May 16, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

By Tara Subramaniam, Christian Edwards, Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Updated 12:04 a.m. ET, May 17, 2023
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9:50 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

In video, Wagner chief Prigozhin claims US citizen died fighting in Bakhmut

From CNN’s Josh Pennington and Sandi Sidhu

Wagner chief Prigozhin claims US citizen died fighting in Bakhmut in a video released on May 15.
Wagner chief Prigozhin claims US citizen died fighting in Bakhmut in a video released on May 15. (brussinf/Telegram)

The leader of the Russian private military company Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed a US citizen died in the embattled Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, in a video posted on the Wagner Telegram group on Tuesday. 

A pro-Kremlin military blogger, Alexander Simonov, introduces the video saying "we are advancing to the advanced positions of the PMC Wagner in the western regions of Artyomovsk" – the Russian name for Bakhmut.

The video is filmed at night with the sound of an apparent mortar attack. The soldiers shout, "Into the shelter. Mortar attacks from the western side."

Prigozhin is shown inspecting a body, and inspects what he claims are US identification documents.

CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the documents and cannot confirm the nationality of the body shown in the video.

"So we will hand him over to the United States of America, we’ll put him in a coffin, cover him with the American flag with respect because he did not die in his bed as a grandpa but he died at war and most likely a worthy [death], right?” Prigozhin says in the video.

A soldier claims that the man was returning fire when he died. Prigozhin replies, "He was shooting back; he died in the battle, so we will hand over his documents tomorrow morning and pack everything, right?"

Some context: Prigozhin and Wagner group frequently post videos for propaganda purposes, and often mix real footage with propaganda claims.

What the US says: The US State Department has not verified Prigozhin’s claim, but a spokesperson said the department is "aware of the reports" and is "seeking additional information."

"Our ability to verify reports of deaths of U.S. citizens in Ukraine is extremely limited," the spokesperson said Tuesday.

The spokesperson offered "condolences to the families of all whose lives have been lost as a result of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine" and reiterated that Americans should not travel to Ukraine.

8:14 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

It’s mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here’s what you need to know

From CNN staff

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued to secure commitments of military aid from European leaders, Russia hit back with what the Ukrainian military described as an “exceptional” dense attack on Kyiv early Tuesday.

Here are the latest developments:

  • Kyiv under fire: The Ukrainian capital was struck by a missile attack that was “exceptional in its density, with the maximum number of missiles in the shortest time possible,” said Serhiy Popko the head of the Kyiv city military administration. Popko added that “the vast majority of enemy targets in Kyiv’s airspace were detected and destroyed."
  • Zelensky calls for jets: Speaking in the United Kingdom Monday, Zelensky welcomed promises of fresh military aid from European leaders – but renewed his demands to be provided with modern fighter jets. Ukraine is hankering for US-made F-16s to help secure its skies, but many of its allies have been reluctant to offer weapons that would allow Kyiv to reach Russian soil.
  • Tank training: While Ukraine’s Western allies have stopped short of delivering jets, their promises to provide tanks are coming to fruition. 31 M1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Germany ahead of a training program for Ukrainian forces on the US tanks, the Pentagon said Monday. The tanks are due to be sent to Ukraine in the fall.
  • Russia on the defense: Russia’s attempted offensive actions around Bakhmut have been “unsuccessful,” according to the Ukrainian General Staff. What’s more, Ukrainian defenders of Bakhmut have also managed to push Russian forces “away from the main routes of communication, which means that their intention to take Bakhmut in a vice grip has been thwarted,” according to a Ukrainian officer.
  • US citizen suspected dead: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed a US citizen has died in the embattled city of Bakhmut, in a video posted on the Wagner Telegram group Tuesday. Prigozhin is shown inspecting a body – and what he claims are US identification documents. CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the documents and cannot confirm the nationality of the body shown in the vide.
  • EU dismay with India: European Union chief Josep Borrell has said that the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe. India has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow invaded Ukraine – and sends much of it back to Europe as refined fuel. Borrell warned this practice “is certainly a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures.”
  • Grain deal deadline: The United Nations emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said efforts are ongoing to extend a deal to allow the safe export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, which were blockaded by the Russian navy in the early months of the war. Russia has threatened to quit the deal over obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that "a lot of open questions remain" about the Black Sea grain deal, and a decision on Russia’s part in it "has to be made."
7:37 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Ukraine's first lady asks South Korea for non-lethal military hardware

From CNN's Gawon Bae in Seoul 

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center right, meets with Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, center left, at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center right, meets with Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, center left, at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16. (South Korea Presidential Office/AP)

Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska requested non-lethal military hardware as she met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Tuesday, according to a presidential spokesperson.

Zelenska is visiting Seoul as a Ukrainian presidential envoy. Yoon greeted her by expressing condolences to the victims and the Ukrainian people, said spokesperson Lee Do-woon.

The first lady asked South Korea to provide non-lethal military hardware, including mine detectors, de-mining equipment and first aid vehicles. She also expressed hope that South Korean companies would participate in the rebuilding process of Ukraine, Lee said.

She did not ask for lethal weapons and said that she understands South Korea's difficulties in providing them to Ukraine, according to an official from the presidential office.

Since the war broke out in Ukraine, South Korea has firmly maintained its stance not to provide lethal weapons to a warring country.

Yoon, in response, said that South Korea would "actively support Ukraine" in cooperation with NATO countries and the international community, Lee added.

Zelenska also separately met with South Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee, who praised Zelenska's "courageous and devotional" efforts she has made in the midst of a war, Lee said.

More background: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg earlier in the year urged South Korea to reconsider its rule on not exporting weapons to countries in conflict so it could help arm Ukraine. Stoltenberg cited Germany, Norway and NATO applicant Sweden as countries that have changed their arms export policies to help Ukraine.

Also, a purported leaked US intelligence document showed a detailed conversation between two senior South Korean national security officials about concerns by the country’s National Security Council over a US request for ammunition that the US would send to Ukraine. According to the document, one of the officials then suggested a way of getting around the policy without actually changing it – by selling the ammunition to Poland. The document sparked controversy in Seoul.

7:07 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Women miners stand in for conscripted men in Ukraine

From CNN's Nic Robertson

Tetiana descends from a family of coal miners dating back generations. She was one of the first to raise her hand when the mining company asked for female volunteers to work underground.
Tetiana descends from a family of coal miners dating back generations. She was one of the first to raise her hand when the mining company asked for female volunteers to work underground. (David Von Blohn/CNN)

Decades after Rosie the Riveter became a cultural icon and symbol of working women of World War II, women in Ukraine are taking on similar roles, doing the jobs that many Ukrainian men had to abandon when they were called into military service.

In a coal mine in the east of the country, Tetiana is among the scores of Ukrainian women standing in for their husbands while they fight on the battlefields. She used to work above ground, until martial law cleared women for dangerous work – and she jumped for a job deep in the mine.

“I always wanted to work here, but girls were not allowed. When many men were conscripted, the mine had to keep working. So to protect our country, the girls stepped up,” Tetiana told CNN.

Tetiana, who earns more now than she did before the war, said she “loves” the work and hopes to continue once the war is over.

But she will encounter deep-set social attitudes which may frustrate her hopes. Although her boss Oleksandr is grateful for the support, he told CNN that he believes that “when the war is over, and we will win, I think women will return above the ground and do women’s jobs.”

However, the shift may be more permanent than Oleksandr suspects. In a nearby forge, Maria has taken up her husband's role as a blacksmith since he was conscripted "to keep his job alive while he is serving," she said.

“I very often cry in the forge here. My husband is defending us, and that is very dangerous, but this work helps me to hold on and not fall apart," Maria told CNN.

When the war is over, Maria also hopes to continue this work — when there is a greater element of choice, and less out of necessity.

Watch the full report here.

5:27 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe, top diplomat says

From CNN's Jessie Gretener in London

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists during an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Marsta, Sweden, on May 13.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists during an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Marsta, Sweden, on May 13. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency/AFP/Getty Images)

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said that the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe as refined fuel.

In an article published in the Financial Times on Tuesday, Borrell said “we have to act” to stem the flow of oil from Russia to India, which has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

“If diesel or gasoline is entering Europe ... coming from India and being produced with Russian oil, that is certainly a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures,” he said.

“If they sell, it is because someone is buying. And we have to look at who is buying,” Borrell added.

The EU has not made any moves to crack down on India reselling Russian oil into Europe. However, Borrell told the Financial Times that he would raise the issue with India’s foreign minister, who he is due to meet on Tuesday.

Russia finds new buyers: Before the war – and the sanctions which followed – Europe had long been the biggest buyer of Russian energy. The EU had hoped that the embargo from a huge importer like themselves would pile pressure on the Russian economy, but Moscow has found other buyers in Asia.

India, which imports 80% of its oil, before the war bought only about 2% to 3% from Russia. But as oil prices shot up last year, the government steadily increased its intake from Moscow, taking advantage of heavy discounts.

A recent report from the International Energy Agency found that Russian oil exports “reached a post-invasion high” in April this year.

“Russia seems to have few problems finding willing buyers for its crude and oil products,” the report added.

8:47 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Ukraine's military says it shot down 18 missiles across the country overnight

From CNN's Olga Voitovych in Kyiv 

Police officers investigate fragments of a rocket that fell down in a city zoo after it was shot down by air defense system during the night in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 16.
Police officers investigate fragments of a rocket that fell down in a city zoo after it was shot down by air defense system during the night in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 16. (Alex Babenko/AP)

Ukraine's Air Force intercepted 18 missiles launched by Russia at the country overnight, a senior Ukrainian general said on Telegram Tuesday.

"At about 03:30 on May 16, 2023, the Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine from the north, south, and east with 18 various types of air, sea, and land-based missiles," said Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Zaluzhnyi gave a breakdown of the missiles:

  • 6 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles fired from six MiG-31K aircraft
  • 9 Kalibr cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea
  • 3 land-based missiles (S-400, Iskander-M)

He added that Ukraine also destroyed drones launched by Russia overnight.

"The enemy attacked with Shahed-136/131 attack drones and conducted aerial reconnaissance with three operational and tactical level drones. All of them were destroyed," Zaluzhnyi said in the statement. 
8:19 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Russia launches fresh attack on Kyiv as Ukraine claims Moscow is on the defense. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

At least three people were injured in Kyiv early Tuesday after Ukraine's air defense systems intercepted UAVs and other flying objects, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.

A Ukrainian military official said the "vast majority" of Russian targets in Kyiv's airspace were destroyed after the capital was hit by an "exceptional" air attack with UAVs, cruise missiles and probably ballistic missiles.

Here are the latest headlines:

  • Kyiv renews F-16s call: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lauded promises of fresh military aid from European leaders he met with in recent days but is still pressing allies to provide Kyiv with modern fighter jets. Ukraine specifically wants US-made F-16s, but many of its allies have so far been resistant to deliver weapons that would allow Kyiv to reach Russian soil.
  • Ukraine claims Russia on back foot: Speaking to reporters after meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in England, Zelensky said Ukraine is "preparing very important counteroffensive steps," but added: "We really need some more time. Not too much." It comes as Ukraine says Russian forces are no longer capable of large-scale offensive action and are mainly on the defensive — but that Moscow is able to sustain the current rate of missile attacks.
  • Eastern gains: Ukraine's military says it has gained an advantage in some areas near the embattled city of Bakhmut in recent days. In its daily report Monday, the Ukrainian General Staff said there was heavy fighting around the eastern city and Russia had launched "unsuccessful offensive actions" in several locations to the west and southwest.
  • More on Bakhmut: Multiple social media videos from the city show intense battles raging among high-rise apartment buildings on its western edge. Filmed from the Ukrainian side, the footage shows strikes among the buildings in a district where Russia's Wagner mercenaries have been trying to win ground.
  • Tank training: The Pentagon said 31 M1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Germany, where Ukrainian crews are expected to begin training on them in the next couple of weeks. The tanks are due to be sent to Ukraine in the fall. 
  • UN calls for grain deal extension: Martin Griffiths, the UN's emergency relief coordinator, said efforts are ongoing to extend a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Russia has threatened to quit the deal over obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports.
12:07 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Kyiv hit by "exceptional" air raid, Ukrainian military official says

From CNN's Josh Pennington

An explosion of a missile is seen in the city during a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 16.
An explosion of a missile is seen in the city during a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 16. Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Kyiv was hit by an “exceptional” dense attack early Tuesday, a senior Ukrainian military official said in a Telegram post.

“This time, the enemy launched a complex assault from multiple directions simultaneously, using UAVs, cruise missiles and probably ballistic missiles. This attack was exceptional in its density, with the maximum number of attacking missiles in the shortest time possible,” said Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration. 

Popko added that “the vast majority of enemy targets in Kyiv's airspace were detected and destroyed.”

This marked the eighth attack on Kyiv since the beginning of May, Popko said.

Popko noted that falling debris was reported in Kyiv’s Solomyanskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Obolonskyi and Darnytskyi districts.

The most damage was reported in Solomianskyi, where a non-residential building and several vehicles caught fire, Popko said.

“We are grateful to our air defense for protecting the lives of Kyiv residents!" Popko said.
12:12 a.m. ET, May 16, 2023

Multiple loud explosions heard in Kyiv, at least 3 people injured

From CNN's Tatiana Arias and Josh Pennington

Explosion of a missile is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 16.
Explosion of a missile is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 16. Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Civilians in Kyiv were ordered to seek shelter as multiple explosions were heard early Tuesday (local time). 

Air raid sirens went off throughout the city as Ukraine's air defense system was activated to intercept UAVs and other flying objects over several districts, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said via Telegram.

Initial reports indicate at least three people were wounded in the capital's Solomyanskyi district, Klitschko said, adding that falling debris set several cars on fire and damaged a large building.

"There have been explosions in Kyiv. Some have happened in the Solomyanskyi district. And in Shevchenkivskyi, rocket debris fell on the territory of the zoo. All emergency services are enroute," Klitschko said.
“Stay in shelters until the air-raid siren goes off!” Kyiv's regional military administration said on Telegram.