Saturday, May 13

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Relatives of fallen servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine gathered to honor the memory of those who died in the war against the Russian army, the event took place near the St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kyiv. (Photo by Aleksandr Gusev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Reuters: IAEA chief to present agreement on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to UN. 

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi will present an agreement to the UN Security Council aimed at protecting the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Reuters reported on May 12.

Defense Ministry: 740 air raid sirens in Kyiv since start of full-scale invasion. According to the Defense Ministry, the air raid sirens lasted a combined 851 hours and 38 minutes, or over 35 days.

Wagner boss calls on Russian defense minister to come to Bakhmut: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s state-backed private mercenary Wagner Group, offered Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to visit the Russian-controlled part of Bakhmut to access the battlefield situation.

UK Defense Ministry: Russia relies on Kalibr-type missiles to disrupt Ukraine counteroffensive: Russia views cruise missiles of the Kalibr type as a key potential for strikes deep inside Ukrainian territory to disrupt the expected counteroffensive, but their stockpile is likely limited, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on May 12.

President’s Office denies requesting for Zelensky to speak at Eurovision.“The Office of the President of Ukraine did not contact the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest suggesting Volodymyr Zelensky give a virtual speech during the finals or at any other stage of the contest,” President Volodymyr Zelensky’s spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov said.

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ISW: Ukrainian forces have made gains northwest of Bakhmut in localized counterattacks: On May 12, geolocated footage emerged showing Russian forces retreating under heavy artillery fire on the southern bank of the Berkhivske Reservoir, located about four kilometers northwest of Bakhmut.

Explosions reported in Khmelnytsky Oblast: Western Ukraine’s Khmelnytsky Oblast Military Administration reported that explosions were heard in the region in the early hours of May 13.

Ambulance catches fire at Oleksandrivska hospital in Kyiv: An ambulance caught fire at the Oleksandrivska Clinical Hospital late on May 12, according to Kyiv City Military Administration. As firefighters put out the fire, a body of a 92-year-old woman was discovered at the scene.

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Mothers of killed soldiers find meaning in helping war effort, refugees

The Soldiers Mothers’ Fund is one of the thousands of civilian charity organizations that popped up in the country in 2014, providing support to soldiers and help to refugees from Russian-occupied territories in need of a community.

Photo: Alexander Query

From Eurovision to international advocacy: Kalush Orchestra’s journey to promote Ukrainian culture

Oleh Psiuk and his band Kalush Orchesta became international spokespeople for the Ukrainian cause following their Eurovision win in 2022.  

Photo: Brad LaFoy, Icecastles Photography

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine makes localized advances near Bakhmut

Ukrainian forces advanced two kilometers toward Bakhmut “without losing a single position” this week, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said.

Photo: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Euractiv: Internal EU memo puts Ukrainian troop losses at 13,000: An internal EU memo suggests that Ukraine has lost 13,000 troops since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Euractiv reported on May 12. According to Euractiv, the memo says that an additional 35,000 Ukrainian servicemembers were wounded in action.

Russian attacks kill 3 civilians in Kharkiv, Kherson oblasts. Russian troops struck a farm in Kharkiv Oblast’s front-line village of Cherneshchyna on May 12, killing its 30-year-old worker, reported Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russia also shelled southern Kherson Oblast, hitting a house in the Kakhovka district, where two women were killed, the regional prosecutor’s office wrote.

Russian forces attack Mykolaiv, injuring 3. Three people were injured as a result of the Russian strike on Mykolaiv in the early hours of May 13, city Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych reported on his official Telegram.

Russian forces shell Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injure civilian. Russian forces shelled the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets on May 12, injuring one person, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhiy Lysak reported.

Media: Military helicopter crashes in Russian-occupied Crimea, killing 2. Two pilots were killed after a Mi-28N military helicopter crashed in Russian-occupied Crimea, BBC Russia reported on May 12.

International response

EU plans to build internet cable to reduce Georgia’s reliance on Russia: The European Union is planning to build an internet cable in the Black Sea’s international waters to improve Georgia’s digital connectivity and reduce its reliance on Russia, the Financial Times reported on May 12.

Major French alcohol seller to cease operations in Russia. The French company Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s top alcohol sellers, announced on May 12 that it would cease operations in Russia.

South Africa denies it supplied weapons, ammunition to Russia. South Africa denied U.S. accusations that it had supplied Russia with weapons and ammunition, Reuters reported on May 12.

Polish Senate approves resolution on Ukraine’s fast-track NATO accession. 

The Senate of Poland backed Ukraine’s accelerated NATO accession following the example of Sweden and Finland and urged for the alliance’s July summit to be a key step on this path, according to a resolution unanimously approved on May 11, Polskie Radio reported.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 7 – Why Russia relies on private militaries, like Wagner, for its war effort

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Toma Istomina, Dinara Khalilova, Oleksiy Sorokin, Kate Tsurkan, Brad LaFoy, and Olena Goncharova.

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