The latest news on the war between Russia and Ukraine | Wilnesh News

The U.S. Senate late Tuesday approved a $61 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, paving the way for President Joe Biden to sign the bill into law on Wednesday.

The entire package, which includes $95 billion worth of aid to Israel and Taiwan, is a lifeline for Ukraine, which has been short of artillery and ammunition in parts of the frontline. Kyiv has been calling for more air defense systems and long-range missiles for months.

The Democratic-controlled Senate had been expected to pass the aid package, but it took months for the Republican-led House of Representatives to approve it amid opposition to continued aid to Ukraine. However, despite continued resistance from many Republican lawmakers, the bill finally gained enough bipartisan support on Saturday.

The Pentagon promised that supplies of weapons and equipment would arrive in Ukraine within days of Biden signing the bill into law.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to the United States, Kyiv’s biggest backer. CommentX On Wednesday, “I thank the U.S. Senate for today’s approval of critical aid to Ukraine… This vote strengthens America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world.”

Zelensky said he looked forward to the bill being signed as soon as possible “as well as the next military aid package, consistent with the determination I have always seen in negotiations.”

“Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, artillery and air defense systems are key tools to restore peace as quickly as possible,” he said.

— Holly Elliot

A Russian deputy defense minister in charge of military construction was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of “massive” bribery, in one of the most high-profile corruption cases since Moscow launched its war in Ukraine.

Russia’s top investigative body, the Investigative Committee, said in a brief statement late Tuesday that Timur Ivanov had been detained and that an investigation into his case was ongoing.

Investigators cited regulations for taking bribes on an “especially large scale” when detaining Ivanov, who has served for eight years.

In 2022, the Russian Anti-Corruption Foundation, headed by late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, claimed that Ivanov and his family lived a lavish lifestyle, investing in real estate, luxury travel and designer clothes Spend money lavishly.

Russian media reported that Ivanov was responsible for a large-scale construction project to rebuild the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was heavily bombed and occupied by Russia as part of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that a report on Ivanov’s detention had been submitted to President Vladimir Putin. He said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had been informed of his detention in advance. Russian news reports said Ivanov could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

Russian news reports also said that Ivanov may be the highest-ranking Russian official to face such charges since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

— Reuters

Russia is preparing to create “unpleasant surprises” in unexpected places when it launches an offensive in early summer, the commander of Ukraine’s National Guard told the Ukrainian news agency.

Echoing comments from other senior military officials, Oleksandr Pivnenko warned that Ukraine would face a difficult few months when Russia’s offensive begins, expected in mid-May.

“Now they won’t cause such a problem that the Wehrmacht commanders panic and don’t know what to do. We are preparing,” Pivnenko told Liga.net on Tuesday.

“Yes, the enemy will bring us unpleasant surprises. He will move in directions we do not expect. But he will not achieve his goals,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Last week gave one of the clearest signs yet Russia intends to try to seize Kharkov in northeastern Ukraine as part of its offensive. Pivnenko said any attempt to capture the city would cost Russia thousands of personnel.

“To capture Kharkov, they (will) have to fight for years. Remember how long Bakhmut and Avdievka held out. For the Russians, changing the leadership of the Russian Federation and abandoning their plans is better than seizing It is easier for the city to send thousands of soldiers (to fight there),” he said.

— Holly Elliot

A $61 billion U.S. military aid package for Ukraine is close to being approved by the U.S. Senate and then signed into law by President Joe Biden, but it could take weeks for supplies to reach Ukrainian troops on the front lines.

A grateful Ukraine has urged officials to speed up the flow of aid and the transfer of weapons, especially long-range weapons systems including ATACM (Army Tactical Missile System) and air defense systems, as Russia maintains superiority on the battlefield.

Andrews Tulsa, Central and Eastern Europe consultant at Teneo Consultants, commented that while the first batch of military supplies is expected to arrive in Ukraine within days of the signing of the bill, it may take weeks to fully replenish the severely depleted Ukrainian army. A frontline spanning more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).

“Russian forces may try to exploit this period of vulnerability on the Ukrainian side and intensify offensive operations around the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar (west of Bakmut),” Tursa said in emailed comments. “

He added: “The capture of Chasiv Yar will facilitate Russia’s future penetration into the Donetsk region and celebrate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration on May 7 and Victory Day on May 9 Bring important wins in the event.

Ukrainian officials have publicly stated that Russian forces are targeting the capture of Chasiv Yar, located in the highlands, as a potential strategic advantage as Russia seeks to fully occupy the wider Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military said on Monday that 20,000 to 25,000 Russian troops were trying to attack Chasiv Yar and surrounding villages. Russian forces have claimed several gains in Donetsk in recent days, although Ukraine on Monday disputed Russia’s claim that it had captured the village of Novokhalivka.

— Holly Elliot

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said his forces would target storage bases housing Western weapons supplied to Ukraine.

“We will intensify our attacks on Western weapons logistics centers and storage bases,” Shoigu told a meeting of senior defense ministry officials on Tuesday. According to Interfax news agency.

“The Russian Armed Forces will continue to carry out their designated tasks until the objectives of the special operation are fully achieved,” he added. Russia still calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation” even though the war with Ukraine has lasted for more than two years.

— Holly Elliot

Ukraine has suspended consular services for male citizens of military age living abroad, except for those who need to return to Ukraine, a government hotline said on Tuesday, in what appears to be a move to step up conscription for the war with Russia.

Nearly 26 months since Russia launched a full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been at a disadvantage on the battlefield and faced a shortage of troops in the face of a larger and better-equipped enemy.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement on June 1 that he had ordered measures to restore what he called “fair treatment” of men of enlistment age. He criticized those who left Ukraine before or during the war.

“What happens now is this: a man of draft age goes abroad, shows his country that he doesn’t care about its survival, and then comes here and expects to receive the services of this country,” he said.

“This won’t do. Our country is at war.”

He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will clarify the procedures for military personnel of appropriate age to obtain consular services as soon as possible. “Remaining abroad does not absolve citizens of their responsibilities to their homeland,” he added.

“Unfortunately, due to technical reasons, the foreign branches of SE (State Enterprise) Documents have suspended the issuance of existing documents,” the National Passport Agency said in a separate statement.

The Eurostat database estimates that as of January 2024, approximately 4.3 million Ukrainians were registered in EU countries, of which approximately 20% were adult males, approximately 860,000.

— Reuters

A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday that Russia was prepared to retaliate if nearly $300 billion in frozen Russian assets were seized by the West and used to aid Ukraine.

“Europeans know that we will respond very strongly and fully,” Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, told state news agency RIA Novosti.

Russian Security Council member Matviyenko said in an interview that a draft law on response measures is ready. She did not specify what retaliatory measures would be, but said Europe “will lose more than us.”

Western officials have not yet fully decided on a controversial proposal to seize frozen Russian overseas assets, most of which — Approximately US$224 billion — located in the EU, Russian lawmakers said on Mondaypointing out that the United States only has assets worth $5 billion to $6 billion

Supporters of the proposal say that in addition to sanctions on prominent Russian individuals, entities and industries, Russia needs to be punished for its invasion of Ukraine and Russian assets should be used to fund Ukraine’s war effort and eventual multibillion-dollar reconstruction.

Critics of the move warned that seizing Russian assets would only heighten tensions and set a dangerous precedent.

The Kremlin strongly opposed the proposal, calling it unlawful and unlawful.Some Russian officials have It warned that Moscow could seize Western assets if the proposal went ahead.

— Holly Elliot