Ukraine war briefing: ‘Real difference against Russian aggression’ says Blinken of US aid | Ukraine

The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, arrived in Kyiv in Tuesday on his first visit to Ukraine since a major US aid package was accepted last month. Blinken, who arrived by train from Poland on an unannounced visit, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Some of it has already arrived and more of it will arrive,” said Blinken of US aid. “And that will make a a real difference against continued Russian aggression on the battlefield.”

Zelensky described US aid as crucial and thanked Blinken, but also said Ukraine desperately needed two more air defense systems to defend the city of Kharkiv, which has been hit repeatedly by Russian strikes in recent weeks.

Blinken joined band 19.99 on stage at Barman Dictatpicking up a red guitar to release Neil Young’s Rockin’ into the free world. “Your soldiers, your citizens – especially in the northeast, in Kharkiv – are suffering tremendously. But they should know, you should know, that the United States is with you, much of the world is with you, and they are fighting not only for a free Ukraine, but for the free world. And the free world is with you too,” Blinken said before playing the song.

The Ukrainian army said that its forces pulled back to new positions in two areas of the northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow is launching an offensive, and warned of Buildup of Russian forces in the north near the Sumy region.

Russia said on Tuesday that it had the captured 10th border village Bukhruvatka, in Kharkiv region. The police chief in Vovchansk, a town 5 km (three miles) from the border that was the target of one of the main Russian strikes, reported an exchange of fire in the northern part of the town.

The Russians strike residential areas in the center of the city of Kharkiv, 20 people were injured on Tuesday, officials said.

This was said on Tuesday by the Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenergo power shortages caused by damage from Russian strikes led to controlled blackouts across the country from 21 to midnight. “The reason is a significant shortage of electricity in the system as a result of Russian shelling, as well as increased consumption due to cold weather,” Ukrenergo said.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on May 16-17, Chinese state media reported.

Joe Biden signed a law widely supported in Congress that bans it every import of Russian uranium into the US since August 12. Russia provides about 20-30 percent of the enriched uranium used in the U.S. and Europe and 44 percent globally, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The legislation would free up $2.72 billion in funding for the Energy Department to invest in U.S. uranium enrichment.

Russia put its Intercontinental ballistic missile “Bulava”. in operation, state news agency TASS reported on Tuesday, citing the system’s chief designer.