China News Agency, Beijing, May 21. Comprehensive news: Russian Defense Minister Shoigu reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 20th that the Russian army has completed the operation at the Azov Steel Plant and “liberated” Mariupol. On the other hand, the White House is considering ways to provide Ukraine with anti-ship missiles to help Ukraine break the Russian naval blockade.
Russia announces full control of Azov steel plant
Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov as saying on the 20th that the last batch of 531 Ukrainian armed personnel who were besieged in the Azov steel plant surrendered. Since the 16th of this month, a total of 2,439 Ukrainian troops and Ukrainian military forces “Azov Battalion” who were besieged at the Azov Steel Plant surrendered. Shoigu has reported to Putin that the Russian army has full control of the Azov steel plant and the city of Mariupol.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Ukraine 24 TV channel on the 20th that the Ukrainian soldiers in the Azov steel plant have every right to “go out and save their lives”. He explained that they had permission from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian State News Agency on the 20th, the spokesman of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Motuzyanik said at a press conference that day that the fighting situation in eastern Ukraine is fierce and showing signs of deterioration. The Russian army launched a violent attack on the entire military contact line, the main goal is to surround Ukrainian troops in Lisichansk and Severo Donetsk in the western part of the Luhansk region. In Kharkiv Oblast, the Russian army was carrying out artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in the south and southwest of Izyum, while in Slavyansk in the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian army temporarily repelled the Russian attack.
According to the Ukrainian State News Agency on the 20th, the military administrator of the Luhansk region, Sergei Ghede, posted on social media that the industrial city of Lubezhnoye in western Luhansk has been completely destroyed by the Russian army. Intact buildings exist, and a large number of damaged houses are difficult to repair.
U.S. considers supplying anti-ship missiles to Ukraine
According to the Ukrainian state news agency on the 20th, the White House is working to provide the Ukrainian army with advanced anti-ship missiles to help Ukraine break Russia’s naval blockade.
Archyde.com reported on the 19th, citing three U.S. government officials and two congressional sources as sources, that the government is actively considering providing Ukraine with the “Harpoon” missiles made by the U.S. Boeing Company or the Norwegian Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace Corporation and the U.S. Raytheon. The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) jointly produced by technology companies. Either directly from the U.S. or “transferred” via a European ally armed with one of the anti-ship missiles.
According to the New York Post of the United States, on the 20th local time, a large American cargo ship carrying military equipment and medical supplies to Ukraine docked at the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The cargo ship was loaded with armored vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies and portable bridges.
After leaving the port of Antwerp, the cargo ship will head to Bremerhaven, Germany, where the cargo will be unloaded, the report said. Next, this batch of materials will be transported to Ukraine by land for use by the Ukrainian army.
According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 21st, US Defense Department spokesman Kobe Bryant denied that the United States was developing a plan to destroy Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
G7 to provide $19.8 billion in aid to Ukraine
According to Bloomberg News, on the 20th local time, the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting concluded in Germany, and the meeting reached an agreement on the G7 to provide a total of 19.8 billion US dollars in financial assistance to Ukraine.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmegar issued a statement on social media on the 20th, saying that the European Union provided Ukraine with the second batch of macro financial assistance that day. The Ukrainian Ministry of Finance said in a statement on the 20th that it had received the second batch of 600 million euros of macro-financial aid from the European Union.
Zelensky posted on social media on the 19th that he had a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that day to discuss issues such as arms aid, Ukrainian agricultural exports and fuel imports. According to the British Prime Minister’s Office, the two sides discussed opening up sea and land routes to export Ukrainian grain reserves.
According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 21st, Lithuania will stop importing electricity from Russia from May 22.
Finnish state-owned energy company Gasum announced on the 20th that Gazprom will cut off liquefied natural gas supplies to Finland on the morning of the 21st. Gasoum will supply its customers with natural gas from other sources, and the company’s refueling stations in areas of the gas network will continue to operate normally.
According to the Russian Satellite News Agency, the Canadian government announced new sanctions once morest Russia on the 20th local time, 14 people were included in the sanctions list, and a ban on luxury goods and computer components was also introduced.
Putin proposes “three key tasks” to ensure the security of Russia’s information infrastructure
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the 20th that cyber attacks on Russia’s information infrastructure have become increasingly frequent and the challenges have become increasingly severe. In this regard, he proposed three key tasks to ensure the security of Russia’s critical information infrastructure.
The first is to continuously improve and adjust the information security guarantee mechanism in the field of key facilities directly related to national defense capabilities, economic and social stability and development. The second is to improve the security of national agency information systems and communication networks. The third is to fundamentally reduce the risks posed by the adoption of foreign programs, computer technology and telecommunications equipment.
According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 20th, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Melnik, said that NATO is the “only security anchor” and that Ukraine may join NATO following the conflict is over, not when it is hot. (Finish)Return to Sohu, see more
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