Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signaled Russia’s intent to seize Kharkiv City in a future significant Russian offensive operation, the first senior Kremlin official to outright identify the city as a possible Russian operational objective following recent Ukrainian warnings that Russian forces may attempt to seize the city starting in Summer 2024. Lavrov stated during a radio interview with several prominent Russian state propagandists on April 19 that Kharkiv City “plays an important role” in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s idea of establishing a demilitarized “sanitary zone” in Ukraine to protect Russian border settlements from Ukrainian strikes.[1] Lavrov stated that Putin has very clearly stated that Russian forces must push the frontline far enough into Ukraine – which Lavrov explicitly defines as into Kharkiv Oblast – to place Russian settlements outside of the Ukrainian strike range. This requirement is a very vague definition that could include the entirety of Ukrainian territory as long as an independent Ukrainian state exists and is willing to defend itself. Lavrov stated in response to a question about where Russian forces will go after creating a “sanitary zone” that Russian authorities are “completely convinced” of the need to continue Russia’s war against Ukraine. Lavrov responded in seeming agreement to a comment from one of the interviewers, who suggested that Lavrov’s earlier remarks meant that Russian forces will have to continue to attack further into Ukraine after creating the “sanitary zone” to protect the settlements that would then be within the zone and Ukrainian strike range. Lavrov’s remarks suggest that the Kremlin will likely use the idea of a constantly shifting demilitarized “sanitary zone” to justify Russian offensive operations further and further into Ukraine.
Ukraine aid passes the House.
Very good news!
It’s a disgrace that a bunch of lunatics and traitors held this back so far, but better late than never.
Now let’s see if Empty Gee and the rest of the R-Kremlin crowd turns on Johnson…
If? I think the only reason she wouldn’t is if she’s in a coma.
“I cannot with all sincerity not wish the United States to plunge into a new civil war as quickly as possible,” Medvedev said on Telegram
Gift article (should be no paywall):
Politico:
Next Ukraine package to be larger than normal, include armored vehicles
Russia be warcrimin’
Yesterday in the morning, and despite several counterattacks by ZSU reinforcements rushed to the scene, the Russians have captured Novobakhmutivka. Moreover, around 21.00hrs yesterday evening, they have secured all of Ocheretyne and in the last night began attacking west of that place, and from Novobakhmutivka on Soloviove. Simultaneously, they are also assaulting Berdychi from the north and east, and Novokalynove from the south and east.
Now, by day, Ukrainian FPV drones are savaging columns of their assault groups as these are moving on Ocheretyne, but, and in grand total: this is hopelessly too little for completely blocking the movement of the Russian reinforcements along the railway berm. Foremost, the ZSU currently has nothing to outmatch the Russian air strikes and continuous, heavy artillery shelling of Ukrainian positions in the areas of Novokalynove, Arkhanhelske, Sokil, Soloviove, and Berdychi.
In the words of few people who are in the area: ‘it’s a hell’…
