Victory Chronicles-DAY 1184

Four Russian officers from the Akhmat unit that is associated with the Chechen republic were killed when their vehicle exploded on May 20 in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson region, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.

The blast occurred between the towns of Skadovsk and Antonivka, in the southern part of the region. The officers were traveling in a UAZ Patriot sports utility vehicle when it was reportedly struck by an explosive device. A second explosion followed, triggered by the ammunition the soldiers were transporting.

Ukrainian military officials said the attack was part of ongoing efforts to target occupying forces and deliver what it called “just retribution” for war crimes committed against the Ukrainian people.

The Akhmat unit is affiliated with Chechen forces loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin. It is part of a broader structure within Russia’s National Guard and the group has been accused of brutal tactics in multiple theaters of the war.

Russia tries to recruit nearly 50 Ukrainian children for sabotage. Ukrainian police say nearly 50 minors aged younger than 18 years have reported being targeted by Russian operatives attempting to recruit them for sabotage via social media platforms and messaging applications. The agents, utilizing fake accounts, offer cash in exchange for actions like arson or spying on military and government sites, Juvenile Police chief Vasyl Bohdan said on May 20. Authorities warn that tasks may start small, like handing out propaganda, but can escalate quickly. Police and the Security Service are now running school campaigns to teach teens and parents how to spot and stop recruitment attempts.

Two civilian women killed, two injured in Russian aerial attacks on Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces launched a deadly artillery strike on Kostiantynivka and a drone attack on Raihorodok in the easternmost Donetsk Oblast on May 22, killing two women and injuring two others, according to the regional prosecutor’s office.

At around 07:30 a.m., artillery fire struck a residential building in Kostiantynivka, killing a 54-year-old woman. Her 27-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries, including a blast wound, an open head injury, and trauma to her neck and legs.

Later, at 10:35 a.m., a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone struck an area near a shop in Raihorodok, Kramatorsk district. A 51-year-old kiosk worker was killed instantly, and a 39-year-old woman working in the nearby market was hospitalized with shrapnel and blast injuries. Ukrainian law enforcement officials are investigating both incidents as war crimes committed by Russian forces against civilians.

Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot takes down Shahed drone during night interception. Ukraine’s Air Force released footage of a MiG-29 fighter jet intercepting and destroying a Russian Shahed drone during a nighttime operation.

The pilot, call sign Yellowtail, belongs to a tactical aviation brigade under the West Air Command. According to the Air Force, the engagement took place during a mass Russian airstrike that targeted  Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

Footage from the fighter jet’s onboard camera shows the moment of the drone’s destruction in the night sky. Yellowtail has flown over a hundred combat missions, the military added.

Key Takeaways:

• Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin likely orchestrated a meeting with Kursk Oblast officials on May 20 to set conditions to justify the renewal of Russian plans to seize Sumy City and illegally annex the northeastern region of Sumy.
• Russian forces are highly unlikely to be able to seize Sumy City in the near- to medium-term given Russia’s demonstrated inability to rapidly seize even much smaller settlements in Ukraine in the past three years.
• Russia continues to promote the false narrative accusing Ukrainian forces of “neo-Nazism” as part of dual Kremlin efforts to justify continued Russian offensive operations in Ukraine despite ongoing peace talks, and to prepare the Russian population for a Russian rejection of any future peace agreement.
• Russia continues to reject American proposals to establish a ceasefire in Ukraine before starting negotiations to end the war.
• Russian officials are setting conditions to refuse Western involvement in peace negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and for Russia to deny the independence and sovereignty of other former Soviet states.
• Russian security services continue to conduct hybrid operations against the United States and its allies in preparation for a larger future war with NATO.
• The recent establishment of the first formal motorcycle unit within the Ukrainian military demonstrates the rapid technical adaptation cycle that has become typical in Ukraine and that will become a key characteristic of future wars.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Velyka Novosilka.

In memoriam: Ukrainian soldier Bohdan Synchuk, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces

Pvt. Bohdan Synchuk, known by the call sign “Kep,” was killed in action on July 26, 2024, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Serhiivka in Luhansk region. He had turned 19 just five days earlier. Synchuk was born in the village of Sokolova in Vinnytsia region. He attended the local gymnasium and later studied at the Khmilnyk Agrarian Vocational Education Center.

At age 18, Synchuk chose to defend his country. On Aug. 31, 2023, he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 3rd Assault Brigade and held the position of senior rifleman-operator at the time of his death. “My little brother was the best — kind, sincere and responsible,” said his sister, Andriana. Synchuk was laid to rest in his home village of Sokolova. He is survived by his mother, sisters and grandmother.

*Synchuk’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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