Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed today, Thursday, that peace with Ukraine is possible only after Moscow achieves its objectives from the ongoing two-year war. Meanwhile, the head of the Russian delegation at Vienna talks on military security and arms control warned that Ukraine’s usage of NATO member states’ bases would be considered as the alliance participating in the conflict. During his annual press conference in Moscow, Putin asserted that his country could persevere despite Western economic sanctions and political isolation, stating that the war goals in Ukraine include “eradicating Nazism, disarming Ukraine, and ensuring its neutrality.”
In Vienna, Konstantin Gavrilov, who leads the Russian delegation, stated that the Ukrainian F-16s taking off from NATO bases would force Russia to respond. He pointed to the continuous creation of security threats at Russia’s western borders by the United States and its allies, as reported by Russian media. A military source considered the use of F-16 fighter jets by Ukraine to be mere “propaganda,” as Russian air defense systems can easily detect and destroy them.
The interpretation of F-16s taking off from non-Ukrainian bases, according to Russia, is due to the lack of infrastructure supporting their departure from Ukraine, especially since Ukrainian pilots have been trained to fly F-16 aircraft in NATO countries.
On a related note, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs today listed the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, on its wanted list, under an unspecified article of the penal code. The Sputnik agency reported earlier that Budanov had called for “killing all Russians anywhere in the world” to secure his country’s victory over Russia.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Russian presidency, announced yesterday, Wednesday, that the Ukrainian military is rapidly losing its positions on the front and that diminishing Western support for Kyiv is putting its forces in a difficult situation. Peskov mentioned, “The United States is wondering where its money is going, as there is no Ukrainian victory on the battlefield,” as per his words.
This development comes as the U.S. Congress experiences disagreements over a new aid package for Kyiv. To date, Washington has provided over 110 billion dollars to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is doing his utmost to ensure the ongoing support of his allies, amidst fears that interruption in the U.S. Congress could impact European assistance.
On his part, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated yesterday that there is hope for reaching an agreement on a controversial aid package for Ukraine in Congress, crucial for Kyiv in its war with Moscow. Schumer confirmed that negotiations among Democrats, Republicans, and the administration of President Joe Biden are making progress. Democrats support passing the package, and Republicans do not oppose it, except for a number of hardline legislators who demand significantly stricter U.S. immigration policies in exchange.
Lawmakers have only until tomorrow, Friday, to reach a compromise on the new package — the day after Zelenskyy’s Washington visit aimed at lobbying a divided Washington on the package proposed by Biden, worth 61 billion dollars.
On the ground, Kyiv announced that its air defense systems shot down 41 out of 42 Iranian-made drones launched by Russian forces targeting the city of Odessa last night. Oleg Kipr, the governor of Odessa, reported that the falling debris injured 11 people, including 3 children, and damaged 11 buildings.
