• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Russo-Ukraine War - 19 May 2025 - Day 1181

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]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russian Security Council Secretary and former Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu's military contract has reportedly been extended for a further 5 years to run until 2030, when he will turn 75 years old. Shoygu, a close ally of Putin, reportedly missed Russia's 09 May 2025 Victory Day parade in Moscow for health-related reasons.

The Russian state increasingly resembles a gerontocracy; a form of rule in which the senior leaders are significantly older than most of the adult population. The majority of Russia's senior leadership, including Putin (72), are aged in the vicinity of, and exceeding, Russia's reported 2023 average male life expectancy (approximately 68 years).

Putin has highly likely sought to keep close personal allies in positions of power to better ensure perceived regime stability, as well as his own survivability. Political appointments derive from patronage and long-term loyalty to Putin, as opposed to being merit-based, likely engendering dissatisfaction and frustration amongst the younger generation of ambitious potential leaders. This also significantly undermines the effectiveness and efficiency of leadership decisions, which are likely made not by the most capable, but by those with the most longstanding acquiescence and commitment to, as well as deriving the most benefit from, Putin's authoritarianism.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that since the beginning of the day, 156 combat clashes have been recorded. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are resolutely restraining the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, inflicting him significant losses.

The opponent made 50 air strikes by applying 100 controlled aviation bombs. The Russian occupiers also used 1117 kamikaze drones and carried out 4146 shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian enemy twice attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk and towards Kutkivka.
In the Kupians Піkomu direction, three offensive actions took place near Zagrizovy and towards Pi їany.
22 Russian attacks near yampolivka, kopanok, novomikhailivka, green valley, torsky and in the direction of glushchenkovoy, karpivka, serebryanka, yampol, grigorivka, new peace, ridkoduba and olgivka. One battle is going on.
In the Sívers Верkomu direction, Russian forces four times stormed the positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Verkhnyokamians верkogo, Bílogorivka and towards Grigorivka.
In the direction of Kramators Наkomu, six attacks were recorded in the areas of Chasovogo Yar, White Mountain, Kurdyumivka and in the direction of Predtečinyogo.
In the Torets ліkomu direction, 13 combat clashes took place in the areas of Toretsk, Novospas Диky, towards Dilíivka and Ivanopíllâ. Three clashes are ongoing so far.
In the Pokrovsky direction, Russian troops carried out 59 attacks in the areas of settlements Mirolyubivka, Zvirove, Elizabethtivka, Malinivka, Lisivka, Udaachne, Novosergiyivka, Troitske, Kotlyarivka, Andriyivka and towards settlements of Zorya, Novoukrainka, Stara Mykolaivka, Shevchenko the First, Nova Poltavka, Popiv Yar, Mirnograd, Novomykolaivka.
According to preliminary data, in this direction there were 128 Russian invaders, of which 74 - irrevocably. Also, the Ukrainian military destroyed one satellite terminal, seven units of automobile equipment, four motorcycles, 16 unmanned aircraft of different types, one radio-electronic combat station and a mortar of zagarbnikív. Three battle-armored vehicles and one Russian mortar were significantly damaged.
In the Novopavlovsky direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 attacks in the areas of Konstantinopol, Privilny, Rivnopol, Vilny Pol and towards Novopol, Bagatyr and Green Field. One battle is going on. At the same time, the enemy caused aviation strikes controlled bombs on the settlements of Temirivka and Novopil.
In the direction of Gulyaipil, Russian forces launched air strikes on Gulyaipol and Malinivtsi.
Four attacks in the direction of Mala Tokmačka and near Stepovoye were fired in the Orihivsky direction. Stepnogirsk suffered airstrikes.
In the direction of Pridniprov, Russian units once tried to advance - did not succeed. Zagarbniks hit controlled bombs on the settlement of Cossack.
In the Kursk direction, the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled ten Russian attacks. The Russian enemy also launched 11 air strikes, using 26 controlled air bombs, and carried out 202 artillery shells, including seven from the reactive systems of open-fire.