Biden signs Lend-Lease for Ukraine, Ukrainian forces stopped Russian offense in Luhansk Oblast
2227: US President Joe Biden signs Lend-Lease for Ukraine, the White House has reported.
"It matters, it literally matters," Biden said. Lend-Lease Act will allow Ukraine to get weapons from the United States much faster.
Under Lend-Lease, Ukraine will be able to request weapons and equipment it needs from the United States and its allies, while the U.S. government guarantees that all such shipments will be then replaced or reimbursed. The United States supported the Allies – including the Soviet Union – during the Second World War under a similar scheme.
2200: Russians launched three Kindzhal missiles on Odesa.
Missiles hit the tourist infrastructure. Two civilians were injured in the shelling and taken to hospital.
1834: Ukraine initiates the return of 1 million Ukrainians, forcefully taken to Russia by the invading forces, Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova has said during a press briefing.
"The right to live is one of the most important rights violated on the occupied territories of Ukraine. Not only are the occupiers hiding their crimes, but also relocating everyone they deem unreliable in an unknown direction," Denisova said.
According to her, there are over 20,000 Ukrainian citizens currently held in Russian filtration camps.
Those who don’t pass occupiers’ «filtration» are relocated in an unknown direction, and their fate remains unknown. Those, who have passed these measures are forcefully relocated to Russia.
Denisova also added that there are volunteers in Russia who are locating the filtration camps with deported Ukrainians and are reporting on them to the Ukrainian government.
“Ukraine has stepped forward with an initiative to create an international commission consisting of ombudspersons from countries bordering Russia. We already brought back several Ukrainian citizens from Russia via third-party countries. But there are still over a million citizens in the hands of the occupiers, and we only brought over a few families," Denisova said.
1736: Ukrainian army gave a good fight to the Russian invaders in Luhansk Oblast, local governor Serhiy Haidai has reported.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the pontoon crossing established by the Russian Federation across the Siversky Donets and cleared the territory of Belohorivka, where the occupiers moved.
In Popasna, the Ukrainian military is holding its defenses in new fortified positions, there are no breakthroughs. Reinforcements have arrived.
In Rubizhne the occupiers suffer daily losses: just yesterday, minus five tanks, about two dozen soldiers were killed, many wounded. The line of defense is unchanged.
Voivode near Severodonetsk is completely under the control of Ukraine, the Armed Forces consolidated positions.
1717: Russian occupiers failed to conduct Victory Day celebrations in Melitopol, as locals have not shown up, Melitopol mayor in exile Ivan Fedorov said in a statement.
According to him, Russians started preparing for the May 9th celebrations in the occupied city of Zaporizhzhia Oblast a month ago, planning to involve local children in celebrations.
"Parents did not want to let their children go and take part in it. So the occupiers failed to hold May 9. Last night they made a statement that today it is dangerous to go to the city to celebrate May 9, "Fedorov said.
1523: Marija Pejčinović Burić, secretary-general of the Council of Europe, visited Irpin and Borodianka on May 9 to demonstrate her support.
Later she met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv.
"I am shocked at the senseless destruction caused by the Russian aggression but I am impressed at the resilience of the Ukrainian people," Burić said in a tweet.
1334: Russian invaders launched a "Victory Day" parade in the destroyed Mariupol, while mass graves of civilians they murdered, are still being filled with new and new corpses.
Although previously Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitrii Peskov said there will be no military parade in Mariupol, it happened.
Mariupol mayor's advisor Petro Andriushchenko has reported the occupiers were screaming "Hurray" and celebrating while at the same time Russian forces were bombing AzovStal steel factory, where Ukrainian forces still hold defense.
"300 meters of striped rags(Saint Georgi ribbon) were stretched on Nakhimov Avenue on the way to the Liberation Warriors Square. A real holiday. Especially against the background of a cannonade from Azovstal," Andriushchenko said in a statement.
He also said the occupiers have brought people/volunteers from Novoazovsk and Donetsk to carry the giant ribbon.
"Mostly Russians. Elderly people from Mariupol were selectively involved. The excitement and joy on the street along the column are not particularly noticeable. People are lured to the square because of the promises of field cuisine and additional sets of food," Andriushchenko said.
1102: Russian President Vladimir Putin once again voiced Russian propaganda myths about fighting in Ukraine, but he did not announce mobilization during the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
This year Russian military parade was significantly less pompous. Russia canceled the plane parade in the sky "due to bad weather". Although it was a clear sunny day in Moscow.
Although analysts predicted Putin might announce mobilization or declare war instead of a "special operation", the Russian dictator did not do either of that, at least publicly.
Instead, he repeated the classic Russian propaganda, justifying the war in Ukraine. In short, Russian has attacked Ukraine because NATO did not want to provide security guarantees to Russia and was planning to attack by supplying weapons to "neo-Nazis in Kyiv".
Putin's main points:
"Russia has always called for an equal security system. Russia called on the West to find solutions and compromises, but NATO countries did not want to listen. "
"Immediate threat was created near our borders. Russia has warned against aggression. It was the only right and timely decision. "
"We will never give up love for the Motherland and other values that the West seems to have decided to abolish."
L / DNR militants and the Russian army in Ukraine are "fighting for our people in the Donbas, for Russia's security."
Back in January and February Russia was publicly stating it had no plans to attack Ukraine and was gathering troops for military drills. Ukraine's findings suggest Russians were planning to attack Ukraine as early as February 14.
1057: Ukrainian defenders have destroyed a base of Russian invaders near Izyum, a strategically important city in Kharkiv Oblast, currently under Russian control.
Ukrainian artillerymen struck a powerful blow at the base of the Russian occupiers in the Kharkiv region, the Command of the Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported.
According to available data, the Russian military base was located in the village of Zabavne near Izyum.
1047: Russian occupiers have managed to ford Siverskiy Donets River and are trying to seize control over "the vital evacuation corridor" in Luhansk Oblast – Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway.
Heavy fights have been also going on near Rubizhne, Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said in a Facebook post.
"The Russians have transported the equipment to the other shore via a pontoon across the Siverskiy Donets. If they consolidate, they will be able to develop an offensive and get closer to the road, cutting off the Luhansk region," Haidai wrote.
" If they seize the Lysychansk-Bakhmut road, it will mean the loss of a single path to security and communication with other regions for Luhansk Oblast."
The governor also said he believes Ukrainian Armed Forces won't let that happen. They have all the weapons they need to fight. "Anf those orcs will swim back where they came from," Haidai said.
Morning Digest
Yesterday, when the whole world was commemorating the fallen in World War II, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and First Lady of the United States Jill Biden visited Ukraine to show solidarity.
Other world leaders have stated that Russia and its propaganda, as well as numerous Russian war crimes in Ukraine, abuse WWII history.
"Equating the fight against (German) National Socialism with Kremlin's brutal, illegal, aggressive war against Ukraine, is a cynical insult to history, " German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace made a similar statement made on May 8 by saying that Putin had stolen from veterans "a proud history of protecting their ancestors from ruthless invasion, victory over fascism, self-sacrifice for the highest goal."
In the morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a video statement, addressing Ukrainians from Khreshchatyk, the central street of Kyiv, commemorating the contribution of the Ukrainian nation to the fight against Nazism.
“We won then. We will win now, too! And Khreshchatyk will see the parade of victory – the victory of Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!” Zelensky said.
