Ukraine calls on Germany to increase aid, NATO raises expectations for counter-offensive campaign, US 'unloads' more weapons are some of the latest developments in the situation in Ukraine.
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| The US will continue to send more Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. (Source: NARA) |
On June 13, the head of Russia's Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin said he was "not sure" whether the group would stay in Ukraine after the campaign to take control of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine lasted for months.
Speaking at a regular press conference, a representative of the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the country's forces had repelled Ukrainian attacks near the villages of Makarivka, Rivnopil and Prechystivka in the south of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). In response, the Ministry said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) are currently continuing to attack the southern Donetsk and Bakhmut regions.
For its part, Ukraine says Kiev's troops have regained control of several villages from Russian forces in the southeast since starting a counteroffensive last week.
* On the same day, Western media published some information about the initial losses of Ukrainian military equipment in the recent counter-offensive campaign.
Specifically, CNN (USA) recorded that VSU lost at least 16 M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles last week, approximately 1/6 of the total number of vehicles Kiev received from Washington. In total, the US transferred 113 Bradley vehicles to Ukraine.
Military Watch (USA) magazine wrote: “This combat vehicle (M2A2 Bradley) was designed to confront Soviet tanks such as the T-55, and proved its capabilities in the Gulf War. However, its ability to survive on the 21st century battlefield against a major opponent like Russia poses a serious problem”.
* In related news, on June 13 in Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.
During the meeting, Mr. Zelensky mentioned measures to reduce risks to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as well as supported the proposal to send a team of IAEA experts to assess the consequences of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam collapse.
The leader said that Russia’s “sabotage” at the Kakhovka Dam had increased the security risks at the plant and that the international community needed to respond quickly and decisively to this “terrorist act.” He also stressed that the only way to prevent a nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was to carry out complete denuclearization, with Russia withdrawing its troops and returning control of the plant to Ukraine.
The two sides also discussed directions for strengthening close cooperation between Kiev and the IAEA in the coming time.
* Regarding military aid, on June 13, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnik asked Germany to triple the number of Leopard 2 tanks supplied to Kiev from the initial 18. This official said: “The Ukrainian army first needs a significant number of Western-made main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other armored vehicles. Each Leopard 2 tank is worth its weight in gold for this decisive offensive.”
The Ukrainian diplomat also asked Berlin to provide additional aid of 60 Marder armored personnel carriers, 10 percent of Puma armored personnel carriers, Boxer wheeled tanks and Fennek armored reconnaissance vehicles currently in service with the German army, and announced his intention to raise the issue of transferring Taurus long-range missiles to Kiev.
Der Tagesspiegel (Germany) assessed that Ukraine's demand for military equipment is constantly increasing. The newspaper also stated: "Ukraine is waiting for Germany's strategic decision to actively participate in the alliance supplying fighter aircraft, thereby immediately allowing the training of Ukrainian pilots to fly Eurofighter fighter jets and providing part of the 130 existing aircraft."
* On June 13, speaking in the Oval Office of the White House with US President Joe Biden, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg affirmed: “The Ukrainians are making progress, they will make progress…The more territory the Ukrainians liberate, the more power they will have at the negotiating table.”
For his part, President Biden praised the efforts of Secretary General Stoltenberg, who will leave office next October. The White House chief said that NATO's response to the conflict in Ukraine has made the alliance stronger. Regarding the commitment of NATO member states to defend each other, the leader also stated: "We have strengthened NATO's eastern flank, we will defend every inch of NATO territory." At the same time, he also reiterated the US's "ironclad" commitment to Article 5 of the NATO Charter.
On the same day, the US Department of Defense announced a new military aid package worth 325 million USD for Ukraine on June 13. In this 40th aid package, Washington continues to use the Presidential Withdrawal Authority (PDA), which allows the US Government to quickly transfer defense products and services from its reserves in an emergency without going through Congress.
Ukraine will receive additional missiles for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 155mm artillery shells, Stinger air defense systems and anti-tank weapons. The aid package also includes 15 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 10 Stryker armored personnel carriers, secure communications equipment and 22 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out on February 24, Washington has provided about $40 billion to Kiev, the time when the conflict in Ukraine began.
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