Ukraine is hunting for its men to take them to the front while many of them have sought refuge in various European countries. Kiev on several occasions has asked for the return of its “able to the front” and as a final political action has interrupted consular procedures for all those of military age.
The Head of the Czech Foreign Ministry, Jan Lipavský responded to Volodymyr Zelensky’s appeals: “The Czech Republic “supports Ukrainian refugees” and welcomes them to the country, “but not those who try to avoid legal military service””. According to the Czech Ministry of the Interior, 94,643 men aged between 18 and 65 currently live in the country.
Previously, the defense ministers of Poland and Lithuania had hinted at the expulsion of “Ukrainian tax evaders”. Lithuania and Poland instead proposed to suspend social support, work permits, documents for “mobilized” Ukrainian citizens.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba met his British counterpart David Cameron in the Ukrainian capital. “It is great to host David Cameron in Kiev to focus on accelerating military assistance to Ukraine, especially in the air defense sector,” he wrote on his page on the social network the possibility of using frozen Russian assets in the interests of Ukraine.” Cameron also visited Lviv, where he planted a tree. “Now Mr. Minister has his tree in Lviv, which means a good reason to return to Ukraine with good news more than once,” wrote the city mayor Andrei Sadovoy on his Telegram channel.
According to Reuters, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that Ukraine has every right to use weapons supplied by London to strike targets in Russia: “Ukraine has this right. Because Russia is attacking Ukrainian territory,” Cameron said. He also promised three billion pounds, or $3.74 billion, in annual military aid to Ukraine. “We will provide three billion pounds every year as often as necessary,” concluded Cameron. “Some of this equipment will arrive in Ukraine today, while I am here,” the British Foreign Secretary added.
Emmanuel Macron, while stating that there is no rush in sending French soldiers to the Ukrainian front, said that: “Many EU countries agree with France’s approach on the possible sending of troops to Ukraine”.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected the possibility of sending the Slovak army to Ukraine. Thus he commented on the words of French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of Paris sending soldiers to Ukraine. Fico recalled that Ukraine is not a member of NATO. “Slovakia has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. I assure absolutely and clearly to all of Slovakia that, even if someone asks us something, a Slovak soldier will not set foot on the Slovak-Ukrainian border”, assured the Slovak Prime Minister. United Kingdom, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and Sweden have publicly expressed their refusal to send military personnel to the country. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that sending troops to Ukraine is not unimaginable.
In response to Macron the Kremlin through a note from Dimtrj Peskov: “The declaration is very important and very dangerous. France, represented by the French head of state, continues to constantly talk about the possibility of its direct involvement – on the ground – in the conflict around Ukraine. This is a very dangerous trend,” he underlined.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation has placed the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Alexander Litvinenko, on the wanted list for criminal charges, the department’s database shows. It is not specified under which article Litvinenko is being searched.
And now a look at the front line updated at 2.30pm on May 3.
The situation in the Kherson direction remains unchanged. Krynki and the area near the Antonovsky Bridge remain points of tension; there are countermeasures on both sides on the islands in the floodplain of the Dnieper River. Ukrainians use drones to target and destroy communications towers. There are forest fires due to Ukrainian attacks.
On the Zaporozhzhie front, upcoming battles in Robotyne. North-west of Verbove the Armed Forces of Ukraine, after a massive artillery barrage, tried to advance with two assault groups and take the Russian positions, but in a firefight were dispersed and put to flight. Many Ukrainian night FPV drones and UAV bombers of the “Baba Yaga” type continue to represent one of the main methods of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to target Russian positions and mine the area.
In the direction of Vremivka, Russian armed forces stormed Urozhaine, gaining a foothold in the southern part of the village. The Ukrainian social sphere reports 13 attacks per day by Russian units, the Ukrainian armed forces are trying to regain the occupied positions. Russian army aviation hits the Ukrainian rear, interrupting the rotation of Ukrainian units and the approach of reinforcements.
In the direction of Pokrovs’k (west of Avdiivka), the Russian army continues to build on its success from the Ocheretyne ledge. Part of the village is occupied. In Arkhanhel’s’ke, there are reports of some units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fleeing from the village. In battles, the Russian Armed Forces level the front line with flanking attacks, which indicates the growing professionalism of commanders in battles at the tactical level in this direction. Attack operations are underway in the direction of Novooleksandrivka.
In the direction of Chasiv Jar the Russian armed forces are destroying Ukrainian equipment and positions with air and artillery attacks. Deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine Vladimir Skibitsky said that “the fall of Chasiv Jar is a matter of time.”
A high pace of hostilities continues in Kyslivka towards Kupjans’k and east of Ternove.
On May 2 in the Belgorod region, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 8 Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs were shot down during the day. The village of Novostroevka-Vtoraya, Grayvoronsky urban district, was attacked by a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the Kursk region, the village of Gordeevka in the Korenevsky district, the villages of Guevo and Gornal in the Sudzhansky district, the village of Elizavetovka, the Zarya farm, the villages of Krasnooktyabrsky and Novy Put in the Glushkovsky district and the village of Iskra in Khomutovsky district are occupied.
Ukrainian drones were neutralized by electronic warfare equipment near the village Begoshcha, Rylsky district, villages of Vnezapnoye and village of Gordeevka, Korenevsky district, village of Gornal, Sudzhansky district, village of Dronovka and village of Novy Put, district by Glushkovsky. An explosive device was dropped from a UAV of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Tyotkino.
On May 2, a Ukrainian UAV was shot down over Crimea.
Graziella Giangiulio
