This satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC on May 6 shows thick black smoke billowing from a suspected Ukrainian drone attack on Russian positions on Ukraine’s Snake Island in the Black Sea.
(Photo: dpa)
Kyiv Before May 9th, Russia increases its attack efforts in Ukraine. According to their own statements, the Russian military shot down several planes and helicopters over the Ukrainian island of Snakes during the night.
“During the night, Russian air defense units over Snake Island destroyed two more Ukrainian Su-24 bombers and one Mi-24 helicopter and shot down a Bayraktar drone near the city of Odessa,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said. on Sunday with In addition, a Ukrainian corvette was sunk.
Reports from both sides testify to fierce fighting for the strategically important island, which is located 35 kilometers from the coast directly in front of the Danube Delta in the Odessa region. Right at the beginning of the war, the Russian armed forces had captured the Ukrainian base there, whose radio message to a Russian warship became famous around the world. The flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the armored cruiser “Moskva”, is said to have sunk in the area after Ukrainian fire.
In the situation report on Saturday evening, the Russian military had already reported the shooting down of several drones, a Su-24 bomber, a Su-27 fighter jet and a military helicopter with paratroopers on board. In addition, a Ukrainian landing craft was sunk.
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On the other hand, the Ukrainian military recently reported the sinking of a Russian landing craft on the island. In addition, the operations staff of the Ukrainian Defense Command South showed a video of the alleged shooting down of a Russian helicopter over the island. Ukrainian media had even previously reported that a Russian frigate in the region had caught fire after being shelled. However, there is no confirmation for these reports.
to the military situation
In the night of Sunday there was an air alarm in large parts of the country. The capital Kyiv and its surroundings were affected, but also Lviv in the west, Kharkiv and Donetsk in the east, Odessa in the south and other areas.
According to local reports, explosions could be heard in Odessa. It was initially unclear whether it was a question of Russian missile hits or defensive fire from the Ukrainian air defense. There were also explosions in the southern city of Mykolaiv.
The map shows the status of the fighting.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian troops were able to gain ground again after several days without any significant progress in their attacks in the Donbass region. “In the direction of Liman, the enemy has conquered the northern edge of Schandrigolowe through attacks,” said the General Staff in its situation report on Sunday. Shandrigolove is around 20 kilometers north of the city of Sloviansk, which is part of the target of the Russian operation in the Donbass.
In addition, Russian troops continue to launch attacks in the direction of Sievjerodonetsk, Popasna, and Avdiivka. “In the direction of Kurakhove, the enemy is trying to resume its offensive on Novomykhaylivka with artillery support,” it said. In Mariupol, the Ukrainian units would continue to be blocked in the steel mill. With air and artillery support, the Russian troops continue their assault attempts there.
The steel mill is under attack.
(Photo: AP)
All in all, the Ukrainian military leadership speaks of nine repelled Russian attacks. Among other things, a Mi-28 helicopter, 19 tanks and 20 armored military vehicles were shot down.
According to the report, the Russians have gotten on the defensive in the north of the Kharkiv region. There, “the enemy concentrated their efforts on stopping the advance of our troops towards the border north and north-east of Kharkiv,” the general staff said.
Air raid on school in Luhansk region
After a Russian airstrike on a school in the Luhansk region, the Ukrainian authorities say up to 60 people may have died. After an airstrike on the school in Bilohorivka, two bodies have been recovered so far, the governor of the region, Serhiy Hajdaj, announced on his Telegram channel on Sunday. “Probably all 60 people still under the rubble of the building are dead,” he added.
Reports of dead after attack on a school in eastern Ukraine
According to him, the air raid happened on Saturday afternoon. 90 people had sought protection from the attacks in the school building. The bombing caused a fire in the school and the building collapsed. The emergency services were able to save 30 people – 7 of them were injured, according to the governor. Bilohorivka is an urban settlement about ten kilometers west of Lysychansk. The town is heavily contested.
Dramatic location in Azovstal
According to unanimous Ukrainian and Russian information, during a ceasefire in the fighting for the Azovstal steelworks on Saturday, the last civilians were rescued from their hiding places.
For the remaining soldiers, however, the situation is almost hopeless. He can only hope for a miracle, wrote the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade, Serhiy Wolynskyj, on Facebook. “Here’s to higher powers finding a solution to save us!”
Observers believe that the Kremlin wants to take Azovstal as soon as possible in order to announce the capture of Mariupol on Monday, May 9 – the 77th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Hitler’s Germany.
This woman was able to leave the besieged steel mill.
(Photo: AP)
“We are now preparing the second stage of the evacuation mission, the wounded and doctors,” President Zelensky said in his evening video address. This is only possible if all sides stick to an agreement. “Of course we are also working on withdrawing our military.” However, Moscow has repeatedly announced that it intends to take the Ukrainian fighters captive even if they surrender.
Complaint about destruction of cultural monuments
The world commemorates the victory over National Socialism in World War II these days, said Selenski. But for him, the Russian approach shows “that it is impossible to defeat evil once and for all”. He lamented that 200 Ukrainian cultural heritage sites had been hit in the two-and-a-half month war of aggression. “Unfortunately, when people disregard other people’s rights, disobey the law and destroy culture, evil returns,” the president said.
According to the Russian military, 1.16 million people have been brought to Russia from the contested areas of Ukraine since the end of February. This included 205,000 children, said the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. Russia sees this as rescuing threatened civilians. Kyiv accuses Moscow of kidnapping people against their will and preventing them from moving to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Ukrainian pilots should learn to fly Western jets
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov wants his air force pilots to be trained on Western combat aircraft soon. Negotiations are already under way, Resnikov said, according to information on Ukrainian television on Sunday. It’s time for Ukrainians to master the US A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft, for example. As further types he named the US fighter jets F-15 and F-16 as well as the Saab JAS 39 Gripen from Swedish production.
As Reznikov said, Ukrainian soldiers are already being trained by Britain on anti-aircraft weapons and artillery systems. He cited the Starstreak anti-aircraft missile as an example.
London promises big aid package
Britain pledged £1.3 billion (€1.52 billion) in military aid to war-torn Ukraine ahead of G7 deliberations. “The UK was the first country to recognize the scale of the threat and is sending arms to help Ukrainians defend themselves,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quoted as saying by the British news agency PA. The attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin not only caused unspeakable destruction in Ukraine. “It also threatens peace and security across Europe.”
Boris Johnson announced more military aid.
(Photo: AP)
Johnson announced part of the new £300m package last week. Among other things, anti-artillery radar, jamming devices for electronics and night vision devices are to be delivered for this purpose. London had previously pledged £1.5 billion in military and humanitarian aid.
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
That brings the day
On Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will give a televised address on the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945 and on the war in Ukraine. As the federal government announced, it is a special commemoration of May 8 because of the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine this year.
As Germany’s highest-ranking representative to date, Bundestag President Bärbel Bas is traveling to Kyiv on Sunday. She follows an invitation from the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk. On behalf of the Bundestag, Bas wants to lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and at the memorial to the murdered Ukrainian Jews in Babyn Yar. Bas also hopes to meet President Zelenskyy when the security situation allows.
More: You can follow the latest developments in our news blog