Sunday, May 7

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A damaged building after a missile strike in the town of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast on May 6, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine’s Air Force admits downing first Russian ballistic missile on May 4. Ukraine’s Air Force admitted on May 6 that it shot down a Russian Kh-47 Kinzhal ballistic missile for the first time since the start of the war. The Air Force said that a Patriot air defense system was used to destroy the ballistic missile over Kyiv Oblast that Russia launched from MiG-31K in its territory at around 2:30 a.m. on May 4.

Yermak: 45 Azovstal defenders return home from Russian captivity. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak reported on May 6 that 45 Ukrainian prisoners of war had returned home from Russian captivity as part of a prisoner exchange.

Mercenary boss: Chechen troops to replace Wagner Group in Bakhmut on May 10. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Kremlin-controlled mercenary group Wagner, said on May 6 that Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov’s forces would replace Wagner troops in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, when Wagner withdraws from the city on May 10.

Washington Post: Wagner boss’ appeals to Putin fall ‘on deaf ears.’ The Russian military leadership has struggled to respond to Wagner Group boss Evgeny Prigozhin’s public insults and appealed to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to intervene, leaked U.S. intelligence documents show, the Washington Post reported on May 5.

Podoliak: Wagner boss’ threats to withdraw from Bakhmut sign of ‘internal war’ in Russia. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said on May 6 that Wagner Group boss Evgeny Prigozhin’s recent behavior shows he doesn’t have direct communication with the Kremlin.

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Zaluzhnyi calls top US general, discusses counteroffensive. Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi said on May 6 he had had a phone call with the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, discussing the front-line situation and upcoming counteroffensive.

Mayor: Traffic jam between Russian-occupied Melitopol and Crimea due to evacuation. A huge queue of cars and trucks, with some waiting for five hours, could be seen obstructing the Chonhar checkpoint between Russian-occupied Melitopol and Crimea, exiled Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov said on May 6.

UK Defense Ministry: Moscow’s Victory Day celebration likely to go ahead on smaller scale. Victory Day parades traditionally held on May 9 across Russia have been canceled but a celebration in Moscow will likely go ahead on a smaller scale, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on May 6.

Some Western officials asked Ukraine not to liberate Crimea, an official says. Some Western officials have asked Ukraine not to liberate Russian-occupied Crimea over fears that Moscow would pull the nuclear lever, Permanent Representative of the Ukrainian President in Crimea Tamila Tasheva told Polish Press Agency on May 5.

Ukraine to replace Soviet emblem on Motherland statue with Ukrainian trident. The documentation process to dismantle the Soviet hammer and sickle on the statue in Kyiv is already underway, Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said on national television on May 6.

Human cost of war

Official: Russian airstrike kills 2 in Avdiivka. Russia’s May 5 airstrike killed two civilians in Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, Vitaly Barabash, head of city’s military administration, said on May 6.

Russian attack on Kherson Oblast kills 6 sappers on duty. Six Ukrainian de-mining workers have been killed when their team was targeted by Russian shelling in Kherson Oblast on May 6. The attack injured two other people, including a female paramedic, the State Emergency Service reported.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast governor: 3 wounded by heavy Russian artillery fire in Nikopol. Russian forces heavily fired at Nikopol with Grad multiple rocket launchers, wounding three civilians, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported on May 6.

General Staff: Russia has lost 193,770 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. According to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Russia also lost 3,717 tanks, 7,238 armored fighting vehicles, 5,936 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,992 artillery systems, 552 multiple launch rocket systems, 306 air defense systems, 308 airplanes, 294 helicopters, 2,554 drones, and 18 boats.

International response

Berlin lifts ban on displaying Ukrainian flag on May 8-9. The Berlin Administrative Court has overturned the temporary ban on displaying Ukrainian flags at Victory Day commemoration events on May 8-9, Die Berliner Zeitung reported on May 6.

Minister: Moldova to join EU ban on some Ukrainian grain, allowing transit. Moldova’s government intends to join a month-long EU ban on some Ukrainian grains while allowing their transit, Agriculture Minister Vladimir Bolea said after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Solskyi on May 6.

Ukraine to ban imports from Moldova in retaliation against grain ban. Ukraine is preparing to ban imports from Moldova in a tit-for-tat response to a potential ban on Ukrainian grain announced on May 6.

In other news

Russian media: Pro-war writer in stable state after car explosion. Russian combatant and writer Zakhar Prilepin is in a medically induced coma after his operation, Russian state news agency TASS reported on May 6.

Media: Suspect in murder attempt on Russian pro-war writer arrested. A suspect in the assassination attempt on Russian combatant and writer Zakhar Prilepin was arrested on May 6, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Anakonda-23 NATO military exercises begin in Poland. Roughly 13,000 Polish servicemen are reportedly taking part in the joint exercise between Poland and NATO Allies, taking place in southeastern Poland, with military drills kicking off on May 6, Polskie Radio reported.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Toma Istomina, Asami Terajima, Alexander Khrebet, Oleg Sukhov, Francis Farrell, Alexander Query, and Lili Bivings.

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