UKRAINE
Russian invasion: Situation report day 446
May 15, 2023 - Two Russian military commanders have been killed as troops pull back from Bakhmut in the face of a Ukrainian offensive which appears to be encircling the town.
Russia’s defence ministry rarely announces the deaths of its military command in combat, and claimed “All attacks by units of Ukraine's armed forces have been repelled”. However, Russia has admitted that troops north of the town have pulled back to “regroup”, a move which Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin described as a “rout”. At the same time, Wagner forces claim to have advanced up to 130m and control 28 buildings in western districts of the town while Ukrainian forces hold 20.
With no consensus among NATO member states on Ukrainian membership, Kyiv will not be invited to join NATO at the Vilnius summit in July. G7 nations plan to announce new sanctions targeting Russian energy exports and sanctions evasion by third countries.
- Russian offensive campaign assessment (ISW)
- NATO races to bridge divisions over Ukraine membership (Washington Post)
- Russia says two commanders killed as Kyiv wages Bakhmut offensive (Reuters)
- Russia says European armed forces treaty contrary to its security interests (Reuters)
- Russia says Ukraine used Storm Shadow missiles from Britain to attack Luhansk (Reuters)