Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:38 The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked an oil depot in the occupied Rovenki, Luhansk region, and a large-scale fire started, Russian media write.
22:15 The Russian army has launched a new wave of offensive actions in the Kharkov direction and is trying to break through the defense line. As of May 10, these attacks were repelled, and battles of varying intensity were taking place. At the same time, the command nevertheless decided to strengthen this section of the front with reserve units. About what Russia was up to by intensifying attacks in the Kharkov region, see the material From the corridor to panic .
21:27 Zelensky, in an evening video message, commented on the situation in the Kharkov region: “Russian troops today tried to expand operations against Ukraine. We understand the volume of the occupier’s forces, we see his plan. We are adding our forces to the Kharkov directions. Both along our state border and throughout “We will invariably destroy the occupier along the front line in such a way as to thwart any Russian offensive intentions.” The president also emphasized that everything necessary to protect the positions is provided, “everything depends on the tenacity of our soldiers, and everyone who now holds positions preserves the positions of all of Ukraine.”
The president also said that he personally invited the President of Argentina, the Prime Minister of Iceland and the Ecumenical Patriarch to the peace summit.
21:13 Zelensky said that he had heard Syrsky’s report: “There are heavy battles along the entire front line. Special attention is given to directions in the Kharkiv region, Pokrovsky and other directions in the Donetsk region. We discussed defense actions and strengthening our positions in the Kharkiv region. Separately - Chasov Yar "The Commander-in-Chief reported on decisions that will give more opportunities to our soldiers."
21:04 Canada will allocate about $55 million to strengthen Ukraine's air defense, Defense Minister Bill Blair said. The funds are allocated as part of Germany's initiative to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, which was launched in April 2024.
21:01 The Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Pavlyuk, gave an interview to The Economist, in which he assessed the situation at the front and gave forecasts for the development of the situation in the future. For more details, see the material The Critical Phase and New Brigades .
20:56 During the full-scale war, about 11 thousand men of military age fled illegally from Ukraine to Romania, said the head of the Territorial Inspectorate of the Border Police, Florin Coman.
20:50 The I Want to Live project was successfully used by more than 260 Russian military personnel, and in total more than 35 thousand applications were received, said Andrey Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. According to him, everyone who took advantage of the project crossed the front line and is safe under the protection of the state of Ukraine and international law. Yusov also said that the majority want to return home after the end of hostilities, and in order to avoid future problems with the law, they are counted as captured and not as having surrendered voluntarily. At the same time, Yusov added that there are those who do not want to return to the Russian Federation. “This option is also present. Ukraine guarantees this opportunity,” he assured.
19:28 The Russians fired from barrel artillery at the village. Elizavetovka, Pokrovsky district, Donetsk region, two people died, the prosecutor’s office reported. Also, two people were injured as a result of the attack in Chasov Yar.
19:23 The White House officially announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth $400 million. It will include missiles for Patriot, NASAMS, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition for HIMARS and artillery, equipment, etc.
19:00 Near the Belarusian city of Osipovichi, they are building a military base where the Russians can store nuclear weapons, The New York Times writes, citing satellite images. Construction on the site has been ongoing since March. The base is covered by air defense, and near it there is a unit with Iskanders, which can launch missiles with nuclear warheads.
Experts interviewed by journalists note that the base’s development structure has the same features as Russian nuclear facilities. The base itself was formerly a nuclear facility, so it is suitable for storing such weapons. It was built back in the 1960s during the Cold War.
18:54 The Canadian company Roshel plans to launch production of armored vehicles in Ukraine, said CEO Roman Shimonov. “We are at the final stage of planning the localization of part of our production in Ukraine,” he noted.
18:25 The government has allocated 7.2 billion hryvnia for the restoration of the energy system, Shmygal said. These funds will be used to purchase equipment to restore the high-voltage network, as well as to better synchronize the energy systems of Ukraine and the EU. Grants for this project were provided by the World Bank.
18:13 A Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missile was destroyed in the Dneprovsky district of the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Air Force reported.
18:10 The United States will today announce a new aid package for Ukraine worth $400 million, Politico writes. According to the publication, it will include, in particular, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Patriot missiles.
18:01 Ukraine and Belgium have begun negotiations on concluding an agreement on cooperation in the field of security, the Presidential Office reported.
17:43 The First Oil Refinery in the Kaluga region of the Russian Federation was attacked tonight by drones of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian media write, citing intelligence sources. As a result of the operation, the installation of an atmospheric-vacuum tube AVBT-101 (production capacity - 1.2 million tons per year), three tanks with diesel fuel and a tank with fuel oil were damaged.
17:20 Zelensky said that not all partners promptly fulfill agreements on arms supplies: “Now not all of our partners promptly fulfill agreements. We need the maximum concentration of our friends, friends of Ukraine, to speed up deliveries.”
17:14 Minister of Justice Denis Maluska believes that from 10 to 20 thousand convicts can be mobilized. According to him, this number includes people serving sentences in the penitentiary system, as well as those with a criminal record. The minister added that some penitentiary institutions were occupied or evacuated, so the number of operating institutions has sharply decreased.
16:58 Absolutely all enemy assaults in the north and east of the Kharkov region were repelled, assured the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. According to him, the entire border area has long been a gray zone; the enemy can even enter there with his own equipment. There are battles going on there now. Sinegubov said that 17 attacks were repulsed in the Kupyansky direction. “Enemy DRGs can enter some of our territories, but are rebuffed by Ukrainian defenders. There is no ground threat for Kharkov; the enemy’s offensive potential is still lacking,” he added.
16:07 The first F-16 fighters will arrive in Ukraine in June-July, The Standard reported, citing a high-ranking military source.
15:13 Border communities of the Kharkov region are under intensified mass shelling, there are dead and wounded, said the head of the OBA Oleg Sinegubov. So, in Volchansk one person was killed and five were injured. Another person died as a result of shelling. Cherkasy Tishki, Kharkov region.
15:04 The critical phase of the war will come in the next two months, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Alexander Pavlyuk told The Economist. According to him, American aid is just beginning to reach the front, so Russia is throwing all its available combat-ready equipment into battle. "Russia knows that if we get enough weapons within a month or two, the situation could turn against them," the general explained.
At the same time, Pavlyuk said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing a major shortage of artillery and armored vehicles, and not of people. He also believes that the Russian Federation will continue to focus on the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, but has not yet given up on the idea of capturing Kyiv. According to the general, the Russian army cannot carry out large-scale operations on several fronts at once. “Russia is testing the stability of our lines before choosing the most suitable direction,” he said.
Pavlyuk also said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing ten new brigades, some of which will be deployed to protect Kyiv.
14:46 This morning the Russians advanced 1 km in the Volchansk region of the Kharkov region. Their goal is to create a buffer zone and push the Ukrainian Armed Forces back 10 km from the Russian border, Reuters writes, citing a high-ranking military source from Ukraine.
14:35 Zelensky confirmed that the Russians launched an offensive in the Kharkov region, and they managed to stop it: “As of 7-8 in the morning, a fierce artillery battle took place. By that time, the Russian offensive was stopped.”
13:58 President of Slovakia Zuzana Caputova arrived in Kiev on a farewell visit, as her presidential term is expiring. “I came to a country where there is a war, where there is a difficult situation and enormous human suffering. My farewell visit is also an opportunity to convey this message to our home,” Caputova noted.
13:32 Today, at about 5 am, the Russians tried to break through the defense line under the cover of armored vehicles in the Volchansky direction, the Ministry of Defense reported. As of now, the attacks have been repelled, and battles of varying intensity are taking place. To strengthen the defense on this sector of the front, reserve units have been sent. Meanwhile, the head of the Volchansk IVA, Tamaz Gambarashvili, said that the population was being evacuated from Volchansk and surrounding settlements.
13:21 In Kiev, due to the difficult situation in the energy system, schedules for limiting electricity consumption for business and the industrial sector will be introduced from 18:00 Friday, May 10, until 07:00 Saturday, May 11, KGVA reported. Restrictions do not apply to household consumers; at the same time, residents of the capital were urged to save electricity on their own, especially during evening peak load hours.
13:16 France has decided to transfer long-range Scalp missiles to Ukraine either expired or assembled from expired components, which will allow Paris to avoid depleting its own missile arsenal, Radio France Internationale reports. The Chrysalis program will use Scalp missiles stored in “cocoons” (containers). French factories will make these missiles usable in three months. One of RFI's sources called this plan very effective in economic terms, "since the Scalp missiles removed from their cocoons are already intended for disposal."
12:53 Five EU countries have agreed to strengthen control over compliance with sanctions against Russia: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland. The agreement will strengthen and also unify control over compliance with visa requirements in relation to the Russian Federation. “By signing the agreement, we want to show other countries and companies the importance of close cooperation for effective sanctions control and contribute to increasing the effectiveness of sanctions,” said Finnish Customs head Sami Rakshit.
12:38 The head of the Kharkov OVA Oleg Sinegubov confirmed that the Russians have intensified shelling in the northern direction, primarily striking the city of Volchansk. According to him, shelling with CABs, MLRS and artillery continued all night, and there were also unsuccessful attempts by the DRG to break through the border. At the same time, Sinegubov emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are confidently holding their positions, “not a single meter has been lost.” “The enemy group does not pose a threat to Kharkov; its forces are only sufficient for provocations in the northern direction,” added the head of the OVA. He also called on residents of border settlements to take shelter. For more information about what is happening in the Kharkov region, see the article Attempt to break through the Russian Federation into the Kharkov region .
12:16 In the morning, the Russians fired artillery at the civilian infrastructure of the Esman community, Shostkinsky district, Sumy region - one person was killed, a 17-year-old was wounded, the prosecutor's office reported.
11:57 Ukrainian military reports that the Russians are preparing an attack in the area of Volchansk, Kharkov region. Thus, at night the Russian army carried out powerful artillery preparations, and DRG groups tried to probe the border line, but they were repulsed. Russian military public pages also write that from 5 am they intensively shelled the Kharkov region, especially Volchansk.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, Andrei Kovalenko, said that the Russian Federation will only be able to aggravate the situation on the border, but not break through to Kharkov. According to him, the actions of the Russians are predictable. “The enemy has the resources to aggravate the situation in the border area, as was previously discussed. It is important not to confuse this with the ability to capture Kharkov, which does not exist. Now there will be a lot of speculation on this topic,” Kovalenko warned.
11:42 The Czech Republic transferred the first F-16 fighter simulator to one of the tactical aviation brigades of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Its main module is already being tested and prepared for operation by Ukrainian specialists, the Air Force reported and showed a video:
11:05 Zelensky will not lose his legitimacy upon expiration of his five-year term of office on May 21, 2024. His powers will last until the next head of state is elected, Justice Minister Denis Maluska told the BBC. Given the situation in the country, it would now be a huge mistake to officially and publicly question the legitimacy of the president, the minister emphasized.
10:58 Magura maritime drones, according to preliminary estimates, caused damage to the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the amount of about $500 million, said Andrey Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate. According to him, the process of improving the Magura V5 maritime drone continues continuously. After each successful operation, a thorough analysis of the actions of both Ukrainian intelligence officers and the enemy is carried out.
10:51 The Cabinet of Ministers has changed the procedure for booking military personnel during martial law. Now the central executive authorities, after checking the lists of reserved enterprises, will submit them for approval to the Ministry of Defense, and not to the General Staff, as before.
10:48 The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense warns of a new wave of Russian IPSO amid the aggravation of the situation at the front. The Russian Federation is increasing its destabilization efforts aimed at splitting Ukrainian society. In particular, it can use mass measures for this using political slogans, where it throws in its own provocations. Intelligence emphasizes that the enemy’s military targets are not only military facilities, but also civilian infrastructure - hospitals, train stations, crowds of people.
10:27 As a result of Russian shelling, one person was wounded in the Ostromy Kurakhovsky community of the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region, said the head of the OVA Vadim Filashkin.
09:59 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that the Russian army will continue to maintain the current high rate of attacks for some time, but then its capabilities will decrease. Analysts note that over the past month, the Russian army has noticeably increased the frequency of ground attacks in eastern Ukraine.
Thus, the British Ministry of Defense reported that the number of Russian attacks increased by 17% from March to April. The main efforts of the Russian Federation were concentrated on Chasovoy Yar, Avdeevka and Marinka. In particular, the number of attacks on Chasov Yar increased by 200% between March and April. This is partly due to the fact that the soil has dried out, opening the way for armored vehicles. This likely “reflects the current conditions of hostilities and the intention of the Russian military command to achieve success before Western military assistance arrives on the front lines,” experts say.
09:31 In the Kherson region, one person was wounded as a result of Russian shelling over the past 24 hours, said the head of the OVA, Alexander Prokudin. 28 private houses were damaged, critical infrastructure and a gas pipeline were hit.
08:56 At night, the Russians launched a missile strike on Kharkov - 12 private houses were damaged, two people were injured, including an 11-year-old child, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. Another person was injured as a result of enemy shelling. Liptsy, Kharkov region.
08:38 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 10:
- personnel - about 479,710 (+980) people,
- tanks - 7434 (+5),
- armored combat vehicles - 14,313 (+32),
- artillery systems - 12,387 (+47),
- MLRS - 1062 (+4),
- air defense systems - 795 (+2),
- aircraft - 349 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 9826 (+51),
- cruise missiles - 2192 (+0),
- ships/boats - 26 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 16,691 (+73),
- special equipment - 2031 (+4).
08:21 Over the past 24 hours, 95 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report . In particular, in the Avdeevsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 28 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Kalinovo, Novoaleksandrovka, Sokol, Novoselovka Pervaya, Umanskoye, Yasnobrodovka, Netaylovo, Donetsk region. Another 21 attacks were repulsed in the Bakhmut direction - in the Belogorivka areas of the Luhansk region, as well as Verkhnekamensky, Novy, Razdolovka, Ivanovsky, Stupochek, Kleshcheevka and Andreevka of the Donetsk region.
In the Kupyansk direction, 13 attacks were repelled in the areas of Sinkovka, Petropavlovka, Berestovo in the Kharkov region and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk region; in Limansky - four attacks in the areas of Novosadovoy, Torsky, Donetsk region and Serebryansky forestry, Lugansk region; on Novopavlovsky - seven attacks in the areas of Konstantinovka, Vodyanoye and Urozhaynoye of the Donetsk region; on Orekhovsky - 19 attacks in the area of Staromayorsky, Donetsk region and Rabotino, Zaporozhye region; on Kherson - two attacks on the left bank of the Dnieper.
07:35 At night, drones attacked the First Plant refinery in the Kaluga region of the Russian Federation, a large-scale fire broke out on the spot, Russian public pages write. The governor of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, confirmed that “as a result of the fall of a UAV,” a fire occurred on the territory of the enterprise in the Dzerzhinsky district; at the moment, the fire has been extinguished, and there were no casualties.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that at night the air defense allegedly destroyed five UAVs over the Bryansk, Moscow and Belgorod regions. Another drone was intercepted in the Kursk region, local authorities reported.
06:59 Air defense at night destroyed all ten attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type, which Russia attacked from the territory of Crimea, the Air Force reported. The drones were destroyed within the Odessa, Nikolaev and Kherson regions. In addition, the enemy used two S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles from the Belgorod region in the direction of the Kharkov region.
06:02 British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that the governments of NATO allies should increase defense spending due to the threat of a large-scale war with Russia. In particular, he called for setting a “new benchmark” for defense spending at 2.5% of GDP. In turn, London promised to reach 2.5% by 2030. “This world is more dangerous, more unstable, more confrontational than most of us have ever known. We must recognize this fact and act accordingly - not in a year or two, not in a few months, but now,” the head of the British MFA.