Ukraine Invasion: Part 48

[MagicFox]

That last one went quickly! Welcome to thread 48. Thanks as usual to all for the information, guidance and solidarity.

**
Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

>I fully intended to apply a bit of reason on that thread, but to be honest, I think it has got past praying for...

I felt the same.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-21-2024

Key Takeaways:

• US Senate Intelligence Committee Chairperson Senator Mark Warner reported on April 21 that US provisions of military aid to Ukraine, including long-range ATACMS missiles, will be in transit to Ukraine “by the end of the week” if the Senate passes the supplemental appropriations bill on April 23 and US President Joe Biden signs it by April 24.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on April 21 that the swift delivery of US military aid to Ukraine could allow Ukrainian forces to stabilize the frontline and seize the initiative.
• Ukrainian forces struck and damaged the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s (BSF) Kommuna submarine support ship – the world’s oldest active-duty naval vessel – in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea on April 21.
• US-sanctioned, pro-Kremlin Moldovan politician Ilan Shor created the new pro-Russian Moldovan Victory electoral bloc on April 21, which plans to run a candidate in the October 20 Moldovan presidential election.
• The Victory electoral bloc will likely allow the Kremlin to focus on a unified political effort in Moldova instead of maintaining relations with multiple pro-Russian Moldovan actors and parties, as it has done recently.
• The Russian and Chinese navies signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation on April 21 amid recent reports of China’s increased support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• The Kremlin blocked domestic access to the website of the French non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), depriving Russians of access to independent assessments of Russian freedom of speech and press.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kreminna and Avdiivka and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area.
• Russian forces have increased their use of small, lightweight, off-road vehicles along the frontline.

Good work @MMBaranova not letting the Ru b__stards grind you down.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Poland, Lithuania, other NATO allies begin https://kyivindependent.com/poland-lithuania-other-nato-allies-begin-military-exercise-around-suwalki-gap/ military exercise around Suwalki Gap.
Poland, Lithuania, and other NATO members, including the U.S., began military exercises around the Suwalki Gap in Lithuania on April 21

⚡️Bloomberg: Blinken to warn https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-blinken-to-warn-beijing-over-support-for-russia-in-upcoming-trip-to-china/ Beijing that the U.S. and its allies are "united in their opposition" to China's support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

⚡️ FT: Spain, Greece face pressure from EU states to step up air defense supplies to Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/ft-spain-greece-face-pressure-from-eu-states-to-step-up-air-defense-supplies-to-ukraine/
Both countries have large numbers of the systems badly needed by Kyiv to protect its cities across the country from escalating Russian attacks.

⚡️Zelensky: Russia will attempt to capture the town of Chasiv Yar, just west of the Russian-occupied Bakhmut, by May 9, Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News published April 21. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-russia-will-attempt-to-seize-chasiv-yar-by-victory-day/

Around 20,000 to 25,000 Russian soldiers are trying to storm Chasiv Yar and the settlements in the city's outskirts, the Khortytsia Group of Forces' spokesperson, Nazar Voloshyn, said on national TV on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/military-over-20-000-russian-soldiers-trying-to-attack-chasiv-yar-its-outskirts/

⚡️ National Guard: Russia gained 'foothold in Bohdanivka area ( near Chasiv Yar. https://kyivindependent.com/fate-of-bohdanivka-uncertain-as-russia-claims-village-completely-liberated/

⚡️Budanov: Ukraine faces 'difficult situation starting mid-May.
Ukraine is about to face a "difficult" but "not catastrophic" situation on the front in the near future, starting from mid-May, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the BBC published on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/budanov-ukraine-faces-difficult-situation/

⚡️ Polish president: Poland ready to deploy allied nuclear weapons https://kyivindependent.com/poland-nuclear-weapons-duda/ on its territory.
Poland is ready and willing to allow NATO allies to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory, Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview published on April 22.

How Johnson came to allow a vote on Ukraine aid after months of delays https://kyivindependent.com/what-caused-johnson-to-allow-vote-on-ukraine-aid-after-months-of-delays/
After more than six months of hedging, backtracking, and unfulfilled promises, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson finally allowed a vote on aid for Ukraine, which was passed on April 20. What caused Johnson's sudden about-face?

Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Navy, told the Liga media outlet on April 21 that the navy had struck a ship in occupied Sevastopol and confirmed that it was the Kommuna, a salvage ship. The extent of the damage to the ship is unclear at the time of this publication. https://kyivindependent.com/explosion-in-sevastopol-russian-ship-reportedly-on-fire-and-crimea-bridge-closed/

⚡️ Bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers arrives in Kyiv.
A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers arrived in Ukraine's capital on April 22 in a gesture of Washington's continued support. https://kyivindependent.com/bipartisan-delegation-of-us-lawmakers-visits-kyiv/

Norway will provide Ukraine with new contributions, including funding, to improve the country's air defense, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told the TV2 media outlet on April 21. https://kyivindependent.com/norway-to-provide-ukraine-with-new-contributions-for-air-defense/

⚡️Reuters: World Bank financing arm plans to invest $1.9 billion in Ukraine. The new funding will go into projects such as river transport on the Danube or energy generation from solar and wind.https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-world-bank-financing-arm-plans-to-invest-1-9bn-in-ukraine/

Decommissioned power plants in Germany and Lithuania are being examined to see if parts can be salvaged and sent to Kyiv in order to repair and restore Ukrainian energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes. https://kyivindependent.com/germany-lithuania-scouring-closed-power-plants-for-parts-for-ukraine/

⚡️Media: Latvia to end courses of Russian as 2nd foreign language in schools. https://kyivindependent.com/media-latvia-to-end-courses-of-russian-as-2nd-foreign-language-in-schools/

⚡️ Media: German building materials firm Knauf to withdraw from Russia. While Knauf's spokesperson did not provide a specific reason for the withdrawal, the company came under scrutiny earlier this month for its alleged involvement in the reconstruction of Russian-occupied Mariupol. https://kyivindependent.com/german-building-materials-firm-knauf-announces-withdrawal-from-russia/

Opinion: Russia’s energy infrastructure attacks are depopulating Ukraine.
"The number of people fleeing Ukraine, as well as displacing themselves internally, grew exponentially after the Russian military started to target the country’s energy infrastructure in October 2022," write co-authors Olga Aivazovska and Andriy Savchuk in this guest op-ed.
"Pre-existing damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a lack of equipped personnel, shortage of air defense systems, are worsening this trend."
https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-russias-energy-infrastructure-attacks-are-depopulating-ukraine/

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦

• APR 22, 2024

■ Combat engagements & casualties drop below 7-day average ■ Modest equipment losses but notable special equipment losses ■ Strikes on both sides below 7-day average, improved air strike ratio

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The $60.7 billion aid bill for Ukraine includes approximately $23 billion to replenish the United States' military stockpile.
This will open the door for future American military supplies to Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine reports.
▫️Approximately $13.8 billion will be used for the Pentagon to purchase the latest weapons systems for the Ukrainian army directly from American defense companies;
▫️More than $13.4 billion will be used to repair military equipment and weapons that have been transferred to Ukraine and to train the Ukrainian military;
▫️Almost $1.6 billion will be allocated for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine's needs from manufacturers;
▫️Approximately $7.85 billion will be allocated for economic assistance to Ukraine.

US aid will give Ukraine a respite on the battlefield, but won't turn the tide of the war, — Bloomberg.
The article notes that as the package was stalled for six months in Congress, the Ukrainian military has grappled with an ever-more acute shortage of ammunition and manpower, while the Russian forces press their advantage.
The aid offers a respite to Ukraine’s military and will help it slow the Kremlin’s advances, conduct an “effective defense” and minimize losses, according to Mykola Bielieskov, research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv. But more aid is needed to go further, he said, a difficult prospect in the US with Republican resistance in Congress.

ATACMS long-range missiles may be sent to Ukraine by the end of next week.

Slovak citizens have already raised more than €3 million to purchase shells for Ukraine, according to the website of the civic initiative.

Kenyan delegation paid a visit to Odesa region.

Moldova has completely gotten rid of Russian gas dependence, — USAID Administrator Samantha Power at a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Mihai Popșoi.

❗️Russia attacked and destroyed a TV infrastructure facility in Kharkiv, — Oleh Synyehubov, head of the Regional Military Administration.

The Russian salvage ship “Kommuna” has been officially confirmed to have been hit in Sevastopol.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇨🇳The Chinese army is creating a unit that will be responsible for information operations. This order was given by Xi Jinping
Bloomberg writes that the Chinese army is undergoing the largest reorganization since 2015. For example, cyber and aerospace units will be separated from the disbanded Strategic Support Force.
Such changes are taking place at a time of competition with the United States for global influence, the publication writes. Last month, the United Kingdom, America, and New Zealand accused China of sponsoring cyberattacks on their institutions. www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-19/xi-orders-china-s-biggest-military-reorganization-since-2015

Elon Musk expressed concern about the lack of an exit strategy from the war in Ukraine, while Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, emphasized a "realistic" strategy, namely the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory

What would a defeated Russia look like?
Professor Timothy Snyder answers. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/20301

Russia has developed a computer game about the war in Ukraine, called "The Best in Hell"
Prigozhin is the leader in it.

Russian forces dropped two guided aerial bombs on Kozatske, Kherson oblast this morning. No casualties were reported, according to Regional Administration authorities

112 Republicans, the majority of the faction, voted against supporting Ukraine, even though Trump supported the bill

A great podcast episode dropped today from the Social Science of War on Technology and the Future of Land Warfare. There are lots of lessons from Ukraine. The guests include Jack Watling from RUSI (he's a Brit) and retired four star General Robert Abrams, former commander of the US Army Korea.

Watling has recently published a book on how technology (going back to smokeless gunpowder) has changed how armies fight.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-science-of-war/id1659725018

Gideon Rachman, "Ukraine is the front line of a much larger conflict" (FT)

on.ft.com/3JwxPVF

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-22-2024

Key Takeaways:

• The Kremlin is conducting a concerted air and information operation to destroy Kharkiv City, convince Ukrainians to flee, and internally displace millions of Ukrainians ahead of a possible future Russian offensive operation against the city or elsewhere in Ukraine.
• Kremlin mouthpieces are seizing on concerns about a future Russian offensive operation against Kharkiv City to conduct a likely coordinated information operation in an effort to create outsized panic among Ukrainians. ISW assesses that the likelihood of a successful Russian ground offensive against Kharkiv is very low if Ukraine receives renewed US military aid rapidly.
• Russia is intensifying strike and information operations against Ukrainians in Kharkiv City to exploit ongoing constraints on Ukrainian air defenses and heightened tensions in Ukraine in the likely relatively brief window before the anticipated arrival of US military assistance to frontline areas.
• Russian forces appear to be aiming to make a wide penetration of Ukrainian lines northwest of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, but their ability to do so will likely be blunted by the arrival of US and other Western aid to the frontline.
• The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on April 22 that Finland is taking concrete steps to protect itself against Russian hybrid operations weaponizing Russian-manufactured migrant crises on the Russian-Finnish border.
• The Kremlin appears to be highlighting its relationship with Azerbaijan while downplaying deteriorating Russian-Armenia relations following Russia’s failure to prevent Armenia’s loss of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area.
• The Russian state “Sudoplatov” volunteer drone initiative is reportedly equipping Russian military personnel operating in the Bakhmut direction with cheap and defective first-person view (FPV) drones.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

The next Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will take place on April 26, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren reportedly told European defense ministers on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/next-ramstein-meeting-on-april-26/

Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers is possibly conducting espionage in the Baltic Sea as well as helping circumvent sanctions on the trade of Russian oil, said Swedish Navy chief Ewa Skoog Haslum, in comments to the SVT public broadcaster published on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/swedish-navy-chief-says-russian-shadow-fleet-possibly-also-conducting-espionage/

What's happening with Russia's assets frozen in the West?
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the West froze around $400 billion in assets belonging to Russia’s Central Bank and Russian oligarchs. But freezing assets and actually getting them to Ukraine are two separate issues.

⚡️ Zelensky: Ukraine, US 'finalized' agreements on ATACMS.
Ukraine finalized the details of the agreement on long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles with the U.S., President Volodymyr Zelensky said after a call with his American counterpart Joe Biden on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/swedish-defense-minister/

⚡️British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a 500-million-pound ($617 million) uplift in military support for Ukraine during his visit to Poland on April 23. https://kyivindependent.com/pm-sunak-to-announce-largest-ever-military-aid-package-to-ukraine-during-visit-to-poland/ The U.K. will send what it described as its largest-ever single package of equipment, including 60 boats, more than 400 vehicles, including 160 protected mobility ‘Husky’ vehicles, over 1,600 strike and air defense missiles, and nearly four million rounds of small arms ammunition.

⚡️WSJ: US drafting sanctions aimed at Chinese banks aiding Russia’s war effort. https://kyivindependent.com/wsj-us-drafting-sanctions-aimed-at-chinese-banks-aiding-russias-war-effort/

Greece is preparing to give Ukraine at least one Patriot air defense system, the Greek media outlet Pronews reported on April 22, citing government sources. The figure could possibly be two, the source added. https://kyivindependent.com/media-greece-preparing-to-give-ukraine-at-least-1-patriot-system-possibly-2/

⚡️Poland cannot transfer Patriots to Ukraine but will provide other help, Tusk says. https://kyivindependent.com/poland-cannot-transfer-patriots-to-ukraine-but-will-provide-other-help-tusk-says/

According to a report by The Sun based on data from the website https://GPSJAM.org, some 46,000 aircraft have reported problems over the Baltic Sea since last August, with most of them occurring in Eastern Europe near borders with Russia. https://kyivindependent.com/thousands-of-european-flights-affected-by-suspected-russian-jamming/

⚡️Russia destroys Kharkiv TV tower.
Russian forces struck Kharkiv's television broadcasting tower on April 22, causing the top half of the mast to collapse. https://kyivindependent.com/governor-russia-attacks-tv-infrastructure-in-kharkiv/

Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, announced on April 22 that it requires $350 million to recover the lost capacity caused by Russia's attacks on thermal power plants. https://kyivindependent.com/dtek-needs-350-million-to-rebuild-power-plants/

The Wurzburg Prosecutor's Office has opened a preliminary investigation into the German building materials manufacturer Knauf, allegedly involved in the reconstruction of Russian-occupied Mariupol, Russian state-controlled news outlet RIA Novosti reported on April 22. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-media-german-prosecutors-office-opens-preliminary-investigation-into-knauf/

⚡️Hungarian FM says Ukraine carrying out 'witch hunt' against Hungarian businesses, threatens to block EU aid. https://kyivindependent.com/hungarian-fm-says-ukraine-carrying-out-witch-hunt-against-hungarian-businesses-threatens-to-block-eu-aid/

A sitting minister has been accused of illegally appropriating Ukrainian state-owned land worth Hr 291 million ($7.3 million) and attempting to seize another plot worth an additional Hr 190 million ($4.8 million), Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) announced on April 23. https://kyivindependent.com/minister-accused-of-illegally-appropriating-more-than-7-million-in-state-owned-land-attempting-to-seize-more-plots/

Ragnar Gudmundsson
WAR IN #UKRAINE - APR 23, 2024
■ Combat engagements & casualties stay below 7-day average
■ Increased equipment losses but still below average
■airforce active but artillery strikes remain few
■ Improved strike ratios despite an increase instrikes

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

"The first deliveries of artillery shells purchased as part of the Czech initiative may arrive in Ukraine in late May or early June," said EU Chief Diplomat Borrell.

More than 50 manufacturers in Ukraine are working on over 100 electronic warfare (EW) and electronic signals intelligence (ESI) systems, — Militarny.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he does not believe in the potential implementation of French President Macron's idea of a global ceasefire for the Olympic Games in the Russian war against Ukraine, because the aggressor never keeps its promises.

Russia has destroyed more than 210 port infrastructure facilities, — Ukrainian Ministry of Reconstruction.
However, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development Yurii Vaskov added that many of these facilities have already been restored.

Britain's latest military aid package to Ukraine worth £500 million will include:
▫️60 boats including offshore raiding craft, rigid raiding craft, and dive boats as well as maritime guns
▫️More than 1,600 strike and air defense missiles, as well as additional Storm Shadow long-range precision-guided missiles.
▫️More than 400 vehicles, including 160 protected mobility ‘Husky’ vehicles, 162 armored vehicles and 78 all-terrain vehicles.

Germany urges the US to provide Ukraine with another Patriot system — Bloomberg citing sources.

Russian weekly oil refining is near an 11-month low as flooding hampers operations and repairs to plants affected by drone attacks slow down, — Bloomberg.
“Russia processed 5.22 million barrels of crude a day from April 11-17, according to a person with knowledge of industry data. That’s about 10,000 barrels a day, or 0.2%, below the average of the prior seven days.
There’s been no further damage during the past month, giving operators time to conduct repairs, yet the pace of recovery has slowed,” stated in the article.

A French company continues to supply onboard electronics for Russian aircraft — Le Parisien.
These are aircraft used by Russia's highest military and political leadership. It is a state-of-the-art system that controls all onboard electronics from the cockpit. It is installed by PGA, a French subsidiary of the American Astronics group headquartered in New York State and specializing in avionics.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇺🇸 Today, after 20:00 (Kyiv time), the US Senate will vote on a military aid package that includes more than $60 billion for Ukraine. After the vote, Joe Biden is expected to sign the document by the end of this week.

🇩🇪Germany is delaying the transfer of MRAP heavy armored vehicles to Ukraine, which Berlin has been promising to supply since January.
Bild, citing documents from the German Defense Ministry, writes https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland-und-internationales/geheimdokumente-zeigen-mega-auftrag-pistorius-hat-ein-gepanzertes-problem-66227de1714ff462fada5b7e that Berlin planned to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces with up to 400 MRAP armored personnel carriers with enhanced mine protection, but deliveries have not begun. The vehicles were supposed to be delivered in batches of 20. The volume of deliveries was later reduced - first to 200 and then to 100 units. Now the vehicles are scheduled to be delivered in May or June.
The problems are allegedly related to the difficulties of importing American parts and mine protection certification.

🇭🇺Hungary will block the EU’s allocation of €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine until it receives guarantees that Hungarian companies won’t be included in the Ukrainian blacklist, said https://index.hu/kulfold/2024/04/22/szijjarto-peter-hatranyos-megkulonboztetes-ukrajna-magyarorszag-segely-europai-unio/ Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations, Peter Szijjártó.

Russian troops have advanced in Ocheretyne, Donetsk oblast
The DeepState project writes that the enemy has occupied most of the village, including the center. Fighting continues on the outskirts. Changes at the front are already reflected on the project's map. https://deepstatemap.live/en#11/48.2501/37.6158

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-to-increase-defence-spending-to-2-5-of-gdp-meaning-tens-of-billions-of-pounds-of-extra-funding-13121450 very welcome news!

Today, after 20:00 (Kyiv time), the US Senate will vote on a military aid package that includes more than $60 billion for Ukraine. After the vote, Joe Biden is expected to sign the document by the end of this week.

If the Senate vote goes through today, I'd be shocked if Biden also didn't sign the bill today.

WinterMorn, I am now doing a bit. After a walk which I was actually able to finish, I felt a little more alive, and dived in.

Excellent news!

Its appreciated 🌷 the latest poster is a real treat 😐

The misapprehensions on display are somewhat startling. How someone managed to read that thread and not notice that men between 18 and 60 were not being allowed to leave Ukraine, I really can't fathom: it's not a secret. And that a woman might want to go back if her husband were wounded, or just in order to see him after a year apart, doesn't seem to me unacceptable behaviour on her part.

I am also still boggling about the idea that refugees from Ukraine go home to get their botox. It seems as if there's some idea that getting to (say) Uman is as cheap and easy as taking the tube from Harlesden to Oxford Circus. Gibble. (A cross between a gibber and a boggle, that is.)

Why did Uman come to mind? Well....
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/15/ultra-orthodox-jews-celebrate-rosh-hashanah-uman-ukraine-pilgrimage
"anti-Semitic Ukraine" seems to have been asleep at the switches for a while last year and quite failed to persecute up to Russian standards.

Here's a bit of an update on what's going on with the aid bills in the Senate. I think they'll really push to have the vote today.

Senate Pushes Ukraine, Israel Aid Closer to Finish Line - $95 billion package also includes money for Taiwan, forced TikTok sale

I am also grateful to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sounding the alarm on China and threatening to sanction Chinese banks to try and pressure China away from its support of Russia’s military industrial complex.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-takes-aim-at-chinese-banks-aiding-russia-war-effort-fcf76dcc

“China can’t have it both ways,” Blinken said in Capri. “It can’t purport to want to have positive friendly relations with countries in Europe, and at the same time be fueling the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War.”
...
Trade in some of the most critical dual-use goods for Russia’s military surged after Xi’s meeting with Putin in March last year, ... the number of shipments of key dual-use goods, including helicopter parts, navigational equipment and the machines used to craft precision parts for weapons and aircraft jumped from just a few thousand a month to nearly 30,000 a month.

“This has ultimately enabled the Kremlin to speed up its weapons production, including armor, artillery, missiles, and drones, and put up an effective defense against Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive,” said Max Bergmann, a senior fellow at CSIS.

At the outset of the war, Xi appeared sensitive to calls from the West to refrain from shipping military equipment to Russia, but since then the Chinese have found workarounds. The Chinese don’t provide them with anything that looks like a weapon,” said a senior European diplomat based in Washington. “The components we are talking about—chips, machinery, tools—these are components you put into a weapon.”

The Senate passed the bill yesterday. Biden will sign it today.

Senate Passes Ukraine, Israel Aid Package After Monthslong Fight - Measure, which also includes forced sale of TikTok, now heads to Biden’s desk

There was an interesting discussion about the Bill on yesterday’s Ukraine the Latest episode with Colby Badhwar from InsiderEng. Basically about how the media are incorrect in talking about $60bn dollars of support as they do when the drawdown amount within the bill is actually only about (I think) $7bn for military assistance. Much of the rest is humanitarian aid but he indicated that some might end up going to things in the US that actually have very little ties to Ukraine. Well worth a listen.

I really really hope this produces the results everyone hopes for

While we're on podcast recommendations this was a good discussion on British defence specifically: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/defence-talks-securing-uk-advantage/id1713252259?i=1000653423641

Fantastic