3 months of war in Ukraine. Zelensky: “Bloodbath in the Donbas. Hard weeks are coming.” 200 bodies found in a basement in Mariupol. Russians in Kherson ask for military base

At the beginning of the fourth month of the war, Russia is intensely bombarding eastern Ukraine as ground forces try to encircle the last Ukrainian strongholds in the almost completely conquered Lugansk region. One of the targets, the city of Severodonetsk, is being bombed by Russians 24 hours a day, the Ukrainians say. “They are deliberately destroying the city,” the local governor accused. The battle for Severodonetsk is reminiscent of the battle for Mariupol, a ruined port city.

There’s a bloodbath in the Donbas. The Russians are trying to eliminate everything that is alive, the Ukrainian president said last night.

Around 200 bodies found in basement in Mariupol

The bodies of about 200 people were found under the rubble of a residential building in Mariupol, according to local authorities, quoted by The Kyiv Independent.Petro Andriuschenko, an adviser to the mayor of the city, said the bodies were found in the basement of a building on Myru Boulevard (Peace) in Mariupol.

During the removal of the rubble of a high-rise apartment building in #Mariupol about 200 bodies were found, reports advisor to the mayor Peter Andryushchenko. pic.twitter.com/ouCJjZzskf

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 24, 2022

Meanwhile, new images from Mariupol, where Russian forces have taken full control of the port city on the Sea of ​​Azov, after the last Ukrainian defenders at the Azovstal plant surrendered.

After the defenders of #Mariupol left #Azovstal, new pictures of the destruction of Mariupol appeared. This is how the Azovstal plant looked on May 22, 2022, next to it – destroyed residential quarters. pic.twitter.com/9eE8T4p3qV

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 23, 2022

At least 234 children killed, other 433 injured since the start of the war

Since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, at least 234 children have been killed and another 433 injured, according to data released by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine on Tuesday. The figures do not include casualties in areas where fighting is taking place and in areas occupied by Russians, according to prosecutors.

Ukraine accuses Russia of stealing grain from invading troops

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba says Russians are stealing grain from Ukraine, loading it into ships, transporting it through the Bosphorus and trying to sell it abroad.

“I urge all states to remain vigilant and reject any such proposals. Do not buy what is stolen. Do not become complicit in Russian crimes. The theft has never brought good luck to anyone,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Russian thieves steal Ukrainian grain, load it onto ships, pass through Bosporus, and try to sell it abroad. I call on all states to stay vigilant and refuse any such proposals. Don’t buy the stolen. Don’t become accomplices to Russian crimes. Theft has never brought anyone luck.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) May 24, 2022

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Will Not Meet Putin Unless…

The president of Ukraine named 1 obligatory condition for negotiations with the president of Russia.

On 17 May, the Russian ministry of foreign affairs announced that the talks had been terminated at the initiative of Ukraine. Advisor to the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podoliak, confirmed the information. According to him, the talks are suspended for good reasons.

It should be noted that the Ukrainian side insists on talks between the two countries’ leaders to resolve the current situation effectively. Zelenskyy himself repeated this at the economic forum in Davos. He mentioned the reason why he might refuse to meet with Putin.

Read the entire article here.

Pro-Moscow administration in Kherson demands a Russian military base in the region 

The Russian-appointed administration in the Kherson region of Ukraine will ask Moscow to set up a military base there as a “security guarantor for the region and its inhabitants,” Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian administration in the Kherson region, told RIA Novosti. CNN.

“There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region,” Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of what Russia calls Kherson’s “regional civil-military administration,” told RIA Novosti.

Material losses of the Russians in Ukraine 

According to Forbes, Russian military troops have lost $ 13 billion worth of military equipment in Ukraine.

According to @Forbes, #Russian troops lost military equipment worth $13 billion in #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/06FY36ZEbu

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 24, 2022

Institute for the Study of War (ISW): Russian nationalists criticize “special military operation”

Russian operations surrounding the city of Severodonetsk have seen minor advances in the last 24 hours, and the Russians have little chance of capturing the city of Bahmut. Meanwhile, Ukrainians continue to threaten Russian positions in the Kharkov area, according to the Institute for War Study (ISW) ‘s assessment of the Monday night to Tuesday morning front.

ISW claims that Russian nationalist figures are increasingly criticizing the failures of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and calls for further mobilization, which the Kremlin probably does not want.

The ISW says the All-Russia Officers’ Assembly, an independent association of pro-Russian veterans seeking to reform Russia’s military strategy, has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin to declare war on Ukraine and introduce partial mobilization in Russia.

The assembly said that Russia’s “special military operation” had failed to meet its objectives in the three months since it began, especially after the failed crossing of the Seversky Donets River.

The ISW previously assessed that the destruction of almost the entire Russian battalion tactical group (BTG) during a failed May 11 river crossing shocked Russian military observers and led them to question Russian competence on the battlefield.

In a request to the Kremlin, the veterans’ organization called on Putin to acknowledge that Russian forces are no longer “denasifying” Ukraine, but are waging war on Russia’s historic territories and its existence in the current world order, ISW said. Russian veteran officers also called on the Kremlin to mobilize all regions bordering NATO countries (including Ukraine), to form territorial defense teams, to extend the standard term of military service from one to two years, and to form new war administrations. occupied Ukrainian territories. Russian officials have also called for the death penalty for deserters, ISW said in its analysis.

British Ministry of Defense: Russia has increased the intensity of its operations in the Donbas 

In Tuesday morning’s analysis of the war, the British Ministry of Defense reports that Russia has increased the intensity of its operations in the Donbas, trying to encircle Severodonetsk, Lisichansk and Rubine. At present, the northern and southern axes of this operation are separated by about 25 km of territory owned by Ukraine.

The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.

The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 24 May 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/jtTcuPCs66

?? #StandWithUkraine ?? pic.twitter.com/fAw6Dj1aPm

— Ministry of Defence ?? (@DefenceHQ) May 24, 2022

Military Assistance to Ukraine From Sweden

The Swedish government voted to provide arms to Ukraine to fight Russia.

On 23 May, it was announced that Sweden was prepared to increase its military assistance. According to media reports, most of the government voted to provide additional weapons to Ukraine.

Recall that Sweden has been providing humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine since the first days of Russia’s invasion of foreign territory. On May 10, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a conversation with Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson. During the online meeting, the politicians discussed the possibilities of providing further assistance to Ukraine. The politicians also discussed the economic aspects of assistance to a state under attack from the Russian Federation. Read more here.

NATO May Escort Ukrainian Ships

To prevent world starvation, grain-dependent countries are considering creating a fleet to break the Russian blockade of the Black Sea.

Russia has blocked the Black Sea, so Ukrainian ships with grain for export cannot leave the ports. According to The Times, the work on implementing a plan to create a fleet of warships that will unlock Ukrainian cargo ships in a few weeks and organize a protected corridor from Odesa to the Bosphorus. Negotiations over the organization of a “coalition of the willing” are already underway.

The Times released information that the Royal Navy may also be involved in the deblockade of Ukrainian sea exits and the protection of cargo from attacks by Russian ships. At the same time, according to The Guardian, the UK Navy has no plans to protect Ukrainian ships. Further details here.