Putin makes landmark visit to Kursk region after Russian Defense Ministry declares area secure
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region for the first time since the Russian Defense Ministry announced it was free from the Ukrainian armed forces, the Kremlin press service reported on Wednesday, May 21. The Kremlin clarified that the visit took place "the day before." During his trip, Putin met with "representatives of volunteer organizations" and the acting governor of Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, according to the Kremlin.
In addition, Putin held a meeting with …
Russia's ambitious plan to capture four Ukrainian regions by year's end met with skepticism
Bloomberg reported that Russia aims to capture four Ukrainian regions by the end of the year. Speaking with the Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne, Ukrainian Armed Forces reserve colonel and military expert Serhiy Hrabskiy expressed skepticism about Russia's ability to achieve this plan within the stated timeline.
On May 19, Bloomberg reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he has the upper hand on the front lines and thinks he can fully capture four Ukrainian regions by the year's …
Belgium to speed up delivery of F-16 jets to Ukraine, says defense minister
Belgium is planning to expedite the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, moving up the timeline originally set, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced ahead of a ministers' meeting in Brussels on May 20, according to Radio Svoboda.
“Regarding the F-16s, we are part of the F-16 coalition and will remain so, and we're trying to deliver the aircraft even earlier than the set deadline. I think this is good news," he stated, though he provided no further details.
Earlier, in March, …
Ukraine partners with with Belgian NATO supplier KNDS for ammunition production
Ukrainian state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom has inked a Memorandum of Cooperation with Belgian NATO supplier KNDS Belgium SA. This new collaboration seeks to jointly produce medium-caliber ammunition for automatic guns that target enemy troops, light armored vehicles, and low-flying aerial threats, as announced by the Ukrainian corporation.
"We are gradually expanding the geography of our international partnerships, actively seeking and establishing new avenues of cooperation. …
Zelensky accuses Putin of using talks as stalling tactic, calls for firm international pressure
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using "negotiations" to bide time to prolong the war and occupation. Zelensky noted that leaders discussed yesterday's conversation between him and U.S. President Donald Trump.
He stressed the importance of coordinating diplomatic efforts to achieve real results, saying, "We're working with our partners to ensure pressure forces Russia into changing its behavior. Sanctions matter, and I'm grateful to everyone making them more impactful …