Terrified Russian soldiers sent on assaults ‘naked’ as supplies run low
A Ukrainian brigade has revealed that Russian troops attempting to penetrate the Pokrovsk and Kupyansk areas are arriving ill-equipped for combat, with the 7th Rapid Response Corps describing them as showing up “naked” to the front lines.
“Moscow’s military continues efforts to concentrate personnel and equipment to breach the defenses of the 25th Separate Brigade, yet deploys its top-tier soldiers to attack ‘naked,'” according to a May 5 report from the 7th Rapid Response Corps, also known as the 7th Army Corps.
“The enemy is storming in small groups, and infantry is being thrown into battle without ammunition,” the Telegram message says.
Based on an intercepted communication, a Russian officer commands his troops “to find armor, a helmet, and a machine gun by evening.” He also instructs them to substitute underwear for proper medical kits. Ukrainian forces from the 7th Corps identified and eliminated one such assault unit, according to the Telegram post.
Meanwhile, Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight left at least five dead and 39 injured, Ukrainian officials reported Tuesday, coming just hours before Kyiv announced it would implement a ceasefire and three days ahead of Moscow’s pledged truce.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow for what he characterized as “utter cynicism” in conducting the strikes after Russia declared a unilateral two-day truce later this week to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
In a post on X, Zelensky said: “Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses,” adding, “Peace is needed, and real steps are needed to achieve it. Ukraine will act in kind.”
The ceasefire proposal follows an established pattern of Russia announcing brief unilateral truces throughout the conflict, often aligned with various holidays—most recently Orthodox Easter—that have failed to yield meaningful outcomes amid profound distrust between Moscow and Kyiv more than four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
Diplomatic initiatives led by the U.S. to end the conflict have proven unsuccessful. The Russian Defense Ministry announced a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, though it warned it would retaliate if Ukraine attempted to interrupt Victory Day celebrations, which Russia commemorates annually on May 9.
In response, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine would begin observing a truce starting at the conclusion of Tuesday and would mirror Russia’s conduct from that point forward. He did not specify when the truce would end. Russian forces launched 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 164 strike drones targeting Ukraine overnight from Monday to Tuesday, including a jet-powered Shahed drone variant, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ukrainian air defense units intercepted 149 drones and one missile, though others penetrated defenses, officials reported. Two ballistic missiles failed to reach their intended targets, the air force stated without providing further details.
Throughout the conflict, which commenced on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The latest strikes hit natural gas production facilities in Ukraine’s central Poltava and northeastern Kharkiv regions, Naftogaz Group, the state energy company, confirmed.
Naftogaz facilities have been attacked 107 times since the beginning of the year, the company reported.
Zelenskyy characterized the Poltava attack as “especially vile,” noting that Russia fired a second missile at the same location while emergency responders were on site.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that Russia’s primary targets included energy facilities, oil and gas infrastructure, railways and industrial sites, while the strikes also caused damage to residential areas, businesses and the transportation network.