VIDEOS
1. Heavy fighting in the ruins of Bakhmut | Military Mind
TVP World - TVP is a Polish public broadcast service
340K subscribers
5-19-2023 4:00 p.m. EDT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOzaUEA44Lo
2. Ukrainian soldiers say they advance near Bakhmut despite enemy activity
Kanal13
1.56M subscribers
5-19-2023 5:00 p.m. EDT hours ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11zRVE3g8I
ARTICLES
1. My work won’t end with victory: reintegration comes next – Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence chief
Ukrainska Pravda
Alona Mazurenko
Friday, 19 May 2023, 23:57
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/19/7403039/
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, believes that after victory, Ukraine will face many years reintegrating the temporarily occupied territories which have spent nine years engulfed in Russian propaganda [Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk “People’s Republics”].
SOURCE: Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, in an interview with Dmitry Komarov in “A year behind the scenes: the intelligence officer”
QUOTE: “I’m not going to wrap up all these developments with victory. I’m going to surprise you a little here, but victory won’t bring everything to a stop. A rather difficult stage awaits us, one that will, you might say, last years: the actual reintegration of our territories.
Because I’m sorry, but we’re going to get an extra 3 million people who have lived under Russian propaganda for nine years and now have a completely different perception of the world. It won’t be as easy as it seems.”
DETAILS: Budanov noted that victory for Ukraine means a return to the administrative borders of 1991.
At the same time, he suggested that even if Ukraine does return to the borders of 1991, Russia may not capitulate, but change. New states may appear on its territory.
Budanov says the day of victory will be clearly delineated, and then the hard work and a rather long process will continue: “We will have to seriously transform the economy and rethink our vision of the new alliances and unions that will be created.”
2. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence chief on Russian attempts to hunt him down: “I like it”
Ukrainska Pravda
Alona Mazurenko
Friday, 19 May 2023, 23:31
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/19/7403037/
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, has revealed that he is not bothered by Russian attempts to hunt him down - actually, he likes them. According to him, this is a sign of recognition from the Russians.
SOURCE: Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, in an interview with Dmitry Komarov in “A year behind the scenes: the intelligence officer”
QUOTE: “I like it. First of all, it’s recognition. It means I do my job well.
The biggest compliment for any professional in the special services is recognition from the enemy and attempts by the enemy to do everything they can to eliminate you. I reached that point a long time ago, so I like that.
It shows that at least I get paid for a reason.”
DETAILS: According to Budanov, of all the myths and stories about him, WHAT IS TRUE is that he sees no obstacles in front of him.