WAR IN UKRAINE: May 22, 2023
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 453
Russia and Ukraine continued to issue contradictory statement over who controls the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group has vowed to transfer control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to the Russian army by 1 June. Ukraine says its troops are still advancing on the outskirts of Bakhmut, reported BBC.
As I said on MSNBC’s Way Too Early this morning, it is hard to take seriously any of the statements coming out of the mouths of Russian officials. After a series of humiliating defeats over the past few months, the Kremlin is desperate for positive news that it can spin to sceptical Russian war bloggers and others inside Russia. And as I have said on multiple news outlets, even if Russia manages to take the city (which had a pre war population of about 70,000), it has been bombed to shreds and represents little practical value. Unlike other occupied cities, it is not a port city and is landlocked.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is sure that #Ukraine, in addition to the training of pilots on the F-16, will also receive the fighters themselves from partners. According to him, there is already an understanding of which countries can provide aircraft, but at the moment it is not known how many or when it will happen - Suspilne
However, one active duty F-16 pilot told CNN that expectations may be way too high. “To your question about the F-16 being a difference maker. It’s not,” said the pilot, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the subject. More here
Governor of Russia's Belgorod region says a Ukrainian army 'sabotage group' had entered Russian territory in the Graivoron district, which borders Ukraine. In a statement on Telegram, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the Russian army and security forces were taking measures to repel the incursion. Earlier, the Telegram channel Baza, which is linked to Russia's security services, had published footage apparently showing a Ukrainian tank attacking a Russian border post, reported Reuters.
The group of 15+ people reportedly struck Friday armed with assault rifles, machine guns, grenades launchers, and sniper rifles traded fire with Russian border guards. The incident allegedly took place in the village of Krasny Khutor, which is located less than a kilometer (about half a mile) from the Russia–Ukraine border - Meduza
The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in #Ukraine was left without power amid reports of Russian shelling of a high-voltage transmission line leading to Europe's largest nuclear station, as Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, reports RFE/RL. The line was the last one supplying the plant with electricity and risks triggering a nuclear catastrophe
Satellite analysis by BBC Verify has uncovered some of the extensive defences built by Russia as it prepares for a major Ukrainian counter-attack. After months of stalemate, the expected assault is likely to be a crucial test for Ukraine as it seeks to prove it can achieve significant battlefield gains with the weapons it has received from the West. By examining hundreds of satellite images, the BBC has identified some key points in the significant build-up of trenches and other fortifications in southern Ukraine since October. Read the full analysis here