Date—May 31, 2022

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Stories

1. Gaidai: On May 30, the Russian occupiers made some inroads into Severodonetsk, but street fighting continues. Serhiy Haidai, head of the Luhansk regional military administration, said: “The situation in Severodonetsk is as tricky as possible. The occupiers managed to push the territory from the outskirts – where the Mir Hotel is – and move a little deeper into the city. The head of the OVA called on the residents of Severodonetsk not to go outside but to stay in shelters. He also said that he hoped that the three doctors who had disappeared the day before were alive because there were no bodies in the battered ambulance. As for the volunteers who came under fire earlier, according to Gaidai, they are active. They were taken out. After shelling an evacuation vehicle near Lysychansk, a French journalist was killed, and several people were injured. We stopped the evacuation from the Luhansk region until the security situation stabilized. (Source: Telegram).

Announcements

1. President Biden does not rule out sending a multiple rocket launcher (MLRS) to Ukraine, but with a shorter range. The official says: “MLRS is being considered, but there is nothing on the table with the possibility of long-range strikes.” Earlier on Monday, Biden told reporters that the United States “will not send missile systems to Ukraine” to reach Russia, except for specialized missiles that can run longer distances. This leaves the possibility that the administration will send short-range missiles to Ukraine. The United States, if given the MLRS to Ukraine, only with a range of about 70 km (43 miles) and no tactical missile systems that fire almost 295 km (186 miles). Earlier, the White House approved sending long-range multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine, and They may officially announce the decision this week. (Source: WP).

War

1. UK Intelligence: Russia’s political goal is to occupy the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but to achieve this, in addition to Severodonetsk, it is necessary to capture Kramatorsk and the Dnieper-Donetsk highway. Russia’s capture of Lyman supports its operational efforts, which are likely to surround Severodonetsk and close the “pocket” around Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast. “Heavy shelling continues, and street fighting is likely on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. Elements of Russia’s Southern Force are likely to lead the most successful axis in the sector, backed by the Central Group, attacking from the north. Progress is slow but slow.” it is said in the review. Ways to the “pocket” remain under the control of Ukraine. “Russia has achieved greater local success than before in the campaign, pooling forces and firing in a relatively small area,” the review said. British intelligence says this forces Russia to take risks in other occupied territories. “Russia’s political goal is likely to occupy the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions. To achieve this, Russia will need to secure further complex operational objectives outside of Severodonetsk, including the key city of Kramatorsk and the main M04 Dnipro-Donetsk highway,” the review said. (Source: UP). 

2. Journalists received the conversation dated April 14. One of the interlocutors is a serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Maxim Vladimirovich Vlasov, with the call sign “Ugra.” He was one of those responsible for January 24, 2015, shelling of Mariupol from Grads. About 30 people were killed, and more than a hundred were injured. Since 2018, Vlasov has been on the Ukrainian wanted list for the shelling above of Mariupol. As of April this year, Colonel Vlasov holds a leading position in the artillery service of the headquarters of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Panzer Army of the Western Military District of the Russian Federation. He was also transferred to the analytical department of the headquarters of the 1st Panzer Army, whose command post was deployed in the Belgorod region of Russia. Vlasov’s interlocutor is Vitaliy Kovtun, a military doctor at the Naro-Fominsk Military Hospital in Russia. The colonel has many awards. Kovtun is a native of the village of Zhabokrych, Kryzhopil district, Vinnytsia region. He also has many relatives in Ukraine. In the recordings, Vlasov said of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu: “Shoigu is a completely incompetent layman. A layman in his field. But this is not his business at all. Just a showman.” In turn, Kovtun notes that “Shoigu is a gondola, there are no contractors – of course, where will they be from? They were paid 30 thousand salaries – where to get them?”. “The losses are terrible, our guys. And, you know, I know a little bit of this military history, I compare it, this Soviet-Finnish war, the 39th-40th year, one by one, in general, according to the pattern, is gone,” said. Vlasov on interception. Then the interlocutors talk about other military leaders from Shoigu’s entourage. In particular, about Colonel-General Pavel Plat – Adviser to the Minister of Defense and Head of the Control and Supervision Department of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. And until 2013 – a senior official of the Ministry of Emergencies. “I gathered around me these fucking MOE members – well if we have the head of the inspection, Colonel-General Plat. He did not serve in the army, and he took the rank from the MOE, although this rank violates the law,” – said Vlasov. During the conversation, the military also described the 60-year-old army general and hero of the Russian Federation, Alexander Dvornikov, commanding Russian troops in the full-scale war with Ukraine. Ukrainian spies call him a war criminal, and the Russian press calls him a “victory general” who is at war with the mythical “neo-Nazi regime.” “They gave birth to a whole galaxy of lizoblyud – ueban. He is this Dvornikov, in general, a legend of Uibanism. Finished in general, just finished. It’s him who just now invented the” anti-Bender throw “… Well, in short, it’s a complete, headless idiot.” says Vlasov. Interlocutors and Commander of the Eastern District of the Russian Federation Alexander Chaik are also dissatisfied. I will soon go to the “Kremlin” square with a pitchfork fucked in the mouth. They gave birth to generals of all kinds, Seagulls-Huyayok. And the rest. Everyone is satisfied with what they write there, “Kovtun said. In addition to the “pitchfork march on the Kremlin,” Kovtun told Vlasov about the shelling of civilian targets and civilians: throw them away. Even if they don’t get there, let them start to be afraid, fuck the stations, fuck the railways, fuck, “says Kovtun. He also called for a rocket launch into the Verkhovna Rada and called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “pidaras.” “I don’t care. I’ll report to the FSB about you and everything,” he replied. When the journalist included an excerpt from Kovtun’s words about Shoigu and asked if he was ready to openly state his position on the leadership of the Russian army, Kovtun replied: “No, not ready… I don’t want to.” (Source: Svoboda).

Opinions

1. ISW: Due to significant losses of junior personnel and a lack of professionalism and modernization, the Russian army is losing the ability to manage personnel and is experiencing a moral decline. ISW military analysts note that the increase in casualties among junior personnel is likely to worsen the capabilities of the Russian military further and lead to further moral decline. The British Ministry of Defense said on May 30 that Russian troops had suffered devastating casualties among middle and junior officers. The agency also said that Russian officers of battalions and brigades do not give orders from the rear, as they are forced to control the actions of subordinate soldiers. In addition, the UK Ministry of Defense noted that junior officers are responsible for low-level tactical operations due to the lack of professionalism and modernization in the Russian army and that the growing losses of these junior officers will complicate the command of personnel. ISW also notes “internal dissent in Russian military circles.” At the same time, the institute cites the words of the former Minister of Defense of the so-called “DPR” Igor Girkin (Strelkov), who accused the Kremlin of abandoning the “ideological basis” of the war in Ukraine. “Girkin complained that Kremlin officials no longer questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine’s existence and that Russians had forgotten the concepts of ‘denazification’ and ‘demilitarization.’ Analysts note that Girkin’s statement is a sign of change in Russian military circles. (Source: UP).

2. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Millie, admits the possibility of escalation in the war in Ukraine and emphasizes the need for constant contact with the Ukrainian side for active risk management. “I think there’s always the possibility of escalation, we need to manage that and assess the chances of an escalation, and we’re doing that,” Millie said. In this context, the General stressed that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is constantly contacting the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. He is in continuous contact with his Ukrainian counterpart. According to Millie, this allows “to manage the escalation and prevent it from escalating to something more terrible than now.” The US Chief of Staff noted that “decisive operational battles” are currently occurring between Ukrainian forces and Russian invaders in eastern Ukraine. He clarified that the next few weeks would largely determine the further development of the war. (Source: UkrInform).

Economy, Social life, and Culture

1. Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the President’s Office, said that Channel 5, Pryamiy, and Espresso, which belong to Petro Poroshenko’s pool, were turned off the air because of the “narcissism” of the fifth President of Ukraine. In an interview with LB Live, a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the talks with Russia said that this was a question of the Security Council and a standard information policy of the country during the war. “In part, yes. And partially broadcast a man who is very much in love with himself. We have a lot of daffodils, I understand, our policy is based on narcissism as such, we often sell daffodils,” Podoliak added. To the remark that the same can be said about “daffodils that are now parasitizing on the air of the national telethon,” the adviser to the head of the OP replied that “the damage caused by the subject is much greater.” “Because narcissism, when you sell yourself because you want to monetize at a certain level – it’s one thing. It’s unprofessional, but it’s a small pity. And another thing – when you still can not come to terms with the fact that you lost. And to somehow subconsciously compensate for this, you can go to any destructive information technology,” Podoliak summed up. Radio and Television and Television (RRT) cut off their broadcasting on the T2 digital network. They address President Volodymyr Zelensky and urge him to evaluate the actions of the concern. (Source: UkrInform).

Foreign news

1. The President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the leaders of the European Union had agreed on a partial ban on Russian oil imports and other restrictions under the 6th package of sanctions against Russia. Under the agreements, the European Union may ban the import of about 2/3 of the Russian oil it buys. “This will cut a huge source of funding for her military machine,” Michel said. The head of the European Council called it “maximum pressure on Russia to end the war.” In addition, the sixth package of sanctions will include other measures, including the disconnection from SWIFT of Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, personal sanctions against those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine, and a ban on the broadcasting of three other Russian state broadcasters. Ursula von der Leyen said she welcomed the decision on the oil embargo, which would reduce oil imports to Russia from the EU by about 90% by the end of the year. She also said that EU members “agreed to end their dependence on Russian gas, oil, and coal as soon as possible.” Von der Leyen noted that the plan to achieve this goal will include the following items: energy conservation; departure from Russian fossil fuels; large investments in renewable energy sources; funding of €300 billion, most of which will go to the Economic Recovery Fund. (Source: UP).2. The Bundestag’s defense committee chairman, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann of the Free Democratic Party, called on the federal government to deliver 50 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine as soon as possible. The politician also called for transparent communication between the German services and Ukraine for security reasons after delivery and the creation of a special coordinator for arms supplies. Strack-Zimmermann insists that this should happen immediately or before the parliamentary summer holidays in July. Earlier, German media reported that Olaf Scholz’s office has been blocking the delivery of Marder BMPs from industrial stocks for several weeks. In addition, according to an internal report, there are 32 cars left in the Bundeswehr that could be delivered. The representative of the Free Democrats, Alexander Graf Lambsdorf, also supported the demand for the supply of Marder. “This would be the first Western armored combat vehicle in the Donbas, but the Ukrainian armed forces must be able to transport their soldiers safely. This is what Marder is achieving – and its combat power is much lower than that of Gepard, whose supply has already been approved by the federal government.” , – he declared. For more than a month, the Federal Security Council of Germany has been blocking the export to Ukraine of 100 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, the supply of which was requested by the manufacturer Rheinmetall. On April 22, they finally submitted the company’s application to the government-controlled Federal Security Council, where it is still blocked. The Bundeswehr has accessible armored vehicles, including the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, which, however, it does not provide to Ukraine. (Source: Bild).