This could be a turning point in the war. The United States, through President Joe Biden, has given the green light for Ukraine to strike targets on Russian soil under certain conditions, with American-made missiles, in the Kharkiv region. French President Emmanuel Macron also made a similar decision for the use of Western weapons on Russian soil, in particular to allow the Ukrainians to neutralize the military sites from which their missiles are fired. These declarations come as Russia launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region at the beginning of May, and is gaining ground against a Ukrainian army in difficulty.
Information to remember
⇒ Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to strike targets in Russia
⇒ The Russian army says it has conquered 880 km2 in Ukraine since the start of the year
⇒ Germany promises new military aid worth 500 million euros
The Russian army says it has conquered 880 km2 since the start of the year
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said this Friday that his soldiers had conquered “880 km2” since the start of the year in Ukraine, where his army regularly claims advances without nevertheless achieving a real breakthrough at this stage. “Progress is being made in all tactical directions,” assured the minister. The Ukrainian army, lacking ammunition and men, has been struggling for several months, with Russia having launched a new offensive at the beginning of May on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city.
Jens Stoltenberg downplays Russian threats
The NATO Secretary General dismissed Russian threats of escalation this Friday in Prague after the American decision to authorize Ukraine to strike Russia with its weapons. “There’s nothing new […] This is part of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s efforts to prevent NATO allies from supporting Ukraine,” Jens Stoltenberg said before the start of a NATO meeting in Prague.
Russia uses North Korean missiles according to Washington
Russia is using North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine, says a new Pentagon report that used debris analysis to confirm long-standing accusations that Moscow is receiving weapons from Korea North. Furthermore, Seoul accuses Pyongyang of having transported thousands of weapons containers to Russia in defiance of United Nations sanctions targeting the two countries: Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and North Korea for its nuclear program.
Experts say North Korea’s recent series of tests, including cruise missiles and other ballistic projectiles, could be linked to the shipment of weapons to Russian troops in Ukraine. The South Korean Defense Ministry told AFP that it had no comment to make on the report.
Three dead in Russian strikes in Kharkiv
Three people were killed and 23 others injured in Russian strikes in Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, authorities said Friday. It was a five-story building in which civilians were sleeping that was struck in the Novobavarsky district, said the mayor of Ukraine’s second city, Igor Terekhov, asserting that other people could still be found under the rubble.
“The enemy once again resorted to the double strike tactic, while doctors, rescuers and law enforcement were already there,” Oleg Sinegoubov told a local newspaper, asserting that among the injured there is an emergency doctor. These are S-300 and S-400 missiles which were launched from the territory of the Belgorod region, in Russia, bordering Ukraine, according to the regional prosecutor’s office, which reports five strikes.
Russia says it neutralized 29 Ukrainian drones
The Russian Defense Ministry said this Friday that it had neutralized 29 Ukrainian drones overnight in the Krasnodar region (south), rich in seaside resorts and a popular destination for Russians for summer vacations. “During the night, several attempts by the kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks against sites on Russian territory […] were prevented,” the ministry said in a statement. The drone attacks notably targeted the port city of Novorossiysk and an oil depot in Temriouk where a large fire broke out before being contained a few hours later, according to local authorities. The strikes caused several injuries and no deaths.
Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to strike targets in Russia
“The president has tasked his team to ensure that Ukraine can use American weapons to counterattack in the Kharkiv region, so as to retaliate when Russian forces attack them or prepare to attack them “, said an American official on Thursday, May 30. Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine, is the almost daily target of bombings mainly coming from Russian territory. This official, who requested anonymity, however added that the United States continued to oppose Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory.
Germany promises new military aid worth 500 million euros
The German Defense Minister promised, Thursday, a new package of military aid worth 500 million euros to Ukraine, in difficulty on the battlefield facing the troops of the Russian invader, indicated a spokesperson for the ministry to AFP. The package includes deliveries in “artillery, air defense, drones, and protection […]”, he added. This package of weapons, some of which are ready for delivery, includes a large number of missiles for medium-range Iris-T SLM air defense systems. Also included are drones for reconnaissance and combat in the Black Sea as well as spare parts.