07/07/2023
Czech Republic and Bulgaria pledge more support to Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the capitals of Bulgaria and the Czech Republic on Thursday, discussing military aid and Ukraine’s NATO membership.
Czech President Petr Pavel said it is in his country’s and Ukraine’s interests that as soon as the war ends negotiations with Kyiv begin to join the US-led military alliance.
Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskyy also discussed European integration and bilateral energy cooperation, during a brief visit to Sofia at the invitation of Bulgaria’s new pro-Western government sworn in a month ago.
Bulgaria’s Parliament approved a declaration of support for Ukraine’s NATO membership once the fighting stops.
The declaration, which was backed by a majority in Parliament, called for continued military and technical support for Ukraine so it can defend itself.
The Czech Republic gave Ukraine arms, including heavy weapons such as Soviet-era tanks, armoured vehicles and ammunition. The country has accepted a total of 500,000 refugees from Ukraine.
Ukrainian missiles rain down on Russian front
Kyiv launched an array of missiles against Russia’s “entire front”, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Wednesday.
Russian facilities across the war front were targeted by coordinated missile attacks, according to several geolocated footage and images.
The US-based think tank’s analysis confirmed strikes in a Russian military facility in Makiivka and an administration building in the occupied territory of Volnovakha.
“Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated series of strikes aimed at degrading Russian logistics and ground lines of communication (GLOCs) throughout the theatre,” the ISW said.
The analysis comes amidst Ukraine’s Security and Defence Council secretary’s claims of “fruitful” counteroffensive efforts in the past few days.
Ukraine has ramped up its efforts to regain occupied territories towards the east as a fierce battle continues near Bakhmut.
Washington allegedly agrees to send cluster bombs to Ukraine
The United States has reportedly said it will send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military dislodge and push back entrenched Russian forces.
A new military aid package worth €735 million is expected to be announced by the Biden administration on Friday.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed slow weapons deliveries to Ukraine are frustrating its counteroffensive, allowing Russia to consolidate occupied areas with mines.
Sending the banned ammunition to Kyiv is expected to trigger outrage from some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed the use of cluster bombs.
Cluster munitions are an attractive option because they would help Ukraine destroy more targets with fewer rounds.
The use of cluster bombs itself does not violate international law, but using them against civilians can be a violation.
A convention banning the use of cluster bombs has been joined by more than 120 countries, which agreed not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile the weapons and to clear them after they’ve been used.
The US, Russia and Ukraine haven’t signed the agreement.
The US hasn’t used them in conflict since Iraq and it has large amounts of them in storage it can access quickly, said Ryan Brobst, a research analyst for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Proponents argue that Russia has already been using the controversial weapon in Ukraine and that the munitions the US will provide have far fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.
NATO tracking Wagner mercenaries, says Stoltenberg
NATO is monitoring the movement of Wagner mercenaries and chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Western military alliance’s chief said on Thursday.
Jens Stoltenberg’s comments come after the Belarusian President claimed exiled Wagner boss is not in Belarus.
“We monitor closely where the Wagner soldiers are moving around, and also where he [Prigozhin] is moving,” Jens Stoltenberg told news outlet Al Jazeera.
Contrary to the deal that ended Wagner’s mutiny against the Russian military leadership, the mercenaries have not moved to Belarus in large numbers, according to Stoltenberg.
“We have seen some preparations for hosting large groups of Wagner soldiers in Belarus. So far we haven’t seen so many of them going to Belarus,” he said.
Stoltenberg claimed Prigozhin was “moving a bit around” refusing to go into details.
The Wagner boss reportedly arrived in Belarus just over a week ago upon Alexander Lukashenko’s invitation.
“He’s in St Petersburg. He is not on the territory of Belarus,” Lukashenko told reporters on Thursday.
“Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated series of strikes aimed at degrading Russian logistics and ground lines of communication (GLOCs) throughout the theatre,”
Meanwhile, the mafia army concentrates on destroying apartment buildings, schools, kindergartens, pizzerias…
“We monitor closely where the Wagner soldiers are moving around, and also where he [Prigozhin] is moving,”
Maybe – just maybe – there is some working together?
This is funny. The Kremlin claim they have no idea where Prickozhin or his Wagner scum are, but Ukrainians will know exactly where he is.
Yeah, it’s all quite strange. The so-called coup lasted less than a day, yet the repercussions are still bouncing around.
I think the FSB are protecting Prickozhin. You don’t let a guy who tried to overthrow the government, just walk around, free as a bird. Then they returned all his stolen money and gold bars, really weird.
“Sending the banned ammunition to Kyiv is expected to trigger outrage from some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed the use of cluster bombs.”
Maybe the allies have a better solution? If not, STFU and let Ukraine destroy the orc army any way it sees fit.
Without clusters it is impossible to deter invading forces at a 1:10 ratio.
These assholes complain only when Ukraine wants something or does something that doesn’t suit them, because doing so against mafia land is completely useless.