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Combat Operations
Ukraine
Russia
United States
NATO
United Nations
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Combat Operations

• 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

• 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.
• Kharkiv Is a Strategic City; We Need Timely Assistance from the United States - Andriy Yermak President of Ukraine 13 May 2024
• Security Situation and Decentralization: Presidential Office Hosted a Meeting with Alexander Soros President of Ukraine 13 May 2024
• Our Task is Crystal Clear - to Thwart Russia's Attempt to Expand the War - Address by the President President of Ukraine 13 May 2024
• Canada, Sweden and Luxembourg Will Participate in the Global Peace Summit President of Ukraine 13 May 2024
• Ukrainian Peace Formula and Ukraine's Priorities in International Politics: Andriy Yermak met with Alexander Soros President of Ukraine 13 May 2024

Russia

• 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.
• 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.

United States

• Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing DoD 13 May 2024
• Blinken makes unannounced visit to Kyiv as Ukraine faces Russian challenge in east VOA 13 May 2024 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Tuesday in Kyiv on an unannounced visit to deliver what U.S. officials called a "strong message of reassurance" at a time when Ukrainian forces are facing stiff fighting from Russia's military in eastern Ukraine and are awaiting the arrival of new weapons shipments from allies to help with defense.
• US, allies 'doing everything humanly possible' to rush weapons to Ukraine VOA 13 May 2024 -- The United States is working hard to rush weapons to Ukraine to fight against a surprise Russian ground offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the White House said Monday.
• U.S. Aid Reaching Ukraine as Russia Attacks Near Kharkiv DoD News 13 May 2024 -- U.S. military aid is reaching Ukraine as that nation's military strives to blunt Russian attacks in the Kharkiv region, said Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary.

NATO

United Nations

• Nearly 2,000 children killed or injured since the escalation of war in Ukraine UNICEF 13 May 2024 -- Statement by UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe Regina De Dominicis

Foreign Reactions

• EU extends trade support to Ukraine for one more year * European Commission 13 May 2024 -- The suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the European Union will be extended for another year, following today's adoption by the Council and April 23 vote in the European Parliament. The EU is thereby delivering once again on its commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Canada 13 May 2024 -- Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Russia's Involvement in Ukraine Peace Process Necessary - Swiss Foreign Ministry Sputnik 13 May 2024 -- Switzerland believes that Russia needs to be involved in the Ukraine peace process, as reaching peace without Moscow is impossible, Foreign Ministry spokesman Pierre-Alain Elchinger told Sputnik on Monday.

News Reports

• Interview: Putin Has Not Given Up On Erasing Ukraine 'As A State, A Concept, And A People' RFE/RL 13 May 2024 -- Nataliya Bugayova is a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank focused on military affairs through the lens of U.S. strategic objectives.