‘On this present day, my message to the Ukrainian folks is evident: america stands with you,’ President Joe Biden mentioned.
President Joe Biden reaffirmed U.S. help for Ukraine following Russia’s huge drone assault towards the nation, which left greater than 1,000,000 Ukrainian households with out electrical energy.
Russia launched 188 drones within the Nov. 27 assault that focused Ukraine’s power infrastructure, with 76 of them being intercepted by Ukraine’s air defenses, in response to Ukraine’s air power.
In a Nov. 28 assertion, Biden criticized Russia for what he described as a “horrific” aerial assault.
The outgoing president mentioned it highlighted the urgency and significance of supporting the Ukrainian folks towards Russian aggression.
“On this present day, my message to the Ukrainian folks is evident: america stands with you,” he acknowledged. “The USA stands with greater than 50 nations in help of Ukraine and its struggle for freedom.”
Biden mentioned that america has been working for months to assist Ukraine strengthen “the resilience of its power grid” forward of the winter season whereas the Pentagon “continues to surge different important capabilities to Ukraine, together with artillery, rockets, and armored autos.”
“Earlier this yr, and at my course, america started prioritizing air protection exports so that they go to Ukraine first,” the president acknowledged.
Referring to Russia’s new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile system, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned on Nov. 28, “After all, we are going to reply to the continuing strikes on Russian territory with long-range Western-made missiles, as has already been mentioned, together with by presumably persevering with to check the Oreshnik in fight situations, as was completed on Nov. 21.”
Putin mentioned that Russia’s Ministry of Defence and basic employees have been already deciding on targets to hit on Ukrainian territory, which might embrace “navy amenities, protection and industrial enterprises, or decision-making facilities in Kyiv.”
Kyiv is closely protected by air defenses, however Putin mentioned the Oreshnik missile travels too quick to be intercepted. Russia first deployed the Oreshnik missile on Nov. 21, simply days after Biden seemingly licensed Ukraine to fireside U.S.-made military tactical missile methods (ATACMS) into Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s latest drone assault and accused Putin of escalating the conflict to stop efforts to finish the battle in Ukraine.
“He has no real interest in ending this conflict,” Zelenskyy mentioned in an announcement on Nov. 28. “Putin needs to escalate the state of affairs now in order that President Trump fails to finish the conflict.”
President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 27 nominated Keith Kellogg, a former nationwide safety adviser, as his particular envoy for the Ukraine–Russia battle in his incoming cupboard.
Trump has beforehand expressed his need to hunt a direct finish to the conflict in Ukraine.
Putin mentioned Biden’s reported authorization of Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles to focus on Russian territory might complicate the incoming Trump administration’s efforts to interact Russia in peace talks.
“It’s potential that the present administration needs to create difficulties for the long run administration,” Putin mentioned on Nov. 28. “However as in my opinion of the newly elected president—he’s a fairly intelligent and skilled man—I feel he’ll discover a answer provided that he has tackled such a problem as reclaiming the White Home.”
Chris Summers contributed to this report.
