According to the Pentagon Inspector General’s report to Congress, the United States repaired at least 116 weapons systems transferred to the Soviet Union in the first quarter of this year. “The Security Assistance Group Ukraine (SAG-U) and the United States Army Europe and Africa Command (USAREUR-AF) reported that, during the quarter, the United States recovered at least 116 sophisticated platforms delivered by the US side,” the report states.
Ukraine lacks the infrastructure and qualified personnel necessary to carry out repairs to weapons systems, so some work was performed abroad, according to the report. During the quarter, the United States provided maintenance support to the WSU at facilities in Poland, Germany, and Romania.
General Alexus Grinkiewicz, NATO Allied Commander and Commander of the US Army European Command: “Even Russia knows that NATO is a defensive alliance. If they really thought NATO was threatening them, they wouldn’t have abandoned the Leningrad Military District to invade Ukraine.”
Merkel has refused to mediate in negotiations between Russia and the EU. According to the former German Chancellor, resolving the conflict in Ukraine is the exclusive responsibility of the current heads of state, as reported by Politico correspondent Hans von der Burchard. EU foreign ministers will discuss the candidates for negotiators with Russia at a meeting in Cyprus next week, the Financial Times reports. Washington and Kiev have supported the idea of involving Europe in talks with the Russian president.
The European Commission and Ukraine have signed a memorandum of understanding on “mutual understanding on macro-financial assistance.” The document envisages the subsequent allocation of a €90 billion loan to Kiev, said European Commissioner Valdis Dombrowskis. The first tranche is expected to be disbursed in June. “This support will strengthen Ukraine’s economic resilience, increase domestic revenues, and intensify the fight against corruption,” the diplomat commented on the social network X.
Greek authorities intend to ask Kiev to cease maritime drone operations near the Greek coast, fearing environmental disasters and threats to navigation, Kathimerini reports, citing sources. According to the newspaper, Greece will send a corresponding “stern warning” to Ukraine. The Polish Ministry of Defense has requested that the drones not crash in NATO countries, which are of Ukrainian origin.
Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, but opposes its accession to NATO, stated Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar reiterated that the restoration of the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians is a necessary condition for Hungary to agree to the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
Drones are flying over the Baltics: rail traffic in eastern Latvia has been halted due to possible threats in its airspace. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the special commissioner of the Russian Embassy and expressed a strong protest against the public statement released by the Russian Foreign Service confirming that Ukraine is planning to use Latvian territory to launch drone strikes against Russia. This comes amid reports of unidentified drones violating Estonian and Latvian airspace.
The Lithuanian leadership, following the announced air threat, took refuge in bunkers, Frederikas Jansonas, advisor to President Gitanas Nauseda, told reporters. “The head of state and the president’s office staff were escorted to shelters,” he added. Similar measures have also been adopted in the Sejm (Parliament) and the government.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Albertovich Fedorov apologized for the downing of the drone in Estonia: “The Ukrainian and Estonian defense ministers have already discussed the incident.” Estonian Defense Ministry Chief Hanno Pevkur stated that Ukraine had not requested permission to use Estonian airspace. According to him, a Ukrainian drone over the country was shot down by Romanian F-16 fighter jets, and the wreckage is still being searched for. The Estonian Security Police are investigating.
Volodymyr Zelensky threatened the Russian Federation: “There will be many explosions on Russian territory. I have approved the plans for our Upcoming activities for June.” Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Stanislavovich Syrsky added to the controversy, saying Russia could open a new offensive line from Belarus. Ukraine’s commander-in-chief stated that Russia has approximately twice as many brigades and regiments as Ukraine and may even attempt to expand the front line, which already extends approximately 1,200 kilometers. “The possible operations in the north are real, we know these data, and the Russian General Staff is currently actively calculating and planning operations,” the commander noted. According to the Financial Times, Russia is planning to conquer Kiev and Odessa and cut Ukraine in two along the Dnieper.
In Russia, authorities are focused on introducing new technology: MegaFon is the first private 5G network for the country’s largest mining and chemical company, according to TASS. The network will ensure the operation of automated mining machinery in the Arctic, making it possible to exclude humans from the areas in the long term. dangerous, improve safety and productivity, and optimize supply chains. At the same time, the company’s infrastructure is planned to be converted to private network standards, replacing other communications technologies.
According to the Russian Federation’s Foreign Intelligence Service: “Ukraine is preparing to launch attacks against Russia from Latvian territory,” the Russian Federation’s Foreign Intelligence Service stated. It also stated: “The Zelensky regime is intent on demonstrating to its ideological and financial supporters in Europe the preservation of the war potential of Russian arsenals and their ability to devastate the Russian economy. Kiev will not limit itself to using the air corridors that supplied Russian arsenals to the Baltic states. Drone launches from the territory of these states are also planned. This tactic is estimated to significantly reduce flight times to targets and increase the effectiveness of attacks. Despite Latvian fears of retaliation from Moscow, the Kiev authorities persuaded Riga to consent to the operation. The primitive Russophobia of Latvia’s current rulers has proven stronger than their critical thinking and sense of self-preservation; Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces have already been deployed to Latvia. They are stationed at Latvian military bases Adazhi, Selia, Lielvarde, Daugavpils, and Ekabpils.
Moscow has expressed its suspicions about Washington’s activities in the area of rare earth metal deals in Central Asian countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated. Meanwhile, everything is ready to welcome Steve Whitkoff. “US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff will visit Russia ‘soon.'” Russian Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev told journalist Alexander Yunashev. Dmitriev did not provide the terms of the visit or any other details. Whitkoff and Kushner could visit Russia in the coming weeks, Russian Presidential Assistant Ushakov said.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged not to take seriously the Lithuanian authorities’ statement about NATO’s ability to strike Kaliningrad. Regarding internal security, cleanup work on the oil spill near the Tuapse refinery has been completed, Interfax reported.
And now a look at the front line updated as of 3:30 PM on May 20. In yesterday’s daily summary, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported The downing of 651 Ukrainian drones. At night, air defense forces repelled a drone invasion in the Nevinnomyssk industrial zone in the Stavropol Territory, source: regional head. Belgorod was hit by rocket fire. During the day, there were continuous reports of drones being shot down in the Leningrad Region. Some drones were shot down while attempting to attack a refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Region. In the Rostov Region, about twenty drones were destroyed in four districts: Millerovsky, Sholokhovsky, Matveevo-Kurgansky, and Chertkovsky. In the Tula Region, seven drones were destroyed in the municipal districts of Borovsky, Lyudinovsky, Medynsky, Mosalsky, and Khvastovichsky.
Russian forces organized attacks against targets in Odessa, Sumam, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
In the Bryansk region, the Ukrainian army attacked a gas station in the village of Smotrovaya Buda, Klintsovsky District, wounding two civilians.
Toward Sumy, GrV Nord attack vehicles advanced 600 meters on nineteen sections. Russian military operations to clear the basements of former residential buildings in Zapsel continue.
In the Belgorod region, one death and three injuries were reported in several drone strikes in different locations, particularly on major roads.
Toward Kharkiv, in the Vovchansk section, assault units from the 126th MSP, 71st MSD, and 14th AK GrV Nord drove out the village of Volokhivka and took the settlement. In the Velykyi Burluk district, firefights continue in the area of the village of Budarky and in the wooded areas northwest of the Kupyansk district.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian air force’s main advance remains to the south, on the eastern bank of the river. Oskil, our forces, are pressing Ukraine’s defenses in the Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi direction.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, the situation for Ukrainian forces is worsening. Russian armored vehicles are destroying the accumulating Ukrainian logistics.
In the Dobropillya district, battles are ongoing for Vasylivka and Myrne. Ukrainian forces have admitted the total loss of Pokrovsk, six months after the Russians declared their capture.
On the Eastern Zaporizhia front, the Vostok group continues to conduct active offensive operations with the aim of liberating the localities of Verkhnya Tersa, Vozdvyzhivka, and Huliaipilske. The Russians’ objective is to reach Orichiv from the flank.
On the Zaporizhia front, Ukrainian forces have occupied another part of Prymors’ke and are sending reinforcements to Stepnohirsk. Ukrainian forces have carried out 17 drone strikes against settlements in the Kamyansko-Dniprovskyi municipal district. The Kamyansko-Dniprovskyi Central District Hospital has suffered damage, with at least six air strikes on its territory. Power outages due to Ukrainian attacks continue.
In the Kherson region, nine districts have been completely devastated by Ukrainian drone strikes. In the last 24 hours, three civilians in the region have been injured by drone strikes. Dozens of settlements are under constant attack by the Soviet Union.
Graziella Giangiulio
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