WAR IN UKRAINE: May 19, 2022
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 85
Moscow says more than 900 Ukrainian fighters from the Mariupol steelworks have been taken to a former prison colony in a Russian-controlled part of Donetsk. Ukraine hasn't publicly commented on their fate. A pro-Russian separatist leader says more than 1,000 soldiers are still trapped in the plant. Meanwhile, a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it has registered hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) this week from the plant. The process involves the individual filling out a form with personal details like name, date of birth and closest relative. “This information allows the ICRC to track those who have been captured and help them keep in touch with their families,” it said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine could soon cause a global food crisis that may last for years. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war had worsened food insecurity in poorer nations due to rising prices. My input: The UN leadership refused to recognize in advance the high likelihood of a Russian invasion. Thus delaying prepositioning of key personnel and crucial supplies in Ukraine. The SG’s highly risky visit to Russia and Ukraine brought little in terms of long term benefits.
The Ukrainian armed forces say they have recaptured another settlement in the Kharkiv region as they counterattack in the area. Meanwhile, NATO doesn't expect significant gains for either side on the battlefield in Ukraine in the coming weeks. "I think we'll be in a standstill for a while," a NATO military official with knowledge of the intelligence said - CNN
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the definition of victory over Russia includes: the liberation of Russian-occupied territories, including Donbas and Crimea, the payment of reparations by Russia, trials for Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity, and European integration for Ukraine.
US confirms ambassador: The US Senate has confirmed career foreign service officer Bridget Brink as US ambassador to Ukraine. The embassy has been without a confirmed ambassador since Marie Yovanovitch was recalled in May 2019 by then-President Donald Trump. The US Embassy is currently operating on a skeleton staff as it determines the security situation.
The European Union must prepare to rebuild Ukraine by establishing a fund to assist with the reconstruction process, says Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, adding it is essential to focus on pragmatic, immediate support for the war-torn country. “Rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and revitalising the Ukrainian economy will cost billions. We as the EU must start laying the ground for a solidarity fund financed by contributions from the EU and its partners." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US will give Ukraine an additional $215 million in emergency food assistance to help the country fight its ongoing humanitarian crisis, CNN reports.
Today in Lviv, eight-year-old Daryna was given the Ukrainian flag during the funeral of her father, Yurij Huka, 41, who died on the war frontline in eastern Ukraine. Photo: Diego Ibarra Sanchez.