For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Moscow Times, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) —MCM
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Blinken announces $2 bn aid to Ukraine, affirms Kyiv’s right to decide on striking targets within Russia. From Kyiv Post. In day two of a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today announced the release of a further $2 billion in military aid for Ukraine, part of a larger $61 billion package. Addressing the contentious issue of strikes on Russian territory, Blinken said . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia claims advances on 2 fronts during Blinken visit to Kyiv, by Stanislav Doshchitsyn | AFP Russia said today its forces had pushed deeper into the Kharkiv region and also captured the symbolic town of Robotyne further south, one of the only prizes of Ukraine’s underwhelming counteroffensive last summer. Moscow’s advances on two fronts point to the critical shortages . . . READ MORE . . .
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Ukrainian troops pull out of some areas and Zelenskyy postpones foreign trips amid Russian offensive, by Matthew Lee and Illia Novikov | AP KYIV — Ukrainian forces withdrew from some areas of the country’s east and battled Russian troops in others today, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed all his upcoming foreign trips. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Ukraine, sought to reassure the ally of continuing American support, announcing a $2 billion arms deal — most . . . READ MORE . . .
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Zelenskiy postpones foreign travel, Russian infantry enters Ukraine border town, by Yuliia Dysa and Tom Balmforth | Reuters KYIV —President Volodymyr Zelenskiy postponed all foreign travel as the battlefield situation continued to deteriorate today and Kyiv said Russian infantry had entered the northeastern border town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv region. The capture of the town would be Russia’s . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia says downed Ukrainian drones, ATACMS missiles. From the Moscow Times. Russian air defense systems have intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones and U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles overnight and early this morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. The attacks caused . . . READ MORE . . .
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General Staff: Russian forces ‘partially pushed out’ from Vovchansk, by Martin Fornusek and news desk | The Kyiv Independent Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks in the Vovchansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast and “partially pushed out enemy forces from the town,” the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said today. The Defense Ministry said earlier today that . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russian air defenses down several projectiles near Sevastopol, Belbek airfield. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defenses have downed several projectiles over the sea near Sevastopol and near the Belbek airfield, the city’s Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said. READ MORE . . .
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FROM MAY 14 Blinken tells Ukraine U.S. aid will make a difference against Russia’s offensive. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR KYIV, Ukraine — In an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said part of a U.S. aid package has arrived and more is on it way, which will “make a real difference” against Russia’s offensive. Click HERE for article and audio of related interview.
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FROM MAY 10 Countdown begins for Russia’s summer offensive, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline Receiving bad news activates the desire to make sense of chance processes, and in turn, activating this desire enhances the tendency to dislike bearers of bad news. In the current churning around the Ukraine war . . . READ MORE . . .