Wednesday, May 10

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of one of the Russian attacks on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Oblast on May 8-9, 2023. (Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko/Telegram)

EU chief, Zelensky meet in Kyiv on Europe Day. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Kyiv on May 9, discussing the EU ammunition supply plan, an upcoming package of sanctions against Russia, and the bloc’s ban on Ukrainian food exports.

Putin claims ‘real war’ unleashed against Russia during Victory Day speech. During his address at the annual Victory Day celebration at Moscow’s Red Square to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that “a real war has once again been unleashed against our Motherland.”

UN chief: Ukraine peace talks ‘impossible’ now. Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are currently impossible as “both parties are convinced they can win,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Prigozhin says Wagner forces would be deemed ‘traitors’ if they withdrew from Bakhmut. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military company Wagner Group, said that he and his mercenaries would be deemed “traitors” if they were to withdraw from Bakhmut, where they have been fighting for several months.

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Russian brigade flees Bakhmut. Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade confirmed on May 9 that the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces has fled Bakhmut. The news, prior to the confirmation, was originally announced by Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.

UK Defense Ministry: Water deficit increasingly critical for Russian-occupied Donetsk. Russia is likely building a water pipeline to alleviate the water shortage in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, an issue growing since Moscow’s full-scale invasion, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on May 9.

High Anti-Corruption Court confiscates top Kherson collaborator’s assets. Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court has confiscated part of the assets belonging to Volodymyr Saldo, Moscow-installed head of the occupation administration in Kherson Oblast, Transparency International Ukraine reported on May 9.

President’s office: 37 countries hold summit on tribunal for Russian crimes. The 37 member states of the Core Group have held an online summit to discuss establishing a tribunal for Russian crimes of aggression committed in Ukraine, the President’s Office reported on May 9.

Russia begins moving civilians from Zaporizhzhia Oblast under pretext of evacuation. Russia has begun new waves of relocating Ukrainian civilians from Russian-occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast under the pretext of evacuations. Some civilians are taken further into Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, while others have been taken to Russia.

Ukraine’s True History: How Russia has attempted to erase Ukrainian language, culture throughout centuries

Read more here about Russia’s centuries-long quest to destroy the Ukrainian language and culture.

Human cost of war

AFP journalist killed by Grad rockets in Chasiv Yar. Arman Soldin, a video journalist for Agence France-Presse, was killed when Russia launched Grad rockets at Chasiv Yar on May 9, the news agency reported.

Russian forces launch rockets at Kupiansk, injuring at least 3 people. Russia launched rockets at the city of Kupiansk on May 9, injuring at least three people, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 195,620 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on May 9 that Russia had also lost 3,734 tanks, 7,257 armored fighting vehicles, 5,969 vehicles and fuel tanks, 3,031 artillery systems, 554 multiple launch rocket systems, 307 air defense systems, 308 airplanes, 294 helicopters, 2,618 drones, and 18 boats.

Opinions and insights

Ukraine war latest: Wagner mercenaries again complain of ammunition shortage; Russia hits Ukraine with mass missile strike

Russian forces launched 25 Kalibr and Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and nine S-300 surface-to-air missiles at Ukraine overnight on May 9, injuring one civilian, the Ukrainian military reported.

Photo: Ihor Taburets/Telegram

International response

Washington Post: UK preparing to give long-range missiles to Ukraine. The U.K. appears ready to send Ukraine long-range missiles that can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away, the Washington Post reported on May 9, citing a procurement notice by the U.K.-led International Fund for Ukraine.

Politico: US will not follow UK in sending Ukraine long-range missiles. The Biden administration has no intention of following Britain’s lead in sending Ukraine long-range missiles, Politico reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

Pentagon announces new $1.2 billion security assistance package for Ukraine. The Pentagon announced on May 9 that it has provided an additional $1.2 billion security assistance package to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

Media: French parliament approves motion to list Wagner as terrorist organization. France’s National Assembly approved a motion urging the French government and the EU to officially designate the Wagner mecenary group as a terrorist organization, France 24 reported on May 9.

Blinken: Ukraine has everything it needs to retake occupied territory. Ukraine has the resources it needs to recapture territory occupied by Russia, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 9.

In other news

SBU: Woman linked to MH17 case sentenced to 12 years in prison. A woman detained by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) last June was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a court for leaking information about Ukrainian forces on the frontline in Donetsk Oblast to Russia, the SBU reported on May 9.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dinara Khalilova, Teah Pelechaty, Oleg Sukhov, Kate Tsurkan, Lili Bivings, and Olena Goncharova.

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