2023-12-11 10:55:00
Published11. December 2023, 11:55
EU aid package blocked: Will Kim help the Russians achieve a breakthrough in Ukraine?
Aid funds for Ukraine have been stuck in the EU and the US Senate for a long time due to political opposition. Even weapons that have already been promised are only slowly reaching Kiev.
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The war in Ukraine continues to rage, while other conflicts are attracting much international attention. Pictured: A fire in Kharkiv after a Russian artillery attack.
AFP
Now the Ukrainian military is warning that the risk of a Russian breakthrough is growing due to the insecure supply chain.
REUTERS
Meanwhile, planned aid packages in the EU and the United States are being blocked by the opposition.
REUTERS
That’s what it’s about
The Ukrainian army is struggling with an acute shortage of ammunition.
Meanwhile, large EU and US aid packages worth a total of 100 billion euros are blocked.
The North Korean dictatorship also far outstrips the Union when it comes to ammunition deliveries.
What the Republicans are in the United States, Viktor Orban is in the EU: Due to resistance from the opposition, two aid packages from Kiev’s most important supporters totaling 100 billion euros are stuck. Compared to the summer and fall of 2022, military aid to Ukraine has fallen by 90 percent this year – and the timing couldn’t be more unfortunate.
As Vladimir Putin intensifies his attacks on Ukrainian positions, the West is divided on key questions about Ukraine’s survival and pushing back Russia. While some want to push back the invaders at least enough to restore the situation before February 24, 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated in the past that the aim is also to recapture Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. International support for Kiev is currently no longer even enough for the former, according to the “Tagesspiegel”.
Ukrainians warn of breakthroughs
Now, of all times, the ammunition shortage in the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces is becoming serious, as Ukraine Front Lines reports. Due to the insecure supply chain, the troops are not able to fend off the ongoing Russian advances as successfully as before – Vladimir Putin has no shortage of personnel, who, as a de facto autocrat, can either change the age limits or simply forcibly recruit soldiers.
Despite its increasing isolation, Russia also has partners in Iran and North Korea that appear to provide more reliable ammunition than Ukraine’s allies. In March 2023, the EU announced that it would deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine – despite drones and rocket launchers, the large-caliber guns still play an important role.
North Korea beats the EU by far in terms of quantity
According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba, of this million, just 300,000 bullets reached Ukraine by the end of November, as Archyde.com writes. However, the alliance of states with a combined military budget of almost 350 billion dollars apparently cannot keep up with Kim Jong-un, although the dictator is estimated to only spend around 4 billion: South Korean intelligence assumes that North Korea has already sent over a million artillery shells to Moscow since August delivered.
When it comes to quality, the ammunition from Pyongyang lacks a lot. Images of the projectiles on social media are more reminiscent of homemade “woman’s fart” bombs than of artillery shells. Military bloggers report that various explosives are used, which means that the range cannot be estimated. Some of the floors have already been opened.
It is unlikely that Kim Jong-un will send low-quality goods to Russia – after all, North Korea, which is even more isolated, has an interest in a good relationship with Russia. It is not surprising that in a country where there has been hunger for decades and a significant portion of the budget is spent on nuclear weapons, savings are being made in many places.
“Russian losses strengthen Putin”
“The decisions that the West has been putting off for almost two years must now be made even more urgently,” demands “Tagesspiegel” journalist Benjamin Reuter in his commentary. Because while Ukraine is just one trouble spot among many for Western countries, the war is Vladimir Putin’s historical legacy. «The immense ones [russischen] Losses even strengthen Putin’s statement that Russia is not afraid of sacrifice.” And with the accusation that Latvia treats its Russian part of the population “swinishly,” the Kremlin boss could already have his sights set on the next piece of Europe.
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