Ukraine in brief:
The eighty-sixth day of the heroic opposition of the Ukrainian people to the Russian military invasion continues.
Russian invaders launch missile strikes on infrastructure facilities and residential areas on the territory of Ukraine. Artillery shelling of Ukrainian cities continues, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.
The situation in the north of Ukraine is unchanged, it is relatively quiet here. There are threats of missile strikes.
The aggressor fired artillery at the positions of Ukrainian troops to the north of the city of Kharkiv. Russians inflicted air strikes and carried out remote mining on the routes of possible advancement of units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The enemy fired artillery at the positions of Ukrainian troops to the south and south-west of the city of Izium. In order to clarify the position of our troops, invaders conducted aerial reconnaissance with two Orlan-10 UAVs.
In the Sloviansk sector, the enemy grouping focuses its main efforts on conducting offensive operations, regrouping troops, and also accumulating material and technical resources.
According to available information, in the area of the settlement of Yaremivka, the enemy is trying to build a pontoon crossing across the Siverskyi Donets River.
In the Donetsk sector, the enemy is trying to conduct active hostilities in the Lyman, Severodonetsk and Bakhmut areas.
In Mariupol, the enemy is conducting filtration of the local population.
In the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as well as in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia sectors, the enemy continues to shell the units of our troops.
As part of the recruitment of units that suffered losses, in the area of the settlement of Chornobaivka, the enemy moved about 130 units of military equipment.
In Ukraine, there is not enough fuel for refueling cars, there is a suspension of the movement of buses, and some other types of public transport.
Northern oblasts
Kyiv
Explosions were heard in Kyiv. But no emergencies were registered in the capital – those blasts were the result of the work of the air defense units. However, air raid alert sirens sounded throughout the day.
The capital still lacks fuel. The local authorities predict that this problem will be resolved by the end of May.
An exhibition of posters created by Ukrainian artists during the war was opened on the facade of the Ukrainian House National Center. The exhibition will last for a month.
Kyiv Oblast
Today, the demining of the Kyiv Oblast was completed. Over the past day, pyrotechnicians removed 307 explosive devices, and 34,387 such devices have been removed there over the entire demining period.
Humanitarian centers operate in the de-occupied territories.
Zhytomyr Oblast
All day long, air raid alerts were heard in the Zhytomyr Oblast. In the morning, russian troops launched a missile attack on Malyn. An infrastructure facility and about 100 residential buildings were damaged, three people were injured.
Chernihiv Oblast
There were several air raid alerts during the day. Once again, the russians fired mortars at the border settlements of Chernihiv Oblast. For the third day in a row, the invaders bombard Hremiach.
Environmentalists have assessed the damage caused to the environment by a large-scale fire at the Epicenter shopping center in Chernihiv as a result of russian shelling: it amounts to more than 8 million hryvnias. The calculations will be provided to the respective law enforcement agencies for the formation of case materials, representation of interests in courts, and forced compensation for damage caused by the armed aggression of the russians.
Demining continues. Pyrotechnicians removed 433 explosive devices, and 23,050 such devices have been removed there over the entire demining period.
In the Chernihiv Oblast, work is underway to build temporary crossings in order to resume communication between Chernihiv and the Kyiv Oblast. During active attacks against civilians in the oblast, the russians destroyed 23 bridges and overpasses.
Sumy Oblast
Russian troops continue to shell the border communities of the Sumy Oblast. The town of Seredyna-Buda came under mortar fire today.
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation declared two russian servicemen suspected of firing at the premises of the Trostyanets Raion hospital from tanks at point-blank range. ttps://dbr.gov.ua/news/dbr-vstanovilo-vijskovosluzhbovciv-rf-yaki-z-tankiv-rozstrilyuvali-likarnyu-v-trostyanci
Demining of the territory continues. Over the last day, pyrotechnicians removed 10 explosive devices.
De-russification continues in the Sumy Oblast. The Sumy diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has decided to split from the Moscow Patriarchate.
The quality of medical services in the oblast continues to improve. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs donated 10 ambulances, three of which were donated to the communities. In particular, to the emergency departments in the village of Stepanivka of the Sumy Raion, and the village of Vyrivka of the Konotop Raion. One ambulance will now be used by the central city hospital in Sumy.
Transport links with other regions of Ukraine are also improving. From May 25, a train will run from Sumy to Ivano-Frankivsk, passing through Chernihiv.
Eastern Oblasts
Kharkiv Oblast
Over the past 24 hours, the russian occupiers fired at the “Smerch”, “Uragan”, and “Grad” multiple rocket launchers at the Kyiv district of Kharkiv, Saltivska, and Oleksiyivka.
At night in the Oblast in Dergachi the shell hit a private house. In the village. Mala Danylivka also had a garage and a car set on fire by the occupiers.
In the morning, as a result of the shelling, 3 people were injured in the village of Shevchenkove.
In the Kharkiv direction, the enemy focused its main efforts on maintaining the occupied frontiers. Trying to counterattack. But to no avail. Conducts air reconnaissance with the use of drones.
Fighting continued in the area of the settlements of Ternov and Vesele, and enemy shelling was recorded near Ruskie Tyszki.
Donetsk Oblast
Fourteen enemy attacks were repulsed in the Donetsk and Luhansk directions over the past 24 hours, eight tanks, fourteen units of combat armored vehicles and six units of enemy vehicles were destroyed. Air defense units shot down one Orlan-10 UAV.
Since the beginning of the russian invasion of Ukraine, 397 civilians have been killed and 1,109 wounded in shelling and bombing in the Donetsk Oblast. Excluding Mariupol and Volnovakha.
Kramatorsk
No hostile actions were recorded in the city.
Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and representatives of the local Territorial Defense units were preparing to meet the enemy.
Local authorities informed residents about the working post offices, shops and other public services.
There are more and more residents of the city who are forced to return to their homes due to the inability to rent housing in the western regions of the country. People return exhausted and without money, so they need special attention.
The overall situation remains worrying. The theater of operations is getting closer. Increasingly, the news writes about the shelling of Bakhmut, Siversk, which are relatively close to Kramatorsk.
The coordinator of the AUI Active Community provided assistance to the families of the military who remained in the city. The Kyiv office of the Active Community sent a parcel with medicines to Kramatorsk to help families with children.
Pokrovsk and Pokrovsky Raion
The enemy attacked two settlements – Avdiivka and Marinka.
Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repel the enemy. Representatives of the local territorial defense are on duty in the community.
The past day in the community was relatively calm. No casualties or damage were reported. Utilities continue to operate normally.
An extraordinary session of the city council took place today. 21 deputies out of 38 were present online. There are 5 issues on the agenda. It was noted at the session that many people have been returning home recently. Most have no money left and it is not possible to pay for utilities. Therefore, the deputies considered the draft decision and increased payments to IDPs.
In Pokrovsk, humanitarian aid will be provided through older buildings.
Bakhmut
In the Bakhmut direction, with the support of artillery and mortars, the occupiers carried out offensive operations in the area of the settlement of Vyskryva, while trying to improve the tactical position of their units near Volodymyrivka and Vasylivka. The russian occupiers suffered losses in the area of the settlement of Alexandropol.
In the morning, the mayor held a daily operational meeting with his deputies. The issues of liquidation of the consequences of the shelling of the city, the work of medical institutions, enterprises of critical infrastructure, social institutions in the current conditions were considered.
In general, the situation is difficult, every day the city is shelled by enemy missiles. That night in some parts of the city, people were sitting in basements.
The coordinator of the AUI Active Community held an event for children of internally displaced persons in Cherkasy.
Mariupol
By order of the military leadership, Ukrainian defenders stop defending Mariupol. The military is leaving on the terms of evacuation of civilians and seriously wounded, removal of the bodies of fallen heroes. The wounded servicemen and medics have already been taken to the territory controlled by Ukraine. The defense of the city lasted 86 days, despite heavy fighting, surrounded by russian troops and lack of supplies.
Over the past two weeks, the number of people in the Bezymyane / Kozatske filtration camps in the Novoazovsk district has increased from 2,000 to 3-4,000. In the five weeks of the russian concentration camp, not a single Mariupol resident has been released. Conditions of detention are only getting worse, men are being tried to break down psychologically. In the camps, the Russian military is actively spreading information in private conversations that men are being prepared for mobilization into the army of the so-called “Donetsk People Republic ” due to the failure of mobilization in Donetsk and heavy losses at the front.
Local teachers are forced to cooperate in the educational process. The occupiers plan to launch four schools and completely translate them into russian standards and language.
Luhansk Oblast
The enemy is attacking the areas of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. Over the past 24 hours, russian occupation troops have killed 12 civilians.
In the morning, russian occupation troops fired on a school in Severodonetsk, where more than 200 people were hiding.
At least three civilians were killed during this attack. Luhansk Oblast police are currently trying to transport people to another shelter. A total of 15,000 people are hiding in bomb shelters.
In Luhansk Oblast, people record war crimes committed by russia. More than 11,000 houses were destroyed by the russian army, and almost 3,200 of them were towering buildings. The Oblast authorities calculate the losses and determine the needs for the reconstruction of housing. The housing sector of Oblast suffered the most from artillery shelling and bombing. According to preliminary estimates, 3,188 towering buildings and 8,100 private houses were partially or completely destroyed. russia also destroyed 348 infrastructure facilities. 3,408 enterprises of Luhansk Oblast stopped their operation.
Infrastructure is completely destroyed. According to preliminary data, at least 16 buildings of higher education institutions, 104 general secondary education institutions, 49 kindergartens, 17 sports facilities, 15 social institutions, 37 health care institutions and 62 cultural institutions, as well as 6 administrative buildings, 7 railway stations and 35 life support facilities are damaged. Rubizhne has the same fate as Mariupol. The industrial city has been completely destroyed, there are no buildings without damage, and many houses cannot be restored. People make cemeteries in their yards.
Southern Oblasts
Zaporizhzhia Oblast
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, russian invaders continue to fire from reactive and cannon artillery and mortars on civilian infrastructure and residents’ households. The occupying forces also fought a counter-battery battle, but suffered casualties near Novodarivka and retreated to their former positions.
As a result of constant shelling, there is entirely or partially no electricity in 77 settlements of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The convoy of cars continues to wait for the russian occupation troops to allow them to pass through the checkpoint near Vasylivka. Cars cannot go either to Zaporizhzhia or in the opposite direction. The passage through Orikhiv and Polohy also remains closed.
Enerhodar
Today in Enerhodar employees of the Fire Rescue Detachment protested against the abduction of the head of the City State Emergency Service Vitaliy Troyan.
The russian occupiers used forceful methods against rescuers. According to the mayor of Enerhodar Dmitry Orlov, they beat people and damaged rescue equipment.
Zaporizhzhia
There are long queues of citizens in the city, waiting for minibuses to get on the right bank and into the city center. But there was almost no transport. This situation is due to the fact that not all public transport resumed their work. Drivers said they refused to work with low tariffs and high fuel costs.
Secretary of the City Council Anatoliy Kurtev explained that the local authorities are aware of this problem. Moreover, they have already met with public transport drivers and discussed with them ways to solve this problem.
Kherson Oblast
The russians blocked the exit from Kherson Oblast to the territories controlled by Ukraine. The occupiers intensified the patrol in Kherson and increased the number of checkpoints.
Civilians continue to resist the russian occupation. In Kherson, unknown people set up a Ukrainian flag above the railway station.
Mykolayiv Oblast
In Mykolayiv Oblast the situation at night was rather quiet. russian troops continue artillery fire along the entire line of collision.
Volunteers of the Odesa humanitarian headquarters transferred about 30 thousand food kits to Mykolaiv residents. One person can use the kit for one month. It includes sunflower oil, flour, cereals, tea, coffee, cookies, five types of canned food and sweets.
Odesa Oblast
The general situation is tense. russian air forces continue the shelling of Oblast. The air defense systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are constantly working. There is still no precise information on destroyed objects and victims.
The city authorities emphasize that due to the tension, it is necessary to follow the rules of conduct during air-raid warnings.
Territorial Defense Forces units are building fortifications to defend Odesa. People are active and united, they volunteer.
The AUI “Active Community” coordinator informed citizens about the possibilities of receiving humanitarian, social and psychological aid.
Central Oblasts
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
On the night of May 20th, russian occupation troops fired on the village of Velyka Kostromka in the Zelenodolsk community of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast twice. Windows are broken in several houses. Currently, there is no gas and electricity supply in the village. Two people are injured.
Сity authorities gave 10 pickup trucks and 4 minibuses to the Dnipro Territorial Defense Forces. It was initiated by the Dnipro Defense Headquarters and financed from the city budget.
During the full-scale invasion, about 14,000 residents left the Zelenodolsk and Shyroke communities.
The Security Service of Ukraine workers detained an enemy agent who tried to worsen the internal political situation in Oblast. He appealed to Internet users to support the occupiers and tried to impose on people the ideas of the so-called “russkiy mir” (“russian world”).
Kirovohrad Oblast
There was an air-raid warning due to the threat of a missile strike. The Armed Forces of Ukraine soldiers guarded the Oblast borders and military facilities. Territorial Defense Forces units stood guard at checkpoints and patrolled the city together with police. The situation in Oblast is under control.
Oblast hospital received a large aid. According to the head of the Kirovohrad Oblast State Administration Andriy Raikovych, the newly organized additional hubs that work with IDPs in the residential districts of Kropyvnytskyi will receive humanitarian aid. The volunteer team delivered hygiene products, clothes and products for IDPs to one of the largest humanitarian hubs in Oblast.
Kropyvnytskyi City Council and the Kirovohrad Military Administration planted 500 bushes of roses in the city. Kropyvnytskyi received flowers as a gift from the Pokrovsk City Council of Donetsk Oblast. In total, 1,000 rose bushes were sent to the city, 500 were planted at the intersection of Malanyuk and Mykhailivska streets. The local authorities will decide places where other flowers to be planted.
The stadiums in Kropyvnytskyi and Oleksandriya are considered to be the venues for the matches of the next Ukrainian football championship. Two Premier League clubs from Kirovohrad Oblast and teams whose stadiums were destroyed by enemy troops during the shelling will be able to play here.
Five institutions of higher and vocational higher education will be temporarily relocated to the territory of Kirovohrad Oblast.
The AUI “Active Community” coordinator gave IDPs advice on how to obtain IDP status documents, as well as information on the available resources in the Oblast Employment service and nearby communities.
Poltava Oblast
Practical trainings for PE teachers from universal secondary schools in the Poltava city territorial community took place in the scope of the Poltava Resistance Programme. Skills in basic tactical medicine acquired by some 86 teachers will be of practical value to them when delivering paramedic assistance in wartime conditions. The trainees also practiced evacuation techniques, methods of applying tourniquets, stabilising the wounded and learned an algorithm of action in critical situations. The event has been organised by the Department of Education of the Poltava City Council with involvement of instructors from the Warrior Military and Sports Centre.
Another yet aid cargo from the International Red Cross Committee has reached Poltava. It will allow extending the aid – food and personal hygiene kits – to some of IDPs.
A charity fair for kids was held on the pedestrian Bohdana Khmelnitskogo Blvd. in Levada. The fair was a chance for trainees from the Poltava Municipal Pre-School Education Centre to sell their handcrafted creations, garments, decorations etc. The kids plan to use the money thus collected to support the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A UNICEF’s kid center has kicked off in Poltava today. There, the parents with kids (IDPs) will be able to obtain consultancy and information services, spend time with their kids, take a break among the like-minded while their minors are enjoying the play area. Master classes for kids and lectures by professionals for their parents will be on offer in a short while.
Poltava volunteers continue collecting foodstuffs for residents of the Sumy Oblast and Kharkiv.
AUI Active Community team in Poltava has been advising by phone the IDPs who have come to the city about their humanitarian aid receiving options.
Vinnytsia Oblast
Khmilnyk
The last 24 hours have been relatively calm in the community in spite of multiple air raid alerts in the town and the Raion.
AFU servicemen have been protecting the area limits from the enemy.
Local territorial defence force have been in watch in the Khmilnyk community.
The utility services are operating in the normal mode. Joint actions and community-greening works continue.
On 18 May, a local priest from the Khmilnyk Raion and his parish left the Moscow Patriarchy and decided to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine https://www.vinnitsa.info/news/na-vinnychchyni-shche-odyn-svyashchennyk-razom-iz-tserkovnoyu-hromadoyu-pryyednavsya-do-ptsu.html.
Active Community coordinators in Khmilnyk, Oleksandr Tanenok and Nina Mashyr, coordinated events for children at the municipal history museum and the reading hall of the central library.
Western Oblasts
Lviv Oblast
As of today, Ukraine nationals leaving the warfare zone or occupied or sieged cities are entitled to an allowance from the state payable right during the evacuation. For this, Ukrzaliznytsia, the national railroad carrierwill send the data on evacuation trains to its peers from Ukrposhta, the national postal service, for whom cash disbursement kiosks have been already opened at the railway station in Lviv. The list of railway stations offering allowance collection service is going to expand in the near future.
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
The situation is generally stable. There have been two air raid alerts during the day.
The community lost some 23 its heroes since the beginning of the war.
The city mayor has recently delivered a progress report on a local My City is Ivano-Frankivsk Charitable Foundation. In particular, the aid list has grown, he informed yesterday (19 May): the Foundation was able to purchase several dozens of tourniquets, 120 military uniforms and 150 magazine bags. Also, Ivano-Frankivsk units will receive shovels, wire, nails, petrol-powered chainsaws, hammer drills, hammers and other such consumables of assistance for making combat positions.
Vehicles for the AFU have been dispatched recently; they were bought by Executive Committe staff and utility company employees at their own expense.
Rivne Oblast
There were three air raid alerts during the past 24 hours. The situation in the city and the oblast is calm overall.
AFU servicemen are patrolling the border with belarus.
Territorial Defence Force are on patrol and man the checkpoints.
The Rivne Oblast Military Administration is regularly updating the locals on fuel availability at petrol pumping stations in the city and the Oblast.
Some 4,632 local residents in the Oblast have hosted IDPs and received accommodation compensations from the national budget.
Come Monday, 23 May, ten on-duty kindergartens will open in Rivne. The groups will have 15 children max. The kids will enjoy the attention of not just teachers and their aids but also of extra staff from the groups and kindergartens still closed. All of the employees will be debriefed and trained in civil defence, fire safety and emergency action matters.
A regional AUI Active Community coordinator has co-moderated table-top games at the Rivne community’s youth space.
Zdovbytsia
Three air raid alerts have wailed today. The situation in the community is relatively calm.
Local TDF continue manning the checkpoints.
There are more than 350 IDPs in the community. The Zdovbytsia Village Council has provided the IDPs with meals kits. Also, the local MPs are making tasty field rations for the Ukrainian military. Moreover, the MPs have, responding to volunteers’ requests, also provided aid of medicines and foodstuffs for one of the wartime hotspots.
Parishioners of the St. Protection Church in the village of Buderazh donated homemade food and treats to the military,
A regional AUI Active Community coordinator has arranged an art therapy session for children. The paintings made during the course of the event have been sent to AFU troops.
Khmelnytskyi Oblast
Kamyanets-Podilsky
In the morning the city sounded air alarms, the roar of planes was heard. The air defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine worked.
Over the past 24 hours, the Kamyanets-Podilsky community has received 7 more internally displaced persons. In total, with the beginning of the war, 23147 people officially received shelter in the community. 2479 people are provided with free two meals a day.
Today about 80 city minibuses left for the routes. The main reason for the decrease in the number of cars is the lack of fuel at gas stations. Public transport runs according to schedules. It is hoped that the situation will stabilize in the near future.
As part of the May Week program, “SUPPORT THE ARMY. TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN. CLOSE VICTORY!” a number of events took place in the city. In particular, these were the celebrations of young people, scientific and pedagogical workers for the Day of Science, an exhibition of art works and achievements of robotics, a performance of the art group “Rozmay”.
Raincoats, mittens and shoes, headlights, gas stoves and cylinders, water purifiers, canned food and hygiene products were handed over from the city depot to Ukrainian military.
Yesterday, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross Bernt Apeland and the Head of International Programs Jorgen Haldorsen paid a working visit to Kamianets-Podilskyi and Khmelnytskyi. During the visit to Kamianets-Podilskyi, representatives of the Norwegian Red Cross got acquainted with the work of mobile medical and psychological teams working in different cities of Khmelnytskyi oblast, providing assistance to IDPs. The Norwegian Red Cross plans to organize the work of such brigades throughout the Khmelnytskyi oblast.
Coordinators of AUI “Active Community” worked on the implementation of the program “Gardens of Victory” and planted seedlings.
Chernivtsi oblast
Currently, active hostilities are not taking place in Chernivtsi oblast.
Chernivtsi City Council handed over two premises for the needs of military units. Residents of the Banyliv community bought two cars for the military.
Humanitarian cargo from the Ukrainian diaspora in Italy arrived in Bukovyna. Diaspora transferred food, clothes, hygiene products, etc. to social institutions of Chernivtsi oblast. The cargo was received by the Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of Children of the Chernivtsi OMA Service for Children, Chernivtsi Geriatric Boarding House and Chernivtsi Oblast Specialized Orphanage.
The Vyzhnytsya Humanitarian Headquarters received cargo from a religious association in Romania. Philanthropists donated clothes, long-term food, water, baby food etc. Part of the aid has already been sent to IDPs who currently live in the Vyzhnytsya community. Part of the aid will be sent to the military on the front line.
In Chernivtsi, students from school №38 sell patriotic eco-bags. Part of the money is sent to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the week, teenagers sold more than 30 pieces.
More than 100,000 IDPs have already been registered in the Chernivtsi oblast. About 33,000 of them are children.
Two checkpoints will soon be opened in Bukovyna: “Dyakivtsi” and “Krasnoilsk”. Funding for their reconstruction is guaranteed by the European Union. As a result, truck infrastructure will be built there.
Inna Pashanyuk, coordinator of the AUI “Active Community” in Chernivtsi, was looking for volunteers who were ready to help prepare free lunches for the needy on the weekends.
Zakarpattya Oblast
Everything was calm in the oblast and no fighting took place.
The director of the Health department of the Oblast Military Administration said at a briefing that routine immunization is becoming more accessible in Zakarpattya. Thus, scheduled trips of mobile teams for vaccination will be organized to the temporary stays of IDPs. During the trips the main attention will be paid to children under 6 years old. They can to be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, hemophilia, measles, mumps and rubella. Adults can also to be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and, if desired, COVID-19.
On May 19, the Zakarpattya Oblast Library in Uzhhorod hosted an embroidery master class for adults and children, timed to the Embroidery Day. Under the song “Oh, in the meadow red viburnum”, the participants embroidered talismans with yellow and blue threads. According to the organizer Eugenia Napuda, embroidered talismans from Uzhgorod will be sent to the Ukrainian military on the front line along with volunteer assistance from the “Movement in Support of the Zakarpattya Military”.
A charity bicycle race “Big City Ride” in embroidered shirts took place in Uzhhorod on May 19. The event was also organized for the Embroidery Day. All funds raised at the event will be donated to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
AUI “Active community” coordinators joined in weaving camouflage nets and established a dialogue with the Charitable Foundation “Tree for Life” to support internally displaced persons through psychological assistance and art therapy practices.
Last modified: 25 Травня, 2022
