After Zelenskyy’s mini tour to push for an aircraft coalition, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium announced they would train pilots to fly F-16s but only Poland so far as transferred any aircraft to Ukraine. Ukraine expects the coalition to ‘take flight’ by the end of the year. The tank coalition finally took place earlier this year after a year of begging for them, but the aircraft will alter the dynamics of the war although the US has still said ‘no’ to jets and France still hovers on the ‘don’t upset the Russians’ attitude.
Bakhmut is still being fought, and while Ukraine has regained 20km around the perimeter, Russian troops have advanced in the city. The Russians launched a huge attack on Kyiv on 16 May after the announcement that the UK had sent long-range missiles to Ukraine and Zelenskyy’s tour. Perhaps that’s a response as they await a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Russia anticipated an attack in Crimea, but instead it was in Luhansk.
The war as expected is becoming political, with allegedly the Patriot systems that the US provided have been reported to have been damaged by Russian missiles. The US doesn’t deny or confirm this, but said if there was damage then they would assist with repairs.
There has been more corruption exposed in Ukraine, and at a hight level where the head of the Supreme Court was detained, dismissed, and charged with corruption within 48 hours. Through these cases of corruptions, we can see how Russia and their proxies were able to infiltrate Ukraine and that the invasion had been planned for many years—Coronavirus probably delayed things given the invasion occurred once the lockdowns were lifted. How man other countries (such as Moldova) are probably going through the same with traitors working to overthrow the country behind the scenes for money?
Each day we see another country offer a few more weapons, but the overall point is that Ukraine still doesn’t have enough, and they don’t have the weapons they need to defend themselves. They have given the allies the number of tanks and jets (40-50 f-16s) they need, and the donations don’t add up still, yet Ukraine is grateful for the support, but can’t win without a full supply of weapons and ones with the latest technology to counter the Russian weapons. That has been the case all along and continues, so Ukraine will always be on the backfoot until they have an up to date arsenal of weapons.
Day 447 (16 May)
Kyiv was targeted as the Russians launched 18 missiles on the city, after the UK announced it has supplied Ukraine with long-range missiles and Zelenskyy’s very public tour around the allies. Russia says the missiles hit the targets while Ukraine says it intercepted nearly all of them including the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Russia dismisses the claims as the missiles are the latest technology and Russia claims no air defence system can take them out.
Reports also claim that a Patriot air defence system was damaged during the attack, but the US has not confirmed or denied this, but John Kirby (US spokesman) said that if there was damage they would assist in repairs.
Russian claim they downed a Storm Shadow missile (UK) in Luhansk, indicating that Ukraine had chosen to take out the occupiers in the region rather than Crimea where the Russians had anticipated a counteroffensive and had been building reinforcements.
Battles in Bakhmut continue as Ukraine regains 20sq km, north and south of the perimeter while Russian troops still advance in the city. There appear to be pockets of battles in and around Bakhmut, and the sad thing is the city will never be the same as it nothing more than rubble right now.
NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn raised the Ukrainian flag outside the headquarters, as Ukraine took another step closer to ties with NATO.
Kostyantyn Bezsmertny, a commander of the 501st Marine Battalion (Azov) has been charged with treason for telling soldiers to surrender to the Russians as POWs. Claims were made that he was also trying to turn soldiers to the other side.
A drone hit the guard department of the FSB in Glushkovo, Kursk, and 5 border guards were injured at 11 pm on 15 May 2023.
The German company, Hensoldt will supply six more of its TRML-4D radars to assist with Ukrainian surveillance and air defence systems.
John Kirby, the White House spokesman has claimed that Iran has supplied Russia with more than 400 drones since last August, and that Russia is seeking to acquire a further supply.
Dárek pro Putina (a gift for Putin) is a Czech fundraising campaign that has raised funds to buy a rocket launcher (RM-70 MLRS) and a tank for Ukraine already and have raised $2.3 million already.
Day 448 (17 May)
The US Foreign Affairs Committee has agreed to a resolution to support a special tribunal for Russian crimes and aggression in Ukraine to be established. This was pretty much a foregone conclusion except for the fact that the US is not part of the ICC where international crimes are tried.
Ukraine’s Kubela has stated that an aircraft coalition will be formed this year although only Poland has provided any jets. Other countries are concerned about the Russian response, and the fact that this will change the dynamics of the war.
Hungary vetoes spending to in the EU to support Ukraine again. This is no surprise and their reason is that they don’t believe it is in the best interests of the EU funding, meaning they want a slice of the money as their funds have been withheld for violating EU protocols. It does beg the question as to why Hungary’s actions are tolerated as they are anti-EU and anti-Ukraine, and they don’t seem to fear Russian aggression or infiltration. The EU and NATO by failing to address Hungary’s actions makes each alliance look weak when you have members who do not agree with basic and fundamental principles.
Vsevolod Kniaziev, was the former head of the Supreme Court and in less than 48 hours he was charged with corruption of a $3 million bribe to influence the outcome of Konstatin Zhevago’s case (embezzlement of funds) and then dismissed. A lawyer who used as a go-between has also been charged with criminal activity in the Supreme Court.
In Reykjavík, the Council of Europe summit has established the Register of damages caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. It serves as a point where reparations can be calculated and catalogued as well as publicly stating that Russia is responsible for all the damage caused.
Switzerland has been tentatively supporting Ukraine even though it is neutral, and issued a notice that sanctioned Kostiantyn Zhevago, whose assets were seized by a Kyiv court has $113 million in frozen accounts derived from various companies that he has interests in. The Agency for Recovery and Management of Assets (ARMA) is seeking to work with the Swiss to transfer the funds.
In Luhansk, a former head of the court has been charged with treason (in absentia) for helping to set up the pseudo-republic of Luhansk, and for making themselves the head of the Supreme Court in the LPR.
The ever increasing reports of corruption in Ukraine, especially the Supreme Court, are very disturbing.