On Friday, May 20, Ukrainian military reports of Russian artillery allegedly causing death to 13 civilians in Luhansk Region. The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment has denied that the commanders of troops defending Azovstal in Mariupol have surrendered to Russian troops. Western countries have announced sending more heavy military equipment to Ukraine, Belarusian Nexta TV, Ukrainian public broadcaster Ukrinform and UK’s BBC report.
Donbas remained the focus of Russian occupation troops in Ukraine with the heaviest fighting continuing in eastern Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, while a small part of the local population remains there despite imminent danger to their lives.
According to the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, thirteen civilians have been killed in Russia’s shelling of Luhansk Region over the past 24 hours to the morning of Friday.
«The enemy is conducting the offensive operation near such settlements as Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. […] Over the past day, 12 civilians have been killed in Sievierodonetsk and one more in the Hirske community,» the report reads as quoted by Ukrinform.
Ukrainian officials also claimed that on Russia’s artillery strikes caused destruction and fires in residential houses. In particular, five houses were destroyed and burnt down in Nyrkove, six – in Zolote, three – in Vrubivka and three more – in Rubizhne.
In Sievierodonetsk, formerly an industrial city of a population of more than 100 000 people, at least five apartment blocks were said to have been destroyed. Twelve residential houses were damaged in Russia’s shelling of Lysychansk, 14 – in Novodruzhesk and 17 – in Pryvillia, according to the Luhansk Regional Military Administration.
The military officials also wrote that Russian troops attempted to invade Sievierodonetsk, but failed after suffering losses. A total of 14 invader attacks were said to have been repulsed in Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region over the past day.
Commanding defenders of Mariupol deny surrendering from Azovstal
From the start of this week Ukrainian troops have been surrendering to Russian troops in invaded Mariupol as Kyiv has been trying to ensure that Russia returns them to Ukrainian controlled territory alive.
British Defence Ministry has noted that, according to its intelligence, around 1,700 soldiers were likely to have laid down their arms at the vast industrial site. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed that close to 2,000 soldiers have so far surrendered to Kremlin forces, BBC reports.
The leadership of the Mariupol garrison has posted videos on social media saying that they remained in Azovstal to conduct an unspecified operation.
In this video, the deputy commander of the Azov Regioment, Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, says he and other commanding officers remained in Azovstal on Day 85 of the war.
pic.twitter.com/6FdplMFtEq
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 19, 2022
Howitzers from US, Bushmasters from Australia
European, North American and Australian governments continue to send military equipment to Ukrainian troops.
The US Defence Department announced confirming the planned sending of security assistance valued at up to an additional USD 100 million (EUR 94,5 million). It would include:
– 18 155mm howitzers;
– 18 tactical vehicles to tow 155mm howitzers;
– three AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars; and
– field equipment and spare parts.
Australia, in turn, plans to send 14 M113 armoured personnel carriers and 20 Bushmaster armoured vehicles to repel Russian offensive in Donbas. Australia also plans to send 60 pallets of medical supplies donated by Australian citizens, Nexta TV reports.
Ukrainian President voted Time person of year
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received the most votes in a vote of the American Time magazine on the Time person of the year. More than three million votes were cast in the vote, which does not determine the magazine’s choice of the person of the year as Time staff choses him or her.
See Zelenskyy’s latest video address with English subtitles.