Russians appear to be exploiting a large breach in Ukrainian lines they have created over the last week at Popasnaya, which already threatens to cut off Severodonetsk-Lisichansk from its southern lines of communication.

While this breach is unlikely to collapse the Ukrainian position in the Donbass outright given their defenses at Slavyansk, it certainly compromises the eastern salient.

This also suggests UAF troops in the Donbass have been attributed to the point where they are losing combat effectiveness. This is indicated by their lateral (!) transfer of multiple brigades from the Kharkov sector to the Donbass in an attempt to stabilize the front line - a maneuver which has now also seen them lose significant ground north of Kharkov.

Ironically the Ukrainians seem to have played themselves with the "Kharkov counteroffensive" - in seeking to draw off Russian forces in the Donbass they instead compromised their own defenses in the region when the Russians refused to take the bait.

Gleb, by the way, doesn't think the Russians have a bridgehead at Belgorovka. As I have detailed on Twitter, it is likely that they are now well-established north of town and are thus even closer to severing the S-L position's western line of communications than Gleb's analysis would indicate.

I'm just imagining the aneurisms range control would have had if we'd done something like this in training.

Catching lunch. Looks like a fisherman's dream

They actually held out for Eurovision.

(screaming) (window breaking)

All I can do is shake my head in disbelief. The Kiev regime is some kind of kindergarten at the edge of an abyss. I mean, whatever, they can lie however much they want—it’s war, after all, and though lying works against you, eventually, it’s not verboten. But why make fools of themselves in the process?

“The office of the President asked the defenders [of Azovstal] to hold out for the last few days so that we could win Eurovision and raise this topic in front of the West, after which the process of surrender began.”

@Rezident_UA claims: “The Russian troops in Mariupol knew about the situation at Azovstal, that there was a minimum of food, there was no water and the BC was running out, as well as about the psychological state of the fighters, who were covered every day with constant bombardments and artillery strikes. The days before the complete capture of the plant were numbered, resistance was minimal, and the cleanup of one of the two main workshops had already begun. The office of the President asked the defenders to hold out for the last few days so that we could win Eurovision and raise this topic in front of the West, after which the process of surrender began. Telegram channels belonging to Vova Petrov’s network began to write to the propagandist that all this was staged and no one would give up. None of the LOMs close to Bankova was informed so that the information would be airtight. Negotiations with Putin were mediated by Erdogan and were not completed at the time of the surrender of the defenders of Azovstal, this is the reason for the silence of the President and the speakers of the Presidential Office, who do not understand how the case with the exchange of prisoners will be implemented.”

Odd phrasing considering the allied forces are here the Russians and DPR/LNR. Does this mean the Russians have already taken Soledar?

General Sitrep as of the evening of 21.05.2022

1. Mariupol.
The remnants of the Mariupol grouping surrendered. The [Azovstal] plant is being combed. This will be the last mention of Mariupol in military reports.

2. Nikolaev.
No significant changes. Positional battles are being conducted in the Nikolaev and Nikopol directions.

3. Odessa.
No significant changes. RF Air Force strikes and anti-amphibious landing measures by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

4. Zaporozhye.
On the line Kamenskoye-Orekhov-Gulyaipole-Velikaya Novoselka no significant changes, positional battles are ongoing.

5. Ugledar.
Positional battles are ongoing on the Novomikhailovka-Ugledar-Velikaya Novoselovka line. There are no significant changes.

6. Mariinka.
Positional battles continue in the village. There are no significant changes.

7. Avdeevka.
Stubborn fighting in the area of ​​Novobakhmutovka, Novoselka-2 and New York. The enemy is resisting attempts by the RF Armed Forces to capture New York, and also retains control over the Orlovka-Avdeevka road.

8. Izyum.
Fighting in the area of ​​Kurulka, Kamyshevakha, Dolgenkoye. Fighting continues, aimed at encircling the group holding Krasniy Liman. The creeping of the front towards Slavyansk is noted.

9. LPR.
Fighting on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. The position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces grouping in the city is deteriorating, one of the bridges used for supplies was blown up. An offensive is developing from the Popasnaya flank in the direction of Vozdvizhenka, which threatens the Artemovsk-Svetlodarsk highway.

There is an offensive along the Soledar-Lysichansk highway to the west of Gorsky and Zolotoye. Battles are ongoing in Viktorovka, Kamyshevakha and on the outskirts of Vrubovka. Fighting continues at Pilipchatino.

The assault on Toshkovka continues.

10. Kharkov.
Medium-intensity fighting to the north of the city in the area of ​​​​the village of Liptsy, as well as Rubezhnoe.


[Taken from https://t.me/colonel_cassad]

There are reports of artillery shelling of Avdeevka and the entry of units of the 1st Slavic brigade of the NM DPR into urban areas.

My theory about the Russians deliberately attacking around the front in sequence may be more true than I thought if they're seriously pushing on Avdiika now.

Looks like 90-95% casualties in this formation.

All that's left of three companies...

14th brigade, 6th battalion, 4,5,6 companies.

1 company according to ukro site is 18-200 people.

Christ, I'm getting to the point I can read Cyrillic now.

Reports coming in the Russians are pushing into the city center of Liman and that the Ukrainian garrison is beginning to surrender en masse.

The fact this is happening in Madrid is quite ironic.