Carnet d'Ukraine : The first week of May - News in Ukraine and Europe Day (Anglais)

Unfortunately, this week is full of Russians attacks everywhere in Ukraine and in the capital city too. The worst is the fact of many damages and victims especially among civilians because Russia shows its face attacking during night.

The war continues and Ukrainians will never stop fighting for our liberty and for the future of our children who should have safety space to develop our country after our mutual Victory. This liberty fight continues for centuries and our people, every Ukrainian wherever they are, do their best to stop the terrorist state and we are so grateful for the European countries and the USA for the enormous support!

Here, I just mention the main first 10 days of the May news, unfortunately mostly tragic ones but there are some that our people is so proud of!

1st of May 

As a result of the rocket attack on Pavlograd, Dnipro region, 34 people were injured, including 5 children. People have bruises, fractures, cuts and lacerations, contusions, poisoning by combustion products. Two women are in intensive care.

In the city, an industrial enterprise was damaged, there was a fire. In the residential area, 19 high-rise buildings, 25 private houses, 6 schools and preschools, and 5 shops were damaged.

***

The 3d of May, the invaders attacked Kyiv at night with Iranian Shahed drones.

"The capital of Ukraine was subjected to another aerial attack by the enemy. The third in the last 6 days! This time, Kyiv was attacked exclusively by drones" reported the city administration.

Our Ukrainian Air Forces eliminated 21 drones.

7 "Shahed" were shot down at night over the Dnipropetrovsk region.

But there are hits. One drone broke through the air defense and hit the administration building in Dnipro, causing a fire. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

***

The same night, the rashists shelled the Kherson region, there are 3 people dead and there are many injured civilians. As a result of the impact, residential buildings, household facilities, power lines and a gas pipeline and transport were damaged.

Terrible footage of today's attacks: Epicenter (it’s like Castorama), station, ATB (supermarket). The occupiers are purposefully hitting places where civilians gather.

23 people have already died, 48 have been injured. A few minutes ago, five more civilians were injured by the enemy artillery. The Russians hit the ATB store, the railway station, the "Epicenter" shopping center, and the territory of one of the city's factories. The residential buildings were hit.

Russia launched 24 kamikaze drones of the Shahed-136/131 type at night of the 4^th of May, 18 of them were destroyed by our Air Forces.

All Russian drones and missiles flying at Kyiv were successfully shot down, the Kyiv City Military Administration reports.

It was already the third air attack on the capital in the last four days. "The Russians attacked Kyiv with the use of Shahed-type barrage ammunition and missiles, probably of the ballistic type", says the administration.

Fortunately, there were no casualties among people and it was destroyed. Although falling debris were found in some areas of the capital, they did not cause any damage.

***

These days at the beginning of May, our president V. Zelensky visited the Netherlands and here are the main points from his speech:

“The Impunity opens the door to the aggression. We want to make this war the last in the world. And we will do it!

6,139 - this is the number of war criminals of Russians only for the last month. 23 people were killed in one day yesterday in the Kherson region. During the 9 years of war, the Russian federation committed hundreds of thousands of war crimes. There must be responsibility for the aggression, and this can only be achieved with the help of the international tribunal.

We must transfer the experience of the Nuremberg trial to today's realities. We advocate the creation of such a tribunal. The aggressor must feel the fullness of justice, this is our historical responsibility, so I call for peace, do not be afraid. The world should feel safe.”

***

Sophia! Ukrainians are proud of You!

Instead of singing, she made a powerful statement! The young Ukrainian performer Sofia Samoliuk refused to perform at the Sanremo Junior 2023 international festival, which is held in Italy, because Russians were allowed to participate.

The 13-year-old vocalist came out to the audience, but instead of singing, she gave a powerful speech about not wishing to share the stage with representatives of a terrorist country.

"I will not sing on the same stage with Russian terrorists who kill Ukrainian children. I hope there will be no terrorist country on this stage next year. Please support Ukraine," said our 13-year-old patriot from the stage.

Bravo!

***

On the night of May 4, a "hypersonic" missile "Kynzhal" was shot down over Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces became the first army in the world to shoot down a ballistic missile using the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system.

It was stated by the speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ignat on the air of the telethon.

"Patriot has never worked with such targets as the X-47 Dagger," he noted.

***

The First Lady and the Prime Minister of Ukraine were met by the Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ben Wallace, at the training field.

The guests got acquainted with the course of training of the Ukrainian military personnel. As a part of the course, servicemen and servicewomen undergo, in particular, training in tactical medicine and engineering support, tactics, fire training.

"Our defenders need all possible world experience because every additional knowledge, every skill is their preserved life and health. And therefore, our victory", - the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska said.

Denys Shmyhal and Ben Wallace coordinated the steps necessary to further strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities.

"We are systematically moving in this direction. The Ukrainian army masters NATO standards in practice. On the training field from experienced mentors and on the battlefield while fighting the enemy. We thank Great Britain for launching the INTERFLEX operation to train the Ukrainian military personnel with the participation of nine partner countries. We thank our defenders for their service to the state," emphasized the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and wished them endurance, strength of spirit and the will to fight for the Ukraine's victory.

The first group of Ukrainian defenders arrived in Great Britain on June 27, 2022 as part of the INTERFLEX operation initiated by the Kingdom.

The operation INTERFLEX is a training program designed for the volunteer recruits with little or no prior military experience joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine to teach them the skills needed to survive and to be effective in front-line combat so they can defend Ukraine from Russian aggression.

In the implementation of the multinational training operation "INTERFLEX" in 2023 with the participation of the best instructors of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Australian Union, the Kingdom of Denmark, Canada, the Republic of Lithuania, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Norway, Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden and Ukraine is planned to train about 20,000 Ukrainian servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The training is conducted at the facilities of the training and material base of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain in the north-west, south-west and south-east of the United Kingdom. Each training course lasts five weeks and is conducted under the overall direction of the 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade.

The training will equip recruits with little or no military experience with the skills to effectively conduct combat operations on the front lines. Based on the course conducted for reservists of the British Army and the practical combat experience of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will undergo training modules: awareness of International Humanitarian Law (Law of Armed Conflicts); rules for handling weapons; tactical actions in defense and attack; fire training; patrol; medical training (first aid on the battlefield); engineering training and mine safety; psychological training (overcoming by military personnel a special obstacle course using means of combat simulation); protection of forces during deployment; cyber security awareness; communication systems; conducting hostilities in urbanized and forested areas; orientation to the terrain.

The UK government promptly purchased AK automatic weapons for the training program, so Ukrainian soldiers are training with the weapons they will use on the front line.

It should be emphasized separately that the United Kingdom provided all the necessary equipment, including clothing for operations in winter conditions and equipment to support Ukrainian soldiers in their training and after their return to Ukraine.

The multinational training operation "INTERFLEX" continues to train professional and trained Ukrainian soldiers to fight for the freedom of Ukraine. This is a successful demonstration of the United Kingdom's continued leadership in military support to Ukraine.

The Multinational Joint Basic Training Operation INTERFLEX was launched by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2022 and is a part of the United Kingdom's ongoing commitment to support Ukraine.

"Our Armed Forces are doing everything possible to develop the battle skills of Ukrainian men and women, having put almost 10,000 through their paces in the UK in 2022. My ambition is for our Armed Forces, alongside our allies, to train at least double that number in 2023. I want to place on record my thanks to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Australia for their contributions of troops to join that endeavor, training Ukrainian troops here in the United Kingdom. Finally, we must help Ukraine to rebuild. The reconstruction conference that we will host next year will accelerate that process." - emphasized the Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ben Wallace.

The multinational training operation "INTERFLEX" for basic military training under the leadership of Great Britain for servicemen and servicewomen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is one of the vivid and effective examples of international support for Ukraine in countering Russia’s unjust, illegal, and aggressive war against Ukraine.

Today, the 5^th of May as a result of the exchange, it was possible to free another 45 Ukrainian Defenders from captivity.

42 Defenders and three Defenders of "Azovstal" from the National Guard of Ukraine are returning home. Ten soldiers belong to the officer ranks, 35 to the ranks of sergeants.

Many of the servicemen released today have injuries and serious health problems. In Ukraine, they will be provided with all the necessary assistance, they will undergo rehabilitation and will receive all social benefits and the appropriate financial support.

For the protection of their own land, the enemy tried to hold a trial against a part of the Defenders. In violation of all requirements of international humanitarian law, Ukrainian military personnel were threatened with long terms of imprisonment.

In particular, a participant of the already legendary "helicopter" mission of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to evacuate the wounded from "Azovstal" was released. The evacuation helicopter was shot down, but the soldier managed to survive. Seriously wounded, he was threatened with a so-called "trial". Now the serviceman will undergo a course of treatment and rehabilitation.

A young couple who got married on the "Azovstal" returned from captivity, as well as a medic who had already been captured by the rashists after the Shirokyn operation (2015). Then he was in captivity for more than two years, and after his release he went to serve again. He was captured again while defending Mariupol and "Azovstal" from the invaders.

A veteran of the Afghan war, a 56-year-old chief sergeant who was wounded on the Maidan revolution, passed ATO, OOS, and repelled large-scale aggression of the Russian enemy, also breathes the air of freedom.

Ukraine continues the difficult work to return all our servicemen from enemy captivity. We fight for each and every one.

Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes!

***

The rashists shelled Nikopol at night with heavy artillery, a woman was killed.

As the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Lysak reported, more than 10 shells were launched in the city, damaging 7 private houses and a multi-store building. As a result of the shelling, a 72-year-old woman received fatal injuries, and 2 other local residents suffered concussions.

The windows of the college dormitory, 3 gas pipelines, power lines, 14 solar panels, household facilities and 5 cars were also damaged by shelling.

The occupiers shelled Balakleya of the Kharkiv region, there are victims.

According to the Head of the city Sinegubov, the S-300 missile hit one of the car parks.

According to the preliminary data, 5 people were injured: two 75-year-old women and one 50-year-old woman received explosive injuries, two more men, 20 and 85 years old, received relatively minor injuries.

35 "Shakhedov" were destroyed

On the night of May 8, the occupiers attacked Kyiv region with the Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 strike drones.

The debris of drones fell in several places in Kyiv. One drone’s debris fell on a residential building, the roadway, and also on the runway at Zhulyany airport.

Klitschko (te mayor of the capital) reports on four victims in Kyiv.

“Three people were injured at the site of the explosion in the Solomensky district. Another person - in Svyatoshynsk. That was the most massive attack on Kyiv.

"This is the most massive attack on our city since the beginning of the war. All the drones were shot down... Thanks to the air defense, no one was killed. Five people were wounded, their lives are not in danger," said the mayor of the capital.

According to him, there is damage to houses, kindergartens and schools.

***

Th same night, Russian invaders launched 8 rockets from Tu-22M3 bombers in the Odesa region.

Fortunately, some of the missiles did not reach their target.

According to the head of the Odesa district military administration, Yury Kruk, at night, the enemy attacked the logistics infrastructure facility. In particular, an X-22 type missile fell into the composition of one of the food enterprises. As a result, a strong fire raged.

"As of the morning of May 8, rescuers extinguished a fire that broke out in a warehouse located on the territory of the district. Currently, one person is considered missing. Rescue operations are ongoing," Kruk said.

In addition, three employees of the train were injured, medical assistance was provided promptly on the spot. They didn’t need hospitalization.

The press service of the regional head of the State Emergency Service noted that more than 90 rescuers were fighting the fire.

"This time, the Russians fought with a food company. Firefighters extinguished an infernal fire on an area of ​​10,000 square meters during the night," the press service says.

The 8^th of May Ukraine celebrates the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation

Low bow to those who defended Ukraine from Nazi aggression!

We defeated Nazism, we will also defeat racism! Definitely!

***

The morning of May 9 in Ukraine began with a large-scale air alert

At night, the enemy fired about 15 missiles of the X-101 type from Tu-95MS bombers from the Caspian region at Kyiv.

The night air raid on the capital is already the fifth since the beginning of May and the most powerful of all. But it completely failed: air defense successfully shot down all the missiles flying at Kyiv.

"According to the preliminary information, about one and a half dozen enemy air targets were detected and destroyed in the airspace around Kyiv! The victim is not allowed. "Preliminarily, without casualties and serious damages as a result of falling debris," the authorities said.

This missile was shot down today at 5:28 by the air defense forces in the Buchansky District.

Such gifts of the "Russian peace" were discovered in the Kyiv region today.

The first photo shows the debris of an enemy cruise missile in a field in one of the districts of Kyiv region. There were no casualties or damage.

Also, parts of a Russian rocket were found on the territory of a settlement in one of the districts of the region, there is a partial destruction of civil infrastructure.

With the help of the "Igla", the soldiers of the Armed Forces shot down a Russian missile of the Kh-101 type. A fire broke out at the crash site.

"The team of the Buchansky district arrived at the scene immediately after the shooting and, together with the police and the State Emergency Service, took part in the liquidation of the consequences. We are doing everything possible to ensure that our country is safe," said Bucha volunteers.

We will remind, on the night of May 9, Russia launched 25 missiles over Ukraine. 23 of them were successfully neutralized by our air defense systems.

Glory to our Ukrainian Armed forces that protect our dreams at night!

***

For the first time in 20 years, Ukraine is participating in events on the occasion of the Europe Day.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed the relevant decree the 8 th of May.

"Together with the whole of free Europe, on May 9, we will celebrate Europe Day in Ukraine. The united Europe, the basis of which should be and will be the peace. Our Europe, of which Ukraine has always been, is and will be a part," said the President.

And I would like to finish this article with the words of our president:

“It is our historical responsibility - of modern generations - to make full punishment for aggression inevitable in order to prevent not only the recurrence of aggression against our country, but also new wars. There are potential aggressors in the world. And the world must seek justice to see peace fully secured.”