Before the 83rd day of the war opens, glimmers of hope filter through the passages of the Azovstal. After weeks of grueling siege, partially suspended only for the evacuation of civilians, even the wounded fighters, and others, barricaded in the steel-bunker of Mariupol, can leave. The truce agreement, patiently woven by Volodymyr Zelensky’s government in the shadow of internal controversy over the alleged abandonment of the Azov regiment, was announced by the Russian Defense Ministry: a temporary ceasefire to allow exit through the humanitarian corridors. Thus, Kiev announced the evacuation of 264 soldiers. These are 53 wounded soldiers, taken to Novoazovsk, and 211 other fighters brought to Olenivka, in the territory controlled by the pro-Russian separatists of Donetsk. The latter should be returned to areas held by Ukrainian forces as part of a prisoner exchange.
Yesterday, meanwhile, the discovery of a fourth mass grave in Mariupol was announced, while the mayor of Kiev warned: “Don’t come back, the city remains a target”. On the ground, Ukrainian forces advance to the Russian border north of Kharkiv. And the tug-of-war continues around the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO, with Erdogan barring the door: absolute no.
The case – Putin’s stop to NATO
The analysis – Ankara’s dangerous game in the Alliance: threatens veto for Sweden and Finland
The comment – The lost myth of neutrality
The economy – Carlo Messina: “Without Russian gas it will be recession, with up to a million workers at risk”
Politics – The pro-Russian cricket: the founder of the M5S targeted for an anti-US article on the blog
How to donate –Mirror of the Times Foundation
Follow the updates hour by hour
06.30 – Unicef: due to war 600 thousand children will suffer from hunger
The recent rise in food prices is creating a severe crisis of child malnutrition, increasing the number of starving children and making the most effective treatments very expensive, UNICEF warned today. According to the international organization, extreme malnutrition was already on the rise, but the situation was aggravated by the war in Ukraine and the serious consequences it is having on food security, given that both Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s largest producers. of cereals and several poor countries are particularly dependent on these imports. In addition to the increase in hunger, the current situation will lead to an increase in the price of therapeutic ready-to-eat foods, the products commonly used to respond to emergency situations. The cost of these treatments – a high-nutrient paste packaged in small bags – will increase by 16% over the next six months, according to projections by UNICEF, the world’s largest distributor. The agency warns that if funding is not expanded, some 600,000 children may not have access to such treatments. “For millions of children every year, these therapeutic paste sachets make the difference between life and death,” Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN agency for children, said in a statement.
06.15 – The entire Kiev region regains access to water
All communities in the Kiev region have regained access to water. This was announced by local authorities, cited by the Kyiv Independent. Only some houses in Hostomel are without water due to a lack of electricity, explains the head of the regional military administration Oleksandr Pavliuk
06.00 – Russian squeeze on citizen traffic in Kherson
Russia is introducing residence permits in the southern Kherson region to restrict the movement of citizens and is blocking exits from the oblast. This was announced by the deputy head of the Regional Council Yuriy Sobolevsky, quoted by the Kyiv Independent
02.10 – Russian missiles on a military base 15 km from the Polish border
A Ukrainian military base about 15 kilometers from the border with Poland was targeted in the early hours of today by a Russian missile attack. This was announced by Maksym Kozytsky, head of the Lviv regional military administration. A CNN source reported seeing the air defenses light up in the direction of the Yavoriv military facility, about forty kilometers away from the city from which explosions had been heard. Yavoriv has been targeted at least three times since the start of the war. More than 30 people were killed in the first attack on March 13. Due sites in Lviv have also been hit by Russian missile attacks since the invasion began, including an aircraft parts plant, a fuel depot, and several electrical substations.
01.55 – The Ukrainian army claims successes on Russian soldiers
The Ukrainian army claims military successes against the invaders: as reported by the Kyiv Independent, the “East” operational tactical group of Ukraine reported that it had “defeated 178 Russian soldiers, five tanks, seven infantry fighting vehicles, two vehicles armored personnel carriers and two armored combat vehicles ». It also announces that it has also destroyed three Russian multi-launch rocket systems, eight artillery and anti-tank systems and a UAV.
01.50 – Kiev: to save the Azovstal soldiers we will make an exchange
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the 264 soldiers evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol are taken to two Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. “On May 16, 53 people seriously injured by Azovstal were evacuated to a medical facility in Novoazovsk to receive medical assistance,” said Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar in a video statement, taken by BBC, “another 211 people were taken. to Olenivka through a humanitarian corridor. For their future return home, an exchange procedure will be carried out ». Maliar added that Ukrainian troops are working to rescue the remaining forces inside the Azovstal plant.
01.35 – Explosions in Novoyavorivsk
Explosions also occurred in Novoyavorivsk, in the Lviv region. According to Ukrinform, Mayor Volodymyr Matseliukh announced it on Facebook, who wrote: “The residents of the city and villages of the Novoyavorivsk community are hearing explosions again in our territory. Now I can’t say exactly where they were, but the explosions can be heard, ”said Matseliukh who urged the residents not to leave the shelters and to await official information. The head of the Lviv OVA, Maksym Kozytskyi, has promised to publish the data on the attack as soon as possible. For now, he has urged: “Do not film, photograph or spread speculation from untested Telegram channels and groups.” He then added that a military facility in the Yavoriv district, almost on the border with Poland, had been bombed again.
01.15 – Zelensky: the Russian oil embargo is also in the interest of the EU
The introduction of a Russian oil embargo is in the interest not only of Ukraine but of Europe as a whole. This was stated by President Zelensky in a video released this evening, as reported by Ukrinform. “We are also working to ensure that the European Union agrees on a sixth package of sanctions against Russia – said the Ukrainian head of state – the oil embargo must be part of it and it is in the interest not only of our country, but of the whole Europe. I am grateful to those leaders of the continent who are aware of this and help to promote the relative decision, ”said the president. According to reports from EU sources, the European Commission has presented a proposal to member states to introduce a sixth package of sanctions against Russia as an aggressor. The package, which called for the phasing out of Russian oil supplies to the EU, was blocked due to Hungary’s position that it was impossible to stop Russian oil supplies.
01.10 – Donestk authorities: Russians killed 9 civilians
The Russian army killed 9 civilians and wounded 6 more in Donetsk Oblast today. This was stated by Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, according to Kyiv Indipendent.
00.45 – Explosions in Lviv
Explosions were heard in Lviv in the early hours of today. This was announced by the mayor of the western Ukrainian city Andriy Sadovy, quoted by the Kyiv Independent. CNN correspondents speak for their part of a series of explosions heard in central, north and northwest Lviv around 00:45 local time, shortly after air raid sirens sounded in the city. Explosions were also heard by a witness – quoted by the American channel – who lives about 30 kilometers away from Lviv, a city about 70 km from the border with Poland.
00.35 – Zelensky: city of Donbass main target of the invaders
«The Ukrainian armed forces are facing constant attacks in areas where Russia is still trying to advance. Severodonetsk and other cities of Donbass remain the main targets of the occupiers. We are doing everything to protect our land and our people ». This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video speech, as reported by the correspondent of Ukrinform
00.30 – General Staff of Kiev: Azovstal fighters heroes of our time
The Ukrainian army general staff said that the fighters evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol are “heroes of our time”. In a message posted on Facebook and echoed by the BBC, the army chiefs said that the determination of the Ukrainian troops forced Russia to keep about 20,000 soldiers entrenched around the city and “hindered the implementation of the plan for the rapid capture. of Zaporizhzhia “. “Forging the enemy’s central forces around Mariupol gave us the opportunity to prepare and create the defensive frontiers on which our troops are still present today and give a decent counterpoint to the aggressor,” reads the online statement. “We have had the absolutely necessary time to build reserves, regroup forces and get help from partners,” continued the military leaders online. The statement added that some fighters were trapped in the facility and said measures were underway to “rescue the defenders who remain in Azovstal territory.”
00.00 – Zelensky on Azovstal: “Ukraine needs live heroes”
“We hope to be able to save our boys”, because Ukraine “needs living heroes, and I think that any sensible person will understand these words.” This was stated by President Volodymyr, quoted by the Ukrinform agency, confirming the start of the evacuation of the military who for 82 days defended the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. The Ukrainian army and intelligence in collaboration with the Red Cross and the UN participate in the operation, added Zelensky.
Here’s what happened on Monday May 16th
