War update: 253 combat clashes on front line over past day, fiercest fighting in Pokrovsk sector

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Facebook update on the situation as of 8:00, on Friday, May 22.

The enemy carried out one missile strike using one missile, 95 air strikes, and dropped 288 guided aerial bombs. In addition, Russian forces used 9,655 kamikaze drones and conducted 3,285 shelling attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements, including 16 using multiple launch rocket systems.

Ukrainian aviation, missile forces, and artillery struck 12 clusters of enemy personnel and three UAV command posts.

In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, Russian forces launched three air strikes using seven guided aerial bombs and carried out 80 shelling attacks, including two with MLRS. Two assault actions were recorded.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russian troops launched 10 attacks near Lyman, Vilcha, Synelnykove, Vovchanski Khutory, and toward Izbytske.

In the Kupiansk sector, six attacks were recorded toward Kurylivka, Kivsharivka, Novoplatonivka, Novoosynove, and Hlushkivka.

In the Lyman sector, Russian forces attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses seven times near Zarichne, Serednie, and toward Lyman and Shyikivka.

In the Sloviansk sector, four assaults were reported toward Rai-Oleksandrivka, Piskunivka, and near Riznykivka.

In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian forces attacked near Minkivka.

In the Kostiantynivka sector, 25 assaults were recorded near Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Pleshchiivka, Vilne, Toretske, Rusyn Yar, Stepanivka, and toward Kostiantynivka and Zolotyi Kolodiaz.

In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 52 assaults toward Zatyshok, Nikanorivka, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Hryshyne, Kotlyne, Kamianka, Serhiivka, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopavlivka, Novopidhorodnie, Bilytske, Shevchenko, and Myrne.

In the Oleksandrivka sector, Russian troops attacked seven times near Ternove and toward Verbove, Dobropillia, and Kalynivske.

In the Huliaipole sector, Russian forces launched 28 assaults toward Nove Zaporizhzhia, Dobropillia, Rybne, Zlahoda, Zaliznychne, Tsvitkove, Vozdvyzhivka, Verkhnia Terza, Staroukrainka, Huliaipilske, and Charivne.

In the Orikhiv sector, Ukrainian defenders stopped one Russian attempt to advance near Shcherbaky.

In the Prydniprovske sector, Russian forces carried out three assaults toward the Antonivskyi Bridge area.

No signs of offensive group formation were observed in the Volyn and Polissia sectors.

As reported by Ukrinform, the total combat losses of Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, through May 22, 2026, have reached approximately 1,353,860 personnel, including 880 troops killed or wounded over the past 24 hours.