Russo-Ukrainian war, day 806: First batch of 180,000 shells from Czech initiative is expected to arrive in Ukraine in June

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Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian forces unleash flying machine guns against Russian assaults west of Avdiivka. Ukrainians experiment with new drone warfare tactics, mounting heavy drones with machine guns to counter Russian infantry assaults amidst heavy fighting west of occupied Avdiivka.

Donetsk Oblast chief: Russia will push into central Ukraine if it captures Chasiv Yar. Vadym Filashkin, Donetsk Oblast chief, warns that capturing Chasiv Yar could enable Russian forces to advance further into central Ukraine, with Ukraine doing everything possible to prevent the fall of the city.

Ukraine targets ten positions of Russian troops, strikes three air defense systems and two artillery units over past day.

UK intel: Russia achieves minor gains in April despite increased attacks, sustains heavy losses. In April 2024, Russian forces increased attacks by 17% in eastern Ukraine, particularly targeting strategic high grounds near Bakhmut, with only minor tactical gains achieved.

As of 09 May 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

Personnel: 478730 (+1300)
Tanks: 7429 (+11)
APV: 14281 (+35)
Artillery systems: 12340 (+23)
MLRS: 1058 (+1)
Anti-aircraft systems: 793 (+1)
Aircraft: 349
Helicopters: 325
UAV: 9775 (+47)
Cruise missiles: 2192 (+41)
Warships/boats: 26
Submarines: 1
Vehicles and fuel tanks: 16618 (+69)

Intelligence and technology

ISW: Russia exploits Ukraine air defense shortages in attacks on power infrastructure. a recent report from the Institute of Study of War suggests that Russian forces are likely to persist in mass strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure until US-provided air defense missiles arrives.

EurActiv: Ukraine plans to use Russia’s frozen assets to boost arms production. Ukraine is exploring ways to bolster its domestic arms industry with support from the European Union, according to Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin.

International

First batch of 180,000 shells to arrive in Ukraine in June under Czech initiative — Petr Pavel. President Pavel stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

DW: China’s Xi Jinping meets Orban, Putin’s closest ally among EU leaders, in Hungary. Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban welcomed Xi.

Russia exploiting Ukraine’s weapons shortage to bolster forces, says Zelenskyy on Day of Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv, announced that the Ukrainian armed forces are ready to halt the advancement of Russian troops.

Slovaks raise €4 mn for Ukrainian ammo procurement in Czechia. Slovak NGOs, opposing their Russia-friendly PM who refused military supplies to Ukraine, have raised over four million euros through an ongoing crowdfunding campaign to buy 2,692 artillery rounds from Czechia, aiming for delivery by summer’s end.

Major Russian strike cripples Ukraine’s power grid, European imports insufficient. Ukrainian system has a finite capacity for processing foreign electricity, making it hard to expand imports to meet demand.

Ukraine decommissions two hydro plants after Russia’s May 8 missile strike. Ukraine’s Ukrhydroenergo decommissions two hydroelectric plants after Russian missile strikes on 8 May inflicted significant damage requiring major repairs.

Prosecutor General: Russian aggression killed 546 children, injured 1,330 injured during all-out war. Since February 2022, Russian military actions in Ukraine have resulted in 546 child fatalities and 1,330 injuries, with Donetsk and Kharkiv among the most affected oblasts, reports the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office.

Russian artillery attack on Nikopol kills two civilians. In Nikopol, Russian shelling has killed two and injured two, damaging homes, a store, and other structures, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast chief reports.

Russia’s Shahed explosive drones hit community center in south as Ukraine downs 17/20 Shaheds. A Russian drone strike damaged a community center in Pervomaiske, Mykolaiv, causing a fire. Ukrainian defense intercepted 17 out of 20 drones launched from Crimea, preventing further damage.

Political and legal developments

Russian spy sentenced to 15 years for assisting Russians in attacks on Mykolaiv Oblast. The news came after the Ukrainian Security Service disclosed uncovering 11 spy networks since the start of 2024.

New developments

Ukraine’s May 8 strike destroyed at least three fuel tanks at occupied Luhansk’s oil depot, satellite imagery shows. A satellite image reveals that three fuel tanks were destroyed in an alleged ATACMS May 8 attack on a fuel depot in occupied Luhansk.

Drone strike causes blaze at oil refinery in Russia’s Salavat, 1,300 km from Ukraine (video). A drone strike hit Gazprom’s Salavatnefteorgsintez refinery in Salavat, Russia, 1,300 km from Ukraine. Authorities report no casualties, claim operations are unaffected.

Ukraine hits another oil depot in southwestern Russia near occupied Crimea (video). Last night, a drone attack on an oil depot in Yurovka in southwestern Russia’s Krasnodar Krai resulted in fires.

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