Sunday, May 12

Russia’s war against Ukraine

One of the volunteers with the Hospitallers Medical Battalion writes down the medical data of the wounded soldier inside the evacuation bus that brings wounded Ukrainian soldiers from Donetsk Oblast to a hospital in Dnipro city on April 25, 2024. (Serhii Korovayny/The Kyiv Independent)

Military: Russian forces in Kharkiv Oblast contained, fighting continues. A military spokesperson said fighting was continuing in the Lyptsi and Vovchansk directions and Ukrainian forces were hunting down Russian troops he said were hidden in forested areas.

Russia claims capture of five villages in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast. In a briefing, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian troops were now in control of Pletenivka, Ohirtseve, Borysivka, Pylna, and Strilecha, all within two kilometers of the border. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the Russian Defense Ministry’s claims.

Kharkiv governor: Heavy fighting ongoing but no threat of ground invasion of city. Speaking to journalists, Oleh Syniehubov said the situation was “fully controlled.” Syniehubov claimed fighting was ongoing in four of the five villages claimed by Moscow – Strilecha, Pylna, Borysivka, and Ohirtseve.

Over 1,700 civilians evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast over past day. Over the past day, 1,775 civilians in Kharkiv Oblast have been evacuated from their homes amid renewed Russian attacks on the region, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on May 11.

Military intelligence identifies Russian military personnel behind Kinzhal strikes. Ukraine has identified Russian military personnel responsible for carrying out Kinzhal missile strikes on civilians, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) announced on May 11.

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Zelensky: Ukraine defends in northern Kharkiv Oblast, ‘extremely difficult’ situation in Donetsk Oblast. Battles are ongoing around the settlements of Strilecha, Krasne, Morokhovets, Oliinykove, Lukiantsi, Hatyshche, and Pletenivka, Zelensky said.

US General: ‘Russia will not stop with Ukraine unless they’re stopped in Ukraine.’ An autocratic regime like Russia can readily prioritize the expansion of its defense industries over economic well-being to sustain its military actions in Ukraine, along with help from Iran and North Korea, said Lt Gen. Steven L. Basham, U.S. Air Forces in Europe deputy commander.

Ukraine receives emergency energy supply from Europe amid power shortages. Ukraine received an emergency electricity supply from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia amid an ongoing power shortage following Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure, the Energy Ministry reported on May 11.

Ukraine claims downing of another Russian Su-25. Where the downing occurred was not specified but the brigade that shot it down is known to be operating in the Avdiivka direction in Donetsk Oblast.

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Medics evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers amid intensified fighting

A sunflowers-painted bus drives fast toward Dnipro, clearing the way with sirens. From the front line to the rear, from death to life, it carries wounded Ukrainian soldiers, and its mission is to get them to hospitals alive.

Photo: Serhii Korovayny / The Kyiv Independent

Human cost of war

Russian attacks against Vovchansk area kill 2 civilians, injure 2. Russia attacked the Vovchansk community in Kharkiv Oblast on May 11 with aerial bombs, rocket launchers, artillery, and drones, killing two civilians and injuring two others, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian missile attack on Sumy outskirts kills woman. A Russian attack against the outskirts of the northeastern city of Sumy on May 11 killed a woman aged around 37, the regional military administration reported.

Russia claims 1 killed, 29 injured in Ukrainian attack against Belgorod Oblast. A large-scale Ukrainian attack hit Belgorod and the surrounding region on the evening of May 11, inflicting damage and casualties, claimed the regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.

International response

Tusk: Poland to fortify border with Belarus due to ‘hybrid war.’ Warsaw has also, for several years, accused Belarus of deliberately pushing migrants into Poland in order to pressure the EU over sanctions, a charge Belarus has denied.

German lawmakers suggest allies could protect sky over western Ukraine from NATO soil. “Defending the airspace over Ukraine from Poland and Romania should not be ruled out in the long term,” said Anton Hofreiter from the ruling Green Party.

Latvia to provide Ukraine with domestically-produced drones, radar systems. Latvia has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war and annually allocates 0.25% of its GDP to provide military aid to Ukraine. Silina said earlier in April that Riga’s military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros ($419 million) since February 2022.

Canada confirms participation in Switzerland peace summit. “The First Peace Summit for Ukraine is in June — and Canada will be there,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on X. “I look forward to joining other world leaders to advance our shared goal of just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”

Czech president: Europe must set ‘clear boundaries’ for Russia. Russia does not seek cooperation with Europe, and if European countries want to ensure peace and prosperity, they must set “clear boundaries” for Moscow, Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse published on May 11.

US approves urgent German-backed sale of 3 HIMARS systems to Ukraine. The U.S. State Department approved on May 10 an emergency sale of three HIMARS rocket systems and associated equipment to Ukraine worth $30 million, with Germany providing the funding.

In other news

Ukraine takes third place at Eurovision 2024. With their song “Teresa & Maria,” Ukraine’s Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil received a total of 453 points, securing a third place in the Eurovision finals in Sweden’s Malmo overnight on May 12.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Toma Istomina, Elsa Court, Oleksiy Sorokin, Chris York, Martin Fornusek, and Olena Goncharova.

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