War in Ukraine / May 18
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The Russian army reduced the offensive
According to US intelligence, the Russian army has reduced the offensive force. In particular, the task of the Russian army is no longer to capture large cities, but instead the troops are concentrating on controlling strategic points and securing themselves on important roads and transport routes. This information agrees with the data previously provided by British intelligence: Russia’s offensive in the Donbass is losing power.
Ukraine also speaks about this: Defense Minister Reznikov points out that Russia seems to be preparing for a protracted war and, instead of an offensive, is strengthening its positions to contain them. Currently, Russia does not have enough resources for a powerful offensive: there is a lack of manpower, the plan of covert mobilization did not live up to expectations. There also seem to be problems with the leadership: heads of units are being fired, and some of them have lost the trust of President Putin. This is a direct indication of the failure of Russia’s plans.
At the same time, it should be understood that they managed to achieve certain results: part of the south of Ukraine is under occupation, among the largest cities – Kherson. In fact, Russia has increased its territory of influence and their main task, it seems, is to keep these territories.
Ukraine seems to understand this as well. Martial law in Ukraine was extended for three months until the end of August. When the ruling elite was asked why such a long period, they answered without hiding: the offensive takes a long time. Speaking about the offensive, Reznikov meant a counteroffensive – Ukraine’s desire to reconquer all its territories. This intention is supported by Europe and America: for Ukraine is an important victory on the battlefield. And they promise to help with the supply of weapons for this.
A quick victory is important for Ukraine: its economy is suffering more, the population is getting poorer, and infrastructure losses have reached almost $100 billion, while Russia will end 2022 with a surplus budget, but with an isolated economy.
Airstrike, missile and MRL damage
Kharkiv region:
- The administrative building of the Kharkiv region State Emergency Service of Ukraine and a multi-storey building nearby in the Kievsky district were damaged. Several fire fighting vehicles were destroyed.
- Private houses and warehouses were damaged as result of Tsapivka shelling.
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Kyiv region:
- In the Buchansky district between the villages of Lypivka and Korolovka, a 52-year-old and a 48-year-old men were blown up by an OZM-72 type mine, left by Russian troops. As a result of the explosion, the men were hospitalized with multiple wounds.
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Sumy region:
- Russian troops shelled the territory of the Dmytrivka village in Okhtyrka district from the side of the Russian settlement Ponury using the Grad MLRS. ~10 shell explosions were recorded. As a result of the shelling, a private residential building was significantly damaged: windows were broken, the roof was destroyed, and a fire broke out in the house. The blast wave and shrapnel damaged the local area.
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Zaporizhzhya region:
- As a result of shelling, residential buildings and the preschool education institution were damaged. Phosphorus shells were used.
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Luhansk region:
- Over the day, Russian troops carried out 36 attacks and damaged 39 infrastructure facilities. The towns of Rubizhne, Popasna, Zolote, Hirske, Pryvillya, Novodruzhesk, and the villages of Troitske, Voronove, Katerynivka, Nyrkove were hit by Russian troops. Severodonetsk: as a result of the shelling, houses and civilian infrastructure were partially destroyed, there were fires. At least 8 houses were damaged, and 3 people were injured. Popasna community – residential area were damaged, as a result of air strike. Lysychansk: the last functioning substation was cut off the power, there is no more electricity supply in the area. As a result of the shelling, a woman’s arm was torn off. Ustynivka и Zolote-4: massive destruction as a result of the shelling. Vrubivci, Nyrkove и Komyshuvakha – houses were damaged as a result of the shelling.
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Mykolaiv region:
- The residential buildings of Inhulsky and Korabelnyi districts of the city were shelled by Russian troops. 1 person was injured. In the Korabelnyi district, the house and power grids were damaged. The missile was launched from a SU aircraft from the territory of Black Sea. Around 20 residential houses were damaged. The residential area around Marshal Vasylevsky street caught fire due to the shelling.
- A school was damaged, as a result of the Pervomaiske urban-type settlement shelling.
- A roof and an annex caught fire due to the shelling at the Academic Reshetov street. The house owner was injured.
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Donetsk region:
- The Russian army shelled school No. 1 with phosphorus ammunition. Three houses were also damaged.
- Russian troops shelled Kostyantynivka. A school was destroyed, the Center for Children’s and Youth Creativity and 28 residential buildings were damaged (1, 2).
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Kherson region:
- As a result of shelling in Chornobaivka, 1 person was killed, 5 people were wounded.As a result of the shelling in Pravydne, a house caught fire. Information about casualties is being specified. A family of two was injured.
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Dnipropetrovsk region:
- There were 2 explosions in the region. The object of transport infrastructure was destroyed. 2 private houses were damaged with missile debris. 3 people were injured.
- Zelenodolsk and Apostolovo communities were shelled by Russian troops.
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Chernihiv region:
- Russian troops fired mortars and grenade launchers twice during the day at the territory of the frontier village Hrem’yach in Novhorod-Siverskyi district. The first shelling took place at ~13:00, the second one was at 16:00. A total of ~30 explosions were recorded.
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Odesa region:
- Russian troops launched a missile attack from the Black Sea on the territory of the Kominternovsky district. The missile landed in a field outside populated areas.
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This was the free part of the military brief
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- 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.