TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org

For the first time since Moscow initiated a full-scale attack on Ukraine over two years ago, the European Commission is poised to propose a ban on the resale of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in EU ports. However, the effectiveness of these sanctions is questioned, as they are expected to impact only a third of Russia's income in this sector and a fraction of its exports to the EU.

The proposed measures will also include restrictions on three future Russian LNG projects as part of the 14th package of Brussels sanctions. Without access to European ports for transshipment, Russia would be forced to rely on scarce icebreakers to transport LNG to Asia, resulting in a significant revenue loss.

However, critics argue that potential sanctions against Russian LNG projects are toothless, as none of them currently ship to Europe. The European Commission has faced resistance to LNG sanctions in the past, but pressure is mounting to tighten sanctions on Russian fossil fuels, given the diminishing effectiveness of existing measures.

Despite the urgency, unanimity among all 27 EU member states is required to pass new LNG sanctions, making it susceptible to vetoes. Hungary, in particular, has a history of blocking restrictions on Russian gas. Therefore, securing support from all EU capitals remains a challenge for Brussels.

The German opposition expressed irritation at the laughter of Chancellor Olaf Scholz after answering a question about the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

"Of course, I trust my friends. But I wouldn’t give everyone all the weapons," Scholz said after which he started laughing.

Sharp criticism comes from the CDU: "It is absolutely shameful that the Chancellor is giggling and laughing at the expense of Ukraine. The giggling Chancellor is insulting people who fought for their survival in Ukraine and also for our freedom," CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said.

https://www.n-tv.de/politik/09-58-Mehrere-Grossfeuer-in-Charkiw--article23143824.html

The US Air Force has awarded a contract to Scientific Applications and Research Associates for Home-on GPS sensors for Ukraine, which will be integrated into JDAM-ER kits installed on aircraft bombs. This move aims to counter Russian GPS interference systems that have been affecting Western precision munitions, including the JDAM-ER.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3765102/

Russia is secretly supplying refined oil to North Korea in volumes that violate UN Security Council restrictions. This may cause the US to introduce new sanctions.

This was stated by the spokesman of the White House for national security John Kirby.

"At the same time that Moscow vetoed the extension of the commission's (UN North Korea Sanctions Monitoring Committee's) mandate, Russia was delivering refined oil from the port of Shkydny to North Korea," Kirby said.

According to him, in March, Russia delivered more than 165,000 barrels of oil products to North Korea.

"Russia has been sending petroleum products from the port of Skhidny to the DPRK. Russian supplies have already pushed imports into the DPRK above the 500 barrels per year set by the UN Security Council," the White House spokesman said.

According to Reuters sources, given that the commercial ports of the Russian Federation and North Korea are located quite close, Russia can continue these supplies "indefinitely".

Kirby also added that the US will impose sanctions "against those who work to facilitate the transfer of weapons and petroleum products between Russia and North Korea."

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦🔱 Liz

🇬🇧🇺🇦British intelligence:

The strike on the "Kushchevska" airfield will affect the combat sorties of the Russian Federation.

According to British intelligence, the Ukrainian attack on the Russian airfield "Kushchevska" probably contributed to the fact that about 40 aircraft of various types were withdrawn from this area and dispersed to several airfields located further from the front line.

Dispersion will mean that the enemy will have to increase the duration of sorties to maintain the same consistency over the combat space.

This in turn will require more fuel, increasing costs as well as increasing the load on crews.

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦🔱 Liz

Macron’s conditions to deploy troops in Ukraine: Russia’s breakthrough and Ukraine’s request

French President Emmanuel Macron remained resolute, refusing to retract his declaration from February that Europe should not rule out deploying troops in Ukraine, and outlined the conditions for deploying France’s military in Ukraine. 

Now, the Economist notes that once concerned about not “humiliating” Moscow, Emmanuel Macron has since become one of Europe’s most vocal hawks.

Euromaidanpress

@Ukraine_Report
🇺🇦🤝🇮🇩 Blue

https://t.me/Ukraine_Report/21839

https://t.me/Ukraine_Report/21841

https://t.me/Ukraine_Report/21842

The Armed Forces spoke about the situation in Krynky and Nestryha Island.

As Dmytro Pletenchuk, the spokesman of the Southern Defense Forces, said, yesterday Russian troops tried twice to storm the island of Nestryha in the Kherson region.

"There are also no drastic changes in the state and position of the number of enemy forces. The past day was quite tense.

As for Krynky alone, there were 7 assaults, all of them were repulsed and the enemy was forced to withdraw with losses, without success."

Liberation of the Armed Forces of Nestryha Island.

At the end of April, Ukrainian troops advanced in the area of the village of Veletenske, Kherson region, which is located on the right bank of the Dnieper.

Already on April 28, it became known that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had returned the island of Nestryha under their control . This was announced by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.

After that, the Russian troops do not stop trying to reoccupy this territory, conducting assaults on the positions of Ukrainian troops in the area.

Krynky is located on the east bank of the Dnieper river.

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦🔱 Liz

Ukraine will receive new drones with firearms on board from the United States

Feloni Aero will offer Ukraine drones that can be equipped with a 5.56 mm machine gun, as well as anti-tank missiles and advanced surveillance equipment.“

Our mission at Feloni Aero is to empower nations with cutting-edge defence technologies that ensure safety and security in an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape,” said Todd Dunphy, CEO at Feloni Aero. “With the unwavering support from the United States government through the recent spending bill, we stand ready to contribute to Ukraine’s defence efforts by delivering advanced weaponized UAVs that redefine the paradigm of modern warfare.”

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦 Admin Team 🔱

Source 🔗
https://defence-industry.eu/feloni-aero-introduces-weaponized-drones-to-strengthen-defence-efforts-in-ukraine/

🇺🇸🚀 "The US currently produces dozens of ATACMS missiles every few months. Pentagon is no longer concerned that ATACMS deliveries to Ukraine will affect US stockpiles", - Politico

The production lines making the Army Tactical Missile System are cranking out enough of the long-range missiles that the Pentagon is no longer worried about depleting its own stocks by sending them to Ukraine.

The update on the production came from Army acquisition chief Doug Bush on Thursday, who said that “a significant number of missiles that were ordered years ago … is now hitting at just the right time to be able to support how we're supporting Ukraine without taking a hit to readiness.”

That increase in missile deliveries, which Bush said is a “surge” of dozens of missiles every few months, will last until at least the rest of the year. “There are a lot of ATACMS coming off that line,” he said. 

ISW Daily Frontline Update Summaries May 3rd, 2024

Luhansk Oblast

Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Kupyansk amid continued fighting on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on May 3.

Geolocated footage published on May 2 shows a Russian armored vehicle, reportedly of the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army (Moscow Military District [MMD]) operating in central Kyslivka (southeast of Kupyansk).

Kharkiv Oblast Head Oleh Synehubov reported that Russian forces in the Kupyansk direction have reconstituted their assault units with more equipment and fresh convict recruits and renewed assault operations.

Fighting also continued northeast of Kupyansk near Synkivka; east of Kupyansk near Petropavlivka; southeast of Kupyansk near Stelmakhivka and Berestove; southwest of Svatove near Novoyehorivka, Hrekivka, Makiivka, and Nevske; west of Kreminna near Terny, Yampolivka, and Torske; and south of Kreminna near the Serebryanske forest area and Bilohorivka.

(2/3)

Donetsk Oblast

Northern Bakhmut Area

Positional engagements continued in the Siversk direction (northeast of Bakhmut) on May 3, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline in this area

Chasiv Yar

Russian forces continued assaults east of Chasiv Yar on May 3, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.

Ukrainian Khortytsia Group of Forces Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn stated that Russian forces are taking significant personnel losses during infantry-led “meat assaults” in the Chasiv Yar area.

Avdiivka Direction

Russian forces recently marginally advanced northwest of Avdiivka amid continued positional fighting in the area on May 3.

Geolocated footage published on May 3 indicates that Russian forces recently marginally advanced within central Ocheretyne (northwest of Avdiivka).

Donetsk City Area

Russian forces recently marginally advanced southwest of Donetsk City amid continued fighting west and southwest of Donetsk City on May 3.

Geolocated footage published on May 3 indicates that Russian forces recently marginally advanced northwest and west of Novomykhailivka.

Western Donetsk Oblast

Fighting continued in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area on May 3 but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.

Southern Axis

Zaporhizia/Robotyne Direction

Positional fighting continued near Robotyne and Verbove (east of Robotyne) in western Zaporizhia Oblast on May 3.

Several milbloggers noted that Russian forces have failed to make more significant tactical gains in the Robotyne area despite conducting routine frontal assaults against the settlement for several months.

Kherson/Krynky Direction

Positional engagements continued in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast and near islands in the Dnipro River Delta on May 3.

Positional fighting continued near Krynky, and Ukrainian Southern Operational Command Spokesperson Captain Third Rank Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that small Russian assault groups are unsuccessfully trying to regain lost positions on Nestryha Island (southwest of Kherson City).

(3/3)

More Changes to the Russian Military Command Recently

An insider of the Russian leadership recently mentioned the following changes:

The insider source claimed that the Russian MoD recently replaced Eastern Military District (EMD) Commander Colonel General Sergei Kuzmenko with Lieutenant General Alexander Sanchik and Southern Military District [SMD] Commander Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev with Colonel General Gennady Anashkin in late March 2024.

The insider source claimed that former Western Military District (WMD) Commander Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov dropped out of an ongoing competition for the commander of the newly reformed Moscow Military District (MMD) and is now the Chief of Staff of the Russian Ground Forces.

The insider source did not offer claims about the command of the newly reformed Leningrad Military District [LMD], which is reportedly under the command of former Russian Ground Forces Chief of Staff Colonel General Alexander Lapin, or about the “Dnepr” Grouping of Forces, which is under the command of Russian Airborne (VDV) Forces Commander Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky.

The insider source claimed that the Russian MoD also appointed Lieutenant General Alexei Podivilov to SMD Chief of Staff and that the role of EMD Chief of Staff is currently vacant.

*The Kremlin may have decided to change the leadership of the military districts in preparation for its expected summer offensive effort, which is forecasted to begin in late May or in June.*

- Institute for the Study of War, May 3rd Update

Rest in Peace Remembered Always

Yevhen Shumilov, a military man and actor, died at the front.

He served as a company medic in the 3rd Assault Brigade from the beginning of the full-scale war. He died on April 30, protecting a wounded comrade. This was reported by his friend Ivan Marchenko.

The man was 32 years old. In his civilian life, he starred in movies and played in the theater.

From "The Analyst":

UKRAINE CARRIES OUT WITHDRAWAL

Following the Russian spike offensive exploiting a Ukrainian rotational mistake, the salient as it’s now become, is the focus of endless Russian attacks. However they have turned to the north rather than push west.
This left a key Ukrainian settlement in an unviable position and the Ukrainians decided to carry out an offensive that covered their tactical withdrawal to better lines - and prevent themselves from being captured.
Using a mix of armour and drones with suppressing artillery fire - a notable use of it, suggesting the first aid is getting through, the Ukrainians managed to get away in an orderly manner with minimal losses. The same could not be said for the Russians who suffered major casualties. In fact they became so frustrated with the Ukrainian success and attacks they overloaded the area with artillery and glide bombs, almost inevitably on their own troops in places, but where the Ukrainians had already departed from.
As I said the other day, knowing when, how and where to retreat to in planned and orderly manner is just as vital as knowing how to attack. Crucially the Ukrainians also kept up pressure on Russian rear areas and logistics, ever making it easy for them.
In other news the use of 4 ATACMS on a rear area used for training which resulted in the deaths of at least 100+ soldiers was notable. Video shows at least 3 primary explosions and then the multiple detonation of cluster munitions. If Ukraine was willing to use as many as four missiles for that purpose it rather suggests they have a fairly significant influx of them. If you had just a handful you wouldn’t waste them on something that average. ATACMS also seems to be in use on Crimea, but Russian authorities have clamped down on anyone posting video of anything. The basic warning is if you post something we will find you and we will punish you.

Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦 #MUGA

Ukraine will receive new drones with firearms on board from the United States

Feloni Aero will offer Ukraine drones that can be equipped with a 5.56 mm machine gun, as well as anti-tank missiles and advanced surveillance equipment.“

Our mission at Feloni Aero is to empower nations with cutting-edge defence technologies that ensure safety and security in an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape,” said Todd Dunphy, CEO at Feloni Aero. “With the unwavering support from the United States government through the recent spending bill, we stand ready to contribute to Ukraine’s defence efforts by delivering advanced weaponized UAVs that redefine the paradigm of modern warfare.”

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦 Admin Team 🔱

Source 🔗
https://defence-industry.eu/feloni-aero-introduces-weaponized-drones-to-strengthen-defence-efforts-in-ukraine/

Make Ukraine Great Again MUGA.

Someone had fun

A hero goes to his rest. Note those who kneel beside their car.

Good morning Resisters