War in Ukraine / May 5

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Belarus is a distraction maneuver

Military training has begun in the Republic of Belarus. There are practically no Russian troops in the country, all that is happening there now is just training the local army. According to sources, this time it really seems that this is not about preparation for hostilities. In Belarus in April-May, field exercises are traditionally held. But given the earlier threat of invasion by Belarusian troops in Zhytomyr and Rivne regions, vigilance is advised not to lose.

British intelligence insists: exercises are being conducted to distract Ukraine. Today, all combat units are trying to move to the south and east of Ukraine, where they are needed for the maintenance of territories and further counteroffensive. The increased danger on the northern border, in theory, should slow down the transfer of troops. But this should not be distracted, say the British.

This seems to be true. As of today, the Russian army from time to time continues to shell the territory of Chernihiv and Sumy regions, mainly – the border area. This is necessary precisely in order to keep the attention of the Ukrainian army in areas where hostilities are not taking place. But at the same time it does not allow to take as many soldiers as possible from these areas and transfer them to more important areas.

Alexander Lukashenko himself, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, recently gave an interview pointing to his existence in a separate world. In his opinion, it was he who helped Ukraine and Russia to sit down at the negotiating table for the first time, in which he sees a great important mission. In addition, he said, “the war should have ended much sooner.”

Belarus, as an accomplice in the war against Ukraine, has also suffered from sanctions. Big business began to close its branches and divisions immediately in Russia and in Belarus. In addition, the country began to lose one of its most valuable assets – the IT industry. Large companies have expressed a desire to close their offices and have begun transporting IT professionals to other countries. Previously, IT specialists steadily generated dollar exports to the country. Including – in Ukraine. The second big loss is the markets. Ukraine used to import a lot of Belarusian oil, but now it is closed. Like all of Europe. We will see the economic consequences of the blockade of Belarus in the near future.

Airstrike, missile and MRL damage

Kharkiv region:

• A shell fired by Russian troops hit the house of 97-year-old World War II veteran Ivan Lysun. The house, outbuildings, and car were destroyed. Neighboring houses were also damaged.
• Russian troops shot at a convoy of 33 cars traveling to Kharkiv from the occupied territories of the Vovchansk district. It is known about 3 dead and 12 wounded; the exact number is being established. Among the dead is a girl, and among the wounded is a 6-month-old child.
• Russian troops shelled the areas of Saltivka, Pyatykhatky, Selyshche Zhukovskoho, Lisopark, and Obriy. Multi-story and private residential buildings and outbuildings were damaged and destroyed; fires occurred, and cars and buses were destroyed. The World War II memorial was damaged in Lisopark. The shelling allegedly used banned cluster munitions.
• As a result of shelling by Russian troops, civilian facilities in Dergachi, Prudyanka, Bezruky, Ruska Lozova and Slatyne were damaged.
• […]

Zaporizhzhya region:

• Russian troops shelled the territories of the following settlements: Poltavka, Kamyanske, Malynivka, Olhivske, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Orikhiv, Uspenivka, Chervone, Hulyaipole, Bilohirya, Vynohradivka. There was damage and destruction of civil infrastructure, in particular in Bilohirya the library and the house of culture was damaged; in Novodanylivka houses and cars were damaged.
• As a result of shelling, 1 house was destroyed, 6 houses, 9 apartments, and warehouses were damaged. A gas pipeline was damaged in a residential building.
• As a result of shelling by the Russian army, a residential building was partially damaged. The body of a 34-year-old man was found in the garden near it.
• […]

Luhansk region:

• During the day, Russian troops shelled 24 settlements in the region. 7 artillery shellings were carried out in Severodonetsk, another 7 – in Hirske and Popasna communities, 4 – in Lysychansk. At least 8 houses were destroyed in Hirske, 4 houses were destroyed in each of the settlements of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk and Novodruzhesk, and 3 in Komyshuvakha. Three people died – in Toshkivka, Vojevodivka and Popasna.
• […]

Chernihiv region:

• Throughout the day, the territories of the communities were shelled from the territory of the Russian Federation in a series of 5-10 shots. In total, approximately 70 shots were fired from mortars and 24 from automatic grenade launchers in a day.
• […]

Kirovohrad region:

• As a result of shelling by Russian troops, an infrastructure facility outside the city was damaged. According to the statement of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense, aviation equipment at the Kanatovo airfield was destroyed.
• […]

Kyiv region:

• As a result of a collision with a mine left by the Russian troops, the fire truck’s cab was significantly damaged by the explosion. Two people were hospitalized with injuries. Near the explosion site, 5 mines were found and neutralized.
• […]

Mykolaiv region:

• On the night of May 3-4, Russian troops shelled the city’s territory. As a result, power outages occurred in the Korabelnyi district and part of the Zavodskyi district. The blast wave and shrapnel slightly damaged private houses. In the afternoon, at approximately 11:30, the Russian army shelled the city again. Additionally, as a result of shelling at approximately 15:15, a Russian cruise missile exploded on the city’s outskirts outside the territory of settlements.
• There was a shelling of the city’s territory by Russian troops using prohibited cluster munition. As a result of the shelling, gas communications, the electric transport catenary of the Mykolayivelectrotrans enterprise, and industrial facilities were damaged. Windows were broken, and the lining of multi-apartment and private residential buildings was damaged. Significant damage was caused to the administrative building of the school. In the Inhulskyi district of the city, the territory of the city zoo was shelled. Private cars were also partially damaged. The airstrike also destroyed a large ammunition depot in the city, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry.
• […]

Donetsk region:

• During the day, the Russian army shelled 12 settlements, the main blows fell on Avdiivka, Slovyansk, Svyatohirsk, Mar’inka, Kramatorsk, Lyman, Chasiv Yar, Mykolaivka, Ivanivka, New-York, Novyi Trud. At least 35 civilian facilities were destroyed: residential buildings, a boarding school, coke and chemical plants, life support facilities and the railway. 8 people died and 12 were injured.
• Russian troops continued storming Azovstal, even though civilians were hiding there. Updated information about 5 dead and 2 wounded  (1, 2).
• Russian troops struck at the territory of the Holy Assumption Svyatohirsk Lavra, on the territory of which there were refugees. As a result, the hostel building was damaged, 7 people were injured.
• […]

Kherson region:

• Russian troops shelled the settlements of the region. In Osokorivka, private houses, infrastructure, and communal property were damaged. Novovorontsovka was also subjected to shelling. At the time, the Russian army used banned cluster munitions. Residential buildings were destroyed in Vysokopillya, and Zahradivka was also shelled.
• […]

Dnipropetrovsk region:

• Russian troops fired two rockets at the city. One of the missiles hit a railway infrastructure facility, destroying the administrative building, the railway track, and the catenary. The second missile was shot down by air defense. As a result, residential buildings, shops, and urban infrastructure were damaged.
• […]

Sumy region:

• As a result of shelling from the territory of the Russian Federation, infrastructure facilities and the school building of the Esman community were damaged.
• The Yunakivka section of the border service department was shelled from aircrafts flying on the territory of the Russian Federation. A Russian helicopter made several missile launches on the Mohrytsya village territory. As a result, crops were destroyed.
• […]

New laws

Ukraine:

• [War] Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 310/2022 on establishing the honorary distinction “For Bravery and Courage” in order to distinguish military victories.
• […]

This was the free part of the military brief

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In a paid version:

• Airstrike, missile and MLRS damage
• Civilian casualties
• Video of russian prisoners
• New laws
• Occupant’s casualties (est. from Ukrainian General Staff)
• War crimes in a de-ocupied territories
• Alternative loss estimates
• Data archive.
• Analytical charts: occupant losses, chart with known air raid alerts by region and known damage, diagram of known airstrike, missile and MRL damage and known child deaths, diagram of known damage for Ukrainian infrastructure, diagram of average duration of the air alerts in the regions.