Ukraine retakes five villages in Kharkiv region. The Ukrainian Armed Forces regained control of a string of villages in Kharkiv region – Oleksandrivka, Fedorivka, Ukrainka, Shestakovo, Peremoha, and part of Cherkasky Tyshky, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in an evening report on May 6.
Ukraine strikes another Russian warship. Reports emerged on May 6, alleging that the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck another warship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, possibly the frigate Admiral Makarov with Neptune cruise missiles. Media reports said the Russian frigate Admiral Makarov was seriously damaged near Zmiyinyi Island. It was purportedly hit by Neptune missiles on May 5. It is on fire but still afloat. On the morning of May 6, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces included a destroyed warship in its count of Russia’s losses without naming the ship.
Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber aired a video of a warship in flames. Supposedly, that was the Russian frigate Admiral Makarov.
The video was taken from a drone. The video of the ship matches the shape of the frigate Admiral Makarov. It was not possible to identify the warship as the quality of the footage was low.
Starting in 2018, the frigate Admiral Makarov was part of Russia’s naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea. It took part in Russia’s military campaign in Syria.
Since the invasion in February 2022, Russia has been firing Kalibr cruise missiles from the frigate Admiral Makarov. The Odesa regional military administration repeatedly stated that Russian warships carrying cruise missiles in the Black Sea pose a threat to Ukraine and Odesa region in particular.
Five hundred more civilians rescued from Mariupol. Almost 500 more civilians were evacuated from Azovstal and other areas of Mariupol, head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak said on Telegram and UN Secretary-General António Guterres twitted. Yermak said: “We conducted another round of a complicated operation to evacuate people from Mariupol and Azovstal. We managed to evacuate almost 500 civilians. Ukraine will continue to do everything possible to save all civilians and military. We thank the UN for assistance.”
Russian forces fired on evacuation vehicle on way to collect civilians from Azovstal. One Ukrainian service member was killed, and six more were wounded, the Azov regiment said on Telegram. During the ceasefire at the Azovstal steelworks, Russians hit a car using anti-tank guided missiles. The car was headed towards civilians to evacuate them from the plant. Russia continues to violate agreements and ignore security guarantees for evacuation of civilians.
Zelenskyi comments on Azovstal situation. The talks will stall if Russia kills civilians and military blocked at Azovstal, President Zelenskyi said.
In his video address to the Chatham House Zelenskyi said: “If they kill the people whom they can exchange if they are military, release if they are civilians, or medically treat if they are military or civilians, there will be nothing to talk with them about at the diplomatic level either.”
Ukraine in Flames #57: Reconstruction of Ukraine: desires and opportunities
The Ukrainian Government is already hands-on with a comprehensive Recovery Plan for Ukraine. The first meetings of the working groups have been set up at the National Council for Reconstruction of Ukraine started on May 5. The main goal is not just the restoration of damaged and destroyed facilities, but the radical transformation of the state into a new European country on the basis of a green economy.
The executive branch expects to replenish the fund with assistance from partner countries, international financial organizations, international humanitarian organizations and charitable foundations; frozen, confiscated assets of the Russian Federation; contributions of large international corporations; contributions of individuals. One of the elements of the fund will be the fundraising online platform United24.
Ukraine has the EU on board with any ambitious restoration plan for its future member state. The EC President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU and international institutions should support all stages of Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction to ensure its sustainable development, reforms and future membership in the EU. She stressed on the two steps crucial in the strategy – immediate macro-financial assistance and extensive reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure.
In this issue of Ukraine in Flames, experts will consider ways to rebuild Ukraine after the war with Russia and what needs to be done today to make this process as effective as possible.