Ukraine claims to have liberated areas north and south of Bakhmut
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva and Tim Lister
Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on May 15. (Libkos/AP)
Within the past few days, Ukrainian forces have liberated substantial areas to the north and south of the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar has claimed.
“Our troops liberated about 20 square kilometers (more than 7 square miles) of the Bakhmut suburbs in the north and south of the city,” Maliar said on her Telegram channel.
Her claim cannot be verified and many observers think Ukrainian progress has been more modest than that.
Maliar acknowledged that Russia is also making advances in Bakhmut, bringing in paratroopers and "destroying the city with artillery."
“The enemy has an advantage in terms of numbers of people and weapons. At the same time, due to the actions of our military, it has not been able to implement its plans in the Bakhmut sector since last summer,” she added.
10:01 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
Russia's oil exports climb to highest levels since invasion of Ukraine
From CNN's Anna Cooban
The Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft's Moscow oil refinery on the south-eastern outskirts of Moscow, Russia, on April 28, 2022. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia's oil exports have risen to their highest levels since the country invaded Ukraine more than a year ago.
Russia exported 8.3 million barrels per day of crude and refined oil in April, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its monthly oil report released Tuesday. An increase in crude oil exports offset a decline in exports of refined products, the agency added.
The rise comes despite the European Union imposing a ban on all seaborne imports of Moscow's crude oil last year, and a total ban on imports of refined oil products.
Russia has managed to divert huge volumes of its oil to China and India.
India reselling Russian oil: India has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow invaded Ukraine – and sends much of it back to Europe as refined fuel.
In an article published in the Financial Times on Tuesday, European Union chief Josep Borrell said that the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe. Borrell warned this practice “is certainly a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures.”
"Russia seems to have few problems finding willing buyers for its crude and oil products," the IEA said in its report.
Still, Russia's oil export revenues dropped 27% in April compared with the same month in 2022, the agency estimated.
Tax receipts from the country's oil and gas sector — which contributes about 45% to its federal budget — were down by nearly two-thirds over the same period.
The IEA said Russia may be increasing its oil exports as a way to compensate for a drop in revenue. The country did not deliver on its commitment to OPEC+, the group of oil producing nations, to slash exports by 500,000 barrels per day last month, according to IEA estimates.
9:50 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
In video, Wagner chief Prigozhin claims US citizen died fighting in Bakhmut
From CNN’s Josh Pennington and Sandi Sidhu
Wagner chief Prigozhin claims US citizen died fighting in Bakhmut in a video released on May 15. (brussinf/Telegram)
The leader of the Russian private military company Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed a US citizen died in the embattled Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, in a video posted on the Wagner Telegram group on Tuesday.
A pro-Kremlin military blogger, Alexander Simonov, introduces the video saying "we are advancing to the advanced positions of the PMC Wagner in the western regions of Artyomovsk" – the Russian name for Bakhmut.
The video is filmed at night with the sound of an apparent mortar attack. The soldiers shout, "Into the shelter. Mortar attacks from the western side."
Prigozhin is shown inspecting a body, and inspects what he claims are US identification documents.
CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the documents and cannot confirm the nationality of the body shown in the video.
"So we will hand him over to the United States of America, we’ll put him in a coffin, cover him with the American flag with respect because he did not die in his bed as a grandpa but he died at war and most likely a worthy [death], right?” Prigozhin says in the video.
A soldier claims that the man was returning fire when he died. Prigozhin replies, "He was shooting back; he died in the battle, so we will hand over his documents tomorrow morning and pack everything, right?"
Some context: Prigozhin and Wagner group frequently post videos for propaganda purposes, and often mix real footage with propaganda claims.
What the US says: The US State Department has not verified Prigozhin’s claim, but a spokesperson said the department is "aware of the reports" and is "seeking additional information."
"Our ability to verify reports of deaths of U.S. citizens in Ukraine is extremely limited," the spokesperson said Tuesday.
The spokesperson offered "condolences to the families of all whose lives have been lost as a result of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine" and reiterated that Americans should not travel to Ukraine.
8:14 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
It’s mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here’s what you need to know
From CNN staff
As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued to secure commitments of military aid from European leaders, Russia hit back with what the Ukrainian military described as an “exceptional” dense attack on Kyiv early Tuesday.
Here are the latest developments:
Kyiv under fire: The Ukrainian capital was struck by a missile attack that was “exceptional in its density, with the maximum number of missiles in the shortest time possible,” said Serhiy Popko the head of the Kyiv city military administration. Popko added that “the vast majority of enemy targets in Kyiv’s airspace were detected and destroyed."
Zelensky calls for jets: Speaking in the United Kingdom Monday, Zelensky welcomed promises of fresh military aid from European leaders – but renewed his demands to be provided with modern fighter jets. Ukraine is hankering for US-made F-16s to help secure its skies, but many of its allies have been reluctant to offer weapons that would allow Kyiv to reach Russian soil.
Tank training: While Ukraine’s Western allies have stopped short of delivering jets, their promises to provide tanks are coming to fruition. 31 M1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Germany ahead of a training program for Ukrainian forces on the US tanks, the Pentagon said Monday. The tanks are due to be sent to Ukraine in the fall.
Russia on the defense: Russia’s attempted offensive actions around Bakhmut have been “unsuccessful,” according to the Ukrainian General Staff. What’s more, Ukrainian defenders of Bakhmut have also managed to push Russian forces “away from the main routes of communication, which means that their intention to take Bakhmut in a vice grip has been thwarted,” according to a Ukrainian officer.
US citizen suspected dead: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed a US citizen has died in the embattled city of Bakhmut, in a video posted on the Wagner Telegram group Tuesday. Prigozhin is shown inspecting a body – and what he claims are US identification documents. CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the documents and cannot confirm the nationality of the body shown in the vide.
EU dismay with India: European Union chief Josep Borrell has said that the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe. India has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow invaded Ukraine – and sends much of it back to Europe as refined fuel. Borrell warned this practice “is certainly a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures.”
Grain deal deadline: The United Nations emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said efforts are ongoing to extend a deal to allow the safe export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, which were blockaded by the Russian navy in the early months of the war. Russia has threatened to quit the deal over obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that "a lot of open questions remain" about the Black Sea grain deal, and a decision on Russia’s part in it "has to be made."
7:37 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
Ukraine's first lady asks South Korea for non-lethal military hardware
From CNN's Gawon Bae in Seoul
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center right, meets with Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, center left, at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16. (South Korea Presidential Office/AP)
Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska requested non-lethal military hardware as she met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Tuesday, according to a presidential spokesperson.
Zelenska is visiting Seoul as a Ukrainian presidential envoy. Yoon greeted her by expressing condolences to the victims and the Ukrainian people, said spokesperson Lee Do-woon.
The first lady asked South Korea to provide non-lethal military hardware, including mine detectors, de-mining equipment and first aid vehicles. She also expressed hope that South Korean companies would participate in the rebuilding process of Ukraine, Lee said.
She did not ask for lethal weapons and said that she understands South Korea's difficulties in providing them to Ukraine, according to an official from the presidential office.
Since the war broke out in Ukraine, South Korea has firmly maintained its stance not to provide lethal weapons to a warring country.
Yoon, in response, said that South Korea would "actively support Ukraine" in cooperation with NATO countries and the international community, Lee added.
Zelenska also separately met with South Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee, who praised Zelenska's "courageous and devotional" efforts she has made in the midst of a war, Lee said.
More background: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg earlier in the year urged South Korea to reconsider its rule on not exporting weapons to countries in conflict so it could help arm Ukraine. Stoltenberg cited Germany, Norway and NATO applicant Sweden as countries that have changed their arms export policies to help Ukraine.
Also, a purported leaked US intelligence document showed a detailed conversation between two senior South Korean national security officials about concerns by the country’s National Security Council over a US request for ammunition that the US would send to Ukraine. According to the document, one of the officials then suggested a way of getting around the policy without actually changing it – by selling the ammunition to Poland. The document sparked controversy in Seoul.
7:07 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
Women miners stand in for conscripted men in Ukraine
From CNN's Nic Robertson
Tetiana descends from a family of coal miners dating back generations. She was one of the first to raise her hand when the mining company asked for female volunteers to work underground. (David Von Blohn/CNN)
Decades after Rosie the Riveter became a cultural icon and symbol of working women of World War II, women in Ukraine are taking on similar roles, doing the jobs that many Ukrainian men had to abandon when they were called into military service.
In a coal mine in the east of the country, Tetiana is among the scores of Ukrainian women standing in for their husbands while they fight on the battlefields. She used to work above ground, until martial law cleared women for dangerous work – and she jumped for a job deep in the mine.
“I always wanted to work here, but girls were not allowed. When many men were conscripted, the mine had to keep working. So to protect our country, the girls stepped up,” Tetiana told CNN.
Tetiana, who earns more now than she did before the war, said she “loves” the work and hopes to continue once the war is over.
But she will encounter deep-set social attitudes which may frustrate her hopes. Although her boss Oleksandr is grateful for the support, he told CNN that he believes that “when the war is over, and we will win, I think women will return above the ground and do women’s jobs.”
However, the shift may be more permanent than Oleksandr suspects. In a nearby forge, Maria has taken up her husband's role as a blacksmith since he was conscripted "to keep his job alive while he is serving," she said.
“I very often cry in the forge here. My husband is defending us, and that is very dangerous, but this work helps me to hold on and not fall apart," Maria told CNN.
When the war is over, Maria also hopes to continue this work — when there is a greater element of choice, and less out of necessity.
EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe, top diplomat says
From CNN's Jessie Gretener in London
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists during an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Marsta, Sweden, on May 13. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency/AFP/Getty Images)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said that the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe as refined fuel.
In an article published in the Financial Times on Tuesday, Borrell said “we have to act” to stem the flow of oil from Russia to India, which has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.
“If diesel or gasoline is entering Europe ... coming from India and being produced with Russian oil, that is certainly a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures,” he said.
“If they sell, it is because someone is buying. And we have to look at who is buying,” Borrell added.
The EU has not made any moves to crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe. However, Borrell told the Financial Times that he would raise the issue with India’s foreign minister, who he is due to meet on Tuesday.
Russia finds new buyers: Before the war – and the sanctions which followed – Europe had long been the biggest buyer of Russian energy. The EU had hoped that the embargo from a huge importer like themselves would pile pressure on the Russian economy, but Moscow has found other buyers in Asia.
India, which imports 80% of its oil, before the war bought only about 2% to 3% from Russia. But as oil prices shot up last year, the government steadily increased its intake from Moscow, taking advantage of heavy discounts.
A recent report from the International Energy Agency found that Russian oil exports “reached a post-invasion high” in April this year.
“Russia seems to have few problems finding willing buyers for its crude and oil products,” the report added.
8:47 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
Ukraine's military says it shot down 18 missiles across the country overnight
From CNN's Olga Voitovych in Kyiv
Police officers investigate fragments of a rocket that fell down in a city zoo after it was shot down by air defense system during the night in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 16. (Alex Babenko/AP)
Ukraine's Air Force intercepted 18 missiles launched by Russia at the country overnight, a senior Ukrainian general said on Telegram Tuesday.
"At about 03:30 on May 16, 2023, the Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine from the north, south, and east with 18 various types of air, sea, and land-based missiles," said Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Zaluzhnyi gave a breakdown of the missiles:
6 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles fired from six MiG-31K aircraft
9 Kalibr cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea
3 land-based missiles (S-400, Iskander-M)
He added that Ukraine also destroyed drones launched by Russia overnight.
"The enemy attacked with Shahed-136/131 attack drones and conducted aerial reconnaissance with three operational and tactical level drones. All of them were destroyed," Zaluzhnyi said in the statement.
8:19 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023
Russia launches fresh attack on Kyiv as Ukraine claims Moscow is on the defense. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
At least three people were injured in Kyiv early Tuesday after Ukraine's air defense systems intercepted UAVs and other flying objects, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.
A Ukrainian military official said the "vast majority" of Russian targets in Kyiv's airspace were destroyed after the capital was hit by an "exceptional" air attack with UAVs, cruise missiles and probably ballistic missiles.
Here are the latest headlines:
Kyiv renews F-16s call: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lauded promises of fresh military aid from European leaders he met with in recent days but is still pressing allies to provide Kyiv with modern fighter jets. Ukraine specifically wants US-made F-16s, but many of its allies have so far been resistant to deliver weapons that would allow Kyiv to reach Russian soil.
Ukraine claims Russia on back foot: Speaking to reporters after meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in England, Zelensky said Ukraine is "preparing very important counteroffensive steps," but added: "We really need some more time. Not too much." It comes as Ukraine says Russian forces are no longer capable of large-scale offensive action and are mainly on the defensive — but that Moscow is able to sustain the current rate of missile attacks.
Eastern gains: Ukraine's military says it has gained an advantage in some areas near the embattled city of Bakhmut in recent days. In its daily report Monday, the Ukrainian General Staff said there was heavy fighting around the eastern city and Russia had launched "unsuccessful offensive actions" in several locations to the west and southwest.
More on Bakhmut: Multiple social media videos from the city show intense battles raging among high-rise apartment buildings on its western edge. Filmed from the Ukrainian side, the footage shows strikes among the buildings in a district where Russia's Wagner mercenaries have been trying to win ground.
Tank training: The Pentagon said 31 M1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Germany, where Ukrainian crews are expected to begin training on them in the next couple of weeks. The tanks are due to be sent to Ukraine in the fall.
UN calls for grain deal extension: Martin Griffiths, the UN's emergency relief coordinator, said efforts are ongoing to extend a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Russia has threatened to quit the deal over obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports.
