NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg makes an unannounced visit to Kyiv. Russian-installed Sevastopol authorities cancel May 9 parade. Ukraine needs to resupply its air defense systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Thursday, April 20, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, for the first time since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am here today with a simple message: NATO stands with Ukraine,\u201d Stoltenberg told a joint news conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToday, the President and I discussed a multi-year support initiative. It is a testament to NATO\u2019s long-term commitment to Ukraine. NATO stands with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes,\u201d NATO Secretary General said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Alliance stood by Ukraine after Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, Stoltenberg said. It stands by Ukraine today, \u201cin your heroic fight against the Russian invaders\u201d, and \u201cwill stand by you tomorrow, as you rebuild, and work toward a brighter future for the Ukrainian people,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russian aggression is a toxic pattern that must be stopped, Stoltenberg emphasized. The Allies must continue strengthening Ukraine\u2019s armed forces, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe must ensure that robust, powerful arrangements are in place for Ukraine\u2019s security. Ukraine\u2019s rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine\u2019s rightful place is in NATO. And over time, our support will help you make this possible,\u201d NATO Secretary General said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked about NATO\u2019s July summit in Vilnius, Stoltenberg said: \u201cI also recognize that President Zelenskyi will raise the issue of [Ukraine\u2019s NATO] membership, of security guarantees, and this will be high on the agenda of the meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stoltenberg also visited Bucha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ukraine needs more air defense systems and associated munitions, after burning through missiles, while fighting off massive Russian strikes last fall and winter, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command Colonel Yuriy Ihnat said on television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur expectation is that our allies will send us not only more [air defense] systems, but also more missiles for them, as our rate of missile expenditure is serious. Last fall and winter, the enemy targeted our [energy] infrastructure. Ukraine\u2019s air defenses destroyed 750 kamikaze drones and the same number of missiles. (Russia launched a total of 850 cruise missiles in those months \u2013 edit.) That makes a total of 1,500 Russian targets intercepted by Ukraine\u2019s air defense systems. Since the invasion, Ukrainian troops have destroyed 600 aircraft and helicopters, and at least 1,500 drones,\u201d Ihnat said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe use large amounts of missiles, and they need to be replenished at a corresponding rate. We hope that the next \u2018Ramstein\u2019 meeting [of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group] will bring us expected results and good news,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol annexed by Russia, Russia will not hold a Victory Day military parade in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, there will be commemorative parades near veterans centers, he added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On April 12, the Russian-appointed head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said that there would be no parades in Crimea either on May 1 or May 9. At the time, Razvozhayev said that no decision had been made to cancel the May 9 parade in the city. Consultations with the Russian Defense Ministry were still underway, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The governors of Russia\u2019s Kursk and Belgorod regions earlier scrapped the May 9 parade \u201cin order not to provoke the enemy with concentrations of troops and equipment\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n