Russo-Ukraine War - 19 May 2023 - Day 450

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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 on 18 May 2023, a train derailed near Simferopol, blocking the only rail line into the port of Sevastopol, the base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF). The railway authorities said it was a result of "interference by outsiders."

Russia will move to repair the line quickly, but the incident will disrupt deliveries of supplies and potentially also weaponry, such as Kalibr cruise missiles, to the BSF.

Any sabotage in this sensitive area will further increase the Kremlin's concerns about its ability to protect other key infrastructure in Crimea. The peninsula retains a vital psychological and logistical role in enabling Russia's war in Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of May 19th, Russian forces launched 6x missile and 51x air strikes, carried out more than 30x MLRS attacks. The civil infrastructure was destroyed. In particular, as a result of the shelling of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Stepnohirs'k in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Beryslav in the Kherson Oblast, civilians have been killed and injured, private houses and other civilian infrastructure have been destroyed.

The threat of missile and air strikes remains high across Ukraine.

The Russian forces continue to focus its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes. During the day, 70x combat clashes took place on the indicated sections of the front. The heaviest battles are for Bakhmut and Maryinka continue.
Volyn' and Polissya axes: the operational situation has not changed significantly, there are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian forces carried out airstrikes in the vicinities of Volfine, Slavhorod, and Pletenivka settlements of the Sumy Oblast. They carried out mortar and artillery attacks on the settlements of Bleshnya in Chernihiv Oblast and Malushyna in Sumy Oblast, as well as Udy, Gatishche, Pletenivka, Pokalyan, Budarka, Zemlianka and Topoli in Kharkiv Oblast.
Kup'yans'k axis: the Russian adversary conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinties of Belogorivka, Luhansk Oblast. russians carried out airstrikes near Hryhorivka, Vilshanaya and Kislivka in the Kharkiv Oblast. Figolivka, Novomlyns'k, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Masyutivka, Lyman Pershyi, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka, Tabaivka, Berestovka of the Kharkiv Oblast and Stel'makhivka of the Luhansk Oblast were shelled by Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Lyman axis: the Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. Makiivka, Nevske, Belogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast and Verkhn'okam'ians'ke and Spirne of the Donetsk Oblast were hit by artillery fire.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues to conduct offensive operations. Heavy fighting continues for the city of Bakhmut. Russian forces also conducted unsuccessful offensive operations on the axis of Ivanovs'ke and Bila Gora.
The Russian occupiers carried out airstrikes in the areas of Orihovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovs'ke, Stupochki and Bila Gora settlements. Vasyukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovs'ke, Chasiv Yar, Predtechine, Bila Gora, Diliivka, Druzhba and Severnyi of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: the Russian troops carried out offensive operations on the axis of Novokalynovy, Stepovy, Avdiivka and Pervomaiskyi, ableit without any success. They carried out an airstrike in the Avdiivka area, shelled with artillery fire near Novokalynovy, Berdychiv, Avdiivka, Tonenkoy, Pervomaiskyi, Karlivka, and Nevelskyi, Donetsk Oblast.
Mar'inka axis: Ukrainian armed forces repelled numerous Russian attacks in the vicinities of Mar'inka. Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, Mar'inka, Kurakhove and Katerynivka of the Donetsk Oblast got under fire.
Shakhtars'k axis: during the day, the Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the area of Novomykhailivka. At the same time, they carried out airstrikes vicinities of Vugledar, Prechistivka and Zolota Niva. russians shelled the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Vugledar, Bogoyavlenka, Maksimivka, Zolota Niva and Velyka Novosilka.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces are on the defensive. They launched an airstrike on the settlement of Kizomys.
russians carried out shelling of populated areas. Among them are Hulyaipole, Novodanilivka, Mali Shcherbaki, Stepove, Kam'ians'ke and Plavni of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; as well as Zolota Balka, Beryslav, Stepanivka and the city of Kherson.

According to confirmed information, the Russian occupying forces connected the island of Dzharylgach with the occupied mainland part of the Kherson Oblast in near the settlement of Lazurne, covering the crossing to the island with sand. It's done with the aim to intensify the use of nature conservation area of the national park for military purposes. In particular, the occupiers set up a military training ground on the island.

Russian occupation forces continue to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield. As a result, Russia continues to turn civilian educational institutions into medical institutions in the temporarily occupied territories. In particular, in the Golubivka settlement, Luhansk Oblast, the Russian occupiers are turning a local school into a military hospital. About 50x wounded invaders were sent there for treatment.

Ukrainian Air Force per day carried out 12x strikes on manpower and military equipment concentration areas, as well as 4x - on the Russian forces' anti-aircraft missile systems.

During this day, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 3x "Kalibr" cruise missiles, 16x "Shahed" Iranian attack UAVs and 2x Russian reconnaissance UAVs of various types.

Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit 1x control post, 6x concentration areas of Russian weapons and military equipment, 2x artillery units at firing positions and 6x radio electronic warfare stations.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the previous night, the Russian Armed Forces launched a strike by high-precision long-range sea-based weapons against the enemy's stations and training centres, as well as depots storing ammunition, weapons, and hardware of foreign origin. The purpose of the strike has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been engaged. The strikes disrupted the supply, training, and formation of reserves of Ukrainian troops to carry out tasks in the areas of combat operations.

In Kupyansk direction, aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces have engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) close to Dvurechnaya,Novomlynsk, Kislovka, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region). In addition, actions of three sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were thwarted near Sinkovka and Timkovka (Kharkov region) and Rozovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy's losses amounted to up to 65 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system during the day.

Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 14th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed close to Tishchenkovka (Kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Up to 85 Ukrainian personnel, three armoured fighting vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers have been eliminated.

In Artyomovsk tactical direction, the assault detachments continue fighting in the west part of the city. TheYug Group's units disabled the enemy's action covering the actions of the assault detachments.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have inflicted a fire damage on the enemy's manpower and hardware close to Kalinovka, Chasov Yar, Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). Over the past day, Russian aircraft have made five sorties. The Group's artillery have performed 68 firing missions.

Over 70 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, two infantry fighting vehicles, one armoured personnel carrier, three pick-up trucks, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar stations were eliminated in the fighting.

In Donetsk direction, units, aviation, and artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have eliminated up to 135 Ukrainian troops, ten motor vehicles, and one UK-made L118 towed howitzer during the day.

A warehouse of rocket and artillery weapons has been destroyed near Bokovoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted a fire damage on AFU units close Shevchenko and Novosyolka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Malaya Tokmachka and Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region).

Up to 120 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and two D-30 howitzers have been neutralised in these directions during the day. An ammunition depot of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been hit close to Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Kherson direction, up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, and one D-20 howitzer have been neutralised by fire.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 76 AFU artillery units, manpower and hardware in 103 areas during the day.

An artillery ammunition depot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been destroyed near Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic). A fuel depot for Ukrainian military hardware was destroyed near the town of Mervichi, Lvov region.

Russian air defence forces have intercepted seven HIMARS MLRS shells during the day.

?? Moreover, ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Dvurechnoye, Gorobyovka (Kharkov region), Veseloye, Blagoveshchenka, Belogorovka, Novomikhailovka, and Yegorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In total, 428 airplanes and 234 helicopters, 4,218 unmanned aerial vehicles, 423 air defence missile systems, 9,227 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,100 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 4,852 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,304 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.