US lawmakers worry aid is falling into a "deep hole", UN concerned about cluster munitions

Moscow reports VSU casualties in Bakhmut and Novodruzhesk, Hungary talks about migrants from neighboring countries… are some notable news about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Xung đột Nga-Ukraine: Viện trợ Mỹ vượt mốc 100 tỷ USD, Liên hợp quốc quan ngại về đạn chùm

Hungary has confirmed that it will not extradite Ukrainian migrants back to their country. (Source: AFP)

* Ukraine lost 230 people in Bakhmut and Novodruzhesk in the past week: On September 12, writing on Telegram , the Russian-appointed interim head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) said: "Over the past week, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) made several unsuccessful attempts to break through the defense lines. Their attempts to break through our forward positions in Novodruzhesk-Grigorovka and Bakhmut-Khreshchenivka ended with the loss of up to 230 personnel."

The official also said that motorized rifle units, supported by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artillery units, attacked and destroyed 22 artillery pieces and mortars, more than 15 recoilless rifles, ATGMs, machine guns and grenade launchers, two armored vehicles, eight Humvees and eight ammunition depots.

Electronic warfare and air defense systems repelled 28 attempts to cross LPR airspace and shot down 40 VSU UAVs.

Ukraine has not responded to the above information.

* Hungary will not extradite Ukrainians who evade military service : On September 12, speaking to Hungarian media, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Schemien affirmed: “All Ukrainian migrants can consider themselves free in Hungary and independently decide whether to stay, go to the West or return (to Ukraine)…

We do not conduct any investigation into any Ukrainian migrants to find out whether they were called up for military service. Hungary does not extradite them to Ukraine.”

According to Hungarian statistics, over the past year and a half, more than 1 million Ukrainians have migrated to Hungary, but most of them have gone to other European Union (EU) member countries.

There are now reports that Austria is also refusing to extradite Ukrainians who evade military service, while Poland has begun extraditing them at Kiev's request.

* The United Nations is concerned about cluster munitions in Ukraine : On September 12, at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, Under-Secretary-General and UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu emphasized: “Reports related to the transfer and use of cluster munitions in conflict make us very concerned. The UN Secretary-General has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the use of cluster munitions. Such weapons must be eliminated.”

* The US has spent more than 100 billion USD on Ukraine: On September 12, the US government confirmed that it has provided a total of more than 100 billion USD in aid to Kiev since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out.

Specifically, in response to a request from Senate Republicans to account for Washington's aid to Kiev that was seven months late, the White House sent a spreadsheet detailing nearly $101.2 billion in aid sent or pledged.

In addition, Washington also plans to spend an additional $9.8 billion for Kiev, in parallel with the new $24 billion in aid that Mr. Biden requested from Congress last month.

Responding to this information, Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio said: “We have to stop sinking into the Ukraine hole.”

Mr. Vance and dozens of other Republican lawmakers had previously requested information from the White House about spending on Ukraine in January and set a deadline of February 7 of this year to respond.

Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, defended the spending spree in a response letter.

“This support is vital to Ukraine’s success on the ground, as well as the resilience of the Ukrainian people in harsh conditions,” she wrote.

Washington is now Kiev’s largest donor. Meanwhile, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, total Western aid to Ukraine amounted to 165 billion euros ($177 billion) as of early summer.

So far, US lawmakers have approved $113 billion in aid for Ukraine. The country has also led an international sanctions campaign against Russia over the conflict.

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