UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-05-25
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 23:00 on May 25 stated that day 822 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.
During the past day, 90 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 3 missile strikes, 33 air strikes, 224 drone strikes and 2,200+ shellings across the positions of our troops.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Russia reaches three grim milestone in its ill planned quest to reestablish its empire
On the morning of May 25 the GSAFU released its tally of Russian casualties for the past 24 hours. They were in the general range that they have been since their disastrous incursion over the border into Kharkiv, however it also marked a grim milestone.
First and foremost - Russian casualties since the start of the full scale invasion surpassed half a million.
Secondly May became the bloodiest month for the Russian army since the beginning of the war
According to the Army Inform estimates, Russia has lost at least 30,240 servicemen in the first 24 days of May which became a monthly record in the destruction of the occupiers. With nearly a week left to go.
This is even more than December 2023, which previously was a record month for the destruction of the invaders forces. Then the Russian army lost 29,970 servicemen.
Thirdly Russia had its most losses in a single day on May 12 with 1,740 casualties and even more ominously the average number of casualties per day in May rose to its highest ever - 1,260
A significant increase in the losses of the occupiers is noted in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Answering questions from the ArmyInform about the dynamics of losses rf, vol.o. Deputy Chief of the General Operations Department of Genstab Colonel Igor Prohorenko said, that during 2024, the army lost between 27 and 30,000 people on the battlefield every month.
”Yes, we keep statistics and, starting in 2024, every month the enemy suffers losses in personnel from 27 to 30 thousand people. That is, on average per day, losses range from 800 to 1,000 people. This also applies to losses in armaments and military equipment…”, the Col. said.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv axis: The Russians conducted 13 combat assaults on Ukrainian positions in the area of Lyptsi and Vovchansk. Battles are ongoing in the vicinity of Starytsya. The situation is under control. In addition, Ukrainian defenders push the enemy away from the front edge of defense with assault actions, and have success in some areas.
Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces now control area where Russia pushed into Kharkiv region
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Ukrainian forces had secured "combat control" of areas where Russian troops staged an incursion this month in northern parts of Kharkiv region. Reuters reports.
"Our soldiers have now managed to take combat control of the border area where the Russian occupiers entered," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
Zelenskyy's comments, after holding a meeting of military and regional officials in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, appeared to be at variance with comments by Russian officials.
Viktor Vodolatskiy, a member of Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament, was quoted by Tass news agency as saying Russian forces controlled more than half the territory of the town of Vovchansk, 5 km (three miles) inside the border.
Vodolatskiy was quoted as saying that once Vovchansk was secured, Russian forces would target three cities in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region -- Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk.
Russian forces pushed into border regions of Ukraine's Kharkiv region this month and Russia's Defence Ministry said they had secured control of about 12 settlements.
Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials had been reporting success in "stabilising" the area.
Kupyansk axis: Russia made 17 assaults on Ukrainian defensive positions in the vicinity of Sinkivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Stelmakhivka, Novoegorivka, Druzhelyubivka and Nevsk. Currently, fighting near Novoêgorívka, Petropavlívka and Ivanívka continue. The enemy has had partial success in the last two areas, the situation is tense. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are taking active measures to stabilize the situation.
Lyman axis: The enemy made 3 attempts to breach Ukrainian defences in the area of Terny and Serebrianke Forest but were repelled
Siversk axis: Russia made 5 unsuccessful assaults in the vicinity of Bilohorivka and Sprine
Kramatorsk axis: The enemy made 13 attempts to breach Ukrainian lines near Andriivka. The situation is tense but under control.
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Pokrovsk axis: Russian forces continued to try to breach Ukrainian defences from the area of the settlement of Ocheretyne. Have partial success eastern Eugene. A total of 15 combat clashes took place. Our defenders are taking active measures to recover the lost position.
Kurakhove axis: Defense Forces units repelled the attacks of the enemy near Krasnogorivka, Heorgiivka and Paraskoviivka. The situation south of Konstantinivka and south of Volodymyrivka will remain the most tense. In total, 8 combat clashes took place. The situation is under control of our troops.
Vremika axis: The situation has not changed significantly. There were 2 combat clashes. Loss of positions in the area of Staromaiorske is not allowed.
Orikhiv axis: Russian attackers made 1 unsuccessful attempt to advance towards Novodanilívka.
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Prydniprovsk axis: Ukrainian soldiers repelled 3 attacks of the enemy in the area of the settlement of Krynky Kherson region.
Ukrainian Strike Forces russian Ships to Leave Crimea
Over the past few days, several russian ships have departed from temporarily occupied Crimea, following the destruction of the Tsiklon missile ship. This information was provided by Dmytro Pletenchuk, head of the Strategic Communications Center of the South Operational Command. Defense Express reports.
“Russian missile carriers consistently remain at their bases. Several ships have left Crimea over the past few days, following the destruction of the Tsiklon ship. More and more, the enemy realizes that Crimea is not the place to keep their ships,” Pletenchuk stated.
As Defense Express previously reported, although this is unlikely to significantly change the impact the russian Navy is having on Ukrainian operations, it does highlight a continued danger to russian forces operating in Crimea and Black Sea region and continued Ukrainian success when conducting coordinated strikes.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Satellite images show aftermath of strike on Russia Comm centre in Qirim
The consequences of a Ukrainian ATACMS strike on the Russian army communications centre near Alushta in temporarily occupied Qirim were shown on satellite images. The images, reports Radio Liberty confirm that the Ukrainian attack with ATACMS missiles on the night of May 24 hit a military facility of the FSB border service near Alushta in the area of the village of Semidvorye.
The satellite images taken after the strike show where the missiles were supposed to hit. The authorities of the occupied peninsula, unlike many other similar cases, admitted that several Ukrainian missiles hit targets on the ground, but the Russian head of Crimea, Sergei Aksenov, claimed that the hits occurred on an “empty economic facility.”
THE HOME FRONT
Umerov, Syrsky discuss strengthening Ukrainian air defence with NATO commander
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky and Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov had a phone conversation with Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Armed Forces in Europe Christopher Cavoli and Commander of the Security Assistance Group of Ukraine Antonio Aguto. Interfax Ukraine reports.
"First of all, we talked about the situation at the front, the provision of equipment and weapons, ammunition, material and technical means in accordance with the declared assistance package. Separately, we talked about strengthening air defence both on the line of contact and in the cities of Ukraine," Syrsky said in Telegram channel on Saturday.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces thanked the United States and other NATO member countries for their consistent and unwavering support for Ukraine in confronting the aggressor.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Russia holds over 400 Ukrainian women in captivity
There are currently 403 Ukrainian women in Russian captivity, many of them illegally detained civilians, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said. Interfax Ukraine reports.
Further, there are also women in captivity whose fate has been unknown since 2014 and have gone missing. The Russian side responds to numerous appeals demanding the return of women with silence and ignores all appeals, the Coordination Headquarters said.
"The conditions of keeping Ukrainian women in Russian captivity do not comply with the Third Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Women released from captivity speak, among other things, of humiliation, inhumane conditions of detention, inadequate nutrition, and the inability to receive qualified medical care and contact their relatives," it said.
The Russians continue to deny representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross access to places of detention of prisoners and civilians, of which there are more than 100 in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories.
The headquarters said the Ukrainian side has repeatedly offered Russia to release the women first, but Russia's representatives "are engaged in manipulation, in particular the publication of various lists, but behind all this lies a reluctance to continue exchanges."
Ukrainian Drones strike Russian Radar site
The aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike in Armavir, Krasnodar territory that hit a radar that is part of the Russian early warning system for enemy ballistic missile launches. Radio Liberty reports.
Satellite images taken on May 23, shortly after the attack, were obtained by Radio Liberty. Judging by the photo, the drones attacked the Voronezh-DM radar station. It provides radar control at a distance of up to six thousand kilometres. The images also show serious damage to the buildings in which the radars are located.
Some experts believe that a military facility in the Krasnodar region was targeted because it is capable of detecting launches of long-range ATACMS missiles supplied to Ukraine by the United States.
The two Voronezh-DM complexes in Armavir are a key part of Russia's larger strategic early warning network, and their loss could impair the country's ability to detect incoming nuclear threats. In addition, an attack could provoke a retaliatory nuclear strike.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
World Bank chief Banga open to managing a G7 loan to Ukraine
World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters on Friday that he is "absolutely" open to the idea of managing a G7 loan fund for Ukraine backed by the earnings from frozen Russian sovereign assets - at least for non-military purposes. Reuters reports.
Banga, attending a meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers who are hashing out the concept of such a loan, said the World Bank has ample experience in managing similar non-military donor fund facilities, including one for Afghanistan. It could "replicate" that work for a Ukraine loan, he said.
G7 finance ministers opened the meeting in northern Italy with expectations that no hard details would emerge on the U.S push for a loan to Ukraine that would be repaid by the future income from some $300 billion of Russian assets that have been frozen since Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
A loan amount - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has suggested $50 billion is possible - and structural details including management are expected to be worked on in the run-up to a G7 leaders summit in southern Italy in June.
Banga said he is not a party to the loan negotiations, nor had he been approached by Yellen or other G7 finance ministers.
"All I know is that if they do decide to give it to us, would I be ready? Yeah," Banga said. "I could manage a fund of that type. I would need safeguards, I would need to make sure our people understand how to use it."
This would include agreeing with the loan's sponsoring countries on a process for how to allocate funds for projects, he said.
MILITARY & TECH
Nothing to report.
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