Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on May 16 that its forces shot down two Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jets near the village of Yevhenivka in the Mykolaiv province of southern Ukraine, and in the village of Velyka Komyshuvakha in the Kharkiv province of the Russian Federation. east of this country, according to Reuters. The Russian Defense Ministry also claimed to have shot down a Su-24 fighter jet close to Snake Island. There is currently no information on Ukraine’s response.

In addition, the Odessa City Council cited a notice from the Southern Operation Command of the Ukrainian army that an aircraft military Russia early in the morning of May 16 (local time) launched a missile at a tourist infrastructure, destroying several buildings, according to the website. The Kyiv Independent. No word on Moscow’s response yet.

Soldiers of the pro-Russian forces on self-propelled artillery outside the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine Reuters

Also today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that since the launch of the military operation on February 24, Russia has lost 27,700 soldiers, 1,228 tanks, 2,974 armored personnel carriers, 577 artillery systems. , 195 multiple rocket launchers, 89 air defense systems, 165 helicopters, 200 aircraft, 427 drones and 13 ships, according to The Kyiv Independent.

There is currently no information on Russia’s response to the new loss made by the Ukrainian side.

see more: Russia, Ukraine raise the enemy’s new military losses

Ukrainian soldiers close to the Russian border?

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced on Facebook on May 16 that the 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces repelled Russian forces and moved close to the border, according to Reuters. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry also posted a video on Facebook that allegedly shows 12 Ukrainian soldiers near a border post with the Ukrainian flag on May 15.

Governor Oleh Sinegubov of Kharkiv province in northeastern Ukraine also wrote on the messaging app Telegram that Ukrainian soldiers had restored a military post in the border area.

There is currently no information on Russia’s response. If the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is confirmed, it will be a sign that the Ukrainian military continues to succeed in repelling Russian forces in northeastern Ukraine, after the West assessed the military operation. of Russia in the Donbass region was prevented, according to Reuters.

see more: Russia loses advantage in Donbass?

Russia warns NATO about expansion into Northern Europe

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that Russia is closely monitoring the efforts of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, according to Reuters. Peskov also said that the two Nordic countries’ application to join NATO would not be able to strengthen the security architecture of Europe.

Earlier on the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the West not to have the illusion that Moscow will only suffer with NATO expansion into northern Europe by accepting Finland and Sweden’s accession, according to Reuters. Ryabkov also warned that Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO was a mistake that would escalate military tensions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin once cited NATO’s eastward expansion towards Russia’s borders as the reason for the country’s military operation in Ukraine, according to Reuters.

So far, Russia has not revealed much about how it will respond to NATO’s expansion into northern Europe, saying only that there will be a “military-related response”.

see more: Russia says Finland’s accession to NATO is a security threat, will be ready to respond

What if Finland and Sweden join NATO?

Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO is expected to lead to retaliatory moves from Russia, but will also create a new front for the alliance to put pressure on Moscow.

During a press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on May 15, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto announced: “Today, we, the president and the committee policy government foreign policy, jointly decided that Finland…will apply for membership of NATO”. Niinisto stressed that joining NATO would “maximize” Finland’s security, after Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine from February 24, according to CNBC.

Immediately after Finland’s announcement, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced that she also supported the application to join NATO. The statement came after her Swedish Social Democratic party dropped its historic opposition to joining NATO. However, the Swedish Social Democrats put forward the condition that NATO not deploy nuclear weapons and build a permanent base in Sweden, according to TASS news agency.

see more: What if Finland and Sweden join NATO?