Ukraine – 5/22/23 Sitrep
By: Robert Homans & Bohdan Chomiak
May 22nd, 2023
“Russia’s Frightenly Fascist Youth”/Foreign Affairs
A couple of days ago I had a discussion with a friend with long experience in the former Soviet Union. She predicts that the war will last several years. I believe that the war will end this year, with a Ukrainian victory. However, I made that prediction before I read this article.
Even if Ukraine succeeds in pushing Russia out of Ukraine this year, and Ukraine reclaims all its 1991 territory, will the war really be over? If this article serves as an accurate description of what Russian society has become, the answer is no.
Much of what amounted to Russian intelligentsia has either fled Russia or they’re in jail, leaving what the article describes as the “Z Generation,” not to be confused with “Generation Z” in the West, that has become preoccupied with Russian glory and the obliteration of Ukraine.
There is one quote that encapsulates what the article argues is now going on in Russia –
“This is a culture that is preoccupied with death. Whether it’s about killing off “non-Russian” elements inside the country, sending the country’s youth to die in wars abroad, or butchering civilians in genocidal military campaigns, death is glorified. And that glorification isn’t confined to state institutions, state politicians’ speeches, or state media. The Russian state has spent 20 years forming a national identity fixated on sacrifice and death.”
If this article is to be believed Ukrainian Society, and Ukraine’s Western supporters, need to resign themselves to a long confrontation with a society next door that has lost its bearings a society that is focused on wiping Ukraine, and Ukrainians, off the map, and prepare accordingly.
Victory should be defined as a time when Ukraine is not threatened by what Russia has become.
War Comes to Russia
“The Latest Denys” reports on an incursion into Russia by a group of Russian citizens calling themselves “The Russian Legion of Freedom.” Yesterday, they crossed into Russia and took a Russian border post, as well as occupying several villages in the Belgorod Region. According to Denys, there is also a facility nearby where Russia stores nuclear warheads.
I understand that the Leader and likely financial backer of the Russian Legion of Freedom is Ilya Ponomarev who, before he left Russia, was the only member of the Russian Duma to oppose Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. He now lives in Ukraine, and he has become a Ukrainian citizen. After his exile from Russia, not long after his vote against the Crimea annexation, Ponomarev was living in the United States, where he was involved in ventures in Silicon Valley. In 2015 Ponomarev gave a talk at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. While at the gym in Kyiv, I remember listening to the podcast of his talk at the Commonwealth Club. I was blown away – it is well worth a listen. I would not bet against Ponomarev.
Bakhmut
Today’s issue of the Kyiv “Independent” contains an excellent and even-handed retrospective in the fighting in Bakhmut.
For all intents and purposes, what is left of Bakhmut is now under Russian control. However, Ukrainians are conducting offensives north and south of Bakhmut that may, if successful, cut off Russian soldiers, mostly Wagners, operating inside of Bakhmut. The southern axis is making more progress than the north, largely because in the north regular Russian troops still hold the high ground.
Avdiivka
“Reporting From Ukraine” covers the fighting around Avdiivka, a front-line city just northwest of Donetsk City and the site of a large coking plant. He reports that in recent fighting, Ukraine has destroyed a significant number of Russian tanks and other vehicles, and killed or wounded many Russian soldiers.
5/22/23 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon May 21 to 12:00 noon May 22, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Monday May 22
8:20 am: The Ukrainian side handed South Korea a list of weapons it would like to receive, and Seoul promises to study it. This was said by the President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Seok-yeol at a joint press conference with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz.
8:21 am: The European Union demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners held by the Lukashenka regime in Belarusian prisons. This is stated in the statement of the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, published on the website of the European External Action Service.
Sunday May 21
1:51 pm Sky News: During negotiations with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyi, US President Joe Biden confirmed his agreement to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets and other fourth-generation aircraft.
l Biden also said that he received an assurance from Zelensky that Ukraine would not use the F-16 to attack Russian territory.
l National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that Crimea is the territory of Ukraine, and is thus not part of the prohibition.
2:04 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy answered journalists' questions about the F-16: "We will have planes, but I can't say how many right now. It's not a secret, I really don't know."
l At a press conference in Hiroshima, Volodymyr Zelenskyi told about which weapons he managed to agree on with the G7 leaders: "Weapons will be of high quality, everyone will provide them."
l Regarding the counteroffensive, Zelensky noted: "Russia will feel when it will come."
2:20 pm: Russia lost about 100,000 people in Bakhmut, - US President Joe Biden at the G7 conference.
2:35 pm: "Hiroshima. Museum of peace. Memorial to the victims of the atomic bombing. These places are an important reminder of the need to maintain nuclear safety. No one has the right to blackmail the world with a radiation disaster," Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
3:11 pm: Great Britain will be ready to start training Ukrainian pilots for the F-16 this week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
3:27 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidi and thanked him for the invitation to participate in the G7 summit.
l "Now is a crucial moment for the fate of peace in Ukraine and for the future world order based on rules. It is extremely important that the world has the opportunity to hear Ukraine's voice in Hiroshima.
l During the meeting, we discussed further steps regarding the support of Ukraine from the Japanese government, including strengthening the logistical and technical capabilities of the defense forces of Ukraine," the president wrote.
4:35 pm: "Glory to Ukraine", President Maia Sandu addressed the citizens at the Great National Assembly Square and condemned the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine.
l During the speech, the president said that European integration is "the country's project and a chance to live in peace."
6:05 pm: Japan will hand over 100 combat vehicles and 30,000 food rations to Ukraine.
l This is reported on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
8:20 pm: The UN Security Council needs to be reformed to meet the realities of the times.
l This was reported by Reuters with reference to the statement of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
l "In the face of economic turmoil from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the financial architecture has failed to fulfill its primary function of a global safety net," Guterres said.
9:44 pm: US President Joe Biden commented on the threats of the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
— Is the supply of F-16 a colossal risk, as Russia claims?
- For them, yes.
11:04 pm: US President Joe Biden has not yet made a final decision on whether the United States will transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine itself or if allies will do so, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday.
l "I think that with the number of F-16s that are currently available in the warehouses of our European allies and that, based on the money that Congress has given us, there are so many other priorities in terms of systems that can be provided, maybe "We're going to focus more on third-party transfers, but the president hasn't made a final decision yet," Sullivan said.
NATIONAL
Monday May 22
7:18 a.m. General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the past day, the Russians launched 6 missile and 52 air strikes, and carried out 65 attacks from anti-aircraft missiles.
l Russian troops continue to focus their main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions. During the past 24 hours, 37 combat clashes took place on the specified areas of the front. Bakhmut and Maryinka are at the epicenter of hostilities.
l Against the background of significant losses of manpower, the Russian military leadership made a decision to reduce to 10 days the training period for personnel from among the convicts, whose base camp was deployed in the Starobil district of the Luhansk region.
l Earlier, about 1,000 people were brought to the said camp from places of deprivation of liberty on the territory of Russia. The training was then planned to be carried out for four weeks.
l Over the past day, the Air Force of the Defense Forces carried out 14 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russian Federation, as well as 7 - on anti-aircraft missile complexes. 3 reconnaissance UAVs of various types were destroyed, as well as 5 attack UAVs,
l Missile troops and artillery units hit 5 personnel concentration areas, 2 ammunition depots, 3 artillery units in firing positions, 2 control points, an electronic warfare station, an anti-aircraft missile complex and another important target.
8:36 am: The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported the destruction of 20 "Shahed-136/131" attack UAVs, 4 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and one fighter.*
l The attack was carried out by 16 different types of missiles and 20 Shahed-136/131 strike drones.
Sunday May 21
1:57 pm President: The Ukrainian military is in Bakhmut, they are performing a very important task
l "This indicates that today Bakhmut is not captured by the Russian Federation. There cannot be two or three interpretations of this," the president said.
2:56 pm: 6 enemy ships are on combat duty in the Black Sea, including 2 carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, the total salvo is up to 8 missiles, the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
5:43 pm: Russia must hand over the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which it currently occupies, under the full control of Ukraine and the IAEA.
l This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi during a press conference.
l "The Russian Federation must abandon radiation and nuclear blackmail of the world," the president said.
6:49 pm Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces as of 18:00 on May 21:
l "During the day, the enemy launched 4 rocket and 45 air strikes, launched more than 30 attacks from rocket salvo systems. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.
l To launch missile strikes on the Ukrainian cities of Lyman, Slovyansk and Kostiantynivka, the enemy again used S-300 air defense systems, which are not high-precision weapons, which, in turn, emphasizes the tactics of terror on the part of the Russian Federation.
l "The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lymank, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions.
l In general, during the day, 24 combat clashes took place on the specified areas of the front. Bakhmut and Maryinka remain at the epicenter of hostilities."
l "The Russian invaders limit the civilian population's access to mobile communications in the settlements of the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region.
l The occupiers dismantle the equipment of substations, as well as relay towers. In addition, they limit the movement of local residents to areas with a stable cellular connection."
l "For a day, the aviation of the Defense Forces made 12 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the enemy, as well as 4 - on anti-aircraft missile complexes.
l During the day, 3 enemy reconnaissance UAVs of various types were destroyed."
l "Units of rocket troops and artillery hit the area of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 2 ammunition depots, 2 artillery units at firing positions and another important target of the enemy."
9:06 pm: Evening address of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi:
l "Today, on Sunday, here in Hiroshima, Ukraine was a truly honorable participant in the work of the "Big Seven". The Ukrainian theme is central, respect for all Ukrainians is special.
l The world hears our position. Protection and security guarantees, the return of all our territories and all our people, justice and the implementation of our peace formula."
9:27 pm: The commander of the separate tactical air reconnaissance group "BIRDS OF HUNGARY" showed the jewelry work of the fpv pilot from his unit.
l A kamikaze drone destroyed the Russian MUROM-P complex (an autonomous remote video-thermal surveillance system for security and data collection in any terrain).
Mordor - russia
Sunday May 21
3:55 pm: The enemy's transfer of additional reserves to the Bakhmut direction indicates the failure of their offensive actions - the Bakhmut fortress is holding, said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
l He noted that all the best-trained reserves of the Russian army had already been used in a full-scale invasion, and that the much-vaunted Russian winter offensive had been reduced to operations on several fronts without results.
6:28 pm: In Russian Transbaikalia, 13 freight cars derailed, — rosZMI.
l The local authorities said that there were no casualties as a result of the accident, but the trains were suspended.
9:59 pm: New interception of GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine:
l A Russian serviceman talks about the losses in his unit and the potential opportunity to return home after an intentional gunshot wound.
11:30 pm: a Russian SU-35 was shot down over the Black Sea. The pilot did not survive. This is reported by local media.
11:42 pm: Residents of TOT are thrown into prison to induce them to serve in the occupation army. This was reported by the Center of National Resistance.
l Men in the temporarily occupied territories are arrested for the slightest pretext, in particular, for violating the curfew imposed by the occupation administration. After that, the detainees are taken to field camps, where prisoners brought from the Russian Federation, who agreed to fight on the side of the Russian Federation, are already waiting for them.
11:48 pm: In the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, an explosion rang out and a fire broke out in the village of Holovchyno.
l Governor Gladkov reported that unknown UAVs dropped explosives on the roof of the village council.
11:59 pm Social Networks: In the temporarily occupied Simferopol, electricity supply has disappeared in almost all districts.
KHARKIV
Sunday May 21
1:35 pm Kharkiv RMA: An infrastructure facility was damaged in Kharkiv. There were no casualties. In the city of Kupyansk, the buildings of a civil enterprise and a private residential building were damaged, and there were fires.
l In Vovchansk, Chuguyiv district, shelling damaged private houses, farm buildings, garages, and destroyed 2 cars.
3:45 pm Social Networks: In the Kupyansk district of Kharkivska
7:32 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kharkiv.
7:39 pm Kharkiv RMA: reported a missile threat in the region.
l "Don't ignore the alarm signals. Stay in shelters," he wrote.
8:01 pm Kharkiv RMA: the Russians launched another missile attack on the village. Circuses of the Kharkiv district.
l "One of the rockets, previously the S-300 air defense system, hit the ground, another one damaged a private residential building.
l Unfortunately, a civilian was injured. Doctors are now helping him," Sinegubov wrote.
DONETSK
Sunday May 21
12:24 pm: the Russians have lost part of the commanding heights around Bakhmut, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar reports.
l Ukrainian troops took the city in semi-encirclement, which makes it possible to destroy the enemy. The Armed Forces maintain control over industrial and infrastructure facilities and the private sector of Bakhmut in the "Litak" district.
12:41 pm Donetsk RMA: The day before, the Russians launched a missile attack on Kramatorsk — damaged 2 buildings of educational institutions and a depot building
l In the Donetsk direction, 2 houses were damaged in Vovchenka of the Kurakhiv community.
l 3 houses were destroyed in the Horliv direction in Predtechyn of the Kostyantynivska community. In the city of Toretsk, 11 high-rise buildings, 5 private houses, 2 shops, a hospital building, a pharmacy, a hangar and a boiler room were damaged. Another 2 houses were damaged in New York. In the Chasovoyarsk community, 2 high-rise buildings and 3 private houses were damaged. A school and at least 4 houses were damaged in Vasyukivka.
3:40 pm: The 3rd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that it had cleared 1,730 m in length and another 700 m in depth from the enemy near Bakhmut.
l "Fighters of the 2nd Assault Battalion destroyed units of the 72nd Brigade of the Russians, who were trying to regain their positions. Only during yesterday's battles, 23 invaders were destroyed, and more than 40 were wounded," the message reads.
5:24 pm: Ukrainian troops continue to advance on the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut and are approaching the capture of the city in a tactical encirclement.
l This was stated by the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi.
l "Thanks to this, we will be able to control all high-rise buildings occupied by the enemy and gradually destroy them," wrote Sirskyi.
7:47 pm Social Networks: In the temporarily occupied city of Mospyne in Donetsk region, smoke rises after explosions.
10:31 pm Donetsk regional prosecutor's office: Russians fired artillery and attacked populated areas of Donetsk region with high-explosive bombs.
l "Six more local residents - two men and four women - were injured," the message reads.
10:47 pm Operational Command East: The Ukrainian military in Bakhmut inflicted irreparable losses on the "Wagner" PMK. This happened despite the fact that the Defense Forces do not have a numerical advantage in this direction.
l "Let them feel a constant threat. We will surround them now or a little later, but that group will be defeated to the end," said the spokesman of the Armed Forces.
ZAPORIZHIA
Monday May 22
3:37 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions
8:21 am: External power supply has been disconnected at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the station's press service reported. The radiation background at the station is normal.
Sunday May 21
12:11 pm: The StratCom of the Armed Forces reports that the Ukrainian military hit the headquarters of the Russians in the temporarily occupied Berdyansk.
l "As a result of a night strike, the Defense Forces successfully hit the headquarters of one of the occupiers' units in the city of Berdyansk. The enemy's losses are being specified," the message says.
10:08 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Zaporizhzhia region,
8:46 pm Dnipro RMA: the Russians shelled Myrivsk community of Nikopol district with heavy artillery.
l "The aggressor also hit the Mezhivsk community of the Synelnyk district. The consequences are being investigated. There were no deaths or injuries everywhere," Lysak wrote.
DNIPRO
Monday May 22
3:15 am Social Networks: Repeated explosions are heard in Dnipro.
3:36 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Dnipro, reports say
3:46 am: "Let's pay attention to the alarm. There is still a threat. Do not film or post anything" - the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council Mykola Lukashuk
4:00 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Dnipro
4:06 am Social Networks: After a series of explosions in Dnipro, in one of the districts of the city, the flames from the fire can be seen, according to subscribers. We are waiting for official information.
4:29 am: Thanks to the Defense Forces, we withstood the attack. Details later, Serhii Lysak, head of Dnipropetrovsk OVA.
Sunday May 21
11:18 pm Social Networks: An explosion was heard in Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region.
KHERSON
Monday May 22
12:13 am: The head of the press service of the Kherson Defense Forces, Dmytro Pletenchuk, confirmed the downing of the Russian Su-35.
Sunday May 21
12:56 pm Kherson RMA:Over the past day, the enemy carried out 63 shellings of the Kherson region, firing 314 shells from heavy artillery, tanks, UAVs and aviation. The enemy shelled the city of Kherson 2 times (7 shells)
l the Russian military took aim at the residential quarters of the populated areas of the region. As a result of shelling by Russian troops, two people were killed and two others were injured.
l Russian aviation continues to shell Stanislav of the Kherson region, RMA reported.
l "Because of the night strike by the controlledaerial bombs in the village, 12 houses, a cultural center, a shop and two other civilian buildings were damaged. People were not injured," the report said.
4:14 pm Kherson RMA: The Russian military targeted a residential building in the village of Kozatske
l As a result of the attack, a 55-year-old man received non-life-threatening injuries.
6:22 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
MYKOLAIV
Monday May 22
4:39 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Mykolaiv region. Previously - air defense are working.
ODESA
Monday May 22
12:15 am: A Russian drone launched over the Odesa region was shot down over the sea, said Nazarov, the spokesman of OK "South".
12:31 am: In Odesa, the monument to the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy will be moved from the square of the same name to the open-air museum. This is reported by local mass media.
12:55 am: Pink flamingos are nesting for the first time in Odesa in the Tuzlivski Lymani National Park. More than 500 birds were counted there.
l People are urged not to approach flamingos closer than 300 meters, especially near their nesting sites.
Sunday May 21
7:51 pm Odesa RMA:Russians "arrive" in the temporarily occupied Oleshkiv district of the Kherson region.
9:34 pm Social Networks: An explosion is heard in Odesa.
10:01 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Odesa.
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
Russia as a death cult. An interesting and disturbing observation.