BLUF:
[France24] Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has become much harder for Russians to travel to popular holiday destinations in the European Union. Getting travel visas approved is more expensive and less straightforward, Russian air carriers have been banned from flying over or into the EU, and Russian oligarchs can no longer land their jets in some places.
There is also the prospect of a hostile welcome for Russian tourists; a little more than a year since the invasion of Ukraine, the public perception of Russia throughout EU countries is largely that of "an adversary", according to a multi-nation poll conducted in January.
Yet millions of Russians are still traveling abroad. Some 22.5 million overseas trips were taken by Russian tourists in 2022, up from 19.2 million in 2021, with Turkey the leading destination.
And Russian holidaymakers are now beating a path to non-Western destinations in record numbers instead of Europe.
#6
#@4 - And, going back to our Estonia conversation the other day, maybe even more so for the Baltic States. Russians were frequent visitors there especially with things (hotels, spas, etc.) relatively cheaper (why Finns come to Estonia and drink themselves silly).
But not to worry, the Estonian gov't in its finite wisdom wants to raise the hotel/lodging tax to 22%, so it'll screw tourists over equally. You know, the world economy is doing so well and all that. Some foreign owners of resorts are already discussing closing for good. They already had a tough time getting through the Fauci Flu response.
Text taken from the V Kontakte page of Reports from the militia of Novorossiya.
The head of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin gave an hour and a half interview to media technologist Konstantin Dolgov. Although throughout the conversation they go over and over again through the Russian elites and the decision-making system, there are quite interesting details in the interview that can be perceived without emotional overtones.
▪By June 1 - with a backlash of up to 10 days - PMCs should "as correctly as possible" transfer Bakhmut to units of the RF Armed Forces. If the Russian Ministry of Defense is unable to do this, then this fact, according to Prigozhin, will discredit the Russian Armed Forces and make PMCs more combat-ready than regular troops. And from the point of view of public administration, this is incorrect.
▪At the time of the beginning of the siege of Bakhmut, there were 35 thousand fighters in the ranks of PMCs. For all the time of the NWO, 50,000 prisoners were recruited among the prisoners. 20% of them (10,000 prisoners) died in battle. Another 10,000 full-time PMC fighters also died.
According to the results of the battle for Bakhmut (Artemovsk), the loss of the Armed Forces of Ukraine killed - 50,000 people, wounded - 50,000-70,000 thousand.
▪If Artyomovsk is surrendered, then Wagner PMC will first go “within the law and in jackets with bloody hands” to Frunzenskaya Embankment to ask uncomfortable questions, and then they will go again to save the Motherland.
▪Territorial defense is the most pragmatic decision that could be made under the current conditions. It is not the task of the FSB to fight off the DRG, but the Ministry of Defense. And the locals could help.
▪According to Prigozhin, Mezentsev and Surovikin are ideal candidates for the positions of Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff. The minister of defense, he said, should not be a "political figure" but deal with the military machine.
▪"Society always demands justice," and if there is no justice, then "revolutionary moods arise."
▪Hooray-patriotism is good only for a short period of time. And jingoistic patriotism based on invented facts makes “people play the fool and do nothing” – this is the "Navalny effect."
▪The war is racist in nature, both sides call each other racists.
▪Prigozhin's political credo: "I love Russia, I don't care about Shoigu, we will continue to fight."
▪There are two scenarios - an optimistic one, which Prigogine does not believe in, and a not very optimistic one. The first option is that Europe and the United States will get tired, China will put everyone at the negotiating table, where Russia will say to the taken territories “This is all ours” and they will listen to it.
The pessimistic scenario is that the Ukrainians are given missiles, they have trained troops and command staff, equipment, they will continue fighting and counterattack (possibly successfully), and then they will try to restore the borders until 2014. For Russia, this scenario will not be good, so you need to prepare for a difficult war.
▪We need to stop building glass towers and fattening ourselves, we need to work only for the war, transferring all production to military needs and declaring additional waves of mobilization. First you need to stabilize the front, and only then deal with civilian things.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] Chernihiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhya, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions were shelled and attacked.
by Iryna Lysohor
In the Chernihiv region, the Russians fired three times during the day - in the Novgorod-Siverskyi district with mortars and artillery, there were no losses or destruction, according to the report from OVA as of this morning.
In the Sumy morning, the Russians launched six shellings of the border. 29 explosions were recorded. The Velikopysariv and Shalygin communities were shelled. Previously - without losses among civilians and destruction of civil infrastructure. The data is being verified. Yesterday, during the day, the Russians carried out 12 shellings. A total of 80 explosions were recorded. The communities of Bilopolsk, Myropilsk, Yunakivsk, Novoslobidsk, Velikopysarivsk came under fire. One person was hospitalized due to a shrapnel wound in Velikopysarovsk community. A private house, a car, and an outbuilding were damaged by shelling.
In Zaporizhzhia, the enemy struck 94 strikes on 20 settlements: on Novodanilivka, Hyrky and Malya Tokmachka by air strikes, on Malynyvka by drones, on Krasnoye and Biloghiry by rocket systems of salvo fire. In addition, the occupiers fired 88 artillery shells at Gulyaipol, Orikhov, Zaliznychny, Olhivskyi, Shcherbaky, Plavnyi, Kamianskyi, Stepnohirsk and other villages near the front. Fortunately, the population was not affected. So far, 18 civilian destroyed objects have been recorded. Data on the consequences are being clarified.
In Dnipropetrovsk yesterday, the enemy shelled the Nikopol district twice. Used heavy artillery. It hit Marganetska and Chervonogrigorivska communities. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.
In Luhansk yesterday, the Russians shelled Stelmakhivka, Nevske and Bilogorivka. The enemy has again focused his attention on Bilogorivka, strikes with rocket and barrel artillery, attacks from the air, and mounts infantry assaults. During the day, the enemy fired 87 rounds (392 shells). The Russians have set up several camps for the training of the mobilized - they are trained according to an accelerated program for a maximum of two weeks on the territory of farms between Milov and Starobilsk.
In Kharkivskain the direction of Slobozhansk, the Russians carried out mortar and artillery attacks, n.p. Morozova Dolyna, Shevchenko, Kozachoa Lopan, Hoptivka, Lukyantsiv, Zeleno, Staritsa, Gatysh, Pletenivka, Vovchansk, Varvarivka, Nesterny, Budarka and Chugunivka. In the Kupian direction, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the area of Masyutivka.
Airstrikes near Orlyanskyi, Kislivka and Tabaivka. Kamianka, Figolivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kupyansk, Husynka, Tabaivka and Berestov came under enemy artillery and mortar fire. As a result of shelling of Kupyansk from rocket launchers, eight private residential buildings and commercial buildings were damaged.
Two women, aged 76 and 53, were injured. Hospitalized in a moderate condition. In Kupyansk, two private houses and outbuildings were damaged by shelling from multiple rocket-propelled grenades, and a fire broke out. A 35-year-old civilian man was injured and hospitalized. The enemy launched a missile attack by the S-300 air defense system on the Vyazov district of Kharkiv district. Two rockets hit a field in an open area. There were no damages or injuries.
In Donetsk , the Russians carried out 35 shellings, 12 settlements were under the fire of the occupiers: Avdiivka, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Velyka Novosilka, New York, Tonenka, Karlivka, Stara Mykolaivka, Ivanovske, Druzhba, Mykolaivka, Chervone. A total of 12 objects were damaged: seven residential buildings, a bomb shelter, power lines, a SES building, a civilian car, a hospital. One civilian was killed and five wounded in the region during the day.
In Mykolayivska, during the night, the forces and means of air defense of the "South" air command destroyed two enemy attack UAVs. Yesterday, the enemy carried out artillery fire on the water area of Ochakivsk community. No injuries or damage.
In Khersonskaduring the day, the enemy fired 61 shots (373 shells), of which six shots were fired at Kherson.
A 45-year-old man died as a result of enemy strikes on Stanislav. As a result of shelling of the village, four residential buildings were damaged.
A 62-year-old woman received a shrapnel wound as a result of artillery shelling in Kachkarivka, Beryslav district. Enemy attacks on Kozatske and Vesele in Kakhovsky district continue. Two women were injured and taken to the hospital in moderate condition.
Kizomys continues to suffer from attacks by Russian aircraft: two guided air bombs were dropped on the settlement at night. One house was completely destroyed, two more were damaged. There are no victims among the locals. Mykhailivka in Beryslav district was attacked with barrel artillery, as a result of which the technical equipment on the mobile phone operator's tower was damaged. In just one day, one person died and three others were injured due to Russian aggression. A total of 47 people were evacuated from the de-occupied territory of the region.
We will remind, according to the General Staff, in total during the past 24 hours, the enemy launched 20 missile strikes . Air-based cruise missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles and S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles were used in the cities of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Kharkiv regions. In addition, it carried out 48 airstrikes using Iranian attack UAVs "Shahed".
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22:34 Zelensky clarified in an evening video message that today's trip to the front line was the final component after many meetings and negotiations with partners that took place these days and in previous weeks. "Today, it was right at the front line to announce the creation of the Marine Corps in Ukraine. New marine brigades will be added to our existing units - and we will provide them with modern weapons and equipment," the president stressed.
21:51 Deliveries of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine are planned in the long term, and not for upcoming offensive operations, the Pentagon said. They also reported that they did not confirm the start of training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16, as Borrell had previously stated.
21:26 Slovenia recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
20:40 Budanov said in an interview with the Japanese agency NHK that the UAF already has a minimum of weapons for a counteroffensive, it will begin soon. However, according to him, Ukraine needs more weapons and ammunition in order to continue to liberate its territories.
20:37 Zaluzhny said that he had a telephone conversation with the Supreme Commander of the NATO Allied Forces in Europe and the Commander of the US Forces in Europe, Christopher Cavoli: "The need to strengthen air defense, including with the help of F-16 fighters, and an increase in the number of ammunition were key topics of our dialogue. We discussed the importance of continuing joint work on the maintenance and repair of military equipment. He also spoke about the quantitative and qualitative composition of our army and about the initiative to strengthen the Ukrainian marines by creating new brigades."
20:15 During the day, the Russians fired at Kozatskoye of the Novokakhovskaya community of the Kherson region: one person was killed, two were injured, the OVA reported. The invaders also fired at the Lvovo Tyagin community: one person was killed, one was wounded.
19:52 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained in Germany by the end of the year, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
19:49 Putin said that "there was no Ukraine in the history of mankind before the emergence of the Ukrainian SSR": "After the October Revolution, all sorts of quasi-state formations began to form, and the Soviet government created Soviet Ukraine, this is well known. And before that, there was no Ukraine in history humanity."
19:44 The EU has already supplied Ukraine with 220,000 shells of various calibers and 1,300 missiles as part of the first track, which provides for the allocation of ammunition to Kiev from its own stocks with subsequent compensation, Borrell said. He specified that this first track will be open by May 31, "and we will reach our goal of 1 billion euros - as of today, 800 million euros have already been compensated to member states."
According to Borrell, the second track provides for the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine and for replenishing its own stocks in the amount of 1 billion euros. The third track involves increasing the production capacity of the defense industry of the EU and Norway. "We hope that in this way we will reach our goal of 1 million ammunition for Ukraine in the next 12 months," Borrell said.
19:29 Germany handed over another package of military assistance to Ukraine, which included, in particular, one TRML-4D radar system, two Biber armored bridge layers, 54 Vector reconnaissance drones, eight anti-drone systems, etc.
19:21 The Legion of Freedom of Russia announced that its fighters, together with the RDK, defeated a motorized rifle company of the RF Armed Forces, destroyed several units of their armored vehicles. In addition, before the arrival of a unit of the Russian army, the FSB forces were allegedly defeated, which "retreated in a panic."
18:53 Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said that the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters has not yet begun, but his country is ready for this.
18:17 Medvedev said that the United States should compensate Russia for the damage for the destruction of Bakhmut, Mariupol "and a host of other places."
17:58 The regime of the "counter-terrorist operation" on the territory of the Belgorod region has been canceled, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
17:40 Russian "military correspondents" report "disturbing news": fighters of the Legion of Freedom of Russia and the Russian Volunteer Corps broke through in new settlements. Read more about the situation in the Belgorod region in the material New breakthroughs .
17:22 Stoltenberg welcomed the decision to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. At the same time, he stressed that the provision of aircraft will not make NATO a party to the war with Russia. "This is an important step, which will partly allow us to provide fighter jets at some stage, but also send a very clear signal that our support will be long-term and Russia will not be able to wait it out," the NATO Secretary General said.
17:04 France, among other partners of Ukraine, is ready to provide Kiev with security guarantees and conclude agreements that will help it protect itself in the long term and prevent future aggression, the French Foreign Ministry said.
16:39 Scholz is sure that Russia will not win the war, and Ukraine will become a member of the European Union after the victory: "The bitter chapter in the history of our continent, which Vladimir Putin created in his imperialist madness, will end with the entry of free Ukraine into the European Union as a full member."
16:07 The transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine was lobbied by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. So, Blinken was the main lobbyist in the Biden administration - he actively worked with NATO allies to promote this solution. The Washington Post writes that at one time it was Blinken who pushed the White House to transfer the M1 Abrams tanks.
Austin began working with US officials on the F-16 for the Armed Forces after the Ramstein meeting in April. The New York Times writes that Austin, in particular, promoted the need to train Ukrainian pilots.
15:42 The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the location of the FSB officers in the village. Bolshaya Belozerka, Zaporozhye region - ten of them have been liquidated, said Petr Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol. He clarified that this happened thanks to the "sponsors of the bavovna" - subscribers who reported the enemy location.
15:30 Moldova will comply with the decision of the International Criminal Court and arrest Putin if he arrives in the country, said President Maia Sandu.
15:21 Among the regions of the Russian Federation, one of the leaders in terms of losses in the war against Ukraine is the Republic of Bashkortostan. On this occasion, Reznikov addressed the entire Bashkir people and their true leaders:
"The current government of Ufa, taking care of personal gain and working in the interests of the Kremlin, sends its people to death in a race. The Bashkirs are one of the largest peoples of Russia ... If you list the problems and threats for the Bashkir people, then none of them are caused is Ukraine or the Ukrainians. The roots of all causes are in Moscow and Ufa. Instead, the Bashkirs are sent to die a thousand kilometers away for no one knows what. No one but the Kremlin and its lackeys is interested in this. This must be stopped as soon as possible."
14:56 Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko commented on Orban's statement that Ukraine allegedly would not be able to win the war: "The same European politicians argued last year that Ukraine has no chance to hold out for more than 72 hours. They were wrong then, they are wrong now. in unlike supporters of surrender to the enemy without resistance, Ukrainians will continue to fight until the complete liberation of their territories from Russian occupation."
14:42 The Russians are mining the left bank of the Dnieper and setting up barriers against watercraft in the Zaporozhye direction in the areas of the occupied settlements of Nizhny Rogachik, Dneprorudnoye, Bolshaya Znamenka and Kamenka Dneprovskaya, said the speaker of the Defense Forces of the Tauride direction Valery Shershen. According to him, in the Zaporozhye direction, the invaders are conducting the so-called active defense in the Novopavlovsky and Orekhovsky directions.
14:20 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that "a unit of Ukrainian nationalists invaded Russian territory yesterday." During the "counter-terrorist operation" in the Belgorod region, "nationalist formations" were allegedly "blocked and defeated", their remnants were driven back from the Belgorod region to the territory of Ukraine, "more than 70 terrorists" were killed, four infantry fighting vehicles and five pickup trucks.
14:09 Training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets has not yet begun, Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said: "The process of preparing to start this training is still ongoing. There are advanced groups, they have already left for countries that can provide us training grounds. We are studying how the process will go. There are no pilots themselves yet." Ignat added that a large number of pilots cannot be sent to F-16 training at once, "because someone needs to fight."
13:56 Medvedev said that "the sponsors of the Kiev regime - the US, the EU and Britain are ultimately responsible for the sabotage attacks." He also called "absolute lies" Kyiv's claims that he had nothing to do with the "DRG" sorties in the Belgorod region. In addition, Medvedev once again tried to intimidate the world with nuclear weapons: "The more destructive the weapons supplied to Kyiv, the more likely the scenario of a nuclear apocalypse."
13:51 The Legion of Freedom of Russia stated that its fighters, together with the RDC, continue to "liberate" the Belgorod region, while the Russian army could not oppose them. "The Russian Federation has no reserves to respond to military crises - all servicemen are dead, wounded or in Ukraine. The Russian Federation is absolutely not protected. There is panic in the Belgorod region, partly there is an organized evacuation, but for the most part there is a spontaneous flight," the Legion says.
13:49 Orban is convinced that Ukraine is not capable of winning the war: "My position is that, looking at the reality, the numbers, the situation, the fact that NATO is not ready to send troops, it is obvious: there can be no victory for poor Ukrainians on the battlefield. This is my position."
13:47 The European Union has paid another 1.5 billion euros to Ukraine from a package of macro-financial assistance for 18 billion, said the Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis. According to him, the funds will be used, in particular, to pay salaries, pensions, and repair critical infrastructure.
13:38 The African "peace plan" involves the start of negotiations between Kiev and Moscow until the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, said the press secretary of the President of South Africa Vincent Magvenya: "Firstly, this is the cessation of hostilities. Secondly, this is the basis for a lasting peace." According to him, such a plan is supported by the leaders of six African states.
13:33 The Russians launched an air missile attack on Avdiivka, Donetsk region, at least two people were injured, a multi-storey building was destroyed, said the head of the OVA, Pavel Kirilenko. According to him, more than 1,700 people remain in the city, risking their lives daily. Kirilenko once again called on all civilians to evacuate.
In addition, this morning the Russians attacked Toretsk with air bombs - a school was damaged, in which the point of indestructibility is located, an extension to the temple and high-rise buildings within a radius of 100 meters from the epicenter. People were not hurt.
13:22 During today's trip to the front line, Zelensky announced the creation of the Marine Corps. According to him, new brigades armed with modern equipment and weapons will be formed. “Every day on the battlefield, the Ukrainian marines prove that they are a powerful force that destroys the enemy, liberates Ukrainian lands, performs the most difficult tasks in the most difficult conditions. And we need more of such strength. Therefore, from today we are significantly increasing the potential of the marines and we are creating the Marine Corps," the president said.
13:14 Several "private military companies" have already appeared in Crimea, Andrey Chernyak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, told the UP: "These private armies were created to protect the occupation administrations because of the uncertainty that the Russian armed forces will be able to protect them. And secondly "They are not sure about the integrity of the Russian Federation. If Russia starts to crumble, then they will have "PMCs" who will protect their wealth, their families."
According to Chernyak, the so-called Crimean "PMCs" are financed from various sources: for example, the head of the Crimean occupation administration, Sergei Aksyonov, gathered local merchants and forced them to allocate money for his private army. "On the one hand, Crimean businessmen are forced to do this, but on the other hand, they also want to protect themselves and their wealth. The occupiers guarantee them that if something happens, they will be evacuated and everything will be fine," the representative of the Ukrainian military intelligence added.
At the same time, recruits to the Crimean PMCs are recruited in such a way as not to compete with Prigozhin: “They are recruited from among the mobilized, they created double contracts with PMCs and the Ministry of Defense. ". At the same time, Chernyak stressed that the Crimean "PMCs" can be considered "private" very conditionally, since the Russian special services and the army do not intend to lose control over the situation in Crimea.
13:02 Peskov said that the entry of the "Ukrainian DRG" into the Belgorod region "causes deep concern and requires great efforts from us." According to him, "the special operation continues to prevent this from happening in the future." Answering a question about ethnic Russians in this "DRG", the Kremlin speaker said that "we must proceed from the fact that they are all Ukrainian militants." He also said that it is not planned to hold a special meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Belgorod region, a scheduled one will take place towards the end of the week.
12:47 In the Belgorod region, the "cleansing" of the territory from the consequences of the entry of a "sabotage and reconnaissance group" continues, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. According to him, the residents of Grayvoron, Novostroevka, Gorky, Bezymeno, Wet Orlovka, Glotovo, Gora Podil, Zamostye, Spodaryusheno have been "actually resettled".
12:29 Because of the situation on the border in the Belgorod region, Russia wants to transfer additional troops there, including some combat-ready units fighting in Ukraine, a source in Ukrainian intelligence told RBC-Ukraine. According to him, the command of the Western Military District of the Russian Federation is making a decision on the possible movement of units of the 3rd motorized rifle division of the 20th combined arms army from the combat area (Makeevka, Ploshchadka, Luhansk region) to the Belgorod region.
12:08 Zelensky clarified that he had visited the Vuhledar-Maryinka defense line in the Donetsk region.
11:57 In Japan, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Zelensky did not meet with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, with whom negotiations were planned. Various rumors about this appeared in the media, however, the deputy head of the OP Igor Zhovkva said in an interview with Radio Liberty that it was just a "mismatch of schedules", while both Zelensky and Lula had an intention to meet.
11:21 At the July summit in Vilnius, the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council will be announced. Thus, Kyiv will have the right to convene council meetings and apply to the Alliance countries with requests for support, writes The Wall Street Journal. At the same time, the admission of Ukraine to NATO remains impossible while a war is going on on its territory.
11:18 The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced that a criminal case has been opened on the fact of the "attack" on the settlements of the Belgorod region under six articles, including a terrorist attack.
11:16 Borrell said that several countries, including Poland, have already begun to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16. However, he added that "it will take time."
10:55 Zelensky said that today he is at the front to congratulate Ukrainian soldiers on the Day of the Marines of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
10:52 In Kiev and the region from May 23 to May 25, military exercises will be held with the participation of units of the group of forces and means of defense of the capital, the command of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. In connection with the exercise, the movement of personnel and the movement of heavy equipment will be carried out. Citizens are asked to remain calm and not to report on social networks about the movement of equipment and personnel.
10:47 "The Supreme Court of the DPR" sentenced a Ukrainian defender from Azov to life imprisonment for allegedly shooting a Russian prisoner of war in Mariupol.
10:31 The Netherlands may become the first country to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Kiev, Reznikov's adviser Yuri Sak told Politico. The Netherlands has an additional 18 of these fighters, which are no longer in use, he said. Of these, 12 were planned to be transferred to a private company, but the deal was delayed, Sack said.
At the same time, an unnamed senior defense official from Central Europe told the publication that the transfer of aircraft could take place as early as autumn.
10:25 In the Bryansk region, the Edelweiss signal was announced for security officials, which means a general gathering. According to Mash, the National Guard is being strengthened in the Sevsky, Suzemsky, Trubchevsky and Klimovsky districts of the region.
10:19 Ukraine's Western partners decided to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Kiev long before the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Politico writes, citing sources. According to them, Washington uses a phased approach in deliveries, and when Biden said in February that the planes would not be transferred, he specified that this would not happen only "for now." Then the United States concentrated on the supply of air defense, and it was decided to train pilots before sending aircraft.
The final decision on the transfer was made after Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan traveled to London on May 8 for meetings ahead of the summit. During that trip, he also spoke on the phone with his colleagues in the Netherlands and Poland who operate F-16s. However, the timing of the next steps and other details remain unclear, Politico notes.
10:14 The activity of the Russian offensive operations in the Bakhmut direction has slightly decreased, however, the number of shelling remains consistently high, said Anna Malyar, Deputy Defense Minister. According to her, in Bakhmut, the intensity of the fighting has decreased, the enemy continues to clean up the areas taken under his control. Ukrainian troops control the southwestern outskirts of the city in the Airplane area.
Fighting continues in the suburbs, the enemy is trying to take advantageous positions, but he does not succeed. In certain areas, the enemy in defense suffers heavy losses. On the flanks to the north and south of Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces have little progress, Malyar added.
09:59 The Tula court sentenced Ukrainian citizen Andrei Petkevich to 16 years in prison for "espionage," the FSB reported. Petkevich, allegedly on the instructions of the Ukrainian special services, tried to find out information about small arms from employees of a defense enterprise.
09:52 Defense forces hold a number of buildings in Bakhmut. There are also fortifications, trenches, strongholds, including in the southwestern part of the city, said Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. According to him, this is a small foothold in the Samolet area, which Ukrainian fighters hold to prevent the Russians from completely taking the city. There is an opportunity to deliver ammunition and everything that is necessary for defense. Also, Ukrainian forces are advancing on the flanks, Cherevaty added.
As for the Wagnerites, they do not have any shell hunger, but there are serious problems with people, there is nowhere to take replenishment, the losses are huge. That is why Prigozhin is trying to withdraw the remnants of his mercenaries from the city, Cherevaty emphasized.
09:37 The transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine, at best, will begin in a few months, said US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. At the same time, he stressed that "several months" is a fairly short period, since it usually takes more than two years to teach a new American pilot to work with such an aircraft. Even an advanced training course for an F-16 pilot can take up to five months.
08:59 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, one person was killed (in New York), five more were injured. In the Kherson region, one person died, three were injured. In the Kharkiv region, three people were wounded as a result of the shelling of Kupyansk, according to the IVA.
08:48 The New York Times showed a video of the destroyed Bakhmut. The video was taken from a drone on May 19, when the Russians had not yet announced the capture of the city.
08:46 Over the past day in Ukraine, six enemy attack UAVs Shahed-136/131 and two reconnaissance drones Merlin-VR were destroyed in different directions, the command of the Air Force reported.
08:33 The governor of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the cleansing of the territory continues in the Grayvoron district, "it's not worth returning to your homes yet." He also said that there is information about two wounded "in those settlements into which the enemy entered, while the security forces could not reach them." There are no civilian deaths to date.
08:17 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 23.
personnel - about 204,360 (+480) people liquidated,
tanks - 3789 (+4),
armored combat vehicles - 7419 (+12),
artillery systems - 3318 (+40),
MLRS - 565 (+0),
air defense systems - 327 (+0),
aircraft - 309 (+0),
helicopters - 295 (+1),
UAV operational-tactical level - 2864 (+34),
cruise missiles - 1015 (+4),
ships/boats - 18 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 6139 (+10),
special equipment - 433 (+6).
08:12 The Russian army continues to concentrate its main efforts on the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions - there have been more than 30 clashes. Bakhmut and Marinka remain at the epicenter of hostilities, the battles for the city of Bakhmut continue, the General Staff said in the morning report .
03:11 Governor of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Gladkov said that two private residential buildings were allegedly attacked by drones in Grayvoron, there were no casualties. And in the village of Borisovka, there was a repeated drop of an explosive device from a UAV on an administrative building, people were not injured.
02:50 NATO is considering the possibility of signing an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine, following the example of the Israeli model, already in July this year, following the results of the summit in Vilnius, Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview with WSJ. "Biden, who visited Poland in February, discussed the concept of the Israeli model. It is now gaining popularity among Western allies as part of the agenda of the NATO summit to be held in July in Vilnius," the Polish leader specified.
Duda said that the agreement would prioritize the transfer of weapons and advanced technologies to Ukraine. At the same time, as Western officials told the publication, this agreement will be connected with the process of moving Ukraine towards future NATO membership, but will not allow de facto to involve the Alliance in a conflict with Russia. Duda stressed that discussions on this issue are going on right now.
00:47 Soldiers of the Russian Volunteer Corps stated that they had captured Russian military equipment in the Belgorod region, and published the corresponding video . In addition, a photo appeared on social networks, allegedly with a captured Russian military man and two fighters holding the flag of the "Belgorod People's Republic".
00:18 Russian publics report that an explosion occurred in the FSB building in Belgorod, the street was blocked. There is also evidence that the targets of the attack were departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB. At the same time, due to the counter-terrorist operation regime introduced in the region, any publications without reference to official sources are now prohibited, the telegram channels indicate.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:45 An air raid alert has been announced in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine. This is evidenceddata online maps of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of the country.
It is noted that alarms began to arrive at 23:42 Moscow time
19:54 The Russian Armed Forces are constantly working to accumulate Ukrainian manpower in a constant mode, not letting them raise their heads -video
19:50 Telling about militants Russian Volunteer Corps and Legion "Freedom of Russia," which, as part of the DRG, infiltrated the Belgorod Region.
1. Alexander Skachkov. Lives in Ukraine since 2014. Immediately after moving from Russia, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Participated in the battles for the Donetsk airport. In 2015, he was injured. Holds ultra-right views.
In 2020, he was detained in Ukraine on charges of possession of weapons and distribution of the manifesto of the Australian neo-Nazi Brenton Tarrant, who shot more than 50 people in a mosque. A month after his arrest, Skachkov was released from the pre-trial detention center on bail.
2. Dmitry Strelkov. According to Russian security officials, he is a member of the far-right organization National Socialism / White Power. In 2019, he was sentenced in absentia to seven years for setting fire to the Perm headquarters of United Russia, extremism, and deliberate destruction of property.
Strelkov fled from justice in Ukraine. In December 2022, the FSB press service reported that a group of SBU saboteurs led by Dmitry Strelkov could operate in the Kama region. On May 20, 2023, two days before the attack on the Belgorod Region, a new criminal case was initiated against Strelkov under the article “Treason”.
3. Alexei Lyovkin, a native of Tver. Musician and Nazi. At home, he created the neo-Nazi group Wotanjugend, played in the groups Adolfkvlt and M8L8TH ("Hitler's Hammer"). In 2014 he fled to Ukraine. Fought in the Donbass as part of the Azov Battalion. In 2018, he was arrested in absentia in Russia on charges of creating an extremist community.
18:49 There are two more on the Grayvoron MAP downed American armored car. Artillery crews of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division, standing on the cover of the border in this area, began to successfully work on the Ukrainian Nazis, knocking out two armored vehicles even on the way to the border crossing.
When the Nazis jumped into the village, the artillery stopped working, as there were civilians in the village of Kozinka. Nazi slickers do not change their long-standing tactic of hiding behind civilians.
18:48 Ukrainian Nazis killed during the CTO on the territory of the Grayvoronsky district of the Belgorod region, who yesterday invaded the territory of Russia. All the dead are citizens of Ukraine, that is, the criminal terrorist government in Ukraine is lying that it has nothing to do with yesterday's invasion of Russian territory. Special services are investigating, criminal cases have been opened on the fact of the invasion -video
17:36 Artillerymen of the RF Armed Forces continue to nightmare the positions of the ukrofascists -video
The footage shows the aftermath of daily artillery strikes.
17:34 Ministry of Defense publishes footage of destruction of Ukrainian DRG in the Belgorod region
The footage shows how the Russian army destroys militant vehicles, as well as manpower, with strikes. Earlier, the department reported that over 70 militants were liquidated there.
16:35 No awards: Kyiv regime save seven the Nazis
“We are being cut rewards. Imagine, I give people who are real Ukrainian heroes, and they are being cut down, while some people in Ukraine are completely undeservedly given orders for courage, ”said Dmitry Kukharchuk, commander of the 2nd assault battalion of the 3rd Airborne Brigade (“Azov”).
The brigade took part in the fighting near Bakhmut.
There is an opinion that the awards are over: the last one is reserved for Arestovich, who occupied the beach in Israel with his family.
15:29 Destroyed positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine -video
“*checkmate (Bad people, - ed.), sorted out the whole position for us *checkmate.”
15:28 Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported about the cleansing of the Ukrainian DRG in the Belgorod region. There is also a video of the destruction of a convoy of enemy equipment and shots of attacks on a border checkpoint where saboteurs dug in to take many beautiful photos.
Among them was an interesting overgrown bearded half-wit - the leader of the metal band Hitler's Hammer. Yes, yes, there were no other “Russian partisans-liberators” in Ukraine for the Russians. Who knows, perhaps today this "musician" performs his hits in front of his idol. And someone met with Bandera. Dreams Come True.
14:58 The main thing from new the briefing Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation:
Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine per day in the Kupyansk direction amounted to 110 soldiers, two armored vehicles;
The RF Armed Forces destroyed more than 150 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a day in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions;
The Russian Armed Forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Verkhnekamenskoye and Stupochki in the DPR;
The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction amounted to more than 65 servicemen;
The RF Armed Forces hit the command post of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Toretsk area;
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed up to 375 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk direction in a day;
Russian air defense intercepted 13 HIMARS and 220mm BM-27 Uragan MLRS shells in a day, shot down 11 APU drones;
The RF Armed Forces destroyed more than 20 servicemen and the 152mm Msta-B howitzer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson direction.
14:55 Another Western-style armored personnel carrier YPR-765s was successfully demilitarized by artillerymen of the RF Armed Forces -video
13:33 Luftwaffe air reconnaissance detachment appeared in the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The unit is called "Air reconnaissance of the Krivoy Rog separate territorial defense of the Luftwaffe." The militants got the appropriate patches on their uniforms.
The name and emblem of the detachment are exactly the same as those used by the German Air Force during the Third Reich.
Zelensky continues to write off names for the Ukrainian troops from Hitler. Prior to that, he assigned the name "Edelweiss" to the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12:42 How our brother paratroopers burn and liquidate the enemy in the Kremensky forests -video
12:40 Russian guardsmen captured in the LPR, several pieces of equipment and weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - among the trophies are armored vehicles and artillery
The “treasure” was found during search and reconnaissance activities on the territory of the LPR, after which it was checked by sappers for explosive and tracking devices. In total, a BRDM with ammunition, an airborne Ural and a 122mm D-30 howitzer are indicated as a trophy in the list, not counting other weapons.
The finds were delivered to the point of temporary deployment of units of the National Guard. All equipment and weapons, as previously established, are in combat-ready condition. The circumstances and purpose of creating this "cache" will be clarified.
11:25 A member of the Azov Regiment received a life sentence of strict regime for the murder of a Russian prisoner of war -video
The verdict was handed down by the Supreme Court of the DPR. The investigation established that in April 2022, Aleksey Kyrkalov, with the call sign Fritz, took one of the captured Russians out of the basement and shot him point-blank in the back of the head.
The nationalist pleaded not guilty.
11:23 Attack helicopters Ka-52 destroyed the command post and armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine -video
During combat sorties, army aviation pilots launched missiles at detected targets, destroying the command post and armored vehicles of the nationalists.
10:48 Supreme Court of the DPR will consider a criminal case against a Ukrainian military man who shot 14 civilians.
Valentin Vasilenko is charged with the murder of two or more persons, committed by an organized group motivated by political, ideological hatred, and with the use of prohibited means and methods of warfare.
He served in the 501st Separate Battalion of the Naval Infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to investigators, in March 2022, the accused was at a firing position on Mamin-Sibiryak Street in Mariupol.
On March 21, the military received an order to eliminate civilians and opened fire from a machine gun on six unarmed people. From the received wounds people have died on a place.
On March 23, Vasilenko, being in the same position, opened fire from a machine gun at a minibus in which there were eight unarmed people. As a result of the execution, six men, a woman and a child were killed.
10:43 Let me remind you that in the battles for Bakhmut Nazis according to various sources, they lost from 30,000 to 60,000 of their soldiers.
09:29 123 Brigade destroys enemy defenses in the Seversky direction -video
Reconnaissance with artillery of the 123rd Brigade (the former 3rd Brigade of the LPR) in conjunction destroy Ukrainian militants, their equipment and positions.
09:26 Footage of the destruction of nationalist armored vehicles by Ka-52 helicopters -video
During the sorties, army aviation crews fired missiles at the identified fortified positions of the militants, destroying the command post and equipment.
In addition to delivering air strikes, army aviation escorts convoys, delivers troops and military cargo, and provides air support to units performing tasks within the NWO.
08:05 A pair of Su-25SM attack aircraft performed combat missions in the area of the special military operation.
Bending the terrain at a height of no more than 25 meters at a speed of 900 km/h, the pilots in combat pairs approached the line of contact and launched rocket attacks on the nationalists' manpower and lightly armored vehicles.
The launches were carried out with 80-mm cumulative fragmentation unguided rockets.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFrontInfo] 22:00 Following the results of the second day of the Battle of Belgorod in the USA started change shoes in the air.
The head of the press service of the US State Department, Matthew Miller, at a regular briefing, said that the US authorities “doubt the veracity of reports” that Ukrainian saboteurs used weapons provided by the American side during a sortie in the Belgorod region. Then an even more amusing message appeared: in the Pentagon stated that they did not approve of the transfer of equipment supplied to Ukraine to a third party, and Kiev did not request this.
At first, in Washington, he remained silent for a day, observing the situation. When it became clear that Russia was once again losing in the information space, and the outing of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had a positive propaganda effect, Miller burst out with a post that “Ukraine decides for itself how to conduct hostilities.”
Exactly three days before that, bravado appeared in the official account of the State Department in Russian: the RF Armed Forces “are being defeated at all levels,” and “Russia’s authority in the international arena has been undermined.”
However, as soon as it became clear that the attack by Ukrainian saboteurs had been repulsed, and by no means ceremonial photos of abandoned American equipment (very reminiscent of pictures of Americans fleeing Afghanistan) appeared on the Web, the rhetoric of the State Department abruptly changed to “this is not our weaponry.”
It is one thing for Ukrainian troops to win tactical victories in the Donbas, but it is quite another to use American equipment to raid Russia’s “globally recognized” borders. The Republicans will already cling to this, and it will be difficult for voters to explain such an irrational use of technology.
21:50 Avdeevskoe direction 23.05
It is reported that the night work of our aviation has begun with the involvement of assault groups on several opornik vushniks.
The difficulty also lies in the fact that the enemy uses the basement under each residential building, making it something like a defensive fortress, forcing them to carry out assault attacks.
21:40 Video- Tankers of the 1st Slavyansk are hitting the stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Tankers of the heroic 1st Slavic Brigade of the 1st Donetsk Army Corps hit the enemy fortified area in the Avdievka direction with fire from closed positions.
21:24 Video- How one Mavik with ammunition nightmared a bunch of sushniks in the Limansky direction. There are KIAs, and WIAs, and even those running from a simple copter.
21:05 Video- Roosters (meaning Ukrainian saboteurs), how is Bakhmut? Looks like the outcome is the same.
To two Max pros, three Humvees, a pickup truck and a Polish armored car AMZ Dzik are added.
20:49 Video- A report from the already liberated Bakhmut: APU is artillery attack the western outskirts of the city.
20:27 Video– In the Rostov region, state awards were presented to the military personnel of the volunteer detachment
For courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty, the officers and soldiers of the detachment were awarded the Order of Courage, the medal "For Courage" and the medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II degree.
20:12 Video- “All attacks are successfully repelled”: the commander of the anti-UAV crew spoke about the specifics of the work of his unit.
The serviceman notes that the enemy is constantly trying to strike at Russian positions with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles filled with live ammunition. However, all these attacks are successfully repulsed, he says.
19:36 Video- Hard to learn - easy to fight
Marines of the Black Sea Fleet continue to improve their skills at the training ground in the rear area of the NVO zone.
Instructors pay special attention to the preparation of assault groups on boats. In the course of practicing practical actions, servicemen daily train to storm enemy positions from the water, and also hone their skills in army tactical shooting and tactical medicine.
Each marine in the group is universal. He can replace his comrade on the battlefield, and also act independently on unfamiliar terrain at any time of the day.
19:17 Video- Minus Ukrainian transport after the exact arrival.
19:03 Video– Prigozhin answered the question about the depletion of Wagner PMC and further plans to fight for Artyomovsk
- A request from the editors of Newsweek regarding the claims of the Institute for the Study of War that the Wagner PMC is unlikely to fight for Bakhmut due to "attrition."
“The Wagner PMC has no exhaustion, more than 10,000 people come to the PMC every month. And whether PMC Wagner will fight outside the territory of Bakhmut, PMC Wagner will figure it out on its own and will not inform Newsweek and the United States about this, ”said Yevgeny Prigozhin.
18:29 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the Vostok group
- In the South-Donetsk direction, the advanced units of the Vostok group southwest of Prechistovka opened and destroyed the enemy reconnaissance group.
- Crews of 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery mounts and 240mm Tyulpan self-propelled mortars destroyed enemy temporary deployment points in Velikaya Novoselka and Novopol.
- During the counterbattery fight, the artillery of the group destroyed two Polish self-propelled guns "Crab" and two howitzers in the Dobrovolya area, a mortar crew in the Ugledar area.
Calculations of anti-aircraft missile systems "Tor" shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles "Fury".
- In the Zaporozhye direction, an attempt to rotate personnel at the positions of the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Poltavka region was thwarted, a truck and manpower were destroyed by crews of Grad multiple launch rocket systems.
Also, in the Poltavka area, the point of temporary deployment of militants was hit.
- Based on the results of aerial reconnaissance, the artillery of the group destroyed an ammunition depot in the Chervona Krinitsa area, an enemy observation post in the Stepnogorsk area and a mortar crew in the Gulyai Polya area. The fire of the anti-aircraft installation destroyed the UAV of the "Fury" type.
18:12 Video– Our fighters in Kozinka during the purge from the Ukronazis.
Our special forces soldiers during the inspection and search for the DRG of Ukrainian Nazis in the settlement. Kozinka. (footage after the fight)
Among this Nazi society there are liquidated. They learned to shoot only at civilians and buildings.
17:46 Video- Artillery of the 4th brigade 2AK worked on Ukrainian positions in the area of Spornoye.
17:31 With the return under control of the Graivoron checkpoint and the end of filtration measures in Kozinka in the Belgorod region, they announced completion CTO regime (counter-terrorist operation).
17:22 Video– Of all guns: gunners continue to carry out fire missions in the zone of a special military operation
In cooperation with the crews of unmanned aerial vehicles, the gunners of the Central Military District hit the identified targets, and also conduct counter-battery combat with enemy artillery.
Today, the crew of the 152mm D-20 towed howitzer managed to destroy the American M113 armored personnel carrier, and the 152mm Giacint-S self-propelled howitzer hit the detected Ukrainian Armed Forces tank with its first shot.
Correction of the accuracy of the fire of combat guns is performed in real time, which allows you to destroy enemy targets with a minimum number of shots.
17:04 Video- Yasinovataya in the DPR came under fire from the Ukrainian MLRS Grad.
Today, the front-line Yasinovataya was again subjected to barbaric artillery attack by Ukrainian militants. As a result of the artillery attack from the Ukrainian 122mm BM-21 MLRS "Grad", many private houses and apartments, cars were damaged.
16:35 Boy Vova, who lost legs during today's artillery attack of the Kievsky district of Donetsk.
At the moment, the child continues to operate. It is not yet known what will happen to the second leg.
16:11 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group
The aircraft of the "Center" grouping of troops attacked strongholds and points of temporary deployment of the enemy in the Krasno-Limansky direction.
Artillery units of the Russian group inflicted fire damage on the areas of concentration of manpower, fire weapons and accumulation of equipment of Ukrainian troops.
On the Torsky site and in the area of Serebryansky forestry, the enemy from among 81 Airmobile and 63 Mechanized brigades attempted to regain their lost positions, but as a result of the fire impact of the artillery units of the Center group, they suffered significant losses in personnel and equipment.
16:00 Video– Destruction of the “super-quality Ukrainian model” by “Krasnopol”.
15:45 Video- Dropping ammunition from the copter of the fighters of the O-group on the heads of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the forests near Kremennaya.
15:34 Video– Paratroopers destroyed enemy armored vehicles on the right bank of the Dnieper
Self-propelled artillery units of the Airborne Forces daily conduct combat work to destroy enemy manpower, equipment and fortifications on the right bank of the Dnieper.
Having received the coordinates of the targets, the crew of the Nona-S self-propelled gun moved to firing positions and fired several aimed shots along a hinged trajectory.
The exact hit was recorded by means of objective control.
14:48 It becomes obvious that the actions of the enemy creation tension on the border in the Belgorod region is most likely a distraction from the main actions in other directions. These actions are definitely not similar to the usual PR campaign.
14:27 Report of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation (05/23/2023)
The Kiev regime, having suffered a defeat in the city of Artemovsk, switched to the implementation of terrorist actions against the civilian population.
On May 22 of this year, after intensive artillery artillery attack of the Kozinka international checkpoint, as well as a number of other civilian facilities in the Graivoronsky district of the Belgorod region, a unit of the Ukrainian nationalist formation invaded the territory of the Russian Federation.
In the course of the counter-terrorist operation, the nationalist formations were blocked and defeated by air strikes, artillery fire and the active actions of the cover units of the State Border of the Western Military District. The remnants of the nationalists were driven back to the territory of Ukraine, where they continued to be hit by fire until they were completely eliminated.
More than 70 Ukrainian terrorists, four armored combat vehicles and five pickup trucks were destroyed.
- In the Kupyansky direction, air strikes, artillery fire and active actions of units of the "Western" group of forces defeated enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Masyutovka, Timkovka, Tabaevka of the Kharkov region and Novoselovskoye of the Luhansk People's Republic.
- In addition, in the area of the settlement of Timkovka, the actions of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were stopped.
Enemy losses per day amounted to 110 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles and two cars.
- In the Krasno-Limansky direction, operational-tactical aviation, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems of the "Center" group of forces defeated units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova of the Luhansk People's Republic and Serebryanka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
More than 65 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, three armored fighting vehicles, two cars, as well as 152mm Msta-B, 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed.
- In the Donetsk direction, during the active operations of units, air strikes and artillery fire of the "Southern" group of forces, up to 375 Ukrainian military personnel, two tanks, five armored combat vehicles, four vehicles, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, as well as a radar US-made counterbattery station AN/TPQ-50.
In addition, two ammunition depots of the 60th and 64th Mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Verkhnekamenskoye and Stupochki of the Donetsk People's Republic.
- In the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, air strikes and artillery fire from the Vostok group of forces inflicted defeat on enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Velikaya Novoselka of the Donetsk People's Republic of Marfopol, Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka and Kamenskoye of the Zaporozhye region.
In the area of the settlement of Olgovskoye, Zaporozhye region, the actions of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were stopped.
During the day, more than 150 Ukrainian servicemen, three pickup trucks and one 152mm Msta-B howitzer were destroyed in these areas.
- In the Kherson direction, as a result of fire damage over the past day, more than 20 Ukrainian servicemen, three cars, as well as a Msta-B howitzer were destroyed.
- Operational-tactical and army aviation, artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during the day hit 96 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 112 districts.
The command post of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit in the area of the settlement of Toretsk in the Donetsk People's Republic. Two fuel depots for military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed near the settlement of Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
- Air defense systems intercepted 13 rockets of HIMARS and 220mm BM-27 Uragan multiple launch rocket systems per day.
In addition, 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Kremennaya in the Luhansk People's Republic, Ivanovka, Kirillovka, Novoandreevka and Petrivske in the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as Tokarevka in the Kharkiv Region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed: 428 aircraft, 235 helicopters, 4,273 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 anti-aircraft missile systems, 9,275 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,100 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 4,887 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 10,395 units of special military vehicles.
14:07 Video- Another Western-style armored personnel carrier YPR-765s was successfully demilitarized by artillerymen of the RF Armed Forces.
13:41 Video- How our brothers paratroopers burn and liquidate the enemy in the Kremensky forests.
13:21 Video- Yesterday we eliminated the enemy along with his observation post, apparently they watched so badly that they did not see the missile from the ATGM.
12:45 In Zaporozhye uncovered cache with thousands of mines, grenades and other ammunition
Near the village of Slavyanka, Mikhailovsky district, Zaporozhye region, police officers, together with the Russian Guard SOBR soldiers, discovered a cache containing more than a thousand ammunition.
Law enforcement officers found cartridges of various calibers, grenades, shots for an underbarrel and hand grenade launcher, anti-tank and fragmentation mines, smoke and TNT bombs, flare guns, wooden pegs with cables for stretching.
12:29 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the “South” group
- Aviation of the "Southern" group of forces carried out rocket and bomb strikes on enemy strongholds in the areas of the settlements of Bogdanovka, Belogorovka, Avdievka.
- In the Soledaro-Artemovsky direction, the calculation of the Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system of the Southern Military District missile brigade inflicted a fire defeat on the point of temporary deployment of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Artillery units, as part of a counterbattery fight in the Lisichansk direction, destroyed an anti-tank missile system, a heavy flamethrower system and an enemy MTLB.
- Also, artillery destroyed three 152mm self-propelled howitzers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Alexander-Kalinovsky direction, two infantry fighting vehicles near the village of Bogdanovka and three 120mm mortars at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk People's Republic.
11:47 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky went “to the front line” in order to congratulate warrior with the day of the Ukrainian Navy.
In what area, of course, it is not reported.
11:32 Video– Ka-52 attack helicopters destroyed the command post and armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
During combat sorties, army aviation pilots launched missiles at detected targets, destroying the command post and armored vehicles of the nationalists.
11:13 Video- “I am proud of my work”: the deputy head of the courier-postal communication center told how the delivery of postal items to the NVO zone was organized.
The Russian Ministry of Defense continues to work continuously on the delivery of postal items to military personnel participating in a special military operation and sending letters from military personnel to addressees in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
11:00 Kherson direction 23.05 11:00
Another group of suicide bombers tonight, again moved in high-speed boats to the dacha area.
They hit them with artillery and mortars - there is a direct hit.
The remnants of the surviving enemy forces dispersed to the nearest structures.
There is only one conclusion - do not swim to the left bank of the Dnieper, go to feed the perches.
10:50 Video- Battle through the eyes of an artilleryman: a Zvezda correspondent showed what happens inside the Msta-SM2 combat vehicle during firing
The gunners received the coordinates of the target from the reconnaissance group "West". It was said where the lightly armored vehicles of Ukrainian nationalists were located. Among the targets destroyed by artillerymen are armored vehicles, tanks, manpower of Ukrainian nationalists and the same self-propelled guns.
The 152mm Msta-SM2 self-propelled guns are equipped with an improved guidance and fire control system with a programmable loading system. It can operate as part of a battery and independently. After the shot is fired, the calculation hastily leaves the position and leaves for cover.
10:31 What's up now moment in Avdievka?
- Over the weekend, Russian troops managed to advance along the railway lines and capture two forest plantations and part of a forest belt with two intersections.
- West of Novobakhmutovka and north of Krasnogorovka, fighting continues for forest belts behind the railway in the gray zone. The fighting is fierce, the Russians transferred additional reserves to this direction.
- West of Krasnogorovka, Russian troops are striving to advance to the forest belt along the railway.
- Between the settlements of Vodyanoe and Pervomayskoye, as well as Pervomayskoye and Nevelskoye, the RF Armed Forces are attacking in order to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the fields.
- According to the latest data, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are pulling up reserves and trying to counterattack in some areas in order to regain lost positions.
10:05 Video- The armor is strong, and our tanks are fast
“We understand each other perfectly. Who should shoot where - everyone knows. They know the performance characteristics of the enemy’s technique, where, how to shoot. Well, the equipment itself - it is much faster than the enemy’s equipment, it is much better, ”says the commander of the Chapai tank.
On account of the tank crew "Chapai" two disabled tanks, over 20 wrecked armored vehicles, a significant number of destroyed enemy infantry. Joint combat work of tankers for more than a year.
09:38 Video– Statement by the head of the press center of the Zapad group
- In the course of hostilities in the Kupyansk direction, missile units of the Zapad group of forces from the Tornado-S MLRS struck at the concentration area of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, fire from 122mm D-30 howitzers and 152mm Msta-S self-propelled guns destroyed a mortar crew in the area settlement of Ogurtsovo and 152mm 2S3 artillery gun "Acacia" in the area of Zagoruykovka.
- The development of offensive operations by assault detachments in the area of the settlement of Masyutovka continues.
- An attempt to transfer units from the strategic reserve was thwarted, an observation post, four dugouts and up to a platoon of enemy servicemen were destroyed.
- Crews of front-line Su-34 fighter-bombers attacked the point of temporary deployment of the 115th arr of territorial defense.
09:16 Kyiv regime continues terror of the civilian infrastructure of the left bank of the Kherson region - emergency services
Yesterday, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired 81 cannon artillery rounds at the settlements: Novaya Kakhovka, Kardashinka, Korsunka, Peschanovka, Golaya Pristan, Dnepryany, Aleshki, Sagi, Sergeevka, Pervomaevka.
The artillery attack did not stop at night - the Ukronazis fired 26 rounds from cannon artillery at Novaya Kakhovka, Kakhovka, Podstepnoe and Pechanovka.
09:14 Meet Albatros UAV —video
Performs not only civilian, but also the tasks of a special military operation.
08:26 Summary on the morning of May 23, 2023
Yesterday morning, our troops repelled the invasion of the enemy, who, with the forces of up to 1 combined motorized infantry battalion with an attached tank platoon, invaded the territory of the Belgorod Region to a depth of five km.
Overcame the primary line of defense of the Russian Armed Forces, was stopped in the Graivoron area. The attack was carried out using UAVs, cannon and rocket artillery. At night, explosive devices were dropped from drones on the buildings of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Belgorod. The CTO regime has been introduced in the region. Eight civilians were wounded.
The Russian Armed Forces continue to strike with missile weapons and Geraniums at enemy targets. Yesterday, explosions were reported in Kharkiv and the Zaporozhye region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have increased their artillery strikes against our rear in the Ugledar direction and at the joint area in the Malinovka area.
In the Kursk region in the Glushkovsky district, the village of Krasnooktyabrsky was shelled.
In the Bryansk region, the settlement was subjected to artillery fire. Solovyovka.
The enemy fired 88 rounds of ammunition into the DPR. Under fire Gorlovka, Chestnut, Donetsk, Harvest. A civilian was killed and two others were wounded.
08:17 Exclusive footage of the Akhmat special forces guard: RT military correspondent Vlad Andritsa showed how the soldiers prepared for the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Kremennaya -video
The positions are fortified so that neither armor nor a mouse will pass, says the commander of the unit with the call sign Iran:
"When attacked, even a tank cannot be broken - neither French, nor British, nor American."
Structures withstand direct hits of 155mm rounds, all firing points are connected for a quick change of positions and replenishment of ammo. All flanks are viewed, including with the help of thermal imagers, and shot through. Many "surprises" were left to the enemy on the road and in the forest.
Immediately, the newly arrived fighters undergo fire training in conditions as close as possible to a real battle.
08:09 Frontline summary on the morning of 05/23/2023
In the Kherson direction, Ukrainian troops are trying to gain a foothold on the Cherkess Island opposite the village of Zabarino, controlled by the Russian Armed Forces. This is already on the left bank of the Dnieper in its delta. The Russian Aerospace Forces attacked Stanislav and Kizomys. Artillery hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kherson, Zelenovka, Tyaginka, Burgunka, Kozatsky and Mikhailovka.
In the Vuglodar sector, Russian troops shelled Novopol, Zeleny Pole, Novosyolka, Burlatsky, Vremevka, Bolshaya Novosyolka, Zolotoy Niva, Prechistovka, the city itself and Vodyany (not to be confused with the settlement of the same name northwest of Donetsk).
On the Donetsk front, the RF Armed Forces, with the support of artillery, conducted assault operations in Maryinka, in the Pervomaisky region and on the southwestern approaches to Avdiivka. The Armed Forces of Ukraine counterattacked in the direction of the village of Krasnogorovka. Russian artillery hit Novomikhailovka, Pobeda, Georgievka, Nevelskoye, Karlovka, Severny (a settlement west of Avdeevka), Stepnoy, Berdychi, Novokalinovo, New York and Toretsk. The Ukrainian army shelled Donetsk and Yasinovataya.
To the south-west of Bakhmut, the RF Armed Forces, after artillery strikes, counterattacked in the direction of Ivanovsky. No success. An attempt to regain lost positions near Grigorovka was also unsuccessful. The assault actions in the area of Ivano-Daryevka did not bring results either.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, in turn, advanced in the Yagodny area. The RF Armed Forces shelled Belaya Gora, Konstantinovka, Stupochek, Markov, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Vasyukovka, Disputed and Verkhnekamensky.
In the Lugansk direction, the RF Armed Forces, with the support of artillery, attacked in the Nevsky area and managed to take up new positions. But the assault actions after the artillery strikes from Masyutovka turned out to be futile. Russian artillery hit Belogorovka, Torsky, Makeyevka, Stelmakhovka, Berestovoye, Tabaevka, Kupyansk, Monachinovka, Zapadny, Novomlynsk, Figolevka, Petro-Ivanovka, Krasny Pervy, Kamenka and Kolodeznoy.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[REGNUM] Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the United States should pay Russia for the destroyed cities in the new regions of Russia.
In an interview with the RT television channel, which was published on May 23, Medvedev answered in the affirmative the question of whether the United States should compensate Russia for the damage for undermining the Nord Stream.
“And not only this damage. Let them return the funds or at least allocate funds for the restoration of Artemovsk, Mariupol and a host of other places that were destroyed with their help and support. With their money,” said the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia.
As IA Regnum reported , explosions on several lines of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines occurred in September 2022. A criminal case has been opened in Russia under an article on an act of international terrorism.
Journalist Seymour Hersh published his investigation into the Nord Stream explosions in February , in which, citing a source, he stated that explosive devices under Russian gas pipelines were planted in June 2022 under the cover of Baltops exercises by US Navy divers with the support of Norwegian specialists.
According to the data as of February 21, 2023, specialists from 16 regions of Russia were involved in construction work in Mariupol. The restoration of the city is proceeding at a rapid pace. According to the mayor of Mariupol, Oleg Morgun, the Ukrainian military left behind scorched earth after leaving.
"A lot of housing stock suffered. social objects. Private houses. Infrastructure. But, despite all this, material losses and human casualties, the Russian Federation came to our aid," added Morgun.
At the end of January, the acting head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, announced the beginning of a new stage in the restoration of the city of Mariupol, which would require a completely different approach.
Thus, the restoration of private houses destroyed during the hostilities will begin this year in the city. It is planned to complete this work within three years. Also in 2023, the demolition of the destroyed multi-storey buildings will be completed.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[REGNUM] A decision was made to abolish the legal regime of the counter-terrorist operation (CTO) on the territory of the Belgorod region, the governor of the region Vyacheslav Gladkov said on May 23 in his Telegram channel.
A report published on the governor's website said that during the investigation of the crime scene, vehicles, firearms and ammunition were found that were used by Ukrainian saboteurs. Vzryvotehniki cleared the territory from explosive devices.
In addition, the press service of the head of the region clarified that, according to the latest data, 13 civilians received injuries of varying severity, and they are currently receiving qualified medical care. A woman born in 1941 died of heart failure while moving to a safe place.
“In places of temporary accommodation, the evacuated residents of the Grayvoron urban district are provided with the necessary assistance, including psychological,” the message says.
As IA Regnum reported , a group of Ukrainian saboteurs attacked the Gayvoronsky district of the Belgorod region on May 22. They fired at residential and administrative buildings, as well as civilian infrastructure.
The situation was reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin , and the Investigative Committee opened a case under six articles of the Criminal Code.
On May 23, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Ukrainian DRG was blocked and defeated, and its remnants were thrown back into the territory of Ukraine, where they continued to be hit by fire "until they were completely eliminated." According to the department, more than 70 terrorists were killed.
#1
Mission accomplished: Russia begins moving some troops from the front into Belgorod region
An intelligence source said:
In particular, a decision is being taken on the possible relocation of units of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army (permanent deployment point Valuiki, Belgorod Region) from the area of combat operations (Makiivka, Luhansk Region) to Belgorod Region.
#4
Yesterday, I commented KA-52 was down and the implication was that it was destroyed in this raid. New reports say it was destroyed in Ukraine fighting.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[REGNUM] The Russian Federation violates the terms of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and does not allow ships to export grain from Ukrainian ports, said Matthew Miller, head of the press service of the US State Department .
Threats to withdraw from the deal could lead to rising global food prices and reduce its availability for those in need, a US official said.
Miller said the US is urging Russia not to interfere with global food supplies.
As IA Regnum reported, the Black Sea grain initiative on May 18 was extended for another two months. The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the leaders of Western countries will reconsider their unconstructive position, otherwise the deal will not be extended in the future. On May 23, UN Secretary General António Guterres confirmed that negotiations on issues not yet resolved within the framework of the grain deal are ongoing.
Seymour is at it again. Might need a grain of salt with this. Actually, anytime anybody refers to anonymous sources from the intel community, I think a great deal of salt is in order. A long article. Here is an excerpt: [ZeroHedge] Zelensky’s desire to take the war to Russia may not be clear to the president and senior foreign policy aides in the White House, but it is to those in the American intelligence community who have found it difficult to get their intelligence and their assessments a hearing in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, the slaughter in the city of Bakhmut continues. It is similar in idiocy, if not in numbers, to the slaughter in Verdun and the Somme during World War I. The men in charge of today’s war—in Moscow, Kiev, and Washington—have shown no interest even in temporary ceasefire talks that could serve as a prelude to something permanent. The talk now is only about the possibilities of a late spring or summer offensive by either party.
But something else is cooking, as some in the American intelligence community know and have reported in secret, at the instigation of government officials at various levels in Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, and Latvia. These countries are all allies of Ukraine and declared enemies of Vladimir Putin.
This group is led by Poland, whose leadership no longer fears the Russian army because its performance in Ukraine has left the glow of its success at Stalingrad during the Second World War in tatters. It has been quietly urging Zelensky to find a way to end the war—even by resigning himself, if necessary—and to allow the process of rebuilding his nation to get under way. Zelensky is not budging, according to intercepts and other data known inside the Central Intelligence Agency, but he is beginning to lose the private support of his neighbors.
#2
Those who offer alternative thought oftentimes are criticized or belittled. More power to him. My attention upon another is showing promise, Kennedy said on Monday in a Twitter post. “It is about the political weaponization of the FBI to destroy a candidate and then a sitting president. It’s about a matrix of lies so elaborate as to make a mockery of the democratic ideal of an informed citizenry.” I see Democrats flocking to him in next election.
Meanwhile, the slaughter in the city of Bakhmut continues. It is similar in idiocy, if not in numbers, to the slaughter in Verdun and the Somme during World War I. The men in charge of today’s war—in Moscow, Kiev, and Washington—have shown no interest even in temporary ceasefire talks that could serve as a prelude to something permanent. The talk now is only about the possibilities of a late spring or summer offensive by either party.
It seems that nobody in any position of power to do something about it gives a rat's ass about the boots on the ground who are dying.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/24/2023 11:36 Comments ||
Top||
#6
^^^
The Chinese certainly find the idea of Russia and the arsenals of the West exhausting themselves to be an excellent prospect.
#7
The Ukraine war might be a cover-up and diversion for nefarious things such as the biowarfare labs being supported, human trafficking, and money laundering between the U.S. and Ukraine. Nothing like a dirty, destructive little war to get rid of evidence and line a lot of pockets.
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.
[ZeroHedge] Zelensky’s desire to take the war to Russia may not be clear to the president and senior foreign policy aides in the White House, but it is to those in the American intelligence community who have found it difficult to get their intelligence and their assessments a hearing in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, the slaughter in the city of Bakhmut continues. It is similar in idiocy, if not in numbers, to the slaughter in Verdun and the Somme during World War I. The men in charge of today’s war—in Moscow, Kiev, and Washington—have shown no interest even in temporary ceasefire talks that could serve as a prelude to something permanent. The talk now is only about the possibilities of a late spring or summer offensive by either party.
