This week, fighting continued to rage all across the front lines. Russia continued to strike Ukrainian cities and towns far behind the front lines with missiles and drones.
Ukraine needs 25 Patriot air defense systems to fully defend its skies from Russian missile attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi told a news conference on Monday. Later in the week, he renewed the calls to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike military sites inside Russia. Addressing European leaders gathered for the fourth European Political Community meeting in Britain on Thursday, he said Ukraine needs to be able to strike Russian airfields to take out fighter jets that drop bombs on civilians.
Russia’s vast stocks of Soviet-era tanks and artillery barrels are running out, according to The Economist’s analysis. At current rates of attrition, its military stocks will have reached a “critical point of exhaustion” by the second half of next year, the article states. Before the end of this year Russian forces may have to adjust their posture to one that is much more defensive.
In other news, Ukrainian airborne and naval drones struck a Russian coast guard base on Lake Donuzlav in Crimea on Thursday. Hundreds of Ukrainian startups inside the country are working to create low-cost robots to fight Russia. France is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine.
The European Parliament passed a resolution condemning Orbán’s self-styled “peace mission” and reaffirming support for Ukraine. Britain’s new government led by Keir Starmer will strive to play a leading role in charting a clear path forward for Ukraine’s NATO membership, King Charles said, setting out Labour government’s plans and priorities in King’s Speech.
A majority (66 per cent) of Ukrainians believe that Ukraine can beat Russia on the battlefield, a recent poll found.
Ukraine has not yet received F-16 fighter jets promised by allies 18 months ago, Zelenskyi says.
It’s been a year and a half since allies committed to sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The country had hoped that its military efforts would be boosted by the arrival of F-16 planes promised by allies this summer. But President Zelenskyi confirmed in an interview with the BBC in London that Ukraine had yet to see them.
“It’s been 18 months and the planes have not reached us,” he said, saying that he was thankful for what Ukraine had been given.
But he emphasised that new fighters were essential to help Ukrainians push back against Russia’s aerial dominance and “unblock the skies”.