Global Courant 2023-05-17 06:25:03
As the war enters its 448th day, we review key developments.
Here is the state of affairs on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
To fight
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his country’s military for reportedly shooting down six Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in one night. The Kinzhal, which means “dagger” in Russian, is one of six “next generation” weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted that they couldn’t be shot down by any of the world’s air defense systems when he unveiled them in 2018. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu rejected Ukraine’s claim that it shot down the missiles, saying Moscow had not launched that many, Russia’s state news agency RIA reported. Russia’s defense ministry said its missiles destroyed a US-built Patriot surface-to-air missile defense system during a strike in Ukraine, military news outlet Zvezda reported. Two unnamed US officials who spoke to the Reuters news agency said a Patriot missile defense system used by Ukrainian forces likely received some damage from a Russian attack, but was not destroyed. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that unexploded bombs, grenades and mines not only threaten human lives in Ukraine, but also risk rendering parts of fertile farmland unusable for years to come. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian troops recaptured about 20 square kilometers (7.7 sq mi) around Bakhmut, driving Russian troops from the city’s flanks, but she admitted Moscow’s troops were pushing deeper into the embattled entered the city. Russia launched 80 artillery attacks against the Kherson region of Ukraine, including 14 against the city of Kherson. Six people, including a child, were injured when a residential area was hit, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Russian forces would concentrate their main efforts towards the frontline eastern towns of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka.
Military aid
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte pledged to build an “international coalition” to equip Ukraine with fighter jets and provide support “with everything from training to the procurement of F16 jets,” a spokesman for the UK said. Sunak’s office in Downing Street. a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron previously offered to train Ukrainian fighter pilots, but ruled out sending fighter jets to Kiev. Hungary refused to approve the disbursement of the next tranche of military aid to Ukraine to be provided under the EU’s European Peace Facility (EPF). Peace Facility only with regard to Ukraine, as it does not allow sufficient resources to be released to promote EU interests in other areas”. The EU has so far provided a total of about €3.6 billion ($3.9 billion) in military aid to Ukraine under the EPF.
Diplomacy and politics
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is encouraging Russian citizens to contact its agents through a secure Internet channel, saying it wants to hear from military officers, intelligence specialists, diplomats, scientists and people with information about the Russian economy and its leadership. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc will crack down on imports of petroleum products from India that use Russian oil. In rare criticism of India’s role in helping Russia evade Western sanctions, Borell said the EU did not mind increased oil trade between Russia and India, but urged a crackdown on India reselling Russian oil to Europe as a refined fuel, including diesel. Leaders of the 46-nation Council of Europe agreed to create a “damage register” to record Russia’s destruction of Ukraine for future compensation. The register, which will be filed in The Hague, aims to record the tangible costs that Russia has demanded from Ukraine, officials said at a Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. Leaders of the Group of Seven Nations plan to tighten sanctions against Russia at their summit this week in Japan, officials with direct knowledge of the talks said. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to receive a mission from African leaders on a potential peace plan for the conflict. Ukraine and Russia will face off before the United Nations Supreme Court on June 6, where judges will hear Ukraine’s claim that Moscow violated a UN treaty by supporting pro-Russian separatists identified by a Dutch court as responsible for the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight in 2014. MH17, killing hundreds. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has called for an extension of the Black Sea grain deal as there is a risk of further volatility in the food market. The grain from Ukraine and Russia represents as much as 90 percent of imports to countries in East Africa, which are experiencing a serious food crisis, the IRC said. (TagsToTranslate)News
