Russian invasion - War against Ukraine: this is the situation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi intends to personally appeal to the US Senate today for further support in view of the possible loss of important US military aid at the end of the year.
Zelenskyi wants to emphasize the urgency of further US aid for his country and will join a non-public meeting of senators via video, announced the Democratic majority leader in the House of Representatives, Chuck Schumer. He asked everyone to take part in this "important briefing". It was about finding out directly from Selensky what was at stake.
Domestic political dispute in the US Parliament
The Director of the National Budget Office, Shalanda Young, had written in a letter to the leadership in both chambers of Congress published on Monday that if Parliament did not act, the government would have no funds left at the end of the year to procure further weapons and equipment for Ukraine or to deliver equipment from its own military stocks to Kiev. US President Joe Biden had already applied to Congress in October for a huge package worth billions, including fresh money for Ukraine.
However, the release of new US aid for Ukraine continues to be blocked by a domestic political dispute between Democrats and Republicans in the US Parliament. More and more Republicans are expressing doubts about support for Ukraine or rejecting it altogether. A recently passed transition budget once again contains no new funds for Ukraine.
Schumer called on his colleagues to "do the right thing" and push for the release of new funds. If Ukraine falls, Russian President Vladimir Putin will "carry on", he warned. Autocrats around the world would be emboldened. Ultimately, it was about defending democracy.
Ukrainian army under pressure in the east
The Ukrainian army continues to face fierce attacks from Russian infantry, artillery and air force on the front in the east and south of the country. In its evening report, the General Staff in Kiev spoke of 61 infantry attacks by the enemy on Monday alone. They had been repulsed, it said without giving further details.
Dozens of villages along the front had been shelled by Russian artillery or aircraft. Unlike a few days ago, there was no mention of any offensive actions by the Ukrainians in the report. In the late evening hours on Monday, Russian combat drones attacked targets in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. According to the regional administration, there were hits.
Avdiivka still heavily contested
According to Kiev, the main Russian efforts continued to focus on the frontline city of Avdiivka in the Donbass, which is located close to Russian-controlled Donetsk. In Avdiivka and the surrounding area, 15 Russian assault attacks were counted.
"The enemy made unsuccessful attempts to break through the Ukrainian defenses," the General Staff report said. The Russian army has been trying to cut off the Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka since October. In the process, the Russian side has suffered heavy losses in terms of men and technology. However, it has continued to advance due to its numerical superiority alone. The military information is usually not immediately independently verifiable.
Russian drones over the Kharkiv region
The drone strikes caused several fires in the Kharkiv region, as Governor Oleh Synyehubov wrote on his Telegram channel. "Objects of civilian infrastructure" were hit, he wrote without providing further details. There was initially no mention of casualties. After the end of the air alert in the Kharkiv region, Russian drone attacks continued in southern and western areas of Ukraine.
Russia reports that drone attacks were repelled
According to Russia, it repelled several Ukrainian drone attacks during the night. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, 22 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed and 13 more were intercepted over the Sea of Azov and the annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. This could not initially be verified independently. It happens time and again that Russia claims to have successfully repelled drone attacks, but then damage is reported.
Putin criticizes treatment of Russians in Latvia
Russian President Putin used threatening words to criticize Latvia's treatment of part of the Russian population. "I do not believe that happiness will come to those who pursue such a policy," said the Kremlin leader in Moscow on Monday. Anyone who treats parts of their population - literally - like pigs should not be surprised if this turns against them. According to the Tass agency, Putin said this at a meeting of the Russian Human Rights Council. The Kremlin had also justified the war against Ukraine with the alleged oppression of the Russian-speaking population in the neighboring country, among other things.
Ukraine exports millions of tons of cargo by sea
According to President Zelensky, Ukraine has already exported more than seven million tons of cargo via the renewed sea corridor in the Black Sea. This is important for the ports, for agriculture, but also for many other industries, said Zelensky in his evening video address. "Millions of jobs in Ukraine depend on the exports that our country can offer." The International Maritime Organization (IMO) supports Ukraine in equipping the maritime corridor.
This is important today
Selenskyj turns to the US Senate. In Ukraine, heavy fighting is expected to continue along the entire front. For both sides, it is a battle of attrition in which Russia, with its ramped-up arms production, currently has the slight upper hand. Western aid for Ukraine is faltering. Arms production is not yet able to meet the enormous demand, for example for artillery ammunition.
Read also:
- Senator Chuck Schumer urged his colleagues in the US Senate to act promptly and release additional funding for Ukraine, highlighting the importance of supporting democracy and deterring further Russian aggression.
- The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is set to address the US Senate via video conference, emphasizing the urgent need for continued US military aid amidst concerns over potential funding cuts.
- The imminent loss of crucial US military aid for Ukraine could leave the country vulnerable, particularly in the face of ongoing Russian aggression, as expressed by Zelensky in his appeal to the US Senate.
- The conflict in eastern Ukraine, specifically in Avdiivka, continues to be a focal point of Russian military activity, with Ukrainian troops facing persistent attacks from Russian infantry, artillery, and air force, according to the General Staff in Kiev.
- Despite these challenges, Ukraine's President Zelensky noted significant achievements in exporting millions of tons of cargo via a renewed sea corridor, which is important for multiple industries and job creation within the country.
- The Director of the National Budget Office, Shalanda Young, outlined that if Congress fails to act quickly, funds for procuring additional weapons and equipment for Ukraine will run out at the end of the year, underscoring the need for immediate US support.
- As the Ukrainian army grapples with relentless Russian attacks and artillery shellings, the Biden administration continues to confront domestic political divisions within the US Congress, which are hindering the release of new aid for Ukraine.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the treatment of Russian citizens in Latvia, implying that such actions could invite retribution, while renewing his justification for invading Ukraine based on allegations of oppressing Russian speakers in the neighboring country.
Source: www.stern.de
