May, 09

Hostilities continue across various front lines, predominantly in the Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv oblasts. The Ukrainian army has re-establishing control over the northern parts of the Kharkiv oblast and has secured its hold on Popasana. Despite the heavy losses incurred by the Russian Federation (hereinafter: Russia), Russian troops have made advances in the Luhansk oblast securing ground in the direction of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. 

The cities and towns of Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Luhansk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia have been subject to missile and artillery strikes. Notable targets include a hospital in Orikhove and a nature reserve hosting unique, regional birds in the Kherson oblast. The shelling of the natural reserve resulted in a fire Ukrainian troops were unable to extinguish due to constraints imposed by the Russian occupants.

Over 80 settlements remain cut off from electricity and gas supplies due to shelling and hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia oblast.

The Russian military administration continues to subject residents in the territories it occupies to terror and Victory Day celebrations have taken place across Ukrainian cities currently under Russian control. Areas under Russian occupation are seeing the dissemination of pro-Russian materials, destruction of monuments commemorating prominent Ukrainian figures, and the replacement of street names with Russian equivalents. Some towns have seen street signs reverted back to their Soviet-era titles. 

Russian forces have continued the forcible relocation of Ukrainians to Russian territories. According to estimates, more than 1 million Ukrainians have been deported to Russia since the beginning of hostilities.

Evacuations from the Luhansk oblast were suspended on Monday due to settlements being cut off from the main road. Russian forces have also sought to destroy a bridge used for civilian evacuation in Mariupol.

Russian sources have spread false information regarding a temporary ban to leave the city and the suspension of evacuations in Zaporizhzhia. Towns located close to the front line in the oblast have seen an influx of internally displaced persons, and approximately 90 000 IDPs have been registered in Dnipro. Unofficial figures regarding displacement are expected to be twice as high. 

Demining efforts continue in areas liberated from Russian control. Despite the ongoing work, the level of contamination by stranded explosives remains high in the Kyiv oblast. Explosives found include cluster munitions. 

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine has opened a hotline tasked to search for Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine. Since its launch, the Ministry has received 32 000 requests seeking information on the whereabouts of Russian soldiers. The Government of Ukraine has allocated approximately 46 million UAH or 1,4 million EUR to cover the expenses related to the detention of Russian combatants. 

Neither a military mobilization nor a war on Ukraine was announced during the Russian Victory Day celebrations held on Monday. Despite the lack of a formal announcement of hostilities, the speech delivered by President Vladimir Putin was laden with anti-Western rhetoric justifying Russia’s actions and policies in Ukraine. The speech featured statements on Russia’s historic battles to protect its unique nature and peace, stemming as far back as to Napoleonic and Polish-Soviet wars and the Second World War. The president underscored that Russia remains a fortress protecting the world from Western aggression and highlighted, that had Russia not launched its military operation, Ukraine would have invaded Crimea and the Donbas. 

Narratives currently disseminated by Russian sources continue to claim that Western nations are threatening Russia. Parallels are being drawn between ongoing and historical events, with some statements going as far as referring to a genocide perpetrated by Germany against Russia. According to President Putin, the ongoing situation gave Russia no other choice but to launch its special military operation in Ukraine. 

According to Russian news sources, more than 1 million citizens participated in the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. In addition to the commemoration of Russian war veterans, participants of the parade were seen holding photographs of Russian soldiers who have been killed in Ukraine. At the same time, anti-war protests took place across Russia and activists participating in such demonstrations have reportedly been detained. Russian media refrained from covering demonstrations opposing the policies of the Russian government.

According to Russian news sources, a 300-meter Saint George’s ribbon was paraded through the streets of Mariupol. Despite festivities, no residents were noted to have participated in the rally. 

The Russian Ministry of Defence continues to spread reports regarding the achievements of the Russian army in Ukraine, such as the capturing of the town of Popasna. According to the Ministry, the attempts of the Ukrainian army to recapture the Snake Island have been thwarted.