Bob Homans May 29

20220530

Ukraine – 5/29 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
Twitter: @rhomansjr
May 29, 2022

May 29 Sitrep (my comments in bold face)

From the beginning of the war shortages of this and that have occurred.  The current shortage is very Ukrainian in origin and nature.  Ukraine is undergoing a salt shortage.  Ukraine’s largest, and practically only salt producer, Artyom Sil, located in Artyom Donetsk Oblast, suspended operations a month ago due to shelling and to save employee’s lives.

The Artyom salt mine produces rock salt, and this salt is processed into straight rock salt, or Iodized rock salt. The production equipment is pretty much unchanged from the 19th century, meaning that the rock salt is not always clean. Also, the rock salt sold was roughly ground which meant that until western salt distributors came onto the market the rock salt could only be used in household salt cellars not saltshakers. 

One of the oddities of coming to Ukraine after the Soviet collapse was attending family meals or going to restaurants and using these cellars, taking pinches, to salt your tomatoes, rather than using shakers.  At the same time every household had a dining service which included a salt and pepper shaker.  Some families used the pepper shaker, but this too was an exception as most pepper sold in the 1990s was in kernels.

Soviet cooking was always light on salt, pepper and almost all other spices, as the Soviet Union never really imported consumer goods.  Which brings us back to salt, Artyom rock salt.

The molecular Iodine used by the soviets was not useful for making sauerkraut, pickles, or salted vegetables because it affected the crisp and crunch.  These essential components were destroyed by the formula of Iodine used and the vegetables were soggy although pickled.   So pickling was only with non-Iodized rock salt.  Also given the lack of consumer goods, especially refrigerators, every household practiced canning vegetables.

Ukraine is at the start of the annual canning season, which includes making all sorts of pickled vegetables. Canning means getting everything ready - jars, seals, and canning ingredients.  Especially salt.  Interest in home preservation is very high this year because of the war causing shortages. 

With no new production from Artyom, distribution halted by the war, fear of Iodized salt, and increased interest in home preservation we have a run on salt.  However, I have found, as well as some other people, that when using imported Iodized salt to preserve vegetables, meat or other perishables, food quality is not affected.  According to cooks it's a different Iodine Formulation.

Russians are forcing Ukrainians to use imported formula salt.  People will learn it's okay to use and that use of Iodine or fluoride are not capitalist plots to destroy the Russian race.  The more the Russians seek to drive us to a mythical past the more they are pushing Ukraine into an embrace of a western capitalist future.

INTERNATIONAL

BBC: Russian Ambassador to the UK Russia will not use tactical nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine.  Since the country cannot use this type of weapon in such conflicts "in accordance with the Russian military doctrine."

The War Zone:  Captured Russian military equipment is equipped with American microchips. The military intelligence of Ukraine has received evidence of the use of microelectronics produced in the United States in the weapons and military equipment of the occupying country.

●        Foreign-made microcircuits were found by employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the Russian Pantsir air defense systems, Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters and Kh-101 cruise missiles.

●        Foreign electronic components in captured Russian technology once again prove the "effectiveness" of Russian "import substitution" and emphasize the complete dependence of the Russian Federation on Western technologies.

It is likely that Russia is using middlemen to obtain some chips, because buying direct from U.S. producers is now banned by sanctions.  At the same time, there are also reports that Russia is using chips in its missiles that are originally designed for use in washing machines.

NHK:  Japan will allocate a grant of about $1.7 million for the transportation of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Domradio:  German Catholic Bishop supported the supply of weapons to Ukraine. He noted that self-defense does not contradict Christian ethics: "Ukraine must be able to defend itself. And for this there are appropriate tools, that is, weapons"

American financier George Soros:  We must mobilize all our resources to end this war as soon as possible.  The best (and perhaps the only) way to save our civilization is to defeat Putin.   Unfortunately, it seems that leaders of some European countries prioritize the former over the latter, even if it means Ukraine agreeing to give up territory.

Bloomberg: The European Commission sent the EU countries a draft oil embargo against Russia.  The project makes a special exception for Hungary: it can continue to receive oil through the "Druzhba" pipeline.  The transition period has also been extended for several  other European countries.  The 6th package of sanctions, which includes the oil embargo, is promised to be adopted next week.   Hopefully the 6th Package will include Patriarch Kirill.

Daily Mirror: Putin has 2-3 years left to live.  According to a Russian intelligence officer, Putin is ill with a severe form of cancer - he loses his sight, suffers from headaches and tremors of the limbs.  He also has sudden fits of "uncontrollable rage" and doesn't really trust anyone.

Yle: Four NATO warships from the USA, Germany and France arrived in Finland at once, - .  Commander of the Finnish Navy believes that the calls of military ships to the ports of Helsinki are an expression of support for a country that has applied for NATO membership.

●        The number of military exercises will increase in Finland.  By the end of 2022, they plan to hold 20 combat training events, 8 of them are new. 

At the 75th Cannes Film Festival, the jury in the L'Oeil d'Or category awarded a special award to the film "Mariupoli 2" by Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravičius, who was killed by Russian soldiers in Mariupol in early April.

Welt am Sonntag:  The German government has reduced "to a minimum" the supply of weapons to Ukraine in the last 9 weeks, citing documents at its disposal. We are talking about the so-called light weapons, "any significant" supply of which has not been carried out since the end of March, the newspaper reports.

Russian media: The "Bashkir battalion" is being formed in Russia, consisting of special forces veterans to be sent to Ukraine.

European Commission Head: The European Union is forced to buy Russian oil so that Putin does not earn more somewhere else.

"We are playing this final for all people in Ukraine."  Head coach of Liverpool expressed words of support for Ukraine at a press conference before the Champions League final.

●        Real Madrid, which includes the goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national team Andriy Lunin, won the Champions League for the 14th time, beating Liverpool 1-0 in the final.

LRT:  The citizens of Lithuania supported the initiative to buy a Bayraktar for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, put forward by the independent movement Laisvės TV, and in 80 hours, through donations, they collected the necessary 5 million euros for the purchase

●        The head of the Lugansk Regional Military Administration, thanked the Lithuanian journalists who organized the fund raising for the Bayraktar.

●        Our relations with Lithuania are special.  There was even an Honorary Consulate of this country in Severodonetsk.  Nоw the Lithuanians are helping us bring victory closer at all levels.  Today I thanked the Lithuanians and everyone who joined the marathon organized by the journalist Andrius Tapinas - the founder of Laisvės TV with the team, to buy Bayraktar for Ukrainian soldiers.

The Guardian:  Luxury yachts linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs have begun disconnecting from the automatic location tracking system to avoid arrest.

Finnish Air Force: Finland plans to deploy the first group of American-made fifth-generation F-35 fighters at an air base near the city of Rovaniemi in the north of the country, which will enter service in 2026.

Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs:  The European Union has not yet transferred to Poland the funds needed to help Ukrainian refugees.  Warsaw was supposed to receive €144.6 million from the EU to help refugees, but the funds have not yet been received. At the same time, the costs incurred by the country are calculated in billions of euros, not in millions.

Belarusian Association of International Road Transport:  Kazakhstan has banned truckers from the Russian Federation and Belarus from delivering goods from the EU to the country.  Belarusian and Russian trucks carrying goods reloaded from European carriers will be delayed.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry:  Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria began to be resettled from hotels on the Black Sea coast.  Ukrainians will be able to continue to live free of charge in hostels, volunteer centers and other equipped places. Those who decide to stay in hotels are offered preferential terms of payment.

White House website:  US President approved the abolition of a 25% duty on steel imports from Ukraine. Duty free import will be valid for one year.

British Prime Minister:  The UK will continue to supply equipment to help the Armed Forces defend their country.  London is also intensively working to find ways to resume the export of Ukrainian grain and prevent a global food crisis.

BBC:  Former Russian Channel One presenter Agalakova, said in an interview that Russian TV is a "brainwashing machine" and advised Russians who believed her to turn off the TV.

RIA Novosti: Russia restored air communication with Egypt.  Yesterday, IFly Airlines made its first flight from Russia to Egypt after the suspension of flights in early March 2022.    I assume that neither the airframe nor the engine are under lease to one of the international leasing companies.  Otherwise, I trust that upon landing in Egypt the plane would be impounded.

German Cabinet Spokesman:  The German chancellor and the French president, during a telephone conversation with Putin, insisted on the immediate establishment of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of the Russian troops. They called on the Russian president to have serious direct negotiations with the Ukrainian president and find a diplomatic solution to the conflict".

●        Scholz and Macron, during a telephone conversation with Putin, called on the Russian president to release 2,500 'Azovstal' defenders captured in Mariupol.

El País:  The European Union is discussing the launch of a special naval mission in the Black Sea to unblock Ukrainian ports.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:  More than 150 cities in more than 20 countries have already severed twin city relations with more than 160 cities in Russia.

Speaker of the State Duma:  Biden and Zelenskii will achieve their goal - will go down in history as presidents who staged a famine on the planet.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister: Foreign agents must be swiftly and roughly punished.

Putin signed Amendments to the Federal Law "About Military Duty and Military Service", in which the age limit of Russian citizens for military service is excluded.

NATIONAL

One of the subsidiaries of Ukraine’s Naftogaz, Neftegazbezopasnost, bought 7 Toyota Land Cruiser 200 armored vehicles for almost one million euros. The company confirmed the information about the purchase and stated that the armored cars are needed for Naftogazbezopasnost employees who protect the company's founder's facilities, legal entities of the Naftogaz Group and other facilities of the oil and gas complex.

Twitter: OSINT blogger - Satellite images from Planet companies.com and Maxar Technologies showed the placement of Russian equipment near Zmiinyi and on the island itself.  “A large Russian barge with a crane and a landing craft was spotted on Zmiinyi Island in Ukraine. Additional vehicles are visible, there are now 14 of them. This barge has made many trips to the island in recent weeks.”   One of the barges was destroyed by a Ukrainian missile strike, prior to unloading its cargo.

Minister of Youth and Sports:  Russian troops caused $110 million worth of damage to sports infrastructure. 

UA TV:  Ukrainian economist predicts that 17 million people will be on the verge of starvation if Ukrainian food exports are not unblocked soon. 

Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine: Spoke about Ukraine's readiness for the possible use of chemical and nuclear weapons by Russia.  "At the level of all regions, specialized chemical monitoring and control groups have been created. They work 24/7. We have carried out work throughout the country to deliver specific antidotes used in the treatment of chemical weapons injuries. They were delivered in sufficient quantities to the level of regional hospitals.  ambulances, clinical hospitals."

Social Networks:   Photos of anti-Russian leaflets on the streets of occupied Tokmak and Melitopol, posted by partisans.

Chairman Naftogaz:  "Naftogaz" plans to create a network of national filling stations to prevent high fuel prices.   According to him, now people do not trust large private networks of gas stations, so a national network should appear.  At the same time, it will force private operators not to raise prices.

Ministry of Internal Affairs:  The Ukrainian military has already destroyed more than 30% of modern Russian tanks.  The T-34 tanks, which Russia can reactivate for the war against Ukraine, "will not get far"; the idea of using T-62 tanks is agony.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

●        In the Sloviansk direction, the group of Russian troops are taking measures to resume the offensive in certain directions.  The enemy continues to transfer weapons, military equipment and other material by rail from the territory of the Russian Federation to the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region.

●        With the support of artillery, the Russians tried to develop offensive operations in the area of ​​the settlement of Pasika, but failed and retreated.

●        In the Donetsk direction, the Russian army is conducting active military operations in the Lyman, Severodonetsk, Bakhmut, Kurakhiv and Avdiivka directions.  The main goal is to encircle Ukrainian troops in the areas of the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk and reach the administrative border of the Luhansk region.

●        In the Severodonetsk direction, the enemy, with the support of artillery, led an offensive in the direction of Bobrove, but suffered losses and retreated to previously occupied positions. In the area of ​​​​the village of Bobrovе, the Russian army suffered losses and retreated to previously occupied positions.  Air strikes were carried out in the Ustinіvka area.

●        In the Bakhmut direction, the invaders are unsuccessfully trying to improve the tactical situation in the areas of the settlements of Kamyshevakha and Novoluhanske.

●        As a result of the offensive actions of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians suffered losses and took up defense at unfavorable lines near Andriivka, Lozove and Bilohorka in the Kherson region.

●        In the Pivdenobuzke direction, the Russian army, as a result of the offensive actions of Ukrainian units, suffered losses and took up defense at unfavorable lines near the settlement of Kostromka.

●        The Ukrainian military liquidated the Russian lieutenant colonel Oleksandr Dosiahaiev.  He was the commander of the air assault battalion of the 104 air assault regiment of the Russian Federation.

●        In the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Russian administration ordered to stop receiving the civilian population to provide medical care in order to free up beds for the wounded.  Donor blood is being collected intensively.

The latest report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), combined with the latest YouTube video from Denis, present a very interesting view of the current situation in Eastern & Southern Ukraine.   Denis’ excellent graphics effectively complement ISW’s narrative, and they should looked at together.   Three observations from an un-educated observer:

·       Russia seems to be concentrating their forces in Donbas, to the expense of the Southern Theater around Kherson.   Donbas may carry more psychological significance to Russia, but the Southern Theater has far more strategic value to Ukraine.

·       Looking at Denis’ graphics and listening to his commentary, Russia’s forces seem to be undermanned and spread out.

·       ISW and Denis seem to be providing a far more in-depth and nuanced view than the German public broadcasting service, DW News, whose correspondent was reporting from Independence Square in Kyiv.

Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine:  A Ukrainian court sentenced a resident of Makiivka who was guilty of high treason for helping Russia target locations in Kharkiv, to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.

For the second time in two days, Petro Poroshenko was denied permission to travel abroad. According to the deputy Victoria Syumar, the border guards say that the deputy “has not presented all the documents”.  Poroshenko’s travel to the NATO Parliamentary meeting was approved by Ukraine’s parliament.  Clearly Ukraine’s president is interfering in the legitimate activity of Ukraine’s parliament.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, paid an official visit to the Kyiv region.  "The foreign delegation examined the residential sector in the city of Irpin, and they saw with their own eyes the infrastructure destroyed and damaged by the Russian military."

Youth and Sports Minister:  More than 50 athletes have died since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ministry of Defense: There are battles for Lyman, the city has not been taken by Russian troops.

●        The Ukrainian Defense Ministry does not yet see signs of Russia preparing a second attack on Kyiv.

Biden's pen, used to sign the Lend Lease Act, was sold for 600 thousand hryvnias at an auction - the money will go for pickups for the Army.

Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:  Russian ship groups continue to block civilian navigation in the Black and Azov Seas, making them a combat zone. Two ships carrying Russian Caliber cruise missiles with a total volley of up to 16 are ready to use missile weapons in the Black Sea.

●        Ukrainian sailors handed over a lifebuoy and a buoy from the Russian drowned cruiser "Moscow" to the border guards of the Ukrainian Marine Guard detachment.

●        Ukraine has received enough 'Harpoon' anti-ship missiles to sink the entire Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation

Ombudsman of Ukraine:  Russia continues to violate the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.  During a monitoring visit to health facilities where Ukrainian servicemen released from detention are being held, they reported on the facts of torture and ill-treatment of Russian soldiers.  In captivity, Ukrainian servicemen were threatened with murder, beatings and humiliation.

●        Ukrainian servicemen reported that the Russians had administered unknown drugs with the letter "M" in captivity, after which they lost consciousness and lost their memory.

State Security Service:  The Russian military began to commit mass atrocities even in Russia.  In the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, which is used as a transshipment point for Russians, reports of rape have increased significantly. Information taken from intercepted telephone conversations between Russian soldiers in Belgorod.

●        Conversation of a Russian soldier with his mother:  "What strong Russian army? Dummy!" The Russian talks about the impossibility of resigning from the army and returning home.  The son complains that the promised rotation is not expected.

●        The Service neutralized Russian agents acting under the guise of a "Cossack" organization.

●        The Service blocked the activity of an energy company, which was part of the Russian group Rosneft. Its monetary assets - 20 million hryvnias - were seized, and the license for electricity supply was suspended.

Defense Minister:  Ukraine received M109 self-propelled guns and Harpoon missiles.  "This was the result of cooperation between several countries. Coastal defense will be strengthened by Harpoon missiles. Ukraine is receiving land-based launchers and a corresponding number of Harpoon anti-ship missiles.  The Ukrainian military has already undergone combat training for their use."

British intelligence: On May 25, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Rudenko said that Russia was ready to provide a humanitarian corridor through the Black Sea in exchange for easing sanctions. He also announced the need for demining the water area around the port of Odesa, which should be done by Ukraine.

●        British intelligence cites this statement as a typical example of Russia's formation of public messages: throwing in alternative narratives to make it harder for the public to perceive them.

●        In this case, it is important that Ukraine only installed sea mines to protect its shores. Russia, for its part, has shown that for the sake of its goals it is ready to go, including provoking world hunger. At the same time, her condition for easing sanctions speaks of how important it really is for the regime.

Institute for the Study of War (ISW):

Putin throws people at Severodonetsk, believing that the capture of the city will affect the outcome of the war. The capture of the city can bring the Russians only tactical success, and the price they pay is incommensurable with real operational or strategic benefits.

●         The capture of Severodonetsk could open up a logistical supply line for Russia to support operations in the west.  However, the troops of the Russian Federation, having concentrated their attention on the city in the Luhansk region, have already lost profitable routes.

●        What is also interesting is that the map on the left shows substantial fighting going on within territory supposedly controlled by Russia.

KHARKIV

Merefa community head:  As a result of night shelling in Merefa in Kharkiv region, the solar-powered power substation was destroyed.

Regional Military Administration: On May 28, 6 people were injured in the Kharkiv region as a result of hostilities.  In particular, 3 residents of the Izyum region were injured - in Balakliya and Savintsy.  2 people were wounded in Zolochev, Bogodukhovsky district.  1 person was injured in the village of Korobochkino, Chuguevshchina.

LUHANSK

Regional Military Administration: Shelling in the region is continuous, the hottest place is in Severodonetsk.  City still under the Ukrainian flag.  The Russians still control the territory of the Mir Hotel, they have not advanced further, they have significant losses. Fighting continues in the villages on the outskirts of Severodonetsk.

●        Two dead were found, no wounded, about 60 houses were destroyed because of shelling by the Russian troops. 

●        “With continuous shelling, it is not always possible to quickly reach the places of new destruction and check them for the presence or absence of victims.  Therefore, relying on the daily growing number of damaged housing, there may be more deaths"

●        Today - Severodonetsk remains under the control of Ukraine.  The Russians remain in the Mir Hotel, they cannot move deeper into the city. 

●        The Ukrainian military drove the enemy out of Toshkovka and entrenched themselves. 

●        In the direction of Popasna near Kamyshevakhi, the Russians were thrown back two kilometers, the Lysichansk-Bakhmut highway is now less exposed to fire.

DONETSK:

Social Media: In Donetsk, an ammunition depot is on fire, located by the Russians at a coke plant. 

State Security Service:  The railway station in Kramatorsk was shelled from the occupied Starobesheve or Shakhtarsk based on the results of forensic expertise.

Regional Military Administration:   2 people were killed as a result of today's shelling in Bakhmut and Avdiivka.  4 more are wounded.

National Police:  Yesterday the Russians inflicted 21 strikes on the Donbas. Russian soldiers fired at 14 settlements. There are dead and wounded. 32 civilian objects were destroyed - residential buildings, a fire department, a recreation center, construction and agricultural enterprises, and critical infrastructure.

●        Russian soldiers are constantly shelling Avdiivka, Donetsk region, but they haven’t captured a single meter

The ISW report states that since the start of the war Russia has failed to break through the Ukrainian defense perimeter that Ukraine established in 2014.  The perimeter is very close to the City of Donetsk.   There have been continuous reports over the past several days of fighting in and around the towns of Pisky & Avdiivka, both located about 5 miles from the center of Donetsk City.

Mariupol Mayor's Adviser:  Mariupol. Pain. Tears. Loss. New reality. Temporary. We will go back. We will win. We will rebuild. Retribution is near.

●        The Russians have started loading rolled metal products from the Mariupol port. The metal rolls belong to a Ukrainian company which will not receive compensation.  The theft is being supervised by a large group of Kadyrovites.  This indicates that: the invaders have given Mariupol to the mercy of the Kadyrovites for looting and there will be no “restoration”. Only looting and terror”.

●        Russians have set up a corpse storage facility in the Shiriy Kum supermarket in the Levoberezhniy district.

ZAPORIZHIA

Regional Military Administration: In the Melitopol district, more than 35 employees of the Pryazovskii police department, in particular its chief, agreed to cooperate with the Russian authorities and called themselves the "people's militia."

DNIPRO

Regional Military Administration: Rocket strikes were carried out in the area of ​​one of the exits from the city of Kryvii Rih.

●        The head of the military administration Kriviy Rih specified that several Russian missiles flew into one enterprise in the industrial zone.  "The plant is practically destroyed. Explosions are heard. Rescue units are involved in the elimination of the consequences of the fire," he said.

KHERSON

Operational Command Pivden (South) The Russian military blocked exits from the Kherson region to Ukraine. Cars that people try to leave with are filtered and returned back.

●        Ukraine is conducting a counteroffensive on the southern front.  The situation on the line of contact has its own dynamics. As a result of the counter-offensive actions of our troops, the enemy has suffered significant losses and has to take up defensive positions at unfavorable, under-equipped lines.   In his YouTube video, Denis has a very detailed discussion of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, and possible axes.

Regional Prosecutor’s Office:  One person was killed and six were injured in a Russian attack in Chernobayevka, Kherson Oblast.  The information on the scale of the destruction of civil infrastructure is being clarified

MYKOLAIV

The mayor of Mykolaiv:  Yesterday morning shelling of the city by Russian forces hit apartment buildings.  According to preliminary data, civilians were injured.

REST OF UKRAINE

State Border Guard:  Yesterday night, the Russian military again shelled the border areas of the Sumy and Chernihiv regions from cannon artillery and mortars. In the Sumy region, an agricultural enterprise was destroyed because of a missile strike.

Sumy Regional Military Administration:

●        The Russian military continues to shell the borders of the Sumy region from Russian territory. Yesterday morning, 10 explosions were recorded in the direction of Boyaro-Lezhachiv. There are no casualties among personnel and equipment.

●        Yesterday after 12:00 Russian troops fired 5 mortar rounds from the Russian settlement Troebortnoe along the border area of the Shostka district.

●        Yesterday, after 16:00 a Russian plane made 6 launches of unguided missiles on the border areas of the Sumy region. The missiles hit outside the settlements.

●        A Russian plane fired on a church and a kindergarten in the Sumy region

●        Three missiles fired by the Russian troops around 18:00 hit populated areas and wounded a woman.

●        Today around 07:35, about 20 explosions were recorded from Russian territory in the direction of Boyaro-Lezhachiv . There are no losses among personnel and equipment.

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://euromaidanpress.com/

https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQBD3wxTrZ6XUU7IdXeHUfjVCydekezQCCGuwYnT6qPd1r7n1aVbFIewa6ng6Lis

www.ubn.news