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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• Russia reports destroying 47 drones and missiles from Ukrainian attacks VOA 13 May 2024 -- Russia's defense ministry said Monday the country's air defenses destroyed 31 drones and 16 missiles launched by Ukraine in overnight attacks.
• Heavy Fighting Continues In Kharkiv As Russia Tries to Stretch Ukrainian Forces RFE/RL 13 May 2024 -- Kharkiv's governor on May 13 said Russian forces had begun attacking new areas in small groups to widen their assault in the northeastern region and stretch Ukrainian defenses.
• Thousands evacuated as Russia scores major gains in Ukraine's Kharkiv Press TV 13 May 2024 -- Thousands of Ukrainians have been evacuated from a border town as Russian forces are making progress in the Kharkiv region.
• Ukraine Replaces Commander of Kharkov Battlegroup Amid Russian Offensive - Reports Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Ukraine shifted its military leaders to the north-eastern area after Moscow made considerable gains, the RBC-Ukraine news agency reported on Monday.
• Ukraine Lost Over 1,000 Soldiers in DPR in Battles With 3 Russian Groupings of Forces Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Ukraine's military casualties reached over 1,000 servicepeople in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the past 24 hours in battles with the southern, central and eastern groupings of the Russian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
• Three People Killed, 4 Injured as Result of Ukrainian Shelling of City in LPR Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Three people were killed and four others were injured as a result of Ukraine shelling the city of Sorokyne, also known as Krasnodon, in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), LPR head Leonid Pasechnik said on Monday.
• If West Wants to Settle Ukrainian Conflict on Battlefield, Russia Ready - Lavrov Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- If Western countries want to solve the Ukrainian crisis on the battlefield, Russia is ready for this, acting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.
• Russian Air Defense Destroys Dozens of Ukraine's Drones, Storm Shadow Missiles Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- The Russian air defense destroyed four Storm Shadow cruise missiles, launched by Ukraine, over Crimea, and 27 Ukrainian drones over Belgorod and Kursk Regions over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• With Shake-Up, Putin Seeks The Upper Hand In Russia's Long, Costly War On Ukraine RFE/RL 13 May 2024 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched his fifth term with a rare shake-up of the government that analysts say is driven by the need to manage a long and increasingly costly war of aggression against Ukraine and the fallout from Moscow's mounting confrontation with the West.
• With Putin's reshuffle, is Russia preparing for a long war? VOA 13 May 2024 -- Three experts have told VOA's Russian Service that the appointment of Andrei Belousov as Russia's defense minister suggests President Vladimir Putin is preparing his country for a protracted war against Ukraine.
• Russia ready to 'play long game' in Ukraine as Putin proposes economist as new defense chief Global Times 13 May 2024 -- Russia is ready to "play the long game" in Ukraine and balance the sustainable demand of its military operation with economic development, said experts on Monday, as a senior official who specialized in the economy was proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to become the new defense minister.
• Kremlin explains decision to change defense minister ISNA 13 May 2024 -- President Vladimir Putin has proposed that Sergey Shoigu be replaced as Russian defense minister by acting First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov, the Federation Council said on Sunday evening.
• Putin replaces defense minister Shoigu in major shakeup Press TV 13 May 2024 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has nominated an economist to replace longtime defense minister Sergei Shoigu as the country is trying to better utilize defense spending and harness greater innovation to win the war in Ukraine.
• How Andrei Belousov May Create Problems for Russia's Adversaries as Defense Minister Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- While Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to replace Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu with veteran economist Andrei Belousov may come as a surprise to some, there seems to be a good motive behind his move.
• Shoigu Will Monitor Work of Russia's Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu will oversee the work of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, but will not become the head of the service, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
• Russian Military-Industrial Complex World's Most Powerful - Acting Deputy Prime Minister Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- The Russian military-industrial complex is the most powerful in the world when it comes to production of major types of arms and military equipment, acting Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said on Monday.

Foreign Policy

• Telephone conversation with President of Bolivia Luis Arce President of Russia 13 May 2024 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Luis Arce at the initiative of the Bolivian side.
• Interview by Special Presidential Envoy of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia M.L.Bogdanov to the online publication of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences "New Eastern Outlook", May 13, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 May 2024
• Press release on Acting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Abdullah al-Lafi and Acting Foreign Minister at the Government of National Unity of Libya Taher al-Baour Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 May 2024
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answer to a question during his remarks at the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Moscow, May 13, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 May 2024
• Statement From National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the Signing of the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act into Law The White House 13 May 2024
• Biden Signs Bill Prohibiting US Imports of Russian Uranium - White House Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- President Joe Biden has signed a bill that prohibits US imports of Russian uranium, the White House said in a press release.
• Russian UN Envoy Says Israeli Operation in Rafah Will Have Negative Impact on Red Sea Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Israel's planned operations in Rafah could harm the situation in the Red Sea, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Monday.

News Reports

• Wider Europe Briefing: The EU's Latest Attempt To Hit Russia (And Belarus) With Sanctions RFE/RL 13 May 2024