The war, which was supposed to be a rush, drags on. On the 62nd day of fighting, Russia sticks to its goal of “denazifying” Ukraine, focuses on the east of the country and threatens World War III. Ukraine’s allies will meet on Tuesday to bolster their support for the attacked country, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected in Moscow on the same day.
Eastern Ukraine surrounded
British Secret Services consider that Russia is trying to encircle the Ukrainian positions in the east of the country. The city of Kreminna would have fallen. Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are under attack as heavy fighting is taking place in Izium. Ukrainian forces are also ready to defend the city of Zaporizhia against a Russian attack from the south.
According to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, Moscow has lost “about 15,000 men” in Ukraine so far, a figure that independent sources cannot confirm. Moscow has not collected a tribute since March 25, when it claimed it had lost 1,351 soldiers.
At the Allied meeting, Berlin announces the delivery of tanks
Around forty countries are meeting in Germany this Tuesday at the invitation of the United States to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses. As Russia seeks complete control of southern Ukraine and the Donbass region, this meeting at the US air base in Ramstein, western Germany, is intended to “create additional capabilities for the Ukrainian armed forces,” Lloyd Austin said on Monday, returning from a visit to returned Kyiv.
During this meeting, Germany announced the delivery of Guepard armored vehicles, which marked an important turning point in Berlin’s prudent policy to date. The number of tanks specializing in anti-aircraft defense was not specified. These vehicles will come from the stocks of the German armaments industry and not from the limited reserves of the Bundeswehr.
France has already announced that it will send Caesar guns with a range of 40 km, and Britain has donated Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles and armored vehicles. Jean-Yves Le Drian reiterated his support for his Ukrainian counterpart, notably financial aid, sanctions and defense equipment.
I wanted to confirm my Ukrainian counterpart @DmytroKuleba that France will maintain its firm support for Ukraine in the face of the war it faces: financial aid, sanctions, defense equipment, fight against impunity. pic.twitter.com/9OgtKltUar
— Jean-Yves Le Drian (@JY_LeDrian) April 26, 2022
For its part, the United States, which on Monday announced new $700 million in military aid to Ukraine, is determined to “move heaven and earth” to win Ukraine over Russia, US Secretary of Defense von Lloyd assured Austin Forty countries gathered.
The United States, which provides the bulk of international military aid to Ukraine, wants to give her “the kind of support, the kind of artillery and munitions that are effective at this stage of the fight,” the Pentagon chief said. Kyiv is desperately crying out for heavy artillery and armor to hold off Russian forces in the country’s vast southern and eastern plains, but the Russian-made equipment on which Ukrainian forces have been trained is running short.
The meeting is also intended to ensure Ukraine’s longer-term security. “Ukraine needs our help to win today and will need our help again when the war is over,” Lloyd Austin said. Among the 40 participating countries are the United States’ European allies, but also more distant countries like Australia and Japan, which fear a Russian victory in Ukraine will set a precedent and further China’s territorial ambitions. Finland and Sweden, traditionally neutral countries that have been considering joining NATO since the invasion of Ukraine, are also represented.
Moldova strengthens its security
Moldova’s President on Tuesday called for “calm” and announced measures to strengthen the security of this country bordering Ukraine, after a series of blasts in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria raised fears of a widening conflict in Ukraine small eastern european country. The pro-European President of Moldova, Maïa Sandu, announced an increase in border patrols and traffic controls, especially along the Dniester River, which separates Moldova from the separatist region of Transnistria.
The initiative highlights concern in Moldova following a series of blasts that took place in the Moscow-backed separatist region of Transnistria on Monday and Tuesday. Two blasts damaged a radio tower on Tuesday, and on Monday separatist authorities reported a mortar attack on a government building in the regional capital, Tiraspol. Neither of these incidents claimed casualties, but raise fears that the conflict that is ravaging neighboring Ukraine is spilling over into Moldova.
Guterres calls for a ceasefire ‘as soon as possible’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in Moscow after Monday’s visit to Turkey, a country trying to mediate in the conflict. He called for a ceasefire “as soon as possible”. He also called for an independent investigation into “possible war crimes” in Ukraine and urged Moscow and Kyiv to work with the UN to allow humanitarian corridors to be opened.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. They “discussed in detail the situation in Ukraine related to the special military operation in defense of Donbass and the ongoing efforts of the Russian side to ensure the safety of civilians, including the establishment of humanitarian corridors,” the Russian Presidency said. Ankara is currently trying to arrange a summit between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul, although Turkish officials admit that the prospects for such talks remain bleak at this time.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he wanted to continue negotiations with Ukraine but accused President Zelenskyy of “faking” discussions with Moscow. “He is a good actor (…), if you look closely and read what he says carefully, you will find a thousand contradictions in it,” Sergei Lavrov affirmed.
Against the background of unprecedented tensions between Moscow and the West, the head of Russian diplomacy warned of the risk of a third world war: “The danger is serious, it is real, we must not underestimate it”.
More than 8 million refugees expected
The United Nations (UN) estimates that the number of Ukrainian refugees fleeing their country could reach 8.3 million, compared to just over 5.2 million currently. As the situation worsens, the High Commissioner for Refugees, who estimated there would be 4 million refugees at the start of the war, is asking for $1.85 billion in support of his and his Action Partners for these people fleeing the conflict .