Ukraine Refutes Russia’s Claims of Village Seizure, Vows to Resist
Ukraine has rejected Russia’s assertion of capturing the village of Novomykhailivka in eastern Ukraine, declaring that its forces retain control of the settlement and are actively resisting.
On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its Southern forces had taken control of Novomykhailivka, situated about 40 kilometers southwest of Donetsk city.
However, Commander Yevhen Shmataliuk of Ukraine’s 79th amphibious assault brigade, which has been engaged in the Donetsk frontline, stated that his troops still occupy 15-20% of the village, while the remaining portions are under Ukraine’s “fire control.”
“We are not going to move anywhere but forward,” Shmataliuk asserted in an interview with Ukraine’s public broadcaster.
Eastern Ukraine has become the epicenter of violent battles as Russian forces aim to advance and occupy all of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk. Russia asserted on Sunday that it had seized Bohdanivka, which lies to the northeast of Chasiv Yar—a sought-after near-term objective. Capturing Bohdanivka would grant Russian forces a strategic advantage in advancing towards other significant cities in the region.
LA News Center could not independently verify either the Russian or Ukrainian claims. Last Saturday, Ukraine received a significant boost when the House of Representatives passed a billion aid package. The Senate and US President Joe Biden are still required to approve the aid.
Ukraine has urged US officials to expedite the delivery of weapons and air defense systems, highlighting that they are outmanned and outgunned in certain sections of the frontline.
Drones Strike Kyiv, Odesa; Ukraine Repels Attack
Overnight, Russia targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the southern city of Odesa with drone attacks. According to regional authorities, a drone attack on Odesa wounded seven people, including two children, while Kyiv was also targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“Another air attack on the capital of Ukraine!” exclaimed Serhii Popko, head of Kyiv’s regional military administration, on Telegram.
“According to preliminary information, enemy drones were launched from the Kursk region [in Russia], flew through Sumy region, Cherkasy region, and entered Kyiv from the southwest,” he said.
According to Popko, all the drones were destroyed by Ukraine’s air defense forces, and there were no reported casualties.
The Ukrainian Air Force stated on Telegram that 15 of the 16 drones launched by Russia overnight were destroyed. They claimed to have also successfully repelled another attack involving two short-range Iskander ballistic missiles launched from the Belgorod region in Russia. No information was provided on the missiles’ fate. LA News Center was unable to immediately verify the reports.
EU Ministers Consider Air Defense Support for Ukraine
European ministers convened in Luxembourg on Monday and recognized the urgent need to provide additional air defense capabilities to Ukraine. However, concrete commitments regarding Patriot missile systems, which Ukraine highly values, were not made.
“We can be joyous for a day, but we have to be prepared for the battle that is coming tomorrow. Therefore, there can be no calming down,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters. “We need to continue to supply weapons to Ukraine, increase capabilities with air defense, and continue to provide humanitarian and financial support.”
EU governments are under pressure to provide more protective systems to Kyiv as Russia intensifies missile strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities.
NATO Chief Highlights Need to Expand Production of Weapons
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, emphasized the importance of boosting weapons production to aid Ukraine and replenish alliance stockpiles depleted by the provision of weapons to Ukraine.
“We need to ramp up the production of weapons, and that includes investing in production capacity,” Stoltenberg stated. “Allies are making significant efforts to address production challenges, and NATO is supporting these efforts through our Industrial Policy Division.”
Stoltenberg underscored the need for ongoing military assistance to Ukraine, including heavy weapons like modern air defense systems.
Military Spending Reaches Record High
According to a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military spending surged to an unprecedented .44 trillion in 2023, marking a 6.8% increase compared to 2022.
The report highlighted that the surge in spending is primarily attributed to geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and heightened global uncertainty.
Ukraine and Russia ranked among the countries with the highest percentage increase in military expenditure, at 51% and 24%, respectively. However, Russia’s actual military spending remains significantly higher than that of Ukraine, estimated at 9 billion.
Ukraine Faces Challenging Period Mid-May
According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Ukraine will face a challenging period on the front lines in mid-May and early June as Russia is anticipated to launch a new and broader offensive.
“A rather difficult situation awaits us in the near future. But it is not catastrophic, this must also be understood. Armageddon will not happen, as many are now beginning to say. But there will be problems from mid-May,” Budanov told the BBC in an interview.
Ukrainian officials had previously warned that they anticipated Russian forces to launch a new offensive in early summer.
Russia Claims Second Gain in Donetsk Region
On Monday, Russia declared that its troops had captured Novomykhailivka village, located southwest of Donetsk city. This claim follows a similar assertion made on Sunday regarding the village of Bohdanivka.
Reuters was unable to independently confirm the Russian advancements, which were reported by the defense ministry. Ukraine’s General Staff asserted that their forces were still repelling Russian efforts to advance near the village.
The alleged Russian gains, if verified, emphasize the urgency for Ukraine to receive the billion in new US military aid approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday.
Russia Warns of ‘Catastrophic’ Nuclear Confrontation
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia and the West are dangerously close to a potential nuclear confrontation.
“Westerners are dangerously balancing on the brink of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which is fraught with catastrophic consequences,” Lavrov said in a video message.
Lavrov expressed concern that the support provided to Ukraine by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States—nuclear powers themselves—constitutes a severe strategic threat to Russia.
