Until recently, the European Union and the United States were unwilling to give Ukraine long-range weapon systems due to the risk of escalating war with Russia.
(update) Y head of European diplomacy Josep Borreli called on EU member states to “accelerate” arms deliveries to Ukrainian forces and provide them with long range artillery systems to respond to Russian attacks.
“Ukrainians have special needs.
The Russians are bombing them from afar, so they must have the ability to reach the same distances, the same range,” he explained after his meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitro Kuleba in Stockholm.
The British government announced on Thursday (11/5) that it would provide Ukrainian forces Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles;
Dangerous climbing
“The main topics of my conversation with European Union foreign ministers today will be long-range artillery systems and short-term accession negotiations,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister, who was invited to participate in the meeting of European authorities for foreign affairs and obligations. ministers from the Indo-Pacific region.
“Instead of wondering when to launch the counter-offensive, everyone should ask themselves if they have done enough to launch the Ukrainian counter-offensive and be successful,” Kuleba said ahead of his meeting with Josep Borrell.
“Dmytro Kuleba explained the situation on the ground to us.
In the Bakhmut region, Ukraine needs about 1,000 artillery shells per day (…) this gives an idea of the intensity of the fighting,” said the head of European diplomacy.
“We are sending arms and ammunition, but we must speed up shipments and replenish stocks,” he insisted, welcoming Berlin’s announcement of 2.7 billion euros in military aid to Kiev.
“If we don’t send, Ukraine won’t be able to defend itself.
The existence of an independent and sovereign country is at stake with this war that Russia is waging.”
“Dmytro Kuleba will have the opportunity to talk about it when we meet with the countries of the Indo-Pacific region,” Borrell added.
“We didn’t talk about integration during our conversation. Ukraine’s membership is decided and the process is ongoing,” he said.
Ukraine’s problem that its sovereignty does not cover all of its territory is not a reason for delay.
Cyprus was accepted as a member without its sovereignty covering its entire territory and the question remains open”, explained Josep Borrel.
With long-range British missiles, the attack on Lugansk
It is recalled that Ukrainian forces have already launched missile attacks against Russian positions with long-range missiles.
Ukrainian missile attacks were aimed at Lugansk.
Rodion Miroshnik, former head of the LPR’s representative office in Russia, said the strike in Lugansk took place in the area of the Polipak operation.
“Arrival in Lugansk in the area of the Polypak enterprise located on the territory of the former factory.
Residents see thick smoke,” Miroshnik wrote on his Telegram channel.
The missile attack by the Ukrainians injured six children and a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Viktor Vodolatsky,” the JCCC Telegram channel reported.
The missile attack by the Ukrainians troubled the Russian side because Lugansk, the capital of the region of the same name, is 30 kilometers from the Russian border and almost 100 kilometers from the battlefront.
According to regional authorities, two British Storm Shadow missiles were used.
As such, it is beyond the range of most missile systems the Ukrainian military has used to date, such as the US HIMARS.
Britain announced on Thursday (5/11) that it had delivered Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, with a range of around 300 km, which allow the Ukrainian army to strike the positions of long-range Russian forces.
Fury in Russia over Storm Shadow
Russia has accused the Ukrainian military of using Britain’s long-range Storm Shadow missiles cto hit “civilian targets” in the Russian region of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine.
The announcement of the Russian Ministry of Defense indicates that on Friday afternoon (5/12), Ukrainian warplanes launched a missile attack on the Polypak plastics plant and the Milam meat processing plant in the city of Lugansk.
“Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles purchased by the Kiev regime from the UK were used in this strike, despite statements from London that these weapons would not be used against civilian targets,” the Russian statement reads. of a fire in the two factories, destruction in adjacent houses and injuries, including six children.
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