Supreme Court head charged, missile strikes, advance near Bakhmut: highlights of the day

"Black Day of the Supreme Court"

On the evening of May 15, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau announced that they had uncovered "large-scale corruption" in the Supreme Court.

The case concerns a $2.7 million bribe. The first part, according to NABU, was handed over on May 3. The second part, in the amount of $450,000, was paid on May 15, when the judges were caught red-handed.

Law enforcement officers detained Supreme Court Chief Justice Vsevolod Kniazev and another alleged person involved, who, according to the investigation, was intended to receive the bribe. Investigators did not say how many judges may be involved in the case.

On May 16, the Supreme Court plenum expressed no confidence in Chief Justice Kniazev. The judges voted to terminate Kniazev's powers early.

Later, the SAPO charged Knyazev and his accomplice.

The Supreme Court has already dubbed this event a "black day in history."

Missile attacks

On May 16, the Russian occupation forces launched 27 missile strikes.

In particular, the occupiers fired six Kinzhal aerial ballistic missiles, nine Kalibr cruise missiles, and 10 S-400 and Iskander-M ground-launched missiles. All of them were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

The occupiers used two more S-300 missiles against the civilian infrastructure of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk Oblast.

On the morning of May 16, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that their forces had allegedly hit the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system in Kyiv with a Kinzhal missile.

CNN quoted a U.S. official as saying that the Patriot missile system was probably damaged but not destroyed.

Situation at the frontline

Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Malyar said that the Ukrainian military had liberated about 20 square kilometers of the northern and southern suburbs of Bakhmut from the enemy in the past few days. At the same time, the occupiers are making some progress in Bakhmut itself, destroying the city with artillery.

According to the official, the Russian forces are currently bringing in professional paratroopers.

Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Eastern Military Group, confirmed that the Ukrainian military launched an offensive a few days ago, and that their actions have stumped the Russian army, as the occupiers "do not know where the general offensive is, what is happening near Bakhmut," which they have already called surrounded.

"Wagner's men have entered Bakhmut like rats into a mousetrap. Using the principle of active defense, we are resorting to counter-offensive actions in some areas near Bakhmut," emphasized Syrskyi.

Saving electricity

Ukrenergo urged Ukrainians to reduce electricity consumption in the evening, from 7 to 10 p.m.

According to the energy company, the available capacity and reserves in the power system have decreased. The reason is that power units at power plants that were subjected to massive Russian strikes during the fall and spring were shut down for repairs.

The seasonal repair campaign at nuclear power plants is also underway.

At the same time, the massive attack on Ukraine on the night of May 16 did not cause any new damage to the power system.

Marine commander charged with treason

The State Bureau of Investigation has pressed treason charges against one of the leaders of the 501st Separate Marine Battalion, whose actions led to the capture of 277 soldiers during the defense of Mariupol.

Since the end of February 2022, the soldiers of this battalion have been defending Mariupol. In April of the same year, Russian propagandists spread information that the marines of the 501st Battalion had allegedly voluntarily surrendered in the besieged city.

According to the investigation, the head of the 501st Battalion's logistics service betrayed his oath and sided with the enemy.

Ukraine in NATO's cyber security center

Ukraine has officially joined NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (CCDCOE), headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia.

The Cyber Center specializes in interdisciplinary applied research, analysis, information sharing, and cyber defense training.

Ukraine's application to join the CCDCOE was submitted in August 2021, and on March 4, 2022, it was supported by all members of the Steering Committee. At the end of May 2022, Ukraine took part in a meeting of the cyber center's committee for the first time.

Meanwhile, Iceland recorded a surge in cyberattacks on the country's infrastructure ahead of the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik, where the International Register of Damage Due to Russian Aggression is to be presented. So far, these attacks have not led to any serious incidents.

Other news

• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development believes that Ukraine needs about $50 billion in foreign investment annually for rapid post-war recovery.
• The occupiers are still holding 27 military musicians who have never participated in hostilities in captivity. The Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross;
• Ukraine's Defense intelligence has used MP Yevhen Shevchenko to communicate with Belarus.
• In 2022, 883 people were executed in 20 countries, the highest number in the last five years. However, the actual number of people executed may be higher.
• The Security Service of Ukraine detained a former policeman in Zaporizhzhya who wanted to fight against Ukraine as part of the Wagner PMC.
• The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency launched a Telegram channel where it published instructions on how to contact intelligence officers to pass on important information.