Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the heart breaking circumstances in Pokrovsk. She’s welcoming a withdrawal even as a major offensive battle rages in the region. Russian forces conducted a “massive” attack in several directions. This escalation increased the requirement for swift and precise military operations and strategic decision-making.
Ukrainian forces scored another huge victory with an attack on a marine oil terminal in occupied Crimea. They field tested the new Flamingo cruise missile, with a range of 3,000 kilometers and an accuracy of at least 14 meters. In fact, Ukraine is pulling off a much more large-scale, cohesive strategy stunningly well. They are using the Flamingo missile and their home-made drones to strike a few dozen objects in Russian-occupied areas.
Zelenskyy reminded Members of Congress about the need to thoughtfully approach military operations. He acknowledged the dire straits that Ukrainian soldiers are now in. “No one is making them die in order to preserve rubble.” He committed to standing by our troops and their commanders in taking charge of the situation, making clear that the price of doing nothing is much too steep for us to pay. The first thing we care about is our troops.
The conflict is escalating. Army General Oleksandr Syrskyi visited frontline units in the eastern Donetsk region to reassert their resolve to defend Pokrovsk against Russian encroachment. He stated, “There is no question of Russian control over the city of Pokrovsk or of the operational encirclement of Ukraine’s defence forces in the area.”
Overnight, Ukrainian officials announced a successful strike on an oil depot in the Berdiansk area. They struck forward command posts of the Russian occupiers in the Zaporizhzhia region. Air defense systems were engaged in Kyiv as Ukraine faced a deadly wave of both drones and missiles raining down on their capital. Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor and former heavyweight champion, assured that air defenses are currently doing a great job defending the city.
The mood in Kyiv is distinctly anxious. Falling debris damaged a five-storey apartment building in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, and a 25-storey residence was set ablaze in the Podil district. This latest series of assaults emphasizes once again the desperate need for increased protection and global solidarity.
Specifically, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made an electrifying announcement. Additionally, the European Union will provide up to €6 billion in macro-financial assistance loans to Ukraine to cover part of its financing needs in 2023-24. She joined in calls for a robust new initiative to push back against Russian aggression. Now is the moment to act boldly and confirm Putin’s psy-ops, forcing him back to the negotiating table,” said her.
For the latter, von der Leyen provided bold reassurances about the strength of Ukrainian resolve in defeating Russian encroachment. She declared that Russia has already made a fundamental misstep. She once again underscored her determination to continue supporting Ukraine as it fights for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Vladimir Putin thinks he can wait Ukraine out in this protracted war of attrition. In the face of this progress, the humanitarian situation on the ground continues to be dire. Zelenskyy described the area near Orikhiv as “one of the most difficult,” highlighting the relentless pressure faced by Ukrainian forces.