Ukraine – 5/20/23 Sitrep
By: Robert Homans & Bohdan Chomiak
May 20, 2023
Interview With Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch/”Amanpour & Company,” CNN
The interview with Ambassador Yovanovitch took place last night, with Walter Isaacson. Regarding negotiations, a ceasefire, and the liberation of Crimea, Ambassador Yovanovitch took Isaacson to school, in a diplomatic way. I agreed with everything Ambassador Yovanovitch said, except for one thing – I believe Ukraine will win this year. I said the same thing last year, and I might’ve been right had Ukraine gotten the weapons from the West that they had asked for, when they asked for them.
During the interview Ambassador Yovanovitch announced that the paperback version of her Autobiography, “Lessons From the Edge,” is now out in paperback and includes one additional chapter.
News From the Battlefield
Patriot reportedly takes down a Russian bomber – I have not seen any news other than the news that a Russian bomber was shot down by a Patriot missile. There is no information about the type of bomber, or where it was flying, Ukrainian airspace, airspace over temporarily occupied Ukraine, Russia, or the Black Sea. The Patriot missile system has a range of up to 150km. According to Ukraine, the bomber was preparing to launch a cruise or hypersonic missile against Ukraine.
Arrest of Kinzhal Missile Designers/Reuters – The arrests were announced the day after 6 Kinzhals were shot down over Kyiv by the Patriot missile system. They are accused of treason.
“Reporting From Ukraine” – He reports that Ukraine is moving troops from the south up toward Bakhmut, in the hope of stopping Ukrainian advances north and south of Bakhmut. In turn, this gives Ukraine the opportunity to hit Russian troops who are in transit, including one strike last night at an airport near Mariupol. Russian troops in the south will be diminished as a result, helping Ukraine’s offensive (assuming that offensive will be in the south).
Nerves – Friends in Kyiv report that it is difficult to live under almost nightly strikes by Russian missiles. Although all the missiles aimed at Kyiv have so far been shot down, there are the almost continuous wail of air raid sirens, the explosions, and the randomness of falling missile debris that can burn down your house or, apartments on the top floor of a multi-family building. It is very hard to imagine what it is like to live under those conditions, but Kyivans carry on.
5/20/23 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon May 18 to 12:00 noon May 19, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Saturday May 20
12:21 am: Denmark is ready to train Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16 and will start discussing a specific training plan in the near future. This was reported by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
12:49 am: In the Parliament of Lithuania, proposed to rename Russia to Muscovy in order to abandon the "Great Russian narrative"
· "From the historical point of view of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, we will look for a more acceptable and accurate assessment of the historical role of this country for Lithuania and the West," said Lithuanian parliamentarian Raimundas Lopata.
8:21 am: Kyiv may consider the new requirements of the Russian Federation as part of the "grain agreement" on the condition of increasing the number of Ukrainian ports and expanding the list of goods to be exported, - Reuters.
8:22 am: Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kallas called for a complete ban on the transit of European Union goods through Russia, - Bloomberg.
9:13 am: US President Joe Biden is set to announce a new $375 million military aid package to Ukraine, - Politico.
· "The package will include additional artillery shells, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons," the message states.
9:44 am: The Japanese government has announced the introduction of additional sanctions against Russia, Nikkei Asia reports.
· Japanese companies will be prohibited from providing architectural and engineering services to Russian clients. The assets of about 100 individuals and organizations will be frozen. Export restrictions are planned against 80 Russian companies linked to the war.
9:55 am: Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and increased cooperation for our victory. Today, peace will become closer - Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Friday May 19
1:05 pm: Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia.
· "I will speak at the summit of the League of Arab States. I will meet with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman al-Saud and conduct other bilateral negotiations," he said.
2:21 pm: Footage of Volodymyr Zelensky's arrival in Saudi Arabia.
2:40 pm: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 summit, - News18.
· "This will be the first meeting between the President of Ukraine Zelenskyi and Prime Minister Modi since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022," the message reads.
3:03 pm Financial Times: British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has warned that a larger global conflict could break out before the end of the decade.
· He talked about the risk of a wider conflict with Russia, as well as the threat posed by the "rise of China" and the spread of extremism in Africa.
3:44 pm: States should refrain from providing military aid to Russia while it is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, British Permanent Representative Barbara Woodward said during a meeting of the UN Security Council.
· "In gross violation of Security Council resolutions, Russia is taking weapons for illegal war from countries such as Iran and North Korea. The United Kingdom calls on other countries not to provide Russia with military aid," Woodward said.
· She added that Ukraine has a full right to self-defense and opposes the Russian invasion in full compliance with the UN Charter.
4:25 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with Crown Prince, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin Salman al Saud.
· "During the meeting, we discussed in detail current bilateral relations and issues of a global nature. He informed about the security situation in our country and the countermeasures against the Russian aggressor. He also spoke about the main elements of the Ukrainian peace formula," the president noted.
4:46 pm: Russia is weak, and its aggression comes not from strength, but from the realization that the time of empires is over. Ukraine, on the other hand, manages to win the war when its enemy has more weapons in its hands.
· This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi at the summit of the League of Arab States.
5:27 pm: The USA has banned the export of telephones, voice recorders, microphones, and household appliances to Russia.
· This is stated on the website of the US Department of Commerce.
· The list of prohibited goods has been expanded to include carpets, cosmetics, perfumes, as well as antiques, alcohol, and watches.
5:46 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a speech at the summit of the League of Arab States.
· "I invite everyone who respects peace to join the implementation of the peace formula and thus reduce enmity and wars, suffering and evil," the president wrote.
6:00 pm: The US will support joint international efforts to train Ukrainian pilots on modern fighter jets, including the F-16.
· This is reported by Politico with reference to the statement of US President Joe Biden.
· Training will begin in the coming weeks and will take place at one of the European training grounds.
6:17 pm: The President of Ukraine met with the heads of delegations of the UAE, Oman, and Kuwait.
· They discussed issues of global food security, the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the implementation of the Ukrainian peace formula.
· "He emphasized the importance of the countries of the region in supporting Ukraine's peace efforts," Zelenskyy wrote.
6:32 pm Reuters: US imposes sanctions against 69 Russian companies.
· As the newspaper reports, the US Department of Commerce also announced sanctions against two organizations from Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
· The sanctions target the Russian military-industrial complex, as well as gas and oil projects in the Russian Federation and Belarus.
· Sanctions were introduced, including against aircraft repair and spare parts production plants, tractor, and automobile plants.
6:48 pm: Volodymyr Zelensky met with the Prime Minister of Iraq Muhammad Shia Sabbar Al-Sudani.
· "They discussed possible ways of Iraq's participation in the implementation of the Ukrainian peace formula [...], as well as cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.
· I invited the Prime Minister of Iraq to pay a visit to Ukraine in order to discuss important areas of interstate cooperation," the president wrote.
9:55 pm: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhnyi held a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.
· "He thanked for the Patriot complexes and noted their effective work. The priority is additional air defense systems to strengthen the protection of our skies.
· We discussed the issue of the need to supply weapons and ammunition, long-range projectiles in particular," Zaluzhnyi wrote.
11:05 pm: Britain has confirmed reports that the US will approve training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
· Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote about it on Twitter.
· "Great Britain will work together with the United States, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, to provide Ukraine with the combat air potential it needs," the message reads.
11:35 pm: Portugal has joined the aviation coalition, ready to train Ukrainian pilots and mechanics. This was reported by Dmytro Kuleba.
· Portugal also confirmed its readiness to further support Ukraine on its path to membership in the European Union.
NATIONAL
Saturday May 20
8:05 am: 20 "Shahed-136/131" drones and reconnaissance UAV "Merlin-VR" were destroyed tonight - Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
7:14 am General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the past day, the Russians launched 6 missile and 62 air strikes, as well as carried out 65 anti-aircraft fire at the positions of our troops and populated areas,
· The troops of the Russian Federation will continue to focus their main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv, Marin, and Shakhtar directions. Over the past 24 hours, more than 80 combat clashes took place on the specified areas of the front, the hottest battles were fought for Bakhmut, Maryinka, and in the Avdiivka, Stepovoy, and Novomykhailivka districts.
· Russians continue forced passporting of the population in Kakhovka, temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region
· To speed up this process, they conduct demonstrative raids aimed at scaring the local population with possible mobilization. In particular, the Russians carry out door-to-door and house-to-house visits. Ukrainian citizens who refused to obtain a Russian passport are threatened with forced eviction from their homes and disconnection from electricity.
· For a day, the Aviation of the Defense Forces made 13 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russian Federation, as well as 8 - on anti-aircraft missile complexes, - General Staff of the Armed Forces.
· Also, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 3 "Calibre" cruise missiles, 18 "Shahed" Iranian attack UAVs, 4 "Lancet" barrage munitions and 10 reconnaissance UAVs of various types.
· Ukrainian units of missile forces and artillery hit 1 command post, 7 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 2 artillery units in a firing position, 6 radio electronic warfare stations, an ammunition depot and a S-300 air defense system radar station.
Friday May 19
12:35 p.m.: The battles for Moschun and Gostomel in the Kyiv region foiled Russia's plan to take over Ukraine, said Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Ukraine, in an interview in the framework of the "Different People" program.
● "The first day and the battles in Moschun - I believe that these were two such events that ultimately destroyed the plans of the Russian Federation to the end. Completely to the end. Then the elimination from Irpen put an end to it. But Moschun and the battles in Gostomel are the events that destroyed their plan," Budanov noted.
12:50 pm: "Ukrainian command" handed over a batch of universal drones with messages to the occupiers to the front-line assault unit "Skala"
· "These drones are equipped with cameras that transmit video in real time. So our fighters can see everything that happens in the orc positions. And in addition, these drones are equipped with additional reset systems. And they will definitely deliver explosives to the enemy along with your wishes," the Ukrainian Team volunteer headquarters said in a statement.
5:08 pm: Russians fired at one of the Thermal Power Plants, it stopped working - DTEK.
· Energy experts do not specify which TPP was attacked. However, it is noted that the Russians damaged the main lines that provided power.
7:03 pm Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on May 19:
· "During this day, the enemy launched 6 missile and 51 air strikes, carried out more than 30 attacks from rocket salvo systems. Civil infrastructure was destroyed.
· In particular, as a result of the shelling of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region, the settlements of Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhia region, and Beryslav in the Kherson region, civilians have been killed and wounded, residential private houses and other civilian infrastructure have been destroyed."
· "The enemy will continue to focus its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Marin directions.
· During the day, 70 combat clashes took place on the specified areas of the front. The fiercest battles are for Bakhmut and Maryinka."
· "Russian occupying forces connected the island of Dzharylgach with the occupied mainland part of the Kherson region in the area of the settlement of Lazurne, covering the crossing to the island with sand.
· This was done with the aim of more intensive use of the nature conservation area of the national park for military purposes. In particular, the occupiers have set up a military training ground on the island."
· "The enemy continues to equip civilian educational institutions in the temporarily occupied territories with medical facilities.
· In particular, in the settlement of Golubivka, Luhansk region, the occupiers are converting a local school into a military hospital. About 50 wounded invaders were sent there for treatment."
· "During the day, the Air Force of the Defense Forces carried out 12 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment, as well as 4 - on the enemy's anti-aircraft missile systems.
· During this day, our soldiers destroyed 3 Kalibr cruise missiles, 16 Iranian attack UAVs "Shahed" and 2 enemy reconnaissance UAVs of various types."
· "Units of missile troops and artillery hit 1 control point, 6 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 2 artillery units at firing positions and 6 radio electronic warfare stations of the enemy."
8:01 pm: The US decision to support the training of the Ukrainian military on the F-16 will significantly strengthen the Ukrainian army in the sky.
· The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announced this on Twitter.
· "I expect to discuss the practical implementation of this decision during the G7 summit in Hiroshima," Zelenskyy wrote.
8:16 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy will go to the G7 summit in Japan and meet with US President Joe Biden.
8:33 pm: Canada introduced a new package of sanctions against Russia.
· This was reported by The Canadian Press with reference to the statement of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
· "Today, Canada announced the introduction of more than 70 new sanctions aimed at people who support the illegal military actions of the Russian Federation," the message reads.
8:47 pm: In Georgia, protesters gather again in front of the parliament building, media.
· It is reported that the reason for the protest was the resumption of direct flights with the Russian Federation.
11:50 pm: If the Russian military had successfully landed in Gostomel, Kyiv would have been captured, Budanov, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, told journalist Dmytro Komarov.
· "They believed that they would land quickly, and plane after plane they would unload units that would immediately enter Kyiv," he said.
· Kyrylo Budanov also said that on February 23 he already knew that the war would begin and was waiting for 4 in the morning. For 2 weeks, the Russians delayed the invasion. The night before the invasion, the GUR fighters were already preparing to advance on the Gostomel airfield.
· that after the victory, a very difficult phase of reintegration awaits us. We will receive plus three million people who lived under Russian propaganda for 9 years.
· He assured that today Russia does not have any potential to create another attempt at a serious offensive somewhere in Ukraine.
Mordor - russia
Saturday May 20
12:39 am Financial Times: PMC "Wagner" despite the sanctions, purchased tens of thousands of protective helmets in China by the end of 2022.
· The purchase from a small Chinese company was made through the Russian company "Broker Expert", which is related to PVK "Wagner".
· According to the publication, the Chinese group claimed that they are intended only for "gaming use".
10:39 am British intelligence: RF continues to consider capture of Bakhmut a key urgent objective,
· So, over the past four days, the Russian Federation probably transferred several battalions to strengthen the Bakhmut sector after Ukraine's tactical successes on the flanks of the city in mid-May.
· In intelligence, it is believed that the leadership of Russia probably continues to see the capture of Bakhmut as a key immediate goal, which would allow talking about successes in the war.
11:25 am: SBU laid charges against the Russian general who commanded the occupation of Kharkiv Oblast
· At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he ordered subordinate units of Russian troops to "break through" the state border of Ukraine to capture the Kharkiv region.
· Under his command, the Russians temporarily occupied the territories of the Kharkiv, Chuguyiv and Izyum districts.
KHARKIV
Saturday May 20
9:28 am Kharkiv RMA: Over the past day, the Russians fired artillery, mortars, and aircraft at at least 21 settlements in the Kharkiv, Kupyan, and Chuguyiv districts of the region
· In the village Petropavlivka, a 65-year-old civilian died in the village. Sinkivka, a 43-year-old civilian man was injured during Russian shelling and was hospitalized.
Friday May 19
1:45 pm Kharkiv RMA: The mine danger in the de-occupied territories of Kharkiv region remains very high.
· Today in the village A 69-year-old man blew up a snowmobile in the Izyum district in his own yard with an unknown explosive device. The device exploded when the man took the object in his hands and tried to neutralize it himself. The victim is hospitalized.
· On May 18, the Russians killed 2 residents of Donetsk region: in Kostyantynivka and Velyka Novosilka.
· Another 9 people in the region were injured.
DONETSK
Saturday May 20
10:59 am Donetsk RMA: On May 19, the Russians killed 2 residents of Donetsk region — in the city of Chasiv Yar.
· 2 more people in the region were injured.
Friday May 19
12:05 pm Donetsk RMA: In the middle of the night, the Russians struck Pokrovsk with drones. Ugledar, Novoukrainka, Prechistivka and Bogoyavlenka were under fire.
● The Russians also shelled Kurakhivska TG, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Maryinka, Georgiivka, Ocheretynska TG, Toretsk, New York, Chasovoyarska TG, Zvanivska TG and Lymanska TG.
12:20 pm Institute for the Study of War: The Armed Forces seized the tactical initiative and made significant gains in the Bakhmut area.
● "The limited nature of the offensive operations of the Wagnerites in Bakhmut, compared to local Ukrainian counterattacks, emphasizes the loss of the Russian initiative in this area," experts say.
1:25 pm: The commander of the Eastern Group of Forces showed a video of the assault of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of Bakhmut.
· Oleksandr Syrskyi noted that this is a video of the assault actions of one of the special units of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss".
3:20 pm: Big clouds of smoke over Avdiivka in Donetsk region. Video from social networks.
9:29 pm: Explosions are heard in temporarily occupied Mariupol, local residents report. Video from local social networks.
9:41 pm: Russians near Bakhmut are losing a battalion a day, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
· According to him, the total number of enemy losses in the Bakhmut direction is up to 70 thousand killed and wounded.
· We note that, depending on the national characteristics of the military organization, the number of battalions ranges from 400 to 800 people._
10:49 pm: the Russians have increased the presence of troops in the Bakhmut direction by several thousand people and are trying to use the advantage in heavy artillery and the number of shells.
· This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Malyar.
· According to her, Russian troops continue to attack at the cost of heavy losses, which disproportionately exceed Ukraine's losses.
11:19 pm: The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andryushchenko, reported that earlier, there was a hit to the base of the Air Defense Forces and the deployment of 150 Russian soldiers.
· However, the exact data will be known only in the morning
ZAPORIZHIA
Saturday May 20
8:50 am Zaporizhia RMA: 9 civilians were injured during shelling over the past day, -
· the Russians carried out 92 strikes on 16 settlements of the Zaporizhzhia region: they struck Poltavaka and Malya Tokmachka with aircraft, they made 7 strikes with anti-aircraft missiles on Tavriysk, Novodanilivka, Charivnoy, Verkhnyi Tersa, they attacked Novoandriyivka, Olgivske three times with UAVs, and they used artillery 80 times on Gulyaipol, Zaliznychny , Novodanilivtsi, Kamianskyi, Biloghiri, Chervonaya Krynytsia, Malynivtsi and other villages in the line of fire.
DNIPRO
Friday May 19
10:11 pm Dnipro RMA: reported that air defense forces shot down two air targets during the latest alert in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
KHERSON
Saturday May 20
10:10 am Kherson RMA: Russians shelled peaceful settlements of the Kherson region 53 times.
· Kherson was attacked twice, firing 11 shells into the city. They aimed at the residential quarters of the settlements of the region; the territory and building of the gas station in Beryslav district. Peaceful people were not harmed.
Friday May 19
12:58 pm Social Networks: In the temporarily occupied Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson region, explosions are heard.
6:13 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
11:41 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
KYIV
Saturday May 20
7:06 am: In Kyiv, air defense destroyed all enemy targets that were launched that night by the Russian Federation. Strikes on the capital were not allowed, the head of the KMVA said.
· As a result of falling debris:
o a residential building caught fire in the Dnipro district, the fire was extinguished. No victims;
o in the Darnytskyi district, damage to the service station building, parked cars;
o there is damage to the windows of a residential building in the Pechersk district;
o in the Solomyan district - the road surface and motor vehicles were damaged.
SUMY
Saturday May 20
11:48 am: At night, the Russians carried out 3 attacks on the Sumy region, RMA reported.
· 26 explosions were recorded. The communities of Khotyn and Bilopol were shelled. Previously - without human losses and destruction of civil infrastructure.
Friday May 19
4:04 pm: Three people were killed in the Sumy region as a result of shelling, RMA reported.
· "Today, around noon, three civilians were killed in Yunakivska hromada as a result of shelling," the message reads.
· The circumstances of the deaths are currently being investigated.
10:20 pm: 3 Sumy oblenergo employees were killed as a result of a Russian drone attack, the company's press service reports.
· According to the company, the attack occurred during the search for the location of the damage to the overhead line.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://espreso.tv/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka