[ad_1]
President Biden mentioned the USA is not going to ship F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, rejecting renewed calls by Kyiv officers for these superior weapons to show the tide of the battle and enhance Ukraine’s command of its personal airspace. Buoyed by long-sought commitments final week from the USA and Germany to ship tanks, a Ukrainian official described fighter jets as Kyiv’s “subsequent huge hurdle.” However different allies additionally voiced reluctance to ship them.
British intelligence officers warned that Moscow might be getting ready to open up a contemporary offensive entrance in Ukraine’s east, with small-scale good points a practical risk. “Russian commanders are possible aiming to develop a brand new axis of advance into Ukrainian-held Donetsk Oblast,” British officers mentioned in an replace. The escalation would additionally serve to divert Ukrainian forces from defending the closely contested Bakhmut space, the Protection Ministry replace added.
Right here’s the newest on the battle and its ripple results throughout the globe.
4. From our correspondents
Ukraine intel chief predicted Russia’s battle. He says Crimea might be retaken: Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s army intelligence boss, was one of many solely high Ukrainian officers who accurately warned that Russia would invade the nation. He was disregarded early final 12 months, however now that his forecast has tragically come to mild, his insights carry nice weight with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and different high officers.
In an interview with Ukraine bureau chief Isabelle Khurshudyan, Budanov predicted that annexed Crimea could be returned to Ukraine and that Russia wouldn’t use nuclear weapons to combat for the land. “It began in Crimea in 2014, and it’ll all finish there,” he mentioned.
Meryl Kornfield and John Hudson contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
