Russia-Ukraine war: Frontline update as of May 16

The military command presented data on the operational situation as of 10:00 p.m. on May 16 in their report.

Russian shelling

Russian forces carried out one missile strike and 47 air strikes (firing 1 missile and dropping 86 guided aerial bombs).

The enemy also deployed over a thousand kamikaze drones for attacks and conducted 3,923 shellings of the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and populated areas.

Frontline situation

• In the Kharkiv direction, the enemy launched five assaults on Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk, Stroivka, and Kamianka.
• In the Kupiansk direction, the Russian army advanced toward Kolisnykivka, Novoosynove, and near Zahryzove. The Defense Forces repelled all three Russian attacks.
• In the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked Ukrainian positions 16 times near the settlements of Hrekivka, Yampilivka, Kolodiazi, and in the directions of Shyikivka, Olhivka, Novyi Myr, Ridkodub, and Zelena Dolyna. Five battles are still ongoing.
• In the Siverskyi direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled four enemy assaults. The enemy attempted to advance near Verkhniokamyanske and Bilohorivka.
• In the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces launched two assaults on Ukrainian positions near Chasiv Yar and Kurdiumivka.
• In the Toretsk direction, the Russian army attacked Ukrainian Defense Forces’ positions 18 times near Toretsk, Krymske, and toward Dyliivka, Katerynivka, Pleshchiivka, and Novospaske. The Ukrainian soldiers repelled all enemy attacks.
• In the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy attempted to advance 49 times on Ukrainian positions, attacking near Novoserhiivka, Malynivka, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Udachne, Novooleksandrivka, Zaporizhzhia, Troitske, Bohdanivka, Andriivka, and toward the settlements of Novoukrainka, Oleksiivka, Poltavka, Yablunivka, Stara Mykolaivka, and Nova Poltavka. Nine battles are still ongoing.

The General Staff also reported that enemy airstrikes hit Pokrovsk, Oleksandro-Kalynove, Novoukrainka, Shevchenko Pershe, Stara Mykolaivka, and Sukhyi Yar.

"Preliminary data shows that today, 119 Russian soldiers were neutralized in this direction, including 63 irreversibly. Ukrainian soldiers also destroyed one vehicle, two motorcycles, and five drones," the military command stated.

• In the Novopavlivka direction, the Russian army attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses 16 times in the areas of Kostyantynopil, Shevchenko, Novosilka, and toward Bahatyr and Zelene Pole. One battle is still ongoing. Russian aviation struck the areas of Novodarivka, Novoukrainka, and Dachne.
• In the Huliaipole direction, Russian forces carried out airstrikes on Malynivka, Vysoke, and Huliaipole.
• In the Orikhiv direction, the Russian army attacked Ukrainian positions twice near Shcherbaky and Mali Shcherbaky. Novodarivka was also hit by enemy airstrikes.
• In the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian forces did not conduct any offensive actions.
• In the Kursk direction, Ukrainian forces repelled 12 enemy assaults. The enemy carried out 16 airstrikes, dropped 33 guided bombs, and launched 172 attacks on Ukrainian defense positions and settlements, including 9 with multiple rocket launchers.

During the 24 hours of May 15, there were 165 combat clashes on the front. The General Staff noted that nearly half of these battles took place in the Pokrovsk direction.

Additionally, on May 16, the commander of the 63rd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Pavlo Yurchuk, exposed Russia’s false claims about the supposed capture of the village of Torske in the Donetsk region.