Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 17. Mai 2022

Im andauernden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine geht der Stellungskrieg im Osten der Landes weiter, und unverändert bestimmt der Einsatz von Artillerie zu einem wesentlichen Teil das Geschehen. Der Sammler am 17. Mai 2022:

• Als Nachtrag: das Briefing im Pentagon am (gestrigen) Montag gibt einen guten Überblick über die Situation. Das Transkript hier, Kernsatz gleich ziemlich zu Beginn: There’s back and forth every single day, and it’s not like the Russians haven’t made some progress.

Und die interessante Aussage, dass von den 90 Haubitzen, die die USA zugesagt und zum überwiegenden Teil auch bereits geliefert haben, mindestens 74 Geschütze aktiv von der Ukraine in den Kämpfen genutzt werden.

• Das britische Intel Update:

In the Chernihiv region north of Kyiv, approximately 3,500 buildings are estimated to have been destroyed or damaged during Russia’s abandoned advance towards the Ukrainian capital. 80% of the damage has been caused to residential buildings.
The scale of this damage indicates Russia’s preparedness to use artillery against inhabited areas, with minimal regard to discrimination or proportionality.
Russia has likely resorted to an increasing reliance on indiscriminate artillery bombardment due to a limited target acquisition capability, and an unwillingness to risk flying combat aircraft routinely beyond its own frontlines.
In the coming weeks, Russia is likely to continue to rely heavily on massed artillery strikes as it attempts to regain momentum in its advance in the Donbas.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

The operational update regarding the #russian_invasion on 06.00 on May 17, 2022.
The eighty-third day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues.
russian enemy does not stop conducting offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone. russian enemy focused its main efforts on the Donetsk direction.
russian enemy aircraft destroyed civilian and military infrastructure in the Eastern Operational Zone and industrial facilities deep in Ukraine.
In the Volyn and Polissya areas, the situation has not changed significantly, the threat of missile and air strikes from the territory of the republic of belarus on the infrastructure of Ukraine continues.
In the northern direction, russian enemy continues to provide enhanced protection of the Ukrainian-russian border. In the area of ​​the settlement of Bilokopytove, Sumy region, russian enemy fired mortars at units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
In the Slobozhansky direction, russian enemy is concentrating its main efforts on deterring the offensive of units of the Defense Forces.
In the Kharkiv direction, russian enemy’s main efforts are focused on maintaining their positions and preventing the advance of our troops. In the Slovyansk direction – russian enemy completes and replenishes losses, tries to resume the offensive.
In the Donetsk direction, russian enemy continues to fire mortars, artillery, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and use aircraft.
In the Lyman direction, russian enemy conducted offensive operations in the area of ​​the settlement of Drobysheve. Strengthens troop groups.
In the Severodonetsk direction, near the settlement of Sirotyne, russian enemy suffered losses during the fighting and withdrew.
In the Bakhmut direction, russian enemy fought in the direction of the settlement of Vyskryva, had no success.
In the Avdiivka direction, russian occupiers fought in the direction of the settlement of Kamyanka, and also had no success.
In the Kurakhiv direction, the enemy launched an offensive in the direction of the settlement of Vuhledar, but had no success.
russian enemy did not conduct active hostilities in the Novopavlovsk and Zaporizhzhya areas. It carried out fire damage to civilian infrastructure in the areas of the settlements of Kamyanske, Orikhiv, Novosilka and Huliaipole.
In the South Buh area, russian enemy units did not conduct active hostilities, they fired at our units with artillery and mortars in the areas of the settlements of Lymany, Tavriyske, Trudolyubivka and Osokorivka.
In the Bessarabian direction, as a result of a missile strike from Russian strategic aircraft, in the Belgorod-Dniester district of Odesa region, objects of civil infrastructure were affected, private buildings were destroyed.
In the waters of the Black Sea, near the island of Snake, noted the conduct of hoisting and rescue operations at the site of the destruction of the russian landing craft.
In the previous day, the air defence units of the Land Forces and the Air Force hit five air targets: a Su-25 aircraft, three operational-tactical UAVs and a cruise missile.
The strike aircraft of the air force in certain directions continued to fire at the enemy from the air and to support the fighting of units of Ukrainian troops.
Eleven enemy attacks were repulsed in Donetsk and Luhansk over the past 24 hours, five tanks, one Tor anti-aircraft missile system, six artillery systems, twelve units of armoured combat vehicles and one enemy vehicle were destroyed.

• Das Morgenbriefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums, mit Angaben auch zu der Aufgabe der letzten ukrainischen Verteidiger des Azow-Stahlwerks in Mariupol:

The surrender of fighters from the Azov nationalist unit and Ukrainian servicemen blocked at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol began yesterday.
Over the past 24 hours, 265 militants have laid down arms and surrendered, including 51 seriously wounded. All those in need of medical assistance were sent for treatment to a hospital in Novoazovsk, Donetsk People’s Republic.
High-precision long-range sea-based Kalibr missiles near Starichi railway station in Lvov Region have destroyed the personnel of Ukrainian reserve formations, as well as shipments of foreign weapons and military equipment from the United States and European countries, prepared for shipment to Donbass.
High-precision air- and ground-based long-range missiles have destroyed enemy reserves that were completing their combat coordination at the training centers near Akhtyrka, Sumy Region, and Desna, Chernigov Region.
High-precision air-based missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces have hit 2 command posts and 1 communications centre, including those of the 30th Mechanized Brigade near Bakhmut, 28 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, and 2 missile-artillery weapons and ammunition depots near Ugledar and Konstantinovka in Donetsk People’s Republic.
The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 470 nationalists and up to 68 armoured and motor vehicles.
In addition, 1 traction power substation have been destroyed near Merefa railway station in Kharkov region, which was delivering weapons and military equipment from the United States and Western countries to Donbass.
Operational-tactical and army aviation have hit 9 command posts, 93 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 3 ammunition depots near Luparevo and Shevchenkovo in Nikolaev region.
Missile troops and artillery have hit 6 command posts, 224 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 12 artillery and mortar batteries at firing positions, 4 BM-21 Grad MLRS batteries and 2 air target detection radar stations.
Russian air defence means have shot down 23 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over Pitomnik, Izyum, Snezhkovka, Olkhovatka, Dementievka, Russkaya Lozovaya, Bolshie Prokhody and Petrovskoe in Kharkov Region, Staromikhailovka, Novotamarovka, Novotroitskoe, Nevelskoe, Sverdlovo, Avdeevka and Vladimirovka in Donetsk People’s Republic.
8 Smerch rockets have been intercepted near Chernobaevka, Kherson Region.
Yesterday between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. Ukrainian nationalists used Smerch multiple rocket launchers to hit residential areas of Kherson. Russian air defence means have intercepted all 10 Ukrainian rockets.
I would like to stress that there are no units of Russian troops in Kherson. The Kiev regime is well informed about this. The strike was deliberately targeted at civilians in Kherson in retaliation for supporting the Russian Federation.
In total, 168 Ukrainian aircraft and 125 helicopters, 912 unmanned aerial vehicles, 309 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,134 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 385 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,542 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,983 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.

• Das finnische Parlament hat mit der überwältigenden Mehrheit von 188 zu acht Stimmen einen Beitritt des Landes zur NATO gebilligt:

​On 17 May, Parliament adopted an opinion on government reports on the changing security environment and Finland’s application to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Parliament agrees with the Government position that Finland must apply for a NATO membership. In addition, Parliament requires that the Government keeps it informed of the progress of the application process.

Die schwedische Außenministerin Ann Linde unterschrieb am Dienstag den Beitrittsantrag ihres Landes:

und ebenso der finnische Außenminister Pekka Haavisto:

• Das Abendbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

The operational update regarding the #russian_invasion on 18.00 on May 17, 2022.
The eighty-third day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues.
russian enemy does not stop conducting offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone. The enemy continued to launch missile strikes on military and civilian infrastructure in Lviv, Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts.
No significant changes in the position and condition of russian enemy’s troops were recorded in the Volyn, Polissya and Siversky areas.
Certain units of the Armed Forces of the republic of belarus continue to carry out tasks to strengthen the Ukrainian-belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions.
The Armed Forces of the republic of belarus are continuing the measures of the second stage of the combat readiness test. As part of these activities, training in pontoon crossing and forcing a water obstacle was marked at one of the training fields.
The threat of missile and bomb strikes from the territory of the republic of belarus on infrastructure facilities on the territory of Ukraine remains.
In order to prevent the transfer of units of our troops in the northern direction, the Command of the Armed Forces of the russian federation continues to maintain units from the Eastern Military District in the border areas of Bryansk and Kursk regions. From the territory of the russian federation, russian enemy fires on settlements in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
In the Kharkiv direction, russian enemy’s main efforts are focused on maintaining their positions and preventing the advance of our troops to the state border of Ukraine. The enemy fired artillery at our troops.
In the Slovyansk direction, russian occupiers are regrouping and replenishing troops and accumulating reserves in preparation for the offensive in the direction of Slovyansk. russian enemy tried to improve the tactical situation in the area of ​​Dovgenke, but was unsuccessful.
In the Donetsk direction, russian enemy group is trying to conduct offensive operations along the entire line of contact, shelling settlements with artillery. In the areas of Bakhmut, Klynovy, Soledar and Vovchoyarivka, the enemy fired missiles from Su-35 aircraft. The enemy also conducted air reconnaissance using UAVs „Orlan-10“.
In the Severodonetsk direction, with the support of artillery, russian occupiers are trying to launch an offensive in the direction of the settlements of Borovenky and Severodonetsk.
In the Bakhmut direction, russian enemy tried to break through the defenses of our troops, was unsuccessful, and withdrew.
In the Avdiivka direction, russian enemy carried out assault operations in order to take control of the Novobahmutivka-Novoselivka Druha road, but was unsuccessful.
In the Kurakhiv direction, with the support of artillery and aircraft fire, russian enemy is attacking the village of Novomykhailivka, fighting continues.
Occupying russian units made an unsuccessful attempt to advance in the direction of Marinka.
In Mariupol, russian enemy focused its efforts on blocking our units near the Azovstal steel plant.
In the Novopavlovsk and Zaporizhzhia directions, russian enemy did not wage active hostilities. In order to bind our troops, it fired with the use of artillery and mortars. At the same time the enemy carries out engineering equipment of the second line of defense.
The occupiers did not carry out active hostilities in the South Buh area. Mortar and artillery shelling of our units was recorded. russian occupiers are continuing engineering work to equip the second line of defense with reinforced concrete structures.
russian enemy naval groups in the Black and Azov Seas perform tasks to isolate combat areas and block civilian shipping.
In the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, measures are being taken to restore the combat capability of russian units that have suffered significant losses. Thus, according to available information, combat coordination of units of the 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade and the 810th Separate Marine Brigade is planned at some training landfills of the peninsula.

(Weiter nach Entwicklung)