Newsletter 29/04/2024
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NATO is focusing on Patriot systems for Ukraine – Stoltenberg
“We are focusing on Patriots, also the need to refurbish existing systems, to replenish and ensure that systems which are already delivered work as they should, that there are enough ammunition,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
The Secretary General added that it is important to remember that Patriots are important but so are also other systems – NASAMS, IRIS-T and many other systems, stressing the need for a layered air defense. READ MORE
Not too late for Ukraine to prevail - Stoltenberg
Ukraine may yet gain an advantage on the battlefield against Russia as its NATO allies increase their support and defense production.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured that the members of the Alliance heard the call from President Zelensky at the Ukraine-NATO Council and agreed to increase their support, mentioning as examples the approval of a new aid package in the USA, the announcement of the largest package from the UK, the transfer of an additional air defense system from Germany, and the increase in the contributions from the Netherlands.
President Zelensky: U.S. defense package already arriving in Ukraine
"Something has already started to arrive but I won’t dwell into details. "Unfortunately, this is still not enough to fill our army and equip the appropriate number of brigades," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Zelensky, Stoltenberg meet in Kyiv, talk EUR 100B fund for Ukraine
"Today we discussed Jens's initiative to create a special Fund to financially support Ukraine’s defenses in the amount of EUR 100 billion for a period of five years," informed President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
Australia sending Ukraine another defense aid package worth $100M
The package includes: $50 million for short-range air defense systems, $30 million for uncrewed aerial systems, $15 million for other high-priority equipment, such as combat helmets, rigid-hull inflatable boats, boots, fire masks, and generators
NATO-Ukraine Council to meet on May 16
NATO’s Military Committee at the level of the Chiefs of Defence of the Alliance and Ukraine will meet on May 16, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium.
War
Russian missile attack on Odesa: Two killed, eight injured
On the evening of April 29, the Russian army launched a missile attack on Odesa. Two people were killed and eight more were injured.
Enemy shells Zaporizhzhia region 346 times in one day, man injured
Russian troops launched a missile strike on Zaporizhzhia, and six airstrikes on Veselianka, Novoandriivka, Mala Tokmachka, and Robotyne. Another 118 UAVs of various modifications attacked Huliaipole, Levadne, Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka, Malynivka, and Novoandriivka. Five MLRS attacks took place in Levadne, Mala Tokmachka, and Robotyne.
Desertion rate among Russian invaders is growing - intelligence
Most of them - about 12,000 fugitives - falls on the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces, which is constantly involved in hostilities in eastern Ukraine. Approximately 10,000 of them were drafted through mobilization. The remaining 2 thousand are contract soldiers.
Politics
Scholz's refusal to send Taurus to Ukraine becoming increasingly unclear - Heusgen
Christoph Heusgen, head of the Munich Security Conference, believes that the position of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the unacceptability of supplying Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine is becoming increasingly unclear.
Poland could close skies over west of Ukraine, but political decision needed - Yevlash
Technically, Poland is capable of closing the skies over the western regions of Ukraine, as it has long-range Patriot air defense systems, but this requires political will.
Economy
Poles unblock all checkpoints on border with Ukraine
"We express our gratitude to the Polish Ministry for the constructive work on unblocking the border. We also thank the industry associations of both countries. The ongoing negotiations were not easy, but the main thing is that we have a result," said Minister of Agrarian Policy Mykola Solsky.
Publication
Russian Troops Withdrawal from Chornobyl Exclusion Zone: Two Years Later
The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Explosion that occurred on 26 April 1986 is still ranked among the most disastrous accidents in history of nuclear energy. It is one of only two nuclear energy accidents rated at seven—the maximum severity—on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. The resettlement of tens of thousands of people, serious illnesses of local residents and clean-up workers (known as liquidators) caused by exposure, radioactive contamination of huge areas are just some of the consequences of the disaster, and to top it all off, the Russian occupation and liberation in 2022. This Ukrinform article is telling about how the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is working now, whether the exclusion zone has recovered from the Russian occupation at the beginning of the all-out invasion, and what future is ahead of it.
Video
At the competition in Kyiv, the fighters of the Special Forces Brigade " Liut" (Rage) showed their strength of spirit, will and thirst for victory
This Sunday, April 28, Kyiv hosted the Kyiv Unbreakable sports and recreation event with the participation of the Liut (Rage) Specialized Training Center. It was a competition in sports and rehabilitation adaptive sports such as archery, bench press, rowing on a simulator and Strongman. In 2024, the event was attended by about 200 veterans from 10 regions of Ukraine and more than 150 soldiers and cadets.