength in the Old World and how soon gentlemen will remember the usual methods of doing business, that is, robbery of their neighbor.
Geopolitics, mixed with big money, is an extremely entertaining thing, most of all reminiscent of a jar of spiders. It is interesting to watch them, especially if you are on the other side of the glass.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 22:42 Russian aviation is operating in the Zaporozhye region, striking at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the movement “We are together with Russia”, on May 25. 21:46 As a result of strikes RF Armed Forces destroyed the dam of the Karlovsky reservoir, through which the Armed Forces of Ukraine were supplied in the Donetsk direction
21:41 Direct hit by a group of soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
20:20 Personnel strike by a kamikaze drone of the 9th Brigade on the Ukrainian position in the Avdievka direction
19:24 Destroyed Ukrainian automotive and armored vehicles in the area of the NMD
18:23 It became known about the death of 36-year-old mercenary from Sweden Daniel Nyström with the call sign Ice.
He was found dead in an apartment in Kyiv, relatives said.
Before SVO, he served in the Swedish army. Since April 2022, he signed a contract with the "Foreign Legion" of Ukraine and fought as part of the "Carpathian Sich" national battalion.
During the year, Daniel managed to take part in the battles in the Kherson and Donetsk regions.
17:21 Liquidation militant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a sniper of the 6th Army of the Western Military District
17:20 Russian paratroopers destroyed Ukrainian DRG in the Kherson direction
Ukrainian DRGs are trying to cross on motor boats and gain a foothold on the left bank of the Dnieper in order to create a springboard for an attack on the Crimea and Zaporozhye. But all attempts end the same way - our guys destroy them.
15:43 Russian artillerymen thunder positions of the Armed Forces
15:42 Naval infantry destroyed Ukrainian jeep
The enemy car was destroyed by soldiers of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade in the Ugledar direction.
15:40 Highlights from the briefing of the RF Ministry of Defense:
🔹In the Kupyansk direction, up to 190 Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed per day, as well as a 122mm D-30 howitzer.
🔹In the Krasno-Limansky direction, up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, the Gvozdika self-propelled guns, as well as 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed.
🔹In the Donetsk direction, up to 270 Ukrainian servicemen were liquidated, as well as a 122mm D-30 howitzer. In addition, two ammunition depots were destroyed.
🔹In the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the enemy lost up to 110 Ukrainian soldiers, as well as two 122mm D-30 howitzers.
🔹In the Kherson direction, up to 25 Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed, as well as 122mm self-propelled guns "Gvozdika".
🔹During the day, air defense systems intercepted eight HIMARS MLRS rockets and 28 Ukrainian UAVs.
14:48 Destruction ammunition depots on the right bank of the Dnieper.
14:48 Paratroopers of the RF Armed Forces destroyed the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Northern direction
Personnel 18+
14:01 Combat work Su-35S aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces during a special operation
In the course of performing combat missions, the crews of multirole fighters practiced patrolling in a given area and covering the actions of bomber and ground attack aircraft.
Also, the crews of the Su-35S worked out the cover of army aviation helicopters when delivering air strikes on military facilities and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Flights of Russian Aerospace Forces fighters were carried out with suspended missiles of various classes.
During one of the sorties, an aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was detected and destroyed in a timely manner.
14:00 Ukrovoinov from the 32nd Motorized Brigade command threw by chance
“We are very grateful to our president for keeping such goats, brigade commanders, battalion commanders in office!”
12:48 According to information from our source from the close circle of the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, tonight in the area of the settlement Ulyanovsk (Kherson region), an artillery strike destroyed a 122mm self-propelled gun 2S1 "Gvozdika" with a crew of five people and ammunition
12:47 Airborne troops continue perform combat missions to detect and destroy the enemy.
A reconnaissance group of paratroopers found an observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the forest. To destroy it, the Fagot ATGM crew was sent to the BTR-D.
Approaching the line of sight of the enemy, the paratroopers launched an anti-tank guided missile at a neo-Nazi observation post.
11:38 Russian Defense Ministry shares cadres combat work of the crew of the anti-tank guided missile system of the Airborne Forces to destroy the observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
11:37 Russian units, with the support of aviation and artillery, continue to successfully advance on all fronts, destroying all Ukrainian soldiers who refuse to put their hands up
10:11 RF Armed Forces destroyed enemy 122mm Gvozdika gun mount and mortar crew in Kherson region
Yesterday, in the area of Sadovoye, our artillery fire destroyed a 120mm mortar crew and ammunition for it - four militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were liquidated, three were wounded.
In addition, at night in the area of Ulyanovka, the fire of our artillery destroyed the 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled guns and ammunition for it - five militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were liquidated.
10:10 AFU shelled the village of Kurkovichi of the Starodubsky municipal district - Governor of the Bryansk region Alexander Bogomaz
“There are no casualties. As a result of the shelling, two households and outbuildings were damaged.”
10:09 Destroyed US-made FMTV armored truck
10:08 During the artillery duel, the servicemen of the RF Armed Forces were destroyed American-made M777 towed howitzer.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFrontInfo] 21:20 Ukrainian troops fired five rounds of "NATO" caliber of 155mm and 17 rounds of 152mm caliber in Donetsk and Gorlovka, the representation of the Donetsk People's Republic at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC). 19:54 Video- Yasinovataya still remains under massive enemy artillery fire. Kyiv: terrorists inflict one blow after another, concentrating artillery attack on a residential sector. War correspondent Georgy Medvedev News Front visited the site of the recent shelling.
19:36 Video of the transfer of the bodies of the US citizen Nicholas Meymer and an unidentified Turkish citizen liquidated in Artyomovsk (Bakhmut).
19:20 Video- Report of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company about the battles of the 76th and 98th Airborne divisions near Kremennaya.
19:05 Video- You can’t hide from us behind the Dnieper and on the islands on the Dnieper too.
Watch impressive footage of the work of the units of the 61st Separate Marine Brigade of the Northern Fleet against the enemy near Kherson.
The enemy is constantly trying to gain a foothold in the gray zone on the Dnieper to create a springboard for a possible offensive. However, such attempts are suppressed by our artillery and aviation.
18:57 Photo- the result of the work of gunners of the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine today in Horlivka.
18:35 Video- Shots of Bakhmut after the fights, filmed with a copter.
18:21 Video- TOS-1A covered two Ukrainian strongholds along with ammunition in the Zaporozhye region.
17:48 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group
- Su-34 fighter-bombers of the "Center" grouping of troops bombed an ammunition depot, enemy strongholds in the Krasno-Limansky direction.
- Artillery units inflicted fire damage on the areas of concentration of manpower and firepower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Yampolovka, Nevskoye, Terny.
- On the Torsky site and in the area of Serebryansky forestry, the enemy from among the 81st Airmobile and 63rd Mechanized brigades made attempts to regain lost positions. As a result of the fire impact of aviation and artillery units of the "Center" grouping, the enemy suffered significant losses in personnel and equipment.
17:21 Vasilievka under fire on militants APU
At the moment, it is known about three civilians who were injured during the artillery attack of the city by the Nazis.
The Zelensky regime continues to shell civilians in the Zaporozhye region. Today, under the fire of the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the city of Vasilievka.
The blow was delivered from barrel artillery on a farm. Agricultural machinery was damaged.
Judging by the large number of small holes, it can be assumed that the artillery attack was carried out with the use of ammunition filled with striking elements.
Dear fellow countrymen - residents of the frontline areas, I remind you of the opportunity to temporarily move to Berdyansk. Accommodation at recreation centers, three meals a day, and medical care are provided free of charge.
16:52 Video– Kamikaze drone strike of the 9th Brigade on the Ukrainian position in the Avdievka direction.
16:35 Silence in the Belgorod direction. Once again confirmation to the fact that entering the border villages is just a PR action, to show strength where it is not necessary, it was necessary to show the defense of Mariupol, Kherson, Bakhmut. If this were really an offensive, as some channels wrote, then the enemy would continue to be highly active, would increase the pace of artillery. training, and intelligence.
Now we see only silence...
Analyzing what happened days earlier, we can also say the following. The active use of the abbreviation DRG emphasizes the incompetence of our colleagues in the information space, study military affairs and see what a DRG is and what a company is, because according to estimates, the number of the enemy on Kozinka was just a company.
The DRG is what the DRG is for, that it seduces sabotage and intelligence, and does not storm the villages and enter into open battle.
16:11 Video- Against the backdrop of the withdrawal of PMC units from Bakhmut (Artemovsk), the Ukrainian side unilaterally announced the exchange and return of 106 prisoners (eight officers and 98 soldiers), as well as the bodies of two mercenaries.
Considering that the exchange took place near Bakhmut, and not in the Sumy or Zaporozhye regions, most likely, it was organized not by the negotiators of the Russian Ministry of Defense, but by Prigozhin’s people.
16:02 Since the enemy is alreadystartsto disperse the “overpower” about the downed Su-25, we will clarify the situation.
The Su-25 was indeed hit by MANPADS today.
The pilot confirmed that he was a real attack aircraft, brought the plane home. Worthy of an award. The Su-25 once again proved that it is insanely tenacious.
Engineers will also show their skills within a few days, and soon the board will again gnome the enemy. No doubt.
15:52 Video– 15 Ukrainian servicemen who made the right choice in the Avdiivka direction.
15:33 Summary Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation (05/25/2023)
- In the Kupyansk direction, air strikes and artillery fire from the "Western" group of forces hit enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Masyutovka, Timkovka, Kotlyarovka of the Kharkov region and Stelmahovka of the Luhansk People's Republic.
- In the areas of the settlements of Novomlynsk, Sinkovka of the Kharkiv region, Ivanovka of the Donetsk People's Republic and Rozovka of the Luhansk People's Republic, the actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were stopped.
During the day, the enemy’s losses in this direction amounted to 190 Ukrainian servicemen, three vehicles, as well as a 122mm D-30 howitzer.
- In the Krasno-Limansky direction, operational-tactical and army aviation, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems of the "Center" group of troops defeated enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Yampolovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, Raigorodka and Chervonaya Dibrova of the Luhansk People's Republic.
Up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, three pickup trucks, a 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mount, as well as 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed.
- In the Donetsk direction, as a result of air strikes and artillery fire, active operations of the units of the "Southern" group of forces over the past day, up to 270 Ukrainian servicemen, three armored combat vehicles, two cars, and a 122mm D-30 howitzer were destroyed.
- In addition, two warehouses with ammunition of the 80th Airborne Assault and 110 Mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Stupochka and Avdievka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
- In the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, air strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems of the Vostok group of forces defeated enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Novoselka of the Donetsk People's Republic, Malaya Tokmachka and Nesteryanka of the Zaporozhye region.
In the area of the settlement of Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, the actions of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were stopped.
- During the day in these areas, the enemy's losses amounted to 110 Ukrainian servicemen, four vehicles, as well as two 122mm D-30 howitzers.
- In the Kherson direction, as a result of inflicting fire damage, up to 25 Ukrainian servicemen, two cars, as well as a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery installation were destroyed in a day.
- Operational-tactical and army aviation, artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during the day hit 95 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 102 districts.
Air defense systems intercepted eight rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system per day.
- In addition, 28 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Tokarevka of the Kharkiv region, Chervonaya Dibrova, Kremennaya, Zhytlovka, Zatishnoe, Novokrasnyanka of the Luhansk People's Republic, Svetlodarskoe, Evgenovka, Zeleny Gay of the Donetsk People's Republic, Chubarevka of the Zaporozhye Region, as well as Cairo of Kherson areas.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed: 429 aircraft, 235 helicopters, 4,321 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 anti-aircraft missile systems, 9,298 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,100 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 4,901 field artillery pieces and mortars, as well as 10,447 units of special military vehicles.
15:14 Video- Boldly and decisively: the calculation of the Fagot ATGM of the Airborne Forces destroyed the observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
A reconnaissance group of paratroopers found an observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the forest. To destroy it, the calculation of the Fagot ATGM was sent to the BTR-D. Having approached the enemy on vehicles, the crew dismounted and advanced to the line to destroy the observation post.
Approaching the enemy’s line of sight, acting boldly and decisively, the paratroopers launched an anti-tank guided missile from the Fagot ATGM at the observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To avoid enemy return fire, the paratroopers promptly collected, loaded onto the BTR-D and departed for a safe area.
14:42 Audio recording- Yevgeny Prigozhin said that some of the Wagner PMC fighters received high state awards after the president's personal command.
14:34 Video- A large RT report from the Russian city of Artemovsk (Bakhmut).
14:10 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the “South” group
- The aviation of the "Southern" group of forces inflicted a defeat on the strongholds of Ukrainian units in the Lisichansk and Avdeevsk directions.
- The crew of the Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Unit of the Southern Military District completed three fire missions at the platoon strongholds of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the settlement of Pervomayskoye.
- The artillery of the motorized rifle unit of the Southern Military District, as part of the counterbattery fight, destroyed seven enemy artillery pieces and three mortars at firing positions near the settlement of Pobeda of the Donetsk People's Republic.
13:35 Video- Wagner PMCs began to withdraw their units, but Yevgeny Prigozhin decided to leave two fighters in the city.
13:12 Video- Bakhmuta was found with a GoPro camera, which captured the most “successful assault” on the building by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12:49 Video– Do you remember how the Ukrainians claimed that they entered the Belgorod region without resistance? Well, this video says otherwise. They were under artillery fire. And judging by the location of their equipment, this is almost the very beginning of the invasion.
12:34 Video– Ukrainians are here demonstrating the capabilities of the Challenger 2 tank against concrete “dragon teeth” (for some reason, exactly three just lying in the field).
And everything is cool, of course, he pushes them, that's all ... but do not forget that on the real line of defense they are fastened together, stand in tight order (and not one per 10 meters) and that the tank will be fired at this time. But yes, of course, it's a win.
12:15 Video– Statement by the officer of the press center of the Zapad group
- During the hostilities in the Kupyansk direction, the artillery of the group of troops "West" destroyed a mortar crew with fire from the 152mm self-propelled guns "Msta-S" in the area of the settlement of Novoselovskoye.
- Assault detachments in the area of the settlements of Masyutovka, Molchanovo destroyed up to ten and captured seven enemy servicemen from the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
– By means of air defense, a reconnaissance UAV “Furia” was shot down by fire from the Tor-M2U air defense system.
- The crew of the TOS "Solntsepek" struck at the concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment of the 20th Specialized Division of Territorial Defense.
- Attack and army aviation carried out missile and bomb strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade and territorial defense units.
11:45 After an intensive spurt of Russian units from the Crimea deep into the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, at the beginning of a special military operation, it was possible to release over 70% of the region.
Russian troops managed to break through the land corridor from Donetsk and Rostov to Crimea and occupy the entire coastal strip along the Sea of Azov.
Currently, Ukrainian formations are preparing for a counteroffensive against Russian positions near Orekhov, Gulyaipol and other sectors along the Zaporizhzhya frontier. And the fate of the liberated territories will depend on the outcome of this offensive.
11:32 Video- By popular demand, our today's hero is a pilot, lieutenant colonel, a representative of the "helicopter" dynasty.
He followed in the footsteps of his father, also an army pilot. After graduating from the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots in 1998, already in 2002 he took part in his first military operations in Khankala, led the search and rescue service. Over the years of service, there were many more airfields and tasks. Today he is in the NWO, awarded the Order of Courage.
“I love this job,” Almaz says. The eldest of his three sons is now also learning to fly.
11:10 Video- Beautiful shots of the work of artillerymen of the Southern Military District in the Zaporozhye direction.
10:48 Video- Army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the area of the special operation.
10:34 Video– The special forces of the “brave” destroyed the observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the forests near Kremennaya
Special forces of the “Center” group daily open and destroy observation posts, leaving the Armed Forces of Ukraine without “eyes” on the front line. Enemy scouts direct artillery and aircraft, so for specialists they are priority targets for destruction. With their actions, the special forces help the assault groups advance and liberate the Donbass.
10:22 The Russian army went on the offensive near Artyomovsk on two "roads of life" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the key villages of Khromovo and Ivanovskoye
- The Artyomovskoe (Bakhmut) direction remains the most difficult, with the highest intensity of fighting, Ukrainian military analysts report in reports.
- Heavy clashes continue on the flanks of the direction.
- After the approach of the reserves, the Russian troops seek to seize the initiative and conduct an offensive on Khromovo and Ivanovskoye.
- North-east and east of the village of Khromovo, the RF Armed Forces are conducting assault operations in two directions, along the forest belt and through the forest plantation.
- South of the village, Russian troops first conducted reconnaissance in battle towards the intersection of Yubileynaya and Podgornaya streets, and then began to attack.
- In its latest reports, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirms the offensive of the Russian army on Ivanovskoye and Khromovo.
On the Artemovsky (Bakhmut) direction, the RF Armed Forces conducted offensive operations in the direction of Ivanovsky and Khromovo with the support of aviation, which inflicts air strikes on the Belaya Gora area. Also under fire are the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlement. Vasyukovka, Ozaryanovka, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Markovo, Grigorovka, Stupochki, Konstantinovka, Toretsk, Severniy, Yugniy and New York.
10:00 Video- PMC "Wagner" began the withdrawal of units from Artemovsk (Bakhmut).
09:45 Video- And day and night "Hurricane": the calculations of multiple launch rocket systems of the Central Military District struck at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Having received the coordinates of the targets, the gunners advanced to the area of the mission. Having taken up firing positions, they hit targets with high accuracy at distances of more than 15 km, thereby destroying lightly armored vehicles, as well as the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine located in the rear of the defensive formations.
09:27 Video- fighting greetings from "Granny"
A marine with the call sign “Granny” talks about his combat life, about how he went to the zone of a special military operation:
“I went to defend the Motherland. Accordingly, he got into the troops, underwent good training. Well prepared. Now we are already doing combat missions. In principle, we are doing well, excellent. I think we will continue to do so until complete victory.
In addition, the Russian serviceman tells about his call sign and, taking the opportunity, sends a big hello to his family and friends: “The call sign is “Babulya” in honor of my grandmother. Good luck to her, good luck. I will come soon. Katyusha, I'm alive and well, a big hello to you. Everything is fine, we will soon come home with a victory!”
09:11 Video- Four-legged comrade on the front line
The plot is about the mascot of the naval infantry of the Pacific Fleet - a dog named "Bandit". A marine with the call sign Ardent dog owner, regularly trains his four-legged comrade and takes on combat missions in the NWO zone.
The dog helps the fighters in positions to carry magazines, cartridges and medicines.
08:48 Video- A report from the liberated Artemovsk.
Our military correspondent managed to visit the city of Artyomovsk, which was liberated by Wagner assault detachments with the support of artillery and aviation from the Southern Group of Forces.
08:31 Kherson direction.
The criminal Kiev regime continues to shell the civilian infrastructure of the settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired from barrel artillery:
-- n.p. Golaya Pristan fired 12 rounds;
-- 9 rounds were fired at the village of Korsunka;
-- Alyoshki fired 7 rounds at the settlement;
-- n.p. Solontsy fired 7 rounds;
-- n.p. Kardashinka fired 9 rounds;
-- n.p. Podstepnoye fired 9 rounds;
-- n.p. Novaya Zburyevka fired 7 rounds;
-- n.p. Krynki fired 9 rounds.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure to be confirmed
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the settlement. New Kakhovka, n.p. Kakhovka, settlement Vasilievka, settlement Cairo, n.p. Rybalche, firing a total of 28 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being specified.
08:13 Frontline summary on the morning of 05/25/202
- In the Ugledarsky area - the active work of Russian artillery. Under artillery attack are Zhelenoye Pole, Novosyolka, Burlatskoye, Vremevka, Bolshaya Novosyolka, Zolotaya Niva, Prechistovka, Bogoyavlenka and the city itself.
- On the Donetsk front, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation conducted assault operations in Maryinka. With the support of artillery, they tried to advance to Pervomaisky. On both sites without positive results.
Under artillery attack positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Novomikhailovka, Paraskovyivka, Pobeda, Georgievka, Maksimilyanovka, the city of Krasnogorovka, Nevelskoye, Karlovka, Netaylov, Severny (a settlement west of Avdievka), Stepnoy, Lastochkino, Avdeevka, Ocheretin, Keramika, Novokalinovo, New York, Yuzhny, Toretsk and Severny (a settlement northwest of Gorlovka). The Ukrainian army carried out strikes on Donetsk and Vodiane.
- On the Artemovsky (Bakhmust) direction, Russian troops attacked near Khromovoe. No success. The Armed Forces of Ukraine did not conduct active offensive operations. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hit Belaya Gora, Konstantinovka, Stupochki, Ivanovsky, Grigorovka, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka and Vasyukovka. Ukrainian troops attacked Ozaryanovka, Kleshcheevka and Bakhmut.
- In the Luhansk direction, Russian troops conducted offensive operations near Belogorovka and from Masyutovka. No promotion. The artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hit Stelmakhovka, Berestovoye, Tabaevka, Kotlyarovka, Kislovka, Kupyansk, Kondrashovka, Malaya Shapkovka, Dvurechnaya, Novomlynsk, Krasny Pervoi, Kamenka and Topolyam.
08:02 All night Russian Armed Forces inflicted massive strikes by UAV "Geran" and missile weapons on enemy targets. Explosions sounded in Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Nikolaev, Odessa, Lvov, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytsky, Kharkov regions. The end of the alarm sounded at 6 am Moscow time.
- In the Black Sea yesterday, three surface drones attacked the Russian ship "Ivan Khurs" northwest of the Bosphorus. The devices were destroyed by precise fire.
- In the Crimea at night in the Kacha region, the forces of the Black Sea Fleet shot down two UAVs from small arms, several more UAVs were drowned out and planted by electronic warfare.
- In the Ugledar direction, our Far Eastern soldiers repelled an attack by enemy infantry with the support of a tank in the area of the settlement. Nikolskoye.
- In the Kherson region - artillery duels and fight drones.
- In the Belgorod region, it was reported that enemies were carrying out artillery strikes on the recently liberated territory of the Graivoron checkpoint. In the evening, an air defense system worked over the Valuysky urban district, in the afternoon - over the Belgorod region.
In Novaya Tavolzhanka, an explosive device was dropped from a UAV without subsequent detonation over a private residential building. The outskirts of the settlement were shelled. Teresovka, Shebekinsky district. There is one victim - a man with leg injuries.
- The enemy fired 97 rounds of ammunition into the DPR. Panteleymonovka, Yasinovataya, Donetsk, Aleksandrovka were under fire.
Commentary by Sergei Pereslegin
[ColonelCassad] Sergei Pereslegin on the problems of war to a victorious end.
In the First World War, Germany each year set new military goals and formulated the conditions on which it would conclude peace. But every year the position of Germany worsened, especially by 1916. There was an increasing discrepancy between the military and political reality and the requirements that she set for the conclusion of peace. It was clear that Germany had to withdraw from the war on any grounds, up to agreeing to peace without annexations and indemnities (as the Bolsheviks formulated) or giving up Alsace, but keeping Lorraine. But Germany continued to demand French, Belgian, Russian territories, British colonies. This meant that Germany could not agree to any peace other than its total defeat. And it was the defeat of Germany that had to be accepted in the end.
Ukraine is the world's first media power, we have repeatedly spoken about this. Opponents of Russia are waging an effective information war. The West loudly declared victory when planes and helicopters were shot down in the Bryansk region, and when the Patriot air defense system was hit, it was stated that he was slightly injured.
The battle for Bakhmut is over. The struggle for the city lasted more than six months. This is a major victory. Russia is naturally waiting for sane proposals to end the conflict.
The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not begin. This is a significant result on the physical battlefield. The West and Ukraine again answer in the communication space that they will not agree to any peace, except for the complete defeat of Russia. They insist on peace on Zelensky’s terms, a peace that destroys the Russian elites, a peace that gives Ukraine all the occupied territories that have become Russian.
Russia is interested in ending this war sooner or later. Since it was not possible to end the war in the form of a blitzkrieg, now there is no interest in doing it too quickly, because the conditions of the war allow Russia to carry out many changes in the economic field with less caution.
Ukraine, according to its cultural code, would agree to peace on any terms, but this absolutely does not suit the Ukrainian elites. Peace will come to Ukraine after the change of these elites, and we are talking about when this will happen and under what circumstances. At this point in time, we can say with confidence that in terms of the number of deaths per elite rotation, Russia is now sharply outperforming Ukraine. We replace the leadership with heavy losses much faster and more vigorously than the Ukrainians do.
The United States is certainly interested in the conflict somehow successfully ending before the presidential election. But by and large, America is not so important how the conflict ends and when. And in Europe now, in principle, they do not want an end to the conflict. And even if it ends on their terms with the complete defeat of Russia, an extremely unpleasant question will be raised - what to do next?
Now, like Russia and Ukraine, they can write off internal problems for war. But this possibility will soon be crossed out. Therefore, the collective West claims at the G7 summit that they do not need peace, and, apparently, Russia and Ukraine will fight until the complete victory of one of the parties. After that, the collective West will recognize the world in form - we will never recognize this, but for now we will agree that there are current realities. The realities of the division of Korea have existed for more than 60 years and have not been recognized by the West.
Secretary General Guterres made an interesting statement about the need to reform the UN and reform the global monetary system, bringing them to new realities. But which TNCs will agree to comply with the UN orders? It looks unrealistic.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] Atmospheric footage found on the GoPro camera of one of the killed APU officers. A group of Armed Forces officers is trying to storm the upper floors of a high-rise building in Artemovsk, where the navigators of the Wagner sat down.
Prigozhin said that part of the Wagner PMC fighters received well-deserved state awards for the capture of Artemovsk. The rest are waiting. The process accelerated after Putin's order, for which Prigogine also thanked him.
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.
