Ukraine is in a dire situation, with some experts suggesting that an additional $1 billion from the US will not be significant.
The Russian missile strike in Ukraine killed 17 people, including a child and many more were injured.
The U.S. secretary of state’s visit to Ukraine this week, along with a new defense minister and an additional $1 billion in aid, has given hope to positive developments in the country. However, can these changes help to end the war?
Ukraine and U.S. officials affirm the decision, but certain experts are skeptical.
During a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters that those who believe that Ukraine and the U.S. will not remain united until the end of their victory have been proven wrong.
Blinken expressed a positive outlook, stating that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has grown stronger in recent weeks and that the new aid package will help sustain it and build up its momentum.
The Biden administration’s “party line” is that Ukraine is winning and Russia must surrender to the West or become a “vassal of China,” according to Steven Myers, an Air Force veteran, State Department advisory panel member, and Russian expert on Russia. Myer believes that Rustem Umerov, the new Ukrainian Defense Minister, will not significantly alter Ukraine’S fight against its far-flung neighbor, nor does the latest aid package seem to be decisive.
Myers stated that the Ukrainians were struggling with a lack of effective countermeasures.
According to Myers’ statement to USA TODAY, the Ukrainians use “pin pricks” and news of reclaiming land to demonstrate progress to the West, but they are not open about the cost of their lives.
“They are not conversing about the counterstrikes of the Russians, who are only skilled at setting traps and have no concern for gaining or maintaining territory in the kill zone,” he said.
The usual outcome of Ukrainian incursions into Russian territory is the destruction of high-rise windows in Moscow by drones. On Wednesday, a downtown market in Kostiantynivka was hit by dozens of Russian rockets, killing 17 civilians hours after Blinken arrived in Kyivitz.
Myers emphasized the importance of an exit strategy for both Ukraine and the West.
According to Myers, Europe is facing greater economic hardships than the US and Germany, both of which are experiencing severe recessions. He suggested that Europeans require an alternative solution to their economic struggles.
According to Sean McFate, a professor at Syracuse University and senior fellow at the nonpartisan Atlantic Council think tank, Myers agrees with the change in defense ministers, which he believes was forced by corruption claims. However, his opinion is that this will not change the war’s nature either.
According to McFate, the U.S. was reliant on conventional warfare tactics during wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, but it has not changed its approach in Ukraine. He believes that Russia’s early missteps were due to its disastrous attack on Kyiv. As a result, Moscow is now using more modern military techniques, including controlling information and employing mercenary troops, according to USA TODAY.
According to McFate, Ukraine is no longer the destination of wars like in World War II, where taking the enemy’s land, killing their soldiers, and raising your flag over their capital is not a winning strategy.
At what point in time will Ukraine become a member of NATO? The potential for the Russian military bases to provide guidance.
Advancements:
According to a statement from Ukraine’s prosecutor general, roughly 90% of Ukrainian POWs have been subjected to torture, rape, sexual assault, or other abuse. Andriy Kostin spoke with Alice Edwards, the U.N.’ special rapporteur on torture and human rights.
Local media reports indicate that an armed Ukrainian drone crashed in the Volgograd region of Russia near the southern district logistics center, with no damage or injuries reported.
A video posted on Telegram by the Ukrainian Air Force depicted a German-supplied Gepard anti-aircraft artillery system firing at Russia’s armed drones constructed by Iranians.
The State Department has reported that 11 individuals have been sanctioned by the U.S. and Britain for their involvement in the Trickbot Russian cybercrime network, which has targeted hospitals and the government of the United States.
According to a Telegram report by the local prosecutor office, ‘Russian drone attack in Odesa port city of southern Ukraine injured two truck drivers and destroyed… A grain elevator and an administrative building were also damaged as well. Private homes were among them.
On Thursday, the Pentagon declared that they had placed $600 million in orders for military contractors to assist the Ukrainian military, which includes long-range artillery ammunition, air defense equipment, and mine-clearing gear.
Unlike the $175 million package that was announced on Wednesday, the latest shipment of weapons, which includes depleted-uranium ammunition for Abrams tanks, is made from existing Pentagon stocks and can be delivered within days. Thursday’s aid will take contractors several months to produce and ship to Ukraine.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the Biden administration has provided Ukraine with military aid totaling over $43 billion.
Tom Vanden Brook
Ukraine market hit by deadly missiles; Blinken pledges $1 billion in aid during Kyiv visit, with live updates.
Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, spent his second day in Ukraine visiting with men and women to work towards ensuring safety during wartime. He visited border guards and highlighted that the latest U.S. aid package includes $300 million for Ukrainian law enforcement. Additionally, he tweeted about visits with “courageous” Ukrainians who are working to clear roads, parks, and playgrounds from mines as well as unexploded ordinances, which could take years. Furthermore, $90.5 million is included in the demining assistance.
Blinken stated that Ukrainian citizens are uniting to eliminate the ordnance, mines, and rebuild. He emphasized the importance of recovering the land that was taken from them.
The “shadowy system” of gun brokers and exporters is playing a crucial role in getting weapons and ammunition to Ukrainians fighting against Russia’s invasion. While America receives most of its $44 billion in documented support to Ukraine, other weapons are obtained from private sales. The war has increased demand for private defense trade activities, with more than 14,000 U.S. entities registered to conduct such activities.
Private U.S. companies are playing a small but essential role in the arming of Ukraine, as stated by Jim Bartlett, an attorney who specializes in international arms deals.
Bartlett stated that the State Department is making efforts to clear individuals heading to Ukraine as quickly as possible, and they will provide them with head-of-the-line privileges. Read more about the investigation.
Nick Penzenstadler
See how private arms sales from the United States are contributing to the war in Ukraine.