Antony Blinken
U.S. Says Ukraine War 'Backfired' on Putin, While Russian Progress in Donbas Is Only 'Incremental'
Top U.S. diplomat on Thursday made it clear that the Biden administration aims to lead the international bloc opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter long-term threats to global order, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
In his long awaited speech outlining the administration’s China policy, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said while the U.S. sees Russia and Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine as the most acute and immediate threat to international stability, it continues to believe that China poses a greater danger.
Blinken also took his chance to talk about how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has 'backfired' and 'achieved the opposite' of Putin's strategic aims.
"Instead of erasing Ukraine's independence, he strengthened it... Instead of dividing NATO, he's united it. Instead of asserting Russia's strength, he's undermined it," Blinken said about Putin. "And instead of weakening the international order, he has brought countries together to defend it."
Early in the day, the Pentagon officials made it clear that despite an enormous advantage in numbers, Russian forces attacking the Donbas region of Ukraine have made only "incremental progress," as a senior defense official put it.
Russia has deployed 110 operational battalion tactical groups in Ukraine, the official told reporters. The majority are in the south, and the remaining groups are split and fighting in the Donbas region. Even with the preponderance of troop numbers, officials say, Russian forces have made small gains only. These gains are offset by Ukrainian gains on other battlefields, most notably around Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.
The Russians are trying to pinch off the far eastern provinces of Ukraine. The fighting is hard and tough, the official said, and the switch in terrain and in the objective means a switch in battlefield tactics, leading to the increased importance of long-range fires.
The U.S. and allies are providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to fight the invaders. Of the 108 M-777 howitzers that nations pledged to Ukraine, 85 are now being used by the Ukrainian military, the official said. These guns are firing some of the 190,000 155 mm shells that have already been transferred to Ukraine.
Western allies have also delivered nine Mi-17 helicopters, and 73 percent of the Switchblade unmanned aerial vehicles. More equipment is arriving every day, and this covers everything from armored personnel carriers and rations to medical supplies and anti-artillery radars and much more.
The Russians have a large force with a lot of capabilities, but the Ukrainian military is more than holding its own, the official added. The Ukrainians turned back the Russians from the gates of Kyiv, and they are pushing the Russians back over the border in and around Kharkiv, the official reminded.
Alex Raufoglu
Washington D.C.
-
- In World
- 27 May 2022 10:19
Politics
-
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan made an unexpected statement during a government session, emphasizing the need for a strategic deal with Azerbaijan. According to him, the future peaceful coexistence of the two countries must be guaranteed for the next century, and addressing this issue is the most crucial and fundamental task for both sides.
-
A new draft agreement on financing climate programs, unveiled at the 29th session of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP29), proposes allocating at least $1.3 trillion (€1.23 trillion) annually for climate protection measures and adaptation to the impact of climate change, according to a 34-page document released on Wednesday. The draft, developed with input from developing nations, aims to address the needs of the world's poorest countries, though several contentious issues remain unresolved, AFP reported.
-
On November 13, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Afghan Taliban held talks in Baku as part of the COP29 conference. According to a report by Turan correspondent, the discussions took place behind closed doors and lasted for over an hour. No statements were made to the press following the meeting. Furthermore, conference security prevented journalists from asking questions to the meeting participants.
-
Kichikhanim Khalilova, the wife of arrested public activist and first-group disabled person, Famil Khalilov, reported being followed during her time at the COP29 conference on November 13. She had been accredited in the "Green Zone" as a civil rights activist. From the moment she entered the conference area, a young man began to follow her.
Leave a review