Ukraine Journal

🗣 Russia is preparing to deploy another 200-300 thousand troops near the Ukrainian border — Defence Minister Umerov in an interview with Reuters Key points from the interview: 🟠 Moscow is preparing for a new offensive; 🟠 The Kremlin wants to open a new front in the north to begin using all its manpower and firepower against Kyiv; 🟠 Ukraine will receive its first supplies of F-16 fighter jets "very soon", but around half of its desperately needed foreign military aid is arriving late. @ukrainejournal

⚡️ Ukraine is now probably preparing to bomb Russia with long-range missiles - Defense Express This is evidenced by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian radar stations. “If Ukrainian drones are already flying such a long distance, then this also indicates that the routes are being worked out very seriously.” @ukrainejournal

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/05/27/german-officer-who-threw-cds-over-wall-for-russians-convict/ @ukrainejournal

Italy opposes use of weapons supplied to Ukraine in Russia Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated Sunday her opposition to the use of weapons supplied to Ukraine on Russia soil, after the NATO chief reportedly suggested letting Kyiv strike targets beyond its border. "I don't know why Stoltenberg said such a thing, I think we have to be very careful," Meloni told Italian television while adding that "I agree that NATO must remain firm, not give the signal that it is giving in" Matteo Salvini, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Lega Nord political party, expressed his disagreement with the NATO secretary general's position. "Italy is not at war with anyone, and if it was right to help Ukraine militarily, then at the same time, it is out of the question to lift the ban on Kyiv to strike military targets in Russia. Speaking at an election rally in Naples, Matteo Salvini slammed Stoltenberg's remarks, saying: "This gentleman either asks for forgiveness, rectifies his remarks or resigns." 

Britain has full operational control over Trident “Only the Prime Minister can authorise the use of UK nuclear weapons” and “the government of the United States of America has no involvement in the use of nuclear weapons by the British government”. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-has-full-operational-control-over-trident/ Good to know even if we don't want to use them. @ukrainejournal

This is what Vovchansk looks like now 😢😡 @ukrainejournal

In other news.... @ukrainejournal

The war in Ukraine has exposed a critical vulnerability in the allies' plans to arm Ukraine: a shortage of explosives needed to produce shells and missiles. Each artillery shell requires approximately 10.8 kg of high explosives, such as TNT, Octogen, or Hexogen, and throwing projectiles over long distances also necessitates significant amounts of propellants. The situation is even more dire for other munitions, such as the Storm Shadow missile, which has a high-explosive warhead weighing 450 kg. The challenge lies in the limited capacity of explosives manufacturers to ramp up production. The end of the Cold War led many European manufacturers to scale down or cease operations, resulting in the closure of plants and the privatization or mothballing of state enterprises. For example, the UK closed its last explosives plant in 2008. Restarting these mothballed plants is not a simple task. It requires significant retooling and rebuilding of capacity. Additionally, the industry faces a shortage of skilled workers, as older engineers retire and fewer young people enter the profession. The supply chain for critical raw materials, such as chemical precursors and cotton fibers, is also strained. Nitric acid, essential for producing nitrocellulose, is in short supply due to its use in fertilizer production. Cotton fibers are predominantly imported from China, adding to the supply chain complexity. This shortage presents a significant obstacle to the allies' efforts to support Ukraine's defense against Russia's aggression, highlighting the need for strategic planning and investment in the defense industry's infrastructure and workforce.

Judy Asks: Is Hungary a Reliable EU and NATO Member? - Carnegie Europe An informative read. Hear the opinion of several people: https://carnegieendowment.org/europe/strategic-europe/2023/03/judy-asks-is-hungary-a-reliable-eu-and-nato-member?lang=en&center=europe @ukrainejournal

At the beginning of May, the SBU exposed a network of russian agents who were preparing the assassination of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, were monitoring the head of the SBU Vasyl Malyuk, and were helping the russians organize an assassination attempt on the head of the GUR Kyril Budanov. Two colonels of the State Security Department were detained. Now they face life imprisonment. The Sunday Times journalist spoke with an employee of the SBU Counterintelligence Department and details the assassination attempt on Budanov in May 2024 and on Zelensky in the first days of the full-scale invasion. Read a summary here. (use translation tool) (The original article of the Sunday Times can be read here (paywall!).) @ukrainejournal