WAR IN UKRAINE: May 14, 2021
Images are beginning to emerge of hundreds of bodies of Russian soldiers killed in action being loaded onto refrigerated train cars in Ukraine. Many are reported to be without ID; Russian officials are also said to refuse to accept the bodies. Photo: Sergiy Karazy
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 80
Negotiations are still underway to evacuated the Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, says President Volodymyr Zelensky. He said some of those trapped are badly wounded and that the most experienced negotiators have been tasked to reach an evacuation agreement. Another Ukraine official said the most critically wounded and who need evacuation number about 60.
Ukraine Defense Minister: War enters protracted phase. Oleksii Reznikov said on May 13 that Ukraine is entering a new, long-lasting phase of Russia’s war and that the coming weeks will not be easy “Extremely tough weeks are ahead. No one can say for sure how many of them there will be. During this period, we will continue defending from the enraged aggressor mainly on our own. Over 1.5 thousand Ukrainian soldiers are already training or will start training in the next couple of days to master equipment from our partners and then return as instructors. Some of them, like artillerymen, will go straight into battle. Time will pass until heavy weaponry will balance the scales and ensure a breakthrough in favor of Ukraine. One should understand that its current presence is limited.”
Ukraine's national guard says at least 500 of its members have died since Russia’s invasion more than two months ago. It’s the first time the force has announced such fatality figures. Many fear the real number could be much higher - BBC
Ukrainian artillery frustrates Russian offensive. Intense fighting is taking place between Izium and Sloviansk, but Russian forces have not managed to make much progress, according to a senior U.S. defense official. Most of the 89 howitzers the U.S. has given Ukraine are “in the fight,” the official said. 370 Ukrainian soldiers have completed training on how to use the howitzers - CNN
The Azov battalion in Mariupol says ithas killed about 6,000 Russian military personnel, including one general. They added 78 tanks and more than 100 armoured vehicles have also been destroyed.
Why Ukraine Is the Best Place to be a Comedian: “If you are a good comedian in the U.S., you can have a late-night show. If you are a good comedian in Ukraine, you can destroy Russia.’ Feature in The Atlantic by Veronika Melkozerova. Read here
Various international actors are collecting evidence for investigations and trials of war crimes in Ukraine
In a May 6 report, human rights watchdog Amnesty International set out evidence pointing to extrajudicial killings and other abuses committed by Russian troops in areas north-west of Kyiv. The chances of Russian leaders being held to account are remote, but the weight of evidence combined with international pressure mean this cannot be discounted. US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have accused Russia of war crimes and genocide.
As momentum builds for holding Russia to account, most eyes are on the International Criminal Court (ICC), but it is not the only option. Material evidence and eyewitness testimony will be more plentiful than in past conflicts. Western leaders will confront President Vladimir Putin with evidence of wrongdoing for the twin purposes of adding pressure and ensuring that in future he cannot say he was unaware - Oxford Analytica