Victorious news of 450th day of war: Significant Russian losses near Bakhmut, G7 support for Ukraine

G7 reaffirmed military and financial support for Ukraine at the summit in Japan

At the summit in Hiroshima, Japan, the Group of Seven (G7) reaffirmed its commitment to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine. 

DW reported that the summit adopted a joint statement on Ukraine.

“We are renewing our commitment to provide the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes,” the document says.

The G7 also stated that they would oppose Russia's illegal, unjustified and unprovoked aggressive war.

Australia announced new sanctions against Russia

On May 19, Australia announced new sanctions against Russia, which will affect 21 organizations, including subsidiaries of Rosatom. 

This was reported by CNN.

The largest Russian oil and gold mining companies were also subject to restrictions.

In addition, sanctions were imposed on defense organizations that support Russia's war in Ukraine, five Russian banks and three individuals.

Australia will also ban the export of all machinery and related parts to Russia and the temporarily occupied territories.

Russian forces lost up to 70,000 killed and wounded near Bakhmut

“According to our estimates, they (Russians - ed.) are losing a battalion a day there (near Bakhmut - ed.) and continue to do so,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said.

The minister emphasized that the Ukrainian military in Bakhmut are doing an important job: reducing the offensive power of Russian troops and preventing them from launching an offensive in other parts of the front.

“If you count, I think that today the Russians have suffered up to 70,000 casualties in the Bakhmut sector alone. I mean killed and wounded together,” Reznikov said.

The US tightened sanctions against Russia

On Friday, May 19, the administration of US President Joe Biden added 71 companies to a trade blacklist for supporting Russia.

This was reported by Reuters.

The sanctions of the US Department of Commerce targeted items that can be used to help Russia's military and expanded the scope of export controls on Russia and Belarus. The blacklist includes 69 Russian companies, one from Armenia and one from Kyrgyzstan.

The new export control measures are aimed at oil and gas projects in Russia and Belarus, the ministry reports.

AFU destroyed 6 Russian Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems and a munitions depot on the southern front

Operational Command South reported this. 

Ukrainian rocket and artillery units destroyed the Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, which were located on the left bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region and were used to shell the right bank.

They also destroyed 12 Russian soldiers, a large-caliber Msta-B howitzer, a Murom-M surveillance system, and a Russian munitions depot.

“The enemy is intensifying aerial reconnaissance in the Mykolaiv sector. For several days in a row, we have been destroying unmanned spies and over the past day we have also shot down an Orlan-10 in the Mykolaiv region,” the OC South wrote. 

Ukrainian aviation launched 12 strikes against the Russian troops

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this. 

Over the last day, the Defense Forces' aviation launched 12 strikes on the invading Russian troops' military positions, as well as 4 strikes on enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.

During this day, Ukrainian warriors destroyed 3 Kalibr cruise missiles, 16 Iranian Shahed strike UAVs, as well as 2 enemy reconnaissance UAVs of various types.

The missile and artillery units destroyed 1 control center, 6 weapons and military equipment concentration areas, 2 artillery units at firing positions, as well as 6 enemy electronic warfare stations.