Day 439 since the beginning of the war: Russia again attacks the Ukrainian capital with cruise missiles. Meanwhile, Yevgeny Prigozhin reports modest territorial gains in Bakhmut. All information in the blog.
The most important things at a glance
Embed
Russian attack on Kyiv
05.12: According to the Kiev military administration, a renewed series of Russian air attacks on the capital was thwarted by the air defense systems during the night. “The air defense systems are working in the outskirts of Kiev,” the administration said on the news app Telegram. The day before, Russia had attacked Kiev with a swarm of drones.
EU ambassador comments on Ukrainian-Chinese meeting
4.48 am: The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) in China sees it as a very positive step that Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “We would like China to go further and do more to achieve a just peace that includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine,” said Jorge Toledo Albinana in Beijing.
Prigozhin: Only advanced 130 meters today
4.05 a.m.: According to their boss Yevgeny Prigoschin, the troops of the Russian mercenary group Wagner can only advance slowly in the heavily contested Bakhmut. “Today the groups have advanced a maximum of 130 meters… Fierce fighting is taking place, but the groups are still advancing,” Prigozhin said in an audio message on social media. So far, however, no ammunition has arrived from Moscow. “According to preliminary data, we are gradually getting ammunition. We have not seen them in practice (yet).”
UN: Russia no longer inspects grain ships
1.44 am: According to the United Nations (UN), no ships arriving under the grain agreement were inspected by Russia on Sunday and Monday. The Moscow government is threatening to pull out of the May 18 deal as it sees its own grain and fertilizer exports hampered.
Russian occupation chief: rain delays Ukrainian offensive
9:52 p.m.: According to the Russian occupation authorities in southern Ukraine, fresh rain has delayed the start of Kiev’s expected offensive. “Unstable, wet weather has set in again. The ground has to be four to twelve centimeters dry so that the technology can roll over it,” said Yevgeny Balizki, head of administration for the Moscow-controlled part of Zaporizhia, on Russian television on Monday. Nevertheless, the counteroffensive could “start at any moment,” he warned.
Last Friday, the Russian administration began evacuating towns near the front in the Zaporizhia region. The city of Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is located, is also affected. Balizki spoke of a temporary resettlement of residents for the safety of the population. “If we drive the fascists back to the German borders, then people can return to their home soil,” he said. Russian propaganda often portrays its war of aggression against Ukraine as repelling a fascist threat.
Russia wants to expand military presence in Kyrgyzstan
9:51 p.m.: According to Russia, it wants to expand its military installations in Kyrgyzstan. The heads of state of both countries have emphasized the importance of “strengthening the Kyrgyz armed forces and expanding Russian military facilities on Kyrgyz territory,” the Kremlin said in a statement released on Monday after talks between Kyrgyz President Sadir Japarov and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Both countries plan to deepen their “military and technical cooperation” as well as their economic and cultural ties in order to achieve “a new level of integration”.
In the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, with almost seven million mostly Muslim residents, Russia maintains a military base that houses, among other things, an airfield and a naval facility on the mountain lake Issyk-Kul. Russia and Kyrgyzstan are military allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The military alliance led by Moscow also includes other former Soviet republics.
Is Putin now allowing the war to escalate further?
8.45 p.m.: On May 9th, Russia celebrates “Victory Day” over Nazi Germany. A speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected during the major military parade on Red Square in Moscow. The most important non-religious holiday in Russia is overshadowed this year by the drone attack on the Kremlin. Putin is likely to want to demonstrate his strength all the more. Read more about the significance of tomorrow and Putin’s speech for the Ukraine war here.
