Russo-Ukraine War - 05 May 2023 - Day 436

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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

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The UK Ministry of Defence reported that a recent uptick in Russian rail accidents in areas bordering Ukraine, attributed to sabotage committed by unknown actors, has almost certainly caused short-term localised disruption to Russian military rail movements.

Although its Railway Troop Brigades are capable of restoring lines quickly, these incidents will increase pressure on Russia's internal security forces, who will highly likely remain unable to fully protect Russia's vast and vulnerable rail networks from attack.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian Federation continues to use terror tactics. Today, Russian forces launched 2x missile strikes, 26x air strikes and carried out about 20x rounds from MLRS. Civilians suffered, private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. The threat of launching missile and air strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive actions on the Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'yinka axes. Units of the defense forces of Ukraine repelled more than 30 Russian attacks on the indicated areas of the front during the day. The fiercest battles are going on for Bakhmut and Mar'yinka, Ukrainian soldiers are steadfastly defending.
Volyn' and Polissya axes: no signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were detected in the. Certain units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation will continue to be located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains a military presence in the in the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions bordering Ukraine. During the day, they carried out artillery and mortar attacks on the settlements of Buchka, Chernihiv Oblast; Znob-Trubchevska, Stara Huta, Baranivka, Tovstodubov, Bachivsk, Volfine of the Sumy Oblast, as well as Chervona Zorya, Udy, Veterinarne, Graniv, Kozacha Lopan, Hoptivka, Hlyboke, Lukyantsi, Neskuchne, Staritsa in the Kharkiv Oblast.
Kupyansk axis: the settlements of Bolohivka, Krasne Pershe, Figolivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Liman Pershi, Pishchane, Stelmakhivka of the Kharkiv Oblast were hit by Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. The settlements of Makiivka in the Luhansk Oblast and Nevske, Yampolivka, Bilogorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Spirne in the Donetsk Oblast were hit by artillery fire.
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces continue to conduct offensive actions. Heavy fighting continues for the city of Bakhmut. In addition, during the day, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the axis of the settlements of Hryhorivka, Ivanovske, and New York. Vasyukivka, Minkivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultine, Pivdenne, Toretsk, Severne and New York of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the Avdiivka area, without success. They shelled the settlements of Orlivka, Lastochkine, Avdiivka, Tonenke, Karlivka, Netaylove, and Pervomaiske of the Donetsk Oblast.
Mar'yinka axis: Ukrianian defenders repelled numerous Russian attacks in the Mar'yinka area during the day. Kurakhove, Georgiyivka, Mar'yinka, Pobyeda, Elizavetivka, Katerynivka and Novomykhailivka of the Donetsk Oblast got under Russian fire.
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the current day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. They carried out shelling of Shakhtars'ke, Prechistivka and Vugledar settlements of the Donetsk Oblast.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia continues to conduct defensive operations. At the same time, during the day, it shelled more than 40x settlements. Among them are Burlatske, Vremivka, Novosilka, Zelene Pole, Novopil of the Donetsk Oblast; Olhivske, Malynivka, Gulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Gulyaipilske, Biloghirya, Mala Tokmachka, Mali Shcherbaki, Kam'ianske and Stepnohirsk of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Nikopol', Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; Zolota Balka, Dudchany, Vesele, Dniprovske, Kizomys of the Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson.

The Russian occupiers continue the forced passporting of the population of the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson Oblast. For this purpose, the Russian invaders use mobile passport control groups. Threatening with deportation and confiscation of property, representatives of mobile groups accept documents and issue russian passports at the place of residence of Ukrainian citizens.

During the day, the Air Force of the Defense Forces carried out 6x strikes on areas where the Russian forces' personnel and military equipment were concentrated. Also, tonight, two Russian UAVs of the "Shahed-136/131" type were shot down.
During the day, units of missile forces and artillery struck 5x areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 3x warehouses of ammunition and fuel and lubricants, 1x means of anti-aircraft defense and 5x more important Russian targets.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the AFU units near Dvurechnaya, Ivanovka and Krakhmalnoye (Kharkov region).

 The actions of three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been thwarted near Sinkovka, Timkovka and Berestovoye (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 95 Ukrainian servicemen, eight motor vehicles, one Akatsia self-propelled artillery system and one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system.

 One munition depot of the AFU 127th Territorial Defence Brigade has been destroyed near Ogurtsovo(Kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, the attacks, launched by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the AFU units close to Nevskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Torskoye and Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

 The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, one armoured fighting vehicle, one pickup truck, and D-20 and D-30 howitzers.

 One artillery ammunition depot of the AFU 66th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Petrovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

In Donetsk direction, the assault detachments continued to conduct offensive actions against the enemy in the western part of Artyomovsk.

 The paratroopers provided support and restrained the enemy on the flanks.

 The attacks, launched by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the Yug Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy manpower and hardware close to Kalinovka and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

 Russian units have destroyed the bridge used by the AFU to transport ammunition and reserves to Artyomovsk close to Chasov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic).

 The aviation have made 7 sorties in this direction. The Group's artillery have performed 69 firing missions.

Two ammunition depots of 54th and 110th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have been destroyed near Kramatorsk and Avdeyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

 The enemy losses were up to 300 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, three infantry fighting vehicles, four armoured fighting vehicles, one Grad MLRS, and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system.

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units close to Vodyanoye and Ugledar (Donetsk People's Republic), Malinovka, Chervonoye and Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region).

 The actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been disrupted close to Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were over 90 servicemen, one tank, five motor vehicles, one D-30 howitzer and one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system.

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 80 Ukrainian servicemen, fifteen armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, as well as three D-30 howitzers.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 107 artillery units of the AFU at their firing positions, manpower and military hardware at 123 areas.

Two AFU Su-25 aircraft have been destroyed by air defence close to Zolotaya Balka and Tyaginka (Kherson region).

 Seven HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles have been also intercepted.

Air defence forces have also intercepted 14 unmanned aerial vehicles close to to Tokarevka, Olshana (Kharkov region), Troitskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Ivanovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Lesnoye and Malaya Belozyorkva (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 418 airplanes, 230 helicopters, 3,963 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 air defence missile systems, 8,992 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,096 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,739 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 9,986 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.