Russo-Ukrainian war, day 826: Ukraine’s strikes test limits of Western support for Ukraine
Ukraine has used Western-supplied weapons to strike targets within Russia, according to reports, testing the boundaries of allied support. France and Germany appear open to such strikes, while the US remains opposed, highlighting divisions among Ukraine's partners.
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Military
Frontline report: Russia’s assault in Vovchansk meets fierce Ukrainian resistance. On 28 May, Russian forces resorted to indiscriminate shelling and air strikes on the town of Vovchansk, destroying civilian targets like supermarkets and residential buildings in preparation for a large assault.
Pokrovsk battlefield: Ukrainian forces destroy 15 pieces of Russian military equipment and take down 394 occupiers. Heavy fighting continues on the Pokrovsk front with eight active engagements. Ukrainian forces report that Russian troops lost 394 soldiers and 15 armored vehicles in the past day.
Ukraine strikes Russian territory with Western arms, most recently against Krasnodar – AFP. Ukraine has used Western-supplied weapons to attack targets within Russia several times, according to AFP reports citing sources.
ISW: Russian forces test Ukrainian defenses with limited assaults. Russian forces conducted four limited mechanized assaults across multiple axes in Donetsk Oblast, likely intended to test Ukrainian defensive reactions, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War.
As of 29 May 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
- Personnel: 505100 (+1300)
- Tanks: 7700 (+8)
- APV: 14891 (+33)
- Artillery systems: 13066 (+37)
- MLRS: 1087 (+2)
- Anti-aircraft systems: 815
- Aircraft: 357
- Helicopters: 326
- UAV: 10510 (+28)
- Cruise missiles: 2222
- Warships/boats: 27
- Submarines: 1
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 17796 (+56)
Intelligence and technology
Volvo’s amphibious Bandvagn 202 vehicles sent to Ukraine from Latvia. The vehicles were procured in Norway on the donations from the Latvian community in Chicago.
Shmyhal: Kyiv expects to receive first F-16s this summer. Defense Minister Umerov also said Ukraine is anticipating the delivery of its first F-16 fighter jets “very soon,” but has criticized delays in receiving crucial foreign military aid, with only half arriving on time.
Sweden announces 16th military aid package to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. Sweden announced its largest military aid package yet for Ukraine – worth $1.26 billion and heavy on air defense systems.
AP: Russian-backed digital assaults surge in Europe. The attacks have increased amid elections to the European Parliament.
Russia to raise taxes on wealthy persons and companies to fund Ukraine war. The Russian Finance Ministry has proposed significant tax hikes on corporations and wealthy individuals to raise approximately 2.6 trillion rubles annually, aiming to mitigate the fiscal deficit caused by the war in Ukraine.
International
Zelenskyy: Peace Summit preparations underway amid Russian threats. As the Peace Summit draws near, President Zelenskyy underscored the global unity against Russian destabilization efforts. He highlighted the extensive preparations and diplomatic initiatives aimed at ensuring the success of the summit.
Ukrainian diaspora in the US rally to voice support for Azovstal defenders. Seattle activists, wielding a cardboard cage, rallied to spotlight the 1,900 Ukrainian soldiers languishing in Russian captivity since the Mariupol siege.
The Guardian: Scholz, Macron seem to support allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with Western weapons. Western allies showed divisions over whether to allow Ukraine to use their weapons to hit targets inside Russia, with France and Germany appearing to back some strikes but the US rejecting the idea.
Hungary is blocking EU accession talks for Ukraine at ambassadors meeting. Hungary is obstructing the approval of the negotiation framework for Ukraine’s EU accession, citing concerns over national minority rights.
Czech PM promises to send tens of thousands of shells to Ukraine. Ukraine is set to receive the first delivery of shells from a Czech-led initiative to procure ammunition from non-EU countries.
Humanitarian and social impact
Tragic toll: Kharkiv’s losses revealed as hypermarket victims identified. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko declared the conclusion of search operations at the Kharkiv hypermarket deliberately attacked by Russian aerial bombs.
Newborns held hostage: Luhansk occupation authorities force citizens to obtain Russian in exchange for their children. This tactic aims to enforce compliance with Russian rule by leveraging the most vulnerable, prompting calls from the National Resistance Center for international condemnation and intervention.
Political and legal developments
WP: Trump claims he’d bomb Moscow, Beijing if invasions occurred. At the fundraising event, former President Donald Trump also has made a series of “audacious fundraising requests,” tying multi-million dollar donations to policy promises.
Read our earlier daily review here.
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