Tag: ukraine

Four NATO States Agree To Buy $1 Billion In US Weapons For Ukraine

Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands announced they would buy $1 billion in weapons for Ukraine from the US. 

Copenhagen is pledging to buy $500 million in arms that will be matched by the three Scandinavian countries. “Ukraine is not only fighting for its own security, but also for our security,” Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson. 

The Wall Street Journal reports this is the first of several weapon sales to Ukraine paid for by NATO members this summer. 

NATO and President Donald Trump recently unveiled a scheme to send Ukraine $10 billion in US weapons funded by Europe and Canada. However, several European countries have announced they will not participate in the program. 

The WSJ report makes mention of Kyiv’s shopping list:

NATO and Ukraine have established a shopping list of Kyiv’s requirements for lethal and nonlethal equipment, dubbed the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List. NATO, Ukraine and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, will ensure the packages meet Kyiv’s needs. NATO is dividing the list into packages valued at roughly $500 million apiece

Governments are making financial commitments toward the packages and NATO, which has pledged “rapid delivery from U.S. stockpiles” will coordinate delivery of the arms to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Zelensky celebrated the announcement. “We already have commitments from the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark – over one billion dollars for American weapons that Ukraine will receive,” he wrote on X. “Thank you! This cooperation with NATO countries will continue.”

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Hunter Biden Got a Day Job Helping Ukrainian Illegal Aliens

Hunter Biden has taken on a new position as director of development at BASTA Inc., a Los Angeles-based eviction defense organization.

The announcement was made during an interview released Tuesday, as the president’s son continues to face significant financial and legal challenges.

Biden, who has reportedly accumulated millions of dollars in legal fees, discussed his new role with host Andrew Callaghan, describing the opportunity as a chance to assist vulnerable individuals in Los Angeles.

“There’s such an opportunity to be of service right now and not in … some kind of melodramatic, you know, way … A lot of people that are getting the shit beat out of them out there right here in LA and, there’s an enormous opportunity for just normal people to do kind of heroic things, whether it’s protecting somebody that’s about to get kidnapped off a street,” Biden said during the interview.

BASTA Inc., where Biden is now employed, was co-founded by Bryan Sullivan, who previously served as Biden’s attorney in a series of unsuccessful defamation lawsuits.

The nonprofit specializes in defending tenants facing eviction and, according to Biden, focuses part of its efforts on assisting illegal aliens.

“We’re the only group, in at least Southern California, that represents undocumented, and so we don’t take any federal money,” Biden said.

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Zelensky Says Mercenaries From Asia & Africa, Including Pakistan, Fighting For Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deploying foreign mercenaries along front lines in northeastern Ukraine. This certainly isn’t the first such accusation like this, but he has named some new, unexpected countries – unleashing new diplomatic tensions.

He alleged that foreign forces fighting in his country are from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and several African nations, citing what he said are eyewitness accounts from Ukrainian soldiers.

He issued the allegation during a battlefield visit to the Vovchansk sector, where the Ukrainian leader met with commanders to discuss the current situation.

Vovchansk is a mere three miles from the Russian border, and has recently seen renvewed intense fighting since related to Russia’s 2024 campaign focused on Kharkiv Oblast.

“The soldiers on this front are recording the participation of mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and African countries in the war. We will respond,” Zelensky said in the statement.

While the last months have seen China and North Korea accused of sending troops to help Russia, the allegation against Pakistan is a first.

Pakistan’s government has responded quickly to the Monday remarks of Zelensky, blasting the idea of Pakistani troops fighting alongside Russia as “baseless and unfounded.”

“To date, Pakistan has not been formally approached by the Ukrainian authorities, nor has any verifiable evidence been presented to substantiate such claims,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry Tuesday.

Back in April, Ukraine published images and footage showing Chinese nationals in military custody. “If the Chinese government is allowing their citizens to fight on behalf of the Russia government, this would be a concerning escalation and the US will consider options moving forward,” Zelensky had said at the time.

North Korea has also been involved in sending troops, and this is much better documented, given Pyongyang may have sent some 10,000 or more. These have been mostly active in Russia’s Kursk region.

Meanwhile, the allegation of foreign employing foreign fighters certainly goes both ways…

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Ukraine Claims Drone Strike On 5 Russian Fighter Jets At Crimean Base

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced it conducted a successful drone assault on a Russian airbase in Saky, a city in Crimea, in the overnight hours. This comes after weekend attacks deep inside Russia which hit oil refineries and a military-linked electronics factory.

The SBU claimed direct hits on five Russian military aircraft at the base, which reportedly destroyed one Su-30SM fighter jet and damaged another. Ukraine also said its drones hit three additional Su-24 bombers, along with an attack on a depot storing aviation munitions.

The Saky airfield has long been a key hub for Russian military activity in the Black Sea region. The SBU hailed the strike as “significant” – given that a single Su-30SM jet is worth up to around $50 million.

“The successful special operation carried out by the SBU in Saky marks another step toward weakening the enemy’s capacity to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine,” the SBU said.

However, Russia has yet to confirm or deny the Crimea airbase strike, or the jet losses – and is not likely to. If accurate, the aircraft destruction would mark the biggest such assault since Operation Spiderweb on June 1st, which targeted four airbases deep inside Russian territory.

Ukraine claimed it took out 41 Russian military aircraft in that operation, but Moscow consistently said this figure was exaggerated – but never disclosed a precise damage assessment.

The Su-30SM is a two-seat, twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft introduced by Russia early last decade, while the Su-24 is a twin-engine, supersonic strike aircraft developed by the Soviet Union – both of which are frequently used for combat missions in Ukraine.

Soon after Operation Spider’s Web, Ukraine’s military vowed there would be more such attacks to come. Russia has of late been pummeling Ukrainian cities with drone and missile strikes, so it appears Kiev is mounting more and more cross-border revenge attacks over the last several days.

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Ukraine’s Anti-Graft Agencies Say They Uncovered Major Drone Procurement Bribery Case

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies said on Aug. 2 they had uncovered a large-scale bribery scheme involving the procurement of military drones and electronic warfare equipment.

This came just days after the agencies’ independence was restored following mass protests over government efforts to curb their powers.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said in a statement on Saturday that the alleged plot involved a sitting lawmaker, current and former regional officials, National Guard personnel, and a company executive.

Investigators alleged that those involved had refined a scheme over the past two years to systematically siphon off budget funds allocated by local authorities for defense needs, and to secure “unfair benefits in particularly large quantities.”

Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, identified the accused lawmaker as Oleksii Kuznetsov of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party.

Party leader Davyd Arakhamiia later said on Telegram that Kuznetsov’s membership in the parliamentary faction would be suspended while the investigation is underway, and that a disciplinary panel was weighing his expulsion.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Ukrainian parliament’s press office with a request to forward a comment request to Kuznetsov.

In a separate statement, the party said it supported the work of NABU and SAPO, and stressed that responsibility for corrupt acts “must be borne by everyone, regardless of position, status or political affiliation.”

It said the recently passed law restoring the agencies’ independence “created additional guarantees for their work,” for them to act decisively and professionally in combating corruption.

Zelenskyy said in a statement posted on X on Saturday that he had been briefed on the investigation by the heads of NABU and SAPO, confirming that a lawmaker, local officials, and several National Guard servicemembers had been “exposed for bribery.”

“I am grateful to the anti-corruption agencies for their work,” he wrote. “There can only be zero tolerance for corruption, clear teamwork in uncovering it, and ultimately, a fair sentence. It is important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently, and the law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption.”

The law he referred to marked a dramatic about-face for his administration.

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Zelensky Party Lawmaker Among Ukraine Officials Arrested over Corruption: Report

Multiple military and political officials in Ukraine, reportedly including a lawmaker from President Zelensky’s party, have been accused of corruption schemes to steal money intended for the war effort and bribery.

Just weeks after thousands took to the streets of Kyiv to protest against the loosening of anti-corruption standards, forcing the Zelensky government to backtrack immediately, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said that four people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption.

According to a report from Ukrainska Pravda, this included Member of Parliament Oleksii Kuznetsov of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party. The news outlet went on to claim that the other officials included former Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai, head of Luhansk Oblast’s Rubizhne district Andrii Yurchenko, and an official from Ukraine’s National Guard.

In a statement, the NABU said that the officials established a scheme to fraudulently overcharge on defence spending, including on electronic warfare systems and on military drones, by upwards of 30 per cent.

“After the contract was executed, the company’s officials handed over their ‘kickback’ to the members of the criminal group,” the agency said.

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Climbing Aboard the Titanic: Trump’s New Ukraine Policy

When Donald Trump entered the White House for his second term as president, he had an excellent opportunity to extricate the United States from the quagmire war between Russia and Ukraine.  His instincts–that continued involvement in that conflict was not in America’s best interests—were sound.  Indeed, he signaled throughout the 2024 presidential campaign that he intended to terminate military and financial aid to Kyiv as soon as possible.  Most of his MAGA supporters seemed to agree that the Biden administration’s willingness to send billions of dollars to Ukraine when the United States had pressing needs at home was disgraceful.

Just months into his term, however, the president seems to have abandoned the goal of jettisoning the Ukraine commitment.  Instead, he has continued weapons shipments to Kyiv and authorized new ones.  He also expresses growing hostility toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and is making ever more unrealistic demands on Moscow.  In mid-July, that shift in policy included his insistence that the Kremlin accept a comprehensive ceasefire as the first stage of a peace accord with Ukraine—and do so within 50 days.  In late July, Trump moved up the deadline for Moscow’s acquiescence to such terms to no more than 10 to 12 days.  Otherwise, he warned, the United States would impose new economic sanctions on Russia far more onerous than those already in effect.  

The threat to impose stronger economic sanctions, though, has lost much of its clout.    Despite suffering some economic pain, Russia has been surprisingly resilient in handling existing sanctions.  Moscow has done an especially impressive job of finding alternative markets for its principal exports, most notably oil and natural gas.  There is no reason to believe that the situation would be different this time.  Increasing Washington’s military support for NATO’s Ukrainian proxy might have more impact, but it also would be utterly reckless, bringing the specter of World War III into play. 

Trump has picked an especially inauspicious time to join Ukraine’s Western fan club.  It is ironic that he is continuing– and even escalating–Washington’s commitment to Ukraine at precisely the moment that Kyiv’s status as viable U.S. and NATO client has become increasingly doubtful.  Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield, slowly conquering additional Ukrainian territory.  The bloodied Ukrainian forces appear increasingly beleaguered, and Russia (because of its much larger population and military reserves) is better positioned for a continuing war of attrition. 

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Zelensky Signs Law Allowing Ukrainians Over 60 To Join The Military

Ukrainians aged 60 and older can now serve in non-combat roles thanks to new legislation. The elderly Ukrainians will need special approval and get medical clearance before enlisting.

The law was passed by the Ukrainian legislature earlier this month and signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, allowing people over the age of 60 to serve in limited roles until martial law in Ukraine is lifted.

While the current martial law authorization is set to lapse next month, Zelensky has requested that lawmakers extend it for an additional 90 days. Zelensky’s presidential term has already expired, and he has used martial law to remain in office.

Zelensky signed the law increasing the age limit as Ukraine continues to struggle with manpower in the war with Russia. Last year, Ukraine lowered its draft age from 27 to 25, but has resisted calls from the US to drop it to 18.

Regional media explains:

According to the Verkhovna Rada website, the law was returned with the president’s signature on Tuesday, July 29. Parliament had passed the legislation on Wednesday, July 16.

The law applies exclusively to volunteers – there is no provision for compulsory service in this age group.

Under the updated Law “On Military Duty and Military Service,” citizens aged 60+ can now enlist under contract during martial law, provided they are deemed medically fit by a military commission and have written consent from a unit commander.

Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod explained earlier this month that her country was facing a severe manpower shortage, saying, “Our main problem is people. Nobody is giving us people.”

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What’s The Most Realistic Scenario In Which The West Might Replace Zelensky?

They might wait until after Russia agrees to a ceasefire (if it ever does) since replacing him with Zaluzhny while hostilities still rage could further weaken Ukraine to Russia’s benefit.

Russia’s foreign intelligence service (SVR) published a report in late July alleging that the Anglo-American Axis organized a secret meeting in the Alps with Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Yermak, GUR chief Budanov, and former Commander-in-Chief-turned-Ambassador-to-Britain Zaluzhny over Ukraine’s future. According to them, Yermak and Budanov agreed with the Anglo-American Axis’ proposal to replace Zelensky with Zaluzhny, which could be advanced on anti-corruption pretexts and “reset” Ukraine’s ties with the West.

Sputnik shared the following assessment of SVR’s report by former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter: “SVR and its press service are ‘not a media outlet,’ Ritter pointed out. ‘They’re not there to inform the public when they release information. It’s usually done to achieve an objective or purpose’ – in this case signalling the desire to ‘inflict the most harm on Zelensky at a time when he is deemed to be most vulnerable,’ and ramp up divisions within his government, and between him and Zaluzhny”.

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Trump’s Russia Sanctions Ultimatum Will Blow Up In America’s Face: Jeffrey Sachs

Economist and longtime adviser to the UN Jeffrey Sachs has issued a scathing critique of President Trump’s decision to unleash yet more anti-Russia sanctions, giving Moscow just ten days to negotiate for peace with Ukraine or else the new punitive measures will go into effect.

Sachs called the new policy “dangerous” and a sign that the Trump administration is plagued by contradictions and lack of a coherent strategy for ending the war, despite constant early boasting that Trump would rapidly achieve peace. The ‘secondary sanctions’ aimed primarily at those nations still trading with Russia are doomed to be ineffective anyway, the Colombia University professor pointed out.

“If the sanctions are actually applied, they are an escalation of the conflict, and therefore very dangerous. I do not believe that they will be effective,” he said in an interview with Russian media.

“For example, I do not believe they will stop Russia from selling oil, gas, and other commodities to Asian markets. Yet, provocations and escalation often have unpredictable negative effects, and that could be true here as well,” he added.

The new restrictions are likely to backfire regardless, as they “could expose” the “incompetence” or even “accelerate the breakup” of US-led geopolitical and economic blocs.

“This is, in short, the wrong approach. We need diplomacy and negotiation to get to the root causes of the conflict, and solve them, not unworkable ultimatums based on the idea of an unconditional ceasefire,” Sachs added.

He further highlighted the West’s inability to acknowledge and come to terms with the real underlying causes of Ukraine war, such as historic NATO expansion east, the sham Minsk accords, or the coup events of 2014.

“Instead, the Western powers now demand an unconditional ceasefire. Russia will not agree to this, nor will a new round of US sanctions compel Russia to agree to this,” Sachs emphasized.

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