Sunday, April 24, 2022

Blinken and Austin Heading to Ukraine As Russia Posts Stunning Video of Captured Weapons Cache in Kharkiv


British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised more weapons for Ukraine according to Reuters. “British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday to confirm Britain will supply fresh weaponry to support Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion.” (link)

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are heading to Kyiv tomorrow for talks with Zelenskyy. “[I]n what would be the highest-level visit by U.S. officials to Ukraine since the start of the war. The Defense Department and State Department declined to comment. Mr. Zelensky, speaking to reporters in a subway station in Kyiv on Saturday, said he would discuss military supplies and the pace of their delivery with the U.S. officials. The Ukrainian president has pressed Western countries for more weapons and support, and the U.S. and allies have raced to supply Ukraine with NATO-standard heavy weaponry.” (link)

Meanwhile Russia is reporting to have captured a massive Ukranian military weapons cache near Kharkiv (northeastern Ukraine).  The video is quite remarkable:


When you watch that video, it’s hard not to wonder where all that military hardware came from previously, and how long the buildup of that particular Kharkiv weapons depot had been happening.  There are thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition in that video.

Additionally, Russia’s defense ministry said on Saturday that its forces had shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet and destroyed three MI-8 helicopters at an airfield in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine regarding the Russian claims.