Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 454.

As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.

Sumy region. Russian forces shelled the Yenakiv area in northeastern Ukraine on May 19, authorities said. Subsequent investigations revealed that the attack was carried out by an enemy drone, which struck employees of the regional power company who were working at the target site. Three men lost their lives in the attack.

Dnipro. An emergency service station was shelled by Russian forces in the early hours of May 22, authorities said. In the resulting fire three buildings and as many as 20 emergency vehicles were destroyed. “Shelling the State Emergency Service units is a brutal violation of the Geneva Convention,” SES chief Serhii Kruk said in a response. “This is a violation of all rules of international law and common human morality!”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia ahead of the Arab League summit on May 19. There, he held bilateral meetings with several Arab leaders, including the delegations chiefs from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Kuwait to address matters of global food security and the Black Sea grain initiative. Zelensky’s presence at the summit was punctuated by his meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman with whom he discussed prisoner of war exchanges and developments on the battlefield. “I am grateful to Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” president of Ukraine wrote.

The topic of Ukraine dominated the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan on May 19-21. Following a round of negotiations, leaders of the Group of Seven major economies agreed on enhancing financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for Ukraine and imposed further sanctions against Russia, in particular restrictions on trade and use of diamonds mined, processed or produced on the territory of the aggressor state. “We are imposing further sanctions and measures to increase the costs to Russia and those who are supporting its war effort,” G7 leaders said in a joint statement.

In a significant move, U.S. President Biden has signaled the U.S. would permit allies to transfer advanced aircrafts to Ukraine, in particular American-made F-16s, and start training Ukrainian pilots. Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of a meeting of world leaders, Biden stated, “I have a flat assurance from Zelenskyy that they will not use it to go on and move into Russian geographic territory, but wherever Russian troops are within Ukraine and the area they would be able to do that.” The provision of F16s, even with strict conditions, is widely regarded as a game-changer in the ongoing war.

On May 22, the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion, anti-Kremlin, pro-Ukraine military groups made up of Russians, said they carried out several military operations inside Russia, specifically in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions. Later, the Freedom of Russia Legion announced that they captured — liberated — the Russian border village of Kozynka and were advancing towards Grayvoron. According to group members, their operation aims to establish a security zone along the Ukrainian-Russian border to safeguard the Ukrainian population and to free Russia. “We are Russians just like you,’ said The Free Russia Legion in a video message. “We are people just like you. We want our children to grow up in peace and be free people, so that they can travel, study and just be happy in a free country.”

Ukranian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar debunked claims from a variety of Russian channels that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii Zaluznhyi had died. “He is here performing his duties. We’ve just spoken,” she wrote, refuting the alleged demise of the top military official. Maliar also said this is a typical strategy for Russian propagandists aiming to demoralize Ukrainian troops. “Now, the timing of dissemination campaign is obvious – the peak of onslaught in Bakhmut, when even a few demotivated soldiers on our side will ease the situation”.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov revealed on the sidelines of a Ukraine-American forum in Kyiv that Russia’s total losses around Bakhmut are close to 70 thousand killed and injured troops. “According to our estimates, they are losing a battalion each day and continue to do so,” Reznikov said. Furthermore, he noted that Ukrainian strategy around Bakhmut enabled its forces to mitigate Russia’s offensive capabilities and win a significant amount of time. “I believe Russians have suffered up to 70 thousand losses in the Bakhmut area alone, I mean killed and wounded together.”

A team of “White Angels,” a Ukrainian police unit that rescues civilians from combat areas, managed to evacuate ten civilians from Bakhmut under enemy fire, the Ukraine’s ministry of internal affairs confirmed on May 21. Among those rescued were a 14-year-old girl, Alina, and her parents who were shocked by the devastation of their hometown. “If there is a hell, it is Bakhmut,” Alina’s father Stanislav said.” On the eve of our departure, in the evening, Russian troops fired incendiary shells at the city. We smelled a very acrid smell. I put on a mask, looked outside, and everything was on fire. Thank God we got out of there.”