Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Helsinki for talks with the prime ministers of 4 Nordic international locations Wednesday as a part of his effort to safe larger firepower for his nation’s armed forces as they work out the way to dislodge Russian troops from occupied areas of Ukraine.
The Nordic international locations — Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark — have been amongst Kyiv’s strongest backers since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Before the assembly with Mr. Zelensky in Finland’s capital, Nordic officers appeared prepared to offer extra help because the warfare stretches into its fifteenth month.
“There is still an urgent need for military support to ensure that the Ukrainians stand as strong as possible in the fight against Russia,” Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen mentioned in a press release.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, one other of the summit attendees, mentioned: “Here in the north, we have a more unpredictable and aggressive Russian neighbor, and it is important that we discuss together how to face this new situation.”
The talks got here a day after U.S. officers mentioned Washington plans to ship Ukraine about $300 million in further army help, together with an unlimited variety of artillery rounds, howitzers, air-to-ground rockets and ammunition.
The weapons will all be pulled from Pentagon shares, to allow them to go rapidly to the entrance traces, based on the officers who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the help has not but been formally introduced.
Elsewhere, Russia used Iranian-made drones throughout its third assault on Ukraine’s capital metropolis in six days.
Explosions had been heard in Kyiv and elsewhere through the night time as Ukrainian air defenses shot down 21 of the Russian drones, Ukraine’s Air Force Command mentioned. No injury or casualties had been reported
Meanwhile, a large blaze broke out at an Russian oil depot, native officers mentioned Wednesday.
The depot erupted in flames in Russia’s southern Krasnodar area, positioned east of the Russian-held Crimean Peninsula, based on Krasnodar Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev.
He didn’t say what triggered the fireplace, which was described as extraordinarily tough to place out. But some Russian media shops mentioned it was probably attributable to a Ukrainian drone assault in a single day. There was no official touch upon that chance.
Local residents heard an explosion shortly earlier than the fireplace erupted, Russian information web site Baza mentioned.
Military analysts suppose Ukraine is concentrating on provide traces within the Russian rear whereas gearing up for a attainable counteroffensive amid bettering climate situations and because it receives giant quantities of weapons and ammunition from its Western allies.
Explosions additionally derailed a Russian freight prepare and hit a Russian airfield in latest days. Last weekend, a large fireplace erupted at an oil depot in Crimea after it was hit by two of Ukraine’s drones, a Russia-appointed official mentioned.
In anticipation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces are centered on destroying logistical routes and facilities of Ukraine’s armed forces with long-range strikes, Kyiv army officers say.
At the identical time, Russia plans to proceed talks with the United Nations and different events to an wartime settlement on facilitating Black Sea agricltural shipments, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov mentioned forward of talks on Friday.
Earlier Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed {that a} new spherical of consultations between Russia and the U.N. on entry of Russian agricultural merchandise and fertilizers to the world market could be held in Moscow.
Signed final July and renewed twice, most not too long ago in March, the deal unblocked Ukrainian grain shipments that had been held up within the nation’s blockaded ports final yr. The deal will expire on May 18 until Russia agrees to its renewal.
In the most recent Ukrainian civilian casualties, three folks died and 5 had been wounded when a grocery store within the southern Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson got here below fireplace on Wednesday.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the assault on the “only operating hypermarket in Kherson” occurred at round 11 a.m. native time.
A round the clock curfew is to be launched in Kherson from 8 p.m. on Friday by 6 a.m. on Monday, Kherson Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin introduced.
“During these 58 hours, it is forbidden to move around or stay on the streets of the city. Also, the city will be closed for entry and exit,” Mr. Prokudin mentioned.
The measure is critical, he mentioned in a video on social media, “so that law enforcement officers can do their job and not put you in danger,” however didn’t present additional particulars.
Both Russia and Ukraine reportedly have skilled ammunition shortages after a winter of long-range shelling and missile strikes because the battle turned slowed down in a warfare of attrition.
Ukraine’s authorities has been urgent its allies to provide it extra as officers contemplate when and the way they could begin making an attempt to drive Russian forces out of the Ukrainian territory they’ve occupied.
Source: www.thehindu.com