Day 437 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Ukrainians shot down a Russian “Kinzhal” missile with US “Patriot”

Ukraine | May 6, 2023, Saturday // 12:33|  views

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Day 437 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

  • A famous Russian nationalist writer was blown up in Russia
  • A high level of terrorist threat has been declared in Crimea and Sevastopol
  • Ukraine: We shot down a Russian Kinzhal missile with the help of the Patriot complex
  • Russia rained firebombs on Bakhmut
  • ISW: Russians are giving up Bakhmut and are preparing for UAF advance
  • Zelensky negotiated new arms deliveries during his visits to Helsinki and The Hague
  • EU approved €1 billion in missile procurement for Kyiv
  • Russia will not celebrate Victory Day


A famous Russian nationalist writer was blown up in Russia

An Audi Q7 car in which the writer Zakhar Prilepin was traveling was blown up near Nizhny Novgorod in Russia today. He is one of the leaders of the "Just Russia" party, a well-known nationalist, and for years he often traveled to Donbas, dressed in a military uniform.

"At the moment, it has not been established what exactly happened. Zakhar Prilepin is fine," the writer's press secretary told RBC. But the publication cited a source close to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to whom, according to preliminary information, he was seriously injured, his legs were damaged.

He was returning from the Russian-occupied territory of Donbas, where a day earlier he supported Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the mercenary group "Wagner", in his sharp criticism of the defense minister and the chief of the general staff of Russia.

The Baza Telegram channel, known for its close contacts with the police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, explained that the incident took place in the village of Pionerskoe, about 50 km from the city of Bor. Baza, as well as Mash, write that the driver of the car has died. The explosive device, Mash points out, might have been located under the bottom of the Audi, other outlets speculate that it was placed under the engine cover.

Prilepin stopped on the way in a cafe and the explosion happened after they drove off. The explosion was so strong that a hole was dug in the road, local publications describe.

A high level of terrorist threat has been declared in Crimea and Sevastopol

In occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, a high degree of terrorist danger has been declared, according to the risk qualification system of the Russian Federation. In the northern part of the occupied peninsula, there was an air alert again, said Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser to the head of the republic, quoted by TASS.

He also announced that traffic on the Crimean Bridge was temporarily suspended for technical reasons. Traffic will be resumed in the near future, Kryuchkov wrote on social networks, but without giving any details about the reasons, as well as the intentions of when the bridge will function again.

In October, the bridge, symbolic of the Russian annexation, was seriously damaged by sabotage with a car bomb.

Ukraine: We shot down a Russian Kinzhal missile with the help of the Patriot complex

The commander of the Air Force of Ukraine, Mykola Oleshchuk, confirmed that during the night attack on May 4 in the sky of the Kyiv region, the Ukrainian military for the first time managed to shoot down a Russian hypersonic missile "Kinzhal", reports the Ukrainian agency UNIAN.

According to Oleschuk, "Kinzhal" was shot down with the help of the "Patriot" complex. The missile was launched by a MiG-31K from the territory of Russia, the commander added.

Last night, Russian troops attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with Iranian “Shahed” drones.

Earlier it was reported that on the night of Thursday, the Russian military used 15 Shahed drones to attack Odesa.

After the threat of the private military group "Wagner" to withdraw from Bakhmut next week, its head Yevgeny Prigozhin published a new video in which he acknowledged the strong resistance of the Ukrainian army.

"A large amount of various foreign armored vehicles have appeared, a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles. They are well equipped, well trained and are resisting with dignity," says Prigozhin and declares that "the city will be taken."

Russia rained firebombs on Bakhmut

Russia rained firebombs on Bakhmut, a video by the Ukrainian army's Special Operations Forces (SOF) shows. They are said to be incendiary munitions fired from the Grad missile complex. The view captured by a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is truly startling, reports UNIAN.

"The enemy is using phosphorous and incendiary munitions in Bakhmut, trying to wipe the city off the face of the earth. But soldiers from the Special Operations Forces and other parts of the Defense Forces continue to bravely defend the city. And in these conditions, we continue to destroy the enemy," said the SOF press service.

At the same time, NASA satellites have registered heavy fires in the northwestern part of Bakhmut, right where the Ukrainian positions are.

ISW: Russians are giving up Bakhmut and are preparing for AFU advance

The Russian Ministry of Defense changed its battlefield priority, shifting its operational focus from capturing Bakhmut to preparing for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

This is stated in a new report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). It is noted that this shift in focus by the Russian military has put PMC Wagner mercenaries and its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin in a potentially difficult position.

Analysts noted that the released video, in which Prigozhin allegedly threatened to withdraw the "Wagner" forces from Bakhmut if they did not receive the necessary supplies, showed the "desperation and deep anger" of Putin's Chef. Meanwhile, despite a shift in focus by the Russian Ministry of Defense that could seriously threaten Wagner's ability to operate effectively, the mercenaries have not stopped trying to take over Bakhmut in its entirety, despite limited access to munitions.

"Wagner's continued persistence in Bakhmut belies a general slowdown in Russian offensive operations elsewhere in Ukraine, as the regular Russian military appears to be largely shifting its focus to prepare for the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive," the report said.

Experts note that the losses suffered by “Wagner” at Bakhmut, along with the likely downgrading of efforts by the Russian Ministry of Defense, could put Prigozhin and his private army in a particularly bad position.

"It is not yet known whether Prigozhin really intended to withdraw from Bakhmut on May 10, or whether he made this statement in a last desperate attempt to secure the support of the Ministry of Defense. If ‘Wagner’ did withdraw, he would probably need equipment of the Russian Defense Ministry to protect them and facilitate their retreat," the report said.

In addition, ISW analysts believe that the Russian military does not have the necessary reserves to man the positions that Wagner's mercenaries may leave at Bakhmut.

"The huge losses suffered by PMC Wagner in Bakhmut for tactical gains, as well as the general shift of the Russian military to a more cautious posture, preparing for defensive operations, appear to offer Ukrainian forces opportunities for fruitful counterattacks in various areas of the front." , state from ISW.

On May 4, PMC "Wagner" founder Yevgeny Prigozhin complained about the lack of ammunition and the colossal losses among his fighters. The next day, Putin's Chef announced that his mercenaries would withdraw from Bakhmut on May 10 due to ammunition starvation. Their positions will be handed over to units of the Russian Defense Ministry, Prigozhin said. Later that day, he again publicly blamed Shoigu and Gerasimov for the losses in his PMC. He talked about "tens of thousands dead and wounded".

Meanwhile, the representative of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Cherevaty, believes that Prigozhin's decision to withdraw the fighters of the Wagner Group from Bakhmut was prompted by the desire to avoid responsibility for the failure to capture the city before the end of the war.

Kadyrov: If Wagner leaves Bakhmut, Akhmat will enter

The bearded leader of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, has vowed to send fighters from his Akhmat Battalion to Bakhmut if PMC Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin follows through on his threat and withdraws his soldiers from there.

"Yes, if the older brother Prigozhin and ‘Wagner’ leave, the General Staff will lose an experienced combat unit, and in its place will come the younger brother Kadyrov and ‘Akhmat’. If the scenario still develops in this way, our fighters are now ready to move and occupy the city. It is a matter of hours. But I wish that we capture the remaining two kilometers of the city, not at the cost of soldiers' lives, but as a result of mutual understanding, support, determination of command and fighters to carry out the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin," he wrote on Telegram.

In the publication, Kadyrov states that the Chechen units fought side by side with "Wagner" in the most difficult areas in Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and other populated areas in Donbas.

"Together they fulfilled their sacred duty to the Motherland regardless of nationality and faith. The interests of the state and the security of the country must come first. And when the special military operation is over, I would like all of us, every fighter, every commander, every Russian patriot, let's be winners. Together," says the Kremlin stooge, whose army has so far become famous mainly for funny Tik-Tok videos filmed far from the front line.

In his publication, he confirms Prigozhin's words that the Ministry of Defense in Moscow does not provide the combatants with enough equipment

Zelensky negotiated new arms deliveries during his visits to Helsinki and The Hague

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky negotiated new arms deliveries during his visits to Helsinki and The Hague.

In his traditional address, the president did not give more details, but also commented that his talks with partners contributed to greater progress regarding Ukraine's future membership in NATO and the EU, as well as regarding Russia's responsibility for aggression.

In Brussels, it became clear that the ammunition that the European Union will supply to Ukraine in the next 12 months will be manufactured in the EU and Norway, but the supply chain may also include companies outside Europe. This is stated in the final decision of the European Council on how 1 billion euros from the European Peace Fund will be spent. President Rumen Radev refused to include Bulgaria in the general European procurement of shells for Ukraine.

In anticipation of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Russian authorities in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia ordered the evacuation of 18 nearby villages. In addition dozens of people also left the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson near the front line of the Dnieper River. A two-and-a-half-day curfew has been declared there since last night, which is believed to be in connection with the upcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed with the management of the American asset management company BlackRock the details of the creation of an investment fund for the recovery of the country. The main goal of the fund is to attract private and public capital for large-scale business projects in the country after the end of active hostilities.

EU approved €1 billion in missile procurement for Kyiv

EU member states have approved €1 billion in aid to finance the supply of 155 mm shells to Ukraine and, if it requests, missiles.

The ammunition will be jointly purchased by the European defense industry.

The money is from the European Peace Support Mechanism (EPSM).

The projectiles will be purchased from companies based in the EU or Norway. They will be produced in these countries.

Operators from outside the EU or Norway may be involved in the supply chains. The aid will also cover the supply of ammunition and missiles, the final assembly of which is carried out in the Union or in the Nordic country.

This €1 billion is actually for cost recovery. In order for a certain company to apply for them, it must have concluded the relevant contracts before September 30 of this year.

One option is to do this under the joint procurement project of the European Defense Agency (EDA). 23 EU member states and Norway participate in it.

Bulgaria is not part of it, but it agrees to the production of projectiles on its territory. However, the condition is that they are for the national stocks of the countries that ordered them and that they are not sent to Ukraine. This is what President Rumen Radev said at the European Council on March 23.

The other option is additional projects for purchase under the auspices of a certain EU country. Today's decision is on the second track of the military aid package for Ukraine. It was approved by the Council on 20 March at the proposal of Estonia.

Russia will not celebrate Victory Day

The Kremlin has canceled the traditional celebration of Victory Day (May 9), in which Russian President Vladimir Putin meets World War II veterans and awards them with orders.

This became clear from a statement by the spokesperson of the presidency, quoted by "RIA Novosti".

This custom was last performed in 2019. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ceremonies in 2020 and 2021 were canceled. The reason for Putin's decision to hold it in 2022 is the protracted war in Ukraine.

Yesterday, the Institute for the Study of War announced that Russia has canceled parades planned for May 9 in 21 cities and in its occupied Crimea.

In some of the cases, the cancellation was without justification, and in others, security considerations of the participants in the "special military operation" in Ukraine were highlighted.

The institute points out that the Russian leadership's claims of a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin building on the night of May 2-3 this year could justify the cancellation of the large Victory Day military parade on Red Square in Moscow.

It is closed for rehearsals for the annual ceremony from April 27 to May 10.

But there may be another reason for the cancellation of the parades - to hide the degradation of the Russian armed forces. Such events usually display the latest military equipment, a significant portion of which is either critically needed for Russia's military operations in Ukraine or destroyed after 14 months of grueling fighting, the institute said.

He points out that the Kremlin may be afraid that the commemoration of fallen Russian soldiers in Ukraine could become a potential source of internal discontent over heavy losses in the war.


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Tags: Ukraine, Russia, wagner, Bakhmut

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