Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:52 Politico writes that Biden secretly allowed Ukraine to use American weapons on Russian territory, but not everywhere. In particular, according to the newspaper, Biden recently instructed his team to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces can use American weapons for targets in the Kharkov area, “so that Ukraine can respond to Russian forces that are striking or preparing to strike.” At the same time, the publication’s sources added that the White House’s policy regarding long-range strikes inside Russia “has not changed.”
22:44 Pentagon Speaker Sabrina Singh said that the US position regarding Ukraine’s use of American weapons has not changed: “We do not encourage their use on the territory of the Russian Federation.”
22:10 Zelensky said in an evening address about strengthening Ukrainian air defense: “We are working as hard as possible to give strength and capabilities to our defense of the sky. There will be a lot of communication on this matter with partners in the near future - regarding new air defense systems and joint productions, and in particular the production of drones - increasing volumes and attracting special investments in such production, both joint production with our partners and work in our country."
22:03 The Vatican opposes Ukrainian strikes on Russia with Western weapons, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said: “I think that such a possibility should concern everyone who cares about the fate of our world. This could lead to an escalation that no one can control ".
22:01 The Parliament of Moldova adopted a declaration condemning Russia’s policy of genocide towards Ukraine, in particular, the forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children in the occupied territories. The document condemns Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, and also confirms Chisinau's commitment to helping Ukrainian children and refugees in Moldova.
21:49 There was a fire in Putin’s unofficial residence in Altai, one of the buildings was almost completely burned down, Russian public pages write. The residence was disguised as the Altai Compound sanatorium and resort complex, owned by Gazprom. Information about the secret construction of a “sanatorium” first appeared in 2010. Russian oppositionists have repeatedly stated that this complex is connected with Putin. According to media reports, one of the Kremlin head’s bunkers is also located there, where he could fly during the COVID pandemic.
20:54 By the end of the year, Ukraine will receive almost a million shells as part of the Czech initiative, Blinken said during a visit to the Czech Republic.
20:50 Germany will transfer a new package of military assistance to Ukraine worth 500 million euros, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. The package will include Leopard tanks, missiles for IRIS-T air defense systems, drones, artillery ammunition, small arms cartridges and spare parts for howitzers and armored vehicles.
According to Deutsche Welle, Pistorius announced a new aid package for Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Odessa. For security reasons, the minister's visit remained secret until the very end.
20:46 The defense forces launched an attack on the Kerch ferry crossing with ATACMS missiles tonight, the General Staff reported. As a result of the attack, two ferries that carried out rail and road transport were significantly damaged. One of them ran aground, blocking the functioning of the entire Kerch crossing. Thus, the military logistics of the Russians on the peninsula have been significantly undermined, the General Staff emphasized.
20:43 The Pentagon's intelligence agency in a new report provided evidence of Russia's use of North Korean ballistic missiles to attack Ukraine. US intelligence compared images of missile debris found in Kharkov after the January 2 Russian strikes with images of missiles in North Korean state media from 2023 and found they matched. In particular, analysts found similarities in the sections of the forward engine, stern engine and cable tray and ring connectors in the photo of the missile debris in Kharkov and the rocket at the Pyongyang plant.
20:37 Stoltenberg intends to ask the allies to allocate about 40 billion euros a year to Ukraine for military assistance, Reuters writes, citing a source within the Alliance. The funding would support at least the current level of military support sent by allies, he said.
20:29 The absence of hourly power outages in the last days of May is a temporary improvement caused by the repair of two nuclear power plant units, said the head of Ukrenergo Vladimir Kudrytsky. According to him, the situation will soon worsen again: “According to the schedule, in the coming days certain units at nuclear power plants will again go out for repairs. And this situation that we have in recent days, when we have enough electricity and manage to avoid outages, unfortunately , will change again."
20:15 More and more Western countries are officially allowing Ukraine to attack Russian territory with weapons transferred by them. Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland and others have already done this. The US decision will be key. And they say that Joe Biden is getting closer to such a resolution. Read more in the article Direct attacks on the Russian Federation .
19:58 The EU wants to give Hungary a less significant post in the next European Commission, given Orban’s close relations with the Russian Federation and the constant blocking of key decisions on Ukraine, Politico writes. According to the publication, Budapest would like to retain the position of European Commissioner for Enlargement, which has significant influence due to EU negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc. But national governments do not want the current Commissioner Várhelyi or any other Hungarian to continue in such an important role.
19:47 There are 190 children left in Kupyansk and the community, said the head of the GVA Andrei Besedin. According to him, the evacuation of local residents is extremely difficult, people refuse to leave. “If we are talking about children, then the situation is changing - today there are 190 children left. Last week there were 204, and this is already a certain success, because people hear and understand. Now there is every opportunity to leave the community with children. But, unfortunately, again, they refuse for meaningless reasons,” Besedin said.
19:14 Lithuania has joined the coalition of countries providing assistance to Ukrainian air defense, said President Gitanas Nausėda. In particular, he said, Lithuania will transfer mobile air surveillance radars to Ukraine.
19:09 On Friday, May 31, no power outages are forecast, Ukrenergo reported.
18:16 Zelensky and Biden will sign a bilateral security agreement a few days before the Swiss Peace Summit, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. The parties are expected to sign a bilateral agreement on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Italy.
The publication also writes that relations between Kiev and Washington are now very tense. Ukraine is disappointed by the lack of US support for the Peace Summit, the parties have a number of controversial issues, in particular regarding victory in the war, there is tension due to the dismissal of Zaluzhny and much more.
18:07 The Main Intelligence Directorate clarified that as a result of today’s attack in Crimea, two enemy boats KS-701 Tuna were destroyed and two more ships of the same type were hit. The Russians used these boats for logistics and patrolling the waters near Crimea.
17:29 The media showed which of Ukraine’s partner countries has already given permission to fire them with weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation:
Which countries allow Ukraine to launch strikes on Russian territory / Slovo i Dilo
16:50 NATO wants to take on the role of coordinator of military support for Ukraine to avoid repeating “previous mistakes” and delays in supplies, Stoltenberg said.
16:41 Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani again spoke out against the use of Italian weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation: “All weapons transferred by Italy must be used in Ukraine. We will not send a single Italian soldier to fight in Ukraine and we do not want the military equipment we send , were used outside Ukrainian borders."
16:29 On June 6, Biden will take part in an event marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing and the opening of the second front in Normandy, White House Speaker Karine Jean-Pierre said. Earlier, Zelensky’s participation in the event was confirmed by Macron.
16:20 Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide said that there should be no restrictions for Ukraine in the use of weapons provided by Western partners.
16:16 The Czech Republic does not object to Ukraine using ammunition and weapons supplied by Prague to strike targets on Russian territory, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said. “This is the rule for deliveries made from the Czech Republic,” he explained.
In turn, the special representative of the Czech Foreign Ministry for the Eastern Partnership, David Stulik, believes that Ukraine’s Western partners will soon cross the “red line” in terms of attacks on Russia.
16:07 Zelensky will visit Saudi Arabia on Saturday, June 1, DPA reports, citing a source. According to him, the Ukrainian president plans to gain support before the Peace Summit in Switzerland.
15:28 Biden is getting closer to giving Ukraine permission to carry out strikes on Russian territory, The New York Times writes. But, according to the publication’s sources, if the US President changes his position, the strikes will be limited to military targets located within Russian borders, from where Russian troops are attacking Ukraine. At the same time, Biden will, in all likelihood, maintain a ban on the use of American weapons for strikes deep in Russian territory or against critical infrastructure.
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say that if Biden changes his position, he will most likely never announce it. And American artillery shells and missiles “will simply start falling on Russian military targets.”
14:54 Six countries have already transferred funds to the Czech initiative to purchase shells for Ukraine, said Tomas Kopecny, a representative of the Czech government for Ukraine. He clarified that the purchase of shells was financed by the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal and Canada, and in total 15 EU and NATO countries joined the initiative. The first batch of shells in the amount of 50 to 100 thousand will arrive in Ukraine in June.
14:33 Luxembourg has allocated 5 million euros to finance materials and equipment for Ukraine as part of an artillery coalition led by France and the United States, the country's Ministry of Defense reported.
14:26 Estonian President Alar Karis signed a law on the transfer of some Russian assets to Ukraine. According to the law, only the property of those “whose connection with the commission or assistance of an unlawful act has been established and sufficiently proven” can be confiscated and used to compensate for damages. “Thus, the fact that someone’s assets were frozen due to international sanctions is not a sufficient basis for the alienation of property,” Karis explained.
14:21 Denmark allows Ukraine to strike with its weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation, said the country's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen: “The short answer is yes. And this position is not new. This is part of the assistance. When we discussed this with our Foreign Affairs Committee in Denmark Parliament, we made it clear from the very beginning that a possible attack on military targets on the territory of the aggressor is part of self-defense."
14:18 Russia is close to launching a new railway line from Donetsk to Mariupol, Frontelligence Insight analysts report, citing satellite images of construction. On some, a moving train has already been spotted. According to experts, this railway will be enough to provide uninterrupted supplies to the Russian group in Crimea and southern Ukraine, even if the Kerch Bridge is destroyed. Satellite images studied by Radio Liberty also show that the construction of the largest bridge on the new site, near the village of Granitnoye, has already been completed.
14:14 France may soon send military instructors to Ukraine, despite concerns from some allies and criticism from Russia, Reuters writes, citing sources. Paris may announce its decision as early as June 6-7 during Zelensky's visit. France will first send a limited number of personnel to assess the feasibility of the mission and then send several hundred trainers, two diplomats said. The training will focus on mine clearance, equipment maintenance and technical expertise for military aircraft. Paris will also finance, arm and train the Ukrainian mechanized brigade.
In turn, Le Monde writes, citing its sources, that Macron plans to form a European coalition of military instructors who will work in Ukraine. In particular, several hundred specialists from several countries could be brought in to train sappers or even help form a new motorized infantry brigade.
14:07 As a result of a night attack in Crimea, four boats, two ferries and a pilot boat were damaged or destroyed, five people were injured, the opposition Russian publication Astra reports, citing sources. So, in addition to the pilot boat Mechta, which sank, the Conroe Trader ferry and the Avangard ferry were damaged. The latter ran aground due to damage. On the ferry Conroe Trader, one of the crew members was injured; on the Vanguard, four people were injured. In addition, four KS 701 transport landing boats were damaged, the destruction of two of which was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate.
13:51 The Cabinet of Ministers agreed on the text of the agreement between Ukraine and the United States on attracting financial assistance as part of a support package of more than $60 billion. According to the document, US economic assistance will amount to $9.4 billion. The funds will be provided on the terms of an interest-free loan, which Kyiv must repay in one payment in dollars 40 years after September 30, 2025 - that is, September 30, 2065.
13:09 Speaker of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ilya Yevlash noted that the Swedish AWACS aircraft will become unique in the Ukrainian army, will help highlight and detect enemy targets: “This will allow us to detect, for example, “martyrs” when they try to hide in the folds of the terrain, in riverbeds. It will see them from above, highlight them. We will also detect missiles and enemy aircraft on the approaches; we can detect enemy radars. This will help our systems and aircraft in detecting targets from a safe distance.”
13:05 Speaker of the Southern Defense Forces Dmitry Pletenchuk warned that the Russians are preparing information sabotage to discredit the TCC, in particular they are going to shoot a series of fake videos: “We have learned about the preparation of another information sabotage in the occupied territories... They are filming in the occupied territories of Ukraine so that the scenery corresponded as much as possible to Ukrainian realities. There they are trying to show the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and, first of all, the military personnel of the TCC in a negative way.”
Pletenchuk also said that the Russians went to storm the island of Nestriga: “In fact, the same Nestriga is already the right bank. And for them it is just as important to have a bridgehead on the other bank. Just as it is important for us to have it on the left bank.”
12:43 Russian troops shelled Veletenskoye, Belozersk community, Kherson region, one person was killed, said the head of the OVA Alexander Prokudin. Over the past 24 hours, six people were injured in the region.
12:36 The United States allows Ukraine to use the air defense systems it transferred on the territory of the Russian Federation, The Washington Post writes, citing sources. In particular, Washington is not against Russian missiles and fighters being shot down in the skies of the Russian Federation, “if they pose a threat to Ukraine.” However, there have been cases when American officials expressed concern about attacks on Russian territory and even canceled such plans. In particular, the planned attack by the Main Intelligence Directorate on Moscow was cancelled. Also, the Americans were against attacks on Russian refineries, although they were carried out by Ukrainian weapons.
11:50 775 convicts have already entered service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported. They clarified that currently 2,402 petitions from convicts for parole for military service have been submitted to the court. The courts have already considered and granted 1,843 such petitions. In pursuance of these petitions, 775 convicts entered service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
11:44 Sweden, as part of its largest military assistance package, will transfer two ASC 890 radar reconnaissance and control aircraft to Ukraine, said Tom Samuelsson, spokesman for the Swedish Prime Minister.
11:31 Tonight at the Kerch ferry crossing, fragments of a downed rocket damaged the pilot boat Mechta, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra, citing sources in the emergency services. The boat crashed and sank; the crew members managed to abandon the ship.
11:15 The United States is concerned about Ukrainian attacks on the Voronezh-M and Voronezh-DM radar stations, which are part of the Russian early warning system for nuclear missile attacks, writes The Washington Post. American officials consider these radars to be “sensitive,” and they allegedly were not involved in the war against Ukraine. Moscow may feel its strategic deterrent has been targeted, a concern in Washington that Kyiv is aware of. The Ukrainian side believes that these radars track troops and the launch of drones and missiles across the territory of the Russian Federation, the newspaper writes.
11:08 At night, as a result of a missile attack in the Khmelnitsky region, energy infrastructure facilities were damaged, Ukrenergo reported. More than 10 thousand consumers were de-energized; by morning, about 500 consumers remained de-energized; emergency restoration work continues.
10:46 At night, as a result of a special operation by the Main Intelligence Directorate in Crimea, two Russian boats, presumably of the KS-701 Tuna type, were hit, intelligence reports. Marine drones Magura V5 of the special forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Group 13 attacked Russian boats in the area of Uzkaya Bay. In order to neutralize attack naval drones, Russian troops scrambled military aircraft into the sky 32 times, and also “chaotically used small arms and 30-mm cannons,” intelligence officials said.
10:17 Half of the shells purchased by the Czech Republic for Ukraine from African and Asian countries turned out to be of poor quality, the supplier company told the Financial Times. They will not be able to be sent immediately, but will need to be completed with the missing components of our own production. However, deliveries to Ukraine should still begin in June.
10:01 A plant to produce 155-mm shells for Ukraine is being built in Texas, The New York Times writes. The Pentagon is building the enterprise from scratch after the start of the war in Ukraine. The plant in the city of Mexit will produce 30 thousand artillery shells per month, which is approximately twice the current production in the United States. However, as the newspaper points out, Ukraine fired between 4,000 and 7,000 of these shells in a single day when it went on the offensive last summer.
09:56 In Kuban, a drone damaged a transformer substation, local authorities reported.
09:38 In the Khmelnitsky region, as a result of a night attack in one of the cities, the power supply was partially cut off. No people were injured, said the head of the OVA, Sergei Tyurin.
09:20 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of May 30:
- personnel - about 506,260 (+1160) people,
- tanks - 7710 (+10),
- armored combat vehicles - 14,913 (+22),
- artillery systems - 13 101 (+35),
- MLRS - 1088 (+1),
- air defense systems - 815 (+0),
- aircraft - 357 (+0),
- helicopters - 326 (+0),
- UAVs of operational-tactical level - 10 532 (+22),
- cruise missiles - 2222 (+0),
- ships/boats - 27 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 17,849 (+53),
- special equipment - 2153 (+11).
09:14 The Russian Army continues to increase the grouping of its troops in the direction of the main attack Streleche-Liptsy and in the Volchansk region by transferring additional regiments and brigades from other directions and from training grounds, Syrsky said following the results of work in the brigades and battalions leading the defense in the Kharkov direction. However, according to the commander-in-chief, these forces are now not enough for a full-scale offensive and breakthrough of the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In addition, the enemy’s actions are complicated by the strengthening of defense due to the transfer of reserves to threatening directions.
Due to the decrease in the offensive capabilities of the Russians, they switched to the tactics of hitting Ukrainian positions with artillery and CABs. In these conditions, the physical destruction of carrier aircraft of KABs, reconnaissance UAVs and fire spotters, electronic warfare protection, camouflage and the use of mock-ups becomes of paramount importance, Syrsky noted.
08:57 Lavrov said that Russia is “open to negotiations on Ukraine,” but this is about peace, not a truce - “there is no point in giving the enemy a pause for regrouping.” At the same time, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that a dialogue about peace “is difficult to imagine now, given that Kyiv is ruled by a ‘war party’ that strives, at least in words, to defeat Russia on the battlefield.”
Lavrov also said that Russia could take steps in the field of nuclear deterrence if the United States deploys its intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Europe or the Asia-Pacific region. According to him, the deployment of American missiles is a problem not only for Moscow, but also for Beijing, so China and Russia agreed to increase cooperation. At the same time, he added that defense cooperation between Russia and China “is not directed against third countries.”
08:42 The Russians fired eight missiles at Kharkov and the region at night from the territory of Belgorod, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. In Kharkov, shelling took place in two locations. As a result of the hit, the two-story administrative building of the command post was partially destroyed, followed by a fire, and seven people were injured. In the village Malaya Danilovka, Kharkov district, two missile hits were recorded on the territory of the educational institution, as a result of which the building of the equestrian club was destroyed. The dormitory building was also partially destroyed. On May 29, one person was wounded in the village. Russkaya Lozovaya, Kharkov district, another one - in the village. Kolesnikovka, Kupyansky district.
08:15 Air defense overnight destroyed seven of 11 cruise missiles and all 32 attack UAVs , the Air Force reported. In total, Russia launched a missile and air strike on military targets and critical infrastructure of Ukraine using eight S-300/S-400 guided missiles in the Kharkov region, 11 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 strategic aircraft. MS (launch area - Saratov region) and 32 attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and from the Crimean Cape Chauda. It was possible to shoot down seven X-101/X-555 cruise missiles and all 32 attack UAVs within the Khmelnitsky, Dnepropetrovsk, Cherkassy, Kirovograd, Zaporozhye, Odessa, Kherson, Kyiv and Vinnytsia regions.
07:57 At night, Crimea was attacked by missiles and drones. Residents of Kerch report hearing about 20 explosions in the city. “Adviser” to the Gauleiter of Crimea Oleg Kryuchkov stated that “during repelling an enemy attack on the transport infrastructure of the city of Kerch, two ferries were damaged from the debris of downed missiles - a car and a railway - the glazing of the superstructures was damaged,” there were no casualties.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that during the night eight ATACMS missiles were allegedly destroyed by air defense systems over the Azov Sea and eight UAVs were intercepted over the Black Sea near the coast of the Crimean Peninsula. In addition, two unmanned boats heading towards the Crimean Peninsula were allegedly destroyed in the Black Sea. Five more drones were shot down in the morning over the Krasnodar Territory.
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