Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 20:36 Soldiers of the 110th separate mechanized brigade reported that they shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Donetsk region. In two weeks, this is already the fourth Su-25 shot down by the 110th Brigade.
18:57 On Sunday, May 19, emergency outages of household and industrial consumers in the Poltava and Kharkov regions are possible during the day, Ukrenergo reported. The reason is emergency restoration work at power facilities after drone strikes on May 18. No outages are forecast for other areas.
17:49 The next meeting in the Ramstein format will be held on Monday, May 20, online, chaired by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and US Chief of Joint Staff Charles Brown, the Pentagon said. Before the start of the meeting, Austin will make a statement at 15:00 Kyiv time.
16:35 The Russians once again shelled Volchansk - one person was killed, four were wounded, the prosecutor's office reported. Another person was injured as a result of shelling. Ukrainian Volchansk community.
16:11 The Russians hit Kharkov again - there is destruction of housing infrastructure, five people were injured, including two teenagers 13 and 16 years old, said the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. He also said that the number of deaths as a result of yesterday's attack in the city had increased to four - one of the wounded died in the hospital. 16 people remain in hospital, two of them are in serious condition. Sinegubov also said that about 100 people remain in Volchansk, “even fewer” in settlements along the Lipetsk direction, and the evacuation continues.
15:48 The Ministry of Defense announced the start of testing a new service - an electronic queue at the TCC. Pre-registration is already possible at 19 TCCs - testing is taking place in separate centers in Kyiv, Kharkov, Odessa, Dnepr, Sumy, Vinnitsa, Kropyvnytskyi. They promise to connect “much more” soon.
14:40 A car with civilians came under enemy fire in Volchansk, Kharkov region, the prosecutor’s office reported. According to the investigation, on May 16, four civilians tried to leave Volchansk by car, but on the way to the city they came under Russian fire. Two people were killed and two were injured.
12:59 In the Kharkov direction, the Russians are trying to attack in the direction of the settlements of Liptsy and Volchansk, but they are not successful. Defense forces are trying to push the enemy in the direction of Glubokoe, the General Staff said. In the Kupyansky direction, the Defense Forces continue assault operations in the Sinkovka and Ternov areas, and have partial success in certain areas.
11:57 Ukraine recently sent a request to the United States asking for help in identifying targets in the Russian Federation that Kiev could hit with its own weapons. Ukraine is also asking to lift the restriction on US strikes on Russian territory, The Wall Street Journal writes. Previous similar requests, as well as the request to allow the United States to use weapons, were invariably rejected by Washington, the newspaper notes.
10:54 The Ministry of Defense reported that as of now, 150 thousand Ukrainians have successfully logged into the Reserve+ application, and hundreds of thousands more requests are in the queue. The department notes that the application is protected from DDOS attacks and enemy attempts to hack it, so the authorization function may not work for everyone at the same time.
09:31 In the Donetsk region on May 17, three people were killed as a result of Russian shelling - two in Krasnohorivka and one in Chasovoy Yar. Five more people in the region were injured during the day, said the head of the OVA, Vadim Filashkin.
09:27 The number of victims as a result of yesterday's attacks on the Shevchenko district of Kharkov increased to 31, three people were killed, said the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. One person was also wounded as a result of enemy shelling. Liptsy, Kharkov district, another one - in the village of Kupyansk-Uzlovoy.
09:23 In the Kherson region over the past 24 hours, five people were injured as a result of Russian shelling, said the head of the OVA, Alexander Prokudin. In particular, two high-rise buildings and 14 private houses, an educational institution, agricultural enterprises, a store and gas pipelines were damaged.
09:20 Ukraine and Western allies often have “different views” on what the end of the war might look like, Zelensky said in an interview with AFP: “We want the war to end with a just peace for us... The West wants the war to end. Period. As soon as possible. And for them this is a fair world... We are in an absurd situation where the West fears that Russia will lose the war and does not want Ukraine to lose it."
At the same time, the president emphasized that “no one is going to give up.” “We must be sober and understand that they are going deeper into our territory,” he said. According to Zelensky, in the Kharkov region the situation is controlled, but not stabilized. The Russians want to attack Kharkov, but they understand that it will be difficult. The President believes that the Russian offensive “may consist of several waves”; in the Kharkov region “there was the first wave.” As for Kyiv, according to the head of state, the Russians do not have enough forces for a large-scale offensive.
Zelensky also said that Ukraine has only about 25% of the required amount of air defense systems. In addition, Ukraine needs 120-130 modern F-16 combat aircraft.
08:43 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 18:
personnel - about 491,080 (+1210) people,
tanks - 7560 (+13),
armored combat vehicles - 14,595 (+43),
artillery systems - 12,639 (+36),
MLRS - 1071 (+0),
air defense systems - 801 (+1),
aircraft - 354 (+1),
helicopters - 326 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 10 108 (+35),
cruise missiles - 2203 (+3),
ships/boats - 26 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 17,169 (+65),
special equipment - 2075 (+6).
08:29 At night, enemy UAVs damaged the energy infrastructure in one of the districts of the Poltava region, no people were injured, said the head of the OVA, Philip Pronin. Ukrenergo noted that at night Russian drones attacked two energy infrastructure facilities in the eastern and central regions; consumers did not lose power.
07:18 Air defense at night destroyed all 13 attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type, which Russia attacked from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk, the Air Force reported. Drones were destroyed in Kharkov, Poltava, Vinnitsa, Nikolaev and Dnepropetrovsk regions.
00:37 In the Kharkov direction, the Russians tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Glubokoe-Liptsy, Bugrovatka-Staritsa directions, the situation is under control, the General Staff reported. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are conducting assault operations in certain areas in order to improve the tactical situation, and are also combing the area. In the Volchansk area, Ukrainian units are strengthening their defenses in order to improve the tactical situation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The Russian aggressors used the hospital in Volchansk as a shelter and a gathering place for their assault units.
Ukrainian aviation struck the central hospital in the city of Volchansk, Khar'kov region, where dozens of Russian military personnel were located. This was reported by the Operative Inform Telegram channel on Saturday, May 18.
“Today our aviation carried out a powerful air strike on this building, which the Katsaps used as a shelter and a gathering place for their assault units. Dozens of invaders are buried under the rubble,” the message, accompanied by a video from the scene, says.
Let us remind you that in one day on May 17, Russia lost more than 1,200 soldiers at the front. The total losses of the aggressor country are gradually approaching 500 thousand since the beginning of a full-scale war.
And today it became known that since the beginning of the day, Ukrainian Armed Forces aircraft have carried out 18 strikes on Russians and attacked two of their air defense systems.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully resist attacks from the invaders in all directions.
In the Khar'kov direction, the enemy lost 73 military personnel killed and wounded and 16 pieces of equipment, of which two were tanks.
During the current 24 hours, 77 military clashes took place at the front, seven of which are still ongoing. The hottest situation was in the Pokrovsky direction, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Saturday, May 18.
Thus, 10 clashes occurred in the Khar'kov direction. The Russians again launched an air strike on Khar'kov, using two KABs. They carried out assault operations in the directions Glubokoe-Lukyantsy, Lukyantsy-Veseloye, Bugrovatka-Staritsa.
In this direction, the enemy lost 73 military personnel killed and wounded and 16 pieces of equipment, of which two were tanks.
“The remaining data on enemy losses is being clarified. The defense forces are taking measures to stabilize the situation and regroup in certain areas,” the message says.
In the Kupyansky direction the number of battles per day increased to nine, and in the Limansky direction - to seven. The defense forces are taking necessary measures to contain the enemy.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the invaders are carrying out assault operations in the direction of the settlements of Ivanovskoye and Kalinovka. The total number of Russian attacks in the direction increased to 14.
The Pokrovskoe direction remains the hottest. Of the 23 military clashes since the beginning of the day, four are currently still ongoing. Netailovo was added to the list of settlements where the enemy is directing his attacks. The Russians carried out airstrikes using KABs in the area of Alexandropol, Voskhod, Evgenievka.
In the Kurakhovsky direction, the enemy made 10 attempts to overcome the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The battle continues near Krasnogorovka.
In the Dnieper direction, the number of Russian assaults stopped by Ukrainian defenders on the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region has grown to four today.
Since the beginning of the current day, Ukrainian aviation has hit 18 areas where enemy personnel are concentrated and two of their air defense systems. Our rockets and artillerymen struck three more enemy concentration areas and one radar station.
Let us remind you that in one day on May 17, Russia lost more than 1,200 soldiers at the front. The total losses of the aggressor country are gradually approaching 500 thousand since the beginning of a full-scale war.
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[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
As a result of active actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces liberated Staritsa (Kharkov region) and continued advancing into the depth of the enemy's defence.
Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 106th, 113th, and 129th territorial defence brigades near Veterenarnoye (Kharkov region), Miropoliye, and Loknya (Sumy region).
Four counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 42nd Mechanised Brigade, 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 125th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled near Liptsy, Tikhoye, and Volansk (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 150 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, one 122mm Grad MLRS combat vehicle, one Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 155mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system, and one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system were neutralised.
One AFU field ammunition depot was destroyed.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 14th Mechanised Brigade and 110th Territorial Defence Brigade near Sinkovka, Ivanovka (Kharkov region), and Artyomovka (Lugansk People's Republic).
One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade was repelled near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 270 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, and one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 59th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 105th, and 111th Territorial Defence brigades near Krasnogorovka, Konstantinovka, and Noviy (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 690 Ukrainian troops, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles.
In the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun were wiped out.
Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 68th Jaeger Brigade, 24th, 100th Mechanised brigades, and 2nd National Guard Brigade near Semyonovka, Mayorsk, Kalinovo, and Novgorodskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
Five counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 25th Airborne Brigade, 47th, 110th Mechanised brigades, and 142nd Infantry Brigade were repelled near Netaylovo, Umanskoye, Arkhangelskoye, and Solovyovo (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 420 Ukrainian troops, one German-made Marder infantry fighting vehicle, and five motor vehicles.
In the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one 152mm Giatsint-B howitzer, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery warfare radar station were neutralised.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade and 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Urozhaynoye and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
Four counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade were repelled near Vladimirovka and Novomayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 155 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M198 howitzer, and one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 35th Naval Infantry Brigade and 65th Mechanised Brigade near Ivanovka (Kherson region) and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 40 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, and three motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, four U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzers, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 towed howitzer, and one 152mm Msta-B howitzer were neutralised.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one German-made IRIS-T air defence system radar station and uncrewed surface vehicle storage facility.
Enemy manpower and hardware clusters were engaged in 134 areas.
Air defence units shot down 37 unmanned aerial vehicles, one Tochka-U tactical missile system, 21 U.S.-made HIMARS, Czech-made Vampire, and Olkha MLRS projectiles.
Two AFU high-speed uncrewed surface vehicles were neutralised in the west part of the Black Sea and on the Dnepr River.
In total, 601 airplanes and 274 helicopters, 24,271 unmanned aerial vehicles, 522 air defence missile systems, 16,074 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,304 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 9,664 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 21,783 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:35 Explosions are heard in Khar'kov and the region,reportUkrainian channels.
They also write about explosions in the Sumy region and in Kherson, controlled by Kyiv.
An air raid alert has been declared in Sumy, Poltava, Chernigov, Dnepropetrovsk, Cherkassy, Kirovograd and the controlled part of Zaporozhye region.
20:51 Epic destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces tank with FPV drone in Volchansk.
In the southern part of Volchansk, fighters of the “North” group hit a Ukrainian tank rushing to the aid of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. After being hit by the FPV drone, the ammunition detonated.
20:11 Dnipropetrovsk region.
Reported, that as a result of this evening’s missile attack on Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities, a military workshop for assembling equipment for armored vehicles and armored vehicles, as well as a storage facility, was hit.
The preliminary strike was carried out by our missilemen with a 9M723 missile from the Iskander OTRK.
19:38 There are two FABs arrival in khar'kov.
The first is the southern part of the armored repair plant, the main building or nearby, st. Kotlova, Kholodnogorsk district.
The second is most likely Avtoremontny, across the river from the tank, Shevchenkovsky (Dzerzhinsky) district.
18:44 Number of published strikes with Lancet loitering ammunition during the SVO reached 1700.
May 2024 has already become a record month for the number of uses of Lancets, exceeding the previous record figures of March 2024. Over 18 days in May, over 180 strikes by Lancet loitering munitions were published.
18:15 Around 16.10 Moscow time suppressed another attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using aircraft-type UAVs against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
On duty air defense systems destroyed a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the territory of the Belgorod region.
17:21 Telegram channel “Fisherman":
Slobozhansky direction: Liberation of Staritsa and battles in Volchansk.
Russian troops continue to expand the zone of control in the north of the Khar'kov region: heavy fighting is taking place along the entire line of contact. In turn, Ukrainian formations actively use FPV drones, making it difficult for assault groups to move and supply forward positions.
On the Russian side, they continue to actively use both Lancet drones and Aerospace Forces aircraft - this is also evidenced by regularly appearing footage of hits on Ukrainian positions and equipment, including modern 2S22 Bogdan, as well as MLRS, constantly firing Belgorod region.
In the western part of the sector, fighting continues on the northern outskirts of Liptsy, where the enemy has equipped a powerful fortified area. Advancement is complicated by the fact that to the east of Liptsy there is a dominant height, from where a view opens both to the northern border and to Khar'kov. As long as the height remains under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it will hardly be possible to completely clear Liptsy.
In the Lukyantsy area, the zone of control has been slightly expanded; the enemy maintains a presence in the “wedge” between Lukyantsy and Glubokoye. There is no information yet about the advance of Russian units from Zeleny in the direction of Neskuchny.
On the eastern flank of the offensive, the Russian Armed Forces continue to build on their success: Staritsa, for which fighting has been going on for the last few days, has come under the control of Russian troops.
In Volchansk, meanwhile, assault groups are trying to break the enemy’s defenses in the area of ??the northern bank of the Volchya River. Ukrainian formations still hold the southern outskirts and center of the village.
At the same time, thanks to the transfer of several dozen infantry battalions to the site and the strengthening of defenses in the city, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to somewhat reduce the pace of the offensive of the Russian Armed Forces.
16:34 Statements by representatives of the North, West, South, Center, East and Dnepr groups on the progress of the special military operation (as of May 18, 2024) -video.
15:39 Krivoy Rog. Explosion.
Single powerful explosion thundered at a military industrial enterprise in the suburbs of Krivoy Rog. The strike was carried out by our Iskander OTRK missile. Local public pages write about a bright flash.
15:01 From 12.20 to 12.30 Moscow time suppressed an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks using French-made Hammer guided bombs and US-made HARM anti-radar missiles against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
On duty air defense systems destroyed four guided aerial bombs and two anti-radar missiles over the territory of the Belgorod region.
14:27 Telegram channel “Fisherman":
Donetsk direction: advance of Russian troops on the eastern outskirts of Krasnogorovka.
Russian troops continue their assault on Krasnogorovka from several directions. At the moment, the enemy retains control over half of the settlement - mainly in residential areas, which are located in the lowlands.
On the eastern outskirts, the last few weeks there have been battles to the west of the hunting house (Minich's house) - in this area the enemy has equipped an extensive network of strong points with minefields.
The other day, Russian attack aircraft completely cleared the area between the Stalin highway (road C051130) and May 1st Street, forcing the enemy to retreat deeper into the urban area in the direction of a complex of hospital buildings and an agricultural technical school on Nakhimov Street.
To the south, Russian troops finally cleared the area near the Borisovka pond, where focal resistance of several Ukrainian Armed Forces infantry squads had previously remained.
In the center there are still clashes in the areas of Tsentralnaya and Sumskaya streets near the Krasnogorovsky refractory plant. And to the east of the industrial zone, the enemy retreated from the private sector in the area of Pushkin and Nekrasov streets.
Also in the Donetsk direction, the situation in Netailovo became somewhat clearer, where assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces were able to break through the enemy’s defenses in the center, occupying the territory of a school, and reach the western outskirts of the village.
The advance of Russian troops is also confirmed by footage from the enemy, who published a video of attacks by Ukrainian UAVs on positions of the Russian Armed Forces on Naberezhnaya Street. Against this background, unconfirmed reports even appeared on the Internet about the almost complete liberation of the settlement.
However, in order to occupy Netaylovo, Russian units still have to gain a foothold along the shore of the Netaylovsky Pond, as well as knock out the enemy from Kolkhoznaya Street and farms on the southern outskirts of the village.
13:58 Released the village of Staritsa in the Khar'kov region, the Russian Armed Forces continue to advance into the depths of the enemy’s defense, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.
12:41 Battles for Volchansk. Aerial view of the aftermath -photo.
11:57 Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group -video.
The Center group of troops continues to carry out combat missions in the special military operation zone.
During the day, 340 identified enemy targets were hit by fire, including 10 temporary deployment points, 17 strongholds, and more than 80 field artillery positions.
In addition, units of the group, with fire support from artillery and aviation, defeated the manpower and equipment of the formations of the 71st Jaeger, 142, 143 Infantry, 23, 24, 47, 100, 110 Mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Novgorodskoye, Arkhangelskoye, Ocheretino, Solovyevo, Netaylovo, Umansky and Berdychi.
The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to 305 military personnel. An armored combat vehicle "Kozak", four vehicles, self-propelled artillery systems "Paladin" and 122mm 2S1 "Gvozdika", three 122mm D-30 howitzers, two 120mm mortars were destroyed.
Air defense systems shot down a Hammer guided bomb and three unmanned aerial vehicles.
11:37 Sumy region.
Worked tactical aviation against Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities. Su-34M sent gifts to the enemy in the form of KABs and FAB-500s with UPMK. Powerful arrivals at the location of enemy forces.
10:48 Frontline summary for the morning of 05/18/2024
Zaporozhye Front. LBS without significant changes. To the north-west of Verbovoy there are positional battles. Long-range weapons are actively working. (Fig. 1)
Donetsk front. Heavy urban fighting continues in Krasnogorovka. There is an advance of Russian troops on the eastern outskirts of the city. In Netailovo, the settlement is being cleared of the remnants of the Ukrainian garrison. There are tactical successes of the Russian Armed Forces in the Nevelskoye area. Fierce fighting continues in the Umansky area. The same is true on the approaches to Novopokrovsky. (Fig. 2)
In the Chasovoyarsk direction. Fighting continues in the eastern suburbs. At the same time, Russian troops are conducting offensive operations from the northern and southern sides of the city. Over the past 24 hours, without much progress. (Fig. 3)
Khar'kov front. Russian troops are fighting their way into the city limits of Volchansk, increasingly pushing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the outskirts of the city. Fighting continues on the northern outskirts of Liptsy and on the approaches to Lukyantsy. (Fig. 4)
10:22 Statement by the head of the press center of the “West” group -video.
Units of the West group of forces continue to carry out combat missions in the special military operation zone.
As a result of active actions, the group’s motorized rifle units improved the tactical position and defeated the manpower and equipment of the 54th, 63rd Mechanized, 77th Airmobile brigades, and 110th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We repelled two attacks by assault groups of the 21st Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Novosadovye area.
During the counterbattery fight, artillery units destroyed the 122mnm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle, a British-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery mount, 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30 towed howitzers, as well as nine mortar crews.
The group's loitering munitions operators destroyed a T-72 tank and a tanker.
The group's air defense systems destroyed six aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
Enemy losses amounted to up to 40 military personnel, a tank, four artillery pieces, eight mortar crews and five UAV control posts.
09:50 Criminal Kyiv regimecontinuesto fire at the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired from cannon artillery:
-- n.p. Solonetz three rounds;
-- Aleshki settlement four rounds;
-- n.p. Kakhovka five rounds;
-- n.p. Novaya Kakhovka three rounds;
-- the village of Raiskoe four rounds;
-- n.p. Malokakhovka four rounds.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the village. Novaya Kakhovka, n.p. Kakhovka, n.p. Sofiyivka, n.p. Tavriysk, firing a total of 23 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being determined.
09:25 During the past night, an attempt by the Kyiv regime was stoppedcommita terrorist attack using aircraft-type UAVs against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
On duty air defense systems destroyed a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the territory of the Republic of Crimea.
08:52 Telegram channel “Fisherman":
Chronicle of a special military operation for May 17, 2024
– Russian troops attacked the industrial zone and railway infrastructure in Khar'kov, and in Odessa they attacked warehouses and industrial enterprises.
– Ukrainian formations, in turn, again carried out a massive drone raid on fuel and energy complex facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation. Several oil depots and substations were attacked in Crimea, Sevastopol and the Krasnodar region.
– The Russian Armed Forces continue their offensive in the Slobozhansky direction. There are battles in Volchansk and on the northern outskirts of Liptsy, the zone of control in the Lukyantsy area has been expanded.
– In the Donetsk direction, Russian forces advanced to Krasnogorovka and cleared the “cauldron” east of the city near the Borisovka pond.
– In the Vrem'yevsky direction, fighting does not stop in Urozhainy and Staromayorsky, where the Russian Armed Forces are gradually moving forward.
08:02 Official summary of Representative offices of the DPR in the JCCC:
A total of 35 facts of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC.
Information was received about the injury of eight civilians.
Damaged:
Five residential buildings,
Three cars.
A total of 18 attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction.
A total of 17 attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Gorlovka direction.
A total of 102 units of various ammunition were fired.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov
[REGNUM] A small temple built on Starokievskaya Hill next to the foundations of the Tithe Church - an echo of legendary times - was mercilessly demolished at night. The fitted equipment destroyed the walls along with icons and church decorations; the debris was immediately thrown into trucks and taken out in an unknown direction. There are all sorts of rumors about the fate of the main icon of the Mother of God “Vladimir-Tithe ”, a copy of the original miraculous one - either the priest managed to remove it or not. In any case, the historical site is now a flat area, and rare brave souls mourn out loud what happened. They curse the evil spirits, who were not afraid of higher powers, and remember Batu Khan and the Soviet government, who destroyed the two previous temples. The “evil spirits” do not feel any remorse at all - they declared the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to which the now defunct church belonged, a “sect” and are fighting it to the best of their ability.
And on this front they have immense strength, and victory is close.
But this whole sad and at first glance already ordinary story shows the special magic of a place in which no one cares, in fact, about the Tithe Church itself, founded by Prince Vladimir himself, the baptist of Russia. The first stone temple in this very Rus', built according to legend on the site of the murder of the first Christians Theodore and John, but in fact - on an old pagan cemetery.
We will begin our discussion, however, not with the ancient Slavs, but with a self-constructed building, arbitrarily erected in the place “where the Rouge land came from” - and, moreover, on the territory under the protection of UNESCO. Near a thick 500-year-old linden tree, planted according to legend by Metropolitan Peter Mogila himself, all his life there was an archaeological monument and a park with benches.
In 2006, Ukrainian Orthodox Christians set up a tent there. Then the Mother of God appeared to them in this tent, which became the source of ownership of the land and the reason for the construction of the temple, which subsequently practically no one visited. A tourist place, a permanent population - one or two and it's a miscalculation.
As if mirroring the “non-brothers,” six years later the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate pulled off the developers’ favorite trick on Desyatinny Lane, literally opposite. A residential building from the end of the 19th century, which had been vacated under the pretext of being unsafe, and a hut of some low-ranking official from that time were skillfully brought to a real state of disrepair and demolished. At this site, archaeologists from the Starokievsk expedition carried out excavations for show, removing another piece of the Slavic cemetery, and instead of living history, an office and hotel center was erected. Literally a couple of meters from the foundation of the Western Palace of Prince Vladimir himself.
People wanted it too - and they did it.
And when, 11 years later, the “unknown patriots” came up with the idea of the need to demolish the structure of one Church (and completely ignore the creativity of another), it was exactly the same source of the right to decisive action. At the same time, the fate of archaeological monuments, the value of which in principle cannot be overestimated, was of no interest to either the first, second or third. Because she never interested anyone there at all.
A vindictive history contains evidence of residents of Kyiv who stole the ruins of Kievan Rus for their personal needs, including the bricks of the Church of the Tithes. And when, in the 19th century, lovers of romanticism from St. Petersburg rushed to Little Russia to rediscover the great past, wastelands abundantly overgrown with wheatgrass and quinoa appeared to their astonished gaze. After hundreds of years, no visible architectural monuments remain in Kyiv, Chernigov, Pereyaslav and the surrounding area.
The famous Golden Gate was built by the Soviet government. Someone will say: she blew up St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral! Well, she saved its remains and made restoration projects. At least some kind of initiative, they blew it up here, they built it there. And all these legends of deep antiquity were generally familiar to few people from the local population. And with the beginning of rapid development, the entire territory of Ancient Kyiv, where the princely and boyar chambers, churches and houses stood, was mercilessly built up at the end of the same 19th century and at the beginning of the next century.
Treasures found during construction were appropriated without a twinge of conscience. Landowner and amateur archaeologist Alexander Annenkov, who owned an estate at the very beginning of St. Andrew's Descent (literally a dozen steps from the Church of the Tithes), made such a profit from the sale of antiquities that he generously donated money for the construction of a new temple on the site of the ancient one in 1828–1842. The excavated remains of marbles, mosaics, and frescoes went to no one knows where - during construction, about half of the surviving foundations of the present church of the 10th century were dismantled. Sarcophagi of St. Vladimir and other princes, previously found during excavations, were lost along with the remains.
The main thing is that we spent about 100 thousand gold rubles on everything and it turned out to be expensive and rich. Even the iconostasis was made from copies of the iconostasis of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, created by the artist Borovikovsky. So when the Soviet government blew it all up in 1928, the logic was approximately the same. Just like when the same streets, steeped in history, were first built with Khrushchev-era buildings and socket buildings, and after many years - with ugly new buildings.
Looking at all this, the times of the great Kyiv princes, whose names every schoolchild seems to know, is like a page from a textbook with a flat picture. Something that has nothing to do with those living today. The few surviving monuments of that era (mostly, of course, temples) could be turned into pearls of cultural heritage, into a life-giving source, falling to which you hear the voices of your ancestors.
But instead, only the shrill screams of those who would like to build something where it is impossible were heard. Or destroy what has been built.
So it’s even somehow indecent to compare today’s monkeys on bulldozers with Batu. The Mongol Khan had a specific military need; the remnants of the defenders of Kyiv and the townspeople trying to hide settled in Desyatinnaya, and its walls were split by battering guns. And so the Mongols did not unnecessarily infringe on the religion of local residents, seeing this as a guarantee of peace and a guarantee of paying taxes.
The secret of the indifference of the descendants of these local residents is that chronicle Rus' is not taken seriously as “ours.” First of all, those who declared ownership of its historical core. So, to be honest, the real humiliation of feelings and test of faith in the case of the Tithe Church never ended.
And it will only end when someone finally accepts the kinship for real. And a careful attitude towards any antiquity as to one’s roots, perhaps, will melt the common feeling for both Russians and Ukrainians of the immediacy of existence into something completely different.
Changing not only the attitude towards ancient bricks - but also towards one’s own life.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Kirill Velesov
[REGNUM] Odessa, May 18, city beach “Chaika”. One o'clock. The weather is sunny and warm, but there is not a single person on the beach, a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople. A local man with his wife and school-aged son is filming a video, amazed that the city has practically died out, and he is the “only man” left.
Same day, Khar'kov. A resident of the city carefully, without attracting attention, films how two employees of the TCC (territorial recruitment center - an analogue of Russian military registration and enlistment offices) almost drag a struggling young man along the street and throw him into a white minibus.
Another video is from a service station: three policemen are strangling a guy and trying to twist his arms. He shouts that he shouldn’t go to the TCC, the police respond with the official “We’ll sort it out there.” After about a minute of struggle, another “cop” standing nearby asks the guy why he’s not going to fight. He, trying to escape from the grip, exhales: “Because I’m not a military man!”
A similar thing is happening today throughout Ukraine - on May 18, a law on tightening mobilization came into force. Men are caught everywhere. Another video from Odessa: several TCC employees literally burst into a minibus and, trying to detain a guy, beat him and spray him with pepper spray. And the minibus passenger filming on her phone is insulted, and the phone is promised to be broken.
There is a catastrophic shortage of people at the front, so even those who were previously considered untouchable have to be taken away. Last week, the new head of the territorial recruitment center of the Cherkasy region, Roman Bogdan, invited to a meeting of the City Council, handed out subpoenas to six deputies. Bogdan urged them to make the “right decision.”
DISENFRANCHISED MEN
The law that came into force established new requirements for those liable for military service in Ukraine and minimizes their rights.
All men between the ages of 18 and 60 were required to carry a military ID at all times. Without it, citizens will also be limited in providing consular services abroad. Military personnel stationed abroad must provide their credentials within 60 days.
Men aged 25 to 55 years who received a disability of the second and third groups after the start of the special operation must undergo a second medical examination. Military registration and enlistment offices, subject to a number of restrictions, received the right to confiscate vehicles from citizens for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In addition, the new law allowed military registration and enlistment office employees to serve summonses around the clock and anywhere. Also, the right to issue summonses was given to alert groups, which include police officers, representatives of local authorities and educational institutions, business managers and citizens who are not subject to mobilization.
If the summons was sent by mail, but the recipient does not live at the address he declared, he will still be considered notified of the summons to the military registration and enlistment office.
At the same time, the new law actually deprives draft dodgers of the right to appeal court decisions in disputes with the TCC. The theoretical opportunity to appeal the court decision for those who do not want to serve in the army will remain, but by that time they will already be mobilized, said Alexander Fedienko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Defense Committee.
On May 17, the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, signed a law that will allow prisoners to be mobilized into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in exchange for parole. At the same time, those convicted of crimes against the fundamentals of national security, murder, sexual violence, pedophilia and fatal accidents committed under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be subject to voluntary conscription.
According to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the number of mobilized prisoners will not exceed 20 thousand people. The Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denis Malyuska previously reported that from the mobilized prisoners they would create separate units for digging trenches and building infrastructure.
TISZA - RIVER OF LIFE OR DEATH
On the afternoon of May 17, a large traffic jam formed in the Lviv region on the border with Poland. More than 760 cars and 25 buses were queuing at checkpoints. People used the last opportunity to flee the country.
And already on May 18, Ukrainian truckers went out to protest and blocked the Kyiv-Odessa highway. The protesters placed dozens of trucks on the road and caused a large traffic jam. Drivers said they are against the new law, since it does not allow truckers transporting goods to other countries to receive military service exemption. Drivers fear that they will be mobilized while crossing the border.
In turn, the mayor of Dnepropetrovsk Boris Filatov said the day before that due to tightening mobilization measures, the city’s critical infrastructure may be left without workers. If there is a massive recruitment into the army, there is a risk of stopping the work of public transport, water utilities and the heat and power sector. Filatov called for a review of the categories of citizens who can be taken to the front.
To avoid getting there, men try to leave Ukraine by any means, including risking their lives. On May 17, the body of another dead man was found in the Tisza River on the border of Ukraine and Romania. This is the 31st such tragic incident.
Notably, a recent New York Times article reported that thousands of draft dodgers are sailing from Ukraine to Romania, crossing the Tisza. At the same time, those who are caught are not only fined, but also immediately issued a summons.
But there are no fewer risk takers. On May 10, Slovak media reported that the number of draft dodgers fleeing mobilization from Ukraine had doubled in the country. Since the beginning of 2024, Slovak law enforcement agencies have detained 338 men who tried to illegally enter the territory of the republic.
At the same time, the speaker of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Andrey Demchenko noted on April 21 that Ukrainian border guards detect about ten attempts every day to leave the country using fake documents. In addition, evaders are constantly looking for places where they can illegally cross the border, and also bribe border guards.
“THE WHOLE WORLD IS TO BLAME FOR THE FAILURE OF THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES”
Now the Russian army is developing an offensive in the Khar'kov region. On May 17, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, said that units of the North group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces liberated 12 settlements in the region within a week.
In turn, Zelensky, in an interview with ABC television, said that all countries of the world are to blame for the fact that the defense of the Ukrainian army has failed, and the Russian army is successfully advancing in several directions. According to him, to confront Russia, the support of all countries is required, he accused them of allowing the start of the Northern Military District, and now they are not helping to stop the Russian army.
“It’s the whole world’s fault,” Zelensky said.
At the same time, on May 16, he stated that the Russian army could soon drive the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of Khar'kov, and added that the delay in assistance from the United States greatly influenced the course of the conflict.
At the same time, Zelensky rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an Olympic truce during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. On March 17, the French leader said that he would ask Russia to establish a ceasefire for the duration of the Olympics. Zelensky, in an interview with Agence France-Presse, said that Kyiv does not believe in such an idea. He noted that in a telephone conversation with the French leader he asked who could guarantee that Russia would not take advantage of this to send troops into Ukrainian territory.
“[Ukraine] is against any truce that plays into the hands of the enemy,” said the head of the Kiev regime.
Obviously, Zelensky intends to continue the conflict. Against this background, it is noteworthy that two contradictory statements appeared on the same day, May 17. The same Zelensky publicly stated that “For the first time, Ukraine has enough artillery shells, not a single brigade is complaining that there are no shells.” And in a material published by the French publication Le Monde, the Ukrainian military reported that “they lack everything - drones, anti-drone weapons, shells, missiles.”
It’s hardly worth asking who Ukrainian men believe. Especially those who dive into the cold Tisa or who are dragged along a deserted street into a white minibus.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] In Ingushetia, 73.6% of the sowing campaign has been completed. This was announced on May 17 by the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic, Magomed-Bashir Gagiev, during a working meeting with the head of Ingushetia, Magomed-Ali Kalimatov.
According to the minister, 42,600 hectares were prepared for spring sowing, and to date 31,363 hectares have already been sown. Winter crops occupy 29,200d hectares, and all necessary agrotechnical measures have been taken to ensure their growth and development. To maintain the pace of spring field work, 600 units of equipment are involved.
The federal center continues to provide assistance to the region. Thus, within the framework of the state program “Development of Agriculture”, three hundred agricultural producers of the republic have benefited from support since the beginning of the year. According to the head of the region, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, it had a positive impact on the development of the industry in Ingushetia. In this case, we are talking about an amount of more than 222 million rubles, which is 48% of the total volume of subsidies under the state program planned for 2024.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Ingushetia, 177 million rubles were allocated to support regional agricultural producers as a single subsidy - this is 70% of the specified amount. The greatest attention was paid to family grants - this category accounted for 63.1 million rubles, 23 million rubles (100%) for keeping sheep, 12.6 million rubles (100%) for slaughtering sheep for meat, 52.6 million rubles (90 %) - for milk production, 25.8 million rubles (100%) - for agricultural activities.
Also, 26.4 million rubles (100%) of state support were received for land reclamation activities, 11.3 million rubles (100%) for the sale of grain crops and 7.6 million rubles (26%) for stimulating the production of vegetables and potatoes.
“We must understand that such a significant amount of investment in agricultural development is an important step to ensure food security in the region and improve the well-being of rural residents,” said Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov.
The state program “Integrated Development of Rural Territories” also demonstrates decent results in Ingushetia. Through municipalities it was possible to disburse 26.4 million rubles. The funds were used to improve villages, create their modern appearance, as well as housing construction for rural specialists.
The Russian Federation Council is the Russian equivalent of the US Senate.
[Regnum] The successful offensive of the Russian troops, which began in the north of the Khar'kov region, is just the beginning; the liberation of Russian lands from neo-Nazis will continue, Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of the international committee of the Federation Council, said on May 18 in the Telegram channel.
“Our offensive near Khar'kov is, I believe, just the beginning. I am confident that all native Russian lands will be liberated from neo-Nazis,” he wrote.
The parliamentarian accused the Kiev regime of turning Ukraine into a concentration camp. The “anti-Russia” course chosen by the authorities led the country to the brink of disaster, the senator emphasized. Continuation of this policy will lead to the fact that residents of ever larger territories will not want to be part of such a Ukraine, Jabbarov warned.
As Regnum reported, the head of the military-civil administration of the Khar'kov region, Vitaly Ganchev, reported on May 17 that the Russian army, during an offensive in the northern part of the region, liberated a territory with a total area of about 200 square kilometers. The pace of advance of the Russian Armed Forces caused panic in the ranks of the Ukrainian army, many deserted.
On the same day, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, said that the Ukrainian army would face difficult battles due to the rapid advance of Russian troops. He added that the offensive began much earlier than the Ukrainian command expected.
Russian President Vladimir Putin explained on May 17 that the goal of the offensive near Khar'kov is to create a sanitary zone that will prevent shelling of the country by the Ukrainian army. He emphasized that the Kiev regime, by attacking populated areas, forced Russia to take such actions.
Deputy Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, commenting on the words of the head of state, noted that the range of the missiles transferred by the West to Kiev reaches 550 km, and the distance from Belgorod to Kiev is 429 km. He did not rule out that the sanitary zone in Ukraine could reach Poland or even further.
[Regnum] On May 18, the head of the Khar'kov regional military administration appointed by Kiev, Oleg Sinegubov, announced on his Telegram channel the evacuation of about ten thousand local residents from border areas.
He clarified that 2,726 residents were evacuated from the Chuguevsky district, 4,037 from the Kharkovsky district, and 118 people from the Bogodukhovsky district.
“And 3,026 people were evacuated by volunteers. A total of 9,907 people were evacuated,” Sinegubov said.
As Regnum reported, on May 17, the Russian Ministry of Defense informed about the liberation of 12 settlements in the Khar'kov region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine within a week. The head of the military-civil administration of the Khar'kov region, Vitaly Ganchev, said on the evening of May 17 that the Russian military had advanced towards the village of Borovaya in the Izyum district.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow currently has no plans to take control of Khar'kov, noting that the country's army is advancing in the region strictly according to plan and is making progress.
As the president noted, the offensive of Russian troops in the Khar'kov region is associated with the creation of a sanitary zone near the border regions of Russia. This need arose due to the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are shelling neighborhoods in border areas, including Belgorod.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Russian President Vladimir Putin found an unconventional move and responded with an ultimatum to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s statement that Ukraine has the right to strike Russian regions with weapons produced in the kingdom, according to an article in the Chinese newspaper Sohu.
The author noted that the Russian leader did not look for ways to mitigate the situation, but decided to escalate it. First, the Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Nigel Casey for a conversation, after which he looked confused, since, according to the publication, they explained to him the consequences of British strikes on Russia.
“This is not a joke, Putin has given Great Britain an ultimatum,” the publication says.
It is noted that Moscow did not limit itself to this, and soon the Ministry of Defense conducted exercises of non-strategic nuclear forces. In addition, Russia adopted the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile.
As Regnum reported, Reuters published an article on May 2 in which it cited Cameron’s words that London allows the Kiev regime to strike at Russian territory. The publication was soon withdrawn, but then reinstated without changes.
The British ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office on May 6, where he stayed for about half an hour. On the same day, exercises of missile formations of the Southern Military District began to practice strikes with non-strategic nuclear weapons. The Ministry of Defense emphasized that the maneuvers are also being carried out as a response to provocative anti-Russian statements by individual officials in the West.
[Breitbart] Poland is investing about $2.5 billion to step up security and deterrence on its border with Russia and its ally Belarus, the prime minister said Saturday.
Donald Tusk said work on the Shield-East project which includes building proper military fortifications has already begun. Poland is on the eastern flank of NATO and of the European Union and Tusk stressed it bears additional responsibility for Europe’s security.
“We have taken the decision to invest into our safety and first of all, into a safe eastern border, some 10 billion zlotys ($2.5 billion),” Tusk said.
“We are opening a great project of the construction of a safe border, including a system of fortifications and of the shaping of terrain, (of) environmental decisions that will make this border impenetrable by a potential enemy,” Tusk said.
“We have begun these works, to make Poland’s border a safe one in times of peace, and impenetrable for an enemy in times of war,” he added.
He was addressing Polish troops in Krakow, in the south, to mark 80 years since the allied victory in the Battle of Monte Cassino against the Nazis, during World War II.
Poland’s previous right-wing government built a $400 million wall on the border with Belarus to halt massive inflow of migrants that began to be pushed from that direction in 2021, but the current pro-EU government says it needs to be strengthened.
Poland is a staunch ally of Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia’s invasion.
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.
