Wednesday, May 17

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Russia’s May 16 attack on the southern city of Mykolaiv damaged a shopping mall, a car dealership, industrial infrastructure as well as homes, Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitaliy Kim reported on the morning of May 17. (Suspilne news)

Defense Ministry: Ukraine’s military regains 20 square kilometers near Bakhmut In the past several days, Ukrainian forces have recaptured about 20 square kilometers in the northern and southern outskirts of Bakhmut, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on May 16.

CNN: Ukraine has used Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russian targets Ukrainian forces have already started using U.K.-provided Storm Shadow long-range missiles to hit Russian targets, CNN reported on May 16, citing three Western officials.

CNN: Patriot system may be damaged by Russian May 16 attack on Kyiv A U.S.-made Patriot air defense system was likely damaged in the Russian May 16 missile attack on Kyiv but not destroyed, as Russia previously claimed, an unnamed U.S. official told CNN.

Official: Ukraine wants 40-50 F-16 fighter jets Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, has said that Ukraine wants between 40 and 50 F-16 fighter jets, Politico reported on May 16.

EBRD: Ukraine’s recovery might require $250 billion The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has released a report indicating that Ukraine will need approximately $250 billion for its recovery over a five-year period.

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ISW: Russia likely committed to reinforcing offensive efforts in Bakhmut Despite Ukraine’s successful counterattacks around Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces have likely committed to reinforcing their offensive efforts in the area, the Institute of the Study of War said in its latest update.

Marine charged with treason over capture of POWs in Mariupol Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported on May 16 that Kostyantyn Bezsmertny, a commander at the 501st Marine Battalion, had been charged with treason for allegedly persuading 277 soldiers to surrender to Russian troops as prisoners of war.

Drone attacks reported in Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk oblasts Drone attacks were reported in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk oblasts over the past 24 hours, according to local officials and independent media.

Media: Russia’s FSB recruits former ISIS militants to be agents in Ukraine Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has been recruiting former ISIS fighters over the years as their “agents” in countries like Ukraine, independent Russian media outlet Meduza reported on May 16.

Ukrainian flag raised over NATO cyber defense headquarters The Ukrainian flag was raised at NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Tallinn, the Foreign Ministry reported on May 16. According to the ministry, raising the flag marks Ukraine’s “official accession” into the CCDCOE.

Read our exclusives

Where does Russia expect Ukraine’s counterattack? Overview of defensive lines

As Ukraine gathers forces for the counteroffensive, Russia continues to build defensive lines on a massive scale.

Photo: Scott Peterson/Getty Images

When dying ‘stops being scary’: Worn out Ukrainian soldiers in Donbas hold off Russian assaults

Behind the headlines about Ukraine’s long-lasting defense, lies the enormous toll of civilians-turned-soldiers, who rose up to defend their country in the wake of Russia’s all-out invasion.

Photo: Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian forces hit village in Kherson Oblast, injuring 8-year-old child. Russian troops struck the village of Molodizhne near Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson on May 16, the regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. An 8-year-old girl suffered a head injury while a woman had a concussion due to the shelling.

Civilian injured in Russia’s attack on Mykolaiv. Russian strike on Mykolaiv on May 16 left one woman injured, according to regional governor Vitaly Kim. City Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said via his official Telegram channel that several fires were reported in the city following the latest Russian attack.

General Staff: Russia has lost 199,980 troops in Ukraine The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on May 16 that Russia has lost 199,980 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, with an estimated 520 casualties on May 15.

Inside the mission to evacuate civilians from Ukraine’s front lines: Interview with UK volunteer

International response

Macron: France to give Ukraine missiles that would ‘allow it to resist’ Russia In an interview with TF1 on May 16, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would provide missiles with a range that would “allow Ukraine to resist.”

UK, Netherlands agree on ‘international coalition’ to help Ukraine get F-16 jets. 

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte have agreed to build an “international coalition” to help procure F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine, the British government has announced.

Reuters: Hungary withholds approval of military support tranche for Ukraine Hungary has decided not to approve the disbursement of the next tranche of military support for Ukraine provided under the European Peace Facility (EPF) of the European Union, Reuters reported, citing an announcement from the Hungarian government spokesperson’s office on May 16.

In other news

NABU: Supreme Court head arrested but not charged yet Charges will be filed against Supreme Court Head Vsevolod Kniaziev and one other individual who were detained for receiving bribes, the heads of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said during a press conference on May 16.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Kate Tsurkan, Oleg Sukhov, Dinara Khalilova, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olena Goncharova, and Lili Bivings.

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