Map of Ukraine. Image – U.S. DoD
A snapshot of recent news from sources around the world on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
On President’s Day, February 20, President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. In his statement he said, “Over the last year, the United States has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support – and that support will endure.”
While in Kyiv, President Biden announced a $460 million military aid package for Ukraine involving the transfer of equipment from U.S. inventories. The package includes HIMARS ammunition, 155mm artillery rounds, 120mm mortar rounds, four air surveillance radars, Javelin missiles, 2,000 anti-armor rockets, four Bradley Infantry Fire Support Team vehicles, two tactical vehicles to recover equipment, Claymore mines, demolition munitions, night vision devices, tactical secure communications systems, medical supplies, and spare parts and other field equipment.
The Pentagon has announced a new aid package for Ukraine. This security assistance is worth $2 billion, according to the Pentagon’s announcement on February 24. The new package includes more ammunition for artillery and several types of drones, including the upgraded Switchblade 600.
Amid heightened tensions, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would suspend its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the United States, which places limitations on nuclear weapons arsenals.
The U.S. Army is drafting options for sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Last month, President Biden announced the U.S. would send 31 tanks. It will take time for plans to come together, and there is no guarantee that the tanks will even arrive by the end of the year.
The United Kingdom may provide Ukraine long-range weaponry. The U.K. did not say the specific weapons it will provide to Ukraine, but there is speculation Kyiv could receive the Storm Shadow missile.
Russia continued its missile barrage on Ukraine’s cities and infrastructure. The most recent attack took place on February 23, targeting the Kupiansk district, Kharkiv Oblast, according to Ukrainian officials.
A Czech company will provide inflatable decoy systems to the Ukrainian military. A Czech company has delivered to Kyiv inflatable decoys that simulate the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System). These decoys fool Russian forces into wasting munitions on fake weaponry.
Since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Moscow has performed almost 5,000 missile strikes against targets inside Ukraine. Russia also performed nearly 1,000 attacks using expendable drones.
One year on and Putin has already lost the war, posits Defense One. The cost of the war has hit the country hard economically and reduced its geopolitical influence.
Italy’s prime minster said a supply of Italian fighter jets to Ukraine is currently not under consideration.
The United Nations General Assembly approved a non-binding resolution calling for Russia to end hostilities and withdraw its forces from Ukraine. The motion passed by a vote of 141-7, with 32 countries abstaining. Belarus, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea, and Mali voted against the resolution. India and China were among the major powers that abstained.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claims the Alliance has seen signs that China is considering providing lethal aid to Russia, and he warned Beijing against doing so. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also recently said China would face consequences if it provided weapons to Russia.
Finally, some interesting data can be found in the tweet below from Euromaidan Press as the war hits the one-year mark .
Russia's approximate losses after a year of the all-out war. pic.twitter.com/HXLcdE4UB0
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 24, 2023
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