Ukraine Appeals for More Support From West as Russia Resumes Strikes

[fanfanois]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Ukraine said it shot down nine drones over the south of the country on Wednesday as the West moved to shore up the country’s air defenses in the wake of a barrage of Russian missiles and drones that knocked out energy infrastructure earlier this week.

The barrage heightened concerns as Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday ahead of the latest meeting of more than 50 Western countries under the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels.

In opening remarks, Mr. Austin said Russia’s recent attacks had strengthened the resolve of Kyiv and its partners. “We will continue to boost Ukraine’s defensive capabilities—for today’s urgent needs and for the long haul,” he said.

Mr. Reznikov wrote on Twitter that strengthening Ukraine’s air defense was at the top of the agenda.


Read more: https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ukraine-appeals-for-more-support-from-west-as-russia-resumes-strikes-11665573469?mod=hp_lead_pos7

[Bayard]

1. Putin's last ditch effort

To wipe Ukraine off the face of the planet--if I can't have it, no one will.

[FredGarvin]

2. All for Putin's ego

A genocidal maniac.

It's heartbreaking to see what has happened to Ukraine's cities and the country as a whole.

Absolute random terroristic destruction.

Satanic

[Ligyron]

3. ATACMS and F16's now!

I keep saying it might be a good idea if it were somehow “known” or suspected that the Ukrainians still had a few tactical nukes they forgot to turn in.

[FredGarvin]

4. More AA defense too

Recently contributed IRIS and Gepards seem to have made a big difference today?

Link to tweet

[TomSlick]

5. I'm in about the ATACMS. If the Ukrainians can fire the ARTRS, they can fire the ATACMS.

I wonder how long it would take to train a Ukrainian pilot to fly the F16 and whether those pilots can be spared from the current fight.

[Dysfunctional]

6. What if F16 veterans wanted to join the Ukrainian air force?

[TomSlick]

7. They would be free to do so if not currently serving in the USAF, USN, or USMC.

However, the Russians are not affording captured foreign volunteers the protections under the Geneva Conventions. Then again, the Russians are not affording Ukrainian prisoners of war those protections.

I would applaud any US F-16 veteran who volunteered.