Top news stories about the Russia-Ukraine war on Russia's Channel One on Monday, May 16, 2022.

By Madeline Roache

What follows is NewsGuard’s summary and translation of top news stories from Russia’s state TV Channel One. NewsGuard presents these stories in the order that they appear on the program. NewsGuard shares this summary as part of our mission to monitor and report all categories of misinformation, including Russian disinformation. Please note that these summaries of Russian state TV broadcasts may well contain falsehoods or propaganda, and NewsGuard does not vet them for accuracy or balance.

Ukrainian militants are blocked at Azovstal in Mariupol

Resistance is futile. The situation at the Azovstal plant, the last stronghold of Ukrainian nationalists in Mariupol, increasingly resembles a pointless game of endurance, in which the radicals have no chance. The trap has been slammed shut. Every meter of the plant is now under the guns of the Donetsk People’s Republic fighters. The countdown has started for the nationalists and they can stop it at any moment. Oleg Shishkin reports from the scene.

Shishkin said: “According to various sources, one and a half thousand to two thousand Ukrainian fighters are located around Azovstal. In order to save the lives of our servicemen, during the liberation of Mariupol, Vladimir Putin ordered to abandon the assault on Azovstal and, instead, to block the nationalists there. The order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief has been fulfilled. Аll routes to exit this strongly fortified area have been closed. The trap has been slammed shut. The troops are comparing these nationalists to wild beasts that are caught in a trap. Their days are numbered, but, in agony, they’re capable of a desperate attack and are still dangerous.”

Three British nationals may be among the Ukrainian nationalists blocked at Azovstal

This is reported by the Daily Express newspaper. British journalists are writing about yet another mercenary from the United Kingdom. He said he arrived in Ukraine with three mercenaries, but they were sent to different places. He was wounded in the Donbas and then went to Lviv for treatment. The last messages he received from his three of his compatriots were in April. The mercenaries, two of whom had previously served in Afghanistan, complained about the difficult conditions at Azovstal.

Ukrainian troops attack Donbas again

There have been three attacks in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the last day. The nationalists used heavy artillery. Zolote and Pervomaisk were also under attack. Shells damaged residential buildings and a subdivision of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Lugansk Republic.

The situation is also turbulent in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In the morning, they shelled the districts of Donetsk, Kirovsk, and Petrovsk. And the night before, representatives of the Donetsk Republic reported that six civilians were wounded, including a child. They are residents of several settlements in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Injured Russian servicemen received state awards in six clinics of the Ministry of Defense

Here are more fighters who showed heroism and courage, and who are now being treated for their injuries. They were given government awards in six clinics of the Ministry of Defense. Privates and sergeants received medals “For courage,” the Medal of Suvorov, the Order of Courage. There were a total of 28 awards.

The commander of the Western Military District, Alexander Zhuravlev, presented state awards to pilots, special forces soldiers, artillerymen, representatives of rear units, and doctors. The professionalism and persistence of more than two dozen people were noted. The awards they received included medals of the Order of Courage and medals of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, the second degree.

The famous Su-25 reliably protects and supports the Russian army  

The formidable Su-25 provides powerful support for ground units. Attack aircraft, which have proven themselves over time, are effective both day and night, even at extremely low altitudes. The formula for success is a reliable vehicle, powerful weapons, and the highest mastery of the crews. Alexander Lyakin reports.

Lyakin said: “Titanium, armor and aluminum — attack aircraft Su-25 flies just above the heads of the enemy. Its main task is to rescue the infantry on the battlefield…. The rooks [Su-25] are always by the soldiers, always ready to bring help. That’s why the army loves them.”

U.S. gas prices hit a record high after the petrol rush

The snowballing effect of the White House policy is the fuel crisis in the U.S. itself. There is an “energy nightmare,” in the words of the influential publication Politico. The phrase is dramatic, but true. The cost of gas, like petrol, has broken records. Journalists noted that prices have doubled since the start of the year, surging to their highest level in more than ten years.

As a result, the cost of everything from cooking to the production of fertilizers has increased, and there is no reason to hope that the situation will quickly improve. You also get the impression that America is now more concerned about a possible economic attack on Russia, than the well-being of its own citizens.

[Channel One quotes Politico] “The U.S. has become the world’s leading exporter of liquefied natural gas, meaning that Americans are literally competing with buyers overseas for their own gas. Most of these exports go to European allies seeking to lessen their reliance on Russian natural gas after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.”

While gas prices could still be controlled using oil from strategic reserves, there are very few levers of influence on the gas industry. Therefore, a further rise in inflation levels is expected.

There is also a frenzy about gas in Europe, so much so that it is having to look for ways to circumvent its own sanctions. In order to somehow mitigate the consequences of the energy crisis, the EU has had to adjust the requirements for companies to pay in rubles for Russian gas. According to Bloomberg, the European Commission will still allow companies to open accounts with Gazprombank and purchase fuel in accordance with our requirements.