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President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after a deluge of Russian missiles focused cities throughout Ukraine, condemning the strikes and pledging continued US safety help “together with superior air protection techniques.”
Through the name, a White Home assertion stated, Biden “expressed his condemnation of Russia’s missile strikes throughout Ukraine, together with in Kyiv, and conveyed his condolences to the family members of these killed and injured in these mindless assaults. President Biden pledged to proceed offering Ukraine with the assist wanted to defend itself, together with superior air protection techniques.”
The White Home didn’t specify which air protection techniques Biden mentioned with Zelensky, however america beforehand dedicated to offering Ukraine with Nationwide Superior Floor-to-Air Missile Programs. NASAMS can be able to participating Russian cruise missiles.
Biden, the assertion stated, “additionally underscored his ongoing engagement with allies and companions to proceed imposing prices on Russia, holding Russia accountable for its battle crimes and atrocities, and offering Ukraine with safety, financial, and humanitarian help.”
Requested whether or not the assaults of the previous 24 hours would change the calculus on what the US would contemplate providing Ukraine, a senior administration official stated that they had no bulletins to make on that entrance, however that the US will proceed to assist present Ukraine with short- and long-range air protection techniques, because it has prior to now.
And a second senior administration official offered the next abstract of air protection support offered to Ukraine from the US: “We’ve transferred greater than 1,400 Stinger anti-air techniques to Ukraine, in addition to air surveillance and multi-mission radars. We enabled our Allies to switch air protection techniques of their very own to Ukraine – together with Slovakia’s switch of a essential S-300 system in April. And in August, President Biden introduced a brand new help package deal for Ukraine that included orders for 8 new NASAMS—Nationwide Superior Floor to Air Missile Programs. We’ll proceed to offer Ukraine with what it must defend itself.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken additionally spoke with Ukrainian International Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday to reiterate US assist following the lethal strikes. Biden is anticipated on Tuesday to affix an emergency video convention with G7 leaders throughout which Zelensky is anticipated to handle the group.
Russia launched a complete of 84 cruise missiles towards targets throughout Ukraine on Monday, the Basic Workers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated in a Fb submit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated the strikes had been a response to what he described as acts of “terrorism” by Kyiv. Specifically, he referred to Saturday’s explosion on the Kerch Bridge linking Russia and Crimea – which he blamed on Ukraine’s “particular providers” – and a listing of different alleged “crimes.”
Kuleba stated that such claims had been “nonsense,” writing in a tweet, “Putin is determined due to battlefield defeats and makes use of missile terror to attempt to change the tempo of battle in his favor.” And Ukraine’s protection intelligence company claimed in an announcement on Monday that Moscow had been planning a “large” missile assault on Ukraine since early final week.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s Safety Council, additionally just lately stated he thinks Moscow ought to goal for the “full dismantling” of Zelensky’s “regime.”
In a submit on Telegram, Medvedev – who served as President of Russia between 2008 and 2012 – stated: “The Ukrainian state in its present configuration … will pose a continuing, direct and clear menace to Russia. Due to this fact, along with defending our folks and defending the borders of the nation, the aim of our future actions, in my view, must be the entire dismantling of the political regime of Ukraine.”
The point out of air protection system comes amid a collection of escalations within the battle.
Putin final month delivered a speech saying the partial mobilization of some 300,000 reservists following profitable Ukrainian counterattacks, elevating the specter of nuclear weapons if he deemed the “territorial integrity” of Russia to be jeopardized. And the Russian president just lately announced the annexation of 4 Ukrainian areas in defiance of worldwide legislation.
Final week, Biden delivered a stark warning in regards to the risks of Putin’s nuclear threats, invoking the prospect of “Armageddon.” But multiple US officials have said the remark was not based mostly on any new intelligence about Putin’s intentions or adjustments in Russia’s nuclear posture.
