Ukraine confirms it is continuing to use the Patriot air defense system

Chiến sự tối 17.5: Ukraine khẳng định vẫn đang tiếp tục dùng hệ thống phòng không Patriot - Ảnh 1. — An area in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv damaged by a Russian missile launched on May 16.

AFP on May 17 quoted Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Ignat as confirming that the US-supplied Patriot air defense system continues to operate, after Russia announced it had hit the system.

"Don't worry, everything is fine with the Patriot system. It is still in use," he said. Ukraine received delivery of the US Patriot surface-to-air missiles in April.

Russia says Kinzhal hypersonic missile destroyed US Patriot system supplied to Ukraine

CNN quoted a US official as saying that the system appeared to be damaged after being attacked by Russian missiles on the morning of May 16.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had hit a Patriot system in Kyiv with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed that its air defense system shot down six Russian hypersonic missiles, although Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later denied this information.

Kyiv hopes for "fighter alliance"

The Guardian newspaper on May 17 quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcoming the commitment of the UK and the Netherlands to build an "international coalition" to support fighter jets for Ukraine, as well as France's support for the coalition.

The leader called it “a good start for the alliance,” and thanked the parties involved. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte pledged on May 16 to build an international coalition to support the provision of fighter jets to Ukraine.

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Regarding the war, TASS news agency reported that Russian artillery attacked a large group of Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut.

The missile formations of the southern battle group also attacked the temporary deployment sites of battalions of the 24th and 57th mechanized brigades of Ukraine. Kyiv has not commented on the information.

In a related development, the Kyiv Independent news site cited analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW-USA) that despite Ukraine's successful counterattack around Bakhmut, Russian forces appear determined to consolidate their offensive efforts in the area.

On May 16, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that her country’s forces had regained control of about 20 ^square kilometers of the northern and southern outskirts of Bakhmut. A day earlier, Maliar said that Russian forces were deploying more paratroopers to the Bakhmut area.

Grain deal set to expire

Reuters reported that the last ship was scheduled to leave the port in Ukraine on May 18 under a deal to export Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, a day before the deal expires and Moscow is reluctant to extend it due to obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it would not engage in “hypothetical discussions” about what Russia would do if the Black Sea grain deal expired.

Moscow has said it will abandon the deal unless a list of demands for its own agricultural exports are met.

South African President Says African Leaders Will Visit Russia, Ukraine to Seek Peaceful Solution

In another development, in an interview with Tsargrad TV, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the crisis in Ukraine could end simply when the US abandons its allies, "similar to Egypt and Afghanistan".

He expressed hope that “today’s politicians will pay attention to the relevant history and consider how relations can develop” with the US. The diplomat did not rule out the possibility that the Ukrainian crisis could end in a similar way.

"Many political analysts have written about this. They predict that this whole crisis will continue as long as the Americans need it. These people will stay in power as long as America needs them," Lavrov said. Washington has not commented on the statement.

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