Ukraine – 5/21/23 Sitrep
By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
May 21, 2023
“As long as invaders remain on our land, no one will sit down at the negotiating table,” Zelensky wrote. “The colonizer must get out. And the world has enough power to force [Russia] to restore peace step by step.” – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a Twitter message sent from the G-7 Meeting in Hiroshima, Japan.
Suggestion – All of the Western handwringers, ditherers, and pundits talking about a ceasefire should commit Pres. Zelenskyy’s Tweet to memory.
Loud Soviet Disco Music in Alexandria, Va
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, our Russian neighbor living across the street is taking to playing loud Soviet 1980s disco music. It reminds me what Putin said about the “little green men” taking over Crimea buying their weapons at a local sporting goods store, because they didn’t get their weapons from Russia. It makes me regret that our local Dick’s Sporting Goods store doesn’t carry N-LAWS.
From my Friend Andrei (in Kyiv)
“It is indeed difficult to deal almost every night with multiple explosions in the sky. We have chosen a relatively safe place in our flat (entrance hall) and go there when the "booms" become especially loud. This is all very unpleasant, but the Ukrainians have learned to live with it. Fuck them (the Russians).” I hear variations of this account from every one of my Ukrainian friends, and Expat friends living in Kyiv.
F-16s to Ukraine
The arrival of F-16s is indeed good news, but in our household the announcement of the pending arrival of a new weapons system, months after Ukraine asked the Biden Administration for them, is frequently met with an harangue directed at me that goes something like, “why didn’t Ukraine get _______ (insert, M777 Howitzers, HIMARS, Abrams Tanks and now F-16s) ____ (insert the numbers 6, 8 or 12) months ago when Ukraine asked for them?” This is followed by several minutes of invective. When I doth protest, saying “I agree with everything you say so why are you yelling at me,” the answer always is, “because you are my American.”
The F-16 may not be the best fit for Ukraine, possibly not as good a fit as the Swedish Gripen that can take off and land on unimproved runways. The problem with the Gripen is that they’re not enough of them. That said, F-16s will be put to good use by Ukraine, most likely in ways that no one, not even General Dynamics the manufacturer, or the countries that currently operate F-16s, are able to anticipate. This is who Ukrainians are.
One of the major problems that need to be addressed is the long tail that is associated with the introduction of any new weapons system. In addition to training pilots, it is also necessary to train aircraft mechanics, provide spare parts, build hardened hangars, and everything else.
There are probably no other people in the World more qualified to address these problems than Ukrainians. Solving mechanical problems is in their blood, and they’ve proved it repeatedly, most recently completing training on the Patriot System way ahead of schedule. Perhaps one day the West will finally acknowledge Ukrainian technical and engineering aptitude.
In Lv’iv there is a bar near the Lv’iv Polytechnic Institute. On the wall, there is a blackboard that contains a math problem, put there by a student or a faculty member. Anyone who solves the problem gets a free beer. This is who Ukrainians are.
President Zelenskyy at the Arab League Summit
Some have objected to Pres. Zelenskyy attending the recent Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia, especially given that Pres. Assad of Syria, Russia’s staunch client state and, along with Chechnya, a laboratory for many of the insidious Russian air attacks against Ukrainian civilians (Grozny = Aleppo = Mariupol), was in attendance for the first time in 12 years.
Personally, I think Pres. Zelenskyy made the right decision to attend the Arab League Summit. Egypt is a major customer for Ukrainian cereals, even though Egypt appears to support Russia, even though Russia’s past blockade of Ukrainian grain ports is a major cause of food shortages in Egypt. Saudi Arabia has at least 2 major investments in Ukraine, consisting of at least one major agro-holding and one of the major distributors of agricultural equipment. President Zelenskyy had a message that members of the Arab League need to hear, especially when it comes to Russia, and I’m glad that Pres. Zelenskyy was able personally deliver that message.
News From the Battlefield
“Reporting From Ukraine” continues to focus on Ukrainian efforts to hit Russian troop concentrations in the south, made someone easier by the fact that Russians had moving troops up to Bakhmut and environs. He mentions one strike against a command center in Mariupol. He also describes the destruction of 10 Russian T-90 tanks near Mariinka. Finally, he mentions that Ukraine will be receiving 8 more MLRS systems, from the UK and Norway. These are M-270 systems, similar to HIMARS but with the ability to launch twice as many rockets before having to re-arm.
Now that Bakhmut, is over it may be less likely that Russians will be moving troops from the south, and it may be more likely that they will be returning troops back to the areas around Melitopol. If Ukraine is planning to launch an offensive in the south, perhaps it will be very soon, in advance of the return of Russians that had been sent north. However, as “Reporting From Ukraine” previously explained, Ukraine has held back two large units west of Bakhmut in reserve, that had not committed to the fighting. They can launch offensive operations in several directions, east toward Bakhmut, or north in Luhansk Oblast.
5/21/23 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
Sunday May 21
12:31 am: Protests against the resumption of air traffic with the Russian Federation continue in Georgia.
● The authorities put forward conditions: withdraw consent to direct air traffic with Russia and release all detained activists at a rally near the Kvareli Lake Resort hotel.
7:52 am: Volodymyr Zelensky published a video from the G7 summit in Japan together with the leaders of other countries.
● "We, together with all our allies and partners, have achieved a level of cooperation that ensures that democracy, international law, and freedom are respected," the president wrote.
8:08 am: Volodymyr Zelensky thanked all partners and allies for their support.
● "Every decision to protect Ukraine makes our victory closer," the president said.
● Volodymyr Zelenskyi proposed a peace formula to the world.
○ "We developed the peace formula so that each of its points was supported by UN resolutions. So that everyone in the world can choose the item that is able to help implement. From Japan to the Arab countries, from Europe to Latin America, we find support for the peace formula. And we continue this work," the president said.
8:36 am: The head of the US State Department, Anthony Blinken, called on the authorities of Belarus to immediately release all political prisoners. Blinken wrote about it on Twitter.
8:37 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Hiroshima.
9:11 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Seok-yol.
● "He talked about the situation at the front and the course of our state's repulse of full-scale aggression. They discussed the recent visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the Republic of Korea. I am grateful for the attention to the projects presented by the first lady of Ukraine," the president writes.
9:16 am: President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit in Hiroshima.
● Joe Biden announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine. It will include:
○ additional ammunition for HIMARS missile and artillery systems;
○ artillery shells;
○ TOW anti-tank guided missiles (launched from Bradley Fighting Vehicles);
○ Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems;
○ bridging systems;
○ armored medical vehicles;
○ trucks and trailers for transporting heavy equipment;
○ thermal imaging systems;
○ spare parts and other field equipment.
● Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the US President for his help: "Joseph Biden, thank you for your leadership, for the weapons, for the decision to train pilots. I believe that the wings of our common freedom will obviously be the strongest in the world!"
10:41 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyi about the meeting with the President of the United States of America, Joseph Biden:
● "We discussed further cooperation to strengthen the defense capabilities of our country, as well as the issue of implementing the Ukrainian peace formula. We exchanged views on projects of reconstruction and reconstruction of Ukraine."
10:51 am: When F-16s appear in the sky of Ukraine, it will be a historic moment for the security architecture of the world, - Volodymyr Zelenskyi at the G7 summit.
11:14 am: President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili announced a boycott of the Georgian airline Georgian Airways, which on Saturday, May 20, made the first flight from Tbilisi to Moscow after the resumption of air connections with Russia.
● In turn, Georgian Airways declared the president persona non grata on its planes and demanded an apology to the airline and the entire people of Georgia.
Saturday May 20
12:41 pm: In a communique following the results of the "Big Seven" summit, the leaders of Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the United States and the European Union strongly condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, calling it a "serious violation of international law."
● The G7 leaders confirmed their intention to continue providing military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine.
1:05 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with the Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak in Japan.
● "Thanked Great Britain for its leadership in the international coalition of fighter jets. They discussed the further implementation of the agreements reached during the negotiations in Great Britain, which took place on May 14. They talked about the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Great Britain and coordinated our positions on the eve of participation in the "Group of Seven" summit "", the president wrote.
1:27 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
● "It is important to continue the dialogue between Ukraine and Italy in matters of bilateral relations. We discussed the defense and political support of Ukraine from Italy and the first results of the visit to Italy, which took place on May 13. It is necessary to improve the air defense capabilities, including the training of our pilots," the president wrote .
2:26 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Japan and participation in the summit of the Group of Seven countries.
● "During the meeting, he spoke about Ukraine's needs in humanitarian demining and mobile hospitals. He informed Narendra Modi in detail about the initiative of the Ukrainian peace formula and invited India to join its implementation," the president wrote.
3:05 pm: An F-18 fighter jet crashed at the Zaragoza Air Base in Spain. The pilot ejected, — El País.
3:29 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during a meeting with the President of the European Council Charles Michel in Japan, discussed the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission for the start of negotiations on our country's accession to the European Union.
● "Special attention was paid to the issue of export restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products by a number of EU countries and the inadmissibility of their continuation after June 5. We discussed specific ways of implementing the Ukrainian peace formula and consolidating world support for our peace initiative," the president wrote.
3:56 pm: G7 leaders urged China to pressure Russia over war in Ukraine, CNN.
● Beijing was urged to support a comprehensive and just peace based on territorial integrity, principles and goals of the UN Charter.
4:14 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
● "I thank France for the important decisions regarding military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. France's support for the coalition of fighter jets and its participation in the training mission to train Ukrainian pilots is important.
● He emphasized the priority of implementing the Ukrainian peace formula and involving as many countries as possible in it. Informed about the productive visit to the summit of the League of Arab States," the president wrote.
5:10 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz.
● "We discussed the first results of the visit to Germany. He thanked for the powerful defense assistance that Ukraine will receive from Germany. It is important to implement the points of the Ukrainian peace formula," the president wrote.
5:31 pm: A new meeting in the Rammstein format will take place next week.
● This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov on Facebook.
● "Strengthening air defense/anti-missile defense remains our No. 1 priority. We will talk about this, in particular, with our colleagues at the next meeting in the Ramstein format next week," Reznikov wrote.
6:25 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi summarized the first day of meetings and negotiations in Japan on the eve of the G7 summit.
● Today, the President of Ukraine met with:
○ the head of the government of Italy, Giorgia Maloni;
○ the Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak;
○ Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi;
○ Charles Michel, President of the European Council;
○ French President Emmanuel Macron;
○ Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz.
9:50 pm: Concern "Ukroboronprom" and German company Rheinmetall will start joint production of Fuchs armored personnel carriers.
● This is reported by BILD with reference to the statement of the Chairman of Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger.
● Also, according to Papperger, the factory will primarily service and repair armored vehicles that are already in the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
11:26 pm: A rally was held in Bratislava in support of Azov and with the demand to release the prisoners from captivity.
● Europeans welcomed the move with applause and words of support.
NATIONAL
Sunday May 21
7:10 am General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the past day, the Russians launched 7 missile and 70 air strikes, carried out 48 shellings with anti-aircraft missiles.
● Russian troops continue to focus their main efforts on the Kupyan, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Marin directions. In total, during the past 24 hours, 53 combat clashes took place on the indicated areas of the front, Bakhmut and Maryinka remain at the epicenter of hostilities.
● In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy continues to conduct offensive actions. The battles for the city of Bakhmut do not stop
● During the day, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive actions also in the direction of White Mountain.
● Aviation of the Defense Forces per day carried out 10 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russian Federation. 4 strike and 7 reconnaissance UAVs of various types were also destroyed - General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Missile troops and artillery units hit 4 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 1 ammunition depot, 4 artillery units in firing positions, 1 anti-aircraft defense and 1 more important target.
8:37 am: Military chaplains of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have completed their training and are returning to their units. The command of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Facebook.
9:30 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Bakhmut is not under the control of Ukraine, — Sky News
● At the G7 summit, when asked if the city was under the control of Ukrainian forces, Zelenskyy said: "I think not."
● "At the moment, it exists only in our hearts," the president added.
● “But you have to understand that there is nothing there, they destroyed it completely. There are no buildings there. Unfortunately, this is a tragedy, but Bakhmut exists only in our hearts - there everything was razed to the ground. Only dirt and dead Russians. Our defenders did a great job, and we are grateful to them," the president added.
10:30 am: In September, there will probably be the first F-16s in the airspace of Ukraine, - adviser to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Yuriy Sak, DW.
11:00 am: In the evening of May 20, 4 Russian attack UAVs "Shahed-136/131" were destroyed in the eastern direction - Air Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Saturday May 20
2:48 p.m.: The SBU has exposed 12 more Internet agitators of the Russian Federation: among them are "ideologues" of erecting monuments to Kadyrov in Ukraine, the press service of the SBU.
● In banned social networks, they discredited Ukrainian defenders and approved the crimes of the Russian occupiers from Buryatia against the civilian population.
● It was established that the son of one of the women involved is a Russian military man, with whom she was in constant contact.
6:00 pm: During this week, the "White Wolf" special forces unit destroyed 10 enemy targets, the SBU reports.
● The following were destroyed: a tank, 4 BMP, 2 armored vehicles, 2 buildings with enemy personnel, 1 truck with ammunition.
6:49 pm Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces as of 18:00 on May 20:
● "During this day, the enemy launched 3 missile and 56 air strikes, carried out more than 40 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
● Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded civilians, residential private houses and other civilian infrastructure have been destroyed."
● "The enemy is concentrating its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lymansk, Bakhmutsk, Avdiivsk and Marinsk directions.
● During the day, 39 combat clashes took place on the specified areas of the front. The fiercest battles are fought for Bakhmut and Maryinka."
● "The occupiers turned the upper floors of the Lutuginsky District Territorial Medical Association into a military hospital, and to cover it up, they left a children's department on the first floor.
● Currently, about 100 Russian servicemen with injuries of varying degrees of severity are being treated at the medical facility.
● At the same time, medical assistance to the civilian population is not provided by the personnel of the military hospital."
● "For a day, the aviation of the Defense Forces made 8 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the enemy.
● Units of missile forces and artillery hit 4 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 1 ammunition depot, 4 artillery units in firing positions, 1 means of anti-aircraft defense and 1 more important target of the enemy.
7:45 pm Air Force Command South: In the Mykolaiv region and Kherson region, the Ukrainian military destroyed 5 enemy UAVs, the Air Force Command "South" reports.
● The following were destroyed: 3 Lancet attack UAVs, 1 Merlin-VR UAV and 1 Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAV.
8:28 pm: Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar denied informational "mistakes" regarding the disappearance of Zaluzhnyi, Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● "The commander is in place. He is doing his job. We just talked. This is a typical information technology aimed at demoralizing our army.
● And the effect from it is expected in the case of the right moment of distribution and mass," Malyar wrote.
9:30 pm: The operational command "West" published a video of the destruction of a Russian T-72 tank.
11:47 pm: Magyar showed the professional work of fpv pilots. In the video, the jewelry de-Russification of an enemy tank with only one grenade.
Mordor - russia
Sunday May 21
12:44 am Social Networks: In the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, explosions were heard, after which a fire broke out. Video from local social networks.
9:39 am Institute for the Study of War: Prigozhin's claimed capture of the remaining quarters in Bakhmut is of no strategic importance, as it would not allow the exhausted forces of the PMC or the Russian army to create a significant springboard for further offensive operations,
● Ongoing Ukrainian counterattacks to the north, west, and southwest of Bakhmut will complicate any further advance of Russian forces outside the city in the near term.
9:48 am: In the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, a strong fire broke out at a solid waste disposal site last night.
● The governor of the region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said that the fire broke out as a result of shelling from Ukraine, and also noted that no one was injured.
11:41 am British Ministry of Defense: Russia began to use reconnaissance drones more often for strikes deep into Ukraine,
● Most likely, these attacks are aimed at weakening Ukrainian air defense, writes the Ministry of Defense. Experts also note that Russia has begun to use reconnaissance drones more actively (for example, the SuperCam UAV). The advantage of such drones is that they are relatively cheap and have sufficient range to fly over cruise missile targets.
Saturday May 20
4:33 pm: The head of PMK "Wagner" Prigozhyn stated that today they allegedly took Bakhmut, but from the 25th they are withdrawing their units for "retraining".
● Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation have not yet confirmed this information.
10:20 pm: New interception of GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
● They tell about the mass murders of civilians by Russian soldiers in the Luhansk direction.
KHARKIV
Saturday May 20
9:06 pm Kharkiv RMA: Russians shelled Kupyansk, Kharkiv region,
● "Two civilians were injured as a result of the shelling. A 44-year-old man was hospitalized, and a 61-year-old civilian received medical assistance on the spot," Sinegubov wrote.
DONETSK
Sunday May 21
12:08 am: One of the rocket strikes in the temporarily occupied Mariupol hit the building of the command post of the airport.
10:55 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Slovyansk, Donetsk region,
11:32 am: An explosion rang out in temporarily occupied Donetsk, local channels report.
11:56 am: Serhiy Cherevaty, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that the Ukrainian military is holding fortifications and several buildings in the southwestern part of the city, and heavy fighting is ongoing.
● "Bakhmut was not taken to the end." Ukrainian units are trying to put pressure on the flanks and, if possible, counterattack," — Cherevaty.
Saturday May 20
12:17 pm Donetsk RMA: At dawn, the Russians fired missiles at Sloviansk — 1 house was destroyed, 9 more were damaged.
● Vugledar, Bogoyavlenka, Perechistivka, Novoukrainka, Chasovoyarsk hromad, Toretsk, Nikiforivka, Poltavka, Zvanivka, Torske and Zarichne were also under fire.
2:08 p.m.: "Bakhmut remains the main, authoritative target for the aggressor. In addition to the Wagner group, he is bringing airborne units, motorized rifle units, as well as some special units there," said Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces.
● According to him, in the Bakhmut direction, the enemy lost 92 occupiers killed and 156 wounded during the day. Fighting also continues in the Lyman direction. In recent days, the occupiers on this part of the front have weakened their assaults.
4:37 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kramatorsk
4:51 pm: The Ukrainian military does not confirm the capture of Bakhmut by the Russians.
● "This is not true. Our units continue fighting in Bakhmut," Serhiy Chereviy, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Reuters.
● The Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Malyar, said that Ukrainian troops are holding defenses in Bakhmut in the "Litak" district. Also, the Armed Forces control certain industrial and infrastructure facilities of the area and the private sector.
8:08 pm Donetsk RMA: Russians shelled Toretsk from "hail", 5 people were wounded.
● "Damaged residential buildings and other civilian objects, in particular, a hospital.
● An 11-year-old child is among the wounded. All the victims were given medical assistance, their condition is satisfactory," Kyrylenko wrote.
ZAPORIZHIA
Sunday May 21
11:50 am: In many settlements of the temporarily occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region, electricity and water supply disappeared after the explosions, local channels report.
Saturday May 20
5:45 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Tokmak of the Zaporizhia region.
DNIPRO
Saturday May 20
12:12 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region.
9:21 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Dnipropetrovsk region.
10:38 pm Social Networks: An explosion is heard again in Dnipro.
10:46 pm Dnipro RMA: reports on the successful work of the "East" PMC in Dnipro8:32 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
● the Russian army shelled the Nikopol district with heavy artillery, Serhiy Lysak, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA, reported.
● "A 46-year-old woman was injured in the city. 17 private and multi-storey buildings were damaged.
● The climbing of the aggressor hit gas pipelines and power lines. Almost a thousand Nikopol residents are without electricity," Lysak wrote.
11:37 pm Social Networks: An explosion is heard again in Dnipro
KHERSON
Sunday May 21
11:37 am: In the temporarily occupied Kakhovsky district of the Kherson region and Tokmok of the Zaporizhia region, explosions were heard, according to subscribers.
Saturday May 20
9:59 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson
ODESA
Saturday May 20
8:46 pm: Part of Odesa remained without electricity due to an accident at one of the high-voltage substations, DTEK.
● "At 6:17 p.m., an emergency equipment shutdown occurred at one of the high-voltage substations in Odessa.
● 14,000 customers were temporarily left without electricity in Khadzhibeysk (former Malinovsky) district, Cheremushki microdistrict," the message reads.
KYIV
Saturday May 20
1:44 pm: Rescuers extinguished a fire on the roof of a 9-story residential building with a total area of 80 square meters due to the fall of UAV debris in one of Kyiv's districts. m. Previously, damage was detected in 4 apartments, - State Emergency Service.
● 7 units of basic and special fire-rescue equipment, as well as 30 personnel, were involved at the scene.
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