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.
VIDEO WITH COMMENTARY
19 May: FINALLY. UKRAINIANS TO RECEIVE F-16 FOR COUNTEROFFERNISVE | War in Ukraine Explained
Reporting from Ukraine
259K subscribers
5-19-2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD4V5i-3Gnk
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I am Ukrainian. My country has been invaded by Russia. In this video I will tell you what happened on the four hundred and fiftieth day of the war.
Day 450: May 19
As Russians started relocating their troops from the Zaporizhia region to Bakhmut, Ukrainians decided to take advantage of such developments and hunt down the moving convoys. Relocation of troops implies that there will be a lot of areas of forces concentrations because one should necessarily gather troops in one place and then put them on buses or trains to transfer between regions. And forces concentrations mean a perfect opportunity for HIMARS strikes.
Today Ukrainians conducted a series of precision strikes on Mariupol, which is the main logistical center that connects southern and eastern Ukraine, through which Russians are transferring forces and equipment. Ukrainians noticed the movement towards the city not only on the ground but also in the sky because today, it was noted how Russian transport helicopters departed from Bryansk. Local residents reported hearing multiple explosions and seeing at least 4 direct hits on Russian military objects on the airfield west of the city. The Ukrainian Mariupol Mayoral Advisor reported that Ukrainians hit all residential facilities on a small base and eliminated 150 Russian troops in one strike. So, by destabilizing the situation in Bakhmut, Ukrainians not only prompted Russians to weaken their defense in other regions but also created conditions for much easier elimination of enemy forces.
Over the last several days, the Russian southern supply line also suffered a sequence of unfavorable developments. Today Ukrainians conducted a successful drone strike on the critical railway connection that ensures supplies to the Kherson region.
Yesterday, something similar happened near Simferopol. Russian sources reported that Ukrainian sabotage groups detonated an improvised explosive device along a railway near Chystenke, derailing eight train cars. And the third derailment happened in the Krasnoyarsk region, which is on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Russian Air Force is conducting strikes as well. In fact, since the beginning of May, Russians have been conducting massive missile and drone strikes almost every day, with a special focus on the capital of Ukraine – Kyiv. But the most successful recent Russian strike happed in the Odessa region. Local residents reported hearing 10 explosions and seeing 2 of them. It looks like 2 out of 10 rockets managed to reach an industrial zone on the outskirts of the city. Russian sources speculated that Ukrainians have been using the facilities for western equipment and ammunition.
However, most strikes are unsuccessful. Yesterday, Ukrainians found an almost intact Shahed-136 drone that failed to explode, even after being hit. The soldiers reported that they had already started the process of replicating the same drone to use against Russians in the future. Ukrainians are also collecting a lot of remnants of Russian cruise missiles. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, yesterday, Russians launched 22 Kh-101 and Kh-555 missiles, 6 Caliber missiles, and 2 Iskander missiles. Ukrainian air defense reportedly showed a 96% success rate.
Even though Russian military officials deny Ukrainian claims of such a high success rate, several days ago, the Kremlin reportedly accused three hypersonic missile scientists of treason. Three days ago, employees of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics published an open letter in defense of three of their scientists whom Russian authorities reportedly arrested under suspicion of committing high treason. It seems like the Kremlin suspects that critical technical characteristics of their weapons have been leaked, which prevents them from achieving their goals with the strikes.
But the biggest news by far is that the United States gave the green light to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets. US approval for the scheme means other nations can export their F-16s. The Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium previously announced that they were ready to provide Ukraine with F-16, and now with legal approval from the US, it finally became possible. US officials also stated that the US would support a joint effort with the allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft to further strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force. Pentagon representatives stated that they would be able to train Ukrainian pilots in 4 months.