Friday, May 12

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of a Russian missile strike on Sloviansk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Oblast on May 11, 2023. (Vadym Liakh/Facebook)

Zelensky: Ukraine needs more time to prepare for counteroffensive. Ukraine needs “a bit more time” to launch its much-anticipated counteroffensive as the country is waiting for the delivery of pledged military aid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as reported by BBC on May 11.

UK confirms supply of Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed that his country is donating Storm Shadow long-range missiles to Ukraine, becoming the first nation to provide Kyiv with weaponry able to reach targets deep behind the front lines, Sky News reported on May 11.

Abrams tanks for training Ukrainian troops arrive in Germany. The U.S. Abrams tanks needed to train Ukrainian forces have arrived in Germany and are en route to the Grafenwoehr Army base where training will begin in the next few weeks, the Associated Press reported on May 11, citing U.S. officials.

Russian governors report attacks on oil depot, energy facility. Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of Russia’s Bryansk region, said on May 11 that a Ukrainian drone had allegedly attacked an oil depot in Klintsy. On the same day, Kursk Oblast’s governor claimed that Ukrainian forces hit an electrical substation in the village of Tyotkino. Kyiv hasn’t commented on the incidents.

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UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely recruited 10,000 convicts for Ukraine war in April. Since the beginning of 2023, the Russian Defense Ministry has stepped up its scheme of recruiting Russian prisoners to fight in Ukraine, with up to 10,000 convicts signing up in April, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on May 11.

Media: Zelensky may travel to Italy, meet with Prime Minister, Pope. President Volodymyr Zelensky may travel to Italy on May 13 and meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis, news agency Ansa reported on May 11.

BBC: More than 300 Ukrainian refugee households risk homelessness in UK. Three-hundred-and-two Ukrainian refugee households risk homelessness in the U.K.’s East Midlands region, the BBC reported on May 11.

Zelensky denied Eurovision appearance by European Broadcasting Union. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won’t be allowed to speak at the Eurovision pop content as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) believes it would be too political.

Read our exclusives

Remembering first fallen US volunteer fighter buried in Ukraine

27-year-old Christopher Campbell is an American who was killed in early April outside Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, fighting in the ranks of Ukraine’s International Legion.

Photo: Courtesy

Shortage of air defense missiles endangers Ukraine’s ability to fight off Russian attacks

Having shot down hundreds of Russian rockets and kamikaze drones since October, Ukraine’s Air Force is now facing a shortage of missiles for its air defense systems.

Photo: Sergei Chuzavkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Ukraine war latest: UK delivers long-range missiles ahead of Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The U.K. has already delivered long-range Storm Shadow attack missiles, capable of striking deep into Russian-occupied territories, CNN reported on May 11, citing unnamed senior Western officials.

Photo: Thierry Wurtz/MBDA

Human cost of war

Russian military hits Sloviansk, killing civilian. Russian forces struck Donetsk Oblast’s city of Sloviansk with an S-300 missile on the morning of May 11, reported Mayor Vadym Liakh. The attack killed a woman and injured her daughter, according to the regional police department.

Russian forces attack Kharkiv Oblast, injuring 2 people. Russian forces shelled the village of Velykyi Burluk on May 11, injuring two people, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian forces shell Donetsk Oblast, injuring at least 6 people. Russian forces shelled Toretsk on May 11, injuring at least 6 people, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak wrote.

Opinions and insights

Tom Keatinge: Thank you for the music, but I’d rather have visa-free entry

“Over a year since Putin’s invasion began, the U.K. still requires Ukrainians to submit themselves to an extensive, tedious, and tortuous visa application process.”

Photo: Alexey Furman/Getty Images

International response

Warsaw: Poland has delivered 325 tanks out of 575 from Ukraine’s partners. Poland has delivered a total of 325 tanks and 14 fighter jets to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU reported on May 11.

FT: US accuses South Africa of giving weapons, ammunition to Russia. The U.S. has accused South Africa of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia, the Financial Times reported on May 11.

Trump says US sends too many weapons to Ukraine, refuses to call Putin war criminal. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said at CNN’s town hall that he would not commit to providing Ukraine with defense assistance if he won the 2024 election.

Media: Japan to provide $1 billion to Ukrainian refugee aid. Japan’s Finance Minister announced on May 11 that his country would provide $1 billion in financial aid to Ukraine’s neighboring countries that have taken in refugees, CNN reported.

In other news

State Bureau of Investigation searches Kyiv City Council offices. Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation searched the offices of the Kyiv City Council on May 11, according to the city council’s website.

WSJ: Russia fines Google for failing to remove content discrediting armed forces. Russian court fined Google for “refusing to take down material it described as promoting same-sex relationships and discrediting the country’s armed forces,” The Wall Street Journal reported on May 11.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Dinara Khalilova, Oleh Sukhkov, Teah Pelechaty, Kate Tsurkan, Lili Bivings, and Anastasiia Malenko.

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