[News] A meeting in Germany to discuss supplying Ukraine with more weapons, and Russia mistakenly bombs one of its cities

[SnO]

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that the United States and its allies will discuss providing Ukraine with more air defense equipment and ammunition during a meeting of defense ministers at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday.

At the beginning of the meeting, Austin stated that the allies are committed to supporting Ukraine whatever it takes, and reject what he described as Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to create spheres of influence by force of arms.

The US Secretary stressed that international support for Ukraine remains "strong and solid" more than a year after the start of the Russian war in Ukraine.

 

 

He stated that the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine on defense "will focus on 3 main issues: air defense, ammunition and support elements," referring to logistical support and other things that allow the work of military units.

Austin said members of the contact group have provided more than $55 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, more than $35 billion of which came from the United States.

The United States is organizing a meeting in Germany on Friday to discuss additional support for Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies to send more fighter jets and long-range missiles.

Representatives of about 50 countries meet at Ramstein Air Base to coordinate their support for Kiev, in light of the battles taking place against the Russian army in eastern Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg - who is attending the meeting - made a visit to the Ukrainian capital on Thursday, the first of its kind since the start of the Russian war on this country in February 2022.

Stoltenberg said that all members of the military alliance agreed that Ukraine would eventually become a member of the alliance, but the main focus now was to ensure its victory over Russia.

He added that once the war in Ukraine ends, Kiev should have "the necessary deterrence to prevent new attacks."

Ukraine: Russia targeted us at night with Iranian marches
On the other hand, the Ukrainian Air Force announced on Friday that it shot down on Thursday night 8 out of 12 Iranian-made "Shahid" drones, with which Russian forces launched raids targeting Kiev, but did not cause any casualties.

"After a 25-day rest period, the capital witnessed a new enemy air attack," said the head of the military administration in Kiev, Sergey Popko, on the Telegram application.

He stressed that the Ukrainian defenses shot down 8 drones "as they approached" Kiev, noting that the destruction of these drones did not result in human casualties or material damage, according to initial reports.

On the other hand, infrastructure was damaged in the regions of Poltava (central) and Vinnytsia (center-west) as a result of the Iranian-made marches, according to the rulers of these two regions.

The head of the military department stated that these explosive-laden drones were launched from the Russian region of Bryansk, north of the borders of Ukraine.

Russia: There is a need to continue the "special military operation"
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement - today - that Ukraine's recent actions and statements show that Moscow needs to continue the "special military operation" in this country.

The ministry added that the process will continue until its stated goals, which are "eradicating Nazism and disarmament" and eliminating threats to Russian security, are completed.

On the other hand, the Kremlin said today that it is closely monitoring reports indicating the possibility of Western countries imposing a ban on exports to Russia, and made it clear that the new sanctions will harm the global economy.

"We are watching this closely, and we are aware that the United States and the European Union are actually considering new sanctions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We believe that both the current sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation and the new additional steps that the United States and the European Union may be contemplating now will certainly also harm the global economy. Thus, this may lead to a further movement towards a global economic crisis," he added.

The Japanese Kyodo news agency quoted government sources as saying that the G7 countries are considering imposing an almost complete ban on exports to Russia.

Russian fighter firing near the Ukrainian border
On the other hand, the Tass news agency, quoting the Ministry of Defense, said that a Russian warplane mistakenly fired at the city of Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, late Thursday evening, which resulted in an explosion and damaged some buildings.

Local authorities reported a huge explosion in the city, which is located on the opposite side of the border with Ukraine. The local governor said two women were injured.

"During the flight of a Sukhoi Su-34 Air Force plane over the city of Belgorod, an accidental firing of air ammunition occurred," the Russian agency quoted the Ministry of Defense as saying.

 

https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2023/4/21/اجتماع-في-ألمانيا-لبحث-تزويد-أوكرانيا