LIVE War in Ukraine – day 796: Ukrainians withdrew from three villages in the east / Russia’s “ghost fleet” haunts the Mediterranean / What was chosen by the Wagner Group

​The supreme commander of the Ukrainian armed forces announced that Kiev’s troops, outnumbered, have retreated to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front, where Russia has massed significant forces. General Oleksandr Sîrskîi’s statement reveals the deterioration of the positions in the east of the country, which Kiev hopes will be able to stabilize after the American weapons from the package approved last week, notes Reuters. “The situation on the front has worsened,” Sîrskîi said, adding that the “most difficult” areas are west of occupied Marinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by the Russians in February.

All information about the war in Ukraine – day 796 – LIVE on HotNews.ro:

07:46 Recent Russian advances northwest of Avdiivka have prompted Ukrainian forces to withdraw from other limited tactical positions along the front line west of Avdiivka, although these withdrawals have not yet facilitated rapid Russian tactical gains, the Institute says for the Study of War (ISW) in its latest assessment.

“Russian forces are unlikely to make a deeper and operationally significant advance in the area in the near term.

The continued stabilization of Russian positions northwest of Avdiivka puts the Russian command in a position to choose between continuing to push west toward its operational objective Pokrovsk or attempting to move north to conduct possible offensive operations complementary to the Russian effort around Ceasov Iar,” ISW added.

07:24 North Korea has criticized the United States for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, state news agency KCNA reported Monday, citing a Defense Ministry statement.

According to the statement, on Sunday, the director of the Department of Foreign Military Affairs of North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said: “The United States has secretly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, causing disquiet and concern to the international community.”

“The United States can never defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any state-of-the-art weaponry or military support,” he added. (Reuters)

06:37What did Prigojin’s Wagner Group choose? The mercenaries have now split into at least four groups. And Putin planted mercenaries loyal to him there.

06:13Russia’s “ghost” fleet – how Moscow transports weapons and oil (bypassing sanctions) under the eyes of the West.

The Mediterranean Sea is “haunted” by a ghost fleet of Russian ships carrying weapons and oil, fueling the conflict in Ukraine and violating Kremlin sanctions.

Brief recap of recent events:

• Ukrainians’ fears of a worsening frontline in recent weeks are beginning to come true just days after the US Congress approved a major military aid package as Russia claimed a new village in Donetsk on Sunday.
• The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Oleksandr Sîrskî, said the situation on the front had “deteriorated”, with Russian troops having “tactical successes” in several areas.
• Russian forces have captured the village of Novobahmutivka in the Donetsk region, near Oceretîne, which has become a hot spot for fighting on the front in recent days, the Russian defense ministry said. The mistake made by two elite Ukrainian brigades that allowed the Russians to advance in Donetsk.
• Britain estimates that around 450,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded, and tens of thousands more have deserted in the two years and two months of war, British Defense Minister Leo Docherty said.
• Another close associate of Russian Deputy Minister Timur Ivanov, detained for embezzlement. A story of corruption, rivalries and betrayal.
• Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a fresh appeal to the international community to hurry up and provide more air defense systems, start formal talks for his country to enter the European Union and invite Ukraine to join NATO.
• A Russian is suspected of killing two Ukrainians who were stabbed in the German town of Murnau on April 27, local German police said.

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