RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine is targeting Russian civilian satellites – Moscow
Ukraine has been trying to disrupt Russian civilian communication satellites, the foreign ministry in Moscow said on Wednesday, adding that unspecified foreign states were aiding Kiev in the effort.
“The Kiev regime, with the participation of specialists from a number of foreign states, is attempting to interfere with Russian civilian communication satellites. This is an outrageous violation of international law,” the ministry said, warning that Moscow was in its full right to “respond appropriately” and possesses all the “necessary capabilities” to do so.
It was not immediately clear how precisely Kiev had tried to disrupt the satellites, as the ministry did not elaborate on the matter any further. Russia has repeatedly experienced disruptions of TV broadcasts during the ongoing hostilities with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky briefly appeared on TV in southwest Russia back in January, with Belgorod authorities acknowledging the disruption affected satellite broadcasts.
The other side has been experiencing similar disruptions as well, with arguably the most notable one occurring last June, when two Ukrainian sports channels showed an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin instead of a World Cup football match.
Western governments and private companies have provided Ukraine with satellite coverage for months. Most notably, the Starlink satellites operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX have become important tools for the Ukrainian troops in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Back in October, Russian diplomats warned that such satellites may end up becoming a legitimate military target.
“We are talking about the US and its allies using civil infrastructure components in space, including commercial ones, in armed conflicts,” Konstantin Vorontsov, the deputy head of the non-proliferation and arms control department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at the time.
Responding to Vorontsov’s remarks, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby warned that Washington would “hold Russia accountable for any such attack, should it occur.”
** Russian forces strike command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in DPR
Russian forces struck command/observation posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.
"In the areas of the settlements of Lastochkino and Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, command/observation posts of battalions from the Ukrainian army’s 110th mechanized and 95th air assault brigades were struck," the spokesman said.
In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 89 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 112 areas, the general specified.
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine's Zelenskiy aims for Western warplane coalition; Russians pressure Bakhmut
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a trip to Warsaw on Wednesday that Poland would help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Kyiv, adding that Ukrainian troops were still fighting for Bakhmut in the east but could withdraw if they risked being cut off.
Neighbouring Poland is a close ally of Ukraine and helped galvanise support in the West to supply main battle tanks to Kyiv. During Zelenskiy's visit, Poland announced it would send 10 more MiG fighter jets on top of four provided earlier.
"Just as your (Polish) leadership proved itself in the tank coalition, I believe that it will manifest itself in the planes coalition," Zelenskiy said in a speech on a square in Warsaw.
Earlier in the day, Zelenskiy said Ukrainian troops faced a really difficult situation in Bakhmut and the military would take "corresponding" decisions to protect them if they risk being encircled by Russian invasion forces.
Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut sometimes advanced a little only to be knocked back, Zelenskiy said, but remained inside the city.
"We are in Bakhmut and the enemy does not control it," Zelenskiy said.
BOMBARDMENT
Bakhmut, in Ukraine's mainly Russian-occupied Donetsk province, has proven one of the bloodiest and longest battles of Russia's invasion, now in its 14th month. Kyiv's forces have held out against a Russian onslaught with heavy losses on both sides and the city, a mining and transport hub, reduced to ruin after months of street fighting and bombardment.
"For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and of course if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger we could lose our personnel because of encirclement - of course the corresponding correct decisions will be taken by generals there," Zelenskiy said.
He appeared to be referring to the idea of withdrawing.
However, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said later in that the situation at the front was "completely under control" despite repeated Russian attempts to take Bakhmut and other cities in the east.
Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.
Ukrainian military commanders have stressed the importance of holding Bakhmut and other cities and inflicting losses on Russian troops before an anticipated counter-offensive against them in the coming weeks or months.
Mercenaries from the Wagner group - who have spearheaded the assault on Bakhmut - said at the weekend they had captured the city centre, a claim dismissed by Kyiv.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said the Wagner fighters had made advances in Bakhmut and were likely to continue trying to consolidate control of the city centre and push westward through dense urban neighbourhoods.
PLAYING THE CHINA CARD
French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, was visiting China after he and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed they would try to engage Beijing to hasten the end of the Russian assault on Ukraine.
China has called for a comprehensive ceasefire and described its position on the conflict as "impartial", even though the Chinese and Russian presidents announced a "no limits" partnership shortly before the invasion.
Both Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, due in Beijing shortly after him, have said they want to persuade China to use its influence over Russia to bring peace in Ukraine, or to at least deter Beijing from directly supporting Moscow in the conflict.
The U.S. and NATO have said China was considering sending arms to Russia, which Beijing has denied.
'SHOULDER TO SHOULDER'
Poland has played a big role in persuading Western allies to supply battle tanks and other heavy weapons to Ukraine, which helped Kyiv stem and sometimes reverse Russian advances so far.
"You have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it," Zelenskiy said after Polish President Andrzej Duda presented him with Poland's highest award, the Order of the White Eagle.
Duda said Warsaw was also working to secure additional security guarantees for Ukraine at a NATO summit to be held in the Lithuania in July.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told state TV that Moscow needed to maintain relations with Washington even though American supplies of weapons to Ukraine meant "we are really in a hot phase of the war".
In addition to MiG-29s, Kyiv has also pressed NATO for F-16 jet fighters but Duda's foreign policy adviser, Marcin Przydacz, said Poland would not decide soon on whether to send any.
RT/TASS/Reuters
