Ukraine Daily

Sunday, 8 May2022

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Residents and emergency services personnel push a damaged car from the driveway of a destroyed house during clean up operations a day after a Russian attack on April 29, 2022 in Zaporizhia, Ukraine. Russia has stepped up its attacks in southeast Ukraine as it tries to advance further into Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. (Getty Images)

Official: All women, children, elderly evacuated from Azovstal. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced on May 7 that the evacuation of civilians had been completed. The highly fortified Azovstal plant in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, is being besieged and stormed by Russian troops.

Zelensky: Authorities preparing evacuation of wounded soldiers, medics at Azovstal. Together with the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the authorities are planning to evacuate wounded soldiers, medics and remaining military personnel during the second phase of evacuation. The first phase of evacuating civilians has been completed and though the second phase is “extremely difficult,” he said that “we do not lose hope.”

Commander: Time running out to save Mariupol defenders’ lives. Commander of Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade Serhiy Volyna asked the world to make every effort to evacuate the remaining Ukrainian soldiers from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast. He added that it may seem like “a hellish reality show” but “everything is real” and there are “pain, suffering, hunger, torment, tears, fear, death.” The highly fortified Azovstal is being stormed by Russian troops.

Russia may launch missile attacks on May 8 and blame Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry falsely claimed that Ukraine’s armed forces would hit crowded places in Lviv and Volyn oblasts with missiles.

Newsweek: Russia spending an estimated $900 million a day on war in Ukraine. According to Sean Spoonts, editor-in-chief of SOFREP, a military news media outlet, Russia needs to pay the soldiers fighting in Ukraine, provide them with ammunition and rockets, and repair lost or damaged military equipment. Russia also must pay for the numerous critical weapons and cruise missiles that have been fired during the war, which cost about $1.5 million apiece.

UK intelligence: Russia’s war takes a toll on its most advanced capabilities. According to the recent intelligence update by the U.K. Defense Ministry, at least one T-90M, Russia’s most advanced tank, has been destroyed by Ukrainian forces. Russia currently has roughly 100 T90M in service, with some of them deployed in Ukraine.

Governor: Russians dropped powerful bomb on school where 90 people hid. Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians had dropped a bomb on a building where “almost the whole village (of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast) was hiding” from Russian shelling. Haidai added that after the club used as a bomb shelter was destroyed, the school’s basement was the only place for the locals to hide but “the Russians took away this chance” as well. About 30 people have been rescued from under the rubble, according to the official.

Ukraine damages one, destroys two more Russian boats in Black Sea. The Ukrainian Operational Command South reported using Bayraktar drones to destroy two Russian Raptor-class patrol boats, while significantly damaging another one in the area of the Russian-occupied Snake Island. Earlier on May 7, the Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine’s forces hit a Russian landing craft and destroyed the Tor missile system in the same area.

Governor: Russian shelling destroys museum in Kharkiv Oblast. Oleh Synehubov said that the Hryhorii Skovoroda national museum was attacked late on May 6. The building was destroyed, according to the official, however, the most valuable exhibits had been moved to a safe place in advance.

Ukrainian troops repel nine Russian attacks. Russian forces have reportedly sustained heavy casualties while advancing on the Ukrainian army positions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions losing 19 tanks, 20 armored combat vehicles, four special armored vehicles and six other vehicles.

Ukraine shoots down 14 Russian aerial targets. Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said Russia lost a helicopter, two missiles and 11 UAVs on May 7.

Cabinet approves draft agreement to get $1.5 billion from World Bank. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the sum would be spent on public servants, government agencies, and other budget expenses.

General Staff: Ukraine liberates village in Kharkiv Oblast. The liberation of the village of Tsyrkuny is the latest move in Ukraine’s ongoing offensive in the vicinity of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s General Staff said.

Russian forces strike Odesa, Mykolaiv. Spokesperson for the Odesa Regional Military Administration Serhiy Bratchuk said on national television Russian forces fired several missiles at Odesa, adding that no further details are known yet. In the southern city of Mykolaiv Russian troops hit an energy generating company building, 20 workers were in the office. There were no casualties, the company said.

Ukraine’s intelligence: Russian officers to leave combat positions to protect May 9 parade in Mariupol. Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate reported on May 7 that the members of Russia’s 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment were to provide round-the-clock protection to Russian personalities in occupied Mariupol. Ukraine’s intelligence also reported intercepting a Russian officer’s complaints about the order from Moscow.

Berlin allows Ukrainian flag, symbols for 1 hour on May 8. Russian flags will also be authorized for one hour. Berlin authorities previously forbade Ukrainians to bring Ukrainian symbols, putting them on the same list as Russian imperialist symbols such as the “Z” sign in support of Russian aggression, to demonstrations on the World War II victory anniversary.

Railway traffic resumes on rebuilt Irpin bridge. The bridge was rebuilt over the course of one month after Irpin, a satellite city northwest of Kyiv, was liberated. The bridge was destroyed in March when Russian forces tried to cross the Irpin River in the direction of Kyiv, during the battle of Kyiv.

Russian Duma speaker accuses US of being directly involved in fighting against Russia in Ukraine. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house of parliament, the Duma, accused the U.S. of direct involvement in military action against Russia. “Washington is essentially coordinating and developing military operations, thereby directly participating in military actions against our country,” he wrote on Telegram. The U.S., alongside other Western allies, have supplied Ukraine with heavy weapons but have repeatedly stated they won’t take part in fighting themselves.

Kherson authorities: Russian troops step up ‘filtration’ of civilians in Kherson Oblast. According to deputy head of the Kherson Oblast administration Yurii Sobolevsky, Russian troops are “cleansing the region of people who threaten the occupation regime.” He added that searches and kidnappings continue to happen in the region, which is mostly occupied by Russians.

Governor: Russian aviation strikes Sumy Oblast with missiles, one person injured. Russians attacked the areas near the towns of Khotin and Myropillia on May 7, according to Governor of Sumy Oblast Dmytro Zhyvytskyi.

Ombudsman: Russia plans to give Russian citizenship to Ukrainians in occupied parts of Kherson Oblast, introduce ruble. According to Ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova, Russian forces also plan to return the coat of arms that Kherson Oblast had during the Russian Empire times. She added that residents who are against the occupation are being tortured — over 500 people are currently being held in torture chambers.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Russian troops kill three, injure six Ukrainian soldiers during evacuation of civilians from Azovstal. Azov, the Ukrainian military regiment defending the Azovstal steel plant, the last part of Mariupol under Ukrainian control, told Ukrainska Pravda that 2 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by UAV bombs and another — by an anti-tank guided missile. The attack took place on May 6, during a pre-agreed ceasefire set to allow the evacuation of civilians to take place.

Two killed, nine injured by Russian missile strike in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. A fire broke out in the building of a local lyceum as a result of the attack. Rescuers are working at the scene.

One dead, three wounded after massive Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast overnight. The city of Bakhmut suffered the most as it was hit by an airstrike, governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported. The official expects the number of casualties to be much higher.

Two Luhansk Oblast residents killed in Russian airstrike. A school sheltering residents of Bilohorivka village in Luhansk Oblast was bombed by the Russian military earlier on May 7. According to Ukraine’s emergency service, two bodies have so far been excavated from the site, with more potentially trapped under rubble.

Armed Forces say they killed 107 Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine on May 7. The Eastern Operational and Tactical Group said that three dozen units of military equipment had been destroyed on May 7. These include 8 Russian tanks, 11 infantry fighting vehicles, 4 MT-LB armored tracked vehicles and 5 artillery tractors. The military also added that a Russian armored personnel carrier had also been destroyed.

General Staff: Russia has lost 25,100 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on May 7 that Russia has also lost 1,122 tanks, 2,713 armored personnel carriers, 1,934 vehicles and fuel tanks, 509 artillery systems, 172 multiple launch rocket systems, 84 anti-aircraft defense systems, 155 helicopters, 199 aircraft, 341 UAVs, and 11 boats.

International response

Reuters: UK to provide Ukraine with additional $1.6 billion in military assistance. This was announced by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of May 8 video meeting of the G7 leaders and President Volodymyr Zelensky. Johnson will also hold a separate meeting to discuss ramping up production to meet demands for the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Former US Ambassador to Russia calls on diplomats to avoid attending the May 9 parade on Red Square. Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, tweeted that other diplomats who are against Russia’s war should show solidarity with Ukraine by boycotting the May 9 parade.

Media: German foreign minister to visit Kyiv on May 10. European Pravda reported citing an anonymous source that Annalena Baerbock’s visit will take place on May 10. The visit will follow President Volodymyr Zelensky’s May 9 address to G7 leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Stoltenberg: NATO sees no change in Russian nuclear strategy since Feb. 24. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told German newspaper Welt that Russia’s nuclear threats were irresponsible and that “if nuclear weapons were used, there would only be losers on all sides.”

Blinken: Putin tries to twist history to justify brutal invasion of Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement on the 77th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to twist history to justify his “unprovoked and brutal war” against Ukraine. “Those who study the past know President Zelensky and the brave people of Ukraine embody the spirit of those who prevailed during the World War II,” he said.

Zelensky’s fleece jacket sells for $110,000 at Ukraine fundraiser in London. The Telegraph reported that U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson called President Volodymyr Zelensky “one of the most incredible leaders of modern times,” as he encouraged attendees of the Brave Ukraine fundraiser to donate for humanitarian aid. “Support Ukraine tonight my friends so that great ancient European capital Kyiv can never be threatened again, and that Ukraine can be whole and free once more,” he said at the event.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Asami Terajima, Alexander Query, Thaisa Semenova, Olena Goncharova, Sergiy Slipchenko, Oleg Sukhov, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olga Rudenko, Toma Istomina and Brad LaFoy.

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