Victory Chronicles
-DAY 82

Above: Stylized topographical map of Ukraine shows tributary systems for Dnipro River in the center and Siversky Donets River in the east. Map via Reddit

“Ukraine is not interested in a protracted war with Russia, same as the whole world. We can’t beat them this month, but we can do it this year.  The recipe for victory is simple: real oil embargo + tanks, aircraft and artillery.  Let’s end it together.”

– Mykhaylo Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of President 

 

Above: Russia excels in losing equipment and personnel.  Table via Defense of Ukraine

Above: Ukrainian fighters at Azovstal. Photo via Kyiv Post

• Wives of the unflinching Mariupol defenders held a press conference on Sunday reporting that the defenders are held underground by constant enemy shelling with only small breaks to search for water and food.

• Feeble enemy forces, completely without honor or dignity, bombarded Mariupol with illegal phosphorus missiles, beginning right after Kalush Orchestra won Eurovision on Saturday.

• The defenders believe they have done their duty by draining enemy forces for the liberation of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv.  They are not optimistic that the world will be able to convince the deranged enemy dictator to allow evacuation under international laws of war.

• Some of the defenders’ relatives were more hopeful that Turkey and China could influence the diminutive despot.  They will meet with Turkish President Recep Erdogan this week.

Above: Ukrainian fighters in Kharkiv mark the stop where they reached the enemy border.  Photo via Suspline

• Ukrainian forces posted a video with the announcement, “We report today, May 15, the 227th Battalion of the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine reached the border with the Russian Federation, the occupying country.  We have arrived, Mr President, we are here!”

• The video shows the brave fighters erecting a blue and yellow stanchion to commemorate the achievement.

Above: Ukrainian ingenuity and skill put big guns to good use.  If the West keeps heavy armaments flowing, Ukraine will defeat the enemy.  Photo via Ukrainian Defense Ministry

• It was announced that the legendary rout of enemy forces crossing the Siversky Donets River was accomplished with the help of freshly delivered US M777 howitzers.

• UK Defense Intelligence reported that the Donbas offensive has lost momentum, failing to gain substantial progress since the liberation of Kyiv.  Due to systemic weaknesses, enemy forces are unlikely to improve operations in the next thirty days.

• UK Defense Intelligence estimates that the enemy has lost a third of ground combat forces committed from the start of the invasion in February.  The Russian horde is plagued by low morale and abysmal strategic leadership.

• Ukrainian forces blew up the rail lines between enemy-occupied Rubizhne and heavily-fortified Severodonetsk to further thwart the invaders’ planned advance.

• A delegation of Senate Republicans showed up in Kyiv to affirm caucus support for Ukraine. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is facing a growing faction of his caucus calling for decreased aid to Ukraine including his fellow Kentucky senator Rand Paul who blocked a Ukraine aid package this week.

Above: “Russia’s war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned,” according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Photo via BBC News

• On Sunday, Turkey reversed its position and announced it would not block Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO while producing a list of demands on those countries mainly concerning Turkey’s on-going conflict with the Kurds.  Previously, Turkish President Erdogan called Scandinavian countries “guesthouses for terrorist organizations.”