Timeline: day 78 of Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression
Photo by Reuters
Today is May 12. russia's military attack on Ukraine has been going on for 78 days. We're reporting on all the current news. The article will be constantly updated.
What about today?
Key points
Combat geese. Photo from the front of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Mechanized Brigade
The Ministry of Defense stated that Ukraine had won the first phase of the war with russia. This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. According to her, the enemy didn't achieve any of the goals and suffered heavy losses. She also noted that the new goal of the free world was not to stop but to defeat russia.
The Americans agree with her. "Ukraine will go on the counterattack in the coming weeks, and by the end of the summer will push russian troops to the border on February 24," the former commander of the US Army in Europe, General Ben Hodges predicts in an interview with CNN. He adds: "I think the russians are nearing their climax. They don't have hundreds of thousands of new soldiers or new tanks ready to go into battle."
Another ruscist tank has finally fallen into the careful hands of our Armed Forces
By the way, about tanks. Germany has 300 tanks, 150 of them on the move. Others have no spare parts or crews. In addition to its 700 tanks, the Ukrainian Armed Forces took another 233 tanks from the enemy. Given the trophies, international aid, and land lease, we have something to fight with!
The Armed Forces not only take away tanks but also ruthlessly destroy enemy equipment. On May 11, in the direction of Joint Forces Operation (Donetsk and Luhansk regions), the Armed Forces destroyed:
- Orlan-10 UAV – 4
- tanks – 8
- anti-aircraft systems – 1
- armored combat vehicles – 6
- motor transport – 5
In the direction of the East operational command:
- warehouse with ammunition
- observation post
- tanks – 6
- IFV – 1
- APC – 1
- AFV – 2
- motor transport – 7.
A total of 14 enemy attacks were repulsed in one day! The ruscist invaders lost another 300 soldiers, 17 armored vehicles, and 8 tanks in one day.
"Today, the entire world sees this and admires the heroism of Ukrainians. At the same time, I want it not to become something ordinary for everyone. To do this, we must say and remember that behind the courage and wisdom of our people, there are thousands of real stories, names, feats," said Zelensky thanking the Atlantic Council for the For Outstanding Leadership award to the Ukrainian people. "Awarding Ukrainian people is right and fair because bravery is our national character trait."
More than 643 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of russia's full-scale armed aggression. As of the morning of May 12, 2022, the official number of child victims hasn't changed: 226. The data on the wounded have not changed: 417. These figures are not final, as work is underway to establish them in places of active hostilities, temporarily occupied and liberated territories. As a result of daily bombings and shelling by the russian armed forces of Ukrainian towns and villages, 1,721 educational institutions were damaged. At the same time, 139 of them were completely destroyed.
Most of the actions of russian invaders in Ukraine can be described as war crimes. This was stated by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet, Reuters reports.
Humanitarian corridors
The commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, Serhii Volynskyi, turned to Elon Musk for help: "People say you come from another planet to teach people to believe in the impossible. Our planets are next to each other, as I live where it is nearly impossible to survive. Help us get out of Azovstal to a mediating country. If not you, then who? Give me a hint," the Azovstal defender writes.
13:30 – Iryna Vereshchuk on the evacuation of severely wounded fighters from Azovstal: "Negotiations are underway. Muscovy didn't agree to the 'extraction' procedure. They offer only surrender. As you know, our guys don't agree to lay down their arms. Today there's only one way: to go step by step. The special operation will have several stages. The first stage is the evacuation of the seriously wounded," Vereshchuk said.
15:00 – The President's Office spokeswoman Tetiana Lomakina said at a briefing that talks were underway with russia to evacuate medics, wounded Azovstal fighters, and other civilians who remain in Mariupol.
Meanwhile, Mariupol residents who didn't pass the filtration are being held in prisons in occupied Donetsk, Ombudsman Liudmyla Denisova said. In particular, they are being sent to the G52 penal colony in the village of Olehivna and the infamous Isolation Prison in Donetsk. Victims of terror are detained in inhumane conditions. The mother of little Alice from Azovstal may be somewhere there.
17:30 – Ukraine is negotiating with russia on the exchange of 38 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen from the territory of Azovstal, Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk said. She noted that it was not yet a question of exchanging "500-600 people, as reported by some media."
Today, 60 civilians from Kyrylivka in the Zaporizhzhia region and neighboring coastal villages were evacuated. It is known that the column successfully passed all russian checkpoints and is already in the territory controlled by Ukraine. Now in Zaporizhzhia, all these people will be able to get the help they need.
Way to the EU
Hungary has never been against Ukraine's accession to NATO, and will not be opposed if Kyiv decides to join the alliance, Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine István Íjgyártó. Hungary, which is friends with putin, is changing dramatically. Apparently, they know something.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has backed a proposal by Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová to pay a series of visits to Western Europe to persuade their leaders to grant Ukraine EU candidate status as soon as possible. "The idea of granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for the European Union is important. We have no doubt that it should be granted this status as soon as possible," Andrzej Duda said.
Ukraine's application for EU membership will be discussed at the level of heads of state and government in the European Council in June, the French Foreign Ministry said.
Who's coming to Ukraine?
About financial assistance, weapons, and volunteer fighters
The Swedish Bofors 40-mm anti-aircraft automatic gun has already arrived in Ukraine.
The UN is training Ukrainian medics in case putin's troops use chemical or biological weapons, said Mykhailo Radutskyi, chairperson of the Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance, and Medical Insurance. According to the UN, there are currently no confirmed signs of the use of biological and toxin weapons by the parties during hostilities. But it is better to prepare for any option.
And this is what the signed Law on Lend-Lease – Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 looks like:
Under this law, the United States will allocate an additional $40 billion to help Ukraine against russia's invasion. US President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve an additional $33 billion in aid to Ukraine, but lawmakers have decided to increase funding for military and humanitarian purposes.
What is included in the package:
- $11 billion – for the Biden administration to send military equipment and weapons from US reserves to Ukraine;
- $6 billion to fund Ukraine's security assistance initiative, which allows the United States not to use stockpiles directly but to buy weapons from contractors;
- $9 billion to replenish military supplies (primarily Stinger and Javelin) of the Americans themselves instead of sending equipment to Ukraine;
- $900 million – for housing, psychological assistance, teaching English to refugees;
- $54 million for health care and medical support for Ukrainian refugees.
In addition, the United States is ready to participate in Ukraine's reconstruction, the State Department said.
Switchblade tank drones can be transferred to Ukraine, Bloomberg writes. The Ministry of Defense is in talks with AeroVironment Inc. about the purchase of 10 new armor-piercing models of the Switchblade dive-bomber drone. "The department is actively working to conclude a contract for the purchase of 10 Switchblade 600," Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell said Wednesday. "The delivery date will be determined after the conclusion of the contract."
The United Kingdom is looking for Soviet and russian equipment around the world. They plan to purchase it and hand it over to Ukraine, according to the Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom, Ben Wallace. According to him, 23 countries have such reserves. Also, the minister said, russia is also looking for equipment that could indicate the end of the aggressor's own reserves.
Assistance to refugees and IDPs
Canada organizes three charter flights for Ukrainian refugees. Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser wrote about this on his Twitter account. The planes will depart from Poland and land on May 23 in Winnipeg, on May 29 in Montreal, and on June 2 in Halifax.
News from partners
Together, Canada and Germany will increase russia's economic isolation. During a telephone conversation, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed to work together to increase russia's economic isolation.
Kazakhstan has looked closely at the enraged neighbor russia and has signed a military cooperation agreement with Turkey, RFE/RL reports. "Thanks to the signed joint declaration, we have raised our partnership to a new level of strategic partnership. Turkey and Kazakhstan are two fraternal countries," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The White House has developed internal instructions on the exchange of intelligence with Ukraine, aimed at avoiding the aggravation of relations between the United States and russia, The Washington Post reports, citing sources. In particular, the document prohibits US intelligence from passing detailed information on the whereabouts of russia's highest-ranking military leaders and data on targets for strikes outside Ukraine.
In turn, US First Lady Jill Biden called on putin to end the war in Ukraine: "You cannot go into a war zone and not come away unchanged. You don't have to see the sorrow with your eyes because you can feel it with your heart. The thing about grief is that it veils one's face. It's like a haze has descended.… Mr. Putin, please end this senseless and brutal war." This appeal of a civilized person is unlikely to reach the ears of a vile creature that only looks like Homo sapiens.
Instead, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has already ruled out any formalities. She called russia a threat to the world order.
Finland has officially applied to join NATO! This decision was supported by the Prime Minister and the President of the country, who made a written statement in this regard.
In response, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Finland's membership would strengthen both the alliance and the country itself. "If Finland decides to apply, it will be warmly accepted into NATO and the accession process will be smooth and fast," Stoltenberg said.
Following in the footsteps of Finland, Sweden has also joined NATO. The government can apply to join NATO on Monday 16 May. Expressen reports, citing sources.
russia reacted to this news like a gang: Finnish politicians were warned that russia, as a countermeasure to Finland's accession to NATO, could stop supplying gas to the country on Friday, i.e. tomorrow! If that happens, russia will also have to pay for breach of contract.
Moreover, Russia began to threaten Finland and Sweden with war. "As soon as Finland and Sweden become members of NATO and the Alliance's units are there, these territories will become a possible target for the Russian military," said Polyansky, russia's deputy representative to the United Nations. Polyansky also spoke about the use of nuclear weapons: "If you threaten a nuclear state, you must consider all options." The orcs are already mad with rage.
Meanwhile, a bomb shelter with a gym, a cafe, a football field, and a playground was shown in Finland. It can accommodate all residents of Helsinki. According to the authorities, it will also withstand a nuclear strike.
The EU will not recognize "referendums" in russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine. This was stated during a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in the European Union Mission to the OSCE:
- We reaffirm our strong condemnation of Russia's attempts to create illegitimate alternative administrative structures in Kherson, Mariupol, and other Ukrainian cities.
- Any attempts by russia to hold so-called "referendums" at gunpoint in russian-controlled territories to declare new "people's republics" or join russia are illegal and will not be recognized.
In addition, the EU condemned the forced deportation of Ukrainians to russia and "filtration camps."
What's in russia?
Meanwhile, inflation in russia from April 30 to May 6 accelerated to 17.77%. It is expected that at the end of 2022 the annual inflation will be 18-23%, according to the report of the Central Bank of the russian federation on monetary policy.
Sanctions on the aggressor!
The International Gas Union has suspended all participation of russian companies.
The press secretary of the German Ministry of Energy Annika Eingorn said that Germany would not return to the idea of Nord Stream-2. "Nord Stream 2 died after russia's attack on Ukraine, and no one is thinking of returning to it," she said.
Finnish energy company Fortum has decided to leave the russian market. The company also stressed that it would stop using its brand in russia and would consider selling its daughter, Fortuma.
The German concern Siemens has stated that it is leaving the russian market.
The Czech Republic is imposing restrictions on students from russia and Belarus. Restrictions will apply to both entrants and students of Czech universities. The plans are huge reductions in popular specialties among entrants from the CIS countries. These are most of the technical specialties that were easiest to do due to the shortage of Czechs.
Poland has banned Gazprom from transiting gas through the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline. The Yamal-Europe pipeline is one of the three main routes for transporting russian gas to Europe, along with the Nord Stream-1 underwater gas pipeline and Ukrainian transit pipelines.
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has decided to forcibly withdraw the assets of Sberbank of russia and VEB in Ukraine.
The State Migration Service of Ukraine doesn't consider russian citizenship documents. Instead, the policy towards the citizens of Belarus has remained unchanged. This was announced by the head of the migration service Natalia Naumenko. According to her, the service paused to consider documents from russians and Belarusians. However, they now plan to resume accepting documents from Belarusians. russian citizens who already have temporary or permanent residence permits in Ukraine can use them. Instead, new certificates are not issued to russians.
Yaroslavl Dairy Plant has stopped producing milk in liter packages. The problem is that the packaging manufacturer ran out of cardboard, paint, chemicals, cartridges, and parts for the production line. One of the temporary options is the retail sale of milk to the public with bottling.
russia's social networks Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, and Moi Mir will be blocked in Latvia next week, said the chairman of the Latvian National Council for Electronic Media.
Life considering hostilities
It will take Ukraine about 100 years to eliminate the effects of russia's war, including the threat of unexploded ordnance and mines, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. "Those who live in Germany know that we still find the bombs that fell during World War II… Ukraine will have to fight the consequences of this war for hundreds of years. Such wars have long-lasting consequences: all the shells that are being launched now can stay in the ground for years," he said. The Germans know how to spoil the spirit! You just didn't have a Patron dog, Herr Scholz.
Kyiv and the region
The British Ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, visited Irpin liberated from the occupiers. "I visited Irpin today. The town center is a horror story of destruction by russia. Homes, schools, kindergartens, clinics, and shopping centers destroyed. I met residents still living in pitch dark cold basement shelters," Simmons wrote on Twitter.
However, the authorities promise: By the end of the year, 50,000 meters of social housing will be built in Irpin. This was announced by Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn during a meeting of the Executive Committee. The regional council transfers the Lastivka sanatorium to the ownership of the city, and the City Council will change the purpose of the territory and will build social housing there by the end of the year. The commission found that 17 apartment buildings in Irpin are not subject to restoration and will be demolished. Residents lost about 1,500 apartments and up to 2,000 private estates.
CNN has published footage of the killing of two unarmed Ukrainians by russian soldiers. The TV channel has access to surveillance footage at a car dealership near Kyiv, which was robbed on March 16 during an attempt by the russian army to seize the Ukrainian capital. The video shows five russian soldiers trying to break into the room, shooting at locks and smashing windows. Then two men approached them with raised hands: the owner of the salon, whose name has not yet been disclosed, and 68-year-old security guard Leonid Pliats. The military searches for them and releases them after a brief conversation. As the men leave, two soldiers turn and shoot them in the back. Pliats, injured in the leg, was able to reach the security point and call for help but died of blood loss before help arrived. The Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine is investigating these killings as war crimes.
The first tent camp for people who lost their homes started operating on the territory of the Dubky sanatorium in Irpin. They managed to equip 70 places in tents and 120 in the rooms of the sanatorium. And also organized the work of the medical center and the dining room.
Donetsk and Luhansk region
The latest report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of the morning of May 12:
- In the Lyman direction, the enemy crossed the Siverskyi Donets River to enter the main forces and conduct an offensive. In the direction of Siversk, it leads the offensive in the direction of Zelena Dolyna and Novoselivka. Fighting continues.
- In the Sievierodonetsk direction, the enemy is advancing in the direction of Kudriashivka, Sievierodonetsk, with partial success.
- In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy is storming Pervomaisk and Komyshuvakha, and fighting continues.
In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy is storming Novobakhmutivka and Novokalynove. - In the Kurakhiv direction, the enemy is advancing in the directions of Stepne – Novomykhailivka, Slavne – Novomykhailivka, and Oleksandrivka – Maryinka. Fighting continues.
- In Mariupol, the main efforts of the occupiers are focused on blocking and trying to destroy our units in the area of the Azovstal plant. The enemy doesn't stop inflicting airstrikes.
Last night, the russian military damaged at least 24 houses in the Luhansk region, said the head of the regional military administration. Seven houses were shelled in Sievierodonetsk, five, in Vrubivka, four, in Kamyshevakha, three, in Rubizhne and Toshkivka, and two in Hirske. In total, 26 towns and villages in the Luhansk region were shelled 26 times on May 11.
Also, yesterday, Haidai added, a truck carrying humanitarian cargo came under fire near Lysychansk. It was damaged.
Haidai also said that there were almost no surviving life support facilities left in the Luhansk region. "Most of the critical infrastructure in the region will have to be built from scratch." According to him, the surviving power lines cannot be repaired due to constant shelling by russia. Currently, there is no electricity supply and centralized water supply in the region.
In addition, according to Haidai, people began to disappear en masse in Popasna. "The ruscists organized a safari against Ukrainian activists," said the head of the Luhansk regional military administration.
Kharkiv region
The Ukrainian Armed Forces advanced further northeast of Kharkiv, forcing russian troops to move to the defense and easing artillery pressure on the city, according to the American Institute for War Studies (ISW). The russians are likely to continue to combine offensive efforts south of Izium with an offensive west of Donetsk to surround Ukrainian troops in the south of the Kharkiv region and in the western part of the Donetsk region.
10:30 – ruscists fired on the village of Mala Danylivka in the Kharkiv region and struck at the city of Derhachi, the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Sinehubov, said. One person was killed in the shelling. Three others were injured.
Kharkiv residents are in a hurry to return home. "People are really returning to Kharkiv en masse. Today I talked to the management of Ukrzaliznytsia, they are adding cars to the trains, there are not enough seats. People are coming back. To make sure that their property is preserved, to continue business or actually start it from scratch," confirmed Oleh Synehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. At the same time, full security is not yet in question, especially in the formerly occupied territories. "History is twofold. I cannot recommend people to return to Kharkiv at the moment. It is too dangerous to be on the streets unnecessarily. The missiles can fly anywhere… We cannot forbid people to return. The Armed Forces are shedding their blood for this," he added.
On May 11, a russian shell hit a high-pressure gas pipe near the village of Korotych, leaving 17.5 thousand consumers without gas. Resumption of delivery may take several days.
And today the ruscists continue to shell the villages of the Zolochiv community. The villages of Zolochiv, the villages of Udy, and Svitlychne were hit.
Chernihiv region
The ruscists carried out airstrikes on Novhorod-Siverskyi in the Chernihiv region at night. There are dead and wounded, the head of the Chernihiv regional military administration, Viacheslav Chaus, said. The airstrikes were carried out on critical infrastructure. Private houses and administrative buildings were also damaged. The targets of the occupying airplanes were local schools and boarding schools.
UPD: 3 people died, and 12 more are injured in Novhorod-Siverskyi as a result of the airstrike, the State Emergency Service reported.
Chernihiv is gathering communal work for the first time; they will dismantle the debris and save valuables from the youth center.
Sumy region
On the morning of May 12, from 06.00-06.30, shelling took place from the territory of russia. About 20 arrivals of heavy artillery on the territory of the village were recorded in Novy Vyrky (Bilopil community). One person died, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, head of the Sumy regional military administration, said.
Poltava region
17:30 – The russian troops struck four times on the oil refinery in Kremenchuk. Also, sounds of explosions were heard in the Poltava area, the chief of the Poltava regional military administration, Dmytro Lunin reported.
Dnipropetrovsk region
As a result of the shelling by the russians, the Zelenodolsk community in the Dnipropetrovsk region suffered again, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Valentyn Reznichenko said. The energy infrastructure facility was destroyed. One person was killed and one was injured.
UPD: "In the morning, the occupiers fired again at the Zelenodolsk community from the Uragan MRLS. They aimed at Velyka Kostromka and Zelenodolsk. They were shelling just when people were going to work. As a result of the shelling, 1 dead, and 1 wounded.
Zaporizhzhia region
One person was killed and three were injured in yesterday's shelling of Kamyshevakha in the Zaporizhzhia region. Houses were also destroyed. One missile was shot down over the village of Kamyshevakha.
10:10 – a powerful explosion was heard in Zaporizhzhia, Suspilne reports.
11:00 – The Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration published official confirmation: Today, May 12, at about 10:00, russian troops launched a cruise missile in the city of Zaporizhzhia. According to preliminary data, a private building is on fire. Information about the victims is being clarified.
In Zaporizhzhia, the Security Service prevented a terrorist attack and detained its perpetrator. The malefactor was a resident of Dnipro, born in 1966. His task was to sow chaos and panic in Zaporizhzhia. To do this, a crime was planned at a mass gathering in the city center. The Dnipro resident made the explosive device himself and disguised it under a crutch. He inserted a pyro cartridge, an explosive, into its cavity, and to enhance the effect of the damage, he filled the explosive with nails and bolts.
Kherson region
Rector of Kherson State University Oleksandr Spivakovskyi asks to reconsider the conditions of admission for entrants from the temporarily occupied region. According to him, the rights of hundreds of graduates have been violated so far. To recap, Kherson State University moved to Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (Ivano-Frankivsk).
The russian military may be preparing to resume the offensive to capture the entire Kherson region, according to the Institute for War Studies (ISW). The occupiers are trying to strengthen their position in the west of the Kherson region and take control of Bruskinske and Velyka Oleksandrivka to improve their tactical position in the south.
Part of the Kherson region is again without mobile communication and the Internet. Mobile communication and the Internet have disappeared in the Kherson region, thus the russian military is blocking the opportunity to receive news and communicate with local residents. Currently, the SBU together with mobile operators is working to strengthen the signal in the region, the deputy of the regional council Khlan said.
The most serious situation is now with forest fires in the Kherson region. The fire engulfed more than 1,587 hectares, said Yurii Bolokhovets, head of the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine. It is difficult to fight forest fires in the Kherson region because of the temporary occupation by the russian military and the lack of fuel for foresters and SES employees. Locals are calling for help, collecting fuel, and helping to put out forest fires.
And on the Kinburn Spit, the fires have been going on for more than a week. It burns on the border of the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.
Kherson Travel Agency will organize tours to Chornobaivka after the victory of Ukraine. But they started to sell tickets now. The funds raised will go to help the Armed Forces, residents of Chornobaivka, Kherson and to support the guerrilla movement in the temporarily occupied territories.
Odesa region
Odesa Territorial Defense, while arranging fortifications, found ancient amphorae dating back to about 4-5 centuries AD! The finds were carefully excavated and handed over to the Odesa Archaeological Museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
