In a statement on his personal Telegram page, Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky announced that Kiev is planning to attack the Crimean peninsula with ATACMS high-precision ballistic missiles.
According to the President of Ukraine, the main target in Crimea for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is the airports. However, Kiev still does not have enough long-range missiles.
“ATACMS missiles are not in Ukraine at the moment… The Russian side knows that we can destroy these planes and they deployed them in Crimea to attack,” Volodymir Zelensky said, stressing that Ukraine is in dire need of US long-range missiles.
On March 12, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced the allocation of a new military assistance package for Ukraine worth $300 million.
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| Ukraine announced it would launch missile strikes on the Crimean peninsula. Photo: Getty |
“Today, on behalf of President Joe Biden, I am announcing $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine to address some of its most pressing needs,” said Jake Sullivan.
Part of the package is expected to include ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles for the AFU, as well as additional ammunition for 155mm guns and rocket artillery systems.
This is the first US military aid package to Ukraine in several months. The US last provided $250 million in aid to Ukraine in late December 2023, after which the US Congress was divided over new aid packages for Kiev. Against this backdrop, President Volodymir Zelensky began to doubt the US commitment to military aid in the conflict.
“We are counting on our partners and I hope that this is not just empty talk but in fact this is a way to make us stronger,” said Volodymir Zelensky.
In response to the statement of the President of Ukraine, the Russian State Duma immediately responded. Deputy Mayor of Sevastopol Dmitry Belik announced that the Russian Armed Forces are ready to prevent US missile attacks on Crimea.
“Volodymir Zelensky not only gave a warning, but also presented a whole plan of action. I am sure that our air defense forces are looking for any type of AFU weapons and will be able to neutralize them, so it will be difficult for the President of Ukraine to threaten us,” Dmitry Belik said.
According to the leader of Sevastopol, none of the weapons Ukraine received from Western countries helped the AFU achieve success on the battlefield. The Russian army always carefully paid attention to and neutralized the weapons Kiev received from the West and did not neglect or ignore possible threats.
Regarding the statement of the President of Ukraine, in the past few days, the US RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone has been closely monitoring the waters of the Black Sea, the area adjacent to Sochi and Novorossiysk. In the past, every time a US reconnaissance aircraft appeared in the Black Sea, it was a signal for an AFU missile attack on the Crimean Peninsula or the Black Sea Fleet.
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| The battlefield is difficult, but Ukraine is still changing its leadership. Photo: AP |
According to TASS news agency, the President of Ukraine has decided to fire a number of advisers, assistants and presidential envoys on personnel reform. According to the press secretary of the President of Ukraine, Sergei Nikiforov, the move is to set an example for the country's public administration to be more proactive in its work.
Earlier, the Ukrainian President fired a number of officials, including his first assistant Sergei Shefir, former director and founder of the Kvartal-95 film studio.
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