Antony Blinken's surprise visit to Kiev
Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, made a surprise visit to Kiev on Tuesday to show his country's and the West's unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's persistent invasion.
The US diplomat arrived in the Ukrainian capital by night train for an unannounced visit to show full backing for Ukraine and thus generate more calm and confidence in Ukrainian ranks, more demoralised in recent times in the face of escalating Russian attacks.
The US continues to show its solidarity with Ukraine, and continues to pledge financial and arms assistance. Antony Blinken scheduled meetings with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Meetings with members of civil society were also arranged, as reported by France 24.
In his meeting with Volodimir Zelenski, Antony Blinken indicated that US military assistance "is on the way" and will make "the difference" in the battle for Ukraine, as reported by AFP. The US Secretary of State showed his country's full support for Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues, for which the Ukrainian president was grateful.
It is the first visit by a senior US official to Ukraine since the US Congress approved the latest 61 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine, which had been months in the making.
This US and broader Western support remains vital in the face of intensifying attacks by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory.
Fighting is currently heavy in Kharkov in northeastern Ukraine, where the Russian army has advanced to seize a significant part of the territory. Although Kiev claims that the area is well under control in the face of what it considers to be a slight enemy advance.
The Russian army has been attacking since Friday in the direction of Lypsti and Vovchansk, two enclaves near Kharkov, Ukraine's second largest city. In an interview with the AFP news agency, Ukraine's national security chief, Alexander Litvinenko, said that "more than 30,000" Russian troops were attacking the Kharkov region.
The Russian armed forces are also trying to take advantage of the Ukrainian army's lack of resources and superiority in troops and ammunition to advance into the Donetsk region in southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev was carrying out major "counterattacks". "We are destroying the infantry and equipment of the invaders," he said officially.
According to the Ukrainian president, Kiev had also detected "hostile activities", namely "sabotage groups" and "attacks" on the other border regions of Soumy and Cherniguiv in northern Ukraine.
Momentum in the Russian offensive
All of this comes at a time of intensified Russian attacks since the celebration of Victory Day in Russia, which commemorates the triumph of the Red Army and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics against the Nazis in World War II, and since Vladimir Putin renewed his mandate as president of the country for the fifth time until 2030.
Vladimir Putin has ordered a clear boost to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with this intensification of attacks and with strategic moves such as the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as head of the Defence Ministry. Shoigu had been the strongman of the Russian Defence Ministry in recent years during the entire stretch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Putin replaced the career military officer with civilian Andrey Belousov, citing increased military spending in the current war effort and the need for "innovation" in ministerial leadership.
Shoigu was "relieved" of his post as defence minister by presidential decree and appointed secretary of Russia's Security Council, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained.
The former Defence Minister will also become Putin's deputy on Russia's Military-Industrial Commission, Peskov said, while Nikolai Patrushev, the former Secretary of the Security Council, will be "transferred to another post".
Belousov held the post of deputy prime minister and was selected by Putin because of the need for "innovation", as Peskov indicated at a press conference, during which he highlighted the increase in the ministry's budget, saying it was approaching levels last seen during the Cold War.
"Today, on the battlefield, the one who is most open to innovation wins," Peskov said. "Therefore, it is natural that at the current stage the president decided that the Russian defence ministry should be headed by a civilian," he argued.
