Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (22 May 2023)…

Last night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike by high-precision long-range air-based weapons against facilities of the Dnepr airfield.

The purpose of the strike has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been destroyed.

As a result of the strike, hangars with weapons and ammunition, aviation equipment, as well as a technical missile preparation position were hit.

In Kupyansk direction, aviation, artillery, and troops of the Zapad Group of Forces have engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) close to Dvurechnaya, Masyutovka, Sinkovka, Kotlyarovka, and Krakhmalnoye (Kharkov region).

In addition, actions of three sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were thwarted near Timkovka, Ivanovka, and Kislovka (Kharkov region).

Up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer have been neutralised during the day.

An ammunition depot of the 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been eliminated close to Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic).

In Krasny Liman direction, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Tsentr Group of Forces engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic), and Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one Msta-B and D-30 howitzer were destroyed.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces, aviation, and artillery have eliminated up to 270 Ukrainian troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one D-20 and two D-30 howitzers.

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted a fire damage on AFU units close Shevchenko (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Marfopol, Malaya Tokmachka, and Nesteryanka (Zaporozhye region).

One sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been disabled close to Novodonetskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).

More 150 Ukrainian servicemen, two pick-up trucks, and two D-30 howitzers have been neutralised during the day.

Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed close to Orekhov (Zaporozhye region).

In Kherson direction, the fire damage has neutralised over 20 Ukrainian servicemen, four motor vehicles, one Giatsint-B gun, and a Msta-B howitzer during the day.

In addition, an ammunition depot of the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade was destroyed near Stanislav (Kherson region).

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 98 AFU artillery units, manpower, and hardware in 107 areas during the day.

Air defence facilities have shot down one Mi-8 helicopter of Ukrainian Air Force near Lozovoye in (Donetsk People’s Republic).

In addition, five HIMARS multiple rocket launchers have been intercepted.

In addition, 17 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed in the areas of Kremenets, Peski, Aleksandrovka, Veseloye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Sladkaya Balka, Marfopol (Zaporozhye region), and Sergeyevka and Lyubimovka (Kherson region).

In total, 428 airplanes and 235 helicopters, 4,262 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 anti-aircraft missile systems, 9,257 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,100 combat vehicles equipped with multiple launch rocket systems, 4,881 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,379 pieces of special military hardware have been destroyed during the special military operation.

WtR

Russian Ambassador to the USA A.I.Antonov’s answer to a media question…

❓: Dear Anatoly Ivanovich, how could you comment on the administration’s statements following the results of the G7 events in the context of the Ukrainian crisis?

💬 A.I.Antonov: Washington has completely subordinated the G-7 members to its own line regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Moreover, it sharply tightened its approaches to two important issues. We are talking about preparations for the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to the Kyiv regime, as well as the unconditional approval of strikes on the Crimea using American and other Western weapons.

‼️ Such steps once again clearly demonstrate that the United States has never been interested in peace, and the decision to conduct a special military operation was absolutely correct. Ever since the coup in Kiev in 2014, the United States has only wanted a strategic defeat for Russia and now continues to fan the flames of conflict.

While Washington opposes us by proxy, by proxy. However, every specialist knows that in Ukraine there is no infrastructure for the operation of the F-16, and the required number of pilots and maintenance personnel is not there either. What will happen if American fighters take off from NATO airfields, controlled by foreign “volunteers”?

☝️ I would like to warn representatives of the administration against frivolous judgments on Crimea, especially regarding the “blessing” of the Kiev regime for air attacks on the peninsula. Let me remind you that strikes on this territory are considered by us as an attack on any other subject of the Russian Federation. It is important that the United States be fully aware of the Russian response.

👉 The G7 statement on Ukraine noted that Hiroshima is a kind of “symbol of peace”. At the same time, the Americans did not even think to apologize to the Japanese people for the nuclear bombings. Judging by the above-mentioned statements of administration officials, Hiroshima is now becoming a “symbol of the war” that the United States is inciting by its actions against our country.

WtR