April 21, 2024
Western military experts anticipate increase in Russian attacks
US think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said it expects a spike in Russian missile and drone attacks after the US House of Representatives approved more aid for Ukraine.
“Russian forces will likely intensify ongoing offensive operations and missile and drone strikes in the coming weeks in order to exploit the closing window of Ukrainian materiel constraints,” the Washington-based research organization said.
The ISW said that it would still be several weeks before the new US assistance would begin to affect the situation and said that “Ukrainian forces may suffer additional setbacks in the coming weeks while waiting for US security assistance.”
The ISW said that despite the challenges facing Ukrainian troops — who were experiencing shortages in resources and ammunition — Russian forces had only achieved tactical gains during the past six months and “remain unlikely to achieve a breakthrough that would collapse the front line.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4f1Gm
April 21, 2024
German chancellor says US approval of Ukraine package is ‘strong signal’
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday welcomed the decision by the US House of Representatives to approve a major military and financial aid package for Ukraine.
In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, he called the outcome of the vote “a strong signal in these times.”
“We stand with the Ukrainians fighting for their free, democratic and independent country,” Scholz added.
US lawmakers on Saturday voted to pass the $61 billion (€57 billion) package, which had been stalled by political infighting for months.
The bill was part of a foreign aid and arms package valued at $95 billion (€89 billion) that also includes aid for Israel and Taiwan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the move would “save thousands and thousands of lives.”
The bill faced opposition from hardline Republicans who had been demanding that stronger controls first be put in place to curb the arrival of migrants at the southern US border.
kb/nm (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)
https://p.dw.com/p/4f1GG
