Ukraine: Zelenskyy Visits Battered Eastern Ukraine, Kyiv Takes Back Part of Severodonetsk
Russia bombed many grain silos in Mykolaiv over the weekend.
Day 103 of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Vijeta mentioned that Russia bombed Kyiv as Putin continues to warn the West not to supply Ukraine with weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the West is at fault for the food crisis but Russia bombed many grain silos in a port city over the weekend.
Zelenskyy Visits Lysychansk and Soledar
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited two cities close to where Russia is bombing nonstop:
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he visited Lysychansk and Soledar, two cities very close to some of the most intense fighting on the eastern frontline between Ukrainian troops and Russian forces.
The beleaguered city of Lysychansk is just a few miles south of Severodonetsk, where one of the war’s biggest ground battles continues to rage and which Ukraine claims to be regaining more control of.
“I went with the head of (my) office to the east. We were in Lysychansk and Soledar,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, adding he would not elaborate on the visit.
In two separate videos released later, Mr Zelensky, dressed in his trademark khaki t-shirt, was seen talking to troops in confined, bunker-like structures, presenting some with awards and addressing others.
“What you all deserve is victory – that is the most important thing. But not at any cost,” Mr Zelensky said in one of the videos.
The visits were rare outings by the president outside the capital Kyiv since the start of the Russian invasion, and could be the closest to the frontline yet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an unannounced visit to the frontline in Zaporizhzhia today, per his office and Telegram channel. He’s been getting out of Kyiv more recently. 📸 @APUkraine and Zelensky Telegram pic.twitter.com/Ia2VvspTFc
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 5, 2022
Zelensky made a similar visit to nearby Soledar, a town known for its salt mine and now in Russia’s crosshairs as it tries to capture Donetsk region. It’s just west of Lysychansk, just north of Bakhmut. It’s been under heavy attacks; residents forced to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/eCTCd6BQwB
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 6, 2022
Wooden Monastery Bombed
Ukraine claimed Russia bombed the All Saints Monastery of Svyatogorsk Lavra, which is located in Tetianivka in eastern Ukraine.
It’s affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
After russia's bombardment wooden All Saints Monastery of Svyatogorsk Lavra is on fire. It's affiliated w/ Moscow Patriarchate. On 30.05 russsia killed 4 monks here. Would Patriarch Kiril finally call president putin 2 end the war or would he continue blessing russia's army? pic.twitter.com/3HI3sjQnf4
— Ukrainian Mission to OSCE & UN in Vienna (@UKRinOSCE) June 4, 2022
The 17th-century monastery is a historic landmark:
Flames could be seen ripping through the timber walls of a church with onion domes in footage posted by Zelenskiy on his official Telegram channel.
“Russian artillery struck the Svyatohirsk Lavra in the Donetsk region again today. Destroyed All Saints Monastery. It was consecrated in 1912. It was first destroyed during the Soviet era. Later it was rebuilt to be burned by the Russian army,” the Ukrainian leader wrote.
Zelenskyy called for Russia to be expelled from the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO and said there had been no military targets present at the site.
“Every church burned by Russia in Ukraine, every school blown up, every destroyed memorial proves that Russia has no place in UNESCO,” calling for Moscow to be expelled from the main cultural body of the United Nations.
Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians and Russia’s Defence Ministry denied involvement in the shelling of the church, accusing Ukrainian troops of setting it on fire.
Ukraine Takes Back Some of Severodonetsk
Great news! Ukraine has pushed back Russia to the eastern outskirts of Severodonetsk:
Ukrainian forces managed to retake parts of the city of Severodonetsk in a counterattack, as they try to hold off the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine while Kyiv waits for new long-range rocket systems from the U.S.
The close-quarters combat in Severodonetsk makes it harder for Russian troops to unleash artillery against Ukrainian forces. The artillery barrages have enabled Russian forces to crush Ukrainian defenses and make steady gains on the ground. Elsewhere, Russia has used missiles and rockets to hit farther afield, including with a strike on Kyiv on Sunday.
Ukrainian leaders are hoping that the arrival of heavier weaponry from the West will enable them to turn the tide against better-armed Russian forces in the eastern Donbas region. The Biden administration last week said it would provide Ukraine with a guided-rocket system capable of striking targets from as far as 48 miles.
But Putin Blames the West for the Food Crisis
The West is at fault for everything:
In an interview with state TV channel Rossiya-1, conducted Friday and aired in full Sunday, the Russian leader blamed the United States for “injecting large sums of money” into its economy as a means of combating the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to inflation and an “unfavorable situation in the food market, because first of all, food prices went up.”
Putin also blamed “the short-sighted policy of European countries, and above all the European Commission, in the energy sector” as another reason for the crisis in food and energy market.
“Among other things, the Europeans did not listen to our urgent requests to preserve long-term contracts for the supply of the same natural gas to European countries, and they also began to (terminate the contracts) … This had a negative impact on the European energy market: Prices crept up. Russia has absolutely nothing to do with it,” he said.
As soon as gas prices went up, fertilizer prices “immediately increased, because some of these fertilizers are produced, including at the expense of gas. Everything is interconnected,” Putin added.
“But we warned about this, and this has nothing to do with any military operation of Russia,” Putin said.
The Kremlin said last week that Moscow is ready to make a “significant contribution” to avoid the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, if the West lifts “politically motivated restrictions” on Russia.
Well, Putin, don’t invade a country that didn’t do anything to you.
Russia Bombs Grain Silos in Mykolaiv
Mykolaiv is a Black Sea port city by Russian-held Kherson. It’s by the purple arrow.
Russia has destroyed a major Ukrainian grain export terminal in Mykolaiv that plays a crucial role in international food security. This targeted attack is further evidence that Putin is weaponising global famine in a bid to blackmail the international community pic.twitter.com/GpB8WKESpS
— Business Ukraine mag (@Biz_Ukraine_Mag) June 5, 2022
Russia attacked the city over the weekend, including a bunch of grain silos. From the BBC:
This region is key to Russian’s strategy to cut off the entire southern coast. A breakthrough here would allow the Kremlin’s forces to approach Odesa – the country’s largest civilian port, 130 km (80 miles) to the west.
Vladimir Putin could then complete his land bridge up to Transnistria, the breakaway republic of Moldova.
Russian attacks have stepped up in recent weeks, prompting fears that if the Kremlin prevails in Donbas, it will then concentrate its forces in the south and try once again to take Mykolaiv.
The city governor, Vitaliy Kim, tells me that the recent air attacks in the south have been aimed at Ukrainian counter-offensives.
“Mykoliav, like Kherson, like Mariupol, is a trigger point for the Russians,” he said.
“They are disappointed that we are counter-attacking. We have the motivation and the will to win. This is our land and we will do our best.”
He is standing outside his former office, the regional administration building, which was ripped apart by a cruise missile in March, killing 36 people.
Earlier this week, two people were killed when the Russians shelled an apartment block and a playground.
Mr Kim is aware of the risks of staying. “I don’t know what it is any more to live a normal life. I wish very much to end the war but I can’t.
“For now, we have only one purpose. And everything, every human resource, money, time is spent only for victory.”
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Just hang on, Putin is going to lose any second now…….
Its coming………
wait and see………..
I’m waiting for General Armstrong Zalensky to tell another story about beating the shit out of the Russians at the battle of the Little Big Donbas.
and don’t forget asking for more money
As Charles Payne noted over the weekend (Levin’s show), the commodity markets price of oil started rising right after the November 2020 election. During the campaign Biden had made clear that if elected his administration would implement the Green New Deal and the markets took note. Too bad many citizens did not.
You raise an excellent point. This time, the left really has made little to no attempt to hide or excuse their agenda and its logical consequences.
Regardless of the reason, “we” the sheeple did this to ourselves both directly and indirectly.
We are now reaping what we sowed in spite of the fact many of us saw it for what it was up front.
The food and energy crises have their origins in the machinations of Biden and his handlers. Putin is just a convenient scapegoat for them.
There is a degree of truth in Putin’s statement. The lion’s share of the economic impacts re the invasion of Ukraine are a direct result of the policy choices made by western and other govt in response.
Think back to Covid. The Rona didn’t shut down schools, business, houses of worship and impede transportation; those were the choices, poor ones as most of agree, of our political leadership. The reactions and choices made in response by our leadership to the invasion are the same in that respect.
Recall that our political leadership told us that the policy choices they were making in response to the invasion would involve ‘sacrifice’ on our part. Nothing said these reactions were set in stone, far from it, they were deliberate and conscious choices. Attempting to shift responsibility away from themselves for the results of those choices is disingenuous.
Urgent message just received from Zalensky: “Sent us another 40 Billion and we’ll beat Putin this time for sure. Please send in small unmarked bills.”
The Molotov cocktail has been replaced by the Zalensky Zombie. Instead of burning through a combustible, it burns through money.
Severodonetsk is an interesting battle. Ukraine have (since this article was posted) withdrawn to the industrial sector again – which sounds like it’s a (smaller) version of the Azovstal, with the ability to hold out against a length siege. Reports (from Zelenskyy himself, but others) suggest the Russians have a sizeable numerical advantage in Severodonetsk so it’s very possible they’ll take the city.
Which.. gets them to the river. Not over it. Not past the next layer of defence. This is right now a focal point for the Russian invasion, they’re trying to come up from Popsana to cut off Ukrainian supply routes yet all of this gets them only a little closer to Sloviansk.
Meanwhile they’re bleeding men, Ukraine are gaining long range precision weapons and Putin’s sacked another five generals.
But apparently Russia are winning. That’s what I keep reading on here and in the Russian news.
Ahh, my favorite non combat REMF has another opinion. Time for yet another reality check.
Diaper>>>:Meanwhile they’re bleeding men,
Reality, Depending on the source quote, standard numbers of active and ready reserve soldiers for the Russian army are between 3-4 MILLION ( that’s standing- they could double that number in a few months in a case of total war)- their combat losses in this engagement are barely a sub fraction of that number so that’s inconsequential.
Diaper>>>:Ukraine are gaining long range precision weapons
Too little, too late and “wonder weapons” NEVER won a battle ( much less a war)- he who has the men, bullets and overall supply chain logistics with the ability to press onward wins. (See WWII, Korea, Nam)
Diaper>>>: But apparently Russia are winning. That’s what I keep reading on here and in the Russian news.
Yes they are, yes they will and honestly, you have yet to show any indication otherwise.
30k KIA is not inconsequential. I daren’t not even think about the number of wounded on top of this! I would hate to be a wounded Russian getting lost in their system that by all accounts was about as prepared for mass casualties as the British were on day one of the Somme.
Yes Russia is bleeding manpower and a lot of it is valuable trained resources from their best units that are not easily replaced by calling up 3 million conscripts of questionable quality.
I think the Russians will still prevail but its not going to be pretty for Russian service personal or Ukrainians.
OK, what exactly is your field experience in conducting tactical and threat assessments against enemy states?
What is your detailed knowledge of Russian/Soviet tactical doctrine, military infrastructure, training and guidelines?
I’ve stated mine, I would like to hear yours please.
Yes, but yours is planning OEF, an operation so successful it invaded the wrong country.
@Diaper
First, I didn’t initiate OEF but did do some internal planning on a set of objectives closer to the real mission.
See, it wasn’t the “wrong” country (Afghanistan) but you bought the “lie” it was about terrorism and all that. It was not and never was. ( and still isn’t)
Just like the Russians being there for 10 years had nothing to do with terrorism or oil either. ( they didn’t invade the “wrong country” either)
We will rue the day Brandon let the Chinese establish the silk highway but that’s another subject beyond the scope of this post.
According to various sources, the active component of the Russian Army is about 850K personnel, with another 250K in reserves and 250K in paramilitary organizations. Some sources suggest a smaller active military. That’s a long ways from 3 to 4 million. That 1.3 million in personnel is just under 1% of the total population, and compares to about 1.8 million in personnel for the US (about 0.5% of our population).
Assuming 850K active, the ~40K casualty figure that is talked about is 4 to 5% of total active strength. No good leader would suggest such a figure to be inconsequential.
Should Russia wish they could add considerably to the size of their army, but they (like just about every other country) would need more than a few months to do so, even in the event of total war. Even after identifying who might be subjected to conscription, training to proficiency would take considerable time, as would equipping the personnel (starting with, uniforms and basic logistics).
Russia might be willing to do any number of things. Right now they’re fighting with the army they have, and they are (per the media whom few trust) perhaps taking significant losses.
OK Steve, don’t be a diaper and listen and learn.
First, NO COUNTRY (including us) puts “accurate” figures regarding strength and organization of the military out there for a potential threat can just do all his “intel” by google. They put that out there for people who like to feign intelligence and argue “stuff” thy got off the web. These numbers come from a variety of sources that take all kinds of “stuff” and piece it together in a patchwork quilt and devise a number. AL publicly available “numbers” should be taken with a helping of skepticism.
Second, dont be taken in by the “selective” wordsmithing ( propaganda designed to calm the uneducated and uninformed). When they say “active component”, thats more a “US” term ( which the Russians do not organize by) but that means “warfighter” ( a line company basically and generally excludes naval and air numbers). As a “comparison” ( from say WWII numbers), American politicians “downsized” the military by taking non combat support positions and calling them DoD or civilian contractors. In essence, they didnt “downsize” anything because it still takes huge resources to support even 1 warfighter in combat- they just manipulated words and numbers to give the appearance of something. It still takes these numbers. The Russians ( and Chinese and others) don’t have these “political constraints” so they are more “honest” so our biased media reports “adjusted numbers” to keep the fear down. This game has been played since before Nam and is nothing new. Your comment about “good” leader doesn’t apply here because accepting combat casualties in obtaining an objective doesn’t have a category of “good” as a consideration for any military that ever existed. That’s a couch commentator talking point that doesn’t exist beyond the couch.
Third- The Russians don’t have the same respect for lives we do. Their doctrine is that all are ready to die for Mother Russia. They will not hesitate to sacrifice 10,000 or 100,000 with no distinction and they have PROVEN this time and time again. ( actually there is no time they haven’t done this)
As to Russian preparedness, you speculate too much. No “westerner” know what and how much contingency stock they have but we do know from “real” intel that they have no problem replenishing resources quickly. They proved this to Hitler in Barbarossa also.
You obviously have never been in a Communist country- when they need conscripts, they don’t set up a recruiting office with professional liars enticing you. They come and get you in the middle of the night at gunpoint and send you for “training”. They have NO SHORTAGE of available manpower. They also don’t care about you being fully equipped because they expect you to raid the dead for additional gear.
They fight by a doctrine of logistic overwhelming ( as they did in WWII) regardless of cost or casualty and that’s a very effective war fighting method.
I certainly do not believe propaganda. That is why, frankly, I don’t believe much of what you are writing. Your own ‘expertise’ reads like pro-Russian propaganda. I’ll file it right next to the Ukrainian propaganda.
@Steve
Since you have no basis in fact or reality for your “belief” other than it suits your “worldview”, the best commentary n your “opinion” came from Bugs.
“What a maroon”
And people wonder why we are in the shape we are in…
Okay, Taurus, why don’t you regale us with all your expertise. You can post a copy of your DD-214 and other credentials so that we can all see how schmart you are.
You are the kind of person who gives ‘experts’ and ‘elites’ the name they have today.
@ Steve
Stop whining and hiding behind things you know no sane person will do as if you actually accomplished something.
My words and their accuracy are more than adequate to shore up my points and qualify my opinions just like the total lack thereof fails yours by comparison as you have none.
And you are the kind of person who is directly responsible for most of the messes we are in because rather than listen to people who actually know what they are talking about- you elevate your own thoughts to that same level because you can and then disaster strikes. After all of that, then you seek to blame others for your own inept failures and bad choices.
Now, at least act like you have some sense.
@ Taurus: the entitlement is strong in you, isn’t it. Perhaps the problem here is that people aren’t listening to you, and haven’t in quite a while? I can’t imagine why — you deliver your lectures in such a hectoring, badgering style! And so gracious!
But do keep writing — the way the world is turning these days, I think the good readers here at LI need the comic relief.
@ Steve
I’m sorry your poo poo hurts but its about to get worse so be a man and learn to deal with it.
First, its not “entitlement’, its the FACT I know what I’m talking about. ( The difference between talking sh!t and telling it like it is in the capabilities and qualifications of the one doing the talking which on this subject is a feeling you will never experience)
Second, lets move from “perhaps” to “probably”- Its more probable that people DO listen to me and note the number of vets here who don’t rush in and ‘countermand” my words with “alternate facts” or come in and support positions such as yours.
Third, I am normally “reasonably polite” but there are some who need ‘wall-to-wall” counseling to get the point across and this time you elected to be one of them. I’m sorry your head hurts but thats what a 2×4 is for when dealing with a mule attitude.
I hope we can both get past that and move forward.
Now, wipe your nose, put on your big boy pants and get back in the ring.
Kirill won’t condemn the action. Muscovy has been busy kicking Ukrainians out and sending them east to replace the population with Muscovites, burning Ukrainian history books, erasing anything remotely Ukrainian when it comes to the Church . . . after all, if you actually listen to the speeches of Kirill and other members of the Moscow Patriarchate hierarchy, this is a battle against the eeeeeeevvvvviiiillll West who want to “destroy” Muscovy. This has been the same thing they’ve claimed for nigh 300 years, now (everything wrong in Muscovy was blamed on a “foul” or “black wind blowing from the West,” usually in the form of a Jewish/Freemason conspiracy. Talk to the rank and file members (even ethnically unrelated converts!) in the Muscovite Church outside of Muscovy and you’ll get the same claims and allegations. This only makes sense, as Kirill, himself, chaired a conference several years back in which it was approvingly argued that churches around the world belonging to the Muscovite jurisdiction SHOULD be used as “soft power centers” for Kremlin policy.
The strategic value of the salt mines do not escape me.
Ukraine is one small step closer to victory.
Biden did everything but BEG Putin to invade.
He was yelling every day, but never so much as picked up a telephone and discussed the Nations ( Ours ) positions, interest’s and potential ramifications of an invasion.
Putin, correctly identifying weakness took that as a blessing.
So easily avoided.
So, Putin invades, and here comes Storming Biden, leading from behind, only to complicate the issue.
Now pledged in at 54+ Billion and counting thus far, this proxy war has enough funding to go big-time.
To think Biden would sacrifice an entire Nation just to save his skin…
And potentially escallate into who-know-what..
This is pure evil.
Putin has always been plain in his intentions of rebuilding Mother Russia.
Biden is a criminal.