Close to Joe Biden, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in kyiv on Friday to reaffirm Washington’s “unshakeable support” for Ukraine. He also saw the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian President. He acknowledged that Ukraine had an “acute need” for equipment for its anti-aircraft defense at “this critical moment” when Russia is hitting its energy sites massively. This move comes four days before the midterm elections, which could allow the Republican Party to take control of Congress, some of whose leaders plan to reduce the aid provided to kyiv.
- The United States will finance the modernization of Ukrainian tanks and missiles
This Friday, the Pentagon announced that the United States would finance the modernization of T-72 tanks and Hawk surface-to-air missiles as part of military aid to Ukraine of some 400 million dollars. kyiv regularly calls for help in the field of anti-aircraft defense. Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser to the President of the United States, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce this new aid, announced the White House.
The United States will pay for the modernization of 45 T-72 tanks, dating from the Soviet era, and missiles from United States military stocks. These missiles represent a major asset for Ukraine in its fight against Russian drones and missile strikes. The first deliveries will take place at the end of the year.
- Washington accuses Moscow of wanting to “freeze” the Ukrainians
The head of the American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, declared, this Friday, that Russia was trying to “compensate for its defeats on the battlefield by destroying vital infrastructure”, in order to “freeze” the Ukrainian population to the approach of winter. “Some 40% of the infrastructure that provides hot water and electricity to Ukrainians is destroyed,” he told a press conference in Münster, Germany, after a G7 meeting.
Militarily, fighting continues in eastern Ukraine. The most violent were “concentrated this week in Donbass, in Bakhmout and Soledar”, according to the words of the Ukrainian president. “We are holding our positions”, nevertheless assured Volodymyr Zelensky, insisting on the significant losses observed in the Russian ranks.
- The Wagner Group opens a HQ in Saint Petersburg
The Russian paramilitary group Wagner opened its first headquarters in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Friday. An AFP reporter described a glass-fronted building, consisting of several floors and topped by a large white sign marked “Wagner”. Individuals in camouflage uniforms wandered the gray hallways of the building, looking at an exhibit featuring drones.
The oligarch Yevgueni Prigojine, who admitted having founded the group, announced the opening of this office on the occasion of the Day of Russian National Unity. He said “the mission of the PMC Wagner Center is to provide a comfortable environment to generate new ideas to improve Russia’s defense capability.” Wagner’s presence in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and Mali has been documented for eight years. This group, made up of mercenaries, is seen as Vladimir Putin’s shadow army, providing him with fighters, military instructors and advisers.
- Russia denies curfew in Kherson
The Russian occupation authorities have assured that no curfew will be put in place in the city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, a few minutes after announcing one. “A curfew has been decreed in the city of Kherson, which will last around the clock, so that we can defend our city,” the deputy head of the authority of the city initially said on Telegram. Russian occupation in Kherson, Kirill Stremoussov. A few minutes later, he deleted his video, replacing it with a similar but truncated video, which no longer mentioned this curfew, without explaining the reasons for the modification.
Thirdly, Stremoussov published a new video, assuring that “there were no restrictions for the inhabitants” in Kherson, despite the push of Ukrainian forces in the region. He once again called on as many residents as possible to “leave” the city, saying he expected “provocations” and “terrorist acts” from the Ukrainian army.
- Rishi Sunak “resolute” in his support for Ukraine
The UK will continue to support Ukraine under Rishi Sunak’s new government, Foreign Minister James Cleverly said on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in Münster, Germany. “I can absolutely reassure the people of Ukraine…that the Prime Minister is resolute in supporting Ukraine and helping Ukrainians,” he said. “We will help them to conclude this conflict victoriously, as long as it takes”. He stressed that despite the “political instability” in the UK in recent months, London has “never turned away from really important things” like “helping Ukrainians defend themselves against Russian invasion”.