28 May 2024

NEW RESOURCE FOR READERS: Grumpy's Substack

 


UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT

For: 2024-05-28

Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.

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ALONG THE CONTACT LINE 

GSAFU Morning Report

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 23:30 on May 28 stated that day 825 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.

During the past day, 97 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes, 43 air strikes, 418 drone strikes and 2,900 shellings across the positions of our troops.

At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Air and Missile Forces and Artillery units have struck 24 personnel concentration areas and two artillery systems.


Air Force Daily Report

On the night of May 28, 2024 the enemy attacked with three Shahed UAVs from the Primorsk-Akhtarsk district (Russia).

All enemy drones were shot down by units of the Air Force in Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Cherkasy regions.


The Khortytsia operational-strategic group

(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. ) 

Kharkiv axis: There were 10 combat engagements over the last day in the areas of Lyptsi, Starytsya Vovchansk and Tykhe. Some fights are ongoing. The situation is under control.


Kupyansk axis: Russian forces assaulted Ukrainian positions 22 times in the last day near  Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Berestove, Novoseiivske, Hrekivka and Nevske. The enemy had partial success in one area. Defense forces are taking measures to stabilize the situation and prevent the enemy from advancing.


Lyman axis: the enemy tried 5 times unsuccessfully to advance in the area of Terny. The situation is under control.


Siversk axis: Russia made 5 unsuccessful assaults in the vicinity of Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske and Sprine. The situation near Bilogorivka remains tense. 


Kramatorsk axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 8 attempts to breach Ukrainian lines in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar.


The Tavria operational-strategic group

(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.) 

Pokrovsk axis: Ukrainian forces repelled 21 attacks in the vicinity of Sokil, Novoselivka Persha, Yasnobrodivka and Nevelske. The situation is tense in some areas. Defense forces are taking active measures to prevent the enemy from advancing.


Kurakhove axis: There were 8 engagements in the last day fighting is ongoing in the area of Krasnogorivka. There is a difficult situation south of the village of Konstantinivka. Ukrainian defenders carry out stabilization measures.


Vremika axis: Russia made 6 unsuccessful attempt to break through the defense of our troops in the direction of Staromaiorske and Urozhaine The situation is under control by Ukrainian forces.


Orikhiv axis: Russian made 1 unsuccessful assault in the vicinity of Robotyne.



The Odesa operational-strategic group

(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)

Prydniprovsk axis:  The Russians unsuccessfully attacked Ukrainian positions in the area of Krynky 7 times.


TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Nothing to report.


THE HOME FRONT

Nothing to report.


RUSSIAN WORLD

Russia intensifies recruitment of mercenaries for war against Ukraine

The press service of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine  (HUR) has released evidence that Russia has introduced a campaign for the recruitment of manpower in Central Africa, in particular in Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Uganda.

A specially created unit of the Russian Ministry of Defence is recruiting Africans to take part in meat-grinder assaults on Ukrainian soil.

Mercenaries are lured by a starting cash payment of $ 2,000 for signing a contract, promising a monthly security of $ 2,200, health insurance, and a — Russian passport for a soldier and his family.


NEWS WORLDWIDE

France to Send Instructors to Ukraine to Train Ukrainian Forces, - Syrskyi

According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, he has already signed documents permitting the first French instructors to visit Ukrainian training centers and familiarize themselves with the infrastructure and personnel. Defense Express reports.

"I am pleased to welcome France's initiative to send instructors to Ukraine to train our servicemen," Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Telegram after video talks with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu.

"I believe that France's determination will encourage other partners to join this ambitious project," he added.

Syrskyi also thanked Lecornu for the support of the French people and for the military and economic assistance provided to Ukraine to repel russian aggression.


Putin's attempts to disrupt Ukraine Peace Summit testify to his fear

Peter Stano, EU’s Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, at a briefing in Brussels highlighted that Vladimir Putin's efforts to undermine the effectiveness of the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland demonstrate his fear. Ukrainska Pravda reports.

Stano stated that the EU fully supports the concept of a peace summit and believes its purpose is critical, "because we see it as a source of inspiration for the future peace process".

He also said that the EU is working closely with partners around the world to ensure the most diverse representation at events.

When asked about Russia's efforts to organise a similar gathering, he stated: "The attempt to undermine the effectiveness of the summit [in Switzerland - ed.] with parallel events only shows how Putin is afraid of the summit."

"This is a big event, and we are collaborating with Ukrainian, Swiss, and other partners to achieve the best level of representation and the largest number of countries participating. For us, this is the peaceful event of the year, very significant for Ukraine, and we will continue to fight for its success," Stano concluded.


Russian Companies Turn to Crypto for China Commodities Trade

Russian commodities firms struggling to execute financial transactions with Chinese counterparts have started tapping a new method for settling deals — stablecoins. Bloomberg reports.

At least two top metals producers, both of which are unsanctioned, have begun to use Tether Holdings Ltd.’s stablecoin and some other cryptocurrencies to settle some of their cross-border transactions with mostly Chinese clients and suppliers, top executives at the companies said, declining to be identified as the information isn’t public. In some cases, the settlements go through Hong Kong.

That large Russian firms are now turning to blockchain two years after the start of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine underscores the lasting effect international restrictions in response to the war have had on the economy. Russian companies dealing in commodities from metals, like nickel and steel, to timber have been facing challenges with receiving payments for their goods and purchasing equipment and raw materials since the beginning of the conflict. That’s true even when they aren’t sanctioned, though some have come under multiple penalties from the US, the European Union and their allies.


EU defense chiefs to discuss the possibility of lifting a ban for Ukraine on use of Western weapons on Russian territory.

On Tuesday, EU defense ministers discussed the possibility of allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons against targets outside its territory, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said. Interfax Ukraine reported

“Then there is the issue of [whether] we allow the arms to be used to target out of the Ukrainian soil, as Jens Stoltenberg proposed the other day. Do we allow our arms to be used, further, in Russian territory? Well, some Member States have started deciding that – taking this constraint out. Another important thing to discuss today,” Borrell said before the meeting of the EU Council at the level of heads of the Ministry of Defense.

In turn, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that each country makes a decision on this issue at the national level.

He said in Brussels that lifting restrictions is a national decision, not a decision of the whole of NATO. Some allies, according to him, did not impose such restrictions on the weapons they supplied to Ukraine, while others did. Stoltenberg is sure that now is the time to review these restrictions.

According to him, the decisions of individual countries to lift such a ban would not make the North Atlantic Alliance a participant to the conflict.


MILITARY & TECH

Ukraine Deploys British Windracers ULTRA Cargo Drones for Military Operations.

According to Janes sources, The Ukrainian military has been using Windracers Uncrewed Low-Cost Transport (ULTRA) UAVs since 2023. Defense Express reports.

ULTRA is a tactical UAV designed to support resupply. Simon Muderack, the CEO of Windracers and Distributed Avionics, revealed that its UAV has been conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and supporting resupply for the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2023.

"The UK Ministry of Defense procured the aircraft on behalf of the Ukrainian armed forces, supplying it as aid," the report said.

The procurement and supply of ULTRA drones are part of the UK's GBP325 million (USD413 million) UAV support program for Ukraine.

According to Janes data, ULTRA is a tactical UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of 450 kg, featuring an internal cargo bay that supports a payload capacity of up to 100 kg. The bay can also fit a sensor package for ISR roles, the company said. The system has a nominal endurance of over 12 hours and can automatically take off and land within 150 m in wet and dry condition.

Windracers highlighted the autonomous capabilities of the system, saying that it allows UAVs to perform missions at night.

"The autopilot and flight control technology from group company Distributed Avionics are intended to provide connectivity to the UAV from any location, utilizing beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) capabilities, without relying on a single flight computer to control the aircraft," the developers explained.


Ukraine Gets F-16 Fighter Jet Boost From NATO Ally

Belgium will send 30 of its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming years, the country's foreign minister has said, as Kyiv's wait to get Western-made jets airborne drags on. Newsweek reports.

Brussels will deliver the F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib told domestic broadcaster RTL on Tuesday. The first batch of aircraft will be delivered "by the end of the year," she added.

Belgium, along with Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, pledged to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets last year. Brussels would provide an unspecified number of the Lockheed Martin-made jets from 2025, the government said in October 2023.

Kyiv has long requested the advanced, more modern jets to upgrade and replenish its air force, battered by more than two years of war against Russia's superior and more numerous aircraft. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month that Kyiv needed between 120 and 130 F-16s to fend off Russia's fleet. The number of promised jets falls far short of this.

Meanwhile on 28 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo signed a bilateral security and long-term support agreement between Ukraine and Belgium, Zelenskyy’s X/Twitter account reported. The 10-year agreement with Belgium provides Ukraine with 977 million euros in 2023, 30 F-16 fighters by 2028, modern defense equipment, military training, and supports Ukraine’s “peace formula” along with enhanced sanctions against Russia.

De Croo noted, during his press conference with Zelenskyy in Brussels today, that Ukraine can use the Belgian-supplied fighter jets only within Ukraine:

“As I said, everything which is covered by this agreement is military material, military equipment that is to be used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, it is to be used on the Ukrainian territory,”


That’s it for today’s Draft folks if you would like to keep up with events in Ukraine daily please consider subscribing, its free!


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