Calm before the storm? Russia makes little progress as its forces regroup
Members of the Ukrainian service are seen in a position on the front line, in the middle of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near New York City, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on June 9, 2022.
Gleb Garanich | Reuters
Russian forces on the front line in Donetsk have made little progress in the past 24 hours, according to the UK Ministry of Defense, but this is likely due to the regrouping of their troops before a new push into the region. of Donetsk.
“The Russian units involved in last week’s gains are now likely to be reconstituted,” the ministry said on Twitter on Thursday.
Russia has not claimed to have taken any new territory in recent days, but analysts say it is likely due to the regrouping of its forces before launching another assault on the Donetsk region in the Donbas. Russia has already seized the neighboring Luhansk province after the capture of the city of Lysychansk last weekend.
Analysts at the Institute for War said on Wednesday evening that “the Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed territorial gains every day since the start of the war, but has not claimed any new territory or ground force movements since who completed the siege of Lysychansk on July 3. “
“However, Russian forces still carried out limited and unsuccessful ground attacks on all axes on July 6. These attempts are consistent with a Russian operational pause, which does not imply or require the complete cessation of active hostilities. “.
It means, in this case, analysts said that Russian forces will likely be limited to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they try to establish the conditions “for major offensive operations” and rebuild the combat power needed to try these more ambitious.
“Holly Ellyatt.”
Humanity is at risk if the West wants to punish Russia for Ukraine, the official warns
Former President Dmitry Medvedev told Telegram on Wednesday that he thought it was a “crazy” idea to “create courts or tribunals for the so-called investigation into Russia’s actions” in Ukraine.
Ekaterina Shtukina | Sputnik | Reuters
A senior Russian official has warned that humanity could be at risk if the West tries to punish Russia for its actions in Ukraine, in response to U.S. calls from an international tribunal to prosecute possible war crimes in the country.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev, formerly known for his more liberal stance but now a determined hawk as deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, told Telegram on Wednesday that he thought it was a “crazy” idea to create courts or tribunals for the the so-called investigation of Russia’s actions “in Ukraine.
“These proposals are not only legally null and void. The idea of punishing a country that has one of the greatest nuclear potentials is absurd in itself. And it potentially poses a threat to the existence of humanity.”
He said the US had sown “chaos and devastation around the world under the guise of ‘true democracy'”, criticizing the US for killing Native Americans, nuclear attacks in Japan and for participating in wars in the US. Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
At the end of his Telegram message, Medvedev referred to the Bible, saying that if the US judges Russia it could face the wrath of God.
“The United States and its useless puppets should remember the words of the Bible: ‘Judge not, that you be not judged; lest the great day of his wrath come to your house, and who can stand it?’ Medvedev. dit.
“Holly Ellyatt.”
Russia’s claims that it destroyed 2 US-made HIMARS are false, says Ukraine
A Ukrainian military in a HIMAR system on July 1, 2022 in eastern Ukraine. “HIMARS jet systems provided by US partners constantly deliver devastating attacks at strategically important enemy points, leading to colossal losses between equipment, personnel and occupation forces,” Ukraine said.
The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images
Russia claimed on Wednesday that it had destroyed two rocket systems made in the United States (the United States gave it eight such systems in recent weeks), but Ukraine has denied it, saying it was propaganda and fake news.
“Russian propagandists are actively spreading false messages about the alleged destruction of the US artillery system ‘HIMARS’,” the Ukrainian armed forces said yesterday on Facebook, adding that “it is just another fake Russian “. HIMAR refers to high mobility artillery rocket systems.
“HIMARS jet systems provided by US partners constantly deliver devastating attacks at strategically important enemy points, leading to colossal losses between equipment, personnel and occupation forces,” Ukraine said.
Ukraine’s rebuttal came after Russia’s defense ministry said Wednesday it had destroyed two U.S.-made HIMARS.
“High-precision air missiles have destroyed 2 U.S.-made Himars multi-launch rocket launchers and 2 ammunition depots near Malotaranovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said Wednesday in its latest military update.
CNBC and NBC News were unable to immediately verify the claim or a video the ministry released claiming it was from the HIMARS strike.
“Holly Ellyatt.”
Russian forces are finally feeling the impact of Western artillery, Zelenskyy says
“Finally, it is considered that Western artillery, the weapons that Ukraine received from its partners, began to work very hard,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Wednesday.
Alexey Furman | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The heavy weapons donated to Ukraine by its Western allies are finally having effects on Russia, the Ukrainian president has said.
“Finally, it is considered that Western artillery, the weapons that Ukraine received from its partners, began to work very hard,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech on Wednesday.
The accuracy of these weapons is exactly what Ukraine needs right now, Zelenskyy said, especially when trying to repel Russia’s aggressive tactics in the east of the country.
“Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other points that are important for the logistics of the occupiers and this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army. The losses of the occupants will only increase each week, as well as the difficulty of supply. “them,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine has called for more heavy weapons from its NATO allies to try to match Russia’s almost constant bombardment of frontline towns and cities, especially in Luhansk (which has been captured by Russia), and while trying to break through. in the neighboring Donetsk region.
Both form the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow saying a key goal of their invasion is to “liberate” the region.
“Holly Ellyatt.”
Reflection group says West could help Ukraine get Soviet-era equipment from non-NATO countries
Rescue operations underway following Russian missile attacks in the Serhiivka district of Odessa, Ukraine, left at least 17 dead and 31 wounded on July 1, 2022.
Methane Acta | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
According to a new report by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Ukraine requires the sustained support of non-NATO countries to provide enough Soviet-era weapons and ammunition to continue its fight with Moscow.
While the West should continue to work to make the transition from Ukraine to the standard NATO team, the report notes that this will take time and training. For now, Ukraine will continue to depend in part on the Soviet standard equipment, according to the report.
“While Washington has explored the stocks of NATO allies and the Pentagon has explored other potential options, a thorough search focused on non-NATO countries reveals a robust supply of Soviet- and Russian-made weapons without explode (and its associated spare parts and ammunition.) that Washington could help Kyiv acquire quickly, “the report said.
FDD, a non-partisan, nonprofit research institute focused on foreign policy and national security, identified more than 6,300 relevant systems from non-NATO countries most likely to deliver weapons to Ukraine. These countries were defined as those who voted in favor of Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine to the UN General Assembly, voted in favor of suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council or at least attended at a meeting of the US Defense Contact Group organized by the US.
“Natalie Tham.”
According to the expert, Russia earns about $ 1 billion a day in revenue from oil and gas exports
The model of the gas pump is seen in front of the colors of the flag of Ukraine and Russia in this illustration made on March 25, 2022.
Donat Ruvic | Reuters
Despite a large number of coordinated global sanctions, Russia still contributes about $ 1 billion a day in revenue from oil and gas exports.
In the weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine, Washington and its allies have imposed rounds of coordinated sanctions that made Russia surpass Iran and North Korea as the most sanctioned country in the world.
However, Russia still receives significant revenue from energy exports, according to research compiled by Gerard DiPippo, a senior researcher in the Economics Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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DiPippo found that oil and gas accounted for 47% of Russia’s revenue from January to May this year. And while Russian oil production fell in April, revenues rose by 80%.
“By comparison, Russian tax data suggest that Moscow spent $ 325 million a day on military spending in April, the latest data available,” DiPippo writes, referring to Moscow’s ability to further fund its war in Ukraine.
– Amanda Macias
The British Secretary of State urges NATO allies to incorporate Finland and Sweden into the Article 5 umbrella
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomes British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss ahead of her bilateral meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on January 24, 2022.
Olivier Matthys | Reuters
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss urged NATO allies to incorporate Sweden and Finland into the Article 5 umbrella of the alliance “as soon as possible”.
“The two countries …