Four injured as Russian missile strike hits Kharkiv region
A Russian missile strike against Kharkiv region hit a private house, resulting in four injuries. Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted some of the missiles, and one rocket hit a private house, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration Oleh Synehubov said.
© t.me/synegubov
Russia prepares to order 17-year-old draft in occupied Ukrainian territories, Ukraine’s defense intelligence says
A military draft in Russia doesn’t end as Russia takes losses in its war against Ukraine, representative of the Main Intelligence Department of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Andriy Yusov said in a televised interview. There are signs that Russia is planning for a new round of mobilization, readying to scale up the number of draftees and registration process, Yusov added.
“[Russia prepares to order] the 17-year-old draft in the occupied Ukrainian territories. [Young men] are being stopped from going abroad to avoid the draft.”
“The war will weigh on everyone in Russia. They need to understand that they will not avoid it unless they topple the regime and retreat from the occupied territories,” the representative of Ukraine’s defense intelligence said.
U.S. House of Representatives passes legislation paving way for defense budget, authorizing USD 800 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine
The House voted on Thursday to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize USD 858 billion in national defense funding for fiscal year 2023. The measure passed with a tally of 350 to 80, far exceeding the two-thirds majority required to pass the legislation and send it for a vote in the Senate.
The compromise version of the NDAA was released after weeks of backroom negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.
The total authorization level is USD 45 billion more than proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden, to address inflation and provide additional assistance to guarantee Ukraine’s security.
The Fiscal 2023 NDAA authorizes USD 800 million in additional security assistance for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, an increase of USD 500 million over President Joe Biden’s request earlier this year.
A 4.6 per cent pay increase for U.S. troops is included in the final version of the legislation. It also authorizes more funds to bolster the Air Force, Ground Forces and cyber security. The Senate is expected to pass the NDAA, sending it to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.
Belarus: Russia’s accomplice or an occupied nation? Ukraine in Flames #273
The role of Belarus in the current Russian-Ukrainian war is dubious. On the one hand, in February russian troops attacked North of Ukraine from Belarus territory. Bucha and Irpin massacres in particular became possible because of that. Moreover, Ukraine is still constantly being attacked via air from Belarus. And also, the lukashenko regime provides infrastructure, weapons, various supplies, and training centers for russian troops. But on the other hand, considering the massive civil protest of 2020 and the fact that lukashenko is not recognized as the legitimate head of the state by the absolute majority of the world, maybe we can consider Belarus as a country under russian occupation. And therefore, it’s rather a victim than a side of the conflict. Watch Ukraine in flames #273 to find out about a special Belarus regiment fighting russian aggression within the armed forces of Ukraine, the current situation in Belarus and its possible development, and what is dictator luckashenko’s last hope to save himself.
Guests:
- Vadym Kabanchuk, Deputy Commander of the Kastus Kalinovsky’s Regiment
- Yurii Oliynyk, Head of Research Programs of the Non-Governmental Analytical Center “Ukrainian Studios of Strategic Studies”
- Dmytro Vasyliev, President of the Research Agency for Development and Analysis “RADA”
