PENTAGON chief Lloyd Austin has signalled that the United States and its Western allies are having trouble keeping up with Ukraine’s demand for advanced weaponry.
It hints at dwindling supplies for Ukraine and fear in the White House of an escalation that could result in a war between the US and Russia.
At a press conference in Brussels where Ukraine’s key Western allies had gathered, Austin avoided giving a clear answer when asked whether the US and other nations can supply the weapons Ukraine needs. Instead, he just said that the ‘desire’ is there to get Ukraine what it needs.
The risk of reduced US stockpiles of high-end munitions has been reported almost since the US began contributing to Ukraine.
Now, nearly eight months since the start of Russia’s military operation, experts interviewed on American digital TV argue the US is at – or very near the end – of its capacity to give.
They agreed that Austin’s remarks indicate that the initial rush of high-end munitions like HIMAR rocket launchers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft Stingers and M-777 Howitzers is over.
‘There are some areas where we’re basically at the bottom of the barrel,’ Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies said.
He added that the Biden administration has ‘limited’ supplies of HIMARs, Javelins, Stingers and M-777 Howitzers.
Cancian believes that Austin’s speech signalled that US support for Ukraine will continue in a different way, like sending over lower-end substitutions such as lighter Howitzers that are serviceable, providing substitutes or buying weapons from other nations.
Other experts, however, say that the Biden administration is deliberately slowing down the transfer of critical munitions to Ukraine, because it is increasingly worried about stumbling into a direct conflict with Russia.
Top Russian security officials have already reiterated that the Ukraine conflict could escalate into another world war if Kiev joins NATO.
A US congressional aide was also reported as saying: ‘Another sign of US caution is that the administration allowed nearly $2.8 billion in authority to supply Ukraine with weapons to expire a few weeks ago, at the end of fiscal year 2022.
The aide explained that many of the weapons sent to Ukraine were stockpiled largely for use in a possible conflict with Russia, and that that conflict is already playing out with Ukraine in the lead, so a corresponding drop in US inventories is not putting the US anywhere near a stockpile crisis.
To put it another way, the Biden administration has more flexibility to give Ukraine more but is choosing not to.
The US has been by far the largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine since Russia launched its ‘special military operation’ there in February, supplying more than 800,000 NATO standard 155mm artillery shells to Kiev – three-quarters of the total amount delivered by all Western countries, according to official Pentagon statistics.
Earlier this month, Russia warned that Washington would cross a ‘red line’ and become ‘a party to the conflict’ if it supplied Ukraine with longer-range missiles.
The Pentagon, however, said late last month that it was committed to sending another 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Ukraine.
On Thursday, Germany and 13 other members of the US-led NATO military alliance also signed a letter of intent to jointly purchase air defence systems in the category of systems such as the Israeli regime’s Arrow 3, US Patriot and German IRIS-T units in order to enhance Ukraine’s air and missile defence capabilities.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed as ‘unacceptable’ comments from French leader Emmanuel Macron concerning Moscow’s role in the decades-long conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
In comments to French television on Wednesday, Macron accused Russia of purposefully ‘destabilising’ and ‘seeking to create disorder’ by provoking the recent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Caucasus region.
Putin said during a meeting of the nine leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Kazakhstan that Macron’s remarks were ‘incorrect’ and ‘unacceptable.’
They show ‘a lack of understanding of the course of the conflict … Russia has always sincerely sought to resolve any conflicts, including issues related to Karabakh.’ Putin said, and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan were welcome to Russia for talks ‘at any time in any place’.
He further added that in the future, ‘There will be an opportunity’ to ‘discuss’ the matter with the French leader.
New clashes have erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia, in a resumption of decades-old hostilities between Baku and Yerevan over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Speaking to France 2 television, Macron claimed Russia had stoked tensions in recent months in favour of Azerbaijan.
5,000 Russian soldiers are allegedly there to guarantee the border, (but) the Russians have used this conflict which dates back several centuries and played Azerbaijan’s game with Turkish complicity and came back to weaken Armenia which was once a country it was close to,’ Macron claimed.
‘You see what’s happening? It’s an effort by Russia to destabilise. It wants to create disorder in the Caucasus to destabilise all of us.’
Last week, Macron met with Azerbaijani, Armenian, and EU leaders to discuss the establishment of peace between Baku and Yerevan.
The one-hour meeting in the Czech Republic’s capital, Prague, aimed to reach an agreement that will see a civilian EU mission head to the countries’ border to assess the situation.
However, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry last Friday reacted angrily to Macron’s ‘unacceptable and biased’ remarks, insisting that, ‘Azerbaijan is forced to reconsider France’s efforts in mediating.’
Meanwhile, Russian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani foreign ministries met last Friday for peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana.
The trio discussed joint efforts on normalising Azerbaijani-Armenian ties.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but has an ethnic Armenian population.
Last month, simmering tensions between the estranged neighbours caused a fresh flare-up over the region, leaving nearly 100 soldiers dead on both sides.
This was the most recent flare-up in tensions between the two Caucasus countries since thousands were killed in a 44-day war over the territory that ended in November 2020.
- The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed five ammunition depots in the Kherson Region, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the city of Zaporozhye, Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said at a briefing on Sunday.
‘Tactical and army aircraft, missile and artillery troops hit three command points near the Korovy Yar and Nikoforovka settlements in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and the Novoosinovo settlement in the Kharkov Region in the past 24 hours, as well as the positions of 42 artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 141 areas,’ he specified.
According to him, five ammunition depots were destroyed near Davydov Brod in the Kherson region, Shandrigolovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic and at a shipyard in Zaporozhye.
‘In the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces have continued to use high-precision, long-range air-launched weapons to target Ukraine’s military assets and energy facilities,’ he said, adding that all targets had been hit.
Konashenkov added: ‘The Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to break through Russian defences near the Koshara and Pyatikhatki settlement in the Kherson Region in the past 24 hours, with the operation involving up to three battalions, including a tank battalion.
‘Russian troops stood their ground, causing heavy losses to the enemy. Over 250 Ukrainian troops were killed; 11 tanks, 14 combat armoured vehicles and two field artillery pieces were destroyed,’ he added.
Russian air defences downed 11 drones and intercepted eight HIMARS and Olkha rockets in the Kherson Region, Lieutenant General said.
‘Air defences downed 11 unmanned aerial vehicles over Nikolskoye, Blagoveshchenka and Andreyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kuzemovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Podgornoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Sukhanovo, Staritsa, Charivnoye, Maxima Gorkogo, Kuibyshevo in the Kherson Region,’ he specified.
According to Konashenkov, eight HIMARS and Olkha rockets were intercepted near the Khakovka and Antonovka settlements in the Kherson Region.
Since the start of the special military operation, the Russian army has destroyed 323 aircraft, 161 helicopters, 2,247 unmanned aerial vehicles, 380 missile systems, 5,830 tanks and other combat armoured vehicles, 870 multiple rocket launchers, 3,480 field artillery pieces and mortars, as well as 6,595 special military motor vehicles.
Konashenkov added: ‘In the Krasny Liman direction, missile and artillery troops prevented the enemy from crossing the Zherebets River near the Stelmakhovka and Makeyevka settlements in the Lugansk People’s Republic, and the Yampolovka settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic.’
He also said that Russian artillery units hit a Ukrainian assault group which was heading towards the Kirovsk settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic, killing over 20 troops and destroying four armoured vehicles.
Russian troops also ‘destroyed three US-made M777 howitzers near the Zagryzovo settlement in the Kharkov Region,’ he said, adding: ‘Ukraine lost more than 40 troops in the Zaporozhye area.
‘Russian forces continued to destroy the enemy at its positions in the area of the Vremevka settlement of the Donetsk People’s Republic along the axis toward Zaporozhye and took control of dominant heights in the area of the Neskuchnoye settlement of the Donetsk People’s Republic,’ he told reporters.
‘More than 40 Ukrainian troops, one tank and three infantry fighting vehicles were taken out.’
Konashenkov said Russian forces as part of the special operation foiled an attempt by Ukraine’s 92nd brigade to attack in the area of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, killing up to 50 Ukrainian troops.
‘A pre-emptive fire damage inflicted by a Russian artillery strike foiled an attempt by Ukraine’s 92nd mechanised brigade to attack in the area of Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region along the axis toward Kupyansk.
‘Up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, five armoured vehicles and three pickups equipped with large-calibre machine guns were taken out,’ he said.
The Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said Russian forces, as part of the special operation, also destroyed a crossing over the Oskol River in the Kharkov Region that was used by Ukrainian troops to supply ammunition and reserves.
‘A crossing over the Oskol River in the area of the Dvurechnaya settlement in the Kharkov Region, which was used to supply reserves, ammunition and materiel resources, was destroyed,’ he said.
