Abandoned positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Novozvanovka. Video frame. Archive photoMOSCOW, May 16.The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday announced that it had reached an agreement with the Ukrainian military at the Azovstal plant on the removal of the wounded to a medical facility in the DPR. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and , on March 25, completed the main tasks of the first stage — significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass. The course of the operationAccording to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air-launched missiles hit 2 Ukrainian command posts, 16 areas of concentration of manpower and equipment, 8 long-term firing points and 5 missile and artillery warehouses near Krasny Liman in Kharkov region, Vladimirovka and Konstantinovka in the DPR and Berestovoye in the LPR. As a result of the strikes, more than 360 nationalists were killed and 78 units of military equipment were disabled. In addition, a Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft was shot down near Zmeiny Island near the coast of the Odessa region.March 12, 14:46Special military operation in UkraineMap of the special operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine as of May 16, 2022 , who distinguished themselves during the special operation to protect the Donbass, were awarded state awards. Orders and medals were awarded to more than 20 soldiers, sergeants and officers of the Western Military District. Also on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin informed his CSTO colleagues in detail about the progress of the special operation in Ukraine. At the same time, as Stanislav Zas, Secretary General of the organization, said, the issue of using the CSTO forces in Ukraine was not raised at the summit. Removal of the wounded from Azovstal The Russian Defense Ministry reported that an agreement was reached with representatives of the Ukrainian military blocked at Azovstal in Mariupol on the removal of the wounded.
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A silence regime has been introduced in the area of the enterprise and a humanitarian corridor has been opened, along which the wounded Ukrainian soldiers are being taken to the hospital in Novoazovsk of the Donetsk People's Republic «to provide them with all the necessary assistance,» the ministry said. the use of poisonous substances, the RF Ministry of Defense reported. At 13.35, in the Mazanovka area in the DPR, a pre-laid land mine, reinforced with a lining up to one ton of ammonium nitrate, was blown up. As a result of the explosion, a poisonous cloud about a kilometer high was formed, which shifted towards Kramatorsk. Also on Monday, the people's militia of the LPR stated that evidence of the presence of instructors from the USA and Poland, who led the defense of Rubizhny and the plant, was found in the area of the Zarya plant.
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Military assistance and sanctionsThe EU foreign ministers have agreed on the allocation of an additional 500 million euros for military assistance to Ukraine, the union will bring the total amount to 2 billion, said the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell following a ministerial meeting. According to him, the funds allocated under the pan-European fund are only «the pinnacle of iceberg.» In fact, the assistance provided by the European states to Ukraine on a bilateral basis is much more, Borrell pointed out. In addition, on Monday it became known that the EU foreign ministers could not agree on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, they intend to continue discussions, Borrell said. Western countries imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation because of Ukraine. A number of companies announced their withdrawal from the Russian market and the closure of production facilities in the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that companies that refuse to work with Russia did so under enormous pressure, but Russia will solve all the problems with the economy that the West creates for it.
Russia may revise relations with some countries, the Foreign Ministry said