US Buys 81 Soviet-Era Warplanes From Kazahkstan To Give To Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia are both still flying Soviet-era warplanes, including fighters, bombers and interceptors. Which is why the US purchase of 81 such combat aircraft from former Russian ally Kazakhstan such a threat.

The planes will reportedly be given to Ukraine as replacements, decoys or a source of spare parts, as well as the psychological warfare benefit of having Russia know it's been defied by another former vassal state. JL 

Rebecca Rommen and Thibault Spirlet report in Business Insider:

The US has acquired 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan, including MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighters, and Su-24 bombers from the 1970s and 1980s. The declared sale value was one billion Kazakhstani tenge, or $2.26 million, an average value for each plane of $19,300. The aircraft could be used in Ukraine, where similar aircraft are in service, given Ukraine's continued reliance on Soviet-era weapons. The aircraft could serve as a source of spare parts or be deployed as decoys. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Kazakhstan is aligning itself more with the West, drawing the fury of some in Russia.

Russian Army Suffers "Significant" Desertion Increase To 18,000 Soldiers

Casualties this winter and spring have remained so high that even the Russian command appears to be concerned enough to try new tactics. 

And soldiers on the front line know that with the warmer, dryer weather coming, more offensives putting their lives as risk are coming. JL 

New Voice of Ukraine reports:

Ukraine Defense Intelligence reports a significant increase in desertions within the Russian army, with more than 18,000 soldiers leaving their posts. The 8th Combined Arms Army, engaged in eastern Ukraine, has seen about 12,000 deserters, comprised of 10,000 conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers. Additionally, 2,500 soldiers have deserted from the 58th Combined Arms Army, part of the southern district. British intelligence previously stated that the high level of desertion demonstrates the poor morale of the Russian army and reluctance to fight due to the lack of training and motivation faced by Russian troops along the entire front line.

Ukrainian Forces Capture Strategic Island At Mouth Of Dnipro River

The Ukrainians continue to be opportunistic, seizing advantages where Russian focus on one or two sectors weakens their strength in other areas like the cross-Dnipro front. 

This island gives Ukrainian forces more options for expanding their offensive capabilities on the southeast bank of the Dnipro River. JL 

The Kyiv Post reports:

Ukraine has established control over Nestryha Island in the Kherson region. Nestryha is 20 kilometers southwest of Kherson City and 60 kilometers from Krynky, on the left (south) bank of the Dnipro River where Ukrainian troops have established a bridgehead. Controlling the island at the mouth of the Dnipro River provides Ukraine with tactical advantages such as better drone coverage of the area and it further impedes Russian supply routes. The island could be a launching pad for future Ukrainian operations to liberate the south bank of the river, allowing troops to cross by island-hopping instead of launching a pontoon bridge over wider sections of the river.

Ukraine Thwarts Desperate Russian Attempt To Seize Territory Before US Aid Arrives

In Ukraine right now, there is a race between Russian attempts to seize territory before Ukrainian forces are reinforced with new weapons, ammunition and reinforcements. 

The Russians have made some limited tactical gains but appear incapable of expanding those into a broader strategic breakthrough due to their previous losses of armor and trained army units. That the Ukrainians have held on using drones and lightly armed infantry, suggests to experts that the Russians will lose this race. JL 

Phillips O'Brien reports in his substack:

The Russians are trying to seize as much territory as possible before much US aid reaches the Ukrainian forces. I’m skeptical that such an operation could be successful now due to the general balance of offensive and defensive firepower. The Ukrainians have been fighting for months with very little artillery ammunition. They have been pounded by the Russians who had 5 times the ranged firepower. (But) the Ukrainians held the line with infantry and lots of UAVs, which continued to make vehicle-led advances almost impossible. If the Ukrainians get US ammunition to the front soon—and combine it with their growing UAV capacity, the chance of a major Russian advance would be limited.

Ukraine Drones, Troops Halt Russian Progress Towards Chasiv Yar

The situation at Chasiv Yar, while still challenging, appears to have stabilized over the weekend as Ukrainian reinforcements and drone units have stymied Russian attacks. 

The Ukrainians, buoyed by impending arrival of renewed weapons and ammunition, are taking advantage of Russian tactical errors. JL 

Yuri Zoria reports in Euromaidan Press:

Russian forces are intensifying efforts to capture Chasiv Yar. (But) Ukrainian drone units say everything Russia sends to capture the city is being destroyed byUkrainian forces. The Russians “were tasked with capturing the city by 9 May, and we were tasked with preventing them from doing so,” and the Russians haven’t made territorial gains. “They are stopped in Bohdanivka and Ivanivske. To the south, Klishchiivka and Andriivka, they also tried to several positions, but the 92nd Brigade regained them. Anything moving toward Chasiv Yar faces destruction.“

The Hard Part: Businesses Try To Make Huge AI Investments Profitable

The vaunted Silicon Valley hype machine has done its work: everyone still on the grid now knows that AI is the breathtakingly important new-new thing. Venture capital and corporate investment in AI continues to rise. Governments are elbowing each other out of the way to make AI dominance a strategic priority. 

There is just one problem: companies, the all important entities whose investment in AI will fuel future growth, are finding it hard to figure out how to make a profit from it. Even tech behemoths like Google and Meta are being cagey about how they might turn ongoing multi-billion AI investments into profit centers, because they are probably not sure. Corporate clients are desperately searching for ways to justify the continued outlays. The issue is the massive cost of training AI algorithms, compounded by the fact that the world is actually running out of data, which will require building 'artificial data,' an expensive enterprise itself. The looming threat of intellectual property lawsuits plus government regulation are further hindrances to investment. All of which is to say that while AI may still be the future, profitability may not be as imminent as hoped. JL 

Gerrit De Vynck reports in the Washington Post:

A year and a half into the AI boom, evidence is growing the hype machine is slowing. Promising start-ups have cratered, and products launched by OpenAI, Microsoft, Google and Meta have yet to upend the way people work. While money keeps pouring into AI, very few companies are turning a profit on (it). The immense cost of training AI means as tech begins charging for AI, they are spending billions to develop tools. Companies are running out of data to train their models, raising (fears) about reliability and improvement in AI capability will plateau. Claims are rising that AI being better than humans is exaggerated. Some are concerned AI lawsuits will render investments a waste or AI will be made obsolete by future tech, making them hesitant to invest right now. "Businesses need to identify where AI can make a real impact and strategically deploy AI there.”

Ukrainian Forces Repulse 40 Russia Attacks Around Avdiivka In Past 24 Hours

Once again, it is a testament to the fortitude and leadership of Ukrainian forces that they continue to repel relentless Russian assaults despite the Russians well-advertised advantages. JL 

Kateryna Tshchenko reports in Ukraine Pravda:

Ukrainian forces repelled 40 attacks near Novokalynove, Keramik, Arkhanhelske, Umanske, Sokil, Ocheretyne, Kalynove, Soloviove, Novopokrovske, Novoselivka Persha and Semenivka where the Russians tried to drive Ukrainian troops away from their positions. The Russians also launched airstrikes near Oleksandropil and Ocheretyne. Over 10 settlements, including Arkhanhelske, Sokil and Novopokrovske, were struck by Russian artillery and mortars. On the Novopavlivka front, Ukrainian forces continue to hold the Russians back near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Vodiane, Novomykhailivka and Urozhaine where Russians, supported by aircraft, tried to break through Ukrainian defences 11 times