Russia states F-16 s to Ukraine would raise concern of NATO participation
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet flies previous throughout the 2nd day of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru onFeb 14, 2023.
Manjunath Kiran|AFP|Getty Images
The transfer of F-16 jets to Ukraine would raise the concern of NATO’s function in the dispute and would not weaken Russia’s military objectives, senior Russian diplomats stated onMonday
U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday backed training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy guaranteed Biden that the airplane would not be utilized to enter into Russian area.
“There is no infrastructure for the operation of the F-16 in Ukraine and the needed number of pilots and maintenance personnel is not there either,” Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, stated in remarks released on the embassy’s Telegram messaging channel.
“What will happen if the American fighters take off from NATO airfields, controlled by foreign ‘volunteers’?”
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov stated any transfer of the U.S. jets to Ukraine would be “absolutely pointless and stupid”, state-owned news firm RIA reported.
“These efforts are completely useless and meaningless: our capabilities are such that all the goals of the special military operation will certainly be achieved”, Ryabkov was pointed out by RIA as stating, utilizing Moscow’s favored term for the dispute.
During their top on the weekend in Japan, the G-7 nations signified long-lasting assistance forUkraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who likewise went to the event, stated he was positive that Ukraine would get materials of the F-16
— Reuters
Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor enters into blackout mode after shelling
Energoatom stated on Telegram that the most recent blackout at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (seen here in March), the seventh given that the start of the war, was because of Russian shelling of an external power line.
Anadolu Agency|Anadolu Agency|Getty Images
Ukraine’s state-owned power producing business Energoatom stated Monday that there has actually been another power cut at the embattled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (the ZNPP), marking the most recent bad luck to strike the plant.
Energoatom stated on Telegram that the ZNPP’s newest blackout, the seventh given that the start of the war, was because of Russian shelling of an external power line.
The “ZNPP is going into blackout mode,” Energoatom stated. “After the loss of external power, which is vitally necessary to ensure the operation of the nuclear fuel cooling pumps in the fuel pools and nuclear reactors of the power units, all NPP diesel generators started operating automatically,” the firm stated.
There is 10 days’ fuel stock left for their operation. “The countdown has begun,” Energoatom stated.
The plant, Europe’s biggest of its kind, is inhabited by Russian soldiers and both Ukraine and Russia have actually implicated each other of threatening the plant, running the risk of a nuclear disaster.
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are stationed at the plant. The IAEA has actually consistently required hostilities around the plant to stop and for the center to be demilitarized.
Energoatom stated Russia’s unlawful profession of the plant was bringing it continuously towards irreversible damage and required it to be revived under its control.
— Holly Ellyatt
Russia most likely to be developing a brand-new ‘elite’ attack air travel group, UK states
Russian Sukhoi Su-34, Sukhoi Su-35 S and Sukhoi Su-30 S fighter jets carry out ahead of Victory Day in Red Square in Moscow.
Anadolu Agency|Anadolu Agency|Getty Images
Russia is extremely most likely to be developing a brand-new “elite” attack air travel group code-named “Shtorm” (which indicates “storm”) to run over Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense stated Monday.
The system is most likely to include a minimum of one squadron of Su-24 and Su-34 fighter-bombers, and a squadron of attack helicopters, the ministry stated in its latest intelligence update on Twitter.
“The mix of aircraft types suggests the group will have a primary role of ground attack missions,” the ministry stated, including that reputable Russian media reports recommend that the Russian defense ministry “aims to attract highly skilled and motivated pilots by offering large pay incentives and opening recruitment to retired aviators.”
“The creation of the group highlights how Russian assesses its regular air force squadrons have severely underperformed in their core function of conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian lines,” the U.K. stated.
— Holly Ellyatt
Extensive Russian defenses exposed ahead of Ukrainian counteroffensive
A BBC examination has actually exposed substantial Russian defenses and strongholds that have actually been prepared in occupied parts of the nation ahead of Ukraine’s much-awaited counteroffensive.
BBC Verify, a brand-new system within the British broadcaster charged with examining and confirming info, video, and images, stated it had actually taken a look at numerous satellite pictures of Ukraine and had “identified some key points in the significant build-up of trenches and other fortifications in southern Ukraine since October.”
The images revealed a 15- mile area of Crimean shoreline “littered with defence structures installed by Russian troops” in addition to protective lines of anti-tank trenches and dragon’s teeth (pyramid-shaped concrete obstructs created to obstruct military lorries) near the possible location of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, in southern Ukraine.
Anti- tank defenses are prevalent in Ukraine.
Nurphoto|Nurphoto|Getty Images
Investigative reporters and experts at the BBC likewise discovered that a line of anti-tank ditches and trenches now runs together with a significant highway near the possible counteroffensive website which the path is most likely to be greatly mined; Ukraine has not surprisingly not stated where or when it will release its counteroffensive. Read BBC Verify’s short article here.
The report echoes issues voiced by British defense experts last Friday when they stated Russia’s massive defense-building might show a tough barrier for Ukraine to conquer, cautioning observers not to dismiss Russia’s military as inexperienced, as it had actually been identified early on in the intrusion after previous errors.
Read more here: Russia’s armed force has actually adjusted and is now a more powerful opponent for Ukraine, defense experts state
— Holly Ellyatt
Russian mercenary employer minimizes routine army’s contribution in Bakhmut ‘capture’
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, declared on Saturday that his mercenary fighters caught Bakhmut after 9 months of extreme combating there.
Mikhail Svetlov|Getty Images
The head of the Wagner Group, Russia’s primary mercenary force combating in eastern Ukraine, minimized the contribution of routine Russian army systems in the declared capture of the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, declared on Saturday that his mercenary fighters caught Bakhmut after 9 months of extreme combating there decreased the town to debris.
“Basically no one at all out of the military/army assisted us in the taking of Artemovsk [Russia uses the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut], besides Surovikin and Mezentsov,” Prigozhin stated, describing Russian Generals Sergei Surovikin and Mikhail Mizintsev, with whom he has excellent relationships.
Prigozhin has a stretched relationship with Russia’s Defense Ministry and has actually been a singing critic of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the head of the militaries. Prigozhin has actually frequently implicated the defense ministry of attempting to weaken his forces, stating his duplicated require more ammo had actually been disregarded.
Russia’s Defense Ministry stated Saturday that its own air travel and artillery had actually assisted the Wagner Group to record Bakhmut however provided the majority of the credit to the mercenary force.
Speaking in a voice message on Telegram, Prigozhin stated “stories” about Russian air-borne soldiers assisting to record the town were “complete and absolute lies.”
“There are indeed courageous soldiers, amazing Russian guys that are completely hindered by the military … higher ups.”
“There was a huge quantity of individuals that simply destroyed things [for us],” he stated, according to an NBC translation of the remarks.
Kyiv rejects that Bakhmut has actually been caught, stating it combats on there.
— Holly Ellyatt
Ukraine declines to quit on Bakhmut after Russian mercenaries declare to have actually caught town
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Sunday that “Russia did not occupy Bakhmut” as he went to a press conference at the Group of Seven top in Japan, rebuffing claims by Russia’s mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that his forces had actually entirely caught the town Saturday.
Bloomberg|Bloomberg|Getty Images
Ukraine is declining to yield defeat in the mainly destroyed town of Bakhmut in Donetsk in the east of the nation after Russian mercenary forces declared they were now completely in control of the town after months of combating.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Sunday that “Russia did not occupy Bakhmut” as he went to a press conference at the Group of Seven top in Japan, rebuffing claims by Russia’s mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that his forces had actually entirely caught the town Saturday.
Elsewhere on Sunday, the head of Ukraine’s ground forces Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated his forces still managed parts of Bakhmut which they were not all set to quit.
“Despite the fact that we now control a minor part of Bakhmut, the importance of its defense does not lose its relevance. This gives us the opportunity to enter the city in case of a change in the environment. And it will definitely happen,” Syrskyi stated on Telegram.
“We continue to advance on the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut and are actually approaching the capture of the city in a tactical encirclement.”
Syrskyi stated he had actually checked out Ukrainian soldiers and leaders in Bakhmut onSunday “We continue the defense. The situation is difficult, but under control,” he kept in mind.
Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s mercenary force the Wagner Group, talked about Saturday that “today we took Bakhmut … We have fully taken the whole city. From house to house, so that no one could pedantically complain that a tiny fragment was left un-taken.”
Prigozhin stated the town, now mainly decreased to debris and of little tactical value (however of more symbolic value after 9 months of extreme combating), would be turned over to the routine Russian army.
— Holly Ellyatt
