(Image by NEIVANMADE)
A brief housekeeping note. Rosie is still doing well recovering between chemo sessions. Her next one is next Monday. Ruby came home this morning. They had her temperature back to normal about three hours after they started pushing fluids and I headed home for the night. She’s drinking, can hold a squat, her temp is normal, but she’s a bit zonked out. For obvious reasons given what she went through yesterday. I want to thank everyone for the good thoughts, well wishes, and prayers. Both the ongoing ones for Rosie and the ones last night and today for Ruby.
By now you’ve seen this. I want to thank Cole and TaMara for doing this, as well as Watergirl who I’ve been informed helped out behind the scenes. I really appreciate it. And I want to thank everyone that has already donated or is considering donating.
Given the events of yesterday afternoon and evening, I’m going to keep tonight’s update shorter as I’m fried. Not as tired as Ruby, but tired nonetheless.
While I was drafting this update, air raid alerts went up over Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
The Russians have (re)added Kherson to its target list.
In the middle of the day, russian forces attacked the center of Kherson with three aerial bombs, damaging dozens of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. 18 people were injured. pic.twitter.com/zE5awxaGLm
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
Explosions reported in Kharkiv! Right now, the city is under russian missile attack for the second time today!
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
Russian troops are on the streets of Vovchansk. The situation is critical. Kharkiv police continues evacuation pic.twitter.com/GbjfGmaMHh
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) May 15, 2024
⚡️Russia's attack on Sumy Oblast kills civilian, injures 1.
Russian forces attacked 10 communities in Sumy Oblast on May 15, killing one civilian and injuring another, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported.https://t.co/8Z9DtW355g
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) May 16, 2024
From The Kyiv Independent:
Russian forces attacked 10 communities in Sumy Oblast on May 15, killing one civilian and injuring another, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported.
The communities of Khotin, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Nova Sloboda, Esman, Shalyhyne, Druzhbivka, Seredyna-Buda, and Znob-Novhorodske were targeted.
The town of Esman and surrounding areas were attacked with mortars, multiple launch rocket systems, and artillery. One woman was killed in the shelling, according to regional authorities. In the Druzhbivka community, one civilian was injured in the shelling. No details were provided on the extent of the victims’ injuries.
Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, rocket launcher, and drone attacks. The community of nova Sloboda saw six mines dropped over the past 24 hours.
In total,183 explosions were recorded in 37 separate attacks on the region.
Sumy Oblast borders Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Russian strikes against Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive in recent months. Amid intensified attacks, Ukrainian authorities ordered increased evacuations from the region.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Over the Course of the Day, our Defense and Security Forces Have Managed to Partially Stabilize the Situation — Address by the President
15 May 2024 – 18:29
Dear Ukrainians!
All day long our military and the Ministry of Defense have been delivering reports. Our attention is constantly focused on the frontline, on all combat zones. In the Kharkiv region — the areas near the border, the city of Vovchansk — our defensive actions continue. Over the course of the day our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine — all units involved — have managed to partially stabilize the situation. The occupier, who entered the Kharkiv region, is being destroyed with all available means. Artillery, drones, and our infantry are working quite accurately. I thank all those who are in their positions now. The same attention is paid to all other directions. Especially to the Pokrovsk direction in the Donetsk region, as well as to the Kupyansk direction in the Kharkiv region. We clearly see how the occupier is trying to distract our forces and make our combat work less concentrated. We are reacting to this exactly as we should — we must have the means to retaliate against the enemy in every direction. Our Ukrainian result, our strength, depends on every soldier, every sergeant, and every officer who is directly in their positions, in combat, on the frontline: the full accomplishment of combat tasks in the current conditions should disrupt the Russian offensive plans. Throughout the day there were also reports on the internal situation: security, the elimination of the consequences of Russian strikes. Today there was a brutal attack on Kherson, Russian aerial bombs… Dnipro — there was a Russian missile attack… Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Sumy regions… Our rescuers of SES of Ukraine had a lot of work today. I thank every rescue team for their consistent promptness. I thank all the states that also help us, always promptly and always efficiently, — help our people and our state. The world has the strength, it has the weapons, it has the ability to force Russia into peace — into a just peace. And to succeed in this, absolutely everything must be done now to ensure that the Russian offensive and the Russian attempt to expand the war fails.
And one more thing.
Today there was an appalling attack on the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. This is a totally unacceptable act of violence. I wish Mr. Prime Minister a speedy recovery, and it is important that the attacker be held accountable for his actions. No form of violence, and especially political violence, should ever be a part of people’s existence.
Glory to all who defend life! I thank all those who defend Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!
The cost:
💔 The son of a fallen Ukrainian defender Taras Onyskiv receives a Ukrainian flag from his father's brothers-in-arms.
Taras Onyskiv joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2023. Yesterday, Lviv honored his memory.
📷: Ostap Govda / X pic.twitter.com/88wKu0erME
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) May 15, 2024
IMHO, this could have worked out much better if the secretary had first announced an outstanding aid package for Ukraine and a major U.S. administration shift toward the use of U.S. provided weapons against important military targets in the Russian territory – and then had this… https://t.co/cxmaPeDrYJ
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) May 15, 2024
IMHO, this could have worked out much better if the secretary had first announced an outstanding aid package for Ukraine and a major U.S. administration shift toward the use of U.S. provided weapons against important military targets in the Russian territory – and then had this gig in Kyiv.
“In interviews, American officials express confidence that many of these Russian gains are reversible once the spigot of new arms is fully opened, most likely sometime in July, and President Volodymyr Zelensky…finds ways to bring more — and younger — troops to the front lines”
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) May 15, 2024
Two and a half more months until Ukraine is properly reprovisioned.
Ніч
Те, що сьогодні сталося – відключення світла у населення – на жаль, було питанням часу.
Останні тижні був повний дисонанс. Незважаючи на обстріли, у нас з вами не було розуміння, наскільки ситуація складна. В той самий час ми втратили більшість маневрової генерації. Але…
— Сергій Коваленко (@sergeykovalenko) May 14, 2024
Here’s the machine translation:
Night
What happened today – the power outage in the population – was, unfortunately, a matter of time.
The last few weeks have been full of dissonance. Despite the shelling, you and I had no idea how difficult the situation was. At the same time, we lost most of the shunting generation. But energy experts 24/7 came up with schemes to make sure that we do not feel the last attacks of the enemy. And they succeeded. I want to say that real heroes work at Ukrenergo and DTEK. And sometimes we don’t see it, but they are the ones who, staying in their places even during shelling and risking their lives, do everything possible so that we are with the light.
However, not today. The deficit has not gone away, imports have physical limits, and the demand for a commodity called electricity is increasing significantly because of the low temperature. Today it is low, and in summer it is the opposite – due to the load due to the heat.
As a result of shelling, we lost 8 GW of capacity. And first of all, maneuvering capacities such as TPP or hydroelectric power stations. So, a difficult period awaits us. And not so much in the summer, when we will experience these outages, as in the winter.
But no one gives up and everything is already being done to change the situation. Both generation companies and the largest consumers among businesses. Many thanks to them for this.However, it is very important that our business can work, that we have someone to create GDP, strengthen the army, that people have work. Therefore, it is wrong to transfer the entire deficit to business. If we want to win, we need to create parity between the population and business, so, unfortunately, blackouts are inevitable for you and me.
Of course, maybe right now the energy experts are coming up with a new scheme, how to make the lack of electricity less noticeable, but we have to go through this difficult path. And everyone should understand their responsibility in this matter, and each of us should limit our consumption.
And we will pass this stage, and we will restore everything, we will overcome everything, because the victory will be ours!
Kharkiv:
Russian troops struck the village of Mala Danylivka on the outskirts of Kharkiv with an aerial bomb, damaging a medical facility, a dormitory, and residential houses. Four employees of the outpatient clinic suffered acute stress reactions. pic.twitter.com/gvSjOGdTEW
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
Amid the ongoing russian offensive and constant shelling, some 8,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Kharkiv Oblast over the past few days to save their lives. pic.twitter.com/yNER9cMFW3
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
This morning, 53-year-old Oleksandr from Vovchansk took his three dogs, documents, canned food, and photo albums and set off for evacuation. He walked 15 km until the police picked him up. He decided to leave the town after a russian tank damaged his house. Vovchansk is… pic.twitter.com/7JeKryCTSx
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
This morning, 53-year-old Oleksandr from Vovchansk took his three dogs, documents, canned food, and photo albums and set off for evacuation. He walked 15 km until the police picked him up. He decided to leave the town after a russian tank damaged his house. Vovchansk is devastated, with russian troops constantly attack the town.
📷Suspilne Kharkiv
Russians publish video of shelling of the Kharkiv region of Ukraine from the territory of the Belgorod region, Russia. pic.twitter.com/8iwyblASc6
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
Meanwhile, residents of Kharkiv chant "Bavovna" at the Art Fortress concert in the basement of the Kharkiv Opera House. pic.twitter.com/qICrmYMLE9
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) May 15, 2024
They can't hide from justice!
Artillerymen from the 3rd Assault Brigade destroyed an enemy 2S9 Nona-S artillery system in the Kharkiv region. pic.twitter.com/YJdJAh1gbG— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 15, 2024
Until a few months ago, I was often asked about my opinion on a possible russian offensive on Kharkiv Oblast and whether I thought the city was ready to repel it. I answered that the authorities stated Kharkiv Oblast was reliably fortified, and I could only hope and believe them.… https://t.co/8COpN8NXrq
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) May 15, 2024
Until a few months ago, I was often asked about my opinion on a possible russian offensive on Kharkiv Oblast and whether I thought the city was ready to repel it. I answered that the authorities stated Kharkiv Oblast was reliably fortified, and I could only hope and believe them. Now, I don’t believe it.
Here’s the machine translation of Deep State’s tweet:
🚩 Unprepared defense lines 10 km from the state border of Ukraine
🖼 In continuation of yesterday’s topic about IFS. Many accepted the thesis about the commission and the search for the guilty with skepticism. And we will probably agree, because instead of finding the culprits, everything is blamed on “discrediting” and hostile IPSO.
🧱 Forced to additionally provide footage of one of the unprepared positions of the VOP 10 km from DKU (in 2023, the nearest enemy SP was at a distance of 15 km), which the fighters shared with us. And here we are not talking about the absence of engineering and fortification structures, but rather about their poor preparation and incompetent approach, which, most likely, was presented to the military and political leadership as “success”, from which conclusions could even be drawn about the “final stages of the construction of the IFS” , in particular, in the Kharkiv region.
🤐 Looking ahead, let’s dispel theses about “began to arrange” and “hostile IPSO”. Other positions of “fortifications” have only its name, because they did not begin to be equipped at all. And it seems very strange that 10 km from the state border during 2023-2024 they were able to carry out only the first stage of construction there. Such a negligent approach to the work process played an evil joke in the Ocheretiny district. And only due to the fact that our fighters had to withdraw from their positions, it was possible to avoid losses from light damage by artillery and FPV drones. Fortunately, Muscovites ended up in their place. As for the “permanent shelling” thesis, their intensification began closer to the offensive.
🤷🏻♂️ If corruption and unprofessionalism continue to be attributed to IPSO, then we all have big problems with the future. Still, it’s worth focusing on the checks…
Novomykhailivka:
Groundhog Day for the occupiers on the Novomykhailivka axis.
17 units of enemy armored vehicles were used in the attack, and the warriors from the 79th Air Assault Brigade destroyed 11 of them. pic.twitter.com/uXXqwILSVQ— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 15, 2024
The Dnipro River, Kherson Oblast:
Boat with Russian assault group of 7 infantrymen destroyed in the Dnipro river, near Kherson, by the FPV drone strikes. https://t.co/hGbrHfgglr pic.twitter.com/wszqCFzvUn
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
Russian occupied Crimea:
Reportedly, Russian S-400 radar components in occupied Crimea destroyed last night with a Ukrainian-used ATACMS.
This is far from the first time that Ukraine uses U.S.-provided ATACMS (the use of which has been one giant boogeyman for the last 2 years of war!) against… pic.twitter.com/kV70WUh5kR
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) May 15, 2024
Reportedly, Russian S-400 radar components in occupied Crimea destroyed last night with a Ukrainian-used ATACMS.
This is far from the first time that Ukraine uses U.S.-provided ATACMS (the use of which has been one giant boogeyman for the last 2 years of war!) against top-priority Russian targets.
And the sky is not falling down on the earth, there’s no ‘nuclear escalation’, no ‘WWIII’ or whatever else Russian state propaganda and surrender cultists in the West try to intimidate the public with to undermine the support of Ukraine’s defense.
What happens in reality, again and again, is Russia losing its top-notch air defense capabilities it uses in its war to exterminate Ukraine.
(Sorry, I accidentally deleted the previous tweet about this)
Last night at the Belbek airfield in Russian-occupied Sevastopol.
Seems like this was a major hit. pic.twitter.com/NDydd9WxxW
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) May 15, 2024
/2. The Belbek military airfield does not have MiG-27 on it. This can be said for sure.
Perhaps Su-27 were meant but in any case, it is impossible to say for sure about something based only on such statements. Like many, I hope that satellite images or more photos of the area…— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
Regarding tonight’s missile strikes on Russian Belbek military airfield:
“10 ATACMS ballistic missiles were fired towards the airfield. It is worth noting that the signal about targets detection was given two minutes before the actual strike.
Losses:
• Airfield fuel and lubricants warehouse;
• Two S-400 air defense missile launchers;
• Radar “92N6E”;
• MiG-31 damaged;
• 3 MiG-27s damaged.There is information on the network about damage to 3 Su-27s, without confirmation yet (perhaps they were confused with the MiG).
7 servicemen from units of the 27th mixed aviation division (military unit 46434, Sevastopol) and the 31st air defense division (military unit 03121, Sevastopol) were killed. Another 12 were injured of varying degrees of severity.”
https://t.me/dosye_shpiona/528
/3. Russian claims regarding night strikes on Belbek military airfield in Crimea:
“At night, Ukrainian formations launched a new attack on Crimean airfields. This time the target was Belbek, at which up to 16 ATACMS operational-tactical missiles with a cluster warhead were… pic.twitter.com/i3BBoHvQ2t
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
/3. Russian claims regarding night strikes on Belbek military airfield in Crimea:
“At night, Ukrainian formations launched a new attack on Crimean airfields. This time the target was Belbek, at which up to 16 ATACMS operational-tactical missiles with a cluster warhead were fired. (Interesting to watch how the Russian claimed number of ATACMS missiles increased from 8 in the early morning to 10 and now to 16)
The sounds of the work of the 31st Air Force and Air Defense divisions were heard by the population of Crimea and Sevastopol around 2 am. Even residents of Chernomorskoe noted flashes and sounds of explosions in the sky. In total, about 13 missiles were shot down on the approaches to Belbek.
Unfortunately, we failed to shoot down one or two missiles. And the results of the hits again became known to the whole world thanks to the publication of video from a surveillance camera on the Internet. How and why this is still possible in the third year of the war has long been a rhetorical question.
As we ourselves and our colleagues have noted more than once, until criminal penalties are introduced for the publication of such videos and photos, Ukrainian formations will have no problem assessing the results of their strikes even without the help of NATO satellites.
It is not entirely clear where the missiles were launched from. Previous raids were from the Berislav area (Kherson region). But, as a rule, the enemy changes positions to prevent detection. And the ATACMS range of 300 km increases the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
It is possible that this time the launch was carried out from the Kherson region. However, some of our sources report that the missiles’ flight was recorded from the direction of Snake island. So the launchers could be located somewhere near Vilkovo on the border with Romania.”
/5. Destroyed Russian 92N6 radar station of the S-400 air defence system in Belbek. https://t.co/709RyzHuF4 pic.twitter.com/LjgSQWzCjJ
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
/7. Results of the detonation of ATACMS submunitions on the territory of Belbek military airfield. Published by Russian sources. pic.twitter.com/sDn0bE0Z5h
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 15, 2024
Slovakia:
Slovak media has published the video of Fico being evacuated from the scene.
This looks really bad for the PM. pic.twitter.com/Ng39vhoI3B
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) May 15, 2024
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s office said he was in a “life-threatening condition” after being shot multiple times as he greeted people in the town of Handlová. “The next few hours will decide,” Fico’s office added. @RaphaelMinder @HenryJFoy https://t.co/AQiEY9HjKP via @FT
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 15, 2024
Video of the rally: https://t.co/jOyhSqWxYi
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) May 15, 2024
Some interesting details about the shooter's biography, which look like he lived his life from the one extreme to another. https://t.co/IZG7qMzFWS pic.twitter.com/rH9VTZDV4P
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) May 15, 2024
‼️🇷🇺Wow. Looks like Slovak PM Robert Fico's reported assailant, writer Juraj Cintula, was associated with pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci (SB). Their leader was even trained by Russian ex-Spetsnaz soldiers. Read more on @VSquare_Project 👇https://t.co/2IzSHwq54d pic.twitter.com/M9fgp186R3
— Szabolcs Panyi (@panyiszabolcs) May 15, 2024
More on @VSquare_Project on the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci and their regional activities:
SJS 2077 (a Strzelec or Shooters’ unit) from Krakow and Slovenski Branci training together: https://t.co/e5oIFjvaJU
Ties between Night Wolves and SB:…
— Szabolcs Panyi (@panyiszabolcs) May 15, 2024
More on @VSquare_Projecton the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci and their regional activities:
SJS 2077 (a Strzelec or Shooters’ unit) from Krakow and Slovenski Branci training together: vsquare.org/brothers-in-ar
Ties between Night Wolves and SB: vsquare.org/the-shady-busi
“Pro-Russian tendencies pose a risk to Slovak armed forces”: vsquare.org/pro-russian-te
Interview with Czech journalist Jan Gebert who spent three years filming SB: vsquare.org/modern-fascist
Czech militias following the path of SB: vsquare.org/czechs-and-mil
Now we wait for further details to come to light.
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
To my friends in the USA 🇺🇸
The documentary «Saving the Animals of Ukraine» will be broadcast on @PBSNature at 8 pm today!
It’s a documentary of my friend @ptuxerman. And I’m so grateful he wanted to tell my story and share the heroism of Ukrainian people who risked their lives… pic.twitter.com/mnR5GsDQmp— Patron (@PatronDsns) May 15, 2024
To my friends in the USA 🇺🇸
The documentary «Saving the Animals of Ukraine» will be broadcast on @PBSNature at 8 pm today!
It’s a documentary of my friend @ptuxerman. And I’m so grateful he wanted to tell my story and share the heroism of Ukrainian people who risked their lives to save the animals.
I can’t wait for you to see it 😍 Please watch and tell me what you think.
Dear friends from Canada 🇨🇦
You can watch this documentary on @CBCAnd I’ll post updates for other countries soon 🙌
Catch me in NYC this Thursday, may 16.
in a screening of my documentary “Us,our pets and the war” in Village East by Angelika. Tickets are here: https://t.co/NK6JXzLWwT pic.twitter.com/awLuD7rHWF— Anton Ptushkin (@ptuxerman) May 14, 2024
Thank you❤️
— Patron (@PatronDsns) May 15, 2024
Open thread!
sab
Nature on PBS was on tonight ( Wednesday.)
West of the Rockies
Fico is pro-Kremlin, yes? So if he is gone, isn’t that good? (Assuming someone worse doesn’t take over.)
Adam L Silverman
@sab: Yep, I updated it. Thanks.
Adam L Silverman
I’m going to rack out. I’ll catch everyone tomorrow.
Gin & Tonic
There’s an excellent article in the NYT about russian disinfo ops videos aimed at Biden. Link is here, but the article is paywalled, so maybe someone with a sub can provide a gift link (I got a gift link from one of the story’s sources, and can’t forward it.)
Gin & Tonic
@West of the Rockies: Fico was pro-Putin when he took office, but lately he’s been attempting some sort of rapprochement with Zelensky. I’m waiting to learn more before drawing any conclusions.
Andrya
@Gin & Tonic: I think this is a gift link. Some non-subscriber to NYT, please let me know if it works for you. link
Timill
@Gin & Tonic:
Gift Linky
@Andrya:
Curse you, Red Baron…
Bill Arnold
@Andrya:
Link worked for me.
Andrya
@Bill Arnold: Thanks!
jackmac
@Gin & Tonic: In case the other links did not work, here’s an additional one. (Note, this is my first time trying a gift link so hopefully it works):
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/politics/russia-disinformation-election.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sU0.yU6H.kFCzQ9v29Ct1&smid=url-share
Gin & Tonic
Thanks to all who dropped a gift link here. Now read the article.
Bill Arnold
@Gin & Tonic:
Did. Interesting.
Videos are an American strength, so quick recognition of fakeness is likely for such videos.
A clearinghouse like Snopes would be very useful.
Also, provenance tools for video can be helpful (reverse video search).
Generally, static image search tools can be used to (attempt to) match a frame capture. tineye.com oldest first sort order is very helpful. Other reverse image search tools are also useful. Some such tools are pretty good at matching heavily modified images with source images.
West of the Rockies
@Gin & Tonic:
Thank you for the insight. I know you are quite a bit more knowledgeable than am I on this issue.
Also, too, Alison Rose, come back! You are missed.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
MaryLou
@Gin & Tonic:
@Gin & Tonic: Here’s a (I hope) gift link: Link
way2blue
Finally a modest way to support Adam. Here’s hoping the financial burden incurred by the twin puppy health crises has been lightened.