Military
General Staff: intense fighting along almost the entire front line, greatest activity in the Siversky and Pokrovske directions. According to the General Staff of Ukraine, intense fighting is currently ongoing along almost the entire front line, with the greatest activity of the occupants being observed at the Siversky and Pokrovske directions.
Ukraine says it destroyed Russian Black Sea Fleet’s minesweeper Kovrovets. Ukrainian Armed Forces report the destruction of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s minesweeper Kovrovets. Earlier Ukraine’s Navy said a third of Russia’s warships in the Black Sea were destroyed or damaged.
ISW: Russians likely prepare second phase of northern Kharkiv offensive. The ISW reports that Russian forces are likely preparing for a second phase of their offensive in northern Kharkiv Oblast, with the seizure of Vovchansk as a key objective to facilitate further operations threatening Ukrainian defenses.
Zelenskyy: we have stronger positions in Kharkiv Oblast, occupants cannot stretch our forces. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the Ukrainian Defense Forces strengthened their positions in the Kharkiv Oblast, and that the Russians are not achieving their goal of stretching Ukrainian forces.
Russian double tap attack on Kharkiv suburb kills five, injures 16. Russian forces hit a recreational area in the Kharkiv district, killing five and injuring 16, including a child and first responders.
Alleged Ukrainian drones target occupied Crimea, oil facilities in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and St. Petersburg. On 19 May, drones targeted an oil depot and an airfield in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and explosions occurred in occupied Crimea. Meanwhile, a fire broke out at Russia’s Saint Petersburg oil depot, with local officials denying it resulted from a drone attack.
Intelligence and Technology
As of 19 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:
British Defense Secretary says Ukraine will receive 100 air defense missiles from London in May. British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has said that Ukraine will receive a hundred air defense missiles from Britain during May and urged allies to speed up military aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s offensive in Kharkiv region.
Media: German Finance Ministry agrees to allocate additional funds for military support of Ukraine. The German Finance Ministry has unofficially approved a request from the Defense Ministry for more funds to help Ukraine, as almost all of the allocated funds have been used.
International
French Head of FM Committee calls for allowing Ukraine to hit Russian territory. The head of the French parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Jean-Louis Bourlange, has called on Paris to lift the taboo on Ukrainian strikes with French weapons on Russian territory.
Zelenskyy urged the world to help Kharkiv: two Patriot systems will fundamentally change the situation. After the Russian morning attack in the Kharkiv Oblast, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the delivery of two Patriot air defense systems to protect Kharkiv would fundamentally change the security situation in the city.
Pentagon announces date of next Ramstein meeting: 20 May. The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (also known as the ”Ramstein” format) will be held on 20 May.
Humanitarian and Social Impact
Ukraine downs all 37 Russian Shahed drones during nighttime attack. Russia launched a drone attack against Ukraine, deploying 37 drones overnight. Ukrainian air defenses responded, destroying all drones by early morning, per Ukraine’s Air Force.
Russia faces fuel shortage due to refinery strikes, is being helped by Belarus. After several attacks on Russian refineries, Moscow is facing a tangible shortage of fuel. Now the needs are covered by imports from Belarus.
Political and Legal Developments
BBC: Georgia president vetoes ”Russian-style” foreign agent law. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has vetoed a divisive “foreign agent” law that has sparked weeks of mass street protests, who said it would limit freedom of speech in the country and strengthen Russian influence.
New Developments
Oleksandr Usyk became the first absolute heavyweight champion of the world in the 21st century. Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk became the absolute world boxing champion among professionals in the “Royal Division” for the first time since 1999.
Read the daily review for Sat 18 May 2024, here.
