WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
US defense chief promises Ukraine what it needs to fight Russia but goes no further
The United States “will get Ukraine what it needs” to fight its war with Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, but he gave no hint that Washington might endorse key planks of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s so-called “victory plan.”
The United States will provide Ukraine with what it requires “to fight for its survival and security,” Austin said in a speech at the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine. He noted that the U.S. has delivered more than $58 billion in security assistance for Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion, making it Kyiv’s main backer.
That includes a new $400 million package of military aid that the Biden administration announced Monday, including munitions for rocket systems and artillery, mortar systems and rounds, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons. It comes just days after the U.S. said it was sending $425 million in military assistance to Ukraine.
But Zelenskyy has asked Ukraine’s Western allies to go a few steps further, notably inviting Ukraine to join NATO and letting it use Western-supplied longer-range missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory. Those steps have met with a lukewarm response.
Ukraine is having difficulty holding back a ferocious Russian campaign along the eastern front that is gradually compelling Kyiv’s forces to give up a series of towns, villages and hamlets. It faces a hard winter after Russia targeted its power grid.
Austin’s remarks were notable for what they did not include — an endorsement of Ukraine being invited into NATO, or any indication the U.S. will support Ukraine becoming more aggressive in its defense with longer-range attacks on Russian soil.
With the U.S. presidential election about two weeks away, U.S. officials are treading carefully. President Joe Biden has balked at measures that might escalate the war and bring a confrontation between NATO and Russia.
Austin said “there is no silver bullet. No single capability will turn the tide. No one system will end Putin’s assault.”
He added: “Make no mistake. The United States does not seek war with Russia.”
“What matters is the way that Ukraine fights back,”Austin told the assembled diplomatic and military personnel at the academy. “What matters is the combined effects of your military capabilities. And what matters is staying focused on what works.”
Zelenskyy said in a Sunday evening video address that his ‘victory plan’ had won the backing of France, Lithuania, Nordic countries and “many other allies” in the European Union, which he didn’t name.
Zelenskyy said he had received “very positive signals from the United States,” but he stopped short of saying he had secured Washington’s blessing for the plan.
Analysts say the U.S. is unlikely to make a decision before the Nov. 5. presidential election.
Russian strikes highlight Ukraine’s need for weapons
The latest Russian strikes on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, rammed home the urgency for Kyiv officials of clinching guarantees of more support, particularly large amounts of ammunition for the war of attrition the sides are engaged in.
A Russian missile attack on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and injured 15 in the city center and caused huge damage to civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten and more than 30 residential buildings, regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said.
Russia conducted a ballistic missile strike at Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, injuring five people, city administration head Oleksandr Vilkul wrote on social media.
According to Vilkul, Russia has conducted ballistic missile attacks on Kryvyi Rih for three consecutive days, injuring the total of 21 people and damaging dozens of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Machine gunfire and the noise of drones’ engines was also heard in Kyiv’s center throughout the night. Authorities reported minor damages to civilian infrastructure caused by falling drone debris in three districts.
Russia fired three missiles and more than 100 drones at Ukraine overnight from Sunday to Monday, Ukraine’s air force said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara on Monday to discuss cooperation between their countries.
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting focused on strengthening strategic relations, defense cooperation and addressing global food security through Black Sea grain shipments from Ukraine that pass through Turkey’′ Bosphorus Strait.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought to steer a balanced line in his NATO-member country’s close relations with both Ukraine and Russia. He has previously offered to host a peace summit between the two countries.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russian troops liberate Serebryanka, Nikolayevka communities in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces liberated the settlements of Serebryanka and Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"Battlegroup South units liberated the settlement of Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active offensive operations… Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses," the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 100 casualties on Ukrainian army in Kharkov Region
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 100 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility in the Kharkov Region over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup North units inflicted casualties in the Kharkov frontline area on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 57th motorized infantry and 92nd air assault brigades in areas near the settlements of Liptsy, Kotovka and Volchansk in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 100 personnel, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 510 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 510 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 44th and 60th mechanized, 74th and 77th airmobile, 3rd assault, 125th and 103rd territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Boguslavka, Lozovaya, Zelyony Gai, Novoplatonovka, Podliman and Pershotravnevoye in the Kharkov Region, Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic. They repelled six counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 63rd mechanized, 1st National Guard and 119th territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 510 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles, a 155mm Braveheart self-propelled artillery system and two 105mm L119 artillery guns of British manufacture, two US-made 155mm M198 howitzers, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, an Anklav-N electronic warfare station and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup South strikes nine Ukrainian army brigades over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted casualties on nine Ukrainian army brigades in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup South units inflicted losses on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 10th mountain assault, 23rd, 54th and 60th mechanized, 5th and 79th air assault, 81st and 46th airmobile and 37th marine infantry brigades near the settlements of Semyonovka, Zvanovka, Vasyukovka, Seversk, Dachnoye, Slavyansk, Chasov Yar and Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 800 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup South repulsed two Ukrainian army counterattacks and inflicted more than 800 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
Battlegroup South units "repulsed two counterattacks by units of the Ukrainian army’s 56th motorized infantry brigade," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 800 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, 10 motor vehicles, two Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm D-30 howitzers and a US-made 105mm M119 artillery gun, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed two Anklav-N electronic warfare stations and five field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 450 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center repelled 13 Ukrainian army counterattacks and inflicted roughly 450 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
Battlegroup Center units "inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 24th and 32nd mechanized, 38th marine infantry and 12th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Leninskoye, Dimitrov, Dzerzhinsk, Sukhoi Yar, Kurakhovka and Shcherbinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled 13 counterattacks by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 23rd, 93rd and 100th mechanized, 68th and 152nd jaeger and 5th assault brigades, 49th and 425th assault battalions, 37th marine infantry brigade and Ukraine’s Lyut national police assault brigade," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 450 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, seven armored combat vehicles, including Kozak armored vehicles and US-made HMMWV armored vehicles, two pickup trucks, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system, three 122mm D-30 howitzers and a 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian warehouse of unmanned aerial vehicles, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 115 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup East improved its frontline positions and inflicted roughly 115 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup East units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry, 72nd mechanized, 46th airmobile, 110th and 113th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Dobrovolye, Alekseyevka and Novoukrainka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 115 personnel, two motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system, three 155mm M777 howitzers and a 155mm M198 howitzer of US manufacture, it specified.
AP/Tass
